Hiyeh! Here is the extra special happy fun next chapter! I don't know why, but I just feel especially happy today.

almostinsane: Thanks!

Numbuh 373: Phew. I'm actually kind of relieved. And still behind...I only saw 1 of the new eps. Dangey.

Velvet Panther: Heh, cruel eh?
YAY! Keep the faith! And it really was a shame. That's why I hang out at the IZFAS a lot (I'm Invader Pants there).
Who? Sorry, not familliar with him. But I did go to this Washington D.C.book thing a few years back, and they managed to get Julie Andrews for book signings. My group couldn't get to her, but I did see the back of her head. She didn't really look anything like in the movies.

BoxieRoxie: (both): Thanks.

Ranma Higurashi: Here you go!

Purple Ghost Sausage: Yep. The only reason I do it is because I'm really lazy.

Ginny-Hates-Them: Crawled off what?

Chapter 13: Powers

"Did...I do that?"

"I think you did," Numbuh 3 said quietly. Numbuh 4 slammed his hand over her mouth and began shouting.

"Traitor! You tricked us! Yeh probably had it all planned out! You even had it planned that I brushed my teeth last night! I NEVER BRUSH MY TEETH! But whatever yeh'r plannin, it'll die along with you!" He lunged for Amber.

"No, no..." Amber said, her voice cracking. "I had no idea...please..."

"Stop."

Numbuh 1 grabbed Numbuh 4's shoulder. He knew the look of fear that Amber had. It was the same look he had when that manic kid advenced on him with that radioactive razor, about to shave his hair off permanently. And it was all the Delightfuls' fault...

No. It was Father's. Father controlling the Deligh...I mean, his children. Or maybe it was Numbuh 5 for not saving that kid. Who cared? He knew in his heart that she was innocent. He didn't know how he knew, but somehow, he knew what he knew, and that was all he needed to know, y'know?

"Don't hurt her," he continued. "She's innocent."

"WHAT?" Numbuh 4 leaped onto his leader. "Did you not see what she just did? She couldv'e killed us!"

"But she didn't," Numbuh 1 said. "Although she did ruin the paint job-" he glanced over at the holes made by her blasts- "Nothing else happened!"

"Ain't convincing!"

"Well..." Numbuh 1 couldn't think of any more creative excuses. "Let's just say that she's innocent, it's not anything we can't handle, and...stuff. I still trust her, okay?"

"Grr..." Numbuh 4 backed down, but as he slid to the floor, he shot a glance at Amber. "You evil thing."

Numbuh 1 ignored that. "I'm sure that there's a logical explanation for all this." He thought for a minute, and the answer came to him in a flash. "I've got it! Amber, did Father have his freaky fire-type powers when you were born?"

"I think so," she said, still a little shocked from the scenario.

"Oh, I get it!" Numbuh 5 interrupted. She had been patiently figuring it all out for the last 15 paragraphs. "Amber must have inherited superpowers from Father! They've probably been dormant in her genetic code until now, but Amber's sudden explosion of emotion must have awakened them."

Everyone stared at her.

"What? Don't you guys watch cartoons?"

"Actually, that was just what I was thinking," Numbuh 1 said. "It's possible that your siblings have similar, if not more, powers. We'll deal with them later. For now, we'll concentrate on you."

"But..." Amber said, voice quiet, "I don't even know what I can do."

"We can guess that your powers are similar to Father's, and work from there. We know that you can destroy stuff...not very useful. Well, in the cartoons, superpowered people have more than one power. Try focusing as hard as you can."

Amber closed her eyes. Come on, she thought. Just one little miracle. I don't have much time until dinner! Father could be heading this way right now!Come on...come on...

As she thought this, something odd was happening. The operatives seemed to be hearing those thoughts. Her forehead grew hot. She saw red, and collapsed.

"No! I can't do this! I'm a freak! I'm a freak! NO!" Random explosions found their way around the room as she leaped up and scrambled for the door.

"Numbuh 2, bar the door!" Numbuh 1 commanded. Before Amber could reach it, Numbuhs 2 and 4 had pasted themselves in front of the door, making escape impossible.

"Amber, we're just trying to help," Numbuh 1 said, walking towards her. "Don't you want to be helped?"

She panted for a bit. "Yes..."

"Good. I should have said this before, but I think thatwhat you really need right now is control, and you don't have any. I don't think Father knows about your powers, and we want it to stay that way. Don't you?"

"...Okay."

The next hours were spent teaching Amber how to control her powers. As it turned out, the 'thought-hearing' was actually a form of uncontrolled telepathic communication. As Amber calmed down, more powers came out of hiding. She could also control inanimate objects, anf had limited flying ability. Of course, she didn't master them all at once.

Sector V had her practice by running random obstacle courses (which, in my opinion, they were having a little too much fun configuring), shooting at badly drawn pictures of Father, and trying to hold objects in midair for as long as she could. Slowly but surely, she improved. By the end of the day, despite a few small mishaps (she missed the drawing and hit one of Numbuh 3's dolls at one point, making for an unexpected self-defense class) she was ready. She could blast at will, control the thoughts she sent to others, and hold objects in the air for about ten minutes. Flying, however, needed some improvement. She hadn't really gotten past hovering, and she still floated about and inch above the ground whenever she got angry. But she was still grateful to Sector V for all that they had done. She walked home with happiness in her heart.

Of course, that happiness had to be shattered somehow. How about Father meeting her at the door?

"Hello, Amber," he said, an odd tone to his voice. "You're not supposed to be out at this hour."

Amber looked around. She had been found out! "Uhh...uhhh..."

"As a matter of fact, you should never be out at all." He loomed suddenly over her. In a flash, he enveloped her in his shadowlike body and rushed her inside.

His form was so thick, nobody could hear her scream.

Creepie. Bye, SP