Herbert's Polar Pal - Part #1

Hi everyone! The Snowy Celebration is freezing up the Card-Jitsu Fire's chill. It's a whole lot of fun! I have led so many penguins to the Yeti Cave that I decided I would go by myself just this once.

"MAZE TIME!" I yelled, and hurried down the snowy path.
I had memorized the route by heart, and I knew exactly when to turn and where.

Finally I reached the magnificent Yeti Cave. It was made all out of ice and completely breathtaking.
I grabbed the free item, the Yeti Costume.
After a little exploring and skating along the ice, I discovered a set of paw prints. What was this? They looked suspiciously like Herbert's paw prints...
Feeling curious, I hurried down the tunnel. The light faded out, and the walls around me grew darker until I was stranded in a long, circling cave. There were two dark paths looming in front of me... I picked the one on the left and hurried inside.
What was this? The Boiler Room? That was weird...
I stepped through the bricks. To my surprise, I saw a familiar furry fiend, along with a clicking crab. HERBERT AND KLUTZY! AAAHHH!
Before I could do a thing, Klutzy's big eyes spotted me. He tapped Herbert. The polar bear spun around and his eyes narrowed when he saw me. "Go away and leave me alone-" he stopped suddenly as he looked at me. "I mean- WAIT! Are you another POLAR BEAR?"
I looked down at myself and realized how furry I was in the white Yeti Costume. I looked... exactly like a polar bear!
"YES! You ARE another polar bear!" Herbert cheered. I nodded, pretending to be one.
"Can you believe that, Klutzy? I have finally found another of my kind!" He looked down at the crab and then back at me. "This is amazing! I must tell you all about my evil plans!"
"Yes, I am a polar bear," I said. "Um... yes, I would like to see your... uh... plans."
Herbert smiled, revealing two rows of sharp pearly-white teeth. "Yes, we must talk," he said. "Can you come over to my house? It's a really lovely place..."
"Sure," I said. I was shaking underneath my costume. The only reason I was agreeing to it was because I could learn about his evil plans, tell Gary, and put a stop to them at once!
"So it's settled then?" Herbert asked. "Let me just go and grab a delicious seaweed pizza for lunch." He turned to Klutzy. "Klutzy, take this polar bear home, will you?"

Klutzy clicked his claws once as Herbert disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel. He led me out, back onto land, and through the forest.
We went deeper in, until I couldn't recognize the place anymore. Where were we? I shivered, but not because of the cold.
Finally a huge black cave loomed in the distance. I gasped. I had been there before! Herbert had trapped me in a metal cage, and my black puffle friend had rescued me!
"What?" I cried. "He lives in that ca- I mean, he lives in a cave?"
Klutzy shrugged. In the snow he wrote Herbert remodeled the inside after some nosy purple penguin came and messed it all up. Inside it really is a nice place.
Klutzy unlocked the door and let me in. A gust of warm air blew around my shoulders and I sank into the nearest armchair, which was by a roaring fireplace. I looked around. The place was actually pretty decent.
This is where Herbert and I sit to discuss our plans, Klutzy said, writing on a notepad.
I followed him into a small kitchen. The sink was piled high with soapy dishes.
This is where Herbert cooks. He makes great blueberry pies, Klutzy wrote.
Next we went to a small corner of the house where there was a painting of a penguin staring off into the sunset and three bookcases crammed with books of every shape and color.
That is a painting of a penguin watching the island melt, Klutzy explained. And Herbert loves to read.
He led me to the darkest corner of the house, which really wasn't too dark. There was a computer, a desk, and a scientist's lab table loaded with potions and chemicals. "What's this?" I asked interestedly.

This is the EPF room, Klutzy scrawled.
"The EPF room?" I gasped. "Herbert's in the Elite Penguin Force?"
Not that EPF, Klutzy explained. This one stands for Evil Plans for Fowl. It's where he stores all of his ideas and builds machines for wrecking things. This is where he made that giant magnet, the wood chopper, and also the giant drill.
"Really? That sounds... er... awesome! Can I look at his plans?" I asked.
No, he will talk to you about them later, Klutzy said. Follow me, we're going to the best part.
I followed him to some stairs. As I stepped down I realized I was standing in a beautiful garden! Flowers bloomed and vegetables shone in the sunlight. "This is amazing," I said honestly.
Watch out, don't slip in the- Klutzy began to write, but it was too late. I had already slipped and I fell face-first into the little koi pond!
"GAH!" I gasped. The paw of my costume caught on a rock and slipped off as I struggled to get to land.
As Klutzy saw my true form, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.
YOU'RE A PENGUIN! he scribbled. You tricked me! And Herbert too!
In a panic, he threw his notepad to one side and scuttled as fast as he could for the door.
"COME BACK, KLUTZY!"I screamed, but I wasn't fast enough. He slipped out the door just as I reached it. I had to catch that crab! I ran after him.
I chased Klutzy back through the Forest and then to the Ski Village. He dashed into the Ski Lodge, where other penguins were sitting innocently, minding their own business- penguins playing Find Four, penguins warming up by the fire, a Ski Patrol penguin warming up... they all looked up as the crab scuttled to the Gone Fishing door.
Outside, Klutzy clicked his claws loudly three times. Herbert appeared in a flash. "What, Klutzy? What's going on?" His eyes widened with shock as they saw me. "It's YOU!"
"Yes, it's me!" I yelled. "And I'm going to stop you!" I whipped my spy phone and called Gary. "G!" I yelled. "COME QUICK! I FOUND HERBERT! AND KLUTZY TOO!"

Just as Gary arrived, Herbert and Klutzy threw themselves onto the ice. Herbert sank at once, but Klutzy managed to pull him to the other side. I sighed disappointedly. We had gotten so close!

Gary patted my shoulder. "Good try, Agent Quin," he said, turning to look at the frantic polar bear and crab hurrying away. "Well, I can't stay any longer. I have to go and thank the penguin who made the Yeti costumes." He cocked his head. "They did do a good job, didn't they? I trust you learned a great deal?"
"It'll all be in my report, G," I told him sadly. "I only wish I could have seen those evil plans."
"It's all right, Agent Quin," he said, and then disappeared into the Ski Lodge.

I stared at the ground. What could I do? I couldn't do it all alone, anyway. I needed some help. Running to Cafina's house, I pounded on the door and she let me in right away.

"We MUST catch Herbert and Klutzy!" I exclaimed. Cafina's eyes seemed to light up right away. I knew one thing was for sure: She had an idea.
Part 2 of my adventure will be coming out next week! Give me any details you have about Herbert if you spot him!

-Peggie Quin