Good Morning! Good Afternoon! Good Evening! Welcome to the first chapter of 'Numbuh 2030: Legion', the first in the second phase of my series dubbed 'The Legends Universe'. Sit back, relax, go read the rest of my stuff if your lost, more so starting with 'Numbuh 2030' or 'The Legends Universe Prologue'. I hope you enjoy.
Story Theme Song: 'Running Up That Hill' by Track and Field.
Legends Universe: Story 9
Numbuh 2030: Legion
15 October 2005
Washington, D.C.
The Kids Next Door Seriously Cool Museum of Artifacts and Stuff
It was a quiet Saturday morning. Usually kids would be home in bed, especially now that school was back in session. But Numbuh 101 had a job to do, so he pushed his grievances aside. The Museum would more than likely be busy later in the day, earlier in the week, Numbuh 274 commissioned an expansion and addition to the Museum. The prospect of teaching an entirely new subject to the numerous museum goers excited Numbuh 101.
Numbuh 101 walked along the empty parking lot outside the Museum. The orange haired fanboy held his jacket tightly against his body, attempting to stay as warm as possible. He walked up to the Museum entrance, stopping short once seeing a trench coat wearing individual leaning against the wall beside the entrance.
Numbuh 101 looked the individual up and down, looking for any specific traits to confirm his identity as a KND Operative, only to stop short once noticing the boy's number was stitched to his collar. "Numbuh 2030?" Numbuh 101 looked at the operative waiting outside the Museum entrance, puzzled by his appearance. "The Museum doesn't open for another hour."
"I know." Numbuh 2030 said simply. "Just thought I'd be the first in line."
Numbuh 101 looked up to the recently hung banner on the front of the museum. The banner was bright and yellow with black wording advertising the latest exhibit. "Hm." Numbuh 101 nodded slightly. "I see."
Numbuh 101 stuck his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out an extravagant keychain with a mini Numbuh 274 figurine attached to it. He slowly sifted through the numerous keys until singling out a visibly scuffed metal key with electronic wiring built inside to deactivate the Museum's security systems.
Numbuh 101 moved to the door and stuck the key in the hole. The door's inner workings registered the 2x4 tech within the key. A series of clicks and clangs emitted from within the door. One last final whir played like a melody that Numbuh 101 tapped his foot to. Numbuh 2030 raised a curious brow as he realized the foot tapping was another part to unlocking the door.
A couple more taps and then finally the door opened. "Do you always have to open it like that?" Numbuh 2030 asked as Numbuh 101 reclaimed his key and placed it back in his jacket pocket.
"Yes." Numbuh 101 shrugged, answering the operative's question as if it were nothing. Placing one foot through the now opened door, Numbuh 101 stopped. He looked over to Numbuh 2030 and gestured to him to follow. "You're here anyways."
"Thanks." Numbuh 2030 smiled.
Numbuh 2030 reached out for the door, holding it for Numbuh 101 before following him inside. "It's rather dark." The operative commented.
"That's because the powers off, silly." Numbuh 101 laughed as he reached for the switch in the dark. A simple flick at the switch turned on the power. One by one the lights began to switch on. The lights shone downward, treating the pair to the vast sight of the interior.
"So where's the new exhibit?" Numbuh 2030 asked as he looked around, catching sight of old antiques such as the Kid-a-Pult.
"Come on. I'll take you to it." Numbuh 101 waved to Numbuh 2030 for him to follow. The pair walked up a series of stairs to the second level, Numbuh 101 leading the way and providing commentary on some of the exhibits they passed.
"-Over there on our left is the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Numbuh 274 crashed into the Disgruntled Authority Figure Taskforce's Mighty Mega Information Expulser." Numbuh 101 pointed to a piece of burnt wreckage that was neatly placed on displayed under a lamp. "I got some archive footage of that day. I plan on showing it off on his birthday to commemorate all of his achievements."
