Okay, so I came up with this AU where Mao Mao is still a little kid while his sisters are the main characters and heroes of Pure Heart Valley. Here, Mao Mao’s family is attacked, forcing the sisters to flee and take little Mao Mao with them. (still debating on the fate of Shin Mao - dead or missing?)

They are travelling and on the run for some time, going from place to place while doing hero things for money and gifts along the way in order to take care of Mao Mao (get him clothes, keep him fed, find him a place to sleep, occasionally give him a toy, etc…). They do get Mao Mao a pet dog along the way, who names him Bao Bao. They all eventually come across Pure Heart Valley the same way as in the show: damaging the Ruby Pure Heart, fighting off a monster, and the Sky Pirates, all on their first day. They are rewarded with getting to live in Pure Heart Valley. In addition to that, the sisters end up forming a professional relationship with King Snugglemagne, who is more than happy to be their “platonic” sugar daddy *ahem* benefactor (whatever that means), since he’s more often than not behaved rather eccentrically whenever he’s in their presence.

The sisters are introduced to Adorabat, who still wants to learn how to be a hero. They are unsure about granting that request, but they allow her to be near them because they thought she’d be a suitable first friend and playmate for Mao Mao. However, since Mao Mao’s and Adorabat’s aspirations to become legendary heroes were what they both have in common, their idea of playing together gets them both in all sorts of trouble. The sisters are unsure if Adorabat’s being a bad influence, but Adorabat does care for Mao Mao in her own way. Over time, she could either be like another sister to Mao Mao, or perhaps something more…

Later on, the sisters learn of trouble from bandits calling themselves the Thickett Thieves who rob the homes of Sweetypies at night. They wait one night and catch the Thickett Thieves in the middle of a burglary. Upon driving them away, only one member is left behind, one who admits to having personal issues of self-acceptance which led to him sacrificing his moral standards to appear cool: Badgerclops. The sisters mull it over for a moment and decide to spare him and invite him to join them in order to restore his moral standards. Mao Mao takes a liking to him right away, deeming him his ‘big’ big brother.

The sisters and Badgerclops, along with Mao Mao and Adorabat, now form a co-sheriff-deputy team that protects Pure Heart Valley, all fighting together like one new big family. Additionally, both Adorabat and Badgerclops live with the Mao siblings and their dog in the Sheriff Department HQ, meaning that this hero family is now a family of nine!