Chapter 11: THREE DAYS LATER

…

Wade swam up to the castle entrance. As usual, two guards were present.

"Hey Wade." One guard said, recognizing the mer-boy.

"Hi." Wade smiled. "I'm looking for Princess Kim. Mind if I swim on in?"

"Go right ahead." The first guard nodded.

"Have a nice day." The second guard added kindly.

Wade swam past the guards and began moving about. He then saw another guard. "Hey."

The guard recognized the mer-boy. "Hey Wade, what's up?"

"I'm looking for Princess Kim." Wade replied. "Do you know where she is?"

The guard looked awkward. "I think she's in the royal dressing room." He told the mer-boy.

"Well can you relay a message telling her that I'm here?" Wade asked.

"Sure." The guard replied simply. "Go wait in the west wing and I'll tell a female servant to tell her that your here."

"Thanks." Wade smiled. "I owe ya one."

As the guard departed, Wade headed to the west wing to wait for Kim.

…

In the dressing-room, Kim Monique, Zita, Tara and Bonnie were refreshing themselves. Kim was happily humming to herself. Monique looked at Kim.

"You alright, little sis?"

"Huh?" Kim exclaimed, startled by the question. "Why do you ask?"

"The humming, for starters." Monique smirked. "What are you so happy about?"

"Oh, nothing." Kim said awkwardly

"Yeah, right." Zita interjected. "You're clearly in love."

"In love?" Kim gasped her face flushing. "No way!"

Bonnie scowled. "You know you're not a very good liar."

"But you are?" Kim retorted.

Bonnie became indignant. "Why, you-"

"Girls, please stop!" Tara shouted, hoping to end the conflict.

Monique, Zita, Bonnie and Kim stopped and looked uneasily at Tara, then at each other. An awkward silence followed.

"I better get going." Kim said as she turned and swam off.

The four sisters watched her go. "I wonder who the lucky merman is." Zita commented curiously.

"You and me both, sis." Monique commented.

Bonnie frowned. Tara glanced at Bonnie. "You alright, Bonnie?"

"Sure," Bonnie assured her blond sister, though her eyes were still narrow.

Just then a servant girl swam into the dressing-room. "Princess Kim?" She looked around, surprised.

"You just missed her." Monique told the servant girl.

"Oh," The servant murmured. "I better find her." She then turned and left.

"Well that was unusual." Zita commented.

"What?" Bonnie asked, frowning.

"Kim leaves just before someone looking for her arrives." Zita explained.

"You got that right, sis." Monique agreed.

…

Kim stopped in the castle study and looked out a window. She looked up at the ocean surface, the sun a blur. She thought about her friend, Ron, who was somewhere up there. Tomorrow, they would visit each other again.

"I hope he's able to come tomorrow." She said quietly.

"Your highness."

"Huh?" Kim exclaimed, turning to see Will Du approaching. "Hey Will, what's up?" She looked uneasy. "And when I say up, I don't mean the surface."

"Okay..." Will Du replied, puzzled by her statement. "I'm here to inform you that Wade Load is waiting for you."

"Wade?" Kim asked in surprise. "He's here?"

"Yes." Will frowned. "He is your friend, right?"

"Sure he is." Kim told the young official. "I just wasn't expecting to see him today."

"Well, he's waiting in the west wing." Will tells the young princess.

"Be right there." Kim replied and turned and swam. Making a few turns, she reached the wing. "Wade?"

"Hey Kim." Wade smiled, happy to see his friend. "I haven't seen you in days. You okay?"

"Oh, yeah." Kim assured her friend. "I've just been busy with... stuff."

"Really, like what?" Wade asked.

"Well, I like to swim around." Kim answered, getting uneasy.

"You didn't invite me?" Wade asked with a frowned.

"I... didn't think you'd want to come." Kim answered quickly. "I mean, I swim fast, and I just thought you were still rattled by what happened with Gill."

"A little, yeah." Wade conceded. "But I'm okay now. Maybe we can do something tomorrow?"

Kim felt intense. "How about two days from now?" She asked.

"Okay." Wade frowned. "Kim, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Kim assured Wade, blushing.

Wade frowned. "Is there anything you'd like to do right now?"

Kim hesitated. "Not today, thanks. "Look, I'll see you again soon, I promise."

"Okay." Wade sighed, defeated. He turned and swam.

Kim sighed. "Why did I lie to Wade?" She paused, contemplating her actions. "He understands me better than most. But I can't risk telling him that I'm friends with a human. He might tell my parents because he thinks I need protecting... which I don't. Not from Ron."

