Transmission 34: Forever My Friends
Darkness is the only thing Wallabee Beetles sees before him. He can't move his body nor open his mouth. However, he starts hearing a child's voice, shouting at him in the distance. "Wake up!" the voice says again and again but Wally cannot move a muscle. Then, blurry images pop out of the darkness and as his vision clears, he recognizes the images and as if encouraged by the voice, he slowly starts moving, faster and faster before everything fades away.
"Gah! *pant*…*pant*…" Wally wakes up in a bed, inside a small room with gray walls. "I…where…*gasp*!" Wally looks at his hands and his entire body begins to shake. "I…I…no way…I…remember…" Pressing his hands against his face, he recalls moments in his life that he previously had no memories of. He is Numbuh 4, the close-combat expert of Sector V, one of the Kids Next Door's most famous Sectors. "It's…all there…hah-hah…*sniff*." unsure whether to cry or laugh, Wally smiles as tears start streaming down his cheeks. "They…did it for me…aw crud…all this time…" clenching his fists, Wally turns his gaze towards the ceiling until a single name pops into his mind, which causes him to jump out of his bad and run out of the room. "Kuki!"
Wally runs frantically through an empty hallway, passing large, windowed observation decks on his left. "I gotta…" he mutters, knowing exactly where he is and starts looking to the left, towards the observation decks. Despite having no idea if she is there, something is telling him to keep going. "I gotta…apologize!" Wally shouts as he pushes on until he finally sees a shadow ahead of him, being cast from an observation deck and Wally knows exactly who's shadow it is and when he stops and looks to his left, he finds the person he's looking for: standing on the deck, leaning against a railing and staring out of the wide window, is none other than Kuki Sanban, his old teammate from Sector V, Numbuh 3, the team's medic.
"…K…Kuki…" Wally says, his body shaking like mad and the girl twitches, as if struck by lightning. Then, she slowly turns around and the moment her brown eye meet Wally's emerald-green eyes, they become filled with tears and she moves her hands over her mouth.
"…Wally…"
"KUKI!"
"WALLY!" the teenagers run towards each other and embrace.
"You cruddy idiot! Why did ya give up your memories?! You didn't have to go that far for me!" Wally cries against Kuki's shoulder as she does the same, wrapping her arms around his abdomen.
"It's your fault for leaving me behind! I*sniff*…I didn't want to keep my memories if you didn't have yours…"
"*sob*…I…Numbuh 3, I'm sorry, I'm sorry you guys had to go through all that crud because of me!"
"Don't be sorry, Numbuh 4. You came back…*sob* and we're all back together again…that's all I care about…" Kuki replies as Wally presses his left hand against the back of her head and hugs Kuki tighter, overcome by emotions he hasn't felt for a year.
…
"How could you do this to me?! After everything, you're just going to run away?!"
A voice shouts at Abigail Lincoln as she floats through darkness. Hearing the same sentence repeatedly, Abby tries to answer back but she cannot move. The more she hears the voice yell at her, the worse it makes Abby feel but the only thing she can do is float helplessly through the void until a hand touches her back, stopping her. Then, the hand pushes Abby forward as another voice tells her to "go", which causes a warm feeling to spread throughout Abby's body and seeing a light in the distance, she reaches out to it, causing everything to fade away.
"…*gasp* Ah!" Abby opens her eyes and realizes she is laying on a bed, in a small room. "Urgh…man…my head hurts…huh?" Her eyes widen as she remembers things she couldn't before. "…I…that's right…Abby's…Numbuh 5…of Sector V…" she mutters and looks to her left. Next to her bed is small nightstand and on it, is Abby's red hat and a gold earring. "They're back…Abby's memories…they're all there…" she reaches out for the earring and closes her hand around it. "I gotta see the others…" Abby gets up and grabs her hat before walking out of her room. She then starts wandering aimlessly through the dimly lit hallway, not sure where to go but Abby knows she has to see her friends again.
Then, she hears footsteps coming from behind and Abby stops. Slowly, she turns around but does not see anyone while the footsteps keep getting louder until a silhouette appears in the darkness. Abby's heart immediately skips a beat as she recognizes the person approaching her: Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr., Numbuh 2, Sector V's 2x4 Technology Expert.
The lanky boy stops in-front of her and stares at her through his yellow-lensed goggles, as if he had been hit by a ton of bricks but then, just as Abby is about to say something, Hoagie starts grinning and points at Abby victoriously. "HAH! I TOLD YOU!" he yells, stunning Abby completely.
"…" she stares back at Hoagie, unable to understand what is happening.
"I TOLD YOU I'D FALL FOR YOU AT FIRST SIGHT!" Hoagie puffs his chest proudly, only to be met with utter silence, until Abby breaks out into wild laughter, to Hoagie's surprise. "Wha…what's so funny?!"
"*snicker* You, Numbuh 2! BHAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!" Abby howls, unable control herself at all. She laughs so loud it echoes through the hallway and Abby nearly loses her balance from laughing so much and the sight of Sector V's normally calm and collected second-in-command causes Hoagie to lose it as well and he starts laughing as well. "Boy…hah-hah…way to read the mood…hah-hah!" Abby says as she tries to calm herself down.
"The mood? Hah-hah…would you rather have me start crying instead?"
"Nah…let's leave the tearful reunions to Kuki and Wally…hah-hah…" Abby replies while Hoagie has to take off his goggles to wipe his eyes. "Hey, what did Abby just say?"
"I can't help it…I'm…super happy to have my memories back…*sniff* I was right…I did have a girlfriend…I just knew it was true!" Hoagie clenches his fist in satisfaction while Abby takes a few steps closer to him.
"Don't start cryin' now! You're gonna make me cry too…*sniff*" their laughter slowly turns into tears as both teenagers are overcome by the memories they shared together.
