Chapter 10: A WEEK LATER
…
It was early in the morning. Tim and Jim swam into the dining room. Their parents and their sisters were already there, having breakfast.
"Good morning, boys." Queen Possible called out to her sons.
"Hey, boys." King Possible said with a smile.
The other girls looked up from their meals, but didn't say anything.
"Hey, mom." Jim replied politely.
"Hey, dad." Tim also replied, equally polite.
The boys looked at the food on the table. They then took their seats and began to make their own plates.
"Remember to say your prayers, sons." Queen Possible reminded her sons.
"Yes, mom." Both boys replied. After saying their prayers, they began to make their plates.
"May I be excused?" Kim asked, after finishing her meal.
"Sure Kimmie Guppy." Queen Anne told her daughter.
"Thanks, Mom." She turned to swim away.
Queen Anne then noticed that her sons looked grumpy. "Jim, Tim, what's wrong?"
Tim and Jim looked up at their mother in surprise. "Nothing." They answered simultaneously.
Queen Anne knew the truth. "You're still mad at Kim for ruining your concert."
"Yes." Jim snapped irritably.
"We were going to be stars." Tim complained.
"But Kim ruined everything." Jim finished.
"Yeah," Monique interjected. "Kim let us all down."
"That's truth." Bonnie agreed, trying not to smile.
"Girls, enough!" Anne ordered before looking at the boys. "Boys, Kim was wrong to not be at the concert and she was punished for it."
"You beached her for only a few days." Jim countered.
"She deserved worse." Tim added.
"She's not the only ones that deserve worse." James reminded his sons, causing them to cringe.
"You boys haven't always been role models either," Anne told the twins disapprovingly. "And we've shown you lenience for your misdeeds. You should expect no less for your sisters."
Tim and Jim smiled sheepishly.
Nearby, Bonnie groaned, while the other sisters either resumed eating or threw glances at each other.
SURFACE
Ron was at the docks along with Regent Barkin. Before him were his parents, King and Queen Stoppable.
"We'll be seeing you soon, son." The Queen told her son, giving Ron a hug.
"Thanks, Mom." Ron told his mother.
"Well, we've got to go, bye." King Stopple said.
"Have a safe trip, your majesties." Regent Barkin told his superiors.
"Thanks old friend," King Stoppable replied as he and his wife turned and got up the ship.
Ron sighed. He would miss his parents while they were gone.
Before long, the ship had left the docks. Ron and Barkin lingered a little longer.
"I really should be going." Barkin told his young charge. "Be on your best behavior, Stoppable!"
"Right," Ron murmured his eyes still on the docks.
Rufus poked his head out of the pouch and looked up at owner. "Hmm." He murmured thoughtfully.
"I'll be fine." Ron assured his little friend. "We can still do things."
…
Kim sat on her bed, reading a waterproof magazine from Red Waves media. "Looks like Club Starfish have a new line of tops." She then flipped a page and stopped. "What's this?"
The page she was staring at had a picture showing the bottom of a boat and a human looking over its edge. "It can't be." She whispered before reading the article next to the picture.
She looked at a name at the bottom of the article. "Sensei?"
She put the magazine down and swam out of her room.
…..
Kim reached a rustic dwelling in a part of Middleton far from the rich and elite. She knocked on the door. The door opened, and there was Kim's old friend.
"Hello Princess Kim." Sensei said with a smile, "It's been a while."
"Hi, Sensei," Kim replied. "I read your article in the magazine."
The elderly merman became thoughtful. "Come inside."
Kim went inside. She looked around. The place was clean and elegant. There was an open cabinet with a few human relics.
"Does your father know you're here? Sensei asked grimly.
"No big." Kim assured the old merman.
Sensei let out a breath. "Kim, you know how your father feels about you visiting me."
"I had to see you." Kim argued. "It's about this article you published today."
"I see." Sensei murmured and stroking his beard. "I noticed a peculiar pattern in that area for about a year. This human takes a boat out into the ocean almost every week."
