Author's Note: I can finally post this! Fair warning: This introduces a good bit of lore, so be prepared!
Chapter Twelve: The Wound Made
Kim sighed and shook her head as she and Shego descended to Earth in the pod. After a few moments, Kim began to feel the woman next to her shiver. Kim would have dismissed the moment had it not been for an impressive wave of fear over her mind from the other end of her Karadim. "Shego," Kim said as she gently placed a hand on the older woman's arm. "I'm here. Focus on me." Kim tried to soothe. "Only a few more seconds and the atmosphere will be thick enough for you to break away from the pod without either of us suffering hypoxia."
Shego looked around the cramped pod in horror, "Not again," the woman whispered under her breath. The dark metal ball began to undulate and twist in Veronica's mind until it became a dark cellar. As Veronica looked around, she could see dust floating down from the door, light filtering down through spaces between the boards of the door. Heavy footfalls made Veronica's heart sink.
A voice, weathered and raspy with age, growled, "Where are you, you little bitch?!"
Fear and panic took over before Veronica couldn't think of what to do next as the child of seven years spied the instrument of her punishment.
A large man who looked like a thinner, white-haired Hego growled and picked her up by the neck. Then, he threw her against the wall. Dazed and with her world spinning and doubled, Veronica glared up at the man and spat blood from her bleeding tongue. With a furious expression, the man slapped her and sent her tumbling back into the waiting embrace of something that resembled an Iron Maiden. However, the spikes were rounded to smooth electric prongs.
When the door slammed shut, the little girl heard the now-familiar hum of energy and braced for pain, locking her jaw such that the electricity sent through her could not make her scream. She would NOT give the bastard satisfaction!
Kim stared in confusion as sudden pain ran through her. The hero felt like she was back in one of Dementor's traps. (The man had an unhealthy obsession with electrocution as a means to contain his enemies.) For a moment, Kim wondered where the pain originated, but that was soon overtaken by severe claustrophobia. With honed focus, Kim dulled her sense of touch to lessen her anxiety and redirected her mind to focus on her surroundings. Though it at first appeared to be a smooth sphere, the Mandalorian quickly noticed weaknesses in the metalwork and smiled. Then, Kim quickly thumbed a vibroblade out of a sheath on her ankle and stabbed the metal wall. The warble of the blade grew in intensity as it echoed around the pod. The metal relinquished hold to the base as if it were made of pressure inside and out finished the pod with an ear-splitting metallic scream.
"K-Kim…" Veronica roused from her flashback at the blast of wind to her face.
The redhead only nodded before the floor of the pod ripped away and caused Kim and Shego to drop with gravity. "KIM!"
Kim angled herself to slow down. Far below, the warrior spotted a river and did her best to twist toward it as the wind whipped in resistance to her form as it plummeted to the rapidly approaching ground below. The young woman closed her eyes for a moment. Then, she growled and called Veronica reluctantly.
What's wrong, Kim?
(Nothing…) The Mando'a slid around Kim's mind almost like a physical wall. When Kim only received confusion and worry from Veronica's end of the Karadim, Kim dug in deeper. Powerful Mado'ad pride led Kim to take the emotional, wordless query as a siege. The warrior's mind reacted accordingly. Veronica grunted in surprise at the attack, but none more surprised than Kim as a painful reflection of Veronica's pain stabbed Kim's own mind.
After the backlash, Kim relented and gradually pulled down the barrier her mind erected so quickly. With another deep breath, Kimbrushed the smooth black scales under her in a bid for comfort.
By Chaos, what was that?!
Kim blushed. At any other time, Shego would have thought it cute, but all she could focus on was the fact Kim pushed her away with frightening ease. Mom might have taught me a few techniques to defend my mind against people she calls Jetii.
So, you decided to push me away when I want to help?!
I am terrified to run out of fuel again! Laandur! Kim shivered with a broken look in her eyes. The simple word seemed to set alight pain in the redhead. I am tempted to ask the Twin Dweebs to design and install an atmospheric converter on the sen'tra.
Kim, Veronica didn't know much of her girlfriend's people, but she knew the importance of a family's armor. Don't let The Tweebs blow up your se…sen'tra because you're scared!
