For context, this chapter has a lot of characterization and dialogue. It rolls the plot along though, so feel free to pace yourself. There were a lot of characters in this chapter and a lot to cover.
In the heart of a cozy white kitchen, the air was filled with the fresh smell of sizzling meat and toasted buns. Resting enticingly on the countertop on a silver tray lay a pair of thick burgers. Its golden-brown exterior glistened with grease, perfectly melted cheese slowly trailing between ingredients like a velvet blanket. Crisp lettuce and ripe tomato slices easily peeked out from in between the buns, heightening the stack itself.
Beside the burgers sat a gleaming silver desk bell, its polished surface radiating under the glow of the kitchen lights.
Ding! Ding!
A light-blue skinned hand smacked on the bell, tucking itself inside a white chef's coat. A tall, skinny figure had his back turned, catering to a handful of more burgers on a steaming stove getting grilled. A slight shrill voice spoke up as he yelled through the sharp hissing, "Chowder! Come get these burgers before they get cold! We got lots of hungry soldiers today and I do not want to disappoint!"
Dashing from the other side of the kitchen on stubby legs came a small, violet cat-like boy. A hand held on tightly to his purple hat while the other had an empty tray in hand; due to his chubby shape, he breathed heavily while he legged it and scooped up the two burgers. "Sorry Mung! It's a storm out there!"
While he took advantage of the opportunity, the older man turned his head over to reveal his large white mustache and smiled. He patted the boy on the head a little bit and gestured with a spatula, "It's alright, I'm not mad. Now get out there and show me how to serve!"
With the burgers in hand, Chowder did a salute and stuck out his tongue before racing back to the other side of the kitchen.
Standing in between two freezers, a larger beige rock monster was bent over. His large rump stuck out, slightly shaking left and right as a muffled grumble left him. Currently his hands held onto a large ice cream scooper, fighting through some really tough thrice cream cramped in large, frozen tubs.
Bump!
Chowder accidently smacked into his butt, causing him to stumble and fall in over a little bit. He tripped on himself, throwing the burgers forward only to catch them and let out a gasp in shock.
The monster peaked his long head up and waved a fist, "Radda! Radda Radda!"
"Sorry Schnitzel!" the boy replied hastily and made his way forward.
He grumbled to himself, "Radda.."
"Schnitzel!" Mung shouted from the other side of the kitchen. "How long until the birthday cake is ready?!"
He peered his head over, holding up a scoop of thrice cream and reached over for a silver bowl on the table. "Radda.. Radda? Radda."
Mung turned his head back, squinting at the man and gestured with a spatula. "I want to make sure that cake is in pristine shape!"
Back over at the front counter, Chowder jumped up on a stool and reached over through a windowsill. From the other side, a pair of agents dressed in all black with sunglasses stood and eagerly waited in line. Both of them had empty trays in hand, eagerly waiting to see what they had in store until they noticed the boy come climbing up.
"Here are your burgers! Feel free to treat yourself to as many curly fries as you'd like in that little booth over there. They restock every few minutes!" Chowder panted, slapping both patties straight onto their trays.
From the other side of the windowsill, a large cafeteria housing nearly several hundred soldiers was currently occupied. All sorts of agents from all over Sector V were currently waiting for a grant event to occur; balloons and decorations had been set up all over in a hue of red. Some of the windows in this large, rectangular building were open, a soft breeze blowing through to ease the heat.
Many long tables with dozens of seats created a labyrinth within the building, taken by all sorts of units. Even in one table towards the corner, some of the freshest academy recruits sat together. Identifiable by their chromatic armor, the lot of them sat together with their bright orange rifles laying flat out on the table with nowhere else to put it. There was no food for any of them, at least not yet. Considering they were nearly children and the fresh batch to this war, they got the food last before anyone else.
Back at the window, one agent reached into his pocket and chuckled. "Thanks, Chowder. Tell Mung team twelve thinks you guys are the best chefs around!"
A small packet of sour candy was chucked over toward Chowder; he caught it with his hands, looking down at it with wide eyes. In a playful victorian voice to lather up the role as a 'server' he replied, "Thank you so much, sir! I will see to it that he receives your message."
When the two took off, the other agent shook her head and smiled widely. "He's such a good kid; he'll go far, I'm sure."
Chowder quickly dashed back to the other side of the kitchen, seeing another pair of freshly served up patties wait for him. He gently nudged past Schnitzel, then landed right over and picked up the patties. "Mung! Team twelve thinks we're the best!"
"That we are, Chowder, that we are!" Mung replied with a laid-back smile on his face. He reached for some seasoning and gently sprinkled it across some of the patties, flipping them over.
There was a slight confused look on the boy's face as he spoke up, placing his little hands on the counter, "Mung, whose birthday is it today? There's a lot of operatives out there, especially some new ones from the academy."
"Today," Mung began. "We've been given the opportunity to cater for none other than one of Kids Next Door's finest: Number One! Today is his birthday, well.. Nigel's birthday."
"Who is Number One again?"
He nodded, "He is the strapping gentleman with a shaved head, sunglasses and red sweater. Granted it wouldn't be my signature look, though I suppose we don't judge here in the barracks. I believe he should be here within the next few minutes."
"Oh," Chowder shrugged. "I thought we were cooking for the three Eds again."
Mung shook his head and waved his spatula, "No Chowder, that's not for another few chapters. Besides, do you really think those three boys can eat all of these exquisite patties we've been cooking for the past hour?"
"Fair enough." he replied and took off with a few more burgers.
