Author's note:
Boo! Heh, bet you guys weren't expecting to hear from me for another week. However, while this particular chapter was a ba***rd to write, I've both finished it and the next two and so, since this was always going to be just a single chapter update, I decided to share it with you all a week early. Don't say I'm not good to you, lol ;p.
So, when we last left our lovely ladies, Shego was locked up in solitary confinement and not having a good time of it and Kim, who has been struggling to wrap her head around her newfound sexuality, finally decided she needed to do something about it and so is going to visit Shego in jail. What could Possibly go wrong?
For this chapter, the title is taken from yet another Pink Floyd song, this time Shine on you crazy diamond pts1-5, from their 1975 masterpiece Wish you were here (did I mention that it's my favourite album of all time?) Anyway, the lyric was written by Roger Waters (the band's main lyricists) and is a tragically beautiful description of the eyes of someone who's body is there but their mind is gone. In the case of the song, he was referring to the bands original lead guitarist, Syd Barratt, and how he looked after he took one acid trip too many. And with respect to this chapter, I am using it to describe the vacant look in Shego's eyes. Lol, sorry for the history lesson there, but I've had this chapter title in mind since before the end of season one and am thrilled to finally post the chapter that bears it.
As always, I want to thank all of you for all the kind words you have left me in the reviews and everyone who was followed/favourited this story thus far.
Right, that's enough from me for now. Enjoy chapter nine: Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky, and I'll see you all at the end.
P.S. This chapter takes our little one-shot past the 250K word mark, Woo-hoo!
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Chapter Nine: Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky
Kim had woken at her normal time of six-thirty that morning and completed her routine run and workout for the first time since the incident at the volcano lair. This had been followed by her usual shower, after which she had dressed in the light-blue variant of her mission gear. However, normality had ended there, and she'd succumbed to temptation and eaten toaster tarts for breakfast. After that, she'd left a note on the coffee table for a sleeping Ru-Ru to find when he woke up, explaining that she'd gone out and wouldn't be back until late evening. She'd debated whether or not to invite the naked-mole-shark to come with her but decided against it. Her need to talk to Shego alone trumping what sympathy she felt for him. She'd then headed down to the Sloth and set off on the long trek; across two state lines, to the county's highest security prison.
It should have been an arduous ten-hour drive, but thanks to the Tweebs and their mechanical prowess, the time had been cut down by two thirds. On route, Kim had telephoned ahead and informed the Prison she was coming. The lieutenant to whom she had eventually been put through had not been thrilled at the prospect. Indeed, she had sensed he had been about to refuse her outright, at which point she had dropped her name. As expected, he had quickly become more accommodating. However, she'd needed to pedal a pre-formulated excuse about needing to get information from Shego, regarding where she'd stashed some of the tech she had stolen prior to being arrested, in order to get him to agree without having to exert excess pressure on him. After the conversation had ended, she'd come away with the distinct impression that the man would try and eavesdrop on her conversation by any means possible, probably with the intent of relaying the info to Global Justice HQ. So, she was banking on the Kimmunicator being able to detect and disrupt any such attempts.
Had the semi-argument been the only issue Kim had faced before she brought the Sloth to a stop outside the imposing steel doors of the penitentiary, she probably would have felt fine. However, as soon as she'd hung up and her visit with Shego had become official, she had almost turned the car around and headed for the safety of home. To say she felt apprehensive about seeing her rival was akin to classing Dr Drakken as only mildly inept at supervillainy. She had no idea what she would encounter inside. Will Shego even be willing to talk to me? That was only the first hurdle and she would be lying if she said part of her hoped the green-skinned woman simply outright refused the visit. What on earth do I say to her if she does agree to talk to me? Hey, sorry I got you locked up in jail. By the way, I'm a lesbian now and want to ask your advice about how I actually go about finding a girlfriend? Kim sighed and shook her head. Urgh, that sounds totally shitty.
A loud creak sounded from the direction of the prison and drew Kim's attention back to the large stone walls; crowned with razor wire. She cast her gaze to either side and took in the heavily armed guard towers situated at the corners. Needless to say, it would require some serious firepower to break in or out of this facility. Which made the fact Shego had done so in the past with just her bare hands all the more impressive and terrifying in equal measure. No wonder GJ go to such lengths to try and keep her glow suppressed if even this fortress can't contain her. In front of her, the large steel doors slowly slid open. The creaking of the machinery perhaps an indication that this was a rare occurrence. Kim drove the Sloth forward and followed the direction of a guard into a small parking lot, which had a double wire fence surrounding it; both electrified. She parked in a space beside a pristine classic Mustang, not that she recognised the make or model. However, while she did admire the sleek sky-blue bodywork, the thought that came to mind was, that must have cost a significant amount of money. It must surely belong to someone important.
Taking a deep breath, Kim climbed out of her car and met with the guard who had directed her. "Miss Possible, I'm Lieutenant Boyle," he said in a flinty tone. "We spoke on the phone a couple of hours ago. Allow me to escort you inside."
Hmm, he seems about as happy to see me as he was to talk on the phone. She chose to ignore his demeanour and simply replied,"lead on," as she followed the man towards the first gate.
They had to pass through each electrified fence in turn before the Lieutenant led her towards the inner wall. Like the outer one, it was an equally imposing hunk of thick grey stone and had its own complement of heavily armed guard towers and razor wire. Before they reached the front door, Kim couldn't help herself and behind the Lieutenant's back, did a quick scan of the no-mans-land between the two walls with her Kimmunicator, revealing both a laser grid and what she assumed must be some sort of minefield. Wow, they aren't messing around now. I don't recall there being this much security when I came to see the Fashionistas. GJ must be serious about trying to keep their bad eggs inside the basket.
When they reached the steel door, it opened to reveal a short passageway and a second door. They stepped inside and had to wait a full thirty seconds after the first one closed behind them before the second opened. "I'm impressed with what you've done with the place since my last visit," Kim commented offhandedly. She wasn't necessarily fishing for information but would happily take it if the Lieutenant offered it.
"Thank you, Miss," Boyle replied. "Global Justice became concerned with security after the 'incident' two and a half years ago and so petitioned Captain Brooks to return and allay their fears."
Kim was unfamiliar with the Captain to whom the guard referred but knew that the incident he had mentioned had been when Warmonga had broken Drakken out. Although in fairness, she suspected that had simply been the final straw, after both Motor Ed and Señor Senior, Junior had independently busted Shego out. As they crossed the courtyard to Cellblock D, she decided to probe further, "it seems like they're doing a good job. Have you had any breakouts since the 'incident'?" She knew the answer but asked the question in the hopes of preying on what she suspected was an inflated sense of pride in the current setup.