I am NOT scared! Kim snapped with venom in her words, seemingly taken out of her previous stupor. Mando'ade are warriors; we do not feel fear!
You thick-headed… Veronica snorted in anger as smoke to rival rolling clouds from the top of a series of factory stacks. Bullshit! You're terrified, and you want to know the fucked up thing? You're too scared to even admit you're afraid! Damn your pride, Kimberly!
Kim retreated as if slapped, "What?"
Think! You're in the middle of a tactical retreat, but I'm not the enemy, Princess! Shego shivered in fear and let out a mournful sound. Trust me, please!
Kim sighed and gently rubbed the scales in front of her. "I can't get the plummet to the ground out of my head."
Shego sighed and gently brushed Kim's mind in comfort. We'll get through this together. Veronica sent soothing heat through her scales to Kim. Then, an uncomfortable thought rolled through the dragon's mind. I don't like this. Let's go check on your Mom. I have a bad feeling about the eyes on her after she manhandled DNAmy.
Betty has been itching to get my family, and the scuffle in the mall would be the perfect flimsy excuse for her to get her hands on our tech.
Veronica roared, She can try, Kimmie. She can try.
At the hospital, Mrs. Doctor Possible sighed as she worked to install a shunt for a patient. When her phone rang, Ann frowned, "Hi, Kim."
"Mrs. Possible, this is Doctor Director of Global Justice."
Ann could hear the smugness in the other woman's voice. It reminded her faintly of when clan became old enough to fight. The children were always so sure they could knock anyone on their ass, Axa particularly enjoyed taking them down a few dozen pegs. "What can I do for you, Miss Director?"
Betty raised an eyebrow on her end of the line. "You seem to be full of secrets, Doctor Possible," the woman rubbed her eyepatch as she spoke. "I need you to come in and answer a few questions about certain events."
Ann shook her head and focused on her hands as they worked with the membrane between skull and brain to carefully move it and give room for the shunt once she prepared the insertion for the drain tube. "What do you think you can accomplish?" The Mandalorian let old instincts guide her conversation with the woman who thought she was in charge. "Kim tells me how you and GJ harass her because of the…work sa'ad does." For a moment, Ann stopped and slowly released a breath to control herself and keep herself from tearing into the woman with a string of Mando'a that would have make her mother blush.
"This is not about your daughter." Betty said as she maintained the veneer of calm. "This concerns how you attacked a woman in the mall."
"Does it?" Ann continued to work as she talked to the other woman. Then, Ann remembered how much Betty wanted to rip away her family's heritage for nothing more than a pissing contest between the Cyclops and her brother. (You have no idea who you are dueling with, child.) Meanwhile, Ann turned her tone to sickly sweet and spoke as she might to a baby, "If you want me, you can wait until my shift is done like a good girl."
Without another word, Ann cut the connection. The doctors and nurses all looked at Ann in surprise for a moment before they continued on as if nothing happened. However, a small smile grew on the neurosurgeon's face as she continued to work, seemingly unperturbed by supposed professional's lack of etiquette.
A moment after Ann ended the conversation, the Kimmunicator chirped. A rock settled in Kim's stomach, "Go, Wade."
"I think Betty is getting desperate. She just called your Mom at the hospital and all but ordered her to come down to GJ Headquarters for questioning about the incident between Doctor Possible and DNAmy."
Kim nodded slowly in thought. Does that sound like her?
Kimmie, Bets would make a Pact if it allowed her to put away anyone she saw as too much of a free thinker. Veronica shivered out of memory, in a sense of uncomfortable familiarity with the tactic. Step out of her marching line, and she will arrange "accidents" to get people back in line.
Kim's stomach twisted as a strange feeling of vileness rolled through her body along with the flash of a man in a hooded, open robe with with a strange mask on his face. We need to get to Mom now!
Outside the hospital, Kim and Veronica stopped and looked around with careful eyes from Shego's bike. Sweat poured from Kim as she dismounted in armor. The man, if it was indeed a man, seemed to laugh in silent mocking, his empty sockets for eyes in the back of Kim's consciousness seemed to drain all around him into lifeless nothing. Veronica's gentle hand hovered on the redhead's shoulder, but the gesture did little to soothe her. The dark presence in the back of Kim's mind needled her into diverting attention to it.
