Here it is, late in coming, the next chapter! And I must give a whole lotta thanks to taechunsa for all the help he gave, especially regarding the fight scenes.
"You suck, you know."
Who knew that holding a captive would be this difficult? 993 gave the most irritatingly dramatic sigh she could muster and looked up from the magazine she was reading. Magazines. A strange desire, though from watching Shego she had a strong suspicion about the origin of that programming. Heck, the magazines had already been here, waiting in a pile in Drakken's lair, perfectly placed next to a lawn chair and the best view of the metal pole where she had that pesky Monique strung up four feet over the ground. 993 hadn't thought much of the girl since that sickening Bueno Nacho place. At least, she didn't think she had liked her it was difficult to think back to that moment of chaos. "Suck. Define suck."
Monique had long given up her struggle against the ropes. "Suck. What I just said. Though do not kid me: I know the original meaning of that term and a lot worse words besides! You don't think a hot black thang like me cannot pick them up? Especially with my moron of a brother? I'm saying that you are going down the moment the real Kim gets a hold of you."
"The real Kim." 993 paused. What had happened to the real Kim? Hopefully she was still happily locked away in that janitor's closet. "I hate to break it to you, Monique, but the real Kim is..." Kim Possible programming was yelling at her to say something nice. Kim Possible program liked this psychotic girl. "The real Kim is dead. I killed her myself."
Monique didn't even blink. "Oh, don't even to try to lie. You did not."
"Oh?" 993 dropped the magazine. "What makes you so sure of that?"
She immediately regretted asking. Monique took a deep breath, completely predicting a nice long rant 993 had already heard several. "Why did I ask?"
"You can't ask and not expect a reply," Monique snapped. "Because you got me pretty upset with all the blood in my body rushing to my feet and I seriously ain't planning on using a tourniquet on myself anytime soon. So you are going to sit and listen to me."
To her own surprise, 993 actually stayed.
"First thing: you let li'l old me drag you all the way from your house 'scuse me, Kim's house down the street and around five corners to Bueno Nacho. And everyone knows I am not your female athlete, so that has to say something about you. And even though I'm sure you could have taken that girl out at Bueno Nacho, you didn't. Third, I'm guessing you are supposed to be some sort of syntho clone of Kim. So if you're Kim, then any fight between you to as to be somewhat equal. Fourth, if you are a syntho clone, you have to act something like Kim, and the Kim I know wouldn't kill anyone."
So much the better for being a synthodrone. 993 smiled.
"Fifth..." Monique was showing no sign of slowing down. "When I came, unbeknownst to any idea that you were not Kim, I believe Ron was under the impression that we would be returning... and that was about an hour and a half ago, according to that goofy kitty cat clock on the wall. And Ron knows perfectly well that we do not spend an hour and a half at Bueno Nacho."
"He thinks we were girl talking," 993 pointed out. Ron... oh, she did want to get back to him, more than anything. If she could just look at him once more... Well, this plan was as good as any. Sooner or later they would figure out that she wasn't returning and Monique was gone. And that Drakken and Shego were out of jail. And Ron, oh her wonderful Ron, would put two and two together and come charging after her either to attempt to help with Monique's rescue or rescue her, his KP, himself, she didn't know how his mind worked and they would be reunited in one enormous battle. She had chills just thinking about it. Yes, this is what Kim Possible liked. This is what Kim Possible was all about. Fighting the bad guys and saving the day. Well, that shouldn't be too hard to pull off.
Unless all these thoughts of hers were Drakken's programming. Maybe she unconsciously brought Monique here, to the lair, so she could lure Ron here and she shuddered. No, no, no! That was not it! The glitch she had would overpower that, wouldn't it?
Drakken hadn't even been here. He was off... arranging something else. Yes, that was it.
And even if this were part of whatever great plan Dr. Drakken Emperor of the Universe, well, she'd recognize that soon enough and change everything just so.
