This chapter will introduce the members of Third Gen's Sector V. This is divided into short snippets that focus on (most) of the members. The first one introduces the daughter of Aisa (from One Piece) and Miguel (from Coco).
Isabelle the Proud Shandian
Miguel Rivera, age 38, returned home after a long day of work. Though he was the one that paid bills in the family, "putting food on the table" was a different story. That honor went to his wife. She had a very traditional way of doing things, namely when it came to her food. As Miguel sat on the balcony, alone at his house, he knew his wife was at "work" already. Though she wasn't the only one.
He heard somebody climbing the wall, and it wasn't long before a girl's head popped up from beneath. "Papá!" Isabelle beamed, both shocked and happy to find him up here.
"Welcome home, Isabelle." Miguel greeted with a smile. "I thought your mom was doing the hunting today?"
"Well, she was, but I was a bit hungry and wanted a snack. I saved the tail if you want it." She held up a severed squirrel's tail.
"You know we have crackers in the cabinet, right?" he asked awkwardly.
"Bleck. Well, might as well eat while it's fresh!" Isabelle stuffed the tail in her mouth and swallowed with one strong gulp.
Though Isabelle wore her father's tan skin and could speak with a Spanish tongue, she had the blood and heart of a Shandian. This was also evidenced by the flightless angel wings on her back. Her lush black hair was in a ponytail, hanging by her legs, and she wore a traditional light-brown Indian's dress. By 13 years old, she had never known footwear, even after traveling to and fro the forest several times, for her mother wished for her to be in touch with nature with each and every step.
Miguel sometimes accompanied them to the forest, where he would watch his daughter in action: she was as swift as an animal and could cross land or climb mountains and trees more naturally than any human. Whether outside or at the dinner table, Isabelle had no need for knives or forks, for her teeth could get the job done in a heartbeat. Their family never goes to restaurants, for her ill-mannered way of eating would earn nasty looks from the commonfolk.
But it was then Miguel noticed a trail of dry blood on Isabelle's sturdy leg, and a leaf glued to the wound via sap. "Isa, you're hurt!"
"Oh, yeah… bad tree branch." The girl flushed. "Squirrel got one last attack before I choked him."
"Ugh, I can't believe you ran all the way back here with that injury. Come inside, we need to treat it."
Miguel cleaned the blood off and rubbed medicine over the wound, Isa biting her tongue from the stinging pain. However, it went away after her father wrapped a bandage over it. "There. You really should've been with your mother if you were going hunting."
"Papá, I'm 13 now. I know how to hunt for myself."
"I just wish you knew how to hunt in a grocery store."
"Ew. Well, gracias, Papá. Call me when Mamá gets home." She pressed her feet to the floor and walked out of the bathroom, smiling as the pain in her leg was all gone.
Miguel watched as she entered her room, the door open just a crack. What followed was the tranquil rhythm of a harp. A stream of musical notes flowed out of the room: Music Chi was another gift she borrowed from her father.
Miguel peeked into her room, seeing Isabelle resting on her hammock, playing the instrument as she gazed at the ceiling. The forest wallpaper provided the illusion of being outdoors, as did the smooth wood floor. Yet, Isabelle's room wasn't completely abnormal. She had posters of her favorite Disney heroines, Pocahontas and Moana, stacks of music CDs with a stereo, and even a few dolls she wove herself. She was completely different at this point: outdoors, she was a hungry predator who choked animals with her bare hands, her feet equal to the speed of a squirrel, but in the safety and comfort of her home, she was as chill and relaxed as any teenage girl who got lost in her own hobbies.
There had been a question weighing on Miguel's mind, and knowing that his daughter was becoming a mature and capable woman, he felt now was the time to ask. He knocked and called, "Isabelle?" His daughter stopped playing, looking up as her father entered. "Isa, I wanted to ask you something. …Do you like this tribal stuff? The hunting and the tattoos and… y'know, the injuries?"
"What do you mean? Of course I like it. Why would I do it if I didn't like it?"
"It's just… when I was your age, my family forced me to hide my musicbending. It was all part of some stupid tradition to hate music. And I just thought… do you only do all this because your mom wants you to?"
"Papá, it doesn't matter if Mom wants me to or not." She sat up, sporting a grin that brimmed with confidence in her answer (and rotten with squirrel). "I'm a Shandian! This is what we do!"
"I know, but… I feel kind of bad. When you were born, Aisa was so happy to see your wings. As soon as she saw them, she was so excited to teach you about her culture, and how to hunt. I feel like… if we didn't influence you that way, you would've chosen your own path."
"But Mamá told me that, even if I didn't have my wings, I'm still a Shandian at heart."
"No, you're missing the point, Isa!"
"Hee hee hee! You've been watching too many movies, Papa! If people don't like the way they were raised, that's their problem!"
"Uh…" Miguel was at a loss as Isabelle hopped out of the hammock.
"As for me," she did a twirl, the ponytail whipping like a chopper, "I love who I am! I love feeling the soil, the trees, and I love my culture! Even when I get hurt or people tease me, everything I do just feels so natural. I couldn't picture it as any way else."
That had always been something Miguel admired about his wife. She was so proud of her origins and her traditions, whereas he was forced into a life he didn't enjoy. Still, after watching how Aisa raised their daughter, ensuring she would be completely adapted to Shandian lifestyle, he couldn't help but see himself. "…Do you really feel that way?"
