Rise to meet the call
Seize the moment, make it mine
- "The Extra Mile," Laura Pausini
Misty sat on the living room couch with her arms crossed over her chest. A displeased look was on her face. She was currently in a staring contest with her equally displeased looking mother. Maggie Cull was standing in the center of the living room, her crossed arms mirroring her daughter's. They had been like this for an hour after Misty walked through the front door, declaring her return. Misty had barely been in her time period - two months late! - and already she was at odds with her mother; that had to be a new record.
"This isn't fair!" Misty protested.
Her mother's eyebrows furrowed deeper together, looking even more displeased.
"Fair?" her mother questioned in disbelief. "Fair?! You signed your father's and my signatures on a legal document that almost killed you."
"It didn't kill me. It just sent me to the future," Misty argued back.
"Then it made you look dead, whatever! Do you know how devastated your father and I were when we turned on the news and heard your name involved in that accident?" Maggie countered.
Misty huffed but didn't answer. Unfortunately, her mother had her there. It was the whole reason she had forged their signatures in the first place.
"A message was sent back saying I was alive," Misty protested instead. "You knew I was alive."
"After we thought you were dead," Maggie countered. "I lost ten years of my life because of this stunt you pulled."
"Well you don't look older," Misty said.
"Can it," Maggie responded annoyed. "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or trying to flatter me, but either way, I'm not having it. You are grounded for a century."
"You can't do that!"
"Watch me."
"I need to be out there. I need to fight Fuse's monsters!" Misty shouted, trying to make her case. "I can feel it in my bones."
"Well you and your bones will be staying in this house where you can be watched," Maggie stated.
"Arrgh!" Misty released a cry of frustration and shot up to her feet.
She left the living room, a crossed look upon her face.
"Where are you going?" Maggie demanded.
"To my room! You said I was grounded so I might as well be there!" Misty shouted back, already climbing the steps.
"You get back down here young lady, we are not finished," Maggie stated.
A loud shout of surprise cut through the mother-daughter argument. Both were startled by how loud and how close it was to them. Then, the shout of surprise turned to one of terror. Misty thought she recognized the voice, but even she couldn't pinpoint its origin. Her mother seemed to recognize the cry. The woman rushed to the front door and threw it open, stepping in the frame so she could observe the outside world. A gasp of worry escaped her lips as she raised a hand up to her mouth.
"Chris!" Maggie gasped behind her hand.
Misty's eyes widened at her father's name being uttered by her mother. Then, her eyes narrowed into determination. She hopped on the stair's railing and slide down. When she was about halfway to the bottom, Misty swung her legs over and landed on the wooden flooring. She then ran for the doorway, slipping past her mother once she was there.
"Misty!" Maggie gasped, reaching out to grab her daughter.
Maggie's reflexes were slower than her daughter's; or, maybe she would have actually grabbed her child if it wasn't for Misty calling on Nano Numbuh Two. With F.A.S.T.F.E.E.T., Misty was already across her front lawn and reaching the street. Her dad's vehicle was parked in the driveway with the driver's side door left open. The man in question was running for Father's construction site with three fusionized Crash Loaders following him. With a simple look, Misty could tell what had happened. Her dad had pulled up into their driveway and had been surprised by the Crash Loaders (maybe one, maybe all three). Instead of running for the inside of his residence, he had run in the opposite direction to keep the monsters from targeting his family. It was very valiant of him, but he was on borrowed time. He had no weapon to defend himself which would certainly lead to his death once the Fusion Monsters grabbed him. Luckily for him, his daughter was catching up fast to him and his three pursuers.
Misty pulled out her Crayon Cannon from her NanoCom. Her Proton Mace would have been a better fit, considering the cannon only targeted one monster at a time. However, the mace was an up-close weapon, and Misty wanted the element of surprise. Besides, she had a different option for long-range effect. Misty sent Nano Numbuh Two back into her NanoCom and called out Nano Eduardo. The Nano Imaginary Friend spun around midair upon being called out.