"I missed you, Numbuh 5!" Hoagie shouts and hugs Abby so hard her hat nearly falls off.
"What are ya talkin' about, she never left…but…yeah, I missed ya too, Numbuh 2.
…
"GET OUT! DON'T EVER SHOW YOUR FACE TO ME, YOU COWARD!"
A distraught voice shouts at Nigel Uno, who is standing on a flat plane, surrounded by fog that seems to cushion him from behind. He stars walking forward, without direction and wanders through the fog but nothing changes around him. Then, he looks at his left hand, which is covered by a black aura while his right hand is covered by a white aura.
"You cannot run anymore. You must face it head-on and move forward."
Another voice tells him, and Nigel knows exactly who that voice belongs to. Then, Nigel swipes the fog with his right hand, causing it to disappear and he is met by an endless sky filled with starts as four other voices call out to him. Pointing his hands up at the sky, Nigel begins floating upwards before everything fades to black.
"Guys!" Nigel sits up and pants heavily. As his vision clears, he notices he has woken up in a bed. "…I'm…okay…*gasp*." Nigel stares blankly at the wall across the room as his mind becomes filled with memories he did not have only a short while ago. "No more…I can't run away anymore…" his expression becomes serious as he remembers who he is: Numbuh 1, leader of Sector V and the son of Numbuh 0. He then takes his black sunglasses from the nightstand next to bed and gets up.
"It's all clear now…everything makes sense…I…need to…see my friends!" he shouts as he runs out of his room, driven by his immense desire to meet up with his old team again. "Guys! Wait for me!" Nigel runs through the hallway, which seems to continuously turn to the left while the right side is lined with windows and observation decks. "Where are you…" Nige mutters and keeps running like his life depended on it, but the hallway and the decks are empty.
"Come on…" no matter how hard he looks, he can't seem to find his team, the most important friends he has ever known. Slowly, a sense of defeat starts creeping into his mind and Nigel's pace slows but, his desire to see his friends overcomes his doubts and he runs even faster until, Nigel hears voices coming from ahead. "GUYS!" he shouts as he sees shadows in the hallway, and he arrives at an observation deck. "…" Nigel looks to his right and sees four familiar people standing before him. "…there you are…" he mutters as the four teenagers immediately rush Nigel, giving him a tight group hug.
"Numbuh 1!" Kuki shrieks with tears in her eyes as Wally wraps his left around Nigel's neck.
"What took ya so long?! Did ya get lost or something?"
"We've been waitin' for ya, boss." Abby says with a raspy voice while Hoagie is barely able to speak through the tears.
"The team's back together again!"
"It really is, Numbuh 2…all five of us…" Nigel says and closes his tear-filled eyes, happy to be finally reunited with the rest of his team.
After calming down, the five friends move over to the railing and gaze into space together. "Man, this feels so weird. We've been together for the past 4 months but at the same time it feels like we haven't." Hoagie says, cleaning his goggles while Abby nods.
"Yeah, it's crazy. Yesterday we were partyin' and now we've got our memories back…all of 'em."
"Indeed. But all in all, it was nice being just normal high school students." Nigel says and turns around, leaning his back against the railing.
"For you maybe…high school's been full of crud."
"Don't be like that, Wally. School became way more fun when you transferred." Kuki nudges Wally as Abby lowers her cap slightly.
"Now we got all the answers we were lookin' for." she mutters to herself as Hoagie finishes cleaning his goggles and puts them on.
"You know, there's just one thing that's still bothering me…"
"What's that?" Wally asks Hoagie, who folds his arms.
"Didn't your cousin…I mean Numbuh Alpha say that the TND didn't interfere with us or manipulate us while we were Erased?"
"Yes she did, why are you asking?" Nigel replies as Abby lifts her head and looks at Hoagie with a slight squint in her eyes.
"What are ya getting' at, Goggle Boy?"
"I'm talking about the albums." Hoagie says to his friends, who all look at each other and then Nigel snaps his fingers.
"Oh yeah, she didn't mention anything about them. Then…maybe they were made by some third party?" but before Nigel can start theorizing, Kuki fidgets and cautiously puts her hand up.
"Uhm…that was me…"
"WHAT?! You did that?!" Wally shouts in surprise while Abby straightens herself and moves closer to Kuki.
"Heh, that make sense a whole lotta sense. Ya wanted us to get together, no matter what, right?"
"I…I didn't want to end up alone again…like what happened before…" she replies silently while grasping her left wrist, prompting Abby to pat her friend's head.
"Aww…Kuki, you know we'd never abandon ya again."
"And we did get back together anyway, didn't we?" Nigel says and points at the girls. "You two became friends on the first day while I met Hoagie during the opening ceremony." he explains as Kuki starts giggling.
"Yeah! And it took Hoagie 3 weeks before he got the guts to talk to Abby by himself." seeing his friends share moments he had no part in makes Wally feel slightly left out but then Kuki grabs his arm and pulls him closer to the others. "And this year, Wally came back too!"
"Ya showed up with a bang, that's for damn sure." Abby chuckles while Hoagie starts imitating Ernest when Wally nearly crushed the bully's hand in the cafeteria.
"And you got thrown into a garbage can for doing that show." Wally smirks slightly while Hoagie becomes flustered.
"Hey, don't bring that up!"
"Hah-hah, ya looked like an upside-down hermit crab." Abby let's out a hearty laugh as do Nigel, Wally and Kuki, but Hoagie is not amused.
"In the end, it was Wally who found the album and that's how we learned about our shared past. But how did you make them, Kuki?" Nigel asks as Kuki puts her hands behind her back.
"I made them in the week before we got Erased and had Bradley deliver them to your houses."
"Hah, clever girl." Abby smiles as Hoagie hits his hands together.
"BRADLEY! Argh, I can't believe I forgot about my boy! I wanna see him so bad!"
