Author's note:
Thanks for all the kind comments and reviews! This sort of story can be difficult to pull off, and I'm happy that evidently I have managed to do that.
Ps2teen1213 and Stevew—Shego's fate will be tied up in the next few chapters…and while she doesn't meet the devil…she may wish she had, given what happens.
Revelations:
Charging along the side of the river, Bonnie caught a glance of something under the water, and without missing a beat, dove in, flashlight clenched in one hand.
There—under the water, a feebly struggling figure.
Shelly.
Or Shego. Her mind said.
Shut Up. Bonnie got Shelly around the waist, but now she was too heavy and the current had them both…
And a cybernetic tentacle reached around her waist and started pulling, defeating the current. Bonnie broke the surface, gasping and looked to the bank, where Felix was grounded, with Ron and Monique pulling on the damaged cybernetic tentacle, one of the ones Shego had damaged. Ron had his burned hands covered in his shirt, but even so, his face was pale with pain… where another person would have probably fainted. Bonnie had the brief thought that if Shego had done anything, she'd certainly given Ron a new definition of agony.
"Why didn't you let me go in?" Ron asked as they ran to the bank.
"So you could lose her when your skin fell off?" Bonnie retorted, indicating his scorched hands. "Besides, you were the only one heavy enough to hold Felix's chair if it started to slip."
"Uh-huh. And you thought of that when?"
"Right now." Bonnie said, bending over Shelly and rolling her on her side. A gout of water came out of her mouth as she choked and gasped, and started breathing…but she was still unconscious.
"So what do we do now?" Everyone looked at each other.
"Tie her up." Monique said. Ron blinked.
"Monique-"
"Do you know who will be in charge when she wakes up? I don't—and I don't want to find out on the way home."
"So who do we…" Bonnie started.
"Not the police." Ron said, "They'd just kill her—or…" He paused, "Rabbi Katz. I trust him." Bonnie looked at Ron, then nodded.
"Let's go get Kim and Zita."
The trip over to Rabbi Katz's was quiet—Ron and Felix took the van, with Kim in Bonnie's car and Zita with Monique. The girls protested but Ron was inflexible—between him and Felix's chair, even damaged, if Shelly woke up as Shego, they had the best chance to stop her—or get away.
Rabbi Katz had just finished some work on his talk during the next Sabbath, when the door bell rung. It was a little late, but then, like any man of God, the Rabbi was used to people sometimes coming in late.
He wasn't used to seeing six teens, one carrying another, unconscious teen, and with several of them soaked to the skin.
"Ronald?" Katz asked in shock.
"Hi Rabbi…" Ron said, "We have… a problem."
"I…see." Rabbi Katz said. "Well, come in and tell me about it."
Several minutes later, Rabbi Katz was sitting with a poleaxed look on his face.
"So… Shelly is Shego."
"Not really, I mean, kinda, but…" Ron paused, "Kim?" His girlfriend shrugged, her own face confused.
"I don't know…it was Shego…and then it was like they were fighting…and then Shelly was in charge and she tried to kill herself." Rabbi Katz leaned back and thought for a moment.
"I thank you all for your trust, but we need to call in… hmmm…. Your mother, Kim."
"Oh, Rabbi, no." Kim breathed.
"We need someone who can examine Sh-Shelly's brain." Rabbi Katz said reasonably. "She was fighting Shego when she was last conscious, and this is like no case of split personality I've ever heard of—I don't think anyone's ever considered making themselves younger to disguise themselves."
"But mom hates Shego." Kim said.
"And you don't?"
"Yes, but I-" Kim shook her head, "This isn't Shego… Shego would have killed us."
"Unless this is a mind game." Felix said. Everyone looked at him. "Guys," He said, "Shego was…well, batshit -sorry Rabbi- insane. Maybe she also wants to do this?"
"I don't think so, Felix." Katz said, "I can't imagine someone like Shego giving up control of her situation after you knew who she was—and from what you've said, she didn't sound like her plan was working overly well."
"Got that right." Bonnie said.
"But in any case, Kimberly… We can't risk her waking up—not with you around, and we can't exactly go hitting her on the head every time she stirs." Katz paused, "And your mother and your school psychologist are the only ones I can think of who might be able to help—and who won't go directly to the authorities. Once they are involved, I doubt very much if Shelly's welfare will enter into any calculations."
"OK…" Kim said.
"Hey KP." Ron said. "Given how late we are, maybe your mom will focus on us?" Kim laughed at Ron, as Rufus scolded him.
"Maybe." She said and took his hand. "If she's really angry…will you stick with me?"
"Of course."
"And if you ever need anything… will you let me try and help?" She asked. Bonnie blinked at that. Kim would have never said, "try" before, but there wasn't any sense of hysteria or fear about her, just an….
Acceptance. That was the word Bonnie was looking for.
"Of course Kim." Ron said.
"Good…because I think we're both going to need help…" She smiled at him, and Rabbi Katz noted she was looking over in the direction of both of their houses. Ron nodded and gave her a kiss.
"Well, no time like the present." He said, and looked at Rabbi Katz. "Rabbi, shall you, or I?"
"I think I'd be the best one to give the call, Ronald."
"Their first new post cure experience will be being grounded forever." Dr. Possible said. "Where are they?" Fear struggled with annoyance in her voice, fear winning. The fact that Felix and the others were also gone had Cindy wondering if they'd decided to celebrate, or at least talk. The subdued beep of the celphone interrupted her.
"Is that the- no." She said, "It's Rabbi Katz." Margaret tucked the phone receiver in her ear and answered it.
"Hello Rabbi… what is… They are?" She paused, and without missing a beat swung the vehicle around and headed back down the street. "You want us to meet you at the hospital?" She blinked, "Is Kim…she's OK…but you want me to check Zita, and Ron's been burned."
"By who?"
Cindy watched her friend in concern. Margaret was sounding confused and worried…when suddenly the car, in a cloud of dust and the sound of squealing tires, came screeching to a halt, almost cutting Cindy in half against her seat belt.
"Shelly's who?" Kim's mother gasped, having gone dead white.
To be continued.