Work Text:
KO and Dendy laid in their bed, sleeping like babies. They were astoundingly relaxed, nothing could bother them. It was probably the best sleep they’d ever had, but all good thing must come to an end.
The couple was awoken when they heard the loud crash of their bedroom door being kicked down. “MOMMY, DADDY,” they heard the door kicker call out to him, “IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP!”
KO groaned, “Five more minutes, sweetie. Can we sleep in for five more minutes?”
KO’s daughter climbed onto the bed and tried to shake them awake, “C’mon, today’s the day!”
Dendy sat up, grabbed her goggles off her nightstand, and looked at the energetic child, still very groggy. “What day is it?”
“Today’s my first day of work with dad at the greatest place in the world: Lakewood Plaza Turbo!”
KO’s eyes opened up wide at the mention of his place of work. He picked up his daughter and leapt out of bed. “Why didn’t you say so,” he exclaimed as he held his daughter in his arms, “come on!”
***
Within minutes, KO, Dendy, and KO’s daughter, OK, were dressed and ready to go. KO was wearing his usual outfit: a torn blue gi, a sleeveless white undershirt, dark torn shorts, a pair of red fingerless gloves, pink leg warmers, and a red headband. Dendy had her signature goggles, a golden jumpsuit, thigh-high boots, teal gloves, a utility belt, and her signature hackpack. And OK was wearing a white t-shirt, a blue skirt, pink sneakers, red fighting gloves, and a red headband, just like her father.
Dendy kissed KO on the cheek OK on the forehead. “I will see you both after work,” she said before pressing a button on her belt. A blue light then surrounded her and whisked her away.
“Bye, honey,” KO shouted as his wife teleported away, “Ready to go, OK?”
“You bet, Dad,” OK exclaimed enthusiastically.
“Then let’s go!” The pair got into KO’s car. It was a red five-seater with dual mini guns, rocket boosters, and metallic dragons painted on the sides.
“Let’s tear up the road,” KO exclaimed, about to put the pedal to the metal, “Oh wait, seat belts first.” He then buckled both his and his daughter’s seat belts, “Okay, now let’s go!”
KO then slammed his foot on the gas and the two took off. While he drove down the road, KO noticed something in OK’s hands. “What ya got there, sweetheart?”
“My POW Cards,” she explained, “I’m probably gonna see a lot of great heroes today, so I’m brushing up on my hero facts.”
KO chuckled, “Ya know, I did the exact same thing when I was your age. I tried to learn everything I could about every hero, in the hopes that some of their heroic traits would rub off on me.”
“Did they,” OK asked with wide, optimistic eyes.
“Nope,” KO answered, “I learned that in order to become a hero, you need to train hard. If you train hard enough, you can be a hero too.”
“You’re just saying that because I’m you daughter,” OK replied in disbelief.
“Maybe, but I’m gonna tell you what my mom told me: You don’t start out as a hero, you become on.”
OK looked at her father in astonishment, “I can become a hero?”
KO chuckled again as he pulled into the parking lot, his daughter really was a chip of the old block. “Everyone in those cards of yours came from humble beginnings, even your grandparents.”
“Really,” OK asked as they stepped out of the car.
“Yep,” KO confirmed, “they weren’t always level 17, and I wasn’t always level 20.1.” He then looked up into the sky, “Look, there they are now.”
OK looked in the direction her father was starring to see a flying red sports car with flame patterns on the sides plummeting to the parking lot. The vehicle slowed down significantly as it got closer and closer to the pavement. The car stopped completely when it was a couple of inches above the pavement, and then crashed into the ground, creating a small crater.
A man then leapt out of the car through the sun roof and landed right in front of the vehicle. He was a tall and very muscular man with a light beard, a white sleeveless shirt, blue jeans, and sunglasses. It was Mr. Gar: the man in charge of Lakewood Plaza Turbo, and KO’s step-father.
“Morning, Gar,” KO greeted.
Mr. Gar cocked his head to look at KO, “Ah, good morning, son.”
“Don’t forget about me, Grandpa Gar,” OK called out.
Gar then looked down at OK, causing his heart to melt. “Oh, how could I forget my favorite little granddaughter,” he said as he picked up OK and nuzzled her.
OK chuckled, “Grandpa, your beard is tickling me!”
Gar then set OK down, “Oops, sorry.”
