Sitch of a Wish
Chapter 10 - The Final Wish
Sultan Betty brought Ron and Yori into her office to debrief them. She had taken one look at Kim and sent the redhead off to wait while she found out the story. The story came out in bits and pieces, and only once did she have to stop the summary when Yori talked about the Han. While she trusted Ron, that little secret had to remain close still for the time being, at least until she could talk with Yori privately.
Once they were finished, the sultan sat back, considering everything she'd been told. "This complicates things greatly. Jack Hench undoubtedly has a genie of his own by now while we have lost ours. Not only that, but Miss Possible is out of commission with no idea for how long."
"Yeah, sorry." Ron looked dejected. "We really screwed up this one."
"Mr Stoppable, you did the best you could. You had no way to account for a second genie or this crazy Lord Fiske or anything else that happened on your mission. And while you might not have caught Jack Hench, you brought back warning of his forces gathering. As for Kim..."
She paused, her eye narrowing. "You are not to mention this to Miss Possible, but Mr Load did indeed manage to find some answers in that book we wished up. Answers that make it imperative we retrieve Shego. And we have a week at most to do it."
"A week? Why? What happens in a week?" The monkey master demanded.
"You told me the fire powers are surging in her stronger than before?" Betty waited for his nod. "It's only going to get worse from here. And since the staff somehow disappeared from the vault it was being kept it, we'll need a direct connection to get the magic out of Kim and back into Shego."
"The staff is gone? How did the guards let it vanish?" Yori asked. "Captain Du has trained them well, how would a thief get past them?"
"Since there was no sign of entry, I think we'll have to go with 'magic' on this one." She dismissed it with a wave. "Regardless, we don't have it, so that means other measures. I have Mr Load researching various methods to transfer power."
"Can Wade do anything to help us find Shego?" Ron asked.
"I haven't asked him yet, but I have some ideas on that. One of your wishes made it so she could sense Kim somehow?"
"Yeah, didn't really work out how I thought it would."
"Don't trouble yourself too much, but if I'm right, we might be able to use that link to find our wayward genie." Betty tapped a map on the table. "If it still exists, we can trace it back to Shego. At least, that's my hope."
"Okay, that makes sense." Ron agreed.
"What if Shego-san does not wish to return with us?" Yori spoke up. "She and Kim-san did not part on good terms."
"I think she'd want to help save Kim's life." The sultan replied. "Don't you?"
Jack Hench rode up next to where Avarius was pacing. "So, my friend, are you ready for this?"
"Of course. I am tired of the mortal realm. I want to be done with this." The ifrit growled. "You remember your part with the staff? I will not have Shego getting away again!"
"If only there was some way around the other wish, this would be so much easier.
"It does not matter. I will have Shego's power and you will get her lamp afterwards."
"Indeed." Hench smiled and gestured to his general. "Let's get this war started."
"Word from the sultan!" The guard gasped as he ran up to where Ron was training with Captain Du. The sultan had sent him here while she debriefed Yori privately and examined Kim. He didn't like leaving his friends, but at the same time, it had been nice to work off some frustrations. "Jack Hench has crossed the border with three legions! You're summoned to join her and Princess Yori in the war room! You too, Captain!"
"Snap!" He turned and bowed briefly to Captain Du, who was training with him. "Didja think he was gonna move so fast?"
"We examined that scenario but deemed it unlikely. Given his past behavior, Lord Hench was predicted to withdraw and wait for another troublemaker to pop up and instigate something." The guard captain reported. "Direct action is highly unusual for him."
"Captain, what about our lives has ever been anything other than 'highly unusual'?" He asked.
"I dislike this recent excess of chaos. It's... untidy." Du followed along.
"Untidy, yeah, so not the first word I'd go with." Ron ran on. "Complete mess sounds more like it."
The sultan impatiently waved them over to the map table in the middle of the room. "Gentlemen, I'll save the small details for later, but the basic situation is that our border has been breached in at least three places, possibly more. Thanks to Drakken and Gemini's mischief earlier, we're outnumbered at least two to one. Worse, reports have come in that Hench's forces are supported by magic, type unknown."
"That... yeah, best guess it's something from Shego's brother. If Hench has the ring, he's definitely used it. That or it's some other weirdo, cause it's not like there's been a shortage of that recently." He replied.
"Mr Stoppable, you are going to take Yori and Miss Possible and find our wayward genie." Sultan Betty gestured to where Kim sat in the chair, still looking lost.
