Tian Cai
By mkusenagi2
The story concept © 5-19-2006
All Marvel characters are © Marvel Comics.
All DC characters © DC Comics.
Kim Possible and other Disney characters
are © Disney Co.
Level 4: Jian (Mage)
From Sheila Goble-Baux' Journal…
I should have killed him years ago.
If I had only known he had that kind of potential…
Drakken would have died horribly years ago…
All those people…
Those kids.
They died for his damned field test!
Part VIII
5-15-2006
Nakasumi-1
The Trans-Pacific
Route
90 minutes from
the US.
0815 hrs
Nakasumi sat behind his desk looking at Ron. Ms Kyoko stood next to him (in slender Asian perfection) watching…
Rufus scampered through the office… and dropped several broken bugs on Nakasumi's desk, earning a quiet smile from him and Kyoko-sama.
"Give it time. She is looking for her path. As ninja you must embrace the fact she may leave. If she does, be thankful for what's been shared and given." He solemnly said.
"DUDE!" Ron's eyes bugged. "I'm NO ninja." He hung his head. "I'm barely in control of my powers as is… it was nice while it lasted… but it takes more than what I'm doing to become a ninja… or warrior for that matter…" Rufus scampered up to his shoulder and hugged him. "HEY! What is this? Everyone's been trying to help me…?"
"Stoppable-san… there are a great many people that pay attention to what you do… and root for you." A steely glint came into Ms Kyoko's eyes. "I, Nakasumi-san, Iyori, and Sensei are but a few."
A light came on… "You're… YOU?"
"Yes. We are graduates of the school. Once we were where you are…" Kyoko said as she squeezed Nakasumi's shoulder. "And now… through hard work we are here."
"Wow. I'd never have guessed." Ron said. "Uh Huh!" chirped Rufus.
"All of our resources are being used to assist you in your quest…" she said as Rufus hopped off and scampered around the room.
"We are in grave trouble Stoppable-san. The Third Beast has formed strong bonds with other nations by providing influence and intelligence they need…" Nakasumi said as Ron and Ms Kyoko watched Rufus poke through their host's memorabilia. "When SHIELD… will not cross certain… barriers… HYDRA will for the right price. Unfortunately our governments have embraced this attitude privately in the darkest corners."
"It's that bad?" Ron was shattered by the news. 'Unc's clean… I know it! … Great Grampa's said in his journal that they never found out who the Third was… It was crazy back then… probably like now… We put our faith in these guys that we elect… How can we make sure they're trustworthy?'
"I venture to say worse… they have used their allies' banking networks to create and move new sources of income. Recently, they and twisted members of my government have tried to sway the Emperor with no success. A plan is in motion to take advantage of the war within HYDRA's ranks… Hopefully it shall succeed. 'beep! beep!'…" Nakasumi donned an earbud. "I must beg your forgiveness…"
"No prob Dude." Ron said as he picked up a remote and began to play with a radio controlled car while Nakasumi conferred with his advisors.
The toy magnate paled and whispered to Ms Kyoko, who paled as well. "Stoppable-san… there's been an attack at Pegasus… and several bases worldwide. All of the perpetrators died after completing an act of sabotage…" she said.
Serious Stony Face. "Is she…?" 'This is bad if Nakasumi can find out about Pegasus… gonna have to talk to Ben and Linda about this.'
"Pulsar is fine… the base is secure. They were able to contain the riot the rogue agents caused…" Nakasumi said. "We have changed course to intercept Condor 1 so you may assist them as well."
"How did they die?" Ron asked.
"Stroke…" Nakasumi turned his head and listened to his link. He turned purplish with barely concealed rage. "Several children have died in the same manner… 20,000 in Tokyo alone…"
Ron glared at the bulkhead… "It's Drakken." A nimbus of pale fire wreathed his head. "I'm going to…"
"no." Kyoko said with a hard gaze. "Not from anger. If that time comes… you must do it for Justice."
"Yes'm." Ron said. 'I hope it won't come to that. It was bad enough when I had to kill Thanos.'
