Post-War 2: Concerns at the Council!

Izu Archipelago

A raging storm tried to hinder the voyage of the Story Pirates as they sailed the Silent Sails. Killua and Morgiana tugged the ropes and kept the sails steady and Nagisa steered the ship, following Goombella's navigation of the map. "Why can't we just sail straight through to where the map tells us?!" Killua yelled. "We'll get through the storm a lot faster!"

"Index had to have been the one who drew that graffiti, or at least had someone do it." Morgiana replied. "Maybe the map is designed that way on purpose to guide us through the storm. Maybe this is a safe route."

"Are you saying this storm was planned?!"

"If she's the all-knowing Scheherazade, maybe she did know!" Nagisa inferred. "In that case, as long as we trust her, we'll be safe!"

"Okay… right around here… turn right at 40 degrees!" Goombella instructed.

"Hurrrr…" Morg grunted, twisting the sail. "Huh? Nagisa, watch out for those rocks."

Nagisa saw the waves brushing against the rocks in question. …The rocks had a very peculiar shape. "Don't those rocks look like… houses?"

"Houses?" Killua observed. "Uh…I don't know, why?"

"It's part of the riddle. 'As you travel down it, you will see a village. In that village, look for the shore the two will tell you of.'"

"We'd better find these 'two' soon." Goombella said. "Because the map apparently ends here."

"Aha, check it out!" Killua pointed. "Those two rocks look like people!" Indeed, there were twin rocks formed like statues, pointing the same direction. Nagisa smirked and kept the ship pointed forward. They sailed between the statues and in the direction they pointed. Within minutes, the statues would vanish in the storm, but they sailed steadily… and then the storm calmed.

The sun poked through the eye of the storm and shone on a lone island. And on that island was a sandy shore. The four anchored the ship, and they used Moon Walk/Rocket Jump respectively to jump to the shore (carrying Goombella). "I wonder if this is the right place…" Morg said.

"Stairs like that don't form naturally." Nagisa pointed at stone stairs leading through the small cliff. The four calmly trekked up the stairs, passing a forest on their left. Killua's Haki sensed no danger, so his heart was at ease during the journey. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they gasped in mild shock.

The main land of the island lay in total ruin. It was an enormous ditch of rubble. "It's… completely devastated." Morg said. The group dropped into the rubble, and the Fanalis felt slight discomfort on the rugged ground, her feet bending at angles against the stones. "Goombella, how long has it been this way?" she asked the archaeologist.

"It isn't recent… I'd say this rubble existed… for five decades. According to my Tattle, this is called Rokkenjima."

The four explored the rubble for several minutes, splitting up to search for anything suspicious. Morg felt a light draft on her feet when she stepped up a rubble hill. Curious, she stomped those rocks, breaking open a tunnel. "Guys! Over here!" The others hurried over, peering into the tunnel.

"Heheh! Good find, Morgie." Nagisa bumped his girlfriend's shoulder and climbed in first.

"Your mega blisters saved us again~" Killua teased, following, with Morgiana growling behind him.

Goombella's helmet light lit the way forward, feeling tense in the darkness, though Killua still sensed no creatures. "…Uhhhh…" Goombella stopped with confusion. A dark portal was swirling in an empty room before them. "That's… not natural, is it?"

"We're definitely at the right place." Nagisa knew. "Index… here we come." The leader bravely walked in first, and his friends joined with confident expressions.

The ground became brighter and was paved with large bricks. "Eh-?" The group was startled by the sight of a giant pair of shoes with bows on them. Their heads tilted up- "Eek?!" and squatting above them was a smirking girl with short blonde hair and a pink dress.

"Eek keekeekeekeek." Lambdadelta snickered, wiggling her fingers. "It seems another pair of morsels have wandered into my trap. I can't wait to see how your bones taste~"

"Wait, you were the girl that was on my phone that one time!" Nagisa recognized. "What do you mean 'trap'?!"

"EEEHHK!" Lambda was electrified by a magic spell. The group saw a hand had waved above her, belonging to another giant with long blue hair, a black dress, and dull purple eyes.

"Lambda, these aren't just ordinary rats. I believe they are the guests of honor. It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you like a spot on the table or be served on the floor?"

"Bern, let them speak with us at eye level." Meteora requested.

