Sector $, Part $1: Who’s the Leader?

North Pole; Iceberg Gala

People on the outside viewed the North Pole as nothing more than a frozen wasteland. But those of wealthy, noble classes made better use of it. No, not just Santa Claus.

The Iceberg Gala was a secluded building lodged within a frozen cliffside. The inside was made of the most beautiful and polished ice, with elegantly-crafted ice sculptures and red-curtained tables to contrast the bright blue. The gala was full of people in luxurious uniforms, drinking the rarest wines under the music of violins.

Four people were seated around a table on the highest platform. They were the most esteemed members, the Corporate Presidents For Children's Entertainment. "Ahh, it's so much nicer with that Morgan tramp gone." Mom said with a smile. She was a slender, ancient woman with hair shaped like a heart.

"Language, Mom, please." said Jacques Schnee. He was a German man with white hair, a mustache, and a white suit, with eyes blue as ice. "But better yet, it's nice to be able to convene like this again. To think those wretched Kids Next Door shrunk our planets and the whole universe went along with it. The governments are giving them too much power and too much freedom!"

"I agree, Jacques." said Ted Wassanasong, a bald Laotian man. "Still, I cannot deny that the Kids Next Door saved my life. If nothing else, I can see why people acknowledge them as heroes."

"They're anything but heroes." said Don Quixote Doflamingo, Jr., sipping a pink drink. He was a 14-year-old boy with slanted red sunglasses, blonde hair, and a pink flamingo feather coat. "They only fool their selves into thinking they have a sense of justice."

"Is that wine you're drinking?" Ted asked him.

"It's grape soda, you fool! …Very classy grape soda."

"Ahem, so, Doflamingo… I hear you recently started a circus troupe?" Jacques asked.

"Oh, yes. I found a group of carnies that were out of work. With my resources, I'll make them famous the world over. Kids will love them so much, they'll forget all about that incident with my father and we'll be back on top again!"

"Hah! On top of my ass." Mom retorted.

"Language, please!" Jacques pled. "We're here to welcome new members to the Corporate Presidents. …Ah, and I can see one is here now."

A 13-year-old boy in blue attire stepped up on the platform. He was skinny and wonderfully proportioned, with blackish-blue smooth hair and a rich blue left eye, while his right was covered by an eyepatch. He was accompanied by a black-haired butler with pale skin. "You are the Earl Phantomhive, correct?"

"Yes. I am Ciel, Earl Phantomhive, President of the Funtomhive Corporation." He spoke with a British accent. "This is my butler, Sebastian. I thank you for inviting me."

"My master asked me to prepare meals to show his thanks." Sebastian said, passing out plates of delicious foods.

"You didn't have to go to such lengths, My Lord." Jacques replied politely. "Oh, where are my manners? Weiss? Whitley?" He called to his children. "Come here, please."

Weiss had been talking to her friends. She wore a snow-white dress and hair in a ponytail. Her friends decided to accompany her as she walked up on the stage. Her brother, Whitley wore a polite smile, hands behind his back as he was there to join them. "Weiss, dear, who are they?"

"Uh, these are my friends… Father. This is Carol," a girl in a green dress, puffy blonde hair, and a laptop waved, "Pacifica," a blonde girl in a purple dress waved, frowning reproachfully, "and Prince Raleigh." A blonde boy in a blue jacket with gear-shaped cufflinks waved.

"A prince?" Whitley asked, surprised that his sister could make such a friend.

"Yes. Prince of the Azoth Kingdom." Raleigh confirmed. "I'm from Planet Poké."

"Never heard of it."

"No one has." Ciel remarked. Raleigh huffed with anger.

Doflamingo shot a glare to Carol behind his glasses. She returned the look.

"Children, this young man is Ciel Phantomhive. He is our newest candidate for the Corporate Presidents."

"Hi, Ciel!" Weiss shook the boy's hand with a smile. "It's nice to meet you." She winked.

"Weiss, please! Forgive my daughter's discourteous behavior, My Lord."

"Oh, calm yourself, will you?" Ciel replied, continuing the handshake. "It's a simple, friendly greeting, one that I shall return: nice to meet you too, Weiss!" He smiled. Weiss looked to her father with a grin.

Jacques scowled at her. "Yes, well… Your company is quite famous, from what we hear. Children love your products."

"I know." Ciel released Weiss' hand. "As a child myself, I'm quite informed of what other children like. I know just the right flavors for candy, I know how to make toys and games engaging…"

"Yes, my master is very well accomplished for someone so young." Sebastian said. "Though it also helps to have one hell of a butler."

"Excuse his arrogance."

"I apologize, My Lord."

"SORRY I'M LATE!" called a cackly voice as the doors were kicked open. "'Twas an inevitable fate!"

