Disclaimer:
Nigel's mother's name, Margaret was coined by fallen-gabrielle on tumblr. All credit for the name goes to her.
Transmission 9: A Happier Time
It's Saturday afternoon. Wally is still dazed by what Kuki did before she left and simply lays on his bed. Silently, he glances at the two sleeping bags next his bed, which reminds him of Kuki and Wally's face turns red. "Oh crud, what the heck is wrong with me…?" he shakes his head and rolls on to his right side towards the window but to his surprise he notices a familiar car approaching his house. "Hoagie?" he mutters as the blue van stops in-front of the house. Before he can react, the doorbell rings.
…
An hour earlier: Hoagie is rummaging through his toolbox inside his garage when his phone rings. He wipes his dirty hands on to a cloth and answers. "Hey Abby, what's up?"
"Yo, you busy right now?"
"Well, I was just about to do some tweaks on the van's suspension…"
"So you're free." Abby cuts him off mid-sentence. "Look, Abby got a call from Kuki earlier and it looks like things went pretty well with Wally. But she forgot to mention that Nigel's birthday is next Friday, so Abby wants you to go talk to Wally."
"Why me? Why can't you call him or something?"
"Because Abby's got a pile of homework to go through, no thanks to you."
"Oh…right, well…sorry you couldn't finish your assignments yesterday…"
"Is fine. Just make sure you go to his place and talk to him about the birthday party. Kuki said he was feeling much better."
"Alright, I'll just fix the suspension and go."
"Gotcha baby. See ya."
"Bye." Hoagie hangs up and finishes the repairs before he drives out of the garage.
…
As Hoagie rings the doorbell, Sydney Beetles flings the door open. "Ah, Hoagie, good afternoon."
"Uhm, afternoon Mr. Beetles, is Wally here? I gotta talk to him." Before Sydney can respond, Wally appears on the top step of the stairs with his hands in his pocket and looks down towards the open front.
"Well son, how about it?" Sydney asks him with a smile.
"Sure, got nothing better to do."
"Alright, come on. Let's go for a drive. I'll test my suspension tweaks while we're at it." Wally nods and slowly comes down the stairs and as he walks out, Sydney pats his son on the back.
"Have fun Wallabee."
"Thanks Dad." Wally smiles faintly and follows Hoagie to his van. As they drive towards the suburbs, Wally stares silently at the setting October sun.
"So…uhm…are you…feeling better?" Hoagie asks carefully.
"I guess. My head's a mess though…"
"I heard Kuki came over. How did it go?"
"…" Wally doesn't reply and continues to stare at the sun.
"Come on, you can tell me. Or did you do something crazy?" Hoagie grins slyly and gets the reaction he hoped as Wally quickly snaps at him.
"Wha…?! Of course not ya cruddy idiot! She just…slept in my room, that's it!" Wally's face is bright red as he shouts.
"Ooo, she slept in you ROOM? Did you share the bed and everything?" Hoagie nudges Wally who now has his arms crossed.
"…No…" he mutters but Hoagie isn't fooled.
"Okay…" he grins grins as they join the highway.
"…She's really strong…"
"Huh?"
"…she beat up those guys by herself before they swarmed her…"
"No kidding. Last year, Kuki hung out at the Karate gym a lot and Abby taught her all kinds of moves. Honestly, she could've taken them all down by herself."
"…right…" Wally is not convinced by Hoagie's words.
"I'm serious! You haven't seen her when she snaps. It's like she turns into a demon or something, it's crazy." Hoagie insists, but Wally isn't buying it one bit.
"Sure."
"Hmph, well if you don't believe me, piss her off the next time you see her. Call Rainbow Monkeys stupid or something and see what happens." Then, a cold, foreboding chill runs along Wally's spine and he twitches.
"Uh…nah, not gonna do that."
"Hah, you imagined it, right? Kuki's also the most tenacious person I've met…well before I met you anyway. I remember last year when I got my van, she begged me to let her ride in it before I made all these modifications. This thing was so dirty you couldn't get rid of the odor for a long time. Abby still refuses to get on. Says it still stinks." Hoagie says as he changes lanes. Then, both boys stay quiet for a while until Wally speaks up.
"I…uhm…I'm sorry I tried push you guys away...again…I was just…"
"It's okay buddy. I kinda understand how you felt about the whole thing. Trust me, Abby, Nigel and me all felt like we should've done more."
"Yeah but I was going to block you guys off again, after ya reached out to me and everything. I still blame myself but…I guess Kuki did talk some sense into me…"
"You don't have to blame yourself Wally. As far as me and everyone else is concerned, Ernest was the only one to blame."
"So, what happened to that bastard?"
"He got expelled. Nigel and the Stu Co worked with the police, and it turns out, Ernest's stepdad had bribed the principal with 'donations' to the school so they could build that huge football field. Not only that, but he also meddled in faculty hirings and fund distribution."
"Of course…" Wally clenches his fist slightly.
"His stepdad, the principal and some of the football team's coaching staff are facing charges for bribery, fraud and other stuff. Also, Ernest's not going to play football any time soon."
"Why's that?"
"Dude, don't you remember? You broke his jaw and nose with that locker door so he's gotta eat with a straw. You beat him up so bad we didn't recognize him. He almost got brain damage." Wally's eyes widen and looks at his hands while trying to remember what exactly he did to Ernest but all he can recall are blurry images.
"I didn't…I didn't realize…I just totally lost it…Won't they throw me in juvie?"
"Don't feel sorry for that guy. Besides, the suspension is all you got for that. Nigel fought hard for you. He did expose the whole bribery thing, so they wanted to minimize the scandal and putting you in juvie would've made things worse."
"Right…" Wally sighs but the realization that he almost killed someone shakes him to his core.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I wanted to talk about Nigel's birthday, or Abby told me to, but anyway."
"Birthday?" Wally lifts an eyebrow as Hoagie's van enter the turnpike.
"Yeah, it's next Friday and we're gonna hold it at the Point. We want it to be a surprise since he's been working non-stop because this of mess. You in?"
"Yeah, of course!" Wally nods swiftly, cauing Hoagie to smile back.
"Awesome. If you're feeling up to it, come over to my house next Tuesday."
"Ya know I can't ride my bike?" Wally points at his left side.
"Oh, right. Sorry. I'll come and pick you up then. We're meeting up at 17:00."
"We? How many are comin' there?"
"Not counting you and me, Abby, Kuki, Rachel, Fanny and Patton. This whole thing was Rachel's idea so she's in charge."
"Right…" The thought of seeing Kuki again makes Wally feel uncomfortable.
"Dude, your face is red."
"What? No, it's not!"
"You were thinking about Kuki weren't ya?" Hoagie nudges Wally again who hides his face under his blond hair. "Come on, you two definitely did something. You face says it all!"
"I told ya, we didn't 'do' anything! She just…" Wally voice fades and he turns his gaze towards the dark sky.
"She just what? Now you're just stalling."
"It's not your business! Besides, talking about it makes me feel like crud."
