Ace viewed himself at all angles in the reflective wall of the Kids Next Door Arctic Base cadet (and prisoner) shuttle (or known as the A.B.C.P.S) smiling brightly admiring his dark brown body, beautiful turquoise eyes, and voluminous curly honey blonde hair. The boy was no younger then five years, as he wore a very large and soft-looking turquoise hoodie, the boy also wore a pair of blue jeans, and turquoise and white shoes to match. Ace couldn't believe he was in one of the KND transportation vehicles nor that he was now a full-fledged CND (Cadet Next Door). It made Ace so happy tears of joy built in his eyes, but that joy soon faded when Ace heard foot steps hitting against the metal floor. Ace gasped his eyes going wide before he quickly pulled up the hood connected his hoodie and pulled it over his head tucking away all his hair all except for one missed strand.
Ace turned around and jogged over to the footsteps (being careful to not trip over his own two feet) quickly meeting up with the Artic and Moon Base twin guards Numbuh 44a and Numbuh 44b.
"There you are kid!" Numbuh 44a said looking a bit annoyed,
"Come on, we're about to land." Numbuh 44b added holding a clipboard that he undoubtedly was using to keep track of the other CND's. Ace nodded feeling guilt and excitement intertwine in his chest as he followed the operatives heading straight for the entrance where the other cadets we're.
"You know you shouldn't run off like that, the Kids Next Door isn't a place for nomads." Numbuh 44a said a stern look on his face, Ace shrank biting his lip, just great he was already on thin ice before his training had even started.
"Relax 44a, sorry kid he's had a bad day, I remember what it's like to be a cadet no reason to feel bad if you want to let lose some liquid pride in private." Numbuh 44b said with an understanding smile, and with that Ace felt his cheeks redden and he quickly wiped excess tears from his eyes. But as he did so the cadet felt himself trip seeing stars when his face collided with the hard metal ground. Ace groaned getting up on his knees as he held his nose ignoring the warm feeling off blood hitting his hand.
"Oh that looks bad, come on kid lets get you to the base so we can fix that nosebleed up." Numbuh 44b said reaching out a hand towards Ace, the cadet bit his lip his cheeks going redder as he shakily took Numbuh 44b's hand.
"It's fine, could be worse." Ace said, reaching in his pocket with his free hand and pulling out some tissues before using them to pitch his nose.
"Huh, this kid is tougher then I thought." Numbuh 44a said and Ace felt his heart swell with pride, looks like he had just made up two of his fumbles.
"Dude, not helping! He could be really hurt, plus we could get in a lot of trouble if a cadet gets hurts hurt on our watch." Numbuh 44b said holding Ace protectively, the cadet softly gasped at the touch smiling sheepishly.
"Did you not hear him? The kids fine, now lets go." Numbuh 44a argued before getting up and walking towards the entrance, that is until Numbuh 44b opened his mouth again.
"No! We can't just not help—" The operative said before a low thud came from outside the ship shaking with the noise,
"We're here, we need to move!" Numbuh 44a said before running to the front.
"But—" Numbuh 44b started only for the cadet to interrupt him,
"I'm fine, nose done bleeding. I'll cover for you. Um…if that's alright….sir." Ace said finishing off the sentance with a nervous smile as he pulled the bloody tissue from his now non-bleeding nose. Numbuh 44b stared at the CND for a moment before shaking his head and smiling warmly.
"Alright, I'll take your word for it, and nice hair." The operative said pointing to the stray strand of hair poking out of Ace's hood, the cadets eyes widen at this and quickly stuffed the last strand away from view. Once the act was done however Ace smiled and hugged Numbuh 44b.
"Thank you." Ace whispered and as soon as Numbuh 44b got over the initial shock he hugged back,
"Your welcome, kid." The operative replied.
Numbah 4 watched as from the open Artic Base entrance as the A.B.C.P.S landed. Numbah 4 smiled as he saw the door to the shuttle open and Numbuh 44a led the excited (and nervous) cadets into the Artic Base. The new high-ranking drill sergeant couldn't wait to hype up and train these cadets. But as Numbah 4 saw the last few cadets walk in he frowned the operative could've sworn there was one more cadet and where was Numbuh 44b? The boy was soon answered however when he heard foot steps hitting against metal. Numbah 4 looked at the A.B.C.P.S entrance just in time to see Ace and Numbuh 44b walk down the ramp.
Numbah 4 huffed and marched over to the ramp as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Where in the name of crud we're you!? I thought I had lost a cadet!" The operative said and both Numbuh 44b and Ace winced,
"Well…." Numbuh 44b be started only to get cut off.
"Wait a minute….is that blood!? What happened in there?" Numbuh 4 said as he tried to shake off the dizzy feeling he got from seeing the bloody tissue in Ace's hand and the dried blood under his nose,
"Well—I—we…" Numbuh 44b said trailing off.
