16) Under no circumstances is a Creator allowed to stop their work unless they have filled out the appropriate forms and notified those that will be affected by the stop. Exceptions to this include extenuating circumstances outside of the Creation.
July 9th, 2012
Los Angeles, California
7:20 P.M.
"Oof," SilverWolf05 said as she hoisted The Real Sidekick into his bed, "no more donuts for you."
Part of her was glad that he wasn't awake or else he would probably have some witty remark that she would have rolled her eyes at, but the other part of her was starting to miss his dumb jokes and annoying habits.
Don't think about it, she cautioned herself, first you start feeling sorry for him and then you're agreeing with him and then you're just like him.
She shook her head as she finished easing him into his bed and tucked the covers under his chin. Making sure he wouldn't move she stopped to admire her handirwork before turning to the quiet computer sitting in the corner of his room.
She just watched the computer for several seconds, not sure of what she was supposed to do. Being a Creator herself, Wolf knew that the rules were put into place for a reason and that Sidekick had brought the punishment upon himself.
She checked The Real Sidekick again and stared at him silently for a moment before she grabbed his cell phone from its resting position on his desk.
She stared at the key pad for a moment as she struggled to remember the phone number but in an instant the number came back to her and she quickly dialed it.
July 9th, 2012
Los Angeles, California
7:25 P.M.
Ring Ring
Robert looked up as his phone started ringing.
Ring Ring
This time Mark looked up, "Isn't your ring tone-"
"Yeah," Robert interrupted, "Except a select few have a standard one."
Ring Ring
"Are you going to answer it?" Mark asked as he fumbled around with a wire on the computer.
Robert checked the phone and gave a groan, "It's Sidekick."
Mark let out a groan as well, "Why is he calling us?"
Ring Ring
Robert shook his head, "I don't know but," he pressed a button and he held the phone up to his ear, "we're about to find out." He was silent for a moment, "Go ahead Sidekick…Wolf? Why are you calling me? I'm a little busy at the moment…look you're just his beta. I want to talk to him…" Robert was silent for a moment before he quietly spoke, "He did what?" even though his voice was calm, Mark knew Robert was beyond angry, something Sidekick had done was enough to make Robert go-
"We'll be right over," Robert answered before hanging up the phone quietly.
"Well?" Mark asked as he struggled with another wire.
"Pack up," Robert said sternly, "We're going to pay Sidekick a visit."
July 9th, 2012
Los Angeles, California
7:28 P.M.
Wolf sighed as she hung up the phone and pushed Sidekick's chair back into position in front of the computer. She didn't sit in the chair but instead ran her hands along the edges of the chair without feeling a thing.
Waiting for Mark and Robert was making her nervous but she knew that they needed to be brought in on something like this. She felt a distinct nervousness about the entire thing and cast a look back at The Real Sidekick who now appeared to be sleeping. The bruise on the side of his face was swiftly turning from a deep red to a very dark purple and for a moment she wondered if she'd done the right thing.
She noticed a worn notebook next to his computer previously buried under a stack of papers but during the scuffle, the notebook had been brought to light.
She picked it up and flipped through it idly as she waited for Robert and Mark to join her.
She flipped through the book faster as it appeared to be just his random musings but one page in particular caught her mind:
Fractured
By The Real Sidekick
"No way," she breathed in disbelief, "This isn't..."
But it was, here was his outline, the entire finished story was written in this notebook and now she had it.
She turned to look from the creator to the notebook and then back again. She knew what the rules stated about a rogue creator but this was different, this was her Sidekick. She couldn't just take over where he had left off.
Why can't I?
The thought jumped into her mind and she almost jumped at how easily his idea, his vision transferred over to her on how it was supposed to go, on how everything was supposed to end.
She traced her fingers idly across the fabric of the chair. The rules had to be maintained, no matter what, that was a fact.
But she also knew that once she started there was no way of backing down.
"It has to be done," she said quietly and eased her body into the chair.
The computer whirred quietly as she opened the file The Real Sidekick had been working on. Moments later a blank word document was before her.
She cracked her fingers and quickly set to work.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:43 P.M.
Will Du was in shock. Betty Director, his Betty Director, was gone. The leader of this assault was gone. His friend and mentor was dead.
She was face down in a puddle of muddy, brackish water and her body bobbed with the explosions that still rocked this city.
He knew that she was dead and in an instant his entire body snapped back to the task at hand.
"ALL RIGHT!" he shouted as he felt a strength in him that he had never felt before, "BETTY'S GONE!"
He pulled the trigger on his gun and instantly a Lowardian charging his position was transformed into a red mist cloud, "FOLLOW ME AND YOU'LL MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!"
He didn't wait to hear a response but instead ran head long into the fray. His gun in hand, Will ran blindly towards the Lowardians and stood before them with his gun in hand and before the aliens could react, he had fired blindly into the advancing crowd. Instantly scores were cut down as the rounds of supersonic aluminum were released from the gun.
The rail gun shook in his hand as he fired at the advancing Lowardians and he was soon joined by the Synthodrones. As one they fired and slowly, almost imperceptibly, the tide turned.
