Disclaimer – Well, I'm bored with this. I'm a poor bum with nothing but a hand knit sock. That I didn't knit by hand.
Warning – Yarr.
Other – Er, I didn't mean for this to go so long without update. A lot of life stuff was happening, the most "fun" of which was breaking my toe. But I do plan on finishing this story. I'll be updating more regularly I hope. I'm also hoping this chapter is long enough x.x This is kind of the interlude, I suppose.
According to Conky, the word of the day is Rancid. So when you read the word rancid, scream real loud.
"So what were you trying to tell me?" Shego leaned on her mop, leering at the captain. It was the day after fighting Captain Lucre and the Impossible was still in good shape. The only thing that could possibly be found wrong was a lack of cannon balls, gun powder, and bullets. Also on the lack of supply list was food. Meals had become sparse.
Kim glared at her, "I wasn't telling you anything. Get back to swabbing, swabby."
"You were so telling me that you couldn't believe that you actually thought that I was—"
Her words were cut off by Kim stalking past her. Kim managed to jam her shoulder into Shego, tossing Shego off balance. The bucket of soapy water happened to be in Shego's line of direction, and Shego toppled over it, dousing herself and the deck. Kim bit back a laugh. Sometimes picking on Shego was more fun that she would like to think.
She'd never picked on anyone before Shego had come along, other than her little brothers, but that was expected of an older sister. Shego just tweaked her out. That's the only way she could explain it.
"Come back here and fight like a man!" Shego yelled angrily from the ground.
Kim whirled back around, "What was that?"
"You're a weak woman! You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!" She challenged, getting to her feet. She slid back into a fighting stance.
Kim felt something in her snap. Shego was going too far. "Take it back, Shego, or get off my ship."
"Make me." Shego beckoned with her hand, a taunting smile playing out on her lips.
"Fine." Kim darted forward, reaching for her rapier.
"Hand to hand, Princess. None of those weapons of yours." Shego teased.
Kim threw them aside with an angry flourish, "Fine by me." Again, she charged, sweeping her left leg up. She landed a good hard kick on Shego's abdomen.
Shego took a step back, surprised by Kim's skill. All this time she had thought Kim to be all talk and no action. No matter, she thought. She returned the favor by jamming a fist against Kim's chin. Kim barely flinched; instead she swung her own punch at Shego's face.
Darting back just in time, Shego tried to make a decision. She had told Kim that no outside weapons were to be used, but did that mean she couldn't use her special abilities? They weren't outside of her body, so they weren't outside weapons, but it felt like cheating. And for once in her life, Shego didn't want to cheat in a fight.
"Look, Kimmie, I could whip you if I could use my special techniques. Give it up before I hurt you."
Kim shook her head emphatically. There was no way this pain in the neck was getting the best of her, "I won't lose to you."
Shego shrugged, "I really don't want to do this, pumpkin. You're a great captain, but you're just not good enough."
"We've been fighting equally, I'd have to say. So if I'm bad, you're equally so." Kim spat out. While they were fighting, the crew had gathered around. There was no backing down.
Shego looked down at her hands and made her decision. "Maybe if I show you what I can do, you'll let it go." She glanced around and spotted one of the last cannon balls lying on the ground. With great ease, she picked it up, testing the weight.
"What are you doing? You were the one who said no weapons." Kim accused.
"I'm not using this as a weapon." Shego muttered, intent on what she was doing. She held the cannon ball with her left hand and lit her other hand up in what appeared to be green flames.
Kim dropped her defensive stance, "What the heck is that?"
Shego threw the ball high up in the air as if it were no heavier than a feather and then blasted the flying object with a well contained plasma blast. The ball exploded moments after the fire touched it.
"That, my dear captain, would be my special abilities." Shego smirked. "Would you like to test them yourself?"
Kim shook her head, "You are no longer a part of this crew. Throw her in the brig." It was one thing to out-do your captain, but quite another to do that in front of the whole crew. Shego had stepped over the line this time.