"Did you meet him?" Kim asked amazing.
"No, I just took his image." The old merman picked up a gem from his table. "I magically took his picture from several fathoms below. Why do you ask?"
Kim grimaced. "I met him before."
Sensei froze in shock. "How?" He asked in amazement.
"A few years ago, I swam to the surface." Kim explained, getting uneasy. "There was a storm and this human fell off his ship. I rescued him and…"
"Hmmm." Sensei murmured grimly. "Well that explains a lot."
"What does?" Kim asked, not understanding.
"I think he is trying to find you." Sensei answered grimly.
Kim froze, startled by that idea. "Why would he be looking for me?" She asked, not understanding this.
"Hard to say." Sensei muttered, eying the young princess. "What happened after you rescued him?" He inquired.
"He acted like I was something incredible or something," Kim frowned at the memory. "It didn't make sense."
"Well, most humans think mer-folk are a myth." The old man explained. "Meeting one would be an incredible discovery for his species."
"Okay, then it's so the drama." Kim conceded thoughtfully.
Sensei looked intensely at Kim. "What happened next?"
"He didn't want me to leave." Kim answered grimly. "I didn't want to, but I had to."
"He wanted to be your friend." Sensei asked; his low voice.
Kim stared at Sensei in disbelief. "Is it even possible? I mean, my father says anything is possible for a Possible, but he will never approve of this."
Sensei sighed. "Well your father thinks humans would destroy our world if they could. There is no doubt that bad humans exist, but it isn't fair to label an entire species like that."
Kim snorted.
"Look Kim." Sensei said uneasily, "if you're planning on visiting this human, you must be very, very careful. Disobeying your father isn't a small thing. Not to mention that this human may have changed and now doesn't have your well-being in mind."
Kim considered that. "I'll keep that in mind. When should he appear again?"
"Hard to say," Sensei said. "Likely around midday any day from now."
"Thanks." She turned and left.
Sensei sighed, perplexed by this whole thing.
A Few Days Later
It was midday. Kim swam through the market place, passing various mer-folk and soon reached the outskirts of the city. She looked in one direction and took a deep breath. "Well here it goes."
SURFACE
Ron rowed his boat far from the docks. Rufus was with him. The trip never got old. Ron didn't expect to find anything that day, but the trip was still nice. Ron always clung to the hope that he would meet the little mermaid who saved his life all those years ago.
Several fathoms below, Kim watched the boat. After a while, a face came from the boat's edge. It was the boy she had rescued years ago. He was older, sure, but there was no doubt it was him.
Then a rock fell into the water. Kim moved out of the way and watched the roll sink to the bottom down fare below. Kim knew that the human couldn't see her due to the depth and the dark water she was under. She then decided to chance it. With rapid swishes of her tail, she reached the surface, water dripping down her wet hair.
Ron and Rufus gasped, looking at the face that had arisen from the ocean surface. Kim just stared at the human before her, sea water splashed around her shoulders.
Ron stared at Kim, not sure if what he saw was real. Then he became excited. "It's you!"
"Hello, human." Kim said softly.
"Booyah!" Ron exclaimed excitedly
Kim smiled, liking this human. "So you've been taking a rowboat out here just to wait for me to come up?"
"Well I don't know where you live, exactly." Ron replied. "I just hope that if I came here every now and again, you would see me and come up."
"And you've been doing this since we first met?" Kim asked in stun disbelief.
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me." Ron told the mermaid. "You saved my life. And you're a mermaid, which is so badical."
"Okay, I'm here." Kim replied raising her hands in a surrendering gesture. "So what do you want?"
"I'd like to be your friend." Ron answered, almost pleadingly.
Kim frowned. "Look human, I like you, but that's impossible."
"First off, my name is Ron. Prince Ron Stoppable."
"Prince?" Kim exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah. Second, what's your name?"
"My name is Princess Kim Possible." Kim answered simply.
"Possible?" Ron asked in amazement. "As in related to King James Possible?"
Kim's green eyes widened. "How do you know my father's name?"
