" They don't have badges or uniforms." Astrid said, smirking.

Before anyone could reply, a voice did. " We do," they said. " And our uniforms say, ' We're gonna kick your butt!"'

The person jumped from the window and backflipped. She landed on her feet.

" Mia?" Mateo said, confused.

" Mia, you should be resting your leg!" Oz said.

Mia held her hourglass. " Remember? It's a dream?"

Oz groaned. " Really? Yeesh, your brothers were right."

" Who are you? And what branch are you of?" The grand inspector asked, walking to her.

Mia turned. " Hello, Royce."

Everyone gasped. Mia remained unfazed. 

" I'm a part of the Brooklyn branch, for some reason. I don't even live there. Anyway, I'm Mia. Elemental master of Wind, lightning, water, and Fire."

Royce sputtered. " You can not call me my first name!"

Astrid rolled to her. " How old are you, five?" She sneered.

Mia turned to her, eyes blazing. " I'll have you know I'm an accomplished elemental master that can kill you in ten seconds flat!"

Everyone gasped again.

" Oh, how cute. Trying to act all brave." Astrid ruffled her hair, and Mia grabbed it. Lightning flowed to her hand, and it struck Astrid.

" Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Easy is quick and painless. Hard is long and painful." Mia said, approaching her while dream crafting very sharp katanas.

Cooper sputtered, " Uh, Mia? Maybe take it a step back, think about it."

Mia paused, her eyes still blazing with intensity as she considered Cooper's words. The sharp katanas she had crafted hovered in the air, gleaming with an almost otherworldly light. For a moment, it seemed like she might ignore Cooper's plea and press forward, but then she took a deep breath, her expression softening slightly.

"You're right, Cooper," Mia said, her voice calm but still edged with power. "But that doesn't mean I'm backing down."

She lowered her katanas, allowing them to dissipate into the dreamscape, but her stance remained firm and unyielding. Turning her gaze back to Astrid, she added, "You might think I'm just a kid, but I've faced things that would make you run screaming. So don't underestimate me."

Astrid, now more cautious, took a wheel back, the smug look on her face replaced by a hint of wariness. Royce, still struggling to regain his composure, tried to reassert his authority. "You may have powers, but that doesn't mean you can just—"

Mia cut him off with a sharp glance. "Listen, Royce. I'm not here to play by your rules. I'm here to protect my friends and make sure this dream doesn't turn into a nightmare. So unless you want to find out just how real this dream can get, I suggest you back off."

There was a tense silence, the weight of Mia's words hanging in the air. Royce and Astrid exchanged a glance, clearly unsettled by the situation.

Finally, Logan, still a bit confused but determined to support Mia, stepped forward. "Mia's right. We're all in this together, and we need to focus on what's important: getting through this dream safely. So let's all take a step back and figure out a way to work together."

Coop nodded in agreement. "We don't need to fight each other. We need to get through this, and we'll do it by sticking together."

Mia, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, allowed herself a small smile. She still held her hourglass tightly, ready to use her powers if necessary, but for now, she was willing to stand down.

"Fine," Mia said, her voice firm but less confrontational. "But don't forget—I'm watching you."

Izzy grinned and gave Mia an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "That was so cool! You handled that so nicely, Mia!" she exclaimed, clearly impressed by how Mia had taken control of the situation.

Logan nodded in agreement and held up his hand for a high-five. "Yeah, up high!" he said, smiling at Mia.

Mia returned the high-five with a casual shrug. "I've seen worse," she said, her tone light and nonchalant.

But Mateo, still processing everything, furrowed his brow and hesitated before asking, "Wait, what you said earlier... about the quick and hard options. Have you... done it before?"

Mia looked at him with a bright smile, her demeanor unchanged. "Yeah, lots of times," she answered cheerfully, as if she were talking about something as mundane as her favorite hobby.

Mateo's eyes widened in surprise. "You have?" he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and concern.

Mia nodded, her smile never fading. "Yup! It's part of what I do. Sometimes, you just have to make quick decisions, and sometimes they're tough ones. But that's how you get things done."

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed Mia's words. The contrast between her cheerful tone and the gravity of what she was saying was striking.

