I've been in the mood to write something dark, forgive me lol. Umm, just something I've been thinking about and pulled together. Special thanks to all those on the KND discord server! I'd name you all but that might take awhile lol. I'll write something light with them I promise or if you want to see more let me know?

Happy reading!

Rachel

Nigel Uno was curled up in a ball hiding away from the rest of the world. Or rather he was hiding from Earth and the galactic kids next door. Rachel McKenzie could barely make out his silhouetted form in the distance. Three moons in the sky and setting sun indicated she was far far away from where she was supposed to be. Somehow they were lucky to land on a planet that could support human needs.

She wiped a stray hair that fell out of her ponytail watching him before deciding he wasn't a threat.

Yet anyway.

He still wasn't moving as Rachel grew closer and closer to him. Her days as a spy coming back to her as naturally as it was to have a rainbow monkey to sleep with. She didn't come looking for him, seeing him was a sense of relief.

"Nigel," she said her voice soft.

His head jerked up and glasses askew on his face. Around him the shadows from his small campfire shifted.

She had heard of his exploits from betraying both the galactic kids next door and the kids next door. How he had ran after exposing them for exactly what they really were. She wasn't sure if the GKND's leader, Numbuh Aleph Zero, was injured or dead in the last communications call. She had no idea how he had done it, only that everyone on that base pretty much peed their pants at the sight of numbuh 1.

Well the former numbuh 1 according to reports.

Her brown eyes concerned moving closer to him.

The shadows once again shifted and the flames in the hearth grew taller than her waist.

"Soldier…"

"Don't- don't call me that. I already been called Father two, the dark one, I can only imagine what they're calling me now. I'm a failure and disgrace and should have team up with Father or should I call him Uncle Ben. After all I'm just as just bad as him."

Before she could protest or even ask what that meant, flames burst from him causing a ring of weak fire to circle them. She whirled around watching it in awe rather than fear. Shadows danced around them including her own to form his suit.

Okay maybe she was a little scared when she peered back at Nigel. Her friend, her comrade, the boy who helped her when her parents divorced, her best operative was… Wellll…. Her mouth dropped open and swallowed back a gasp.

His once azure blue eyes were yellow.

The shadows melded together forming a skintight suit, like a second skin. His stance not as confident as it used to be, now a little unsteady.

"N… Nigel…"

Her voice trailed off to see it was still the same boy in front of her. That once crazed look in his eye almost calm looking. His adams apple bobbed in his throat as she took a step closer to him.

"You're not running. Everyone else did."

Then she paused as she steadied herself and reached a hand out for him to take.

"You probably should."

Her gaze meet his golden ones not showing fear. Instead, she was feeling bold her hand still stretched out for him. Her arm starting to get tired before he had touched her hand. His hand felt warm but didn't burn her. Yet, she thought, and shook her head. He wouldn't do that at least not on purpose.

"How… How did this happen? What happened to the Nigel Uno I knew and lov- am friends with," she said coughing as she caught herself. That crush was kept a secret. If anything, she hoped, the blush on her cheek was just from the rising heat around them. Man, she wished that she had a fan.

Nigel didn't even look at her turning his head and put his hand on a nearby tree.

She gulped when she saw that it was ashes in less than 3 minutes.

"I don't know," he said his voice barely above a whisper. "They used me. They wanted me to blow up earth and…"

He balled his hands into a fist and punched a nearby tree. She winced that it must have hurt but that didn't even seem to phase him.

"I couldn't stop it! I saw what I did and couldn't stop. I thought maybe this is a simulation and Veego was going to show up. I was going to rip Chester's Happy Headband off and everything was going to go back to normal. That I was going to be… Something that's not this. Hoagie, Wally and Kuki have blood on their hands cleaning up after my mess. I betrayed my parents and Abby. I bet now she really wishes she didn't hack my scores."

Rachel stood motionless trying to keep up with his story. Although this cleared nothing up and she was confused.

"What about Numbuh Aleph Zero?"

She had heard about his confrontation with the GKND supreme leader. Just stuff in passing as she spied along inside the GKND base. She had managed to pry Cree and some of the teens free before... Well before she had to make a crazy plan worthy of Dr. Time Space once she was caught. She had thankfully lost them in the asteroid belt.

