Hello, everybody, and welcome to a small post-Candied Adventure one-shot. Just like the pre- one, it stars Carol, whose fighting style was proven to be failure. :P So let's see.
Finding That Special Skill. Carol's Arduous Struggle.
Cleveland Park
A peaceful morning over Cleveland, Virginia. It was a time when not many were up and active, so the playground was fairly empty. For that reason, Dillon wanted to go for a quiet stroll, but as he passed the playground, he noticed somebody atop the swingset's bar. That puffy blonde hair and fancy green dress made him recognize Carol Masterson, Sector V's newest friend. Her arms stretched to her sides, carefully keeping balance across the thin bar. But seeing her on the edge of her high-heels, let Dillon know what was about to happen.
"Whoooa-whoooa-WHOOA-" She fell off the right, but she found herself afloat in midair inches from the ground. She saw that a familiar shadow caught her, originating from Dillon York.
"Heheh. Joining the Olympics, Carol?"
The shadow set her on her feet. "Awwww! I almost had it, too!"
"You probably could have, if you wore a more stable pair of shoes."
"Hey, these heels are classy, I can't imagine being in those smelly old sneakers."
"What are you doing, anyway?"
"Siiiigh." She sat on the swing. "I'm trying to find my special skill. I'm already in trouble with my mom for throwing a million of my dollars to drunk pirates. I'm entering Arctic Training tomorrow, but I'm afraid of looking like an idiot when I go. I have to have a good hand at something."
Dillon sat in the swing beside her. "Well, even if you do, Arctic Training's still the same for everyone. You're still tested on teamwork, piloting, fighting, even if you're recognized for a notable skill."
"But that's just it. I don't think I'll be good at most of that stuff. That's why I wanna train now. So if I fail at everything else, I'll still have something I'm good at. And I never took the time to try before 'cause, well, I've always had servants doing things for me. That's why… I'm gonna feel like I'm stupid."
"Hmmmm… Well then, I'll help you!"
"Hmm?" She looked up.
Dillon hopped off the swing, "Come on! We'll try a bunch of things and see if you can do them! Like… whaddo you wanna try?"
"Hmmmm…" She looked away in thought. "To be honest… it would be cool if I was some kind of bender!"
"Alright then! Let's go see if you have an element!" He grabbed Carol's hand as they excitedly ran off.
Uno Household
The two visited the Uno house, where Dillon filled a glass up with water. He set it on the table and said, "Try it."
Carol focused closely and held her hand above the glass. She waved it up and down, opening and closing, but the water wouldn't budge. She loomed her face closer and squeezed her eyes to the center. Trying ever so harder to pick the water up… she couldn't. "SIGH." She rubbed her eyes.
As Rachel walked by, she said with a bright smile, "Maybe she's an icebender!"
Dillon beamed and ran to grab an ice cube from the fridge. "Try it!" He placed it on the table as Carol once again focused. She tried to pick up the ice with only a sense of will. Her hand moved up and down, open and closed, but the ice wouldn't move an inch.
"Hey, does this feel cold?" Carol blew lightly on Dillon's face, hoping for a sense of chill.
He waved his hand by his nose. "No, but someone's been eating crumpets."
Cleveland Beach
The two went to the beach, where Carol slipped off her socks and shoes and faced a jagged rock. She stomped the sand and thrusted her arms forward, but it didn't move. Another stomp and thrust, still no motion. Shaking in attempt to channel energy, Carol swung her foot against the stone with full force. "…Ow-how-how-how-how-howwww!" She wept and held her toes tight. "Now my beautiful nails are ruined! Oww-w-w-w." She reached to grab her sock. "And on top of that, there's sand in my socks!"
"Siiiigh."
Back at Uno House
Chris lit a candle with his finger and gave it to Carol. She gently waved her hand above it, trying to catch. She moved her hand a bit closer, and… "Owowowowowowowowow!" hurriedly tried to shake the flame off, then forced her hand into the glass of water from earlier. "Ahhhhh…"
By the river
"HuuuuUUUUU!" Carol sucked in a great puff of breath. She released it directly at Dillon's face, hoping he would blow for miles. The boy shut his eyes tight, face covering with spit, but not really budging. Carol kept blowing 'til she was all out… then she fell.
Dillon wiped the spit off and helped her up. "Okay, so you're not Air, but you could be Poison. Try a Gas Bomb." He handed her some soda, which she drank.
After engulfing a good amount, Carol shook furiously and tried to unleash a powerful fart. In an instant, she froze, her eyes widened. "Uhhh… I meant a burp?" Dillon said. Carol only wept.
