12) Under no circumstances is a Creator allowed to change past aspects of creation to fit their needs.
Note: This differs from Rule #5 in that this means altering past submissions instead of changing the circumstances in one submission.
Once submitted, everything is locked in.
Frac·ture: [frak-cher] noun, verb, frac·tured, frac·tur·ing.
1. The act of breaking; state of being broken.
2. A break, breach, or split.
3. The characteristic manner of breaking: a material ofunpredictable fracture.
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Middleton, Colorado
11:45 A.M.
Ironically she was actually reaching for limes on her kitchen counter when the pain hit her.
But this was no ordinary pain. No, this was eyes gouged out with a red hot poker, lemon juice on paper cut, fingers caught in the car door kind of pain.
That was the only way she could use to describe the way her body felt at this exact moment but even then, that word was not even close to describing the pain that radiated from her skull and into her extremities.
"Ouch," she whispered, the very act of doing so sounding as if a thousand drill sergeants were screaming into her very soul.
Instantly clamping her hands over her ears, the woman let loose a scream of pain that only served to magnify the pain she felt.
It was a never ending cycle of pain as the pain from her body shook her to her bones and she cried out again.
She grasped weakly at the edge of the counter as she fell, her fingers barely grasping at the smooth stone as her body tumbled to the hardwood floor.
Upon contact with the wooden floor her pain only increased as the screams in her throat rose.
Only vaguely was she aware of the blood pouring from her nose, coating her hands and torso so within seconds she looked like she had just come from a massacre.
She heard footsteps approaching but didn't care about the person, only about stopping the pain.
The footsteps stopped at the door to the kitchen and she was just barely able to turn her head in time to see her husband drop everything in complete shock at her state, his blue skin turning white in moments.
"Wha-" he started to say but shrank back as she clutched her head again and let loose a bone shattering scream.
He was instantly at her side and held her hand even as the pain closed in on her and she felt unconsciousness claim her.
Finally she felt no pain.
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
3:20 P.M.
"Where are you taking me?" Kim asked as Betty led the group through the white corridors of Global Science.
Betty answered without looking at Kim, instead she focused on a holographic screen that appeared to hover over her forearm. Betty poked at the blue and white lettering that passed by and after several seconds of typing in a code, the wall pulled back to reveal a seemingly hidden door built into the white and featureless hallway.
"Research and Development," Betty explained as she passed through the door and into the large room beyond.
"Why?" Kim asked as she followed, hanging on Betty's every word.
Betty smiled, "Did you ever wonder why that flag stayed with you when you jumped? Or for that matter, the remote?"
Kim was silent as she silently realized that nothing had ever jumped with her before.
Betty took the silence as a good thing and continued, "we here at Global Science have developed a way to send stuff with our agents," the group passed by a large table overflowing with oddities and futuristic looking gadgets.
Kim picked up one of the gadgets, a tiny ring with a red jewel on the top, the black carbon contrasting with the inlaid ruby that sparkled in the light.
Kim blinked as the light from the room was almost too much and she wiped at her eyes to clear the brightness.
Will plucked the ring from her hand and set it back on the table, "that's a portable welding set," he smiled, oblivious to Kim's gestures, "very useful if you don't want anyone following you. Just weld the door to the frame and continue on your way."
Kim nodded appreciatively as Josh sidled up next to her and nudged Will out of the way, "but you're not going to be needing that now that you're staying here," a pause, "right?"
Kim shook her head as she tried to clear a ringing that started in her ears, "I'm not sure Josh. I'm just taking this one step at a time."
Betty heard the conversation, now knowing that her hypothesis from was true. All that was needed was time...but time was not on their side.
Kim reached for a counter as her vision was nearly gone, the ringing nearly deafening her to the entire lab.
Josh watched Kim stumble away and reached out a hand to steady his fiancee.
"Kim?" he asked hesitantly, "are you ok?"
He jumped back as Kim turned back to him, her green eyes replaced with solid white eyes that stared forward unseeing.
"Kim?" came the horrified question.
Kim blinked rapidly as the brightness of the spotless lab suddenly blinded her and the ringing forced her to clamp her hands over her ears as she sank to her knees, a scream on her lips.
Betty spun in horror as she heard Kim's piercing cry, "WADE!" she shouted as she rushed to Kim's side, "Wade, she's jumping!"
Wade analyzed the entire scene in less than a heartbeat and grabbed a black device no bigger than a belt buckle from one of the many tables overflowing with hi-tech gear.
All the scientists were pulling back as Kim continued to scream. To Kim, it hurt more this time, almost as if the universes themselves were making her pay for skipping out on missing the pain from her last jump.
Vaguely Kim was aware of the people gathered around and heard Wade shouting, "Get her on the table!"
She felt rough hands hauling her up and laying her on a table of sorts that felt cold to her skin and she saw shadows of people flitting around her. All dancing and jetting from her left to right sides.
"It's all right," Kim gurgled as she felt blood pouring from her nose, "Everything is going to be all right."
Wade knew he had little time as he saw Kim start to convulse and so he had to act quickly, "Get her shirt open," he ordered, a strange calm descending on him as he knew if Kim left, everyone here would cease to exist.
"Do what now?!" Josh asked angrily.
Betty didn't have time to deal with Josh and so she pointed to the scientists gathered on the far side of the room, "Get him out of here."
