The cemetery was beautiful. Everything was trimmed grass sectioned off by flower beds, surrounded on most sides by woods that were just big enough to seperate the place from its surroundings. The result was a colourful, peaceful place to lay the recently deceased to rest.
Mourners gathered. Words were spoken. The coffin was lowered into the grave.
The ceremony ended, those assembled began speaking among themselves.
One among them caught a hint of movement at the edge of the woods, a figure they believed they recognised. Excusing themselves with a whisper, they left the congregation for the treeline to seek the figure out.
Once Ann reached the treeline, she stepped behind one of the trees and leaned against it, out of sight from the others. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and asked, "Was I seeing things, or are you actually here?"
"I'm here," came the response, and the speaker revealed herself.
"It's Shego, isn't it? The mutant who worked for Drakken."
The look Shego gave the neurosurgeon made it clear that she didn't care for the label, and was half a second away from voicing her opinion before gritting her teeth and saying only, "Yeah."
"Sorry if I'm being too... clinical or literal..."
"Are you? Really?"
"No, I guess not," Ann admitted, her eyes unfocused before returning her attention to the villainess. "What do you think you're doing here."
"I... wanted to see if it was true, I guess. Villains don't usually target family or kids without a reason. I, uh, don't really know how it-"
"They were crushed by those robots when they were activated. Kim and James tried to get them out of the way, but... they died right in front of me."
Shego ignored the accusatory overtones of the grieving mother's statement. "I hope it was quick."
"Why would you care?"
Shego sighed, leaning against a tree and looking across the clearing. "I've got brothers. One's worse than Dr. D and Kimmie's sidekick combined. The other practices narcissism like it's an art to be mastered. But, the other two... twins. Not much older than yours. They're alright. I know how I'd feel if..."
Ann followed Shego's gaze and realised, "This is about Kim."
"She killed Drakken, you know. She didn't have to, but she did. Would've killed me too, if it wasn't so hard to do in the first place."
Ann had already heard as much about Drakken from Ronald. Kim had tried to kill Shego too; apparently it hadn't worked. "It was her choice," she chose to say.
Shego snorted. "I was a hero, once. When I killed somebody, they tried to lock me away. Little miss goody two-shoes kills one, tries to kill another, and she doesn't even get arrested. I didn't kill for vengeance. Heck, I probably saved lives in the long run. But Kimmie..." the villainess turned back to the redhead. "She said she hated me. Right before she kicked me into an electrified signal tower, which then collapsed on me. Your innocent little princess learned to hate and to kill on the same night. She'll never be the same. It'll eat her up one way or another, maybe even destroy her. Don't let it."
She turned and began to stalk away, deeper into the woods, but Ann's voice made her pause. "Why do you care?"
The villainess almost told her the truth, but she managed to swallow it back down at the last second. "Pure self-interest," she said instead. "Taking over the world isn't really my thing, but if I decided to go for it, I'm pretty sure I'd pull it off. You brought Kimmie up to believe she can do anything. If she went bad like I did, it'd only be a matter of time. And I doubt I'd enjoy living in Kim's world, assuming I survive at all."
Ann watched Shego walk out of sight, then headed back to the others, considering the other woman's words. It hadn't been self-interest she saw on the green girl's face when she was looking at Kim. The doctor wasn't even sure it was only regret.
People began to drift away from the gathering, and eventually the Possible family were driving home in James' car. Ann had decided to ride in the back with Kim, hugging her as stared sullenly at nothing. Ron probably would have been there, but...
"Kimmie," she began, "Tell me what happened with Ronald."
The teenager frowned, and it looked like she wasn't going to answer. "He hit on me," she eventually grumbled.
"What's wrong with that? I've always said he's a very nice youn-"
"Mom!" Kim paused to control her temper, then practically seethed, "The twins had died right in front of us, we'd been captured and I had just found out Erik was a synthodrone. I wondered how I couldn't tell he was fake, and Ron rubbed it in my face. I bottomed out, gave up... and then he hit on me. While I was heartbroken and vulnerable. That..." her voice shook with fresh anger, "That made me snap. If Rufus hadn't woken up and freed us..."
"Well, I admit his timing was terrible, but it sounds like he was trying to lift your spirits-"
"By offering himself as the rebound? As if!"
Ann remained silent for a long moment, then asked as gently as she could, "If he hadn't done that, would you still have tried to kill Drakken and Shego?"
"Yes," Kim answered without hesitation. "For the tweebs."
"You think they'd be happy their sister has taken a human life? Any human life?" Kim glared at her mother; if she had called her a murderer, she might not have been able to hold her tongue. Regardless, Ann observed the look her daughter shot her and sighed. "I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive Ron someday."
"I don't know," Kim muttered, turning her gaze to the window, "I just don't know."
Ann continued to hold Kim, and decided to put off suggesting finding and talking to Shego. For now.
