SQUEEEE!!!!! People reviewed chapter 1!!!!! (Act like a man...or at least act your age.) Ugh...shut up voice-in-my-head-that-I-refuse-to-admit-really-exists. People my age are boring. Kind of like me in real life! Anyway, I might as well face it...I'm addicted to reviews. Special thanks go out to Mischief-Maker and Miss Piratess, your words are too kind. Oh, and Mischief-Maker, as my first, you will always hold a special place in my heart. For the rest of you...go read their stuff too. Miss Piratess' KP submissions are great (haven't read anything else by her yet), and I absolutely love Mischief-Maker's Yu-Yu-Hakusho character poems. In thanks for these reviews, I've decided to do a mid-week update. Normally you can expect a single update from me every Saturday, but I was spurred forward by these two and worked late into the...morning, to produce something to post. Everyone else...well, I have two theories. Either 1) No one else read my submission, or 2) nobody else liked it. Since I would rather have readers then fans, we'll go with option number two there. So a word to all of you: review and tell me what's wrong! Please!
In my ongoing attempt to drive away the very readers that I so desperately long for, I would like to point out one thing. If you're here for a dedicated Kim-and-Ron love-fest...or at least some serious relationship blossoming between the two, you're likely to be disappointed. While this may exist to some small extent, that's not what this story is here for. Believe me, I would love for you to continue reading my story, I really would. I just don't want anyone to feel like they wasted their time when all is said and done.
OK, that being said, Chapter 2 (and the upcoming Chapter 3) were never meant to exist. Everything that happens here and in the first half of Chapter 3 were originally just going to be mentioned in passing. Sort of an, "Oh yeah, this happened. Now you know," kind of deal. As I started writing, though, I realized that the whole thing would be much smoother if I just spelled it all out, so here it is. Also, I decided that my story needed a little action in it before Chapter 8. :) However, this means that my initial estimate of eight to ten chapters is likely a bit low. This story will probably easily take twelve to fifteen chapters, so stick with me. As a warning before we start, I'm not the best at action scenes...so please provide feedback so that I can improve.
As always, Kim Possible and Friends belong to the Disney Empire, not me. While I do own stock in Ford, I do not own Ford...or Dodge, or GMC, or any of those other things. Nothing here belongs to me! Well...maybe a few things, but nothing important. So, all you lawyers out there, no suing me! It isn't nice. Besides, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery...and the easiest form of mockery." - me.
Why is my intro so long again??? Damn I'm an idiot.
WWLAOS
Chapter 2: Ron's Big Day, Part 1
The relaxation of the week before was gone, replaced by the serious air of a mission.
"Ah! K.P., little help here? Oh no, my pants! Come back!" Well, semi-serious in Ron's case, anyway. Twenty minutes ago Kim had been contacted by Wade, their tech geek and coordinator, and tipped off to a new Drakken sighting. They had gotten a hit on their site from Ford Motor Company, apparently a silent alarm had been tripped at a warehouse full of cars waiting for shipment. Security cameras clearly showed Drakken and Shego, as well as a large number of henchmen. Kim balanced herself on the rafters and looked over her shoulder to see her partner tangled in a mass of metal cables. Despite their mission clothes being specifically tailored for them, Ron still managed to lose his pants on a regular basis. True to form, his pants had also somehow come off and fallen to the floor, a good 25 feet below. Just a typical day for Ron Stoppable.
"Ron, you're so hopeless," she stated dryly, holding back the smile that was threatening to break free. Walking back towards Ron across the narrow beam, Kim could see just how hopelessly he was caught. He would never break free on his own. How did he always manage to get himself into these kind of situations? Letting out a disgruntled sigh, Kim reached into her pack and pulled out a small cutting laser that looked exactly like a pen. In fact, thanks to their resident genius, it also doubled as a pen, a mini dart-launcher with a single paralyzing dart, and, by changing the beam intensity of the laser, a low-light-vision compatible flashlight. Utilizing the multi-tool, or Ultimately Useful Pen, as Ron had dubbed it, as well as her own relatively-impressive strength, she soon had helped him escape the bundles of cable. Turning her attention to his lack of proper attire, she pulled out her grapnel and pointed it towards the distant clothing. A pull of the trigger and a quick tug on the line caught the wayward pants, which were quickly reeled in. Handing his pants back, Kim's shoulders dropped a bit. "Now can we please get on with the mission?" the exasperated teen sighed. She loved Ron like family, but sometimes...
