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Kids Next Door Mission

Operation: S.I.S.T.E.R.S.

Siblingness

Is

Sadly

Tough

Especially

Regarding

Sisters

Writing Operatives: Lieutenant Darkton

Original Mission Director: Mr. Warburton

Numbuh 5 opened her eyes to the sound of the loud beep of the alarm clock. 8:50 AM. The perfect time to go through the routine and catch some Saturday Morning Cartoons. She looked through her drawers, filled with a lot of outfits. "Hmm… I really oughta try on some of this other stuff some time," she said to herself. "Eh, not yet." She put on the usual black shorts and blue shirt, the stuff that works, before visualizing the hall ahead.

Numbuh 3 was already on the sofa. "Hi, Numbuh 5! You're gonna like this new…" She turned her head to Numbuh 5, then let out a scream.

"Hey, Kuki, wassup?"

But Numbuh 3 simply ran away from her. "NUMBUH O-O-O-ONE-E-E-E!"

"Hey, wait up!"

She followed her to Numbuh 1 and found Numbuh 3 holding onto Numbuh 1. "It's her! It's her! I don't know what to do!"

Numbuh 1 immediately perked up, facing Numbuh 5. "What?! How did YOU get in here?!"

"Whadya mean?!" Numbuh 5 asked. "I've been here the whole time!"

"Sound the alarm!" Numbuh 3 left to hit a nearby alarm switch.

"TEEN ALERT! TEEN ALERT!" the alarm blared, accompanied by red lights and warning klaxons.

"Teen alert?! What's goin' on here?!" Numbuh 5 exasperated.

Sure enough, Numbuhs 4 and 2 were on the scene. 4 was aiming a M.U.S.K.E.T. straight at Numbuh 5. "Any last words, ya cruddy teenager?"

Numbuh 2 was drooling with a dreamy look in his eyes. "Especially if those words are, 'I do.'"

"Why you lookin' at me like that?! What'm I…" a thought came to Numbuh 5's head. "Oh no. Aww no!" Numbuh 5 immediately bolted out of the room, headed straight for her room. When she arrived, she looked for a mirror.

But it was not Numbuh 5 she saw on the other side. Instead, facing her was her sister Cree, a teenager in full Battle Ready Armor. "Oh no! No! NO!"

Numbuh 5 jostled back and forth in her bed, repeatedly saying "No!" in her sleep, tossing and turning. She awoke suddenly, panting heavily. The time was 4:30 AM, much earlier than usual, given circumstances. She rose to an upright position and put her hand to her head.

"Not that dream again… what does it mean?"

"HEY, CRABAGAIL!" It was Cree in her room. "KEEP THE NOISE DOWN! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!"

A court of KND officials stood before Cree, the jury populated by all the kids she'd wronged in the past, and the judge being none other than Numbuh 362 herself. "Before we let the jury come to their final verdict," 362 asked, "is there anything the defendant would like to say?"

Cree spat at nothing in particular. "Go suck on a pacifier, you stupid babies," she said defiantly.

"Our defendant has been accused with bullying, crimes against childhood, betrayal of her fellow operatives, impersonating an officer, remainder of memories beyond legal age, corruption of an operative, and jaywalking in KND territory. What does our jury think, guilty or innocent?"

The jury all spoke at once. "GUIL-TY! GUIL-TY! GUIL-TY!"

"Then it's settled. You are sentenced to immediate decommissioning. Court adjourned."

Cree soon found herself in the Decommissioning Chamber. Numbuh 86 spoke those familiar words, the words all operatives dreaded. "Within a few moments, every memory of your time in the Kids Next Door will be utterly erased. Any last words, teenager?"

"I'm not apologizing," Cree spat.

"I didn't think you would. Normally, I'd be the one to throw the switch, but this time, I'd rather someone special do the process. Numbuh 5, step out!"

"You got it, pal!" Sure enough, Numbuh 5 was there, sporting an evil grin on her face.

Cree's expression immediately changed from defiance to shock, then to worry. "A…Abby? Come on! What about all the good times we had? When we were still kids! I mean, all those missions, that hat I gave you, COME ON! You wouldn't do this to your sister, would you?!"

Numbuh 5 paused, then smiled wickedly. "Numbuh 5 doesn't have a sister! And THIS is what Numbuh 5 thinks of the good times, and you in total, CREE!" She took off her hat, tossed it in the air, and shot bolt after bolt of energy at it, rupturing holes in the fabric one by one, until it was nothing more than scraps of loose fabric that fell to the ground. Numbuh 5 then threw the switch, starting the process. "So long, UN-sister!"

