Nosam and the Hsinim Door

Chapter -18: Nosam and the Hsinim Door

Dnalevelc Park

"AAAAAAHHH! Finally, my lovely Lorac has taken a form in my view most suiting to heeeerrr!" The itsy-bitsy Nosam was joyously hugging Lorac's toe, much to her disbelief. "Whatever you command, My Dearest, I am your humble servant and can never match up to your-" She quickly pinned him under her toe.

"Um…right. You mind telling me how this happened?" she asked Aliehs.

"We went in some kind of swirly door thingy."

"'Twas fate it happened, for now I will show love to my Lorac like never before! Know that no size will disrupt me from being your Nosy!"

Lorac eye-rolled and stepped off of Nosam, picking him and Aliehs up in her fingernails. "Well, as less annoying as you'd be this way, I can't just leave you like this. I'll help you two get back to normal."

"Just like my Lorac, to show kindness to all those in need, no matter who it'd be! Even this useless sap."

"Dumbass." said Aliehs.

"I have a feeling who's responsible, too. Lemme take you to your treehouse first…?"

"RUFF, RUFF!" The little puppy was still panting happily.

"I taught him how to love and respect you!" Nosam said goofily. "But what creature wouldn't love someone so considerate?"

"…" Lorac sent the dog flying yards away with a mighty kick. "Let's go." She began the walk to the treehouse.

"WHAT A LUCKY CREATURE TO RECEIVE SUCH AN EXUBERANT KICK!"

Rehgallag Elementary

Rehgallag Elementary: a school with dark classrooms, cold-hearted teachers, and prune juice oiling grounds for a playground. But as gloomy as this school was… there was light in it. For a very important treaty was taking place. Between -1st-grade President, Eissej Yendis and -4th-grade President, Yllehs Nosnhoj. Both leaders marched up on stage, the 7-year-old who spoke very politely with appropriate language, and the modest 9-year-old who treated everyone with respect, and always dressed in winter clothing wherever she went; a purple coat with a hood, black pants, black shoes, and brown mittens.

Both presidents signed the paper before a -5th-grade boy took it away. "We, the Presidents of the Nega-First and Nega-Fourth Grades, hereby establish the Treaty of Playing Nice, promising to never pick on each other again!" Yllehs proclaimed.

"And let us also mark the beginning of a brand new friendship!" Eissej spoke happily before hugging Yllehs. "For as long as we belong to the same school, we must follow the same rule:"

"TEACHERS SUCK NUTS!!" his sister, Ydnas screamed, a very impolite, potty-mouthed girl.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE!"

"Yes, Ydnas, please do not say that." Eissej told her. "Though what she is saying has meaning, teachers are very unkind people and we must stick together to oppress them!"

"YAAAAAY!"

"And to celebrate this union, everyone is welcome to SKATE IN MY ICE RIIIINK!" And using her icebending, Yllehs turned the gym floor to solid ice.

The children joyfully skied around while Yllehs and Eissej sat on a bench, smiling at their happiness. "Best thing that could have happened to this school."

"I'm so glad we're all friends now!" Yllehs beamed. "But there's no president like you, Eissej."

"Why, nonsense, Yllehs, you were a terrific leader. Despite that you seem to slump in all of our contests. Namely soccer. Perhaps you'd play better without all that Winter wear."

"I can't help it, I just feel so cold, I feel like I'll freeze if I don't keep warm. I know I'm an icebender, but…"

"Pardon me, Miss." Yllehs was approached by her vice-president, Ednolal Notselgge. "But considering our newly expanded fighting force, perhaps we'd best take notice of those nasty DNK fellows."

"Oh, the DNK aren't hurting anyone—except each other—let's just leave 'em alone. I don't wanna get caught up in some war."

"…Hm." She looked smugly. "We don't always get what we wish for, Dearest." On that note, she walked away.

Nega-Sector V Treehouse

Still not much activity with all these lazy kids. Nollid was on the floor studying a book as Eirik came over. "Hey, NOLLID. Whatcha DOIN'?" she asked in her smug tone.

"Spell book my mom gave me. Looking for a good spell to shut that yap of yours."

"Know what ya REALLY need to shut?" She kicked the book away. "YOUR STUPID GLAND! Hyaaaaa ha haaaa!" She walked away.

"Siiiigh."

"Hup!" They looked to the window as Lorac climbed in very agilely. "Sorry for intruding, guys."

"Lorac, we keep telling you we don't like you barging in." Nollid stated. "What is it this time?"

"Excuse me for trying to help your friends. See for yourself." She approached him and held out both hands, revealing the two on her fingernails. Her left nails seemed fairly clean compared to the others. Nollid could see it was lovey-dovey Nosam who cleaned them.

"Now my lovely Lorac's nails can shine as bright as her heart! Then I shall proceed to her golden forest of hair!"

"Oh geez." Nollid face-palmed. "I can't leave you alone without you embarrassing yourself."

"My embarrassment is worth it, for this lovely angel!" His face with heart eyes didn't change.

"Well, you can fix him, can't you?" Lorac asked. "You do practice magic."

"Yeah, but I'm only so good at it. Besides… I kinda like him as is."

"What does that mean?"

"I mean that Nosam's just annoying, and Aliehs doesn't bring life to this party. They're both just burdens."

"But they're your friends!"

"Not really. We're just a bunch of kids who were assigned the same, boring treehouse. Barely any of us like each other-" Eirik suddenly slapped the back of his head.

"KEEP YOUR GUARD UP, JEDI! Ha ha haaaaa!" She walked away.

"PSYCHICS are Jedi, I'M A WIZARD! Sigh…"

"But how can you even work together if you feel that way?" Lorac questioned.