Will cast a forlorn look behind him at the dead body of Betty and almost dropped his gun at the sight behind him.
Dr. Elizabeth Director was moving.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:43 P.M.
She was drowning.
Truth be told, drowning in a two inch deep puddle of mud was the last way Dr. Betty Director expected to die.
A gunshot to the head, a drunk driver, cancer, these were all options Betty Director had expected when it came time to die but face down in a puddle of mud was the last one on her list.
She couldn't move her head as her body was broken-no wait, she could. She was fine. In fact, she was better than fine.
Betty pushed herself out of the mud in shock as the last thing she remembered was a horrendous explosion that had catapulted her into the air followed by a sudden stop and then her dying.
She wiped at the mud on the side of her face and flicked it to the ground where it splattered and threw brown mud and brackish water into the air.
She cupped some of the brackish water to her face and used it to rinse the remnant of mud that clung to her face off but upon washing it off came to the realization that she was fine.
She was better than fine.
She was healed.
Her charred hair was fully grown back, her skin was as fresh as a new born baby's and her broken bones were healed and they felt stronger than they'd ever felt. She felt a pressure on her eye and screamed in pain as the pressure grew and with a savage cry she tore her eye patch off and could only look on the world in wonder with two eyes. Every tiny detail, every rain drop, Betty saw with her eyes and she stood to her feet in hesitation.
"What's going on?" she asked in wonder.
Greetings Betty Director a feminine voice called out from all around her.
Betty dropped to the ground and instantly pulled out her gun.
Do not be frightened the voice laughed, put away your gun.
Betty continued to look around for the voice and after several seconds she heard the voice sigh You won't need that gun anymore.
Instantly the gun in Betty's hand turned to water and simply melted away.
There the voice continued, That's more like it. Now let's try this again: Hello.
Screams from deeper in the city were the only sounds between these two women.
Normally when someone says hello, you say hello back the voice said in an amused tone.
"Hello?" Betty said as she scanned the area for some sort of weapon. Just because there weren't any Lowardians around didn't mean that Betty was going to relax.
Oh would you relax? The voice said in an exacerbated tone, You're making me nervous. Trust me when I say we're alone. The closest person is your boy toy who is currently trying to find a way over here. But I've got him pinned down by enough Lowardians to keep him from looking for you.
Betty snarled, "I swear if you hurt Barkin-"
You'll what? The voice taunted, You don't even have a stick you can use as a club. How about this, I'll cause their shots to all miss each other. Steve won't die and we can have our talk. Sound good?
Betty was silent for a moment, "Talk about what?"
The voice laughed as a sword appeared on Betty's side and a pistol appeared in her hand, I'm going to make you invincible. Grant you immortality and good looks for all time, the voice paused as she thought about what else to say, I'll kill all these Lowardians for you. Every single one here on Earth and I'll destroy the ones hiding in space. Heck, I'll even destroy the Planet Lowardia and any other alien species that come to conquer Earth. Around Betty the scene of rubble and destruction had been replaced by stars and floating planets I will make you supreme ruler of everything in this Universe. The entire Universe in all its glory was spiraling around Betty as she looked on in wonder. The colors and sights that no eye had seen overwhelming her, All this I will give you and more.
The world around Betty quickly snapped back to the ruined town of Paris and Dr. Director quickly returned to the task at hand, "There's got to be a catch. There's no such thing as free in this universe."
Well aren't your Cynical a pause, But I guess that is why you were his favorite the voice commented before addressing her again, For you I will give you all this for free.
Betty raised an eyebrow suggestively.
Well, I guess now that you mention it the voice shrugged, There is one teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy, super, super small detail that you could do for me and then we'll be even.
Betty was silent for a heartbeat, "What?"
I need you to kill someone.
Betty laughed, "You're willing to make me ruler of this universe in exchange for me killing one person?" she continued to laugh, "If you're so powerful, why don't you kill him?"
Her. Kill her, the voice corrected. The reason I don't kill her is that like you I have to follow rules and I just can't kill her. Someone else has to kill her in the context of the universe.
Betty laughed again, "Get one of the Lowardians to do it for you."
I was going to but I figured you didn't want to die just yet, the voice said, the hint of a threat hanging on her words, But if you'd prefer to be a broken, burnt up corpse, that can be arranged.
Betty felt a tremor run through her body and watched in shock as the skin on her hand began to peel away, the burnt dead flesh racing up her body, "I'll do it, I'll do it!" she screamed frantically.
The voice laughed and Betty's hand was back to normal, Good, then go kill her.
"Who?" Betty asked.
Kim Possible.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:45 P.M.
Kim was getting worried. Sidekick was not answering when she called and she was now completely lost in the city of Paris.
It seemed that no matter where she turned she just faced another empty alley way that ultimately would lead her to another empty alley. She sprinted to the end of an alley and soon found herself even more lost than normal.
"Sidekick?" she called out again, "Where are you?"
There was no sound, save for distant gunshots and the falling rain.
Thinking back to her training as a teen hero, Kim realized the best thing to do was to stop moving and try to get her bearings.
