Sector SA (RECAP)

NOTE: This chapter copies over Chapters 1, 4, and 5 from "Sector SA," an arc in "Eve of Apocalypse." The team in question will be featured heavily the next arc, so this is a refresher on them. The events in 2 of these parts will be relevant in the next arc. Only the last scene of Part 5 will be shown, due to its foreshadowing. This also takes place 3 years before the current story.

Part 1: Hair Cut Day

Sugar Deserts

What's up? We're Sector SA. Never heard of us? That's only fair, we're pretty new. Here, I'll introduce ya.

A band of 10 thieves were marching out of a cave lodged within a small gorge, carrying large sacks. "This should be enough to impress those blasted pirates." The leader of the thieves, Al Sugarh stated. "After all, it all goes to their captain, right?"

"Big Mom is a picky eater, I hear." one of the thieves said. "Maybe we should ask one of her crewmates—" A person dropped from the sky and stomped him, then proceeded to kick the thief behind her. She was a girl in a white robe and wrapped mask, exposing only her magenta eyes, arms, and legs.

That's Morgiana, Numbuh Chapter. She's our Kickboxing Specialist. I thought she was an earthbender at first, but no. When those legs come for you, better cover yourself.

Three thieves raised candy swords and charged at her, but Morgiana swiftly and forcefully kicked them away. There were four thieves hidden above the gorge, ready to shoot her with sniper rifles. "HIYAH, HIYAH!" A pink mushroom with a long blonde ponytail and archaeologist helmet bounced on one's head using her own, bounced to the next, then made a stylish leap over the gorge to hit the next two.

That's Goombella, Numbuh Mark. She's a Goomba from a place in Oregon called Roguetown. A real fan of a hero called Sandman, not to mention a major bookworm. She kinda takes pride from being the only Goomba to not die from being stomped on the head.

Goombella bounced on the ground below, doing a twirl. "I bonked rocks that are harder than you! Index, light 'em up!"

"AAAH!" The thieves screamed when a blinding white light consumed them. When it faded the sacks were gone from their hands. "Where did it all go?!"

"I got them all!" A 9-year-old girl with shiny light-purple hair, green eyes, and wearing a white and gold nun's habit threw the last sack into a pile.

This is Numbuh Index. She won't give us her real name, so we call her Index. Apparently, she's a nun-in-training from the Arceist Church of England. Pretty cool, I say. She's also a lightbender, and a really heavy eater.

"WAH!" Al Sugarh grabbed Index and pulled her back, holding a Candycane Cutlass to her neck.

"You dirty Kids Next Door don't know when to leave adults to their work!" Sugarh yelled as Index struggled. "Stay your ground or I'll make the girl spill Kool-Aid!"

"Kool-Aid, huh? Sounds delicious."

Sugarh gasped—another girl got him from behind and swiped the sword, tipping it to his neck. She had long, sky-blue hair, same-colored eyes, and had a blue T-shirt with black jeans. "What?! Where did you come from?!"

"I wonder what your blood tastes like?" she said darkly. "Sugar, maybe?"

"Y-You're bluffing!"

The girl tipped the blade closer. "Try me."

That's me: I'm the leader. Nagisa Shiota. And no, I'm not a girl. I'm a boy. Can't tell you how many times I corrected people.

"HAOMP!" Index bit Sugarh's arm.

"OUCH!" The thief yelped and released her, and Morgiana seized the chance to launch forth and stamp his face with red feet. Goombella was bouncing between the remaining thieves like a rock-hard ball, landing when they all fell defeated. "I think we got them!"

"Good job, team!" Nagisa fist-pumped. "Now, what were these bandits taking?"

Index opened one of the sacks, and looked confused. "A bunch of little pebbles?"

"Pebbles?" Goombella jumped on the pile of green, purple, and blue rocks. She sniffed them and scooped some up in her mouth. "These aren't pebbles." She mumbled through chews. "They're Fruity Pebbles! An ancient type of rock candy!"

"CANDY?!" Index beamed with delight, grabbing handfuls of pebbles and throwing them in her mouth. "So delicious, I can't believe it!"

"Index, don't!" Nagisa grabbed her arm. "We have to take these to Moonbase and report to Cheren. Load the ship. Hm?" He noticed Morgiana was about to grab one, but stopped on his order. "…Okay, Morg, you can have a couple."

The Arab girl took off her turban mask and shook her magenta hair free. "Thanks." She ate a purple and blue one.

We're a pretty small sector—only four members instead of the usual five. We joined Kids Next Door in November last year, now it was February. As you can expect, we're not very popular. But hey, check out our ship! It's a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III.

Sector SA's ship was shaped like a round triangle. The cockpit was in the front while a narrow corridor cut through the middle. It had boys' and girls' restrooms and a refrigerator. The sacks of candy were hanging by a giant net.

The scientists don't often hand an advanced model ship to new sectors, but that was before Index challenged them for it. She had five seconds to look at a screen with 54 digits. Then they turned it off and asked her to name the fifth number in the sixth row. The answer: 2. She guessed it like it was engraved in her memory, and the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III was ours!

Okay, you're all probably wondering, why choose Sector SA? None of us but Morg are even from Saudi Arabia. Of all the hundreds of sectors, why choose one in a scorching hot desert? Well, we had a couple of reasons. For one thing, we bonded in Arctic Training and wanted to be our own team. The treehouse was unoccupied, and Goombella and Index for one wanted to get to know the culture. Then of course there's Morgiana. She-

"Nagisa, what the heck are you whispering about?" Goombella asked as they walked through Moonbase.

"Oh!" He blushed. "Uh, I'm just thinking out loud. Heh heh."

"You wanna be a television narrator when you grow up?" The Goomba smirked. "Maybe they'll let you announce on the Super Friends."

"That is what we are, right? Ha ha ha!" The team laughed.

I really love the Kids Next Door. It may seem like something out of a fairytale, but it's a happy place where kids are allowed to be who they are. We have benders like Index, non-humans like Goombella, but no matter who we are or where we come from, we're all good friends. And you wouldn't believe what kind of people we got here. One week in the Kids Next Door, we became involved in a war, where our Supreme Leader totally blew our minds.

"We didn't have a chance to interrogate the thieves before we left." Nagisa explained to Cheren Uno. "So we don't know if the thieves were planning anything with the candy."

"Hmm…" Cheren took notes. "Well, if the Psychic Sensors detected them regardless, they had to be up to something. Well done, Sector SA, I'll have the pebbles brought to the Candy Vault. But if I could make a suggestion… you four need a haircut."

It was then they remembered their unkempt hairdos. "I guess we do…" Nagisa blushed. "Well, we promised Aeincha we'd come to her if we needed one. Let's give her what she wants."

"I have to wonder what she did with our hair from last time." Goombella remarked.

Sector W7 Treehouse

"WAAAAAAAHHH!" Aeincha's little eyes glittered like stars. "Sector SA is back! The sector of colorful hair wants me to cut it again! Morgiana, and her sweet magenta goodness!" She climbed Morg's body and hugged her hair. Morg showed a hint of oddness on her expressionless face.

