The uproar of celebration nearly deafened Mount Blackhead; aside from the noble volunteers who offered to patrol the top walls, the campsite was full of activity. For once, in a long time, most of the operatives stationed at the site were lounging about. Dozens of hammocks were hung in the trees for relaxation, a large ball game had been held in the very middle, the finer drinks for both kids and adults rationed had been brought up in portions to share and a great feast was held. The chefs put their utmost best with what herbs and spices they had, having prepared a huge barbecue. The aroma of seasoned beef and homemade sauces seized the area, dragging in all who were willing to eat dinner at any time. The sun had hit golden hour, the sky lit up in a beautiful orange, yellow and pink. Golden clouds roamed across the sky, reflecting the rays of light which stretched across the entirety of the Twisted Forest.
Niles sat alone like an old man on one of the provided park benches; his legs were stretched out as his back lay flat on the table post. Most of his upper body had been treated with medicine once again, his open cuts wrapped around with medical bandages. A tiny band-aid was smacked across the bridge of his nose, another under his chin. The pain had subsided for now thanks to painkillers, though he would need some more again tomorrow morning. He ached imagining how he would feel then.
His flip flops had been kicked off, his feet comfortably stretching in the grass underneath him. There was a hole in his shirt, cut by the hornet's stinger which nearly impaled him. He wondered how it was strong enough to even pierce titanium, though the hole was tiny. His shirt had been slightly outstretched and stained in green, forever tainted by the disgusting bile Fuse's minions produced. Despite the bags under his eyes (and overall near dead look), there was a happy grin on his face. He was a bystander, watching the fun and activities all around him. He observed younger recruits run around, getting a chance to be kids again in a challenging world like this one. The football they shared darted through the sky and landed into one's arms, before being dogpiled by nearly five other boys. Something about it was reminiscent, reminding him of his days as a tween when he lived in Pokey Oaks North. Before the fallout, the training and deployment to fight fuse, there was the middle school life. Deep down, he missed it. That normality in life felt like it was nearly gone, turning into a twisted new normality of war.
By the same spot where he had set up a blanket for himself, the dynamo suit stood busted and shut down. The panels had switched over, taking in the last ounces of the sun's rays to recharge the energy from within. Someone had the diligence to clean it up a little on behalf of Niles, although still had a hue of green to it. Whenever he had a lot of free time again, he would have to rinse it all down with cleaning supplies again just to get the green color out. His cape had slightly been cut a little bit but otherwise seemed fine, nothing a little bit of sewing couldn't do.
Several of his metal panels had been cut off or completely ruined by the amount of blunt damage it took; having taken on dozens of creatures single handedly, his armor surely had its fair share of beatings. Several of the titanium plates would need to be replaced in order for it to be the same again, a complicated task which would take a lot of time.
In Niles' hands was a paper plate with some cooked ribs with a little bit of hot sauce on the side. It was hot to the touch, still steaming in the summer breeze as if it were right off the grill. The x-marks on the top of the beef indicated it was tender, almost cartoonishly perfect to say the least. Next to it was a batch of sweet corn, cooked and salted to almost sizzled. Lastly were some mashed potatoes, a small pool of gravy resting in its own little bowl-shape.
He treated himself to this feast, having received the flavor of love once again. His eyes sunk as they shut, taking in every essence of the meal. How he longed to have food like this again and not some microwavable junk. The passion from within brought him a simplistic joy, getting to eat properly cooked food for the first time in a long time. He missed it, a sauce-lipped smile on his face and a low, "Mmmm~"
"Niles!"
He jumped in his seat and widened his eyes, a little bit of sauce falling off his face and onto the seat. "Mm-?"
Numbuh Four stood with his arms crossed, striking a pose and tilting his head. His muffin blonde hair drifted in the wind, including his orange sweater. "Yesterday, you mentioned something about Sector V when we met. You still up for that?"
The man swallowed his food, nodding shallowly. "Yes I am."
"Alright, because the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is leaving tomorrow morning to request a supply drop for the camp. You can hop on with some credits to go; you've earned it." Four replied.
An incredible weight had been lifted off of Niles as he sunk a little bit more, now a puddle by this point. He weakly replied, "Thank you, Four."
