As much as Bonnie tried to burst Kim Possible's bubble, she couldn't deny video proof. After Britina posted about Kim, another VIP fan shared a video of Kim putting out the fire. Everyone in Bonnie's world saw Kim do what should have been impossible. Who did Kim think she was anyway? Really, it took a twisted mind to believe a preteen could put out a fire.
Kim got lucky, that was all. She happened to be in the right place at the right time. If Bonnie were backstage at that concert, she would've done the exact same thing.
It could have been her. It should have been her. She had the Britina concert tickets first! This was supposed to be her glory moment! Bonnie thought she'd finally outdone everyone by snagging the hottest tickets of the year. Even some of the eighth graders had been jealous. She'd known she would bring Tara with her, but she let the mystery drag out on purpose, letting her friends argue over who she'd choose. For about two months she felt like the center of the universe.
Then the center shifted. Seriously, how did Kim even get VIP backstage passes? Bonnie knew the Possibles were both doctors, but she didn't think they had that kind of cash. It didn't make sense that they'd spoil their daughter rotten for no reason.
Huh. There's something.
Feeling better, Bonnie waited for Kim after their last class. She fell into step next to Kim as they went to the gym for practice. "So Kim, I've done some thinking..."
"Good for you, Bonnie."
Bonnie paused, surprised Kim got in the first dig. But she shook it off and kept up her stride. She'd been needling Kim so much lately that it was probably just a habit. "Hah, funny. Of course, I'd be defensive too if I were keeping a huge secret."
"Finally, your latest scheme," Kim said, amusement in her eyes. "Don't keep me in suspense."
Maybe their rivalry had become a little predictable. Refusing to let Kim rattle her, Bonnie continued, "Everyone's been so starry-eyed about your adventure in Chicago. I'll admit, I was a little shocked myself. But I realized you left some major holes in your story. I'm sure you wouldn't mind filling in the blanks for me? Just curious."
Bonnie grinned when Kim suddenly became nervous. Bingo. "Um," Kim replied, more wary now. "Sure, go ahead. I've got nothing to hide."
"Why Chicago?" Bonnie asked. They arrived at the gym and she purposefully moved inside, waving at the other cheerleaders already there. "And how did you score VIP backstage passes? I couldn't even get those, not when the good seats already cost top-dollar."
As she'd predicted, everyone in the gym was paying attention. They all wondered, but Bonnie was the only one with the nerve to ask. "Uh..." Kim trailed off, noticing her audience. "I, kind of, um...saved this rich guy's life. I know it sounds crazy..."
"I'll say." Bonnie smirked at the other cheerleaders, as if they all realized Kim was the biggest liar. Meanwhile Kim looked dejected, knowing it would take a miracle to convince anyone the story was true.
But instead of accusations from the crowd, Tara's voice rang through the gym. "Wait! It's true!"
No. That couldn't be. Bonnie glared at the blond cheerleader, who missed it completely and went over to Kim. "You're talking about the billionaire Mr. Paisley, right?" Tara continued when surprised Kim only nodded. "My dad works at the airport, where Mr. Paisley has his private jet. Dad saw you and your mom taking the jet to Chicago! Oh my gosh, Kim, I wanted to ask but I forgot all about it after the Britina news."
As the cheerleaders gathered around Kim, eager for the details, Bonnie sat down on the bleachers and sulked. Didn't Kim Possible ever tell a lie?
After the Britina incident cycled out of the spotlight (eventually), Kim's life went back to normal for several months. Her weeks consisted of school, cheer practice, kung fu classes, and Bueno Nacho. Her website became more popular, but just locally, and only for babysitting or pet-sitting. While everyone at school knew of her heroics, she flew below the radar of mainstream media. Kim didn't mind in the least, especially concerning the laser rescue – Mr. Paisley hadn't wanted the public to know.
She could tell her parents were relieved. They'd seemed on-edge at first, but after a while they stopped grilling her whenever she checked her website. The Possible family, even Kim, began to think of both incidents as past-tense. No one would ever contact her for help with real danger. Those exciting few months had been a fluke, nothing more.
