Deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, the roar of logging machines shattered the ancient silence of the trees. Gigantic machines slowly advanced toward a group of towering century-old trunks, ready to rip them from their roots. However, right in their path, a small figure cloaked in a poncho and hood, concealing her face, came to a halt. The men, belonging to an illegal logging company, repeatedly honked the horn with growing impatience.
"Girl, move, or we'll run you over!" shouted one of them, a stocky man with a round face and an irritated expression, from the elevated seat of the machine. His voice thundered like a storm among the trees.
"Sir, I think she doesn't want to move," said another man, thin and nervous, who was with him in the vehicle.
"Well, teach that brat a lesson so she clears off. These kids these days think they're heroes," the stocky man replied with disdain. "Go and get her out of the way," he ordered the skinny man, gesturing sharply toward the girl.
The thin man hesitantly climbed down from the vehicle. He approached the small figure and, with a trembling voice, said, "Little girl, you can step out of the way. You don't want to get into trouble."
The girl raised her gaze, revealing a serious and determined face beneath the shadow of her hood. "I won't let you destroy the forest," she replied firmly, her voice soft but filled with conviction.
"Come on, girl, go back to your parents," the thin man insisted, trying to sound kind, though his hands trembled slightly. But the girl remained motionless, like a living statue.
Finally, the man returned to the burly driver, shaking his head. "She won't budge, sir. She says she won't let us destroy the forest."
"I see," the large man growled. "Then I'll have to scare her into moving." With a cruel smile, he started the machine and began advancing toward the girl, raising one of the cutting saws. But suddenly, the machines stopped working.
"What's going on?" the driver asked, surprised, frantically scanning the controls.
"I don't know, sir. Everything seems fine," the thin man replied, inspecting the instruments.
"But nothing's working! The vehicle won't move! Can't you see? You're the engineer—fix it!" the driver shouted, enraged.
The thin man bent down to check the controls when, suddenly, a deafening noise erupted from the machine. It was a beastly roar, like that of an enraged animal. To their disbelief, the machine began to dismantle and reconfigure itself, transforming into a gigantic robot the size of a tree, still gripping the saw firmly in one of its hands. The same happened to the other twenty machines. The operators, terrified, leaped from their cabins and ran, but the robots pursued them, cornering them like relentless predators.
"Fools, that's what they deserve," the girl muttered, watching the scene with satisfaction. However, a flicker of surprise crossed her face as she saw the machines preparing to attack the men. "Though… since I'm part of the agent team, I should help them," she reflected aloud.
With determination, she shouted at the illegal loggers, who stood paralyzed with fear, awaiting their fate at the hands of the saws. Swiftly, she removed her poncho and hood, revealing her true identity. She was a girl with shoulder-length green hair and glowing orange eyes that shone brightly in the night's darkness like two-lit lanterns. Appearing to be about seven years old, she wore a suit made of plants and flowers, woven with such precision it seemed crafted by expert hands.
What drew the most attention was that she had no visible arms. The men, confused and terrified, wondered how she could possibly save them without limbs. The burly man, panting, muttered, "And how is that girl going to help us if she has nothing to fight with…" His gaze fixed on the spot where her arms should have been, unable to comprehend.
"Don't underestimate me," she said firmly, raising her voice, so everyone could hear. Instantly, thick, flexible roots sprouted from the ground, fusing seamlessly with her body to form arms made of branches and leaves. They were identical to human arms but carried an ethereal and powerful touch.
Suddenly, the girl placed her new branch-and-leaf arms, palms down, against the ground. A moment later, thick vines erupted from the earth, coiling tightly around the machines and immobilizing them completely. Then, a torrent of razor-sharp leaves burst forth from the soil, slicing the machines into pieces. "STEEL LEAF," the girl murmured as the leaves gleamed with a metallic sheen under the dim jungle light.
The remains of the machines crashed heavily near the men, who watched in stunned silence as the small girl performed such a feat. Trembling with fear, the illegal loggers approached her and, with quivering voices, begged for forgiveness. "Please, we won't cut down any more trees," they promised, bowing in a gesture of respect.
The girl stared at them intently, her expression serious yet resolute. "I hope not," she replied firmly. However, before she could relax, something stealthily approached from the camp. They were small robots, about the size of an average adult, equipped with weapons aimed directly at her. There were four in total.
"Watch out, girl! Look up!" shouted the burly man, frantically pointing at the robots. But before the girl could react, the machines began to self-destruct one after another, mysteriously.
"What happened? You didn't do that, did you, girl?" asked the large man, bewildered. The girl shook her head, her orange eyes glowing with curiosity.