"Nano Eduardo, do you have a lock on those three?" Misty asked her Nano.
"¡Sí! I see three monstruos muy malos," Nano Eduardo acknowledged.
"Drain 'em!" Misty ordered, raising her pistol.
"MONSTER ROAR!" Nano Eduardo screamed as he released a terrifying roar aimed at the three Fusion Monsters.
The Nano's roar traversed the distance and struck all three Crash Loaders, followed by Misty shooting the middle one with her Crayon Cannon. The three monsters halted in their chase and spun around, seeking the one who had injured them. Misty greeted them with a second shot, this time to the one on the right. With a roar, the monsters rushed at their new opponent, feeling the sting of Monster Roar's drain effect with every step their metal feet took.
Chris Cull recognized he was no longer being chased. He stopped and spun around to see what had happened. His eyes widened behind his glasses when he saw his only child facing down the monsters who had previously targeted him.
"Misty! Run!" he warned his kid.
Misty ignored her father's warning and continued to fire at the monsters, aiming at a different one each time she pressed the trigger. She was definitely going to have to look into long range weapons that let her strike several monsters at once. The monsters, tired of being shot at and still feeling their energy being drained, began to fire their own attacks at Misty. The teenager ducked and rolled away from the spot, avoiding the hits. She quickly got to her knees and continued firing without missing a beat.
When the monsters were within arm's reach, Misty switched out her weapons. She wielded her Proton Mace in both her hands and began striking the monsters, first aiming for their legs since they were the closest target. The monsters roared out in anger at her strikes and attempted to squish her with their metal claws. Misty protected herself with her mace, blocking the strikes or batting them aside. One of the monsters got lucky and managed to strike her arm with its metal claw. The hit caused Misty to scrunch up her face in pain. She glanced at it quickly, saw some blood was beginning to escape, but determined she would live. With that reassurance, she continued her attack against her enemies.
"Gonna need another drain," Misty instructed her Nano.
"Sí, señorita," Nano Eduardo agreed with a salute. "MONSTER ROAR!"
He roared again, inflicting his drain effect upon the three monsters again. The three monsters paused their attacks for only a second, but it was a second Misty needed. She swung her mace faster and harder, knocking out the knees of the three monsters. They fell, giving her easier access to their heads. She struck each like she was playing a game of whack-a-mole, unrelenting in her fighting. It paid off. One by one, the three Fusion Monsters dissolved into a puddle of Fusion Matter at her feet. The girl took a step back, not wanting to get the acidic material on her shoes.
Misty balanced her mace on her shoulders and behind her neck. She looked down on her work with a prideful smirk, and a burst of giddiness entered her bloodstream. These three were the first monsters she had fought and defeated since her return.
"Misty!"
Misty raised her head at her dad's call. The man was running at her and threw his arms tightly around her. Misty flinched as he inadvertently brushed by her open wound. She hissed in pain, which had him jumping back with wide eyes.
"Mist-"
"Don't worry dad, it's just a scratch," Misty reassured him, looking at the wound casually. "I got a guy who can fix it, watch."
Misty switched out her Nanos, calling on Nano Eddy. Without needing to be told by his girl, Nano Eddy activated his ability, Jawbreaker Break. He conjured a jawbreaker and held it in his tiny hand. He then passed the jawbreaker to Misty, who promptly popped it in her mouth. As soon as she consumed the candy, a brief glow consumed the girl. When the glow disappeared, the wound on her arm disappeared. No evidence remained of her ever being injured. Misty inspected the former injury and flashed a smile at her Nano.
"Good work, li'l guy," Misty said approvingly. "You're way more useful than the guy you're based on."
Nano Eddy smirked in pride and put his knuckles on his hips.
"Why thank you," he said haughtily.
