Good Cop stifled a yawn as he trudged into the station. Pulling that all night stake out on that robbery case really took its toll. But at least they had caught the thief. His brother was practically beaming from the back of his mind, and he delighted in "seeing" Bad so happy. But as thrilled as Bad Cop was, he too couldn't wait to go home and crawl into bed. He had enough surprise and excitement for one day.

The Cops were on their way to their office; passing by one of their department's newest recruits. The blonde lady was hunched over her desk-speaking feverishly into a phone. As they made a move to unpack their gear, they started pondering about visiting their parents later that night-only half heartedly overhearing the one sided conversation.

"Hello? Police Headquarters. Officer Kowalski speaking...oh! M-Mr. President?! How can I help you? Yes? Yes...of course. We'll help any way we can...okay...oh, then you'll want to speak to our new police chief...with all due respect, Sir, he IS our best officer. That's why he was promoted to Chief of Police. He has the greatest outstanding record in catching criminals...oh! Here he is now; hold on."

Suddenly, her voice called out to them, "Psst! Hey Chief!"

Good Cop turned to his associate with a tired smile, "Mornin', Natalia. What do ye' need?"

But his smirk disappeared when he saw her frantic expression, as well as what she had clutched in her hands.

The red phone.

As in...the special hotline that was only used in emergencies...that could only be accessed by the PRESIDENT.

Both he and his counterpart were instantly awake and alert. Taking a rest would have to wait; game time was now. They hurried over, even as Natalia started, "Chief! It's the-!"

"We know who it is, thankee'," the Cops took the outstretched phone; bracing themselves for what catastrophe could be waiting for them, "This is police chief Good Cop. What's the emergency, Sir?"

Considering the call was a one way line, it came as a surprise when the voice on the other end said, "Awesome! So I DID dial the right number." The person chuckled at his own joke, "Hey chief! It's the chief! As in, the President and Chief...of the entire world. How ya' doing?"

"Um...fine?" Good remained polite, but didn't hide his confusion at the casual small talk, "Are YOU okay, Sir?"

"Never better", it sounded like the President was sipping on a drink as he spoke, "Listen. I'm in a bit of a pickle here, and I need a little help."

"Of course, Sir; what can we help ye' with?" Good nearly saluted, before remembering the world leader couldn't see that through the phone.

"Weeellll...it's kinda' complicated. Top secret, ya' know. Can't really say it here", Business explained, "Let's just say I got a little 'job' that needs done, and I need the police's intel to do it. And according to that sweet-as-a-doughnut officer I spoke to, you're the perfect guy to ask."

Good blinked incredulously, "Really?"

"Really-really!" the President seemed to wink with just his voice, "Tell you what? You and me. Octan Tower. My office. Tomorrow morning. Ten o' clock. Sound alright?"

"Uh...sure", Good had to catch himself. This was all happening so fast, "I mean, yes. Of course."

"Awesome!" Business chuckled, "See ya' later, then. Chao'!"

He then abruptly hung up.

There came a long pause as the Cops simply stared at the phone; both nervous and curious. They had seen the President plenty of times on TV, but never did they think they'd meet him, or that he'd personally ASK for them. Just what was going on? How important was this "job" he was talking about?

It seemed the excitement and surprises for the day were just getting started.

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The station slowly dissolved and shifted; the sky above changing from morning to dusk. In its place was a cozy and inviting cottage of sorts; the smells of fresh baking wafting from the kitchen. Dinner was on the table...

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"Oooh! I can't believe it!" Ma Cop was practically bouncing in her seat as she dished out dessert, "My boys meeting with the President himself! How exciting!"

"I can believe it", Pa Cop patted his sons on the shoulder as they dug into their slice of pie, "The boys do an excellent job bein' the chief. It's high time they were rewarded."

"Aw, Dad, come on..." Bad Cop blushed at the praise, yet couldn't keep from smirking. It was awkward enough telling his folks about the call from Business when he visited them later that evening. But he didn't think they'd still be gushing about it three hours later.

"I wonder what he wants", Ma pondered over the President, "Maybe he's promotin' ya'? Or givin' ye' the key to the city?"

"MA!" Good Cop suddenly switched in and laughed, "It's not like that. He just said he needed help with something, and he wants to talk. I'm sure it's no big deal."

"That's always like ye'. Always bein' so modest", his mother chided him as she cleared the table, "Well it's a big deal to us. We're so happy for ye', son." She strode over and gave her boys a loving hug, "Remember, be on your best behavior...BOTH of ye'."

She planted a kiss on Good's left cheek, then gently tapped his shoulder; an old signal to switch faces. The moment Bad swapped in, she gave him a peck on the right cheek. He blushed even harder; groaning good naturedly, "Mummy, I'm not a kid anymore."

Ma winked, "Ye' know ye' always will to us, deary."

Good traded places again and stood up straight in mock salute, "We'll try to make ye' proud."

"Ye' already do, son", Pa patted him on the back, "And if the President knows any better, he will be too."

The brothers may have tried to sound non-challant to their folks about the whole situation, but there was still no ignoring the butterflies in their stomach. They REALLY prayed this meeting would go over smoothly. Whatever was going on, it must've been serious enough to warrant the use of the hotline. But then again, maybe Business was doing the same thing they were doing to their folks? Talking calm and casual so as not to cause alarm? He sounded pretty easy going over the phone...

Despite the seriousness of the "job", if the President was that nice, maybe working for him wouldn't be so bad?

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The drive back to the city from Ma and Pa's house seemed to take forever. Buildings stretched for miles. Night shifted to day...and the largest tower in existence pierced the clouds and blocked out the sun as the police cruiser pulled into the Octan parking lot...

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"Hey! There he is! My main super cop!" the President threw open his arms and winked, like he was greeting an old friend. He shook Good Cop's hand, "Police-to-meet you!"

"Oh, good one there, Sir", the cop chuckled at the pun, "Nice to meet ye' too."

Internally, Bad Cop cringed at the corny joke, but he wasn't about to reveal himself and spoil everything. The brothers had arrived at Octan Tower at ten o' clock right on the dot, expecting to have to check in with dozens of secretaries and passing all sorts of security before even glimpsing the President's office. What they got instead was one receptionist (a robotic one at that-how amazing), a dozen or so cameras watching their every move...and Business himself, seemingly waiting for them in the lobby. Clearly, this guy wasn't too worried about being attacked. The brothers debated on whether they should tell the world leader about their..."unique" circumstances immediately, or later. Ultimately, Bad Cop decided to just hang back in their mind space and let his counterpart do all the talking. Good was much better at the whole "socializing" thing, and they wanted to make a good impression.

Business quickly got down to his namesake and motioned for the policeman to follow him, "Come on-walk with me. Talk with me." He pointed to the robotic receptionist, "Velma! Cancel my two o'clock. And have the cook-bots whip up something to eat."