She stopped and crouched behind a dumpster in the alley that was overflowing with trash.
Ignoring the collection of smells that reeked from the garbage dumpster, Kim took a deep breath and tried to figure out her next move.
"I'm lost, I have no idea where to go," she took a deep breath, "And the only one who can help me is gone."
"Oh really?" Ron said with a smile in his tone.
Kim looked up in shock at Ron who had quietly appeared and was now quietly leaning against the dumpster. On his back the Lotus Blade hung loosely as his rail gun was tucked under his arm.
"When you didn't show up at the meeting point, Felix sent me to find you," he explained but was cut off as Kim launched herself up and pulled Ron into a hug and tried to hold it all back but after several seconds of fighting her emotions gave up and sobbed into his shoulder.
Ron held her close and patted her awkwardly, "K-Kim? You all right?"
"No," she sobbed as his shoulder muffled her response, "I can't do this."
"What?" he asked in confusion and pushed her away. He stared her straight in the eye as he held her at an arm's length, "What are you talking about?"
She shook her head and wiped at tears that were pouring from her face as a slight tingling began at the base of her skull, "This Ron," she gestured at the city, "I can't keep doing this. I don't belong here-"
"Stop," Ron said forcefully, "Whether or not you belong here doesn't mean much. All that matters is that you're here now," he saw her look of confusion and started pulling her through the alley, "You're here now and thanks to your plan, we're going to get out of here and be back in The Rodigan Castle by night fall."
Kim looked up as the alley opened up before her and she saw Ron was pulling her towards an open door way, "You think it'll be that easy?"
Ron nodded as the sound of rain drowned out the noises of battle, "Just imagine this is one of Drakken's old lairs and we'll be fine."
Kim stopped midstride, "How did you get here? I thought you were on the wall fighting Lowardians."
Ron nodded, "Hana and I were until I heard Bonnie's radio message that said you needed help here," he shrugged and pulled her down an alley, "So naturally we had to come."
Before Kim could respond Ron called out to road beyond the alley, "I've got her and we're coming out, please don't shoot us."
"Good," Felix's voice replied and Kim heard the sound of rail guns powering down, "Get her over here."
Ron pulled Kim out onto the street and gestured around to the teams assembled around a giant manhole cover. Tara and Monique were struggling with the steel cover as Ron gestured to them and asked "So who wants to be first to climb down the creepy dark hole in the ground to almost certain death beneath Paris?"
The two women struggled with the cover but were unable to lift the metal plate, "Well that's stuck," Monique reported.
Before anyone could move, Zita reached out one of the Mech's arms and easily pried the cover from the street with hardly any effort, tearing an enormous hole in the street in the process, "First one is free."
Ron looked around the group again, "All right," he took a breath and unsheathed the Lotus blade, "Now who wants to go down the creepy hole in the ground?"
A blue glow surrounded Hana and she unsheathed her gun, "After you Father."
Kim felt a twinge of jealousy as she heard Hana call Ron that.
It should have been me, Kim thought angrily.
As if sensing her thoughts, Hana turned to Kim and gave a knowing look even as she followed her father into the hole.
Silence wafted from the hole as everyone heard Hana and Ron land on the ground below with twin metallic CLANGS.
Silence.
Kim took a deep breath and prepared to jump through the hole into the blackness beyond.
"What are you-HUMAN!" a voice screamed from the darkness but two sickening squishes later and the silence was back.
"All right," Ron's voice echoed up eerily from the dark hole, "You're good to come down."
Kim looked around the room at the assembled team and nodded, "Right," she took a deep breath, "Let's go."
"We can't do that Kim," Zita Flores said, her Mech suit towering over the group, "Not all of us."
Felix looked up at the machine, "And why not?"
Zita peered at the holographic display projected before her, "We have a ton of Lowardians incoming. One of us will have to stay here and hold this point to make sure the Lowardians don't take you from behind."
"Can't we just put the cover back on..." Kim stopped as she looked down at the gaping hole before her that led below Paris.
"Exactly," Zita explained, "Someone will have to stay behind."
A Lowardian roar echoed in the distance and the Mech piloted by Zita responded with an equally terrifying scream followed by the electronic whine of her weapons systems charging up.
Kim looked into the eyes of Zita, her face obscured by a holographic display projected before her, "Kim, I'll buy you all some time but it won't last," the Mech suit lurched around and Kim saw the woman point to the Eiffel Tower in the distance, "That tower houses Warhok's command center. If the machine is going to be anywhere, it will be there, use the tunnels to get there."
Ron responded to Zita over the radio, "And what about you? If we all take off you'll be left here alone with the Lowardians."
Zita's Mech suit turned until she was facing the hole Ron had disappeared into, s rueful smile graced her face as the Honduras born woman looked at the blackness with resignation, "Always knew it was a one way trip."
"Zita, if you stay here you will die," Felix said angrily, "Why not lead them back to the front lines and hitch a ride with the Derricks?"
"Do you want to take the chance of Lowardians coming after you?" A large arm reached out and pushed Felix playfully in the chest, "We all have to die sometime. I'd rather go out on my own turns idiota."
