Chapter Sixteen: The Demoness of Death

Kim woke slowly in a meadow and looked around slowly with a seemingly new set of senses which interacted with the world. Kim's ears twitched at every sound. The young warrior heard a rustling at the edge of the tree line around a quarter mile away from where she lay wrapped in Veronica's wings. If she focused, Kim could identify the animal as a rabbit. Something new inside her smiled hungrily at the thought, but Kim pushed the thought down gently. Color rolled across her eyes more vibrantly than it had when she went to sleep last night. A focus on the rabbit's general direction made Kim's eyes change. Kim saw the creature as if she were mere inches from it, not roughly a quarter mile away. Kim shut her eyes and groaned softly when her head began to pound under the strain.

Kim looked at her Sol Mythrin with a loving smile and gently moved Veronica's wings to get out from under her and move to a stream that babbled a short distance behind her.

With no people for miles, Kim smiled and dove head first into the water. Snow melt turned the water frigid, but Kim enjoyed the sharp contrast and swam for a few minutes to free the sweat and grime from her body and help her senses wake up completely. When Kim opened her eyes under water, she spotted a school of trout and quickly captured two in her hands before she swam to the bank and walked over to previously gathered stubble, lighter, and a few logs. Before Kim could go back for her combat knife and flint, the redhead felt an odd tremor and looked over to see a hole open a few yards from her. Then, out walked Veronica with an armor stand in one hand and Kim's body glove in the other.

"Good morning, Kimmie," the young dragon appraised her Sol Mythrin with a smirk. "What a way to wake up."

Kim cocked her head to the side with a small smile. "I'm glad you approve," Kim said before she realized she stood nude in front of Shego. A small part of the Mandalorian wanted to cover up, but she dismissed the thought with the justification of isolation. Kim then noticed her gauntlets positioned in such a way to easily support a sword. It only took Kim a moment to recognize the sword placed to rest between to gauntlets. The sword I summoned when I dueled Nichole but how?

Veronica noticed the pile and ignited the fire before Kim put the fish on a pair of roasting spits. "After we eat, Princess," the dragon smiled even brighter. "It's the last stage of our Venculum Perepetua Ceremony." The dragon looked up and directed Kim to the Mythosaur skull on her neck. Almost full, the mark only remained with Shego's skin color in the eye sockets of the creature's skull. "Yours is complete, but that's because you are not aDragon."

Kim nodded, "What's the last stage?"

Veronica shook her head and laughed at Kim's child-like eagerness, "Patience, Kim. Eat first." Veronica cut her fish with a claw and stuck a piece in her mouth, "According to Amber, this last part can kill if not done correctly, so Nichole and Amber told me to have you eat before we attempt this."

Kim tried to quell her nerves. Excitement tinged with fear raced through Kim's mind as she tried to eat as a reasonable pace. When Kim finished the meal and buried the coals, Shego helped her wife put the precious armor back on bury left Kim's helmet on the stand. Kim kept herself from bouncing on her toes just barely and smiled at Veronica. "I'm ready, my Karadim."

Veronica reverently picked up Kim's blade and cut the top of her left arm, "(By my blood…)" The bright red blood only stained the blade for a moment before the sword appeared to pull Veronica's lifeblood into itself. "(…and by this scale…)" Veronica bit back pain as she yanked a scale near her wings free. As the scale moved closer to Kim's sword, it changed and became a glossy shining emerald in Veronica's claw. Suddenly, a socket formed in the hilt. The gem flew to its place and released a few seconds of intense light while the gem fused to the sword. Veronica smiled and held the in her claws as the armor had before the ritual. "(…I bind my life to you, Kimberly Ann Possible.)"

Kim froze for a moment until Veronica nodded with a kind smile. As Kim reached fore the blade and her fingers nearly wrapped the hilt, energy began to tickle her fingers like static shocks. Full contact made Kim cry out in pain. Both woman sank to ground in shared agony as Kim saw and felt Veronica's past pains up to precent over the course of a few seconds. Even in the agony, Kim could feel the blade ignite with Shego's plasma. When Kim opened her eyes, the blade rolled and tossed, wreathed with green fire. With tears in her eyes and choked laugh, Kim and Veronica locked eyes before Kim slowly rose back to her feet.

Veronica took Kim's free hand and looked at her Mandalorian wife with a stern expression. "(Take my life and guard it as your own.)"