Four's hand smacked him on the shoulder a couple times with a wide smile; he winced from the pain a little. "Get out there and have some fun! Even if you're hurt, the team'll go easy on ya. No harm done."
Niles chuckled a little bit and brushed his hand off, wiping his mouth with a napkin and shook his head. "I appreciate the gesture but.. I'm in no shape to even play. Thank you though."
"Ah, heheh.. I get cha." Four nodded. "Well, take it easy the next few days. Are you gonna be okay?"
He nodded silently, taking another bite of food and looked up at him with his blue eyes.
"Good."
Four gave a little wave and he waved back, leaving him alone to his food. Not a bite from that plate went unsavored, each bite holding on for a little longer until his belly was happy. It was empty no longer than fifteen minutes, the flask of orange soda down to its nearly last drop. He sighed, holding his stomach with his arms.
Out of the corner of his eye, he witnessed a peculiar sight in front of him. Amidst the celebration lied the tree in the center, its gaze not looking away from Niles for a moment. It blinked once, its face unmoving as it stared at him.
He squinted for a second, getting up and making his way across camp. Niles shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted his head.
The two of them held a stare. Not a word was spoken but the two silently shared seniority between one another. Behind the tree's eyes held history, either shaken or enlightened by the extensive passage of time this place had. Behind Niles eyes there was pain, a sense of diligence to protect those around him. His aura, deep within, held a hero's archetype. Not one out of ego but of pathos, a challenged soul caused by the forces around him. The tree took this within and bellowed out a quiet but humbling voice, soothing to the ears like crashing gravel.
"You have fought hard, warrior," its lips moved, nearly the entire tree channeling into this slow voice. "I am blessed with your presence. Sit."
Niles gave a nod, lowering his head. He scooted up forward and crossed his legs, taking a deep breath.
The Magic Tree, saved by the unification of earth, had the privilege to be moved to the Twisted Forest. As a living piece of nature with immense power, its dedication to preserve the jungle was adamant. Not much was known about its origin, aside from the fact that it came from Nowhere.
"It's good to meet you," Niles replied calmly, lowering his head. "How are things?"
The tree blinked, "Well, for now. I trust you have accustomed yourself?"
"Uh.. not quite just yet. It will take some time." Niles replied.
"I am grateful for your leadership here; outside of my power, I have not seen the grove this happy in some time." The tree's eyes looked out toward everyone, blinking once as it grazed across its people. "Come, allow me to ease your pain."
The leaves on the edges of the branches rustled as the wind blew, its glowing eyes shutting as a tingling sensation befell onto Niles. Slowly but surely did his wounds from the previous fight seal with an uncomfortable slit shut, a slight squishing sound underneath the folds of his shirt. The bandages now felt purely cosmetic, any vision of his blood and open wounds gone as he is whole again. Not a scar was left behind, no marks from the battle but merely just his body in place. The pain subsided, no need for any medicine to soothe it.
The young man looked at his arms, peeking underneath one of his bandages and slowly wrapped it off. "T-Thank you, tree. I feel so much better."
"Of course; if there are any questions you may have, I am open to answer them. I believe you seek answers, am I mistaken?" The tree asked politely.
It took him a moment to think about it before he finally decided to state the obvious, "Why were you watching me earlier?"
"You are not from this place," the tree replied. "There is a great power within you. I can sense it."
Silence. Niles took in his words carefully, squinting as he looked up. "Consider myself a man eager to win this war; without my suit, I am just another operative on the battlefield."
"Your determination is strong, and your mind witty. Keep it intact and ease your pride; you will be needing it in the future." The tree's words billow from within, pokerface. Its words spoke with a deep emotion to them, although its facial expressions were stiff and unmoving.
The road ahead was not easy; the many battles which had been faced prior turned into a downhill war. One would think: what would happen to the timeline if the earth won more often? Was it determined by absolute fate that this luscious and emotional world would collapse to a force like Fuse, or destroy him and prosper freely with a contagious hope?
"I have a feeling you know what's going on; you are aware of who I am, aren't you?" he asked, partially out of curiosity.
The tree hesitated, a long moment of silence as it stared at him intently. "You embody internal struggle; you have had great experience, something farther than this earth. Your war transcends worlds, doesn't it?"
