Note: This chapter is named after Warren Wiebe's ballad "Human Touch". I listened to it quite a lot while writing this chapter and I think it suites the chapters theme/mood very well.
Transmission 51: Human Touch
Numbuh Gamma's words have left a deep impression on everyone who heard it. They now live with the knowledge that the KND they had served all those years was merely a branch of a much bigger, universe wide organization that has manipulated the events behind the scenes. The members of Sector V have split up, each trying to deal with both the fact Father Delightfulized the Earth and Numbuh Gamma's revelation in their own way.
Up in the Saucer, standing on the same observation deck she stood 3 years ago, is Kuki. She gazes wistfully into the cold space and leans against the railing, the events of the day weighing heavily on her mind. "Mushi…I'm sorry we couldn't stop Father…" she sighs and presses her head against her arms. "I'm still so useless…" she mutters but then, she hears footsteps coming from the hallway behind her but to Kuki's surprise, they're not coming from the person she expected.
"Eh?"
"Yo. I thought I'd find you here." The Kid greets her but Kuki turns her sad gaze back towards the window.
"Oh, hi…"
"Mind if I join you?"
"…I don't mind…" Kuki replies silently as The Kid walks over to the railing and leans his back against it.
"Man, it's been one heck of a day…first we take out those Splinter Cell punks and then Father takes over the world."
"…" Kuki doesn't reply and continues to stare out of the window.
"Not gonna lie, I never thought we'd be working with an alien when I started running with the TND."
"…yeah…me neither…" the conversation drops off and The Kid eyes the Japanese girl next to him. For a few minutes, neither says anything until The Kid tries to converse with Kuki again.
"Was that girl on the screen your sister?"
"She's…my little sister, Mushi…"
"Hmm…I get how ya feel. I've got 6 younger cousins and I bet all of them got brain washed too…"
"It's unforgivable…Farther doesn't care how many people he hurts…like he did to Wally…" The Kid adjusts his glasses and looks at Kuki.
"Oh, so that's why he got so pissed about your friend getting tortured?"
"Father made Nigel torture Wally in a dungeon…that's how he got that scar…" Kuki tightens her grip on her shoulders as The Kid looks up at the ceiling.
"Damn…that's messed up…"
"I hate Father for hurting him and everyone else…" Kuki's words cause The Kid to smirk as he takes off his aviators.
"Heh, you really care about that guy a lot, don't ya?"
"He's my bestest friend…of course I do…"
"You know that's not true. When are ya gonna be honest?"
"Huh?! What do you mean?!" Kuki glares at The Kid, who continues to smirk.
"Hah-hah…man, I really don't have a chance do I…"
"Hey, you're not making any sense! Honestly, you're worse than Wally sometimes!"
"I'll take that as a compliment, Kuki." The Kid replies and turns to face an agitated and confused Kuki. "You're the most amazing girl I've met, you know that? I admit I got a totally different impression of ya when we met, but you proved me wrong."
"Eh?! Tha…thanks…I guess…" Kuki's face turns red while The Kid looks into her eyes.
However, unknown to either of them, Wally is wandering through the hallway that goes past the observation deck.
"Stupid space-KND-whatever they are…what the crud have we been doin' all this time?" he thinks as he stomps along the hallway, which he has been walking for the past hour. Then, he notices a familiar door and remembers that it's the guest room Kuki and Abby used 3 years ago.
"Hey, I remember this place!" he approaches the observation deck located just past the door but as he is about to round the corner, Wally sees The Kid talking with a blushing Kuki, and for a split second, he thinks about stepping between them but he can't bear to intervene, despite a voice in his head telling him to do so. "Crud…what heck are they talkin' about…" Wally thinks as he hides behind the corner and eavesdrops on their conversation.
"Back when we met, I guess I fell for ya right there."
"Fe…fell?! I…" Kuki's mind can't handle the implication as The Kid continues.
"You just sorta caught my eye and I couldn't take them off of ya since then. But the more I think about it…that whole thing was one-sided from the start. Miss Commander was right when she said I was out of my league but I was too damn stubborn to admit it." The smile fades from The Kid's face as he steps closer towards a flustered Kuki. "You get what I mean?" his sharp eyes pierce Kuki, but she can't form an answer.
"I…I didn't…know…"
"Of course, you didn't. But I'm not angry or blaming you about it. I'm just…disappointed at myself for trying to win an unwinnable fight, that's all. But the bottom line is, I like you, Kuki." The Kid's confession causes Kuki to freeze from shock while Wally is equally stunned.
"You what?!" Wally peeks from around the corner and can see Kuki standing before The Kid, unable to say anything. Then, to their surprise, The Kid takes a deep breath and stretches his arms.
