Welcome to the second chapter of this promising prologue to Bubble Guppies Adult Years. Where we will see a great challenge for one of our favorite guppies.
Let's start once with this story.
Bubble Guppies Fanfic
Bubble Guppies Adult Years: Zero Chapter
Chapter 0.2: Challenging the Limits
Drastic changes in life are not easy to bear. We are normally used to a lifestyle, within our status quo. However, life is not usually monotonous and can change from one moment to another. This is the case of one of our favorite guppies. Whose challenge will be one of the greatest he has ever done.
As we know, Gil did not enter a university due to the rejection of the universities he applied to. However, that didn't stop him. He managed to enroll in the Police Academy thanks to his great friend Miranda. In this way, he would become a police officer. Which Gil agreed with, because it sounded like a childhood dream come true. What he did not expect was that the road would not be very pleasant or easy.
The first thing you noticed upon entering was that the place basically looked like a military camp. Which was a bit logical since in the academy the recruits were interned for a long time. Thus, in that place, the recruits spent the day. Well, they lived there. After certain paperwork processes and all those issues, the first day arrived. Where he noticed that there were many young recruits like him. The vast majority were men, although it should be noted that there were few women. They all decided to stand their ground until the mentors escorted by security guards arrived. The guards had police uniforms, but black with more military details such as medals or bullet belts.
"All firms to receive General Lennox!" A crab guard the recruits stood to attention with their hands at their sides in a military salute. Gil decided to obey a little nervously. At that moment, in front of everyone, the imposing General Lennox appeared. He was an older adult guppy. He had many wrinkles on his face and those smoldering black eyes. He had short white hair and his tail was black and gray in camouflage style. His uniform was green and full of medals. A unique feature is that on his fin he had a hole mark. As if a part of his tail had been cut off. He used a wooden stick to walk, although he was not dependent on that stick.
"Welcome, bunch of useless!" The General shouted loudly. His voice was so strong that he did not need a microphone. Furthermore, everyone could feel the vibration of his voice.
"That was not very nice" Gil said to himself.
"Shhhh!" A crab recruit silences him.
"Welcome to the Deep Bay Police Academy. I am the director of the academy, General Lionel Lennox. I am a man who has dedicated my entire life to the service of my country just as my ancestors did. My grandfather fought in the First World War. My father fought in World War II. And I fought in the Vietnam War and the infamous Persian Gulf War. Therefore, I did not end up in this academy to train young children. I came here to make men...and even some women...brave and fierce. Just because you're going to be a police officer doesn't mean you won't receive military discipline. You as police officers must be ready for any emergency. Something as simple as a bag snatch or something as big as the Battle of BubbleTucky High School!..." The general was in his speech. Gil was quiet because it reminded him about the last battle. He remembered that tension. At that time, everyone would have died. He remembered everything that Jane and Bossi did. And obviously, he would not forget his battle with the leader of the House of Cadaverini "...I hope you guys had fun in your silly high school years, because the laziness ends here. Here you will be pushed to the limit. Mentally, physically, in every way. I hope you are up to the challenge, because if you can't...There is the exit if you wish to take it...but only the weak and cowardly will take the exit. You are here to give everything for the service of your country and your peoples. You will carry a great responsibility and you must show that you are capable. There is no place for cowards in this academy. I hope everyone has understood. IT IS UNDERSTOOD?"
"YES, SIR!" All recruits responded at the same time.
"Very well. The officers will assign you to your roommates. Each room will be shared by four people. And the roommates will also be your squad mates. We will evaluate them by team. There will be individual and group evaluations. Alright, move those asses already!" Lennox shouted loudly.
Gil decided to line up with all the recruits. After some processes, the guppy boy managed to reach his new room. He noticed that they were two double-decker beds. He saw that his teammates were already in that room. One of them was a small brown crab boy in a green sweater. The other was a snail boy with very large glasses and a white shirt with a bow tie. And the other was a short black haired lobster girl with a very nonchalant facial expression.
"Oh euh…H..Hi, team!" Gil decided to greet them.
"It can't be serious…you are Gil! THE Gil Gordon! WOW!" The crab boy was very excited and he squeezed his hand tightly in greeting.. "It's a pleasure, Gil! I have been a fan of Bubble Guppies for a long time. My name is Alex, not hard to forget. I never thought you'd be in a place like this!"
"Hehe yeah. Twists of life, right?"
"Gil Gordon! Wow…Euh..H..Hi. I´m…I´m Todd. N..Nice to m..meet you" The snail boy said nervously. From his body language, he was very skittish because he was fidgeting with his glasses nervously and shaking a bit.
"Are you okay, dude?" Gil asked worriedly.
"W…Well…Gosh! I shouldn't be here in the first place! I'm supposed to be in college. But by mistake, my parents put me in this place! Ahhhh! And if I give up, I'll be everyone's laughing stock! Ahhhh!" He started to panic and he hid himself in this shell.
