Hello, so, um. I haven't exactly written a story in roughly five years now. Lots has happened. I'm terribly sorry about that. However, I do get inspiration from time to time and tend to write and this is probably the best thing I've written in a long time so I just want to share it. This is sort of an AU of Kim Possible Season 4 with an OC, however, nothing really changes from the canon. It was just a shoots n' giggles kind of thing. I'm just going to leave this here.

As I wrote this, I realized I channeled some of my personal experience into Dylan's re-entry into school. Experiencing a re-entry myself after living away for a year, I had some similar physical reactions. Everything seemed bigger, noises were overwhelming and I got a little nauseous. And one thing I did learn was that just let the reactions happen and just keep moving forward. I didn't realize it until I finished writing it. So there is just a tiny bit of mary-sue to just help with the psychological stuff. I had a great time where I was but there are some consequences to moving away from home. Thanks!

Reviews are welcomed but not required. Thanks so much!

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

~Soldier78

Invincible

Chapter 3: The Meaning of Adaptability

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, cars lightly cruised the black top, an alarm clock's sweet wail pierced the room.

Ech! Eech! Ech!

She jumped from the screeching sound and misjudged her spatial perception. Her body flung out of the bed and slammed right into the ground. She grunted from the impact as the alarm clock continued to mock her.

"Right, right." She grumbled, grumpily. She reached up and pressed a button, which did nothing of course. Her brow furrowed and she attempted at another. The sound still shrieked and she cursed at it. She balled up her fist and thwack!

The clock was defeated. Dylan Vincible managed to stand to her feet, glaring at the beast of an invention with great disdain. She yawned, stretched her limbs and lumbered to her drawers. She still couldn't believe she had more than a set of clothes. She stared at the drawers, shocked at the array of choices. It was still overwhelming when she simply pulled it open and there were four t-shirts to behold.

She picked the closest one without thinking twice. She removed a pair of shorts from another drawer, found some underwear, bra and socks. After dressing herself, she walked over to her window which overlooked the Middleton valley. It was a change from her old view of buildings and alleys, but she was starting to adjust to the luscious, green open air, accented with enormous houses, this one included.

Dylan walked over to the other side of her large room. Now fully awake, she could feel the weight of being in such a massive space. She rushed through to avoid feeling small. She already threw up several times in the last two weeks, especially in the mornings when she was at the most vulnerable.

She walked out, closed the door with a click and headed to the bathroom, which was thankfully tinier. She brushed her teeth, washed her face and looked at herself, the pressure of today mounting.

For the first time in six years, she was going to school. She was going to sit in a classroom, have teachers, have mandatory books to read and homework. She felt the plummet of her stomach and a rise of bile to her throat. She shifted to the toilet, knelt down and retched. She sniffed, grimacing at the smell of her puke. She was distracted from it when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Dylan?"

She forced herself to swallow residual vomit so she could answer Ann Possible.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked through the door.

"I'm fine." The girl lied. There was a pause and Dylan held her breath, hoping the doctor wouldn't walk in.

"Okay," Ann replied, obviously uncertain of Dylan's report. "There's breakfast for you. You should eat something."

She walked away and Dylan fell back on her rear, back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling, wincing at the blinding, harsh light above her. She closed her eyes, centering herself again.

"Get a grip, Vincible." She sourly thought to herself. "You can't boot in the school 'less you want to commit social suicide."

There was a sharp rapt at the door and the squabbling of the Tweebs.

"C'mon New Kid, I need to use the bathroom!"

"Nuh-uh, I got here first!"

Dylan glared at the door and took another whiff of the air. She smirked to herself, rising to her feet with confidence. She flushed the toilet, the stench not as thick but still a gentle waft. She washed her hands and mouth, brushed her teeth again and opened the door. The twins sparred over the bathroom as Dylan casually slipped passed with a sly grin. The door closed and Tim wailed.

"Ugh, what is that smell?!"

0000

Kim was fiddling with her kimmunicator when Dylan entered with a boost to her step. Ann Possible served up a couple of pancakes and handed the plate to the girl.

"Good morning, Dylan." Ann greeted, warmly. She took a moment to study the teenager as the plate was handed over.

"Mornin', Dr. Possible." Dylan decided to ignore the scrutiny and headed over to the table. Kim looked at her friend, who had a forkful of pancakes ready to be devoured.

"What did you do the bathroom?" Kim inquired the girl.

"Kim, can you go check on the laundry?" Her mother interrupted. Kim looked at her mom but then rose to her feet in compliance. When she exited the room, Ann walked back over the table, setting a glass of water down in front of her and holding up a container of vitamins.