"As for my Source, Ron. You know him very well." Nakasumi said as he closed his left eye. "We met when I was a bit more than a humble toymaker." He grinned. "If you get the chance… tell Stick I'd like a rematch. It has been awhile…"
Ron blanched. "Right." 'Unc gets around…'
---
Meanwhile…
While Ron and Nakasumi talked, Kim was trying to finish her homework…
'God! I'm not getting this Geometry problem! Maybe Ron can help…!' Kim sat and examined that thought… and its implications… Ron had grown… So had Sheila… could she say the same? Here they were trying to help keep things together…and she was still acting in certain ways as if she were a freshman…
"Beep Beep beDeep! Sitch Wade?" she asked lost in thought.
'Gotta keep my cool…' "I've been digging on the Viper/Nakasumi plot as well as Drakken/HYDRA… but so far nothing… it's not adding up…" he looked away from Kim and fidgeted… "Uh… what I've found out is that a LOT of HYDRA's money's gone missing… at least from the accounts that we've been watching… me and The Specialist that is… Uh I looked into something else for you… All records indicate that the Nick Fury, Cameron talked about, worked for the Firm and died around the late '90s… right now it's looking coincidental that he and Ron's uncle have the same name… there's some other references from conspiracy sites (really crazy stuff about Nick Fury running SHIELD from the '60s to now…), but I know how you feel about those…"
"Hmmm… I can't figure it…" Kim mused as she looked at the problems in her book…
"I can see why she'd be stealing high tech weaponry… but not him… Robbing HYDRA doesn't fit his profile…" the young genius mused.
"I was actually talking about this geometry homework…"
"Oh! You want me to take a look?"
"Nah. I think super-genius assistance is pretty cheatish… I'll ask Ron…" she grinned as she packed up their gear.
"One more thing…" Wade sweated Kim's glare. "Uh Kim. Condor 1 and several bases were attacked… the carrier's fine…" "Sheila? Is She?" "She's fine too… it's a mess worldwide right now… agents and military groups around the world are reeling from the attacks… all of the persons responsible have died…" Wade stopped. Tears ran…
"Wade?" she cried. "What's…"
"Children… have been dying Kim… It started the same time the attacks did… 2 million+ worldwide… they had the same symptoms…like the agents did… violent behavior…attacked their parents or others…then death…" he sat back into silence.
"Drakken!" she growled.
"Maybe…Strucker and Zola could be involved… at Auschwitz they…maybe you should ask Ron about his Great-Grandpa Imi and check his journal…"
"No. I can't. Not after what's happened…" she looked away, teary. "I have no right…"
"Kim, Ron's the key to some of this…you have to ask him! At least ask him for a peek at Imi's journal…" "No." "Look. He's hid things from you…his Uncle for instance, how does he know Shang Chi? From what I've found, Shang's been working for MI5 and 6 for years…high level stuff…the Queen hasn't been able to see him." Kim frowned. "I checked."
"Wade…I have to go. No." she growled. 'Good Question. Ron's always had my back… so it'll have to wait!'
"Even if it could mean The End Of…"
"It won't. I have to go. Just reroute us towards the Carrier."
Wade looked at his friend. Totally defeated. "It's been done. Nakasumi's filed the order."
She softened. "Wade. Thanks. I'll see to it you don't get in trouble with The Specialist." "!" she thought as she clicked the Kimmunicator off. 'Game Face, Possible.' "How about number 7?" she tossed over her seat. 'He should be back now.'
"Hmmm… very tricky. Number 7 is very tricky…" one of Nakasumi's advisors said from Ron's seat.
'Rrrrgh! RON! You're supposed to do your OWN work!' "So Stoppable-san's still…?" they pointed aft.
Kim set down their gear and strolled the short distance to Nakasumi's office…
His bodyguards saw the glint in her eyes and stepped aside.