"Mortals need to know their place before me. This will suffice." Bern cast a spell from her finger and levitated the operatives up and onto the table of giant sweets and tea.

"So, these are Shezzy's little friends!" Xiaomei beamed, leaning over them with folded hands. "It's wonderful to meet you. My name's Xiaomei."

"I'm Meteora."

"Bernkastel. And you already know Lambdadelta." The witch in question weakly stood, sparking.

"Uh, nice to meet all you ladies!" Nagisa blushed and waved his hand. "So… where's Index?"

"Guuuuys!" They whipped around, seeing the nun herself rush up with a big smile. "I knew you would be able to solve the riddle!"

"Wow, Index, you sure have grown!" Goombella remarked.

"Oh, sorry. The girls insisted on the shrinking portal. Anyway, these are some of Scheherazade's friends. They're 'Readers' like I am. They analyze the stories of different universes and can memorize anything."

"You've heard of Original Worlds, right?" Bern asked. "This island, Rokkenjima, originates from such a world. It belonged to a rather wealthy, but distorted family. In a desperate search for treasure, they destroyed each other and the island with it. It appears their story here is no different from the Original. Or at least the physical aspect…"

"So, you're Morgiana…" Xiaomei lifted one of the Fanalis's legs like an action figure. "To be honest, I've always been a fan of barefoot heroes, so I enjoy reading your scenes."

"Hey, no touching them." Index stated.

"Oh, sorry." Xiaomei blushed, releasing.

"It's alright." Morg smiled. "I'm glad to meet a fan!" She passed a glare to Killua and stuck her tongue out, the boy rolling his eyes.

"So, is this the Spirit World?" Nagisa asked.

"Yes, the Chronicler designed this place off the shore of his home island." Index answered. "Us Readers typically gather at his library to discuss stories. After the incident with Hoopa, my awakened memories allowed me to find this place again. I've been keeping track of the war as it was being written in a Universe Book copy."

"So, you sort of have access to the ultimate history book now?" Goombella asked. "I feel like that could totally help us in the future."

"The copy isn't as helpful as one might hope." Bernkastel replied. "Not only will it not tell you the future, but it won't write any events that you aren't supposed to know until you learn them yourself."

"That's why learning about new worlds is so exciting!" Xiaomei cheered. "In my own world, my timebending allows me to know almost everything, but I'm totally blind in other worlds. It's always such a thrill ride, even if I can generally predict what will happen!"

"From the perspective of your universe," Meteora said to the operatives, "I'm what would be called an Imaginary Friend, since I'm actually a fictional character in my own universe. But because my Creator has passed, I would disappear if I tried to set foot outside this garden. However, I wonder if my world would identify you as 'Imaginary' figures? Since you aren't particularly popular in my world, you may not be able to come there either."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Killua asked with a scowl.

"No, don't take it the wrong way." Meteora blushed. "I'm just saying a lot of universes function similarly, but differently, and visiting those other universes would come with costs and benefits."

"For example," Lambda sprouted up with a book open, "if you visited the Dragon Ball Universe, your Power Levels would dramatically amplify to fit into theirs, using a sort of Ratio System. Morgiana's stomps could destroy the planet, as could Killua's Tempest Kicks, and Goombella… had better stay the hell outta the way."

"You're lucky I'm not bigger or I'd give you a serious concussion!" the Goomba retorted.

"Yes, other universes are fascinating," Index replied, "but we need only be concerned with our own. Even though the Pirate Wars are over, our true troubles have barely begun. After all, you just discovered a new Newborn, haven't you?"

"Yeah, we kinda did. And I'm sure it's going to be as dangerous as all the others."

"There's nothing to officially confirm that, but it's a safe bet. And worse, I can sense that other powers will be scrambling to get the Newborn as well. That's why, I believe the time has come. Bernkastel?"

The blue-haired witch walked over and lifted a large briefcase. She came back and used magic to clear part of the table of its food. She slammed the briefcase down with a force that blew the tiny operatives back. The locks opened and the top of the case rose up like a treasure chest. The team had to climb onto the lower part to see its contents. "Ohhhh!" they gasped. Inside the case were seven Pokéballs with distinct design. "These are… Spirit Balls!" Nagisa knew as they dropped in and walked around the life-size balls. "For capturing the Newborn, right?!"

"So… there are seven Newborn?" Goombella asked for clarity. "Oh." She stepped on a small, round object, backing up to see it was another Spirit Ball.

