So I was stuck between two chapter ideas, but I settled on this one first. The other one will be the next one. Anyways, since Firecracker and Cree have to work together, it's time for Cree to see just what Firecracker's been up too in the past four years…and how much she hasn't changed.

"Weird coming back here," Cree couldn't help but think to herself as she arrived at her destination. With her and Firecracker now being forced to work together, the other girl had offered to help plan things out after school, offering up her own house as the planning ground. Cree had agreed, mainly because she wouldn't put it past Abby to try sabotaging things just to spite Cree.

"Glad to see you found it okay," Firecracker replied as she came outside to greet the other girl. "My parents are out, so we've got the place to ourselves, at least until my sister comes back from school."

"Sounds good," Cree replied as she walked up to the doorway. "Any rules I gotta follow."

"All the basic stuff-don't break anything, don't steal, my parents don't like it when you wear shoes on the furniture-all the basic jazz," Firecracker replied in a disinterested tone. "Although…there is one other rule…"

"And what is th-GAH!" Cree began to ask only to suddenly get slammed against the wall by Firecracker.

"If I catch you or any of your Teen Ninja goons fucking with my sister then I will fucking end you so quickly you won't even register why you are nothing but bloody chunks, got it?!" Firecracker warned the other girl.

"...Crystal…" Cree nervously replied as she quickly nodded her head.

"Alright then let's get this over with!" Firecracker said as she let Cree go, her mood having done a complete 180. Cree decided to remain a couple steps behind the other girl as they headed up to her room. Cree couldn't help but feel weirdly nostalgic. She'd spent a lot of time here growing up.

"And then you threw it all away for what?" A voice in her head taunted. Cree just grunted and forced it down. She made her choice. What was the point in bothering to think about what could have been?

"Hey, you're staring off into space. You good?" Firecracker asked.

"I'm fine," Cree replied. Firecracker looked like she wanted to press, but instead just shrugged her shoulders and motioned for Cree to follow after her.

"Sorry if it smells in here. I bring my exploded prototypes in here so I can figure out what went wrong," Firecracker preemptively apologized as she opened up the door to her room. A slight burnt smell filled the air, but it wasn't too bad. The room itself was a decent bit messy, with various papers, fireworks parts, food wrappers and other random items covering the floor, the work desk, and dresser. Posters for various games and music bands lined the walls, as well as some normal photographs and what appeared to be blueprints for fireworks and set ups for shows. A small garbage can sat next to the desk, overflowing with scraps of paper and firework parts. A calendar hung in front of the desk, covered in various notes and doodles.

Cree couldn't help but note that it hadn't really changed all that much from when they were kids. If anything, it just became more of a mess.

"You wanna sit on the bed or the desk?" Firecracker asked as she walked into the room, picking up some of the garbage on the ground and putting it in the trash can, stepping on it to make more room.

"The bed is fine," Cree said, deciding to just put her bed on it. Firecracker opted for the desk chair.

"So…any ideas for this?" Firecracker as she idly began to play with a ball that was on the desk. "I mean…like I said, I don't really go to the games. Too many idiots that I don't trust with this stuff."

"Fair enough," Cree admitted with a snort. She wouldn't trust some of the teens within ten feet of fireworks either. "I think the school's colors are red and white if you want to do something like that."

"I'll take that," Firecracker replied as she quickly scribbled something down on a notepad she'd pulled out from somewhere on her desk. "Any other ideas?"

"Honestly, I'm just wondering how I'm supposed to convince Fat-er, Mr. Wigglestein to help with this," Cree admitted. "He's…not really into charity work."

"I could threaten him with a firework for ya," Firecracker replied with a smug grin. She'd heard about Father from her contacts within the Kids Next Door and wished she was still active when he revealed himself. She'd have killed for a chance to set off a firework or two in his face.

"Please don't," Cree all but begged. She did not need Father trying to kill Firecracker. Especially since she wasn't in the Kids Next Door anymore.

"You're no fun," Firecracker replied with a smile that reminded Cree so much of Numbuh 451 it hurt. But she knew that Numbuh 451 had died in the decommissioning chamber….like Numbuh 11, even though she never stepped foot inside. "Doesn't he have those weird brats that want to be adults or something like that?"

"The Delightful Children?" Cree asked. Firecracker simply nodded. "Yeah. What about them?"

"Maybe try to convince the principal to let them take a couple high school classes or be able to sit on them? Just so they can get a taste of what teenage life is like?" Firecracker offered as she laced her hands behind her hands.

"Not actually a bad idea," Cree admitted. True, the Delightful Children were being fed a rather…romantic view of what being a teen and adult were like, but letting them see it might still be something Father would be interested in. "Oh! Do you have any of those fireworks that make a shape in the sky or something?"

"...A couple. Nothing themed around the school though," Firecracker replied. "Still, that's something to consider. So I'm guessing I'm doing this thing during half time, right?"

"Would make sense," Cree said with a shrug. "That's when most of the other random things they try to boost interest in these games are."

"What else have they done?" Firecracker had to ask. This sounded good.

"Well there was this one time they brought a bunch of mascots from the other schools in," Cree revealed with a smirk. "That one almost led to a riot because of everyone coming onto the field to beat the crap out of them."

"Damn it! Wish I was there for that one!" Firecracker admitted with a laugh. "What else you got?"

"Well…there was this other time they brought in horses," Cree began. "Bet you can tell how that one ended." From there, the two girls almost could pretend that they were back in the Kids Next Door, happily talking about whatever random thing happened at school or on a mission. It was just like old times.

Which might be why their eyes kept going to a picture, somewhat hidden by a poster, on the wall of Numbuh 11 and Numbuh 451 with their arms around each other, cheering about something they had achieved.

No, the guilt is not stopping on either side. Why do you ask?