Uh...hi. Sure has been a while since I showed up in this site huh?

So lately I've been going back to KND on HBO Max, and thought back to my old teen AU fanfiction from 7 years ago (wow that is OLD). And I still like the idea, but at the time got lost in tertiary ideas and didn't really have a plot in mind. And also cause, I couldn't really write back then.

That and while the out of character parts was the point, some of the stuff WAS too...fanfic-y in a cringe way.

But now I have actual OCs for that stuff, so I think this I can be more on track this time.

Ok enough talking. Time to actually start it...again.

I hope you enjoy it :)

PROLOUGE

Past

Recollection

Of

Loss

Opens

Up

Gruffer

Edges

Numbuh 86 looked down at the cupcake in front of her. Chocolate, her favorite, in a small wrapper decorated with little balloons and covered with red frosting. Atop the frosting, a small lit candle in the number 13.

She sat there on the table, just looking down at the burning candle, slowly thinking about the past few years of her life. Her Arctic training, her graduation, and how she worked her way up from a nurse, to the Head of Decommissioning, even up to Global Tactical Officer. So much has passed for her in 5 years. Now, all that work would be erased in the blink of an eye. She started to worry about what would happen afterwards. Her friendship with Rachel? Would she remember the other kids she met? What would she be like after?

"Fanny", Numbuh 86's thoughts were interrupted by the new head of decommissioning. Her successor, and younger brother, Numbuh 85. "Are you ready to go?"

"No" Fanny grumpily replied.

"Neither are most other kids." Paddy said followed by an awkward chuckle. He then walked over to his sister, still looking at her cupcake in a trance.

"You sure you don't want to give a farewell speech?"

"Yes. I've already said goodbye to my friends, I want to keep this private. And I'm pretty sure the rest of the Kids Next Door are glad to get rid of me."

"...Well, not ALL the rest of them" Paddy then took out a small wrapped box. "Here", he said as he slid it across the table to his older sister.

Fanny took the small box, with a curious and suspicious glance. She then unwrapped it to reveal inside, a thin chain with a golden Rainbow Monkey pendant.

Fanny gasped "The Golden Heart Friends Forever Rainbow Monkey Necklace. This hasn't even come out yet." She looked at her search brother across her "How did you get one?"

"Dad works at the Rainbow Monkey Corporation, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

Regardless, Fanny still looked down at the necklace, admiring it. "Wow. Kuki would flip if she saw this."

"She would. I wanted to give this to you early, while you might still enjoy it." Paddy then looked down sadly to the floor.

Fanny looked at her search brother for a moment. She slowly put the necklace around her neck and then came over to her brother and unexpectedly hugged him.

Paddy sat there slightly confused. "Uh... Fanny?"

"Thank you."

Paddy then looked a bit shocked, but then returned the hug. "You're welcome, big sis", he replied nervously.

Wow, Paddy thought as the 2 hugged for a while. Fanny's never like this.

"Tell anyone I did this and I'll kill ya."

THAT'S my sister, Paddy rolled his eyes, but still nodded, agreeing.

The Fulbrights let go of the embrace as Fanny stared back at her cupcake, the candle still flaming as bright as ever. Paddy looked up to his sister, remorse about their fate.

"Happy birthday, Fanny."

Fanny walked back over to the cupcake and, with one last long glance, blew out the candle. She then handed the cupcake over to her search brother.

"Here, have it. We're gonna have more back home anyway."

"Thanks...So, you ready?

Fanny sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Paddy then showed his sister the way to the decommissioning chamber, even though he knew she already knew the way.

"So this is what it's like to be on the other side of this", Fanny commented while Paddy strapped her down onto the chamber.

"Well, it's not great from my side either", Paddy sighed, tightening the last strap. "I'm gonna miss you Fanny."

"Ah it's not like I'm dying you big baby", Fanny rolled her eyes, annoyed. "I'm still gonna be here after this."

"Yeah but you'll be…different", Paddy looked down on the ground again. Fanny's irritation vanished, at least for a minute, before piping up again.

"Hey", that got Paddy's attention back up again. "You're still gonna be my annoying little brother. And I'm still gonna be your wiser and amazing older sister. That's something decommissioning never gonna change. Ok?"

Paddy looked for a moment, hesitant, but at least reassured enough that that fact was going to stay true. "Ok."

"Ok. Now come on and get it over with" Fanny braced herself for the plunger's impact. "Decommissioning isn't supposed to take a gajillion years."

"Right", Paddy nodded softly, and held a small box with a chocolate chip cookie for a button. The rest of the Decommissioning Squad watched as their Head stated, in a loud but shaky voice.

"Begin the process."

With the plunger ready to extract, Paddy looked at his sister one last time, and pushed the button.

'I'm gonna be fine', Fanny thought to herself, her last moment as an operative. 'I'm gonna lose some memories, sure, but I'll still be fine. I'll still be a loyal bystander, out of the way of the cause. No harm to the KND done.'

'After all…'

And the plunger came soaring directed at Fanny's face.

'How different could I even BE?'

So, this and the next 2 chapters are sort of similar to the first draft, because I think those are relatively fine. It's around chapter 4 where things start nore over from scratch.

I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and please review. Reviews are always appreciated :)