"No! Please, Abby, no!" The Decomissioning Device loomed to her face. "NOOOO!" and the plunger shot out.

Outside the room, screams of pain were heard, as memory after memory spilled out of Cree, leaving nothing behind. When a *ding* noise was heard, Cree giddily stepped out, hands closed like a schoolgirl. "Like, who's up for a game of kickball, ya little rascals?"

Cree bolted awake, realizing her surroundings. She was at home, late at night, and she still remembered everything. "Stupid dream."

"YA KNOW, CREE," Numbuh 5 bolted back, "IT'D BE EASIER TO BE QUIET IF YOU WERE BEIN' QUIET!"

Cree sighed. "Shut up, Crabagail," she muttered under her breath.

The next day, Cree opened the door to her house. It was Maurice. "I came as soon as I heard. How can I help you?"

"Yeah, well, see," Cree sputtered, "I haven't been feeling well. At least, aheh, not emotionally well. I was hoping maybe you could help."

"Cree, you've been my partner since I first came in here. Of course I can…" Maurice's phone vibrated. He pulled it out to find out he got a text message. From Numbuh 5, no less.

All it wrote was, "Can we talk?"

"Uh, hold on, I have to take this." He, in turn, responded back. "What for, Abby?"

"I want to hear your voice."

"Sure. Just so you know, I could lose my job. But you're worth it." "Hey, I need to use the bathroom. Where is it?"

"Right through the hall, first door on the left."

"Gotcha."

A quick follow of the directions, he pulled his phone out again.

"I'm in a secure zone. Call me."

Sure enough, Numbuh 5 came calling from her room. "Hey, Maurice."

"Hi. We need to be careful how we communicate. I can't let anyone hear this conversation."

"Roger. Anyway… I had the Cree dream again."

"Third night in a row?"

"Third night in a row."

"Dang. Your birthday isn't 'till a long time, though. What's wrong?"

"Well, Chad was 12 when he went crazy. Cree started goin' crazy at 12. And I'm worried I might be goin' crazy."

"You're only 11, you should be fine."

"I know, but…" Numbuh 5 sighed. "I keep worryin' when that day hits, I'm gonna be prime pickin' for Cree to just waltz on over to me, try and sell me this horrible idea about me hurtin' kids and being a jerk all day, and I'd just accept it because I don't know better!"

Numbuh 5 panted out of stress.

"Well, actually, I talked to Cree. She's not gonna do that."

"Oh. Thank goodness. Glad to see she's not that heartless."

"No, what she's really gonna do is pluck you before you even get decommissioned and try and recruit you then."

"ARGH! Typical Cree! Always tryin' to boss over me, have things HER way! Never what I want, ALWAYS what SHE wants! She's bossy, she's rude, she acts like a jerk to me all the time; I bet she doesn't even have a carin' sister bone in her body 'cause she SOLD 'EM ALL TA FATHER!"

Cree yelled from outside the door. "Ya know, maybe I wouldn't be this way if I didn't have a sister who was always badmouthing me, going through my stuff, and just making my life horrible with her STUPID KIDS NEXT DORK FRIENDS!"

Numbuh 5 burst out of her room. "I STAND BY WHAT I SAID! YOU ARE THE WORST BIG SISTER ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE!"

"Well, it's a perfect set then, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE WORST LITTLE SISTER ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE!"

"Ohoh, you wanna slug it out, Teeny Bopper?! Put on that Battle Ready Armor and we'll go a round!"

"Oh, I'm gonna do it!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

"I'm gonna do it!"

Maurice burst out of the bathroom. "GUYS! STOP!"

Both of them looked at Maurice.

"Geez, do you have to butt into everything Cree does, Abigail? We weren't even planning anything evil today! I was here to help Cree out because she's feeling down, and you're NOT helping!"

"Yeah, so stay outta my business, 'cause I doubt you're tough enough to take down two of us!"

Numbuh 5 huffed. "Whatever. Numbuh 5's goin' outside. I got better things to do than bother you." She began to move towards the window. "I'll tell Numbuh 4 to stop going through your closet. Most of all I'm gonna keep him away from The Stash." She jumped out the window.