"Of course I do, Papá. Is there something bad about being a Shandian?"
Her dark eyes glimmered with only confidence and truth in her answer, and her smile showed no sign of faltering or regret. His worries had been misplaced, it seems. "…Nothing at all." He smiled, ruffling her hair. "I've been watching too many movies."
"Oi, Miguel! Isa! Help me cut your dinner up!" a voice called from outside.
"Oop, sounds like Mama's home!" Isa jumped. "Don't worry, I'll keep this talk a secret~" She winked.
"You want extra allowance?"
"You know it. Now, let's go eat!" The Shandian eagerly raced downstairs, Miguel following. As soon as they stepped outside-
"UUUAAAAAH?!" The husband was not expecting to see the corpse of a giant bear. Isabelle's mouth was already drooling at the mass of meat.
"I thought my family deserved a feast today." Aisa proclaimed. "I hope you brought empty stomachs."
"Let me have taste test!" Isa jumped on the bear and tore off a chunk of flesh, which vanished down her throat.
"I was kind of in the mood for vegetable soup…" Miguel sighed.
This was also kind of a nod to that whole Disney cliché where the protagonist is tired of their everyday life or traditions (including Miguel), so Isa serves to break that tradition. XD And yes, Coco is canon to the Gameverse, just add musicbending.
This next one-shot is inspired from the greatest mini-game in all of Zelda, and introduces Chris and Maddy's daughter!
Fishing Trip
"So, Dad, are we going to beat up another Mountain Boar?!"
"Nah, you're too used to giant monsters at this point."
"'kay, so what kinda training we doing?"
"Something a little new."
"Ooooo! You're gonna teach me to use Haki with firebending, right?!"
"I don't even know Haki, let alone how to mix bending with it. Besides, Mom says you're still a beginner."
Chris Uno adored his daughter and loved to spend time with her. She was full of energy and was always dying to let it out. He and Maddy would always receive calls from her teachers about Christina getting in fights, breaking down walls, receiving detentions, but destroying the detention rooms. Friends or strangers, she had an urge to beat up anybody, but for the sake of no extra costs, Chris had to be sure to spend time whenever necessary. He and his wife were the only ones who could survive their daughter's beatings, making her exhaust herself so she wouldn't get in trouble at school.
Christina smooshed her face to the window of the R.O.A.D.S.T.A.R., seeing they were entering a beautiful mountain zone. "Ohhhhh… you're gonna teach me how to awaken my Combustion Eye, right??"
"I think you have to be born with that, sweetheart." Chris chuckled. "But I think you'll really like what I have planned."
"Then gimme your best shot, Daddy-O." Christina kicked her sandaled feet up against the windshield. "I'm ready for whatever ya got!" Her grin sparkled with cockiness.
…
She would later be sitting in a boat as opposed to a car, and her expression opposite as well. "UUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuggggggghhhhh."
The lake was so clear and calm that it seemed like a mirror, the mountains perfectly inverted with the morning sky beneath them. There were few other boats and people drifting on the lake, but Chris and his daughter were rather far from anyone else. Fishing rods rested in either's hands. Chris's posture was calm and composed, while his daughter lazily lie in the deck, legs skyward, and fingers barely clutching the rod.
"I can't believe you would pull a dumb dad trap like this. Fishing is soooooooo booooooooriiiiiinnnng."
"Good." Chris replied simply. "A little boredom is healthy."
"Noooo, it's sickeniiiiinnng." Her legs fell and hung over the side. "Why didn't you take Perry? He's the dork who loves fishiiiing."
"It's Cheren's job to take his son fishing. I want you to appreciate nature more, Christina. Get your head out of fighting and take in the sights. Let the crisp mountain air enter your soul."
"This is the worst thing ever." She lazily kicked the air. "You're lame, Daddy-O. Laaaaaaaame."
"Christina, we're not leaving until you catch some fish. This is your training: learning patience and serenity."
"Bmuuuurrrrb."
They had been fishing for half an hour. Chris caught a few large fish and threw them back. His daughter hadn't sat up all that time. Her rod had been in the water, but she wasn't holding. "Christina, you're not gonna catch any looking like that. If you're not interested in them, they won't be interested in you."
"Can't I just dive in and catch them myself? Th'would be more exciting th'n…"
"Christina, get on your lazy butt and catch some damn fish."
Her mind reacted to her father's anger, so she sat up and crossed her legs. "Hhhhhhhhffff…" Her nostrils expressed her boredom as she held the rod a bit more firmly. Her eyes shifted to the sky, growing lost in dreamland. "Yip-!" She almost dropped the rod, but caught it. It was trying to tug itself away, requiring her to tighten her grip. "Errrrgh…!"
"That-a girl." Chris smiled. "Looks like you finally got one."
"Ergh… at least I might get a meal." Christina smirked. "Cooooome to… Ma—MAAAAAAH!"
What appeared to be a baby whale with wide, creepy eyes and huge, human-like teeth, clenched the string. It ferociously tugged, rocking the family's boat, until Christina released the rod. The whale returned underwater, the family falling over as their boat slowed to a halt. "Whoa…" Chris sat up, face in awe. "Was that… Baby Big-Tooth Bertha? I heard a fisherman needs extreme patience to even have a chance of reeling that sucker in. …You must've been so bored that you accidentally lured it in. That's really amazing-"
"Ohhhhhhhhhh HEEEEEEEEEEELL YEEEEEAAAAH!" Christina's mouth and eyes grew inhumanly wide, her face flushed with desire. She ditched her sandals and dove into the lake.
