Chapter 3: Realizations
"KIMBERLY ANNE POSSIBLE, EXACTLY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Mrs. Dr. Possible scolded as Kim came slowly down the stairs from her room, her arm securely placed in a sling.
"Going to school, of course," Kim replied smugly, fighting to fasten her belt one handed.
"Kim, dear, you were shot last night! You should be resting!" Her mother continued.
"Mom, I'm going stir crazy. I haven't slept all night. I have to get out among people, or I'll go completely crazy!" Kim pleaded.
"Ok, fine, but no Cheerleading for at least two weeks. You're lucky the bullet just scraped the top of your shoulder bone instead of passing through it," her mother explained before leaning over and kissing her daughter's forehead, "Maybe you'll have a surprise at school today."
Kim nodded, and before she walked out the door, her mother chimed, "Happy Birthday!"
Kim walked out to her car in a state of complete shock. After everything that happened the night before, she had completely forgotten it was her birthday, her eighteenth birthday no less. She got into her car and pulled out her Kimmunicator, "Wade, I need you to do me a favor," she said, wrestling to start her car with a bad arm.
"Sure Kim, what's up?" Wade responded.
"I need you to do a search for me, see what you can find in the government files for Ron's name as well as a Shadow Snake and a Solid Snake," Kim requested.
"Will do, so … do you think that really was Ron last night?" Wade asked.
"Yeah, that was definitely Ron, I went over everything last night in my head once the pain killers mom gave me wore off," Kim sighed, "He's different though …"
"You're not exactly what you were three years ago either, you know," Wade said, looking away slightly.
"What did you mean by that?" Kim snapped, "Oh never mind, I have to meet Bonnie."
"I rest my case," Wade said under his breath, "Talk to you later, Kim, Wade out."
--
Ron stepped out of his room, stopping momentarily at his parents' room, gazing at it longingly. He shook it off and pulled on his leather vest over his gray tank top and pulled the thin rim, dark black sunglasses, showing no signs of chocolate eyes behind them, but rather a reflection of what was before him. He double-checked the buckles on his biker boots before popping his neck and grabbing his camouflaged backpack.
"Meryl and Snake are already there," Otacon said, offering Ron a pop-tart, "Something wrong, Shadow?"
"No, nothing, just heading to school …" he started, but stopped before walking out the door, "Otacon? Am I like Ocelot?"
"I knew what she said bothered you!" Otacon exclaimed before getting up and turning the teen to face him. "Listen, Shadow… Ron, you are nothing like Ocelot. Ocelot kills innocent people for the fun of it. Sure you kill, you've killed a lot of people in the last two years of duty, BUT every single one was a terrorist and would kill you or some innocent person in a heartbeat. Kim just isn't used to the way people like Ocelot work or the way people like us work for that matter. Give her time, besides she probably didn't even mean that last night, you said it yourself; she had a fever from blood loss."
"Thanks, Hal," Ron smiled patting his shoulder, "I needed that. You know how to contact us if you need us, right?"
Otacon nodded, "Yup, you have a good day at school and try not to attract to many of those girls. You'll make Snake jealous."
Ron laughed, and then walked out the door toward his bike.
--
Meanwhile, somewhere in the mountains outside Middleton
Ocelot stood tapping on the control panel before a large capsule before it slowly opened. "How do you feel?" Ocelot asked the figure stepping out of the steam.
The figure brought a hairy fist before his face and popped his knuckles, "I feel bloody wonderful …"
"Your primary target is either of the Snakes, but the best way to get to Shadow Snake is through the local celebrity," Ocelot explained.
"I'll enjoy tearing Ms. Possible limb from limb …" he replied, jumping out the window high on the wall.
--
"How's the arm, Kimmie," Bonnie asked as she walked into Middleton High School.
"Could be better," Kim replied to her best friend, "Mom said my arm would be out of the sling within the week, but take about two weeks to get back to 100 percent."
Then a sophomore bumped into Kim's good side, and fell on the floor with his books scattered all over the place.
