Danny didn't wake up.
He was pulled awake.
A warmth pressed into his chest like a beam of sunlight cutting through darkness—a deep, melodic hum vibrating in the marrow of his bones. His eyes shot open, glowing faint gold in the dim barracks lighting.
Everything felt far away… and impossibly close.
A whisper coiled through his mind, not cold this time, but ancient, weary, and urgent.
"…Bearer… awaken…"
Danny sucked in a breath, gripping the edge of his bunk as if the ship itself were tilting.
Shadeclaw's eyes snapped open across the room, pupils narrowing into predatory slits.
Mira turned in her bed, ears rising, nostrils flaring.
Swift opened his eyes slowly, calmly, already sensing a shift in the ambient energy around Danny.
Jake snorted awake with a terrified squeak.
Jade jerked upright so fast he slammed his head on the top bunk.
Danny barely heard him.
The whisper pulsed again, warm and heavy.
"…we wait for you…"
"…fulfill purpose…"
Danny clutched his chest. "It's… calling me."
Swift was instantly beside his bunk. "Describe the sensation."
Danny shook his head. "It's not like last time. The whisper isn't hunting. It's… asking. Pleading."
Mira sat up fully now, golden wolf-eyes on Danny. "The sigil stone."
Shadeclaw nodded. "Yes. Stones do not call lightly."
Jake groaned, burying himself in his blanket. "Why can't cosmic destiny let me sleep ONE night?!"
Jade rubbed his forehead. "Bro, if a rock is calling you, you better answer before it gets mad."
Before Danny could reply, the ship intercom chimed with the soft tone of a high-priority briefing.
"CADETS DANIEL, SWIFT, JAKE, SHADECLAW, MIRA, JADE — REPORT TO DEPLOYMENT CHAMBER 1. IMMEDIATELY."
The six froze.
Shadeclaw whispered, "They know."
Mira added, "The Buddies must have detected the same energy shift."
Swift nodded. "Then the stone awakened."
Jake whimpered. "It's too early for awakened stones."
Jade grabbed his boots. "Shut up and get moving."
Danny's chest still burned with the golden warmth, but now something else pulsed beneath it—purpose.
They dressed quickly and raced through the corridors of the G.A.M.B.I.T., the metallic walls thrumming as if the entire ship were reacting to the sigil's call.
They burst into Deployment Chamber 1—
And Danny froze.
Because outside the panoramic docking bay windows, floating like a miracle forged from metal and cosmic ingenuity, was—
B.U.D.D.I.E.S. Headquarters.
Not a station.
Not a shipyard.
A world.
A colossal ringed planet-station hybrid, its armored surface glittering with energy conduits and command towers.
Ships swarmed around it like insects around a star.
Twenty-seven G.A.M.B.I.T.s were docked in precise formation—each a fortress capable of delivering entire planetary strike forces.
Jake staggered. "We're… home?"
Swift breathed out softly. "Not home. The epicenter of Buddy civilization."
Jade grinned wildly. "THIS IS AWESOME."
Mira stared in awe. "This place… it feels alive."
Shadeclaw's eyes narrowed. "And heavily guarded."
Danny couldn't speak.
He felt the pull—stronger now, more insistent. The sigil stone was awake. Watching. Calling.
Staff Sgt. Sorn stood waiting for them, arms crossed like a living mountain carved from discipline and disapproval.
"Cadets," he barked. "HQ has summoned you. Move."
They followed him through the docking causeway, boots echoing on reinforced plating. The sight of thousands of Buddies personnel, technicians, soldiers, engineers, and pilots overwhelmed every sense.
Jake whispered, "There are… so many people."
Swift corrected him smoothly. "Forty-two thousand personnel on the surface level alone."
Jade elbowed him. "Dude, that doesn't help."
As they entered the command atrium—a vaulted chamber lit by enormous holographic star maps—a familiar voice rang from above.
"THERE you are! My favorite little chaos group!"
Jimmy appeared in a whirl of confetti sparkles.
Holding a plate.
Of waffles.
Jade gasped. "YES."
