HI GUYS! I'm super excited because the weekends almost here and I am EX-HAUSTED! So I'll write my way out of my sleepiness….does that make sense?

Oh whatever

ENJOY!

Operation: Val Chapter 22

While Dr. Thorndill was explaining his plan to Jenkins, the new clan of Warners and assassins was just settling in for the night, the two red heads currently left alone in Dot's excessively pink room.

Val snuggled into her top bunk and eyed Jinx as she rolled out a blanket onto the floor.

Hmph. Looks like she isn't awesome enough for a bunk bed. Val just couldn't resist the satisfied smirk that slipped onto her face. Jinx looked up at her, almost reading her mind and their eyes locked. Val's smirk slowly fell off her face when she saw Jinx smile coldly.

"What are you smiling about?" Val scowled, growing defensive quickly. The defense wall came up all the quicker when Jinx let a small chuckle escape her lips.

"You truly are as foolish as the Doctor told me."

"EXCUSE ME?! I- y-you…YOU'RE A BUTT!" Val blurted out before she could think of a better insult and then blushed as Jinx laughed, the sound as perfect and delicate as chiming bells.

"You can call me whatever portion of the body you see fit V.A.L. I do not let such trivial things such as insults take away from my mission…that appears to be your specialty. No wonder the Doctor saw it fit to make a better toon." She mused almost to herself as Val opened her mouth and then closed it before opening it again, her face becoming increasingly red until it clashed with her orange hair. She studied Jinx's smirking stupidly perfect face and whirled around, bunching up the covers around her head.

I won't let her win. She just wants a reaction. Besides, when I hand the monsters to my dad on a silver platter, I'll be basking in the glow of victory and SHE'LL be the one locked in the basement cage! Maybe I'll even get my own bedroom! I could get a hammock for a bed….or a waterbed…could I get a waterbed-hammock maybe…that…..sounds so….cool. Val drifted off to sleep with thoughts of interior design on her mind.

…

Jinx closed her eyes as Dot walked into the room and crawled into her own bottom bunk. Jinx listened as the youngest Warner got comfortable and then fell asleep, her breathing deepening.

It would be so easy…just to kill her right now. How could V.A.L possibly miss this opportunity? But no, my orders were to lure them to the Doctor's mansion and that is where they stay. For now, I rest.

She let her mind drift far off, which wasn't very far. Jinx's mind was closed, a fortress designed only to hold what the Doctor told her. It could be a tad frustrating. Jinx discovered it must be because of the night, when all was quiet and her mission was not the main priority, that she began to feel the slightest trembles of anxiety.

She didn't have a memory. At least, not long term. Jinx found this out on her walk over to the studio, when she was only one whole day old. She couldn't recall her creation day. It was as if she was never born and that disturbed her…more than she believed it should.

The mission the mission the mission the mission…the miss… Jinx's mind paused in its usual track of 'mission mission mission' to think. There was a word in her mind…one that did not relate to the current conversation or the plan she had to fulfill.

What is it….? It was gone before she could give it a second thought however, and Jinx fell into a dreamless sleep that was interrupted only by the oddest smell wafting through her blank subconscious. It burned in her nose and nearly awoke her. But it was only something her mind had produced, the smell of ink thinner.

…

The next morning progressed as every morning usually did, despite the new addition to the tower. The Warners all sat around the table and ate pancakes, just as Yakko promised. Val hated to admit it but they were pretty fantastic. She reached to grab thirds and saw Yakko send her a knowing smirk which she responded to with a roll of the eyes.

Jinx looked around at the group of toons and matched her eyes with Val's who gave her a slight nod of the head. After the embarrassingly one-sided argument the night before, they both awoke and Jinx lead Val into a corner, deciding that the plan would be put into action that day.

Val, being the stubborn jerk she was, refused until she decided that it actually made a lot of sense to take Jinx's plan and then, just maybe, call the plan her own. That's right, she could be a bad little Val if she wanted to be.

