Kim was amazed that she had made it one piece. To avoid any police, or anything else that could slow her down she took back roads, and even a couple of logging roads.
But between the potholes and the deer dodging she was lucky to make it to the gates of the community in one piece. Shego wasn’t going to be pleased with the missing rear bumper, or the remains of the rear view mirrors on the sides, but she’d forgive her eventually.
She parked the car outside the gate and started walking. Once past the gates it would be more dangerous to be in the vehicle, than outside of it. Especially in an area crawling with villains galore. With all of the possible death rays, missiles, and various other weapons of anti-hero design that could be inside the community a car was more of a bother than help.
It had taken some foot work -and a lot of sneaking- but she was getting closer to the target house when she heard the sound of an air-raid siren.
She stopped and looked around; swearing under her breath, as she realized a woman in a window of a near-by home had spotted her. It was inevitable to happen being a red head in a green and black cat suit had made it a gamble. It was a gamble she wanted to take though.
And it looked like she had tossed the dice and lost.
Kim cursed again, louder this time, and started to run. She was too close. She could feel Shego. Hear her voice, feel her sweet breathe on her neck…
The moment was broken as she saw the results of her failed gambit. She let loose another curse as bodies started to come out of their homes and into the street.
They had prepared for heroes on their turf. It was bound to happen in a world where everything from bounty hunters to Girl Scouts took on the bad guys. So they had a contingency plan for such an occasion. But their contingency plan hadn’t prepared them for Kim Possible.
She could see the house. It was so close, but so far away as the mob encircled her. A couple of the braver members rushed her, but she pushed herself off into the air into a split kick, rotating her body into spin and driving her feet into their jaws. More people started to come forward. There were more of them, than of her, and though some would be injured, it was assured they would beat her. They had the numbers to wear her down. Wear her out. To stop her cold.
As an icy feeling crept over Kim she frowned, she knew couldn’t beat everyone. She was good, but not good enough to take on an entire mob. But she would make them pay for stopping her.
Several members of the mob seemed to sense that she was uneasy, and crept forward.
It was at that moment is she was possessed. Shego needed her. She needed Shego. Shego was her other half, and her soul was crying out to be whole.
And may God have mercy on the idiots who got in her way.
“Fucking bunch of douches,” Kim gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, causing her fingernails to bite into her palms and her knuckles to crack. “You think I’m that weak?” Then she sprung.
To those who saw her move it was as if she was a fire ball followed by a green and black streak as she drove her knuckles into one of the men who had crept forward. She could feel his teeth cave in before she drew back and spun around.
There were three challengers now.
Her elbow found a woman’s throat, and then there were two.
A man’s unguarded knee made one.
The last man rushed at her, determined to hurt her first. She sidestepped as he swung wildly and brought her forearm into his neck, clothes lining him.
That left no more challengers.
That meant she needed to take the offensive. Needed to work hard and fast. Needed to make it to Shego. Needed to make it to her other half.
Please be alright…
Kim was working fast as she could, crushing feet, kicking knees, breaking arms, anything to cut a path. But the more she took out, the more surged to fill in the gaps.
A baseball bat clipped her shoulder and she was nearly hit with a punch that followed it. The bat whizzed by her head as she rolled back, using the punch to knock her to safety. She was losing ground now. Ground that was worth very drop of blood she had spilt for it.
The bat came by again as the woman recovered from her last wild swing. She was rushing it. Not waiting for the right moment to assault. Kim stepped in and caught the bat with her upper arm. She winced and wrapped her forearm around it, trapping the weapon.
Her free arm cocked backed and fired, freeing the attacker’s mouth for a new set of dentures.
Kim dropped the bat, her sides heaving a little, sweat threatening to drip into her eyes. She couldn’t hold out much longer. She needed Shego…needed the woman’s strength, her confidence, the gentle support she gave Kim when she was in battle.
Ron could feel it. A churning inside. A need to get to Kim faster.
He looked at the clock…still to long.
“Mr. Gooding…I’m sorry to ask, but can we go faster?”
The old man smiled, “Ronald, this old man was hoping you’d say that.” The speedometer was rising. Eighty….Ninety…and held steady at ninety-five. “After all, I used to be the best Indy driver in the fifties.” The smile on his face was full of pride. He still had it. He still knew how to swap paint with the best, and now was his chance to live it again.
Ron looked at Josh. Words weren’t needed. The boy’s brow scrunched up as he preformed some quick number crunching in his head, “Ten minutes…let’s hope she’s alright.”
Ron nodded and rubbed the design on his forearm. Yes…Kim needed his help. And monkey magic or not, he was going to bring it. He stopped, realizing he was chewing his lip again. Why do I keep picking up other people’s bad habits?