"The Stash?" Cree blushed. "Oh crud she knows about The Stash! OH CRUD HER FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT THE STASH!" Cree weakly smiled at Maurice. "Uh, I'll be right back, okay, need to make sure some… eheh, sensitive documents are kept away from young eyes." She bolted to her room. "Oh crud, oh crud, oh crud, oh crud, oh crud!" She slammed the door shut.

Maurice returned to his phone. "Nice save."

"You pick up a few things when you live with a teenager for years."

"Anyway, don't tell command I told you this, but you're in good standing. You've pretty much passed all the loyalty checks; keep it up and you'll keep your memories."

"Yeah, but still, there's… ahuh, the Cree factor. If she's takin' me before my memories get taken away, it really doesn't matter."

"Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Most of the spies who work on the front lines are required to pass additional checks. Most spies go on to become politicians or toymakers or something else that furthers the cause in subtle ways. Combat spies need to also pass espionage and subterfuge tests in order to make sure they don't give away information to the enemy. This could be the opportunity you need. You'll be closer to Cree and more liable to capture her. Then your problems will all be over."

"Heh. I'll look into that. That's what I needed, Maurice, thanks for the help."

"Anytime. Now, delete the records of this call."

"As always. Bye!" Abby hung up.

Maurice held his phone in front of him. "Good luck, Abby," he muttered to himself.

Cree burst out smiling. "It's safe! Thank goodness it's safe! They didn't get to The Stash! Oh sweet mercy I'm out of the fire!"

"Wh… what exactly is The Stash?"

"Oh, aheheh, it's, it's where I keep all my evil plans, I look over them day and night and work on them. Aheh, they're for adults only."

"G… gotcha."

Cree looked out the window. Numbuh 5 was playing with a ball, like any old kid would do. As she looked out the window, she sighed and said something she would never let her sister hear.

"I used to be there with her."

Maurice perked up. "Huh?"

"When she was growing up, I used to play that game with her. We'd try and see what kind of body parts we could use to hit it. Hands were worth 1 point, legs were worth 2, and the head was worth five points." Cree began to smile. "We'd constantly try and get the highest score, and I had my hat so I could hit from the pointy side of the cap. She'd do the same thing when I gave her the hat. And every day we'd try and beat our last score." She chuckled warm-heartedly, then frowned. "Of course, I can't do that anymore. I'm a teenager. That's a kid's game. I don't do kids' stuff." She crossed her arms, then pouted. "But I'd really like to if it meant spending time with Abby."

"You know why you can't do that. Father's rules say children…"

"…and teenagers can't mix and must be mortal enemies, I KNOW!" She paused. "I know all the rules. She's the good guy, I'm the bad guy. I come up with a plan to inflict harm to kids, do the whole theatrics, the whole 'It will all be OURS, mwahaha!', and I always lose. Every. Single. Time. And lately, I'm getting tired of this whole shtick. And did I mention I never win? 'Cause I don't."

"Uh, Cree?"

"She gets to be loved by everyone, have four really good friends and maybe more, and I get to have my friends and my boss yell at me when I do wrong, and I ALWAYS do wrong! This guy offers the sweetest college payment plan of 'em all, and all I have to do is be hated by my friends, hated by my boss, HATED BY MY SISTER, and have every DAY be filled with this same routine JUST to make it by!" Now it was Cree's turn to pant out of stress.

"It's okay. It's okay. Just think of the money. Think of the money."

Cree got quiet. "I used to be loved. I used to have real friends. I used to have a sister. But at some point, the world comes knocking at the stroke of 13, and change gets forced on you. You have to get rid of your toys, school gets harder, your old friends discard you like a used tampon, you have to start using tampons, and you have to put aside childish things and become… an adult. And one day," she looked towards Numbuh 5 outside, "one day, that's gonna happen to her. Numbuh 11 will live forever in my head… but I'm not so sure about Numbuh 5. I'd… I'd love to go back to the old days… but the world doesn't work that way." Cree smiled evilly, a smile she'd seen so perfectly done by her protégé, the former Numbuh 12. "So I guess I'll have to get her to come to me."

Numbuh 5 lounged on the couch, looking dejected, on her own. Her friends were playing a 4-player fighting game together. Naturally, she was left out. Of course.

"Hey, Numbuh 5!" Numbuh 3 beamed. "It's your turn next! You wanna take my spot?"

Numbuh 5 said nothing.

"She's doing the thing again," Numbuh 2 said. "I got this." Numbuh 2 parked himself by Numbuh 5. "Age problems?"

