Extraordinary Quad #1 // NRDD x TUA crossover

CHAPTER VII

The next morning, Nicky woke up in his blue-striped pajamas. He left his room and noticed that his new siblings weren't around, then heard a violin playing and followed the sound to one of the rooms to knock on the door.

—Come in! —called Vanya after the music stopped. He opened the door and saw her holding a violin.

—You play the violin? —he asked.

—Yes, did you hear me playing? —Vanya responded.

—I did! You're really good at it! It could be your superpower —Nicky said with a smile.

—It might be —Vanya laughed.

—You know what? My powers aren't actually time travel but cooking —They both laughed from his joke—. By the way, where are the others?

—They're training —Vanya answered.

—Where?

—At the dojo.

—You have a dojo? —he asked, surprised.

—Yes, but I'm not training there. I think you should go —Vanya suggested.

—Do I really need to fight? —Nicky asked.

—I mean, that's part of being a superhero —Vanya explained.

—Number Five! —they heard Reginald calling for him.

—Uh-oh, Reggie's calling me —Nicky said.

—Um, Nicky, I need to tell you someth... —Vanya started, but he teleported away before she could finish, and she watched him disappear and saw him appear next to Reginald.

—Well, looks like you're making some progress —Reginald said.

—Yeah —Nicky agreed.

—Now, you'll start one-on-one combat —Reginald instructed—. Come with me.

Reginald led Nicky to the dojo, where Pogo was teaching jujitsu.

—Are you sure this is safe? —Nicky asked nervously—. I'm more of a coward when it comes to fighting like this.

—Don't worry, Number Five. —Reginald reassured him—. I'm sure you'll do well.

—Here, change into this —Pogo said while handing him a gi.

—Thanks, where can I change? —Nicky asked.

—Over there —he pointed to the changing room in the dojo.

Nicky went to the changing room, closed the curtain, and changed from his pajamas into the gi. He emerged from behind the curtain, fully dressed, and walked toward them.

Pogo observed Allison and Klaus sparring with each other.

—I'm done —Nicky announced, feeling a mix of relief and fatigue.

Pogo turned around, noticing him.

—Good, come with me —Pogo instructed along with Reginald, motioning for Nicky to follow—. Luther, you're in charge.

—We'll begin with something simple —Reginald added, placing a reassuring hand on Nicky's shoulder.

—The key is to stay balanced and centered —Pogo said—. It's not about strength, but technique.

Nicky watched closely, trying to absorb every detail. When it was his turn, he attempted the movements. His feet didn't land as expected, and his movements felt awkward. His heart raced with a mix of nervousness and the pressure to perform well.

—Don't worry —Pogo encouraged. —It's normal to feel nervous at first. Focus on your breathing and the rhythm of the movements.

Nicky nodded, trying to steady his breath. Despite his efforts, his nerves were still evident. He tried the moves again, his steps hesitant.

—I'm not sure if I'm doing this right —he admitted anxiously.

—It's completely normal to feel this way. The important part is that you're making an effort. With time and practice, you'll find your rhythm —Reginald reassured him, while Pogo nodded in agreement.

—Everyone starts as a beginner. The key is to be patient with yourself —he said—. The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become.

Encouraged, Nicky took a deep breath and tried again, focusing on his breathing and trying to match the rhythm of the moves. Though still nervous, he began to feel a bit more balanced. As the session continued, Nicky's movements became more confident. His initial nervousness gave way to steady improvement. Each practice session helped him become more at ease. By the end, Nicky was tired but satisfied.

—I know I'm still a bit nervous, but I can feel myself getting better —he said.

—You did well today, Number Five —Reginald said.

The next day, at Boulder Academy, the remaining quads exited their classes: Dawn from Glee Club, Ricky from his science test, and Dicky from Spanish class.

—Ricky! How did your test go? —Dawn asked.

—Pretty well. I finished it early. —Ricky replied, then looked at Dicky—. Why do you have a fake curly mustache?

—Sí. —Dicky said with a grin.

—You took Spanish class and all you can say is hola and sí? —Ricky asked.

—Adiós! —he replied.

—Are you saying goodbye to us? —Dawn asked.

—No, I said oh god. —Dicky explained.

—Then you should've said ay, dios. —Ricky corrected.

—Yeah, that's what I said. —he insisted.

Miles and Mae appeared, joining them unexpectedly.

—When is Nicky coming back? —Miles appreared along with Mae, which the Harpers jumped in surprise, then slowly looked at him.

—Sí. —Dicky answered.

—Why do you have a fake mustache? —Mae asked.

—Sí. —he said it again.

—We don't know yet, but he'll return as soon as he has his powers under control. —Ricky answered Miles' question.

Suddenly, everyone in the hallway began running in a panicked rush.

—What's going on? —Mae asked.

—Sadie! What's going on? —Dawn asked as she stopped Sadie by running.

—There's breaking news live around the state! You guys have got to see it! —she shouted.

Meanwhile, at Get-Sporty, Tom and Anne saw Jerry standing in front of the TV, focused in the broadcast.

—Jerry, why are you just standing there? —Anne asked.

—There's a bank robbery on the loose. —Jerry explained.

The Harpers, including both parents and the quads, gathered around the TV, watching the live coverage.

—Holy shit! —They exclaimed in shock.