"Me too! He's got to be missing his mommy!" Kuki shouts and they are all reminded of the friends they left behind when they lost their memories. Then, a blue portal appears on the wall behind them, catching their attention.
"Izzat a portal?"
"Yeah, it is, Abby…but…there's no portal disc…NO WAY!" Hoagie jumps in the air as Eliza steps through the portal, prompting Kuki to immediately run up to her and give her a hug.
"Eliza!" her display of affection takes the TND Supreme Leader by surprise, but she quickly hugs Kuki back.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Too long!" Kuki shrieks as the others approach her as well.
"So, you got promoted, Numbuh Alpha?" Abby says as Kuki lets go of Eliza.
"I didn't really have a choice in the matter…everyone wanted me to take the job…"
"And they were right about that, Numbuh Alpha. I think you're the perfect fit." Nigel says, prompting Eliza to pat his bald head.
"Why thank you, Numbuh 1." she replies with a mischievous smile, but Nigel does not brush her off this time. "I'm so glad the process worked. Our science teams have been working night and day since we learned how to reverse Erasure. But we'll explain everything what's happened since you guys lost your memories, for real this time. Come on, let's go say hi to everyone." Eliza then gestures towards the portal and leads Sector V through it.
…
"Whe…where am I?!" Fanny shouts as she finds herself inside a small room, lying on a bed. Like Sector V, she too has been asleep since her memories were restored and as Fanny looks around the room, the realization sinks in. "I…I was in the KND…Numbuh 86…and then Numbuh Beta…I remember now!" but then, a single person appears into Fanny's mind, alarming her. "No…Nu…Numbuh 23!" she jumps out of her bed but before she can run out of the room, the door opens and in steps Patton, startling her. "GAH!" Fanny shrieks and nearly falls on back. "Haven't ya heard of knocking?!"
"I wanted to surprise you…so I guess you've got your memories back now, right?"
"Of course I do! Now outta the way, I gotta find Numbuh 23!" Fanny shouts and tries to push Patton aside, but he does not step aside and grabs her shoulder.
"Hey, I waited a whole year, and this is how you treat me? Come on, cut me some slack." Patton says while frowning slightly, reminding Fanny of what caused her Erasure.
"…"
"I'm not gonna wait any longer, Fanny." he says and gives Fanny a hug.
"Huh? Oi! What do ya think yer…" at first, Fanny tries to break free from his hold but slowly, her resistance stops as she remembers how Patton has helped her since she lost her memories, how he reached out to her and introduced Fanny to the others and how he always came over or took Fanny for a drive, not matter what his own situation was. "…so you were serious back then…"
"I owe it to you, Fanny." Patton replies and lets go. "Welcome back."
"…it's good to be back…" a blushing Fanny replies as Patton points towards the hallway.
"Come on, I'll take you to the others." Patton steps out of the room but Fanny is so taken aback by Patton's sudden show of affection, she can't move and starts feeling weird.
"What…what's wrong with me…"
"Hey, you coming?"
"Uh…yeah, yeah, of course." Fanny then follows Patton through a long hallway but is unable to say a word as she realizes Patton's kiss after the party was not a simple joke. However, she does not raise the issue and silently walks behind him until they stop in-front of a sliding door. Patton then looks over his shoulder and notices Fanny's tense expression.
"You ready?"
"*sigh* Yes." Fanny tells him, but she can't stop clenching her fists as her nerves finally kick in. Then, Patton nods and presses the panel next to the door, which slides away, and the teenagers enter a hall with a large window. At that very same moment, across the hall, Eliza and Sector V arrive through a portal.
"Wow, I can't believe how much you guys have improved the portals…" Hoagie stops gushing and like his teammates, he is stunned to see so many familiar faces waiting from them in the hall. However, before anyone can even react, Bradley a makes beeline towards Kuki, and she breaks down completely upon seeing the cyborg skunk.
"BRADLEY! MOMMY'S LITTLE BABY!" she starts crying as the skunk jumps into her arms and she collapses on to her knees while Hoagie also pats the skunk's head.
"How're you doing buddy? Did ya miss us?" he smirks and the skunk answers with a nod.
"Gilligan!" Hoagie then looks past Kuki and sees The Kid, Kieran and Tommy approach him.
"Kid! Numbuh Omicron!" Hoagie shouts and runs over to them.
"Hey, aren't you forgetting someone?" Tommy remarks, prompting Hoagie to take his brother's fedora off and mess up his hair.
"Of course not! There's no way I'd forget my kid-brother…well…I kinda did." Hoagie sheepishly scratches his cheek before giving his brother a hug. "Sorry about that, Tommy."
"Gah, stop that! The Tommy isn't a kid anymore! I am a proud teenager now!" Tommy proclaims and tries to squirm out of Hoagie's grasp but then stops and slightly hugs him back.
"So, did you enjoy your vacation?" The Kid grins as Hoagie lets go of Tommy and the two pilots shake hands.
"That was no vacation, not in that school, hah! How are you doing Kid?"
"I'll feel much better when I get my wings back." The Kid replies silently as Kieran steps in.
"He got shot down."
"No way, YOU got shot down? I thought I was the only one who's done that to you." Hoagie asks but The Kid gestures back with his hand.
"Enough about that, Gilligan." he says and from the corner of his eye, sees Wally standing next to the still crying Kuki. "I'll let you guys catch up." he salutes and walks past Hoagie, who immediately shakes hands with Kieran.
"Was that portal your doing?"
"Aye, though I based it on your old notes. But that's not all we've done. I'll give ye a tour of the lab later."
"Sweet!" as the two 2x4 experts starts conversing about the TND's scientific leaps, The Kid walks over to Kuki and Wally but the moment the two boys make eye contact, both turning tense.
"Beetles."