With his job done, Misty sent her healing Nano back into the NanoCom. Her dad, despite having watched the whole thing, reached out and gently raised his daughter's arm to eye level so he could observe it for himself. He was simply stunned.
"I'm good, dad," Misty said to reassure him. "Nano Eddy's ability heals me completely. It even returned my stamina. I could go another round if I wanted to."
Chris moved his eyes from his daughter's arm and looked her in the eyes. While his must have reflected terror and astonishment, Misty's shone with determination and strength. His daughter had always been headstrong and like she could take on the world. Looking at her in this moment, he felt this was something different.
Chris actually felt like she could take on the world... and win.
"Misty! Chris!" Maggie shouted.
Daughter and father looked upward at the shout and found the woman rushing at them. Chris opened his arms and caught his wife. She threw her arms around his neck, dropped her face into his shoulder, and broke down.
"I thought...Oh, I was so scared," Maggie said through her sobbing. "Those monsters..."
"I'm okay, hun," Chris reassured her, shaking off his own nerves so he could be there for his wife. "Misty took care of those monsters before they could hurt any of us."
Misty frowned at her mom in pity and then looked away. She moved her eyes onto the puddles of Fusion Matter near their feet. She blinked and then narrowed her eyes. How weird. She remembered Fusion Matter being sucked into her NanoCom every time she beat them. Why was it still on the ground?
"Let's go inside, all of us," Chris suggested, pulling Misty away from her contemplation. "It'll be safer."
Maggie readily agreed and was led back by her husband. Misty straggled behind after a moment longer of eyeing the Fusion Matter.
Her parents were in the kitchen and she was sitting in the armchair in the living room. Chris was making some tea for his wife to calm her nerves. Misty was told they would talk to her in a moment, so she decided to wait for her folks in the living room. To pass the time, she turned on the family's SANY TV and switched it to the 91 Action News, putting it on a low volume. Misty hadn't been interested in the news prior to the time travel experiment. If her parents were watching it, she'd glance at it; but she was never one to seek it out. All the important news for her came from Celebrity Weekly and Sparkle Teen. However, Misty felt a need to listen to the news, just to have an update on what was going on with the war effort. She'd also have to tap her friends for the 4-1-1, on top of letting them know she was back. She couldn't wait to talk to them.
Desk reporter Tabby was just going over a segment on missing heroes who hadn't been seen since the start of the invasion when her parents finally made an appearance. Color had returned to her mother's face, although the cup she was holding shook every so often. Misty avoided calling her out on it and instead muted the television. Her parents took a seat on the couch, turning so they could look at their daughter.
"So...your mom and I were talking..." her father began.
The temptation to say, yeah, no duh, you literally told me that when we got here was strong, but Misty held her tongue. She wanted to see where the conversation was going before she started firing off.
"As you know, you're grounded for signing our names so you could be involved in a dangerous time experiment," her father said. "Not only is that illegal, it's also incredibly foolish."
Misty rolled her eyes. She really didn't want to rehash this point again. Nothing bothered a teenager more than being lectured to on the same subject for a second time. Once more, Misty kept her mouth shut. Something told her there was a but involved.
"That being said... your mom and I agreed to postpone your punishment," her father continued.
Misty's face split into a grin. There it was; there was the 'but' she'd sensed.
"Your mom told me you said you felt you needed to be in this fight, and after watching you take on those Fusion Monsters, I believe it. You handled yourself better than I did, and you not only kept yourself safe, but rescued me," her father continued. "So, we talked it over and agreed we'll let you join in this fight. However," - he held up his finger - "there are some conditions. You need to keep in constant contact with us. You have to tell us where you are at all times, and if you have to stay out late because you traveled far from home, you need to tell us." He leveled her with a firm look. "Do you understand?"
"Yes!" Misty agreed with a cheer. She hopped out of the armchair and flew at her parents. She threw her arms around them and hugged them tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret it!"