"All right, keep your secrets." Hoagie chuckles as he turns back towards the outskirts where Wally lives. He parks the car next to the driveway and as Wally leaves, he turns to face his friend.
"Thanks Hoagie…I really needed that."
"Hah, don't mention it. That's what friends do." The boys do a fist bump and Wally waves goodbye as Hoagie slowly drives away.
Then, Wally opens the front door and enters the house. His father is sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper when he sees Wally take off his shoes and walk into the living room. He slumps down on a small, worn-down sofa next to the armchair. "So, how did it go son?"
"It…it was refreshing I guess…" Wally mutters as Sydney puts down the newspaper and turns towards his troubled son.
"Ya got something else on your mind too. Come on, you can tell your old man."
"I…almost killed that guy…" Wally looks at his hands and notices that they are shaking.
"I guess young Gillingan told ya about it."
"I didn't mean to…"
"I know son. You weren't thinking straight."
"Exactly! I can't remember what I did to him! All I get is hazy memories. Dad, why do I always go nuts like that?" Wally looks at his father in confusion and Sydney looks back at him sternly before joining him on the sofa.
"Wallabee, it's because you have a fiery heart. You've always been like that. Back in elementary school, you were shorter than the other kids, so they made fun of you and that's why you always got into fights." Wally notices that his father's expression changed from stern to pained. "Then, in middle school, you became the bully.
"Huh?! No cruddy way…"
"You don't remember? We got calls from school every week saying you beat up other kids and stole their money. I'll be honest, mom and I didn't know what to do back then. You were so angry all the time and you had this look in your eye like you hated everyone." Wally is stunned by what his father is telling him, but he can't recall anything, only fuzzy, shapeless images.
"They even threatened to put you in juvie, but we wanted to believe that you weren't a bad kid. You're our son after all. But then, you changed, just like that."
"Changed? What do ya mean, dad?"
"I don't know what happened, but you just suddenly stopped bullying and smiled again." Sydney explains and points at Wally's chest. "Your heart's in the right place, Wallabee, but if you go overboard, well…you understand what I mean, son."
"But Dad, was I really doin' the right thing when I stood up for Hoagie? Maybe if I didn't…"
"Don't even think about that, son. Helping and standing up for others is never wrong. Like I said this morning, back when you were in the hospital, your mother and I got to talk with Miss Sanban's parents. They said that because of you, their daughter has changed for the better. They bowed their heads and everything. Think about that for minute Wallabee. Your actions made that happen. Me and your mother are really proud of you son."
"Dad…" Wally is slightly overwhelmed by his father's words.
"Having friends like them is a million times better than being alone, trust your old man on this." Sydney winks at his son who smiles faintly. "That reminds me, those friends of yours are kinda familiar. Didn't they go to the same elementary school and middle school as you did?" Sydney's question alarms Wally as he is reminded of his amnesia.
"I…I don't remember, dad…"
"Really? I remember you used hang out with a group of friends all the time. You always played that uhm…kids next block or something, in that treehouse and…"
"TREEHOUSE?!"
"Yeah, now that you mention it, we might have a picture stashed in here somewhere…" Sydney gets and walks across the living room to a small cupboard. "Where did she put all the family photos…" he begins to go through the cupboards many compartments until he finds a large brown photo album. "There we are…now let's see…Ah, here it is." Sydney takes out a photo and hands it to Wally but the moment he lays his eyes on it, he freezes. It's a picture of him, Kuki, Nigel, Hoagie and Abby as 10 to 11 year-olds, all eating food in a large tree, which is so huge that only the lower branches are visible. As he stares at the photo, his head begins to hurt.
"Argh…"
"What's wrong son?"
"Ah, nothin'…I'm kinda tired…I'm gonna hit the hay…" Wally gets up from the sofa as his father grins slightly
"Heh, well you did have a pretty 'rough' night if you know what I mean." Sydney pats his son on the back.
"Come on dad, Hoagie already roasted me about that…"
"Hah-haa!" a grinning Sydney laughs as Wally points at the photo.
"Dad, ya don't mind if I take that picture?"
"Of course not, sport, just don't lose it."
"Thanks Dad…and sorry…"
"What are you apologizing for Wallabee? Go on, get some rest." Sydney gives son an assuring smile as Wally begins to climb up the stairs. He goes to his room and takes the photo album from his nightstand and puts the group photo behind one of the other pictures. He then lies down on his bed, but his thoughts are a complete mess.
"What the heck was that tree? There's no way we had a tree like that on our yard…Ah crud…"
…
It's Tuesday afternoon, second week of October and a cold wind blows through the city. Wally is standing outside his house, waiting for Hoagie. He has pulled his hood over his head, but it doesn't help much against the bitter wind. "Crud, what's takin' him so long...?" He tucks his hand in to his pockets and shivers slightly. Then, he hears the unmistakable sound of Hoagie's van horn. As the van pulls up next to him, he quickly gets in and blows into hands to warm them up. "It's fricking cold out there!"
"Dude, don't you have a jacket or something?"
"Mom and Dad sold all our winter stuff when we moved to Australia."
"Ouch."
"Mom says she's gonna buy some from a thrift shop. We can't afford those new jackets." Wally mutters.
"I know how you feel. Hey, let's put some music on!" Hoagie opens the armrest between the driver- and passenger seats and chooses one of the many tapes stuffed in the compartment. He puts the tape into the cassette player and as the song begins to play, Hoagie starts driving back to his home. Soon, the boys arrive at Hoagie's house, Wally notices the two parked cars in-front of it. He immediately recognizes the first one as Abby's convertible while the other is a tan-colored small SUV. "Man, Patton's car always looks like it's done a 24-hour mud rally or something." Hoagie says jokingly as he points at the dirt covered SUV. He then rolls the van on to the driveway and takes out his smartphone. "Check this out." he taps the screen, and the garage door opens, causing Wally to chuckle.
"Don't tell me ya rigged this whole house or something?"
"Well, mom's always at work so I'm in charge of the house. The burglar alarm is connected to my phone if you're asking about that."
"Wait, you're in charge? Where's your Dad?" Hoagie's expression changes slightly as he turns off the van.
"He…he died when I was little."
"Aw crud, sorry, I didn't know." Unexpectedly, Hoagie simply smiles at him as they climb out.
"It's okay. That was a long time ago anyway." he then quickly changes the subject and points at something covered by a small tarp. "Oh yeah, I found this from the junkyard a week ago. Pretty cool huh?" Hoagie pulls off the tarp, revealing a slightly worn-out drum set.
"I didn't know ya played instruments."
"Yeah, I've always been more of a singer myself but when I saw this baby at the junkyard I couldn't resist. I just got new tension rods for the snare and bass, so I can start jamming! I already bought some books so I can practice." Hoagie explains excitedly.
Then Wally remembers what he found in his room. "Ya know, I used to play electric guitar as kid. I got a Stratocaster for my birthday a few years back. We could totally play some time." his suggestion makes Hoagie grin.
"Heck yeah! We can start a garage band! You did play a pretty good tune in the band club's room during the first week." Their excitement is broken when the door between the garage and the laundry room is flung open by an irate Abby.