One word passed through her mind before the presence returned to apparent dormancy: HUNGER!
The word brought a yelp from Kim as she jumped back. Veronica didn't need to see Kim's face to know she now stood in a state of abject terror. Without warning, Kim began sobbing into the chest of her girlfriend. (It w-wants Mom.)
Veronica scoffed. Kimmie, you are a free radical The Cyclops wants to lock down, and the bitch does not avoid villain tactics if they suit her needs. Even as Veronica spoke, she felt an odd need to hide her scales.
Ever since Kim began the bounty work, the relations between her and GJ only grew worse, as exemplified in the unmarked GJ surveillance vehicle a few rows back from the hospital's front entrance. Shego gave a log-suffering sigh and reluctantly started walking for the likely den of lions inside the hospital. In spite of her best attempts to portray a confident front, Veronica nervously wrapped her wings like a cape around her shoulders and back but still felt uncomfortably exposed as if she were walking into the place in only a bra and panties.
Without a second thought, Kim pulled a hooded black cloak from a rucksack on her back in place of the sen'tra which was currently safely at home in the underground sanctum. After properly arranging it to hide all but Veronica's hands and feet. "Better?"
I should ask you that after the monster I glimpsed in your head, Kim. The flash of the figure tickled something deep in her memory but not her memory in an odd sense. Veronica couldn't understand the jumble and refocused her attention on the redhead next to her. "Stay sharp, Kim," the woman said with a calm tone. "Keep your mind here."
Kim nodded mutely and steeled herself as best as she could with the ghoul playing Hop Scotch between her and Veronica's minds. "Yeah, I've dealt with Doctor Director before," Kim said as a little of her familiar and cute but annoying confidence returned. The redhead then unconsciously slid a gauntleted hand into Veronica's and marched into the hospital with as much will as she could muster even as the GJ agents posted around the hospital eyed her as if waiting on an order to detain Kim Possible. The look in their eyes all spoke of new meat in the ranks which made Kim swell with a bit of pride to know she singlehandedly forced Betty to eat metaphorical shit when the bounty hunter sprung Shego.
There's nothing like a badass rep, Princess.
Kim nearly laughed. However, the laugh stalled in her throat when Kim noticed the weapons trained, not on her, but on the unidentified humanoid target next to her. "Really…" Kim muttered. "Do you honestly think we want any of you dead?" Kim looked up at Shego slightly and did laugh this time. "If either of us wanted to kill, we would not be in this current position of exposure. Now, where can you direct me to take us to your boss and Mom?"
"Miss Possible…" The one-eye walked up to Kim from a guarded room at the end of the hall with the ramrod of Will Du at her side. "…this does not concern you."
Kim closed her eyes under her helmet and let go of a long breath before she took off her helmet and, instead of tucking it under her arm, handed it to Veronica. The redhead's lips twitched in a microsecond of satisfaction when she watched GJ's best stiffen further and start sweating next to his boss. "Betty, I have been more than patient with you over the time we have known each other. I played by your rules as much as I could and trusted you as the authority in situations where I obviously had no experience." Kim shook her head and covered the short distance between the head bureaucrat and herself. "However, there seems to be some miscommunication between us as of late."
"You're harboring a threat to the world, Kimberly."
Veronica grinned. "Ori'buyce, kih'kovid."
Kim raised a brow as did Betty but for different reasons only for Ann to walk out of the OR laughing softly to herself with a slightly surprised but pleased expression aimed at Veronica.
The elder Possible walked up to the group a few moments later. "Talk fast, or I let Kim show you why it never ends well to threaten clan."
Veronica suddenly shivered as the temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees where the group stood. Then, something strange happened. With a wave of Betty's hand, agents cuffed Ann and pushed her towards the other woman. Ann's eyes no longer locked with Betty's but moved to her hand, "Jetii."
Ann's eyes changed. She yelled and kicked hard enough to knock one agent behind her off balance. With the necessary opening, Axa struck out and incapacitated her immediate attackers. "(Daughter, how many can you and the Blackscale take?)"
