The following morning, Red took Leonard across Bird Island to put their team together. Red was eager to introduce Leonard to the most skilled birds she knew, starting with Bomb.

"Oh, man, you're gonna love this guy!" she explained after launching them in the air with the slingshot. "Not the smartest bird in the tree, but what he lacks in smarts, he makes up for in firepower!"

There was only one problem -- he had to be put away. Bomb was the only bird on the island diagnosed with IED (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), meaning whenever he gets upset or uncomfortable, he blows up... literally. Even in the most awkward situations, like when he exploded in a port-o-potty, and a police bird was right outside.

Inside an empty room with a small window covered with bars, Bomb bounced a ball off the wall. He was locked up in there with nothing else to do. Suddenly, a familiar, red wing grabbed the ball and the thick-browed bird attached to it smirked at him, with an out-of-breath pig holding a shovel standing next to her in a hole.

"We're busting you out," she said, and threw the ball back at the confused black bird.

"Uh... how?" Bomb asked. Red blew into a paper bag and smacked her wings against it, making a loud POP! The noise scared Bomb and he couldn't help it: he exploded.

"Like that!" Red answered as she and Leonard ducked for cover.

"Whoa! I love it!" Bomb exclaimed excitedly. The team had their explosives expert!

"Bomb, what was that noise?!" a woman shouted. "You're still grounded!"

"I'm an adult, Mom!" Bomb shouted back before turning to the others. "Run!"

"Bomb! Get back here!"

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"This guy is so fast, he can beat time itself in a footrace," Red told Leonard as the trio went to a treehouse. "Hey, Chuck! We're putting together a team!"

"And I think we're on it!" Bomb added.

Red began ringing Chuck's doorbell and, as if time somehow slowed down, the yellow bird sprang out of bed, drank a whole pot of coffee, made toast, chopped a carrot, covered the toast with peanut butter and jelly, ate the sandwich, milked a cow, drank the milk, taught a high-powered spin class, curled his eyelashes, and ran outside... all in a matter of seconds!

When Red finished ringing the bell, she felt someone tapping her shoulder. Everyone found Chuck standing right behind them!

"I'm in!" he declared, wearing a bunch of spy gear. Chuck was officially the team's speed demon!

"Ha, ha! Great!" Red said.

Leonard was confused. "But- but how did you...?"

"Oh, BT dubs, you misspelled 'heist,'" Chuck pointed out as Leonard looked the folder, noticing it had red marker on it. "It's E-I, not I-E. I corrected it for you. Don't worry, it's a common misperception."

"Well, thank you!" Leonard replied, and turned to Red. "You're right, he's fast."

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"Now this guy is... kind of a ding-dong," Red explained to Leonard as the group went up Eagle Mountain, "but he's the only eagle we know."

Mighty Eagle was a legend across Bird Island. He was said to be their greatest hero... Well, at least before Red came along. But when she first met the aging raptor, Red saw that he wasn't as great of a hero as they thought... nor was he that mighty. If anything, he was lazy, boastful, and preferred talking about himself instead of saving the day. Although, in fairness, he did help the birds save their eggs.

Once the group found him soaking in a hot spring, he asked them to join him. Red was uncomfortable with the idea, but she agreed and they explained that they needed his help.

"Well, you've come to the right eagle," Mighty Eagle assured the team, spreading his legs out right in front of them. "Tell me more."

Chuck held up a file labeled "Top Secret" with a photo of the third island to Mighty Eagle's face, and said, "It's a really exciting mission to a place called Eagle--"

"Eagle Island?!" Mighty Eagle interrupted in shock, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Yes! So you've heard..." Chuck started to reply, only to find Mighty Eagle gone before he could finish the sentence. "... heard of it."

The group watched as the so-called fearless warrior flew off as fast as he could. Clearly, he was terrified.

"Nice to meet you!" Leonard shouted. Red just rolled her eyes and looked back at the file.

"Okay, so now, we just need to figure out how this volcanic superweapon works," she explained to the team. "We need some kind of engineering wizard brainiac."

Leonard and Bomb thought for a second to see if they knew anyone who fit that description. Chuck, on the other hand, didn't need to think. He raised his wing and swam up to Red, vocalizing excitedly.

"Yes, Chuck, you obviously have something you want to say. Or sing."

"I have got just the guy-- it's a girl!" Chuck said enthusiastically, sinking into the water. Much to Red's horror, he came out from Bomb's beak. "My sister, Silver! She goes to Avian Academy, top of her class... She would be perfect."

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So off they went to Avian Academy, where students were living the typical college life. They were either playing Frisbee, studying, gossiping, noodling on an acoustic guitar in front of girls, or rushing to class.

"I mean, we all just thought she was weird, y'know?" Chuck laughed. "But before I knew it, she skipped four grades, won a Junior Engineer of the Year Award, and then got a scholarship here at Avian Academy."

"Perfect!" Red said. "That is exactly what we're looking for."

"You are absolutely going to love her!" Chuck said. "Almost as if she was your own sister, too!"

"That's okay," Red insisted. "I don't want a sister."

