Moonlight Confession
by Prettywitchiusaka
Tonight's full moon lit up Gallagher's night sky with its soft, fluorescent light. Bathed its dark alley ways, its dimly lit forests, it even managed to illuminate of all places Wesnooks Puppet Factory.
Legend has it that if you took a hike deep into the woods of this small town's outskirts, you would find a quaint little street of torn up cobblestone. However it was destroyed was irrelevant, for its remains lead towards a tiny, cozy little cottage...at least it used to. If one were to glance at it now, they would see shattered stained windows with broken glass scattered all over the lifeless soil, even vines beginning to emerge through cracks in the rotting building. The shingles were slowly rusting away, the front door appeared to be slightly off-hinge, even a glance inside revealed duty counter tops and abandoned toys.
Most children cringed in fear at the sight, slowly backing away before making a run for it...at least the ones who were lucky enough to make it out of those woods. Unfortunately, some were not as lucky. In fact, many were not so lucky according to recent news reports from local newspapers across town, not even the police could make sense of so many sudden disappearances. It is for that reason that reason that this situation was currently in the Kids Next Door's hands, though more specifically, the hands of their current Supreme Leader Rachel, or Numbuh 362.
By now, Rachel had been standing atop a shady ledge overlooking the eerie cottage for quite some time now. Right now, her aquamarine jumpsuit made her an obscure yet noticeable sitting suck, though it did not matter to her. In fact, one look at that little cottage and she felt her face grow stern, her eyebrows furrowed, even her chocolate eyes were reflecting what appeared to be disgust. Yes, disgust towards that little cottage. Or rather, the person who lurked inside it.
The Puppet Master; a rising villain believed to be the one abducting the missing children. Just thinking that statement alone made her eyes flare up with anger as she placed her right hand inside a crimson and purple glove.
His mission; to turn every last child into marionettes for some sort of vengeance (as usual). Simply hearing that statement, she could now feel her blood boiling as she slipped her left hand into a matching crimson and purple glove.
Her mission; to rescue both the missing children, and her friends in Sector V. This time, she felt much calmer as she placed a samurai-esque helmet on top of her golden blonde locks, completing her "transformation" as it were.
Lastly, Rachel began to breathe steadily as she closed her eyes. With each breath in, she felt relaxed. With each breath out, she felt herself become tranquil. With her last deep breath, her hand reached over to grasp an odd looking weapon; a Yield sign with a crimson boxing glove attached at the end, her signature weapon. She twirled it briefly before letting it rest by her side, opening her fearsome chocolate eyes shortly after. Now, she felt ready as she took very small steps towards the ledge.
Suddenly, she became surprised by the sound of rustling throughout the shady bushes. Quickly, she poised her staff for action as her face became stern once more. "I wonder if I was being expected" she thought to herself as she stood there, growing impatient as she waited for what almost felt like minutes. Shortly after hearing the bushes rustle once more, she wasted no time as violently lunged her staff towards her supposed opponent. Though the young blonde couldn't but blink in surprise however as her attacked was halted nearly seconds after.
"Geez; you really got to watch where you throw that thing", said a familiar voice that grew the young girl's interest as she silently gasped.
Surely enough, her eyes began to widen, even her chest began to tense up the moment the person in question walked into the moonlight. Why it was none other than the Kids Next Door's Drill Sergeant Supreme himself Patton, or Numbuh 60, wearing his usual devious yet flirtatious grin on his face.
Normally, Rachel could feel butterflies dancing inside her stomach when she came face to face with that grin. Now, the young blonde could only feel her chest tensing up, getting tighter with every passing second. It took her a minute before she inhaled another deep breath, forcing her smile into a stern grimace as her eyebrows furrowed and her chocolate eyes became stern.
"Patton, what are you doing here", Rachel stern asked the cocky looking boy.
"That depends; what are you doing here all by yourself", Patton asked in teasing tone as the young girl felt her expression tighten; she really did not have time for this.
"Don't you think I deserve an answer first", she asked rather sternly, her voice oddly calm despite its composure.
"Yeah, but...Don't you think I deserve one too", he asked in a rather cocky tone she could only resist for so long before breathing a deep sigh.
"Very well...See that old cottage over there", the young leader asked as she pointed towards the tiny cottage. "That's the location of our "good" friend The Puppet Master."
"The Puppet Master? You mean that guy we thinks been abducting all those kids", the young Drill Sergeant asked in a curious tone.
"Precisely; we sent Sector V in there awhile ago, but they haven't come back yet. As a result, I have decided to investigate the situation myself", she sternly explained.