"Uh, Sultan... are ya sure KP is okay to travel? She looks... well, not good, ya know?"
"Mr Load says you'll need her to find Shego. He's finishing up a device that should be able to use Kim's link to locate her - Yori's picking it up now. Not to mention, if we're going to cure Kim without that staff, they'll need to be close." She handed him a sealed scroll. "This has instructions on how to transfer the power back. Do NOT open it. What's inside is for Shego."
"Ooohkay. Secret message for the genie, got it." He slipped the scroll in his pack. "I'll make sure she gets it."
Sultan Betty nodded to him. "I know you will. Once you have her back and Miss Possible cured, I'll need you to find and neutralize the source of Jack Hench's magic. I'm going to stay and brief Captain Du on the military side of things now, so get moving. Good luck."
"I think we'll all need some luck." He bowed to her.
"Ron, how can I ever apologize to her for this?" Kim spoke up for the first time in days. While he was thrilled that she was finally responding, Ron couldn't help note how bleak her tone was. "I..." She trailed off and that lost look threatened to take over again.
"KP..." He wasn't sure what to say. "I know you really like her, and that's why you got so mad at her. And I know she feels for you too. So start with the wish, tell me what really happened."
"I asked her why... why we couldn't be... y'know, 'us', and she just said it was against the rules. I think I know why she kept saying she can't." Kim replied dully.
"Oh?" He asked.
"Yeah, she kept saying that magic can't exist without a price. Maybe... maybe a genie can't live here without a lamp? Or her powers?" Her voice dropped. "Maybe she's right. Maybe there is no chance for us."
"KP, aren't you the one who always says that 'anything is possible for a Possible'?" Ron countered. "There's gotta be a way around this, and if anyone can make it happen, it's you."
"But how? I'm pretty sure I can't live in the magic world, and she can't live here without her lamp. And that's if she even forgives me. Considering what I did, that's unlikely. Highly unlikely." Kim sighed.
"You could start by telling her this after you say you're sorry." He shrugged.
"I'm such an idiot." She hugged herself.
"Yeah, this time you kinna are." He grinned at her surprise. "But I think she loves you, and you keep telling me that I can make it work with Yori. So I'm sure you can handle this."
"She loves me?" Kim looked a little shocked.
"Well, when she looks at you, she gets that expression you always tease me for having around Yori." He commented lightly. "So yeah, I'd say she does."
His friend glanced down, and when she spoke again, he was sure her whisper wasn't meant for him. "I'm so sorry, Shego..."
Hench waited while Avarius strode up to him. The ifrit didn't bother with any pleasantries when he arrived. "Hench, Shego is on the move. I can sense her plasma power faintly to the south. It is moving southwest, deeper into the desert."
"Ah... I was wondering when Betty would send her out to play. I assume they're trying to flank us." The lord mused. He worried that Avarius would simply leave once he had the genie's power, but at the same time, this opportunity was too good to miss. If he could take out Betty's elite troops... "Let me pass on some orders and gather a proper guard, and we'll intercept them."
"I am looking forward to this." Avarius growled.
"As am I. Without her elite, Betty will fall easily." Hench smiled grimly.
Shego sat up from the rock she'd been lounging on. With no one currently the master of her lamp, she was stuck here until someone found it. Not for the first time recently, she cursed the genie rules that bound her. If only...
She could feel Kim closing in on her position. For the past day or so, the sense of the redhead had grown stronger and stronger. At the rate her presence was gaining, Shego estimated that Kim would be here in an hour at most. That gave her some time to think.
Part of her wished - and she was painfully aware of the irony in the thought - that she could leave, go back to the magic world and never come back. She never thought that she could hurt so much, but every time she remembered Kim's angry face as she made that wish, the pain flared up again. She wanted it all to stop hurting, to stop tormenting her.
Another part wanted to see her Princess more than anything. She'd never really had friends before her lamp was found. After listening to Hego's 'proper conduct and responsibilities for genies' for years on end, she'd done her best to avoid other genies. When she'd gotten assigned to a lamp in a cave that no one ever visited, she'd been thrilled. She'd loved having nothing to do beyond cater to her own desires.