"Index, with hair so silvery shiny." Index lay on her back as Aeincha danced with some strands. "Arceus was kind when he chose this color.

"Goombella, sweet Goombella." Aeincha wrapped herself in the Goomba's ponytail and rolled. "A natural blonde, grown naturally on a Goomba. I am honored to behold such a rare sight.

"And Nagisa. Oh, Nagisa." Aeincha was lain down atop Nagisa's hair. "Your hair blue as the sky. When I lay on it, I feel like I'm floating."

"We're glad to see you too, Aeincha. Do you remember how we had it last time?"

"Of course I do! Alright, who's first?"

In early December, we signed Morg up for a Girls' Boxing Tournament. When it was over, we met Sector W7 and became friends. Morg bonded with Aisa and Index with Apis. Aeincha adored our hair and wanted to cut it, so we let her. I was skeptical at first, but despite her size, she did an excellent job.

Once Aeincha finished the other three, she worked on Nagisa's hair. She cut some off and smoothed the long hair out. "You aren't still mad about me calling you a girl, are you?"

"Not at all." He smiled politely.

"That's good…" Aein blushed. She still remembered that day.

"Oh my GOSH, I love your hair most of all! You are a beautiful girl with beautiful eyes and beautiful hair, just like your friends! You would win all the beauty pageants and your husbands will be the luckiest people alive, you ladies are just that beautiful!"

Aeincha pulled Nagisa's hair up and tied it in two spiky braids at the top. His hair was still long in the front, and it was the softest of his teammates. "There. But if you don't want people getting confused, why not cut it shorter?"

"I'm fine with it like this."

"Okay then. 'Shame I don't get to keep more of it." Aeincha hugged the hair. "It would make the most beautiful nest."

"Now you're starting to creep me out."

"Sorry. Well, thanks for dropping by, you four! I hope to see you soon!"

"You know it!" Goombella winked.

Sector SA Treehouse

One of the best parts about having a treehouse in a scorching hot desert was having a rooftop swimming pool. It really cools you down after a hard day of work. I didn't want to mess up my hair, yet, so I laid back and caught some rays. I was always more into hot weather than cool weather, and so do my teammates. I guess that's another reason we picked this sector.

"Huuuff!" Index and Goombella resurfaced from the pool, with the former holding her friend with her hands. Index was wearing a purple one-piece and looked much slimmer without her habit, and Goombella had a red one-piece on her stem. "How long was that?" Goombella asked.

"Three minutes, 30 seconds, 57 milliseconds, in which you swam one-and-a-half laps." Index counted. "You wanna take a break now?"

"No, I can do another lap!"

"Come on, Goombella, take a break." Nagisa told her. He was laying on a stretch chair, wearing blue trunks and sunglasses. "I watched you dive three times, you're gonna run out of breath."

"And besides, all this swimming is making me hungry." Index followed.

"Fine, I'll rest. I still made a good distance with small lungs."

Goombella had a drive to rise higher than was the norm of her own race. She wanted to fight, she wanted to swim, she wanted to be strong. One of a Goomba's biggest weaknesses is the fact they have no arms, but most of the time, that doesn't bother Goombella. Her inspiration was Sandman in that case, who was partly crippled in the legs.

Morgiana sat on the opposite end from Nagisa, soaking her feet in the pool and wearing a two-piece white swimsuit. She couldn't help but gaze at her leader. He looked different without his shirt on. In a good way. He had a slim physique and a nice smooth chest. The sunglasses went with his cool and confident demeanor. …Morgiana blushed.

Morgiana wasn't one with words. She's quick on her feet, but slow to speak. But she's reliable in a pinch and she gives it her all. She's just a little shy. She claims to be from a tribe called Fanalis, who are naturally skilled in the martial art, Red-Foot Style. I can't say if she's credible or not 'cause I've never heard of a race like that.

While Index was sitting on the corner and eating a banana, she gazed at her reflection in the water. Paying close attention to the way she wobbled and rippled.

Aside from being a lightbender and having an endless stomach, Index has a photographic memory. A Perfect Memory, she calls it. She says she can remember every inch of everything she sees, the shape of every droplet, the length of every hair strand… If I had a memory like that, my head would explode.

And as for me… well, what can I say? I'm the Sector Leader, so my teammates rely on me. It's worked out so far, but I'm not sure how my teammates feel about me. They think it's weird that I narrate my life, which… I guess makes sense. I know there are plenty of operatives who've gone on way more exciting adventures than we have, and some who have much more experience. But I love Kids Next Door, and I'll do my best to keep the trust and respect of my teammates.

Part 4: Dance With Me

Sector SA; Nagisa's Room

Goombella and Index had already gone home for the night, but Nagisa and Morgiana were still present. They sat facing each other on Nagisa's bed, their legs arched up like tents. Nagisa spoke, "Aismi Najisa."

"Marhabaan, Najisa. 'ana Morgiana." Morgiana replied.

"'ana 'aeish… fi Tokyo."

"'Tukiu.'" Morgiana corrected.

If you have a friend that's from a different country, it's fun to try and learn their language. That's why on some nights, Morgiana teaches me Arabic. I probably look silly trying to pronounce some words. I think we'll just have to keep relying on her when we go to the market.

"If you insist." Morgiana snickered.

"GYAH, I really need to start thinking these things!" Nagisa blushed.

"No, I like it when you think out loud. It keeps your thoughts more organized."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Okay, let me try to say all that in Arabic. Ahem… Iidha kan ladayk sadeeq… wahadan min ballad mukta…lif… crap, I can't remember the rest."

"That wasn't bad!" Morg smiled. "It looks like you've been practicing."

"Yeah, it's easy… when you have Google Translate."

"Nagisa, that's no way to learn a language."

"What, it's practically the same as a textbook! Even Mom let me use it when I took English classes."

"True, but even textbooks can't give you a feeling of the culture, the feeling of your tongue twisting until it's something new."

"Makes sense. Come to think of it, who taught you English?"

"Um." Morgiana frowned. "Actually, I learned from Makava. You know, from GKND?"

"She taught you?"

"Well, her species has the ability to learn any person's language through mouth contact, and can transfer their own known languages onto them."

"That means you know a bunch of alien languages?"

"No, only English. She didn't know Arab, but she gave me English because I was human. Apparently, she can control what languages she gives."

"Oh. …WAIT a second, we didn't meet the GKND until the Viridi War, but you were already speaking English! …Did you… know her beforehand?"

"Uh… Yeah." She glanced away.

"Morgiana, now I feel like I know less about you than before. You guys eavesdropped on my personal life, maybe you should tell me about your life."

"Hm… I guess that's only fair. Okay, let's make it a game: I'll tell you about my past if you can knock me down three times by tomorrow night."

"Not making it easy for me, huh?" Nagisa chuckled. "Okay, I'll accept your game. But I should probably head home now." He climbed off the bed. "Wanna walk with me?"