Josh felt two sets of arms on either side that pulled him away from his beloved and he fought them each and every step of the way even as he saw Betty pull open Kim's jumpsuit part way so the top of her chest was visible.
Betty leaned over Kim's convulsing body as she held an arm from twitching about and Will held the other, "How much time do you have?"
Will held up the device, one of the remotes but it had been modified so there were tiny clamps on the sides of it that could keep it in place, "less than thirty seconds," Wade reported, ice water flowing through his veins.
Will looked at him expectantly, "can you do it?"
Wade didn't look at Betty's second in command as he kept tweaking the remote, "not if you keep talking," he replied tersely as his fingers danced across the small surface.
"Relax Wade," Olivia said as she held Kim's feet, "just ignore them and do it."
Wade nodded and pushed a final tiny button on the remote, "I'm attaching the anchor now."
As if in response, Kim's body lurched and Wade was pushed back from the convulsing woman. Betty and Will grabbed Kim's shoulders and held her in place even as a ticking clock behind Wade told him he only had fifteen seconds remaining.
"You only have one chance," Olivia reminded Wade as he stood over Kim.
12...
Wade was silent as he pushed the metal remote onto Kim's chest.
9...
Kim let out a gasp of pain as she felt something like a spike suddenly plunge through her skin and clamp to her sternum.
5...
"C'mon," Wade whispered as the device beeped slowly, the metal clamps sliding through Kim's skin, "please..."
3...
Kim felt a warmness erupt in her core that washed over her and her vision was miraculously restored.
1...
Kim's body relaxed suddenly and Wade's face showed a look of shock and he looked up, the shock quickly replaced with horror, "she's gone," he whispered.
Silence reigned as everyone stared at each other in shock. Without Kim there was nothing left-
Wade felt a light hand brush his arm followed by a series of hacks and coughs, "not yet."
Everyone turned and stared at the girl who looked like she was the victim of a massacre but Kim just shrugged them off as she sat up with a groan.
"Let's not do that again," Kim muttered as she rubbed the back of her neck and Betty handed her a box of paper rags.
Kim wiped at the blood on her face, praying that she'd get a wet towel sooner rather than later to mop up the blood with as she felt the blood only smear.
As if reading her mind, Wade dipped a nearby towel in a sink before offering the wet rag to Kim.
She nodded and wiped away the blood before standing woozily to her feet. Her head swam upon regaining her balance and she took a step back as Will and Betty reached out to catch her, "Not so fast Kim," Betty ordered as she eased Kim back onto the table, "you just lost a lot of blood," Betty took the towel and dabbed at Kim's face, cleaning up the last remnants of blood.
When Betty had finished the majority of her cleaning Kim looked down at the metal remote now strapped to her chest.
"I'm guessing this isn't the fall's new fashion," Kim joked and Wade snapped out of his study, "Or a new Kimmunicator for that matter."
"It's an anchor," he explained quickly and pointed at the device, "it keeps you anchored in the universe you're in and allows you to jump when you want to."
Kim looked at him skeptically, "then why didn't you give this to me the second I jumped in?"
Betty wiped off the last of the blood still clinging to Kim's cheek, "we didn't know you'd be jumping out that quickly. I thought I'd be able to explain things to you before you needed the anchor."
Kim nodded and zipped up her jumpsuit, "right. Now where were-"
Ding
Kim looked at the anchor hidden under her jumpsuit, "what was that?"
Wade smiled, "that's the anchor doing its job," he unzipped the suit just enough for Kim to see the device again, "when your mind jumps, it normally just jumps because you don't have anything keeping you here. However, this," he tapped the device, "this anchor allows you to stay in any universe until you are ready to go. And when it dings, it means you're ready to jump out whenever you want. Plus it jumps with you."
Kim raised an eyebrow, "I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Olivia took over, "it's a one way ticket for you. Once you leave, you don't come back."
Kim's eyes widened, "ever?"
Betty placed a hand on Kim's shoulder even as Josh appeared next to Kim, "maybe one day you'll get to do this again, but right now we need you to keep focused."
Kim nodded and zipped up her jumpsuit again as Will appeared behind Betty holding a tiny bag, "Ma'am?"
Betty smiled as she gave the bag to Kim, "All right Kim, I think you're going to like this."
Kim held the bag and felt the fabric for a moment, "a backpack? What do I need this for?"
Will opened the bag and Kim saw the bag was cut into four distinct compartments, "this bag can jump with your consciousness to the other universes," he saw her look and held up a hand, "don't ask how the bag can do it, just trust me when I say it can. We send our agents with these things all the time."
Kim shut her mouth begrudgingly before she asked, "What's it for?"
Betty removed the bag around Kim's shoulders and placed the bloody flag in it, "when you find the items, it'll make sure they travel with you so you don't have to find them in the next universe. When you find all four, you should be able to reach the creators."
Kim nodded, "any leads on the other items?"
Will shook his head as Betty pulled Josh aside and quietly started talking to him. Kim followed their departure with her eyes but was brought back to the subject with Wade asking, "do you want to see the universes?"
Kim nodded and allowed Wade to guide her from the room.
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
3:40 P.M.
Kim idly tapped at the anchor firmly attached to her chest as they walked through a corridor, "so this anchor..."
"Yes?" Wade asked as he led the group.
"Why did you need to develop it?" Kim asked, "I mean, you said I'm the only one to actually jump."
