Hush, Little Penguin

ABC's: Are Being Children

"Diapee check time!"

"There there. Good Boy."

Peso ran a flipper down his face. He'd been at his family home for almost a week now, and this was all he'd heard from his younger cousins. They were all around Pinto's age of five, and they were already growing. Some of them were taller than he was, and took great pleasure in the fact that they were not the ones in diapers.

"I really wish you'd quite being so immature." Peso stated, glaring at Alona, who was fiddling with his skirt, lifting it to see his diaper. She was four, and her older brother was six. Alanso frowned. "Don't talk to us that way, baby cuz!"

Alona giggled. "Yeah! Diaper babies should be nice."

Peso knew that age was a sacred hierarchy among children, especially family members. He was glad Pinto wasn't like this, but his cousins were a different story. His mother explained to him that they didn't understand he was smaller, yet older. He wished she would explain it to them though.

"I'm a teenager." Peso replied calmly. "Not a baby. And, I'm officially telling you to stop teasing me. No one likes to be teased."

Alanso and Alona just grinned at each other. "Fussy!" Alona cheered. "He need a diapee change!" Alanso smirked.

"Mom!" Peso yelled out. Coral poked her head out of the kitchen, where the grownups were talking. "Children, I told you Peso and the older kids were in charge while we were in here. Just because he's wearing diapers doesn't make him younger than you."

Alanso rolled his eyes. "Tattletale."

"Only little babies snitch." Another cousins giggled. The toddlers seemed to take a lot of delight in this new situation.

"Alright." Pogo broke them up. "Peso is one of the oldest now." Peso swelled a little with pride. Pogo continued, while the little kids pouted. "I expect you to show him some respect."

"We're not the ones in diapers." Alanso protested. "And I'm the bigger one. I should be in charge."

"You can be in charge of your sister." Peso assured him, hoping to bring peace.

"Baby is fussy!" Alone cheered again, clapping her flippers. She'd gotten out of diapers two months ago, and was very happy to have someone else in diapers to belittle.

Peso rolled his eyes, and walked away. Some other cousins giggled at him. "Diaper baby." One of them whispered. Peso decided to spend some time in the kitchen with the adults.

"HI." Peso muttered sitting in a nearby chair and watching them talk. Coral smiled at him sympathetically, and gestured him over. "Here, Peso. Come sit with us."

"You shouldn't be sitting with the grownups!" A little girl called from the other room. "You're just a baby!"

"I am not!" Peso snapped back, beginning to feel very annoyed.

The little kids giggled again. "Yes you are!" The offender pointed at his diaper. "You're so small!"

"Emmalyn!" Peso's aunt Philipina shot up in her seat. "If you don't stop disrespecting your OLDER cousin, you're grounded!"

"But he's a baby!" Emmalyn pouted. "Alanso said so!"

"Just because he's smaller and wears diapers doesn't make him younger than you." Philipinna marched out and took her daughter by the flipper. Peso slumped in his chair. His uncle Carlos patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, sport. They're not the ones traveling the world by ocean current!" Peso shrugged. He was honestly sick of being called a baby like that.

Coral kissed his cheek, and handed him a wrapped box. "Here. Merry Christmas. I figured this would be safer than trying to mail something so fragile." Peso smiled, and tucked it into his book bag, careful as could be.

The rest of the visit was like that. His cousins refused to let up. But, at least Pinto wasn't in on it.

Peso's relatives seemed to remember everything about him. His grandparents were the most interested. It was still a little annoying that people were still calling him baby. But, he figured that not everyone was going to stop.

A knock on the door startled him. He thought everyone was here.

Mr. Del Fuego popped in, smiling. "Howdeedoo, everyone!" He greeted in his normal, smiley way. Peso giggled. He could never stop liking the man. He was so friendly.

"Hello." Coral offered cautiously, puling Peso closer to her.

"I have someone who wants to talk to you, Mr. Famous Peso." The man ruffled Peso's feathers playfully, before bringing out his daughter. Peso's eyes widened. The captain had been right.

Diana's hair was now in pigtails, and she wore a pink shirt with a lavender tutu. But, it was too short to conceal the real shame: a diaper with princess print.

"Diana." Her father scolded. "I believe you have something to say to your ex best friend." Diana tensed, looking extremely angry. "Sorry." She spat.

"For?" Her father egged her on.

"For making you seem like a baby." She grumbled. Immediately, Peso's cousins swarmed her, giggling in delight at seeing another hated older kid in diapers.

Peso knew he wasn't obligated to forgive his enemies.

But, he decided to forgive her. One least time.

Peso's family was extremely nice. At least, the grownups were. Peso knew that, in secret, he was his grandparents' favorite, maybe even the favorite of some of his aunts and uncles.

Before he went back to the Octopod, Coral took him aside. "I'm your mother. You'll always be my baby."