15) Under no circumstances is a Creator allowed to make things up without first thinking out the ramifications.
Note: If a Creator wishes to change plan they must first submit a guided outline and be prepared for weighed consequences.
July 9th, 2012
Los Angeles, California
6:50 P.M.
Ding
Mark was ready to tear Robert's computer apart with his bare hands. The only thing that kept him from doing that was the knowledge that his friend would make him pay for damages while laughing at his antics.
Please state the nature of your inquiry.
Mark shook his head as the computer flashed a new message at him.
"What?" he asked in genuine confusion.
Please state the nature of your inquiry.
Mark was silent, "umm..." he paused and started typing, "Why am I not able to delete the file?"
The computer silently chugged away for a moment before answering, Unknown Error in Processing Request. Please restart computer and try again.
"What?" he repeated loudly to no one.
He heard Robert shuffling down the hallway and struggled to make the computer work, "Erase Files S1 through S4."
Unable to process request, the computer replied, Your computer will restart in 5...4...
"Oh no you don't," Mark muttered to the counting down computer.
2...1...Have a Nice Day... the computer said just as it shut down, the monitor snapping from a brightly lit screen to an all dark blackness.
"How's it going in here?" Robert asked as he offered a cup of coffee to Mark.
Mark sat in silence before reaching for the coffee without looking, "I'm going to need an old priest and a young priest."
"Why?" Robert asked.
"Because I'm pretty sure your computer is possessed," Mark replied. He took a sip, "That's the only explanation to this all."
Robert took a sip from his cup, "No chance of it being user error?"
Mark turned, "I don't make mistakes Robert," he took another sip. "Unlike you. If you had just listened to my advice and let her die when she was supposed to-"
"She died prematurely," Robert argued, "you and I both know that she died at a good place but her coming back gave us a better way for her to die."
Mark raised an eyebrow as he eyed his friend, "Really? You want to look me in the eye and say the second time she died was how you originally envisioned her going out?"
Robert didn't answer as Mark turned back to the computer, silent curses being muttered under his breath, "All you had to do was hit delete and we wouldn't be in this mess."
"It was out of our hands to bring her back," Robert defended, "It was either agree to work with them or let someone else defile the remains."
"If that's how you sleep at night," Mark shot back angrily, "then I can't fault you for lying to yourself."
"Would you have preferred for her to die after only three years?" Robert found himself almost shouting, "isn't bringing her back to celebrate her fourth birthday that much better?"
Mark shook his head, "Some things are supposed to stay dead Robert," he turned back to the computer, "You and I both know that better than anyone."
July 9th, 2012
Los Angeles, California
6:50 P.M.
He enjoyed his new chair.
Actually he loved his new chair. It made working on his computer that much easier.
"Hey Wolf!" he shouted in his apartment.
"What?" came the reply.
"I can lean back in this chair!" The Creator announced, "I couldn't do that before!"
Wolf peeked her head into his room, "You mean to tell me that instead of actually working on what you're supposed to, you're telling me about how awesome your chair is?"
He smiled, "Uh-Huh."
She shook her head, "Normally I wouldn't mind but really? This is the seventeenth time today. Third time since you've woken up."
"But only because it's so awesome," he grinned.
She nodded good-naturedly while pointing back at his computer screen, "Work."
The smile never left his face as he turned back to his computer and started working again.
BrrFlick
He jumped as the power in his apartment flickered, "Hey Wolf?"
"What now?" she asked in a frustrated tone from the hallway.
"Did the lights just flicker?" he asked as he struggled to save his work before the next power flicker.
"Yep. Now work," came the reply.
"Fine," he grumbled and and leaned back in his chair while closing his eyes.
He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his bleached blonde hair. Knowing the plan was all well and good but actually finding the motivation to finish through, that was the hardest part.
He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.
He opened his eyes and looked back at his computer, "No rest for the Creator right computer?" he asked with a laugh as he put his glasses on.
November 29th, 2017
Shegoton, Colorado
8:30 A.M.
"So let me get this straight Princess," Shego said as she looked out over the view of Shegoton from her throne room, "You and I are randomly jumping through universes in some weird journey to find a machine and journey to a Creator in hopes that whoever they are won't keep destroying the universes and maybe make everything right again?"
Kim looked on from her position on a nearby chair and nodded as she sipped at a cup of tea, "That's about the extent of my plan."
Shego didn't look at Kim, "And you came up with this all on your own?"
"Yeah," Kim replied, "It wasn't that hard to understand once I had it all..." she trailed off as Shego turned with an eye brow raised suggestively, "You're being sarcastic aren't you?"
"Nothing slips past you Kimmie," Shego answered mockingly.
Kim fought the urge to strangle Shego but instead took a deep breath, "And how did you figure out that you were jumping universes?"
"Two moons over the Kingdom of Middleton?" Shego shook her head, "I figured it out the first time I was there."
Kim was silent a moment before asking, "First time?"
"Yeah," Shego nodded, "I've been to that particular universe a few times now-"
"But I was only there once," Kim interrupted, "How did you go there more times than me?"