Later…
After a quick change of clothes, Carol watched as Dillon stretched his shadow for a few yards. She mimicked his arm-thrust and tried to stretch her own shadow, but couldn't. She kept aimlessly punching, but then punched Dillon's shadow with her own. Mario angrily smacked her away.
Uno House
During another quick visit to the Uno House (it's apparently Dill's go-to place), Dillon grabbed a spoon and handed it to Carol. She closed her eyes and tried to focus her psychic energy. She shut her eyes tight as she could and tried to imagine the spoon bending, and Dillon could see the veins in her forehead. Her head turned red, and sweat dripped down, but in the end, Carol was left gasping for breath.
Outside
"Huuuuuu-" Carol sucked in another breath, and- "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Dillon rubbed his ears. "You're not a fearbender."
The Moon
Dillon wore a space helmet and looked with disbelief. "You're not a spacebender." Carol was choking on the ground, her face blue.
Iceland; in front of King Household
"Well, all the other elements failed, so I guess your only hope is-" Before Dillon could knock on the door, Jagar King was quick to answer.
"We're a little busy, so I'll just tell you, she isn't a timebender." And he shut it.
"Hooooo…" Carol walked away in depression.
Back at the park
"Weeeell so you're not a bender." Dillon configured. "Though we didn't exactly experiment with Light or Darkness."
"But I'm sure by now I would discover if I can send a person flying to the sun."
"Heh heh heh heh. Well, the KND's still got a hundred positions people are good at. Let's try 'em!"
Sector V Treehouse
Artie Gilligan wore gloves and goggles as he carefully poured a tube of yellow substance into green substance. Carol tried to keep her goggles fixed as she studied the liquids closely, then tried to pour blue into purple. The potions exploded, making the two black with soot. "You're not a scientist." Artie said.
In the sky
"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Haylee held her seat for dear life as Carol drove the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. haphazardly at high speeds. "YOU'RE NOT A PILOOOOOT!"
Secret Treehouse of Coolness
Cheren and Carol crossed their swords in an 'X' and readied for battle. Carol raised hers in defense as Cheren swung his, and when she forcefully swung her blade at his, it immediately flew from her hand upon impact. "You're not a swordsman." Cheren said.
Dr. Facilier's Emporium
"Hwah!" The witch-doctor waved his cane and poofed a rat into a cup. "HOOWAH!" Another whoosh, and it was a stone statue of a handsome model. "Kaaawaaa-HOOYEAH!" Then into a bucktoothed boy in a pink hat.
Carol held a wand in both hands and waved it at a rat. "HMM!" Nothing happened. "Snnnnniff… HMM-MM!" Still nothing. "HmmmmMMMMM…"
POOF. The wand exploded, making her black with soot. Only her blue eyes were seen, making little blinks.
Facilier shook his head. "Lávese las manos." And walked away.
Arctic Base
"My daddy was a sniper, so I have to be a NATURAL!" Carol beamed, holding a S.C.A.M.P.P. ready. She stood before a wide, empty room where many cardboard targets began zipping left to right. Carol furiously blasted and blasted, her finger quick on the trigger and her lasers unavoidable. That is, of course, if she was any good. She missed all the targets, and left many holes in the icy wall on the other side. The ice broke as water flowed in, breaking the targets from their perch and forcing the two and the guards outside. "…Or not."
In front of York Household
"I dunno if it'll help much, but I use this grappling hook to swing between places!" Nolan explained, showing Carol his device.
"Cool!" She swiped it and aimed at a distant roof. "Here comes secret AAAAgent- WHOOOOAA!" She fired, latched the house, and went whipping across. The speed caused her to lose her grip, slamming face-first in the side of the house. The grappling gun then came down and bumped her head.
"…I don't think she should-"
"I know, I know, she shouldn't use it." Dillon said.
Nighttime enemy fortress
A searchlight carefully skimmed an alleyway, not seeing the camouflaged ninja that blended with the darkness. It skimmed another alley, and the spies hiding in the metal cans tip-toed away once it passed. It finally spotted Carol, dressed in the most colorful, flashy uniform. "What's the deal with the dark suits again, 'cause they're totally not fashionable- WAAAAH!" She danced at a round of machinegun fire, zipping away.
"That girl is NOT A SPY, repeat she's NOT A SPY."
"Who're we protecting this place from again?"
"I dunno, I'm just shootin' whatever. Saw a boy scout earlier, I ain't payin' for that crud."
St. Sanban's Hospital
"If you wanna learn how to be a doctor," Haruka began, "it's better to watch the experts up close and get a hand for how they-" They stopped before a medical room, their eyes widened at a spewing fountain of blood.
"I… don't think it's what I want." Carol said.
