Chapter 7: Aftershock
"Ron, sweetie?"
"Ron, wake up."
Ron slowly opened his eyes to see Mrs. Dr. Possible gazing down at him worriedly. "Mrs. Dr. P?" Ron asked, hoarsely, then tried to sit up on the hard metal cloth and metal table.
"Easy, Ron, stay down for right now," Mrs. Possible said, stroking his forehead with a damp cloth. "Your powers protected you, but you still took a bad hit."
Ron groaned and rubbed his face with his gauntleted hand… "Oh snap …" Ron breathed as he glanced down to see his dirty red and white armor clad body. "I can explain …" He said weakly glancing up at the smirking doctor.
"Let me guess," Mrs. Dr. Possible said in an amused voice. "You were summoned strangely by a intergalactic being in the form of a giant floating head that put you in mind of a rip off of the Wizard of Oz, and asked to take up the responsibility to take up a defense of mankind against powerful monsters?"
Ron blinked in awe.
"Been there, done that, buddy." Mrs. Possible said, before shining a light into his eyes. "Doesn't look like you've got a concussion."
"What hit me … last thing I remember was …" Ron's eyes widened as his memory came back in full force. "KIM!" he called out as he sat upright.
Mrs. Possible's eyes suddenly softened, as she gripped his shoulder keeping him on the table. "Shiva's turned her into one of her generals, Ron." She then helped him stand gripping his arm and shoulder to steady him. "Zordon will explain it, I can't … without breaking down again …" she said in a trembling voice.
Mrs. Possible lead the Red Ranger from the med bay and on through the hallway toward the central area of the Command Center where Zordon's watch room was located.
Ron glanced up where Yori and the other Rangers were standing around the Command Center before glancing up at Zordon. "What did she do to her?" Ron asked with a growl as he jerked away from Mrs. Possible. "What did Shiva do to Kim?"
"Shiva merely built from a foundation that was already there, Ronald," Zordon stated, with a sad expression. "Shiva can give people power beyond their wildest dreams, as I can with the Morphing Grid. Our powers have one thing in common, the power can only be given to a willing host."
"Are you saying Kim willingly became one of that freak's followers?" Ron asked with a hint of a chuckle.
"I fear that is correct, Ronald," Zordon said in a soft tone.
"You're wrong, you're dead wrong, Big Z," Ron shook his head, his eyes burned angrily. "You don't know Kim Possible. Kim would never … NEVER become one of the bad guys! It makes no sense! Why should she do something like that, she wouldn't … couldn't … ever do that!"
"Whether or not you believe it, Ronald, it is still a fact," Zordon spoke softly, "Kimberly could only receive the powers willingly."
"No, you're wrong," Ron shook his head as he backed toward the large door. "Kim's stronger then that, she's got too much going for her to do that!"
"He's right, Ronald," Mr. Dr. Possible said walking in behind him and walked to his trembling wife, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And it's our fault, Ron, we… myself, her mother … you, we all let her down and this is the end result."
"Think about it, Ron," Mrs. Dr. P spoke up, "How many friends, real friends that know her does she have?" Ron blinked for a moment before staring at the floor. "For fifteen years she just had one … you, she finally met Monique but they don't have the closeness you two had … when you … decided to end the friendship, how much did Kimmie really have? And we're not solely blaming you. We're as much to blame. Her father and I were too busy to really try to help, we took for granted you two would fix things on your own … we should have at least been there for her more then we were."
"It's not your fault …" Ron shook his head as tears began to form in the corners of his brown eyes. "It's mine, if I hadn't been so … stupid if I …" Ron shook his head and turned on his heel. Without another word he dashed from the command center leaving the two Doctors Possible and the Rangers in shock.
"Ron-san!" Yori called after him, but Bonnie grabbed her should.
"Look babe, I don't know your history with him, but I take it you're friends." The Yellow Ranger said before glancing around the group. "You're all his friends; if you talk to him he'll think you're sugar coating it. Me, I've always been a bitch to him. He'll have a better chance listening to me, so I'll talk to him, or smack some sense into him, whichever comes first." She said before dashing after the Red Ranger.
Shego smirked to herself as she watched Duff Killagan and Gill argue in the central chamber of Shiva's hidden base. Their argument was cut short when their mistress returned with a proud smile on her face. "Greetings my friends," Shiva said cheerfully, "How are you this fine day?"