Shego smiled, "what's wrong Kimmie? Feeling jealous?"
Kim put on a tough face and tried to push the image of King Stoppable from her mind, "no," she answered almost too quickly as her face started to match her hair, "how long have you been jumping?" she asked as she changed the subject.
Shego shrugged, "I stopped counting once I hit triple digits."
Kim rose from the chair and wandered around the posh throne room they were in, "I don't understand, why aren't you jumping with me?"
"More like why aren't you jumping with me," Shego corrected, "technically speaking I have been jumping longer than you and that would make you jumping with me."
"Fine," Kim nodded, "But more importantly, why are you jumping? I thought Wade said you were just a conductor and I was the only jumper."
Shego pointed at herself, "Obviously he was wrong."
Kim looked up expectantly, "And you know why you're jumping?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Shego asked as she rose to her feet, "When we were on that rooftop we were both exposed to my plasma powers and because I'm the source of the plasma powers I clearly created a rip in the very fabric of reality that pulled you and I through and thus started our jumping as we look for a way back to our own universe," she took a breath and nodded to Kim.
Kim raised an eyebrow skeptically, "And I assume you came up with that data all on your own?"
Shego held up a hand in disbelief, "You would dare assume that I am not smart enough to figure this out on my own?"
Kim's raised eyebrow spoke more than her mouth ever could.
"All right so Drakken figured it out and explained it to me three universes ago," Shego sank back into her chair, "Happy now?"
Kim nodded and looked away, "Immensely..." she looked up and sauntered towards Shego, "So what about you?"
"Me?" Shego asked innocently, "What about me?"
Kim neared Shego, "Look Shego, I need to know what you know-"
"Or what?" Shego asked nervously, "you gonna kiss me again?"
Kim took a startled step back as Shego clamped a hand over her mouth, "or I'll what?" Kim asked.
Shego shook her head, "The last universe I jumped to you and I were...dating and we-"
Kim held up a hand to stop Shego midsentence, "I take back what I said to Wade earlier: That sounds like a bad fanfiction," she shook her head in disgust, "We don't even like each other, how could we even be dating?"
Shego shook her head, "I don't know but it was absolutely horrible and completely out of character."
Kim nodded, "agreed. A horrible, horrible idea."
Kim shook her head and placed a hand reassuringly on Shego's arm, "Look, if we're going to be stuck jumping like this, the least we can do is work together."
Shego shrugged off Kim's hand and slapped a hand on her forehead, "Tell me you're not about to make a 'let's work together' speech."
Kim took a step towards Shego and fought the urge to fight with this woman, "Shego, I know why I'm jumping and I'm willing to guess you're here for more than just along for the ride," she took a deep breath, "But right now I need your help and seeing as you have something I need, we're going to have to work together."
Shego turned to Kim with a smile, "Don't you just live for moments like this?"
Kim ground her teeth together angrily, "Are you going to help me?"
Shego smiled but didn't answer, "When you were captured, the drones brought this to me because they couldn't scan the bag; something about the frequency being off," Shego pulled a backpack from a hidden spot and Kim's eyes widened as Shego pulled open the case and started rummaging through everything.
"A bloody flag?" Shego scoffed, "A cheap wedding ring?" she looked up at Kim, "These are going to be what saves us?"
Kim nodded, "And more."
Shego smiled as she tossed the bag to Kim as she settled into a large and comfortable looking chair, "Do tell."
Kim caught the bag with one hand and looked inside for a moment before turning to Shego, "According to the chant, when all four items are combined with the machine, a path to the Creator is opened-"
"And you think that's why you're jumping universes?" Shego asked, an eyebrow raised suggestively, "To gather some random pieces of junk in some sort of mystical scavenger hunt in the hopes that maybe you'll get to meet the 'Creator'?" she asked darkly.
"I do," Kim agreed.
"Then why are you here?" came the question Kim had been waiting for, "Why were you so eager to find me?"
"You," she said almost too quickly.
Shego looked taken aback for a moment, "Me?"
Kim nodded and slung her bag over her shoulder as she stood to her feet, "Well actually I need your Plasma powers. You see I'm convinced that your power can start the machin-"
Shego's hands lit up, "My Powers?" she asked dangerously, "You want to take my powers away from me?"
Kim gulped nervously, "N-not right now. I don't have a way to hold-"
WOOSH
Kim threw herself to the ground as a bolt of superheated green plasma rocketed over her head and melted the wall behind her.
"L-look Shego," Kim stammered, "You don't have to give it all up, just enough to power the mach-"
WOOSH
"Oh you want a little bit of my power?" Shego shouted as she threw another bolt of plasma at Kim, "how about this?"
WOOSH
The plasma raced over Kim's head as she fought to stand up and she held out her hands defensively, "STOP! STOP!"
She saw Shego hold up her hands but still kept the plasma on her fingertips, "Yes?"
"Look," Kim still held her hands in front of her, "I'm just saying this is what the chant is telling me. I just need some of your power to power up the machine."
"Chant?" Shego asked.
"Yes," Kim continued to hold her hands up defensively, "Whenever I come into contact with these items I hear a chant that tells me I've found the right item," she took a ragged breath, "I think your powers help power the machine."