"Not like we get much work. Heck, Arorua barely cares what we do, even. So if Nosy and Gloomy stay tiny, I'm alrighty."

"Uh-! You're the worst!" Lorac stomped off. She decided to approach Yrrah, who was still fixing a machine. "Yrrah?"

"Ah!" He bumped his head on its hood. "What isth it, Lorac, I'm trying to work!"

"Don't you have any grow rays or something?"

"Of coursthe not, you know we can never get thosthe to work. Why don't you do the inversthe of what got 'em that way, anyway?"

"Because I think they walked in a Hsinim Door, and Hsinim are always playing pranks on people. They never undo 'em easily either, I don't think they'll help."

"Then go visthit Sthipa in Sthector -W7. Sthe's magic, maybe sthe'll help."

"Can you take me to her?"

"I don't care any more than he does, I'm busthy." With that, he went back to work.

"…Hmph." Finally taking the hint, she hopped out the window and climbed down the treehouse. "I guess I can just sneak on a boat and go there myself. But how can you two work with such jerks?"

"It does not matter, for I have you, Lorac!" Nosam proclaimed.

"They give me a place to crash, so I don't have to be home." Aliehs said.

"…Siiiigh." Lorac frowned sadly, finally understanding why they acted the way they do. They really were a troubled lot.

Dnalevelc Park

"Great to have you back, Master Nerehc!" stuttered Ininap Yksvolird as she and Nerehc walked to the park. She was Nerehc's assistant on Moonbase, and by 'assistant', she was more or less his servant. She was always intimidated by his power and obeyed whatever order he gave, in exchange he wouldn't reward her with lightning. "Just so ya know, Moonbase is still lookin' excellent, a baseball flew into yer office, so I cleaned up the glass, got cut a little, and Ay almost suffocated in space when the glass wall got broke, but all's worth it to keep yer work short, he he!"

"Yeah, whatever, I hope you got me that ice cream I ordered."

"R-R-Right here, Sir." She held up a cherry ice cream, arm shaking.

He smacked it to the ground. "That's CHERRY! I ordered BLURPLEBERRY! CAN'T YOU GET IT RIGHT?!"

"I, I-I, I, I'm sorry, Master!" Her legs turned wobbly.

"Well you're GONNA be." She turned away when Nerehc threatened to slap, "NEXT time you better-" But something caught both of their attention. A strange, double-door with forest designs just sitting in plain sight. "…Wonder what that is?"

The two curiously stepped closer as the door opened, a green portal spiraling before their eyes. "It-It's a… portal."

"Wow…"

"Where do you think it leads?"

"One way to find out… you go in."

She freaked, "B-B-But it's scary!"

"You got my ice cream wrong, it's the LEAST you could do."

"G-G-Go in with me!"

"Why should I?"

"B-Because yer the only one that could protect me. Please?"

"Sigh…alright. But you're not getting nuggets."

"Y-Yes, Sire." Her nervous grin came back.

So with that, both kids walked in as the doors shut. "Woooohhhhh-ooOOOooohhh." It was a strange, wobbly sensation.

Rehgallag Elementary Library

The library was bustling with students chatting loudly amongst themselves. After all, in the Negaverse, the rule was to keep a library loud, and instead of books, they sold videogames. Well, until just a couple years ago, they suddenly began to sell books. The madness, I tell you, madness.

Lorac was able to sneak in through all this madness and seat herself at a computer, letting Nosam and Aliehs rest on the table. "Okay, we're going to see if any ships or something are heading to the Senippilihp, then we'll have to sneak on."

"My lovely Lorac devotes so much time and energy to those other than herself, it makes me absolutely gaga!" Nosam expressed.

"Uh-huh. Now, then…" She logged into Internet Explorer and entered any boat schedules from Ainigriv to Water -7. "Why boats, anyway?" Aliehs asked.

"'Cause they're easier to sneak on than planes."

"My lovely Lorac knows how to think ahead!"

"Aaaaaaha! The Microscopic leaves in -45 minutes. I should be able to make it if I steal someone's bike, let's go!" She grabbed her companions and rushed outside.

"Yet engages in thievery if for the right reasons, you're marvelous, Lorac!"

Lorac grabbed a fallen bike beside the bike rack and quickly sped downtown, much to the protests of Ekim Mragnorts, the bike's owner. "HEY, GIVE IT BACK- WHOOA!" He tripped on his untied shoelaces.

"Dude, she uses it better than you do." a boy said.

"Yeah… you're right."

Negative Sector V's neighborhood

"NYAAAAA!" Ininap screamed like a banshee as Nerehc carried her and flew over the neighborhood at great speed, hurriedly avoiding a swarm of giant butterflies. Well, the butterflies were normal, but the kids were just… really tiny. Also, butterflies are evil in this world.

Nerehc flew them to the ground and crouched in a sidewalk gap, successfully hiding from the bugs. They began to catch their breath as Ininap was still shaking. "YOU IDIOT!" Nerehc slapped Ininap. "I TOLD you we shouldn't have gone in that door!"

"B-B-B-But, I SAID we shouldn't go in, Sir!"

"Well, you should've STOPPED me if you were so sure. Be more persuasive next time!"

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, Master Nerehc. . ." She weakly saluted.

"Anyway, what are we supposed to do about this? Stupid door won't open."

"Sh-Sh-Shouldn't we get somebody's help? L-Like your mum?"

"What?! Heck no! My mom HATES bugs, she'll scorch me and eat me alive!"

"B-But you're her son."

"Yeah, so I know enough to know she'll crush me like a Hsinim. Heck, she kills BIRDS for dinner."

"B-But she loves ya… doesn't she?"