Then Kim had found the lamp. She'd followed the redhead at first only because she had to, her slipup with the number of wishes aggravating her more than usual. But the more time she spent with the shorter girl, the more she found that it wasn't so bad. Once they started sparring together, it got even better. Kim was smart, fun, brave, amazingly talented... She had unlimited wishes, but she did her best not to take advantage of that. And sure, she could be reckless and impulsive at times, but Shego found that attractive too.
So that left her... here. Kim was on the way to her, and she wasn't sure how she should be feeling about it. She watched the small speck on the horizon grow as it approached her, and her mind kept working furiously...
Kim perked up when she spotted the genie, but that feeling didn't last, crushed down by a wave of guilt. Shego was lounging on a rock, and while Kim wasn't close enough to see her as more than a green dot, she was sure that the other girl was aware that they were here. She wanted to see her. She could only hope that Shego accepted her apology. And she was prepared to do some grovelling and begging if necessary.
"KP, is that..." Ron asked.
"Yeah, it's Shego." She confirmed.
"Are you ready for this?"
"Not even a little bit." She gulped. "Okay, I'm so ready. I... I want to tell her I'm sorry. I need..."
"It'll be okay. I know it." He smiled reassuringly.
"I'm scared, Ron." She admitted quietly.
"You can do this, KP."
"I have to." Kim returned her attention to where Shego sat waiting for them. The genie hadn't moved, in fact she'd lounged back on the rock, purposely ignoring them. The lamp glinted in the sunlight next to her, laying there toppled over, waiting for someone to pick it up. Kim hated it, hated that the person she cared deeply about could be controlled by that stupid lamp.
"Well, well..." The genie frowned at them as soon as they got close. "I was just wondering who would find my lamp, and here you guys are."
"Shego..." Kim stepped forward hesitantly. "I..."
"I wish," Shego growled, emphasizing the word bitterly. "I wish you could know what it's like, knowing how much it hurts to have to live with these stupid rules."
"Shego, please." Kim dropped down, standing in front of her. She took a deep breath and stepped towards the genie. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about this. I was upset and I said... I wasn't careful. I... I screwed up."
"Kimmie..." The genie's face softened for a moment before her frown reappeared.
"Please, I know I don't deserve it, but I'm sorry and all I can do is ask for your forgiveness." She sat down next to the genie, waiting.
The green girl stayed silent for a while, and Kim worried what she was going to say. She looked up to where Yori and Ron waited a few paces away. "Could... you guys give us a minute?"
"Ah yeah, sure, no big." The blond led the ninja back to where the horses waited. "We'll just be over here."
"Shego, I really wi-" She caught herself and started again. "I keep replaying that moment and I would give anything to change what happened. Anything. I think I finally understand what you kept trying to tell me. About what it would cost."
"Kimmie, I..." The green girl finally smiled at her. It was small and timid, but there nonetheless. "I wanted to tell you, but I was worried that you... if you knew..." She paused. "And it's okay, I do forgive-"
"SHEGO!" A loud roar interrupted them as a red blur sped towards the rock.
"SHEGO!" Ron winced at the yell and stepped away from where he'd been holding Yori's hand. He recognized the grating voice, and the slight tingle from his monkey powers confirmed it. The ifrit from before had returned.
The firey being strode forward, black and red smoke trailing behind him as he advanced on where Kim and the genie were talking. Behind him, Jack Hench and several of his elite guards dismounted and drew weapons. Something about the lord looked... different... this time. He didn't like the smug smile the lord wore.
"Yori, I'll get the red dude, you get Hench?" She nodded and peeled off to engage the lord while he moved to intercept the evil being. He sighed inwardly and called up his monkey magic. With a shiver, he felt them surge through him. He saw that Kim and Shego were also moving up to support him.
The ifrit lashed out, fire surrounding his fist as the blow sped towards Ron's head. Ron ducked the attack and swept a kick towards his opponent. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yori take down the first two of Hench's guards while the lord waited behind, the arrogant smirk still locked on his face.
Ron had to leap back a step and redirect his attention to his opponent as Avarius continued to focus on him, ignoring the two girls as he tried to take out the blond first. The ifrit snarled, his claws seeking a purchase. Kim and Shego flanked the enemy, but their attacks had little effect on him.
Meanwhile, Yori had dispatched the last of the guards protecting Jack Hench. The ninja closed on the rebel lord and lashed out with her blade. Hench, much to everyone's shock, didn't bother to dodge, but instead simply swatted the blow to the side casually. He swapped the surprised ninja to the side, sending her crashing down to the sand.
