Operation: L.O.S.E.R.S
L.A.C.K.E.Y.S
O.B.T.A.I.N
S.C.A.T.T.E.R.E.D
E.D.G.Y
R.E.C.O.L.L.E.C.T.I.O.N.S
S.O.M.E.D.A.Y
PHASE 1
"What a painful way to wake up.." Fanny pondered as she dragged her unwilling body like a ragdoll off her bed. She was aching all over, except it wasn't physically. She was mentally strained as she awoke, she stared at her hands and struggles to keep her composure. The thoughts of the previous night lingered in her mind just as unwilling to leave as she is to head out to the KND moon base.
It's the day before school starts. Most of the generation of KND she belongs too are new additions to the teenagers. The most commonly known Sector V has one remaining teen who's birthday is tomorrow and most known and other prestigious members like Numbuh 362 or Numbuh 274 have recently or have already long since started their trip to adulthood.
Worst of all for Fanny, today is her birthday.
And possibly even worse than that, she's set to be decommissioned today.
As Fanny trots her broken spirit down the steps of her house she reflects on her countless years spent in the KND. Each step bringing a new memory as she lightly grazes it like a slideshow. It feels like with each memory she thinks on, she feels closer and closer like she's experiencing death.
The death of her childhood at least.
She couldn't even enjoy breakfast, her reflection in her bowl of milk shows her appearance.
Fanny is newly 13, her face has long since matured and toned. Her freckles became more and more visible as she grew older. Her blood orange hair near uncontrollable in the peak of dawn slithers on her head like a nest of curly snakes with even the slightest movement.
Visibly, she's changed physically but her attitude is long since been the same ever since her first day in the KND. Even in her last days she fulfills her duty as the current supreme leader of the KND. Numbuh 362 or also known as Rachel has had her duties long stripped by her own requests. She vowed to always benefit and ensure the safety of the KND even if she was no longer a kid. She requested to be decommissioned and not have even a chance at another "Chad" incident occurring.
After her breakfast she puts on her signature helmet, the number on the front courageously shows her indicted number as "86" and proceeds sloppily shuffled down the sidewalk to the nearest known KND treehouse next to her house. It was the most known and treasured infamous...
Sector V.
She always hated using this treehouse as the nearest transportation to the moon base but what's most convenient is what we stick with.
Or that is what Numbuh 362 used to say.
Today gave the Fanny chills, every action she takes she wish it would echo through her head as long as she lives, but she knows soon that won't be the case. She lightly knocks on the front door of Nigel UNO's house, former most famous and hard working KND operative of them all.
The door slowly creaks open and then stops, and then creaks again until it slams open. She's greeted smugly by a slightly tall boy. The smug look accompanied by his pale head, showing no sign of hair for a while. He's dressed in a pure red and black checkered flannel, it aligns the whole length of his arms as if it was cut to fit his size. His pants tan colored and obviously resemble khakis, or at least they used too. The pants have rips and tears into them seemingly self induced to display homemade ripped jeans. The boy had shoes, or rather in this case boots way too huge seemingly at first glance for any child or even teen to have feet of that caliber. Further confirming the identity of this child he wears pitch black glasses, the lens poked out for proper vision but the base and outside of the glasses show the lens used to be filled.
This boy was Nigel Uno, former leader and operative known as Numbuh 1. He stands at 5'6, about where former legend Numbuh 274 used to reside at. He folds his arms and stares at the now bleak 5'2 redhead. It's not uncommon for Fanny to be knocking at his door every day but today he seemed to be answering the door. This day couldn't get any more troubling for Fanny.
"Ah, it's you again I don't know why I ever expect any new faces." Nigel sarcastically speaks rolling his eyes mindlessly. Fanny usually would give someone of his attitude a stern scolding but today she isn't mentally strong enough to acknowledge it.
"Can ye move out the way?! I just want to move up to the treehouse as usual..." Fanny solemnly exclaims to the now obviously agitated teenage Nigel.
"Well sorry that some childish imagination game tomboy has to use my old treehouse and play with those childish 10 year old's and fight "adult tyrants" day and night, you should really stop and think to grow up." Nigel angrily states further proving his irritation.
"Grow up." Fanny thought as memories of this certain boy swirled across her thoughts. The same prodigy of the legendary Numbuh 0, the most known and capable sector leader since Rachel and Chad and the most battle ready kid she had ever met telling her to grow up?
The mere thought of her being decommissioned made it a little worse now. It doesn't help that someone like Nigel Uno says such delicate words to her, unknowing of her time in the KND also ends that day.
She sadly barely manages to shrugs off the words of the boy and plows swiftly through him running through the halls to the entrance to the treehouse. She's been through such an area many times, but today each step, each rail she grabs, each mechanism she glances over at during her ascend up the wood tunnel feels all too new.
