story_bubble_1_1

Lastly, we have Operator Bubble, the youngest of this batch of promoted operators.

Yeaahhh!

(Stand still, Bubble. I know you're excited, but we can't have you stomping...)

....Yeaahhh!

Ahem, atennnnn-shun!

Rhodes Island Trainee Operator Bubble! Present and accounted for!

Bubble, this is the moment you've been waiting for since you came onboard. Are you ready?

I'm super ready!

Alright, then. Operator Bubble, you have passed the regular operator exams.

As a trainee operator, your abilities and performance have met the standards befitting a regular operator. With Dr. Kal'tsit's approval, Human Resources is executing your promotion to a regular Rhodes Island Operator.

This here is your medal certifying it. Keep at it and let's see some more outstanding results on your next exams!

Bubble puffs out her tiny chest as the HR operator bends down to neatly pin the medal on her.

Bubble sneakily stands on her tiptoes in an attempt to make herself a bit taller, in hopes of looking just as tall as all the operators who seem to be doing such amazing things each and every day.

(I'm a proper operator now. I gotta hold myself to a higher standard. No more crybaby stuff. I'm on my best behavior.)

(Just like Blaze... or Nearl. I gotta be a great operator who can help lotsa people!)

My papa's over five meters tall! He's covered head to toe in our tribal totem tattoos! When I was a kid, I followed right behind him all the time, but I could only see a little bit of the tattoos on the back of his legs!

I thought about what those tattoos were supposed to be. A painting? A weapon? Something else?

I asked Papa, but he just told me I'd figure it out when I become a warrior one day. When I finally stand on his shoulder, I'd be able to see it all.

But then, I found the answer myself! I'm the only one who knows it, too! It's... a secret map—!

Morte tastes exaggeration.

...Ahem! Nuh-uh!

Don't act like you know. In our tribe, tattoo maps are secret maps that only our braves can see, and I, Bubble, am a warrior of my tribe! I've received a mystical guidance!

I remember Midnight saying he got a mystical guidance once, too, but then I saw Orchid pulling his ear...

Focus! I'm not done yet! Following that guidance, I made my way to a secret training base. Then, there was a rumbling sound coming from behind. All of a sudden, there were, like, five hundred sandbeasts rushing at me!

I went for the mouth with one hand, grabbed its tail with the other, and sent it flying a hundred meters in one big swing!

Then, I plucked up a tree, did a big sweep, and all the needleflies behind me got smacked away!

Finally, with a sandbeast in my left hand and a needlefly in my right, riding on a five meter tall tuskbeast, I proudly charged into the gloompincers' nest and wiped the floor with them!

Morte knows that those animals wouldn't be living in the same region.

Like every warrior before me, I raised my weapon high and successfully completed my training as a brave! I saw my papa putting me on his shoulder and recognizing me as a new addition to his braves!

But how did you <i>see</i> your papa holding you up...?

...Ahem! Okay. I didn't see it. I made it up...

My papa hasn't recognized me as a brave yet, but I know I'll get there one day.

I'll stand on his shoulder, and I will get my tattoos. They'll have a map to the next brave's trial!

Just like... that map.

A map with a yellow arrow is posted on the wall in a corner of the playroom. Bubble tries her hardest to stand on her tiptoes in an attempt to read its bottommost part.

A few days ago, she saw a bunch of busy operators passing around that map. Their faces were covered in ash and scars, and they all had a serious, solemn look. It was really badass.

But they never let Bubble join in when they're hurrying down the hallway. They always stop her with an anxious look: You're still young. Get clear!

(Maybe this map is just like Papa's tattoos. It's a map to a secret mission that only awesome people can read?)

(Papa wouldn't tell me what his tattoos are all about, and those older operators wouldn't let me help them, but I'm a full-fledged regular operator now. I can help.)

(And if I do help, they won't chase me away the next time there's a big mission, right?)

Ahem, I know one more secret, and that's—this map. It's a map to a critical Rhodes Island mission!