"The Chronicler had already crafted these Spirit Balls." Index explained. "Apparently, he had them finished for ages."

"Right, because one of the Newborn is a size-shifter." Nagisa vaguely remembered, regarding the small Spirit Ball. "Won't that be fun…"

"Wait… there are supposed to be nine Newborn." Goombella said. "Remember Riddler's prophecy?"

"I asked him about that." Index replied. "The Chronicler said… he would need a bit more time. That particular Firstborn would require a more powerful Spirit Ball. Either way, I looked over Riddler's prophecy, and I was able to narrow down the future Newborn Guardians. All we should have to do is tell these people and have them start their respective journeys."

"Does that include you?" Morg asked.

"Yep." Index smiled, taking Hoopa's Pokéball out of the case. "After the World Rings quest, I'm qualified to become Hoopa's Guardian. Once I do, it'll be a bit easier to control his dark side, but I'll be hesitant to use his power. All the same… I think I'm ready to come back. The Newborn Quest will begin soon. I'll see you girls later."

"Oh, before you go… I'd like to mention something to the boys." Bern said.

"Huh?" Nagisa and Killua looked up at her.

Bern's dull eyes only emphasized the severity in her words. "…I would not dismiss CP0's teachings. They could be a valuable asset."

The group exchanged concerned glances. What could that possibly mean… "Okay, we'll be off now." Index said hurriedly. She allowed her four friends onto one hand, and closed the briefcase to pick it up with the other. Index walked around the table and entered the portal. "WHOA!" Her friends blew up to normal size and crushed her upon exiting. "Ow… almost forgot about that."

Coruscant; Galactic Council (Play "Cobblestone Village" from Dragon Quest!)

News of the war's conclusion had quickly swept the universe. The leaders of the planets were quickly amassing in a frenzy. Queen Peach and Chancellor Yorkshire shared a platform, feeling concerned by all the tension. The Hyrule platform was barren. Beside that was Queen Melia, representative of Planet Mira. Tallest Zim shared a platform with his wife, Gaz. The High President of Osiris, Secco, had a platform beside Lord Business of Legola, and King Croacus V of Flora. There were also new platforms made for New Galaxian representatives, Queen Toriel of the Underground, and Etihw and Kcalb of Planet Alternia. The Corporate Presidents For Children's Entertainment were gathered on special platforms near the center, with their leader's platform above them: Mom, Big Bird, Schnee, Gruntilda, and Mickey Mouse.

"Alright, alright, settle down, everyone!" Galactic Chancellor Phyronix called to everyone. "I'm sure we've got a lot to talk about, it's been a stressful time for everyone, but we should all rest well knowing the war is over! And as expected, our heroic Kids Next Door have put the Emperors in their places."

"Put them in their places?" Attention was shifted down to Jacques Schnee. "Pardon me, Supreme Chancellor, but is Hyrule's seat not vacant? Is the Grim Glare Mandy not still occupying the throne of Hyrule that she had taken? Why would the KND simply let her be?"

"I think," Big Bird began, "that their BIG EXCUSE is that Queen Mandy is related to the Earth KND's Supreme Leader. Perhaps they cut some sort of deal with her. And considering the KND have already announced their selves as pirates, could we consider their two BIG CREWS one in the same?"

"Ahem, actually…" Councilman Jeremy Winkiebottom spoke up, "my daughter has clarified that the KND is retiring from the pirate business. The purpose of that scenario was to get close to the Four Emperors and form an alliance with them. In doing so, they could stop the war and persuade the pirates to work toward the greater good."

"So, the Four Emperors will abandon their criminal ways?" Phyronix asked.

"Well… that part is a bit complicated. My daughter says they couldn't befriend all of them, and only a fraction of the pirates may seek to change their ways. The less reputable members were sent to Zordoom. All the same, the KND have done us a valuable service, and the threat of the Emperors may be passed."

"You say it's passed, but I disagree." Gruntilda said. "I sense corruption in those KND."

"Now now, Grunty." Mickey consoled. "This war has done harm to all of us. Why, just the idea of so many brave children risking their lives is painful on the heart. It's hard to remember to smile with so much happening."

"Heh heh. I suppose you're deserving of an honorable mention, Your Majesty." Phyronix chuckled. "Your programs and merchandise have kept billions of citizens in bright spirits."

