This story introduces another crossover sector featuring kids from Bleach (except Kodama's from One Piece). Also, each segment will have a cryptogram containing foreshadowy info. Look on the Gravity Falls wiki to learn how to decipher cryptograms. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Soccer Star Karin
Sewer hideout in Hong Kong
The office was cold and filthy under the city sewers. No reasonable human would want to come, let alone attempt to live down here. That's why it was the perfect hideout for criminals.
A group of six Chinese men, half wearing black suits and half wearing white, entered the office of Panda Bubba, the chubby crime boss whose features matched that of a panda. His scowl narrowed. "Did you find it?"
The guards stepped aside as a fat ninja in a dark-red suit marched up. He bowed and presented a box to Panda Bubba. The crime boss took and opened the box. A yo-yo with a Yin symbol was inside.
"The Yin Yo-yo." Panda pulled the round device out and stared at it. "One of a pair which can enter the Yin-Yang World. Very good, Tubbimura." He smirked.
"It is my honor." The fat ninja spoke. "Master Hannibal will be most pleased."
"Yes, he will." Panda rolled the yo-yo up and down. "And once we locate the other one, we will be able to enter the Yin-Yang World and free the Chaos Kin like he said. You know… I was unsure of Hannibal Bean's leadership at first, compared to Lord Genious… but this plan of his is ingenious. If it succeeds, we may at long last have the upper hand over those Kids Next Door."
"Should we not be concerned for them, Boss?" a henchman asked. "According to Lord Bean's information, the Kids Next Door have been keeping close watch on the yo-yos, by order of two legendary spies, Yin Bean and Yang Bean."
"Yes, I know. Hannibal's grandchildren learned the secret of the yo-yos and ensured their safety. Which is why I suspect Sector JP their selves will attempt to sneak in here and take them back. That's why we have strengthened our security." Panda smirked. "We will secure the Yin Yo-yo before Lord Bean arrives to take it. All of our guards will ask each other passwords to check for spies, as well as secret handshakes, not to mention those finger and tongue scanners we had installed. More importantly, I will keep the yo-yo on me. It will be impossible for any spy to get it. No matter how great Sector JP's stealth talents are, they will fail miserably. I can only imagine-"
"Ooo! Uh! AH!" One of the guards' heads was hit twice by some invisible punch-like force, before he flipped on his back. "Oh, ow, AH!" The same happened to another guard.
"What? What are you doing?!" Panda yelled as Tubbimura drew his katana, ready to strike. "Get yourselves together!" The other henchmen scrambled to focus.
"Um, excuse me? May I say something?" a soft and squeaky voice asked.
"Who is there?!" Panda grabbed a gun and searched around panickingly.
"Who are you talking to?" Tubbimura asked.
"I just wanna say that, well, Sector JP isn't 'stealth-based' so to speak. We're field operatives. But, we're still a great team, heheh."
"Show yourself! NOW!" Panda thundered. "Huh?" He moved his eyes together when a tiny red bug landed on his nose. "Off me!" He furiously smacked it off—the bug grew into a skinny girl in a red jumpsuit with a "K" on the chest. She had small blush marks on her face.
"Ah hahahaha." She blushed and chuckled softly. "Sorry. I guess I'm not even stealthy."
4x4 officer of Sector JP
URURU TSUMUGIYA (Numbuh Centipounds)
"Boss! Boss, we've got trouble!" a voice yelled through a speaker on the desk. "The Kids Next Door! They're-"
"WAAAAAH!" That guard flew into the office, across the room, and crashed face-first in the wall behind Panda. They all faced the entrance as a boy stood proudly, holding a giant baseball bat over his shoulder. He had red hair, a white T-shirt, and blue shorts.
"Brotherhood criminals, your tyranny ends here!" The boy pointed accusingly. "Prepare to face the unstoppable power of Jinta Hanakari-"
A soccerball flew from the left and hit Jinta's head, knocking him away. "DAMMIT, Jinta, you almost killed us when you knocked that wall down!" A girl with short black hair, a black shirt with a yellow cat design, and gym shoes stomped up, looking furious. "The ceiling gave way and almost crushed us!"
Leader of Sector JP
KARIN KUROSAKI (Numbuh 12-0)
"We were gonna take forever goin' around that way!" Jinta stuck his face into hers, both faces pushing the other. "Don't be pissed 'cause I improvised!"
"You always act without thinking, that's the problem with you."
"You're just jealous because I got here faster than your monster feet could."
"These feet'll kick you in the nuts and make you a girl if you ever do that again. Then you'll finally fit in with us."
"Really, is that what happened to you?"
"WHAT'D YOU SAY?"
"WHAT ARE YOU CHILDREN DOING?!" Panda Bubba roared. The two scowling kids turned their attention to the room.
"Y'know what, screw this, I just wanna beat these guys and get outta here." Jinta rushed in and began beating the guards with his bat.
"Not before I beat 'em!" Karin dashed in and swung a powerful kick at Tubbimura's belly. The ninja didn't budge as his flesh wobbled like goo.
"Woooooohh…" The sensation felt odd for the ninja. "That is quite a kick. It would be a shame if you COULD NOT!" Tubbimura sliced his katana down, but Karin kicked away, dropped her soccerball, and kicked it toward him. The ninja ducked and laughed, "Haha! You missed!"
The ball bounced off the wall and hit the back of Panda Bubba's head. "Oof!" He dropped the Yin Yo-yo forward, and it appeared to float up in the air.
"Take it out of here, Ururu!" Karin ordered.
"I'm on it!" Ururu had shrunken to fly size and was carrying the larger-than-her yo-yo away.
"Stop her!" The guards recovered and rushed to grab the yo-yo, but Jinta used his giant bat to knock them away.
"You despicable girl!" Tubbimura tried to stab Karin, but the girl jumped, stomped the sword to the floor, then jumped to stomp forcefully in the ninja's flabby face.
"You're going to jail, Bub." Jinta stated, readying his bat.
"No, let's just get outta here." Karin said. "We got what we came for."
"Eh, you're lame, Karin. Why wait later for something that's RIGHT HERE!" Jinta swung his bat at Bubba-
The crime boss threw a yellowish-brown vest over himself and called, "Two-Ton Tunic!" The vest turned into solid armor that protected from Jinta's giant bat. The boy's arms trembled upon the ineffective impact.
"Come on, already!" Karin grabbed his arm and rushed out of the room.
Panda and his henchmen hurriedly chased after them- "OH?" However, it seemed a giant firework was aimed at them from ahead.
A black-haired girl with a blue robe with yellow firework designs smiled brightly as she held a lighter. She had kabuki makeup under her eyes, wore sandals, and wore a red headband with a huge knot. "Say Happy New Year!"
Fireworks Expert and Pilot of Sector JP
KODAMA (Numbuh Chinese New Year)
Kodama lit the firecracker, which flew at the gangsters and exploded with smoke. When it uncovered, the criminals were revealed to be trapped in yellow goo. "That's China's special sticky cheese!" Kodama winked. "Never doubt our products! Farewell!" She ran after her sector.
