Ron 1/2
By Parareru
Disclaimer: Kim Possible and crew are owned by Disney. When is season 3 due out? And a DVD set? C'mon!
Ranma 1/2 and crew are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Any and all Jusenkyo inspired madness can be laid directly at her feet.
{ } denotes Chinese speech
[ ] denotes Japanese speech
Chapter 11: Battle Royale Nerima Style
A cool breeze wafted across the yard by the koi pond tousling Ron Stoppable's blond locks, but he paid it little mind. His brow was furrowed with concentration as he focused all his attention on the small object in his hand, willing it to divest its secrets to him. Ron was finally forced to admit defeat and concede that Kim was right and he couldn't 'stare down' the Talisman.
"So what's the big deal with this talisman," Ron grumbled to himself as he studied the mystic artifact lying serenely in his hand. For the hundredth time, his eyes traced over the intricately carved figure of an impishly smiling monkey holding the separated halves of a yin yang in each hand on the face of the Talisman. Even though he had never seen it before, Ron felt a tingle of familiarity arc through his spine every time he laid eyes on the object and a vague impression that the Talisman was supposed to do much more than it had.
Which, so far, was a big, fat nothing.
The Talisman was a flat disk about three inches wide with a small hole punched in the top for the chain. The monkey image carved into the face was done with such realism that Ron half expected the monkey to crawl out of the Talisman like some miniature metal monkey demon. The back of the disk looked like that at one point it had some inscriptions carved into it, but the years had worn the words down to practically nothing. Kim had contacted Wade via the Kimmunicator and had him take a scan of the ancient writing and he had promised to do his best to enhance the image and get a translation to them hopefully before they touched down in Middleton.
With the Talisman firmly in hand, it was time for Team Possible to return to their normal lives. They'd been absent from school for far too long and would have to play a killer game of catch up once they arrived. Ron shuddered to think of the piles of tests and papers and reports that awaited him. It was bad enough to get an F on a test, but on a whole stack of tests... He turned a little green at the thought.
"Maybe this thing'll make me smarter," he mused hopefully as he hoisted the Talisman aloft grandiose manner. Something more was needed, something was missing. It was so close that Ron could feel the magic swirling around him, just waiting to be released. All it would take was the right... "Um... secret magic word?"
Ron held the pose for several long seconds before realizing how ridiculous he looked and dropped his arm with a disgruntled sigh. "Come on. Why won't you work?" he pleaded. He inspected the Talisman yet again and idly fingered the light chain that draped over his knuckles. The obvious solution would be to put it around his neck, but some vague feeling of dread kept washing over him every time he brought the chain up to his head.
"Plenty of time for that once Wade has a translation done," Ron said to himself, stalling as he dusted his pants off and went inside the Tendo home. Night was falling and he had just enough time for a shower before Kasumi had dinner ready. Ever since that fateful day in Jusenkyo he had come to appreciate the luxury of a hot shower or bath. Lately it seemed that cold water was out to get him. It was a silly notion of course, but just because you're paranoid it didn't mean that someone wasn't out to get you.
"Hey Kasumi, is the bath free?" Ron asked the eldest Tendo daughter as he entered the house.
"Oh, I'm sorry Ron. The water heater's broken," Kasumi answered apologetically. "I've called for a repairman, but the earliest they'll be able to get here is tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" Ron repeated in distress as he looked down at his rather dirty body. After the fight Ron had immediately began mulling over the mystery of the Mystical Monkey Talisman. "But... but..."
"I'm sure you'll want to wash up though, so I'll have Ranma take you to the public baths," Kasumi said gently.
Ron's eyebrows shot upwards. "Public baths?" he parroted in surprise.
"It's really a very nice bathhouse," Kasumi continued, oblivious to Ron's shocked expression. "We've been there a few times before."
"Public baths," Ron said quietly as he ran the two mutually exclusive words around in his head as an image of a huge communal bathtub took shape. The more he thought about it the more it sounded like a swimming pool.
"I'm sure you don't have anything to be embarrassed about Ron-san," Yori purred quietly as she came up behind Ron with Nabiki in tow.