When she arrives up, she stares at the front door. The sign reads "KND" written in bold red and sloppily. Obviously a kid made the signs, but even the paint on the hardwood wears down after these last months of neglect.
She runs her hand across the logo, the thought of her having to leave her childhood behind, her only sense of superiority and all the time she spends alone because she's aging? It sucks, nothing else in the world sucks more than this.
Fanny gently pushes the door forward, slight creaks can be heard from it as it slowly swings from right to left. Sector V, the main base or living room to be exact. She'd never really taken a glance at it before. It's one of the only known sectors to be completely customized to the groups liking.
Visually, it's nowhere near as appealing as the moon base is, it's just a wooden treehouse with 2 by 4 tech scattered all across the room here and there. Unorganized and generally messy in areas but shows signs of care in the areas where it's needed the most.
She hesitates, she doesn't have the strength or willpower to take another step she thinks. The atmosphere is heavy, more heavy than any weapon or any history book she's ever held. Today could be her last day gazing upon such a sight, such technology and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Anxiety kicks in and thoughts now rapidly spread across her mind, her chest pained and feels like the concept of aging has an iron grip on her heart. She falls to her knees out of breathe while her vision fogs and grips her chest.
"Is this it...? A-Am I really done with the KND" Fanny whispers as her eyes form tears. She's hurting, this pain is worse than anything she's felt in the past. Any villain any adult or any fellow operative could never make her feel such grief.
Suddenly a hand grips her shoulder firmly, momentarily stopping her panic attack. She turns around and is greeted by a familiar blonde strands of hair gazing down at her lowest.
"Oi Numbuh 86, you aight?" The person questions as he holds a hand out for her to grab. She wipes away her tears and accepts the gesture. She stands and they now meet at eye level.
This boy is the last remaining operative in his generation besides Fanny, the last member of Sector V and the temporary global tactical officer of KND.
Numbuh 4.
Numbuh 4 or Wallabee "Wally" Beatles of the KND stands at now Fanny's height. They stare eye to eye for a brief moment, but the pause reads the situation as if he already knew from the start.
"Y-yea I'm good I'm fine, why do ya ask?" Fanny chuckles at a poor attempt to hide her brief episode that Wally witnessed. The warmth of her hand as she grips his back in response to his kind gesture earlier feels oddly noticeable, as if she's desperate and doesn't want to let go.
"Hey." Wally says connecting eye contact with Fanny. They're so close the gaze of each others stare could be felt on each side. The slight feeling of each others breathe brushing upon the necks of one another heightens the tension of the situation all the more.
"It's pretty darn obvious I'm no therapist or even the cruddy emotional type of guy, but I know what your going through. I've witnessed it four too many times." Wally depressingly tells Fanny his face dropping towards the floor. As emotionally and mentally unstable as she is she could never be inconsiderate enough to acknowledge the troubles this boy has probably witnessed.
"It's fine to be all crummy and sad or moody, I'd be an old lying bugger to say I haven't cried more than once about my friends but your the supreme leader. The head of KND operatives everywhere. Your the strongest girl I know and I'd be darned if I'm gonna watch you bawl your eyes out over some damn decommissioning." Wally shouts maintaining eye contact the whole time. His words hitting her deeper than anything else she's heard to help cope from other operatives.
In a way as wrong as it is, Numbuh 4 is right. She's the face of KND. She's the queen of the association that every child who dreams to rid the world of adult tyranny works for. She can't be sitting her alone crying because she's becoming a teenager.
Fanny's heartbroken frown turns into a smile showing sincere thanks, she tightly embraces the Aussie. His warmth is reassuring, his fragrance is familiar to her after the months of the decommission of 1-5. She can't help but hold tight not wanting to let go.
"WOAHHH, I know I was being a bit on my inspirational side but I didn't think you'd start death gripping me, you aight?" Wally questions the silent Irish girl as she continues to hug him tightly. Fanny is doing the one thing that seems to be helping her cope the most. She was never really the friends type of operative in the KND, not to say she didn't enjoy superiority but for someone to show her affection in her time of need really helps.
"Also I really want ye to be doing my...send off. If that would be fine with ye I hope." Fanny says while releasing the 5'3 blonde as he's suddenly awestruck by her comment. Him? Why does she want someone like him to monitor something so precious and important to her?
"Why me?! Don't you have other operatives you'd want to send you off, why choose me?" Wally curiously asks her as she turns her back to him. She stares at the city below the skyscraper treehouse and turns back to look at Wally. She give him a motion of her head and a look that he'd know all too well.
They begin to load themselves onto a ship capable of flying to the moon base, a huge logo with the number "2" sitting right above the entrance. Fanny thinks that this was probably a personal transportation shuttle that creative Hoagie Gilligan used to make.
