When they finally reached the yard, four penguins stood with their backs to them. Just that instant, all the penguins turned facing them. Their Expression were like female clones of their own. Skipper was stunned as the majestic leader glared at him. "Ramona, ..... um it's nice to see you, again." Skipper gulped hard. "I wish I could say the same. Well, I see you're late, as always." She rolled her eyes. "You know, I wasn't usually late." Skipper corrected. "For us, te are." She shot back. "If it's an apology te want, ... I have nothing to say." He concluded stalking off. "We're not done with this, te know." She called at him. "What was that all about, Skippah?" Private puzzledly pondered. Skipper ignored the question, not wishing to orso the tale on Private.
They strode up to Todd, the butler, to discuss import manners. He seemed flummoxed about the whole situation between Skipper and the mysterious female. The mystery of their past only seemed to turn it più intreging. Deep down, both leaders were absorbed with intense lust and want for the other. Beneath the luminous beam of the cresent moon, they both strained their eyes straying at each other's glowing, sapphire eyes. "Is everything alright?" The butler asked. "Fine!" Skipper covered while Ramona yelled. "Peachy!" Todd took a few steps back. "I would introduce te all, but I see te all know each other pretty well." He observed hesitantly. "Actually we don't all know each other." Private admitted. A pinguino girl, that looked about his age, smiled and blushed anxiously. She whispered to the tallest one, who had glasses, giggling. She turned back to look at him, and winked.
"Hey, I'm Ellie. This Olive, Ivory, and I know you've met Ramona." She detto with a grin. Private knew he was going to soon befriend her, but it felt like something more. Not how he felt about his team, though. It was like she put him in a daze. A pleasantly surprising one, like it was only them.
"Hello, Ellie. I'm Private. I thought there were supposed to be più teams here? Oh dear, I hope they didn't drive off that cliff that we almost drove -" Skipper covered Private's babbling beak. Ramona's attention was captive to the fact that they almost drive off course. "Wow! te almost drove off a cliff?! Were te scared?!" Ellie squealed excited anticipating a marvelous tale. "Well, we made a turn at that sign." Private began. "You must be really brave. te know, for coming here." She blushed. "Thank you, you're really beautiful." Private returned the complement. "Aw, that is the sweetest thing anyone has told me. I -" Ellie flurted, but was interrupted da Skipper's sarcasm. "If te two are finished jibber-jabbering, we'd kind of like to find some clues to help us solve and survive this mystery. Unless, te both want to end up in the morge."
"Don't worry about him. I know for sure he'd choose his work over Amore any day." Ramona sneered. "Do te really have to bring that up in front of Private?" Skipper remarked pulling Private behind him. "Did youhave to break my heart?" Ramona snapped. "As a matter of fact -" Skipper was cut off. "I know I speak on behalf of the whole staff, when I say I am grateful that te all made it. Some groups failed to make it here. No one has heard from them either." He greeted "Well, it is a pleasure to serve your needs. Shall I give te the grand tour?"
"Oh, that would be lovely!" Private and Ellie cheered, as Skipper and Ramona groaned.
The stubby butler opened the door for the investigators. They all stepped inside the colossal mansion. A chandleer dangled above every single room. "Please, do wipe your feet." The butler said. They entered the hallway. Chairs and tables were on each side. Mounted heads of game such as deer an elk. Private shuddered and clenched Skipper's fin. Through the rest of the hallway, Skipper dragged Private.
They entered a gorgeous ballroom. Kowalski's eyes glimmering dazing up at the windowed ceiling, that opened up an ocean blue sky to Kowalski and Ivory. He only then noticed how dazzling she was under the moonlit sky.
The successivo room wasn't as antique, but it was not without its luxurious charm. It was a colossal room with a white couch, a roaring fireplace, and a window twenty times Private's height.
In awe, Private and Ellie gazed out the window. A garden full of fiori springing full of life. In the center stood a statue of an enchanting woman. Her features were lovely but her glare and expression, wicked. Her eyes were filled with hateful tears.
Rico looked rapidly around, his face potraying extreme terror. Skipper was startled. "Rico, what is it, boy?!" Skipper stammered. "No TV!?" Rico whined, as Kowalski and Skipper breathed a sigh of relief. "Really?" oliva complained "well, at least they have a pool,"
"Yay, pool!" Rico cheered.
Private and Ellie were too distracted to notice the figure coming up from behind them. "I Amore the view, myself, too." A fragile voice declared. The young penguins jumped and turned to find an eldery woman. "Oh dear me, I didn't me to scare you, darlings." She detto comforting the privates.
"You must be-" Skipper started, but was interrupted da the woman. "Ramona! How are you? I see te haven't dato up on your dream of being the leader of a commando team and getting back together with someone." She chimed in greeting Ramona.
"I'm doing welll," she said. "Oh, and te must be Skipper and his well-known team! It's so grand to meet te all." The woman detto happily. "You must be Ms. Williams, it's an honor to help solve this mystery for you." Skipper said. "I do dearly appreciate your help." She detto truthfully. "So, have there been any più deaths recently?" Skipper interrigates. "Not since my husband," she sighs.
