The Prize
A one-shot fic sort of based off of the short story, "The Lottery", but edited to fit Codename: Kids Next Door. You probably read this story if you were in or are in eighth grade, so, so much for the surprise! Heh. n.n;; "The Lottery" is property of Shirley Jackson. "Codename: Kids Next Door" is property of Mr. Warburton. I'm very sorry if some of the characters are OOC, but they needed to fit the story better. nn;; Yes, I realize they're only twelve and they do some "mature" things, but I already apologized for the OOCness. Sorry, I'll quit blabbing now. Enjoy!
It was an absolutely gorgeous summer morning at the tree house. The sun was shining through the windows, dew glossed the hunter green blades of grass, the smell of a delicious cake roamed the tree house, and the Delightful Children From Down The Lane were on vacation in Greenland. Although, in the sky, many Kids Next Door operatives were in their group spaceships, heading towards the Moon Base early in order to get a good spot for the prize drawing.
Sector V was especially anxious for the prize this year, since they were asked by the head of it, Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two, to provide some parts for the prize. Not being able to hold their excitement, Numbuh Two and Numbuh Three decided to start gathering the parts of machinery needed for the prize, and by the time they got back, Numbuh One, Numbuh Three, and Numbuh Five had their spaceship parked outside the tree house, the trunk open. Numbuh Four and Numbuh Two loaded up the trunk, then joined their teammates and blasted off towards the Kids Next Door Moon Base.
"Hey, Numbuh Three!" Wally smiled, entering the lounge of the spaceship that was there incase anyone wanted a snack or just to hang out while the ship was in autopilot. Kuki smiled and waved back, having a bowl of fruit flavored hard candies on her lap. Wally plopped down next to her.
"Did you get the parts okay?" She asked, sucking on the cherry flavored candy.
"Sure did! Me an' Numbuh Two had a blast! I can't wait to see who gets the prize this year!" Wally tilted his head, hearing Kuki sigh, "What's wrong?"
"I don't like being near the Moon Base ever since Numbuh One said we got our memories erased once and it's going to happen again next year." Kuki sighed again, her head dropping low, and swallowing the remainder of her candy. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and as if she was being pulled towards Wally.
"Don't worry, Numbuh Three, I won't let ya get decommissioned unless there's nothin' I can do about it!" He smiled, which made her feel a little bit better. She let her head fall on his shoulder after she put the candies on the coffee table and closed her eyes. Wally blushed, things like these have been happening a lot lately. He heard sniffing and shook his head.
"Oh, Numbuh Three! Aww, com'mon! Don't cry!" He pleaded, lifting her up by her shoulders.
"I'm just scared."
"Please don't cry! I hate it when you cry!"
"Why?"
"'Ah, um... 'Ah just don't like it when you're sad." Kuki smiled and hiccupped before and wrapped her arms around him.
"Numbuh Four, what if I do get decommissioned? What if I never see you again?"
"That would be a pretty bad thing. I doubt it's gonna happen, though."
"Yeah, but it can happen! Numbuh Four, I'm scared! I could accidentally go into the decommissioning room thinking it was the bathroom!" Wally tried not to laugh at this.
"I won't let that happen."
"But, Numbuh Four! What if!? What if we never see each other again?"
"I told you, I wouldn't let that happen." He was starting to get a little annoyed now. Sure, he liked, no, loved her. He decided that a few weeks ago when he was positive she knew he had a crush on her after Hoagie spilled the beans, and she didn't say anything. All she did was smile and blush and mumble, "Nah... He doesn't like me like that..." It seemed her fear of decommissioning was worse then the others'.
Kuki leaned in on his shoulder and sobbed, "B-But..."
"Numbuh Three... 'Ah, um, 'ah do like you like that."
"What?"
"'Ah like you. A whole lot." Kuki gave a puzzled look, and he sighed at her naiveness, "A whole lot more then Numbuh Two and Numbuh Five, and even Numbuh One, whose my best friend!"
"So I'm your best friend?"
"No, Kuki, you're more then that. You're more then a BEST friend to me. 'A-Ah think I even love you more then I like you!" She blinked a few times, her face now away from his shoulder. She sighed softly and leaned her head back down on his shoulder.
"I think I like you like that, too." He grinned so largely his cheeks got sore.
"Y-You really mean that?" She nodded, then receiving a soft kiss on the lips. "S-Sorry, I don't know what came over me...Actin' like a cruddy teenaguh." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"No. That's okay, go ahead." She whispered, staring at him. He blushed, but it faded away as he leaned forward and kissed her again, and she kissed back. She leaned down, Wally overtop of her as they continued, letting their love take control. (No, he didn't screw her! They just, you know, made out. XD)
"Guys, we're here!" Hoagie yelled, knocking the door. The stopped, Wally staring down at Kuki with widened eyes, his right hand against the wall and his left pushing down on the couch overtop of her, holding her down with his chest. Kuki's hair was messed-up, her arms around Wally's neck. She let go as he got off of her, flattening their hair down with their hands, and then headed out to the Kids Next Door Moon Base.
