I've wanted to write this for quite a while now, and I should have started it before I began Destination: Cañon City. So in actuality, since that one is on Hold, I will only have three stories in progress: BioniKim: Oblivion, The Power of Kim, and this one, Sympathy for the Devil. To put this story in a chronological context, I would place this somewhere between The Devil was Blond, and Not so Evil.
Two –Part Disclaimer: 1. I do not own any of the characters involved in this story, or the Devil Incarnate of the main character, Tara. 2. Like the first one, this story may press the envelope for the "T" rating. So please read responsibly. If you think I should go to an "M" rating please let me know.
Chapter 1
The changes were so subtle that no one had noticed until it was too late.
"Hey Tara… Good practice today." Kim said while tossing another empty water bottle into the plastic bag she was holding. The two of them were cleaning up the gymnasium floor, since no one else bothered to stay around and help.
"It sure was." The previously blonde headed girl said in response. "I felt like I was really on my game today. I really think we're gonna kill in the Districts next month."
"Don't you know it." The Middleton High's Squad Leader responded, and the two teenage girls began to head towards the Girls Locker Room.
Just as Kim opened the door, she turned to Tara while taking a swig of her water bottle and said, "Tara… Did I ever tell you that I really like your hair black? I would have never once pegged you as a brunette, but it really works for you."
"Aww, Thanks Kim." Tara said with a flip of her now straight raven locks. "I was hoping that it wouldn't be too much of a change, but I just had to try something different. And you know what? It seems that everyone takes me a little bit more seriously now. When I was blonde, it was like everyone treated me like the stereotypical bubble headed bleach blonde."
"Well, you know I never did that Tara." Kim said while looking into the girls hazel eyes in an effort to make her point. "I always thought you were both beautiful and smart. I also envied your blonde hair at one time. This red mop can be such a pain sometimes. But now… I wished I had the guts to color my hair the way you have. The straight look seems to work for you as well."
Suddenly Tara's expression changed as if she had forgotten something. "Oh hey Kim… Why don't you go ahead and shower and stuff. I forgot that I wanted to catch someone after practice, and I'm afraid if I shower I'll miss them. I'll see you tomorrow OK?"
"Sure Tara… See you then. At that time you can also tell me who this mystery person is that you're running off to see." Kim then gave her friend a conspiratorial wink. "And tell me all the gory details."
Tara gave Kim a look that said she didn't understand, which almost garnered a short laugh from Kim, but then just shook her head before getting ready to shower.
…x x x x…
From experience on her mission's, Kim took a shower that lasted no longer than 5 minutes, and she then dressed in the clothes that she had originally come to school in that day, which was a teal top and black pants. Just as she left the locker room, Kim saw Tara returning from wherever she had gone to, and she looked, for lack of a better phrase, haggard.
"Hey Tara?" Kim said with a concerned voice as the two passed each other about midway across the gymnasium floor. "Are you feeling OK? You don't look so good."
"I'm fine!" She snapped, making Kim pull up a little. Tara never looked at the red head, as her face was pointing downwards in a fashion that her long black hair was covering her features. Kim reached out to touch her friend's shoulder, and before making contact, Tara whirled on the red head.
"Don't touch me! I said I'm fine!" Kim's hand recoiled back, not from the words themselves, but the deep throaty voice that had emanated from her friend's throat.
Almost immediately her voice returned to normal. "I'm sorry Kim… I didn't mean to snap at you. I'll be OK, really." She then turned away from Kim and proceeded to walk back to the showers. As she walked away, Tara said something that thoroughly confused her teammate. "I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be one Hell of a day."
…x x x x…
The next day, not long after Kim and Ron had arrived at school, the Kimmunicator sounded off with its familiar four-note tone.
Beep beep bee deep
"Hey Wade, what's the sitch? Drakken again?" Kim replied after pulling the communications device from one of her pockets.
"Actually Kim, this is a weird one." Wade said in response to the teen heroes query. "I just got a hit on your site from none other than Shego herself! Here's the replay."
