Chapter 9
A few Weeks Later.
…
In the concert hall, the royal sisters had just finished their practice performance, taken in front of their parents and brothers.
"That was excellent, girls." Jim declared, pleased with the way things sent.
"Your moves were great." Tim added, equally pleased.
"Thanks, Tweebs." Monique said happily.
"In a few days, we'll perform before an actual audience." Jim announced proudly. "We'll be great."
"We're going to be stars." Tim concurred.
"Good for you." Zita commented, slightly annoyed with her brothers' egos.
"You're not going to be on stage, Tweebs." Bonnie growled.
"But we organized it." Jim retorted coldly.
"And you didn't." Tim finished.
"Stop it, all of you!" Tara interjected loudly. "This is ridiculous!"
The princesses and princes stared at their sister in surprise. Tara didn't normally raise her voice.
"Tara is right." Yori agreed. "We all have a part to play."
"Fine." Bonnie grumbled irritably. The others relented to Yori's sentiment.
"Well got to go." Kim said, turning to leave. The other sisters and their brothers also departed.
Kim went to her room and began to pack some stuff in a bag. Zita swam into the bedroom and blinked, surprised by her redheaded sister's actions.
"What's up, Kim?" Zita asked curiously.
"I'm going to have a sleepover at Wade's house." Kim answered.
Zita frowned. "When did this happen?"
"It's been a while since I actually had a sleepover in his house instead of him having a sleepover at the palace." Kim explained. "It won't be so the drama, but it will be great being with Wade."
Zita smiled kindly. "Well have a good time."
"Thanks sis," Kim said as she finished packing and began to move.
Zita went to her dresser and took out a comb and began to brush her hair.
SURFACE
Ron finished his studies and sighed.
"I take it you're going to go boating again." Barkin guessed grimly.
"You got it, B man." Ron told his teacher.
"Fine." Barkin grumbled irritably. "Have a nice trip, your highness."
"Thanks B." Ron looked at the pouch on his belt. "Let's go, buddy."
"Yep." Rufus squeaked while sticking his head out of the pouch.
"Bye." Ron said as he left the room.
Barkin shook his head. "Oh, that boy."
UNDER THE SEA
In a simple house, Wade was in his bedroom, looking through the shell displaying data. Then his mother, Miss Load, entered. "Wade, Kim's here."
"Great." Wade grinned excitedly, putting down his shell and swam out to meet his friend. Kim was in the kitchen.
"Hey Wade." The young princess said, giving her friend an embrace.
"Hey Kim." The pudgy preteen returned the embrace. "This will be fun."
Kim smiled as she withdrew. "Do you have plans for the sleepover, Wade?"
The little mer-boy grinned. "I got the snacks out."
Kim smiled at her friend.
…
It was night. In another part of town, a dark shadow had entered a dwelling. It then passed over a vase, which vanished. It moved into the bedroom of a sleeping woman. It looked at her, then moved to the dresser and opened the drawers. It collected some currency, some jewels. The shadow went around the dwelling, taking anything of value. It then phased through the wall and exited the dwelling.
It then traveled down a few blocks and came to a house. Entering it, the shadow took on the form of Camille Leon, carrying a bag. She then examined her loot.
Suddenly she glowed. "What's happening?" She then zoomed out of the city like a flash of light and soon found herself in the middle of nowhere. "What the abyss just happened?" The disinherited heiress then noticed DNAmy.
"You! What's the big idea?"
"The big idea, my pretty, is that you owe me." The Sea Witch smiled, showing the tooth gap in the middle of her mouth. "I saw that you got what you wanted, and now you have to give me what I want."
Camille pouted. "Fine, you want a share of the loot?"
"No, I want you."
"What?" The mermaid exclaimed, not understanding.
DNAmy conjured up the contract. "Our agreement was if I gave you the means to get revenge on those who wronged you, you would do something for me if you have what I want. And I want you to become part of my cuddle fish collection. Isn't that great?"
"I'm not part of anyone's collection!" The blond mermaid retorted loudly.
DNAmy frowned. "You're just like the others: selfish and ungrateful. Well then, there is only one thing left to do." She gestured and the Camille froze, sinking to the sea floor.
