Hey! 2 1/2 thousand words. Not bad. Anyway, here's a chapter that might brighten the story up a little. I hope you like it! ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own C: KND, but I do own the story idea, and the thought to make the werepoodles and the spank happy vampires more traditional is also mine.
--
Wally grunted as he heaved Kuki up towards a higher branch. He was having trouble balancing, as he had climbed into a tree in Mrs. Thomas' garden.
"Wait." Kuki took off her long jacket and passed it to him. She had changed clothes at her home. Now she wore a pair of black leggings and a tight green shirt. She didn't want anything to get caught.
"Maybe we should've waited for the cover of darkness..." Nigel whispered. The tree was an evergreen, so Wally and Kuki couldn't be seen, but they were making the tree tremble something awful. Finally he heard Wally yelp, "No!" and saw Kuki leap out of the tree and grasp the second-floor windowsill. Her black sneakers scraped against the wall and she scrambled to get a little higher. Then a car rounded the corner.
"Kuki! Jump!" Nigel cried, but Wally was already out of the tree and snatching Kuki off the wall. All three of them ducked behind the concrete fence, Wally laying Kuki's coat underneath her. The ground was damp and cold, and half-melted snow covered the yard.
They each listened so hard their ears began to ache. The car slowed down, stopped, and someone got out and slammed the door. They heard high heels click-clacking against the pavement. They heard the walker stop, open the boot of the car, and grab something out of it. The boot was closed again. The shoes walked, paused; they heard a bunch of keys jangling. They opened a gate - the gate to Mrs. Thomas' front yard. The three of them crept further away from where the side garden turned into the frond yard. Mrs. Thomas didn't notice. She continued towards her door, step by step, as Nigel, Kuki and Wally slowly got soaked in the melting snow.
And then, finally, Mrs. Thomas opened her front door, wiped her shoes on the doormat, and stepped inside. The door swung shut, and the three fourteen-year-olds hiding from her breathed again.
--
Ding dong.
No going back now, Nigel thought nervously, as Mrs. Thomas opened her door half an hour later. As Kuki was the best actress of them three, not to mention the quickest, they decided she should be the bait. They had had to travel back to the Sanban's house and let Kuki change back into her school uniform. Now they were back, and if all went according to plan, Wally and Nigel would sneak into Mrs. T.'s house and rescue Hoagie.
Wally was muttering to himself, slouched against a high, concrete fence. Kuki looked up at Mrs. T. slowly, and stepped inside.
Nigel now imitated Wally, and hoped with all his heart that Kuki played her part well.
--
No smiling. Kuki reminded herself. She was inside the house.
"So, what did Father send you to tell me?" Mrs. Thomas asked coolly. Nigel having previously filled her in on everything about Father and the Delightful Teens, Kuki did not feel nervous about this question. She ignored the prick of fear that came with the name 'Father', and pushed her wonderings about it away.
Mrs. T. offered her tea. Using her best table manners, Kuki accepted it, and took a sip whenever her host did.
"Yes, Mrs. Thomas, Father's robots are underway. They are, however, undergoing upgrades."
"Upgrades?" Mrs. Thomas' teacup stopped halfway towards her lips. Her eyes flashed greedily. "How quickly can they get the job done?"
"It depends on the size of the space you want to empty, and the space they are given beforehand."
The teacher's cup slammed down on the table. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Father has already sent robots to measure the space! Who are you?"
Oh, no. Kuki thought. She took a deep breath and willed her voice to stop trembling. "That robot had encountered one of those five teenagers that oppose us." Am I doing it right?
"Those don't even remember how to fight anymore! They were all brainwashed when the youngest of them was kidnapped by Father. Have your superiors told you nothing of this?"
The youngest... but - that's me!
"No." Kuki replied, this time trying to look sort of confused. Luckily, Mrs. Thomas was not too keen on keeping secrets.
"If the heads of an organization keep secrets from the units that form its base, it cannot operate properly. Distrust begins with secrets."
Kuki said nothing.
"Well, if Father does not trust you with that story, why would he trust you with this task?" Mrs. Thomas asked. When Kuki remained silent, she said gleefully, "Oh, you really have to know. It's such an essential story - oh, this is good - " the hostess primly picked up her cup, sipped at her tea, and began telling Kuki exactly what had happened. She seemed to Kuki to be one of those nice ladies on the outside, but a nasty gossiper on the inside. But Kooks listened patiently. "It was November. Exactly a month before the eldest of Sector V was to be decommissioned - she was the best fighter there was, and we needed her out of the picture soon - when word came out that she had been recruited by the Teenagers Next Door - that had all been spilled years ago when Maurice, who was a Teen Next Door himself, had decided to switch sides. He still got inside information about the KND, so he knew that Abigail had entered. So, desperate as he was to destroy the best team of the Kids Next Door, Father kidnapped the youngest as she slept - or rather, he let Maurice do it. Then - he tortured her."
