Rating: T (Teen--angst, fighting)

Pairings: Ron/Yori, some Kim/Rick (my OC)

Notes: Kim Possible and her cohorts belong to Disney. All other characters are mine. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com .



Chapter 1 [Three days after “Faceoff”]

After a great Thanksgiving vacation with Kim, her family and his folks, Ron and Yori flew back to Yamanuchi and their daily affairs. With the traditional two week break coming up for both schools, they anticipated a blitz of work and training from their teachers.

In Ron’s case, he had no idea how right they were…..

****


[Sensei’s Office]

As he watched the two teens walk through the gates and back into the school, Sensei scratched his chin. He recalled Hirotaka’s assessment of Ron’s use of the abilities. In addition, he knew Ron still didn’t trust himself especially with his powers and abilities. He glanced to the sky, knowing that the weather had been unusually warm for that time of year. <Perhaps it is time for a test. Stoppable San must gain confidence in himself!>

He unsheathed the kitana and twirled it in the air, admiring how the blade reflected the light. Pondering the ease of the strokes, he nodded. <While I would prefer to let him collect his thoughts, Stoppable San has had enough rest. He needs to trust in himself.> He sheathed the blade and sat down behind his desk once more.

He’d let Ron settle in for a few hours. Then he’d announce the test.


****


[Dojo]

After unpacking, Ron threw his gi on and headed down to the Dojo for a light workout. He picked up a staff and feinted a few times with it, trying to regain some of the smoothness on the motions.

Anything to avoid a punitive meditation session and extra work from Sensei.

Even though the jetlag wore on him, he repeated the motions over and over again. He tried a kick at an imaginary opponent executing it right the first time and falling on his rear end the second. “Man. This stinks!” he complained.

“You push yourself, Stoppable San?” Hirotaka teased as he joined his classmate and friend. “There is a first time for everything.”

“Hi to you too, Hiro. How’s it shaking?” Ron replied while picking himself off of the floor.

“I’m fine. Since my return, I have kept up my skills.” The Japanese ninja popped a stick of gum in his mouth and smirked. “I would challenge you to a duel but you are tired. I can tell.”

Knowing one of his friend’s barbs when he heard it, Ron grinned. “Hey! The Ron-Meister isn’t that tired!”

Hirotaka would never admit it but he had missed the sparring sessions. He grabbed another staff and engaged his friend in their duel. For several minutes, he went bamboo on bamboo with the American before jabbing verbally, “See? I can chew gum and fight you at the same time as you Americans say.”

“That’s walk and chew gum actually,” Ron corrected before swinging his staff again. He watched the other’s eyes and body motions.

As they circled each other, Hirotaka baited, “Sure you aren’t getting a step slow?”

“Nah. Are you?”

Hirotaka feinted one way and forced Ron to overcommit. Then he swung his staff, knocking Ron to the ground again. “That was too easy even for you, my friend.”

“Yeah well, sitting on a plane for fifteen hours will do that to a guy,” Ron covered himself as the other helped him up. He yawned loudly.

“You need sleep, my friend. Come,” Hirotaka advised as they left the area.

 

Chapter 2 [Next Day—Ron’s Room]

After the training sessions, Ron sat with Chippy and Rufus in his room. He reclined on his futon, trying to work the kinks out of his back and legs. That jet lag’s worse than I thought! He stretched and felt his arms tightening up as he did. He winced at the cramping he felt there.

Chippy looked anxiously at him, not understanding what to do.

Rufus assessed the situation and scampered across the hall to Yori’s room. As her door was ajar, he entered to find her reading a book.

“Rufus San?” she asked with concern, knowing that the mole rat wouldn’t just enter her room without a reason. “Is it Ron San?”

“Uh huh. Uh huh,” Rufus agreed while pointing with his paw toward his human’s room.

She followed him into Ron’s room to find her boyfriend stretched out across his futon; his face wrinkled like a prune in discomfort. “What is it, Ron San?”

“Nothing I can’t handle. The ol’ arms are stiff,” he dismissed while slowly standing.

“Let me see,” she urged while pulling up the back of his gi. Touching his back, she could feel the tenseness and knots in his back. “Why is your back like this? You should not have let Hiro talk you into the sparring last night.”