"Yes, Sir!" the mini skirted android started typing at her desk.

The President soon burst through a set of double doors that led into a fancy cafeteria. Without turning or stopping, he said, "You hungry? 'Cause I'm hungry."

"Uh, sure..." Good shrugged; jogging just to keep up with the guy's constant energy, "What are we havin'?"

"Well, that depends..." the world leader walked backwards so he could smirk at the cop, "...you like croissants?"

From that point on, things seemed to finally slow down a tad. Business and the Cops sat facing each other-munching on chicken wings and just shooting the breeze for a while. Apparently, the rumors about Octan's advanced science and robotics division were true, for every person that waited on them, from cooks to assistants, were all androids. Good Cop thought it was all incredible. His brother agreed somewhat, though there was no denying the robots' piercing red eyes were a bit unnerving. The President asked them all sorts of questions, both about their job, as well as their family, to which Good happily obliged him.

Curiously enough, however, when the policeman inquired to Business about his own home life, the world leader was quick to gloss over the subject. The only solid answer they got was that his folks were long gone, and he had married his work. Okay, fair enough. This was a job interview, not an interrogation. And this was also the President of the world; they weren't about to argue or needle him.

As they finished up lunch, Business dusted his hands off, "I already did a background check on you. Your resume' is very impressive."

Good blushed, "Thankee', Sir."

"In fact", the President raised a brow, "that's sorta' why I called you here."

At last, the Cops were about to know the reason for this whole visit. Bad went a bit more alert in his mind space corner, while Good leaned forward, "What do ye' need my help with, Sir?"

Business sat back in his seat; nursing a cup of coffee; his face turning a bit more serious, "Tell me...what do you know about...Master Builders?"

The Cops were put off a bit at such an odd question. Good rubbed the back of his head, "Well, Sir...I believe they're just what the name says they are. They can build whatever comes to mind, out of whatever materials they can find. They don't even need instructions." He spoke that last sentence with a bit of awe. They and Ma and Pa weren't builders by any means. They'd never say they were jealous of others' creativity, but there was no denying they tried to make up for that lack of talent by being the best cops they could be.

Business, however, seemed a tad annoyed. Not at them, but at the idea of someone not following directions, "Tell me...does a person like that scare you?"

Was he asking if a Master Builder scared them? Or would they be scared to confront one? Builder or not, it didn't matter if they harbored fear-they had to do their jobs, despite being afraid. Good chose his words carefully and shrugged, "Well, it's simply one's personal responsibility to use their gifts wisely, no matter what they are."

The President rubbed his chin, as he considered that answer, "Alright, let me ask you this...how many complaints has your department gotten in this past month? As in, all the ones related to Master Builders, or building, period?"

He gave the Cops a minute or so to think it over, and the brothers wracked both their brains as they tried to recall the various reports that came across their desk. Eventually, Good replied, "Well...there WAS someone who reported a strange looking house that was built overnight as being an eyesore in the neighborhood." He then answered for his counterpart, "There was also a person who built a 'rocket car' to get to work and nearly caused a pile up in traffic."

At that, Business' eyes lit up, as if that was the answer he was waiting for, "Yes! This is great. This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about."

"It is?" the policeman cocked his head, confused. Just what WAS this guy talking about?

The world leader leaned forward; staring Good Cop right in the eyes, "I've got a proposition for you...your job is protecting the people, right?"

"That's right", Good nodded, "To protect and serve, always."

"Exactly", Business smirked along with him, "Well, what if I were to tell you that there was a way to make everything perfect? To have a city, a realm...heck, an entire WORLD where everyone was equal? Where everything wouldn't have to constantly change and mess things up? If all things just stayed in place, wouldn't we all be much safer?"

Good considered the fantasy a moment. A world without crime, or wars, or fighting seemed awfully nice. It's what he and his counterpart lived for everyday, "That DOES sound invitin', Sir...but...everything bein' the same? Wouldn't that get a little dull?"

"Aww, come on", the world leader rolled his eyes, as if he were stating simple facts, "Really think about it. Which would be better? Boring, but safe, or wild and chaotic?"

It was hard to argue with that logic, even Bad Cop agreed. Good sighed and nodded, "Well, when ye' put it that way, then yeah; I WOULD pick the safe option...for the citizen's sake, ye' know?"

"Now THAT'S the attitude I wanna' hear", the President was all smiles again, "You're a smart guy, Good Cop."

The policeman blushed, "Thank you, Sir."

There came a long pause as Business finished up his coffee. And then, out of the blue, he casually asked, "...so who's Bad Cop?"

Good was nibbling on a croissant at that moment, but nearly choked on it at the out-of-nowhere mention of his brother. His counterpart did the mental equivalent of a spit take. Bad hadn't shown himself the entire time. How did the President know about him? He said he did a background check before hand. Is that how he found out? If so, why didn't he say anything? When he realized he hadn't answered , Good managed a, "Huh?"

"Your name. It's funny", the world leader explained, "I've watched my share of 'Macho and the Nerd.' If you're 'Good Cop'...isn't there supposed to be a 'Bad Cop'?"

Oh...he was just wondering about the nick names. Good cracked a nervous grin and rubbed the back of his head, "Oh, well...there IS...but..."

But his words died in his mouth when just then, his eyes zeroed in on one of the cafeteria robots. The android had been busy cleaning off some tables while the two were chatting...only now, the robot was staring curiously at them. It was wiping its hands with a wash rag...

...and when it pulled the cloth away, it was brandishing a gun...

...aimed RIGHT for the back of the President's head.

In that moment, everything cranked into slow motion as the Cops' gut instincts took over. With one hand, Good whipped out his own gun. The next second, his brother took the helm. The second after, he took aim at the assailant. And finally, Bad vaulted across the table; pushing Business underneath and yelling, "GET DOWN!"

Before the janitor-bot could get the shot off, Bad Cop beat him to it; firing a single round that left the android deactivated...and with a huge hole in its chest.

That one act seemed to be the trigger for the entire cafeteria to erupt into total madness. Bad didn't even get a chance to register what happened, before he had to duck underneath a volley of laser blasts. He quickly flipped over a table to use for cover; carefully peeking out to see just WHO was attacking them. The cafe' had two levels, with a railing above for people to walk and look down to the level below. Across the entire catwalk stood a line of office workers; all packing heat, and all with their weapons trained on the lone policeman...and a closer glance revealed them all to be robots. Were they somehow reprogrammed by someone with malicious intent? Were they from a rival company, out to do in the leader of the world?

The questions would have to wait. Right now, the President was in danger, and GCBC was the only one there to protect him.

Thankfully, the machines were lousy shots. With no other choice, he chanced on popping out from his cover; drawing attention away from Business' hiding spot. Bad spouted off, "Halloween, eh? Well, I came as a cop!"