"Haah, man, that felt good. Ya have no idea how long I've wanted to get that off my chest." he smiles and leans against the railing once more while Kuki stares at him.
"Why are you…telling me this now…"
"Because we don't know what's gonna happen, so I don't wanna have any regrets."
"I…Kid…I…don't…I don't know what to say…I…"
"Ya don't have to say it, cuz I know your answer." Then, without warning, The Kid moves close to Kuki and kisses her on the cheek, stunning her and Wally, who starts to fume. "With this, I can move on without any regrets. But I hope we can still be friends." The Kid then turns his back on Kuki, who covers her face. "Now that I've been honest, you better be honest too. You know what I mean. See ya around." The Kid doesn't look back and waves at Kuki before walking away, as she goes down on her knees and starts to weep.
Then, as The Kid goes around the corner, he can see a shaking Wally standing before him. "Oh, so you were spying on us, huh? Heh, I thought so." The Kid eyes at the speechless Wally, who would want nothing but to punch him in the face, but instead, he remains still. "Hmph." The Kid huffs and walks past Wally, but as he does so, he puts his hand on the Australians shoulder. "The ball's in your court now, Beetles. You know what you gotta do. Cause if you don't, I might change my mind."
"Ghh…" Wally grits his teeth as his entire body tenses up.
"She's a one in million, hombre. You make sure you cherish her, got it?" The Kid whispers and walks away, leaving Wally behind. As he watches the pilot leave, Wally clenches his fists in frustration.
"I know that…" he mutters and then, sneaks towards the corner and peeks around it. He can see Kuki, still on her knees, weeping silently. "Aw crud…" Wally bites his lip as he is reminded how many times he had tried to confess in the past, but never succeeded but now, he has to do something, as it might be his last chance. Wally takes a deep breath and slowly walks to the observation deck. "Uhm…Ku…ki?"
"…huh…Eh?! Wally?!" Kuki jumps up and frantically wipes her eyes against her blouse sleeves. "Wha…what are you doing here?!" she asks with a raspy voice as Wally scratches the back of his head.
"Uh…I just wandered here…uhm…I can…leave ya alone too if ya want…"
"NO!" Kuki shouts, startling Wally. "No…stay here…okay?"
"Yeah…sure…" Wally replies and leans against the railing with his arms while Kuki does the same. Then, an awkward silence falls on the deck as neither is able to speak up. "Come on Beetles, say something! Gah, why'd he have to put me on the spot like that?!" Wally curses The Kid and takes a glance at Kuki, who's eyes are covered by her black hair. "Ah crud…there's no way I can say it…she'll just misunderstand it or something…like always…"
"Wally?"
"Whu…what's up?!" Wally stuttering reply causes Kuki to giggle a bit but then, her expression becomes sad.
"The Kid was here…just a few minutes ago…"
"He was? What the crud did he want?!" Wally lies, as he can't admit he was eavesdropping on them the whole time.
"He…he told me something and now…I don't know what to think…" Kuki says with a shaky voice and stares through the window.
"Uhm…what did he say? Wait, no, ya don't have to tell me!"
"No…it's fine…he said…he said he liked me…"
"He what?! Wait…you mean like…'like' like?" Wally tries to pretend he didn't hear the confession as Kuki lowers her head.
"I…I've never been confessed to and it…made me feel so happy…"
"Dammit…" Wally's heart starts to sink as Kuki continues.
"But…I…I couldn't give him an answer…Even though I'm so…glad he felt that way I…couldn't say I didn't feel the same way…I hurt him, I could tell from the way he said it…" Kuki's voice starts shake even more and her lips quiver while Wally stares blankly at her. "What should I do?! I…I'm such an idiot for not noticing it earlier…" her sad expression makes it impossible for Wally to pretend not to hear and looks away.
"…uhm…sorry…but I kinda…heard the whole thing…" he mutters, startling Kuki.
"Eh?! Wally! Why did you lie to me?! Argh, now you've made me feel like a bigger idiot!"
"Cuz I didn't know what else to say!" Wally shouts back at Kuki, who presses her head against her arms and leans on the railing.
"You jerk…why can't you be honest with me…"
"Honest?! I was cruddy honest about the spying!"
"…forget what I said…" Kuki pouts and looks dejectedly away from Wally, which only agitates him more.
"Gah, why the crud are ya getting angry at me?! It's not like I could answer your stupid question anyway!"
"Why not?!" Kuki snaps at Wally, who's face turns red.
"Because no one's, ever…confessed to me either…not that anyone would like a delinquent loser like me…" As soon as Wally finishes his sentence, he realizes that his last comment went too far, as Kuki's eyes begin filling with tears once more.
"Don't say that!" she screams as Wally looks away. "Why do you always have to say things like that about yourself?! You're not a loser! You're…my…my…" Kuki's voice fades as she covers her face while Wally mentally kicks himself.
