Chapter Four: Business as Usual at Penguin Co.
Chapter Four: Business as Usual at Penguin Co.
Ariel tried not to shiver in the chilly air as she and Koi the Kangaroo followed a path of pawprints left in the moonlit zoo walkways, finally arriving at the Penguin Exhibit. A large sign hung above the entrance gate in neat block letters:
Penguin Co. – Formal Attire Encouraged
She blinked at the bold lettering. “Penguin Co.? Am I reading that right?”
Koi shrugged his furry shoulders. “Looks about right, mate. Let’s see if they know anything ‘bout Mole the Meerkat. You first.” He winked.
Ariel rolled her eyes but pushed open the gate. Inside, the exhibit resembled a mini arctic wonderland: artificially chilled air, large faux icebergs, a shallow pool dotted with floating ice chunks, and several stone ‘office cubicles’—or so they looked from afar. Penguins milled about, some flapping their wings as though wearing business suits. The place radiated quiet efficiency, like a group of busy accountants who just happened to waddle.
Formal Greetings from “HR”
As soon as they stepped in, a small penguin waddled up, wearing what looked like a toy bowtie. She held a clipboard with “Employee of the Month” stickers plastered all over it.
“Welcome to Penguin Co. I’m Parrot the Penguin,” she said in a crisp, professional voice.
Koi hopped forward, patting the air with his paws. “No dramas, Parrot. We only want to ask if you’ve seen a meerkat pass through here. Goes by ‘Mole.’ Drags around a big bag. Possibly suspicious.”
“I apologize, but your matter certainly sounds like something for our HR Department. Unfortunately, HR is out for the day.”
Ariel furrowed her brow. “HR? What’s that?”
Parrot raised a prim eyebrow. “Human Resources, my dear child. Or in our case, it might as well be Huddling Resources.” She looked at Ariel’s wide eyes and sighed. “Look, I’ve seen humans. You all have complicated departments with acronyms for everything. Now, unless you have an appointment, we can’t help you.”
"Wha... Well cane we make an appointment" sighed Ariel
Parrot flipped a few pages on her clipboard. “Hmm, well, that’s definitely outside normal protocol. But let me check your attire.” She looked them up and down with a critical eye. “I’m sorry, but there’s a strict dress code in place at Penguin Co.”
Ariel stared at her jeans and hoodie, then at Koi’s non-outfit. “Dress code? I’m an eight-year-old—”
Parrot’s flipper shot up, halting her mid-sentence. “Please refrain from bringing your juvenile status into official negotiations. Those shabby clothes simply won’t do. You’ll have to look more formal if you wish to speak with Mr. Peacock the Penguin.”
Ariel felt her irritation spike. “I’m just trying to find a missing meerkat. This is so—”
“Dress code is dress code,” Parrot said firmly. “Go around back to the supply shed. You’ll find something more appropriate there.”
With that, she turned her beak away, signaling the discussion was over. Koi and Ariel exchanged exasperated looks.
A Makeshift Formal Outfit
Behind the exhibit, they found a small wooden shed. A single flickering bulb lit the cramped space. Boxes labeled “Zookeeper Uniforms,” “Old Props,” and “Penguin Co. Branding Materials” were stacked precariously.
Ariel rummaged through a box of uniforms, all clearly meant for full-grown adults. She eventually settled on a khaki-colored zookeeper outfit—pants and shirt at least three sizes too big. It draped on her like an oversized blanket.
“This is ridiculous,” Ariel mumbled, rolling the pant legs a full seven times until they stopped dragging. Then she turned the sleeves up until she could see her fingertips. She looked like a child playing dress-up.
Koi stifled a laugh. “Hey, ya look real fancy, mate.”
“Uh-huh,” Ariel said flatly. “Let’s get this over with.”
They returned to Parrot, who gave a cursory glance at the oversized uniform. “Ah, splendid,” she said, patting her clipboard. “Much better. Now I can let Mr. Peacock the Penguin know we have a visitor.”
She daintily picked up a paper cup—clearly one from the zoo’s concessions, the same brand Ariel had used earlier. Tipping it to her beak like a microphone, Parrot announced in a booming voice, “Mr. Peacock, we have a situation requiring your attention!”
