"Do you need me to ask you again, son?"
Ron nodded, his facial expression frozen in one of shock.
"Okay," the Business man sighed, kneeling down to Ron's level and resting his elbows on a desk, hands pushing against his cheeks. "Do you want to be the CEO of Bueno Nacho?"
Bueno Nacho Headquarters
April 16, 2007: 9:21PM
"Ask me again!" Ron spat out in a panic, craning his ear towards the Businessman's mouth.
"Um, okay, this is getting weird," the Businessman moaned. Pursing his lips, he whispered that succulent offer again, "Do you want to be the CEO of Bueno Nacho?"
Having been the sole customer worldwide to complain about Bueno Nacho's policy of "no more bendy straws," in addition to being the inventor of the Naco, in addition to being part of the team that usurped Drakken from his cushy office chair on the top floor…
…also understanding that many of the top executives had been removed from the office after Drakken's hostile takeover of the fast food chain…
…Ron Stoppable was the perfect candidate. At least to the oblivious businessman who needed to make a move fast.
"Ask me again…?" Ron asked, fingers twitching in excitement.
Middleton, Colorado
April 17, 2007: 7:05AM
"CEO of Bueno Nacho…" Ron said to himself dreamily while walking alongside Kim on their way to school.
Kim opened her mouth to say something when all of a sudden Ron struck a pose as if he was about to engage in a battle.
"CEO OF BUENO NACHO!" Ron shouted breathlessly, tearing into a run that sent him scampering up a tree.
"What are you going to say to them?" Kim asked as Ron somersaulted out of the tree and back to her side.
"CEO of Bueno Nacho, KP!" Ron said to Kim in that adorable childlike tone of his.
"Riiiiight," Kim sighed. "But did you say, yes?"
"Oh! Uh…not exactly," Ron admitted finally, the stars disappearing out of his eyes. "Seems like a big commitment and I don't know if I'd be able to hang out with you as much anymore."
"Hang out?" Kim said a little cross. "Ron, we're dating."
Blink.
Ron snapped and pointed at Kim, "I was a little nervous about calling it that so I'm glad you gave it a name."
Kim smiled. Classic Ron. Always a little too careful about these kind of things.
"So…" Kim said flirtatiously, grabbing onto his hand. "You want to go to Bueno Nacho after school?"
"I don't know, KP, those guys are going to be watching me like a hawk, I feel like going to Bueno Nacho is a bad idea," Ron sighed, pausing as a light bulb went off in his head. "Y'know, I bet Ned's in cahoots with them…"
"I mean, he does work for them," Kim laughed.
"Oh my gosh, you're right!" Ron exclaimed. "Ned's a Plant! He's just minding the story while waiting for me to eventually slip up, it's so obvious!"
Kim could only raise her eyebrows in response.
"Too much?" Ron cringed. Kim nodded. "Sorry, uh—to be honest, KP, I gotta do something right after school but I'm definitely down for some dateage tonight."
A plan that didn't involve her? Felix?
"What's your sitch, Ron?" Kim asked.
"Um—hahah—you're not gonna like this."
Middleton Prison
April 17, 2007: 3:56PM
Ron was sitting in the Prison's Visitation Center, face to face with the bad doctor himself: Dr. Drakken clad in an orange jumpsuit.
"Take care of my baby when you receive her," Drakken sobbed. Ron was shocked at the emotion Drakken was pouring out at him, well, he didn't know why he was shocked really this was pretty standard for Drakken.
"I'm gonna be honest, Doc, I don't think you gave Bueno Nacho the TLC it really needed." Ron said while grinding his teeth. "You took away the bendy straws AND Naco Night!"
"Ahhhh, but you still had the meal you'd get from the Naco Night promotion, right?" Drakken said smugly, crossing his arms.
Ron leaned forward, jabbing a finger into the glass separating the two of them, then immediately retracted it. "Yes," Ron admitted sadly.
"I rest my case," Drakken smirked.
Ron slouched in his chair, his butt sliding to the very edge of it.
"Be straight with me, do you think I'd be a good CEO?" Ron asked.
"Is that a serious question?" Drakken raised an eyebrow.
"Man…" Ron sighed, covering his face with his hands.
"Of course, I only removed the bendy straws to pour money into the Hephaestus Project," Drakken said like a thespian in a particularly juicy role. "Too caught up in my villainy to serve the best customers in the world..."
"Dr. Drakken?" Ron pushed himself up in his chair.
"Don't be me," Drakken said with the oil of Olivier.
