Sitch of a Wish
Chapter 3 - Genie Versus Ninja
"Something's not right." Ron eyed the palace from the crest of the ridge. They were still about half a day's ride from it, but he was more than ready to be done with the trip. Between having to babysit Killigan who was still tied up in his miniature cart, to getting stuck with doing all the cooking since Kim and Shego would go off every evening and spar for hours, the return to the palace had been severely lacking in the fun department.
"You say that about every town, buffoon." Shego growled.
"And I've been right about it too." He shot back. "The last town had that Lord Smarty who was using the citizens as cheap labor to mass produce and ship as much stuff as he could. You'd think one place we go to would be normal and not be ruled by a crazy."
"Okay, then what's wrong with your precious palace?" The genie asked.
"I dunno, it's just a hunch." He admitted.
The genie snorted and moved up to stand next to Kim. Ron appreciated the space, but he really didn't like how the green girl seemed to monopolize Kim. She was always around his best friend, sparring with her or talking with her or just riding next to her. Hopefully when they got back to the palace, Kim could get rid of that lamp and Shego would be someone else's problem. Better yet, he'd get to see Yori again, even if his chances were pretty hopeless.
He returned his attention to the palace. Despite calling it a hunch, he knew that something was wrong, but he couldn't say what. "What am I missing, buddy?"
"Iunno." Rufus shrugged.
"Well, keep your eyes open. I don't care what the green meanie says, there's something wrong down there."
The naked molerat shot him a thumbs-up, and Ron kept studying the palace.
"What are we gonna say to the sultan about the vizier?" Ron asked her as they passed through the city gates.
"I dunno." Kim replied. "I mean, we still don't know what happened, just that he was in the cave too. He might have followed someone else."
"Yeah, but someone touched the treasure and got us buried, and I know it wasn't you or me." Her friend pointed out. "Kinna limits the suspect pool."
"It could have been a mistake." She said. "I just don't wanna accuse him without knowing what really happened."
"Fair enough." He turned away from her, peering down one of the alleys.
"Ron, what's bothering you?" She looked past him but didn't spot anything. "You've been acting twitchy ever since we got here."
"Look, Shego thinks I'm crazy, but I don't need you to as well. I know something is wrong." He snapped. "Trust me, Kim. There's something going on here."
"Ron-" Before she could reassure her friend, she heard footsteps. Guards approached them, forming a loose ring around them. "Hey guys, what's going on?"
"Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, by order of the sultan, you are under arrest!" The sergeant leading the patrol ordered.
"What?!" Kim and Ron yelled together.
"Surrender!" The guard said.
"Uh, why? We kinda need some details here." The sandy blond asked.
"Get them!"
"Okay, I guess reasonable discussion is off the table." Kim got ready to fight. "I apologize ahead of time, but I can't let you arrest us until we get to the bottom of this."
Shego's plasma melted the shield of the guard in front of her, buying her some breathing room while he flailed about and tried to get the ruined shield off his arm. "Please tell me this isn't what you were expecting, cupcake."
"Not really." Kim elbowed a guard from behind, sending him stumbling right into Shego's kick. The genie sent a grin to the girl - they really did make a great team.
"So they're bad guys then?" She asked the redhead.
"Uh, let's go with 'temporarily on the wrong side' and work from there?" Kim hedged.
"I can work with that." Shego grinned as she turned back to the guards. "Okay, anyone who doesn't want to get a trip to dreamland, run now."
She advanced on the guards and was about take out the first one when a shadowy figure leaped from the rooftop, knocking her back. "Yaaaaaaaaaah!"
"What the...?" Shego shook herself, standing up. "Now what's going on?"
The black-clad girl snapped another kick her way, driving Shego back from where Kim and Ron fought. She blocked more blows from the girl, backing away even more. "Okay, not talking? Then I guess I'm gonna have to put you on the other team."
Shego's plasma glowed, and she swiped the flat of her hand at the intruder. Another plasma strike was dodged, but the girl managed to keep herself between Shego and Kim. "You are getting annoying, girl."
