Loud House: Where in the world is Lincoln Sandiego

The Dashio Caper part 2

(Since Carmen x Paper Star is by far the most popular ship so far here you go)

It had been an exceptionally long flight back to the Isle of VILE after losing the wakizashi to Carmen Sandiego. Not only was Paper Star having to silently wallow in the shame of having once again lost to her, but she was still covered in super glue from the hanging lamp incident on the rooftop of Club Dokuso.

It had long since crusted over and hardened, Paper Star had at least been able to remove the hanging lamps from her body, but the acrid smell of the glue was overwhelming and the texture of it on her bare hands made her skin crawl.

Even as she stood before the assembled faculty, the only thought on her mind was that The Cleaners had better be able to live up to their name and get this stuff out of her favorite jacket.

"Paper Star," Professor Maelstrom's booming voice pulled her from the recesses of her thoughts. "Once again we've sent you after Carmen Sandiego. Once again you've returned to us without her. Why is that?"

A million excuses flashed through her head. Was it because Carmen was the superior thief? Was luck on her side in every encounter they'd had? Or was it because even after all this time, she still hadn't been ready to see Carmen again?

It didn't matter what she answered. Or if she even answered at all. Even through the assaulting green lights of VILE's faculty boardroom, Paper Star could see the accusation as clear as day.

"If you're insinuating that I let her go on purpose, then I'm afraid you're mistaken." She spoke evenly, not giving away too much of the anger she felt at being questioned by the faculty members, nor the uncertainty she still felt about her own actions.

Paper Star was a savant. A prodigy in her own villainous right and far superior to her peers. So why was she still incapable of bringing down Carmen Sandiego? It made sense for other members of her alumni, they were all about as useful as wet paper, but her? She was supposed to be different.

"We are merely saying that it is unusual for you to be so..." Maelstrom frowned, drawing deep lines in his pale face. "-Inept at completing one simple task. We're also aware that you were one of the last friends for Black Sheep to make before defecting from VILE. It was only natural for us to assume-"

"We were never friends." Paper Star spoke loudly, putting more force behind the words than she'd probably intended to. "Not really. She had me fooled, same as the rest of you."

Coach Brunt's nostrils flared. "Listen here, 'Sassy Star'. We've already had one of our own go defectin' to the red side. And we won't have another one of our operatives doing the same."

"You're wrong." Paper Star ground her teeth. She wanted to scream at the faculty. To let them know how wrong they were and how much she hated Carmen Sandiego - that thief that had stolen her only friend and left her all alone.

"Are we?" Doctor Bellum placed the tablet she had previously been so absorbed in on the table. "The two of you spent quite a bit of time together during her last year at the academy. Are you certain you never caught a single hint that she was planning to escape?"

Paper Star took a deep breath to answer, but couldn't stop the memory that came flowing back.

Black Sheep and her were on a cliff overlooking the dangerous rocks that provided the isle with a natural protective barrier. It was the week before Ms. Cookie Booker's annual visit to the island. They had fell into a peaceful quiet, when Black Sheep took her hand.

"Do you ever think about what life would be like outside the island?" She swallowed. "If we were just normal people living normal lives?"

Paper Star considered this. "I used to, but if we had normal lives, then you and I might not have ever met." She squeezed her hand. "I don't want that."