That's our trial! Once we finish it, those awesome operators will see what we can do, and maybe they won't stop us the next time there's a critical mission.

Papa and Mama told me. Braves don't become true warriors until they go through trials that are too tough for anybody else!

I wanna try. Even if it's only for a little bit, I wanna go!

I—I want to become a Rhodes Island brave!

Whoa... Me too! I wanna become Rhodes Island's biggest brave!

I'm the biggest!

Me... Me too!

...Morte says he wants to try, too.

Okay, then have you guys heard any mystical guidances that only braves can hear?

Like, say, maybe shooting an arrow toward the east of the mountain will lead us to a treasure. Or like maybe there's a huge fowlbeast perched on a snowy mountain somewhere. Like they do in games!

I've been hearing a lot of knocking sounds in the hallway, and they sound really far away.

Definitely not Vulcan forging stuff, and it's also not the sound of my blades bumping into things. They're coming from the floor, and the pipes, even further down from Vulcan's den.

Orchid's been telling me not to go to the lower decks. They're doing something really important there. But I saw all the cool operators going to the lower decks.

Morte says there's a burnt smell down in the lower decks, and he ate it all up.

Okay... Yeah, I have an idea, then...!

They posted this map out of our reach on purpose, but we've already figured out its secret.

It's... there's a secret critical mission here aboard Rhodes Island!

That's the mystical guidance that only official braves can hear. All of you are regular operators, right?

Don't worry about it! As long as we work our hardest, as long as we finish a big mission on our own, they'll know that we actually have what it takes to help them and that we won't be a burden!

We need to make our own critical mission team and hop onto the missions that they won't let us join!

C'mon, let's go!

Bubble! And Kay...? Shamare and Popukar, too!

(Whispers) Aww... shucks. What are they doing here?

I... I'm training!

Oh, that's it? We're just here to get a couple pieces of equipment. We won't get in your way, will we?

Not at all! You wouldn't get in our way...

Then... Do you see that anti-shock pad there? What do you think? Big enough? It's like two meters long, isn't it...?

(Whispers) Let's go with that. Orchid told us to keep it from them. Let's wait till they're gone before we come to pick it up.

Do you need any help?

If you need help, I'm real strong!

I'm stronger!

Oh, no, that's okay. We can manage!

Yep, sure can. We'll take care of it on our own!

Alright, we're going now! Bye!

They're usually pretty happy about me helping them all the way to their office. Why aren't they letting me help this time?

Morte, follow them.

—Eep! Watch out!

We just took this door frame down. You kids watch out. Don't get yourselves hurt!

It's okay. I'm strong. I can help you!

Bubble, it's all loose screws and sheet metal here. Be careful...!

Hmph! That's nothing!

Where'd you get this broken doorframe?

Uh, hm... we found it during a routine inspection...

(Morte's back. This tastes like a lie.)

(I knew it! They're hiding something!)

It looks like something smashed into the doorframe, just like that time I passed out and woke up a while later...

Uh... This is just normal wear and tear...!

(It's not.)

But this doorframe's really badly damaged. Right at the top, too.

(It must've been broken by someone really tall!)

Where did you find this?

Um... On a lower deck.

Bubble glances at her little buddies.

(No mistaking it. Something big must've happened down there. They need our help. Let's go!)

Got it. Thanks!

Nobody saw us, right?

*cough*! There's so much dust! I can't breathe!

...*cough*...! The critical mission objective... the place where they need our help... *cough*...!

...should... be here!

The strange knocking sound, and the cordon in front of the door. This is the objective!

Then... Bubble, how are we gonna help them?

Morte says there are lots of different anxious tastes here filling his stomach right up.

There's gotta be an ultra dangerous, ultra scary environment hiding behind this door! There might be lots of enemies and wild beasts, too!

But I think, as a brave, I gotta trust myself. I'm stronger than I know. I can do much more, and I can help a lot of people...

