The Adventures of Negropolis and Mason - Episode 3 - Houston We Have A Problem

 

Scene begins in the bustling research station, where Madman Mason lounges on a crate, tossing sardines to his newly adopted penguin, Flippers. Negropolis trudges in, bundled up like a child in an oversized snowsuit, his face a picture of misery.

Negropolis: (grumbling) “Day three in this ice cube, Mason. I can’t feel my toes, my nose, or my will to live. If I see one more nerd with a clipboard, I’m gonna—”

Mason: (cheerily, cutting him off) “Lighten up, buddy! These scientist guys aren’t so bad. They found us a plane to South America! Plus, I got Flippers here. Ain’t he a cutie?” Flippers chirps adorably.

Negropolis: (staring at the penguin, deadpan) “Cutie? Mason, that’s not a pet. That’s an appetizer.”

Mason: (mockingly dramatic) “Why, you heartless brute! Flippers is family now.”

Negropolis sighs deeply, muttering about “being trapped in a nightmare” as the plane horn honks outside.

Cut to the exterior of the plane, a rickety, weather-beaten cargo plane that looks like it’s seen one too many blizzards. Ace MacDougal, a burly Scotsman with a hearty laugh and a cigar clenched in his teeth, slaps the side of the plane proudly.

Ace MacDougal

MacDougal: “Aye, she may look like she’s held together by duct tape and optimism, but this wee bird’ll get ye to South America faster than ye can say ‘haggis.’”

Negropolis: (whispering to Mason) “Faster than haggis? This thing doesn’t look like it could get us past tomorrow.” He eyes the plane suspiciously, then turns to MacDougal. “And you triple-checked the destination, right? North, not south. And not west. North. Three times. I’m serious.”

MacDougal: (grinning) “Aye, laddie, I got it. North to South America—ye’ve nothing to worry about! Trust ol’ Ace.”

Negropolis: (to himself, nervously) “Famous last words…”

Mason: (clapping him on the shoulder) “Relax, Negropolis. These science folks did us a solid, and Ace here looks like he could wrestle a polar bear and win. You just enjoy the ride!”

The plane takes off smoothly. For once, everything seems to be going fine. Mason and Flippers are playing an awkward game of “peek-a-boo,” and Negropolis is seated stiffly, eyes darting around like a scared squirrel.

Negropolis: (muttering) “I’m staying awake this time. No sedatives, no naps. Just pure, alert terror…”

Mason: (laughing) “You really gotta learn to embrace adventure, buddy!”

Suddenly, the plane lurches violently. Turbulence hits like a freight train, knocking Negropolis sideways and sending Flippers tumbling into Mason’s lap. Ace MacDougal emerges from the cockpit, his usual jovial demeanor replaced with mild concern. He’s wearing a parachute and holding another in his hand.

MacDougal: “Well, boys...hate to ruin yer day, but we’ve got ourselves a bit of a sit-chee-ay-shun. Engines’re givin’ up the ghost, so we’re bailin’ out. Good news is, we’ve got parachutes!”

Negropolis: (springing up) “What? Parachutes?! I’m not jumping out of a perfectly semi-functional airplane!”

MacDougal: (shrugs, handing over the single parachute) “Well, here’s the rub—only two of ye can share this one.”

Mason is already strapping it on, looking disturbingly excited.

Mason: “I always wanted to skydive! This is gonna be great!”

Negropolis: (wide-eyed, voice cracking) “This is gonna be great? Mason, this is a death sentence! Penguins can’t fly, and neither can I!”

MacDougal: (chuckling as he straps Negropolis to Mason) “Ach, ye’ll be fine. Count to ten, pull the cord, and hope ye don’t land in quicksand. Simple, aye?” He tosses them a cheery wave. “See ye on the other side, lads!” He jumps.

Negropolis freezes, wide-eyed, muttering “This is a dream. Just a bad dream…” Mason smiles and gives him a thumbs-up before launching them both out of the plane. Cue Negropolis’s piercing scream.

Mid-air chaos: Mason is calm, counting loudly.

Mason: “...Seven, eight, nine…”

Negropolis: (clinging to him, wailing) “MAAAAAASSSOOONNNN! WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU?”

Mason pulls the cord, and the parachute deploys, yanking them up. Flippers, however, is flung from Mason’s arms.

Mason: (yelling) “FLY, FLIPPERS, FLY!”

Negropolis: (sputtering) “Penguins CAN’T FLY, IDIOT!”

Mason looks genuinely worried. Suddenly, MacDougal appears like an airborne knight, his own chute open. With miraculous timing, he catches Flippers and gives the duo a thumbs-up.

MacDougal: “Aye, got the wee laddie! See? All’s well!”

Negropolis groans, half out of panic, half out of disbelief. The jungle below rushes closer. They hit several trees, bouncing and yelping as they slow their descent, before finally landing with a heavy thump on the forest floor.

Mason: (standing and brushing himself off, grinning ear to ear) “That. Was. AWESOME!”

Negropolis: (groaning, still flat on the ground) “You and I have very different definitions of awesome…”

Flippers waddles over, chirping happily. Negropolis just stares, shaking his head as Mason scoops up the penguin like a proud dad.

Flippers