Green Silk, Black Satin
Chapter 2: The Locket
Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters there within, they're property of Disney.
Kim Possible and her best friend Ron Stoppable had just finished a hearty meal at Bueno Nacho (more on Ron's behalf than Kim's) and were heading to the mall to do a little window shopping. There was a blouse Kim had had her eyes on for a while now and she had managed to squeak up enough cash to purchase it.
They walked together and joked about Mr. Barkin taking over another one of their elective classes. Who could believe the teacher knew a blanket stitch from a chain? When questioned how Mr. Barkin had acquired the knowledge and skill, he simply said:
"You pick up a stitch or two when traversing the jungles of Jai Alai."
Kim and Ron laughed at each other's impression of the man.
"Next thing you know, Barkin will be telling us he used to be a super villain." Ron wiped a tear from his eye and went on with the improvisation. "'You pick up the darndest things in villainy school.'"
"Oh Ron, I don't think Barkin was ever super villain. Super military maybe, but not villain. Everyone has their little quirks." Kim shrugged aloofly. Ron nodded at the redhead's statement before miming a golfing swing.
"Sure, I mean, look at Duff Killigan. Why is Killigan a mad golfer? At least, Drakken has the right idea in the 'mad' category. If you're going to be mad you might as well be a doctor!"
The teen duo rounded a corner.
"Right Ron, why don't you ask Drakken the next time we see him?"
Ron gave her a contemplative look.
"You really think I should?"
Kim sighed and decided it was best not to answer Ron, he usually took her advice seriously, whether she meant it sincerely or not.
"Excuse me, Miss," a voice said from behind the teens. They both turned abruptly to see a homeless man seated on the sidewalk in tattered, dirty clothes. He had a rank odor of garbage about him. Kim suppressed the urge to gag, but Ron went ahead with his candid gambit.
"Dude, you need to get yourself to a shower." He plugged his nose, and the naked mole rat in his pants pocket made a retching noise and dove back into the pocket.
"Ron!" Kim admonished him, but he would not stop with the overdramatic waving of his arms to clear the air. "You'll have to excuse him," she apologized to the homeless man, "he gets overexcited when he's full." She threw Ron a warning glance before turning back to the unfortunate man. "I-I'm so sorry. I—"
But the man held up a hand and shook his head in understanding.
"I've a favor, young lady." He reached into his torn coat pocket and retrieved a single item; gold glinted in the warm sunlight as a heart-shaped locket appeared in his hands. Diamonds ringed a sapphire, emerald, amethyst and rubies on the locket's face. The dirty, gloved hand that held the golden trinket trembled. "You remind me of my daughter. This is all I have left of her memory. Would…would you wear this Miss?"
Kim's eyes flickered between the dirty, unshaven man's face and the locket that he held out to her. It was an odd request and Kim felt a strange apprehension seize her. Her gaze traveled the ragged scar from the homeless man's ear to his chin and she wondered if an animal had attacked him. The man's weathered face was nothing if not earnest, but something subtle in his dark eyes suggested otherwise. The knot in the cheerleader's stomach tightened. Ron leaned past Kim, knocking her from her hesitant daze, as he studied the trinket.
"Why don't you trade that in for some cash—get a room with meals and a shower?"
"Ron!"
"Please, Miss?" the homeless man motioned for the redhead to take the locket. "It would do an old man's heart good if you wore it." Kim pressed a lopsided smile to her lips, but could not help a slight grimace as she took the jewelry piece from the soiled hand. The man smiled up at her.
"Urm, how much did you want for it?" Kim asked sheepishly, reaching into her pockets for the money she had been reserving for her blouse, but the man only shook his head.
"Cost you nothing, just wear it." He nodded and gave her a yellowed smile.
"But, but please, let me pay for it." Kim insisted. Once again the man shook his head.
"Wear it. Go on, go on, let me see." He motioned she put the locket on. Kim still could not banish a haunting sense of foreboding, but she humored the man and unclasped the chain. Ron helped her when Kim could not fasten it around her neck. When the clasp snapped shut, Kim gave her head a light shake to let both her hair and the golden chain settle. The old man clapped his hands together. Kim saw his eyes shimmer with unspent tears.
