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Chapter 27: The Doctor is In
Night was falling and the tweeb-modified avocado-colored sedan cruised at the posted limit of 65 mph. To either side of the car were vast fields of corn, and the occasional house, barn, and silos. As the seemingly endless farmland rolled by her window, Kim wished the Jim and Tim had outfitted Ron's car with rocket jets but that, apparently, was something they had not yet got around to doing.
Steve Barkin was still up front, driving and doing yeoman's work—yet in one of her admittedly darker moments the teen hero wondered whether her father was paying her former teacher to chaperone this road trip. There was no doubt she and her BF would be on their best behavior. At least she was able to snuggle next to Ron; Barkin seemed to have grudgingly accepted this.
"So, uh: question," Ron said out of nowhere.
"What is it, Stoppable? I'm trying to drive here," Barkin growled.
"Didn't you uh, say, that you wanted Kim and me," Ron now looked warily to his GF, "to be married or engaged by our fifth reunion?"
Kim's eyes opened wide at this revelation.
"Yes," Barkin said, an edge to his voice.
"Then why all the negativity?" Ron wondered.
"He's got a point, Mr. Barkin," Kim said. "You've been harshing on us ever since we got into the car."
"Just because I told Stoppable the result I want to see, doesn't mean I need to see the sausage being made!"
"Ewwwwww…." Kim said, pulling a face.
"Sausage? Someone's making sausage?" Ron asked.
Kim and Barkin both groaned. "I was talking about … Great Neptune's gills! Mayday! Mayday! Screaming Eagle to Headquarters, we've got incoming!" he exclaimed as the car lifted off of the ground.
"Uh, Mr. B., who's are you talking to?" Ron asked.
Kim shook her head. "Looks like we've got a villain sitch," she said as she looked out the window to see the car was being taken up by a tractor beam.
"Not again …" Barkin whispered.
Doors opened on the bottom of the craft and the barrel of a gun pointed directly at the car, then fired a series of pellets that exploded on the surface of Ron's ride. Unbeknownst to the vehicle's passengers, the pellets contained knock-out gas, which was drawn inside by the climate control system.
Moments later, whisps of gas began pouring out of the A/C vents
"Aw man, I never even got to drive…." Ron observed as he fell asleep.
"Mommy," Barkin whimpered as he collapsed.
"I'm so not liking this," Kim said before she, too, passed out.
II.
Drakken was impressed by the result of Shego's work. She had not only captured Kim Possible but the car, which, he suspected, like the girl's coupe, had been upgraded by her little brothers. However, there was the small matter of the additional passengers.
"Okay, I won't admit this publicly that I know Stoppable's name, but is that …"
"Yes," Shego groaned, rubbing her temples. "It's Stevie."
Drakken and Shego were looking into Ron's car at the three unconscious forms of Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, and Steve Barkin. Kim was sprawled on Ron's lap and Ron's head hung limp and his mouth wide open. Barkin managed to pass out at attention.
"Well, what's he doing here?" Drakken asked, before an idea popped into his head. "Shego, you're not playing the field, are you?"
Her hands erupted in flame and she leaned into Drakken. "No! I don't two-time, and I definitely don't do it with him!"
Drakken cringed. "Sorry, but …"
"What?" she asked dangerously.
"You are, or were, a villain and…oh, hockey sticks, I guess I'm jealous."
Shego considered what Drakken said and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm going to give you a pass. This time."
"Thank you," he said politely before shifting gears. "Well, Shego, it would seem it is now time for me to show Kim Possible that I, and not she, is all that! Muwahahahhahahahaha!"
Shego smirked. It was nice to see Drakken laugh like his old self.
III.
Kim woke to find herself strapped into what appeared to be a dentist's chair. However, the barrel of the menacing ray gun that was aimed at her told her she wasn't about to receive a cleaning.
"Well, well, if it isn't my nemesis, Kim Possible."
"Drakken!" she spat out.
"I'm glad to see you remember me," he said with false modestly.
"What's your damage? I thought you and Shego went straight. And where's Ron? And Mr. Barkin?"
