Disclaimer: I do not own Splatalot.

Kyle was sitting crossed legged on his bed with a blue parker pen in his mouth. He was gently biting it as he thought of what to write down. He wasn't sure why or when he started biting pens, there as some reassuring about biting something that couldn't be broken. He had a pad of lined paper lay out in front of him, carefully placed on top of his laptop so he could write something and not get pen on is bed. James had suggested that he start a diary so he his could recap events to his parents and tell him about his adventures.

Dear…

Kyle paused, he was not going to write diary after that word. That was too girly for him. Maybe something else? Nah! He'll just go with whatever.

Dear anyone who will listen

I know this is weird and probably crazy that I'm writing a random letter about my 'feelings but I guess it's for the best. Now, where to begin? At the moment I'm feeling tired but that's because James has me training 24/7 and has cut down my free time considerably which, personally, I think is child cruelty but you don't want to mess with James. Although it may not seem like it, he does care,

"Kyle!" James shouted from the top of the stairs, "Training now! And you can bring your letter."

very deep down.

The yellow defender sighed heavily as he put picked his pen from his bed with his pad of paper underneath his arm and jumped onto the floor with a loud bang, notifying James that he was actually coming and not deliberately ignoring him, unlike last time which lead to James literally kicking his door open and stomping in and towering over his bed, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. That only happened this morning, after breakfast, twenty seconds after the yellow defender brushed his teeth.

Making his way to the training room, he was shocked to discover that his team mates were already sitting on the soft, blue mats with their legs crossed waiting for him. Kyle glanced over to James, who was wearing his 'you're late' expression. Looking away and rolling his eyes, Kyle dropped down next to Amy and crossed his legs as well, all five of them looking very obedient.

"Right, from hearing about your last fight-" James started straight away only to be interrupted Kyle straight away.

"And only fight."

James sighed, maybe too dramatically for this conversation, glared at Kyle but continued anyway, "I think that you're not using the Neon powers to their full potential."

"It was our first battle." Drake defended.

"I know but with the neon gems being the 'younger brother' of the JCD gems, I think that theoretically they should have the same amount of power and auxiliary weapons which if my memory services me correctly Kyle, who all activated on your first fight."

"How did you activate them?" Amy asked intrigued, she knew full well how useful any extra auxiliary weapon is to have. Deep in her mind, she would ask herself, would we have defeat Harvey with we had the auxiliary weapons?

"We didn't there we just there." Kyle reflected looking at his friends. It was true. He had never shouted anything specific in order to activate them nor had Charles or James informed him of having any actually weapons, "They just simply appeared when we needed them."

"Maybe that's why we didn't have any for Dino time." Josh stated entering in on the conversation that had erupted in the last few minutes, "Maybe the Dino time power didn't think that we needed it so prevented us from activating them and James finding the data codes and software for them."

"Possible reason." James agreed nodding his head, it was definitely plausible.

"Or maybe there weren't any." Kyle suggested, "It was Astrid who designed the Dino powers."

"Yes but Astrid hasn't designed the Neon gems. Charles did." James argued back, "And I'm sure he would have left some auxiliary weapons."

"Yeah, well Charles wasn't as trustworthy as everyone thought was he? He had many secrets did her? Let's count. Umm, the whole underground lab, the Lionheart Force, the JCD gems, the neon gems, oh and what else…ah yes, he forget to tell anyone that I existed!"

"So he had a few secrets, which he kept for good reason but he gave you everything he needed and provided you with the correct information when you required it."

"I don't know, I wasn't here was I? I was the secret fifth Jr defender hidden away from all of this mess!"

"That was your parents' choice, not his. They moved away and decided to give you a normal life"

"Well that worked out so well didn't it? I was bullied, isolated from everyone else due to these powers, and not informed about anything in fact the Jr defenders were still as surprised as I was when we were given the JCD gems and they lived here!"

"Enough guys!" Drake shouted above them, "We get it, the past is confusing but Arthur and Harvey are still out there and we do need to stop them."

"Drake's right." Zoey said standing up with the red defender, "Arguing isn't getting us anywhere."

