Chapter 1: Once Upon a Thousand...

 

On the southern reaches of the great ocean held secrets that no modern explorer had ever laid eyes upon. Far from the civilized continents, tucked away behind a permanent shroud of sea mist, lay an isolated paradise known only to the wind. It was a small island, shaped like a crescent moon, but packed with an impossible density of vibrant, chaotic life, it was where our adventure starts.

The sea surrounding shifted from a brilliant, glowing turquoise to a deep violet where the coral reefs plunged into underwater caverns. Above, the sky was a crisp, cloudless azure, stretched thin over an weird ecosystem.

The island’s interior was a dense, vertical wilderness. Trees had massive trunks looking ancient and with firm roots, saucer-shaped mushrooms acted as natural canopy steps, catching the mist from hidden waterfalls that cascaded down jagged, volcanic cliffs.

The fauna had birds with feathers like spun glass that whistled like flutes when they flew, soared through the upper canopy. Down below, frogs the size of boulders lounged by the mudbanks, inflating throat sacks, Everything felt peaceful and calm around the local fauna and flora.

But, suddenly the silence was interrupted.

Through the thicket of looping vines, a blur of orange and black exploded into a clearing, accompanied by a chorus of wild, echoing laughter.

"Hehehehehehehehehehhehehe!"

Youth was a local kid full of energy, With a wild mane of spiky brown hair that defied gravity filled with leaves and branches, sharp dark eyes, and a small, muscular frame clothed in a old simple blue gi, he looked completely at home in the deep woods. Right now, his stomach letting out a roar that rivaled the island's apex predators, but a little hunger wasn't about to ruin his morning.

"Hey! No head starts, King! That's cheating!" Youth yelled, a massive grin plastering his face.

Bounding right alongside him was a massive bear, a six-legged mammal the size of a small house, covered in thick, mossy fur and sporting two blunt, curved horns. 

Despite its terrifying size, the beast let out a playful, snorting grunt, its heavy hooves tearing up the loam as it easily matched the boy's frantic pace.

"Watch out, little guys! High speed lane!" Youth chirped, casually ducking under a low branch where a family of monkeys sat. The monkeys chattered happily, throwing handfuls of soft moss at Youth as he flew past.

"Yup! Hehehehehehehehehe!"

Youth laughed, using a looping tree root like a springboard to launch himself into the air. He soared right over a riverbank, waving down at a massive frog basking in the sun. "Morning, Croaker!"

The giant frog let out a deep, rhythmic *ribbit* that vibrated through the earth, a friendly greeting to the boy who lived in its backyard.

Back on the dirt path, Youth landed in a dead sprint, pulling up right next to the giant bear. The two of them were neck-and-neck, weaving through the twisting trunks like a well-choreographed dance.

"I'm gonna beat you to the berry patch this time, King! I'm gonna eat the whole-"

*THWACK.*

The massive boar gave a playful hitch of its massive hip sending Youth flying through the air like a skipped stone. "Ghraaaaar!"

"Whoaaa-oof!" Youth yelped, spinning like a top before crashing headfirst into a dense, sprawling berry bush.

The bear skidded to a halt, turning its massive head back toward the bush with a worried whine. "Gaaaar?"

Youth popped his head out of the leaves, a large red bump already swelling on his forehead, his face covered in squished purple juice and loose twigs.

"Man... you really gotta watch your weight, big guy," Youth groaned, shaking his head like a wet dog. He burst into a bright chuckle, waving his hand to dismiss the beast's worries. "Hehehehehe! Go ahead, you win this time. Eat up!" 

"Gaaaaar!" Satisfied that his friend was unhurt, the giant bear snorted happily and began munching on the high canopy leaves nearby.

Youth's belly starts to rumble again, he stares at it for a sec and the looks around. "Hmmmmmm..."

"Aha! Gotcha now!" Youth cheered, his voice cracking with childish glee. "You are going to be food!"

He lunged forward, aiming entirely for a pig-like creature covered in thick, crystalline quills. Youth threw himself headfirst into the beast's favorite defense mechanism. The pig curled into a spiked ball and spun violently, kicking up dirt.

"A spin? You have to do better than that Hehehehe!"

Youth laughed, matching the spin. He tried to wrestle the rotating ball of spikes with his bare hands.

"Ow, ow, ow! Shiny needles!" he yelped, his hands vibrating as he got batted backward into a patch of soft moss.

Before he could recover, the pig slams him back into the bushes he was just in.

"Hehehehe! I'll get you!"

As Youth pushed himself up to climb out of the brambles, his hand brushed against something cold, heavy, and perfectly smooth hidden deep beneath the roots of the bush. He paused, his curiosity piqued. He dug his fingers into the earth and pulled it out.

As he inspected the object the pig quickly runs away, leaving him behind.

Youth sees what he was touching, It was an amber-orange orb, roughly the size of a large orange, completely flawless and cool to the touch. Youth held it up to his face, his eyes widening. Trapped deep inside the crystalline structure was a single sharp, red star.

"Oho... a giant piece of candy?" Youth muttered, his mouth instantly watering.

He didn't hesitate. He jammed the sphere between his teeth and bit down with all his might. *CHOMP.*

"Yeeee-owch!" Youth dropped the ball, clutching his jaw as tears sprang to his eyes. It wasn't candy at all as It felt harder than the dense volcanic rock at the center of the island.

"Uh... That hurts! What a weird candy..."

Pissed off but fascinated, he picked it up again, raising it high above his head to inspect it against the sunlight. He squinted at the little red stars inside, trying to figure out if there was a trick to cracking it open.

*BOOM.*

"...Gah!" Youth eyes wide open.

An explosion of blinding pink plasma tore through the sky, striking the exact spot where Youth had been sitting a millisecond prior. The concussive force blasted him through the air, sending him tumbling violently into the underbrush. The giant mushrooms nearby vaporized into sparkling ash.

"W...what was that!?"

Youth popped up from the bushes, his face covered in fresh soot. His playful, child-like demeanor instantly vanished. He looked around, seeing the frantic, terrified cries of the parrots as they scattered from the canopy. The animals were scared. Some trees were destroyed. A fierce, feral glare overtook his features, and his teeth bared in an angry snarl.

"Hey! Who did that?!" he roared into the sky. "Why did you do that!?"

High above the treeline, a strange, metallic vessel was descending. It was a sleek, circular ship with glowing propulsion rings, bearing a high-tech aesthetic that looked completely out of place. Without a single second of hesitation or warning, the ship’s underslung turret glowed pink again.

*Zap! Zap! Zap!*

"Whoa!" Youth dropped to all fours, his instincts taking over. He dashed through the woods like a wild cat, his small legs moving so fast they became a blur. Plasma blasts erupted behind his heels, shattering the looping trees and sending showers of glowing wood chips into the air. 

He flipped over a fallen log, rolled under a defensive barrier, and leaped frantically from vine to vine, narrowly avoiding the onslaught.

"Gah! What is going on!!!" He shouted while taking cover.

Inside the hovering ship, At the helm stood a girl with a wild, mischievous grin plastered across her face. 

"Hahahahaha!"

Her eyes were wide, filled with a manic, hyperactive energy that bordered on madness. She wore a heavy headset, and her fingers slammed against the firing triggers on a polished metal steering wheel.

"Hahaha! Run, run, run, little monkey!" she cackled loudly, her voice echoing in the metallic cabin. "You can't hide from me!"

She mashed the primary fire button again, sending another volley of lasers tearing through the ancient canopy.

"Ghraaa!"

Down below, Youth reached his limit of being chased. Utilizing his smaller frame, he pulled off a sharp, acrobatic turn around a thick trunk and slipped into a hollow cavern beneath a massive, ancient root system. 

He vanished from sight, keeping his breathing entirely silent to protect the surrounding wildlife.

Up in the air, the pilot girl’s grin faltered. She blinked, her eyebrows knitting together as the targeting monitors on her dashboard began to beep blankly.

"Huh? Wait a sec..." She hissed through her teeth, her nose wrinkling in sheer annoyance. "Where did the brat go? He was right there!"

She leaned forward, pressing her face against the glass viewport, trying to peer through the thick smoke she had just created. When she couldn't see anything, her annoyance boiled over into petty rage.

"Oh, fine! Have it your way!" she yelled. She aggressively locked the steering wheel to the side and began blindly carpet-bombing the entire sector. 

*Boom! Boom! Boom!* 

"Come out, come out, wherever you are! Hahahahahah!"

When the screens still showed no signs of life, she lost it completely. She began slamming both her fists against the steering wheel over and over again, throwing a full-blown temper tantrum. 

"Arrgh! Stupid trees! Stupid island! Move out of the way!"

Suddenly, the heavy metallic sliding door at the back of the cockpit whooshed open. A thick cloud of steam billowed into the room, smelling faintly of lavender soap.

Stomping out of the steam was another girl, completely wrapped in a fluffy white bath towel. Her long hair was soaked, pinned up hastily, and her skin was still flushed from a hot shower. Her face was twisted into a scowl of pure irritation.

"What in King Yemma's name is all this racket?!" the towel-wrapped girl hissed, clutching the top of her towel tightly to make sure it didn't slip. "I am trying to wash my hair, and the entire ship is shaking like it's going through atmospheric re-entry! Are we under attack?!"

She looks around scared. "Did they got to us already!?"

The pilot girl didn't look back. She stood up on the pilot seat, pointing dramatically out the main window.

"I saw a Dragon Ball!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking with excitement. "A real one! A brat down there is holding it!"

The girl in the towel froze. Her irritation vanished for a split second, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. She lunged forward, nearly tripping over her own towel, and jammed her face right next to the pilot's against the window.

"What?! A Dragon Ball?! Are you serious? Where?!"

But as she looked out the window, her expression drastically changed. A few trees were taken down and burned around the place they were, the animals running away and hiding from the assault, The pilot had literally pulverized a small radius of the forest into kindling.

The towel-wrapped girl's face turned a dangerous shade of crimson. Her left eye began to twitch violently. She slowly turned her head toward the pilot, her voice dropping into a menacing, low register.

"You... you absolute psycho!" she screamed, her voice shattering the tension in the room. "You are literally obliterating an entire ecosystem for no reason! Look at what you did to the woods!"

"I'm opening up the way to get it!" the pilot girl hissed back, sticking her tongue out defensively. "It's working isn't!?"

"What's working?! You look like a maniac!" the towel girl roared, shaking her fists. "Where is the brat you were talking about anyway?!"

The pilot girl huffed, squinting through the smoke, and pointed a finger toward a clearing near the edge of the destruction. "Right... there!"

The towel-wrapped girl raised her eyebrows and leaned in closer to squint through the glass.

Down on the ground, standing right in the center of the clearing, was Youth. And he was completely done playing games.

"Bad flying beast!!!"

The boy grinted his tooths annoyed. He dropped the orange sphere safely into the grass behind him. Then, he took a deep, wide stance, digging his boots deep into the island's soil.

"Ghrrrrr!!!"

With a low, feral grunt that sounded like a miniature volcano preparing to erupt, Youth reached down and grabbed the base of a shattered, fifty-foot ancient tree trunk that had been uprooted by the blasts. His small fingers dug deep into the bark.

"AAAAAARRGH!"

With a deafening shout, Youth heaved his upper body backward.

"TAKE...THIS!"

The muscles in his small arms bulged. Youth casually lifted the entire massive tree trunk over his head and, with the precision and force of a siege ballista, hurled it straight at the descending ship.

Inside the cockpit, the pilot girl simply blinked, her manic grin freezing into a blank, dumbfounded stare. "Uh oh."

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

The girl in the towel let out a high-pitched shriek of pure terror. Forgetting entirely about her modesty, she dove over the pilot's seat, shoving the crazy girl out of the way, and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, yanking it violently to the left.

The ship’s thrusters roared, forcing the vessel into a sharp, desperate tilt.

The massive tree trunk tore through the sky and clipped the right propulsion ring with a horrific, metallic *CRUNCH*. The heavy glass of the cockpit shattered into a spiderweb pattern.

"HOLd ONNN!!!"

The ship lost all stabilization. It spun out of control in a wild, dizzying spiral, black smoke pouring from the ruptured engine ring. It plowed face-first into the dirt at the edge of the clearing, skidding across the mud and flattening a row of giant mushrooms before finally coming to a grinding, groaning halt.

*Hssssssss.* 

Steam escaped from the cracked hull. The ship lay ruined, buried nose-first in the island's dirt, right at the feet of the boy.

Youth slowly walked over, his boots crunching on the loose gravel. He stopped just inches away from the mangled front viewport.

"Humph!"

Instead, he wiped a smudge of soot from his cheek, firmly crossed his small arms over his chest, and stuck his bottom lip out into a pout. He stood there, tapping his foot against the ground, silently waiting for the giant metal sky-beast to apologize for ruining his peaceful afternoon.

*THUD!*

The crumpled hull of the metallic vessel groaned under sudden, internal pressure. A split second later, the heavy mechanical hatch door was blown entirely off its hinges. It soared through the air, flipping lazily over the smoking wreckage before slamming hard into the turf, digging a deep trench in the dirt.

From the dark, steaming interior of the exit frame, a wild mane of unkempt hair popped up. It was the chaotic pilot girl. Her face was smudged with black engine soot, but her wide eyes were bright with a manic, unhinged glee. She threw both her hands into the air and let out a piercing screech.

"That... was... AWESOME!!! Hahahahahahaha!"

Youth stared at her, his jaw dropping slightly. He tilted his head bewildered by her reaction.

"...Eh?"

Before the wild pilot could celebrate her crash landing any further, a slender, soaking-wet hand reached out from the billows of lavender-scented steam inside the ship. It firmly planted itself right on top of the pilot's head and shoved her face-first down into the mud.

*Pffft-splat.*

The girl in the towel stepped out of the wreckage, carefully navigating the jagged metal edges while desperately clutching the corners of her white cloth to keep it secure. She threw her head back, gasping wildly for the clean, crisp island air, her chest heaving.

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

"Hey!" The pilot girl hissed from below, spluttering a mouthful of dirt as she aggressively scrambled back up.

Youth took a step forward, raising a finger to point at the pair of them. His brow furrowed with concern. "Hey! Did you two get eaten by the huge beast?"

The towel-wrapped girl locked her eyes onto him. Her pupils shrank, and her left eyelid began to twitch with a terrifying, rhythmic intensity. 

"You almost killed us!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she gestured wildly to the ruined ship. "What kind of kid are you!?"

The pilot girl, however, completely ignored her friend's near-death panic. She leaned over the ruined hull, staring at Youth with a sudden, pure expression of awe. "Ha! You are pretty strong!"

Youth blinked a little, a bright, rosy blush spreading across his tanned cheeks. He raised a hand to the back of his messy brown hair, chuckling sheepishly. "Thanks! Hehehe!"

"ARGH!!!! This is all your fault too!" The towel girl whirled around, her face turning a dangerous shade of crimson as she jabbed a finger toward the pilot.

The pilot girl simply crossed her arms, turning her nose up to the sky and looking away without a single shred of remorse. "Hey, I did what I had to do, alright?"

As the two girls began shouting over one another, the cockpit steam mixing with the sea breeze, Youth’s attention drifted. He blinked, turning his head toward the charred perimeter of the clearing. Up in the looping branches of an ancient, glowing tree, a few monkeys and a shaken parrots were peering down through the leaves.

"You guys ok?" Youth asked softly, his voice dropping into a gentle, familiar tone.

The monkeys chattered softly, giving small, hesitant nods, while the parrot gave a reassuring whistle. 

Youth let out a quiet sigh of relief, a bright smile returning to his face. He leaned down into the trampled clover and scooped up the heavy, smooth amber orb he had found earlier.

"Hmmm..."

The pilot girl’s eyes instantly locked onto the glint of light. Her pupils dilated to the size of saucers, and she leaped onto the shattered hatch door, pointing a trembling finger. "The Dragon Ball!!!"

Youth froze mid-motion, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline.

"Hm?"

The girl in the towel hissed in frustration, turning sharply toward her companion. "Again?! There is no-"

Her voice died in her throat. Her gaze slid from the pilot's finger down to the flawless, star-filled crystal sphere resting in the boy's small hands. Her jaw dropped. "That's... That's another Dragon Ball!"

Youth hoisted the sphere up a bit higher, peering through its translucent orange depths with total ignorance. "Dragon... what?"

"It's mine!" the pilot girl shrieked.

Without a single second of warning, she launched herself off the wreckage, her boots kicking up a spray of loose gravel as she dashed straight toward Youth.

"Wait-!!!" the towel girl screamed, reaching out a desperate, empty hand, but it was too late.

"Gah!"

Youth’s eyes went wide. He instinctively shuffled a step back into the dirt as the wild girl closed the distance in a flash.

"Aaaaaaahiaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" she roared, raising her small, clenched fists high into the air as she bore down on him like a feral beast.

"Eeek!"

With a fluid, practiced reflex, Youth shifted his weight and hopped casually to the side. The girl’s fists cleaved through empty air, the momentum carrying her past him.

"Hey!" Youth shouted, his voice a mix of confusion and irritation as he kept his guard up. "I just saved you two from that beast!"

The girl’s boots slid across the slick grass. She dug her heels into the dirt, executing a sharp, drifting pivot that kicked up a cloud of dust, and immediately tore back toward him. "Ghraaa!!!"

She lashed out with a vicious, sweeping swipe of her hand. Youth threw his forearms up in a cross-block to catch the blow, but her strike was surprisingly sharp. The impact forced a sharp hiss through his teeth as a set of clean, stinging slash wounds opened across his skin.

"Aw aw aw aw!!! Hey!!!" Youth yelped. A tiny tear of pain pricked the corner of his eye, and he shook his arms out frantically to dull the stinging.

