Nextgen Kids: Eve of Apocalypse

Sector W7, Chapter 4

Wow... I can't believe I actually cried while writing this. Boy, have I improved... Anyway, welcome to the second-to-last chapter of this fic! This one centers April Goldenweek, the team's gloomy-guss! X33 'Cause every team needs one, same for a bubbly person.

Chapter 4: April, the First and the Last

Sector W7 Treehouse

Another peaceful day on Water 7. Man, this town is nice. It was noon as four of the team members, plus Gonbe, stood together and posed, while April Goldenweek studied them and carefully painted on her canvas. They've had a good past few days, so Chimney decided they should have a group photo. But who would want that if they have their own professional painter? Normally, it's a process that would take hours or days, but April only started a few minutes ago, and she was close to done.

A few minutes more, April painted the last whisker on Gonbe's face. She turned the canvas around, and the sector beamed, wide eyes and mouths, at their beautifully painted selves. "OOWAAAAAHH!" Chimney's eyes sparkled. "IT'S SO LIFELIIIIKE!" ("Gyom-gyooooomm!")

Aeincha was impressed as well, but after a while, she frowned. "Uhhm... there's something missing."

The others' smiles faded, as they noticed as well. There was only four of them, plus Gonbe. "Oiiii! April-chan's not in this picture!" Chimney exclaimed. ("Gyom, gyom!")

"But we're Sector W-Seveeeeen! You should be in it, tooooo!"

"Are you sure, April?" Apis asked. "You're part of the team, too."

"It's no big deal. Besides, adding extras to it will make it less of a masterpiece."

"...Well, you're the artist..." Apis figured.

"Ahhh, you're a baka-chan. Oh well, le's watch some KNN news!" Chimney grinned.

"Gyom, gyom!" The rest of the kids hurried excitedly to the couch, while April walked over less ecstatically. Chimney grabbed the remote and switched the TV on, and Melody and Danny's images were shown.

"And so ends the tale of the silly chipmunk who tricked a corporate businessman into signing away his rights to the sock-sewing company." Danny spoke. "Well, there's our random story conclusion for those just tuning in, you Mel?"

"Um, thank you, Danny, in other news, there has been a recent increase in assaults from Candy Pirates on unsuspecting Kids Next Door candy shipments. A report from Sector W7 cautions everybody to be on the lookout for notorious pirate, Commander Fat Jack. Rumored to be extremely dangerous, obsessed with candy, and very mean to tiny people. ...In unrelated news, Sector I sees its last few days as their second-to-last teammate has gone rogue, and is scheduled for decommissioning." This caught April's attention, but her expression didn't change. "The remaining operative will be temporarily moved to a new sector."

"Awww. Poor guy." Apis frowned.

"Gyom, gyom." Gonbe was just as sad.

"It's so sad when friends have to part ways like that because they get too old." Aisa said.

"Good thing WE'RE not growing up for four more years! Even MORE!" Chimney exclaimed.

"YAAAAY!" the girls, except guess-which-one, cheered excitedly.

"Oh!" Aeincha's smile vanished, remembering once again. "Except..."

The kids looked at April with sad, apologetic looks. "April... we-" Apis tried to speak.

"It's okay." she said, still not changing her look. "Our time still has to come eventually. You guys will be just as good without me."

"'ey, whatchu talking about, anyway?" Chimney asked. "You don't get decommissioned just for turnin' 13, anymore, you gotta turn traitor! You ain't gonna turn traitor, are you?"