"You will stay here 'till you learn some manners, my little coral." The Sea Witch hissed. Then she relaxed as if nothing had happened. "Don't worry. I have a force field around you so no sharks and things can harm you. I'll be back when you've learned some manners. Bye, bye."
The mermaid tried to scream, but she could barely move and her mouth could only forming grunts. Before long, DNAmy was gone.
SURFACE
Ron was on his balcony, feeling sad. It had been a long time, and he still couldn't find the little mermaid. With a sigh, he went to his bed and plopped down on it.
Rufus looked up at his master sympathetically. Then he chattered encouragingly.
Ron looked up at Rufus. "Thanks buddy." He said gratefully.
Rufus smiled happily.
UNDER THE SEA
Camille was bored out of her mind. She was still on the sea floor, unable to move or speak. She felt like she had been immobile for a long time, but had no way of telling time.
"Hello, my little angelfish."
Camille looked up at the Sea Witch approaching in fear. DNAmy grinned as she eyed her future cuddle fish. She then waved her left hand and Camille could move again.
"Please, we can work something out." She begged.
"Do you need another lesson?" asked the Sea Witch, her smile became nasty.
"No, no!" Camille screamed in terror.
"Now to give you a facelift." The Sea Witch raised her hand.
Camille screamed and was surrounded by a bright light. When it faded, she had transformed into a gray fish. She then shifted to a shade of red and glared at DNAmy. "What have you done to me?"
"I made you a cuddle fish." DNAmy said. "And look, you can change color. Isn't that great?"
Camille looked at herself. Her scales shifted to different colors and then settled to purple. "Change me back now!"
DNAmy smiled. "Naughty, Naughty." She held out her hand. Camille glowed and with a scream transformed into a bubble which went over to the Sea Witch's hand, and morphed into an orb with Camille trapped inside. "Now remember, you belong to me. And I won't tolerate my collection being mean to me. Understand?"
Camille cringed in her orb.
"Good." DNAmy said. "Oh, you're miserable. That won't do. I know what will cheer you up. Cookies." And with that, she returned to her lair.
…
It was late in the morning. Kim and Wade had just finished breakfast. They then exited his house.
"So, you want to go exploring in the south again?" Wade asked dryly.
"Naturally, Wade." Kim confirmed presently.
Wade frowned. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Kim."
"Why not?" Kim asked, not understanding.
"The Shark, Gill." Wade answered grimly. "There are reports of him being out there."
"Oh come on, Wade." Kim countered. "The ocean is a big place. What are the chances of us meeting him?"
Wade grimace. "Unlikely, but..."
"Wade, don't be such a guppy." Kim told the merboy.
Wade scowled. "I'm not a guppy."
"Then come on." Kim said as she turned to leave.
Wade sighed reluctantly and complied.
…..
DNAmy was in her cave on a ledge, finishing eating a snack of cookies. "Hmm." She murmured, rubbing her belly happily. She looked of her options. "I wonder if anything is happening."
She went over to her vase, and accessed her orb of all-seeing. It showed a big blue ocean. A merman and his wife and child swam through a coral reef. Up ahead were a few more mer-people. A few more appeared, all heading to the same destination. Before long, whole crowds of mer-people of various ages and sizes swam over a ledge. Up ahead was a humongous palace where their ruler, King Possible, ruler the kingdom of Middleton, lived.
"Now what could this be?" She said, fiddling with her glasses. "It appears they are getting ready for some kind of celebration. She pouted. "No fair. When I lived in the palace, we had fantastical feasts." She clutched her fists. "Now look at me, banished and exiled and starving, while King Possible and his mean fishfolk celebrate." She glared at the orb again. "Well, one day I'll get that big meanie."
She glared at the orb which showed mer-people beginning to congregate in the concert hall inside the palace, eagerly waiting for the concert to begin.
"Well, let's see how this turns out."
…
In another part of the palace, Bonnie, Tara and Monique swam through the stage room and into the lower area.
Tara noticed that Bonnie was scowling. "You OK, Bonnie?"