He was followed by silence, but eventually agreement. "It does; it's difficult and complicated, but I have no choice."
The tree looked at him and its face eased up with sympathy. Its eyelids lowered, expressing a bit of sadness. "I will leave you with this, warrior: by all means, do not stop. Ease yourself and prepare for what is to come; hopefully, by the end of it all, there will be peace. Go, and remember my words of wisdom. I must rest now."
Very quickly did he stand up and brush the dirt off of his legs and butt, giving another bow to the tree. "Thank you again; I'll keep this in mind." He quickly turned his back and catered to himself for the rest of the evening.
The Magic Tree kept its eyes on Niles' back as he walked away, taking him in. He lets out a louder sigh before residing, shutting his eyes and resting for the evening.
As the rest of the night went on, Niles took the time to undo his bandages and wash himself off in the public camp shower. His bandages were reapplied, new clothes given and finally a nice tent for himself. His small tent was enough to fit him in there alone, no sweat to take out and close again. A bedroll and a pillow was laid out, including a small little camp light for reading or nighttime activities. By now it was dark, the faint hue of different fires spread out all around. Within the span of a few hours, the activity had come to a calm now. Nearly everyone was asleep or getting close to it, the last few people hitting the showers and bathrooms before they went to bed.
Niles sat out alone and watched the stars, positioning his pillow for maximum comfort with his hands on his stomach. He had laid out on top of his sleeping bag like bed sheets, outstretching like a cat on a sofa. His weary eyes had solely rested on the sky above him, the lethargy now starting to get to him the longer he sat there for a moment.
In the midst of the silence, Nano X slowly appeared from the suit and sat beside him in the grass, copying his movement like a little doll and posed the opposite direction. "A wonderful night, isn't it?"
Niles blinked, sighing. "Yes, it is."
"I told you it was a good idea to stay." X said.
The man nodded along, "I was wrong, I know. I got too ahead of myself. Am I now supposed to say you're right all the time?"
"No, even though I try to be." Alien X sat up and blinked, looking down at Niles. "Now you know why I encouraged you to stay; it certainly was important."
Niles blinked, a look of confusion on his face. "What makes you say that? Did you know this would happen?"
"I had to look into our data banks for a while, but yes I did." X replied.
The man furrowed his eyebrows a little bit, turning to roll over and poked at X's chest firmly. "Hey, I understand what you did, but level with me here. You need to be more honest with me; I don't like that. If you know about certain crucial points that we can change, tell me. Uncertainty doesn't guarantee success, preparation does."
X shyly poked his fingers together and chuckled awkwardly, "Ahaha.. Yes sir."
"You don't need to be teaching me any lessons. Besides," Niles rolled back over, resting his hands behind his head now. "Blossom did that for me anyways. I think I've learned all I need to know for now; I just.. need to get in touch with the old me is all."
The little nano inched a bit closer to Niles and got cozy, crossing his legs and kicked one idly. "How do you think we do that?"
"Get the mission done, then sit back and rest." Niles replied.
Alien X replied, "Yes, that is correct, but be honest with me for a moment: what do you want to do that makes you happy?"
There was a long pause that came from him as he watched a star twinkle in the night sky. Planet Fusion was obnoxiously sitting up there with the rest of the universe. He ignored it, while his mind slowed down a little bit to reflect. "I don't know, I.." he hesitated, blinking as he breathed in and out deeply. "I haven't had the time to think about that until now."
"Well now you do," replied X positively. "You have more time, something no one else gets to have."
Something stirred inside him as he stared, his breathing slowed. "Today felt good; I didn't want to admit it, since I felt like I was only fighting for my survival in the Future. Now, it feels almost.. I don't know, flamboyant? All that praise, it overwhelmed me."
"Consider it as the upside of being a superhero! Did Blossom mention anything like that?" X's eyes squinted, resembling a smile.
Niles shook his head, "Yes but not a lot since we were losing. The difference between then and now is that there were less crowds for parties and parades."
A long moment of silence came from X; his comment troubled him deeply. He searched from within to find the right words to say, hovering up and orbited over Niles' shoulder. "They are back, and you have a key to potentially saving this planet. Isn't that exciting?"
"Well yeah, of course?"
