Author Notes - Now it's time for that part in every Guppies story I seem to write: the part where it all goes wrong and everyone is sad about it.

CHAPTER TWO - NOT TO PLAN

'... once upon a time! (Once upon a time) With a hero who won't fail. Just please don't leave out… once upon a time!'

It didn't take too long for the Guppies to set up everything. The decorations were hung, the tables and chairs were out, and the bowls and plates were filled with all sorts of party food (though Nonny insisted that everything be under lids for hygiene purposes).

'Now this is how we celebrate the last day of school!' Gil said, looking around. 'This is gonna be one heck of a party!'

'There's something I-' Nonny tried to say.

'Crank that music up, baby!' Deema yelled.

Zooli nodded. 'Cranking the music up!'

It wasn't just work music anymore, so Zooli turned it all the way up. Just loud enough that it wouldn't bother Nonny. The fairy tale song ended, and the next one played nice and loud.

'So there's a job to do, a pretty big one too…'

'Oh, I love this one!' Goby said, lifting his head up from his drawing for just a moment. 'This is the one where Gil and I did that awesome rap, right?'

'I think this one's my favourite of the whole second album!' Zooli said. 'Oh, but I really like Bugging Out. And the cowgirl one's really good too!'

'Yeah, our second album was pretty good,' Molly said, getting herself a cup of punch. 'A lot better than the first one. But I think the third album was when we really got good.'

'I think our sixth album is the best,' Oona said, sitting down next to Nonny. 'Because Nonny got to sing a couple of songs too!'

Nonny immediately blushed, just a little. His decision to sing a couple of songs for the sixth album hadn't been an easy one, since his reputation as a shy and quiet kid was rightly deserved. But he knew that the fans adored him, so he gave it a shot. Not once, but twice. Thrice if you counted the 'Puppy and the Ring' special promotion.

'Tell me a joke, let's have some fun,' He sang, quietly. 'With a goofy gag or a clever pun.'

'You should've sung more, Nonny!' Oona said. 'Your singing voice is so cute.'

'T-Two was enough.'

'I still can't believe we got you to sing the song about jokes,' Deema said. 'The kid who almost never laughs! … No offence.'

'I think that was the whole joke,' Gil said. 'We got Nonny of all Guppies to sing about joking around. That was a joke all on its own!'

The other Guppies laughed; even Nonny had a slight smile for a moment. That was one of the things that Mr Grouper would miss the most - hearing the laughter from his happy Guppies. No doubt his next group of students would laugh a lot as well, but it just wouldn't be the same.

Nonny took a deep breath. 'I need to-'

There was a knock on the door.

'I'M HERE!' Mr Grumpfish shouted from outside.

'Mr Grumpfish!' The Guppies said in unison.

'I'll get it!' Zooli said.

She dashed over to the door and opened it up. Mr Grumpfish stood on the other side, grinning widely like he always did when in the presence of his favourite people. The very moment he swam into the room, he was swarmed by seven Guppies who were very happy to see him. Being in the centre of an eight-member group hug is quite the experience, let me tell you. And Mr Grumpfish loved every moment of it.

'Alright, everyone,' Mr Grouper said. 'Maybe you should give Mr Grumpfish a little more room.'

'Nah, it's okay,' Mr Grumpfish said. 'I can handle a little more of this. I wanna savour it while I still can.'

'You don't have to, you know,' Molly said. 'We can still visit you even after we go to new schools.'

'I know that. But there's something extra special about doing it right here, in this classroom. It just won't feel the same after today.'

'Aw, don't say that!' Oona said. 'You're making me sad…'

'It's all the more reason to appreciate it while you still have it. Now don't go slack on me, Oona. Hug me as tight as you can!'

Oona did as she was ordered, and Mr Grumpfish only regretted it a little. Her arms had way more strength than you might think. It didn't help that it prompted everyone else to increase their hugging power too.

'Okay, okay!' Mr Grumpfish pleaded. 'That's enough. There's only so much hugging that I can handle. Even from you guys.'

A few Guppies chirped a quick 'sorry' as they disbanded, giving Mr Grumpfish room to breathe. Well, room to filter air through his gills, more correctly.

'Enjoy the party, Mr G!' Deema said. 'Uh, other Mr G. It's gonna be aaaaawesooooome!'

'If it's a party put on by you,' Mr Grumpfish said. 'I know it's going to be awesome!'

The song playing in the background seemed strangely appropriate for the man who had just swam through the door.

'Hey everybody, I've got a message to send. Hey everyone, I want to be your friend. Hey everybody, come on, check out my smile!'

