An institution that operates on information can not survive if it fails to adapt. Thus, after arranging for Dr. Director's lodging for the night, Master Sensei indulged himself in a bit of a guilty pleasure, one that might not seem usual for the head of a ninja school.

He watched a football game.

The game had actually been played several hours ago and had not been televised. Instead, he had arranged for the video to be emailed to him, for viewing at his convenience. He was not a fan of American football, although he appreciated the fitness, strength, coordination and teamwork that it demanded. Instead, he wanted to observe a particular player; and not just for his football prowess.

Early in the game, the announcers had stated that this was Ron Stoppable's first start, and that it was very rare for a redshirt freshman to start; especially when playing for Coach Roughman. Sensei watched the introductions, which included photos of all starters, and noted that the young man in question had started to fill out his frame. As the game began, the old man indulged himself with a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of Kirin.

Of course he noted that young Stoppable was very fast, even compared to the fit young men with whom he shared the field. While neither Upperton University, which Stoppable was attending, nor the University of Montana, against whom he was playing, were elite programs, they still fielded excellent athletes.

The old man fast-forwarded through those times that the Upperton offense was not on the field, reducing his viewing time. He observed more than just Stoppable's running and catching; he also observed the boy's blocking and how he conducted himself during the game. The young man did not seem to celebrate to excess; although he did perform the traditional spike after scoring a touchdown. During one particular play, Stoppable missed a block, which resulted in a sack. The head coach gave the boy a severe tongue-lashing, which left him sitting dejectedly on the bench until such time that he was on the field again. Sensei noted that the boy reacted too strongly to such a reprimand...yet he seemed to rebound quickly. When the Upperton offense returned to the field, his performance didn't suffer. In fact, he managed a solid block that bought the quarterback the time needed to complete a pass, even at the cost of being knocked to the ground.

Towards the end of the game, young Stoppable's role became more pronounced, as Upperton University had the lead and used the running game to control the ball while the remaining time ran out. On a third down, the boy rushed for the needed yardage for the first down, then ducked back inside, sacrificing a few yards and withstanding another hard tackle, but keeping the clock running so that victory was assured. The Upperton quarterback then knelt a couple of times, finalizing the outcome.

It was then that Sensei noted something else that he found interesting. With the game over, the players and others associated with the teams came onto the field to celebrate the outcome or exchange a few pleasantries with their competitors. As the young man he was observing shook hands with several of the Montana players, a cheerleader with long, blonde hair led Hana to him. Idly scratching his mustache, Sensei wondered what this could mean.

Kim was more than aggravated with her brothers. Part of the post-game routine for home games was that she led Hana out to the field to Ron. There, the little girl would solemnly accompany him, carrying his helmet for him, from the field to the athletic center. While Coach Roughman didn't impose on his players' lives more than he had to, he was very strict during practices and games; there was no fraternization between players and their significant others during such...especially if the significant other was a cheerleader. Taking Hana to 'help' her big brother gave Kim a little early contact with her boyfriend...to either prop him up if he was feeling down or share in the good feelings if he was up.

Today had been his first start, and he had performed very well. Kim wanted to get to him quickly and tell him how proud she was of him, but her brothers had been...well...her brothers.

Apparently, they were dealing with a bully at high school but, in typical Jim and Tim fashion, they didn't know when they had paid him back enough. They had already installed servos in the boy's locker, so the door pummeled him every time he approached it. They had installed rocket engines in his homeroom desk, which had taken the boy on a wild ride through Middleton High's hallways one morning. Not only had the bully quit bullying everyone, he was scared of lockers and desks. Mr. Barkin, now the principal, had called the two young Possibles in and told them, in no uncertain terms, to knock it off. The tweebs followed the instructions...at school. Here, out of Barkin's jurisdiction, they took the opportunity to hack the stadium's digital scoreboard to display unflattering examples of the bully's intelligence, gracefulness and hygiene. Furthermore, the two had given the 'rents the slip, so Kim had to step in and track them down before the public attacks became even more personal. Fortunately, Tara was an absolute dear and offered to take Hana out to meet her brother. The little girl knew the blonde just well enough to know that she wasn't a stranger.

