"Okay, Wade, do you have everything you need?" Ron's voice was conveying the weariness the teen was feeling. He had become somewhat inured to long distance travel but this was, for all intents and purposes, a trip around the globe.
The stop in Milan had gone well, although Ron thought he should be more disturbed that Wade somehow knew Tara's exact measurements and was able to forward them to Cocoa. The blonde boy was now carrying an outfit that Cocoa, and Monique, assured him that Tara would love. He was still a little irked over the stop, but Yori had probably made a good point.
Revenge had been sweet, as the eccentric fashion designer had taken one look at the lithe ninja and had ushered her off to a fitting room. It had taken a couple of hours (not really wasted time, as they were waiting for their next ride) but Cocoa finally had Yori in a set of clothing that had turned the Japanese girl from cute to downright smoking. Of course, Yori had been terribly embarrassed by the attention. She took the new clothing and thanked the man very politely, but had quickly changed into something similar to Kim's mission gear...if a touch more modest.
Still, it had been a tiring journey. Now, the two teens stood in a level of Fiske's dungeon that was mostly open space, trying to make sure that they had all the information Wade needed. Neither was eager to return across the Atlantic just because they missed one measurement.
"I have what I need," Wade told him. "Once Fiske gets back home, I'll try to convince him to give my Wadebot free reign of his castle. If he won't agree, I may need you to help convince him. Then, I'll be able to set up a trap for the spirit."
"Uh, Wade?" Ron asked, as he and his companion made their way out of the dungeons. "Why does Fiske have to be here?"
"He has a vital role to play in my plan," Wade assured his friend.
"And that would be?" Ron prompted.
"Bait," Wade grinned wide.
"Y'know Wade," Ron mused. "I'm liking you a little more, every day."
"Your ride will pick you up at the nearest village," Wade told him, suppressing a chuckle. "It's about a two kilometer walk. You'll be on your flight in about three hours. Try to get some sleep then."
"Sounds like a plan, my friend," Ron told him. He and Yori were now under an overcast, English sky. Shrugging, the two set out to meet their latest ride.
Ron's feet started to hurt by the time they finished the hike to the village. Between the hike and the truck ride to London, Ron was getting very nervous. Yori was clearly pensive about something, but not ready to speak. Some strange sense, and he was sure it had nothing to do with the Mystical Monkey Power, told him that there would be an unpleasant conversation during the six hour flight across the Ocean. They soon found themselves on yet another cargo plane, light meals for the trip in hand and lifting off from England. Ron ate about half of his food before making a show of stretching and settling in for sleep. Yori, unfortunately, wasn't about to be dissuaded from her mission.
"Will you speak with me about my concerns, Stoppable-san?" She asked.
"We might as well," Ron sighed. "If memory serves, you were telling me that I had become mean and frightening."
"That was not my intent," Yori corrected him. "It is my concern that your pursuit of greater Mystical Monkey Power is becoming an obsession for you, to the detriment of other aspects of your life."
"That goes beyond whacked!" Ron protested.
"Stoppable-san, I know that you perform kata and meditations designed to enhance your Mystical Monkey Power and Tai Shen Pek Kwar abilities." She told him.
"Have you been talking to Wade?" Ron demanded. He foresaw a serious talk with his young friend about keeping mouths shut.
"I have not needed to," she countered, her voice calm. "Master Sensei heard the songs of the Lotus Blade, the songs that echo your own Chi. He heard the songs of power growing rapidly, too rapidly to be explained by any other means."
"That kata saved our lives," Ron retorted. "Fiske had set some sort of spirit on us. Completely by mistake, that kata turned it back onto him!"
"But there have been more," Yori told him. "Do not deny it! You have learned additional katas and a meditation."
"So what if I am getting better?" Ron protested. "Aren't I one of the good guys? Isn't it right that I become stronger?"
"You cannot sleep until you perform such!" Yori answered. "You cannot enjoy friendships and romances unless you perform them regularly!"
"My Chi's songs, heard second hand, can tell you this?" He snorted a mirthless chuckle.
"Do not underestimate or mock Master Sensei's abilities!" She snapped back. "And we did not depend only upon your Chi! Master Sensei sent me to observe you, Stoppable-san. I have seen with my own eyes your reactions to these katas! I know that you have one of Fiske's former minions teaching you Tai Shen Pek Kwar! I know that close, romantic contact with King-san does not give you the joy that your katas and meditation give you!"
"Where do you get that last one?" Ron snarled.