The music player may have been put onto shuffle, but it seemed far too appropriate to be an accident. In fact, Deema was leering at it for a moment, just in case it turned out to be secretly alive. Mr Grumpfish drifted around the room somewhat aimlessly, just taking in the sights. He swam up to a big drawing resting on the table, and it made Goby dash across the room to sit down.

'Oh, sorry, Mr Grumpfish,' He said. 'But this is a surprise. And I need to keep working on it if I want it done by the end of today.'

'Ah, a drawing, huh? Well, knowing you,' Mr Grumpfish said. 'I'm sure that it'll be something truly amazing.'

'I hope it's my best drawing yet. I might have to work at it all day!'

'And that's alright,' Mr Grouper said. 'As long as you make sure that you're well-fed and happy.'

'Well do, Mr Grouper.'

Mr Grumpfish made his way over to the snack table, followed closely by Zooli. It was the first party he had been to where the punch and finger foods were covered by clear lids, instead of being open to the air where they could get covered in germs. So it surely wouldn't turn out like his high school prom, where half the students picked up the flu from the punch.

'So, Zooli,' He said, filling up a bowl with chips. 'You're the new kid, right?'

'I've been here for months,' Zooli said. 'But, yes, I am sort of new. The others have told me a lot about you, but I don't think we've ever really… met, you know? I wasn't there for that… pizza, was it?'

'You mean that picture pizza? Oh, that thing changed my life. I had been a grump for years before your friends cheered me up with it. I don't know what it was about that pizza that made me so happy, but it worked. It was… Deema who came up with that idea, I think. Heh. She's always been something special, that one.'

Zooli let out a sigh, unable to stop herself from frowning. It was enough to make Mr Grumpfish stop smiling too.

'What's wrong?' He asked.

'Oh, nothing!' Zooli replied. 'It's just that, sometimes, I wish I was there from the beginning. I like listening to the stories, but it isn't really the same as being there. You know?'

'Well, what's done is done. And do you feel like you've been left out?'

'At first, I did. But now I feel like I really am part of this band! It almost feels like I really was there from the start. Almost.'

Deema was on the 'dance floor', mimicking the choreography from all those dance numbers they used to do. Something she was especially fond of, but something that had to get the cut after Mr Grouper changed up the routine to include more outside time. A sacrifice she was willing to make, because storytime was more fun than ever.

If Goby hadn't been focused on his drawing, he would've joined in on the dancing. Instead, Oona and Gil were happy to take his place.

'Brave brave knight stands for good!' Deema sang, raising her arm like she was raising a shield.

'Stands for king and queen!' Gil and Oona sang like back-up singers, imitating her dance moves.

Nonny stood on the sidelines, sipping from a cup of punch. It brought a (brief and small) smile to his face; it reminded him of when he battled Sir Mulligan in a minigolf challenge, and was knighted 'Sir Nonny the Nice'. It was widely considered to be - by himself, his friends, and their fans - to be one of the greatest things that had ever happened to him. Mostly because he broke the world record for 'youngest person knighted'.

As the song came to an end, Deema pointed at him. 'Give it up, everyone, for Sir Nonny the Nice!'

'Uh, thanks?' Nonny said.

'Hey, I just realised something,' Gil said. 'If Nonny is a knight, and Molly is a princess, does that mean that he has to obey her every order?'

'I… guess I do.'

Molly giggled. 'Well, even if that's true, I would never order Nonny around. I don't even know what I'd have him do.'

'You don't need to order him around,' Oona said. 'Nonny is so sweet that he'll do what you ask anyway!'

'That's our Nonners!' Deema said.

Nonny gulped down the rest of his drink and gave everyone an awkward look. There was something in the back of his mind, and he couldn't ignore it any longer. Now that everyone was focused on him, it was a good time to address it.

'Guys, I have something I have to tell you,' He said. 'And it's important. Is everyone listening?'

'Yep!' Zooli said. 'You have the fl-'

'HEY!' Deema shouted. 'Everyone, be quiet. Nonners has the floor!'

'Uh, can we turn the music off first?' Nonny asked. 'It's kind of serious.'

Molly granted his request and paused the music player, just as the song 'Trucks Are Tough' started its second chorus. It plunged the room into silence, for the first time in weeks.

'I… I know you have plans for us to be together for years,' Nonny said.

'And it's going to be so much fun!' Oona said.

Nonny winced. It may have been barely noticeable, but it was enough for the other Guppies to realise that his news was not going to be good. They remained silent, so he could explain.

'And I know how important that is for everyone. That's why I want to say this now, instead of waiting. I…' He took another breath. 'I don't think I'll be able to do it.'