"You'll need to keep yourself hydrated," Ann instructed her firmly. She opened the container and motioned to hold out her hand. Dylan complied, a vitamin rolled into the palm of her hand. "Take this."

Dylan stared at the label.

"Why am I taking something that has prenatal printed on the label?" Dylan queried with a raised brow. Realization struck her and she looked right up at Ann, ready to defend her honor.

"Relax, Dylan." Dr. Possible lightheartedly scolded. Dylan's face flushed and Ann sat down in the chair across from her. "You really didn't think you could throw up without me knowing about it, did you?"

Dylan turned sheepish and frowned.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Don't apologize," Ann refuted, tenderly. She reached over and touched Dylan's arm that rested against the table. "It's perfectly normal for someone…."

"...like me." Dylan grumbled, morosely. Ann gave a sad nod.

"No one is expecting you to adapt quickly, Dylan." She told the stressed girl. "These things take time."

Dylan hummed, darkly, staring at the tablet.

"It'll take a long time for that bathroom to be normal." She quipped. Ann rolled her eyes at Dylan's jest.

"Don't worry about that," Ann assured, calmly. "Let your body respond the way it needs to."

There was silence until Dylan had one more thing to say.

"Normal." She huffed. "I don't even know what that is anymore."

Ann acknowledged Dylan's sentiment with the nod and a piece of motherly wisdom.

"Well, here is your chance to find out."

Kim entered the room again. Ann discreetly motioned the Vincible girl to take the medication. Dylan popped it in her mouth and drank from her glass of water.

"Ready to go, Dylan?" The redhead asked. Dylan nodded, stuffed another helping of pancakes into her mouth. Ann disappeared and reemerged with an messenger bag. Dylan stared at it.

"Just take it, Dylan." Ann prompted. Dylan did so. Meanwhile, Ron had showed up at the door in the span of thirty seconds and Kim was there. Ann placed her hand on the nervous teenager's shoulder offering one last piece of wisdom. "Just take it slow."

Dylan nodded, draped the bag over her shoulder. She flexed her grip against the strap and cleared her throat.

"Dr. Possible-" She was interrupted when Ann cleared her throat to correct her. "Ann, can our conversation earlier be just between us?"

Ann nodded.

"Of course," She promised. Dylan looked at the mother with a gentle grin of appreciation.

"Dyl, let's roll!" Ron called from the threshold. Dylan glanced in that direction and then looked at Ann.

"You better not be late."

Dylan curtly nodded and rushed to the front door. She walked passed them and turned to the couple, who held hands. Dylan smiled to them, cheerily.

"C'mon then," Dylan called to them. "Let's go get some edumication."

0000

They walked together. Dylan in the lead, the couple behind her. The concrete building grew ever closer. The readerboard: Welcome to Middleton High.

Dylan stopped suddenly at the two main doors. Students slogged inside, ready for another day of boredom. The Vincible felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, we've got your back." Kim reassured. Dylan looked at the Possible, apprehensive. "So not the drama."

"Yup, just pretend that the mystery meat tastes like nacos and don't get on Mr. Barkin's bad side and you're golden." Ron told her. Dylan didn't know what any of that meant. Her stomach churned and she took a deep breath.

"No time like the present," Dylan convinced herself. She shouldered up, walked with dignity and headed right into the doors. The hallway was crowded with students, hanging out by their lockers and meandering to their first period. Dylan followed Kim to her locker, who twisted her combination to open it.

"So, where do I go?" The Vincible asked.

Kim was about to open her mouth when there was a deep, authoritarian voice behind the Vincible.

"You go to your first class."

Dylan spun around and took a step back, acknowledging the stocky, towering man. She gulped.

"Um, I don't know what I have." Dylan informed, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Day one and you are already trying to destroy our great education system with your apathy!" The man barked, his voice getting louder at the end of his accusatory statement. Ah, Mr. Barkin. Dylan glanced at Kim as a plea for help. Mr. Barkin pointed onwards.

"Let's go, punk!"

00000

It was a trip to the main office, a folder was presented to her with her class schedule, locker number combination, temporary ID, Middleton High Student Code of Conduct and list of faculty and staff. She was handed a packet as well that required a parental signature. She stared at it, helplessly.

"Mr. uh, Barkin."

"What is the problem, Vincible?" Mr. Barkin growled.

"Can I get another adult to sign this?" She asked, holding up the packet. Mr. Barkin stared at it and conceded with a nod, fully aware of Dylan's background. Dylan appreciatively set the packet back into the folder and signed out her materials. She slipped into her bag, removing the class schedule to stare at it.

"Latin," Dylan read aloud. "Room 214."