"You want some of my powers?" Shego nodded slowly, "Not the entire thing?"
Kim shook her head, "No, just enough to jump start the thing."
Shego continued nodding, "Ok, well if you want some of my power, here you go."
WOOSH
Before Kim could react, Shego flung a bolt of super heated plasma directly at Kim. The green fire impacted right on her sternum-
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.
- and flung her across the room where she hit the smoking wall with enough force to knock her out and she slumped to the floor unconscious.
Kim rested easily knowing that she had found fourth item.
November 29th, 2017
Shegoton, Colorado
8:30 A.M.
"How do you know where you're going Wade?" Jim asked the hulking man in front of him.
Wade held up a Kimmunicator with a map on the screen, "I've mapped out the entire sewer system from our hideout to Shego's tower."
"So if you had the sewer mapped out, why did you have us do a ground assault and air assault before?" Tim asked as he tried not to think about what he was trudging through.
Wade didn't answer but instead stopped under a ladder that stopped at a manhole cover and pointed up, "That's our tunnel. Rufus," he turned to the large mole rat with a blue vest, "scout ahead."
Rufus 3000 nodded, "I shall return momentarily," he scampered up the ladder and poked his head through a hole in the cover. He was up there for a few seconds before nodding down, "We're clear."
Wade nodded and climbed the ladder and with one beefy arm, pushed the manhole cover up from its resting place and slid it quietly to the side.
Wade turned back to the group, "Keep a sharp eye. We don't want anything sneaking up on-"
"Hey Wade," Ron said from above him as he extended a helping hand.
Wade almost tumbled from his position to the stinking sewer below. He was able to grab the edge of the hole with one hand to brace himself before looking up at Ron with a look that could boil water, "What are you doing Ron?"
Ron took a step back as he watched Wade climb out of the hole and waited calmly before nodding to the behemoth standing before him, "So what? Did you eat Steroids with every meal for the last fifteen years?"
Wade found his anger towards Ron gone and he pulled the boy in for a hug, "Heh, heh Ron. Clean living, running for your life everyday and a growth spurt will do this to you."
Ron nodded to Jim and Tim as they climbed out of the hole and looked around, "Where's Kim?"
Ron shook his head, "I don't know. We were almost at the tower but then she started going crazy and she tried shooting me" Ron held up a tattered sleeve for proof, "then she collapsed and then Killigan killed Bonnie."
"Where are they now?" Jim asked fearfully.
Ron shook his head, "I was knocked out in the explosion and woke up a few minutes ago."
Rufus 3000 nodded towards an alarm, "And Monkey Fist, Drakken and Killigan?"
Ron shrugged, "I heard something about them being sent to the city. They were arguing about where to look for you three."
Tim smiled, "So we have free reign of the tower?"
Ron nodded, "Sounds like it."
KA-BOOM
An explosion shook the tower and they heard an angry cry from Shego.
As one, they all looked at each other, "I think I know where Kim is," Ron said.
Wade pulled out a laser pistol and tossed a spare to Ron, "Let's go. If it's not on our side, shoot it."
November 29th, 2017
Shegoton, Colorado
8:45 A.M.
"How's that power for ya?" Shego asked the smoking body of Kim.
Kim shook herself awake and gasped in pain as she felt pain rippling through her muscles.
"The universe is collapsing around you," Kim gasped as she slowly hauled herself to a standing position, "and you're not even going to work with me on it?"
"Work with you? Maybe...possibly," Shego took a breath, "give you all my power? Not a chance?"
Kim shook her head as she gasped in pain, "not all your power, just enough to jump start the machine."
She saw Shego's hands light up and Kim took a deep breath, "Look, I know you're not thrilled with the idea, but for once in your life, trust me."
Shego was silent for a moment before she slowly extinguished her flames, "so not everything?"
Kim shook her head, "not everything."
"Fine," Shego agreed.
Ding
Kim and Shego both looked down and Kim felt the anchor attached to her chest vibrate slightly to signal it was ready to jump.
Seeing Shego's look Kim pulled open her jumpsuit and showed the anchor, "this keeps us in one place until we want to jump."
Shego raised an eyebrow, "got any more of those?"
"Unfortunately, no," Kim reported, "and this one is strapped to my chest."
Shego looked crestfallen for a moment before turning to Kim, "and you can jump us out of here?"
Kim nodded, "I will but I need some answers."
"Like what?" Shego asked.
Kim took a deep breath, "First off, what happened to me in the alley?" she saw Shego's expression so she explained, "One second I'm me but then all these different personalities-"
Shego laughed, "Actually had Drakken explain this to me last Universe," Shego sat down on a plush chair, her previous hostilities almost forgotten, "Seems that when you jump, you only dislodge the consciousness-not actually kill it," She pulled out a nail file, "the only problem is when you get really emotional, they're able to break through and push you out. So long as you stay calm, you're in control," Shego paused, "you feel like you've been acting different?"
"Yeah, I'm getting a lot meaner," Kim nodded.