"Hi Kimmie," Shego said, with an evil laugh. "Your buffoon is chilling."
Kim's eyes were directed to the side of the lab where she saw Ron was frozen in a stasis chamber. "Nothing personal, but I'm not interested in your sidekick going all monkey on us."
"Ron … " she said softly before forcing herself to focus on the situation at hand. "I don't know what you're up to, but you won't get away with this!"
"Big words from a helpless girl," Drakken said. "You see, I heard that you've had a most unfortunate accident at college."
"Trip over anything lately, Princess?" Shego gibed.
"Now, Shego, let's not gloat. Yet. You see, Kim Possible, we did go straight. But the opportunity to defeat you once and for all was too good to pass up. One zap with this ray and your ability to control your voluntary muscle movements will be all but gone! With you permanently retired from the hero business and the sidekick a popsicle, I will finally be able to take over the world!"
"You won't get away with this!" Kim snapped.
"Who's going to stop us? Stevie?" Shego hooked a thumb at Barkin, who was tied up and gibbering.
"Apparently not," Kim conceded.
"We have all of your gadgets, too," Drakken said, grandly gesturing to a worktable on which Kim's wrist Kimmunicator, laser lipstick and other devices were on display.
Kim began to experience an unfamiliar feeling of unease. It wasn't possible, was it, that she had finally been defeated by her arch-foe? She looked toward her boyfriend and her heart ached. I'm sorry Ron ...
"Power up the Discombobulator!" Drakken cried out.
"You got it, Doc," Shego said as she reached for a lever. She pushed and the machine began to hum.
Then Kim, to Drakken's surprise, grinned.
"What is it?" he demanded. He turned around and gasped. "Doodles." Flower petals sprung out around his neck. "Not now!"
Ron began glowing blue and then the stasis chamber in which he was being held began vibrating. His aura danced about him like a living thing. Moments later, the glass shattered and now the spectres of monkeys could be glimpsed and simians could be heard chittering in the background.
"Oh snap," Shego said as she turned white, unwelcome memories of the showdown with Warhok and Warmonga coming to her.
"This isn't supposed to happen!" Drakken cried out.
Ron stepped out from the debris of his prison. "Nobody, but nobody, messes with Ron Stoppable's girlfriend," he growled.
Kim smiled. "Looks like you're busted, Drakken."
"No! I defeated you!" Drakken protested. "And, and I was then going to help you."
"What?" a surprised Kim asked.
"Kimmie, didn't you notice that something's not right here?" Shego sighed.
Ron had grabbed hold of the front of Drakken's lab coat.
"Please don't hurt me," the blue-skinned man whimpered.
"Ron, timeout on the monkey smackdown," Kim said, before turning to the villainous duo. "What are you talking about?"
"I built the discombobulator to scramble your coordination!" Drakken blurted out. "I was sure that if we hit you with it, you'd be like new."
Kim and Ron both looked confused.
"He kind of thought he'd mess up once again. You know, he intends to scramble you up means you would probably wind up ready to win the Olympics," Shego offered by way of explanation. "He'd finally get to say he beat you and you could go on saving the world."
Kim thought about the situation. "Okay. Why not?"
"Kim?" her boyfriend asked.
"Ron, I want to give this a try. I need to be able to walk without tripping, to do a somersault, to kiss you – without hurting you. To be me again. If it means taking a risk, I've got game."
He dropped Drakken, who was terrified and scuttled away, and he approached his girlfriend. "KP, you're in charge. You want to do this, then I've got your back," he said, as the monkey power ebbed away.
"I know you do," she looked into his eyes and beckoned him. She brought her lips to his – and then bit his tongue.
"Owww!" Ron held his hands to his mouth.
Kim winced. "Okay, let's do this," she said.
Shego returned to the controls and activated the machine, which once again, began to hum. Moments later, an orange beam lanced out of the barrel and enveloped Kim, then faded.
Kim tried to move her fingers and nothing happened
She tried to speak, but her mouth didn't respond. All that came out were grunting noises.
I can't move! I can't talk! I'm paralyzed! This is so not happening!