"Riiight?" Gil raised an eyebrow. He decided to approach another member "Hey, nice to meet…."
"The pleasure is not mine, guppy. My name is Darcy and I don't want any fool like you talking to me. I came here because this is only part of my true goal. I want to be a special agent...but for that rank I have to get through this silly academy with my silly teammates" The lobster girl said with a bad look.
"Hey…I expected a better welcome" Gil replied. But she gave him a serious look.
"Hmmm I know who you are. The famous Gil Gordon. The one with the Bubble Guppies...What a stupid group. I don't believe that myth that you have defeated this Bossi Cadaverini" Darcy said with a grumpy tone.
"Hey! You should believe it! This guy was the one who defeated Bossi Cadaverini, The Crime Lord!" Alex said supporting his hero.
"W…Well….Yeah…" Gil answered nervously.
"Hmmm Please, I know guys like you. You are too "good and cute" for such a thing. You're just a spoiled pretty kid" Darcy commented her disbelief.
"You will have to believe me. The media prove it" Gil faced her, but she decided to take Gil down easily with a grappling hold. She decided to torture him a bit "AGH!"
"Don't make me laugh, cutie. If you can't with me, you're going to tell me that you could with Bossi. Whatever happened, it was just luck. And you know?" She decided to release him so he could recover and breathe well "You're lucky we're partners. Otherwise, I would have broken that arm and you'd have to go back to mommy and daddy. Unfortunately, I will have to be in this squad of incompetents. Anyway, we have to change and go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a difficult day" Darcy decided to leave them. Gil decided to get up.
"But what a pedantic she is" The guppy said with a low tone.
"Cheer up, friend! Her jaw will drop when she sees how great you really are. And of course, when she sees how cool I am too" Alex said excitedly.
"(Sigh) I hope so" Gil said quietly
The next day, everyone had to get up early to eat breakfast and get ready for the morning exercises. Gil noticed that the food was in smaller portions than what he was used to eating and was low in calories. He decided to sit with his teammates. While he was welcomed by Alex and Todd, Darcy reluctantly accepted him. Well, it was obligatory to be with the companions at mealtimes. Things were going to get worse.
"Well Well Well….Look who we have here. It's been a long time, my old friend" Gil heard that voice. He turned to look and saw a guppy boy accompanied by two lobster boys and a large gray fish. That squad didn't look very nice.
"What?!...N…Nate?!" He was surprised. For those who don't remember, Nate was a guppy with short gray hair with muscles on his arms and his tail was black with green lightning bolt stripes. This guy used to be a bully in high school. He was the one who upset Nonny and he used him as a servant for a long time.
"Hi, Gil Gordon. I still remember you. I will never forget the beating I gave you that day" Nate gave him a smug smile. Gil decided to get up and face him. He decided to smirk.
"Oh Nate….I see you haven't changed anything. Do I have to remind you of the beating that OONA gave you?" Gil answered.
"Ohhhh" The rest said.
"Well...That was just a slight incident. A stumble. But now things are different here. My team and I will be the best in the Academy. And well... yours leaves a lot to be desired" Nate raised an eyebrow.
"I do not think so. My team is fully capable of overcoming the challenges of this academy. Right, guys?" Gil asked.
"Of course!" Alex said excitedly.
"W…well" Todd was nervous.
"Whatever" Darcy crossed her arms.
"Hehehe" Nate snapped his fingers and the big fish cracked his fists and those knuckles rang very loud. Gil flinched a bit, and his companions…
"Euhhhh" The crab boy was intimidated.
"Gosh!" The snail hid himself in his shell.
"Oh, I'm shaking with fear" Darcy rolled her eyes. She said it in a sarcastic way.
"Yeah…a great team, huh?" Nate mocked them a little "See you later" Saying that, he withdrew with his companions.
"How could a thug like Nate end up in this place?" Gil asked confusedly.
"Don't be intimidated by those fools. They will see that we are capable and we will be the best, right?" Alex said that with a positive attitude.
"R…Right! D..Did they leave?" Todd answered nervously while he was inside of his shell.
"(sigh) What have I gotten myself into?" Darcy facepalmed herself.
After an overwhelming first hour, all the teams had to meet at the training ground to start hard work. They were all at attention before one of the commanders. He was a lobster man in a black uniform.
"I'm Sergeant Briggs and I'll be your instructor. I wish to study the performance of all of you in this series of physical and mental tests to see how capable you all are. We are going to put pressure on each of you and measure you based on your abilities. We will see who of you deserves to stay or who deserves to leave. Alright, be ready!" The commander said seriously. All recruits prepared in their respective groups. The first test was an obstacle race, where all the members of each team had to overcome the circuit and the entire team reached the finish line. The test began and all the recruits gave their all in that circuit. Unfortunately, Gil's squad wasn't a very solid team to say. Although Gil didn't have bad athletic skills, Alex and Todd weren't very good and the snail boy was the first to go down.
