This is my second Penguins of Madagascar fanicfic. It's about how Rico became mute (Or close to it). It takes place in Antarctica, before all the movies, and the T.V. show.

UPDATE- Oh my gosh. It's been about a year after I published this. So many errors! It bugged me TO DEATH, so I decided to fix it. Urg… I can't believe I was that bad.

Disclaimer- I do not own Penguins of Madagascar, or the characters of POM.

I do own my own character, Taris.

"Hey! Wait up!" Yelled a young female penguin, chasing after a smaller male penguin, who was already halfway up a iced slope.

The male turned around a smiled darkly, "Why?"

"Where are you going?" The female asked out of breath, who had just then caught up with the smaller one.

"Since when did you care so much about me, Taris?" He continued to waddle up the slope.

"Rico! Please, what are you doing?" The female, Taris, stubbornly followed.

"To play with the seals." Came the response.

"Wha-" Taris knew her younger brother wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't stupid. What in the world could have possessed him to play with their arch enemy: seals.

"No one seems to care about me anyway. I figure this would attract attention."

Taris just shook her head, "Get back here!"

"Nope." Rico replied, popping the 'p.'

"That's dangerous!" Taris screamed at her brother, who reached the top of the slope. She followed helplessly, "Please…"

"Woah." The younger penguins' voice was full with awe, at the slick ice floating on top of the water. Both penguins saw the dark shapes moving underneath. Waiting. Just waiting for a stupid penguin to fall off the cliff.

"I'm going down."

Taris opened her mouth to say 'okay', to dismiss Rico like she normally would. But that was before she realized what he was doing, and instead came out, "No!"

Taris now saw what he meant when he said no one cared. No one listened to what he had to say. No one cared what he did. The poor kid just wanted attention. And even if it was the entire colony, standing at the top of this cliff in mournful silence, because of death… it would work for him. "Please stop! We'll- we'll go do something together, or something. Please just stop!"

Rico was already at the bottom. "Sorry." He whispered, so no one heard. He realized what he was doing was really stupid. Suicidal. But he was here. And he wasn't going to stop now.

He could hear his sister calling out for him to stop. But he wouldn't. Not ever.

...

The dark shapes were moving under him now. And for the first time he really saw what he was doing.

Or maybe he would just this once stop being so stubborn, and stop.

He screamed in terror and tried to scramble up back the cliff. He turned around to here a big crack and to see a looming seal in front of him. He screamed again.

"Rico!" Taris screamed herself and jumped down the cliff, landing a couple of feet away from the seal. The seal turned around hearing the noise, confused momentarily. Rico took this time to run.

The seal turned around again, and hit Rico with its tail, knocking him far out onto the ice. The wind was knocked out of him, making it difficult to breathe.

The seal lumbered out to the dazed penguin. Rico rolled over, eyes wide at the now seemingly humongous seal. The seal opened its mouth and let out a deafening screech. Then pulled his head down towards Rico, who tried to move away.

The seals teeth grazed over Ricos beak, leaving a thin red mark. The penguin gasped in pain, trying to shake it off.

The seal tried again to grab Rico, successful this time. He gripped his upper torso, shaking violently. Suddenly the huge animal let the fainted penguin go, and angrily turned around, face to face with Taris. Taris had been violently slapping the monsters tail, which really didn't do anything other than aggravate it.

As the seal chased now Taris, Rico dragged himself a couple feet before being picked up again. This time, by gentler means.

"It's okay little guy," Cooed a soft voice, "You'll be fine soon."

Rico tried to call out to his sister, but a sharp pain in his voice box and chest made him stop.

He started to fade into unconsciousness. He realized a couple of things before he slipped into sleep.

My sister isn't going to survive. Because of me, and my stupid actions.

I'm not going to be able to talk as easily now. Because of me, and my stupid actions.

And I'm caught. By humans. Because of me, and my stupid actions.

Rico let out one last whimper, and decided that wherever his new life took him, he wasn't ever going to forget this.

Ever.

And he wasn't going back on his word this time.

Yeah, its kinda sad. :( But this is how I imagined why Rico didn't talk that much.

Yes, Taris didn't survive. (In case any of you were wondering).

I'd appreciate if you would review, and give me suggestions for my writing. And other story ideas.

UPDATE- So… if there IS any other one-shot story idea's people would like me to do, feel free to review/PM me about them. I'm not really the kind of person to write out huge stories though. I do better doing one shots or equal or less than three chapters. It's easier on me, plus I'll be more likely to finish. ;)

Thanks for reading!

~Xiaolinwind (AKA- N/R icoRoxs)