The Ninja and the Princess

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible, God it feels good to write something so simple

Chapter Eleven: Arrival

please note all information scribed presented about regions, cities, and any other data should be considered a work in progress. New developments and new research can come to light or be presented at any time and archival staff may find it necessary to update relevant entries.

all information regarding important events, figures, concepts, and locations is provided courtesy of the royal archives in Middleton

please be aware that following the recent Royal Scientific Convention our archives are being updated with new information and records on general information may not be in proper alphabetical or numerical order for some time

-Excerpt from General Encyclopedia, Concepts Section, Volume XII, subject Legal Systems-

The legal system of the three Kingdoms as it is today is one that has largely evolved from the blending of cultures following the First Invasion. Prior to the First Invasion the Kingdoms of Upperton and Lowerton had what has become known as a civil law system, one that places great emphasis on the written law. These systems evolved due to the fact that communications across the kingdoms were unreliable in many aspects and a common set of written laws that could be applied similarly was thought to be the most advantageous system. In the Kingdom of Middleton communications were facilitated by a much more complete road network and a common law system much more similar to what is in use today came into being. In this common law system the interpretation of written laws by courts and decisions by courts on existing matters carried a far greater weight. Following the creation of the Three Kingdoms a sort of ad hoc merger occurred of the legal systems. Far too many people in the Kingdoms of Upperton and Lowerton lived under the civil law system for it to be abolished and with the political control flowing from Middleton the common law system had too much importance to give way to civil law. Thus over the intervening centuries the legal system evolved to incorporate the necessity for basic written legal guidelines across the breadth of the realm as well as to incorporate existing decisions to better ensure equal enforcement of the laws.

Given the general lack of information regarding all things Drakanadian it is not at all unusual that we know very little about the Drakanadian legal system. What we do know is that many of the rights citizens of the Three Kingdoms enjoy, writ of Habeas Corpus, trial by jury, are nowhere to be found in Drakanada. Our best guess about their legal system is that the central government appoints regional governors who mediate property disputes and preside over criminal trials such as they exist. Readers are cautioned to note that this is at best an uneducated guess and the reality may prove far different.

-Yamanouchi School-

Bonnie was not normally someone easily impressed. Growing up as a princess in the Rockwall Kingdom she had seen amazing sights on a near regular basis since she could remember. Setting aside the scenery she had grown up with Bonnie lived in a country renowned for its masonry and had seen many buildings composed of magnificent stonework. The Three Kingdoms covered an amazing breadth of terrain and during her learning experience as a doctor she had seen quite a bit of it, plenty of which was beautiful but none of which truly impressed her. Even Middleton itself was just another city, certainly the largest one she had ever seen but to Bonnie it was still just one among many.

None of that was the case however as she stared at the monastery that had come into sight as Ron had led her behind a waterfall and through what could only be called a hole in a mountain. The stone buildings of what she finally knew to be called Yamanouchi seemed to rise straight up from the mountains. Cherry blossom trees rose up over sparking white walls and the deep red tile rooftops made her think of sunset when it was barely past noon. More than the sheer magnificence of the structure it was the knowledge that here was something truly unique in the world that impressed Bonnie, everything else she was supposed to be impressed by had merely been the greatest of its kind but here was something that was undeniably one of a kind.

The school was blessedly at a lower altitude than where they had been travelling for most of the last few days. Bonnie was normally in excellent physical shape but so much time spent at altitude with not enough food or sleep had taken its toll and considering that she had already been far from her peak after a month in the village she was pushing her limits as it was. Not that she'd let Ron know, tenuous friendship they might have Bonnie's pride still wouldn't let her take her guard down unless she had no choice. And the fact that he'd seen her guard down once already made her that much more reluctant to have a second episode.

"Bonnie," she looked up to see Ron staring back at her from farther down the bridge, "you just gonna stand there staring or are you going to come on in?"

"Well I would," Bonnie decided to indulge her ego a bit, "If someone here would come and get my bags. I mean you can't expect a princess to enter anywhere carrying her own bags can you?"

"Actually I can," Ron turned and started walking, "so get your bags and follow me."

Bonnie sighed and glared at his retreating form, tenuous friendship they might have scratched out over the last few days he still seemed to enjoy nettling her far too much.

The rope bridge they had to cross to get to the school proper swayed only lightly and Bonnie got the impression that everything about this place was made to be subtle but also of the highest quality. At the other side of the bridge she caught up to a still grinning Ron who turned and pushed open the large main gates. Bonnie figured this meant someone had known about their arrival and left the front door unlocked for them. Yamanouchi after all did not seem like a place that just let anyone wonder in at any time. On the other side of a gate there was a small courtyard with another set of gates behind it, the space looked and apparently functioned as a receiving area but Bonnie also knew that if anyone were to attack this place an area like this could be a death trap.

