Sorry, if I took too long to update but I was busy with school stuff as the finals exams before Winter Break are due soon. (I also was a little un-motivated to write). On a different note: I put in a narration at the beginning of chapter one, so you might wanna check that out. Anyway, we are nearing the end of this story so, let us begin!
Fanny Accepts a Promotion! A Fight that between Yelling Troopers!
Sector W Treehouse; Fanny's Room
It was early in the morning and 9-year-old Fanny Fulbright lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling in deep though. The redheaded girl was thinking about yesterday's events when Numbuh 274 called her to his office to talk to about a great promotion opportunity.
"Ye wanted to see me, sir?"
The blond boy nodded. "Yes, sit down." He motioned to a chair and Numbuh 86 sat down. "The reason I've called you is because I have an offer for you. As you know, our Head of Decommission will soon turn thirteen and we need someone to take his place."
"Wait? You want me to be Head of Decommission?" She found it hard to believe what she was hearing.
"Yes. I know it's a job that most operatives wouldn't want but I think you're the best one for that. Your performance in missions is impressive and you're pretty though on adults, something that all Decommissioners should have. So, what'd you say?" He waited expectantly.
Numbuh 86 sat there in silence, thinking about it. A promotion was something she had wanted for a while and this was a great opportunity, even if it meant doing something all operatives feared. But what about her friends back at Sector W? She knew that Chad had offered them promotions too, but she didn't know if they will accept. If she accepted hers and they declined, she would see them less, only when they came up for mission reports or when it was their decommissioning time.
She shuddered at the thought of it. Is she accepted, Numbuh 86 will be forced to watch her friends get their memories erased as their birthdays were before her's. She wasn't sure if she could handle it.
"Are you thinking if it's worth it?" She was startled when Chad spoke. "Understand that I'm just offering you the job. It's your choice whether to take it or not."
Numbuh 86 reflexed Chad's words for a moment before asking, "Could I have some time to think about it?"
"Sure, I understand that this is a difficult decision," nodded the blond leader. "You have until next week to give me your decision."
But Fanny didn't need a week. She closed her eyes as the memory left her mind and when she opened them, a look of sureness was in them. She had made her decision.
Sector W's Kitchen
An hour later, Fanny came out of her room and walked to the kitchen where already Patton, Rachel and Bartie were munching on their cereal.
"Hi Fanny." greeted Rachel.
"Hey, guys." greeted Fanny, serving herself some Rainbow Munchies then taking a seat next to Rachel.
The other three kids noticed that she looked pretty pensative as if she was debating to tell them something. "Is something wrong, Fan?" asked Rachel in concern.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine." She insisted but the looks on his friends' faces told her they didn't believe her. "Alright," she sighed. "There is something going on."
The others motioned for her to continue.
Fanny sighed deeply before explaining. "Remember when Numbuh 274 called to his office yesterday? That he offered to promote me to Head of Decommission?"
"Yeah," said Rachel nodding with Bartie and Patton.
"Well, I decided to accept it."
There was a moment of silence then-
"WHAT?!" Patton's shocked and outraged loud voice sounded through the treehouse.
"Ay decided ta accept the job," she repeated. "Ye got a problem with that?"
"Heck yeah! Why would you want to leave the Sector for a job such as Head of Decommission?"
"Because Ay want to be more than just a sector operative." She explained, not liking Patton's tone at all. "This promotion is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I can't let pass. Besides, is not like Chad hasn't offered you a promotion too."
"Well, yeah but I'm thinking thoughtfully about my decision! You're just being rash about it!"
"RASH!" Fanny bellowed standing up from her chair, glaring at Patton. "Fer yer information, I was up all night thinkin' whether I should accept or not! So don't ye tell me I'm being rash about it!"
The other two children at the table stared at their friends, slightly afraid to intervene. In all of her time as friends, neither Rachel nor Bartie had ever seen Patton so angry. His jaw was clenched tight and his eyes shone with a rage not typical in the usually laidback Polish boy.