Before long, Kim had tracked her brothers down to their hiding spot behind the control booth, grabbed both by an ear and marched them back to their decidedly less than amused parents. Despite the irritation with the younger Possibles, neither Kim's parents nor the Stoppables were going to pass up the opportunity to spend some time with their older children. An agreement was made to meet the kids at the Student Union Building in ninety minutes. The Stoppables left to collect Hana at the Athletic Center while Kim made her way to her dorm room.

She didn't exactly have to rush, but she was getting ready for more than just a dinner out with her folks. She showered and brushed out her hair before putting on slacks and a fairly dressy blouse. She packed an overnight bag, finishing as Tara came into the room. Tara didn't say anything but offered a small smile that told Kim she understood that she'd have the room to herself that night. A quick text told her that Ron was also about ready, so she went out to her car. She loaded the bag into the Sloth's trunk and looked up to see her boyfriend approaching with a bag of his own and a cooler. She approved of his wardrobe; he cleaned up well when he wanted to and he clearly wanted to at this time. No words were needed, he loaded his bag next to hers and plugged the cooler into the Sloth's power outlet. They held hands as they walked to the Student Union to meet the parents.

They only had a few minutes of waiting before the Possibles and Stoppables showed up. Of course, Mrs. Stoppable had to put Hana down so she could run to her big brother. Ron scooped up the little girl while he and Kim went to meet the parents under more private conditions than a football field. Hugs and handshakes were shared. It only took a few minutes to decide on a place to dine. The parents agreed to meet their children there. The Sloth had a built-in child seat so Hana was able to ride with Kim and Ron, making her an official big kid.

The chain restaurant did have a line, this being a game night, but the evening was pleasant. Several of the patrons waiting to dine had attended the game and recognized both Ron and Kim. Realizing that they were representing both the team and the cheerleading squad, the two made a point to be friendly. While Kim expected people to want to talk to her, she was both surprised and gratified to see people wanting to speak to her boyfriend and get his autograph, as well as hers.

In due course, the large party was seated. Here, in a more private setting, the parents felt more free to grill their children about classes, friends both new and old, other aspects of college life and, of course, about THEM. The parents were all relieved to learn that their children were earning good (and excellent, in Kim's case) grades, were on top of their academic situations and were closer than ever.

By the time the food arrived, the conversation had switched to what the adults were doing, so the conversation turned to gravity windows, cranial trauma (this with a pointed look at Ron) and risk assessment (this pointed looks at both of them; both sets of parents knew how dangerous cheerleading could be). For all that the 'rents wanted to pry, they were too busy admonishing her brothers to really get into the spirit of an inquisition.

All too soon for the married adults, the meal was finished. Hana had drifted off and it was clear that it was time to leave. They left the restaurant and gathered by the vehicles, again exchanging hugs, handshakes and promises to keep in touch. Next week's game would be away, so they wouldn't gather for another two weeks. Kim and Ron watched as their parents and siblings drove away. With that, they climbed into the Sloth, but they didn't return to campus.

They had discovered the Upperton Mountain Resort Cabins late last school year. While it was an old facility...quaint by some definitions, it was well maintained. Since it didn't boast typical ski lodge amenities, such as a pool, hot tubs, dining or a bar, it tended to have vacancy much more often than the more modern resorts. During the off season, like now, getting a reservation was easy and fairly inexpensive. In addition, it had two amenities the students appreciated.

First, the guest rooms were in separate cabins. This not only meant that certain noisy activities wouldn't draw any notice, it meant that the Sloth's motion sensors could be calibrated to cover the entire cabin, guarding against anyone that might want to put an ear to the wall or an eye to a window. Secondly, the cabins had been built before fast food was widespread, meaning that each cabin came with it's own kitchenette. For a couple that included a burgeoning chef, that was a wonderful thing to have. All in all, the Upperton Mountain Resort Cabins were the perfect place for the young couple to go on the rare times they had the opportunity to renew their intimacy.

Twenty minutes out of Upperton, they came to the office. Ron had already set up the reservations, so he he only had to hop out of the car and grab the key...they still used metal keys! A few minutes later, the two were at their cabin. Ron busied himself pulling the food he had brought out of the cooler and putting it into the small refrigerator while Kim slipped into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, then changed into a set of comfortable, cotton pajamas and a robe.