"CHRISTINA, NO-…!" Chris knew trying to catch her was pointless. "…Uuuuuuuuuuuuuggggghhh."
Falling back on the boat, he was no different from his daughter a moment ago. He could only wait. BAM! Some water burst up a few feet away. BOOM! More burst up from the opposite side. There were fireworks beneath the lake conjured by Christina's firebending. She was chasing Baby Big-Tooth in circles, brawling the whale and stirring waves. Chris's boat rocked like a surfboard, but still he lay bored.
And with one tremendous rising of water, the Baby Bertha blew out in an arched pose, Christina's fist up against the curve of the arch. "YOU'RE MIIIIIIIIIIIINE!" One extra punch blasted Bertha to the shore. "SWEET! I am gonna get fat tonight!"
"We have to return him to the lake. Park rules." Chris said.
"Not without a picture!"
Christina would go on to admire the photo on the drive home, of herself resting on the beached baby whale. "Dad… thanks for taking me fishing. That was a lot-a fun."
"Heh… I'm glad you're happy." He sighed and smiled. Sadly, violence was the only thing that brought her joy. But a happy daughter still warmed his heart.
"Bet ya Perry never got a fish that big."
"Heh, he'll have quite the competition. Cheren'll have to train him a lot harder."
…
Christina smirked proudly, firmly holding the photo before her little cousin's eyes. "Hmmm… pretty cool." he said after much thought.
"HAH! You're so damn jealous, I can taste it!"
"Eh, not really." replied the freckle-faced boy with a blush. "It's not as cool as this Queen Merfish."
Perry held up a photo; Christina's eyes popped: her cousin was standing before a colossal, feminine fish with a black head, large pink lips, a see-through veil of hair, and very long pink tail that curved around the foreground. "Grrrrrr! YOU CHEATED AND I'LL PROVE IT!" She made her point by blasting Perry to the sky with an uppercut.
"Christina! No doing the 'Team Rocket Blastoff' on your cousin!" Chris ordered.
"Don't worry, he packed the sail this time." Cheren assured.
This one introduces the daughter of Dillon and Carol! So ask yourself, how will she uphold the legacy of the great "Sandman" Nolan York?? Well…
Silica's Stream
Legend of the Seven Lights
Any%
Stage 6: Toons in Trouble
Mission: Follow Murfy into the castle.
Murfy flew fast through the forest of giant trees, evading the gunshots of the Hoodlums while carrying Sheila. "Yeah, we got another automated section here." Silica said into her headpiece. "It's not as long as the music levels, but I can't pull any tricks."
Her movements with the Control Stick were like the wind. The Hoodlums had zero chance of hitting her. Such flawless skill was the very reason millions were online, watching her stream. Silica York was famous the universe over as the Ultimate Gamer, her 10-year-old eyes narrowed in sheer focus, her fingers in constant motion. Of course, they expected nothing less from the daughter of Carol Masterson, the creator and developer of the Kids Next Door game franchise.
Silica's room, as was partly visible in her mini-screen, contained a bed resembling a giant game console. Her desk had towers of games, and she had her own hi-def TV for the best experience. In the luxury and comfort of her mansion, there was little to disturb her technique. Still, based on her clothing and demeanor, one wouldn't assume her to be so very rich.
She was cozy in her warm black sweater and blue sweatpants, legs spread on the floor in her socks. Her pigtails were spiked, a blue streak cut across the middle of her hair, and she had a slightly big nose and chubby cheeks on her scowling, freckled face. Her chubby frame, rooted on her rump as she locked herself in play, made her the very definition of a "couch potato." Silica had snacks and drinks with her, but would only help herself during Stage Results screens. Her sloppy way of eating showed no manners for such a rich person, but such behavior actually made her more popular.
Once the flight section was over, Silica mashed the buttons to skip the cutscene. Sheila was now on foot, bolting past all the Hoodlums as her controller gave no care. "EmilyNerd43 says, 'Why did your mom include that Easter Egg of Mrs. Dickson in the shower?' I assume one of the developers just wanted more fanservice, got nothin' to do with-"
Knock knock knock. Silica's nostrils flared and eyes swelled. The only reason that sound would be heard at her door was because someone was too stupid to read the signs. "Silica, it's your daddy! Are you busy?"
"Go… away… Dad…" Silica whispered through her teeth, hoping the message would telepathically reach.
There were all kinds of 'KEEP OUT' or 'DO NOT DISTURB' signs on his daughter's door. However, with a carefree smile, Dillon York cracked open the door. He wore a cozy sweater with a sunset design over a black horizon. The father was defined by his monochrome skin with glowing blue lines and sunset eyes, the distinct signs of his Twili heritage. "Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to do something-"
GROWWWWLLL… Silica's shadow, Inky hissed venomously at the intruder. Dillon had never known a scarier shadow, as black and all-eclipsing as her name. Although Dillon didn't fear his daughter's shadow, it was clear she was solely determined to protect her master.
"Silica, do you wanna go do something together?"