"You know what? FINE! Go a become Head of Decommission! I wouldn't expect less from a selfish BANSHEE!"
Bartie and Rachel gasped as Fanny's expression went from anger to hurt, a few tears watering in her eyes.
Realizing what he said, Patton tried to apologize. "Fanny, I didn't mean-"
"Is that what ye think of me?" she interrupted, hurt clear in her voice. "A selfish banshee?"
"No I-"
But Fanny was already running for the door, tear streaming down her faces. Patton stood there in shock, not believing he had actually insulted the very girl he had a crush on. He looked back to see his friends giving him disappointed looks.
Rachel and Bartie stood up and left the kitchen without saying a word. Bartie then came back for his cereal before hurrying after Rachel, leaving Patton alone with his guilt.
Fulbright Household
"Ha! You're going DOWN, Fulbright!"
"Not a chance, McKenzie!"
Shaunie, Sonya, Lee, Tommy and Adam were sitting on the couch (Adam sat in his chair) watching as Paddy and Harvey faced each other in a videogame, Houdini the Hamster sitting on his master's lap. The game continued for a few minutes before an explosion occurred signaling that the six-year-old redhead had won.
"Alright!" cheered Paddy. "And Paddy Fulbright wins again! In yer face Harvey!"
"Aww, man!" the bucktoothed boy threw his controller down. "I want a rematch!"
"But you already had four." Sonya pointed out.
"Nobody asked your opinion, Sonya!"
"Hey, don't talk to Sonya like that!" glared Adam.
"Not cool!"
"Is there a problem?" Sonya's 15-year-old sister, Serena came from the kitchen. The blond teenager was babysitting the kids while Mrs. Fulbright was doing some errands.
"Harvey's being mean to Sonya!" accused Shaunie, pointing at Harvey.
"I'm not!" yelled Harvey
"Are too!" The others yelled back.
"Alright, calm down!" Serena slightly raised her voice. "Let's all take a deep breath and relax."
Harvey grumpily mouthed her words but shrunk back at Serena's angry glare.
The sound of a door banging open caught their attention and they saw Fanny running by with an upset expression.
"Big sis?" called Shaunie in concern but his sister had already disappeared up the stairs.
"Was it me or Fanny was crying?" asked Adam as the kids and teen looked at each other in concern.
"I'm gonna see what's with her." declared Serena. Before climbing up the stairs she turned toward the children. "Stay here."
Once Serena was out of sight, Harvey started toward the stairs when Paddy stopped him. "Serena said to stay here."
Harvey gave his Irish friend an amused look. "And since when do we listen to teenagers, Fulbright?" with that he began walking up the stairs.
Paddy rolled his eyes at his friend nevertheless he followed Harvey, Houdini sitting on his shoulder. Adam, Tommy and Lee looked at each other before following along (Tommy and Lee helped Adam up the stairs).
"Guys! Not you too!" But Sonya was ignored as the boys climbed up the second floor, leaving her and Shaunie on the couch. Sonya sighed and looked at the five-year-old. "We better go ith them."
Shaunie agree and the two of them went up after their friends.
Fanny's Room
Fanny laid face down on her Rainbow Monkey bed, softly weeping into the sheets. She couldn't believe that her friend and secret crush had called her a banshee. Sure, she had been called that very often but this was the first time one of her friends said it.
That not good Patton Drilovsky! she though angrily. How could he call me a banshee? A selfish one no less! He's like all boys! Mean, insensible and good for nothing! I swear if he ever shows his face here Aye'm gonna-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knocking in her bedroom room. Not wishing company, Fanny threw on of her pillows at the door. "GO AWAY!"
"Fanny is me, Serena!" said a voice from the other side. "May I come in?"
