TW: Head Trauma, Broken Bone, Abuse, Swearing

“I know you weren’t my soulmate, but you made me not want to meet them.”

— 4:52 PM

So while I really loved s4 of Carmen Sandiego, and I enjoyed the finale, it felt more like a season finale than a series one. While the last episode was great, I felt the last ten minutes felt very rushed. So here’s some things I would’ve done different if there was a season 5 

Highlights include: tons more of Player interacting with everyone (more Player and Carmen friendship, Player being in danger from VILE), Gray officially joining Team Red, Zach and Ivy joining ACME having more build up, etc. 

Season 4 

Carmen and Player’s first in-person meeting is shown in FULL like cmon

Have Carmen’s brainwashing last much shorter, only about a month at most (you cannot expect me to believe Team Red would let it go on for seven months) 

Carmen never joins VILE’s faculty, but we do see her being quite cruel on cases, and Gray’s growing concern and guilt 

Team Red teams up with ACME, desperate to get Carmen back and willing to do anything 

Like in the show: VILE lies to Carmen about Shadowsan and she goes after him. Gray realises how wrong all of this is and turns himself over to ACME to try and save Carmen

There’s a big Team Red/ACME vs VILE/Carmen fight. Gray tries to get the headset on (we’re keeping the “please come back” line because it broke my heart) but she realises he betrayed her and shocks him. It’s a big fight between Shadowsan and Carmen, he gets the headset on her and her memories start to come back, but she destroys it before it can work completely. Shadowsan is down, and Carmen’s about to take him out when…

Player shows up! 

He’s been beside himself since she went missing. When he finds out about the plan to save her, he says he’s coming with them. The rest of the team thinks it’s a bad idea, that it’s too dangerous, but he says it’s worth any risk to save Carmen. “She’s my best friend! My first real friend! I’d do anything for her, please!’ 

Player’s always been Carmen’s secret weapon, even back on VILE island. He was her first real friend too. Even if they erased all those years of Carmen Sandiego, even if they took away her heart, Player’s always gonna be in there. 

Player tries to talk her down, tries to remind her of their time working together, tries to get her to leave Shadowsan alone - ‘Come on, Red. You gotta remember, please! Remember me, remember who you really are!’ She’s confused, conflicting memories tearing her apart. But she still refuses to listen and maybe pushes him away (he is still a kid, even without empathy, I doubt she’d just attack him). Carmen goes to take out Shadowsan with the crackle rod and Player puts himself between her and Shadowsan. 

Carmen demands that he move out of the way. She’s starting to cry, starting to break. Player refuses. ‘I told you, Red. I’m not going anywhere.’  

And it all comes back to her at once. She remember everything, her life, her friends, what happened when VILE kidnapped her. She’s overwhelmed - relieved, heartbroken, confused. Player just hugs her, so happy to have his best friend back. 

As they start to pick themselves up after the battle, Carmen’s heartbroken at everything she’s done. She tries to apologise, but all her friends refuse to hear it, just glad to have her back. 

When Gray wakes up in the hospital, Carmen’s already there waiting for him, to make sure he’s okay and to apologise. But he just apologises for not doing something sooner. They call it even. The Chief shows up to tell Gray ACME’s not after him. Carmen offers him a spot on her team, but he says he’ll have to think about it. 

Team Red officially teams up with ACME, of course partnered with Jules and Devineaux. Jules is continuing to look into the mystery of Carlotta Valdez, and everyone’s ready to work together to take down VILE. 

The very end of the season is VILE faculty talking with the Troll. He’s got the security footage from when they lost brainwashed!Carmen. The know everybody in the footage except for one. The piece they were missing from the puzzle. They zoom in on Player. 

Season 5 

With Team Red and ACME working together, they finally start to take down VILE. They still don’t know their new Headquarters, but they start to take out VILE strongholds, like Doctor Bellum’s lab. 

Zach and Ivy start working closely with ACME, realising their skills and what the might want to do in the future.

Carmen’s pretty shaken by what happened to her. She’s terrified of being captured again, haunted by what she was forced to do, but refuses to let on that anything’s wrong. Eventually it all builds up and she ruins a mission. She and Shadowsan talk things out, have a wonderful father/daughter scene and Carmen slowly starts to heal as she realises she doesn’t have to take on the world herself. 

Even without the need for revenge, there’s some tension between Carmen, Shadowsan and the Chief. They slowly start to trust each other and gain more respect. 

We get some great team ups: Jules and Carmen get to work together! Also the chaos that Devineaux, Zach and Ivy would wreak as a team, or Devineaux and Shadowsan trying to work together - think of the potential! Also we get a callback to the first episode - Devineaux yelling ‘where in the world is Carmen Sandiego’ during a caper, but it’s waiting for her to come and help him

Gray of course joins the team, changed by Carmen, her faith in him and the remorse after what happened with Carmen’s brainwashing. Parts of the team don’t trust him right away, but he proves himself. 