"Yes." Bonnie replied sourly.
Tara looked sympathetic. "If it helps, I know how you feel."
Bonnie stared at Tara with a glare that lacked real anger. She was aware that Tara wanted to be the star of the concert, as did all their sisters did. "Thanks." She said reluctantly.
"Hey, we still have an important part," Monique interjected kindly. "Let's make the most of it."
"Sure." Tara conceded before looking at a servant. "Which clam is mine?"
"Any but the one in the middle. That's for Princess Kim." The servant answered casually.
"Lucky her." Bonnie commented dryly.
"Well I'll see you gals shortly." Monique said as she swam into one of the clams. She opened it and climbed inside.
A servant went over the clams. "Everything seems to be in place." He considered checking the inside of the calms, but decided against it. It wasn't likely a princess would miss an event as important as this.
…..
The stage room was full. It was nearly time for the show. Just then, a row of mermen with trumpets played a fanfare to begin the festivities. Then Officer Will Du swam forward. His expression was stoic. He was one of the youngest officials in palace history.
"Ahem... Their royal majesties, King and Queen Possible!"
Following Du's announcement, James Possible and his wife, Ann Possible arrive at the concert hall, riding a seashell chariot being pulled by dolphins. The crowd clapped their hands for their rulers. James pulled out his golden trident and used it to fire electricity towards the ceiling to create sparkling fireworks.
After his display, the crowd clapped even more wildly, this prompted James to puff up posture, pleased with his stunt. An amused Ann looked at him, all the while thinking 'What a show-off!'
Will continued his announcement, this time reading off a note card.
"And presenting the most brilliant, awesome and the coolest royal composers... give your hands and fins up for Princes, Jim and Tim Possible!"
The King and Queen's identical twin sons, James and Timothy aka Jim and Tim, entered the concert hall, each driving a mini-version of their parents' chariot, only instead of sea creatures theirs was powered by magic of their ow design.
Despite the audience's mediocre applause, the twins were still excited about directing their first musical performance. Not only were the twins' scientific geniuses, they were also music prodigies. The twins and their parents got off their chariots and swam to the balcony where a couple of box seats are reserved for the king and queen.
As the royal couple sat down, Queen Possible told his sons "Boys, your father and I are really looking forward to your performance. You two have worked almost as hard on your compositions as you do on your experiments."
"This will be the best concert this kingdom has ever had!" Jim replied, smiling
"We even picked the best singers in the kingdom to make this concert a hit!" Tim added proudly.
"Yes, but I am especially looking forward to hearing my little Kimmie-guppy sing!" King Possible commented thoughtfully.
"You won't be disappointed, Dad," Tim replied confidently. "Kim has the best singing voice," He then whispered to Jim. "Even though she sometimes ditches us off whenever we have rehearsals"
Jim nodded in agreement. The twins then swam quickly to the conductors' podium to begin the concert. The twins tapped their batons on the podium to quiet the audience. Then they signaled the musicians to begin playing.
As the musicians began playing the first notes to the opening song, the curtains above the stage parted and revealed five giant clams, which rose upward. The clams opened up to show five of the royal princesses who began to sing.
They musically identified themselves as Bonnie, Monique, Yori, Zita and Tara. Then a sixth clam rose up from the stage. The royal sisters sang the next part of their song, introducing the starfish of their concert as the sixth clam opened - and to the shock of the audience, the twins and their parents, and the princesses, it was empty.
"Uh oh!" Jim and Tim muttered, as they nervously looked at their parents to see their reactions.
Although the queen was more concerned than upset about Kim's absence, the king looked positively furious. Then, king gave a mighty yell that shook the entire concert hall.
"KIMBERLY ANN POSSIBLE!"
…
In her lair, DNAmy's eyes widened, surprised by what her all-seeing orb revealed. "Interesting." She commented thoughtfully. "I wonder where this Kim Possible is."
She then waved her hand. The images in the all-seeing orb changed, revealing a new scenario.
…
Princess Kimberly Ann Possible swam through a largely wild part of the ocean. She carried a pink purse by her side.
"Wait for me, Kim!