"Oh, that was nothing." Mickey blushed. "I admit, I saw a good opportunity to sell some pirate merchandise."

"Our Head President here has kept spirits up across the universe using commercials, toys, and branding of Disney heroes fighting the Four Emperors. Everyone had full confidence the war would end on a happy note! Even in this trying time, people never lost spirits!"

"Aw, shucks…"

"Can I say something?" Queen Melia spoke up. She was a girl in her late teens, with a white dress and small angel wings on her white hair. "Well… when I was in the Sky Gods' captivity, I kept having strange dreams. I had dreams of the Disney army battling the pirates and saving countless lives. I know it sounds odd, but they kept me… hopeful."

"OBJECTION!" Cheadle abruptly shouted. "People of the council, I allege Mickey of brainwashing! I know for a fact one of the Sky God officers was a spy of Mickey's. He was trying to brainwash all the captives into following him, including myself and Peach!"

"N-Now, hold on a second!" yelled the king. "Sigh…it's true that I had spies among the Four Emperors. I asked them to lend secret aid to any prisoners. Food, assurance, hope. Rescuing the prisoners would have been ideal, but far too dangerous. Even so, I never asked them to 'brainwash' anyone!"

"Be that as it may," said Tallest Zim, "it seems Queen Mandy is the only Emperor still notably active while the other crews are simply running without a head. Should we make some attempt to approach her peacefully?"

"Funny you would ask that, Zim." remarked King Croacus V. "How do you respond to the rumors that YOUR WIFE has been making secret exchanges with Mandy?!"

"Oh, I heard far more than that." Jacques stated. "I heard from a special acquaintance that Queen Gaz was actually in league with Mandy herself! Tallest Zim, might I ask, what has your wife been doing this past month?"

Zim glanced to his wife. Gaz Membrane had a bandage around her head, still hurt from being bashed by a computer. "…Fine." Gaz said. "I confess. Mandy sent me an invitation to join her crew… and I accepted it."

Gasps erupted throughout the chamber. "Ho ho! Does she speak the Big Truth?!" Big Bird asked. "What say you, Tallest Zim?"

"I couldn't really say." Zim narrowed his eyes. "Gaz told me she was going to the Solana Galaxy for a gaming tournament… but when my son brought her home not long ago, he told me a different story."

"Mandy and I are online rivals." Gaz explained. "I kick both hers and Kroctus's asses all the time in Super Smash Bros.. Mandy admired my skill enough to invite me. But I accepted under one condition: that no KND operatives would be hurt. And I tried to make sure she upheld that condition… but some operatives were killed by Mandy's dragon."

"You must mean Smaug." Phyronix said. "Yes, we have heard about that…"

"After that, I had already resigned to leaving the crew… but first, I met with some operatives. I apologized for what Smaug did to their friends and allowed them to vent their rage at me. As you can see…"

"So, while you associated with Mandy," President Linkyn of Kateenia began, "your true motive was to supervise the situation on Hyrule?"

"Yeah. Take it or leave it."

"That's not helping your case, dear." Zim said.

Queen Zaádéa of Glomour spoke, "Zim, since you were supposedly unaware of your wife's actions, what's your approach to this situation?"

"Certainly not any of your guys' business. Gaz is my wife, so I'll bring her home to Wisp and decide her punishment there. Is that fine with everyone?"

"Be that as it may," Jacques said, "even before all this occurred, your wife was still closely acquainted with Mandy."

"Only through gaming!" Gaz stated. "It was my mission to stop them from ruling the gaming world!"

"So shows the power of the universe's Number 3 Gamer." Phyronix chortled. "Even the Emperors stand no chance!"

"A likely story." Mom snorted. "What they are are close friends who exchange in underworld dealings, that's how I see it! And they ain't the only ones. Just swing a look at one of our new representatives, Queen Toriel!"

"M-Me?!" Toriel gasped. She was a goat woman in a purple dress.

"Isn't it true that a chunk of the Sky God Pirates consist of people from YOUR kingdom?! Royal guards, to be precise?"

"My late husband and I wanted our people to be free, so I allowed our soldiers to become pirates, this is true. And one day, they suddenly returned with the Sky Gods and ripped out three pieces of our old kingdom to carry with them, and the citizens with. From what I've heard, my people have enjoyed their time flying with the pirates. That said, I do not condone all the harm the Sky Gods have done."