"Yeah, all your personalities are bleeding through into your consciousness. You won't seem like yourself until you get back to your universe," she saw Kim about to question her but held up a silencing hand, "Drakken's theory, not mine."
Kim nodded slowly, "And why aren't you jumping with me? We never figured that out."
Shego shrugged, "Maybe we have to be touching each other to land at the same place?"
Kim shrugged, "Works for right now but we'll figure it out later," she took a deep breath as she clapped a hand on Shego's shoulder, "Right now I'm ready to see the next universe."
Shego looked shocked for a moment as Kim threw her bag over her shoulders before she reached up and pressed the two buttons, "Wait-"
But Shego never finished her warning as Kim jumped them both out of that universe.
And then…
November 29th, 2017
Shegoton, Colorado
8:53 A.M.
Ron stumbled into the penthouse without seeing a single person.
His body ached all over and Kim was missing. That was cause enough for him to be on edge but two steps later he found Kim and Shego sprawled out on the floor. He checked their pulses and found they were just barely alive.
"Almost like a coma," he muttered.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned just in time to see Jim, Tim and Wade along with all the Rufus's bursting into the room with battle cries.
Upon seeing Ron, Kim and Shego, they stopped in confusion.
"Ron," Wade asked in a deep voice, his muscles bulging in the confines of his T-Shirt, "What's going on?"
Ron shook his head, "I don't know, I heard voices and left you three, walked in here and found them like this."
Wade didn't answer but instead pulled out a scanner and started sweeping it over the two women as Ron walked to a window in wonder, "their brains are inactive. Almost as if they were brain dead," he paused in confusion as he read the scanner, "but there's no cause."
Jim nodded to Kim, "Kim did seem a bit on edge when she was with us."
"Yeah," Tim agreed, "She said she'd been here before."
Wade nodded slowly, "Did she say anything to you Ron?"
There was no answer from Ron.
"Ron?" Wade boomed out to Ron.
Ron turned away from the window and pointed outside, "look," everyone peered out the window in confusion, "floating raindrops."
…it was all gone.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
5:18 P.M.
Shego jerked her head up in pain as she felt an electrical current zapping her arm.
She let out a scream as the Lowardian with the power cable nodded to his master, "She's awake Sir."
Warhok nodded and peered at the olive skinned woman before him, "Welcome back, you've been out for quite some time," he held up a device that looked like a cross between a scissors and a butane torch.
The device sparked for a second before glowing and hissing as it ignited, "Let's pick up where we left up. Shall we?"
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Lognes, France
5:18 P.M.
CRACK
Lighting lit the sky above Kim and she blinked as rain water seeped through the blanket covering over her body. She shook her head and coughed as a bit of water ran up her nose.
Rolling to her side, Kim coughed weakly and rolled to a sitting position on her bed even as the ground beneath her feet shook.
Kim clutched at the bed in terror as she realized she was on an enormous moving platform.
KsssBOOM
A sonic boom shook Kim to her core and she pulled her arms tightly around her body, her fingers feeling the super suit that clung to her curves.
"Wait a second," Kim said hesitantly as she looked around.
Rain, moving platform, super suit-
Her eyes widened, "Oh crap-"
Two arms enveloped Kim in an enormous bear hug and she fought off her assailant until she recognized-
"I didn't think you were coming back," Felix Renton said to Kim as he held her close.
Kim sat rooted in her spot as another sonic boom rippled through the atmosphere.
"WHAT IS THAT?" Kim shouted as another boom echoed through the atmosphere.
"Your idea in action," Felix shouted back. He pressed a button on Kim's suit and a helmet slid around Kim's face. As soon as the mask had closed around her face, she heard Felix speaking normally over her radio.
"-way those are left over space satellites crashing through the atmosphere and hitting the shield on Paris," her husband explained, "the sonic booms have grown louder the closer we get to Paris."
Kim's eyes widened, "how far out are we?"
"I'd say about twelve minutes Possible," Dr. Betty Director's voice echoed over the radio, "Cutting it a bit close wouldn't you say?"
"She's here isn't she?" Felix answered before turning to Kim, "we've had to alter the plan of the assault a bit."
Kim didn't answer as she watched a large trail of fire arc overhead and vanish beyond the hill their vehicle was currently climbing.
She was silent for a moment and let the rain wash over her super suit and she fingered the bag that had appeared on her back.
Felix stared quietly at Kim before watching his wife turn on her heel, "I take it Paris is on the other side of this hill?"
Will Du nodded and reported over the radio, "Prince Wally and Zita reports that the shield just needs two or three more hits and it'll be ready to collapse. But it'll be down by the time we get over this hill."
Kim nodded, "and Shego?"
Felix shook his head, "no trace of her. We think she's in Paris."
Kim's eyes widened, "We need to get her."
"If we can find her we'll try and get her, but you said the first priority was getting that machine," Betty interrupted.
Kim shook her head, "Shego is just as important as that machine," she saw Felix's look of skepticism, "Shego is the only thing in all the Universes that can power that machine."
Betty's radio was silent as she conferred with Will. When they were done, "Will and I will try to lead a squad of Erics into the city and get Shego. We have her GPS tracker and so long as she still has her right arm attached we'll find her."
