Disclaimer: I don't own Codename: Kids Next Door and I make no profit from this fan work. I'm just a geek, with a tad too much spare time, having a little fun. Like playing with action figures.
Hello, Tetsu here. I haven't seen "Operation: G.I.R.L.F.R.I.E.N.D." yet (would really like to). So, this fic kinda contradicts it (in fact, Nigel and Lizzie are still together at the start). Just giving you a heads up.
And, now I present…
Umbrella Twist
Chapter 1: Off-beat family waltz
It was an ordinary day at the Sector V tree-house. Numbuh 5, Abby Lincoln, was relaxing on the couch with a comic book. Numbuh 2, Hoagie Gilligan, was tinkering in his lab. Numbuh 3, Kuki Sanban, was having a tea party with her Rainbow Monkey dolls. Numbuh 4, Wallaby Beatles, was working out at the punching bag while stealing fond glances at Kuki. And, Numbuh 1, Nigel Uno, was on the phone being yelled at by his Über-bossy girlfriend, Lizzie.
"Nigie, I can't believe you stood me up last night!!" shouted Lizzie.
"I…I'm sorry Lizzie…um…darling, but there was an emergency. I had my duty to consider" nervously apologized Nigel.
"Don't you still love me, Nigie?" cried Lizzie.
"Of course, I do! But, I do have my responsibilities as a K.N.D. operative. We're protecting the rights of children everywhere" Nigel defended.
"Oh, so it's back to that again! Well, don't act all noble and heroic with this 'protecting kid's rights' crap because I know what this is really all about! I've seen the way you look at that 'commander' or whatever she is!" ranted Lizzie.
"Now, leave Rachel out of this!" Nigel pleaded.
"Rachel? You call all your other KND friends a number but she's 'Rachel'. I didn't realize you were so close" Lizzie shot back with malice.
"Um…hey…sometimes I refer to my other fellow operatives by name. Just ask…um…Abby" Nigel frantically explained as he handed Abby the phone.
"Numbuh 5, er, Abby would rather not get involved, Nigel" Abby replied loud enough for Lizzie to hear over the phone as he nonchalantly handed the receiver back to Nigel. Her eyes never once left the comic she was reading.
Nigel sighed. "Lizzie, darling, I love you. Rachel is just a good friend like all the other KND members. I'm sorry that I never showed up for our date last night. How about we go out tomorrow, to anywhere you like" he offered in his most affectionate voice.
Lizzie instantaneously perked up. "Even, Captain Clod's Seafood Hut?" Lizzie excitedly inquired.
Nigel cringed. He hated Captain Clod's Seafood Hut. "Sure, I'd love to take you there" he conceded.
"Ok Nigie, see you tomorrow. Don't be late" said a suddenly very happy Lizzie as she hung up the phone.
Nigel then hung up his phone with a sigh.
"Trouble in Paradise?" asked Abby as she turned the page.
Nigel nodded. "She's just so overbearing some times. And, she always has to have everything her way. She demands all my time, all of it! She can be very frustrating at times" he explained.
"Do ya still love her?" asked Abby as she continued to read.
"Of course I do. She can be very kind and sincere", Nigel corrected, "but I'm not sure if it's fair to either of us to keep this relationship going. I don't always have time for her, and she never listens to me".
Abby turned the page again. "Numbuh 1, we been friends for awhile now, right?" she asked.
"Um, sure Numbuh 5. You're like family to me" replied Nigel.
"I feel the same way, so let me give ya some 'family' advice. Sometimes people just aren't right for each-other. Even if they do really care about each-other" Abigail explained in a strangely sage-like manner.
Then she turned the page and looked up over the comic to Nigel. "Oh, and by the way. Ya know it wouldn't hurt to actually call us by name when we're off-duty. Then it won't be so awkward when we have to call each-other by name to get you outta trouble with your girlfriend" she said with a smirk.
As Abby returned to her reading, Nigel gave a friendly smile and said, "Thanks, Abby".
"Numbuh 5, forgives ya" she replied with her eyes back in the book while shooing him away with her hand.
Nigel was then on the way to his room when the alarm went off. All Sector V members dropped what they were doing and awaited orders. Soon the image of their Supreme Leader, Numbuh 362, or simply Rachel appeared on the monitor.
"Kids Next Door: Sector V, I have an urgent mission for you all" she announced.