Kim opened the door…
"Ron?" she nervously grinned at Nakasumi and Ms Kyoko. Nakasumi whispered in Kyoko's ear… 'I never noticed…' she thought looking at them with a trained eye. 'They're both in good shape…' Nakasumi; short stocky, quietly confident. Kyoko; trim, well muscled, harmonious. Earth and Air. 'Hmmm. They've studied.'
"Ms Possible. Welcome. And Thank You, once again." Ms Kyoko said as they bowed to Kim.
"No Big. Thanks for the lift back home. May I speak to Ron?" Kyoko motioned to Kim's right.
"Rufus, I'm supposed to steer! Aw c'mon!" Ron cried as Kim snapped her focus in his direction. She inwardly smiled. 'Some things never change. Thank God.'
The mole rat, dressed in racing gear, careened the radio controlled car across the floor between Kim and company… causing Nakasumi to stumble.
"Ah! Oh!" he cried as Ms Kyoko caught him.
"RON!" Kim growled.
"Yeah! Talk to the naked driver!" Ron got a Zorpoxy grin and hit the stop button. Rufus…"WOOAAAH! Thump! crash!" landed on top of a filing cabinet amongst Nakasumi's memorabilia…
Ron rushed over. "You ok little buddy?" "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh!" Ron looked at the toys… "Tiki Baruz… Bun Bun!" he said with childlike glee as he rummaged through the items.
"Ms Possible. Do not worry. Ron is an excellent customer…still full of childlike wonder." Nakasumi said. "It pleases me to see one such as he… filled with joy." Nakasumi said as he straightened his suit.
"Yeah… but sometimes…" Kim said.
Nakasumi held up a hand. "Many of the Great Warriors of Asia… had such hearts. Perhaps it is one reason why he was chosen to carry The Power."
Kim watched Ron and Rufus. "Sir. I've been meaning to ask you. Your English is flawless. Where did you learn it?" she turned to look at Nakasumi.
He relaxed. Kim noticed. 'Like Ron. When he talks about his uncle…' "An old friend taught me. I haven't seen him in years. I also studied at Oxford and Harvard. West Point, SHIELD, and the UN were great places to sharpen my skills too. But that was a time when I was a bit more than a humble toymaker." He winked and bowed to her as his assistants brought their gear into his office.
She turned to her Best Friend. "Ron. We have to go. The Carrier's…"
"Been attacked. I heard. We got the call while we were talkin' bout stuff." Kim frowned. "What? He's got a SHIELD clearance from the day…"
"Nothing." She turned towards Nakasumi. "You can let us off right here."
They donned their gear and jumped. Ron pulled his cord. "bam!" his chute deployed. Papers flew! "AGGH! MY SCIENCE HOMEWORK!"
"Serves You Right!" Kim yelled back over the gale of freefall.
Ron tapped his link. "Ah don't worry Kim. I turned that stuff in to Barkin already. I just ran some stuff by those guys to see what their take was on my solutions. If ya don't believe me ask Barkin later." He grinned wistfully at her. His Sexy Valkyrie of a Best Friend… 'Man! This IS cool! Huh! I guess I've got over my fear of heights… so much has changed…' he thought as he looked at his Best Friend.
"Really!"
"Yeah!" he looked down at the Carrier… and frowned. 'Unc…?'
Kim followed his gaze… and choked up.
The Helicarrier was… dinged on it's deck. For starters.
They were choked up to see it in such a state.
'It's so weird… it's like my home was violated…' Kim thought as they landed on the deck.
A heavily armed Fire Team ran towards them with the Specialist in the lead. "Getcher asses in gear." He bellowed. "We've got this under control… the unfriendlies're drilled… here and at Pegasus. POSSIBLE!"
"SIR!" she cried as they ran towards the elevator.
"Get your butt down to The Practice Room pronto. I'm puttin' yer team back on the active roster." He growled as they entered the elevator and went belowdecks. "Rook. Start workin' on the next pay grade… I need ya thinking like I d…er… like a Colonel does!"
"Yes Sir!" he cried.
