Operation: CLOWN, Part 1

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Kids Next Door mission…

Operation:

C.L.O.W.N.

Clown's

Looney

Operations

Will

'Naugurate

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Chapter 1: Caesar's Escape

G.U.N. H.Q., around 22 years ago

Nighttime at GUN H.Q.. It was just another ordinary day as Commander Gunkan marched down the halls of his base, his face serious and stern. He approached two soldiers, who saluted, standing on either side of a black-haired man, in sunglasses and a thick white coat. The man spoke in a calm, quiet tone. "Gunkan-san…"

"Evening, General Vergo." Gunkan nodded. "I assume you've brought the prisoner?"

"Yes… he is right there." His head directed to the doorway.

The doors slid open as a group of soldiers marched in, pulling an up-right stretcher with a man strapped to it. "Shurororororo." He was a white-skinned man in a blackish-purple jumpsuit, with yellow polka dots. He had short, thick black hair, purple lips, and psychotic yellow eyes. On his head were strange goat horns, and he wore dark-blue gloves with the letters "CC".

"Shurororororo." The man laughed wickedly, wearing a wide, crazy grin on his face as the men rolled him down the hall.

"The chi-blocking cuffs are on him, right?" Gunkan asked.

"Yes." Vergo assured as they walked along. "We can't have him running loose without them."

"Heeey, Vergo! How's the WIFE doing??" The prisoner asked excitedly. "Whoops! Sorry, wrong person! Shurororo!"

The group walked down several more halls as the man continued to speak. "Whoa, I really NEED to get me some new shoooes!" He looked at his dark-blue slip-on shoes and shook his feet. "A new suit, too! And maybe longer hair! I really am a slave to trends, shuroROROrororo!..."

"…and I said, Mark Hamill?? Well, what's wrong with my JAPANESE voice actor?! I mean, it's GREAT that I sound like a Joker, but-"

"-…and when did I AGREE to take part in some crummy writer's fanfic?" He rambled as they finally came to a stop in a small room. "I mean, if this is the crap that PAYS, I demand to see a script first, 'cause I-"

"QUIET, Clown!" Gunkan demanded with a hateful look. "Now tell me…" Rage burned in Gunkan's eyes as he held a darksaber to the man's neck, "How did you manage to produce 10,000 gallons of BANG Gas??"

"Ooooh it's all part of BUSINESS, Gunny! And a good magician never reveals secrets SHUROrororo!"

"TELL ME who you've been selling it to!!" Brett demanded.

"Mum's the word, Gunny HOOHOO! I wouldn't dare sell a customer's private information! There should be a penalty for blackmailing, don't you think?"

"QUIT kidding around, Clown! There's one last thing: is there a metahuman ANTIDOTE?"

"ANTIDOTE?! ShuroROROROrororo!" Gunkan gritted his teeth as Clown laughed. "Actually…" Clown looked at him with a smirk, "a certain SPIRIT may be what you're afterrrr… BUT: you didn't hear it from MEEEE!"

"Uuuuh…" Gunkan sighed in exhaust. "Then it's time we ridded YOUR mutated mug from the world as well. MEN: READY weapons." The soldiers in the room took aim at Clown.

"So I'm GUESSING those swords are just for SHOW then." Clown guessed.

"On my mark: 3… 2… 1…"

"SURPRIIIISE!!"

Vergo immediately punched Gunkan in the face, knocking him down before attacking more soldiers. The remaining soldiers gasped in shock, taking aim on Vergo and letting fire. "Armament." Vergo spoke, and the bullets had no effect on his iron-like body. Vergo wiped all the soldiers out in seconds, and he and Clown were the only ones still conscious.

"ShuroROROrorororo!" The prisoner laughed as Vergo walked over with a key, using it to unshackle Clown's wrists and legs. The white-skinned man stood up, rubbing his wrists. "Well, a little OFF, but… I still give you a 9.5 outta 10! Oh, I KNEW I could count on you, Vergo!"

"Of course… Master Caesar."

Present time, Uncharted Island, Pacific Ocean

The playroom was packed with frolicking children of many shapes and sizes. No, I'm not referring to their ages. They ranged from the size of pennies to bigger than houses. As for their shapes, there were many races, like humans, Lilliputians, Kateenians, Minish, Gargoyles, Nimbi, even Merpeople. Some of the smaller characters were riding the bigger characters, cheering as the giants ran around. They were also playing hide-and-seek, with the smaller ones hiding, and some giants threw a little ball to each other from across the room.