"HEY! Watch where you're going, nimrod!" Kim snapped hatefully before kicking one of the books across the hall, "Can't you see I've got a hurt arm here? Sheesh!" she then glared down at the skinny teen before rolling her eyes, "Surrounded by losers." She sighed before the two walked on down the hall, leaving the boy on the floor.
A moment later, the boy, trying not to cry, started gathering his books, "Need a hand, kid," a deep voice said, holding out a hand.
The boy pushed up his glasses, "T-thank you," he said as he took the hand and the teen pulled him up easily. The boy looked the teen over the six foot height of black pants and combat boots, leather vest, long blond hair pulled back in a pony tail and deep, haunted gray-brown eyes, "Not many people are nice to me," the boy said shyly, "My name's Alex; what's yours?"
"Name's Ron," the teen replied, watching as Kim walked down the hall with Bonnie, in awe at how she'd changed. "Can I ask you something, Alex? How long as Kim acted like that?"
"Act like a complete, stuck up bitch?" Alex asked scornfully, "I've been here two years and she's acted like that the whole time. Some of the older students say she used to be nice, but she got bitter after something happened two or three years ago. Wish someone would have the guts to knock some sense into her."
"Maybe someone does and will …" Ron said under his breath glaring at his former best friend.
"Huh?" Alex asked the older student.
"Nothing, 'bout time for Homeroom, and this is my first day back, so see ya around, Kid." Ron said, waving slightly at the boy then walking toward his old homeroom.
--
Kim and Bonnie walked in and sat down at their desks for their weekly homeroom class. Before the girls could strike up a new conversation, the Kimmunicator beeped. She quickly pulled it from her pocket and pressed the answer button, "What's the sitch, Wade?" she asked as her friend appeared on the screen.
"I did the search like you asked me to, Kim," Wade said hesitantly.
"And?" She asked impatiently.
"I hacked into the Pentagon Computer Mainframe and did a search for Ronald Stoppable, Shadow Snake, and Solid Snake in all military files from the Coast Guard to the Marines," Wade said softly, "And there's not even a single sentence with those names even mentioned. It's like they don't even exist!"
"Are you sure you searched the entire system?" Kim asked, gnawing on her lower lip.
"Yup, there was one section that was so encrypted that it would take me years to get into, but I searched everywhere else, and nothing. I even looked in Social Security and get this … according to them, there is no Ronald Stoppable."
"Something isn't right …" Kim whispered, "Try to see if you can get in that encrypted section, Wade, and then … I gotta go; here comes the teacher. I'll contact you after class."
"Alright class, I trust everyone's had a good week," Kim's homeroom teacher, Mrs. Jay, said as she sat down at her desk, "I have a few announcements, first off we have two new teachers. The first will interest you girls," she said, grabbing the chatting girls' attention. "Mrs. Meryl Emmerich is the new gym instructor and assistant Cheerleading coach. Then in the Biology department is Mr. Iroquois Pliskin."
Kim sighed, "Great, wonder how long this one will last?" she asked smugly, "Not many are good enough to match our greatness," She said, winking at the giggling Bonnie.
"If you're finished, I have one more announcement, which will hopefully aid you a bit, Ms. Possible," Ms. Jay stated glaring at the captain of the Cheerleaders. "We have a … well I wouldn't call him a new student. I guess you could call him a prodigal son to MHS, students please give Ron Stoppable a warm welcome back," she said, smiling at the deep gasp from Kim. "You can come in now, Mr. Stoppable."
"Humph, the nerd's back? All right! I've missed picking on the… the … whoa mama!" Bonnie gasped as Ron stepped into the room coolly.
Ron looked around the room, all the gapping faces (and fawning faces from most of the girls) reflecting in his dark sunglasses, "Long time, no see," Ron stated, his voice earning a sigh from Tara and Bonnie.
"Take a seat beside Kim and Bonnie, please," Mrs. Jay instructed, "And if you don't mind, please remove your sunglasses in the building, the lights really aren't that bright."