"Don't worry, Sir!" Tubbimura declared. "I shall have this cheese devoured in minutes!" He tried to reach to pull off his ninja mask… but his arms were too stuck to do so. "Ehh… I am conflicted."
"Ugh." Panda sighed.
KND Moonbase
"Great job retrieving the yo-yo, Sector JP." Cheren Uno said as he took the small artifact. "I guess Uncle Yang and Aunt Yin were right about them going to take it. We'll keep it safe here on Moonbase. Do you guys know why they wanted it?"
"I do." Ururu raised her hand. Without her Tiny Devil suit, she had black hair in pigtails, white T-shirt, a pink skirt with flowers, and sandals on her small feet. "He said… something about a Chaos Kin."
"Chaos Kin? Well, we'll do research on that. You guys can go home."
"Sweet." Karin flexed her neck. "I got a soccer match coming up and I need to rejuvenate."
"Heh, well if a mission doesn't warm you up." Cheren smirked.
"It's a FOOTBALL match!" Jinta yelled. "FOOTBALL! Don't give into the assimilation, Karin-chan!!"
"Lay it to rest, Jinta." Karin punched his head. "Let's go home and see if Yuzu's done with cooking."
"Ha ha ha!" Cheren laughed as they left. "She hasn't changed a bit…"
Sector JP Treehouse
Sector JP's treehouse was stationed atop a small mountain outside of Karakura, Japan. It used to be a Chinese-style tower that didn't look at all like a KND base. This was because the old Sector JP were a stealth-based sector, and were among the greatest spies in the KND. This was especially so after Yin and Yang Bean joined them 20 years ago. …This Sector JP was anything but stealthy.
As you already saw, the two biggest fighters are Karin and Jinta. They make almost anything a contest. Kodama adds color and pizzazz to their party with her assortment of multipurpose fireworks. Even Ururu Tsumugiya, with her ability to shrink, was only stealthy for so long before she decided to punch people unsuspectingly with her Tiny Devil suit. They were the Number 9th best sector in the KND, so they were pretty skilled.
After landing their C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. in the hangar, Sector JP slipped off their shoes as they entered the living room of their treehouse. "Welcome back, Karin-chan!" A girl with brownish-yellow hair and a pink apron called from the kitchen. "I cooked you some ramen for your game! It's meant to stay hot for two hours, so eat up!"
Cook of Sector JP
YUZU KUROSAKI (Numbuh 5 Degrees)
"Cool!" Karin came to sit at the kitchen table, grabbing some chopsticks. "Thanks, Yuzu." She began to slurp the steaming noodles.
"So how did the mission go?"
"You should've been there, Yuzu." Jinta propped his bat over his shoulder proudly. "I kicked so much butt."
"I bet you did!" Yuzu said perkily. "I wish I was there to see it."
"Why don't you ever come with us, Yuzu-chan?" Ururu asked. "You must get lonely here in the treehouse by yourself."
"It's because she's a wimp, Ururu." Jinta said smugly. "You would be too if not for your suit." He pinched the blushing girl's right arm.
"O-Ow! Jinta-kun, that hurt."
"I'm not a wimp!" Yuzu puffed her cheeks. "I'm just happier staying in the treehouse to make you celebratory food. A strong team needs to eat healthy and stay strong. And since we could get a mission anytime, I'll always be ready to serve you more!"
"It isn't the same as getting out there." Jinta plopped on the couch, sprawling his legs across as he grabbed a Wii U II controller. "C'mon, Karin, one-on-one in Smash Bros. Universe, you on??"
"Do your ears work, Jinta?" Karin asked. "I said I'm going to a soccer match. I'll have plenty of time to kick your butt afterward." She resumed with her ramen.
"Well, I'm not going." he said hotly. "Not if they're gonna call it 'soccer.' I'll just see if Ruby's online. If not, you wanna play, Ururu?"
"N-No thanks. I'll be bad at it."
"Why are you such a baby!" He went over to tug her pigtails.
"Ahhh! Jinta-kun, please stop!"
"I'm done." Karin set the near-empty bowl down and wiped her mouth with her arm. "Don't know about you guys, but I'm off." She ran to get her white soccer jersey.
"I'm coming, too!" Kodama hurried off. "Just let me get my fireworks!"
Karakura Elementary Soccer Field
Karin's team was called the Karakura Stars (Karakurachō Sutā), and their opponents today were the Earth Dragons (Chikyū Doragonzu). "Hey Miki-chan, I know this isn't baseball, but you STILL gotta keep your eye on it when I kick to you!" she yelled at one of her teammates. Karin was the only one of her team that was relatively famous because she had a winning streak. "Shikan, I know you're slow, but at least move your legs so we know you're alive." She did more work than any of her teammates. They figured that their main use was so Karin could have enough players to legally play in soccer. "For crud's sake, Neko, tie your shoes!"
The Earth Dragons' leader, Sachi, who was a boy with shiny blonde hair, stole the ball from one of Karin's teammates, causing that boy and all others who tried to stop him to trip. Sachi was about to reach the goal, but Karin jumped in his way and growled with malice. Sachi smirked cockily, kicking the ball up-and-down in place. He gestured left, then right, Karin inched those directions, but readied herself in case he would try something.
"Scared of me?" Sachi grinned snarkily. "Just try to take it. I dare you."
"Hmph!" Karin stomped her right foot, smirking. "You know what? You can have it."
Quicker than anyone could react, Karin jumped, kicked the ball into his chest with powerful force, and sent them both flying into the opposite goal. "WOOHOOOO! GO KARIN-CHAAAAN!" Yuzu cheered.
"Sigh…" Karin flexed her right leg and bent down to rub it. She looked up at the sound of fireworks: they formed an image of a soccerball, a "K", and the kitty symbol on Karin's shirt.
"Hoo." Kodama wiped her forehead of sweat, having carried all these fireworks to the area outside the field. "Gotta remind the fans who owns this field." She released more into the sky.
Karin smiled in gratitude at the colorful explosions. She looked over at the teammate who had fallen first, going over to pin her foot on his chest. "Whaddo I keep telling you, Chō? If you don't stay focused, people're gonna swipe stuff from you left and right. You think you're gonna survive with people walking all over you like this?"
"You still won, didn't you? You always win, what does it matter what we do?"
"Yeah, Karin-chan." Miki said. "You never really need us. Plus, you're in the KND, so you had extra training."
"Whose fault is that?" Karin questioned. "I know I kick butt, but I would appreciate it if you guys acted like you gave a crud."
"We do! …Sort of. We just wanna have fun, but you keep talking down on us. Why don't you join some professional team if we slow you down so much?"
"Hey, if I wanted to, I could. But I feel like being nice and helping you squirts learn a thing or two. If you got such a problem with how I talk to you, why do you still hang around me?"
"Sometimes, it's nice to feel like we're a winning team." Chō said as he pushed Karin's foot off him and stood up. "Just when 'as your negative prodding actually helped?"
