Hey sorry for the delays, I just couldn't find a point I felt good about cutting it off. Thanks for all the support!
I'm already addicted to Elden Ring… x.x
Chapter 22: Protect me
The Feeling was weird to Sheila. Usually reading a magazine would just be a way to pass time while waiting for something to happen but now she didn't want it to end. Ron was rubbing her hair and his tail her back while she used his lap as a pillow. It was beyond comfortable and Sheila was hoping it would never end. After Ron had calmed down a bit he requested their current situation saying it would help him calm down. Now Sheila knew it would help him but also knew he was just trying to pacify her but she was so glad she dropped it. He'd already given up doing it so why bother getting at him and making him feel worse.
"Authorities are still searching for the culprit behind the mysterious disappearances of nearly a thousand dollars of food."
Click
"Ever since the dictator's mysterious death, ongoing riots have devastated the country of."
Click
"Hego! Hego! Care to comment on the death of Gil Moss?"
"Hego! Is Shego coming back to the good side?"
Click
"The search for The Jackal is still underway for the attack on Middleton High. The school that Kim Possible and her sidekick Ricko Notchable att"
Click
"I never noticed no one ever gets your name right."
Ron taped Sheila on her forehead before responding " You used to be one of them. Just how it goes now that you're in the know."
"Being in the know is annoying. It's not like your name is hard."
" I'm forgettable…"
"Liar."
" Ok well I'm forgettable to the people who don't know me and as long as it ends with a N it's my first name and Able it's my last name."
"I wonder how many different wrong ones they're."
" Who knows I don't care to count anymore. I used to care but you know it makes me a better ninja."
Click
"Breaking news! Tons of materials have disappeared from across the world. It is believed the same culprits of the food theft."
Click
"Fearless Ferret, you think you've won."
" Finally something not news."
"My stink will corrupt the world and all will fear White… Breaking news."
" Son of a bitch…. It's all news on all the channels. What's the point of having thousands if it's just gonna be them info dumping what I've already known and done."
Click
"When did you steal a bunch of materials?"
" Didn't. Who knows what happened there… my money's on Jackie."
"So what's the deal with him? Is he our enemy?"
" Uhh I don't really know… we should try talking to him. If he is our enemy we'll just take him down. It's two versus one or worst case scenario three versus two and you're our secret weapon."
"Your hands are slowing down."
" Are you sure you're not part cat? You really love getting pet and the whole claws thing."
"Keep fucking with me Stoppable I'll show you a cat."
" You already did that, I don't think I could survive another night."
"You're childish."
" You love it."
"No I don't."
" Well that's too bad you're stuck with it."
"Yeah it might just be a deal breaker."
" As if you love my childish boyish charm."
"You can't run away from me now. You know that right?"
" I love you so I'll take it and enjoy watching you do it."
"Pervert."
" It got me you so i'll wear that badge with honor."
"You got me from manipulation."
" Oh you want to play that game? I'm a child and my actions are the lesser of two evils."
"You're this close buffoon!"
" Careful I'm finding out what I can get away with for some head rubs."
"You can get away with more for actual head."
" Pervert."
"It got me you so i'll wear that badge with honor. Oh god you're rubbing off on me."
" That's too easy."
"So is manipulation."
" So is going after children."
"So is brainwashing."
" So is forcing yourself on me."
"So is emotional manipulation."
" So is grooming."
"I'd go on but you'd probably just go back in and change my memory of winning to losing."
" I don't want anywhere near your mind again. I didn't think I had any chance with all the fantasies about a beaten and tied up KP in there."
"That's enough of that."
" Ronman 1 Beautiful broccoli woman 0."
"You really want to get in trouble again."
" Yeah I'm waiting to be thrown to the ground again but it's not happening. I might have to switch up my approach soon."
"You could try I don't know, being nice, make me feel special, or you know come onto me. That oh so impressive bravado must have left with Ronald."
"See I was doing all that and tried the last one and was punished for it for hours."
"You liked it."
"Of course I did who wouldn't."
"Breaking news enemy to Kim Possible Monkey Fist and his monkey ninja army has been reported dead."
Click
I'm starting to think you're right. It was a few days ago and you made it into my magazine. Your ninja suit got a solid 9/10 losing points for having your face hidden but getting some points for being able to man handle."
" Wait, what seriously? How did they get that picture? I was barely on camera. How is it so HD?"
"Well the place was a tourist trap, probably plenty of cameras came on when you popped up."
"Tourist trap? It seemed quite nice there."
"Yeah til you look closer. I didn't get scammed they tried to but I'm not dumb or weak. Plenty of set ups all over that place. Even the hotel you robbed would have people go in and steal things from your room while you're gone. Luckily I was a celebrity so they didn't do it to me."
" Is it really fair to judge the whole country based on a few bad eggs? Of all the places to pop into I happened to go to the one you stayed in."
"I always demand the best…"
" Oh...I'm gonna jump in a volcano, maybe the heat will bring me up to a 10/10. Ow ow ow stop bad cat. Ow what did I even dooo!"
"We're together right?"
"Yes."
"Then you're the best, no insinuating otherwise. Got it?"
"Yes… owww….why are you still hurting me."
"I asked you nicely and you didn't listen… Stop talking like that, I don't like it, am I understood?"
"I'm sorry."
"I don't care if it probably wouldn't kill you no more talking like that."