"Great job, ya idiot!"
"You're the worst! Why can't you think about how I feel for a change, huh?!" Kuki screams teary eyed at Wally, who looks at the floor. "I can't stand it when you say things about yourself that aren't true!"
"It is true! All I've ever been good for is beating up others! That's what I did for 3 years! No matter how hard I try, I can't get away from that crap!" Wally lashes at Kuki, who stands her ground.
"That's not true! You're a kind, brave person! You care about others and protect everyone when they're in trouble!"
"No, I'm cruddy not!" Wally stomps the floor and stares at Kuki, who notices faint tears forming in his emerald eyes as well. "I wasn't there when ya needed me the most! It's my cruddy fault ya got those scars in the first place!" Kuki grabs her wrists and shakes her head furiously.
"You're wrong! You didn't make these! I did them myself! You had nothing to do with it so it's not your fault!" But now Wally shakes his head and looks away.
"Yes, it is my fault! Because I wasn't there to protect you from those damn bullies! I was too busy beating the crud out of people in the Bully Fighting Ring for lunch money!" Wally's guilt begins to overflow as he hits the railing while Kuki stares at him, shocked by how guilty he feels about the past 3 years. "I just turned my back on everyone and ignored you! I didn't know ya were bullied that whole time! So yeah, I am a delinquent loser who couldn't even protect the girl I like!" As the words escape his lips, Kuki freezes again and covers her mouth while Wally grips the railing in frustration. "That's right, I said it! I, Wallabee Beetles, like you, Kuki Sanban! Ya have no idea how many times I tried to tell ya back in elementary school! I didn't have the guts to go through with it, but now I finally said it! Was that honest enough for ya?!" Wally pants and stares at Kuki, who takes a step back, her brown eyes staring blankly at him. "…huh…did I just…" As Wally realizes what he just said, Kuki starts to cry loudly and runs against Wally, pressing her face against his shoulder.
"Baka!" she screams in Japanese as Wally doesn't understand what is happening.
"Huh? Speak English!"
"I said you're stupid! A dummy! A big idiot! A dummyhead!"
"Why the crud am I stupid?"
"Because you are!" Kuki replies and continues to cry against Wally's shoulder. Then, he hesitantly puts his left hand on her head and his right on her back and hugs Kuki gently.
"Uhm…sorry…I didn't mean to say it like that…I just…I screwed up so many times before I…it just…slipped out…"
"It's okay, silly…I…I'm so happy you said it…I've been waiting so long…"
"Waiting? Wait, what?! Ya mean you…like me…back…?" Kuki then looks directly into Wally's eyes and nods.
"Of course, silly!" Kuki's warm smile causes Wally's face to turn red as he connects the dots.
"Wha…really?! I…thought it was just me…" As he looks into Kuki's brown eyes, Wally starts to remember moments where she had hinted at her feelings but he hadn't noticed, while Kuki remembers all the times Wally tried to confess, but always chickened out. Then, she moves her head closer to his, puts her right hand gently against his scarred left cheek and looks deeply into his emerald eyes.
"I'll say it clearly too…I like you, Wally." Kuki says and kisses Wally on the lips, causing his mind to go completely blank. Even though he feels happy beyond belief, he can't quite comprehend what is happening. It's something he had been dreaming about ever since he was a kid but now, he is kissing Kuki and he can't move a muscle. Kuki then stops and leans her head against his shoulder once again as Wally starts hugging her tightly, feeling like he could never let go of Kuki, the girl he fell in love with, so many years ago. As they stay still in total silence, the only thing hear, are their hearts beating as one.
A good while later, Wally lets go of Kuki and leans against the railing. She then comes to his side and holds his right hand. While Kuki has a warm, wide smile on her face, Wally looks like he'd been hit in the head with a sledgehammer. "Wally?"
"…huh?"
"When did you…start liking me?"
"Uhm…I don't cruddy remember…2nd grade or something…that's when ya joined Sector V…I think…" Wally says with a dry voice and continues to stare at the window while Kuki moves closer.
"Oh...well, for me...it was in 3rd grade…when I saw you fend off those 5th grade bullies from the cafeteria…I thought you were really brave for standing up to the older kids."
"Heh…and I stole their lunch money after that…me and Hoagie spent it all on Yipper Cards and he scammed all the good ones from me…"
"*giggle* That's just like you." Kuki then leans against Wally's right shoulder and grips his hand. "Wally, remember what you promised to me when Maurice…left…"
"Yeah…what about it?"
"Can you…promise me again? That you won't leave me…"
"Of course! I never go back on my word!" Wally nods vehemently, causing Kuki to lean on him more.
"Thanks Wally…I want to be with you forever…okay?"