“It’s all good.” Ron winced as she touched the sensitive spots.

“Lie down.” In accordance with the agreement with Sensei, she made sure the door was open. Then she pulled up the back of his gi and massaged the knotted spots, working out the kinks. “Feeling better?”

“Ooh yeah. Keep going,” he agreed, enjoying the moment.

For a couple more minutes, she kneaded and rubbed his back until it felt smoother to the touch. “You should feel better now, Ron San.”

He stretched without the stiffness. “You’re a badical massager.”

She shrugged. “As you Americans say, I aim to please.” Hearing a knock on the door, she turned to find Sensei standing there. <”Master, we did not see you.”>

The two teens bowed quickly to him.

“I know. I am glad you resolved Stoppable San’s issue, Yori.” The old teacher walked into the room, carrying his sheathed kitana under his arm. “I am glad you are both here. While this concerns Stoppable San mainly, I wish you to hear it as well.” He shut the door, insuring their privacy.

“We’re doing what you asked, Master Sensei, with the doors and everything,” Ron insisted.

“I know. Domo, Stoppable San. I appreciate that concern. Actually, I have a mission for you alone,” Sensei revealed.

Ron’s eyes went wide. “For just me? But, Sensei, I’m not….”

“Not ready?” Sensei finished the sentence. “Stoppable San, you have more inner strength and ability than you realize. Perhaps it is because of your partnership with Kim Possible but you look to others to take charge while you follow. Only as a last resort do you engage the enemy.”

“Because KP and everyone else are better fighters than I am, Master,” Ron pointed out.

“Only because you hold back, Ron San,” she chimed in. “I have told you several times to have confidence in yourself. You have the tai-sheng-pek-kwar. You defeated Monkey Fist for the second time last month. While a warrior strives for peaceful resolution to matters, you should also hone your abilities.” She bowed to Sensei. “Forgive me for interrupting you, Master.”

Sensei shook her off. “No apology needed. You told him what he needed to hear. Stoppable San, you must master your fear and control yourself. Learn to be self-reliant and use all of your skills. Remember, iron must pass through the flame to be hardened and become steel,” Sensei admonished while drawing his kitana. “The best blade passes through flame over a thousand times, is folded and cooled in the snows surrounding us. Prepare. I wish you to leave within the hour. And you will do this alone. You will leave your communicator device behind with Yori as well.”

“Alone? I can’t go up against other ninjas or anything without help!” Ron protested, feeling really scared by this point.

“I do not wish for you to confront an external enemy, Stoppable San.” He pointed to the younger man’s forehead. “Your enemy is in there. You must master your fear and accept your power. Then you will be ready to be the Chosen One.” Seeing the confusion on Ron’s face still there, Sensei sighed, “When you returned here last summer, you told me you wished to stop being the clown. The reason you are so, Stoppable San, is that your fear handicaps you, binding you so that you cannot fight. When you do fight, you are still fighting yourself even as you face the opponent. As you Americans say, a house divided upon itself cannot stand.”

While he wanted to argue further, Ron knew it would be of no use. He knew that he needed to earn his place at the ninja school continuously. “What is it you wish me to do?”

“I wish you to spend a week in the forest at our mountain’s base. You must survive, fending off the land. As you do so, I wish you to meditate on what I have said and confront your fears. I think if you do these things for yourself, you will see that you do not give yourself enough credit.” He motioned into the hall where Ayoki waited.

The other ninja student set a grey knapsack and a grey blanket down on the floor and left quickly.

“What’s in there?” Ron asked.

“There are a few things to assist you, Stoppable San. As I said, you will leave within the hour. I have confidence in you.” With that, he departed from the room.

Ron slumped on his bed dejectedly. “Aw man! I’ll never be able to do this!”

She comforted him. “You can do this, Ron San. I know you can.”

“He just doesn’t get it, Yori.”

“To use your American-style assessment, Sensei ‘gets it’. He senses your hidden strength and warm heart. Use both. And even if I cannot be there in person, you are in my thoughts,” she assured him before kissing him gently on the lips.

“I wish I felt the same way,” he expressed.

“He has given this task to you. I trust you with it as well. I wish I were going with you but Sensei wishes otherwise. Come. You should eat before you leave,” she affirmed positively.

