AUTHOR'S WARNING: If you haven't read More Than My Friend or Wishing Only Wounds the Heart yet, then you're not going to have any idea what's going on.

Okay, so, here's basically what I've been working on for the last month and a half or so, after a couple inquiries or requests about another multi-chaptered story. I'm not exactly promising another Wishing Only Wounds the Heart or anything, to be honest, but nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this particular idea thats been sitting on the back burner of my mind for some time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

Prologue

"Metal Mouth! Metal Mouth! Metal Mouth! Metal Mouth!"

The pack of girls eagerly started to chant the very instant the extremely unfortunate sixth-grader exited out the main entrance of the redbrick middle school, allowing her brand-new braces to gleam brightly in the golden afternoon sunlight.

If there was no bigger impediment to the start of a new school year than being the first one in her class to get the dreaded corrective orthodontic gear, she didn't want to know as the all-too-familiar sense of embarrassment surged through every ounce of her being. Once again finding herself the target of someone's cruel amusement for the umpteenth time that day, the child self-consciously clapped a hand over her mouth as she desperately tried to ignore her tormentors.

Alas, her efforts were for naught, for no sooner had she passed them by, her schoolmates got up and followed, all the while cackling like a coven of witches at her appearance.

"Hey Metal-Mouth, what happened? Did you try and eat a bike chain or something?" one teased, to which the others giggled madly. As the insults dug deep like spears, the sixth-grader immediately sniffled a little, despite her best efforts to resist the taunt's cruel sting.

"Ooooh, what's this? You gonna cry, Metal-Mouth? Huh? Watch out, we wouldn't want your braces to get rusty, would we? Would we?"

Frantically, the source of their fun tried to pick up her pace a little in a feeble attempt to get away. Unfortunately, she barely took three paces more when an untied shoelace foiled her getaway. With a squeal of dismay, the child fell tumbled flat on her stomach, much to the pack's utter delight. As their prey lay where she fell, ready to die of embarrassment, the gang broke out hooting with laughter.

"Heeheehee!" one sniggered in delight. "What's the matter? Teeth too heavy to keep your balance now, Metal-"

THWACK!

"OW!" the girl shrieked as a well-aimed dirt clod suddenly rocketed seemingly from nowhere to smash into the side of her head in a miniature explosion of soil and pebbles. Before her cronies could so much as register what had just happened, no less than four more of the makeshift missiles rained down in quick succession, each one scoring a direct hit as the group erupted into a chorus of wails and screams.

"OUCH!"

"Who threw that? OW!"

"YEOW! My ear!"

"Hey, quit it! Quit it! OW! Knock it off!"

"OW! OW! Stop it!"

Despite their desperate pleas for mercy, the mysterious attacker's barrage continued on, swiftly battering the ambushed group into submission as the sixth-grader brushed the jet-black curls from her eyes and just watched dumbly in astonishment. Within moments, her tormentors had been completely routed, and shamelessly they made a frantic withdrawal. As they retreated into whatever refuge the school building could provide, all the while screeching shrilly to the high heavens, someone cried worriedly from nearby,

"Oh jeez, are you okay?"

The sixth-grader jerked her head back around just in time to watch her rescuer step out from behind the cluster of bushes from where she had launched her bold assault. After taking a moment to wipe her hands on her skirt and to brush a few leaves from her bright scarlet locks, she hastily jogged over to where her classmate still lay sprawled upon the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?" the redhead repeated, with deep concern stamped over her features. The other girl only nodded dumbly as she allowed her savior, no older than her, helped her back to her feet.

"Yeah…yeah, I think I'm okay…" she stammered dazedly. "Th-th…th-thank you for-"

"It was nothing." The redhead replied calmly. "My grandma always says bullies are usually just a bunch of wimps anyway. She just says you have to show them who's boss, Kathy, and-"

"Huh?" the black-haired sixth-grader just murmured. The redhead gawked at her bewilderedly, caught off guard by the reply.

"Kathy…that's your name, isn't it?" she asked cautiously.

"Oh…oh!" Kathy gasped, and immediately went bright crimson with embarrassment as recognition dawned upon her. "That's right, you're in my…my…uh…oh, my math class, aren't you? Yeah! You're…you're…your name's Fran…uh…I'm sorry, I should know this, it's…it's…Francesca, right? No, ackpth! It's…it's…Frances! You're Frances Fos-"

The redheaded teen just stuck out her tongue with a light groan of exasperation. "Blech! That's only what the teacher's stupid attendance sheet says."

"Wait, what?"

As the other child became awash with confusion, "Frances" just grinned warmly at her puzzled expression and extended her arm to give her a pat on the shoulder.

"Just call me Frankie…"

Just a quick note - Kathy's a bit of a pseudo-canon character, as she has been in the show, but only when Frankie's been talking to her on the phone, as in Frankie My Dear or Bus the Two of Us.

Anyway, thank you for reading! All feedback is appreciated!