"You look just like her. Just like my little girl. Thank you, young lady, thank you." And the homeless man wobbled to his feet. Kim surged forward to help him when he seemed about to fall, but he waved her off and steadied himself against the building behind him. "You're an angel. Pure and simple. An angel sent to me before I go."
"Before you go?" Ron repeated, uncomprehending.
"Please," Kim pleaded with the man, "let me pay for—"
"Wear it always?" his wild, dark eyes flickered over her face in hopeful desperation. Kim broke down.
"Yes. Yes, I'll wear it."
"Oh, thank goodness." He placed a hand over the lapel of his ratty overcoat. "If you don't— the sky will fall and the sun implode and the stars turn black…" he grinned as he went on, the teenaged girl weakly returned the smile. She was saved by Ron tugging at her elbow, as it appeared the old man had lost his sanity right before their eyes.
"Maybe we should help him?" Kim muttered to Ron as they put distance between the man and themselves—his laughter still following them.
"Nah, he's happy in his own little world, Kim." Ron laughed hollowly and glanced back over his shoulder at the hobo who was still shaking and laughing, alternately throwing his hands in the air and gripping at his stomach.
Kim touched the locket and her shoulders slumped a little, as though a weight had been thrown there.
"Well, Kim Possible doesn't break a promise." She let the locket drop back onto her chest when she suddenly slowed in stride. "Okay, this is weird."
"What?" Ron asked nervously.
"It's…it's warm." Kim had stopped in her tracks completely, and threw her gaze back to where the homeless man had been, but he was gone. The knots in her stomach were returning.
"Warm?" Ron walked back for her and picked up the locket himself before quickly releasing it. "Whoa, that's weird. It's warm!"
"Unusually warm." Kim said, her hand immediately diving for her Kimmunicator. She rang up the 10-year-old computer genius on the other side. "Wade? Got something seriously freaky for you to check out."
A light flickered on the transmitter as she scanned the locket and sent the download to Wade.
"Got it. Give me ten minutes to examine it, okay?" Wade said.
"The faster the better." Wade gave her a thumb's up and Kim shut off the screen, her eyes straying again to where the old man had been.
"Aaaare we not going to the mall then?" Ron cut into her thoughts, rubbing the back of his neck. Kim gave him a reassuring smile; though its effect did not relieve her discomfort with the entire situation, Ron was all too happy to accept her encouragement. Kim shrugged off her anxiety at Ron's smile and she started toward the mall again.
"We'd better go. I need something to get my mind off this whole thing."
Kim had just picked up the blouse she'd saved for when her Kimmunicator's ring sounded in her pocket. Fishing for it, she quickly turned on the screen.
"Find anything strange?" Kim asked right away but Wade took a sip of soda and shook his head.
"Initial scan return nothing out of the ordinary. It's a genuine, 24 karat gold locket." Wade's eyebrows rose to match Kim's. "Where did you say you got it?"
"Some guy, he…" Kim jerked a thumb over her shoulder and jabbed Ron's upper lip. She smiled in apology as Ron massaged his face.
"Twenty-four karat? Holy cow, that's some fundage. He really could have afforded a bath then." Ron clarified. Kim rolled her eyes at her companion but did not continue as Wade interjected.
"Tell you what. I'll keep an eye on the download and have you scan again a few hours from now to look for any chemical or corporeal changes. But really, I called because we've got a situation over at one of Drakken's hideouts."
Kim groaned and held up the blouse for Wade to see. "Do you know how long I've been waiting to buy this shirt?"
"Sorry Kim, it's urgent." Wade consulted another computer screen and began typing away. "It reaches as far as Global Justice on this case."
"Wow, that bad huh? Never thought Drakken had it in him." Kim mumbled to herself and hung the shirt back on its rack. "All right Wade, I'm on my way. Call in a ride for me, will you?"
"Already done, Kim! There's a jet waiting for you outside, GJ, wants you to apprehend Drakken as quickly as you can. Good luck!" and the communicator went off on the other end.
"Come on, Ron, time to move."
"But these jeans are totally cool!"