"Zita-" Kim began before she was cut off rudely.
"Get out of here," Zita shouted as the Mech suit closed up, "My scans say the Lowardians are nearly here."
A nod from Felix and the squad was jumping into the hole until only Kim and remained, "Thank you," Kim whispered as she placed a hand on the cold steel suit.
A curt nod from Zita was all she got as Zita shouted to the approaching Lowardians, "LEAVE! NOW!"
"Let's go," Felix nodded to Kim and the two jumped down the hole.
Zita watched them go, her Mech suit tracking their movements but soon the team was lost under the surface.
She turned to the empty street and waited. For several seconds she waited as the Lowardians approached her position. Finally the Lowardians appeared, far more than she had ever seen before and to her despair more and more appeared.
"Warhok must have called out his reserves for me," Zita asked the Lowardians, many of whom had surrounded her and were growling, eager for the fight.
Inside the suit, safe from the storm and rain, Zita Flores powered up all her weapons systems and commented to herself, "Just like in Everlot..."
A shout rose from the Lowardians as they charged and they were quickly met by a screaming Zita.
Zita's final fight had begun.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:50 P.M.
Keep moving the voice commanded to Betty.
"You know," Betty started as she ran through the abandoned streets as the sounds of battle vanished behind her, "it just occurred to me that if you're all powerful and you can bring people back from the dead, why can't you transport them across the city?"
I have to be careful of how many rules I break the voice said in a way that made her seem distracted Every time I break a rule this universe tweaks one to counter my choices.
"And I can't teleport because…" Betty left the statement hang.
If I teleported you across the city you'd wind up halfway stuck in a wall.
"See? That's all you had to say," Betty nodded as she trudged on, "By the way, where am I going?" Betty asked as she trudged through the muddy water and falling rain.
That's for me to know the voice replied, And you to not question.
Betty braced herself on a fallen building and ducked through the rubble of the collapsed building as she followed the disembodied voice's commands.
Turn right
Betty obeyed and found herself in a room with no exit.
The woman looked up, "All right, where to now?"
Just a second the voice commanded and moments later the wall on the far side of the room ripped open as if it was made of nothing more than tissue paper.
Betty was dumbstruck for a second before nodding, "Thank you?"
The voice laughed Don't mention it. Just be careful up ahead.
Betty leaned through the gaping hole in the wall and looked down. Three meters below her was a large open pit that had an exit that led deeper into the city. Lining the pit, almost like stage seats at an amphitheater were the remains of fallen and toppled buildings that silently waited even as the city was torn apart.
Looking at the rubble, Betty began to make out the twisted shape of the Middleton Space Station. Instantly recognizing this as the place where the station fell to earth, Betty let out a sigh of wonder even as the voice gave her another command.
Yeah, yeah it's amazing and all but you need to get down there and follow the exit deeper into the city.
Betty jumped down into the pit and took a few cautious steps forward but stopped as a squad of Lowardians that Betty had failed to notice scavenging the remains of the space station, detached themselves from the rubble and dropped into the pit, instantly blocking Betty's path.
Oh crap the voice whispered and Betty laughed.
"What are you worried about?" Betty just shook her head, "You just opened a wall and brought me back to life, killing these guys should be nothing."
I can't do that.
Betty felt a cold chill run up her spine, "Come again?"
You're on your own for this one the voice explained.
Betty looked to the pistol in her hand and to the sword strapped to her back and felt terror tugging at her limbs, "Why?"
Because I have to follow rules Betty the voice explained, I can only move certain things without completely changing the outcome.
Betty looked up into the storm, "Huh?" the Lowardians were moving closer and chuckling to themselves.
Escalation the voice said suddenly, If I change something, this universe changes another thing to fight that change. I bring you back to life and the universe throws a squad of Lowardians at you. If you die then the universe goes back to being all hunky dory.
"That's not going to happen," Betty nodded as she formed a plan in her head, "So I'm on my own?"
She could almost feel the voice nodding, I'll be able to help out a little bit but you're on your own for the most part.
Betty pulled the sword from its sheath, "All right," the plan was all set in her mind, "Let's do this."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:55 P.M.
Warhok pulled up a forgotten camera's image and watched in pleasure as he saw his forces advancing on a lone warrior.
It was curious seeing as he didn't remember dispatching troops to scavenge the remains of the fallen space station but no matter, that lone human was going to die a slow and painful death at their hands.
"LET'S SEE WHO YOU ARE…" he rumbled as he zoomed in on her face and laughed as the image of Betty Director appeared on his view screen.
"OH BETTY," he chuckled, "I HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME TO SEE THIS."
"Sire," a smaller Lowardian appeared behind Warhok, "We have a problem."
Warhok begrudgingly turned from the view screen and half heartedly turned to stare at the analyst standing behind him, "WHAT IS IT?"
"We have intruders," the Lowardian reported.
Warhok laughed and pointed to the holographic display with a sausage sized finger, "WE HAVE A CITY INCOMING."
