Chapter 9
Dressed to the nines, Shego stalked methodically along beside her arch-nemesis, Kim Possible, grumbling comparisons to her current outfit and those of a Barbie doll.
Kim couldn't help but grin at some of Shego's more imaginative cursing. "Ooh, somebody's feeling pretty cranky now, aren't they?" she laughed softly. "C'mon, Shego, it's not all that bad."
Shego bared her teeth in a snarl, but flicked a cautious glance to the wary and all-too-eager GJ guards, who would undoubtedly like nothing better than to clap her in irons again. "Sorry, Possible...but, yes...yes, it is," Shego disagreed.
Kim stepped up to the door, placed her palm beside it, and waited for it to beep. The door soon opened. "Here we are, Shego," Kim announced, waving Shego in, followed by her guards, who took up positions behind their charge. "So...what do you think? Like it?"
Shego grunted noncommittally, looking at the room she now found herself in. It appeared to be a tastefully decorated dining hall, done up in black and white checkerboard tile floors, with warm wooden paneling, and a large clear table that will seat nine people quite comfortably. Shego turned toward Kim, arching one dark eyebrow. "Expecting company, Kimmie?" she remarked, smiling thinly, while her eyes blazed irately at her current situation.
Kim beckoned to the guards, one of which moved forward to place a slender yet strong manacle around Shego's slim ankle. He then led the deadly beauty over to her seat, where he affixed the other end of the unbreakable chain to a stanchion in the floor. Kim nodded again, and the guard moved quickly to resume his place with beside his fellows. "Now, relax and settle in," Kim advised. "I'll be gone a while...you know, to round up your fellow villains and villainesses." She grinned, seeing Shego frown, glancing often at the implacable seeming agents.
Shego crossed her arms before herself indignantly, giving Kim a hateful glare. "Hmph! Can't wait," she retorted snidely. "Look...is all this 'jewelry' really necessary, Kimmie?" She rattled her chain meaningfully. "Um, it's not like I can bust out of here, you know."
Kim smiled knowingly, realizing Shego's powers all too well. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it is," Kim informed her. "Now, just you be patient...I´ll be back soon."
Shego watched Kim return again and again, each time bringing one of Shego's criminal contemporaries with her, each of them also dressed in formal wear. First there was her boss, Drakken. He was soon followed by the English Lord with primate characteristics, Monkey Fist. Then, in came a smiling DNAmy, a gruff Duff Killigan, and last, but not least, a sulky-looking Andrea Lynn. Shego looked around to all of them. "Well, we certainly make an odd party now, don't we?" she mused to no one in particular. She then turned to address Drakken...with whom she was at least familiar. "Some sort of place, huh?"
Drakken glowered a moment, but finally nodded, running a finger beneath his tight bow tie. "Yes. It is that, Shego," he remarked reluctantly. "So...is your new domicile heavily secured too, then?"
Shego nodded, laughing a soft hollow laugh. "Oh, yeah. You wouldn't believe it, Drakken. You simply wouldn't even believe it," she told him.
Further conversation among the rogues was cut short, as the dining room doors opened one last time. All of the assembled villains looked over, most choosing to glower at Kim, as well as her friend Ron, even sparing the head of Global Justice, Dr. Director, a withering look or two. Ron (as well as Rufus, his naked mole rat) were also wearing tuxedos, while Kim and Dr. Director are both wearing formal gowns. Kim's was a beautiful black satin and jacquard number, while the Dr. Director's was a dark alluring blue silk.
Kim looked over at the table full of sour faces, smiling, shaking her red-haired head. "Now now, people, what's with all the long faces, hmm? I would of thought you'd all be a bit more thankful really...I mean, after all, we're all here to help you lead better lives, you know," Kim addressed them.
