The X-Rays

Today our group of eight friends had decided to go to the park and enjoy some ice cream, and just enjoy the early spring weather. As the eight were all walking to find a nice play to relax, Gelman came running past them, laughing as he knocked Dedes and Gus' ice creams out of their hands.

Dede growled at Gelman while Gus looked down at his ice cream sadly. "Ohh, why is it always me?"

TJ shakes his head, sighing as he looks at his friends. "Looks like Gelman's at it again."

Spinelli glared at Gelman, watching as he was causing trouble for all the kids at the park. "You would have thought that after the lesson he was taught last time, he'd leave everyone alone."

Gretchen shook her head. "Unfortunately, bullies are too thick-skulled. It'll take a lot more than him being put in his place once for it to register."

Vince shrugs. "That definitely seems to be the case with him."

Dede runs over to Gelman as he falls on the ground after knocking a trash bin over. "Way to go. I ought to give you a galactic citation for destruction of property."

Galmen looks at dede in confusion. "A galactic what?"

Spinelli walked closer to stand next to Dede as Dede laughed nervously. "I think you've been spending too much time writing your comic book Dee."

All of Dedes other friends walked over to join the two with Paloma reaching them first. "Dede, you don't have to be so mean, you know. A little kindness goes a long way." All the others watch Paloma in confusion as she walks over to Gelman, before remembering that she wasn't there when Gelman was at his worst. "Are you okay?"

Paloma giggles as Gelman looks at her in awe, making Dede roll her eyes as she teases her friend. "You'll be sorry." Just before her bracelet beeps out. "Umm, I'm gonna get another ice cream for me and Gus."

With that Dede ran off and hid behind a tree. When she answered the call it was Sparky on the other line. "Hey chief, DeGill wants to see all of us right away."

Dede nods. "Okay, beam me up."

And Sparky did just that, speeding off to galactic HQ. When they arrived they saw Admiral DeGill's office had been completely trashed. "Juvenile delinquents!" Admiral DeGill grumbled as he turned to look at the three. "It's a plague, I tell you. This morning I arrived to find my office in ruins. This was left on my desk!"

Admiral DeGill showed them a crudely done drawing of DeGill as a woman, making the three of them laugh. "Wow. They really nailed you sir." Sparky laughs.

Admiral DeGill rolls his eyes. "The young hooligans who did this left their gang sigh on the wall." He pointed over to a circle with an X and skull in the center. "The insignia has been identified with a gang known as the X-Rays. I want you three to infiltrate the X-Rays, disguised as outa space miscreants. Gain their trust, find out what they're up to."

The three nodded before they went and got changed into their disguises. X-5 was dressed in a light blue tracksuit and hat with a big gold chain around his neck. Sparky was dressed in baggy khaki pants, red hoodie and a SnapBack with his hair flattened down. Dede was dressed in black ankle boots, black thigh high socks, black shorts with a belt that attaches to her thigh, a blue shirt with a skull and crossbones design and a long dark green jacket, all with her hair let down under a beanie.

After they were all done changing they met back up with Admiral DeGill. "This ship has been specially selected for its loathsome appearance and its general decrepit mood."

Sparky walks over to the ship that they were to use and kicks one of the legs holding it up, only to break that leg. "Ohh, looks pretty mean chief."

"Here are the coordinates of the X-Rays last known hangout." Dede takes the tracker from DeGill. "Good luck."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

As Dede and her crew were flying their way to the coordinates given to them Sparky was rocking out to some loud music he was playing. X-5 seemed to have enough with the noise as he went and turned the music off. "What are you doing? Trying to deafen us?"

Sparky was unimpressed with this. "Come on, we gotta get into character. Check out my tattii." Sparky lifts up his sleeve to show a 'tattoo' of his mother in a heart with mom written underneath.

"I also have requisitioned an arm design." X-5 lifts his sleeve to show a banana.

Sparky laughs. "A banana? What a lame-o."

