I do not own any Disney character named herein, and am only writing a nonprofit story for entertainment purposes only.

Kim Possible: Lost

By LJ58

IV

Shego sat near the mound on the far side of the school where several ruined buildings yet to be restored still set.

"You're saying that's really Monkey Fist?"

"Hai," Yori told her. "Or, it is where the temple of the YoNo took him. In reality, he could be anywhere now, as the temple is not bound by space or time. But that is where it swallowed him, and bound him to his fate after the Han defeated him."

"And she was only two," Shego exclaimed, turning to see Hana running past with four ninja on her heels. She had returned recently, and seemed to be having more fun than not in what passed as training for the spirited child.

Just then, she was laughing at her pursuers as she turned to run backwards, playfully taunting them before she jumped high over a wide chasm left by the quakes during that attack, and leaving her pursuit to almost blunder blindly into the ravine.

Yori only smiled. "Stoppable-San has taught her much. But most importantly, he has taught her laughter, and compassion."

"And I thought I was good," she murmured, watching the little girl lightly touch down on the far side of the ravine, and leap back even as the ninja recovered, and leapt after her only to lose her as she raced back into the nearby forest to lose herself before they could return.

"She is the Han," Yori replied casually.

"Right. I got that part," she said.

"Master Sensei said you are leaving us soon," she finally said.

"Yes, I…..I have a quest," Shego nodded, still chafing at the weeks of training that kept her from going out and finding her lost love.

"I do not know what you seek now, but I pray you find the peace you lost before you came here."

"I know what I'm looking for," she nodded somberly as she eyed Yori who had not been told of the old man's vision. So far as she knew, she was the only one that knew of it. Why, she didn't know, but she had a purpose again. She had hope again. "And this time, I'll find…..it," she amended, rather than what she almost said.

'I'll find you, Kim,' she swore silently. 'I swear it.'

"If Stoppable-San, and Sensei trusts you, then so do I. Do not hesitate to call on us if you need assistance, though. I should like to think we are…..friends, now," Yori asked uncertainly.

Shego sighed. "A few years ago, I'd have laughed in your face," she told the girl honestly as she rose to her feet.

"And now?"

"Now, I'm not laughing," Shego told her, and bowed to her. "Thank you for your hospitality," she told the younger girl. "And your friendship. They both mean more than you can know."

Yori only smiled.

"And trust me. You'll have to make the first move. He may be a monkey-master. But Stoppable is still just a guy when it comes to women," she smiled back at her.

"Hai, I have come to that conclusion myself. It is part of what makes him all the more precious to me."

"Good luck."

"You, too," Yori told her as they parted.

Ron was at the gate as she decided to take her leave late that afternoon after the Sensei finally hinted it was time for her to 'blossom anew,' as he put it. He held a small pack of his own, but she didn't think he was leaving just yet since he had only just returned.

"I have a going away present," Ron told her.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about…."

She gestured around them.

"I'm not worried about that. Sensei is pretty sharp about these things, and if he trusts you to go on this quest he gave you, then so do I."

"You guys just throw trust around all over the place, don't you," she tried to tease him.

Ron only smiled. "Anyway, this is for you. I thought….it might be appropriate."

She took the small pack, and noticed how light it was. Pulling it open she stared at the green and black bundle revealed.

"Maybe you can make it stand for something good again," Ron suggested quietly.

Shego closed the pack, and slung it over her shoulder as she tried to regain her composure. "You're all right, Stoppable. But you're still blind as a bat, you know that?"

Typically, he frowned at her in confusion.

"Yori loves you, idjit," she told him bluntly.

To her surprise, he replied, "I know. But…..it's complicated."

"Still waiting for Kimberly," she asked pointedly, wondering if he knew anything of her quest.

"No. No, I've…..I've buried that part of my life. But I'm not sure if I'm ready to go through that again."

"Look at it this way, buffoon," she couldn't help calling him. "How often do you think someone like you is going to have a hot, ninja chick chasing after him? Sooner or later, she might wise up. Better strike while you can."

He only chuckled. "Sounding more like yourself, Shego?"

She smirked, but only just. "Just trying to open your eyes, o' not-so-wise monkey-master. Don't lose another one."

Ron's face sobered now as he told her, "I won't. But don't you give up again, Shego. I think you're better than that. I think Kim knew it, too. That's why….."

She stared at him as the gates opened, and she realized only then.

"You knew?"

"Mystical monkey powers come with a lot of bonuses. It was hard not to notice some things."

"You never said anything," she half spoke, half asked.

"I figured you two would either get over it, or step up. I was willing to wait to see which happened first."

"Even though….."

"KP was my best friend since forever, Shego. I loved her. I loved her enough to want her happy, wherever that happiness rested. Now, be careful out there, and remember your lessons. I might not be there to bail you out next time."

She snorted. "As if."

"Seriously. Be careful."

"Do you know where I'm going," he was asked suddenly as Shego studied him.

"Not a clue," he admitted. "But I've learned that when Sensei sends you on quests, they tend to be the dangerous, life and death, run screaming and hide, kind."