Back over toward the tubs, Schnitzel had already prepared several dozen bowls of ice cream kept cool in the freezers. His hands worked diligently in order to make sure the soldiers who were getting thrice cream had enough including flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
Finally, back out toward the cafeteria, the main event was about to start.
From the edges of the sky came a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. escorted by two planes; it soared over toward a landing pad and calmly placed itself down. Smoke billowed from the exhausts of the vehicle as the heat subsided from the back thrusters, leaving a foggy wake.
This escort was detached as the two planes started their way down a couple of runways, just on the other side of the treehouse.
Crowding from several angles of this singular ship came several dozen operatives, reporters and personnel just to get a glimpse. Several cameras were held up high and prepared for his arrival. The agents who were supposed to be a part of this landing were fighting their way through the crowd, harshly pulling a couple of people back with their grip and started yelling. Acting much more like a secret service than anything, the escort prepared to protect the agents within the ship and held their hands up high. Gently but firmly, they ushered everyone back.
"Keep your distance!"
"Everyone get back and in an orderly fashion!"
"We will not tolerate flash! Flash off!"
Emerging from the crowd was none other than the lovable Numbuh Two, calmly pushing past a couple of people. He appeared to be dressed in a slightly nicer button up shirt, his overalls now gone and replaced with fine pants while he still kept his shoes and hat on. He had his signature look, though dressed as if he were going to a special social or occasion. "On your left! Pardon me!"
One of the agents handling the crowd let Two slip by and patted him on the shoulder, "It's good to see you Numbuh Two, glad to see you made it okay."
"Thank you, agent!" he replied with a wide smile and nodded. He joined the escort which lined themselves up on opposite ends of the door, popping his neck and stood up straight. There was a wide smile on his face, eager to see his friend face to face he hadn't seen in such a long time.
Finally, the door unsealed itself and slid open.
Emerging from the slider door was yet again another pair of operatives, pulling themselves up armed with their own scatterguns. The smoke began to fade away, painting a much clearer picture than what was expected.
Coming out from behind the two agents stood a tall, skinny teenage man. His bald head shined underneath the sun, his sunglasses reflecting with a shimmer. He had a serious look on his face, his eyes hidden away as to not show his true feelings of the environment around him. The red sweater which sat snug over his shoulders slightly drifted in the breeze, including his green khaki shorts. Holstered on his hip was a bright blue pistol of unknown origin, likely specially designed just for someone like him.
As he finally stepped out, he revealed his tall socks and big boots. They were dead silent, unable to be heard by the immediate shouting of the crowd.
The handful of reporters who lined up together immediately started taking shots, one or two flashes going off causing a bodyguard to hold a hand up to block in defiance. Many of them threw forward microphones through the armpits of the agent acting as a shield, quickly fighting over one another to get a say.
"Number One! Happy birthday! What are your thoughts on finally turning eighteen?!"
"Sir! Do you know the hero who saved Mount Blackhead?"
"Will we get to see the KND at Bravo Beach anytime soon?!"
"Sign my belly!"
In defiance, the agent blocking their view grabbed onto the camera that flashed and held it up into the air. "HEY! What did I say about flash?! No flash!"
Number One kept a serious look on his face, puffing out his lip as if he had just received some unsatisfying news. Reporters were annoying to deal with, especially when they asked the tough questions he didn't have the answers to. All he could do in this moment was remain silent, his mind racing with top-secret information yet to be released to the general public and military about the future of this war. The truth was that it didn't look good, upon realizing that it was a slow descent into a much more difficult front than he thought.
In between the two lines, one agent saluted toward him. "Sir, it's good to see you. Number Two is expecting you."
His face turned to surprise, turning to look over toward the line and see who it was.
With his hands behind his back, Two slightly leaned over with a wide smile on his face. "It's been a while, Nigel."
"Hoagie!"
The two of them quickly approached and locked on to one another, embracing one another with open arms. There was a loud sigh in relief from One and a happy chuckle from Two as they held it for a moment. Despite this deeply personal scene being captured on camera, neither of them really cared. All that mattered was that they were both alive and well.
One let go, putting his hands on his hips and looked at him up and down. His distinct british accent peaked with genuine happiness, "Boy, am I glad to see you again. Things down south have been a mess ."
"Oh tell me about it," Two snorted. "All sorts of stuff has gone haywire up here too; you aren't alone on that."
As the two started walking throughout the base, the escort of eight agents followed alongside them with their rifles and scatterguns held close to their chest. They had them pointed down as to not trigger any sort of friendly fire, though stayed alert in case anything were to go wrong.
One patted Two on the shoulder a few times and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking out toward the treehouse as they were apparently being directed by this team of men and women on alert.
"It's been far too long; I miss the treehouse."
Two swayed left and right while they walked, his hands freely flowing. "By the way, I'm just gonna let you know now: the group's got a big surprise for ya."
"Oh I know," One chuckled. "They do this every birthday for me. You know, we should really do the same for everybody on the team."
"You remember what happened when we tried doing this thing for Five?" Two laughed a little bit.
One's memory didn't fail him; the last time they tried to throw a huge birthday party for Numbuh Five, she nearly killed the few agents who were tasked with surprising her. Afterwards, she was too embarrassed to attend any of the parties except for the main five on the team and made them promise not to do something like that ever again without her permission.
"Oh yes, I know the one. What else would you expect from the coolest girl alive?"
The two of them shared a good laugh together as they reminisced about some of their younger years on the field; time flew by so fast, something all of them barely managed to fully understand.
