This chapter introduces the Sector W Third Genners, also known as the new Earth Children! Our first kid comes from a fairly late Nextgen couple.
Jolene the Miracle
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH! AAAAAHHH, MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"
These sounds had plagued Jataro's ears for almost nine months. He just didn't understand why she wanted this. Why did she want to put herself through such torture?
His wife, E. Carmine-Kemuri, had been in a terrible accident as a child, forever ruining her skin. She looked positively atrocious, and her melted flesh was extremely sensitive to anything. She had gone through most of her life wearing a protective suit and gas mask. However, despite fearing that she would never find love, she met Jataro, a rather problematic, confusing boy. They found a deep connection and understanding with one another, and once they reached maturity, they married. Naturally, she wore her suit during most of the wedding, until she raised her helmet for the kiss.
Still, after all these years, Carmine still hated how she looked and hated her condition. She was so happy and grateful that a boy as sweet as Jataro would want to be with her, but now that they had come this far, she wanted more. Eventually, the topic came up: what about having kids? It was tradition amongst all of their friends to have kids and create the next generation of Kids Next Door, create the next symbols of hope for the future. Of course, this was especially priority for the next Firstborn Guardians, but even those would-be legends would need friends and allies.
"Alright, so… what should we do?" Jataro asked. "Should we adopt? …Or, um…" He hesitated to suggest that they find a surrogate mother.
"Jataro… I…" Carmine seemed hesitant as well. "I want… to have a child."
"I know. That's why I asked…"
"No, Jataro. I don't want to adopt and I don't want a surrogate. I want to give birth to a child myself."
"…" Jataro had no idea how to respond. He really didn't expect that. Was it even possible? Why would she… "What?"
"I've been thinking about it for a long time… I was wondering if someone as ugly as me… could still create something beautiful."
"Carmine, you are beautiful. You know you're beautiful. And I…I would really like to 'sleep' with you…" Now that Jataro thought about it, it would be his first time. "But you know how sensitive you are. You'll… y-you won't be able to handle it."
"I've been training, Jataro. I ask you to give me massages, I try to take barefoot walks, try to take proper baths, all to fight my sensitivity. All to prepare myself for… if that time comes. Please… do this for me. No matter how much I cry or scream, don't stop. Please…"
"I…I need to think about this. …And I should… probably watch a few instructional videos."
"Heh heh… well, take your time. And if you really don't feel comfortable with it… I guess that's fine."
But they did. It was the most horrible experience Jataro had ever endured, required each and every ounce of his courage and patience. And then, his wife became pregnant. He had to question if her weak, ruined body could truly support a baby, but that's probably what she wanted to know, too. No matter how much she was told she was beautiful, she just couldn't accept it. Her dying wish was to prove her beauty once and for all. But Jataro really didn't want to do this. He felt nothing but fear, fear that his wife wouldn't survive, fear that the baby wouldn't make it… and fear that he would never find a woman as kind and beautiful as her again.
And yet, he couldn't believe they had made it to the climax of the pregnancy, the ninth month when everything was decided. Endless cries and pleas to "make it stop, make it stop" would conclude at this. It helped that they had the most reliable doctor, Haruka to help with this operation, along with Melody to help soothe the pain. Still, the strongest person here was, without doubt, Carmine. She never had the superhuman abilities that fellow KND had… or maybe she was reserving them all for this very moment. Honestly, how could anyone doubt her strength after this?
"It's time, Melody!" Haruka yelled. "Get ready!"
"Okay, Carmine! Here it comes!"
One final, ear-piercing scream ruptured the air…
Four years later
Jolene Kemuri loved to run around in the backyard. She would often climb on the fence and make a jump, stamping the ground with enough force to spring a rock up. Afterwards, she would climb that rock and tried to push it back down again. The three-year-old girl had blonde hair tied in pigtails and a frilly white dress with white strap-on shoes. Her blue eyes glittered with life on her pudgy face.
After the pregnancy, Carmine was confined to a wheelchair most of the time. She had next to no strength to spare… but she was happy. It was all worth it to see such a precious little angel running around.
"Mama, can we go to the playground?" she came up and asked her.
"Sure, Jolene… but you promise not to hurt your knee this time, right?"
"Ya, I'll be careful."
Jataro would push his wife's wheelchair as they strolled to the park, letting Jolene bounce ahead. "Jataro… I wonder… should we really let her join the KND?"
"That's really up to her to decide."