When I had my break down James was there for me, in fact my whole team were and I am eternally grateful for that but it doesn't stop the feeling of loneliness for rising back up. I don't know why I feel alone, I just do. I can't really explain it. My friends talk to me and include me in their circle of conversation and at school I chat to lots of people so why do I still feel lonely. Honestly, it's been going on for months now and I think my friends think that I'm okay now and I'm back to normal but what is normal? When I was a young child, normal was the three of us (Mum, dad and me) at our house, me going to school every day and getting picked on and not being able to control my powers. In 2031, it was living in the castle with the Jr defenders by my side ad us hanging out and occasionally saving Pearl Canyon from whatever machine the villain had created. Now, I suppose normal is me being in this Castle with only the moat for company and my friends staying round for a sleepover and training. Going back to James, he's really starting to annoy me. I just know that he's waiting for me to break down again; it wouldn't surprise me if everyone else is but I'm not going to. I'm a lot stronger than they think I am, even if I do say so myself. I will not have a mental break down.

"Hey." Amy greeted walking up to Kyle after James had done his training/arguing session. Her friend in question had finished writing on his paper pad and was now sorting out the games cupboard by placing them in alphabetical order as punishment for his back talk.

"Hey." He greeted back placing scrabble in the correct place.

"Listen." She started doubtfully causing Kyle to turn his head in concern as he thought that she was in trouble or another worse scenario. Luckily, his worry was short lived as Amy continued, "My dad is collecting this fire fighter award from the mayor and I'm allowed to bring a friend me with so I was wondering if you wanted- could come."

"Sure, when is it?" Kyle asked now standing up and slowly pulling the pad of paper closer to him, forgetting about the board games in the category T-Z.

"This afternoon at 2. I know its short notice and you're probably busy with James and that pad of paper..." Amy rambled.

"I can do that." Kyle confirmed cutting off her rambling, "Where should I meet you?"

"Outside the town hall." Amy replied gleeful, "I'll see you there oh and it's casual clothes."

"I'll see you there." Kyle replied smiling and picking up the next game off the floor and placing it back into the cupboard.

Amy left the room smiling her heart out. Unfortunately, her team mates were kindly waiting for her and seconds later were already questioning why she had such a smile on her face.

"What did you do?" Josh asked walking next to her down the corridor. Zoey and Drake were directly behind them with a keen ear desperate to hear any gossip that they could get their hands on.

"I just asked Kyle to this award thingy. That's all." She answered causing her friends to grin even wider, if that was possible.

"So like a date?" Drake questioned jokily and in his best girly impression.

"No! Just as friends." Amy responded. Of course her friend rolled their eyes in response knowing that she warned to actually ask Kyle out but was scared. Amy ignored this response. Every time she would mention Kyle and an event, the others would automatically assume she asks him because she may (or may not) have a little crush on him and just because she asks him first did not mean that secretly she wanted this to be a date. Nope, that would be weird. Totally weird. She didn't want this secretly to be a date. There only fourteen, what would be the point in dating now? Right?

After he had successfully placed the games away in alphabetical order, Kyle picked up his belongings and left the training room and wondered into his bedroom. He glanced down at the clock which presented 11:54 in bright red figures. The yellow defender sighed as he threw the pad and pen onto the bed and left again to make his way to the control room, which meant going down three flights of stairs. Seriously, this castle needed a lift. It was 2033! The castle was completely out of date with the modern times. Nothing had changed since 2009! And it wasn't like they couldn't afford a complete make-over, they could easily but thinking deeper into the idea, was revamping the castle a good idea, especially with fifteen defenders and about eighty percent of them having opposing views so maybe keeping the castle like this was to stop all the foreseeable arguing about furniture.

"James." Kyle greeted, waking himself out of his thoughts and walking into the control room only to find his mentor drawing on some scrappy pieces of paper. The mentor looked up at his student, placing the scrappy pieces on paper into a draw and awaiting for a question that Kyle was undeniably about to ask, "Just to let you know... before I ask... that your definitely not my first person for go to advice about this topic and frankly, I don't know why I am but seeing as you're the only one here and I need instant feedback and views, I had no choice."