Nerehc looked down. "No. She doesn't love anyone. She's not like all those happy-go-lucky losers in the Posiverse. Heck, I don't think anyone here would…"

Ininap frowned. Nerehc looked so deep in thought. She's never seen that look on his face. Like he was wondering how to finish this sentence. Or contemplating how what he was gonna say would be true.

He shook, "What'm I saying, I'm Supreme Leader! We're flying to Sector V so they can do something about this. Nollid's a mage or something, a little tiny spark to the heart will convince him." With that, he took Ininap's hand and flew for the distant treehouse.

Dnalevelc Harbor

Of all massive, imposing ships getting ready to sail from the harbor, none was smaller than the Microscopic, the cheapest cruise liner nega-money can buy. Of course, "cheap" is actually better in this world, that's why only a few people could get on. But small as it was, it released just as much toxic fumes into the air. Once all the passengers were onboard, it sailed off for Water -7. Lorac was hurriedly swimming after it from under the sea, having to keep her eyes shut from the trail of oil. She swam a good distance beneath the ship and swam up more quickly, shooting partway up the boat as she gripped its side tight. She arduously climbed onto the deck and avoided attention from the guards, hopping her way onto a roof beneath one of the chimneys.

"PLEH." She coughed Nosam and Aliehs, who were waiting inside her mouth, into her hand. "Sorry about that, you two. But it would be better than breathing oil."

"Your consideration makes it all worth it!" Nosam said lovingly. "And what sweet breath."

She set the two down beside her. "It's not the best place we coulda slept… but it'll work." She then rolled on her side, lying her head on her folded hands. "We should be able to make it undiscovered until tomorrow. Good night, you two."

"But my lovely Lorac, how can I possibly sleep, when such a golden beauty lays before me!" Nosam expressed. "Please, allow me to sacrifice my sleep in ensuring yours is a peaceful one!"

"I don't want you to, Nosam."

"Then perhaps I may serve as a 1/25 extra pillow! Your lovely head needs as much cushioning as possible, no matter how small! Or perhaps I shall rub your weary feet, so they may have all the rest they need for tomorrow-"

She sat up, "For the last time, Nosam, I don't want your help, and I don't LOVE you. I care about you as a friend, but I don't wanna be with someone who thinks about me %-100 of the time! What is so great about me you have to worship me like a goddess?"

"B-Because you're so great and beautiful and perfect! I would do anything to be able to stay with you forever!"

"Well, you can just stop it, because I'm NOT perfect and I will never love you that way. And as soon as we get you back to normal, I want you to just leave me alone. You're annoying and clingy and obsessive, and I want you to STOP it." She rolled back on her side, back facing them, and tried to force herself to sleep.

Even Nosam wasn't blind enough by these hearts to not understand. She was far too perfect for him… and she knew it. "…WAAAAAAAHHH-HA-HA-HAAAAAAA!"

"Good grief." eye-rolled Aliehs.

Nosam took a big breath and- "WAAAAAAAHHH!" let the stream of tears flow.

Rehgallag Elementary

School was dismissed, so President Yllehs's office was abandoned. Ednolal Notselgge searched around cautiously before confirming it safe to sneak in. She walked up to her computer and brought up a screen with a shadowed person. "Hello, Agent -α. What's the status of the Earth DNK?"

"Unfortunately, I couldn't get those foolish presidents to wage war against them. It may take some time, but I will have to improvise."

"Just do something soon! All we have to do is take Sector V hostage so their leader will be forced to surrender. Having a bunch of super-powered freaks like them in our team will make us invincible."

"You don't have to worry, Numbuh -4860. A few of the computer cool kids claim they saw that poor girl with a couple of… 'shrimps.' And another of my accomplices say they saw the Supreme Leader and his servant enter some magic door. I am looking into this, but I understand the poor girl intends to get to Water -7, on ship."

"Perfect. We'll call the Anaeco DNK and-" His finger was suddenly forced up his nose. "Wah!"

"Hm hm hm! Digging for gold, Brother?" a girl laughed.

"Annaira, stop bloodbending me! WAH!" He was forcibly spanking himself.

"You've been a bad, bad BOY, Atnort!"

"Stooooop!"

"I'll just… leave you be." With that, Ednolal ended transmission.

Negative Sector V Treehouse

From the view of a normal-sized person, it would look like a purple firefly flew into the window and took land on the kitchen table. In reality, it was Nerehc and Ininap, who really needed to catch their breath. "Huff, huff… man, that took a lot outta me. Fighting Cheren was easier."

"I hope we can get somebody's attention." Ininap shuddered.

But it was then some giant footsteps caught their attention, and they saw Akurah walking in. "We just might." Nerehc smirked. "HEEEY! AKURAAAAH!"

As she walked by, Akurah could've sworn some bug was calling to her. "Hm?"

"YES! 'EY! AKURAH! HELP US OUT, WILL YA?" Ininap screamed, hopping like a rabbit.

"Wow, never heard you yell that loud before." Nerehc remarked.

"Hehe, it's all for your benefit, Nerry." She blushed.

"…" A wicked smile formed on Akurah's face. "Awww, what cute little bugs."

The Microscopic

Lorac's been asleep for who knows how long… even if she could afford a watch, telling time was impossible in this world. But when her eyes peeped open, she found a watery barrier above her, seeming to catch black snowflakes and toss them over the side. She glanced right and saw Nosam was controlling that water. "Nosam… You?…" She was still half-asleep.

"The smoke was dropping little ash, and, well, I didn't want any falling in your mouth." She couldn't see it, but his eyes were very red.

"Oh… well, that could've been bad. But where'd you get all this water?"