"I observed you, Stoppable-san," she challenged him. "And in my hand, I held a shard of mystical metal that has sat next to the Lotus Blade for over three centuries, that sings the same songs the blade sings, which are the same songs your Chi sings! On the evening you returned from Ethiopia, I observed you with King-san. The shard sang songs of comfort and love. My heart soared that you had found a person who could give you such joy; to whom you could give such joy. On the eve of the New Year, I watched you climb into her bed and hold her close, but the shard did not sing songs of comfort, love and desire! The shard sang songs of disquiet and longing for greater strength!" I saw you perform kata outside her home and only then, when you were close to her again, did your Chi sing the songs that a young man close to his desire should sing! That night, I saw you perform kata again, even though you were in pain!"
"Mere weeks later, she returned from a competition that you were unable to attend," Yori continued, as Ron faced her with growing rage. "I saw a young man purchase a rose for his love, then purchase additional such so that all of the girls would feel special. I saw a young man purchase and wear clothing that his love would fine appealing. Later, I watched a beautiful and kindly young woman show her affection to you, but the shard sang songs of irritation and disappointment and finally, of lust! Explain that to me, Stoppable-san! How can the young man who is so thoughtful that he will make all the squad feel special, not feel desire when such a lovely and kindly young woman lies atop him and shows her desire for him?"
"So that's the problem?" Ron snarled back. "I'm not acting like some stereotypical, hormone-crazed teenage boy, so there's something wrong with me? There's something wrong with showing some respect and restraint?"
"Restraint is commendable," Yori answered. "So long as it is not overly irritating to King-san. But we are not speaking of your restraint, we are speaking of your Chi, and it does not lie. You felt no desire! Deny it if you can!"
"What business is my romantic life to you, to Master Sensei or to Yamanouchi?" Ron was now yelling. "I'm not harming Tara!"
"Your romantic life indicates that your priorities are wrong!" The Japanese girl pleaded with him to understand her. "You have embraced power at the expense of desire! How much longer will it be before power becomes more important than friendship or even familial love? That is why Master Sensei sent me to observe you! That is why he instructed me to speak to you! That is why he asked me to speak to those closest to you!"
"What!? You've brought other people in on this?" Ron demanded. "Who all have you talked to?"
"Only Possible-san and King-san at this time," Yori answered, truthfully. "Possible-san spoke to..."
"So now my dating life isn't private, as far as Yamanouchi is concerned!" Ron couldn't decide if he should shout or cry. Suddenly, his eyes flew wide.
"Wait a minute!" Ron's face looked like he had just learned a horrible truth. "Isn't that convenient? I visit Yamanouchi and who comes to the airport to pick me up? An incredibly pretty girl, my age, who starts getting really friendly with me. Because of that girl, I wind up doing what Yamanouchi wanted me to do! Afterwards, I get the HONOR of marching off down the mountain and figuring out the Japanese mass-transit system on my own. Yamanouchi got what it wanted and turned me out, didn't it?"
"I met you because..." Yori started, but Ron wouldn't listen.
"For over a year, Yamanouchi doesn't even so much as speak to me! That pretty girl who was so friendly doesn't even give me an email or a snail-mail address. Then, I find a way to get stronger and what happens? Yamanouchi is suddenly interested in me again!" Ron glared at his companion as he arranged the events in his mind. "Suddenly, that same pretty girl shows up to check on me! Why not? Last time, she just smiled at me, gave me a peck on the cheek and I was ready to fight through monkeys and walk through lava to help her. The buffoon is pretty easy to control, isn't he?"
"It was never about..." Yori tried, but couldn't interrupt Ron's verbal train of thought.
"But the pretty ninja runs into a little problem, doesn't she?" Ron continued. "In the form of a very pretty girl who the buffoon has known for a couple of years, but has recently decided to ignore the food chain. The buffoon is dating this very pretty, very nice girl! The pretty ninja might not be able to just flutter her eyelashes and get the buffoon to do what she wants, eh?"
"You're wrong! I do not seek..."
"But that pretty ninja has a plan!" Ron snarled, an angry grin on his face. "She talks to my best friend and my girlfriend to make sure they'll believe that me getting stronger is a bad thing. Is it because Master Sensei is so concerned about me, or because Master Sensei wants to make sure that I won't get more powerful unless he's in control of me?"