"I'm down!" Todd said nervously.
"Hold on, friend!" Gil decided to stop and he approached his teammate to help him.
"Ugh…Whatever!" Darcy hated such a waste of time, so she left them alone.
"Leave me here!" Todd replied.
"Come on, we can end it together" Gil tried to raise his spirit.
"I'll give you a hand" Alex joined them. Gil and Alex teamed up to carry Todd who had been injured from the fall. The three managed to finish the circuit with great difficulty. Darcy was waiting for them.
"You are useless! We finished in last place because of you!" Darcy scolded him.
"Hey! You were the one who left the team in the first place" Gil faced her, trying to defend his companions.
"Oh! Do you want me to break that baby face, pretty boy?" The lobster girl said bothered. Gil clenched his fist. But they got interrupted.
"Cadets! You were the last team to arrive. His performance is really pitiful. Better luck on the next test" Briggs scolded all of them.
"Better next time, Gil! Hahaha" Nate laughed with his teammates and they left.
"Grrrrr" Darcy was bothered.
"I…It was my fault…I'm sorry!" Todd said nervously.
"Don´t worry, buddy. We´ll improve….I know" Gil smiled at him, despite the situation not being in his favor.
The following tests were complicated. There were target shooting tests. Which should be noted that Darcy had an excellent aim. Whereas Gil, Axel and Todd didn't know anything about using weapons. There were strategy and intelligence tests, where Todd did manage to stand out with his reasoning. Unfortunately, they were falling behind the other teams. Especially Nate's invincible team, they were the top performers of the Academy. The tests were intense as if it were training for the army. All this hard and intense training pace lasted many weeks. When 5 weeks passed, the ranking of the teams was announced. As feared, Nate's team was number one. While Gil's team had been in last place. That position caused ridicule not only from cadets, but also from some instructors. Evidently, this whole situation was overwhelming Gil. He tried to maintain a good attitude, but the atmosphere of the place and the pressure left him with low spirits. And despite everything, he was the one who encouraged Alex and Todd. Darcy seems not even interested in teamwork. However, one night, things were going to start to change.
"Wow, Gil. You surprise me that you're still here after so many humiliations. You don't think it's time for you to go back to your silly town with your silly friends" Nate mocked him.
"I'm leaving here until I become a police officer. And I advise you to respect my friends" Gil said seriously.
"Oh…Wait, are you serious? I thought the Bubble Guppies clown couldn't be serious. You know something? This place is only for real men, not for kids and clowns like you" The bully guppy smirked.
"Oh right! This is no place for a Bubble Guppy, it seems" One of his friends added.
"Stop making fun of me. I'm going to show you what I'm capable of…" Gil wanted to defend himself, but Nate decided to hit him and hurt him with punches. In fact, Nate managed to leave him with a black eye and Gil was left injured and weak. While Nate smiled, because he didn't even try very hard.
"Haha…Look at you, look how you left... And that I held back. You think you are very strong just because you were able to defeat Bossi Cadaverini. I bet he would have killed you if he wanted to. And you know? You can't even beat me. You never could and you never will" Nate showed off.
"You better go home to your mommy and daddy" One of his friends added.
"Better dedicate yourself to just singing and dancing like you used to do with your silly friends...I bet you would only serve to be the joke of your friends..." Another friend said. Gil was bothered, but he was sad and hurt too.
When they decided to leave him alone, Gil decided to get up and went back to his room very carefully. Alex was the first to worry and helped him with his injuries. Todd also assisted him, Darcy was already asleep. Gil thanked his classmates for their help and they decided to go to sleep. Our favorite guppy was still awake. He couldn't sleep. He wasn't fine. The pressure from the Academy was too much for him. In addition, the abuse from Nate and even from other classmates and instructors only worsened his mental health. Gil wanted to cry, but he wanted to hold back. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. During that time, he wanted to take the easy path. Which would be accepting his weakness and leaving the Academy. At his worst time, hope came by an unexpected means.
RING! RING!
"Huh?" He was surprised. It was not common for someone to call him at night. Gil decided to answer the call. However, it was not an ordinary call. It was a video call from a very special person.
"Hi, Gilly!"
"M…MOLLY!" Gil squealed with joy when he saw his beloved girlfriend behind the screen. Though he quickly covered his mouth "Ups…My companions must be sleeping. I hope I didn't wake them up" He said nervously. She giggled at her boyfriend´s funny reaction. Gil loved Molly´s giggle.
"I am very glad to see you again. How is my favorite recruit...Wait a second" Molly said quietly before she noticed something suspicious "Wh...what happened to your eye, Gil?"
"Oh…This?" Gil pointed to his left eye. It was the eye that was hit by Nate "Hehehe just had a bad fall…That is!"
"Gil….." Molly crossed her arms. She knew when her boyfriend was lying.
"...Oh…(sigh) It was a bully…" Gil admitted nervously. She gasped.