Dede could see that this was going to break out into another fight so she interrupted before that could happen. "That's enough guys. We found them." She points to the ships main screen. "There."

The three landed there ship and exited, though they didn't have to wait long as the X-Rays were quick to approach them on their bikes. Plutor seemed to be the leader and approached them first. "What are you doing in our orbit?"

Dede answered with a big smile, acting her part. "What do you think we're doing? We're looking for you."

Plutor smirks at Dede, almost flirtatiously. "What do you say you ditch these chumps and you take a ride with the X-Rays."

Sparky smirks at Dede teasingly as he whispers to her. "I think he likes you."

Dede shifts uncomfortably before she quickly gets back into character. "We wanna join the X-Rays. All of us!"

"We are funkier than a mosquito's tweeter, homie." X-5 says, trying to be cool.

The X-Rays look at X-5, unsure of what to do. It was Plutor that broke the silence. "I don't know, you're gonna have to prove yourselves first."

And with that, the three galactic guardians went around some galaxies with Dede tagging up billboards, though after the X-Rays approved and left Dede was quick to clean up the mess before following them. They went back to galactic HQ and Sparky threw some eggs at it and X-5 even tried to steal some candy from a baby, but the baby fought back and hit him. Plutor laughs. "Forgot to tell you that basuvian babies are tough, man." The five watching all laughed when X-5 fell over.

Back at the hideout Plutor was proud of the three and he made sure to let them know that. "Nice work! You can wear my jacket."

Dede smiled to hide her nervousness as Plutor was looking at her specifically. "Thanks. But I want my own."

Bubba and Furball held out three red X-Rays jackets and the galactic guardians were quick to grab one each and put them on. "My names Plutor, and this is Bubba and Furball."

Dede nods in greeting. "My names Candy, this is X-5 and Soark—" she stops quickly realising they might recognise all their names if they are said together. "Sparkplug."

X-5 poses. "Word, to your mother."

"Enough messing around. It's time we had some real fun." Plutor says, making Bubba and Furball cheer, and the three galactic guardians share a small worried look behind their backs.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Back on earth Dedes friends went to go and look for her as she was taking her time. When they got to the ice cream truck they could see her anywhere. TJ scratched his head in confusion. "I don't get it, Dede was supposed to be here?"

Mikey shrugged, also confused. "Maybe she got lost?"

Vince shakes his head, resting his hands on his hips. "No. Dede knows this park better than any of us."

As they were all looking around for their missing friend, Gelman came and picked Paloma up and carried her over to a field. Her little yelp of surprise caught her friend's attention and they all followed, stopping when Gelman set Paloma down and all turned their attention to what he had to show her. "I wrote it with garbage." Gelman laughs nervously as they all stare at the heart with an arrow going through it made of trash on the floor. He'd even been able to write Paloma x Gelman underneath.

Paloma started at it with wide eyes, not sure what to make of it but knew she had to be honest. "Wow, that… really… stinks Gelman." And she then ran off with her friends, trying not to throw up at the smell.

When they were get enough away from Gelman TJ and Vince both burst out laughing. "Looks like someone has a crush." Paloma rolled her eyes at Vince's statement but knew that it was unfortunately true.

Spinelli came and patted her shoulder. "Dede did say you'll regret being rice to Gelman."

Paloma groaned and covered her face as her friends all laughed.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Back in space the X-Rays have just arrived at Maximus' HQ and we're sneaking their way around. Dede was incredibly nervous about this as Maximus could recognise her and blow their cover the moment he saw them. "Plutor, what are we doing?"

Plutor shushes her as the six run to hide behind some boxes as some guards pass by. When they were out of sight the six popped out of the boxes and Plutor finally answered Dedes' question. "We're just gonna borrow that ship there"

They looked over to see a golden star cruiser adn X-5 was the first to remind them of who they were stealing from. "You are aware you are stealing from a vengeful supervillain?"

Bubba spoke up for the first time since they all met. "What are ya, chicken?"

