Playing the Melody

I. Dare to be Stupid – 'Weird Al' Yankovic

To those who knew Numbuh 4 in person, it seemed that whenever someone said he couldn't get any dumber, the blond Australian would take it as a personal challenge.

In hindsight, Nigel probably shouldn't have made that seemingly-harmless comment about 'getting the job done by any means necessary'.

But he was in a pretty impatient mood at that time, being late for an All-Commanders' meeting up on the Lunar Base.

And besides, how was he to know that Wally was a closet Mr. Bean fan? Or that Hoagie had carelessly left several of his M.A.R.B.L.E. bombs lying around?

Even now, as Nigel stared at the tree-house's living room – which was coated entirely in paint, including the furniture, windows and doors – before him, a single thought ran through his mind:

Someone kill me now.

II. Crazy for this Girl – Evan and Jaron

It had all started with a single glance. Their cars had been right next to each other on the highway at the time, during a particularly heavy traffic jam, and he had chosen that moment to look out the window.

The second his gaze landed on her, it was it for him.

He was instantly drawn to her beautiful liquid-brown eyes and raven-dark hair, which blew around her face by the wind coming in from her drawn-down window. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, and his heart skipped a beat when she noticed him looking at her and smiled sweetly in reply.

He fought hard to keep his disappointment down when the jam finally cleared, and she drove off.

Throughout the next three days, he couldn't get her image out of his mind. Like a dictator (at least, that was how he analogized it) it dominated his thoughts and dreams. However, his cynical side told him that that was merely a 'one-time sight', that he would never see her again.

So imagine his surprise and joy when she showed up in his class, as a transfer student.

"Hello, my name is Kuki Sanban. It's nice to meet all of you."

III. Dare – Stan Bush

"Hoagie, Wally! Look!" Tommy exclaimed as he looked through the telescope, "There's a hole in the C.O.O.L.B.U.S.!"

"What?!" Hoagie pressed a button on his goggles, magnifying his vision – and his eyes narrowed at what he saw. "Teen Ninjas!" he spat.

Aiming their S.C.A.M.P.P. rifles the two let loose a salvo of energy blasts, several of which found their targets on board the hijacked KND vehicle. One of them let out a yell of pained surprised as he fell to the floor. Down below the lookout Maurice was barely restraining himself from tearing his hair out.

"What are those idiots doing?!" he shouted.

The ground shook beneath Hoagie and Wally shook as the Teens returned fire. Steadying themselves they fired, and as luck would have it, three of their shots struck the engine, engulfing it in flames.

At once a swarm of armored Teen Ninjas, their rocket thrusters at full burn, launched out of the burning vehicle, led by the snarling, familiar form of Chad Dixon himself.

IV. First Love – Jessa Zaragoza

There's a saying that one doesn't know what they have until they lose it.

And at present, to Lizzie Devine, that saying could not have been truer.

"Out of the way! Coming through!!" several KND medic personnel shouted as they barged through, a stretcher between them. Right now, Lizzie was running towards them, wanting nothing more than to see him and to apologize for what he'd done to him.

Sector V were there as well, and their faces curled in revulsion upon seeing her, for what she did to their leader. "Get out of the way, I need to see Nigel!" she said hysterically.

"What, so you can hurt him again like you did last time?!" demanded Abby acidly. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Please, Abby, I made a mistake; I need to see him!" Lizzie pleaded.

"You don't want to, Lizzie – it's not good!" Hoagie cut in, but Lizzie had shoved them aside, only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight. Nearly the British boy's whole head was stained with blood, his shirt was in tatters, and his glasses were lying beside him, broken into two.

"NIGEL!!" she screamed, all reason in her gone as she struggled within Wally and Hoagie's grip, trying to reach out to him. "Let me go! Let me go!!"

"Hold her still!" a medic shouted, rushing forward and jabbing Lizzie's arm with a syringe.

As she slowly slipped into unconsciousness, a final thought flitted through her mind: Nigel…

V. Hoshi no Tobira ("Door of Stars") – Satori Negishi

It was a particularly cloudless night tonight, Rachel observed as she trudged outside. The stars were especially bright, and without the clouds to hinder their light, they could be seen, shining, in their full glory for the people of Earth below to see.

It had been almost a month since he had left, to fight adult tyranny in the far reaches of the galaxy. A noble cause, but one that required him to leave all he held dear behind. Family, friends… loved ones.

She gazed thoughtfully at the twinkling constellations above, and her heart jumped as a shooting star suddenly flashed across the sky.

Was that him, she wondered? Had he passed by for one last glance of his beloved home and birth place before moving on to the Great Dark Beyond?

A wave of sorrow washed over her as she shut her eyes painfully; there were so many things she'd wanted to say to him, things that she would never have the chance to, now that he was gone.