The girl reached into her belt, pulling out a small blade. It flashed towards Shego, and the genie knocked it away with a plasma-covered fist, her power protecting her from the weapon. "Right, moving from annoying to serious."
Shego let her fire flare brighter. Several swift kicks and punches finally got the girl to move from between her and Kim. She kept up the assault, driving the girl back towards a wall, trusting Kim and Ron to keep handling the guards. A grin crossed her face when the girl's shoulders bumped into the wall behind her. A swipe to the torso sent the girl to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Done here Princess, you two almost finished with your playmates?" She leaned against the wall, watching Kim drop the last guard she was engaged with before turning to help Ron finish off the two guards that were pressing him.
"Any idea what this was all about?" Shego asked Kim.
"No clue. I can't figure why Sultan Betty would want us arrested." Kim shrugged. She looked to where the black-clad girl lay on the ground at Shego's feet. "What's her sitch?"
"Dunno. I was about to take out one of these guys when she attacked me. Crazy chick kept trying to get between us."
"Well, I'm glad you handled it. We need someone to ask about what's happened here." Kim leaned down and sat the girl up against the wall. She peeled the mask off her face.
"Yori?!" "Princess Yori?!" Kim and Ron shouted together.
"Okay, one of you needs to start explaining. Starting with, who is Yori, how do you know her, and why did she attack us?" Kim wilted under Shego's glare. "Oh and probably the most important, why didn't you think to mention any of this to me before now?"
"Yori is the sultan's adopted daughter, but I had no idea the sultan was training her like this." She looked over to where Ron was helping Yori up. He handed her his canteen, then set to work bandaging a gash on her arm.
"If she's with the sultan, why'd she attack us? Is she secretly evil or something?"
"She's not evil!" Ron glared at the genie, holding Yori closer as if to shield her.
"Chill, loverboy, just trying to figure out why your girlfriend pitched in on team bad guy."
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"Uh huh... anyway," Shego pointedly turned to face Kim. "So, she's the adopted daughter of the sultan, go on."
"Sultan Betty always said she was grooming Yori to take her place, she never mentioned combat training." Kim continued. "And I'm sorry I didn't mention her before, I really had no idea this would happen. And I really don't know why she'd attack us."
"I... I was trying to protect you, Possible-san." Yori coughed. "I thought this dishonorable green one had led you into the trap."
"Dishonorable-" Shego's fire surrounded her fists and Kim had to hastily jump between the two.
"Shego, not helping right now!" She bowed an apology to Yori. "Sorry Highness, go on."
"Mother sent me out from the castle to protect me. I have been searching for allies to help rescue her, but I have not had much luck. Gemini has taken over most of the city."
"Gemini?" She frowned. "How'd he pull off something like this?"
"The most dishonorable Jack Hench lent him the majority of his army, and Vizier Lipski opened the secret ways into the palace for them."
"Oh snap." Kim shared a worried glance with Ron. "I guess we know where he went after the cave collapsed."
"Yeah, getting busy selling us out." Ron fumed.
"After they had control of the palace, Gemini replaced most of the guards with ones loyal to himself. He also took hostages from most of the noble families in the city, and is holding them to guarantee their cooperation."
"Our families too?" She asked.
"Hai, I am sorry, Possible-san. Your father was taken at his job. Your father as well, Stoppable-san." Yori shook her head sadly.
"We gotta get them out... Hey, what about her? Can she do something about this?" Ron hooked a thumb at Shego.
The genie held out her hands in a 'stop' gesture. "Whoa... first of all, you're not the master of the lamp, Kim is. And second, even I have my limits. I can't just magic away an army or stuff like that. I might be able get one or two out, but that's it."
"Lamp?" Yori peered at Shego, confused.
"Yeah, I'm a genie, I work for her at the moment." Shego hooked a thumb Kim's way.
"Then what are we going to do?" Ron asked.
