Kim and Monique followed Ron and Yori back to Yori's quarters, Kim was trying to get a word in between Yori's combat advice, "Ron, you can't fight him as well as I can, let me have a crack at him."

Ron spun and glared at Kim, "Don't you understand Kim…This is not your fight, this is my fight." He told her as he went inside Yori's quarters.

Kim and Monique tried to follow but the entrance was barred by Yori, "You will not interfere, this is a fight of honor." She told them as she slid the door closed.

Monique looked at Kim, "I don't know about you girl, but I am so over Hirotaka."

Kim nodded, "Yea…I don't like this battle to the death stuff, Hirotaka is going to kill Ron." She said sadly.

Ron and Yori were talking strategy, "Ron…You must run, Hirotaka will kill you."

Ron shook his head, "Run where, from what, Kim and Monique says I may not be welcome back home and I can't stay here…and then what happens to you?" He asked as his reached out and stroked Yori's cheek.

Yori shook her head sadly, "I…I'll manage….We have less than an hour, what are we going to do until then?"

Ron smiled and started pulling off his gi, "If I'm going out, I'm going to have a smile on my face."

Yori giggled and started to undress.

Kim and Monique sat on the other side of the wall watching the whole school prepare for the coming fight. Monique shook her head, "What are we going to do?"

Kim shook her head, "I don't know…there sure is a lot of grunting going on in there…I guess Ron's getting ready to fight." She said as she looked at the sliding paper door.

Monique looked up at the faint sounds of passion coming from inside Yori's quarters, "Ohhhhhhhhh no she isn't….Ohhhhhhhhh no he isn't…I'm going in." Monique said as she started to get up.

Kim put her hand on Monique's shoulder, "Sit Monique…This might be Yori's last moments with Ron." Kim said quietly.

Monique nodded and sat back down, "Sure sounds like he's been enjoying himself here for last month." She said with a sad smile.

Kim smiled, "Yea"

After the hour was up two younger students came to escort Ron and Yori to the court yard for the big fight. Ron came out first still getting dressed; he nodded at Kim and Monique, "All done preparing." He told the girls with a wink.

Monique shook her head, "You survive this Ron, I'm going to officially kill you."

Ron smiled, "I'll give you the first crack."

Then Ron got a serious look on his face and went with the two students, the walked down the stone steps to the courtyard All the students of the school surrounded the inner circle on one side was Hirotaka and his friend and Ron and Yori on the other.

The stepped forward and bowed to Master Sensei who stood behind a table that had two sets of weapons on them. One set for Ron and one for Hirotaka. Master Sensei stepped forward and explained the rules, "Choose weapons, fight to death, when I count to three."

Ron looked at Yori, "I thought there'd be a bit more to it?" he told her.

Yori shrugged, "My first time for one of these as well Stoppable San…It is my honor to have been your friend." She told him sadly.

Ron nodded, "It has been my honor to have you as a friend Yori."

Ron looked over towards Hirotaka, he was eyeing him, Ron reached for the bo staff, and Hirotaka chose the bo as well. They moved to the center of the court yard, they stared at one another, there was no bowing here.

Master Sensei held up his hand, "Start to fight on the count of three…One…Two…Three" Sensei lowered his hand and then Ron and Hirotaka began to square off against one another.

Ron started to move to his right; he circled the parameter of the torch lit combat circle. The night was cold and Ron could see his breath and feel the fresh snow from the earlier snow storm crunch beneath his feet as he made himself familiar with what was about to become a kill zone.

Kim silently crept off from Monique and started to work her way behind Hirotaka, She was uncertain about what she was going to do, but she was going to do something, "I can see that Ron loves Yori, I will sacrifice myself if necessary to save Ron…Least I can do for my old friend." She reasoned as she took up the position she thought would be best to help him.

Ron decided to open up with a thrust to see what Hirotaka had in mind, he parried and thrust back at Ron and then they traded positions in the circle. Hirotaka jabbed at Ron and forced him to move back to his right and then Ron engaged him in a series of three quick moves each deflected easily Then Hirotaka made a vicious backhanded striking move towards Ron's head.

