CHAPTER 8
Young Kim woke up in a fenced arena in some kind of warehouse. Techno/rave-style music was blaring all around. A crowd raged around her.
Suddenly, the loudspeaker crackled to life as before the voice of Yosemite Sam (not sure which one) resonated the place. "Rise 'n' shine, Kimmy."
As she gained full consciousness finally, she frantically looked for her gear. To her alarm and displeasure, it was all gone. Hearing the gruff snickering of her most hated adversary, she looked up and glared at both Sam and young Sam as they looked down at her from their vantage point in the caged arena.
"Yeah," sneered young Sam, "you won't be a-needin' yer stuff, love. One thing we Black Dragons know, there ain't no fun in a fair fight."
The doors opened from off-screen, and walking through the crowd of people was young Razor.
Young Razor looked up, a ticked-off look plain on his face. "So I get the chance to get my revenge on Kim, or what?"
"Don't know 'bout 'revenge,' partner," said Sam, "but ya'll can have the advantage of keepin' yerself from getting' burnt."
"She's dead either way."
The crowd cheered.
As the guards at the doors opened them for the hook-sword-wielder, young Kim took the opportunity to run for the opening. However, in her attempt to knock young Razor down, she was met by his signature speedy charge move, knocking her flat and back into the arena.
Young Razor gritted his teeth as he watched her get back up. "Hope you're ready for some pre-emptive vengeance."
Young Kim looked at him in both anger and confusion. "What the heck are you even talking about, Razor?"
"You, torturing me to get dirt on the Black Dragon."
They fought. Despite young Razor's abilities, young Kim was able to put the smackdown on him before delivering a final blow with a low spin attack to his feet.
Young Kim placed a foot on young Razor's chest as he grunted in dull pain. "Don't believe every rumor you hear." After letting the hook-sword-wielder crawl over to a corner of the arena, she looked up and called out to the ruffians. "I'm done entertaining you clowns! Get in here, you cowards!"
Through the loudspeaker, Sam smirked. "Temptin', love. But we thinks our next contender is a beaut. . . ."
Just then, a badly-beaten-up young Ron was dragged into the arena.
Young Kim looked at the cocky movie star as he was dragged in, before whispering to herself. "Oh, geez."
After another failed attempt to escape the cage, she helped young Ron up on his feet and yelled at Sam and his younger counterpart. "I won't fight him!"
The crowd surrounding them booed.
Over in his corner, still tending to his aches, young Razor shook his head. "Ho, boy."
Sam growled angrily into the loudspeaker. "You'll dag-blasted sure fight, you ornery lil' polecat, or you'll both die!"
"Don't try to lie to me! You'll kill us whether we fight or not!"
"Ah, ya caught me love. But put on a good show, eh? It'll be less painful."
"Cursed if you do," grunted young Razor, "cursed if you don't."
Young Ron tried shaking off the dazed feeling. "C'mon. You've been dying to hit me all day. Here's your chance."
Over in his corner, either of young Razor's ears twitched as he heard Sam and young Sam whispering to one another. He turned his head to pay better attention.
"Well," said young Sam, "Razor down thars aaaall done 'n' blew it. He was the most stupidest member I've ever had."
"And the cockiest, huh?" Sam quipped. "But hey, it was worth a try. The little lie we cooked up about Kim barbecuin' his hide worked like a charm. If only he fought as well as a baddie instead of a goodie two-shoes."
So Kim was telling the truth the whole time! young Razor thought as his eyes widened in shock. How could I have been duped like that? Man, T-Bone and the others will NEVER let it down.
"So now what all do we do with him?" young Sam inquired.
"We might've convinced him to join us agin," said Sam, "but after we gets rid of lil' miss redhead and her freckle-faced movie star, we can always go fer a new jacket. Gets what I'm a-sayin'?"
After hearing them snicker evilly, young Razor narrowed his eyes to slits. Fool me once: You're dead.
While that was going on, young Kim and young Ron were arguing about fighting one another.
"And give them the satisfaction of watching us fight?" asked young Kim. "Pfft! The heck I will."
Young Ron shook his head. "You said it: They'll kill us whether we fight or not. Fighting buys us time to find a way out. So quit being a diva and hit me!"
Sam and his younger self grinned in excitement as they watched two of their enemies get ready.
Young Kim punched young Ron in the face and stomach (several times in the latter)—he could barely stand on his feet.
Young Kim noticed that and looked worried. "Take a dive!"
Young Ron staggered a bit. "No way. These people know a dive when they see one."
Young Kim swung for another punch, but suddenly the gate blew up. Sara and her group—including Randy, Jimmy, and young T-Bone—broke into the room guns blazing. Young T-Bone even grappled against Rat King during the confusion.
Young Razor walked up to the couple, surprising them. "Relax. I just finally woke up." He looked up at the two Black Dragon leaders. "I'm onto your game slime-balls one and two!" The hook-sword wielder looked back at the couple again. "Now let's get the heck outta here."