"Kid." their cold expressions alarm Kuki, but before she can say anything, they shake each other's hands.
"You've got some guts coming back here after what you pulled, you loco!"
"And I thought you'd gotten yourself blown up by now, you cruddy pilot!" they exchange insults before bursting out into laughter, much to Kuki's confusion.
"Hah-hah-hah…I missed you guys." The Kid smirks while Wally grins back slyly.
"Heh, sorry about the mess I caused…oof!" then, Kuki wraps her arms around both boys and gives them a tight hug.
"I'm so glad you guys are friends now!"
"Friends? No way!"
"Yeah, I wouldn't be caught dead being friends with this bozo." embarrassed by what Kuki said, Wally and The Kid start protesting but Kuki ignores them and hugs even tighter.
Meanwhile, Fanny and Patton join the others and the first person she sees is Virginia, who is standing next to Bartie. "…Nu…Numbuh 23!" she screams and runs over to her.
"Numbuh 86! Or…Beta, wasn't it?" her reply shocks Fanny and the Irish girl starts shaking.
"…Wait…you…remember my old codename…"
"Yup. My memories are back." Virginia says cheerfully.
"She was the first Erasure victim Numbuh Omicron tested the reversal device on." Patton explains as a stunned Fanny is unable to say anything to Virginia. After all, she had brought Virginia to the fake Decommissioning Chamber when she had turned 13, which led to Virginia becoming one of the Splinter Cell's first Erasure victims.
"Hmm?" Virginia notices the tears forming in Fanny's eyes and puts her hand on the Irish's girl's shoulder, who immediately hugs Virginia and breaks down.
"I'm sorry! It was all my fault you lost your memories!" she screams in anguish as her old friend hugs her back.
"It's alright, you didn't know about the Splinter Cell."
"But I…I…"
"I got my memories back now, so it's okay. Besides, you already apologized to me a year ago." Virginia replies calmly and keeps hugging the crying Fanny while Patton and Bartie look on in silence.
Meanwhile, Nigel and Abby go greet Keith and Maurice but instead of hugging him like she usually does, Abby does a fist bump instead. "So, how's it feel to be back?" Maurice asks.
"Hah, pretty good…for the most part." Abby replies and Maurice can tell she is conflicted.
"Don't worry, now you've got another chance to fix things." he then pats Abby on the back as Nigel shakes hands with Keith.
"Ya mon, it's been too long."
"You can say that again, Agent Hermit. I'm guessing you guys have been pretty busy while we were…unavailable."
"You've got that right, mon. Not sure how much Alpha told ya, but it's been crazy."
"Yes…especially now that the Delightfuls are back." Nigel crosses his arms and looks around the hall sternly before Eliza joins him. "Where's Rachel?" Nigel asks cautiously as Eliza frowns slightly.
"She'll…join us later. But right now, we need to fill you in on everything, because we want you guys to come back to the TND."
"I see…"
"I know you guys wanted to move on from the fighting, but things have changed."
"Yes, I understand that. But I'm not sure the others will. Can we wait a bit?" Nigel says while gesturing towards his teammates, who are catching up with their old friends.
"Of course…"
Then, a faint grin appears on Nigel's face. "Still, your 'rich girl' act was a bit too much."
"What, you didn't like my acting? Come on, Nigel, I couldn't just act all super familiar with you like normal. It would've creeped you out."
"She complained about acting all the time to us, mon." Keith smirks and nudges Eliza, embarrassing her.
"Hey, did you really have to tell him that?!" she snaps at the Jamaican agent as Nigel lets out a hearty laugh.
"Hah-hah-hah, I can believe that. But you did fool us pretty well."
"O…of course, I wasn't going to do a half-assed job!" blushing slightly, Eliza huffs as she flicks her ponytail off her shoulder and Nigel starts chuckling.
"Is this an act too? Hah-hah."
…
Two hours go by as Sector V reconnect with their old friends and allies, sharing laughs and catching up, but Rachel shines in her absence, troubling Nigel. Then, Eliza orders everyone but Patton, Kieran, Herbie, The Kid, Keith and Maurice to leave before turning her attention to Sector V and Fanny. "Follow us." she gestures towards another door across the hall and leads everyone through.
"What's happening?" a slightly confused Wally whispers to his teammates as they walk through the door and enter a small corridor.
"They're going to fill us in on everything that's happened while we had amnesia…and also…they expect an answer." Nigel replies silently, causing Abby to clench her fists slightly, which is not missed by Kuki. Then, the group arrives at another door and Eliza looks over her shoulder towards Sector V and Fanny.
"Now, before we begin, there's more people you need to meet. Without them, we wouldn't have been able to get you your memories back." she explains and turns around.
"Is it Numbuh Gamma?" Nigel's question makes the others twitch while Eliza shakes her head.
"…No…he's not here. But it is someone you know…very well." she replies and opens the door, leading everyone to a smaller hall with a long table. However, Sector V's and Fanny's attention is drawn towards the odd group standing in the back of the hall but as one of them starts walking towards them, Nigel recognizes them and freezes.
"…No…no way…" he mutters as Chad steps forward, wearing his red and white college hoodie and jeans.
"Sector V, Numbuh Beta, meet Numbuh Delta, the former Earth Representative of the GKND." Eliza gestures towards Chad, who stands silently before Nigel and his friends.
"…what…the crud…" Wally stutters as Abby shakes her head before Nigel walks past Eliza and approaches Chad, who remains stern.
"That's…Chad…" Hoagie whispers to a stunned Kuki while Patton has to hold back Fanny, who is instantly incensed by the former Teen Ninja's appearance.
Then, Nigel stops in-front of Chad and the former friends-turned-enemies stare at each other, both reminded of their shared past. Clenching his fist slightly, Nigel takes a deep breath and speaks to Chad for the first time in 6 years. "Chad Dickson…"
"Nigel Uno." Chad answers as their stare-down turns the atmosphere in the hall extremely tense.