Running on full adrenaline, the policeman fired round after round at his poorly disguised attackers. Nearly every shot hit their target, and one by one, each robot either got blasted out of sight, or fell over the railing to hit the floor in a splatter of metal joints. And when his rifle ran out of juice, he took to using any and all nearby chairs as ammo; chucking them like the Incredible Hulk.

But apparently, chairs weren't really as effective as laser guns, for soon, the robots seemed to catch onto the fact that Bad Cop was down his most deadly weapon. The dozen or so androids that still remained all vaulted from the catwalk; landing in a precise circle that kept the policeman completely surrounded. And though they too had run out of ammo, that didn't stop them from slowly closing in on GCBC-intending to pummel him into submission.

Not if Good Cop had anything to say about it. He swapped out with his counterpart; flexing his hands as he warned the mob, "Sorry to have to do this to ye', buddies..."

It wasn't that Bad Cop couldn't fight; far from it...but he was a showman. For shooting and driving, that was fine. But hand-to-hand was another story. He took cues from action movie stars and performed flips and kicks that, while intimidating, didn't really deal much damage. Good Cop, however, fought the REAL way. He'd studied the body's various pressure points, and had the patience to learn all sorts of techniques and weak spots that could take down an opponent...and make them STAY down.

Two or three at a time, the androids jumped him, and each one, he subdued in just a few, swift moves. Block the right hook. Counter attack. Punch to the shoulder blade. Windmill kick the feet out from under them. Use their weight against them; over the shoulder throw. Block their left; hit them with a right. Rinse and repeat.

It was over in less than a minute. By fight's end, only GCBC was left standing; surrounded by piles of subdued, damaged, or outright mangled robots. For a brief moment, the Cops caught their breath; surveying every inch of their surroundings; making sure the threat was truly and fully dealt with. Only when they deemed it safe did Good Cop call out, "Mr. President...Mr. President, Sir? Are ye' alright?"

A tense pause...and then came the sound of...clapping?

The policeman swiveled at the noise to find a most surprising sight. Business had come out of his hiding spot, and had fixed the Cops with an excited smile-applauding like he had just seen the greatest stage play ever, "That. Was. Awesome!" He pointed to his secretary-bot standing nearby, "Velma! Check the video! Please tell me you got all that on tape!"

The receptionist saluted before hurrying away. Meanwhile, Good bounded up to the President; checking for any injuries, "Sir! Are ye' injured? Are ye' alright?"

"Oh, I am MORE than alright", Business bounced on his heels, "I think I've just found my new right hand man!"

Now the Cops were beyond confused. The world leader had nearly gotten killed. How could he take this so lightly? Good raised a brow, "S-Sir?"

The President was holding back laughter, "You passed the test. With FLYING colors."

"T-test?!" Good Cop sputtered.

"Yeah. A test. A set up", Business looked proud of himself, "This job I'm hiring you for isn't going to be easy. So I wanted to be sure you could cut the mustard. And man, you didn't just cut it, you VAPORIZED it!"

The Cops could've collapsed both in shock and relief right then. The entire fight was a FAKE?! Somehow, it sort of made sense, yet Good still struggled to wrap his mind around it, "But...all those robots...they-"

"-we're all mine", Business interrupted. He lazily kicked an android sprawled on the floor; grinning, "It's my...specialty."

"And the lasers?" Good asked.

"All set on stun", the President assured him. Though, under his breath, he mumbled, "...most of them..."

Good Cop went into full shell shock, "I...I..."

Pretty soon, however, Business turned a tad more serious. He took advantage of the Cops' stunned silence to walk up to them; his expression curious, "One thing I gotta' ask, though...what's with your face?"

"My what?" Good blinked.

"Your face, that...flippy face thing you did", the President waved his hands for emphasis, "Do that again."

Good's cheeks flushed; embarrassed. He and his brother had acted on pure instinct trying to protect the leader of the world; completely forgetting that they hadn't told him about their "situation". They were surprised he even noticed, considering how he had to hide from his "attackers". They wished they could've broke the news to him more gently, but...guess there was no turning back now. With a sigh, Good swapped places with his counterpart, leaving Business to stare both in surprise AND fascination, "What...ARE you?"

The policeman cleared his throat, "Hello...I'm...I'm Bad Cop."

The President scratched his head; totally puzzled, "But...I thought you said your name was 'Good Cop'?"

"That was my counterpart you were talkin' to", Bad shifted on his feet uneasily, "I guess you were sort of right when ye' asked if there was a Bad Cop. That's me." He gestured as if there were someone standing behind him, "And he's the Good Cop. He's my...brother."

"Your...brother?" Business' unibrow fully lifted, like he didn't understand, but was pretending he did. How often did one see a person with a face on either side of their head?

Oddly enough, Bad found his explanation fairly easy, at least in the wording. The Cops were accustomed to having to educate people about their circumstances. Didn't make it any less awkward, however, "Try to understand, Sir. I know this is...weird. But I'm actually a 'we'. My brother and I were born in the same body. So we have to share everythin'."

"Okaaay..." the President nodded; trying to keep his cool.

"There's certain things that I'm good at, and other things that he's better at", Bad continued, "So, dependin' on the situation, we switch back and forth. It's how we balance out."

By then, Business had started to pace in a tight circle; mumbling to himself, deep in thought. His eyes were wide as he tried to piece together this startling information. He muttered under his breath, barely audible, "Okay-okay-okay...this...this was NOT part of the plan...how am I gonna'...no...yes...no-yes...okay. Perfect. I can do this...I can make this work..."

Bad Cop was close to having his brother switch places again. He was thankful his aviators hid the blush creeping up his face, "Um...I know our situation is very...rare. We're sorry if we scared ye', Sir. We'll understand if ye' wanna' find someone else..."

Suddenly, the President swiveled around and took GCBC by the shoulders; smiling wide; his eyes excited, "Are you kidding? This is PERFECT."

For the second time, the Cops drew back in surprise. Bad blinked, even behind his sunglasses, "It is, Sir?"

"Of course! What could be better? This is exactly what I needed!" the world leader rubbed his chin, as if he planned this unexpected development all along, "A nice side to keep the public happy, and a tough side to do the dirty work. Awesome!"

Bad was about to comment how that wasn't exactly what he meant by he and his brother's dynamic, but decided against it. They very nearly ruined the whole application; they weren't about to take another chance. (Although admittedly, this was the weirdest "job interview" of all time, hands down.) They weren't about to burst the President's bubble, especially when he laughed and slapped them on the back, "I think it's time we went to my office."

As it turned out (after the longest elevator ride imaginable), the "office" was actually a rather large board meeting room of sorts. The only things in it were a water cooler, a giant map of all the realms of the world (that took up an entire wall), and a very long table. All twenty of its seats were filled with robotic secretaries and office workers; all with the same black hair and black suits. They turned their heads a full 180 when Business and GCBC entered the room-all speaking in the same monotone voice at once, "Good afternoon, Mr. President."