Kuki stared at the tea in her cup. All of her memories were flooding back now - the pain, the weakness, the loneliness of suffering all alone at Father's hands... Mrs. Thomas continued.
"Sector V panicked - their friendship was their weakness, it always had been - and Father's plan was this -" Mrs. Thomas leaned in closer. "- he was going to beat her to within an inch of her life, then bring her to Sector V's doorstep. They would try and fail to save her, and Abigail, unwilling to ever remember losing someone she loved as a sister - would let herself get decommissioned."
Mrs. Thomas sat up straight again. She served Kuki more tea, then went on, quite conversationally. "Well, it all would've worked if it weren't for sisterly love. Yes, father had been doubting Cree's allegiance for a long time now. As soon as she heard the plan, she rushed to tell Sector V - and they attacked Father's headquarters."
What state is Numbuh Three in? Kuki heard suddenly in her head. Very bad, Numbuh 86. Request you send transport immediately. Burn marks everywhere. That was Abby's voice.
Think about it later, she commanded herself. She couldn't go passing out, like she had done at Hoagie's house the other day.
"The youngest operative survived and healed. But Father got his way anyway. You see, to protect Numbuh Three, they had her decommissioned, so that Father would have no reason to attack her. She'd be just another teenager. But, in solidarity, all of the kids of Sector V had themselves decommissioned. They couldn't let the Sanban girl go through it alone." Mrs. T. laughed. "That move still has the entire organization of the Kids Next Door crippled."
Kuki nodded. "This is useful information." Yes, it is. "But Father is waiting."
Mrs. Thomas pressed her lips together at the undramatic response to the story, but stood up and led the way to her basement. It was old-fashioned, and on one wall, the tiles had been removed to reveal a concrete wall. Kuki's host gestured towards it. She started in a long description of how long the tunnel was going to be, but Kuki took a step back, so she was behind her, and looked around. In a small guest best, asleep, was Hoagie.
Mrs. Thomas was finished talking. Kuki surveyed the wall, trying to look like she was measuring the space.
"Yes. Very good." Kuki took a step back, where there was a metal tube protruding out of the ground. With a loud clang, she tripped over it. Hoagie woke up. Apparently, he doesn't even know I'm not brainwashed anymore. Kuki noticed how he showed no signs of recognition at all. She tried to show none, either. Turning her back on Mrs. Thomas, she faced him and mouthed, open window. Open window. He nodded, and sat back down on the bed.
"Mrs. Thomas, I need to report to the Delightful Teens. May I use the bathroom before I go?" Kuki asked tonelessly. Mrs. Thomas nodded, and showed her to the toilet.
--
"Look!" Wally pointed at the basement window. It had opened. A moment later, Kuki's face appeared in the bathroom window. She opened the window and flushed the toilet. That was the sign. Trusting Kuki would keep Mrs. Thomas busy, Nigel and Wally rushed towards the opened basement window. Hoagie opened it wide, and Wally reached in, prepared to heave him out, but Hoagie stepped backwards.
"Come on, Hoagie, we're here to get you out!"
"No! These people are here to keep me safe. But, guys, Abby's -"
"What are you talking about?" Nigel asked impatiently.
"We saw something about you - you can't stay here." Wally added.
"It's safe here - Mrs. Thomas is -"
"A werewolf! Now come here -" Wally cried, and the door opened. Kuki was still talking to Mrs. Thomas.
"Wally, werewolves dont - arghh!" As Hoagie pointed a finger at Wally, he siezed his fist and dragged him upwards. Nigel and Wally both held the struggling teen's arms and forced him out of Mrs. Thomas' yard.
"Hi, Hoagie. How are you?" Kuki asked cheerfully, when they were safely out of Mrs. Thomas' street.
"Not good. These two just dragged me out of a basement because they think Mrs. Thomas is a werewolf!" Wally just grinned.
"We're not less sane then you are, Hoagie. We'll show you when we get to -" Nigel cut off. Everyone looked round at him. Then they heard it. The soft footsteps of someone srpinting, growing steadily closer. Then -
"RUN!" Nigel yelled. Even Hoagie obeyed. Kuki took off her coat and threw it backwards - the footsteps paused, then continued. Then Wally fell back. Kuki stopped, too.
"Wally!"
"Keep running!" He called. She hesitated, then followed Hoagie and Nigel.