The plan was simple; each girl would take a Warner and focus specifically on finding a weakness. At the end of the day, each would gather up their info and figure the best way to lure them toward the mansion…

Jinx sat back in her seat and sighed. "Oh it looks just beautiful outside. Do you three think it would be possible to go out and see the world today? I've never seen Burbank before." She smiled as they beamed in unison.

"YEAH! ROAD TRIP!"

Yakko hopped up. "I'll drive!" He grinned superiorly as the two girls looked at him curiously and his younger siblings just pouted.

Val blinked. "You can't drive…can you?" she stumbled as Yakko grabbed her arms and pulled her outside the tower.

"Of course I can! Who says it has to be legal?"

So they ended up going to the psychiatric office and tricking Scratchansniff into giving them his keys by telling him that they accidentally glued a bomb to them. It worked like a charm and soon they were on their way…kind of.

Honestly…Yakko couldn't drive. At all. They almost ran over 4 old ladies and 3 girl scouts and ended up playing pinball on the streets, using parked cars as bumpers.

By the time they reached the mall Scratchy's license plate was written down by over 17 squad cars and the air force was on the lookout for him, not that the Warners knew that of course.

When they got inside the mall, each looked off in different directions. Val looked around in awe and just gaped at all the different stores and stuff inside.

"This….is…..wow." she breathed and the Warners clapped her on the back.

"Way to go Val showing some emotion other than rage!" Yakko gave her a big bear hug, lifting her off the ground. She was instantly irritated but if it hadn't been for his touchy behavior, she never would have seen….them.

Val's purple eyes widened to the size of saucers at the most glorious thing she had ever seen. In a store shop up on the second story window she saw a pair of glow in the dark shoelaces with glitter on the aglet. (The tip of the shoelace for those of you who don't know what an aglet is;D)

She ripped herself from Yakko's hug and bounded up a down escalator, accidentally plowing through clusters of shoppers, and pressed her face against the glass of the shop.

"They're beautiful…." She looked down at her shiny red converse with plain BORING white laces and knew right then that it was her destiny to have those laces.

The rest of the group was there instantly and Dot raised a brow. "They're shoelaces…Why would a store even put shoelaces on display?" she cocked her hip to the side as she saw Val practically drooling over them.

"What is WRONG with this girl?"

Val ignored the little critique and dug around in her pockets, trying to dredge up some change…ANYTHING to buy her favorite thing in the whole world. What she pulled up however was just some pocket lint and her DIP gun she was supposed to use to annihilate the Warners. That wasn't of any use at all.

She threw the gun away as people screamed, oblivious to the frantic shoppers running away from the little girl with the weapon. "I don't have any money…"

Jinx put on a mask of sympathy. "It's alright cousin. Shoelaces are not important right now." She flashed a disapproving glare before the Warners could see and stepped aside as Val flopped on her butt, her ears drooping in disappointment.

"Yeah….I guess."

She didn't look up as Wakko poked her shoulder softly. "Wanna go get some ice cream? That always makes me feel better about myself." He grinned and Val shrugged.

"….kay." she followed Wakko, slumped backwards in an overdramatic show of depression. Yakko looked off at different shops.

"Yeah I'll catch up with you guys later I've got some stuff to buy." He strolled off with his usual swagger, pausing to give a cheeky grin to Scratchansniff who was being carted outside by the police.

Dot looked at Jinx. "Wanna go shopping?! I bet I can find cuter clothes then you!"

Jinx giggled. "You're on!" she chased after the youngest. Mission, mission, mission….

…

"Okay I think I'll have a chocolate chip banana rocky ripple road strawberry dipped turkey basted three thousand island sundae with coconut sprinkles!" Wakko beamed at the soda jerk who paused, trying to remember everything before turning to Val, a little worried her order would be similar.

"A-and what about you?"

Val looked up from studying the granite patterned counter top and shrugged. "I don't have any money. So nothing." The soda jerk looked relieved until Wakko piped up.

