Kim Possible: Fruition
(A/N: Second up today.)
Amelia
Amelia hummed as she brushed her hair. It was going to be a lazy night for her. No work, no university assignments, just her. She rose and went to her door, still wrapped in a cashmere towel. She took down the silk housecoat. Oh this night was hers, and she planned to pamper herself endlessly. As she spoke a nice hot bath was running, bubbles, salts, candles, bath oils, and all.
KP
"Is this it?" Hirotaka questioned as they all crouched in the bushes.
"That's where Amelia lives," Kim confirmed.
"Then why are we not walking up to the door and knocking?" Fukushima demanded.
"Long story short, they aren't exactly friends with the girl," Monique stated.
"Then why are we here?" Fukushima asked. "Surely there is someone closer to them who is just as safe."
"Quit your whining, Fukushima," Monique chastised, frowning.
"We're here because there isn't," Kim replied. "She was once almost in a relationship with Ron, when he was rich, and when he got a new haircut."
"If money is so dear to her, and if she is so shallow, then if she is bribed or threatened will she not give our sister up?" Yori asked worriedly.
"I'm kind of hoping time's matured her, honestly. It's been a few years," Kim answered.
"Will she even remember us?" Ron asked.
"I don't know," Kim answered. "First things first, Hirotaka, get up to her room and check around for a sign that she's not living alone in that house."
"Good call, if she's married or has a boyfriend visiting her, it's not gonna be pretty," Monique declared.
"As you wish," Hirotaka replied, bowing to Kim. He drew down his ninja hood and leapt up into a tree, making his way silently to an upstairs window.
KP
Amelia sank deep into the bubbles, grinning. She'd been here long enough, now. Reluctantly she got out and drained it. She wrapped herself up and walked into her room. She took her silk housecoat from off her bed and let the towel drop. Just then she heard a sound and looked up gasping. There in the window was a male's figure, dressed in a ninja garb. She screamed and he looked sharply up. She heard him gasp audibly, almost falling back out the window in shock. She continued to scream, quickly covering herself with her housecoat.
The man swiftly leapt inside, sealing her mouth instantly with a hand and pinning her against a wall. She gazed up at him in horror, trying to fight back. He was strong, though. She lunged viciously, staggering him, but he caught her again, saying, "Be silent!"
"Let me go!" she ordered, prying his hand from her mouth. "Help! Help!"
"I have no desire to harm you!" the stranger insisted. To make his point he released her and stepped back, hands up in a pacifying gesture. Amelia hugged the wall, frightened.
"Wh-who are you?" she asked.
"A friend of Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable's," he answered.
Amelia started. Kim and Ron? Those were two names she hadn't heard for years. Why all of a sudden were they coming up now? "What?" she asked.
"I am a…" he began.
"I heard you!" she shot. "But Kim and Ron…? Why did they send you here? What's going on? Tell me your name!"
"In time, Amelia," he answered, bowing to her. "But right now we are in dire need of your help."
"Me? But what could I possibly do to help them?" Amelia asked.
"If you are alone here, you will learn," the stranger answered.
"I was alone until you came through my window," she said, still guarded and suspicious.
"You have no boyfriend visiting?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
He started and blushed, quickly assuring, because he knew her thoughts, "It was not a proposition or a threat! Lady, I wish you no ill." He bowed again to her. Looking up once more he removed his ninja hood so as to make himself less intimidating.
KP
Amelia caught her breath, eyes widening. By the gods… "Hirotaka!" she exclaimed. She recognized this boy. He was a foreign exchange student. Almost every girl in the school had been crushing on him. Of course, she'd been too busy at the time to give him much thought. She'd been doing exams and searching for colleges. Not to say she hadn't noticed him, because he was hard, and she meant hard, to miss. Even that was an understatement. A more beautiful boy had never walked Middleton High's halls. At least, not one who had also shown such politeness on a regular basis.
