One year later...
After the rescue mission, Pineapple Chunks and his American counterpart took some time to recover from almost being turned into Lemurians against their will, both physically and mentally. Both of them were trying their best to move on from this whole ordeal, but it wasn't easy. They still dreamed about Rock Justice from time to time, still unsure whether it was right of them to betray him like that. It was such a nagging feeling that it was quite frankly hard to ignore. Pineapple Chunks, for his part, chalked it up to him having a guilty conscience that was hard to quell no matter how hard he tried. It wasn't uncommon for him to get this kind of feeling, and he knew from experience that this would eventually pass like almost every other time. Until it did, though, he would just have to get used to it.
Aside from that, life went on. Pineapple Chunks knew for a fact that the world didn't revolve around him nor did it stop for him. Instead, it would just carry on while he went through his normal routine. It wasn't like it had any other choice in the matter. Such was life.
He found solace in the routine, the familiar patterns and tasks that helped him regain some sense of normalcy. The familiar hustle and bustle of the city streets, the comforting aroma of his favorite coffee shop, and the camaraderie of his fellow agents at the headquarters all served as desperately needed anchors in a sea of uncertainty. As Pineapple Chunks delved back into his work, he couldn't shake the feeling that their encounter with Rock Justice was far from over. There was a lingering sense of unfinished business, a nagging suspicion that their paths would cross again in the not-too-distant future. Despite his best efforts to focus on the present, the shadow of Rock Justice loomed over him like a dark cloud. But for now, Pineapple Chunks resolved to immerse himself in his missions, channeling his unease into unwavering determination. There were still countless threats to neutralize, after all.
Today was no different. It was a typical day at U.Z.Z. headquarters. The agents that were currently active were all bustling about and preparing for whatever mission they were about to take on while also struggling to deal with whatever life had to offer for them, significant or otherwise. Almost everyone was here in the briefing room: Victor, Professor Professor, and Pineapple Chunks. The only one who wasn't was Anita, for she'd been paralyzed from the waist down during the Lemurian mission and forced to retire afterwards. Everyone couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at Anita's absence. She had been an integral part of U.Z.Z., always bringing her sharp wit and resourcefulness to every mission. Now, confined to a wheelchair, she had been forced to bid farewell to her days as an active agent. It wasn't all that bad, though, since it meant she could spend more time with Liam, Millie, and Lily at home. Still, she was irreplaceable.
Despite the somber atmosphere, however, there was a glimmer of hope in the air. Today marked the arrival of a new agent, someone who had been handpicked by Pineapple Chunks himself. Rumors had been swirling around headquarters about this mysterious recruit, and anticipation filled the room as everyone wondered who this person might be.
Just as Victor, Professor Professor, and Pineapple Chunks were all lost in their thoughts, the door swung open, and in walked a young woman with fiery red hair and brown eyes to match her skin and a determined expression on her face. She exuded an air of confidence that instantly commanded attention.
"I apologize for my tardiness," she said, her voice strong and unwavering. "My name's Jucélia Aparecido, but you can just call me Celia. I'm the newest member of U.Z.Z."
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Pineapple Chunks, awaiting his confirmation.
Pineapple Chunks smiled and nodded. "Welcome, Celia. We are delighted to have you join our ranks. Please take a seat."
Celia did so, hesitantly at first before eventually making herself at home.
Pineapple Chunks then cleared his throat and began. "Well, I should probably get you all to speed, huh? It seems that The Chef has broken out of prison again and is currently in the process of teaming up with the Impostors for reasons that are currently unknown. Whatever those reasons may be, they are most definitely a breach in security and you all know that I take security very seriously. And that is why my name is Changed Daily. Today, you may call me..." His cellphone beeped. "Oh... Burger King Foot Lettuce."
Everybody else laughed at this.
Burger King Foot Lettuce cleared his throat and started speaking again. "Alright. Victor, Celia, your mission is to-" Out of the blue, one of the U.Z.Z. agents came in and handed him a letter. "Hold on... it appears someone's left us a letter." He then cleared his throat and proceeded to read it aloud.
Dear Pineapple Chunks,
It's been a year since we last saw each other, hasn't it, mon ami? I'd at least appreciate it if we got to talk in person. There's something really urgent I need to tell you about. I can't tell you about it here, but if you follow this address I've given you at the bottom, then I can tell you about it.
Thank you so much for being my friend. I missed you.
With love, Rock Justice
Burger King Foot Lettuce then proceeded to read the address at the bottom of the letter before folding it up and placing in his jacket pocket.
"Well?" Victor asked. "What did it say?"
"I don't believe it..." Burger King Foot Lettuce muttered. "Rock Justice is still alive."
