Charlie's Penguin Tales: I'll Be Home for Christmas

December 23rd
9:30am - With former Club Penguin president Billybob gone, Spike Hike, having been left in charge of Club Penguin, assumes complete control of Club Penguin to turn it into his own image.
10:30 - Spike Hike makes Herbert P. Bear his second-in-command, and eliminates the EPF.
12:00 - Spike Hike re-releases the Beta Hat.
Club Penguin was in trouble. Spike Hike had taken over the island. Herbert P. Bear, now his second-in-command, had destroyed the EPF once and for all, and released his army of crabs on the streets of CP. They kept a sharp eye on all the citizens as they trudged along, and if they thought they saw anything suspicious, there would be some serious banning. They had attacked the Plaza and destroyed the Pet Shop and the Puffle Hotel. Homeless puffles and pookies were scattered all over, miserably shivering in the cold. They weren't the only ones. Spike had allowed Herbert to cut off all heat to the rest of the island to warm up his and Spike's HQ. The citizens knew that if someone didn't do something, they would undoubtedly be done for. That's where we stepped in.
I remember it like it was yesterday. My adopted mother PH had taught me everything there was to know about puffles. I still remember my excitement as she said, "Charles, I've taught ya everything. Y'all've proved that ya have what it takes to be a puffle expert like me. You've earned this." And she gave me my Puffle Whistle. I was so young when she gave it to me, but I've held onto it ever since.  Many years later, when I grew up, I got to go to the Cloud Forest and adopt my own Rainbow Puffle, whom I named Wingman, and we've been best friends ever since. I don't know where I'd be without him.
The name's Charlie by the way. You may know me as that white penguin who works a full-time job at the PSA, an elite unit of penguins working to keep Club Penguin safe. The thing is, I do so much more. I also saved Club Penguin from Spike Hike, or at least for the time being. However, I did not accomplish this feat alone. In fact, there's no way I could've done this without my epic friends.
It all started when I woke up trapped inside a tube.
"Holy Herbert! What's going on?!" I said aloud.
"Why, hello, my little friend," said a voice.
I turned around and gasped.
"S-S-Sp-Spike H-Hike?" I stammered. "Did YOU trap me here?"
"Um, DUH," Spike replied. "I thought it was pretty obvious."
"What's the meaning of this?!" I asked.
"I'm here to help you," Spike laughed, walking over. "Ever feel troubled, Charlie?" he asked.
"Uh, I guess so..." I said.
"Well what would you say if I could relieve you of all your troubles?"
"Um-"
"Just pay attention to the big screen."
I turned around to see the biggest TV I've ever seen in my life. Spike Hike put on earmuffs and pressed a button on the remote.
"Hey, why are you covering your ea-"
Rick Astley's face popped up on the TV.
"♪ Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye ♫"
I screamed.
"Too loud for ya, Charles?!" Spike laughed. "All you have to do is WAKE UP!"
"WAKE UP!"
I opened my eyes. My good friend and co-worker TraGiggles was in my room.
"Aaah!" I yelled. "Oh, it's you."
"Of course it's me," Tra said, pointing to his name below his feet.
"And there goes the fourth wall," I said.
"Anyway, are you ready to go play some Card-Jitzu? I was waiting for you."
"Oh, yeah, sorry," I said, getting out of bed. I quickly changed into my ninja suit and fed my puffles. I put my flipper on the ground and used my Puffle Whistle. Wingman came running. He hopped up my arm and sat on my shoulder.
"You had that same nightmare again, didn't you?" Tra asked me.
"No, this time he RickRoll'd me. Anyways, I'm ready."
"Great! Let's go!" Tra said, turning to leave.
It's not that I hated Spike Hike, but being under new management... scared me.
"Wait, one more thing," I said.
"Yes? Tralala replied.
"How did you get in here in the first place?"
"Uh... the door was unlocked. Heh, heh..."
Charlie J Baker Presents
In Association with the PSA...
The Charlie Files: I'll Be Home for Christmas
==Chapter 1: Spike's Announcement== 
Later that day, after me and Tra had played a few rounds of Card-Jitzu (in which he beat me everytime DX), we both walked home. When I got to the bottom of the mountain, my friend Eaglesrule8 ran up to me, looking out of breath.
"Yikes, what's going on?!" I asked.
"It's a long story," Eagles panted. "Just come with me." He grabbed my flipper and practically dragged me to the lighthouse. Inside, a crowd of penguins was watching the stage. At first I thought it was just one of the music shows.
I thought wrong.
The lights dimmed, and a deep voice came from the speakers.
"AND NOW, PRESENTING-" The doors locked and closed behind us.
