Well, here I am again with another chapter, as the AltRon desperately tries to keep his new timeline from imploding. Apologies for the sporadic updates, but life happens, what can I say? But I do intend to ultimately finish this tale, God willing, so have no fear that I will go the way of some writers and leave you forever hanging, waiting for that update that never happens. I would never do that to you, gentlereaders. So, where were we the last time? AltRon is now winging his way to Yamanouchi to seek some critically needed help from Sensei. But how will the Yamanouchi headmaster react when he finds out what AltRon has been up to? Coming right up...

So let's get on with it, just as soon as I acknowledge those hardy souls who continue to read and review my convoluted tale of two universes: CajunBear73, Sentinel103, Bookworm Gal, Jimmy1201, Eddy 13, Tito-Mosquito and Echidna Power...

Yamanouchi

I. (AU)

Ron's plane trip to Japan was as uneventful as the last few days had been nerve-wracking. The 12 hour flight would give him more than enough time to decompress after his futile search for Conchita, relaxing as he gazed out over the beautiful Pacific from his window seat. As the clouds scudded by over the deep blue ocean far below, he began to carefully consider exactly how much to reveal to Sensei about his activities, and when. He finally decided that full disclosure to Yamanouchi's headmaster would be the best course of action, and that the timing would take care of itself. Yori, however, was another matter entirely. The less she knew, the more likely that the current time line would remain undisturbed.

"Well, at least as much as I've already messed with it, that is," he sadly thought to himself. "But playing dumb with Yori won't be easy. She's real sharp, and I wouldn't want to accidentally offend her sense of honor. I just hope that Kim's mom can pull a miracle cure out of her hat and heal Hirotaka. Then I can let Yori know that she can safely ignore his 'Dear Jane' letter."

But based on his original timeline, he held out little hope for this.

"Knowing what I know now, poor Hiro will probably be pushing up cherry blossoms in a matter of months, perhaps only weeks. Unless…"

As he continued to wrack his brain for an answer, an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

"Hey! Maybe I can take the Kepler into the distant future to a time when a cure's already been found, then return to the present, and…"

But he quickly dismissed that idea.

"Nah, since the world's gonna end just a few years from now, there'll be no one left alive to find a cure. I've got to stay the course long enough to guarantee the Earth's survival, then I can do some time jumping. But what can I do to help Hiro in the meantime?"

He placed his hands on either side of his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Think, Ron, think! Power of imagination, don't fail me now!"

Soon his mind began racing as a possible solution came to mind. "Wow! But would that work? I'll need to talk this over with Sensei as soon as I get to Yamanouchi to see if it's even possible. And I'll probably need to do a little covert mind reading of a certain famous brain surgeon as well…"

Hopeful of his idea's potential and having decided on his course of action, he relaxed deeply into his seat.

"And if worse comes to worse, I can always slip back in time again by using the Kepler and try things one more time, until I get things just right..."

Finally giving in to his exhaustion, he was soon fast asleep.

Ron soon began to dream. At first, only random images began to flit through his mind. But soon they started to coalesce into one of the happiest moments of his life. It was once again his wedding day in Middleton, and he was reaching out to take the hand of his beloved, Kimberley Anne Possible, to have and to hold, now and forever.

But even deep in his reverie, he knew that once the ceremony was complete, Warmonga would return to spoil the festivities. And then… disaster. But this was still a dream, and he had no idea how his overwrought mind might cause this particular series of events to play out.

The pastor was now coming to the end of the ceremony. "Do you, Ronald Dan Stoppable, take Kimberley Anne Possible to be your lawfully wedded wife, for as long as you both shall live?"

Ron quickly answered in the affirmative. "I do!"

The pastor now turned to Kim. "And do you, Kimberley Anne Possible, take Ronald Dan Stoppable to be your lawfully wedded husband, for as long as you both shall live?"

She replied with an infectious giggle, "I do!"

Gracing them both with a smile, the pastor concluded, "Then I pronounce you man and wife. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man put asunder. You may kiss the bride."

But as Ron reached for Kim to take her into his embrace, she began to melt into his arms. Literally.

Ron gasped, "Oh, no! She's a synthodrone!"

As Kim dissolved into a puddle on the floor, a deep rumbling began, growing increasingly louder until it could be felt even through the church's floor. Just as before, the ceiling began to shake violently and split wide open, revealing a massive Lorwardian star cruiser hovering above. The sound of Warmonga's laughter rang out, echoing through Ron's unconscious mind. But his dream now continued to diverge even more from the previous timeline. Instead of being knocked out by Warmonga's Neurotomic Disabler and dragged back to Lorwardia, this time he was merely frozen in place as all the other of the wedding party and guests fell unconscious to the floor.

He furiously struggled against the ray, but without success. Activating his Mystical Monkey Power, he redoubled his efforts, but to no avail. Warmonga now descended from her craft. But although the body of the nine-foot-tall Lorwardian warrior princess looked quite familiar, the face was completely different. Ron's jaw dropped open in horror as he recognized exactly who she now was.