But she was a strong girl, being the Supreme Leader and all. She would not run. She'd stand tall, for him. She knew he would not want to see her sad, and she was determined to honor that promise in his memory.

And besides, who ever said that he had completely left her – them?

Subconsciously she placed her hand above her heart, and smiled contentedly as she felt a warm glow spread throughout her person.

Almost as though he were embracing her from behind.

VI. True Colors – Phil Collins

They were doing it again. Whispering, throwing looks of contempt at her whenever she passed them by, muttering behind their backs. All because she had lashed out in self-defense when one shallow cheerleader just couldn't keep her cruddy opinions to herself.

Did people really think she didn't have feelings? That being Head of Decommissioning had turned her into a cold-blooded and heartless person? They didn't know what it felt like to watch as an operative had his memories ripped from him, never to be returned. Her appearance of being a cantankerous, hot-tempered spitfire was merely a mask to hide her true self.

A defense mechanism, if you will.

But nevertheless, the insults directed her way… as though she weren't there, they hurt. A lot. And she wasn't sure she could take any more of this.

Right now all she wanted to do was to drop down to her knees and sob. But for some reason she couldn't. It was that mask again, the ones she used as a shield against what was thrown at her that prevented her from doing so. She couldn't afford to be seen as weak in front of them.

"Fanny!" a voice called out.

She looked up, and smiled at the sight of his goofy, goggle-wearing face; as always, he – the one who befriended her, was always there for her. The one who knew her true self beneath the mask.

At that moment, all was right with the world.

VII. I Knew I Loved You – Savage Garden

She still remembered the day she met him, at seventeen. He had been late for class, and had collided into her while they were both turning a corner.

She couldn't explain the familiarity that passed between them, or the reason they hit it off so quickly… even though it was clear that they'd never seen each other before. Could it be that they once met in a past life? Or could it be that she had finally found the end of her red thread?

Whatever the reason was, she didn't question it; he was sweet, funny and loyal. Not to mention that she simply adored the way his vivid green eyes narrowed whenever he was confused. Before long, she was completely smitten with him… and him with her.

And now, at age nineteen, as their faces were leaning closer and closer under the silver moonlight, she felt the once empty space in her heart become whole again.

VIII. All the Things She Said – T.A.T.U.

Every minute seemed like an eternity to her as the hour drew near. Silence had reigned, and it was throwing a welcoming party.

She laced and unlaced her fingers; the table before her suddenly looked very interesting to her. Was this what Cree had felt, when she faced her own decommissioning?

"When you turn thirteen, you'll understand," she had said. Oh, she understood all right… perhaps more than she thought.

A frown crossed her face as her sister's words ran through her head. Should she run, like she did, and go against all that she herself had preached?

She didn't have time to come to a decision as her thoughts were swiftly interrupted by the all-too familiar sentence:

"Numbuh 5, it's time for you to blow out the candles."

IX. Blader – Kenichi Suzumura

'Betrayer', they labeled her…

In truth, it was she who had been betrayed.

Even now, she was hunted, hated… and for what? For merely trying to protect what were the happiest memories of her life?

Did her (past) unwavering loyalty to the Kids Next Door mean nothing to them? One would think that after her long and faithful service, they would've grown to trust her, their best operative.

It was the least they could've done for her.

But no. They still sought to rip them from her, destroy her beloved childhood for – what was it again? – 'security and secrecy measures'. Garbage, she thought.

A year had passed, but the wounds were still raw; they still hurt.

And no matter what… she would make them pay for that transgression.

X. Crash and Burn – Savage Garden

The quarreling between her parents had been going on for quite some time now, a couple of months, in fact.

Even after that time, Sonya still didn't understand how it had begun, or how it had come to this. What happened to the happy family she used to know?

Tonight's, however, was a particularly fierce one, one that involved giving her away for adoption, and had ended with her running out of the house in the pouring rain, while her mother was yelling after her to never come back.

She didn't know how long she had been running, but the next thing she knew she was right in front of a familiar house: Lee…her Light.

The moment the door opened she fell into his arms, crying her heart out. Any attempt to speak was hindered by sobbing. She needn't have worried, though; Lee understood.

Holding her close to him he tenderly kissed her, all the while whispering, "You're not alone."

Author's Notes

It still amazes me how one can be inspired and gain new ideas through listening to music.

Anyway, this story is a response to December'sRose's iPod tag Challenge (as well as a third shot at the 100 Theme Challenge). Quite a pleasant surprise, as I honestly wasn't expecting to be tagged for anything.

And it wasn't easy writing it all out, given the requirement to put the mp3s in my library in shuffle, as well as the limited time of each one. Hope this attempt – however cheesy or corny it is – is to your liking.

The quote in the summary is by Leonard Cohen.

For the matter of tagging, well, here are the lucky contestants:

– Tetsu Deinonychus
– lemony anemone
– Lord Malachite

With that aside, review if you'd like.