"I'm not sure myself honestly, random change of heart after hearing how much you care about me I guess..." Fanny suddenly blurted with a blushed face to Wally. After a bit of silence while the ship now taking off from the loading dock in the tree house. The ride is quiet verbally, but the silence of the trip has tension loud enough to shatter glass. Wally can't help but twiddle his fingers the whole trip, he's nervous. No matter how many times you do this, no matter how many people you send off this is simply something you'll never get used too.
The sounds of the screams of operatives he grew up with, the struggles of them flailing in the chair like a maniac trying to protect the last shred of their childhood resonates in his mind everyday. He never knew someone like Rachel was dealing with this ever since he even joined the KND, and she never showed a speck of remorse for them.
The thing that hurts worst, as prepared as he tried to be for his sector, for his team, for his friends, he could never be prepared enough for the reactions they'd give him. Not in a million years did he expect all of them to say the same thing as if they planned it, as if they all wanted to ensure he'd be okay and disregard their own feelings.
"Thank you for being my friend Wally."
He could never bring himself to respond before they were decommissioned, not the second time, or third time, or even the fourth time he could never be ready enough. After the decommissioning he'd always bawl his eyes out later reminiscing the moment where he failed to show any emotion to his comrades in need. No matter how okay they seemed, how much they prioritized his feelings over theirs he couldn't help but just know that deep down they wanted closure as well.
Closure he failed to provide.
They arrive at the docks for the moon base, they're greeted by young operatives as young as they were in their prime. Some of them even resembling hope for such another great generation in the KND. On her last day Fanny can't help but smile knowing she can leave with no regrets, nothing to bring her down and people she can entrust the future of her childhood too. Wally and Fanny walk accompanied by two operatives ranking slightly lower than Wally.
They finally reach the DC, the nickname for the area by newer operatives but also known as the decommissioning chambers. Fanny tells off the low ranking operatives due to being the supreme leader and says Wally will handle everything.
Fanny grabs Wally by his hand and grips it tightly and hurriedly leads him into the decommissioning chambers Surprisingly, he doesn't pull away but matches her pace willingly. The sign reads "top secret" with fading or cracked paint displaying it in bold red. She types in a code on the keypad and the doors slowly open as steam emits from each hard metal door. Fanny grabs Wally by his hand and grips it tightly and hurriedly leads him into the decommissioning chambers. Surprisingly, he doesn't pull away but matches her pace willingly.
The long path leading to the chambers, the insanely deep drop below them as a missed step could cost your life with no bottom of the pit in view. The middle of the room shows 4 chairs with straps and belts on them obviously used to hold down operatives, not everyone wants to leave without a fight.
"I would ask anyone else to do this but I'd rather ask the last person I could consider meh friend, even if you don't think of meh the same." Fanny whispers next to Wally as they strut towards the intimidating decommissioning chairs. Wally has seen this room too many times to handle. First Hoagie, then Abigail, then Nigel, and lastly his crush Kuki taken from him by these memory swiping spawns of hell.
"As much as I'd love to not do this cruddy thing again, if it's one last time I wouldn't mind it really." Wally insists as he straps in Fanny with the detainment equipment. The straps of the chair hold onto her like two pythons ready to eat her alive but she doesn't mind it one bit. The silence and huge room makes any noticeable sound echo throughout its walls. Wally quietly taps in some buttons while Fanny waits patiently.
"Alright I coded the darn thing, anything else you'd like to do before you know..." Wally wondered as he asks Fanny basically her last words before being stripped of her last grasp of her childhood. This time she isn't sad or angry or happy, she's relieved to know she won't be ending this all alone.
"Actually..." Fanny speaks up while taking off her signature helmet. She stares at it for a second, the iconic helmet of the short tempered Numbuh 86, a helmet that could probably strike fear into any operative nowadays as a representation of the current supreme leader. It's her most precious item she has currently but knows such a childish thing would be thrown in the dumpster once she's wiped of her memories.
"Here, I'd appreciate it if you held onto this until your decommissioning tomorrow." Fanny answers the confused Aussie boy. Why would she ask him of all people to hold her helmet? It should be one of her most prized possessions, even as a teen it could be a keepsake right?
"After meh decommissioning you'll be supreme leader for a mere day, think you can handle it boy?" Fanny interrogated Wally playfully even both letting out a small chuckle lightening the mood a bit. Each other's gaze seemingly feels much more intense than it would any other day.
"Sure sure, I'll handle your cruddy duties ya stupid girl." Wally retorts back to the now laughing Fanny. It's better to not take something like this so serious all the time. It's better to let loose after all the things they have had to witness previously.
Then as fast as the calm atmosphere came silence emerged just as quick. Fanny stares at the ground intently as if there's something there. Wally closes his eyes and does the worst possible part of the whole experience.
"So uh... you ready?" Wally asks timidly, the thought of asking a kid if they're ready to be decommissioned is sickening. He's usually met with such a violent response, how dare he think they're ready to lose it all? Did they really think he wanted to ask if they're ready to leave the KND?