Kim smirked, "(A wager?)" At her mother's quick nod, Kim's smile only grew. "(Twenty each, loser has to scrub the smelting burners for a week.)"
"(Winner gains the right to pick the next bounty.)"
Kim gripped her mother's right forearm to seal the bet before the two redheads and Veronica cut loose on GJ. Soon, Kim and Ann purged the entire floor of what could be considered Betty's variation on various totalitarian police governments to leave only her standing. Even the self-important Will Du faced a shattered femur and now lay crumpled against a wall after a blow from Kim's Beskar-sheathed fist.
"(Looks like you win, Mom.)" Kim said calmly with only a hint of disappointment in her voice before the redheads turned to watch Shego take on Betty Director.
With agents falling like mall cops, Betty paled and turned to retreat. As Betty turned, a flame-coated punch sent the leader of GJ sprawling. Betty found herself spitting blood from a busted lip and quickly returned to her feet. "Shego…"
For a moment, Veronica thought she saw Betty's eyes turn black and soulless. "You know?" Veronica taunted as she dodged the incoming punches and kicks. "This is why desk jockeys suck at field work. They get rusty, slow, and boring!"
Betty glared at Veronica. Then, the woman made a motion as if to grip some invisible cup. "I have power you can never hope to understand, Shego!"
Veronica's eyes widened in momentary shock with the feel of a cold, tight hand on her neck. Then, she felt the twisting of Bogan inherent in Betty's attack and growled in irritation before she dispelled the hand as easily as one might blow out a candle. However, the absolute sick-wrongness in the feel of Bogan turned the dragon's stomach and almost made her vomit in revulsion.
From somewhere ancient and primal, Veronica spoke, "(You play with powers you do not grasp, Dartha.)" With an irritated shake of her head, Veronica snorted in disdain. Polluted…by Ro-Narta… Instinct recoiled at the foul twisting of The Bogan around Betty. I need to get Kim and Ann far away from Betty quickly! The dragon turned to Kim and Ann and shivered, "We need to leave now!" Without a response, Shego picked up Kim and Ann, each in a clawed hand, and ran for the door.
"Shego, what are you-"
"Trust me, Kimmie; you do NOT want to play with artifacts from Ro-Narta."
Kim took a stab in the dark. Amber?
Yes and no, Shego answered. Amber and Nichole teach me about Bogan and Ashla while I sleep. Something deeper, almost a genetic memory, keeps screaming at me to run from the foul scent!
Foul scent? Kim asked in confusion. I thought the Bogan and Ashla needed each other.
They do, Kimmie. Do you remember when Nichole warned me about Ashla Poisoning and Ro-Kata?
Kim thought back to the health lesson a few nights previous and mentally nodded. An artifact can be so saturated with Ashla or Bogan as to make Dragons ill?
Exactly and it seems Betty got her hands on one. Shego visibly began to show signs of returning vitality with distance from Betty. The dragon then looked at a befuddled Ann and felt her cheeks heat up under her scales. With an apologetic look, the thief let the women return to their feet. "I'm sorry, Ann. I had to get us out of there."
"What?" Ann asked in confusion. "Why?"
"Darjetii, buir."
Ann shivered, "I see." The woman's eyes narrowed as she remembered a particularly disturbing incident in the waning days of The Mandalorian Wars. Unless her eyes could be fooled, Ann recalled many using a similar invisible grip on commanders in her unit during the war to pry information from them. "Betty?"
Kim and Shego looked at each other for a moment. "It would be better if we waited for Dad and The Tweebs before we tell everything." Kim raised a brow and looked at her Mom as the woman climbed into her own car to go home. "You did explain Darjetii and Jetii to him?"
Ann sighed in irritation. "I've tried many times, Kim; but you know your father. He rarely accepts anything without proof."
Kim nodded and muttered, "This makes things complicated."
When the door shut, Kim unconsciously tapped hard on the roof of her mother's car twice. Then, Shego and Kim both saddled Shego's bike and headed for confrontation of another sort.
I'm with you until the end, Princess. Shego soothed at the feel of Kim's anxiety along with gentle pressure on her Mark. We'll kick ass like we always do.
Please read and review. I'm not a telepath, and I thrive on feedback. Give me your thoughts, please.