"All right, when and where did te last see him?"
"It was a dark night. A treacherous storm was brewing outside. He was alone in the attic, when ... the Pianoforte began playing ... and ... the power went out. He screamed out of nowhere, and the door was locked. And when we finally opened the door ....." She was too traumatized to speak. "There was nothing there." Ramona said. "What? How do te know?" Skipper was puzzled. "Oh, I was here when it happened. I was staying with them. After I quit. I'm a family friend." Ramona anwered with her beak up in the air snobbishly.
"Oh, okay, so were there any footprints o other clues like feathers?"
"No," she answered.
"That's strange ..... strange indeed."
The old woman rubbed her flippers together. "Well, I should probably mostra te your rooms. You're all probably exhausted after your long trip."
She did as she said. Skipper and his team settled in a quite large room with two beds, and a rocking chair. Nightstands sat between the four beds. A dresser was placed against the wall. Private leaped on a letto and covered himself up. Kowalski and Rico hopped in their own beds. "Please, do wash up before dinner, at eight o clock sharp." Ms. Williams said, "oh, and, Skipper darling, may I see te in the hall?"
"Of course," Skipper detto warmly and headed outside the room.
Skipper never expected what was coming next. "WHAT EVER te DO, DON"T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!" She cried in hysteria, desperately. "I-I promise, I won't." Skipper winked and went inside the room.
About half an ora later, behind the door came a heavy breathing. It was an eerie sound. Skipper tip toed to the door cautiously.
He jumped as he saw a young woman at the door with a pyschotic smile. "How are te all coming to like your room? I'm Ellen, your maid." She said. "Those beds look antique. How old are they?" Private asked. "Actually, they are antique, very vauluable! I see, I am in the presence of some one who appreciates art. They are about ....."
Skipper groaned as Private talked ecstatically with the maid, as if he had forgotten where he was.
They finally reached the kitchen, where everyone was awaiting them. A gigantic plate of salmon, più prepared than the team would eat it normally, sat in the middle of the table. Everyone took one except for Rico, who seized pesce da pesce with his flippers and gulped them down and let out an even ruder burp. All shocked eyes fell on Rico, and the uncomfortable silence was cut off da oliva doing the same exact thing.
No one had even touched their Cibo yet, except Rico and Olive. Private nudged his pesce with his fork, back and forth. Skipper leaned over toward the sognare ad occhi aperti penguin. "Do te want me to cut that for you, Young Private?" Private jumped out of his bored daze. "Oh, um … yes, please,"
"All right," Skipper detto reaching over to make an incegin on Private's fish, that looked più like steak. As soon as he penetrated the meat, blood gushed out from it onto the coltello and the center of the plate. Private squealed in terror, and caught everyone's attention. "Is everything still all right?" Ms. Williams asked concerned.
Skipper came up with an act. "Yeah, the coltello slid, and I got a minor cut. I'll be fine." Skipper bluffed. "Oh heavens! There is a bathroom up those stairs, and the first right in the hall."
Skipper followed the instructions, and ascended up the stairs. When he reached the superiore, in alto step, a distinctive foul odor slammed into him. The smell was eminating from a room at the far end of the hallway. Skipper went inoltrare, avanti and was about to open the door, when Timothy came out of nowhere.
"What're te doing near my room?" He asked agitatedly. "I-I-I was just looking for the restroom." Skipper stammered. "It's over there," Timothy detto directing his flipper at the bathroom door. "Oh, thanks," Skipper detto nervously, "I'm just going to go wash my flipper off." Skipper rushed into the room, stood with his back to the bacheca and flippers wiping his sweat, and slid down the wall. "He couldn't be there he was just downstairs." Skipper gasped to himself.
The sound of Timothy's heavy breathing vanished, and Skipper curiously but cautiously stuck his head out the door. No one was there, and there was no sign of anyone ever even being there. "I must be going insane." Skipper whispered shaking his head.
Soon he got up, and made his way down the stairs. When he got to the kitchen, he saw Private and Rico already scarfing down their dessert. But once they saw him, they paused. "Are te all right, Skippah? te look like you've seen a ghost!" Private asked, concerned about his leader. "Yeah, I mean, no - I just don't feel that well." Skipper said. "That's too bad. te haven't even touched your food." Ms. Williams sympathized. "I'm not that hungry." Skipper bluffed. "All right, well just call for me if te need anything." Ellen said. "Will do," Skipper detto turning to mope up the stairs. "How come Skippah doesn't have to eat his fish, but I did?" Private protested whispering to Kowalski. "Shush!" Kowalski hushed, and elbowed Private in the ribs. "Ow!" Private whined. The three got up and followed Skipper into the room. "Are te absolutely sure you're okay, Skippah?" Private asked suspiciously. "No," Skipper simply answered. "Maybe, it's best if te lay down and go to letto early." Kowalki suggested. "First, we need to find who our superiore, in alto suspects are."