"What the heck took ya so long Hoagie?!"
"Hey, you don't have to shout! We just got here."
"Right. Will you too come in already? Everybody's waiting." Abby turns around and walks away swiftly, leaving the two boys dumbfounded.
"What's her problem?"
"I dunno. Something must've happened. Anyway, let's go inside." Hoagie leads Wally out of the garage, through the laundry room to the kitchen. From there they walk to the stairs and descend down in to the basement where the others are waiting. Abby is lying on the right-hand sofa with her arms crossed while Kuki, Fanny, Patton and Rachel have formed circle from the bean bags and sit silence.
"Uhm, what's goin on here?" Hoagie asks cautiously when Kuki notices the boys standing in the doorway and comes to greet them.
"Hey guys!" She stops in-front of Wally who tries to look away, but her piercing smile is too much.
Hoagie chuckles and nudges Wally with his shoulder, irritating him. "Dude, are ya still cold or something? You're stiff as a board."
"Shut up."
Hoagie rolls his eyes and looks around the room. "So, what's with this funeral atmosphere?"
"Rachel and Abby can't agree on where we'll hold the birthday party…" Kuki whispers.
"What? I thought we agreed to hold it at the Point?"
"That's what Abby's been tellin' but Miss Perfect over there says it ain't gonna work!" Abby hisses from the sofa.
"Because it won't work. Besides, Nigel would figure it out if it we held it there anyway." Rachel replies sternly.
"We agreed on this a long time ago and now you're backing out because of that? Abby's starting to think you've got something else planned for him!" her remark startles Rachel slightly and she stands up, her cheeks slowly turning red.
"I…I don't! How can you even accuse me of that!" Rachel shouts as Fanny comes to her side to back Rachel up.
"Oi, don't start accusin' her of anything!" As the three girls argue, Patton steps aside and joins Kuki and the boys.
"Abby's been seeing red ever since Rachel disagreed with her and she hasn't let Rachel explain her point of view at all. Not the way I thought this meeting would go…" he says to the other boys who nod silently.
"Yeah, I thought this was gonna be a chill afternoon. We aren't getting anything done if they keep arguing like this."
"Can't we just hold the party here?" Wally says bluntly, surprising Hoagie and Patton.
"Here? Dude, we can't hold it in this dump!"
"I dunno, I think this place would be pretty cool to hold a party. Ya don't have to pay for anything." Wally shrugs and looks around the basement as does Hoagie, who realizes what Wally means.
"Hmm…since you put it like that…" he takes a deep breath and shouts at the girls. "Hey, will you guys stop fighting already?!"
"Huh?!" Both Abby and Fanny give him a murderous glare while Kuki and Rachel are startled.
"Uhm…" Hoagie's hesitation irritates Abby even further.
"Ya got a better idea then?!" she says coldly.
"Wally suggested we hold it here at my place."
"Hey!" Before Wally can protest, Hoagie quickly pulls him aside.
"Shush, just go with it. We aren't getting anything done if we can't break up that fight." he turns around cautiously. "So, what do you think?"
"Here?! Are you nuts?!"
"You boys want to hold it in this basement? Why that's the stupidest thing I've ever…" Fanny's incoming insult is stopped by Rachel, who nods at Hoagie.
"I think it's a great idea." Her words only make Abby angrier.
"Of course, ya do!" She then turns her rage at Hoagie, who takes a step back. "Don't tell me your takin' his side?!" Then Rachel puts herself between Abby and a visibly scared Hoagie.
"No one is taking any sides Abby! Will you please let me speak?!" Rachel yells so loud she silences the others before taking a deep breath. "The Point is closed this weekend."
"What? Maurice said it was open!"
"Their electricity got cut because of faulty wiring this morning and they need time to fix it! That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time, but you didn't give me a chance to explain!" Rachel shouts, silencing Abby, who realizes she overreacted for nothing.
"Aw man…what the heck was Abby makin' a fuss about then?" she slumps down on one of the beanbags and covers her face from embarrassment.
"It's okay Abby, it's mostly my fault. I should've messaged you and everybody else about it earlier. We've just been so busy with Stu Co things so I forgot…" Abby lets out another sigh, slaps her hands together and gets up.
"Sorry I got mad guys…Abby's…been really lookin' forward to have the party there…" Kuki takes hold of her hands and smiles brightly.
"Cheer up Abby! We're gonna make the best party Nigel's ever gonna have!"
"You're right Kuki…"
"So, let's get to planning!" Rachel declares and the other teens nod in unison and huddle into a circle.
...
Later that evening, a tired Rachel is sitting in her quarters at the Cleve base, staring silently at her computer. "Sigh...maybe I should go to sleep..." she thinks but then, she gets a transmission. "Moonbase?" Then, a familiar face appears on her screen.
"Evening, Rachel." A cheerful Eliza waves at her friend, prompting Rachel to salute her immediatly.
"Supreme Commander!"
"Hey, you don't have to do that when we're off duty."
"Ah, sorry, Eliza, force of habit. So, what is it?"
"Well, you're not gonna believe this, but TND Global Command ordered me to take a 4 day vacation." a dissatisfied Eliza explains.
"But that's great. You've been overworking yourself too much anyway. A few days out of the Moonbase will do good to you. Trust me."
"I haven't been overworking, Rachel! Gosh, everyone saying the same thing...I don't even know what to do for four days..." Eliza pouts angrily as Rachel remembers what day is coming up.
"Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't you come to Cleve?"
"Cleve? But I can do that any time."
"Aren't you forgetting what day it is on Friday?" Rachel's question silences Eliza for a few seconds but then, she connects the dots.
"Nigel's birthday! Argh, I've been so busy I totally forgot."
"We're going to hold a surpise party for him at Numbuh 2's house. You should totally come there." Rachel says enthusiastically but Eliza starts to hesitate.
"Uhm...I don't know...is it really okay? They don't remember me and Nigel doesn't like the way act around him."
"It's gonna be fine. Patton and I'll be there to back you up. Come on, you haven't seen Sector V together in a year."
"...okay...Yeah, you're right. Ah, now I need to figure out what to wear and get a present for Nigel. Oh right, I need to call Aunt Margie too and..." Eliza's eyes light up as she starts rambling.
"Hah-hah-hah! Okay, I need to get some sleep, so I'll leave you to it. See ya on Friday."
"...Right! Bye-bye!" Eliza hangs up and Rachel leans back on her seat as a warm smile creeps on her face.
...
The boy has a dream: his body feel heavy, as if all of his strength is gone. Then, just as he is about to fall on his back four other people surround him and catch him. Despite not seeing their faces, the boy can tell they've been with him for a long time.
It's 08:33 AM as Nigel wakes up from a well slept night. For the last two weeks, he has spent more time at the Student Council room than anywhere else, as he has assisted in the investigation regarding Ernest and his stepfather. He yawns loudly and looks at the time from his wristwatch, still in his arm. "Oh, I must've been more tired than I thought…" He mutters and gets up, takes his clothes and slowly makes his way to the bathroom. Then he walks downstairs where both of his parents are having breakfast.