Mr. Barkin shuffled towards the room.

"I will bring you there." He told her, firmly. Dylan folded up the piece of paper and slid it into her pocket. Mr. Barkin held the door for her and they both slipped into the hallway in a very strenuous silence. "It is not going to be easy, Vincible."

Dylan looked up, baffled by the gruff, ambiguous statement.

"I'm sorry?" she inquired.

"High school isn't a joyride." Mr. Barkin told her. "It's not a game. Or a coffee shop."

"Mr. Barkin-"

"You teenage punks tend to make a lot more enemies than necessary," Mr. Barkin grumbled. "All for the fun of drama and power."

Dylan was more speechless than nauseous at this point, perplexed at the words that this man was giving her.

"It's like war," Mr. Barkin told her. Dylan stared at the man and she heard a voice that wasn't the burly tour guide.. "A good airman knows when to fight and when to take flight."

Dylan blinked in surprise and shook her head.

"Eh, what?" She interjected. Mr. Barkin scrutinized her.

"I said you must pick your fights wisely, Vincible." Mr. Barkin informed her, his tone sharp and grizzly. "That said, picking them in my halls is not strategic either."

Finally, they arrived at Room 214. The door was closed with class in session. Mr. Barkin stared at the door.

"It takes time to become a good soldier, Vincible." Mr. Barkin advised. He looked at her. "It starts by being stationed on the front line."

"I thought it started with trainin'-"

"This isn't 5th grade, Vincible. This is high school." The man argued, testily. Dylan's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare. Mr. Barkin stared her down as well. "I suggest you get to class."

Mr. Barkin suddenly stalked down the hall without another word. Dylan arched a brow, thrown by his odd, militaristic phrasing that sounded...so much like her Dad. Mr. Barkin was right, the only way to get through it is to go right in. She inhaled a deep breath, meditating briefly to keep the physical reactions at bay.

"Carpe Diem." She mumbled, boldly and opened the door. She exhaled and walked inside. Eyes all looked up at her. She bit her lip, hoping that the bubble in her chest was a pancake-induced belch. However, the teacher gestured to the empty desk in the back of the classroom. Dylan nodded, sheepishly and shyly shuffled to her seat. She glanced around, noticing notebooks on the tops of the desks and some students scribbling down with a pencil. She put her backpack down, took out a notebook among the many supplies that Dr. Possible stashed into her bag without her knowledge.

She opened up to a blank page, clicked her pen and stared at the chalky board.

Carpe diem.

0000

Dylan Vincible took another glance at the locker number. Her head kept tilting to the right and down to verify numbers. She was carrying two textbooks with two more in her bag. She grumbled when she met another end of the lockers in one section and turned to the next corridor, relentless in her task.

It was lunchtime so Dylan figured it be better to get the first day stuff out of the way as quickly as possible. That...and she didn't think mystery meat would be particularly helpful to her already weak stomach.

At last, she spotted the correct locker row and gave a grin of pride, eager to remove the obnoxious weight. She wasn't aware of another body in her line of march. They collided and books from both hands fell to the ground. Dylan was stunned but quickly acted to help the person she bumped into.

"God, I'm so sorry." She apologized quickly, pocketing her locker number and reaching down to assemble the books.

"You better be, Klutz." The girl sniped. Dylan stared up at her, awed at such a negative response to a very reasonable accident. She tightened her mouth and she stood upright, handing off the books to the girl. "Why don't you watch where you're going, you lummox."

"Well, I'm obviously where I was going." Dylan tried to counter as she motioned to her locker. The girl was slightly taller than her with brown hair that ended below her chin, muddy brown eyes and dressed in displeasing designer clothes. The girl scoffed.

"So I have to put up with your clumsy big feet the rest of the year?" She complained, loudly. Dylan raised a brow.

"Wow, you barely know me." She countered, sardonically. "My feet are actually proportionally sized to my body. My toes on the other hand…"

"There you are, Dyl!"

Dylan looked over her shoulder to see Ron and Kim approach the two of them. Kim had an unimpressed look on her face.

"I see you two have met." Kim droned. Dylan decidedly to play friendly.

"I think there's room to introduce us," The Vincible teenager joked. She looked at the brown-haired teen. "Be rude to not know my locker neighbor's name."

Ron tried to contain his laughter. Kim rolled her eyes.

"Dylan, Bonnie." Kim introduced, flatly. "Bonnie, Dylan."

Dylan immediately thrust out a hand to shake. Above them, the bell rang and spooked the Vincible girl but her hand still remained outstretched. The girl, this Bonnie, scoffed and flipped her hair as if she was offended. She stepped passed Dylan briskly but stopped at Kim.