Danny blinked. "Jimmy?"
Jimmy grinned wide, waving the waffles. "Yes! It's me! And you know what I say when destiny calls?"
Jake whispered, "Please don't say waffles."
Jimmy lifted a single waffle.
"Waffles."
Sorn growled. "Not now."
Jimmy sighed dramatically. "Sorn, you are allergic to joy."
Sorn ignored him and pointed at the massive holomap floating above the table. Seven sigil icons glowed faintly—six dull, one pulsating brightly.
Danny felt that pulse in his chest.
"…Bearer…"
Swift stepped forward. "That is the stone calling Danny."
Jimmy nodded, face suddenly serious. The jovial glow dimmed.
"Yes. And that is why you are here."
The room darkened as the map zoomed in on a distant star system—storms swirling around an unstable world. The sigil pulse increased.
"The sigil stones are waking," Jimmy said softly. "Bones' return, Magic Kid's meddling, cosmic imbalance—it's stirred them out of slumber."
Danny felt a chill.
Jimmy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"And the stones remember the Golden Dragons."
Danny's breath hitched.
Jimmy continued. "You, Danny, are the only one alive who can feel them. The only one they respond to."
Danny staggered. "Why me?"
Jimmy's eyes softened.
"Because Creation left unfinished business."
Before Danny could ask what that meant—
Bumble crashed through a side door.
"BZZT—HELLO EVERYONE—I AM FIXED—SORT OF—AND ALSO EXPLODING—MAYBE?"
Jake screamed. "WHY IS HE HERE?!"
Jimmy beamed. "Ah! PERFECT timing! Jake, Bumble is now your assistant!"
Jake staggered back. "WHAT—WHY?!"
Bumble latched onto Jake's leg. "I LOVE YOU."
Jake fell over. "NOOOO—"
Shadeclaw unsheathed claws.
Mira backed up slowly.
Swift sighed.
Jade laughed so hard he almost choked.
Jimmy clapped. "Good! Very healthy bonding!"
Sorn massaged the bridge of his nose. "Continue."
The map changed again.
A massive Arrowhead-class ship rotated into view—sleek, enormous, bristling with weaponry and auxiliary hangars.
Sorn spoke:
"This will be your vessel."
The label appeared:
ARROWHEAD-CLASS HEAVY TRANSPORT
W H I S T L E D A W N
The ship was easily twice the size of most Arrowheads, built for long-range deployment and heavy engagement.
It carried:
200 B.E.A.R. suits
25 Switchblades
150 cadets
A veteran bridge crew
Long-duration hyperjump drives
Multi-layered shielding
Danny swallowed. "This… is ours?"
Jimmy nodded. "For this mission, yes. The WhistleDawn will take you to the sigil stone."
Sorn stepped forward.
"CADETS. This is no training simulation. This is your first true deployment."
He pointed at each of them in turn.
"Danny — Stone-Bearer and Field Commander.
Swift — Tactical Lead.
Shadeclaw — Security Commander.
Mira — Recon Captain.
Jade — Ground Assault Leader.
Jake — B.E.A.R. Liaison and morale officer."
Jake fainted on the spot.
Bumble tried to revive him by slapping him repeatedly.
Jade cheered. "WE HAVE A SHIP!"
Swift bowed slightly. "We will perform as commanded."
Mira's eyes glowed. "We will track the stone."
Shadeclaw growled, "I will guard the bearer."
Danny touched his chest.
The whisper swelled again.
"…hurry…"
"…darkness seeks us…"
Jimmy suddenly looked grim.
"There isn't much time. Bones' forces know. Magic Kid is interfering. The stone is afraid." He paused. "And sigil stones should never be afraid."
Sorn stepped back.
"WhistleDawn launches in one hour. Prepare."
Jimmy raised the waffle plate again.
"ANYONE FOR A QUICK WAFFLE BEFORE DEATH AND DESTINY?"
Sorn glared.
The six raised their hands.
Sorn sighed heavily. "Fine."
The waffles were gone in minutes.
