Bite you're tongue AGAIN!
He wrote this beautiful story here <3....and it's a 1/362 story btw, but it's the first thing I have on hand.
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Nigel stood outside the large door, suddenly feeling foolish. He hadn’t intended to come here. He had been wandering the corridors of the Moonbase, searching for some kind of insight into his future. He had been reliving many of his best and worst moments in his mind, trying to know every strength and weakness in his stable. Every step that had led him to this position became clearer to him. But it was his thoughts of Lizzie which had somehow led him down the maze of hallways to this particular door. There was part of him that missed her, but she wasn’t here, and she couldn’t be there for him. Truthfully, even if she were here, he didn’t know if he could ask her. She couldn’t possibly understand what he was about to take on, couldn’t know what he was going through. She didn’t have any responsibilities. And even though Nigel wished he could somehow make his girlfriend understand, he knew it was best that she didn’t. Lizzie didn’t deserve that kind of horror. She was just a simple girl whose world revolved around him, and he didn’t want to take that away from her. It was for kids like her that the KND existed.
Another girl was waiting for him inside. At least, he thought she was. She hadn’t told him to come, but given their conversation earlier in the day, she must have had something to say. Nigel was worried about Numbuh 362. He knew she shouldn’t be alone. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. Like all of his former teammates, she had been through death and life with him during the Mother crisis. And she was officially tagging him in as the new supreme commander, which meant that her trust in him was also boundless. Either that, or she thought he was a sucker. Nigel shook his head. He had to be a sucker. After all, the reason he had accepted this job was because of her. He had tried to convince himself that it was his sense of duty, to serve wherever the KND needed him most. But he didn’t do it out of duty. He wasn’t out to prove anything to himself or anything else. He didn’t lust for power, in fact, he wanted to run away from this job more than anything else. Truthfully, he wasn’t even taking the job because it was the right thing to do. Numbuh 1 had agreed to succeed Rachel for one reason only—he saw what it had done to her. That night, two weeks ago, when she had summoned him to her quarters, he had been afraid of how what was happening to her. He still remembered her appearance. She wore the look of the beaten and the tortured. Her eyes had been bloodshot, there had been tearstains across her cheeks. Her hair had been sweaty and matted, and Nigel had been fairly certain that she hadn’t bathed in days. She hadn’t slept either, she had told him so herself. Worst of all, she seemed haunted. Her left hand seemed to clench and release more than once. Though a full year older than he, the girl had been falling apart in front of him, and Nigel feared that if he had tried to dodge her request, she would’ve shattered into pieces right there in her quarters. As it was she, had physically leaned on him for much of the night after tagging him. He hadn’t really known what else to do. At first she just cried, and he never knew what to do around crying girls. One might think he would’ve learned, given Numbuh 3’s penchant for tears. But he was still relatively helpless in the situation. Instead, he just held onto the blonde until she subsided, and stayed with her for support. They had sat on her bed, leaning against each other and telling stupid little stories about their childhood before joining the Kids Next Door. He had stayed until she fell asleep, then somehow extricated himself and left. He hadn’t felt right about leaving her alone that night, but he also knew that she shouldn’t face the embarrassment of having a boy in her quarters all night long, even if things were innocent.
But now, he was worried about her again. Numbuh 362 did look healthier as of late. She was eating and sleeping again, but there was a larger issue that he concerned himself with. He hated to think it of her, but his new position required it. What if she runs? Nigel thought to himself, still standing outside her door. It seemed almost impossible to even consider. Numbuh 362 could never run from her decommissioning. She was a living legend, there’s no way she would betray that legacy. She had even scheduled herself for decommissioning early because she was afraid of what she might do. She wouldn’t jeopardize all of that now. Would she?
The thought, no matter how preposterous, spurred him into action. He pressed an ear to the door, surprised to hear talking inside. Did she have company? Nigel knocked on the door, suddenly feeling like he had to reassure himself that she wasn’t going to try something crazy. “Numbuh 1?” A voice crackled in the air, and he suddenly realized it was coming out of a speaker beside her door.
“Yes.” Nigel answered. “How did you know it was me?!”
“I’m the supreme commander of the Kids Next Door, Nigel. If I couldn’t even see who’s standing outside my door, trust me, we’d all be in big trouble.”
“I came to see you.” Nigel sidestepped the conversation. He didn’t feel the need to draw attention to his oversight.
“Hold on a minute, I have to get dressed.” The connection cut, and Nigel leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling self-conscious. It felt awkward, waiting on someone like Numbuh 362. Especially outside of her quarters.
“What’s up?” Rachel opened the door. She was dressed in a silk pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that looked as though it had been hastily grabbed from her drawer, her feet clad in loose-fitting slippers.
“Nothing really, I just. . .I thought we should talk.”