"Ooh, Ranma and Ron are going?" Nabiki asked with a speculative glint in her eye. "Count me in then."
For some strange reason a sinking feeling began to settle in Ron's gut.
###
After dinner, the entire Tendo house trekked out to the local bathhouse. Ron found this trip through the streets of Nerima much more enjoyable knowing that a battle didn't await him at the end of the trip. Ron took a moment to study the companions fate had tossed his way during this adventure.
Genma and Soun led the way, chatting loudly and boisterously together and it was easy to see the long friendship the two shared. Nodoka and Kasumi followed behind their respective heads of households discussing something quietly between the two of them. Kasumi had rather tentatively suggested inviting Dr. Tofu to join them only to have the entire family make excuses on the doctor's behalf. Remembering the damage that Dr. Tofu had caused him at the mere mention of Kasumi's name it was easy for Ron to see why everyone would want to keep the two separated for the time being.
Nabiki and Yori were having what looked like a complicated discussion in Japanese. Occasionally, the two of them would pause to give Ron a long measured look before continuing their conversation. For some reason those looks made Ron nervous. Yori in general made Ron nervous. He'd only known her for a week during his last visit to Japan, but she had kissed him twice, twice in that time. Back in Middleton, he'd be lucky if the girls didn't look at him like he was some kind of bug or something that crawled out from under a rock. Ron was enough of a male to have imagined coming back to Japan again and seeing where things might lead, but nowhere in his fantasies did he envision being a girl half the time.
Ron sighed as he shifted his attention to Ranma, Akane and Ryoga. Ranma appeared to be somewhat used to his cursed body and to Ron's eyes it seemed as if Akane accepted and understood the curse. The two of them were walking closely beside each other, almost touching, but not quite. Ron might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he could see the chemistry between the two.
That chemistry obviously didn't sit well with Ryoga and he occasionally shot a glare at Ranma. Ranma's glare back at his rival was equally challenging, but neither were willing to make an issue of it at the moment. The two weren't friends by any standard definition of the word, yet there was something else that Ron could see behind those challenging looks. Respect. Despite their rivalry, the two afforded each other the respect that two duelists of nearly equal strength deserved.
Frankly, Ron was content to have his relationship with Kim. For one thing it left far fewer bruises. Well, from Kim's direction at least, though working as Kim's sidekick tended to put him in the path of a few nutjobs and weirdos who were more than happy to plant a few bruises on his oh so tender flesh. Ron let out a soft groan and shook his head slightly.
"What's wrong Ron?" Lo Shin asked, looking up from where she clung to his arm. Ron winced as out of the corner of his eye he saw Kim roll her eyes in disgust.
Ron sighed and looked down at the Amazon attached to his left arm and shook his head in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "It's nothing, just a little twinge from the fight."
Lo Shin looked at him worriedly for a moment, her eyes searching his before she turned her attention back to the road. This was yet another complication to his life, what to do with the two women who were chasing after him. Ron had to wonder if it was really him that they were interested in or just the honor of bagging him. Briefly, a rather grisly image flashed through his mind's eye where he was mounted on the wall of a hunting lodge with a horde of other trophy animals. Ron shook his head firmly for the third time to dispel the disturbing images.
Kim suddenly let out a soft hiss of surprise. "Uh oh," she said quietly.
Ron looked up and saw Shampoo and Mousse standing outside of the building with buckets in hand and towels draped over their shoulders. Mousse was swaying unsteadily on his feet and alternated between delivering what was intended to be a menacing glare at both Ranma and Ron. Finally the battered Hidden Weapons master settled with a meaningful glance directed at Lo Shin where she still clung to Ron's arm. Lo Shin merely ignored her brother and continued focusing her attentions on Ron. Shampoo pulled a 2000 yen note from her bucket of bath goods and handed it over to Nabiki who matter-of-factly appraised the payment and pocketed it with a pleased smile.
"What was that about?" Kim asked curiously.
"Ranma here is very profitable," Nabiki explained as Ranma scowled slightly in irritation. "I have an arrangement with his other fiancées to let them know when Ranma visits a bathhouse or some similar establishment."
