Todotoki (code name: Burning Acid) is an assassin. Raman (code name: Twilight) is a spy and master of disguise. They work for different agencies but when a Leviathan threatens Tokyo, they create a plan together.

This story proves what happens when children write about heroes who understand that saving cities requires partnership, that different skills complement each other, and that the best teams work across organisational boundaries.

Opening

"You might not think this, but I'm an assassin and I'm a bit like my friend Reman, who is a spy, but we both have different code names because we both work for different agencies."

That's not "we're both heroes who work together."

That's "we work for different organisations with different missions, but we collaborate anyway."

Most 14-year-old action stories would create teammates who work for the same agency, follow the same chain of command, share the same training.

But this author understands something more sophisticated: the best partnerships often happen across organisational boundaries.

Todotoki (Burning Acid) works for one agency as an assassin. Reman (Twilight) works for a different agency as a spy and master of disguise. They have different code names. Different specialisations. Different employers.

And when Tokyo needs saving, none of that matters. They meet. They decide. They quest together.

That's understanding that mission matters more than organizational structure.

Two weeks ago, this author sat down with the question: "What story do YOU want to tell?"

The answer? A story about Todotoki, age 14, with spiky hair, wearing black or red cloak, working as an assassin with code name Burning Acid, living in Tokyo at the very east of Asia. His friend Raman (code name: Twilight) is a spy and master of disguise working for a different agency. When news warns that a Leviathan is approaching to destroy Tokyo, Todo and Raman meet, decide to quest together, create a plan to kill the Leviathan before it kills everybody else, feel a sense of urgency, execute their plan using mods and signals, run at either side of the Leviathan slashing between buildings, finally beat the monster, feel happy and proud, and become the best spies and assassins in the land.

This is Transformation 7 (Social Connection) meeting Transformation 5 (Pride & Achievement), and it demonstrates what our research revealed: when children write about partnerships, they explore how different skills complement each other, how urgency focuses collaboration, and how success shared between equals creates mutual pride.

The Transformation

Here's what the facilitator noticed:

Within the first chapter, this author had established:

• Protagonist (Todo Toki, age 14)
• Physical appearance (spiky hair, black/red cloak)
• Profession (assassin)
• Code name (Burning Acid)
• Partner (Reman, spy, master of disguise)
• Partner's code name (Twilight)
• Organizational complexity (different agencies)
• Friendship despite different employers
• Setting (Tokyo, Japan, very east of Asia)

That's complete character setup with professional complexity embedded naturally.

But watch what happens when the threat emerges:

The meeting and decision:

"When me and Reman met, we decided we would go out and we'd go on a quest. We decided we both had to kill the Leviathan before it kills everybody else."

Notice the pronouns: "we decided," "we would," "we both had to."

This isn't "Todo decided and Reman helped." This isn't "Reman suggested and Todo agreed."

This is mutual decision-making between equals.

They meet. They both see the threat. They both reach the same conclusion simultaneously. No one leads. No one follows. They decide together.

That's collaborative decision-making without hierarchy.

The emotional driver:

"We had to do something about it. We felt a sense of urgency, so we made a plan."

That "sense of urgency" is doing important work.

They're not seeking glory. They're not looking for adventure. They're not trying to prove themselves.

The Leviathan is going to destroy Tokyo. People will die. They feel urgency.

Urgency drives the mission. Not ambition. Not orders from agencies. Urgency.

That's heroism motivated by necessity, not ego.

The tactical coordination:

"We both got out our mods and we gave each other signals as to when to fight."

This is professional tactical communication.

Not "we both attacked." Not "we fought together."

But "we gave each other signals as to when to fight."

Signals. Coordinated timing. Non-verbal communication between professionals who trust each other's judgment.

Todo doesn't need to tell Reman what to do. Reman doesn't need to tell Todo. They signal. They respond. They coordinate.

That's partnership built on mutual competence and trust.

The execution:

"We ran at either side of the Leviathan and buildings and kept slashing him using our mods."

Strategic positioning: Either side. Not same side. Flank from multiple angles.

Environmental awareness: Between buildings. Using urban geography for tactical advantage.

Sustained attack: "Kept slashing." Not one strike. Persistent, coordinated assault.

Shared weapon: Both using mods. Same tool, different wielders, synchronized action.

This is military-grade tactical coordination:

• Dual attack vectors
• Urban warfare positioning
• Sustained pressure
• Weapon synchronization

From two 14-year-olds who work for different agencies.

The shared victory:

"Finally, after beating the Monster, we both felt happy and proud. And turned into the best spies and assassins in the land."

Not "Todo felt proud of his victory."

Not "Reman celebrated Todo's success."

But "we both felt happy and proud."

And the recognition isn't individual: "best spy" and "best assassin."

It's plural: "best spies and assassins."

They're recognized together. As a team. Despite working for different agencies. Despite having different specializations (assassin vs spy). Despite different code names.

They saved Tokyo together. They're recognized together. They feel pride together.

That's collaborative achievement generating mutual respect and shared recognition.