"I found out what's gonna happen on my last day," Numbuh 5 said quietly. "Cree's gonna capture me before I can get decommissioned and turn me to her side. And I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Numbuh 2 smiled. "We're gonna be there, too. You don't have to fight her alone. Heck, she's gonna have to deal with the whole Kids Next Door army since it's on moonbase. You'll be fine."

"I dunno… I don't know where she's gonna get me. I mean, who said it had to be moonbase? I could wake up one day and she'd be there, givin' me her offer." Numbuh 5 sighed. "What'm I gonna do?"

There was a pause.

Numbuh 5 continued. "Ya think I could go to the Seperatists?"

"Huh?"

"Ya see, the teenagers are kinda at war. Some of 'em are fighting for their freedom from the adults and lookin' to do what they want. They've kinda formed a mini Kids Next Door for teens. I guess I could go there." Numbuh 5 planted her head on a cushion. "But she might not let me make that choice. I mean…" She pulled her head up with tears in her eyes. "She hates me. Hates you guys. Hates everythin' that's not her. All because she's a teenager and we're kids. Awww, what's the use? What'm I gonna do 'bout her?"

The communications channel picked up. And most ominously, the feed said "Numbuh 11". It could only be one person. "Looks like you're about to find out," Numbuh 1 said.

The team gathered to the monitor. As expected, Cree was on the screen, cackling like a witch. "Hey, Abby! Having fun with your stupid baby games? I'm playing this awesome T for Teen game with my buddies, and you can't play because you're just a stupid baby girl! HAHAHAHA!"

Numbuh 5 growled. "I am NOT in the mood for you today, Cree. What do ya want?"

"Oh, nothin' much. Remember that time you wanted us to slug it out? Well, I got my Battle Ready Armor, we can settle it like ya wanted! If you're interested, meet me at the Wilbur Playground. Or I can capture all these kids there and make 'em my slaves! HAHAHA! Oh, and one more thing… don't think about bringing your stupid friends… or I'll know." The feed broke contact.

"So, who thinks it's a trap?" Numbuh 5 said.

"Trap," Numbuh 2 said.

"Trap," Numbuh 3 said.

"That is so a trap," Numbuh 4 said.

"You can't go, Numbuh 5," Numbuh 1 said. "She's got something planned for you, she always does."

"Yeah…" Numbuh 5 said, "…but what about the kids there? Numbuh 5 took an oath not to let any kid fall into harm's way. Cree can't be allowed to hurt those kids."

However, a communicator message came up on the monitor, and this one simply came from a private channel. Numbuh 1 answered it, and the video feed only came up with static. "Be careful, Numbuh 5," a deep African-American sounding voice said. "Cree's offer for a fight is a trap."

"Numbuh 5 knows. Wh…who are you anyway?"

"Just a friend. You can call me Nineball."

"Nineball? I think I know who you are…. Anything else I should know?"

"The park is abandoned. There are no kids there. She doesn't want any witnesses to the event. However, she has guards lined in a perimeter of the area. If she detects anyone other than you, she'll shoot you down early and leave you to them. There is a tactical advantage to be had going to her fight, so go anyway, and go alone."

"Gotcha. Anything else?"

"After you fight her, return to the treehouse and inform the team of the result. You'll understand why soon after the fight. Once done with that, pay a visit to our informant behind enemy lines. You'll know him when you see him."

"Roger. What's the trap gonna be like?"

"I don't have any time to say. I'm being monitored by the enemy. I can't continue talking to you; just do exactly as I say. Good luck." Nineball broke contact.

"Numbuh 5…" Numbuh 3 said worriedly.

"Guys…" Numbuh 5 said, "… if Numbuh 5 doesn't come back from this, then she's sorry."

Numbuh 1 put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I have the utmost faith in you."

"Me, too," Numbuh 2 said.

"Me three!" Numbuh 3 said.

"Me too, four!" Numbuh 4 said.

Numbuh 5 smiled. "Alright… thanks, guys."

A single F.L.I.E.R.P.L.A.C.E. flew over the city. The perimeter of Teen Ninja soldiers scanned the vehicle. "Looks like a single-man ship, Boss. Our girl is right on schedule."

At the park, Cree, decked in full Battle Ready Armor, sat on top of the roof of one of a castle-like construct. "Excellent. Everything's going according to plan…"

The ship flew into a parking lot, trying to fit within the confines of a space. Out stepped Numbuh 5, who walked up to the park to find Cree waiting for her, arms crossed, standing on the tip of the roof.