"My tears… it's okay… I'm over it now. Yaaaaawn."

"Hm hm." Lorac chuckled. "You don't have to, anymore. I'll be fine."

"Yaaaaaaawn." He pulled the water back to him and stuffed some in his bottles.

"…" They were silent for a long time. Even if he was really tired, Nosam would be drooling over Lorac by now. He must've been pretty upset. She felt a little awkward about it, even. "Nosam… about last night… I'm sorry about what I said. You just… well, get on my nerve sometimes. You're a sweet guy and all, but I want you to have a better life than devoting your time and attention to one person ALL the time."

"I know, Lorac… I'm sorry."

"…" She smiled, "Hm hm, you'll have to speak up, you're so teeny. Here." She scooped him in her pinky nail and placed Nosam in her left ear.

"…Hehe. You have a lot of wax." His voice echoed in her cave-like ear. "Want me to clean it?"

"Hm-hm, okay. I guess I could hear you better."

Using the water from his bottles, he scooped small portions of earwax at a time and tossed them out the ear. "To be honest, Nosam, I think I understand why you like me so much."

"Hm?" He tossed another scoop out.

"Those friends of yours are awful. When one of their teammates is in trouble… they don't even care. How does your organization even function?"

"It just… does. It lasted for at least -5,000 years, 'course it got a little better -20 years ago."

"But still… I can't imagine why a team would hate each other so much. I feel like this whole world is nothing but darkness. People are mean to each other, and the sky's always so gloomy… when I give money to all those kids, I wonder if they're even grateful, or just mocking me behind my back."

"Why don't you just keep the money for yourself, Lorac?"

"Because I always thought that money makes people crazy. In those fairytales I used to read, those princes and princesses were mean to everyone, and they only loved each other because of their money. That's why I didn't wanna be like that. I wanted to feel like I was more… free. Free from that stuff that turns people evil."

"Mmm… well, I think you're a great person, Lorac." He was almost finished cleaning the ear. "And you know… maybe that is why I wanted you in our sector. Why I loved you so much. You were just so… nice. Even my sister would wanna poison me if she saw me like this."

"I know. …" She glanced to her ear, "You know, Nosam, after you're normal again, maybe I will go out with you."

"You will?!" His excitement was rising incredibly.

"But just… promise you won't try too hard. Okay? Just erase your mind of all desires trying to impress me, and just go on like I'm… just a really close friend. Okay?"

"Heheh… okay." But deep down, Nosam was shouting, YEEEEEES YESYESYESYEEEES, MY LOVELY LORAC WISHES TO BE WITH ME, I WILL NOT LET HER DOOOOOWN!

Meanwhile, Aliehs was merely sitting on the edge, looking at the sea with very little interest. "…Mm?" But if she did care in the least, a spot in the sea was bubbling.

The quiet was immediately disturbed when six columns of water rose around the small ship and launched at the trio. "AAAAAHH! What's happeniiiiing??"

Lorac, Nosam, and Aliehs were sealed inside a sphere of water as six merchildren plopped down on the roof. "So, you think these are the kids we were asked to find?" a mermaid with dark-red hair smirked.

"Unless some other poor girl with smallified humans is laying around here, they might be." a merboy replied.

"Whaddo you guys WANT?!" demanded Lorac, voice staticky thanks to the spinning water sphere.

"Nothing personal, toots, but we're not lookin' to have our organs rearranged." a nasal-voiced merman replied.

"Let's go, you fools." And with that, the merkids dove back in the sea, pulling their hostages along. In the distance, that nightmarish aquatic realm came into view: Anaeco.

Dnalhsa, West Ainigriv

The sun was over West Ainigriv, but the sky was too filled with clouds for sun to be seen. Regardless, one particular -7-year-old made it a very sunny day. Ynohtna EiznekCm kicked his front door open with his big white sneakers and joyously marched outside. "YAAAAY! WednesDAY, WednesDAY, whaaat a HAPPY DAY TODAAAY! It's nooo different from eeevery daaaay, 'cause it's ALL A HAP-PY day, YAAAAY!"

He approached his teammates, Yllas and Yevrah Reprah, who were playing with their favorite toys, ball-in-the-cup, in which Yevrah was much better at catching his ball in the cup. "Hello, Yllas! HELLO, Yevrah! Isn't it a wonderful day today?"

"Moderately." Yllas replied tonelessly.

"Not sweet."

"Come on! It's a happy day!" He wrapped arms around them. "Turn those frowns upside-down and let's be HAPPYYYY!"

"Hey, you're right, Ynohtna!" Yevrah beamed. "It IS a good day today! You should go spread the joy to EVERYONE else!"

"YAAAAY! Dah, dah, daaaah!" He marched away, "Wednesdaaay!" Yllas and Yevrah went back to boredly playing their toys.

"Finally, just go away…" Yllas mumbled. Like any DNK sector, the teammates didn't like each other, and they were really annoyed with Ynohtna. Although he was oblivious to their dislike to him, he was always so happy.

"Dah, daaaaah!" He skipped his way to Aenara Thgirbluf, a girl a few inches taller than him. "Heeey, Naraaaa! How's the weather up theeeere? I bet it's FIIIINE! Dah, daaaah!"

"Sigh," she rolled her eyes, "YES, Ynohtna, bright and fine like EVERY other day."

"Huhuhu, I know it is, silly!" He hugged her waist. "I wish I was tall as you, taking in all that warmth and sunlight, well there's no sunlight, but I bet you feel it better than everyone else!"

"Well, Ibyf could feel it, too… speakin' of which, why don't you go pester her?" She winked.