"My gosh! Gil, who was that stupid boy? I swear I'm going to go there and I'm going to…." Molly was altered a little.
"Hey, calm down! It's all under control. The truth is everything is fine...(sigh) Who am I kidding. Nothing is under control. Everything is against me, Molly. Look, we're the worst team in the Academy. We are not good. We are the mockery of the other teams... and even the instructors make fun of us! I... I do my best to help my teammates... And I feel like I'm giving it my all but... I don't know, I'm not measuring up... I'm not good enough for this place...Molly...I can't take all this pressure. Maybe...the only option is...give up" He could no longer hide the feelings he had kept. He looked down and was disappointed in himself. Molly was listening intently.
"Give up...Give up? Gil...you don't know what that word means"
"What?" Gil decided to look at her.
"The Gil I remember and love never knows the word "give up." You didn't give up on doing amazing things when everything went wrong for you when we were kids. You never gave up when my father didn't approve of our relationship. You did everything for him to accept you. You never gave up when our friends were in trouble. You never gave up when I was kidnapped. You did everything to find me. You never gave up when you faced Bossi Cadaverini, knowing that you had no chance against him. Even though he surpassed you, you didn't give up. Don't you see, Gil? For you, limits do not exist! Nothing has been an excuse to stop you. Some will say it's "your stupidity", but we think it's "your determination". I have never met anyone with your same courage and determination. Gilly, you never gave up before...and I know you won't give up now. I know, this is a bigger challenge. But I know you will. Because you are Gil Gordon, the bravest guppy I know... and the most handsome by the way..." Molly's speech was what Gil needed to hear. When he heard those words, some tears came out of his eyes.
"Do you really... do you really think... that I can?" Gil asked with a smile and tears in his eyes.
"Of course yes! You're a Bubble Guppy, right? So show everyone what you are capable of. I know you can still give more than you have. Gilly, try harder... and I know you will do great things there" His girlfriend answered with positivism.
"You're right Molly. I've come too far to give up. I'm not going to let myself be overcome by bad thoughts...I'm going to do my best!" Gil replied with his raised spirits.
"That's the boy I remember! I trust you completely. Alright, I'll let you rest. Good night, Gilly!" She decided to say goodbye.
"Good night, Molls!" Gil smiled and they ended the call. And as if by magic, Gil now had a new attitude. He was ready to start fighting with new strength.
Within a few days, young Gordon began to give more than one hundred percent. He started training longer than all the other recruits. He used the gym more and jogged early to improve his physical condition. And not only that, he began to study more (applying the techniques he learned with his guppy friends) to improve his mental ability. In this way, the boy began to become a complete man, mentally and physically. In those workouts, Gil began to notice physical changes, such as the development of muscles, marked abdomen and an improvement in his physical condition and strength. Obviously, the changes started slowly, little by little. The first to notice his improvement have been his teammates and even the instructors. Gil's test scores have improved exponentially. Everyone was beginning to notice. However, Gil didn't just want to improve individually. He also wished that his comrades would improve as well.
"Man, you've been improving a lot. You could be even better than Darcy right now" Alex said excitedly.
"T...You're the best of us 4, G..Gil!" Todd admitted nervously.
"I admit you've improved, but you're nowhere near better than me" Darcy rolled her eyes.
"I'm probably better than you now" Gil said with a smile.
"Come here, smug!" She decided to hit him in the face, but she didn't expect Gil to be able to dodge quickly "Huh?! Beginner's luck!" She tried to hit him many times, but the guppy could dodge her attacks without much effort. Gil knew that his own best skill now was his reflexes.
"My turn" Gil said before ending the fight with just one technique. He managed to get behind her, he took one of her arms and subdued her. Just like she submitted to him the first day.
"Ugh!" Darcy said with a bit of pain.
"Enough" Gil wasn't ruthless like Darcy, so he quickly released her.
"Wow! That was amazing!" Alex said happily.
"I..I..Incredible!" Todd couldn´t believe it.
"Ugh…N…Not bad, cutie. And what are you going to do now, Gordon? Are you going to brag that you beat me? That now you're better than all of us? Come on, make fun of us!" Darcy said bothered. She just didn't like to accept defeat.
"I am not that kind of person. you know? I decided to work harder...not only for me, but for you too" Gil started to explain his reasons.
"Huh?" The three teammates were surprised.
"I don't want to stand out just because of my personal skills, I want all of us as a team to improve together. This way we will show everyone how capable we are" Gil said with a big smile.
"B...But Gil! Look at us! We are useless and pathetic!" Todd said nervously.
"You only say that because you believe what everyone says about us. But if we had faith in each one of us, we could do great things. For example, Alex is brave and is an excellent medical agent, but you need to not be so overconfident. Todd is the smartest of us, but you need courage and faith in yourself. And Darcy, gosh, you're the toughest, most talented girl in the Academy. However, talent is useless if you don't trust your team or know how to work as a team. Don't you see? If we all cooperate together and trust each other more…we are going to do great things. What do you guys say?" Gil's inspiring speech lifted the spirits of his teammates.