"A natural jumper," Olivia corrected, "we send all of our agents through with these things attached to their wrists and when they want to leave they push the button and we get a signal telling them they want to come back and so we pull them back here. For you, we modified the anchor so it lets you jump when you want to."
Kim stopped tapping, "so I hit a random button on accident and I'm gone?"
Wade shook his head, "No, we made sure the anchor required a double button press to jump," he gestured to the anchor, "press the buttons on the opposite sides of the anchor and you jump."
Kim opened her jumpsuit and looked at the anchor, "right here and right here?" she asked.
Wade nodded as she pointed at the buttons, "just press those and you'll jump out, taking the bag and the anchor with you."
"Spankin'," Kim replied as she zipped up her suit again.
Olivia shook her head, "Normally I'd be angry with Wade for opening another woman's jumpsuit like that, but the scientific portion of my brain outweighs my jealousy."
Wade chuckled and kissed Olivia on her cheek, "and that's why I love you dear."
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
4:20 P.M.
Beep boop bedeep
They were standing in a large room, a room that had no light and any echo was instantly swallowed up. Kim couldn't see more than one hundred feet into the darkness that was lit only by the platform they were standing on and she felt a chill run up her spine.
Above them there was only darkness, all light stopped as it fought against the darkness. She ventured a look over the edge of their platform and saw beneath them was an enormous pit of darkness. Despite the presumed openness of the room, Kim felt claustrophobic.
To take her mind off the claustrophobia, Kim decided to watch Wade as he typed a command into a large glowing keyboard. She stared intently at the keyboard and found the board was made of pure light. She reached out a hesitant hand and touched the board and drew her hand back in wonder as she felt the warm glow and saw the light ripple across the board like waves on a pond.
Wade chuckled next to her, "to you this is all futuristic technology, to us it's as common as sliced bread."
Kim shook her head, "Can I ask you two a question?"
Wade and Olivia both turned to her, "go ahead Kim."
"Why don't I have memories of the body I jumped into?" Kim asked, "or for that matter, what happens to the mind that I jump into."
Olivia placed a hand on her husband's shoulder as she explained, "when you jump in, you effectively destroy the mind that was in it before."
It took Kim a moment to process what Olivia just said, "so I...I kill myself each time I jump in."
Wade nodded, "you're consciousness takes over and erases the mind you jumped into," he paused, "it is troubling but it sometimes happens. However," he returned back to typing, the clicking echoing lost in the massive darkness of the room, "if you fix all this, maybe everything will reset," he resumed typing, "it's what keeps me going."
Wade paused in his typing to look at Kim, "you're gonna like this," with that he hit a final button on the light keyboard and the entire room lit up.
It started with a single pinprick of light but before her eyes the pinprick doubled.
Then tripled,
Then quadrupled.
Kim's mind couldn't keep up as the amber lights reproduced at an astounding rate.
Kim whirled around as the pinpricks materialized around the room, surrounding the elevated platform they were standing on. Kim peered over the edge of the platform and watched in amazement as the dots of light covered the floor of this unfathomable chamber.
Wade and Olivia both looked up at the materialization in wonder but turned back to Kim and smiled at her expression.
Kim stared at the scene before her in wonder. Light, that was the only way to describe it, light had filled the room and Kim's jaw dropped at the sight. The blackness of the room had been replaced with trillions of little pinpricks of light that swirled around the room. As Kim's eyes adjusted, she saw the entire room could easily hold several sports arena but here it was all filled up with the lights.
They swirled around the platform they were standing on, the tiny lights shifting as they bumped and bounced into each other like snow flakes in a blizzard. The golden light from each tiny pinprick cast a soft glow on the group and Kim felt at peace while standing there, the pure silence of the room replaced with a sound she would never be able to describe but one that made her feel like a child again.
"What is this?" she asked in a hushed whisper.
Wade smiled, "each pinprick of light represents every know universe that we can see from our universe."
"How?" Kim asked, emotion boiling over.
"It's complicated," Olivia explained as golden dots passed between her and Kim, "but basically we send out something like a radio wave and when the radio signal returns to us, we plot out the universes."
Kim turned away from the glowing dots, tears in her eyes, "echolocation?"
Wade shrugged, "actually that's pretty close."
Kim wiped at her eyes, and laughed in joy, "why am I getting like this?"
Wade smiled, "it happens to everyone their first time," he leaned back in his chair and took in all the universes, "it's sensory overload to some degree but really ultimately seeing everything at once..." he trailed off, "we still don't have a word to describe it, but I think seeing the entire reality fractured like that really does a number on you and you just can't describe it," he laughed, "childlike wonder."
Kim looked to Olivia who rolled her eyes at her husband's antics, "What you're seeing is a window into these worlds, some might be in 2015, others might be what happens in 1935-"
Kim held up a hand to silence Olivia, "how can you see that? I mean this is the year..."
"3019," Olivia finished.
"3019," Kim nodded before continuing, "how can you see something from over a millenia ago?"
Wade shrugged, "Time is limited to just that universe. Outside the universe, time stops."
Kim looked at Wade quizzically, "It stops?"
Wade nodded, "Time exists in a bubble and if you leave that bubble, enter Nothing, time ceases to exist."
"So that's how I can jump from 2019 to the middle ages?" Kim asked.
Olivia nodded, "Time is limited to just those universes. You could jump a million years into the future in another universe and we would still be in the year 3000 watching you back then."
Kim's mouth opened in realization, "so when I thought I was time travelling-"
"You were really jumping into universes with different time zones," finished Wade.
