Disclaimer: This chapter is the start of a rollercoaster of feels.
Chapter 38: Giving a Damn:
Somewhere in the outskirts of Go City:
When Team Possible finally woke up from there long nap, they had splitting headaches, and for a second could not remember where they were. After her vision cleared up, Kim grabbed the bars of the cage, and hoisted herself up. Once she was standing, she served her surroundings, and spotted the button on the other side of the room.
"Rufus, since Tai isn't around, why don't you try to hit that button again?"
Kim, asked.
"Okay."
Rufus, squeaked. After making sure that the coast was clear, he hurried over to the button, and quickly pressed the button. The cage was then lifted into the air, and Kim and Ron walked over to Rufus.
"Booyah! Way to go little buddy."
Ron, said, high-fiving his naked friend.
"Okay, now that we're free, let's do what we do best."
Kim, said.
"You mean sneak around until we find what, or rather who we're looking for?"
Ron, asked.
"Yep, let's go."
Kim then led the way down the corridor, Ron and Rufus followed behind.
Meanwhile, upstairs in Tai's room, he and Shego were having a heated discussion.
"I don't get what you're so pissed about. So I used unethical methods to get you to be with me, what's the big deal?"
Tai, asked.
"The deal is that you broke the one promise you ever made to me."
Shego, said, her voice laced with anger.
"I've already apologized, what more do you want?!"
"I want to be able to be in control of my own thoughts and actions!"
"You know, yelling isn't good for the babies, you really need to relax."
"You're the reason why I'm yelling! You, and your constant need to have things your way! Did you ever even stop to consider my feelings?!"
"As a matter of fact I did!"
"Oh really, then why am I being mind controlled?!"
"Because I love you, that's why!"
Shego blinked her eyes a couple of times, then stared at Tai in confusion. Seeing the look on her face, Tai decided to elaborate.
"Look, I know I screwed up a lot, and that I don't deserve you. But I really do love you. I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you. I know that fucking with your mind was the wrong way to go, but I didn't know what else to do."
"You could've just talked to me."
"I tried to, but you weren't listening."
"Threatening me is not talking to me."
"I only threatened you, because I care about you. Also, I was angry."
"What were you angry about?"
"I was angry about you keeping my kids from me. They're my kids just as much as they are yours."
"I know."
"Then why are you trying to keep them from me?"
Shego looked away from Tai, and pursed her lips. Seeing the look on her face, Tai knew that Shego was not going to answer, unless of course he made her.
"Tell me why you're trying to keep my kids from me."
Before Shego even had a chance to open her mouth, she fainted. Within seconds, Ayumi materialized behind her, and cradled her in her arms.
"What are doing?"
Tai, asked, a look of irritation on his face.
"I'm stopping you from controlling her. You can't order her around if she's asleep."
"You know I can just wake her up, right?"
"I don't think so. I cast a spell on her that will keep her asleep for a few hours."
"How many hours is a few?"
"Twelve."
Tai's jaw dropped.
"You put her to sleep for twelve hours?! Are you insane, why would you do such a thing?!"
"Look at the bags under her eyes, dipshit! She clearly didn't get an adequate amount of sleep last night, and I know for a fact that all this shit you've been putting her through is stressing her out. Do you want to be known as the guy that caused her to have a miscarriage?"
"Well...no."
"Then back off."
"Why should I back off, it's not like you give a damn about her."
"For you information I do give a damn."
"Oh yeah, since when?"
"I've always given a damn about Ciel. I may not have shown it all the time, but I've always cared for her."
"I see. So what, once Ciel is back with Kim you'll leave her alone?"
"You simple minded fool, of course not."
"But, what about getting into heaven?"
"I still get in. The deal is for me to get Ciel away from you. There's nothing about me not taking a crack at her, once you're out of the picture."
"How can you take a crack at her, you're dead."
"True, which is why I'm gonna bring Ciel over to my side, once her and Kim are in the mindset that everything is all hunky-dory."
"Oh, that is low."
"How so?"
"You're gonna kill her, just so you can have her?"
"Yeah, and it's not low, it's genius."
"You are a sick woman."
"Maybe so. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take a nap. Being amongst the living is quite taxing."
Ayumi then laid Shego down on the bed, and then disappeared. Tai looked at Shego for a moment, then left the room.
As he walked down the corridor, he spotted Kim and Ron.
"Hey now, how did you get out of the cage?"
Kim and Ron spun around, to face Tai.
"Easy, with a naked mole rat, anything is possible."
Ron, said, looking triumphant.
"Damn, I knew I should've killed that stupid rodent when I had the chance."
"Hey!"
Rufus, squeaked, looking furious.
