Author’s Note: I’ve already done a set of ten skits for just POM in general, but these are, as the titolo says, purely Skilene. Most just imply Skilene, but there a few at the end in which Skipper and Marlene are an actual couple. link are the skits for normal POM skits if te wish to read them. Any titolo with a Roman numeral successivo to it has a skit note associated with it displayed at the end. I hope te enjoy these skits and I hope I succeed in making te laugh. Peace, out.
11) Sweet Dreams
On a quiet Saturday afternoon, Skipper had sent his men off for a snowcone reward since the past few days had been left problem-free. He decided to stay behind to use the vacated HQ to go through some classified files.
Flipping through file after file, he found himself going through a rhythm due to the lack of disturbances. His rhythm was interrupted when a voice from behind him gave him a start.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Skipper twitched in surprise and instinctively turned around on his heel, ready for combat. His stance softened when he saw that it was only Marlene standing in the doorway behind him.
“Marlene? What are te doing here?” he asked straightening himself.
It wasn’t until now did he realize Marlene’s appearance. Her hip was cocked and her arms were folded over her chest. One eyebrow was raised higher than the other and her smile was smooth and seductive.
“You here alone?” Marlene asked without answering Skipper’s question.
Skipper found nervousness creeping into his chest and he swallowed. “Yeah. Why…?”
Marlene strided in and stopped when she was barely a couple of inches from Skipper. “I just thought we could…Talk?” she detto taking on a deep, sexy tone to her voice. Skipper gulped.
“S-Sure,” he stuttered, “what exactly did te want to talk about?” he asked trying to act like he didn’t notice the way Marlene was acting.
Marlene reached out and ran one of her paws up Skipper’s chest, bringing it to a rest on his shoulder. “Us,” she answered staring deep into Skipper’s eyes, which widened at her answer.
“Us?” Skipper repeated. He cleared his throat slightly. “What about us, exactly?” he asked awkwardly.
Marlene guided her other paw to meet the other around Skipper’s neck. “You know, Skipper, I’ve always found te rather attractive.”
Skipper laughed nervously and tried to respond, but all that came out was a jumble of half-words before Marlene put her finger on his beak and laughed slightly.
“And you’re just plain adorable when you’re nervous,” she detto tracing her paw down the side of his beak before resting it on his shoulder once again. “It’s okay. te don’t have to say anything.”
Marlene slowly pulled him closer and Skipper was too stunned and nervous to object. His beak met Marlene’s lips and he was overwhelmed with surprise and electricity, stumbling back into the table. He heard his pile of files fall to the floor, but he found himself not caring as he and Marlene seemed to melt into each other.
A few secondi into the moment, Skipper could hear someone calling his name from a distance and he suddenly found himself jerking awake in his bunk with Kowalski at his side.
“Skipper! Wow, I don’t know what te were dreaming about, but te seemed to really be enjoying it. I’ve been trying to wake te up for six whole minutes!”
12) The Power of Charm [VI]
On a quiet morning, Marlene busied herself in tuning her Spanish guitar. It was just about perfect when Julien strolled into her cave.
“Ah, hello, Ms. Otter! May I enter?” he asked entering without waiting for an answer.
“Um…Sure, Julien. Come right in,” Marlene answered rolling her eyes and propping her chitarra up against a nearby wall. “What are te doing here?”
“Is it a crime to want to visit a good neighbor?” Julien replied coming to a stop da her side.
“No, but I get worried when te do,” Marlene detto with a suspicious look on her face.
Julien laughed slightly. “Oh, Marlene! You’re poking fun at me! te got me, there!”
Marlene cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest. “Julien, are te alright? You’re recitazione strange.”
Julien shook his head and leaned against the bacheca da Marlene. “No, no, Marlene. I am just fine. Actually, I was just coming to be making sure te were alright.”
“Me? I’m fine. Why?” Marlene asked.
“Oh, I was just wondering if it hurt when heaven fell upon you?” Julien asked with a smooth smile.
“Um…Excuse me?” Marlene replied with her face twisting in confusion.
“If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put you and me together,” Julien added.
“Julien, are you…Hitting on me?” Marlene asked in astonishment.
“No, silly otter. I am simply wooing te with my charm,” Julien answered pushing his crown back slightly.
Interrupting them, Skipper popped up through the sewer drain.
“Hey, Marlene! Rico and I found some—” he stopped short when he noticed Julien’s presence. “What are te doing here, Ringtail?”
“Apparently, he’s ‘wooing me with his charm.’ But, quite frankly, he’s just annoying me with it,” Marlene answered.
“Annoying?! How could a handsome and Ribelle - The Brave king, such as me, be annoying?” Julien asked folding his arms over his chest in frustration.
Skipper looked Julien up and down for a moment, then started laughing. “Are te serious? You’re flirting with Marlene?” Upon saying his thoughts aloud, he started laughing even harder.
“I am failing to see the humor in this!” Julien exclaimed angrily throwing his paws up, then bringing them to his hips.
Skipper—unable to stop laughing—pulled himself up into Marlene’s habitat and stumbled over his own feet as he tried to regain his composure. His guffaw became contagious as Marlene found herself unable to keep from cracking a smile.
“I am demanding that te all stop laughing this instant!” Julien commanded. But Skipper and Marlene were now both laughing uncontrollably, resulting in Julien leaving in an angry huff. “I will not stand here and be made fun of da a couple of commoners!” he detto on his way out.
After a few più moments of trying to catch their breath, Skipper and Marlene’s laughing softened into small convulsions.
“Whew…I’m sorry, Marlene. I just couldn’t help myself,” Skipper detto once he’d caught his breath.
“Heh, it’s alright, Skipper,” Marlene replied. Her face fell upon a thought entering her mind. “Wait, what were te laughing about, anyway? Is it really that funny that someone would…Want me?” she asked.
Skipper’s smile faded and he strode over to Marlene. “Marlene, that is most certainly not why I was laughing. I was laughing because it was preposterous to think he’d have a shot with you. te deserve much better than anything he could offer te in a relationship.”
Marlene smiled bashfully. “You really think so?”
“No, I don’t think so. I know so, Marlene,” Skipper detto returning a reassuring smile.
A short-lived silence followed and Skipper was the first to break it. “So, what exactly did Ringtail say, anyway?”
Marlene laughed and scratched the back of her neck. “Well, first he asked if it hurt when heaven fell on me.”
Skipper suppressed a laugh. “I think he meant, ‘Did it hurt when te fell from heaven?’” he told her.
Marlene laughed. “Yeah, I know,” she detto shaking her head.
Skipper thought for a moment, then smiled coolly. “So, did it?”
13) Denial [VII]
“So, Kowalski, is there anything new?” Skipper asked entering his lab.
“Actually, yes. I’ve intercepted some transfer papers. We’re going to have a new resident in the zoo,” Kowalski answered picking up the transfer papers.
“Really? What species?” Skipper inquired.
“It appears that a new male lontra will be joining us,” Kowalski told him. Skipper’s face lifted in surprise.
“Male otter?” Skipper repeated.
“Um…Affirmative. Why?” Kowalski asked, confused da Skipper’s tone.