A gentle hand on his shoulder scattered his thoughts. He looked up and saw Josh’s face. The gentle features had a foreign toughed look to them. A hardness that said that the boy was ready.
But he still had the gentle eyes. Ron smiled despite his worry. If nothing else Josh’s gentle soul would always stay the same.
Alright Josh…I’m ready. If you can be ready, so can I.
Sweat was poured down her brow, and causing her to squint as it dripped into her eyes. It was taking everything she had to avoid the ring of death that was around her. It wasn’t about fighting through the mob anymore, it was about survival. A low kick caught her knee and caused it to buckle, but she forced herself back up.
Can’t let myself drop. Can’t give them an opportunity to get me…
She wasn’t going down. She had come too far to die yet.
Save Shego.
She paused for a moment. She didn’t know where the thought had come from, but it felt like a whisper rippling through her.
Get to Shego and save her.
Get to her…she needs you.
Get up and move!
Inside of Kim it was as if all of the lost energy was pouring back into her tired and aching body. Fatigue washed away as she felt her sore muscles ripple with excitement.
Get up…Get to Shego.
She needs you. She needs you now!
She was Kim Possible. She was a force of nature in human form.
GO!
She was Hell on earth.
Shego…I’m coming…
It was as if she was invincible.
I’m not going to let you die…
It was all flooding in again. That feeling, that very same energy that possessed her when she was in a clutch. All of it was washing over her. Energizing her to move.
I’m not going to let myself die…I…I love you damn it…
She had taken on waves of minions before.
And I’m not going to lose you to that blue bastard!
She had fought Shego to a stand still on dozens of occasions.
So just hang on…
This mob wasn’t anything to her.
Hang on for me…
She ducked under a poorly aimed punch and drove her foot into the man’s face.
Because I’m coming for you…
Rage was building inside of her. The blood was boiling in her veins as it pumped faster. Adrenaline was in high gear now.
“You have any idea who you punks are fucking with?”
A bunch of fucking morons can’t stop me Shego…
She could feel the murmur as she rolled to the side and came to a stop, kneeling. A powerful slam of her elbow and woman dropped, holding her groin in pain.
“I am hell incarnate! I am the worst fear you have in the flesh! I am Kim-fucking-Possible! And I’m not going down for a bunch of fucking two bit thugs!”
A few people shifted uncomfortably as they regarded her. They knew Kim Possible of as a sane teenager with a knack for saving the world.
What they saw was a beast of a person who wanted to tear their throats out and drink their blood.
Kim wasn’t going to wait for the truth of which she was to be decided amongst the mob, and drove a foot into another person’s face. He crumpled as the blood poured out.
Fear was powerful. It had the power to drive away the demons in the night, or bring them in stronger than ever. It was that very power whipping through the crowd. Fear of a red headed teenager. Fear of being too weak to save someone important.
Fear of losing.
At that moment fear itself had brought those demons in full force into the minds of the masses.
Those demons didn’t just come for the villains that were still standing. No, but for Kim as well. Demons that tried to tell her that she was too late. Demons that tried to tell her that she was too weak. Even demons that tried to dig out the fear of death in her.
Demons that drove her forward. Pushed her harder as she fought against them not in her mind but with each blow she landed. It was as if they were a rider whipping her like their horse. Assaulting her with her fears, her fears that she fought off by forcing herself forward despite them.
Each blow she landed until her juggernaut like rage came to a stop as her fist crashed into a wall of a man.
She looked up glared him in the eye, “Buddy, I level mountains like you for fun. You’re just another big guy to knock down in my book.” She was closer now…it was the next house down…she just needed to reach that.
Almost there…Damn it…Shego if your not alright I’m going to so have to kick your ass.
The man grinned and cracked his knuckles. He was going to have fun himself. He knew tough talk, and he knew a tough walk. He had seen one, and now wanted to see the other.
The car rolled to the stop next to what Ron was sure had been Shego’s car. Minus a bumper, mirrors, and a good amount of paint.
“Thanks a lot Mr. Gooding!” He practically leapt out of the car. He could see the chaos unfolding as something with red hair was taking on a man mountain, and losing.
“Anything to help Ronald…you boys be safe, alright?”
Josh grinned as he got out of the car after Ron, “No problem Mr. Gooding. After all it’s just a little boyish rough housing.”
Mr. Gooding shook his head as he drove off. Kids these days.
Ron nodded, “Ready Josh?”
Josh nodded and they raced over to where the mob filled the main street of the community.
Josh was by no means a violent person. He abhorred it under most circumstances, but right now, he didn’t care. The boy was helping the people he cared about. And that’s what mattered. He tapped one thug on the shoulder, and as the brute turned, Josh railed his fist into him.