"Afternoon, gentlemen", the world leader motioned to the policeman, "My new associate is going to be joining us today."

The board members nodded, "Yes, Sir." They then glanced at the Cops, "Good afternoon."

Bad Cop took the lone, empty seat at the end of the table, clearing his throat, "Uh...hello." Good then swapped out and gave a shy wave, "Hi..."

The androids said nothing; simply sat at attention again when Business made his way to the other end of the table. He shot his new assistant a knowing look, "I'm about to share some 'delicate' information with you, if you feel me."

Good nodded. So this meeting was top secret. He got the drift, "Yes, Sir."

The President then pulled out a large, extending pointer from his suit pocket, and began motioning to various realms on the world map behind him, as he explained, "For many years, I've had this little dream...to change the world as we know it...to meet ultimate perfection. But just as I'm coming so close to making that dream of a perfect world a reality, there's one thing that keeps getting in my way..."

He then pushed a button, and the map flipped over to reveal a bunch of big screen TV's and monitors; streaming live video feeds from all over Bricksburg, as well as from Middle Zealand, Old West World, and a few other neighboring realms. He rung the pointer in his hands in frustration; gritting his teeth as he continued, "...Master Builders. They're constantly taking perfectly good stuff and ruining it, or reshaping it into something else that the instructions didn't call for."

One of the security cameras zeroed in on some kind of Egyptian person making, what appeared to be, a giant ice cream cone, out of parts from a pyramid. Business folded his arms; glaring at the screen as he spoke rather tersely, "It's getting to be annoying..and worse, dangerous. These people need to know that rearranging the world has serious consequences. They're becoming a menace to society..." He then swung around and pointed at GCBC, "And this is where I need YOU. I'm assigning you the task of finding as many Master Builders as you can; to teach them the severity of messing with a perfect world."

The Cops took a moment to soak in what the President just proposed to him. It all actually made alot of sense. The brothers themselves sort of admitted to it when they mentioned all the building complaints coming through the station. But Good still raised a confused eyebrow, "We can see your logic, Sir...but...what the Master Builders are doing is...technically legal."

"Not anymore..." Business shook his head; smirking, as if he expected that response. He waved a hand at the wall of monitors, "Effective tomorrow morning, I'm officially making it a law that any Master Builders, and the art of doing so, will be illegal. Anyone caught committing such acts will be arrested." He stared at the Cops, "And being Chief of Police, I'm sure you won't have any trouble enforcing that law, will you?"

Partway through the world leader's speech, Bad Cop had taken the helm to fully listen. He shook his head at the question, "No, Sir."

His counterpart then swapped back, "Although, don't ye' think that's a wee bit drastic?"

"I've given them plenty of chances. It's time for some tough love", Business huffed, "And besides, some of them have already started plotting against me."

The Cops gave a start, as if to say, "they have?" But before they could speak, the President continued, "I personally heard it straight from the horse's mouth that the Master Builders believe in a 'prophecy', as they called it." He made awkward quotations with his claw hands, "An individual with the codename, 'the Special', is hunting for something called, 'the piece of resistance'. I have no doubt this is some sort of super weapon to thwart my plans for a perfect city. I'm leaving it up to you to find this criminal and bring him or her to justice."

Good Cop nodded; still in a bit of awe that the leader of the world was entrusting him and his brother to such an important task, "We understand."

Bad Cop took the helm a moment later, "But Sir, with all due respect, our police department is stretched thin as it is. I don't know if we have the man power to do this mission properly."

"Not to worry", the President waved off his concern, "You'll soon have all the man power you need."

He motioned to all the robots seated at the meeting table for emphasis. All the board members slowly turned to GCBC and flashed the friendliest smiles they could muster; their red eyes glowing brightly in the darkened room. Bad Cop couldn't help but gulp at the piercing stares...but he also fancied the thought of all twenty of those androids, maybe even tons more, all programmed to follow HIS orders. No more cadets making mistakes-no putting human lives in danger-a small army at his command...

...it was empowering.

"So, whadda' ya' say?" Business extended a hand, as if offering a handshake from across the room, "You wanna' make a big difference in the world, don't ya'?"

For one last moment, the Cops had the mental equivalent of a football huddle; weighing in everything that transpired in the last few hours. Their new boss had made some pretty good points, backed by evidence that was hard to argue with. And what if they really COULD make a difference in protecting the citizenry? Whoever this "special" was, he or she sounded awfully dangerous. This was all the very reason they became cops to begin with. And working for the President himself? It was a chance too good to ignore.

Their minds made up, Bad Cop spoke for both of them and saluted, "Yes, Sir."

Business slowly grinned at his new henchman, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

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And so began the most taxing assignment of their lives. A job that pushed them to their very limits, but one they were more than happy to carry out, for the safety of the people. One thing was certain; with all those robots, they weren't short on help anymore. Business really had come through for them. Memories began to twist and sway, like the waves of the ocean; overlapping each other as they were fast forwarded and sifted through in the VHS tape of their mind. But the feelings remained the same...Business' praise for their job well done started off nice...but slowly, as the Builders began to retaliate, he started demanding more out of them...his goals and ambitions increasing in number and difficulty. All the while, the brothers remained dedicated to their task; not wanting to let down their boss, or the people they swore to protect.

At lightning speed, a year or two went by. Suspicious characters were pulled over-notices were posted-Builders were tracked, chased, and arrested...and the Cops were called to the President's office once again...

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"Mr. President; we got here as fast as we could", Good Cop came into the meeting room at a jog; a stack of police reports clutched in his arms.

Bad Cop took the helm and started sifting through them, "We've gotten Clowntown and Fabuland secured. Only a handful of Builders keep slippin' through the cracks. We believe they're buildin' tunnels to sneak around, undetected." He got so engrossed in what he was reading, he failed to watch where he was walking, "This one perp in particular...goes by the codename 'Darkstorm'...darn lass keeps eluding us-"

WHAM!

The Cops ran face first into something hard enough for them to rebound off it and drop all their papers. Bad adjusted his helmet and sunglasses, and was about to curse his stupidity...until he looked up...

...and up...and up...

...until his eyes came to rest on the familiar visage of his boss. Though really, only the guy's face remained the same. Whatever was left of the President was covered in stark red and black armor-his head crowned by an intimidating horned helmet. The "brick wall" the Cops bumped into turned out to be stilt-sized boots that made the world leader tower over anything and everything in the room. A red cape draped his shoulders and ran the length of his oversized shoes; just barely scraping the floor.

Business seemed to finally notice his henchman and smiled, as if everything were normal, "Oh, hey Bad Cop. Nice of you to join me."