"That's what I think!" Ron finished. "I think that this whole thing is to control me, to make sure that Yamanouchi controls the Mystical Monkey Power by controlling me. You could have helped me develop my Mystical Monkey Power at any time, so why didn't you! Was it because you knew that once I got to a certain point, I'd be able to see that I was nothing more than a tool to be used? Isn't it interesting that once you learned that I was getting there on my own, you spoke to Kim and Tara? You want to use them to make sure I don't get too powerful for you to keep on a leash!"
"Possible-san, listen to yourself!" Yori plead, now looking horrified. "Can you really believe in such a conspiracy?"
"Why shouldn't I believe it?" Ron backed away from her. "I didn't hear a thing from Yamanouchi until I started to get stronger! Am I supposed to believe that was coincidence?"
"Master Sensei wanted you to live your life, to not be dominated by Yamanouchi or the Mystical Monkey Power!" Yori protested.
"But decided it was time for domination once I started to get better," Ron added.
"Possible-san, if your increasing power is such a good thing, why do you seek to keep it secret?" Yori demanded. "Why didn't you tell Possible-san?"
"With the way you're acting about it, I'd be an idiot to not keep it secret!" He snarled back.
"Ron!" Yori dispensed with honorifics in her desperation to reach him. "We are all concerned for you! We want what's best for you!"
"If that was true, you wouldn't have spied on me!" He yelled back. "You would have just told me!"
"But..." she tried to talk to him.
"Just stay away from me!" He demanded.
It was amazing how much distance teenagers could put between themselves, even on a crowded cargo plane. The rest of the flight was endured in silence, with neither teen willing to make eye contact with the other.
Ron only had part of the day Sunday to recover from the long mission, so he concentrated on homework. He refused to answer the phone, communicating only with his parents and with Chippy. The monkey, as well as Rufus, seemed concerned for him. As evening fell, the blonde boy slipped out into the back yard for his kata time. It took him a great deal longer than usual to attain the sense of inner peace that he needed but finally, he performed the first. Again, he felt the surge, though not as great as when it was done with a live audience. He grimaced; if Yori was telling the truth and she had KP on her side, he would probably never do the kata to a live audience again. Pushing the disappointment aside, he set himself for the second. A glowing form appeared in the middle of the back yard.
Ron's eyes flew wide and he backpedaled towards the house. Had the ghosts from Ethiopia come to attack him again? The form didn't pursue, but coalesced into a man's shape. Soon, Ron found himself looking at the insubstantial form of...
"Master Sensei?"
"Stoppable-san," the old man's image nodded to him. "I sense that you are troubled."
"That's an understatement," Ron looked at the image, trying to keep his temper under control.
"Your strength grows at an alarming rate," the old man informed him. "The Lotus Blade sings songs of a great power built upon a foundation of shifting sand."
"Okay, not understanding the analogies," Ron stared at the image, a scowl on his face. "Master Sensei, if you have something to say to me, come out and say it. I'm tired of these games."
"Who has been playing you, Stoppable-san?" The spectral visitor asked.
"Yori!" Ron spat. "And that means all of Yamanouchi, as far as I'm concerned."
"You wrong us," the old voice was gentle, not challenging.
"How?" Ron demanded. "You spied on me! You talked to my friends about me without me knowing!"
"That's one way to look at it," Sensei admitted. "Or you could say that I wished to determine if I needed to intervene before involving myself in your life. You could say that Yori spoke to your friends...behind your back...as you say, or you could say that she wished those closest to you to be prepared to assist you."
"More games and double-talk," Ron shook his head.
"I have a wager for you, young Stoppable, if you have the courage to take it," Sensei told him.
"Might as well tell me," Ron rolled his eyes.
"I ask you to not perform your ceremonial katas, or the meditation for this week, and only this week," Sensei replied. "You are young, so what is the loss of one week? At the end of the week, when your best friend and your girlfriend return from their competition, see if you are more pleasant for them to associate with."
"That's it?" Ron asked.
"That is it," Sensei answered. "It will not be easy. Your spiritual enhancements have become like a drug, so you may experience difficulty sleeping or even relaxing for several days. This in itself should tell you the harm that you are doing to yourself. Step away for a week! See if you have difficulty, then see if you are happier. That is all I ask!"
"How about sparring?" Ron asked him.
"Continue to duel against the trained monkey and against Yori. This is solid, honest improvement." Sensei instructed.
"And at the end of the week, let's say next Sunday?" Ron prompted.
"If you are happier, speak to Yori. If you feel that you have been wronged, simply resume your isolated improvement and see where that takes you." Sensei's image held him with an ancient, yet piercing gaze for an uncomfortable length of time.