"Good morning, Nigel. And happy birthday!" his mother, Margaret Uno greets him as she pours tea to her husband's teacup.
"Thanks mom…" Nigel replies and sits down next his father who seems more excited than usual.
"Well Nigel old bean, how does it feel to be 16?"
"I don't know Dad…I haven't had the time to think about it. I've been so busy with the Student Council I almost forgot today was my birthday…" Nigel replies sluggishly as Monty Uno chuckles and pats his son on the back.
"Hah-haa, well don't worry Nigel, I can guarantee that today will be a day you will never forget. Once you've eaten your breakfast, come to the ol' garage. I've got something special prepared for you." Monty stands up and walks towards the garage, humming a tune.
"Doesn't he seem a bit…too excited this early in the morning?" Nigel says as he begins eating his breakfast.
"Oh, he hasn't been able to contain himself all night. He's planned this surprise for months now, you know?"
"Nigel old bean, are you coming?" Monty shouts from the garage.
"Dad, I haven't even finished breakfast yet!"
"Ah yes of course. Don't take too long son!" Nigel chuckles as he takes a bite from his toast as Margaret sits down opposite to him and drinks her tea.
"Ah, before I forget, your cousin Eliza is coming for a visit today."
"WHAT?!*COUGH*!" Nigel shouts as he nearly chokes on his toast.
"Why yes. I had a talk with my brother over the phone the other day and he mentioned that Eliza was visiting some friends here in the US so I just had to invite her over. She'll be staying for the weekend."
"Great…" Nigel rolls his eyes and finishes eating his toast.
"Oh, don't be like that Nigel. It's not every day you get to see your only cousin."
"But she always makes fun of me!"
"That was when you were younger Nigel. I hear she's grown into very attractive young lady."
"Need I remind you that last year she made a three-page list of all the things she didn't like about me!"
"Oh Nigel, you have no sense of humor. That list was done with good intentions. Now finish your breakfast, your father is waiting."
"Yes, of course…" Nigel begrudgingly drinks his morning tea and leaves the kitchen. He walks across the living room and opens the door leading to the garage, where Monty is standing in-front of a large object covered by a black tarp.
"There you are Nigel old bean! Are you ready for your big birthday surprise?" Monty says excitedly.
"I guess…"
"Wonderful! Now put out your hand, son." Nigel does as he's told and extends his hand forward and a smiling Monty gives him an open envelope. Nigel seems puzzled at first but when puts his hand inside it, his expression changes. His fingers wrap around two objects, and he pulls them out of the envelope.
"No way!" In his hand is a driver's license and a set of car keys. "My license! I thought it was supposed to arrive next week."
"*chuckle*, it arrived yesterday son. I wanted to give it on your birthday you see." Monty says with pride.
"I…I don't know what to say…thank you dad…"
"Now, close your eyes son. There is still one more present for you." Nigel closes his eyes as Monty removes the tarp. "Ta-daa!" As Nigel opens his eyes, he sees a small, red and black car standing before him. It has a black hood and a black roof but the rest of the car is painted red while four large headlights are mounted on the hood.
"A…Mini?"
"That's right son. A Mini is the perfect first car to own. Take it from your old man." Monty puffs his chest while Nigel feels conflicted. On the one hand he is happy to finally get a car but the fact it's a Mini, stifles his joy slightly. However, he can't bear to complain after seeing his father so happy.
"Thanks Dad. I didn't expect this kind of a present."
"Hahaa, surprised you, didn't I? This Mini is a rally model so it has bit more oohmp than normal Minis. I ordered her all the way from England you see. And from today onwards, she is yours, son. Oh, would you look at the time. You'll be late from if you don't get a move on."
"Yes, of course." Nigel goes upstairs to pick up his school bag and returns to the garage as his father opens the large sliding door. Nigel then gets in the driver's seat and starts up the little car. "At least it's a new model..." he mutters.
…
The school day is as hectic as ever. Nigel spends all the free time he has in the Student Council as he writes a detailed report regarding the Football Team and the events of the Sports Festival. The lessons go by quickly as his mind is filled with nothing but the report. In fact, he's so consumed by his work that he hasn't even seen any of his friends. The clock hits 2 in the afternoon as the bell rings, startling Nigel. He removes his sunglasses and lets out a loud yawn as he finishes his work and puts his laptop into his bag before walking out of the Stu Co room. As he makes his way down the stairs, he runs into Rachel who has just finished her last lesson for the day. "Oh, sorry Rachel, I didn't see you there."
"Don't apologize Nigel. I wasn't looking where I was going."
"I see…" Nigel yawns again, worrying Rachel.
"How long have you been sitting the Stu Co room today?"
"Ah, I can't remember. I've been so busy trying to write the final report…*yawn*."
"You shouldn't over work yourself. It's your birthday after all."
"Oh right. Yes, I think I'll go home now and rest…"
"Take care Nigel and…happy birthday."
"Thank you, Rachel." Nigel nods and heads towards the main entrance.
As Rachel looks on, she takes out her phone and makes a call. "Yeah Abby, it's me. He's just left the school. Got it, I'll come over as soon I can. Oh, and tell everybody that there's a special guest coming there too. Okay, I'll see you guys then, bye." she hangs up and starts climbing up the stairs.
…
It's now 4 PM and Nigel is lying on the living room sofa by himself. His parents haven't come home from work which he finds unusual since normal at least one of them is home at this time. Then, his phone begins to vibrate. "Hoagie?" he mutters and answers the call. "Hello?"
"Ah Nigel! Finally, I got through! Hey, can you help me out?"
"What do you need?"
"Uhm, I kinda locked myself in my basement…"
"What?!"
"Yeah, sounds ridiculous, I know. I must've flipped the latch up by accident or something…"
"You are unbelievable. How can I get in if the front door is locked?"
"I can open it with my phone, but the basement door doesn't have an electric lock. Come on, help me out. Tommy isn't answering his phone, and neither is mom."
"Of course, I will Hoagie, I'll be there in a jiffy with my car."
"Thanks man. You gotta let me see the car when you get here."
"Yeah, yeah, just wait, I'll leave immediately." Nigel ends the call and goes to get his shoes and dark gray jacket before running to the garage, where he gets in his new Mini and drives away. In 5 minutes, he reaches the Gilligan's house and notices that there are no lights on. He walks to the front door, takes out his phone and sends a message to Hoagie, who immediately replies and opens the door. Nigel then realizes that the lights aren't working either but eventually, he reaches the stairs leading to the basement and goes down into the darkness, where he finds the basement door and knocks on it. "Hoagie? I'm here. I couldn't put on any lights, is there something else wrong with your house?"
"Uhm, yeah, the transformer must've short-circuited or something. Just open the door will ya?"
Nigel huffs but as he is about to open the door, something grabs him from behind. "Huh?! Wha…?!" Before he can say anything, the door opens, and he is pushed into the dark basement. "What is the meaning of this?!" Nigel shouts furiously but then the lights come back, blinding him for a split-second. Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIGEL!" his friends have formed a semi-circle around him, stunning Nigel.
