21
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Penny Proud Norton stood on the street with her sister Peppermint Rose and their mother Barbie, standing on the her old street that she could barely remember. She heard the news of part of a city appearing in California which happens now and then but it's the name of the city that got her group to detour from going home to San Francisco. Spookhouse agents and soldiers came in to bring order once reports came in about a city appearing out of nowhere. Now back in Wizville, California it's all coming back to her, the place she was born and came from. And right now she and a crowd are watching as a younger Penny is beating up Nubia the middle sister of the Gross sisters.
Penny fist struck Nubia face repeatedly as she had Nubia on the ground with her sitting on top of her as she delivers one punch after another into the bully who had been taking her money for years. Nubia's two other sisters were at the side being held by their arms by Mai and King as they watch their sister being beaten in front of them. As for their parents, their father is on the ground having been beaten by the rhinoman Rocksteady, and their mother is being held back by the warthog who had her on the ground with his foot on her back holding her down.
"STOP!" Nubia shouted on the ground with Penny sitting on her chest as she punches her face.
"Why should I? Would you do it? No I don't think so!" Penny said as she cup her hands together and slams them into Nubia's face breaking her nose.
"Penny stop! She's going to die!" Oscar shouted who is standing with the rest of the Proud family who were held back by the robots of the older Penny.
"He's right she will die if you continue," the older Penny said.
"Right and I showed everyone that the Gross sisters are nothing to be scared of," Penny said as she stared at the two other Gross sisters. "Isn't that right or do I have to take you both down like I just did with her?"
"Yes," both sisters said fearfully.
"Penny I hope you're happy with yourself," Trudy said.
"Yes, yes, I am. I finally stood up and beat down the bully who has been stealing my money as well as other kids for years," Penny said.
"It's not like you would had done anything. You said it yourself that Penny just need to handle things herself," Barbie said.
"Of course I would!" Trudy said.
"Playback what happen inside the Proud home about 10 minutes," Barbie said to the securitron who been with her.
The securitron tv screen showed Barbie talking with Trudy and Oscar in their living room. Both of them are talking about their Penny's when the securitron rolled over to the window, outside the Gross sisters are shaking down the younger Penny for money. News spread fast about how an older Penny is a member of the royal family of the America that Wizville was teleported to, which they have been in for 2 days now. The older Penny and Peppermint were busy talking with the crowd who had gathered around them, with their bodyguards watching things. That's when the Gross sisters decided to shake down Penny for money seeing how she's related to royalty now.
"Those 3 girls are threatening Penny to give them money," Barbie said pointing out to the Proud parents.
"Those are the Gross sisters they do that all the time," Oscar said.
"Wait you two know about it?" Barbie asked.
"Yes but it's just something that Penny has to handle herself. It's part of growing up," Trudy said.
"So you two are ok with Penny handling this herself?" Barbie asked.
"Yes," both of them said.
"My Penny did say that she learned to defend herself thanks to the lessons she took in that martial arts class," Barbie said.
"What no. I don't want Penny to fight," Trudy said.
"You don't want her to even defend herself?" Barbie asked.
"That would just make her just as bad as them," Trudy said. (1)
"So you would rather have your daughter being beaten then fighting back and making her just as bad as the ones who beat her?" Barbie asked.
"Yes," both parents said with straight faces.
"It's clear what needs to be done," Barbie said looking at the securitron. "Go and restrain those girls."
The screen of the securitron blink off returning to the picture of the cop. Penny hearing what her parents were willing to do, standing by while she was rob right in front of them with her mom not even wanting her to fight back could only stare at them, with hard eyes as she really sees them as who they are and what kind of parents they are. Everyone in the crowd that had gathered began talking among themselves, while Mr. and Mrs Proud shrank from all the bad attention they're getting. Mostly from the people from outside the city who came in to help out.
"Instead of doing nothing like you two, I had my bodyguards restrain those girls and gave Penny the option to beat the leader of the Gross sisters. Which she took and showed how strong she is and how weak the Gross sisters are once someone goes and stands up to them. And when their father stepped in to stop it, which you Mr and Mrs Proud wouldn't had done if it was the other way around. I just had Rocksteady beat him up while his children watched," Barbie said.
"I was happy to do it. Isn't that right toilet licker? Say you're a toilet licker," Rocksteady said as he twisted Mr. Gross arm making him scream in pain.