"Well..If the great Gil Gordon trusts in us….I´ll do the same thing!" Alex was the first one. He didn't even think twice.
"O…Okay…I…I´ll try" Todd said nervously. Everyone put their hands in the center except Darcy, who kept her arms crossed.
"Darcy….you…" Gil tried to convince her.
"Ugh….Fine…But only because you are my only option" Darcy said rolling her eyes. So she put her hand in the center.
"All right, team. We will surprise everyone. You'll see" Gil smiled confidently.
Gil began directing his teammates to find the upgrade they all need to continue in the Academy. The guppy used his leadership skills that he learned in his time with the Bubble Guppies to help his comrades. They all started training as hard as Gil. Both physically and intellectually. That was a slow process, little by little, they began to improve a lot. Alex improved his own confidence without becoming overconfident. Besides, he would become a very good medical agent. Well, he learned first aid techniques. Which would be useful in dangerous missions. Todd was noted for being the smartest member of the team. Well, he knew of strategy and quick mental ability. Also, Gil helped him a lot in gaining confidence in himself, because fear was Todd's limit. And Darcy stood out as the best marksman on the team. She showed potential to be the best sniper. However, Gil had to help him a lot in terms of teamwork. It was hard with her, but she began to trust Alex, Todd and Gil more. Furthermore, she was showing some signs that she was beginning to accept her comrades and was even showing a kinder attitude.
Gil's team skills did not go unnoticed. The other teams and the instructors began to notice the improvements as the team began to rise up the ranks of the Academy. The trainers couldn't believe it. Their results and numbers improved every day. Until that came to an extreme point.
"General Lennox! We can't believe what is happening. See the update of the ranking of the squadrons of the cadets" Sargent Briggs said shocked. The director of the Academy simply took the papers to see the latest report. In that review, he noticed something incredible.
"I see it and do not believe it. Gil Gordon, Darcy Lewis, Alex King and Todd Allen. Is that the squad of losers? How is it possible that now they... are the second best team in the Academy?! Did you do the calculations and observations correctly, Sergeant?" Lennox asked confusedly.
"Of course, sir! I'm too strict and picky about grades. We checked it for hours and they are correct. Those "losers" weren't as losers as we thought" Briggs commented seriously.
"Hmmm I don't believe in this kind of "luck". I want to see if they have really improved or if it was just luck. At noon, I want the "losers" squad to face off against the best team in the Academy. But this time... I'm going to see it with my own eyes!" General Lennox said it loudly.
"B…But, sir…" Briggs tried to intervene.
"Are you questioning my orders, Sergeant?" The old guppy glared at him.
"N..No, sir!" The lobster man said scaredly.
"I see. I thought so. May they prepare for tomorrow. Because I want to see their potential" The General said seriously. Briggs gulped a little.
The next day, all the recruits were summoned to the training camp for an extraordinary session. Which was strange, because it was at a time of day where they didn't usually train. All the young people were gathered and Sergeant Briggs was in front of them.
"Greetings to all! I'm sure everyone is surprised by the extraordinary call. Well today, two teams will be put to the test. This proof will be seen by General Lennox. He wants to see the two best teams in the Academy ranking. So, Nate's team and Gil's team, come on in!" Briggs ordered. Both teams advanced without saying a word, but the rival glances appeared between them, especially Gil and Nate.
"Cadets! You have been chosen because you are the two best teams in the Academy. That is why I have decided to put you to compete in a complicated test. This is an evaluation to see what you have learned in your stay in this place. This will be a competition with 4 different tests. The first will be an obstacle course. The second will be a mental test. The third will be a target shooting test. And the fourth test is a surprise. All members must participate. Only one member per trial and no repeat competitors. You should think carefully about who you are going to send" It was the instructions given by General Lennox.
"Understood, sir!" All the members said at the same time.
"Very well. I want to remind you that I don't care who wins or loses. I'm just going to do evaluations by team and by individuals. Is it clear?" Lennox shouted loudly.
"YES, SIR!" The cadets answered.
"Perfect! Choose the first competitors!" The General ordered. Nate's team and Gil's team met with each other to choose the competitors.
"For the first challenge, Alex is going to participate. He has been improving in the last few weeks" Gil decided to choose him.
"R..Really?" Alex gulped a little.
"Of course! I trust you" Gil smiled at him. The crab was nervous, but seeing that his hero was placing his trust in him, he decided to accept the challenge.
"I won't disappoint you, Gil!" The crab said with a confident smile.
"Very well! The first challenge will be the obstacle course. Alex King vs. Eric Maguire!" Sergeant Briggs shouted. The crab was going to compete against one of Nate's friends. That Eric is one of the two lobster boys.
