Disney owns, I don't. Nuff said!
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Redemption – Winter Formal
"And so it's been a week with no word on Monkey Fist. He usually isn't this quiet about what he's doing, especially not after sending a message like that! Anyways, KP, I'm just getting worried about what he'll do next."
Ron sat holding Kim's hand in his own, as he looked down at her still form. She looked a lot better than she had when he had first seen her lying here. The cast was gone, everything was healed, even her hair was growing back, though the spot would be quite a while before it was the same length as the rest of her hair. But she looked so thin, her muscle tone gone after months of lying there. It hurt to see her like this, but he knew he had to keep his tone light, just in case she could hear him.
"So, anyways, the Winter Formal looks like it's going to be a success. I didn't want to go, not without you there, but everyone insisted I come out to have some fun, and you know how Bonnie can get if she doesn't get her way. I swear…"
Ron was interrupted by the door opening behind him. He turned to see who was behind him. "Hey Mrs. Dr. P!"
"Hello Ronald. I thought you would have left for the dance by now?"
"I was just leaving. Thought I'd talk to Kim for a bit."
Andrea just smiled down at the young man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I just came to do the same thing, before I left for home."
Ron sat there for a few moments, feeling awkward. "I should get going, the others are probably waiting for me."
Andrea just nodded. "You have fun tonight! And come by for lunch tomorrow, I'll make your favorite."
"I will, thanks! Later Mrs. Dr. P! Later Kim!"
Ron quietly left, leaving Andrea to her own thoughts. "That boy would move heaven and earth for you, Kimmie!" She took her daughter's hand in her own, and started talking about her day.
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Ron sat by the snack table, watching the dance before him. People enjoying themselves, having fun, dancing and laughing. He normally could just sit there and enjoy the music. Before, he would have been trying to grab a dance with any and every woman in the room, but that was before he had confessed his feelings to Kim, and that dance that seemed like a lifetime ago. Now, the girls came to him, asking him to dance. He almost found it amusing.
Before, he would have been ridiculed, laughed at, the bottom of the food chain. After the Diablo incident and the prom with Kim, he had moved up a few notches, pretty much accepted. Then came Kim's injury, and saving Bonnie from Monkey Fist. When the story had been told, he somehow found himself at the top. He didn't know how it happened, it just did! Normally, he would have reveled in it, gone overboard like when he had gotten his naco money, or with the haircut, but it didn't feel right to do that. It wasn't like women were throwing themselves at him to be with him, well, except for that one, but Monique and Bonnie had quickly put her in her place. It was just that it was accepted that he was top dog, and treated as such. People talked to him in the halls, ate lunch with him, laughed with him and not at him. It was everything he had wanted, with one exception; Kim wasn't there to enjoy it with him!
Ron had danced a few times already. He knew most were just out of sympathy, but some had just wanted to dance with him. He'd already danced a couple times with Bonnie and Tara, and was trying to enjoy himself, since everyone was trying so hard to get him to have a little fun. And he was, it just wasn't the same.
The sound of yelling drew Ron out of his thoughts, and back onto the dance floor, locating the sound just in time to see Monique's knee impact on a very sensitive area of her date! A collective groan sounded throughout the room as Joshua, her date that evening, dropped to the floor instantly. Monique just turned her back on him and walked over to Ron, anger evident on her face. Ron waited till she sat down and composed herself before trying to disturb her.
"Umm… Monique? Not that I don't agree that he deserved everything you gave him, but what did he do?"
Monique face lit up with indignation. "The boy tried to cop a feel! Right in the middle of the dance floor! He's just lucky I didn't go GWA on his ass, and lay a serious beat down!"
"Well, then I guess he should be glad you were feeling generous then?"
"Damn right!" Monique paused, shaking her head slowly. "Why are men such pigs?" Ron took a moment, trying to formulate an answer, but she interrupted. "Sorry, I didn't mean you, but guys like you are a rare commodity! Just once I'd like to find someone with Brad Pitt's body, your personality, and Brick's mad athletic skills!"
Ron just smiled back at her. "You don't think you might be setting the bar just a little high?"
She just smiledat him. "Nope! I'm gonna keep looking till I find him!"
"Just remember to stick a pin in him to make sure he's real first!"
Monique was a little shocked at first, as Ron almost always avoided the subject of Erik, Kim's synthodrone boyfriend from last year, but couldn't help but laugh when she saw the smile on Ron's face.
