Ron spent every morning with Shego, learning whatever moves he could, and practicing them all day. He had to be ready for Friday. With Kim's honor at stake, he couldn't afford to screw up. Luckily, he had somehow managed to keep the real reason he was doing this a secret. Thanks to Josh declaring a temporary truce until Friday, he also didn't have to worry about getting jumped in the hall. Which was a good thing, because he still wasn't sure how well he could do against a person. He rode to the abandoned house Friday morning, to find Shego waiting.
"Morning! You ready?"
"Ready for what?" Shego grinned, leading him back.
"Your first real fight." Shego said, suddenly turning on him. She threw off a spin kick, which Ron ducked.
"I don't wanna hit you." He said, stumbling backwards.
"OK, you can just get hit by me, instead." Shego said, nonchalantly, as she leaped into the air. Ron rolled out of the way of the kick. He slowly stood up.
"OK, but you asked for it." Ron said, executing a jump kick. Shego blocked, as he landed perfectly behind her. She turned, to find a roundhouse kick heading for her head. She blocked, but Ron quickly swept her leg, putting her on her back.
"Shego . . . The Buffoon . . . Beating Shego?" Ron looked up at the back porch, to see Dr. Drakken watching.
"Yeah, he got me." Shego said, laughing, extending her hand. Ron took it, trying to help her up. She flipped him onto his back.
"No fair."
"And Mankey's gonna be more fair tonight, huh?" She said, kicking him in the ribs. He grabbed her ankle, forcing her down. He flipped on top of her.
"The Baffoon . . . . Beating Shego?" Shego looked up at Ron, laughing.
"I think you can get off me now." Shego said, laughing harder. Ron stammered a little, getting off her.
"Done for real?" He asked, still not dropping his guard.
"Done for real." She said, raising her hands in a gesture of defeat.
"So, am I ready?"
"Yeah, you're ready. You always were, really. Just being the sidekick, you never got a chance to show it. All you needed was a few new moves. And a good enough reason."
"Thanks, Shego." Ron said, hugging her. She laughed, hugging him back.
"Yeah, you wanna let go of me, now, before Dr. D figures out what's going on?" Ron laughed, letting her go.
"Yeah, thanks Shego."
"Get outta here." She said, as he bolted off.
"The buffoon . . . Beating Shego?"
Ron rode to school, an aura of confidence about him. He walked into the hall, grinning. He wasn't scared. For the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid. He grabbed his books, and bolted to his first class. At the beginning of third period, he walked to his locker, to find Brick and the other two waiting for him.
"Un-Uh, truce, remember?"
"Truce." Rufus repeated, sticking out his tongue.
"Yeah, well, what Josh don't know won't hurt him." Brick said, shoving Ron. Rufus jumped down out of Ron's pocket.
"You asked for it." Brick swung, and Ron blocked, kicking him in the stomach. He doubled over, as Ron buried his knee into Brick's face. Brick fell back, his nose bleeding.
"You're dead, Stoppable." Brick said, charging him. Ron grabbed his arm, sending him flying face first into the lockers. He bounced off, only to be greeted by a spin kick, sending Brick tumbling into the girl's restroom.
"Anyone else?" The other two ran off, as Ron grinned. He grabbed his books, and turned, to see Kim.
"Wow, where'd you learn that?"
"Learn? I got MAD fu skills!" Kim laughed.
"You do now. See you at lunch." Kim bolted back to her class, as Ron walked to his next period. At lunch, he found Kim and Monique at their usual table. He could still hear the whispering that he heard all week. Only now it was about Brick being found unconscious in the girl's bathroom. He joined his friends.
"I've never seen Ron do moves like that." Kim said, smiling proudly.
"He asked for it." Ron said, biting the corndog on his tray.
"So, who are you going to the dance with, Kim?" Monique asked, grinning.
"She's going with me, of course." Josh said, sitting down.
"Actually, I'm not going."
"What?" The three said, in unison.
"I'm not going."
"KP, it's the biggest formal dance of the year! You've gotta be there."
"No, I don't, Ron. I'm not gonna watch two people I care about beat on each other. I can't." Kim said, sadly.
"Come on, Stoppable. Just back out now. No harm, no foul." Josh said, putting his arm around Kim.
