Mun is screaming (xposted to Dear Player)

[numbuh_one]

[He can only stare with wide eyes, slightly horrified by what he'd seen.]

I...I wouldn't -

[But he has to stop himself, the words dying in his throat. Because he knew he very well could.]

W-Well...I mean...It hasn't been made yet, right? So things could be different. Besides, there could be a very good reason why I'm...like that...

[Easier to pass the blame than accept the guilt, huh?]

Shut up! You don't know what happened!

[The problem, though, is neither does he. And that's what scares him the most.]

Comments

[ledgerdomaingirl]

Terrible circumstances can make people do terrible things, kids. Believe me, I know....I think.

[cheese_for_everyone]

Maybe you were afraid. You're getting older after all. What would the KND do without YOU. Their egotistical pseudo-leader. Maybe you figured you would rather blow it all up than see you and your friends grow old.

Either that or it could be mind control.

[He shrugs.]

Hard to tell with just on meeting of aliens after all.

[numbuh_one]

I'd never do that, though! [Don't try to lecture him.]

[ledgerdomaingirl]

There are a lot of things I thought I'd never do! But I did! I've owned up to that and moved on, you should do the same!

[numbuh_one]

They would have been fine without me. I left Numbuh 5 in charge for a reason. This has nothing to do with that!

[numbuh_one]

[Good luck telling that to a ten-year-old.] I can't! Not without knowing why first!

[cheese_for_everyone]

Yes, but how long is the time gap since you put Numbuh 5 in charge and when your potential future self decided to blow up the planet?

It could of been years. You could be approaching that age where you would have to think about your retirement from the KND.

Of course you didn't want to end up like your father. Decommissioned and oblivious to his own exploits. Maybe that's why you would be so willing to blow him up. A mercy, at least in your mind.

[numbuh_one]

[Oh don't bring his father into this.]

Be quiet! You don't know what you're talking about!

[Sure his father could be...dense sometimes. But he got over that eventually.]

[ledgerdomaingirl]

From what I can tell, you got in with a group of alien fascists. That not enough of a "why" for you?

[numbuh_one]

What would you know?

[It was just hard for him to admit he didn't know they'd be like that. This was supposed to be a great honor, joining the GKND. But if things were turning out this way...]

[ledgerdomaingirl]

Well, you got me there. I've never been a big group person.

[cheese_for_everyone]

So you're not afraid of becoming just like dear old dad?

If Earth didn't exist no one would have to know your true age. Birth records, everything would be destroyed. You could hold it off long enough to figure out how to stop the aging process or at least how to avoid being decommissioned.

[He pauses,]

But if you can say none of that is the case then good, maybe instead you should focus on those fancy new shades you have on. Sure they look like something out of a "Sci-fi" movie, but I wonder what one of your new alien friends could of slipped into it. Subtle mind control?

[numbuh_one]

Probably not much of a team player either.

[First of all, you're one to talk. And second, you know what they say about assuming.]

[numbuh_one]

[To be honest, he hadn't been afraid of growing older...not after a while. Not after finding out the truth about his father, and when Dad had chosen to be decommissioned again. Becoming someone like his dad wouldn't have been...so bad. Besides, he knew what happened when you tried to pass off being young forever. He saw it plenty of times; with Leona, with Chad...even if Chad had turned out to be working undercover the entire time. That part especially hurt; knowing Chad had been trying to talk older him down of what he knew, right now, was a mistake. He wondered, if Chad had been the one to join the GKND like he was originally supposed to, would he be making the same choice? Would he be the one talking Chad down? Plus, now this...adult was also suggesting mind control. And while he knew he couldn't exactly trust him, it was something to consider. It's not like hadn't messed with his mind before.] It's a...possibility.

[cheese_for_everyone]

You're smart. You must be thinking of other possibilities. I would be interested to hear them. At least they might make you feel better to speculate on.