"He's your father?" Ron exclaimed. "Booyah."
"Yes," Kim confirmed, her eyes narrowed. "Now how do you know my father?"
"I heard of him from sailors," Ron explained. "They say he was ruler of the mer-people but most people think mer-people are nonsense."
"Really?" Kim asked, frowning.
"Yeah," Ron answered, suddenly he heard a grunting from his side. It was Rufus, annoyed that he was being left out. "Oh, right." He gestured to his friend. "This is Rufus. He's my best friend."
Kim eyed the strange land creature. "Nice to meet you."
"Hi." Rufus said, smiling.
Ron looked at the lovely mermaid, and his heart ached. "You said we couldn't be friends. Why not?"
Kim sighed. "Our worlds are separate. You can't live in the sea anymore then I can live on land."
"But it doesn't mean we can't see each other." Ron countered desperately. "Sure, I can't live in the sea, but I'm a better swimmer then when we first met. We can talk, swim, whatever together."
Kim hesitated. She had violated serious taboo by coming to the surface and speaking to a human. But she had always wanted to be a part of human world and now she could get closer to it than any other mer-folk ever did.
She looked up at the human's face. "I would like to be your friend, Ron." She whispered softly.
Ron grinned. "Great." He then reached for something in the boat and handed her an amulet with a symbol on it. "Here."
Kim took the amulet, eyeing the design. "What is this?"
"The symbol is called the Lotus Blade." Ron explained. "It's the symbol of my Kingdom."
Kim felt a strange feeling within her. "Thank you."
"No big." Ron said with a smile.
Kim smiled back. "So what now?"
"Well, when should we meet again?" Ron asked thoughtfully. "I have time two days from now."
Kim smiled. "I do to."
"Booyah, that's great!" Ron shouted joyfully.
"Bye, Ron." Kim looked up at her new human friend. "Thank you for your gift."
"Any time, sweetie!" Ron called out as the pretty mermaid swam down below the ocean floor. "Anytime." He sighed happily. "This is the best day of my life, buddy."
Rufus smiled at his owner.
….
At dinner later that day, Ron finished his meal and got up to leave. Barkin looked at the prince. "Where you going, Stoppable?"
"Huh?" Ron exclaimed in surprise. "Oh, just to my room."
"You alright, Stoppable?" Barkin asked.
"Just badical." Ron assured him. "Today was the best day of my life."
"Really?" Barkin frowned. "Anything I should know about?"
Ron paused as he considered the question. "No big, Regent B. Well, gotta go." He turned and left the dining room.
Barkin sighed, wondering what the prince was so happy about.
Ron ran into his room and went to the balcony. He looked out at the ocean. Out there was his new friend. He looked forward to the next day.
Rufus poked his head of the pouch and chattered.
"Oh, just thinking about Kim, little buddy." Ron replied, looking down at the mole rat. "Things are finally going right in my life."
Rufus chattered encouragingly.
"I will, buddy." Ron replied, looking back at the ocean with new hope.
UNDER THE SEA
Kim swam into her bedroom. Her sisters were doing various activities, from reading to giving each other makeovers. Kim looked out her window, seeing the city and the ocean beyond it. But what she chiefly thought of was the Surface, or rather, Ron.
"You alright, Kim?"
"Huh?" Kim exclaimed turning to see Tara floating before her. "Oh, Tara. You startled me."
"Sorry." Tara apologized softly. "So, what's up?"
"Up?" Kim exclaimed, startled by that simple word. "Oh you know." She tried to act casual. "Just swimming, exploring, stuff like that. No big."
"OK." Tara said softly, suspicious but deciding not to press the matter. She turned and headed back to her bed, picked up her comb, and went back to combing her hair.
Kim looked around. Bonnie and Zita were staring at her while Monique and Yori did their own activities. Kim sat on a stone chair and resumed looking out the window, thinking of her friend from the surface.
Bonnie and Zita resumed their activities.
TWO DAYS LATER
DNAmy was enjoying a plate of breakfast. In one part of the cave, Drakken, Shego and Monty were eating from three separate bowls.