"Nabiki!" Akane scolded her elder sister.
"Hey, a girl's gotta make a living," Nabiki said with a helpless shrug as the patter of running feet came from behind the group.
Ron quirked an eyebrow at the sight of the running brunette. She had in her hand a bucket of bath products and what appeared to be a large metal spatula strapped to her back.
[Phew, made it!] Ukyo exclaimed as she handed over her payment to Nabiki. Immediately she made her way over to Ranma's side and linked his arm with hers. [Well, c'mon Ranma-honey, I'll wash your back for you.]
[What you doing, stupid spatula girl?!] Shampoo protested as she forcibly removed Ukyo's arm from Ranma's.
[Why taking a bath with my fiancé of course,] Ukyo responded.
"Um, this isn't that kind of bathhouse," Akane said.
Ukyo looked over at Akane quizzically. [Why are you using English?] she asked and then turned to face Nabiki. [And why didn't you tell me that this isn't that sort of bathhouse?]
"Because we have American guests with us," Nabiki pointed out. "And you didn't ask."
Ukyo stared at Nabiki incredulously for a moment and then blinked as she realized for the first time that there were four more people than usual. "Oh, hello," she greeted.
"This is Kim Possible, her friend Ron Stoppable, Lo Shin and Yori Hoshino," Akane said as she pointed to each of her guests. Ron suddenly coughed and pointed to Rufus sitting on his shoulder and Akane rolled her eyes briefly. "And this is Rufus, Ron's pet naked mole rat."
"Hi, I'm Ukyo Kuonji, Ran-chan's cute fiancée," Ukyo introduced herself to the group with a smile and flashed them a victory sign.
"Ran-chan?" Kim asked, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Um, childhood nickname," Ranma explained. "Hey, we better get inside to the baths. Yup. Not getting any cleaner just standing out in the street."
###
Ron tentatively stepped into the men's bathing area, holding his short towel firmly in place. Beside him, Rufus strutted onto the tiled floor with a confident swagger. The naked mole rat looked over his shoulder and beckoned to his master with a wave of his paw.
"Oh shut up, you're already naked," Ron griped. Rufus chattered at him indignantly before running to hop into the large pool sized hot tub. With a contented sigh Rufus leaned up against the side of the tub and hummed a little tune as he basked in the hot water.
Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome were already soaking in the hot tub with their towels placed on top of their heads. Wobbling slightly Mousse settled himself into the large tub and relaxed against wall. "Okay, so not going to go in there," Ron said as he chewed on his lip. He picked up a bucket and stool from the stacks by the door and sat down beside Ranma and Ryoga. Ignorant of Japanese custom, Ron followed the other boys' example and washed his hair with bucketfuls of warm water before using a sponge to soap up his body. Suddenly, he realized that on the other side of the wall, Kim was doing the same thing with the other girls.
Everyone looked up as the door to the changing room slid aside to admit another person. The level of tension suddenly skyrocketed as a little old man wearing an old fashioned bathing suit stepped inside. Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome tried their best to appear inconspicuous as the other regular patrons shuffled nervously.
Ranma stared in shock at the tiny old man who strolled into the room. Tying his towel firmly around his waist, he picked up his bucket and marched over to when the old man calmly laid out an armload of toys. Curious, Ron tied the short towel around his waist and followed Ranma.
"What are you doing here, you old freak?" Ranma demanded as he loomed over Happosai. "And where have you been for the last few days?"
[Ah, Ranma, my boy. Care to help an old man wash his back?] Happosai replied, not bother to answer Ranma's questions.
"No way," Ranma answered. "You're just going to try and splash me with cold water again."
Happosai sniffled and looked away with tears welling up in his eyes. [I'm hurt that you think I'd do something like that. You wound me.]
"I know you," Ranma retorted, eyeing Happosai warily.
[Well, when you're right...] Happosai muttered as he quickly leapt to turn on the spigot and directed the spray of water towards Ranma's face.