"Just the one, Miss. A combined effort by Professor Dementor and Motor Ed. However, thanks to you, both are back where they belong." As they waited to be granted access to the cellblock, the Lieutenant added, "I can tell you, the Captain was not happy when they broke out. She put the entire place on lockdown until all the damage from their escape was repaired and the minefield installed."
So, it is a minefield, good to know. "What sort of mines are we talking about?" she asked, lacing her tone with approval in the hopes his pride would result in him forgetting he probably shouldn't be telling her such information.
"Purely concussive, Miss, but with enough grunt to take down an elephant. However, if the Captain had been allowed her way, they would have been lethal. Unfortunately, my understanding of the situation is that the top brass at Global Justice didn't like the idea of purposely trying to kill inmates who attempt to escape."
"Now that does sound rather extreme," Kim commented without thinking. Seriously, his boss wanted to plant lethal mines! At least Betty's not stooped to that level… yet.
"Like yourself, Captain Brooks takes her job seriously, Miss," the Lieutenant replied in a somewhat defensive tone. "You might send supervillains here, but she's the one responsible for making sure they stay; permanently. You can't put a price on global security."
"I guess not," Kim agreed reluctantly, already sensing that she and this Captain Brooks would not see eye to eye when it came to the treatment of the inmates. The door to cellblock D opened and she followed Lieutenant Boyle through a series of security doors towards the visitation area. "I want to speak with Shego in private; away from the other inmates and the guards," she then said, allowing a slight firmness to enter her tone.
The man looked at her like she had said something insane. "I'm afraid I cannot allow that," he replied incredulously. "Shego's considered to be the most dangerous inmate here. I simply cannot have her left alone with any visitor."
Kim turned and gave the man a stern look. "I've been handling Shego at full strength since I was sixteen and have sent her here numerous times. I know what I'm doing," she said in a no-nonsense voice. It wasn't technically true. During their midnight dual in the Middleton High playing fields, she'd deduced that her rival had been holding back on her until the night of her junior prom, which Shego had then confirmed. However, Boyle did not need to know that little detail.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but I," the Lieutenant began, but Kim had already been prepared to cut him off the second she heard the word sorry.
"You might have trouble handling her, but I don't," she declared, her olive-green eyes ablaze and boring into the man's light blues. "Besides, I have it on good authority that she can't use her plasma at present."
The man looked more than slightly taken aback and Kim suspected that the knowledge of what happened to Shego each time she got incarcerated was supposed to be one of GJ's dirty little secrets. Before Boyle had the chance to recover, she pressed the advantage she'd just carved out. "I will see Shego, Lieutenant, and I will do so alone. Now, take me to a suitable room and have her brought out."
"Captain Brooks will not like this," the Lieutenant said. While he'd backed down from his outright refusal, the man possibly hoped that invoking his superior would be enough to change her mind. However, he'd failed to appreciate two things. One, she was not one of Captain Brooks' underlings and so had nothing to fear from the woman and two, she was Kim Possible.
"Then, by all means, go fetch her," Kim said smoothly, not a hint of fear in her still authoritative tone.
"She isn't here at the moment," the Lieutenant said quickly and with a hint of panic in his tone.
Kim smiled internally, perfect. I'm willing to bet if he's trying to scare me with his Captain, that he himself is afraid of her. "Which puts you in charge, Lieutenant. So, it's your call. Either you do as I've requested, or I wait until your Captain gets back and let her know that you've wasted both my time and her time."
She could see it in the man's eyes that the mere suggestion that this Captain Brooks might blame him for her time being wasted was enough to erode the last of his resistance. The Lieutenant lowered his head slightly, uttered, "I'll see to your request immediately, Miss Possible," and quickly beckoned her to follow him.
The Lieutenant led Kim past the room with the bandit screens and telephones and into a small square one with white walls. A metal table and two chairs were bolted to the floor. "This will do fine, Lieutenant. Now, go and fetch Shego for me," she purposefully phrased it as an order, like she was pulling a non-existent rank over him and in the hopes that he, in turn, would force her rival into the visit. The green-skinned woman probably wouldn't appreciate being dragged to see her against her will, but Kim wouldn't even get the chance to apologise if Shego refused to even see her.
"Make yourself comfortable, Miss, and I'll go and fetch her," Lieutenant Boyle said and hastily left the room.
The confrontation with the Lieutenant had worked wonders to focus her mind on something other than her fears about what might happen when Shego arrived, but now that he had departed, it was open season once more. Possible options for approaching the conversation and likely outcomes began to swirl around inside her head, like someone was using her skull to make a pot of soup. Kim sat down in the chair opposite the door to wait.
##
The cell's solitary bulb flickered into life and bathed the tiny room in a dull glow. While it would not normally have been considered bright, it was almost blinding to Shego. Her eyes immediately began to sting and instinctively she screwed them up. Feeding time already? she thought without a shred of emotion, as she shakily raised her head. However, instead of the creaking of the small door hatch and the scraping of a tray on the concrete floor, she heard the heavy thunk of the bolt opening, followed by the slam of the metal door hitting the wall. Realising that something out with the established routine was happening, she forced her eyes to open a crack. The dull light immediately flooded them and caused her head to hurt and the scene before her to appear blurry.
"Get her up," a flinty male voice ordered. This was followed by the sound of footsteps, as two blurry black blobs closed in on her.
Shego didn't have the strength to resist as she was hauled to her feet, however, a faint thought filled her mind, please just leave me here… The guards didn't waste any time in dragging her towards the light and her eyes involuntarily closed before she got halfway to the door. However, after a few more paces, she was brought out of the cell and the light from the corridor managed to penetrate her eyelids enough to cause her eyes to hurt.
"You're lucky you were due out in an hour or I would have point blank refused your visitor," the flinty voice commented.
Shego opened her eyes a crack but found herself unable to see more than a hazy outline of a figure in black. Visitor?
As though she had asked the question out loud, the man answered, "however, by the looks of you, it's going to be a waste of time. I might as well just toss you back in the hole and forget about you. That being said, I'm not taking any chances." He paused for a moment, before barking an order at what she could only imagine was some more of his subordinates, "you two, restrain her."
Her eyes had just started to adjust when a second pair of guards approached and her arms were thrust out in front of her by the ones that had a hold on her. Before she could even process what was happening, she felt rough canvas brush against her hands, as her arms were fed into those of a heavy straitjacket. One of the guards then moved behind her and began to buckle each of the straps a notch too tight. She felt a growing pressure on her chest, like she was being laced into an old-fashioned corset and she struggled to take a full breath. Her arms were then roughly pulled across her chest and the straps on the end of the closed sleeves buckled together, just as tight as the others. The guard at the front then looped a single strap that hung between her breasts around her arms and buckled it. He then fed a further two straps, that dangled from the hem, between her legs and passed them to the guard behind her, who crossed them over and fastened them securely to the back of the jacket.
