Kim established a daily routine during the week where she went to the bookstore to read and write down anything interesting she learned in a journal she bought with the money she got as a small allowance from Shego. After the bookstore, she'd go to the market and pick something up for dinner. She'd eat dinner with Shego, and then Shego would go to work for the night. Kim had been content with this until she got bored.
When Kim was bored, she knew she had to do something about it. Her nightly adventures at her old home sprung from intense boredom where she thought she would go crazy if she didn't dare do anything about it. Kim knew she had an active mind, and it needed to be stimulated with more than just books.
Shego was sleeping after her night shift, so Kim decided to change things up a bit- it wasn't like Shego would ever know. Shego had cash in multiple hiding spots around the house, and Kim managed to find one of them. There wasn't much, and the spot behind the picture frame on the wall seemed sloppy. There wasn't much money there, but she assumed Shego got tired and stashed it.
Kim took the money in the pouch, and off she went.
Kim decided as she traveled, she'd add to the map of Atlanta in her journal. The map she had was small, and she couldn't wait to increase the distance that she could travel on a day to day basis. Her first exploration had been a thrilling, scary, and an overall stupid experience. She didn't soak up her surroundings like Shego did.
Kim found a small bakery and purchased a pastry. She had no regrets, especially since she hadn't had something so sweet or so good in so long. She remembered when pastries like these were always readily available back on the plantation. The food was definitely something that she missed, but that was about it. Despite being away for a while, she still found her parents infuriating and her brothers annoying. The pangs of homesickness would go away pretty quickly when she thought about them. But she did miss Monique dearly. And Wade, that intelligent boy. And the nights she'd have the whole plantation to herself when everyone was asleep, and she was wide awake.
The adventures she had with Shego kind of made up for what she lost, though. These adventures were nothing like her safe ones on her father's plantation. However, she did miss her alone time exploring on her own because Shego almost had her on as tight as a leash as her parents when it came to exploring the city.
Kim bit into her pastry, thinking about what she should do. Should she go to the market? Maybe the little church near her new temporary home? The church seemed lovely, so finishing up her treat, Kim made her way to the church.
The church was nice inside. Everything looked relatively new, and there was a service that was about to start. Feeling like Kim had abandoned her religion on her journey, she decided to sit through the service, giving a sigh of relief when she noted that the church was Protestant.
But the services? They were boring. Kim couldn't remember being in a church. She really only had traditional Bible studies and prayers with her family. It wasn't anything like this. The unfamiliarity made her anxious. Everyone else seemed to know what to do except her, and this bothered her. Back at home, Kim was a natural at everything put in front of her, usually praised by her parents and other people for being so polite, so informed. Here? It was confusing.
Kim left the church the moment they were dismissed. This was something she was going to have to get used to because how else would she feel close to God and her religion? Neglecting her religious practices was probably a sin, and Kim felt she needed to keep going in order to redeem herself.
Thankfully, as the crowds of the church were thinning, Kim noticed an old friend sticking out like a sore thumb with his own horse. He was across the dirt road, but she knew it was him. And when she shouted his name, he turned his head and his soft, brown eyes looked at her in confusion. It took him a moment to register that this was Kimbery Ann Possible. "Kim? Why are you dressed like a…"
"Like a poor girl? Oh, Ron, that's because I kind of am now."
"What happened to your family? Is everything okay?" Ron asked frantically.
"Everything is more than fine!" Kim told the truth despite her uncertainty about church moments ago. "I ran away from home," she said more quietly so any onlookers wouldn't hear her. "With Shego."
"Shego?"
"You know, Sheila Gordon."
"You ran away with Sheila Gordon?!" Ron said louder than Kim would have liked. She immediately put a hand over his mouth as he continued to speak, his voice muffled against her hand. When she didn't take her hand off of his mouth, he licked her hand and Kim let out a shriek. She immediately pulled away and rubbed her right hand against the fabric of her clothes repeatedly.
"Ew, Ronald! Why would you do such a thing?" She was going to have to scrub her hand later with soap. The sliminess of his tongue was something she wished she hadn't experienced.
"Because you are insane!" he whispered harshly. "You had it made!"
"I was miserable!" she countered.