The man was down, and toppled into a woman.
Direct hit! Josh smirked to himself in pride.
Attention. That’s what he wanted, and that’s what he got. The plan had become surprisingly simple. Draw attention and hope Kim could make it. The plan was working. The people didn’t care who he was, or what plan he was following. He was an intruder picking a fight. It was a fight he was going to get.
The masses had come for blood, and it didn’t matter if it was Kim Possible’s or some stranger’s. Either one was good enough for them.
Normally Ron would approach things more casually is his attempt to gain attention. He was a distraction by design, but even distractions don’t want to be outnumbered in a fight. Things were different. The rules were being broken as he gave one loud, “HEY! YEAH, YOU! THE STUPID PRICK!” Insults. Simple, and always very effective as a head turner. Ron smirked to himself.
His smirk broadened as several heads turned to look at him. Settling down into a defensive posture he sized up his opponents. He had been picked as the Chosen One for a reason. And he was going to show these goons why, monkey magic or not.
After all just because he didn’t have monkey magic anymore, but it didn’t mean he didn’t know how to kick butt.
A woman lunged at Josh, but missed, her fist just missing his head. He could see the path before the fist made it. Always three moves ahead. He was reading his opponent’s body language, their eyes, even how they breathed as they moved. It was like a dangerous game of chess as he drove his knee into the woman’s stomach. He forced himself not to wince as she dropped. Don’t think about how much that had to hurt and focus. Three moves.
Hitting a woman was never a plus in his book. But extreme times meant extreme measures.
“Checkmate.” Josh tried not to grin at his own bad joke.
A couple men groaned at the bad chess reference and stepped up to face him. It’s just like two games at once. We used to do it all the time. Clear your mind and move our body Josh. We’re doing good, and there is no point in stopping now.
Josh paused and frowned at himself, he was doing it again. Thinking in plural. He could deal with that later though. What was important was the now, and what would be coming not the then. He had to continue to focus, to keep his mind trained in out thinking his opponent.
Forget the fact we’re working on too many levels. Forget the fact that we’re probably border line crazy. Three moves… three moves or more. We can’t lose our focus now.
Kim ducked under the massive hand and drove her fist into the man’s jaw. He shrugged off the blow as soon as the punch connected.
Get to Shego…I need to get to Shego…Damn it…I don’t have time to fight this guy
She was losing speed and confidence now. There wasn’t time spare as she danced outside of another massive fist. It was now or never.
I got to time it right…Wait….NOW!
She used his arm as a vault, driving both feet into his face.
His body followed his head and he dropped, bouncing slightly as it hit the asphalt. Several people were terrified by seeing the massive body drop, but no one was backing down. They had numbers.
Alright…one down…a hundred to go…Shego I’m coming!
You better hang on damn it…because I’m coming!
And I’m going to be pissed if you’re not okay.
Kim had herself. It was all she needed to fight them.
But to win she find had something more powerful than their blood lust. Something more powerful than the odds against her. She winced as a knife grazer her arm.
Then as the moment of pain faded it clicked. It was something simple, but sweet. But its complexity was beyond the measure of understanding.
Her battle hardened self softened a bit as she let the love that she felt for Shego flow. No limits, no censoring it now. Just a pure solid flow.
Hell…I’ll even let you pick movies for a month…just be okay…
Ron weaved and drove his palm up and into a man’s jaw. He staggered back slightly, before collapsing.
“Boo-yah, my funky bitches!” He smiled as he said it. Despite the situation, he was having fun. “Now if we get some music blaring we could have a true mosh pit going!”
He wasn’t as powerful as he had been with the monkey magic, but he still was holding his own.
Alright Ron…we got to stay focused…it’s all fun and games until we get our arms broken…Wait…why I thinking in plural?
Never mind….I’m good now…Scary Collective thinking moment is gone…got to focus…
A familiar sensation was creeping over him again. He frowned and drove his foot into an unprotected knee. Fighting was becoming effortless again. His senses were focusing. The sensations were like that of the monkey magic.
Then the loss of self hit again. He could feel himself on the receiving end of his own foot cracking down into a woman’s neck as she tried to jab his leg with a knife.
He could feel his feet pressing down on himself as he shifted his weight. He was the ground. The mob. The air.
Wait…I know this feeling…The feeling of my mind connecting to everything at once…
But this time, it felt right.
His pride wasn’t in it this time.
There was not anger, nor joy, nor sorrow now. Nothing but a blissfully-simple peace creeping over him. He was fighting himself now as the magic pulled him to be every view point at once, but he pulled back gently, focusing his consciousness back into his own point of view.