Kim nodded and moved to sheath her blade unconsciously by placing it over her back at an angle. When the Karadim Kris'l guided the blade to slide into a scabbard Kim knew didn't exist when she took off her armor the previous night, Kim looked at Shego with a moment of shock before it morphed into happiness.

Then, Kim's face grew into a dangerous mix of mischief and anger. "What do you say we visit Drakken and tell him?"

Shego growled and grew to her true size, Yes, Mrs. Possible, let's show the Smurf what happens when he tries to control us!

Drakken looked at his watch. "It's been nearly twenty-four hours since I gave Possible my ultimatum!" The man shook his head, "There's a certain rhythm to these things. I cause trouble. The cheerleader's tech friend alerts her. Kim Possible comes. The Buffoon bumbles his way into destroying my scheme. I curse her and get ready for my next plot."

James smiled under his gag as he, Ann, and The Tweebs all sat in opposite corners of the lair. You poked at The Sleeping Dragon, Drew, James thought as he worked his binds like Ann fought him not long after they met. Now, that dragon is going to rip you to pieces before she's done, and you have no one to blame but yourself.

As Kimrode on Shego's back, the warrior went through a game plan. I need to stop by Dr. Freedman's and pick up Aay'han. Kim thought with a grim look. I do not want to take chances with henchmen getting between me and Drakken. Kim looked down at Veronica, What do you think?

As much as I hate it, the dragon responded. Drakken will likely focus on me once we land.

Kim smiled, Perfect… Then, Kim's face darkened as she gave it more thought. No, not perfect, he could be bluffing about satellite control, but I'm almost certain he has Dad.

I know this particular hideout like the back of my right foreclaw, Veronica offered. There are multiple emergency exits that could easily be use to get in the place unseen.

I can distract him long enough for you to get in with some suppression fire, Kim said as the couple landed at Freedman's garage. Don't worry about me. Just get our family out. They are Priority One.

Veronica took her Humanoid form and sighed, "How the Hell do you charm everyone you meet, including a sentient car?"

Kim shook her head and gripped the driver door handle. A jolt strong enough to throw her against the wall opposite ran through Kim. "SADIE, what are you doing?" Kim asked in uncertainty. "It's me, SADIE; it's Kim."

The car seemed to stare at Kim through the right rear view mirror. "What happened to you, kid?" SADIE asked. "You look like Kim Possible, but your biometrics are vastly different than the last time we saw each other!"

Kim shook her head. "I need to get my rifle," Kim said before she walked around to the back of the car. "Remember Drakken?"

SADIE paused for a moment. "What happened?"

"Drakken has my Dad."

Instead of answering, the back door opened to let Kim get to her foot locker. With a code, the case opened with a pop. Then, Kim checked the weapon over and smiled before she gently racked a round. The look in her eyes told how Kim now viewed Drakken as less than a mark. "Weapons free." Kim growled before she shut the door and looked at SADIE.

"Good hunting, Kim." The AI said with something close to anger in her voice. "Do you know where he is?"

Kim nodded, "He is in a lair just outside of Middleton from what Wade could recover from the video call."

"Need a lift?"

Veronica walked into view of SADIE and frowned, "Kimmie and I are going for a shock and awe slaughter approach," the dragon smirked at the machine and shook her head before she looked at Kim. "Ready?"

"I am, my Shield and Sword." Then, Kim watched as Veronica took her full form and climbed on the dragon's back without so much as a second thought. "Shall we make Drakken regret every life choice he's made to now?"

Shego made a sound close to laughter and lifted into the air with a deadly look in her eyes. This is going to be an in and out mission. Right?

If all goes well, yes.

As Kim neared the lair, Drakken began to grow something similar to worried but not quite as he waited. Then, the blue boy in a man's body stormed over to Ann. "What's keeping her?' Drakken all but yelled at the good Doctor Possible. "I know you know. Last time the upstart and Shego fought, your daughter let it slip you made her new armor." The man smiled. "Tell me what she plans to do, or your sons will be the test subjects for my latest machine."

Ann smiled, "Kim is going to go in with everything she has to get us back." The woman stopped and smiled at the man. "(Death comes for you, Drakken, but you called her and taunted her, so I have no sympathy for what comes next.)"

Drakken slapped her across the face, "Speak English. Damn you!"