Wades face dissolved into static, which then morphed into Shego's face. "Kimmie… Can you please come up to Drakken's Lair before noon? It's really important that I see you immediately! See… I had this dre… well let's just say that I think something terrible is going to happen. I know we've been at each other's throats for a while, but this time I'm calling a truce, at least until after I talk with you. Hope to see you soon. Oh, and before you say anything, the Buffoon can come along as well."
After Shego's video ended, Wade reappeared. "Do you think this could be some sort of trap Kim? All Emotional Indicators tell me that Shego is telling the truth, and that there is no deception, but she could be fooling my systems somehow. It's up to you if you want to go."
Kim thought for a few seconds, and then she heard the first bell for Homeroom. She looked at Ron and asked, "Well Ron? Do we meet Shego, or go to Homeroom?"
"You're asking me?" Ron said with surprise. "If you really want my opinion Kim, I say we go see what's up with Shego. Maybe it will be something that lasts through Algebra. I have a feeling Miss Whisp is going to hit us with a pop quiz today."
"Hmmm…" Kim said in mock thought while tapping her chin. "Pop quiz in Algebra, or Shego? I say… Shego as well. Let's go."
"Your ride will be waiting in the school parking lot." Wade said, and Kim thanked him and switched off her Kimmunicator.
Sure enough, after changing into their Mission Gear and walking out to the parking lot, a GJ Hoverjet was on the far side of the schools parking lot, with its ramp down waiting for them. As they boarded the jet, no one noticed a black haired girl watching them leave as she stood behind a corner of one of the buildings.
…x x x x…
This time Kim and Ron entered the lair in a manner they weren't too familiar with, which would have been through an air vent, or some other such thing. This time the two of them were entering through the front door, after it was opened by none-other than Shego herself.
"Ummm… Shego?" Kim said while looking around with a nervous eye. "I… I don't see anyone else here. By now I normally see either Drakken, or at least a few of his henchmen. What gives?"
With a wave of her hand the green skinned woman answered. "Everyone else is out. I sent them all away, and it's just us three."
Rufus popped his head out of Ron's pocket and squeaked out a plaintive "Hey…"
Shego's head snapped over towards the squeaking of the mole rat as if she was startled, but quickly recovered and said, "Excuse me, the four of us."
"You said it was important, so here we are." Kim said warily, as she still hadn't completely dropped her guard.
"Yes, it is." The green woman nodded, and waved a hand towards a nearby couch. "Please… sit. I have a short story to tell you."
All three sat down, with Kim and Ron sitting close to each other on one end, and Shego a few feet from them, near the center. She turned herself sideways and sat with one leg under herself so she could face the two of them, and proceeded to tell the teens about a certain part of her childhood.
…x x x x…
After the multicolored comet struck their home and killed their parents, Sheila Go and her brothers were put into a Home for displaced children. There they were schooled in both academics and religion, since it was run by a small group of Nuns.
All five of them were kept together for the entire time that they lived in the Home and all were schooled together as well. Yet, for some strange inexplicable reason, one of the Sisters took it upon herself to take Shego's Religious studies a little further. As a result, she was more knowledgeable about the Spiritual ways of the world.
The Sister had originally thought she could groom the strange and moody young girl into a respectable young woman, but instead she quickly found out that this girl with green skin took more to the evil nature of her teachings, rather than the good. She tried to convince Shego that evil was not the way to get things done in this day and age, but her teachings just would not sink into the young girl's brain. As a result, the extracurricular sessions only lasted a few weeks.
…x x x x…
"OK… So you didn't take kindly to being taught the ways of God." Ron said with a wary eye. "So what does that have to do with you calling Kim here?"
The green woman took a deep breath and let it out before starting. "You see… I've had a… dream." There was a short pause. "No, not a dream… a vision. Something that may happen in the future."
"You mean you called us all the up here because you had a… a nightmare?" Kim's voice rose a bit with the last word. "I can't believe that you…"
"Kim, I dreamed that you died." Shego said, interrupting the red head. Kim sat there with her mouth open in mute shock, and Ron mirrored his friend's reaction. Only Rufus still had an air of resignation about him.