The girl didn't give him a moment to breathe. She unleashed a blinding barrage of punches and kicks, her fists becoming a chaotic blur. "Oraoraoraoraoraoraaaa!!!"

"Ghaa!" Youth grunted, tensing his jaw as he began to weave through the storm.

She threw a heavy, localized strike that tore past his ear, the sheer pressure of her fist generating a localized vacuum that nearly ripped the clover right out of the ground beneath them. But as the blows kept coming, Youth’s instincts took over, and the pain vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of excitement. A massive, playful grin split his face.

"Hehehehe! So you wanna play tag!"

When she threw a sweeping low kick meant to take his legs out, Youth hopped into the air, performing a nimble, mid-air flip right over her leg while laughing cleanly. She lunged with a straight right hook, and Youth casually leaned his head back, letting the fist graze his nose by a hair's breadth, his eyes sparkling with absolute glee. 

"Ghrrrrrrr! Stay still you monkey!"

She was totally furious, her face contorting into a mask of pure rage, while he was having the absolute time of his life, dancing circles around her heavy footsteps.

"Hihihihihi."

The girl halted for a fraction of a second, her chest heaving as she hissed through her teeth. She blinked, a sudden, dirty realization flitting through her chaotic eyes.

"Let's see how you dodge this!" she grinned nastily.

With a sudden burst of speed, she drove her boot straight forward in a brutal, low-line snap kick, targeting the exact center of the boy's crotch.

*BOOM.*

The sheer force of the impact detonated a massive, blinding cloud of dust and pulverized topsoil around them, obscuring both fighters from view.

"Ah!" The girl in the towel gasped, quickly clapping her hands over her eyes to shield herself from the brutal sight of the blow.

The soft ocean breeze swept through the clearing, gradually drawing the veil of dust away. The pilot girl was standing tall, a triumphant, wicked smirk plastered across her face, her heavy boot firmly planted right up between the boy's legs. "Hehehehehe!"

But nothing happened.

As the air cleared, Youth was just standing there. He simply blinked his dark eyes, looking down at the foot wedged between his thighs with a look of curiosity.

"Ohh?"

The pilot girl's smirk shattered instantly. Her jaw dropped so low it looked like it might unhinge, and her eyes nearly popped right out of her skull. "WHAT! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!"

A few feet away, the towel girl slowly lowered her hands from her face, blinking in absolute disbelief as she stared at the unbothered wild boy. "What the..."

"Hehehehehe!"

Youth burst into a bright, roaring laugh, happier and more thrilled than he had been all morning. "This girl had all sorts of weird, funny tricks!"

"You are going to regret this!" the pilot girl hissed, her face burning with humiliation. She aggressively pulled her leg back, tense and coiled to launch an even heavier blow to his head.

But Youth was already moving. As her next kick whistled through the air, Youth’s eyes widened with a sharp, focused intensity. He dropped his shoulder, easily slipping completely beneath her guard. Before she could re-balance, Youth lunged forward like a striking serpent, driving the hard, dense crown of his forehead straight into the center of her stomach.

*CRACK.*

"G...gah!"

The girl gasped out a sudden, breathless wheeze as the absolute wind was blasted right out of her lungs. The sheer momentum of the headbutt lifted her clean off her feet, sending her sailing backward through the air. She crashed heavily into the dirt, rolling twice before coming to a hard stop, instantly curling into a tight ball as she clutched her midsection.

"G...gah..."

Youth froze, his wild grin instantly melting away into a look of wide-eyed surprise. He awkwardly took a clumsy step back, his hands dropping to his sides. "Uh... Ops..."

The girl in the towel stood completely frozen, her fingers gripping her towel so hard her knuckles turned white. Her voice was barely a whisper against the wind. "Buullet was... defeated...?"

Youth looked at the groaning girl on the ground, his natural kind-hearted nature taking back over. He took a hesitant step closer, raising a hand with a warm, innocent smile. "Hey, are you ok?"

Down in the dirt, the girl, Buullet tightly clutched her stomach, her breath coming in ragged, painful gasps. She didn't answer. Instead, she slowly lifted her head, her red eyes narrowing into two slits of pure, unadulterated, burning fury as she glared up at the boy who had just brought her down.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Buullet’s sudden scream shattered the brief quiet of the clearing. Unwilling to accept her humiliating defeat, she vanished from the dirt, launching herself forward with explosive speed. Before Youth could fully drop his guard, she drove a furious, tightly coiled punch straight into his midsection.

"U-ugh!"

Youth’s eyes flew wide open. The breath rushed out of his lungs in a sharp gasp, and his boots skidded backward across the trampled clover, carving two deep trenches in the soil. He hadn't expected her to get back up so fast, let alone hit that hard.

"YOU MEANIE! I'M GOING TO END YOU!!!" Buullet roared, her manic energy flaring back to life. She dashed toward him again, both hands thrust forward, her fingers hooked like the claws of a wild predator.

Youth's brief moment of shock vanished, instantly replaced by a fierce, competitive spark. He bared his teeth in a challenging hiss and pushed off his back foot, launching himself directly at her.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

They met in the absolute center of the clearing.

*CRACK!*

Their palms slammed together, fingers locking in a desperate test of pure physical strength. The sheer kinetic force of their collision sent a shockwave of wind rippling outward, flattening the tall grass in a perfect circle around them. They pushed against each other, shifting back and forth, the ground beneath their boots splintering under the intense pressure.

"Ghrrrrr!!!" Buullet gritted her teeth, her arms trembling as she tried to force the wild boy down, the chaotic gleam in her eyes practically sparking with electricity.

"Ghrrrrr!" Youth hissed right back, leaning his entire body weight forward. He wasn't giving an inch, matching her feral gaze with his own wild, unyielding stare. 

The air between them grew thick, heavily charged with their rising battle auras.

Then, a massive shadow loomed over them both.

*WHACK!*

A heavy, jagged plank of scorched wood, freshly blasted off the hull of the ruined spaceship slammed squarely across both of their faces with a resounding, hollow thud.

"Gaah!"

The two fierce combatants instantly broke apart, tumbling backward into the dirt in a tangle of limbs. They sat up at the exact same time, both rubbing twin, glowing red marks forming across their cheeks.

Standing above them was the girl in the towel, Rischi. She casually dropped the heavy wooden plank into the grass, dusting her hands off with an air of absolute disdain. She adjusted the knot of her white bath towel, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders, as she took a deep breath.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! What was that for!?" Buullet whined, frantically scratching her stinging face, a single, frustrated tear slipping from the corner of her eye. "I was just about to defeat him!"

"Can you stop getting into fights just for a sec!?" Rischi shouted, her voice echoing into the dense canopy. She pointed an accusing finger at her pilot. "Look at the ship! Look at my hair!"

"Owww... That hurted, hehehe..." Youth chimed in. He stood up, vigorously rubbing the red welt on his face, but instead of being angry, he broke into a massive, sunny smile. He dusted the dirt off his gi, completely unfazed by the sudden interruption.

Rischi finally turned her full attention to the boy. She sized him up, from his messy, gravity-defying hair to his scuffed boots. Her anger cooled into genuine, cautious curiosity. "Who the heck are you, kid? Keeping up with Buullet is not an easy feat to do."

"Hello! My name is Youth." He beamed, extending his hand outward in a friendly greeting.

Rischi stared down at his hand. It was covered in mud, purple berry juice, and a suspicious layer of what looked like crushed moss. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and instinctively took a half-step back, clutching her towel tighter. "Ew... no."

Youth simply shrugged, unbothered by her rejection. He reached into the deep pocket of his martial arts gi and casually pulled out the smooth, amber-orange sphere he had found earlier, tossing it lightly in his palm.

Rischi’s breath hitched.

"The Dragon Ball!!!!" Buullet’s eyes blew wide open. She completely forgot about her stinging cheek, scrambling to her feet and lunging toward the boy like a starved animal spotting a prime cut of meat.

"Hold on!"

Rischi shot her arm out, grabbing the back of Buullet's collar and practically yeeting the chaotic girl backward. Buullet crashed into the dirt, kicking her legs in protest.

"What are you doing!? The ball is right there!!!" Buullet groaned, struggling to sit up.

"Stop jumping into things head-first, damn it!" Rischi hissed down at her, her teeth clenched. She shot a quick, nervous glance at Youth, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Hm?" Youth blinked, tilting his head. Deciding the shiny ball was causing too much trouble, he slowly began shoving it back into his pocket.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!!!" Rischi shouted, throwing her hands up defensively. She forced a strained, overly sweet smile onto her face. "Hehehe."

Youth stopped, leaving the orb halfway out of his pocket, waiting patiently. "Hm?"

"I think we all started on the wrong foot here, right?" Rischi asked, her voice dropping into a gentle, diplomatic tone.

"Kinda?" Youth scratched the back of his head, chuckling as he glanced around at the burning trees and the crashed spaceship.

"Alright. Let's try this again. My name is Rischi, and this menace is Buullet. Nice to meet you." Rischi performed a polite, graceful bow, holding her towel carefully against her chest.

Down in the dirt, Buullet simply crossed her arms, turning her head away with a stubborn pout.

"Do the thing! Damn it!" Rischi hissed from the corner of her mouth, kicking a clump of dirt at Buullet.

Buullet rolled her eyes dramatically, let out a massive sigh, and offered a sloppy, seated bow.

"Uh..." Youth blinked slowly, completely out of his depth with these weird formalities.

"Now that we have met each other properly," Rischi continued, stepping closer with her hand extended, palm up, "why don't you hand us that ball of yours, huh?"

"Yeah! Give us the ball!" Buullet suddenly chimed in, pointing aggressively.

"Shut up! You are going to ruin the cover!" Rischi snapped over her shoulder, before quickly smoothing her features back into a polite smile and turning to Youth. "So, what do you say? Can you give us the ball back, please?"

"No." Youth shook his head firmly, crossing his arms.

"Ehhh? Why not!?" Rischi gasped, her diplomatic facade cracking instantly. Her eyes bulged.

"Because I found it first, so it's mine," Youth stated, employing flawless toddler logic.

"You don't even know what kind of power-" Buullet shouted, leaping to her feet and baring her teeth.

"Stop it! Do you wanna make this even harder!?" Rischi whirled around and delivered a swift, sharp slap to the back of Buullet's head.

"Hey! He is just a kid! We can just take it!" Buullet hissed back, rubbing her head and glaring daggers at her captain.

"Shhhh!!!!" Rischi hushed her violently, leaning in close. "Lemme work! You have to believe in my persuasion. It’s my proudest ability."

"That's a waste of time," Buullet muttered, crossing her arms again.

"Shut up!" Rischi snapped, before pivoting back to Youth.

She took a deep breath, tossing her damp hair over her shoulder. She let out a soft, breathy chuckle, attempting to look as harmless and charming as possible. "Ehehehehe... Look, I know that you are the one who found it. But be generous with us, alright? Two beautiful ladies who have been seeking this precious stone for so long... why not reward them with it, hm? Hmmm?"

She leaned in closer, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically, hoping the boy would be swayed by her overwhelming charm.

Youth just stared blankly at her face. He blinked once. Twice. "I don't get it." He reached up and scratched the back of his head, thoroughly confused by whatever weird face she was trying to make.

"T-this kid..." Rischi stammered, stepping back. The charm melted away entirely, replaced by raw, unhinged frustration. 

Her left eye began twitching violently again. She threw her hands into the air, abandoning all pretense. "GIVE US THE BALL!"

"But it is *my* ball," Youth repeated softly, still not understanding the problem.

"ARGHHH!!!" Rischi screamed, grabbing handfuls of her own wet hair and pulling in sheer exasperation.

"HA! There goes the 'persuasion'," Buullet smirked, clearly enjoying her captain's meltdown.

Bored by the yelling, Youth turned on his heel. "It's late now. I have to go back to hunting, ok?" he announced casually, beginning to walk away toward the treeline.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE GOING!? GIVE US THE BALL!!!" Rischi shouted, stomping her bare feet in the mud as she hurried after him.

"Uh?"

"NO! NO HUNTING! GIVE US THE BALL!!!" she shrieked, practically vibrating with rage.

"Hey, kid."

The calm, dangerous tone of Buullet's voice made Youth pause. He turned his head.

Rischi raised her eyebrows, stopping mid-tantrum as she looked back.

Buullet was standing near a fallen branch. Dangled casually by the scruff of its neck in her grip was a monkey. The little creature looked completely confuse.

"You don't want to see your little friend get hurt, right?" Buullet sneered, a wicked, triumphant smirk stretching across her face.

Rischi’s eyes lit up. She instantly straightened her posture, adopting a smug, confident stance. "Ha! Nice one, Buullet! You better listen to us now, kid!"

Youth’s relaxed demeanor shattered. His eyes widened in genuine alarm as he saw his small forest companion dangling in the air. "Hey! Put him down!"

"GIVE US THE BALL, DAMN IT!" Rischi shouted, pressing her sudden advantage.

"Ok!" Youth nodded rapidly, his voice completely serious.

Both Rischi and Buullet froze. They looked at each other, stunned by how easily he had folded. 

"REALLY?!" they shouted in unison.

"Uhum." Youth nodded, pulling the glowing orb out of his pocket.

"Aha!" Rischi threw her head back, laughing triumphantly. "The plan worked! I told you my persuasion was the key, didn't I?" She smugly adjusted her towel, practically preening.

Buullet rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "You didn't do anything at all, Rischi-chan. I'm the one holding the monkey."

"Forget about the details!" Rischi waved her hand dismissively, turning back to Youth with a victorious, sickly-sweet smile. "Now, little kid, be a good boy and hand over the ball, and your monkey friend will be ok. Hehehehe." She held her hand out, wiggling her fingers expectantly.

"Ok, but I have to ask my parents," Youth said plainly, holding the ball tight to his chest.

The clearing went dead silent. Only the distant chirp of a parrot broke the quiet.

"Parents!?" Buullet blinked, her grip on the monkey loosening slightly in sheer confusion.

"WHAT!?" Rischi screamed, her eyes bugging out. "WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS!? A CASUAL CONVERSATION!?"

"My parents said that I have to ask them if I'm about to do something," Youth explained patiently, speaking as if it were the most obvious rule in the universe. He was, after all, a good kid who followed the rules.

"This kid is getting on my nerves!!! ARGHHHH!!!" Rischi practically stomped a hole into the earth, furiously pushing her damp hair out of her face.

Buullet completely ignored her captain's meltdown, glancing around the dense, untamed wilderness. Towering, mutated trees, bioluminescent moss, massive predatory frogs, it looked like a primeval death trap. "Parents... In the middle of this island? In the middle of nowhere?"

"Uhum! They are very cool! Come on see them!" Youth flashed them a bright, innocent smile, turned his back entirely, and began marching happily into the thick, dark underbrush of the terrifying forest without a second thought.

"HEY! WAIT!!!" Rischi shouted, reaching her hand out toward the retreating boy.

"Did he just... left?" Buullet asked, staring blankly. The little monkey in her hand simply stared back at her, almost as if judging her.

"This kid..." Rischi whispered, her brain completely short-circuiting.

Suddenly realizing they were losing their only lead to the Dragon Ball, Buullet tightened her grip on the monkey and bolted after him. "WAIT FOR US!!!"

"BUULLET!" Rischi screamed, reaching out for her pilot. She stood alone in the clearing. She slowly turned her head, staring at the smoking, pulverized wreckage of her spaceship. The engine was probably ok but the glass was shattered and the structure was almost all falling apart.

"Ah... Darn it Buullet... We just wasted another good ship..." She let out a long, soul-crushing sigh. 

Clutching her bath towel desperately to her chest, she stepped out of the clearing and trudged miserably into the humid, bug-infested woods, following the absolute chaos she had somehow gotten herself stuck with.

The deeper they ventured into the island's interior, the less the environment resembled a forest and the more it felt like an alien obstacle course designed by a madman.

The ground quickly gave way to a massive, plunging ravine choked with thick, glowing mist. The only way across was a chaotic network of giant, horizontal roots and thick, looping vines that crisscrossed over a drop that looked bottomless.

"Alright, follow me! But step where I step, the purple moss is slippery!" Youth called out cheerfully over his shoulder.

Instead of carefully inching his way onto the first massive root, Youth simply bent his knees and launched himself into the air. He cleared a forty-foot gap with zero effort, soaring in a perfect arc before grabbing a dangling vine with one hand. He swung forward, his body parallel to the ground, released the vine, performed a casual mid-air cartwheel, and landed flawlessly on the edge of a giant, saucer-shaped mushroom.

"Hihihihihi!"

"Woah..." Buullet stopped at the edge of the ravine, her manic grin returning full force. She still held the little monkey by the scruff, though at this point, the terrified creature just followed them along the way.

"Oh, you are *on*, jungle boy!" Buullet yelled. She stuffed the monkey under her arm like a rugby ball, took a running start, and leaped off the cliff. She wasn't as gracefully aerodynamic as Youth, but she made up for it with raw, explosive power. She kicked off the side of a massive trunk, shattering the bark, grabbed a vine, and yanked herself forward, laughing like a maniac as she vaulted over the ravine.

"Hahahahahahaha!"

"Are you two out of your minds!? Come back here!!!"

Rischi stood at the edge of the drop, her toes curling into the dirt. She was completely out of breath, her face flushed red, and she was still desperately holding her white bath towel together with a white-knuckled grip. Her damp hair was plastered to her face, and her bare feet were already covered in mud.

"Come on, Rischi-chan! It's just a little hop!" Buullet hollered from a branch far ahead, currently hanging completely upside down by her knees.