"I like to call it 'invigorating prodding.' And FYI, it has worked. I'll tell you all about it once this game is over."
"Sure you will, Kari. I'm getting some Pocari. Anyone else?" He was joined by the others to get drinks at their bench, leaving Karin to herself.
"Hm." She narrowed her eyes. "You'd be surprised if you knew…"
Karin liked to visit the Arctic Base to watch the cadets. She couldn't believe that she was among these clowns one year ago. Watching them mess up was funny, and she was so skilled at what she did. She won 200 soccer matches when she was here, and it was how her legs became so strong. Now she was 8, and she was so much better. She wondered what silly cadets were slumping at what.
She found her favorite ones, two 6+-year-olds who looked smaller than any of the others: Cheren Uno and Panini Drilovsky. Panini punched him senseless in so many matches, he lost before he could even raise his toy sword. "Hahaha! YES! 34 to NONE!" Panini cheered. "Eat my FACE, Uno! AAAAHH heeheeheeheeeeee!" She scampered off like a rabbit.
"Peh!" Cheren coughed some baby teeth when he stood up. "EH!" He fell over when a soccerball hit him.
"How long are you gonna keep standing and taking that?" Karin asked him.
"I see you around here!" Cheren's adorable younger voice yelled. "Why you keep watching us?" He sounded cuter with the missing teeth.
"Why does a kid like you keep fighting her if she keeps kicking your butt?"
"'Cause I wanna beat 'er! I'm gonna beat 'er someday!"
"You couldn't beat up a two-year-old!"
"I can, too! I can push them do- OW!" She kicked the ball and pushed him again.
"That ball can push you down and it's shorter than you. Face it, Kid, you're a wimp."
"I am not." Cheren got up and pushed the ball to her.
She stopped it with her foot. "If by some miracle you join the Kids Next Door, what're you gonna do?" She kick-rolled it back, and Cheren stopped with his hands.
"Mm… I 'unno." He pushed it back. "Work on Moonbase?"
"Pff-what?" Karin snickered. "Supreme Leader?" She kicked it back.
"N-No." He stopped it. "Maybe leader's helper. Then I'll be in charge of you." He pushed the ball back.
"Yeah right." Stopped it. "The leader is one thing, but no one gives a crud about an assistant." Kicked it back. "And even if you were leader, you wouldn't earn my respect. You'd still be a little kid."
He stopped it with his hands. "Ww…" He picked the ball up. "We'll see." He lightly bounced the ball to her with his younger arms and walked away.
Karin caught it. "Sure we will."
Three years later, the Kids Next Door went to war on Planet Flora. All of them were aghast when the Goddess of Nature was destroyed by the Fierce Deity who had appeared. She couldn't believe that Cheren had gotten such power by putting on a mask. She couldn't believe a kid like him could hold that power.
Karin chuckled at the very memory. "You'd be surprised if you knew…"
"It's time for the second round, Karin." Shikan said. "You ready?"
Karin smirked at him. "Of course I am. What about you?"
The rest of the match went without trouble.
Panda Bubba and Tubbimura are from Xiaolin Showdown. Now I leave you with a A1Z26 Cryptogram.
…
8-1-14-14-9-2-1-12'19 / 4-5-19-9-18-5
13-1-25 / 10-21-19-20 / 2-1-3-11-6-9-18-5
Chapter 2: Yuzu the Sleepwalker
Sector JP Treehouse
"Ahhhhhhh…" Karin let her arms hang over the edge of the bathtub. The steaming water made her heavy. "How did the old Kids Next Door survive without baths." She rolled on her front and let her head droop over. "Surely there had to be a limit with this 'adult tyranny' thing." She went back to the previous position. "Cheren really made a good leader after all. He's hell of a lot better than…" Karin became lost in thought, her head light as the steam around her.
Her eyes closed and cracked open, and when the blurriness cleared, she saw Yuzu standing over her. "YAAH!" She sat upright and covered her chest. "DAMMIT, Yuzu, don't scare me like that!"
"I'm just making sure you're having a squeaky bubbly bath, Karin!" She smiled brightly. "You're washing your hair with shampoo, right?"
"Yes, and I'm tired of you walking in on me when I'm BATHING!"
"Oh, Karin, don't tell me you forgot that we used to bathe together when we were little! We got on different sides, and we splashed each other, and we liked to make those little squeaky sounds when we-"
"GO AWAY!!" Karin flushed hotly.
"Also, if you're having trouble reaching a few places, I-"
"KODAMAAAAAA!"
The Fireworks Expert burst into the room, tied two fireworks to Yuzu's shoulders that faced backward, and lit them up. "Sorry, Karin!" Kodama saluted.
"WHOOOOOAAAAAHHH!" The fireworks soared out of the room with Yuzu in tow, gliding perfectly across the halls. Kodama chased after, leaving Karin to bathe in peace.
Laundry room
"You really need to watch yourself with these fireworks." Yuzu told Kodama while pouring laundry soap in the washer, where many flashy clothes were piled. "I can't believe this many of your clothes have stains and scorch marks. If you go around wearing 'em like this, you're gonna get sick."
"That's gonna be a problem, considering my family makes and sells fireworks for a living." Kodama was sitting on the dryer, happily swinging her feet up and down. "The soot marks and colorful stains on our garb is a symbol of hard work and dedication!"
"Well, my job is to remove those symbols, not to bask in them." Yuzu closed the washer and turned it on. "The symbol of my work is spotless, fragrant, comfy-fitting clothes!"
"Y-Yeah, but…" Kodama made a sweatdrop. "You don't see me shooting fireworks in the bathroom while Karin's bathing. Don't you think you… overwork yourself a little with this job of yours? You stay up late to clean up after us, do our laundry, you're always cooking… Otherwise, you have schoolwork."
"Yeah, but who else is supposed to do all these things?"
"Our parents can wash our clothes, we can bring food from home or go to a restaurant…" Kodama reasoned.
"I read the Guide to be the Perfect Housewife and followed its directions for the sole purpose of helping my friends and family." Yuzu proclaimed determinedly. "I vowed I would fill the void left by our mother after she died, and keep our family happy the very same way she did. All of the food you eat is prepared with love, and that's far more healthy than anything those restaurants can dish out."
"Yuzu-chan…" Kodama looked sympathetically.
"Kodama, stop worrying about me." She smiled assuringly. "I just want you guys to be sooped up and prepared for the missions that come. Now, it's getting late, you should go to your room and get a good night's sleep like the others."
"Not like you!" Kodama furrowed her eyes, kicking off the dryer. "I'm not going to sleep unless YOU do!"
"I can't go to sleep now." Yuzu frowned. "I still haven't gotten the filth in the back of the fridge, or patched the crack in the pipe under the sink, or… yaaaaaawwwn…"
"Yuzuuuuu?" Kodama glared reprovingly. "You need sleeeeep…"
"…" Her brown eyes felt heavy. "Well… maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt…"
Kodama guided Yuzu to hers and Karin's room. The older twin had finished her bath and was passed out on her bed. "Good night, Yuzu." Kodama told her after she had settled on her bed. "Don't get up until the sun does." She quietly shut the door as she left.