James signed indicating that Kyle should hurry up with the question. He didn't look offended by the comments made. This meant to things, the positive one being that James agreed with Kyle that he wasn't the person for go to advice and the second negative reason being that James was fed up with Kyle's comments already and was having enough of them.

"Well." Kyle continued, "Amy asked me to this ceremony thingy this afternoon and before you comment I said I would go but that's not the question. I was wondering... was she asking me out on a date or just as a friend."

"Oh Jr defenders, why did you leave me here alone?" He muttered quietly hoping Kyle wouldn't here, and then he stood up straight and looked at the boy, "Honestly, I would assume friends to be on the safe side but if and only if she gives you any clues indicating that it is a date then you know the answer.

"Okay and thanks… I think." Kyle said walking back to his bedroom.

How does one tell the difference between a date and a friendly event? It's times like this where I wish the Jr defenders were still here. Annaka would definitely know the difference. She would go on about body language and use of words. I still don't know how that would help me figure it out. I do miss them terribly. I miss Jack ordering us about and Zsa-Zsa complaining about everyone's common sense, Danny's pranks and weird sense of humour and Annaka's life lessons. If I shut my eyes hard enough I can still remember sitting at the dining room listening to them talking.

~Ooooo~

"Kyle!" Amy shouted running up to him and hugged. She was wearing a short blue dress with white ballet pumps. Her blonde hair was tied up in a high pony, which was rare to see as the blue defender preferred having it down. Kyle tensed up for a moment still not comfortable about being hugged but relaxed into it seconds later.

"Hey." Kyle greeted back as he released the hug.

"Thanks for coming." She exclaimed then looked to the overly posh town hall, "How do I look?"

"The thing with girls Kyle is that they loved being complimented. Always tell a girl that her outfit looks lovely."

"Not nice! Nice implies that they haven't put any effort into it."

"You look lovely." Kyle stated remembering Jack and Danny's advice from a year ago then looked down to his yellow shirt and black jeans, "Better than me anyway."

Kyle could just imagine, if Jack and Danny were here spying on him, that they would smack their hands into their face in despair about that last comment. However, Amy just giggles and dragged Kyle inside the town hall. She led him down the bright and pristine corridor into the events room. He looked in shock at how many people were here sitting down waiting for the major. He had never seen this many people in his life. This made the hospital seem like general gathering of people.

"Come on this way." Amy said pulling Kyle by the hand and down the left side of all the chairs. He calculated that there were roughly ten rows of chairs and sixteen chairs in each row making 160 people in one room. The blue defender stopped at two empty seats right at the front of the room. Obviously, it was for them as Amy's mum was sitting proudly in one of them. She was sitting up straight and clutching her hands together.

Amy sat down next to her mother and Kyle sat down next to a… interesting women. She had decided that today, she would wear a very flowery blazer covered with tropical flowers (Kyle presumed) and skirt with a bright pink blouse. Her hair was dyed red and was in a messy pixie cut. Her lips were plastered with red lipstick and she wore pink eyeshadow to match her blouse. He hoped that she wasn't a relative of Amy's.

"Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls." The mayor greeted as he walked on stage with his familiar blue suit and his messy brown hair that spiked up all around his head. James had once commented that Pearl Canyon's mayor once reminded him of someone called Mayor Quimby off the Simpsons. Kyle never understood that reference but had remembered it anyway, "Now and then we have heroes of the town, some help sell cookies for charity and some run around in brightly coloured outfits destroying machines."

Kyle and Amy grinned at each other at the last comment, the pair of the having to suck in their bottom lip to stop them from bursting out in laughter.

"But one hero has shown no limits, he has gone the extra mile. He ran into a burning building and saved not only a six year old child but a four month old baby as well. Today, he is the town hero and I am honoured to give him this glorious medal of bravery and honour to now chief firefighter John Richards."

