A/N: Just so you know and for those who couldn't guess, Italicized means speaking telepathically.

Ch. 3 Training

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Kim," the Emperor counseled as she cried.

"But you must understand that if you had stayed, then you would have been a danger to yourself and to others."

Kim wiped the tears away from her eyes but new ones just replaced them.

"Kim, please don't cry you will have a good life here." Kim didn't say a word.

"We both know that's a lie, Emperor," Shego said.

She could see that the Emperor wasn't getting through to her, so she decided to try and calm the little girl.

She knelt down in front of her, cupped her face and asked, "Kim, do you understand what would have happen if you had stayed?" Kim nodded her head.

"Then you must realize that its better for you both you and your family."

Kim cast her eyes downward and Shego felt a pang of sorrow in her own heart, "But it still hurts, doesn't it" she said. Kim nodded her head. 'And it probably won't stop hurting,' she added silently, recalling that she too had been taken from her family and brought to the Adepta Sororitas.

She turned her attention back to young girl, "Kim," she said. "You will see them again, someday."

Kim looked up at her through watery eyes. "Really," she said. "But the Emperor said that I wouldn't be able to see them again."

Shego turned towards the Emperor. "I did," he answered plainly.

She turned back to her and said, "I promise you, Kim. You will see them again. Although it might be some time."

"Now you're the one who is lying, Shego," the Emperor said. "You can't promise her things like that. It will only lead to disappointment." He was just being honest, not harsh.

"Emperor, from this day onward, she will have a very harsh life. The least we can do is give her some kind of hope to hold onto."

"Even if it is false hope," the Emperor said. "Even false hope, your Highness," Shego said. "Has its value. Believe me."

She turned back to Kim and said; "We'll discuss this later, for now I think its time to show you your new room. Amon!" she called.

Just then she heard large footfalls coming towards them. She turned to see large man in golden armor and carrying a halberd. Unfortunately, to Kim he resembled a Space Marine too much, which caused her to scream in terror and run beside the throne. Her fear was understandable; after all a Space Marine had taken her from her family, however this was no Marine.

She heard the Emperor chuckle and said, "Don't be afraid, Kim. This is Amon, part of the Adeptus Custodes, my personal guards. And now he is yours."

He stood before the Emperor before making the Sign of the Aquila and kneeling before Shego and the Emperor. "Amon," Shego said. "Take Kim here, to her new room. Also be nice to her."

Amon nodded, then motioned for Kim to come to him, but she stayed right were she was.

"Its okay," the Emperor said. "He'll look after you."

Kim stepped tentatively out from behind the throne and walked slowly towards him.

"Come with me," he said in a deep monotone voice. Kim starred up at him, still a little scared of him.

Shego reached out to him with her mind again. "Take her hand."

Amon reached out with his left hand, his palm open. Kim hesitantly put her small hand into his very large one. His hand slowly encased hers and for a moment she thought he might crush her hand but the Custode grip was gentile.

Just as they were about to leave the throne room, Kim heard the Emperor speak again, "Kim," she turned to look at him. "There's something in your room that I think you might like." She smiled at him and said, "Thank you."

"Sleep well, young Kim," he said. "For tomorrow, your training begins."

Amon lead Kim down many corridors, one thing Kim noticed was the lack of people. Although she did see other Custodes along the way, she never saw anyone 'normal'. Then again, she doubt she see anything normal for quite some time.

She looked up at Amon and tried to strike up a conversation, "How long have you been here?" Amon looked down at Kim and said, "Forever."

'End of conversation,' Kim thought. She then decided to just watch her feet as they moved down the metallic floor. Eventually they came to a stop, Kim looked up and saw a door matching the floor.

"This is your room." He said, and then he let go of her hand and walked away. She stood outside for a moment, then she took a step towards the door, let it slide open, then walked inside.

The room was spartan at best. There was a bed in the corner, with a nightstand and a lamp next to it, and to her left was a dresser. Then there was an adjacent bathroom but other than that, it was bare. Then she noticed something sitting on the bed, it was a stuffed animal.

"Its called a Pandaroo." the Emperor said.

"Emperor!" Kim exclaimed. "But how are you-"

"I'll explain in the morning but for now, sleep," then he was gone. Deciding it best to listen him, she crawled into bed, wrapped her arms the Pandaroo and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next mourning, Kim was instructed by the Emperor to communicate telepathically. He also told her that he was communicating telepathically the entire time. So Kim came up with a simple question: "Emperor, why do talk that way?"