"Well..." Monique faltered. "I've known Ron long enough to know that he has no idea how to judge girl talk. Guys can tell their life stories in five minutes... he'll get suspicious, I know he will." Her confidence pivoted back around as her eyes narrowed with her grin. "Besides, he'll miss you."
"Miss me?" 993 echoed. She jumped up far too quick. Too much excitement. She couldn't let this lousy friend of Kim's suspect she had any real feelings for Ron. Demure as possible, she slipped back into the chair. "And why would he miss me?"
Monique rolled her eyes. "Come on, girl. It's obvious you have the hots for him. I know these things. Just like Ron had the hots for the real Kim since forever -back when he didn't even know it." She sighed, and her grin softened. "Now that is a couple destined for legend, those two -at least at our high school, anyway. Not you and Ron. Kim and Ron. Not that they ever listen to me. I mean, really. Can't a girl drop a few subtle hints and hope Cupid will get the idea? Because I don't think I should have to do the whole thing by myself. But no!" She sent another twist, late in coming, through the ropes. "Nobody ever listens to Monique. And I don't think I should have to be that obvious. I say a few things in there, and every other idiot in the world recognizes what I'm trying to do but them. 'Stick by your Ron, Kim.' 'Is it so bad she has a chip on her giving her the desire to make out with, Ron?'" She shook her head, disgusted. "Okay, so I told him that later, after they told me about the chip. Which the real Kim would know about! But I told him something similar at the time!"
993 fought an odd desire to nod in agreement. Girl talk, yes. This was good. No, no it wasn't good. Not when the girl talk didn't concern her. "So... those are your only reasons for, how you say, 'Kim's alive'?"
Monique shook her head. "Actually, there's one more."
Yawn. "And I cannot wait to hear it."
The soft smile was gone. The grin was back.
Something wasn't right.
993 turned slightly, listening. There didn't seem to be anything... just the normal humming of machinery and...
The flash of green was all she needed to see. A whirl of green and black coming across the bare floor behind her and the gloved hand, just out of the corner of her eye, jetting forward in a punch.
993 twisted to the left and grabbed Shego's wrist with one hand. The other slammed hard into her stomach. In a dizzying arc 993 flung Shego over her head. Shego landed in a crumpled heap a short distance away, past where Monique was strung up like a burnt offering on a stake.
993 took a deep breath and scanned the area. No sign of anyone else, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.
Monique no longer looked so pleased with herself.
"Don't give away your allies," 993 hissed. She sucked in more air. "She's here, isn't she? Kim Possible."
I am the biggest jerk alive, Kim thought. I am such a lousy friend. So horrible. Monique is going to hate me forever.
But dang, that shower had been nice. A nice hot waterfall of... water, just enough to make her push Ron as far out of her mind as she could push him. Which apparently wasn't far enough.
She was having a wonderful day with friends, wasn't she? And all she had wanted yesterday was to go to the prom. It wasn't supposed to be this disaster.
She had been right. She had waited for twenty minutes after her shower. Ron had not returned.
And so she had been forced to go rescue Monique with Shego.
She watched from her hiding place, barely caring, as the synthodrone flipped Shego right over its head, Monique behind them looking for all the world like she had betrayed them all. Well, the girl shouldn't have smiled like that.
Shego wasn't grounded long. Without so much as a groan, she rubbed at her wrist, stared forcefully up at the synthodrone, and sprang back up to her feet. It was just her and the synthodrone. She curled forward into a quick flip and landed just before the synthodrone. Then she smiled, hands already up and glowing bright green. "So I see you came back to the lair. So original. You're worse than Kimmy."
Kim had never really watched Shego fight from a distance. Not bad at all.
Ron would be thinking this is so cool.
No. She could not think of him right now. He had not shown up. He had refused to go on this mission with her. What sort of boy told... someone else that he loved you and then wouldn't help out?