One hour had passed. The treehouse was in peaceful serenity as the sectormates were sound asleep. The windows in Jinta's room were shattered from playing baseball in the house, and there were also several holes in his walls. Winters were chilly, but he toughed it out 'cause he was a strong little man. Kodama's room was filled with fireworks and party favors both large and small. Just one spark could set the entire treehouse aflame in this room. Not that she was afraid, 'cause all this made her feel at home. Ururu's bed was soft and fluffy, with a cozy pink blanket with a flower design. She had a few dolls and dollhouses to play with, and having a shrink suit made it more fun.
Karin was a louder snorer than her twin and got to sleep much more quickly. But after the amount of work Yuzu managed to do each day, her body felt dead in bed. …Her eyes popped wide open. She threw her covers off and got up from bed. She grabbed a bluish-gray hoodie from her closet, some blue jeans, and walked soundlessly down the hall in her pink socks. Once at the stairs that led down and out of the treehouse, she put on blue strap-on shoes before heading down.
Karakura Town
Karakura was a lively town, even at night, and one would be surprised how many kids are allowed to roam the streets. Yuzu, like any cool kid, was walking the town without a care in the world, hands stuffed in her pockets. Her brown eyes, which had a dull milky appearance about them, were shadowed by her hood.
She went around the back alley of a candy store and followed a stairway down. She knocked on the door as a slot open, exposing two eyes. "Password?"
"Babu sore o idō shimasu." She stated firmly. ("Move it, Bub.")
"You pass."
Yuzu entered Sweet Pocari's, where wild and crazy up-late kids from all over town came to party, get drunk on soda, and get low grades in school because they fall asleep in class. "Yuzu-chan, what's uuuuup!" Some boys were calling from a table. "You brought your cards, right??"
"You know it!" Yuzu pulled off her hood, exposing her confident smirk as she grabbed Pokémon Cards from her sweater pocket. "I still got yours from last night, and Ah'm takin' the rest of 'em!"
"In your dreams, Yuzu!" a dark-skinned boy in a green coat grabbed his cards. "We're playing Generation V!"
"Peh! Generation V, Generation 61, I'll take 'em all! SO BRING IT OOOOOON!" She raised Pignite and played him proudly.
Sector JP Treehouse
Not only did Karin snore loudly, she rolled around in bed a lot, too. It was probably because she had more pent up energy, yet she didn't exhaust herself as much as Yuzu. "Uuuuhh…" Some drool leaked on her pillow, and an involuntary forceful snort sucked it in and startled her awake. "Nnn… I need a drink. Hm?" She looked at the empty bed next to hers. "Sigh, Yuzu… I really wish you wouldn't work yourself so late."
Karin got up and walked to the kitchen in her small yellow socks, her dark-gray eyes weary. She got some milk from the refrigerator, poured it in a glass, and took a drink. "Haaaah." Karin sighed, relieving the rugged state of her mouth, and a blue breath flowed from it.
"WHOA!" The treehouse shook under a sudden powerful force, and Karin fell over. She jumped to her feet and ran for the treehouse balcony. A grayish-black pirate ship with some ghostly green parts, with black sails with a green Jolly Roger, was floating a few meters outside.
"AVAST YE, Sector JP!" The "captain" of the ship, a green-haired boy with gray skin, a left hook hand, left peg leg, and a gray coat aimed a sword at Karin. "Return ye yon yo-yo thou hath stolen, or be keelhauled by we Youngblood Pirates!"
"Uck! You're getting your Shakespearean and pirate talk mixed up." Youngblood's skeleton pirate said.
"They're kind of the same, aren't they?"
"Not really…"
"HEY!!" Karin shouted. "D'you have any idea what time it is?! I know you're a ghost, but kids like you should STILL have a bedtime!"
"AY have a bedtime?? HO ho ho!" Youngblood chortled. "In the Youngblood Pirates, thar be no such thing! Now hand ye over yer Yin Yo-yo or I shall turn yer treehouse into shrapnel and pencil shavings!"
"Karin, what's going on?" Kodama yelled as she, Ururu, and Jinta rushed out in their pajamas.
"This twerp is here for the Yin Yo-yo. Hate to tell ya, but you're out of luck! We already took the yo-yo to a sooper secret location! He doesn't have to know about Moonbase." she whispered to her teammates.
"Yarrrr! Then we shall take ye in our hold and FORCE the info out of ye! Maties: FIRRRRRE!"
Cannonballs let loose, but Jinta swung his giant bat and whacked whichever ones he could away. "Kodama, you still have those anti-ecto fireworks I asked you to make, right?" Karin asked.
"Yeah, you want me to get 'em?"
"Yes, set them up, hurry!" The leader rushed inside.
"I guess I can't ask why you wanted 'em in the first place, now!" Kodama hurried off.
Karin jumped into a control station and began to blast the ghost ship with turrets. "Board their vessel, ye scurvy scallywags!" Youngblood roared. "Take all their cargo! Tarr it to pieces and find yonder yo-yo!"
"Not every pirate talks like that, can't you just be normal?" the parrot asked.
"Get into the spirit, already!"
Ghost pirates were flying into the treehouse, but Ururu blasted them with a missile launcher from above, flying with her Tiny Devil. Pirates flew behind her in the air, so Ururu shrunk, zipped around at fly size, and pierced through the ghosts like bullets. She had small bits of ectoplasm on her suit and shook it off. "Normally, I attack at slower speed so I don't go through, but since you guys are ghosts, it shouldn't hurt much. Ha ha ha." She laughed sheepishly.
Karin succeeded in shooting the mast of the ghost ship down, but the pirates onboard created a shield with their energy to protect. "Hands where Ay can see 'em, Girly!" Youngblood appeared behind her, aiming a gun. "Tell me where the yo-yo be, or Ay can tell ya where yer brain shall be: EVERYWHERE! YAH harharharhaaaarr!"
"Heh." Karin stood up on the seat and turned to face him. "Since you've raised your pistol, you must be willing to risk your life."
"What? What are ye talking about, I'm a ghost!"
"Even the afterlife can be cruel." Karin smirked, looming closer.
"U-u-uh, Ay…" Youngblood was trembling. Karin inched closer. "Uh-I…" Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to shoot the pistol.
Karin jumped and- "YAH!!" kicked the kid ghost in the face, sending him flying backward. Youngblood dizzily recovered, and gasped when Karin was dashing toward him. Reacting quick, he shot at her with his gun, but Karin nimbly dodged and ducked to slide on her socks. Once at Youngblood, she swung a storm of mighty kicks, then sent him across the living room toward the balcony.
"Arrrr! To the ship, ye useless dogs! Ay have one last thing that can smite them!" The weakened pirates groggily recovered and flew after him.
"I've got the crackers, guys!" Kodama yelled, hauling two green fireworks in.
"Hurry and light 'em up!" Karin yelled.