"Not his or 44b's fault, all mine." Ace said taking over the conversation,
"Really?" Numbah 4 said raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I tripped." Ace said,
"So your telling me you tripped over your own two feet and hurt yourself, and your willing to stand up for a fellow operative and not let him take the blame?" The orange-clad operative said getting in Ace's face. The cadet however didn't seem all that intimidated as he puffed out his chest,
"Yessir, Numbah 4, sir!" Ace said with a confident look in his eyes. Numbah 4 studied the cadet for a moment,
"What's your name, kid?" He asked.
"Names Ace, sir." The cadet replied,
"Well I like ya Ace, being loyal to your fellow operatives means you'll be loyal to the Kids Next Door, I hope you keep up that attitude." Numbah 4 said.
"Of course I will sir, and I'll work hard to become part of the Kids Next Door." Ace said with a wide grin,
"I'm sure you will, but for now we need to get inside don't want to keep the other cadets waiting." The operative said and Numbuh 44b sighed in relief as him, Numbah 4, and Ace walked into the Artic Base.
*
Ace watched from the crowd of his fellow Cadets Next Door as Numbah 4 stood on a stage finishing up his speech.
"While training here at the Artic Base you will all be assigned certain classes depending on the answers you gave in the KND Entrance Exam, you'll also be trained by me every day of the week by me. And now that I'm done welcome our Supreme Leader, an old friend of mine, Numbah 5!" Numbah 4 said moving to the side as Numbah 5 walked to the front, the entire crowd of cadets cheered and applauded a few of them starting to talk with one another. Ace himself was too stunned to do anything a wide smile appearing on his face as he began to shake with excitement. Numbah 5 chuckled seeing the cadets reactions before she held up her hand silencing the crowd in one fell swoop. Once the Supreme Leader was sure no one would interrupt her she cleared her throat speaking up.
"Numbah 5 is glad to welcome all of you to the Artic Base where you will undergo forty-two grueling levels of training in four months, if you make it through all the levels of training without getting kicked out or quitting the last day of month four is when you'll graduate. So all of you work hard, follow the rules, be on time for training, and you will become official members of the Kids Next Door, baby!" Numbah 5 said and the cadets cheered, while Ace wiped away some tears. Eventually though the cadets settled down and started walking towards Numbah 312 who had their schedules. Ace giggled still shaking with excitement as he walked over to Numbah 312 and the crowd of cadets, eventually obtaining his schedule. Once Ace got himself out of the crowd (nearly tripping over his own two feet again) he took a look at his schedule.
Name: Ace "Bendy" Williams
Rank/Level: CND (Cadet Next Door)
Gender: Male
Classes
Shuttle Pick-Up (11:45)
Basics in Hamster Caretaking (12:00 to 1:15)
Basics in 2x4 Technology (1:25 to 3:25)
Basics in Culinary Arts (3:35 to 5:25)
Training (5:35 to 7:35)
Shuttle Drop-Off (8:00)
Ace winced when he saw he had Training as his last class before going home, just great now he was going to be all exhausted and sore when he got home. But the disappointment soon faded away as Ace looked over his other classes once more, at least those classes he was looking forward to. Once Ace was done he then looked around for any sort of sign or hint of where his Hamster Caretaking class was. But before the boy could do anything a familiar voice called his name.
"Hey Ace!" Ace turned his head to see Numbah 4 who was busy standing in front of Supreme Leader Numbah 5, "Come over here!" Numbah 4 said beckoning him over. Ace nodded running over to Numbah 4 and 5, when the young cadet was nearly up the stage stairs however he tripped over one of the steps and hit his jaw.
"Whoa, you okay kid?" Numbah 5 asked stretching out a hand for Ace as Numbah 4 picked up his schedule, Ace blushed nervously taking Numbah 5's hand.
"I'm fine." Ace replied nursing his sore jaw, and once he was on his two feet he took his schedule from Numbah 4. "What did you need me for?" The cadet asked,
"Oh right, well this is the kid I was telling you about. He was loyal to his fellow operative and looked me straight in the eyes when doing it. He even puffed out his chest a little bit!" Numbah 4 said with a chuckle. Ace blushed as this scuffing his shoes against the floor of the stage,
"It was nothing." The cadet muttered.
"Are you kidding me kid? Not many cadets know how to be loyal on their first day, they'd rather let someone else take the heat for their actions rather then fess up to their mistakes. Heck it's one out of two of the main reasons cadets don't become Kids Next Door operatives." Numbah 5 said patting Ace on the back, the cadet blushed even redder smiling sheepishly.
"Thank you, but…what's the other reason?" Ace asked curiosity lacing his voice,
"Quitting, now I won't keep you from your classes, but I want you to know that I like ya kid I see some kinda fire in your eyes and I hope it never goes out." Numbah 5 said and Ace nodded blushing even redder he then gave the supreme leader a quick hug before running off. Numbah 5 watched as Ace left with a smile on her face,
"See? I told you." Numbah 4 said with a smug grin.
"Yeah, yeah, but we still don't know how he will do in his classes or in training." Numbah 5 said but before Numbah 4 could respond they heard someone clear their throat, the two looked around before their eyes landed on the ground bellow the stage both operatives both operatives seeing a very nervous Ace.
"Um….do you know where the hamster class is?" Ace asked holding his schedule, Numbah 5 and 4 looked at one another before laughing.
This kid was just too much.