" It definitely wouldn't."
"You're pretty confident about that answer… so you think you can survive a volcano but use fireballs and wind in your fight."
" Hey… I like the wind cannons…. Ooo I finally got an idea for our first date! Let's fly together. Your going to live flying"
"That sounds nice actually. How long have you been thinking about going on a date?"
" Before we got together. Just had zero clue what to do. You travel the world and do what you want all the time so it was a struggle. Didn't think bringing you to JP Bearymore's Pizza Party-Torium would end up well for the machines or me."
"I'd just be happy to spend time with you and I'll have you know I enjoy arcades."
" Yeah I know. I just feel it's a first date. It should be memorable and special since you know it will only ever be one. Just wanted the best for our first date. Something we both would never forget besides it being our first date."
Sheila was touched and decided to show her appreciation, pulling Ron into a tender kiss. She could tell Ron was surprised by his slow reaction and the sounds of pans clanging together in the kitchen. Ron was quick to recover and the two got lost in each other til the smell of burnt eggs invaded the house.
"I'm starting to really question your cooking skills. Stealing recipes and burning eggs isn't something a world class chef would do."
"I'm a world class chef and all but your beauty's out of this world theirs no way I could not be distracted. Didn't that one guy in Hawaii try and date you for months? Your beauty even goes against species."
"Wait woah woah that was REAL!? I thought that was some weird fever dream! Aliens do exist."
"Just don't tell anyone I'm supposed to keep it a secret. They bad these weird things they use on people who see too much and make them forget. They got you, Drakken, KP and Wade, and some others but the thing didn't work on me after going through it like twelve times."
"What was his name Persky pesky? He was so adamant he sent me shit for a month and I couldn't remember anything. I thought he was just a guy I had run around and got me drinks. What's with everyone's heads getting messed with?"
" I mean they do it for safety. Things are rough for mutants from what you told me, let alone aliens."
"Ugh can you clean those eggs up already, it stinks."
" Huh just stop breathing, you don't need to anymore. Probably kind of hard since you're not used to it yet."
"Do you not need to breathe... hold on."
Sheila got up letting Ron go to the kitchen and stayed still holding her breath. Ron went to work confused. It took the cooking prodigy less than twelve minutes to start over again up a delicious breakfast spread fit enough for a king. It helped that he could fully concentrate on it instead enjoying having Sheila laying on him. Just as he finished and went to call Sheila she walked over by herself and sat down ready to eat.
" How'd you know I was done?"
"I felt you were gonna call me. I definitely still need to breathe. I might be able to hold it longer than just my regular powers though."
"Well… that's disappointing, at least I can still choke you.. Maybe it's all different? We should try and figure out what you have. Jackie could heal way faster than I could."
"Let's do that after I get my date. Flying, cheap pizza, and kicking your ass at every game."
" Let's make a bet. Whoever gets the most tickets owes the loser a favor they can't refuse."
Now you're speaking my language. No "powers allowed and we compete one time on every machine."
" Really just those two rules you're practically handing me the win."
"Careful your Ronald is showing. Don't get overly cocky and lose."
Ron smiled at Sheila, sending her butterflies crazy. " Well see I'm adding my own rule. As long as we're not just throwing each other away from the machines or smacking hands away, distraction and messing with each other is completely alright."
"Wow, an actual fun rule."
" My inserted rule was good the last time."
"Yeah for you."
"Everything was stacked against me there. Well atleast I thought it was."
"It was two versus one."
" Against you it could have been ten to one and you'd still have the advantage."
"Increasing the numbers doesn't do anything in this situation… God damn it."
" Maybe we are becoming too similar. We both can't have foot in mouth disease."
"I believe in karma now. I made fun of you two much for it so I somehow caught it from you."
"You probably got it from being a daycare."
"A daycare? What does that mean?"
"Well I don't know if you're a daycare or not actually."
"If you ignore me again, pain comes."
" Ok cremationer … is that what you'd call someone who cremates things?"
"What the hell are you on about? I'm so confused. What do I have to do with a daycare and cremati… Oh. oh..."
Once Ron saw Shegos' eyes widen he knew it was time to go. He didn't wait a single second ditching the finished banquet and teleporting away. Ron ended up in the sky above the ocean where he was just a few days ago. It felt surreal being there again. Ron found it funny how his life changed so much just by inner reflection. No more doing things to please others. He'd done the complete opposite and results far above anything he thought possible came out. Ron couldn't help but think how things would have been different if Kim never got jealous and stopped talking to him for a week or I'd he never cared about it. Having confidence and having no desire to hide it was already such an amazing change.
Ron felt old. So much had changed for him in such a short time that even a week ago felt like a lifetime. Ron's moment of peace and reflection didn't last long. Sheila looking pissed had momentarily lost herself after chasing Ron and seeing him so deep in thought but her hands were itchy and the smile that she could stare at forever before was still perfect in every way to her but was missing her fist in his face. Being new to flying and teleporting Sheila found herself running on empty after hours of chasing Ron around. From above the ocean to the bottom, from Japan to Canada they both lost track of time. The passage of time didn't calm down Sheila and only made her chase more aggressively till finally Ron messed up. He had slowed down so he wouldn't hurt a bird and Sheila got her arms around him. Ron tried so hard to get away thinking of all the places he could escape to but none of them worked but his powers seemed to switch off.