Since there was no other sound from her now rapt audience, the green villainess pressed on. "My dream was so vivid Kim. You, Ron, and your friend here…" She indicated Rufus, "All died a horrible death."
"But you've been trying to kill me for years Shego." Kim was able to say after somewhat recovering from her initial shock. "Why are you telling me… us… this? I would think a dream like that would make you… I don't know… Happy?" The red head's eyebrows narrowed in slight confuson.
"Yes, it's true that I've tried to… get rid of you, but not in a manner like what I saw in this dream. Excuse me, nightmare. What I was taught in that Home when I was younger, is the reason that I wanted to tell you about this dream, vision, or whatever it was. I… wanted to warn you Kim, all three of you." Shego stopped herself before continuing and dropped her head. She sniffed a bit and appeared to wipe something from one of an eye.
"What is it Shego?" Kim asked while leaning forward a little bit, feeling a pang of sympathy for her enemy. She reached a hand out to put it on the green woman's shoulder, but Shego's head snapped up, making her recoil in surprise.
Shego's eyes looked dark, and her face had an almost haunting quality about it. The next words she spoke were in a monotone that sent a shiver up Kim, Ron, and Rufus' spines.
"Kimberly… all three of you… were literally ripped apart. Your arms and legs were sitting in a pile like cords of wood. Your torsos were ripped to shreds, and the mouths on your separated heads had been sewn shut so you couldn't even scream while you were being… pulled apart. The last thing I saw before I woke up screaming bloody murder, was someone that I didn't recognize standing over your mutilated bodies.
"She was shrouded in darkness, so I couldn't see her features, but this person had long straight black hair, and she wore, of all things… what looked like a cheerleaders outfit. The only thing about her that didn't look… human, was the two large horns that were coming out of the top of her head."
"Tara…" Both Kim and Ron mouthed in quiet surprise. The two of them had already met up with this version of their friend before, but they still weren't quite sure if it had been real or not. It had taken a while for the two of them to forget about what they thought had occurred at Bonnie Rockwaller's house.
Rufus' reaction to what Shego had just described didn't last near as long. He fainted back into Ron's pocket.
Then Shego's voice turned back to normal. "Something tells me that things have already started to play out, but I'm not certain. So I hope you heed this warning." Kim and Ron got up to leave, but Shego stopped the two of them as she lay a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "Kim… Ron… I just wanted to let you know that yeah… I've tried to get rid of you so that Drakken could finish at least one of his evil schemes… But I would never… ever…wish anything like this upon the two of you. So please… be careful."
"We will Shego." Kim said, and took Ron's hand. "And Thank-you." The two teens then looked at each other with raised eyebrows and left the lair, heading back towards school.
…x x x x…
After Homeroom concluded, all students had gone to their first period classes. The class that Kim and Ron would have been in was History, which was being taught on this day by none other than Mr. Barkin.
"Well class…" The burly teachers voice boomed, "It looks like all are present and accounted for, except for Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. I'm assuming that they are off on a mission of some sort, so I won't be inclined to mark them as Tardy… yet. If they don't show up by the end of this period, they will be marked as absent.
"So let's get to our History lesson. Today I will be covering the effectiveness of the German Blitzkriegs, and what was their eventual downfall." Just as Mr. Barkin was about to begin his lesson, near the back of the classroom, he heard a soft feminine voice singing. It was Tara King.
I stuck around St. Petersburg, when I saw it was a time for a change.
Killed the czar and his ministers, Anastasia… screamed… in vain.
I rode a tank, held a general's rank, when the blitzkriegs raged, and the bodies stank…
"Tara King…" Steve Barkin's voice snapped, making everyone in the room cringe except for the one teenager, who had once been a blonde. "What is the meaning of this interruption? Who do you think you are?"
Tara's face cracked what could only be considered an evil smile, as she slowly rose from her seat. Every student had their eyes glued to her, and didn't make a sound. Of course, what she was wearing was enough to make any adolescent male, and a few females, look upon her with what could only be considered as unadulterated lust.