X patted Niles on the chest a couple times, "What I am trying to say is: do not get caught up on the past. I understand it is hard to get over that trauma, but you're back. Acknowledge the future and don't forget it, but move on with that knowledge in mind and enjoy yourself. When was the last time I saw you smile?"
Out of sheer passive reaction did Niles grin, turning his head to look up at X and shook his head. "Well aren't you a font of wisdom tonight? I suppose you're right."
"Now answer me: what do you want to do?" X forced back.
Niles took a second to think about it while rubbing his chin. "I want to be close with all three Powerpuff girls again."
"Alright."
"I want to fight alongside Samurai Jack again."
"That will take some time, but certainly!"
"I want to beat an army single-handedly without breaking a sweat!"
"YES!"
Alien X held his tiny little hands in the air like a gremlin and kicked a bit, yes-manning to his every wish as he fluttered in mid air.
"Ay, can you two be quiet?! I get it's a good day but keep it down!" a voice hissed from the dark, in a tent on Niles' left.
He leaned over a little and replied shyly, "Sorry."
As he sighed, Alien X landed on his feet and patted Niles on the shoulder gently. "Keep this in mind and focus on the good things; now please get some rest, we have another day tomorrow."
Niles nodded, shooing him up and back into the helmet. "Yes yes, goodnight X. See you tomorrow."
As he rolled over and crawled into his bedroll, he shut off his little light and cuddled up against his pillow, breathing in and out slowly. His hot breath hit the puffy, cold pillow beneath him. As he got all nuzzled up, he shut his eyes and drifted off into a longly awaited slumber.
The next day came fast, a bright sunlight peering in through the cracks of the tent. Niles had abruptly woken up to a slow and heavy headache; he made a slight whimper in discomfort, adjusting himself and rolling over a second time. Despite this, he had gotten plenty of sleep and climbed up. A quick thought flashed in his mind, then suddenly he climbed up and zipped over to the suit sitting beside him. His hand pushed down on the stomach compartment, opening it up and desperately did he look inside as panic ensued.
The time traveler's book sat flat at the bottom of the compartment, having avoided the hornet's stinger just barely. The hole went right through; it must have bounced around inside a little and luckily just so happened to miss.
Niles gripped onto the suit's shoulders and sighed, smacking his forehead against the chest despite the pain. "Oh thank goodness.."
An early rising operative had a bath towel in hand and shorts, shooting him a confused look as to why he was acting that way but minding his business, moving on toward the bathrooms.
He decided to join in, waking himself up and cleaned up for the morning. By now a handful of morning bird agents started on breakfast, switching out posts with the watchmen on top of the wall just like any other shift change. The layover from last night was strong, a huge portion of the camp late to waking up this morning.
Niles sat out for a moment by the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. afterwards and watched the sunrise, having received a small traveling mug of cloffee and some scrambled eggs with cheese on a little plate. A small bit of pepper went on it too, just to tie the whole thing together.
Out of the corner of his eye, a pilot and Rachel could be seen making their way up the hill toward the vehicle. A puffy green suit with KND body armor, as well as a pilot's hat with Numbuh Two's style. Every pilot wore this, a specific kind of agent trained with handling aircraft and vehicles. Rachel was in her same armor like before as well, although different under armor and black steel boots. Both were smiling, an apparent chuckle coming from the young girl while she swayed her beret just a little bit. "Well yeah! Let's just hope it works out okay."
The two of them spotted Niles sitting alone on the hillside, and the pilot waved his hand. "Morning, operative! Could I help you with something?"
Niles swallowed a bite, taking a drink of coffee and nodded. "Mhm! I was told I'd be able to head back to Sector V. That's where we're heading?"
"Oh, Niles!" Rachel smiled and gave a little wave. "I forgot you were heading back there, yeah we're about to take off here in a bit."
The pilot rubbed the back of his head and replied, "Yeah, a little over an hour or so. Just waiting for the late risers and any last check ups as part of protocol. Then we're heading out; are you a rider too?"
"Yeah, call me cargo." he lightly smacked his chest torso and chuckled a little bit.
The pilot smiled at his joke and grabbed onto the door handle, heaving it open with a grunt and pushed it aside. "Alright! Let's get the day started."
Rachel had her rifle wrapped around her back, her popgun resting comfortably in its holster with her hand on the grip at all times. She stood over Niles and watched the pilot do his work, another hand on the other hip. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you heading back to V?"