"Take care of your legs, little man!" Eric mocked him.
"Hey! You´ll eat my….!" Alex wanted to discuss, but someone called him.
"Alex, focus! That guy just wants to distract you. Don't give him what he wants! If you want to shut him up, beat him in the race!" Gil calmed him. Alex decided to obey him and he nodded his head.
"Alright! Here we go! One! Two! Three! GO!" Briggs ordered. Both young cadets sprinted to win the competition. Both were too good. However, the mistake was made by Eric. Well, in one of the obstacles, he became overconfident because he didn't expect Alex to overcome the most difficult challenges. His surprise was to see that the young crab managed to reach him. And because of that distance, Eric fell into one of the traps, making Alex reach the finish line.
"Alex King wins this round!" Briggs shouted loudly.
"Nice, man!" Gil said excitedly.
"I knew you could beat him!" Todd added.
"Hmmm good job!" Darcy said satisfied with the result.
The following tests were just as difficult. The second test was for intelligence and was solving mathematical and logical problems. Which Todd excelled in those tests. The challenge for him was not to be intimidated by Nate's fish friend. But Gil and his team encouraged him to be brave. Luckily, the result was in favor of Todd. The third test was a target shooting test. In that test, Darcy was the key to Gil's team. She managed to hit all the shots perfectly, as if she had a hawk's eye. Unfortunately for her, the marksman on Nate's team was too good. The round ended in a draw due to the excellent accuracy of both competitors. Finally, the fourth challenge would be revealed. The obvious thing is that in the last challenge, Gil and Nate were forced to compete against each other. Since they had not previously competed. Now, the leaders were going to face each other.
"Very well. Both teams have given their all in these tests. I must acknowledge the improvements in Gordon's team. However, everything will be decided at this time. I don't care who won the previous ones. This test will decide the winner…." Lennox said it in front of the leaders.
"Hey! But we won two of the four games. And one was a draw! Obviously we won!" Alex complained a bit.
"Life is unfair, kiddo! Anyway, I decide that this test will be the final one. The final challenge is...a hand to hand combat! Every self-respecting agent should know how to deal with situations without weapons. So...this will be a litmus test. Gil Gordon vs. Nate Stewart!" General Lennox ordered. Both guppies decided to face each other in a small combat arena. The two of them got into fighting stances as if they were boxing.
"Come on, Gil! You can beat him!" Todd decided to cheer him up.
"Gil, he's not a challenge for you. You were able to defeat a mafia boss! A simple bully is nothing compared to what you faced! You can!" Alex said with a big confidence in his hero.
"Hey, pretty boy! Show Nate you're no ordinary kid. Show him that your training was real. Show him... what a Bubble Guppy really is!" Darcy finally decided to give him inspiring words. Gil decided to concentrate on his fight.
"You know how this will end. What are you trying for? Everything will end with me crushing you" Nate wanted to provoke him. But he noticed something: It seems that Nate's intimidating words have no effect on Gil.
"Things change, Nate. Why don't you come try it for yourself?" Gil simply used his hand gesturing as if he were saying non-verbally "Come get me!". Which caused Nate to get upset.
"BEGIN!" Briggs ordered.
"AGH!"
Gil vs. Nate! A rematch that our guppy was waiting for. They were both fighting intensely. Gil was definitely showing a better fighting style now. He was no longer the same one he used to fight Bossi Cadaverini. Now he had a better strategy and condition to fight seriously. Just because Gil now knows how to fight doesn't mean the battle is easy. Because Nate wasn't your typical brute force thug anymore. Now he was a thug cadet who knows how to fight with brute force and technique at the same time. Unfortunately, that was why he surpassed Gil in physical strength. Although the blue haired boy had one advantage in his favor: He is faster than Nate. And the proof of that was how he dodged the attacks of his opponent. I should mention that even General Lennox himself was beginning to be surprised by Gil's physical ability.
"(I had never seen a similar talent in a long time. This will be interesting)" Lennox said it in his mind.
"You're slow, Nate" Gil said with a smirk.
"You have been lucky! But no more!" Nate was beginning to lose his posture thanks to Gil's taunts. Few noticed it, but Gil's team and the general began to notice that the blue-haired boy was not as much of a fool as he seemed. Everything indicated that he... was deliberately provoking him.
"What does Gil want to achieve with this?" Darcy asked herself.
"GOTCHA!" Nate said as a maniac.
"Uh-oh!" Unfortunately, Nate managed to grab him by the neck and threw him to the ground. And there, the bully managed to beat Gil mercilessly. So much so that Gil began to bleed from his nose and mouth. Many were already starting to freak out.
"S..Sir! We must stop the combat now! Cadet Stewart is going to end up killing Cadet Gordon!" Briggs started to get scared.
"We will not intervene! And no one will!" Lennox said with a cold tone. It seems that he did not care.
"B..But Sir!" Briggs tried to convince him.