Skipper crossed his flippers over his chest. “Well, why does the zoo need a male otter? What? Marlene isn’t good enough for them?”
“Sir?” Kowalski urged, trying to understand Skipper’s sudden outburst.
“What? Can I not have an opinion? Marlene is perfect all on her own. She doesn't need a male around to steal her spotlight. Let me see that transcript!” he ordered snatching the papers from Kowalski and looking over them.
Kowalski laughed slightly. “Skipper, if I didn’t know te any better, I’d say te were jealous.”
Skipper darted a look at him over the transcripts. “Jealous? I’m not jealous! I’m just saying that Marlene attracts enough visitors to the zoo all da herself,” he insisted.
Kowalski folded his flippers over his chest. “So, te find Marlene attractive and perfect, hm?” he asked with a teasing smile.
Skipper shook his head. “No! I mean…Well, she does, doesn’t she?!”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Kowalski detto with a wink. Though, the fact that he didn’t answer his domanda was an answer in itself.
“Focus on the problem at hand, Kowalski!” Skipper ordered, trying to change the subject.
Kowalski sighed. “Fine,” he said. Though, a moment later, he coughed out the word jealous.
“I am not jealous!” Skipper insisted slapping the papers down on the table.
“Denial!” Kowalski detto in a sing-song tone.
“I am not in denial!” Skipper told him jabbing a flipper in his direction.
“So, te deny that you’re in denial?” Kowalski asked, unable to contain his laughter any longer.
“Yes! I mean…No! I mean…Kowalski!” Skipper stuttered in frustration.
“What is going on in here?!” Private asked entering the room.
“Skipper’s jeal—” Skipper slapped Kowalski before he could finish.
“Nothing, soldier. Right, Kowalski?” Skipper detto giving him a hard stare.
Kowalski held back another laugh. “Yes, Private. Absolutely nothing. And apparently, it’s going to stay that way unless your leader man’s up.”
Skipper narrowed his eyes at him. Private eyed both of them curiously, then turned around with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ll never understand grown-ups.”
14) What the Future Holds [VIII]
“Eureka! Skipper! I have finally perfected my time machine!” Kowalski detto entering the room with a small device.
“Fantastic. Are te sure it’s safe?” Skipper replied.
“Absolutely. I just tested it myself,” Kowalski told him.
“Oh, really? Then where did te go?” Skipper asked.
“Einstein’s first steps were truly a beautiful thing…” Kowalski detto in recollection. Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Alright. So, where do we go, now?” Private asked.
“I thought we could sneak a peek at the future. What do te say?” Kowalski offered. The others exchanged a glance and shrugged.
“Sure. Let’s go see what the future holds,” Skipper said.
After setting the time machine for June 30th, 2030—exactly seventeen years from that very day, they huddled together and Kowalski pressed a button. After a blinding flash of light, they stood alone in an empty HQ.
Skipper looked around. “Did it work?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s go see what’s going on in the zoo. Just make sure our future selves don’t see us,” Kowalski warned.
“You could’ve mentioned that before we came here in the HQ,” Skipper pointed out. Kowalski shrugged.
“Sorry, got excited,” he admitted. Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Never mind. sposta out,” he ordered.
When the team left the future HQ, the habitats were empty. Figuring that there was probably a zoo meeting taking place, they headed to the Zoovenir Shop. Sure enough, the animali were all gathered there. But when they peered over the windowsill, they quickly realized that it wasn’t a meeting. It was a wedding.
“What the deuce?” Skipper inquired under his breath. They looked past the zoosters and saw the future Marlene and Skipper at the makeshift altar, giving their vows.
“Marlene, I have loved te from the first giorno I met you. You’re everything I could ever want in life. Let this ring be a symbol of my promise to Amore and cherish te until my last breath and forever longer,” the future Skipper detto as he slipped a ring over the future Marlene’s finger. Her eyes were welling with tears of joy.
Skipper’s eyes widened and he couldn’t bring himself to look at his team, despite the fact that he could feel them staring at him. After watching for a moment longer, he fainted to the ground with a thump. The team silently gasped as the attention of the zoosters turned to the sound made outside and hopped down from the windowsill. Kowalski quickly took them back to their time period before they were caught.
“Skipper!”
Skipper snapped back into attention. “Huh?”
“Are te ready to try out my time machine?” Kowalski asked again.
“Um…Sure, Kowalski. But let’s go back in time, alright?” Skipper replied.
Kowalski became confused. “But te just detto that te wanted to see what the future held, though.”
Skipper smiled. “I think I’d rather be surprised.”
15) Girl Talk [IX]
While out on some recon duty, Skipper was passing Marlene’s habitat when he heard voices inside that he recognized as Becky and Stacy’s.
“…about Skipper?” he heard Becky’s voice say. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself upon hearing his name.
“What about him?” detto Marlene’s voice.
“C’mon, Marlene! te can’t tell us that te don’t notice the way he looks at you. He’s totally into you,” Stacy’s voice replied. Skipper felt the heat rush into his cheeks. Had he really been that obvious?
“Guys, come on. Skipper’s a nice guy…But I seriously doubt he has any kind of romantic feelings for me,” Marlene’s voice replied.
“Well, do te have feelings for him?” Becky asked.
There was a short silence that followed and Skipper’s cuore started to race with anticipation. He leaned a little further into her habitat to see if he could hear anything when he Lost his balance and fell in the entrance with a thwack.
“What was that?!” he heard Becky’s voice say, along with growing footsteps. A moment later, Marlene, Becky, and Stacy emerged from Marlene’s cave, looking for the fonte of the sound.
“Hm. I could’ve sworn I heard something,” Marlene detto when they found her empty habitat.
“Me, too,” Stacy concurred. “I suppose it was a bird o something,” she suggested.
“Probably. Let’s go back inside,” Marlene detto as she turned back.
Luckily, Skipper had made it outside Marlene’s habitat before anyone had seen him. He leaned back against the habitat’s bacheca and let out a relieved sigh. Then he took a deep breath.
I guess I’ll just have to find out when the time’s right, he thought with a smile.
16) Intruder Alert [X]
Skipper had had a long giorno with returning home from another successful solo mission and arrived at the zoo in the dead of night. Stealthily making his way through the zoo, he hopped atop his habitat’s boundaries when he noticed that a faint light was emanating from Marlene’s habitat. Curious about why Marlene would be up so late at night, he jumped down from the bacheca and crossed over into her habitat.
Being as quiet as he could manage, he moved slowly into her cave in attempt not to disturb her. He was almost inside when the room suddenly went dark and he felt someone grab his flipper and pull him to the ground before he even had time to think.
“Who are you?! Why are te in my habitat?!” he heard Marlene’s voice say just inches from his face in the darkness.
“Marlene! It’s me, Skipper!” Skipper protested. The successivo thing he knew, a light was switched on to reveal Marlene above him, pinning him to the floor. Her expression was a mix of shock and confusion.
“Skipper?” she detto surveying him for a few seconds. After assuring herself that she wasn’t dreaming, she wrapped her arms around his neck from atop him. “Skipper, I’m so sorry! Are te alright?!”