"Fo…forever?! Uhm…sure…I guess…" Then, Wally straightens himself and turns to face Kuki. "Then…uhm can ya do something for me too?"
"Of course!" Kuki replies cheerfully as Wally fidgets and then, puts his hand on the four-leaf clover necklace around his neck.
"Uhm…take this! It's my mom's…she gave it to me back in March…I uh…want you to have it…for good luck…" Wally hands the necklace to an equally touched and surprised Kuki, who takes it and cradles it in her hand.
"Eh? Are you sure? Doesn't your mom want it back?"
"I figured it's safer with you…and uh…now ya have something to remind you of me when…I'm not around, you know…" Wally stutters as Kuki closes her fingers around the necklace and jumps into his arms.
"Thank you, Wally! I swear I'll keep it safe!"
"Tha…thanks…Kuki…" Wally replies as they hug each other once more.
…
Meanwhile, in the Moonbase's lower levels, Abby is wandering aimlessly though the empty corridors. Her mind is in shambles, and she can't even think straight. No matter how hard she tries to push down the feeling, the anger she felt towards herself has once again lifted its ugly head. Father had thoroughly defeated the TND and destroyed the KND, leaving just the remnants, now trapped inside a damaged Moonbase. Making things worse is her newfound knowledge of the Galactic Kids Next Door, who were behind everything this whole time. Abby stops and looks around as she remembers how she used to walk through these same halls with pride. Now, she can't even hold her head up. In her mind, she failed again. She couldn't save Charles and she nearly lost Nigel to his Silhouette Suit. Then, she remembers how Hoagie acted since she came back and clenches her fist.
"Ya can't let this go on anymore, girl. Ya have to set things straight with him…even if he hates ya…" she thinks and for the next hour, she runs all over the Moonbase, looking for Hoagie. But no one seems to know where he's gone. Then, Abby arrives to the 57th floor, the location of both the KND Space Fleet Academy, where new cadets where forged into expert spacefarers, and the main hangar, which is under intensive repairs, due to the battle damage sustained when the TND attacked.
"Hmm? Numbuh 5?" Abby hears a familiar voice and sees Kimberley hanging on the ceiling, wearing a harness, and holding a 2x4 welding torch.
"Heh, looks like you got your hands full there."
"I'm doing all I can…that's the only way I can keep going…" Kimberley replies as Abby is reminded of what happened to Charles.
"Hey…I'm sorry for what happened back there…Numbuh 5 should've done better…"
"Don't blame yourself…he wouldn't have wanted that…" Kimberley replies but doesn't look down at Abby.
"But I…"
"No, don't. We owe it to him and everyone else who got Delightfulized to keep moving forward. If we give up here, who's going to stop Father?"
"Yeah…you're right…Numbuh 5 just…I've lost so much already I don't know if I can move forward…"
"We all have…" Kimberley lowers herself down to the floor and looks Abby in the eye. "I'm regretting a lot of things I did or didn't do, but I won't let them bring me down. And you shouldn't let it either. You can still set things straight." seeing her attempting to smile, Abby lowers her cap slightly and then gives Kimberley a short hug.
"You're way tougher than Numbuh 5 could ever be…but thanks…I guess needed that…"
"No problem. And if you're looking for Numbuh 2, he's locked himself in the Zero Gravity Training Sphere."
"Huh?! How'd ya…?"
"Heh, your face told the whole story, Numbuh 5. Here, take this key-card. I bet Numbuh 2 just hacked the lock, so you should be able to go in without a problem with this." Kimberley hands Abby the card and lifts herself back up to the ceiling as Abby sighs and leaves.
"At least you can be with the person you like…unlike me…"
Leaving the hangar section behind, Abby makes her way to the massive Zero Gravity Training Sphere, which was used to prepare all KND operatives for space missions, but it was mostly used to goof around. Abby stops in-front of the reinforced, yellow and black striped door and swipes the card on the reader, causing it to slowly open.
Inside the sphere, Hoagie is floating in the weightless void with his eyes closed. It's like his world has collapsed from right below him. Not only had he and his teammates been just chess pieces for the GKND this whole time, Father defeated the TND and Delightfulized everyone under 13, including Tommy. Seeing him among the Delightfulized people chasing Ted and the others has left Hoagie in complete despair. The actions of the Splinter Cell are also haunting him.
The hate in their eyes and their fanaticism reminds him of his time as the Cheese Shogun. Back then, he only cared about maintaining his control and oppressing the weak. No matter how he looks at it, he saw a reflection of himself in the Splinter Cell. Just like how he and his team, the Splinter Cell's members were also victims, who turned their pain and anger into hate and then forced their suffering on others. "I was just like them…" he thinks as he slowly floats around the sphere.