Shego then felt the unmistakable bite of a pair of leg irons being placed around her ankles, before she was pushed forwards. Her eyes had adjusted now and she could see the upright barrow towards which she was being guided. Again, she gave no thought to resisting and like a ragdoll, allowed the guards to shove her onto and strap her to it. However, before they set off, she was forced to endure one final humiliation that, had she been her normal self, would certainly have elicited a biting comment. A hard leather muzzle that covered her face from her chin to her nose and with a small grated opening for her to breathe through, was placed over her mouth and tightly secured behind her head.
The man with the flinty voice, whom she now recognised as the lieutenant who had stopped Morgan from pulverising her on day two, then walked around her and inspected her bindings. Only once he was satisfied, did he issue the command for the guards to move her. It was slightly disconcerting for Shego when the guards tilted her back, forcing her to stare up at the ceiling and began to wheel her out of the solitary confinement block. At each and every security gate they reached; she was brought to a halt as the guard on duty checked that the proper clearance had been given for her to be transported to the visitor area. However, it took until the third such stop for Shego to even ponder who might have come all the way out here to visit her. Unfortunately, she quickly drew a blank. Her brothers, even the Wego's with whom she got on best, had only ever visited her in jail once. And that had been the first time she had been properly incarcerated. She recalled the visit had lasted less than five minutes, with Hego speaking for them all when he had declared that he'd needed to see her in prison to believe that she had indeed descended into villainy. At which point she had yelled at them to get the fuck out and demanded she be returned to her cell.
Shego's unfocused gaze stared up at the ceiling, like she was looking through it, as her addled mind tried in vain to think of anyone who might come to visit her. Eventually, the thought, no one cares enough to want to visit me, managed to form as she felt the barrow set off once more. Ultimately, it didn't matter, as she would soon find out.
##
The minutes ticked by inside the small white room and Kim sat uncomfortably in her metal chair. Some fifteen minutes ago, after she had scanned the room with her Kimmunicator, found several cameras and recording devices and disabled the lot, her palms had started to become clammy. This had been the first outward sign, followed by beads of sweat forming on the back of her neck and her left leg beginning to twitch, that she was becoming exceptionally nervous about the visit. What if Shego refuses to even talk to me? Or what if I see her and feel the urge to kiss her… oh god! I never even thought about that. I've come to talk to her but haven't even started to sort out how I actually feel about her.
Like she had forgotten to revise for a major test, Kim's mind desperately started trying to cram at the last minute. Do I like Shego? Or was what happened in Drakken's lair a spur of the moment reaction to having kissed her once? Would I have taken things further had those generators not blown? Do I want it to happen again? The possible answers to that last question scared her the most. If it came back as a no, then there wouldn't be a problem and she could breathe easy. However, if it turned out to be a yes, that would open a whole other can of worms that she did not know if she could deal with. Not on top of still trying to figure out how on earth she was supposed to go about being a lesbian or how people would react to her if it became public, or worse parental knowledge.
Kim tried to take a few calming breaths. I'm just here to apologise to her, tell her Ru-Ru is ok and ask her advice about being a lesbian; that's it. Besides, she's in jail and most likely will be for several months, so I can't do anything that involves her, even if I wanted to… which I don't. Unfortunately, Kim had a bad feeling she'd added that last part purely for self-preservation's sake.
The sound of the heavy metal door opening drew her out of her musings and Kim's eyes immediately zeroed in on it. Lieutenant Boyle strode inside and after him… oh my god! her eyes widened on seeing Shego wheeled in on a vertical barrow. Of all the ways she had pictured this encounter beginning, watching her rival be brought in trussed up in a straitjacket with a muzzle covering half her face, had not even crossed her mind.A brief flash of anger caught Kim by surprise and her fists clenched slightly. Why the hell are they treating her like she's Hannibal Lecter? She's a human being, not some wild and dangerous animal. Unfortunately, the manner in which her rival had been restrained was not the worst thing about the situation.
Shego, for her part, felt slightly disorientated as she was finally pushed upright and her gaze struggled to focus on the blurry individual in front of her. And the only thought that managed to form in her mind was, why is it so bright in here?
"You ladies have fun," Lieutenant Boyle said with an almost nasty smile before he headed for the door.
Kim quickly got to her feet as the man and his underlings left the room. The second the door closed, she crossed the room in a few strides and stood in front of Shego. Immediately she took in the woman's greasy and unkempt raven hair, slumped head and just general state of deservedness. It was so un-Shego like that Kim could not help but utter in disbelief, "what have they done to you?" Without thinking, she reached behind the green-skinned woman's head and began to unbuckle the muzzle.
It was only when her rival drew up in front of her, that Shego actually managed to focus on and recognise her. "Kim?" she whispered, as much to herself as to the hero. Why would you be visiting me? Inside she felt a small spark, like someone had flicked the striker on a Zippo lighter, but it failed to catch.
The buckles finally came loose in Kim's hands and she pulled the mask away from her rival's face and tossed it to the floor. "Shego I'm…" she began to say but stopped abruptly as her olive-green eyes met with a pair of listless, dull greens. Her rival's pupils were large and so devoid of light that it was like she was staring into a pair of black holes. "Shego… what have they done to you?" Kim repeated, her tone conveying how shellshocked and horrified she felt at seeing the green-skinned woman like this.
It took a lot of effort for Shego to focus on the girl in front of her. However, even when she managed to do that, her mind could barely conjure up anything to say and so she simply uttered, in a slow monotone, the same question she'd asked of herself a moment ago, "why are you here?" Her internal Zippo was struck again and for a brief moment there was a flicker of green flame, but her rival's next action caused it to quickly die.
It felt like an icy-cold blade had just been plunged into Kim's gut when she heard Shego's question. The green-skinned woman's words having been so devoid of any inflexion or tone that she struggled to come to terms with just how absent her rival was. It felt like the being that was Shego had been left back in her cell and that the guards had simply brought along her semi-animated corpse. Is this the result of the GJ serum? Is this how she spends the bulk of her time while in jail? The thought horrified Kim, made worse by the fact that she had been partly responsible on this occasion and fully responsible on numerous prior occasions for Shego having been incarcerated. She forced herself to meet the green-skinned woman's unfocused gaze and felt a surge of anger course through her. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this! Fuelled by an untempered rage, she turned and stormed across the room to the door. With a ferocity akin to that of an angry tiger, she seized the handle and threw the heavy metal door open. It crashed against the wall with a satisfying thud and she stormed into the corridor. "Boyle!" Kim bellowed, her eyes darting around in search of the man, locating him somewhere off to her left. The hero strode forward, flaming red hair fanning out behind her and a thunderous expression on her face. "What the hell have you and your people done to Shego?" she demanded.
