Guest: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're here.

Brakayla-4-Ever: Welcome back! I can promise you, there'll be a proper ending. I'm not changing plans this time, I'm seeing this through. Thanks for the review.

The next day, the kings were still in their beds when Boz woke up. He had found a safe space to sleep in the jungle and ate one of the sandwiches he'd packed. His headache from yesterday still hadn't worn off, but Boz pushed it aside. It was annoying, but he could handle it.

He had to handle it. Something as stupid as a headache wasn't going to stop him today.

They had been preparing for the coronation ceremony for months now, but still Mason managed to find an empty slot during which he could evaluate Boz' skills. Mason wanted to see how driven the young man was, if he could wield a machete and how well he held up in a fight. All standard procedure, but it felt rushed.

It was rushed. They needed to be done in time for the coronation.

So Boz went to the Kinkow fight school, where Mason and four recruits Boz vaguely recognized were waiting for him. The recruits and Mason had folded their arms over one another and stared at Boz.

"Good morning," Boz said with an awkward nod. "I'm ready."

Mason wordlessly handed Boz a wooden machete; a training machete. As Boz tried out the machete, the recruits drew their own wooden training machetes and circled him.

He hadn't counted on this. He thought Mason would take this fight to the arena, not outside, in the jungle. Unbeknownst to Mason, he just played right into Boz' strengths when the former king wanted a fair fight inside the arena.

Boz scanned his environment. On all sides, there was one recruit, ready to strike at any moment. Behind number two, there was a small puddle of mud. Trees were near, as well as some sturdy looking branches on the ground.

Almost impulsively, he reached for his feet, to tear off the shoes he'd been wearing. They were only a hindrance when Boz fought. As soon as he bent over and lifted one leg, number four and one came forward to attack him.

Boz kicked number four while he blocked an attack from one. The shoe was loose – Boz quickly grabbed it with his free hand and threw it forcefully in number four's face. He turned to block another strike from one. Boz swung the machete and pushed number one back. Four was still disoriented, by the unusual attack, but two and three circled closer and closer. Soon, Boz had no space left to move around in.

He took off the other shoe and threw it at three, who grabbed it and tossed it aside. One had recovered and came closer, too.

Did they pity him? Maybe they did – maybe that's why they let four attack all alone while the others stood around and watched as Boz drowned. It was an unfair fight, after all – Boz quickly needed to find something.

The branches on the ground. They could help. But they were on the other side of the recruit wall. In the jungle, there luckily were large trees with branches overhanging the usual paths.

Four kicked it up a notch and struck more frequently. Boz managed to keep up with the machete play and with one well-timed blow, he even disarmed four. Before one, two or three could take over from their colleague, Boz jumped as high as he could, dropping the wooden machete.

He just barely held on to the branch and he started to swing. It had been a while since he had been in such a situation, but it all came back to him. He swung to another branch, and another, and dropped down safely to the ground. He crouched and took the two sturdiest branches, each about the size of a machete, though one was considerably shorter than the other.

The recruits had stared in confusion as Boz dropped the machete and easily swung over to the branches. Their confusion was Boz's strength, and he charged with the two branches.

The boys had him cornered, but Boz was now in charge of the fight scene. He targeted the closest to him, number three, and quickly knocked him out of the fight with two coordinated blows from the branches. One, two and four were not prepared for the whirlwind that was Boz – two fell easily as well, while one put up more a fight. Four fought valiantly as well and lasted longer, but he could not count on back-up. As soon as the others got up, Boz struck their legs to ensure they stayed down.

The fight ended with Four on the ground, both branches pushing the boy down. Boz counted to three and took the branches from four. He dropped them to the ground and extended his hand to the recruit.

Knowing he'd been defeated, four took the hand. One, two and three had managed to stand up on their own. They turned back to Mason, who could barely hide how amazed he was at the skills that Boz had displayed. Boz thanked it all to his short period of training at the fight school when he was bored. He gave up soon after, but now these skills came in handy.

"You have talent," Mason said. Boz had never felt more validated and he grinned.

"Really?" Boz would say it wasn't all that great, but he did have the tendency to underestimate his fighting skills. Mason nodded.

"I could see you succeeding on the short training course."

Boz mouth fell open.

"Short course?" It was meant for those who were naturally talented and who would not benefit from a full training. Only six months of training to get Boz up to speed and be accepted in the ranks of the guards. Boz felt honored.

"That's awesome!" he exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"

Mason nodded, "Where can we find you?"

"Everywhere," Boz answered. The excitement wore off and Mason frowned. Boz cleared his throat and tried to look in a more professional way at Mason, even clasping his hands behind his back.

"I'm kinda homeless," Boz said. "Do you have a place where I can stay?"

Mason did not seem to expect this. Sometimes, the living conditions could be harsh, especially in times of need, but it still shocked him that a young man such as Boz hadn't found accommodation. But he came with his backpack, the same as yesterday, and he did not look the cleanest. It did support the claims he made yesterday.

"You really did leave everything behind, huh?" Mason asked. Boz nodded.

"Everything," he said. The severity of his actions caught up to Boz. He really did leave everything behind. Those he knew were ghosts, everything he owned wasn't his anymore. The headache became more prominent. "Everything for the kings."

Mason looked at Boz. How he wished he could know what Mason was thinking! But the guard's gaze had softened.

"Normally you'd stay in the barracks, but your training program brings you to the castle. I'll see if I can find a spare room."