"Wade, hurry up!" Kim responded to her friend.
Wade soon caught up, panting. "Kim, you know I can't swim real fast," He said, breathing heavily.
Kim sighed before looking up ahead. "Hey, check that out. Amazing isn't it?" Kim directed her friend's attention towards the sunken ship.
Wade sighed. "Sure, but we've got to be careful."
"Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure?" Kim asked teasingly. "Don't you want to see if there's any treasure down there?"
Wade swallowed. "Sure."
He followed Kim towards the sunken ship.
"This one doesn't seem to have a hole in it." Wade said uneasily. "How do we get in?"
Kim swished her tail and came to a porthole. "I think we can fit in it."
Wade got uneasy. "I... how about if I stay and keep a look out, KP? In cast there is trouble"
Kim frowned, annoyed with Wade's reluctance. Then she smiled. "OK, you stay here and watch for Gill if he comes by." She swam through the porthole with no problem.
Wade smiled. "Sure Kim. You go and I'll..." He suddenly realized Kim's words. "What? Gill?" With a panic he swam through the porthole and got stuck. "Kim Help! I'm stuck!"
Kim couldn't help but giggle at Wade's misfortune as she swam back to the porthole. "Oh Wade."
Wade frowned. "KP, get me out of here!" He shouted as he tried to push himself out of the small porthole.
Kim grabbed Wade's hands. "Okay, on three. Ready? One... Two... Three!" Kim signaled as she pulled on Wade and the pudgy mer-boy popped out from the porthole like a cork from a pressurized wine bottle.
Wade panted. "Do you really think Gill might be around here?" he asked uneasy.
"So not the drama, Wade!" Kim replied dismissively. "I'm sure he's not around here. Now come on."
Wade tried to relax as he followed his adventurous friend. As he swam low to the floor, he looked around the ship's interior. "Hey this isn't so bad. And here I thought that danger would be lurking around every corner..." Wade went on to say but was cut short by a close-up view of a human skull resting before him.
"YAAAHHHH! Kim!" Wade swam rapidly towards Kim but did not stop in time, resulting in them crashing on the floor.
When they stopped, Kim looked down at her friend shivering in her arms. With a concerned look on her face, she asked. "Are you okay Wade?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Wade answered, his voice shaky, trying to calm down. "I'm fine, no big!"
Kim smirked and help her friend up. They moved to a large room. There was a large window before them. But what Kim spotted was a fork on a nearby wooden table. "Hey, look what I found!" She picked it up. "Have you ever seen anything so amazing in your whole life?"
Wade eyed the fork with interest. "Wow, cool! But... uh... what exactly is it?"
"Not sure. But it's still a find." Kim dropped the fork in her bag and spotted another item. This time it was a pipe.
Suddenly, a swishing sound came outside the ship.
Wade began to get nervous, again and asked. "Uh, did you hear that? Kim?"
Kim was too preoccupied with examining the pipe to hear Wade. Wade turned and looked out the window of the sunken ship and froze. Outside the window was a giant slime-covered face with blood-red eyes and grinning mouth full of sharp teeth.
"Hello, shrimp."
"AAHHHH!" Wade screamed in terror. "It's Gill!"
Kim turned just in time to see the ship's cabin windows explode as Gill smashed into the ship towards Wade, who turned and swam to one end of the cabin, swirling as Gill's teeth barely missed him. Recovering from her shock, Kim joined Wade in fleeing the ship cabin while the mutant shark chased them.
"You can swim, but you can't escape me losers!" Gill declared as he chased his prey.
Kim and Wade kept swimming and the Kim lost her grip on her bag which fell to the floor. Kim quickly turned and grab it, succeeding just as Gill's snapping jaws barely missed her.
"Get back here!" Gill shouted as he swam after Kim who caught up with Wade.
Wade swam faster then he normally did, trying to find a way out of the ship. "Oh no!" He exclaimed when he saw a familiar porthole.
The pudgy mer-boy got stuck again. He gasped in desperation as he tried to squeeze through. Kim pushed hard. Once Wade was free, Kim swam through the hole just in time before Gill crashed through it, completely taking out half of the ship's wall.