"Alright, enough talking, where's Ciel?"
Kim, asked.
"She's asleep, and she won't be awake for another twelve hours."
"What the hell did you do to her?!"
Kim lunged at Tai, was quickly pulled back by Ron.
"KP, let's not do anything rash."
Ron, said, trying to keep his best friend from ripping Tai to shreds.
"Relax, devil woman, I didn't do anything to her. Ayumi is the one that put her to sleep, something about Ciel needing sleep, and me causing her too much stress."
"Wait, Ayumi put her to sleep."
"Yeah, apparently she can't get into heaven unless she does a good deed. So, she's planning on getting you and Ciel back together."
"Ayumi is on our side?"
Ron, asked.
"Yep."
"Cool."
Rufus, squeaked.
"Hang on guys, there's gotta be a catch."
Kim, said.
"Oh, there is. You see, Ayumi just has to get Ciel away from me. Once that happens, she'll be allowed to enter into heaven. However, she then plans to go after Ciel."
"Why?"
"Because the deal was that she had to get Ciel away from me, and back together with you. She was never told that she couldn't take a crack at Ciel."
"Damn loopholes."
Ron, grumbled.
"But, Ayumi is dead. How is a ghost going to be with some that's alive?"
Kim, asked.
"Think about it."
Kim thought about how Ayumi and Shego could possibly be together. After a few seconds, it hit her like a ton of bricks.
"She wouldn't."
"Oh she would."
"Would what?"
Ron, asked, looking confused.
"Ayumi plans to kill Ciel."
Kim, said, a bitterness in her voice. Ron's jaw dropped, and he had a look of disgust on his face.
"Oh that is just low. Wait, if she plans to kill Ciel, is she gonna do it before or after Ciel gives birth?"
Ron, asked.
"She didn't say, but knowing Ayumi it'll probably be after. After all, she doesn't believe in taking innocent lives."
"Oh, and Ciel's life isn't innocent?"
"Please, have you seen or heard of the stuff she's done? You know what they say, once a villain always a villain."
"That may be true about you, but it's not true about Ciel."
"Oh, it's not?"
"No. Sure, Ciel's done evil stuff in the past, but she's a different person now."
"So you would vouch for her?"
"As a matter of fact I would."
"So you forgive her for everything she's done?"
"Yes."
"Even for that time that she toyed with your best friend's heart?"
Ron paused for a moment, as memories of Drakken's little diablo scheme, and Eric, flashed through his mind.
"That wasn't Ciel's fault. That whole stupid scheme was all Drakken's idea; Ciel didn't even know the full details of it until the last minute. I've gotten to know Ciel, over these past months, and I know that she would never play with another person's heart."
"You really believe that?"
"Yes."
"What about the times that Ciel hurt Kim, while they were together."
"True, Ciel did fuck up a few times, but there's something you don't know."
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"Kim loved Ciel when she least deserved it, because that's when she needed it most."
Kim and Tai just stared at Ron, a bit stunned by his words.
"Wow Ron, I never knew you cared so much about Ciel."
Kim, said.
"Yeah, well Ciel's not the same person she was four months ago, she's changed a lot."
Once again, silence befell the group. Tai chose that moment to try to sneak away, but was quickly stopped by Kim.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
"I'm gonna go check on Ciel."
"Not without me you're not."
"Is that so? Well I suppose you can tag along."
Tai then walked away.
"Well come on, we better follow him before he gets too far ahead of us."
Kim and Ron then walked in the direction that they had seen Tai go. A few moments later they found Tai, standing next to Shego's bedside.
"Nice of you join us."
Tai, said, not even bothering to look at Kim and Ron.
"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"
Kim, asked, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Relax Kimmie, I'm not gonna hurt her."
Tai, said, brushing a strand of hair from Shego's face. Kim continued to watch him like a hawk.
"You know, I really don't understand what you see in that stuck up cheerleader."
Tai, said, looking at Shego.
"Hey, I am not stuck up."
"Oh really, then why are you trying to keep Ciel from who she really belongs with?"
"Ciel doesn't belong with you, she belongs with me."
"Selfish much?"
"I am not selfish, I just know what's best for her."
Tai turned around, and faced Kim.
"Oh do you now? Well then, by all means, enlighten us with your profound wisdom."
Tai, said, taking a seat next to Shego. Kim fell silent, and Tai gave her a smirk.
"Hmm, that's what I thought."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
Kim, asked, her eyes burning with rage.
"Isn't it obvious, you don't know a damn thing about Ciel."
"I know plenty about her, thank you very much."
"Is that so?"
Kim gave a nod.
"Then tell me, what did Ciel want to be when she grew up? Sure, she has a teaching degree, but teaching was never her dream job."