Chuck laughed loudly before saying in a serious tone, "Of course you do. Ooh, Frisbee!"

Chuck zoomed off, caught a Frisbee with his beak before the bird who was supposed to catch could, threw it, and turned to the other bird.

"Hi, I'm Chuck!" he greeted her. "Do you happen to know where the Engineering Department is?"

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Inside the engineering lab, Silver was giving a presentation to her fellow students about her latest invention. She flipped the switch on a machine, and let it do its magic.

"With a combination of over thirty silk, wire, and cotton-based threads spun together, I now present to you... Super String!"

Holding up her creation, Silver looked around to find her classmates either asleep or just plain bored.

"Ahem! I said, it's Super String!" she announced again.

"More like Stupid String," another student heckled.

"I know what you're thinking, Mike," Silver continued undeterred. "You're like, 'What's so super about it?' Great question, Mike!"

Silver wrapped her Super String around a loop implanted in a giant boulder, and had it lifted from the ground by the string!

"Well, how about that it'd very easily be able to withstand the pull of eighteen thousand more kilos than any other string known to--"

Suddenly, the bell rang, cutting her off.

"Snooze alert!" a classmate shouted rudely as everyone began to leave.

"-- known to bird kind," Silver finished. "Or pig kind, for that matter!"

But it was too late. Silver found herself in an empty classroom and sighed sadly. She wished her peers would appreciate her intelligence. Suddenly, she felt someone tapping on her shoulder and her eyes widened.

"'Sup, sis?!" a familiar voice whispered in her ear. Silver spun around to find her big brother right behind her!

"Chuck?!" she exclaimed, hugging him.

"I'm so happy to--!" they said at the same time. "It's really-- Great to--"

The two siblings began tapping on each other's shoulders while shouting, "Jinx!" It was a game they liked to play. They would continue until someone got ahead of the other. This time, it was Silver who would be victorious.

"Jinx, one two three-- I win!" she cheered triumphantly. "You can't speak until someone says your name!"

Just then, Silver noticed two other birds and a large, bearded pig entering the classroom. One of the birds looked awfully familiar to her.

"Hello? Are you in here? Hello?!" Red called out for Chuck. She then noticed Chuck standing next to a familiar, wide-eyed bird. Red was surprised-- she was Chuck's sister?!

"You?!" she exclaimed.

"You?!" Silver repeated, narrowing her eyes.

"You..." Red growled, furrowing her large eyebrows.

"Wait. You know her?" Silver asked Chuck, who just mumbled while pointing at his sealed beak.

"Oh! Okay, Chuck! I un-jinx you!"

Free to speak again, Chuck eagerly introduced his friends to his little sister.

"Yeah!" he answered. "This is one of my best buddies Red, and these are the guys!"

"Hi!" Leonard greeted.

"We're the guys!" Bomb said.

Chuck then turned to the group and wrapped his wing around the wide-eyed bird. "Guys, this is Silver: the greatest kid sister in the world!"

"Well, I'm not exactly a kid anymore, Chuck."

"Oh, you'll always be my kid sister!" Chuck insisted, pulling her in for a noogie.

Silver pulled away and waved at the group. "Hey, everyone!"

"You know, I just don't think this is gonna work," Red said snidely. "It's just that I'm not sure you're going to be compatible with the team."

Silver stared at Red, unamused, before perking back up.

"Oh, wow! It is such a pleasure to meet--" she turned to Red, "-- not you, but you!"

Red's eyes widened in shock as Silver approached Leonard.

"I've never met a pig before," she continued. "Your technological achievements are amazing! May I shake your hoof?"

"Why, thank you!" Leonard said proudly, letting Silver shake his hoof with both her wings. He then turned to Red. "I like her!"

Red just scowled.

"And this has to be Bomb!" Silver said to the larger bird.

"Whoa! How'd you know that?" Bomb asked.

"'Cause you have a fuse coming out of your head! Oh, so cool! Pssst-- Shabooom!"

Silver jumped off Bomb's head, did a flip in the air, and landed on her feet.

"Ooh, backflip!"

Red cleared her throat, putting the attention back on her. "So, I, um... I hear your some kind of engineering wizard, or whatever."

"Oh, heh. I mean, I don't like to brag, but..." Silver replied, holding up a bunch of certificates with her name and picture on them. "Wait, who's that? And why is she all over these achievement awards?!"

As much as Red didn't like this bird, she had to admit, they would need her. Silver was the brainiac of the team!

"The kid's amazing, right?" Chuck whispered in Red's ear.

"Not a kid anymore, Chuck," Silver reminded him. Again.

But he didn't listen. "Choo choo! Tickle Train arriving at Sister Station!"

"Chuck, no! I'm a serious academic!" Silver protested, but it was too late. Chuck attacked her with tickles until she gave in, and the two engaged in a tickle fight. The rest of the team just watched uncomfortably.

"Oh, look how cute this is," Red said sarcastically as the two grown birds continued tickling each other.

Sorry. Not a lot of Female!Red x Leonard in this one. But there will be a lot in the next.

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Until next time. 🌈