"HERBERT POLAR BEAR, ESQUIRE!"
We saw a dark shadow climb on to the stage. The spotlight came to rest on it, revealing him as everyone's least favorite white polar bear. Everyone gasped.
"The 'P' is for Percival, not Polar!" Herbert said. "Uh, anyway- hey, would you stop screaming already? I have an announcement. I have given up my evil ways and would like to exist peacefully on this island. I would like to start by apologizing for everything I have done. Is my apology accepted?"
No one said anything.
"How do we know this isn't just a plot to take over the island again?!" said one penguin. It was Tra. He came over and stood by us.
"Because I have put my trust in him," said another voice. Spike Hike hopped onto the stage. The lighthouse was instantly flooded with everyone's overwhelmed screaming.
"SPIKE!" "I WANT HIS BACKGROUND!" "SPIKE, ADD ME!"
Spike chuckled. "Now, now, settle down everyone," he said. "Herbert speaks the truth. I trust him, so you should too. Now who wants some backgrounds?"
The entire crowd cheered.
Later that night, as I walked home with Tra, Wingman, and Eagles, I couldn't help but explain my suspicions.
"It's all so weird," I said.
"What, the fact that Spike Hike has backgrounds now?" said Eagles.
"Well, that and the fact that Herbert has caused so much trouble in the past, yet everyone's forgiving him so suddenly?"
"Well, of course they are, Spike Hike told them too," Tra said.
"What if Herbert fooled Spike too?" Eagles asked.
"We'll get to the bottom of this," I said. "Somehow."
We each walked back to our igloo. After giving Wingman a short bath, I hopped in bed. I couldn't sleep though. I had the sinking feeling that even in my own bed, I wasn't safe anymore.
                          *****
The next day, when I woke up, my igloo was FREEZING cold. Wrapped in a blanket I walked outside. What I saw shocked me.
9:30am - With former Club Penguin president Billybob gone, Spike Hike, having been left in charge of Club Penguin, assumes complete control of Club Penguin to turn it into his own image.
10:30 - Spike Hike makes Herbert P. Bear his second-in-command, and eliminates the EPF.
12:00 - Spike Hike re-releases the Beta Hat.
Club Penguin was in trouble. Spike Hike had taken over the island. Herbert, now his second-in-command, had destroyed the EPF once and for all, and released his army of crabs on the streets of CP. They kept a sharp eye on all the citizens as they trudged along, and if they thought they saw anything suspicious, there would be some serious banning. They had attacked the Plaza and destroyed the Pet Shop and the Puffle Hotel. Homeless puffles and pookies were scattered all over, miserably shivering in the cold. They weren't the only ones. Spike had allowed Herbert to cut off all heat to the rest of the island to warm up his and Spike's HQ. The citizens knew that if someone didn't do something, they would undoubtedly be done for.
And that brings us back to where our story began. I know what you're thinking, why didn't anyone quit when this happened? Everyone just thought it was a repeat of Operation: Blackout. But not us. I knew that something had to be done. And so, I called my friends- Tra, Eagles, Hone783, and Sillybudz, for a meeting in the Command Room.
"Friends," I said. "I think you know why you're here."
There was an awkward silence.
"Actually, we don't," said Tra.
I sighed.
"Herbert's taken over the island and Spike Hike's done nothing about it. Does that not sound at least a LITTLE suspicious?"
"I thought it was just a party," said Sillybudz.
I facepalmed myself.
"No, it's not a party. We received no notice whatsoever about this!"
"So, what do you want us to do?" Hone asked.
"Oh, for crying out loud!"
"Wait," Eagles said. "Are you suggesting we... I don't think that's a very good idea, Charlie."
"We have to infiltrate the Club Penguin HQ," I said. "We need to figure out what's going on."
"We could get banned forever!" Tra pointed out.
"Not if we don't get caught," I said. "This isn't like Operation: Blackout. This is serious."
"And what's in it for us?" Hone asked.
"Uh... Oh! I know! If you guys help, I'll buy each of you a 12-month membership."
"Sounds good to me!" Sillybudz said.
"I was joking," Hone said. "but hey, I'm okay with it!"
I sighed. "Alright guys, let's go."
That evening, we waddled beyond the Ski Village to Club Penguin HQ. Wingman walked over to a sign that read "Authorized Personnel Only" and sniffed it. When he realized what it meant, he squeaked to get our attention.
"Hmm... Nice work, Wingman." I said.
"So, how're we gonna get in there?" Hone asked.
Wingman got an idea. He pulled out a large hat.
"Where'd he get that?" Tra asked.
