Chapter 20
Shego amused herself by playing with her kitten until Kim finally returned. Shego looked at her watch, then frowned, looking over at her 'friend' and jailor. "What's going on? There's still a whole half hour before lunch," she said.
"As a matter of fact…you're right, there is," Kim replied, looking down, not meeting Shego's eyes. "You see, you know how you and Andrea listened in on the news today? Well, you two weren't alone. Other folks heard about you all too…and, that's why you have guests, Steph," Kim said stoicly, her green eyes just a bit troubled.
"Guests?" Shego questioned, then her dark eyes went flinty as Kim stepped aside to reveal just who her 'guest' really were…
Within the doorway stood all of Shego´s brothers: Hego, Mego, and the Wego twins. "Shego! Wonderful to see you, sister!" Hego proclaimed in his sappy, heroic voice.
Shego´s questioning glance turned into a severe frown. "You!" she accused, then turned on Kim. "You know I feel about them!"
"What´s the matter, Shego?" Mego wondered. "Aren't you happy to see us all?"
"Let me put this very simply, okay? No!" Shego answered, crossing her arms before her chest. "And, for your information my name is Stephanie, not Shego. Got it?"
"All right. Sheesh…relax, Steph," Mego said attempting to soothe his volatile sister. "We heard you were here, and decided to make a family visit."
Shego´s eyes wich showed pure hate at that moment. Mego couldn't of chosen a worse word to use just then. Pale green flickers of flame appeared at the ends of her fingers, pulsing before they disappeared.
Stephanie! Calm down, her conscience instructed her firmly. Losing your temper will gain you nothing.
Shego decided to heed her conscience's advice, and calmed herself down as quickly as she could manage. "All right. Hello, 'family'," Shego said flatly, with absolutely no sincerity at all. "What exactly do you guys want now?"
"Well, we were wondering…" Mego began, only to be cut off by the Wego twins.
"Mego!" they chided him. "You promised…"
Mego blew the two off with a casual wave of his hand. "So, Stephanie…we were wondering when you'd being come back with us? You know, to reform the team?"
"Say what? Come back with you? Rejoin the Team?" Shego replied in disbelief, her voice scathing.
The Wego's looked at one another. "We told you it was a bad idea…"
Before Mego could utter a single word, Shego leaned foreword, a cruel smile playing across her dark lips. "Don't make me laugh! I can´t see even one reason to rejoin the Team," Shego proclaimed, her eyes dangerous.
"Well, duh!" Hego rumbled in his typical arrogance. "The answer is as plain as the flame at your fingertips, Shego. Your powers make it your destiny to---"
Shego wheeled on her eldest brother, her pale face even paler. Anger radiated from her like rays of the sun. "DESTINY, MY ASS!" Shego screeched at the top of her lungs, blowing Hego's hair back. "You just don't get it, do you?" she accused her stunned sibling. "You never have, and you never will! You always wondered why I turned to a life of crime, haven't you? Well, brother dear, the answer to that is easy! I became a criminal to get away from you! You and your arrogance! You and your inability to listen to even a word I've ever said! You and your blasted obsession with being a 'hero'! Let me tell you what, Hego…I am sick and tired of you preaching how you know my 'destiny'! You don't know me at all…not one bit!" Shego's chest was heaving from the release of her pent-up anger.
Kim decided it was time to intervene. She hadn't liked this idea from the get-go, but…Dr. Director insisted. "C'mon, Stephanie…you've got to calm down," Kim soothed, moving between her and her markedly arrogant elder brother. Dr. Director had told Kim that Shego had unfinished business with her brothers, and Kim knew it was true. She also knew that it was her hate for her brothers (well, not all of them, maybe) that had been a big part of her fall into evil. And, talking about evil, the look of pure rage in Shego´s eyes frankly scared Kim.
Even as her brother's words left his mouth, Kim realized that Shego's assertions that her elder two brothers were absolutely clueless was a vast understantment.
