Chapter 14: Nica’s Chaotic Arrival
Valore crouched in her usual spot near her bomb-testing area, carefully tweaking the wires on her latest creation. She was fully immersed in her work, humming to herself when an earth-shaking explosion echoed from the nearby forest.
“Now that’s what I call an entrance,” she muttered, her orange pigtails bouncing as she stood up. Grabbing a tiny firecracker bomb for good measure, she dashed toward the commotion.
---
In the forest clearing, a petite woman stood amidst a scattered pile of metallic tools, her oversized black glasses slipping precariously down her nose. At just 4’9” with a face dotted in pimples and a nervous demeanor, she looked more like a lost kid than an adult.
“Stupid branch! Stupid gravity!” she huffed, fumbling with a tool that slipped from her small hands.
Valore grinned as she approached. “Hey there! What’s going on? Did you just blow something up?”
The woman jumped, clutching her toolbox to her chest. “Wha—uh, hi! No, no explosions. Just…dropped my stuff.”
“Sounds like an explosion to me!” Valore chirped. “I’m Valore. Who are you?”
The woman hesitated, then adjusted her glasses. “I’m Nica. I fix things…and sometimes break them. But not on purpose!”
Valore’s grin widened. “You’re chaotic. I like that. Wanna meet my friends? They’ll love you.”
---
Valore wasn’t kidding. Back at the team’s usual hangout spot, the rest of the crew was already gathered. Vapor lounged on a rock while Rosie sat cross-legged nearby, admiring the pale yellow crop top and green skirt she’d chosen for the day. Mira, Acre, Geo, and Austin were engaged in a spirited game of cards, with Austin’s sharp wit leaving Acre scowling.
When Valore burst onto the scene with Nica in tow, everyone turned their heads.
“Everyone! Meet Nica. She’s tiny and chaotic, just like me!” Valore announced proudly.
Nica waved awkwardly. “Uh…hi.”
Rosie raised an eyebrow. “Chaotic, huh? That’s a bold introduction.”
Austin smirked. “What she’s saying is: We’re judging you already.”
Vapor chuckled. “Relax, Austin. Nica, I’m Vapor. Welcome to Star Island.”
“I’m Rosie,” Rosie said, offering a small smile. “You’ll get used to Austin’s sarcasm.”
Mira gave Nica a once-over. “You look…young,” she noted bluntly.
“I get that a lot,” Nica replied, adjusting her glasses.
“She’s a bomb genius!” Valore said, beaming. “Watch this.”
At Valore’s urging, Nica hesitated before aiming at a distant boulder. She raised her hand, and a vivid purple beam shot out, exploding on impact and leaving a smoking crater behind.
Acre whistled. “Impressive. That beam’s got power.”
Geo adjusted his glasses, nodding thoughtfully. “Efficient energy output. Have you considered refining it for controlled bursts?”
Nica blinked at the technical jargon. “Uh…not really.”
Mira, clearly intrigued, leaned in. “You’ve got skills. Ever thought about joining our engineering projects?”
Nica smiled timidly. “Maybe. I mostly work solo, but…”
“You’re with us now,” Valore declared.
---
As the group welcomed Nica, she began to blend in easily, laughing at Austin’s snarky jokes and listening to Mira and Geo debate over drone schematics. Vapor seemed especially impressed by her ability to keep up with Valore’s chaotic energy.
However, things took an awkward turn later in the day. While Nica was distracted chatting with Acre, her diary slipped out of her toolbox. Vapor noticed it first.
“Hey, this looks important. We should give it back to her,” Vapor said.
Rosie smirked. “Or we could take a peek.”
“Rosie, no—”
But Rosie was already flipping it open. As she skimmed the pages, her expression shifted from curiosity to shock. “Vapor, you need to see this.”
Reluctantly, Vapor glanced over her shoulder. The diary detailed Nica’s frustration with being mistaken for a child and revealed her secret: a curse had stopped her body from aging.
When Nica returned, Rosie confronted her. “Care to explain this?”
Nica froze, her face pale. “W-what do you mean?”
“Your diary,” Rosie said, holding it up. “Are you pretending to be a kid or something?”
Vapor stepped in. “Rosie, maybe we should—”
“No, I want answers.”
Nica took a deep breath, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m cursed. My body stopped aging years ago, but my brain didn’t. I’m 21. I just…look like this.”
Everyone fell silent, processing her confession.
“I’ve spent years trying to break the curse,” Nica continued. “I just wanted to feel normal. Sometimes…I pretend to be a kid because it’s easier than explaining the truth.”
Acre was the first to speak. “That’s…rough. Can’t imagine dealing with that.”
Geo nodded. “Curse or not, your skills are impressive. That’s what matters.”
Valore grinned. “Yeah! Who cares how old you look? You’re awesome!”
Rosie sighed, her expression softening. “Okay, I might’ve overreacted. Sorry for accusing you.”
Vapor placed a reassuring hand on Nica’s shoulder. “You’re one of us now. And we’ll help you figure out this curse.”
Nica’s eyes glistened with gratitude. For the first time in years, she felt truly accepted.
“Well,” Austin said with a smirk, breaking the moment. “Now that we’ve sorted that out, let’s see what else that purple beam can do.”
The group laughed, and Nica felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Despite her curse, she knew she had finally found a place where she belonged.