Where were these thoughts coming from?
"So you came right back here," Shego continued. "I should be impressed. Oh, I won't lie. I am impressed. It's wonderful. Dr. D would be so pleased."
The synthodrone lowered her arms, though the muscles or whatever the thing was built of still seemed to twitch. "I did as you would want me. I have lured Kim Possible here."
Shego just laughed. "Yeah, uh huh. You did good. Marvelous. Except I'm not really in the mood to fall for any of that." She leaped towards the synthodrone and attacked, hands glowing all the brighter. She kicked, punched, kicked, punched, locking the synthodrone into a virtual sea of flying limbs; the synthodrone was just as ready.
Kim couldn't help but wonder if she looked that good while fighting.
Well, it was now or never. Ron or no Ron good grief, why couldn't she get him out of her head? Kim turned from the entrance into the room. As long as the synthodrone did not look up...
Though Shego was trying her best to hide Kim. Somewhere between the blows and punches came the broken words of "Kim Possible isn't even here."
It was so odd to watch. When she and Shego had battled, is this what everyone else saw?
Kim darted out. For a moment she wasn't sure what she was planning on doing. It couldn't be so hard. Just what she always did. Fight the bad guys, take 'em down. Yes, that was it. Just normal, everyday saving the world. Of course Ron was supposed to be here.
That reversed the whole process. The panic returned. It was his own fault. Everything he had done was his fault.
But how could he just ditch out of a mission like this, on top of everything else?
The synthodrone came out on top. Dropping below a high kick, she spun into a leg sweep and dropped Shego to the ground. Continuing her motion the synthodrone brought her leg the rest of the way around, planted her foot, and pounced before she could recover. Landing on top of her, Kim's hands slid to Shego's shoulders and pinned her forcefully to the cement.
Shego was on her side, Kim thought. For this time, at least, Shego was on her side and she had do to something. Kim took a deep breath and ran. One quick jump and
The synthodrone gave an eerie cry that was too close to her own as she slammed down onto Shego to avoid Kim's attempted kick. Kim tried again. Why not be brutal? There was already a dog pile. Thinking of the few wrestling matches she had seen, Kim jumped right onto the synthodrone's back and held on, feeling the way the synthodrone struggled underneath her. And Shego. Oops.
Ron had always loved when this sort of thing happened in wrestling.
Apparently enough wind, or whatever synthodrones had, was knocked out of this one. Kim held the synthodrone tight as Shego struggled out from under the pile, careful to kick the synthodrone's face on her way out. Shego moaned and rubbed her thigh. "Geeze, princess! I don't enjoy the sandwich thing."
"Deprogram her," Kim said breathlessly. The synthodrone seemed to gaining strength with every second. "Quickly." Another deep breath, and she glanced up at Monique. "Sorry I'm late."
Monique shrugged. "Hey, it's all good. I've just been... hanging around. So where's Ron?"
"Ron?" Kim didn't realize she was trying to keep innocence in there, but the shock was enough.
The synthodrone lurched beneath her, another too Kim scream coming out of her throat.
Kim fell back hard and rolled- the synthodrone had managed to throw her off with shear brute strength. Kim was beginning to hate robots.
The synthodrone was already on her feet, looking for all the world as if she had just begun to fight. Which, with what she was seeing of synthodrone programming, wouldn't surprise Kim.
"At least give me time to get your computer friend's equipment out before you release her!" Shego shrieked.
The wind had been knocked out of her. Kim sat up. Ow... that thing threw hard. Just like back at the school... why did the robot get all the strength without even working out?
"I think I'm just going to shut up now," Monique said loudly. "If anyone's listening."
Kim jumped up just before the synthodrone launched herself at her. The red hair whipped at her face. Nylon, Kim could tell. Couldn't even get the girl real hair. The synthodrone caught herself and whirled back around. Kim wondered if she looked that ugly when she was angry.