Skipper chuckled and wrapped his flippers around Marlene. “I’m fine, Marlene. te want to tell me why you’re up so late? And why te ninja’d me to the ground?”
Marlene pulled away and got to her feet. “Well, I couldn’t sleep,” she detto helping Skipper up. “I was just in here thinking when I heard something outside. I really am sorry about that,” she detto scratching her neck.
Skipper waved a flipper in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it, Marlene. I’m actually pretty impressed. At least I know te can take care of yourself. I have to admit, I was completely caught off guard. And te know how hard it is to catch me off guard,” he told her with a grin of pride.
“I learned from the best, Skipper,” Marlene told him with a smile. Skipper chuckled.
“That te did. However…” Skipper snatched Marlene’s paw and pinned her da the shoulders to the nearest wall, catching her da surprise. “There’s still much più to learn,” he finished with a grin.
Marlene’s expression softened. “Then I guess you’ll have to teach me,” she detto with a smile.
Skipper released his grip on Marlene’s shoulders and gave a salute. “Count on it.”
17) A New Side
“Hey, guys,” Marlene called as she dropped down into the penguins’ hatch. “Have I ever told te guys that I think of te as family?”
“What can we do for you, Marlene?” Skipper asked giving her a sideways glance.
Marlene scoffed innocently. “Pft! What makes te think I want something?”
Skipper crossed his flippers and gave her a look.
Marlene sighed. “Fine. Look, te guys know that it’s April Fools Day, right?” she asked.
“That we do. Why?” Skipper replied.
“Well, I’ve noticed that Julien already pulled a few pranks on the other zoo animali today and I really don’t like his sense of humor. Would it be okay if I stayed here until he gets it out of his system?” she asked.
“I don’t see why not. And I don’t blame you; the royal pain doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘no.’ Then again, he doesn’t know the meaning of a lot of words,” Skipper replied taking a couple of steps closer to Marlene. “Such as ‘personal space,’ ‘mind your own business,’ ‘go away’…I think te get my point,” he detto with a grin.
Marlene laughed. “Can’t disagree on that one,” she detto as she closed the distance between them.
“Though, I’m not sure what we’ll—”
Interrupting Skipper’s spoken thoughts, Julien fell through the hatch and landed at their feet, grabbing both of their ankles.
“Ringtail! What are you—?!”
When Julien got to his feet with a laugh, Skipper realized what he had done. He’d handcuffed his and Marlene’s ankles together.
“Oh! Oh, I so got te two! te should see the looks on your faces!” he detto as he leaned against the bacheca holding his stomach, laughing so hard that tears started welling up in his eyes.
“Ringtail! Undo these cuffs! Now!” Skipper ordered.
“Oh, sure. When April Fools is over!” Julien replied before scrambling up and out of the hatch. Skipper started after him without thinking and tripped over the bracelet that connected him to Marlene and fell to the floor, unintentionally pulling Marlene with him and landing her on superiore, in alto of him. Even with her face millimeters from his, he kept his cool.
“Sorry, Marlene,” he detto with a sigh. He pushed her up da the shoulders and helped her to her feet as he got to his.
“It’s alright. So much for avoiding Julien,” Marlene replied looking down at the cuffs around their ankles.
Skipper followed her gaze and shook his foot a little bit, watching the chain clink between their feet.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ripe for revenge,” Marlene detto with a sly smile. Skipper rose his gaze to meet hers.
“Really? I didn’t think te were for that kind of thing,” Skipper inquired.
Marlene laughed slightly. “Let’s just say that Julien’s got me in a…Pranking mood,” she replied, her expression unchanged.
The corners of Skipper’s beak slowly rose as a smile stretched across his face. “You mean a payback mood?”
“A little bit of both,” Marlene replied.
“Well, I must admit, this is a side of te I’ve never seen before. I like it,” Skipper detto as he rubbed his flippers together deviously.
“Actually, Skipper, there’s a lot of things te don’t know about me, yet,” Marlene told him. Skipper smiled curiously.
“Yet?”
“Shall we?” Marlene detto gesturing to the door with intentions of plotting their revenge against Julien. Skipper grinned.
“We shall.”
18) Complicated [XI]
“No, Marlene, I just can’t chance it.”
“Please, Skipper? I’m ready for this. You’ve been training me for nine years. Can’t te just trust me?” Marlene begged.
Skipper rolled himself out from under the car and got to his feet, setting down his wrench on the nearby barrel. He then gently took Marlene da the shoulders.
“Marlene, I Amore you. te know I do. And I care about te too much to let anything happen to you,” he said.
“Excuse me,” Kowalski detto as he reached past Skipper for the wrench he’d laid down.
Marlene became defensive and crossed her arms. “So, te don’t think I’m ready?”
Skipper sighed. “No, it’s not that I don’t think you’re ready, it’s just that…” His voice trailed off.
“Just that what, Skipper? Is it because I’m a girl and te don’t think I can handle it?” she inquired.
“Marlene, please don’t put words in my beak. It’s not because you’re a girl. If I thought that, I would’ve never trained te in the first place,” Skipper insisted dropping his flippers to his sides.
“Then it’s because I’m your wife?” Marlene said.
“No! It has nothing to do with our relationship!” Skipper asserted.
“Then why won’t te let me go?! I’m ready for this, Skipper! Let me prove that to you!” Marlene persisted.
“Marlene, I just don’t feel comfortable with te going on this mission! I admit, you’ve been più than help on the missions we’ve been on together. But this one is so much bigger than any of those combined! There are lives at stake, Marlene! I don’t want your life to be one of them!” Skipper shot back.
“Skipper! I’ll be fine! You’ve seen what I can do!” Marlene reasoned. She took a couple steps forward, put a paw on his chest, and jutted out her lower lip. “Plus, I had a really good teacher.”
Skipper’s brows raised slightly and he shook his head. “Oh, no,” he detto taking her wrist and lifting her paw off of his chest. “Getting cute with me isn’t going to change my mind. I know you’re good, Marlene. I wouldn’t have let te come on any mission if I’d thought any less. It’s just that the boys and I have been in this line of work far longer than te have. I just don’t want te to get hurt.”
“Skipper’s right, Marlene,” Kowalski detto as he passed them carrying a can of oil. “I think te should leave this one to us.”
I don’t believe I asked for your opinion, detto Marlene’s eyes and threatening posture. Kowalski gulped slightly and awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Sorry…” he detto quietly as he turned back to continue working on the car.
Marlene turned back to Skipper. “Skipper, te know I can’t let te go without me. I’m going with you,” she insisted.
“No, you're not,” Skipper shot back.
Marlene grunted in frustration. “Skipper, I Amore you, but why do te always have to be so stubborn?!”
“You knew I was stubborn when te married me!” Skipper protested.
“I know that, but I’m your wife! Can’t te cut me a little slack?” she pleaded.
“Marlene, I told te this from the beginning; when it comes to missions, you’re a member of this unit. And in anything else, you’re my wife. That way, no one is subject to favoritism. And as your commanding officer, I deny your request to unisciti in on this mission!” Skipper ordered.
The team—who had been preparing the car for the mission during Skipper and Marlene’s disagreement—stopped abruptly and turned to Skipper with their brows raised in shock. Their eyes flitted to Marlene, worried about her reaction.