Back in the room, Shego heard the almighty crash from the door hitting the wall and it sent a jolt through her body. She shook her head as her gaze managed to focus on her surroundings. What on earth? Her dull-green eyes glanced around the room, taking in the white walls and scant metal furniture. It took her a moment to realise where she was. This is one of the visitor rooms. Wait a minute… her eyes scanned the small room again but saw nothing else. Kim… she was here. I'm sure of it. She twisted her head to the left as far as it would go and was just able to see outside the room. While there was no one standing within the sliver of corridor she could see, she quickly heard voices.
In front of Kim, Lieutenant Boyle stared at her, slightly taken aback by her outburst. However, he did not immediately respond. Indeed, it was a few silent moments later that his eyes widened, and he began to stutter, "C… C… Ca…"
"Is there a problem, Lieutenant Boyle?" the stern, harsh voice of a woman barked from behind Kim, cutting the man off before he had even managed to utter his first word.
Kim did not need to have heard the Lieutenant's stuttered C's to know that the woman who had just spoken must be his superior; Captain Brooks. She turned around and took in the woman. Tall and slender, the Captain carried herself with a no-nonsense air that had a whiff of menace about it. Her black uniform: trousers, shirt and sturdy boots, looked pristine and her hair was tied behind her head in a high knot. Her badge and belt buckle looked like they had been polished to within an inch of their metallic lives; her boots too. No wonder Boyle fears her. I can feel the waves of authority and discipline rolling off her already and she's still half a corridor away.
Back in the visitor room, Shego froze upon hearing Captain Brooks' firm voice echo from down the corridor. She was then acutely aware of the sound of heavy footsteps, each step deliberate and imposing, like the Captain's every action purposefully tried to dominate everything she came into contact with. What is Brooks doing here?
While the Captain's mere presence might have been enough to cause her underlings to soil themselves, Kim was made of sterner stuff and stood her ground. "Captain Brooks," she said in a calm, yet firm tone, like the first words between the two of them were akin to a handshake that both parties wanted to exert the most pressure on.
"And you must be Kim Possible," Captain Brooks replied, her voice matching Kim's pound for pound. The Captain quickly crossed the distance between them and held out a slender hand. "I'm Captain Claudia Brooks; warden of this facility. It's good to finally meet you in person."
Kim met the Captain's gaze, her own firm, as she replied, "Kim Possible; pro-hero and world saviour." While she had an immediate dislike for the woman, given the state Shego was in and the discovery about her wish for a lethal minefield in the no-mans-land between the outer and inner prison walls, she had to remember that she and Captain Brooks were technically allies. Both on the side of law and order; trying to keep the world safe from supervillains. However, while she might not know the finer details of the arrangement, Brooks was effectively a GJ operative and one whom she suspected had a fair amount of clout. All of this meant she at least needed to observe the pleasantries… for now. Kim took the offered hand and like they were testosterone-fuelled men, the two women tried to outmuscle each other. After several shakes, it ended in a stalemate and they each released the other's grip at the same time.
In the narrow strip of corridor that Shego could see from inside the visitor room, she saw a pair of gloved hands meet and embrace. What are you doing Kim? she thought, but her mind, after hearing the pair exchange pleasantries and spurred on by the part of her that currently hated her rival, had already started to come up with the answer. She brought GJ down upon me and Drakken. Of course she's going to be friendly with Brooks. The brief conversation that followed only helped to confirm this unfortunate viewpoint.
"If you are finished with my inmate, why don't we go to my office for a cup of coffee and a chat?" Captain Brook's then said to Kim. While it was oh so subtle, the hero did not fail to notice the slight upward curl of the woman's lip as she finished, "I would hate for your journey to have been for nothing."
Kim's brain quickly rationalised the situation. She was not finished with Shego, not by a long shot, given that she hadn't even managed to ask her a single question. However, she'd known the moment she'd started into those black holes in the sky that she could ask her rival the same questions over and over again and not get any sort of helpful answer. The fact of the matter being that Shego simply was not capable of helping her with anything in her current state. "Yes, I'm done," Kim replied, managing to keep the resignation from her voice, "and I wouldn't mind a soda if you have one."
"Excellent," Captain Brooks declared, her tone clearly indicating that she felt she had just scored the first point. The woman then turned to her lieutenant, "take the inmate back to cellblock D. I think we can strike a single hour from her time in solitary confinement… just this once."
Solitary confinement! Kim yelled inside her head and almost let it slip out from behind her teeth. How long have they kept her in there? She made a mental note to ask the Captain about that, along with everything else that had been inflicted upon Shego during her first ten days of incarceration, once they reached the woman's office.
"If you would like to follow me, Kim," Brooks then said and strode off down the corridor.
As Kim walked past the door to the visitor room, she caught the briefest glance of Shego and was sure that her rival had her head turned in her direction, however, Lieutenant Boyle and his underlings quickly blocked her view and the moment was gone. Grudgingly, she tore her gaze away from the doorway and followed the Captain down the corridor.
Shego caught a fleeting glimpse of Kim before Lieutenant Boyle and the other guards entered the room. One of them immediately picked up the muzzle and placed it back over her face and buckled it tight. She was then tilted backwards and wheeled out of the room. When she was taken the short distance to the first security gate, she was stood upright again, allowing her gaze to travel down the corridor. At the opposite end, the sight of Kim's flaming red tresses drew her attention and the opposite part of her, the side that lusted after her rival, cut through the lingering anger and elicited the thought, Kim came here to see me. Her gaze turned to one of desperation and longing as the security gate at the far end of the corridor opened and Captain Brooks led Kim through it. Just conversing about the hero had helped to reignite her spark last week and now the girl was actually here, yet now agonisingly beyond her reach. Not sure of what else to do, Shego opened her mouth and yelled, "Kim!"
The security door closed behind her, just as the sound of Shego yelling her name reached Kim's ears. She turned and even though they were about ten meters apart, their gazes met. Shit! She's properly aware that I'm here.
However, before Kim could do or say anything, the commanding voice of Captain Brooks called to her from the next security gate, "this way, Kim. I think my inmate has had enough excitement for one day. She is going back to her cell."