I know I can do this. I'm a regular operator now. I'll lead the way, just like the stories of the braves I told you all before!

Bubble the Brave clears her throat.

'Bubble the Brave donned her armor, raised her mighty weapon, and charged toward her objective.'

'She knocked over a tree that blocked the road and crossed a long river, sped through the forest and the desert, and found the goal of her brave journey.'

'Just like every warrior before her, she raised her weapon high!'

—Charge!

'Bubble the Brave has overcome her trial, and the whole tribe is cheering for her!'

'The whole tribe is celebrating!'

The pipes at the end of the dark corridor are slammed hard and let out a creaking sound, followed by a cloud of dust filling the air and the spiraling pipes suddenly collapsing.

Bubble raises her head and looks at the dust-shrouded darkness before her expectantly.

*cough*! *cough*...! What just dropped down?

A medal?

Baddies?

The instructor?

Aaaaagh—

A furball falls down from the ceiling, and the little heads gather round to see what exactly it is.

Who—

Whoknocked thesepipesdown? I'vebeeninspectingthisarea foralongtime. Thesepipesaresocomplicated it'sgonnatakemeforever justtoputtogether aproposal. Whotookthemalldown?

*cough*... *cough*!

It's over... *cough*!

Did we mess up?

*cough*... Why is...? Shaw...!

Haaahhh!

Whoknockedallthesedown?

Whodidit?

...Sorry, Shaw... I...

Nonononono!

WhatI'msayingis it'sperfect! Iwasgonnaask Engineeringtohelp demolishtheabandonedpipelines sincetheywereafirehazard. Theyweresocomplicated, butyoutorethemalldown inonego!

Didyouknock'emdown, Bubble?

Youwereagreathelp!

Yeah...

Mybuttstillkindahurts, butthat'sfine. Westillhavelotsofpipes thatneedtearingdown, butthissavesus lotsoftime!

I...

Whatkindofreward doyougirlswant? EverytimeIgivelectures, Ibringsome medalstogiveout. Howaboutthose?

Shaw pulls out a small, metallic medal. Each one has a thumbs-up etched on it.

You'reabunchof littlefirefightingwarriors, contributingtoRhodesIsland's firepreventionefforts!

Thisisyourreward! Here, yougetamedal, yougetamedal, everybodygetsamedal!

This mission...

Thanks, girls, buttherearestill moreplacesthat needtobeinspected. Youcanall headbacknow. I'llgetallthese removedpipestakenaway. Don'tcomeback beforethat'sdone.

OnceI'mfinishedhere, I'lltellyourinstructor abouteverythingyou'vedone!

Alright...

So this isn't Rhodes Island's critical secret mission...?

Even though I'm a regular operator now, all I've done is... pitch in a little bit...

Bubble strokes the small medal that Shaw gave her.

Shaw was really thankful, but I wanna complete a real awesome mission...

I've been improving all this time, and I wanna show Papa how far I've come...

...I don't wanna be left out anymore... I wanna help everyone do even more awesome stuff... No, I can't. I'm a regular operator now. I can't cry!

...I want Papa to think that I'm a brave...

Shaw's so nice! I'll keep doing my best!

Vulcan's looking for me. I'm gonna show her the medal I got today!

Was that the critical mission that Bubble was talking about?

Morte just had dessert. It was sadness. I think Bubble's sad, because this didn't feel like a critical mission.

...Bubble...?

But Shaw looked very happy, so we probably accomplished something, right?

Huh? How come Bubble's still inside?

...Hm...

Ow! I got knocked back, like a little fowlbeast flying away!

Why is there a wall? This wasn't here before.

*sob*... Vulcan said not to hit my head or I'll turn stupid... What do I do?

Hold on, look at all the patterns on the wall... They're just like the patterns that Bubble told us about in her stories.

Shamare, you remember everything! I already forgot what she told us...

You girls...

There's another rumbling sound from above! Is this the critical mission Bubble talked about?

Do we need to knock this wall down to complete it?