Before she could finish her thought, Rufus popped out of one of Ron's pants pockets and crawled up to his shoulder. Rubbing the back of his fur-less head with one paw, he shook the other at Ron while squeaking and chittering angrily. As Ron donned his pants, he leaned his head toward Rufus and whispered "Sorry buddy, but you know how often these things happen." Letting out an understanding sigh, Rufus crawled back into his pocket, apparently ignoring common sense.
"Heh, heh...thanks K.P. Sorry 'bout the hold-up."
"No big, Ron. I'm just anxious to get this mission over with. I'm not really in the mood to save the world today." Kim's attempts at getting her father to come around to the idea of her dating Josh full-time had been met with little success. Add on to this the cheerleading season and new school year being just around the corner, and Kim was feeling major pre-event anxiety. Once the whole mess actually started, she would be fine. She just really hated the buildup to anything. She was a girl of action, not patience.
The building they were in was nearly the size of the Middleton mall above ground, and extended two floors underground. The roof was an imposing 30 ft high, with the exposed rafters hanging a generous five feet below, allowing just enough room to walk with some difficulty. The inside of the gigantic building was mostly painted white, the rafters themselves, however, remained unpainted and shown a dull silverish color. The warehouse sported few windows, and those that did exist were spaced quite far apart. Luckily all of the internal lights were on. A single office sat in the North-East corner, separated only by two walls of glass and an eight-foot ceiling. On either side of the building, large cargo elevators allowed easy access to the lower floors.
Skulking across the beams of the ceiling, the duo crossed over a large wall that extended nearly to the ceiling and separated one side of the warehouse from the other. The side that had come from housed mostly small passenger cars and mini-vans, with the occasional sports car or luxury vehicle. The other side of the gigantic building housed the muscle of the Ford line. Trucks of all sizes, from the tiny Ranger, through the entire F-series, and even into the larger commercial- and industrial-class trucks, as well as the large E-series vans , vying for position on the warehouse floor. Stopping in the shadow cast by a nearby support, Kim and Ron looked down upon their prey and waited for the moment to strike.
Wearing her usual green and black outfit, Shego eyed the operation from her seated position on top of a green F-350 that Drakken was standing next to. Dozens of nameless henchmen scurried back and forth dragging fuel lines and directing others as they navigated the packed warehouse. Unfortunately they had arrived to find all of the vehicles with only enough fuel to drive them around a parking lot or up onto transports. While Drakken had arranged for a large cargo plane to meet them at the adjoining airstrip, the craft had yet to arrive and the henchmen were frantically trying to fill the vehicles full of gas before it arrived...and as a precaution in case it didn't. This nearly-intelligent action was spurred not by a flash of intelligence on Drakken's part, but instead by his penny-pinching instinct. Gas was expensive, why should he pay for it when they could fill up with the on-site reserves?
"So, Dr. D., while I'm not complaining about picking up a new set 'o wheels...exactly how does this help us take over the world, again?" Chuckling slightly, she added, "'Cause, well, I don't see it."
Blinking rapidly, Drakken turned toward Shego with a dumbfounded look on his face. Dressed in his usual blue overcoat, the blue-skinned villain seemed more comical than evil. "Shego, one can not take over the world in a 1986 GMC Caballero. We need a new fleet of vehicles to inspire fear in our foes and envy in our competition. In addition to increased mobility, these trucks will also drastically increase our ability to transport materials covertly. Large flying craft may be fashionable and quick, but they attract so much attention."
"Right, and a convoy of trucks is so inconspicuous."
"Shego! You're missing the point. These vehicles will allow us to stretch our evil reach into new areas. Not to mention looking really cool in the process."