"I dunno-" Kim started to say when more boots sounded on the pavement.
"There they are!" A voice called.
"Henches!" Ron cursed as dozens of goons ran towards them. He took position in front of Yori, who tried to stand but was still too unsteady.
"Ron, you gotta get her out of here! We can't let Gemini get his hands on her! Shego, help him!"
"But KP!"
"I'll cover you. Oh, also..." She tossed the lamp to her best friend. "Can't let him get this, either."
"Kim!"
"Go, Ron!"
Ron stuffed the lamp in his pack and grabbed Yori's hand, dragging her along with him. He hated leaving Kim behind, but his friend was right. If Gemini got his hands on the princess, he'd have the perfect hostage to use against the sultan. Besides, Kim could handle herself. Kim could do anything, after all.
The sounds of fighting gradually faded into the distance. Ron ducked into an abandoned house, carefully closing the door behind them. Yori peeked out through the window, making a 'quiet' gesture. They all held still, listening as the Henches ran down the street, passing by the building they were hiding in.
"Well, this tanks. Any sign of KP?" He asked the princess.
Yori shook her head sadly. "I am sorry, Stoppable-san. I do not see her at all."
"We gotta go back for her, then."
"Great, where do you want to start looking? Or should we ask one of those nice goons to help us out?" Shego frowned. "I know you might strain something, but try thinking for once."
"Then why don't you find her?" He glared right back.
"I can't right now, not without a wish."
"Convenient excuse. If Kim could make a wish, she'd be here with us and we wouldn't need to find her." Ron snapped.
"Not her, you."
"Uh, what?" He froze.
"You have the lamp now, buffoon. Oh, and just so we're clear up front, that means only three wishes, capishe? No wishing for more, no tricking me. Three. Ask the molerat to help you if you have trouble counting that high."
Yori looked from him to her and back, concerned. "Stoppable-san, we need to save Possible-san and my mother before it is too late."
"Yeah, I know." He took a deep breath. "Okay, if you say you can't just magic away a whole army, can we at least do something to find Kim?" Shego nodded to him. "Then that's what we'll do. Shego, I wish you could locate Kim Possible for us."
"Granted." The genie ground out.
Ron stared at her suspiciously. "Well, where is she?"
"That way." The green girl held out a finger in the direction of the palace.
"Is she okay? Captured? What?"
"I don't know." The genie scowled at him, a murderous glint in her eyes. "I just know that she's that way."
"But that's..."
"Exactly what you wished for, you idiot. You wished that I could locate her. So now I can. It's like a goddamn lighthouse in my brain. Kimmie is that way, and that's all I can tell you."
"Stoppable-san." Yori rested her hand on Ron's arm. "It will work out. We can find her now, and it would be my honor to aid in rescuing Possible-san. I am sure the three of us working together can save her and my mother."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go find Kim." Inwardly, Ron cursed himself. He'd had a perfect chance to do something right, to really help Yori and impress her, but instead all he'd shown was that he was still a pathetic sidekick.
"In there." Shego's finger pointed right at the second floor of the palace. In her mind, Kim's presence blazed like a bonfire. Of course the buffoon had to wish that she was the one who could do this. And since genie magic liked to be tricky, she was now stuck like this for the foreseeable future.
"You sure?" The sandy haired boy asked.
"Thanks to your stupid wish, very sure." She growled.
"That... is a lot of Henches." Stoppable was counting the ranks of goons manning the walls of the palace. "If KP were here..."
"If Cupcake was here, she'd rescue herself in no time." She replied sarcastically. Why did that girl have to give her lamp to him, of all people?
"We could try one of the back entrances." Yori suggested.
"Can't hurt to take a look." Ron agreed.
Unfortunately, the other entrances were also heavily guarded. It seemed like Jack Hench had provided even more goons than Yori had been able to count when she'd escaped the palace. The three pulled back and headed to the nearby market, so they could get some food and make a plan.
"I guess I could wish us up a secret passage or something." Ron mused.