"Of course he's still alive! The participants were turned into Lemurians when they lost, not killed."
"I know that. It's just... I don't know, I think I need a moment to let this sink in. Do you think I should go see Rock Justice?"
Celia raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Seems suspicious that your friend would wait a whole year before sending out a letter to you."
Burger King Foot Lettuce couldn't help but nod in agreement. "You're right, Celia. It does seem odd. But if Rock Justice really does have something he needs to tell me, then I owe it to him to find out what that is. After all, we were a team once."
Celia nodded in understanding. "I get it. Just be careful, okay? We don't know what exactly Rock Justice might be up to now. Besides that, how close were you anyway?"
"Pretty close, but not close enough that we knew everything about each other."
"Then how did he know to send that letter to you here?"
Burger King Foot Lettuce's eyes flew open upon hearing that. "I didn't even consider that. How did Rock Justice know to send it here? I never gave him the address to our headquarters before."
Victor chimed in, his voice filled with concern. "You think someone else could be involved? Like an enemy trying to lure you into a trap?"
Burger King Foot Lettuce sighed, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. "I don't know, Victor. But I can't ignore this. I have to find out what Rock Justice wants to tell me, even if it means taking a risk. But I won't go alone. Victor, Celia, Professor Professor, I'm going to need your help on this one."
After realizing that the address led to a luxury apartment complex in Paris, Victor, Celia, Professor Professor, and Burger King Foot Lettuce all decided to head out to Heathrow Airport to take a plane from London to Paris. They made their way inside right near the entrance of Terminal 3 and just walked in. Around them, people were just going about their daily lives, talking and walking and sitting down and even ordering some snacks to eat before their flight.
"Alright, we're here," Victor said. "Now what?"
Celia looked around, scanning the terminal for any signs or information booths that could guide them to their destination. Spotting an information desk a few meters away, she suggested, "Let's start by getting tickets."
With a nod of agreement, the group made their way towards the information desk, weaving through the bustling crowd. As they approached, a friendly airport staff member greeted them with a warm smile.
"Hello, how may I assist you today?" the staff member asked politely.
"Hello," Celia replied. "We're looking to get tickets for a flight to Paris. Are there any available right now?"
The staff member nodded and quickly checked the flight availability on her computer. "Yes, there are a few flights to Paris today. Let me check which one would be the most suitable for you."
While they waited, Victor leaned over to Professor Professor and whispered, "Do you think we should mention that we're going to find Rock Justice?"
Professor Professor pondered for a moment before responding, "I believe it would be wise to keep our purpose discreet for now. We don't want to attract unnecessary attention or raise any suspicions."
Victor nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of their secrecy.
Just then, the staff member turned back to them with a smile. "I have found a flight departing in two hours. It's a direct flight to Paris and there are four seats available. Would that work for you?"
Celia glanced at the others and they all nodded in agreement. She then replied, "That sounds perfect. We'll take those seats."
The staff member swiftly processed their tickets and handed them over. "Here you go. The gate number will be displayed on the departure board when it's time for boarding. Enjoy your flight."
With their tickets in hand, the group thanked the staff member and made their way towards the departure area.
It took them an hour and seventeen minutes to fly from London to Paris via British Airways. It took them another hour to follow the directions to the address, but they eventually made it to their destination. Sure enough, it had led to a luxurious apartment complex.
The complex stood tall and elegant, its grandeur evident in the intricate architectural details and the well-manicured gardens that surrounded it. The group entered the building, their footsteps echoing in the marble foyer. As they made their way to the elevator, the anticipation in the air was palpable.
The elevator doors opened on the top floor, revealing a long corridor lined with expensive artwork and ornate doors. After they approached one of the doors at the end of the hallway, Burger King Foot Lettuce hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.
A few moments passed before the door swung open, revealing a woman with graying blonde hair who seemed vaguely familiar to them.
"Bonjour," the woman greeted. "Can I help you?"
"Uh, yes," Victor replied. "My name's Victor Volt, the lady besides me is my friend Celia, the short guy besides me is Professor Professor, and the guy behind me is... uh..."
Burger King Foot Lettuce perked up. "Oh, right! Well, for reasons of security, my name is Changed Daily. Today, you may call me..." His cellphone beeped. "Oh... Waga Baba Bobo."
Everybody else laughed at this.
Once the laughter died down, the woman then asked, "So... what exactly are you all doing here? You better have a good reason for this."
"Who's that at the door, Elodie?" a masculine voice asked in a French accent.
"Um, it looks like some U.Z.Z. agents," Elodie replied. "I think they might want you for something."