" Hey okay okay wait Sheila please..why can't I teleport."
"You can't use your powers when someone with the same source is stopping you. Remember? Now that I have you..."
"Wait wait what you mean the same powers we don't…. Wait ow my favce stak pincking my creekz…" Ron managed to free his face away from Sheila before continuing. "I think I'd rather get punched."
"I know you would, that's why I didn't do it now, stop fighting it."
"How do you have my powers and why are you so much stronger?"
"Your amulet dummy, did you forget you gave it to me?"
"…………"
"..."
" Fuck. Listen, that's not fair. You can't use my gift against me. It's to keep you safe and not to torment me."
"You called me a baby crematorium and made me Chase you for four hours."
"You're welcome. I'd say the dates going good so far"
"Die ."
"Ow ow…..Hey no grabbing my…..OWW MY TAIL! Sheila stop…Ok ok uncle uncle I'm sorry!"
"You've gotten too cheeky for me so just be a good boy and suffer. It's all out of love."
" Bullshit."
Sheila couldn't help but roll her eyes at how dramatic Ron was being. "FINE see it as me softening you up so I can win the arcade games easier. Your little rule doesn't start til we get in the arcade."
Kim POV
Why can't I stop thinking about it? Ron's always been my friend and nothing more. I was okay when he dated Zita and he helped me get enough confidence to ask out Josh. It's not fair of me… he looks so happy and Shego of all people was being civil. Mom even said she knows all about Camp Wannaweep. She's not using him for anything. She has no reason to. She's just smarter than me… just like Zita and Terra. They noticed how great having Ronshine is.
Stupid tears… Stupid feelings… Stupid me for not noticing before. Who am I kidding… I'm a terrible person. Even if things was different and I asked him out it wouldn't last. My Jewish best friend and I willingly let him be chipped. Why couldn't I see that as a problem before? Sure he loses thing and drops his pants. That's just Ron… or the old Ron. He was right. So many other places could be used yet it was attached to his spine. How can I hope to be in Shegos place when she's treated my best friend far better than I have? For all her faults Shego never once actively tried to kill us. Sure she'd stand by while we got captured in some deadly trap but that wasn't directly her. Can I even fix something like that? I promised him I'd be more careful after the closet. Then I strapped a ticking time bomb to his neck….
Oh god… I'm horrible… my best friend was fighting for life not knowing if he'd walk ever again because of me. Even if he never went out it could have happened at any time. If he didn't have his powers he'd just be gone. He'd never be the same and he'd never have forgiven me.
…
I'm gonna be better. A better best friend and a better person. Even if it means losing Ron...like that. We'll still be best friends and if he and Shego don't work out I'll be there for him and if they do I'll still be there for them. After I punch that thieving bitch in her face at least one more time. Ugh no stop it I can't be mad because I'm blind and she's not. I had years to see how great Ron I'd and it took her less than a week with him to sink her Kermit mittens in him. I'm no quitter, I'm not gonna give up til I move on and find someone else… No one can replace Ron though. I mean sure theirs better looking guys but Rons one in a million. Boys can barely stay in a relationship for a month in school. I've been treating Ron like shit… God I'm expecting someone to hear my thoughts and say language… treating him like shit and he's been with me through all of it smiling and making sure I'm okay and happy. I shouldn't have let him leave that night. I should have just done it . Ugh why did mom have to get up. I know she worries about us so she stays up sometimes but God if she didn't open the door I wouldn't need a toy… and daddy wouldn't have passed out. He's so embarrassing the tweebs are almost in high school they definitely know… stuff like that and he just starts screaming at me midway carrying him about how toys aren't for his little girl. He was so loud I doubt any of the neighbors didn't hear. Why couldn't he just be normal and give her the talk. That would be way less embarrassing than her mom laughing while her dad works the courage to go back in her room and take her toy. It was so embarrassing and lasted fifteen minutes of him being too stubborn to give up. He'd finally worked up the courage to go in the room and passed out as soon as he saw it. It's not that bad… Mom probably has more and he's freaking out that I like mine. It didn't help that mom was using me to stand up. It wasn't that funny… Even the tweebs were laughing. Why couldn't they just keep playing their music? Why'd they have to enhance the embarrassment of it all? They would never let it go. I'll be embarrassed till I'm in a casket knowing them.
I need a distraction. Should I go back to doing missions? It's been a week… maybe not anything big. Just go back to doing small stuff til Wade's back. Team impossible can help everything else til we're all back together. Even if they aren't aren't the best they can hold out. Yeah that sounds good. Nothing to worry about but helping people out when I see it. No more going out of my way to help others for now. I should get back to learning more martial arts. I loved doing it but between all the school activities and random schedule I couldn't get anything done. Now's the best time for it. I even have Shego as an option for a sparring partner. I might hate it but that would help Ron be less on edge if we got along even if it means we're punching each other. Yeah that sounds amazing. What should I practice? Krav maga? For hurting only of course. Or I can learn ninjutsu. Yeah ninjutsu why didn't I think about that earlier. I need to call Ron. He could get me trained by the best immediately.
"Hello, Possible-san."
"Master Sensei? What are you doing here?"
"Things have changed for Stoppable-san I've come to see the changes myself. I would approach him myself but he isn't home."