"Right, so...they aren't part of some take-over-the-world scheme, are they? This is another one of those "style" things again."
"Well...well, no, I suppose they don't directly lead to world conquest, but I want them! The Ford F-250 and F-350 are stylish and rugged, and also have decent gas-mileage for such large vehicles. The larger trucks will aid us in transportation of bulky machinery and construction efforts, as well as..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...decent gas-mileage? Dr. D., you don't get a truck if you're worried about gas-mileage, and last I looked we don't exactly have the funding to keep all these trucks fueled and running. You know, the whole Fix Or Repair Daily, thing? Yeah, people didn't come up with that for no reason."
"Maybe not, but no self-respecting villain would take over the world with a fleet of Dodge Neons...no matter how cute they are. Besides, it's not like they're the reason we came here. The trucks are just the evil icing on the cake."
"Oh, right, the experimental...doohickey. That was a bust."
"Well how was I supposed to know that the secret experiment was a light-weight composite for car frames. With all the security they had on it, you'd think it was some sort of death ray. We couldn't go home empty handed, and these vehicles were just sitting here, so why not?"
"Uh-huh, yeah, a death ray being built by a major car manufacturer...another shining example of why you still haven't succeeded."
Drakken's retort was cut off, as an all-too familiar voice rang out from above. "Actually, I think I've had something to do with that too."
Instantly Drakken was in a near panic. "Kim Possible! Where did you come from?"
"From Middleton. Where else?" Launching herself into a gigantic flying kick, Kim Possible descended upon the scene with uncanny grace, flipping twice in mid-flight. Her foot finding the chest of one of Drakken's henchmen, Kim pushed off the quickly collapsing body towards another, landing a vicious kick on the side of that henchman's face before rolling to the ground and into a standing position. That jump had taken a lot out of her. Even for the girl who could do anything, a 25-foot drop was a bit much. A quick glance at the two henchmen verified that they were out of the fight. The one she had kicked in the head was unconscious, and the one she had landed on...she felt sorry for. He would be in the hospital for a long time. Shaking her head slightly, she regained her wits just in time to dodge a forklift being driven by one of the nameless rabble employed by Drakken.
"Shego! Get her!" Drakken's cry was unnecessary, Shego was already lunging towards the somewhat younger woman.
Ron stood on the rafters, readying himself to take the plunge. This was a bit higher than he liked, but it had to be done. Of course, just as he was about to jump, his foot slipped. Flailing wildly, several choice words ran through Ron's head. All that came out, though, was a surprised yelp as the "other half" of the team fell. Plummeting 25-feet didn't take nearly as long as Ron would have expected...it didn't hurt as bad either. To his...credit, he did manage to land on three of Drakken's henchmen, knocking two of them out and injuring the third enough that he was pretty useless in a fight. Rufus meanwhile leapt from his pocket and charged at Drakken. Unfortunately for Ron, a fourth and fifth henchmen appeared next to him and lifted him into the air, only to toss him onto the hood of a nearby Ford F-150. Luckily, the forklift that Kim had just dodged now barreled into the two unsuspecting henchmen that were assaulting Ron. Thoroughly embarrassed, the driver jumped out and himself ran towards the lanky teenager that was now rolling off the hood of the truck. The red-clad henchman reached behind his back and pulled out a bo-staff, the ends of which began glowing an evil-looking purplish color. Swinging the weapon wildly, he lunged towards the terrified teen hero, only to miss as Ron tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Instead of connecting with Ron's head, the end of the staff imbedded itself into the grill of the truck Ron had just rolled off of. A second henchman that had been charging towards Ron now tripped over the teen lying on the ground and plunged head-first into the first henchman, who was desperately trying to pull the weapon free. The two rolled into a stack of heavy boxes which collapsed on top of them, pinning them to the ground. Ron barely had time to stand as three more henchmen rapidly approached. A particularly jovial post-mission Kim had once quipped that "watching henchmen try to take down Ron was like watching an episode of the Three Stooges." This statement proved true once again as the three bulky men ended up taking each other out. Punches and kicks meant for Ron would miss their mark and instead strike fellow henchmen, as the former stumbled and dodged, more a danger to himself than the henchmen. As each henchmen fell, he would be replaced by others, only to fall in the same manner. It was like some great slap-stick comedy, with Ron as the director. Vehicles, boxes, and other henchmen were all props on Ron's stage, as he led his assailants to their doom. Of course, Ron had no say in this, he was just trying not to get hit. Coincidence followed lucky break, as the bumbling partner of Kim Possible ducked and stumbled his way to victory, letting out frightened yelps and witty remarks along the way.