Brick and Barkin seized Shego's arms, careful to avoid her hands and began to drag her away. Shego cast a betrayed look towards Kim, filled with hurt and distaste.
Kim couldn't hold eye contact with her. She turned and marched to her personal quarters, unwilling to face the crew. This didn't feel right to her. Shego had not done anything wrong, specifically. All she had really done was tick off Kim.
Shego thought it was best to just go along with her captors. After all, even if she got free, where would she go?
"So, boys, do you really think my plasma is just in my hands?"
They looked at each other, faint worry plastering their faces.
Brick answered first, "I dunno… Does it?"
Shego laughed roughly, "Of course not." They dropped her arms like they were hot potatoes. She snorted, "Good. I'm going to go with you both to the brig like a good little prisoner, but you don't need to drag me."
Barkin nodded slowly, processing, "So we should finish taking you down to the brig?"
"Yes, you should." Shego clarified.
Brick smiled stupidly and strutted on. Barkin was not far behind. Sighing unhappily, Shego followed along, trailing a few feet behind them. She wasn't especially looking forward to spending time in a dark, damp prison cell.
Her assumptions about the brig were correct. The floor had a thin layer of water coating it and the only light came from a withering candle in the center of the room. Brick lead her into the cell and shut the door. Using one key off a set of ten or so, he locked the door. The two of them lumbered away, content with their job well done.
Lighting up one of her hands, Shego got a better look around. There was a small ratty hammock in one corner and a small chair in the other. The rest of the cell was bare. As much as she would have loved to have taken a nap, the hammock didn't look like it would hold her weight, so she settled on the chair instead.
Once her weight was upon it, it shattered underneath her. Picking splinters out of her legs, she sat in the water, still wet from the bucket of water earlier, and felt like crap.
Kim stared down at her desk. It had hurt, slightly, to make her boys take Shego away. The brig was not used much on her ship, so the commodities down there were probably lacking in more ways than one.
She would bring something nice down there for Shego, Kim decided miserably. It was wrong to lock Shego down there. Sometimes, Kim dejectedly thought, having a conscience made it hard to do bad things, which in turn made her a weak pirate captain.
Getting to her feet, she went to the kitchen and dug around for some spare bits of food. That was harder than she would have liked. They would need to detour somewhere to get some food or they might starve to death. After scrounging for a while, Kim found an apple and slunk down to the brig.
The light was very dim, a little bit of information she had forgotten, but a green flame in the corner cast an eerie glow around the small area. Kim clutched the apple tightly, fear dripping down her spine.
"Shego?" Her voice wavered ever so slightly, "That's you, isn't it?"
The only response she got was a hollow laugh.
"Look, Shego, I know I shouldn't have locked you up." Kim paced a little closer, feet barely splashing in the shallow water. "I just… you really know how to… tweak me."
The flames brightened, lighting the entire room up now. Shego was still sitting in puddle, a flaming splinter burned in her leg. "Oh, please, Captain. Don't lower yourself to my presence."
Kim stared at the burning wood chip, "What… what are you doing?"
"I got some splinters. It's easiest to just burn them out. Doesn't hurt my skin, after all." Shego lit another one up.
"I brought you an apple." Kim hesitantly offered it forth.
Shego paused from her work, glancing up at Kim, "Is that supposed to be some sort of peace offering? 'Cause I was expecting a little bit… more."
"It's all we have." Kim threw Shego the apple, leaning against the bars. She didn't quite know how to pull herself out of this predicament, "Shego, I can't exactly just let you free now."
"Why not?" Shego bit into the apple, chewing slowly, "Don' want your crew.."
"Yes. I don't want my crew to see my weakness." Kim finished for her.
Shego swallowed, "You admit you have weaknesses?"
"Of course." Kim sniffed, "Nobody is perfect."