Ron ducked and jabbed his opponent in the chest knocking him backwards, then Ron pressed home his attack. Hirotaka to this point had been feeling Ron out and now he had to work hard to defend himself.

Kim was watching the fight unfold and she just stared in awe, "Ron…Noooooo…Ron?"

Hirotaka saddle kicked Ron hard in the hip on his next pass; Ron grunted and punched Hirotaka in the nose as he wobbled off in a direction away from his opponent. Hirotaka pressed his attack home and it was all he could do to limp away and mount a defense.

Hirotaka smelled blood and pressed Ron hard, he dodged an over head swing from Hirotaka and stepped in close and brought a knee into his groin. He heard Hirotaka moan and start to fade to his left.

Ron made a move for the table, all the while keeping Hirotaka in view, it was time for a new weapon, Ron dropped the bo staff and pulled the sword. His adversary followed suit and moved back into the circle skillfully waiving the blade around in a most impressive manner.

Monique shook her head and covered her eyes, "Ron is so dead." She thought sadly to herself.

Ron moved forward and began the clash of swords; sparks flew from the blades as they collided in the air. The two combatants were now face to face, swords locked together at the hilt. Hirotaka head butted Ron viciously and Ron was seeing double, he dodged the next head butt and spat in Hirotaka's eyes.

The warriors fell away from each other, they were both breathing heavily now. The fight had lasted far longer than either had expected. Ron twirled his blade, sizing up Hirotaka for another sword engagement, "Hirotaka has been working high…he knows I'm starting to tire…I'm having trouble holding the blade up…I shall work low and try to gut him on his next assault." Ron thought as he moved to Hirotaka's left.

Kim knew the fight was coming to end just watching how sluggish Ron's movements were becoming. She moved into position to mount a fresh attack on Hirotaka, knowing there would be no way he could fight off a fresh opponent. She was ready to maker her lunge when Yori stepped in front of her and punched her in the jaw, "This is his fight…not yours…You will not dishonor him." She told Kim in a menacing voice.

Kim staggered back into the crowd and was getting ready to make another assault on Yori, but she was already gone, she had returned to the table that held the weapons, "She didn't have to punch me…I only wanted to help." Kim thought sadly.

Ron and Hirotaka brought their swords to ready on opposite ends of the square, then the two opponents ran at each other Ron thrust low with his blade and Hirotaka came in high, they had impaled each other on their swords. They stood there for a moment and then Ron's eyes began to glow blue and grabbed Hirotaka by the shoulder and forced himself further onto his blade all the while pushing his own blade home until it was buried in Hirotaka to the hilt. The two warriors fell to their knees and collapsed to the ground.

Kim screamed and fought past the crowd to reach Ron as he lay on the ground, she knelt beside Ron's body, her mind trying to comprehend what she had just witnessed, then she reached down and started to try and fix Ron's hair and then the tears came.

Master Sensei walked over to the two students and clapped his hands and declared the match a draw and then the blades vanished and Hirotaka chuckled, "I thought you liked me Kim Possible." He told her as he stood up.

Kim glared at him, "Not any more…Ron…I'm sorry…I couldn't save you." She said through her tears.

Ron started to move, "I told you it was my fight, Kim….Geeze…It'd be nice if you listened to me just once." He said as he stood up on shaky legs.

Hirotaka smiled, "You fought well Stoppable San…I did not expect you to even come close to winning…I didn't expect you to fight so dirty." He told Ron with a laugh.

Monique came up beside Kim, "I don't get it…What just happened here?" She asked anyone that could answer her.

Ron gave a queasy smile, "I'm kind of lost too…what's going on?" He asked Master Sensei.

