A/N: Welcome to the second chapter of my entry for Stormchaser90's contest. I'm not sure if I can get it done by the deadline, but I'm going to do my best. I'm actually writing it by the seat of my pants. While the idea for this story is something I've been toying with for some time, I haven't actually come up with a plot. So, I'm going to be basically winging it. Hopefully, I can come up with something viable. By any chance, how many of you realized where my main inspiration for this story has come from? Anyway, enjoy this next chapter.
I.
"And even though Thomas Roy Laser is now on the run, the police want to thank you for uncovering his scheme" Wade finished.
"Thanks, Wade" Kim said into the Kimmunicator as she and Ron were in driving in the Sloth "It's nice to know that crooked toymaker's con is finished".
"You know, I got to admit" Ron pointed out "While I'm disgusted that he would misuse toys like he did and wasted talent that put him in the same league as Nakasumi, Thomas did have a very clever idea. I mean, having his toys hypnotize the people who bought them to rob their own houses and bring their belongings to him? Who would've suspected something like that?"
"Yeah" Kim agreed "If you hadn't seen Hana trying to steal your sofa after your parents bought her that new doll, he probably would've gotten away with it".
"Let me tell you" Ron shook his head "Fighting over a couch with a super ninja baby isn't as easy as you'd think".
"I'd imagine not" Kim said as she looked at her boyfriend with a raised eyebrow before looking towards Wade's image "Keep us up to date on the search for Thomas and let us know if the police need our help finding him".
"Well, they said they've got it covered, but I'll let them know if they need us, we'll be there" Wade replied before the Kimmunicator winked out.
"So" Kim said to her boyfriend with a smile "Ready for another day at Go City University?"
"Oh, you know it, KP!" Ron said jubilantly "I've got a big exam in cooking class today, and I intend to wow them! What's on your agenda?"
"Cheer practice this afternoon" Kim replied. "I gotta say, I'm glad that I managed to get on the squad, seeing as how their standards are higher than Middleton High's".
"Oh yeah, things have been smooth sailing since we both got accepted to GCU" Ron said as he reclined back with his arms behind his head "So far, this has been the best year of our lives! I can't see any way this could turn sour for us."
Unbeknownst to the pair, as they were driving down a turn, the bushes besides the road parted a bit, as if allowing view of them to be seen. After they had disappeared down the road, the bushes closed back up.
II.
Upon arriving at GCU, Kim and Ron walked around the campus for a bit before it was time for them to go to their separate classes.
"I'll see you after practice" Kim said after she and Ron gave a parting hug "Let me know how your exam in Cooking goes".
"Oh, you can count on it, KP" Ron said with a nod before he and Kim walked off in different directions. "Well, Rufus" he said to the naked mole rat in his pocket "Looks like another usual day at GCU".
"Uh huh" Rufus agreed with a nod. Suddenly, his whiskers twitched, like he felt that he and Ron were being watched. Looking to the side, Rufus saw nothing. Figuring it was just his imagination, Rufus settled down into Ron's pocket to relax. What he didn't know was that his senses were sharper than he thought, for he and Ron were being followed at a distance by someone…or something.
III.
The day went by like clockwork and pretty soon, it was afternoon. Kim and her fellow members on the cheer squad were walking out onto the field for practice.
"So" one of the members asked Kim "How's it feel to be reserve cheer captain?"
"Pretty good" Kim replied with a shrug "I know I'm used to being captain from back in High School, but I had to work my way up to it back then. I'm okay with doing it again".
"Okay, girls" the captain, Para fection said to the team "Let's work on that routine we started last week" she turned to Kim "Kim, I'm going to need you on point for our portion".
"You can count on it, Para" Kim nodded.
Off to the side, a strange figure was watching from the shadows behind the stands, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
Half an hour later, practice was over.
"Not bad, team" Para clapped her hands in approval "Of course we could stand to refine our timing a bit. Nevertheless, nice job today, you can hit the showers".
As the girls walked back to the locker room, Kim walked over to the refreshment stand to get a drink, Para also there.
"You were pretty good out there, Kim" Para said proudly "I can see how you were the cheer captain at your high school".
"Thanks, Para" Kim said as she filled a cup from the barrel "It took a lot of work to get there though".
"And yet you're already on the fast track to becoming head cheerleader here" Para joked "Still, don't expect me to surrender my position so quickly".
"That's okay, Pera" Kim said as she walked around Para to sit and relax on the side of the table "You can be captain for as long as you want. I'm in no hurry. I'm sure my chance will come sooner or later".
Unbeknownst to the pair, someone's else's chance had just come. With Kim and Para not looking, the mysterious figure who had been waiting in the shadows crept up to the table. With Kim's back turned, she didn't see the figure push the drink dispenser forward, causing it to fall directly onto Para!
"AAAAAHHHHH!" A terrible, painful scream emitted, causing Kim to turn her head and the cheerleaders in the locker room to race back out and see the drink dispenser crushing Para.