"Yori!" Ron wanted to help her, but Avarius chose that moment to launch an assault of his own, pressing Ron back.
"Hench, use it now!" The ifrit shouted at his ally.
"Gladly." He pointed the rod at the genie, levelling it her way. The gem glowed briefly then faded back to its normal appearance. "It's not working!"
"Fool!" Avarius growled, momentarily taking his eyes off Ron. The monkey master pressed the advantage, lashing out and scoring several telling blows on the evil being. "Gyahhhh! Not again! I will not lose again!"
"Then I'll fix this!" Hench dashed forward past the others. Kim tried to stop him, but the rebel lord moved faster than they'd seen a human move. He lunged out and grabbed for Shego's lamp, still resting on the ground. "Yes!"
Kim and Ron both gulped, but the genie just grinned. Hench held the lamp out towards her. "Genie, I wish -"
"No." Shego cut him off as everyone stared at them.
"I have your lamp, don't you have to grant my wishes?" Hench demanded.
"You idiot!" Avarius gasped angrily. "You can't..."
Ron cut him off with a series of punches, his magic causing more damage with the attacks against the ifrit. Wounds of fire and smoke crisscrossed his body as the monkey master kept him occupied. A few more kicks smashed into the enemy, and the ifrit lurched backwards. He started to fade, but unlike before, this fading was uneven and apparently painful. Ron punched him one more time...
"Nooooooo..oo...ooo..." The enemy wailed and twisted into a cloud of red and black smoke. The smoke disappeared, fading into the sky.
Hench watched, uneasy, as his ally vanished. The lord backed away, still clutching the lamp. "Genie... Genie, defend me."
"Nope, can't." Shego gloated. "Against the rules."
"But... I have your lamp!" He retreated some more as the three advanced on him...
Kim edged to the side, staying quiet while Jack Hench concentrated on Shego and Ron. The genie's refusal to obey had obviously confused him. And while Kim wasn't too sure what exactly was going on either, she intended to make the most of the distraction.
"Yes, you do have the lamp. Unfortunately for you, you also have my brother's ring." Shego grinned as she sprang forward, her kick causing the lord to flinch. "Mortals can't have more than one genie."
"That... no!" Hench yelled and sent a clumsy punch flashing towards the green girl, but Shego easily dodged it.
Ron, meanwhile, attacked from the other side. His monkey-enhanced blows staggered Hench, forcing him back just far enough for...
Kim leaped out over the rock she'd been crouching behind, tumbling next to Hench and reaching out quickly to grab the lamp from his hand. She kept going, rolling out of reach of the lord. She could feel the cool metal of the lamp, as well as a sympathetic resonance from the magic within. She couldn't see Shego's smile, but she knew it was there.
Then the plasma magic flared up in response...
Kim stumbled and fell to the sand, nearly dropping the lamp. The pain was worse than ever this time, and she could barely stand. Ron looked over towards her and gasped. "KP!"
Hench took advantage of the distraction and slammed a vicious kick into the blond's midsection, sending him lurching backwards. He rushed at the fallen redhead, closing the gap with her faster than expected. Kim fought through her pain and nodded to Ron quickly before tossing the lamp in a high overhead arc. Hench tried to intercept it, but couldn't change his course in time. The lamp landed in the monkey master's hands and he looked up.
"Uh..." He gulped as Hench faced him again. "What's the play, KP?"
"The only play is that you will give me the lamp back, you fool." Hench kept his attention on Ron but calmly walked towards Kim, who was still trying to pick herself up off the ground. He ignored the faint green glow of the plasma, protected by whatever magic he was using.
"Not gonna happen." Ron hated having to say it, but if Hench got ahold of the lamp, and three more wishes, they'd all be dead or worse.
"Fine, I'll just take it from you!" The lord advanced on him, still near Kim, but not really paying much attention to her. Ron backed up a pace, hoping to draw him even further away from his friend. Unfortunately, he didn't have too much room to maneuver as Yori was unconscious nearby as well, and he couldn't risk letting Hench get at her.
Shego watched helplessly from the side. She'd attacked Hench earlier, but her blows had done nothing. As long as the lord had her brother's ring, she couldn't directly cause him harm. Worse, that meant there was no way for her to stop him from hurting Kim. She clenched her hands, wanting more than anything to find some way to help. Her anger and resentment over the wish from earlier had vanished. She couldn't let anything happen to Kimmie...
