The St. Nick Sitch
A Kim Possible Fan Fic by the Pharaoh Rutin Tutin
Kim Possible and all related characters copyright © Disney.
This is a work of Fan Fiction. I receive no compensation for this story.
Please do not edit, sell, repost, or redistribute without my permission.
PrologueLet us meet the players.
Ronnicus: A former gladiator, now a freeman retired from the arena after defeating Drakkus Maximus.
Kimaria: At one time, she was the Mysterious Masked Fighter often battling at the side of Ronnicus. They married shortly after he won his freedom.
Rufus the Bald: The spirit of the old gladiator who became father, teacher, and friend to Ronnicus. Some who do not know any better may say that he is imaginary.
Nicholas: A distant uncle of Kimaria and a Bishop of the now legally tolerated, but still misunderstood, Christian church.
The time is around 310AD.
The Place is the city of Myra in Lycia (part of what is now Turkey).
And before the Holy Water hits the fan, let me say that I mean no disrespect to anyone's faith, or the legacy of St. Nicholas.
Yes, I am a Christian, specifically, a Methodist. And while the veneration of the Saints isn't emphasized as much in my congregation as it is in others, I do have great respect for the heroes and teachers of the faith. I regard many of them in much the same way I would think of a favourite relative, or an old friend.
With that being said, please enjoy this FICTIONALIZED retelling of the legend of an old friend.
- - - - -
Chapter IMyra was no sleepy little hamlet. But for someone who studied in Alexandria like Nicholas, or fought in Rome like Kimaria and Ronnicus, the city could often seem quaint.
Still it was a city, with all the problems inherent to life in the urban environment.
That night's events proved the point.
"GIVE US YOUR MONEY AND NO ONE GETS HURT!" the tall man in the hood with a knife shouted while three of his friends, also with knives and hoods, circled the small group that looked like they were lost on the wrong side of town.
"This could be quite an illustration in a sermon," the preacher thought to himself as his niece and her husband took their places at his side.
Ronnicus was no coward. But while he sometimes acted like a clown, he was no fool either. Slowly, deliberately, with large and easy to follow movements the youthful looking blonde reached for the small purse tied to his belt. Gently, he tossed it in front of the one who had spoken. He could afford to lose a few dozen silver and copper coins. Besides, once Nicholas was safe, he and Kimaria could track these punks down and hand them over to the city guard.
But things are not always so easy. One of the muggers got impatient and grabbed Kimaria by her silk shawl. Big mistake.
With the efficiency one would expect from a gladiatorial champion, Kimaria threw her attacker over her shoulder and into one of his cohorts without dropping her lantern.
Flashing a wicked grin, the retired gladiator drew the sword concealed under his cloak. With a single sweep of the blade, he knocked the knives away from both of his remaining opponents.
"BOO – YA!" he shouted, "Ronnicus the Great. Undefeated and STILL champion!"
Not surprisingly all four men slowly inched their way from the not-so-helpless family.
Kimaria drew her blade and looked on with amusement as their would-be assailants quickly turned and sped away down the street. Running often became the sport of choice for those who encountered them. Ronnicus retrieved his money while Nicholas embraced his niece. Mostly for his own reassurance. "Are you all right, child?" he inquired.
"No big. See, the silk didn't even run"
The relief they felt was short lived, however. As the muggers fled, an old man stumbled out into the street in their way. One of the robbers bodily threw this man out of his way, and into the path of a fast moving horse-drawn wagon.
Kimaria was at the accident scene almost before the sound of the crash reached their ears. With Nicholas in tow, Ronnicus was a bit slower.
When her traveling companions reached her, Kimaria just said, "He's dying."
"When the city guard gets here, follow me!" Ronnicus commanded as he ran off after the soon-to-be salt miners.
Meanwhile, Nicholas took his niece's lantern and knelt by the injured man, who immediately recognized the Bishop and whispered, "Bless me father". Nicholas then did something that, until recently, would have made him just as much a criminal as the thugs who threw this man. He delivered the Christian Sacrament of Extreme Unction.
The injured man expired just as a squad from the night watch arrived. One officer hobbled his horse and stayed with the Bishop to tend to the deceased. The rest went with Kimaria as she guided them to her husband and the murderers. She always knew how to follow his path.
At a public fountain, the night watch and Kimaria caught up with Ronnicus who had one of the muggers in a headlock he learned form a wrestling champion known widely as the King of Pain. Unfortunately, the reason he only had one in hand was because streets left the fountain plaza in six different directions. Obviously, the gang split up.
"All right, people, listen up!" the principal watchman shouted, "pair off and search the neighborhood house to house. Meanwhile, we'll see if our friend here knows anything useful about his companions. Ronnicus! My office! NOW!"
- - - - -
The next morning Ronnicus returned to the Bishop's home and discussed the previous night with Kimaria and Nicholas.
"And they're sure of that?" Kimaria asked her husband with disbelief.