Misty fell backwards onto her bed with a sigh. She settled into her comforter, letting the soft material suck her in. The comfort of her bedding had been one of the few things she missed when she was stuck in the terrible future. She of course understood a good bedspread was not a matter of survival for them, but she couldn't deny how happy she was when she was able to sleep in her bed and get a good, long rest. She felt she earned it from all the fighting and hustling she did in the future; plus she wanted her body to be reaccustomed to a mattress after having to sleep on a cot for nearly a week.
The purse she had brought with her on the morning of the time travel experiment was on her bed next to her. At some point, Dexter or that acne assistant of his had brought it to her parents while she was off in the future, and her parents had placed it in her room. She grabbed it and quickly pulled out her phone. Unfortunately, the phone was dead. Considering it's been two months since it was last charged, the thing was dead as a doornail. She went and found its charger, letting it gain enough juice to power up. Still plugged into its power source, Misty unlocked the phone and went to her text messages. Opening up the group chat with her friends, Misty wrote a simple:
Hey guys! I'm alive and back from the future!
She didn't expect a response back so soon; she wasn't sure what her friends were up to, but figured they may have joined in the war effort and were busy fighting monsters. She was jumping onto TubeTube to see if she could find some videos to bring her up to speed on what she's missed when she heard her phone dinged, indicating a text message had come in. She hopped back over to the text messages and discovered Peach had left her a message.
MISTY! YOU'RE ALIVE!
A second later, Peach dropped another text message.
Do you have a NanoCom? If you do, can you send your number to me?
Misty checked her contact information from her NanoCom and sent a text relaying the information. A moment later, her NanoCom began to beep. A look at its screen indicated Peach was attempting a video chat with her. She accepted without delay, and a holographic screen appeared. It wasn't just Peach looking back at her. All her friends were hopping on, looking at her in varying degrees of surprise, disbelief, and excitement.
"MISTY!" Peach screamed as soon as she saw her friend. "You're back!"
"Yeah, later than I was supposed to be," Misty commented, rolling her eyes. "I blame Mandark for that one."
"What happened to you? The news said you died," her blonde friend, Tanya, asked.
"Well, until Dexter revealed you were alive," her pink haired friend, Josiah, corrected. "He said a person from the future sent a warning about Fuse, and that person was you."
"It's how we learned you weren't actually dead," Gabby added. "Which, by the way, we're so glad you're not dead."
Her friends - even the stoic Ezra - chorused this sentiment.
"Thanks, you guys," Misty said with a smile. "I was actually sent six months into the future."
"Six months?!" Mateo shouted.
"Yeah, I was shocked too," Misty said. "And boy was it bad. Like, it was almost going to be consumed by Fuse bad."
"Wow, that is bad," Peach agreed.
"Why did you return now?" Ezra inquired. "Why didn't you return sooner?"
"That was the plan, but Mandark must have messed up somewhere. I was supposed to come back two minutes after the event, not two months!" Misty complained. "I swear, these so-called genius' need their IQs checked."
"You're here now, that's all that matters," her short haired friend, Chieko, said.
"She's right," Peach agreed.
"How did your parents react?" the redhead, Linus, asked.
"They freaked," Misty responded. "They're letting me join in the war effort."
"Really? They didn't ground you?" Tanya asked in surprise.
"You definitely should have," Ezra said.
Misty rolled her eyes. "It's being postponed. Once Fuse's butt has been kicked, I'll be grounded."
"How'd you swing that deal?" Mateo asked. "My mom would have used la chancla on me."
"My dad was chased around by some Fusion Monsters wandering nearby and I saved him."
"Huh. Yeah I guess that'll do it," Mateo said with a nod.
"Actually, something happened after the fight that I want your opinions on," Misty said, broaching a new topic. "Now in the future, when I fought a Fusion Monster, my NanoCom would collect the Fusion Matter. Does that happen here?"
"Yeah," her friends agreed.
"You saying yours won't collect?" Josiah asked.