Of course he didn't.
Wally clutches his fists and closes his eyes excepting the redheads retaliation but instead is confused to hear not a peep. He peaks his eyes and checks on her and sees her teary eyed, what's most unexpected of all she's...
Smiling?
Numbuh 86 was smiling? Why? She's about to be decommissioned, wiped of her memories, have EVERYTHING taken from her but yet she's smiling?
"Y-yeah, I think I'll be just fine." Fanny scoffs softly. She obviously was scared, Wally could already see that she was visibly shaking but maintaining a smile? Was she also making sure he was okay before herself? Just like the others he's being mocked in front if his face again?
He's sick of it.
He grabs Fanny's hand with both of his and squeezed hard enough to make Fanny wince a little. She wipes her tears and glares at the blondie like he was crazy. What's his problem all of a sudden at a time like this?
"Fanny." Wally quietly but sternly says to her peaking her confusing. Suddenly grabbing her hand so boldly like that and now the first name calling?
Fanny watches as Wally takes a deep breathe with her hand still clutched between his. His grip firm but not painful anymore. It's giving her a odd sense of security as if as long as she's with him she'd feel safe. Wally raises his head to reveal his tears flowing endlessly down his face and lightly tapping the floor like a broken faucet. He's now smiling too but it isn't a forced smile like hers, it gives her the impression of how genuine he is and she feels can't help but feel weird.
"Don't be getting so cool on me lousy Fullbright, you're gonna make me fall for ya too." Wally utters in a soft tone, too soft for someone of his personality. She always forgets that he knows she even said that, he was recommissioned after all. She still smiles back instinctively and they have a little pause staring at each other for what seems like an eternity.
"Secretly I'd be lying if I didn't want ya too...but I think we've stalled long enough." Fanny jokes scratching her hair while bright red, and staring at the huge timer above the commissioning chamber. Seems like it's been mere minutes since they've arrived but strangely an hour has passed.
"U-uh sure, I guess your right.." Wally stutters looking down at the ground while wiping his tears away. He grabs the remote control with a big red button.
"How convenient." Wally thinks as he takes a final look at the ginger leader. Her final moments as a KND operative, different than anyone else's. The others had all their friends and fellow operatives to send them off but here in this vast room lies just them.
Wally can't help but hesitate before pressing the button, lightly gliding his finger across it fills him with so much negative thoughts he can't help but clench his fist again not wanting to press it. He's visibly shaky now too, but more so out of anger to the rules of the KND.
"Numbuh 4." Fanny whispers quietly next to Wally just barely enough for him to hear. He looks at her helplessly as if not knowing what to do next. She holds out her hand once again as he grabs her hand with his. They share one final smile before Fanny uses her other hand to press the button.
The tv above Fanny static and then starts to rapidly roar switching and sliding through all types of channels. The plunger mechanism unveils itself from the ground of the seats and starts readying itself for decommissioning.
"This is it huh?"
"There's so much I wanna do for her but I can't"
"Just please go silently, any word and I feel like I'll break down just like the others..."
Wally thinks to himself these words as Fanny locks eyes with the memory stealing the plunger and cant help but seem nervous. She looks at the embrace of hands between her and Wally and looks at him and smiles.
"Hey Wally..." Fanny mutters mere moments before the process commences. Wally with his eyes closed and looking away tries his hardest to keep his composure but simply can't ignore her calling.
He stares at her one final time as she smiles whole heartedly at him as if everything will be fine, as if she's gonna come back right after this decommissioning like nothing happened. As if she'd still be...
Herself.
Wally awaits her final words to him as his superior, as his fellow KND operative, and most important as his friend. This scene plays in slow motion as if he's reliving this moment, like it already happened or maybe it really has.
"Don't do this to me."
"I know that face anywhere, don't say those words."
"I don't wanna go through this again, please..."
"Wally, I truly thank ye for being one of my only friends." Fanny states while releasing her full grip from his hand and locking pinky's. She tightly locks her pinky to his and stares him in the eyes.
"Promise me we'll be friends even as lousy no good teenagers?" Fanny asks the teary faced Aussie now seconds from breaking down in front of her. Such a sight makes tears unconsciously flow down her face as well.
"I..." Wally trails off as he looks down for a moment, the past memories of the previous kids he's decommissioned as long as he's been global tactical officer flow into his mind. Many operatives, many kids...
Many friends.
"I promise Fanny." Wally states smiling back at her. She releases her grip on him and leans back in her chair relaxed. It seems obvious to the emotional blonde boy that she's ready to let everything go.
"Goodbye Fanny."
Wow I haven't written anything for like 3 years and I came up with this suddenly. It's really adorable in some senses and honestly kind of long. I really want to continue this but don't have any motivation.