Maybe Kim missed the adrenaline rush. A little. But she couldn't be like, a superhero, and run into danger all the time. To make up for it, she put even more effort into cheer practice and her karate classes. When an eighth-grader told Kim she'd be a shoo-in for captain, Bonnie pouted for a week.
As spring weather returned to Middleton, Kim received an interesting request on her website. It didn't involve lasers or fire, but at least it was different. Okay, technically it could count as pet-sitting, but it beat scooping litter for her neighbor's cats. For one thing, the pet owner didn't even live in Middleton, and she'd get to see a dog show.
In Go City!
But in order to score the job, she had to overcome some challenges. The first two being her parents. She planned to beg them for a ride, but even better, the dog owner offered to pick her and Ron up from Middleton. Still, Kim needed her best puppy-dog-pout skills to wear down her parents. Eventually they agreed that the job sounded danger-free. They did have one humiliating condition – Ann and James insisted on meeting her boss when he picked her up. And, remembering Mr. Paisley's mistake, they insisted she confirm that the pet owner knew her age.
To everyone's surprise, Francois gracefully accepted the unusual terms. "But do not worry, Mr. and Mrs. Doctor Possiblè!" the stylish Frenchman exclaimed. He stood in the Possible's entryway while Kim waited nearby, anxious to get out of there. "Naturally I did my research," Francois continued. "I would not trust just anyone with my darling Gigi. Ms. Possiblè is young, yes, but my best customer Britina absolutely raved about her. I am confident she can keep my Gigi out of harm's way."
James gave him a scrutinizing once-over. "But why do you need a dog-sitter at a dog show? Won't you be with Gigi anyway?"
"Not all the time," Francois explained. "The show est always chaotic, but very good for business. Competitors plead with me to work my magic on their canine's coiffure. Normally I would never be a groomer, but the money est, how you say...too good to pass up. Besides, I do have a soft spot for man's most loyal companions."
Despite their reservations about the unusual tourist, Kim's parents gave her permission to go. Soon, Kim and Ron were in another limo, getting to know Gigi on their way to Go City.
"Don't worry, buddy," Ron whispered to quaking Rufus. "None of the dogs will bother you as long as you stay in my pocket." At the naked mole rat's dubious look, Ron sighed. "It'll be okay, little guy. I promise we're out of here at the first sign of trouble."
Ron didn't blame Rufus for being scared. The naked mole rat barely made it through the ride to Go City. Dignified Gigi sat next to Francois the entire time, but she sniffed Ron and bared her teeth at Rufus when Francois wasn't looking. Even now, with everything going on around them, Gigi only had eyes for Rufus – narrowed, menacing eyes.
Francois left them in the small park next to the Go City Convention Center. All contestants waited with their dog under party tents, providing necessary shade for the hairier breeds. (And plenty of outdoor space for the dozens of canines to do their business.) Other tents sold food for both humans and canines, along with items like dog shampoo and leashes. All tents lined paved walkways that wound down to the convention center entrance. Francois told them the dog show events took place in the center's arena. Kim and Ron would get to see Gigi compete, but for now, they needed wait under Francois' designated party tent.
As for Francois, sometimes they saw him rush by, but they were mostly on their own. Ron suspected Gigi might act on her hunter impulse without Francois there to hold her back. While Kim gave Gigi a stomach-friendly cookie, Ron backed up several feet. "KP, make sure you hold on to Gigi's leash. Rufus here is shaking."
"You shouldn't have brought him, Ron," Kim replied, also worried for the mole rat's safety. "I can control Gigi, but there are lots of other dogs here."
Ron's eyes widened as Rufus fainted in his pocket. "Oh man, why'd you have to say that?"
"Francois did give us permission to leave Rufus in the limo."
"Did he? You know, Francois uses a lot of grown-up words I don't understand." Truth be told, Ron was nervous about being around so many dogs. Looking out for Rufus made him brave. "Well, it's been okay so far. Let's see how it goes."
Then Ron heard a loud squeak, and it wasn't Rufus. Eventually he realized it was someone speaking in a high-pitched voice. Ron almost laughed, but strangely enough, he got the creeps instead. Though he tried to follow the sound, in all the commotion he lost track of the speaker. "KP, did you hear that squeaky voice? It sounded funny...but not hah-hah funny."