Shego jumped to her feet, nearly growling at Kim, her nostrils flaring with her barely suppressed rage. Drakken, as well as his fellow villains who had once been recipients of the volatile Shego's temper, prudently back away...well, at least as far as their chains would allow them, that is. "Look, Possible. None of us asked to be here. I'm just fine with my life, thanks." She huffed loudly, her eyes still blazing. "Besides...it's a bit late to help us now, isn't it?" she added, pointing over toward Drakken, somehow calming herself a bit, as she continued slowly. "Drakken here was provoked by your father's teasing...we all know that." She then jerked a thumb over at Andrea Lynn. "Now, her? She had a successsful career in show business...well, she did, that is, before you and your sidekick managed to destroy her. So, I'm sort of curious, Kimmie...how do you intend to 'help' us, hmm? Heck, you're the reason most of us are here in the first place!"
Ron leaned close to Kim's ear, whispering. "You know…she does have a point, KP..."
Kim grinned over at Ron, who immediately blushed, before she turned toward Shego. "C'mon, sit and calm down, Shego. It's high time you learned to control that temper of yours, you know," Kim admonished her. She then grinned cleverly, adding, "You could try counting to ten, you know. That usually helps." She grinned even more as Shego growled quietly at her. "Oh, don't get me wrong here. I agree with you---though only in part, Shego. You're right, most of you villains are here, just the way you are, due in some part to me," Kim quickly surmised. "However, what about the rest of you?" she queried. She then pointed to the tuxedo and kilt clad Duff Killigan. "Duff Killigan here was already plotting his villainy long before I had ever even heard of him!" She then indicated Lord Fiske, who glowered back at her. "Then, Monkey Fist here has been acquiring traits of primates, well, for ages, so that's not my fault either."
Kim paused a moment, took a sip of water, then continued. "And, that leaves more yet that I haven't begun to mention. So...perhaps, you should really try to curb that temper of yours, Stephanie. It always seems to be your undoing."
Shego paled at hearing her name, but grit her teeth, glaring at Kim. She did, however, sit down, starting to count inside her head: one dead Possible, two dead Possibles, three dead Possibles...
Dr. Director smiled thankfully over at Kim and whispered into her ear, "Very nicely done, Kim," she congratulated. She then looked over the assembled villains seated around the table, her expression a serious one now. She, Kim, and Ron took their seats, Kim and Ron sitting side-by-side at the front of the table, while the Dr. Director took her seat at the other end of the table. "Now, since you all must be positively starving, I think we'll skip any speeches and just start our meal." That garnered her appreciative looks all around. "Let dinner commence. Go on...everybody. Let's dig in!"
As soon as those words left her mouth, several GJ agents appeared---also in formal wear---who laid plates before of each villain, filled with good, wholesome smelling fare. The villains didn't need to be told twice to begin, and soon everyone began eating.
Kim was mildly, though pleasantly, stunned at what happened next. She had half expected the villains assembled here to be bereft of table manners, but she found that she had guessed wrong apparently. Shego and Monkey Fist politely and very urbanely asked for the others to pass them things, instead of just reaching over to grab it themselves. They also sliced their food into polite portions before consuming it, instead of just wolfing the food down.
Drakken managed with great success to keep himself and his place nearly spotless…no mean accomplishment while eating spaghetti. Kim was also rather surprised at the exquisite manners all the villains exercised during the course of the meal…why, they even treated herself, Ron, and Dr. Director most civilly.
Kim, who sat to the left of Shego, smiled over at her when her gaze strayed over to herself. "Well well, you actually do have some manners, Stephanie," Kim congratulated with a grin.
Shego looked back into her face and snorted. "D'uh! Hey, just because we break the law doesn't mean we have to behave like pigs, you know," Shego informed her. Time went by, and soon everyone was finished with their meals, sighing with contentment.
Dr. Director smiled and then wished everyone a good night before Kim began the process of leading the villains back to their rooms.
Shego yawned as she made her way back into her room, her ever attending guards in tow. Kim smiled in understanding. "Your nightgown's under your pillow Steph," she remarked, her green eyes twinkling. Shego (obviously half-asleep) muttered 'thanks' before finding her green nightgown under the pillow…just as Kim had indicated, and headed into the bathroom to change. Kim smiled again. Who would of ever thought that the words 'thanks' would ever of been uttered by Shego directed toward herself?