"So why can't your crew see that you have mercy and a conscience?" It was an idle question, one that had an answer that Shego didn't really care to hear. It was the question Kim had been asking her self a lot recently.
"I just… It's complicated." Kim turned her face away from the light, trying to hide the confusion in her eyes.
"I'm listening." Shego threw the flames back and forth between her hands.
The words spewed forth, from somewhere deep inside. Kim half wished she could throw a padlock on her lips and toss the key overboard. "I feel like they all expect me to be something I'm not. They all want a Captain who's a mighty and terrible figure, bloody sword never sheathed, and a conscience as black as night. And I can't give that to them. They're stuck with… A girl who can't seem to make up her mind."
Shego paused in her flame toss, "A little indecisive are we?" She was vaguely listening.
"Yes! I can't decide if I want to go home and play the innocent daughter, marry a rich man, bear rich children, and spend my life completely unhappy, but content that the people around me are as happy as they'll ever get, or if I want to remain a pirate. If I want to remain a selfish person out for personal gain because I can't face the life my parents set out for me." Kim ended her mini-speech by sliding down to the ground, ignoring the mass of wetness that now encompassed her pants. Her back was pressed tightly against the bars.
"You're just a mess, aren't you." It was spoken as a statement rather than a question. Shego had no doubt that Kim was a complete wreck.
"Ugh." Kim ground out as she buried her face into her arms. The tips of her hair gently caressed the layer of dirty water.
"And how does this relate to letting me out of here?"
"If I let you go, I look like I can't stick by my decisions. I can't keep you locked up. I can't do… anything right." Her words were fairly flat, lacking all energy and emotion. She felt drained to the point of exhaustion.
Shego approached the edge of her confined space, "You could say… I offered to do whatever it took to get back on your crew. You know, deck-duty for a month."
Kim shook her head, "I couldn't lie like that."
"You're such an odd pirate." The dryness laced in her voice was nearly undetectable as she spoke. Oddly, she noted silently, she didn't want Kim hurting more than she already was. Kim sniffled quietly, not looking up. Shego stretched a hand through the metal bars, placing a pale green hand on Kim's arm. "You need to take it easy. Being a Captain should come second to your sanity."
Kim covered Shego's hand with a clammy hand of her own, "I couldn't step down. My crew depends on me."
Shego sighed, "You're being difficult, Princess."
"Could you not call me that?" Kim whispered, "Names like that are usually, I don't know, terms of endearment. As far as I know, we aren't romantically entangled."
"It's a pet-name between friends." Shego offered. She wasn't sure herself why she called Kim these things. It just seemed to jump out of her mouth, "So how about letting me out, Pumpkin?"
Kim's hand flew to her breast pocket, "I… I can do that." The keys clattered out and Kim hesitantly unlocked the jail cell, "I really am sorry about this whole mess."
Shego cracked her knuckles as she stalked out of the cramped area, "Hmph. I suppose…" She trailed off for a second. Disbelief filtered through her mind. She was actually considering taking the blame? Preposterous. "I suppose it was my fault as well."
Kim gave a half-hearted smile, "I appreciate the thought."
Shego's smirk drained into a small frown, "Can we get out of here? I'm soggy, cranky, and irritated. I need Will."
That brought a real smile to Kim's face, "Leave the kid alone. He's got a good heart, but he's just a little too into his work."
"We really need to get that kid a girlfriend." Shego snorted derisively. Kim giggled softly.
"You really are too much."
"Cheater!" Ron threw his cards onto the barrel, "Liar!" He pushed a stack of gold coins towards a demonically grinning Shego.
"Don't be such a loser." Shego added the money into her hoard.
"I'm not a loser!" Ron was still fuming.
Kim glanced at her two feuding crew members, "Ron, it is just poker."
"I know… But she's cheating." He crossed his arms and stuck his nose into the air.
