Set some time after Operation T.E.E.T.H.
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SUMMERY: Kuki didn't always think about others, at least, not as much as some liked to believe...
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Kuki was known as 'The Girl', and it wasn't because she was female. Others, be it adults, normal kids, or fellow operative who always referred to Kuki as, 'the prettiest', the 'kindest', the most 'outgoing' or just the 'angel' of the team. Even when she herself though that 'prettiest' applied more to Numbuh Five, or that 'kindest' was a titled that belong more to Numbuh Two… Sometimes, when Numbuh Three was alone, and her thousands of well loved stuffed animals were not enough. She'd go and sit in one of the tallest points in the treehouse and just think. She'd think about her friends, about her family, like Mushi- (who sometimes scared her at just how well she was at being manipulative.) -but Kuki didn't always think about others, at least, not as much as some liked to believe anyways. They, adults or other kids in general may think her naive, and a saint, but she knew otherwise, and,most of her team knew otherwise as well. (Not Numbuh Four though, the poor boy…he'd joined the KND some time after she had, and had been lucky enough to not experience the Arctic catastrophe.) Her team didn't think her dumb just because she was a girl or couldn't speak as 'properly' as them.
Kuki also knew what other people tended to say about her too...Never to her face, no, but word spread, and it always made it back to the person it was being said about. They said she was just for looking at. They said she was only on the team because of her 'cutness'. They said the only reason she was ever picked to even be on a team, was because she was naive. Because apparently every team needed someone like that. (All looks and no brain). But they never knew what her team knew...they didn't know that Kuki- Numbuh Three- knew how to splint a broken bone, or how she knew of the best way to properly bandage a wound. THEY didn't know that she could pilot a giant robot and use it in battle. But it's not like they cared... No one really ended up caring, 'not in the end…' Numbuh Three thought to herself sadly as she gently kicked her hanging legs.
"Hey! Numbuh Three!" Kuki heard Numbuh Two call, "what's hangin'?" he joked.
"Oh," Numbuh Three blinked "Hi Numbuh Two…" she replied morsly, "How aaaaare you?" she tried to sound as peppy as she usually did. (she didn't think it worked.) And, behind her back, Numbuh Two blinked slowly before making his way over to where his friend was sitting before taking a seat himself.
"Nice view, huh Numbuh Three?" he asked the girl while gazing out onto their neighborhood. Instead of speaking, Kuki simply nodded and continued to gently kick her feet over the drop of her perch. Numbuh Two meanwhile, shot a quick glance towards his companion worriedly. Her continued silence gave him a heavy feeling in his gut (similar to the feeling he used to get when his younger brother Tommy, got sick.) Making a split second decision, Numbuh Two asked the question no one on their Team really liked to hear.
"Are you okay?" he asked her. "you've been awfully quiet today." 'And have been for DAYS.' he thought to himself 'what happened to you...?' he worried at his lip while he waited for a responses. After a few moments of only the sounds of birds and the distant chatter of children, Kuki asked a the other a question.
"Numbuh Two…do you think…I'm-that I'm just for 'looking at'?" startled, Numbuh Two swayed dangerously forward from where he was sitting on the edge of the treehouse, and would surely have fallen if not for Numbuh Threes lightning fast reflexes.
"Numbuh Two! Are you okay?!" Kuki cried in alarm her oriental accent making itself known even more prominently than usual. Breathing rapidly, Numbuh Two simultaneously gripped his shirt and the edge of where he sat while he took in gulps of air. Seeing his friends worried stare, Numbuh Two tried to respond as best he could,
"Y-yha…" he said shakaly, "I'm okay. But-" he licked his lips, "-what about you?" he questioned her, "what do you mean, 'just for looking at'?" he questioned again.
"I mean-" she started a bit forcefully "-I'm I only on the team because I look pretty." she stressed. Numbuh Two looked briefly disgusted, before his expression settled on enraged.
"Who… " he started to say through clenched teeth, "-said that?" he finished tartly both fists clenched at his sides. Kuki flinched back at the others tone, eyes wider than she'd ever felt them go before. Seeing this, Numbuh Two closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. Letting it out in one go, he gazed at her as calmly as he could.
"Kuki," he begged, "Please, who said that." keeping his gaze but bringing up a hand to clutch at her right shoulder, Kuki closed her eyes so as not to see the expression the other would make.