"…so, you joined the GKND?" Nigel asks coldly.
"Yeah, that's right. Thanks to your recommendation." Chad glares through his blond bangs towards Nigel, who squints back at him.
"And now you're back."
"It's a long story. So, before you punch me, can I at least explain myself?" Chad's question surprises everyone, especially Nigel, who clenches his fist even harder, but then loosens it and nods.
"That works for me." he replies calmly. "After everything that's happened since we saw each other, it's only fair you tell your side of the story."
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Chad nods as the group who were with him also step forward. "These are my friends and our allies who fled the GKND with me."
"Wow…real aliens…" Hoagie mutters to his friends while Wally's jaw drops wide open, but before Chad can start introducing the newcomers, Kuki throws her hands in the air upon seeing Numbuh 9L.
"OH MY GOSH! IT'S A GIANT KITTY! SOOO CUTE!"
"Kuki, wait…!" however, Kuki ignores Nigel and everyone else as she runs over to 9L and stares at the feline alien in awe.
"You're so fluffy and cuddly!" she says, her eyes resembling hearts. Intrigued, Numbuh 9L lowers her head and sniffs Kuki very thoroughly while squinting her green eyes. Then, she licks Kuki's cheek and nuzzles the teenager. "*giggle* That tickles!" Kuki replies and hugs 9L's left paw, prompting the alien to voice out her opinion.
"Meow! Prrr."
"Heh, looks like she just made a new friend." Chad smiles slightly and points at 9l. "She is Numbuh 9L, from my old sector." he explains as 9L stops nuzzling Kuki and bows her head to Nigel and his friends.
"Mauw."
"She's saying hello."
"How the crud can ya understand what uh…she is saying?" Wally asks, prompting Chad to point at his throat and ears.
"The GKND placed nano-devices on me that lets me understand the other operatives. All operatives have one."
"Coool…" Hoagie mutters as Eliza crosses her arms.
"Nice of you to say it now, Numbuh Delta. All this time we thought you REALLY understood what she was saying."
"Must've slipped my mind…anyway…" Chad then points at the six floating aliens. "These guys are the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers. They escaped with me and have offered help us fight the GKND. O.M.E.G.A. Numbers, this is Sector V and Numbuh Beta, the ones I talked about before.
"Pleased to meet you. Our name is Libra, designation O.M.E.G.A. Number 1." Libra nods their head slightly while Cygnus bows to Sector V very theatrically.
"Greetings! You may call me Cygnus, I am O.M.E.G.A. Number 2."
"Virgo, O.M.E.G.A. Number 3." Virgo's indifferent tone immediately earns her a disapproving glare from Cygnus but she ignores it and instead, eyes the crystal medallion hanging on Kuki's neck.
"I'm Leo, O.M.E.G.A. Number 4 and don't you forget it!" Leo shouts confidently while puffing his chest, causing Kuki to nudge Wally.
"*giggle* that one sounds just like you." she whispers to him mischievously, but Wally rolls his eyes.
"Hmph, yeah no." he hisses back as Scorpius starts introducing himself.
"My designation is O.M.E.G.A. Number 5, codename Scorpius." his monotone voice catches both Hoagie and Abby's attention and she crosses her arms.
"Sounds like a robot."
"No kidding…"
Then, lastly, it is Corvus' turn and he floats over to Chad and Nigel while eyeing the bald teenager. "So, you guys are the allies we risked our lives to save? Can't say I'm that impressed." he says coldly, prompting Chad to hit him in the shoulder.
"Hey, watch it." he tells Corvus off, who huffs and crosses his arms.
"Hmph. I'm Corvus, O.M.E.G.A. Number 6." he mutters as Chad shakes his head.
"Sorry about that, Corvus likes to run his beak."
"None taken." Nigel replies and adjust his glasses. "I am Nigel Uno, formerly Numbuh 1, leader of Sector V and this is my old team." he gestures towards his friends, who greet the aliens back.
"The name is Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr. My old codename is Numbuh 2, former 2x4 Technology Expert of Sector V." Hoagie says while pointing at his goggles while Kuki starts waving her hands cheerfully.
"Hi! I'm Kuki Sanban and my old codename is Numbuh 3, Hamster Caretaker and Medic of Sector V! I've always wanted to see real aliens!" her enthusiasm amuses Cygnus, who waves back.
"The feeling is mutual; you humans are so interesting." she replies, prompting Kuki to walk over to the swan-like alien and shake her wing.
"Can we be friends too?!"
"But of course!" a wide-eyed Cygnus replies before Abby nudges a silent Wally.
"Is yo turn."
"Ghh, I know! Uhh…I'm Wallabee Beetles, I was Numbuh 4, Weapon Specialist of Sector V." he mutters, not sure how to act in-front of the aliens which amuses Cygnus.
"Hah-hah, why, you sound just like our Leo." she says and pokes Leo with her wing, but Leo simply scoffs.
"Hah, don't compare me to a human. He looks weak as heck."
"Oi! What did ya just say?!" Wally yells and takes a few steps closer to Leo, who stares down at him.
"You heard me, Mop-Head."
"Say that again, Fang-Face, and we'll see who's weak!" Wally pulls up his sleeves while Leo starts cracking his knuckles.
"Oh, you wanna go?"
"Bring it on, Fang-Face!" but before neither can act, Abby pulls Wally away and Scorpius does the same to Leo.
"Alright, boy, cool your jets. Not the time to pick a fight."
"That cruddy floating cat started it!"
"Ooh, did I hit a sore spot, Mop-Head…OW!" Leo is instantly silenced by a swift hit to the shoulder from Scorpius' formidable left pincer and he backs off.