"Dad…? I am doing… a speed run…" Silica spoke calmly and slowly, making sure her father could understand. "A speed run… for charity… and I need full concentration… so please… wait until I'm finished…"
Dillon walked in to see the TV, Inky hissing and watching to make sure he wouldn't disturb. Dillon cocked a brow as Sheila appeared to be pressing against a Hoodlum, taking rapid damage while Silica mashed a combination of buttons. "You know Sheila can do ranged attacks, right?"
"Uck…Dad… I'm performing a strategy. See for yourself."
Dillon watched as Sheila suddenly launched across a chunk of the level. "Heh. The real Sheila would be jealous. Hey, can we play together?"
"You don't know the strats, Dad, the run would take longer. …FirebenderSupreme77 asks, 'What's your schedule for this week, Sill?' Tonight, I'm gonna do a quick run of MASKED, tomorrow I'm doing 100% of Pirate Wars, and Friday's going to be 100% The Last, including the Under Army DLC and all Meta-Darkness battles. Next week, I'm doing a 100% run of this game, then I'm doing Candied Adventure with the Veggie Heist DLC…"
"Heh, your schedule's really packed." Dillon chuckled.
"Yeah, so if you wanna spend time, just log on a computer and watch…"
Dillon sighed, choosing to accept his daughter's wishes and leave. After all, having grown up with games himself, he was wise not to disturb his daughter in her quest for a World Record. Especially when so many fans were watching. This was a regular routine on Silica's schedule. People would donate money to her streams, which would go to charity, so it wasn't like there was no worth in her playtime.
Plus, it wasn't like the father had anything else to do. His wife was making money by the minute, so he didn't really need to work aside from helping clean the house. What better pastime than watching his little gamer relive his friends' adventures? So, Dillon sat at his room computer and searched for his daughter's stream.
Silica was playing the Starship Vorselon level, using Maddy to shoot against the wall of the spaceship and clip through. She and her team ended up falling into space, cutting to the part where Drake harpooned them across the exterior (even though Silica skipped the part where they rescued Drake). "Minisaela asks, 'What's your least-favorite level?' Definitely the Guertena Gallery 'cause you can't do anything besides walk around and examine paintings. Even in 100% runs, it's just a bunch of stick movements and quick button taps. Huh?"
A comment from "Darkseed1336" appeared in the chat. Haha, Maddy looks so different without her Haki!
"Ugh…Dad…" Silica rolled her eyes at such a silly comment.
When Silica got to the Civic City level, she was already having Sandman fly to Freddy's Pizzeria. She spammed Explosive Gel against a corner of the building, causing Sandman to clip inside. Sandman performed swift, precise flips in going through the glitchy pizzeria and recovering the Shock Rod, shortly before The Puppet killed her. Dillon commented, Silica, you aren't supposed to go there, yet, you can't stop The Puppet.
"Dad, I'm doing the Civic City Skip? Even though the pizzeria is already open to you, most players think you can't complete it until later, but if you can pull it off, you skip a chunk of levels. Which also means Suki won't Awaken as a Light, but who cares."
Dillon watched as Silica clipped into the Pizzeria again, making her way to the Puppet's boss room. She would defeat The Puppet without even using the cameras, and after skipping some cutscenes, Silica was already at the King's Den level. "Whoa… cool!" Dillon beamed. "But doesn't that mean you're missing the Rock Pikmin?"
"Pfft, we don't need the Rock Pikmin." Silica snorted.
Most of Silica's techniques involved clipping through walls, which was easy in Wendy's levels and even Rupert's. Rupert could glitch through the floor and suddenly reappear at a higher ground, which made getting through the Dressrosa level easy. "Darkseed1336 asks, 'Would you ever want to be a Minish explorer?' Pfft, no way. If I was that small, I couldn't tease Minisaela. Ain't that right, Shorty?" She smirked at the screen.
Minisaela wrote, *shakes fist at big fat human in anger*
When she got to the Forest of Twilight, Dillon watched as his younger self swiftly slipped past enemies and maneuvered through the forest as if he already knew it like the back of his hand. "Darkseed says, 'Hey, look, Sill, you're controlling me!' Hardy har, Dad, I sure am. Maybe I can make you stop embarrassing yourself."
After about five hours of gaming, Silica was at the final boss with Ragaj Gnik. Like the other bosses before him, Silica performed swift, strong attacks, expert dodges, suffered no damage, and defeated the boss perfectly. "YES! Game finished!" Silica fell on her back with a satisfied smile. "Let's watch the Apocalypse and enjoy a World Record!"
Dillon chuckled at her carefreeness. It was so strange to watch their most stressful adventure fly by in the blink of an eye. When the stream ended, Dillon returned to his daughter's room, Silica standing and stretching. "Okay, Dad… whaddo you wanna do?"
"Wanna do a 3-player run of your Grandpa's levels? Inky can be the other controller?"
"Let's just do a few. I'm starting the MASKED run in an hour."
Dillon assumed control of Yuki, Silica controlled Sandman, and Inky Wiccan. She was constantly running ahead of her father and beating enemies before Dillon could even think. "Heh heh…" Dillon blushed, feeling so lame next to his daughter. "How come I don't get to be part of your streams? I lived some of these adventures, I like to give my input."
"It isn't about giving input, it's trying to beat the games as fast as possible. Make your own stream if you wanna do that."