"Good IDEA! La, la, la laaaa!" He skipped to his treehouse, Aenara shaking her head in disbelief. Even though she was annoyed with his positive spirit, she had to admit she sort of liked him.

"HEY, Iby!" the boy cheered, barging into her dark room in the treehouse. Sitting in the corner, with only a faint desk lamp, a frizzy-haired angel girl with heart-shaped wings, and a very withered face, was doing homework. "How's your shiny day??"

"…Siiiiigh." She couldn't sound more aggravated. "What… Ynohtna?"

"Why are you in heeeere! It's a great day today, and GREAT for flying! Why don't you ever fly, Ibyf?"

"Sigh, because in case you forgot, we have tons of homework for school, and I don't see our future getting any brighter if we neglect to do it."

"Awwww what's the worst that can happen, Ibyf, take a little break! Let's go flying through the clouds and enjoy this wonderful-"

She looked at him with terrifying, half-closed emerald eyes. "You want to know what could happen?" And at that moment, Ynohtna saw himself as an adult, torn-up clothes and in need of a shave as he lie in the street and held a cup up in the hopes people would drop money in.

Ynohtna shook out of this trance as Ibyf turned back to her work. "Now if you don't mind… I have work."

"…" Ynohtna left her to her work and returned home.

Ynohtna's House

Ynohtna's father, Yevrah EiznekCm (not to be confused with Ynohtna's friend) was lain back on the couch and happily humming to a merry tune. He saw his son walk by with his head down. "Afternoon, Son! Back from enjoying this wonderful day already? You oughta try going without shoes, it makes your spirit more open!"

"No thanks, I… don't really like dirt. …Hey, Dad… do you ever think we act… TOO happy sometimes?"

"Why ya think so, Son!" He sat up, still wearing a happy smile.

"Well, none of the others are ever happy and it's not like we ever SEE a sun… you ever think we should try to look to our futures?"

"Son, did Ibyf fearbend you again?"

"…Yes."

"Son, when all those people try to see the future, they're blind in the present. Since they're gonna act like that, it's our job to remind them there's fun and happiness in the present world! Heh, h-and it's obvious the women of this house aren't gonna do that. The point is, the future's gonna turn out fine 'long as you keep yourself happy!"

"Yeah, you're right, Dad! And it's better than acting mean like Aunt Lehcar, or sour like Ibyf. She's worse than Miss Akim. I'm gonna see if Little Sis wants to play! HEY, ELLEHCIM!"

"Don't wanna, Big Brother."

"Ahhhh, you silly sourpuss!"

"Just like her mum." Yevrah smiled.

Anaeco

Anaeco: the darkest, reddest metropolis in the Negative Sea. An eerie red glow shone from the city lights and reflected off the bubble encasing the town. The constant pollution released into the sea has created more poisonbending merpeople than waterbending, and those that could waterbend studied more than their share of bloodbending. 'Course, it wasn't like the art was illegal, what would be the harm in it?

In a DNK treehouse, Lorac was still held in the water sphere while Nosam and Aliehs were placed in air bubbles. "Well, that job wasn't too hard." said Nera, a merman with dark-red hair and orange skin. "Girl too poor to afford footwear and a couple pint-sized rodents, Her Excellency is being generous today."

"Why did you guys kidnap us?!" Lorac questioned. "I know mermen don't like humans very much, but that doesn't give you any right to-"

"Pipe down, Girly." the nasally-voiced merboy, Elyk said. "We're just following the boss's orders. More like the boss's boss."

"Do you mean that galactic dictator?" Nosam asked.

"Yes, that one." Aras replied, a pink-haired mergirl. "A couple years ago, she found our city and forced us to join her empire. But in return, that friend of hers taught us bloodbending, which only the adults are allowed to learn to discipline us. So naturally, we've been enjoying our payback."

"But that's terrible!" Lorac proclaimed. "Neither of you should be using bloodbending! It's a cruel power that only drives people-" One of the merkids forced her hand over her mouth with bloodbending.

"Yeah, well psychic's pretty much the same way, yet no one does anything about THAT." Elyk said. "Just how that dictator controls everyone, anyway. So, who's keeping us from doing the same?"

Lorac used her other hand to pull the former away from her mouth. "Because it's the wrong way to treat people, and just because that dictator does it, why do YOU all have to act the same?"

"Because that's how the world is, Girly." Aras stated. "Who reaches the top first wins, who possesses the greatest powers will be the victor. Aluben learned that, and she's short from reaching there. And there's certainly no time for friendships along the way."

"…" Lorac only glared.

Nemas, a purple-haired merboy with light-purple skin, hurriedly swam over. "Hey, Supreme Leader's coming! And that purple alien is with her."

"Says the purple merman?" Nosam remarked.

"She's the bloodbender." he replied. "And you two would be easy to bend as water drops, so don't think about running."

A submarine designed like a fish with a water bubble windshield docked in their hideout as Amiak, the Merkid Leader, and Annaira, DNKG interrogation agent, and currently munching a turkey leg, stepped off and entered their living room. "Good afternoon, Sector -FIN. Assuming it's… then, so where're the prisoners?" Amiak asked.

"Right here, Your Unambience." Elyk said, presenting Nosam and Aliehs's bubbles.

"Please! Take me, but don't take Lorac!" Nosam wept. "And take Aliehs, too."

"Whatever…" Aliehs sighed.

Annaira observed closely. "…He's not the Supreme Leader."

"Who?" Amiak asked.

"Why would they be here?" Lorac questioned.

"Our info stated that the Earth DNK Leader and his servant walked into a strange door, which we've deduced as a Hsinim Door, and the 'poor' child was aiding a couple of shrimps. I take it to mean the four of you were affected."