"Yep. The matter was left behind in a puddle," Misty said.
"You think it might be because she didn't go to the Academy?" Gabby inquired to her friends.
"The Academy?" Misty parroted.
"Yeah, it was created after your messages came in. Dex and a bunch of Earth's heroes came together to build an academy designed to train us in fighting Fusion's Monsters. Weasel's been the headmaster of it," Peach explained.
"It's a month long program to get everyone trained on using weapons, fighting monsters, and acquiring Nanos," Linus said. "When we graduate, we pick a guide to follow."
"Guide?" Misty parroted again. She shook her head. "No, we'll get to that in a moment. Let's stay on track here. You think I need to go to the Academy?"
"It's possible," Josiah said. "When you came back to this time, your NanoCom must have hopped on the network, and it was locked to stop you from joining the fight since you didn't go through the process."
"I don't need the process. I got a crash course in the future," Misty argued.
"Awwwh, but the Academy's not bad. A lot of heroes are there, like Ben! Plus, all of us were the first graduating class, isn't that cool?" Peach said.
"It's great for all of you, but I really don't need it," Misty said. "I'd be so bored."
"Why not talk to Dexter?" Tanya suggested. "He was in charge of the program and the designer of the NanoComs. Maybe he can unlock it?"
"Tanya, you're so smart!" Misty complimented. "I'll talk to Dexter first thing tomorrow. I can't go beating up Fuse's monsters if it's just going to leave puddles behind. I'm so glad I talked to you guys. You've definitely been a big help."
"We're your friends, amiga," Mateo said with a grin. "We've got your back."
"And there's so much you missed! We have a lot to catch up on," Peach said excitedly.
Misty smiled back at her friends. "I've got till dinner. Tell me everything I've missed."
"Unlock my NanoCom," Misty demanded, slamming her left hand down on Dexter's desk.
The redheaded genius looked up at Misty in an exasperated frown. When he had agreed to take the meeting with Misty Cull, he hadn't expected the girl to be so abrasive. Where was that girl who had barely said a word to him at the presentation? This girl, who was leaning over his desk so that she could stare him down, hardly looked like the respectful volunteer he had met two months ago. Did something in her personality change when she was sent to and from the future? Was her politeness at the presentation a facade? He didn't know the correct question and answer, but a headache was steadily growing.
"Miss Cull, I have been made aware you were instructed to attend the Academy-"
"Yeah, and as I told your Dexbot that was helping me with this, I'm not going," Misty cut in. "I don't need the Academy."
"That is not a decision for you to make," Dexter argued. "The Academy is designed-"
"To what? Learn how to fight Fusion Monsters? Literally what did you think I was doing in the future? Twiddling my thumbs?" Misty challenged.
"I haven't the foggiest idea," Dexter stated deadpanned.
"I was fighting monsters! There is nothing I need to learn at the Academy," Misty argued. "I know how to shoot, I know how to fight, I know how to dodge eruptions, I know the different types of Nanos and how to obtain them. I even have four Nanos, compared to the three your graduates leave with."
"Miss Cull-"
"If you keep insisting I go into the Academy, I'm just going to be bored the whole time. And you'll literally be delaying me for a month for no reason," Misty further ordered. She slammed her other hand on the table so that she could better support her weight as she leaned forward. "If you think I need some resolve, you're mistaken. I've fought all kinds of Fuse's minions; I know what happens if Fuse wins. I have all the resolve I need to face the enemy and come out winning."
Dexter leaned back in his rolling chair, a contemplative look on his face as he observed her. He didn't want to admit it, but she had a point. The Academy was designed to bring in the uninitiated and teach them how to fight so that they wouldn't get merc'd by a Fusion Spawn. People like the Powerpuff Girls and Ben, people who were natural fighters, were exempt from the Academy because of their experience. Misty had experience that the recruits coming into the Academy didn't have. He had briefly reviewed her NanoCom as soon as it came onto the network, finding similarities in the monsters she faced. She was clearly experienced. Where would her experience be better utilized? At the month-long Academy program? Or out in the field?