"I just… I don't want the same thing to happen again. What if she gets in an accident just like I did? She's the most beautiful thing in our world… I don't want anything awful to…"
"You worked harder than any other parent, Carmine. Even Karin had an easier pregnancy. Our daughter is a miracle. She's a blessing on the world. Whether she chooses to join KND or not… she'll grow up happy and healthy."
"I…I wish…" Carmine truly wanted to believe that, but it just wasn't possible for anyone. Jolene would grow up always worrying for her helpless mother, having to help take care of her, and any cruel children would probably bully Jolene because of her mother's condition. "Even so… I was allowed to live. I nearly gave my life to give her life… and I still have some to spare. I want to be with her as long as possible… and give her every ounce of my love and faith."
"I will, too. I promise, Carmine… no matter what bad things happen, she will live happily."
Now we'll meet the Sector W team in full!
Robi's Garden
Robi McKenzie didn't like school. This was common for most 6-year-old boys like himself. It wasn't necessarily because school was long and boring, but it was because of all the rowdy, immature students. He felt cramped and stuffy in the classrooms, the seats uncomfortable, and he would find himself gazing out the window, longing for the beautiful day outside.
Robi was a small and soft-spoken boy, and his appearance reflected his gentle, fluffy, and soft demeanor. His hair was orange and frizzy, he wore a cozy green sweater and brown khaki pants. He had dark-green glasses over his lighter green eyes, as well as freckles and buckteeth. Robi disliked wearing shoes, though because of his large feet, he liked to wear heavy clothes to make himself look proportional. However, his other distinct attributes were the feathered butterfly-shaped wings on his back.
Robi's mother was a Nimbi, while his father was a terrific earthbender, so Robi inherited the best of both worlds. On some days, he loved to sleep on fluffy, drifting clouds, and on others, he just wanted to relax in his grandmother's garden. Robi's back and rear had been cramped from sitting in school all day; true, he tried to relax during recess, but impolite students would always disrupt his rest by throwing balls at him or something. Robi didn't even bother to endure the bus ride home; he would rather give his wings a needed stretching and fly across his neighborhood.
"Snoooooooore…snoooooore…"
Once free from the burdens of school, Robi was where he loved to be: sleeping in his grandmother's garden like an overgrown butterfly. The weather was mildly chilly, but it only helped to relax his soul. Of course, Robi wasn't alone in his rest: his friend, Lily had flown in for a visit.
Lily was an inch-tall Kateenian with light-green skin and pink flower petals around her antenna ball. She wore a darker-green dress with pink petal slippers. She and Robi met at a playground when she was 4 years old, and he was three. Although Lily had a peaceful, gentle upbringing, growing up in her mother's garden, something sparked inside her when she was brought to the playground that day.
An older boy named Jason had gotten into a brawl with a girl named Christina. Their fists met each other's jaws in a violent fashion; their bout wasn't based on spite, but their smirks indicated it was a friendly game. To Lily's little eyes, it was like watching two young titans engage in a world-shaking battle. She had never seen a fight this intense… but watching it was so thrilling. It made her little heart race. The child wanted to observe every detail of this spectacle, watch every droplet of blood fly out. So, she walked steadily closer. Of course, walking too close would result in the little girl being smashed in their aimless brawl.
Alas, Christina landed an upper-cut that caused Jason to fly back. Lily's life would end under the strong, young titan, her squashed remains mixed with the dirt accumulated on his shirt. But then darkness enveloped Lily in the form of big, gentle hands.
She was shaken up from the impact and could feel the world vibrating. …But after a while, the kind hands opened to reveal a pair of concerned green eyes on a battered face with a bloody nose. "Are you okay?" Robi asked in a meek, but sweet tone.
"Uh…I am." Lily turned a shade of blue from blushing.
"Oh, you're a girl. Huhu…I thought you were a bug."
"Tee hee hee!" Lily giggled at his utter cluelessness.
From that day, Lily found herself positively infatuated. Robi possessed a big heart that was as warm, sweet, and kind as he appeared. Robi had injured himself from taking Jason's impact, all to save a tiny girl who he didn't even know. As she would then learn, Robi adored bugs and thought they made better company than people. They were small and peaceful like he was, and they couldn't pick on him or push him around like big kids. Even bees acted peaceably around Robi, though if a spider crawled on him, he would gently shoo it off.