“You deny my request?” Marlene repeated slowly and firmly. “I’ll have te know that this is far from a request. Skipper, I am going on that mission with o without your permission,” she detto with an affirmative stare.
“This is insubordination, Marlene. You’ve worked yourself up to Private First Class. I’d hate to have to demote my own wife, but I’ll do it,” Skipper threatened.
“Demote? Skipper, now you’re going too far. I’ve worked hard for this position and I am not going to let te take me back down,” Marlene detto firmly.
“Good. Then we’re on the same page. te stay here while the boys and I go complete the mission,” Skipper detto with clarity. Marlene grunted in frustration and grabbed his shoulders.
“You are impossible!” she detto putting emphasis on the syllables da shaking him slightly. Skipper grabbed her da the waist and pulled her close.
“But te still Amore me, right?” he detto with a grin.
Marlene sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I still Amore you. te know that.”
“I know. I just like to hear te say it,” Skipper detto before pulling her into a kiss. Back at the car, the team exchanged a glance.
“Are they still fighting?” Private whispered to Kowalski.
Kowalski watched them for a moment longer, then shrugged.
“It’s complicated. Amore always is.”
19) Alone At Last?
“Marlene?” Skipper called as he entered Marlene’s cave.
“Yeah, I’m here, Skipper. Did te give the team something to do to keep them busy?” Marlene asked as Skipper moved deeper into her room.
“Yep. They don’t even know I’m here,” Skipper answered. He moved inoltrare, avanti and took her da the waist. “Now, we can finally be alone.”
Marlene smiled and rested her paws on his shoulders. “Yeah. Alone.”
Skipper touched his forehead to hers. “I really am sorry about last time, da the way. I wasn’t expecting Alice to feed us that early in the afternoon.”
Marlene laughed slightly. “Skipper, it’s fine. I don’t blame te for that. Besides, it’s not like te were upset with me when I had to cancella our data when I got Cibo poisoning,” she told him.
“Of course I wouldn’t be. If Alice would check the Cibo before serving it, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Besides, we still had a pretty good time watching that movie instead, right?” Skipper detto giving her a nudge.
“Even though I threw up in the middle of it?” Marlene inquired with an awkward smile.
“Well, at least te made it to the bathroom…The first time,” he detto with a slight laugh. “No, I wasn’t upset with you. I was just upset that we haven’t had a real moment alone in…Geez, I can’t even remember,” Skipper explained. “First, it was Kowalski’s invention gone haywire…”
“Then, it was the emergency mission…” Marlene added.
“Then, the Vesuvius Twins came to visit the zoo again…” Skipper continued, then he shook his head in dismissal. “But none of that matters. All that matters is here and now, just te and me, finally alone.”
Marlene smiled and Skipper gradually started to close the distance between his beak and her lips…
“Hello, smelly, flightless waterbird!” Julien detto as he entered Marlene’s cave, causing her and Skipper to pull away in surprise. “So, I saw te come in here and was just wondering if—”
“No,” Skipper said, cutting him off.
“But te didn’t even know what I was—”
“No! te know what?! I don’t care about privacy anymore! This is my time and I’m not going to let you ruin it!” Skipper snapped as he turned back to Marlene, grabbed her once again da the waist, and kissed her right in front of him. Julien’s eyes widened as he stood where he was, unable to look away in the shock of Skipper’s action.
After a few seconds, he got over the shock and the awkwardness of the situation crept in as Marlene wrapped her arms around Skipper’s neck to deepen the kiss.
“Eh…You know what? I think I-I’ll go, now. O-Oh! Do te hear that? I think Maurice is calling me! I sh-should go see about that. And…I’m shutting up now…” he detto awkwardly as Skipper and Marlene carried on as if he wasn’t even there. He turned and stumbled out of Marlene’s cave without another word.
Skipper—after peeking off to the side to see if Julien was truly gone—finally pulled away with a sigh.
“Finally. I haven’t been able to do that in a while,” he detto with grin.
“I’m surprised at you, Skipper. I didn’t think te liked baciare me in front of anyone. Especially Julien,” Marlene replied with a laugh. Skipper pushed a tuft of pelliccia out of her eyes.
“Well, it got him to go away, didn’t it? We’re finally—and truly—alone,” he detto holding her closer. Marlene smiled.
“Alone at last.”
20) One In the Same
“I had a nice time tonight, Skipper,” Marlene detto as she and Skipper returned home flipper-in-paw through Central Park.
“I did, too,” Skipper detto with a smile. Without warning, Marlene gradually slowed her pace and she turned to Skipper.
“Skipper, can I ask something?” she requested. Skipper stopped and turned to face her.
“Of course te can, Marlene. What is it?” he granted.
“Well…I was just wondering…What is it that attracts te to me?” she asked bashfully.
Skipper smiled.
“I think a better domanda would be, ‘What doesn’t attract te to me.’ Which I can’t answer, because there isn’t one,” he replied.
Marlene smiled sheepishly and looked down. “Aw, Skipper, that’s sweet. But…I meant more…Why are te attracted to me?”
Skipper’s brow lowered in confusion. “I don’t think I’m following,” he told her.
“It’s just…We’re so different. I mean, we do have some things in common, but for the most part, we have two completely different personalities,” Marlene explained.
“Well, I don’t think that’s such a big deal. We have feelings for each other and that’s all that matters, right?” Skipper asked taking her paws into his flippers.
“Yeah…But…I just hear that relationships don’t last as long unless te have a lot in common,” Marlene detto without meeting his eye.
Skipper’s face fell slightly and he released one of her paws to lift her chin.
“Marlene, you’re not having secondo thoughts about us, are you?” he asked.
“No, no, not at all. I want to be with you, Skipper. It’s just that I’m just a little insecure, that’s all—”
Marlene was interrupted da a sound coming from behind her and she and Skipper followed it with their eyes. successivo to a albero that wasn’t too far behind her, a hippie had made himself comfortable under it and was tapping along on his bongos. Marlene sighed in irritation.
“Here I am trying to have a serious conversation with te and a stupid hippie has to interrupt us,” she said, spitting out the word ‘hippie’ as if it were a disease.
Skipper eyed her curiously.
“Stupid hippie?” he repeated.
“Yeah, I mean, can’t these guys get a life? Someone needs to just make them get jobs,” Marlene told him. Skipper fought off a smile.
“So, te dislike hippies?” he asked her.
“Totally. I just don’t get the point. And they talk weird…” she detto rolling her eyes. “Man,” she added, mocking the tone of a hippie. Skipper finally found himself unable to keep himself from grinning.
“What?” Marlene detto in response to Skipper’s expression. “What are te smiling about?”
Skipper wrapped his flipper around Marlene’s shoulders and started for the zoo again.
“Marlene, I can assure te that we are one in the same.”
♦ ♦ ♦
[VI] This sort of came to me as I was watching Otter Things Have Happened again. I could sort of imagine Julien attempting to win Marlene over and/or try to inform her that she was his girlfriend before any of that happened.
[VII]-[IX] Thanks to link for giving me the idea for these skits in the link forum post, Page 39.