Up in their little safe zone, Sam and young Sam motioned their head to Rattlesnake Jake to do one thing and one thing alone, before he slithered his way down.
With young Razor's and young Ron's help, young Kim started kicking at the locked chain-link gate. "Three. Two."
BANG!
The lock and chain were shot off, much to the three's combined surprise.
The hook-sword-wielder gulped. "Oh, crud."
Rattlesnake Jake was blocking their way. Slithering in, he shot young Ron in the shoulder before whipping young Razor into a chain-linked wall.
"Let's see," hissed the gunslinger as he readied his weapon, "who goes first? Ah, I know."
Rattlesnake Jake aimed at young Ron, but then young Kim sent him sprawling with a flying kick to the face.
Coiling back up into fighting, the gunslinger shot at the young S-F lieutenant as she dodged each bullet. Young Kim then delivered another kick to his face.
Rattlesnake Jake literally shook it off before flickering his tongue in a very dangerous manner. "Now ain't this a thrill. Bagging the legendary Kim Possible".
Young Kim clenched her fists. "I'll show you a thrill."
The second fight began for young Kim. While difficult at first, she was able to avoid Rattlesnake Jake's sharp aim and deliver a few good strikes.
"How's that for a thrill, Jake?" young Kim smirked.
"Lieutenant!" called Sara from off-screen.
After Sara had beaten down a hoodlum blocking her way, she met up with her parents.
Young Kim was holding up young Ron with one arm, while young Razor stood next to her.
Seeing young Razor, Sara looked uneasy as she pointed at him.
Young Razor held up his hands. "It's okay—I'm on your side now. Or again? I'm not sure how that works."
"Trust me," said young Kim, "it's a long story."
Sara then shook her head, getting it back in the game. "He needs a med evac. We're gonna have to fight our way out to the rendezvous." She then handed her a pair of fingerless metal gauntlets. "You'll need these."
After Sara took over by helping young Ron walk, young Kim slipped on the gauntlets led the group of soldiers to their only escape route—all while Jimmy, Randy, and young T-Bone, and young Razor fought off thugs along the way.
Once they were outside in the light snowfall of the alleyways, Sara motioned young T-Bone to take over assisting the wounded actor as she held off the oncoming hooligans.
Suddenly, Sam showed up with a nine-barrel machine gun! "Where do ya thinks you're all a-goin'?"
Sara gasped at the sight, before Sam started shooting the area. Sara, young Kim, young Ron, and the rest of their allies hid behind the truck.
As soon as Sam stopped firing, Sara steeled herself.
However, using the X-ray mode of his laser eye, Sam noticed them all hiding behind the truck.
Pulling out her pistols, Sara was about ready to fire back before being shot in the shoulder.
Seeing her future daughter getting hurt, young Kim decided to return the favor as she powered up her gauntlets.
"No! It's too dangerous!" warned Sara.
After ceasing fire, Sam walked over to the truck and was about to face the small band of heroes, before young Kim fired her gauntlets (disarming the red-haired ruffian), jumped off the top of the truck, and ambushed the Black Dragon leader. After young Kim delivered a diving kick to Sam's face and dodged one of his daggers, she started chasing after him.
Young Sam then came out of nowhere and rammed the young S-F lieutenant to the side. Young Kim picked herself back up before facing Sam and young Sam—together.
"Best thing 'bout this future, darlin'?" young Sam taunted. "I'm alive, but you're dead as a consarned doornail."
"Worst thing is," said Sam as he cracked his knuckles in readiness, "it's them thar NetherRealm stiffs who did yas in. Shoulda been me doin' you in."
"Let's have ourselves a do-over—bwa-ha-ha-ha!"
Fortunately, young Kim was prepared and was able to whip the both of them—with more than enough ease (with one point where she stomped on young Sam's stomach, while simultaneously affecting present-day Sam [both times]). She dodged Sam's laser eye before knocking him out and getting ready to fight his younger counterpart. "You might be alive in the future here, but that can change."
The fight was on. Two on-going enemies face-to-face once again. Although young Sam was a brute (albeit a short one), young Kim had equal skill in fighting—more than a match.
After giving young Sam a beatdown that elicited a few of his teeth getting knocked out, young Kim looked down in angry satisfaction. "Let me give you a break."
The young lieutenant stepped on the young ruffian's neck, before noticing a presence. She looked over and gasped in shock as Sam held young Ron at knifepoint.
Sam smirked as he held the actor hostage. "Now this is a pickle."
"You little jerk!" choked out young Ron.
Sam responded by putting the knifepoint closer to the cocky movie star's throat. "Can ya break his neck faster than I can gut yer boyfriend? Huh-huh-huh. Don't forgets. It's two-for-one. He dies, so does yer little girl!"
Young Kim looked down at young Sam before looking back up at the present-day version, a sly smirk spreading slowly on her face. "Thanks, Sam."
Sam looked at her with a confused scowl? "For what?"