The Captain's tone told Kim that despite any protest she might give, she would not be allowed to go back and talk to Shego. For a brief moment, she thought about hacking the gate that now separated them and sprinting to her rival's aid. Unfortunately, common sense told her that she could do no such thing. She was a hero and her rival a villain. And such an act would raise far too many unwanted questions. Reluctantly, she tore her gaze away, knowing that the opportunity to talk to Shego had gone. Glumly, Kim trudged after Captain Brooks.
Even at this distance, Shego knew that her rival was staring directly at her. And a mixture of lust and hate swirled around inside her as her internal Zippo sparked once again. Kim had come to see her but then gone off with Captain Brooks. However, even if one feeling won out over the other it mattered naught, as she was powerless to act on either. Behind her, she heard the buzz to signal the security gate was about to open. A second later, Shego was tilted back and her gaze once more met the ceiling. It seemed that it did not matter how many times her internal Zippo sparked, as Captain Brooks had siphoned off the fuel that would allow the green flame to light. The hollow feeling quickly took root once more as she was wheeled back to cellblock D.
##
By the time she was escorted back to her cell, Shego had started to zone out again. The anguish of having her spark so close to reigniting but ultimately failing to catch had caused a whiplash effect and now she felt hollower than she had prior to the brief encounter with Kim. The barrow came to a stop outside the open door and she was once more tilted into an upright position. Under the supervision of Lieutenant Boyle, the guards removed her restraints. She then received a hard shove in the back and staggered into the cell. Losing her balance, she crashed to the floor.
Dazed and not fully aware of what was going on, Shego had failed to notice that Bonnie had been sat on the lower bunk; reading a book. The moment the green-skinned woman had stumbled over the threshold, her cellmate had glanced over the top of her paperback and promptly rolled her eyes. "Don't you look a total mess," the former cheerleader said, her tone somewhat disapproving.
Next thing Shego knew, an arm had been wrapped around her and she was being pulled up onto her feet.
"If you think I'm lifting you onto the top bunk, you can forget it," Bonnie grunted, as she guided Shego over to the lower bunk and sat her down.
It took a moment and great effort for Shego to turn her head; it felt like lead and cast her listless gaze upon her cellmate. "Thank you," she said, her voice a low, slow monotone.
The former cheerleader looked at her with irritation. "Urgh, seriously? They've got you back on the antipsychotics? Did they grind them up and put them in your food this time? Do they even care that I'm the one who's got to put up with you?"
"They don't care at all," she whispered as she lay down on the bunk.
Having been out of her solitary confinement cell for a while now her body temperature had risen considerably, yet she still felt cold. A cold that came from the dark abyss that once again permeated her entire being. Even though she'd only woken up a few hours ago, Shego felt completely exhausted. She shivered and instinctively huddled her arms around herself. The sound of a longsuffering sigh reached her ears, but she ignored it. However, it was quickly followed by the feeling of the blanket, which had been folded at the bottom of the bunk, being draped over her.
As she drifted into unconsciousness, she heard Bonnie utter, "even if you are back to being a total zombie, it's still better to have you around... I'm glad you're back," or maybe it was all in her imagination.
##
The office in which Kim found herself was spacious, generously furnished and above everything, pristine. Like its owner lived by the philosophy of look, don't touch. Seriously, she wouldn't be able to get her living room looking this good, even if she cleaned non-stop for an entire week.
"Have a seat, Kim," Captain Brooks instructed, directing her to a pair of black leather sofas that sat with a low coffee table between them.
Kim sat reluctantly. It felt like everything she did in compliance to the Captain's wishes was being tallied on a chalkboard against her. Which at present would have read, Brooks:3, Possible: 0. The cool leather felt slightly chilling against her warm body and carried with it more of a sense of foreboding than comfort. While she did not unnerve easily, Captain Brooks was making a damn good attempt at it. And I get the feeling that this is her being hospitable. Perhaps I'm fortunate she didn't sit me down in front of her desk, as that probably would have been akin to being sat down in front of Mr Barkin…
Kim's thought process trailed off as her gaze took in the coffee table. Its surface made of glass, polished to the point it gleamed and with a set of four metal coasters, each one positioned equidistant from the two sides of the table nearest it. Her eyes then travelled to a nearby bookcase. Each volume had been properly alphabetised and sat perfectly along the edge of its respective shelf; none of them showed any sign of wear. Has she read any of them, or is she one of those people who can read a book without damaging the spine? It was something Kim had never mastered, however, she knew a few people who could; her cousin Larry chief amongst them.
"Would you like red grape or white grape and elderflower?" Captain Brooks then asked from across the room. The woman was stood at a unit that housed an expensive-looking coffee maker on top and a drinks fridge below.
"White grape," Kim replied and watched the woman withdraw a small glass bottle from the fridge, while she waited for her coffee to brew.
A minute or two later, Captain Brooks set down the premium soft drink; along with a folded paper napkin, on the coaster nearest Kim and a small cup and saucer on the one opposite. From the rich aroma, she could tell that the woman did not skimp out when it came to her coffee. Or indeed on anything if the office was any judge of her character. She Reached out, picked up the soda and unscrewed the cap. After taking a drink, she set the bottle back down on the coaster and deliberately placed the cap on the table; her gaze studying the Captain's expression for any change. It was subtle, but her action succeeded in causing the woman's lips to thin ever so slightly. She smiled internally, heh, Brooks: 3, Possible: 1.
Captain Brooks took a tiny sip of her coffee and set it back down with precision on its saucer before she said, "so, what brings you all the way out to my facility, Kim? I can't imagine a busy woman such as yourself coming all the way out here, just for a chat with some uncivilised convict."
Kim was far from the best liar in the world. Indeed, the escapade with the Centurion project having provided irrefutable proof that her body underwent less stress during a mission than when she lied. However, she had carefully thought this one through yesterday, just in case such a situation arose. And she'd already had the chance to practice it on Lieutenant Boyle. "I came to question Shego about some of the technology she recently stole, Claudia," she replied airily, managing to keep herself perfectly calm.
The woman's lips thinned even more at Kim's deliberate use of her first name. It seemed it had done as intended and scored her another point. No surprises there. Brooks wanted me to use her title and surname, rather than her forename, as she's trying to exert her dominance over me. God, she's just like a teacher. Heh, sorry, Claudia, but my school days are long gone.
"Indeed," Captain Brooks said, her tone already conveying that she found this suspect. "I have it on good authority that everything that belonged to her and Mr Lipsky at Mount St Helens was destroyed inside the volcano."