"How are we?" Gill growled, "Why are you so chipper? We lost our key, so what are we supposed to be like on 'this fine day'?"
"I come bearing news," Shiva said before smiling brightly at the emerald skinned mutant. "Shego, my second in command, this news has concern of you."
"Oh really?" Shego asked jumping to her feet. "What's the news?"
"You're getting demoted," Said a familiar voice that caused all the minions to take a fighting stance as the pale blue skinned, yellow eyed Kim stepped out from behind the dark goddess.
"Kim Possible!" Drakken barked out, causing the other minions to look at him dumbly.
"Kimberly speaks the truth," Shiva said, nodding to her new servant. "That is … unless you have a complaint, Shego?"
"Hell yeah, I have a complaint!" Shego shouted igniting her hands, only to gasp when Kim suddenly appeared before her and lifted her off the ground by her throat.
"I've wanted to do this for so long …" Kim said as she slammed Shego to the ground. While still holding her throat Kim sat down roughly on the older woman's stomach and placed her other hand on Shego's neck. "I don't see anything to stop me anymore …" Kim whispered darkly as she began to squeeze. Shego's eyes widened and she began to gasp for breath. This caused Kim to smile as if she was a child at a carnival.
"Kimberly, that is enough, my child," Shiva said, placing a hand on Kim's shoulder. "She is still useful."
Kim pouted but dismounted the villainess and returned to Shiva's side. "Unlike you all," Shiva said, glancing around the group. "She seldom fails. Now then, my child, I have a mission for you."
"Yes, Mistress?" Kim asked excitedly.
"Seek out the Green Ranger," Shiva said with a nod. "Retrieve my key, and destroy the Ranger. Can you do this for me?"
"When can I have Ron back?" Kim asked suddenly.
"When you've destroyed the Rangers, my dear," Shiva smiled stroking her cheek. "Then I will give you what you desire."
"K, I can't wait!" Kim nodded, before vanishing in a flame.
"That was …" Drakken breathed as he helped Shego back to her feet.
"Freaked up?" Gill offered, blinking at where Kim stood.
"Seriously," Motor Ed nodded.
"Kimberly is a much better fighter then you all," Shiva stated crossing her arms, "I doubt she'll fail, especially if she wants her beloved back."
"That's sick, even for you," Shego shot, leaning against Drakken.
"Um … The Buffoon who's name escapes me at the moment," Drakken said after thinking for a moment, "As faithful as he is he won't willingly go back to her after you turned her into a raving psychopath."
"Key word there, Andrew," Shiva nodded to the mad scientist. "WILLINGLY. Kim will have him back, didn't say he'd be in the same mindset. Lobotomized humans are very faithful."
Ron sat on a cliff a short distance from the Command Center with his feet hanging over the edge. "Ya know," a voice spoke behind him, "This is a really nice view." Bonnie spoke as she walked over and dropped down beside him.
"Here to tell me how bad I screwed up?" Ron asked as he stared down at the Tri City. "About how much a loser I am?"
"So, K went bad because you were a sad sack of donkey shit," Bonnie said out right, "What are you going to do about it?"
"What do you mean?" Ron asked softly, not looking up.
"Are you going to sit here and sulk?" Bonnie asked, "Or are you going to pull yourself together and try to figure a way to get her back?"
"How can I get her back if what Zordon said is right?" Ron asked looking down at his battered Power Ranger uniform before touching his wrist morpher and powering down. "… All these powers, and at the cost of my best friend."
Bonnie growled in frustration before she reared back and slammed her fist into his cheek. "I always called you a loser, but I never thought you'd actually live up to it!" Bonnie snapped standing to her feet.
"For reasons beyond me, Ron Stoppable, K thought the world of you," Bonnie raged as she glared down at the blond headed teen. "And strangely enough, over the last few months working with you in these silly costumes, I was starting to see what she saw. You HAD a set of balls; Stoppable, you were a definite force to be reckoned with. What was it, the fact you could make Kim cry on a whelm? Now that she's able to knock you back got you back into your pathetic little role? Yeah, Stoppable, she's not here to watch you throw your tantrums and pity parties. What are you going to do about it?"
"I never meant to hurt her!" Ron shot back, jumping to get into her face.
"I never meant to hurt her, I never meant to hurt him … You and Possible are definitely on the same damned page," Bonnie swung out her arms in frustration. "You both feel so sorry for yourself because one of you is a loser and the other has to bust her ass to even be looked at. All through high school I watched you two cling to each other afraid of being anything else, well guess what, you both pushed each other into something radically different. Only thing is you're on opposite sides of the line."