Drakken reared up from his bowl, snapping his jaws delightfully as bits of food floated out of his mouth.
Shego reared up, and glared down at her food covered snout. "I wish I had hands." She grumbled.
Monty finished his meal and glared, food smeared over his long jaws. "What are you looking at?" He demanded, glaring at Shego, who was staring at him.
"Nothing." Shego growled. "I'm going for a swim." She turned and with graceful motions of her long body, she swam out of the cave.
"Have a nice day my little cuddlefish." DNAmy called out cheerfully.
Drakken finished his food. "Well, I'm off."
"Where are you off to?" Monty asked, his eyes full of annoyance.
"Anywhere but here." Drakken declared, turning to leave.
"No, Draky poo!" DNAmy snapped, glaring at the blue eel that froze in horror.
"Yes?" He asked, dreading what was coming.
"That is no way to talk." DNAmy replied sternly. "This is our home and I won't have anyone bad talking it. Least of all any of my cuddlefish."
Drakken cringed. "Yes, mistress."
"But don't worry." DNAmy smiled, touching his black haired head. "If I ever defeat that meanie King Possible, we'll be living in a palace."
"Oh joy." Monty grumbled, lying on a shelf, a mad scowl on his face.
"Now be off, my little Draky Poo." The Sea Witch said dismissively. "A swim around the reef will do you good."
Drakken swallowed uneasily and then swam out of the cave. DNAmy looked over at Monty. "You're not going to swim?"
"No." Monty replied irritably, moving his tail close to his head, rubbing his hairy scalp.
"Oh, too bad." DNAmy pouted unhappily. Then she shrugged. "Well, if you ever change your mind..."
Monty scowled, but didn't retort. He really didn't want to upset his mistress.
DNAmy then swam to her Orb. "I wonder how our little princess is doing." She raised her hands and saw Kim leaving the city of Middleton.
….
Kim swam through the ocean, carrying a bag with her. She then swam up towards the surface. Up ahead was a familiar object. She then surfaced, water dripping down her hair.
"KP!" Ron exclaimed in amazement.
"Hi!" Rufus called out.
Kim frowned at her human friend. "KP?"
"Yeah," Ron smiled. "It's short for Kim Possible."
Kim smiled. "I like it." She swam closer to the boat and noticed Ron wore peculiar clothes. "What are you wearing?"
"Oh, this is my swim wear." Ron explained, touching his chest. "I figure it'd be better if I went into the water with you."
"OK." Kim said softly. "What about Rufus?"
"He can't swim. He'll have to stay on the boat." Ron answered.
"Too bad." Kim commented sympathetically.
Rufus scowled while Ron stood up in the boat. "Booyah!" He shouted as he jumped out of the boat, making a splash.
Kim smiled as Ron surfaced. "So, what would you like to do?" Ron asked as he swam closer to Kim.
Kim felt her cheeks blush with this boy right next to her. "Well, can you answer some questions I have?"
"Sure." Ron answered as he moved his arms to stay afloat. "What do you want to know?"
Kim reached in her bag and took out a shell. It then produced a beam of light, which formed a picture of a human music box. "Do you know what this is?"
"Wow," Ron exclaimed while staying above water. "How did you do that?"
Kim frowned. "What do you mean?"
That device you're holding. How does it produce an image of a music box? Is it magic?" Ron asked.
"Yes." Kim replied, puzzled by the question. "It's called a projector shell. It can magically scan the images of various objects and store them."
"Well, that's badical." Ron commented excitedly, still keeping himself floating.
"I guess." Kim conceded. "Well I have a list of images of my collection."
"Your collection?" Ron asked, while staying afloat.
"I collect human objects that sink in the ocean." Kim explained. "I snapped some images of my collection to show you. Can you tell me about them?"
"Sure," Ron smiled. "That thing is called a music box. The name speaks for itself."
"It didn't play music when I tried it," Kim replied with a frown. "How does it work?"