"I am wearing a *bath towel*, you gremlin!" Rischi shrieked, her voice echoing down the canyon. "If I jump, I am going to flash the entire ecosystem!"

"Just hold it tight and jump! Or do you want to lose the Dragon Ball?" Buullet taunted, before aggressively pushing off the branch to chase Youth, who was currently playing tag with a flock of parrots in the canopy above.

"Hey, are you guys coming or what?"

Gritting her teeth so hard she nearly cracked a molar, Rischi clutched the knot of her towel with her left hand, grabbed a thick vine with her right, and squeezed her eyes shut. "I hate my life. I hate these two. I hate this island! Arghhhh!"

She swung across, screaming the entire way, her legs kicking wildly in the air.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

For the next twenty minutes, the girls followed Youth.

Youth leaped from branch to branch with the agility of a spider, his small feet barely making a sound. Suddenly, a massive, predatory frog lunged out of the swampy undergrowth, its jaws snapping shut like a steel trap. Youth didn't even blink. He casually stepped on the beast's snout mid-snap, using it as a springboard to vault higher into the trees, leaving the giant amphibian cross-eyed and confused.

"Ghaaaaar!"

"Hahaha! Try to keep up!" Youth cheered, hanging by his toes from a spiral branch.

Buullet was having the time of her life. She was treating the pursuit like a high-speed parkour race, utterly determined not to be outdone by a kid who probably didn't even know what a toothbrush was.

"I'm right behind you, brat!" she roared, sliding under a low-hanging root with the monkey clinging to the top of Buullet's head as she bounded through the dense brush. "Hahah! Is that all you got!?"

Far, far behind them, a miserable wheezing sound cut through the tranquil forest.

"A...ah...!"

Rischi was dying.

Her legs felt like lead. Her lungs were burning. Every single branch seemed perfectly positioned to try and snag her towel. She dragged her feet through the thick, blue ferns, panting heavily.

"Wait... *huff*... for... *puff*... me!" she wheezed, her charm completely annihilated.

She stopped, leaning her shoulder heavily against a massive, moss-covered boulder to catch her breath. "Just... five seconds. Let me... just... breathe..."

She closed her eyes, letting her head rest against the cool, rough surface of the rock. It felt nice. It felt slightly warm. Actually, it felt a little fuzzy.

The boulder slowly blinked.

"Gah!"

Rischi froze. A low, rumbling growl vibrated through the stone, shaking the mud off her toes. Slowly, agonizingly, Rischi turned her head.

She wasn't leaning against a boulder. She was leaning against the kneecap of a bear, six-legged, moss-covered monstrosity that was currently looking down at her, chewing lazily on a tree branch. Its massive nose was just inches from her face. The beast let out a deep, snorting exhale that blew her damp hair straight back and sprayed her with warm, berry-scented saliva.

Rischi’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. The color drained entirely from her face.

For two seconds, pure silence.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!"

Up ahead in the canopy, Youth and Buullet paused, looking back down at the path.

Suddenly, a white blur shot past them on the ground below, moving at a speed that broke the sound barrier. Rischi’s legs were practically spinning like cartoon wheels. She tore through the underbrush, tearing through vines, completely ignoring the mud, rocks, and the fact that she was effectively barefoot. The sheer terror had tapped into a primal survival instinct she didn't know she possessed.

"OUT OF THE WAY! OUT OF THE WAY! OUT OF THE WAAAAAAY!!!" she screamed, leaving a trail of dust in her wake as she sprinted right past them, completely overshooting the trail.

Buullet blinked, hanging from a branch next to Youth.

"Wow," Youth said, thoroughly impressed. "Your friend is really fast!"

"Ha!" Buullet laughed. "Hahahahah!Look at her go! You are killing it Rischi-chan!"

Thanks to Rischi's terror-fueled sprint, they managed to cover the rest of the distance in record time.

The dense, suffocating canopy finally began to thin out, the glowing moss giving way to natural sunlight. The sound of a roaring waterfall echoed nearby, masking the sounds of the jungle.

"A...ah..."

Rischi had collapsed on her knees at the edge of the clearing, gasping for air like a fish out of water. She was covered in dirt, twigs were sticking out of her hair, and her towel was stained brown at the hem, but she had somehow, miraculously, kept it secure, she dragged herself forward towards the finish line.

"I am... *huff*... never... *huff*... leaving a ship... ever again," she rasped, face-planting into the soft grass.

Youth landed softly first, barely breaking a sweat. He still looked entirely pristine, his energy levels completely untouched by the miles they had just covered. He reached into his pocket, patting the Dragon Ball to make sure it was still there, and smiled brightly.

"We're here!" Youth announced, gesturing grandly to the clearing ahead.

Through the final thicket of towering, spiral-trunked trees, the dense jungle abruptly gave way to a rocky clearing.

Buullet dropped down from a tree a moment later, landing nimbly on her feet. She plucked little monkey off her head and held it by the scruff again.

"AHA! First place! I beat you, jungle boy!" she cheered, her manic grin stretching from ear to ear as she turned around to gloat.

Youth pointed a finger ahead with a bright, proud smile. "We're here! This is my home!"

Buullet pumped her fist, still riding the high of the chase. "Yeah, yeah, read 'em and weep! Now where are these-"

She turned her head to look at the home.

Her triumphant smile instantly froze. The color drained from her face, and her wide, chaotic eyes slowly shrank into tiny dots of pure disbelief.

A moment later, Rischi shouted, finally reaching them. "I DID IT! I... did it..." she gasped, clutching her chest as she desperately sucked in oxygen. Her pristine white bath towel was now smeared with mud and covered in sticky leaves, twigs, and what looked like a very angry caterpillar.

Rischi slowly pushed herself up on trembling arms, spitting out a mouthful of grass.

After taking a moment to ensure her heart hadn't actually exploded, Rischi aggressively swiped the dirt and leaves off her towel. She marched forward, her left eye twitching as she prepared to unleash the mother of all lectures. "Darn it, you two!"

She stopped dead in her tracks. She followed Buullet's frozen gaze upward, her jaw practically unhinging.

Looming before them was a massive, jagged fissure carved into the side of a sheer rock face, a dark, damp, and incredibly sketchy cave base. Crude barricades made of rusted scrap metal and sharpened logs were set up around the entrance. Empty ration cans, discarded objects, and broken machinery littered the dirt outside.

"Pretty cool, right? Come on in!" Youth beamed proudly. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and dashed enthusiastically into the pitch-black maw of the cave.

Buullet and Rischi stood outside in utter silence. A tense, heavy breeze blew past them.

They slowly turned their heads to stare at each other, their eyes narrowing.

"This place..." Rischi whispered, taking a slow, cautious step backward. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Buullet’s eyes narrowed into dangerous, sharp slits. She stood there, staring into the dark cave entrance. Then, she stepped forward, kicking off the dirt and dashing straight inside.

Rischi, terrified to be left alone in the creepy, ancient jungle, let out a furious hiss. "BUULLET! Not again..." Clutching her mud-stained towel for dear life, she squeezed her eyes shut and charged blindly into the jagged maw of the cave.

"Darn it!!!!"

She expected to run into a damp, horrific dungeon filled with bones and giant spiders. Instead, she almost tripped over a barstool.

"Gah!"

Rischi opened her eyes, blinking rapidly against the sudden assault of neon lights. Her jaw hit the floor.

"Wha....."

The interior of the massive cave was hollowed out and converted into a chaotic, makeshift tavern. Stolen, multicolored neon signs crackled on the rocky walls, bathing the area in harsh purples and sickly greens. A battered jukebox in the corner was blasting a twangy, high-energy rockabilly tune. The air was thick with gray cigar smoke, the smell of roasted meat, and the pungent stench of cheap, highly flammable liquor.

The place was absolutely packed with the most dangerous, terrifying individuals she had ever seen. There were massive, hulking mutants with tusks, thin, wiry guys covered head-to-toe in cybernetic enhancements, and a few silent, deeply terrifying individuals wrapped in dark cloaks, just sitting alone in the corners, slowly sipping from iron mugs without making a sound.

In one corner, a six-armed alien bartender was rapidly wiping down mugs while simultaneously mixing four different glowing drinks. At the center of the room, a group of thugs were screaming at a static-filled screen showing a violent derby match.

"Ref, are you blind?! He clearly used a buzzsaw!" a heavily tattooed mercenary yelled, throwing his mug at the screen.

"What..." Rischi blinks a little. "A bar...."

"What kind of bar is in the middle of a cave!?" Rischi whispered, her left eye twitching violently as a guy with four arms casually walked past her carrying a barrel of beer over his head.

"THIS IS AWESOME!!!"

Buullet eyes sparkled with sheer, manic joy as she looked around. "It's like an amazing pirate tavern in a random mainland town! This is not a boring island at all! Hell yeahhhhhhhhh!!!"

Completely forgetting that she was supposed to be careful, Buullet cracked her knuckles and casually strutted right into the center of the bar as she shouted.

"Hey, six-arms! You got any drinks that explode in your mouth?!"

Youth stood there completely forgetting what he was supposed to do, He saw Buullet wandering around the shiny lights and the noisy tables, and like a curious puppy, he just decided to follow her, his hands tucked behind his head.

"Buullet!" Rischi shouted, her eyes wide open.

"Ooo! What are you guys doing?!" Buullet slammed her hands down onto a rusted metal table where three massive, heavily scarred men were playing cards. A pile of zenny coins and jewelry sat in the middle.

"This is poker, little girl," growled a guy with a metal jaw and an eyepatch. He exhaled a thick cloud of blue smoke right into her face. "Beat it before I use you as a tooth-pick."

"I'm in!" Buullet grinned. She didn't have any money, so she just slammed a glowing blue mushroom she had picked in the forest onto the table.

"Are you out of your mind!?" Rischi shrieked. "Let's get out of here!!!"

"Relax, Rischi-chan! I know what I'm doing!" Buullet smirked getting her focus back in the game.

"You idiot! This place is nuts! Are trying to get us killed!?" Rischi shouts pushing Buullet. "Let's go! Let's get out of here!"

"Hey!" Buullet hisses, grabbing the table. "Lemme play!!!"

"ENOUGH!" One of the players slammed his fists on the table.

"Gahhh!" Rischi eyes wide open, flinching.

"Nobody runs away from the game, got it thingy?" He hisses, tighting his fists.

"Got it! I got it! I totally got it!" Rischi quickly nods terrified.

"Hehehe! Finally some peace! Lemme focus on the cards alright!" Buullet smirks looking at her hand of cards.

"Buullet!!!!!" Rischi grints her tooths.

Two minutes later, Buullet slammed her cards down. She had absolutely no idea how to play, but somehow, she had drawn a Royal Flush.

"HA! Read 'em and weep, metal-mouth!" she cheered, raking the pile of zenny and jewelry toward herself.

The metal-jawed man's remaining eye bulged out of his skull. The other players at the table laughed.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAH!!!"

A guy with a green mohawk and a lizard-man burst into roaring, mocking laughter, slapping their knees.

"BAHAHAHA! You just lost to a kid, Snag!" the lizard-man howled.

"She cleaned you out with a mushroom! HAHAHAHA!" The green mohawk laughed, almost falling out of the chair.

"SHUT UP!" Snag roared, his metal jaw sparking dangerously. He stood up, towering over Buullet, his hand reaching for the heavy plasma-blaster strapped to his thigh. "You cheated, you little brat! I'm gonna blast you into ash!"

"Woops..." Buullet blinks a little.

Rischi’s soul practically left her body. "WE ARE DEAD! WE ARE SO DEAD!"

"Hi, Snag! Hi, Uncle Gnash!"

Youth suddenly popped his head out from behind Buullet, giving the furious, towering criminals a bright, completely innocent wave.

Snag stopped, his hand still resting on his blaster. He looked down at the smiling boy, blinked, and then let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temple with his free hand.

"Meat-Shield?" Snag groaned. "Kid, where the heck have you been? And who the heck is this ankle-biter?"

"These are my new friends!" Youth announced proudly, gesturing to the manic pilot and the trembling girl in the towel. "Buullet is really good at games, Right?"

"Your friends?" Snag blinked. He looked at Buullet, who was currently biting a gold coin to see if it was real, and then at Rischi, who was sweating buckets.

The table erupted into laughter again. 

"HAHAHA! Good one, kid! Very funny!"

Gnash playfully ruffled Youth's spiky hair with his massive hand. "Wahahaha! You can say that again, squirt! She just took Snag for all his zenny! Good job bringing her!"

Buullet, not understanding the tension at all, just threw her head back and laughed with them. "GWAHAHAHA! Yeah! I'm hilarious!"

Rischi, however, saw the terrifying glint in their eyes. Rischi forced a horrifying, stiff smile onto her face and began laughing like a broken robot. "A-ha... ha... ha... Yes... How humorous we all are... Please don't stab us..."

Snag grumbled, taking his hand off his gun. He looked at Buullet, then back to Youth. "Kid, tell your friend she's lucky she's with you, or she'd be space-dust. But fine, she won it fair. Hey, squirt, you didn't happen to bring back any of those sweet berries I asked for, did ya?"

"Nope! Forgot!" Youth smiled.

"Classic Meat-Shield," the Lizard-man snickered, taking a swig of his drink. "Get out of here! Hahahaha!"

Rischi, standing a few feet away, practically had a short circuit. *We are dead... Very dead...*

"Come on! Let's play that one!" Buullet suddenly shouted, grabbing her winnings and darting away from the table.

"Buullet, wait! Don't push our luck!" Rischi hissed, frantically chasing after her, making sure her towel didn't slip. "Buullet damn it!!!"

But Buullet was already at the dartboard. The current champion was Tri-Shot, a tall, lean man with three glowing red eyes and a bandolier of throwing knives. He had just hit a perfect bullseye.

"Heh, don't embarrass yourself kid!"

"My turn!" Buullet announced. She picked up a rusted dart. She just casually wound up her arm like a baseball pitcher and hurled the dart with the force of a cannonball.

*CRACK! BOOM!*

The dart completely shattered the wooden board, punched through the solid rock wall behind it, and buried itself three feet deep into the stone, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

The entire bar went dead silent. The jukebox seemed to skip a beat.

Tri-Shot stared at the smoking hole in the wall. A massive vein throbbed on his forehead. Slowly, his hand crept toward his bandolier of energy knives. "You... little... punk. You ruined my board."

The other thugs in the bar began to snicker and jeer. "Ooooh! Tri-Shot got showed up by a toddler!"

"BAHAHAHAHA!"

"NOBODY MOCKS TRI-SHOT!" the man screamed, drawing knives.

"We are doomed!!!" Rischi eyes wide open.

"Wow! Good throw!" Youth cheered, clapping his hands loudly as he walked up next to the furious assassin. He looked up at Tri-Shot with a bright smile. "Right, Tri-Shot? She's really strong!"

Tri-Shot froze. He looked down, saw Youth clapping, and let out a long, exhausted groan. He slid the knives back into their sheaths. "Meat-Shield. Let me guess. This is one of yours?"

"Yup! And the other girl too Rischi! she's the one in the towel!" Youth pointed cheerfully.

The gang members busted a gut laughing. "Wahahaha! What kinda crew are you building out there in the woods, kid?" an alien with tentacles laughed from the bar.

Tri-Shot pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kid, I'm docking the cost of a new dartboard from your hunting quota. Now get your friend out of here before she breaks the jukebox."

"Okay!" Youth nodded happily.

Rischi, her nerves completely frayed, was bowing continuously to the room, her stiff laughter sounding like a dying engine. "Ha... ha... ha... Thank you for your patience... Such wonderful hospitality... ha... ha..."

Before Rischi could grab her, Buullet was already sprinting toward the center of the tavern, where a massive circle of shouting thugs was watching an arm-wrestling match.

"NEXT!" she yelled, slamming her elbow onto the wooden barrel.

"Buullet!!! Come here!!!"

Her opponent was Goliath, a man the size of a small mountain, covered in thick purple fur and sporting two massive horns. He looked at the tiny girl and let out a deep, rumbling laugh that shook the ceiling. "You want to lose your arm, little girl?"

"Bring it, furball!" Buullet smirked.

The match started. The purple giant strained, the muscles in his massive arm bulging, his teeth grinding as he tried to slam her hand down. Buullet didn't even blink. She was picking her nose with her free hand, looking completely bored.

"Are you even trying?" Buullet yawned.

With a sudden, sharp flick of her wrist, she slammed the giant's arm down so hard the heavy wooden barrel splintered into a million pieces. The giant fell sideways, crashing into a table of drinks.

The bar erupted into chaos. Half the gang was howling with laughter at the giant's defeat. 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"GOLIATH JUST LOST TO A LITTLE THINGY! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

The giant, humiliated and dripping with spilled beer, roared in absolute fury. He picked up an entire steel chair, ready to smash Buullet into paste.

"I'm going to smash you all! You damn thing!"

"Buullet!!! You are going to kill us all!!!" Rischi shouts, hiding behind the chairs.

"Hey, Goliath!" Youth popped out from behind a pillar, holding a mug of glowing green juice. "Are you having fun with my friend?"

The giant froze mid-swing, the steel chair hovering over Buullet's head. He looked at Youth, then at the chair. He let out a booming belly laugh, gently setting the chair down and dusting it off.

"Wahahaha! Meat-Shield! Man, your friend here nearly snapped my wrist!" Goliath boomed, patting his bruised arm. He didn't look angry anymore, just thoroughly impressed. "You find some tough strays out there in the woods! She's a keeper!"

"Really?!" Rischi gets out of the chair slowly, blinking a little.

"Hell yeah! I'm the best!" Buullet pumps her fist up.

"The best! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The gang laughed, their voices booming around the bar.

"A...ahaha..." Rischi laughs along.