"Well, well… Sometimes you're careless," said a familiar voice, and suddenly, a young man appeared beside the girl. He was dressed entirely in black, his nose and mouth covered by a mask resembling that of a ninja. His dark brown hair, tied in a low ponytail, matched his deep brown eyes. Though not muscular, his athletic build and silent presence made him appear intimidating.
"When did you get here?" the girl asked, surprised.
"A few minutes ago, but good thing I did," he replied with an arrogant smile. "By the way, why aren't you answering my messages? I've been trying to reach you."
"I don't have time for that. Besides, there's not much signal around here," retorted the girl, crossing her branch-like arms.
"Who are you two?" asked the burly man, still awestruck by their supernatural abilities.
"Alright, enough playing protector of the forest," interrupted the young man, turning to the girl. "We have work to do."
The girl gave him a disapproving look but nodded. She turned back to the illegal loggers and shot them a stern glare. "I never want to see you destroying this forest again, understood? Or you'll answer me."
The men nodded quickly, almost in unison, as the girl and the young man vanished before their eyes as if they were part of a magic trick.
Once alone, the girl turned to the young man. "Did you really have to do that?" she scolded, pointing at his outfit. "And why do you dress like that? You look like a cartoon ninja."
"What's wrong with my clothes? I am a ninja," he replied defensively.
"The fact that you can turn invisible doesn't make you one," teased the girl with a mocking smile.
The young man rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's drop it. You saw those rogue robots appear. We need to help the people in nearby areas. It's our duty as agents to protect them. This is a direct order from higher-ups."
"Yeah, I saw the robots I dealt with," responded the girl thoughtfully. "Well, since we're on this, let's head to the next tech hotspot." She paused, then added with an exasperated tone, "And take that thing off your face already, Todd."
"It's my style, Lita," said Todd confidently as he adjusted his ninja mask.
"Suit yourself," she replied, rolling her eyes. "But tell me something: how are we getting to the next city? Did you bring a ship or some kind of transport?"
"Well… I brought one, but it turned into a robot. So I had to walk," admitted Todd with a nervous smile, scratching the back of his neck.
The girl gave him a disapproving look. "Idiot," she muttered. "I always have to do everything myself." With a fluid motion, she touched the ground with her branch-like hands, and from the earth sprouted a giant tuber-like form, resembling a potato. The strange shape slowly opened, revealing a cabin inside. "Get in. We'll travel underground," instructed Lita, gesturing toward the interior.
Todd nodded without argument, and both climbed into the peculiar vehicle. As soon as they closed the door, the tuber sank into the ground, beginning to move like an underground train.
As they traveled beneath the surface in what Todd jokingly called the "potato-mobile," let's take a moment to introduce these two extraordinary agents:
Lita Oliveira, Agent A-5, is a girl of only seven years old. Though young, she possesses surprising wisdom and skill. Born without arms, she compensates through her magical connection with nature, creating lifelike limbs made of branches and leaves. Her power lies not only in controlling flora but also in safeguarding the natural balance of the world. Determined, brave, and innately just, her sense of righteousness far surpasses her age.
On the other hand, there's Todd Reynolds, Agent B-11, a sixteen-year-old teenager obsessed with playing the part of a ninja. His unique ability allows him to turn invisible and pass through solid materials, though his creativity in using these skills often leaves much to be desired. Despite his carefree and joking attitude, Todd is loyal and always ready to support his teammates during the toughest missions.
"We're here!" announced Lita as the tuber began to rise toward the surface like an elevator. As it emerged from the ground, the "potato's" shell opened like a door, revealing a scene of utter chaos before them.
The city was plunged into absolute disorder. Collapsed buildings, overturned vehicles, and black smoke floating in the air created an apocalyptic atmosphere.
"I've never seen a city like this," said Todd, gazing in astonishment. "I know Rio de Janeiro is a cheerful, festive city full of parades, but this… This looks like a mess even bigger than my room," he added, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke.
Lita looked at the broken sign that still read "Welcome to Rio." "Yes, this is the place," she confirmed in a serious tone. "But I think those things have made it unrecognizable."
Todd looked up as he heard a metallic sound. A massive float sculpture shaped like a toucan loomed over the rubble. Its eyes glowed with a red light, and suddenly, it fired laser beams directly at them.
"Doesn't that thing look friendly to you?" asked Todd, pointing at the mechanical toucan with concern.
"No, definitely not," replied Lita as she watched more mechanical creatures emerge from the wreckage of the buildings, slowly surrounding them.
Danger was imminent. What lies ahead for this peculiar duo? Find out in the next chapter.