Priestess Aishisu: Four reviews for this chapter, and four reviews for the first one. I guess that'll do.
Princess Rusty: loves it so much she feels like exploding How sweet! I would have loved to see 3's reaction when 4 had his arm around her. Well, I think she woulda liked it, cuz I'm convinced she likes him back.
Isn't 65.8 that nerd with the pocket protecter?
Well, I'm a nerd, so I have nothing to say. Or maybe I'm a geek, I have no idea, but I'm not the popular valley-girl type.
Remember, I'm a big fan! Much better than the show, you are!
Priestess Aishisu: Thanks! Your review is as good as two, most likely since it's complimentary and says more than 'this rocks' (the equivalent of most of my reviews). I was considered a geek until I got into Middle School. Whatever, that doesn't matter much. Yes, he is. It's 65.8 or .3. I can't remember.
Evilevergreen: I was confused with the last section, I didn't understand who was misleading who, but other than that I very much enjoyed the chapter.
Priestess Aishisu: Well, if you look at it, Ice Goddess makes it sound like Nigel is mad about the fact that she's related to the Delightful Children. What he's mad about is that she made Abigail think he actually wanted the wish to come true.
TeenTitansGirl14: Great fic! I really really like it! I don't read a lot of KND fanfiction, but I do love the pairings you have. More soon! Your writing is fantastic.
Priestess Aishisu: That's two shows where we have the same taste in pairings! Unfortunately, I won't be writing much Teen Titans for a while. I'm on a hiatus due to four countries already having the next series, while we haven't even finished ours. That, and I don't have many ideas. I know what's going to happen in my Teen Titans fanfiction, just not the words to use.
Numbuh 15: wow, Numbah 1 is so meen. Gud story. ah hope u continue and keep up da gud work.
Priestess Aishisu: Yeah, but I think he's been punished enough, don't you?
Priestess Aishisu: The name of this chapter is due to the fact that the entire thing basically switches between different viewpoints, each about a page. It's in present tense instead of past tense, because that sounded better in certain parts. Also, Wallabee's Point Of View uses appropriate grammar and he seems intelligent while in the show his stupidity is made rather obvious. (Gone is spelled J–A–W–N?)
Abigail's Point Of View
I'm skipping along stones to cross an alligator-infested sea, and I don't even care about it. My movements are careful and skilled, but my mind is on Numbuh One.
I still can't believe he would do this to me. He betrayed me. He made me mute. And yet...I can't help but feel guilty. This morning...he seemed so devastated. And when I glanced at him just now he was watching me and there were tears in his eyes.
Why should I feel guilty about this? It was his fault, after all. Numbuh One told that witch to make me mute. It was a stupid argument anyway. Why does he even care if I have contacts? I hate glasses! Big deal!
It was just his breakup with Lizzie. I hated that bitch anyway. But that isn't an excuse. If I broke up with somebody, I might lash out in the same way he's been doing, but I wouldn't sell his soul.
He deserves it, and I know he does. I didn't do anything but try to help him about the breakup, yet he was practically acting like I told Lizzie to break up with him. Even Numbuh Four knew!
But Numbuh One's one of my best friends. There used to be a lot of tension between us, but we learned to respect each other. We argue a lot, but the only operative he knew longer than me is Numbuh 86, and they're next door neighbors. I can't stand hating somebody I've liked for so long, and I can't stand seeing Numbuh One with that hurt expression.
But it wasn't just my voice that the witch stole, and from what I can tell he knew it and didn't care. I'm just so numb and empty, and the only thing which will fill the emptiness is my outrage and bitterness and hatred. If only he didn't seem so miserable...
I wish it was a lie. He had called her a liar, after all. But he never denied any of it. And I can see his guilt. But I don't like it. I don't want to make Numbuh One feel guilty, even though he should.
There are tears in my eyes now, and I glance back at Numbuh One. He's sill staring at me, and those tears are slipping down his cheeks now. I can't do this. I don't want to resent him like this. I want to forgive him. I have to forgive him. Even if I go back to feeling this numb, it's better than this wrenching guilt and loneliness.
But what can I do? I jump over two stones at once, then stop to think. I can't tell him I forgive him, but I can't keep hating him. Even if he deserves it, I can't do this to him.
I glance again at him, and realize with a certain sense of dismay that he's about to fall.
Nigel's Point Of View
She keeps glancing at me, and never long enough for me to tell what she's thinking. I suppose this is a mercy, considering that I can guess what it is and it isn't pleasant.
I don't blame her. I can't blame her. No one would blame her. No one. This is my fault. I was tricked into it, but I made the ridiculous wish. I was a jerk just because I was upset about Lizzie. All right, so I'm really sure that the Ice Goddess must have made it sound like I actually thought this could make her mute. It's still my fault.