"I thought you were in the closet," the synthodrone said. "You were supposed to be in the closet."
"I got out," Kim snapped. "Really isn't that hard."
"Hard enough for you. No wonder Ron prefers--"
Kim didn't hear the rest of the sentence. Shego knocked the synthodrone down on her stomach, pinned her arms back, and held tight. "Yap, yap... I should have expected that when two Kimmies fight each other. Now..." She released one hand to go for what had to be a pocket.
The synthodrone struck back. Shego fell, a little electronic doo hickey from Wade skittering across the floor.
Dang. This was not working. For some odd reason, this was not working. Kim found herself stepping back. What was so wrong? She and Shego.. Easily the two best physical fighters around...
This was Ron's fault. By whatever logic, this was Ron's fault. Why was he doing this to her? What had she said to him ?
She hadn't said anything. She hadn't said a single word. All she had done was listen to him talk about that stupid synthodrone!
No, it wasn't Ron's fault. It was the synthodrone's. The synthodrone was the cause of all this. If there hadn't been a synthodrone, then Ron wouldn't have told it all that he had and... and... and there wouldn't be this huge mess!
"Come on, Kim," said the synthodrone coyly. "I have all sorts of cheerleading training programmed into my circuits... let's have a competition."
It was all its fault. It was all its fault. Kim smiled. "Yes, let's."
"Go, Kim!" Monique called. "Dang, but I love watching a good fight."
This was hardly a wrestling match. Kim prepared. Now what would be the best sort of attack? She glanced at Shego. She had retrieved the little toy Wade had given her and looked just as ready for a fight. Okay, double team. Not exactly fair, but everything else hadn't been fair today, either, so...
Then the synthodrone screamed as a naked mole rat jumped right onto her head.
"Rufus?" Kim paused.
"Good surprise attack, buddy!" Ron's voice called out of nowhere. And then he appeared, a falling body poised right for the synthodrone. The landing wasn't exactly graceful, but clumsiness apparently had its place. The synthodrone sprawled flat, Ron hardly looking much better. But at least he was grinning. "Okay, I'm assuming this isn't the real Kim. Unless you changed clothes again. But you aren't in mission clothes, and I know that Kim would be in mission clothes. Unless you knew that the real Kim would be in mission clothes and..." The grin faded. "Are you the real Kim?"
Kim couldn't move. It was Ron. For some reason she hated the sight of him at this moment, but it was indeed Ron. He had come after all. Extremely late, but he was here.
"Wow," Shego said softly. "You have some boy there, Kimmie. The only one so far to take out the synthodrone."
"He's not my boy," Kim replied defensively.
Shego shrugged. "I was just saying. I mean, I saw all that went on back at your house. And hey, he's not... bad looking."
Kim stared at her. "What on earth are you talking about?"
Another shrug. "I get a kick out of coupled enemies. All I'm saying is that he seems to like you. And that's sort of cute. In an extremely weird and gross way."
The synthodrone struggled under Ron's grip. "Ron, it's..."
He screamed wildly and flung his body back on her. "I know you're fake! You have completely ruined my life, synthodrone! It's completely ruined, all because of you!"
Kim looked at Shego, then to Ron. He hadn't even looked at her yet.
Well, she could understand that. What exactly were they going to do after this?
"Ron," said the synthodrone. "I will "
"You will admit you are the fake!"
She gasped and stopped wriggling. "Fine. I am not the real Kim Possible."
Ron blinked and sat back"Wow. That was easy." Then he pushed her down again. "And now you are going down."
She shook her head, red hair flying everywhere. "But what's so wrong with that? I'm cute; I look just like her. And I know she doesn't feel the same way about you that I do."
No, Kim thought. That wasn't... She didn't know what she thinking. Whoa.
"You kissed me," the synthodrone continued. "You kissed me. You obviously feel something! You can't deny it!"
The entire lair went silent as they waited for Ron to respond.