He knew the answer...he just didn't like kowtowing to this teenager's demands. Girls could be so annoying.
Dexter released a sigh and rubbed his temple with his index and middle finger. "Very well," he conceded with a sigh. With his other hand, the genius tapped away at a surface on his desk.
Misty watched him dubiously, wondering what Dexter was doing to his desk. In her opinion, it simply looked like he was tapping away at it in a random pattern. After a few more taps, Dexter was finished.
"Check your NanoCom," Dexter advised, looking at her.
Misty pulled away from his desk and tapped at her NanoCom. As soon as she activated it, a screen was projected upward. On it were four symbols, three Misty instantly recognized. The fourth looked to be a gumball.
"You will need to choose your guide. Each one has a different method to beating Fuse-"
"No, I know this," Misty said, flippantly waving a hand to cease his talking. "My friends already explained the guides and what each one wants."
Misty had also noticed that each of the guides were the same people she had sent Mandark's message to. She imagined Mandark as a fifth guide, and then shook off the image. She really wouldn't want to be working under him. She had listened to what Dexter, Ben, and Double D were planning since she wanted to choose one before she went back into fighting. She already disqualified Mojo Jojo because of his villain status, and was very pleased all of her friends had done the same. Villains may be helping out but that didn't mean she was interested in working under one.
"Yes, well." Dexter pushed up his glasses so that the lighting in the room casted them in a glare. "As you are aware, I am a guide. My goal is to find all the missing heroes like the Justice Friends and Astounding League of Super People."
Misty rolled her eyes at Dexter's obvious attempt to recruit her. She wasn't interested in working under Dexter. His plan to deal with Fuse wasn't a bad idea. Super heroes had apparently gone missing just shortly after Fuse made his appearance on the scene. Buttercup had been such a casualty, although her disappearance had come from Mojo Jojo prior to Fuse's invasion. Misty had been quite shocked when her friends informed her of the green Powerpuff's disappearance. To her, she had only just said bye to the girl. Buttercup had never once told her about disappearing to parts unknown. She felt it was a pretty important thing to mention; you know hey, I may disappear at some point. Could you stop that from happening? Or if it already has, you'll find me at such and such place. Tell my family not to worry about me. Why hadn't she? Buttercup wasn't heartless, so didn't she want to let her family know she was okay?
Despite a desire to find the green Powerpuff and shake her shoulders, demanding to know why she'd keep such a secret (even though logically she knew these were two different Buttercups), Misty had ruled out Dexter as a guide. Even though finding the missing heroes was very important to their case, Misty had no interest in working under him. There was Ben, but his plans were less interesting to her. With Mojo not even being considered, that left Misty with one option left. Strangely, despite it being chosen by a process of elimination, Misty felt drawn to this selection. She tapped on the projected screen, selecting the orange-tinted gumball. The screen disappeared after she made her selection, and the base of her NanoCom, which used to be white, turned orange in reflection of her choice. Dexter frowned when he saw the change of color.
"Yes...well..." he began his voice slightly strained from annoyance. Clearly, he was hoping she'd choose him; or maybe he was annoyed she'd barged into his office, made him make an exception for her, and then didn't even bother to pick him as her guide. "Double D is... an excellent choice. He's very brilliant, though I do not necessarily understand his obsession with finding...candy."
Misty held in her snort, though she did roll her eyes.
"C'mon, Dex, you never got excited by a treasure hunt?" Misty asked him.
"I was busy," Dexter answered deadpanned.
"Whatever," Misty responded back, equally deadpanned. "It sounds interesting. Plus, the kid sounds confident this is a big deal for Fuse."
"Yes, he's discussed the matter with me before," Dexter admitted, ending the statement with a sigh. "As I said, I do not understand it, but I trust him."