"Wha…What are you guys doing here?!"
"Come on Nigel, did ya honestly think we wouldn't hold a birthday party for ya?" Abby puts her hand on the dumbstruck Nigel's right shoulder.
"A party? For me? But I…"
"You've been so busy with the Student Council, so we decided to throw an extra big party for you. You deserve it."
"Well, I'm honored Kuki, but I don't remember ever even having a birthday party before…"
"Hey, don't worry. Abby doesn't either."
Rachel twitches slightly and thern puts her hand on Nigel's left shoulder. "Then let's make this the best birthday you'll ever have Nigel!"
Nigel chuckles and looks around: The entire basement has been decorated with balloons, flags and a large banner above the sofas which reads "Happy Birthday Nigel!". He then looks back at his smiling friends. "But why hold it here?"
"Well, originally we were gonna hold it at the Point but then we…chose Hoagie's place instead." Abby nudges Kuki who immediately grabs Wally by the arm and pulls him closer to everyone else.
"It was Wally's idea to hold it here! He said this place was cool!" Wally tries to protest to Kuki grabbing him but then nods at Nigel.
"Well, you couldn't have picked a better place."
"Yeah, my place is pretty cool isn't?" Hoagie puffs his chest slightly. "Come on guys, let's get this party started!" he shouts, and everyone laughs, apart from Wally who smiles awkwardly, having never been in a party like this before. Everyone sits down on the ring of beanbags and Hoagie takes a tray full of various snacks and puts it in the middle as Rachel addresses the group.
"Why don't we give out the presents first?"
"Yay, let's do it!" Kuki says excitedly.
"Don't tell me you got me presents too? This is too much…"
"It's not a birthday if you don't get any presents, silly!" Kuki replies and pulls out a small box wrapped in red paper. "Open mine first!" she hands the box over to Nigel who nods and removes the wrapping, but its contents puzzle him.
"What is this?" he takes off the lid and pulls out a red Rainbow Monkey wearing black sunglasses, which causes Rachel and Fanny to immediately fawn over the stuffed toy.
"Oh my gosh it's so cute!"
"It's even got tiny sunglasses!"
"Yes Fanny, I noticed…well uhm…thank you Kuki, but why a Rainbow Monkey?"
"I was feeling nostalgic!" Kuki says with a cheerful smile, causing Nigel to do the same.
"Ah yes…" Nigel puts the doll back into its box and places the box on the floor.
"You know, Wally has a Rainbow Monkey in his room too!" Kuki points at Wally, who immediately turns red, while the others snicker.
"Ohh…so you hatin' them is just an act', huh?"
"What?! That's not true! It wasn't mine! YOU gave it to me!" Wally furiously points at Kuki, who giggles as Hoagie takes his present from his back pocket.
"Here you go, buddy."
"Thanks…" Nigel unwraps it and is pleasantly surprised. "A Swiss Army Knife? I've never had one before."
"Heh, I was planning to get you a headlamp but since you're using a car now, a Swiss Army Knife was the better choice."
"That's really good thinking Hoagie." Rachel says as she watches Nigel take the knife from the box.
"It's got 20 different functions, including a flashlight and a magnifying glass."
"This is really impressive. I'll have to start keeping it in my pocket from now on."
"Open ours next! It's from me and Patton." Fanny rather forcefully hands him a box, wrapped in green paper.
"Let's see…oh, is this a new school bag?"
"Bingo. We couldn't decide what to buy so we bought that together…and because Fanny couldn't afford it herself."
"Hey! We agreed not to mention that, stupid!" Fanny yells at Patton who just chuckles.
"Thanks guys, I've wanted to get a new one for a while now." Nigel smiles and puts the bag away as Rachel gives him a small box.
"Mine's next."
"Thanks Rachel…wow, you didn't have to get me this!" Nigel opens the box and realizes it is a silver wristwatch.
"Damn, that thing must've cost a fortune!" Hoagie eyes the shiny watch while the others are equally surprised.
"How did you afford that?"
"Well Kuki, I've been saving for that for a while now. Since it's your 16th birthday, I thought I'd give you something special."
"But really, you shouldn't have. I'm afraid to even use it because it looks so expensive."
"Don't worry, it's durable and water proof." Nigel thanks her again puts the watch back into its box.
"Heh, he has 3 watches already. At this rate, he's gonna run out of space on his wrist." Hoagie chuckles and nudges Wally, who grins faintly.
Then, Abby adjusts her hat slightly and offers her present. "Here ya go, hope ya like it…" she says, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Thanks Abby…oh, I didn't expect this…a scarf." Nigel removes the papers and takes out a red and gray scarf.
"Oh, that's so cute! Where did you get that?!"
"Uhm…made it myself…"
"Really? I didn't know you could knit. I was 100% certain you'd get him a CD, like you did last year, and for Christmas…OW!" Abby elbows Hoagie while Nigel chuckles.
"Well, there's a lot of things ya don't know about me!" She says as her embarrassment grows.
"Oh, let's make more scarfs! I love making clothes!" Kuki shouts excitedly as Abby looks away.
"Uhm, yeah sure…"
"Thank you very much Abby, this'll go perfectly with my winter coat." Nigel wraps the scarf around his neck.
"I'm glad ya like it…" Then, everyone's eyes turn expectantly to Wally, who has remained quiet.
"Wha…what are you all starin' at?!"
"We're waiting for you give your present to Nigel, or did ye not bring any?" Fanny crosses her arms, and the others stare at him.
"Of course, I got one!" Wally's shouts and hands Nigel a small, flat present. "Couldn't really afford anything fancy like you guys did so uh…there…" Nigel rips the paper off and his eyes widen. In his hand, is the picture Sydney showed to Wally before, but framed.
"This…this is…where did you…" Nigel is left speechless, as the others gather around him to see the picture.
"Hey, that's me!" Hoagie shouts.
"Man, Abby's teeth look horrible…"
"I'm there too!"
"I ehm…my dad showed me that photo from an old album my mom keeps. I asked him to copy and frame it…"
"I…don't know what to say…huh?" Nigel's eyes tear up, but he doesn't understand why. "Wha…why am I…" Nigel tries to wipe the tears away but the picture makes him feel both happy and sad. A fuzzy memory fills his mind, but he can't recall it.
"Aw…don't cry…" Kuki eyes begin filling with tears.
"Yeah, if you keep crying like you're gonna…make…us…" Hoagie removes his goggles and wipes his eyes into his wrist while Abby lowers her hat to over her eyes.
"What? Did I screw up?"
"No Wally, it's just that this picture…it's nostalgic somehow yet…I can't remember this…"
"Hey, why the heck are ya all cryin' like that?" Rachel stops Fanny from speaking with a glare, but she is still confused. Rachel then exchanges looks with Patton, who nods to her and they stay silent. After a few seconds, the others calm down and Nigel puts his glasses back on.
"Sorry about that…I don't know what got to me. Thank you for this Wally, this is a really great present."
"Sure, no problem."
"Wally, can I get copy too?!"
"Abby wants one too."
"Me three!"