"Bonnie?"

Throwing her head back, the Lorwardian laughed heartily, her voice now echoing through the wrecked church.

"You got that right, loser! So, do you recognize this too?"

In her arms she cradled what looked like a portable Mind Sifter, the alien device previously used by WarOwl to not only probe his past memories, but to split his spirit from his body while simultaneously recalling Zorpox from his past. Grinning evilly, she flipped a switch on the device. Ron immediately felt the same sickening feeling as his spirit began to be forcibly removed from his corporeal form.

"No, Bonnie! Stop! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Wanna bet?" she shot back, increasing the device's power.

Grinding his teeth under the strain, he pleaded, "Please stop! I don't want my body to become Zorpox again!"

But Bonnie just continued to laugh as his dream began to fade. Suddenly sitting bolt upright, he gasped as he awoke from his nightmare. Still breathing heavily, he breathed a thankful sigh.

"Only a dream… only a dream…"

"Hey mister! You okay?" The young boy sitting in the seat next to him looked concerned. "Bad nightmare, huh?"

"You don't know the half of it, kid."

"And I don't think I wanna know, either. But what was with that freaky blue glow just before you woke up?"

Ron's eyes widened in shock. Never before had his powers unconsciously manifested themselves while he was sleeping. But even more troubling was the possibility that it wasn't his normal power activating at all, but rather some vestigial remains of Zorpox, which was what he had been dreaming about at that exact moment. Equally disturbing was the fact that at this point in time, he had not yet been exposed to the Attitudinator, which was initially responsible for his transformation into the insanely evil conqueror. He hurriedly looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but was relieved to discover that he hadn't drawn any attention to himself, as he had been sitting in the last row of the aircraft.

A click was heard as the pretty flight attendant began to make her pre-landing announcements. "Thank you for flying Nippon Airlines. The temperature in Tokyo is currently 21 degrees Celsius, where we should be landing in approximately 15 minutes. Please to return your seats to full upright position and fasten seat belts. And please to extinguish that blue glow in last row?"

As everyone turned around to stare at Ron, he began to blush brightly as he laughed nervously to himself.

"Heh-heh, so maybe someone else did notice…"

After making a smooth landing a few minutes later, the plane was soon taxiing toward the arrival gate. Ron's heart rate went up slightly in anticipation of seeing Yori again, for the first time. Or was that for the first time, again?

He sighed to himself, "Man, keeping all of my tenses straight after all this time traveling is getting really confusing."

He took a deep breath. "I just need to relax and let things take their natural course, just like before."

But he quickly reminded himself that since he was now dating Kim, this time around 'taking a natural course' didn't include the previously intense romance between him and Yori.

With a slight blush, he concluded, "Yeah, but just not everything…"

After recovering his bags, he began looking for Yori. Right on cue, the lithe Japanese teen spotted him and approached, giving him a slight deferential bow.

"Stoppable-san? Konnichi wa. I am Yori from the Yamanouchi school. It is my honor to be your guide this week."

Ron's heart caught in his throat as he observed Yori for the first time since her spirit had passed into the eternal realms. Not only that, but this was also the first time since her demise that he was observing her as a living, breathing human being. And she was every bit as beautiful as he had remembered her.

Just like that very first time, his mouth hung open in wonder. But this time, the memory of their entire three year relationship came flooding back all at once, for it had all started at this very moment. He felt nearly overwhelmed as the memory of all their joys and sorrows together, of every outstanding victory and each bitter defeat rushed back into his immediate consciousness.

Ron realized now that in spite of training himself on how to react at this moment, nothing could really have really prepared him for this very one-sided reunion, and the irony did not escape him. He quickly tried to remind himself that Kim was now both his girlfriend and his ultimate destiny. He also brought up a vision of Hirotaka, Yori's current flame, whom he had sworn to do everything within his power to heal. But staggered by her beauty and her unassuming grace, along with the memory of countless tender moments they had spent together, he suddenly began to feel faint. Steeling himself by using his now well developed powers of discipline, he was just able to keep himself under control. For when it came right down to it, Yori was now not only totally and vibrantly alive, but standing not three feet in front of him.

He did not need to put on any airs at being completely enchanted as he stuttered back, "Believe me, Yori, the honor is, like, totally mine."

At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pull her into a warm embrace and tell her that everything was going to be okay, that together they would all save the world, and everything would be put to right this time around. But he just released a tiny sigh, realizing that this would have been totally inappropriate at the moment.

"Not to mention reallllly awkweird..."

As he continued to gaze at her, he realized that she was now the epitome of innocence, unspoiled either by time, or by the cruel fate that awaited her and the rest of the world. He shook his head at that thought.

"Not this time," he reminded himself. "This is the timeline where I get everything right. No getting split into my alter-ego, Zorpox. So neither Yori, Kim nor Sheila will be biting the dust this time around in a futile attempt to defeat him, and no asteroids are going to destroy the Earth, either..."

Giving him a concerned look, she queried, "Are you all right, Stoppable-san?"