"I'll be sure to do that!"
"Be sure to do what?"
Ron looked up to see Bonnie and Brick coming back to the table. "Well, Monique was just telling me she wanted to put me, Brick, and Brad Pitt in a blender and date whatever comes out!"
The playful slap from Monique caused everyone to laugh. "That is so not what I said and you know it! As punishment, Ron-man, you owe me this next dance!"
Ron put on the best sad look he could. "Aww… do I have to?"
"Yes you do! You, boy, are going to show me some of those moves I've been seeing all night!"
"Yes ma'am!" was all Ron could say as he was dragged onto the dance floor.
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Rufus never could understand the point of dances. He knew they were important to his man, Ron, but they always seemed so loud and crowded to him. At least his man seemed to be having a good time, leaving him free to pursue the one thing that mattered to him at these things. The food!
It was a simple enough jump to the snack table, where he ducked behind a few bowls to keep himself hidden. Most people knew who he was, and wouldn't make a scene, but the big man, Barkin, would not appreciate him being there.
His nose carried him to where he needed to be, the smell that had been tantalizing him since they had sat down. Nuts! Mixed nuts by the smell of them. It didn't take long before he found his objective. With a quick look around, he dove into the bowl, enjoying the smell before diving in deeper. The best ones were always at the bottom!
That was when Rufus picked out the voice he really did not want to hear.
Barkin!
"I'm telling you Ms. Pennyworth, I really hate these things. Always so disorganized and chaotic!"
Rufus heard the woman laugh. "Oh, I know you. You're not happy without something to grumble about. Besides, the kids are having fun! Even young Mr. Stoppable seems to be enjoying himself."
The man seemed to pause before continuing. "Yeah, I guess that's good to see, might make this evening worth it in that respect. Kid's got more guts than almost anyone I've ever seen, and with what he's been through, he deserves to have some fun. Just wish he'd live up to his potential though, the kid's damn smart when he puts his mind to it."
"He'll probably just be one of those late bloomers."
"Yeah, probably. But that's still no excuse for him to slack off in school!"
Rufus was listening so intently to the two talk about his man that he failed to realize when the large hand reached into the bowl he was hiding in, scooping out a considerable number of nuts. As the nuts shifted, it revealed the little naked mole rat sitting at the bottom of the bowl. Rufus looked up into the face of Barkin, the man's eyes going wide, mouth hanging open slightly, so he did the only thing he could think of.
"Umm… hi!" waving slightly before jumping from the bowl of nuts. Not quite clearing the edge of the bowl, it spilt all over the table and onto the floor. Rufus made a mad dash across the snack table, startling several students as he flashed past in the dark, and upsetting a couple more bowls in the process. As soon as Rufus jumped from the snack table and ducked into Ron's coat pocket, everything got very quiet. It didn't last long though.
"STOPPABLE!"
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The man in black stood holding the treasure he had been seeking, a large gem that glinted in the sunlight that broke through the trees of the Thailand jungle. Looking down on his little monkey minions, he smiled. "With the Amulet of Skiarra hiding me from all sight, and the Gem of Amarra now in my hands, I will finally able to execute my plan for power! With his tech man unable to locate me, and that bitch see-er of his unable to see my plans, Stoppable will be unable to prevent my plan from succeeding! A few more items to gather, which I'll be able to find with the Gem, and untold power will be mine to command!"
The laugh that followed even chilled his minions to the bone, as they glanced uneasily up at their master!
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Author's Notes – Thought a bit of fluff might work well before we got to the darker points of the story. I've also noticed I only bring Rufus out when I need a bit of comedy relief. Guess I'll have to remedy that shortly!
I'd like to thank the following for reviewing;
GargoyleSama – That's surprising! I guess Canada is just weird for having it in June. And yeah, Kim would have talked it out with Ron, but that sure was never Bonnie's way!
JonathonWolf – Thanks for all the great criticism, I appreciate the help!
mattb3671 – Never thought of that, spurting pop out of your nose to clear writer's block. Must have been that, cause I was able to write right after that! As for the trick, I'm a very private person and I had an ex that pulled that on me a few times. Nothing gets a man to open up like threatening to take him shoe shopping! And thanks for the shout out on your update!
Campy –I thought I was making her a little too different, so I thought a refresher course on Bonnie 101 might work well here.
As well as thanks tokpultimatefan, The Metal One, and Worker72!