Tara had on black 3-inch heels that gave way to black fishnet stockings that rose up her shapely cheerleader legs, and disappeared underneath a very short black leather skirt that hugged her hips closely. From the top of her skirt one could clearly see her navel underneath a loose black sheer material, which was attached to a half-length black leather halter-top that pushed her bosom up nicely.
Black finger-less motorcycle gloves graced her slender hands and fingers, of which the nails were covered with black fingernail polish. On her chest, just above Tara's left breast was the tattoo of a rarely used symbol of anarchy, a black circle with a black rose in the center.
She sauntered towards Mr. Barkin, and with a voice that could only make those that were already admiring her admirer her more, she sang a little bit louder.
Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name!
Oh yeah…
Ahh… But what's puzzling you,
Is the, nature of my game…
"Now see here Miss King…" Mr. Barkin said as he took a small step backwards. He had never once had a student approach him in the manner and it had definitely taken him aback. The next three words that Tara said literally froze the man to the spot he was currently standing in.
"I am Lucifer…" Came out of her mouth, and Tara's eyes changed to black, which completely filled her eye sockets. "And all of these weak minded fools…"
Devil/Tara raised her hands to her sides with the palms up, and every student in the room, ten in all, stood from their seats. Ten pairs of eyes now matched those of their Master. "…Are now mine to command."
"You… you can't b… be. Y… your just a teenaged g… girl." Mr. Barkin sputtered, and he was able to stumble back one more step.
The lips on Devil/Tara formed a bit of a pout. "But for some reason, Stevie-Poo… I have not gained control of you, just yet." She then sauntered a few more steps towards the burly teacher, who was by now trembling in fear.
"What is it that has kept you from my control?" With wide eyes and trembling hands Steve Barkin loosened his tie, and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He then reached in and pulled out a chain, on which was a small golden cross.
The pout on Devil/Tara's face actually turned into a smirk at the sight of the small cross. "Do you really think you can defend yourself against me with…. that? It may have kept you from initially being under my command, but let's see what happens if I do… this!"
One of her hands lashed out and snatched the small cross, breaking the small chain as she pulled it from around Mr. Barkin's neck. In a matter of seconds, the small golden cross melted in her dainty fingers. Before the hot metal reached her skin, Devil/Tara released the now molten metal, letting it fell to the floor in an unrecognizable lump. Steve Barkin swallowed hard as the one thing that he thought could protect him was now destroyed.
With another step of her black 3-inch heels, Devil/Tara was mere inches from Mr. Barkin, and she walked her fingers up his chest. She playfully rubbed the lapels of the man's jacket for a bit, then with almost inhuman strength she grabbed onto the jacket and pulled his face down to hers. She then planted a kiss right on the older man's lips!
…x x x x…
Just as Devil/Tara pulled the teacher into a lip-lock, she heard the door of the classroom burst open, and then she heard the voice of the one person that she had hoped would arrive. It was Kim Possible.
"Mr. Barkin…" Kim started to say breathlessly, "Ron and I are here! Please don't mark us… as… absen…" Kim's voice faded as she saw Tara in a lip-lock with none other than Mr. Steve Barkin.
Devil/Tara released Mr. Barkin, who now stood straight up, facing the back of the room. The girl who had been kissing him turned around to face Kim and Ron, and the door behind the two teens slammed shut, locking them all in the room. The corners of Devil/Tara's lips turned up and eventually became a lecherous grin, which seemed almost too large for her face, displaying a mouthful of razor sharp teeth.
With a low growling voice, Devil/Tara spoke to the now terrified pair of teens. "Hello Kimberly… Ronald… So nice to see you again." She then pointed a finger at the two Heroes and said, "Minions, kill them."
Twelve pairs of black eyes, including Mr. Barkin's, were now focused on Kim and Ron, and both of them uttered two words at the same time.
"Oh… Snap."
To be continued…
This will most likely only last one or two more chapters.
The two separate stanzas that Devil/Tara sang are from the song "Sympathy for the Devil", sung by the great rock band, The Rolling Stones.
Oh, and if any of you artists out there are willing to try, I wouldn't mind seeing a drawing of Devil/Tara in the classroom.
Whooo Whooo! (evil grin) If ya don't get that, please listen to the song…