Even Sorn ate one, though he did it behind a datapad so no one could accuse him of enjoying anything. Jimmy cheerfully handed out napkins shaped like tiny galaxies, Mira sniffed hers suspiciously, Jade pocketed two, Jake dropped his into his boot by accident, and Bumble swallowed his whole.
"BZZT— DELICIOUS—ERR—CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR?"
Jake screamed.
Jimmy patted the bot. "He'll be fine! Probably!"
With breakfast concluded, the six followed Sorn down a massive corridor toward Hangar Bay Omega. The walkway curved along the inner rim of B.U.D.D.I.E.S. HQ's outer ring, offering a staggering view of the organized chaos beyond:
Thousands of Buddy troops drilling in formation.
B.E.A.R. units marching like iron titans.
Switchblades zooming past in tight spirals.
Engineers repairing plasma cannons the size of buildings.
Arrowheads launching in synchronized streams.
Jake nearly collapsed. "Everything here is so… big."
Swift corrected gently, "Scaled."
"No, Swift. BIG."
Shadeclaw sniffed the air. "This place smells of metal and ambition."
Mira tilted her head, observing the passing war machines. "And a thousand different fears."
Jade cracked his knuckles, thrilled. "And plenty to punch."
Danny said nothing.
Because with each step, the sigil whisper grew louder—not a voice, but a pressure behind his ribs. A warmth spreading into his lungs, throat, fingertips.
"…do not delay…"
"…bearer… hurry…"
The stone was alive.
And afraid.
Jimmy noticed Danny lagging behind.
"Hey," he said softly, falling into step beside him. "It'll be alright."
Danny swallowed. "I don't know what it wants."
Jimmy looked forward, expression unreadable.
"Oh, Danny. It's not what the stone wants."
He squeezed Danny's shoulder gently.
"It's what the universe needs from you."
Before Danny could ask more, Sorn barked:
"Cadets—present yourselves!"
The corridor widened into Hangar Bay Omega, an echoing cathedral of alloy and engine roar.
And there it was.
The WhistleDawn.
An Arrowhead-class ship so massive its angular silhouette seemed to cut through reality itself. Its hull shimmered with layered shielding—silver, white, and faint blue tracing along the plates. Twin hangar bays glowed along the lower body, one filled with rows of Switchblades, the other with dormant B.E.A.R. suits.
Jade sucked in air through his teeth. "That's… that's BEAUTIFUL."
Jake fainted again.
Bumble caught him. "BZZT—MY HUMAN."
Swift stepped forward, eyes shining with something close to wonder. "Its systems are advanced. Three generations above the G.A.M.B.I.T. class."
Mira's tail flicked as she sensed something. "The ship feels… awake."
Shadeclaw nodded. "Machines of this size develop presence."
Danny's chest burned as the sigil pulse flared.
"…closer…"
Sorn marched them toward the main ramp.
Standing at the top waited four officers in immaculate Buddy uniforms.
The first stepped forward.
Commander Lysara Wynn
A tall, composed woman with silver streaks in her black hair and a gaze sharp enough to cut atmospheric plating. Her voice carried absolute control.
"Cadets. I am Commander Wynn, pilot and acting master of the WhistleDawn. For this mission, your command supersedes mine."
Jade whispered, "We outrank HER?!"
Jake whimpered, "We're all going to die."
The second officer stepped forward.
Co-Pilot Ven Rattik
Lean, grinning, too confident, aviator shades indoors.
He saluted casually. "Hey kids. Try not to break my ship."
Mira frowned. "We are not kids."
Shadeclaw's claws slowly extended.
Rattik raised his hands. "Kidding! Kidding. Mostly."
The third officer, a quiet man with data-stream implants, bowed.
Navigation Officer Riss Talin
"Your trajectories will be safe in my hands."
Swift nodded respectfully. "Then I look forward to coordinating with you."
And the fourth—
A massive, barrel-chested engineer with a face like hammered steel and absolutely no patience.
Chief Engineer Baro Venn
He grunted. "If any of you break anything down below, I'm throwing you out the airlock."
Jake hid behind Bumble.