"So you are here to rescue your friends", he asked in a reassuring tone as he eyed the stern blonde girl.
"Yes, but...how did you know I was here", she asked as she turned to face him with curiosity on her face.
"Numbuh 86...She really turns into desperate jello when you do something reckless", the young boy explained rather confidently as the young blonde's face began to twitch with anger.
"I see...Do you have any other reason for being here aside from that", she asked, unable to mask the budding anger clear in her tone.
"Well, just one...I've come o help you", the raven haired boy said in determination.
As soon as she even heard those words, Rachel felt herself gasp as her eyes began to widen, she could even feel her cheeks flaring up with blush as she stared into those determined looking black eyes. They spoke the truth surely enough, to see that only made her chocolate eyes glaze over, even waver slightly before inhaling a deep sigh once more. When she faced him again, her eyes had become stern, almost intent he noticed.
"I'm flattered Patton...but I'm afraid that I've classified this as a solo mission", Rachel sternly explained as her gaze drifted towards the cottage.
"You really think this is a one-man mission", the girl heard Patton ask as she turned to face that stern look upon his face.
"You've seen the report haven't you? If our sources are to be believed, he can rip out people's souls and turn their bodies into literal puppets. Imagine if he were to recruit in numbers", the young girl explained as her stern tone grew louder.
"All the more reason for you not to go in alone", the young boy explained in a stern tone, one she felt herself hesitate towards before speaking once more.
"I'm more than willing to accept the consequences", she sternly explained.
"Well, I'm not...I'd rather see myself get turned into a puppet than see you become one...like ZERO...", the raven haired boy explained as she felt her eyes widen once more.
There they were again; those soft, yet determined black eyes, the ones that made her own eyes hesitate before she felt her regain control of her stern composure.
"That was over a year ago...I wish you would forget about it...", the young blonde softly spoke.
"Yeah, but you haven't either", the young boy softly explained.
"I'm obligated to though...", the young girl softly explained as she turned away from him once more.
For a moment, Patton could only stare at her silently with those concern filled black eyes. Eventually though, he managed to let himself sigh in exasperation before moving a few feet closer towards her.
"Look Rachel, I understand. But do you realize you only have a 50/50 shot at pulling this off", he asked her, her stern expression unwavering despite his tone.
"I'm well aware of the odds, thank you", she stern explained to him.
"Then why do it", she heard him ask as her grip on her staff began to tighten.
"Because I won't be held responsible...", the young girl sternly whispered.
It was then that Patton saw the storm brewing in her chocolate eyes; they were filled with passion, determination, they were even glowing with relentless desire. Just seeing that was enough to put a smile on his face.
"That sounds like something you'd say...But that's not changing anything; just let me come with you Rachel", she heard the soft spoken Patton say as her fist grew tighter with each second. "I promise, I won't do anything unless it's under direct-"
"Let me ask you something Patton. What's more important to you right now; me, or the captives", she asked her dear friend as she watched his face widen with surprise.
In fact, that surprised look remained there for a short while before he finally opened his mouth to speak once more.
"Well...you...", the young boy replied in a rather odd tone.
"Then I rest my case", the young girl stern retorted before turning her back to him completely.
Though soon enough, Rachel became shocked to find a hand gently grasping her wrist. A his point however, she could only sigh with aggravation as she turned to face a confident looking Patton once more,
"What is it now", Rachel asked in her aggravated tone.
"I want to ask you something", Patton replied in a confident sounding tone, even as her aggravation grew.
"Ask me something?...Patton, I don't have time for-"
"Just humour me. What's more important to you at this point; me, or your friends", the cocky black eyed boy asked her, watching her chocolate eyes widen before opening her mouth to speak.
"Well...both actually...But my major concern at this point is for my friends and those poor captives", Rachel explained as she felt her cheeks flare up with blush, her heartbeat pump faster before she inhaled another deep breath. The only problem; he'd noticed this.
"Yeah...and I believe you when you say that...but I can't help but get the feeling that there's a little more to it", the young boy explained. As he did though, her eyes widened as she felt her heart jump into her throat, she even chuckled a little.
"Wha...What are you talking about", she asked him as her tone grew more nervous.
"I think you know what I mean", he said in that suave, confident tone that made her cheeks flare and her chest tighten. Well, at least they did before she regained her stern composure.
"Don't be ridiculous", Rachel sternly replied. "Obviously, I'd be concerned as your superior, and your friend-"
"Yeah, but I think it's more for you than that...Isn't it", the raven haired boy asked in that same cocky, confident tone from before.