"No, I guess I missed it."
Gigi proved to be a tougher customer than Kim expected. Even though Gigi had been expertly trained, the dog pushed her limits when Francois wasn't around. If Kim didn't watch her every second, the dog tried to eat everything around her – including poor Rufus. The naked mole rat burrowed into Ron's pocket and hadn't been seen in over an hour.
But it wasn't just Gigi. Competitors constantly walked by to check the dog out, barely noticing Kim while they sized up the champion poodle. Kim realized the same small group walked by more than once. For some reason it made her nervous.
Thankfully the pathways cleared out while contestants prepared for the first round of competition. Kim began to relax knowing Francois would return soon. But then...
Out of nowhere, a German Shepherd detected Rufus and started charging at Ron. Understandably terrified, Ron took off screaming, while people tried to stop the determined canine. Kim didn't think twice as she ran after her best friend. She jumped over any object or dog in her way, scrambling to catch up with the Shepherd.
Up ahead, Ron escaped by running into one of the restrooms on the side of the convention center. The people who'd gone after the Shepherd finally caught up and got a leash around its neck.
"Phew!" Kim exclaimed, very relieved her friend wasn't hurt. Then she remembered Gigi. Kim dashed back to her station – just in time to see two men taking the poodle away. They were the same two people who kept passing by earlier. "Hey!" Kim shouted. "That's not your dog! She's not mine either, but I'm in charge of her!"
When the dog-nappers heard her, one picked up Gigi and they broke into a run. Kim took off again, jumping over tables and leaping over the tops of party tents. People shrieked as she (gently) pushed them out of her way. The criminals aimed for a side door into the building, but she hopped onto a party tent and jumped down in front of the would-be thieves. "Going somewhere, boys?"
She sent each robber flying into a large dog crate, locking the doors behind them.
The two thugs had been hired to steal Gigi before the competition. Authorities knew they must have been hired by a jealous contestant, but it would take a while to narrow the list down. Kim didn't care who ordered crime as long as Gigi was safe. The exhausted poodle rested at Kim's feet, now eternally loyal to her rescuer. Sitting next to Kim, Ron calmed down with apple juice in one hand and a cookie for humans in the other.
Francois couldn't be more thrilled. "Oh, I cannot thank you enough, Ms. Possiblè!"
Kim had conflicted emotions. She was happy to save Gigi, but on the other hand, she didn't look forward to telling her parents about it. Not to mention... "But it's my fault, Mr. Francois," Kim said glumly. "They never would've gotten Gigi if I didn't run away from her."
"Please, you exceeded expectations," Francois insisted with a wave of his hand. "Anyone would have run to help their friend in his time of need. Furthermore, the authorities say the German Shepherd belonged to the dog-nappers. They used him to distract everyone while they grabbed Gigi. If I'd been there, they would have unleashed that vicious beast on moi."
Kim felt much better – even if she still worried about her parents. "Oh. Well, in that case, I'm glad I could help."
"You make it sound trivial," Francois said, disapproval in his tone. "Why, you should be proud! Witnesses could not believe someone your age defeated two adult dog-nappers. You must tell moi, however did you do it?"
Kim shrugged modestly. "I have a second-degree black belt. Honestly, I've never used it before today."
"You are a jewel, Kim Possiblè. I must insist, if you ever need a favor, please do not hesitate to call your friend Francois."
On the opposite end of the convention center, Team Go investigated multiple reports of criminal activity. The attempted poodle-napping followed the disappearances of three other canine contestants. Each of the targeted dogs would be worth thousands when sold to new owners, or used for breeding. For the moment though, Team Go focused on a gem-studded collar on display. Genuine diamonds and rubies covered a collar that could fit a St. Bernard. The room was hidden in a far corner of the convention center, only available to patrons who included it in their ticket packages.
Working with her brothers, superhero Shego was more concerned about the latest rumors. "Okay, how embarrassing is this?" she complained. "If what I heard is true, a twelve-year-old girl caught two of the thieves. That's two more than we've apprehended all day."