"Oh, you two are so going to get it!" Gill shouted as he continued chasing the two mer-people.
"Aaah!" Wade screamed as he and Kim swam around and around the sunken ship's mainsail with Gill still chasing them.
Kim then swam past the mainsail's top, but Wade then hit the top of mainsail, dazing him as he floated to the bottom of the ocean. Gill smashed into the mainsail, breaking it. Recovering, he glared down at the dazed mer-boy who was drifting to the ocean floor. "
Oh this will be good." He grinned as he charged at Wade.
Kim turned and saw Wade drift down below. "Wade!" She screamed as she swam towards her dazed friend. She grabbed him and yanked him just out of the way of Gill's snapping jaws. She saw an anchor on the floor and got an idea.
"Hey scumbag, come and get us!" She shouted as she pulled Wade after her.
Gill glared at the mer-girl who was pulling her friend after her. With a growl, he charged at them. Kim got near the top of the anchor and timed herself. She then swerved as Gill slammed into the anchor, getting stuck in it. Gill glared at the Kim who smiled. Wade blinked and then saw the red eyes and sharp teeth of Gill- about three feet away.
"AAAHH!" He screamed and with a flap of his tail moved a few more feet away from the mutant freak.
"Relax, Wade." Kim told her friend. "He can't harm us now."
"Just wait 'till I get out of here you losers!" Gill bellowed, struggle again the anchor.
Wade cringed a bit. Gill may be trapped, but was still predatory. "Still, let's get out of here."
Kim turned and swam with Wade not far behind her. Gill glowered at them. "I will have my revenge!" The mutant shark bellowed.
….
DNAmy was viewing her all-seeing orb. Currently she had watched her precious mutant get defeated by the redheaded princess.
On a shelf, Drakken, Shego and Monty watched the whole thing with disdain.
"Well, they took down that thick head." Shego commented dryly.
"You seem to have taken after your father, princess," DNAmy grumbled. "He was a big meanie, and now here you are, hurting my precious cuddle fish. It's so not fair!"
DNAmy began to move around in her lair contemplating her plan of revenge against the Middleton. "Soon, that meanie king and everyone else will all be sorry for what they've done to me!"
The Sea Witch sighed and fixed the orb with a glare and a twisted grin. "I think I'll be keeping a close eye on this little princess. She may be the way I can finally get my revenge on King Possible!"
….
Kim and Wade reached the edge of Middleton, passing several homes. Several mer-people were staring at Kim.
"Uh, Kim, why are they staring at us?" Wade asked uneasily.
Kim noticed that Wade was correct. "Yeah, it's strange."
Up ahead was a guard who noticed them. "Princess Kim, where have you been?" He said as he swam towards them. "The whole kingdom is looking for you."
"No big." Kim replied dismissively.
"No big?!" The guard demanded. "You weren't at the concert! Your parents are worried."
"The concert!" Kim slapped her forehead in frustration. She forgot that today was the concert, not knowing how she could forget it since she was the main act. "Dad is so going to kill me for missing it!"
Wade cringed. "Yeah, your dad does get pretty tweaked when you bail out on family things. Remember that incident with your nerdy cousin Larry?"
"Don't remind me!" Kim groaned. Then she sighed. "Now I have to go back and face the music. No pun intended."
"Come." The guard ordered as he led her through the kingdom with Wade not far behind.
They passed mer-people who all stared at Kim, ranging from surprise, perplexity and disapproval. Before long, they reached the palace. Wade was a friend of Princess Kim, so he didn't need authorization to enter the building. They swam through different areas of the palace, servants and other guards stared at Kim.
Kim followed the guard into the throne room. Wade waited outside, suspecting he should stay out of the way. Kim swam before the two thrones where her two parents sat, looks of disappointment and disapproval on their faces. Near the thrones floated Jim and Tim who were scowling at their sister. Kim waited silently but her parents didn't reply, glaring at their daughter. Kim finally decided to speak.
"I take it your upset at me for not being at the concert."
"You better believe it." James replied angrily. "I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young lady."