"What's the catch, Cree?" Numbuh 5 demanded. "What makes this so different from our other fights?"

"Oh, nothin' much," Cree said evilly. "I just felt like settlin' the score, once and for all."

"What's different about that from usual?"

Cree did an acrobatic jump from the roof to the floor. "Well, see, if you win, which you won't, you get to capture me, take me to your stupid friends, then decommission me. But… if I win, you have to give up being a Kids Next Dweeb operative FOREVER! AHAHAHAHA!"

"You just set yourself up for failure. Because you always lose."

"First time for everything."

"Alright… Sis… let's end this." Numbuh 5 got into a fighting pose.

"Age before beauty." Cree got into an identical pose.

Numbuh 5 straightened her hat.

Cree activated her mask.

She then charged at Numbuh 5 using her jet boots, ready to throw a punch. Numbuh 5 caught it and threw her into the see-saw. She then jumped onto the other side, launching her into the air. Cree activated her jetpack and fired arm cannon shots at her. Numbuh 5 got caught in the barrage, not helped by the wood chips leaving dust behind.

Numbuh 5 looked around for Cree, who she found right behind her, throwing a punch to the jaw, which Numbuh 5 dodged, then met with a knee to the stomach. She followed that up with a roundhouse kick, which sent Cree near some monkey bars, which she grabbed onto. She proceeded to acrobatically flip off of them and plant both her feet onto Numbuh 5.

Numbuh 5 regained her balance, then charged at Cree. Cree readied for the inevitable punch, but Numbuh 5 stopped, and aimed a S.C.A.M.P. at her, shooting a blast at her. Cree smirked. "Don't think I taught ya that one!"

"I learned from my friends. Don't you have anything new?"

"I only get better with age!"

Cree grabbed Numbuh 5, then threw her at a spinning wheel, she spun the wheel quickly, then let out her hand to deliver a punch when she passed her. On the fourth time, however, Numbuh 5 grabbed the fist and spun her herself, throwing her into a hanging tire.

Numbuh 5 walked up to Cree. "Well," she said confidently, "unless you got any tricks up your sleeve, I think that just about seals it!"

"Oh…" Cree said evilly, "… I got a trick, alright…" Cree pulled out a strange-looking weapon and fired a red lighting-ray at Numbuh 5. The ray had an odd effect on her, engulfing her with red and black energy, causing parts of her body to bulge, swell and extend, and causing her hair to grow longer and her clothes to change.

Numbuh 5 panted heavily and looked at Cree, who was smiling evilly. "You…" she said in a deeper voice. "What did ya hit me with…" she then realized something. "My voice. …my voice!" As Cree pulled herself out of the tire, Numbuh 5 found out another disturbing fact. "We… we're at eye level?" Numbuh 5 felt up her body, realizing some key changes. "Oh no… oh no… you've turned me into a… a…"

Cree finished the thought. "A teenager! Just like me!"

Indeed, Numbuh 5 had turned 15 years old, with longer pants, more gangly hair and a curvier figure. She gasped in horror, then growled in anger. Then, she grabbed Cree by her collar. "CHANGE ME BACK RIGHT NOW!"

"It's impossible! There's no reverse button, there's no antidote, there's no going back! You'll just have to deal with this FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Numbuh 5 threw a punch at Cree, but she dodged it by taking to the air.

"I think your friends are waiting for you to come home! That is, if you can still call them your friends!" Cree flew off, laughing evilly.

"My friends… my friends!"

Numbuh 5 flew into the hanger bay of the treehouse on her F.L.I.E.R.P.L.A.C.E. The cockpit was much more cramped as a result of her new height.

She stepped into the game room, where the others were still playing. "Uh, guys? Numbuh 5 kinda…"

Before she could say any more, the Teen Alert began blaring, and the others aimed their weapons at her. But the instant they saw her, they lowered their weapons and looked sad.

"Disengage alarm," Numbuh 1 said with a hint of defeat in his voice. "Numbuh 5… what happened?"

Numbuh 5 took a while to speak. "… I lost," she said with a hoarse voice. "She did this to me."

The other crew members lowered their heads.

"Guys… can I still stay with you? No one has to know. We can still hang out! Be together! Be friends! Sound good?"