"I'm a toilet licker!" Mr. Gross screamed who is helpless under the super strong mutant.
"And Mr and Mrs Gross remember this public shaming is caused by your daughters. Everything that has happen is because of them. One of them is going to be in the hospital for a good while but for your other two daughters...," Mai said holding onto the arms of the big sister.
"I'm going to sue your ass for this!" Mrs Gross shouted from the ground as Bebop still had his foot on her back.
"Let me explain things to all of you," the older Penny said. "This isn't your world anymore more, the rules and laws that you're all use to isn't there for your protection or is not what they were in your world. Your money isn't used in this world so all of you are penny less, and the careers that some of you spent so much time and effort to get, in this world isn't there or completely different. All of you who are doctors, law enforcement, and others will have to get a license to work in this world. There's no water or power here and will need to be connected if this city is to survive. Alot of resources and time will be needed to get this place running again. And the worst thing any of you can do is make enemies of my family the Nortons."
"Our mother has spent much time and effort to win over people of the United States of this world to the point where they voted her to become the first empress of the United States. Our mother is just a figurehead and symbolic ruler, but she still has alot of power thanks to all that she has done. For those who haven't heard yet our mom can make copies of herself which all have different skills. Which she used to help people, building things, doing government works, improving farming skills, teaching in school, working in hospitals, among other things, earning the love of the people of the United States," Peppermint said.
"So Mrs. Gross you can try to sue but then once in court, I can bring in all the people who your family have bullied for years. All telling the court of what all of you have done and none of you can do anything but sit there and take it. And remember your family is already disliked already in this city, which has only been here for 2 days in this world. While my family is beloved here for a very good reason. And what are you going to really do? Stand in front of the judge from this world and make a case of how your daughters who have been stealing money from other children for years finally gotten beaten up by someone who stood up to them? That it's perfectly ok for them do go around beating up other children for money, while having double standards when it's the other way around? That anyone who fights back is worse then them?" Barbie asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Gross said.
"Wow, really?" Bebop said looking down at her. "You really think a judge would just agree with that logic?"
"They all agreed in the past," Mrs. Gross said.
"Ok then, all the judges in Wizville will not be allowed to be judges in this world then," Peppermint said.
"If anything, I will love to see how the lawyer you can get be able to play this off?" Barbie said pointing to the eyebot floating near her. "The robots record what they see and hear. And once the judge hears this, which won't be any judge in this city Wizville but from this world's America. They will just throw the case off which will leave your family with a bill from the lawyer."
"Wait why would you have a say in who can be a judge or not?" Wizard Kelly asked whose in the crowd as well.
"Because I have a seat in Spookhouse which handles event and settling people from events into living in this world. Which many people had to find new lines of work because of how they did things in their world, is illegal or the mindset that they have doesn't work in this world. You have any idea how many police from other worlds think it's perfectly ok for them to shoot first and never ask questions later? That's why we have interviews and evaluations before they're allowed to do the same job they had in their world. And making a bad impression with me, is like doing the same to the person that would hire you for a job," Barbie explains.
"Defending yourself makes you just as bad and ignoring the issue mindset. My world that I came from must be like that of a tv show where all adults are completely useless, while the children have to deal with their own problems. It's no wonder that my mom wanted me to make friends with my world's Gross sisters instead of standing up to them. I'm so glad that, I lived in this world long enough where, I don't follow that mind set anymore," older Penny said.
"Wait, our worlds are a tv show?" younger Penny asked.
"There are plenty of people from worlds that are tv or movies in others. We do have people from Star Wars after all," older Penny said.
"REALLY!" younger Penny asked her eyes lighting up at the news that there are people from Star Wars in this world. Along with many people in the crowd who are fans.
"One of mom's copies is a jedi and my older sister Sunset is a force user kind of anyways, not to mention Rose and others," older Penny said. "But back to the topic. It's no wonder weird and strange things keep on happening when my world runs on tv logic. The time dad got zap into the tv and appeared in whatever show the tv was tuned into, the time all the adults got wished away, the ghost on Halloween, me getting superpowers on that night allowing me to fight him."
"That happen to you too?" younger Penny asked.
"Yup and how I was struck with friends who I really shouldn't had been friends with in the first place," older Penny said.
"What?" Dijonay, Lacienaga, and Zoey asked.
