Chaptah 4
"Wallabee Beatles, stop sleeping in class!" the homeroom teacher said tapping a ruler on Wally's desk. He grumbled and lifted his head an inch off the desk.
"Cruddy teachers." Nigel heard him mutter. Chuckling to himself he poked Wally in the side and uttered, "Don't make them mad at you Numbah 4."
"They aren't like stupid pets, Numbah 1!" he replied, looking at his boss. Nigel shrugged the look off and turned back to his paper. It was their seventh grade study hall and he planned to use it wisely. He looked up across the cafeteria at the choir door. Abby was there; she'd probably meet them at the door after class. He wanted desperately to talk with her about what had happened on his birthday, but neither of them could mention it without turning red.
"Nigel Uno, get back to your studies!" the teacher shrieked. Nigel ignored Wally's muffled laughter and looked once again to his algebra homework. He had finished his third problem when his watch beeped with a message from headquarters.
"I've got to use the loo!" he impatiently said. The teacher gave him a harsh look but pointed towards the restrooms. Nigel dashed in and turned on his communicator. "Numbah 1 to headquarters."
"Numbah 1, be on the lookout for villain 368. He broke out a few hours ago and seems to be heading for your sector. He's highly dangerous. Also, on a slightly better note, we've been going through your decommission plans and it seems that Numbah 86, although not keen on the idea, will permit you and your team exemption from decommission if you apprehend this particular villain. Headquarters out."
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed to himself. Exempt from decommission? He had to tell the others. He managed to live through his study hall without telling Wally about the transmission. Once school was over for the weekend, the team congregated at the treehouse for Numbah 1's big news.
"Team," he said at the podium. "Headquarters needs us to catch an adult. He's highly dangerous and he specializes in fears. I'm guessing he has something that makes us see our worse fears, but I think that Hippity Hop should be able to withstand the weapon. Kuki, I'm trusting you on this one."
"Okie boss!" Kuki gleefully said.
"Now this is a very important mission. So I want only the best." Nigel continued.
"You act like it's going to change the future, Numbah 1." Hoagie said more to himself then to Nigel.
"It very well could Numbah 2. We shall just see. All right team, let's head out. Numbah 2, you get the bus, Four you go with Three and get Hippity. Numbah 5 and I will get weapons. Kids Next Door, battlestations!" They separated and headed out to catch the Fear Finder.
"Numbah 5 thinks you're hiding something Numbah 1." Abby said as they reached the weapons cabinet. She selected the M.I.N.T. (Mint Infused Needle Thrower) while Nigel snagged Numbah 3's B.B. gun. (Bubblegum Blaster)
"Well that's for me to know, Numbah 5. Let's get this guy, shall we?" Nigel asked coyly. Abby grinned and nodded. They waited until Hoagie and the bus arrived on their floor, then, along with Three and Four following in Hippity, they headed for the reservoir, where the elusive Fear Finder was last spotted.
Back in Hippity, Numbahs Three and Four were debating a very serious topic.
"Numbah Four, which is cuter, the Cuddly Teeny Bopper Rainbow Monkey, or the French Braided Hair Rainbow Monkey?" Kuki asked impatiently. She turned her giant robot on autopilot and turned towards her short companion. His face got red as he replied, "Numbah Three, I honestly couldn't care about those Rainbow Donkeys. The only reason I put up with them is because you like them so much, you got it?"
"Really?" Kuki questioned tears in her eyes. Wally took one glance at her and felt terrible for making her cry. "You don't like Rainbow Monkeys?"
"Right."
"But everybody likes Rainbow Monkeys, even Numbah 1. Remember when the Delightful Children tried to get a picture of his bottom?" she asked, cracking up. It took all of three seconds for Wally to remember and join her laughter.
"Yeah, that was hilarious! But you won't catch me with those knickers on." Wally said, wiping the tears from his eyes. He hadn't laughed this hard since; perhaps the actual event occurred. Numbah 5 disturbed their joyous nature shortly after it had begun.
"Numbahs Three and Four report." The junior in command asked. Kuki and Wally instantly snapped back into professional mode.
