Ron watched the early morning sunlight spill thru Yori's one single window in her quarters, the young girl was still asleep in his arms and he wanted her to get some sleep because he had kept her up pretty late the night before.
Ron reflected on the day that he and Yori had after his talk with Master Sensei, "We ran to the hot springs…Had hot sex, ran back her…had more hot sex…No…not sex…Love…She is going to stay here as staff…Maybe I can stay too? I'll ask Sensei…I don't know…Maybe I'm not going to be a killing machine but a love machine." Ron giggled at this thought.
Ron watched Yori sleep a while longer and then he pressed his index finger against her nose, "Beep, Beep time to wake up sleepy head…Hey weren't you the one that always used to wake me up in the mornings?" He asked Yori in a teasing voice.
Yori opened her eyes, "Stop…Ron, your American style enthusiasm for love making, does not leave me much time to sleep." She told him as she kissed him on the lips.
Ron smiled, "Ohhhhhhh sure blame the chosen one…I see how you are." He told her as he playfully slapped her butt.
Yori jumped, "Ron…I don't have a very busy schedule today…Would you mind much if I slept a while longer?"
Ron picked himself up off the floor, "It would be my honor to let you sleep some more, I think I'll go for an early morning run." He told her as he went looking for his cloths.
Ron found his cloths and a tube of the zinc oxide to cover his face, he was going to take the run to the peak of Mount Yamanouchi, he figured if he was to be leaving soon then he would like to take another look from the top.
He started on his run, he looked up to the main pagoda and saw Master Sensei observing him as ran, "The whole thing gives me the creeps, I guess being an assassin could have it's perks…I wouldn't have to wait in line anywhere, just kill everyone in front of me." Ron laughed at that thought.
He ran till he reached the area that flattened out before he would climb into the wind and he applied the white cream to his face, "Yori's been pretty tired the last couple of days, I may have to take it easy on her…I've been acting like a kid with a shiny new toy lately…I just…I just never thought…I'd be good at it…I guess I'm good…Yori isn't complaining." He thought with a sly smile as he continued the run up to the summit.
Monique woke up before Kim and looked around the tent; it had actually stayed up all night. She expected it to fall in sometime during the night but it held up well. She was bitterly cold, it was bitterly cold outside and she had to pee.
Monique looked around then she decided to wake up her adversary for Ron's affections, "Kim…Kim…wake your ass up, I got a question." She hollered as she kicked Kim in the butt to nudge her awake.
Kim woke up groggily, "What?"
Monique made a face at her, "I got to pee." She told her urgently.
Kim shook her head, "I'll call a press conference when we get back." She said sarcastically as she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
Monique puffed out her cheeks, "KIM!"
Kim rolled back over, "Hold it Monique, I can go days without going potty…Cast Iron bladder…Gotta love it." She said as she rolled back over.
Monique clinched her teeth, "I know what your full of then Kim Possible." She said angrily.
Kim giggled as she rolled back over, "No big, Monique just use your helmet and take it out side and dump it away from the tent…duh'"
Monique knew a good idea when she heard it and then she promptly grabbed Kim's helmet and took care of business, "So when we going to start looking for Ron?"
Kim rolled over, "I guess now since you won't let me go back to sleep...You used my helmet didn't you?" Kim screamed as she realized she couldn't find her helmet.
Monique smiled and evil little smile, "Opps"
After a mild verbal battle and some name calling the girls managed to get started on their climb up Mount Yamanouchi. They discovered that Wade packed too much junk that wasn't really all that useful, such as foot powder knockout gas, bug spray, exploding beach balls, and a crate of diablo sauce.
Monique looked at all the junk laying around on the ground, "You guys are really out of practice aren't you?"
Kim nodded, "Ever since Ron quit going on missions, we just don't get out much these days."
They started their climb into a fierce and biting wind; Kim had to stop frequently to make sure that Monique was still close by. The mountains in the winter time can be treacherous and unpredictable.
Kim helped Monique up on a ledge then carefully eyed the ridges leading up the mountain to see if there was a good spot to use the hair dryer grappling ropes that she had brought.
She spotted a suitable ride and pointed it out to Monique; she raised the hair dryer and fired. The grappling hook found its mark and held fast. Now Monique could see where Kim was pointing and did the same. Then the two were hoisted up closer to the top.
Ron watched the two climbers from a distance, he was maybe three miles away and perfectly blinded in with his surroundings, "What kind of fool would be up here…Hey wait a minute…I'm up here…ok rephrase the question…What kind of brave soul would be up here?"
Ron smiled and shook his head, "Mountaineers, well it looks like they got things pretty well in hand and they're way off from the school, I guess I'll head back now…Yori's probably missing me." He thought as he turned to leave.