Master Sensei was smiling, "You will be leaving with your friends tomorrow to return home…We needed to see if you would be able to actually do battle with the skills you learned here. So Hirotaka and I decided on this as a final exam, we gave you an adversary and a pretty young girl to fight for and you see the results"

Ron nodded, "Ok…was Yori in on it?" He asked feeling his temper start to boil.

Master Sensei shook his head, "No, we needed Yori to act just as she normally does for this to work."

Ron looked around for Yori but she was gone, Ron yelled her name and she did not appear. He ran from the court yard to Yori's quarters, "She didn't know it was all a setup…No telling what she'll do now." Ron thought as he sprinted up the stairs to Yori's quarters.

Kim and Monique gave chase to Ron, Ron slid the door back on Yori's quarters and saw that she had changed into her white kimono and had a ceremonial knife lain out. She was reading herself for the rights of bushido, she thought Ron was dead and intended to follow her beloved boyfriend into the next life to be with him.

Ron slid the door closed behind him keeping the other girls out, "Yori…Please don't." he told her as he seen what she had intended to do.

Yori gasped and stumbled backwards, "You…died…I saw…you…die…My life was over…you died." She started to cry.

Ron crossed the room and took her in his arms, "I'm ok Yori, I'm ok…Master Sensei rigged up the fight to see how'd I do in a real fight." He told her

Yori trembled while she cried and Ron rocked her back and forth, whispering words of love and trying to comfort her. He was sore and exhausted but he felt more alive than he had ever felt in his life.

Kim and Monique could see the couples silhouette thru the paper door, Kim reached over and tugged on Monique's sleeve, "Let's leave them alone Monique…We get Ron back tomorrow…Then we can kill him." She said with a chuckle.

They went back to the Spartan room that was their quarters, neither of them saying anything. Kim brought out a sleeping bag and made herself ready to go to sleep, Monique did the same.

Kim lay on the ground staring at the ceiling and then she started to cry, "I thought for sure Ron was dead…He was there on the ground with that sword through him…and I started to remember the prom when he danced with me…how he trembled when he took me in his arms and the kiss and it was all gone…he was dead Monique…I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and I died too….I love Ron, Monique" She told her friend while she continued to cry.

Monique was tearing up as well, " I was remembering him drinking a belly shot from at that bar…It's not romantic but it was fun…My mind just stopped when I saw him get run through with that sword." She told Kim honestly.

Kim snickered, "That's Ron…I…We just had so many years together and it was all gone, the Pre K, the tree house…the sleepovers…it was all gone…So who gets him when we get back?" Kim asked Monique.

Monique snickered, "Well after we get done killing him for the whole Yori thing…I'll keep him if that's ok with you."

Kim laughed, "I'm not going to be too hard on him about Yori…I think leaving tomorrow is going to be hard on him…He loves with all his heart…I seen that with Lacey…I had that love but…I…I didn't know how to deal with him romantically…You can have him back…for now…I think I have to get my head in the game before I start trying to win him back." She told Monique with a grin.

Monique smiled, "Ok Kim…I'm not going to make it easy on you though." She told her friend and then she realized that she had fallen asleep. Monique nodded and rolled over and went to sleep, it had been a long day for the two girls.

The next day Ron was very tired and very, very sore, the previous day had taxed not only his body but his mind. Not to mention that Yori wanted non stop attention all night long and Ron had given it to her.

There was a knock on the door, Ron crawled out from under the covers with Yori and then he slipped on a pair of pants and answered the door. No one was there except for a single suit case. Ron brought the case inside and opened it up, it was real clothing and underwear, "Ohhhhhhhhhh how I've missed underwear." Ron thought happily to himself.

Then he placed the garments back in the suit case and slipped back under the covers with Yori. She was waiting for him with a smile, "I don't know what I'll do when you leave Ron…I will be very lonely for you." She told him sadly.

Ron nodded, "I will miss you too…Thank you Yori for helping me…I don't know what I would have done if you wouldn't have stopped me that night." He told her as he caressed her face.

Yori smiled, "It was my honor, Stopp…Ron."