Ron kept himself between Hench and Yori, clearly not willing to give the traitor a second hostage. He held her lamp tightly and glanced over at her. He frowned in thought, and Shego knew he was thinking about a wish.
She wanted to warn him not to do it, as once he made his last wish, she'd have to wait for someone else to pick up her lamp. And if Hench used up her brother's wishes and got the lamp... She shuddered at the thought of that foul possibility.
"Shego," Ron called out. "I wish that Kim would be healthy and cured of the magic that's hurting her!"
"Granted!" She responded automatically. She felt something appear in her hand and glanced down to see a small letter sealed with the sultan's personal crest and bearing her name in an elegant script. She looked up and saw Kim was still collapsed on the ground, still too close to Hench.
The traitor lord barked a laugh when nothing else happened. "Sad, truly sad. I see that once I get the lamp, I'll have to do some genie training, as you've clearly neglected to bother with it."
Shego's hands clenched in anger at his dismissive tone, crumpling the letter slightly. The letter... It had appeared in her hand as a result of Ron's final wish, so maybe... She slid her nail, breaking the wax and opening the letter to reveal more of the sultan's handwriting.
'Shego,
By the time you read this, the magic ailing Kim will be too unstable to remove with the staff even if it is recovered. Other spells would likewise result in serious and probably permanent harm to one or both of you. That being the case, we are left with one solution.'
"Get to the damn point already, Cyclops." Shego growled, but Hench was still bickering with Ron, neither willing to take their attention off their opponent, or move too far from Kim or Yori respectively.
'By its very nature, I cannot order this from you, only inform you of it. If I am wrong about you, I can only ask that you pass this information on to someone else.
Time and time again, the stories mention one solution that can fix problems caused by magic. I understand it is trite, and you might not take it seriously, but it is the only way short of a wish that might not even work anyway.
True love's kiss.
If you truly care about Kim, truly love her and want to help her, then kiss her. That should be all that is needed to let the magic return to where it belongs.
Betty Director.'
...
...
...
"Snap..." Shego whispered as her eyes, without any direction from her brain, sought out the ailing redhead.
Kim looked up from her haze of pain, taking in the scene. Hench was still close, but no longer directly threatening her, but too close for comfort. His attention, fortunately, was entirely focused on Ron, as the monkey master held the lamp protectively. If only she hadn't let the plasma start getting out of control again. Or if she hadn't gotten upset and made that stupid wish in the first place...
She started and struggled a bit as hands gripped her and pulled her backwards. She glanced over and Shego put a finger to her lips, silencing any outcry before it could distract Hench. The rebel lord was slowly advancing on Ron, who was unwilling to either set down the lamp or move away from Yori.
"Sh - Shego?" Kim asked quietly, her voice still weak as she fought to contain the plasma.
"Kimmie..." The green girl caressed her cheek. "I'm going to save you."
"How?" She hugged herself, the fire burning throughout her body, threatening to consume her. "It's... too much! I can't - can't - ..."
"Trust me, princess." Shego leaned in and, before Kim could do or say anything, kissed her.
For about half a second, Kim froze in shock before surrendering to the kiss. The genie's warm lips on hers. Her own arms snaking around the other girl's neck. Shego's scent, a faint blend of mint and flame. Her own hunger for the green girl, and how much she'd wanted to do exactly this for the longest time.
"Wow..." She whispered, her breathing still shallow, but no longer from pain.
"Yeah..." The genie agreed.
It took her a moment, but she eventually noticed the faint green glow around the genie - a glow that had been missing since the first attack by Avarius. "Shego, your plasma!"
"Huh?" The green girl looked down at herself. "Oh..." A slow smile grew on her face. "It worked!"
"Uh..." Countless comments raced through Kim's mind, but movement to the side reminded her why they were here. "I... We should help Ron. Talk later?"
"Yeah, talk later." Shego started off to the side. "I can't fight Hench directly, so I'll go check on Yori. Stay safe."
"You too." She squeezed the genie's hand softly before moving towards where Hench was facing off against Ron.
Ron's eyes widened slightly when he spotted Kim sneaking up on the lord and tensed, readying for her to make a move. She launched a kick, catching the rebel in the back and sending him staggering towards the monkey master. Off balance, he was unprepared for Ron's followup attack, which left him nearly falling to the ground.