Everyone clapped and cheered as the hero fighter came on stage. The interesting woman stood up and screamed relentlessly as he shyly came on stage much to the amusement of Kyle and suspiciousness of Amy and her mother. Kyle remained seated and continued clapping. The major shook John's hand and presented the medal as the paparazzi took photos causing various white flashes to appear from around the room.

Suddenly, the doors crashed open, everything stopped and everyone turned around to see who dared to ruin this glorious moment. Ten Blinders stood waiting at the door, lifeless and still. Some screamed then the whole room came to life. The ten Blinders crashed into the room; the interesting women screamed her heart out, deafening Kyle in his right ear. Everyone crashed, pushed and screamed at each other in order to leave. The desperate ones climbed through the windows, even Amy's parents had deserted their daughter leaving just the yellow and blue neon defenders on their own. Weirdly, the Blinders didn't attack until everyone had left the room, which meant one thing. They were here for them. Kyle and Amy stepped forward as did the Blinders.

"Neon gems! Unlock the colour!" Kyle shouted cringing inside.

"Neon Yellow!"

"Neon Blue!"

The two defenders ran forwards. Kyle ducked flying punches and kicked the Blinders inches back before kicking again and pushing them into the chairs, causing them to fall and break into heaps of metal. The Blinder, however, was not damaged and stood back and tried to grab Kyle. In response, he collapsed to the floor and rolled away before jumping back up and kicking the Blinder down to the floor destroying it before moving onto Blinder number two.

Amy blocked the flying punches aimed at her and kicked the Binder in the shin. The machine didn't budge instead it crossed it arms waiting for Amy's next move, this time she pushed the Blinder back and watched as it was taken back slightly allowing Amy enough time to kick it again. The Blinder fell flat back against the wall automatically becoming a punch bag for Amy to train on. She punched until her arms gave out and the Blinder fell onto the floor glitching.

"Neon Red!"

"Neon Green!"

"Neon Pink!"

The three remaining defenders jumped in the air and summer salted into the room, immediately getting down to the fighting and deciding the work as a time. First, Zoey would distract them and high kicked them away from here gracefully leading them to Josh who would grab random objects from around the room and kick them at the Blinders before finally they would fall backwards in Drake's area and he would grab them from behind and shove them against the wall, in pairs. The trio watched as the fell to the ground.

"Glad you could join us." Kyle commented running over to his team mates still in his defenders uniform.

"As if we had a choice in coming." Drake joked.

"Giving half the chance I doubt you would." Amy replied.

"Defenders!" A voice boomed throughout the room, the five of them skidded around to look at Arthur standing there with his signature evil smirk on his face, "I see round one is over."

"Round one?" Josh questioned, if this was round one, how many more rounds are there going to be. This was seriously messed up. None of them had thought of a fight as a round before. They had just seen it as protecting the city and unfortunately for them rounds meant twist and surprise 'gifts'. Josh looked back at Arthur, who was still grinning like a mad man waiting to elaborate on his plan.

"There will be four more gruesome rounds before you fight me for the final, making a total of six rounds. In each remaining round, you will all be tested to your limits and you will all fail."

"You clearly haven't been following out track record." Zoey exclaimed back crossing her arms. If she had a dollar for every person who said that then she would no longer have to do the washing up at home, "The defenders never fail."

"Actually, you do." Another voice peeped out of the shadows. The man walked forwards and wished he could see the shocked looks on the defenders faces, "I see you have upgraded somewhat."

"Harvey Lewis. We were starting to wonder where you had got to." Kyle greeted unpleasantly.

"Clearly, you weren't looking hard enough." Harvey replied back whilst looking at the broken blinders the turning his head to Arthur, "I thought you said these robots were super machines."

"They were until the upgrade." Arthur explained saying the last part in a muttered tone. Harvey rolled his eyes and adverted his attention to the five defenders, "Well we better be going, don't stay up to late."

With that, Harvey teleported both himself and Arthur out of the room leaving five defenders worried to their bones. There were five more rounds? Rounds of what? Fighting? Hardly, with Harvey and Arthur now partners in crime, the defenders would surely be tested to their limits.