She swam out of the room, outside the palace, and kept on going.

…

Tim and Jim were in their room, trying an experimental spell. Then the door opened and their older sister Bonnie came into the makeshift lab.

"Bonnie?" Jim exclaimed in surprise.

"What do you want?" Tim asked.

Bonnie smiled. "Nothing. But maybe I can do something for you."

Both boys eyed their sister. Bonnie didn't normally do favors for people, and they knew they were two of her least favorite people.

"What is it?" Jim asked eyes full of suspicion.

"First, how do you feel about Kim?" The brunette asked the twins.

Both boys scowled.

"She's our sister?" Tim answered, not sure what Bonnie was getting at.

Bonnie grinned. "Still upset that she ruined your concert, aren't you?" She asked her, voice soft and deceitful.

"Yes." Jim answered coldly.

"She made us look bad." Tim added bitterly.

"Wouldn't you like to put her in her place?" Bonnie asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jim demanded.

"Yeah, what?" Tim concurred.

"Kim has a crush on a boy, and I suspect it's a boy dad won't approve of," Bonnie smiled deviously. "If you were to find out if my suspicion is correct, you would have the means to put her in her place."

Jim frowned. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because if I try to check it out, she'll see me coming a mile away." Bonnie replied simply. "But with you, that shouldn't be a problem."

Both boys grinned and looked at the statement. Then looked at each other. "Hick-a-bicka-boo?" Jim asked.

"Hoosh-a." Time answered.

Bonnie scowled. "So you'll it?"

"Yes," Both boys answered simply.

"Well good luck." Bonnie said and swam off.

Both boys were silent, contemplating their next move.

….

In a home in another part of the kingdom, Wade was in his room, eying the data on his shell projector.

Just then, his bedroom door opened and Miss Load entered. "Dinner time, Wade."

"Oh, alright, Mom." Wade replied, shutting down his shell projector.

"Doing homework again?"

"Yep." Wade answered as he shut down his shell projector.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Miss Load asked her son.

"Uh... yeah mom." Wade replied, though he looked perplexed.

"Wade, what's wrong?" Miss Load pressed.

Wade sighed. "I haven't seen Kim in days. Then I went to see her today, and she was acting strange."

"Strange?"

"She seemed... uneasy." Wade clarified. "When I asked about us hanging out tomorrow, she wanted to wait for two days."

"That is strange." Miss Load agreed. "But I'm sure she has her reasons."

Wade sighed. "Yeah. We're tight. It's not like she'd hide anything from me."

"We all have secrets, you know." Miss Load said with a smile. "There are a few things you wouldn't want her to know, aren't there?"

Wade cringed uneasily. "Yeah." He chuckled nervously.

"Well be downstairs, son."

Right, mom." Wade put away his shell projector and then followed his mother to the kitchen.

NEXT DAY

Kim was swimming through the sea, unaware that a tiny shell was following her. It was a magic shell that could scan and record images and transmit them to another source. In their lab, Tim and Jim watched a shell that displayed images of their tracker shell.

They saw Kim reached a rock in front of an undersea hill. She glanced around to make sure she wasn't being followed. Then she moved the rock, revealing a cave behind it, and went inside. The shell shot through the waters and got into the cave before Kim restored the rock.

Both boys gasped at what they saw. The whole cave was full of relics from the human world. Kim sat on a flat surface, eying her collection.

"It looks like Kim does have a secret." Jim commented in a low voice.

"One that will get her in big trouble." Tim grinned.

Jim grinned. Then he frowned. "But Bonnie said she was in love with a boy."

"Maybe she is seeing boy, and this has nothing to do with it." Tim suggested. "We just have to keep taps on her." He frowned. "Then give her what she's got coming."

"Agreed." Jim concurred.

On the screen, Kim continued to sit on a rock, examining her collection. She picked up one object and examined it thoughtfully. The boys scowled.

"Is she going to look at her stuff all day?" Jim complained.

"She's a girl." Tim commented.

The brothers grew annoyed and bored. Eventually Kim got up and swam out of her cave.

"She's moving." Jim exclaimed in relief.

"Finally." Tim grumbled.

Kim then swam up to the surface, where a boat was waiting. Far below, the magic seashell was watching and transmitting information to Prince Jim and Prince Tim.

"What is she doing?" Jim asked curiously.

"That can't be right..." Tim commented.