Baro pointed at Jake. "Especially you."
Jake shrieked.
Bumble vibrated in excitement. "BZZT—WE WILL BREAK EVERYTHING—TOGETHER."
Baro screamed into a towel.
Sorn stepped aside.
"Cadets—this ship is under your mission authority. You lead the cadet squadron. You retrieve the sigil stone. You have two months."
Danny inhaled sharply.
Two months.
150 cadets.
A fully loaded Arrowhead.
And a cosmic relic calling him like a heartbeat across space.
Jimmy floated closer, wearing a grin but with eyes too ancient to hide the truth.
"Your adventure begins today."
Jake raised his hand. "Is it too late to refuse adventure?"
Jimmy clapped him on the back. "YES!"
Bumble clapped him on the head. "CORRECT."
Swift was already analyzing the ship layout.
Jade was already yelling, "I LOVE THIS SHIP."
Mira observed the cadets gathering behind them.
Shadeclaw scanned every shadow for threats.
Danny stepped toward the ramp.
And the whisper slammed into him like a warm tidal wave.
"…please… hurry…"
"…we cannot hold…"
He stopped breathing for a moment, pressing a hand to his chest.
The warmth wasn't gentle anymore.
It was desperate.
Swift noticed immediately. "Danny?"
Danny shook his head, voice trembling. "It's… it's afraid."
Shadeclaw's fur bristled. "Stones do not fear."
Jimmy's voice dropped low and quiet.
"This one does."
The six stepped fully onto the WhistleDawn's primary ramp, the vast hangar humming with energy as support crews rushed across platforms, finalizing preparations for departure. Overhead, massive cranes locked down the last Switchblade fighter into its magnetic cradle. Engineers shouted checklists. Plasma conduits pulsed along the ceiling like the veins of a metal giant awakening.
But the noise died—instantly—when the cadets arrived.
The gathered squadron stood in formation across the hangar floor. One hundred fifty cadets, armored in light Buddy combat suits, helmets under their arms, backs straight, eyes sharp.
They were all staring at Danny's group.
Swift inhaled quietly. "They're waiting for us."
Mira's wolf ears twitched. "Some with awe."
Shadeclaw's golden eyes narrowed. "Some with doubt."
Jade grinned. "Some 'cause we're awesome."
Jake muttered, "Some because they think we're going to get them killed."
Bumble vibrated. "CERTAINLY POSSIBLE."
Jake screamed.
Commander Wynn raised her hand.
"CADET SQUADRON—PRESENT ARMS!"
One hundred fifty fists struck armor plates in unison.
Danny flinched.
Because the sigil whisper pulsed again.
"…bearer…"
"…time is thin…"
He sucked in a sharp breath.
And for the first time—
Everyone saw it.
A faint golden glow spread from Danny's chest.
Not bright, but unmistakable.
Not uncontrolled, but powerful.
A pulsing heartbeat of creation.
Murmurs rippled through the cadets.
Some stepped back in awe.
Some leaned forward in curiosity.
A few dropped their helmets.
Jake stared, wide-eyed. "Danny… you're glowing like a lightbulb."
Danny swallowed. "I know."
Swift touched his shoulder. "It's connected to the sigil."
Shadeclaw stepped closer, protective instinct taking over. "If the stone can feel you… then others might too."
A chill ran through the room.
As if his words mattered on cosmic levels.
Commander Wynn cleared her throat sharply and addressed the squadron.
"Cadets. These six will be leading you. Treat their orders as my own. As the Admiral's. As Jimmy's."
A wave of tension washed across the formation.
Jake blinked. "We're their Jimmy?"
Jade elbowed him. "Don't say it like that."
Wynn continued.
"Your mission may involve combat. Your mission WILL involve danger. And your mission revolves around one singular objective—recovering the awakened sigil stone before the Dark Buddies can react."
A murmur rippled—a mix of fear, excitement, and disbelief.
Jake gulped loudly. "Dark Buddies? Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
Bumble patted his shoulder. "THE DARKNESS APPROACHES."
Jake screamed again.
Swift shot him a sympathetic look. "You'll be fine."