"That's okay I'm buying! So make that two please!" he smiled, oblivious to the worker's groan of disappoint. He looked at Val who was staring at him in confusion.

"How do you have so much money? You guys live in a water tower!"

"Well that's cause the studio gives us lots of cash for being celebs. So we get to spend it on fun stuff like yummy sundaes. Sometimes we need food and stuff but usually we can get whatever we want." Wakko's tail wagged as the soda jerk dropped a giant sundae in front of him and Val.

"Yummy!"

Val took a bite and paused to grimace at the interesting flavor combinations. "So wait, you guys get paid just for living on the lot?"

"Yup!" Wakko popped out of the sundae dish, coated in ice cream as he licked himself clean, again oblivious to the various looks of customers around him. Val scowled into her ice cream.

"Sounds like a pretty damn good gig." She was suddenly knocked off her stool by a big glob of turkey basted ice cream to the face.

"GAH! What the hell?!" she smeared ice cream off her face and glared at Wakko as he smirked challengingly, another drippy scoop in his waiting hand.

"ICE CREAM FIGHT!" before Val could even blink she was suffocating under a mountain of frozen dairy treat.

"Stop! Why are you doing this?!" she gagged and shivered as she choked on chocolate and coconut. Another scoop went right for her head and she heard Wakko laughing.

"Because I'm tryin' ta cheer you up!" he threw another glob. "Is it working yet?"

"NO! What is WRONG WITH YOU?!" Val heaved a huge blob of the sticky treat into her own fists and hit Wakko right smack dab in the face, sending him to the floor as he sprawled, seemingly unconscious. She paused, her fur drippy and gross as she hovered over him. Serves him right.

Wakko shot up suddenly and threw a scoop of vanilla at her face, which she dodged quickly.

"Ha!" Val smeared chocolate syrup onto the middle sib's head. "And HA!" she giggled as he squirted a bottle of whipped cream at her face and within a matter of minutes they were both on the floor laughing their brains out and too tired to throw any more. That is, until the mall security showed up and then they had the energy of two people at war, pelting the guards down one by one with their ice cream scoops of torture.

…

During Val's and Wakko's time at the ice cream court, Jinx and Dot were in the jewelry department, trying on different gems and precious metals that were far too expensive for them but still lovely to touch.

Ignoring the ballistic sales clerk, Dot hopped onto the jewelry counter, weighed down with large 2 million dollar pearls and sparkling diamond earrings bigger than her nose.

"I do decree that I am by far the most beautiful queen of them all!" she fluffed her hair and Jinx cheered, laughing lightly.

"All hail the queen!" she smiled and then discreetly scribbled into her notebook hidden in her pocket. Highly egotistical, easily flattered. Should be simple to manipulate.

"Wanna go try on perfumes now?" Dot squealed and Jinx matched her squeal as they ran off, the sales clerk screaming in the background.

"Wait! You need to pay for those!" he chased after them as they dragged expensive jewelry behind them.

…

Val walked alone in the mall, her fur sticky and drying in gross clumps from ice cream.

After they ran out of ice cream the security guards called for backup, causing the two toons to bolt it out of the food court faster than Road Runner. Unfortunately, Wakko soon had a "potty emergency" from the ice cream snackage and Val was left to realize she hadn't even tried to question Wakko about his strengths and weaknesses.

DAMN IT! I've got nothing to compare with Jinx tonight! She's gonna tell dad I'm a total fail and I'm never gonna get my waterbed hammock or my cool new room! Val passed by a store window and saw her reflection, which looked awful. The white fur on her face was now anything but and her usually silky brown fur was the color of every flavor of ice cream known to man. And to add insult to injury, Val happened to notice she was looking in the shop window of the glow-in-the dark shoelaces…which were gone. A small 'sold out' sign was in the place of the display and Val just stood there, looking at her pathetic self in the empty shoelace-less window….and stared.