“Is that my favorite little grand baby I hear,” they heard a woman call out from Gar’s car. The woman stepped out of the car and walked over to the group. It was Carol, KO’s mother and Gar’s wife. She wore a violet and blue bodysuit, a white sleeveless undershirt, white ankle boots, red gloves, and a red headband that held up her light blond hair.
She knelt down and hugged OK, “There’s my favorite little grand baby!”
OK groaned, her grandmother did have a tendency to give bear hugs. “Grandma… can’t… breathe.”
“Oops, sorry kiddo,” Carol said as she released her grip, “so what brings ya here today; did ya come here to see your grandparents in action?”
OK shook her head, “Today’s my first day of work at daddy’s store.”
“Ah,” Gar said in revelation, “so you’re putting her through the same training I put you through, KO?”
“Yep,” KO replied, “she said she wants to be a hero just like me, so I set her up with a job at the bodega, just like I had.”
Gar gave KO a thumbs up, but Carol shrugged and said, “Personally, I still prefer the basics.” She then looked over to the dojo where she taught, “Speaking of which, I better get going.” Carol went around and kissed Gar on the cheek and hugged KO and OK, “I’ll see you all after work.” She then walked over to her dojo.
“Yeah, I’d better get to my office,” Gar said as he pulled out a remote and pressed a button on it. A concealed elevator then rose up next to them. “See ya,” he said as stepped into the secret lift. The elevator then sank back into the ground.
“Come on, OK,” KO said as he grabbed his daughter’s hand, “it’s time to open up shop.” The pair then started to walk away. “Here we are,” KO said as they stopped outside of his store, “KO’s Bodega and Hero Supply.”
Years ago, around when OK was born to be precise, Gar decided to relinquish ownership of his bodega to KO. KO accepted the position, he was a single father with a newborn daughter to take care after all. When he really stopped to think about it, KO found it quite funny that he was now the owner of the store he worked in as a child.
The duo walked into the bodega. OK was dazzled by the store: there was such a huge selection of products for fighting evil.
“What do I do first, dad,” OK asked enthusiastically.
“Okay then,” KO said, “I want you to get the mop from the broom closet and mop the floor.”
“Consider it done, daddy,” OK said with a little salute. She then started to run to the broom closet, but was stopped by KO.
“Hold on, punching princess,” KO said, “before you start doing anything, you’re gonna need this.” KO then knelt down and handed her a blue vest.
OK gasped, “The official uniform of the bodega.” She slipped the vest on over her shirt. ‘This is amazing,’ she thought to herself, ‘it feels like just putting this on made me so much stronger!’ She then zipped over to the broom closet, grabbed the mop, and sped around the bodega, mopping the floor while doing so.
KO watched his daughter with a smile, her boundless enthusiasm reminded him so much of himself when he was her age. He couldn’t help but feel proud of her; with that attitude, she’d be a hero in no time.
He then heard the doors of the bodega open behind him. KO turned to see two teens walk up to him. One was a red anthropomorphic cat with torn jeans and sports tape around his hands, the other was a blue-haired girl wearing blue ninja armor and with ice covering her forearms.
“Good morning, Mr. KO,” the Red cat greeted respectfully.
“Morning, boss,” the girl greeted in a very laid back tone.
“Ah, good morning you two,” KO greeted, “you’re just in time.”
“In time for what,” the girl asked.
OK, still cleaning the floor, zipped past them; the momentum of her sprint caused the blue-haired girl to spin uncontrollably.
“For that,” KO answered.
The girl then managed to find her balance and stopped spinning. “What the heck was that?!”
“That was our newest employee,” KO explained.
OK then sped towards the three and stopped in front of her father, “All done.”
“Excellent work,” KO praised his daughter, “OK, these are my other employees: Iclyn and Baxter. Iclyn, Baxter, this is my daughter, OK. Starting today, she’s going to be working here.”
Iclyn and Baxter’s eyes opened as wide as dinner plates. They had no idea that their boss had a daughter. They knew he was married, but had no idea he had a daughter too.
Unaware of the confusion her new coworkers were going through, OK stepped forward, “Hello, it’s nice to meet you both.”
“Uhh… nice to meet you too,” the two teens said, still a little surprised.
OK turned back to her father, “What’s my next job, daddy?”
“There are three crates of Energeez Mega Water in the backroom,” KO explained, “I want you three to get them and restock our supply. After that, I want you to report to your work stations; OK, your job is to help any customer who asks.” KO started to walk away, “I’ll be in my office if you need me.” He then walked to his office in the back of the store, leaving the trio to their tasks.