Izzy and Logan exchanged glances, a mix of admiration and curiosity in their eyes. They knew Mia was strong and capable, but hearing her talk so casually about tough situations was a reminder of just how much she'd been through.

Mateo, still processing, finally nodded. "Well, I'm glad you're on our side, Mia," he said sincerely. "You're one tough cookie."

Mia grinned and gave him a playful punch on the arm. "You bet I am!" she said with a wink.

 Oz chuckled nervously, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Well, don't... you know... zap us or anything."

Mia gave him a reassuring smile. "Oh, don't worry. You're safe. It's the other branches that might or might not get a taste if they step out of line," she said with a wink, her tone light but with an underlying edge that made it clear she meant business.

Logan, sensing the tension rising again, quickly interjected. "And... we're going. Nice to meet you all, but we have more pressing matters to attend to," he said, trying to steer the conversation away from potential conflict.

Mia nodded in agreement. "True. The Night Hunter is striking chaos in Mushroom Town. We should move quickly," she added, her focus shifting back to the mission.

Royce, still reeling from the surprise of Mia's appearance, couldn't hold back his disbelief. "I cannot believe you let an eight-year-old be on your team, Oz!" he exclaimed, his tone incredulous.

Mia's eyes narrowed as her hands crackled with lightning. The room seemed to darken as her power surged, and she stepped forward with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "What was that?" she asked, her voice low and menacing.

The air was thick with tension as everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next. Royce, realizing he had crossed a line, took a step back, his face paling as he stammered, "I-I didn't mean any disrespect..."

Mia's lightning intensified for a moment, then suddenly fizzled out as she relaxed, her expression shifting back to one of calm control. "Good," she said, her voice steady but with an unmistakable edge. "Remember, I'm on this team for a reason. Don't underestimate me because of my age."

Oz let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and quickly nodded in agreement. "Mia's right. She's proven herself time and time again. Now let's focus on the task at hand and stop the Night Hunter," he said, trying to get everyone back on track.

Logan, eager to move forward, nodded as well. "Exactly. We've got a mission to complete," he said, gesturing for the team to follow him.

They flew towards Mushroom Town, only to find it shrouded in thick, swirling fog. The air was dense, making it nearly impossible to see anything below. As the fog loomed closer, Mia's face filled with concern.

"Oh, no," she murmured. Then, louder, she called out, "Quick, Mr. Oz! We need to get down there—quick!"

Albert peered out the window with a worried expression. "We can't find a place to land in this fog!" he reported, his voice tinged with anxiety.

But before anyone could react, Mia was already gone. She had darted out of the ship, disappearing into the fog below.

Oz sighed and slapped his forehead in exasperation. "Of course, she'd do that," he muttered under his breath, already half-expecting Mia's impulsive action. "She never waits for a plan."

The rest of the team exchanged concerned glances as the ship hovered uncertainly above the fog-covered town. Cooper looked out into the thick gray below, biting his lip. "We've got to follow her," he said urgently. "She's going to need backup."

Oz nodded, already pulling on the controls to bring the ship lower. "Hang on, everyone. We'll get down there, one way or another."

As they descended into the fog, the visibility grew worse, but the urgency in Mia's voice echoed in their minds. Something was very wrong in Mushroom Town, and they had to get there fast. The ship rocked as they plunged deeper into the mist, each team member bracing themselves for whatever awaited them below.

When they finally landed in the fog-covered Mushroom Town, they found Mia already deep in battle, her hands crackling with energy as she fought off shadowy figures emerging from the mist. The situation was chaotic, and Mia was holding her own, but it was clear she was outnumbered.

Logan, without hesitation, transformed into Lolo. Despite his size, Lolo was quick and agile, zipping around the battlefield and delivering powerful hits to the shadowy foes.

The others immediately jumped into action as well. Mateo, ever the strategist, dreamcrafted Z-Blob into a towering green robot. "Alright, Z-Blob, let's show them what you've got!" he shouted. The newly formed robot charged forward, its mechanical limbs swinging with force, knocking back several enemies at once.