When the escort finally arrived at the front entrance of the cafeteria, two lines were formed as one reached for the front handles. He turned his head back as he grabbed onto one door and asked, "Are you both ready?"
Two nodded, turning to look over at One.
One could only sigh, nodding his head. "Let's get this over with."
The agent nodded, pulling at the doors and opened them up. The escort followed behind both One and Two as they both took charge and stepped inside.
Both of them were shocked to see the sheer numbers of agents in the room.
At first it was somewhat noisy, though a couple of soldiers quickly stepped up and pointed over toward the two of them. Sitting in the corner at their own table surrounded by dozens of soldiers were both Numbuh Three and Numbuh Four. She appeared to be smiling widely, while Four was just relaxed and leaning on the table like nothing was wrong. Though the moment the two of them stepped inside, both agents quickly jumped up and gestured over toward One.
Then, in an instant, the entire room jumped up and cheered.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUMBER ONE!"
An outburst of cheering and clapping came as all of the agents in the cafeteria stood up. Those who were too injured or couldn't didn't, yet still joined in on the cheering. The spacious room echoed their cries, making it seem louder than what it actually was.
A red blush formed over One's face as he smiled, taking off his sunglasses to look around at everyone and waved.
Two stood beside him and crossed his arms, watching One's reaction to this whole ordeal. The cafeteria for lunch was just one of several events and parties he would be going to today. After all, he was a big deal for the Kids Next Door, even if now he had technically become an adult.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he shouted, trying to fight the cheering though couldn't. He just let it play out, taking a couple of steps further into the room and continued to wave.
Two followed behind, gesturing for Three and Four to approach and also just remained on the sidelines for now.
A handful of some of Sector V's most promoted agents took steps forward and waved at him. Some of them were nearly veterans of this war for a few years now, having climbed the ranks to get to the top.
"Sir! It's an honor to meet you."
"I must say, it's good to have you at our side. Fuse will be taken down in no time!"
"You inspired me to fight the good fight, which is why I'm here today! Thank you, Number One!"
All One could do was smile and take it, proceeding to shake hands with the agents approaching and nodded his head. "Yes yes, well of course being an agent has its merits. Without all of you, every single person in this room, Lord Fuse would have destroyed everything by now. You have each other to thank, I am simply just another soldier at your side. Thank you for your outstanding services to our planet, soldiers."
The group of veterans saluted like they were newbies all over again.
"Sir yes sir!"
Numbuh Four walked up to Two and crossed his arms, "Hey Two, how's it going?"
Three immediately lunged forward toward Numbuh Two and wrapped her green sweater arms around him, letting out a squeal in excitement and shook him up. "Number Two! It's so good to see you again! I missed youuuuu!"
Hoagie chuckled and hugged Three back, patting her on the back a few times and let go. "I'm good guys, I'm good! How has Mount Blackhead been treating ya?"
"Horrible," Four spouted. "Every day is a nightmare fighting just plants. Plants! Not to mention that stupid tree's riddles don't make any sense! I can't get any cooperation out of him."
Three smiled widely, "It's amazing! I've had a great time with me and my friends, plus we got some help the other day! You should have seen it, we kicked Fuse's forces right outta the jungle!"
"You two will have to tell me all about it later tonight," Two replied. He leaned in and covered his mouth with his hand, "We've got a squad party, just the originals only tonight. It'll be in the treehouse, like old times!"
Three gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes widening. An intense happiness built up inside her as she slightly twitched. Very quietly she replied, "I can't WAIT!"
"That sounds great! Finally, just some alone time with the gang. I've been waiting for that for a long time." Four shoved his hands in his pockets and looked out toward One, getting swallowed in a crowd of soldiers.
"Okay everyone! If we could please give Number One some room, he needs lunch! We'll be around for the next hour or so, so feel free to come by and give your birthday wishes to the birthday boy!" Two screamed as he stepped in to help, cupping his hands over his mouth. Cheekily he pointed forward and shouted, "Chowder! Bring out the cake!"
From behind the kitchen door just in the nick of time, a cart was strolled out escorted by both Schnitzel and Chowder. Sitting comfortably on its own big plate was a triple-layered red velvet cake with a handful of candles lit on the top. It was massive, balanced just perfectly on its own weight while it barely swayed on the plate. The color palette was black, red and white, including a cursive text on the top which wrote 'Happy 18th Birthday Nigel' with a heart next to it.
Nigel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, seeing the massive cake come out on full display. Instinctively he placed a hand on his stomach, just imagining the sweet tooth stomach ache he would come to face later on today. He turned to look back at Two who just had a humored smile on his face. There was no way he was going to be eating all of that.
Despite the grim situation of earth, Nigel thought that today was perhaps one of the best days he had in a long time. He just smiled, looking back at his friends and shook his head. "You guys.."
"Happy birthday, Nigel." Four smiled.
Three rubbed her hands together somewhat shyly, though enjoyed his reaction. "I hope you like it! I made sure to pick out the cake just for you! The chefs were really nice about everything."
One gestured for them to walk over and started making his way toward the kitchen to get some lunch, feeling his stomach grumble a little bit. "You guys, you really outdid yourself."
He looked to his left, then to his right. A sudden realization came as he looked at them, "Say, where's Number Five? Is she planning something else?"
"Apparently there was a slight problem down at Pokey Oaks this morning," Two replied while they walked. "She got called, so she's going to be a bit late to the party."
There was a slight look of serious concern on his face as they all got in line, witnessing a large burger on the counter and immediately took it. "Thank you Chowder. Eh, what exactly was the call?"