Morgiana blushed at the question. "To the hangar? Okay."

On their way through the treehouse, Nagisa asked, "Can I have a little preview, though? What are your people like? The Fanalis, I mean. Do they all have magenta hair?"

"Yes, we do."

"Did your tribe have any customs or rituals?"

"Well, it's hard to say. I know a lot of the men were warriors and women liked to dance."

"You can dance?"

Morgiana froze. "Um… kind of." She glanced down and brushed the floor with her foot.

"Wow, you've gotta show me!" Nagisa said excitedly. "I bet you're an awesome dancer! It's gotta be easy with legs like yours." He lightly kicked her leg.

"I wouldn't say I'm that great." Her face reddened as she cracked a smile.

"Why not, Morg, you can run super fast AND jump high! That's why you're a great sparring partner. You move so fast and hit so hard, I just have to keep trying. And you're telling me those same legs can't dance?"

"You make some valid points." Morgiana puffed her cheeks. She wasn't used to taking so many compliments.

Nagisa chuckled. "And yet, when you're not encouraging me or pushing me to try, you're silent and still. Seriously, Morg, what's up with that?"

She reddened again. "Oh… Well, I…"

Nagisa glanced down. Morgiana's toes were twitching. He smirked and swung a kick to knock her down. Nagisa sat on her and held a rubber knife to her neck. "I know your strength resides in your feet. When you're nervous, your toes shake, making your feet unbalanced. That's when I strike."

She felt herself flush again. She let herself be manipulated by all that sweet talk. She clenched her teeth and threw Nagisa off her. "Not a second time!" She charged and swung furious kicks that he dodged with the beat of his heart, but he was struck in the belly and slid five feet away. Morgiana leapt over to pin his head under her foot.

"Okay, you win, please don't crush my skull!"

"Hm. If I wanted to, you'd be dead already." She stepped off and pulled him to his feet. "Alright, Nagisa… I'll dance for you. But you have to dance with me."

"Dance with you?" Nagisa asked nervously. "You… want me to dance with you?"

"Getting cold feet?" Morg smirked.

"Y-Yeah!" He sweat a little. "I can't even keep up with you on the field, how am I supposed to follow your movements, can you show me a book or something?!"

"You had the honor of sparring with a Fanalis for five months. You have an advantage that most humans don't get."

"Eh heh… that's good." He blushed.

They had a view of the last minutes of sunset from the treehouse hangar. Soon, the desert and the treehouse would be under the dark of night. "Morgiana… how come you never go back home at night? Do you not know the way?"

"I just don't have a reason to go back. Since joining the Kids Next Door, this has been my home."

"Why? Did you not like your old home? Didn't you have friends or family?"

"I…"

Nagisa saw her shyness returning. He smiled and said, "Too many preview questions, am I right? I'll wait until I knock you down two more times. …Stay cool, Morg." He lightly kicked her leg, startling her out of her trance. Morg returned the smile and watched as Nagisa boarded his S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and took off. She was left alone in the darkening treehouse.

The next morning…

When the sun peered in her window, Morgiana threw off the covers and stretched her arms and legs, flexing her toes. It was during sleep her legs became the most limp, unable to move as she liked. She couldn't allow that weakness to show after waking. So every morning, she set to work. She propped her legs straight up against a wall, bent arms behind her head, and did sit-ups. She went to the living room, bent as low as she could, and then jumped as high up the central pillar as she could. Lines were drawn to mark her progress, and after a few tries, she marked a new record of 10 feet, 4 inches high. Lastly, she would go outside and run 20 laps around the treehouse so she could get back to top speed.

In the afternoon, her friends would return from school. Nagisa approached the refrigerator and was about to touch the code lock. …Index peeped over his shoulder. He turned, but she vanished. Nagisa faced the keypad again. Index slithered under like a slug. She zipped off before he could notice. He was hesitant to touch the first number… because now Index was peeping from above the fridge. Nagisa moved closer and bent his head over the pad to block her vision.

To outsmart someone with a Perfect Memory like Index, you need to be clever. It may not be enough to block her sight, you have to-

"JUST OPEN IT!" Index dropped beside him and readied to chomp him—Morgiana wrapped both arms around her eyes and mouth as Index struggled.

"Now's your chance!" Morg yelled.

"Why you dwing ths Mrg, mm hm hmmmmm!" Index muffled cries.

"Thanks, Morg." Nagisa completed the code and grabbed some food before closing the fridge. He gave a sandwich to Index, a loaf of cherry bread to Morg, a green mushroom to Goombella, and he kept a pizza slice to himself.

"This isn't fair, you're just going to change the code, anyway!" Index stomped her feet.

"The less we have to go shopping, the better." Nagisa stated. "Oh, I almost forgot one other thing." He went back to the fridge and solved the code once more. He took out a large watermelon and held it in both arms. "Hnnnn!" He kicked the fridge shut and struggled to lift it over. "Morg, this is for YOOOUU!" He tossed the melon to Morgiana, who hastily caught it, and Nagisa tackled her to the floor during her moment of unbalance. The watermelon POPPED!

"NAGISA, what the heck are you DOING?!" Index scolded. "You just ruined a perfectly good watermelon!"

"Heh heh heh!" Nagisa flushed. The remains of the melon were squished between him and Morgiana. "Last night, Morg said she would tell us about her past if I knocked her down three times. One more to go!"

"I don't have time for a story." Goombella said, reading a math book. "Index said she would help me study. Just because I'm suddenly doing well in English, that doesn't get me a spot in the higher schools."

"Come on, don't you wanna learn about Morgiana's home and culture? You wanna be an archaeologist, don't you?"

"Weeeell… I guess it would make a nice report." Goombella kicked her math book shut and got her notebook. "Okay, Morg, start talking. Where you from, what food'd your people eat, do you have any exotic animals?"

"Nagisa has to knock me down one more time first." Morgiana pushed him off and stood. "But not in these clothes. Index, can I borrow your gym outfit?"

"I think I'll switch into mine, too." Nagisa decided as they went separate ways.

Index's Room

"Honestly, I can't believe that Nagisa sometimes." Index said reprovingly as she wiped Morgiana with a towel. Her robe was lain in a laundry basket. "He has no respect for anyone's health, denying me food and ruining your clothes. What is that guy's problem?"

"Well, it was my fault for challenging him. I admit it was clever of him to improvise. I wouldn't let the same trick fool me twice."

"But I can't deny I'm curious about your background. What was your home like, Morg?"

"You probably wouldn't wanna hear it. We had our own religious beliefs."

"Oh, that doesn't matter to me." Index went over to get her gym clothes, which was a light-green top and white skirt. "I agreed to come to this sector to begin with so I can know the culture. So, why not get to know yours!"

"Hey Morg, you left your mask in my…" Nagisa barged in. …Morgiana hadn't put the new clothes on, yet. She and Nagisa turned red.

"Grrrrrr NAGISA!!" Index charged over with sharpened teeth. "DON'T YOU KNOW TO KNOCK?!"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I'M SORRY!" He sprinted down the hall.