"We're very disappointed in you, Kim." Anne scolded. "Not only did your absence ruin the concert, but we were worried sick."
"Mom, Dad, I am so sorry. I totally forgot about today, I-" Kim tried to apologize but was cut off by more of her father's lecturing.
"As a result of your careless behavior..." He started to say.
"Yeah, careless behavior!" the twins interrupted simultaneously.
"...the entire celebration was, well, er..." James hesitated, not knowing the right words to say.
"It was a disaster!" Jim shouted. That's what it was!'
"This concert was to be the peak of our famous career as musicians-slash-scientists." Tim added melodramatically.
Then both preteens shouted in union. "Now the whole kingdom thinks we're big jokes, not big starfish!"
Wade became defensive and swam right up to Kim's parents and brothers in her defense.
"Hey, take it easy! It's not completely her fault," He argued. "She just had a sleepover at my place. It's easy to forget things when other things happen"
James glanced at his wife and sons and then at Kim. "Kim, where were you?"
"I was exploring in the South." Kim confessed.
"You were exploring when you had a concert to attend?" Jim demanded angrily.
"That's a poor excuse." Tim added with equal anger.
"I agree," James concurred, his eyes coldly staring at Kim. "Kim, you are dismissed. But we'll discuss this later."
"Yes, dad." Kim said obediently. She turned and swam.
Wade hesitated and then followed his friend.
"Boys, your dismissed." James grimly told the twins.
The twins became indigently. "What about Kim?" Tim asked.
"She ruined our concert." Jim reminded his father hotly.
"Boys," Anne interjected sternly. "We'll discuss it later."
The twins fumed but complied. They really wished Kim would be punished for ruining their musical.
…
Kim swam through the palace, deciding it would be best if she went to her room.
"Hey Kim!" A voice shouted.
Kim turned and saw her sisters, all eying her with disappointment- except for Bonnie who looked smug.
"Oh hey girls. What's the sitch?"
"What's the sitch?" Monique snapped. "Where were you?"
"How could you forget about the concert?" Zita demanded hotly.
"We needed you, Kim! Tara added in an angry voice she rarely used.
"Girls, I'm sorry. I totally forgot." Kim said apologetically.
"Kim, how could you forget something this important?" Yori demanded, her eyes narrowed.
"Hey calm down girls, it's not Kim's fault." Bonnie interjected defensively.
All the royal sisters stared at Bonnie perplexed. Kim was also surprised- till she realized that Bonnie was setting her up.
"It's our brothers' fault." Bonnie said with a nasty smile. "If they had chosen a real star instead of Kim, none of this would have happened."
Kim glared at her sister. Bonnie could be an insufferable creep. Monique and the others just glared at Kim, either agreeing with Bonnie or too angry at Kim to defend her.
"Was there anything else?" Kim asked coldly.
The sisters glared silently. It was clear they wanted to chew out Kim more, but after Bonnie's statement, it was probably best they stop.
"Then I'll go." Kim stated and turned and swam off, while Yori and the others considered their next move.
"Well," Bonnie shrugged, "maybe next time, one of us will get to be the star."
The royal sisters glared at Bonnie and then swam off while the young brunette just floated with her arms crossed, feeling smug with the way things turned out.
…
In the Eastern Ocean, less than a mile from dry land, Sensei was sitting on a ridge, examining a large pile of rocks. He took out his gem and it flashed. He then held it to his lips.
"Theuman hasn't been sighted today, but that isn't strange. His patterns were very typical. At least once a week most every week for a year. I expect to get another sighting soon."
He turned and swam off. He looked at his gem. "I daresay I have enough data to prepare an article for the Red Wave."
….
To Be Continued
….
Author note. Now we have come to an important point of this storyline.
1, I wanted to do an altered version of the song "Daughters of Triton". But some anti-rule breakers convinced me it wouldn't be wise so I dropped it.
2, Originally Kim just forgot. But I felt that didn't fit Kim. So I thought a sleepover might cause it to slip Kim's mind.
3, Not much to say about the rest. DNAmy is becoming more ambitious in her plans and I want Kim's sisters to have a small role in this chapter.
Tune in next time.