"A fusion," Two replied and took his own burger. "Landed straight in the middle of the park. Had to call the Powerpuff Girls to deal with the whole problem. She was securing the sector."
One clicked his tongue, taking a little metal scooper and shoved some curly fries on his plate. "Well, hopefully everything is alright. All sorts of strange fusions have been popping up recently, maybe because the fusion spawners are being taken down?"
Four quickly intervened as he took some more fries, holding up a finger. "Nigel, we don't want you thinking about any kind of mission today. Today's your day, alright? We have all year to worry about this stuff!"
One sighed, turning to look over at the group. "Well, I have some unfortunate news none of you are going to like."
Two, Three and Four all had looks of worry on their faces as they followed him. They remained silent until Three perked up, "What for, Numbuh One?"
"It's convenient that my birthday is the exact same day Dexter wants to see me in Sector V. He seemed really adamant about wanting me here, and so I'm here." One frowned.
Four widened his eyes from underneath his bob cut, "Wait! Hold it! So you're meaning to tell me you came all the way here just for some stupid meeting with Dexter?!"
There was a bit of silence until Nigel replied, "Well when you put it like that.. it's urgent."
"Awe jeez, Nigel." Two rubbed the back of his head. "Don't you want it to be like old times?"
There was a long pause from One, looking at all of his friends. Deep down, he knew they were right. He worried about this war against Fuse for too long, so long in fact that they rarely ever got to hang out just with them. It took him this long to realize it, seeing how old all of them had gotten. Deep down, he still fondly recalled them at twelve, seeing their faces through their eyes.
There was a sigh before he finally spoke up, "Well, I suppose I could spare some time tonight. It.. wouldn't be right if I didn't."
Three smiled, taking some fries and took a couple of steps closer. "Yaay! I promise you it'll be fun!"
"We just want you to have some fun, Nigel," Four replied, stepping up to him and patting him on the shoulder. "That's all."
"I could probably talk to Dexter, maybe we could reschedule your meeting?" Two asked, tilting his head.
The group found an empty table near the center of the room where everybody could see them, taking chairs for themselves and formed a little group. The handful of academy graduates stared at them like celebrities, now finally getting up to go get some food. Many of them were flabbergasted, seeing some of KND's finest sitting together at a table by themselves.
"Wow, it's actually them!"
"One, Two, Three and Four are all together?"
"This isn't real!"
Four kicked his feet up on the table and waved his fingers over toward some of the kids, a sly smirk on his face.
A couple of them waved back, overexcited in his presence and quickly scurried off to get some food.
"No no, I'll handle it." One replied. His hands clasped around the big burger as he lifted it up, "Gosh, I'm hungry."
Two lifted himself up, "Right! Let's get some lunch and not ruin this opportunity, ay guys?"
"Yeah!"
"Right!"
While the party continued to rage on from inside the cafeteria, a handful of more people arrived in the center of Sector V. A large crowd of soldiers and reporters made their way over after taking advantage of One's arrival, quickly pointing and shouting from up in the air. By now, the sector was bustling full of life as a very few specific number of S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s deployed groups off elsewhere on earth in their respective outposts and bases. Today, out of many of the days in the fight against Fuse, was a pretty easy today. Not a lot of activity went on other than the incredible celebration.
From the sky came all three Powerpuff Girls in their own respective poses, followed by Niles from behind. All four of them nearly perfected their superhero landing, aiming for a slightly elevated place in the area.
The ground cheered as handfuls of soldiers, citizens and reporters gave their congratulations to the handful of supers who just arrived. Several cameras were raised in the air, flashing bright pictures toward the group.
As the three girls slightly covered over toward Niles, Bubbles turned to look back at him and gestured for him to come up with her. She had an infectious smile, something the man always admired about her. "Come on up! Just smile and wave, maybe answer a question or two? Up to you!"
Niles nodded, slightly squirming and found a comfortable spot to stand beside the three.
Blossom calmly waved a hand in the air, an almost elegant wave compared to her sister Buttercup who was blatantly posing for the cameras. At this point she was flexing off her firm muscles, despite some of the light injuries she had received from this morning's fight.
"Do not be alarmed, everyone!" Blossom held her hands up in the air. A couple of cameras flashed white as the crowd settled down, allowing her to speak. "The threat in Pokey Oaks North has been dealt with; those who have been sent to the emergency shelters will be able to return to their homes within the next couple of days, once the damages have been repaired!"
The crowd around them immediately started clapping again, cheering for their work.
"Miss Utonium!" a reporter jumped up from the crowd. "Where did this fusion come from? Several witnesses claimed that it was a Fusion of Major Glory! Is he alright?"
Blossom immediately held a hand up cautiously, "Your reports would be correct that it was a fusion of Major Glory! Fortunately, everyone, Major Glory is OKAY!"
An immense feeling of relief washed over the people, hearing the good news.
"We don't know where he came from other than Planet Fusion!" Buttercup added onto it, pointing up towards the sky at the obnoxious planet.
"Who is this armored man who stands with you?" another reporter cried from the crowd, immediately pointing over at Niles.
The man remained quiet for the most part, letting them do the talking but immediately clutched up. His fists gripped and he adjusted his posture, letting the soft breeze blow his cape in one direction. He kept a stoic face, expecting them to speak for him.
His side eye caught Blossom, who gestured for him to go ahead and speak.
"Oh, uh.." Niles cleared his throat and held a hand up. So many eyes were glued on him, though his confidence shined through nonetheless. "Do not be alarmed! I am.. a new superhero!"
