SPY X FAMILY - OPERATION BIG BROTHER?!

Schemes.

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"But is it so wrong?" A smile graced her rosy lips, silence filled the room once again, as she poured him a drink.

And as if it was as simple as that. He drank.

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Anya sat on the couch, her legs swinging as her brain worked overtime. She had been thinking all day about Damien and how cool it would be to have a big brother like him. If she had a brother, maybe Damien would think she was cool too!

If Papa adopts a big brother, then Damien will definitely be my friend! Anya thought, eyes wide with excitement. Her mind buzzed with a plan that was half-baked and a little frantic—okay, a lot frantic. But she had to be sneaky. She couldn't just say it, or Papa would get suspicious about her knowing too much!

She jumped off the couch and ran to find Twilight, who was in the kitchen, reading a newspaper. Anya paused at the doorway, doing her best "thinking face," scrunching her nose and tapping her chin like a detective. How could she get him to adopt a brother without spilling the beans about her telepathic powers?

Suddenly, she bolted over to Twilight and tugged at his sleeve.

"Papa! Papa! You know what would be super great?" she said, her eyes wide with excitement.

The spy looked down at her, a little confused by her sudden enthusiasm. "What is it, Anya?"

Anya puffed up her cheeks, trying to look like she was just making a casual suggestion. "Maybe... um... if I had a big brother, I could get better at school! Yeah! Then you'd be super happy because I'll get ALL the Stella Stars!" She threw her arms wide to emphasize her point, nearly knocking over the glass of water on the table.

He raised an eyebrow, setting down his newspaper. "A big brother?"

Anya nodded furiously. "Yeah! A big brother! A really cool one who can help me with my homework, and, um, teach me things, and maybe even protect me if bad guys show up!" Mock punches to add emphasise, she gave him her biggest, brightest smile, trying to act like this was a totally normal idea for a child to suggest.

Twilight blinked, clearly a little suspicious. "Anya, where is this coming from? You've never mentioned wanting a brother before."

Oh peanuts, he's catching on!

Anya panicked for a second, her brain scrambling to come up with an excuse. She looked around the room wildly and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I saw it on TV! The kids with big brothers are super smart and happy! They get lots of help and—uh—STELLA STARS!"

Twilight gave her a long, searching look, and Anya's heart raced. Is he buying it? She quickly clasped her hands behind her back, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Twilight sighed, clearly not convinced but too tired to question her more. "Anya, having a sibling isn't something you just... order. It's not like getting a new toy."

Anya's face fell, and she frantically tried to come up with another angle. "But Papa! If I had a big brother, I'd be soooo good at making friends! And you want me to make friends, right?" She beamed, hoping this argument would work. "Maybe even, like... Damien would be my friend!"

Twilight stiffened at the mention of Damien, and Anya peeked at his thoughts. Damien Desmond... could this be useful for the mission? I do need to get closer to the Desmonds and this could- Ah. it's too troublesome.

Anya scowled to herself. No! World Peace!

Twilight rubbed his temples. "Anya... that's not exactly how friendships work..."

But Anya wasn't listening. She was already bouncing up and down, caught up in her wild imagination. "But I punched him REAL good! And my big brother could be super strong and have cool powers -" She clamped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide.

Twilight's eyes narrowed slightly. "What was that, Anya?"

"Haha, I mean, he could be super smart! Like a superhero or a prince! And then we could be an amazing family!"

Her papa sighed again, clearly exhausted by the conversation. "Anya, I'll think about it, okay? But for now, focus on your studies."

Anya deflated a little, but as soon as Twilight turned his attention back to the newspaper, she gave herself a mental high-five. He said he'll think about it! That's a win!

She sprinted back to her room, already planning her next move. Operation Big Brother was still a work in progress, but she had a feeling that if she kept pestering Papa, something might just happen.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

And if all else failed... She could always try Mama next.