****


[An hour later—Yamanuchi’s front gates]

After eating one of Nooni’s quickest prepared meals ever, Ron stood in the school’s open gateway and stared anxiously out at the rope bridge and the mists beyond. For early December, the air felt warm to him. Still, he knew from living in Colorado that the weather could change in a heartbeat. Storms and other dangers could appear suddenly.

And that was on the outside. From Sensei’s words, he anticipated having to confront his own fears in one way or another. Monkey nightmares! Just what I need.

“You are set then, Ron San?” Yori asked while trying to keep a brave front for his benefit.

“Oh yeah. You know me. The Ron-Meister’ll deal with whatever comes up. No problem.” He batted his hand in the air to dismiss his own fears.

“Remember that Sensei thinks that as well. I wish I could be with you. Be safe,” she wished before kissing him again.

He smiled, feeling warmed by the gesture. “Thanks.” He looked at Rufus and Chippy. “You two take care of each other and Yori, all right? I’ll be back soon.”

Rufus nodded dejectedly, wanting to be with Ron during this trial.

Chippy moodily did the same thing.

After one last hug for his GF, Ron turned and walked down the path. He disappeared into the mists before he reached the passage entrance on the other side.

She frowned, knowing that something was waiting for him down below. <Please be safe, Ron San!>



Chapter 3
[Sunset—Valley below]

Ron walked anxiously through the twilight woods, not knowing what to expect. He glanced back at the mountain for the fifth time, wishing he could run back up there. However, he knew he couldn’t do that.

As with other ninja students, he had to prove himself to Sensei and to himself as well.

He could see the road rendezvous spot where the car would pick up and drop off folks heading for Tokyo. But he couldn’t go that far either.

Sensei made sure he didn’t have any money in the pack. That was the first thing he checked while in the passageway.

What Ron did have on his side though was the Camp Wannaweep survival training. While anything related to his childhood nightmare made him cringe, he knew he’d have to draw on it to survive the week. At least Nooni cooked me a cool meal. Gotta find shelter. Come on, Ron! Think!

He surveyed the woods and found a pine tree with thick branches hanging down to within a foot and a half of the grass. Crawling under the protective canopy, he brushed the brown needles aside, insuring that there weren’t any crawly things to spook him out any worse.

The wind suddenly shifted from the south to the northwest, bringing a chill with it.

He glanced up into the darkening sky to see thickening clouds coming from the northwest as well.

“Why did Sensei do this to ME?” he whined before dragging the knapsack and blanket under cover with himself. At least he had the parka and the blanket to help keep him warm. Fishing through the backpack, he found a jack knife, two flints, a safety pin, a large garbage bag and some rope. “Aw man! He could’ve shown some love an’ food!”

He sulked in the midst of the stuff, trying to recall what to do with it. For a good hour, he pondered that thought.

Then the rain started, not too heavily but enough to drip through the pine needles’ protective canopy.

“Great.” Feeling the temperature sinking fast, he rolled himself in the blanket and threw the garbage bag over his head. Admittedly, he still felt tired from the previous day’s flight. He let himself drift off.

****

 

[Dreamscape]

Ron heard a series of loud screeching cries back and forth in the jungle. “Now what?” He opened his eyes and dropped his jaw.

From above his head and under the branches, eight monkeys charged his positions, screaming angrily at him.

“Not again!” he complained, rushing out into the wet and cold night. Around him, a thick fog hugged the ground, covering both his movements and his pursuers’. For the rest of the night, he tried to find a hiding place and then another.

And every time, the hairy pests would drive him out of it.

“AAAHHHHHH!!!!!” he screamed.


****


[Sensei’s sanctum]

Despite Ron’s feelings of abandonment, Sensei monitored his progress telepathically. He had been pleased by Ron’s use of the pine tree as cover. Furthermore, the use of the garbage bag as a rain guard surprised him in a good way.

However, the vibrations from Ron’s dreamscape dimmed these hopes. The young man had barely been on the vision quest for a few hours. Already, his terror drove his dream self to flight.

<Stoppable San will have to face these fears before he can return. I pray he can do so. Already the elements conspire against him.> Sensei studied the overcast night sky and rain. He sensed that Winter was about to rear its ugly head against his student.

