So…personal headcanon time about the series. Personally, I'm under the belief that most of Season 6 takes place before Operation ZERO. Mainly because that better explains things like Numbuh 1 never mentioning things like Sector Z being the Delightful Children to anyone. With all the insanity that happens at the end of the season, he just never found the right time to say anything. So now you know why the events of Operation PARTY are coming before ZERO in both Candygirl and this story! Anyways, let's begin!
"So…Cree is either insane or an even better spy than the rest of us," Maurice declared as he entered the Teens Next Door hideout.
"That does not give me a lot of faith in what you are about to tell us," Chad promptly admitted. Firecracker, who had been lounging on the couch playing on a handheld gaming system and Thomas, who had been doodling, both looked up, their interest peaked.
"So…she's somehow managed to trick the Delightful Children into letting us use Father's mansion to have a party," Maurice dropped the ball and suddenly there was silence. It's like one could hear a pin drop.
"...Holy shit," Firecracker finally said. "Are you serious?! Father would roast us all in a second!?"
"Apparently, he's out for a while," Maurice replied with a shrug. "So we've got free range of the place. So, you guys wanna come?"
"Well, you only live once," Firecracker said with a smirk as she hopped up. "I'm in!"
"I mean, I'm supposed to be a Teen Ninja, so I think I have to go to something Cree set up for us," Chad pointed out. "Besides, like Firecracker said, you only live once."
"While I admittedly do not enjoy the party scene, the chance to vandalize Father's home is something I would find extremely enjoyable," Thomas said. As if on cue, Firecracker's eyes had stars in them.
"I can put so many fireworks in the manor!" Firecracker said in awe.
"Please don't die…" Maurice all but begged.
"Don't worry! I'm a trained professional!" Firecracker replied with a smug grin as she crossed her arms.
"...No, you aren't," Chad said after a few seconds.
"LET ME HAVE MY FUN CHAD!"
"Damn, looks like half the school is here," Firecracker noted as she and Thomas strolled into Father's mansion. What was usually a foreboding and forbidden place was jam packed with teens of all cliques and walks of social lives.
"No doubt the promise of a party in a forbidden place enticed many who otherwise would have chosen not to attend," Thomas noted as he noticed several of his fellow artists, waving to a couple of times.
"Cree really got everything for this, huh?" Firecracker said as she began to look around. She then noticed a makeshift stage, as well as the band setting up on it. "Wait…is that the freaking Upper Crust!?" Wasting no time, Firecracker rushed over to the stage and, indeed, one of her favorite bands ever was setting up. As per usual with their sets, they started with their string instruments before breaking out their real instruments and rocking out. Firecracker let out a whoop, grabbed a bottle of root beer and joined the crowd rocking out. She was stuck near the back out, however, meaning she was close to the Delightful Children when they landed nearby.
"Ugh…" They groaned.
"You know, freaks, you should probably just go hide in your room," Firecracker taunted them as she took another swing from her drink.
"You! You probably had something to do with this!" The Delightful Children snapped at her. "How else would teens be convinced to throw a party like this!?"
"You guys really do not know anything about teens, do you?" Firecracker dryly asked as she took another sip of her drink. "Oh, most of them don't like kids, but they're not adults yet. They love freedom. And you handed them a giant, empty house to throw a party in." She downed her first drink and then grabbed another from one of the many coolers that was floating around. Then, purely to get a rise out of the Delightful Children, she spiked her empty bottle against the wall, enjoying the wail of horror that came out of the kids. "Honestly, you're probably better off just calling your weird dad for help. Because you're not getting them out of the house without help," With that, Firecracker walked off, yet couldn't help but glance back at the Delightful Children.
"What the fuck is this weird Deja Vu feeling!?" She internally thought to herself as tried to get rid of the thought with more soda. She had never met these freaks, yet every time she laid eyes on them, she got a weird feeling. Almost like she already knew them…
"WOOOOOOO!" Firecracker cheered. After stashing her fireworks around the manor in the most annoying spots for Father to deal with (he would probably just blame the Teen Ninjas, so it's not like she was in any danger), Firecracker had fully gotten into party mode. Of course, that also meant she was several sodas in at this point, so what little impulse control she had left was pretty much gone. Hence why she was currently sliding down the stairwell on a pillow stolen off the couch. Or at least she was, before she slammed hard into someone who had been walking past.