The images showed Kim at the surface, her head clearly above the water. She appeared to be conversing with whoever was in the boat. Then something fell into the water. It was a human boy. The royal princes then realized that the human didn't fall in, he had jumped. He was swimming alongside their sister as if they were friends.

"Oh man." Tim whispered in shock.

"Dad's gonna kill her." Jim said, equally surprised.

…

It was dinner time. Half of the Possible Family had finished their meals and left, and Kim had just finished hers. "May I be excused?"

"Sure Kimmie-Guppy." Anne replied.

"Thanks, mom." Kim got up and exited the room. She was humming softly to herself as she entered a corridor and...Her brothers were floating nearby, looking superficially casual.

"Hey, Kim." Both boys said their smiles mischievous.

Kim frowned. "What do you want, Squibs?" She growled.

"We think you owe us for ruining our concert." Jim replied simply.

"What he said." Tim added.

Kim groaned. "Seriously? That was almost two weeks ago."

"So what?" Tim snapped. "You still owe us."

Kim scowled. "Look, this is ridiculous."

"Maybe we should tell Dad your secrets." Tim suggested his voice cold.

Kim froze, afraid they knew. "What secrets?"

"Let's go somewhere private." Jim suggested.

"Wouldn't want anyone to eavesdrop on us." Tim added.

Kim grimaced. "Fine."

The royal siblings moved through the palace till they reached a room. The boys closed the door and then looked back at their sister.

"So, what's this all about?" Kim asked, scowling.

"We know about your human collection in the cave." Jim answered.

"And that you're visiting a human on the surface." Tim finished.

Kim froze her face pale. Her brothers knew her darkest secrets and were going to use them against her. "Please don't tell Dad."

"Only if you agree to do what we say." Jim said simply.

"Okay, okay!" Kim snapped, and then sighed. "You win."

Both boys grinned, clutching their hands. Then they looked up at Kim.

"How did you become friends with a human?" Jim asked suddenly.

"And why hasn't he tried to kill you?" Tim also asked.

Kim glared at her boys. "His name is Ron. A few years ago, I swam to the surface. A storm knocked him off his ship. I rescued him. That was how we met. I never planned to see him again, but he kept looking for me. I met him again about a week ago and... We became friends."

Both boys stared in wonder. "Wow."

Kim then scowled. "So what do I have to do so you won't tell Dad?"

"Well for starters..." Jim started.

"You can take us out to get sweetened sea foam." Tim finished.

Kim sighed.

The Next Day

The royal family was eating breakfast. James looked at Kim across the table. "What are you planning on doing today, Kim?" He asked casually.

"I was planning on swimming in the south." Kim answered with a shrug.

James eyed his youngest daughter curiously. "Kim, I heard that you might be into a boy."

"What?!" Kim exclaimed in shock. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Well, you've spent a lot of time daydreaming; singing to yourself." James pointed out. "And you've been going out a lot lately."

"Dad, I always go out a lot." Kim countered.

James sighed while Anne looked intensely at her younger daughter. "Kim, if you ever decide to see a boy, we need to now."

"Okay." Kim said, looking uneasy.

Anne eyed her daughter and then looked at her husband. They non-verbally communicated, and then resumed their meal.

"Can I be excused?" Kim asked.

James frowned. He wasn't sure he could trust his daughter. But wasn't sure how he should proceed.

"Dad?" Kim asked.

"You can go, Kim." He told her at last.

Kim swam off.

"Can we be excused too, father?" Zita asked.

"Of course," James answered wearily.

The mer-girls swam off.

The Sea King grunted. "Hmmph! Teenagers."

Queen Anne turned towards her husband with a mixed expression of frustration and tiredness. "You're worried that Kim is seeing a boy?"

"Yeah." James confirmed, rubbing his face. "Do you think we should confront her?"

"Not yet." Anne replied grimly. "We have to be careful."

"Of course." James agreed.

…

Kim swam out of the palace and through the courtyard. Just then, Bonnie swam up behind her.

"Hey, Kim, what are you up to today?" She asked loudly.

Kim turned narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was going somewhere to daydream."

Tim and Jim swam over to Kim. "Remember our deal, Kim."

Kim's eyes narrowed. "Right. I'll take you to get coral ice cream after lunch, okay?"

Tim and Jim scowled.

"It's no fun when you don't argue." Tim complained unhappily.

Kim frowned, having mixed feelings about her brothers at the moment.

"What are you three talking about?" Bonnie asked, frowning.