Ron simply rubbed his head a bit and replied, "Oh, no, I'm fine. Really." He offered her a weak smile. "It's just that me and airline travel have never gotten along very well..."

II.

A few hours later they stood before the mountain upon whose peak stood the secret ninja school of Yamanouchi.

"Let me guess. No helicopter?"

Yori giggled lightly. "Oh, you are so funny, Stoppable-san. Of course, it will be our honor to walk."

Ron motioned toward the steep, mist covered mountain. "Of course it will. So, after you, milady."

Unlike the first time, Ron did not tire as together they climbed the mountain, and Yori was impressed.

"You have unusual stamina, Stoppable-san. I compliment you."

Ron tried to shrug it off. "Well, uh, I try to eat right and exercise regularly. That must be it."

That, and a little bit of Mystical Monkey Power to strengthen me along the way…

Once beyond the bridge, they entered the courtyard of Yamanouchi.

Ron rubbed his hands together and pleasantly inhaled a breath of the crisp, late afternoon air. "Well, it's certainly great to be…" Quickly catching himself before he said 'back here again,' he ended with, "To be here. Finally. And wow, what a beautiful view. I could almost see my house from up here!"

This elicited another tinkle of laughter from Yori. "Oh, Stoppable-san. You are so entertaining with your American-style humor."

He smiled, happy that his little quip had pleased Yori. But he quickly reminded himself of Kim, and of his mission.

"Got to be careful, even now I can feel her vibe. And as innocent as our banter is at the moment, if I can't heal Hirotaka and she loses him, it could get serious again between us real quick. And I can't allow myself become the rebound guy again…"

Sensei now appeared, and Ron was pleased to be in the presence of his old mentor once again, and for the first time. It was a strange feeling, but one he had gotten used to since experiencing his travels back in time.

"Ron Stoppable, we have eagerly awaited your arrival. I am Sensei, the headmaster of Yamanouchi. But this is no ordinary school. We are a secret training ground for the ancient art of ninjutsu."

"Coolio! A secret ninja school?" Ron gushed in faux surprise. "Now, wait a minute, is this a public secret ninja school, or a private one?"

In all the years that had passed since his first visit here, he had never really gotten a clear answer to that question, either in this universe or any other. But now was not the time to put that issue to rest.

Sensei continued, "Our school has a long and honored history. It was founded in the year 338 AD by the great warrior Toshimiru, who carved this monastery from the mountain using only this sword, the Lotus Blade."

Suddenly, one of the students cried out, "No!"

Already expecting this outburst, Ron played dumb once again with a perplexed "Huh?"

The student known as Fukushima blustered, "You say too much, Master Sensei! He is an outsider!"

Ron easily replied, "Hey, it's way cool. I'm really good at keeping secrets, especially if it's something really juicy."

Sensei cautioned, "Fukushima, your rudeness dishonors all of Yamanouchi."

"But, master..."

Sensei angrily cut him off. "I warn you. Do not further shame yourself."

Finally relenting, Fukushima bowed slightly and mumbled back, "Honored guest, I must beg your forgiveness."

Ron easily accepted the apology. "Hey, dude! Nothing but love here."

But although Ron's reply was gentle, his eyes spoke another story. "So we meet again, Fukushima. There may be no Monkey Fist here this time around, but I promise, things will be no different if you try to pull anything…"

Ron bided his time during the remainder of the welcoming ceremony, waiting for his first opportunity to catch Sensei alone. Knowing how much was riding on how Sensei would respond to his astounding claims, he approached Sensei with a degree of trepidation. "Now is where the rubber really meets the road…"

Out loud he whispered, "Sensei, we need to speak privately, and as soon as possible."

Ron's intensity caused Sensei to raise one eyebrow in curiosity, an unusual outward display for the normally unflappable headmaster of Yamanouchi.

"Of course, Stoppable-san. Please to follow me to my quarters."

As Sensei closed the door behind them, he poured two cups of freshly brewed green tea and offered one to Ron, who gratefully accepted.

Sensei casually began, "So, Stoppable-san. What is the nature of your deep concern? Perhaps you seek the reason behind why you were chosen to attend here this week?"

Ron tried not to smirk in his foreknowledge, instead trying to maintain a humble and respectful attitude. "Thank you, Sensei, but that reason is already known to me."

He decided that actions would speak much louder than words in this case, at least to begin with. Raising his open hand into the air, he closed his eyes in concentration. At once, the Lotus Blade magically appeared in his hand, the ancient weapon pulsing with mystical blue energy.

Astounded, Sensei nearly spilled his tea, his eyes opening wide at this unexpected display. Ron smiled inwardly, having never seen Sensei caught off guard before, let alone speechless. But he supposed that there was a first time for everything, even this.

Ron quietly began, "In point of fact, I'm already a Mystical Monkey Master, and at present I am fully trained, at least in most areas. Your tutelage, along with that of Yori, has been invaluable to me for many years now."

Sensei gave him a perplexed frown. "You speak of the past, Stoppable-san. But I have no recollection of ever meeting you before today, nor training you in any way. Please to explain yourself."

