Alright, since the heroes are pretty much doing nothing right now, how about we see what our big bad, his closest followers and our very confused about which side he's on right now Earthling are up too!
Numbuh 1 couldn't stop himself from punching a wall on his way back to his room.
Usually, he had far better control over his rage and said control had only gotten better after he learned he was related to Father. The last thing he wanted was to get too angry and get the same powers. But his usual method-thinking about people or things that he liked-wasn't really working. After all, the usual people he thought about, Sector V and Numbuh 362, turned out to not agree with his new superiors' plans after all.
He punched the wall again. Just thinking about it was upsetting him again.
"I'd just assumed Rachel was a fluke, but everyone else too?" He'd questioned. But the way everyone talked about him on Nevolla and then how everyone was willing to side with a bunch of adults over him. And then he learned that they'd taken time to go save Cree from Numbuh 11:11. Sure he didn't agree with her methods and honestly found her very creepy, but that didn't change the fact that a teenage traitor who had tried to hurt or capture operatives, himself and his team included, was being welcomed back with open arms while he was being scorned and treated like a monster. But he wasn't a monster! He was just defending kids and the people he was working with had some extreme methods!
"...plans took quite a few setbacks, but that doesn't mean we've lost." A voice declared from a nearby meeting room. Numbuh 1's ears perked up. That was Numbuh Aleph Zero! And from the sound of it, he was having a meeting. Now, Numbuh 1 knew that he most likely shouldn't be listening in, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. Besides, the door was slightly ajar anyways. Poking his head in, Numbuh 1 saw Numbuh Aleph Zero seated at the head of the table. Numbuh 74.239 was seated closest to him. Numbuh XXX and Numbuh 11:11 sat across from each other, the latter subconsciously playing with her mask. Next to Numbuh 11:11 sat Numbuh 55555, a hyena-like alien with a seemingly permanent smile fixed to his face dressed like a circus jester with a black and white striped suit. Also present was Numbuh Blob, who's codenumbuh summed up their body type fairly well-a blue blob of sludge who's only facial features were two googly eyes.
"Yes, but we overestimated the heroes," Numbuh 11:11 sneered, still sore over her loss. "No doubt we should not have revealed the location of the traitor to them in hopes of trapping them."
"Maybe ya also shoulda had some more guards, toots," Numbuh 55555 mocked before breaking down into one of his trademark cackles. Numbuh 11:11 glared at him, but said nothing. "Oh come on! You already know you're not a physical fighter yet you thought you could take them all down alone!? C'mon! I know you were the looks of our little group, but that doesn't change the fact you should know your limits!"
"Shut up!" Numbuh 11:11 snapped as she hurled one of her knives at Numbuh 55555, who responded by pulling Numbuh Blob in front of him to take the impact.
"FOCUS!" Numbuh Aleph Zero roared at his minions, who all pulled away from each other. "Our main focus now should be defeating my brother and his band of morons. If we can defeat them, chances are that we can demoralize the galaxy and make them more willing to submit to our rule. Numbuh XXX, how is upgrading Project Z going?"
"Excellently, my Supreme Leader!" Numbuh XXX eagerly declared as he rubbed his hands together. "Using some more stolen notes from Numbuh 666, I was able to make it so that they could electrify their exoskeletons, as well as absorb any blows they do take from long ranged weapons into themselves. Let's see Numbuh 417 rip them apart now!"
"Perfect…" Numbuh Aleph Zero smirked. In truth, Numbuh 417 was easily the person they'd underestimated the worst. Everyone had assumed that between her war wounds, her age and the daredevil life she led, she would have burned herself out. Yet, she was proving herself to be just as formidable as in her youth, if not more so.
"Aw, stealing stuff from your ex-boyfriend to kill him! How romantic!" Numbuh 55555 piped up again. In truth, Numbuh 666 and Numbuh XXX's former relationship wasn't exactly a secret throughout the Galactic Kids Next Door. Considering the duo's violent hatred for each other as well as their refusal to say anything about the falling out aside from one betraying the other, it was a pretty easy guess to make.
"Thank you for volunteering to go next, Numbuh 55555," Numbuh Aleph Zero said, prompting all eyes to turn to the jester.
"Uh," Numbuh 55555 was not expecting to be put on the spot. Luckily, he wasn't a failure when it happened. "Well, to start with, the amusement park scheme is still pulling in a lot of people! We're taking what we need and then letting 'em rot!"
"Good. I can't bear to think about what would happen if we lost that plot," Numbuh 11:11 declared for the group. The amusement park in question, Craggleaction Park, was the main way the group kept their youth. Sure, they had to resort to some…unsavory methods to get it, but the universe at large deserved it over how they rejected the real Galactic Kids Next Door and sided with a band of traitors.
"Oh, and I've got a couple other ideas on how we can get those suckers too!" Numbuh 55555 revealed as he leaned back in his chair, putting his feet on the table. "First off, there's a certain big event happening on Numbuhs 417 and 666's planet. I think you all know the one." Numbuh 1 admittedly had no idea what they were talking about (no one really let him learn much about the planets he was supposed to be defending), but going off the looks of recognition from the group, it was clearly something they were all familiar with. Numbuh Blob made a series of noises that Numbuh 1 assumed was him trying to speak, but he was never sure.