"That is definitely none of your business." Kim snapped indignantly.

"What she said." Jim said, looking away awkwardly.

"Yeah, what she said." Tim added.

Bonnie frowned. She looked over at Kim and then the twins. "Fine."

"Well, gotta go." Kim said. She turned and swam off.

Tim and Jim turned to leave.

"Stop right there, Squibs!" Bonnie snapped loudly.

Both boys turned and frowned at their sister. "What do you want, Bon-Bon?" Tim asked scornfully.

Bonnie glared at her brothers coldly. "What did you find out about Kim?"

"Nothing." Jim answered.

"Kim isn't seeing a boy." Tim added quickly.

Bonnie became indignant. "You're lying."

Tim and Jim smiled. "No we're not." They answered in perfect union.

Bonnie fumed. Then she grinned. "Okay then. I believe you. Have a nice day." She turned and swam away.

Tim and Jim looked at each other, wondering why their sister was suddenly so smug.

….

King James and Queen Anne were sitting on a bench in the palace garden, enjoying each other's company. Suddenly Bonnie swam up to her parents and she bowed.

"Hello Bon-Bon," Anne said softly. "What's up?"

"Mom, Dad, I think you should know something." Bonnie replied, trying to sound respectful.

James frowned, aware that Bonnie had an agenda. "What is it, dear?"

"I think Tim and Jim know what Kim is really up to and won't tell you." Bonnie told her parents.

"Why would you say that?" James asked, frowning.

"Well, I know for a fact they tried to spy on Kim," Bonnie answered

"And how do you know this?" Anne asked coldly.

Bonnie sensed she could be in trouble if she didn't choose her words carefully. "I asked them. They denied everything, but I could tell they were lying. Do you really think Kim isn't up to something?"

James scowled. He didn't like that Bonnie was tattling on her siblings, but he couldn't let this slide either. "You say that Tim and Jim know what she is up to?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it." Bonnie assured her father.

James sighed, rubbing his forehead, while Anne glared at her daughter. "Bonnie, I suggest you be very careful when reporting on your brothers and sisters." She warned.

Bonnie frowned. She wanted to retort, but knew that would get her in trouble.

"I guess I'd better see my boys." King James said as he got up and swam out of the garden. Queen Anne hesitated, than followed, leaving Bonnie on edge.

The royal couple swam through the palace and reached their throne room where a few guards were. "Find our sons." James told a guard. "Tell them I wish to see them."

"Yes, your highness." The guard complied.

The royal couple grew tense. They were concerned about the whole thing and were both wondering how to proceed. Anne was the first to break the silence. "James, if Kim is up to something, what will we do?"

"We should prepare for the worse." James sighed. "And we'll need to deal with our sons for snooping, assuming Bonnie is right?"

"Do you think Bonnie is right?" Anne asked, looking concerned..

"I don't know," James admitted. "This wouldn't be the first time she crossed a line."

Just then, the royal twins entered.

"Jim, Tim." Anne said, trying to smile.

"Mom, Dad." Tim started to say.

"What do you want with us?" Jim finished.

"Boys, I'm concerned about Kim." James said softly. He causally looked at his trident. "Have you noticed your sister has been acting peculiar lately?"

"Of course." Tim replied with a shrug.

"Girls are weird." Jim added.

"She was always free spirited." Anne agreed. "But we have a question: have you been spying on her lately?"

Both boys froze in shock. "NO!" They shouted.

James scowled. Tim, Jim, I know your lying to me."

Both boys froze, aware that they were in trouble.

"Now here is the thing." James continued sternly. "If Kim is up to something she shouldn't be you're going to tell me the whole truth. Understand?"

Both twins hesitated.

…..

Kim swam into her grotto, eyeing her human collection. She looked at the amulet hanging on a rock in the middle of the grotto. It was the star of her collection. It symbolized her friendship with Ron. Tomorrow, she would visit her friend again.

Wade swam into the cave. "Hey, Kim." He called out.

"Oh, hey, Wade." Kim said, happy to see her old friend.

Wade noticed the amulet on the rock. "Is that a new one?"

Kim hesitated. "Yeah, I found it a few days ago."

"Haven't seen you in a while." Wade told his friend. "Are we gonna hang out together or what?"

"Oh." Kim exclaimed. "Sorry, Wade. I forgot."

Wade frowned. "You forgot?"

"Yes," Kim insisted. "I owed my brothers a favor and got sidetracked."