From above, it looked like a white Pac-Man was chasing a blue ghost.

"Denying me food, ruining Morg's clothes, peeping on girls, you better beg for mercy!" Index tackled him in the living room and began gnawing Nagisa's head.

"I'll never get to study in peace…" Goombella sighed.

"Incoming message from Moonbase." The alarms blared. Nagisa pushed Index off and ran to answer the call. Panini appeared on the screen.

"Sector SA, the Brotherhood villains Steamroller and I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. are attacking Agrabah. It's not far from where you live, so put a stop to them!"

By the time the call ended, Morgiana was out, wearing the green top and white skirt. "Let's go!" she declared readily.

Agrabah

Steamroller, a large yellow robot with a human face was tearing down a marketplace using his self-named device, the townspeople fleeing. "YEAH HA HA HA!" laughed the I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R., a big-headed gray robot with grabber claws and a big human face. "This town's the foundation of Final Brain 2! All o' ya are gonna go SMASH!" He swung his extendable claw through two buildings.

Sector SA landed the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III on a central street, seeing Steamroller coming. "I wonder if his face is actually human?" Nagisa said.

"One way to find out." Morgiana was about to race up.

"Hold still, Morg! Index, run closer and try to blind him."

"SAVE THE FOOOOOD!" Index charged over and ignited herself, and Steamroller stopped, seemingly bothered by the light.

Nagisa wore sunglasses and dashed through, jumping up the stopped roller and grabbing around Steamroller's head. "His face feels normal, but its kinda hard."

"RRRRR!" Steamroller shook him off, but Morgiana had already dashed up, leapt, and STOMPED him in the face, the cyborg falling back.

"AAAH!" Morgiana was grabbed in the I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R.'s claw. "Heh heh heh!" he laughed. "I guess it's common for redheaded girls to have super strength."

"Then you should know this won't hold me." Morgiana swung her leg up and kicked the metal arm, hitting hard enough so the villain would release her.

Steamroller recovered and saw Index "saving" a stand of apples by securing them in her mouth. "Index, look high!" Goombella leapt up Steamroller's big round hands and headbonked his head, but his helmet withstood as he bashed the Goomba across the street. "Goombella!" Index used Light Feet to run up and catch her friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just a little dizzy…?" When Goombella looked at I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R., who was blocking his face from Morgiana's kicks, she narrowed her eyes as an imaginary cursor appeared to lock on the cyborg's back. "Morgiana, kick the upper portion of his back!"

"Huh?" Morg briefly looked at Goombella, and when I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. tried to grab, she jumped onto his head, off the other side, and kicked the back. "OOOAAAAG!" I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. screamed. Morgiana leapt to stomp more kicks, denting the back as the cyborg fell over.

"Hey, Steamroller!" Nagisa yelled, holding a round mechanical device bigger than his hand. "How would you like an EMP bomb?!"

Steamroller grit his teeth and extracted a gun on the side of his head, shooting at Nagisa's feet and blowing him back, dropping the bomb in the process. Steamroller combined his hands into the roller and charged to squish him flat. "NAGISA!" Morgiana stormed up and kicked her friend aside, but she couldn't dodge in time before the steamroller knocked her down and crushed her legs. "AAAAAAHH!"

"MORGIANA!" the girls screamed.

Nagisa was horrified at the sight, and thankful Steamroller didn't crush any further. His angered eyes whipped toward the bomb, so he sprinted up, grabbed it, and ran at Steamroller. "GET OFF MY FRIEND!" Steamroller gasped, debating whether to back away or resume crushing the girl—it was too late as Nagisa threw the bomb above him, but while Steamroller was focused on it, Nagisa jumped onto the roller and CLAP!

The sound of the clap in his face, combined with the bomb bouncing off his head, nearly stopped Steamroller's mechanical heart. The man fell on his back, defeated. "Morg!" The three friends gathered around her, seeing her legs horribly bruised. "Quick, we gotta take her up to Moonbase!" Nagisa and Index picked her up.

Goombella walked by the EMP bomb and tapped it with her foot. "This is made of plastic!"

"Goombella, hurry!" Nagisa yelled. The Goomba grabbed the bomb in her teeth and followed.

That trick I just did was the Clap Stunner. I saw it on TV one day and thought I could try it. The trick is to deceive an opponent with the threat of death. Go up to them with a dangerous weapon, throw it up or drop it to divert their attention, and surprise them with a clap to the face to knock them out cold. Of course, I wouldn't use real weapons in a situation like that. My mom raised a man. Not a killer.

Moonbase

Melody was summoned to use Healing Touch on Morgiana's legs. "Is she going to be okay?" Nagisa asked.

"After healing most of the injuries, she should start walking again in at least 24 hours." Melody replied. "I'm surprised, though. These legs aren't nearly as damaged as they should be after getting crushed by a steamroller."

"Her legs are really amazing. I don't know what we'd do without them."

Morgiana frowned at the statement. "YOW!" Nagisa was chomped by Index.

"It's YOUR fault Morgiana got hurt! Why do you have to be so reckless?!"

"Yeah, I mean, that bomb was plastic!" Goombella reminded. "You couldn't have guessed your little Clap Attack was going to work against that thing."

"Sigh… you're right. Morgiana, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Nagisa. I'm fine. Ehh…" She pushed herself up and moved her legs to climb off the hospital bed. "It doesn't even hurt- ow!"

"Morg!" Nagisa caught her before she fell. "Don't push yourself, okay? You have to rest."

"I did all I could, so you can take her back to the treehouse if you want." Melody explained. "Let's bandage her legs first."

Sector SA; Morgiana's Room

The friends laid Morgiana on her bed, her legs and feet wrapped almost completely in bandages. "So, a cursor just appeared and showed you where his weak spot was?" Index repeated Goombella's explanation.

"Is that weird or something?" she asked.

"I read about that somewhere." Index scratched her head. "It's part of an ability called Tattle. It's super rare, but people who have it can scan a person's health, strength, and weaknesses. I think getting hit by that robot must have triggered it."

"Then I could see Morgiana's health?"

"Try it."

"Guys, give her some space." Nagisa told them. "Morg probably wants peace and quiet."

"I would, too." Goombella figured. "I need to study, anyway. Want us to get you anything, Morg?"

"No thanks. I'm fine."

"Okay… but give us a holler if you're hungry." Index said. "Check on you later." She and Goombella turned to leave.

"Morg, I'm… sorry again." Nagisa said shamefully.

"Don't be. You're the leader, so my job is to protect you. After all… you would have barely survived."

"…" She was right, Nagisa knew. Morgiana was stronger than him and she knew that. She would always be willing to take the stronger blows. "Morg… I can't express how thankful I am for you. Ever since I joined KND, you've had my back."

"I'm glad to be someone you can rely on. After my legs heal… I promise to do better next time."

Nagisa turned away, clutching his arm. He felt more ashamed. He felt disgraced as a leader. "Nagisa." The boy faced her again. "A deal's a deal. I was knocked down three times."