A soldier shouted back, "What's your name?! Tell us!"
There was a long moment of silence, followed by a couple of flashes from cameras as they took a few pictures of him.
Bubbles gestured to him with a bit of encouragement, a warm smile on her face.
Buttercup also gave a thumbs up, a reassuring nod from Blossom just to add onto that. He had their full support, something that made him feel special.
"My name.. is the Iron Warrior."
The crowd immediately started pelting him with questions as they cheered.
"Will you be working with the Powerpuff Girls in the future?"
"Are you from Sector V, sir?!"
"Where did you get the suit!"
Blossom could see him unable to handle the reporters and quickly took over, making another gesture with her hands. "We would love to take your questions, however we all need to get going! Before we go, I would like to express my concern on behalf of the brave soldiers who lost their lives last night."
The citizens quickly grew quiet, still taking a couple of photos though allowed her to continue speaking.
"Fighting in this war has been hard, hard on everyone. We have lost so many good people to Lord Fuse, something that is very difficult for us to handle. To the families out there, you are not alone. Your loved ones fought bravely and will be remembered for their actions; we thank them and you for your service in these trying times."
The crowd immediately started clapping in response, respecting her honor about the situation while she spoke on behalf of it.
As Buttercup peered over, she could tell her sister was getting quite tired and wanted to get this done. Touching on the subject of loss wasn't a specialty of hers and seeing how she reacted with the fight today made her think twice. She decided to take the reins for now, making her presence known as she lifted up into the air. "Rest assured, everyone. Know that the Powerpuff Girls will be around, should there ever be another super or fusion threat! We thank you for your cooperation and help in order to get the job done and wish you all a pleasant day, as well as a pleasant weekend!"
Bubbles tugged on Niles' cape and nodded over toward the crowd, gesturing for him to say something before their departure.
"Oh, right. Uh, I also wanted to say that I too am joining the frey against supervillains and Lord Fuse! I will devote my cause to the people and thank all of you for your.. support." He didn't really know what to say at the moment, though added onto it and waved his hands.
Together, the three girls and Niles quickly took off the ground and began to head over toward the cafeteria. They found a spot to land together and proceeded on foot, the crowd taking a couple of pictures as they flew off to go join the celebration.
"Bubbles, you're scaring me girl." Buttercup lightly punched her sister's shoulder. "Where've ya been? Don't tell me you've been running off with that Boomer boy again."
Her eyes widened as she held up her hands, a red blush on her face as she shook her head. "No, no! Well.. not recently, I've been busy dealing with the fusion spawners downtown!"
Blossom looked over, her bags under her eyes becoming prominent. "Any luck?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Bubbles. "Dexter introduced me to a new tactic and it worked like a charm! Those pesky spawners won't be bothering us down at Orchid Bay; the coast is clear!"
Both the other girls shot Niles a look, unable to discern whether it was out of surprise or expectation.
"That's great news!" Blossom exclaimed with an easy smile on her face. "By the way, Bubbles, I would like to introduce you to our new student. He'll be taken under our wing, for now, since he wants to become a superhero."
Niles offered a hand, "Bubbles, it's nice to finally meet you. Call me Niles, or.. The Iron Warrior."
Bubbles took his hand, shaking it and smiled widely. "It's nice to meet you! I'm sure you'll do well."
Back in the future, Bubbles' demise was an unfortunate one. He hadn't visibly seen her death, though saw the mental decline of the other two girls when they heard about it, especially to Blossom. She had bravely given her life in order for a group of recruits to escape, under fire from an extreme amount of fusion monsters who had nearly destroyed a sector all on their own. She was remembered as one of the sweetest heroes on planet earth, the funeral session a gut-wrenching day for nearly everyone.
Something in him stirred; he wouldn't let that happen, not again.
Niles immediately spoke up, "Thank you, Bubbles. I'll do my best to help out and protect you in times of need."
"Oh! How sweet of you," she giggled, gesturing with a hand. "Though there's no need. I'm sure I'll be okay."
How little did she know about the truth: it didn't matter how strong you were, under Fuse's fight you were vulnerable just like everyone else. It was an even playing ground, even deadlier when paired up against your own fusion.
"Say, sis, what's going on with the decorations?" Buttercup asked.
Blossom gestured toward the door they were approaching, a soft sway in her hips while she walked. "Today is Number One's birthday; he came to visit, though he's got a meeting with Dexter. We're going too."
Buttercup let out a loud groan, "Again? Can't we just have a day off for once-"
"What's the meeting about?" Bubbles asked.
She made a face, pointing over specifically at Niles. "It's a long story."
The blonde haired girl looked directly over at him, a slight awkward smile on his face.
"Sis," Buttercup started. "Do you remember that conversation we had about time travel before I lost my memories?"
She nodded, fidgeting with her hair a little bit. "Uh huh.."
"Well it's real."
"Time travel is real?!" she innocently spouted out loud.
Blossom grit her teeth as she stopped at the door, holding a hand up. "We're keeping it on the downlow, for now. We're going to have a talk about it, since eerie things have been lining up with him. For now, just enjoy One's birthday and act like we aren't having this talk."
"Oh, okay." Bubbles grinned softly and turned to look over at Niles. "That's actually pretty neat. With a world like this, though, I'm sure anything is possible so it doesn't surprise me too much."
The four made their entrance inside the cafeteria, the two doors swung widely open. Their iconic colors of red, green and blue shined through the sunlight as all eyes caught on them when they came in. A large number of soldiers immediately smiled and waved, excited to see the superheroes in person.