Whatever words the policeman could muster died in his mouth. The President did a ballet twirl; an impressive feat, considering how high off the ground he was. In doing so, he unceremoniously whapped Bad in the face with his cape. But the world leader paid no mind to his ignorance, "Pretty awesome, right? I think it SUITS me!"

He laughed at his own bad pun, to which Good Cop appeared and chuckled along. That's all this was-a joke. The Cops were so stressed out with their work, their boss thought he'd play a little prank on them for a laugh. That had to be it. Good started picking up the papers still strewn about on the floor, "That's a great one, Sir. Ye' really know how to play a joke."

Business' laughing died down. Although he still grinned, he raised a brow, and said more seriously, "...who said I was joking?"

Instantly, the Cops froze in place. They'd worked for their boss long enough now to recognize that tone of voice. The tone that said, "do as I say, or you're in big trouble." They chanced another glance upward, to which the President fixed them with a stern glare-tapping one humungous foot like he was done wasting time. The Cops swallowed the lump in their throat...they knew he had a taste for the theatrical, but...

Business suddenly took a Godzilla-sized step over their head; hitting them with the cape again, "Anyway, if you're done doing the janitor-bot's job, I got something to show you."

He made his way over to the opposite end of the room in just two or three strides, making GCBC have to run to keep up with him. All the while, the brothers bit back their confused shock...this really WASN'T a prank...surely, their boss would've said so by now, right? It wasn't April Fool's Day, and Halloween was half a year away.

Instead, the President came to stand in front of a plain, unassuming wall. An office worker drone stood at attention, to which the world leader pointed at him, "Manager-bot; activate the chamber."

The android saluted, "Yes, Lord Business."

The Cops blinked; totally puzzled..."Lord Business"? Where did THAT come from? They had no time to ponder it, however, for at that moment, the wall split apart-revealing a large window. From countless interrogations, GCBC recognized the glass as a two way mirror. They could see in, but whoever was in the room on the other side couldn't see out. Inside the hidden cell was some kind of masked wrestler-a luchador. He was strapped to a strange looking chair; wearing a head band that fed all sorts of wires into a nearby computer.

When the attendant inside gave a signal, Business whipped out a remote control from his suit pocket and pushed a button. In seconds, the chair lit up with a bright, blue glow, and the luchador visibly winced-spouting off some choice words that no one could hear from behind the glass. The President then used his big foot to nudge GCBC over to a video monitor, upon which, a blue print started to take shape for an Octan-run Mexican restraunt.

The Cops could do nothing but stare. So their boss answered their silence with, "I call it...the Think Tank. We still got some bugs to work out, but pretty soon, the Master Builders'll be able to use their talents in a positive way. They think it-WE build it."

Good Cop blinked up at the President; trying to make sense of this new development, "This is going to be their punishment?"

Business cringed at the word and flashed a sheepish smile, "Aw, don't think of it as a 'punishment'...think of it as...'forced community service'. As part of their sentence. Their abilities will be put to a much better use this way. Ya' feel me?"

His explanation sounded like the conversation one would have around the office water cooler. For a moment, the Cops glanced at the wrestler. He appeared understandably mad, but uninjured. And the worker-bots were fairly gentle with him as they ushered him from the room. What the President was proposing DID have its logic. And really, would it do to have the criminals rot in a jail cell, or have them contribute to society in some way?

They were ready to voice their agreement...but it was hard to do so with that flamboyant costume image in the way.

Their boss must've sensed their hesitation, for he glared down at them, "Don't gimme' that face. We're getting repeat offenders, and it's time to take action. It's either this...or a one way ticket to the Infinite Abyss of Nothingness."

GCBC audibly gulped. More than once, they snuck peeks out the window to stare at the rainbow colored swirling vortex behind Octan Tower. No one knew where the black hole led to, or if it even had a bottom...but one thing was certain; whatever went in never came back...

And in that second, the Cops got the sneaking suspicion that could be THEM falling into the portal if they didn't say something to appease their boss right then.

Bad Cop appeared and saluted, "Yes, Sir. We understand."

"Good", the President nodded and stomped away, "And don't forget about the Special. Make that your top priority. Do that voo-doo that you do so well."

He left the room before the Cops could thank him for the praise. They were glad he was satisfied with their hard work...

...so why were they still so nervous?

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From then on, their boss was referred to as "Lord Business"..."a nickname around the office", as he put it. Little by little, he started appearing in the costume more often, to which his henchman rationalized that he wore it both for intimidation and protection-from the Master Builders, of course. He just liked doing things in style, that's all...

...but also little by little, the details of his master plan started making itself known...and the Cops came to find out that in order to save the world...they were going to end it...

...but they were confident their boss knew what he was doing. And the new and better world could accommodate their parents...

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Good Cop/Bad Cop had expected just a nice, peaceful evening visiting their parents.

They did NOT expect the doorbell to ring, nor to find their boss standing there on the front stoop; flowers in hand (that looked suspiciously like he plucked them from the nearby bushes).

Good gave a start, and Bad switched in, "S-Sir? What are ye' doin' here?"

"Oh, you know how it is. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in and see how my number one guy was doing", Business smirked-letting himself in. He glanced around the country cottage; letting out a low whistle, "Sweet place ya' got here. I might get one just like it."

Before Bad could say anything, Ma Cop turned the corner, "Son? Who is it, dear?" Upon seeing the world leader, however, she nearly dropped the snack tray she was carrying; gasping, "Oh my gosh! M-Mr. President!"

Said politician waltzed up like he was an old friend, "Please, just call me Business." He helped himself to one of the mini croissants on the tray, "So this is the famous Ma Cop. Lemme' just say it's an honor to meet you, miss. I'd shake your hand, but it looks like they're full right now. Here, lemme' get that for ya'." He generously took the tray, then handed her the flowers, "Here. A present for ya'."

The elder cop blushed, "Aw, ye' so sweet, Sir. Thankee'. We were just about to play a game of checkers. Why don't ye' join us?"

"Don't mind if I do", the President chuckled as he made his way to the living room.

Ma swiveled on her boys; barely containing her excitement, "Oh son, why didn't ye' tell me ye' invited the PRESIDENT to our house? I would've tidied up some!"

Bad was about to tell her they DIDN'T invite him, but she had already disappeared into the other room to fetch her husband. Even worse, their boss had laid on the charm; no way were they going to kick him out in front of their folks...not like they'd be able to anyway. So the brothers just sighed and took a seat; watching the world leader gobble up all their mother's pastries.

A few hours later, Business and the Cop Family found themselves all gathered around the living room coffee table-taking turns playing checkers. While the President asked Ma and Pa every conceivable question about their jobs, GCBC tried to settle the tightness in their chest. They couldn't say their boss was being impolite, but...something about the way he just showed up and invited himself in...it was unsettling.