She felt someone push past her and Kim turned in confusion at the little girl walking past her in an almost trance like state. Her eyes were a pure blue with no pupil, instead the blue glowed with an almost demonic glow. Her tan skin was contrasted by the golden hair that flowed from her head and dripped water to the deck of the derrick almost like a wet towel. She muttered something incomprehensible under her breath and Kim could only catch portions of the words.
It sounded like a prayer.
Kim saw Felix shake his head in anger and tapped the girl on the shoulder, "Excuse me?"
The glow left the girl's eyes and she stared up at Kim with an almost detached anger, "greetings destroyers of Universes. I have been waiting a very long time for you to return."
Kim took a step back, "what did you say?"
"Kim Possible correct?" the girl asked back, "The traveler for the machine? You are the reason all this has to happen."
Kim felt her legs go weak, "who are you?"
The faintest trace of a smile crept onto the girls face, "I am what could not be," the girl smiled, "My name is Hana Stoppable. You know my Father-"
"Ron?" Kim gasped as the deck jostled beneath her feet, "Ron married Yori?"
Hana smiled, "You have been to this universe before and yet you are still surprised at my words? Perhaps the Creator making you the traveler has caused you to lose your mem-," she paused mid-sentence as the realization dawned on her, "You're not Kim," she let out a laugh as she saw the Creator's plan in action, "And I can see you haven't figured out that you are not Kim Possible."
Kim waited expectantly for Hana to continue, "I know the problem with this Universe, number Fifteen," Hana explained to Kim, "I know we both belong to universes that are not the true universes," Hana smiled, "what wasn't in the Creator's plan."
"Are you the immortal's soul?" Kim asked hesitantly as she tried to figure out if Hana could be the final piece of the puzzle.
"No," Hana giggled, "I can just see everything that has happened, what is happening and what will happen," Hana gestured around the rain soaked landscape, "I know that everything has a purpose here and that is why I forgive you, even if my Mother won't."
Kim looked around in confusion, "Forgive me? For what?"
Hana's expression became deadpan, "For killing my Father of course. The first time in two hours and later on in your journey."
Kim's legs failed her as Hana's eyes resumed glowing and she turned away from Kim who felt something wet and warm streak down her cheek.
"W-wait," she wailed out after Hana, "Stop!"
Kim felt a hand on her shoulder as Felix returned and crouched next to his wife, "Let her go Kim," he leaned forward and his face mask slid apart so he could kiss Kim.
"Let her go."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
5:18 P.M.
With a loud growling of the diesel engines, the derricks crested the hill and lurched on the downward slope towards the city of Paris. However this was nothing like the Paris anyone could remember.
Stretched out before her were the very gates of hell.
Paris.
Once the capital of the France and home to millions, Paris had been reduced to nothing more than a war torn and glowing crater. The landscape heaved from various meteor impacts as enormous cuts and punches into the land made crossing the land in anything other than an airplane a dangerous task. The abandoned outskirts of Paris were nothing more than burning and smoldering ruins. Husks of building stood as markers to the area they were passing through but the fires racing through the outskirts was enough to make anyone shake their head in sadness at this loss of life.
Looking at the landscape, Kim realized that it was almost as if a volcano had opened up and flung its molten contents around the city as the ground was cracked and fissured from the falling space debris. Even as she watched another hunk of metal fell through the atmosphere and slammed against the shield with enough force to make her feel the tremor on the derrick.
In the center of all this desolation was a tiny pink bubble that everyone could tell was weakened by the constant assault of the overhead space debris but so far, the shield had remained intact. The inner city being preserved from ruin as the landscape around was transformed into a hellscape.
Her helmet automatically shielded her from the glare caused by the impact and she watched in horror even as the shield rippled like a lake's surface but still remained intact.
Kim shook her head but stopped as her helmet picked up a glare and she looked on in wonder as the she saw the sun arcing through the clouds.
Behind her, Kim heard Felix give a tiny gasp of awe and turned back in time to see her husband staring at the descending sun.
"What?" Kim asked as the sunset illuminated the land.
"This is the first time any of us has seen the sun in almost four years," Felix explained slowly, reverence dripping off his words, "There's so much space debris falling that we're creating a little hole in the cloud cover..."
He trailed off as the sunset brightened the sky and calmed everyone in the face of almost certain death.
"Zita?" Kim heard Felix quietly ask, fearful to break the mood, "Is that shield going to be down anytime soon?"
"According to my readings the shield will collapse in Five..." Zita reported quietly over the radio as another metal hunk slammed into the pink shield.
"Four…"
Everyone watched in awesome terror as the shield withstood another slam but this time, the shield rippled more sporadically.
"Three…"
The derricks broke from their single file procession on the plains leading up to the city and fanned out in a line that stretched the entire length of the wall. As one, the drivers shifted into a higher gear and the derricks jumped in response as they rose in speed.
"Two…"
Another slam, but this time the shield crackled and in some places crumbled momentarily before being restored. Kim could feel the anticipation on everyone as they all prayed to the Creator that this crazy plan worked.