"Welcome back Stoppable-san," Bonnie turned to see an old man walk out of the shadows, "and greetings to you Princess Bonnie of the Rockwall Kingdom, it is an honor to meet you at last. I am Sensei, master of the Yamanouchi School; we would be honored to have you as a guest within our walls."

"Um thanks," Bonnie was taken aback and yet somehow unsurprised that this Sensei knew who she was. Then falling back on a lifetime of honed instincts she recovered, "Thank you for your hospitality Sensei, the honor is all mine."

"Sensei," Ron stepped forward and bowed, "it's good to be back but I can't accept any shelter here. I failed the school and let Yori die; I should be run out of here and driven away for how badly I screwed up."

"You have done neither of those things Stoppable-san," Sensei's voice hadn't changed but there was a greater air of command about it somehow, "you did all any man could hope to do with your mission. More than what we who sent you could have ever hoped you might accomplish on such a dangerous mission. And Yori's death is not your fault, we are all saddened by her loss but you both knew how dangerous the mission was when you accepted it. Instead of dwelling on the past and what cannot be changed you should honor her memory by doing all you can to make sure her death was with purpose and that the ideals she lived for never die."

Bonnie still didn't know much anything about this Yori, just that she had been very important to Ron, she was dead now, and Bonnie was willing to guess that Yori had been a student at Yamanouchi. More than that remained a complete mystery to her and Bonnie Rockwaller was not a person who enjoyed mysteries, at least not until she knew everything about them.

"If you will follow me," Sensei's voice brought Bonnie out of her musings and a quick look confirmed that Ron had been lost in thought as well, "you are both weary from your travels and need rest and food. It will be our honor to provide both to you and when you are ready you can continue your journey towards Middleton."

"Excuse me," Bonnie couldn't help trying to keep pushing herself, "not to be rude or anything but we really are in a hurry. And not that I don't think you want to help but every day really does count so if we could just have like a hot meal we need to keep moving."

"Your desire to aid your people is admirable and serves you well," Sensei turned to face her, "however you must be careful not to lose sight of your ability to help them in your drive to do so. If you are weak from hunger and too exhausted to stand you will be able to do little more than fall into the hands of the Drakanadians. The Yamanouchi School receives regular updates about the war and I can tell you that the Drakanadian advance has been halted. As much pain as I am sure you feel for your people under the oppression of the invaders you have an obligation to them to take care of yourself so that when the time comes you can do all that you are able to in your quest to help free them."

Ron had been saying much the same to her ever since they started travelling together, but somehow when Sensei said the words they seemed so much… more. "Thank you, it's just so hard to know that I'm safe and well here when so many of my people, even my best friend, are dead or enslaved."

"The Drakanadians have done much harm to this world," Sensei said gravely, "but with a will like yours we will be able to heal what they have done to your people."

"That reminds me," Ron spoke up out of nowhere, "Sensei, I almost forgot to tell you but Bonnie has healing magic, and not just a little, we're talking more than anyone I've ever seen."

Bonnie just stared as Ron outed her deepest secret, Sensei however turned to the young man, "you are sure of this?"

"Yeah," Ron pulled down the collar of his shirt to show his previously hurt shoulder, "I had a nasty sword slice down here; she got it to look like this in a minute. I'd need a week with anyone else here and there'd still be a scar."

Bonnie was ready to scream and rage at Ron but her anger evaporated as Sensei turned and bowed to her, "We are in your debt Bonnie Rockwaller. I must confess to one curiosity though, I had believed the greatest healers in the world resided here but it is clear that is not the case. We would consider ourselves even more indebted to you if you would tell us who taught you such magic."

"No one," Bonnie said softly, "I taught myself everything I know."

Unlike Ron's initial reaction there was no mistaking Sensei's look of admiration for anything but what it really was. Not that she was overjoyed with Ron's decision to tell Sensei and for that matter she wasn't ready to go announce what she could do to everyone she could find. But maybe, just maybe, there were more people out there than she originally thought who wouldn't look on what she could do as some sort of freakish power.

"Come on Bon-Bon," Ron clapped a hand on her shoulder, "no need to be all shy about it, learning that much without any help is way awesome. Sensei raising his eyebrows like that is like someone else screaming and foaming at the mouth."

"Bon-Bon?" Bonnie fixed him with an icy glare, "My mother called me Bon-Bon when she was talking to me like I was two years old. I only put up with it from her because I had no other choice and there is no way I am putting up with Bon-Bon from you, got it?"

"Yeah," Ron squeaked, "no more Bon-Bon."

"Princess Bonnie," Sensei stepped in before Ron could dig himself even deeper, "would I be correct in believing that most of your experiences with people finding out about your abilities have been unpleasant?" At her nod he went on, "It is quite understandable why you are reluctant to let others know, however here you will find that magic such as yours is admired and not feared. If Stoppable-san is correct about the scope of your abilities we may be able to teach you little indeed. But there are others with healing magic at Yamanouchi who may be able to help you realize the pride you should take in being able to accomplish what you can."