Of course he had been fully confident in himself and his interactions with others, perhaps even slightly conceited. He'd hardly spared two glances at any girl at all, even trying to avoid the sheep fawning over him fairly often. At most he regarded them with amusement as if he were used to such reactions to his presence. Even Bonnie, who had boasted of gaining his affections, dating, and kissing him—to the envy of all the other girls in the school—hadn't truly broken that calm cool way in which he dealt with the females who pursued him. She knew full well how Bonnie had gained that kiss and the dates. The girl had been manipulative like you wouldn't believe.
When confronted, this boy had never felt the need to prove his masculinity in a fight, preferring instead to avoid battles. If unable to avoid a confrontation, he'd never fought back, simply dodged the attacks until his assailant tired out. There had been a mysterious aura around him back then, and now she sensed it all too well. But there was something else in him. Something she couldn't pinpoint, something tragic, perhaps?
KP
"Forgive my intrusion, Amelia. I did not expect to find you… in that state," he said.
"What do Kim and Ron want from me?" Amelia asked.
"You will know momentarily," he answered, going to her window and beckoning to someone out there.
She heard a knock on her door downstairs and started. Looking curiously back at a now casually smiling Hirotaka, she went to answer. He followed, still unsure whether she would call the police on him or not. Amelia opened the door and her mouth dropped. There in front of her stood Kim, Ron, Monique, two other ninjas she didn't recognize, and a baby.
"Hey Amelia," Ron said.
"We need to talk," Kim stated. Amelia looked around at the group then swallowed, letting them in.
KP
Amelia gaped in disbelief and awe at all she was being told. She now knew the names of the other two ninjas, as well as the baby, and their relationships with one another. She also knew about the grave predicament the child was in. Finally closing her mouth she looked down at the baby sitting on her lap and cooing up at her. Hirotaka, sitting next to her on the loveseat, held out his finger to the baby, whom she now knew to be his and the ninja girl Yori's little sister, as well as Ron's adoptive one and apparently a demi-goddess. To the shock of the others, she'd taken that surprise quite well. Honestly, it wasn't a shocker to her to learn of the existence of the deities.
Hana began giggling and holding Hirotaka's finger, putting it in her mouth. She was likely teething. Finally Amelia looked back up at the group and said, "You want me to hide the baby? Here? When there's a team of super-villains and this thing called Yono looking for her?"
"We have nowhere else to go. Not yet," Yori sadly said, bowing.
"Our enemies know everyone else. But not you," Kim said.
"Yeah, you never got sucked into our missions," Ron stated.
"I'm shallow and I'm snobbish, what makes you think I'll be willing?" Amelia asked.
"That depends, have you grown up since then?" Fukushima bit.
"Ooh, good one," Monique praised. Fukushima grinned. First cordial thing she'd said to him throughout this whole thing.
"Domo," he answered, bowing. Yori rolled her eyes and shook her head hopelessly.
"Enough," Hirotaka firmly ordered. Turning to Amelia, he said, "You are our sister's last hope."
Amelia looked down at the yawning infant softly. After a moment she sighed and picked Hana up in her arms, saying, "Fine. I'll play mother hen. How hard can it be?" Famous last words.
KP
Kim, Ron, Rufus, Monique, Sensei—who had arrived on being informed they had found a safe house—and Fukushima, watched as Yori and Hirotaka battled. "They're really good," Monique remarked in awe.
"They are two of the top students to ever walk Yamanouchi's halls," Fukushima declared.
"And you as well, Fukushima," Sensei said.
"This guy? Yeah right," Monique replied. Fukushima frowned.
Yori was thrown to the ground by her brother, who immediately pounced. Yori rolled and leapt back up to her feet, fighting him back with determined eyes. "Who's gonna win?" Ron asked.
"It varies between the two," Sensei answered. "If Yori delivers her signature move, it will be her."
"Signature move?" Kim asked.
"We each have one," Fukushima stated. "It is a specific method that has not failed us in battle. Hers is… effective, to say the least. She has two, and one is exclusively for males."
"What?" Monique asked.
All at once Yori dodged a blow from Hirotaka and swiftly moved, kissing her brother's lips. It was only a second long but it left Hirotaka shocked and outraged. "Yori!" Hirotaka shouted angrily, wiping his lips in disgust. Mistake. He was down the next second.