"Toriel's kingdom has always been a peaceful one." Etihw replied in support. They had black hair and a white gown with diamond patterns, while Kcalb wore attire of black colors and white hair with black horns. "And her people are kind souls. I don't think there's any reason to hold anything against her."

"Still," Kcalb followed, "ever since our realm became more open to the outer universe, those pirates have been ecstatically reaping our resources. The Kremlings got their hands on that monstrous Moge-ko, and hundreds of Rose Quartzes were sacrificed for the sake of Sherbet's resurrection, so we were told."

"And speaking of the Sky Gods," President Schnee began, "Queen Peach, I believe your daughter was last serving them, was she not? And didn't your other daughter renounce you as well? Can we expect both Mushroom princesses to assume lives of crime?"

"And what business do you have in my family's decisions?!"

"Because said decisions have resulted in your daughter harming innocents in the Sky Gods' name. But I suppose that's nothing compared to the beast in Miss Yorkshire's belly."

Cheadle and Peach turned utterly pale, their souls shattering. "… … …What?"

"Ooooooo!" Big Bird big cooed. "A little birdy told me that Chancellor Yorkshire had sexual relations with King K. Rool~"

The very statement sent the council in an uproar. Cheadle shared a horrified glance with Peach, who lightly shook her head so as to say, 'It wasn't me!'

"That is positively disgusting." Schnee scoffed. "I thought Miss Yorkshire had at least some manner of dignity, but mating with that croc is pathet-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!!" Cheadle ripped the air with her voice. "That… never happened. Not at all."

"Well, you are quite flustered about it. Are you saying you aren't pregnant with Kroctus's child?"

"N…No…not at all."

"Ho hoh, right. Well, I suppose we'll find out in nine months, or… how long are dogs usually pregnant for?"

"Trying to slander Cheadle like that is going too far!" Peach yelled. "Why are you so desperate to make us look bad?!"

"Because WE are not blind, so we'll take the lead!" Grunty retorted. "You served the Emperors and their every need. How many here, I ask you, can be trusted? You're slaves to villainy, 'tis what you lusted!"

"ENOUGH! Everyone, just calm down!" Mickey shouted. "This war has made us all paranoid and distrustful, mindlessly shooting blames at one-another. But this isn't really about the Four Emperors, anymore. This is about… the Kids Next Door. Even though my company has done its part to spread hope, the KND are the true victors in the end. They have once again become the universe's hope, so everyone will be looking to them again. They are true symbols of peace we should all be grateful for."

"Sigh…I suppose you're right." Schnee sighed. "After all, my own daughter is part of the KND… it's no wonder they would succeed."

Cheadle grit her teeth at the president, sensing the falseness in his change of tone.

"The KND saved us not even a year ago, and they've saved our worlds again!" Mickey announced with pure enthusiasm. "There's still plenty of time until the Anniversary, so I say we owe them a party with TWICE the grandeur as before! We'll gather all the best operatives that all children from all worlds aspire to be! We'll show everyone the true Hope of the universe in physical form! Let's make it our mission, ladies and gentlemen of the council: TO THE KND!"

"TO THE KND!!"

After the meeting, some of the representatives gathered in the cafeteria. Cheadle, her eyes swimming with hatred, ordered 10 bottles of juice and aggressively drank. "Cheadle, I swear I have no idea how that could've been…" Peach tried to say.

"It's fine, I believe you. For all I know, Kroctus himself already leaked the information before the fact. …Though, that wouldn't make sense. He himself said that if other people found out, they might try to-"

"Excuse me?" Cheadle's ear perked up. She turned in her seat to face Queen Toriel. The goat woman spoke in a soft, motherly tone. "Hi. I don't mean to interrupt you, but… I hoped you were feeling okay after that man's blunt accusation."

"Oh…it's alright. President Schnee despises my kind. He'll say anything."

"I see… I can empathize with that. My people have quite the history of oppression ourselves. Anyhow, you're Chancellor Yorkshire, right? My name's Toriel." she said with a friendly smile.

"Yes, I caught that." Cheadle smiled back. "It's nice to meet you. Oh?"