The Tweebs glared at Drakken from the other end of the room. Then, Tim sighed, "Mom, I'm sorry." He whispered before he pulled out a hold out blaster and worked his hands from the bindings. "Drakken, you really want to know what it feels like to take a blaster bolt to the chest?"

Drakken laughed, "Plasma weapons are in their infancy," the madman blathered. "How could you build a working pistol?"

"He didn't." Jim growled before he held another blaster in Drakken's face. "You want to try your luck and see if these bolts are hotter than your plasma resistant clothes are rated?"

Before Drakken could respond, a crackle from the radio drew Drakken's attention. "Boss, we have a perimeter breach!"

Kim sighed as she laid on Veronica's back while airborne and sent her first round through the head of an unfortunate henchman. Veronica, it's time.

The dragon sighed, You are batshit crazy! You know that, Princess?!

Shego shook her head and began a series of maneuvers just in case Drakken was wise enough to have anti-air systems in place. All the while, the report of Kim's rifle never stopped. Sure, sometimes an extended delay between shots happened, but Kim clearly earned her moniker "Demon of Death" with good reason. The fact Dragon eyes could track targets at dazzling speed only appeared to make Veronica's Sol Mythrin even deadlier than before.

As the final round left, Kim nodded and put Aay'han on her back to make an X with her blade. Then, Kim patted Veronica's neck. With the signal given, Veronica climbed high into the atmosphere above Drakken's lair and turned to dump Kim from her back before the dragon turned again to find the nearest entry point.

Kim fell quickly and angled herself to break into a window. With the crash of glass, Kim moved like lightning and took Kadara from her back and began slicing through henchmen like butter. The self-preservation of the henchmen led many of them to run, but shots from Kim's M1911s stopped any who tried to run. Kim glared at the men in rage as she cleaned house.

The last man started to paw at the hidden escape hatch like a trapped dog. As Kim approached he began to whimper, "Please, don't kill me!"

Kim spoke from within the hyper-focus of the The Void, "Where is he?!"

The only man left untouched by sword or bullet shook with terror as he pulled a lever which summoned an elevated from a hidden shaft in the wall. "I-it will take you straight to him! I swear!"

Kim only gave a curt nod before she nodded the elevator and began her trip down deeper into Drakken's lair.

Shego smiled as she burned a hole into the escape hatch and began to claw her way up to the lowest usable level of the facility. I'm in, Kimmie. The dragon thought calmly. How does Kadara feel in your hand?

She's perfect in my hand, Kim said even as she sliced a hench in half. Is it Draconian custom to always forge a sword for non-Draconian ceremonies?

Veronica shrugged, I don't know. Amber and Nichole both said we are the first union of this like. Veronica came to a junction and listened. You're not going to believe this, Kim, but unless my ears are wrong, one or both of The Tweebs have Drakken at blaster-point!

Kim wanted to be proud of her brothers, but she also knew what their first kill would likely do to the boys considering they had no training of how to minimize the mental damage brought when one kills, even in self-defense. Hurry, Shego, Kim pleaded. Stop them!

Veronica smiled and roared, loud and enhanced by the metal around her and the confined space. Veronica knew she should be freaking out due to her hatred of tight spaces, but with her Bound to Kim, the fear seemed distant and brought a smile to the young dragon's face.

Drakken froze and paled when he heard the roar. "Sh-She's here already?"

Tim and Jim smiled at the sound and quickly holstered their weapons. "(He's…)" Tim said while Jim finished, "(…dead.)"

Ann calmly made a so-so motion with her free hand. "Pronunciation was good, boys, but your accent still needs a bit of work."

"Shego, help me." Drakken spoke and smiled. The others looked at Drakken as the form of Human Shego dropped between Drakken and the true Shego.

James sighed when he noticed a distinct lack of green pigmentation in the copy and facepalmed. "Drew, you moron!"

Drakken glared at him. "You'll see, James!" He growled. "You'll all…"

The man trailed off as the ambient temperature of the room plummeted to an icy chill in a matter of milliseconds. Drakken dared to turn and stared in fear at the sword-wielding Possible in her full armor.

Do you want to end the knock off, Kimmie? Veronica asked with an irritated tone to her thoughts. Or should I?

Kim never answered verbally or even mentally. Instead, green flame creeped up the length of Kadara's blade as Kim assumed the opening stance of Form VI and charged. Kim watched the clone stare in disbelief for a moment. Then, she went through the Form steps and tried to land a hit. However, the copy proved as agile and quick-footed as the original.