"A kiss?" Monique asked.
"Yes. Honored Kiss is its name. There are two versions. The one you saw is the one she uses on her brother alone. It is more to annoy and agitate him than anything, as is the way with siblings. If she were fighting me or the Outsider… Let us just say that even now I wish I had been in Hirotaka's place. Honored Kiss would be delivered… much, much more intimately. She was the only one I gladly lost to, once upon a time," Fukushima said.
"Really? Hmm, come to think of it, I am in the mood to spar," Ron said.
"Ron!" Kim shot.
"What? I was just kidding," Ron defended.
Monique turned to Yori, who was approaching with a livid Hirotaka, and asked, "Girl, what's your other signature move, say if you were fighting Shego?"
Yori smiled and drew out her fans. Immediately she began spinning and swirling as she practically danced, wielding them confidently and moving all around her brother, who could hardly keep up with her movements and was getting disoriented. Hirotaka cried out in pain as he was knocked to the ground again. Yori bowed to her brother and put back the fans, saying, "It is called Dance of Fans."
KP
"Man, why don't I have a signature move?" Ron complained.
"Uh Ron, you kind of do," Kim said. "Mystical Monkey powers, remember. You always use the stomp or the kick."
"Yeah, but I don't have a cool name for it," Ron said.
"Then name it, Outsider," Fukushima said.
"Oh, oh, I know! How about Kick of Awesomeness!" Ron exclaimed.
Hirotaka looked reproachfully and slightly disdainfully at Ron. Fukushima face-palmed. Monique sighed in exasperation. "Uh, sure. Let's go with that," Kim said, smiling.
"Do you have a signature move, Kim?" Yori questioned.
"Oh, me? Not really. I just kind of go with the flow. I guess I use my grapple hook most often, but there's really no name for it, and it's not really an attack," Kim replied. Turning to the Fukushima and Hirotaka, she asked, "So, what are your signature moves?"
"Deceitful Motive," Fukushima answered
"Sounds fitting," Monique bit. Fukushima glared at her.
Fukushima rose and bowed to Hirotaka. Hirotaka understood his wishes. Fukushima planned to showcase the move. Hirotaka bowed back and began sparring. Fukushima moved quickly and sharply. Hirotaka dodged nimbly. Hirotaka attacked. Fukushima moved and dodged. He spun around behind his friend, and swiftly drew a three pronged weapon. He lunged. Hirotaka spun to block, and Fukushima dropped low, abandoning the expected attack and instead tripping. Hirotaka fell and Fukushima seized him, spinning and pinning his friend against the ground. The weapon was at the back of Hirotaka's neck. Fukushima rose and said. "It gives both an option to spare the opponent or to kill." Hirotaka stood and bowed.
"What about you, Hiro?" Monique questioned.
"Destined Sacrifice," Hirotaka answered. "Ironically named before I knew… Before I knew that it was exactly what I was to become."
"The move is borderline suicide. One wrong motion on his part could end him," Fukushima said. "It is highly advanced, highly dangerous, and impressed Sensei more than anyone ever had before. It is meant for when you have nothing left to lose but your life and can be varied. If you make an error, it will not matter. You would have likely died anyway.
"Yes. Excuse me. I must go and see how Amelia is faring with Hana," Hirotaka said, quickly dropping the subject and leaving the room.
The others blinked after him. Fukushima turned to Yori and said, "Care to spar?"
Yori started and frowned. Quickly she took his lips then pulled away reproachfully. "I know what your desire was," she coldly said. Fukushima blinked as Yori turned up her nose and walked away.
"Smooth," Monique nipped.
"I achieved what I wanted," Fukushima retorted, frowning at the girl.
KP
Amelia gaped in horror. The baby was walking on the ceiling! Oh gods, the baby was walking on the ceiling! "Hana!" she shrieked, panicked. Distracted, the little girl looked over at her and dropped. Amelia screamed and leapt ahead, catching the baby girl. "Don't you ever scare me like that!" Amelia furiously said. "Next time you'll get a time out!"