Kim was at a loss for words. She had always just assumed that because Shego had a teaching degree, she wanted to be a teacher.
"You don't know? I thought you knew everything about her."
"I do...I just don't know that."
"So you admit that I'm better than you?"
"No. So I don't know my fiancée's dream job; that doesn't mean that I don't know her."
"Oh, I think it does. After all, Ciel's dream job was very important to her."
"If it was so important to her then didn't she become whatever it was she wanted to be?"
Ron, asked.
"Because her parents thought it was too dangerous of a career choice."
"What was the job?"
Kim, asked.
"Ciel wanted to be a homicide detective."
"Really?"
"Yep, she always loved the mystery and danger that surrounded it. She also has an extremely strong stomach. I'm tellin' ya, she can handle anything."
"Huh, you know I never took Ciel for the type that would want to help others. I mean, she quit Team Go because she liked evil."
Ron, said.
"Is that what Logan told you?"
"Uh...yeah."
"Well that was a damn lie."
"So she didn't quit because she liked evil?"
"No you doofus."
"Hey!"
"Ron, let it go. And Tai, if Ciel didn't quit Team Go for the reason that Logan said, then why did she quit?"
Kim, asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know."
"Actually, I would."
"Well I'm not going to tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because it's a secret between Ciel and Ayumi."
"So I take it don't know."
Kim, said, a smirk on her face."
"No, and it drives me crazy."
"My how the tables have turned."
"Oh shut up, red."
"What, are you upset that you don't know something about Ciel?"
"No."
Kim raised an eyebrow at Tai, and stared him down.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I am not at all upset that Ciel has kept something from me."
"Mmhm, sure you're not."
"I'm not."
"So you're not gonna make her tell you the secret, when she wakes up?"
"No."
Tai's answer shocked Kim.
"You're not?"
"Of course not. What kind of man do you take me for?"
"An evil one, bent on destruction."
Ron, said.
"Ronald please, I'm not bent on destruction."
"Then what are you bent on, and why won't you make Ciel tell you her secret?"
"I'm bent on keeping Ciel safe, and as far as the secret goes, since it's between Ciel and Ayumi I'm sure that Ayumi would stop me from getting Ciel to reveal it."
"Hold up, wait a minute."
Ron, said, holding his hands out in front of himself.
"What in heaven's name are you bent on keeping Ciel safe from?"
"From Kim."
"Why the hell would you need to keep her safe from me?"
"Because... you don't love her."
"What are you talking about, of course I love her."
"Do you, do you really?"
"Yes, I love her with all my heart and soul."
Tai eyed Kim up and down, for a moment.
"I don't think you really do. For you see, if you really loved her then you wouldn't have let her get kidnapped in the first place, you would've kept her safe."
"I didn't let her get kidnapped."
"You should've known I'd be after her, or was I wrong to assume that?"
"You weren't wrong."
"Then why didn't you do everything within your power to protect her?"
"Because..."
For the second time that night, Kim found herself at a loss for words. She honestly had no idea why she didn't try harder to keep Shego safe, especially when she knew that Tai was after her.
"Hmm, that's what I thought."
Tai then walked out of the room, leaving Kim and Ron alone with an unconscious Shego. After Tai had left, Ron turned his attention to his best friend.
"Why didn't you answer Tai's question?"
"Because I couldn't."
"Huh?!"
Rufus, squeaked, shock filling his face.
"KP, why couldn't you answer his question?"
"I didn't have an answer, I don't know why I didn't try harder to keep Ciel safe."
"Do you love her?"
Kim looked at Ron, like he had grown a second head.
"Of course I love her. And...I should've done everything within my power to protect her and keep her safe."
"KP, do you think it's your fault Ciel got kidnapped?"
Kim didn't say anything, and looked down at the floor. Seeing the look of disappointment on Kim's face, Ron moved closer to her and pulled her into a hug.
"It's not your fault. Do you understand me, it's not. Tai is a good for nothing jackass, who likes to take advantage of people. Now, do you want to stand here feeling sorry for yourself, or do you want to try to save the woman you love?"
Kim pulled back from Ron's embrace, and looked at the serious expression on her best friend's face. Kim's expression then turned from one of sadness, to one of determination.
"Come on Ron, we've got some planning to do."
Kim, said, pulling out her kimmunicator and heading out the door. Ron smiled and then followed Kim out of room, glad that his best friend finally had her head in the game.
End of chapter 38:
A/N: I wasn't planning to take so long to update, I really wasn't. But when you get caught up in playing Pokémon, there's just little room to do anything else. Anyway, I will try to update faster. So until next time, this is PokémonSoulMaster93 signing out.