Goliath reached into his vest and tossed a bright red apple to Youth. "Here, squirt. Boss says no booze for you, so eat up."

"Thanks!" Youth caught the apple, taking a massive bite.

Buullet stood up, dusting her hands off with a cocky grin. "Gwahahaha! You guys are a riot! Easiest zenny I've ever made!"

Rischi just stood there, her brain completely short-circuiting. "Arghhhh! This is too much!"

Within ten minutes, Buullet integrated herself into the gang, pulling up a stolen crate next to the poker table balancing a massive, greasy turkey leg in one hand and a mug of liquor in the other.

"So I look the giant space-worm right in all six of its eyes, right?" Buullet boasted loudly, waving the turkey leg around like a sword and spraying grease everywhere. "And I say, 'Hey! You're blocking my landing zone, you overgrown noodle!' And then I just punched it right in the tonsils! Gwahahaha!"

"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Snag slapped the table, barking with laughter. "HAHAHA! No way! You punched a Sand-Worm? You're completely out of your mind, kid!"

"HAHAHAHAHA! She's crazier than the Boss when we run out of synth-caf!" the Lizard-man howled, wiping a tear from his scaly eye.

"Hey, don't encourage her, Snag, she already took my hubcap," Gnash grumbled playfully, though he was grinning from ear to ear. He took a massive swig from his jug. "I'll tell you what, squirt. You got guts. If you weren't Meat-Shield's friend, we might've recruited you!"

"Recruit me? Ha! I'd be running this cave in a week!" Buullet smirked, taking a massive bite of the turkey leg. She turned around to playfully slap the back of a passing mercenary to emphasize her point. "Right!?"

She slapped him a little too hard.

"Woops..." Buullet blinks a little.

CRASH!

The mercenary went flying forward, completely obliterating a rickety wooden table covered in empty glass bottles and half-eaten bowls of glowing green stew. Glass shattered everywhere, stew splattered against the rocky walls, and the mercenary groaned, tangled in the broken table legs.

"Ugh..."

The bar went quiet for exactly two seconds.

"I AM SO SORRY! PLEASE DO NOT VAPORIZE US!"

Rischi completely lost her mind. She dove onto the floor, clutching her muddy bath towel with one hand while desperately using the other to scoop up the broken glass and stew. Her face was pale with absolute terror.

"Buullet you idiot!!!" Rischi hissed under her breath, aggressively scrubbing a patch of spilled stew with a dirty napkin she found on the floor. "We are going to die! They are going to skin us and turn us into decorative rugs!"

The tavern erupted into roaring laughter again. The tension completely vanished as the bandits pointed at the terrified, frantically cleaning girl.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Nice moves girl! Ya tough!" The mercenary shouted, following with a loud laugh. "HAHAHAHA!"

"Wahahaha! Right?! The other one is crazy too!" Goliath boomed from his seat, pointing his massive purple finger at Rischi. "She moves faster than a scrub-droid on overdrive!"

Tri-Shot leaned against a rock, crossing his arms with an amused smirk. "I gotta admit, she's got good form. Look at that wrist action. She's getting all the grime out of the cracks."

"Hey, towel-girl!" Snag yelled over the music, pointing a metallic finger at her. "When you're done with that, my boots need a good polish! You make a hell of a maid!"

Rischi forced a horrifying, twitchy smile, bowing her head repeatedly while still scrubbing the floor. "Ha... ha... It is my absolute honor to clean your filth, sir... I love cleaning... Please don't shoot me..."

"Hey!" a sharp, raspy voice snapped from behind the bar.

The laughter died down as the tavern maid stepped out. She was a terrifying, towering four-armed alien woman wearing a stained, blood-spattered apron over spiked leather armor. She was holding a giant, rusted meat-cleaver in two of her hands, and a massive, soaking-wet mop in the other. Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as she glared down at Rischi.

"You think you can just march into my tavern and take over my chores?" the four-armed maid growled, her voice sounding like grinding rocks. "You trying to make me look bad in front of the crew, towel-girl?"

Rischi froze. She slowly looked up at the towering, four-armed nightmare. All the color drained from her face. "N-no! Ma'am! I was just... the glass... my idiot friend..."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The gang members laughed.

The alien maid stared at her for a long, agonizing moment. Then, a wicked, jagged smile spread across her face.

"Oh, so you're eager to help, huh?" The maid forcefully shoved the heavy, dripping mop right into Rischi's chest, nearly knocking her over. "Perfect. The latrines in the lower tunnels are backed up. Then you can scrape the boar grease off the roasting spit. If I see a single spot of dirt, I'm chopping you up for the stew."

Rischi hugged the disgusting mop to her chest, her left eye twitching wildly. "Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am. I will make those latrines sparkle like the rings of Saturn!"

"Wow, Rischi! You're so lucky!"

Youth came jogging over, holding a skewer of roasted mushrooms. He beamed at the four-armed alien woman. "Hi, Miss Helga! Did you give my friend a job?"

Helga's terrifying scowl instantly softened. She put away the meat cleaver, resting her hands on her hips. "Hey there, Meat-Shield. Yeah, your friend here really loves to clean. Figured I'd give her a workout."

"Right!" Youth nodded enthusiastically, completely oblivious to Rischi's silent, screaming pleas for help. 

"HA!" Buullet turned to Tri-Shot and Gnash, who were watching the exchange with massive grins. "Rischi-chan cleans our ship all the time! She gets really red in the face and yells, but I think it's just her battle cry for fighting dust! HAHAHAHA!"

Gnash threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Wahahaha! A battle cry for dust! Kid, you crack me up!"

"Well, get to it, 'Maid'!" Tri-Shot snickered, tossing a crushed soda can right at Rischi's feet. "Chop chop. The latrines aren't gonna scrub themselves."

"Gwahahaha! Don't forget to clean behind the barrels, Rischi!" Buullet yelled from the poker table.

"Buullet I'm going to kill you before they do! Arghhhhhh!!!!"

Rischi gripped the wooden handle of the mop so hard her knuckles turned white. She was freezing cold, covered in mud, wearing a towel, and now she was officially the janitor for a syndicate of cutthroats.

"I hate this planet," Rischi whispered to herself, violently plunging the mop into a bucket of murky, grey water. "I swear to King Yamma! I'm going to kill you Buullet! I swear!!!"

Youth followed right behind her as she started furiously mopping the cavern floor, happily chewing on his mushroom skewer. "Do you want me to help you look for the dirt, Rischi? I have really good eyes!"

Rischi stopped mopping. She slowly turned her head, fixing Youth with a stare so full of dark, murderous intent.

"Kid," Rischi said, her voice terrifyingly calm. "If you do not go sit down and play with your little criminal friends right now... I am going to take this mop, and I am going to make you eat it!!!"

Youth blinked, completely missing the threat. He just smiled brighter. "Okay! Have fun cleaning! Don't work too hard!"

He happily waved at her and trotted back over to the poker table, hopping up onto a stool next to Buullet. Snag and Gnash immediately clapped him on the shoulders.

"I'm going to teach you play cards kid! Hahahahaha!" Snag roared with laughed.

"Welcome to the Party kid! Hahahahaha!" Buullet pats Youth's head.

Rischi stood there alone aggressively scrub a mysterious, sticky purple stain off the cave floor while the four-armed maid watched her like a hawk.

"Read 'em and weep, boys! That’s another three hundred zenny in the pouch!"

Buullet slammed her cards onto the table with enough force to dent the metal, letting out a roaring, boastful laugh. She leaned halfway across the table, tapping Snag right on his metallic jaw. "What’s the matter, metal-mouth? Thought you guys were supposed to be tough guys! You play cards like a bunch of retired cargo-pilots! Gwahahaha!"

Snag’s mechanical jaw hissed as he ground his teeth, but he couldn't help but chuckle at her sheer audacity. "You’ve got a massive mouth for a squirt, lady. I haven't been cleaned out like this since the Great Comet Raid of '997."

Gnash, leaning back on his stool, shook his head in absolute amusement. He looked over at Youth, who was sitting cross-legged on an overturned barrel, happily munching on a giant roasted lizard-tail.

"Hey, Meat-Shield," Gnash called out, gesturing toward Buullet with his drink. "Where the heck did you dig up these funny people anyway? We’ve scouted this whole island, and the only things living here are us and those giant, flesh-eating frogs."

Youth swallowed his mouthful, wiping his greasy face with the back of his sleeve. "Oh! I found them on the beach! Well, actually, they came out of a giant iron monster!"

The entire table paused. Snag stopped shuffling the cards. 

Gnash blinked, his drink stopping halfway to his mouth as the Lizard-man froze too.

"An... iron monster, eh?" Snag repeated slowly, his single eye narrowing as a very specific, thought crossed his mind.

"Yeah!" Youth nodded enthusiastically, "It was a huge, scary grey monster with wings and round eyes! It tried to crash right into the woods, so I jumped up threw a tree on it, Then it broke open, and it spat them right out!"

The bandits exchanged rapid, glances.

"Is that so?" Gnash smiled, his voice dropping into a smooth, faux-casual tone. "A big iron monster. Man, sounds dangerous. Hey, buddy... where exactly did this monster land?"

"On the coast! Right past the big waterfall where the spiky rocks are!" Youth beamed, thrilled to be helping his family with a cool story.

The bandits looked at each other. A slow, wicked grin spread across Snag’s face. Gnash let out a low whistle. They had just hit the absolute motherlode.

Suddenly, Snag slammed his fist on the table, standing up and shouting at the top of his lungs. "ANNOUNCEMENT, BOYS! A BIG SHOUT-OUT TO OUR NEW FRIENDS!"

The entire tavern fell silent, looking toward the poker table.

"Miss Helga! Bring out the good stuff!" Snag roared, a massive, predatory laugh echoing through the cavern. "More drinks! More food for everyone! Tonight, we celebrate! To the iron monster, and to the best guests we've ever had!"

The bar erupted into a frenzy of cheering and table-thumping.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"YEAH!!! FREE DRINKS!!!" Buullet screamed, completely caught up in the hype. She leapt onto the table, hoisting her giant mug of fizzy soda high into the air, splashing it everywhere. "YOU GUYS ARE THE GREATEST! DOWN THE HATCH!"

On the other side of the room, Rischi was having non of it.

Hearing Buullet actively partying with the people who were currently holding them captive while she was literally knee-deep in grey mop water caused a physical short-circuit in Rischi’s brain.

"Arghhhhh!!!"

Her eyes blew wide open until they were the size of dinner plates. Her hair, already a wild, frizzy mess from the humid jungle canopy, literally shot straight up into the air, standing perfectly on end as if she had just licked a live plasma battery.

"BUULLET!!!" Rischi shrieked, her voice reaching a frequency that made the tavern's glassware vibrate. She threw her mop to the ground in protest. "Are you entirely mentally incompetent?! We are shipwrecked! We are lost! I have been scrubbing the floors of a criminal underworld for twenty minutes because of your mess, and you are *toasting* them?!"

Buullet didn't even look back, too busy clinking mugs with the Lizard-man. "Loosen up, towel-girl! Have a wing!"

"Arghhhhhhhh!!!"

Rischi opened her mouth to unleash a torrent of curses, but before a single syllable could escape-

*STOMP!!!*

The ground beneath Rischi's bare feet violently shuddered. Miss Helga stepped forward, planting one of her massive, spiked combat boots right next to Rischi's bucket. The sheer force of the stomp cracked the stone floor.

Helga leaned down, all four of her muscular arms crossing over her stained apron, her face inches from Rischi’s twitching nose.

"Less shouting, more scrubbing, towel-girl," Helga rumbled, her voice vibrating with pure authority. "The Boss doesn't like his celebration interrupted by the janitor. If I see you drop that mop again, I’m using your hair to polish the bar."

Rischi’s eyes shrunk to tiny, terrified pinpricks. The dread returned to her soul in a split second.

"Y-yes, ma'am! Splendid ma'am! Moving at the speed of light, ma'am!" Rischi stammered frantically. She grabbed the mop with a white-knuckled grip and began violently thrashing it against the floor, sobbing silently to herself as she worked at a superhuman pace.

As the music kicked back on and the tavern dissolved into loud, drunken chaos, the bandits kept the atmosphere loud and distracting. Gnash kept piling food onto Buullet’s plate, laughing at her jokes, keeping everyone entertained.

Amidst the roaring laughter, Snag slowly caught the eye of a lean, cloaked mercenary sitting near the back exit.

Snag simply gave a sharp, subtle jerk of his chin toward the cave entrance.

The cloaked mercenary gave a barely perceptible nod. He picked up his heavy iron mug, took one slow, deliberate last sip of his liquor, and set the empty mug quietly on the table. Without drawing any attention to himself, he slid off his stool and melted into the shadows, quickly heading outside into the jungle.

Most of the bar was too distracted by Buullet trying to balance three chairs on her chin to notice.

But Youth noticed.

Sitting on his barrel, a half-eaten lizard-tail in his hand, Youth watched the silent mercenary slip past the spiked barricades and disappear into the darkness of the coast trail.

Youth tilted his head to the side, his spiky hair shifting as he blinked in genuine curiosity. *Why would anyone leave the party?* he thought.

After an etery scrubbing the tavern floor for a thousand years. Rischi arms ached, her knees were bruised, and her pristine white bath towel was now completely grey.

Across the room, Goliath accidentally bumped into the four-armed bartender, spilling a tray of glowing drinks. 

"Hey! What where you are going!" Goliath roared.

"Watch where I'm going? You bumped into me!" The bartender shouted.

A massive, roaring argument immediately broke out. 

Miss Helga growled in annoyance, picking up her rusted meat-cleaver. "If you idiots stain my floor, I'm chopping off your toes!" she bellowed, stomping away from Rischi to break up the fight.

Rischi froze blinking a little.

Her eyes blew wide open. 

"Freedom!"

Without wasting a single microsecond, Rischi dropped the dirty mop into the bucket. Tying her towel tightly around her waist, she slipped into the shadows, stealthily navigating through the crowd.

She spotted Youth instantly. The spiky-haired boy distracted looking around the interesting things happening around the bar.

Rischi lunged out from behind a stalagmite, grabbed Youth by the collar of his gi, and yanked him backward into the dimly lit corner behind a stack of fuel barrels.

"Whoa! Hi, Rischi!" Youth smiled, the glass bottles clattering to the floor. "Are you done playing with the mop?"

"Quiet!" Rischi aggressively shushed him, her eyes darting back and forth to make sure none of the thugs had noticed them. She pinned him with a desperate, deeply confused glare. "Kid! Who the hell are you?! I can't believe you are with these people!?"

Youth blinked, his head tilting to the side.

Rischi’s angry expression instantly vanished, replaced by a massive sweatdrop sliding down the back of her head. She opened her mouth, closed it, and awkwardly scratched the back of her head, her cheeks flushing bright red. She scratched the back of her head and looks away. "I mean... I kinda just met you..."

Rischi stammered, looking around slightly embarrassed before her anxiety completely took over again. She snapped right back into his face, shaking him by the shoulders. "But still! You can't be with these people! Look at them!"

"Uh..." Youth blinked a little, genuinely not understanding her panic. "But they are my parents..."

Rischi slowly let go of his shoulders. She took a step back, her left eye twitching violently as she looked at the innocent, smiling boy, and then at the roaring, violent syndicate of criminals partying behind them.

"I'm really starting to think that you are just as dangerous as these people..." Rischi hissed, a cold shiver running down her spine.

Youth blinked a little as he remembers something rattling around his brain until it finally hit the single, lonely brain cell responsible for remembering his chores.

"Oh yeah!" Youth gasped, punching his palm with his fist. "I almost forgot!"

"Hm?" Rischi rises her eyebrows.

Before Rischi could even ask what he forgot, Youth reached out and grabbed her wrist with an iron grip.

"Gah! What are you doing?!" Rischi shrieked, her feet actually leaving the ground as Youth effortlessly pulled her out from behind the barrels and marched straight into the middle of the tavern.

He marched right up to the poker table, where Buullet was currently standing on her chair, one foot on the table, holding a massive pile of zenny chips laughing maniacally.

"And that's why you never bet against the great Buullet! Hahahahahaha!" 

Youth reached up and grabbed the back of Buullet's jacket, yanking her off the chair.

"Hey! I was about to win!" Buullet hissed, thrashing wildly as the zenny chips scattered across the table. "I had a pair of threes! That’s good, right?!"

"Come on! Let's go, guys!" Youth cheered, practically dragging the two girls across the stone floor like they weighed absolutely nothing.

The commotion caught the attention of the poker table. Snag, pausing with a cigar halfway to his metal jaw, leaned over the table.

"Hey, Meat-Shield! Where are you taking these two?" Snag asked, raising a metallic eyebrow. 

The rest of the gang members turned their heads, staring at the bizarre sight of their little mascot dragging the two girls away from the party.

"To Dad and Mom!" Youth called back over his shoulder, a massive grin on his face.

The tavern erupted into a fresh chorus of rowdy laughter.

"Wahahaha! Oh man, the Boss is gonna love this!" Gnash roared, slamming his mug on the table. 

"HA! Hey, kid! Make sure you duck if he starts throwing the heavy ashtrays!" Goliath shouted.

"Tell 'Mama' we're out of the good rum, will ya, squirt?" Tri-Shot snickered from the dartboard, casually tossing a knife into the air.

"Ten zenny says the Boss kicks 'em right into the swamp!" the Lizard-man cackled, quickly scooping up the chips Buullet had dropped. "The Boss hates loud noises, and that one with the crazy eyes is nothing *but* noise!"

"You better hope your 'Mom' doesn't get jealous of your new girlfriends, Meat-Shield!" another mercenary hooted from the bar.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!"