"Scared, Monkey?" Ron said, grinning.
"I'm not scarred of anything, especially you. I'm just trying to save Kim the pain of seeing her best friend bleeding outside of the gym."
"I'm not gonna see it, because I'm not going." Kim said, getting up.
"Baby, wait," Josh got up to follow her. He turned back to Ron, "You are so dead."
"When she finds out why, so are you." He storms out.
"Ron, why are you fighting him?" Monique asked, curiously.
"You can't tell Kim . . ."
"My lips are sooo sealed." She said, leaning in.
Kim sat in her room, on her bed. Her dress was layed out. She'd plan this night down to the music, and she was gonna be the only one that didn't make it. How much did that suck? The thought of Ron and Josh fighting tore her apart inside. Her Kimmunicator beeped, breaking her from her thoughts.
"What's the sitch, Wade?"
"Aren't you getting ready for the dance?"
"No, Ron's going through with this fight. And he still won't tell me why."
"Maybe he's just tired of being bullied."
"Maybe. What's the sitch?"
"You got a hit on the site. From Shego."
"Shego?"
"Yeah. She wants you to meet her at Bueno Nacho."
"On my way." Kim turned off the Kimmunicator, changing into her mission clothes.
Ron stood outside of the gym, wearing a brand new tux. He looked around, but didn't see Kim. She really isn't coming. Ron thought, sadly. He didn't have time to think about it long, because Mankey was closing in fast, Brick and his other goons following him. As hard as he fought, he couldn't fight off five, and quickly found himself on the ground, getting stomped again.
"Hey, Monkey!" Josh looked up, to see Kim.
"Hey, baby, glad you could make it." Josh lifted Ron's bleeding head. He stared up at Kim, tears in his eyes.
"Five on one. I don't think so." Before Kim could move, a net shot from the roof, enveloping Brick and the others. Kim looked up, to see Shego on the roof.
"Ron, hurry up and kick his ass! Dr. D is getting bored!" Shego said, sitting on the hood of her hovercraft. Ron punched Josh in the groin, causing him to double over, giving Ron a few seconds to recover and get up. Soon he was on his feet, waiting for Josh. Josh slowly stood up.
"You should've finished it."
"I'm not a coward." Ron said, falling into fighting stance. Josh swung. Ron blocked, landing a hard kick to Josh's jaw. Josh's head snapped back, as Ron kicked him in the chest, sending him flying backwards into Mr. Barken, who was walking up.
"Mr. Barken, thank god you're here. Stoppable just jumped me!"
"I didn't see a thing." Mr. Barken said, chuckling, as he shoved Mankey back. Ron landed a snap kick to Mankey's head, and Mankey fell face first into the concrete, unconscious. Ron looked up at Shego, who gave him the thumbs up, nodding, as Kim hugged him.
"You came." Ron said, relieved.
"Well, I wasn't going to. But Monique and Shego told me what was going on."
"I'm sorry, Kim."
"For what? Defending my honor?" She kissed him on the cheek, as he blushed, "Only one thing left to do."
"What's that, Kim?" Kim walked over to Mankey, who was just waking up.
"Baby . . ." Before he could finish, Kim landed a hard punch to his jaw, sending him back down. She picked him up by the collar, and looked him in the eye.
"We're sooo finished." She slammed his head into the concrete, walking off with Ron. Everyone cheered when they entered the dance. After the excitement settled, Kim went off with Monique, as Ron went to get them some drinks. Ron looked up, to see Mr. Barkin.
"About time, Stoppable. Nice work out there." Ron grinned, as Barken walked off. Kim and Monique sipped the punch that Ron brought them, as "If you're not the one" from Daniel Bedingfield began.
"Kim, would you like to . . . Um, did you want to . . . Uh . . ."
"Dance? I'd love to." She pulls Ron onto the dance floor. They held each other close, as the song played.
"Am I doing this right?" Kim laughed.
"Perfectly." She said, leaning into his shoulder, "Ron, you could've told me."
"I didn't want to hurt you."
"I hate to tell you, but I'm more hurt that my best friend couldn't tell me."
"I love you, KP. I'd never hurt you."
"I love you, too, Ron." She said, kissing him.