Sheila POV
I really need to get Ron's head checked out. One second he's calm and all serious the next he thinks pissing me off and chasing him is a good way to start a date. He didn't even try to get out. Why is it that he's still stronger than me? I thought reaching whatever realm they call it was supposed to make a person stronger. I feel exactly the same. Why is it that Ron gets a mile long list of new things and I get a little bit stronger.
" That's simple really you haven't made it fully."
"Again Wukong just randomly popping into peoples heads isn't cool. What do you mean I haven't made it yet?"
" Well if you were paying attention you'd see I froze Ron again. Don't tell Ron you haven't made it yet. Reaching our realm isn't a disease you don't get it for having sex or getting gifted a artifact. You are like Jackie. Your inner sanctum is partially built from it but it is up to you to finish it. No one can finish your inner sanctum for you. They can start the process but it will always be up to the person to complete it."
"I definitely won't tell him but how have I been doing all this…. The amulet?"
" Yes. I modified it a bit before giving it to Ronald. As long as you stay near him it will charge up but it's not infinite. I came to tell you that because you almost ran out multiple times. If I wasn't paying attention to your little chase you'd have probably been alright but Ron would be crushed if he saw you get hurt. Let alone finding out you're not there yet."
"How do I start to finish my inner sanctum?"
" Ha, you think I know. If I did we wouldn't be so rare. Out of a hundred and twenty four of all the people I've helped start only five have made it. I've no idea how they did it. Some people are born into it like me. Some make it through extreme emotions like hate in Monkey Fist guy. I think Jackie made it because he wanted to see his dad or he wanted to kill Anubis not sure there. Make a long story short, it's random you either get it or you don't. Ron's actually a monster. As soon as I tried to help him start it he'd finished it."
"If you didn't do it for him, why does he have a tail?"
" Prolly because he kept it as a monkey for so long. I mean if you believe yourself to be a dog, bark like a dog, and walk like a dog, wouldn't another dog assume you were a dog? He probably was so self conscious of being a monkey he became one. Theirs really no changing it once your totem is built unless you break it but that's like a 95% chance of dying instantly and maybe like 4% chance of becoming a vegetable. Oop Ron's being unfrozen it's a very slim chance never ever do it blah blah blah. Thanks for making that kid happy see ya….. fuck he's gotten strong."
"I wasn't supposed to hear that last part was I?"
" No you weren't..."
"... so we don't have to end the night so early… what just happened?"
"You noticed this time?"
"How could I not notice! Why do you look sad? What happened?"
"My boyfriend's been bullying me all day of co…"
" Sheila I know that's not why… tell me what's wrong. No hiding secrets. Remember?"
"Fine. It's getting annoying when you keep trying to change the place from where you like."
" Noted and I'm sorry about that but that's not why you're frowning."
"It actually is. Thanks for calling me a liar. I used to bring my brothers to a JP Bearymore's Pizza Party-Torium all the time before we moved… after the meteor and our...parents. I'm looking forward to going and you keep trying to change it on me."
'Why does lying feel so… terrible. I don't want to lie to him but I don't want him to be thinking of suicide far more. Why can't you just accept that and not make me feel bad. Stupid heart having feelings sucks.'
" Oh… shit sorry."
"It's ok. I wouldn't believe your upset because we couldn't go to Bueno Nacho or something… Wait no I'm forgetting who I'm talking to."
"After I kick your ass at the arcade we're gonna sit down and just talk. Things have been so hectic today's the only day we've had to really talk."
"That sounds nice. It's been two or three days and things just keep happening around us."
" Probably still is. We're gonna go home and get comfortable in bed just for world war three to start."
"We're not gonna have any time if we don't get going. For someone who was being so sweet you really started our date off bad. Why rile me up to start off?"
"Well… haha funny story I was gonna let you chase me a bit then get caught and like start a mini fight ONLY because you love fighting and i thought it would be fun for you to have the first time you fly and like our first real fight and you know not like that but like a fight fight that sound right a fist fight not that I wouldn't seriously try and hurt you I wait that's not a fight training we would be training Yeah cuz uhh it would be our first time in the air well first and last time not sex were gonna do that a ton our first time fighting not for real fighting mmm..."
'God he can ramble.'
"I'm gonna uncover your lips and you're going to stop rambling, listen, and teleport us to where we needa go. Got it?"
I wait til Ron nods weakly before letting him go. "Listen closely. I love that you're trying to go over the top and make sure to do things I love to do but stop over thinking it. I'd be happy if we just stayed on the couch all day. I've done pretty much everything their is to do alone. We can do anything either one of us has done together and it would be better done you agree? Ugh God dammit buffoon that sad look on your face doesn't belong there. A quick kiss is enough to get my favorite smile back on his face. Now I can continue no problem. "I can go flying anytime I want and so can you and it would have been perfect if we started flying together instead of you goading me to chase you. Now as cute as your rambling is stop talking and take me to the arcade already."
Instead of listening to me I can see him about to start again. That can't go unpunished. Dammit I will never get used to getting teleported. It's just too sudden a change with no warning. He just teleported us slightly away from everyone, the dummy. Gotta love the conveniences powers bring. I just grab something simple. Jeans and a shirt and looking over Ron had the same. Out of all the outfits for us to choose and we choose the same ones. Even if I remade your wardrobe like mine doesn't mean I wanted us to match… did it? Of course not…. Ugh accidentally matching God, if we become a cringe couple doing matching outfits all the time and trying to finish each other's sentences…. Fuck why do I feel like that would be nice. Focus on something else. I'm not into that kind of cute stuff… FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE.