Eventually, Business was faced off against his henchman-expertly skipping his red pieces over Good Cop's black ones. But Good and his brother were barely focused on the game; more concerned with what his folks were saying. Pa blushed, "We're so happy ye' took the time to stop over. We're sorry the place is kind of a mess right now."

"No problem", the world leader didn't look up from the board, "I know how frustrating it is when someone throws a monkey wrench in your plans."

Good had to bite his tongue. He knew that frustration all too well...by the many tantrums he and Bad had been on the receiving end of. True, his brother could have a temper too, but at least he was always there to calm him down. He was thankful the two of them could never be apart; they needed each other.

Ma suddenly spoke, "So, anythin' new and exciting with ye' both? We haven't seen ye' for quite some time, son."

"Oh, ye' know; the usual", Good shrugged, "Huntin' down criminals; makin' sure we don't get fired."

Everyone laughed at his little joke, and Good tried to chuckle along, but inside, he was cringing. Their situation was anything but "usual". How did one tell their folks that their boss wore a suit and cape and threw insubordinates out windows?

Pa grew a bit serious and shook his head, "Such a shame to lock up so many Builders. If only they could just curb their talents towards something other than wanton destruction."

Good felt himself slipping. He NEVER lied to his parents, "Well, actually...we got a few programs to get them involved with. They can help come up with the instructions used in the city..."

He was about to say more, until the President gave him a swift, unseen kick from under the table; clearing his throat, "Your move, Bad Cop."

Good frowned, but didn't argue and switched with his counterpart; taking the hint he said too much. Thankfully, Ma didn't seem to notice, "Ah, rehabilitation. Now there's an idea." She then turned to the world leader, "I'm sure your own folks are proud of ye'."

For the first time that whole evening, Business flinched. He kept his focus on the game; saying rather flatly, "Actually, they're not around anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sir..." Pa apologized, "...is there a Mrs. Business in the picture?"

The President was still visibly tense, but shrugged, "I kinda' married my work." He smirked only slightly, "But I might be ready for a special someone again when the city becomes a perfect place to live."

Ma blinked; muttering, "Again...?"

But she was quickly cut off from that thought when he suddenly spouted, "King me."

Bad was paying attention to his folks, but soon turned to his boss, "Huh?"

Business had his arms folded; staring at his henchman with a victorious grin, "I took your guy. King me."

Bad Cop finally glanced down at the game board. He was so focused on everything else, he hadn't noticed all the red checker pieces surrounding his one, lone black piece. All he could muster was a flat, "Oh..."

There was nowhere to run. He crowned the last piece. The game was over.

The Cops were snapped from their thoughts when something in the kitchen started beeping. Ma sprung from her seat, "Oh! The meat's ready! I'll be right back!"

"Here honey, let me help ya'," Pa also got up and left.

The President and his henchman were all alone.

Business leaned across the table; keeping his voice low. All smiles were gone, "You know what we do is for the good of the world, right?"

Good Cop reappeared, "Of course. Master Builders ARE criminals after all."

"Which is why it's imperative that you DON'T tell anyone", his boss mumbled through clenched teeth.

Good motioned towards his folks still in the kitchen, "Well, what if they get a call about strange activity?"

The President said rather urgently, "Then they can follow the instructions they were given."

Good tried to ease his statement of the obvious, "Oh, we know, just...we'd never lie to them."

The policeman looked like a little kid caught snooping in the cookie jar. Business rolled his eyes, "It's not lying, just...not telling them everything. This is one secret you gotta' keep under your helmet. National security and all that. Understand?"

Good hesitantly nodded. His brother took the helm a second later, "Yes, Sir."

"Good", the President seemed to stare past Bad's aviators; glaring, "...because it would be a shame if something were to happen to them...ya' FEEL me?"

The Cops' heart dropped to their stomach...just WHAT was he implying there? But they had no time to think it over, for Ma Cop's voice rang out, "Oh, boys!"

Both the world leader and his henchman swiveled to find the elder cop standing in the doorway-a plate of food in hand. She cheerfully smiled, "Who wants tacos?"

Instantly, the President perked up, "Oooh! Tacos! My favorite!"

He then got up and strolled away with Ma and Pa, who had dinner on the table...but not before silently turning and smirking at GCBC-pointing at his eyes, then at the Cops, in that universal, "I'm watching you", gesture.

Only after Business disappeared around the corner did Bad let loose the breath he was holding; muttering both to himself and his brother, "What've we gotten ourselves into?"

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Like a high speed chase, the years flew by in a blur. The Master Builders were no longer simply standing by and getting captured. They formed secret clubs; fought back against the SWAT-bots; made jail break attempts...a few succeeded. By then, words about "the Special" and "the piece of resistance" crept all over town, and the Cops found themselves hunting for both of them almost as much as the Builders themselves. They saw their parents less and less, but thought of them often; wondering how much they really knew about their boss...and if they truly were making Ma and Pa proud.

And Business...his praise was all but non-existent, to the point GCBC was desperate to please him in any way...to know they were doing a good job...as well as to avoid making him mad and getting punished. But none the less, the brothers remained justified; what they were doing was for the good of the people...right? That was the deal, wasn't it? When the President said "end the world", he meant starting things over from scratch...right?

Memories began to churn and clash. Like water swirling down a drain, a whirlpool of years, people, places, and raw emotions were all bleeding together; heading towards one fixed point that was inescapable...a destination the Cops did NOT want to reach.

Cracks began to form in the connection...

"How did ye' find the Piece of Resistance?"

Oh no...they knew what was coming next...

"Red alert! I need everyone to go after the Special!"

No-DON'T go after the Special. Don't go forward...

"Have I ever shown you my relic room?"

NO! Not the relic room! We don't want to be here!

"Mummy. Daddy. What are ye' doin' here?"

"Send in a micromanager...finish the job..."

"We're just a bit...stuck...oh, Pa! Hold me!"

Please...we can't take it...no more...we can't go back there again!

"I can't do it! They're innocent!"

"Your Good Cop side is making you SOFT, Bad Cop!"

Ma...Pa...I failed them...I failed everyone...

Let go of me! Not in the eyes! The pain-THE PAIN!

"NO MORE Mister Nice Guy!"

Please! Just stop...stop! STOP! STOOOOOP!

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Like hanging up on a phone call, the connection wasn't just lost-it was severed. The real world dropped back into their laps, and the Cops' outcry was so strong, it caused Unikitty to fly backwards as if she got sucker punched. She landed in a crumpled heap on the ground, and the gathered Master Builders huddled around her-some gasping; others peppering her with questions-the most prominent being if she was alright.