"Keep Bigfoot here under control," Bonnie warned, menacingly. Doors were opened as students began to pile into the hallways to go to their next class or to lunch. Dylan had a mischievous smirk on her face and she jumped in with another jeer as Bonnie strolled away. Dylan spun around and lifted one foot.

"Again, proportionally sized feet!" Dylan shouted, her hand gesturing to her lifted gym shoe. There were a few stares from bewildered students. "My mother told me!"

Ron howled in laughter, the Naked Mole Rat emerging from his pocket to join in on the humor. Dylan smiled, proud of herself. Kim rolled her eyes.

"I guess we'll have to keep your smart mouth under control too," Kim chided, monotonously. Dylan was already trying out her locker combination. She shrugged as she turned the knob.

"Oh c'mon," Dylan tossed right back with a slanted grin. "That was the funnest part of my day so far."

"Okay, 'funnest'?" Kim admonished. "So not a word."

Dylan snorted.

"Now who's a smart mouth." She teased.

Ron snickered. Kim noticed Dylan struggling despite her cool attitude. She sighed, heavily and took over.

"Move over, New Kid." Kim grumbled, internally hoping that wasn't crossing a line. She saw Dylan smirk from the corner of her eye. If this was going to be the new normal, Kim wasn't complaining. In one shot, the door opened and Dylan huffed, heavily. She paused for a moment, eyeing the new space she was given.

"I've heard tales of bullies squeezing their victims into lockers," Dylan stated, mockingly in awe of the space. "Are they true?"

"Oh, I can confirm that." Ron muttered, grouchily. There was a wicked smirk from Dylan which prompted Kim to speak up.

"Don't get any ideas," Kim firmly told her. "Do anything to Bonnie Rockwaller and it'll be a bad sitch."

Dylan paused in her stacking to look at Kim briefly.

"Damn." Dylan turned to finish her task. She shut the door and waited for a second. She looked at the couple. "Is that all I have to do?"

Ron stepped forward and adjusted the knob.

"Just give it a turn when you close it." He advised. Dylan nodded. The bell shrieked again, Dylan ducked her head in shock. Kim sighed.

"We better get to English." The teen hero told Ron. "You okay finding your next class?"

Dylan was glancing at her class schedule. Room 210. She saw that earlier today. She confirmed with a nod and started in the other direction. She paused, realizing that she traveled a bit from her morning classes.

"Wait, where the hell am I?" she asked herself as students filtered out of the corridors into their next period. She glanced at the number again and saw the name of the class. "And what the hell is Triganumtry?"

0000

The final bell rang. Dylan had to check to make sure it was the last class of the day. She smiled when she was right. Students raced out into the hallways, ready to leave the brick building they were confined in all day. Dylan placed the schedule into her notebook and closed it. Swiftly, she slid it into the messenger bag and shouldered it.

Her head pounded from a long day of piling information. She was ready to go home and just sleep. She was grateful that the nausea had subsided after her lunch period but her stomach growled miserably for food. Dylan found her locker again, thankfully that girl wasn't there...Tonnie, was it?

It took a few tries but she managed to get it open. She pulled out the book she needed but her hand landed on the cover of one of the books. She contemplated. There was so much information that was loaded into her mind today. She didn't know what to do with all of it and she felt like she was missing things. Dylan took all five textbooks and the novel for her lit class from the locker, now completely empty again. She stuffed them all in her bag. She sagged. lopsidedly from the weight but she'd toughened up and headed down the hallway.

She floated around the flood of students, careful not to make yet another enemy. She spotted Kim just a few lockers down and she smiled in relief. Three periods without a friendly face made her antsy. She approached the redhead Possible, but it as she neared, Kim looked like she chatting into her space. She raised a brow at the strange sight.

"Coordinates to his new evil lair, Wade?"

Dylan nearly choked at the reveal. Kim had a computer installed with a boy on the screen! It was a fancy hook up with a printer and everything.

"Whoa," Dylan awed at the setup. It only mildly spooked the teen hero, who discreetly pivoted to a glare at the intrusion. "Where can I get me one of these?"

"You mind?" Kim grouched at the brunette teenager. Dylan shrugged.

"No." She taunted the rhetorical question. She looked up at the screen. "Hey...Wade, was it?"

Wade gave a friendly wave.

"Hey, Dylan, how goes the first day?" He inquired.

"Just peachy," Dylan said with faux excitement. "Can I do this, like, every day?!"

"Who says 'peachy'?" Kim retorted, humored. Dylan looked at her.

"I do."

Wade rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," he redirected the conversation. "I've got your ride all set up."

