T.O.T.S.- The Bully Problem (My version inspired by @Uniquedoll602)

An Experience

The dark.

Pip had wondered: why did the dark trigger strange feelings inside him?

Now, he remembered: the dark had long since swallowed him, enveloping him in an abyss of worry, anxiety, and self-hate. The dark had been with him all along. And, he always thought it was the darkness, keeping him safe.

It was actually doing the opposite.

The darkness came when he needed something to tell him what to do, how to escape the hard world, and it told him to try harder. It told him he might be too fat, or not fit for the role.

Was it right?

Now, the darkness scared him. The darkness had been when they attacked.

They. Hunter and his parents, coming to hurt him, his parents coming to ruin something of his...how could he sleep, when all his alarm bells were ringing?

KC watched as Pip huddled under his blankets, probably trying to sleep. She let him, knowing that this probably wasn't the best time to try and make him talk. She wondered what he was thinking...

Freddy and Krysia wandered into the room, Freddy looked sad. Immediately, KC escorted them out, thinking Pip didn't need to see Freddy's sad face right now.

After a talk in the hall with Krysia and KC, Freddy returned in the room, without KC or Krysia, and sat on his bed, watching Pip sleep, his stomach heaving up and down as it was supposed to.

What to do, what to do?

"Pip, I know you don't want to hear this," Captain Beakman placed a wing on his shoulder, comfortingly. "But, I think it's time you took professional help."

It was two weeks since the disaster on the cliff, and Pip had been on 'leave of absence' since then. He didn't seem to be getting any better since then, either. Freddy thought taking him for a flight would help, but the others made it clear: Pip wasn't flying again until they found some way to install a seatbelt.

Pip simply shrugged, but inside, he was panicking. How was he supposed to tell some stranger his life story? How would this help, anyway? He had to handle it himself!

Pip watched Captain Beakman leave, and turned toward the balcony. There were too many storks and cameras for him to jump off in peace, and it wasn't high enough. So, he just watched.

He was always secretly jealous of babies. They had it so easy. They didn't have to worry about bullies, or being the best penguin you could be. They didn't have to endure people who always hated you for who you were. How could anyone hate them? They were babies! Everyone loves babies!

Pip wished he could remember being a baby. Things must have been so much better, then. His parents didn't fuss at him for being useless, or a mistake, because he had been a blameless hatchling. But, as he got older, his parents seemed to lose interest in him.

He leaned over the balcony, watching the loading system. It actually made him feel better, watching happy babies going through a smoothly running system. It did, however, make him think of the one time he and Freddy broke the crate wheel, because he was so clumsy and stupid...

It hadn't been his fault, but he refused to think it was just Freddy's.

He just watched, letting the calm wash over him. For a while, he even forgot how jealous he was of the little ones. It was all just... peace.

He felt something press against his back, but before he could turn to see what it was, he was flying off the balcony.

He landed in the middle of the slide with a thump. He felt a little dizzy. While he tried to pull his senses together, he was launched from the slide to the crate wheel, into a pink crate.

'Why am I in a pink crate?' He wondered, before remembering what happened. A bruise on his head throbbed. He turned to see who pushed him, but he didn't see anyone on the balcony. Had he done it himself?

The loading system seemed to notice something was wrong. This baby was missing a diaper, and wasn't dressed appropriately. So, Pip went through a different conveyor belt, where his shirt was removed, and he was powdered and diapered expertly.

"Wait!" He tried to call out. "I'm not-!" The machine shoved a binky in his mouth, cutting him off. He was given a bottle, a rattle, and wrapped up in a blanket.

Hey, being only about three feet tall made it easy to fit in small spaces.

Which was exactly why he fit in a crate, lined with pink, and the lid was closed, plunging him into darkness.

He tried to say something around the pinky, but he heard voices outside drowning him out: the Bobsey twins fighting again.

"I'm sorry, I don't see your point." Beston muttered.

"My point is you're the problem!" Botsy fired back. "I'm the problem? You're the problem!"

"You can't even spell problem!" Pip sighed. It was no use trying to be heard over all this.

Before he knew it, he felt himself being carried down the delivery belt, and then, they were in the air. Beston was muttering under his breath about an 'ungrateful brother,' and didn't seem to want to take the time and make sure he had the right baby. Pip was flown through the skies, to whatever baby's forever family.

He didn't remember falling asleep. But he remembered waking up when they landed with a slight thump. He rubbed his eyes, and looked about, trying to figure out where he was.

"Special delivery!" Beston called, ringing the doorbell. A voice floated from inside, upbeat and full of excitement. Boy, were they going to be surprised, Pip thought.

"Just a minute!" The voice called. Beston sighed. "Look, I'm kind of behind, so I'm gonna put the crate here, and go, alright ma'am?"

"Okay!" Pip heard Beston fly off, and that was followed by the sound of a door opening. "Tim! Our baby's here!" The crate was lifted, and carried inside. A female rabbit was wearing the biggest smile ever. A male polar bear hopped up from the couch, his newspaper falling on the floor in his excitement. "Oh, boy! This makes me a father! Open it, Virginia!" They knelt down in front of the crate, and opened it. Their 'baby girl' was finally here.

"Oh, Tim. Isn't she just a pretty thing?" Virginia gushed, smiling at the little penguin. 

They were both about as tall as JP, aside from Tim being a little taller, and they were clearly ectatic to see Pip. The Junior Flier frowned, opening his beak to explain, when he was engulfed in a hug. "Oh!" Virginia cried. "I knew adopting would be a good idea! What a pretty little penguin!" 

Pip didn't know why, but he kept his mouth shut. Something inside him was keeping him from speaking up. 

Tim joined the hug. "Hey there, Aveline! You're going to love it here." 

Aveline? Who was Aveline? Pip said inside his head, still wondering why we couldn't speak up. Their house was very well-decorated, and neat. It was also, clearly, baby-proofed.

Tim lifted the crate, and they carried 'Aveline' to 'her' new room.

It was the cutest girls nursery he'd ever seen. The walls were blue with white and pink accents, and there were stuffed toys everywhere. A bookshelf full of books stood near a rocking chair, and the closet was open to reveal a wardrobe meant for a girl who was into princesses, big-time.

Pip blinked, allowing himself to be placed in a comfy crib. He knew he should speak up, and tell them he's not a baby, but something inside him was telling him no. Why ruin what could be a perfect family? He'd never felt so much love.

Tim leaned over the bars of 'Avelines crib' and gushed over his new 'daughter'. "Oh, I'm so glad we made this decision! Yes, I am, yes, I am!"

Virginia re-appeared with a pink, long sleeved dress with white lace on the wrists and neck. To Pip's surprise, and embarrassment, it fit perfectly.

"Open up, angel." A bottle popped into his mouth. He blushed, but suckled instinctively. It was actually kind of nice. He'd forgotten what it was like to be little and carefree.