"Sire, I know," the analyst nodded and brought up a display of the far side of town, "But we now have them in our tunnels."
Warhok turned from the show involving Betty, "THEY'LL BE OVERRUN BY OUR PATROLS."
The analyst shook his head, "Sire, a group is heading after the machine while another group is heading for the shield generator."
This report stopped Warhok in his tracks and he turned angrily upon his analyst, "AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?"
The analyst shook his head, "We wanted your orders-"
Warhok let out a cry of anger and grabbed the analyst roughly by the neck, "YOU WILL GO PROTECT THE MACHINE," Warhock turned back to the image as Betty drew a sword from a sheath on her back, "I WILL HANDLE THE NUISANCE AT THE GENERATOR."
The analyst nodded weakly as Warhok released him and stormed out of the command room with his personal body guard in tow.
The analyst massaged his neck for a moment before nodding to a group of soldiers standing guard in the control room, "You will accompany me."
They nodded silently and left the command room to be run by a few remaining Lowardians that were frantically trying to slow the advance of the human resistance.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:55 P.M.
Betty quietly walked towards the group of advancing Lowardians with grim determination written across her face. One way or another she was going to get past these Lowardians or else she would die trying.
The closest Lowardian, a brutish beast well over ten feet tall laughed and ripped a solid steel pipe still embedded in concrete from its prison. The alien brandished the pole like a club and waited as its companions each grabbed a weapon before charging at Betty as one.
Betty stopped for a moment as the ground rumbled at the Lowardian's charge and she mentally tried to count the beasts.
There's about fifteen here the voice answered What's your plan?
Betty unsheathed the sword from its sheath and started walking towards the Lowardians slowly but started picking up the pace until she was at a full sprint racing towards them.
"Simple," she answered evenly as her feet splashed the muddy puddles, "I'm going to kill each and every one of these creatures."
The voice didn't answer but instead remained quiet as Betty neared the Lowardians. The sword in Betty's hands dipped so the tip barely scraped the surface of the water. Occasionally the blade would strike the ground and a screech would fill the air but Betty didn't focus on that. All her focus was on the first Lowardian.
She was nearing the gap and watched as the Lowardian swung at Betty with his enormous club that Betty knew would kill her with one blow.
The club swung through the air and at the last possible moment, Betty dropped to her knees and slid in the muddy filth, ducking beneath the club but feeling it pass by overhead close enough so she could feel the wind ruffle her hair.
She didn't concentrate on that, instead she focused on the sword in her hand and she flicked the blade out and sliced into the Lowardian's thigh and continued to move the blade upwards as she moved into a standing position.
Behind her, the Lowardian struggled to move but suddenly split into two separate pieces that fell away into the mud with a resounding splash.
The other Lowardians stopped and felt fear tug at the fringes of their hearts as Betty brought down their leader with just a sword.
For her part, Betty was just as confused, "How did that happen?"
Just because I can't fight your battles for you doesn't mean I can't help you out in them the voice answered as Betty smiled and turned to the rest of the Lowardians and charged at them And I may have changed you a bit.
Betty didn't have time to ask what the voice meant as the Lowardian was nearing her. Betty took a deep breath and charged again even as her limbs tingled as if they were asleep.
She reached another Lowardian but instead of slicing the alien like she had done its leader, Betty leaped and landed directly on the Lowardian's chest, her weight carrying enough momentum to topple the monster. For a brief moment, time stopped as Betty rode the now falling creature to the muddy ground.
Betty's wrist flicked and the monster's head went flying even as she launched herself at another monster and sliced that creature apart even before it could react.
Betty came to a stop in the center of the group with a smile as three Lowardians had fallen within three seconds.
The remaining Lowardians circled her hesitantly and Betty laughed despite the circumstances, "Who's next?"
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:56 P.M.
A rocket barrage spewed from shoulder packs, dozens of rocket propelled death machines instantly were launched into the sky before finding targets and seeking them out like a bloodhound seeking a rabbit.
Explosions enveloped the approaching Lowardians, cries of pain and anger filling Zita's speakers.
She grabbed a street lamp and swung it at an approaching group of Lowardians, instantly cutting through them and sending the aliens flying.
One jumped onto her back and started punching wildly at the metal protecting her, denting it in the process but a flick of the wrist and Zita had knocked the creature off her back.
Brzat Brzat
The war Mech lurched back as energy bursts slammed into the machine and for a brief moment Zita was pushed away from the hole she was guarding. As one, the Lowardians surged towards her to finish her off but Zita held out an open palm and blasted at the approaching creatures with a bolt of solid energy that arced from one Lowardian to another.
Zita let loose a war cry that shook the very buildings before she charged into the monsters with abandon. The lucky ones dove out of the way but many of the aliens were crushed beneath the Mech's metal feet.
Brzat Brzat
"C'MON!" Zita shouted as energy bursts slammed into her, rupturing a hydraulic line that started leaking onto her face, "IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?"
Zita ignored the cool liquid and held up a shaky arm against the horde, her energy blasts rocketing into the group.
Her eyes widened in terror as more Lowardians entered the fray.