"Ya know what? I do mind," Ron smirked, popping his neck, as he walked down the isle.
'It's him … it's really him … he's back … Ron's back … Ron's really back …' repeated over and over in Kim's mind as she stared like a dear in headlights at her approaching partner, his vest and long hair bouncing with each step.
The whole room watched him silently as he plopped down in the seat next to Kim, and kicked his crossed legs up on to her desk, "Possible," he greeted emotionlessly, before pulling down his shades to wink at Bonnie.
"O-oh me …" Bonnie sighed before her head dropped dreamily on her desk.
Kim's brow furrowed at Bonnie, as her eyes almost burned like fire. She then turned to where Ron was chuckling slightly.
"What? What's so funny?" She asked, slightly irritated, even more so when she saw that Tara, from her seat behind Ron, was giving him a shoulder rub.
"Nothing at all," Ron stated, "just Tara honey hit a ticklish spot."
Tara … Honey?" Kim hissed, glaring at the blond, who quickly pulled away from the boy.
"You're too uptight, Possible," Ron stated, a coldness in his voice that caused Kim to withdraw slightly, "Maybe Tara should give you a back rub, too; she has magic fingers."
"Ahem," Mrs. Jay cleared her throat, "That's all I have for you today; have a good day, and I'll see some of you in algebra later. Class dismissed."
Ron stood up first, and quickly walked out before any of the other girls could catch up, but Kim easily got to his side as they made for the main hallway, "So … where have you been, Ron?" she asked, trying to start a conversation with her childhood friend.
"Oh you know, Possible, here, there, different places," Ron stated passively, almost like he was trying to get away from her.
"Did I lose your letters? Maybe you forgot my phone number?" Kim asked, glaring up at the now much taller Ron.
"Oh you know how it goes, seeing as you must've lost my uncle's number and address too," Ron answered in a cold voice that made her wince.
"Ron …" She started, but Ron cut her off.
"No, you listen, Possible," Ron snapped, making her back step, "I saw you this morning. You've changed, making friends with Bonnie I can forget, but you mistreated a kid who was not very different than what I used to be, and you know what? I take that sort of thing personally. And you damn well saw how much I've changed after last night when I blew Shego's fucking brains out. So I think it's pretty obvious we aren't the perfect team we used to be, so why don't you get your boyfriend, go to what ever secret corner or room you and Josh use to fuck, and leave me alone."
Kim's eyes widened in shock, never once in her wildest dreams would she have dreamed Ron would speak to her like that, and what hurt the most was a little voice in the back of her head, one that belonged to a younger Ron who was saying 'Amen'.
"Hey, asswipe," Josh said, placing his hand on Ron's shoulder, "you can't talk to MY girlfriend like that and get away with it!"
In a blink of an eye, Ron gripped Josh's arm and whipped him to the ground in front of him, put his knee in Mankey's chest, and brought his fist back, ready to hit him in the face.
"RON, DON'T!" Kim yelled, remembering how easy it was for him to kill Shego the night before. She knelt down beside Josh, gripping his hand with her good hand, and looking up worriedly at Ron. She easily caught the split second of hurt in his eyes before the ice returned.
"Stoppable? That really you?" Josh grunted, "What the hell happened to you?"
"Happy Birthday, Kim," Ron grunted, getting back to his feet, "See you around." He then turned his back and walked away, leaving Kim with a gnawing emptiness she'd thought she learned to ignore.
--
Kim didn't see Ron anymore for the rest of the day, and immediately went home afterward. Ron's words to her dug deep, and continued to dig late into evening. She sat on her bed, looking at an old picture of her, Ron, and Rufus in their mission gear, after their very first mission together. Until the day he left, she never went on one mission without him by her side. And now that she started to actually think about it, she always had an inner drawing to be like Bonnie and the other stuck up, popular girls at school, but Ron was always there to help her hold on to the side of her that she knew was her true self, the kind, helpful person she used to be.