The ghost pirates stopped their shield so Youngblood and his crewmen could get back on. "Ember, it's up to ye! Shiver and destroy their timbers!"
Ember McLain, in her pirate uniform, hooked her guitar up to two huge amplifiers. "I'm on it!"
Kodama set the fireworks on the balcony and lined them directly with the ship. Ember stood on the keel and readied to strum her guitar. The Music Ghost released her deadly sonic wave, Kodama lit her firecrackers and let them fly. The projectiles withstood the sonic waves, crashed into the amplifier, and exploded the entire vessel with anti-ecto material.
"WAAAAH!" Youngblood flew out as pieces scattered everywhere. "NOOO! Me hearties! Ye've not seen the last of me, Sector JP! Ay will return and claim me booty, so help me- YOW!" A piece of shrapnel scratched him. "Yarrrrrr!" He and his parrot flew away.
"Phew!" Kodama wiped her forehead. "I'm used to late-night parties, but sometimes I wanna sleep. You know what I mean, don't you Yuz-…" She looked around. "Wait, where is Yuzu?"
"She wasn't in her bed." Karin mentioned. "I thought she was doing laundry or something, but she should've been up here by now."
"You don't think she was hurt by a cannonball, do you?" Ururu asked.
"I dunno… Let's look around the treehouse and see if she didn't pass out anywhere. Otherwise, she mighta gone late-night shopping…"
Downtown
"HA HAAAAA!" Yuzu raised the Pokémon Cards victoriously. "At long last, Victini and Reshiram are now MINE!"
"Mmm, I don' even like Reshir, mm-nn…" The dark-skinned boy mumbled.
"Ah'ight, you guys ready to blow this joint and hit the town?!" Yuzu slammed her hands on the table.
"And do what?" a boy with round glasses and a blue sweater asked.
"Whatever the heck EVER, the night's young, WE'RE young, so let's go out and act like unreasonable youngsters!"
"YEAH! Unreasonable youngsters!" the dark-skinned cheered.
"YEEEEAAAAH!" The others joined.
"And I know just the place!" Yuzu declared.
Laundromat
"Uhhhh… a laundromat?" the glasses boy asked.
"What? These things look cool!" Yuzu said, staring at an active washer. "And you can hold your breath and ride in 'em."
The kids exchanged weirded glances. "You've… actually done that?"
"Sure I did! Come on, I'll show ya!" Yuzu dove into an open washer, bending herself to fit inside. "Alright, shut it and turn it on!"
". . . ." They were all thinking how weird this girl was.
"COME ON, don't be babies, turn it on!"
"Um…" The glasses boy closed the washer and put some coins in.
"WRRRR-HRRRRRR!" Yuzu was cheering through her gurgles. "Wrr-hrrrrrr! Wrr-hrrrrrr!"
"…Wanna hit the arcade?" the dark-skinned boy asked.
"Yeah, she can kick it open if she wants out." With that, they all left.
"Wrr-hrrrrrr! Wrr-hrrrrrr. . . . .!"
The next morning…
"Ooooooohhh…" When Yuzu came to her senses, she was lying in a puddle of water. She seemed to have ended up in a laundromat. "W-Whaddid I do last night? Why am I so… wet? …Well, whatever the case, this is unacceptable! I might as well mop this floor myself. And dry my clothes… Huh?" She found a collection of soaked Pokémon Cards in her pocket. "Jinta's cards? Why would I have these?"
Sector JP Treehouse
The JP members woke up late because of their midnight interruption. Kodama and Ururu were having breakfast while Jinta was playing a game to wake himself up. Karin returned to the treehouse from below. "Yuzu wasn't at home; she didn't come back here, did she?"
"N…No…" Ururu said with concern.
"Maybe she slept outside the grocery store to get in before anyone else." Jinta remarked.
"Ugh, that's exactly what I'm worried about." Karin face-palmed. "Come on, you all, we have to go look for her. She might've passed out in the street for all we know; one way or another, Yuzu's gonna kill herself with-"
"Kill myself with what?" Karin jumped, whipping around to find her sister in the doorway.
"Y…Yuzu!"
"Karin, why are your eyes so baggy?" Yuzu walked closer with a quizzical look. "You weren't up late playing videogames, were you? I keep telling you, if you stare at the TV all night, you'll need glasses. Ugh, same with you, Jinta, look at yourself."
"Look who's accusing WHO of being up late!" Karin marched up and grabbed her shoulders. "We got attacked in the middle of the night, you weren't here so we thought you went home, but then you WEREN'T, and I've been worried SICK about you! Yuzu, where the heck WERE you?!"
"I… don't really remember." Yuzu touched her forehead. "Kodama brought me to my room, and next thing I knew, I woke up in a laundromat. I had to dry my sweater off… Oh, and Jinta-kun, these got ruined in the washer." She pulled out the-
"MY POKÉMON CARDS!" Jinta screamed. "YUZU, how could you do this?!"
"I…" She looked down, "I really don't know what I was thinking… AAH! But speaking of laundry, I'm sure yours are ready to dry by now! I'll be back in a jiffy!" She zipped away.
The four others stared in her direction with confusion. "You know what I think?" Jinta asked.
"What?" Karin replied.
"Yuzu is possessed by a spirit. Or a demon maybe."
"Jinta, she's not an anime (ah-ni-may) character. And even in this world, it's the most cliché thing ever."
"It's pronounced ann-ni-may." Jinta retorted.
"Is not. (Sheesh, talk about giving in to the New Order.)"
"Actually, it could be that Yuzu is sleepwalking." Kodama mentioned. "I read an old folktale about people who take up a different personality after their other self falls asleep."
"I never heard of that folktale." Jinta said. "Is it for real?"
"Is any of this real, Jinta?" Kodama cocked a brow, tilting her head right. "Do kids really have giant treehouses that adults can't see? Can humans really control elements with their willpower? Was the Earth not invaded by mutated plants last week?"
". . . Go on."
"Anyway," Kodama's head stood straight again, "it doesn't become apparent after birth, but as a person's personality develops, a second personality grows inside of them. It's a personality that's repressed inside of the current person for whatever reason, whether it's intentional or not, and when that person goes to sleep, the other person has a chance to take over. Then, when that person falls asleep, the original personality can come back."
"So, do you think Yuzu-chan could be one of those people?" Ururu asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Karin said. "She forces herself to work so hard, another side of her must want to have fun or something. Maybe we should test it out, just to be sure."
"Great news, guys!" Yuzu came back with a stack of clean laundry. "Your clothes are dry and toasty, perfect to start a brand new day! If you all haven't taken baths yet, I'll be happy to clean the tubs so you-"
Karin touched her shoulder. "Yuzu, there's something we gotta tell you."
Yuzu and Karin's Room
"You want me to… go to sleep now?" Yuzu asked, sitting in bed with the covers half over her.
"Yes. We wanna see if you have an 'alternate personality' that wakes up after you fall asleep." Karin recapped.