"Miss Possible, may I point out it's miserable bein' poor?" Ron queried.
"I am actually happier with so much less," Kim admitted.
"Where are you staying?"
"Shego knew someone who has a second home here," Kim explained.
"That explains it. You have a free place to stay," Ron rolled his eyes.
"I will have you know that I stayed in some quite questionable places on the journey here, and I am ready to spend more when Shego and I head up to New York City," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Kim, Shego is not good news. It was one thing when you were hangin' out with her at barbeques and whatnot, but this? The things I even heard about her made me question her. Green glowing hands, Kim! Green glowing hands!" Ron started waving his arms around with his fingers bent when he mentioned the glowing hands.
"You and I both know that is an incredibly ridiculous rumor," Kim replied.
"Yes, I agree," Ron smiled and put his arms down.
"So, you are not going to try and save me?" Kim asked him.
"Nope," Ron said without skipping a beat. "The Ron man does not tell one how to live his..er..her life!"
Kim giggled. "Now, what brought you into Atlanta?"
"Work. There's a lot more work in the city. I am the stable boy," Ron said as he snapped his suspenders. "Over at the inn. Doesn't pay as well, but it's honest work."
"How is your family?" Kim asked, remembering how Ron had to send home some of his wages. Ron explained that they were doing okay, and his adopted little sister was happy. Ron still didn't want to return to his hometown because he liked the freedom of being on his own. He was also somewhat ignored when he was present. Kim felt bad for him because she assumed he wanted to go home, but he also didn't want to give up the freedom he had as a young man on his own with his horse. School was obviously not an option for him, nor was going abroad. Kim didn't realize how lucky she was to have some sort of education, even if it was shallow, because Ron never got the opportunity to learn. Ron was sent to school until about the fifth grade. School, he said, was not really his thing.
Kim walked beside Ron as he said how it was difficult for him to read, and he couldn't keep up with the other children his age. Rather than be embarrassed, he just stopped going and his parents didn't seem to care whether he attended or did not attend. Ron explained that they were happy to have him help more so that he could go out and work to contribute to the family.
"My life was just so simple," Kim said. "And my parents were only waiting to marry me off in a few years. I do not want to stay at home and look after children. I would rather travel. I am loving it, really. I cannot wait until Shego and I leave here and go see other places on our way to New York City. She says New York is even grander than Atlanta! Can you even imagine anything bigger? I cannot," Kim said excitedly.
"If all this makes you happy, then I am happy for you," Ron smiled. He reached into his satchel and grabbed a carrot. He took a bite out of it before giving the rest to Rufus. "Just…watch out for the glowing hands."
"Yes, of course," Kim rolled her eyes, but smiled.
Kim accompanied Ron to the stables he tended. Rufus went in and greeted his fellow horses (or so it seemed- Kim wasn't entirely sure). She watched as Ron worked, mostly shoveling and replacing hay. He went around back to refill their water troughs. She talked to him the whole time about what she learned from the books she read, Ron chiming in here or there. It was relaxing and welcoming because her old routine during her time in Atlanta got incredibly boring; she was thankful for the stimulation.
After a couple of hours, Kim went into the inn with Ron. She watched him order a drink, and this got her curious. When he wasn't looking, she took a swig of his drink and began to cough. She did not expect the drink to burn like it had! The bartender laughed and told her that was a man's drink. Since she was competitive, Kim said, "It only went down the wrong way." And the way she spoke was proper compared to the other men. Kim then realized she was the only woman in the joint.
Kim knew she should have been nervous, but she wasn't. Instead, she stared at the bartender and dared him to pour her a drink of her own. He obliged merely for his own entertainment because Kim took a swig of it and made a face of disgust. "I can no longer pretend. This is just awful!"
"It's an acquired taste," Ron said as he took a drink.
"Don't listen to the boy," the bartender said as he cleaned off a glass. "He was makin' the same face you were just last week."
"But the Ron man got used to it!" He exclaimed. "And I am not going back!"
"First drink is on me," the bartender said to Kim. "The boy only drank it because of that, I reckon."