"Shego…you don't need any reason to join us!" Mego lectured. "We are your family. And, family sticks together…forever!"
"Hmph! Some family you two have been," Shego retorted, her nostrils flaring.
Mego appeared offended, drawing himself up proudly. "How can you say that, Shego? We cared for you. We saw to your needs."
"Oh really?" Shego shot back her voice tight. "Then answer me this question, brother dear: exactly many times have either of you hugged me, hmm? Since that one time since I was nine, that is?"
Mego was flabbergasted, obviously unprepared for her response. "Well…um, that is… I mean…" he stammered, blushing a bit, not meeting Shego's blazing gaze.
Shego didn't let up, waving away his pathetic attempt at an excuse with a wave of her hand. "Seen to my needs? Ha! That's rich. You've never cared how I truly felt! About what I truly needed!" Shego blasted him…verbally, thankfully. "Kim here," Shego continued on, berating her now wilting brothers, hooking a thumb at the embarrassed Kim Possible, "on the other hand, is no way associated with me. In fact, she and I have bitterly fought one another for years!" Shego looked over quickly at Kim and smiled, which made the redhead feel much better. "Here she is…my enemy. My arch-nemesis, in fact. And in the last three days she's shown me more affection, cared more about me than you two have for all these years! You tried to force me to do what I didn't want to. Kim brought me here because she cared enough about me to make sure I wouldn't end up going to jail. You two lecture me; she supports me. You forced me to be a heroine; Kim doesn´t push me to be anything I don't want to be. Is any of this ringing any bells in your two thick heads? Because a girl I worked so hard to beat is turning out to be more like family than you've ever been!"
Shego looked down at the twins who had turned twelve not too long ago. "Some good advice for you two guys. Unless you want to end up here like me, don´t let those two jerks tell you what to do. Got it?"
"You got it, Steph," Wego 1 replied, nodding his head.
Shego smiled, and finally calmed down. She paused a moment to collect her thoughts, then looked up into her two bigger brothers' eyes. "You've had your say. Now…leave. Now," Shego commanded.
Hego sighed wearily, realizing his plans for his little sister were simply just not meant to be. "Stephanie?" he then asked very quietly.
Shego sighed, but then said calmly. "Yes? What?"
Then Hego did something that Shego hadn't seen him do in ages. He smiled. A genuine sincere smile…at her. "So, Sis…any idea of when you'll earn your release from here?" he asked.
"Why?" a suspicious Shego asked in reply. "So you can try to win me over to the team again?"
Hego shook his head. "Actually, no," he replied. "Just wanted to know what going to become of my little sister, Stephanie."
Shego smiled a small smile. "Well, Hego," she responded, then looked over and smiled at Kim, who nodded at her to continue. "Tell you what…if you're listening to the radio some day, and should hear the announce raving about some new singer named Stephanie Gonzales, well, then you'll know it's me. If you're in the area, look me up. Heck, I might even hook you up for some complimentary tickets…"
Hego looked to Mego, who grinned. Then they both looked over to the twins, who looked at each other and then back at Shego, giving her a wave before they all left.
As they left the room, the door sliding noiselessly closed, Kim turned towards Shego. "Let me get this straight. You really consider me as a part of your family?" Kim asked, dumbfounded but pleased.
"Well," Shego admitted, smiling shyly. "I never had a little sister. Remember…all those brothers? So, having a little sister wouldn't be too big of a stretch now, would it?" Shego's expression was slightly embarrassed, yet hopeful.
Kim smiled, saying, "No. I suppose not. Hey, I never had a big sister either," Kim teased, causing Shego to smile. "Hey, let me show you something, girl," Kim added, motioning for her to come over as she fished something out of her pocket. Between her two fingers, Kim held a small highly polished plate about the size of a half-dollar.
Shego looked at the device curiously. "What's that?" she asked.