"You call anyone a cheater if they beat your pair of threes." Kim sighed; a group of them had gotten together in Kim's cabin for a friendly game of poker which, thanks mostly in part to Ron, had turned into a blood bath of verbal assault. If nothing else, Ron had an arsenal of childish insults.
Rufus started restacking the deck of cards, shuffling them awkwardly. He emitted a squeak when the edge of a card nipped his pale, naked skin. Ron's immature behavior ceased when he noticed his little buddy's plight. He snagged the deck and began to shuffle in earnest.
Shego leaned back in her chair, staring around the circle. The players included Ron, Kim, Monique, and Betty. Ron had already accused Betty of having some sort of cheating machine under her eye patch – she had beaten his pair of twos with a pair of fives. Monique was cheating by distracting him with her flashy earrings and sparse dress; Kim had cheated by being Captain and, therefore, unbeatable; Shego… well, Shego was just a cheater.
The cards were dealt again. Shego threw one of her coins in, "What do you say we up the ante?"
Kim swallowed nervously. Anything Shego suggested was probably lewd and inappropriate. Ron apparently assumed the same thing, a ruby red blush staining his large ears.
Monique added her coin in, staring Shego down, "What do you have in mind?"
Betty threw her last few coins in, "I don't want to stick around for this. Permission to go pester Will?"
Shego's influence had spread through some of the more rowdy crew members. Will Hunting, as it was called now, was quite the popular sporting event.
Kim nodded, "But please. Don't have him do anything as stupid as last time."
"But nobody got hurt. Except him, I guess. He's still icing his groin." Shego put in. Ron winced, his hand unconsciously flying to protect his crotch. Betty walked off, leaving the four of them to play.
"I was thinking something along the lines of… ship-type duties." Shego smirked. She'd do anything to get out of mopping the deck.
Kim smiled, "And here I thought you were going to suggest strip poker."
Shego shrugged, "Some things are more important than seeing your Captain naked. Although, Ronnie would be the first one going commando."
Ron scowled indignantly, "Would not."
Rufus pushed Ron's five coins, "Would too!"
"Mutiny…" Ron muttered under his breath, "Well what will Kim bet? No offence, Captain, but you don't really participate in our duties."
Kim fiddled with her coins, "I'll sit it out, but to add to the fun, the person with the most money at the end can be captain for a day."
Ron cracked his knuckles, "We'll play one round, then. Winner takes the prize, losers divvy up the chores?"
Monique settled in, "I'm in."
Shego nodded her approval as Ron began dealing out. Her face remained straight and blank, betraying none of the elation she felt from her cards. Ron, on the other hand, had the world's worst poker face. His beaming smile drooped into a slight frown, his eye brows jumped half way up his forehead. He threw the rest of his coins in, rubbing a finger along his upper lip.
Shego snorted, "You know how you can tell someone's bluffing?" Ron shook his head, averting his eyes, "Bluffers like touching their face. They can't make eye contact. And they sweat a lot."
Ron wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, "Gosh, is the heat on, KP? Can we turn it down?"
"Ron, we're on a boat out in the middle of nowhere. There's no heating." Kim sighed.
Wiping his hands on his pants, Ron exchanged cards as was necessary to the game. Kim watched with mild interest – she had no preference of winner. Ron would make a ferociously bad captain, but he'd come to her with any problems. Monique would have no problems at all, but Shego… Shego would be a terror.
Kim's face fell slightly. In her mind she imagined Shego standing up by the helm of the ship, staring down at her toiling crew, a manic smile plastered on her face. She could hear the evil laughter now.
"Game's over." Kim stood up suddenly, "All bet's are off."
Shego glared at her, "What the hell, Princess!"
"I've told you not to call me that." Kim muttered, "I was just thinking, I shouldn't give up my duties on a card game. That would be irresponsible. So my bet is off the table."
Shego slammed her fist into the barrel, shattering it, "Look, Princess, a bet's a bet. You can't pull out now."