We get some backstory on Player! Apparently he became a hacker to try and find his father after he left, but is now happy with his mum and stepfather (this was in a tie-in novel?). But we see this! We get to see Player’s family! How much they love him, why they’re so overprotective. He’s still happy and comfortable in his room but his experience with school and finally meeting Team Red makes him want to push outside of his comfort zone. He tries to make some real life friends (joins a pride group, or a coding club or something). And if I’m writing this, what the hell, he also gets a boyfriend. 

But of course, VILE has their sights set on Player. Now that The Troll has a target he’s been trying to track the kid, and finds him through security cameras. Player’s having dinner with his family one night when a knock comes at the door. It’s Coach Brunt. She bursts in, Player recognises her and tries to go for his room to call Carmen but Tigeress cuts him off. He’s in big trouble.

They take Player and his family hostage and Player’s parents finally find out what he’s been up to. 

‘Wait, you were helping take down an international crime organisation!?’ ‘Yes mom, I told you that!’ ‘I thought you were playing a video game!!!’ 

VILE uses Player and his family as bait to try and finally take out Team Red. Of course they fail, everyone is literally ready to Kill to save Player. Carmen is more furious than we’ve ever seen her. Player gets to do something cool like knock out Tigeress with a computer screen or something. ACME takes Coach Brunt and Tigeress into custody (continuing the fall of VILE). 

Player’s parents get to see that their son is friends with bunch of secret agents and ex-criminals. They also see the big sister/little brother relationship between Carmen and Player. He talks about her all the time and they’re really happy to finally meet her, and she becomes an honorary member of the family. They’re still worried about Player’s involvement, but they see how much it means to him (and with ACME assuring their safety) agree that he can continue. 

Jules finally finds Carmen’s mother. She brings her the information and Carmen admits that she’s afraid to go and find her. We find out a bit about Jules, how she’s not that close with her own biological family, and how much this new team has meant to her. How family is who you choose. Carmen is comforted by this. She decides to set aside her mother until she finishes up her business with VILE.

They’re building up to the final fight, they’ve found the location of the headquarters. Carmen recruits whoever wants to join (Team Red, ACME, different friends from their journey like Sonia). There’s a big battle, bringing back different VILE characters (Mime Bomb, Flytrap, Spinkick, etc.), gadgets and robots vs the new team. 

Of course they defeat VILE, finally bringing them out of the shadows and taking them in. 

The Chief officially offers everyone on Team Red places with ACME. They all talk, and Zach and Ivy decide to accept. It’s not Carmen, Gray or Shadowsan’s thing, but they agree to stay on as consultants. Shadowsan decides to retire and go home to his brother. The team “splits up” but promise to see each other again soon. 

Carmen gets permission to take Player sightseeing over the summer, so he can get out and go see the world like she did. 

Carmen goes to meet her mother, encouraged on the phone by Player and his family (because he’s not sitting alone in a diner, he’s hanging out with other people, showing his character growth). 

There can still be a timeskip, but it’s where everyone’s still working together to take down any last traces of VILE

May I offer you some Bellums.

"I thought we had something, I.. I thought you loved me!" "We are but enemies, my dear. Soon enough we have to part ways, and this is the path I am taking."

No Locked Doors - Part 1?

*For my sanity and because of my lack of braincells, Hero's pronouns are she/her and Villain's are he/him. Change as you like.*

She had locked the door when she left, Hero was sure of that. So, when the door handle turned without the key, her sense screamed at her to fight, to be ready.

She crept through the door, quietly tiptoeing into her home. She set her bag down on the ground, taking out her [weapon of choice.] She shut the door quietly with a click, cringing as the lock snapped shut. Whoever was here, it was better to be locked in with them than to let them escape. At least she hoped.

She bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity, praying it was enough to keep the creaky floorboards at bay. She stepped through her home, bracing herself against the wall separating her and her living room.

She listened closely; she'd check every room like this if she had to. She was tired, didn't want to deal with more fights. She just wanted to take a long, hot shower and wash away the day's grime. But she knew that rushing a possible home invasion would only add to that grime.

She waited, listen, keep her breath even and slow. She could hear her washing machine running in another room. She definitely didn't leave that running. She was days behind on laundry. Between saving the city and working her day job, there was hardly time to do little more than a load a day. She took one, deep breath and focused again. She could hear something soft. Someone breathing. They were shuddering breaths, like the person was stuck between being asleep and awake. Asleep. Someone was asleep in her home.

She took slow steps into her living room and curled up on her couch, clutching his arms close to his body, wearing tattered clothes and too many bandages was Villain.

Hero froze, staring. He was hurt.

Shit, Hero thought, unsure of how to act. She scanned his sleeping face. A shallow cut lined his jaw, which was covered in unshaved stubble, at least a couple of days worth. His eyebrows were scrunched, as if he was fighting for sleep. The state of her visitor was suddenly clear: he wasn't just hurt, he was beaten. Someone had taken him down hard, and now, sleeping on Hero's couch, he looked smaller than his six foot stature ever allowed. He looked scared, weak, and definitely not like the Villain that Hero knew.

She moved her eyes across the room. Sitting on her coffee table was her first aid kit, open and mostly empty, save for the scissors, needle, and some pain killers.