"That's because you have nothing to recollect, at least not yet. The truth is, although I'm fully trained in many ways, I desperately need your help in a few other key areas, and you're the only one on the planet who can provide that help. But time grows short, so let me cut to the chase."

Calmer now, Sensei took a sip of his tea. "Please proceed."

Ron took a deep breath, even now still hesitant to reveal the whole unvarnished truth. "Well, first, let me warn you that as wise and knowledgeable as you undoubtedly are, what I'm about to tell you is probably outside even your experience and may sound, uh, nearly unbelievable."

Sensei remained outwardly calm, but could not keep a small quaver out of his voice. "Indeed. Suffice it to say that you have my full and undivided attention."

Ron began, "Well, there's no easy way to explain this, but I'm, uh, from the future. A little over two years from now, the entire world will be destroyed by a race of aliens known as the Lorwardians. Ironically, they will be led by… well, heh-heh, by me. More precisely, by my evil alter-ego, who goes by the name of Zorpox the Conqueror. Using an alien device captured during a planetary raid, a Lorwardian mad scientist will succeed in splitting my spirit from my physical form, leaving my body under the control of Zorpox, who the Lorwardians believe is the Great Blue, a being from across the stars who is prophesied to lead them in intergalactic conquest."

Sensei showed no reaction as Ron continued. "Sadly, in an effort to help my spirit regain control of my body from Zorpox, Yori will perish in the attempt. The same fate awaits Kim Possible and her cousin Shego when they make a last ditch attempt to save the Earth from a devastating Lorwardian asteroid attack. But after the Earth is destroyed, another Kim and Ron from a parallel universe will appear in an interdimensional timeship, destroy Zorpox, and nearly wipe out the Lorwardian home world. But in doing so, they'll leave their spaceship behind. I found it and used it to go back in time four years in order to try and prevent the Earth's destruction."

Sensei remained stone-faced, displaying no emotion as he continued to listen to Ron's incredible story. "Anything else?" he queried.

Ron gave him a chagrined look. "Well, yeah. Since my return, I've been acting as Kim Possible's sidekick just like before, but with my knowledge of future events, we've been easily defeating all the villains bent on taking over the world that we've come across, and preventing some pretty wrongsick weapons stolen from various top-secret labs from falling into their hands. But unlike before, I've been, ah, well, kinda holding onto them for safekeeping, knowing that they'll be needed when the Lorwardians begin their attacks."

He decided not to reveal that he had also successfully but prematurely jump-started his romantic relationship with Kim, and hoped to completely avoid the same with Yori, for all their sakes.

"Indeed," Sensei drolly replied. He leaned over toward Ron and sniffed several times. "Hmm. I smell no saké on your breath, but there are other substances that can cause the delusions from which you may be suffering. Or perhaps it is just an overactive imagination brought on by your exposure to the monkey idols. But I can only hope that this is not a true case of insanity: although very rare, there have been a few cases over the past sixteen hundred years."

Ron looked aghast as he pleaded, "No, Sensei! I'm telling the absolute truth, I swear! You've got to believe me!"

Sensei fixed Ron with an intense stare, one that he had never seen before on the master's face.

"If you are either deceiving me or are indeed insane, then to help you in any way could be catastrophic in ways unimaginable."

Ron hesitated for a moment, realizing that any histrionics on his part right now might lead Sensei to believe that he had indeed lost his mind. Calming himself, he stated slowly and deliberately, "I understand, Sensei. But by all the Mystical Monkey Masters that have ever existed, I swear that I'm speaking the truth. I may have my quirks and foibles, but you have my absolute promise that I'm definitely not crazy."

Sensei continued in a deadly serious tone. "Very well, then. I must admit that your ability to call the Lotus Blade is a major point in your favor, as only one who is pure of heart can successfully wield it. But being pure of heart does not preclude being delusional. So then, what tangible proof can you provide to corroborate your story? We could start with the location of your supposed timeship. I assume it is in orbit around the Earth at present?"

"Actually it's hidden in a cave on the Moon, just south of the Sea of Tranquility overlooking the first Apollo landing site."

"We can start there. I shall return shortly."

Sensei closed his eyes in concentration, quickly projecting his spirit toward the Moon. Within a few minutes, he returned, a frown appearing on his wizened face.

"I am sorry to say that there is no spacecraft of any kind at the location you gave me, save for the remains of the Apollo mission."

Ron was instantly shocked. "But that's impossible! Where could it have possibly gone?" He thought frantically for any reason that the ship could have disappeared. "Maybe Sadie was discovered somehow, so she took off for protection. But if that's the case, why couldn't she have somehow let me know what happened?"

Sensei gave him another surprised look. "The ship is named Sadie?"

"No, just the computer that controls the ship. But this is really disturbing, Sensei. In the wrong hands, that ship could really throw a monkey wrench into things. No pun intended." He let out an exasperated sigh. "So now I have something else I need to try and recover…"

Sensei began to smile very slightly. "In your favor however, I did notice a cave large enough to contain your purported spacecraft. Additionally, I spotted the initials 'RS + KP' carved into the side of a mountain overlooking the lunar landing site. Ron Stoppable plus Kim Possible, I presume?"