[X] Okay, maybe that one was a little più cute than funny. It was just an idea I had.
[XI] I started Scrivere this skit and realized that I think I can actually do più with it. I might turn it into an actual story sometime.
11) Sweet Dreams
On a quiet Saturday afternoon, Skipper had sent his men off for a snowcone reward since the past few days had been left problem-free. He decided to stay behind to use the vacated HQ to go through some classified files.
Flipping through file after file, he found himself going through a rhythm due to the lack of disturbances. His rhythm was interrupted when a voice from behind him gave him a start.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Skipper twitched in surprise and instinctively turned around on his heel, ready for combat. His stance softened when he saw that it was only Marlene standing in the doorway behind him.
“Marlene? What are te doing here?” he asked straightening himself.
It wasn’t until now did he realize Marlene’s appearance. Her hip was cocked and her arms were folded over her chest. One eyebrow was raised higher than the other and her smile was smooth and seductive.
“You here alone?” Marlene asked without answering Skipper’s question.
Skipper found nervousness creeping into his chest and he swallowed. “Yeah. Why…?”
Marlene strided in and stopped when she was barely a couple of inches from Skipper. “I just thought we could…Talk?” she detto taking on a deep, sexy tone to her voice. Skipper gulped.
“S-Sure,” he stuttered, “what exactly did te want to talk about?” he asked trying to act like he didn’t notice the way Marlene was acting.
Marlene reached out and ran one of her paws up Skipper’s chest, bringing it to a rest on his shoulder. “Us,” she answered staring deep into Skipper’s eyes, which widened at her answer.
“Us?” Skipper repeated. He cleared his throat slightly. “What about us, exactly?” he asked awkwardly.
Marlene guided her other paw to meet the other around Skipper’s neck. “You know, Skipper, I’ve always found te rather attractive.”
Skipper laughed nervously and tried to respond, but all that came out was a jumble of half-words before Marlene put her finger on his beak and laughed slightly.
“And you’re just plain adorable when you’re nervous,” she detto tracing her paw down the side of his beak before resting it on his shoulder once again. “It’s okay. te don’t have to say anything.”
Marlene slowly pulled him closer and Skipper was too stunned and nervous to object. His beak met Marlene’s lips and he was overwhelmed with surprise and electricity, stumbling back into the table. He heard his pile of files fall to the floor, but he found himself not caring as he and Marlene seemed to melt into each other.
A few secondi into the moment, Skipper could hear someone calling his name from a distance and he suddenly found himself jerking awake in his bunk with Kowalski at his side.
“Skipper! Wow, I don’t know what te were dreaming about, but te seemed to really be enjoying it. I’ve been trying to wake te up for six whole minutes!”
12) The Power of Charm [VI]
On a quiet morning, Marlene busied herself in tuning her Spanish guitar. It was just about perfect when Julien strolled into her cave.
“Ah, hello, Ms. Otter! May I enter?” he asked entering without waiting for an answer.
“Um…Sure, Julien. Come right in,” Marlene answered rolling her eyes and propping her chitarra up against a nearby wall. “What are te doing here?”
“Is it a crime to want to visit a good neighbor?” Julien replied coming to a stop da her side.
“No, but I get worried when te do,” Marlene detto with a suspicious look on her face.
Julien laughed slightly. “Oh, Marlene! You’re poking fun at me! te got me, there!”
Marlene cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest. “Julien, are te alright? You’re recitazione strange.”
Julien shook his head and leaned against the bacheca da Marlene. “No, no, Marlene. I am just fine. Actually, I was just coming to be making sure te were alright.”
“Me? I’m fine. Why?” Marlene asked.
“Oh, I was just wondering if it hurt when heaven fell upon you?” Julien asked with a smooth smile.
“Um…Excuse me?” Marlene replied with her face twisting in confusion.
“If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put you and me together,” Julien added.
“Julien, are you…Hitting on me?” Marlene asked in astonishment.
“No, silly otter. I am simply wooing te with my charm,” Julien answered pushing his crown back slightly.
Interrupting them, Skipper popped up through the sewer drain.
“Hey, Marlene! Rico and I found some—” he stopped short when he noticed Julien’s presence. “What are te doing here, Ringtail?”
“Apparently, he’s ‘wooing me with his charm.’ But, quite frankly, he’s just annoying me with it,” Marlene answered.
“Annoying?! How could a handsome and Ribelle - The Brave king, such as me, be annoying?” Julien asked folding his arms over his chest in frustration.
Skipper looked Julien up and down for a moment, then started laughing. “Are te serious? You’re flirting with Marlene?” Upon saying his thoughts aloud, he started laughing even harder.
“I am failing to see the humor in this!” Julien exclaimed angrily throwing his paws up, then bringing them to his hips.
Skipper—unable to stop laughing—pulled himself up into Marlene’s habitat and stumbled over his own feet as he tried to regain his composure. His guffaw became contagious as Marlene found herself unable to keep from cracking a smile.
“I am demanding that te all stop laughing this instant!” Julien commanded. But Skipper and Marlene were now both laughing uncontrollably, resulting in Julien leaving in an angry huff. “I will not stand here and be made fun of da a couple of commoners!” he detto on his way out.
After a few più moments of trying to catch their breath, Skipper and Marlene’s laughing softened into small convulsions.
“Whew…I’m sorry, Marlene. I just couldn’t help myself,” Skipper detto once he’d caught his breath.
“Heh, it’s alright, Skipper,” Marlene replied. Her face fell upon a thought entering her mind. “Wait, what were te laughing about, anyway? Is it really that funny that someone would…Want me?” she asked.
Skipper’s smile faded and he strode over to Marlene. “Marlene, that is most certainly not why I was laughing. I was laughing because it was preposterous to think he’d have a shot with you. te deserve much better than anything he could offer te in a relationship.”
Marlene smiled bashfully. “You really think so?”
“No, I don’t think so. I know so, Marlene,” Skipper detto returning a reassuring smile.
A short-lived silence followed and Skipper was the first to break it. “So, what exactly did Ringtail say, anyway?”
Marlene laughed and scratched the back of her neck. “Well, first he asked if it hurt when heaven fell on me.”
Skipper suppressed a laugh. “I think he meant, ‘Did it hurt when te fell from heaven?’” he told her.
Marlene laughed. “Yeah, I know,” she detto shaking her head.
Skipper thought for a moment, then smiled coolly. “So, did it?”
13) Denial [VII]
“So, Kowalski, is there anything new?” Skipper asked entering his lab.
“Actually, yes. I’ve intercepted some transfer papers. We’re going to have a new resident in the zoo,” Kowalski answered picking up the transfer papers.
“Really? What species?” Skipper inquired.
“It appears that a new male lontra will be joining us,” Kowalski told him. Skipper’s face lifted in surprise.
“Male otter?” Skipper repeated.
“Um…Affirmative. Why?” Kowalski asked, confused da Skipper’s tone.
Skipper crossed his flippers over his chest. “Well, why does the zoo need a male otter? What? Marlene isn’t good enough for them?”
“Sir?” Kowalski urged, trying to understand Skipper’s sudden outburst.