Kim nodded distantly as she reached out to one of the passing dots and touched it with her index finger.
June 27th, 2005
Middleton General Hospital
Middleton, Colorado
9:37 P.M.
Ding
Ann looked up as the doors dinged open and she looked at the empty hallway: Her office at one end and an exit sign at the other.
Ann nearly laughed at the clichéd situation but ultimately chose to walk to her office instead of the exit.
As she passed an empty exam room, she heard an intake of air followed by a muffled scraping and cursing. Rolling her eyes at the antics of her interns she pushed open the door and stood rooted to the spot at the scene before her eyes.
Yori Yamamoto stood on the far side of the room, wearing just a bra and jeans with her belt in her mouth.
Her entire right side torn open, covered in slick blood and the floor of the exam room was covered with bloody paper towels while attached to her left side was an I.V. line which pumped in a steady supply of blood and various liquids. She held a needle and thread in her left hand and appeared to be sowing up the cut on her side.
Ann looked up at Yori and immediately went for the phone, "I don't know who you are, but we have to get you help. Let me get you downstairs to one of the E.R. Doctors."
She picked up the phone and heard the dial tone but stopped as Yori said a single word, "Please."
This word stopped Ann as she held the receiver to her ear. Staring at Yori in shock, "Please," Yori repeated and swallowed her mouth that had gone bone dry, "Please no doctors."
Ann took a breath to speak into the mouthpiece but stopped as Yori raised her gun shakily and pointed it at Ann's head. A bloody finger thumbed the safety off, "I don't want to," she swallowed again, trying desperately to get moisture back in her mouth, "but I will."
Ann nodded and placed the phone back in its cradle as Yori held her weapon level with Ann's head. The door to the exam room closed with a heavy thunk and as silence descended on the room Yori sighed softly and did the only thing she could: she pulled the trigger.
Pachink
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
4:30 P.M.
BE-doop
Kim looked at Wade who had closed that window, "Olivia, mark down Universe 11,003 as one not to send agents to."
Olivia nodded as Kim looked at the now closed window, "what was that?"
Wade looked up, "you opened a random universe. When we do that we analyze it to see if it's worth going to," he waited for Olivia to stop typing before turning to Kim, "Yori killing your Mother in that universe usually is a clue that we should seal off the universe."
Kim nodded as Wade opened another universe, "how about this one instead?"
December 15th, 1875
Great Salt Flats, Utah
2:15 P.M.
Still they ran.
Across the God forsaken salt flats they ran.
Dust swirled with each step as he trudge onward, his shoulder wound flaring up in the heat and the toil as he ran.
"JOSH! STOP!" Ron called out and just like that, the pain in Josh's shoulder vanished.
Josh stopped and slowly turned to face Ron. Ron had drawn his pistol and sighted down the barrel unsteadily. Josh looked at Ron in admiration, he had closed the distance between the two so that there was less than fifteen feet between them with nothing to get in his way.
Seeing Josh standing there, Ron slowly put his pistol back in the holster and calmly said to Josh, "Are you ready?"
Josh shook his head, "No Ron. I don't want to do this…" Josh paused, "Please, we don't have to do this."
Ron twitched for a second before answering, "Someone has to pay for what you did to Kim. Now get ready."
Josh sighed and arranged the pistol given to him by Bonnie in its holster, "Is there another way?"
Ron shook his head as Josh put his hand next to the gun holster and waited.
Six shots and all Ron needed was one to finish the job.
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
4:45 P.M.
She watched it for a few more moments before Wade punched in another set of instructions and a new window was shown.
"Wait," Kim called out, "can we have something..." she thought for a second, "something happy?"
Wade held his fingers over the lightboard for several seconds before Olivia leaned over and whispered something in his ear.
He nodded and turned to Kim with a smile on his face, "how about home?"
June 10th, 2006
Middleton High School Gymnasium
Middleton, Colorado
10:40 P.M.
They walked into the gymnasium hand in hand, praying that no one saw them. While they had both agreed to start dating, it did not take away the fear that accompanies showing up to your first dance together.
Fortunately, for them, everyone seemed to be gathered around a portable T.V. and the newscaster was just finishing up, "…And so, thanks to Teen Hero Kim Possible, the Diablo's themselves are disabled."
Brick Flagg, unable to contain his excitement held up his hand, "Possible shoots, she scores!"
Bonnie just shook her head in frustration, wondering why she still dated him, food chain, she thought disdainfully.
Monique, seeing her chance to move up a rung on the social ladder returned the slap that had been denied Brick, "Straight up!" she returned.
Bonnie's jaw dropped open in anger and disbelief, "Excuse me?!"
"Oh you're excused," Brick started, "Hey while you're gone, I'll hang with Monique."
Bonnie turned to the now blushing, not that you could really tell, Monique who quietly answered with a knowing smile on her face, "Me like."
Bonnie opened her mouth to put Monique in her place, but stopped as two shadows entered the dance. For the longest time, no one could say anything, all they could do was stare with their mouth's dangling open at the sight of Ron Stoppable, wearing his father's blue tuxedo, walking Kim Possible, burnt dress and all, into their High School Prom. What everyone was staring at was Kim's hand, which was now firmly enclosed in Ron's hand.
Smiling nervously, the new couple stared back at the auditorium that had gone very quiet.