Ron grinned back, "Yeah, that was my doing, all righty right. I carved our initials into that mountain the same way that people who are in love back here on Earth carve their initials into trees."

"Very romantic, but you could have done that with the Lotus Blade, so that proves little. Therefore, let us continue. What of these so-called superweapons that you spoke of? Would it be possible for me to inspect a few of them?"

Ron's hand reached up to scratch the back of his neck, his typical nervous reaction when about to reveal something rather unpleasant. "Well, a little problemo there, actually. Unfortunately, all of them were stolen from my home last week, including the four mystical monkey idols. Even worse, whoever swiped them kind of, uh, activated them, and now the thief possesses the Mystical Monkey Power, just like me. One of the things I'd like your help in is retrieving them and finding out exactly who our new Monkey Mistress is."

Sensei immediately frowned. "All stolen, you say? And by a woman no less. How convenient. But if true, that is quite disturbing. The mystical power of the idols in the wrong hands could be equally catastrophic. That is one reason why they were kept far apart in four widely dispersed locations. But once again, your missing weapons still do not prove your wild tale."

Ron began wracking his brain for some kind of proof that would confirm his story, when suddenly he had a brainstorm.

"Sensei, there was actually one device that the thief didn't find. It was created as part of Project Phoebus, and it magnifies its user's intelligence to the level of super genius, but it only lasts for a few days at a time. Every couple of days, I boost the smarts of my pet naked mole rat, Rufus, which is one reason why I didn't bring him along. And, he's also been exposed to the Mystical Monkey Power. Just a second, I'll see if I can have him contact you."

Ron closed his eyes in concentration, and after a few moments, felt the familiar mind of his pink-skinned pal.

"Hey there, Rufus. You awake?"

"I am now," his tiny friend groggily replied.

"Hey, need a big favor, little buddy. Can you contact Sensei and let him know that I'm on the level both with my time travel and about my stuff that was just stolen?"

Rufus huffed, "And then will you let me go back to sleep?"

"Absolute-a-mentay. He's right here with me, just follow my brainwaves."

"Oh, all right. Just give me a moment…"

A few seconds later, a tiny mystical bubble appeared before Sensei. Within it floated the yawning image of Rufus. Giving the Japanese master a bucktoothed smile, he waved and spoke but one word.

"Hi!"

Sensei's eyebrows raised once again at this new apparition, and he immediately began to use his considerable mental skills to authenticate Ron's story. But he could still sense no deception or subterfuge on the part of either Ron or Rufus.

"I am beginning to believe that you may indeed be telling the truth, Stoppable-san."

"I am, Sensei, I swear it," Ron promised.

Another idea then came to mind. "Okay, now let's talk about Hirotaka. Just before I left, I discovered that he has an incurable brain disease which he contracted while trying to heal his father. In the other timeline, he didn't make it. I'm hoping with your help, we can find a way to cure him."

Sensei gasped, his gaze dropping to the floor, a look of deep sadness coming over his face. "This is a most unexpected tragedy. I had warned him against attempting to heal his father, as much as our culture encourages honoring one's parents. When the time comes, I will mourn his passing, as will all of Yamanouchi. He and Yori are both our star students, and I fear the terrible impact this will now have on us all, especially Yori. So, he revealed his condition to you?"

"Actually, I caught a glimpse of his mind by accident. I knew from my prior timeline that he had been dating Yori and was about to send her a 'Dear Jane' letter, but I only just discovered that he was merely pretending that he had found another sweetie, rather than reveal his terminal condition to her. That way she would be spared the painful knowledge of his death and simply hate him instead, which he figured would be easier for her to get over."

Sensei clucked his tongue in disapproval. "Ah, what the young go through, and put others through, all in the name of love."

Ron mumbled, "Tell me about it…"

For a brief moment, a wistful look came over Sensei's features, as he himself began to recall a distant memory from his own youth, long forgotten. And in that brief moment, Sensei let his guard down, and a name came unbidden to Ron's adept mind, which he now spoke aloud.

"Yoshiko…"

Sensei gasped as Ron spoke the name of the master's beloved, gone these many years, lost forever on the astral plane.

Ron softly spoke, "Yes, Sensei. And this should clinch it for you, that I'm telling you the whole truth. In your own youth, you were training Yoshiko to become the next Monkey Master, in fact, the very first female to hold that unique title. But she disappeared on the astral plane before you could be wed, and although you risked your own life to locate her, you were never able to find her."

An introspective look came over Sensei's face as he slowly continued, "Yes, this is true. It remains one of my greatest regrets, that I was not able to train her sufficiently."

Sensei bowed his head in deep sorrow at the memory. "And that I was never able to find her..."

Ron's voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "In the other universe, I joined my mind with my own counterpart, and discovered that your counterpart had eventually found her at last, and finally entered the eternal plane together."