[Just like that he was sitting on the ground cross-legged like a school child to hear what Nigel had to say.]

[numbuh_one]

[He hesitated for a moment. To be honest, he had thought of other possibilities. He just wasn't sure whether to voice them.]

There's...also the chance the whole thing could be...a ruse.

[To be honest, that's what he's really hoping for.]

[cheese_for_everyone]

Possibly. Maybe convert the alien death-machine into some mass hologram that makes it look like the Earth was destroyed?

I'm sure with enough time Numbuh 2 could do something like that, right?

It would still mean anyone on your moon base would think you actually went through with it, but if you're on a mission to take down world-destroying aliens then your temporary reputation would be a small price to pay.

[numbuh_one]

Maybe. Or something else that could catch the GKND off guard for the time being.

But there would still have to be a reason why that's necessary.

[cheese_for_everyone]

That's simple. So you can take them down from the inside. If they believe you think just like they do they have no reason to mistrust you. From one of their ships you could get to their vital systems and destroy it.

[numbuh_one]

But I mean, why do they need to be taken down? What could have possibly happened that such a course of action would need to be considered?

[cheese_for_everyone]

Well they offered you the ability to blow up your planet. Taking all other kids not on the moon-base and any operatives like Chad with it.

That means they could offer that choice to people who would do it. They might of even done it their home planets.

So taking down an organization like that seems like something you would do.

[numbuh_one]

...Why do you know so much about me? [All things considered, he doesn't really like when people keep tabs on him.]

[cheese_for_everyone]

My mundane is a fan. So I'm cheating a little by using his knowledge.

Though if it helps I'm not exactly human myself. Obviously I can't exactly claim to be a child, but I'm hardly your enemy either.

[numbuh_one]

Hmm...

[It doesn't really, but he'll accept that for now. He's still watching you though, adult.]

So we're talking about corruption with the system. If that's the case, then the question is was it always that way for them, or did something change?

And if it did change, then when?

[Obviously these were questions that wouldn't have answers right now. But he's mostly thinking aloud.]

[cheese_for_everyone]

[Mistrust was something he was used to and encouraged.]

Possibly if you were the one and only person to be chosen for the GKND from Earth, but it's also likely the more fanatical members took over at some point.

Looking at the information here it seems Numbuh 74.239 was always sympathetic to the cause of destroying all adults by any means necessary.

So it might be a fair guess to say they might of been that way since his first contact with Earth.

[numbuh_one]

[Considering Numbuh 74.239 was the one who recruited him, that was none too reassuring.]

...Right. So they would naturally expect me to be the same.

[The problem would be that, when he first joined, he hadn't been.]

[cheese_for_everyone]

At the very least presuming this Splinter Cell thing wasn't just a cover, which it doesn't seem to be just that from the looks of it.

This is where my mun's knowledge on the subject falters.

[numbuh_one]

[It's been a while for his mun too, so her knowledge is pretty rusty.]

The Splinter Cell itself was a cover, for the Galactic Kids Next Door. At the time, they said that the Kids Next Door of Earth wasn't ready to know of them.

[At the moment, though, he wondered just how much the Splinter Cell had been a cover and how much of it had been true.]

[snaptrap]

Hey kiddo... hate ta tell ya this, but one day all them kids are gonna be adults too.

Ya all gonna shoot yerselfs befer that happens?

[numbuh_one]

No.

[He knew that. Even with the idea that growing up was a disease, he had left Earth knowing that he wouldn't be a kid forever.

So what happened?]

[snaptrap]

Then why'r ya so fuckin' angry at 'em? That ya'd do... that to em?

...

I don't think I wanna die, kiddo.

Ain't I all grown up too? Made that way an' all, does that mean I gotta go get scrapped?

[numbuh_one]

[He's silent a moment. As much as this all bothered him, he didn't have an answer.] I don't know, okay? I don't know what's going on! [And as much as he hated adults, this was way too far, even for him.]