"I'm so weak …" she scolded herself. Ron had opened her eyes, and when she looked in the mirror, she couldn't bear to look at what she saw. She remembered all the late night talks on the phone with Ron, putting down the 'bitches' and 'sluts' at the high school, and now … she was both.
"How could I let myself get like this?" she asked no one in particular, remembering the look on the boy's face that she shouted at that morning and others she'd been cruel to over the last three years.
"Kimmie?" a knock on her door brought her out of her self-scolding.
"Yes, Mom?" she asked, wiping away the tears that she didn't even realize she cried, "What's wrong?"
"Could you come downstairs for a second?" her mother asked.
"Ok, I'm coming …" Kim groaned, getting up off her bed.
Kim walked out of her room, but her mother wasn't there. "Come on, we… err… I need your help in the backyard." Her mother's voice called nervously.
'Another surprise party, cute,' Kim thought, partly cheered up, and walked toward the back door, pretending to know nothing.
Kim walked to the door, and then closed her eyes before opening the door and stepping outside, "Oh my God, what a … surprise?" she gasped and trailed away, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.
"Hello, Kim Possible," a thick British accent called from above, "What do you think of the new talent I've been working on: voice imitation?"
"Monkey Fist!" Kim gasped, leaping away and taking a fighting pose with her injured shoulder away from her old enemy.
The self-proclaimed Monkey Master in a black gi leapt down a few feet from her standing on his hands and fists, "Hello there, love, I just wanted to personally wish you a happy birthday."
"Eat foot, Monkey Boy, I'm in no mood to put up with you!" Kim hissed, leaping toward him, but the monkey-man caught her fist in his grasp and squeezed 'til the bones in her foot began to pop.
"I must say Ocelot's present did wonderful work with my strength!" Monkey Fist said as he slung Kim around, sending her flying into the side of her own house.
Kim tried to pull herself to her feet, but Monkey Fist leapt and landed square on the small of her back. He tore the sling from her shoulder, and Kim screamed in pain as he pulled her sore arm behind her back at a near unnatural angle. Then, while still holding her arm with one hand, reached down for her long red hair, and jerked her head back roughly. "I am going to enjoy hurting you, my old friend, truly I am," he hissed into her ear.
--
"Ok we're almost set up," Mrs. Possible said, at the school gym.
"Kim's going to be so surprised!" Tara squealed, bouncing up and down excitedly.
"No, she won't," Ron said, lighting up, leaning against the wall, well away from Josh, "You've had a surprise party for her every year, unless you changed in the last three years, which I doubt. So she has no reason not to see this coming."
"What are you even doing here, Stoppable?" Josh asked hatefully, "I thought you said you wanted her to leave you alone today?"
"I did, and I'm not here for her, or for you either, jackass," Ron growled, "I'm here for her parents, understood?"
"Then you wouldn't mind doing me the favor of going to get her, Ron," Mrs. P asked, smiling brightly at the teen.
Ron opened his mouth to say no, but the smile on Kim's mother's face had the exact same effect as the one Kim used. "Oh, alright, be back in a few."
--
A few minutes later, Ron's motorcycle pulled up Kim's driveway. As soon as he got off the bike, an eerie feeling washed over him. His instincts were screaming something was wrong. Ron reached in the saddlebag of his bike, and pulled his SOCOM pistol.
He carefully clung to the wall of the house, and made it to the front door. He pressed into his ear and spoke softly, "Shadow to Otacon, are you there?"
"Meryl's love toy is indisposed right now, what's up, Shadow?" the voice replied.
"Snake? Code orange, possible red, at the Possibles. Might need some back up," Ron whispered.
"Roger that, Meryl and I will be on our way ASAP, take it slow and easy, Shadow," Snake replied, "Snake out."
Ron eased into the half lit house, carefully made his way up the stairs to Kim's room, and kicked open the door. "Kim? Where are you?" Ron asked, easing around, letting his SOCOM lead the way. He walked over to her night table and saw two framed pictures sitting there facing her bed. He picked up the first and saw it was the exact same picture he had in his locket.