"Oh my gosh, Para!" One of the cheerleaders cried as three others lifted the barrel off her "Are you okay?"
"No" she whimpered while clutching her knee "I think my knee is broken".
"Call a teacher!" One cheerleader said to another "We've got to get her to the hospital!"
"Para, what happened?" A member of the squad said while she and another were helping the captain up.
"I'm not sure" Para said as she was carried off "Kim and I were having a drink when suddenly the barrel just fell on top of me".
"Just fell on top of her, huh?" One of the remaining cheerleaders said when Para was gone before looking in Kim's direction, the others following suit.
"Wait, you think I did that to her?" Kim asked in shock.
"You tell us, reserve cheer captain" One of the members said with folded arms "Now that Para is gone, you're acting cheer captain until further notice".
Kim gasped in shock "Wait, are you suggesting that I injured Pera so I could take her place? That's crazy! I didn't do it!"
"Can anyone prove it?" The accusing cheer leader continued "You were the only one out here with Pera. You had the perfect opportunity and a motive. Perhaps you didn't want to go through what you had to do to become cheer captain at your high school and decided to take a short cut".
Kim's jaw couldn't have fallen any lower "I would never do something low-down and despicable! That would be more something my rival on the cheer squad in high school would do".
"Maybe, but I'm going to have an investigation begun to find out" the cheerleader said "You better hope that you're proven innocent or you can kiss your career as a cheerleader good bye".
As Kim let the full weight of the situation sink in, the figure that was responsible for the accident looked on with a malevolent chuckle".
IV.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the campus, Ron was in Cooking class, awaiting his teacher's instructions.
"Alright, Class" the teacher was saying as he paced back and forth "Your exam is to come up with a new and original dish. You are free to use whatever tools and ingredients you wish. The only rule is that your dish must be edible and good tasting. Alright, you are free to begin…Now!"
In a flash, Ron and the other students began working on their projects.
"So, Ron" The student next to Ron's table was saying "What culinary masterpiece can we expect from you today?"
Ron smirked "I figure I'd combine my chocolate cake recipe with a lemon square's recipe I picked up from a certain badical lady and see how it would turn out".
The student smirked. "Knowing how you own this class, I can't see it going wrong".
The students continued to work on their dishes and pretty soon, they were moving on to the oven.
"Excuse me" Ron said politely as he carried the pan holding his new recipe "Experimental new dessert coming through".
After sliding the pan into the oven, Ron went to set down in a chair.
"Whoo" he gasped before looking to his little buddy "Man, Rufus, KP would be proud to see the effort I'm putting into my classes, huh?"
"Hmm, yeah" Rufus agreed with a nod.
"So, what do you want to do this evening?" Ron asked "I'm sure that Kim will want to talk about how cheer practice went. Come to think of it," He said as he checked his watch "They should be heading into the showers right about now. Man, I can only wonder how long it'll be before Kim becomes a cheer captain again".
Rufus was about to voice his agreement when a smell caught his nose. Something that smelled like…smoke!
Looking around, Rufus shrieked before pointing, causing Ron to whirl his head in the pointed direction, after which his jaw fell open.
The oven with held his cake was letting out tons of smoke!
"Whoa!" Ron cried as he ran over to the oven "Gang way! Exam project in jeopardy!"
Grabbing the handle, Ron opened the oven, hoping to pull his cake out before it was too late…only for the inside to be completely on fire!
"AAAHHH!" Ron cried in shock. Suddenly, the smoke caused the sprinkler system to activate, showering the entire room. Not only did it soak everyone's clothes, but it ruined their dishes. Unfortunately, the water caused the fire in Ron's oven to erupt higher, spreading out of the oven and crawling along the walls at frightening speed!
"Everyone, clear out!" The teacher said as he led the students out of the smoke-filled room.
It wasn't long before the fire department arrived, but by then it was too late. The entire room had been charred to a crisp.
"Well, students" the teacher said reluctantly "I'm afraid until further notice, Cooking class will be cancelled, meaning you'll all have to find another elective to fill your quota, which could be hard since this is the middle of the semester" The students all groaned in dismay at the unfortunate development "Even moreso, since the school will not permit a redo of the exam, you all automatically fail".
The students groaned again before walking off, some of them shooting dirty looks at Ron as they did.
"Way to go, Ron" A girl sneered.
"Yeah, nice of you to blow it for all of us, numbskull" Another student said in disgust.
"Thanks to you, my family's 100 generations long line of chefs has been broken!" One Indian student shrieked while crying into his hands.
"B-But, that wasn't my fault!" Ron protested. "I didn't set the oven to be that hot!"
The students just ignored Ron as they passed him, hoping there were openings in classes that fit their forte.
"Rufus, you know I wasn't responsible for that fire, right?" Ron asked the mole rat, who nodded "Then who was?"
As Ron walked down the hall, unable to figure out what happened, a strange figure in the shadows watched in cruel satisfaction at his sabotage.
Phase one was going according to plan. Soon, it would be time to move on to Phase two.
TBC…