"Ron!"
"All right, all right, I'm coming! But we have got to come back for these…"
The duo rushed out of the mall entrance to find a jet awaiting them, just as Wade had said. It was not long before they were airborne over the gawking eyes and mouths of the pedestrians below.
"Possible is here again, Doctor D."
Shego had her feet propped up on the monitor dashboard as she leaned back in her chair, thumbing through the latest issue of Villains Monthly. Her eyes scanned but nothing stuck; she had lost another restless night of sleep. Scratch that, she had a very productive night destroying Drakken's closed circuit cameras scattered all over the lair. He was furious. Shego was convinced he had only himself to blame.
But to her surprise, Drakken made no mention of their sharp exchange the night before and dropped the property damage issue rather quickly. He still threw one of his "Angrish" fits composed of grunted unwords and wild gesticulating, screamed at a henchman to clean up the mess, and immediately set to work. He was still upset with her, but too preoccupied to deliver a fitting penalty. They'd avoided each other most of the morning.
"Again?" Drakken barked and turned to his assistant. She continued to read. "Well? Get ready to intercept them Shego!"
Clearly she wasn't the only one suffering from insomnia-induced irritation. She tossed the magazine over her shoulder and pushed back from the module.
"Do I have to do everything around here?"
Drakken threw her a venomous glance, even as he worked the levers of his latest death ray machine.
"For once, just do as you're told!" Drakken asserted vehemently, and Shego mockingly placed a hand over her heart.
"That stings, Dr. D; when have I ever not begrudgingly fulfilled an order?"
Shego did not see Drakken grind his teeth in frustration as she glanced about the lair for the best point of attack from Kimmie's projected entry.
"You'd better get more sleep, grumpy monkey." Drakken muttered.
Shego froze on her way to the entrance Kim Possible would enter from. She spun back to face the doctor.
"What was that?" She demanded. Drakken's eyes popped open and he bit his lips. "I don't judge your nightly habits, doc. Next time you need a put-me-down, I'll be first in line to knock you out."
"Fine, fine. Just, you know…be ready." Drakken waved a free hand and sputtered angrily, but not without a look of thinly veiled fear. Shego's eyes rolled up to her head as she leapt atop a machine near the entrance and crouched in wait.
Kim Possible chose that moment to barge into the lab, followed closely by Ron.
"All right, Drakken, you're seriously cutting into my social time." Kim shouted to him over the noise of the machines. "Another death ray? Been there, done that." Kim sprang forward to apprehend Drakken and shut down the machine, when a flash of green and jarring pain shot her in the side.
"Not so fast, Kimme. You haven't forgotten about me, now have you?"
Shego landed lightly in Kim's place, gloved hands glowing and a superior smirk on her lips.
"Whoa, what's up with you?" Kim's eyes screwed up at the green woman as she took up a loose defensive stance.
"Same as always." Shego struck out and the cheerleader deflected the blows.
"No seriously, you don't look so good."
"Yeah, you look sick." Ron chimed in from where his foot was tangled in a bed of wires.
"Yeah, okay, less talking, more fighting." Shego lunged at Kim and Kim barely had enough time to dodge; she swung around, red hair flying to deliver a kick to Shego's side. The villainous went down, but quickly came back out of it too. Kim was becoming more like her in her ruthless style of fighting. The two continued to brawl, a roundhouse kick to Shego's cheek, which the woman dodged and retaliated with a claw to Kim's stomach, which Kim parried.
In mid-air, Kim felt the locket tumble free from its hiding place beneath her shirt and her heart stopped when Shego's eyes locked on the golden flash.
The woman's hands bloomed with a fearsome fire. Emerald green eyes glinting, Shego moved with the speed of a striking snake and she was on Kim before the girl could even touch the ground.
Shego snatched Kim's wrist and jerked the teen hero's arm behind her, yanking up on it, hard. Kim cried out in pain, shocked by the abnormal brutality in her arch-nemesis' unrelenting grip. Kim was well acquainted with Shego's rough fighting style, but this was something entirely new. And utterly deadly.