<”The sooner you can accomplish your task, the sooner you can come back. May you do so quickly,”> the teacher hoped.



Chapter 4 [Next Morning]
[Dojo]

As the rain fell heavily in the courtyard outside, Sensei moved the exercises indoors to the Dojo. Because the area only allowed half of the students to work out at a time, he split them into two groups and required each student to come to only one workout per day.

Rather than mope and hang her head with worry, Yori threw herself into both workout sessions. With Sensei’s permission, she continued to tweak her fighting moves both with and without the fans. From her confrontation with Monkey Fist, she had not been prepared to deal with the villain or his minions. It was something she aimed to rectify with practice.

<”You are so serious,”> Hirotaka declared while breaking off his own session.

<”I was not prepared against Monkey Fist. If I am separated from my fans again, I wish to be ready,”> she asserted while feinting a kick.

<”You might master another weapon,”> he suggested. <”And keep an eye open at all times.”>

<”I am always on guard!”> she snapped at him.

Sensei interrupted, <”That is enough, Hirotaka. While it is a valid point, there was nothing Yori could have done other than what she did.”>

“Hai, Sensei Sama,” Hirotaka concurred before departing from the area.

<”I did not wish to start an argument, Master,”> she pointed out.

Sensei nodded. <”I know. He seeks to get under your skin. You are already moving in the right manner.”>

<”Any word on Ron San?”> she requested.

<”He is already dealing with his fears. As you face your issues, so he must face his. He has already adjusted to the weather,”> he informed her. <”Please let Rufus San know.”>

“Hai. Domo, Sensei,” she agreed while bowing to him and then leaving.
 

****


[Tree Shelter]

Ron sat up, almost jumping back into reality. As his head brushed against the pine boughs above it, he realized that he was still in his shelter. “What’s the sitch? I was being chased by the evil monkeys! They’re EVIL!” He shuddered under the covers and looked around warily for signs of his nemeses.

It was a dream, Stoppable San, Sensei advised him telepathically.

“Sensei?” Ron asked hesitantly. Then he saw his mentor’s image appear. “Thought you forgot about me out here.”

“I would do no such thing, Stoppable San. You have kept yourself warm and dry for the first night. Most impressive. I wanted to speak to you about your dreams. They are a reflection of your fear. Until you face the fear, you will remain in limbo much as you are now,” Sensei continued. “Remember how you defeated Monkey Fist? Do the same. Face your demons. Use the tai-sheng-pek-kwar on them.”

“I can use that stuff in a dream?” Ron asked incredulously.

“Just as I can talk to you, so you can do that in the dreamscape. It is a part of you so you will have the use of it in your dream. It is your dream, Stoppable San. Until you deal with it, it will keep coming back. Consider that,” Sensei noted while fading out.

“Deal with it?” Ron wondered wide-eyed. He felt his stomach growling. “Great. I’m hungry and no food.” Hearing Sensei’s words from a minute earlier, he decided to confront his hunger first and foremost. Untying one of his boots, he stretched the shoe lace on the ground. Then he bent the safety pin into a hook. Having that in place, he headed for the water’s edge looking for a thick enough branch to finish a fishing pole with.

With that in hand, he’d have the tools to catch something other than a cold in those conditions.




Chapter 5 [That afternoon—Middleton HS]

Fresh off of Thanksgiving weekend, the seniors muddled their way through their classes, already counting down the days until the holiday break. Not unexpectedly, the morning dragged for them.

Kim hit her locker prior to Barkin’s art history class. She had a funny feeling about Ron. She knew that if anything had happened to the plane, Wade would’ve been all over it. But she still worried for some reason. You can check on the screen. Let Barkin deal with it!

“Hey!” Rick greeted.

She smiled at her BF. “What brings you this way, Mr. Trouseau?”

“I wonder what would?” he chuckled. While he wanted to hold hands or kiss her, he definitely didn’t want to get busted by Barkin’s PDA radar. “You seemed jumpy in homeroom.”

“Yeah. I just want to know that Ron and Yori made it okay. They didn’t buzz or anything,” she indicated.

“Maybe Sensei has them already training to catch up on their drills? We’ll see them on screen in the next class.” He rubbed her shoulder. “It’s okay to worry.”

“Yeah but not be all paranoid. We’re going to be so late if we don’t hurry,” she told him before closing the locker door. “Come on.”