"No I won't!"
Mira sniffed the air again. "Danny isn't the only one sensing something. Something beyond."
Shadeclaw nodded. "Yes. Something near the stone."
Danny's chest tightened.
He felt it too.
Something waiting near the sigil.
Something wrong.
Something ancient.
Something cold.
And now it knew he was coming.
"…hurry…"
Danny whispered, "We need to go. Now."
Wynn exchanged a subtle glance with Sorn.
Sorn stepped forward, voice booming.
"ALL HANDS—PREPARE FOR IMMEDIATE LAUNCH."
The hangar shook as massive shutters began to lower. Technician crews scurried back to safety rails. Mechanical arms detached from the WhistleDawn's underbelly as her engines hummed to life—deep, thrumming notes that vibrated in the bones of everyone present.
The ship was awakening.
Commander Wynn saluted the six.
"Bridge is yours. Report when ready."
Swift nodded. "We'll go immediately."
Shadeclaw motioned toward the ramp. "Move. Eyes open."
Mira followed, tail flicking with anticipation.
Jade marched forward with too much enthusiasm.
Jake tripped and Bumble caught him.
Danny walked last—
—and froze as the sigil whisper struck him again.
Not desperate this time.
Not frightened.
Warning.
"…he comes…"
Danny's heart stopped.
He felt it.
Not a voice.
Not a presence.
A shadow.
A massive, approaching shadow across the cosmic thread connecting him to the sigil.
Swift noticed his hesitation instantly. "Danny?"
Shadeclaw was beside him in a heartbeat. "What do you hear?"
Danny's voice was barely a whisper.
"…something is coming for the stone."
Mira stiffened. "Bones?"
Danny shook his head violently. "No. Not Bones. Not Magic Kid. Something… older."
Jake grabbed Bumble. "WHY IS EVERYTHING OLDER AND SCARIER?!"
Bumble buzzed ominously. "DANGER. COSMIC. IMMEASURABLE. FUN!"
Danny forced himself forward.
They entered the WhistleDawn.
The interior was breathtaking:
Sleek metallic hallways lined with holo-displays
Power conduits weaving under transparent crystalline floors
Barracks, command rooms, armories
A hangar bay extending the length of a city block
Switchblade fighters gleaming under mag-light rigs
Rows of B.E.A.R. suits waiting like slumbering giants
Cadets marched to their designated stations.
Mira took point, sniffing the airflow patterns, ensuring no intruders had slipped on board.
Shadeclaw instructed security teams.
Jade yelled at a heavy weapons rack until it opened for him.
Jake inspected B.E.A.R. connections—then Bumble welded two wires the wrong way and set off a siren.
Swift studied the ship's navigation core.
Danny made his way to the bridge.
Commander Wynn stood at her controls.
"Cadet Danny," she said, "your seat awaits."
Danny hesitated before stepping into the captain's station—the command seat of a ship that could change the fate of the galaxy.
He sat.
The seat automatically adjusted to his body.
Panels lit.
Holographic displays formed around him.
The sigil whisper pulsed with approval.
"…yes… bearer…"
Wynn looked at him, steady and calm.
"Say the word," she said. "And we depart."
Danny swallowed.
His friends stood behind him.
Shadeclaw.
Mira.
Swift.
Jade.
Jake.
Bumble.
All waiting.
All trusting him.
Danny exhaled slowly.
"WhistleDawn," he said, "launch."
The ship rumbled.
The hangar clamps released.
Massive gates peeled open, revealing the infinite starfield beyond.
Jetstreams burst from the Arrowhead's thrusters.
The WhistleDawn rose… tilted… and thundered into space.
The cadets erupted into cheers.
Swift allowed himself a rare smile.
Jade whooped.
Jake threw up in a bucket.
Mira pressed her hand to her chest.
Shadeclaw watched space like it was prey.
Danny looked out at the stars.
The whisper came again.
"…find us, bearer… before he does…"
Danny stiffened.
Because now he recognized the feeling behind the whisper.
It wasn't fear for itself.
It was fear for him.