The gang members laughed and hollered, quickly turning back to their drinks and games, entirely unbothered by the fate of the two strangers.

As they were dragged helplessly around, Rischi and Buullet locked eyes.

Rischi’s eyes were wide with absolute, soul-crushing terror. Buullet’s eyes, however, were sparkling with chaotic, unhinged excitement. They were finally going to meet the leaders of this insane place.

"GET BACK HERE AND LET ME STRANGLE YOU!"

Rischi’s shouted, grinting her tooths. While she was being dragged she used her free hand aggressively swiping at Buullet.

"I was scrubbin grease off a roasting spit for twenty minutes! Twenty minutes! And you were eating and gambling?!" Rischi roared, her teeth completely turning into sharp, shark-like triangles in her fury. "I told you I would beat you up! I TOLD YOU!"

"Eek!" Buullet yelled, frantically leaning back and trying to pull herself out of Rischi’s furious grasp. A massive sweatdrop slid down the back of her head as she dodged a wild swipe. "I was winning our escape funds! Mostly!"

"Ghraaa!!!" Rischi charges again, swinging her hand towards her.

"GAH! I MEAN TOTALLY!" Buullet dodges, quickly leaning backwards.

"I WILL TURN YOU INTO A MOP!" Rischi shrieked. "I TOLD YOU I WOULD!!!"

"LOOK! WE ARIVED!" Buullet points forward. "Right, kid!?"

"Uhum!" Youth cheered happily, effortlessly dragging both the struggling, manic girl and the furious girl through the center of the tavern.

Rischi turns her gaze forward quickly, her eyes narrowing.

"Phew..." Buullet sighs relieved, she got out of that one.

They marched right up to the very back of the main bar area, where a large, slightly elevated circular booth sat in the shadows. 

Lounging on the plush velvet cushions of the booth was a mountain of a man with an eyepatch, a jagged scar, and a heavy captain's coat. Beside him sat a gorgeous, deadly looking woman, lazily swirling a glass of blue wine.

Youth finally stopped right in front of their table, releasing the girls. "Mom! Dad! I'm back!"

Both girls froze, their eyes widening as they looked up at the terrifying leaders.

The Boss let out a hearty, booming laugh. He leaned forward, resting his massive elbows on the table.

"Ah! Look Carmine, If it isn't our prodigal son!" The Boss grinned. "Come give Papa Boss the good news, kid. Tell me you finally caught that massive boar for dinner, right?"

"Nope!" Youth smiled brightly.

The Boss's smile twitched slightly. "Right. Well. I assume you at least set up those heavy traps in the eastern quadrant like I asked?"

"Didn't do those either!" Youth announced, putting his hands on his hips.

The Boss's jaw tightened. A small vein began to throb on his temple. "Okay... But you must have fetched the fresh spring water from the high cliffs? Papa’s throat is very dry."

"Not a single drop!" Youth beamed proudly.

*CRACK.* The Boss gripped the edge of the metal table so hard his knuckles turned white and the steel bent under his fingers. The vein on his temple was now pulsing dangerously.

Carmine quickly stepped in, placing a soothing, leather-gloved hand over the Boss's wrist. She forced a sickeningly sweet, maternal smile onto her face, her left eye twitching slightly.

"Oh, our precious little provider," she purred, though her voice sounded like it was being squeezed through a tight pipe. "If you didn't do a single one of your chores... what exactly have you been doing all day, hm?"

"I got distracted! Look!" Youth stepped aside, pointing dramatically at the two girls standing stiffly behind him. "I found new friends! They came out of a giant iron monster that fell from the sky!"

"A gigant monster...?"

The Boss and Carmine slowly shifted their gaze to the two strangers.

Rischi and Buullet exchanged nervous stares at each other.

"Well, well..." The Boss narrowed his single eye, leaning back into the cushions. He took a long drag from his cigar. "And what exactly do we have here? Where did you two girls came from?"

"A...ah!" Rischi’s eyes wide open. She aggressively elbowed Buullet in the ribs, stepping forward and bowing deeply.

"O-Oh, great and terrible... uh... Sir!" Rischi stammered, throwing her hands up dramatically. "We are but humble, tragic orphans! Yes! We were traveling around our home town when we were suddenly and violently swallowed whole by the terrible beast! It was terrible..."

Buullet blinked, rubbing her ribs, Rischi gave a subtle jerk of her chin toward the two individuals.

"Oh... Yeah!" Buullet shouted, slamming her fists together. "A huge beast! It was horrible!"

"It was horrific! Ah~" Rischi wailed, wiping a fake tear from her eye. "We thought we were doomed to be digested! But then, your brave, spiky-haired son descended from the heavens and defeated the monster! It spat us out onto your beautiful shores! We owe him our lives!"

Carmine swirled her wine, a sharp, knowing smirk playing on her red lips. "Fascinating. And tell me, little orphans... did this monster happen to have a cargo hold? Perhaps swallowed any valuable black-market tech or shiny zenny crates before it coughed you up?"

Rischi sweat-dropped. "Uhhh... just stomach acid! Lots of very corrosive, non-valuable stomach acid!"

"...?" Youth blinks a little, not understanding what was happening.

The Boss chuckled, a dark, rumbling sound. He stood up, towering over the table, and gave a subtle nod to the rest of the tavern.

"Very entertaining story, girls," the Boss said smoothly. "Very entertaining..."

Rischi and Buullet steps back, staring at each other and then back at the two individuals.

The Boss looked down at Youth, patting the boy's spiky hair. "Meat-Shield, you did good bringing your friends here. But Papa and Mama need to have a very boring, very serious adult conversation with them to figure out how to get them home. Why don't you stay here at the booth and have Miss Helga bring you a giant sundae?"

"A giant sundae?!" Youth's eyes practically turned into sparkling stars. "Really?! Okay! I'll wait right here! Have fun talking, guys!" 

Youth instantly hopped up onto the velvet cushions, kicking his legs happily.

"Ugh...kid..." Rischi hisses under her breath.

Buullet stands there on silence, the monkey she was hanging around on her shoulders.

"Oh, we will," Carmine smiled wickedly.

Before Rischi or Buullet could protest, heavy hands clamped down on their shoulders.

Snag, Gnash, Goliath, and a half-dozen other heavily armed gang members had quietly surrounded them. 

Without a word, the thugs roughly grabbed the two girls and dragged them away from the booth, hauling them clear to the other side of the massive tavern, near the damp, echoing storage tunnels.

"Hey! Watch the jacket, furball!" Buullet snapped, thrashing against Goliath's massive purple grip.

"Don't kill us, we know nothing, we are completely useless!" Rischi rambled frantically, her feet dragging across the floor.

Once they were completely out of Youth's earshot, the gang slammed them down onto a stack of wooden crates. The playful, partying atmosphere from earlier was completely gone. The bandits formed a wall of muscle and weapons around them, glaring down with cold, professional menace.

Snag stood at the front, his metal jaw gleaming under the neon lights. He let out a harsh, mechanical laugh.

"Heh, Alright, playtime's over, stowaways," Snag sneered, crossing his arms. "Let's cut the crap. We know it's a ship. So, you're gonna tell us exactly who are you two and what are you both doing in this island?"

Buullet scowled, crossing her arms right back at him. "Are you kidding me?! I was literally just having fun with you guys a second ago!"

Tri-Shot chuckled, leaning his massive rifle against his shoulder. "Wahahaha! You're a riot, squirt. And you throw a mean dart. But don't get it twisted."

"It's nothing personal, kid," Snag grinned, his metal teeth clanking together. "It's strictly business. In fact, you're already too late to stop us. While you were busy, we have people already stripping your shiny little ship down to the bolts right now."

Bullet's face drained of all remaining color. Her soul practically leaped out of her mouth. "No!"

"You backstabbing cheats!" Buullet cursed, jumping up and shaking her fist at them, completely devoid of fear. "That's our ride! When I get out of here, I'm gonna tie your jaw to your ankles, cyclops!"

The gang members threw their heads back and roared with laughter at the tiny girl's threats.

"WAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!"

Rischi grinted her tooths, her fists tight.

Meanwhile, completely oblivious to the hostile hostage situation happening across the room, Youth sat happily on the plush VIP couch. He had a spoon in each hand, waiting patiently and swinging his legs as Miss Helga was preparing a multi-colored ice cream sundae.

"Hehehehe!"

Youth was just about to dive face-first into the ice cream sundae Miss Helga had brought him as she walked right back to the kitchen, He had a spoon in each hand and a massive, starry-eyed grin on his face.

But right before he took the first bite, he froze. A single, thought rattled around in his brain and finally clicked into place.

"Uh..." Youth blinked, lowering his spoons. "My monkey friend is still with Buullet..."

"And I promised to give them the shiny candy. Papa Boss always says a promise is a promise so I gotta go give them!" Youth says determined.

He quickly reached into his pocket, pulling out the glowing, amber Dragon Ball. Abandoning the sundae entirely, Youth hopped off the cushions and began jogging across the tavern toward where the gang had dragged his new friends.

Meanwhile, a little bit far, The Boss and Carmine strolled over to the circle of heavily armed thugs, looking down at Rischi and Buullet like they were deciding what to order off a menu

Buullet hisses, taking a step back while Rischi followed her step, they didn't had anywhere to go.

"Alright, enough wasting time," the Boss grunted, waving his heavy cigar. "Boys, tie 'em up. We’ll sell the loud one to the asteroid scrap-miners for fifty thousand zenny, and we'll sell the towel-girl to the deep-space angler-fleets as bait."

"Bait?!" Rischi shrieked, tighting her fists.

"Hold on just a minute, you cheap warthog!" Carmine suddenly snapped, slapping the Boss's arm with her leather-gloved hand. "We are not selling them!"

She turns to Snag. "You said that the this one was the one who cleaned this whole place to make it look like this?" She points to Rischi.

Snag smirks. "Affirmative, Mistress, this one is quite a maid, hehehe."

"HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE"

The gang members burst into laughter, as Rischi hisses.

Carmine points at Buullet and Rischi. "Did you heard that? I want them both! They can fan me with giant palm leaves while I sunbathe, and the loud one can be my personal footstool! I had enough of paying for people to do jobs that they should do it for free!"

"A footstool?!" Buullet roared, her sharp teeth bared. "I'll bite your ankles off!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Carmine!" the Boss yelled back, completely ignoring Buullet's death threat. "Do you know how much a scrap-miner pays for a kid with that much energy? We could buy a whole new crate of torpedoes! We need weapons, not another maid!"

"Oh, so it's always about your stupid torpedoes?!" Carmine shrieked, pressing her forehead aggressively against the Boss's. "Maybe if you aimed properly, we wouldn't need to buy so many! I haven't had a proper spa day in three months! I'm keeping the girls!"

"WE ARE SELLING THEM FOR ZENNY!"

"I AM KEEPING THEM AS SLAVES!"

The two leaders continued to scream right in each other's faces, petty insults flying back and forth while the rest of the fearsome gang just stood around, scratching their heads and awkwardly looking away. 

"Uh...."

A collective, massive sweatdrop hanging over the entire crew.

"Gah! Enough of this!" The Boss roared, violently waving his hands in the air. He turned his furious, single eye to Snag and Gnash. "Just grab the brats and throw them in the holding cell! We'll figure out what to do with them after we strip their ship!"

"Humph!" Carmine crosses her arms with a pout and looks away.

The gang members immediately snapped back to attention. Snag, Gnash, and Goliath smirked wickedly, cracking their knuckles and drawing their heavy weapons as they took a step forward.

"Ya want a piece of me?!" Buullet shouted, stepping forward and puffing out her chest, trying to look big and intimidating. "I’ll scramble your circuits! I’ll turn you all into a pile of smoking bolts!"

"Wahahaha! The squirt thinks she can take on the whole crew!" Goliath boomed, slapping his massive stomach as the rest of the gang burst into mocking laughter. 

"BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

The gang members took another step forward, casting long, dark shadows over the two girls.

Buullet and Rischi quickly stepped back, their shoulders bumping as they found themselves backed into a corner, standing side-by-side.

Rischi gritted her teeth so hard they squeaked. Her eyes darted frantically around the room, calculating exits, weapons, and the number of enemies. They were completely surrounded. "D...darn it..."

Buullet cracked her neck, a manic, chaotic smile breaking out across her face. She dropped into a low, completely unrefined brawler's stance.

"Well, Rischi-chan," Buullet grinned, her eyes burning with battle-lust. "You ready to show these rejects what we're made of?"

Rischi slowly turned her head to look at Buullet. Her left eye twitched.

"IF YOU HAD JUST LISTENED TO ME!" Rischi screamed at the top of her lungs, her hair standing on end. "IF YOU HAD STOPPED BEING AN ABSOLUTE, RECKLESS MANIAC FOR FIVE SECONDS AND JUST STAYED IN THE WOODS, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING! WE WOULDN'T BE FIGHTING A WHOLE BAR FULL OF ARMED THUGS!"

Buullet’s smirk instantly deflated. She let out a long, exaggerated sigh and dramatically puffed out her cheeks into a massive pout, looking away.

"Tch. You're no fun when you're making perfectly logical sense," Buullet grumbled, crossing her arms for a second before shaking it off and slamming her fists together.

"YOU MASSIVE DUMBASS!!!"

Rischi groaned, grabbing a thick, metal serving tray and held it up like shield.

The gang members raised their weapons, ready to pounce. Buullet wound up her fist, ready to launch herself straight at them.

The tension in the air was so thick that it could be cut, both groups staring at each other, ready to brawl at any second.

As the tension rise up, Youth casually squeezed right through the wall of giant, muscular legs.

"Excuse me! Coming through! Pardon me"

Youth effortlessly pushed past the towering thugs, entirely oblivious of what was happening. He walked right up to Buullet, reached behind her back, and gently scooped up the small, frightened monkey that had been clinging to her jacket this whole time.

"Uh...?" Buullet turns at him, blinking a little.

"There you go!" Youth smiled brightly, setting the little monkey down on the stone floor. "Bye-bye!"

The monkey gave a quick, grateful chirp before instantly turning around and sprinting out of the cavern as fast as its little legs could carry it.

Youth dusted off his hands. Then, he looked up.

He saw Snag aiming his blaster. He saw Gnash hefting a heavy rifle. He saw Rischi cowering behind a serving tray, and Buullet dropping into a fighting stance.

Slowly, the cheerful smile on Youth’s face vanished. His expression dropped into a blank neutrality.

"Uh... What is going on?" Youth asked, tilting his head.

Everything stared at him, The gang members blinked, slowly turning their heads and looking down. 

Their eyes widened as Youth was standing right in the crossfire.

Rischi and Buullet locked eyes. Their gazes softened as they let out a breath.

"GAAAH!!!" The Boss shrieked, his single eye nearly bulging out of its socket. Frantically waving his arms. "PUT THE GUNS DOWN! PUT 'EM DOWN RIGHT NOW, YOU IDIOTS!"

*CLATTER! CLANG!*

The gang members hidded their guns whistling innocently as they look around. Snag quickly tried to hide his blaster behind his back, looking at the ceiling.

"Ah!!!" Carmine lunged forward, instantly dropping to one knee in front of Youth. Plastering on a smile on her face that looked painful.

"Oh, sweetie! Honey! Precious Meat-Shield!" Carmine cooed, aggressively pinching Youth's cheeks. "Nothing is going on! Nothing at all! Papa and Mama were just having a lovely, totally normal conversation with your new little friends! Ahaha."

"Hey! Quit lying to the kid, you two-faced witch!" Buullet shouted, stepping forward and pointing an accusing finger at Carmine. "You were literally just about to sell us! Snakes!"

Youth blinks a little, starting at them.

"SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE RAT!" The Boss roared at Buullet, a massive purple vein popping on his forehead.

"DON'T YOU SHOUT AT ME, CYCLOPS!" Buullet roared back, bearing her sharp teeth.

"Why did you have guns pointed at them?" Youth interrupted, his voice cutting through the shouting, pointing to the guns they were hiding and looking directly at the Boss, his narrowed eyes unblinking.

The Boss flinched, a massive drop of sweat sliding down his scarred face. "Guns?! What guns?! Oh! You mean the... the toys! Yes! Papa Boss was just showing your friends our brand new, completely harmless toys! We were comparing collections! Right, boys?!"

"Uh... yeah! Pew pew!" Tri-Shot nodded frantically, making finger-guns.

"AH..AHA! YEAH! GUN TOYS!"

Youth tilted his head, turning to Carmine. "Then why did you look so mad?"

"Mad?! Me?! Never!" Carmine gasped, clutching her pearls in fake offense. Her left eye twitched violently. "I wasn't mad, sweetie, I was just... I had a stomach ache! Yes! Mama ate some bad turkey, and it made my face scrunch up! It was just severe indigestion!"

"Stop gaslighting him!" Buullet screamed, throwing her hands in the air. "Youth, they are literal pirates!"

"Ghrr..." Rischi grints her tooths.

"LIES AND SLANDER!" The Boss bellowed, stepping in front of Buullet to block Youth's view of her. He put his massive hands on Youth's shoulders, looking down at him with a look of deep, fake sorrow. "Listen to me, son. Papa Boss wouldn't lie to you. These girls... they aren't who you think they are."

"Yeah!" Carmine chimed in, quickly moving to Youth's other side and nodding solemnly. "They might look like your friends, but they're actually very mean, very dangerous strangers! They came into our home, broke our tables, and started saying terrible things about us! They were trying to steal our zenny!"

"I WON IT FAIR AND SQUARE!" Buullet yelled from behind the Boss.

"They're bad news, kid," the Boss continued smoothly, trying his absolute hardest to turn the boy against the girls. "You shouldn't hang around people like that. They use people. They trick people. You should let Papa Boss put them in the holding cell so they can't hurt you."