The doors swung open, and they immediately ceased their activities. A man and a woman walked in, and the man cheered, "HELLO, kids!"

Their smiles were wide. "Master Caesar!!"

There was Caesar Clown, his yellow eyes shining with trust as he gave his wide grin. He looked much different than he did 2 decades ago: his black hair was much longer and wider, and he now wore a yellow jumpsuit with black, diagonal stripes. But it was barely seen, as he also wore a new, oversized, bright-pink open coat, with the word "GAS" written on both sides. However, it emitted a creepy, eerie sound and waved around like gas. That's because it wasn't a physical coat, but rather a gas-made coat Caesar conjured up himself.

The kids approached him excitedly as he pulled out a syringe. "Time for your daily blood tests!" He began to lightly extract blood from everyone.

The smaller children were gathered around Caesar's henchwoman, Monet, a slim woman with grass-green hair, sharp yellow eyes, and bird wings and talons. She wore a green, bellybutton tank-top that read "Happy". After she extracted blood from a doll-sized Minish (much bigger than their natural size), it lovingly rubbed against her wing. "You're soft, Monet." It blushed.

"Can we go for a ride on you?" a smaller Minish asked.

"Hm-hm-hm, maybe later, kids." The woman smiled as several Minish and Kateenians already began climbing on her. "It's almost your bedtime… Oh!-" she perked when a Kateenian slipped down her shirt. "Hm hm hm!" she lightly picked it out, giggling.

"Will we ever get better, Master Caesar?" a human-sized Kateenian asked. "It's been 5 years."

"I'm certain it won't take long." Caesar still grinned. "But for being so patient, here's more candy!" His smile widened as he held up a piece of butterscotch.

"CANDYYY!" The children excitedly ran up to grab a piece.

While they did so, no one noticed the blue-and-yellow, confused rabbit walk behind some giant blocks and observe the playroom. "Gyom-gyooom?"

As soon as everyone got butterscotch, Caesar and Monet returned to the hallway. "They've gotten so lovable." The werebird woman said gleefully.

"Yes, but their blood results are all the same. It's just not enough!" Caesar swung his fists in rage. "I need something that'll really up my Underground Bang Gas Business! What WE need are BENDERS!"

"Hm hm, the two of us are benders."

"We've already got our fill, Monet, as you can see. We need to collect more! If I could mix bender blood with my SAD, I could develop Bang Gas that actually GIVES people BENDING! Then Caesar will be rolling in the dough, shurorororororo!" Caesar's devious grin grew wider, "And I think I know just the person to talk to."

Quahog Bank; 10:30p.m.

Nighttime at Quahog, Rhode Island. Things were peaceful in town, and the bank was totally empty. Of course, anyone that lived here would know that's never true. A hole opened up on the floor as a squad of shadowed men climbed out. They approached the safe as one of the men bended some water out of a bottle, using it to slice the lock until it was open. Inside, piles of dollars and gold coins sparkled before their eyes, lighting the gangsters up. "They's enuff dough in here ta last us next year!" The leader of the bunch, a chubby man, said. "Tha's not nearly enough." He smirked. "We'll hit the old rich guy's mansion, too."

They flinched when they heard glass breaking in the bank's lobby. They raised their guard, seeing three figures approach: a slim woman with a staff and purple robe, a blue-robed man in a metal Eskimo mask, and a familiar vigilante in a trench coat, gas mask, and wheelchair. "Lightning Bolt Zolt." The Sandman spoke with a fierce tone.

"Well, if it ain't Joe Swanson." Zolt smiled wittingly. "You oughta be savin' your cash for new legs, not fixin' broken windows."

"His name is Sandman, Zolt." Wiccan corrected, twirling her staff. "And we only play using justice."

"Please don't ever say that again." Coldman remarked, shaking his head.

"Well, we're usually gone before they catch us, anyway."

"Da three of you against all-a us?" Zolt asked. "We ain't no Triple Threats, pallies: we Quintuple Threats. Get 'em, boys." And with that, the Quintuple Threat Triads began to attack the heroes.

An earthbender stomped and flung rocks at Wiccan, which she narrowly avoided as she dodged over and beat the Triad with her staff. Two waterbenders tried to freeze her, but Coldman surfed overhead on an ice path and sprayed them with his ice pack, freezing them solid. Two shadowbenders crept up to Sandman and pulled him in their Shadow Veil, but Wiccan called, "Lumos Harem!", brightening the place with sunlight and forcing the shadows to come up, allowing Sandman to beat them.