The man stared and shivered as he stepped away and watched from a safe distance. Drakken seemed to be coming undone as he watched his nemesis somehow use a sword with practiced or even expert ease. What the heck is happening here?!

"You never told me Kimmie had a sword, Doctor D!"

Kim seemed to get faster after the clone's comment. When Kim hacked off a hand, the clone cried out in pain but didn't bleed at all. "That was a warning shot, Copycat." Kim took off her helmet and gently placed it on the floor out of the way. When Kim looked back up at the thing, her eyes blazed with Draconian fury, now slitted and growing red in a reflection of Kim's anger. "Only my family or my Sol Mythrin may call me 'Kimmie'." Kim shook her head. "You are definitely not family, but you do look like my wife."

Drakken began to open and close his mouth like a fish out of water. "WHAT?!"

Kim ignored Drakken and sheathed her sword. Then, Kim gripped Faux Shego by the head and turned her roughly to see the left side of Copycat's neck. A low growl rumbled in Kim's throat. "(No Mark!)"

Instead of watching Kim utterly destroy the powerless duplicate, Shego busied herself with Kim's family and gently used her plasma to burn and weaken the bindings enough to free each member of The Possible Family. Then, Veronica took her family out of the lair safely, careful to avoid traps laid with intent to capture Kim. Shego could feel Jim and Tim looking at her and sighed, "What do you want, boys?"

"Where…" Tim began. "…did Kim get…" Jim added before Tim finished,"…get a sword that can mimic your power? It's AWESOME!" Jim nodded in agreement with his brother. "What he said!"

Veronica sighed, "It's a wedding gift from me."

The boys looked at each other and high-fived. Then, after a moment, the pair became sullen. "She won't let us have a look. Will she?"

Shego suppressed the urge to attack the boys. Instead, she shook her head and sighed. "Does your mother let you take her armor for analysis?"

When the boys realized their mistake, they wisely did not mention interest in their sister's sword again. Instead, the boys turned their attention to Shego's plasma itself and kept their conversations muted or, when the dragon turned to face Kim's brothers, telepathic.

James walked up to match pace with Shego and rubbed his chin in thought. "How did you manage to put part of your power in Kim's sword?"

Damn Possible curious nature! The dragon shook her head and mentally threw up her hands in exasperation. Kim, a little insight here?

Give them enough to know it's a sensitive topic, like The Karadim, the redhead suggested. I'm mopping up with Copycat and will meet you outside.

Veronica mentally nodded and for a moment wondered if Kim meant the first bit literally with the clone likely being a cheap syntho-drone. Then, the dragon turned her attention back to the family. "You really want to learn how I made the sword?" Shego asked with a grin. "I gave myself a cut and pulled a scale out of my skin."

Nothing shut down the conversation faster than that. Shego sang Kim's praises as she basked in the silencer untold the pair met up outside Drakken's hideout. The dragon looked over her Sol Mythrin with slightly worried eyes until Kim yanked Drakken into view from behind her back. The two of them stared at Drakken for a moment before the man started blubbering and screaming. What did you do to him, Kimmie?

I showed him the deaths at his feet because of his bloated ego, Kim shook her head. About a quarter of the way through the bodies, he started whimpering and begging for me to call The Cyclops to lock him away.

Really? Veronica showed a smile full of razor-sharp teeth. "What do you think, Pumpkin?" The woman made a show of stroking her chin in thought. "I don't know if we should present his body to the UN or allow him to face them with his heart still beating in his chest."

Kim folded her arms over her chest. "Well, he did threaten my family and created an insulting copy of you."

Veronica nodded, "If Amber or Nichole met him, he'd probably survive for fifteen seconds."

Drakken started to sweat and paled considerably. "PLEASE, give me to the police! I won't do anything again!"

Kim shrugged and looked at Veronica. Wade called Betty when I ended that…monstrosity. The warrior then tapped the top of her wrist. We have about five minutes. The Mandalorian then looked at Shego. Can you please let my family ride on your back to take us home?

Veronica nodded and laid down for ease of access. Everyone, all aboard!

Kim didn't relax until she was almost back to the house with the rest of her family. I am curious to see how Betty reacts to this. Kim said with a hint of worry in her thoughts. This will obviously tweak her because Drakken was her last hope to keep GJ as it is, corruption and all.

Please Read and Review.