"The point of these games isn't just to 'beat them fast.' Your mom made them to-"
"Yes, to document your friends' adventures so everyone could understand all the hardships you went through. Honestly, Dad, if Mom wanted to make a game with my adventures, I would want her to leave out all those embarrassing 'character development' moments. Like, isn't it humiliating? Having millions of people watch your most sensitive moments?"
"Yes, it is embarrassing." Dillon blushed. "But it gives us good reviews, and reviews make money. I know you like high scores, Sill, but I don't want you to forget why these games are important to us."
"I know, Dad…" Silica's eyebrows curved up in a sympathetic fashion. "The character arcs within these games are… very objectively pleasing. And I hope other players will come to experience them as well as I have."
"I very objectively hope so, too." Dillon grinned, patting her back.
"Good, it seems like your stream is done." They turned to find the lady of the manor at the door. Carol's fluffy blonde hair was wrapped in a bun, and her elegant light-green dress and high-heels made her truly stand out from her husband and daughter. "It's time for dinner, Silica, hurry down."
"But it's almost time for my Operation: MASKED stream!"
"You've been streaming all day, and your breath smells like potato chips! Go brush your teeth first."
"Fine, but I'm chewing quickly." Silica marched out of the room in a huff.
"Oh, and your father is joining you on your stream, or I'm asking Laruta to extend your workout time."
"UUUUUUGGGGHHH…" Silica moaned and made the face of a strange animal.
Dillon walked with his wife to the dining room, chuckling at Silica's response. "Aren't you worried that she's getting too addicted?" Carol asked.
"The others say she does well on missions… with the right motivation. Besides, maybe these crazy techniques she pulls off will give her some combat ideas."
"I don't think depleting her health to perform a 'ghost flight' glitch will work in real life."
"Either way, I'm glad that she enjoys our adventures so much! Watching them all over again, with the way she plays… it makes them seem more pleasant in hindsight. Hehe, and she makes us all look so silly!"
"Probably you more than me. But you take care of her when I'm not around, okay?"
"No worries. I wouldn't miss her streams for the world!"
As soon as dinner was finished, Dillon joined Silica up in her room, enjoying a fun session of Cheren glitching his way through Termina.
Anyone ever heard of a novel called Ronja, the Robber's Daughter? It was made into a 3D anime and I watched it some time ago. If anyone's a fan of Studio Ghibli, you might like it, it's a cute series!
Pirates vs. Bandits
Historia; Rumphob Woods
The Rumphob Woods was considered a dangerous territory that the locals of the nearby towns feared to venture through. The woods were the lair of a mighty clan of bandits that preyed upon those bold enough to cross the woods. The governor would send his soldiers in to hunt the robbers, and though they knew where they were based, their fortress was impregnable.
The Robbers Fort was a towering structure, supposedly with more space than they knew what to do with. Its most distinctive sign was the gap that was split perfectly down the middle, dividing the fortress and its many layers into two halves, connected only by bridges with fences. This gap, known as Hell's Gap, was created by a bolt of lightning that split the fortress from the heavens. The legend says that this bolt was a sign that the wives of the two chieftains of the Robbers Clan had given birth. Two children, the heirs of the robbers, were born on the same night, under the storm. A new era had begun for the robbers, and they would no doubt be stronger than ever.
"WAAAAAHH!" cried Lill Klippen, a man with shaggy blonde hair and a green tunic. "HELP, MATTIS! These children are monsters, they-!"
A Light Sphere struck him in the back and took the cowardly robber down. "Hee hee hee hee!" snickered Jason Dimalanta with a bright grin. The young pirate had messy black hair and blue eyes. He wore an open green vest with black shorts and green sandals. His skin was tan, and he was most defined by his raccoon ears and tail. "Orright, we got all their loot! You'd better protect me rear, Bella!"
"Don't you mean the 'stern,' Captain?" asked Isabelle Rivera, seated on the large sack of treasure.
"'ey, you know what I mean! Let's just blow it!"
Though his young body was much smaller than the sack he was carrying, Jason had more than enough strength to pull it as he ran, even with Isabelle's weight on it. Jason pulled it through the entrance of the fort that they had torn down earlier, bolting down the path leading to the forest. Isabelle shot arrows to thwart the robbers giving pursuit. "'ey, Bella, get ready to fly!"
Isabelle about-faced: they were now charging through the narrow canyon that connected the forest with the fort, in which robbers were stationed on a bridge above, with other robbers ready to block the way underneath. Isabelle held tight to the sack: Jason hauled it overhead and blasted it to the sky with a powerful kick! The robbers were agape as their valuables flew above their reach. This left the ground guards distracted as Jason blew through then with a spinning punch!
Jason raised his hands to catch the sack, keeping it overhead as he ran steadfastly. Isabelle grinned and waved the robbers good-bye, giggling at their dumbfounded expressions.
Jason and Isabelle set the valuables down by a large tree in the forest. "Yee hee hee! Goes to show even the mightiest and fiercest of robbers are no match to kids of the sea!"
"Hee hee, we're gonna get in big trouble for this!" Isabelle laughed.
"Hey, they were robbers to begin with, it's not like they're gonna call the guards!"
"Hehe, I guess not!"
The friends laughed for a moment longer. "…!" Isabelle gasped. "JASON!" She grabbed her friend and jumped aside, dodging an arrow. Jason reactively shot a Light Sphere to the tree it came from, and they saw a girl jump off.
