When Kim snuck back into her house at 1 o’clock in the morning, Shego was waiting in the doorway. “Isn’t your curfew at 11?” she asked Kim, crossing her arms and sneering.
“Oh, shove a sock in it, Shennen. What are you doing up so late?”
“Don’t have a curfew. Well, yet.” Shego raised up an empty dinner plate with crumbs on it. “Plus, you said your Mom said I could help myself any time I liked, so long as I didn’t wake anybody up if it was really late.” She looked around, then leaned in close to Kim. “So - did you get him?”
“Get who?”
“The dude you went after – Drakken, wasn’t it?”
“No, it was Motor Ed I went after tonight.”
“Oh. Well, did you get him?”
Kim hung her head. “Didn’t even get close. He’s got a huge crew now – complete with monkey wrench-throwing ninjas, and-”
“Whoahwhoahwhoahwhoawhoah– monkey wrench-throwing ninjas?” Shego raised an eyebrow. That was certainly not something she’d been informed of…
“Yeah,” Kim noted. “Ron said something about it being sort of like some airship level near the end of one of his videogames – except, that – it was real.”
Shego scoffed. “Really? Hey, I’m gonna go throw this in the sink, so if wanna keep talking, you’re gonna have to start walking with me.”
“Oh – no big,” said Kim as she followed Shego. “To tell you the truth, I kinda wish it had been Drakken there at the Motor Show, instead of Motor Ed.”
“Huh? Why’s that?” Shego asked, setting the plate down on the counter.
“Because, well, I-” Kim stammered. “I – I don’t know, really. I guess it’s just I’m so used to fighting him, you know?” She sighed. “I mean, after the Lil’ Diablo incident, I was kinda hoping Shego would break him out again, and – I don’t know, Shennen… I don’t even know why I’m blabbing to you.”
“You’re not blabbing to her.” The voice made Kim jump out of her skin. She turned around – to see a swivel chair turn around towards her – Mrs. Possible sitting in it, glaring. Shego stood nearby, a resentful grin on her face.
Kim grinned sheepishly. “M-Mom! Uh, heh – hi! Look, I – I can explain-”
“Really?” Mrs. Possible glared.
Kim looked at Shego – who withdrew with the same resentful smile. “Sorry, Kim – but she kinda twisted my arm over the whole being-the-lookout thing…”
“Yes, well, you’re not grounded, Kimmie,” Mrs. Possible went on.
Shego’s grin went flat. “Saywhat?”
“Your father and I were just disappointed you didn’t call to tell us you were getting in late, is all.”
“Oh – yeah! Sorry, but when you’re dodging monkey wrench-wielding ninjas, time kinda slips by there…” Kim sighed in relief. That was being let off easy, and she knew it.
“However-” said Mrs. Possible, “Do you have your homework for tomorrow done?”
Shego’s grin returned as Kim gulped.
“Oh my god…”
“…as it was determined to be in self-defense…”
“Wh – no…”
“…convicted…”
“HEGO!”
“…defendant has…”
“ MEGO!”
“…that’s right, Jill – it all started…”
“SOMEBODY!”
The Bavarian Alps weren’t exactly a friendly place to live, as Professor Dementor had found out quite quickly. However, as he drove back through the snowy winding roads of the mountain range, now he wouldn’t call any other place home. Just a skip to the closest town with everything he needed, and-
SCREECH!
Dementor stared. The door to his lair was lying in the snow, obviously blown off its hinges. “Dammit!” he cried. “I just had that one painted, too! What is with people knocking my doors down all the time – waitaminute…” Something felt out of place. “Why am I not hearing sounds of chaos or fighting inside?” He decided to see for himself, and cautiously entered the building. Only he couldn’t see now, because all the lights were off. “Well,” he talked to himself, “good thing I carry around a flashlight.” He took the flashlight out and wandered down the corridors. Immediately, he sensed something terribly wrong. “Why am I not seeing any of my henchmen? Surely they have noted these clear signs of intrusion-”
“You don’t need to worry about them, DeMenz,” a familiar voice echoed out from the darkness itself.
“Waitaminute, I know that voice!” Dementor looked around. “How did you get in here untouched, Drakken?” he asked. “And aren’t you supposed to be in jail?”
“Jail is for traffic violations,” the voice scoffed. “I was in prison.” THUMP! Dementor screamed and jumped back as the face of Dr. Drakken appeared out of the darkness, directly in the beam of his flashlight. “And I can’t tell you how glad I was for that mistrial declaration,” the mad scientist finished. He advanced towards Dementor, sneering. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here, no?” Drakken asked. His voice carried a coldness that Dementor had never heard in it before.