"So, Nerehc and Ininap went in there, too?" Nosam asked.

"Yes. Then we heard the poor one was bringing you to Water -7, so we called the mermutants to ambush you. Of course, if you were Nerehc, forcing you to submit to the Galactic Child Empire would be no hassle. Hmmm… but I guess I am on a wild goose chase coming here." She bit another piece out of her turkey. "That's okay, though… I don't mind a little torture." She grinned wickedly.

Negative Sector V Treehouse

"NYAAAAAAAAA!" Ininap was once again screaming as Nerehc flew her around the living room like little flies. Reason was, a crazy pigtailed girl was chasing them with a great purple cloud of poison. "WHY IS SHE DOING THIIIIIS!"

"I dunno! HEY, AKURAH! Get a GRIP, it's US! Supreme Leader and Coward Ears!"

"Now now, little bugs, no need to be afwaaaaaid." Akurah mocked with a smiling, sadistic face. "I just wanna see what happens when a wittle GAS hits your luuuuungs." She continued aimlessly blasting it everywhere.

It was then that Eirik curiously walked in, baffled at the sight of all the gas in the room. "Yo Urah, you having a one-person FARTING contest?"

"No, I'm having a one-person murder-some-shrimps contest."

"Oh yeah? Well I'M having it, TOO!" Inhaling a huge gust of air, Eirik "AAAAAAAIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAA!" It was the most horribly loudest sound they've ever heard. Akurah couldn't press her hands any harder to her ears, and to Nerehc and Ininap, it was so ear-splittingly painful, it was slightly quiet, but that could be because their drums already broke.

"Ahh… I'm gonna need a minute." Eirik said hoarsely, but her evil smile stayed.

"…" Akurah merely shrugged and approached the fallen bugs. Nerehc and Ininap looked up with pure dizziness as her giant Mary-Jane came down.

Anaeco

"Now, then…" Annaira began, her devious smirk unchanging. "What would happen if I did THIS?" She opened a window and forced the shrunken duo outside of the water barrier that gave the room oxygen.

From a certain viewpoint, they were like two ants thousands of meters below the surface, so the billions of pounds of pressure would no doubt be overwhelming. 'Cause that's exactly how they felt. "HMMmmmpp." Nosam absolutely struggled to blow an air bubble. "Hmmmmp." He just couldn't make it come out. G… If only I could… move my arms!…

"Oh… and just for fun's sake, I'm bloodbending you in place so you can't swim!" Annaira beamed. "People say I expend too much energy on simple little rodents, but I say we shouldn't discriminate!… on who receives punishment!"

"HEY, LET THEM GO!" Lorac screamed. "THEY DON'T DESERVE THIS, they never did ANY thing to you! Huuu-uuk!" Annaira squeezed the blood in Lorac's neck.

"Yeah… you're right. Perhaps I'll let them go. Let them go down your contorted neck-"

As if out of nowhere, the wall nearest Lorac was blown down, freeing the girl from her watery sphere and knocking everyone off their feet, or fins. A small fleet of ships with angel wings, surrounded in spinning water bubbles, was flying around outside. "Numbuh -10,000 Leagues!" a merboy called, swimming up frantically. "The Nimbi are attacking us again!"

"Ready the swordwhales and initialize a counterattack!" Amiak yelled.

"Ugh, that stupid Atnort!" Annaira proclaimed. "He told us he had those batfreaks under contr-"

Lorac flipped at her nimbly and laid a storm of rapid punches along Annaira's body, blocking her chi. With that, she wrapped both arms and legs around Ira's head and kept her mouth closed 'til she was down. She then looked at the water barrier as Nosam was able to regain himself, fighting the unbearable water pressure with his bending and landing in Lorac's hand once he made it inside. "Let's steal one of their subs and get out of here, my dearest!"

"Where'd Aliehs go??"

"I lost sight of her when the torpedo came, who cares! Let's just leave her be and get out of here!"

"Get back out there and FIND her!!"

"At what expense?? She must be LOST by now, her wish for death finally come true, and my burden to watch over her finally-"

"FIND HER." Darkness engulfed this realm, and Lorac had the form of a dark, imposing demon that would see that simple little Nosam suffers his whole life.

". . . . .;" Nosam couldn't be any quicker to zip back in that water and start swimming around at flawless, unparalleled speed. The torpedoes released by Nimbi and mermen alike were easy to dodge, but created so many bubbles that made everything totally foggy. In all of this chaos, he would never find Aliehs, let alone find her alive.

But out of the corner of his eye, something gray and limp was floating up inside one of the bubbles created by a missile. It was Aliehs. Nosam hurriedly swam up after, taking her in his arms when her bubble popped after a few seconds of rising. Like a dolphin, he swam his way back to the barrier, evasively dodging bubble clouds before he finally passed into fresh air and rolled to a halt along the ground. "HUUUFF."

Lorac bent over above them with a worried face. "Is she okay??"

"Y-Yeah… hold on." With gentle, careful movement, Nosam pulled the water in Aliehs's throat out of her mouth, throwing it to the side.

"Keh, heh…" She only took a few breaths before her usual half-open expression returned. "Oh… was I dead?"

"Yes, and we sadly couldn't leave you that way."

"Sigh, come on, you two." Lorac scooped the two in her fingernails and slid them down her pocket.

Lorac stylishly leaped over the brawling merkids and Nimbi and slipped inside the submarine brought by Amiak. "Hokay, first time driving a mersub, but that's okay, 'cause it's just like driving an Earth sub. Just calibrate the tailfin and we're good to…"

The submarine backed out and- "WHOA! Sorry!" bumped another one- "OUCH! My bad!" and wobbled as she tried to drive it- "Yowchie! Uhhh, I need some room here."

