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Description
After a rough day, the Numberjacks started to settle into the sofa for the night. However, as Nine came into the Cozy Room to read a book, she found Three sitting on a cushion, very upset.

"Three?" she asked in surprise. "What's gotten you down in the dumps?"

"Oh... oh Nine..." she winced. "It was horrible today..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Nine.

"I... I guess so..." she sighed. "It was the mission today."

"Go on."

The pink numberjack took a deep breath and steeled herself. "I-I went out on the mission with Five," she explained. "I-I was e-excited to go... a-as I r-rarely get out of the sofa. But..." she swallowed hard. "Everyone was saying things like 'Three needs to be careful', 'Five will look after her', 'I'll take care of Three'... as if I couldn't handle myself!"

Nine winced. "They really said you couldn't handle yourself?"

"That's what they were im... impling..."

"Implying."

"Yeah... that," sighed Three. "I... I thought that, if I went off to face the Puzzler by myself, that would prove to the others I could handle things alone. And they would stop saying I was too small a number to leave the sofa..." Tears leaked from her eyes. "B-but a-all I proved was... they were right!" she sobbed. "I-I got caught by the Puzzler... and the others had to rescue me... a-and Five was so worried, Six was tired from jumping in the Brain-Gain machine and Four-" she chocked on her words. "Oh... I'm useless on missions, Nine..."

"Three, listen to me," said Nine. "It wasn't right for you to wonder off, especially with the Puzzler on the loose. However..." she brushed up against her. "You are not useless. I remember you told me about your first time out of the sofa. You managed to burst yourself and Five out of the Puzzler's bubble."

"I... I guess so..." Three gave a weak smile.

"And what about that mission with Six?" asked Nine. "You and him rescued me by making that big square."

"And... also by turning him into 2 threes," Three admitted. A knot tied in her stomach. "I still feel bad for doing that... he was in pain when that happened." She sighed. "That was another reason I ran after the Puzzler. I wanted to make him pay for forcing us to make Six become 2 threes."

"My goodness, Three," gasped Nine. "Sounds like some deep resentment issues." she nuzzled the smaller Numberjack. "But don't worry. We'll get the Puzzler next time."

"I hope so..." Three nuzzled into her older sister figure. "I still think Five doesn't have faith in me though."

"What makes you say that?" asked Nine.

"Well..." gulped Three. "When Five found the Puzzler, she said to him that 'I can look after myself', but... it sounded like she said that so the Puzzler would back off, rather than thinking highly of me." She shook her head. "And Four... he... promised!" She wailed.

"... promised?" gasped Nine.

"H-he said he promised to get my first s-solo mission on screen..." she nuzzled deep into the bigger Numberjack. "B-but... n-now he's gone back on his word..."

Nine shook her head sadly. "Oh my... sounds like we have to have a serious talk with Four, Five and Six then. Come on."

And Four, Five and Six were supposed to be in another part of the Cosy Room, but this picture wasn't big enough to showcase that. They are overhearing this discussion with the other Numberjacks. What they are saying... I'll leave it up to you.

Description
After a rough day, the Numberjacks started to settle into the sofa for the night. However, as Nine came into the Cozy Room to read a book, she found Three sitting on a cushion, very upset.

"Three?" she asked in surprise. "What's gotten you down in the dumps?"

"Oh... oh Nine..." she winced. "It was horrible today..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Nine.

"I... I guess so..." she sighed. "It was the mission today."

"Go on."

The pink numberjack took a deep breath and steeled herself. "I-I went out on the mission with Five," she explained. "I-I was e-excited to go... a-as I r-rarely get out of the sofa. But..." she swallowed hard. "Everyone was saying things like 'Three needs to be careful', 'Five will look after her', 'I'll take care of Three'... as if I couldn't handle myself!"

Nine winced. "They really said you couldn't handle yourself?"

"That's what they were im... impling..."

"Implying."

"Yeah... that," sighed Three. "I... I thought that, if I went off to face the Puzzler by myself, that would prove to the others I could handle things alone. And they would stop saying I was too small a number to leave the sofa..." Tears leaked from her eyes. "B-but a-all I proved was... they were right!" she sobbed. "I-I got caught by the Puzzler... and the others had to rescue me... a-and Five was so worried, Six was tired from jumping in the Brain-Gain machine and Four-" she chocked on her words. "Oh... I'm useless on missions, Nine..."

"Three, listen to me," said Nine. "It wasn't right for you to wonder off, especially with the Puzzler on the loose. However..." she brushed up against her. "You are not useless. I remember you told me about your first time out of the sofa. You managed to burst yourself and Five out of the Puzzler's bubble."

"I... I guess so..." Three gave a weak smile.

"And what about that mission with Six?" asked Nine. "You and him rescued me by making that big square."

"And... also by turning him into 2 threes," Three admitted. A knot tied in her stomach. "I still feel bad for doing that... he was in pain when that happened." She sighed. "That was another reason I ran after the Puzzler. I wanted to make him pay for forcing us to make Six become 2 threes."

"My goodness, Three," gasped Nine. "Sounds like some deep resentment issues." she nuzzled the smaller Numberjack. "But don't worry. We'll get the Puzzler next time."

"I hope so..." Three nuzzled into her older sister figure. "I still think Five doesn't have faith in me though."

"What makes you say that?" asked Nine.

"Well..." gulped Three. "When Five found the Puzzler, she said to him that 'I can look after myself', but... it sounded like she said that so the Puzzler would back off, rather than thinking highly of me." She shook her head. "And Four... he... promised!" She wailed.

"... promised?" gasped Nine.

"H-he said he promised to get my first s-solo mission on screen..." she nuzzled deep into the bigger Numberjack. "B-but... n-now he's gone back on his word..."

Nine shook her head sadly. "Oh my... sounds like we have to have a serious talk with Four, Five and Six then. Come on."

And Four, Five and Six were supposed to be in another part of the Cosy Room, but this picture wasn't big enough to showcase that. They are overhearing this discussion with the other Numberjacks. What they are saying... I'll leave it up to you.