It seemed that unlike Lieutenant Boyle, who had simply accepted her justification, the Captain knew to question it. Only Kim was well prepared for such an eventuality. "I can tell you first-hand that it was. However, I have it on good authority that the device in question would not have been used in the construction of Dr Drakken's lightning ray. Which means it is unaccounted for. Unless Global Justice have managed to take inventory of molten lava?" She phrased the last part as a question, partly to force a concession on the point, but also to gauge how far the Captain would align herself with GJ.
"I doubt even our scientists have figured out a way of retrospectively analysing objects that have fallen into a pool of lava," Brooks conceded.
She said our, meaning that she's definitely on the GJ payroll. Good to know. And I'm counting that slip up as another point for Possible; 3:3. "Well, until such a time as they do, I'm stuck with doing things the old-fashioned way. Hence the need for the visit."
Kim had hoped that would have been enough to end the matter, however, it seemed Brooks still smelled something, as she then asked, "what exactly is it that you're looking for if you don't mind me asking?" The sharp nature of the Captain's tone told her that it didn't matter if Kim approved or not.
"I'm afraid that's none of your concern," she said firmly, attempting to convey the fact that she would not be bullied. "My client has asked that I don't divulge the details to anyone." She resisted the urge to add, "and it's none of GJ's damn business," even though the whole thing was a charade.
"How convenient," Captain Brooks said and took a sip of her coffee. It seemed that no matter what Kim said, the woman would not believe her. Either the Captain had good instincts or was just suspicious of everything.
Before Brooks could continue, Kim cut in, "so, where's Warden Norton? Didn't this used to be his office?" recalling the detail from her previous visit.
"Given early retirement," Brooks replied firmly and with a suggestion that she considered that it had not been early enough. "After the incident two and a half years ago, when Mr Lipsky was allowed to escape, it was decided that he had become unfit to run this facility. Now I do. And bar a single blip while I was on holiday," Kim watched as the Captain's knuckles turned pure white around the handle of her coffee cup, "there have been zero escapes."
Great, so she's judge, jury and executioner. However, given how easily some of the supervillains used to walk out of here, I can see why Betty's given her almost free reign. Maybe it won't be so easy for Shego to escape… Inside her head, Kim could hear the voice of Ru-Ru repeatedly uttering the word jailbreak. "That's quite a feat," she replied, swatting away the naked-mole-shark's voice. Her tone then took on a somewhat harsh edge that she had not intended, "do you manage that by keeping all your inmates in the same state I saw Shego in?"
A dark fire seemed to strike up behind Captain Brooks grey eyes and she swiftly replied, "I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that the inmates here never set foot beyond the walls of this facility again. However, the convict in question is, as you should know, a special case. I need to use methods beyond those that would be sanctioned for any other inmate to ensure she remains where she belongs."
Whether it was the injustice of Shego's situation, the fact she had a lot of respect for her rival, or that she perhaps wanted something more between them, Kim could not say, however, something caused her calm demeanour to crack. "What, so you lock her up in solitary confinement, restrain her like she is a vicious animal and keep her drugged? Isn't suppressing her glow enough for you?"
A slight curling of the Captain's lips suggested that she was claiming a point for the semi-outburst. "I would have thought you of all people would have been in support of my methods. After all, if that particular inmate stays where she belongs, you don't need to deal with her."
When the woman let her words hang, Kim knew that she was being bated. Unfortunately, her dander was still up after having seen Shego's present condition. Which meant she could only water her reply down to barking, "it's inhumane the way you are treating her! How long did you keep her in solitary confinement?"
"Just four days. I went easy on her given her good behaviour in the days prior," Captain Brooks said, her tone laced with amusement. "However, I think your use of the term inhumane is rather hypocritical. I'm simply keeping one inmate docile so that she is not a danger to her peers or my staff. If you think that's inhumane, then how would you describe your own actions? Or did I simply imagine my infirmary full of inmates who suffered grievous bodily harm at your hands two weeks ago?"
It was only when she heard the words, did Kim realise that she'd walked directly into the trap. She opened her mouth to respond but had to close it again when she failed to come up with any sort of defence. Shit, she's got me cornered on that one. My actions last week were inexcusable. Brooks:5, Possible:3.
Unfortunately, her continued silence allowed Captain Brooks the opportunity to continue. "We might do different jobs, Kim, but deep down, you and I are the same."
"We are not the same!" Kim fired back hotly, enraged at the insinuation. While she made the claim, she could recall how she had felt two weeks ago how powerful beating down everyone who stood in her way had made her feel. I know I have a dark side. The night of my junior prom proved that; when I kicked Shego into that electrical tower. She sighed internally. In that respect, maybe Brooks is right. However, I choose not to give in to it, to fuel it. "I made some serious mistakes two weeks ago, that's all. I don't enjoy treating people the way you obviously do."
"You're still young, Kim. Still entrenched in teenage ideals about black and white, good and evil," Captain Brooks said, unphased by Kim's insinuation about her character. "However, you'll eventually learn that things are not that simple, even more so in this post Lorwardian invasion world. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty if you want to protect the world."
"There's dirty and then there's what you're doing to Shego," Kim spat. "She deserves to be treated like a human being!"
"I'll treat her how I see fit," Brooks replied, her lips thinning once more. "And there is nothing you can do about it. Although, it does beg the question of why you care so much?"
If there was one thing Kim Possible detested, it was being told that there was something she could not do. Her olive-green eyes locked onto the Captain's dull greys, her gaze conveying what she knew her words could not, don't count on it. I'm the girl who can do anything! "It doesn't matter what she's done, she's still a human being." She picked up the soda bottle, drained it and stood up. "Thanks for the soda, but I think it's time I left."
The Captain's gaze remained unmoving, almost as though she knew Kim had just picked up the gauntlet that had, intentionally or not, been thrown down. "I'll have someone escort you out," she said, although Kim interpreted this to have meant, "give me your best shot."
A guard was already waiting for her when Kim left the office and wasted no time in escorting her through the facility and back to the Sloth. She might not have known what she intended to do when she left the prison walls in a cloud of dust, however, Kim now knew that she had to and would do something.
##
Memories flashed all around Shego at lightning speed as she tossed and turned in her sleep. Each and every one pertaining to the same thing, or rather the same person; Kim Possible. One second, she was sitting with the hero inside a bar, listening to her say, "hey, this is a nice place. If we trash it tonight, they won't let us back in next time," next, they were standing in the middle of a grassy field, with the girl now asking, "what would you say if I did?" Neither scene lasted for more than a heartbeat, but she saw and recalled the events perfectly.