After what seemed like an eternity, Bonnie regained the use of her brain and tongue and pieced it all together, "It finally happened," she spoke quietly, but then called out to the rest of the auditorium, "She's dating that loser. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are dating?! Ahahaha!"
Silence.
Cheering filled the auditorium as all present, minus Bonnie, cheered on the couple that they had been secretly cheering on for the past three years. The cheering died down as the DJ, in recognition of the new couple, played a new song. The beginnings of a guitar cord filled the room as everyone made their way to the dance floor.
I know we've been friends forever, but now I think I'm feeling something totally new.
Ron grinned as the cheering died away and everyone went back to dancing. He looked down as he felt a push at his ankles that pushed him closer to Kim. A few moments later, Kim felt a similar push and found herself in Ron's arms. Smiling sheepishly, he offered a hand to Kim and nodded towards the dance floor. Smiling broadly, she accepted.
And after all this time, I've opened up my eyes. Now I see you were always with me.
The song continued to play as the young lovers danced to its beat. Kim was tired of dancing formally and threw her arms around Ron, pulling him into a hug. She felt him respond with a tight hug, one that forced her to draw her breath, but she didn't complain. I never want this to end, she thought as Ron pushed her away. Looking into his chocolate eyes, she saw something that she had never seen before, or at least, never looked for: love.
Could it be, you and I never imagined. Could it be suddenly, I'm fallin' for you.
Ron's gaze never left hers as he bowed his head. She turned away for a second, but after a moment of hesitation, she too leaned in. Finally, after three long years of life threatening danger, the couple that the entire world had pulled for, they finally kissed.
Could it be, you were right here beside me, and I never knew? Could it be that it's true, that it's you? And it's you, and it's you.
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
5:00 P.M.
Kim smiled as she remembered that night. To her it was last night but to everyone else it must have felt like years. And as she saw herself and Ron the kiss, the moon hung above the city, bathing it in the soft glow and Kim felt herself go calm, all cares were forgotten as watching it made tears spring to her eyes.
"Where's this?" she asked as the scene played out before her.
Wade smiled, "this was actually the second one we were able to see," the scene pulled back as Kim and Ron stood on the dance floor, lost in their kiss, "we never sent agents to this universe, but it was always a peaceful one."
"Why?" Kim asked as the other Kim and Ron broke the kiss and began to slow dance instead, "why didn't you send anyone there?"
"It just didn't feel right," Wade explained, "it was just too close to our own and the last thing they needed was one of our agents mucking about," he paused and viewed some notes made by Betty, "from our best bets it takes place the night of the Diablos and is primarily about you and Ron."
Kim watched as both her and Ron left the dance floor to visit with Monique and Felix. It was at that moment that she truly felt how much she missed Ron...her Ron.
Wade saw her reaction and instantly shut off the feed, "I'm sorry," he muttered sheepishly and punched in another set of buttons.
"Thank you Wade," Betty interrupted as she entered the large room, "that will be all."
Everyone turned as Betty and Josh returned to the group, Betty looking confident and Josh looking more angry than anything else.
Kim turned to Betty, "What's the sitch?"
Elizabeth turned to Josh, "the two of you need to discuss something."
Kim wiped at her eyes, clearing the tears, "all right."
"Alone," Josh said ignoring the room of lights as the sadness dripped off his words.
Kim nodded and allowed herself to be led from the room of Universes to some tucked away conference room.
Betty waited until they were gone before turning back to the group, "Kim's going to be gone within the next ten minutes," she paused and looked around before handing a sheet of paper around, "we'll be dead within the hour."
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
5:15 P.M.
Taptaptaptap
Kim sat across from Josh, idly tapping her fingers on the table. She had a vague idea as to what was going on but no matter what, she was prepared for what Josh was about to say.
"Kim I love you."
OK, anything but that.
"I've loved you since the moment I met you," Josh continued, "ever since that spirit dance when you asked me out," he took a breath, "even when you were dating Ron and I was with Tara, during our Junior year, I still loved you."
Kim didn't know what to say, the shock of everything was overloading her system, "Josh-I...I-"
"Please Kim, just let me finish," Josh said...begged...pleaded.
Kim nodded as Josh continued, "I know you're not from here, but I just want you to know that we can make this work. I will always stand by you no matter what and-"
"Josh," Kim interrupted quietly, instantly stopping him.
He looked at her expectantly, "yes?"
"No," Kim shook her head, "I-I can't do this, more importantly, you can't do this."
"But I do-" he argued.
"But I don't," Kim responded genuinely and grabbed his hand to support him, "I do know that I'll be gone in a little bit and all you'll have left is a shell of me. There won't be a mind left."
Josh didn't say anything even though he knew she was right, "Josh look at me," he looked up, "I know you love Kim here. I know you and I were going to get married, have kids and die old," she took a deep breath, "but we can't...I'm Kim but I'm not your Kim."
She trailed off and let it hang in the air for a moment, "I'm...I'm sorry Josh."
Josh nodded sadly and wiped at his eyes, "are you sure?" he asked.
Kim nodded and Josh silently stood to his feet, his chair sliding away without a sound from the table. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring.
He studied the craftsmanship for a long time, admiring the beauty of the diamond sitting on the gold band. It was a technological marvel, one that had taken the jeweler years to craft but here he was leaving it with Kim.
"It was always yours," he set the ring next to Kim, "it will always be yours."
