BEFORE YOU READ ONE WORD OF THE STORY, THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
THIS WORK IS ACTUALLY A CROSSOVER.
I am not putting it in the crossover section because this really only appeals to Wings of Fire fans and I doubt it would get any reads if I did so. Spoilers will pop up now and then, so I recommend that you read, watch, or play any works which are of important to the plot. You may have to explain your Netflix history to your family because some of them are made for kids.
YOU ARE MEANT TO LEARN THINGS ALONGSIDE THE MAIN CHARACTERS.
It's more fun because I can get away with trolling you if I write it this way!
I'VE SPENT A VERY LONG TIME WRITING THIS, AND NONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS WERE EVEN IN THE FIRST DRAFT. ALSO, THERE'S A REASON FOR NEARLY EVERYTHING IN-STORY.
25 years is enough time for a lot of things to happen...
IF YOU HAVE A THEORY ABOUT THE PLOT, FEEL FREE TO SEND IT TO ME AND ASK FOR ME TO FEATURE IT, BECAUSE WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S PROBABLY NOT CORRECT.
You will not spoil the plot for anyone by doing so.
I MADE UP THE BIG BAD ON MY OWN.
It's easier to explain plot holes this way, not that I'll include any if I can help it.
THIS IS NOT CANON.
I do not own any of the fictional universes in this work!
...
For years, the Deus ex Machina has watched over the universes, protecting not only the spare few that believed in it, but those who belonged to different religions, also. We don't wish to think about what would happen if it turned on us; it will never happen until the Dark Age when there is nothing left except a mere few particles of matter which cannot interact.
Right?
...
18:59
Location: Inkopolis City
Planet: Morphean
...
At 7:00 at night, the last Turf War of the day always began, without variance. And at 7:30, the skirmish always ended with neither of the teams winning. And of course, for exactly that reason, everyone went to the arena at exactly that time, to see if they could beat the champion of the battle.
A masked figure appeared on one of the beams above the stage. They were wrapped down to their knees in loosely draped strands of cloth, with a long chartreuse glove, the color of celery, stretching all the way up their left arm. They wore a shirt that didn't stretch all the way down to their dark gray skirt, and to top it all off, they wore a tattered black jacket.
"GO!" one of the speakers mounted throughout the arena blasted.
Instantly, the eyes of everyone within Stonefish Airport focused on the champion. The champion held up a sniper weapon... and splatted one of the competitors on the blue team before they even got to the center of the arena. The green team cheered, but not before the champion of the turf pulled out a blaster and fired multiple times, hitting a green Inkling.
"Isn't that cheating?" someone shouted.
The champion didn't respond. They jumped down from the beam, using their blaster to cover a majority of the turf with their dark, coral-colored ink. Both teams were forced to retreat back to their bases, as anyone who dared venture out regretted it.
Needless to say, the champion won the match.
The judge, as well as all of the home audiences watching, knew to expect this outcome. As the competitors lined up, Judd stacked up piles of coins for each Inkling. However, he made a ninth pile for the anonymous champion.
"Thanks," he swore he heard them say from beneath their disguise as they collected their prize.
The champion left the building and sprinted into one of the back alleys of Inkopolis with surprising speed. They surveyed the area to check for followers. Finding none, they decided it was safe to remove their facial coverings.
Eighteen-year-old Alexis was done being the champion for the day. She wiped a bead of sweat off of her forehead and continued moving, but slowed to a walk. She pulled a map out from her jacket's pocket and studied it, tracing a route with her fingers. Having decided where she wanted to go, she followed the mapped route until it ended at a large truck.
Lexi stashed the map in her other pocket and pulled out a key. She unlocked the door of the (stolen) truck and sat down in the driver's seat. She reached into the backseat and pulled out a small portable television. Plugging it into the car charger, she reclined and turned on the geography and history channel.
"The ruins of humanity may be buried in the ocean, but with the new submarine Pontus, that should not be a problem that will stop us from discovering their true ways of life," the announcer said.
Lexi leaned forwards in her seat. "Heck yeah," she muttered, taken back by the news. "Another world buried under the ocean? Maybe a chance to see all of creation?"
Grinning, she leaned in closer to watch.
"Now we will discover what the ways of the human race were like."
She watched as the submarine was lowered into the ocean by a cranelike device. Its pilot thumbs-upped the camera, and-
The screen cut to a "BREAKING NEWS" report. Lexi cursed and reached for the car charger, but stopped immediately when she realized what was on.
"We are sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled program, but this is the most urgent news report we have had for twenty-five years," Marie, the reporter, explained. "An unidentified craft has been found by a beach on the southern side of the city. Our scientists claim it may be alien technology."
Alexis reached for the on switch, and the truck's engine sprang to life.
"We even have video from a reporter we sent there. Here's the footage."
The screen cut to a video of an odd quadruped being with red scales and shiny metal wings.
"HI!" the thing said. "My name's Rhodi, I'm a girl... By the way, we didn't mean to smash that building. I'm SO sorry I chose a bad pilot. Anyway, I guess that I'm technically an alien here 'cuz it's another planet that I'm on. WOO HOO! So, there's a school that we're re-re-opening on my planet... Jade Mountain Academy, and we're searching for people who want to attend and REPORTER PERSON! WHAT THE #^$* ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!
Lexi backed out of the alley she was parked in, paying no heed to the footage of "Rhodi" being shoved back into her craft by the reporter.
"We'd highly recommend you not go near the craft. As you know, we don't want any contact with other worlds in Inkopolis."
Lexi was an exception.
The truck swerved onto a nearby road and cut through the traffic, probably breaking the speed limit. It took a corner off of a nearby car as Lexi drove around it.
Lexi realized there was a police station on the road ahead too late. An officer took a brief glance at the truck's license plate and immediately ran into another room. She thought that if she was going to steal a vehicle to live in, it shouldn't be a giant 18-wheeler that got terrible mileage.
A police car darted out of the station. Two others followed after, and Lexi switched the gear to the fastest it could go. She stole a glance at the map, and, seeing that the road to the crash site was straight from then on, turned off the television and threw it against the pedal. She rolled down the window and jumped onto the roof.
Because she still had her scope strapped to her back, she was already armed. She aimed it at the nearest police car, hitting its windshield and reaching the driver inside.
"That's what happens when you try to stop me from reaching something," she said to no one in particular. A gust of wind knocked her against the roof of the trailer. She struggled to hold on to the bumps on top of it, and the truck showed no sign of stopping.
She stole a glance forwards at the road. Lexi could see the craft in the distance. Judging by the speed of the truck, she would make it there in a few seconds.
The door of the craft was open, but it was already in the air. Lexi stood up and began to run to the front of the semitruck. Her footsteps thundered against the metal of the truck...
And she jumped.
She had gained so much momentum, she remained in the air for several seconds. She reached out her arm and grabbed one of the bars on the side of the craft. She made her way to the open door and closed it behind her.
She was on.
"Hi!" Rhodi greeted. "You are literally the last person on this ship. We picked up a bunch of people from other planets, and there are a ton of species on board now. Just don't stare, and DON'T make fun of anyone's ears, height, forehead, teeth, or basically anything."
"Why would I do that?" Lexi asked.
"Never mind," Rhodi said. "Now, I need to know your name and a bunch of other stuff..."
Lexi answered all of her questions, but her mind kept wandering. She could leave Inkopolis for the first time in her life.
And she was ready for it.