The one following them was someone he'd seen now and then at school. She was in his grade, he thought. She had her curly hair tied in a high ponytail and had a small, powerful build, like a coiled spring. He tripped her, but she was back on her feet in no time. Whipping around, her right hand collided with his shoulder in a kind of backwards slap - he only felt a ring with a needle on it stab him for a second. Then he passed out.
"NO!" Kuki yelled. She started towards Wally - but Nigel pulled her on.
"He'll be fine!" He called. They ran, but the curly-haired girl - Nigel could only guess she was Valerie, the second-in-command - was gaining on them. As he glanced backwards again, he saw that Valerie had stopped. He, Kuki and Hoagie all turned.
"Hoagie!" She yelled. Nigel and Kuki turned to face him. Wally was still a heap on the road. Hoagie did not respond to Valerie. He just stared back grimly.
"HOAGIE!" She called again, at the top of her lungs. "Abby will die!" Kuki drew breath so quickly it hurt. Hoagie pressed his jaws together as hard as he could.
"She will die!" Valerie repeated. "She will get killed, going with the wrong side. The side of traitors, thieves and pirates!" Valerie looked positively demented now. "AND YOU'RE GOING WITH HER, HOAGIE!" People were now starting to gather around them. Someone was crouched next to Wally, talking on her cell phone. Valerie turned on her heel and ran from the scene. Some people were calling at her to stop, others were no doubt calling the police on their mobiles. But Valerie soon dissapeared from sight. Nigel led a trembling Hoagie away, while Kuki ran towards Wally's still form.
"Wally." She shook him. "Wally, are you all right?" The girl kneeling next to her smiled slightly.
"He's alive. The hospital's sending an ambulance."
Then Wally opened an eye, and Kuki started to cry. The doctors didn't let her go to the ambulance with them, and she continued to sob as she made her way home. When she came inside, Mushi looked up from her homework and her father peeked out of the kitchen in alarm as Kuki wailed about fires and werewolves and he didn't know what else. Both of them guided her to the couch and she cried and cried on her father's shoulder. In half an hour, the rice was burned, but no one noticed. When Genki arrived home, Kuki was still crying.
"Kuki-chan! But what happened?" Genki shooed Kani back to the kitchen and sent Mushi back to her homework. "What's wrong?" She whispered while she brushed Kuki's hair out of her eyes.
"Hahaoya." said Kuki, and Genki hugged her. Kuki just sobbed into her mother's neck and her mother just rocked back and forth on the couch. Kuki hadn't cried like this since she was 12 and her friend would go away... somewhere. She hadn't said where. But Genki didn't ask any questions; she only guided her daughter to her room and tucked her in after dinner with a mug of warm milk and honey, and said she could sleep in tomorrow because it was Saturday.
Mushi went to her room and contacted the leader of her sector, just like she had when she was spying on Nigel.
"She's back to normal. Crying like heck, though."
"That's good."
"... Good?"
"Yeah. When people are delightfulized, all of their emotions are trapped. When they're released, they either laugh or cry for a long time, depending on which one is triggered first. It's usually crying though, because you can cry from happiness, sadness or exhaustion."
"Right. Smarty pants."
"HEY."
"Do I have to keep on spying on them?"
"No. I think your sister has regained her memory. I'll tell the moonbase that the decommissioning machines don't have to be any milder."
"But if Kuki remembers, that means that her memories weren't wiped completely!"
"Exactly. Decommissioning doesn't get rid of the memories; it stores them inside the decommissioned person's brain until they need it desperately. If someone tells them what happened, they won't remember. Only when the information they had would come in handy to save their lives - or other poeples' lives."
"But what if they need the information to, say, attack the moonbase?"
"The memories only come back when they need them for defense, never for attacks."
"Oh. Ok."
"Hey - Numbuh 84.9 is gonna whine about my being 5.46 minutes late, or whatever. Gotta go."
Mushi put away her communicator, and went to Kuki's room with her rainbow monkeys. She played with them on Kuki's bed, and Kuki played along, with Wally, her own orange one.
Then, finally, Kuki smiled again, and Mushi went to bed feeling as though she had saved the entire world.
--
Have you ever felt like that? I think I have... just can't remember when... hm. Anyway! Review! (I said the right thing! Whoo!)
I found the communicator conversation a little dumb, but I really wanted to clear up that freaky confusion thing. What else needs to be cleared up? Oh yes. 'Hahaoya' is, as I looked up, Japanese for 'mother', so is something like reidou or something. Or reichou. But I didn't use that cuz Hahaoya is cooler. Just don't say, Ha-ha-oh-ya. Say, 'ha-hao-ya'. Okay? Okay. (I don't actually know which way is right :s it's just, the other way sounds funny)