Robe smiled at her when she emerged from the bathroom. While Ron had never commented about her choice of attire during their romantic encounters, he clearly liked it best when she wore something comfortable. He kissed her as she slipped by him and he took his turn in the bathroom. She noted that he had lit a few candles around the room, so after she put her bag in the closet, she turned off the lights and set her Kimmunicator to play soft music. She could hear that Ron was also brushing his teeth, which was a good thing. The two had wildly different tastes when it came to spices and mixing the two could kill the mood.

She was a little nervous, and her mind went back to the fallout from when they had first become intimate. She remembered the make out session on the couch and how she had gotten up, took his hand and led him up to his room. She remembered him being a little hesitant but she told him that she needed this. That was supposed to be a teenage boys dream and it was for a couple of weeks, before he realized that she needed the act more than she needed him being the one who she was doing it with. The fallout from that hadn't been pleasant and hadn't been helped when Bonnie made a move on him during homecoming, but it had been necessary. She realized that she needed help but she couldn't go to just anyone; had she admitted that she knew the fate of the missing Fiske, it would have brought unacceptable attention to Yamanouchi. Claiming she had been turned to stone would have probably resulted in her being institutionalized. She turned to Dr. Director, who set her up with a therapist. It had taken time, but she had dealt with the issue.

Now, she didn't need this; but she really, really wanted it.

The bathroom door opened and she could just see Ron's shadowy form as he put his bag in the closet. He could pick up on her cues just as much as she could pick up on his. He was wearing sweat pants and an athletic shirt, the sort of shirt that allowed her so see the effects the football program had had on his body. She removed her robe and stood in front of the window, where the outside light, dimmed by the curtains, would be sure to silhouette her figure. She was more than a little gratified to see him approaching her then stop for a few moments, transfixed.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his voice husky.

Then his arms were around her and hers were around him, their mouths were joined and it was time to stop analyzing things.

Later, their passions temporarily sated, they were tucked into bed, their sleepwear back on and the candles extinguished. She was drifting off, feeling slightly guilty. She knew that Ron liked to cuddle but she simply couldn't sleep while doing so. Sure, her side was pressed against his side and during the night, she would probably roll onto her side and put her back up against him but when it came to having his arms around her, she couldn't sleep.

Oh, she liked to cuddle well enough during foreplay and during the afterglow; but when it came to sleep, she just couldn't. Before her first sessions with the therapist, some of the best sleep she could remember had been when she and Ron were completely intertwined. She suspected that it was something to do with her innate stubbornness; her way of subconsciously trying to keep some independence. Being in bed with Ron was relaxing, so maybe it was another way that her mind had of declaring that she wanted him, but didn't need him.

She took solace in the fact that this was a minor issue. They were together, they loved and supported each other, and they completed each other. The fact that she couldn't sleep while cuddling wasn't a real obstacle. Besides, she could make it up to him in the morning...in a way that was just as good for her as it was for him. She fell asleep with a naughty smirk on her face.

A whimpering sound woke her in the dark. Struggling to get her bearings, she felt thrashing next to her, along with more whimpering.

"Ron..." she whispered to him, shaking his shoulder.

"No...no! I didn't mean..."

"Ron!" She was more forceful, with both her voice and her hand.

"Huh? Wha..." Even in the dim light, she could how wide his eyes were, how panicked his expression was.

"Are you okay?" She cringed inwardly when she asked him. It was clear that he wasn't okay.

"Sure," he quickly mumbled. "It was just a bad dream. I'll get over it again."

"Again?" She demanded. "And that sounded more like a nightmare! Tell me, what was happening?"

He hesitated and mumbled, trying to organize his thoughts. Finally, he sat up, still trembling. Kim slid behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Please," she whispered to him. "Let me be there for you, just like you've been there for me."

As much as foolish, testosterone-soaked pride might tell him not to, he couldn't say no to her when she asked. It wasn't completely coherent, and Kim was sure that there were a lot of details left out, but she got the gist of the issue.

It started with Warhok claiming that he would have her stuffed and mounted on Warmonga's wall as a gift. Ron described how it wasn't a boast or threat, just a promise, like a boy promising to win a teddy bear for his girlfriend at a carnival. There was no sense that Kim was a living, thinking being; she was just a trophy to be remembered for her spirited, but futile, resistance. It was during that rage at how the Lowardians could be so callous towards her, towards the whole planet, that Master Sensei appeared and told him to unlock the Mystical Monkey Power. Using it, he defeated Warhok and rendered the walkers inoperable. It was then, with their spaceship plunging towards the Earth, that he felt the same dispassion that Warhok had displayed earlier; the Lowardians weren't living beings, they were tools to be used. He needed something to detonate the spaceship before it struck, and Warhok and Warmonga conveniently put themselves within reach.

