A few days later, Kim, Ron and other students were on a field trip at the Middleton Aviation Museum. At the moment, they were following a guide as they were at a room showing planes used in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
And they soon got to the very plane that defended and saved Midway, and avenged the events of Pearl Harbor.
The SBD Dauntless.
"The Dauntless was a newcomer to the Navy back in '41." The guide said. "This one is the known survivor of it's class in the Battle of Midway. And it has the battle scars to prove it." He gestured to a section of the plane's side showing where a bullet hole has punctured. "Each one of these patches was where some 200 bullets struck when in battle in June, 1942."
"Can you imagine being in the pilot seat that day?" Tara whispered to Kim and Ron.
"I know, terrifying." Ron agreed softly.
"This was a plane made for not speed, but precision." The guide spoke. "It was a dive bomber. Each would be hooked up with either a 500 or 1,000 pound bomb, fly several thousand feet over the Japanese carriers, and the bombs aren't just dropped... they were aimed. If a bomb was dropped at 3,000 feet, even if the pilot had the carrier locked into his sights, the bomb would be missed. So, the pilots were in a deadly game of chicken with the carrier and the ocean when diving. Their goal: dive down in a steep angle, 60 or 70 degrees, get as close as they could, then release the bomb and pull up at the last second. It's a tactic that takes only the bravest, and icy nerve and an iron stomach. Dusty Kleiss and Richard Best were the very 2 pilots who took out the Japanese carriers threatening Midway."
"I don't know if I have any of skills." Ron whispered. "Icy nerve and stomach thing."
"Other planes used to take out the carriers were TBDs and TBFs, which were torpedo-bombers." The guide said leading them to a TBD and TBF. "Perhaps the most dangerous task, as they were tasked to get close enough before releasing a torpedo to take out the ships."
"Talk about nerves of steel." Kim said as Jessica nodded in agreement.
After the field trip, and seeing P-40s, a B-25, a propeller of a B-24, and others. They soon returned back to Middleton University and Kim and Ron were heading back to their homerooms.
"As terrifying those moments sounded, it would be interesting to fly those planes." Ron said.
"Yeah, I think I would mainly try flying the P-51." Kim said.
They soon got to Kim's room as she opened the door, but it was then that she saw a package on the bed.
"What's this?" Kim wondered.
They head into the room as Kim grabbed the package and noticed a note.
"'To Kim and Ron, from loving families"." Kim read the note.
She then unwraps the package and they saw it was a photobook labeled, "Average Childhood Friends to Heroes and College Students".
"Oh... So this is the "care package" Wade accidentally gave away." Ron said.
"Looks like it is." Kim said.
She then opens it and they saw photos of some of their favorite childhood moments.
"Whoa, it looks they added some of our favorite memories together." Ron said.
"Yeah." Kim said and flipped a few pages. "Hey. Our first day of 9th Grade at Middleton High."
"Yeah." Ron chuckled. "Seems it was still yesterday we were high school students."
"Yeah." Kim said. "Great times."
"Oh! What about that photo of us at New Years' in '99?" Ron asked grabbing the book. "Is it there?"
He flipped some pages and soon found it. The photo was the Possible and Stoppable family together with a banner behind them reading, "Welcome to 2000".
"Ah, there it is." Ron said and smiled at the memory. "That was a good time."
"Yeah." Kim said. "We were just 11 at the time."
"Yeah, and we made the start of the new century a great start." Ron said. "I actually remember this time we saw this new movie a few times, Dinosaur."
"Yeah, opening weekend, and a few times during the summer." Kim said. "Remember when we saw The Emperor's New Groove?"
"Yeah, we have never seen anything that funny before." Ron said and flipped some pages. "Oh, here they are." He found the photos of those events showing them by each side of the film posters.
"You know, I think I remember hearing Rufus screaming a few times from those Carnotaurs." Kim smirked in a teasing sly look.