Bonnie started to reply but before she could do more than open her mouth Ron pushed open the inner doors and they walked into the main courtyard. Upon seeing the center of the Yamanouchi School Bonnie's open mouth turned into a dropped jaw. All over there were people in various garbs practicing all manner of ninja exercises, and over in one corner a sight that truly mesmerized her, students who had been injured were being treated by doctors using healing magic.

Almost automatically her feet started walking towards the sight before she caught herself and turned around, "Can I…"

Sensei's mouth twitched upwards into an almost imperceptible smile, "our healing masters will be at your full disposal to learn all you can during your time here."

Bonnie was almost halfway across the courtyard by the time her backpack hit the ground.

"Sensei," Ron spoke remarkably softly, "thanks for not going too harsh on me in front of Bonnie but I'm ready to have it for screwing up and letting Yori die."

"Walk with me Stoppable-san," at Ron's look of confusion he continued, "you have been ignoring and fighting through all your grief and guilt to fight the battles you must. It is admirable that you have shown such strength but when the battle is over you must confront what has happened and overcome it or else you cannot move on from that battle to the ones that lie ahead. Now that you have returned and you are safe for the time being it is important you accept what happened to Yori as outside of your control and move on. The speed with which the Drakanadians moved took us all by surprise and you did more than anyone to bring warning of the danger, now we must ask you to do more than anyone to overcome this danger."

"That's just the thing," Ron sighed, "I don't think I can. I'm so caught up on how I failed Yori that I think it's making me dangerous."

"How so?" Sensei opened the door to his study and ushered Ron in, "I have not seen anything that makes me believe you cannot safely escort Princess Bonnie back to Middleton."

Ron gratefully accepted a cup of tea, "It's almost the opposite. When I first rescued Bonnie we had to escape from a whole bunch of Drakanadian soldiers. Right at the end they had us surrounded and I was wounded, they went to grab her and something inside me just snapped. I couldn't get it out of my head how I had failed Yori and how I wasn't going to let that happen to anyone else, before I knew what happened my Mystical Monkey Power went into overdrive or something and hoisted all of them up into the air and snapped their necks. It didn't feel like my normal magic either, it felt evil but at the same time it felt really, really good and that's freaking me out. When it happened I actually enjoyed killing them, like I was some sort of superior being because of what I can do and I could crush them just because they dared to do something I didn't like."

Sensei paused in thought and when he spoke it was slowly, as though each word was carefully chosen. "You have never been taught about how the Drakanadians use magic have you?" Ron shook his head no, "When I was much younger, your age, I was sent on a mission to infiltrate such a school and learn all I could. It was dangerous and I barely escaped with my life but while there I learned much about the Drakanadians. They teach their students to have the same feeling you had when you lost control. Also in my time there they taught considerably different techniques with magic, nothing like what you did but more for a lack of power than a lack of desire. What I took away from that experience is that magic is like a tool, it can be used for good and for evil. While certain techniques are more suited to the ends of good or evil much of what we do is controlled by whether we ourselves are good or evil. And you must remember Stoppable-san that in the best of us there is some evil and in the worst of us there is some good. That you are so concerned with your actions makes me confident you are in no immediate danger but it also makes it more important than ever that you come to terms with what happened to Yori and learn to overcome it. Only by doing that can you prevent more losses of control and truly live a life that honors her memory. But take great care in the future, evil does not announce itself as such and if you are not careful you may find yourself pursuing good but doing evil."

"You're right," Ron stared down into his tea, "It's just this is all so big that there's no way I can do this myself. And when I screw up this time a lot more people than just Yori are going to pay the price."

Sensei put down his tea to look directly at Ron, "This is not a journey you will make alone, to believe that would be the gravest of mistakes. Yamanouchi will offer you whatever assistance we may, Kim Possible and her family will no doubt do what they can to help you, in her own way I believe even Princess Bonnie is aiding you on this journey. And there is someone else who has been through much with you who has been waiting for you."

"Oh man, Rufus!" Ron groaned, "I totally forgot about the little guy. Any chance I can sneak by the kitchens for a little bribery before I go get him? I don't think I want to add an angry naked mole rat to my list of problems right now."

"As I said Stoppable-san," Sensei allowed himself an amused smile, "the Yamanouchi School will offer you whatever assistance we can."

AN: I have an excuse for the long wait this time! My computer monitor decided to play dead and while I know my keyboard rather well typing a whole story when you can't see a thing is just not cool. But it works again and I wasted no time writing this for you. I know this chapter and the last few have been all Ron and Bonnie but the next few are really going to be pushing everyone else forward again so those of you looking forward to that, well look forward even more. So until next time ciao all.