They heard rapid footsteps behind them and whipped around, seeing an orange-haired boy dash up with a knife. He dodged Jason's sphere by a heartbeat and decided to retreat. Both he and the girl joined sides.
"Who do you think you are stealin' from our fathers?!" asked the boy, Birk. He had fierce blue eyes with a blue tunic and yellow tights.
"Are you from some new clan of robbers?" asked the girl, Ronja with a glare. She had messy brown hair and a pink tunic, and like her friend, she had yellow tights and bare feet. Both kids were about 10 years old.
"Yeh, but we ain't like you bandits, we're pirates." Jason stated. "We sail the sea in search of adventure and treasure! We ain't the type to just root ourselves to one piece o' land. Don't ya get bored explorin' the same forest over an' over?"
"I'll have you know we love our forest very much." Ronja stated. She and Birk spoke Swedish, but Isabelle and Jason had been given knowledge of the language by a Glomourian who worked at the travel agency. "But what business do you have stealin' from our fort?"
"'Cause I wanted to see how strong you robbers really were. We beat you lot fair and square, so the spoils are ours!"
"I've got nothin' against you, I was just tagging along with Jason." Bella explained sheepishly. "I had a ton of fun though! Besides, we only stole the treasure, we didn't take your food or anything."
"Well, we're not beaten, yet! Now you've got us to deal with!"
"I've got the boy, Ronja!" Birk smirked. "You take care of the girl!"
"You got it!" Ronja ran to her right and shot an arrow at Bella, who dodged and returned her own arrow. Ronja took refuge up a tree, but Isabelle dodged her way up to the tree, climbing it with natural ability. Ronja jumped to the branch of another tree, shooting the previous branch just as Isabelle stepped onto it. As she fell, she swiftly grabbed her harp and strummed a Song Road to carry her to Ronja. The robber gasped in shock and quickly jumped down the tree.
Birk dashed up to Jason directly, slashing the knife with clean swings. Jason dodged the swings and did a spin to whack Birk away with his tail. Birk spun to face Jason again, dodging his Light Spheres before suddenly tossing his knife. Jason yelped as the knife cut his left hip, but the Faunus ran to seize the weapon. Jason bent the knife like a boomerang and ripped off the hilt with his strength. Birk growled and decided to charge the pirate, dodging his spheres and linking hands with him. Jason's hands were much bigger and bulkier than Birk, but the robber used them as suspenders as he kicked up against Jason's jaw, stamping against his chest repeatedly before he could free himself.
Ronja ran around a few trees to lose Isabelle, but the Shandian tracked her using Haki. When turning around a tree, Ronja grabbed a rock larger than her hands, and she dropped it behind another tree, tricking Isabelle into tripping on it. She couldn't shake off the pain in her toes before Ronja jumped and clawed at her face. Bella punched the robber, and then Ronja jumped up and off, grabbing a branch up above and tearing hard enough to rip it off and bash Bella's head.
Birk bolted from Jason around the trees, easily evading the pirate's attacks. He passed Ronja when going around a tree, and the female robber jumped and stamped Jason's face with both feet before resuming escape. Isabelle helped her friend up, seeing both robbers try to confuse them around various trees. "Speedy little blokes, ain't they?" Jason remarked.
"You'd be a lot faster if you ditched the sandals~" Isabelle inferred.
"I saw you trip on that rock, you proved nothing."
"Well, what's your plan?"
"I'm giving them less room to run!" Jason raised his fist, channeled chi into it, and PUNCHED the tree with enough force to snap the trunk and make it topple.
Ronja gasped at this action, but Jason mercilessly ran up to her, and though she dodged, he punched and toppled the tree behind her. "HEY! Tearing down the forest is going too far!"
"Just run for it, Ronja, this kid is crazy!" Birk grabbed his friend's arm and pulled. Jason pursued the robbers and took down every tree that they passed.
From far away, a dark-skinned boy with black and white hair and a blue-skinned girl with pink hair saw trees falling in the distance. "Oh, boy… What've they gotten themselves into?" asked Star Winkiebottom.
"Let's go see." replied Tiffi, her star-shaped spectacles twinkling with curiosity.
Jason was able to make two large trees fall to form a "V" shape, trapping Ronja and Birk in a corner. Both robbers faced the pirate, gritting their teeth with anger. Isabelle had also perched herself on the connecting point of the trees, smirking with an arrow ready. "ISABELLE! JASON! What do you think you're doing?!"
Isabelle turned, seeing Star and Tiffi hurrying over. Both kids were wearing tunics and boots fit for this setting. Jason climbed onto a tree as well. "Oh, hi, Star! It's orright, we were just beatin' up some robbers."
"What robbers?! Do you realize how much trouble we could get in?!"
"Whoever you are," Ronja yelled, "could you please tell this brat to stop destroying our forest?!"
The six kids later gathered by the large tree where the treasure was left. "Okay, I'm sorry for wreckin' your fort." Jason sighed. "I got nothin' against you lot, it's just a tradition me mum told me about. Pirates and bandits are natural enemies, so when I heard about ya, I just felt like challenging ya!" He flashed a big grin.
"Hey, everyone likes a good rivalry." Birk said. "But you got a bit too carried away."
"I'm sure he wouldn't have done that if we weren't giving them a hard time." Ronja smiled proudly.