Every strike, every block, every dodge, all compelled him to become one with his enemy to understand them, to end the fight peacefully. And every single movement was countered with his own conscious effort to be Ron.
To keep from splitting into being everyone.
It would be too easy to be everyone at once. To let the magic pull his mind in a thousand directions at once.
He couldn’t do that though.
To do that would destroy the plan.
To destroy the plan would betray Kim.
And to betray Kim would be bad.
Like mutant carnivorous bunny bad.
Josh staggered as a fist hit his stomach. It was a risk to take the hit. A carefully calculated one, but still it was a risk.
Sweet Jesus…let’s just hope that wasn’t our kidney…
He forced himself not to double over. He took a direct punch, but the fact that he was standing didn’t just intimidate his opponent. No, rather it made Josh look stronger.
Josh smirked as he coiled up and swung.
Kim was closer now. She just needed to reach the door.
Almost there…
Need to find Shego…
Need to save Shego…
Need to end this…
The breathing echoing in her ears was as foreign to her as the heartbeat pounding in her ears. The echo of her feet connecting to the pavement with each step, each attempt to get a little farther, sounded like someone else’s.
She was more than herself. She was Kim…She was Shego…She was one being trying to save it’s other half.
Then she wasn’t Kim Possible anymore.
That part of her was gone. Her feelings compassion and gentle nature was brushed aside by a darker part of her self and left behind in the road.
A darker part of herself that just wanted to keep Shego safe from harm…to end the conflict forever.
A darker self that was Kim, but at the same time wasn’t. It was hurt. It was angry. It wanted to tear Drakken’s arms off and beat him with the wet ends.
The darker self was urging Kim’s body onward, forcing its legs to go faster. It would get to Shego. It would save Shego. And it would make sure Drakken would pay for what he had done.
Even if it meant killing the man in cold-blood. Morals and laws didn’t apply anymore.
Not after what he had done.
And not until after what it was going to do.
Ron didn’t even notice the bracer fall off of his arm. It wasn’t important anyways. In the back of his mind he heard it crunch as a heavy set man landed on top of it. Broken ivory was all that was left. But it wasn’t important. Even the very power inside of him wasn’t important. He could care less about being the balance of the universe. He could care less about the benefits of being the Chosen One. It wasn’t important.
What was important was that Kim had made it to the house.
The fact that Shego had a chance to be saved was even more important.
The realization that his mind was fighting with itself to become the very universe was important.
Okay, I was wrong. I don’t want monkey magic. I don’t need it. And I’m not going to keep it if it means losing myself to being one with everything.
He made a quick side kick and felt a thug’s knee give out. Drawing his leg back he made a half turn and dropped it as hard has he could onto an available foot. A man howled in pain as the blow connected.
The crunch was audible to everyone but Ron. He didn’t need to hear anything to know where his targets were. He didn’t need to see them either.
It was like being a stick and being set loose in a piñata factory. Every blow connected, every strike counted.
It was getting harder to see who he was anymore though. His mind kept drifting out, sometimes switching sides for a moment, and he’d drive a fist or a foot into his own body.
His body was beyond sore. But that wasn’t important either.
His muscles were on fire. But he could deal with that later. He could let himself pass out later.
The scream was ignored as Ron pushed off with that foot, and spun, driving the deadly appendage into woman’s head.
He didn’t even regret it as she dropped. The woman had challenged him. It was pure and simple. Or as simple as it could be when you were everybody else and yourself all at once.
I just want a simple life…No more monkey magic…no more Chosen One…Just make it stop!
Josh was sweating heavily. The number standing had thinned considerably since they had gotten there. And from the look of the injured laying in the street, it had been thinned considerably before they had gotten there.
The problem was he wasn’t sure he had enough will power to keep it up. He was a man of the mind, and even taking care of toddlers didn’t give him the stamina to participate in a brawl, much less one that raged of for over an hour.
He was proud of himself for lasting as long as he had. Then a hit connected with his face.
Ron could feel Josh drop. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew his lover had fallen. It was confusing for a moment as he realized he hadn’t tried to become Josh as he had everything else.
He could worry about that later.
There was just one thing that was important now.
And that was that he had to protect Josh. Now. He needed to make sure that no one ever laid a hand on his love ever again.
Author’s Notes: And Chapter Eight ends on a cliffhanger…don’t hate me for it! Especially after giving you way too many pages eleven and a half of them in Word! of people kicking the crud out of each other, not to mention the weird fluffy bits. I think this chapter out classes everything else I’ve written prior to now. Thank Failte for that and GO READ HIS WORK! NOW! GO!
And review it too damn it!