Sandman was caught by surprise when three fearbenders stunned him with a Fear Scream, but Coldman froze the floor under their feet and made them slip and fall. Sandman backed away when three firebenders began to blast them, but Wiccan switched her staff to blow ice as she kept the flames back and froze them. "You know, that's kinda pointless when I can just freeze things myself." Coldman commented.

"And what are the odds of you getting chi-blocked?" Wiccan responded.

"Youse guys are gonna regrets doin' that." Zolt smirked. "'Cause Ah'm puttin' you in for a shock." The man twirled his hands as lightning sparked from his fingertips. Sandman faced him from several feet away, and the crippled man had to dodge his chair left and right as Zolt started to shoot quick lightning bolts.

"Siiigh, no good. Gotta make this quick." Sandman said. He continued to dodge, his chair making little spins upon each landing, and during one of the lands, it faced up slightly, so Sandman hit the boosts and flung upward, landing forcefully atop the gang leader and knocking him on his back. Nolan kept the man down as he dealt a forceful punch to Zolt's face, knocking him clean out.

Minutes later, the bank was surrounded by cops as Zolt and the Triads were given chi-blocking cuffs and loaded onto trucks. There was snow falling everywhere, as it was still winter.

The heroes, Nolan, Yuki, and Crystal watched from the rooftops. "I still don't see why I fly all the way down to Quahog from Iceland every night to help you with stuff." Yuki complained.

"Because you love us, Yuki." Crystal winked.

"Yeah, well… I gotta be off now. Later." With that, Yuki soared away on an ice road.

"Ahhh, always in a hurry." Crystal sighed. "I would be, too, if I had a family to go to. I don't suppose you have any more plans tonight?"

"No-pe. Had to miss dinner again… so I should probably head back. Same time tomorrow, Crystal." And with a wave, Nolan swung away on his grappling hook.

"Siigh, well I may as well watch how this plays out." Crystal sighed as she sat down, watching the cops finish their business.

Officer Joe Swanson rolled over to observe the broken window, and he yelled, "Alright, WHOEVER broke this, I'm not paying for it!"

"Well, it is a bank!" Crystal grinned as she flew away.

York Household

The minute Nolan York rolled in, Danika was there to greet him. "Ahh, finally, you're home! Kiiids, wake up, dinneeerr!"

Vanellope was asleep on the couch, but woke up at her adoptive-mother's call. "Oooh, finally, steak and beans with ketchup!" she cheered as she glitched to the kitchen.

"Oo- Wait- I thought dinner was 2 hours ago?" Nolan questioned.

"That was before I decided to reschedule so YOU could join us!" Danika grinned.

"Good thing shadowbenders are nocturnal." Dillon said as he came downstairs, rubbing his eyes.

The four took a seat at the table and began to cut their steaks. "So who got busted this time?" Danika asked.

"Ehh, it's just those Triads again." Nolan answered. "Bank sure has a lot happenin', huh?"

"Gotta love how different benders are able to come together." Dillon commented.

"Hey, Mr. York!" Vanellope perked up. "Can I put on your cyborg body?! Just for a bit!"

"You mean my wheelchair?"

"Oh, is THAT what that is?? I thought you were a cyborg and you take your body off!"

"Ha ha, nope! I was offered to be a cyborg, once."

"Yeah, but you upgrade one limb, your whole body loses its humanity." Danika mentioned. "That reminds me… you hear about all these kids goin' missing lately?"

"Yeah… what about 'em?" Nolan asked.

"Another bunch went missing from Water 7 several weeks ago. Eva did a news segment about it; apparently her daughter did surveillance there. It's so weird, though. Whaddyou think's happening to them?"

"Maybe they're being abducted by aliens!" Vanel exclaimed.

"Or maybe by that old guy who lives down the block." Nolan remarked, remembering John Herbert.

"Well, whoever's doing it, I bet Dad can find them!" Dillon said happily.

"Heh heh, I dun' think so. I'd rather mind business in my own city."

"That's not what Mr. Crystal does!" Vanellope winked.

"The only reason Yuki doesn't move here is because his daughter's in Sector IC. But it doesn't matter… I'm not Superman, so I can't be a hero in every little continent. I'm just a local hero, you know? We'll just have to let somebody else deal with it."

"Laaaazy heroooo." Vanellope whisper-sang.

"Well, in other news, Leo and Katie are coming to visit for the weekend." Danika explained. "Which is good because Dillon gets to bond with his cousin!" she grinned. "But… get used to the bad smells, you guys."