The redhead was about to turn her away, mainly because she didn't want to talk (and because Serena was a teenager) but had second thoughts. "Ok…"
The door opened and Serena stepped in. The blond teen girl walked over and sat down next to Fanny. "Are you ok? What happened?"
"Patton happened!" she cried. "That good for nothing idiot called me a banshee!"
Outside Fanny's room
"He called her what?!" said Paddy angrily. He and the others were listening to the conversation using some weird listening gizmo that Tommy invented.
Tommy tried to explain. "He called her a-"
"I heard what she said!"
"Then why you ask?"
"Shh," Adam shushed them. "Do you want to be heard?"
The two boys glared at each other but shut up and keep listening.
In Fanny's Room
"He called you a banshee?" echoed Serena, surprised. "Why?"
Fanny hesitated; though Serena wasn't with the Teen Ninjas, she was still a teenager and Fanny couldn't tell her about KND business. "We had a fight," she explained. "I don't wanna talk about it."
Serena nodded in understanding. "I see. So, what are you gonna do about it?"
"Sigh, I don't know," she sighed. "I don't think Patton meant what he said but I am still angry at him."
"Then you should forgive him."
"I suppose I should…" Fanny though about it but then the memory replayed I her mind. "No! He doesn't deserve forgiveness!"
Serena frowned. "So, you're just gonna be angry him forever?"
"Sigh," sighed Fanny. "I don't know."
"Well, what you do is your call but a word of advice. Don't turn this into some grudge or something." With that she stood up and walked toward the door, leaving Fanny on her bed. Fanny sat there alone, thinking about what Serena said. Her gaze wandered to a picture of Patton and herself sitting on her bedside drawer. She stared at it for a while before angrily throwing it away. "Stoopid boy,"
Serena walked down the stairs back to the living room, where she saw the six-year-olds plus Shaunie and Houdini sitting on the couch with innocent looks on their faces. She crossed her arms and looked at them knowingly. "I know you guys were listening behind the door." She smirked at their shocked faces and walked back into the kitchen to finish some homework.
"I told you guys she'll notice." whispered Sonya to the boys.
"Shut up Sonya!"
Drilovsky Household
Wendy Drilovsky and Ellie McKenzie sat on the living room's floor playing with the former's dolls when Patton came in. The black-haired boy sat on the couch depressingly then noticed that his sister and her friend were glaring at him, their game forgotten. "What?"
"Rachel called," said Ellie. "She told us what your fight with Fanny."
"How could you say such horrible things!" yelled Wendy angrily at her brother, her accent thickening. "I thought you guys were friends."
"Hmmp, some friend," humped Patton, glaring at the five-year-olds. "What kind of person accepts a job that involves wiping our memories? She said that it was a great opportunity, that she was the best for the job! How selfish can someone be?"
"Hold done one moment there!" seethed Wendy, standing up. "Don't you call Shaunie's sister shellfish!"
"Selfish," corrected Ellie.
"Whatever. If anyone is being selfish around her, that's you Big Bro." The little girl pointed accusingly at him.
"Me? What did I do?" Patton sounded offended. "She's the one who wants to be a decommissioner!"
"Then you should have supported her, not told her what a horrible job it is! Or don't you think Fanny knows that?"
"Well, yeah- But- It just-" Patton couldn't think of a comeback. "Oh whatever! What'd you two know? You're just five."
Wendy and Ellie's glares deepened but decided against saying anything. They just picked up Wendy's dolls and went to the Polish girl's room.
Patton watched them leave, feeling guilty for the second time that day. Because of his jerkiness, he had likely destroyed his friendship with Fanny and possibly any chance to tell her his true feelings for her.
Man, Patton, he though. You messed up big time.
And that's why Fanny Fulbright hates boys! I know it looks lame but hey, if someone I liked insulted me like that, I would hate him too! Anyway, I introduced Sonya's sister Serena (whom I mentioned in an earlier chapter). What do you think of her? Is she ok for a teen? Next chapter will be the last one (hopefully). Read and Review!