Pizza sauce.
I can smell the cheap pizza sauce from here. Even if it's cheap pizza, ALL pizza is good. Focus on that. Ron grabs my hand and I definitely feel better. Who cares if we look cringey to others. They're just projecting their loneliness… Ok enough thoughts I didn't use to be lonely, not in the least.
Did we just walk completely past everyone in line? Am I missing something? He didn't pay or anything. Why are so many kids excited? Shouldn't they be mad and angry about getting skipped?
"Ron you're finally here, five min...woah holy shhhhii- shhhoo- schnitzel I meant schnitzel."
"Nice save Ned."
I watch as Ned pulled over Ron and started whispering away from the kids, parents, and me but I can still hear what was whispered about.
"When you said you're coming with a plus one I thought you meant Kim. Holy shit man what did you do to land her. She's putting supermodels to shame in jeans."
" I got insanely lucky…"
This is getting awkward being gawked at by so many people. I like hearing children calling me pretty. It's cute as much as I hate everyone. Little kids are too pure and cute to hate. I can do without being gawked at by the adults, especially the guys. Stare at another woman's ass right in front of your wife and kid. I'm sure that's gonna go well for you polo shirt. Oh HA that's what you get. I don't deserve to get dragged away sucks for the kid though.
"Please tell me she has a single sister or like a hot single friend. If they're hanging together the standards have to be as low."
….and now I'm annoyed no more talk from the nerd. "My standards aren't low f...fre...ahh funk off."
" Nice save Shannon."
"Shut it and get inside."
I grab Ron's hand this time and drag him in. Not a single employee we came across didn't gawk and try to steal Ron's attention from me asking where's Possible and who am I. I don't really mind it but God he's so embarrassing. Why does he sound so happy and proud EVERY time he says I'm his girlfriend. By the time we get to the first machine I probably look like a tamato my face feels so hot.
" Sorry about how weird that all was. I've had to let them know in advance whenever I'm coming in ever since I bought and gave out all the prizes to kids. I did it a few times and JP wasn't happy he didn't have prizes for a week."
"Do they not have backups? How'd you manage to do that?"
" I've been coming here for fifteen years. It took around four hundred thousand points to wipe their warehouse out once of everything besides candy. I made a deal that I can come in whenever I want in exchange for points as long as I don't clear the warehouse again."
"Wow I may be in way over my head… we're definitely cleaning out their warehouse. All those kids in line should get a few things for waiting. It's a longer line than any club I've ever seen."
"Haha I think telling them I had someone else was a mistake they thought I meant KP. No way it wouldn't get them excited."
"Let me guess telling them you're bringing someone aka princess was a part of the deal?"
" Yeah last time we came they let kids come and play for free for a couple hours hence the line… anyway enough of KP. Today is my queen's day not my… I-that didn't work ima stop using my brain for talking."
"If you were gonna call princess your princess it's best if you shut up."
" I was thinking a queen is more important than a princess to a king and princess is more family kind of love…. Yeah it was dumb."
"Not always their was plenty of kings who married princesses family or not."
" No worries from me, green is my favorite color and kicked red out the top three."
"Let me guess the others are black and blue."
" What can I say? The color makes a wonderful combination." Ron didn't even look in the direction of the skee-ball pocketing all five balls in the max points one handed. How the fuck? He's staring at me. How did he…
"..."
It feels so good. I'm leaning on him? That's okay… God I can't think. Don't let anything interrupt him...wait
"What the fuck are you doing fingering me their kids here?" I can barely hear myself whisper. I hope that's what I said.
" No one's in here but you and me right now. All the employees are gone to help set up the kids."
"Yeah I'm sure we look f.f.fuck stop it that's feels so amazing… camera... hand…. pants stop it."
"It's something Wukong taught me. How to hide from tech. Sadly it doesn't work on people. I'm either visible to everyone or I'm not."
"You…"
General POV
The employees had just gotten done checking everyone's point cards and distributing new ones or replacements. All the regular employees felt glad that Ned was hired as a temp manager even if he was a hardass. He'd gotten most of the kids checked in and ready to go. The tidal wave of kids swarmed past them and they had to be careful trying to get to their posts. Eighty three children all running around was a recipe for disaster. As long time employees they knew what was coming. Ron was always the kind of kid you'd want to come to an arcade. Nice, respectful, and most importantly not as loud as the kids that loved to scream their heads off but God if they didn't hate seeing him sometimes. A night of replacing all the prizes was bound to happen and the bonus pay wasn't anywhere near enough to work a part time warehouse job. They all felt grateful that he'd never clear the warehouse again.
As the group of employees and adults walked around the corner to see nothing but the two teenagers playing skee-ball their was panic all around. One group for not seeing their children and the other was the employees who knew. The employees nearly had tears in their eyes as they rounded the corner to the prize station. All the kids were lined up in a single file line with a golden card inserted in the slot. Their was only one gold card in the entire chain of pizza emporiums and the owner was sinking a skee ball. The slot it was placed in was the stuff of nightmares to the workers. Sure enough phones started ringing like crazy and all of them groaned collectively, dragging their feet to the prizes.
/
"I feel bad for them a bit."