"Everyone…" she whispered. Numbuh Two scrunched his eyebrows together and repeated it to see if he'd heard right. "And, who exactly, is everyone?" before he thought of something horrifying 'could it be… ?'
"Was it-" he trembled slightly, "-was it-" he stuttered, "someone in our team…?" (he prayed it wasn't someone on the the team...or he'd have to do something he would regret).
Gasping, Numbuh Three felt her hair puff up slightly,
"Wha-" she started, "NO!" she denied this so quickly, that the world spinned around her.
"-no…" she breathed, "No one here…" she ended just as Numbuh Two let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Oh…" he sighed, "Then…who…?" he asked.
Numbuh Three gesture vaguely with her sweater clad hands before returning them to her shoulders.
"Just… adults, or teens…" she tried to say through a sniffle, "S-sometimes even other kids… They-" she swallowed thickly, "-they say I'm useless-" Numbuh Two's breath hitched, "They s-say I'm dumb-" Numbuh Two's hands clenched, "The-they say I'm only on the team because I'M PRETTY…!" She sobbed as Numbuh Two closed the small distance between them to give her a brotherly hug. "How DARE they!' he mentally screamed, "How dare they…!" he hissed aloud. 'I'll find out who... ' he promised himself, 'and they'll be sorry.' he rubbed comforting circles on the smaller girls back.
"Its okay…" he shushed her quietly, "I'm right here… and hey," Numbuh Two pulled back to look at his friend in the eyes, "I think your amazing, and perfect, just the way you are." he told her truthfully. Numbuh Three smiled a small true smile at her friend before pulling back completely.
"Thank you...Hoagie. You're one of the best-est of friends I could have ever asked for…" smiling brightly, Numbuh Two stood up and dusted himself off before reaching a hand out to the girl which she took with a beaming smile and a giggle.
"I have an idea…" The pilot told her with a dramatic pose,
"Oh…?" Kuki hummed while tilting her head slightly, "What is it…?" smirking at his ingenious idea, Numbuh Two pointed a thumb behind himself,
"Lets all go see the new Rainbow Monkey Movie that just came out! I heard its good…!" he whispered to her sneakily. Gasping behind her sweatered hands, Numbuh Three squealed, and then proceeded to jump up and down in place.
"Lets go! Lets go! Lets gooooo…!" she twirled enthusiastically while pulling at her teammate's arm.
"Wooow!" Numbuh Two laughed, "H-how about we race to the break room? Whoever gets there first can tell the others!" Numbuh Threes eyes sparkled with delight and well hidden determination.
"Okay!" she chirped, "On Three?" she nearly smirked. Laughing once more, Numbuh Two conceded with a nod.
"Okay," he turned to face the door, "on three?"
"On three!" she confirmed,
"Three… " Numbuh Two counted,
"Two!" Numbuh Three giggled,
"One!" They called out together before simultaneously running down the hall. And as Kuki felt her long black hair wave behind her in an imaginary breeze, she felt that no amount of bad or deeming comments where ever going to be able to truly bring her down. Not with the family she'd created with her friends.
End.
FOOTNOTE:
Heeeey it's footnote time! I made a reference to a previous story of mine. Can you tell which one it is?
And also, I noticed that on episode T.E.E.T.H. Numbuh One makes a kinda mean comment about Numbuh Three, QUOTE: "it's a simple mission! A trip to the candy store! She can't even get that right." END QUOTE.
And, though no-one really jumps in to defend her, I'd have liked to think that by this point in time, (if the show has us believe that the team had been together around a couple of years or so…) -that they'd have worked out most of the kinks in their relationship by now.
SO! In my ever building fan canon- (and wow… I've actually got one of those now… ) -Here, the team is more attuned to each other, nicer to one another. Like a family would be, (as I will continue to state.) -and thus, if the episode happened in this universe, It'd go a bit more like this: Numbuh One would still have said the same thing, but not with the contempt from the show, instead, he'd say it with worry. (which tends to makes him act out.) and then, Numbuh Four would have jumped in to say something in her defense along with Numbuh Two, and a comment from Numbuh Five directed to all saying: "Relax, Numbuh Three can take care of herself. She's tough when she wants to be." Followed by Numbuh Four's confused and partially sarcastic, "Riiiiiight…" and then, queue everything else but with more companionship.
Anyways, the notes long enough without me ranting, so hole it was cohesive enough, and remember! All mistakes are mine, this is NOT beta read.
Any suggestions for Season 2? I'd love to hear them.