Hero sighed and relaxed. If Villain wanted a fight he would've started one. Right now, he was hurt, badly, and needed a place to go. Right now, his place wasn't safe, so he was here. And right now, Hero could take a shower without worrying about getting stabbed in the back.

She left a note for Villain just in case he woke up:

Yes, I know you're here. No, you don't have to leave. I'm just in the shower; I won't be long. I left a snack out if you're hungry.

Let's talk when I'm done.

- H.

Now, it was time for a shower.

Prompt #99

"Any last questions?" Villain snickered, raising their energy draining gun and pointing it towards the hero.

The villain's lips curved into a dark, twisted smirk as they stepped towards the hero, making sure their aim was pointed right at the hero's head. Just one click, and the hero would be drained of every single drop of their energy, and they would be nothing but a lifeless body.

"Yeah" hero nonchalantly answered, gripping their own chin between their fingers in a skeptical way. "Will you marry me?"

Villain ff center and point around 2 feet away from the hero's head. "Wait–really?" villain gasped out.

"No bitch" hero laughed before throwing down their gas bomb and running away before the villain could find them.

“Don’t even think about telling me what to do.” Hero said bitterly, pulling on their mask. “I can do what I want, even if it means saving others in exchange for my life.”

Villain held onto Hero’s hand, not letting go anytime soon. “And you’re just going to leave me here?! Let me come with you!” They pleaded with them. “If you should die, let me die with you!”

“Get off me.”

“No.”

“I said— Get off me!” Hero kicked them away, regretting it almost instantly. “! Wait... I didn’t mean to!”

Villain slowly got to their feet and smiled. “Please, let me come with you.”

Reluctantly, Hero let them.

// hello let me feed all of you with some good ol’ sadness ig //

Dash: I’m not great at the advice, but can I offer you a sarcastic comment?

Chess Partner

Rival had that glint in his eyes, she noticed, the one he recently has when they play.

"Things don't look too well for you, don't they?"

The perfect, still, poker-face Heroine mastered kept away any information he tried to get.

"That is what you have said last time."

He frowned a bit, but his eyes kept their shine.

"So you do have a plan..."

"Hopefully."

"Then I shouldn't eat your knight..."

"If you doing this is in my plan."

Rival leaned in and squinted at her. Sometimes, just sometimes, he was too dangerously cute. Heroine hated to admit that to herself, but the way her lips urged to smile at his sight left no doubt.

"So you DO want me to do this...!"

"You can try to interogate me all day, or actually think for yourself."

Hero almost let out a chuckle as she answered. He pouted again, adding a frown and a crooked nose. She finally let out a laugh, dropping her straight face.

"You're a pleasure to play with..."

Rival was quite for a moment, his smile was... It has never been that soft. God her heart beat so fast.

"I can say the same for you."

He blushed a little and looked away. Scratching his scalp, Heroine used the distraction to take mental notes.

He brushed his hair, which she doesn't remember him doing in any other day they met. A warmth grew in her as she hoped that she read the signs right. His clothes were nicer, too. He replaced the usual seeatshirt and sweatpants with a polo shirt and jeans. The shirt's sleeves were shorter, which was nice and...

He has a scar. Right at the back of his forearm, barely noticeable.

"That's it. I'm not eating that. It reeks with a scheme."

Hero knows that scar. And she knows that man. Villain grinned at her.

"Knew this was your plan. Scared now?"

She immediately returned her poker face.

"Plans change."

She played her move quickly and quietly. Villain took some time but made finished his turn.

"I'm gonna win this time, I can feel it."

Hero didn't respond or banter back. She didn't say anything for the next few turns, no matter what he tried to do to tease or make her laugh. He grew more worried each turn.

"Hey ummm..."

She needs to finish this and think of the next step. This was her chance to catch him once and for all.

"You good?"

Looking up, she noticed his worried expression. It was completely geniune when she smiled and reassured him.

"Yes, just got lost in thoughts for a bit."

He smiled back.

"I actually had something weighing on me too, mind if...?"

"Go ahead."

He took a big breath. That moment, she knew what was about to happen. What she wished one of them will be brave enough for. She wished for this ever since they first played her. Ever since he truly challenged her. Ever since he took his loss with a laugh and adoring eyes.

"I know we only ever meet here to play, and that I have annoying jokes and... And an annoying self..."

Even the dread she felt didn't stop her from chuckling.

"But I like... I don't know... This. Playing wit- Even when you win. So you I thought..."

The fact that she knew of his identity didn't stop the butterflies she felt. Making her wish he was who she sees now. Just a softhearted, clever guy she met at an urban chess.

"We could go get ice cream aft-, or something less childis- I mean... Well you-"

This is her chance. Even if not for love. She showed him the best smile she could master.

"How about coffee tomorrow? I know a perfect place."

A coffee shop 50 meters away from a police station. It will be easy.

He smiled shyly and let out of all the air he held in his lungs.

"Sounds perfect..."

His blushed and relieved face turned her stomach. Imagining how he'd look at her tomorrow, when he'll realize who she really is.

But now Heroine must forget about it. She'll smile and laugh and be happy, genuinely happy, that they like each other.

They were chess partners, and she can't allow him to guess her next move.