Still, he found Lily to be much better company. He wasn't at all intimidated by the little Kateenian and felt he could talk to her about anything, and he simply adored her cute, sweet voice. Unlike the noisy students at his school, Lily soothed his ears with her voice, and he was always delighted whenever she climbed and played around on him. Lily would love to curl up in his tangly, frizzy hair, or ride in his fluffy wings as he fluttered about the sky like a butterfly.
Lily came to visit him whenever the need arose, whenever she wanted some peace and warmth. As Robi rested in the soft soil of the garden, Lily was tucked cozily under the collar of his sweater. Their hearts and auras were in pure unison. Lily's element was plants, and since Robi's was Earth, their chis mixed in a perfect combination, naturally melding with one-another in their undisturbed slumber.
With Robi's Seismic Sense, he could feel the world around him. He felt the cars driving on the streets, the carefree children running about their yards or the sidewalks, and parents walking with the younger children. And of course, he could feel the plants dancing in the wind. With Lily's chi mixed with his, they felt everything the other felt. They felt the birds feeding their chicks in the trees, felt the beetles munching on the tomatoes, the caterpillars burrowing through the apples, and the bees collecting pollen. The world and nature were in perfect harmony. There was so much life and soul all around them.
But although Lily loved to be around Robi, and though she appeared sweet and perfectly gentle, her aspirations far differed from his own. "Yaaaaawwwwwn!" She was always the first to awake from an afternoon nap. Now that her muscles had time to relax in warmth, the Kateenian was pumped full of adrenaline. The snores of her big-hearted friend and the puffing of his neck served as a pleasant lullaby, but now she was awake. Lily clambered up onto Robi's harmless, sleepy face, brushing the petals of her flower crown against the interior of his snorting nostril.
"Huhuhuhu! Huhuhu!" The nerves of his nose sent the tickly sensation throughout his body. The Nimbi awoke, having to rub a finger over his nose to ease his nerves.
"Come on, Robi, we can't sleep all day! Let's go meet up with the others!"
Lily had climbed onto Robi's left lens, jumping on the glass. Her form was very blurry at this proximity, but it nonetheless made Robi's heart dance from seeing her so pumped and happy. "…Mmmm…" She could see his magnified eyes narrow with hesitation, the boy moaning sheepishly. Robi had been like this for these past few months: his 7th birthday was coming up soon.
"Robi, why don't you wanna join the Kids Next Door?"
"It's just… After we join, we won't be able to do this much, anymore. I know it doesn't feel like much, but… I just love laying in the garden. I love watching the clouds float by. Aren't you happy like this, Lily?"
"But laying around all day is boring! I love napping with you, but you're way more than this, Robi!"
"Why are you so excited to join the KND? You almost got squished back then."
"That's why I train, Robi! I practice my plantbending every day, and I move super fast so I don't get squished! Just like you, Robi! Hehe, I get so excited when I watch you and your dad kick boulders at each other! I wanna watch you smash a ton of bad guys with your earthbending!"
Robi flushed at the very idea of him getting so violent. "I only train 'cause my parents want me. But I… thought you liked me like this, Lily."
"Aww, of course I do, Robi. But I know you're more than that." Lily jumped down to his neck and squeezed it in a hug. "I can feel the enormous power inside you! I felt it ever since then! When you protected me, you were so brave and kind, you didn't care that you got hurt. You would've protected me even if I was just an ordinary bug. If you would protect a bug from getting hurt, why wouldn't you wanna protect the world?"
"Because… the world is way bigger than bugs. It's way bigger than you or me."
"That's why we have our friends, and not to mention all the other kids!"
Robi sighed, "You just wanna get in a bunch of fights and watch other people fight. But it's gonna be real dangerous, Lily."
"Then protect me!" Lily bounced her way up to his nose. "Don't let me get squished, Robi! And I promise to not let anyone squish you, either! But you have to promise to protect yourself! Don't let yourself get squished, and I won't either! When we're together, no one's gonna squish us!"
"Hmmm…"
"Hey, Robi!"
"MMMMPPHH!" A gush of sand suddenly fell and smothered the boy's face. It got into his nose and mouth, the boy coughing and bending it out of him.
"Yo, you sure you're ready for the KND?!" asked Spiny, a boy with spiky black hair and a purple top with matching shorts. His ankles had bands with small, spiked conch-shells on them. He was seated on the garden's fence. "All you do is lay around, seriously!"
"Hey!" Robi yelled. "Lily was on me, you coulda hurt her!"