Kim stood quickly and pulled him in for a long hug. For a moment, Josh allowed himself to be taken in by her hug and relished the feel of her. He closed his eyes and let a heartbeat pass before lightly pushing her away.
"I want you to promise me one thing Kim," he ordered, a stern look in his eyes that Kim had never seen before.
She nodded, "anything."
He took a deep breath, "when you get back to Ron, you hold on to him. Hold onto him and never let him go."
She nodded as he quietly walked out of the room, leaving Kim alone with the ring on the table.
She knew that she had done the right thing by turning Josh away but she still felt guilty. She leaned back against her chair with a long sigh, there was nothing to be done but report back to Betty.
She walked away from the chair and turned to leave but remembered the ring and turned back to pick it up. The second her fingers closed on the golden band-
One traveler for the journey to the creator,
as power from beyond the stars will fuel her machine.
His love not returned will guide her and stay with her when she becomes lost.
The symbol of royalty will open the doors closed to her and the machine will carry her
even as the soul of an immortal protects her.
Kim jerked back in shock, the chant still echoing in her mind and she stared at the ring in wonder, "Thank you Josh," she picked up the ring again and held it close, "oh thank you Josh."
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
5:25 P.M.
Woosh-hiss
Betty turned as Kim entered the large room showing all the universes. In Kim's hand was the golden ring and upon reaching the group gathered in the platform, she held it up for examination.
"Josh's ring was the love not returned," Kim explained, a feeling of dread hanging over her.
Betty nodded as she leaned back against a railing, "I know, that's what we were talking about."
Kim shook her head, "then why didn't you take it from him?"
Will answered for Betty, "because you have to do this entirely on your own," he took a step forward, "our role in this story is just to supply you with the tools necessary to find the pieces but it's up to you to gather them."
"But why didn't you tell me?" Kim asked angrily, emotions from the last five days bubbling over.
"Because there's a time coming Kim when you're going to be all alone," Betty explained, "there won't be anyone to help you and it will be just you and these items."
"WHY ME?" she shouted angrily, "WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ME?"
Wade took a deep breath, "because that's your universe's purpose," he felt Olivia squeeze his shoulder in support, "your entire purpose is to journey to the Creator and try to save this fractured reality."
Olivia leaned over and tapped a button on the console and instantly a universe appeared before them, spinning majestically and casting off an amber glow, "you are from this universe, Universe 15. In almost every way exactly like the Prime Universe, Universe 1, your whole existence is journeying from there to saving the rest of the other universes," she explained as she pressed another button and a new Universe appeared, instead of an amber glow, this universe gave off a golden glow to everyone present, "This is the Prime Universe," she paused and for the first time, Kim saw admiration in Olivia's eyes, "this is the start of everything, the end of all, you were sent to save it."
Betty nodded, "that's why you have to do this, because that's what you were created for."
Kim felt her shoulder sag dejectedly and she stared at the original universe, "why did all this happen?"
Betty took the ring from Kim's hand and placed it silently in the backpack before placing the bloody flag in the bag. She sealed up the bag and handed it to Kim, "Everything ends Kim," Kim didn't move so Betty slung the bag over Kim's shoulders, and tightened the straps like a mother for her child on the first day of school, "but I know you can stop this end."
Kim looked up as Betty unzipped the top of her jumpsuit and placed two fingers on opposite sides of the anchor.
Kim looked at the anchor before looking up, tears running down her face, "how do you know?"
Betty smiled as she placed a hand lovingly on Kim's shoulder, "because you're a Possible," she pressed the buttons, "It's what you do."
And then...
July 3rd, 3019
Global Science Headquarters
Go City, Colorado
5:35 P.M.
Betty and Wade eased Kim's comatose body onto a hospital bed where Kim's closed eyes gave her the impression that she was only asleep.
"Next time you decide to jump Kim," Wade said as he straightened up, his back cracking with the motion, "can you do it when she's already in the bed?"
Betty smiled at Wade as she hooked up a diode to the side of her head to ensure she was still alive before standing up, "all of you," she turned and looked at everyone present, "you're fired. Go home and be with your families."
No one moved.
Betty smiled, "she's not coming back and we all have less than an hour to get back to be with our families before the collapse," she looked at each and every person present, "it truly has been an honor working with you."
Wade nodded before taking Olivia by the hand and walking out of the room, "do you want to go have a dinner in the park?"
Olivia smiled and clung to his hand like a grade school girl, "I would love to."
Betty smiled as they left and pressed a hidden button on her wristwatch. A loud chiming was heard over the P.A. system as Betty accessed the Global Science speakers.
She held the watch to her mouth and spoke into the radio, "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been an honor but in the end all good things must end," she took a deep breath, "Kim is gone and I want everyone here to take the rest of the day off. Go be with your families, do something fun. That's an order."
She heard Will chuckle as the speakers clicked off and Betty turned to stare at him, "what are you still doing here Will?"
Will smiled broadly, "did you realize that this is the first time that I've ever been fired?" the smile broadened.
"Your point?" she asked warily.
"I'm just glad I had the privilege of working for you," he chuckled before turning around and walking away, "I wonder if Bonnie is still home..."
Betty turned back to the comatose woman on the bed and squeezed Kim's hand softly, "Godspeed Kim."
"Ahem" someone coughed at the door and Betty turned to see Josh Mankey standing there, still wearing the worn tuxedo from his wedding that never happened.
Betty arched her eyebrows, "Josh?"
"Is she...?" he asked breathlessly.