"Numbuh 2?" Suddenly, Hoagie is snapped back into reality by a familiar voice, causing him to nearly spin uncontrollably.
"Huh, what?! Oh…hi Numbuh 5…" Hoagie frowns as Abby approaches him.
"Have you been hidin' here this whole time?"
"Sorry…I'm not in the mood to talk…just leave me alone." Hoagie replies and turns his back on Abby, who sighs and floats behind him.
"Numbuh 5 was just lookin' for you, that's all."
"Well, you found me, so go away."
"Nope. Numbuh 5's gonna stay right here." Abby replies bluntly, ignoring Hoagie's reply. Then, both teens float inside the sphere in silence, with neither saying a word. However, Hoagie starts getting frustrated by Abby's seemingly careless attitude.
"I didn't ask for company!"
"And Numbuh 5 didn't ask yo permission." Abby's quickfire reply to Hoagie only angers him even more.
"Will you drop the act already?! Can't you see I'm trying to…"
"Tryin' what? Feel sorry for yoself?" Abby glances at Hoagie, who starts to hesitate.
"…just leave me alone…I can't deal with you or anyone else right now…" Hoagie grumbles and flies down towards the exit, but when he tries to open it, the heavy door doesn't budge. "Huh?! Hey, it's not opening?!"
"Yup, Numbuh 5 knows that." Abby replies casually.
"If this is one of your jokes, it's not funny!" Hoagie shouts and tries to hack the lock with his 2x4 scanner but it's not working either.
"Don't even try it, Goggleboy. The only way ya can open that door is with this card. Numbuh 5 did some re-wiring, so you ain't leavin' here, without my permission."
"You can't be serious! Gah…why do you always have to mess with me like this?!"
"Oh, Numbuh 5 ain't messin' with ya. I just thought we could have a nice talk. Or do ya wanna take the card by force?" Abby waves the card and then puts it inside her blue and white shirt, causing Hoagie's face to turn red.
"Hey, that's not fair!"
"Who said life was fair, Numbuh 2?" Abby smirks and puts her hands behind her head as Hoagie clenches his fists.
"…just…let me go…I wanna be alone…"
"No. You're gonna drive yoself crazy if ya keep everythin' to yourself!"
"…how…did you…?"
"Cuz Numbuh 5's been through that already. I kept thinking I gotta do everything by myself and that's why I snapped, remember?" Abby approaches Hoagie and puts her hands on his shoulders. Hoagie however is immediately reminded by what she said to him in the cell and pushes her aside. "Hoagie?!"
"I can't just move on from it…I always thought you were cool…someone I could never be…but then you said that crap! You can't expect me to just let it go when you came back!" Hoagie glares angrily at Abby, who lowers her head.
"Numbuh 5 knows what she said…and I wanna take it back…"
"Just…answer me…did you think of us as just…"
"NO! You guys, are my friends!"
"Then why did you say that?! That you didn't need our help…or friendship…" Hoagie's voice starts to tremble as Abby removes her hat and squeezes it.
"Cuz Numbuh 5…Abby was scared! I lost Cree and Maurice already! I didn't wanna lose ya too!" she screams as Hoagie who grits his teeth and glares at Abby again.
"You lost Maurice?! I lost him too! He was right there, and I couldn't save him! You're not the only one who feels guilty about it! I couldn't apologize to him about being a jerk towards him and now I'll never be able to! Ever since then…every time I saw you…it reminded me of my own failure! I hate myself for even thinking like that! But you then said those things and just left…and I thought you abandoned us…and now Father's taken over the world, Delightfulized everyone and then I find out we've just been puppets in some space KND's scheme! How do you think I feel after all that?!" Hoagie shouts and before Abby can answer, he flies away using his J.E.T.A.B.O.O.T.S.
"Hoagie!" Abby shouts but he ignores her words and flies to the large window opposite to the door. Abby then looks at her hat and realizes just how much in pain Hoagie has been all this time. Even though he hadn't shown it, the death of Maurice has left him deeply scarred, more than she had ever thought. Then, Abby takes a deep breath and flies after him. As she gets closer, she let's go of her hat and hugs Hoagie from behind, but he doesn't make a sound. "I'm sorry Hoagie…for only thinkin' about myself this whole time…" As her arms wrap tightly around his chest, Hoagie's eyes start to tear up.
"Ever since we…were framed…I've felt nothing but…regret…I couldn't say what I wanted back then, and I couldn't apologize to Maurice either…it hurts…so much…"
"Abby's hurtin' too…I couldn't tell Maurice…" her words cause Hoagie to feel even worse.
"…you liked him a lot, right?"
"Of course…he was…Abby's first crush…but that's changed now…I found someone else…"
"…who?" Hoagie's heart starts to beat fast as Abby squeezes him harder.