"A Praetorian Guardsman was at the guardhouse this morning to escort another prisoner to Constantinople and he recognized the kid immediately. The robber I captured was the youngest son of Senator Mankius. Or is that Monkius? I can never remember."
"So that gang of robbers was another group of 'noble' kids out to scare the little people because they know they can get away with it?" Nicholas observed with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.
"That's what I thought, but something didn't add up." Ronnicus mused while scratching the back of his neck, "By sunrise, they said they had the other three robbers in the guardhouse. But what they showed me were three local ne'er-do-well's. All of them knew who I was and wouldn't try attacking me. None of them seemed to know the Senator's son. And not one of them was tall enough to be the tall thief who threatened us first."
"Well, what happened?" Kimaria asked.
"Monkius is already back at his father's villa outside town after giving a statement to the watch assuring them that the three they captured were the three who were involved in the old man's death. He'll be back tomorrow, with his father, to make the same statement at the trial before the magistrate and be fined. The other three will be executed."
"That is a mockery of justice!" the Bishop fumed.
"This happened all the time in the courts during the persecutions" Kimaria sighed. "If the real killer is a friend of Mankius, he would only get a fine as well. But if you execute someone, the public sees that you're keeping them safe. Blame someone powerless. Then, unless someone with 'credibility' equal to that of the Senator's son steps forward to offer the poor men an ironclad alibi, they have no chance."
"So their only real hope would be if Mankius or one of his real companions stepped up and told the truth before the magistrate?" Nicholas asked.
Kimaria answered "And that would take a miracle, dear uncle."
- - - - -
Later, as Kimaria directed the household staff in the preparation of the evening meal, a messenger arrived at the Bishop's door.
Ronnicus took the letter and called for his wife.
Apparently, Nicholas had gone to the Mankius villa to thank the young man for confessing and helping to bring the other thieves to justice. Because it was late in the day, the Bishop was asked to stay for dinner and return to town with Senator Mankius and his son for the trial.
- - - - -
In the morning at the basilica, the business of the magistrate moved along at an efficient pace. Senator Mankius and his son were conspicuous in the provincial court wearing gleaming white togas. The Senator's with a prominent purple stripe. Just before the noon recess, the murder case was called. The principal night watchman delivered his version of what happened. Then the magistrate called young Mankius.
Ronnicus and Kimaria stared at the young man in the white toga with venom in their eyes. Bishop Nicholas, however, just sat with his hands folded and his head bowed in prayer.
"You have heard the testimony of the watchman. Is there anything you wish to add?" the magistrate asked.
"Yes sir, I was involved with a attempt to rob the Bishop and his family. And when the robbery failed, someone with me did throw a defenseless man into the path of a speeding wagon."
He did not lie. But he did not tell the whole truth. As he stood before the magistrate, young Mankius felt the glare from Kimaria and Ronnicus. But what did him in was a look from the bishop that was almost like a puppy dog pouting.
"And also" he continued, "you have the wrong men in custody."
A gasp was heard throughout the basilica.
"Two of the thieves are also sons of Senators. They are already back on the road towards the Parthian frontier where they are to serve as tribunes in the legion. The one who actually killed the old man is the son of the Governor of Cypress. When my father and I left Constantinople, the three of them traveled this far with us. The night before they were to continue with their journeys, we went out for a little fun, and it got out of hand."
Young Mankius continued, "Attempting to rob a gladiator, that was stupid. My friend causing an old man's death, that was a depraved and reckless accident. But my standing here and allowing three men I don't know be executed for crimes I know they didn't commit, that is evil. I am sorry."
The basilica was on the brink of a riot. Quickly, the magistrate summoned the guard to restore order. The three poor men were released. The courtroom was cleared. And the magistrate announced that he would consider how to proceed over the noon recess. The last thing Nicholas, Ronnicus, and Kimaria saw as they left the basilica was the senator and his son holding each other. Weeping into each other togas.
Kimaria squeezed her uncle's hand "You made him tell the truth!"
Nicholas smiled and said, "No, I just talked. He had to accept the Truth for himself."
- - - - -
FinAuthor's notes
I had this Idea less than one week before Christmas and thought I would never get it out in time. However, I discussed my plans on line and was given encouragement and advice from cpneb.
If you haven't read his Blue Eyes Shining stories yet, you have missed some of the most interesting treatment of formerly secondary characters that may be found in the Kim Possible Fan Fiction communities. Go ahead, read some of his work. A link to his profile is in my favourites. I'll wait. Good stuff, right?
Anyway, he suggested that I post a few chapters as a teaser before Christmas. Personally, I don't like posting incomplete stories. If not completed in a timely manner, the reader may feel betrayed and abandoned. I know that as a Fan Fic reader I HATE that.
But then I thought of Star Wars. Instead of telling the whole back-story, just throw your audience into the middle of the action and let them work out the details for themselves. Then, if you feel like it, 20 to 30 years later go back and fill in the missing pieces.