"Well, first thing we gotta do now they're gone is reassess," Jake sighed, feeling a couple of sore muscles. He winced as he flexed his arm; that elf had done quite a number on him.

What had happened? It wasn't like he had let himself go all these years. Then again, maybe he had grown a bit soft - even though he had wandered worlds as a warrior, it had been quite a while since he fought a challenge like this. Perhaps the easy victories had gotten to him; it's not like he had a challenge of this magnitude since he was a kid. He hated to admit it, but he needed to stop coasting on his strength and skill - and even these were slipping.

Still, the idea of a great adventure... the thrill, the danger... It had been a hard and brutal fight when he was younger, yet he could not help but smile at the memories. He may not have his friends from the Wild Boys, but he felt these youngsters had the potential.

Which brought him back to the point War and his colleagues just made - the kids had potential, sure, but they just got their ass handed to them by a bunch who weren't even seriously fighting. And if Destruction had been serious, she might have actually wrecked him too.

But she was right about one thing, he thought with a grin. Next time, it's not his back she'll be seeing.

'Huh, that sounded wrong,' he thought to himself. He shook his head; on to more important matters...

"Well, if we're done here," Jake spoke up, "I agree with Thomas. Though... what about the mess?"

He was right; the place was still a broken mess.

"Say, Vanellope, didn't you have a race to finish? Though thanks for the 'sign'."