"Rufus yer with me." "Uh Huh!" He stopped the elevator and tapped a scrambler on his belt. "Lissen up. We found organometallic residue in the victim's brains… similar to the Hephaestus Project…and parasitic organisms… the areas of the brain that were affected were ones Bortel was working on…the most we can figure is that they were inoculated somehow. The Lab Boys... good as they are, are stumped on what the organic component's origins are."
"Sir?" Kim asked. "Could you send the data to my Mom and Dad? I know Dad's impli…"
"Yer Dad's in the clear. A forensics team found worm software in the Space Center's datacore. Wade's workin' on who used it and how to flush it." He grinned. "As for the other I'll see to it the Boys get it to her. Gonna call Richards, Xavier, Brimmstone (and Global Dynamics), and Team House in on this too."
He started the elevator and stared at the ceiling. "Kim. Ron. Whatever's goin' on with ya… just keep faith in each other…" He glared at Ron. "As of this moment she's workin' deep cover for me. Drakken's gunnin' for 'er. He can't resist. She's a threat to his plans. The way I figger it; he's broken away from Smith and his boys… somehow he's got Viper workin' for 'im. Somethin's happened…"
"Yes Sir." They said before the doors popped open on the Practice Room's floor.
---
Condor 1/SHIELD
Helicarrier flagship
The Practice Room
1020 hrs
Al was meditating in the Practice Room topless, clothed in loose cargo jeans, Bo in lap when Kim walked in…
Kim thought about Nick Fury… ' Cameron said he's dead… yet Ron has an Uncle by the same name… According to Wade internet searches proved fruitless unless you go to the 'conspiracy' guys…!'
'What's that?' she thought as she perceived a glow around Al. 'Hmmm. He's hunky!'
'!' his aura withdrew…
'Ready?' she heard as he sent to her. 'Yeah?' She sent back as she rolled under his swipe with the Bo and tried to kick his shin. 'How? Telepath?'
Al flipped up and tumbled away from her using the Bo as a spare set of 'legs'.
'What the? OW!' "Thwack!" he tagged her thigh with a rubber ball.
They stopped on opposite sides of the room. 'Focus Kim. Quit staring at me. Think of what gives you strength… we've got to get that stank out of your head…' "Play." He said to the Room.
Hey girls, gather round
Listen to what I'm putting down
Hey baby, I'm your handyman
'!' she thought as she listened and crouched watching her 'foe'… 'Dad sings this to Mom all the time…' she smirked, 'When they think we're not paying attention… or alone dancing…'
He circled her. "Fighting's not enough… you have to have something worth fighting for…
I'm not the kind to use a pencil or rule
I'm handy with love and I'm no fool
I fix broken hearts, I know but I truly can
He threw several balls and pole-vaulted up the wall…
She thought about Ron…
The glow blazed around him as he ran across the ceiling!
She rolled away as she felt someone before her!
If your broken heart should need repair
Then I am the man to see
I whisper sweet things, you tell all your friends
They'll come runnin' to me
'That's better.' He sent as she ducked his thrust, rolled on her back, crossed her thighs around his Bo, rolled on top and lashed out with a Dragon's Tail kick!
Al released the Bo and rolled away…
Here is the main thing that I want to say
I'm busy 24 hours a day
I fix broken hearts, I know but I truly can
She thought about him on the Rook missions…
Risking his life…
For what he Knew was right.
Come, come, come
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Come, come, come
They'll come runnin' to me
Rolled forward and tackled Al… then flew as he rolled with her and kicked her off…
She landed…
And reached within.
He threw live shuriken at her!
She thought about how Ron looked at her… and Sheila when they just hung out…
How he'd look at them when he thought they weren't paying attention…
Just like her Dad looked at her Mom when she was paying rapt attention to him.
How Sheila looked at her.
Here is the main thing that I want to say
I'm busy 24 hours a day
I fix broken hearts, baby I'm your handyman
A Pearly Glow surrounded her…
His Bo flew to her grasp…
"Chink! Thwap! Ping!" they fell shattered to the floor!