Sensei remained silent as a trace of a teardrop appeared in the corner of one eye.

Ron continued, "But in this universe, we all get clobbered by several humongous asteroids before that can happen. And then the entire human race enters the eternal planes. That's why I need your help in stopping the whole wrongsick plot in its tracks."

Sensei was silent for a long moment, then spoke gravely, "This has been a day of great surprises and revelations. But before I am totally convinced, there is one final confirmation I need before I can promise you my full, unqualified support. It may take me some time, as it requires me to travel extensively on the astral plane, and for how long I cannot say. Perhaps hours, perhaps days. Will you remain here and be patient while I go on my quest?"

Ron promised, "Yes, absolutely. For however long it takes."

"Very well." Sensei silently arose and opened the door, motioning for an orderly who promptly approached.

"I need to make an unexpected journey. Stoppable-san will be watching over me. Please see to any of his needs in my absence."

The orderly bowed deeply, fully understanding his master's request.

The Yamanouchi Headmaster turned back to Ron. "I shall return as quickly as I can."

He slowly sat down on his mat and closed his eyes in deep concentration. Projecting himself onto the astral plane, he began his quest.

III.

Sensei had always enjoyed his trips to the astral plane, experiencing the heightened sense of reality it always afforded him. But he was wise enough to limit his travel here, lest his human form perish should he linger here more than a week at most. A few hours later, he reached the precise location where he had accidentally discovered a particularly unique entity, and had last spoken to it. He sent out a mental call, but the time it might actually take for its response was anyone's guess. An hour? A day? A week? Or perhaps never...

He quickly pushed away any negative thoughts and continued his mental broadcast. But today, luck was on Sensei's side. In only another hour, a small but familiar life form appeared, glowing in various shades of translucent colors. It greeted him warmly.

"Sensei, it is so good to see you."

Sensei bowed his wizened head in recognition of the interdimensional alien. "And you as well, Phred."

"So, what brings you so far from home today? As if I didn't already know."

"Indeed. Stoppable-san arrived today for his initial training at Yamanouchi, but it was not the Stoppable-san that I was expecting."

Phred now began to glow even more brightly. "Yes. I have been observing him, and I am also aware of the entire confession he just made to you. So, you have sought me out for confirmation of his incredible story."

For one of the few times in his life, Sensei was speechless. He replied only with a small nod of his head.

Phred replied, "Yes. It is indeed his future self, having jumped back in time in an attempt to save both his planet and those he loves."

Quickly regaining his composure, Sensei grinned, "And those are somehow… mutually exclusive?"

The alien swirled in minor consternation. "Sorry, Sensei. I didn't mean to imply that. The subtleties of human language frequently escape me."

"Understood, I was only making a little joke, of course. But the decisions I am faced with making are no laughing matter. So you are indeed aware of this time traveler, and what he intends to accomplish?"

"Yes to both questions. In your universe's original time stream, the Earth was completely destroyed, and the warlike inhabitants of the planet Lorwardia would eventually take over your entire galaxy. But the Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable of an alternate universe briefly visited your universe by accident. When the Ron Stoppable of your dimension became aware of this he convinced them to try and neutralize Lorwardia, even though the Earth had already been destroyed. Their attempt was successful and they were able to return to their own universe. However, in the process, their timeship became trapped in your universe, and was somehow discovered by him."

"This much I now know. But my question now is, how much do I assist him, if at all? The implications…"

Phred interrupted, "The implications are truly staggering, Sensei. I am seriously breaching regulations by informing you of this, but in actuality your universe was accidentally created by a malfunction of the very timeship that the parallel Kim and Ron were forced to leave behind when they attempted to neutralize your Lorwardia."

Phred paused while this sunk in, before continuing in a grave tone.

"This is completely unprecedented in the history of the Multiverse. Even more troublesome is that they now realize that not only do parallel universes exist, but that there is a way to travel between them. And your own Ron Stoppable realizes this as well. What this bodes for your respective dimensions, let alone the Multiverse, is beyond even the combined predictive intellectual capacity of the wisest members of our kind. Fortunately, the timeship presently in your universe is currently unable to make any interdimensional jumps. Likewise, Kim and Ron's counterparts do not yet have that capability, but it is only a matter of time before they build a new timeship."

"How long would you give them? Assuming of course that Kim Possible's father James is as resourceful as the one in this current dimension."

"Indeed he is," Phred agreed. "Projections vary, but it could be as early as a year, perhaps even less. Quite naturally, the Hierarchy is both gravely concerned and intensely interested in where all of this shall lead. However, they have expressly forbidden any further direct interference by me or any of my colleagues for fear of polluting the time stream even further."

Sensei sadly asked, "Then, you cannot give me any guidance whatsoever?"

Speaking in a conspiratorial tone, Phred answered, "Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that. I have become an expert in indirect assistance, although as of late I have been pushing the limits of my superior's directives, as I am at the present moment."

Not wishing to press Phred too hard, Sensei waited expectantly for the alien to continue.

