Kim Possible and related characters are the property of Walt Disney.

Thanks to King in Yellow, MrDrP, Sentinel103, CajunBear73, screaming phoenix, Aeetos, Soth11, Katsumara, campy, Stubbs101, Isamu, daab2tksaol, bigherb81, Michael Howard, soulman3 and all the others who've joined the hunt.

My lord had found her: the object of Drakken's wrath and fear and of his own deepest desires. But finding is not the same as having.

Chapter 8 Red Nailed (?)

"GET HER!"

Blond and red head turned to see five soldiers, Barkane's entire squad, pounding along the shoreline. Ronman looked back at the girl, whose green eyes narrowed in concentration.

"You're the…"

Her hand shot out to grip his arm with surprising strength. She fairly exploded out of the water, his eyes shutting involuntarily as water soaked him. They opened just in time for a glimpse of bubblicious before she disappeared into a bush by the rocky outcropping of Gawker's Roost. The foliage shook furiously for a moment, and she stepped back out.

She was dressed now; at least she was as fully clothed as one could be when wearing a bikini of fine mail. Crimson boots reached up to her mid thighs, matching gauntlets covered her forearms. A belt and scabbard completed the ensemble. She reached to the scabbard to draw an elegant long sword. Ronman stared entranced at the deadly beauty before him.

Kim Krimsom. Barkane's wrong; the 'k' isn't juvenile, it totally rocks!

The first soldier reached the Red Kim, spear leveled. She knocked the weapon up and stepped aside. His momentum carried him past her. A crimson shod foot kicked out and drove him into the rock base of Gawker's Roost. The soldier slid down to the ground in a senseless heap.

Soldier number two struck out with his sword. Kim caught the blade with hers. A deft twist sent his sword tip into the sand. He back peddled from her furious attack until he fell into the Lake.

The final three attempted a coordinated attack. The two on the ends tried to flank Kim as the center man kept her busy. She slipped under his guard to drive her pommel into what was apparently a glass jaw. As he swayed Kim spun him to face the soldier coming up on her left. The maneuver caused him to bring his charge up short.

She turned to her right just in time to parry a thrust. An overhead swing followed, she caught it on her blade. Her opponent smiled as he bore down, thinking to use his weight to force her to the ground. Instead she kicked him square in the chest, sending him reeling back.

The man on her left attacked now, thrusting around his dazed comrade. She parried his attack with ease. Next he made a thrust around the other side of the human obstacle, only to be blocked again. On his third go she locked up his sword, spun him around and gave him a good smack on the rump with the flat of her blade.

Two red-faced men looked at each other. With a mutual nod they charged. Crimson gauntlets rested on the stunned soldier's shoulders as Kim vaulted into the air. Each attacker caught a foot in his face.

In the space of three minutes five attacking soldiers were reduced to three staggering men, one unconscious and one wet fugitive. Kim stepped to the sword standing in the ground. Her voice was imperious but not cruel.

"All right, weapons, armor, surcoats, right here." She motioned to the man against the rock wall. "His too."

Ronman put his breeches on while the soldiers removed their gear. By the time they had moved off with their comrade he was next to Kim.

"That was incredible!" he enthused.

Kim shrugged and gave him a little smile. "It was no big. They were just five soldiers who caught me stark naked in the Lake."

"Are you kidding? That sword play was badical! And they never told me you were a girl."

Her smile faltered. "They? You were with them?"

"Yes." Ronman suddenly felt small under her smoldering gaze. "But King Drakken…"

"Drakken?" She shouted. "He hired you to find me? How much did he offer this time?"

"A chest of silver apiece. But if I had known you were a girl I would…"

"You'd have what? Taken less? Demanded more? Or would you have been willing to take it out in trade?" She stepped forward, he stepped back.

"I don't hurt my own people." She growled. "But outland scum like you; hired to oppress and murder?"

The Red Kim settled into a deep fencing posture. Her left fist rested on her hip. The sword was angled up, pointing at Ronman's heart.