Ron looked between the two women and made a smart decision. He made a mad dash for the door, fumbling with the door handle. Stumbling free of the room, he ran down to the deck, arms flailing wildly.
Rolling her eyes, Monique got to her feet as well, "Shego, lay off, girl. It's just a game."
Kim's eyes never left Shego's face, "Monique, go check on Ron. Knowing him, he'll probably be tangled up in ropes by now."
"KP! HELP! THE ROPES ARE ATTACKING!!" Ron's voice wailed from the distance.
Monique hesitated, staring at Shego's angry gaze, but nodded and left, shutting the door behind her. As soon as she heard the door click shut, Shego pushed Kim's shoulder, trying to provoke an attack.
"I'm not going to fight you Shego." Kim shrugged off the offence to her person.
"Like hell you won't. You're just chicken." Shego spat.
"I know you could fry me," Kim acquiesced, "but that's not why I won't fight you. I've had enough tussles to know how to pick my battles. This just isn't worth the effort."
Shego didn't lose any of her steam. Instead of backing down, as Kim thought she would, she threw a punch, smashing across Kim's face. The beginnings of a rancid purple bruise started at the base of Kim's cheek bone.
Kim fell against the wall, her hand clutching her face. Part of her wanted to smack Shego around for hitting her. The other part, though, wanted her to just take it. Her self doubt told her she deserved it. Her pride told her to take a swing. Struggling internally, she didn't notice Shego sliding up beside her.
Shego reached out, her hand tracing the curve of Kim's cheek, "Princess…" It shouldn't feel this way after hitting someone, Shego complained silently, you were supposed to hit someone and feel good about it. Not feel regret.
"Captain Possible." Kim murmured quietly. The pain in her cheek was flaring on the contact, but she kept that hidden. It was always her way to never show other's how she really felt. Put on the brave front and all.
"Kimmie." The fingers paused just over the central bruising, "I didn't mean…" This was harder than she thought it would be, "I'm so… I'm sorry."
Kim glanced up, her eyes betraying the hurt she felt, "Thank you. You can go now. I'll… clean up in here." She gazed at the shattered wood covering her polished floor.
"I should help." Shego removed her hand and went to start pushing chunks of wood together. Kim joined her on the floor, being careful not to further injure herself by impaling herself on a jagged edge.
They worked silently, other than Kim's occasional sigh or heavy breath. The last piece of wood stared at them, a few feet away. Kim grabbed it, only to find Shego's hand was there first. She glanced down at their hands, hers covering Shego's covering the wood, and blushed a fierce scarlet.
She released and got to her feet, fiddling with her clothes and avoiding eye contact, "Thank you for your help. You are dismissed."
Shego smirked, her fire relighting, "Captain's blushing. Why you blushing, Captain? Huh, Princess?"
"Did you hear me? Dismissed!" Kim tried to fight the blush down, and failed.
"Someone's embarrassed." Shego taunted lightly. She stepped in closer until they were less than a foot apart.
"Dis… Shego, what are you doing?" Kim blurted out, finally allowing herself to look at the green woman.
Shego winked at her, placing a hand on Kim's waist, "What would you do if I stole a kiss right now?"
Kim was saved from answering, though, when someone pounded on her door.
"Kim! You'll never believe it! Come see!" Ron hollered, thoroughly hyped over something outside. Kim let out the breath she had been holding and exited. Ron dragged her to the railing.
Underneath the boat, a pod of whales moved on their way, surfacing to blow jets of water straight into the sky and arch gracefully back into the depths. The last things to enter the water were the giant V shaped tales, slapping the water with a thwap.
Shego joined them, gazing out at the majestic giants, "You don't see those very often, do you?" She rested her hands on the wooden slats.
Kim smiled softly in the sunset, watching the whales disperse. She swallowed softly and placed her hand on top of Shego's, "Not often enough."