Why This Matters

When we evaluated 318 children using Classic Grounded Theory methodology, we found that Transformation 7 (Social Connection) appears in stories where:

• Characters need each other's skills
• Success requires coordination, not just individual ability
• Decisions are mutual, not hierarchical
• Recognition is shared, not individual
• Pride emerges from "we did this" not "I did this"

Todo and Reman's story demonstrates all of these.

Traditional writing prompts would create simpler partnerships:

• "Write about two friends who work together"
• "Create a team that defeats a villain"
• "Describe heroes who save the day"

These prompts produce flat partnerships where teammates are interchangeable, where one leads and one follows, where victory belongs to the protagonist with help from sidekick.

But when we ask "What story do YOU want to tell?" children show us they understand:

• Different organizations can collaborate
• Different specializations complement each other (assassin + spy)
• Different code names don't prevent partnership (Burning Acid + Twilight)
• Signals coordinate better than commands
• Flanking from multiple angles beats solo frontal assault
• Shared pride matters more than individual glory

Todo and Reman work for different agencies. They still saved Tokyo together.

Tom Hirst, Head of English at Dixons Manningham Primary, told BBC News: "Even the kids who don't like writing didn't want to stop."

This story reveals WHY boys engage with partnership narratives:

Boys aren't interested in solo heroes who don't need help. They're interested in:

• Teams where both members contribute essential skills
• Tactical coordination that requires mutual trust
• Signals instead of commands
• Organizational boundaries that don't prevent collaboration
• Recognition that's shared, not hoarded

These are the stories boys want to write. Partnerships where both heroes matter equally.

And those code names: Burning Acid and Twilight.

They're perfect.

Burning Acid (assassin): aggressive, dangerous, corrosive, action-oriented

Twilight (spy, master of disguise): liminal, between states, hard to see clearly, transformation

The code names reflect their different approaches:

• Burning Acid eliminates targets directly
• Twilight infiltrates using disguise

Different methods. Different agencies. Same goal when Tokyo's threatened.

That's a child understanding that effective teams combine different approaches, not duplicate the same one.

The Story They Created

This author's story contains evidence of deep engagement with partnership dynamics:

Professional complexity: Different agencies, different code names, different specializations (assassin vs spy)

Character detail: Spiky hair, black/red cloak, age 14, master of disguise

Geographic specificity: Tokyo, Japan, very east of Asia

Threat clarity: Leviathan approaching, news warning, will destroy city

Mutual decision: "We decided," "we both had to"—no leader, collaborative choice

Emotional motivation: "Sense of urgency"—not glory-seeking, necessity-driven

Tactical coordination: "Gave each other signals"—professional communication

Strategic positioning: "Either side of the Leviathan"—flanking maneuver

Environmental tactics: "Between buildings"—urban warfare awareness

Sustained attack: "Kept slashing"—persistent coordinated assault

Shared emotion: "We both felt happy and proud"—mutual achievement

Joint recognition: "Best spies and assassins"—plural, not individual

Chapter structure: Clear progression (introduction, beginning, fight)

Every element serves the partnership while maintaining action narrative momentum.

Want to read Todo and Reman's complete story about saving Tokyo through tactical coordination and cross-agency partnership?

Read "The Daring J and the Leviathan" here →

Or listen to Kate read it on the Stories Without Borders podcast:
Listen to the episode →

Two Ways Forward

Option 1: Help Your Child Write Partnership Stories

Download the free Golden Question Guide and discover how "What story do YOU want to tell?" helps children create teams where both heroes matter—like Todo (Burning Acid) and Reman (Twilight).

👉 Download Golden Question Guide (Free)

Option 2: See How Schools Engage Boys in Collaborative Writing

Curious how 9 schools achieved 100% engagement with boys writing partnership stories where both characters contribute equally—including those who previously refused to write?

Download the 2-page Bradford Proof case study.

📊 Download Bradford Proof (Free)

Need Help Implementing This?

Whether you're a parent wanting to bring this to your child's school, or a teacher ready to see what boys write when given freedom to explore tactical partnerships, let's talk.

📞 Book a Free Call With Kate

Because here's what 465 children have taught us:

When boys write action stories with complete creative freedom, they don't create solo heroes who save the day alone.

They create:

• Assassins and spies from different agencies
• Code names that reflect different approaches (Burning Acid + Twilight)
• Tactical coordination through signals, not commands
• Strategic positioning (flanking from either side)
• Mutual decisions ("we decided," "we both had to")
• Shared pride ("we both felt happy and proud")
• Joint recognition ("best spies and assassins")

That's not fantasy escapism.

That's boys exploring how real teams work:

Different skills. Different organizations. Same mission.

Signals, not commands. Flanking, not solo assault. Shared pride, not individual glory.

Burning Acid and Twilight saved Tokyo together.

Because the best partnerships work across boundaries.

Share this story:
Know a teacher who wants boys engaged in partnership writing? A parent whose son writes action but understands teamwork? A school leader looking for proof that boys write collaborative dynamics when given creative freedom?

Share Todo and Reman's story.

Because when we trust boys to write tactical teams, they show us they understand:

Different agencies can collaborate. Different code names don't prevent partnership. Different skills complement each other.

And Tokyo gets saved by signals, flanking maneuvers, and mutual respect.