Now she was fighting Kim inside a large dome and heard the girl ask her, "once I've finished blowing up Drakken's death-ray, do you want to go out for a drink?" The comment came so out of the blue that it caused her to pause and drop her guard, only to receive a side-kick to her abdomen, which sent her tumbling over a railing. Shego fell and landed in a booth inside the same bar as before; a place called Spritzers. Kim sat across from her, a seductive smile on her lips. "You always knew how to tempt me," she said.
The scene shifted again, this time to a different bar; Heartbeats. Shego sat alone at a table upstairs, looking down upon the fiery-haired vixen as she snogged some random boy. She felt a flash of anger, but it lasted no longer than the memory that had elicited it. Flash forward a matter of minutes and Kim was now lying on the ground in a parking lot; Shego's foot on her throat. Like the anger had transferred between them, the hero spat, "Fuck… you! I… like… boys!"
The scene shifted and now she stood on a rooftop, Kim across from her; the girl angrier than she'd ever seen her. "What the hell would you know about it anyway!" Kim barked with venom. On autopilot, Shego replied, "news flash, Princess, I would know because I happen to be gay." Then, without warning or with any control over the situation, she darted across the girl and planted a soft kiss on her right cheek. A thin smile formed on her face, but the memory vanished as quickly as it had come.
The flashbacks soon reached their endgame, as Shego was treated to lightning-quick snippets of her trading blows with Kim both outside and inside Dr Drakken's volcano lair. Then it slowed to normal speed; she and her rival facing each other once more. "You, me, right here, right now," she said, with the girl quickly replying, "I'm not kissing you!" The rest of the verbal exchanges passed by faster than a finger-snap and she found herself stood inches apart from the hero. Her arms automatically wrapped themselves around Kim's waist and the two came together. Slowly, their lips intertwined; pretty pinks against jet blacks. And a fire of desire erupted inside Shego.
However, that was all she got; one taste. Next thing she knew, Global justice agents had her in chains and were tossing her into the back of a chopper. She got a single glance of Kim, who was stood beside Betty Director, before she crashed onto the cold, hard metal and everything went black.
"Kimmie," a voice said from somewhere amidst the darkness. "The girl has been your rival for five years now."
"Kimmie," a second disembodied voice added. "She's the only one who is any match for you."
"Kimmie. She's the only one who properly understands you."
"Kimmie. The girl you've had the most fun with in the longest time."
Shego had no idea where the voices were coming from, how many there were or what they were trying to accomplish. They just continued to spout random stuff about Kimmie; all of which she knew to be true.
"Kimmie. The girl whose life you've saved three times because you can't stand to see someone else finish her off."
"Kimmie. The girl who led you on and then told you to go fuck yourself."
"What the hell do you want?" Shego shouted; almost desperately, her head turning from side to side to try and catch a glimpse of the source of each voice as it spoke its truth.
"Kimmie. The girl you saw struggling with her sexuality and decided to help."
"Kimmie. The girl who you drove into anger because you saw yourself in her."
"Leave me alone!" she yelled, but it fell on deaf ears, assuming the sources of the voices had ears with which to hear her.
"Kimmie. The girl who you poked and prodded, then deliberately ran away from."
A shiver ran down Shego's spine and she broke into a run through the sea of black that surrounded her. She had to get away, had to escape the continued barrage of memories about Kimmie. My life does not revolve around her! Descending further into the darkness, windows kept popping up in front of her; each displaying a short clip of herself and her rival. She skirted around some, smashed through others; never breaking stride. I have to get away!
However, the voices followed her.
"Kimmie. The girl who chased you across the country to try and exact revenge upon you."
"Kimmie. The girl who you drove to the point she almost tried to kill you."
Shego skidded to a stop. Everything around her might have been a sea of black, but she knew she had reached the edge of a chasm of darkness; an abyss. The voices were right behind her.
"Kimmie. The girl with whom you shared your most passionate moment since Danni."
"Kimmie. The girl who betrayed you to Global Justice and watched as you were dragged off to jail."
The two contrasting memories crashed together and blasted Shego over the edge and she plummeted downwards into a deeper darkness. Yet still, she was not free of the voices… of the memories that went with their words.
"Kimmie. The girl with whom you shared your most passionate moment since Danni."
"Kimmie. The girl who betrayed you to Global Justice and watched as you were dragged off to jail."
The two voices repeated their words over and over and over, the speed and volume increasing in equal proportion. And there was nothing Shego could do to escape. She closed her eyes tight, but it did nothing. The words and memories echoed all around her to the point she could barely stand it. Then they changed, striking home at the most recent memory she had.
"Kimmie. The girl who travelled across the country, just to see you."
"Kimmie. The girl who happily wandered off with Captain Brooks and left you to rot."
"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" she bellowed in desperation and huddled her knees to chest.
The speed of the voices then increased to the point that she could only hear one thing. "Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. Kimmie. . . ..."
"KIMMIE!" Shego yelled as she sat bolt upright, sweat clinging to her forehead and dribbling down the back of her t-shirt.
She looked around and saw that she was back inside her cell. A dream… just a dream. Except that dream had contained… something. As she took a moment to centre herself, she could feel the green fire that had ignited inside her. Shego felt… like herself; mind unclouded and warmth slowly spreading through her. She raised a hand and focusing all her energy on it, saw a faint green glow surround her fingertips for a brief moment before it vanished. Yes! she practically yelled internally. For the first time since she had arrived at the prison, she felt properly warm and the hollowness that had permeated her entire being had noticeably receded. It would still take time, but her powers were now starting to regenerate. Except she knew they shouldn't be. She'd only been in jail for little over a week and it normally took her months to reach this stage. Have GJ tried to improve their serum and fucked it up? She had the thought and quickly rejected it. She knew full well what had triggered the return of her glow… Kimmie.
Shego rolled over, noticing that she was on the bottom bunk. Heh, guess Bonnie really wasn't willing to heave my ass up onto the top bunk. At least she didn't just leave me on the floor. She rolled her eyes, guess I'll need to thank her come morning. Still feeling somewhat exhausted, she closed her eyes to go back to sleep, however, not before having the thought, when I get out of here, you and I need to have a serious conversation. Right, Kimmie?
##
While not as much as there would have been two weeks ago, there was still some measure of force applied when Kim slammed her apartment door closed behind her. On the sofa, she saw Ru-Ru visibly jump and squeak, "yikes!" as his cheese balls scattered all over the cushion atop which he was perched.
"Are you always eating?" Kim snapped. The moment the words left her mouth she saw the danger signs and stopped in her tracks. She took a deep breath and forced her anger to subside. "Sorry," she said on the exhale and edged over to the couch and sat down.