"How the hell are you doing that? Your looking the complete opposite of the stupid machine."
" Skee-ball is my specialty. I've been playing on this same machine my entire life."
"New rule theirs a five hundred point per machine unless it's one of the jackpot ones."
" I'll let you do the Jackpots three times. If I get to do the stacker five times."
That's suspicious…. I'm gonna decline."
" Chicken."
"Like I'd fa…"
Bok bok
"Your anno…"
Bok bok
"Yo…"
Bok bok
'Bok in my fucking ear one more ti…
Bok bok bok
"I didn't even say any…"
Bok bok bok bok . " You're a green chicken."
"Wanna play buffoon goes…"
Bok
Sigh… "Ron, stop it. I'm not kidding, I will hurt you."
"Haha okay okay I'm sorry you're an adorable poodle not a chicken."
"That's not better and stop smiling at me, you're so fuu...fraction annoying."
" Nice save."
"Bite me."
Ron's smile disappeared and so did Sheila's annoyance. Sheila started feeling bad immediately.
"I-Im sorry I thought you knew I was just kidding."
" Huh oh no it's not you sorry sensei is trying to get my attention. I was telling him to stop."
"Ron… You missed a ball. Was that really what happened?"
" Wait really? I haven't missed in years! Ugh that makes it even more annoying. He's at KPs house and I left a book with her by accident. It's like a manual for tips and tricks to use the powers we all have. He's been screaming his head off since we got here. I've been ignoring it but it's just gotten louder."
"I'm gonna tell him to continue, you deserve it."
" I'll ignore you."
"I'll be sad and you won't be able to last a minute."
" Just because your right doesn't mean your right. I maxed out on skee-ball by the way. So prepare to be played with."
"Don't say it like that with kids around."
" They're across the room fighting for who gets a bike first, it's fine."
Ron waited til Sheila was about to roll the ball lean on her making the ball miss its target completely.
" Oops sorry I broke one of the rules. My bad. It was an accident. "
"You did that on purpose! You know what just for that I'm taking your points five hundred goes to me."
"Hey wait what, that's not fair you got nine hundred and thirty-seven points on just this one of them. I should just lose fifty points or something."
"Too bad I'm taking em either way. Now how do I trade them to yours to mine?
" We can't."
"What's even the point of me having a card and why did you want a new one."
" For when we come back duh. Of course we won't be playing. We'd probably be sitting over there watching."
Curious to what he meant Sheila looked to where Ron was pointing. The only thing in that direction was the tables where a set of parents were watching their child try and learn to ride a bike. Sheila was confused for a second.
"What does sitting there have to do with the cards?"
"Come on She..Sharron dang I thought I had it down."
"You don't have to hide my name when I'm not green but I appreciate the effort."
"It's my most prized secret. I gotta keep it a secret no matter what."
"It's not really a secret you know. It's on all of my records."
"Yeah but that's digging up your past. You telling me yourself is what's important. Besides, your GJ file doesn't even have it, let alone police records."
"Excuse me?"
" Oh yeah sorry I saw your file while at GJ…"
"Not that. You said GJ doesn't have my name?"
" Well no not in the file I saw at least."
"Next time we see that one eyed bitch I'm gonna take the other one."
"Woah wait what? I mean okay I'll support you but why?"
"She must have done it."
" Oh she's ranting."
"No I'm not I'm not you I don't ignore people. About two or three years ago I got all kinds of distress signals and emergency calls from the Wegos of them crying and begging for me to be alright. I was just getting started really getting into evil so I never kept a phone with me since I had it in my civilian name. I answered voice-mail to just hear them wailing before my phone got cut off completely. Luckily I'm not dumb and had a fake ID and bank accounts so I could still get back in the US with a little bribery. I got to Fo city to find my two brothers crying their eyes out in my room with my death certificate on the floor. They'd stayed and cried there the entire three days I was traveling. I'm sure that bitch or someone there got paid to wipe my name out there system so they decided to announce me dead. I won't forgive anyone I didn't need to see that. My brothers nearly starving to death a-an…"
" Hey woah Sheila don't cry it's okay their okay." Ron pulled Sheila into a hug, grateful that the kids were such a good distraction. He didn't care about being misunderstood. Only caring that she'd hate being seen vulnerable.
"I'm not sad I'm pissed. I thought it was just a mistake. They must have done it so they could delete the case I opened."
Ron pulled Sheila into the hug fully resting his head against hers and whispering words of comfort to her. Once Sheila stopped shaking Ron pulled away ready to talk til he saw her expression.
" Let it all out til you feel better. Whatever you need a shoulder to cry on a punching bag use me as you like and when you get it all out just tell me what you want to do."
Everything should be calming. Ron was being sweet and caring, she was in her favorite spot in the world after he hugged her tighter, and his hands worked it's magic not getting tangled in her hair but Sheila was anything but peaceful. She pulled away from Ron and if it wasn't for him holding her up she probably would have slipped in fell. Ron had brought her away and they both were in a all too familiar room. Sheila couldn't look away from Ron's eyes as he stared down at her. His eyes were terrifying. The blue glow in them wasn't anything. The eerie blue mixed far too well in the ice room making it seem as the color had taken over and was pouring out. This wasn't like with Ronald. Their was no pupils or iris just that sickly blue glaring into her soul. Even when he was defending her before his eyes weren't close to what they are now. Sheila didn't know what to say or do. Ron was just staring at her.