She noticed a small hand cling to Toriel's dress. A brown-haired human peeped around the goat, their squinted eyes looking at Cheadle before hiding again. "Oh, this is Frisk." Toriel said. "Quite the story… Frisk was on a ship with some humans traveling to our universe, but the poor thing fell off and ended up on my planet. Hehe, ever since, Frisk has been calling me 'Goatmom.'"

"G…Goatmom?" Cheadle's brow twitched. Peach couldn't help but giggle at her friend's embarrassment. "Ah…I see… I can certainly empathize with that."

…

In a private room, Zim had taken Gaz to meet with their family: their son, Giz, Gaz's brother, Dib, and Dib's son, Knaab. "Gaz, why wouldn't you tell any of us you were going to Hyrule?" Dib questioned.

"You were fibbing, weren't you?" Knaab asked. "Sectors Q and Hinobi told us that you attacked them multiple times. It didn't sound like you were looking out for their safety."

"Well, excuse me for not making myself look completely bad." Gaz argued. "That would've made you look bad, too. That's why I didn't tell you."

"Does that mean you were actually involved in illegal dealings with Mandy?" Zim asked.

"Confess, Mother!" Giz yelled. "Imperator Giz commands it!"

"Don't talk to your mother that way!" Gaz shouted. "Fine. I teamed up with Mandy because I wanted to have fun. I wanted the thrill of being an invader."

"What's that supposed to mean?" her husband asked. "Do you want me to be a merciless invader again?"

"No, I was just bored. But I didn't want any kids to die, I just captured and imprisoned them. And they actually enjoyed being Mandy's servants!"

"I can't believe you would do something so foolhardy out of boredom."

"If I hadn't been there, Smaug would've killed even more kids."

"But as Giz understands it, the reason those operatives died is because you tried to capture-"

"Be quiet, Giz!"

"No, Giz is right!" Dib argued. "You did this for yourself and people paid for it!"

Gaz grit her teeth in anger. Deep down, she had faith in Mandy's promise that no one would die… and because of that, she acted carefreely in the situation. But they wouldn't accept an excuse like that. "…You're right. There's nothing I can say."

"…We're going home." Zim decided. "No reason to stick around here. We'll talk about this later."

The Tallest exited first, his son and nephew following. "…I'm disappointed in you." Dib said to his sister. He was the next to leave. Gaz remained for a moment before joining them, her feelings repressed.

…

The operatives of Sector Hinobi met with Coruscant KND leader, Sasha Phyronix in a room that overlooked the council chamber. "Are we really not going to do anything about her?" Mitch asked. "You know she wasn't looking out for us, she was against us!"

"I don't even know." Zahra answered. "She sounded really guilty about what happened… but that doesn't excuse her actions. Even if she did protect us from Smaug…"

"I just wanna stop fighting." Five said. "For now, her family can decide what to do with her."

"At any rate…" Sasha began, "you guys fought bravely in the war, and we'll never forget your sacrifice. That said… there are still some bad rumors circulating about you guys. They're saying you only did all this to make Hinobi look good…"

"Well, those ignorant newbs can go suck on a-!"

"Mitch, please!" Bergy interrupted.

"Sigh, she's right though." Five sighed. "I mean… did you see the article about Hinobi?" He brought up a hologram of the article, which had an image of Hinobi's president, Kayaba.

"I did not assign them to the Hyrule operation," Kayaba told the press, "but I am eternally grateful for their brave contribution. Their duty went beyond fixing simple programming errors to aiding in a greater cause. Haneesh was a valuable member of our team and I couldn't be more devastated. I vow to work harder than ever to create a game that my children will love."

Hinobi sales had suffered a decline due to unsavory rumors, but are beginning to see a rise in demands after the heroic actions of its employees. With backing from the Corporate Presidents, Hinobi plans to build their selves greater than ever! There is a high probability that President Kayaba has been sent an invitation to join…

"I can't tell if this is a good thing or not." Zahra said. "It doesn't really help our reputation any…"

"So, everyone thinks we just want to capitalize on Haneesh's death?" Mitch inquired. "Well, not if I have anything to say about it. I'm going to start a livestream and tell everyone exactly how it went-"

"Don't." Bergy stated. "Just… wait it out for a while. We don't need to prove anything."

"But they…hmph."

"You guys deserve a break." Sasha said, giving a comforting smile. "Sector Six wanted to check in on you. Why don't you spend the day with them?"

"Yeah, why not?" Five smiled. "Come on, Mitch."