A paper landed in Ron's lap. He picked it up and on it was a list of ways to take care of Bueno Nacho. Ron's eyes scrolled up to Drakken who was rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Email every employee every week to see how they're doing?" Ron read out loud.
Drakken looked at him very seriously.
"You did care," Ron responded in wonder.
Drakken bowed his head as if he were praying to the Big Guy Up in the Sky.
"Yes."
Bueno Nacho
April 17, 2007: 8:32PM
Ron had been picking at his nachos for a long time, barely participating in conversation with Kim.
"Um…so…how was Drakken?" Kim had asked.
"Inspiring," Ron said while wiping a tear from his eye. An awkward silence followed that.
Kim tentatively put her hand on top of Ron's. His face immediately went scarlet at her touch. This whole dating sitch between them was going to take a while to get used to.
"What can I say to help you, Ron?" Kim asked seriously.
"I don't know…" Ron muttered. "I just want to do missions and stuff with you, KP, honestly."
"I mean—that's totally cool, Ron. You don't have to take the job then," Kim smiled, caressing Ron's hand.
"But—what if—" Ron said, starting to sweat. "What if the new guy doesn't love Bueno Nacho like Drakken did?!"
"Drakken?" Kim blurted out. "Not you?"
"Nah, in terms of caring I'm giving myself a solid B- compared to Drakken's A+," Ron shrugged. "But you know what it's like with a lot of those guys in the big fancy hats, KP. They're all D-'s."
Kim frowned. This was really getting to him.
"Hey, if you don't like the new CEO you could always use their 800 line to leave a comment or concern," Kim said gently.
Ron considered this, scratching his chin.
"I like that…or….Kim! I got it!" Ron declared, grabbing Kim by the arm excitedly. "I take the job and—wait wait, no, this is good, hear me out—I bring back Naco Night!"
Kim stared at him in utter disbelief.
"Then I fall on my sword after a day," Ron explained. "I resign in good graces and Naco Night is back! Everyone saves $2.54 on their orders!"
"Weeeeell…" Kim sighed, trying to collect her thoughts. "What the heck, I'll support you on this! Let's do it."
Ron smiled, this was a foolproof scheme that was going to save the world the way he saw it. He leaned in for a kiss with Kim, a kiss that would have been there second, but stopped when he saw an angry look in her eyes. "KP?"
After a second Ron realized this was the face she made when she was getting her head in the game. Kim scooped up her plate and tossed it like a Frisbee across the room.
CRACK!
Kim's plate collided with the counter's phone chord, snapping it in two. Ned stared in disbelief, now holding a disconnected phone. Kim and Ron stared at him for a long time, and then suddenly, Ned made a break for it, hopping over the front counter and heading for the door.
"Somebody stop that man!" Ron shouted, "He's going to ruin Naco Night!"
Fortunately, Brick Flagg was standing at the entrance at the time and was able to grab onto Ned in the nick of time, holding him against his will.
Ron and Kim walked by Ned cautiously, Ron and Ned staring daggers at each other.
"You'll never get away with this, Ron," Ned hissed.
Kim patted Ron's back, urging him to stay silent as they passed by. The second they were out the door, they made their way to the pay phone outside. It was time for Ron to make history.
Middleton, Colorado
April 20, 2007: 7:11AM
Kim and Ron were once again walking to school together, hand in hand with each other.
Beep-beep-de-beep!
"What's the Sitch, Wade?" Kim said as she whipped out the Kimmunicator.
"I got a call for you from Middleton Prison. You want me to patch it through?"
"Sure," Kim shrugged, not seeing the harm.
"Hello, Kimberly Ann," Drakken said, but something seemed off. Gone was his usual villainous demeanor, in fact, it sounded like he had just been crying. "I just wanted to say—what—um—what's his name again?"
"Oh come on! We JUST talked!" Ron cried out.
"Whatever," Drakken spat. "What you did yesterday was the most beautiful, noble thing I've ever seen. The way you fell on your sword right after re-instating Naco Night…breathtaking."
"Thanks, Dad," Ron responded quickly. Blush. "Um…I mean—"
Kim laughed and smooched him on the cheek. Ron's face grew ever redder.
"He's a good man, Kimberly Ann," Drakken continued without skipping a beat. "I approve of your—erm—partnership, take care of him."
"Um—sure?" Kim cringed. She looked over to Ron to see him crying.
"And—um—guy—uh, the heck with it. Son?" Drakken asked delicately, not wanting to overstep.
Ron wiped his sleeve against his eye. "S-son's okay. What's the Sitch?"
"Don't hurt her."