Numbuh 1 paused. "I'm sorry, Abby," he said with a heavy heart. "Regulation is regulation. Kids Next Door operatives are not allowed to mingle with teenagers. They could be enemy agents."

"I KNOW!" Numbuh 5 started to cry. "But you don't really think I'd hurt you, do you?"

Numbuh 1 in turn started to cry, too. "I… don't think you ever would. But…" he sniffled. "…but global command doesn't know that! We'd all be suspected of treason, for conspiring with the enemy! They don't know about you! Abby… if you really care for your friends… you'll let us go. I… I'm sorry."

Numbuh 5 opened her arms. "Goodbye hug?"

The other operatives joined her, as the five V-Kids began to cry openly. After all these years, a longtime valued member of the team had to leave. The last member of the original Sector V was gone. For good.

As they left, Numbuh 1 left his final word. "We'll never forget you… Numbuh 5."

As Numbuh 5 left for the elevator to the outside world, she left hers. "And Num… Abby's sorry… if she forgets you."

As she left, the other operatives were alone. Once there were five, now just four. The group would never be the same.

And as Abby left the treehouse, left her friends behind her, she did what anyone would do. She bawled her eyes out like the child she was on the inside. Everything was gone. Her whole world had fallen apart, and she had no links to it.

Except one. "They're gone, aren't they?" T'was Cree, wearing her casual outfit.

Instantly all of Abby's sadness turned to rage, as she punched Cree in the face, then pinned her to the ground. "How could you do this to me, YOU MONSTER! I lost EVERYTHING! My FRINEDS, my HOME, my…" she looked at Cree's face. "…my…"

There was not a single hint of malice in that face. Only sadness and a bruise.

Abby helped her up, then held her hands. "Cree… why?"

"… I wanted to show you. That's what they do to you. When you stop being young and hip, they throw you out. They decide you're not worth it to them and just get rid of you. Because to the Kids Next Door, there's no such thing as friendship. Only business partnership." Cree clutched tightly. "Because that's just how their rules work. Because that's just how the world works."

"Cree… I'm scared."

"You don't have to be. Don't you see? We don't have to fight each other anymore! They're gonna send agents to decommission you, but you don't have to let them get you! You can join me! You can keep your memories of the best times of our lives!" Cree smiled warmly. "And make new memories of better ones. Abby? Will you fight by my side? As my partner? My sister?"

Abby pondered for a while, weighing all her options. She soon realized, she had only one option, and smiled. "Yeah. I'll do it!"

"That's the spirit!" Cree and Abby hugged, reunited by fate. "Let's never fight each other again! Deal?"

"Deal!"

Abby and Cree did a secret handshake they've known since they were kids. Cree then smiled evilly. "Now… let's go train you up in the ways of evil. I think you'll like it a lot better."

Abby did an evil smile of her own. "Oh, trust me, Abby thinks she can make it work."

"And I assure you, you won't miss your friends. After all, they don't miss you."

But the activity up in the treehouse said otherwise. The other operatives gathered around Numbuh 1. And Numbuh 1 turned to them. "Kids Next Door, initiate new mission: Operation SAVE NUMBUH 5!"

Transmission Interrupted

I'm not going to be doing my usual post-chapter annotations this time, at least, not as heavily as I used to. I will explain a few things that need be, and explain my logic behind each chapter's construction as a Behind the Scenes look into what went into this story.

When I was typing up the drafts that ended up becoming the larger Season 5.5 and later continuity, one story I wanted to do was one that really got deep into the relationship between Abby and Cree, that is, tackling the issue in a serious way. In writing this, I tried to get into the head of Cree, partly because I wanted to flesh her out, but also because in a lot of cases, Abby's side is the one we see.

What I found was a character that was surprisingly deep, someone who, while selfish, was ultimately a cynic who wanted any chance to feel beloved. She does indeed cherish her sister, and any moment they can get together again brings her spirits up, and any time those hopes are dashed crushes her. She's a girl who doesn't like to be betrayed, and will stab back at those who stab her in the back. What I found most about her, was a general desire to be left alone and just live her life.

In order to get at the root of the conflict between the two, I needed a chance to let out Cree's more vulnerable side; that's when the idea to age Abby up came in. This change essentially allows the two to interact as relative equals, especially due to the rules of the KND not allowing her to stay. It also brings what Abby dreads most to light, now having to face her darkest fear; of becoming just like her sister.

I will continue my Behind the Scenes look in the next part.