"One…"
All eyes flew skyward as a sonic boom rippled shook the entire world. Even protected from the noise by her suit, Kim's hands still flew to her ears as a hunk of metal descended from the atmosphere-
"That's not a satellite," she heard Betty breathe over the radio.
"That's the Middleton Space Station," Felix observed in reverence as he watched Zita sacrificed her queen for this chess match.
"I've been saving her for something special," Zita explained over the radio to all present.
Whereas most satellites were the size of tiny cars, and SUVs, this space station was roughly the size of twelve city blocks and it was traveling at roughly fifty-five times the speed of sound as it slammed into the shield.
Kim watched the impact with mixed horror and wonder but was confused that as soon as the space station hit, all she heard was a tiny pop as the speakers in her Super Suit shut down to protect her ears from the roar of the impact. But it was no matter as the oxygen tanks that supplied the long abandoned space station with air and rocket fuel exploded on impact even as the structure compressed the shield.
The shock wave from the impact could be seen by all and everyone watched helplessly as the wave traveled towards them followed closely by an enormous cloud of dust.
"HANG ON TO SOMETHING!" she shouted over the radio as everyone scrambled to grab something that was fixed onto the deck of the derrick.
The wave hit Kim's derrick first and she felt the entire derrick shudder slightly before she felt a horrible sinking feeling as the entire front of the one hundred ton derrick's front end lifted several meters off the ground even as they continued moving forward.
Kim let out a silent scream as she watched Felix doing the same as their derrick tilted back so they were rolling on their back end.
Still the shock wave continued to press against their derrick and lift it up further and further off the ground before suddenly stopping and their derrick fell back to the ground with a muddy crash.
Kim let go of the guard rail she'd been holding on to just in time to see the shield collapse amid the enormous cacophony of noise.
Once again, hands flew to ears as Felix called out over the radio, "Everyone get ready-"
Kim heard a static burst and then nothing but it didn't matter.
Kim wasn't listening as she watched the entire shield collapse and the fireball that just moments before was a space station descended on the city streets. Thankfully Kim couldn't hear the screams of terror as the fire storm crushed entire city blocks and continued to spread destruction long after its death.
Kim felt a hand on her shoulder and was only vaguely aware that Felix was shouting at Kim. Kim stared blankly for several seconds before pointing to her ears and Felix tapped a side of Kim's neck.
"-ear me now?"
"Perfectly," Kim replied loudly.
"Good," Felix called out, "Because we're entering the city in two minutes."
Kim turned back to the city that was now burning and crumbling and called out, "We're doing what now?" Kim thought back to the plan, "I thought we were jumping into the city! Flying over the defenses if I remember correctly!"
She saw Felix shake his head in the rain, "Too difficult for us to coordinate a landing amid the storm. We're instead going to land with the derricks and fight our way through the city as a strike force while the rest of the assault holds the wall."
"Is that safe?" Kim asked, realizing how stupid the question was moments after she had said it.
Felix didn't turn as she answered Kim, "Yamanouchi is launching their fighters roughly fifteen seconds before the derricks hit, then they're going to provide us with air support while we cut through the city."
Kim nodded, "How do I do that?"
Felix turned back to Kim, his Centurion Armor rippling as he cycled through and powered up his armaments "All your armor and weapons are thought powered," dual laser blasters appeared on his forearms and shoulders before folding back into the metal suit, "Just think it and you'll be good to go."
Kim nodded as Betty piped in, "Any last instructions Kim? This is your plan after all."
Kim was silent as an enormous explosion sounded from the city before them. She silently opened her radio to address all the soldiers, "Thank you all for doing this," she said softly, "I know many of you are scared to die and I'd be lying if I told you otherwise."
She took a deep breath and looked out over all the derricks with soldiers jostling into position, "I just want each and everyone one of you to know that it has been an honor to serve with you."
On a nearby derrick Yori kissed Ron a final time and climbed silently into her Yamanouchi jet as Kim continued, "Some of you I never expected to call you more than a friend," Felix looked up through the rain, "While others I let go of the friendships we had."
From his derrick Ron stood silently and meditated softly as the Yamanouchi blade strapped to his back jostled slightly.
"For too long, we've been on the defensive," Kim's voice was rising in volume, "For too long we've been letting Lowardia push us around just because there are more of them," she paused, "But I say no more. This is where we hold the line. This is where we fight the night. We fight the night that Lowardia brings," Kim took a deep breath as she got into position for her jump with Felix and the rest of the jumpers, "The extinction of our race, the end of humanity," she thought back to her times with Ron as she cinched her backpack into place, "We fight or we die, we fight as one, we fight the end!"
With that, Kim, Felix and the rest of humanity rose to stand on the derricks, ready for the fight ahead. From all across the derrick chain, thousands of soldiers, the last bits of humanity raised their guns in salute as they cheered their brethren forwards.
The Invader's cheers were short lived as tiny blobs of energy rose from the city and flew towards the derricks at shocking speeds.
"INCOMING FIRE!" Betty screamed as the dots flew towards them.
Will Du sprang forward as the first of the blobs zoomed into range and he realized, "INCOMING MORTARS!"