"You mean why I always speak telepathically?" Kim nodded her head. "Well," he began. "Remember how you asked me my age?"

"Uh huh," Kim said. "The fact is Kim, I am several thousand years old and my body has withered away. In fact that is why must stay in the shadows, I feel that my physical appearance might scare you at such a young age."

"Can I see you?" Kim asked. "I don't think that's a good idea,"

"Please?" Kim asked again. "Very well. But Kim, I have a request of own."

"What is it?" Kim asked. "I did have children before, Kim. But know of them really loved me like a father. I was hoping that you could come to think of me as your father." Kim thought about this for a moment. She knew that she had already new that she wouldn't be seeing her parents for a very long time, also the Emperor had been so kind to her, so she gave him her answer: "Okay…Father."

"Thank you," he said. To Kim it sounded like a whisper. Then she saw the shadows surrounding the Emperor being replaced with light, then his physical being came completely in view and Kim gasped. He was a skeleton! She could literally see his skull and ribcage, the rest of him was covered by a gray rob. Behind him was a mass array of wires and tubes.

"I told you," he said, sounding sad. Kim got up from were she was sitting and carefully climbed onto his lap, mindful of the wires and other things hooked up to him. "Thank you," he said again. "You're welcome," Kim said.

Before they could continue, they heard footsteps approaching. Kim looked up and saw Shego and Amon.

"Forgive me for interrupting but its time to begin," Shego said. "Okay," he then turned his attention to Kim.

"Now Kim, Shego may seem harsh but it is remember it is for your own good. Okay?" "Okay," she answered back.

To say that Shego was harsh was one of the biggest understatements Kim has ever heard. For the next eighteen years, Kim had to endure the most brutal training, not even the Imperium's elite forces such as Ultramarines or the Sisterhood had to go through what she did. She was suppose to be awake by a certain time, if she didn't she would receive a beating from the Abbess Sanctorum herself. There are two other incidents that will forever be etched into Kim's memory.

The first one was when she was sixteen: she was force to hold a steel block as large and as heavy as an Emperor Titan over head with her mind. Unfortunately Kim failed and Shego had to bail her out just before it crushed her and then Shego gave her the worst beating of her life. It was so horrible that Kim actually began to shed tears, causing Shego to beat her even more, remarking, "A daughter of the Emperor does not cry."

The second one was when she was eighteen: She was forced to meditate in a room with temperature below 0°F. She also had to do it in nothing but her underwear and she broke her concentration a bucket of water was thrown onto her. But the point of that exercise was to protect her against the cold. Among the other things Kim learned, other than the traditional psyker abilities, was how to replicate Shego's trademark: to form plasma around her hands and fling them at her enemies. But where as Shego's where green, Kim's are red.

Then on her twenty-first birthday, her training was finally complete. "Twenty-one at last," the Emperor, said to a full-grown Kim. "You are ready."

She was clothed in a dress with long sleeves and covered her ankles. It was the color of crimson, with gold trimming on the cuffs and the hem of the dress. She wore her hair in a long ponytail, she also had necklace that bore the Aquila in gold. All in all, she looked, as she should: a princess.

"May I ask, father, but what am I ready for?"

"Mankind is beset on all sides, my child," he said. "And we must all do are part to ensure its survival. You are to journey to the Cadian Gate and serve with the 8th Cadian Shock troop regiment. Shego will have more of the details. Farewell, my child."

"Farewell, father," Kim said as she bowed, then walked out of the throne room. She found Shego standing next to the door to landing pad of her awaiting Aquila Lander was, "Of to Cadia, I hear," she said.

"Yes," Kim nodded. "The Emperor said that you would have more information on the matter."

"Only that the unit you'll be assigned to is the best the Imperial Guard has to offer: the 8th Cadian's 23rd Company."

"Do you know whose charge?" Kim asked.

"Last time I checked, it was a Lieutenant named Stoppable. That's about it."

"Thank you, Shego," Kim said, starting to feel a little nervous about leaving. Shego picked up on her anxiety and place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine," She said. "I trained you well." Kim smiled at her and something that surprised both Shego and herself a little. She wrapped her arms in a tight embraced and whispered, "Thank you, Shego, thank you."

Shego returned the hug and whispered back, "You take care of yourself kid," With that, they parted and Kim left for Cadia.

Aquila/Sign of the Aquila - a sign of devotion or blessing to the Imperium that forms the Imperial Eagle, by crossing the hands with the palms pressed to chest and thumbs linked.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while but my computer crashed, but I'm back (in black).