Youth just stood there. He looked at the Boss's sorrowful face. He looked at Carmine's nodding. Then, he leaned slightly to the side to look past the Boss's massive legs, locking eyes with Buullet and Rischi.

Rischi was nervously biting her lip, holding her metal serving tray like a shield. Buullet was panting slightly, looking frustrated.

Youth blinked a little, his intense, narrow glare slowly melting away as he tilted his head to the other side.

"But..." Youth said slowly, completely failing to grasp the complex manipulation the pirate leaders were attempting. "...they're my friends. And I brought them here."

The Boss and Carmine froze, their smiles cracking.

"Meat-shield... Remember, you got to always listen to Papa and Mama..." Carmine says with a smile, her eyebrows twitching.

"But..." Youth tilts his head.

"But nothing, Meat-shield. Listen to Papa and Mama, this girls are no good!" Carmine hisses, trying to keep herself calm.

"But... I don't get it..." Youth blinks a little, scratching the back of his head.

"Why you..." Carmine grunts her tooths, her patience falling apart.

The Boss’s patience completely evaporated. The vein on his forehead throbbing so hard it looked like it was about to burst.

"Forget the scrap-miners!" The Boss roared, violently pointing his thick finger at the two girls. "Blast 'em into dust!"

*CLICK-CLACK!*

A dozen heavy rifles instantly cocked, glowing with lethal, bright-blue energy as the gang members took aim.

"Oh, sweetie, don't look!" Carmine gasped. She instantly threw herself onto her knees in front of Youth, wrapping her arms around his head and pressing his face into her leather-clad shoulder. "Close your eyes, honey! Ignore the noise! Papa Boss is just taking out the trash, it’s going to be very loud!"

"Bring it on, you cheap jockeys!" Buullet screamed, her manic grin returning full force. She crouched low, her fists clenched so tight her knuckles popped, ready to charge straight into a wall of blaster fire. "I’m gonna make you eat those rifles!"

"DARN IT!!!" Rischi wailed, hiding behind her metal tray and squeezing her eyes shut.

"STOP!!!"

Youth’s voice cracked through the cavern like a thunderclap.

With a single, effortless motion, Youth pushed Carmine back. Making tumbling backward onto her rear with an undignified squeak.

"A...ah!" Carmine eyes wide open.

In a flash of blue, Youth leaped right into the crossfire. Landing squarely in front of Buullet and Rischi, spreading his arms wide to shield them from the glowing gun barrels.

"Don't hurt them!" Youth yelled, his chest heaving as he stared down the terrifying crew of pirates. "They didn't do anything wrong! They're my friends!"

"Meat-Shield! Get out of the way!" The Boss barked, trying to keep his fake paternal voice intact while his teeth ground together furiously. "Papa Boss is trying to protect you! These girls are thieves! They came here to steal our zenny and our food!"

"HE'S LYING!" Buullet pointed an accusatory finger right over Youth’s shoulder, glaring daggers at the pirate kingpin. "We didn't steal anything! They're just playing you, kid! They're using you to do all their dirty work!"

"Dirty...work..." Youth looks around, his eyes narrowing.

"They are dangerous scavengers!" The Boss shouted back, slamming his fist onto a nearby crate.

"You're a greasy, one-eyed scammer!" Buullet fired back, taking a step forward.

"They were going to rob us blind!"

"You were going to steal our ship and sell us for parts!"

"Pests!"

"Kidnappers!"

"Liar!"

"Cyclops!"

"Okay, honey, deep breaths, remember your blood pressure..." Carmine pleaded frantically from the floor, tugging on the Boss's heavy coat.

"SHUT UP!" The Boss finally snapped, violently shaking off her hand. He took a massive, heavy step toward Youth, casting a terrifying shadow over the small boy.

"A....ah..." Youth looks up at him, his eyes narrowing.

The Boss pointed his finger down at Youth, his voice dropping into a low, deadly, and deeply manipulative growl.

"Listen to me, kid," the Boss demanded, staring right into Youth's wide eyes. "I gave you a place to sleep. I gave you food. I let you stay on this island. So you have to make a choice right now. Who are you going to trust?"

He gestured wildly to Buullet and Rischi. "Some random, loudmouth pests you just found in the woods ten minutes ago?!"

The Boss slammed his hand proudly against his own chest. "Or us?! The people who took you in?! People you should obey! Your *FAMILY*?!"

The word echoed off the damp stone walls of the cavern.

Youth froze completely.

The fierce, protective fire in his eyes instantly wavered. His arms slowly dropped to his sides. He looked at the Boss’s angry, expectant face. 

He looked over his shoulder at Buullet, who was staring right back at him with fierce determination, and Rischi who shook her head.

"Family..." Youth's eyes blew wide open. A look of confusion and heartbreak washed over his face. Unable all that was happening, Youth slowly took a stumbling step backward, distancing himself from both the crew and the girls.

Youth’s wide eyes darted frantically between the heavy rifles, the snarling gang, and the two girls behind him. His brain simply couldn't process the sudden hostility between both groups.

"Wait! I get it! Everyone is just playing!" Youth laughed, forcing a bright, trembling smile onto his face as he held his hands up. 

Everyone stared at each other and then back at him.

"Okay, okay! You win! We don't have to fight! Look, we can all just calm down and eat the shiny candy together! I promised I'd share it!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, thrusting his hand high into the air.

The amber sphere caught the dim lights of the cavern. The crimson stars suspended inside it pulsing with a faint, mystical glow.

The Boss’s eye blew completely open.

Carmine’s jaw hit the floor, her act shattering into a million pieces.

Every single gang member in the bar froze, their eyes locked onto the glowing orb.

Behind Youth, Rischi and Buullet eyes narrowed to sharp slits as they stared at the sphere.

"I-It can't be..." The Boss whispered, his voice trembling as he took a step forward, completely hypnotized by the glow. "Carmine... is that...?"

"The thing," Carmine breathed, her manicured hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Kid..." Snag eyes wide open, as he steps forward. "W...where did you found that...?"

"A...ah... I..." Youth steps back looking around.

"Do... Do you know what your are holding...?" Goliath whispers, taking a step forward.

"A...ah... I... don't..." Youth takes another step back.

"MINE!" Buullet shouted. Without hesitating for a single microsecond, she dashed forward, her arms outstretched to tackle the boy and snatch the ball.

"BUULLET, YOU IDIOT, STOP!" Rischi shrieked, desperately reaching out to grab the back of Buullet's jacket.

"GET IT! GET THE THING NOW!!!" The Boss roared, pointing a massive, trembling finger at Youth.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

At the exact same time, the wall of muscular gang members surged forward, holding their guns and reaching out grasping hands to dogpile the kid.

"Ah!" Youth gasped.

Terrified by the sudden, violent rush of bodies, Youth yanked his arms back, hugging the Dragon Ball tightly against his chest. Taking a massive step backward, his eyes wide open in panic.

*SCREEECH!*

Everyone instantly slammed on the brakes, their boots skidding violently against the stone floor. 

"Gah!" Buullet tripped over her own feet, barely catching herself. "Phew..."

The towering gang members piled up behind each other and nobody dared to take another step.

The gang members nervously looked at each other, sweat pouring down their faces.

The Boss quickly he held out his hands, taking a slow, gentle step forward.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, Meat-Shield!" the Boss cooed, his voice dripping with greasy charm. "Papa Boss didn't mean to scare you! We were just excited about your... candy! Yes! We had no idea you had such a special treat in your pocket!"

"Hm." Youth looks around.

"That's right, sweetie!" Carmine chimed in, leaning over the Boss's shoulder and wiggling her fingers playfully. "Mama loves shiny candy! But it looks a little too hard for your little teeth! Why don't you hand it over to Mama and Papa, and we'll keep it safe for you in the vault?"

Youth blinked, holding the ball tighter against his blue gi. "But... it's big enough for everyone! I can just break it in half, and then we can share it! You don't have to put it in the vault!"

The Boss's smile twitched violently. A massive vein throbbed on his temple. "N-No, son, don't break it! It's... uh... it loses its flavor if you break it! Just hand it to Papa! Be a good boy and give me the ball!"

"No!" Youth said, taking another stubborn step backward. "You're acting weird! You yelled at my friends, and now you want to take my candy without sharing!"

Carmine's sweet facade began to crack. "Listen to us, you little brat-!"

"SHUT UP! YOU WILL RUIN EVERYTHING!" The Boss hissed under his breath before turning back to Youth, his smile now looking unhinged. "Meat-Shield. Son. I am your Papa. You have to listen to me! I said give me the ball!"

Carmine breathed, taking a step forward. "The candy you are holding, we can win a billion zenny with it! We can put a bunch of toys for you! A bunch of food! Gives up the ball, sweety!"

"No! I promised to share it with Buullet and Rischi!" Youth argued, shaking his head.

*SNAP.*

The last remaining shred of the Boss's patience completely broke. The paternal charade vanished, replaced by the ruthless, cold-blooded glare.

"Forget it," the Boss growled, his voice completely devoid of any warmth. He raised his hand and pointed a thick finger directly at Youth's chest. 

"Shoot the brat. Aim for the head so you don't scratch the artifact!"

The hesitation vanished from the gang.

*CLICK-CLACK!*

A dozen heavy rifles were instantly leveled directly at Youth's face, humming with lethal blue energy.

Youth's eyes blew wide open. The people who gave him food, the people who gave him a place to sleep, the people he called Mama and Papa... were pointing guns at him. "...b-but..."

"YOU ABSOLUTE MONSTERS!" Buullet screamed at the top of her lungs, stepping up beside Youth and baring her teeth at the firing squad.

Beside them, Rischi squeezed the metal serving tray in her hands, grinding her teeth together so hard they squeaked, her eyes locked on the glowing muzzles of the rifles.

"But... but it's me!" Youth said his voice cracking as he looked desperately at the wall of glowing rifles. He clutched the amber sphere tightly against his chest. "We're family! Papa Boss, Mama! We just have to share the candy and everything will be fine!"

"SHUT UP AND GIVE ME THE BALL, YOU BRAT! EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE ONCE WE SELL IT!" the Boss roared, his face red with manic greed.

"YEAH!!!!"

The gang members roared in unison.

Youth flinched, his shoulders pulling up to his ears.

"DON'T YOU DARE GIVE IT TO HIM, KID!" Buullet screamed.

Youth flinched again, spinning his head toward her.

"HAND IT OVER RIGHT NOW!" Carmine shrieked, her manicured hands clawing at the air. "BE A GOOD BOY!!!"

Youth flinched again, taking a step backward.

"DON'T DO IT! THEY'RE LIARS!" Buullet hollered at the top of her lungs.

Youth flinched one last time. He gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling violently as the overwhelming noise and hostility crashed down on him, non of this was supposed to happen and the candy he was holding just made it even worst.

"FINE! IF IT MAKES EVERYONE THIS MAD, I'LL JUST THROW IT AWAY!" Youth screamed. He reared his arm back, fully prepared to chuck the artifact straight through the cavern wall and away to the distance.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

The entire gang shouted, their voices echoing through the cavern. Their eyes wide open.

Youth flinches again, freezing mid-throw, terrified by the volume of their panic. His hands shaking uncontrollably. "I..."

"ENOUGH!!!" The Boss shouted snatching a heavy pistol from the nearest person and aiming it directly at Youth's forehead. "GIVE IT. NOW."

Youth's wide eyes suddenly narrowed into a sharp glare as he stared back at the Boss.

Buullet completely lost it. "YOU COWARD!" she roared, lunging forward to try and reach Youth. But before she could take two steps, Goliath and Gnash slammed into her, grabbing her by the arms and keeping her locked in place.

"STAY DOWN YOU BRAT!!!"

"GAARGH!!! LEMME GO!!!"

Buullet thrashed wildly, kicking her boots, while the other gang members aimed their rifles straight at her and Rischi.

Rischi gritted her teeth in absolute silence, her eyes locked intensely on Youth.

And then, a new voice pierced though the tension.

"GHAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Suddenly, a body was violently launched into the bar from the front entrance. It sailed through the air and slammed hard onto the stone floor, skidding right into the center of the standoff.

Everyone's eyes blew wide open. They instantly lowered their guns and turned their gazes to the floor. It was a gang member who was responsible for stealing Rischi and Buullet's ship. He was completely beaten up, covered in scorch marks, and groaning in agony.

The whole gang watched in absolute terror. Snag’s mechanical jaw dropped open. "Fuji... What...what in the cosmos happened to you?!"

"W...what is this...?" Carmine eyes wide open.

Before the gang member could answer, a commanding, booming voice echoed from the dark entrance of the cavern.

"FREEZE!!!"

"G...gah!" The whole gang gasped, a shiver of dread running down their spines.

Suddenly a small, cylindrical canister clattered across the stone floor, stopping right at the Boss's boots.

"Huh...?" Youth blinks a little.

"BOMB!!!!" Buullet shrieked at the top of her lungs.

*FWOOSH!*

"GHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"

The gang members shouted as the canister detonated making the entire bar instantly erupting into a massive, blinding cloud of thick, white smoke.

The gang members quickly dived into the dirt as heavy boots stomped into the cavern. 

A full tactical squad clad in white and blue uniforms poured into the room, rapidly fanning out and surrounding the gang.

"EARTH PATROL!!! NOBODY MOVES!!!"

Stepping through the smoke with authority was a short, stern-faced man with short black hair, wearing a personalized Earth Patrol uniform.

"THE POLICE!!!!!" Carmine shouts pointing.

"THE POLICE!!!!!!" The gang members shouted, their eyes wide open.

"THE POLICE?! HERE?! HOW!!!!!!?" The Boss roared in sheer panic. He wildly pointed his pistol into the smoke. "GET THE GUNS! EVERYBODY GET TO COVER!"

Youth’s eyes were wide in confusion as the crew immediately opened fire. Bright blue and red plasma bolts illuminated the thick smoke as the gang dove behind overturned poker tables and heavy metal crates.

"HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"

Buullet quickly twisted out of Goliath's distracted grip, diving through the air, and tackled Youth straight to the floor behind a massive, rusted fuel tank.

"Eek!!!" Rischi sprinted right behind her, sliding into the dirt on her knees, desperately clutching her towel.

"TAKE THEM OUT!!!! DARN ITTTTT!!!!" The Boss shouts, firing with all his might.

The short, black-haired Earth Patrol officer casually raised his hand forward. A shimmering energy force field effortlessly deflected the barrage of bullets and plasma bolts that rained down on him. "Tsk..."

His squad immediately took cover behind the cavern stalagmites, returning fire with precision stun-blasts.

"GHRAA!!!" One of the gang members gets shoot.

"YOU INSOLENTS!!! KEEP FIRING!!!!" Carmine shouts on top of her lungs, firing her gun.

Lasers scorched the air, glass shattered, and the gang screamed in the chaos.

Youth lay on the ground, his eyes wide in terror at the explosion of noise and violence. "A...ah..."

"CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COVER YOUR EARS, KID!" Buullet commanded, shoving Youth's head down.

Youth instantly obeyed, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as he could and slapping his hands securely over his ears, trembling as the bar was torn apart around them.

Rischi leaned against the table, panting heavily. A relieved grin spread across her face. "FINALLY!!!! IT WAS ABOUT DAMN TIME!"

Buullet whipped her head around, glaring at Rischi through the flashes of laser fire. "THEY GOT TO US! YOU BETTER HAVE A PLAN NOW, RISCHI-CHAN, OR WE WILL GO TO JAIL JUST LIKE THESE GUYS!"

"OF COURSE I HAVE A PLAN, YOU IDIOT!" Rischi shouted over a massive explosion that shook the cavern. "THEY'VE BEEN TAILING US SINCE FOREVER! I KNEW THEY'D CATCH UP EVENTUALLY!"

Without hesitation, Rischi reached deep under the folds of the bath towel wrapped tightly around her body.

"HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!!!" Buullet screamed to Youth, bracing her boots against the stone floor.

All around them, the gang hideout was rapidly being reduced to rubble. Wood splintered, neon signs shattered, and the relentless crossfire around them.

"AHA!"

Rischi shouted triumphantly, pulling a tiny, metallic capsule from the folds of her towel. She held it up like a beacon of hope amidst the raining fire.

"HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE!?" Buullet shouted over the deafening noise, ducking as a stray plasma bolt scorched the table they were in. "Gah!"

"DON'T STAY BEHIND! GRAB THE KID!!!" Rischi commanded. Without a second thought, she recklessly stood completely out from behind their cover, exposing herself to the crossfire.

"RISCHI!!!! GET DOWN!!!" Buullet screamed, wrapping her arms around Youth and tackling him lower to the ground.

Youth’s eyes blew wide open, staring up in terror as Rischi stood tall amidst the flying sparks.

Rischi wound her arm back like a professional pitcher. "HAAAA!!!" With all her might, she threw the tiny metallic object right over the heads of the Earth Patrol, aiming directly for the wide entrance of the cave.

At the front of the cavern, the short, black-haired officer felt something small get past him, he turns his eyes backwards seeing nothing. Suddenly, his sharp eyes narrowed. A blur of motion zipped right past him.

It was Buullet and Rischi, sprinting at breakneck speed, with Buullet dragging a very Youth by the collar of his blue gi.

"What the-" The short, black-haired man's eyes widened in surprise as the trio dashed completely out of the cavern and into the open air.

Seeing the Earth Patrol officer momentarily distracted, the Boss saw an opening. He jumped out from behind his barricade, pointing his massive gun toward the cavern door.

"IT'S OUR CHANCE!!! BLOW THEM AWAY!!!" The Boss roared.

"BLOW THEM!!!" Carmine shrieked, stepping out from behind a crate and firing her blaster alongside the rest of the charging gang members.

"YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The short, black-haired man slowly turned his gaze back toward the charging gang. His expression cold, sharp, and unfazed. He raised his open hand toward them.

Suddenly, a blinding, terrifyingly dense sphere of pure energy ignited in his palm.

The entire pgang froze mid-step. The Boss and Carmine gasped, the blood instantly draining from their faces. Their eyes blew wide open, filled with terror as they stared at the overwhelming power radiating from the officer's hand.

Outside the cave, the capsule Rischi had thrown finally hit the dirt.

*POOF!* 

In a massive cloud of thick, expanding pink smoke, the tiny object instantly transformed into their half broken ship.

The Earth Patrol agents stationed outside the cave jumped out of their boots, quickly turning their rifles toward the massive vessel, and then toward the three kids sprinting for the boarding ramp.

"THE SUSPECTS ARE RUNNING AWAY!!! REPEAT, THE SUSPECTS ARE RUNNING AWAY!!!"

"GET IN!!! GET IN!!! GET IN!!!" Rischi shrieked, scrambling up the ramp and diving headfirst inside the ship.

"HOP IN!!!" Buullet shouted, violently dragging Youth up the metal ramp behind her.

"G..gah!" Youth yelped as he was hauled inside just as the heavy airlock door began to slide shut.

Rischi vaulted directly into the main pilot’s seat, frantically grabbing the control wheel with both hands.

"HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!!!!" Rischi screamed. She slammed her hand down on the ignition and aggressively shoved the thruster completely forward.

"AHH!!!" Buullet squeezed her eyes shut, dropping to the floor and hugging Youth tightly against her chest to brace for impact.

"A...ah!!!" Youth’s eyes wide open, having never been inside a machine like this in his entire life.

*CLANG! PING! BZZZT!*

Outside, the Earth Patrol agents opened fire. Stun-blasts and armor-piercing rounds ricocheted off the hull of the ship, denting the metal and scorching the paint as they tried to stop the launch.

"MOVE SHIP!!! MOVE!!!!" Rischi roared, pulling the steering wheel aggressively upward into her chest. "COME ON!!!"

The massive engines roared to life, spitting a torrent of blue jet fuel and fire. The ship violently launched straight up into the air at maximum speed, breaking through the atmospheric drag with an ear-splitting sonic boom.

On the ground, the Earth Patrol agents coughed through the smoke, quickly tapping their wrist-communicators.

"WE GOT A 9/10! I REPEAT! A 9/10!" an Earth Patrol officer shouted into the comms. "SUSPECTS ARE AIRBORNE! PURSUE!"

"FOLLOW THEM!!!"

The agents quickly scrambled, jumping into the cockpits of their Earth Patrol pursuit ships. Within seconds, their engines revved up, and a squadron of patrol ships shot up into the sky, quickly giving chase after Rischi and Buullet's vessel.

Inside the escaping ship, the G-force finally leveled out as they broke through the cloud line.

Youth stumbled over to the thick glass viewport. He pressed his hands against the glass, his eyes wide.

He looked down out the window, watching the only home he had ever known, the forest, the jagged mountains, and the bar shrinking smaller and smaller until it disappeared entirely beneath the clouds.

*PEW! PEW! ZAP!*

The Earth Patrol persuit ships swarmed the skies like angry hornets, their twin blasters firing nonstop.

Rischi gripped the control wheel with white-knuckled intensity, her teeth sharp with stress. With a feral scream, she yanked the wheel to the left, executing a sharp barrel roll. "GHRRRR!!!"

"GAHHHH!" Buullet shrieked as gravity suddenly flipped.

Both she and Youth were instantly detached from the floor, flying across the ship. Buullet managed to catch herself on a loose structural pipe, her legs swinging wildly in the air.

"HOLD ON KID!!!" Buullet shouted, closing her eyes and pressing them as the ship violently shuddered from a near-miss.

Youth squeezed his eyes shut even harder, his tiny hands locking onto the same metal pipe. He gripped it with such strength that the thick steel groaned and bent like soft clay under his fingers.

The ship leveled out for a brief second, dropping them both heavily back onto the floor.

"HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO REPAIR THE SHIP LOOKING LIKE THIS!?" Buullet shouted, crawling toward a handrail while the cabin lights flickered off and on.

Rischi whipped her head back and shouted a massive vein pulsing on her forehead.

"WE ARE LITERALLY FALLING apart! DOES THIS SHIP LOOK REPAIRED TO YOU!?" Rischi screamed, spit flying from her mouth in sheer frustration. She yanked a smoking lever that snapped completely off in her hand. "IF YOU HAVEN'T RUSHED INTO PROBLEMS HEADFIRST LIKE A BRAINLESS IDIOT, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT I JUST STORED THE DAMN SHIP IN A CAPSULE AFTER THE CRASH! BECAUSE OF YOU, WE WERE ALMOST ROBBED!"

"Well, it's a good thing you did!" Buullet yelled back, pouting. "You are supposed to be the brain after all."

"OH REALLY!? NO WAY!" Rischi shouts annoyed.

*BOOM!*

A heavy plasma bolt clipped the ship’s left thruster, sending a shower of sparks cascading past the main viewport.

"GAH!"

The whole crew yelped as the ship starts to tremble slowly.

"A...AH!!! THEY ARE GETTING CLOSER!!!" Buullet shouted, pointing a trembling finger at the rear window.

The five Earth Patrol ships formed a tight V-formation, their engines roaring as they closed the gap. The lead patrol officer’s locked on, his finger hovering over the trigger.

"Oh no, you don't!" Rischi gritted her teeth.

She slammed her foot down on the auxiliary fuel pedal and aggressively shoved the steering wheel completely forward.

The battered ship plummeted out of the sky like a dropped anvil, diving straight down toward the sparkling blue ocean below. The Earth Patrol ships didn't hesitate, diving right after them in a synchronized descent.

Right before smashing into the water, Rischi violently pulled up.

*WHOOSH!*

The ship leveled out barely ten feet above the ocean’s surface. The sheer force of their massive thrusters ripped through the sea, kicking up giant, towering roosters of water on either side of them.

The intense G-force slammed Buullet right against the back wall, her face flattened against the metal plating. "Oof!"

Youth managed to scramble back to the glass window. His eyes wide open, completely round with awe.

"Wow... Look at the big splash..." Youth eyes narrow, his nose pressed flat against the viewport as a massive school of startled flying fish leaped out of the water alongside the ship.

The Earth Patrol ships were relentless. Skimmed into water right behind them, their laser blasts hitting the ocean surface.

Huge plumes of superheated steam erupted into the air, blinding the pursuit team for a fraction of a second.

"WE DID! TAKE THAT COPS! HAHAHAHA!" Buullet cheered, pulling herself off the wall and shaking her fist at the window.

"Don't celebrate yet!" Rischi panicked, her arms shaking as she tried to keep the vibrating wheel steady. "STAY DOWN!!!"

The ship gave a violent lurch to the side, its left wing dipping directly into the crest of a massive wave.

"LIFT THE WING! LIFT THE WING!" Rischi shrieked, her eyes wide open.

The left wing carved a massive trench through the ocean, spraying a wall of water over the viewport. 

"GHRRRRRR!!!"

Rischi threw her entire body weight onto the control wheel, yanking it to the right. The ship violently snapped upward, breaking free from the water's grip, with the sudden overcorrection sent it spinning like a tossed coin through the air.

"WAHHH! Rischi-chan, my stomach is in my throat!" Buullet yelled, her body stretched out completely horizontally as she clung to a ceiling pipe for dear life.

"WEREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE THE RADICAL ONE!!!" Rischi roared back, grunting her tooths.

*PEW! PEW! PEW!*

Behind them, the Earth Patrol squadron splited their formation, two ships diving low to flank them from the left and right, while the lead officer stayed dead center, lock-on squares flashing across his targeting visor.

"Target acquired," the lead officer muttered coldly. "Deploying the Hyper-Magnetic Snare."

*THOOM.*

A heavy, metallic disk launched from the bottom of the patrol ship. It rocketed through the air, trailing a thick cable of bright blue, crackling energy.

*CLANG!*

The disk slammed perfectly onto the rear hull of the girls' ship, magnetically locking itself to the armor plating. Instantly, the energy cable tautened, and the resistance of the trailing Patrol ship acted like a massive anchor.

The ship gave a violent, neck-snapping jerk. The engines groaned, black smoke coughing out of the exhausts as their speed plummeted by half.

"Gah! We're caught!" Buullet yelled, dropping from the ceiling pipe and landing flat on her face before quickly scrambling back up. "Rischi-chan, faster!!!"

"I can see that!" Rischi wailed, desperately pumping the throttle, but the ship was barely crawling through the sky now. "The engine is going to overheat! We're sitting ducks! We can't go any faster!!!"

Youth was still looking out the rear window. He watched the thick, glowing blue energy cable stretching out from the back of their ship directly to the front of the sleek Patrol vessel.

"Oh! A game..." Youth blinks a little. "They want to play tug-of-war... I guess."

Oblivious to what was happening between the two girls, Youth looked around seeing the cable that was attached to a manual towing winch inside the cargo bay wall, meant for pulling heavy crates. The steel gears of the winch were grinding and smoking under the pressure of the Patrol ship's resistance.

"Don't worry, guys! I'll help us win!" Youth nodded.

He walked right up to the massive, solid iron manual crank handle of the winch. He grabbed it with both hands, planted his feet firmly into the metal floorboards, and shouted.

"GO!"

Youth violently yanked the handle backward, cranking the winch.

Inside the trailing Earth Patrol ship, the stern-faced officer calmly monitored his screens, waiting for the suspects to surrender. Suddenly, his radar screen began to violently glitch.

*CREEEEEECH!*

"What-" Before the officer could even blink, his entire ship was violently jerked forward at an impossible, supersonic speed. The physical force of Youth cranking the winch was reeled the Patrol ship inward like a caught trout.

The officer’s eyes wide open. "GAAAAAHHH!! W-WHAT KIND OF PROPULSION SYSTEM IS THIS?!" he screamed, his voice pitching up an octave as his ship rocketed toward the rear bumper of the girls' vessel.

"Rischi-chan!" Buullet blinked, looking at the rear-view monitor in the cockpit. "The cop ship... it's coming right at us! It's accelerating! Are you doing that?!"

"I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING! THE THROTTLE IS STUCK!" Rischi screamed, hiding her face behind her hands.

*One more crank!* Youth thought giving the iron handle a massive, final spin.

*SNAP.*

The thick, magnetic cable couldn't handle the sheer violently snapped in half with a deafening *CRACK*, releasing a massive shockwave of blue electricity.

The sudden release of tension sent the trailing Earth Patrol ship flying forward like a stone from a slingshot. Sailing right past the girls' ship.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" The officer shouts as he gets thrown away. "MAYDAY!!! MAYDAY!!!"

The runaway patrol vessel clipped the wing of one of its partners, sending both of them spinning out of control into a series of dizzying, chaotic loops before they both crashed into the ocean below.

"Whoa..." Youth watched the two ships splash into the sea from the window. "They're really good at skipping. That looked like fun!"

"RISCHI OPEN YOUR EYES!!! YOU DID IT!!! LOOK!!!" Buullet shouts, pumping her fist up. "HELL YEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Rischi slowly uncovered her eyes. She looked at the radar. Two targets were down, and the remaining three Earth Patrol ships completely broken their formation avoiding the the wreckage, throwing them into disarray.

"I... I did it..." Rischi blinks a little.

"YOU DID IT!" Buullet shouts with a grin.

"I DID IT!!!!!" Rischi shouted, gripping the wheel. "We're breaking for the upper atmosphere! Hold onto your hair!"

"FLOOR IT!!!" Buullet shouts pointing forward.

Youth tilts his head as he looks at them.

With the extra weight of the cable gone, Rischi slammed the remaining fuel reserves into the main thrusters. The ship let out a mighty, sputtering roar, its nose pointing straight up into the heavens.

*FWOOOOOOOSH!*

The ship shot upward like a fireworks rocket, leaving a massive trail of black smoke and white steam behind it as it plunged directly into a dense, towering wall of thick gray storm clouds, completely vanishing from the Earth Patrol's sight.

"TWO OFFICERS DOWN! I REPEAT, TWO OFFICERS DOWN! 02 GO DOWN THERE TO SAVE THEM!"

"ROGER! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!"

"ROGER THAT!"

One of the Earth Patrol ships stays behind, diving down to recover the fallen officers from their pods, the two remaining followed the girl's ship.

The battered ship plunged into the dense, churning gray clouds. Moisture streaked across the viewport, plunging the cockpit into near darkness, illuminated only by the sparking control panels.

Behind them, the two remaining Earth Patrol ships zoomed into the cloud bank.

"I can't see a thing!" Buullet yelled, pressing her face against the glass.

"That's the point, you idiot!" Rischi snapped, her hands flying across the dashboard. She flipped a series of switches, cutting the ship's main headlights and radar ping. "Hold your breath! I'm cutting the main thruster to silent running so they lose our heat signature!"

The deafening roar of the engine suddenly died down to a quiet, rattling hum. The ship gliding silently through the thick storm clouds.

The two Patrol ships shot past them in the mist, their searchlights cutting through the fog. Without a radar lock or a heat signature to follow, the officer's lost their bearings. One by one, the ships banked away, peeling off to search the wrong quadrant of the sky.

Rischi held her breath, Buullet covered her mouth with both hands. Youth just blinked, looking around the dark room.

A long, agonizing minute passed.

Suddenly, the gray mist outside the window began to thin. The dark clouds broke apart, revealing a blindingly bright, beautiful blue sky.

*FWOOSH!*

The ship glided out of the storm front. Below them, stretching out was a massive, sprawling continent of green plains, rocky canyons, and winding rivers. Finally solid land.

"Ah..." Rischi let out a breath, her tense posture completely deflating. She slumped heavily back into the pilot's chair, a giant, exhausted smile spreading across her face. "Ha! HAHAHA!"

"WE DID IT!" Buullet shrieked with absolute joy. She grabbed Youth by the hands and started jumping up and down in a chaotic, spinning circle in the middle of the cargo bay. "TAKE THAT, SPACE COPS! NOBODY CATCHES BUULLET AND RISCHI-CHAN! WE ARE INVISIBLE! WE ARE UNTOUCHABLE!"

"Yay!" Youth cheered, happily spinning along with Buullet.

"I'm a genius!" Rischi laughed, wiping a tear of pure relief from her eye. She kicked her feet up onto the smoking control console. "I told you I had a plan—"

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

The cheerful atmosphere instantly shattered.

"Ahh!"

The whole gang looks around.

Every single light in the cockpit suddenly flipped from a comforting green to a blaring, flashing, emergency crimson red. A mechanical siren began to wail at ear-splitting volume throughout the cabin.

"WARNING. WARNING. CRITICAL ENGINE FAILURE. IMMINENT DROP." A robotic, female voice chimed over the loudspeakers.

The smiles on vanished from Buullet and Rischi's faces. They froze completely in place.

"Uh... Rischi-chan?" Buullet squeaked, slowly pointing a trembling finger at the flashing dashboard. "Why is the ship yelling at us in red?"

Rischi slowly, mechanically turned her head toward the control panel.

"A...ah..." Rischi voices dries off.

*KACHUNK.*

The rattling hum of the engine died completely. The thrusters outside sputtered, coughed a final, puff of black smoke, and shut off.

For one second, the heavy metal spaceship hung suspended in the air in absolute, silence.

"What does it mean?" Youth asked, tilting his head.

"IT MEANS WE'RE FALLING!!!" Rischi and Buullet screamed at the exact same time.

"...Falling...?" Youth eyes wide open.

*WHOOOOOOOOSH!*

The nose of the ship violently pitched downward. Without any engine power to keep it aloft, the massive hunk of metal plummeted out of the sky like a thrown brick, dropping straight toward the rocky canyons below at terminal velocity.

"KYAAAAAAAAAH!"

Buullet and Rischi's faces were instantly flattened against the ceiling as gravity completely abandoned them. They flailed their arms wildly, giant tears flying from their eyes as the ground rushed up to meet them at terrifying speed.

Youth floated right beside them, looking out the front window as the earth approached. "A...ah..."

The rocky canyon floor rushed up to meet the viewport with unstoppable speed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Buullet and Rischi's screams echoed through the cabin, their faces locked in wide-mouthed terror as they braced for the inevitable.

"Eek!" Youth flinches, shutting his eyes harder.

*BAAAAAAAAM!!!*

The nose of the spaceship slammed into the hard dirt of the plains at an acute angle, sending a massive, shockwave-like explosion of dust, rocks, and uprooted grass hundreds of feet into the air.

With no landing gear deployed and a completely dead engine, the heavy metal vessel became a skipping stone.

*SKRRRRRRRCH!!!*

The ship violently bounced off the initial crater and slammed back down, skipping across the rugged terrain. Carving a massive, smoking trench right through the middle of the green plains, tearing through boulders and plowing over trees. Sparks flew in blinding showers as the metal hull scraped against the solid stone of the canyon floor.

The gravity dampeners had failed upon impact. Buullet and Rischi were thrown from the ceiling to the floor, tumbling head over heels like ragdolls in a washing machine.

"OOF!" Buullet crashed into the main console.

"GACK!" Rischi slammed into the co-pilot's chair, her towel miraculously staying perfectly wrapped despite the hurricane of flying debris and sparks inside the cockpit.

Youth couldn't keep his balance. The sheer force of the bouncing ship sent him tumbling out of the air, rolling across the floor.

"Gahhh, dizzy!" Youth muttered, his eyes swirling in little dizzy spirals as he bounced off.