He sat it back down gently and took another, one of her and Josh with her kissing his cheek. He let it drop to the floor with a shatter, "Oops, butterfingers," Ron said as he turned and walked out of the room.
He walked over to Kim's window that overlooked the backyard, and his eyes widened. "Kim!" He cried as he ran out of the room, toward the back door.
--
"Don't worry, Kimmie," Monkey Fist hissed in her ear as he tugged at her hair again, "As soon as one of your new little friends shows up, I'll either let you go, or get you out of our way once in for all … depending on my mood." he said before letting out a loud scream as the tip of his ear was torn off by a bullet.
"Let the girl go," ordered Ron, letting the laser sight of his gun rest on the junction between Monkey Fist's eyes, "That was your only warning shot."
"Ron?" Kim asked, forcing one eye open through the pain of her hair being pulled.
"Ron? Ron Stoppable?" Monkey Fist laughed, "Small world isn't it? I take it you are one of the Snakes, judging by the firearm, so which are you? Solid or Shadow?"
"Shadow Snake," Ron hissed, narrowing his eyes, "Now let her go."
"Fine," Monkey Fist barked, shoving Kim hard to the ground, then smiled as Ron held the gun on him, "Would you really shoot an unarmed man? The Ron Stoppable I remember was an honorable fighter. Have you lost that honor?"
Ron growled and slowly kneeled, setting his SOCOM on the ground, then let his leather vest drop from his shoulders, then he quickly untucked and pulled his tank top over his shoulders, revealing his muscular and battle scarred torso, "You want to fight? Let's go."
'Whoa, he's been working out a lot …' Kim thought as she stared at Ron's bare chest while licking her suddenly dry lips, 'just … wow …"
Meanwhile Ron and Monkey Fist were slowly circling the area, studying each other carefully. "So Monkey Boy? We going to walk in circles or we gonna get to it? Because I really don't have all night to stare at your ugly face."
"Your funeral," Monkey Fist barked, aiming a jump kick at Ron's head, who deflected the kick with a shove, and countered with a palm punch square in the self-proclaimed Monkey Master's chest.
"No, it's yours," Ron stated, glaring down at the wheezing villain. Monkey Fist yelled in fury and dove for his adversary, throwing multiple punches and kicks at the Foxhound, but Ron, with some difficulty, blocked almost all of them.
"This doesn't make any bloody sense!" Monkey Fist yelled in frustration, "Ocelot said I'd be stronger now. I should be strong enough to beat you!"
"Ocelot?" Ron said, suddenly caught off guard, giving Monkey Fist the opening he needed.
Monkey Fist's foot connected with Ron's groin, then his fist with Ron's jaw sending Shadow Snake tumbling across the yard with a few loosened teeth.
'Great, Ocelot gave him Gene Therapy, just wonderful,' Ron thought as he pulled himself to his feet and wiped some blood from his lip, 'All Kim needs is her enemies to show up with enhanced strength and agility, I'm going to kill that bas-' his thoughts were cut off when Monkey Fist punched him directly in the stomach.
'I need a distraction,' Ron thought, when his friend seemed to read his mind.
"Lighten up," Rufus smirked, leaping to Monkey Fist's shoulder with a lit cigarette in his mouth. He inhaled deeply then blew a large cloud of smoke in the villain's face.
"What the … bloody … hell!" Monkey Fist coughed, waving the smoke out of his face as Rufus scurried over to Kim.
"Rufus?" Kim asked, looking down at the Naked Mole Rat with a lit cigarette in his paw, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Smokin' Cigs!" Rufus squeaked, then nodded toward Ron, who was pulling himself to his feet, "Need help."
"I'll talk to you about your 'Cigs' in a little bit, little man," Kim scolded, but quickly got up and ran to Ron's side.
"What do you think you're doing?" Ron asked, glaring at her.
"I wanted a front row seat to you getting your butt kicked," Kim said sarcastically, "what does it look I'm doing? I'm helping!"