"And I totally wanna see it!" Jinta smirked eagerly. "If she's as cool as I think, I'll finally have someone worthy to play with! OW!" Karin punched him.
"Depending on what she's like, we may have to do something about her. Otherwise, you could get hurt."
"Don't be silly, Karin." Yuzu smiled perkily. "I'm sure I would be aware of an 'alter-ego' or something. Albeit, I have been waking up in strange places for the past few nights." She tipped a finger to her chin. "Like the grocery store, the gym, school, but I'm sure my inner instinct is reminding me to do those things, and my always-active body is giving me a headstart while my mind is off!"
"Sure it is. Ururu," Karin snapped fingers, "sleep her."
"Oh!" Yuzu flinched when Ururu crawled behind and pinched her shoulders.
"Ima, Yuzu-chan o surīpu." Ururu whispered softly in her ear, squeezing her shoulders. "Sleeeep now… sleeep… Have a good night… Mr. Sandman is here… to take you away… Sleeeep…"
"Uuuuunnnn…" Yuzu's eyelids grew heavy, and Ururu moved aside to let her fall back on her pillow.
"Wow… Way to go, Ururu." Kodama said with silent amazement.
"I thought if it worked on Jinta, it worked for her, too. Heh heh heh." She smiled and blushed.
"Mmmmmm." Jinta hid behind Kodama frightfully.
"So how long do we have to wait?" Karin asked.
"I'm not sure." Kodama replied. "It might depend on how long it takes a person to fall asleep completely."
"Not to pat myself too hard, but we shouldn't have too long to wait, then." Ururu said.
"… … …" Yuzu's eyes shot open. "Uwuuuuhhh!" She yawned with a different tone of voice, stretching awake. "See fellas, I told you it was fu-…" She looked confused at the different group of people. "Wait… What're you dudes doing here?" Yuzu looked around. "Heck, what am I doing here?? This ain't the laundry mat!"
"Yuzu, is that… really you?" Karin asked.
"Duh, who else would I be but me?" Yuzu threw the blanket off and got up from bed. "I don't even know who you guys are 'cause you're always asleep."
Jinta pushed Karin aside and said proudly, "My name's Jinta and I'm the boss of all these guys. I'd be willing to make you my sidekick if you want."
In a split second, Yuzu forced Jinta around and pulled his arms behind his back. "Ah- ah- ow- ow!"
"You're my sidekick, suckuh." She kicked him to the floor and stood on his back. "Guys, make yourselves helpful and tickle him."
"NO, NO!" Jinta cried. "Hahahahahahahaha!" Ururu and Kodama were happily tickling his feet. "Get off me, please stop! Hahahahahahaha!" He couldn't shake out under Yuzu's weight.
"Ho-hokay." Karin laughed, patting Yuzu's shoulder. "You are pretty fun this way. But I'm still worried about you, Yuzu. You're getting even less sleep than usual."
"What're you talking about, I'm always this way!" She gave two thumbs up. "Except when I'm sleepin', which is like a HUUUGE time-waster. Say, you nards wanna vandalize the town; I know a good place that sells graffiti!"
"Yuzu, when you aren't doing this, you're… somebody else." Kodama told her. "You do our laundry, clean the treehouse, cook us food… Heck, you even help organize our mission reports and our homework."
"Cleaning? Homework? Pfft, that stuff's boring! I'm more about livin' life to the extreme, you know!"
"I stand with ya there!" Jinta grunted, still being stood on.
"SILENCE, Carpet Worm!" Yuzu stomped him. "I don't know where you get these crazy ideas, but that ain't me. And even if it was, THIS me is totally better! Am I right?"
"Um, b-but…" Karin wasn't sure what to say about that. "But this isn't you, Yuzu. Not for as long as… I've known you."
"Alright, then give me a shot." Yuzu winked. "Come hit the town with me and see which Yuz' you like better."
"I'm still voting for you, either way." Jinta remarked.
Karin stomped his head and pressed his face to the floor. "If nothing else, I prefer you like this." she said to him.
Downtown alley
"FOOOORE!" Yuzu roared, readying Jinta's giant bat. The red-haired boy chucked a porcelain pot that Yuzu hit with the bat, sending its pieces flying over the building.
Karin recorded the pieces flying over, then focused her camera back on Yuzu. "K-Karin-san, don't you think we should stop her?" Ururu asked as they two and Kodama were watching their game.
"We have to record this and show the real Yuzu what she's doing. Maybe if she knows, she can try to control herself. …But I wish they would hurry this up."
"FOOORE!" Yuzu yelled as Jinta hurled a porcelain cat, which again went flying over the buildings. "Now a real baseball this time!" Jinta complied and chucked a baseball. Yuzu whacked it forcefully through a window in this alley.
"WHICH OF YOU KIDS DID THAT?!" a man's voice roared.
"RUN AWAAAAYYY!" Yuzu excitedly scampered away from the alley, swinging the large bat against either wall, and her friends rushed after her.
Atop a building
"RELOAD!" Yuzu yelled as Kodama regretfully handed her a firework. Yuzu lit it with a lighter, sending the small explosive into a ramen stand. "Reload!" She was handed another one, which Yuzu used to bomb a delivery boy on a bike. "Reload!" She fired a cracker at a huge Chinese dragon kite, which burst into flame, cut from its strings, and glided down to a park to set all of the trees and grass on fire.
"RELOAD!" Yuzu awaited another one, so Kodama gave her a cracker with blue and red swirly stripes. Yuzu aimed at a truck carrying drums of grease, lit the fuse, and… … "Why won't it go?" Yuzu asked as the spark was moving very slowly on the fuse.
"That one's an English Patient." Kodama replied. "Takes a long time for unsatisfying payoff."
Yuzu stared at the slow-moving spark for a few seconds. "Well, let's do something else."
Forest area
"Um… Y-Yuzu-chan?" Ururu spoke softly. "I don't think… I like this."
Yuzu was using a knife to spread honey over Ururu's face, arms, and legs. "Chill out, you're an Ant-Girl, right? You're probably friends with bees."
"B-But I'm still human, and bees hate… ohhh…"
A swarm of bees were coming from a nearby hive. All of them took a spot on the honey on Ururu's body. The child's heart raced rapidly, and her skin was tingling with all the fuzzy buzzy critters. "H-H-H-How long d-do I h-have to h-have them?"
"Bring 'em to this pot and I'll scrape them off!" Yuzu stood by a large pot, holding the lid and the butter knife.
"O-O-Okay." Ururu tip-toed… very slowly… very cautiously… She kept her limbs as still as possible. She did everything in her power to keep from disturbing the bees. Fear consumed her heart. This fear kept her absolutely focused. She was so afraid… She was-
Tired of waiting, Yuzu ran over and KICKED Ururu to the ground. "YAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The bees swarmed the pigtailed girl with anger.
Sector JP Treehouse
After Ururu's swollen red body was drenched in cream, they were back at the treehouse. "Yuzu, this really isn't a good idea." Karin said as Yuzu was hooking her cellphone to the communication hub. "How will you even manage to hide the Caller ID?"