"Yeah, cause your first wish worked so well." Shego snorted. "Oh, and by the way, she's now on the third floor, if that matters."
"Shego-san, is there any kind of genie magic that does not involve wishes that might aid us?" Yori asked her.
"Sorry, kid. I have my plasma and the whole 'impressive smoke entrance' thing, and that's about it. Pretty much anything else takes a wish."
"Impressive smoke entrance..." Ron's eyes drifted off towards the palace. "I think I might have an idea..."
"Gee, and I was just wondering how today could get any worse."
"Stoppable-san, are you sure this will work?" Yori asked from the shadows as they snuck close to the base of the wall.
"No, but it's all I could come up with in such a short time." He shot her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Besides, with you helping, I'm sure we'll pull it off."
The two of them focused on the gate, waiting for their cue. Soon enough, a cloud of ominous black smoke began to pool in the middle of the square in front of the main gate. Swirls of green wormed their way through the black. Two points of bright emerald light speared out from the cloud, and a figure took shape. Green fire surrounded her body, illuminating the square with an eerie glow.
"Flee..."
"Flee or suffer the wrath of the great genie Shego!"
Ron nodded to Yori and the two tossed their lines up the wall. They started to climb, taking care to go slow and keep quiet. They could see the Henches nervously backing away from the genie. Some had already dropped their weapons and fled, and the rest looked like they weren't too far behind.
"Those who stay will burn for eternity!"
Yori leaped up on the wall, silencing a nearby sentry with a well placed strike. Ron followed her, retrieving their ropes. The teens worked their way to the gate, taking down the guards inside before they could sound an alarm. They took position by the gate controls, waiting for the Henches outside to run.
"Burn!" A line of green fire slowly crawled towards the shaking Henches. Even the bravest of them fled as it clawed its way towards them. When the last Hench had run, Ron started working the winch to open the gate.
Once the gate was open, Shego joined them inside. "I'll admit, this idea isn't as dumb as it sounded when you told it to us, buffoon."
"Yes, this plan worked very well, Stoppable-san." Ron melted a little at the grateful smile Yori sent his way.
"Yeah, well, they're not gonna stay scared forever, so let's get going." He turned to the genie. "Which way is Kim?"
Shego pointed. "Still on the third floor."
"Let's do this then." The trio dashed across the courtyard to the palace itself. A pair of Henches tried to stop them, but Yori and Ron took them down efficiently. They made their way through the halls to the stairs. At the top, they paused again for Shego to fix on Kim's location once more.
Ron led the way through the palace, when a fist flashed through a doorway, clipping him in the jaw...
Drew Lipski opened the side gate, keeping a wary eye on the two large Henches accompanying him. Jack Hench and Gemini made it perfectly clear that if he tried to betray them, these men would kill him before he could complete the act. He'd already dismissed the guards from the gate, so it was simple for him to unbar it from this side.
The rest of the Henches poured through the gate, efficiently fanning out throughout the palace. Drew followed along, his 'bodyguards' right on his heels. Jack Hench gave him a mocking bow of thanks when he rejoined the lord. They could see Gemini, his golden glove easily spotted in the light of the torches, already securing the throne room. "Bring my sister to me alive!"
Hench nodded to his soldiers before pulling one of the lieutenants to the side to speak to him privately. "Pass the word to the rest of the men that you are not to try too hard on that last part."
"But-" Drew tried to speak up, but Hench silenced him with a glare.
"I'm sorry Vizier, did you say something?"
"No, Lord Hench." He replied quietly.
"Just remember, Gemini might have found you, but MY men are the only reason he is in control here. I'm sure you would agree that it's best if he's not burdened with too much information while the situation is in flux." Hench's stare pinned im him place. "I would be most displeased with anyone who tried to change that. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Lord Hench." He gulped.
"Excellent." Hench flashed him a predatory smile. "Just remember, Lipski. I may not be here, but my eyes will be on you."
"Owww, KP, didja have to hit me so hard?" Ron cupped the side of his face, massaging the injured area.