This made the X-Rays all laugh before they quickly went quiet, ducking behind the boxes again as more guards came. "Come on!" Plutor said before they all ran over to the ship. Furball opened up one of the panels and Hotwired it so that the door opened for them to climb aboard. This caught the guards attention but they were only able to start shooting after the ship was already taking off. They tried closing the main door to stop the ship from leaving but it was too late, the ship made it outside just before the doors fully closed. Plutor looked over at Dede who was standing next to him. "Pretty cool huh? You and I are gonna make a nice team, huh, Candy?" Dede just continued to smile nervously at him.

Inside Maximus' HQ, Minimus runs up to Maximus who was relaxing on a rocking chair playing a banjo. "Your eminence, there's been a security breach in the hangar."

Maximus stops his banjo playing. "Was it those darn kids again?"

Minimus nods. "They stole one of your ships sir. But not just any ship, it was…. It was the—"

Minimus whispered into Maximus' ear which ship was stolen and this angered Maximus a lot. "WHAT?! I want that ship back!"

Back on the stolen ship the X-Rays were all celebrating a successful heist as Dede pulled X-5 and Sparky aside, to show them what she had found in her little exploration. "You guys, check this out?"

She lifted a blanket that was covering a few crates, making Sparky gasp at what was hidden inside one of them. "A photon bazuca."

X-5 was also surprised by what was inside. "That weapon has been outlawed by the galactic federation."

Dede nods. "I know. We need to notify Admiral DeGill immediately."

However it seemed that the X-Rays had noticed that the three newbies were missing and went looking for them. "Hey, what do you guys think you're doing?" Plutor asked.

Dede stummers. "Uhh… look what I found."

Bubba looked into the crate. "A photon bazuca. Cool! Let's blow up stuff!"

As Bubba jumped down a ringing from Spark's belt caught all their attention. Plutor was confused on why Sparky wasn't answering the call. "Aren't you gonna get that?"

Sparky nervously shakes his head. "Nah, my machine will get it."

And his machine did indeed get it, it also got it for everyone to hear as Zulia, his mum, leaves him a message. "Hello Sparky dear, this is your mother calling. Admiral DeGill tells me you've gone undercover with some space hoodlums. Oh that sounds like fun. When you're done make sure to take your sister to her ballet recital."

This made the X-Rays angry as they all took out their weapons and aimed at the three. "Why do mothers have such bad timing?" Sparky said before Furball came and pulled all their disguises off, leaving them all in their galactic guardians uniforms.

Plutor was shocked at the uniforms. "Galactic guardians?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Back on earth the seven friends were still looking around for their missing friend, while also avoiding Gelman now as he won't leave Paloma alone. And speaking of the devil he appeared behind her, handing her some flowers that still had the roots and dirt attached. "Gee, you shouldn't have Gelman."

Mikey looks at the flowers before looking over at the now bald patch in the flower beds that lined the park. "Oh, how could you? To rip up nature's beauty is cruel."

Gelman ignored Mikey and laughed nervously at Paloma. "Oh, I was nothing."

Paloma shakes her head. "No, you shouldn't have. Pulling up the park's flowers in the beds is illegal, and cruel like Mikey said."

TJ gasp and points to the other side of the park. "Oh my gosh, what's that?" As Gelman looks at where TJ pointed, Spinelli grabs and throws the flowers before the seven run off.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Back in space Plutor grabs Dedes bracelet. "I'll take that. Guardian." Furball locked the three galactic guardians inside a cage. "And I thought you were so cool."

"Plutor, you have to let us out of here. Maximus is gonna come after you." Dede tried to reason with him. "He's not going to let you escape with that weapon."

Plutor smirks, thinking Dede was just joking. "Is that right?"

But of course Dede was correct as not even a second later the ship was knocked to the side, sending everyone to the floor. The shots were coming from Maximus' main ship. "Take that you prepubescent punks." Minimus appears next to his master holding a cane. "What is this?"

Minimus was having a little fun with this. "It's a cane sir. I thought you might have a little fun shaking it at them."