"For you, maybe," she retorted.

Ron only laughed as she bowed to him, and he bowed in turn.

Impulsively, she sauntered out, tossing a wave over her shoulder as she drawled, "Later, losers."

Ron's laugher followed her for the first few miles of her walk down the mountain.

KP

Flashback:

Okay, she was pretty much lost.

Mountains rose before her, and she couldn't hope to climb them with the little gear she had left, and in the threatening rain that had turned the rock to slippery glass with the cool mist coating everything. Not in her condition. For months she had ducked predators, fought monkeys, and even giant snakes for food. She slept fitfully in short periods until she was pretty sure she would never know a full night's rest again.

Not that she slept at night.

Mostly, she huddled in a high tree, spear clutched to her side, and listened for the big cats that were her true bane.

One thing was certain, wherever she was, she was not getting over those towering mountains. Not with one hand. That meant either turning back, or taking another direction parallel to the mountains. The problem was, she was still turned around, and wasn't sure which way to go. Logically, she knew one way would take her to the ocean, if she didn't find someone that might actually help along the way. So far, she had only encountered rebels that she had thankfully managed to slip away from without alerting. She could just imagine her chances with them.

Unfortunately, if she went the wrong way, she could end up going farther south, which meant going farther from home, and help.

She wasn't sure exactly how much time had actually passed, but she guessed maybe two to three months. Maybe more. She lost track of time far too easily lately, and it was getting harder to judge it as she focused on just the moment to moment chore of survival.

She wanted to scream at the unfairness of things when she heard it.

A small, twin-engine aircraft flying low over the jungle. She looked up, saw the metal body gleaming in the rare flickers of sunlight through the overhanging clouds, and noted its direction. Taking it as a sign, she turned, and began moving after it. Things were looking up. She just had to keep believing, and things would be better. She would get out of this jungle.

And she would never eat another rodent again. She might not even eat meat again.

End Flashback

KP

"Find the path in your heart," the old man had said, "And it will lead you to your true reflection," he had told her, suggesting he knew a lot more than she had guessed.

The way Stoppable had known a lot more than they had realized.

All those weeks Kimmie agonized over how and when to tell him, and he had already known.

Gah! Why was nothing ever simple?

"Senorita," the pilot called to her at her when she growled audibly in disgust at the world in general. "Are you all right?"

"Peachy, Juan," he was told as she noticed he was getting ready to land. "Just feeling stupid. Again."

"Surely such a pretty lady is not one to be stupid," the Latino pilot smiled suavely.

"Save it, amigo," she told him. "My heart belongs to a woman. A very special woman. And I have to go find her."

"In this jungle? At this time of year? Ah, Amiga, I must tell you, if she is lost out there," he said as he approached the jungle strip. "Then I fear you will not be finding her. If the guerillas do not get her, then the beasts or natives will."

"You don't know this girl," Shego told him as the aircraft jolted hard, and rolled to a stop. "If there is a way, she'll survive. And I know she's waiting for me. I feel it," she said, touching her chest under the simple, green blouse she wore.

The jungle was not quite the place for a synthetic, plasma-resistant catsuit guaranteed to make you sweat, and not enjoy it. Not yet.

The aircraft rolled to a stop, and even as Juan shut down the engines, he moaned, "Uh-oh. Senorita, I think you have a welcoming committee. Only I doubt you are going to feel too welcome."

Shego moved to stare out at the dusty field surrounded by the jungle and saw about two dozen men in fatigues. All carrying heavy weapons.

She sighed. "Why is it always something?"

"I'm afraid you are probably going to be held for ransom. Or worse."

Shego, not being a complete fool, eyed her pilot. "You little rat. You sold me out."

The man with a thick mustache and a balding head only smiled and shrugged as he shut down the engines. "It is that kind of world," he said without apology. "I live here. If I happen to sell an American woman or two to the rebels…? Well, such is life."

"Well, do you mind if I change before I meet my new tour guides," she asked, and reached for her pack.

"It does not matter. You won't be wearing much in the days to come," he smirked.

"Now, you see, that is where you're wrong," the suddenly scathing woman he had marked as harmless if rich drawled as her right hand flared with green fire, burning away the makeup hiding what proved to be very real green skin.

"Madre Dios," he cried in alarm, right before he lost consciousness.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Shego smirked before pulling off her civilian clothes to reach for her costume she had not worn in over a year. She would have to thank Stoppable, it seemed, because no way her civilian garments, or her borrowed ninja gear would hold up if she had to really cut lose. Ordinary fabric had a way of burning away if she really fired up her plasma.

Glancing outside the aircraft as those swarthy men approached the plane with readied weapons, she had a feeling she was about to do just that.

Kicking open the door just as someone rattled the handle, she jumped out to smirk at the men gaping at her admittedly voluptuous body, and held up two glowing hands.

"Okay, suckers. Easy? Or hard?"

Shego walked away fifteen minutes later with her pack slung over her shoulder, and a few borrowed weapons, wondering why they always went for the hard way.