Betty nodded, "a few minutes ago."
She saw his shoulders dip momentarily before he walked over to Kim, a data pad tucked under his arm, "Can I stay with her?"
Betty nodded, "I'll leave the lights on."
"I appreciate that," Josh said as he pulled up a chair next to Kim and activated the data pad.
Betty left him with Kim and only stopped once at the door to look back. She saw Josh smiling and chuckling as he showed the comatose Kim the data pad with all their memories and pictures that they'd acquired over the years.
She let out a sigh before turning and walking away. After all, she did have her own family to get back to and she'd never forgive herself if she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Steve and Nicole.
July 3rd, 3019
Go City, Colorado
6:05 P.M.
Betty had just pulled into her drive way when she felt the cold wind start to blow. Her first indication that the collapse was coming was when the blossoms on her cherry tree started to float up. She turned and watched the phenomenon for several seconds before walking into her house even as the expanse of nothingness opened over her universe.
"Mommy!" her daughter's playful scream greeted her from inside her house and Betty laughed as her darling Nicole ran into her arms.
Betty clutched her daughter and held her tight, fearful that if she let go her daughter would disappear.
As she twirled her daughter around the entry of her house she felt two beefy arms enclose around her and she felt her husband wrap up the girls in an enormous bear hug.
The three laughed again as Steve Barkin lifted the two off the ground and carried them into the living room, where they collapsed into an enormous pile of limbs and body parts.
For several seconds, all of Betty's worries were forgotten as she played with her family.
Then a scream from the outside interrupted the jovial mood.
Followed swiftly by another.
A roaring from a Tyranasaurs Rex was heard from outside followed by the crashing of metal as cars slammed into their neighbors. Overhead the skies filled with every craft to have ever existed, guns were fired and lasers began blazing in response and through it all, the screaming never stopped.
Soon, everyone was screaming and from all around the house, the sound of screams and crashes could be heard.
Nicole heard this and latched onto her mother, fear in her heart "what's going on Mommy?"
Betty kissed her daughter's brown hair, "Nothing sweety," she lied as she pulled her daughter in close, "Nothing at all."
Nicole fought to break free of her Mother's grasp but eventually surrendered to the loving hug of Betty. Barkin got on the other side and pulled the two onto his lap and kissed Betty deeply before kissing his daughter, "will it hurt?" he asked Betty.
Dr. Elizabeth Director shook her head, the sound of the expansive nothingness overhead, "it won't hurt at all."
She closed her eyes even as a tendril of nothingness descended from the sky and swallowed them up.
July 3rd, 3019
Go City, Colorado
6:05 P.M.
Wade and Olivia sat on a large field of grass, a picnic basket consisting mainly of ice cream, cookies and any other unhealthy food they wanted rested next to them. They watched the Nothing expand over them and they felt the pull of the nothingness as it sucked everything not secured to the ground into the sky.
Too late did Wade realize that this also include the picnic basket.
"No wait!" he reached for the basket but it flew into the nothingness.
Olivia smiled and kissed him lightly, "I think I would have liked to have had kids" she began.
Wade turned from the flying basket that was soon lost in the void, "yeah?"
She thought for a moment before hugging his arm, "Yeah, I'm thinking two girls and a boy."
Wade laughed, "maybe if Kim succeeds, we'll get a chance to," and Wade Load kissed his wife a final time as the world around them dissolved into Nothing.
July 3rd, 3019
Go City, Colorado
6:05 P.M.
"Wow," Will gasped and lay back on the bed, "simply...wow."
Bonnie nodded breathlessly as she rolled off him and onto the bed next to him, "I know," she pulled him in close as the sounds of chaos began outside, "I mean where did you learn that last trick?"
Will smiled at Bonnie's sweaty form and moved a strand of her tussled hair from her face to behind her ear, "Oh just something I picked up from one of your glamour magazines," He saw her raised eyebrow and laughed, "yes, I do read them from time to time. Try not to faint."
Bonnie laughed and bit him playfully on the shoulder, "I kinda suspected you did."
Will laughed and kissed Bonnie a final time as the house, bed and their bodies disintegrated into Nothing.
July 3rd, 3019
Go City, Colorado
6:05 P.M.
Josh didn't hear the sounds of any approaching destruction. He didn't hear the sounds of the Utopian world descending into chaos as it was swiftly consumed by the Nothing. He didn't hear any screams of terror or any car crashes as the population of the universe fled an advancing wall of nothing.
Instead Josh was curled up next to Kim, asleep as the pictures of their life together flashed by on the data pad before him.
The pictures continued on even as a tendril of Nothing snaked through the empty hall, devouring all it touched but upon reaching Kim and Josh, it stopped and floated around the two in confusion. The Nothing was so used to being run from that seeing Josh and Kim asleep confused it and for a brief second the Nothing didn't know what to do.
But just as it began to question itself, it remembered the mission. What its purpose was and always had been.
Destroy.
Without a sound, the Nothing descended on Josh and Kim, instantly vaporizing them. And with that, the Universe was gone.
Plip
November 28th, 2017
?,?
9:08 P.M.
...it was all gone.
Kim gasped as she tumbled onto her hands and knees, the bag slapping at her back as she dug into the rough asphalt road before face planting on the cold street.
"Whoa KP," a familiar voice spoke from next to her, "kinda a rough landing," he paused, "normally that's my bit."