"Where did you get this?" Shego snarled venomously into Kim's ear and the girl was surprised at the bizarre mixture of shock and hatred in her arch-foes voice. The viselike hand holding Kim's twisted wrist was fiercely hot. The girl struggled to bite back the pain, grimacing with the effort.
"What? I don't know what you're talking about!" Kim shouted, struggling to break free, but her captor's grip was ironclad. The chain ripped from around Kim's neck, stinging the sensitive skin there. Fear began to overtake her anger at the unbridled violence in Shego's actions. The little golden locket appeared before Kim's squinting vision.
"Where did you get this, Possible?" Shego demanded, shaking the trinket so that it bounced and jangled at the end of its chain. Her voice was low, dripping with poison. Again Kim's arm was yanked upward behind her back. Stifling her cry, Kim shut her eyes and remained silent; unwilling to relate the homeless man's story to her tormentor. A sharp shove nearly sent the cheerleader flying, but Shego snapped the girl back as if she were nothing more than a toy on a string. "Where?"
"What does it matter to you, Shego?" Kim exhaled, shocked by the woman's viciousness but still rebelliously defiant. There was a roar of outrage in Kim's ear, when her feet were kicked out from beneath her and Kim fell face-forward onto cold concrete. A sharp inhale that would have restored some of her breath was knocked out of her as she collided with the floor. Shego's knee dug cruelly into Kim's back as the other pressed down into her neck. The girl's face was crushed into the laboratory floor and the knee in her neck made it almost impossible to breathe. This was unlike Shego! This—animal pinning her was not the cultured fighter Kim knew.
Her arm yanked up even higher, Kim's teeth ground in a mixture of hate and terror. Daggers within the green and black clad woman's gloves pressed dangerously into Kim's throat.
"Where, Possible? Or I swear I'll—" the dagger tips' pressure was increasing and Kim frenziedly struggled for breath.
"Some homeless man on the street gave it to me on the way to the mall!" She screamed, disbelieving Shego's incensed reaction at something so small.
"Which mall? How long ago?" The woman shouted and Kim fell to her panic when a bead of liquid ran down her throat.
"Middleton! Two hours ago!"
Suddenly the weight lifted. It took Kim a moment to realize she had been released from the villainess' death grip. Her hand flew to her aching neck and she gasped at the gauge the torn chain had left in her skin. Kim looked wildly for Shego and spotted her swinging through an open upper window and out of the facility.
"Kim! Are you all right?"
Ron had caught up to Kim, placing a hand on her shoulder, just now having freed himself from the tangle of wires in his rush to help his teammate.
"I'm all right," Kim muttered to him, rubbing her throat. It really hurt. It startled Kim how easily Shego had caught her in that painful hold. And the violence to keep her there. It almost made their other fights seem…tame.
She stared at the open window a moment in confusion, then threw her gaze over to Drakken who also happened to be staring slack-jawed in bewilderment at Shego's sudden departure.
Drakken looked between the window and his teenaged foe before a sheepish smile spread widely across his face. He released the levers on his whirring machine and carefully raised one leg before he was off like a shot, following suit after his mutinous subordinate.
The two teenagers watched the blue streak of Drakken beat his way to freedom, before they glanced back at each other. Ron helped Kim sit up.
"Ouch, are you all right?" Ron's fingers reached to touch the injury to Kim's neck, but stopped short. Kim touched the mark instead.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She lied.
Ron shook his head and looked again at the window Shego had disappeared through.
"What just happened?"
Author's Note: And thusly, this story has been fully updated to reflect a writer grown over the last seven years. And after seven years, I am knuckling down, digging in, and painting my game face to complete this story. It feels a lot more satisfactory as this facelift and I'm excited to continue.
This chapter mostly stood on its own to the wrath of my revision-I added a mini-scene about Barkin (because I've discovered just recently how awesome he really is in the series!) and lasting consequences that traveled over from the first chapter between Drakken and Shego. This chapter is much more grounded now in that effect and not just floating around. I was taught something lasting in one writing class of mine: The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died and then queen died of grief is a plot – E.M. Forster. I've since included this wisdom into my works-and that includes fanfiction.
So read on dear readers, and see what this queen dies of.
Blackfire 18