"I would believe it," Kim giggled while Ron looked annoyed with a red tint to his cheeks. Kim listened to the music playing in the background, identifying it as Irish music because her mother used to play it on the piano when Kim was young. Despite the drink's bitterness, Kim drank it with Ron anyway. She had never felt so carefree and relaxed even though she never thought it possible since she was on the road with Shego.
Kim had wine before, but never more than one small glass she never finished. This drink was definitely something different. She found out it was whiskey, and she didn't like it one bit. So, naturally, she took another sip because she had to prove a point. Her stubbornness didn't allow her to make a face and continue to say how disgusting the drink was. She put on a brave face and kept at it until the whiskey was gone.
When Kim turned around on the barstool, she noticed people starting to dance. The men and women were drunk, and none of them cared how they danced. None of these people seemed to have proper dancing lessons, so Kim saw this as a challenge. She got up when the song picked up and began to dance. Kim recalled that she had done everything close to perfect when she was wealthy, but she hated most of it. Dancing, though, seemed to be fun when it wasn't forced; and this wasn't forced. It was pure fun and she danced along with the other men and women in the bar, danced to the violins and the drums. Kim figured being raised as a 'fine young lady' could sometimes be rewarding. At least she could dance.
And then the room went silent. The music stopped, the laughing stopped, the dancing stopped. But for Kim, the room was still kind of spinning in a way. Perhaps she had danced too much.
Was that Shego at the entrance?
Yes, that was most definitely Shego with a scowl on her face, and if looks could kill, all of the people in the bar would be dead. Kim didn't think walking slowly could be scary, but Shego somehow managed it. "It's the girl with the green, glowing hands," someone whispered. Kim heard someone shush the man who spoke.
"You," Shego said when she reached the bartender. "You are giving young, impressionable girls alcohol?" Shego's voice was low. "That girl right there is Kimmie."
"Ah," the bartender swallowed. "I had no idea this was the girl, Miss Shego." Kim thought she could see sweat forming on his face. She felt as if she sobered up because she was questioning herself why the bartender seemed to be afraid of Shego, along with the patrons.
"Do not harm her again, do you hear me?" Shego growled.
"Yes ma'am."
Kim winced when Shego took her by the arm and dragged her out of the bar. As she was leaving, she gave Ron a small wave. Ron, who was just as confused as Kim, silently waved back. When the cooler night air hit her (was it getting close to Thanksgiving?), Kim pulled her arm away from Shego's grip. "What on God's green Earth was that about?" Kim yelled.
"You are intoxicated," Shego merely responded.
"I may be," Kim agreed, "But I know something must be up. You silenced an entire bar to drag me out of there and the bartender was visibly frightened of you!"
"Can we continue this conversation later, if you must?" Shego fought back.
"No," Kim said, putting her foot down. "Did you do something to those people in there? Did you use your green, glowing hands to stop them?" she yelled.
"What? No! Kimmie, that is an absurd rumor that has traveled with me! Don't you think you would have seen them glow by now?" Shego held up her hands. "Do not forget the fact that I can defend myself. I can fight and hold up my own against a man. Look, I went to that bar," Shego's voice calmed as she explained to Kim that there had been a young woman who was drugged by the bartender. With what, Shego was unsure of, but it was not the usual drunk woman. The bartender was going to take advantage of her, but Shego stepped in and beat him up in front of everyone. "The people there are regulars at that establishment," Shego said the word establishment sarcastically. "So, they saw that I am able to fight. It does not take much to scare people."
Kim frowned, embarrassed. "Well, I am thankful you saved that woman," Kim replied. "You're a hero!" Kim hugged her. "Teach me to be a hero?"
Shego let out her signature cackle, but not dramatically, and pat the shorter girl on the head.
Kim easily believed Shego, but what about how friendly Ron was with the bartender? It didn't seem like Ron would have been friends with someone so vile. But Shego took Kim under her wing, and she did not think of it any longer. She believed Shego. Besides, Shego never really intentionally lied to her.
"Oh, and Kimmie, never take my money without permission. Not ever again. Got it?"
"Got it," Kim gulped.
Hi I'm casually failing to update this story at a decent rate. Well, at least I updated! Thank you to anyone who is still reading this after so long. I swear there is a plan to finish this. Working full time, going to school part time, and other adult things keep me busy.