The naked-mole-shark hesitantly wandered over to sit beside her. "Rah, rah, rah?" he asked carefully.
"Yeah, got it in one, Ru-Ru," she replied, taking another calming breath. During her three-hour trip back from the penitentiary, her anger at Captain Brooks, GJ and the sheer injustice of the whole Shego situation had steadily built to the point she'd been tempted to turn the Sloth around, forcibly carve her way through the facility and whisk her rival away. Fortunately, common sense had stayed her hand and kept her on the road back to Middleton.
"Bad day?" Ru-Ru asked. The naked-mole-shark then picked up one of his scattered cheese balls and held it out to her.
Kim looked suspiciously at the offering, "are you trying to bribe me again?"
The creature gave her a cheeky smile and she was unsure if that meant yes or not. "Problem?"
She sighed, "Shego."
Ru-Ru quickly procured a second cheese ball and held both out to her. "Cheese ball?" he asked.
She let out a light laugh, "now you are definitely trying to bribe me," however, took the offering anyway and crunched down on them. "Mmmm, I forgot how good these are." She reached across the sofa and picked up the bag, receiving a sour look from the naked-mole-shark that indicated that he had not been offering her free access to the packet she had paid for. Kim proceeded to eat another handful before saying, "don't lose your temper, but I went to visit Shego today. "
The sour expression on Ru-Ru's face quickly morphed into one of rage and it looked like he was struggling not to yell a string of curses at her. Wow, he really does miss Shego.
"It would have been a long six-hour round trip and for absolutely nothing," she added hastily. "Shego was in no condition to talk to me."
Ru-Ru's beady black eyes met her olive greens as he uttered," what wrong?"
It was crystal clear to Kim that saying the wrong thing here would cause the naked-mole-shark to burst into a fit of rage. Unfortunately, the truth happened to fall into that category. "They had her restrained like she was some wild animal and dopped up on something that made her completely vacant. Like her body was there, but everything that is Shego had been sucked out."
The memory of how Shego had appeared, trussed up in heavy restraints, head drooped, hair tousled and that look in her eyes like black holes in the sky, filled Kim's mind. Meanwhile, Ru-Ru began hopping up and down in a fit of rage; uttering a barrage of curses, some of which she could discern and others she was glad she couldn't. After a few moments, she met his gaze and he madly squeaked, "jailbreak, jailbreak, jailbreak, jailbreak!"
Kim let out the sigh of someone torn in two, "Ru-Ru, we've been over this, I…"
The naked-mole-shark looked at her pointedly, "jailbreak!"
"It's not that simple," she protested. "I'm a hero. I send supervillains to jail, not break them out. If I got caught, not only would my career be over, but I'd probably find myself as her new roommate." She paused for a moment, before adding, "maybe I could talk to Betty instead. Get her to force Captain Brooks to treat her like a human being." No sooner had the words left her lips did her mind say, that'll never work, not after my last conversation with her. Maybe if we were still on good terms, she'd listen to me. However, now she'd demand a pound of flesh… and there is no way I'm joining GJ. Besides, asking Betty to get Brooks to go easy on Shego would only serve to raise questions that I certainly don't want to answer.
Ru-Ru helpfully summed up her entire thought process in two words, "GJ bastards!"
Kim gave him a look that said, "I thought I told you to drop the potty mouth," however, replied, "yeah, trying to appeal to Betty's good nature is just asking for trouble. What are my other options?"
"Jailbreak, jailbreak, jailbreak!"
"Apart from that." She wracked her brain for another solution. Maybe I can get a human rights lawyer, have them take GJ to court over how she's being treated? She let out a deflated sigh at that idea. Even if I found someone willing to take on the case, it could take months before I even got a hearing on the matter. And I'll bet GJ would have the courts in their pocket. In this climate, the justice system probably thinks Captain Brooks isn't being tough enough on the supervillains. "Ok, so going through legal channels is probably a non-starter," she said out loud.
"Uh-hu, uh-hu," Ru-Ru agreed with an emphatic nod of his head. "Lawyers useless."
"Ok, so what does that leave me with?" It took her a moment to come up with option D; human rights activist groups. Unfortunately, she quickly saw the flaws with that one too. Ultimately, going through a human rights organisation would just end up with a court case. She let out another long sigh. The success of those groups is widely dependant on public opinion putting pressure on the establishment. And no one cares one iota about supervillains, what with all the take over the world schemes. I'd struggle to even get it off the ground and even if I did, hit the same problem in the courts.
She could sit here all day and ponder this, but in the end, come back to the same conclusion; this was down to her. Only she could do something about what GJ was doing to Shego. And in that respect, she only had two options; one of which she'd already vehemently rejected. "What GJ is doing to Shego is unjust, inhumane and completely wrong. She might be a supervillain, but she doesn't deserve to be treated like that," she said, trying to reaffirm her justification.
The naked-mole-shark's eyes lit up and he began to gleefully rub his paws together.
Kim met Ru-Ru's beady black gaze and sighed, "looks like you're getting your wish, Ru-Ru… it took Kim several moments before she was able to finish. She was a renowned world hero who, apart from the occasional underage drinking, lived by the law. Yet here she was, about to declare her intention to do something very illegal. Was it to fight against injustice? Out of respect for her rival? A need to talk to her? Or something more? Kim did not know which. Nevertheless, she found herself uttering words that as little as one week ago, she would never have imagined saying, "I'm going to break Shego out of jail."
##
Author's note:
Phew, ok, let's just take a moment to catch our breaths before we digest what just happened... right, everyone good to go? Let's proceed.
As I said at the start, this chapter was a ba***rd to write and took me the best part of two and a bit weeks. I think I struggled in some way with every scene and a points hated everything about it, however, I really like how it turned out in the end. And while there were a lot of good moments, Kim vs Brooks springs to mind, it was those final two scenes that I enjoyed the most. To finally get to write Shego with her glow, even if it was only for a few seconds, was such a great moment for me, especially with the false dawn back in chapter six. And then to finish the chapter off with finally getting Kim to the point she manages to justify breaking Shego out of jail to herself, felt like such a relief. While I still stand by my decision to send Shego to jail in the first place and the effects it will have on the story in the long run, actually writing this segment with her incarcerated was not what I set out to write way back at the very beginning of this story. Hence, I am extremely happy that I can now see the end of this segment in sight and hopefully, we can soon get back to some proper KiGo stuff.
In terms of the next update, I should be ready to post it in the next two weeks, so don't worry about me making you all wait for three, given you got this update early, I'm not that cruel, lol ;p. So, until then, thank you all once again for your support and I look forward to hearing what you all thought about this chapter.
Warmest regards
K1G0