"It's okay, Robi!" Lily cheered, brushing the sand off as she had dropped to the ground. "I'm all right!"
"Hah, Lily's way tougher than you are!" Spiny snorted. "Even Kent can't beat her, what a chump!"
"Only 'cause I'm bein' nice!" yelled Kent as he pushed up one of the fence boards. Kent wore a yellow Hawaiian shirt with brown shorts, his brown hair in a flame design and his skin red with a tan.
There was also a girl behind the fence, one with a frilly white dress, white strap-on shoes, and blonde hair in pigtails.
"Robi, ain't you supposed to be the 'leader' of the Earth Children?" Spiny remarked, kicking down onto the garden. "Shoot, I oughta be the leader if you're just gonna be lazy."
"Come on, Spiny, don't pick on him." the girl said, raising a rock platform to see over the fence.
"Why not, Jolene? He's supposed to be the Firstborn Guardian, he's gotta prove it." The spike-haired began to wave his hand, sending soil up into Robi's face.
"Hey—stop mess—my grand—'s garden!" Robi yelled in-between face-fulls of dirt.
"What're ya gonna do about it?!"
Throbbing with anger, Robi stomped the ground and sank Spiny into a ditch. He clapped his hands and closed the ditch, crushing the older boy. "Aaaaahh! Hey, too tight, too tight!"
"Hee hee hee!" Lily giggled. "Let me help, Robi!" The Kateenian bent up some roots and wrapped them around Kent's neck and limbs, raising him to the air.
"HEY, I wasn't even doing anything! Stop it!"
"Kids, no fighting in the garden!" They turned to the house as Angelie McKenzie stepped out. The earthbending legend was in her fifties, yet still maintained a healthy, youthful demeanor in her old age. "Robi, I thought you knew better than that."
"B-But, but…"
"Spiny started it!" Jolene yelled, jumping into the garden. "He was making Robi eat dirt! Which I know it's an expression, but he was literally making him…"
"Kids, you can fight all you want on the playground or wherever else, but in this garden, we enjoy what the earth has to offer us. Everyone at the picnic table."
The kids sat at a round, white garden table as Angie served them their produce of choice. Kent was fed some Spicy Tomatoes, easy for the lavabender's tongue to adjust to. Spiny ate some Burst Grapes that would pop into juice inside his mouth, making it as purple as his clothes. Jolene munched both a red and green apple that caused her blonde hair to glimmer in the sun. Robi was munching on a melon, Lily giggling as a seed got wedged between his buckteeth. And Lily herself was in delight, for she had a whole meat patty with cheese and ketchup to herself.
"Why is the plantbender a meat eater?" Kent asked.
"Eating animals is a part of nature~" Lily inferred.
"I don't wanna be on a team with Spiny…" Robi mumbled.
"Come on, buddy, I was just testing ya!" Spiny playfully shoved him.
"It's common for friends to keep each other on their toes." Angie said. "But make sure you don't push each other around too much, or you won't get along. You kids are going to be the new Earth Children, the new Sector W. The 'W' stands for 'World,' you know."
"I thought it stood for 'West Virginia.'" Robi said.
"Then why isn't it 'WV'?" the grandma inquired.
"Hm hm hm! You'll be perfect for the KND, Robi!" Lily cheered. "Just like you defended this garden, imagine all the millions of gardens that bad guys are trying to hurt! Don't you wanna protect them, Robi? Don't you want all the kids in the world to feel as happy as you feel, napping after school?"
"Mmm…I guess you're right. But why do you wanna join us, Lily? Don't you wanna be in GKND?"
"But staying in space all day is boring! I wanna be an Earth Children, too!"
"There's nothing wrong with that." Angie smiled. "After all, you can't have Earth without plants. You kids will be an unbeatable team. Just remember to keep your heads in the game and protect and support each other."
"But the Earth is more than just rocks and plants." Jolene said. "We also need a waterbender, and an airbender… maybe not a lightbender because sunlight doesn't really come from Earth, it's from the sun, but we CAN create light, like with bulbs and flashlights and-"
"Okay, stop thinking about it." Kent stated. "We're already missing a metalbender because Mack would rather be with the water girls."
"Ha ha ha!" Robi laughed. "Well, at least if we join the KND, we'll be able to skip school."
"That's one incentive, I suppose." Angie said.
"Haha! Don't worry, Grandma. I promise to do my best." Robi grabbed the seed in his teeth and pulled it out. He held the little seed before his spectacled eyes. "I'll do my best for Lily, Jolene, and for afternoon naps everywhere!"