"He can't be any worse than the chimpanzee," Misty stated.
"Yes," Dexter agreed with a hum. "I still don't understand why a message was sent back to him of all people."
"Yep, weird how that happens," Misty stated a bit awkwardly, glancing away.
"At least that hack Mandark didn't receive one," Dexter continued.
"Mhm mhm," Misty hummed, continuing to look out the glass windows in an effort to not look at the redhead. The kid would flip a lid if he knew how close they were to having Mandark as a guide.
"Is there anything else you need from me, or are you going to remain standing in my office?" Dexter asked, tapping his fingers against his desk.
"Geez, you could just say get lost," Misty said. "It'd save you some breath."
Dexter sighed and rubbed his temple again.
"I am rather busy at the moment. If you were not aware, we're in the middle of a war with an alien invader, and I am currently a guide tasked with finding our missing heroes. Furthermore, I am attempting to construct weapons to use against said monsters and I'm running the Nano enhancement project. I am extremely busy."
There was also the fact it was the weekly Monsters and Mazes night with his pals, but he was not going to inform the girl about this.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But things are going to be fine from here on out. Wanna know why?"
"I am very terrified of the answer."
Misty flashed him a haughty smirk and pointed a thumb at herself. "Because I'm here!"
Dexter's face dropped, looking utterly unimpressed. Misty stared at him for a moment and then rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, dude, have some faith, would yah? The other you did. Heck, even the future Mandark did."
"That does not fill me with confidence," Dexter remarked with a disgruntled look on his face.
"Ugh, whatever," Misty said with a roll of her eyes. She headed over to the sliding door, waiting for it to open. "You'll see I'm right." she told him over her shoulder as she made her exit.
The sliding door closed behind her, separating the two and effectively ending the conversation. When his sliding door closed, Dexter dropped his forehead onto the back of his hands, which were folded on the top of his desk.
We're so doomed, he thought.
Misty's back in her time period, and she's already causing trouble. I've joked with some friends that I should change this story's title to "Misty Throws Hands with Everyone." Originally, Misty was just going to jump into a conversation with her friends, and the matter with her parents was going to be explained away. However, I thought about it further, and decided to flesh it out.
I really enjoyed her talk with her friends, and her group grew from what was shown in chapter two. Unsurprisingly, I included even more FFOCs to her group. Josiah and Tanya come from a promotional image, Linus is the KND-gear wearing kid on the log in screen and Chieko is the Buttercup dynamo armor kid on the same screen. I made them all the first generation of Academy recruits since that's what I always imagined from them. I personally think the Academy would have been more fun if those FFOCs were the teachers instead of the CN characters, but they were only made for the promotion as Avatar stand ins.
After I did a lore video on Dexter's guide mission, I always wondered why we never told Blossom and Dexter Buttercup was alive and well. It seemed pretty cruel to listen to how upset her family was by her disappearance and never once reassure them Buttercup was okay. So then I thought, "well what if we didn't know Buttercup went missing?" And that spawned this brief divide in the timeline. In the future Misty was sent to, Buttercup was never sent into the ocean by Mojo Jojo; but in the time period she returned to, Buttercup went missing. Considering our goal is to not end up in a bad future, I firmly believe the timeline is changing. Nanos and their tech are being sent back earlier, everyone was warned ahead of time and an Academy was built, and guides were chosen to lead the Earth forces.
Tying into the differing timelines, Blisstina from the PPG reboot almost made an appearance. I debated letting her in, and even wrote up a section for her, but ultimately erased it. I'm not using elements from the reboot, and that's including her. My plan for her is that she's actually an Imaginary Friend Goo created after learning of Buttercup's disappearance. Goo made her up so she could be useful to the Powerpuff Girls. This would also explain why she wouldn't have existed in the bad future timeline because Buttercup never disappeared.
What guide did you think Misty was going to pick? Did you expect her to work under Double D? Why do you think I chose him?