"Morg, that can't possibly count!"

"It does, Nagisa. So I'm going to tell you my story. You can sit down." Nagisa complied and sat on the bed. Morgiana began. "…The truth is… I can't dance."

"Oh, is that all?" Nagisa said with a humored and disbelieved smirk. "You could've told me last night so I wouldn't feel so nervous."

"Nagisa, you don't understand. The fact that I can't dance is the reason I was banished from my home."

"What?"

"The land that I come from is Fanali. Our tribe worshipped creatures known as the Red Lions. They aren't like the lions you're thinking of… they were humongous, dragon-like monsters. It was believed that we Fanalis were mortal descendants of the Red Lions, and one day, we would shed our human skin and join our relatives. Until then, we would walk upon the earth as humans with superior strength. The men honored the Lions by fighting one-another… the women honored them by dancing. But when a Fanalis child turns 11, they have to prove their self. Otherwise…"

One year ago…

An 11-year-old Morgiana stepped up onto a platform, smiling politely at her people down below. Music played as Morgiana danced with swift movements, her golden dress flowing with her graceful posture as its ribbons seemed to dance in the air around her. When Morgiana performed a back flip, she stepped on one of the ribbons. "Aaaah!" She lost composure and fell down the stairs to the altar. Her head was throbbing by the time she hit the bottom. When she looked up, the glares of her angry tribesmen gave her fear.

I disrespected the Lions, so I had to pay.

"Were they going to kill you?!" asked Nagisa in horror.

No. It was my faulty legs that disrespected them. So, they were going to cut off my legs. But I was too afraid.

Morgiana was slapped on a table as a tribesman raised a massive axe. Morgiana stared down at her young legs. The axe would come down and sever Morg in half. She would no longer be able to dance or walk, she would be as good as nothing to her tribe. Maybe she would simply die from the loss of blood. One way or the other, it was too terrifying to bear.

Morgiana rolled off the table before the axe came down—she sprinted away from the shrine, sprinted through the village, she put every ounce of faith in her superhuman legs to carry her away and not come back. If the adults were chasing her, she would be caught by now, but as it stood, only her feet were moving. She ran very far from her village, going aimlessly into the darkness, until she collided with a cliff. She had no choice but to climb, firmly pressing her hands and feet to each hold as she ascended. But one rock snapped underneath her foot and she lost balance for the second time today. She fell from ten feet and blacked out when she hit the ground.

…

…

When Morgiana awoke, she had to squint her eyes from the bright light in the blue sky. She was laying on a field of scorching orange sand, which stretched out for miles. She gasped and looked down, seeing her legs were still intact. She wiggled her toes in the sand to determine if it was an illusion. She sighed with relief when she could feel the sand's warmth.

She had never seen the blue sky or the sun before, but the fact that she was here meant her people no longer wanted her. Their last generous favor was allowing her to keep her legs. She could feel her feet grow more red as she journeyed across the desert. Morgiana was still wandering by the time twilight fell, so she settled on the sand to rest. The night was cold, and the sand didn't make a good blanket as the wind kept blowing. She tightly hugged her own legs for warmth. Her footprints had long blown away, so she wouldn't remember which path she came from.

She survived the night and resumed walking the next morning. Every few miles, Morgiana could hear a digging sound behind her, but when she looked back, there was nothing. For uncountable hours, all Morg saw was desert. Eventually, she began to question her own existence. Her tribe didn't want her, so what civilized being would want anything to do with her? Maybe she was better off dead. She could have been in the afterlife right now, a boring illusion of an endless desert.

Then Morg discovered a boulder. It was an ordinary boulder, bigger than her and sitting in the middle of nowhere. Morgiana looked down at her feet. If she was still a Fanalis and she still had her legs, she would need to remind herself. Morgiana pulled one leg back and kicked the boulder, piercing it.

RING! Morgiana whipped around, seeing what appeared to be a submarine's telescope sticking out of the sand. Morg approached the metal thing and bent down to stare into the lens. "AAAH!" A ray of light struck Morg, and she found her feet lifting off the ground. She quickly ascended to the sky, drawn in by a camouflaged flying fortress.

Morgiana was dropped on a metal floor, approached by two huge men made of metal. One was very fat with a black jacket and hat, and the other looked like a walking stove. "This be the real thing, Captain. A Fanalis in the flesh. No human can break a stone like that."

"Yes they can, Sprocket. How do ye know this girl not be an earthbender?"

"The Spy Scope didn't pick up any energy readings when she kicked that rock. There was no chi in the works, Captain. And look!" Sprocket grabbed Morg's leg in his giant claw and held her upside-down. "Her soles are red, like the book said."

"Any human would turn red when exposed to that much ultraviolet! If ye be so sure of yerself, Sprocket, take her to the Collector and sell her for a hefty price."

"I will, Cap'n. Lemme just get 'er cuffed up."

Morgiana remained still and silent through the whole ordeal. She didn't understand their language, she merely followed as they physically instructed. She was handcuffed and stood politely as the metal man carried her on a ship. Morgiana gazed out the window. There was no ground or blue sky, it was an endless void of stars. The flying ship was approaching some sort of gigantic skull, and there was civilization inside. Sprocket walked Morg through a shabby town where kids ran around barefoot, wearing ragged clothes and smelled as though baths were scarce. Not all the people here were human. Morgiana ultimately realized she was very far from home.

Sprocket guided Morgiana to a more quiet alleyway. They entered a humongous museum, lit only by the dim light from each of its hundreds of glass cages. "Fanalis." Sprocket pushed her toward the man in charge. "Meet your new father: Taneleer Tivan, the Collector."

He was a human with big, light-blonde hair, somewhat bushy brows of the same color, and dark brown eyes. A black line was painted under his lips down his chin. He wore a black coat with fur on the edges, a red cloak underneath, and a gold chain of jewels dangling from his sleeves. The area around his eyes was mysteriously dark in contrast to his highlighted face and hair. His expression was cloudy, but Morgiana felt a sense of eternal intrigue burning in his pupils.

The glass cages contained all sorts of alien plants Morgiana didn't recognize, artifacts from ancient civilizations from around the universe, and even sentient beings that sat hopelessly in their cages with nothing better to do than to watch a new prisonmate make her entrance. One of the prisoners appeared to be a human woman with brown hair and eyes, a rubber collar, and a white dress-robe that ended at her bare legs. Of course, what made her worthy as a piece of the Collection, Morg figured, was her bunny ears, plus the fluffy cottontail. The cage she was in was chi-blocked.

The Collector approached Morg slowly, tapping his black-painted fingers over his mouth. Slowly, Tivan reached and softly stroked Morgiana's hair. "Pure… shiny magenta hair." His quiet, French accent possessed a tone of fascination. He lifted a few strands and let them drop back. He knelt down and put both hands around Morgiana's hip. "Slender build…" He looked down at her bare legs. He lifted the right one and rubbed around it. "Oh, her legs… they are perfect. Her extra muscle… can break the hardest stone. Oh, how far these soles have walked…" He felt Morg's sole. The Fanalis didn't understand his language, but she was appalled.