"Farewell, Stoppable-san," he finally said, offering a bow. Ron wasn't so upset that he couldn't bow in return. "I wish you well."
Ron spent close to an hour sparring with Chippy before going inside. Once inside, it was a long time before he could fall asleep.
Lord Montgomery Fiske needed a great deal of assistance from his monkeys to leave Myanmar. While the Nobleman found being dependent upon others to be onerous under the best of circumstances, right now he was less inclined to take bad news with any grace. His ribs were battered and painful, his right kidney was an internal mass of agony and the cursed ninja girl had knocked out one of his teeth. Yet his physical injuries were nothing compared to the emotional and intellectual mess he was in at the moment.
Ron Stoppable, the buffoonish pretender had ordered his monkeys to stand clear of the fight...and the monkeys had obeyed him. Fiske had known that the pretender would have a certain, minuscule influence over simians; it came with the exposure to the Mystical Monkey Power. However, there was no way that he should be able to influence the alphas of a wild band of monkeys, much less a trained monkey.
Much less an entire group of elite, highly trained monkey ninjas with their master, himself a Mystical Monkey Power wielder, present.
Propped up with several pillows in his comfortable bed and well over southwest Asia; now that he wasn't traveling in secret, he had summoned his private aircraft and the associated luxuries, he came to some unpleasant conclusions. The first was that the buffoonish sidekick was very close to being a match for him in a purely physical confrontation. Certainly, he had been rendered off-balance by his monkey ninjas being neutralized. Clever planning had allowed the ninja girl, Fiske couldn't recall her name, to deliver an unexpected strike to his kidney, which had pretty much decided the confrontation. Yet, the real surprise had been the pretender holding his own during the initial fight, almost fighting the Nobleman to a standstill. Somehow, Stoppable had become a great deal more capable in a very short time. This did not bode well for the future.
Secondly, the pretender had simply ordered his monkey ninjas to stand down, and they had obeyed. The only explanation was that Stoppable had somehow increased his Mystical Monkey Power a very great deal in a very short time. Fiske was nowhere near foolish enough to believe that the two alterations to his young irritant were unrelated.
As a result, Fiske was now traveling back to his castle. He estimated that he would have until roughly mid-May before the spirit would be dangerously close again. It would be plenty of time to recover from his injuries and regain his strength. He would also be able to perform more research and attempt to find a weapon to bring to bear against the pursuing entity. Finally, it would be good to lock its position again. However, there was an even more disquieting concept to consider.
Perhaps Stoppable was correct.
Was the lack of ambition the secret to greater Mystical Monkey Power?
Perhaps it would be wise to take advantage of his down time to examine why he wanted power, what he intended it to provide for him. If a teenage boy with no real ambition could so suddenly match him in ability, it might not be simply Stoppable doing something right.
Maybe Fiske was doing something wrong.
Montgomery Fiske took great pride in his willingness to face unpleasant truths. Was the latest, and most unpleasant truth that he had been following a dead end course ever since locating the first of the jade statues?
Ron Stoppable was facing an unpleasant truth; Master Sensei may be right. It was Monday morning and he found himself stumbling into homeroom with eyes that felt like sand and an empty stomach that was somehow too full. He hadn't slept more than an hour at most and he hadn't felt hungry enough to eat anything before school. He wasn't the smartest person, he knew that, but he did know the classic symptoms of addiction. Being a buffoon meant that he was able to face unpleasant truths about himself; and he realized that he was in denial about his dependency. This wasn't going to be easy, especially with his best friend and girlfriend somewhere else.
He hadn't contended with Monique and Felix. Between the two, they had almost all classes with him, so one was always close by. He hadn't realized just how much difference friends could make...even morally questionable friends like one who preferred a flamethrower to kill digital undead and another who insisted on having a napkin nearby when eating a burrito. When his mind started to wander, one of them was there to put his mind firmly back in the subject at hand. Ron strongly suspected that Wade was pulling some strings behind the scenes.
Finally, the last class of the day was in the past and it was time for cheer practice; or, Yori gets to beat the heck out of him practice. He wasn't at his best, not by a long shot. His arms and legs seemed to have weights attached, his mind seemed to have a delay built in and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. By the time practice time was over, his chest was heaving like a bellows but he felt strangely better than when he started. After a shower and walking home, he actually had a bit of an appetite. Later in the evening, Chippy put him through some stretching and basic form training. Ron slept fitfully that night, but at least he slept.