Back on the rodent front, Drakken was running around screaming like a little girl as an angry naked mole rat chased after him, a small piece of Drakken's coat clutched in one of Rufus' paws. Backed into a corner by the tiny buck-toothed rodent, Drakken cowered in fear as Rufus leapt at him again. Out of nowhere a large, hairy hand snatched Rufus in midair, saving Drakken from further embarrassment at the hands of the small rodent. A black streak was all that remained of Drakken's savior however, as he threw Rufus into an empty barrel and retreated to the rafters.
Meanwhile, Kim was having a tough time herself. Shego was a better opponent than twenty henchmen, and when several of the later also encircled Kim, striking out at any opportunity presented them, the teen heroine could barely keep herself in the fight. What Ron did with pure luck, Kim did with skill. Masterfully she maneuvered herself to isolate a henchman from his help, and proceeded to quickly dispatch him with a series of kicks before she herself had to dodge to avoid a kick from Shego.
The dodge wasn't quite fast enough, however, as Shego's foot found it's mark in Kim's side. "What's a matter, Kimmie? You're slow today," Shego calmly stated between blocked punches.
"Oh, I am so not in the mood for this, Shego. Just hurry up and lose like you always do."
"Sorry, Kimmie, not this time." Shego grabbed Kim's arm and pinned her against a wall. Igniting her other hand in a glowing green flame, Shego sent a thunderous punch towards Kim's mid-section. Just barely able to twist out of the way of the punch, Kim threw Shego into the wall and leveled a roundhouse kick square on Shego's jaw, nearly knocking the sidekick senseless. Kim couldn't follow through, though, as she had to dive out of the way of a large truck barreling down upon her. Missing Kim, the truck instead crashed into several barrels, which flew off in all directions, one hitting Kim and knocking the wind out of her. Having regained her wits, Shego kicked a nearby stack of boxes, collapsing them on top of Kim.
A delighted Drakken jumped out of the wrecked vehicle and began hopping up and down. "See Shego, I told you these trucks would come in handy!"
"Heh, maybe you're right, Dr. D." Just then a loud rumbling sound could be heard outside, accompanied by several screeches. Looking out the large bay doors, Shego spotted the aircraft that was their ticket to freedom landing on the nearby airstrip. "Ride's here, time to go!"
"Right, Shego. Henchmen! Begin loading the vehicles onto the aircraft in preparation for our departure!" Drakken was good at barking out orders, if nothing else. Well, that and whining, he was and excellent whiner. "In the meantime, Shego, you take care of the buffoon."
"Piece of cake, Dr. D."
"Cake? Oh goody! Where?" Shego ignored Drakken's latest idiotic remark as she lunged towards Ron.
Before Shego could reach him, however, a punch from a henchman sent Ron flying into the controls for the large bay doors. Miraculously, an emergency code was activated and the doors closed with surprising quickness, locking tight the second they did so. With the control panel smashed, there was no way to quickly re-open the doors. An infuriated Drakken shouted to several nearby henchmen, "You there! Get those doors open! The rest of you...destroy the buffoon! He must not be allowed to escape."