"You said it Blobby!" Numbuh 55555 declared as he gave his fellow operative a slap on the back, causing the knife to go flying out and embed itself in the table, not that anyone paid it any mind.
"I'll begin work on our vehicles immediately," Numbuh 74.239 declared. "Besides, I think it's high time you enjoy some better tech without someone like Numbuh Moron building it. Actually, Numbuh XXX, why weren't you working on the technology while I was on Earth?"
"While I do dabble in it, my true strengths come in my abilities to enhance someone's body rather than their weapons," Numbuh XXX reminded his fellow mad scientist, who merely nodded.
"Anyways, back to what I was talking about!" Numbuh 55555 piped up, causing everyone to turn back to him. "I was planning to pay a visit to Banto Cight to see if I could win some more funding for us."
"Stealing from adults? Sounds perfect to me," Numbuh Aleph Zero said with an amused nod. Numbuh 1 couldn't help but be amused himself. He then flashed back to a visit to Las Vegas with Sector V, remembering the amount of adults they had scammed or tricked while there. This ended up killing his good mood, as it once again reminded him of the fact he'd be fighting Sector V in the near future.
"Now then, in spite of my…setbacks, I also have quite a few plans in mind," Numbuh 11:11 chimed in, her voice sounding extremely smug and haughty. "While I would love to begin kidnapping relatives of our former friends, I sadly know what will happen if I do." Once again, she began to unconsciously fiddle with her mask. "However, the idea of returning to Earth in order to capture the families of the other humans is a possibility, albeit one I'm not too interested in. I do not want to learn how they could retaliate." Numbuh 1 couldn't help but be relieved by that. He had no real issue with the families of his friends…outside of Mushi, Cree and Mr. Boss, of course.
"Mushi sure is a big argument against the idea that all kids are better than adults," A taunting voice in his head mocked him. Numbuh 1 grit his teeth, but he knew it had a point. And it wasn't just her either. The Delightful Children one could give a pass, considering they were brainwashed into what they did, but people like the Interesting Twins, King Sandy, President Garfield and Anna, Valerie, Ernest, or Margie didn't have that excuse. They would still try to oppress children, in spite of being children themselves. But they were the exception and not the rule. Surely no kid would ever do something as bad as things Father or Grandfather had done, right?
"Understandable," Numbuh Aleph Zero said with a nod, snapping Numbuh 1 back to focus. "Do you have anything else planned?"
"Not at the moment, but to possibly increase our chances of victory in future confrontations, perhaps we should consider the idea of using our foes' past fears against them?" Numbuh 11:11 offered, a maniacal smirk gracing her face. Soon, everyone sitting at the table had that same smirk, especially since they already knew one of the targets. Numbuh 1 didn't, but he couldn't help but be excited. Learning a way to get one over a foe was always an exciting thing.
"Oh, I already have just the thing. Just gotta get it working again," Numbuh 55555 said with another cackle.
"I can't wait to see her face when she sees that again!" Numbuh XXX declared eagerly.
"As entertaining as I'm sure that will be, we need to focus," Numbuh Aleph Zero reminded them. "Now, Numbuh 74.239, how are things on your end?"
"Not as well as I would have liked," Numbuh 74.239 admitted. "Very few parts of the laser are left, let alone parts that still work. And one of them was the database, meaning that we'll need another set of genetic materials to fire again." Numbuh Aleph Zero said nothing, instead gripping his chair. Numbuh 666 had always been a nuisance to fight due to his weapons and his wither bombs were easily the worst to clean up damages from, considering that they left almost nothing behind.
"...Just do what you can," He finally said, causing everyone to relax a little. Numbuh Aleph Zero's freakouts were usually violent, so avoiding one was always a plus. "But I guess that leaves only Numbuh Blob left." As per usual, Numbuh Blob's speech was something Numbuh 1 couldn't understand, but everyone else seemed to be able to. "Ah very well then, I suppose it can't be helped. Now then, consider this meeting dismissed." With that, Numbuh 1 quickly took off, not wanting to make it seem as though he was eavesdropping. Still, he was content. His superiors had plans to stop the adult menace throughout the universe and how to weaken their foes. Perhaps then he'd be able to win his friends back.
Hoagie, Kuki, Wally, Abby, Rachel, heck, he was even willing to call Fanny and Patton his friends (albeit Fanny was definitely more of a "friend you only hung out with when no one else was around" friend). So Numbuh 1 refused to give up on them! He knew he could make them see the light, make them realize how foolish they were.
"Don't worry guys," Numbuh 1 declared aloud. "I'll save you. I promise!" After all, he was a hero and a hero would never leave their friends behind! Still, why couldn't he shake that feeling there was more to everything then he was aware of….
Honestly, Numbuh 1 is becoming one of my favorite characters to write in this story because he still completely believes he's the hero of the story and not a misguided pawn. Yet he still knows that something is wrong, just not what. It's honestly really engaging. Anyways, back to Pikmin 4 for me!