Sector W7 Treehouse
April Goldenweek painted a lovely, realistic picture of Carol showing a poorly-drawn painting of herself and Mason standing by a tree, in which the two looked like stick-figures. Carol painted a poorly-drawn picture of April showing her a realistic painting of Carol and Mason standing by a tree. April shook her head, and Carol frowned in disappointment.
Chimney's Room
Carol and Chimney both dressed in white Karate robes, Chimney with a black belt, Carol in a yellow belt (it went with her hair), and took firm stances. Carol blocked when Chimney threw quick kicks, but was stepping backward, then slipped behind Carol to throw quick punches. Carol spun and tried to kick Chimney, but the more agile girl grabbed her foot and hurled her away, doing a slide on her knees in the process. As Carol lay dizzily, Chimney approached with disbelief. "Oiiii. You no martial artist."
"Gyom, gyom…" Gonbe agreed.
Cleveland; Nugget River
After suffering numerous defeats, Carol was finally on her back with half-open eyes. Dillon came, sat beside her, then started picking grass blades and dropping them on her face. "I'm a failure, Dillon." she said simply, letting the grass cover her face.
"Ehhhh, everyone is, someway."
"The worst part about Arctic Training is I can't wear my high-heels and look tall and fashionable next to the other kids. Gotta wear stinky boots, and the sweat I'll make from all the workout'll make me totally sticky. I'm never gonna find my skill…"
"Sure you will, Carol. You just gotta keep an open mind and an open heart. Like they say on Avatar. And when you're all ready, you'll be able to help us, too."
"Oh yeah." Carol wiped the grass off and sat up. "What did happen to Vanellope, anyway?"
"Eh, she got taken away by aliens. But hey, we'll find her. And you'll do great in training, I know it."
"Mmm…" She looked away in doubt.
"Hey, let's go get some ice cream." Dillon helped her up. "They're having a special at Goofy Goober's. Care to guess why? Heh heh heh heh…"
The next day; Arctic Training Base
"Boy, I've been waiting for this forEVER!" a boy said as a band of cadets marched down the hall, Carol with them. "I can't wait to show Marcus my Baseball Bombs!"
"Heh, let's see those baseballs withstand my gun of month-old frozen sandwiches." a nerd snickered.
"You boys and your weapons." A girl with sleek brown hair said. "I'd go for a more subtle approach. I've created an intoxicating hairspray that makes enemies swoon over me when I wave it."
"Yeah, I can totally smell it on you. Cow poop version, right?" the first boy remarked.
"Oh, shut up!" She smacked him.
Carol just felt so discouraged. Everyone else came here with something to present but her. They were all so confident with their skills, but Carol had nothing. The group entered the training room, and Carol already noticed a soldier banging angrily on one of the terminals. She walked over and asked, "You okay?"
"Oh, man! If I can't get Marcus's top-secret files off this thing, he's gonna have my head! By which I mean the plastic head I've been using to perfect my cosmetology."
Carol opened the small hatch at the bottom of the terminal, viewing a series of sparking wires. "Well, these wires look pretty shotty, got any new ones?"
"Oh, y-yeah." He ran off and came back with a box of wires. "Well?"
Carol yanked off the sparking wires and took some of the ones from the box, hooking them in. "That outlet looks a little loose, too. Have a blowtorch?" The guard handed her one, and Carol fixed the outlet back on its perch and carefully melded the sides back on. She plugged it in, and in minutes, the boy was able to get back online.
"Hoho-o-o, thank you." He said with relief. "Hey, fix a guy's MacBook, huh?"
"Hm hm hm!" Leaving him to his task, Carol got back in line with the cadets. Marcus Drilovsky soon marched out to examine them.
"ALRIGHT, TROOPS. I hope you've enjoyed your carefree life in your neighborhoods, 'cause where you're going, there'll be no time for games. At least games that won't get you killed if you lose."
"…" Carol stood calmly, but glanced back to the soldier working the terminal.
"I don't really care where you're from, nor care if you SUCK at everything. There's not one cadet I've trained that didn't have some hidden talent they were too big of CRYbabies to figure out. There's something inside you that I'll find even if I have to break every bone in your body."
"…" Carol smiled at the new working terminal. All of a sudden, she had a newfound confidence.
"And if you're acquainted with Numbuh 206 Bones, you can tell I'm not joking. ALL RIGHT, troops, let's GET TO WORK!"
Soooo more of a filler if anything. But it was good Carol/Dillon bonding. And it does foreshadow, and this was mostly a tribute to most of the different positions in KND, and the powers and abilities in my own series. X) Just a reminder to what they do. Anyhway, next time I'll post another one-shot that introduces a new character. Later.