The first of the Lowardian energy mortars fell short of the derricks but the effect they played was enormous. Upon driving over the impact craters, the derricks instantly slowed to a crawl as they were drained of their energy reserves.
Betty instantly called over the radio as her derrick drove through a crater and slowed to a near crawl, "TAKE OUT INCOMING MORTARS! IF ONE OF THOSE HITS YOUR DERRICK, YOU'RE DEAD IN THE WATER."
"BETTY!" Will shouted and pointed the sky.
Betty Director peered into the rain and saw incoming horror: Lowardians.
Thousands of Lowardians rose into the rain, dodging the energy mortars and jostling with their brethren as they raced towards humanity, their jet packs screaming in protest as their speed was maxed out.
She turned to Will who was standing next to a mounted gun, "Keep them off our backs while we get this derricks moving again!"
She turned to an open cover that led below the deck and she started banging away at the engine with an Eric to get it moving.
Will smiled through the rain, "Yes Ma'am," with a smile still on his face, he angled a deck mounted machine gun up and started firing at the incoming Lowardians.
"OPEN FIRE!" he shouted over the radio.
Instantly the entire convoy of derricks erupted into a steady stream of fire and lead as bullets arced into the sky with semi accurate results.
Hundreds of Lowardians were cut from the sky as bullets tore into them but with each fallen Lowardian, another two appeared.
Will continued to fire at the approaching Lowardians but watched in horror as one landed on a nearby derrick with devastating results. The Lowardian pulled an energy staff from its holster and started swinging it around with lethal results for all on the derrick. He watched as an Eric latched onto his back but was pulled off with ease by the nine foot monster.
Will leveled his gun in a desperate effort to kill the Lowardian but was too late as the alien slammed his energy staff into the deck. Before Will could register what had just happened, the derrick exploded, instantly vaporizing all aboard and throwing deadly scrap metal everywhere like shrapnel.
Will saw a piece flying at him and ducked out of the way just in time for it to hiss over his head before sinking into the wall next to him. He quickly looked back at the metal shrapnel that would have killed him but just as quickly turned back to taking out incoming Lowardians.
Will never took his eyes off the approaching Lowardians but he could hear the sounds of derricks exploding from all around him and he quietly shut out all the carnage as his suit played Moonlight Sonata as a backdrop for his gun fire.
On his derrick, Ron had yet to allow a single Lowardian near enough to damage the occupants and calling on the Mystical Monkey Power, he leaped into the air and rose several hundred feet towards the approaching energy.
With a loud cry, the Monkey Master sliced away and the Lowardian simply evaporated. He dove at another one and with a slice later, the alien was out of existence. He looked out over the city as he floated in midair and felt his heart sink slightly at the next wave of Lowardians but now he felt terror as more continued to rise.
Soon, it appeared as if the city itself was pushing forward a never ending supply of jet pack wearing Lowardians.
Even he wouldn't be able to take out that many.
He turned to look at the derricks, "YAMANOUCHI FIGHTERS IN THE AIR!" he shouted into his headset, "PROVIDE AIR SUPPORT FOR THE CONVOY!"
Instantly hundreds of fighters rose into the air and started firing at the smaller targets with lethal results.
Ron watched as a single Lowardian tumbled to Betty Director's derrick and he dove towards the ground, the blue flames of the MMP licking his body without harming him.
He was on the deck in seconds and he quickly dispatched the alien before placing a reassuring hand of Will's back, "How are we doing?"
Will shook his head as he felt his heart drop at the sight of all the Lowardians but then he saw a new terror:
The shield was coming back online. Already, a pinkish glow was forming around the tip of the Eiffel Tower and it slowly started to rise into the sky in the form of a single pink streamer.
"BETTY MOVE THIS DERRICK!" he shouted back as he kept a steady stream of bullets pouring out of the gun in his hand.
Betty looked up in confusion and her eyes widened as she saw what Will saw: the shield rose into the air and the bubble slowly start to descend.
"ALL ERICS!" she shouted over the radio, "The Shield is online but not in effect. I repeat, the shield is online but not in effect. Get your derrick to the wall before it comes down. If that shield comes down and you're not under it, you're stuck out here."
She gave the engine she was working on a final kick and miraculously that worked as the Derrick suddenly chugged ahead at full speed.
She ran back up on deck just in time to see the derrick pass under the curtain of the descending shield.
Thinking quickly, Betty called out over the radio, "Yamanouchi, get under the shield otherwise you're no good to me."
Yori heard Betty's command and with a smile called out over the radio in Japanese, "All craft get into Paris now."
Ron felt the cold steel deck under foot and he looked up as the shield passed the half way mark.
"C'mon Yori," he whispered, "Get your planes moving."
Yori pushed the thrusters of her craft to their limits and she felt the craft jetting along beneath her.
Beneath her, burnt out wrecks of derricks and before her Yori saw hundreds of Lowardians hissing towards her and her craft.
"Incoming fire, evasive maneuver," she ordered over the radio, her voice an even level of emotionless anger.