Expecting just such an action, Ranma swiftly brought his bucket up and deflected the stream of cold water away from himself and inadvertently drenched Ron. Happosai's eyes bulged as he realized that Ranma had dodged his attack and was still male, but another boy had turned into a woman under the spray of cold water. Happosai was not one to miss an opportunity, no matter how bizarre or chance.
"SWEETO!" Happosai cried and he leapt into air.
###
"Kim, you have such smooth skin," Akane commented as she helped wash Kim's back.
"Thanks, I exfoliate daily," Kim replied.
Kim had been feeling kind of nervous about public nudity and was surprised to see Mrs. Saotome and all three Tendos don bathing suits while handing spares to Kim, Yori and Lo Shin. Surprisingly, Shampoo and Ukyo both had bathing suits ready as well. To her the outing seemed more like going to a public pool than taking a bath even though the other patrons were unclothed.
"Um, Akane? Why are we wearing bathing suits?" Kim asked as she looked over her shoulder at the shorthaired girl.
"Think of it as a precaution with our group. You still haven't met Grandfather Happosai yet."
"Happosai?"
Akane thought for a moment, looking up into the air. "Think of the world's most atrocious perverted martial artist in a two foot high body who gets stronger by touching girls and stealing panties."
Kim stared at her incredulously. "I'm having trouble picturing that."
"Trust me, once you meet him, you'll understand."
Kim gave Akane a confused look. She opened her mouth to ask her another question but...
"GYYYEEEAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!"
The girls all jumped as an angry feminine scream bounced off the walls from the men's side of the baths.
"Oooh, looks like the fun's going to start now," Nabiki said as she clambered up the wall to peek over. A flurry of protesting male voices greeted her.
"Hey! No peeking! No peeking!" Mousse shouted from where he was soaking the warm bath.
"Uh oh, Ron's going up against Happosai," Nabiki commented, beckoning the other girls up to watch the fight as well. There was a loud flurry of protest from the men's side as most of the men took exception to the intrusion and began to leave the bathing area.
Kim saw what looked like a wizened old man with his face pressed into Ron-chan's ample chest. To her disgust the pervert was nuzzling the breasts.
"GYYAAARRRGGGHHH!!!" Ron-chan shouted again as she hopped around in fury. "GET IT OFF! KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT!"
"So what's your name cutie?" Happosai asked as he looked up from his perch.
"DIE!" Ron-chan shrieked as she tried to slug the offending little troll attached to her chest.
"What a way to treat an old man," Happosai commented as he dodged the clumsy attack and hopped off. "I just wanted to play."
Ron-chan glared at the old pervert. "Listen old man, this is my body and no one gets to play with it except me," she said as she jerked her thumb authoritatively at herself.
A loud chorus of snickers greeted her comment and Ron-chan looked up in shock to where the girls were watching. "Th-th-that's not what I meant," she protested helplessly as a slow flush rose on her cheeks.
"Ron," Kim groaned in exasperation. He was always talking before he thought. She also found it interesting that as a girl Ron seemed more prone to blushing and embarrassment despite his claim of never getting embarrassed.
"DAMMIT!" Ron-chan howled in frustration as she dove into the hot bath. Ron leapt out of the bath, his towel plastered wetly against his thigh.
"Oh my, look Kim," Nabiki said as she pointed to the now male Ron.
"I am not looking!" Kim protested as she turned her face away.
"Hey, no peeking!" Ron cried as he hurriedly adjusted his towel.
"I wasn't!" Kim shouted back, her face as red as her hair.
"I was!" Lo Shin caroled happily as she raised her hand.
Ron clenched his hand and felt the chain of the Mystical Monkey Talisman dig into his palm. Absently, he pulled it up over his head and settled it firmly around his neck. As furiously as he was he didn't feel the sudden heat that rushed though his skin as the Talisman briefly surrounded him with a soft red glow. Never in his life had he been so furious.
"You die now, old man," Ron growled as he faced off against the pervert master of the Anything Goes School.
"Shouldn't you be helping, Ron?" Ryoga asked Ranma.
Ranma paused for a moment before answering. "For once, I'm glad the old freak isn't bugging me."