On Tuesday, he managed a little breakfast after some initial training with Chippy. Monique and Felix didn't have to keep him focused quite as much as they did on Monday. For his free period, he called Wade on his Kimmunicator and the young genius was able to give him enough hints to catch up on his schoolwork. After classes, Yori put him through another torture session, but she was sweating a little by the end of it. Wednesday and Thursday showed more improvement and Ron was forced to admit that he had overdone it with the Mystical Monkey Power improvement. He was starting to feel stronger and on Thursday night he devoured three helpings at dinner, making up for the meals he hadn't eaten properly earlier that week.
Friday morning, he woke up after sleeping like a log. His morning workout with Chippy got his pulse pounding so that the morning air seemed crisp and cool, the February sun bright and cheery as he walked to school. He missed talking with Kim on the way and he missed carrying Tara's books once there. Still, he talked some trash with both Monique and Felix, which helped a little. He was more or less on top of his academics, but his mind was in the zone today, making up for the rest of the week. A noon call on the Kimmunicator informed him that the squad had placed third in the national competition.
Wade forwarded him a victory photo and Ron quickly found Steve, Felix and Jess's boyfriend, the same boy who had been her date on new years eve. He explained an idea he had and the other three boys deemed it a good one. Jess's boyfriend, a wizard in the shop, had a word with the shop teacher, who smiled at the plan. There wasn't much time, as the squad would get back Sunday and the boys wanted to have the surprise ready on Monday.
Again, Ron made use of Wade's assistance to get caught up with his academics during his free period that afternoon. Wade was very effective, but Ron found himself missing the pretty face and blue eyes on the other side of the table. The last class was science, and fortunately, Barkin was happy with the effort Monique and he had put into the report. Ron found himself very grateful for the effort Chippy was putting in rehabilitating Frederick; although the boy was having suspicions as to why she was spending so much extra time at the space center.
That night after classes, he trained against Yori again. Tonight, his hands and feet felt light and fast, his mind was working clearly and quickly. He pushed her to her absolute limit in a blazing display of strikes, kicks, blocks and fast maneuvering. By the end of practice time, both teens were sweaty, breathing heavily, bruised and happy. Ron had to admit that she looked very cute with her Gi sweaty and a little clingy. To bad she wasn't blonde haired and blue eyed, he really missed walking Tara home under the blanket on cold evenings.
Still, he had a solid evening. He and Felix went to the mall, intent on speaking with Monique for some advice on appropriate congratulations gifts for their girlfriends. Before they could reach Club Banana, they met Steve, who promptly joined them, preferring to consult with an expert. To the boys' shock, Monique did not suggest clothing; rather suggesting flowers and small pieces of jewelry. The girl went almost insane when they boys wouldn't talk about the surprise they were working on at school.
Ron contented himself with getting a flower and a congratulatory bracelet for his girlfriend. He made a trip out to the space center and talked with Frederick a little, as well as picking up the latest results of his physical evaluation. While there, he found that the space monkey would be able to return to the space station very soon. Ron's earlier suspicions were confirmed when the monkey was very sad about that. Usually, Frederick preferred time in space to time on earth.
Since Yori had given him a solid sparring session, Chippy concentrated on form and precision. With his parents gone again, Ron was able to indulge in cooking for his friend. Again, Chippy seemed rather puzzled, but appreciated the meal and the company. Ron slept well again Friday night and woke up ready to face the day on Saturday. After a workout with Chippy, he attended services before heading to the school shop to help Liz's boyfriend, Paul, with the project he had taken on for the cheerleaders. While Ron wasn't a skilled woodworker, he could sand and apply finish fairly well. Steve and Felix showed up, as well. After a few hours of work, the wooden parts of the project were in the finish room to dry. The four boys were satisfied with their work, certain the squad would appreciate the gifts.
The remainder of Saturday started with something he hadn't done for a long time; moping. As busy as his life had become lately, he didn't have the time to mope around, but he found himself sitting around his house, missing his best friend and his girlfriend, and wondering what to do. For the first half-hour, he actually enjoyed the nostalgic feeling, but that didn't last very long. Fortunately, Felix called and challenged him for some zombie-bashing. Ron was surprised at how much his video game skills had deteriorated, but wasn't sorry. As much as he wouldn't have admitted it even a few months ago, having a girlfriend was better than having video game skill.
Sunday afternoon saw Ron ready to greet the squad, only to have Master Sensei's image appear in front of him again.
"You should have a few minutes to talk, Stoppable-san," the old man's sending noted "What has this week taught you?"