Niles stood there with them and stuck out like a sore thumb, a slight blush on his face from the lack of notoriety. Regardless he remained quiet and took it knowing fully well the girls deserved far more recognition than he did.
A handful of soldiers came walking over and immediately started pestering them when they made their entrance, asking all sorts of questions about their missions and what it was like to live the everyday life of a superhero.
Blossom just pushed on through, guiding the girls while Buttercup assisted. "We'd love to talk but we're here to wish One a happy birthday! We'll answer any questions you guys might have later, for now enjoy the cake!"
Bubbles also did the same, standing on the other side of Blossom and waved. "Hi! Yes, being a superhero is absolutely amazing! I get to fight villains and save the day alongside my sisters, the best thing in the world!"
Niles remained in the back, smiling and waving to the handful who were asking who he was. He just kept a stiff face and replied, "I'm a new hero, here to help! Call me the Iron Warrior."
When they finally reached a table, the crowd immediately dispersed and let them join in. Many of the agents desperately wanted to get pictures, autographs signed and ask questions though let them relax and enjoy lunch for now. After all, it was the right thing to do.
Blossom approached One and grabbed a hold of his shoulders, giving him a slight back massage and shook him around a little bit. There was a wide smile on her face as she spoke up, "Hey Nigel! Happy birthday, pal! Welcome to the adult life!"
Bubbles gave a playful wave, "Hi Nigel! Happy birthday, buddy!"
"Happy birthday, dude!"
One shook around and let out a grunt, dropping a bit of chewed cheese on his plate and reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth. "Mm, hello girls! Thank you for coming, I appreciate it. There are burgers and cake if you want some over by the kitchen."
"Oh, we're just dropping by to say hi-" Blossom replied.
The green powerpuff girl rubbed her stomach, gritting her teeth. "I could really go for a burger right now, that actually sounds great."
"What time will the meeting start?" Bubbles asked, placing a finger on her chin.
Nigel opened his eyes a little bit and expressed looks between all three. He was somewhat humored by their different reactions, something he liked about the Powerpuff Girls.
Hoagie shared a smile and a wave with Blossom, receiving a pat on the back.
Kuki and Bubbles also shared a little smile and wave, including a very thoughtful hug.
Wallace just gave a two finger salute, adjusting his legs to stay comfortable and tilted his chair back a bit.
"Oh hey Niles! Good to see you made it too!" Two said and reached his hand up.
Being someone he had shared some connection with, Niles dabbed him up and patted him on his big back. "It's good to see you too, Numbuh Two. How've you been?"
Hoagie pinched at a fry and chewed on it while the girls talked with Numbuh One, sitting back while looking up at him. "I've been good, working on a lot of projects! How'd I do on the suit?"
"Oh it went great!" Niles reassured and nodded. "You've got a way of solving problems quickly; it went back to work no problem."
Two nodded, satisfied with his reaction.
"Say, I've been meaning to ask you something." Niles bent over a little bit. "Whenever we get done with this big meeting, would you like to hang out at some point? There's a couple of inventions I've been wanting to get your input on."
Two rubbed the back of his head, "Hmm.. I don't see why not. Not tonight, though. The original five are gonna be hanging out together, just like the good old days."
"Oh, of course," Niles retorted himself and shook his head. He shouldn't throw himself in the deep end too early, maybe reel back a little bit. "I didn't know you guys were doing that tonight. Maybe at some point this next week?"
"Yeah, that works perfectly! Also, it's alright. Between you and me," he leaned in a little bit more. "It's an original gang meeting, so don't feel too bad."
Four perked up and eyed Niles closely, "Well, if it isn't our superhero who saved the day? Convenient you show up, bud! Welcome to the party!"
The man turned to look over at Four, reaching his hand out and shook his. "Two told me you guys are having a party tonight; is that true?"
"Oh yeah, we're planning a special occasion just for Numbuh One. Been waiting to do this all year!" Wallace smiled widely.
Niles nodded and patted him on the back, "Well I hope you guys have a good time; it's amazing to get to see all of you together again, really. I saw Abig- Five, earlier this morning."
"Is she doing okay?" Kuki asked in a worried tone, looking up at him.
The man nodded, "Oh yeah, she's fine. I bet the whole problem with Fusion Major Glory set things back."
"Yeah it did," Two sulked in his seat a little bit. "We thought she was going to be here for the big reveal but she's been gone for a long time."
Niles immediately sprung into action, lifting his head up as his eyes behind his mask widened. "Oh, speaking of Two, Five called you a sweetheart today."
"Ooooooooh!" Kuki smiled.
The man sat up in his chair a little bit and looked up at him with widened eyes. His cheeks flushed as he placed a hand on one, letting out a gasp. "Awe, really?"
"Yeah, totally," Niles nodded along with a wide smile. "I had no idea you two were really close."
Bubbles blinked a couple times, separating away from the other conversation and leaned over. "What's that? Who called Hoagie a sweetheart?"
"Well, aheheh.." Two chuckled awkwardly as his face turned a bright red.
Four's smirk got wider, "Yeah, we've known for a looooong time, Two. I'm surprised you two haven't started dating already!"
"Heh, yeah! You guys are posted close together, aren't you?" Three added in, giggling along with their tease.
"You should go talk to her, definitely." Niles nudged him.
Two twirled his fingers together and rolled his neck back a little bit, "Well, I.. I guess I could. I just.. haven't found the time to do it yet!"