Most would say that Drakken's order was unnecessary; that there was no need for the other henchmen to help, that they would only get in the way. After all, Shego was now viciously pounding Ron into the ground, what use were the rest of them? Most people don't understand Ron Stoppable. A shadowy figure who had been watching the whole affair from the rafters, however, knew exactly how dangerous the "buffoon" really was. The bumbling fool had ruined his plans one to many times to be taken lightly. As the figure watched, a cowering Ron slightly extended one knee, which a leaping Shego essentially threw herself onto. The impact knocked the wind out of Shego and sent the two tumbling a bit. Without any effort on Ron's part, his natural motion ended up flinging Shego into a large nearby van. Colliding headfirst with the vehicle, Shego was immediately knocked senseless. The observer knew the fight was over. The few remaining henchmen were no match for the fools unique gift. As he turned to leave, the creature's face contorted into an apparition of pure hatred. With a slight English-accent, the figure spoke under his breath ,"We shall meet again, Ron Stoppable, but only on my terms."
Down below, the being's words were coming true. The few remaining henchmen swarmed Ron Stoppable, but were unable to do any serious harm. Those manning the doors finally managed to get them open a bit, only to be greeted by a wave of clicking sounds as the wall of police outside leveled their pistols at the surprised henchmen. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Drakken pulled a remote from one of his pockets and pushed a series of buttons on it. Immediately a hole was blown in the roof as a blue hovercraft descended upon the scene. The explosion woke both Kim Possible and Shego, the later pulling herself to her feet and running towards Drakken just in time to jump onto the hovercraft with him. As the pair retreated in their rising hovercraft, Drakken looked over the side and shook his fist. "We'll meet again, Kim Possible! Next time you won't be so lucky!"
The police quickly moved in and secured the remaining henchmen, paramedics soon following to tend to those more seriously wounded. Ron Stoppable immediately ran over to where Kim was lying . "Kim! You ok?" Ron asked as he helped remove the boxes pinning the heroine to the ground. Finally clearing away the last of the boxes, Ron fell to the ground and embraced Kim in a worried hug. "I was so worried, K.P., what happened?"
"So not the drama, Ron. Drakken caught me off guard, is all. I'll be fine."
Ron finally released Kim from his embrace as a pair of paramedics ran up beside them. It took significant persuasion on his part to get them to tend to Kim first. Despite all that had happened, it was Ron that looked worse. Bruises and cuts covered much of his body, while a deep laceration extended up much of his lower right arm. It was then, while looking at Kim, that Ron realized just how badly he was bleeding. When he had first pulled away from Kim, he noticed a lot of blood on her and was concerned that she was the one badly injured. Now he understood just whose blood that was. He began to feel light-headed as the two medics finished checking on Kim. They turned to him just in time to catch him from falling over. As the world went black, the last thing Ron saw was Kim's face...and the extremely worried look it displayed.
End Chapter 2
Mwahahahahahaaa!!! Eat cliffhanger and...uhh...wait! Yes! Wait...until Saturday. That's right, there will be a regular Saturday update as well. Actually, most of it is written already. Ron's Big Day wasn't even supposed to exist in the first place, let alone be a two-parter. Unfortunately, as my frenzy of writing slowed a bit, I realized that what I had written was almost 12 pages and still not finished. For comparison, chapter 2 itself (not including the author intro and outro) took up six pages. So...yeah, instead of one super-update, I decided to split up Ron's Big Day into chapter two and chapter three. Hope no one minds...much. Aside from the whole cliffhanger thing, anyway.
Incase someone is feeling betrayed (I did say I wouldn't turn Ron into a super-Ron), don't worry. Remember, this is Ron's Big Day, it's not necessarily an ordinary occurrence. Also, this "power" or "unique ability" of his is just something that wasn't fleshed out well in the series, but does in fact exist there. You'll know what I mean when it is explained further near the end of the next chapter. Heck, you probably already do...I gave you enough clues. Besides, you humans tend to be a clever lot. Umm...I mean we humans...heh, heh. Look! Over there! Is that some sort of demonic duck??? (If you read El Goonish Shive, you get it. If not, shame on you.)
As always, all suggestions will be seriously considered, if not always acted upon, so please tell me what you think / how to improve. I would really, really appreciate it. Also, now that we're a bit more into the story...by a chapter...keep in mind that I will also entertain suggestions on changing the rating.
Till Saturday then!
WWLAOS