Bubble, where are you? Is this wall the mission you were talking about?

Bubble—?

Bubble—!

—Papa?!

The little heads look back at Bubble, who was all depressed just a moment ago.

...<i>Papa?!</i>

—Papa!

Bubble wants to throw the thing in her hand away to hop into the embrace of her papa who wouldn't have come to visit until a whole lot of days or even months or maybe years later.

But she also wants to show her medal to her papa, and so her hand reaches back to grab it.

This causes her left leg to trip over her right. She almost falls onto the ground bum first, but she has very good reflexes thanks to her training at Rhodes Island. She instinctively adjusts her posture to have her shield fall onto the ground—

But instead she falls onto a big hand that's firm yet soft to the touch.

Wow...

Bubble's papa is a moving wall...!

*sob*... Papa...

Papa, why are you here so early...? *sob*...

Bubble's tears fall down her cheeks. She sniffles to shake them off as quick as she can.

(No, I can't. I'm a regular operator already. I can't be a crybaby anymore!)

She takes the medal that she treasures so much from her chest and raises it for Papa to see.

Papa, look! I got promoted yesterday! This is my medal. I'm a regular operator now!

And this!

She points at the small medal that Papa likewise caught, but all of a sudden, she also feels kinda embarrassed about it.

Would Papa think that was a stupid little mission for babies? Would he think she isn't up to completing badass, awesome missions like the grown-ups, that she can't help anybody, and that she can't call herself a brave yet?

Err... actually, I guess maybe I'll show you next time!

But Papa keeps rubbing the two medals with a smile. The circular metallic pieces look so tiny in his big hands, but he seems to be looking at them with such admiration.

These tiny metal bits are nowhere close to covering the patterns on his palm, but they are more than enough to make him crack a smile.

It's almost like he's trying to see all his young daughter's hard work and growth in these two tiny medals.

You earned both of these?

That's my girl!

Oh, Popukar! I knew I heard something strange down here...

Didn't I tell you to stay away from this place? What are you doing here?

I didn't mean to... but this is where our critical mission is...

*sigh*, so there was no hiding it...

I'm very sorry, sir. I wanted to discuss throwing Bubble a surprise party, and I specifically told the girls to stay away, but they still found the place in the end...

Since we don't have a bed large enough for you, I was thinking of using the anti-shock pads they use for training as your mattress as well as widening the door frame, but it seems we got careless...

The Cerato warrior dismisses her apology with a wave and a smile. He bends down and picks up his tiny-as-ever daughter and raises her up high, before setting her down on his broad shoulder.

Don't worry about it. I'm sure getting to see me so soon is a big enough surprise to her.

Ceobe looks up to find Bubble so very, very high up that she can touch the ceiling just by raising her hand. It reminds Ceobe of how valiant Bubble often said she looked in her stories.

...Bubble's just like those stories right now!

'Bubble the Brave stands proud, tall as a tree... in a full suit of armor!'

Awesome...!

As Bubble sits on her papa's shoulder, the shield on her back just happens to form a pauldron. She remembers how when her siblings were first recognized as braves, they all sat on their parents' shoulders, just like this.

When she was little, all she could ever see, no matter how hard she craned her neck, would be a small fragment of all the totem tattoos on his body.

Papa always said that when the time came that she could stand on his shoulder, she would see the full picture of his tattoos. Now, she finally sees them in their entirety.

Papa, move your neck a little. I wanna see your tattoos!

I wanna see what they show!

The Cerato warrior leans his neck a bit to let his daughter see his latest tattoo.

In the large tribal totem, there is a small Cerato girl carrying a big, heavy shield, and charging forward.

She charges on, as if she will break through all the hurdles that lay in front of her, toward a boundless, limitless swath of land, free of any obstacles.

The 'map' that she saw when she was small is approaching completion. She is the one standing at the top of this mystical map. She is her papa's little pride.

Papa...

Am I your pride? I helped a lot of people, didn't I?

I am, right?

Right?!