"NOW'S OUR CHANCE!" a Lowardian shouted to the aliens, "FOR LOWARDIA!"
As one, the aliens surged towards Zita.
Zita looked at her HUD and let out a curse as her suit beeped dangerously as her armor slipped to below five percent.
She swung an enormous arm and laborously batted several Lowardians away, their bodies flying off into the city streets.
She spun around in terror as she looked for the hole and realized she had only one option left.
"I've got to seal the hole," she murmured as she ran towards the gaping maw.
She stood over the hole, blasting and vaporizing any approaching Lowardian but soon the aliens proved too much and the unthinkable happened: a burst of energy blasted into the Mech's chest, tearing open the suit and exposing Zita to the storm outside.
Another Lowardian blast rocketed at her and she tumbled to the ground, almost in slow motion.
By some miracle she tumbled directly onto the hole, blocking it from the Lowardians and effectively sealing Kim's team underground.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:03 P.M.
Zita awoke, feeling the cold rain splash onto her face and with a groan she opened her eyes.
Standing above her was a Lowardian, its energy staff less than a meter from her head.
She smiled in defiance.
"Pathetic," the Lowardian murmured as he pulled the trigger.
Zita died knowing the Lowardians couldn't follow Kim.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:55 P.M.
Kim felt the cold darkness hiss past her and with a grunt of pain, she landed on the steel grating with a loud clang. She quickly dove out of the way as she sensed Felix falling through the darkness right behind her and within a moment, Kim heard the Clang that came with her husband hitting the grated floor loudly.
Moments later Kim was bowled over as Felix dove into her and the two tumbled to the metal floor as the rest of the team dropped through the open hole and into the tunnels below Paris.
Kim shoved Felix off her and thinking back to what Sidekick had told her before disappearing thought of a way to see in the dark.
Night Vision, she thought as she prayed her suit would follow her commands
She felt her suit slither like liquid across her face and seconds later her world lit up as her suit turned on a night vision feature.
"All right," Kim commented as she stared around at her team all assembled before her, "We need to get moving. Do what you need to do and then get back to the machine and we'll be out of here. Clear?"
She didn't hear any objections and she nodded, "then let's get to it."
The group split up as everyone split up but Kim felt a tugging on her arm. She turned and found herself face to face with Ron, in her green tinted vision his eyes glowed as his Mystical Monkey Power altered his eyes to help him see in the dark. She didn't see Hana but Kim was willing to wager that her version of Mystical Monkey Power was doing the same thing.
"Kim…" Ron struggled to find the words, "I…be careful."
Kim smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'll see you on the other side," she laughed, "Just like the old days."
Ron laughed back and took a step back before vanishing into the darkness of the tunnels.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
6:55 P.M.
The Lowardians were falling like flies as Betty danced around them without suffering a single scratch. Her moves were perfectly choreographed as she slid, dove and sliced around the Lowardians. In her wake she left mangled monsters missing limbs and other various portions of their bodies.
Betty saw a Lowardian pull at the pistol on his belt and without thinking, Betty threw the blade across the collection of dead aliens and leapt away even as she heard the Lowardian scream in pain as the sword severed its hand from the rest of the body at the wrist.
The Lowardian fell to his knees as he clutched his spurting wrist but fell back as Betty kicked the alien solidly in the chest.
Betty looked around and found herself standing alone in the midst of all the dead or otherwise incapacitated Lowardians and she stopped to take a deep breath.
Are you all right? The voice asked.
Betty shook her head, "I'm not sure how I just did that."
Don't worry about that the voice answered I can change you to fit what I need you to do.
"You mean like a puppet?" Betty looked skyward as the sounds of fighting drew near, "Is that why my hands were tingling?"
Yes the voice answered I took control of you to get the job done.
"But didn't you say the Universe will try to correct it?" Betty asked back as she cleaned her blade, "Then why do you need me to kill Kim?"
I went over this the voice answered angrily as a large section of the rubble opened that showed Betty where she needed to go, I have to follow the rules of the creators. I can't just kill her, only the original Creator can kill her in a sentence. I have to kill her naturally.
"Naturally?" Betty said with a raised eyebrow.
Or talk someone else into killing her the voice answered A loop hole I know, but one that I plan to exploit.
Betty stopped short of the path, "Why does Kim need to die?"
The voice was silent as Betty found her feet moving towards the path, Kim needs to die because it's her time.
"Her time?" Betty answered as she walked through the large path.
Yes the voice answered Oh and one more thing.
Betty continued walking, "What's that?"
Watch your step
Betty looked down just in time to see a hole open up in the center of the road and before she could react, she had tumbled into the darkness with a scream.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:00 P.M.
Monique glanced at the bottom corner of her heads up display and checked to see if she was following the map down there.
"Head straight," she whispered to the group behind her as she crouched down near a wall and double checked her scanner for any Lowardian.
Apart from her team, nothing appeared on her scanner.
"Monique?" Ned asked, "You getting any Lowardian on your scanner?"
She shook her head, "Either Warhok sent everything he had towards Betty, there's no one left down here or-"
"It's a trap," Ron chimed in as he passed the two of them.