The faint memory of their conversation back in the future sprouted in Niles' head; he knew he was slightly pushing it here, though he had to. Two was nearly his best friend, the guy he couldn't let down even once. He deserved it, he thought.
"When you get the chance, find some time and just go talk to her. Who knows, maybe you two might end up going on a date?" Niles shrugged, giving him a playful shake of the shoulder.
Two's face was a bright tomato red. He chuckled as he could feel the heat in the room and adjusted himself in his chair, "Okay, I will. Is it really that obvious?"
Meanwhile, Blossom took a seat beside Nigel in a free chair and rested her arms on the table. Buttercup leaned in behind her, resting on just one hand and gestured with the other. "I know how much you love to talk about missions during your days off but I'll make this brief since it's your special day. This could possibly turn the tide of the war."
One took another bite of his burger, nearly finished with it now; He had an unimpressed look on his face.
"We're serious, Nigel," Blossom said with a grave look. "This is some big stuff."
One waved a hand as he replied, "Dexter seemed a bit adamant too; as much as I'd love to be a part of the meeting, I really should be going with my squad. Believe me, I want to join.. but the group insists."
"I'm sure," Blossom sighed. "I've been looking for a break myself. We're just thinking about canceling the meeting since there is so much stuff going on this weekend; how does monday sound?"
Nigel shook his head, "If it's urgent, I'd prefer the day after. The sooner we get this meeting done, the better we can prepare. Though.. I suppose monday works."
"You ever heard of a guy named Rick? He dresses in gray, wears big goggles?" Buttercup inquired briefly.
A dead silence fell on One as he froze; he stared at her with a pair of wide eyes, pursing his lips. It took him a moment to respond but he nodded, "Yes, I have, why?"
"The guy in the armor there found his journal; it's got a lot of goodies." she pointed over toward Niles, who was at the time bothering Two about Five.
One turned to look over at him, staring at him for a moment before looking back at her. With a newfound confidence he spoke, "Monday, as soon as possible."
"On it, I'll let Dexter know-"
Buttercup held her hands together and teased in a high-pitched voice, "I'll let Dexter know~"
Whack!
Blossom smacked her sister in the belly and hissed, "Go get a burger with your new fanboy Buttercup before I do it again!"
There was a slight jolt as she got up, slightly hunched over and rubbed her stomach. Still she laughed, "Ahaha! Alright, alright. No need to go crazy on me-"
As she started her way over, Blossom shook her head while One leaned in.
"I have been looking for that man for three years," One grit his teeth. "And you're just now telling me you found his journal ? That I completely missed him?!" Despite the tone of frustration in his voice, he kept it mostly quiet so as to not disturb the party.
Blossom blinked, "I.. didn't think it meant that much to you. I know, it's bizarre, but we have it."
One sighed, shaking his head. "Ahh, well at least we have some new information on the case. It's just.. a big deal, to me. I do apologize for my outburst."
"Again, all will be answered at the meeting," She turned to look over at Niles, watching him get dragged off by Buttercup.
"Hopefully.."
Back over at the burger line, Niles stood behind Buttercup and took a deep breath. He watched as the group and the other girls talked with one another; he leaned back, that easy-going feeling taking over as he tired himself. Everyone was having such a great time.
"You tuckered out from smiling and waving yet?" Buttercup nudged as she walked up to the windowsill next with a tray. "Better get used to it."
Niles rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I just didn't think it was going to be this hectic."
"Well, it's Nigel's birthday today too so there's that. You did good today, really." She spoke with sincerity.
"You think so?"
She rolled her shoulders, "I think we need to work on timing, your role in a team as well as tactics but otherwise not bad."
From the sill came a big burger, plopped on her plate. A small gasp came from her side ear as a high pitched voice shouted, "Buttercup?! Hi hi hi!"
She widened her eyes, turning to look over at Chowder and smirked. "Hey, dude! Long time no see! Gosh, did you get taller?"
Chowder nodded, "Yep! I grew another inch! Mung thinks I'll turn into a giant!"
She lifted herself up with slight levitation and grabbed a hold of Chowder on the head, ruffling him up like a cat and snickered. "I bet you will! Thanks for the food, little man. I bet this is gonna taste awesome."
He fought her hand a little bit and winced, "Erm, it's Mung's burgers!" He blinked twice, looking over at Niles. "Who's your friend?"
The girl gestured with a hand, "This is Niles, the Iron Warrior . Niles, you know Chowder?"
"Chowder?" Niles peaked in the windowsill and held his metal hand out. "Hey little man, I've heard great stuff about your catering company. You guys make great food."
The young boy took his metal hand, shaking it with wide eyes. He was infatuated with his armor, eyeing it up and down. "Thanks! I'll tell Mung and Schnitzel and Truffles you said that. Are you a superhero?" he asked inquisitively.
"Yes I am."
Chowder's mouth opened, "Wooooooah, that's so cool. I love your cape!"
For once, there was a genuine chuckle from him. "Thanks, kid."
"Come on," Buttercup gestured. "Best not hold up the line. It's nice to see you again, Chowder! Give Mung the compliments of the Powerpuff Girls!"
The boy saluted playfully, "Yes ma'am! Goodbye Miss Buttercup! Goodbye Iron Warrior!"
The two got out of line and went over to the fry stand, scooping up some bundles of curly fries. Occasionally did they both eye the tall birthday cake, waiting to be cut into by Nigel. He was still working on the last of his fries, somewhat close to being finished.
"Hey, I'm gonna go find some drinks. Do you want something?" Niles asked.