"It's one of my Aunt PH's hats," I said. "Wait, that's it! She's a mascot! Mascots are allowed in HQ!"
I pressed the button on the door, making a scanner pop out. I held out my aunt's hat. The scanner scanned it than went back into the door.
"Access granted," said a robotic voice.
The door opened and we walked in. There was a long hallway, filled with old Club Penguin artwork. At the end of the hall was an elevator. We walked into it and pressed the button for the top floor: the programming room.
We stepped out of the elevator and walked into a dark room filled with computers. The only person in there, however, was Herbert, typing code into the biggest computer in the room- the boss computer. Herbert suddenly began to stand up. We dived under a desk as Herbert turned to walk out of the room. We waited until we heard the sound of Herbert taking the elevator.
"Quick!" Eagles said. "We need to find out what he typed in!"
"I quickly ran over to the computer. "It's all binary code!" I said. "I don't understand it!"
Sillybudz walked over. "Move over," he said. "I'll do it."
"Uh, Sillybudz?" Hone said. "Don't you kinda have to be a genius to read binary code?"
Sillybudz took one look at the computer and immediately said, "Uh, yeah. This is bad."
"You can understand it?" Tra asked.
"Yes," said Sillybudz. "And something tells me Herbert wasn't supposed to be on there. He just demoted Spike Hike and made himself ruler of Club Penguin!"
"Alright, we gotta get down there," I said. We walked back into the elevator and pressed the button for the second-to-top floor: Spike Hike's office. When the elevator stopped we burst through the door. The lights were off, so we pressed our backs against the wall. We couldn't see them, but we could hear them.
"There you are, Herbert," Spike Hike's voice said. "I've been looking for you."
"Sorry, Mr. Hike," said Herbert's voice.  "I had some important- uh, business to take care of."
"It's okay," Spike replied. "Anyways, everything's in place. Club Penguin is officially ours to dominate."
"Spike Hike is evil?!" Tra whispered.
"I knew it," I said.
"Actually, I'm not sure Club Penguin is exactly BOTH of ours," Herbert said.
"What are you talking about, Herbert?" Spike asked.
"Check your player card," Herbert snarled.
"Oh, no need," said Spike. "I already know. I've been demoted and now I'm no longer a moderator."
"I took over!" Herbert yelled. "Club Penguin is MINE!"
Spike chuckled. "You fool!" he laughed. "I knew you would do this! The only reason I ever told you I trusted you is because I saw the opportunity!"
"The opportunity to what?!" Herbert snapped
"Get 'im, boys!" Spike called. We peered around the corner to see EPF agents Jet Pack Guy and Rookie grab hold of Herbert. Agent Gary walked up and handcuffed him.
"Let me go, you FOOLS!" Herbert yelled.
"Herbert, you have the right to remain silent," Gary said as they led Herbert out the door.
We hopped out from our hiding space.
"Hold it right there, Spike!" I yelled. "We're on to you!"
"Woah, what's this?!" Spike asked, startled.
"You're planning to dominate Club Penguin with an iron fist!" accused Hone.
"Ohhhh," Spike Hike chuckled. "Allow me to explain. When Herbert came to me with a purpose to friendship, I immediately knew he was up to something. And so I made him think I was on his side, so he would tell me he was actually planning to takeover the island. I knew he'd betray me- that's when I'd catch him."
"Oh, that makes since," said Hone.
"That's actually pretty smart," said Sillybudz.
"So, uh, no hard feelings, right?" Eagles asked.
"Oh, of course not," Spike said. "You've all proven that you care about Club Penguin enough to do whatever it takes to save it. I think that deserves a reward!" Spike Hike shuffled around in his inventory.
"Aha! Here they are!" Spike set out a pile of his backgrounds.
"Wow, thanks, Spike!" Tra said.
Later, we were walking home again.
"Wow, he's pretty nice," Eagles said.
"I know, right?" Hone replied. "I've been dying for his background!"
I folded my arms. "I'm still not sure I trust him," I said. Suddenly, I accidentally dropped my player card. Sillybudz picked it up and looked at it.
"...said the penguin who was wearing Spike Hike's BACKGROUND!" Sillybudz laughed.
My face turned red.
"Uh, how did that get there?" I asked, trying to sound confused. My friends walked past me, chuckling.
I stood back, embarrassed. Wingman hopped on my shoulder and rubbed against me. I patted his head. My friends were way ahead of me.
"Heh, I guess it is a little funny," I said. "Hey, guys, wait up!" I ran and caught up with them.
So, Spike Hike turned out to be not as bad of a guy as I thought he was. I do miss Billybob, but I think for now, Club Penguin will be in good hands for a long time to come.
The End