They headed to the class room, sliding into their seats mere seconds before the bell.

Barkin eyed them both. “Cutting it close, aren’t we?”

“Sorry, Mr. B., we did get here before the bell. We won’t cut it so close again,” she apologized.

The vice-principal arched an eyebrow, knowing better than to buy that apology. While Kim wasn’t a problem student, her need to balance her crime fighting and school life would sometimes leave her pushing the limits of luck and time management. “Fine, Possible.” He turned the TV on, looking at Sensei and the Yamanuchi students. “We’re here, Mr. Sensei.”

“Domo. How was your Thanksgiving weekend?” Sensei asked.

“I’m sure everyone had a good weekend all things being equal.” Barkin studied the screen and saw Ron’s empty seat. “Where’s Stoppable? I had a special project I wanted him to work on.”

“Stoppable San is working on an extra special project for me, Barkin Sama. Rest assured, he is keeping up on the reading.” Sensing Kim’s concern, he continued, “Everything is in order here.”

Kim scratched her chin. While she wouldn’t normally discount Sensei’s assessment, she saw the anxiousness in Yori’s eyes for some reason. Call it feminine intuition but she knew there was something going on across the Pacific. Now what? While she didn’t want to make a scene in front of the two classes, she decided to check on things in a couple of days if she didn’t hear from Ron in that time.




Chapter 6 [That night—Tree Shelter]

Ron wiped his face off on his sleeve and considered the smoldering remains of the fire in the damp conditions outside. His luck with the fish pole turned out to be as good as with the shelter, netting a good sized fish from the river. After nearly losing his appetite over the cleaning process, he managed to clean the fish according to the Wannaweep methods and cook it on a stick in kabob style.

Then he made sure to bury the remains away from the camp so that he wouldn’t have a visitor during the night.

As he curled up under the plastic and blanket, he thought about the class and workouts he’d missed from that day. Normally, it was no secret that he didn’t like schoolwork. Yet he did like working with the two classes of friends exchanging ideas back and forth. Stupid monkeys! If not for them, I wouldn’t be here!

With that, he closed his eyes and drifted off again…..


****



[Dreamscape]

Ron’s eyes snapped open upon hearing the angry screeching noises once again. He sat up and focused on the approaching noises. Confront the fear and you can get out of here, Dude! He heard a rustling in the branches above and managed to roll toward the entrance.

As he did, a monkey landed hard on the ground, knocking itself out after a jump from the top branch.

He made it outside to find himself surrounded by five more hairy attackers. He took a deep breath and remembered Sensei’s advice anew. If it is part of you, you can call on it in the dream. He held his hand out. “Magic sword!”

The Lotus Blade appeared in the hand before switching shape to a staff.

Ron assumed first position waiting for his opponents’ first strike.

Within seconds, they obliged him.

Before they could, his staff whizzed through the air, halving their numbers in one stroke. Then, almost like a pool cue, the end struck a third one in the stomach.

“Get away from me!” Ron snapped before connecting with the fourth monkey’s upper back and finishing it off with a punch to the face. “Ooh yeah! Who’s bad now?”

The remaining attackers flanked him before jumping at once.

Ron let them land on him before using the spinning technique to send them flying.

The monkeys hit a tree each and slumped unconscious to the ground.

“OOH YEAH! I’M BAD! YOU’RE SAD!” Ron chanted at his opponents. “I DID IT! I DID IT!”

Rather than get up, the six monkeys vanished into thin air.

“They’re gone?” he asked not knowing what was going on. Despite being in the dream, he felt tired by the skirmish. He ducked back into his shelter, curled up in his bundle and fell asleep there as well.

 

Chapter 7 [Two Days Later—Yamanuchi]

Yori rushed toward Sensei’s office with concern. She knew he didn’t summon students there right before morning workout without a dire reason. <What happened to Ron San?>

Riding in the pouch hanging on her sash, Rufus wondered the same thing.

She knocked on the door.

<”Enter please,”> Sensei bade.

<”I came as soon as I could,”> she explained while setting Rufus on the nearest chair’s armrest. <”Did something happen last night?”>

He nodded. “Hai.” <”Stoppable San has passed the second test, Yori Chan.”>

<”So he can come back?”> she asked hopefully.