The ship skidded for what felt like miles, the screeching of tearing metal deafening their ears. 

Finally, with one last lurch, the nose of the ship plowed directly into a massive, solid rock wall at the base of a cliff.

*CLANG!*

Buullet hit the floor face-first, groaning in main. "U..urgh..."

Rischi slumped over the steering wheel, completely motionless. Youth tumbled one last time, gently thumping his forehead against the floor.

The blaring red emergency sirens sputtered, groaned, and finally died out, leaving the cabin in ringing silence. Sparks rained down softly from the ceiling wires, illuminating the dark cabin.

A collective groan escaped the three of them, and then, the darkness took over. Everyone was out cold.

A single, wisp of black smoke drifted up from the shattered main console, accompanied by a lazy zap-it of dying electricity as everything was silent.

"Ughhhhh..."

Buullet was the first to stir. She groaned, a sound that came from the depths of her soul as she slowly peeled her face off the metal floorboard.

"My spine... feels like a broken accordion..." she muttered, rubbing her back.

A few feet away, a pile of loose wires and dented plating began to shift. Rischi emerged from the wreckage like a swamp monster rising from the muck.

"A...ah..." Rischi wheezed, her jaw hanging slack as she clutched her aching shoulder. "What a trip..."

While the two girls stood up, Youth sat up.

He sat cross-legged in the dirt that had blown through the cracked hull, blinking slowly. He looked at his hands, then looked around at the shattered glass, the smoking wires, and the torn-open roof of the ship that now looked out into the open canyon.

"Hey..." Buullet called out, her voice softening as she crawled over the debris toward him, her aching body making her wince. "You okay, kid? Anything broken?"

Youth looked up at her, his wide eyes entirely blank.

"Hm..." Youth said quietly, his voice small.

Rischi hobbled over, wincing as she leaned against a rusted support beam. "Glad you are ok, kiddo." She said, her gaze soft.

Buullet patted his shoulder, giving him a weak, encouraging grin despite the massive knot throbbing on her head. "We are safe now kid..."

"For how long... that's the question..." Rischi sighed, dragging her feet over to what remained of the pilot's console.

She reached out and gently tapped the main diagnostic screen.

*CRACK.*

The entire monitor instantly shattered into a spiderweb of dead glass, a single spark leaping out to zap her finger. 

"Argh!" Rischi flinched, pulling her hand back. She looked out the front viewport. The nose of the ship completely wrapped around a solid granite cliffside like a piece of tin foil. The main thruster in the split in half, leaking a dark puddle of coolant onto the grass below.

The ship had given everything it had left just to get them across the sea. It was done.

"Well?" Buullet asked, looking up from the floor where she was helping Youth dust off his blue gi. "Can we capsule it?"

Rischi slowly let her hands drop to her sides, staring at the ruin of their only ticket off this planet.

"No," Rischi said, her voice quiet.

Buullet’s frowned, She looked around at the ruined walls, feeling a wave of genuine sadness for their battered little ship.

Youth slowly stood up looking out at the vast canyon stretching out before them, the wind gently rustling his spiky brown hair.

Rischi heavily rubbed her face with both hands, letting out a long, exhausted sigh as she finally stepped away from the dead console as she turned around to look at her crew.

Buullet looked away scratching the back of her head, Youth stood by the shattered viewport just quietly staring out at the canyon landscape.

Rischi shakes her head. "No good kid." she called out, gesturing at him. "Look at you. Your clothes look worse now than when we first found you wandering in the woods."

Youth blinked, slowly looking down at himself. His blue gi heavily scorched, torn at the knees, and completely covered in dirt and engine grease.

Buullet sighed looking around. "Well, what are we supposed to do about it?"

"The main engine is dead, but the backup battery is still trickling," Rischi explained, crossing her arms over her towel. "There should be just enough energy left in the rear compartments to power up printer and some things.

"Really!? Thank God..." Buullet’s takes a deep sigh.

"I'm starving, let's cook some warm food or something already."

Buullet closes her eyes, walking towards the rear compartment door, just telling her body carry her.

Youth blinked, tilting his head.

*YOINK!*

Rischi’s hand shot out like a lightning bolt, grabbing the back of Buullet's jacket collar and yanking her backward.

"G..gah!" Buullet choked on empty air, her legs cycling uselessly before she was slammed back onto the floor.

"Hey! What was that for!?" Buullet protested, rubbing her neck and glaring up at Rischi. "I'm totally busted! I need calories to heal... Ugh..."

"I haven't forgiven you yet!" Rischi shouted, her shark teeth as she pointed an accusing finger at her partner. "NO FOOD FOR YOU FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT!"

"Oh, come on!" Buullet groaned dramatically, throwing her hands up. "Just forget about it already! That was, like, hours ago! I was just having a little bit of fun! God forbid I enjoy my life for five seconds!"

"A LITTLE BIT OF FUN!?" Rischi shrieked, her voice echoing through the canyon. "You left me alone in that place! You let me get dragged around doing manual labor and chores! Look at me! I look terrible, and I have been walking around in a damp bath towel for hours because of your reckless behavior!!!"

Buullet hisses, "Ugh, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Look, you're just so incredibly good at cleaning up my messes that they... you know... just made you do more of it! After all, isn't that what you... like to... do?" Buullet flashed a wide, incredibly nervous smile, sweat pouring down her forehead.

Rischi went still. A thick, heavy silence fell over them. A massive, throbbing red cross-popping vein materialized on Rischi’s forehead as her left eye began to violently twitch.

Buullet swallowed hard, holding up her hands defensively. "I mean... am I wrong though... hehe?"

Rischi marched over to Youth, grabbed him firmly by the wrist, and started dragging him toward the rear compartments.

"NO DINNER FOR YOU!" Rischi shouted over her shoulder.

"Ah," Youth blinked a little as he was dragged across the floor. He looked back at Buullet blinking a little.

Buullet sat on the floor a massive drop of nervous sweat hanging off the side of her face as she stared at him.

*SLAM!*

Rischi dragged the boy into the compartment area and aggressively slammed the heavy metal door shut behind them, the echoing boom ringing through the empty, busted ship.

Buullet sat in silence for a few seconds. She let out a long, slightly bored sigh. "Me and my big mouth..."

With nothing else to do and her stomach rumbling a tiny protest, Buullet simply flopped onto her back, laying flat on the cold metal floor of the ship, staring up at the cracked, sparking ceiling.

Rischi let out a long, shuddering breath as soon as the compartment door slid shut behind them. The quiet hum of the backup generator being the only sound around them.

"Just give me a sec, alright," Rischi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I need to wash myself before anything else."

Youth nods, watching her go.

She walked into the small bathroom, leaving Youth standing in the hall. Youth blinked a little, tilting his head as he heard the sudden rush of water running through the pipes. 

He turned around, his eyes curiously taking in the metal walls, the blinking emergency lights, and the various compartments of the ship's living quarters.

After a few minutes, the water stopped. The bathroom door slid open, letting out a puff of warm steam. Rischi stepped out, finally rid of the the dirt, with a fresh, clean white towel securely wrapped around her body and another smaller one drying her hair. She let out a deep, relaxed sigh. "Ah... Much better..."

Youth stared at her, blinking curiously.

Rischi grabbed a spare towel from a nearby shelf and gave it to Youth. "Alright, your turn. Give me your clothes so I can throw them in the printer."

Youth grabbed the towel, blinked a little, and then gave a firm nod. Without a second thought, his hands went straight to his waist, and he immediately started pulling his pants off right there in the hallway.

"W-WAIT! STOP!" Rischi shrieked, threwing her hands over her eyes. "I GAVE YOU A TOWEL FOR A REASON! DON'T JUST STRIP IN FRONT OF ME!"

"Uh?" Youth paused, standing there with his pants halfway down, and tilted his head in confusion.

"Go to the bathroom and change in there, ok?" Rischi said, pointing blindly at the door.

"Oh! Okay!" Youth nodded cheerfully. He awkwardly waddled into the bathroom with his pants around his knees and let the door slide shut.

Rischi shook her head, letting out a long, exasperated sigh. "And take a bath while you're in there!" she called through the door. "Use the soap too!"

A little while later, the bathroom door slid open again. Youth walked out, a white towel securely wrapped around his waist, his spiky brown hair dripping wet. Smelling significantly better now.

Rischi smiled, resting her hands on her hips. "See? Much better. You look a lot cleaner now."

Youth sniffed his arm, then pointed directly at Rischi. "Now I look and smell like you!"

Rischi chuckled, shaking her head. "Hehe... That's called 'body care', silly. It's important."

"Body...care," Youth repeated slowly, testing the words on his tongue as he tilted his head.

Rischi smiled warmly as she held out her hand. "Alright, hand over the clothes. I'll run them through the printer, patch up the holes, and try to make them look brand new again."

"Hm!" Youth nodded and handed her the bundle of dirty, torn blue fabric.

Rischi took the clothes, but as she did, her gaze dropped. Nestled safely in Youth's other hand was the Dragon Ball he had, Rischi stared at it, completely mesmerized for a second by the object that had caused them so much trouble today.

Youth blinked a little, staring up at her blank expression.

Rischi suddenly snapped out of her daze, shaking her head. "Right! Just... wait here. It should just take a sec."

Youth waited patiently in the hallway, looking around at the metal paneling.

A few minutes later, Rischi stepped out of the laundry compartment. Now properly dressed. She wore a bright yellow and black jacket over a white shirt, short green shorts, high black stockings, and stylish blue and yellow shoes. To top it off, a large, red bow was tied neatly into her black hair.

She stopped right in front of Youth, struck a pose, and did a quick spin.

"So? How do I look?" Rischi teased, placing her hands on her hips with a confident grin. "A million times better without that rusty old towel, right?"

Youth smiled brightly, genuinely happy for her. "Uhum! You look great!"

Rischi's confident smirk softened into a warm, genuine smile. "Thanks, Hehehe. Here." She held out his blue gi. The holes and dirt gone, the tears in the knees were patched, and the fabric looked crisp and vibrant again. 

Rischi rubs her chin, looking around. "Hmmm, I don't think the colors are accurate though, it's should be more of light blue but it looks slightly more darker now."

Youth's eyes blew wide open in pure awe. He carefully took the clothes, running his hands over the fabric. "Whoa... they look brand new!"

He held the shirt up, but his cheerful gaze slowly began to drop. "A...ah... I think I won't ever have more new clothes... Thank you Rischi-chan..."

Rischi panicked slightly, "H-Hey! Don't worry so much about that!" she stammered, waving her hands frantically. "We can buy you a bunch of clothes! If you want, of course! A whole mountain of them! Orange, blue, whatever you want!"

Youth stared at her clumsy, frantic attempts to cheer him up. Slowly, the sadness in his eyes faded, replaced by a soft, appreciative smile.

Rischi blinked, caught slightly off guard by the gratitude in his eyes. She quickly clapped her hands together, pointing down the hall. "A-Anyway! Go change already! You can use my room; it's the first door on the left!"

"Hm!" Youth nodded and ducked into her bedroom. A minute later, he walked out in his fully repaired gi. He grabbed the collar of his shirt, took a deep sniff of the clean fabric, and spun around happily. "Smells good!"

Rischi clapped her hands together, a bright smile on her face. "Hey! Hehehe, you look great!"

"Okay, now eyes up, little one!" Rischi declared, her chest puffed out with a newfound sense of importance.

"Ohh?" Youth eyes wide open.

She waved her hand at the ship’s small kitchenette. "This is the galley!"

Youth stepped forward, his eyes wide. He approached the cold, humming metal box standing against the wall. "What... is that?"

"That a refrigerator," Rischi said, her voice dripping with dramatic flair. She grabbed his hand and placed it on the handle. "Go on, pull it."

Youth yanked the handle. The door swung open, and the tiny interior light flickered to life. Youth jumped back, gasping, then immediately leaned in, mesmerized. He opened and closed the door ten times in a row, watching the light dance. "Looks like a freezer!"

Rischi burst into a fit of giggles, leaning against the counter. "Yep, think of it like a small freezer, it serves more to store food than drinks!"

"Ohh!" Youth eyes wide with awe. 

"Come here, check this out," Rischi said, leading him to the communications console. She pressed a button, and the screen hissed with static before settling on a distant, colorful nebula. "This is the communications console! If you wanna watch TV or talk with someone you can use this! Remember to ask me first, copy?"

"Ooh!* Youth leaned in, his nose inches from the glass. "Is that where the stars sleep?"

Rischi said, smiling softly. "Yep! They are tucking in for the night, Hehehe..."

"Woahh..." She watched him closely, noticing the way the blue light reflected in his eyes, she took a deep breath, smiling softly.

"Wait until you see the gravity-spinner in the cargo bay," Rischi whispered, leaning in close with a playful smirk. "It makes things feel heavy or light. Want to see me lift a crate that weighs as much as an elephant?"

"You can lift an elephant!?" Youth’s jaw dropped.

"Uhum! Watch and learn!" Rischi winked.

When the tour was finally over, it was midnight, Rischi grabbed some spare bedding. Right outside her bedroom door, in a small, cozy alcove in the hallway, she set up a makeshift bed for him placing her own cushion on the floor and topped it with her best pillow.

"Alright, all done," Rischi said, stepping back and firmly patting the mattress. "It’s super comfy. This is your spot."

Youth stood perfectly still, staring down at the soft mattress. He had slept on dirt, on grass, and on cold, damp cave floors his entire life, not knowing what to do.

"Go on," Rischi encouraged gently, gesturing to the bed. "Try it out."

Youth slowly crawled onto the mattress. He tentatively pressed his hands into the memory foam, his eyes widening as it contoured perfectly to his shape. He slowly laid his head down, nuzzling his cheek deep into the soft, plush fabric of the pillow. A deep, involuntary sigh of pure comfort escaped his lips. "Soft!" He says with a smile.

Rischi giggles, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom. "Right? Hehehe..." 

"Well..." Rischi lets out a tired sigh. "Goodnight, little one."

Youth looked up at her from the pillow, his brow furrowing slightly. "What about Buullet-chan...?" he asked softly.

Rischi shook her head, her smile turning a bit smug. "She's in punishment. She sleeps on the floor tonight."

Youth blinked, his brow furrowing. "Is Buullet a bad person?"

Rischi's smile faded slightly. She sat down on the edge of his cushion, crossing her legs.

"No," Rischi said softly, shaking her head. "Well... Buullet isn't the perfect partner at any means, don't get me wrong, She's loud, she's reckless, and she causes a lot of problems. But... she doesn't do it intentionally. Even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes... she is a good person. And when it really matters, she's someone I can trust my life."

Youth stared at her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed what she was talking.

"We've been working together for a long time," Rischi continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. "We're on a journey looking for the Dragon Balls."

Youth's eyes narrowed further. "Dragon... Balls?" he whispered.

Rischi nodded. "They're magical objects from a legend. The story says that if you gather all seven of them together, it summons an almighty dragon that can grant you any wish you want."

She walked out of her room, holding a heavy velvet sack. She opened the drawstring, revealing three glowing amber spheres inside chimering softly against each other.

Youth's eyes blew completely wide open as they looked exactly like the one he held in his hand.

Rischi closed the sack, pulling the string tight, and offered a soft, hopeful smile. "Everyone has something they aren't happy with in their lives. Things they wish they had, or things they wish they could change. Thanks to the Dragon Balls... maybe our lives can change for the better. Maybe we'll get what we've been wishing for our entire lives. Who knows?"

Youth listened in silence, his narrowing.

Rischi let out a massive yawn, stretching her arms over her head. She giggled sleepily. "Hehehe... Anyway, it's getting super late. Tomorrow, we'll need explore this place we crashed in and try to find some help. But for now, we really need to rest."

Youth nodded, letting out a small yawn of his own.

"Goodnight, Youth," Rischi smiled, standing up.

"Goodnight, Rischi-chan," Youth replied, giving her a small smile.

Rischi nodded, stepped into her bedroom, and let the sliding door close, leaving it just a few inches open so he wouldn't feel trapped in the dark hall.

Youth lay back down on the bed. He slowly petted the soft blanket with his hands.

But as the silence of the ship settled around him, his mind began to race. The events of the day caught up to him. The screaming. The rifles pointed at his face. The people who fed him, the people he called Mama and Papa... turning on him in a second over a shiny rock.

His small fists slowly tightened in the sheets. He gritted his teeth, his eyes welling up with deep, stinging hurt and burning anger.

"Hm?" Rischi's sleepy voice called out from the crack in her door. "You okay out there?"

Youth quickly wiped his eyes, taking a shuddering breath. "I'm okay."

"Mmkay..." Rischi mumbled, her voice trailing off as she instantly fell back asleep.

Youth calmed down, tooking a deep, calming sigh, letting the anger wash away.

He quietly stood up, his bare feet making no sound against the metal floor. He looked down at his right hand. The one-star Dragon Ball glowing softly in his palm. His eyes narrowing with quiet determination.

He stepped toward Rischi's room, gently pushing the sliding door open just enough to slip inside.

Rischi completely zoned out sprawling horizontally across her mattress, one leg hanging off the side, snoring heavily with a tiny bubble of drool forming at the corner of her mouth.

Youth walked silently up to her bedside. He looked at her sleeping face and smiled softly. He lifted his shirt and carefully polished his Dragon Ball until the one crimson star shined perfectly.

Then, with the utmost care, he placed his Dragon Ball gently on the mattress right next to her pillow.

He gave a firm, satisfied nod. He turned around, walked quietly out of her room, and hopped back into his own bed, finally closing his eyes to sleep.

Outside the compartment area, Buullet was fast asleep sitting cross-legged on the floor and her cheek smooshed against the metal compartment door, snoring peacefully through the cold night.