"You are so dead."

RB

"GET HER!"

Three figures jumped up from their seats at the morning fire. Ruthless shot a glance at Captain Barkane.

"Her?" The NSTMR snapped as he strapped on his sword. "You never said the Red Kim was a female."

"Never crossed my mind." Barkand hefted his cross bow.

"That's an important detail to leave out." Wadelin joined Ruthless in indignation. Suddenly he was concerned. "The Red Kim couldn't be Moniquity, could she?"

Barkane removed that fear. "Negative. The Red Kim is Middletonian. Light complexion, red hair, very fast with a sword."

"Why weren't we told any of this?" Ruthless demanded.

"It was considered need-to-know."

"We're hunting her; WE NEED TO KNOW!" The pink warrior rodent was red faced.

"I would have told you, but I just remembered myself." The Captain looked embarrassed as he cocked and loaded his weapon. "Sometimes it seems like I have a hole in my mind."

Ruthless and Wadelin exchanged confused glances. "Something's very wrong here." The Alchemist shook his head.

Barkane butted in. "You've got that right…the fighting's stopped. Come on! She'll just strip my men naked, but if Ronman's there…"

She doesn't spare outlanders. The mutual thought propelled the BBG to race behind Barkane up the trail.

RB

Ronman barely drew his sword in time to deflect Kim Krimson's lunge. Two more of her attacks drove Ronman against the rock wall. He ducked under a vicious swipe. Her long sword left a deep gouge in the stone. Drakken's nemesis whirled around as the king's latest hapless hireling ran from the wall for open fighting space.

They circled each other, moving around the pile of discarded gear. The Actuarian's mind coolly calculated the situation.

Shrom, she's fast! And that footwork. She's beaten five guys today and she's barely breathing hard, why her chest…her lovely fair twin peaks of perkiness…they're harldy moving! You can see that drop of water…is it? It's going right down into the cleavage!

"Abooyah!"

"What?" Kim hesitated, confused by Ronman's shout of triumph. The grip slackened on her sword and she was unprepared for his strike.

The elegant long sword landed in the sand. For a moment Ronman looked at it. The air around the keen edge shimmered like the air around his mother's forge. Runes literally ran along the blade. They seemed to float on the steel's surface, lining up as if to say something. Kim studied the line of runes intently.

Not knowing what else to do, Ronman held his sword out toward her.

Green eyes gazed into his. Now her bosom was heaving. Her lips parted slightly. One hand reached out to move his sword aside as she came closer. The other hand reached up to a shoulder, slipping the bra strap over. A soft, breathy voice escaped over full wet lips.

"I, I…"

She shuddered. The face, so soft with desire, hardened again in anger. The hand on his blade suddenly struck him hard across his face.

"I'll never surrender to Drakken!"

Kim did a back spring and somersaulted over the pile of gear. Quickly she rearmed. Twin swords twirled in her hands. Now a whirling, shrieking Fury fell upon the barbarian.

RB

The Breeches Bandit Gang and Captain Barkane arrived at Gawker's Roost in time to see a scantily clad girl slap Ronman before springing backward over a pile of gear. Their friend now battled an enemy who wielded two swords with the grace and power that few had with one. They watched the duel as it flowed across the sand.

Keen barbarian senses enabled Ruthless to grab Barkane's crossbow before he could aim it at Ronman's beautiful opponent.

"What are you doing?" the Captain stared at the NSTMR.

"He's in a duel. It's part of the Actuarian Code: you don't mess with the odds."

"But he's fighting for his life! He's your friend, your comrade-in-arms!"

Whiskers twitched. "He's more than that…he's family."

"And you'd let him fight alone? Maybe even die?" Barkane was incredulous.

Ruthless folded his arms and looked down at the fight. "It's a tough love."