"Sigh…I suppose so. You should never record in a bad mood, anyway."

Council Hall

"Why should it matter if the remaining Emperors have become more peaceable?" questioned Angella, the representative of Etheria. She was a humanoid woman with soft pinkish skin, hair, clothing, and a silver cape. "I, for one, at least demand reparations from the Boogey Pirates, for their constant invasions of the Boiling Isles."

"Aren't the Boiling Isles unaligned with your kingdom?" asked the High President of Osiris. "Much like the poorly-managed Crimson Wastes. It's no wonder the pirates like to visit such chaotic areas."

"The only ones who frequent the Crimson Wastes are YOUR people! Honestly, what makes you think it's a vacation site?"

"I agree with Queen Angella." President Linkyn of Kateenia gave his input. "Some of my people visited Gerudo Town on Hyrule during the pirates' invasion. And some of them were swept up by that Skaios fellow during his invasion of the desert. I demand payment from both!"

"Wait just a moment!" yelled Boa Hancock, Empress of Amazonia. "Gerudo Town only allows women! What would your people be…?"

"Th-They were female Kateenians!" Linkyn flushed. "Don't just accuse us of something like that!"

"Even if they seem mellowed out for now," began Zaádéa, the Queen of Glomour, "that's no guarantee that the Four Emperors changed their ways. They could decide to strike again at any time."

"There are still some Kremling groups in hiding on Mobius." followed Cheadle. "Considering their allegiance to King Bowser and other dangerous warlords, I'm afraid of retaliation on their part. My planet is still in a state of disrepair due to what happened."

"Are you saying we should send all the resources to you?" Jacques Schnee asked. "How selfish. The Four Emperors have harmed many worlds, you know."

"I wasn't being selfish!" Cheadle yelled in rage. "Excuse me if I'm worried for my peoples' safety, after all our homes were destroyed! We're struggling to provide provisions for them enough as it is!"

"Should we inform all the pet stores then? How is anyone going to feed their dogs?"

"Why don't you pansies just BUST the Emperors and make them cough up?!" shouted Mom, the President of MomCorp. "I ain't paying for their damage!"

"You know, we Legoans are expert craftsmen." Lord Business mentioned with a chuckle. "We would be happy to assist in rebuilding your-"

"ARE YOU TRYING TO ONE-UP ME?!" Mom pushed a button on her platform, which triggered a robot arm to rise from Business's platform and slap him. "Your plastic toys are garbage! My robots can outbuild your Legos like beavers on steroids!"

"That's an interesting analogy, but I accept your challenge, Carol." Business teased.

"Listen, why don't we all take a moment to settle down?" asked King Mickey. "It's true that we should keep an eye on the Emperors, but we mustn't forget to enjoy the little things in life. For instance, cooking!" The mouse threw on a chef's hat. "The Cooking Festival will take place in a month, am I correct? I say it's the perfect way to ease the hearts of the universe-hoho!"

"Well, the Cooking Fest is the responsibility of the Gourmet Hunter's Association." Chancellor Phyronix replied. "Still, I think you're right, King Mickey. The recipes cooked at the festival are later served to the poor and needy, and I'm certain a lot of people could use some uplifting meals after the war!"

"Let me say that I agree!" Gruntilda proclaimed. "I'm already prepared for the festivitie…s! I've prepared mountains of ingredients, good, to be cooked and served at the festival of food!"

"My, that's awfully kind of you, Grunty!" Mickey cheered. "Mind if I have a sample or two?"

"If you desire, little mouse. My foods are sure to rock the house!"

GKND H.Q.

"Mmmmmmm…sweet, sweet semla." Nebula sighed in bliss as the rich, creamy pastry melted in her mouth. "The Big Moms probably eat this every day… I'm jealous."

"Sister?" Jerome appeared in the cabin. "She's arrived."

"Perfect! I was almost tempted to eat this other one." She grabbed the other semla and began the walk down.

Waiting near the base entrance was a girl of 21. She had long, pink hair, wore a white dress with a pink Starburst pattern at the skirt, and held a white and purple staff with purple wings of light energy around it. Her eyes perked up as Nebula and Jerome walked down. "Nebula! Congratulations with the war! Is that for me?" She noticed the semla.

"It sure is~" Nebula grinned. "So, Vendra, ready to see my homeland?"