Maximus takes the cane. "Fire at will. I want that photon bazuca. Fire!" He was shaking the cane around like mad.

Dede looks at the X-Rays as they all congregate near the crate holding the photon bazuca. "What are you doing?"

Plutor doesn't even turn by o her as he answered. "We're gonna blast them with their own weapon."

"No, it's too powerful!" But Plutor didn't listen to her and still went and shot at Maximus' ship. However Maximus was prepared for this and sent the missile back, destroying the ship that held the sox occupants. Dede looks around at the damaged ship before looking at the X-Rays. "Plutor, give me my bracelet, quick!" Plutor, now scared of what Maximus can do, throws Dede her bracelet back. Just in time for Dede to blast the bars on the cage apart as some of Maximus' robots fell in from the hole in the ship.

Sparky and X-5 were quick to join her and this started a huge fight. From punching and kicking, to even throwing shuriken at the robots, the galactic guardians went all out until there were no robots left. This made the X-Rays cheer at the awesome show they were just given, but they weren't the only ones watching, Maximus was also given a first row seat and he was not happy. "Atomic Candy is assisting those creditless criminals?! You're worse than punks! You're galactic guardians."

Good Minimus switched to evil Minimus. "That could have turned out better." Maximus wasn't happy with that and hit Minius with the cane.

Back at galactic guardians HQ Dede had handed in the photon bazuca as the X-Rays all stood behind her. Admiral DeGill was very happy about this. "Excellent work Candy." Dede saluted to DeGill and he saluted back before turning his attention to the X-Rays. "Which one of you is responsible for this?" The X-Rays all laughed when they saw the drawing and this did not please DeGill. "Take them away!"

As Sparky and X-5 started to lead Bubba and Furball away Plutor stayed behind a bit to talk to Dede. "Listen Candy, being an X-Ray is more dangerous than I thought. When I get out of detention I think I'm going to join the guardians, then we can hang out."

Before Plutor could spout anymore nonsense Sparky came back and dragged him away. Dede was very thankful to Sparky for that. "That's the last thing that I need. A bad boyfriend, especially when—" Dede stopped that train of thought with a blush, shaking her head to get rid of it. "Anyway, I best get back to earth, I've been gone a lot longer than I should have."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Back on earth Dede was thankfully beamed down near her friends and she saw that they were all surrounding Paloma. "What's going on here?"

All her friends looked over at Dede, not knowing when she got there, it was Spinelli that broke the silence. "Where have you been?"

Dede shrugged nervously. "Sorry. My Nan called, so I found a quiet place to take that phone call. Anyway, why are you all guarding Paloma?"

Gretchen pushes up her glasses. "It seems that Gelman has taken a liking to her."

Vince nods. "Yeah, almost as bad as when Jerffery had for you."

This made Dede look at Paloma in sympathy, understanding not wanting someone's attention but they won't take a hint, having experienced it with Jeffery, Roger, his brother Doger in a way and now Plutor. "That's rough."

It seemed that with all of their attention on Dede none of them had seen Gelman sneak up on them until it was too late. "Wanna play spin the bottle?"

While the other seven cringed at this Dede, while still feeling a bit sympathetic to her, couldn't help but tease Paloma. "Go ahead Paloma. What did you say? 'A little kindness goes a long way'."

Paloma playfully glared at Dede for her teasing before it seemed she got an idea and turned to look at Gelman, in a way so that no one could see her face. "Say Gelman, I know you like me but how would you like to see the real me?"

None of Paloma's friends knew what had happened but one moment Gelman was smiling and happy and the next he screamed and ran away. Mikey attached his head in confusion. "That was weird."

Vince was also scratching his head. "Yeah, why'd he run away like that?"

Paloma turns to look at her friends, shrugging. "Who knows? Maybe he doesn't like brown eyes?" Paloma's laughter just confused her friends even more.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

THE END

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Picture of outfit is on my quotev / Wattpad, both under the same name