Ryoga shrugged and continued washing his own back as he kept an eye on the trouble brewing.
Happosai was having no trouble keeping ahead of Ron's furious attacks and bounced around while sticking his tongue out at the boy. "Nyah, nyah," Happy taunted as he leapt over an outstretched arm and sent the foreign boy crashing into the stacks of buckets. "You still haven't told me your name. And why don't you change back into a girl? It's more fun that way."
"No way," Ron grated as he tugged at the Lotus Blade amulet from his neck. "Boomerang!" he shouted as he flung the weapon at the pervert.
Happosai ducked under the weapon's path and stuck his tongue out again. "Missed m... ack!" His taunt was cut short as the boomerang returned whacking him on the back of the head before returning to Ron's hand with a solid smack.
"See that's the thing about boomerangs. They come back," Ron gloated.
"Owie," Happosai grunted as he rubbed at the welt on the back of his head. "Well, I'm not going to go easy on you anymore then."
"Bring it on," Ron said as the Lotus Blade snapped back into its sword form and he held it at the ready.
"HAPPO DAI KARIN!" Happosai shouted as he flung a handful of bombs at the offending boy.
Ron valiantly swatted a few of the bombs aside, but a few managed to get past him and rolled to his feet. "Oh shit!" Ron groaned just before the bombs exploded and sent him flying through the air.
The shock of cold water helped Ron to shake off the effects of the explosion and he stood up, the cold water sluicing off his body.
"What?! Where's the pretty girly?!" Happosai shouted loudly in protest as he stared at the definitely male Ron.
"Huh?" Ron said in confusion until it dawned on him. He was standing in cold water. He had been dunked in cold water. And he was still male. With a startled gasp, he grabbed the Mystical Monkey Talisman and looked down at it. The Talisman had the power to lock his shape. That was the secret power. He wasn't going to be a girl ever again. This was going to be a good day.
###
"Bad day! Bad day! BAD DAY!" Ron wailed as he ran through the streets of Nerima.
"Uh huh, bad day," Rufus agreed where he clung to his shoulder.
He just couldn't understand it, suddenly everyone was after him. A mob of people had literally dog piled him, Ranma in the forefront. That was painful. In these past few days, Ron had come to consider Ranma to be a friend. Fortunately, Lo Shin had pulled Ron free of the pile and told Ron to run.
Unfortunately, all that he had on when he raced from out of the bathhouse had been his towel. After eliciting a few terrified shrieks from some random pedestrians, Ron had ducked into a yard to borrow some clothing. Thankfully, there had been a track suit hanging on the line though no convenient pockets to put Rufus in.
"Why you run?!" the purple haired Amazon demanded from a few lengths behind him.
"Why are you chasing me?!" Ron shot back.
"Give Shampoo cure!" she yelled.
So that was it. Everyone with a curse was after him now. Ron pushed himself to run faster. Well, too bad, he had the cure and he wasn't going to give it up to anybody.
A flurry of spatula shuriken struck the ground in front of Ron forcing him to draw to a halt. Shampoo barreled into him and Ron reflexively rolled forward allowing Shampoo's momentum carry her forward, careening out of control.
Ron adjusted his stolen clothing and stood face to face with the brunette... Ukyo. "So what are you cursed with?" Ron panted tiredly as he tried to regain his breath.
"Oh, I'm not," Ukyo replied, as she held her spatula at the ready. "But Ranma-honey needs that cure. And if I give it to him then he might just fall in love with me."
"Girls shouldn't use sex to get love," Ron quipped causing Ukyo to blink uncertainly as she wondered what she said that boiled down to sex.
"So are you going to hand it over or not," Ukyo demanded as she took a step forward.
"Nope!" Ron shouted as he bounced up to the roof top and raced away.
"Hey!" Ukyo protested as she took up the chase again.
Ron looked over his shoulder and he could see several other people bound to the rooftops in pursuit. "Why me?!" he whined as he continued to run.
###
"Well, if that new boy won't play I can always find Ranma," Happosai reasoned as he readied a bucket of water in ambush.
"My darling Ranma-chan!" Happosai shouted as he sprang from concealment as Ranma, Akane and Kim ran by.