Bad Cop, meanwhile, caught his breath; his first concern being his brother. Good Cop gave him a mental hug a moment later, for he too was assuring his counterpart's presence. Only when they were right in their own mind did they observe their surroundings. This wasn't the past anymore. They no longer had the Princess as another sibling-it was just the two of them, like always. This was the present. Cloud Coo-Coo Land. Still surrounded by Builders...and still tied up in Wonder Woman's lasso.

Off to the side, they heard someone ask, "What happened? You were only in there for, like, three minutes."

The Cops couldn't believe it. Three MINUTES? That's all the longer the..."mind meld" took? It felt like three DAYS. Maybe MONTHS.

When they realized the question wasn't aimed at them, GCBC spared a glance at the unicorn cat. By then, she was sitting up; her complexion pale and slightly blue as she gathered herself. No doubt she too was confirming just where, when, and who she was. But the moment she gazed at the Cops, their eyes locked, and for half a minute, she just stared at them; processing everything she saw-everything she experienced and felt. Her expressions drifted between horror, sadness, a tiny bit of anger...and quiet sympathy.

The crowd seemed to sense something major had happened, for they all went strangely silent. Bad Cop had no words for the trip he just endured, so he finally blurted out, stunned, "...what did ye' do to us?"

Unikitty had finally calmed down enough to revert back to her usual pink complexion. She blushed and muttered, "...YOU just told me a story...I just took a short cut."

The Cops hunched over; feeling utterly guilty for putting the Princess through so much past pain and regret. Good Cop swapped in; his scribble face wobbling as he confessed, "...we're so sorry...we were just doin' our job. We don't make the rules. We just have to enforce them." He dared a glance at the magic cat, "...and when the President of the world makes it a law that Master Builders are criminals that need to be captured, we HAVE to do it."

Unikitty slowly nodded, "I know...I understand..."

There were plenty of other things she began to understand as well; so much she wanted to say...but it'd have to wait. At the moment, she had a crowd of confused subjects to attend to. Letting out a heavy sigh, she pointed at the Cops and groaned, "Will someone PLEASE untie them?"

The brothers immediately noted how she corrected her pronouns from before; now calling them a "they" and not a "he". Wonder Woman promptly walked over and took back her lasso, allowing GCBC to finally get up and stretch-retrieving their helmet, which was still sitting next to them. All the while, a wave of mumbles rippled across the group of Builders, but only one dared to ask, "So...what happened? What didja' see in there?"

For a split second, the Cops went stiff; wondering just what the Princess was going to say, or how much she'd reveal. And Unikitty, for her part, pondered how she was to summarize the years of experience she lived in just mere minutes. So much guilt...so much regret...so many lies they were fed...no one deserved to go through all that.

At long last, she addressed the crowd; speaking uncharacteristically serious, "The stuff that Good Cop/Bad Cop did...to us; to Cloud Coo-Coo Land...it wasn't their fault-not all of it." She shook her head, "They're really good cops who just got mixed up with the wrong person...but they honestly believed they were doing the right thing, and had to obey a law they didn't get a say in." Her ears drooped, "And by the time they realized the danger they got themselves and their family into, it was too late."

The entire time she spoke, the gathered onlookers hung onto every word; their faces of anger and distain slowly but surely softening. By the end of her speech, the Builders had gone slackjawed; glancing at the Cops with a strange sort of surprise. Good Cop rubbed the back of his head-blushing at all the stares, before quietly muttering, "Not that we're not thankful...but...why are ye' bein' so forgivin' of us? I mean...we destroyed your home."

Suddenly, Unikitty twirled around to face them; her familiar smile back, "Well, what's done is done. Gettin' angry won't change or help anything." She levitated a random stone off the ground, "Besides, it's all just bricks. We'll just rebuild. We'll make Cloud Coo-Coo Land even better than it was before!"

The Cops blinked at her enthusiasm. She didn't see all this destruction as an end, but rather, a beginning. A fresh start. And the Man Upstairs only knew they needed one too. Good's heart pounded in his chest as he muttered, "So...y-yer' not mad...at us?"

"Nope", the unicorn cat smirked, "I know you're really sorry. You came to apologize. That's proof enough for me."

GCBC nearly sighed with relief, if it wasn't for the group of Builders still standing nearby. But as they studied each face, every person seemed to be satisfied with Unikitty's verdict-having faith in their Princess and her judgment. Some nodded; a few even smiled. Eventually, the guy in the panda suit; the one who had run away in fear earlier, spoke up, "If the Princess is okay with him being here...then I am too."

The rest of the crowd was also in agreement. Little by little, the not-so-angry mob dispersed; heading back to the projects they had been working on. A few lingered-shooting GCBC one last skeptical glance, until they too trickled away. Soon, it was just the unicorn cat and the Cops standing awkwardly in the street. Good cleared his throat; not knowing what to say to this turn of events, "Unikitty...we...I..."

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" the Princess cut in; motioning for them to follow her, "There's somethin' I wanna' show ya'."

"Okay! Here it is!"

Bad Cop sighed in relief, though it was also to catch his breath. Unikitty had led the policeman far away from town and up a bunch of hills, to the point he and his counterpart were wondering just where they were being herded to. Thankfully, the Princess had finally come to a stop, and bounced in place; waiting for her new friend to make it to the top.

And when the Cops did...they weren't disappointed. From their vantage point, they soon realized the unicorn cat had taken them to, what was no doubt, one of the highest points in Cloud Coo-Coo Land. The hill (or cloud? It was hard to tell) they were standing on overlooked nearly the entire realm. This area obviously hadn't been filled up yet with towns and houses. But just because it was barren didn't mean it wasn't a nice sight. Far from it. The pastel colored landscape was rather calming...so peaceful...so magical.

How could they have become so blinded by their duties that they'd stoop to destroying such a happy and beautiful place?

Unikitty broke the quiet, "So? Whatcha' think?"

Good Cop switched in and grinned, "It...it's pretty."

"Great!" the magic cat nodded in satisfaction, "Then that settles it."

Good raised a brow, "Huh?"

"This is where I'm puttin' my new house!" the unicorn cat explained, before pointing at GCBC, "And I want YOU to help me build it!"

"US?" now the Cops were confused. Not that they didn't want to assist her, but...how could they possibly do THAT? Good rubbed his head, "But...we're not Builders."

Unkitty let out a huff, as if she were putting hands on hips, "Everyone can build, silly."

Good's head drooped, "Not us..."

"Well, have you tried?" the Princess asked in a matter of fact tone.

GCBC blushed; squirming uncomfortably where they stood. But eventually, Good shook his head, to which the magic cat giggled, "Then how do you know you can't?"

The Cops didn't quite know what to say to that. It had been drilled in their head by their boss for so many years that building (at least against the instructions) was a bad thing. How could they de-program themselves from that? They never made attempts; never even THOUGHT to. The mind meld must've shown her that, didn't it? At long last, Good muttered, "Why us?"