"Fine by me." Wally shrugs as Rachel then lifts her glass.
"Let's have a toast for Nigel, okay?"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIGEL! CHEERS!" His friends shout as Nigel nods and takes a drink from his glass of cherry soda.
Suddenly, Rachel's phone starts ringing in her pocket and she quickly answers. "Hello? Oh, hi! You're early…Okay, I'll tell them. See ya in a sec." she puts down her phone as the others become curious.
"Who was it?" Kuki asks.
"Our special guest. Hoagie, can you get the lights back up in the main house? I'll go open the door."
"Sure, follow me." Hoagie leads Rachel out of the basement. After a few seconds, he frantically runs back down the stairs. "OH MY GOD!"
"The heck are ya yellin' for?" Abby lifts an eyebrow as Hoagie catches his breath.
"*pant* There's a seriously cute girl at the door, like SERIOUSLY cute!"
"Well, do tell…" Abby is not amused by Hoagie's enthusiasm
Then, Rachel returns as well but behind her is an attractive 17-year-old girl with long orange hair tied into a ponytail and a beauty mark on her right cheek. She is wearing a white and green blouse, a white skirt and green shoes and a white purse hangs on her left shoulder. However, her most striking feature is her heterochromia as her left eye is blue with an enlarged iris and the right eye is green. Nigel immediately recognizes her, and his face turns sour. "I should've known."
"Huh, you know her?" Wally asks as the girl looks around.
"Hmm, this a pretty cool looking place. I was a bit skeptical when Rachel said you were holding the party in a basement. I'll give it an 8/10."
"Why thank you!" Hoagie is over the moon by the girl's compliment while Abby gets more and more annoyed by Hoagie's fawning.
"Ehem, this is my older cousin from my mother's side, Eliza Solis."
"A pleasure to meet you all. Oh, and please, call me Ellie. But really Nigel, I'm only a year older than you so it's not that big of a difference."
"Haah…right. These are my friends."
"I'm Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr. but you can call me Hoagie." Hoagie winks at Eliza who chuckles while Abby is not amused.
"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Kuki Sanban!" Kuki says excitedly as Eliza smiles back
"The feeling is mutual, Kuki."
"Wallabee Beetles but Wally's fine." Wally says nonchalantly.
"Wallabee huh? That's a cute name."
"You think so too?! I think it's adorable." Kuki nods, causing Wally to look away in embarrassment while Eliza laughs.
"Heh, you two seem close."
"He transferred here at the start of the school year, and he's been with us since then!" Kuki replies while pulling a blushing Wally closer again
"That's wonderful! Nigel, why haven't you told me you've made more friends?"
"Because I don't feel obligated to tell you everything that goes on in my life." an annoyed Nigel mutters.
"But we're cousins, right? I message you every now and then so you should too."
"You only send mail when you want something, Eliza."
"Well, that still counts, doesn't it?" Eliza shrugs, irritating Nigel even more.
"Then I suppose you'll tell me how you know Rachel?"
"We met during summer vacation in Canada. We've been BFFs ever since then. I know Patton and Fanny through her too." Eliza hugs a slightly embarrassed Rachel.
"I see…" Eliza giggles as she let's go of Rachel and turns her attention towards Abby, who has remained silent.
"That only leaves you." Abby lifts her head and stands up.
"Abigail Lincoln but my friends call me Abby."
"Hmm…judging by the look in your eyes, I'd better use Abigail then. Not that I mind, Abigail is a wonderful name." Eliza replies, completely unfazed by Abby's cold demeanor.
"Why thank you…" Abby says stoically but Eliza smiles back and sits on a bean bag as the others sit down as well.
"So where are you from, what school do you go to, what are your three…Ouch!" Abby elbows Hoagie, causing Eliza to break out in laughter.
"Hah-hah, you're really funny, Hoagie. I'm from England originally."
"England? Then where's your accent?" Hoagie says while holding his side.
"I was raised in Canada you see, that's why I don't have it, unlike Nigel."
"Yes, well it can't be helped if both of my parents have it…"
"I didn't say it was a bad thing."
"Right…" Nigel crosses his arms while Eliza adjusts her posture and crosses her legs, causing Hoagie to ogle her even more.
"Oh, I almost forgot, here you go Nigel." Eliza reaches down to her purse and hands Nigel a tall, neatly wrapped package. "Happy birthday." She smiles as Nigel looks on with slight distrust.
"Thank you…huh? Hair conditioner?!" he takes the pink bottle out of the box and looks at it in disbelief while Hoagie, Wally, Kuki and Patton try to hold their laughter. "This isn't funny! Have you forgotten that I AM BALD!" Eliza breaks out in laughter, followed by Hoagie, Kuki, Wally, Patton and Fanny while Rachel tries to contain herself, but Abby remains silent.
"Hah-hah-haaaa…Oh Nigel, you still don't have a sense of humor. That's not meant for you."
"Huh?"
"I brought that for Aunt Margaret, but I didn't have time to wrap it, so I just put it in there. Make sure you give it to her later."
"HAHAHAHAAA, oh man, that's hilarious…" Hoagie laughs so hard he falls on his back while Wally and Kuki laugh hysterically.
"Yes, yes, it's very funny…You never get tired of these pranks, last year it was the list, now this. If it's not the conditioner, then what is it? This box by itself?"
"Oh please, what do you take me for? Your present is at the bottom."
"What?" Nigel puts his hand into the box and feels a paper-like object lying against the side of the box. "A card?" He pulls a pink envelope out of it and looks at his cousin with distrust.
"You're so paranoid Nigel. Just open it. I'm sure you'll like it."
"Right…wha…this is…this is an all-expenses paid one-day and night trip to the Hydro World In-door Water Park and Resort." he looks at the printed paper that was neatly folded inside the envelope.
"WHAT?!" Kuki and Hoagie shout in unison and take a closer look. "Dude, Hydro World? Man, you're lucky!"
"What the crud is that?"
"Haven't you heard of Hydro World? It was opened a year ago and it's now the number one water park in the state! Oh, I've always wanted to go there but it's always booked full…" Kuki says as Nigel reads the whole paper.
"The trip includes 8 1-day tickets to the water park, free use of the spa, an all you can eat buffet and the group suite."
"HUH?! No way!" Hoagie shouts.
"How did manage to pay for all of this?" Nigel asks Eliza, who huffs nonchalantly.
"My dad got it for me. He has connections."
"Wow that's so cool…" Kuki says in awe as Hoagie shows the paper to both Wally and Abby.
"Man, did she reserve this for us?"
"We gotta go there, Nigel! Your cousin's the best!" Hoagie's complement makes Eliza blush slightly, as Abby glares at him.
"Heh, you're giving me too much credit. I just wanted to get something special for my dear cousin's 16th birthday. Though I wasn't sure how big your group of friends was, so I played it safe. Feel free to use them, they can be used at anytime. If you wanna make the reservation, just mention my surname to them and they'll know what to do." Eliza winks at Nigel, while Hoagie reads through the paper one more time.