Point of inquiry, if two Firstborn Guardians procreate with each other, they'll give birth to twins. …'Cause being a Guardian of two Firstborn is hella OP. Now, time for a fun beach one-shot for the Thirders! It's certainly not fitting since the weather's getting cold!
Beach Boy Brawl
Sector J had long been the favorite holiday resort for all the hard-working operatives! In the heat of July, the beach was full of activity for the young heroes. "TAG! You're it, Shimmy!" Perry slapped the pigtailed engineer. He wore black trunks with green edges and Shimmy wore a pink, red polka-dotted one-piece like her dress.
"YAY, I'm Supreme Leader! I order you to let me tickle you, Ralphy!" Shimmy rapid legs kicked in the pudgy pilot's direction.
Ralph, wearing blue trunks with brown edges, wasn't anywhere fit enough to outmatch Shimmy's superior speed. "Puff, puff! No fair, Shimmy, NO FAIR!"
Joto Hanakari was chilling on a towel backside up, wearing a white two-piece with red edges. She was behind a short, long dune, but it hid her perfectly from Ralph's vision. Shimmy caught up and pushed Ralph with such force that he tumbled forward, flattening Joto beneath his girth. "GAAAAH! WHAT THE FRICK, RALPH?! GET YOUR FAT ASS OFF ME!"
"IT WASN'T ME, IT WAS SHIMMY! STOP SQUIRMING OR I CAN'T-"
"AAAAHHH!" An impatient Joto pushed up so forcefully that Ralph sprung into the air. Not satiated just yet, Joto pulled out her bat and WHAMMED Ralph so hard that he went flying to the volleyball court.
"PORP!" Did I mention it was actually a court fit for Sector GT? That was Ralph's natural grunt to being whacked by the hand of a giant youth. Doris Dodley, the orange-skinned, green-haired girl wearing a carrot swimsuit, slapped Ralph across the net. It flew to Fufu Colins, a pudgy, pigtailed girl with slight tan skin and a pancake swimsuit. She hit it to Patty Winston and Mali Anderson, the shortest giants stacked atop each other, Mali beaming in delight as she hit the- "MALI, IT'S ME—PWAH!"
Ralph slam-dunked right into the bellybutton of the tallest giant, Mowchan, with swirly and puffy brown hair, and swim trunks with white and brown cow texture. "Time out!" yelled Ichigo, the referee. "That isn't the ball!"
"Oh-oh." Mowchan picked Ralph out of his belly. "We're sorry, Ralph."
"You aren't hurt, are you?" Mali asked.
"Augh, I got a big red sore on me." Ralph rubbed his sore belly. "This was Joto's fault! You guys wanna make it up to me, frickin' trample her!"
"Joto?!" Ichigo looked over at his teammate. Her raised bat was enough evidence.
"Don't worry, we'll get her!" Fufu declared. "AAAAAHHH!" The beach rumbled under the trampling of the titans.
"DAMMIIIIIIT!" Joto dashed far across the beach, other goers quickly clearing a path. "It's just like messing with Cuccos! Mess with one fatty and you'll get them all on your tail!"
Perry and Shimmy watched silently as the titans passed, stirring up clouds of sand. "All I wanted to do was tickle Ralph." Shimmy said.
"That's the law of cause and effect." Perry shrugged.
"Woohoo!" cheered Tiffi, the Lunarian wearing a nighttime one-piece. "Go, Fufu!" she rooted for her cousin.
But Joto had nowhere else to run when a colossal structure impeded her path. She skid to a halt. "What the-?!" And the giants, catching sight of the structure, skidded as well, splashing sand over Joto and half-burying her. "What's THAT?!" Patty asked.
It seemed to be a highly fortified sandcastle with cannons and armed sand-guards. A throne was situated atop the front gate. On it, Spike Johnson, named for his hairdo and the bracelets on his wrists and ankles, sat like a proud, arrogant prince. "BWA HA HA! This beach is under new management! You worms serve the Beach Prince now!"
"Who's that?" Shimmy asked.
"That's Spike. He just joined Sector W with Robi and the others." Perry answered.
"Dang, and he can already make that much with sandbending?!"
"It's not surprising knowing his mom."
"Hey, Spike!" The prince saw a tinier figure march up from between the giants. Wearing a gray one-piece, it was Laruta Grayson. "You can't just hog a whole chunk of the beach to yourself! Put that sand back where you found-" Spike shot a cannon and totally buried her.