"You'll see," Kim promised mysteriously as she moved over to meet Shego in the middle of her room. She lifted the flame pendant with her hand, and laid the small metallic device upon it. Shego looked at Kim, then down to the pendant, then back again, waiting.
Then, a gentle female voice spoke, reporting, "Rehabilitation Progress is now seventy per cent complete."
Kim grinned over at Shego, who returned the smile. "Well well," Kim teased, allowing the pendant to fall back gently against Shego's chest, "You'll be rehabilitated before we know it. Nice," Kim congratulated her. "Well, Steph, I'd love to stay…but, I got to go. Drew's visiting with his mother, and I think those two have had enough 'quality' time together, don´t you think?"
Shego´s response was to gasp, then chortle, then fall back on to her back and laugh. Kim grinned, shaking her head until Shego recovered her wits. Shego then asked, "Hey, Kimmie…before you go…"
"Yeah?" Kim replied, turned toward the door.
"Want to know what Andrea's always dreamt of becoming?" Shego threw out as a teaser.
Kim grimaced. "Um, no…not really," Kim said.
"Well, too bad. Because you're going to hear it anyway," Shego replied, then proceeded to tell Kim everything Andrea had told about her desire to be a designer, and why she hadn't ever become one.
"So…tell me, is she any good?" Kim wondered aloud.
Shego didn't answer, instead she moved over to her desk, and picked up the sketch Andrea had made for her earlier. "You tell me…she whipped this one up in only five minutes time," Shego told her.
Kim´s eyes went wide, obviously impressed.
"Say, if you like, you can borrow it, but I want it back in one piece," Shego offered a bit hesitantly.
"Oh, of course," Kim said and gently took the paper from Shego. "Well, got to go. Drew and his Mom need my help, right? Later, Steph." Kim waved hurriedly as she departed.
Shego smiled and shook her dark-maned head. "Whatever you say, Kimmie," she murmured. As Shego laid back down, she felt her conscience start up again.
Man, how I wish I had a camera now, the voice in her head gloated.
Oh? Shego asked. Why do you say that?
The voice mused in an almost purr. Want to see how your evil side reacted when she knew you just how far you've progressed toward becoming good?
Sure! Of course I do! Shego replied. Suddenly, her point of view shifted until she was inside her head, looking out from her own conscience's point of view. She then looked over at her evil counterpart who stood stunned, shocked as the scene with her brothers panned out, the black-robed figure's face growing paler by the moment. Shego enjoyed the show, and then was surprised further still as they came to where Kim had checked her rehabilitation progress.
Her conscience laughed then jubilantly. I told you, she said, calmly turning toward the white-faced evil persona. You're not going to win. Might as well accept it, girl.
Oh, yes I will, the dark-robed one countered. You may have won this round, but I'm not out of the battle yet!
Whatever you say, dear, her conscience replied in a very condescending manner.
The bad influence stood up, eyes blazing, and lunged quickly, trying to reach for her conscience. Before she even started, two electric blue figures leapt before the dark one, menacingly raising their fists.
Oh, don't be silly, her conscience counseled her other half. Do sit down, or Stephanie will be finished with her rehabilitation that much sooner. Her conscience then smiled a sweet smile. Of course, it's your choice…do whatever you want, dear…
The evil Shego frowned, considered her options, then sat down. Shego is still within her body…it's only a matter of time until she returns, it told her darkly.
Suddenly, Shego blinked, opened her eyes again. Listen, Stephie dear, can you tell me something? her conscience asked.
Sure, what do you want to know? Shego said.
How do you feel about what my counterpart has done to you? the voice asked.
Shego thought it over a moment before responding. You know, I should hate her and what she's done to me. But, I don't…not really. I created her, after all. But, I'll tell you this…if she was released again, I would fight her---with all my strength. In fact, after that she just might beg for you to clap her back into those cuffs again.
At that moment, Shego felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She smiled, feeling better than she had in quite a while. She then laid herself down, relaxed, and fell sound asleep…only awaking when Kim returned to pick her up for lunch.