"My dearest Lorac, how you bashfully apologize for your mishaps is so beautifully-"

"I wouldn't mind accidentally rolling over on you."

"The joke of you performing a cruel act is both humorous, yet thrilling!"

Nega-Sector V Treehouse

Nerehc recovered just in time to dodge Akurah's stomp with a Rocket Boost, pulling Ininap with him. After grabbing a drink of water, Eirik began chasing and screaming smaller, but still reasonably deadly, soundwaves. Nerehc narrowly dodged them, but panicked when a Poison Whip lashed up before them and knocked them to the floor. Akurah blasted a poison cloud directly down, but Nerehc shot straight up to jab lightning in her eye.

Eirik leaped high above and blasted a soundwave that broke a hole in the floor, but Nerehc still avoided and flew Ininap to the window. Akurah inhaled and burped a Gas Bomb straight to them, exploding the floor beneath and making Nerehc lose balance. "GYAAAAAAH!" Ininap fell to the floor, while Nerehc went flying out the window. She weakly and frightfully looked up as both girls came with wicked expressions, ready to stomp her. Her cowardly instincts gave her the rush to zip around like little lightning, avoiding their stomps as she dashed across the living room. Akurah and Eirik blasted after her with gas and sound rockets, and once they caught up, they released a furious storm of their elements.

Outside, Sirhc was just returning home after his visit to Dnalhsa. Tiny Nerehc awoke on the sidewalk to his house just in time to see Sirhc come. "AAAAH!" He immediately dodged his boot and flew up to Sirhc's face. "SIRHC! It's me!"

"AAAAH! Buuug!" Sirhc braced himself and shuddered for his life.

"What? No, Sirhc, it's me, Nerehc!"

"D-D-D-D-Dooooon't hurt meeeeeee."

"Oh, Brother…"

Team Lorac; middle of the sea

After managing to escape from that war-filled city, Lorac parked the sub above the surface, the water shield having dispelled to give them fresh(ish) air. The seas were calm and free of any other boats. "Siiiigh." Lorac lied across the pilot's seat while Nosam and Aliehs sat on her chest. "Well, at least we're out of that mess. I need to catch my breath."

"Ahhhh and I will gladly enjoy this swaying as your body recovers." Nosam said as her chest puffed up and down. "To know my Lorac has a sense of relaxation. Perhaps it will help if I-…" He stopped himself.

"Huuh? …" Lorac was too tired to pull her head up.

"Um… never mind."

She spared a light smile. "Well, Aliehs is the one who almost drowned, why don't you offer her some comfort?"

"I could give her all the comfort in the world, she'll always stay the same! That's why I reserve it for you." He winked.

"But Nosam, you and Aliehs are teammates, you should try to be friends with each other. I mean… why make you a team if you guys aren't even FRIENDS?!" She screamed suddenly and abruptly.

"M-M-My Lorac, if it'll give you peace, I will gladly-"

"No… forget about it. It won't work if I make you be friends. I just…sigh, I guess I'm just thinking too much."

"About what?"

"About…" Lorac sat up, the two slipping to her lap, "About everything. Do you remember those Nimbi who showed up out of nowhere and attacked? I read somewhere that they always hated each other, and they always attacked one another, the same way Hsinim play pranks on humans, and humans like to catch mermen for dinner, and everyone just… Hohhhh!" She buried her face in her hands.

"W…What's wrong, Lorac?"

She sniffled. "Why does everybody HATE each other so much?! The army steals from kids, races fight each other… you and your friends don't even care enough for each other to even save them from drowning!"

"…" Nosam looked away, feeling a strand of guilt.

"It's just… This world is a MESS because everybody hates each other! Why can't people just be happy, instead of all this HATE that goes around. I know we're supposed to be opposites, but…but why do we have to live this way?"

Nosam climbed up to her arm and lightly rubbed it (yeah, she'll definitely feel that). "I'm sorry we're like that Lorac, but… not everyone is. There're as many good people in the world as bad people… like Innus. She's real nice. Her sister's nuts, but, Innus is really talented and helpful. Just like you, Lorac. And I know things will get better, don't worry about it."

She uncovered her eyes. "Well… I guess you're right, Nosam. It'd just be nice if there was something I could do. …But Nosam? If I hang out with you later, can you promise you and Aliehs will try to be friends? It'd be nice for you to have someone else to enjoy spending time with."

"But Looooraaaaac!"

She gave him a pouty look of shame that some moms or older sisters would. "…Okay."

"Good boy!" She gently patted his little head. "Now only problem is, where the heck Water -7 is. It doesn't look like this junk heap has a compass, and we still have no idea-"

"It's over there." Aliehs said, pointing to a distant island with a giant flashy sign. Welcome to WATER -7. Renowned for our big flashy signs. ('Cause who needs lighthouses in this universe?)

"Um…good eye, Aliehs. Let's go!" Lorac started up the sub again and drove to the island.

EiznekCm Household

Lehcar was in the kitchen reading a newspaper while Arorua sat with her and read a magazine. "M-Mom?" They looked up when Sirhc walked in, shuddering with slight fear, holding up his pinky finger. "Th-There's something you need to see."

"Oh, quit stuttering, Sirhc, what is it?" Lehcar angrily asked. Both she and Arorua approached the boy and squinted closely at the tip of his finger. Standing at the tip of Sirhc's pinky was a very tiny Nerehc, cowering in total fear. "…Nerehc?" she whispered with shock.

"What happened?" Arorua asked.

"H-He walked into some kinda magic door." Sirhc stuttered. "He's been like this for hours."