"How do you know?" Monique asked as she tightened her grip on her gun.
"Easy," Ron said as he braced against tunnel's wall as an explosion in the distance shook them all, "It's always a trap."
"Always?" Amelia asked.
Ron laughed as he pulled the Lotus Blade from a sheath on his back, "Always."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:00 P.M.
"Josh, do you have a trace on Shego's location?" Kim asked quietly.
"Yeah," he replied and pointed down the darkened tunnel, "Shego is being kept in the room with the Machine," he paused and checked the read out in his HUD, "Or the next room over. Their signals are really close together."
"All right," Felix readied his gun, "You and Brick in front, Bonnie and Tara you cover our rear, everyone else keep moving."
Kim nodded and assumed her standard sneaking mission stance, "Let's go."
For minutes the group quietly ran through the network of tunnels under Paris as they neared the machine but one thing kept bothering Kim.
"Where's the Lowardians?" she hissed.
"The Lowardians are either on the surface fighting Betty or they are down here waiting to trap us," Hana replied off handedly.
"Great," Kim muttered as an explosion overhead sounded that caused their tunnel to shake, "Wo it's a trap."
"What do we do about it?" Bonnie asked.
Kim took the lead, "Spring the trap."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:03 P.M.
Ron crouched on the far side of a door and peeked around into the well lit expanse beyond. He watched for a few seconds before pulling his head back.
"Ok," he whispered, "We're at the shield control room," he jerked a thumb towards the room, "Two technicians on the far side in addition to three other guards in the corners."
Monique nodded as she flashed a nod to Ned, "We each take a guard and we should be fine."
Ron saw the fear in Monique's eyes and patted her softly on the shoulder, "I'll go in, draw their fire and then you three shoot at anything not me," he saw their disbelieving looks and smiled, "Trust me."
Before anyone could stop him, Ron leapt into the room with a war cry, "WAUGH-SHI!"
The Lowardians turned to stare at him with a look of wonder on their faces. Mainly they were wondering who this was and why a human was at the shield control room-
The thought may have dawned on them that this human may have only been the distraction but their thoughts were cut off as supersonic chunks of aluminum tore into each Lowardian, killing them before they could call for help.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:05 P.M.
Betty was alone in the dark. The hole she had fallen through had sealed behind her and now she was stumbling blindly through the darkness as she tried to figure out where she was.
"Hello?" she called out blindly.
Quiet the voice ordered, the friendliness was gone and instead replaced by a harsh and cold edge.
"Well what am I supposed to do?" Betty questioned, "I'm not exactly seeing where I'm supposed to be going here."
Trust me to know what I'm doing the voice ordered.
"Kinda hard to do that when I'm stumbling around blind here," Betty retorted.
Just be ready
"For what?" Betty asked.
Silence
"Hello?" Dr. Director called out.
Darkness answered her.
"Are you there?"
Still nothing.
Betty patted her pockets for some form of light but to her chagrin she found her pockets empty.
"Figures," she muttered, "trapped underground with no idea where I am or where I'm going and I forget my lighter."
She let out a sigh and continued stumbling through the darkness in search of some sort of light as her limbs started to tingle again as if they had fallen asleep.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:05 P.M.
Ron turned to where Monique, Amelia and Ned all stood in the door way with their rail guns still smoking.
"See?" he said with a flourish, "And we have the room to ourselves."
Monique nodded lightly and entered the room cautiously, "Well not all of us can regenerate from wounds."
Ned laughed and approached a large computer screen surrounded by buttons, "Who wants to bet that the shield shut off button is one of these buttons?" he looked at the buttons and whispered, "Just like the Bueno Nacho cash register..."
Amelia approached a different computer screen that showed video image of the entire city. She watched for a moment as the carnage and bloodshed up there was almost to horrifying to watch but she instead focused on a way to help out humanity.
She watched the screens for several more moments before turning to a large button that her suit's heads up display translated as saying Air Defense.
She pushed the button and watched as the main anti aircraft cannon tearing apart Yori's jump jets suddenly powered down as did the rest of the air defenses across the city.
Ned appeared behind her and nodded, "Nice work, but let's see if we can help out Kim."
He reached over and pressed a button that read Tunnel Lights.
Ron saw Ned push the button and tapped his radio, "Kim, we're going to give you light so brace yourself."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:07 P.M.
Kim heard Ron's voice mere moments before bright white lights blasted the interior of the tunnels, instantly blinding everything in them as their night vision goggles amplified the light to near blinding levels.
Kim blinked her eyes as a dull white blur was all she could see and she tore at her mask to take off the night vision. Finally she succeeded in tearing the night vision off and started blinking rapidly to see again.
As her vision focused, she saw a dark mass in front of her that appeared to be stumbling around as well. Kim rubbed at her eyes and moments later the dark mass came into focus and-
"Betty?" Kim asked in confusion, "What are you doing down here?"
Dr. Elizabeth Director turned to stare at Kim with her two healed eyes and cocked her head to the side in confusion, "Kim?"