"Watch it!" Cree, the person she had just hit, snapped at her. Firecracker was about to say something, only for her brain to promptly short circuit when she realized how close her and Cree's faces were.
"Uh…uh…" Firecracker stammered, trying to get her soda-addled brain to say anything. But whether because of said soda or because she was so close to Cree, she found that she couldn't come up with a single word, let alone a sentence.
"Wow you really can't hold your soda," Cree snarked as she shoved Firecracker off her before heading off. Firecracker, on the other hand, decided that, against her better judgement, to go get more soda to deal with her stupid feelings.
"UGH!" Firecracker groaned as she grabbed another bottle and took a long swing from it. "I fucking hate Cree! So why do I act like such a loser every time she's around me!?"
"Not so loud, Firecracker!" Thomas, who happened to be nearby, insisted to his friend as he dragged her off to a quiet section of the manor. "You can not risk blowing your cover!"
"I know, I know!" Firecracker replied. "But it's just…it's so confusing! Like, yeah, I've always kinda had a crush on Cree, but I thought it would have gone away now! But now, whenever I see her, it makes me feel all weird and I hate it! Because I do hate her!"
"Hmm…" Thomas took a few minutes. He had no idea if Firecracker would even remember this, but he still wanted to help. He wasn't one to leave a friend upset. "Well…if I had to make a guess, you never got a real chance to process your feelings. Young children often do not understand true relationships and crushes. And with Cree's betrayal, you likely pushed it down. But now, since you have been forced to be around her lately, the feelings are coming back out. Which, now with us being much older, are much more mature then they had been previously."
"...You sure you're AroAce?" Firecracker asked once her drunken brain finally let her process what her long time friend had said. "Because that sounds like some really good romance advice."
"Just because I do not wish to be in a romantic relationship myself does not mean I am unknowledgeable about it," Thomas replied to his friend, giving her a smile.
"So, since you're here and you're probably way less drunk than me, can I ask you something?" Firecracker asked as she kept drinking, even though she really knew she shouldn't.
"Ask away," Thomas said to his friend. Firecracker opened her mouth to speak when another teen called out something that made everyone's blood run cold.
"Dudes! Father's car is down the street! We got to bolt!"
"RUN!" Firecracker, who was suddenly more alert than ever, screamed. She'd tell Thomas her theory about the Delightful Children some other time. Because the last thing she wanted was to get flamed by Father.
"Why do I do this to myself….?" Firecracker groaned, still trying to get her hangover to go away by keeping her eyes closed. No such luck.
"You merely got caught up in the party," Thomas assured his longtime friend. "How much do you remember about last night?"
"...A lot, believe it or not," Firecracker admitted. She then managed a weak smile. "Thanks again for that talk about Cree. Nice to know this really is just teenage hormones mixing with my stupid pansexual ass."
"Is that not what friends are for?" Thomas asked with a smile of his own. "Now, I believe you had another theory to share with me?"
"...This is gonna sound so stupid," Firecracker admitted as she took a breath. "...But I think there's a connection between Sector Z and the Delightful Children. Every time I see them, I get a weird feeling like I know them. And I think they have the same names as Sector Z…I know it sounds crazy but I swear there's some kind of link."
"You are right. It is crazy," Thomas said. But he then chuckled. "But we were in the Kids Next Door. I have seen far crazier theories. If there is a link, then rest assured that I will assist you in finding it!"
Firecracker's smile only got bigger. "Thanks Thomas. You're the best." She'd get to the bottom of this.
She just hoped she liked the answer she got.
Sometimes, drunken conversations are the best. Even when only one of you is drunk. But yeah, now you know why Firecracker is a lot less torn up about her feelings for Cree in The Candygirl. Since they remained friends, Firecracker likely had her crush pass naturally or simply isn't as vocal about how much she hates her feelings. Here, however, since they had a massive gap of not speaking to each other. But next time…well, you'll see.