"What do you mean?" younger Penny asked.
"Your friends if they're like anything in my world have a chronic backstabbing disorder. Dijonay is completely untrustworthy, Lacienaga doesn't acknowledge us as a friend so she doesn't count, and Zoey ends up going with the majority due to being a shrinking violet. In all they're just fair weather friends who will abandon us when things get tough," older Penny explains.
"What do you mean, I'm Penny's best friend," Dijonay said.
"You suffer from aesop amnesia, all the freaking time. I have lost count how many times my Dijonay learn not to take her family for granted, to be a better friend to Penny, not to be so shallow, etc. Of course looking and taking care of her nine wild siblings all by herself has given her a serious case of Middle Child Syndrome. She's not used to having her own things, her own space, or any attention at all, so once she gets the opportunity, she seizes it without question. But still why, I remained friends with mine I just wave it being how my world works that keeps me from making any other better friends. You are the friend that nobody likes," older Penny said looking down at Dijonay. Older Penny then walks over to Zoey passing over Lacienega.
"Not as horrible as Dijonay and Lacienega, but you, Zoey have abandon Penny when you caves into peer pressure. You can still do better in being a friend," older Penny said.
"Wait what about me?" Lacienega asked.
"As, I said we're never friends to begin with. We only hanged out because our parents are friends," older Penny said.
"Yes that's true," younger Penny said. "We only hanged out because our parents are friends. Even if my parents would rather have me being beaten then ever standing up for myself. Some parent we have and have to deal with, huh."
"You can just come and live with me," older Penny said.
"What?" younger Penny asked.
"You are my younger counterpart and that makes you part of the royal family," older Penny said.
"I'm a princess like you?" younger Penny asked.
"Well not part of the main family but a cousin seeing you're not adopted by mom," Peppermint said.
"Unless you really want to cut ties with your parents," Barbie said.
"As much as they're a disappointment they're still my parents, and there are still Bebe and Cece," younger Penny said.
"Remember the wish that made them older?" older Penny asked.
"Yeah, I remember, they were so cool that everyone forgot about me. At least, I'll be an adult when they're like that again," younger Penny said.
"Wait now," Sugar Mama said as she steps forward. "Family sticks together no matter what."
"Sugar Mama you heard them. They rather have Penny beaten then, fighting back and becoming in their minds worse then the Gross sisters," older Penny said.
"You might not be my gradbaby but she is and you don't get to decide things for her," Sugar Mama said.
"You're right Sugar Mama, it's her's," older Penny said looking to younger Penny.
"I would like to try it out. Living in another city and meeting new people and making new friends. And having people who won't think the worse of me for defending myself and will step in to help me," younger Penny said making her parents winch hearing that.
"Penny we do go on tours around the country and in other countries. We did just came back from a tour of Europe," Peppermint said.
"She can just stay with me," Barbie said. "She can share the room that use to be yours."
"Share a room?" Penny asked.
"Remember what we told you. That mom still lives in Eureka Lodgings a boarding house that she lived in with grandpa. My sister Sunset brought the deed to make it into the privet home for us, but mom wouldn't let her kick out any of the other tenets who still lived there and she's friends with. It's cramp and there's only one bathroom on each floor which mom installed once the sewer system were made. But it's home and mom does want us not to let money, frame and being royalty to go to our heads," older Penny said.
"Still better then here," younger Penny said.
Older Penny walk over to her counterpart parents.
"Penny will be living with me for awhile seeing how her faith in you two is broken. Give it some time and you two improving yourselves maybe down the line you two can mend things with her. But for now give her space as forcing her to just accept you two back into her life will just make things harder. Break the mindset you two have in letting your kids handle things by themselves when you two can help, especially when bodily harm is being used against them," older Penny looked around to the crowd. "That goes for all of you. There is child services here and unlike in your world they're not useless. They can take your children away if you're not being cared for. And just sitting in your home while your child is being beaten for money and doing nothing is grounds for it and you can be arrested for child abuse."
"We're not bad parents," Trudy said.
"By your old world standards. You're in this one and we have better standards. But seeing how there is still hope for you two seeing this is a public shaming and if you two don't improve the twins can be taken away from you two. But I will put in a word with sister Ginger and the Proud Snacks can be apart of Cookie Corners which is the family run company which is the biggest and most powerful company in the US. Ginger is always looking out for factories like yours which has everything needed to produce food products which is the main business for the company," older Penny said. "And let me make this clear. I'm not doing this for you two. I'm doing it for the twins."