A jet of energy blobbed past her cockpit and she compensated by twisting the controls hard to the left and just missed a second- make that third energy mortar.
Another blast rocketed towards her and Yori brought her jet low to the ground where mud and water flecked up onto her windshield.
She didn't need her radar to tell her that her fellow pilots were trying their best to keep formation but it still put a smile on her face when she heard, "We're right behind you Yori-Chan."
The falling shield was right in front of them now and Yori could already see the first derricks reaching the walls of Paris and their crews pushing into the Lowardian filled streets.
With a gasp, Yori passed under the falling curtain and let out a whoop of joy as her jets passed under without a problem.
Ratatatatatatatatatatat
Anti-aircraft lasers instantly dotted the sky and Yori did a barrel roll to avoid the incoming fire, "All craft disperse. You stay together and you're a fireball."
As if to prove her point, her wing man exploded into flame.
"Take out those guns!" she shouted over radio and she instantly received confirms from all her jets.
"Roger."
"Confirmed."
"Targeting their guns."
Ratatatatatatatatatatat
Another stream of lasers lanced past her jet and she instantly pulled back at the controls and away from the lasers that filled her vision.
"Going low," she muttered as she fought to avoid the fire directed at her and with that, she cut power to the engines and fell like a rock to the street below. At the last second, Yori ignited her engines and zoomed along the city streets. She saw hundreds of Lowardians pouring out into the street and with a smile, she thumbed the nose mounted mini gun and instantly sent thousands of bullets towards them.
Her eyes flicked down to her radar and she saw her jets were being torn apart by a central anti-aircraft gun.
"BETTY," she shouted as she jerked back at the controls, "Where's support from the anti-aircraft fire?"
"We're working on it," Betty shouted back, "My derrick is on the wall in moments."
Yori nodded, "All jets, keep out of that gun's range," she paused as she loosed a missile at the gun, only for it to be spent uselessly on its thick armor, "Keep low and don't bunch up."
Above her another jet was ripped to shreds as the anti aircraft gun continued its deadly assault.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
5:48 P.M.
Betty stood on the edge of her derrick with Will. The machine gun had long since run empty of ammunition and so now he stood with her and a few dozen Erics.
Betty turned to everyone present, "As soon as we land, head for the anti-aircraft guns. Taking that out will make our lives a lot easier."
She looked back just as the shield sank to the ground, cutting them off from leaving.
"Our way is cut off so if you want to get home I suggest we find that shield generator as well," Betty explained, "I'll see you on the wall."
She was silent as she watched the approaching wall with trepidation and she tapped at the side of her eye patch.
While she had lost her eyes years ago after a fight with her brother Sheldon, she hadn't let it cripple her. In fact, she'd used the opportunity to convert her eye patch into a sort of head up display. With her eye patch she could tell how many bullets she had left, where the bullets would fly, whatever she needed and in this case how much time until she hit the wall.
"Twelve seconds," she called back.
"Nine…"
She took a deep breath.
"Seven…"
Ron's grip on the Lotus blade tightened.
"Five…"
Betty said a tiny prayer.
"Three…"
Will made the sign of the crucifix and said a quick prayer.
"One!" Betty said as their derrick crashed into the wall and the doors opened to hell.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
5:53 P.M.
Warhok stood in his shaky command center built into the Eiffell Tower as a he helped direct forces around the city as their entire city was burning around him
"NO, NO, NO-" he shouted at a radio, "I want you on that wall. Don't let them get the Machine."
He heard a reply but ignored it as an explosion shook their room. Looking out a window, he saw a hover jet heading straight for their command center with a device the humans called a "mini gun" firing bullets right at them.
"INCOMING!" Warhok shouted as he dove to the ground. The entire command center was instantly torn to shreds as Yori's bullets ripped through a building she had thought looked a little too well guarded.
Warhok stood to his feet, "Get that Shield up and running!"
His lieutenant nodded and pressed a button.
"The shield is up and running," came the report.
It was early in the game and the enemy was within their city killing his troops but Warkhok let out a slight smile.
His enemy was trapped in his lair with no way out.
The Battle for the Machine had just begun.
Disclaimer I own Nothing. Disney owns it all.
Author's Notes: So not much to say this week. I think I'm caught up on most everything but if I'm not I'll just give myself two weeks to update.
Oh wait, thought of something to say...I don't like the KiGo genre. I know that "Stop Team Go" was essentially a KiGo story but putting Kim and Shego in a romantic relationship...no. I dislike it. Severely.
That is all.
Special thanks this week goes out to Darev (And here...we...go...), Joe Stoppinghem (And this is as close as we'll get to a KiGo), Sentinel103 (I'm pretty sure you're the only one that can claim that), Taechunsa (Not pick up personalities as much as dislodge them), CajunBear73 (Great, now that image is in my head. Thanks a lot. I'm giving you bear jokes from here on out.), temporaryinsanity91 (Indeed, Time Monkeys are never to be used for evil. Just getting the lottery numbers from tomorrow).
And thank you to you the silent reader. I'm glad for your continued support.
As always, leave a message, question, praise or criticism and I'll get back to you before the next chapter.
TRS