The Collector stood. "A pure, young specimen of a Fanalis… I will take her for 40,000 credits."

"40,000?!" Sprocket exclaimed in protest. "I heard you make sales worth millions, if not more!"

"You misunderstand. Fanalis are rare, but hardly rare enough for my Colleción."

"Then how do you explain the Faunus?!" Sprocket pointed at the rabbit-eared woman. "They're just the offspring of humans and Mobians! Remember that whole incident on Mobius 17 years ago?"

"That girl was a slave who… did not behave herself. To that end, I am in need of a new slave. I am sure… a girl with legs like yours will not disappoint me." He spoke to Morgiana. She stared at him with a humble, somber expression. "40,000 credits."

"No deal, bub! Do you think capturing this girl was easy?! You think we just strolled into Fanali, picked through Fanalis and said 'This is the one' before going on our merry way? We lost 100 bots to those brutes! There are bounties that are worth more than that! If you're going to be stingy, the very least I'll accept is 900,000!"

"Sigh, very well… I will transfer the credits to you." Collector raised a holographic cellphone. Sprocket raised one of his own as Tivan transferred 900,000 to the robot's. Sprocket spared a few quick glances to some of the plants before leaving.

Tivan put a collar around Morgiana before unlocking her cuffs. Morgiana rubbed her wrists. "The collar will shock you if you misbehave, Fanalis." He turned and walked around a table. "Now… before setting you to work, I want to see how well your legs move, how much they can toil before they break from exhaustion. I hear you females are… exquisite dancers. Would you dance with me?" He cocked a brow.

Morgiana stared at him, mimicking the gesture. "What's wrong?" asked Tivan. "Is English not your tongue? Français? Gluammaug? (Glomourian?) My, this is troublesome… Perhaps body language." Tivan pulled a boombox out of the table and turned it on. A jazzy song began to play and Tivan jigged to it. "Dance? Can you do this?" he asked her. "Here… let me help you." Tivan drew a gun and shot at Morg's feet.

She jumped with a start, and as she dodged further laser bullets, her feet moved with a rhythm that she instinctively kept doing. She shook her hip and flexed her arms, and Tivan provided a smile that said he was pleased. He kept the gun trained on her, but did not shoot. Fear was plastered on her face as she kept dancing, and Tivan danced and sang with the song. "Oo-oo-oo! I wan'na be like you-ou-ou." He made the gesture of scratching his armpit like a monkey. "I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too-oo-oo."

Tivan took away Morgiana's dress and had her fitted with a white robe like the rabbit woman's. She spent many of her days on her knees, vigorously scrubbing the cages with both hands. "Be careful when you wash around the chi-blocks." Tivan told her while she was cleaning the rabbit's cage. "We do not want those to come off."

The rabbit woman stared at Morgiana after she finished wiping an area. The woman sported Morg a kind smile, intending to mean "It's going to be all right."

Tivan had a computer she was required to clean, and she often glimpsed at the screens he had up, depicting rare creatures that he desired: a woman with a black-and-white face – a skinny girl with glaring eyes, pink skin, and purple armor – a similar creature that was big and ape-like – and a triangle with an eye.

There was a back room in the Collector's Museum consisting of eight colored capsules, with one of them – a yellow capsule – containing what looked like a sleeping baby with a star head. A gas sprayed into the capsule, drawing the baby into slumber whenever Morgiana was required to open the glass and feed it liquid food. "Are you impressed I have such a rare creature in my Colleción?" Tivan asked. "The man who gave me this creature is the same man that brought the Faunus to me… Five billion I gave him. Money is no object to me…"

Morgiana had been under his service for six months, doing little but clean and dancing to whatever music he played. He was awed by her style, but whenever Morg would falter due to exhaustion, she was to spend one hour in her cage, then try again. And she would keep trying, no matter how tired her feet got. Her dance displeased the Red Lions, she would not displease anybody else. She kept dancing to improve herself.

Tivan trusted her enough to polish the artifacts as well. He would open the cages and watch Morgiana as she carefully cleaned them. One of his treasures was a yo-yo with a Yang symbol. "The woman who brought that to me was a Zathurian." Tivan's words fell on ears that didn't understand. "Said she was doing it for a friend. My Colleción is not only vast, it is a perfectly safe haven. People bring treasured and dangerous items here with the request that I protect them. If only I could acquire the other yo-yo." Tivan took the toy and softly rubbed it. "If I cannot acquire all in a group, the Colleción will always remain incomplete. Sigh…"

The next item Morgiana had to polish was a large left-handed glove with an eye in the palm. "Careful." Tivan touched her shoulder. "That is Horror's Hand. Approach it and see your greatest fear come to life."

Morgiana understood the gesture and approached the hand carefully. The eye flashed a pink light, throwing Morgiana in another world. She was on the altar over Fanali, dancing with every ounce of grace, but she fell on her face, over and over, her feet were not meant for the action. She was on the ground, staring up at all the beautiful tribeswomen dancing with pure perfection. A giant hand that looked like Tivan's picked her up and threw her away.

Morgiana snapped out of her vision and grabbed her master in a hug. Tivan stared confused as Morgiana cried against his coat. He decided to pat her head.

From the beginning, I already knew I became a slave. I didn't know why I was so obedient. And then I realized… all I wanted was to be needed. Whether I was a slave or a teammate… I just wanted to be useful. I assume a year passed since my captivity.

The Collector took Morgiana outside and locked up his museum. He held one end of a laser leash attached to Morgiana's collar. She obediently stood by him as they boarded a ship and rode to another planet, where they walked a street in a seedy city. Tivan brought her here several times, serving as his body guard. Tivan was famous around these parts as a wealthy crime lord, and most of his acquaintances had ties to the underworld and brought him rare collectibles. Whenever some nasty fellows approached Tivan threateningly, Morgiana would kick them where it hurts. A trio of spike-backed Goron thugs shot a glare to Tivan as they were walking through. Morgiana shot them a look, and the Gorons backed up in fright.

Morgiana would be taken to an underground wrestling ring where fighters were pitted against one-another as the roaring audience made wagers. Morg was up against a Kateenian, muscular but smaller than her feet. An easy match, she figured.

The bell dinged, and Morg stomped the alien, but her foot was kept up by the Kateenian's surprising strength. She was grabbed and slammed back-and-forth before the Kateenian left her on her back. The Kateenian jumped on Morg's belly and pinned her down. She looked right and saw Tivan shutting his eyes in disappointment. A burst of passion burned inside Morg, giving her the will to punch the tiny alien until he flew off. When the Kateenian was recovering, Morg swung a mighty kick that sent him out of the ring, stubbing her right middle toe in the process. Regardless, the aliens cheered for her.

"Only the best for my Colleción." Tivan said in his low voice.

"Fancy a round with me?!" A new opponent climbed into the ring: a short, yellow-skinned alien with black hair, an antenna, and a purple dress.