"I have already confirmed what the one called Stoppable has told you so far is true, as well as providing some general information on how the alternate timeline played out, which is probably far more than I should have. But although I cannot give you any specific details of your Earth's immediate future, I can, shall we say, give you some advice on this particular matter. Unofficially, of course."

"Of course."

Phred's scintillating colors began to intensify. "Give the one called Stoppable any and every assistance possible, just like you did before in the prior timeline. He has the advantage now of a considerable head start on his powers as compared with before, which may make all the difference. This is balanced of course by his interference with the new timeline, the final effects of which are totally unpredictable. Just know that your mentoring actually kept him in good stead for quite some time in the former time stream, at least until his own demise, so I see no reason not to help him even more now."

"But apparently my teaching wasn't quite sufficient, as that did end with the destruction of the Earth," Sensei quickly pointed out.

Phred swirled in an alien version of a sigh. "True, but it wasn't technically Ron's fault. How could he have possibly foreseen what would happen when…"

Sensei's eyes widened in hope of even a tidbit more of information being offered.

"But I fear that I have already revealed too much. Suffice it to say that with his knowledge of the future, plus any additional advanced tutelage from yourself, you both may be able to turn the tide for your planet. However, it is Ron's choice to reveal whatever he decides to tell you, as I am constrained by my pledge of non-intervention. But I do firmly believe that he can be trusted."

Sensei bowed his wizened head once again. "Domo, Phred." After a moment he raised his head back up with a hopeful look. "And I trust that our earlier agreement still stands?"

Phred now swirled in agreement. "Yes, my old friend. Once this current crisis is over, my colleagues and I will assist you in seeking out your precious Yoshiko. You have my word."

Even on the astral plane, a lump formed in Sensei's throat. "I can ask of nothing more."

"But now I must be off. I have some additional, shall we say, rather circuitous tasks to perform in the parallel universe."

As Phred began to recede into the distance, Sensei made his way back to the physical plane and his corporeal form. Upon opening his eyes, he was greeted by the visage of a very expectant Ron Stoppable.

"It doesn't take a Mystical Monkey Master to guess where you went, Sensei. I trust that you found the confirmation that you were looking for?"

"Yes, indeed, Stoppable-san. Let us therefore begin. We have much to accomplish, and only a limited amount of time in which to do it."

IV. (Prime)

James Possible stared up at the night sky, filled with thousands of glittering stars. But for every star he could see, there were probably another ten billion more in the Milky Way alone. And beyond that, a hundred billion more galaxies floated in the vast expanse of space.

"And those are just the ones in this universe," he mumbled to himself. "And who knows how many countless others there are in other dimensions, now that my Kimmie-Cub has confirmed the existence of other universes. It's enough to make my head spin right off."

He slowly trudged back into his office at the Middleton Institute of Science and Technology and wearily plopped down at his desk.

"Well, that's enough for tonight I think. The revised Kepler plans are now complete and actual construction has finally begun. Time to get home, eat some dinner and get some rest." He added with a chuckle, "That's assuming the twins haven't found yet another way to wreck the house with their experiments..."

Suddenly his phone rang. He considered letting it go to voicemail, but he could tell from the number on the screen that it was Dr. Chen. And he never called unless it was important. Really important. He picked it up the receiver, but before he even had a chance to say hello, the astronomer breathlessly launched into his announcement.

"James, it's Bob Chen over at the observatory. I've been going over the data feeds from our Quantum Eye platforms, and I'm observing some really strange new developments."

James tiredly replied, "I'm sure they are, Bob, but can't this wait until tomorrow?"

"I don't think this can wait, James."

"Well then, what is it, some kind of change to the planetary nebulae we've been watching?"

"No, this time around it's actually different nebulae this time. If you remember, we've put some new observation platforms in place close to several other well-known galactic objects, such as dust and gas clouds, as well as other non-planetary nebular forms, just in case we might be missing something somewhere else."

"And?"

"And it's paid off, big time. Some very unusual changes are happening in several sectors of our galaxy. In fact, near every single one of our new Quantum Eyes."

James immediately perked up. "Every one? That might mean whoever or whatever is behind this knows that we're on the lookout. So, what kind of changes, exactly?"

"Well, it's hard to explain verbally, and I really don't want to jump the gun with any crazy theories before..."

Quickly losing patience, James interrupted, "I really don't have time to play Twenty Questions, Bob. Would you please get to the point?"

Dr. Chen calmly continued, "Cool your jets, James. Trust me, these changes have to be seen to be believed. I think we need to call a meeting first thing tomorrow morning."

Realizing that he wouldn't be any more forthcoming at the moment, James conceded. "All right then. I'll notify the usual suspects."

"Oh, and make sure that daughter of yours is there too. If my hunch is correct, she should have quite a unique perspective in what's going on up there..."

The next morning, everyone was in place by 9 am sharp, curious to see what Dr. Chen had discovered. By now, both Kim and Shego were showing their baby bumps, and Ron and Drew were looking a little worse for wear. On the other hand, James and Wade were both alert and eager to hear the report. The professor readied his presentation as they helped themselves to donuts and coffee, all except for Ron who had done a quick Bueno Nacho run.