Kim nodded as she tightened her grip on her gun, "Aren't you supposed to be on the surface leading the diversion?"
Betty nodded, "I can't explain why I'm down here but I need to be down here."
"For what?" Felix asked as he struggled to see clearly.
"For this," Betty said as she pulled the pistol from its holster on her side and proceeded to shoot Kim twice in the chest.
BOOM BOOM
Kim placed a hand on her chest and looked questionly at the hand that came back soaked in blood, "Betty?"
"Forgive me," Betty said emotionlessly as she held the gun to her head, "Now the universe will go back to how it's supposed to be."
She pulled the trigger.
Kim stared in shock at Betty's bloody form before turning back to Felix, "Felix, I don't feel so..."
Kim didn't finish as her legs refused to work and she collapsed to the ground in a heap even as she felt Felix struggle to catch her.
Kim looked into Felix's face and lightly cupped his cheek as he pulled her into his lap, "Not me," she gasped, "Not…"
The last thing Kim saw was Felix's face screaming into hers but then Kim's world went white and she knew no more.
"No," Felix breathed, blinking through tears that blocked his vision, "Please don't go."
He hugged Kim close and cried even as Bonnie tried to press a bandage against Kim's wounds. Several seconds later Bonnie realized the futility of her actions as she saw Kim's lifeless eyes.
"I'm sorry," Bonnie apologized as Felix's gaze snapped to the woman, "Kim is…Kim is dead."
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:10 P.M.
Brzat Brzat
Will Du and his remaining Synthodrones ducked under a half wall as bursts of energy sang through the air towards him, raindrops hissing as the energy evaporated the water.
Several Synthodrones were not so lucky and were sliced open, instantly spilling the neon green goo inside them onto the ground.
"FIRE!" Will shouted when there was a lull in the Lowardians assault.
Barkin was at his side in an instant, the minigun in his hand already spitting out hundreds of shell casings to the muddy ground.
One shell casing bounced to the ground but immediately bounced back up and rose silently into the sky.
For a moment the world shook as Humanity and Lowardians clashed over this little street in Paris.
The sound of the gunfire, the screams and the howls of Lowardians were deafened as Will targeted Lowardian after Lowardian, every Lowardian he targeted was transformed into red mist.
Red mist that mysteriously rose into the sky.
Still the two sides fired, the small firefight transforming into a head as both sides refused to give any ground.
Another random shell casing rose into the sky.
"KEEP UP THE FIRE!" Barkin shouted over the cacophony, "THEY'RE BREAKING!"
Will was silent but still kept firing across the now rain free battlefield, the gun barrel growing warm in his hand.
He ducked behind a low wall and reloaded before hopping up and firing at the Lowardians again. He spun to fire at one Lowardian but realized too late that the alien had already launched its energy blast at him.
As the energy blast hissed towards him all firing ceased as everyone turned to stare at the green burst of death.
Will watched the oncoming death with confusion written across his face.
The orb of green energy had stopped mid flight and now it was hanging in the air like a piece of fruit waiting to be plucked.
Will looked across the street to where the Lowardians were staring at the orb in confusion.
Slowly...cautiously, Will raised his gun and pointed it at the Lowardians and pulled the trigger.
BOOM
The gunshot echoed across the now silent battlefield but no one cared as the bullet too was now hanging suspended in the air alongside the orb of energy.
Without warning, both objects rocketed into the sky and then everyone saw IT.
The Nothing descended from the sky, eating and consuming everything in this universe.
As The Nothing touched the ground, the world shook as IT corroded and sucked away all things not touching the ground.
A Lowardian fired at The Nothing but was instantly consumed as a tendril of Nothing swept through him, erasing him from existence.
"FIRE!" Will screamed and as one all weapons were instantly firing at The Nothing.
December 20th, 2015 A.D.
Paris, France
7:13 P.M.
If The Nothing had a face it would have smiled.
This last bit of resistance made its purpose all that much more enjoyable and the last remnants of all living creatures just made The Nothing cackle in delight.
It waited for a bit just to give the remnant a little bit of hope, every passing moment The Nothing grew as more and more was thrown at it. Soon The Nothing grew bored of the resistance and set about its purpose.
Within a matter of minutes only Nothing remained.
Plip.
Disclaimer: I own Nothing. Disney owns it all.
Author's Notes: Well I guess the self insert went over pretty well, thank you for all the well wishes and votes of approval on that development. It really does mean a lot to hear your praise and criticisms. Thank you.
Special thanks this week goes to Twuscany (How's that for you buddy?), Darev (Are they even doing Fannies this year?), Joe Stoppinghem (Where can I pick those up? they sound delicious), Eddy13 (Every dog has it's day), Sentinel103 (Barkin is a stud. No comment, just agreement), Taechunsa (I don't think many of the predictions will be coming true now), CajunBear73 (Plots get away from me almost as many times as 73 bears do.)
And thank you to you, the ever silent reader. If you have a comment, concern or a question, feel free to message me and I'll respond. You never know, I might just tell you a spoiler to answer your question.
See you with next chapter.
TRS