"I'm so sorry, Ron. I heard you guys coming and I thought you were more Henches." Kim helped her best friend back to his feet.
"Why were you hiding here? Why didn't you try to find us after the fight? And what happened to you anyway?"
"I meant to, really. But after I escaped the trap, I followed some of the Henches back to the palace, and I was snooping around, and... well, I found something I wasn't expecting." Kim gestured towards the door she came out of.
"Stoppable, Yori, good to see you." Kim could see the shock on Ron's face as Sultan Betty walked through the doorway.
"Sultan." "Mother!" Ron gasped while Yori ran past him to hug her stepmother. The Sultan winced a little, cradling her arm in its sling as she returned the hug.
"I ran into her just when a second group of Henches was about to corner her, and I've been helping her stay one step ahead of them ever since." Kim continued her story. "We've been waiting for a break so we could get free, but there are too many Henches on the grounds right now. They keep trying to find us, but they're also having to keep it pretty quiet so word doesn't get out that they don't have the Sultan."
"Hey Cupcake, good to see you unhurt. Who's the cyclops?" Shego joined them in the room.
"Shego, show some respect! That's the sultan!" Kim hissed.
"And I care why exactly?"
"Shego!"
"Fine, whatever. Nice to meet you, your Sultan-ness. I'm Shego, genie of the lamp." The green girl matched the Sultan's glare.
"A genie. Really." The sultan's eye narrowed. "So you're what my ancestor hid in that cave."
"He hid the lamp there, yeah, but not me. I only just started working there a few centuries ago."
"Here! I found the sultan and Possible!" They turned to spot a Hench yelling down the stairway.
"Game time." Shego grinned savagely. "You wanna lead this dance with me, pumpkin?"
"Let's do it." Kim leaped forward, taking up her battle stance next to Shego. "Ron, Yori, get the Sultan out of here."
"Man, this is nuts. Who'da thought we'd be the ones trying to fight our way out of the palace?" Ron punched one of the Henches.
"Less talking, more fighting, Mr Stoppable." The sultan elbowed a Hench that tried to grab her good arm.
"Right, sorry Sultan, ooofff..." Two of the Henches tackled him and were about to knock him out when Yori kicked them in the side, sending them flying off him. She hit a third one who tried to get them from behind, and Ron leaped to his feet.
He set his rope at one of the nearby windows and helped Sultan Betty down it, trying to keep her from further injuring her arm. Yori followed, and together they made their way to the outer wall and over it. A few moments later, Kim vaulted over the wall too, landing lightly on her feet. They sped down the alleys, putting as much distance between themselves at the palace as they could.
"That should be far enough." Kim panted as they rested behind a store that had closed for the day.
"Yeah, we can find somewhere to lay low and plan our next move." Ron added, looking around. He frowned. "Hey, KP, where's Shego?"
"I thought she was with you. We got separated in the fighting, and I thought she went ahead to help out." Kim peered back towards the palace, but couldn't spot anyone moving.
"Last I saw, she was back with you."
"Well, use the lamp then, call her here."
Ron set his pack on the ground and rummaged through it. He paled. "Kim, it must have fallen out when those Henches grabbed me. I lost the lamp!"
Drew Lipski waited until his minders made sure that the third floor of the palace was clear. He followed them into the room, looking around for any clue that might help him determine where the Sultan had fled to. He knew that the longer she remained missing, the less value he was to Gemini and Hench.
He was about to give up, when he spotted something that didn't belong. Frowning, he bent over to pick up the old brass lamp lying toppled on the ground...
Next Chapter: Drakken!
A/N: Of course Drakken was going to get his hands on the lamp at some point. I have plans for just how wrong his wishes are going to go!
As for the scene at the castle gates, any similarity to the Princess Bride is... probably intentional on my part =) I hadn't planned to go there with it, but I needed to get them in the palace without Ron using a wish (I have plans for his last 2), and once I started writing it, it just sorta popped in my head.