"Hey!" Rufus said offended.
They then laughed.
"I remember I used to this Kronk impression of saying right." Ron said. "I couldn't help myself."
"Right." Kim said in a Kronk impression.
They then laughed at that as Ron flipped a page showing some photos during 2001.
"If I recall, I think I remember seeing you cry when we were watching Pearl Harbor." Ron smirked.
"I was not!" Kim said trying to hide a blush. "Some dust was caught in my eyes."
"Oh, really like during those lovey-dovey moments." Ron teased.
"Hey!" Kim said and punched his arm. "I was just touched in a soft area, okay?"
"Okay, okay." Ron said holding his hands up. "I take it back." He then flipped a page as his smiled faded seeing a too-familiar photo from a tragic day. "Oh... Uh..."
Kim noticed this. "Hey, What's... Oh." She saw the photo and knew.
"Yeah, uh... 9/11." Ron said uneasily. "I remember it all too well."
"Yeah, me too." Kim said uneasy at the memory.
6 years ago...
At Middleton Middle, around 9 A.M., it was another morning Kim and Ron and other 8th Grade classmates were just going over a morning lesson. When strangely the principal stepped into the room, their teacher went up to him and Kim was the first to notice as he had a concern look and he whispered to their teacher's ear as her face suddenly went dreaded.
And Kim had a bad feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Moments later, their teacher explained that the the North Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by an airliner plane. The entire class was shocked as well as Kim and Ron, and soon a TV was turned on and saw the news showing the burning tower. But then for a second, Kim thought she saw a shape on the screen and then an explosion as loud gasps filled the room as the South Tower was suddenly struck by another plane.
Kim was never this scared before in her life.
The memory fades as Kim still remembers how scared she was. They were all sent home just before the South Tower collapsed, and she remember she was unable to peel her eyes from the TV for even a second as she seemed paralyzed by fear.
"I remember I wasn't able to come to school for a week." Kim said.
"Yeah, 4 days with me." Ron said and then thought of something. "Wait. The day you finally came back to school, and afterwards, we spent 4 hours up in the treehouse."
Kim lightly lit up from that. "Yeah, I remember that." She said. "And that was actually the first time was I feeling a little better."
"I guess that's why our parents brought it up." Ron said. "To remind us we were there for each other."
"Yeah. During good and bad times." Kim said. "Guess you're right."
The next day, Kim and Ron were wondering around campus after finishing school for the day.
"I mean, we've only been in college for 4 weeks, and we're already making a difference." Ron said. "We're actually gonna be very famous by the time we graduate college."
"Thanks, Ron." Kim said laughing a bit. "You know you always know what to say... Sorta."
They suddenly they ran into someone carrying a lot of items as they dropped and hit the ground as the person stumbled and fell as well.
"Oh, my gosh. We're so sorry." Kim quickly said as they gathered her things.
"We didn't see you there." Ron said.
"No, no, it was my fault." The girl said. "I was in a hurry and..."
They then faced each other as the girl was around their age, black hair, brown eyes, sky blue T-shirt, navy blue jeans, and black sneakers. And she had a stunned disbelief look as if she knew them.
"Oh... my..." She said. "Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable."
"Uh... Yes?" Kim said.
"Oh, my gosh!" The girl squealed excitedly. "I am such a huge fan of you guys."
"Gee, that's very nice." Ron said. "But, um... Who are you?"
"Oh. Where are my matters?" She said. "I'm Athena. I've always wanted to meet you. guys."
"Pleasure to meet you too, Athena." Kim said and shook her hand. "Word of us sure travels far."
"You kidding? Possibly the whole world knows about you guys." Athena said. "Uh, what are you guys doing?"
"Well, we're kinda thinking of what to do with dinner." Kim said.
"I actually know a good pizza place not far." Athena said. "All right if I join?"
"I guess there's no harm in that." Kim said.
"Sure." Ron said.