"HAH!" Mack laughed. "You ain't the boss no more! PWOH!" Spike heard and shot one at him next.
"HAHAHAHA!" Spike bombarded the GT kids with sand cannons (Sannons), crying as they ran away. Mowchan dropped Ralph on the ground, and he was trampled by Joto as she got up and ran. "No one can stop me!" Spike blasted all the other operatives, but one was bravely racing up: a raccoon-tailed boy with green trunks and a muscular build. "I'm the ruler of ALL beachdom!" Jason spun his right arm, mixing all the light the sun cast around him into a giant fist. "All towels, balls, sunscreen, and everything belong to-"
The fortress miraculously exploded from the impact of Jason's fist. Spike cried and fell upside-down, buried under his own element. "The beach is the sea's sister: they belong to everybody!"
"JASOOOOON!" Isabelle cheered.
"RAAAH!" Spike burst out, blowing Jason back. "It took me forever to bend all that sand just right! You jerk!" Thrusting at the air, several Sand Fists popped up to pound Jason into and around the air. The Faunus spun and stretched Light Whips from his tail, slashing the fists down. He spun his tail to levitate in the air, but when more fists flew, Jason punched rapid Light Spheres to crumble them. Spike merely stirred the sand back up and wrapped Jason within it, raising him upon a pillar. "You ain't no match on my turf, buddy!"
"Neither are you!" Jason forced his fist out of the sand and reached for the sun. He gripped and tugged down, and a focused sun ray shot right down against Spike's left foot. "OW!" It singed like a magnifying glass burn. His hold lost, Jason broke free and fell fist-first, the light expanding around it. Spike jumped back, a shockwave splashed from Jason's impact. Spike sprung himself forward and punched Jason in the chin, which resulted in a kick to the stomach. Spike bent up an arched sand-arm to punch-crush Jason, and even punching up against it didn't stop the rest of the sand from burying him. Spike then looked over and saw Nora with a bottle of sunscreen. He surfed over and- "Hey!" took the bottle while Jason dug himself out.
"AAAAH!" Jason screamed as Spike pelted him with the sunscreen. "You jerk!" His lightbending came out in weak sparks, Spike enduring them as he pummeled Jason directly. "That stuff's like poison to me!"
"Mom says it's okay to fight dirty! Or else, what's the point in bein' earthbenders?!" Spike punched numerous, merciless Sand Fists, but Jason withstood the pain and stormed at Spike directly. He tackled the younger boy, and Jason's superior strength kept him down as he twisted arms behind his back. Spike bent the sand to flip them around, but no matter how much or how fast, Jason was determined to keep twisting him. The boys slammed against a rock, breaking it, but it was able to get Jason off. The young pirate stole a towel from Mazu and hurriedly swiped the sunscreen off, but a sandwave buried him and Mazu. Spike began to build up all the sand on the beach, careless as he swept up the operatives with it, and cast it at Jason. The pirate raced over the beach, dashing past the giants and relying on them to impede the wave a bit. With the speed he built up, Jason kicked off the ground and went flying with his tail.
Jason raised both palms high, channeling the sunlight. Once enough chi was built, Jason let himself fall. Spike stretched up a giant Sand Fist with multiple operatives on it, but this didn't give Jason any second thoughts with ramming it with a Sun Fist of equal width. The sand scattered about, and through it, Jason sent the next Sun Fist at Spike, burying him into a fist-shaped crater. "BOOM!" Jason plopped on top of him for good measure. "Heh heh! Hooooo!" He proceeded to lie down beside him. "That was awesome!"
"Huff…huff…I knew you big kids were tough, but that was somethin' else!"
"Heh, you're not so bad for a little punk!"
"Ooooo…is it over?" Erin Horvitz moaned, Nora helping pull her out of the sand.
"Hey, if you got any stamina left, I wouldn't mind going a second time!" Jason fist-pumped.
"You asked for it!" The sand began to rumble under Spike's will.
"ALL OPS, RETREAT TO THE TREEHOUSE!" Perry ordered. "Evasive maneuver phi!"
"What's phi?" Shimmy asked.
"Greek for 'J'! 'Cause the sector!"
"He just said it, anyway!" Ralph yelled.
While Sector J was a great getaway, the beach would become a danger zone in the months to come. Operatives would be taught to be weary whenever Spike was around.