Buttercup nodded, "Just a cola, otherwise water is fine."
"Okay."
A large tub filled with ice laid right beside the fry station with a handful of drinks including waters and colas; someone had freshly filled it, probably Schnitzel.
He bent over and grabbed onto a couple of drinks, until he heard the voice of a young man speak up.
"Uhm, excuse me? Iron Warrior?"
Niles stood up straight and dramatically turned over to look and see who it was.
A young, buck-tooth boy recruit in chrome armor stood beside him. His laser gun was strapped on his back, holding a plate with a steaming burger on it. He had short curly ginger hair and wide emerald eyes, including freckles over his nose. He had an innocent look, clearly a fish out of water in a place like this.
"Hi, my name is Texas, like the state. Most people just call me Tex."
The man froze. His posture, his tone of voice and appearance, it was him. This graduating class attending Nigel's birthday party was his own , back all the way when he was an academy graduate.
He cleared his throat and choked on his own spit a little bit, leaning off to the side awkwardly and set the drinks on the table. "Ahem! Ahem- ah, yeah?"
"I, uh, just wanted to say thank you." he softly spoke and rocked back and forth anxiously. "I don't normally get to see superheroes often, especially the Powerpuff Girls. My friends and I.. we look up to you guys, a lot."
After fighting his cough, Niles adjusted his posture and stood up straight. The thought of Tex sacrificing himself in Mandark's ship replayed in his mind, a slightly painful and emotional memory. Something about seeing Tex this young made him tear up underneath the mask a little bit.
He set down his plate, taking a step forward and went down on one knee. He lowered his head, placing a metal hand on young Tex's shoulder and spoke up. "Texas, that.. means a lot to me. I know they are over there, but rest assured I can say.. they're all very thankful. Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup.."
Niles lifted his head up, watching them sit down and talk with each other while they shared their food. He looked down at Tex and held his breath as he forced himself to speak. "Texas, we do it for you guys. You keep your head up high, and your aim sharp, and you're going to do amazing things. I just know it."
Though he smiled, the edges of his mask stained from his hidden tears. He shakily breathed and took Tex's hand, giving him a firm handshake before patting him on the back and sniffled a little bit. "I've.. got to go talk to the girls. It was nice meeting you, Tex."
"Oh, t-thank you Iron Warrior! It was amazing getting to meet you too."
As Niles picked up his drinks and burger, his lower lip quivered as tears ran down his cheeks. His broad shoulders shifted left and right, fighting to breathe heavily while the thought crossed in his mind.
When he took a seat at the table, some of the members looked over at him with a worried expression. Bubbles frowned as she perked up, "Niles? Is everything okay? Do you need a hug?"
He held a hand up, waving it and shook his head. "No, no. I just.. remembered something. It's okay.. It's all good."
"You sure?" Two asked, blinking twice. "Do you need a minute?"
Niles sniffled and chuckled, "Well.. a tissue would be nice."
Blossom reached into her side and pulled out a pale red handkerchief, one she kept on her person at all times and handed it over to him from the other side of the table. "Here go ahead. I don't mind."
He nodded and sheepishly took it, raising his mask to wipe his eyes with it. He blew his nose, wiping away some of the snot. When the tears fell, it was hard to recover. Though deeply within, he was embarrassed. To think that he was crying at One's own birthday party made him feel like a bit of a debbie-downer, immediately making him speak up.
"Numbuh One, I'm.. so sorry about this. You should enjoy your birthday; I.. didn't expect this."
One gave him a puzzled look. This was the man who found Rick's journal? Everything about him felt so off, even watching him cry. Regardless, he played it easy and waved a hand. "It's alright, and a pleasure to meet you by the way. I'm sure you have heard of me?"
The two shook hands across the table.
"Y-Yes, of course." Niles sniffled and handed the handkerchief back to Blossom. "My name is Niles; it's nice to meet you, and happy birthday."
She pinched it with a finger, giving a slight disgusted look. She would have to wash it later.
"Good to meet you Niles."
Bubbles gestured over toward him, "He's going to be joining us as a student! Niles wants to be a superhero, isn't that exciting?"
One looked stumped, "A superhero, huh? Do you have a name?"
"The Iron Warrior."
He nodded his head, somewhat satisfied with his answer. "Well, I hope the training goes well. I've had plenty of conversations with Blossom to know that being a superhero isn't easy, and neither is being a top agent." One smirked, scooting up from his chair and gestured over. "I'm gonna go cut the cake; would you guys like a piece? I'm feeling.. generous today."
Buttercup was already head first in her burger, taking a huge chunk out of it and nodded with puffed cheeks.
"Yes please!" Bubbles placed her hands in her lap.
Blossom shook her head, "No thank you."
Two smiled, "Oh boy would I!"
Three nodded rapidly.
"Yeah, why not." Four shrugged.
Niles pointed a finger gun, "I'd love that."
Sitting alone at one of the tables, an agent had listened to their conversations this entire time. Covered head to toe in black and gray, their heavy armor concealed their identity as they stared. Red eyes darted in between the dozens of them, reading every single piece of emotion they openly shared with one another.
For a moment, they remained silent, though stood up. A slight spark emerged from one of their red eyes, pulling off their hat to reveal a messy bundle of ginger hair. She took one last good look at the group in front of her before keeping her eyes concealed behind a pair of sunglasses, heading off in her own separate direction.
Calmly she placed a couple of gloved fingers on her temple and reached deep into the crevices of her mind.
'My lord, I found him.'