RB

Swords flashed and clanged in the cool morning air. Their wielders sweated from the exertion. His heavier armor and maybe strength were Ronman's advantages. They paled in comparison to Kim's speed, skill and aggression. There was no way he could disarm her again. It was kill or be killed. As he steeled himself for what he had to do his mother's words came back to him.

"Not in the face! Not in the face!"

"Don't worry." Kim snarled. "I'm going for your throat!"

No choice. He made his lunge, aiming for the scarcely armored heart of the girl of his dreams.

She was not surprised. Twin swords locked his and pressed it down. He could feel her wonderful body strain. Ronman gasped as she soared over him, twisting in the air. Her boots landed behind him with a crunch. His back was utterly exposed to her next attack.

Ronman pitched forward before the double thrust could impale his kidneys. A foot planted itself on a mail sleeve on the sand. It slid out from under the boy's boot and he went down face first. He rolled over as she rushed him. Only a desperate parry saved him from the sword in her left hand. The one in her right hand sent his flying. It landed next to hers. Runes flickered, as if the first blade was consoling the second.

RB

The occupants of Gawker's Roost saw Ronman go down. Before Ruthless could spring through the blind Barkane brought up his crossbow. The NSTMR grabbed onto an arm.

"No! No cowardly tricks!"

"Don't call me a coward!" The Captain growled, hurling the Actuarian rodent back into Wadelin. A flailing pink arm struck the curious glass orb the Alchemist was preparing to throw. Poof! The BBG was encased in a white, sticky substance from the tops of their heads to their ankles. They fell over helpless to stop Barkane.

Barkane smirked as he turned back to the lake scene. Dash E'Lan was with him. His interfering comrades were powerless now. And the Red Kim had heard nothing. He aimed at the mane. Just between the shoulder blades, a little to the left. Through the ribs and into the heart.

RB

Kim Krimson advanced on her unarmed prey. The boy backed up until he lay against the lake.

"You don't have to do this!" he gasped.

Regret flashed across her face before the steel return to her soft features. Even now they entranced him. "Until Middletonia is free, I do." She pulled back the sword in her right hand.

Just then Ronman caught motion in the blind above her. A crossbow peeked out, aimed for his opponent's back.

"KIM!"

He acted without thinking. Before Kim could do anything he sprang up and pushed her away. Wild chance sent Barkane's bolt into the arm hole of his brigandine. Somehow it missed the boy's body, tearing through the back of his armor and forcing him back down to the ground. The bolt that should have killed the Red Kim now pinned Ronman of Actuaria to the Earth.

"Run, Kim, run!"

The barbarian boy's pleas fell on deaf ears. The Red Kim hurled a sword at Barkane. Swords, as everyone knows, make lousy missiles; it missed by a mile.

Massive arms easily pulled back the bow and reloaded the weapon. Middletonia's Captain took careful aim, not at all distracted by the beauty of his defiant target.

From the ground Ronman pleaded. "No! Barkane, don't! Please!"

He ignored the boy. "Red Kim, you stand convicted of waging war against His Majesty, Drakken; King of Middletonia. The penalty is death, sentence to be carried out immediately."

Ronman struggled to free himself as she stood waiting for her death. If her beauty excited him, her courage moved him. If I could just get free…

A metallic sound rang out from the blind. Barkane tumbled out through the blind and onto the ground below. Someone tossed a limb out behind him. Next a familiar voice called out.

"Now I remember why I didn't want you to go: I couldn't have you going after my BGFF."

The lovely dark form dove through the blind and landed after a double flip. Her smile was dazzling as she threw open her arms.

"Moniquity!" Kim ran forward.

"Kimala!" The two girls clasped arms and jumped up and down as they squealed with delight. Ronman was up by the time they stopped.

Moniquity gestured to Ronman. "Kimala, this is…"

"I caught his name earlier." Kimala smiled. "Moniquity, could you?"

"Of course, girl." She cleared her throat and assumed a formal air. "Ronman of Actuaria, Son of Dean and Barbara, this is Kimala, daughter of James and Ann of the House Possible, Warrior Princess of Middletonia!"