Ron turned to look out to the northern pacific one more time and then he realized there was a storm moving in and fast, "That don't look good, I'll tail these two and make sure they don't get trapped up here and then head back." He thought to himself as he turned to follow the two mountaineers.
He worked the ridge line watching the two climbers, always staying just behind them and well out of their site. Ron made notes on caves and anything else that he thought he could use as a make shift shelter in case he was to get stuck out here himself.
He worked his way to within a mile of the two climbers, then he saw one of the climbers pull out what appeared to be a hair dryer and shoot a grappling hook up to a ledge and then the rope pulled the person up.
Ron blinked a few times, "Noooooo…It can't be…Kim…and Monique?" He closed his eyes and shook his head.
Ron was within a half mile away from the pair now, "Yep…That's who it is, I'd recognize those Club Banana boots of Monique's anywhere." He thought as he chuckled to himself.
Then Ron threw himself to the ground behind a line of rocks, "Ohhhhhhhh Nooooooo, Kim's here, Monique's here, Yori's here, I'm here…This could get really ugly." He let out a deep breath as he contemplated all the various bad things that could happen to him.
Kim helped Monique up onto the plateau, she was getting seriously tired and there was no sign of a ninja school anywhere, "Let's rest here a bit Monique…I'm running out of steam…Not used to the thin air."
Monique nodded her head, "I hear ya…I guess it's too late to turn around and go home isn't it?" She asked Kim with a tired smile on her face.
Kim giggled and nodded, "Yea…I'm afraid so…We've got to get moving again, looks like a storm heading this way." She told Monique pointing out towards a line of grey/green clouds.
Monique nodded and then grinned a big toothy grin, "I gotta pee, let me borrow your helmet again."
Kim stood up and stomped on the snow pack to yell at Monique and the ground gave way then Kim was hanging in mid air with Monique holding on to her for dear life. "KIM, hang on." Monique screamed.
Ron popped his head up from behind the rocks, he saw Kim hanging on for dear life, "Ohhhh noooo, Kim."
He bolted from his hiding place and quickly sprinted the half mile to reach their location. He could see Kim trying to climb back up using Monique, but she was too fatigued to make it. Ron belly flopped onto the ridge and slide next to Monique, grabbed Kim's arm and drug her up to the ledge.
Once Kim was safe he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and then grabbed Monique and threw her over his other shoulder and started to run as fast as he could with the extra weight towards the cave that he had past.
Kim was being jostled around and she realized that she was being carried but didn't know by whom, she looked over and saw Monique on the other shoulder of the man that rescued them. Then she looked down and realized the person carrying them was leaving no tracks in the snow and was running very fast up hill.
Monique looked over at Kim, "What just happened, who is this guy? He seems to know where he is going…good…" her thoughts were a mixture of panic and relief as she realized they were headed up the mountain but in a different direction than where they had come from.
Ron's lungs were ready to burst from lack of oxygen but he knew he had precious little time to reach the cave. He could feel the temperature starting to drop and the wind was howling making things that much more difficult to maintain speed going up hill.
He almost ran by the cave, he turned into the entrance and made it inside a good 100ft before he collapsed with the two girls landing on top of him. He lay there gasping for breath, he felt Kim and Monique roll off of him.
Kim got her equilibrium back and she stood up, and in a demanding voice barked out her orders "Alright mister ninja man, take us to Ron Stoppable or I'm going to open a bag full of ugly on you."
Monique sat against the wall, shaking her head, "Kim, that man just saved your ass and brought us up this mountain…At least let him catch his breath before we kick his ass."
Ron started to chuckle and replied in a very bad Japanese accent, "You two girls very chubby, felt like carrying cow up hill…Stoppable San only like thin girls."
Kim and Monique looked at each other, "Find out where Ron is and then kill this man." Monique suggested.
Kim nodded, "TELL US WHERE RON IS…NOW!" she screamed at the man who had just brought himself to his knees.
Ron shook his head and pulled the hood of his gi back to reveal his face, "What are you two doing here?" he asked staring at the two girls.
Monique and Kim looked at one another and then they fell to their knees hugging Ron, Kim looked at him, "You goof we came to rescue you." She told him fighting off tears of joy.
Monique shook her head and then slapped him hard in the face, and then she pulled him to her for a big kiss, "What happened to you Ron?"
Ron just shrugged, "Well…it's complicated."
Kim nodded, "and?"
Ron shook his head, "I don't really know where to start."
Monique shook her head, "Start at the beginning Ron, what happened at Quarry Lake?"
Ron moved to put his back to a wall and then sighed heavily, and then proceeded to tell Monique and Kim all about what had happened and what he had been up to. He told them about everything that Master Sensei had told him, but he left out any relevant information about Yori.
Monique looked at Ron sadly, "You really wanted to die?"
Ron nodded, "Monique it had nothing to do with you or Kim, I was just tired and was at the end of my rope…I didn't know what else to do."