"Well I don't know for sure." Ron confessed. "They have gears that interconnect. When it's winded up, the gears move in a certain order. And it plays music."
Kim frowned. "I take it they don't use magic."
Ron laughed. "No. Humans don't use magic. Do mermaids use magic with their stuff?"
Kim chuckled. "OK, my people are called Merfolk. Mermaids are girls."
"Oh, right," Ron said, blushing. "Sorry. I didn't realize."
Kim snorted. "Do humans call the males of your kind maids?"
"NO." Ron answered, feeling foolish.
"And yet you actually call the males of my kind mermaids." Kim pointed out.
Ron chuckled sheepishly while staying afloat. "So what other questions do you have?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.
Kim smiled and touched her shell, so the music box image was replaced with a new image.
UNDER THE SEA
In her cave, DNAmy staring at her Orb, her eyes full of amazement "Unbelievable." She commented loudly.
On a shelf, Monty looked up. "What's unbelievable?"
"Our little princess," The Sea Witch answered and suddenly become giddy. "She is friends with a human. And not just any human. A prince." She giggled gleefully. "Her father will love that." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe I can use this."
Monty frowned. "How? Tell her father she's seeing a boy he won't approve of?"
"Tempting, but no." DNAmy eyed the orb again. "It has to be something clever. Something fool-proof."
Monty didn't comment on that.
DNAmy then conjured a spell. "Drakken, Shego. I have an assignment for you. I want you to get close to Middleton, but don't be seen."
She paused, and seemed to be listened to something. "I see an opportunity to get our little princess. We just need to wait for it. I'm sending Monty your way."
She turned to Monty. "Did you hear that, Monty poo?"
"Fine," Monty groaned as he swam off the shelf and headed out of the cave.
DNAmy grew excited. "Oh I can hardly wait for things to get out of line." She said, rubbing her hands together.
SURFACE
Kim then switched to another image.
"That's a vase." Ron told the mermaid and suddenly a gasp. "Uh, can you give me a little help?"
"What's wrong?" Kim asked, not understanding.
"I've been trying to stay afloat and I'm getting a little tired." Ron revealed, panting.
Kim moved towards Ron and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a little lift. She felt a strange feeling in her stomach while holding her human friend so close to her.
Ron sighed in contentment while wrapping his arms around her slender body, his fingers touching her wet red hair. "Thanks, KP."
Kim moved closer to the boat. "I think that should be enough for now, Ron." She told her friend.
Ron withdrew himself at arm's length from Kim, but had enough of a grip on her wrists to help stay afloat. He looked into her lovely face. "But we're having a good time."
"Well it's getting late." Kim then became intense. "If my dad finds out about this, you'll be in deep trouble." She admitted.
Ron felt a chill. "How deep?"
Kim looked uneasy. "Abyss deep."
"Man, that's deep." Ron replied nervously. "Well I hope to see you again."
"Me too." Kim concurred as she help Ron get back into the boat where Rufus was waiting. The mole rat chirped a question.
"I'm fine." Ron assured him wearily. "Best time of my life." He then looked at his little mermaid friend.
"So I'll see you again in two days." Kim offered.
Ron grimaced. "Not good for me. I got education. How about four days?"
Kim considered that. "Probably. Well, goodbye."
"Bye!" Ron shouted as Kim dove into the water. He stared at the watery surface, unable to see the bottom. "She's great, Rufus."
Rufus nodded, happy for his owner.
...
To Be Continued
…
Author Note.
1, originally I was going to make this chapter longer, but felt it would pace better if I ended it here and save the following scenes for the next chapter.
2, I mentioned in another note, I don't do Love at First Sight. This is the second stage to Ron and Kim's relationship. I hope you liked it.
3, in the originally drafts, Ron's parents didn't go on a trip. But when I was writing the scene with Kim in Ron's castle, I decided it would be easier to write if there were very few characters in the mix. So I backtracked and wrote the scene with them departing.
Well tune in next time to see what will happen with DNAmy, Ron, Kim, and the rest of the Possible Family.