This wouldn't be good, Kim thought. It couldn't be good. She could stop it. She could just say something right now and make Ron look at her and recognize her. But her mouth wouldn't open.
Then Ron finally spoke, and as he did his face seemed to go stone. "The only reason I kissed you was because I thought you were Kim! Have you not figured that out, whatever you are? That's the only reason I kissed you! That's the only reason I said anything to you. Because I'm so stupid that I couldn't tell the difference between a synthodrone and my best friend in the world. But that doesn't matter, because I was thinking of Kim the entire time. She's the most important person in the world to me, and that won't change no matter what she does."
Kim couldn't breathe. This was not happening.
Shego gave a low whistle.
"All right!" Monique, still tied up. Kim had forgotten about her. "This is better than a soap opera!"
The synthodrone smiled. "So that's it... see? She's obviously not caring right now. Do you hear her returning your affection? Just horrified silence. She doesn't feel for you the way I do. It's not so bad, dating a synthodrone. Not bad at all. And apparently she hates you. And you still say you care about her?"
"You don't stop caring for someone just because they do something wrong. That's just..." He paused. "Really shallow. So yes, I really do love Kim. And I always will even if that means I have to spend the rest of my life as a heart broken soul bitter at the world."
The breath came out of Kim's lungs in a painful blast. He said it again. He said 'I love you' again. Technically it hadn't been her but... It didn't make any sense. Everything that had led to love had been with the synthodrone.
Unless...
Shego raised an eyebrow. "Wow, Kimmie. If he says anything else, and I were insane, I might just run off with him."
The synthodrone didn't reply. And Kim still couldn't move. She watched in fascination as the synthodrone's face twisted with fury. Just ready to strike Ron...
Shego sighed and flexed her fingers. "Let's get this program on the road." She dove in just before the synthodrone touched Ron.
Ron stared up at Shego in amazement. Apparently Ron had been oblivious to everyone but the synthodrone. "Oh... Shego. Are you still good?" He forced the synthodrone's arms back to the floor.
"Relax. I'm just going to give her a little shot that will make her stop being... weird." She bent down, the electronic device poised. "Your computer guy had better know what he's talking about."
"I'm going to kill him!" the synthodrone shrieked. "Heartbreaker! You horrible, horrible heartbreaker!"
Rufus just shook his head.
"After all I did for " The synthodrone froze. The reprogramming was taking effect.
What a relief. All that chaos... gone. Except for... Ron. He still loved her. Not the synthodrone. Her.
And he had come after all. Late, but... She pushed the thought away, though she could still see him out of the corner of her eye looking pointedly at something else. There was still Monique, hanging from a metal post. She turned around, smiling. "Sorry to leave you up there."
Monique didn't return the smile.
"What?"
Monique shook her head. "Girl, I'm not even going to try. Sometimes you just make me so mad!"
Kim forced the smile to continue. "Monique, I have no idea what you're talking "
Somewhere a door slammed, followed by the sound of off-key whistling of "I'm Getting Married in the Morning." Drakken turned a corner, holding a bag of groceries, a Slim Jim poking out of his mouth. "I ran down to the corner, Shego," he began. "We were out of Captain Crunch and..." The groceries fell as he looked at the room. "Shego! How many times do I have to tell you not to fight enemies unless I am here to gloat? And what are you doing to 993?"
"She's okay, Dr. D," Shego replied. "Or Emperor of the Universe. I just... fixed her."
"Fixed her? There wasn't anything wrong with her in the first place."
"She was making wedding plans with the buffoon. But now she's fixed. I reprogrammed her, and I doubt we'll have any problems."
Drakken laughed. "You forget that I'm the computer genius here."
"So I borrowed Possible's. Just watch." Shego helped the synthodrone to her feet. "Kimmie, thanks so much for helping me track her down. It made things so much easier. Now to check if she works. Synthodrone 993, destroy Kim Possible."