Kim groaned and looked around, trying desperately to locate the voice while maintaining some shred of her dignity. She was in the middle of a street, that much was certain, other than that Kim didn't know where she was.
Kim sat up slowly, feeling the bag tug at her back and she looked for any other clues to tell her where she was. The street was empty save for a few people in green and black jumpsuits that stared at her in confusion. Kim stared back, wondering where she had seen the jumpsuit designs before but she forgot about it as she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"KP?" Ron Stoppable asked, "you OK?"
Kim turned and stared in awestruck wonder as Ron, wearing a...Kim wasn't sure what Ron was wearing but it looked like it had come from Norway. He stood before her with an offering hand, a hand that she gladly took and allowed him to help her up.
"Yeah," she fumbled and once standing she pulled Ron in for an enormous hug.
"Uh-KP?" Ron gasped as Kim held him close, "What are you doing?"
Kim's eyes opened in realization of what she was doing and she quickly pushed Ron away while brushing her clothes off quickly, "Sorry," she stammered, "j-just wanted to make sure you were all right."
Ron smiled a cocky smile, "Hey, it's me. When haven't I been all right?"
Kim raised an eyebrow and turned away from Ron. She couldn't put her finger on it, but this world felt incredibly familiar, almost like a half remembered dream. It tugged at the back of her mind and she fought with herself in an attempt to grab the memory but after several seconds she gave up. Maybe the memory would come back, but right now she needed to get her bearings and having Ron with her meant things were looking up for her.
She grabbed Ron by the wrist and pulled him along, heedless of the wondering gazes from all the people, "KP, what are we doing?" Ron asked as they ran, "Rufus said to wait for him once we went through the portal."
Kim didn't stop as more fragments of memories bounced around in her skull. She didn't care about finding out what the memories were, all that mattered was figuring out why this universe gave her such a bad feeling.
They sprinted through forgotten alleyways and around abandoned dumpsters heaping with trash in Kim's mad quest for answers. They passed by multicolored buildings that teemed with life, the green tinted windows casting emerald light onto the two runners.
Kim looked up as she passed another building and saw the green sky, the clouds roiling and boiling as the world below polluted the atmosphere above with pollutants and gases. Kim felt the memories boiling to the surface of her brain and prayed for an answer.
As if to answer her question, Kim turned the corner and let out a gasp of terror as the reason why she knew this universe flooded back to her.
The expanse before her was a wasteland, nothing grew in the once open fields of Middleton central park, instead the different colored buildings of this universe all surrounded this expansive wasteland like a wall. A vast circular wall that housed the city on one side but absolute desolation on the other. It formed a perfect circle around this wasteland but Kim wasn't focused on the wall but instead she was focused on the marvel of technology rising from the wasteland.
It wasn't the desolate, smoking, trash filled wasteland that caused Kim to drop to the ground in defeat. Instead it was the enormous twenty foot stone statue of Shego that loomed over the city of Middleton. Her haughty gaze never blinking as the statue served testament to Shego's victory.
Kim's eyes journeyed from the statue to the enormous citadel of doom behind the statue. Motion detectors, laser cannons and just for good measure, a piranha filled moat, these were just a few of the many defenses of the tower Kim was able to see. The long towering citadel rose from the ground and rose high into the sky where an expansive penthouse rested. Spikes jutted from the sides of the tower and split from the sides of the penthouse, giving the whole tower the appearance of some enormous monster.
Kim didn't say anything but turned her head to look behind her and saw the crumbling ruins of Bueno Nacho. Ron followed her gaze and cried out in horror as he saw his restaurant desecrated and ruined beyond all repair.
Kim now knew why this universe felt so familiar: she'd been here before, once a long time ago but she had forgotten about it when they'd rewritten history. Back when there had been a 'Sitch in Time.
"An alternate universe," Kim whispered, "this is what was formed. We didn't change history...we created this."
Ron dug in the remains of Bueno Nacho and pulled out a Diablo Hot Sauce Packet, "KP, I don't like the future."
Kim shook her head as she chose not to correct him. Ron turned around and stared at her, "So what now?"
Kim answered quietly as she fell to her knees and let out a defeated sigh, "now we die."
Disclaimer: I own Nothing, Disney owns all.
Author's Notes: Good morning. Or evening. Whichever you prefer.
So my main complaint with 'A Sitch In Time' was the convenient erase of all things at the end of the movie, thus negating all the growth done by the characters over the course of the movie. Great premise right up until everyone loses their memory.
I still get angry at it.
And finally, those three excerpts are from my own previous works. I was going to get some other author's work, sort of a show case of other authors for other Alternate Universes, but I forgot to budget my time this week.
However it did give me a chance to show some of my other works to you, so here are some short excerpts from Not Your Usual Suspects, Middleton Falls and Everything's Going to Be All Right.
Anyway, Special thanks this week goes to Joe Stoppinghem (I wish), Darev (I'll leave that answer to your imagination), CajuBear73 (Spoiler alert: Kim visits a universe of just bears and is mauled instantly), Twuscany (Glad to catch you off guard), Taechunsa (Clue or mistake?), temporaryinsanity91 (so there are 91 other temporaryinsanitys out there?)
And of course thank you, the silent reader. Thank you for tuning in and reading this story week after week.
If you like the story feel free to leave a review, if you wish to critique leave a review, or if you wish to explain your theories I'll gladly listen and laugh mockingly at you. Just ask Taechunsa.
TRS