"Ahhhhh." Dillon slumped his head against the table. He hated random, unfortunate news. Especially when it involved relatives he couldn't stand.

"Ahhh, don't worry." Danika smiled in assurance. "I'm sure you'll have a great time!"

"Well, there's always hope for a random adventure." Dillon said, eating another piece of steak.

Water 7; Sector W7 Treehouse, the next day

Another peaceful day at the treehouse in Water 7. The girls were doing their usual routine while Chimney was on the couch, playing with her new Gonbe doll. They heard a light squeak and looked to the tiny door, installed in their normal door, as Aeincha walked in. "Brr-rr-rr!" the tiny girl shuddered. "Why did it decide to snow in Water 7?? It's always so warm, but when it snows, it's so cold!!"

"That's because you're so tiny!" Aisa grinned.

Apis walked over with a smile as she scooped her friend in both hands. "I'll warm you up, Aeinchan!" she said as she pressed Aeincha to her chest.

"I know! You can hug Gonbe!" Chimney grinned, holding up her stuffed doll. "He's sooper soft and cuddly!"

"Hm hm, thanks, Chimney!" Aeincha smiled. "But I'd like the real Gonbe better. Where is he, anyway?"

"Yeah." Apis agreed. "We haven't seen Gonbe in weeks. Is he okay?"

"Nnnn? Whatchu talkin' about, he's right here." Chimney held up her doll. "He's not as talkative."

"Chimney… that's the toy you got for Christmas." Apis pointed.

"Hnn?" Chimney was confused, but she kept her wide grin. She held the doll in both hands as she stared very, very closely. The stuffed doll was totally immobile. It didn't move an inch. His grinning expression didn't change… but his eyes showed no life. …Chimney finally realized: (Play "Escape" (the second part) from One Piece.)

"AAAAAHH!!" Chimney began to freak out. "GONBE'S GOOOOONE!!!"

"YOU JUST NOW REALIZED THAT?!" the girls screamed.

Right away, Chimney frantically scampered about the treehouse, checking every nook and cranny. "Gonbe?!" under her pillow. "Gonbe?!" in the fridge. "Gonbe?!" on the roof. "Gonbe?!" the cereal box. "Gonbe?!" under a discarded bolt. "Gonbe?! Gonbe?! Gonbe?! Gonbe?! Gonbe?!"

She checked under every random object, no matter how tiny, and finally returned to her friends. "Aaaaah!! Where did I leave my little neko-chan?!" she started to pant heavily.

"Calm down, Chimney!" Aeincha yelled. "Maybe we'll ask around town if someone's seen him!"

"Or maybe someone caught him and slaughtered him into that doll." April said with her usual toneless voice, barely looking away from her canvas.

"HUH-" Just the thought of it made Chimney lose consciousness. The grinning child's eyes rolled upward as she fell on her back. The others shot disbelieved looks at April.

"…What. Just a thought." With that, April continued painting a picture of Chimney fainting. (End song.)

Quahog Park

"And then when Beat PUNCHED my face, the boogers got on his fist!" Kaleo Anderson exclaimed before bursting into laughter. "HA HA HA! He looked so gross! Right, Stewie??"

As they listened to this, needless to say, Dillon, Zach, and Maddy were disgusted. "Did we HAVE to bring that guy to hang out with us??" Maddy questioned.

"My mom wants us to bond." Dillon explained. "I don't see why. She hates her brother, too. …Except when he almost gets killed by a Vaporian. But we're pretty much stuck with him this weekend."

"Well-p: I guess we're not hanging out with YOU this weekend." Maddy decided.

"Ahh, why not, Mad?" Zach smiled. "He might be a poisonbender, but this guy's actually kinda fun!"

"Oh, gee, I wonder why?"

"Hey! Hey guys!" Kaleo perked up. "I can poke my brain! Check it out!" He stuck his pinky finger up his nose, and his left eye puffed like goo.

"EWWWW!" Dillon and Maddy screamed.

"Haha, cooool!" Zach smiled with wonder.

"Hey, Dillon!" The four kids looked over as Haruka hurried to them.

"Hey, Haruka! What's up?" Dillon greeted.

"My mom took Mason and Dad shopping. I didn't wanna go, and Lee was busy, so, I'm stuck with you!" she said perkily. "So who's your friend?"

"Ahem, Haruka, meet my cousin, Kaleo." Dillon introduced as Kaleo tried to pull his tongue out and stare closely at it.

"Uuuuuhhh." Haruka looked disbelieved. "He seems… nice. But hey, Dillon, I've been working on my Healing Sting!" she exclaimed. "I've been trying to build it up so I can fix any sort of injury!