"Reconnaissance," Niles half-truthed as he sipped his cloffee. "I found something Dexter is gonna want to take a look at."
Rachel made a face, "You plan to go all the way down to Tech Square?"
"Well, yeah," he nodded in response. "It's pretty important."
The girl scratched the back of her neck as she took a good look at him, trying to understand his motive. "What could be so important that you would need to travel so far?"
"You'd be surprised," he responded, finishing the last bite of food and reaching for his hero's mask. "I can't talk about it, though."
Rachel took a seat across from him in the grass on top of their little hill and looked out toward the camp, watching them work. She folded her arms over her knees and stretched a leg, comfortably posing while they had the time. "I never got to say it last night but thank you," she turned to look at him. "for helping us out. I thought for sure we'd be a goner."
Niles waved a hand, his face a little red as he started to heat up. "Yeah, uh, don't mention it. It's what I'm here for, just like anybody else."
"Are you a superhero?" she asked curiously.
The man hesitated but nodded afterwards with a remembrance what X spoke to him about. "Yes, I am."
"What's your name?" Rachel asked. "How come I've never heard of you before? Everybody knows all the heroes."
It took him a second to think of a response, his hands cradling his cloffee cup as he leaned in a little. "Well, call me a new one. I don't have a name yet, so I usually just go by my actual name. The suit mostly does the work for me, anyhow."
"So.. why not something like iron man? Your whole thing is the suit, right?"
Niles shook his head, "Mmm.. feels too original; I'll let you know once I do, alright?"
Rachel nodded with a humored smile, "Sure."
As the two sat out and waited a little while, eventually the camp got at it. The wait for the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. to get ready didn't feel so long when the two of them sat back and calmly talked. Eventually the pilot leaned back and waved a hand, "Alright you two, any last minute calls make 'em now! We're about to head off!"
Rachel sat up and brushed herself off from the dirt and the grass, undoing her blonde hair from its bun and letting it fall past her shoulders. "Well, Sector V should be an exciting trip huh? I bet you miss it."
Niles climbed up, his suit obnoxiously screeching through each stiff movement as he also brushed himself off. "Oh, you have no idea.."
The two of them quickly climbed on, the engine revving up a bit louder. From the front seats did the pilot lean over and gesture with a hand. "Ay, are either of you guys free riders?"
"Yeah!"
Rachel raised an eyebrow, "Huh? What's that?"
Niles turned back, "Leaving the hatch open, get fresh air." There was a slight moment of silence before he shook his head. "Just some slang, between pilots."
"You a pilot?!" the pilot replied, adjusting his goggles over his eyes and waved a hand. "Find a spot to take a seat! We got a smooth ride from here, open skies today!"
"No, just been on a lot of missions!"
Backed by his heavy armor, Niles blatantly took a seat on the edge of the open door. His arms stretched out on the floor, his legs dangling heavily over the edge. A strong wind blew over his face, flaring up his hair like a stringy fire.
Rachel took a seat and strapped herself in with a seatbelt, looking at Niles in surprise. "You must have done this a hundred times before to be that confident, even with your suit!" she shouted through the loud engine.
He turned back, a sly grin on his face as he nodded his head. "Just about!"
The view of Mount Blackhead grew smaller as they took off, soaring across the sky with a violent blast. It wasn't a long trip anyways, perhaps a fifteen minute skip. The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. soared through the skies with the grace of a falcon, its sleek design cutting through the air like butter. Above, the fresh morning was gorgeous. The transition from the light orange to blue pastel dawned the vibrant midday colors. Wispy clouds drifted lazily, casting ever-changing shadows on the vast and open landscape below.
The ride was smooth, a little bit of a rattle on the floor underneath. Even if he somehow accidentally fell off, he could follow behind the vehicle with ease. He was relaxed, sitting back and reminiscing for a little while about the long trips he used to have. Throwing back to the desperation of the future, his trips were extensive and strategic. Every soldier had been placed according to their profession and skill, working with the resources they had to survive.