"Dude, we gotta make the reservation! Imagine, an all you can eat buffet for free! AND a big suite!" Hoagie exclaims as Nigel is genuinely surprised by the present.
"I…I guess I owe you an apology for shouting just now…"
"Oh Nigel, don't worry about that. I'm just glad you liked my present."
"For the first time…"
"What? You didn't like the self-improvement list I made you last year?"
"Self-improvement list? All you did was write a three-page essay on all my flaws! What part of that was self-improvement?!"
"No way, you actually did that? I thought you were joking when you mentioned it." Rachel asks, as the others except Abby start snickering again.
"I just wanted to give you a present that was helpful. I poured 2 weeks of my time to make it, you know."
"Of course, you did…"
"Nigel, you should lighten up a little. Don't be so grumpy during your own birthday. By the way, where do you have the snacks?" Eliza ignores Nigel's attempt to retort and turns towards Rachel.
"Oh, they're right here. Help yourself." Eliza smiles and walks over to the snack table between the sofas, leaving Nigel dumbfounded.
"Why does she always do that…" he mutters and takes a sip from his glass. Noticing the icy atmosphere, Hoagie nudges Wally.
"Hey man, you wanna play something? I got all my consoles here." He points at the TV stand, getting Wally's attention.
"What do ya got?"
"Oh, I got loads. Come on." Wally stands up and follows him to the TV corner.
"Ooh, video games! I wanna play too!" Kuki runs over to the boys and looks over Hoagie's shoulder as he kneels down in-front of the stand.
"Let's see here…I got Fist of Iron…Great Tour…Boom Bang…"
"I thought ya said ya had loads? Those are super old."
"Well sorry for respecting classics. My brother hogs the newer one, so I gotta make do with this for now."
"Fine, let's play Fist of Iron."
"2 or 3?"
"3, I know the combos for that game." Hoagie nods as he puts the disc into the old console and as the start-up screen appears on the TV screen, the boys sit down on beanbags to play.
"Let me play too!" An excited Kuki appears behind them.
"Yeah, of course. We'll just play a few matches first." Hoagie says over his shoulder.
"Okidoki!" Kuki says happily and goes to the snack table to pick up a bowl of popcorn.
"Does she even know how to play?" Wally whispers.
"Let me put it this way, she unlocked all characters in one sitting, for both 2 and 3."
"Huh? No way, you're joking."
"Trust me, me and Abby watched her do it. She is merciless."
"We'll just see about that."
"Don't say I didn't warn ya." Hoagie says as Kuki runs back to the TV corner and sits down on a beanbag next to Wally. As they start playing, Abby looks on from the couch as Nigel sits down on the opposite sofa while Eliza converses with Rachel and Fanny.
"I never imagined she'd become friends with Rachel…" he takes a deep breath and notices Abby tenseness. "What's wrong Abby?"
"Nothin'…"
"Sorry about Eliza, she's a bit of a character."
"Yeah, I noticed…"
"But she's not a bad person. She's just a bit unique. Did you know she's never had a boyfriend? She says it's because she's never met anyone who is up to her standards."
"Oh, Abby can believe that. Too bad somebody else hasn't realized that yet." Abby mutters as she glares at Hoagie, still irked over his fawning.
"Nigel, what are you doing sitting there? You're the birthday boy." Eliza walks over to his sofa and sits down next to Nigel.
"I am allowed to sit, aren't I?"
"Oh, stop that. You're making it sound like I make all the rules." Eliza jokingly slaps Nigel's shoulder. "But really, I'm super glad you got so many friends now! I remember you used to be so lonely back in middle school."
"Is that so…" But before neither can say anything, Rachel gives Eliza a tense glare.
"Oh well, anyway, you should value them."
"I do. More than you could ever know. Even if I don't remember everything…" Nigel's comment causes Eliza to tense up, which doesn't go unnoticed by Abby, but their chat is interrupted by shouting from the TV corner.
"WHAT THE CRUD WAS THAT?!" Wally is standing up as Kuki giggles next to him, controller in hand.
"I told ya, she's good."
"How the crud did you K.O me in 1 hit?!"
"It's a secret." Her smile infuriates Wally even more.
"Oh, it's on now! I'm gonna mop the floor with ya!"
"Bring it on!" Kuki says playfully as they start another match, but the result is the same.
"HOW AM I LOSING TO POLAR BEAR?!" Wally's reaction causes both Hoagie and Kuki to laugh at him which catches the attention of the others.
"Looks like they're having fun." Nigel takes another sip from his glass as Hoagie waves to them.
"Hey guys, you gotta come and see this! Wally's getting his ass kicked by a polar bear with boxing gloves!"
"IT'S NOT FUNNY! Come on, rematch!"
"Okidoki!" They're intense fight piques both Patton's and Fanny's attention and they join them in the corner.
"Oh man, I forgot you had Fist of Iron here. I used to play that all the time as a kid." Patton sits down behind Hoagie while Fanny loudly roots for Kuki. As their fight's go on, eventually, everyone has gathered around the TV. After an hour of continuous defeats, Wally nearly throws the controller across the room.
"How the crud did you beat me 39 times in a row?!" his overreaction causes the others to laugh, while Kuki giggles. "Bah, enough, I'm done with this cruddy game!"
"Aw come on, one more 'best of 3', please?" Kuki's pleading eyes cause Wally to blush and he notices the others looking at him.
"Yeah, you gonna refuse her?" Abby says slyly, while Hoagie snickers.
"How can you refuse such an innocent request?" Eliza says and points at Kuki.
"Gah…fine…" Wally mutters and picks up the controller.
"Yay! I'm gonna beat my record if I win!" Kuki says cheerfully while Wally rolls his eyes. As the game begins, everyone expects Wally to lose in one hit, but to their surprise, he manages to dodge this time, stunning Kuki. He then does the impossible and wins without taking a single hit, silencing everyone.
"Wha…what the crud did I just…?"
"You…beat her?" Hoagie's jaw drops while Kuki has an eerie smile on her face.
"It's okay, that was just the first round…"
Nigel, sitting behind her, can sense a threatening aura emitting from Kuki. "Uhm…is it just me or does Kuki look…angry?" he nudges Abby.
"She got caught with her pants down. There's no way she backin' out now…" she replies silently as the second round begins. In a twist of fate, Wally manages to win, despite having just 2% HP. Again, the room falls silent as the screen shows "Samurai wins!"
"What the crud…?"
"Dude…you just beat her…you beat Kuki in Fist of Iron…WHOOOOO!"
"YOU BET YOUR CRUDDY ARSE I DID!" Hoagie and Wally start cheering loudly while Nigel and Abby try to talk to a speechless Kuki.
"Uhm Kuki? You there?"
"…how…how did I lose…No…that's impossible…I…never…lose…WALLY!" To everyone's shock, Kuki's face contorts to an Oni-like appearance. She then marches over to Wally, who dances and jumps around the room with Hoagie. "REMATCH…NOW!" Both boys are scared by her completely uncharacteristic tone of voice, especially Wally, who remembers Hoagie warning him about Kuki's tendency to snap but he holds his ground regardless.