The response was mostly silence, like most of his friends were so shocked from this revelation that they had nothing to say. Oona let out a little gasp, but otherwise said nothing. The only Guppy would had a real verbal response was-

'WHAT?!' Deema shouted. 'B-But… why not?!'

'Deema…' Molly said, quietly. 'Try to stay calm.'

'My dad has a new job in Fishington,' Nonny explained. 'And it lets him be closer to my half-brother.'

'Isn't Fishington about an hour away?' Goby asked.

'Yes. It is. Which means it won't be too hard for me to visit Bubbletucky sometimes. But it also means that going to a Bubbletucky school is impractical.'

'I-Impractical?' Gil repeated.

'It means that driving from Fishington to Bubbletucky, and back again, is too much to ask for. The most practical thing to do is to attend schools in Fishington, while sometimes visiting Bubbletucky during school holidays or free weekends.'

There was silence. A looong silence. News this big and life-shattering couldn't be processed so quickly. A realisation slowly crept onto the Guppies.

The first one to make a sound was Oona: it was a choking sound, like there was something in her throat and she had lost control of her breathing.

'Y-You won't be there?' She asked.

'I do want to be there,' Nonny said. 'But I won't be able to. I'll still be able to-'

'Well, tell your dad that you can't move away!' Deema shouted.

She had shouted so loudly that everyone in the room flinched away. Her eyes reflected heavy sadness, but there was something else in her expression. Something that overpowered the sadness.

Anger.

'I can't do that,' Nonny said. 'This job pays a lot more than his current one does, and he wants to be closer to his other son. We agreed that I can make regular visits but-'

'You can't leave us!' Deema yelled, letting her emotions run amok. 'That… that isn't what the Bubble Guppies are about. We're supposed to stick together no matter what!'

Molly sighed. 'Deema, there's nothing we can do. Nonny is going to-'

'HE CAN'T LEAVE!'

Everyone else went quiet. The only thing that could be heard in the entire building was Deema's heavy breathing. Some of the other Guppies were frightened. Others, concerned.

Gil let out a laugh that failed to sound genuine. 'H-He won't really be leaving us, right? The Bubble Guppies ain't the same without our smart guy! There's no way something like that's gonna happen.'

'Maybe there's something we can do,' Goby said. 'Maybe if we all come together, we can convince Nonny's dad to change his mind. … Maybe?'

'I… I don't want you to leave, Nonny!' Oona cried, her voice beginning to crack and tremble. 'I-I can't imagine what it would be like without you!'

Hearing the trembles in her voice broke Nonny's heart; it was the thing he was dreading the most when it came to delivering this news. Unable to bear the sight, he swam over to her and held her hand. It was a decision he regretted when he saw the tears coming to her eyes.

'I promise, I will visit,' He said. 'My father will drive me here at least every two weeks. I don't want you to be out of my life forever, Oona. I just-'

'HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US?!' Deema shouted.

The blonde Guppy was absolutely red to the face, hardly able to control her breathing or the rage boiling her blood. She took one last look at the other Guppies before she turned right around, charging for the back door as fast as she possibly could.

'Deema, wait!' Molly said, swimming after her. 'Come back!'

Deema disappeared into the playground, shutting the door behind her. By the time Molly got it open again, she couldn't see her friend anywhere.

'Oh no…' She murmured.

Mr Grouper swam outside and looked around. Deema was not an easy Guppy to miss, and yet he couldn't see her anywhere. And with how fast she was swimming… He took a deep breath, and addressed the rest of the class.

'Molly and I will go looking for her,' He said. 'I don't know where she could be, but she couldn't have gone too far. I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She's just upset by the news. As…' He sighed. 'As we all are. Mr Grumpfish, you're in charge until I get back. I know this is a lot to deal with, but I'm sure you can do it.'

Mr Grumpfish nodded. 'I'll do my best.'

And, with that, Mr Grouper and Molly left to go searching for the missing Guppy. It left Mr Grumpfish and the others to deal with the fall-out.

Author Notes - When I first had the idea for this fic years ago, I still wanted one of the Guppies to leave Bubbletucky for this or that reason. The biggest difference is that it was originally going to be Deema, who got a good acting gig in Big Bubble City. It would be on the same day as the last day of school, preventing her from being there, so the other Guppies were going to throw a party early. Changing it to Nonny seems more appropriate, for reasons I can't quite explain.

The way the Guppies reacted, sans Zooli and Nonny himself, was intentionally based on the five stages of grief. Gil is denial, Deema is anger, Goby (though it isn't obvious yet) is bargaining, Oona is depression, and Molly is acceptance. There's really no reason for this other than I thought it would be neat, and a good way to represent the various ways people (or fans) may react to news like this.