I'm Vernon Chavez, or Vern, as my friends call me. My dad is Jeremiah, and my mom is the beautiful Yvette. At twelve years old, I consider myself quite self-sufficient.

Grandma says that on the day I was born, Mom was in a wild race with a professional driver. She gave birth to me a mere half-hour after reaching the hospital. My dad's first words upon seeing me? He called me wrinkly and ugly. Humph. He was the ugly one; I inherited Mom's beauty and charm. All the kids in kindergarten agreed—I was the handsomest. Little girls constantly fought over a seat beside me. Grandpa says Dad was the same way as a child.

Grandpa, in fact, gave me my name, a process that almost sparked a family debate. Great-grandfather preferred a simpler name, suggesting "Big Baby." Grandpa refused, and Grandma disagreed with Grandpa's chosen name. As for my unreliable dad, he didn't even participate. Finally, three days later, the family settled on Vernon—Grandpa's choice.

When I was three, my annoying dad enrolled me in a sort of "army," ignoring the objections of my great-grandfather and grandparents. He claimed it was to build my physical abilities and character. In reality, he just wanted Mom all to himself—and I knew it. Humph.

I kept a notebook detailing Dad's "misdeeds." I planned to send him to that Pacific island Grandma gave Mom when I grew up, effectively cutting him off from the world.

At four, some bad guys kidnapped me. I wasn't scared; I'd been playing with guns since I was little. Eagle King and Flying Fish supplied Skyland with every new weapon annually, though these guns were unloaded. Were they trying to patronize me? I reminded the kidnappers of this. They looked dumbfounded, clearly outmatched by my knowledge.

Mom and Dad rescued me. Mom was incredibly cool, silently taking down the bad guys one by one. They cried and begged, but she ignored them—and me. I knew she was angry and wouldn't listen.

Dad, surprisingly, didn't scold me. He asked, "Did you think it was fun to go with those dangerous men? Did you consider how your great-grandfather and grandparents would feel?" I naively shook my head as he picked me up. His face was serious. He said, "Your mom isn't upset because you were having fun, but because you worried the elders. Do you know what you should do?"

That day, four-year-old me went home crying and apologized to my great-grandfather and grandparents, who were in Seacrity. Later, I learned that Betrico was in chaos during my kidnapping. Great-Grandpa almost mobilized Mr. Mitchell's troops to find me, my grandparents stayed up all night, and Grandma had headaches for two weeks. Mr. Yates, Andrew, Bonnie, Flying Fish, and Eagle King rushed back from Mysonna to help the search.

When I was older, I asked Mom why she wasn't worried. Calmly, she replied, "If you're brave enough to go out on your own, you should be able to come back on your own."