"The twerp got lucky," Mego assured her. "She actually saw them taking the poodle. Meanwhile we haven't seen anything."
Shego rolled her eyes. "Exactly! I've been saying that we need to change our strategy. The twins should multiply and spread out over the show floor."
"That's a waste of time," Hego argued. "The crook in charge will target this collar eventually. We need to be here when he does."
"But what about the dogs that go missing in the meantime? You don't care about them?"
Hego paused at his sister's argument. "I do, but there are a lot of dogs here. What are the odds that Wego will see the one they go after next?"
"The twins can multiply themselves to infinity if they want!" Shego almost shouted. "At that rate, they could guard every dog at this stinkin' show!" Her brothers never failed to frustrate her on a mission. They never listened to her, and even when she was proved right, they refused to admit it.
While the Wego twins considered the idea, Mego smirked at his sister. "Dramatic much? You're just tweaked because you're not on top of your game. If you weren't so busy with school lately, you would've caught this mastermind by now."
Shego almost used her power on her brother after that comment. Her hand raised in a threatening manner, but she forced it back down. Her brothers all mocked her Child Development degree. They felt, as a superhero, she should dedicate herself more to the team instead of her own ambitions. "And why is it that I'm always the one who makes the plan?" Shego retorted instead. "Oh right, it's because the rest of you have one brain cell! That you all share!"
"Uh guys?" a Wego twin said.
But Hego ignored him and frowned at Shego. "Now, there's no reason to get hostile..."
"Guys?" the other twin said.
"Please, that wasn't hostile. I can show you hostile..."
"THE COLLAR'S GONE!"
At the twins' shout, they all turned to find an empty display. A shadowy figure ran out of the exhibit room, holding the glittery collar. Shego let out a long sigh. "Of course," she grumbled. Shego sprinted after the criminal, leaving her brothers in the dust.
The thief was fast, but Shego easily followed him through the convention center hallways. She couldn't hear her brothers anymore. That was just fine in Shego's opinion, now she actually had a chance of catching this thief. Lately she couldn't stand her family. It was all about the team, the team, the team. Maybe that worked for them, but she wanted a life of her own. A life away from brothers who thought they knew better, but never did – somewhere she made the rules.
Staying focused, Shego grinned when she saw the thief turn into a stairwell. Perfect. She rushed in after him. He turned around for a brief second, fear in his eyes when he saw her angry scowl.
Falsetto Jones. A successful businessman and known criminal – to those in the know.
"End of the line, Jones." Shego kicked off the railing and flipped onto the above landing. Before Falsetto could turn around, she shot a green bolt at the door behind them, melting the hinges and trapping him inside. He couldn't reach the other door without passing her.
Even though he sensed the dire situation, Falsetto tried to project calm. "I'm guessing you've used the stairwell trap before, Shego."
Shego couldn't help the laughter that escaped. "Sorry, the squeaky voice does it to me every time," she said through her chuckles.
"Considering my position, I'm prepared to make a deal." Falsetto took a cutter tool out of his coat pocket. To Shego's fascination, he pried one of the diamonds off the collar and held it out to her. "You let me go, and this is yours. If you turn me in, we both lose. Let's face it, everyone knows hero work doesn't pay much, and I hear you have some student loans. This would cover most of them."
Stunned by the bold offer, Shego found herself considering it. Those diamonds would cover her debt. And wouldn't it serve her obnoxious brothers right? Falsetto only had the collar because they were so inept. This would teach them a lesson. Maybe they'd work harder on the next case.
Plus the diamonds were so shiny. They sparkled, winked at her really, saying "take me!" Who would ever know what she did? Her brothers would believe Falsetto got away with the collar on his own.
"Jones, I hate to break this to you..." Shego began, purposely leaving him in suspense.
The criminal's smugness evaporated when he recognized defeat. "Oh well, it was a long shot."
"Not as long as you think," Shego replied, confusing him. "The thing is, if you're going to offer a bribe, you can't be stingy. Keep the diamonds coming and I'll tell you 'when.'"