"You rock, Wade." Kim praised. Wade gave a thumbs up and logged off.

"Can I tag along?" Dylan piped up.

"It's...just…" Kim tried to find the right words to gently deny Dylan's request.

"Yeah, yeah," the other girl dismissed with a flippant gesture. "It's a mission with danger lurkin' at every corner, blah-blah-blah."

"Sorry." the teen hero apologized. Dylan's mouth opened to respond but a pair of strangers walked up to them.

"Hey, you're Bigfoot." The male stranger pointed out. Dylan's eyes narrowed at the odd greeting and was ready to snap back but the female explained.

"What he means is," she elaborated, scowling at the boy. "We saw your run-in with Queen B today and wow, that was a gutsy move."

"Ah, so I pissed off moody royalty." Dylan deduced, smoothly. She shrugged, maintaining an attitude of indifference. "That's probably gonna come back and bite me in the ass."

The male chuckled, the female elbowed him. He cleared his throat. The female's frown reformed into a smile and she outstretched her hand.

"I'm Jenny," she introduced brightly. She nudged her head towards the male. "That's Benny, my brother."

Dylan glanced at the both of them.

"Jenny...and Benny." She repeated, slowly as if anticipating something else. "I suppose there's a surname to that."

"Rositie." Benny confirmed. Dylan snapped her fingers and smiled, bemused. She then shook both their hands with a coy smile.

"There it is." She jeered. "I knew there was going to be a pun somewhere."

Jenny and Benny looked at each other. At the same time, they folded their arms which creeped the Vincible a bit.

"I suppose you got a name yourself, Bigfoot." Benny challenged.

"Dylan." The new girl claimed. "Dylan Vincible."

They stared at each other for a long moment and then, as if on cue, the trio burst into peals of laughter. Kim Possible watched the entire exchange, speechless. When they calmed into amused smiles, Jenny took a glance at the redhead and then at Dylan.

"You've got plans, Vincible?"

Dylan briefly looked at Kim but then at the twins.

"Nah, I don't." She confessed.

"Well, we're goin' to Bueno Nacho." Benny added. "Open invitation."

Dylan pondered it for a bit but her begging stomach decided for her.

"I'm in." She smiled, lopsidedly and brightly. She looked over at Kim. "Good luck, Possible."

Kim watched her bounce away with her new pals. She smiled, grateful to see the joy in Dylan's face.

"So not the drama."

0000

Kim Possible walked through the front door of her home. Another evil plot foiled, another lab blew up, her sidekick lost his pants, a couple of hours of cramming for her Pre-calc test 30,000 feet in the air and some snuggle time with her snoozing BF. No big.

She walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. The light was on and she noticed a bunch of textbooks sprawled out. She recognized them upon closer inspection and they must have been Dylan's...but where was she? She heard a flush from the bathroom, the sound of the door opening and closing.

Dylan lumbered into the kitchen and coughed. She was suddenly aware of Kim's presence. She froze.

"Uh, hello." Dylan greeted, trying to be cheery.

"Doing a bit of late night cramming?" Kim inquired, skeptically. Dylan nodded as she sat back down.

"Just brushin' up."

"At 1 in the morning." Kim droned, evenly. Dylan gave her a funny look but returned to her reading. She flipped a page. Kim rolled her eyes, walked over to a cabinet and picked up a familiar bottle. She also took out a fresh cup and filled it with water. She set both glass and the tub of prenatal vitamins in front of Dylan. The girl looked up at the redhead, shocked. Kim sat down across from her.

"How was Bueno Nacho with the Rositie twins?" Kim inquired.

"Bueno." Dylan curtly stated.

"Dylan," the high school senior scolded. Dylan scowled at her.

"We had a good time," Dylan elaborated, irately. Kim nodded and stared at the several opened books. Dylan returned to studying. She chuckled. "Jenny and Benny Rositie. What a pair."

Kim smiled and rose to her feet, planning to go to sleep. She stopped at the threshold to look at the studious Vincible.

"See, Dylan," Dylan raised her head at the girl. "So not the drama."

She watched the redhead leave the kitchen to go to sleep. Dylan's eyes fell upon the bottle of vitamins and untouched fresh water. She thought for a long time, debating in her head. She scoffed, shutting her books and stacking them for tomorrow. She uncapped the vitamin container, dropped a pill in her hand and placed it back on. She picked up her glass, tossed the vitamin into her mouth. She took a big gulp, swallowing it. She chugged the rest of the water and released a contented sigh. She placed the cup back on the table with a sturdy clack and stood up, heading for the lightswitch.

"Carpe diem."

To be continued.

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