"Calm down, Sergeant! That's an order! I want to see what Gordon will do. If he really beat Bossi Cadaverini, it means that boy has something special. Therefore, he will be able to get out of this. If he could with Cadaverini, he can with Stewart" The old guppy said his thoughts. It seemed crazy, but no one was going to help Gil who was already badly injured.
"Hahaha! It was useless to try so hard if you fall before me again. I already told you, you couldn't defeat me before, and you won't ever! Only the strong...subdue the weak" Nate said it evilly. Gil opened his eyes and was startled for a second. But it wasn't because of Nate, but rather those words were similar to the thoughts of the ex-head of the House of Cadaverini. For a moment, he saw Nate as if he were Bossi Cadaverini on that stormy night. They both had the same evil smile when Gil was on the ground. At that moment, he remembered that he managed to bring out the forces against him. And that same thing... would do against Nate!
"Grrrr..Gnnggg….You….You….You don't deserve to be in this place! You are just... a... MISERABLE ABUSER!" Gil said with an annoyed tone. He knew Nate didn't have the heart of a good police officer, so this was his chance to put him in his place. And show him what a good-hearted officer is capable of.
"DIE!"Shouting that, Nate was going to hit Gil's head hard. And that was what Gil wanted. He simply moved his head to avoid the blow, and not only that. He rather he hit the ground so hard that his hand got very sore and he couldn't react in time "AAAAGHHHH!"
"GOTCHA!" Gil took advantage of that and landed a tail swipe to his stomach and then another tail swipe but to the face. That made Nate walk away in pain. But he couldn't recover, while Gil got up slowly and painfully.
"WOW! GOOD JOB!" Alex and Todd shouted excitedly.
"GO FOR HIM, GIL!" Darcy added. Nate was trying to recover, but he noticed that his opponent was in front of him.
"Nate!" Gil called him.
"Huh?!" He decided to look at him.
"THIS...IS...FOR NONNY!" Gil said before ending the battle with a powerful uppercut to Nate's chin. The blue haired boy made the hit, avenging one of his best friends for the damage the bully did to Nonny. He could never make him pay until now.
"GRUUAHHH!" Nate yelled as he felt the final blow. And he fell backwards and so he ended up defeated at the hands of Cadet Gordon. Everyone began to shout excited for having defeated the "best cadet" of the Academy.
"GIL! GIL! GIL!" All the recruits were praising his name. Everyone decided to shut up because the General decided to get up and approached Gil. The young guppy was just breathing heavily from his fight against Nate.
"Gil Gordon….You know? Before you entered this academy, I knew who you were. So I know a little about you. And the truth now I see why you managed to do everything everyone says about you. Now, I want you to show how strong you've become...finishing Nate here and now" Lennox said that without an ounce of mercy. Everyone present was startled upon hearing those words. But Gil didn't even flinch at his words. He just saw Nate from afar and he was now the one on the ground, weak and defeated. He was silent for a long time, until Gil decided to see the general face to face.
"Sir….I won´t" Gil said seriously. All the witnesses gasped.
"Excuse me...are you...questioning...MY order?" Lennox said angrily. But Gil wasn´t scared.
"General...I respect and will always respect your authority...But you are asking me to finish off a comrade. Even though Nate is a jerk and a bully...we are partners. And I'm not going to let a rivalry dominate my emotions and thoughts. Ultimately, we both fight for the same reason: to become police officers and serve society. We are both allies, although he does not recognize it. So...sir...I will not finish Nate" Gil said with a mature tone. Lennox was silent...and he didn't look happy.
"So...This is insubordination...Gil, if you don't kill him...I will" The old guppy said seriously. The general wanted to get closer to Nate, but Gil stepped between them.
"I'm sorry, General. But if you try to harm him, you will have to step over my corpse" Gil decided to prepare himself with a battle stance. Although he did it slowly, because he was weak and tired.
"You are aware that you are not in a position to defeat me. Perhaps... Do you intend to die... for that partner who treated you badly? You have no chance of getting out of here alive" Lennox threatened him. But the young guppy never showed fear at any moment.
"I don't mind. Nate is a comrade. And I will not tolerate someone like you abusing the power that was given to you. I hate bullies! That's why I taught him a lesson! And that's why I defeated Bossi! Not on a whim, or revenge, or vainglory, but because it was the right thing to do! And the right thing to do right now is to defeat you so you don't kill Nate! So...I'm ready!" Gil tried to be firm, both physically and to be firm with his ideals. They knew that he was challenging someone stronger and more powerful. He knew that he had no chance of defeating him. Those were seconds of silence and total tension. Nobody knew what to do. Everyone was waiting for the next move. After a long time, the fearsome General Lionel Lennox smiled and something unexpected happened.
"Ha…Ha…HA…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He started to laugh a little and started to clap.
"What the…?!" Briggs was confused.
"Gil Gordon….You have passed the test! Bravo!" The General said with a big smile.