"Oh… I don't believe I recognize this breed." Tivan pulled out his holo-phone and scanned her. "Kateenian and Glomourian traits? A hybrid, perhaps? How exquisitely… rare."

"OI, whose kid is she?!" a blob thug shouted.

Morgiana readied herself as the hybrid approached her. "Where are you from?" the alien asked. Morgiana didn't respond. "Hel-lo? Can – you – speak?"

"Sawf takhsir." declared Morg. ("You will lose.")

"I don't know that language." Makava said to herself. "I hate to take the easy route… but if she's human, she might prefer English." Makava reached behind her and grabbed a pair of mechanical gauntlets, fixing them on.

"'EY! It's illegal to use weapons!" a skinny stone man shouted.

"It's illegal to own slaves!" Makava ran to punch at Morgiana without waiting for the bell, and the Fanalis dodged while countering with kicks. Makava's mech gloves proved equally strong, and when she blocked one kick, Makava quickly performed a spin-kick to knock Morg down. Morg recovered quickly and swiped both arms, but Makava ducked, grabbed Morg's shoulders in turn, and pulled her in for a kiss.

"OOOOOH!" The audience gaped in shock and excitement. Morg flushed horrendously and punched Makava off, her arms spread to either side as she lay on her back. Morgiana seized the moment to jump and crush both mech gloves under her feet. She raised her foot to stomp Makava's stomach- "I GIVE! !" Makava yelped.

Morgiana ceased mid-action, looking confused. "You give? Hu-!" Morg gasped: she had spoken and understood English.

Suddenly, a collar was thrown over Makava's neck as the Collector climbed in. "Ladies and gentlemen, this child is one of my own. I told her not to compete, but she did not listen. We will be taking our leave now." Tivan attached laser-leashes to both of them. He said in a whisper, "So, you have a Glomourian's ability to transfer language… I wonder what other surprises you have in store."

The Museum

Tivan brought them both back to his Collection. He had Makava placed inside a glass cage, where she sat patiently. "It is wonderful that you and I can understand each other now…"

"It really is, Master." Morgiana responded.

Tivan approached a cage and rubbed the glass. "You know, Fanalis… I have read about your people. You are not the only Fanalis to have gone from your home. There have been others. Few, of course, but the tales do have a source. I know your people worship Red Lions."

Morgiana recognized the item in the glass: a mask depicting a Red Lion, like that from her home. She wasn't able to ask about it before. "It is told that your people await the day they can become Red Lions, correct?"

"Yes?…"

"I theorized how such an action could be possible… and decided that it must be similar to a mage's ability to Animalize. To become an animal. Do Fanalis have magic in their veins?"

"I…I don't know."

"…Well… we should find out." Tivan turned, holding a syringe of dark-pink liquid.

Morgiana gulped. "What's that?"

"Fanalis… while you, in your current form, do not meet the requirements for my Colleción… securing an actual Red Lion would be magnificent. This potion was meant to be given to mages to force them to use magic. Perhaps using it on a Fanalis will instigate a transformation to Red Lion. You are young, so it may be painful… It may even render you helpless if it fails. But do not worry… I will keep your legs as a memento. I have grown that fond of you. Now… hold still."

Tivan approached her calmly. Morgiana's heart raced with anxiety. Until now, she was very obedient… but the idea of losing her legs or even becoming a Red Lion… It seemed her use was ultimately at an end.

SHATTER! Tivan whipped left to see Makava's cage has broken. "Let me see your medical degree!" yelled a small white Kateenian with a ray gun. Vweeb jumped out and began blasting all the cages with prisoners, and shot off Morgiana's collar. Makava leapt forth and kicked the syringe out of Tivan's hand, then kicked him across the face.

The rabbit woman was freed, and Vweeb shot a weaker laser to burn her rubber collar. The rabbit quickly hopped over to Tivan, kicking him with an electrified foot. "AAAAAAAHHH!" Tivan fell, covered in soot. The rabbit then sprinted to the back room on her bare feet.

"Hey, do you wanna get out of here?!" Makava asked Morg.

"You're… here to save me?"

"Yeah, lady!" Vweeb yelled from the floor. "We're from Galactic Kids Next Door and we save kids. You're a kid, aren't you?"

"I… guess."

"Guess faster, you wanna escape or not?" Makava insisted.

Morgiana looked down at her defeated master, then to the puddle of potion in the shattered syringe. The rabbit sprinted past them again holding a wrapped bundle. "…I will." With that, Morgiana left the museum alongside the alien operatives. She climbed into the back seat of Makava's Heart Star as they flew away from the skull space station.

"I wish Nebula would let us arrest that guy." Vweeb said angrily. "Who cares if he's guarding important stuff?! The GKND can easily protect it!"

"It doesn't matter. Our mission was to sneak in and rescue any child prisoners." Makava reminded. "Hopefully breaking those other guys' cages won't count against anything. So Fanalis, what planet are you from?"

"Planet?" Morg repeated. "…I don't know."

"I would say she's from Earth, but eh, part of her looks kinda alien." Vweeb observed.

"Do you know the name of the town you came from?" Makava asked. "I'm sure we can look it up and find it."

Morgiana hesitated to answer. "I…I don't have a home."

"But that guy was talking about 'your people.' What did he mean?"

"He misunderstood. I don't have a home or a people. Just… myself."

"Hmm… that's too bad. Should we bring her to our place?"

"Nuh-uh!" Vweeb denied. "We don't need another giant woman bossing us around! Let's drop her off at Earth."

"What's Earth?" Morg asked.

"It's a planet that's primarily human-populated, save for other races." Makava answered. "We are affiliated with their Kids Next Door. Maybe they would let you join. Then you can live in whatever treehouse they assign you."

"What is Kids Next Door?"

"MAN, this girl is uneducated!" Vweeb retorted. "Alright, where to begin: it all started a million years ago when a girl named Dimentia wakes up on her black hole planet and discovers-"

"Vweeb, why don't we tell the shorter version?" suggested Makava. "The Kids Next Door…"

Ultimately, I agreed to go to Earth and join the Kids Next Door. They had to take me to Moonbase so me and Cheren can sign the necessary paperwork to get me into Arctic Training. I declined the offer of pants or footwear… A Fanalis's legs were her greatest quality, and I had no intention of hiding them. I had already abandoned two people for the sake of keeping my legs. And looking back, they carried me through all my struggles. They were what kept me strong.

Morgiana was shivering in Arctic Base, her feet exposed to the icy floor. This was a drastic change from heat and desert weather, but the strength her legs had built up allowed her to withstand. "Yep, it's a boy!" She heard some cadets laughing and looked to see a blue-haired boy with long hair, whose crotch was just punched by a bully. The boy looked upset and angry. He looked like he could use some help.

Morgiana glared at the bully and approached him. "Hey." She tapped his shoulder. Without hesitating, she swung her foot and kicked the boy's crotch so hard, his voice grew high-pitched. "OOOOOOOOoooooooooooo….!"