The kids gasped when they saw who it was. A pair of black boots trekked across the ice, their owner obese and clothed in a black cloak. She was a long-chinned skull in a glass jar, wearing a witch's hat and a purple scarf. "Ciel… that's her, right?" Weiss whispered.

"No doubt. Gruntilda Winkybunion."

The undead witch shoved Raleigh and Pacifica aside as she took her seat at the table. "I am honored you have invited me, to this very exclusive soiree."

"Hello, Miss Winkiebottom." Ted greeted. "You hail from Avalar, correct?"

"WINKYBUNION is my name! Magical manufacturing is my game. On Avalar, it's a big dig. For you all, it'd too be a hot gig."

"Then you will join us?"

"The Corporate Presidents, oh sure, oh sure! My heart feels aflutter and pure! And it seems you are, so I'm informed, you have a problem with the Kids Next Door. I have a monster I think you'll adore, to keep this party from being a bore!" She clapped her artificial hands.

"HIIIISSSS!" A giant seven-headed welding torch monster burst through the doors, breathing blue flames and melting the ice. The nobles screamed and ran to safety.

"HEY! That monster's ruining the party!" Carol shouted.

"Now, here's a girl I can get into." Mom smirked.

"A Hydra Weldar is my beast! Cinders and ashes are his feast!" Gruntilda cheered. "He'll make ashes out of the KND treehouses, while we'll be chortling in our fancy blouses!"

"Not if WE can help it!" Weiss skied across the gala and used icebending to refreeze the melted parts of the room. She tossed ice chunks to clog the Weldar's mouth, then attempted to freeze the main body. However, the beast heated himself up and melted himself free.

"Weiss, how dare you attack Miss Winkybunion's monster!" Jacques shouted. "Stop what you're doing and apologize to-"

"Magnemite, use Magnet Bomb!" Raleigh tossed a Pokéball and summoned his Pokémon. Magnemite launched steel bombs that latched onto the Weldar and exploded.

By the time the smoke cleared, Weldar realized five Mr. Game-and-Watches were wrapping him up in chains. The 2-D solid holograms had come from Carol's computer, and the chains originated from devices on Pacifica's wrists. With swift speed, Ciel Phantomhive ran around and tossed M.A.R.B.L.E.s into Weldar's seven mouths. With Pacifica's back to the monster, she pressed a button that tightened the chains and squeezed his seven necks. "Chains of Judgment!"

The M.A.R.B.L.E.s exploded, but with the fire unable to escape his mouths, Weldar exploded. Weiss created an ice barrier to contain the flames, and she quickly refroze any melted parts of the floor. "Mission accomplished." Ciel said. "I think we can go now."

"GAAAAACK! How could you fools?! Crushing one of my precious tools?!" Gruntilda outraged.

"Lord Phantomhive! Why would you do this?" Jacques questioned.

"First of all, my answer is 'No,' I will not be joining the Corporate Presidents. Unlike you, I have absolutely no intention of manipulating children to my whim, least of all turning them against the Kids Next Door." The other four kids rejoined Ciel with proud smiles. "You see, the Avalaran Kids Next Door sent word to us that Gruntilda had bred a monster and destroyed 12 of their treehouses. They were informed she was asked to join the Corporate Presidents and warned us she was coming to Earth with the monster in tow. It was purely coincidence that I was invited to this shindig, but I used it to my advantage. We have destroyed the monster before it could do any more harm."

"The… Kids Next Door?!" Jacques was baffled as to why his daughter was with them.

"Figured it out, yet?!" Carol winked. "Your party was saved by Sector $! I am Numbuh $, Carol Masterson!" She showed off her "$" laptop.

"Numbuh Allowance, Weiss Schnee!" Weiss slashed her sword.

"Numbuh Still Counting, Prince Raleigh!" Raleigh twirled a Pokéball.

"Numbuh Spender, Pacifica Northwest!" She retracted her chains.

"And I am the leader: Numbuh Inheritance, Ciel Phantomhive!"

Carol nearly froze in place. Fuming with anger, she shouted at Ciel, "I thought we agreed we hadn't picked a leader, yet!"

"Can't you just accept that I am the most qualified?"

"But I founded this sector! I should be the leader!"

"Not to put more fuel on the fire, but I am royalty." Raleigh said sheepishly.

"Listen to yourselves! Obviously, I should be the leader." Weiss said. "I am the top of my class."

"The class of old lady hair, maybe." Pacifica remarked. "We're Sector $, so I should be the leader because I use American money."

"I'm American, too!" Carol argued.

"This was my plan!" Ciel argued.

"I have more experience!" Carol followed.

"I'm a bender and the most combat savvy!" Weiss rebutted.

"My ancestors were pioneers in engineering!" Raleigh stated.

The Corporate Presidents watched awkwardly as the five argued. "Oh… they really are horrid." Jacques sighed.