"GYAH!" Ranma-chan shrieked as the old pervert glomped onto her.
"Don't you ever QUIT?!" Ranma-chan demanded as she ripped Happosai off her chest and booted him into evening sky.
###
Monkey Fist watched intently as the chase ranged all over the town. For some reason Ron's allies had turned against him, leaving him vulnerable. The time to strike was now. "Moe, Curly, Shemp!" he barked and instantly his three black clad monkey ninja lieutenants appeared kneeling before him. "I want you to split the group into three and delay the rest of the competition."
Monkey Fist's eyes narrowed as a loud crash echoed in the evening twilight. "I will handle the boy myself."
###
"Lo Shin! Why are you fighting me?!" Mousse demanded as he fended off the blows from his sister's staff. Lo Shin whipped the staff around in a tight arc, trying to tangle up her brother's legs.
"You're attacking Ron, that's reason enough for me," Lo Shin said flatly.
"Lo Shin being stupid," Shampoo said as she leapt down from the rooftop beside Mousse. "We Amazons and Amazons stick together."
Lo Shin shook her head stubbornly. "You just want to cure your curse like Mousse, Shampoo. I'm not going to let you take it from Ron."
"Shampoo is village champion," Shampoo said as she hefted her pair of bonbori menacingly.
"You were the village champion," Lo Shin corrected as she swung her staff in tight circles. "I'm not afraid of you."
"Then Lo Shin stupid like brother," Shampoo said as she charged.
###
"Bakusai Tenketsu!"
Ron ducked under the shower of rock that sprayed from the shattered wall.
"Ryoga!"
"At last!" Ryoga said exultantly. "I got to you before Ranma did! It must be my destiny to finally be free of the pig!"
"Ryoga, this isn't the way to do things," Ron tried to reason with the bandanna clad martial artist. "Surely,..."
"Do you even know what my life is like?!" Ryoga demanded. "At least in your cursed form, you're still human. I've lost track of all the times I've nearly been eaten! Black piglet is a delicacy!"
Ryoga charged forward launching punches and kicks that Ron barely managed to dodge. Ryoga was slower than Ranma, but in his tired condition, Ron was having trouble keeping up. There was slight drop of the shoulder and Ron took the chance to punch through the hole in Ryoga's guard. Ryoga instantly lashed back with a punch that sent Ron tumbling down the street.
"I didn't even feel that," Ryoga said as Ron slowly picked himself off the ground.
"Run, Ron-san," Yori said as she ran up beside Ron. "I will cover your retreat."
"Yori."
"You're my friend, Ron-san. And at Yamanochi we look after our own."
"I don't fight girls," Ryoga declare loftily.
"Then that will make my task all the easier," Yori said as she whipped open her fans.
###
"I don't want to have to do this man," Ranma said as he faced off against Ron. "But it's you or me and I choose me."
"Ranma, stop it," Akane pleaded.
"There's got to be another way," Kim reasoned next to her.
"Aw man," Ron whimpered tiredly. "Can't we all just get along?"
"Ranma, you're being a bully!" Akane shouted.
"Butt out of this Akane. This is my one chance to be normal again!" Ranma shouted at her.
"What did you say to me?!" Akane flared.
"This don't got nothing to do with you."
"Didn't you and Ron get to be friends these past few days?" Kim asked.
"That don't matter," Ranma insisted stubbornly. "All that matters is the cure."
"Get Ron and run," Akane whispered to Kim as she reached behind a garbage can. "I'll distract Ranma."
"Thanks, Akane," Kim whispered gratefully back.
"Ranma! Catch!" Akane shouted.
Ranma instinctively caught the furry projectile and blanched in terror. "C-c-cat!"
###
Ron panted from the exertion, leaning heavily against a brick wall, thankful for even this brief reprieve. Kim had ordered him on, while she dealt with Soun and Genma. Ron was too tired to protest much and barely had a chance to send Rufus to give Kim a hand. It was just all too much, first the fight in the afternoon and now this.