Once more, she felt her chest tighten as her heart skipped a beat. Though that was easily dismissible as she chuckled, even cleared her throat a little before opening her mouth to speak once more.
"Don't be silly Patton, you have no proof", Rachel replied with a nervous tint in her voice, a tint her cocky looking friend noticed.
"Really?...So then you weren't the one who gave me those new gloves for Valentine's Day", Patton asked in a rather confident tone.
"Well...you had so many girls giving you chocolate that day, I just assumed it would be better to send them to you- I mean, of course not! Why would I do something like that", the young girl asked she regained her initial stern composure.
"Uh-huh; and you didn't put me under house arrest when I feel victim to the Common Cold's Cheese Influenza", he asked in that same confident tone.
"You were being persistent in your demands. Besides, I couldn't just risk your safety like that", she explained in a rather stern tone.
"Okay, then I guess you aren't the one forcing yourself away from my compliments", he asked as his question made her eyes widen as far as they could go.
For a moment, she couldn't feel herself breath. For a moment, she couldn't even believe that this was her reality anymore. Though soon enough, sh e knew she had to believe as she opened her mouth to speak once more.
"How did you know that", she asked, her tone now timid, almost panicky as his devious grin came closer towards her gaze.
"Just a hunch...Besides; you know I can tell when those chocolate eyes of yours are lying", she heard him reply as she was only able to gasp before falling silent. At least for a few seconds before she had the courage to open her mouth once more.
"So you knew all along then", she asked in a shaky voice.
"Knew what", he asked as he inched towards her.
"That I..."
"That you?..."
"That I..."
"That you?..."
"That I...That I...That I love-"
That moment was when Rachel felt her body tense up, that moment was when his arms wrapped themselves around her slender waist. As it happened, she breath became panicky and almost non-existent, her eyes even widened as she felt his lips brush up against her own. All she felt at first was merely shock, but soon it felt comforting to have his lips against her own. In fact, she felt herself relax. She allowed her eyes to droop shut as she fell under his spell, allowing her arms to wrap around his neck as their passionate moment deepened. In a perfect world, this moment would have lasted an eternity. Sadly though, reality began to seep back in as the young girl felt their lips breaking apart, only to find herself becoming lost in his loving black eyes shortly after.
"I love you Rachel..."she heard him say lovingly, allowing her eyes to widen before she stared at his smiling face with melancholy happiness. "I'll do anything to make you happy..."
"Then, you'll let me go in alone", the young blonde asked as she watched his face turn into surprise.
"What", the young boy asked in a surprised tone.
"Well, you did say anything...", the young girl replied in a sweet sounding tone.
At first, all Patton could do was stare at her in bewilderment. Or at least until he breathed a small sigh before gazing into her chocolate eyes once more.
"Well, if that'll make you happy", said an understanding Patton, that is before he raised an eyebrow as he heard his beloved begin to chuckle.
"You're not very subtle, are you", asked the amused sounding Rachel as his face reverted to its usual confident smirk.
"Oh, and you are", he asked in teasing manner.
"Well, I'm much more subtle than you could ever hope to be", she replied in her own devious manner.
"Really? I'd like to see you try", he replied in his own devious manner.
"Perhaps some other time", she retorted back to him. Shortly after though, she allowed her face to relax as she looked up to gaze at him once more with that same melancholy glance in her eyes.
"You know, you're welcome to come with me if you want."
"Ah, don't worry about it; just call me if you need me", the young boy casually replied, making her smile as he did so.
"Alright then...I'll be off", she explained.
"Take care", he replied.
"I will", she replied back.
And with that, she took a graceful jump off of the ledge, landing gracefully before running towards her destination. From where he stood, Patton kept his eyes on her. Even as he watched her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease throughout his body, even his gentle black eyes revealed this unease. Though all of that came to an end the moment he saw Rachel stop in place; it made him raise an eyebrow for sure as she turned to face him again, only this time she was smiling that smile he'd grown to love.
"Patton...I will come back for you my love...you can be sure of that", said the smiling Rachel, surprising the young boy before his own smile became apparent on his face.
"I'll be looking forward to it...my angel...", replied the smiling Patton as she continued to smile at him.
Shortly after, she gave him one last smile before she ran off once more. This time, her face showed a determined, yet happy tint to itself as she made her way towards her destination, knowing that she had someone to watch over her this moonlit night.
The End
Disclaimer- I do not own KND, it is the soul property of Tom Warburton, Curious Pictures and Cartoon Network.