"Abby didn't realize it first…but there was this really great guy right here, all this time…" Abby lets go of a stunned Hoagie, who slowly turns around and sees her smiling gently at him. Unable to say anything, Hoagie simply stares blankly at Abby as she removes his goggles and beanie before hugging him again. "Who do ya think it is?" she whispers into his ear, causing Hoagie's blue eyes to widen and then, they start filling with tears.
"No way…you…really…why?"
"Cuz you're Abby's type, dummy. Even though your jokes suck, ya eat like a pig, ya have terrible fashion sense and ya say stupid stuff all the time, you're still the only guy for Abby."
"How's that supposed to make me feel?" Hoagie says with a shaky voice as Abby looks at him with her brown eyes.
"You figure it out." Then, the regret he had been keeping inside him all these years finally boils over and in an instant, the teary-eyed Hoagie kisses Abby on the lips. At first, she is surprised but then, she closes her eyes as they float inside the sphere.
"I…wanted say this you to years ago but…I like you, Abby…"
"Abby likes ya too, Hoagie."
...
The frantic effort to repair the Moonbase continues. However, the survivors must also deal with the Splinter Cell loyalists, some of whom refuse to accept that they have lost and have barricaded themselves into the deeper parts of the Moonbase to evade capture. Leading the mopping up operations are Patton and Fanny, who have already captured most of the loyalists and are now simply overseeing the Combat Force as they transfer the prisoners to the cell block. "Argh, these stupid idiots just don't know when to quit! Can't they see we've got bigger things to worry about?"
"Not gonna happen. They're way too loyal to their 'cause'. It's the only thing they've got left."
"I don't care what their stupid reasons are! I just wanna get this over with already. I'm tired!" Fanny complains and leans against the corridor wall while Patton chuckles.
"Hah, you never get tired of complaining, do ya?"
"Huh?! Ya got somethin' to say?!" Fanny glares at Patton, who smirks back.
"Nah, I'm just glad you're here, on our side. I kinda missed your cranky voice." Patton's reply causes Fanny to look away.
"Gah, shut up…" she snaps at Patton, who shrugs and sits down next to a car that's sticking out of the wall.
"…you know, I hated you so much for selling us out 2 months ago." Patton says but Fanny doesn't reply as she is reminded of the events of late March. "I just couldn't believe it. I mean, Rachel wanted to capture Sector V as much as you did, but when they escaped, she changed her mind. Why didn't you agree with her back then?"
"…'cause I was stupid and still believed that they betrayed us…" Fanny mutters and turns her back on Patton, who puts his hands behind his head and leans back.
"The Splinter Cell…or the GKND or whatever screwed over us all…but still…"
"…why the heck do ya have to bring that up?!"
"Because I want to know why you did it. Did you do it because you…"
"SHUT UP!" Fanny shouts at Patton and he can see the shame and frustration in her eyes. "I don't wanna talk about it!"
"But I do! You know we both forgave you, but I still want to know why you sold us out?! Why didn't you believe Rachel when she suggested Sector V was innocent?!" Patton jumps and stares down at Fanny, who clenches her fists.
"…because I couldn't forgive 'em…for making us suffer for 3 years…you think I enjoyed fighting against them?!" Fanny turns around and stares furiously at Patton. "Because of what happened 3 years ago, we were forced to hunt down our friends!"
"No, you did it because of Rachel."
"…"
"You saw how much she was suffering and that's why you were so fanatic about capturing them. You think I didn't notice how it ate you two? That's why I became a Hunter. To watch over you two." Patton says sternly, causing Fanny to take a step back.
"You…did it for us?"
"Yeah. Honestly, I wasn't as fanatic about catching them like you two were. But I know now, and that's why you refused to follow Numbuh 78's orders, right?"
"I…didn't want to lose you too…that's why I did it…" she mutters and looks at the floor. "I let that fat loser and Numbuh 20.000 talk me over and spy on you and Rachel…I thought if we caught Nigel, we could end everything…"
"Yeah, I thought so. I was so angry when you sold us out to Numbuh 1000, but then he chipped you and it changed my mind." Patton clenches his fist while Fanny looks at him from under her red bangs.
"…you mean what Rachel said was true?"
"That's right. When I heard you got chipped, the only thought in my mind was to free you. Rachel wanted it too. And I'm glad I succeeded in that. It wasn't the same without you."
"…right…thanks…" Fanny turns her back on Patton again, to hide her reddened face.
"No problem, I know you'd do the same for me, right?"
"O…of course I would! What kinda friend do ya think I am, huh?!"
"Hah-hah-hah! Man, that's the first time you've called me a friend! Did I finally get promoted from 'stupid boy'?"
"Gah, you're way more stupid than ya were 3 years ago!" Fanny shouts over her shoulder as Patton continues to laugh. "Will ya stop laughing already, ya donkey?!"