“Haven’t you gotten sick of me yet?” She cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t press him further. “Well, all aboard who’s coming aboard.” She motioned him inside. Nigel hesitated only a moment before stepping in, and she shut the door behind him. Her room looked different than he remembered seeing it two weeks prior, but maybe that’s because he was focusing more on it and less on its occupant. “I wasn’t really sure if I should let you in.” Rachel offered rather bluntly.
“I’m sorry.” Numbuh 1 apologized. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, but--”
“Were you afraid I was going to run?” Again, Numbuh 362 cut right to the point, pulling no punches.
“I--” Nigel sighed, deciding that lying to her wouldn’t help matters. “A little. I hated to even think it. You’re a close friend, it didn’t feel right to suspect you. But some of our greatest heroes have run in the past, like Chad and Cree. And as much as I hated to check up on you--”
“You would have been remiss in your duties if you didn’t.” Rachel nodded. “I understand. Honestly, just between friends? I’ve been thinking of running. I came up with several plans in my mind for getting off the Moonbase. It wouldn’t’ be that hard, you know. Especially with the losses we’ve taken. I could probably get away and hide myself good before you even realized what was happening. But that’s not who I am. I don’t run away from my responsibilities. I’m through with that.”
“Glad to hear it.” Nigel smiled. “Er, Rachel. . .not that it’s any of my business, but I heard you talking to someone in here. Is anything going on, or was that just a personal matter?”
“Both, actually. But you’ll find out about that soon enough. It’s a surprise.” She smiled.
“I’ll take your word for it then.”
“Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.” An unsettling silence fell between them, and a frown appeared on Rachel’s face. “What’s wrong, Nigel? You seem upset. I’m the one that should be brooding.”
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Really? Now, this I’ve got to hear.”
“Well, what I really want to know is. . .”
“Yes?”
“What’s it like?’
Rachel blinked, feeling as though this had suddenly turned anti-climatic. “What’s what like?”
“When you’re about to be decommissioned? I mean, I know that it’s something we’ll all have to face at some time or other, but I was wondering what it was like for you, how it makes you feel.”
“Truthfully?”
“That’s what I was hoping for.” The blonde crossed the room and sat down on her bed, motioning for him to follow. She picked up a mug that had a very distinctive aroma, and Nigel’s keen sense of smell did not miss it. “Are you drinking coffee?!”
“Tea, actually.” Rachel corrected. “It helps me to relax. I’ve been drinking it for a few weeks now. And yes, Nigel, I know that it isn’t a good sign. Why do you think I’m leaving tomorrow?” She drank from the cup, enjoying the way the hot liquid coated her throat as it went down. “I’m becoming more of a teenager every day. I had to resist the urge to primp my hair while you were waiting.” She stared down at the swirling contents of the mug in her hands. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to run.” She shook her head. “I actually haven’t started feeling that kids are stupid or annoying. I hope that I still like kids after I’m decommissioned tomorrow. Maybe that means I’ll be just a normal teenager and won’t end up fighting against you guys.” It was a lie, she knew. She didn’t hate children, but she knew she would be fighting against them. One didn’t sell themselves to Father and expect to be his bowling partner. She had talent that he intended to exploit. “Anyway, you wanted to know about what if feels like, knowing that I’m going to be decommissioned?” Her fingers drummed against the side of the mug nervously. “It’s hard to describe. But I think I understand now why people like Chad and Cree chose to run. This close to the abyss. . .I feel like I can do anything. There’s not much anyone can do to stop me. It’s the first time I’ve felt. . .truly free in a long time. I’m torn down the middle.” She picked up an oversized Rainbow Monkey that was lying on her bed and clutched it to her chest. “I’m scared of what will happen to me, of losing my memories of all these years, all I’ve done, everyone I’ve known. But at the same time, I’m grateful to lose it, to forget the bad things, to purge my conscience. What I’m coming to realize, Nigel, is that decommissioning may be the only real freedom that we have.” She set the plush toy aside again, pursing her lips. “I can’t say what it will be like for you. Maybe I’d be a lot more insecure if things were different. But I’ve had you to hold my hand every step of the way since I decided to retire. Most people don’t have anyone.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t abandon you in your hour of need. When have I ever let you down before?” Nigel smiled.
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There. Now bow before his greatness. ;D Lord M does no diserve to be underestimated. And btw-That was a very small part of an awesome fic. To read the rest, you'll have to ask him...it's too long to post the whole thing. XD
However, I think we're drifting offtopic here.
but who is Lord Malachite ?
but who is Lord Malachite ?
oh puleesee pfff! If he's so cool of writing stuff - can you give me a link to something he wrote?
The only problem is... well i'm still learning english. It's not my languge and some parts are pretty difficult for me *blush* 