Unikitty's eyes became distant as she looked out at her home. But it was clear something else was on her mind. She smirked in an "I'm thinking of cute things" sort of way as she calmly replied, "Your mom and dad really love you alot. All those warm feelings I felt...I like that. I want that in my house."

She glanced over; not surprised, but rather, that she found it adorable that the Cops had a soft spot hidden underneath. And GCBC, for their part, were shocked how she could so easily see through them, mind meld or not, as attested by how she defended them from the angry Master Builders. Clearly, her cute way of speaking was just a personal preference-she was MUCH smarter than she looked. But her statement also sparked curiosity...the way she said it...did she not have a family anywhere? They dared not ask. They were more flattered than anything else that she'd want their help, after everything they did; all the terrible things she must've seen while inside their consciousness. They vowed right then to not abuse the second chance they'd been given.

The Princess broke the quiet again, "You okay, Daniel?"

The Cops blushed and blinked at her; not mad, but rather surprised that she causally called them by their given name (Good's name, technically). Another thing she must've picked up in the meld. She smiled sheepishly at them, "Sorry...just...you have nice names. You should use them more."

The brothers didn't reply-not knowing what to say to that. Everyone was so used to their nicknames, their given names were something they really only tended to use with family and close friends...which was sort of just their parents. Should they have been saddened by that? The magic cat broke their train of thought when she tried again, "You okay?"

Truthfully, they weren't sure. They wondered what she must've thought of them, or how she looked at them, now knowing what she did. They sat down in the grass (clouds?) and Bad Cop switched in, "We don't understand..."

Unikitty plopped down beside them, "I do...sorta'." She motioned to herself, "Most of the time, you see me like this..." Both her eyes and her voice darkened slightly, "...but sometimes...when bad stuff happens, and it's hard to be positive...I've got a NOT-so-nice side that comes out...and it's REALLY scary."

Had the situation been any different, GCBC would've laughed at the idea of sweet and adorable Unikitty getting angry or being something to be feared. But considering how serious she was being-the haunted look she gave them-they raised a brow when she explained, "We're rebuilding, but...it's gonna' take a long time. Everyone's kinda' frustrated and people keep askin' me for help, and I can't be everywhere at once." She sighed heavily, "I'm tryin' my best, but...my angry side keeps wantin' to come out, and I have to laugh and think of happy things and tell it no."

Bad Cop was hit with another wave of guilt. The Princess wasn't as stress free as she let on, and her frustration was all his fault. None the less, Good chuckled in their mind space,"Sounds like you and me, buddy."

"Oh, lay off..." Bad sent the mental equivalent of a good natured punch in the shoulder. He then gave the unicorn cat a soft smile, "Well, we think you're doin' just fine. We wish you were the President instead."

"Nah...'President' doesn't sound as cute. I'm happy with who I am", the Princess giggled, before glancing at the Cops in a sideways manner, "Are there other people like you? You know, with the...flippy face?"

Good Cop swapped places, as if to emphasize her question, "No...we're not sure, really." He shrugged and shook his head, "If there are, we haven't met them."

Unikitty figured as much, but just wanted to be sure. From being in their mind, she got the distinct sense that the brothers must've been ostracized and given alot of flack from alot of people; all just for being born differently. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right...which made her tell them, in the most motherly tone possible, "You know...originally...Cloud Coo-Coo Land was supposed to be a safe place for people who didn't fit in anywhere else. They were free to be as wacky and strange as they wanted to be." She poked a paw in their chest to drive the point home, "If you ever feel that you don't belong anywhere...you'll ALWAYS have a place in Cloud-Coo-Coo Land. And if anyone has a problem with that, they'll have to answer to me." She puffed up with pride, "I AM royalty after all."

For the longest time, the Cops stared blankly at the Princess, then out at the pastel hillside; trying to process the offer she just gifted them. It was one thing to be forgiven by Emmet and Lucy, but this was an entire realm they were talking about. A whole community they leveled to the ground. It was unforgivable.

How could she be so merciful?

An odd choking sound erupted from Good's throat. Overwhelmed by her kindness, he fought back tears as his shoulders shook, "We..I...I'm so sorry..."

"I know", the magic cat nodded and soothed, "I forgive you."

That did it. Those three simple words burst the dam, and ink dribbled down Good's scribble face as he cried, "Please...just stop.."

But the unicorn cat was determined to make sure the message got through. She repeated, "I forgive you."

Good curled in on himself like a turtle, sobbing, "I don't deserve it..."

She thought they did. She nudged them, "I. Forgive. You."

Bad swapped places at that point. No doubt he thought he could hold back more. But his brother's emotions seeped into his, making it even harder for his voice not to wobble, "Don't...please...stop..."

The Princess was having none of it. She sadly smiled, "I forgive you."

The Cops never cried like this, except to their parents. Had that whole mind space excursion done something to them? They barely knew Unikitty, yet...there was some connection they had now. A bond that couldn't be explained, only felt. They should've felt violated, yet...didn't. It was actually relieving that someone else knew exactly what they went through...had seen it...had experienced it.

Bad Cop finally gave up and shed heavy tears; letting out all the pent up fear and anger; guilt and remorse. And Unkitty, not being judgmental in the slightest, let them lean on her and vent. She patted them on the back; nuzzling under their chin with a lulling voice, "There, there...no more sad tears...only happy ones."

And for Good Cop/Bad Cop, it was a mixture of both.

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AN: All I can say is, can you tell I'm a GCBC/Unikitty shipper? XD It's a pair up I hardly see, and one that'll feature frequently from here on out. I also gotta' warn you guys, between this and the next chapter, we're going to be doing a major time skip. So the way those two (three?) act is going to differ a bit come next chapter. But I have a spin off story planned that's going to explain in more detail just what happened between them, between this chapter and the next, so try and bear with me.

Trying to explain such an abstract concept of mind melding was tricky, so I hope I pulled off the imagery well enough that it wasn't confusing. The "not one person, not three people, they're an experience" line, I borrowed from Steven Universe. XD

There was also background characters galore this time around, including Natalia Kowalski from Lego City Undercover. Since Chase McCain got a cameo in the last chapter, I knew his girlfriend had to be in this somewhere too.

Speaking of borrowing lines, the "isn't there supposed to be a Bad Cop" line from Business was supposed to mirror Emmet's line in the movie when he asked the same about Good Cop. (There's been so many hints being dropped about future chapters, I don't want to spoil anything.)

Also notice GCBC mentioned a "Darkstorm" at one point. If you guys remember the scene in the Old West, where Vitruvius was listing off all the codenames Lucy used to go by, then you'll know who GCBC was talking about...;)

Coming Up Next: When Unikitty seemingly begins losing her magic powers, Emmet and company must call upon the help of Indiana Jones to embark on a quest to help save her...by traveling to the farthest, unexplored regions of Cloud Coo Coo Land.