Hana's lip quivered and she began to wail. Amelia cringed. "What now? Are you hungry? Do you need a diaper change? What do you want from me?" She moaned softly when the baby continued. Finally she held Hana close, resting the baby's head in her shoulder and gently rocking her and bouncing her up and down while singing a Japanese tune she'd learned when she'd gone abroad after graduation. The baby calmed down and she inwardly sighed in relief. "You just wanted to be cuddled, didn't you? Yes you did. Oh yes you did," she murmured softly, smiling. She pulled the baby away and blew on her stomach. Hana burst into laughter at the loud noise.
Amelia giggled with her, saying, "Who's a little darling? You know, you're not so bad. You might be a world of trouble, but you're not so bad."
"Ma-ma," Hana said. Amelia giggled again and cuddled the child.
"You handle her well," a voice said from behind. Amelia gasped and turned quickly. She relaxed on seeing who it was.
"Hirotaka," Amelia greeted. Turning back to the infant she asked, "Has Wade found anything?"
"There is suspicious activity up on a rocky plateau in the mountains," he answered.
"How will you fare there, ninja? Nowhere to hide once you leave the safety of the cliffs," Amelia said, nuzzling Hana and turning to him again.
"I know. It seems too much like a trap, but I cannot understand why. Up there, not Monkey Fist, Drakken, or Killigan, have an advantage. They are as helpless as us. They want to be on neutral ground for some reason. I do not trust it," Hirotaka stated.
"Hana will be safe," Amelia assured, smiling down at the infant.
"Where did you learn that Japanese song?" Hirotaka suddenly asked.
"A sweet old mysterious woman in a small town. I went abroad for a year after my high school graduation," Amelia answered.
"Hmm, it sounds as if you met my great grandmother," Hirotaka remarked, smirking dryly. She laughed with him. "Do you know what it means?" Hirotaka questioned curiously.
"Not a clue, but I figure Hana at least understands some Japanese, you know, even though she doesn't live with you and your sister anymore," Amelia answered.
KP
Hirotaka smirked, but the smirk fell to a grave expression. Solemnly he narrated, "It talks of a warrior whose destiny has been scripted in an ancient prophecy. He is fated to die, very young and very, very painfully. No dignity will be given to his body, no burial. He will be shamed and humiliated, all honor stripped of him as slowly his life is robbed of him. His family name will disappear, for he leaves no son behind, and there is no male relative. Yet he will not fight this fate, though it is told to him he has a chance at escape."
"Why?" Amelia asked with sadness in her eyes. It sounded very tragic.
"Because if he fights it, she whom he loves with all his heart and soul will pay the price; for her destiny gives her two paths as well, one of darkness and one of light. But if the young warrior denies his own dark doom, she will suffer hers. He kisses her and bids her farewell, not letting her know of these things. The song ends with his last whispered goodbye to her as finally Shinigami, death, pities him his torment and ends his suffering all the sooner," Hirotaka said.
"That's so sad," she said, unsure what else she could say. Hirotaka smirked, but the smile fell. He suddenly looked very depressed. "Hey, are you okay?" Amelia questioned.
Hirotaka looked up at her and answered, "The song holds a special place in my heart. My mother and father used to sing it to me, tears in their eyes."
"Why?" she asked.
"Back then I did not know. But now…" he began. He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. Opening them again, he continued, "There were tears because they knew… they knew that that warrior's fate was almost parallel to the destiny that would become mine. Will still become mine." He turned his back on her as she gasped, paling.
"Hirotaka…" she began, but before she could pursue the matter he was gone, and she felt tears in her eyes.
Amelia sadly looked down at the baby. "He was talking about you and Yori, wasn't he? Are you and your sister like that woman in the song?" Hana cooed in response and sobbed quietly. Amelia cringed, pain stabbing at her heart. "Destinies can be avoided. They have been before, right?" Hana sobbed again, reaching up for her. She sighed and cradled the infant once more. "Who am I kidding? Destiny doesn't exist. It's just his imagination… isn't it?" She shivered. Perhaps she didn't want to know the answer to that question.