"You'd be surprised, Kari." Yuzu dialed in a number, and waited for an answer. "Hello? Sector IC? This is Sally from Sector W." She changed her voice to sound cuter. "Could you please tell Lola that Fybi says her fangs are cheaper than her Halloween costume?" She hung up and made a wink, "Tsk tsk!" She then dialed another number. "Kids Next Door Bike Hub? This is Apis, from Sector W7. Chimney just wants you to know her train can squish all your puny bikes like coyotes trying to trap a Road Runner." She hung up, dialed again. "Sector KB? Oh, Ruby, hello! This is Yuzu. Jinta just wanted me to ask how you hide your-"
Jinta smashed the large TV with his bat, ending the call. "Yyyyeah… that's going too far." he said.
"He's right for once, Yuzu." Karin said, still recording. "You had your fun, but you need to go back to normal. Ururu, can you do what you did again?"
"Ka'in-s'n! Th's nn t'n c'm'n!" Ururu pointed frantically, incomprehensible with her swollen throat.
"Oh, right." Karin remembered. "Alright, let's just try to keep her here."
"Nnnnnn! Th's nn t'nnnnnn!" Ururu shook.
"Th th whut?"
"Karin-san!" Kodama yelled from the window. "There's a train coming!"
"A train?!" Karin and the others rushed over (Ururu's eyes narrowed in aggravation). A black, flying train was soaring to the treehouse, emitting green exhaust.
"MWAAAAH HAHAHAHA hahaaaaaa!" Youngblood laughed, wearing a train conductor's uniform as he stuck his head out the side window. "Ay shall squish yer tree fort like a coyote that has inconveniently landed on the track!"
"You're stuck on pirate, now." The parrot said.
"Oh, no!" Karin yelled. "Kodama, get more ecto crackers, NOW!"
"I only had those two! And they aren't easy to make, you know!"
"He's gonna ram us!!" Jinta panicked. "Whaddo we do?!"
"STOP crying!" Yuzu shouted, shoving the bat in Jinta's arms. "Swing me over to him!" She squatted, ready to jump.
"I can just get one of my big fireworks-" Kodama gestured inside.
"NOW!" Yuzu jumped, Jinta swung his bat, she kicked her feet off it, and Yuzu flew like a rocket.
"HA HA HA HAAAA!" Youngblood's head was still sticking out the window. "Hehn?" Yuzu rammed him, pulling the ghost kid with her to the mountain path. The train spun out of control, missing the treehouse, going to the sky, and exploding.
"YUZU!" Karin cried as they scrambled to go downstairs.
"Oooooowww…" Youngblood wobbled dizzily after hitting the ground. "Ye haven't… seen the last of me… ya tree-lubbers." He phased through the ground and vanished.
"Yuzu!" The others made it down and found their friend unconscious on the path.
Yuzu moaned, holding her head as she woke up to see them. "Guys… why are we… outside? …AHH! My clothes!" She jumped to her feet, viewing her dirtied and ripped sweater and jeans. "After I just had these washed! Ugh! Well, I'll get 'em patched up in a jiffy."
"Wait! Yuzu…" Karin stopped her. "We wanna show you something."
After showing the video…
The operatives went back inside the treehouse to show Yuzu everything Karin recorded. Yuzu's mind was blown. "I… really did all that?"
"It's just what we told you." Kodama said. "You have an alter-ego that wakes up after you fall asleep. Let's assume she shows up every night… those are regular things for you."
"I don't… believe it." Yuzu looked down. "I'm so ashamed."
"It's okay, Yuzu." Karin touched her shoulder. "Now that you're aware of it, you can take steps to control your other self. And we'll help you."
"No." Yuzu stated firmly, raising a fist. "No matter what happens, you all need to keep in shape for your missions. And I'm going to keep helping you. As a matter of fact, I'll work DOUBLE time! Because I will NEVER go to sleep and let myself lose control again!"
All of their jaws popped open.
Two days later…
"…You know, I didn't think she could make it." Jinta commented while playing his game.
Yuzu had succeeded in staying up for two days straight. When night was falling on the second day, she was busy scrubbing the pipe under the sink. Kodama sighed, approaching her friend with a sympathetic look. "Yuzu?"
"Yes, Kodama?" Yuzu turned and faced her. She had messy hair and had reddening, zombie-like eyes.
"Eeee-eh!" Kodama was taken aback in fright. "Yuzu, this needs to stop! I don't think risking your other self having a night off is worse than what you're doing now. Sleepwalking or not, you need a good night's sleep like the rest of us. This can't be healthy for you at all!"
"I think I know the problem with my other self." Yuzu stated, going back to scrubbing. "She gets up and does whatever because this self doesn't work hard enough. I need to force myself to work and burn my responsibility into my brain. Sooner or later, even my 'other self' will understand, and if she doesn't, our body will be too exhausted to do anything she has planned. Kodama, this is just how it has to be, alright?"
"Yuzu, please go to sleep." Kodama touched her shoulder comfortingly. "We're grateful for all the work you do, but we care about you more. Go to sleep and we promise we'll try to control your alter-ego. Please."
"Ehh." Yuzu shoved her off, standing as she began to slowly limp to the hall. "I don't want to become a burden to any of you. I don't go with you on missions to slow you down… I cook your food and clean your clothes so you'll be ready for them… so I won't let you waste your energy on some uncontrollable part of me. I'll stay awake… and keep caring for you if it kills me…" They watched until she was gone down the hallway.
"I feel so terrible… Karin-san." Ururu said, sitting on a chair in her partly-swollen body.
"Can you do that thing you did for her now?" Karin asked.
"My fingers still kinda hurt. Besides… what if the other Yuzu gets the same way? I can't imagine what it would be like if… she never slept."
Yuzu was slowly limping toward the laundry room to see if the kitchen towels were dry. Youngblood appeared through the wall, wearing a chef's costume. "Well, salt me up some sizza-frizzle, it's the darn varmit what did me in before. REEEAAAAAAHHHH!" He unleashed a monstrous, soul-tingling roar at the brown-haired girl, but Yuzu ignored him as she walked through his ghostly body. "Huh?" Youngblood flew over, slapping his hand through. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" He kept slapping. "Can you not see me?"
Yuzu walked like the living zombie she was and entered the laundry room. "…Well, one less to worry about." The ghost shrugged. "Let's get the others!"
Just when Jinta was about to touch the Goal and clear the stage he was on, the TV shut off. "Huh?!" He grabbed the remote and frantically pressed it. "DANG IT! With all the work Yuzu's doing, you'd think she paid the electric bill! AAAHH!" His controller floated in the air and flew around him, tying him up tight with the cord.
"YEEEE heeheeheeheeheehee heeeeeee!" The room turned dark as Youngblood materialized. "You know what they say, pardners: three times' the charm! Now I'll have y'all roasted on a silver platter 'less y'all give me that yo-yo!"
"Again, the country accent would have been acceptable for the train thing." Parrot said.