In the back corner, a rather rotund penguin who had seemed half-asleep behind what appeared to be a “desk” made of ice perked up. He adjusted a miniature tie and waddled over with deliberate steps.
Meeting Mr. Peacock: King of Rules
Mr. Peacock the Penguin didn’t bother with pleasantries. Instead, he pulled out a notepad and started scribbling. “Let’s see…We have violations 24-A (Curfew Infraction), 37-D (Dress Code Bypass), 91-F (Illegally Acquiring Formal Suit). Tsk, tsk.” He shook his head without meeting Ariel’s gaze.
“Wha—? We didn’t break that many rules!” Ariel protested.
“Oh, but you did,” Mr. Peacock said, tapping his pen. “And in a single evening, too. Impressive, if not commendable.”
Koi crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. “Look, buddy, can we skip the legal drama? We just wanna know if you’ve seen Mole the Meerkat.”
Mr. Peacock flipped a page on his notepad. “Yes, Mole logged into Penguin Co. earlier tonight.”
Ariel’s eyes widened. “Logged in?”
“Correct,” Mr. Peacock replied. “We run a tight ship. Everyone who enters must sign in. However,” he added with an authoritative snap of his beak, “privacy laws—code 56-Z—prevent me from divulging any further information.”
Koi groaned. “But we need that info. Can we speak to Mole, or at least know where he’s headed?”
Mr. Peacock puffed out his chest. “That would be a direct violation of code 56-Z(2), subparagraph A: Privacy Policy.”
Ariel resisted the urge to pull her hair out. “Okay, fine. Then can we, I don’t know, log ourselves into Penguin Co. so we can ‘see if Mole is still on the premises’?”
Mr. Peacock’s stern expression softened for a moment. “Well. In that case, I’ll need to contact our Facilities Department.” He cupped his wings around his beak and called, “Mrs. Pheasant, we’ve got a code 2-E (New Employee Registration)!”
In the corner, another penguin who had been slumped over instantly perked up. She yawned and waddled over in a huffy manner. “What is it now, Mr. Peacock? Some of us were enjoying our break.” She noticed Ariel and Koi. “Hmm, new hires? You don’t look too promising.”
Koi shot a lopsided grin. “Just a gaggle of penguins, eh?”
Mrs. Pheasant let out a dramatic gasp. “What did you call us?”
Koi held up his paws. “Gaggle… it’s a joke, mate!”
Parrot shook her head. “A waddle! We’re a waddle of penguins, obviously. Basic group naming structure.”
Mr. Peacock cleared his throat. “Technically, we’re a waddle while waddling on land and a raft while swimming. But let’s not forget that we’re currently in a rookery, which is the breeding or nesting area. Simple biology 101, Parrot.”
Ariel managed a polite smile. “That’s…great. So, can we waddle in?”
All three penguins turned stony gazes on her. “Not funny,” they said in unison.
Mr. Peacock stepped aside, making a small path. “Very well, you two can proceed inside the main part of the exhibit. But first, you must watch our mandatory safety video.” Mrs. Pheasant waddled away, clearly annoyed at being roused from her slumber. Parrot whipped out something that looked suspiciously like an iPad, though it had a penguin-shaped case with a stylized iceberg in the background.
“Please watch this video on the iPenguin,” Parrot said matter-of-factly.
Ariel stifled a giggle. “You mean an iPad?”
Parrot scoffed. “This is a top-of-the-line Iceberg 2000 iPenguin, thank you very much!” Her beak clacked with annoyance.
Ariel sighed. “Okay, let’s see it.”
The Safety Video
The screen lit up with animated penguins demonstrating everything from how to politely greet fellow employees to how not to slip on the ice. There were at least ten full minutes of cartoonish “No!” scenarios—penguins tripping, sliding, or throwing fish at each other, followed by a cheery voice repeating: “Don’t do this, or you may not survive at Penguin Co.!”
When the video ended, it displayed in big letters:
“Thank you for watching! Enjoy your time at Penguin Co., and DON’T DIE!”
The camera zoomed in on a smiling penguin for a comedic final shot. Ariel and Koi shared wide-eyed stares.
Parrot calmly took back the device. “No worries, no worries. Just extremes, you understand. Now you both simply need to sign this waiver.” She pushed a pair of official-looking forms forward. The only words printed in big letters on each sheet were:
DON’T DIE!