Doggedly, Ron ran around the corner and nearly tripped over Ukyo's bound body. The brunette swore as she struggled in her bonds and for an instant Ron considered just leaving her there. Sighing Ron knelt by the girl and loosened the gag from around her mouth.
"Arigatou," Ukyo said as she worked her tongue around her dry mouth.
"What happened?" Ron asked as he began to work at the knots around her wrists.
"These monkeys jumped me from outta nowhere," Ukyo explained and Ron went cold. He turned the girl around and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Were these monkey's wearing black?" he asked intently.
"Yeah, why?" Ukyo said curiously.
"Oh shit!" Ron swore.
"'Oh shit' indeed, Ronald. Now here we are, no friends or allies, just the two of us who were blessed with the Mystical Monkey Power," Monkey Fist said smoothly as he stepped from the shadows. Ron instantly moved to put himself between the Monkey Master and the defenseless Ukyo as Monkey Fist settled into a fluid fighting stance. "You've come far in such a short time, but would you like to try your skills against a true Monkey Master?"
"I don't have time for you right now," Ron growled as his muscles quivered with exhaustion.
"Too bad, cause I've nothing but time for you!" Monkey Fist roared as he sprang forward.
Ron winced as Monkey Fist's blow drove him back. Monkey Fist was fresh and rested, while Ron was at the end of his rope. If he didn't finish the fight soon then he'd be finished. Ron tried for a roundhouse right which Monkey fist blocked almost contemptuously before he retaliated with a snap kick to the gut that folded Ron.
Ron staggered back, gasping for breath as spots danced in front of his eyes. He struggled to think of something, anything that could help him. As drained as he was, he couldn't pull off any special techniques. Ron rolled to his feet studying his opponent through slitted eyes. Maybe... Just maybe...
Ron leapt forward, charging at his arch foe, who stood there waiting expectantly. Only an arm's length away from his target, Ron suddenly veered off to the side and kicked off against a lamppost spinning in mid air to land on Monkey Fist's back. He quickly wrapped his arm around Monkey Fist's throat and the British Lord flailed around as his air supply was cut off.
"Fall! Fall!" Ron pleaded as he focused his entire being on maintaining that hold.
Monkey Fist suddenly threw his body forward, nearly jackknifing and causing Ron to loosen his grip slightly. Monkey Fist's hands reached back over his shoulder grabbing what he could of Ron and with strength born of desperation pulled the youngster off his back and slammed him into the ground.
Ron rolled on the ground, dazed from the impact as Monkey Fist sucked in breaths of cool, refreshing air. Ron was too weak to resist as Monkey Fist grabbed a fistful of his shirt and dragged him to his feet. His head lolled around on his rubbery neck as his eyes refused to focus on his foe.
"An admirable effort, Ronald," Monkey Fist gloated as he pulled his defeated opponent in close. "But sadly you were only human.
"At last, the ultimate power is MINE!" Monkey Fist rejoiced as his hand closed around the Talisman and jerked the chain from his rival's neck. A red glow surrounded the mutant Monkey Master that bowled Ron off his feet. Tendrils of red energy whipped around him smashing the street around him into rubble.
"Stop right there, Monty Freak!" Ron-chan ordered and Monkey Fist whipped his head around at the unfamiliar female voice that challenged him. Ron seemed unaware that he'd inexplicably been changed into his female form or that he'd just gotten his second wind.
"Wha? Who're you?" he managed to blurt out before Ron-chan's foot connected with his jaw.
"What power make you stupid? The name's Ron Stoppable and don't you forget it!" Ron-chan yelled as she leapt to the attack.
"What madness is this?!" Monkey Fist demanded as he fended off the blond's furious blows. "Why are you a girl?!"
"Huh?" Ron-chan said as she drew to a halt and looked down at her slim feminine hands. "What? But I didn't get hit with water," she protested in confusion.
Monkey Fist took advantage of his foe's momentary bewilderment and lashed out with a snap kick that sent the confused girl flying against a wall. Ron-chan groaned and slumped to the ground groggily as Monkey Fist advanced, holding the Talisman before him. A red glow built and surrounded him as he aimed the Talisman at the frail girl lying on the ground until a red beam sprang from the Talisman's center and washed over the girl. The light built up to blinding intensity and faded leaving a male Ron lying in the rubble of the street.