Another S.C.A.M.P.E.R. passed by in the opposite direction, heading toward another base. It was nice, the stress eased recognizing that there were still thousands of soldiers back out there. Granted, Fuse came in waves, his minions often regenerating; hopefully Dexter's urgency about the book was accurate. He never stopped to actually take a look inside at what inventions the scientist talked about; perhaps forgiving his desperation in the future, he acted like it was some sort of miracle cure.
Then, suddenly, a familiar sight fell upon Niles. His eyes behind the mask lit up, his grip on the ship a little tighter.
He was greeted by a breathtaking aerial view that showcased the impressive defenses and bustling activity of the fortified sector. As the aircraft drew closer, the intricate details of Sector V's defenses came into focus, painting a picture of a thriving and well-prepared stronghold. The first thing that caught Niles's eye was the outer perimeter of Sector V, lined with towering energy shields that shimmered with a translucent blue hue. These shields acted as a protective barrier, capable of deflecting incoming threats of any kind and providing a formidable defense against Fusion attacks. Beyond the shields, automated turrets and anti-air emplacements stood vigilant, their modernized designs blending seamlessly with the futuristic architecture of the sector. The bright blue paint indicated that it was all dextech, a display of his egotistic genius.
Military-grade hangars and launch pads dotted the landscape, bustling with activity as other aircraft and spacecraft zoomed in and out, carrying out patrols or responding to emergency calls. Each vessel bore the markings of Sector V, a symbol of unity and readiness in the face of danger. The central hub of Sector V was a marvel of engineering, a sprawling complex that housed command centers, communication arrays, and strategic planning rooms. From above, the organized chaos of hundreds of personnel moving with purpose. They coordinated their efforts whether it be moving large bundles of supplies, tanks and preparations for upcoming missions.
Within and around the area of the sector, residential areas and recreational zones added a slice of life comfort for this military stronghold. Small parks and gardens untouched by fusion spawners flourished, providing a healthy earth green. The families and civilians who had no other choice went about their daily lives as per usual, trusting fully in the extensive defenses of the sector. In terms of the current status of the world, Sector V was one of several well-equipped bases, made to handle the oncoming forces from outer space.
A circle of red lights flashed brightly, indicating the specific pad across the sector on where to land. The pilot closely watched the movements of the vehicle, lowering it down carefully. The wind began to pick up violently as a couple of operatives stood with gesturing hands, watching this current landing take place.
Shortly afterwards did it land in between two other S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s, powering down the engines slowly. Smoke billowed from the tail-end of the ship with a fat puff.
Niles hopped off the edge and stood up, his cape flapping behind him a little bit as he stopped to stare out at Sector V.
Rachel quickly got off behind him as well, lastly followed by the pilot.
The view of Sector V at the height of its strength brought a sense of happiness and comfort from within; Niles smiled, looking up. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, gazed out far at the enormous tree house within the center. Dozens of vehicles were out and about both on the ground and in the air, practically a pinnacle of earth's defensive work. Throughout this time he watched the entire world crumble around him, forced from a distance to witness his group of friends shrink over time. Bonds lost, scars formed and bitter memories never forgotten. There was something about this place that brought him a gut-wrenching feeling, a bittersweet tart. The same second chance thought sprouted up, provoking him into acting almost immediately.
Although this time, he couldn't.
He froze in place, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he remained silent. His face held a serious look, his eyes glued to the tree itself.
"Niles?"
His mind scoped back down to the current present, blinking a couple times and turned to look down at Rachel. "Yeah?"
She grabbed a scrunchie from her pocket and started wrapping her hair back up again, "You alright?"
"Yeah yeah, it's just.. been a while." he replied grimly. "I miss home base."
Deep down she felt something was wrong, but decided not to read into it too much and affirmed his feelings. "Just checking, you seemed nervous. Well anywho, I need to get going. I have to meet with some advisors; it was a pleasure getting to fight alongside you, Niles." She held a hand out in front of him, a smile widening.
Niles took her hand, shaking it firmly and smiled back. "You too, Rachel. You're a good soldier; keep it up and you'll achieve great things."
There was a mutual respect shared between the two before Rachel let go and departed, walking her own path. Deep down Niles thought she would get far; honest, straightforward and with a good aim, she was one of a kind.
He took off, going his own way as well and began heading straight for the tree house. The entire walk over there was a winding path having to try and move the frenzied path of agents alike with their own separate missions. He paced himself, pushing himself forward with each step and decided to simply just fly up there. Checking his rocket boots, he smacked the heels twice and took off into the air.