"You were right," Ron admitted. "I owe both you and Yori my thanks and an apology. I feel better now. I didn't realize how much the demand for power had come to dominate me."
"Apologies are not necessary, Stoppable-san," the old man assured him. "At least not to me. Indeed, I should have maintained contact and guided your growth."
"Well, no harm done," Ron shrugged. "Where should I go from here?"
"Continue this life," Sensei told him. "Continue to train with both Yori and Chippy. Soon, I will recall Yori and you will have more time to train with Possible-san. I will provide you with contact information, so that you can report your progress and I can offer you suggestions."
Heartened by the old master's kind words, Ron left for the school. He joined the small crowd of family, friends and well-wishers awaiting the squad. Like last time, when the squad arrived and exited the bus, Ron led the crowd in a welcoming cheer. Again, Kim held up the trophy and offered words of thanks to the squad and those who had supported them. With that, the squad scattered to enjoy the remainder of Sunday.
As last time, Tara's parents nudged Ron forward to provide the initial welcome. Tara jumped into his embrace and threw her arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her for several minutes, juggling girlfriend and the gifts he had brought for her. He only dared give her a peck on the cheek, this being a school function and all. When he put her down, he handed her the rose and opened the box holding the bracelet. Smiling wide, she held out her arm to receive the trinket. Ron slipped it on her wrist and she jumped into his arms again. He was reluctant to hand her over to her folks.
Again, she told him that she wanted to spend some time with her parents, but asked him to come over later. He watched the Kings walk off, his sense of anticipation interrupted by his best friend's voice from behind him.
"So, Wade tells me that you and Yori had a successful mission against Monkeyfist while I was gone."
"Yeah," Ron shrugged. "He was researching some texts and such in Myanmar. We had some advantages over him and managed to catch him by surprise. Now, Wade thinks he has an idea about the spirit." Ron paused for a moment. "And I got my priorities straightened out a little, but we can talk about that later. I think you have some boyfriend time to put in."
"Tomorrow," Kim agreed. "Talk to you then."
Back home, Ron had to set his alarm to make sure he didn't leave too early. Chippy ran him through basic forms and moves in order to distract him a little, but the boy still insisted on showering before leaving for the Kings. Again, Tara met him and after some polite talk with her parents, ushered him downstairs for some couple time. Much as last time, the fire was lit to take away the February chill from the basement. Once on the couch, Ron asked his girlfriend to describe the competition.
Tara gushed about the workouts and the people they met, making Ron just a little jealous. She went on to tell how intimidating she found some of the other squads, but how the Middleton girls had banded together to achieve their high ranking.
"I wish you could have been there," she told him, making his jealousy shrink into nothing. "The two of us could have rocked the competition with our little number."
"There will be competitions next year," he suggested. "And by that time, you might have an even better number for us to work on."
"I've got a couple of ideas," she admitted. "And plenty of time to work on them. Now, do you want to talk about your mission while we were gone?"
"Pretty standard," he shrugged. "But it gave me an idea for Valentine's Day present."
"That's this Friday," Tara smiled at him. "What did you get me?"
"Sorry, no hints. You'll find out then," Ron smirked at her.
"Oh, what makes you think I'll be your valentine?" She mock teased him, leaning close.
"Just a little hunch," he whispered back, closing the distance and bringing his lips to meet hers.
This time, there was no yearning for the surge his katas brought him or wishing he could train instead of being here. His senses were overwhelmed by the feel of her lips on his, her body pressed against his and her arms around his neck. Their tongues danced and dueled, exploring each others' mouths as his hands explored the curve of her waist, hips and lower back. Emboldened, he slipped his hands under her sweater and directly caressed her back while he kissed and nibbled the incredible smoothness of her neck.
She pressed herself closer to him and raised her chin, giving him full access to her throat. Soon, they were horizontal again, side by side with one of her legs hooked over his. His heart surged in his chest when she put her lips to his ear and whispered to him between her sighs.
"It's good to be back."
"Is it ever," he agreed, then returned to his efforts.
Completely unnoticed, a dark clad form looked at a piece of metal in its palm. The metal glowed with a warm, blue light. Nodding, the figure flowed away from the Kings' basement window like an oiled shadow. Once it gained enough distance, it pulled a cell phone from the folds of its clothing. Smiling lips drew close to the microphone and reported.
"I believe I will be returning home next week."
A/N: Well, it seems things are looking up for everyone. Nothing could go wrong now, could it?
As always, my thanks to Joe Stoppinghem for beta reading.