"Initiating conflict is most illogical in this situation, Leo."
Then, Abby turns around and puts her hands into her pockets. "Sorry about that, he's been a hothead since he was a kid."
"Pantherians are not known for their manners, so I will apologize on our behalf."
"The name's Abigail Lincoln, but my friends call me Abby. I used to go by Numbuh 5, second-in-command of Sector V."
After Abby finishes her introduction, Patton pushes Fanny forward slightly, earning a glare from her. "Hey! Uhm…I'm Fanny Fulbright, codename Numbuh Beta. I was in the TND Combat Force."
"And there you have it." Eliza says to the aliens but then, from the corner of his eye, Nigel notices one more person, hiding behind 9L. The cat alien then steps aside, forcing a timid Numbuh Vine to show herself.
"She's another member of my old GKND Sector." Chad says and makes eye contact with the plantiform, who shivers and the moment she speaks up, Sector V become utterly stunned.
"I…I'm Numbuh Vine…it's…been awhile…guys…" Vine stutters and cautiously looks at Sector V, who can immediately tell who she is but none of them can believe it.
"Oh my gosh…" a wide-eyed Kuki covers her mouth while Wally is unable to say anything.
"Is that…who I think it is?" Hoagie mutters as Abby walks up to Vine, who floats back slightly.
"…yeah, it's been a while, Lizzie Devine." she eyes the alien who starts shivering, prompting 9L to come to Vine's side.
"I…sorry you had to…learn it this way…" Vine voice becomes a whisper while Abby looks over her shoulder towards Nigel, who's expression has become stone cold.
"Gamma told us about ya a year ago and Abby's guessin' you'll tell us more, right?" she eyes Chad, who nods.
"Yes."
"Then since we've got the introductions outta the way, can we got on with it?" she points at the table, prompting Eliza and Chad to exchange looks before the TND Supreme Leader walks over to Abby.
"Of course. Everyone, gather around. We owe them a proper explanation." she says and sits down at the very end of the table while the others do the same, except for 9L, Vine and the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers who hang back. Chad starts by describing how he was scouted by the GKND and his time as Earth Representative, how he was captured and what happened to S-26.
"…and that's how we escaped." Chad says as Nigel crosses his arms, trying to digest everything he's heard.
"So in the end, you were used by the GKND, just like I was…but why did they let you join the first place? Numbuh Gamma said I recommended you to them instead and that they had removed my memories about ever meeting Numbuh 74.239."
"…to be honest, I'd like to know that too. I was kept aboard their ship when Numbuh 74.239 returned and said you had declined, so I believed it."
"Letting a teenager join the GKND sounds pretty hypocritical, not gonna lie…" Hoagie says, prompting Chad to nod.
"Yeah, it does but back then, I didn't question it, because I was finally allowed to join the GKND. But since your memories were removed, the only one who really knows what happened after Nigel was summoned, is Numbuh 74.239."
"If that carrot-headed nerd shows up, I'm gonna personally beat his face in. He was deceiving us this whole time." Fanny mutters, angered by the mere mention of the former KND Science Chief.
"You might get that chance soon. The GKND have sent him to help the Galactic Subjugation Force deal with us." Chad replies as Abby lifts the lid of her cap slightly and looks at the former KND Supreme Leader coldly.
"And now the GKND are trynna blow up Earth, is that it?" she immediately receives a silent nod from Chad as Herbie shows Sector V and Fanny a map of the solar system with the GSF's Treehouse highlighted.
"Simply put, yes. They already destroyed the Deep-Sea Science Lab and abducted some operatives from there. Right now, we're just counting the days until they begin their attack." Herbie says to Abby and his grim expression alarms Nigel and his friends.
"But we aren't going to just let them destroy Earth. We're prepared now." Eliza says sternly and adjusts her own shades. "All thanks to Numbuh Delta and S-26." she then makes eye contact with Nigel, who in-turn eyes Chad from under his glasses.
"Hmm…" he then moves his gaze towards Vine, who flinches before Nigel looks at Chad again. "I guess you were in the same position we were when the Splinter Cell framed us 4 years ago…and you didn't know anything about the Splinter Cell, right?"
"Not until Numbuh S-26 reported to me about them from Earth. We got suspicious of Numbuh 74.239 so I asked S-26 to come here. I couldn't really go myself…" Chad gestures to Nigel and eyes the ceiling wistfully. "I wish we could've done more."
"Then that means you were telling the truth back then. How you were a double agent all that time."
"You finally believe me, Nigel?"
"Can't say for sure yet, but some of my doubts are gone at least." Nigel tells Chad before turning his attention to Numbuh Vine. "…" squinting his eyes at the alien who pretended to be his girlfriend, Nigel sighs and shakes his head. "I can't say the same about you…yet." his comment agitates both 9L and Cygnus, but Vine quickly stops them saying anything.
"No! I…I understand…" she mutters and lowers her head in shame while Kuki can't help but feel sorry for Vine but does not utter a word about it.
"There is one thing that's bothering me…a lot. The Delightful Children…or Teenagers, how did they come back?" Nigel asks Eliza, who shakes her head.
"We don't know how. Most likely the alien that backed up Father found them and woke them up."
"And now they're leading both Evil Adult Industries AND the Teen Ninjas, or what's left of 'em anyway." Maurice says grimly.
"Oh that's just great. As if the GKND wasn't enough, those delightful dorks are back too…" Hoagie laments as Abby is reminded of what happened before.
"They were tryin' to turn us into slaves or somethin', just like Father tried a year ago."
"And they have Silhouette Suits…dammit. So that's why Father said you were a 'test subject'. He was trying to pass on the Silhouette Suit to the Delightfuls."
"Not just that, Nigel. Father also created S.I.N. or Silhouette Infused Nutrients. Drink it and it gives you a Silhouette Suit as well." Patton explains, shocking Nigel and his friends.