He put up two fingers. <”He has two more tests to pass. Those will come by tonight.”> He glanced out the window toward the mists and the woods beneath them. Sensing his visitors’ nervousness, he assured them, <”Stoppable San is more capable than either of you or even he realizes. It is my hope that he discovers this for himself.”> As the gong sounded in the courtyard, he added, <”I will see you shortly for drills. Thank you for coming so quickly.”>

<”It was our honor to do so,”> she agreed as she and Rufus bowed to him before leaving.

Sensei glanced out the window once again. Perhaps, he should have brought Ron back on that day. However, given that the student was exceeding even his own standards for the exercise, he decided to let things proceed for another twenty-four hours at least. <”May you gain confidence from this exercise, Stoppable San. Tonight, you will need more than the Lotus Blade.”>

With that, he left the sanctum. Even as he headed toward the courtyard, he had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. <If he wants to succeed as a ninja, Stoppable San will need to deal with misfortune and adjust accordingly!>



Chapter 8
[That afternoon]

Ron washed the soot off of his face at the water’s edge and studied his new shelter. After the wind kicked up that afternoon, he’d lost the previous one (along with a substantial part of that tree) as embers from his campfire burned the bottom portion of the branches. After a momentary panic, he’d dumped the gear from his backpack and used it to haul water.

Fortunately, the damp conditions kept the fire under control allowing him to deal with it before it spread to any other tree.

“Why does this happen to me?” he complained while rubbing his forehead. Feeling frustrated, he threw his things back in the pack and picked up his blanket. His garbage bag had been lost in the fire. “Great.” He rolled his eyes and headed off downstream looking for another shelter.

He tried several suitable trees but to no avail, finding bugs and other “surprises” under them and making him jump away for his own safety. “Geez!”

Two hours later, he found a tree with shelter and no “roommates”. He quickly set up his blanket and went out to fish for dinner, hoping that the water’s residents were as cooperative as their buddies upstream.

As he waited for results, he pondered the day’s disaster. Granted, he would need to ask Sensei if he could plant a pine sapling or something to make up for the damaged tree. Still, all in all, he did get off pretty lightly. His backpack, things and blanket had been out with him. He also wasn’t responsible for a major forest fire. The foggy cover would obscure the smoke from the school and all but Sensei, thus sparing him Hirotaka’s good-intentioned gibes on the matter. “Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. The Ron Man’s still got it.” He blushed as he reminded himself that a little caution might not be such a bad thing when picking a place for the night’s campfire.

Almost in response, the line went taunt. He pulled and yanked supper out of the water.

“Boo yeah! I eat well tonight! Who’s your Daddy?” he crowed, trying to pick up his spirits.


****


[Four hours later]

After the afternoon’s respite, the rain returned that evening, soaking everything in sight. While the branches of the new shelter were thicker (and reinforced by other branches Ron had found), water still dripped down through them, managing to target Ron’s head no matter which way he moved to avoid it.

“Ow! Quit it!” he complained, already missing the garbage bag’s protection. He pulled the damp blanket over his head and closed his eyes.

And with that, the last test began……

****

[Dreamscape]

Ron opened his eyes. His hair stood on end and he heard a loud and all too familiar bellow of challenge approaching his encampment. He huddled under his blanket, shaking like a leaf. “AHH!”

At that moment, the protective branches were ripped away by four giant hands.

Before they could grab him, Ron managed to scramble away from them. As he cleared the now-ruined shelter, he griped. “Man! Not another one! How am I gonna explain this to Sensei?” He stared in absolute horror at the two opponents.

Flanking him were the two gorillas dressed in the samurai armor from the “Gorilla Fist” mission. Just as they were at that point, the two simians were angry and looking to do him bodily harm. “KP! Yori! HELP! Run! Gotta run!”

However, there was no where for him to run for the gorillas had cut him off.

He trembled with wide eyes. His teeth abused his fingernails, working them over much as they would kernels on an ear of corn. He knew there was no escape and he was truly alone.

Then Sensei’s words came to him once more. If it is a part of you, you can use it in the test. Face your fear.

“Face my….?” Ron asked as he just managed to avoid a swipe from one of the gorillas’ fists.