A handful of agents watched him soar up so quickly, before going back to their work.
At last, he arrived at the front door of Sector V's treehouse and landed with ease. The status of his boots were damaged, indicating they would need a check up very soon. Perhaps, if he had a place to stay, he would be able to have some time to work on it. For now, he still had his mission to uphold. First things first, he needed to see some old friends again.
"Yeah! I'll get to it soon! It looks great so far!"
Niles' eyes widened as he turned to look who spoke. A tinge of nostalgia hit him, a weak spot in his heart as he stepped forward.
Surrounded by a small handful of operatives was that same, lovable, chubby Numbuh Two. Out on the front lawn, beside his own S.C.A.M.P.E.R. parked in the driveway, he had a wide smile on his face. He was younger, a little bit chubbier but with a light to his life. No longer was he dull and as experienced from the future, but a living beacon of positivity.
Numbuh Two was one of Niles' closest friends in the future, given the amount of time the two of them had spent together. At first, during the early stages of the war, they rarely saw each other. Niles as a recruit never would have thought that he and Hoagie would be best buds. Still, this was at a time when Niles was a teenager, before eventually reaching adulthood like everyone did. The longer the war went on, the less and less members survived. The numbers shrank, ultimately forcing a partnership between the two with many of their missions. Their bond grew overtime, sharing a sense of humor and always looked to each other for advice in their own particular fields. They learned a thing or two from one another and when the battlefield was theirs, they dominated.
"Hoagie!" Niles senselessly shouted as he started making his way over.
The agents stopped to turn and look at him, including Numbuh Two with a raised eyebrow. He sat underneath the vehicle with a toolkit and a wrench in his hand. He adjusted his goggles a bit and cleared his throat with a fake smile, "Yes, agent? Something you need? I don't believe I know you.."
He blinked, recognizing what he just did and nodded his head. "Numbuh Two, sorry. It's a, uh, force of habit about names." he smiled awkwardly before rubbing the back of his head. "I had a.. couple of questions if you had a moment."
Two nodded, turning to the agents beside him and gave a gesture. "Sure thing! Guys, I'll see you later about that project. Keep me updated!"
"Yessir." A couple of them saluted while one gave a two finger salute instead, heading off into the house toward the base.
Two looked up at Niles out of curiosity, his eyes hidden underneath the goggles but inspecting his suit. "Neat suit by the way! Where'd you get it? I take it.. titanium?"
"Oh, yes. I had someone make it for me; she's very good at engineering." Niles replied, doing a little one-eighty just to show off.
"Wow, that looks cool! I'm not that good with suits but I can recognize talent when I see it! Good stuff!" Two smiled, putting his wrench aside and rested his hands on his knees. "What can I help you with?"
Niles took a deep breath, articulating his speech with his hands. "My name is agent Arachnid, but you can call me Niles. Nice to meet you."
The two of them quickly shook hands and he continued afterwards.
"Is Blossom around here? I need to speak with her about an urgent matter; it's under code W.A.I.T."
Two grew silent for a moment, blinking as he raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Wow, if it's that urgent she's up in the meeting room in the tree house. Someone came to visit today, so you'll have to let them know it's W.A.I.T. protocol."
"Right, thank you Numbuh Two." Niles gave a slight bow and froze. He held back from giving him a pat on the shoulder, forcing himself to just nod to him while starting his way off. "I'll see you later, Numbuh Two, hopefully! I need some recommendations.. for the suit."
Two slowly started digging through his tools, turning to watch him go. "Recommendations? For what?"
Niles lifted a foot up with a smile, showing off the rocket thrusters.
"Oh yeah, I see what you mean." he made a face, squinting at his pair. "After you get done with your mission, come and find me! I'd be more than happy to help!"
The front door opened, the man turning to look back one last time as he gave a slight wave. "I will! See ya around!"
As the door closed, Two sat back and stared at the door for a moment, blinking twice. "What a strange guy.."