Numbuh 2030 simply nodded, not contributing to the apparent one-sided conversation. Numbuh 101 wasn't just a museum curator, he was a tour guide, and sometimes you just couldn't turn what you do off. So he simply let him ramble on, occasionally adding an amazed 'ah' to notify Numbuh 101 that he had his attention.
"The exhibit is right down here." Numbuh 101 said as they walked passed the 2x4 Weapon exhibit. The pair came upon an open door, leading into a clean marble room.
Numbuh 2030 looked upward, finding the title of the exhibit. "The Kids Next Door Hall of Heroes." He muttered.
"They construction team finished it yesterday." Numbuh 101 remarked. "But you knew that already."
"Yeah. Thanks Matt." Numbuh 2030 smiled at the fanboy. "Mind if I have some time alone?"
Numbuh 101 gave Numbuh 2030 an empathetic look. He gave him a nod and then turned around and walked off to continue with his morning routine.
Numbuh 2030 walked through the door alone. The latest addition to the Museum was something he'd known about for quite sometime. He'd been brought in to consult during the planning stages with Numbuh 274 and the construction team.
The Hall of Heroes currently possessed only one item on display. It was also the only exhibit no one wished to see expanded upon.
Numbuh 2030 came face to face with the sole item within the Hall of Heroes, a faceless statue. The statue was a boy, minus the face, looking heroic. Numbuh 2030 glanced downward at the plaque at the statues' feet.
'Numbuh 416. The Best of Us All.'
Numbuh 2030 cried. The Hall of Heroes was made to remind the Kids Next Door of all the valiant sacrifices made in their name, that not all operatives got to come home, and that their lives should be celebrated.
The statue was faceless as not to associate a name or individual to the code number as it was added to the open pool for use by some fresh young cadet. Numbuh 2030 recalled the debates he would have with Numbuh 274. He favored adding Numbuh 416's face and name, but ultimately lost out to the Supreme Leader.
Numbuh 416 was Numbuh 2030's leader and mentor. He was twelve when he died. He fell to his death on the KND Moon Base during a fight with a traitor. For all of Numbuh 416's years of loyal service to the Kids Next Door, he ended up getting a whole Museum exhibit dedicated to him.
Numbuh 2030 wiped away his tears. Numbuh 416's death was a messy affair he didn't wish to relive. It ended with their Sector fracturing and his death needed to be covered up. It was decided that Numbuh 416's parents could never know of their son's demise, so they covered it up. They left a note in Numbuh 416's bedroom claiming that he was unhappy with his life and that he'd run off to join the circus.
Numbuh 2030's Sector had fractured after Numbuh 416's death and Numbuh 57's betrayal. Numbuhs' 58, 59, and 99 had gone off to join The Decommissioning Squad. This ultimately left Numbuh 2030 alone to accomplish the uncomfortable task of writing the note and planting it in Numbuh 416's room for his family to find.
Numbuh 416's body itself was given a Viking funeral of sorts. His body was placed on his favorite ship, a 2x4 Helicopter capable of space travel and then set to auto pilot. The R.E.H.V.A.N.E. travelled for days, eventually burning up along with Numbuh 416's body in the sun.
"I know you're not here." Numbuh 2030 held his head downward, unable to look at the statue. "But it helps." He muttered. "You're parents are still holding out hope that they'll find you. They're reaching out to the public for information. They won't get any."
"Your brothers looked up to you." Numbuh 2030 remarked. "They've been asking me to recruit them into the KND whenever they see me. I don't know what to do. Odds are they'll eventually wind up down here and see you. Then how do I explain that?" Numbuh 2030 looked up at the statue, then as quickly as he lifted his head he let it drop.
Numbuh 2030 sighed. "I'm sorry." Numbuh 2030 spun on his heel, turning to leave.
This is probably the broodiest in opening chapter I've done in a while. Anyways, I had this chapter sitting on my laptop since August. I've been working on all of my planned stories. Seeing as I published the previous story already, I thought why not throw this out there too.
I'll update this whenever I finish 'The Prospectors'. Which should be by the end of this year, unless finals kill me. Anyways. Later Days!