"Hehe, you got us there." Bella grinned. "We should've known better than to underestimate the robbers of the woods."
"I'd hate to leave the forest in this state though." Star replied. "We'll have to come back with Lily or a few plantbender operatives. They could probably set it straight again."
"Some of this treasure seems kinda cool." Tiffi said as she dug through the sack. "Can we at least keep some of it?"
"HEY! YOU LOT!"
The kids whipped around, spotting a horde of armored guards. "Are you brats part of the robbers?! What've you done to the forest?! And what's all that loot you have?! You brats are comin' to the dungeon!"
The robbers turned to the pirates as Ronja asked, "Want to call a truce?"
"Yeh, you got it." Jason smirked and cracked his knuckles. "If pirates and robbers have one thing in common…"
"WE HATE LAW OFFICIALS!" Isabelle cheered. "AAAAAHHH!"
The four kids charged the soldiers. There was thunderous pounding and men flying into the air. Jason dented their armor, Isabelle kicked the heads off their spears, Ronja shot their weak spots, and Birk grabbed his bent knife and threw it like a boomerang, cutting their soft spots as it came right back. Star and Tiffi merely watched the violence with disbelief. "You're probably gonna have to warp us home." Tiffi said.
"I'm feelin' that spirit of adventure…" Star sighed.
In this last one, we'll get a full overview of the Top Sector!
The Top Sector's Coach
Sector V Treehouse
Sector V was known by all kids as the Top Sector of the Kids Next Door. This was true in Nigel Uno's era, in the Nextgen Era, and now the children of the previous generation were working to uphold the legacy. Though they had been on no world-saving missions, yet, they were already remarkable as a team and had accomplished great feats. They were the most popular kids at Gallagher Elementary; the school itself was famous for having them as students.
Almost each member was famous or unique in their own way. Their leader, Jason Dimalanta, was the son of a legendary pirate. Christina Uno was simply famous for being an Uno, yet despite her family being natural-born leaders, she only assumed the role of vice-leader. Ralph Gilligan was the son of a prince from another planet; he looked the part of a prince, was filthy rich, yet was open and friendly with his peers. But perhaps richer than him was Silica York, one of the top gamers in the universe and the daughter of Carol Masterson, the developer of the KND game series.
Jason was also distinct for his non-human traits, his raccoon ears and tail. Besides him, another distinct member was Isabelle Rivera, who looked and dressed like a Native American of the old days, but possessed the angel wings of a Nimbi. Trella Dunfree was especially odd, a green-skinned alien with magenta hair, two antennae, an orange dress, and fluffy magenta socks. She was mute and always kept her eyes closed, possessing a peaceful, gentle air about her.
But the member who popped out the most was Mali Anderson: she was a literal giant and could barely fit in her kindergarten class. At 6 years old, she was their newest and youngest member, but she was a remarkably heavy hitter with her poisonbending. Despite being bigger than her teammates, Mali was rather shy and meek at times, especially when Christina shouted at her.
Their remarkable backgrounds implied great esteem, and their weird, quirky appearances and diverse personalities showed an open, friendly air between them. Topped with their individual talents, these nine operatives were the role models of the KND, the ones that all operatives could rely on.
Once school was over (and assuming no missions had intervened), some students would watch as Sector V returned home to their treehouse, the base where legends were made. Some could only imagine what sort of training or discussions go on in there. During recess, Jason and Christina would sometimes get in fights that would shake the grounds and even dent cracks, or maybe Jason would race Isabelle around the building, both naturally swift on their feet.
However, after school, the team's most mature member would take charge during this time: Laruta Grayson. She was very short at about 2'8" and slightly pudgy, wearing a gray sweatshirt, pants, and shoes. She had big square glasses and sandy-blonde hair in a messy ponytail. Though she was short and cute-looking, she was always pumped for a workout. Every day, she would instruct her teammates to meet in her room, a fitness center with mats, punching bags, and wide mirrors.
Laruta was the type to change her clothes after every mission or school day, believing that clean attire helped her stay vigilante. She didn't make her teammates do the same, but she encouraged them to have their shoes off in the gym, thinking it was best to air their feet out after a long day.
"Alright, gang, is everyone present?" Laruta announced to her team like a teacher in class. "Let's do a roll call!"
"Captain Jason is here for training!" The leader grinned and saluted.
"Isabelle Rivera, here as always!" the half-Shandian reported.
"Ralph Gilligan, present!" the prince announced.
"Shimmy-chan here!" the pilot sported a big grin. Shimmy had black hair in pigtails, a white jacket, and a pink dress with red polka-dots.
Trella smiled and gave a bow.
"Mali here. Hi." The giant waved. She wore a purple dress with pink clouds and had messy black hair.
"Alright, we're still missing two more." Laruta clapped.
"Ugh." Christina moaned. "We're right here, this is stupid."
Silica was turned away, her fingers tapping her handheld game. Narrowing her spectacled eyes, Laruta marched around and snatched her game. "YOOOUUUU!" Silica's shadow, Inky wrapped around and hissed at Laruta viciously. "Give that back NOW!"
"You'll have time for games later. Now, it's time for exercise. You can't let your body grow stiff, so let's get started. Hoh!" Laruta stomped and thrusted a fist.