I betrayed her, I realized with an ache in my heart. Tears start slipping from my eyes. That was what it was. A betrayal, pure and simple. I made this happen. I hurt her. I made her mute. I deserve this.
Why? Why did I do it? Just like Numbuh Four said, she didn't tell Lizzie to break up with me. She had been nothing but compassionate and caring about the breakup, if it weren't for her I would still be pining over that slut.
But I still had to get mad at Numbuh Five for every stupid little thing. I didn't care about Lizzie anymore, but I hadn't gotten over the breakup. My fault. It was all my fault. I deserve it.
I can't see due to crying, and I don't even notice myself slipping. Not until I'm underwater, kicking and fighting. A crocodile bites my leg. Another one tears off my sunglasses. "Numbuh Five! Help!"
I wouldn't blame her if she didn't help. The other time she was rescuing the entire group. Me she should send to the alligators. I would give me to the alligators. But Numbuh Five wouldn't.
I'm right. I don't know how, but somehow she manages to kick away all the alligators and pull me out of the water. And she got my sunglasses as well, but they've already been chewed up. Her skin is very frigid. I wonder if that's a side effect of what Ice Goddess (as I'm now going to call her do to lack of alternative names) did. Ugh, don't I have enough to feel guilty about without thinking I'm going to make her freeze to death?
She doesn't speak (of course) when she's pulled me up, she just watches me and lets me catch my breath. I only have one leg working, but I make myself stand. If you ever touch me again, I'll kill you. I doubted that she really would, but she had already saved my life twice when she should have watched and laughed.
She's staring at me now, and try as I might I just can't make sense of the indecipherable emotion in her pale blue eyes. I wouldn't want her to hide those lovely eyes behind glasses. Her blue tank top is sticking to her, and her hair is limp from the weight of the water. She lifts her arms, and I flinch. She's going to hit me again.
She doesn't. Instead, she wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a hug.
My feelings are like confusion soup. I'm surprised (the reasons being obvious if you have half a mind—no offence to the retards), I'm confused (same), I'm terrified (it was summer, so her arms were bare. They were unnaturally cold through the water, and to merely say I was 'afraid' would put it much too mildly), and of course I'm thrilled.
She wouldn't hug me if she were still mad at me! Right? So I push aside the surprise and fear and hug her back.
Abigail's Point Of View
"And that's what really happened," concludes Numbuh One.
It's been nearly an hour since I saved him, and walking had been a bit of a struggle. It's difficult to hop over stones when you have to help somebody with one leg to cross at the same time. I can't say it's unpleasant to have his body leaning against me, though the fact that he feels so warm despite the water alerts me that either he has a fever or my skin is as frigid as my entire body feels.
I managed to save his sunglasses, but he can't wear them because they were half chewed-up. We should be able to salvage the pictures, though.
He's staring at me now, and I can tell that he's worried. Not that I can really blame him. I haven't exactly been acting as if I would believe him. But I do believe him. I smile, wishing we weren't separated by this wall of silence. He smiles back, still a little uncertain. I mentally curse this muteness a thousand times, but I don't let my feelings show. He seems so doubtful...almost fragile. I feel as if I could just break him like glass, and I probably could. It would be so easy...
But I don't want to break him.
Wallabee's Point Of View
"Where are they?" I shriek. I already spent over an hour making Kuki stop weeping her eyes out. If Numbuh Five didn't already kill Numbuh One, I'm perfectly willing to do it for her.
Kuki is making sobbing sounds again, and if she starts crying again I'm ready to crush every bone in Numbuh One's body with my teeth. Instead, I force a smile. "Come on, Kuki! It's all right!" Just for the record, I don't call her Kuki often. Though I always think of her as Kuki, I usually call her Numbuh Three. Why the heck am I telling you this?
Who are you, anyway?
"Numbuh One, Numbuh Five, get over here or we're leaving!" I yell to the air. Naturally, I'm not expecting a reply of any sort. Nevertheless, I am replied.
Hearing Numbuh One's voice, every head swings around. Kuki's tears miraculously dry. I gape. I'm fairly sure Numbuh Two and Kuki are doing the same, but I can't rip my eyes from the sight I'm gawking at.
It's Numbuh One and Numbuh Five, and they're both soaking wet and Numbuh One's sunglasses are gone, and Numbuh One is leaning on Numbuh Five. The reason is immediately obvious—something is wrong with his leg. It seems to be hanging in a weird limp manner, and there is a black cloth wrapped around it. Numbuh Five's knee-length black skirt has been ripped very short. They both have mysterious little smiles, and Numbuh Five's arm is wrapped around Numbuh One.
I glance at Kuki and Hoagie. As I expected, they seem stunned. About two hours ago Numbuh Five seemed like she wanted to kill him. This wasn't the scene we expected.