"What?!" Nigel stands up and slams his hands against the table. "Grrr…then that means he tested it on you, right?" he says to Eliza, who nods while grabbing her left arm.
"Yeah…I was just a steppingstone or something."
"Unforgivable…" but as Nigel fumes, Chad and Kieran notice that Eliza did not mention her own situation at all but upon seeing their expressions, Eliza swiftly shakes her head as Maurice takes over the conversation. Sector V and Fanny are then given the full rundown of what has happened in the past year, which takes another hour. However, hearing all this leaves the teenagers speechless and conflicted.
"All this time, we were living completely oblivious to everything…" Nigel thinks as Eliza stands up and looks at him and the others.
"It's a lot to take in, I get that, but we really need to get an answer from you guys. We want you to rejoin the TND." her question makes Nigel and his friends uncomfortable, and they exchange looks.
"We don't have a lot of time left before the GKND invade, so we gotta have an answer." Maurice says, noticing the frustrated look Abby is giving him.
"I understand…and I think the others get it too, but…" Nigel struggles to give a reply as Hoagie puts his hand up.
"Can we…have a moment to think about it at least? 1 hour or 30 minutes at least?"
"*sigh* Okay, 1 hour." Eliza replies and gestures towards the large door to her left. "Let's go everyone." Without saying a word, both the TND agents and the aliens leave the room, but as they do so, Corvus gives Sector V and Fanny on last glare over his shoulder before the door closes.
"They won't join." he mutters.
"Don't say that, Corvus. Try to put yourself in their position." Cygnus snaps at him, but Corvus shakes his head.
"They had 'hesitation' written all over their faces." Though his comment frustrates Eliza, she keeps quiet while Kieran walks to her side.
"Supreme Commander, why didn't you tell Numbuh 1 about your…Suit?"
"I didn't want to worry them." she whispers and walks away, leaving Kieran shaking his head while The Kid looks on.
"Ain't that the same thing Uno said about his Suit a year ago?" however, he keeps his mouth shut, all too aware that Eliza has refused to speak to him since he was shot down. At the back of the group, Numbuh Vine is unable to get the image of Nigel's cold gaze out of her head and despite being nudged by 9L, Vine is close to breaking down from the guilt she is feeling.
…
Now left alone in the hall, Fanny and the members of Sector V are trying to come to terms with everything they've just heard. "Man, this is getting too crazy…" Hoagie says as he walks over to the large window, pressing his hand against it.
"Tell me about it…" Wally mutters and kicks his feet on the table. "I'm still trying to understand why you guys gave up your memories for our sake…"
"We did it because it didn't feel right that you and Fanny were the only ones without them and we wanted redemption…or at least that's what I thought back then…" Nigel replies as he takes off his glasses. "But…I'm starting to think…we were just afraid of moving on…"
"We ran away, just like Abby tried to tell ya a year ago." Abby remarks while eyeing the others from under her cap, prompting Kuki to shake her head.
"No! I wanted to lose my memories and I don't regret it!" her comment surprises the others, especially Abby, who leans on the table and looks her friend in the eye.
"Maybe you don't, but Abby does." she says coldly, prompting Nigel to stand up.
"Abby, there's no need to point fingers, it's in the past. We need to focus on what's ahead...and make a choice."
"Abby knows her answer already, and that answer is no."
"What?! You're joking right?!" a worried Hoagie says to Abby, who stands up.
"Abby ain't jokin'. What I said back then still applies: Abby ain't doin' anymore fightin'. All Abby cares about now is fixing things with my sistah!"
"You can't be serious, Abby! Didn't you hear what Eliza and the others told us? The Earth is going to be destroyed!" Nigel throws his arms in the air in dismay, but Abby does not budge from her decision.
"Oh, she heard alright, but it ain't Abby's problem!" Abby replies angrily as Fanny joins the conversation.
"Hey, this whole thing is everyone's problem! You aren't gonna have a sister if they blow up the planet."
"Fanny's right. You're forgetting the big picture, Abby. Or do you really want to go back to being just a high school student after everything that's happened to us today?" Nigel stares down at Abby, who nods, to everyone's shock.
"As a matter of fact, yes, Abby was much happier bein' in high school! That was the first time in years I was that happy."
"But we can't just…turn our backs on everyone…" Kuki says to Abby while Nigel puts his sunglasses back on.
"We owe our lives to them, Abby. Without the TND, I don't even want to think what the Delightfuls would be doing to us right about now. They protected us for a year and sacrificed so much for our sake."
"Abby knows that, but that don't mean Abby's gonna to join the TND again!"
Then, Wally stands up and opens his mouth. "Since when did you become a cruddy coward?!"
"Wally!" Kuki snaps at him while Abby glares at Wally venomously.
"What did ya just say?" she hisses at Wally, who glares back at her from under his blond bangs.
"You heard me. I thought you said ya were tired of running away a year ago, or was that just an act back then?" Wally reminds Abby of how she left the team during the Splinter Cell War, enraging her.
"Boy, you did NOT just say that!" Abby quickly marches over to Wally, grabbing his collar but Wally does not flinch.
"Oh yes, I did and I'll say it again! You're trying to run away!"
"Damn you!" Abby shouts as Hoagie, Kuki and Fanny try to separate her and Wally, who has also grabbed the collar of Abby's shirt. "Abby gave up her memories for your sake and this is how ya thank me?!"
"I never cruddy asked you guys to get yourselves Erased!"
"Hey, will you two quit it already?! Arguing isn't gonna get us anywhere! Are ya listening to me?!" Fanny yells as she and a pleading Kuki try to pry Abby away from Wally.
"Friends shouldn't fight like this! Please stop!" but her words go on deaf ears as Abby and Wally slug insults at each other, until Nigel stomps his foot on the floor, bringing out his pitch-black, orange-lined Silhouette Suit.