Ariel picked up a pen and signed with a shaky flourish. Koi, however, began to backpedal.
She held the pen out to him. “Alright, your turn.”
Koi awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. “Um, I think ice is bad for my fur… or my paws… or somethin’. So I’ll just hang out here. You go on in and find that bag—I mean, find the meerkat. Good luck!”
“What, again?!” Ariel cried. But before she could protest further, Parrot waddled around behind her and gave her a surprisingly strong shove, pushing her through a set of swinging doors. Koi waved sheepishly, calling out, “Cheers, mate! You’ve got this!”
Inside the Icy Office
Ariel tumbled into a colder chamber, the walls lined with real blocks of ice, floor lightly frosted so it crunched under her shoes. A few penguins wandered around, wearing tiny ties or hats that reminded Ariel of office attire.
“Okay,” Ariel whispered to herself, shivering in the adult-sized zookeeper uniform. “Time to figure out where Mole went. This is so weird.”
She approached a penguin perched behind a frosty desk. A plastic sign read: Mr. Pig the Penguin. He lifted his head, blinking at her.
“Uh, hi. I’m looking for a meerkat. Goes by Mole. Has a bag.”
Mr. Pig scratched his chin-feathers. “Huh. I saw him skulking around. I think he was near the, um…ice storage.”
Another penguin in a modest scarf wobbled over, introducing herself as Puffer the Penguin. “Yes, the ice storage is missing a few cubes. We suspect it might be that meerkat’s doing. He was fiddling around in there, looking suspicious. Then he took off.”
Ariel’s eyebrows shot up. “He stole some ice cubes? But…why? Isn’t this entire place made of ice?”
Puffer shrugged. “Not for me to say. But Mr. Peacock is going to have a meltdown—pardon the pun—when he sees those cubes missing.”
Sure enough, Mr. Peacock poked his head through the door, huffing with righteous indignation. “Unauthorized removal of property from Penguin Co., violation 62-T! This is an outrage.”
“Wait,” Ariel said, trying to keep the penguins calm. “I have no idea why Mole would need ice cubes. I’m just trying to find him. Did anyone see which way he went?”
Mr. Pig pointed a flipper toward a large sign at the far side of the exhibit. Painted in bright colors, it read:
African Safari – Elephants Ahead!
“He waddled out that door, or scurried, rather,” Mr. Pig said. “Something about a big old rucksack and lumps of ice.”
Ariel took a step back, mentally preparing for yet another strange environment. “Thanks,” she said, though her head spun with confusion. “Ice cubes? Elephants? None of this is making sense.”
“Well, if you see that rascal again,” Mr. Peacock added sternly, “inform him that he’s in breach of code 62-T and code 91-B (Concealing Zoo Property). Understood?”
Ariel gave a small nod. “Sure. I’ll… pass along the message.”
With that, she hurried back out the door, leaving the cluster of business-penguins behind her. Parrot was waiting in the corridor, politely handing out what looked like exit surveys to a pair of waddling penguins.
“Oh, done so soon?” Parrot asked. “Please fill out this comment card about your time at Penguin Co.,” she said, waving another suspiciously short form that read:
How was your visit? [ ] Perfect [ ] Perfect
Ariel forced a grin, circled something vaguely, and inched away.
Back to Koi—Again
As soon as she reached the gate, she spotted Koi, busily chewing on a leaf. She marched right up to him and pointed an accusing finger. “You left me again!”
Koi gave an innocent shrug. “Erm, yes, well, I had a pressing engagement—my tail needed scratching. So, find anything, mate?”
Ariel sighed. “Yeah. Mole apparently stole some ice cubes from the penguins’ storage area and took off toward the African Safari section. That’s all I got.”
Koi’s eyes lit up with relief. “Slu..." his voice trailed off "let's get going then! We have a real lead now. Let’s get movin’, kiddo.”
As they turned away from Penguin Co., a sharp breeze rustled the sign overhead. Ariel peered one last time at the formal, businesslike penguins behind them, all waddling around with urgent notes and clipboards. She shook her head in disbelief.
“Alright,” she muttered, rubbing her arms for warmth. “Let’s see what kind of madness awaits in the African Safari.”
“Aye,” Koi said cheerfully. “Can’t be weirder than a bunch of office penguins, right?”
Ariel wasn’t so sure.
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