The problem was, it hadn't stopped there. His mind reviewed everyone he knew, everyone who had ever harmed him, belittled him, insulted him, ignored him or simply made him feel inadequate just by existing.

Fiske.

Gill Moss.

Drakken and Shego.

Dementor.

Frugal Lucre, Motor Ed, Fukishima, DNAmy and the Senors.

Barkin, Bonnie, the D Hall bullies.

His parents, her parents, her brothers and Hana.

Felix, Yori, Tara and Zita.

Coach Roughman and the Montana U middle linebacker that had beat his blocking attempt.

Finally, Kim herself.

Because those you love the most also irritate you the most, on occasion, and at that moment he had the power to obliterate any of them...all of them. He could crush anyone in the world for any reason at all; even simple boredom. At the time, there had been no temptation to do so, but would it always be the case? Would he always be able to resist that primal urge to strike out?

It wasn't right that a human life could be snuffed out with no more thought than swatting a fly and the power to do just that was still inside of him...somewhere.

Kim simply knelt behind him, pressed up against his back and with her arms around him. She had heard it before, yes, and she had felt him tremble about it before. That didn't make it any easier on him. She was at a loss; when you had a nightmare about something you had done wrong, you could always go out and try to right the wrong.

What can you do about a nightmare you have about doing something right?

"You said 'again'", she pointed out.

"Yeah," he sighed, shuddering. "I've had the same nightmare twice since we saw Monty's statue back in England. I woke up Bill both times."

Bill was Ron's roommate and a backup fullback on the football team.

"How much does he know?" She asked.

"Not much," Ron told her. "He knows that we were very close to the Lowardians when they were destroyed. He doesn't know any more than that."

The fact that Ron had defeated the Lowardians was a closely guarded secret, something that even both sets of 'rents didn't know. Shego, Drakken, Sensei and Dr. Director knew. Maybe the head of Yamanouchi and the head of Global Justice had told a few, trusted subordinates but the number 'in the know' remained very small. Kim and Ron wanted to live as close to a normal life as possible and if it became public knowledge that Ron had defeated the aliens and destroyed their mother ship, that normal life would be out the window. Besides, if someone learned of this and decided that the best way to harness that power were to kidnap someone close to him, only to learn that the power came and went almost of its own will?

"Ron," she finally murmured. "Let's try to get some sleep. I'll call Dr. Director first thing Monday morning. You might need some discreet help."

If Ron were to see a counselor or a psychologist, said professional would have to be trustworthy and willing to believe things that most people didn't think were possible. Global Justice had provided a therapist for Kim, one who accepted the fact that a demon-monkey had turned her to stone without so much as a raised eyebrow. Hopefully, the organization would be willing, and able, to do the same for him.

"Sleep..." Ron murmured, touching the sheets with distaste. Kim immediately understood his issue, they were soaked with his sweat and fear sweat smells the worst. At least they had learned to do their...other activities...on top of the covers.

"C'mon," she hopped off of the bed. "We don't need sheets. We've slept in rougher places than a nice bed with clean blankets."

That seemed to rally him a little. He smiled, slid off the bed and helped her strip off the sheets. They put one blanket on the bed, then fetched a spare from the closet for on top of them. Maybe later in the year, when it was colder, it would be too chilly but for right now, it was comfortable. As they crawled in between the blankets, Kim slid close and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I didn't think you could sleep when we cuddle," Ron protested, albeit weekly. The close contact was already relaxing him.

"Some things are more important than sleep," she whispered back.

His arm settled around her, either holding her tight or just assuring himself that she was there. Either way, it had the desired effect; his breathing slowed and deepened. Exhausted herself, she gently slid out of his embrace and settled next to him; in contact but not holding him. Now, she could fully relax and get some much needed sleep.

Life was about to become more complicated.

Nighttime in Colorado was daytime in Japan, although the discussion in the council room seemed to dim the bright sun above.