“What have you done to my henchmen?” Dementor asked, as Drakken kept walking towards him and he kept backing up.
Drakken’s gaze never left Dementor’s face. “Like I said – you needn’t worry about them anymore. Nor your pretty little puppies, either. Now then, DeMenz – do you have what I need…”
CHIK-CHIK.
“Or do I have to resort to – oh, I don’t know – stealing?”
The laugh that accompanied the crack sent a chill down Dementor’s spine. “Uh…yes, I have it - right this way, Dr. Drakken!” Dementor squawked nervously. He shone his flashlight in the proper direction.
“What?” Kim sputtered, nearly spitting her drink all over Monique. “Oh, sorry…”
“No big, girl. And you heard me right – Shennen’s gonna be participatin’ in the football team’s practice next week!”
It was lunchtime, and Kim, Ron, Monique, and Shego were all sitting at the same table. Kim looked at Shego, surprised. “That’s great, Shennen!” Shego waved her compliment off, shaking her head. “But – why football? Why not cheerleading? We got a spot open…”
“Cheerleading?” Shego scoffed. “Hah! I mean, I don’t have anything against cheerleading, but a lot of the Foster Homes I grew up in, everyone was a huge lover of some contact sport, so I ended up playing those a lot more.”
“Oh.” Kim couldn’t completely hide the fact she was indeed a little disappointed at Shego’s decision. “Well, either way, it’s still cool, Shennen!” Kim nudged Ron, who looked disgusted. “Right, Ron?”
“Yeah. Fantastic,” Ron snapped. “What time does Gym start?”
“In 45 minutes,” Kim snapped back. “Will you excuse us for a sec?” she asked Shego and Monique, getting up, grabbing Ron’s arm in a death grip, and dragging him out of the cafeteria.
Once out of view and earshot of the lunch table, Kim hurled Ron against the wall and pinned him against it. “Ron, what the hell is your damage?” she spat. “Why are you being so cold to Shennen?”
“Um, hello, Kim? Anyone with the proper brains can see that SHE’S NOT “SHENNEN”!” Ron snapped. “I still can’t believe you, Kim – I mean, how stupid can you get? Honestly!”
“This isn’t about Shennen, is it?” asked Kim. “This is about us, right?”
“No, it’s about She-”
Kim cut him off. “Look, Ron – it’s over. There’s nothing between us except platonic friendship. We both agreed this way was better for the both of us. If you’re suddenly regretting breaking up with me because now I have someone new who’s come into my life, and you’re afraid they’ll ruin our friendship, then do it at home. I’m actually beginning to become kind of glad I broke up with you,” she snarled.
“Kim, c’mon – how can you not see that she isn’t who she says she is?” he pleaded.
“RON - CAN IT!” Kim bellowed. “We’re over! I honestly want to stay friends with you, but if you’re going to treat the other people I decide to be friends with the way you’re treating Shennen, then I don’t know if I can stay friends with you anymore. Now, if you want to avoid losing my friendship, I’d say you have two choices: You can either shape up, shut up, and just go with it - or you can continue to be Mr. Snotty and lose the friendship of the one person who’s always been there to help you out.”
“Kim, I just-”
“What?” Kim asked.
“I just-” Ron stammered.
“You what? C’mon, Ron – spill!”
“I-”
“What? You what?”
“WILL YOU GIVE ME A SECOND TO ACTUALLY SPEAK?” Ron exploded.
Everyone around them went quiet at his outburst. Kim sighed. “Go on.”
“I just – I don’t know, Kim. Something in my gut tells me part of this is rotten.”
Kim looked at him. “I don’t even know who you are anymore, Ron Stoppable,” she growled, turning around and walking the other way. “Consider this the end of our friendship – FOREVER!”
“Kim!” Ron yelled as she walked away.
Kim stopped. “See you in Gym class,” she sniped, the ice she spit forth cold enough to freeze Hell.
Ron stared as she walked away, speechless. Rufus stood on his shoulder, the same dumbfounded look on his face as Ron’s. Tears started dripping from the eyes of both the boy and his faithful naked mole rat.
Kim returned to the lunch table, sat back down – and instantly fell into a fit of sobbing. Monique instantly went to comfort her. Shego wanted to look on and laugh – but something told her otherwise, and she surprised herself by leaning over to help comfort the bawling cheerleader.
END CHAPTER SEVEN