"Dude, I just don't care, anymore. So what say you, my fleshy adversaries? Do you agree to my conditions or DON'T ye!"
"You're about on my last nerve!" Karin jumped and attempted to kick the ghost, but the skeleton parrot grew in size and caught her in his talons, pinning the Sector Leader to the ground.
"Karin-san! Hold on!" Ururu was trying to fit in her Tiny Devil suit, but her swollen features made it impossible. Youngblood used his power to make all of Ururu's toys fly into the room, attacking the girl from all ends before she was down, then pinning her. Kodama grabbed some fireworks from under her robe and tried to blast them at Youngblood, but the ghost shot Ecto Rays to destroy them, then controlled the resulted colorful confetti to cut her skin with mini paper cuts. He then stabbed the confetti through her feet to make Kodama fall over.
"I am Youngblood! The Ghost of Youth!" he announced. "Everything that symbolizes childhood is to my whim! Videogames, toys, colorful things… And for my faithful fans, a triple dozen course helping of my Sugar Tsunami of Doom!" Several streams of sugar and candy flew out of the cabinets, forcing their way down the trapped children's throats.
"Cough, cough, kueh!" Karin choked, some sugar now spread around her mouth. She glanced left to see Yuzu come back.
"Guys, what are you doing?" She gasped, "I told you not to stuff yourselves with sugar! Honestly, you four are HOPELESS sometimes!"
"Yuzu, we're trapped!" Karin struggled. "We're under attack! Can't you see?!"
"Man, and I thought I would start hallucinating." Yuzu said quizzically. "Hang on, let me look for some water to wash all that down." She went to the kitchen.
"Yuzu, what is wrong with you?!"
"HAH! Why do you think I'm called Youngblood?" The ghost smirked. "Only kids or adults who act like kids can see me. But NOT kids who act like adults. She'll be too blind to even notice THIS!" Youngblood pulled out a syringe of Fear Toxin. Laughing manically, he flew over and phased the needle through Yuzu's bottle of water. While she didn't notice, the liquid was now dark-red.
The pink-eyed girl approached the fallen Karin without a hint of knowledge. Karin desperately tried to escape the parrot's talons, terrified at the sight of the poison. "Yuzu, please! Put that bottle down and go to sleep! Please!"
"Karin, you can't expect me to rest knowing you guys are stuffing yourselves like this."
"No, listen! There's a ghost here that only kids can see, but you can't see him because you're acting too responsible! Your other self was able to see him two days ago, so you've gotta go to sleep and let your other self take over! PLEASE!"
"See, Karin, this is exactly the kind of thing that sugar does to you. Now, I'm going to give you this water, drink it all the way down, then I'll find you some fruit that'll hopefully be enough to stop that sugar from doing much damage."
"Grrrrr!" Yuzu was seconds from reaching her sister. Without ever realizing, she would poison Karin with Nightmare Toxin and drown her in a sea of nightmares. Her anger fueling her, Karin mustered the strength to break the parrot's talons away from her, jumping up high and KICKING the bird's giant head clean off. Karin landed firmly before Yuzu, PUNCHING her sister's jaw with terrific force that knocked her out cold. The open bottle flew away and spilled on the floor.
"Sheesh! All she was trying to do was bring you water." Youngblood stated. "Even I don't play that rough. Doesn't matter, because I have another one, right here!" He drew another syringe of toxin, ready to stab it in Karin.
With speed like the wind, Yuzu flew across the air and kicked her socked foot across Youngblood's face. The ghost slid across the floor, dropping the syringe that broke. The ghost rubbed his sore jaw and sat up to view his assaulter. "No one punks with MY buds except ME!"
"So, you can see me after all, huh?" Youngblood floated high above. "Then you'll be the NEXT one to taste my Sugar Typhoon of Doom!"
"I thought it was 'Tsunami.'" Jinta mentioned.
"I'm changing it to 'Typhoon.'" The ghost willed a cyclone of sugar to fly around and above him.
"We'll see how that Sugar Typhoon compares to what I can cook!" Yuzu grabbed a fallen ladle and used it to skate to the kitchen. "Ladies and gentlemen, Chef Yuzu's in the house: no peeking!" She pulled a curtain out of nowhere to conceal herself. There was the boiling of a pot, some chopping up, some stirring. Even Youngblood was eager to see what she might be cooking.
Finally, the curtain opened. "Aaaall done!" She was holding a huge, brown muffin-like cake in two oven mitts.
Youngblood's mouth watered at that steaming delicacy. "Holy wow! That things look marvelous!"
"Eat it! It's all for you!"
Youngblood was quick to fly over and start stuffing himself with the pastry. "Oh MAN, this is the greatest thing I ever tasted! How the heck do you make something like this?!"
"Easy!" Yuzu beamed. "I just add lots… and lots… . . ." Her look became devilish, "of spinach."
"SPINACH?!" Youngblood panicked. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The ghost's body shone with a bright green light. Just like that, he exploded like fireworks. The ghostly items trapping the kids released them, and the parrot poofed away.
"Phew." Karin held her chest in relief. "Thanks, Yuzu. We would've been goners if it wasn't for you."
"Just doin' mah job, Karin-nee." Yuzu folded hands behind her head. "I ain't even know I could cook."
"Well, you can." Ururu told her with a smile. "The Yuzu that we know can do that and more. Because she really loves us."
"And we love you, too." Kodama told her. "No matter who you are." She touched Yuzu's shoulder. "That's why we would really love it if you go to sleep."
"We want both of you to go to sleep." Karin put her hand on the other shoulder. "You need it more than any of us, Yuzu. A good night's rest, just for once."
"W…Why?" the spunky girl asked. "Don't you wanna stay up and party?"
"Yes, we do." Ururu told her kindly. "We wanna stay up and party with the real Yuzu. In the daylight, after a good night's rest. Please, Yuzu… go to sleep."
Yuzu looked around at all of them. Except for Jinta, who was wearing a 'cool boy' frown, her three friends looked so caring. Yuzu, whoever she really was, never had this feeling. This side of her never knew how they felt about her. "Eh… I guess."
They guided Yuzu to her room, took off her apron, and let their friend settle on her bed. Her pink eyes closed, and she was gone into slumber. For the rest of the night… neither she nor the other Yuzu woke up.
The next afternoon
For the first time in ages, Yuzu wasn't waking up in some random store. It was the best night she had ever slept. Her eyes felt amazing, completely rejuvenated. She had the strength to take off the covers and walk to the living room to start a brand new day. "Huh?" Jinta was cleaning the windows, Ururu was sweeping the floor, Kodama wore firework jetpacks to wash the ceiling, and Karin was cooking food.
"Good morning, Yuzu!" her sister called. "I made you breakfast!"
There was some bacon and pancakes on the table. "Karin-chan… you didn't have to do all this."
"Yeah, but we did." Karin marched over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "From now on, we do everything as a team. You go on missions with us, and we help you with chores. Got it?"
"Karin…" Yuzu smiled warmly, unsure of what to say. Karin sported an energetic grin.