OK, Iclyn, and Baxter then made their way to the backroom. While the trio walked to the store’s rear, Baxter and Iclyn quietly conversed with each other about their new coworker.
“Did you know Mr. KO had a daughter,” Baxter whispered to Iclyn.
“No, did you,” Iclyn quietly retorted.
“No,” Baxter whispered back, “if I knew, why would I ask you?”
The three then walked back into the store and began restocking the shelves. Whilst they worked, OK thought it fitting to engage in some small-talk with her new coworkers so she could get to know them.
“So, Baxter,” OK asked the red cat man, “what are your techniques?”
Baxter said nothing he just continued to restock the shelves. “You’ll have to excuse him,” Iclyn stepped in, “he’s not much for small talk.”
“Oh,” OK replied, “well, what about your techniques?”
“I’m an ice ninja,” Iclyn answered, “my techniques are a mix of ninjutsu and ice based attacks.”
“That’s so cool,” OK mused over her new friend.
Iclyn then used her cryokinesis and made a pair of cool shades for herself out of ice, “Literally. Hey, watch this.” She then stepped back and used here powers to make three shurikens out of ice, “Hey, OK, toss that empty box into the air.”
“You got it,” OK said as she grabbed the box and threw it in the air.
Iclyn then threw the ice shurikens at the box, cutting it to confetti. OK marveled at the feat of skill she just witnessed.
Baxter scoffed, “Please, if you think that’s impressive, watch this.” He walked over to the next aisle and back to the group, now carrying a 5-foot tall chunk of metal. He set the piece of metal down in front of himself, and in a flurry of hand movements, he slashed it into shavings with his claws.
OK looked at him with a slack-jawed expression, “What was that?”
“That’s how I fight,” Baxter said as he retracted his claws, “the Iron Claw fighting style.”
“You do realize you’re gonna have to pay for that, right,” Iclyn added, thoroughly unimpressed.
Baxter groaned and walked over to the register at the front. While he was paying what he owed, Iclyn and OK continued to talk. “What about you, OK? What’re your fighting techniques.”
OK blushed at the mention of her fighting abilities. “Oh, my techniques,” she said, twiddling her thumbs, “I don’t have any techniques yet, but daddy says I’m really strong for my age and he’s been teaching me some of his moves.”
“Any luck,” Baxter asked.
OK lightened up a bit, “I think I’m making progress on learning the Power Fist. Here, watch!” OK then jumped back and wound up her fist. She closed her eyes and concentrated on gathering her energy and focusing it into her hand. Feeling like she’d gathered enough energy, OK thrusted her fist forward in an attempt to use her father’s signature move, the Power Fist; nothing happened. OK retracted her fist and hung her head in shame, “Aww man.”
Sensing that she needed comforting, Iclyn knelt down besides OK. “It’s okay… OK. I’m sure you’ll get it eventually.”
“Yeah,” Baxter added, “you’re the daughter of the strongest hero in the plaza. If you’re anything like him, you’ll be able to do this stuff in no time.”
OK smiled at her coworkers, their words of encouragement meant seemed to snap her out of her depressed state. The tender moment was short-lived though, as they were interrupted by a loud alarm and a red flashing light.
“What’s going on,” OK asked.
“I don’t know,” Baxter answered, “we’ve never heard this alarm before.”
“Uh, guys,” Iclyn said as she looked out the window, “is it normal for there to be a big hole in the sky?”
The three then ran outside and saw what Iclyn was talking about, a giant portal positioned right above the parking lot.
“What is that thing,” Iclyn exclaimed.
“I don’t know,” Baxter said, “but whatever it is, it can’t be good.”
Suddenly, a large box fell from the portal and landed in front of them. The portal dissipated as soon as the box hit the ground. The mysterious crate unfolded, revealing that it had been carrying a robot inside. The robot was red with one eye and a brain in a jar on top of it’s head. One of it’s hands was a gauntlet, the other was a laser cannon of some sorts.
The robot stomped onto the pavement, “I. AM. DARRELL!!!” Darrell aimed his laser at the plaza, “And I am here to destroy the plaza!” He then began firing randomly at and around the plaza.
“We’ve gotta stop him,” Baxter exclaimed.
“Leave it to me, OK exclaimed as she sprinted towards Darrell. She pulled back her fist and punched him with all her might; nothing happened. OK punched him again, nothing. OK punched him one last time, he didn’t budge.
Darrell then swatted OK away, as if she was a gnat. Iclyn and Baxter then charged at Darrell.
