Codename: Kids Next Door and all Characters © Cartoon Network

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Chapter 2 - Decisions, Decisions

"…and then in 1841, William McHenry discovered sliced bread…"

Mrs. Hamilton droned on from the front of the classroom. No one seemed to be paying attention and most of the students had fallen asleep onto their desks hours ago. Hoagie and Wally were busy passing notes, laughing under their breath every now and then. Nigel however, found himself deeply involved in the pamphlet Abigail had given him.

Kids Next Door operatives may begin their training the summer of their 2rd school year, where you will be shipped off to the top-secret training academy, located in the coldest part of Antarctica. This two-month course will help toprepare you in the fight against adult tyranny as a future official member of the KND. Classes are supervised by the Commander in Chief, Numbuh 108. Some of his achievements include a Master's Degree in Two-by-Four Technology, along with a rank A in hand-to-hand combat.

A picture of a very serious looking boy alongside of the article was labeled as Numbuh 108. He was very muscular with a set of broad shoulders, his fiery red hair slicked back neatly. Nigel would have hated to have to fight against him alone.

Just then, a folded piece of notebook paper landed on his desk. He unfolded it to see Hoagie's scratchy handwriting.

You've been reading that all day! Is it really that interesting?

Nigel flipped the paper over, scribbled something down quickly, and passed it back to him.

Yeah, it looks pretty cool.

Hoagie passed it to Wally, who scratched something else down before sending it back down the line to Nigel.

It sounds like one big prank, if you ask me.

If it is, it's a good one. Nigel wrote before passing it back to Hoagie. But before he got a chance to read it, a booming voice on the loudspeaker caused the entire class to jerk awake.

"WILL NIGEL UNO, HOAGIE GILLIGAN, AND WALLABEE BEATLES PLEASE REPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY" The voice echoed across the school, rattling the windowpanes. Hoagie shook his head, smiling.

"I guess he heard about those big trolls we knocked out this morning after all…"

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In the office, Nigel, Hoagie and Wally sat quietly in the three chairs set out for them in front of the long mahogany desk. Principal Garrison paced around the small, square room, fuming. Wally was terrified. Mr. Garrison looked like he would explode any minute. He looked around the room and spotted a window on the far side of the right wall. If worst came to worst, he could always jump out of it and save himself.

Nigel and Hoagie on the other hand, had been sent to the office dozens of times before and were used to the principal's hotheadedness. They sat coolly in their chairs, watching him stomp back and forth.

"I must say that I was not in the least surprised to hear that you two were involved in another fight this morning." He said, still pacing along the floor. "But dragging another student down to your level? A new student at that! And on his first day of school!" He pounded his fists on his desk, knocking over a mug filled with pens. He stared at Nigel and Hoagie, eyes ablaze. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Principal Garrison, I can say that we were only trying to help a fellow student." Nigel said calmly, peering through his black sunglasses.

"Yeah Mr. G, Wally was going to be total meatloaf if we hadn't showed up!" Hoagie replied, leaning back in his chair comfortably.

"Hey! That's not true! I would 'ave been just fine without you!" Wally shouted back, offended.

"Look," The principal said as he sat down in his large leather chair. "I don't care what your excuse is, but you know that fighting is against school rules! I'm going to have to give you three boys detention and inform your parents." He picked up a pen and began to write on three small slips of blue paper.

"But that's not fair!" Nigel shouted, standing up from his seat. "We were helping a student in trouble! Don't you care about the safety of your own students?"

"Yes, I do. Which is exactly why I'm giving you all detention… for injuring two of my students." He held the slips out to the boys. Hoagie and Wally took the papers sadly and left the room. Nigel, however, glared at the principal angrily.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Uno, but perhaps you should save your heroics until after school hours." The principal said, waving the blue paper. "It might do you some good…" Defeated, Nigel snatched the slip out of his hands and stormed out the door.

"Aw man, so much for trying to help!" Hoagie said, looking down at the paper.

"Yeah! Those bullies had it commin' to 'em, anyway! I don't see why we got punished! We're the good guys!" Wally scuffed his foot irritably against floor.

"Well I've had enough!" Nigel declared, crumpling up his detention slip and throwing it onto the floor. "Everytime we try to help someone, those stupid adults give us nothing but detentions in return! Well ! It's time that we do something about it!"

"What can we do? We're only eight years old!" Hoagie said.

"We can do this!" Nigel took the pamphlet out from his back pocket and held it out for them to see.

"Are you insane?" Wally shouted, waving his arms over his head. "You've only just heard about it this morning and you're ready to ship yourself off to who knows where for this crazy kids club?"

"Yeah, Wally's right. Maybe you need to think about this a little longer before you make any major decisions…" Hoagie walked up to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. Nigel turned away from him, crinkling the pamphlet as he clenched his fists. Flooded with a feeling of determination and fury, he turned around and glared them.

"Hoagie. Do you remember when we were little and we used to play in the tree house in your backyard? We would pretend that we were going on adventures and saving far off galaxies from evil." Hoagie nodded. The memories were still very clear in his mind. "We would spend nearly every day pretending that we were heroes. Well now's our chance to become real heroes! Do remember the promise that we made? We promised that…"

"…that we would always help when someone was in danger." Hoagie finished, smiling softly. "I remember."

"And Wally," Nigel said, turning his gaze the small blonde boy, "Are you going to go through the rest of your nine years at school being picked on? You may be small, but I've seen what you can do! You brought down the biggest, toughest bully in the whole school with one hit! Here's your chance to prove to everyone that even though you may look weak, you are just as strong as anyone else!" Wally's cheeks turned pink.

"Don't you see? This is our chance to prove ourselves! We can prove to everyone that we're not just little kids! We can prove that we're Somebodys who aren't afraid to stand up and fight! I'm ready to show everyone that I'm a Somebody! Now who's with me?" Nigel placed his hand out in front of him, staring at the other two. There was a pause as they stood completely still in silence.

"You can count on me, pal!" Hoagie said, breaking the stillness. "Whenever there's a kid in need, they can count on Hoagie P. Gilligan!" He slapped his hand over top of Nigel's proudly. They looked back at Wally who was deep in thought.

"Well… nine years is an awfully long time," Wally said with a smile. "And besides, I'm ready to go kick some evil-adult butt!" He placed his hand on top Hoagie's.

"It's decided then!" Nigel said, smiling back at his two friends. "We're off to Antarctica for the Kid's Next Door training base this summer!"

"Antarctica!" Hoagie shouted in shock. "You didn't tell us it was in Antarctica!"

"For the whole summer?" Wally asked, his mouth wide open in surprise.

"Actaully, the coldest part of Antarctica." Nigel replied. "Didn't you read any of the pamphlet?"

Hoagie and Wally looked like they were about to fall over.