"No! How did - ?" He waved a hand, and tried to resume his fighting stance. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. I won't lose to you! This is my time!"
Kim kicked him again, but it felt like kicking a brick wall. Whatever Hench had done had made him far tougher than she expected. At least it was distracting him and letting Ron get in some more effective blows. His monkey magic let him get around whatever protections Hench was using.
Kim switched her approach after noticing it. She did her best to set the traitor up for further attacks from Ron, and was mostly successful.
"It - it can't..." Hench gasped. "Genie, I..." He tried to rub the ring on his finger, but Ron drove an elbow into his chest and sent him gasping to the ground. "Not... like this..." A final punch left him unconscious. The monkey master took the opportunity to remove the ring from his finger. He slipped it in his belt pouch and handed Kim the lamp back.
"What do we do with him? I don't think tying him up will do all that much good, given how strong he is now." Ron asked her.
"Yeah, this might be a problem." Kim agreed.
"You could wish him away." He mused. "It might work."
"Uh, considering how well most of our wishes have gone so far, I don't want to risk it." She turned to where the genie was helping Yori over to them. "Shego, any ideas on what to do with him?"
"Well, he's sorta magical now, you could wish him locked up in the magic realm. At least they'd be equipped to deal with him there." The genie shrugged. "I'm sure my brother would know more about that stuff."
"I guess if no one else has any better ideas." She paused. "I can wish him there, right? I mean, he no longer has the ring."
"Then yeah, it should work." The green girl nodded.
"Okay, Shego, I wish that Jack Hench would be imprisoned in the magic realm so he could be held safely." Kim held out the lamp.
"Granted." Shego grinned as the lord disappeared.
"Booyah!" Ron cheered then looked around at his friends. "We did win, right?"
"Yeah, I'd call this one a win." Kim smiled slowly, but it faded to a frown. "Uh, sorta. We still do have a rather large army to deal with. Y'know, back at home."
"Oh. Right. That." He frowned. "Snap... Not sure how much my monkey magic is gonna help against an army. D'ya think a wish or two might work? We got two genies now."
"I'm glad you guys think I'm that powerful, but an entire army is beyond even me." Shego sighed then frowned. "Maybe if I worked with Hego..." She grimaced. "The blue idiot is never gonna let me forget this one."
Kim met Ron's gaze and he nodded. "Okay, let's be really careful with this..."
"... See, sister? When genies use their magic for the betterment of everyone, we cannot be stopped! Working for good..." Hego continued blabbing on and on and on, but no one was paying much attention to him.
One they'd made their way back to sultan Betty's army, they explained their idea to her and planned out the wishes, as well as how best to help support the troops. With no leader, no magic, and no sign of any pay any time soon, Hench's forces fragmented rapidly. The vast majority fled when Shego, Hego, and Ron took the field, their powers letting them take out the enemy with little trouble. Meanwhile, Kim and Yori had snuck around behind the lines and captured the few leaders Hench had left in charge while he'd hunted them.
All in all, the battle had lasted barely an hour and the sultan's side was decisively victorious. With Hench's forces broken and fleeing, the sultan's troops were celebrating.
The four of them plus Hego had been invited to join the sultan and her advisors for the festivities. One by one they'd slipped out of the pavillion while Hego talked with everyone unfortunate to wander close enough for him to talk to.
"Ron-san, I would like to hear more about how you stopped Hench." Yori smiled at the blond boy. Shego had to hide a laugh when Kim finally gave him a small shove and whispered a hint to him and he walked off with the ninja, blushing fiercely.
"If she ever figures out just how clueless he really is, he's doomed, you know?" Shego grinned.
"Oh yeah." Kim agreed. "Though, I doubt he'd mind."
"Probably not." The genie sat there quietly for a while, glancing from time to time at the redhead sitting next to her. Despite what they'd said after she'd... cured Kim's plasma problem, they hadn't really talked yet. "So..."
"Yeah..." Kim replied, her head down.
"Kimmie..." Shego began, but trailed off again, the right words escaping her grasp. "I'm still mad at you for that wish." Okay, not really how she had planned for this to go, but she needed to say it, say all of it.
"I'm really sorry about that." The redhead told her.
"But, I kinda realized something. It... it doesn't bother me anymore. When I saw you... when you collapsed on the sand... I was so scared." She admitted. For a moment, she wanted to stop, to make something up to hide that temporary display of weakness, but she shoved those thoughts back down. She needed Kim to understand. "I don't want to lose you, Kim."