Iclyn used her powers and launched a swarm of ice shards at Darrell. But Darrell blocked the shards with his gauntlet hand and knocked her into a wall.
Baxter slashed at him with his claws, but Darrell dodged his attacks and shot him at point blank range with his hand cannon, knocking him back.
Darrell laughed evilly, “Is this really the best you Lakewood Losers can do?! Destroying the plaza’s gonna be easy!” He then felt someone tap on his shoulder; he turned around to face them, only to be punched square in the jaw. He looked up to see his new opponent, it was KO.
“Darrell,” KO greeted with a cocky look on his face, “long time no see.”
Darrell looked at KO confusedly, “Do I know you?”
KO smirked, “You honestly don’t recognize me?”
Darrell starred at him for a moment, then gasped as he finally realized who he was. “You—you’re that little squirt, KO!”
KO chuckled, “I’m not so little anymore, but yeah, I am KO.”
Darrell the tried to punch KO in the face with his gauntlet, only to have it shatter when it hit his face. KO was unscathed, it was as if nothing happened at all.
“What the,” Darrel exclaimed as he jumped back to get some distance. He aimed his hand cannon at KO, “TAKE THIS!!!” He then shot at KO, but his attack was ineffective, it didn’t even phase KO.
KO started to slowly walk towards him. Fearing for his artificial life, Darrell shot at KO rapidly, but his attacks still did no damage. Darrell then charged his laser for one last attack. He fired his charged shot, KO didn’t even flinch. The blast connected and generated a huge cloud of dust and smoke.
“DADDY,” OK screamed in concern for her father.
“Daddy,” Darrell said in confusion.
Before he could react, KO emerged from the smoke, completely unscathed. OK was overjoyed to see her dad was okay, while Darrell looked like he was about to rust his pants.
“But… but… I put everything I had into that shot,” Darrell said, trembling before KO’s immense strength.
“Really,” KO said as he popped his knuckles, “I guess it’s my turn now.”
Darrell was completely overcome with fear, which was strange for a robot. His feet then turned into rocket engines and he flew away from the plaza in fear.
Iclyn, Baxter, and OK rushed over to OK. “Uh, Mr. KO,” Baxter said urgently, “he’s getting away!”
“No he isn’t,” KO said as his fist began to glow with energy. He then threw his fist forward in a punching motion and called out, “POWER FIST!!!” A blue, fist-shaped beam of energy shot out from his fist and flew towards Darrell.
Darrell sped up, but his attempt at escape was in vain. The beam hit Darrell, it’s sheer force and power completely obliterated him.
OK, Iclyn, and Baxter starred at KO in awe, his strength was truly something to behold. “That was amazing, Mr. KO,” Baxter observed, “but who was that?”
“That was a Boxmore bot,” KO answered.
“A Boxmore bot, sir,” Iclyn repeated inquisitively.
“A robot made with the sole purpose of destroying the plaza,” KO explained, “but that’s not important right now, are you kids okay?”
“Yeah, I think we’re fine, dad,” OK answered her father.
KO sighed in relief, “Good, you think you guys can clean up here real quick? I have to make an important call.”
“Sure thing, daddy,” OK said enthusiastically.
KO walked back into the bodega, leaving his employees and daughter to clean up the mess from the fight. He then went into his office and sat down at his desk. ‘How could Darrell still be around,’ he thought to himself, ‘I thought Boxmore was wiped out years ago.’ KO picked up his phone and called a friend, a friend he hadn’t seen in years.
“Hey, it’s KO,” he said into the phone, “yeah, it has been too long. Listen, something strange happened today: a Boxmore bot attacked the plaza.” KO listened to his friend over the phone. “Good, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” KO said before hanging up the phone.
***
Unbeknownst to our heroes, Darrell’s head survived his encounter with KO and landed in a forest not too far from the plaza.
“Aw dang,” Darrell said as his head laid on the ground.
“I take it your fight with KO didn’t go so well,” someone called out to him from the shadows.
“No,” Darrell said defeatedly, “none of my attacks did anything to him.”
A metal claw emerged from the shadows and picked up the him up. “So you didn’t find his weakness,” the stranger asked Darrell.
“Well I wouldn’t say that,” Darrell said with a sinister smile, “I did learn something useful.”
“Oh really,” the stranger remarked unamused, “and what’s that?”
“KO has a daughter,” Darrell snikered.
The stranger then started to laugh maniacally, “Excellent work, Darrell.”
“Thanks, dad,” Darrell said with great relish.