"Oh no, I'm gonna enjoy every second of this! Hah-hah-hah!" Patton has to lean against the wall to keep himself from collapsing while Fanny keeps her back turned towards him but, under her frizzly, red hair, she has slight smile on her face.
…
Meanwhile, Rachel is walking around the Moonbase, inspecting the ongoing repairs. The atmosphere around her is heavy, not helped by the fact that the KND operatives are still highly suspicious of their new teenage allies, which only makes her more anxious. She has however refused to take command of the KND survivors and has instead given that task to Numbuh 81, who held the highest rank. Now she just walks through the corridors, trying to come up with a way to strike back at Father. "Father isn't going to let us hide in here forever…but we can't do anything until we get the computer systems back online. Argh, I'm such an idiot for believing Father wouldn't do something like this…" she laments as she boards an elevator, which takes her down to the lower levels. Then, she thinks back to what Numbuh Gamma told them and it only makes her more frustrated.
As she continues her inspection, standing on another observation deck is Nigel. This deck is located right above the golden statue of his father, Numbuh Zero. Staring down at the statue, Nigel frowns as he sits on a bench made of a car's rear seat, removing his green-visored, white framed custom glasses. "I'm sorry Dad…I failed you…I let Father take over the world…" he thinks and glances at the statue once more, it's stern gaze only making him feel worse. Then, he reaches into his hoodie and takes the Book of KND into his hands. "I don't deserve to carry this anymore, Numbuh Zero…" Nigel mutters and opens the book, skimming through it's pages, which are filled with generations worth of knowledge passed down from his predecessors, including his father. But the more he reads it, the more defeated he feels.
When he was younger, Nigel would read through the book multiple times, in awe at the accomplishments of the operatives from the past and had dreamed of being able to do the same. Granted, he had already defeated Grandfather and the Delightful Children by then, but his heart yearned for more. Nigel wanted to be like his father, an operative who could be called a legend and that became his main motivation. He wanted himself and his team to ascend to the same status before they would be Decommissioned, to leave a legacy for their successors to look up to. But the Splinter Cell and Father ruined those plans. After they were framed and forsaken by the KND, Nigel's motivation changed. He became hellbent on finding the ones responsible and was willing to do everything to accomplish it, even serve Father and don the Silhouette Suit. And he thought had succeeded when he met his team again and they agreed to help him find the culprit.
But, Father had him under his thumb the whole time, indirectly. The Silhouette Suit had become a curse, since he gave up on his lust for revenge, Nigel could no longer control it and he became afraid of the consequences. Plagued by his actions during the three years he served Father, he put all his thoughts on the TND and defeating Father and the Splinter Cell. His past caught up however and the nightmare become real when Father nearly killed his team and Nigel lost control, nearly killing Abby and Wally in the process.
Then, he and his friends learned the truth, and it gave him his confidence back. Now he could finally redeem himself and his team, or so he thought. But Father turned the tables just as he had victory within his grasp and now, he has nothing. The KND which he fought to save was no more, the TND had been defeated and all kids Delightfulized. And now he knows that everything that has happened to him since he joined the Kids Next Door, was orchestrated by the GKND. While he was devastated when Numbuh Gamma first told him Lizzie was a spy, now that he knows her true purpose, he realizes he's been a pawn. A pawn who thought he could do anything, but in reality, he was just dancing to the GKND's tune. Everything Nigel had fought to protect, in his past and present, was gone.
"Argh! How could I let this happen?! Now it's too late for anything!" Nigel shouts in anguish and throws the Book of KND over his shoulder. But he doesn't hear it hitting the floor.
"Nigel?!" A startled Rachel asks, holding the book in her hand.
"Huh? Oh, Rachel…sorry…"
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to this! How could throw the Book of KND like it was trash?" Rachel eyes Nigel, who hunches forward and looks away.
"I can't carry it anymore…I'm not worthy…and nothing in it can help us now…" Nigel mutters as Rachel sits down next to him and opens the book herself.
"Don't say that. You're the Keeper of the book."
"No…a failure like me can't be called the Keeper anymore…" Nigel stares at the floor as Rachel turns her gaze towards him.
"A 'failure'? You? What are talking about?"
"I am a failure! I let Father take over the world and destroy the KND right before our eyes! I was so certain we had all the bases covered…I planned for every possibility and still Father got us!" Nigel laments.
"You can't blame yourself for this, Nigel! None of us could've known Father would strike right when we defeated the Splinter Cell!"
"Hah…don't be ridiculous…Father said it himself…it was my fault everything went the way it did…"
"NIGEL!" Rachel shouts and stands up but Nigel refuses to lift his head. "You can't be serious?! I can't believe what you're saying! Do you actually believe the things Father said?! He was trying to get in your head, to lure you back to Mansion!"