Kim looked outside the cave and could see the storm was hitting the mountain with it's full fury, "Ron everyone back home thinks you committed suicide…Your mom and dad are worried sick."
Ron closed his eyes and nodded, "Yea…How's Rufus?"
Kim laughed bitterly, "That's my Ron, everyone thinks he's dead and he's only worried about Rufus."
Monique shook her head, "You mean that's MY Ron…Speaking of my Ron, you don't have a thing going on with Yori do you?"
Ron just looked at Monique with a hard look, but he said nothing, "You guys shouldn't have come out here, they were getting ready to send me home."
Monique and Kim looked at one another; Kim shrugged and answered his question about Rufus. He nodded and then crossed his legs and started to meditate. He reached Yori and let her know about the storm, the cave, Kim and Monique and that they were all safe and would be headed back towards the school when the storm broke.
Yori thanked Ron for contacting her, then she came out of her meditative state and cocked her head from on side and then to the other feeling the joints popping and muscles stretching. Then she crossed her quarters to find her tessen's the steel framed razor sharp fans that she knew how to manipulate with deadly efficiency.
She placed them inside her gi, and her thoughts turned to darkness and jealousy, "I must inform Master Sensei…If we are to have visitors then we must welcome them properly."
Ron came out of his meditative state and looked at the two girls, "Nacos?"
Monique shook her head, "Ron…You didn't answer my question."
Ron looked at her, "No…I didn't, you guys have anything for a fire or to eat." He asked as he stood up and started to look around the cave.
Kim shook her head, "Not really, Wade didn't really outfit us to well on this mission."
Ron bristled at the mention of Wade's name, "You have your Kimmunicator?" he asked her as he stuck out his hand.
Kim nodded and handed him the device, Ron turned it over and pulled the batteries out and stuck them in his gi.
Kim looked at him, "Ron?"
Ron shrugged, "Secret ninja school wouldn't be too secret if everybody knew where to find it thanks to Wade." He replied bitterly.
Monique looked at Ron in his gi, "Aren't you cold?"
Ron chuckled, "It gets chilly, but I'm used to it."
Ron smiled, "So Kim, you and Josh start dating yet?"
Kim shook her head, "No…I…I was too worried about you to think much about Josh."
Ron frowned, "I'm sorry you guys, I had no idea that no one knew where I was until yesterday…I…I didn't mean for any of this to happen." He told them sadly.
Monique nodded, "Yea…well were glad your ok…You are ok…Right?"
Ron smiled and then became serious, "Yea…I'm ok, I'm sleeping again, I don't want to die…I am worried about returning home…I mean….I don't know what to expect."
Kim shrugged her shoulders, "What do you mean you don't know what to expect, you'll go back to school and everything will return to normal."
Monique shook her head, "No Kim…Everybody thinks Ron committed suicide…Everything will change when he gets back…They might not let him come back to school." Monique informed her as she looked at Ron sadly.
Ron blinked, he had not thought about that, he would be ostracized and nothing would be the same, "I can't stay here because I'm an outsider, and now I don't think I can go home…I have no where to go now." He said sadly, suddenly Ron's legs felt weak and he sank to the floor of the cave.
Kim knelt down to try and reassure her friend, "Ron…It won't be as bad as you think…You can come home with us."
Ron looked blankly at Kim and nodded, and then he just stared out the entrance of the cave. The storm was letting up as quickly as it had come; Ron stood up and walked to the entrance, "Time to head back and see Master Sensei." Ron said absently.
The three started to make their way back towards the ninja school, Kim and Monique took turns telling Ron about all the hardships they had to endure to come and rescue him. Kim shook her head, "I had it the worst, Monique started talking about bees and dwarfs and then she peed in my helmet."
Ron turned and looked at Monique, Monique smiled, "I was trying to explain about Josh and….his situation, and as for the helmet…that was an accident…sort of."
Ron nodded, "Ahhhhhhh…I see…I think."
They walked for the better part of the day and arrived at the school by dusk, Ron brought Kim and Monique to see Master Sensei, "Stoppable San, you should not have brought your friends here." He told him in an angry voice.
Ron shook his head, and tried to explain what he did to Sensei, "I couldn't of just left them there with the storm coming in, the storm hit here two, out there the winds were fierce and they never would have survived."
Master Sensei looked out the window, then he called for Yori, "You will show Stoppable San's friends to suitable quarters..."
Yori did not look happy, "As you wish Master Sensei." She told him as she turned and left to find quarters for the girls.
Ron started to turn and leave with Yori, Master Sensei held up his hand, "Not you Stoppable San…You will wait here."
Ron watched Yori leave, once she had left Master Sensei told Ron exactly what he was expected to do, "Tomorrow you will lead your friends blindfolded down the mountain pass and down to the lowlands, and then you will make for one of the villages and arrange for your transportation home…There is no more that we can teach you here and you can not stay any longer."