"R-Ron?"
" Yes?"
"I…I'm okay."
" Are you sure? You still look distressed."
"Why are you talking like that to me… it sounds so monotone."
"Sorry, is that better."
"Ron, you're scaring me, talk normally."
Ron tilted his head in confusion not understanding what he was doing wrong. Usually Sheila would find that cute but she couldn't help but notice his soulless eyes still stayed in the same place even when his head moved. Sheila didn't feel safe until Ron smiled at her. His attempt to calm her down didn't go as planned. Instead of calming Sheila down it just reminded her who she was talking to. The buffoon. The only person she trusted. He wouldn't hurt her. Even when she asked him to.
Sheila brought her hands to his face caressing him. The eerie blue dripping from him felt shockingly warm despite its appearance. Sheila thought for a second it was tears until it slid down her fingers to her hands and dripped to the floor. The cold freezing floor melted as soon as the liquid hit it. As Sheila touched it longer she felt shocked. Shocked that she hasn't recognized it and shocked Ron had it. It was plasma. Exactly like hers in every way besides the color difference. How and why he had plasma didn't matter once Sheila realized what the blue was. She pulled him into a kiss and exactly to her expectations the glow faded. Once she saw the familiar regular blue eyes staring at her in confusion she melted in the kiss closing her eyes. It didn't last long. Ron broke it immediately trying to understand why he was just given a rollercoaster of responses and emotions.
"..."
"...Sorry."
Ron reconnected the kiss. His confusion and anger from a second ago couldn't block him from enjoying the kiss this time. They stayed lost in each other till Sheila pulled away for air.
" What were we talking about again?"
Sheila couldn't help but laugh at Ron's look. The goofy lovestruck look fit him far better then the emotional void that had taken over. Of course Sheila had to comment on it. She didn't mind Ron being angry and wanting to defend her but it would be far better for her mental health if she didn't have to see him like that ever.
" Sorry I scared you."
You don't have to apologize to me for that. It's… nice to know you still have me in mind when you're like that."
" I've never seen you look like that and I don't want you to ever have that expression again. Besides I love your brothers we play video games whenever they get the chance to. I didn't know that happened to them."
"Our family's not big on sharing that kind of stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if Mego didn't know."
" Can we both agree that Mego never gets to see his niece or nephew. He'd probably shit himself while the baby is getting changed to try and get attention to himself."
" HA It's sad that's so accurate. God growing up with him was such a pain. My first shark attack he tried to convince our parents his was worse."
" You mean your period right? I thought I knew what you meant by shark attack but why would he…"
"Yeah he's dumb that's why. Our parents gave us all that talk when they gave me a room by myself. Mego hated that and that's the reason he's always had a grudge against me…. Wait was that what you meant with the cards and us watching. That's cute and you just let it fly over my head."
"I thought it would be obvious. I forget I'm dating a blond girl."
"Your way more blond than me."
" I don't know you can just change how blond you're."
"Even if that was the case I'm clearly the smarter one, maybe not in technology but definitely everywhere else."
"You're just older than me. Now that I think about it, I've been meaning to ask how did you get through the rest of highschool and finish a masters so fast?"
"A PhD, a masters, and two minors. It pays to be smart and have money."
" Well I can't argue with that. I should do the same."
"No."
" But…"
"No. You'll do things normally. No dropping out or getting your GED. Finish high school then college."
" I wasn't planning on going to co… Oh I sense danger."
"Go ahead, keep talking."
"... I don't want to."
"Good boy."
" Why do you want me to go to college? I have thousands of lifetimes to gain knowledge."
"That doesn't matter if I… sigh. If I'm not there."
" Fuck he's gotten strong. I wasn't supposed to hear that last part was I? No you weren't. I shouldn't have heard any of that conversation but like Wukong said I've gotten stronger. I wasn't going to bring it up even though it was bothering me. You telling me yourself makes me feel better."
"Ron…"
" It's okay. It bothered me a lot that you tried to hide it from me at first but honestly it feels good knowing you're looking out for me to the point you'd lie to me."
"I…"
" Hey it's okay I'm not like that anymore in fact I'm better than I was before that dream. I think I figured out how to take that step and finish an inner sanctum or whatever he called it."
"What really? How?"
" It's just a hunch but the more I think about it the more it just seems to come together. It's the only thing I've been able to focus on so sorry if I seemed a bit weird. I don't know about the others Wukong talked about. Just going on the ones I know. It felt like Jackie was going on and on about his dad and when I heard why he was coming at me I wrote it off. I don't know Jackie like that but the guy was big on finding his dad and was gonna try and kill me to get it to happen. He probably didn't get enough love or got too much and became obsessed with getting him back. He really wanted his father back in his life more than likely.
Monkey Fist hated me. He was crazy about MMP. We both know that and when he thought I took it from him that was his trigger to just lose it. He was after revenge that to him could only equal taking my life. He really wanted his revenge on me."
"Ron… I swear to everything if you say you took that step from really wanting to kill yourself I will freak out."
" No, of course not. I got my powers or to be more accurate Ronald got the powers from really wanting to be free."
"Ok wait don't ever say you don't need school again say anything else like craved, coveted, or desired stop saying really wanted. That's like my one pet peeve talking to people."