"Welcome to the Yamanouchi School, Master Lishi," the old ninja greeted the Chinese guest. "I hope the helicopter ride to my facility was pleasant."

"The scenery was most striking," the very old man replied. "And since I understand that tradition dictates that a visitor walk up the mountain, it was much more convenient than depending on these old legs."

"Ah, the curse of wisdom," Sensei offered an honest smile to the old scholar. "At the time when the mind becomes truly useful, the body begins to fail. Yet, my subordinate, Master Rekishi, tells me that you may provide some insight into an issue that has been troubling us. Won't you please be seated?"

Master Rekishi, the master of the Yamanouchi archives, was old, but not so old as to allow a still older man, and one who was here on his invitation, to lower himself to the floor unaided. The scholar/ninja helped the Chinese man down to the mat, then sat next to him.

"There are very few who believe the ancient wisdom," Lishi pointed out. "So it is refreshing to speak to those who do not treat my findings with disdain."

"We at Yamanouchi have access to knowledge that others do not," Sensei nodded. "So we have learned to not discount certain things as impossible."

"Yet I waste your time with my musing," the guest sighed. "Let me get to the point. Master Rekishi asked me what use a supernatural power would have for allowing a soul he had once claimed to be returned, even partially, to the material world."

"I must interrupt," Master Sensei stated, mildly. "Is this what you have believe has happened with Fiske?"

"Indeed," the old Chinese man nodded. "My knowledge is not complete, but I know that most of these dark powers seek to subvert and claim souls. Usually, the bargain made is for the duration of the mortal's life but some powers make other offers and charge other fees. For example; this being, the Yono, usually offers to destroy enemies or things for the mortal, but the contract is finished once the mortal is defeated."

"This is known to us," Sensei pointed out.

"Ah, but know that the Yono is bound by certain rules," Lishi nodded, not taking offense at Sensei's mild impatience. "Once he is summoned, he must strike a bargain with whomever summons him and he can only act at the direction of the summoner. Once the summoner is defeated, he must leave. However, the soul he takes is completely his, it becomes an extension of his own will. In a way, it is him."

"But the physical remains of the soul he takes," Sensei asked. "What becomes of that?"

"It vanishes," Lishi told him. "It becomes no more, which is fortunate, since as it is a part of the Yono, so to speak, it would give him a toehold in reality."

"But, Fiske's statue is here," Sensei protested.

"Which troubles me," Lishi answered. "I heard the story; how Dr. Hall made a deal in which she prepared a primate body in return for Fiske's statue. I strongly suspect that Fiske's soul is still in the Yono's hell, while his remains are now here. The presence of Fiske's statue may very well give the Yono both a toehold in the mortal realm, as well as a bridge from his hell, outside the purview of binding of his usual rules of summoning."

"So you believe that the Yono's plan may be to walk the Earth with no constraints upon him?" Sensei struggled to keep the alarm from his voice and expressions.

"It would be logical," the Chinese scholar agreed. "With Fiske's body here and his soul in Yono's hell, there may be a method available for the Yono to occupy the body Dr. Hall created for him. Since he paid for it, it is his body, after all."

"So, should we destroy Fiske's statue?" Sensei asked, noting that Master Shinpi, Yamanouchi's master of Mysteries, was looking uncomfortable.

"If your intent is to keep the Yono away from this reality, I would advise not to," Lishi contradicted the ninja, although his tone was very polite. "I do not believe that Fiske's remains must remain intact to fulfill the Yono's purpose. Rather, I believe that the body that Dr. Hall created should be destroyed, giving the Yono no vessel to inhabit."

"I humbly thank you for your counsel," Sensei bowed to the older man. "And I will shortly be available for more discussions. However, I must now meet with other advisers and we wish to keep our secrets. In a small effort to make up for my lack of manners, I will give you free reign of our archives for such time that you remain with us."

"There is no discourtesy," Lishi insisted, struggling to his feet. Master Rekishi was quickly there to assist the older man. "And I understand that the young man who welcomed me here will need to remain with you. If you could arrange for someone to show me to the archives, I will be most content."

"My gratitude," Sensei answered, simply, and motioned for Master Rekishi to do so. Soon, a reasonably senior student, who was well acquainted with the archives, had been procured to guide the old man to the library and to see to his desires. With the guest taken care of, even if the manner displayed less than the etiquette that Sensei would have liked, the Yamanouchi were able to return to the matter at hand.