“What? Can I not have an opinion? Marlene is perfect all on her own. She doesn't need a male around to steal her spotlight. Let me see that transcript!” he ordered snatching the papers from Kowalski and looking over them.
Kowalski laughed slightly. “Skipper, if I didn’t know te any better, I’d say te were jealous.”
Skipper darted a look at him over the transcripts. “Jealous? I’m not jealous! I’m just saying that Marlene attracts enough visitors to the zoo all da herself,” he insisted.
Kowalski folded his flippers over his chest. “So, te find Marlene attractive and perfect, hm?” he asked with a teasing smile.
Skipper shook his head. “No! I mean…Well, she does, doesn’t she?!”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Kowalski detto with a wink. Though, the fact that he didn’t answer his domanda was an answer in itself.
“Focus on the problem at hand, Kowalski!” Skipper ordered, trying to change the subject.
Kowalski sighed. “Fine,” he said. Though, a moment later, he coughed out the word jealous.
“I am not jealous!” Skipper insisted slapping the papers down on the table.
“Denial!” Kowalski detto in a sing-song tone.
“I am not in denial!” Skipper told him jabbing a flipper in his direction.
“So, te deny that you’re in denial?” Kowalski asked, unable to contain his laughter any longer.
“Yes! I mean…No! I mean…Kowalski!” Skipper stuttered in frustration.
“What is going on in here?!” Private asked entering the room.
“Skipper’s jeal—” Skipper slapped Kowalski before he could finish.
“Nothing, soldier. Right, Kowalski?” Skipper detto giving him a hard stare.
Kowalski held back another laugh. “Yes, Private. Absolutely nothing. And apparently, it’s going to stay that way unless your leader man’s up.”
Skipper narrowed his eyes at him. Private eyed both of them curiously, then turned around with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ll never understand grown-ups.”
14) What the Future Holds [VIII]
“Eureka! Skipper! I have finally perfected my time machine!” Kowalski detto entering the room with a small device.
“Fantastic. Are te sure it’s safe?” Skipper replied.
“Absolutely. I just tested it myself,” Kowalski told him.
“Oh, really? Then where did te go?” Skipper asked.
“Einstein’s first steps were truly a beautiful thing…” Kowalski detto in recollection. Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Alright. So, where do we go, now?” Private asked.
“I thought we could sneak a peek at the future. What do te say?” Kowalski offered. The others exchanged a glance and shrugged.
“Sure. Let’s go see what the future holds,” Skipper said.
After setting the time machine for June 30th, 2030—exactly seventeen years from that very day, they huddled together and Kowalski pressed a button. After a blinding flash of light, they stood alone in an empty HQ.
Skipper looked around. “Did it work?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s go see what’s going on in the zoo. Just make sure our future selves don’t see us,” Kowalski warned.
“You could’ve mentioned that before we came here in the HQ,” Skipper pointed out. Kowalski shrugged.
“Sorry, got excited,” he admitted. Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Never mind. sposta out,” he ordered.
When the team left the future HQ, the habitats were empty. Figuring that there was probably a zoo meeting taking place, they headed to the Zoovenir Shop. Sure enough, the animali were all gathered there. But when they peered over the windowsill, they quickly realized that it wasn’t a meeting. It was a wedding.
“What the deuce?” Skipper inquired under his breath. They looked past the zoosters and saw the future Marlene and Skipper at the makeshift altar, giving their vows.
“Marlene, I have loved te from the first giorno I met you. You’re everything I could ever want in life. Let this ring be a symbol of my promise to Amore and cherish te until my last breath and forever longer,” the future Skipper detto as he slipped a ring over the future Marlene’s finger. Her eyes were welling with tears of joy.
Skipper’s eyes widened and he couldn’t bring himself to look at his team, despite the fact that he could feel them staring at him. After watching for a moment longer, he fainted to the ground with a thump. The team silently gasped as the attention of the zoosters turned to the sound made outside and hopped down from the windowsill. Kowalski quickly took them back to their time period before they were caught.
“Skipper!”
Skipper snapped back into attention. “Huh?”
“Are te ready to try out my time machine?” Kowalski asked again.
“Um…Sure, Kowalski. But let’s go back in time, alright?” Skipper replied.
Kowalski became confused. “But te just detto that te wanted to see what the future held, though.”
Skipper smiled. “I think I’d rather be surprised.”
15) Girl Talk [IX]
While out on some recon duty, Skipper was passing Marlene’s habitat when he heard voices inside that he recognized as Becky and Stacy’s.
“…about Skipper?” he heard Becky’s voice say. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself upon hearing his name.
“What about him?” detto Marlene’s voice.
“C’mon, Marlene! te can’t tell us that te don’t notice the way he looks at you. He’s totally into you,” Stacy’s voice replied. Skipper felt the heat rush into his cheeks. Had he really been that obvious?
“Guys, come on. Skipper’s a nice guy…But I seriously doubt he has any kind of romantic feelings for me,” Marlene’s voice replied.
“Well, do te have feelings for him?” Becky asked.
There was a short silence that followed and Skipper’s cuore started to race with anticipation. He leaned a little further into her habitat to see if he could hear anything when he Lost his balance and fell in the entrance with a thwack.
“What was that?!” he heard Becky’s voice say, along with growing footsteps. A moment later, Marlene, Becky, and Stacy emerged from Marlene’s cave, looking for the fonte of the sound.
“Hm. I could’ve sworn I heard something,” Marlene detto when they found her empty habitat.
“Me, too,” Stacy concurred. “I suppose it was a bird o something,” she suggested.
“Probably. Let’s go back inside,” Marlene detto as she turned back.
Luckily, Skipper had made it outside Marlene’s habitat before anyone had seen him. He leaned back against the habitat’s bacheca and let out a relieved sigh. Then he took a deep breath.
I guess I’ll just have to find out when the time’s right, he thought with a smile.
16) Intruder Alert [X]
Skipper had had a long giorno with returning home from another successful solo mission and arrived at the zoo in the dead of night. Stealthily making his way through the zoo, he hopped atop his habitat’s boundaries when he noticed that a faint light was emanating from Marlene’s habitat. Curious about why Marlene would be up so late at night, he jumped down from the bacheca and crossed over into her habitat.
Being as quiet as he could manage, he moved slowly into her cave in attempt not to disturb her. He was almost inside when the room suddenly went dark and he felt someone grab his flipper and pull him to the ground before he even had time to think.
“Who are you?! Why are te in my habitat?!” he heard Marlene’s voice say just inches from his face in the darkness.
“Marlene! It’s me, Skipper!” Skipper protested. The successivo thing he knew, a light was switched on to reveal Marlene above him, pinning him to the floor. Her expression was a mix of shock and confusion.
“Skipper?” she detto surveying him for a few seconds. After assuring herself that she wasn’t dreaming, she wrapped her arms around his neck from atop him. “Skipper, I’m so sorry! Are te alright?!”
Skipper chuckled and wrapped his flippers around Marlene. “I’m fine, Marlene. te want to tell me why you’re up so late? And why te ninja’d me to the ground?”
