22. Cheerful
December, 2006
It was a typical argument after a failed plan. Tossing blame around and sharing in complaints about their teenage nemesis was an easy way to get out the frustration as they returned to the lair to soothe their wounds, both physical and mental, before starting anew.
On this occasion, however, the frustration continued into the lair.
Instead of arriving back to the familiar, welcoming silence, they walked in on a ruckus in their own living room. Shego had leapt in front of Drakken and lit up her glow, expecting a trap. But a moment later she straightened again as she took in the scene, and her face fell to the same confusion already on Drakken's.
It wasn't a trap nor ambush, but...a party. And a wild one. Their henchmen had clearly decided to start their holiday vacation while still there, and it was clear that an abundance of alcohol had been consumed. The television was playing a Christmas classic, with some men on their knees in front of it to watch and others collapsed on the sofa and in easy chairs in various states of wakefulness.
Some of the holiday trappings had been taken down and were being used to decorate one of the men himself, lights strung all around him and various ornaments hanging from his clothing, while a bow had been stuck to the top of his head in lieu of a star as he was their own living Christmas tree. There was music, singing, dancing, a card game, and what appeared to be a game of beer pong going on except with eggnog instead.
Shego and Drakken looked at each other.
"Might have been easier if we'd been arrested..." Drakken said with a cringe.
Shego rolled her eyes, but before she could speak one of the men stumbled up to them.
"Boss! Mrs. Boss!"
Shego rolled her eyes again, as she was certainly no missus. In doing so though, she missed the nervous glance that Drakken gave her.
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us!" the man said, thrusting a shoddily-wrapped package out toward them at arm's length while he swayed drunkenly.
Drakken reached out and hesitantly took the package and not a moment too soon as the henchman's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed in a heap at their feet. It was Drakken then to roll his eyes and scowl at both the individual and mess being made of the lair's private living space, but Shego had already begun ripping into the present.
The paper pulled away, a simple cardboard box was inside that was clearly re-used from some shipped purchase. And when she opened it, hers and Drakken's eyes widened on the single item contained within.
"How...how did you get this?" Drakken asked as Shego lifted it out, but then he grumbled remembering the henchman was unconscious at their feet.
In Shego's hand was the communication device that Kim Possible used to connect to her computer nerd, her side-kick, and the rest of the world. They stared at the small piece of technology in awed silence, and when their eyes finally met they shared a wicked grin. The opportunities with the device were endless.
"Shego—" Drakken began giddily.
"I know," she answered.
Drakken dropped the box and stepped over the fallen henchman, extending one hand to Shego who took it and followed him.
"Shall we...revel?" Drakken asked, his grin immovable as they entered the room.
"Mmmh, reveling is good," Shego answered.
And with matching smiles on their faces they were greeted by the resounding cheers of the henchmen as they joined the party.