"And he almost did!" Nigel shouts back and stands up as well, staring furiously at Rachel. "I tried to force us to attack the Mansion! I was so blinded by revenge I nearly sent us all to certain Delightfulization! And I nearly let the Silhouette Suit to control me again, like a puppet!"
"But all of us are still safe! We can still keep fighting! You can't give up just because Father got one better of us!"
"We can't do anything! Father's taken control the planet! We'll all be Delightfulized the moment we try anything!" Suddenly, Rachel slaps the despairing Nigel so hard he falls on his knees.
"Listen to yourself! That's not the Numbuh 1 I worked with all those years ago! What would your teammates say if they heard you say things like that?!"
"Shu…shut up! All this time, I thought I was someone who could make a difference! Instead…everyone just laid a path for me…and I didn't realize I was being tricked…everything I did for the KND was just so the GKND could recruit me. Lizzie was a spy, and I didn't figure it out!"
"Nigel…"
"I should've figured it out! The hints where right there before me! How she was so obsessed with me, her terrible, disgusting cooking and the way she always tried to interfere with my work. Everything she did was just to test my loyalty…heh…and it worked…I was being lead on by an alien agent…and the worst part…was that I really enjoyed being with her! I was glad somebody felt that way about me…that I was special…but now it just makes angry…angry at myself for believing a word she said." Nigel punches the floor in frustration.
"You're not the only one who feels like that, Nigel. I worked with Numbuh Infinity and 74.239 many times and I didn't know about their true goals either. So I understand how you feel." Rachel tries to calm Nigel down, but he is having none of it.
"No you don't…You have no idea what kind of a burden I have to carry! What I've been through, and I've done! I…I'm the grandson of Grandfather! Now I'm…destined to end up like him and Father…urgh!" Rachel slaps Nigel again with the back of her hand as faint tears start forming in her eyes.
"No, you're not! You're Numbuh 1, son of Numbuh Zero and Keeper of the Book of KND! You're my friend, and I'm not going to just watch as you feel sorry for yourself!" Rachel shouts angrily at Nigel and grips the book in her hands.
"There's nothing you or I can do about it! I failed everyone! I'm not the person you think I am!"
"Then what are you?! Father's puppet?! A boy who got tricked by his ex? Or someone else?!"
"I…I…this argument is pointless…everything is…" Nigel grabs his glasses and turns his back on Rachel, who frowns angrily.
"So that's it?! You're just going to walk and run away?! When did you become such a coward, Nigel Uno?!"
"Coward?!" Nigel looks over his shoulder at Rachel, who opens the book, showing Nigel the words, he wrote on his page: "WE ARE KIDS NEXT DOOR".
"What defeated Grandfather?!" her question confuses Nigel, who turns to face her once more.
"He was Decommissioned!"
"No, hope defeated him! He said it himself! The hope carried in this book was his only weakness! You had that same hope when you used the Moonbase to trap him! When everyone else lost theirs, you didn't!" Rachel's words sting Nigel's wounded heart and clenches his fists.
"That was different…I was a stupid kid who knew nothing!"
"How is that any different from today? Grandfather took over the world and we were trapped in the Moonbase!"
"…"
"And what about everyone else here? They're working hard to repair the Moonbase and the Gihugeacarrier, because they still have hope. Your team feels the same way, and so do I! I refuse to admit defeat, just because Father got the jump on us!" Nigel's body begins to shake as the guilt, shame, frustration begin to boil over and he collapses on his knees, staring at his hands.
"Gh…then what am I supposed to do…I failed already…" Rachel kneels in-front of him and puts her hand on his shoulder.
"You can make things right. Remember, that's what you told me after I realized I'd been the Splinter Cell's puppet." she looks gently into Nigel's eyes and hands him the book. As he holds the book in his hands, Nigel completely breaks down and clutches the book against his chest.
"Ghh…dammit…I'm such a fool…" he begins cry tears of despair as Rachel gives him a tight hug.
"Don't worry…we'll get through this together, all of us." she whispers as Nigel cries against her left shoulder, finally able to let loose the years of pain he had held in his heart.
End of Transmission 51
Note: Ever since I started this project, one of the main things I wanted to write was the confession scene for 3 and 4 as well as 5 and 2. But I had to go through multiple scenarios before I found something that worked. In the original 2016 version, the confessions where supposed to happen after the warehouse fight but that was because the original draft was going to be much shorter.
I would like to once again thank everyone who has read even a single chapter of this fanfic. I'm beyond grateful that you've kept reading this, despite the long chapter count. The reviews have given me more confidence in my writing and it's thanks to them that I've been able to keep going with this project. So, thank you very much.