"I see." At that moment, Rock Justice came to the door. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"Rock Justice!" Waga Baba Bobo exclaimed. "It's me, Pineapple Chunks! You don't remember me right now because of your amnesia, but we formed an alliance with Scheherazade during the competition last year. We were really good friends."
"Pineapple Chunks, it's been far too long," Rock Justice said, his voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and relief. "Please, come in."
Waga Baba Bobo shook Rock Justice's hand, feeling a flood of emotions rush over him. "Rock Justice, I can't believe you're alive. Why did you disappear for a whole year?"
Rock Justice's smile faded slightly as he motioned for them to enter his apartment. "Please, just follow me in. There's someone here I need you to see. He's been in terrible shape. The doctors say that he only has a few months to live."
The group entered Rock Justice's apartment, amazed by the opulence and the breathtaking view of Paris that stretched before them. Soon, however, their gaze turned to a man who looked just like Rock Justice lying in what looked to be a hospital bed, hooked up to tubes and wires. His frail form was a stark contrast to the strong and confident Rock Justice they had known. The man's eyes flickered open as they approached, recognizing them with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Pineapple Chunks," the man whispered, his voice barely audible. "You... you came."
"Hold up, what's going on here?" Victor asked. "Who is this guy and why does he look like Rock Justice?"
"Actually, you should be asking why Rock Justice looks like him," Elodie interjected. "In that case, the answer is simple: Rock Justice here is a clone of Maxime."
Waga Baba Bobo struggled to pick his jaw up off the floor. "...what?"
Elodie could only nod. "You heard me right. Your competition buddy is a clone of my partner. He's one of many, many clones, actually. I'm sorry you had to hear that from me and not him."
The room fell silent as the weight of Elodie's revelation sunk in. Waga Baba Bobo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked at Rock Justice, searching for any signs of confirmation or denial in his expression. But Rock Justice remained stoic, as if bracing himself for the impact of the truth.
"I know this must come as a shock, Pineapple Chunks," Rock Justice finally spoke, his voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and remorse. "I never wanted you to find out, not like this, but then Maxime's illness got worse. Elodie told me to tell you now before Maxime passed away."
"Why, though, Rock Justice?" Waga Baba Bobo asked. "Why would you keep that from me?"
Rock Justice sighed deeply before answering. "It all started a year ago when Maxime was diagnosed with metastatic stomach cancer while he and Pamela were organizing the competition. He wanted to participate himself for nostalgia's sake, but by the time the competition was underway, he was already too weak to do so. So he had himself cloned many times. He made me to boost the participants' morale and to be a plant. He just wanted to make sure that everything would run smoothly despite his health challenges."
"So if you were a clone this whole time, how did you get amnesia?"
At that moment, Maxime chimed in. "Rock Justice was actually 'born', so to speak, just before the competition began. However, I needed him to be the same age as me so the other participants wouldn't get suspicious, so he was rapid-aged. The problem with that is that when you rapid-age any clone, they're bound to get brain damage, even if it's minor. Your friend here got the brunt of the brain damage when he was rapid-aged to being in his sixties, hence how he got amnesia in the first place."
Waga Baba Bobo's mind raced as he tried to process everything. The memories of their time together during the competition flooded back, along with a newfound sense of betrayal. "So, all those moments we shared, all the trust we built... It was all a lie?"
Rock Justice's eyes filled with regret as he took a step closer. "No, Pineapple Chunks, it wasn't all a lie. The bond we formed was real, and the alliance we forged was genuine. I cherished every moment we spent together, and I never wanted any harm to come to you or Scheherazade."
"I'm sure you didn't, but that doesn't change the fact that you still kept being a clone from me or that Maxime created you to be a plant."
Rock Justice bowed his head, his shoulders sagging under the weight of Waga Baba Bobo's words. "You're right, Pineapple Chunks. I made a terrible decision by keeping the truth from you. I was torn between my loyalty to Maxime and my growing friendship with you. I didn't want to betray either of you, so I kept my identity a secret. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
Waga Baba Bobo solemnly shook his head. "I don't think there is, at least not after everything you just told me." He sighed. "I think it's time for me and the others to leave..."
As Waga Baba Bobo and his group prepared to leave, he heard Rock Justice call out to him, desperate to atone for lying to him.
Waga Baba Bobo whipped his head around to look at Rock Justice. "What is it, Rock Justice? Whatever you want to tell me, just get it over with."
"How about we play one more game?" Rock Justice suggested.
"Wait, really? You want to do this right now?"
"Please, Pineapple Chunks. It's been a year since we did something together. At least do it for Maxime. All he wants is to play one more game before he dies."
Waga Baba Bobo gave a reluctant sigh. "Alright, fine. If that's what you want, we'll play one more game."
"Thanks, Pineapple Chunks. I knew you'd make the right choice."