"You've got a hurt shoulder," Ron hissed narrowing his eyes at her, "You shouldn't even have your arm out of a sling!"
"Sweet of you to worry about me, Mr. Shadow Snake, sir," She winked, giggling as Ron rolled his eyes.
"Excuse me!" Monkey Fist growled, "Monkey Master here, are we going to fight or are you two going to flirt all blasted night?"
"Excuse me?" Kim snapped, taking a fighting stance with her bad arm safely behind her, "Well if you want your monkey butt kicked, who am I to stand in your way?"
"Oh to hell with it," Ron sighed, taking a fighting stance as well, "I'll hit 'im high," he started.
"And I'll hit 'im low!" Kim finished as the two dove at the villain at the same time.
Kim went low and attempted a leg sweep, but Monkey Fist jumped the attack. He started to make a snide remark, when a large combat boot found a home in the small of his back, and he fell forward pushing Kim's ready fist into his stomach, then back over Ron's knee as the young man administered an impromptu backbreaker.
Rufus then dashed forward and threw Ron's SOCOM to his hand, and Monkey Fist suddenly had a red light shinning in his eye, "It's over for you," Ron stated emotionlessly.
He started to squeeze the trigger, but got the fearful and expectant face of Kim in the corner of his eye. "Damn it …" He sighed under his breath before throwing his gun in the air, then catching it around the barrel and bringing the handle down on top of Monkey Fist's head.
Ron got up and jerked the chain from the twins' old swing set, and then went about tying up the KO'ed Monkey Fist, "I've already got backup on the way; they can take care of him," Ron said, turning to Kim, who was gingerly rubbing her arm, "Hurt yourself?"
"No I'm ok, just …" she started, but jumped and blushed when Ron walked over and pulled her tank top strap and bra strap out of the way to look at her bandaged shoulder.
"Doesn't look like the wound was reopened, but I'd still have your mom check it out later tonight," Ron stated, looking over her shoulder, "Now let's get that sling back on." Kim nodded, blushing, but then her eyes went wide when she heard a lighter his open.
"Ron! You started poor, little Rufus smoking didn't you?" She scolded, slapping his shoulder and making him burn his hand and almost drop his freshly lit cigarette.
"Damn it, Possible!" Ron barked as he shook his hand to ease the pain, "I did not start him; he started me, thank you very much!" he growled as he tied the strap of her sling a little too tight, making her yelp. "Serves ya right, and if you must know Nastasha and Snake got the little rat started."
"And if I don't believe you, you rope smoker?" Kim replied.
"Rope smoker? You mean chain smoker. You sure you don't have blond roots?" Ron smirked.
Kim gasped at him as she loosened the strap on her sling, "you … YOU KNOW I'm a natural red head! When have I not had red hair?"
Ron smiled broadly, "Care to prove it?"
"I'd show you, but … I'm afraid the wax has taken care of it," She replied smugly, despite how hard heart was beating in her ears.
Ron's eyes widened for a moment before a smirk crossed his face, "You've changed more than I thought, Possible," Ron stated.
"You too, Stoppable," Kim replied, resting her fist on her cocked hip.
"Come on, we've got to get you somewhere," Ron said, walking toward the door.
"Let me guess, Mom set up a party at the hospital, maybe the school?" Kim asked, making him freeze.
"D-Don't know what you're talking about …" Ron mumbled, not able to turn around and face her.
"Oh, come on, I've been practicing my surprised face for a week now," Kim sighed, rolling her eyes, "let's get this over with."
Ron nodded and the two walked into the house and on through to his bike in the front.
"She's green, very green, but … those two compliment each other almost too well," Snake's voice said from the shadows.
"They don't make that bad a couple either," Meryl's voice replied, "As if you'd ever be able to catch that; you wouldn't know a keeper if one came up and slapped you in the face, Snake,"
"You're right; I wouldn't, never met one."
"Bastard," she sighed, "Funny, Hal might disagree with you."
"He has glasses, you know," he said, barely restraining from a laugh.
