“I can fly!” Kazooie cried, leaping off the jungle gym. “Bree!” She flapped her wings and landed beside Banjo. “Better than I could do,” he chuckled. “Mom won’t teach me how to really fly, though,” Kazooie complained. “I mean, I’m ten years old! I should know how to fly already!” Banjo looked over at Kay; she lay sleeping on a park bench.

“We could…help you with that.”

Banjo and Kazooie turned to see two teenagers walking toward them. The first bear had black fur, and he wore a leather vest and red pants. The second bear had white fur and a green forelock, and he wore leather pants covered in chains. “So little Birdie wants to fly, huh? Well, Birdie, fly, fly away,” the black bear said.

…

“Ahh! I’m getting out of here!”

Kay woke up to see the polar bear run past her. His arms and belly were covered in claw marks. She turned to see the black bear with his paws around Banjo’s neck. The eight-year-old cub kicked and clawed, but he could not get free. Kazooie struggled to get up and squawked in pain.

“Let him go, or else…”

The bear turned to see a panda cub glaring at him. “Hey, we speak English here, squirt,” he said. The cub leaped up and delivered a devastating kick to his chest, sending him flying backward. Banjo landed and ran over to Kazooie. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m f-fine,” she said, her voice cracking.

Kay led Banjo, who carried Kazooie, out of the park. “I give up! I give up!” the black bear cried. Banjo turned to see him and the panda just beyond the swings. The little banded bear was sitting on the teenager’s back, pulling on his nose. “Let go!” he pleaded. “Who does she think she is?” Kazooie asked. “The little deus ex machinima.”