"Now you're a girl." Morgiana said coldly. "Isn't that funny?" She walked around and approached the blue-haired boy. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Nagisa stood up fully. "Thanks."

I decided that if I'm not useful to someone, I'm as good as nothing. Whoever that person was, I promised to stand firm on my feet and continue to help them however I could. Whether I was defending them in battle…

Mr. Fizz sent 10 Soda Patrol officers to attack Nagisa. The leader fearlessly and threateningly approached the frightened boss with his rubber knife, and Morgiana defended her leader from each henchman with lightning-fast kicks. Mr. Fizz was terrified, thinking the boy actually planned to stab him. Nagisa threw the knife up, Fizz gasped and looked up at it—Nagisa CLAPPED his hands and startled Mr. Fizz into fainting.

…or if I was helping them improve their selves.

In Moonbase Gym, Morgiana threw quick kicks that Nagisa dodged by heartbeats, and when he ran to stab his rubber knife, Morg fell back, kicked up at his stomach, and flung him across the room.

Present time…

"At some point, I knew my use wasn't going to matter anymore, and I would have to find someone else. But without my legs… I'm useless to anyone."

"No you're not." Nagisa stated firmly. Morg looked up and saw the passion in his eyes. "Morgiana, I don't define you by whether or not you're 'useful.' You're the strongest person I know. You make me want to follow you and do my best. I'm not going to toss you away because you can't walk. You're my best friend… and I'll always want you around to support me."

"Nagisa… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Nagisa stood. "But I have to ask you… am I really a good leader in your eyes? I'm weaker than all three of you. A leader has to be stronger than his team, so they'll feel safe under his command. But I couldn't protect you. Why do I deserve to be leader instead of you?"

Morg was silent for a moment. "A leader doesn't have to be strong, Nagisa… They have to inspire their team and make them want to fight. Protecting you and helping you become stronger has been my reason to fight. And you have more devotion to the Kids Next Door. You're passionate about protecting the world and being with so many different people. You have what it takes to be a true leader. That's why we as a team stand by your side. And I'm proud to serve you…"

Nagisa touched her hand and provided a warm smile. "You're not a servant, Morgiana. You're my friend and my teacher. That's why I want to protect you the same way you protect me. And I'll keep getting stronger so I won't disappoint you. Understand?"

Morg smiled. "I understand. …" She made a smirk. "Of course, I would be spending this time practicing. That is, if you plan to dance with me."

"Ghh!" Nagisa blushed. "Yeah… maybe I should. Tomorrow's a big day!" Nagisa sprinted out quickly. Morgiana giggled and could rest in peace. The pain was slowly fading and she never felt more happy.

The following night

"Hi, Mrs. Shiota!" Index said to the image in Nagisa's phone. "Did Nagisa shrink you and put you in the phone?"

"Yes, he did!" Hiromi laughed playfully. "Spank him for me, okay?"

"Will a bonk be okay?" Goombella winked.

"Ms. Shiota, I'm gonna eat you! Aaaahh…" Index loomed her gaping mouth.

"Please don't eat my son's phone! Don't forget who paid for it."

"Oh, he had enough for a new laptop, he can get a new phone." Goombella remarked. "Ooo, look! They're here!" Index turned the phone to face them.

"Why did Fanalis men have to be the loincloth type?" Nagisa asked, wearing nothing by a white cloth skirt and underwear.

"Because we're uncivilized brutes." Morgiana wore a yellow top, skirt, and ribbons hanging from her wrists. "Now… Care to dance?" She offered an arm.

"Heh… 'Twould be a pleasure." Nagisa took it.

They faced each other and locked both hands. "Hit it." cued Morg. Index played fast-pace Arabian music on the phone.

"AAH!" Nagisa was immediately whirled around in her strong grip, then set back on his feet as Morgiana danced around him, keeping one hand locked. Her feet were precise, firm, and fast, and Nagisa was forced to mimic the moves to keep up with her. They released and did an aerial twirl, kicking one leg to cross with each other, where Morg had to hold back strength so Nagisa wouldn't fall over. They jumped apart and twirled to the other, locking hands from behind in mid-turn and raising both hands when they faced again.

Morgiana threw her hands up as Nagisa flew over her, then he did the same—but since he was too weak to haul her, Morgiana did the flip herself. They performed a few spins before locking hands, and they stood far apart as they pressed one foot to the other's, kicked off, and back-flipped while keeping hands locked—naturally, Nagisa fell on his face. Index, Goombella, and Hiromi blushed, embarrassed for him.

Nagisa looked up when Morg held a hand down, smiling. Nagisa grinned. "Let's try that again." The dance resumed.

By now, her tribe would probably burn me on a stake. I was that bad. But this wasn't Fanali. This was Kids Next Door. We danced however we-

"WHOA!" Nagisa fell again.

"Pay attention." Morg stated.

"Sorry!"

Part 5 (Ending Scene Only)

"Ahhhh…" Index just swallowed two steaks, two apples, and cake for dessert. For the first time in months, she was lain on the couch, rubbing her tummy. "I'm stuffed. I don't think I'll ever be hungry again."

"Thank goodness." Nagisa sighed in relief. "Hey Index, what was that thing you did with Xedni, anyway? The praying thing?"

"Oh, it's something the church taught me. I can speak to the gods and ask them to remove supernatural spells. In fact, they said only I can do it because my lightbending gives me a closer connection with the gods. I thought it was weird that the priests never sensed the vortex in my body… but I predict that Sipa set the wormhole to vanish whenever I was near church or talked about church. When I asked Xedni about her, she said Sipa practiced dark magic."

"That's a pretty cool power!" said Goombella. "What else does your church teach you?"

"Nothing else but the basics."

"I see…" Nagisa said with suspicion. "Hey, Index… why wouldn't you let Xedni say her real name?"

"Because Negative names are confusing of course!" Index grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm beat. Time to take a bath, then off to bed!" She hopped up and skipped to the hallway.

Morgiana noticed the inquiring stare on her friend's face. "What's wrong, Nagisa?"

"Um… nothing. You wanna go to bed too, Morg?"

Morgiana blushed. "Go to… bed? Oh, you mean separately. Sure."

"Will you two just kiss?! You're so dense!" Goombella shouted.

"K-Kiss?! What're you talking about?!" Nagisa flushed.

"Agreed. Kissing after a misunderstanding is very unconventional." Morg said.

"Right, what she said! …I think."

"Oh, whatever." Goombella rolled her eyes. "I'm going to bed, too. G'd night!" The four friends turned off the lights and headed for their rooms.

As weird as that day was, finding a wormhole in Index's stomach was just a casual day in the Kids Next Door. We didn't ask Index about her name since then, and we kept getting normal missions, each slightly harder, but we were slowly building up our reputation. Goombella, Morg, and I may have had our reasons for joining KND, but Index's backstory was still a mystery. I guess it didn't matter, given all the excitement the other sectors had.

…Eventually, we would learn why Index is called the "Walking Library."