Marlene pulled away and got to her feet. “Well, I couldn’t sleep,” she detto helping Skipper up. “I was just in here thinking when I heard something outside. I really am sorry about that,” she detto scratching her neck.
Skipper waved a flipper in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it, Marlene. I’m actually pretty impressed. At least I know te can take care of yourself. I have to admit, I was completely caught off guard. And te know how hard it is to catch me off guard,” he told her with a grin of pride.
“I learned from the best, Skipper,” Marlene told him with a smile. Skipper chuckled.
“That te did. However…” Skipper snatched Marlene’s paw and pinned her da the shoulders to the nearest wall, catching her da surprise. “There’s still much più to learn,” he finished with a grin.
Marlene’s expression softened. “Then I guess you’ll have to teach me,” she detto with a smile.
Skipper released his grip on Marlene’s shoulders and gave a salute. “Count on it.”
17) A New Side
“Hey, guys,” Marlene called as she dropped down into the penguins’ hatch. “Have I ever told te guys that I think of te as family?”
“What can we do for you, Marlene?” Skipper asked giving her a sideways glance.
Marlene scoffed innocently. “Pft! What makes te think I want something?”
Skipper crossed his flippers and gave her a look.
Marlene sighed. “Fine. Look, te guys know that it’s April Fools Day, right?” she asked.
“That we do. Why?” Skipper replied.
“Well, I’ve noticed that Julien already pulled a few pranks on the other zoo animali today and I really don’t like his sense of humor. Would it be okay if I stayed here until he gets it out of his system?” she asked.
“I don’t see why not. And I don’t blame you; the royal pain doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘no.’ Then again, he doesn’t know the meaning of a lot of words,” Skipper replied taking a couple of steps closer to Marlene. “Such as ‘personal space,’ ‘mind your own business,’ ‘go away’…I think te get my point,” he detto with a grin.
Marlene laughed. “Can’t disagree on that one,” she detto as she closed the distance between them.
“Though, I’m not sure what we’ll—”
Interrupting Skipper’s spoken thoughts, Julien fell through the hatch and landed at their feet, grabbing both of their ankles.
“Ringtail! What are you—?!”
When Julien got to his feet with a laugh, Skipper realized what he had done. He’d handcuffed his and Marlene’s ankles together.
“Oh! Oh, I so got te two! te should see the looks on your faces!” he detto as he leaned against the bacheca holding his stomach, laughing so hard that tears started welling up in his eyes.
“Ringtail! Undo these cuffs! Now!” Skipper ordered.
“Oh, sure. When April Fools is over!” Julien replied before scrambling up and out of the hatch. Skipper started after him without thinking and tripped over the bracelet that connected him to Marlene and fell to the floor, unintentionally pulling Marlene with him and landing her on superiore, in alto of him. Even with her face millimeters from his, he kept his cool.
“Sorry, Marlene,” he detto with a sigh. He pushed her up da the shoulders and helped her to her feet as he got to his.
“It’s alright. So much for avoiding Julien,” Marlene replied looking down at the cuffs around their ankles.
Skipper followed her gaze and shook his foot a little bit, watching the chain clink between their feet.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ripe for revenge,” Marlene detto with a sly smile. Skipper rose his gaze to meet hers.
“Really? I didn’t think te were for that kind of thing,” Skipper inquired.
Marlene laughed slightly. “Let’s just say that Julien’s got me in a…Pranking mood,” she replied, her expression unchanged.
The corners of Skipper’s beak slowly rose as a smile stretched across his face. “You mean a payback mood?”
“A little bit of both,” Marlene replied.
“Well, I must admit, this is a side of te I’ve never seen before. I like it,” Skipper detto as he rubbed his flippers together deviously.
“Actually, Skipper, there’s a lot of things te don’t know about me, yet,” Marlene told him. Skipper smiled curiously.
“Yet?”
“Shall we?” Marlene detto gesturing to the door with intentions of plotting their revenge against Julien. Skipper grinned.
“We shall.”
18) Complicated [XI]
“No, Marlene, I just can’t chance it.”
“Please, Skipper? I’m ready for this. You’ve been training me for nine years. Can’t te just trust me?” Marlene begged.
Skipper rolled himself out from under the car and got to his feet, setting down his wrench on the nearby barrel. He then gently took Marlene da the shoulders.
“Marlene, I Amore you. te know I do. And I care about te too much to let anything happen to you,” he said.
“Excuse me,” Kowalski detto as he reached past Skipper for the wrench he’d laid down.
Marlene became defensive and crossed her arms. “So, te don’t think I’m ready?”
Skipper sighed. “No, it’s not that I don’t think you’re ready, it’s just that…” His voice trailed off.
“Just that what, Skipper? Is it because I’m a girl and te don’t think I can handle it?” she inquired.
“Marlene, please don’t put words in my beak. It’s not because you’re a girl. If I thought that, I would’ve never trained te in the first place,” Skipper insisted dropping his flippers to his sides.
“Then it’s because I’m your wife?” Marlene said.
“No! It has nothing to do with our relationship!” Skipper asserted.
“Then why won’t te let me go?! I’m ready for this, Skipper! Let me prove that to you!” Marlene persisted.
“Marlene, I just don’t feel comfortable with te going on this mission! I admit, you’ve been più than help on the missions we’ve been on together. But this one is so much bigger than any of those combined! There are lives at stake, Marlene! I don’t want your life to be one of them!” Skipper shot back.
“Skipper! I’ll be fine! You’ve seen what I can do!” Marlene reasoned. She took a couple steps forward, put a paw on his chest, and jutted out her lower lip. “Plus, I had a really good teacher.”
Skipper’s brows raised slightly and he shook his head. “Oh, no,” he detto taking her wrist and lifting her paw off of his chest. “Getting cute with me isn’t going to change my mind. I know you’re good, Marlene. I wouldn’t have let te come on any mission if I’d thought any less. It’s just that the boys and I have been in this line of work far longer than te have. I just don’t want te to get hurt.”
“Skipper’s right, Marlene,” Kowalski detto as he passed them carrying a can of oil. “I think te should leave this one to us.”
I don’t believe I asked for your opinion, detto Marlene’s eyes and threatening posture. Kowalski gulped slightly and awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Sorry…” he detto quietly as he turned back to continue working on the car.
Marlene turned back to Skipper. “Skipper, te know I can’t let te go without me. I’m going with you,” she insisted.
“No, you're not,” Skipper shot back.
Marlene grunted in frustration. “Skipper, I Amore you, but why do te always have to be so stubborn?!”
“You knew I was stubborn when te married me!” Skipper protested.
“I know that, but I’m your wife! Can’t te cut me a little slack?” she pleaded.
“Marlene, I told te this from the beginning; when it comes to missions, you’re a member of this unit. And in anything else, you’re my wife. That way, no one is subject to favoritism. And as your commanding officer, I deny your request to unisciti in on this mission!” Skipper ordered.
The team—who had been preparing the car for the mission during Skipper and Marlene’s disagreement—stopped abruptly and turned to Skipper with their brows raised in shock. Their eyes flitted to Marlene, worried about her reaction.
“You deny my request?” Marlene repeated slowly and firmly. “I’ll have te know that this is far from a request. Skipper, I am going on that mission with o without your permission,” she detto with an affirmative stare.
