Author's Note: Here's chapter four after such a long wait. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Four: Kitsunedo

Kim sat in the cargo hold of a C130 and tried to think of peace and tranquility in an effort to ready her mind for the battle with Monkey Fist in a few hours. Thinking back, Kim remembered when she helped a wealthy Japanese business man with thieves. Her first international mission, Kim showed her nervousness and anxiety by being very…bouncy. After some time discussing this with the business man, he suggested she join in meditation before her duties as guard began. It took some time for her mind to adjust to the stillness of the room, but once she did, Kim felt herself relax. As her senses opened, Kim felt the soft and somewhat squishy mat below her and the hard wood underneath. The redhead heard the soft rhythm of the man breathing next to her. If she focused, Kim could swear she heard his faint, calm heartbeat.

Kim smiled at the memory. That started what soon developed into what Kim affectionately dubbed after a time "Kitsunedo" or "Way of the Fox", a fighting style she perfected that was uniquely hers. It combined elements from all the other fighting styles Kim learned, in keeping with the Japanese folklore of a fox as a shapeshifter. The flexibility and fluid movement in Kim's fights largely came down to this self-taught style and showed its merit, especially in fights with Shego, because Kim would often surprise her opponent when they first began to fight.

Unfortunately, Kim's vitally important pre-fight meditation kept being interrupted by Ron's incessant pacing and mutterings. Kim finally opened her eyes and looked at Rhonda as a nagging feeling persisted inside Kim's mind about her friend.

Perhaps, she is like you were, Possible-san, scattered like leaves carried about on the wind.

Kim raised a brow at the suggestion. Am I ready to teach her, though?

The comforting voice answered her without a pause. You are ready, Possible-San. Trust yourself and what you have learned. You shall not fail.

Kim smiled at the kind elderly voice in her mind and nodded in agreement with the voice before she got up and looked at Ron as her heart went out for her struggling best friend since Pre-K.

"Ron, what's wrong?"

The blonde girl sighed and looked at her friend. "I'm worried. Ok?!" She said in an exasperated tone. "What if my powers fail in the fight? What if we're too late? What if…"

Kim frowned at Ron from her spot next to the wall and walked over to Rhonda, whose eyes shown with tears of uncertainty.

"Look at me, Ron."

The Mystical Monkey Mistress couldn't help feeling less than masterful as she looked at Kim. "I'm a failure, Kim. I can't master meditation. I can't master my powers. I don't think I can save Yori!"

Kim wanted to be mad at Ron for being so hard on herself, but now wasn't the time to be angry. Now was the time to teach her friend.

Kim smiled. "Tell me." Kim said as she walked around the hold with her hand on Ron's back comfortingly. "Do you think I became kickass overnight?"

Ron looked at her in shock. "You've always been amazing, KP. I, on the other hand…"

Kim ignored her friend's unfinished statement of self-doubt and continued. "It took time, refinement, and practice." Kim smiled. "The time will happen with you."

Ron looked at her. "I don't have that kind of time, KP! Yori needs help now!"

Kim noticed something intriguing as Ron's anger flared.

"Think back, Ron." Kim said in thought. "What emotions do you feel just before and while your powers are active?"

Ron shook the momentary anger off as Kim saw the light blue envelope of energy around Ron dissipate with her anger.

"Anger…a lot of it." Ron whispered as her eyes widened at the realization.

Ron looked at Kim in worry. "That's bad. Isn't it?"

Kim shook her head. "Not necessarily…but it does present a problem of control."

Ron blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Hate makes you powerful, yes." Kim began. "However, it can also blind you and is too volatile to sustain a link with your Mystical Monkey Power."

"How do I change that, KP?" Rhonda asked in confusion.

"You must accept all of yourself." Kim told Ron. "You fear the power inside, so it rushes out when you loosen your grip on your emotions in fits of anger." Kim explained. "It's not a matter of changing the power source."

Kim laughed. "You are the power source." Kim moved her hand from her friend's back to Ron's right shoulder. "You must change HOW you access that power."

Ron just looked at her. "How?"

At this point, Kim sat down in a meditative position and patted the space next to her.

"Kim, I don't think…"

Kim grinned at her unsure best friend. "I had someone who taught me a technique when I had my first mission in Japan and couldn't contain my nervous energy."

Kim patted the spot next to her again. "Relax, focus on your breathing." Kim said softly. "In…out…in…out…" Kim coached softly.

After a moment, Kim spoke when she was certain Ron was in a relaxed state. "What do you see?"

"Our old treehouse…there's a scrapbook on the floor." Rhonda paused for a moment and started laughing. "Pre-K, good times…"

After a few minutes of an atmosphere of fond reminiscing, Ron felt something change in her mind and opened the door to the treehouse. Down at the bottom of the tree, Rhonda saw herself on an island, surrounded by tranquil aquamarine water that expanded out into a deep royal blue.

A soft voice carried on the winds as Rhonda looked over the expansive ocean in fear.

"Focus in the water...slowly draw it closer at a steady rate in sync with your breathing. Each breath in and each breath out in time with the waves as they slowly gent closer."

Rhonda nervously did as instructed and drew the waves closer slowly in time with her breathing. As the waves lapped at her bare feet, Rhonda pulled her foot away from the edge quickly. A brief surge of power rushed through her consciousness as Rhonda touched the water.