Another grabbed at the back of his pants, tearing those as he avoided that.

“HEY! ALL RIGHT, THAT’S IT!” Ron growled. His embarrassment overcame the fear. He concentrated, somehow grasping his solution lay with what he feared most: his monkey nature and related powers.

As he did so, the scene took on a cobalt blue sheen. His eyes narrowed. He floated a good foot off of the ground.

A confident almost cocky smirk crossed his face.

He waved the two gorillas forward in challenge. Forgetting everything except his training and the fight at hand, he wove and dodged, letting his enemies tire themselves out.

When he was ready, he delivered a devastating blow to one gorilla, striking in the glow of the monkey discharge and its angry screech.

The second gorilla howled in rage at its unconscious companion’s misfortune. He charged the human foe.

Ron barely touched the second one; his powers’ discharge sending that one flying back into a tree. “Had enough?”

The hairy adversary staggered to its feet and bellowed another challenge.

Before it could charge again, Ron moved in and finished it as he had its friend: a hard blow to the face.

As with the monkeys from two nights earlier, the two gorillas disappeared from the scene.

Ron took a deep breath and relaxed, subduing the tai-sheng-pek-kwar once more. “I…I did it. I did it! YES!” He pumped his fist toward the sky. “I’M BAD! YEAH!”

Almost in response, a white blob hit him in the head from above.

“Fine! Be that way! I still did smash monkey!” he retorted defiantly to the bird up above before heading for the river. He washed the mess from his hair before settling back on the blanket. “Now maybe I can get some sleep.”

With that, he settled back on his blanket and closed his eyes…..




Chapter 9
[Middleton HS]

Kim stood at her locker feeling like a used dishrag. Since the kidnapping by Monkey Fist, all had been really quiet. She had tensed, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

At that moment, the Kimmunicator beeped at her. She turned it on, hoping for an adventure or something to get her mind off of things. “Go, Wade.”

“Hi, Kim. Heard anything from Ron?” Wade inquired.

She quirked an eyebrow, wondering what was going on. For much of the last week, her best friend’s seat in the virtual classroom had been empty. “Maybe you should beep Yori?”

“I have. She only says he’s on a retreat of some kind. I guess it’s between him and Sensei,” he guessed.

She felt a pang of anxiety shooting up and down her spine. What are they doing to Ron now? During the rescue from the mountain top lair, she’d noticed how drained Ron was. In addition, despite his cockiness, she noted Hirotaka eyeing Ron guardedly. “Weird. I’ll beep Yori. Thanks, Wade.”

“Want me to let you know when I find something?”

She smiled. “Please and thank you.” With that, she terminated the connection and grabbed two books to take home. Slamming her locker door shut, she sighed, “What next?”

“Hey, K,” Bonnie greeted with her usual sarcasm.

Kim winced. I had to open my big mouth. AUGH! She took a deep breath and turned around to face her rival. “I’m in kind of a hurry, Bonnie.”

Bonnie shrugged coolly, putting on her best aloof air. “Some of us were wondering where Stoppable’s been. Maybe things are too rough for him?”

Kim’s cheeks flushed crimson. Flashes of emerald sparked angrily from her eyes. “Mr. Sensei has Ron working on a special project. I’m sure he’ll be back in class soon. At least, Ron can deal with being there and keeping up here too.”

“Sure, K. Wish we could ask Sensei how the LOSER’s really doing. Think of talking to your replacement?” Bonnie suggested.

Kim clenched her fists. “First of all, Yori is not my replacement. Secondly, they’re still in evening classes right now. If there’s a bad sitch, she’ll let me know.”

“Do that, Kim. Later!”

Why is she such a jerk? Kim closed her backpack and started down the hall.

“Hey, girl,” Monique greeted.

“Hey, Monique,” Kim replied wearily.

“You really shouldn’t let her get to you.” Monique shifted her eyes. “Is there any word on Ron?”

“No. Wade just beeped me with that sitch. I’m worried.”

“Hey, if you weren’t worried about him, I’d be worried about you, girl. Look, maybe we should hit CB for a little while? Fall line just came in,” Monique suggested.

“I did get that babysitting money yesterday. Let’s go,” Kim agreed.

“Girlfriend, you won’t regret it!” Monique vowed while they headed out toward the parking lot.