"We're all ears, Supreme Leader" announced Nigel Uno with a salute. It would almost be comical to see his mind switch from personal matters to his duties as a KND agent. And, to see him militaristically await commands from a girl he was just minutes ago accused of being attracted to. But, there was nothing comical about it to his comrades, that was just who "Numbuh 1" was.
Rachel was the same way. The sensitive, insecure girl who doubted her abilities and confided in Nigel when they were alone, and the strong commander who issued orders and managed an entire global network of prepubescent freedom-fighters, were two very different sides of the same coin.
It was this parallel between them that caused so many rumors to spread among many KND members, and it was this obvious chemistry that made Lizzie so suspicious.
"Sector V, we have reason to believe that Father has been spotted on the island of Wana-wana. This island does not have it's own KND unit so I've selected your team to accompany me on this investigation" Numbuh 362 explained.
"To accompany you, sir?" asked Numbuh 1 wondering why the "Supreme Leader" will be on the actual mission instead of running things on the moonbase as usual.
"That's correct Numbuh 1. As the only KND operative who speaks the language, I have to go myself. But, I'd like to have your team along as back-up" the Supreme Leader explained.
"Well, you can count on us…" Numbuh 1's words were interrupted by another alarm.
Numbuh 2 checked his surveillance equipment. "According to this, Count Spankulot is in the neighborhood, and who knows what kind of mood he's in" he explained.
"Well, we don't really need a whole team for this investigation. At least, not unless it turns out Father's really there, but we can send more operatives if he is" admitted Rachel.
"Yeah, and it only takes a few of us to take down the count" boasted Numbuh 5.
"Very well then. We'll split up! Numbuh 5, take Numbuhs 2 and 4 and go deal with Count Spankulot. Numbuh 3 you and I will accompany Numbuh 362 on her mission" ordered Sector V's brave leader.
"Excellent, I'll be waiting for you at the Moonbase" Numbuh 362 announced in a very professional manner, but still flashed Nigel a friendly smile that he returned as he watched Rachel sign off and the monitor go blank.
"Kids Next Door, we haven't moment to lose. Let's go!" ordered Numbuh 1 as the team split in two and they headed towards the exits.
"Oh, and Abby", Nigel added getting her attention, "Thanks for the advice".
"No problem Nigel, what's 'family' for?" responded Abby. "Now you have fun on this mission with Rachel" she added with a wink.
Not having time to respond to that, Nigel headed towards the space craft that would take him and Kuki to the KND moonbase, where Rachel would be waiting for them. He had to admit the idea of seeing Rachel again always put a spring in his step. And, the fact that they were going to be working together actually put a smile to his face.
The smile increased when he was in the spacecraft on the way to the moon. As he looked ahead toward his destination, he even started daydreaming. But this contemplation would soon be interrupted.
"Ooh Numbuh 1, what are you smiling about? Do you have a crush on Numbuh 362? Wait, does Lizzie know?" asked Kuki excitedly.
"What? W…What gave you that idea?!" Nigel panicked.
Kuki's fast paced reply was "Well, that's the smile I always see when someone 'like-likes" someone. Except, it's also the look I see on Wally when he's looking at me, which is really kinda weird, don't you think so. Like just a minute ago I was having a tea party with my Rainbow Monkeys and…".
"We're here" announced Nigel, interrupting Kuki.
The KND moonbase was crowded as usual. Thousands of kids were going every-which-way. As they approached Rachel's office, Nigel whispered to Kuki "Oh and you can't say a word to her about what we were talking about on the way here".
"Don't worry. I won't say anything about you having a crush on Numbuh 362 behind Lizzie's back" Kuki agreed.
"Excuse me?" asked Rachel, who had just opened the door in time to hear what Kuki said.
"Um… just an inside joke" Nigel nervously lied.
"Um... right. Well come inside and I'll explain the mission to you" offered Rachel.
Once inside the office, Numbuh 362 directed their attention to a map on the wall.
"This is Wana-wana Island. It's a small island nation in the South Seas. It's culture is very isolated, and is quite different even from other South Seas islands. Their language is also unique and the only KND operative who speaks it is me. My parents were planning a vacation there a couple years ago, and I thought I should learn the local language. We ended up not going, but it was still fun learning Wana-wanese" The Supreme Leader explained before taking a deep breath.
"At any rate, there have been sightings of Father at the island lately, and that would be here, here, and here" she continued as she pointed to the specific places on the map.