Okay Grammer nazi while I was being targeted by actual nazis I desired freedom every single day. Free from that camp, the torment, and that…oven. You know what I saw every single day enjoying that it could do whatever it wanted whenever. It could maul my tormentors as it pleased, go wherever it wanted with no consequences, and traumatize whomever it felt like and just lay back and enjoy being fed bananas. Bobo, who admittedly is a chimpanzee, was living my dream at that time. I held that trauma down so deep even the multiple personality disorder I developed didn't know about it but I used to dream of being that free there. He more than likely saw all my dreams of being a monkey and being free when he was first created. Ronald also wanted to be free but for different circumstances. While Ron was too scared of chimps to accept the MMP, Ronald still saw monkeys as a symbol of freedom of being able to go and do whatever you want when you want because he was ignorant of the things Ron got put through by said monkey. He chose to embrace it and got his inner sanctum half way. He already had something he desired and so he completed it instantly. Maybe it's not the proper way or maybe I'm completely wrong but it's worth a shot."
"..."
The more Ron talked the more Sheila felt where he was coming from but she still had her misgivings.
"It can't be that simple. Who hasn't wanted something before and theirs probably old artifacts from Wukong or Anubis everywhere. Maybe it's a part of it?"
" Of course it's not so simple. Maybe theirs a requirement of how strong a person is. As much as I hate him, Monkey Fist was strong. The guy had his entire life's work stolen from him by a kid and he lost practically everything once he got exposed as a villain but he never gave up trying to get revenge. I don't know a lot about Jackie but he was very stubborn in our fight and didn't give up while I was beating him up. I don't really fit in that category now that I th…"
"You do. Trust me. Not just anyone is made out for saving the world. Most would give up when they find out their is an entire building of beefed up dunbasses waiting to beat on them let alone all the shit you had in front of you. I think what you're saying has a lot of merit. I remember their was this woman who we thought had comet powers. Her baby was trapped in her car under a truck and we were slowly making it there. As we came on to the scene we saw her moving the truck by herself and ripping off the car door to get to her baby."
" That's hysterical strength. I don't think it's the same or maybe it is but permanent. What's something you desire Sheila, we need to get you there so we can test it."
"I don't really want anything. I have everything I really want. Give me a second to think."
"..."
"..."
Ron took to looking around at the cave. Barely a week ago he was here trapped and scared to death of Shego. He was wracking his brain so much to keep her entertained so she didn't take her boredom out on him or just did the Shego thing to scare him for fun. She might still be scaring him for fun but at least now if he was to get hurt would be because he did something bad.
'I wonder what made her be nice? She's left us in plenty of death traps over and over and tried to seriously injure us more times than I can count. Why would it be different here? She wouldn't need to do anything but light her finger in my direction and I would probably live. Lying on me wasn't necessary at all and with her mind set on guys? Should I ask her?... Probably safer not to…. I hope she can find something she wants…'
"You."
"Huh."
"You're the only thing I can think of."
" We're already together?"
"Not like that you idiot. I want to protect you."
" I don…"
"I'm going to protect you even if that's against yourself. That's what I want most. You, safe and by my side."
" Why would I hurt my…oh."
"I said I never want to hear you talk like that again and I mean it. I don't care if I can't make it to that stupid realm I'm not gonna have it stop either of us being happy for as long as we can. No more worrying about the future."
"I hate this. I just want you to know I fucking HATE this with a passion…. I won't protect myself from anything when we're together…. Well from anything period. As long as I'm not somewhere you can't see or you're not in danger."
"Thanks Ron it means a lot."
"You're not allowed to hurt me either, you know. You gotta protect me from harm."
"I know that."
" Oh god this is going to be a thing…. I was hoping you'd cancel it after I said that… I hate being the damsel in distress."
"You make for a very cute damsel."
"..."
" Your damsel demands comfort food for the absolutely awful time I'm gonna have."
"Don't worry babe, pizza and ice creams on me."
" I've been mentally attacked. I've suffered emotional damage, bodyguard take your words back."
"My shift doesn't start till after our date has finished."
Unknown
"I hate you, I really do. How the fuck did you guess that."
"No guessing about it dog face. As soon as I saw the chick I had a feeling she could reach our realm easily. She's not the type to be obsessed about what she can't have."
"Hnph… that boy does have a point though it's a good theory, a great one even. He's smarter than I gave him credit for."
"That's because intelligence is bullshit. Everyone is brilliant in their own way, it's just how free will and critical thinking works. No one ever think the same way that's how progression is made…. If only Hera was still around she could have expanded and tested his ideas."
Good riddance I say you haven't been around when she and her husband went around believing they owned the universe. Mount Olympus. HA!! Skyscrapers today were taller than that thing."
" She was very annoying but smart if only she wasn't so obsessed with believing she's perfect. Anyway, what happened to that boy of yours? I haven't felt him in a while."
"The idiot got himself trapped in an artifact. I'm just letting him suffer for a bit. The idiot that captured him didn't know me and Isis was on good terms. I'm the one keeping him in there"
" Imagine being caught with our power and you thought he could win."
"Shut it banana breath. The kid was so stubborn I thought he could pull a miracle hell he already did one to get his sanctum."
"Don't have it like last time. With that blue kid. Stop looking after every little thing they do."
"Like you're doing right now?"
"Thats…besides the point….fuck you."