Izzy, not to be outdone, reached for her stuffed animal and quickly dreamcrafted Bunchu. The plush creature grew in size, becoming a fierce, bouncing defender, its ears flopping wildly as it launched itself at the enemies.

Amidst the chaos, Mia's voice rang out, her frustration evident. "A LITTLE HELP, GUYS?!"

Logan, now in his Lolo form, gave a thumbs-up with a mischievous grin. "We're here, Mia! Let's finish this!"

With their combined efforts, the team began to turn the tide of the battle. Z-Blob's robotic fists pummeled through the shadowy figures, while Bunchu hopped around, creating confusion and mayhem among their ranks. Lolo zipped in and out, taking advantage of his small size to strike at key targets.

Mia, feeling the support of her friends, unleashed a powerful gust of wind, scattering several enemies at once. "Nice work, everyone! Let's wrap this up and get rid of these creeps!"

Together, they pushed back the shadowy foes, the fog gradually lifting as the battle wore on. The team's combined strength was overwhelming, and soon enough, Mushroom Town was free from the invading shadows.

Mia, her hands still crackling with residual lightning, surveyed the battlefield with satisfaction as the last of the shadowy figures vanished into the mist. Her teammates cheered and clapped, clearly relieved and impressed.

Cooper, still catching his breath, turned to Mia with a nervous laugh. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Before Mia could respond, Royce approached with a critical expression. "Not a bad presentation," he said, nodding in approval. "However, I checked the rulebook. You cannot be a Dreamchaser."

Mia's face turned from satisfaction to rage in an instant. Her eyes blazed with anger as she turned towards Royce. "What?! What do you mean I can't be a Dreamchaser?!"

Her voice was sharp and her lightning flared up, creating small sparks around her. The air grew tense as her fury radiated outwards.

Cooper's eyes widened in alarm. "Uh... guys? Angry Mia's back. Maybe we should, um, take cover?"

Royce tried to maintain his composure, though he clearly felt the intensity of Mia's anger. "It's not personal. It's just a matter of regulations."

Mia took a step closer to Royce, her fists crackling with electricity. "Regulations? I don't care about your stupid rules! I've fought hard to be where I am, and I won't let some rulebook tell me otherwise!"

Logan and Izzy quickly stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. "Mia, let's just talk this through," Logan said, his voice calm but firm. "Getting angry won't help."

Izzy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's cool down and figure this out. We're all on the same side here."

Mia took a deep breath, her lightning gradually subsiding as she tried to control her temper. "Fine. But I'm not backing down without a fight. I've earned my place, and I won't let anyone tell me otherwise."

Royce, sensing the shift in Mia's mood, softened his stance slightly. "I understand your frustration, Mia. Perhaps we can work something out. Let's discuss this further without the heightened emotions."

Oz sighed, looking at Mia with a mixture of concern and frustration. "Mia, you really need to work on your anger. It's not healthy."

Mia rolled her eyes. "I hear that every day."

Logan chimed in, trying to ease the tension. "Yeah, and it's not helping her. It actually makes her more irritated. That's what I was told."

Mia raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to Logan. "Let me guess. Jay told you?"

Logan nodded, a small grin forming. "Yeah. He's pretty worried about you."

Mia's expression softened just a little, though her frustration was still palpable. "Jay's always worried about me. He means well, but sometimes I just need to deal with things in my own way."

Royce, sensing the moment for a bit of empathy, spoke up. "Look, Mia. We understand that you've got a lot of passion and drive. It's clear you're incredibly skilled. But managing your anger is also part of being effective in this line of work. It's about control."

Royce's eyes widened as Mia's expression shifted from frustration to defiant enthusiasm. "Control?! Dude, I can take the daylight out of you in less than ten seconds!"

Albert, who had been quietly observing, nodded in agreement. "True..."

Mia grinned, giving Albert a high-five. "See! Even the chimp agrees!"

Mateo, trying to steer the conversation in a lighter direction, suggested, "How about we head to the Candy Realm? You know, find some gummy bears or something?"

Mia's eyes lit up at the mention of candy. "Sure! That sounds awesome."

Izzy, noticing the shift in Mia's mood, leaned closer to Royce and whispered, "This is how we calm Mia down. Sometimes, distractions and treats do the trick."