"And you say, there is no KND sector stationed there?" remembered Numbuh 1
"The reason they don't have their own KND unit is because of their culture. Essentially, the legal adult age on Wana-wana is about 10. People even get married at that age. As a result, the line between Kids and Adults is too blurry and indistinct there to establish a KND sector. So, instead we have an arrangement going with their head of state that if there's a problem with kid's rights, or when a known adult villain has been spotted there, they inform us, and we send in a team" Numbuh 362 concluded.
"And, that's where we come in!" announced Numbuh 1.
"Exactly!" The Supreme Leader confirmed.
Numbuhs 1, 3, and 362 all boarded the shuttlecraft that would take them from the KND moonbase to Wana-wana Island. They were all excited. Kuki was mainly excited about seeing a tropical island. It's not like she's never been to one before, she just always enjoyed them. I suppose one could say that Nigel and Rachel were more nervous than excited. Even on a mission, the idea that they would be spending a few days together on an exotic island did not escape them.
"Are we there, yet?" Kuki whined interrupting their thoughts.
"For the Eleventy billionth time, NO!" replied Rachel who was starting to lose her patience with the considerably less mature operative.
"Kuki, why don't you go take a short nap? We'll wake you up when we get there" added Nigel in an almost fatherly tone (almost).
"Okie Dokie!" agreed Kuki as she headed to in the back of the shuttle where she snuggled up with the Rainbow Monkey she brought with her (she always had one) and quickly fell asleep.
"Why did you pick her to go along?" asked Rachel.
"Well when the team splits up, we naturally need another leader to run the other half, and that's Numbuh 5 to a 'T'. And, to take on Count Spankulot, she'll need muscle and tech-support and that's Numbuh 4 and 2's territory respectively" Nigel explained.
"Anyway, don't forget Kuki's specialty is influencing people. She'd be good to have along when we're dealing with unfamiliar people. That sickening cuteness does come in handy for that, you know. Just ask Wally" Nigel added.
Rachel and Nigel chuckled at that observation. It was no secret that Kuki had Wally completely under her spell. Of course, it was also no secret that Kuki felt the same way. Everyone in the KND, along with a few of their allies and even enemies, actually had a betting pool going on when the two would finally admit it to each-other. Everyone bet a nickel on a specific date, winner gets all.
"You really do know your team, Nigel" Rachel observed with some admiration.
"I certainly do. They're like family to me" responded Nigel recalling his earlier conversation with Abby.
"I wish I could be that close with anyone in KND, but as Supreme Leader I just feel so isolated. I command so many different teams that I never really get to know anyone. I just stay up on my pedestal giving orders" Rachel lamented.
"Well, you're going on a real mission now, Rachel. There's no need to feel isolated now" Nigel comforted.
"Thanks Nigel. Sometimes, I think you and Fanny are the only real friends I have" Rachel sobbed.
"It's OK Rachel, as long as I am here, I'll make sure you don't get lonely" said Nigel in a soothing voice as he put his hand on Rachel's shoulder.
"You know, I really envy Kuki. She's able to stay a carefree kid despite being an agent. With me, I just feel like I've sacrificed my own childhood to protect everyone else's. Do you ever feel that way?" Rachel continued.
"I've never really thought about it. I guess I just see it as making good use of my childhood. Are you sure you never take time off to just do kid stuff?" replied Nigel.
"I'm always too busy. I have so many responsibilities as Supreme Leader that I just can't find the time" Rachel confided as tears streamed down her cheek.
It was then that Nigel knew just how much of a burden Rachel's job was.
"Listen. If you ever feel overwhelmed and you just need to talk to someone, you can always, always just give me a call. I'll be there to listen" Nigel offered.
"Thanks Nigel. You're such a good friend" said Rachel as she gave Nigel a hug.
The hug only lasted a minute, but soon their lips started moving closer to each-other and as soon as they realized this they broke up the hug, leaving the two friends blushing, and avoiding eye-contact. They both knew that hug meant more than two friends comforting each-other, a lot more, but neither of them was willing to admit it.
"Um…anyway, we're just about there. Why don't you go wake up Kuki?" asked Rachel, breaking the awkward silence between them.
"Good idea" agreed Nigel as he went to the back of the shuttlecraft.
'What almost happened, just now?' Rachel asked to herself as she looked upon their destination: Wana-wana Island!
To Be Continued!
Next Chapter: As if dealing with an investigation and mischievous locals weren't enough, what about the consequences of not understanding the culture on an island where the legal marriage age is ten?!
Find out Next Chapter!