"He also has a set instead of a single deal," she chuckled.
"Bitch."
--
Ron's motorcycle came to a stop outside of the high school, and Kim nimbly hopped off and started in, but stopped suddenly when she realized Ron wasn't with her and the bike was still running.
"Aren't you coming?" Kim asked, walking back toward her childhood best friend.
"Sorry, I've got places to be, things to do," Ron said, kicking his bike into gear.
"Oh … ok," Kim said disappointedly, "Then, I'll see you tomorrow at school?"
"Yeah, see you then," Ron said, but before he drove away, he glanced back at her, "Oh, and KP … I missed you."
--
The next morning at Middleton High School
Kim let Josh open the door for her, and gave him a fake smile as she stepped into the school. For some reason, she wished he'd stop smiling ear to ear; it really was starting to get on her nerves. She had, as planned, told her parents she would spend the night at Monique's, but ended up at Josh's apartment.
Sure, she'd easily admit it was good sex; she'd gotten quite a taste for it with Josh after the last couple of years of their intimate relationship, but after last night, something was bothering her. Something wasn't there, and she was beginning to wonder if it ever was.
Her train of thought was stopped when someone bumped into her. She looked down to see that same boy from the day before on the ground surrounded by his scattered books. "Hey!" She growled before something in the corner of her eye grabbed her attention.
Down the hall a few feet away stood Ron, leaning against a locker, and in his reflective sunglasses she could easily see herself and her surroundings.
'I saw you this morning; you've changed, making friends with Bonnie I can forget, but you mistreated a kid who was not very different than what I used to be, and you know what? I take that sort of thing personally. And you damn well saw how I've changed after last night when I blew Shego's fucking brains out. So, I think it's pretty obvious we aren't the perfect team we used to be, so why don't you get your boyfriend, go to what ever secret corner or room you and Josh use to fuck, and leave me alone.' Ron's words ran through her mind again, and she looked over to see Josh and Bonnie chuckling at the poor boy.
Kim took one last glimpse at Ron before squatting and with her good arm, began helping the boy gather his books, "My bad, I'm really sorry about that," Kim said as she gathered the books, not paying attention to the boy's and everyone else's shocked expression.
"Thank you," Alex said, looking up at the redhead.
"My pleasure, Alex, is it?" Kim asked with a friendly smile.
"Uh huh, you really remember my name?" Alex chimed, his eyes lighting up.
Kim nodded, and the boy's face lit up even more, "I've gotta get to class; thanks, Kim!" he said, running down the hall.
"Why did you help that loser, Kim?" Bonnie asked with Josh looking at her as if he was wondering the same.
Kim just shrugged and looked over where Ron was still standing. She blushed lightly when he gave her a slow, knowing nod before disappearing into the crowd.
"Don't know why I did it, Bon," Kim said, shrugging at her friend, "Guess I just wanted to." She then walked off leaving her boyfriend and girlfriend gaping.
--
Elsewhere
A man sat in shadows at his desk in an office over a large construction plant. "How is the training and construction, Ocelot?" the man asked.
"Everything is going as planned, Big Boss," he stated, "The army is sixty percent complete, and mass production is well on the way."
"Excellent," the man nodded, "Are any of the units ready for testing?"
"The Rays are finished, but the rail guns on the Rexes are still glitching, as well as the prototype Raptors that are still in the works. All in all, in a month, we'll be ready to begin the invasion." Ocelot informed. "Speaking of which …" Ocelot started as the large doorway to the construction plant opened and in walked an incomplete, bipedal tank. It stood four stories tall on two legs; one 'arm' held a simple rocket launcher, and the other housed a gigantic, yet incomplete rail gun. The long avian-styled cockpit held Vulcan machine guns on each side, and a large, well protected scanner sat on the very top of the machine. As the machine walked, its inner workings gave a sound similar to what scientists think a Tyrannosaurus might have sounded like.
"Sir, allow me to introduce…" Ocelot started, "Metal Gear Raven."
To Be Continued …