Disclaimer: I don't own Atomic Betty
Summary: After reaching adulthood, every Galactic Guardian must leave home to be on active duty. It's Betty's time, and she's not quite ready to leave home.
Title: Full-Time Active Duty
Warnings: None
...
Zipping the suitcase shut, Betty quickly took one final look around the room. The walls were bare; the pictures packed away and the walls dusted clean; the carpet was a crystal clean white- due to a professional floor cleaner and a few cleaning items she'd picked up during her travels across the universe. All the furniture had been lugged away to a storage unit she planned on raiding later, leaving only the bed- which was soon to be taken apart as well. It was like no one had ever lived there...
Eyes downcast, she sighed, picking up the heavy bag with relative ease. Opening the door with her free hand, she turned and looked behind her one last time before stepping into the hallway and shutting it behind her, locking away all of the memories that came with it.
Lugging the case down the familiar staircase, she made sure to have it thump against every step, giving her more time to stare at the family pictures trailing down the wall. The family as a group, dressed up for a professional photo; herself as a baby, a rattle clutched in her hand; Purrsey as a kitten, curled up on the couch; her and Purrsey's first battle royale. She smiled.
"All packed up?" Betty's mother's voice cracked as she held down tears, a hand resting over her mouth and nose.
"Yup." She nodded.
"Are you sure you're ready to move out?" The question- the same one she'd been asked all week since the announcement of her plans- made her heart twinge in regret.
"Yes, mom, I'm sure." She bit her tongue, ignoring the hard pit forming in the recesses of her stomach.
Okay, so maybe she wasn't that ready...
"Well, alright, it's just..." The older women paused the tears messing up her mascara as she bent down to hug the red-headed girl. "You're so young, is all." She pulled back, keeping her hands firmly placed on the younger woman's shoulders. "Do you even have a place to say?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Where?"
"I'll... foreword you the address when I get there. I wouldn't want to mess up and confuse a lot of people." She smiled, far to wide and far to cheerful to be real.
"Well..." The older woman paused, taking in her daughters reluctance and the stubborn glint nestled within her emerald eyes before nodding. "Alright, but send it to us soon. And you better call whenever you get the chance, okay?"
"I'll write to you everyday." She promised, feeling the similar feelings one might feel when going to summer camp for the first time- fear, irritation, excitement.
"Good." She hugged her one more time before pulling away completely. "I'm gonna miss you."
"I'll miss you both, too." She smiled, turning to hug her father.
"As long as you're happy, sweetpea, we're happy." He told her, smiling through the sadness in his heart.
"Thanks, dad. I'll visit you both as much as I can."
Giving a hollow wave, she closed the front door solidly behind her and made her way down the familiar streets of town for the last time for many years. After checking to make sure the coast was clear, she finally brought her watch close to her mouth.
"Okay, Sparky, beam me up."
Exiting the chamber, she found herself immediately being tackled into a hug. "Chief!
"Hey, Sparky." She wheezed, carefully returning the hug, mindful of her strength.
"I'm so excited! Now I'll finally have a real roommate."
"Ha-Ha." X-5 countered sourly. He held a pincher out. "I'm glad that I'll finally be able to share the capacity of the cruiser with someone who won't disguist me with their eating habits."
"Hey!" She chuckled, shaking the pincer in a friendly gesture.
"Thanks, X-5."
"We made ya an extra bed, Chief." He yammered away as she took on look at the world she was leaving behind. Tracing it with her eyes and creating a mental image that wouldn't disappear, she eventually turned and followed them into the main cabin of the cruiser. "A nice, big, comfy one."
"You mean I made the captain a sleeping unit." X-5 tapped his chest.
Sparky waved a hand. "Details, details."
Sliding into her chair, she felt it rise upwards as the comm flickered to life, revealing the always-serious face of her commanding officer. She saluted.
"Atomic Betty, reporting for full-time active duty, sir."
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