"Hah, not gonna happen! I'm gonna enjoy this victory for the rest of this year!"
"THAT WAS LUCK! FIGHT ME AGAIN, NOW!"
"You gotta catch me first!"
"COME BACK HERE!" Kuki begins chasing Wally around the basement, as Eliza laughs wildly.
"HAHAHAH, Oh Nigel, your friends are hilarious!" She holds her stomach.
"Yes, they are." Nigel chuckles while Hoagie films the ongoing chase between Wally and a furious Kuki. Then, just she tackles him to the floor, Rachel approaches Nigel.
"Uhm…Nigel?"
"Hmm?"
"It's getting late so; we need to go."
"Really? I thought you'd stay overnight?"
"Sorry, but Fanny has a tight curfew and Eliza's staying over at my place for tonight, so we're taking Fanny home and then go to my place. Again, I'm sorry." Despite her sincerity, Nigel still feels slightly dejected that they must leave but he simply smiles and nods.
"It's okay. I understand." Rachel smiles back at him and turns her attention to Eliza, who is still giggling.
"Hey, Eliza, we're leaving."
"Aww, but it was just getting fun…" she points at Wally, who is struggling to break free from Kuki's grip.
"Will you let go you cruddy…!"
"NOT UNTIL I GET MY REMATCH!"
"NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" Wally shouts as Kuki's grip tightens, until he lets out a painful scream. "ARRGHHH! LET GO DAMMIT! MY RIBS ARE GONNA BREAK!" Realizing that Kuki is so consumed by her fury, first Hoagie and then Abby come to his aid, trying to force Kuki to release him.
"Come on Kuki, ya gotta let go! He's still recovering from surgery!"
"GET HER OFF ME!"
"We're trying! Man, she's not moving an inch!"
"I WANT MY REMATCH!" Now the others also join the fray with Nigel and Rachel grabbing Kuki's arms while Patton and Fanny grapple her from behind. However, they can't seem to dislodge her arms, causing Wally to squirm and scream in pain, as her grip is aggravating his wound even more. Then, Eliza takes the red Rainbow Monkey and wraps her fingers firmly around its neck.
"HEY! Look over here!" she manages to draw her to herself. "Let go or this toy gets it." she says coldly and to the disbelief of the others, her threat works and Kuki snaps back to her normal self, loosening her grip in the process.
Wally immediately crawls away from her and curls up on the floor, holding his side. "Aw crud it hurts…" he mutters as Nigel comes to his side.
"Hoagie, get some ice packs, hurry!" Hoagie nods and runs out of the basement as Patton and Abby help Wally to the sofa.
Kuki meanwhile is on her knees, completely confused. "Wha…what happened?" she asks as Fanny crosses her arms.
"Ya nearly sent Wally back to the hospital ya airhead. How can you get so mad over a videogame?"
"I…I don't know…wait, is Wally hurt?!" Kuki jumps up on her feet and runs to the sofa where Wally is lying. "OHMYGOSH I'm so sorry Wally! I didn't mean to hurt you…" she rambles as Wally continues to grasp his side.
"Remind me to never play video games with you again…" he tries to smile sarcastically. "And stop lookin' at me like that…This pain is nothin'…I can take it…" he grits his teeth as Kuki feels even more guilty.
"Ya heard him Kuki, don't worry. He's tough." Abby tries to console her friend as Hoagie returns with an ice pack.
"Here you go." he hands the pack to Wally who presses it against the wound.
Nigel meanwhile turns to Eliza. "Thanks for that Eliza. But how did you figure out how to calm her down?"
"I just had a hunch, that's all." she says nonchalantly as Rachel nudges her. "Uhm…well, I think you can take it from here…sorry to end the party like this…"
"Nonsense, we haven't even started!" Nigel says jokingly, causing Eliza to hug him.
"I'll say it again, happy birthday Nigel."
"Thank you, Eliza."
The cousins embrace for a moment and then Eliza lets go as Patton, Rachel and Fanny are already waiting at the basement staircase. Before she leaves however, Abby stops her. "Wait! I…I think we got off on the wrong foot…Ya can call me Abby too. I mighta had the wrong impression about ya…"
"Oh, don't worry about that, Abigail, and besides, I'd prefer to call you with your full name. It has a nice ring to it." Eliza says cheerfully, embarrassing Abby slightly.
"Fine…" she mutters and Eliza gives her a hug too.
"I'm glad Nigel has reliable friends like you. It really puts me at ease."
"HEY! Stop acting like my mother!" Nigel's reaction causes Abby and Eliza to giggle. She then waves to Kuki, Hoagie and Wally.
"You guys take care of him while I'm gone, okay?!"
"Oh, don't worry about that! We'll make sure he takes his naps and goes to potty while mommy's gone."
"HOAGIE!" Now everyone starts laughing at Hoagie's quip as Nigel's puts his hand over his face.
"And gets his bottle of milk when he's hungry!" Abby nudges a fuming Nigel as the others laugh even louder.
"Will you just go already…" Nigel glares at Eliza who just smiles at him.
"Hahaha, okay Nigie, mommy's gotta go now. Don't cause too much trouble for your babysitters." She says as she closes the door behind her, companied by continuous laughter. Nigel mutters to himself and takes a glass of cherry soda. Then, the five remaining friends continue to celebrate his birthday, albeit with Wally spending the whole evening on the sofa, unable to move.
…
Patton, with the girls sitting in the back seat, drives his SUV through the suburbs, towards the Fulbright residence. As he parks the car on the driveway, Fanny's dad is waiting on the porch.
"Oh no, daddy's here…drop me off, just drive away and don't stay for small talk. Daddy's probably fumin' that I'm 2 minutes past curfew…" Fanny whispers to the others as she opens the door. Patton nods to her from the driver's seat and floors the car right after Fanny jumps out, leaving her to deal with her irate father.
"*sigh* Argh, I hate acting like a rich girl in-front of Nigel and the others…" Eliza says as she stretches her legs.
"I know, but they don't remember you, so you can't act super familiar either."
"I wish we could just fix their memories already…"
"It was their choice to get Erased, remember? Besides, Numbuh Omicron hasn't gotten anywhere in his research either." Patton says from the driver's seat, causing both girls to frown sadly. Then, Eliza's communicator goes off and she takes it from her purse.
"Numbuh Alpha here."
"Yo, it's Numbuh Sigma. We just got an urgent message from Moonbase and they want you guys there ASAP. Pick me up from the bus stop, I'm going there too." Maurice answers and the teenagers can tell from his tone that something is wrong.
"Urgent? What do you mean?"
"No time to explain, Numbuh Epsilon. Just pick me up and let's go to the Portal Hub."
End of Transmission 9
Note: This was another lighthearted chapter. Fun fact, this is the point I originally stopped this fic, because I hadn't introduced Numbuh 10 in RETRIBTUTION yet, so I had to wait a long time before I could continue. Like mentioned in the previous chapter, chapter 10 won't be released until I've finished the required concept art.
If you understood what Fist of Iron, Grand Tour and Boom Bang were referencing, you grew up with the best videogame console.