The young lieutenant pulled out a handgun and aiming at a scared-looking young Sam. "For reminding me of the rules."
As she pulled the trigger on the off-screen ruffian . . .
BANG!
In almost a reflex-like action, Sam covered up the one good side of his face—forcing him to let go of young Ron.
Young Kim watched in satisfaction as Sam staggered for a bit before turning into sand in the wind and dissipating into oblivion.
After some time passed, young Kim was bandaging young Ron's wounds . . . all while talking about what just happened.
Young Ron smiled. "Sweet move. I'm totally stealing that one for Timequake."
Young Kim rolled her eyes in a playful manner and, after patching the cocky actor back up, started walking elsewhere in the rendezvous point.
"How about . . . dinner sometime?" sheepishly (and nervously) called out the movie star. Y'know, to thank you for saving my life? And apologize for being, well, me. No pressure. No romance."
The young S-F lieutenant resisted the urge to laugh, but still smirked as she walked back up to him. Patience is a virtue, Stoppable."
Seeing the two of them, Sara smiled thinly while young T-Bone chuckled, Jimmy gagged, young Razor rolled his eyes in an "oh brother" kind of way, and Randy shrugged at the two latter.
Suddenly, everyone looked up at a figure holding up an S-F soldier and throwing him off a watchtower.
"What is that?" young Kim frowned.
It was Dr. Droid, and he jumped from the watchtower over to the band of heroes. As the soldiers came at him, he threw them around elsewhere around the immediate area, while making his way over to the others.
Young Ron looked both confused and nervous. "Who's the special guest villain?"
Young Kim scowled at the otherworldly being. "Dr. Droid, Eris's goon. Allegedly, he can't be killed."
The cocky actor started to walk up to the Elder Goddess's minion. "I fought a dude like that in Fatal Infinity." As he flexed his arm into a punching position, he winced from the injury in his shoulder.
The S-F lieutenant called to the others. "Get him evac'ed. I'll keep that thing occupied."
Dr. Droid then turned his attention to the young lieutenant. "Kim Possible. Mother of Sara Possible."
"Yeah, what of it?" glared young Kim as she readied herself for combat.
"Your daughter defeated Pitch, son of Eris. I am his mother's vengeance."
The fight started in that instant. Dr. Droid proved to be the hardest opponent that young Kim had ever faced—even harder than Sam and his younger self. However, the S-F lieutenant pressed onward and was able to get a few good strikes on him before flipping him over and stomping down on his chest—knocking the wind out of him.
Young Kim looked down at her fallen adversary as she brushed off a lock of hair from her face. "Stay away from my daughter."
The otherworldly being started getting back up
Unexpectedly, Sara entered the battlefield on a forklift, causing her mother to duck out of the way—just in the nick of time. Sara then nailed Dr. Droid to the wall.
Sara jumped out of the forklift and threw out a couple detonators. "Try coming back now." She then booked out of the range of the detonators.
BOOM!
The force of the explosion nearly knocked Sara off her feet—if not for her mother helping her stand back up.
"You okay?" young Kim asked in concern.
Sara straightened herself back up. "I'll be fine. I come from tough stock."
"Listen. What I said back at the base, about the mission. It wasn't fair. You are a fine soldier. I'm so proud, I can almost picture myself dating Ron. Almost.
"I wish I could go back. Do our last mission over."
"It wasn't easy, finding out how I die—or, could die. But I re-read the file. You followed orders. Saved your squad. I'm just glad that my sacrifice saved Earthrealm—and you. Besides, you heard Samurai Jack. Things will never go back to what they were. We all have to 'choose our destiny.'"
Young Kim and Sara shared a hug.
Dr. Droid's robotic pieces started coming back together—much to the shock of the mother-daughter duo.
Young Kim looked at what was going on with an uneasy look. "Omi and Timmy weren't kidding about him."
"All squads withdraw! Evac, now!" Sara called out.
Meanwhile, reverent Omi was with the Elder Goddess, the latter tinkering with her hourglass.
"Dr. Droid failed. When he returns," Eris said, "I will strengthen him further for the final battle."
The reverent Omi approached her.
Eris's frown deepened as she continued her work. "Speak your mind."
Reverent Omi glared. "We've lost Aku, his Outworld army, and now the Black Dragon."
"While Samurai Jack's allies have burned precious time fighting Yosemite Sam and Aku, our most important work has continued, uninterrupted, on Walter Wolf's island."
"The island is in ruins. What could possibly—"
Eris looked away from her work. "Timecraft requires an abundance of raw temporal energy. Every mortal soul contains a lifetime of this power. Every hour, every minute, every second lived, is stored within."
The fallen hero paused. "Walter fed off souls. He collected them."
Eris smirked. "In his Well of Souls—which remains, untouched, beneath his island. A destiny I crafted for Walter, in case I ever had need."
Revenent Omi smiled back before bowing.
"Walter Wolf's souls," concluded Eris, "will be mine."