"Master Shinpi," Sensei began. "You seemed most disturbed by our guest's report. Could you share this disquiet with us?"

"Of course," the relatively young scholar nodded. "Master Sensei, I took the liberty of speaking to Master Jinmon about what he learned from interrogating the Yakuza strongman. What he learned seems to confirm Master Lishi's suspicions."

"Master Jinmon?" Sensei prompted Yamanouchi's head of interrogation.

"I personally interrogated Tsuyoi, using multiple means," the head of interrogation was more blunt than polite, as was required of his duties. "Three months after the Yono claimed Fiske, he was merely a low-ranking thug. He started to have explicit dreams of a spirit willing to trade strength for service. Prompted by his dreams, Tsuyoi traveled to Simian Canyon and meditated, where he was able to finalize the agreement. The Yono granted the Yakuza unearthly physical strength and stamina, in return for the mortal encouraging others to make such a bargain, as well as arranging for services at various locations. One of the last services he provided to the Yono was to arrange for a truck, with all permits needed, to travel from the China/Laotian border to Xi'an."

"And how is this significant?" Sensei asked.

"The records we have are not exact," Shinpi answered. "But in the past, there seems to have been some confrontation between the Yono and the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. It was after this confrontation that the Yono's influence in the world reduced. As the emperor is currently entombed in a vast mausoleum complex in Xi'an, and Dr. Hall's creature was transported from Bangkok, through Laos and to China, it is very likely that the creature is being taken to Xi'an."

"My duties have not allowed me to concentrate upon the mysteries," Sensei pointed out. "Please inform me of the implications this action has brought up."

"Xi'an was most likely where the Emperor defeated the Yono," Shinpi pointed out. "In order to cast a creature such as the Yono out of the world of men, a seal is usually created and the very location remains a weak point, where the boundary between the Yono's hell and our Earth is thin. It is very likely that the Yono's Earthly minions seek to take the body to this weak point, where it can absorb more of the Yono's power."

"And if this seal is destroyed?" Another master asked.

"Then, the Yono's Earthly body will be imbued with the full might of the Yono," Shinpi flinched as he reported. "But this is all conjecture!"

"Yet we must take action," Sensei declared. "What are our chances of locating this body?"

"Very low," Master Tsukiakari admitted. "Should we conduct overt investigations in a region as culturally sensitive as Xi'an, we will be noticed and countered. The Chinese are not fond of Japanese interests poking about their ancient heritage."

"There may be another way," Master Shinpi murmured. "We know the rites and ceremonies needed to return Fiske to flesh."

"Madness!" Sensei snapped at him.

"Is it?" Master Rekishi asked. "If Master Lishi is correct, Fiske's statue represents a bridge between hell and Earth. What Master Jinmon discovered seems to confirm this. The bridge already exists, so what if we bring Fiske completely to Earth? Perhaps this will sever the bridge."

"And perhaps Fiske has gained more knowledge of the Yono during his time in the underworld," Master Shinpi added.

"And what if recovering Fiske sunders the barrier between Earth and hell entirely?" Sensei demanded.

"Then, that breach will happen at a time and place of our choosing," Master Jinmon noted. "Should the Yono manage to sunder the barrier somewhere in China, at a time of his choosing, we will find ourselves incapable of intervening."

Sensei noted that while the interrogator wasn't versed in the mysteries, he had a firm grasp of the tactical situation. Sometimes, being the master of a ninja school and operation required quick decisions to be made and he realized that time could be running out even as he contemplated. Taking a shuddering breath, the old man came to a decision that he was sure would have dire consequences.

More spots, with the Yono speaking to him the entire time. Strangely, the Yono seemed to almost relish speaking about his defeats; those times that a mortal, with the assistance of another supernatural entity, had diminished his influence in the mortal world. Of course, the Yono's enjoyment might have come from the fact that he casually inflicted excruciating pain upon his possession whenever he described such defeats. Still, knowledge was knowledge and what was pain to a soul in hell?

Fiske had learned early, the hard way, that the Yono speaking to him did not provide him with an excuse to pause in his labors. He also learned that the Yono's presence did not shelter him from the abuse that the ever-present monkeys subjected him to; in fact, the creatures swarmed to bask in the devil's presence, and showed their devotion by abusing the nearest target. Determined to learn, Fiske swallowed his ire, continued his work and asked polite questions.