KP

Not Very Long Ago:

Kim was still panting hard, feeling the burn on her bare side where a rebel's bullet had grazed her. She was down to her boots, and her very short, very worn cargo pants that were little more than shorts rapidly becoming a skirt of sorts by now.

That plane had led her to a small town, all right. A town run by drug lords. She had barely gotten out of there alive, and the men had been hunting ever since she had blundered into the small town that was built right into the jungle without any dividing point to better hide it from DEA or government officials that might come looking.

She felt like she had been running forever, and she had finally managed to climb one low-lying plateau only to stare in horror at the endless jungle that stretched out in all directions. Unless she looked up at that high, unassailable ridge before her. Things were not looking good. The rebels were aware of her now. Not many half-naked redheaded American girls running around in the jungle. And they were all looking for her.

Along with the panthers and jaguars.

One in particular that had a missing ear and scarred side that seemed to actually still be hunting her.

Sore loser, she would complain, but no one was listening.

Not the rebels, and certainly not the big cats.

She gently touched the graze low on her side, and listened for the sound of the men. Nothing so far. Not since that last one shot at her, and put speed to her feet she didn't realize she had left in her. She was going to be barefoot before long, though. Her boots were fast falling apart of late, and that was going to slow her down even more.

Not good. Not good at all.

She hunched down in the tree she had scaled like a three-legged lizard when she heard a twig snap, and five men came into view with weapons at the ready.

Okay, so burning down that opium field hadn't been the smartest thing she had ever done. She had hoped it would distract the men, and let her slip around the drug lord and his rebel friends so she could keep going on her way. She still took the aircraft as a sign, and tried to keep going in that direction. Only more and more, obstacles kept getting in the way. Obstacles with guns, and bad attitudes.

The men went past almost as silent as ninja, obviously well versed in jungle lore. She held her breath at one point as one of them looked up, but he didn't do more than wipe his brow, so maybe they didn't think she could climb. That was a point in her favor if so, she thought grimly as she touched the sore wound on her side still seeping just a bit despite the fact it was more flesh wound than not.

Her body was leaner and more wiry than ever, and her skin a near bronze despite being under the jungle all this time. She had been exposed to the sun enough that it had burned her almost as dark as some of the natives, and only her red hair marked her as otherwise.

The men were almost out of sight when one of them suddenly stopped, and looked back.

The monkey chattering over her head drew their eyes, and she cringed as she did her best to slip lower behind the thick greenery, praying they didn't see her as one man lifted his rifle. The monkey screeched, and fell with a heavy thud, and one of the men cursed his companion for giving their position away, and wasting ammo. They left with the man still jabbering about wasting bullets that did not grow on trees as Kim stayed hunched down with her eyes on the monkey.

Despite all else, her mouth watered.

It had been a while since she had ate that well. Roast monkey would be a treat after the vermin, insects, and bits of fruit she had scavenged of late while on the run. Her ribs were really starting to show lately, and she would love to eat one decent meal for a change. If she could find a place to risk a fire.

KP

Shego continued to pick her own way through the jungle. She was actually north of where Kim had allegedly died, but she was doing what Sensei told her, and followed her heart. She tried to think very hard like Kim would do, and realized she would pick a course north to try to strike out for home. Considering the terrain, it actually limited her progress since the Amazon Basin to the east would be just as effective a barrier as the mountains to the west.

That left a surprisingly narrow strip of jungle for her to follow.

Having a few illicit contacts left in the wilds of Columbia from her wilder days, she knew her best course was right down the path she had predicted after she flew in as close as she could after doing her best to gauge Princess' likely progress.

In short, she guessed.

For almost two weeks she was once again lost in the seemingly trackless jungles, seeking clues or signs of her missing friend, lover, and erstwhile opponent, but finding nothing.

She was almost literally boiling with frustration until she came across the scorched fields where peasants were being forced to replant new crops of opium or cannabis for their masters. Sweaty, tired, and beyond irritable, she fried the first idiot to even think about turning his weapon on her.

Not badly. Just enough to remind him to respect his betters.

They let her pass after that. Not one of them even looked her way, though she saw a lot of them crossing themselves and murmuring about green devils. It wasn't long before she heard someone mention a 'red devil.'

The rebel didn't want to say anything at the start, but dangling him upside down over a very long drop with her plasma encased fist slowly scorching the rope holding him loosened his tongue in the end. It seemed that a crazed redhead was burning down their fields all over the jungle. They chased her back and forth, but so far, she seemed to vanish like a phantom every time they gave chase.

She wanted to laugh with glee.

That definitely sounded like her Princess.

Leaving the man to manage on his own, she realized she had somehow missed Kim, and cut due north again.

Leaving word whenever she found any rebels or drug runners that the red devil was hers, and they should leave her alone. Hopefully, they would listen. After all, she still had a rep of her own, even if she had been out of the biz for sometime now.

She was beyond giddy as she realized Sensei had been right. Kim was alive. And she was close. Very, very close now. She just had to find her.

Somehow.

To Be Continued…