Slowly but surely, Rhonda pulled more water over herself. First, Rhonda let the water lap at her ankles. Slowly, the water rose to her knees, up her thighs and hips, past her waist, to her chest, until her neck and face remained the only things not submerged.

"KIM!"

"I'm here, Ron. Just swim." Kim's disembodied voice told her comfortingly.

Ron nodded and started to swim in the ocean of her mind. "I don't have to fear it." Ron affirmed to herself. "I control what I do."

As Rhonda opened her eyes and came back to the present, she noticed a few things. Her senses were sharper for one thing. Another change was the blonde could feel Kim's anticipation. For what, the blonde had no idea.

"Show me."

Ron looked at Kim to make sure she heard right. "What?"

"Show me what you've learned." Kim clarified as she stood and took her usual fighting stance.

Ron closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to attack. The blonde's movements showed no hesitation as the two of them sparred.

Good… Kim thought at the progress Ron made, evident in the girl's much more aggressive fighting style. Ron no longer fears what she can do.

Kim jumped back from a powerful kick and leaped back up almost as soon as her feet touched the deck. Ron saw this, smiled, and knocked her out of the air with a slap. Kim recovered quickly and landed on her feet as blood and adrenaline rushed through her veins. Kim ran up to punch Ron but was pinned before she could react.

"What do you think, KP?"

Kim noted that Ron straddled her and smirked. "I don't think I like you THAT way, Ron."

Ron looked down and blushed scarlet as Rhonda received a face full of cleavage. The blonde practically flew off of Kim when she realized this. "Oh, shit! I didn't even realize…I'm sorry."

Kim grinned at her flustered friend and laughed as she turned and stood. "It's alright." Kim said. "Don't make a habit of it, or Shego will kick your ass."

Ron folded her arms over her chest. "I don't think she could take me."

Kim shook her head. "Only in you mind…"

Ron raised an eyebrow. "She has superpowers. I have magic. You have no perceivable powers. How do you even keep up with Shego?"

Kim looked at Ron. "There is more to me than meets the eye, Ron."

Ron stopped at this and paled. "You're a Cybertonian Pretender?!"

Kim looked at Ron in momentary shock. "Wha- No! They only exist in comics, Ron."

Ron noticed her friend's overall demeanor drop instantly as if a bad memory flashed through the redhead's mind. Rhonda gently put a hand on Kim's shoulder and looked at her with the worried expression of a sister.

"What is it?"

Kim sighed deeply. "I asked myself that question after our first fight. 'How was I, normal teenager, able to keep up with and match an experienced super criminal?' It was a long search to find the answer."

Kim looked at Ron, wordlessly asking if what she was about to reveal would stay strictly between them.

Ron squeezed her friend's shoulder. "Kim, I would never betray you." The blonde told her seriously. "Whatever you say or don't say to me stays between us."

Kim nodded and took a deep breath. "The Tweebs are the ones that stumbled onto the truth first while combining through some of Dad's files. I wasn't conceived naturally. My genome was built in a laboratory." Kim waited for Ron to freak, but she never did. "True, my genetic base is from Mom and Dad, but there are splice protein markers in my DNA. According to Dad's files, my genetics were altered to produce peak health, a minor healing factor, more durable bones and tissues, and heightened senses."

Ron just stared at Kim. "Kim…"

"I'M A FREAK!" Kim yelled. "Wade confirmed from the blood sample I gave him."

Ron glared at her. "Listen to me, Kim." Ron gripped her arms lightly. "You are not a freak. You are just different."

Kim looked away from him. "…but if Shego…"

"Kim, listen to yourself!" Ron said in shock. "You're Kim freaking Possible and you have your eyes set on literally the hottest chick in this world. Nothing about you is regrettable."

Ron pulled Kim into a sisterly hug. "Shego would kick your ass if she heard you talking like this. She would be a hypocrite if she rejected you over this, by the way."

Ron rubbed her back. "Remember the Ron Stoppable motto?"

Kim sighed and nodded with a laugh.

"That's what I thought. Don't let this get to you."

Kim smiled at her sister in all but blood and nodded.

"Now, let's focus on saving Yori." Kim said as the duo shared a look.

Kim sighed. "After this, ill talk to Shego. I promise, Ron."

The Mystical Monkey Mistress smiled, "Good. A wise sensei once said, 'You must accept all of yourself.'

Kim blushed at the praise from Ron and fixed her eyes on the drop doors as she waited for the inevitable free fall toward the temple where Monkey Fist sequestered himself and Yori with the enchanted gem.

"You ready for this, Ron?"

Ron glared at the door and steeled herself. "Are you sure you shouldn't be asking if Monkey Fist is ready to be beaten black and blue?"

Kim couldn't help a smile. This new, confident Ron was a welcomed departure from the norm, and with any luck, as Kim hoped, it would stick.

In her mind, Kim suddenly heard an old man's voice. Thank you for helping with this leg of the Mistress' training, Possible-san. Rhonda has made much progress during this time.

Hai, my sister has, Sensei. Kim smiled. Kitsunedo meditation has helped her as it helped when you taught me.

Please Read and Review.