That's how she crash landed on this desolate planet finding him.

"He's dead. When I activated this supposed gift."

His voice dripping with sarcasm as he mockingly drew the word gift out. She supposed that's what grandfather would call it.

"I used it to hurt him for using me and I was out of control. I could hear my uncle or my ancestors cheering me on as if I chose to become one of them. I bet Father is so proud and wishes he could have turned me earlier. He would have had his own little prize and spy. Who knows maybe I would have gotten a cake on my birthday?"

Then he whirled around on his heel and stepped closer to her. As if she was intimidated and stood where she stood without a flinch.

"Nigel," she said her voice hard but not uncaring. "Stop thinking like this. You're better than that! You're so much better than that. Yes, somehow this happened." She gestured to his suit. "You just figured out that you were being used. You were…"

"Manipulated? I was feeling a lot of things in that moment Rachel. You don't get it! You don't get it! You don't see this legacy that I have from my side. I could either be just as great as my dad or evil like the rest of them. I don't have a choice. You know just how bad grandfather was and he's my real grandfather."

"Yes, you do!" she snapped as he briefly faltered at the harshness in her voice. "Your dad would have understood, Abby and you friends would have understood. I understand. We're standing here and talking about it. Don't you feel a little better?"

"Not by much," he said sardonically. "I can't go back to earth not now ever. That's why you're here aren't you? This isn't finished. I must stay out. Look at earth they wouldn't want me. I'm the one that caused this all out war between the GKND and the KND. I'm best staying here and away."

"Nigel, I'm not bringing you back," she said taking a deep sigh. "I just want to talk."

She failed to tell him that she didn't actually have a way back. She was stuck here just as much as he was. Although she supposed Nigel had something around here that got him there.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm not on the kids next doors side anymore. I'm not on the galactic kids next doors side anymore. I'm an enemy, I might as well be calling Mr. Boss my peer! Who knows I might even go back and take over the world like Grandfather. Did you know the galactic kids next door didn't even know about him? I could surprise everyone."

"Nigel."

"They knew about me. The kids next door is part of my past now."

Rachel saw the flames grow as she blanched hearing him say that. The humidity in the air making her slip off her black body suit and into her cyan shirt with the purple butterflies on it and the shorts she wore underneath.

He stopped and straightened himself out. Then his attention turned back to her from his rant while intensity cracked in the air. His voice turned dark and deep before announcing.

"You're not going anywhere, that's a promise."

Wha? He stepped closer to her radiating energy and heat. She used to be taller than him, now he slightly towered over her having hit a growth spurt in space. The now thirteen-year-olds stood face to face with the top of her head reaching the tip of his nose.

"Nigel please just listen…"

Both of his hands had a grip on her upper arms holding her in place. Whatever power he had kept her body feeling rigid. A tendril of his suit underneath her chin forcing her to look at him.

"No, I'm done! From now on your my prisoner and you listen to me. No one is going to know about this and you're not going to tell them. As I said you're not going anywhere."

Content with his plans and keeping her with him at all times, pulled her closer to him. Fire fanned out around them as a smirk graced his face. Before she could think to do something, like spit on his face, he leaned into her. His lips pressed against hers. It was something she always wanted and now she hated herself for getting so worked up over it. Why was he…

That was all it took for her to feel the flames and heat (literally) run through her. She could feel her blood simmering underneath her skin. Rachel panted gasping for a breath, her world spinning. A burning sensation ran down her spine. She felt herself be lowered until she felt consciousness fade keenly aware that she was still alive. Then she saw black.

Nigel

Shakily he watched as Rachel crumbled in a heap at his feet. Taking a breath, he suspended the flames around them. He had lots of practice being on this planet for at least a week. Nigel clenched his hand feeling powerful.

The triple moons in the distance illuminated his shadowed form. Nigel stood in the darkness above her unconscious body. Satisfied with what he had done, he took his place next to her on the ground crossing his legs.

"It's just you and me now Rachel. You, me, and the flames."

That sounded so not like him as he knew his voice was deeper than usual, which he still wasn't used to. He knew what he did and let out a small, undignified snort, as he chuckled. He covered his laugh up before remembering that nobody would hear him. Eventually it surged into this uncontrollable almost maniacal laugh. He felt his chest tighten as he continued to just laugh and laugh.