Ron nodded and bowed, "Thank you Master Sensei." Then Ron turned and left the room.
Yori met the girls outside and motioned them to follow her, "It would be my honor to show you to your quarters." She told them in a flat unemotional voice.
Kim and Monique followed her to their room, once inside Monique eyed Yori, "So where is Ron staying, I may want to visit him later…Since he is my boyfriend."
Yori turned and narrowed her eyes and in a very low and menacing voice let Monique know exactly where Ron was staying, "Stoppable San sleeps in my quarters."
Monique started towards the young ninja when she pulled the tessens from her gi and spread the blades and crouched into a combat stance. Monique stopped at the sight of the deadly fans, "We ain't afraid of your skinny ass…Go get her Kim." She ordered her friend as she was trying to save face.
Kim looked at Yori and lifted an eye brow and then back at Monique, "I'm just Ron's friend, he's your boyfriend….remember." Kim reminded her.
Yori folded the razor sharp fans and put them away, "I will of course notify Stoppable San of your concern…While I lie in his arms tonight." Yori told her with a half smile as she backed out of the room.
Monique glared at Kim, "Thanks for getting my back there girl."
Kim smiled, "Payback girlfriend…payback"
Monique nodded, "You got me good Kim, you forgot about one thing….You think that girl is going to let Ron go home with us? We needed to assert ourselves as Ron's friends and show this skinny punk who runs the show."
Kim smiled a tight smile, "So while I was busy fighting her, you were going to hold the rest of the school off of us….right?"
Monique squirmed and looked at the door, "I didn't think about that…I guess we're stuck for now." She said shaking her head at the realization that they weren't in charge.
Kim frowned, "Monique…I think we need to accept that Ron may have developed feelings for Yori…If we attack Yori we may actually push Ron into staying."
Monique nodded, "Yea…I didn't think about that…So, what do we do now?"
Kim shook her head, "Wait for Ron and see what's going on and then go from there…I guess." She told her friend as she sat down on the floor to wait for Ron.
Ron and Yori returned together to take them to the evening meal, they made their way in silence to where the food was to be served. They received their rations of fish and rice. The girls picked at the fish and ate the rice.
Monique leaned over and whispered in Kim's ear, "No wonder he was asking for nacos."
Kim looked over at Ron and Yori, Ron had eaten his plate and was working on eating some dried banana chips when Yori slapped his hand, "No gorging on sweets…You wan to get fat Stoppable San." She chided.
Kim giggled and whispered in Monique's ear, "Looks like Ron found a new mother."
Monique laughed and nodded her head. No one had noticed that Hirotaka had entered the room and was rapidly making his way over to where Ron was seated. Monique spotted Hirotaka right away and waived and pointed him out to Kim and then she waived.
Hirotaka ignored both of them and strode up to where Ron was sitting and grabbed him by the back of his gi and threw Ron to the floor, "You have gone to far gaijin, first you defile Yori and now you bring more gaijin here and endanger our school….I demand a fight, just me and you to the death….Then after I have killed you, I want that witch banned from this school forever." Hirotaka screamed as he pointed at Yori.
Yori ran towards the angry ninja, "HIROTAKA, NO…" she yelled but her cry was cut short as Hiriotaka grabbed the young girl by the face and shoved her onto the table where she came to a rest just in front of Kim.
Kim was stunned she looked at Yori and saw that she was starting to cry, and then she looked at Hirotaka, "This is not the boy I was crushing on in Middleton." She thought.
Old habits die hard, Kim was already moving forward to open her own special brand of whoop ass on Hirotaka but it was too late. Ron's temper had gone off the scale when he saw Yori get thrown on the table and he was on Hirotaka.
Ron hit Hirotaka up high and drove him back into the isle, then the two were rolling around on the ground. Hirotaka had an early advantage and was on top of Ron. Until Ron caught Hirotaka unaware with vicious left hook that forced Hirotaka to shift his weight and then Ron was top.
Kim noticed that one of the students was going to try and aid Hirotaka in the fight and she launched and landed in between Ron and the student. At this time Master Sensei entered the room and everything went dead quiet. Everything came to stop except for Ron and Hirotaka, who were still struggling to gain the advantage over each other on the floor.
Master Sensei stood before the two struggling students till they saw him and quit fighting, "What is going on here." The old man demanded.
Hirotaka bowed, "Master Sensei, I have challenged the gaijin to a fight to the death for dishonoring our school, and I also wish to see Yori banished forever." He explained to the old man.
Master Sensei nodded, "You both will have one hour to prepare, you may have one assistant to help manage your weapons but they may not participate in the fight. We will meet in the court yard in one hour." Then Master Sensei turned and walked out of the room.
Ron had a look in his eye that Kim had never seen, he checked on Yori and then the two left the room together.