"Hours?! Well, why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"W-Well, I-I didn't find him 'til, well, after Akurah and Eirik tried to kill him and Ininap. 'Course, he thinks Inap is dead by now. Then, well, he didn't want me to bring you here at first, 'c-cause he thought you were g-going to squish him, Mother."

"Why not? He is a bug, after all." Arorua smirked. "Don't bugs deserve to be squished, Mother?"

"Still that tongue, both of you! I would never do that!"

"B-But I thought we squish small creatures, Mother." Sirhc said. "They don't deserve to live, right?"

"Well, this case is different. Nerehc is my son." Lehcar released a sigh. "When I was little, my father always treated me like I was nothing. He made me feel as small as Nerehc is right now. I don't wanna be like that. I wish to treat my kids with the same respect I desire from them. And when my son is at his smallest and weakest, I'll do everything in my power to help him."

The tiny Nerehc was touched by his mother's words. His fear had vanished as a warm feeling in his heart took over.

Water -7

A black-winged Nimbi patrolled the shores of the island. She had dark-red hair, a green sweater, and baggy black pants with white shoes. Soaring over a dock, Asia cocked a brow, seeing a strange girl waving at her. Asia was a tad disgusted by her dirty apparel, but she flew down regardless. "You need something? Did you come from the ocean or something?"

"Um, kind of…" Lorac panted. "Listen, you're Asia, right? I need you to get Sipa to help these two." Asia bent down to see the tiny Nosam and Aliehs in her fingers.

"Aliehs?? What the heck happened to you, girl?"

"This idiot, who else?"

"So, do you think Sipa can do something?"

"I don't know if she will, but I'll call her." She did so, and-

"REJECT ARCEUS!" A girl in a black priestess robe and white pointed hat poofed out of red smoke. "What's goin' on?"

"This." Lorac showed her the tinies and explained the situation.

"A Hsinim Door, huh? Ooo, I've always wanted to find one of those. Still… are you sure you wanna help them?" Sipa stroked her chin with a smirk. "They'll make pretty fun test subjects."

"Come on, Sipa." Asia glared.

"Fine, fine. Where's the Hsinim Door, anyway?"

Dnalevelc

Sipa uttered an incantation to reopen the Hsinim Door. Nosam and Aliehs walked inside, and the girls watched as it expanded back to normal size. "Whoa!" The two stumbled out.

Sipa uttered an incantation to reopen the Hsinim Door. Nosam and Aliehs walked inside, and the girls watched as it expanded back to normal size. "Whoa!" The two stumbled out. "Hey, it worked!"

"Finally…" Aliehs sighed.

"For that, I'll accept your eternal souls~" Sipa said.

"Piss off."

"Ugh, fine. If you don't mind, I'm gonna stay and study this a bit."

With their business done, Team Lorac was headed to the town. "Well, Nosam… despite the craziness, you were pretty fun to hang out with." She smiled.

"I would like our next shrink date to go without evil merkids." he said with a cool grin.

"Hehe, mine, too. But I'm worried about what that girl said about your leader. Do you have a communicator; you should call your sector and warn them. Wouldn't hurt to test if they care…"

"Sigh, I suppose." With that, Nosam switched on his wristwatch communicator and dialed Yrrah. "Hello? Yrrah? Remember when I was, well, shrunk earlier? Apparently the same thing happened to Nerehc, so he-"

"Yesth yesth, I know, Nollid already took care of it. Thank goodnessth, I thought thosthe two would never sthop."

"Huh?"

Nega-Sector V Treehouse; earlier

"I wanna squish it-" Akurah stated, shoving Eirik.

"No I wanna squish it!" Eirik screamed, pushing back.

"I found it first."

"Well I broke its EARS."

"You had the LAST kill."

"No, YOU DID!"

Ininap merely sat and shuddered in place, wondering which girl would be the one to administer her fate. 'Course, she could take this time to make a break for it, but the situation was much more terrifying.

"Stupefy."

"EEEK!" Both girls were hit by a magic blast that froze them in place.

Nollid walked in from the hallway, wand aimed and spell book in hand. "For crud's sake, can't you girls be left alone once without getting in a murder contest?"

Their stiff expressions exchanged glances.

Nollid picked Ininap up on his finger. "Nerehc!" The Supreme Leader waited on the palm.

"Hey, you're still alive! Not bad, Ininap."

"Yeah, Sirhc brought him." Nollid clarified. "I'll take you down to the Hsinim Door and get you fixed up."

"Hy, bt yu di'n't hlp Nsm erlier." Eirik said through stiff teeth.

"I know, and…" Nollid looked down, "I don't know why, but… something inside me wanted to help them now. But… I guess I can only rely on Lorac for that. Hopefully she can…"

EiznekCm House, after the fact

Lehcar and Yllaw were asleep in their room when Nerehc excitedly ran in and shook his mom by the arm. "Mom, Mom! I'm big again, look!"

"Huh. Wh-What?" Lehcar barely awakened, her eyes still heavy from tiredness.

"I'm back to normal! I don't know how, but I'm back!"

"Oh… I guess you are." Lehcar yawned, too tired to be excited, even though she was joyous deep down. "Let's celebrate in the morning, Nerry…" With that, she fell back asleep.

"Hehe… okay." Nerehc was about to head out the door, but stopped and turned around. "M-Mom?"

Lehcar mumbled, her eyes still closed. "Yes, Nerry?"

Nerehc was extremely grateful for what his mother said earlier, and was unable to find words to express it. Instead, he just walked up and hugged her sleeping form. "I love you, Mom." With that said, Nerehc calmly walked out and closed the door.

Lehcar shifted around in her bed as her voice muffled, "I love you, too… Nerry…"