Ron stammered as he stepped back. "What's the matter, Stoppable, can't face the truth? You're both human. You've made mistakes. And chances are you're going to have to fight Kim, maybe even take her out. But you know what? she's going to be out to take you out too. You have to accept it or else she'll kill you or one of us, and frankly I don't want to die because my leader has gone from superman to a pussy cat!"
"That won't happen …" Ron breathed.
"So you'll be able to face Kim, to fight her?" Bonnie asked with a glare.
"I … don't know …" Ron sighed, dropping his chin to his chest, only to be recoiled when Bonnie punched him again.
"Do you think you're the only one upset about Kim going bad?" Bonnie snapped, unshed tears forming in her eyes. "She wasn't supposed to be weaker then me … Kim Possible has been a bench mark since I known her, and you know how badly I want to break every damned bone in your body for breaking her down like you did?"
"Bonnie?" Ron gulped.
"Look, Stoppable, we have to get her back … and we have to stop her from doing something she'll regret for the rest of her life too," Bonnie shook her head. "If that means stopping her … permanently then I'm willing to. And as little as I think of that bitch, I'd think you'd want to keep her from making anymore mistakes then me."
"If it comes down to it, I guess I have no choice then to fight her … at least until we figure out how to bring her back." Ron sighed, clenching his fists. "Still … this is all my fault …"
"Duh, so now that you've decided not to sulk all day and try to help us figure out how to bring her back," Bonnie said starting back toward the command center.
Ron stopped suddenly when a thought finally hit him. "Wait, what are Mr. and Mrs. Dr. P. doing here? And how do they know about Zordon and the Power Ranger thing?"
"Oh come on, Ron," Bonnie rolled her eyes, "They're two of the first. Didn't Mrs. Dr. Possible tell you?"
A green energy pillar dropped down in a secluded area on the shore of Lake Middleton. The Green Ranger stared out into the water where the mighty Dragon Zord rested. "I do not know what I can do for Ron-san or Possible-san, my friend …" the Green Ranger whispered as she stood near the water line. "Master Sensei said they were both in great pain … but I did not expect it to be … caused of each other …"
The newest Power Ranger sighed as she sat down roughly on the sandy shore letting the water rush over her costumed legs. She had left the 'think tank' in the Command Center to come to this place she discovered upon her first trip to America some time ago. She had initially intended to bring Ron-san there once they rescued Master Sensei from Gorilla Fist but once she saw that another had already laid unofficial claim on him, she respectfully backed off.
Now it seemed that strong relationship that intimidated Yori so had been shattered not by an outside force but the two involved themselves. The Green Ranger's muse was cut off when an explosion directly behind her sent her flying into the water.
The Green Ranger jumped back to her feet and spun to see the demonic Kim Possible standing on the shore staring emotionlessly at her. "Possible-san …" The Green Ranger breathed, the sight of how Shiva had changed the redhead taking her back.
"Possible-san, why are you doing this?" Green Ranger said softly as she slowly approached the mutated teenager. The Japanese teen gasped in shock when Kim rocketed toward her, gripped her by her golden chest piece and threw her onto the grassy mainland.
"Think of the people who look up to you, Possible-San," The Green Ranger said jumping to her feet and bringing her arms up to block Kim's attacks. "Your family … your friends … I know Ron-san hurt you, but despite what you think he still cares for you greatly …" she said before Kim finally got her in the chest.
"Do you think I actually care what anyone thinks?" Kim growled, her yellow eyes glaring down at the Green Ranger. "All my life I've done everything for everyone else. For the first time I'm doing something for me, and I'm staking my life and the whole world on it."
"You have been fooled, Possible-san," Green Ranger shot drawing her dagger. "I will give you one final warning to yield and allow us to help you. If you deny I will be forced to stop you."
"I am doing what I have to do to get my Ron back," Kim growled, snarling at the emerald heroine, "And that means going through every single one of you Power Rangers."
"You are proving yourself as unworthy as Ron," Green Ranger shot back.
"DON'T TALK ABOUT ME OR HIM LIKE YOU KNOW US!" Kim screamed as the two warriors jumped at each other, dagger and claws at the ready.
To Be Continued …
NEXT CHAPTER: Demonic Kim Possible vs. Yori the Green Ranger!