“This is insubordination, Marlene. You’ve worked yourself up to Private First Class. I’d hate to have to demote my own wife, but I’ll do it,” Skipper threatened.
“Demote? Skipper, now you’re going too far. I’ve worked hard for this position and I am not going to let te take me back down,” Marlene detto firmly.
“Good. Then we’re on the same page. te stay here while the boys and I go complete the mission,” Skipper detto with clarity. Marlene grunted in frustration and grabbed his shoulders.
“You are impossible!” she detto putting emphasis on the syllables da shaking him slightly. Skipper grabbed her da the waist and pulled her close.
“But te still Amore me, right?” he detto with a grin.
Marlene sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I still Amore you. te know that.”
“I know. I just like to hear te say it,” Skipper detto before pulling her into a kiss. Back at the car, the team exchanged a glance.
“Are they still fighting?” Private whispered to Kowalski.
Kowalski watched them for a moment longer, then shrugged.
“It’s complicated. Amore always is.”
19) Alone At Last?
“Marlene?” Skipper called as he entered Marlene’s cave.
“Yeah, I’m here, Skipper. Did te give the team something to do to keep them busy?” Marlene asked as Skipper moved deeper into her room.
“Yep. They don’t even know I’m here,” Skipper answered. He moved inoltrare, avanti and took her da the waist. “Now, we can finally be alone.”
Marlene smiled and rested her paws on his shoulders. “Yeah. Alone.”
Skipper touched his forehead to hers. “I really am sorry about last time, da the way. I wasn’t expecting Alice to feed us that early in the afternoon.”
Marlene laughed slightly. “Skipper, it’s fine. I don’t blame te for that. Besides, it’s not like te were upset with me when I had to cancella our data when I got Cibo poisoning,” she told him.
“Of course I wouldn’t be. If Alice would check the Cibo before serving it, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Besides, we still had a pretty good time watching that movie instead, right?” Skipper detto giving her a nudge.
“Even though I threw up in the middle of it?” Marlene inquired with an awkward smile.
“Well, at least te made it to the bathroom…The first time,” he detto with a slight laugh. “No, I wasn’t upset with you. I was just upset that we haven’t had a real moment alone in…Geez, I can’t even remember,” Skipper explained. “First, it was Kowalski’s invention gone haywire…”
“Then, it was the emergency mission…” Marlene added.
“Then, the Vesuvius Twins came to visit the zoo again…” Skipper continued, then he shook his head in dismissal. “But none of that matters. All that matters is here and now, just te and me, finally alone.”
Marlene smiled and Skipper gradually started to close the distance between his beak and her lips…
“Hello, smelly, flightless waterbird!” Julien detto as he entered Marlene’s cave, causing her and Skipper to pull away in surprise. “So, I saw te come in here and was just wondering if—”
“No,” Skipper said, cutting him off.
“But te didn’t even know what I was—”
“No! te know what?! I don’t care about privacy anymore! This is my time and I’m not going to let you ruin it!” Skipper snapped as he turned back to Marlene, grabbed her once again da the waist, and kissed her right in front of him. Julien’s eyes widened as he stood where he was, unable to look away in the shock of Skipper’s action.
After a few seconds, he got over the shock and the awkwardness of the situation crept in as Marlene wrapped her arms around Skipper’s neck to deepen the kiss.
“Eh…You know what? I think I-I’ll go, now. O-Oh! Do te hear that? I think Maurice is calling me! I sh-should go see about that. And…I’m shutting up now…” he detto awkwardly as Skipper and Marlene carried on as if he wasn’t even there. He turned and stumbled out of Marlene’s cave without another word.
Skipper—after peeking off to the side to see if Julien was truly gone—finally pulled away with a sigh.
“Finally. I haven’t been able to do that in a while,” he detto with grin.
“I’m surprised at you, Skipper. I didn’t think te liked baciare me in front of anyone. Especially Julien,” Marlene replied with a laugh. Skipper pushed a tuft of pelliccia out of her eyes.
“Well, it got him to go away, didn’t it? We’re finally—and truly—alone,” he detto holding her closer. Marlene smiled.
“Alone at last.”
20) One In the Same
“I had a nice time tonight, Skipper,” Marlene detto as she and Skipper returned home flipper-in-paw through Central Park.
“I did, too,” Skipper detto with a smile. Without warning, Marlene gradually slowed her pace and she turned to Skipper.
“Skipper, can I ask something?” she requested. Skipper stopped and turned to face her.
“Of course te can, Marlene. What is it?” he granted.
“Well…I was just wondering…What is it that attracts te to me?” she asked bashfully.
Skipper smiled.
“I think a better domanda would be, ‘What doesn’t attract te to me.’ Which I can’t answer, because there isn’t one,” he replied.
Marlene smiled sheepishly and looked down. “Aw, Skipper, that’s sweet. But…I meant more…Why are te attracted to me?”
Skipper’s brow lowered in confusion. “I don’t think I’m following,” he told her.
“It’s just…We’re so different. I mean, we do have some things in common, but for the most part, we have two completely different personalities,” Marlene explained.
“Well, I don’t think that’s such a big deal. We have feelings for each other and that’s all that matters, right?” Skipper asked taking her paws into his flippers.
“Yeah…But…I just hear that relationships don’t last as long unless te have a lot in common,” Marlene detto without meeting his eye.
Skipper’s face fell slightly and he released one of her paws to lift her chin.
“Marlene, you’re not having secondo thoughts about us, are you?” he asked.
“No, no, not at all. I want to be with you, Skipper. It’s just that I’m just a little insecure, that’s all—”
Marlene was interrupted da a sound coming from behind her and she and Skipper followed it with their eyes. successivo to a albero that wasn’t too far behind her, a hippie had made himself comfortable under it and was tapping along on his bongos. Marlene sighed in irritation.
“Here I am trying to have a serious conversation with te and a stupid hippie has to interrupt us,” she said, spitting out the word ‘hippie’ as if it were a disease.
Skipper eyed her curiously.
“Stupid hippie?” he repeated.
“Yeah, I mean, can’t these guys get a life? Someone needs to just make them get jobs,” Marlene told him. Skipper fought off a smile.
“So, te dislike hippies?” he asked her.
“Totally. I just don’t get the point. And they talk weird…” she detto rolling her eyes. “Man,” she added, mocking the tone of a hippie. Skipper finally found himself unable to keep himself from grinning.
“What?” Marlene detto in response to Skipper’s expression. “What are te smiling about?”
Skipper wrapped his flipper around Marlene’s shoulders and started for the zoo again.
“Marlene, I can assure te that we are one in the same.”
♦ ♦ ♦
[VI] This sort of came to me as I was watching Otter Things Have Happened again. I could sort of imagine Julien attempting to win Marlene over and/or try to inform her that she was his girlfriend before any of that happened.
[VII]-[IX] Thanks to link for giving me the idea for these skits in the link forum post, Page 39.
[X] Okay, maybe that one was a little più cute than funny. It was just an idea I had.
[XI] I started Scrivere this skit and realized that I think I can actually do più with it. I might turn it into an actual story sometime.