Sectors A through ZZZZ all took a seat in the huge auditorium, as Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two tapped the microphone. There was a humungous metal box, covered with a lid, and was guarded by Numbuh Eighty-Six and three other members of the Decommissioning Sector, including the replacement of Numbuh Two-Seventy-Four.
"As you know," She started, "It is a Kids Next Door tradition to give out the prize every year on June Twenty-Seventh..."
"And as always," She continued, "Only one Operative will be awarded the prize. So let the ceremony start. Numbuh Eighty-Six..."
"Thank you." She stated in her Irish accent. Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two sat down next to the boy who replaced Numbuh Two-Seventy-Four and the two others guarded the box filled with ninety-nine blank pieces of paper, and one with a black "X", although they were all folded up.
"This oughtta be good!" Wally whispered, elbowing Kuki. She returned it with a smile and a sigh.
"When I call the sector name, will the leader please stand up and approach the box, pulling out one sheet of paper, then returning to his or her seat without opening it until the given time? Thank you. Oh, and hold your applause please. Sector A..." A boy with red sunglasses stood up a grabbed a sheet of paper, and then joined his teammates. "Sector B. Sector C. Sector D. Sector E.-"
She read down the list, eventually getting to Sector V where she eyed Nigel as he proudly stuck his hand in the box and wiggled it around.
"Hurry up, will ya?" Fanny whispered angrily, as Nigel gave an "Hmph!" in anger, then sat down, his group staring at it anxiously. Kuki was shuffling her fingers nervously.
"They didn't give you enough time... You should've took the one you wanted..." She mumbled.
"It's fine, Numbuh Three."
"No, it isn't!" She growled.
"And finally, Sector ZZZZ." Fanny announced, sighing. She went back to the box with four slips of blank paper left as Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two approached the microphone again.
"They should start this whole thing over again! It's unfair! Numbuh One should get to pick again!" Kuki yelled, as everyone gave her a "Shh!".
"Now, on the count of three, will the leaders open their piece of paper and remain silent? One... Two... Three!" The opening of folded paper was heard all around, people anxiously gasping at the sight of their paper. Fanny yelled at them to be quiet, which they did. Even her group had a piece of paper, taken by Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two. "Now, will the leader of the sector with the winning paper, please stand up?"
Everyone looked around, the spotlight finally landing on Nigel Uno of Sector V. Fanny's eyes gave a look of surprised as he motioned for his group to get up.
"It's not fair!" Kuki cried, her sleeve being tugged on by Wally and being dragged to the stage, "It really isn't! Numbuh One should get to pick again!"
"Oh, be quiet, Numbuh Three!" Fanny growled, as Nigel handed the slip to Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two.
"Thanks, Numbuh One. Thanks, Numbuh Eighty-Six." She handed the marked paper, which was now re-folded, to Fanny who put it back into the box. "Now, will all five of you please grab one paper each?"
"It's not fair! Numbuh One needed more time! He didn't pick the one he wanted!"
"Numbuh Three! It's all right!" Abby comforted, leading her to the box as Kuki mumbled some mean words and annoyedly grabbed the sheet of paper.
"Now, will you all open you papers?" The audience gasped.
"Not me." Numbuh One showed his blank piece of paper. Kuki just folded her arms with an "Hmph!", refusing to open her paper.
"Not me." Wally did the same, as well as Hoagie.
"Not me, baby!" Abby smiled, the whole Kids Next Door staring at Kuki.
"Numbuh Three, show us your paper!" Wally whispered, as Numbuh Three swallowed, then looked at the paper secretively before collapsing on the ground.
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" She cried, her teammates bringing her to the comfiest chair that ever existed that was behind the raised curtain, "NUMBUH ONE DIDN'T PICK THE ONE HE WANTED! I WASN'T MEANT TO WIN!"
Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two smiled, putting a golden object with jewels on it on Numbuh Three's head as tears profusely leaked down her face.
"Numbuh Four! I love-"
"Numbuh Three, please don't cry!" Wally smiled, patting her hand before returning back to their seats, as everyone but Kuki did. Numbuh Three-Sixty-Two hit a button that made the chair light up.
"We made that!" Wally and Hoagie cheered, as Fanny yelled, "One... Two..." On the microphone, Kuki still crying.
"It isn't fair, it isn't right!"
"Three!" She yelled, everyone but Kuki pressing the button on their chairs.
"Numbuh Four, you promised..." Were the last words she said before the chair lit up and the bolts of energy shook through her, erasing every thought of her friends, her memories, her past, her love, her everything.
"Kuki" wailed, her eyes not being able to see anything. It wasn't as if she could think anything, anyways. She had just been trapped for a long time, finally free. A lady held her, she was now wrapped in a blanket, cooing softly.
"Please don't cry..."
So, how was it? I thought instead of just, erm, "banishing her from existence", I would have her reborn. I believe in Heaven, but I just felt like putting this for some reason.