"I can't lose you either, Shego." Her heart fluttered at the words from the redhead.
"Kimmie, I..." She leaned in, her lips meeting the shorter girl's. She let the kiss say everything she couldn't. Kim drew closer, her arms finding their way around the genie as the kiss continued. In that moment, Shego knew - Kim felt the same way as her.
The other girl pressed back, deepening the kiss. The redhead moaned softly and Shego's brain threatened to melt. Her hands travelled along Kim's back, and she revelled in the feel of her.
I love you, Kimmie.
When Kim jerked upright in her arms, flinching back slightly, Shego winced. Lost in the moment, she'd spoken the truth out loud. The redhead was staring at her, wide-eyed. "You love me?" She asked quietly.
"Well... I mean..." Shego stared into those olive green eyes, her own voice soft and husky. "Yeah, I love you, Kim."
"You love me..." The redhead repeated, still looking dazed. Then a smile broke through and her arms shot out to circle Shego's neck and she was hugging the green girl. "You love me!"
"I lo - mmmmmppphhmmmmmmmmm..." Kim cut her off, the shorter girl's lips claiming her own. The genie hugged her back, losing herself in the kiss, in having Kim in her arms. Okay, so this 'talking' thing isn't so bad.
They eventually drifted apart, both girls wearing silly, happy smiles. The redhead sobered up a little and stared at Shego. "Shego, is there a way you could stay? Without the lamp, I mean? I hate that you're tied to it like this."
"I don't know." She frowned. "Genies are tied by their objects of power. It's how we can live here in the mortal world. Otherwise, we have to go back to the magic realm."
"Could... Would a wish be able to free you?" Kim asked hesitantly.
Shego stared at her, shocked. "You'd free me? No one frees a genie. I don't think it's even possible."
"Yeah well, anything is possible for a Possible." The redhead grinned. "What can it hurt to try?"
Shego sat there thinking while Kim looked on expectantly. Can I really do this? Give up all my powers? Become mortal? The memory of Kim collapsed on the ground, the plasma threatening to consume her flashed through her mind once more. Can I risk losing her again?
The silence started to grow uncomfortable and Kim's smile was starting to fade a little. Shego knew she had to say something, but her mind was stuck racing in place. Finally, her mouth worked. "Okay, Kim, do it."
"Shego, I wish you were free." Kim held the lamp.
"Granted!" Shego gasped as magic tore through her. She'd never before felt anything even close to this before. Even when Avarius' staff had taken her plasma powers hadn't been even the slightest fraction of this. When it finally ended, she was left gasping on the ground, feeling worn out and... odd.
"-go! Shego!" She gradually became aware of Kim next to her, holding her upright. "Are you okay? C'mon, say something! Shego!"
"What happened?" She croaked. Her voice was raspy, weak. It matched about how she felt right now.
"You, uh, glowed - a lot! - then your lamp just faded and wisped away." Kim was still staring at her and holding her close, afraid to let go. "You passed out some time while that happened."
Shego held out an unsteady hand and was relieved that at least some things were the same. "I'm still green."
"Is that a good thing? Cause I like you green." Kim smiled hesitantly at her.
"Yes it's a good thing." She grinned back. "It'd be a little too weird otherwise."
Kim held her for a while, until she felt steady enough to stand. The redhead helped her to her feet and looked her over. "How do we know if it worked?"
"Well, the lamp disappeared for one." Shego pointed out. "Why not try making a wish?"
"What should I wish for?" Kim frowned.
"If I'm really not a genie anymore, does it matter? It won't work."
"Okay." Kim faced her. "I wish we were all back home at the palace."
"Hmmm..." A small smile grew on Shego's face. "No. Sorry, cupcake, nothing's happening."
"Then..." Kim looked genuinely happy too. "You're..."
"Yeah, I'm mortal. I can stay." She pulled the shorter girl into an embrace, kissing her. "And I think I have a wish for you now..."
End
A/N: So yeah, this one ran a bit long. I got delayed by Thanksgiving and then jury duty and a lot of other real life things to deal with, so I ended up writing a little at a time over the past month. It was only when it was done that I saw that it ended up longer than I expected. Sorry for all the delays!
Anyway, that's it for Season One. I'm closing this part of the story out, but I plan on writing a Season Two, dealing with Hana and Monkey Fist and more.
Thanks everyone for reading!