They were soon at the pizza place as they were enjoying a stuff-crust pepperoni pizza and Dr. Pepper.
"So, you guys actually known each other for 14 years?" Athena said.
"Yep, since the first day of Preschool." Ron said.
"Wow." Athena said. "And who would've thought you 2 would actually become a couple."
"I know." Kim said. "We're quite the duo."
"And... you guys now dating for what... 2 years?" Athena asked.
"Going on 3 now." Kim said.
"Yeah, and this one time about close to Senior Year, I woke up one night having a nightmare that Kim was a Synthodrone." Ron said. "And I had to call Kim to be sure it wasn't true."
"A what?" Athena frowned.
"Long story." Kim said. "The only annoying thing was that the call was 3 in the morning, and that he called again to get some details right."
"Hey I was trying to get my head around some things, okay?" Ron said in his defense. "I was trying to be sure."
"Man, you guys must've had the times of your lives at Middleton High." Athena said. "What was it like in those days of fighting crime?"
"Definitely an important job." Kim said. "And in between along with babysitting. But the thrill was quite something."
"Yeah, same here." Ron said. "Despite the, uh, embarrassing moments that happen to me occasionally happen."
"He sometimes looses his pants." Kim said.
"Hey!" Ron said offended.
"You what?" Athena chortled.
"I had issues with the grappling hook and rope, okay?!" Ron said.
Athena then turns to Rufus eating a breadstick.
"By the way, why a Naked-mole Rat?" Athena asked.
"Interesting story, actually." Ron said. "It was when we were starting 9th, I was looking for some hairless pets due to my dad's allergies."
"And shortly after I was accepted into Middleton High's cheerleading team, some millionaire was caught in a laser security system." Kim said. "The guy who made it accidentally found my site when he was trying to summon Team Impossible. Me and Ron were giving a lift to Upperton. And soon, Ron introduced me, Rufus. And he's quite a surprisingly big help at times."
"Hmm. He looks kinda cute, in a a-furless-odd way." Athena said scratching Rufus' chin.
"Aww." Rufus said blushing.
Meanwhile, at Wong's airfield, a number of Japanese Zero fighter planes were being prep as members were placing a device of some kind on the side of the plane. One member soon placed the last one on the last plane it stick to it with a magnet and a green light flashed on.
"Last of them is secured." A solider said.
"Good." Wong said. "Have the planes ready for take-off at dawn."
"Yes, sir." The soldier said and heads off.
"Tell me." Wong said to another soldier. "How are the head devices coming?"
"Right on schedule, sir." The soldier said. "It won't long before they're ready for testing."
"Good." Wong said.
Inside the facility, work members walked around in different directions. And down in a large hanger, a flatbed truck parks in a large hall by large cages. And one member nears the cage with a cart hauling a large amount of meat.
He soon nears the cage and works on a code and a hatch opens as he slides the cart in, and the meat was unloaded as the cart was pulled out.
The meat sat undisturbed, and then what seem like heavy footfalls occurred and low growling was heard as a large snout lowers down from the shadows and then starts feeding on the meat.
Author's Note:
Didn't expected that, did you? I thought it would make things interesting having Athena in this story.
Anyway, the "care package" thing is revealed. And I don't know for sure what age Kim and Ron are, or what year they start high school. I was just guessing on the grade they were in by the events of 9/11. And after seeing one of the Bueno Nacho scenes, Ron said something about not causing a nacho drop since '97, it was some kind of nacho version of Jenga he and Rufus were playing. I also saw a clip of Ron having a Bueno Nacho check of 99 million, and the date showed it 10/2/03. I think they might've been born somewhere in late 80's. But, I'm sure like anyone, 9/11 effected them as well.
Oh, recently I was watching Season 2 episode, Blush, and when Kim mentioned she likes marshmallows with hot dogs, I thought that was an odd food combo. But yesterday, I couldn't help myself, and it surprisingly wasn't too bad.