"Numbah Three reporting. Fear Finder is nowhere in sight. Tell Numbah One we are covering the West Side and will report again if anything is found." Kuki informed the pink hatted girl.
"Alright, over and out." Abby said, turning off the connection. Several moments passed, and suddenly Abby was dialing Kuki again, only leaving the message of 'Numbahhhhh!' before passing out and entering the fear world with Hoagie and Nigel.
Abby's fear"Nigel, no!" I said, looking at my best friend, standing with the Delightful Children. I couldn't believe he would do this to us, after all of this time.
"Sorry Abigail," the Delightful Children said. "Your little Nigel is ours now. He always has been."
"No! You can't have him! He means too much to the team, to me. Nigel, you have to snap out of it!" I cried, feeling the warm tears trickled down my face. Nigel looked at me with an evil grin before saying, "You aren't worth it for me. I belong here, with my true friends."
"No!" I cried once more, but I know he didn't hear me. His face was set with uncaring eyes, his mouth had a determined smirk written on it. Then I realized this couldn't be Nigel. My Nigel would never go anywhere without those glasses of his. 'This must be my biggest fear!' I thought. 'What had Nigel whispered before we were hit with the Fear Finders ray gun? Something about conquering the fear?'
"Yes, that's it!" I said outloud. I gave the Delightful Children a smile, knowing full well the real Delightful Dorks were probably sitting at home eating dinner. "Sorry everyone, but I don't care."
"What!" Nigel exclaimed. "But I am betraying you, all you have known. I was never your friend."
"That maybe true, but you see baby, you ain't my Nigel." I laughed. "And I ain't afraid of doing this to an imposter!" I laughed as I kicked him. It was easy to pin him to the floor, seeing as he wasn't real. I searched through my pockets expectantly, finding the sunglasses in my back pocket. I slipped them onto his face, and found myself spinning back to...
"Man, what a whacked out nightmare!" Abby said as she awoke from the Fear Finders trance. She looked over at her comrades, who were still under Fear Finder's spell. Hoagie's cries of pain were heard in the background, but Abby headed over to Nigel's twitching form by the door.
"Numbah 1?" she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. She turned him over and was shocked to see him crying.
Nigel's Fear"Abby!" I yelled, dodging the Delightful's large machine to reach her. I was too late; the ray blasted her before I could push her out of the way. There was no way she could have made it. "Numbah 5!!!" I cried as the Delightful's laughed. I turned to them with fire in my eyes.
"Nigel Uno, join us or you're next."
"Never." I said through my clenched teeth.
"Not even for Abigail?" they asked me with sugarcoated voices. I looked back at the spot where she had stood only moments before. I felt my throat swell up, but from somewhere above I heard her voice.
"Numbah 1, it's time to wake up. Just accept your fears and we can go home." I looked up and smiled.
"Sorry Delightfuls, but you don't appeal to me."
"No!" They screamed as they disappeared. I saw Abby's body fall where they had been. Running over to her, I noticed her staggered breathing.
"Abby..." I started, but her voice cut me off.
"Nigel, I know, I always have. Let's go home now." She smiled up at me. I picked her up into my arms and we were swirling away...
"What happened?" Nigel asked as he awoke from his daze. Abby was standing over him with a concerned look on her face.
"You ok there boss?" she asked.
"I am now, thanks to you." He replied.
"What?" Abby started, but Nigel interrupted her. He pointed at Hoagie's struggling form and motioned for her to help him. It didn't take long for Hoagie to overcome his fear. Abby merely noticed what his fear was and she whispered what he needed to do to overcome it. Whilst Hoagie was being awoken, Nigel was trying to get in contact with Kuki and Wally.
"Numbah 3, do you read me?" he yelled into the receiver. Looking back at his friends, he cast his eyes to the ground and sadly whispered, "They're already gone."
A/N: Would have gone into more detail on Hoagie's fear, but I haven't decided what I'm going to do about him, seeing as he doesn't fit into my pairings... but anyway please review! Your writing extrodinaire, Signy