It was while he was blocking a river, in order to create a swamp, that he learned about one of the Yono's defeats in Africa. It was while he was hollowing out a mountain that he learned about another defeat in Central America. While building a statue inside the freshly hollow mountain, he learned about a defeat in Asia. He began to put the pieces together, he struggled to see the whole tapestry from the bits and pieces that the Yono provided.

During the next labor, disassembling the statue and reassembling it, oriented four degrees off from its previous alignment, the Yono asked questions of him.

"Tell me Fiske, why do you wish to learn?" The small, but unbelievably powerful primate, asked.

"Master, I wish to improve my position," Fiske admitted, while helping other workers to lever a large block of stone from the statue.

"Yet you know that your position only improves with the marks I place on your body, through the labors you perform," Yono pointed out. "Speak truthfully."

"I wish to break out of this cycle, master," Fiske confessed.

"Ah, I should have told you to speak the entire truth," Yono chuckled, while causing a searing burn to run down one of Fiske's legs. "You wish to escape this fate, do you not?"

"I do," Fiske admitted.

"Understand this, Fiske," the Yono somehow managed to snarl and chuckle at the same time. "You can not escape me; your body here is more mine than it is yours. With but a thought, I can bring you back to me and change you to whatever I decide. Your only hope is to defeat me. Is that your wish?"

"If necessary, master," Fiske admitted.

"Ah, you've learned that lying does you no good. Set down your labors for a moment and come with me."

Fiske scrambled from the statue and followed his master as the Yono floated out of the mountain. Once above ground level and in the thick foliage that surrounded the hill, Yono's hand flashed out, snagging something from midair.

"A simple, biting fly," the demon monkey announced. He then concentrated upon the insect. "I have explained you to it, to the point that its simple mind can comprehend. Oh, that reminds me..."

Yono's eyes squinted ever so slightly at Fiske, and suddenly, the former British Nobleman felt as he hadn't since arriving in the Yono's hell.

"I have restored your body to what it was when you were a mortal on Earth," Yono explained. "Now, you can be killed and I have instructed this fly to kill you. Defend yourself."

With that, Yono opened its hand. A large fly flew from his palm and towards Fiske. Monty found that he could not move. The fly landed upon his face and crawled into one of his restored nostrils. A moment later, even as he could feel the insect crawling deeper into his sinuses, Fiske regained the ability to move. Making the most of it, he pinched off one nostril and blew as hard as he could, forcing the fly out of his sinuses. The bug landed, stunned on the ground and Fiske quickly stepped on it.

"Perhaps you now understand," the Yono noted.

"I fear I do not...master," Fiske admitted. He flinched as he once again felt most of his internal organs removed.

"You are the fly," Yono explained. "No matter how hard you try, you cannot fully comprehend me; no mortal can. Even if you had the knowledge needed to kill me, you would be unable to do so. For this reason, I let you learn as much as you can, for it amuses me to see you build yourself up, to actually think that you may someday throw me down. I am so far beyond you that you are incapable of grasping how hopeless your situation is."

Fiske didn't have an answer to that.

"Back to work, my plaything, but I have something to show you." Yono grinned again and an image appeared in front of Fiske.

He recognized his image in stone and after a moment, realized that the expression of horror on his face must have been the image he gave the world when he realized that the infernal infant had bested him. However, this image wasn't in Yamanouchi, where he had been defeated. Rather, it appeared to be in some sort of laboratory.

"Hello snookums," an overly friendly, and painfully familiar, voice called. With an increasing feeling of horror, Fiske watched DNAmy approach the stone figure. "Have you had a rough day, watching me work? I know it must be boring but please be patient, I'm trying to get you back so we can be together."

With strength that bellied her size, the geneticist picked up the statue and carried it into what appeared to be a bedroom. Once there, she pulled a set of modified, silk pajamas out of a drawer and dressed the statue with them, all the while crooning on about how hard she was working to help him. She tucked the statue into the large bed, then vanished into what Fiske assumed to be a bathroom. Shortly after that, she emerged, clad in matching silk pajamas, and snuggled into bed next to...him.