Compared to the harshness of missions or the boredom of school, or even the action that takes place on a playground, Sector V's gym was a relaxing environment with good air condition. Their workouts were much more calm and simple compared to what they usually do. Trella was bending her legs at various angles and poses. These exercises were common for her, so she adapted the best in gym. Ralph was thrusting his fists at a punching bag, and Shimmy was punching another bag in a more rapid fashion.
"I'mma punch more than you, Ralph-kun!" Shimmy shouted.
"Shimmy, this isn't a contest!" Laruta stated scoldingly. "Pace yourself appropriately. We're trying to balance ourselves, not exhaust ourselves."
"Meh, that's no fun." Shimmy groaned, punching more slowly.
"Look, Laruta!" Mali yelled. "I can do three flips!" The child bent back, planted her hands on the floor, flipped her legs up, planted them back down, and repeated the process twice more.
"Very good, Mali!"
Jason was doing sit-ups while Isabelle was holding his feet down. "Make sure to breathe, Captain. You have to take proper breaths."
"Hehe, aye-aye!" Jason grinned at his friend. "Make sure you do the same!"
"Hehe, sí! It's my turn, anyhow~" Isabelle lied down next, and Jason held her feet as the Nimbi sat up and down.
Laruta smiled at their teamwork. …She frowned and looked over to Christina and Silica, who were lazily stretching a single leg. Laruta approached them and said, "You two aren't pulling your weight. Or in this case, losing it. Put your whole bodies into it! Hoh!"
"Hey, I dunno about Sill, but I don't frickin' need this." Christina stated. "I'm one of the strongest kids. I can beat up a whale! I get way more fill of exercise every mission than I do from these silly workouts."
"Those kinds of missions only cause stress to your physical and mental wellbeing. This exercise is supposed to be relaxing. It's like a gentle massage for our muscles, and we got a safe, clean environment and good friends to do it with." She thrusted her fists and swung her legs. "Hoh!"
"Yeah, well if your routine was any good, you wouldn't be so puny, Shorty." Christina pressed a finger to Laruta's nose and pushed her onto her rear. "Y'know what, I got better things to do." She went to grab her sandals before marching out of the room.
Laruta could only glare after her. Compared to herself, Christina was much thinner and taller, and her great strength complimented her fit figure. It was no wonder she didn't think she needed the exercise, and Laruta could barely find it in her to argue. "…Come on, Silica, let's be workout buddies."
"I want my game back."
"Exercise is good for your brain! You wanna have your brain pumped to beat all those levels, right?" Laruta stretched back up and began to march in place. "Come on, march with me!" She sported a vigorous smirk. "Stomp those feet, pump your legs, pump it up, pump it, pump it, hoh!"
"God, your perky attitude is annoying. You're not even the leader and you always act like you're in charge of everything. Frankly, Christina is right, the whole reason you do this is just to feel self-pride because you're a complete pushover in a real fight."
"I am not! I may not be a superhuman, but I've got a lot of stamina. You're pretty strong yourself, Sill, but if you just do what I do, you would be amazing."
"I'll show you amazing." Silica sent Inky and gnashed against Laruta, the instructor screaming as the shadow tore up her clothes. Inky returned and spat Silica's game back into her hands. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a record to beat." And she marched away on that note.
The others looked upon Lar with sympathy and approached her. Trella kindly helped her to stand. "Thank you, Trella. I'm alright."
"They didn't hurt your feelings, did they?" Mali asked.
"Want me to give 'em a good sock in the nose?" Jason fist-palmed.
"That's okay, Jason. I feel like trying to make them will just make them more angry. The whole reason we do this is to clear our heads and refresh our minds. It's supposed to make us happier. I just wish they knew that."
"Eh, if they don't wanna be happy, that's their problem." Shimmy stated.
"But we're supposed to be the Top Sector. We have to be physically and mentally ready at all times. Those two are just… making us look bad."
"Oi don't really care about looking good." Jason shrugged. "If those blokes are happy with their selves, fine, but this is supposed to be a team exercise! It don't mean anything if the whole crew ain't here!"
"I know, Jason, but I don't want to stress over it for now." Laruta faced her teammates with a smile. "But I've sure got some stress to burn off now. I need someone to punch, who's up for it?!"
"Ralph-chan needs it!" Shimmy pushed him forward.
"W-wait, me?!"
"Dukes up, Ralphy! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Laruta began thrusting her fists against the prince, Ralph raising his palms in defense. Laruta simply punched around the palms and hit his stomach, Ralph grunting each time. "Everyone else, thrust those fists!" With ecstatic grins, the others lined up and punched back and forth in synchronized fashion.
Christina and Silica had gone to the living room. The Uno was lain on the couch with Silica at the other end, hooked on her game. "Gah, dammit." She mumbled after making a slip-up. "Ugh…now I can't even focus." Silica put her game down and lied on the floor. "Huu…rrr…" She struggled to sit herself up, her pudgy body stuck in an obtuse angle. "Hey, Chris… can you hold my legs down?"
"Seriously? Fine…" Christina got to her knees and held Sill's legs. The gamer moaned in stress, feeling her back straining in her mission to sit up.
"Man, your socks stink." Chris cringed. "Is that the same pair from yesterday?"
"The past week, actually."
"Gross!" Chris got up and stomped away, Sill plopping on her back. "Go and change first, I need to take a bath."
"…Inky, pull me up…" Silica requested from her position on the floor.