I am such a fail which is why I NEED to do this. I have to be better than her! I have to show Dad that I can be enough for him because if I don't….who am I? Nothing but a loser without a dad that's who. I need him to be proud of me so I can be proud of me.

Val walked down to a park bench with a grim promise in her heart, so intent on her plans she didn't see Yakko follow her over.

"Whoa looks like you had fun at the food court." Yakko grinned as he took in her ice cream ensemble. Val looked up at him from her seat on the bench.

"Yeah it was a blast. Got any wet wipes by any chance?" she asked hopefully, only to frown when Yakko shook his head, that stupid smirk still present.

"I have this though." He pulled out a hose and started to drench her with it. Val didn't react, just sat there as he washed her clean and then blow dried her, making her fur poof up like a chow-chow's. She slicked it down smoothly and ignored Yakko as he sat next to her on the bench and smiled at her.

"Why do serious?"

Val glanced up to see him wearing a Joker mask. She rolled her eyes and shoved him to the floor.

"You're an idiot. Did you seriously just spend your money on a Joker mask?" she eyed his bag of goodies as Yakko shook his head with a grin.

"I got it for free. It came with the batmobile." He pulled out a life sized bat-styled car. "Since, ya know, we don't have a ride home." He snickered then frowned as Val looked away.

"Hey what's the matter?" he pouted softly, nudging her with his elbow. Val shrugged.

"Nothing…" Just really wanna see you dead is all….

"Doesn't sound like nothing. Ya know, you should really smile more. I bet it would look bea-UTIFUL on you" He gave her a hopeful grin and frowned when she didn't react.

"Aw come on where's that rage? Or the painful attempts at flirting? You could at least try." he crossed his arms with a pout and she scowled at him.

"What do you mean 'painful attempts'? I'm a damn good flirt." She turned away, knowingly reacting just to make him happy. Why not just entertain the monster? He's only got a few days left to live anyways.

And, low and behold, Yakko's face lit up like a Christmas tree at the opportunity. "Maybe you're a good flirt… if you actually tried."

"Maybe I'd try more if you were worth flirting with."

"Funny, I recall you used to throw yourself at me."

Val blushed softly at that, remembering well her poor first attempts to make them like her. "Yeah but that was just because I wanted you to be friends with me…"

Yakko raised a brow. "It seemed like you wanted to be more then friends to me." He smirked as Val stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

"Hey now be nice. Only good girls get presents." He reached for his bag and Val raised a brow, instantly suspicious.

"I swear if anything in that bag explodes-"

She was silenced as Yakko clapped a hand over her mouth and another over her eyes. She began to squirm uncomfortably and was just about to bite his hand when he pulled them away and beamed.

"Tada!"

Val blinked and looked around the mall and over at him. "What am I looking at exactly?"

He just smiled and pointed down, making her follow his finger until she saw them. The glow-in-the-dark shoelaces with glitter aglets tied securely into her converse. They were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and Val felt that in that instant she knew just what it felt like to be Cinderella at the ball.

"Y-you…why?"

"They were on sale and I knew you wanted them. This may come as a shocker Val but I happen to enjoy your company. So… this is a thank you for making my life more interesting." Yakko scooped up his bags and turned to leave, only to drop them in surprise when Val tackle-hugged him from behind, too happy to think coherently.

"Thank you…" she squeezed the Warner until he squeezed back, her tail swishing and her face beaming brightly, those weird purple eyes sparkling.

Yakko blinked slowly. Whoa…those are some sexy eyes… he leaned closer with a smile, liking this more and more until-

"AHEM!" Dot and Wakko were standing there with eye brows raised. Yakko waved at them and grinned.

"Guess who bought presents?" He held up the bags and the two Warners were instantly beaming. All three began digging through the bags of treasures and Val looked up, meeting Jinx's eyes as they spelt two words she knew she didn't want to hear.

You're done.

Looks like Val's cuddling up to the Warners nice and easy now. Jinx….not so much. Hope you can't wait to read it! I know I can'tXD Thanks for reading! Toodles!