"Well, now this is interesting," Monkey Fist mused as he glanced at the Talisman before placing it securely around his neck. A silvery glitter from his rival's neck caught his eye and he bent to jerk the pendant from the boy's neck. Ron groaned and futilely tried to grab the Lotus Blade back. With a silent flash of silvery light, the Lotus Blade took shape in Monkey Fist's hand. "And this is the icing on the cake."
"No," Ron moaned as he struggled to his feet and lunged for Monkey Fist who deftly sidestepped his charge and sent Ron spinning back into the dirt with a well-placed kick to the jaw.
"Finally," Monkey Fist gloated as he licked his lips, savoring his moment of triumph. His grip tightened around the Lotus Blade as he stood over the prone body of Ron Stoppable. "As they say in the movies, 'There can be only one,'" he said as he raised the blade to deliver the final stroke.
"RON!" three female voices cried out simultaneously as they barreled into Monkey Fist, sending the Lotus Blade flying from his grasp.
"NO!" Monkey Fist howled in fury as the ultimate weapon slipped away from him. "You'll PAY for that!" he roared as the Mystical Monkey Talisman flared to life around his neck. Kim, Lo Shin and Yori screamed in pain as the power tore into their bodies and flung them away in an explosion of crimson light. Monkey Fist leapt up to retrieve the Lotus Blade only to draw himself short in front of Ranma and Ryoga standing ready with their ki attacks glowing between their palms.
"Wanna try that again?" Ranma challenged.
Monkey Fist snarled in frustration as he considered his limited options. Some of his monkey ninjas had be in hot pursuit of the three women who had just tackled him, but there were too few to make a difference. One martial artist he could likely handle, two together would stall him until reinforcements could arrive to assist Ron. And if the Amazon matriarch should get involved...
"We'll finish this at the monastery!" he growled murderously at Ron as the blond shook his head to recover his wits. "Monkey Ninjas, to me!"
The Monkey Ninjas instantly leapt to Monkey Fist's command, disappearing in puffs of smoke.
"Hey, you okay?" Ranma asked as he helped Ron to his feet.
"Not nearly," Ron muttered as he winced at the pain throbbing through his skull. "Monkey Fist got away again."
"At least he didn't get away with your sword," Ryoga said as he offered the blade back to Ron.
"Where's Kim?" Ron asked slowly, still blinking to clear his blurry vision as he took possession of the Lotus Blade. He concentrated briefly and it resumed its amulet form.
"Ranma? Ron?" Akane called tentatively as she helped Kim to her feet from where the mystical energy of the Talisman had flung her.
"Oh, this can't be good," Ranma said as he stood by his fianc's side.
Ron could only stare in mute horror at the familiar form of a furry Kim Possible. He had seen this for only a few minutes the last time, but he instantly recognized the effect of the Amulet of the Monkey King. The only thing untouched about the teen hero was her flaming red hair.
"K-kim?" he asked tentatively.
Kim looked down at her furry arms and tail swishing around her. "Oh shit," she replied.
Ron did the only thing that he could do at that moment.
He passed out.
Next: Once More Unto the Breech
A/N: Thanks for Reading and Reviewing!
Heh heh. Sorry that I took so long to update. For a while there it was as if I had fallen off the face of the world. Updates should come more regularly now. Unless Ragnarok sucks me back in.
"Secret Magic Word" - Bupu's magic word from Dragonlance. Don't steal it.
"Bad day. Bad day. Bad day." – Jackie Chan always says this when he's getting chased. Seemed appropriate for Ron to too.
I began this project before the debut of the Full Monkey, so the beginning doesn't reflect that. Yet.
As for how the girls got to Ron in time, well, I'll explain next chapter.
Oh, and as for Akane siding with Kim. Well, I don't think that she'd like Ranma to be the "villain" so she'll help save him from himself. And Ranma has demonstrated in the past that he'll do whatever it takes to get his cure, except hurt Akane.