Ron hurried up to his girlfriend. "KP? KP! Are you okay?"
Kim failed to respond, other than with a pitiful, mewling grunt. Ron saw something unfamiliar in her eyes – defeat and fear.
I can't talk! This is so the drama! No! I'm supposed to walk out of here, find a way to get Ron into Llenrock, have a spankin' career, keep saving the world, have a future with … not be a … vegetable!
Ron saw the distress and anger on his BFGF's face and squeezed her hand in sympathy. Then he turned and glared at Drakken. Summoning the monkey power he was enveloped in a field of blue. The sound of angry monkeys shrieking and hollering filled the lab. The lights in the lab blinked out and the only illumination was provided by Ron's aura. His hair dancing in the magic wind of the mystical vortex, Ron stalked towards Drakken, who cowered.
"Okay, Blueboy," Ron screamed at Drakken. "Make Kim better! Now!"
Kim watched, awed – and fearful for Ron. She knew that he was working with some serious magic and that he was angry. That so wasn't a good combination. As much as she was worried about herself, her concern for her boyfriend was even greater.
Shego, worried about Drakken, hurled a series plasma bolt at Ron. He, in turn, merely held out his hands and captured them, closing his fists around the energy and snuffing them out. "We are so toast," she said.
Drakken fiddled with the controls, then made some adjustments, then looked at Ron. "Er, excuse me, but may I try again? Please?"
Ron nodded.
The beam again reached to Kim, surrounding her in an orange aura. Then it stopped.
"KP?" Ron asked.
Kim flexed her fingers and wiggled her toes. Then she smiled. "I think I'm okay, Ron. Monkey down, please and thank you."
"You sure?" he asked, hesitantly.
"So sure," she said as the shackles unlocked and she was able to hop off the table, with all of her usual grace..
Ron did as requested, the lights came back on, and he heaved a deep sigh of relief as Kim came to him, embracing him. "That was such the drama. You were … wow," she said.
"Heh heh, yeah, I know," Ron agreed, feeling all abashed. "Didn't mean to go all über."
"We'll talk about that later." He tensed up but then she leaned in and gave him a kiss, "It's okay. Nobody was hurt."
The two teens hugged. Then Kim reluctantly pulled away and turned to an awe-struck Drakken and Shego.
"Uh, it worked?" Drakken managed to say.
"Yes," Kim answered. "I so don't know whether to thank you or kick your biscuit."
"Thanks would be good," Drakken croaked.
Ron raised his hand. "Question here. Why'd you guys want to make KP better?"
Kim smirked. "I was wondering that myself."
Shego answered. "It was Doctor D's gift to me. I didn't like the fact that someone else had taken you out of the game; that's my job."
"So you helped Kim so you could hurt her," Ron said.
"Oy," Kim said.
"I guess that makes sense," Ron added. "Though you go after KP, you get a piece of the Rondo, too." Then he looked at his girlfriend. "Not that she needs my help."
Kim squeezed his hand.
"Yeah, I think I'll take a pass on that," Shego muttered.
"Well, now that we're done here, we have a football game to get to," Kim said.
"Well then," Drakken said with his accustomed clueless arrogance. "Another thing you can thank me for."
Kim and Ron gawped at Drakken.
"You're now ten miles from Go City University."
Shego snorted. "Drew's started following college football. Llenrock, Go City, trying to be manly …"
"Shego," he protested.
"Yeah, yeah, what did we say about hurting with the words," she riposted. But Kim and Ron noticed that there was not a bit of snark in her voice or expression.
The two young people made to leave.
"Yo, wait a minute," Shego called out. "You forgot something," she said pointing to a whimpering Steve Barkin, who was still bound.
Kim and Ron looked at Barkin, then one another.
"Do we have to?" Ron asked, earning himself an elbow from his girlfriend. "Owww! I was just asking …"
To Be Continued …
A/N: As I mentioned in my last post, since I'm going to be traveling for first half of August, I don't expect to update this story until the beginning of September. I appreciate everyone who's been reading What's the Alma Mater and promise that you won't have to wait another six years for an update. Have a great summer!