Kuki squeals in delight and runs forward to hug them, but Numbuh Five raised up her free hand protectively and Numbuh One shouts, "No!" Kuki freezes and seems vaguely confused (so, what else is new?)
Then she smiles. "Does this mean you Two are talking again?" she asks stupidly.
Numbuh One and Numbuh Five exchange glances, and Numbuh Five lifts an eyebrow. Turning back to Numbuh Three, Numbuh One states the obvious—"No, she still can't talk."
"Oh." She tries a different tactic. "Have you quit arguing yet?" They glance again at each other, and I get the feeling they're communicating mentally or something. They both nod.
I smile. "Well it's about cruddy time!"
Everybody has to agree with that.
Priestess Aishisu's Point Of View
Things had settled down in the past few days. Numbuhs 2–4 enjoyed the lack of argument, Nigel seemed to have entirely gotten over Lizzie, and Abigail was getting used to being mute. It was still difficult, but she managed. Then again, she managed a lot. It ran in the family, like how Cree had managed when their mom died of diabetes...
Anyway, it seemed to be a fairly normal day. Nigel was working with the damaged sunglasses, salvaging as many pictures as he possibly could (he had new ones.) Hoagie was out getting them lunch from Taco Bell. Kuki was in her room, happily playing with all her stuffed animals. Wallabee was ecstatic about some new channel on their cable and was flipping through the TV Guide. Abigail was sitting at the table, right leg over her left, listening to her Discman and reading a magazine (she had her contacts) while humming the song quietly to herself (she could still hum, even if she couldn't laugh or speak or sing or whistle.)
Presently, Nigel groaned loudly and snapped, "Where is Numbuh Two? We sent him almost an hour ago!" Abigail glanced from her magazine, turning off her Discman.
"I dunno, but Cartoon Network isn't in here," remarked Wallabee, flipping through the TV Guide. Seeing Nigel and Abigail glance at each other, he snapped, I spelled it right! K–A–T–R–U–N N–I–T–U–A–R–S."
Nigel and Abigail glanced at each other again, then burst out laughing. It was still a bit unusual when Abigail laughed, since no sound came from her mouth. Wallabee scowled.
"It's C–A–R–T–O–O–N N–E–T–W–O–R–K, you idiot," snapped Nigel. He was in a fairly bad mood, due to the recovery process of the pictures being very difficult and quite tedious.
"Aw, you're crazy, Numbuh One. Why in the world would it be—hmm...they must have changed the spelling without telling me." Nigel and Abigail rolled their eyes and returned to what they were doing.
Only a few minutes later, Wallabee shouted, "Hey look, look, l—mphphmmphmphmmmph." The sudden muffling of his unexpected outburst was due to an irritated Abigail having pressed a dusky hand over his mouth. He shut up and she removed it. He waved the TV Guide frantically in the air. "Look," he said determinedly.
Abigail scowled and snatched the TV Guide, her keenly perceptive (despite their new contacts) eyes flicking over it. They widened, and she handed it to Nigel. He lifted an eyebrow, and she pointed at something. His jaw dropped.
"Codename...Kids Next Door?" He glanced at Abigail, who nodded in a dazed sort of way as she sat back down. Turning to Kuki's room, he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Numbuh Three get in here right this minute!"
"What's all the yelling about, guys?" They turned to see Hoagie entering with the bag. Immediately, Kuki and Wallabee ran over and scrambled for their stuff (Wallabee had two cheese quesadillas, Kuki had Grande Nachos and a chicken soft taco). Abigail covered her ears to emphasize her irritation, and Nigel stormed over.
Snatching the bag, he placed it on the table Abigail was sitting at and scowled at Kuki and Wallabee. "You two are too loud!" he complained. "Anyway, this is a serious matter, what if you have something important to say?"
"Numbuh Five's eating, and whatever she said would probably be more important than all of us combined!" Hoagie pointed out. Nigel glanced at Abigail. She had taken out one of her three Baja-Style Steak Chalupas without lettuce, cheese, or tomatoes and with four times the steak and was now slathering the steak with sauce. She blinked at them innocently.
"Be that as it may, Numbuh Five can't talk you idiot!!" Abigail smiled and bit into the Chalupa. Delicious sauces filled her mouth as she bit the wonderful crust. It tasted like heaven itself.
"Fine, fine, no need to raise your voice," remarked Hoagie. "So, what's the big deal?" Abigail had gotten up, and was now standing next to Nigel while she ate with apparent happiness.
Nigel frowned, not seeming to notice Abigail, though he must have. Even though she even chewed quietly, but that had nothing to do with her muteness. "Oh, nothing much. Except that apparently we happen to be a TV show!!"