Royce nodded, still trying to maintain his authoritative stance but acknowledging the group's approach. "Alright, if it helps, let's go."

Mia clapped her hands together excitedly. "Come on, guys! Mr. Stickler here's not gonna tell me what I'm supposed to do and what not!"

Logan, catching onto the shift in energy, added with enthusiasm, "Yeah! Cool. So, uh, Mr. Oz? Let's go before the lion comes."

Oz gave a chuckle, shaking his head with a smile. "Alright, everyone. To the Candy Realm it is."

As they all buckled up for the journey to the Candy Realm, Logan turned to Mia and asked, "So... how's life?"

Mia sighed dramatically. "Good, except I'm on a cruise. They forced me on it. And I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate it."

Logan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? What's so bad about it?"

Mia's face scrunched up in irritation. "Everything! The confined space, the constant rocking, the sea sickness. It's just not my thing. I'd much rather be out fighting bad guys or something."

Albert chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, I think it's good to take a break sometimes, even if it's not ideal."

Mia shot him a sidelong glance. "Yeah, well, I'm still not a fan of this cruise."

Izzy, sensing the opportunity to divert the conversation, leaned closer to Royce and whispered, "You see, this is why we focus on fun distractions. It keeps her from dwelling on stuff she hates."

Royce nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "I see. Well, if this adventure helps, then let's make the most of it."

Mia, her mood starting to lift with the anticipation of the Candy Realm, added with a grin, "But hey, if I get some gummy bears out of this, I might just forgive them for dragging me onto this boat."

As the ship took off toward the Candy Realm, Oz gave a nod of approval and adjusted the course. Logan, brimming with excitement, turned to Mia and asked, "Wanna hear my new victory beat?"

Mia, curious and in a slightly better mood, replied, "Sure."

Before Logan could start, the others all yelled in unison, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Logan looked taken aback, but Mia laughed. "Come on, let's hear it. It can't be that bad."

Logan, undeterred, began to beatbox enthusiastically. The sound echoed through the ship, a mix of energetic rhythms and offbeat noises. While some of the beats were catchy, others were a bit jarring, causing a mix of groans and giggles among the group.

Even Royce couldn't help but crack a smile, despite trying to maintain his serious demeanor. "Well, it certainly is... unique."

Mia bobbed her head along with the beat, clearly enjoying herself despite the others' protests. "See? Not so bad after all!"

Izzy leaned closer to Royce and whispered, "This is the trick. Distract and entertain. It helps with her mood."

Royce gave a small nod, finally relaxing a bit as he watched the group interact. "I suppose there's something to be said for unconventional methods."

After a few minutes of thinking, Royce's eyes narrowed as he looked around at the group. "The decision has been made. Mia is an official Dream Chaser!"

Mia's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Really?"

Royce nodded firmly. "Yes, indeed. But where is your badge? I need to stamp it."

Mia blinked, confused. "Badge? I don't have one."

Royce looked at the others. " You?"

They shook their heads.

" But now I really want one!" Izzie exclaimed.

Royce's expression turned incredulous. "Oz didn't give you badges? What type of agency are you running here?"

Oz, caught off guard, stammered, "I—well, we were still working on that part. Badges are... in progress?"

Royce shook his head, clearly frustrated. "It's not just about the badges. It's about recognition, protocol. You can't just go around calling yourself an official Dream Chaser without the proper..."

Mia, not wanting to miss a beat, jumped in with a grin. "I've got my own badge right here." She pointed to her Elemental Master of Wind, Lightning, Water, and Fire emblem.

Royce paused, taken aback by Mia's confidence. "I suppose that's one way to do it. But still, a formal badge is important for identification and security."

Logan, trying to lighten the mood, chimed in. "Hey, maybe we can get custom badges made? Like ones with your cool Elemental Master emblem!"

Izzy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! That would be awesome!"

Mia beamed at the idea. "I like that! Custom badges sound great!"

Royce sighed but couldn't hide a small smile. "Alright, alright. Custom badges it is. But let's make sure we get the official ones sorted too. We need to maintain some level of order."