The man strutted inside the house and took the lift up, crowded between a handful of other agents casually talking about their missions. The room was hot, causing him to sweat a little bit. There was a strange sense of bittersweet joy overwhelming him, seeing so many soldiers who had given their lives for the cause. It almost felt like a dream, some sick piece of candy he wasn't meant to have yet still received just to get spoiled. A part of him felt like he didn't deserve it, but the other humbled him about his purpose.
When the wooden door opened, Niles was the last to exit and began his march up the stairs and floors. His armor clanked against the wooden ground with each step, several agents giving him looks out of impression or curiosity. Lots of technology had been made during this time of the war, although nothing as stylized and personal as the dynamo suit. Regardless he continued onward, anxiety slowly building up from within. So far, no one had managed to recognize him yet. It was only a matter of time until someone brought up something, let alone at least think if he was actually the right Niles.
The trip up was short, finally reaching the front doors to the meeting room. He couldn't move, held back by what was behind that door. The memories of Blossom were coming back, from their standoffish introduction all the way toward their sweet partnership. The thought of starting from square one broke his heart, realizing the lies he would need to come up with about the suit. It was the best gift she had ever given him, made with love and tender care. It meant so much more to him, but her younger self would only see it as a self-made invention. He frowned, looking down at his hands and shut his eyes. His breathing stilled him, finally pushing up the courage to open the door and walk inside with tall, broad shoulders.
The briefing room was mostly empty, except for a couple of figures standing together. The hologram in the center had been shut off, leaving the sunlight to peer through the windows while they stood beside one another. Consoles and controls lined up on the walls, followed by a main podium toward the opposite end of the door. The floor was a comfortable gray carpet, the wooden desks lining up beside one another. Behind the podium was a small wood-plank balcony, open to the entire view of Sector V. Niles had visited this room only a handful of times, mostly meeting with higher ups about briefings for possible missions. It was a scarce task, if anything also an honor to meet with some of the most prestigious members of the forces against Fuse.
The first thing he had recognized was a bright red bow and long ginger hair, followed by a red, black and white dress with a gentle hover. In the glistening light was Blossom, her hands on her hips with a playful smirk on her face. Beside her happened to be an old face: the same short black hair, green, black and white dress with a light hover as well and an equally teasing grin with bright green eyes. His heart stopped, standing in the doorway with a stricken nerve. The color palette immediately stunned him into a disbelieving silence.
"I counted two-hundred and three! You can't beat me!" A cocky smile crept across her face.
Buttercup Utonium. A long time ago did Niles develop feelings for her, something that was initially a teenage crush that turned into something almost lifelong. Under the training of Blossom, she had taught him a few tricks too and fought alongside him in several battles. Throughout the entire time of the war, their relationship was complicated; Niles was a coward, unable to express himself properly around her out of fear. She may have picked up on it although he never knew about her true feelings for him in the first place. Blossom had good faith in him, and he realized he and Buttercup had a lot more in common than initially. Her strength impressed him, a playful relationship they shared turning into a crescent of something much more intimate. That same relationship died when she had pushed herself too hard, and not even for him to begin with. That day stuck with him, especially seeing her in her own casket.
"Hmph, we'll see about that later sis. Just wait until my next mission." Blossom beamed with confidence, a twinkle in her eye as she kept the stare with her sister.
The two stopped abruptly and immediately looked up and over at him. They both began to scan every detail and dropped to the floor; Blossom kept her pose while Buttercup crossed her arms, staying tough.
"Oh, hey there! Something I can help you with?"
4/17/24
This chapter really was a calm after a storm; giving some time to breathe and enjoy the simpler things really is the goal here. Otherwise, why would everyone be fighting?
It's kind of poetic in a way that Niles doesn't really play with anyone else simply because he just can't, I think. There's a constant theme of everyone's enjoyment at his expense.
It really steered the direction of where Niles is going, considering the Magic Tree and X picked up on his habits quick. Given his character, he gets the mission done above all else. Now, despite wanting it so bad, X wants him to slow it down and enjoy the little moments rather than just focusing on another operation. It's a soft gut punch telling him to enjoy life for what it's worth now, since he has a second chance. Though on an another empathetic note, he respects all soldiers from recruits to generals. The war against Fuse is ruthless, a lens he has shared with very few.
6/6/24
This is for the text update. If you've read this far, thank you so much! I hope you're enjoying Fusion and Iron. The whole journey for Niles has been challenging but incredible to write.