Wade sighed. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like..." He trailed off, his eyes widening in shock.

Kim frowned and looked behind her. Her face turned pale. There was her father, holding his triton in one hand and scowling. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

James scowl deepened. His silence was unnerving. Kim then noticed that behind her father was her mother and behind them were Tim and Jim.

"You told them?" Kim exclaimed in horror, and then scowled. "Squibs, we had a deal."

"They were wrong to keep this from me, Kim." James snapped, his anger barely controlled. "Kim, is it true you've been visiting a human on the surface?"

"What?" Wade exclaimed in shock. "Kim, what's going on?"

Kim became pale, not replying to Wade or her father.

"Kim, do you realize what you have done?" Anne interjected her voice full of anger and distress. "You could have been hurt."

"Mom, Dad, I..." Kim stammered, having no explanation they would accept.

"Kim, what you did was foolish, dangerous and inexcusable," James declared angrily. "What could have possessed you to involve yourself with a barbarian?"

"You're wrong!" Kim snapped indignantly. "Ron is a great person, and you have no right to call him such a horrible thing!"

Jim and Tim cringed in shock while Wade froze in shock. Anne turned pale with horror. James also turned pale, not speaking for a few moments. Then he scowled. "Kim, don't you understand what you're saying? He's a human, you're a mermaid!"

"I don't care." Kim retorted defiantly.

"Kim!" Anne exclaimed in horror.

"Kim, if you won't listen to reason, then... then..." James stammered as he clutched his triton with both hands. Suddenly his triton glowed. The Sea King then raised the triton and fired a beam of lightning at a bunch of human objects, destroying them.

"Dad, stop!" Kim shouted in horror while Wade, Tim, Jim and Queen Anne watched in equal horror as King Possible destroyed another shelf of stuff, and another.

"Dad. please!" Kim shouted as her father destroyed another shelf of human objects. "Daddy, stop it! Then to her horror, her father destroyed the rock with the amulet, reducing it to nothingness.

Kim suddenly felt intense grief. She swam to part of the grotto and put her head in her arms and sobbed. James's anger was slowly replaced with sadness. He hesitated and then looked at Anne who just stood there, looking equally troubled. He gave his sobbing daughter a final look, and then swam out of the grotto.

Anne looked at her daughter. She wanted to comfort her, but what could she do? The only certainty was that any trust they had between each other was broken. Then she too turned and left.

Tim and Jim stood by the sides, watching the whole thing troubled. They may have had their differences with Kim, but seeing her so crushed was awful. They hesitated, but ultimately decided that Kim wouldn't want to hear anything from them and turned and left.

Wade floated where he was, perplexed by what had transpired. He then looked at Kim; his heart broke to see her in such pain. He swam up to her. "Kim, I'm sorry about..."

"Wade, please, just... leave me alone." Kim whispered, not looking up from her sobs.

Wade hesitated. He had many questions, but decided to wait and then complied to Kim's request.

Kim continued to sob alone.

….

In her Cave, DNAmy stared in her orb in wonder. Then she giggled. "Oh this is too easy." She then conjured up a spell. Reaching out, she magically sensed her favorite minions across the ocean. Drakken and Shego were together in a reef while Monty was elsewhere.

"Drakken, Shego, Monty." She shouted, her voice magically traveling to their location.

The three eels froze in shock.

"Oh great." Monty said over the mind link.

Shego groaned. "What is it, mistress?"

"I have a job for you three." DNAmy told her minions. "King Possible has discovered what that precious little daughter of his has done."

"I imagine he didn't take it well." Drakken commented sourly.

"Oh yes." DNAmy smiled. "Not surprisingly, the big meanie broke her heart. This is our moment." Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "Now, you're going to go to her and this is what you will do…"

…

To Be Continued

Author Note: Now we are reached part of a major turning point.

I have doubts about some aspects of the chapter though I did my best. Tim and Jim are mischievous and Bonnie is petty, so I think what I did with them worked in this chapter.

But James isn't a hothead, and wasn't sure I did it right with him destroying Kim's grotto. However, what Kim did wasn't small either. I hope I made his violent reaction in the grotto believable.

Wade was complicated to write in this chapter. In the original draft I wrote, he was going to know Kim's secret and support her. But I had trouble making it stick, but I got a writer's block in making it work. So I went back and rewrote it so that Kim withheld it from him. Sometimes friends don't share secrets with friends.

While my perfectionism isn't satisfied, I decided to post it as it is. I hope you like this chapter.