"Huh?! What? I…I don´t get it" Gil was confused. Like everyone else.
"What you demonstrated at this point...is EXACTLY what I look for in a police officer. What matters most to me in an agent is not physical ability or intellectual ability...Although those two qualities are essential...But what matters most to me in a police officer...is the heart. That is what differentiates a soldier and a policeman. A police officer knows when to fight and use the weapon... but a good police officer also knows that those things are a last resort. Police officers defend the innocent. And for that, they need a big heart... like yours. Only a person with your same heart knows what compassion means. You tried to defend a colleague who treated you badly. And that not everyone does. You showed courage, compassion and determination. Cadet Gordon, if you continue on this path...you will be a great officer. Really...Anderson and Miranda made a great choice with you...Great job...Keep working hard and you will go far...Gil, you and your team can take the rest of the day off. But I want you first thing in the morning going back to your routine" Lennox explained his test. It seems that everything was calculated in the general's mind. This event was something that no one will forget at the Academy.
"YES, SIR!" Gil yelled with a smile and made a military salute gesture.
"Very good...Rest up, cadet!" Saying that, Lionel withdrew along with the other admirals. The first to approach Gil were his teammates.
"That was awesome! I wouldn't have done what you did!" Alex admitted.
"Me neither!" Todd added.
"Hmmm. So….That's the true essence of a Bubble Guppy, huh? Strong but compassionate...That...seems to be a great virtue...I must admit" Darcy had to admit her mistake.
"Thanks guys. But do you know? All of us are just as cool. Each of us broke our own internal barriers to overcome the challenges. If we continue like this, we will be excellent agents" Gil said with a smile.
"But for today...It's time to celebrate! The General gave us the day off, right? So let's go out to eat!" Alex proposed, very happy.
"I´m in" Todd said.
"Well...we hardly get days off. So we should take advantage of it" Darcy decided to smile for the first time "It seems that...I finally like you guys...A little bit"
"Hehehe so we will be good friends from now" Gil said happily.
"Don't overdo it either, cutie! I just kinda like all of you, no "being friends" ok?" The lobster girl said seriously.
"Oh Darcy, I know those excuses. Admit it, we'll be good friends" Gil said with a funny tone of voice.
"I won't admit it!"
"Yes, you will!"
"Hahaha!"
And Gil's team decided to take the rest of the day to celebrate and rest. Because they now knew that they were capable of overcoming the next challenges that were to come. They managed to break their personal limits in order to improve themselves and be better than before. Gil managed to understand that and every day he was going to become a great good man. They did not expect that they would become the best team in the Academy with the passage of time. Plus, Gil would have a new set of good friends. Evidently, he was still waiting for the day the Bubble Guppies would see each other again...and even more so the day he would see his beloved Molly again, the girl who inspired him. And although it all sounds nice, there are also things that can be unleashed in the future. And it doesn't mean a good thing. As Gil and his friends were leaving, Nate got up weakly and glared at Gil.
"I assure you that I will not lose to you again, Gil Gordon!"
5-14-22-25 3-1-14 12-5-1-4 25-15-21 20-15 4-15 1-20-18-15-3-9-15-21-19 1-3-20-19
Wow, this chapter was longer than expected. I thought about breaking it into two parts, but it would have broken the limit of one chapter per protagonist. The truth is this is one of the short stories with the most inspiration (that's why it's so long). However, I think it was worth it. Please leave your reviews to see your opinions and ideas. Let's go quickly with the reviews of the last chapter!
mermaidf: Hello, friend! OH YEAH! We are back with a main story! And now we go for more!
PrimroseRaspberry: Hi there, my friend! I haven't responded to reviews for a while and it's a great pleasure to read your comments. I'm really glad you liked Molly and Nonny's interactions. They both deserve more interaction with each other. I feel like they're a good couple (in terms of friends, okay? Because I'm team Golly and Noona forever XD) And I'm glad to hear you're out of school. It is a difficult process (I know from personal experience), but it is possible. Thank you for recognizing my work for implementing new things in the stories. The codes is something that I thought to implement not long ago. And believe me, I want to start trying new things in the future regarding BGTY. And Regarding Nonny, no details until BGAY. And it looks like you guessed the protagonist of chapter 0.2. We'll see if you know what the next guppy will be. See you soon!
Jaybird06: I'm so glad to see you here. I know you've been watching my stories, but I love finally responding to your reviews. I actually agree with you about Molly and Nonny's relationship. Both should have more dialogues between them in the show and in fanfics. And the truth is, seeing more of their friendship is nice. I'm glad you're getting excited for Adult Years, for which the work will be hard. Although it is already starting with this great prologue. I hope you are liking the codes and that you are discovering them. Get ready for part 0.3!
And with this I'm going to finish the chapter quickly, because it's already too late. Here its author says goodbye. See you in the next chapter and I challenge you to guess the next protagonist. See you soon! I love you all!