"ENOUGH!" he roars, silencing the others instantly but upon seeing his friend's expressions, Nigel realizes the Suit has appeared and quickly rips it off. "*pant* Abby, Wally, fighting isn't going to help now."
Abby then let's go of Wally, who does the same and stuffs his hands into his pockets. "Sorry…I just…you guys did all that because I screwed up back then and now when we get our memories back, she wants to quit! It's…not right…" Wally mutters as Abby eyes him coldly.
"…Abby don't wanna go through all that crap again, that's why." she replies as Kuki puts her hand on Abby's shoulder.
"But if you leave, you'll be all alone…We're a team, remember?"
"And a team sticks together. Nobody's saying you can't clear things up with Cree, Abby, but the TND need our help." Hoagie says to Abby, who notices her friend's determined expressions and realizes she is the only one hesitating.
"Are you guys seriously gonna join 'em?" she pleads with the others, but none of them shake their heads.
"Yes, I will. A year ago I thought losing my memories was the only way to redeem myself for all the horrible things I did as Nephew…but now I realize I was just running away. I don't regret losing my memories, but I can't go back to that life anymore." Nigel explains while Hoagie and Kuki nod in agreement.
"I was scared…of encountering people who had been the Shogun's victims…"
"And…I was scared of having my memories when Wally and Fanny didn't…I felt guilty…" they lament, prompting Abby to clench her fists, reminded of how Cree had been planning to apologize to her a year ago before they Erased themselves.
"Like you said Abby, we ran away from the consequences." Nigel says and looks at Fanny and Wally. "You two were lucky, you had no choice about losing your memories…"
"What are ya saying? Of course I had a choice!" Fanny snaps at Nigel and lowers her head. "But…there was no way I would've made that choice…" she mutters, knowing that if she hadn't let go of Patton at the Orbital Shipyards, both she and Patton would've been completely Erased. Her words make Wally look back at the final battle against Numbuh 1000: he too had a choice, but the alternative of Abby and Hoagie ending up completely Erased by Numbuh 1000 was something he couldn't allow back then.
"…I had a choice too…" he says silently before pressing his left fist against his chest. "That's why, I'm done worrying about the past! I'm gonna join the TND and kick those Galactic Kids Next Door freaks outta this galaxy! They're the ones behind all the crud that's happened to us and they're gonna pay!"
"My words exactly, Wally. I was their puppet, and I won't let them get away with using me." Nigel nods while Hoagie puffs his chest.
"The GKND aren't gonna destroy Earth as long my inventions and I have something to say about it!"
"I wanna protect Earth too! It's the only home we've got!" a pumped-up Kuki shouts while Fanny cracks her knuckles confidently.
"I've got a bone to pick with that orange-haired dweeb Numbuh 74.239 for creating the Splinter Cell!"
Abby looks at her friends but is unable to say anything back. She is all too aware what everyone has gone through but just like a year, she is once again the only one unsure and afraid. The Recommissioning process had brought back many memories she would've been happy to live without, but Abby also knows she cannot simply ignore them. "*sigh*…"
"Abby, we understand that you're scared…I'd be lying if I said I'm not afraid, but we can't walk away from this." Nigel approaches Abby while Kuki squeezes her friend's shoulder tightly.
"You don't have do everything by yourself, silly. We're with you."
"Yeah…Abby knows that…" Abby nods silently. "Sorry…I overreacted again…"
"Hey, don't apologize, we get it. Anyone would freak out if their heads got stuffed with memories they didn't have. Heck, when I woke up, I felt like my head was about to explode."
"Me too! I sat on the bed side for a good while before it sunk in. So what if some of those memories are bad, I only care about the good ones!" hearing Kuki of all people say that makes Abby slightly disappointed in herself, considering the things Kuki had gone through in the past 6 years. Then, she adjusts her hat and starts smiling.
"You guys are right. Runnin' away from everythin' ain't the way Abby rolls. She's done with that."
"Does that mean you'll…?"
"Yeah, Kuki, Abby ain't goin' anywhere."
"YAY!" Kuki shrieks and hugs Abby while Fanny does the same.
"I knew ya wouldn't chicken out!"
"Hah, Abby can't let you guys fight those GKND punks without her."
"Woo-hoo! Then that means we're all back in business!" Hoagie pumps his fist in the air as a pleased Nigel nods in agreement.
"We wouldn't have it any other way, Numbuh 5."
"Right back at ya, Numbuh 1." Abby winks back at Nigel while Wally looks on, unable to say a word but he feels extremely relieved Abby didn't walk out on them. Then, as the girls let go Abby, Wally fidgets and walks over to her.
"Uh…sorry about what I said…calling you a coward and all…"
"Ah, don't sweat it, sport. Numbuh 5 needed that anyway." Abby smirks and starts ruffling Wally's blond hair, much to Kuki's amusement and Wally's discomfort.
"Oi, quit it will ya?!" the others erupt into laughter and not even Wally can stop himself from doing the same as everything has finally become clear to them. Their year of uncertainty and confusion is now over and they could move on, to face the threats looming over their home planet.
End of Transmission 34
Note: It took way longer than I had hoped, considering I pumped out those previous chapters so quickly, but chapter 34 is here.
I'm not good at writing pure dialogue so this was a slog (didn't help I had IRL troubles at the same time) but I'm happy with the end result. Sector V's reunion was another scenario that I've had in my mind way before this fic even existed but I only fully realized this chapter's event after I heard Masaaki Endoh's "Yakusoku no Melody" from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's (my favorite YGO series) and the lyrics sort of resonated with Sector V and their friendship. The song also inspired the title of this chapter.
Now that this rather difficult chapter is done, maybe I can make the releases weekly but don't count on it.