That was more than Boz could have ever asked for in this state. Boz smiled and nodded gratefully at his mentor.

"Thanks, Mason," he said. "It means the world."

Even Mason allowed himself a small smile. "Go change. And take a shower. The coronation starts in a couple of hours."

Boz took a shower at the fight school. When he stepped out, he found someone had left him a set of clean clothes. Typical Kinkowian dress – typical Kinkowian guard recruit uniform. It was a special moment, and when Boz carefully put on each piece of clothing, he could feel the love and respect for his kingdom grow stronger.

He was going to serve his kingdom in a way he never could – in a way he never thought he wanted. He was staying close to the kings – close to Brady – but he was going to enjoy his time as a guard.

Coincidentally, his first act as guard in training was to stop the chandelier from falling on the kings. He could not hold on to it for too long, but the kings got away and Lanny somehow stood underneath when it fell. Boz genuinely hadn't seen his cousin and would have apologized, if Lanny had known Boz had been responsible for the fail.

#

Sooner than Boz expected, it was time for the coronation. He stood together with the other guards and curiously watched the ceremony and the crowd it had gathered. He mainly wanted to see how Brady and Boomer reacted to the coronation traditions of the island.

Which included one of the Elders drinking from the hallowed bowl and spitting the sacred sap all over the new kings. Neither of them liked it, but Boomer especially was unhappy with the arrangement. In the background, Lanny lamented his fate, but an Elder quickly shushed him.

The other parts of the ceremony were going wrong as well. Boz could barely believe how uncultured these versions of Brady and Boomer seemed to be. Yes, they had just arrived, but if they did what the Elders directed them to do without improvisation, Brady would not have used the Impapa as a baseball bat and he would not have to be punished with the palm leaves being smacked on his back. As a guard in training, Boz did not need to participate, but he did shake his head.

Is that inconsiderate and immature person really the guy he traveled back in time for?

But only one part of the ceremony remained. It soon was going to be over, so Boz could go to the kings and get to know them better. Surely, this was an act out of nervousness. Surely they didn't behave like this all the time. At least, Boz hoped Boomer wouldn't. He couldn't say anything about Brady.

"Now, Mason announced, "to get the blessing of the island, you must kiss the belly of Chiki-Kiki."

Chiki-Kiki, a majestic statue, a symbolic representation of the island, with the tribe ruby embedded in its belly button. Getting the blessing required an equally symbolic show of respect and love – one the kings now fundamentally lacked, shown in the disrespectful comment Brady made.

"I'm not kissing any strange girl's belly," Brady said, his eyes scanning the crowd and resting on Mikayla. He soon was pointed towards the statue along with Boomer. Luckily, at least one of the brothers was willing to do what he was told. Boomer leaned in and kissed the belly.

Brady was more squeamish – what was his problem? He tried to excuse himself by not wanting to make the ruby sick. When it became clear Brady wasn't going to do it out of free will, Mason picked up the teenager and made him kiss the belly.

The crowd politely clapped and cheered for their new rulers. Lanny tried to pass off his treasonous comment as someone else shouting it, but Boz had noticed. He should try to keep an eye on his cousin as best as he could. Who knows what other diabolical plans that hobbit was going to cook up.

Mikayla must have seen his thoughtful look, because when Boz shifted his gaze, she still glared at him. She did not trust him. Hopefully that day would come, but Boz had no idea how to get her trust. He'd taken it for granted when he was a king, but he would need to earn it here, and he had no problem with that.

Boz was taken out of his thoughts when the King Cruiser was revealed. He wasn't even sad he couldn't drive the car – seeing his brothers get excited was enough. Boomer got behind the wheel with a trick, and Brady sat in the passenger seat. Mason allowed them to drive off to the village, to greet their subjects, when the radio turned on.

Neither Brady nor Boomer could identify the sound or where it came from.

"Do you hear that?" Boomer asked, nervosity increasing.

"Dude, it's a Waka Waka bug!" Brady exclaimed in fear. "Get us outta here!"

Boomer pushed the pedal in as far as he could, but he didn't realize he was driving backward. The car crashed with its back into Chiki-Kiki. The standers-by gasped and even Boz was horrified. You didn't just crash into Chiki-Kiki unpunished. She could give, but she could take as well. Everyone was waiting for fiery retribution – but it did not come.

Boz broke protocol and ran towards them. With one simple push, he turned off the radio. He wordlessly retreated back to the ranks of guards. Brady and Boomer climbed out of the vehicle.

"It was just the radio," Brady said. As if that wasn't clear from the context.

"See, we wouldn't do anything to harm Chiki-Kik!" Boomer said to appease the crowds. Again Boz saw the seeds of the person he would become, and the crowds relaxed a little. He petted Chiki-Kiki's belly.

The ruby flew out of it.

Without giving it a second thought, Boz leaped forward. Breaking protocol now was justified, as he tried to catch the ruby. But Boz was too far away and the ruby shattered about a yard away from where Boz landed, at the shaman's feet.

The ground rumbled. People instinctively turned to look at their volcano, mt. Spew. True to its name, it now spewed smoke. The volcano was only ever active when the island was angry or something seriously dire was happening. Boz's heart dropped.

"Run for your lives!" Lanny shouted in genuine fright and he flew.

"Boz instinctively backed away and followed Lanny into the castle, his mind going fifteen hundred miles an hour. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. And yet it did, and Boz had to face an uncomfortable truth.

How the hell did Brady and Boomer mess things up so badly within two days?