Come, come, come
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Come, come, come
Yeah, yeah, yeah
They smiled and bowed to each other…
That's me
(Come, come, come) I'm your handyman
(Yeah, yeah, yeah) That's me
(Come, come, come) I'm your handyman
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Handyman
James Taylor
She had a glint in her eye. "Again. This time in the Magma Desert."
Al grinned.
---
Meanwhile in Drakken's
hidden Southwestern Lair…
Viper sat in Drakken's throne in the Strategy Room looking at the different elements in their plot…
"See to it that the contagion works in the new containers as it's designed to." He growled at Viper.
"Careful." She hissed. 'He walked up on ME!'
He grinned. "I've cracked how your new powers work My Dear. Don't push it. You may be infected."
"Don't threaten Me." Viper glared back. And was Turned On. She pounced. And was rebuffed. "No. I have to move our gear into our new lair. I've planned a surprise for Dear Kimberley Ann." He growled.
He stalked out.
Viper fumed. 'I'll get him later.' She smiled. 'It's time to test the new delivery system.' She tapped her link. "Bring the insubordinates to the Lab."
---
The Practice Room
1100 hrs
"Reset!" rang out as Kim and Al fought shoulder to shoulder against Doc Ock and Venom…
"Complying." The Room said.
"It is time to show me what you have learned about 'The Way'." Stick growled.
Kim paused. Al placed a hand on her shoulder. His eyes said it all.
She squared off.
Centered.
Thought of The World and its People.
Ron… Sheila… her folks (Ron's, hers, and William (Sheila's Godfather))…
And Said. "Play."
My love
I'll never find the words, my love
To tell you how I feel, my love
Mere words could not explain
Stick smirked as he blinded her with a "FLASH!" from his Bo.
Kim closed her eyes and flowed into the Dream…
She healed her eyes…
And watched the flow…
Precious love
You held my life within your hands
Created everything I am
Taught me how to live again
She saw how things were connected while she effortlessly parried his every move…
"Ungh!" Stick grunted as Kim rapped his knuckles.
"Ssss!" she hissed as he tapped her foot.
Only you cared when I needed a friend
Believed in me through thick and thin
This song is for you and with gratitude and love
She shielded her foot… focused and…
Changed.
God bless you!
You make me feel brand new
For God blessed me with you
You make me feel brand new
I sing this song 'cause you
Make me feel brand new
Stick. An Immortal that had been worshipped as a God… was surprised.
A wraith of pure Potential Energy stood before him.
She looked at Al… and Stick… saw they were connected…
And respected their privacy.
My love
Whenever I was insecure
You build me up and made me sure
You gave my pride back to me
She looked at Ron.
Sheila.
Everyone.
Including Smith (Blackest Cancer, from what she was allowed to see).
Stepped forward…
Precious friend
With you I always had a friend
You're someone who I can depend
To walk a path that sometimes bends
Al sensed it and smiled.
And fought Stick. New Goddess vs Old God.
Power fluctuated throughout the Carrier…
"WHAT THE HELL'S GOIN' ON." The Specialist bellowed over the PA.
"Workin' on it Sir!" Al cried into his link.
They rose to the ceiling…
Space warped…
Until…
Without you
Life has no meaning or rhyme
Like words to a song out of time
How can I repay you for having faith in me
God bless you!
You make me feel brand new
For God blessed me with you
You make me feel brand new
I sing this song 'cause you
Make me feel brand new
God Bless Youuu!
You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics
They reappeared where they had started.
Kim had her glint… her… her SPARK Back!
Stick clutched his Bo and knelt before her.
"I Yield."
She knelt before him. "No. I thank you. For helping me… I understand… (she looked at them both…) your choices." she smiled. "You and Nan have my blessing." To a BEETROOT Stick.
She bowed to them both and left.
---
Elsewhere…
Ron and Sheila paused in their tasks and smiled.
Ron's and Sheila's hearts were healed a bit more…
A flicker came through the Link…
Kim's joy was present for a moment.
They were growing and healing…
But Time?
Did they have it?
End Part VIII
Note: 'You Make Me Feel Brand New' is for Gaelic1. You know why.