"Cool! Maybe you can heal every metahuman that's ever existed!" Maddy retorted.

Haruka glared. "Ha. Anyway, I'd like to show you, but, I don't suppose any of you would be willing to sacrifice a good amount of skin?"

"Actually," Kaleo began, pointing at his crotch, "I have some kinda condition where-"

"EWWW, NOOO!" all four kids shielded eyes and raised hands in defense.

"Now that I think of it, didn't someone mention a seagull broke his wing down by the beach?" Zach asked.

"Well, it's better than nothing." Haruka smiled. "Let's go!" she hurried off first, followed by the others.

York Household; sunset

The sun was setting over Quahog. Nolan York saw this from the window as he began to grab his gear. "Well-p, time to go patrol soon." He said.

"Oooh, can I come with???" Vanellope asked excitedly.

"Heh, maybe when you're older." Nolan laughed. "Why don't you go find your brother, he shouldn't be out this late."

"But it's sunset! Don't shadowbenders like the sunset??"

"Maybe, but, he's still in training."

"Alllll RIGHT, then!" With that, the Program girl jauntily glitched off.

Quahog Shore

"Uuuugh. We've been looking for-EV-ER!" Maddy complained as they walked along a rocky shore.

"Yeah, where's this dead bird supposed to live?" Zach asked.

"It's not dead." Haruka corrected. "At least, I hope not."

"If it is, can I eat it?" Leo asked.

Dillon stopped walking as he looked to the sunset over the horizon. His brown eyes fixed on the beautiful orange skies. "Hmmm… I think I can find it." Dillon closed his eyes, and sensed the shadows around him. Not far away, he could sense a bird trapped helplessly under some rocks. "He's just over there!" he yelled and pointed. The kids jumped up a small hill as Dillon moved away some rocks.

There lay an unconscious, battered seagull, covered with dirt. "Awwww. Poor thing." Haruka said with sympathy.

"Hey, that looks like the bird I threw a rock at earlier!" Kaleo exclaimed. Immediately, he was met with hateful glares. "What?"

Haruka pressed fingers to its chest. "It's still alive. Well… now or never." And with that, the female poisonbender lightly stabbed her fingernails into its body.

The others watched with anxiety. Haruka's eyes were closed, as the girl focused intently. She carefully channeled the poisons around the bird's body. The seagull began to come to, as a result. It felt strength return to its wings. Its head was feeling less numb.

As Haruka released, the seagull was on its feet, giving happy chirps. "Haaae! Hae! Hae!"

"You did it!" Dillon cheered.

"Whoa! Not bad!" Even Maddy was impressed.

They watched with smiles as the seagull flew off over the horizon. "You did a great thing, Haruka…" Dillon spoke admiringly.

"Yeah…" Haruka couldn't believe it herself.

Unbeknownst to them, they were watched from alleyways on the shore's edge. "Yep. They're benders, all right. Good ones, too, I think. The Master should like 'em."

"You know, we should find other injured animals." Haruka said as they headed back to the pier.

"Well, there's plenty of rocks back there!" Kaleo grinned. "I can-"

"NO YOU CAN'T!" they yelled at him.

"Hey, kids." They stopped and looked questioningly: a group of men dressed in yellow protective suits stood before them.

"Ummm…" Dillon stared confused.

"I'm sorry, but the five of you need to come with us."

"Come with you? Why?" Dillon asked.

"It's reached our attention you've caught a terrible disease. We're here to take you to a special doctor."

"You seem to be mistaken." Maddy spoke. "THOSE three have the disease. Me and Zach don't." The benders glared at her.

"Heh heh heh. I wish that were true."

"But we feel just fine." Haruka told him. "If we were sick, I would've felt it. I-"

"This isn't something one would normally feel. Even poisonbenders." Haruka raised a brow. "Look, kids, I know it sounds hard, but, if you return home, your parents would be affected, too. Just get on the boat, and, I promise, everything will be better."

The five, however, didn't trust them for a second. Well, except Kaleo. …However, this suddenly fascinated them. They were curious where these men came from. They wondered, did other children fall for their game? And, why did they want them? …Dillon's mind sparked with realization. He instantly knew, he HAD to go with them.

Moments later, they were on board the transport, and sailed off to the unknown. Vanellope had arrived at the pier as she searched the town confusedly. "DILLOOOON? HELLOOOO? WHERE ARE YOU, Silly Brains? Mario didn't run OFF again, did heeee? HELLOOOOO?"