Older Penny then walks over to Wizard Kelly who the city is named after.
"Seeing how you do own alot of factories here. My sister can do business with you. But do not think you can just push her around because you're rich and famous, which you aren't in this world. All your money is worthless here and don't try to work contracts and agreements to make yourself wealthier while short changing my sister. My sister will give you a fair deal but if you do try my sister will just black list you. Which leaves you to make deals with the old time robber barons. And let me remind you that you are a black man in the early 1900's, mom has done much in Equal Rights. Things don't just change overnight. You are a nobody in this world who just showed up out of nowhere having to make deals with people who are born here or been here for years. So make sure you don't waste the chance I'm giving you. Also my brother Charlie runs the sports business, so if you want you can try to be a basketball star again. But as I said don't try anything," older Penny said.
"Yes, I keep that in mind," Wizard Kelly said. Once people learned that their money was no longer good here, many people are worried about making a living. With the lack of water and power keeping people from full on rioting. Wizard Kelly knows that he needs to act fast before his employees start to wonder why they're still working for him when he doesn't pay them anymore.
"Which reminds me," older Penny said looking at the Gross family. "This is still the 1900's with people who are still very racist, so remember that if you try to sue us. My family is rich and powerful while you are all low life thugs who nobody cares about or are important in anyway. The old saying that everyone is special and are snowflakes, doesn't work in this world. To be special takes hard work to stand out from the crowd and not everyone can just pick up something like singing and just be good right off the bat. To be special you have do something to be special. Which you Gross family aren't just low lives who make life harder for others, just like in a tv show where there are always someone like you all who do nothing but be jerks or bullies. The local police of this city are going to be replaced by soldiers to keep order till water and power are back on. Soldiers who won't look the other way and won't hold back just because you're a kid. There are child laws but they're not like the ones back in your world," older Penny explains.
"I'll beat them with a stick if they try anything," a soldier said who is standing in the crowd.
"Do it and I'll," Mrs. Gross said but was cut off as the sound of a gun clicking was heard.
"We will shoot to defend ourselves," the soldier said clicking his gun. My the Gross family eyes widen seeing that.
"So yes in this world you all can't get away in acting like you did in your world as people here are more then likely to fight back or just shoot you with a gun," older Penny said seeing the blood drain from the faces of the Gross family. "Also Mr. Gross you will either change and punish your girls or find it very, very hard to find a job here. As it be so easy for me to have you black listed."
"I... understand," Mr. Gross said.
"Good and remember," older Penny said making a finger gun and pointing at Mr. Gross face. "Your size means nothing in this world, so you can't just scare people. Do it to the wrong people and bang you're dead. Which many people like you and your family only learn once someone starts shooting at them and they're laying on the ground bleeding to death." (2)
"I better pack my things," younger Penny said before turning to the two remaining Gross sisters. "But I really should make sure the lesson isn't lost on them. As they did go back and steal the money back from me, that one time."
"If you want to, I'm not stopping you," older Penny said.
"Yes, I do," Penny said punching her right hand into her left as she walks up to the two remaining Gross sisters who are struggling in the hold that Mai and King have them in.
When it was all over, all 3 Gross sisters were on the ground buried and bleeding from the beating they received from Penny. Everyone watched them cry and beg for it to stop as Penny beat them to the ground. And once they fully recovered no one feared them and openly mocked them. When they tried to go back to being bullies, they quickly learned that the soldier wasn't lying about being beaten them with a stick. Which was done to them after a kid told on them after they beat him up for the food ration he had for his family. They were publicly beaten in front of their school till they were bloody. As an example to make sure everyone knows not to steal while the rebuilding of the city was taking place. After that no one feared the Gross sisters, as for the rest of their lives they all walk with scars and limps.
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Author's Notes -
1 - The tendency for bullies to get away with their actions due to a mentality of "Defending yourself makes you just as bad" and ignoring the issue is brought up. In shows like the Proud Family, where the message is the bully gets to do what they want to have something for the people in the show to do. Which when used in a real world setting is not played for laughs.
2 - The way bullies are able to do and get away with in fiction. In a real life setting would either have them arrested or be killed if they do it to the wrong people.
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