Kim gently chided, "Ron, did you really have to order BN take-out? You knew we were going to have donuts and coffee available."

As he took another bite of his Naco, he casually replied, "Hey, KP, all that sugar and caffeine may give you a nice jolt to start your day, but it's really not the best breakfast. Right now, carbs and protein are what I'm craving. Oh, and I got something for you too."

He reached into his bag and pulled out...

"A salad! Ooh, how thoughtful, honey."

He grinned back, "Just thinking of you and the health of our future family, that's all."

James called the meeting to order. "Okay, Bob. As Kimmie would say, spill."

Dr. Chen began, "Well, as we all know, the underlying mechanics of the planetary nebulae reorientation we've been observing is still unknown, but thanks to Kim and Ron, we've gotten strong indications that they're being artificially induced."

Shego shot back, "Tell us something we don't know, Brainiac."

Now used to Shego's normally vituperative attitude, the professor continued without missing a beat. "All right then, we've suspected that some kind of alien intelligence, perhaps extradimensional in origin, has been behind all this and has been trying to deliver a message of some kind. Although we still don't know what that message is, I believe that we can now postulate specifically who that message is being directed at."

He clicked a control, and the first image popped onto the screen.

"This is an image taken about two weeks ago of the Horsehead Nebula, one of the most iconic objects in the galaxy. Now, in this next slide, taken about four days ago, you'll notice some unusual changes."

Everyone gasped.

Drew looked perplexed. "It looks like it's grown a horn."

Shego, however, was incredulous. "You mean the Horsehead Nebula is now a unicorn?"

Ron continued to gape at the image. "Yeah, and look, down to the right. Isn't that a wing?"

Kim wagged her head. "Yeah, maybe. But unicorns don't have wings, only a Pegasus does. But that strikes me as awfully familiar somehow."

Drew dismissively waved his hand. "Oh, you're just seeing things, like the Man in the Moon, or that Face on Mars."

Dr. Chen continued, "Perhaps, but I'm very doubtful of that as you'll see very shortly. The phenomenon that Drew is referring to is known as pareidolia, which means..."

Wade smugly finished his sentence for him. "The erroneous or fanciful perception of a pattern or meaning in something that is actually ambiguous or random."

Kim ventured, "Oh, yeah. When people find faces in things like clouds, smoke or rock formations?"

Shego snorted, "Yeah, or finding the image of the Virgin Mary in a potato chip, or a grilled cheese sandwich..."

Wade spoke up again. "Hey, don't knock it. That sandwich made its owner $28,000 richer."

"Baloney!" barked Shego.

"No, grilled cheese..."

Everyone then began talking at once, each with their own theories on what they were now observing.

Kim's eyes suddenly went wide as absolute recognition finally clicked in her brain.

"Stop!" she yelled, slamming her fist down on the table.

Everyone looked at he in stunned silence.

"That... that thing out there looks exactly like the Pegacorn Cuddle Buddy I had when I was a kid!"

Now it was James who looked shocked. "Kim, are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive. That was actually the very first Cuddle Buddy you got me, Dad."

A knowing smile appeared on Dr. Chen's face. "James, this is why I didn't want to say anything until now. I wanted to see if Kim could make the connection by herself. And there's even more, as you'll see."

As the professor advanced to the next slide, James smiled as he recognized the image of the Eagle Nebula. "Ah, the Pillars of Creation. Absolutely beautiful."

"Yes, but here's what it looks like now, as of three days ago."

Crowning the top of each column of dark brown gas and dust, there now existed the heads of a strange looking creature.

Kim gasped, "Hey, wait a minute! Those look just like Flamingoats now!"

Dr. Chen continued, "And here's the Crab Nebula then..." He quickly clicked forward. "And two days ago."

"And that's... that's an Otterfly!" she gasped, her skin starting to pale.

"Lastly, here's the Orion Nebula, the closest massive star formation to Earth, and roughly 24 light years across."

A beautiful multicolored panorama appeared before them, an incredible stellar nursery dotted with over 700 stars in various stages of formation.

With a final click, the last image appeared. "And this was taken just yesterday."

Everyone gasped as the unmistakable outline of Kim's favorite Cuddle Buddy appeared. But this wasn't just the standard Panderoo, this was clearly the Super Star Edition, with yellow and white clouds of glowing gas forming its ears, arms, legs and tail. Two bright stars now shown back at them from where its eyes would be, and an even brighter star now sparkled on its necklace, glittering in the depths of space. And to complete the amazing image, dozens of more stars twinkled, clearly imitating a baby Panderoo in its mother's pouch.

Kim's mouth hung open, and she could only utter one word. "Wow..."

A cold chill went up her spine as the implications became crystal clear to her.

"Me. Something, or someone, is trying to contact... me. Or at the very least get my attention."

Ron whispered, "It looks like they've succeeded. But why?"

"A very good question, Ron," James mumbled. "A very good question indeed."

TBC..