"That is the loyalty you earned while on Earth," the Yono chortled, dispelling the image.

"This is an outrage!" Fiske shrieked, actually getting a minor reaction from the workers in the area.

"It is amusing," Yono corrected him, while applying more pain.

"But...how long has this been going on...master?" Fiske gasped, remembering at the last minute that he didn't dare forget that he was the subordinate.

"Time on Earth means nothing here," Yono sneered. "You have seen new souls, from millennia before your life, appear. You arrived here to find that souls from after your time had already arrived. I have just told you that you cannot comprehend me. Have you learned nothing?"

Fiske didn't have an answer, he merely went back to his labor. However, he was more determined than ever to have his revenge against those who had driven him to wind up here...and there.

"Before you ask," Yono sneered at him. "There is a possibility that she will succeed."

Fiske couldn't help but look at his master in astonishment.

"Your soul is here," Yono taunted him. "But that stone statue is your body. There are rituals and spells on Earth that could return your body and if that were to happen, your soul will be plucked away from my realm and return to your body."

"And I suppose it will amuse you to watch Amy attempt this, and tell me of her bumbling efforts, master?"

"It would," Yono roared with laughter. "But to be honest with you, I don't know what she's doing when she's away from your remains! You see, Fiske, I am not omniscient; I can only observe the mortal realm through certain windows into that reality. One of those windows is your body, since it rightfully belongs to me. She could be on the verge of learning a method to recover you, or she could be on the verge of a mistake that will destroy you, I have no way of knowing! If she were to succeed, you will return to Earth, where you will bear my mark and continue to be my creature. If she were to destroy your remains, the last possibility of your redemption will be gone and I'll still have your soul here!"

"And if she continues to investigate, with no results, for decades, master?" Fiske dared to ask.

"Who's to say that she hasn't already?" Yono laughed. "Who's to say that what you've seen has not yet come to pass? If she manages neither outcome, things here don't change. No matter what happens, my will is done."

The Yono vanished, leaving Fiske to continue his work. Only now, there was something new to his torment. Yono would occasionally visit him, as he moved from labor to labor, and not only divulge details of the demon's past, but disjointed images of what was happening to the former nobleman's body.

He knew that at some point, "he" was in Amy's possession, in some sort of an underground laboratory. He knew that at some point, he was in his mansion's great hall, looked after by Bates and what remained of his monkey minions. He knew that at some point, he was in a Yamanouchi training room, overlooking students of various skill levels drill. However, he had no way of knowing in which order he had occupied each location: Had he been recovered by Amy, only to later wind up in Yamanouchi and then in his mansion? Had Bates gotten his hands on him, only to loose him to Yamanouchi and then to Amy? Had the changes of location been done via subterfuge, force or agreement? At one point, while "he" stood in his mansion, he was visited by the pretender and the cheerleader. This gave him a surge of hope, even as it caused his anger to surge.

During his last minutes as a mortal man, Kim Possible, as well as Sensei and the infernal rat, had been turned to stone. Clearly, the cheerleader had been returned to flesh and if it worked for her, it could work for him! However, of all of the others he saw interacting with what was left of him, only Amy seemed to try to return him!

He hated them all! He hated Bates, the unworthy pretender, the cheerleader and the relic! He hated the lithe ninja who occasionally cleaned his form at Yamanouchi, while talking about her petty irritations. Even as this anger fueled him, drove him to find some way to have his revenge against them all, it seemed to amuse the Yono. Strangely, the Yono seemed to approve of his attitude, even foregoing...at times...to inflict punishment when his ire caused him to forget to show proper subservience.

His spots had covered one arm, and were now colonizing his other arm, when the Yono had him pulled from a cramped tunnel he was carving under a mountain.

"An interesting development for you," the demon told him. "It seems you will serve me in a different way. However, I am not without mercy, so I will give you one, final piece of lore: When you took my mark, as a mortal man, you willingly became my creature. As long as you bear that mark, you are mine. Furthermore, I am the only one who can now remove that mark. You could cut off your hand and it will only appear somewhere else on your body, indicating that my ownership has not been surrendered."

Fiske merely stood, waiting for his master to tell him the significance of this...but then there was nothing.

There was neither light nor dark, there was neither noise or silence. There was just...nothing.

A/N: As always, thanks to Joe Stoppinghem for beta reading.