Then Yori got serious, we must get up now…it is time to for you and your friends to go home now." She said sadly.

Ron nodded; "Yea" he said softly as he stood up and started to dress in the cloths that were provided for him. Once he had changed he looked at himself in the mirror and nodded. He looked much healthier than when he came to the school and his muscles were more defined than before he came.

Yori dressed and followed him to go wake up Kim and Monique, after the wake up call he and Yori walked down to share their final morning meal together. Ron ate and he noticed that Yori wasn't eating too much; he took her by the hand and reassured her that he would contact her through meditation often.

Kim and Monique came down from their quarters and were surprised to see Ron in street cloths. They were all ready packed and ready to go, they had some rice and skipped the raw fish and whale blubber.

Ron looked at the two girls and smiled, "Sure you don't want any yummy octopus?"

Monique forced a grin and shook her head, "Pass…Maybe next time." She offered.

They finished they're food and then they were escorted to the entrance of the school, Ron turned to look at Yori, "No ride today?" he asked quietly already knowing the answer.

Yori put her hand in front of her face and giggled, "Always with the American style jokes, Stoppable San."

Ron nodded, "I know….It'll be my…our honor to walk." He said in tired voice.

Monique stepped forward and looked over Yori, "Uh huh, and I think you can see who Ron is leaving with…Face it woman, Ron's done caught jungle fever and he can't stay away from me."

Ron chuckled and rolled his eyes, "See what I have to put up with Yori?"

Yori gave a half smile and narrowed her eyes, "Stoppable San leaves today with the fat American girls…but tomorrow is another day." She said with a bow as she turned and walked back towards the school.

Monique recoiled, "Fat…fat…You may know kung fu but I know aerobics…You mess with my man again I'll come back here and aerobosize your ass…You just watch me." She yelled after Yori.

Kim chuckled, "I don't think Yori intends to give up on Ron."

Ron smiled and chuckled, "Next fight to the death will be Yori and Monique, I'm retiring from cage fighting for a while."

Kim smiled, "Fine by me."

Ron smiled as he placed blindfolds on Kim and Monique, they weren't wild about the idea but the school had to remain secret. Then he turned to Yori and gave her one final hug and then the three teenagers set off down the mountain.

The three teenagers walked in silence for a long time, Ron guiding the two girls down the path. After about two hours they reached the bottom of Mt. Yamanouchi and then once well into the lowlands Ron had the girls remove their blindfolds.

Once the blindfolds were off Monique started slapping Ron and started to chase him around, "I'm going to kill you Ron…dragging me halfway around the world…find you messing with Tokyo Rose…Force me to put up with Kim….hey…where'd you get these muscles?" she asked as she started feeling Ron's chest and stomach.

Ron was laughing, "I have six pack abs now." Ron said with a grin.

Monique smiled, "Me like…I will check those out when we get back to civilization."

Kim had a good running start and slammed into the side Ron knocking him to the other side of the trail, "That's for telling Rufus you fell down an abandoned well."

Ron got up and head of steam and slammed into the side of Kim, knocking her to the other side of the trail, "What are you talking about?"

Monique then slammed into the side of Ron knocking him to the opposite side of the path, "See what I had to put up with while you were gone."

Ron held up his hands, "Ok, enough…I won't tell Rufus I'm in abandoned wells anymore….or whatever."

The three teens started to walk along the path again until they reached a small village. Once there Ron used his very poor Japanese to get them a place to stay for the night. The villagers were happy to help them; they were not used to seeing western tourists in their rural area, especially in the winter time.

They stayed in a small house with an older family, they did their best to make small talk but it wasn't going to well. Ron finally did get directions to the next major city. Ron nodded, "Well from what I can tell if we get an early start we should be able to reach Sendai and then we can try to contact Mr. Nakasumi for a lift home."

Kim shook her head, "If you'd give me the battery back, I can contact Wade…"

Ron interrupted her with a tight grin, "I don't need any more help from Wade, he's screwed me over enough for one life time thank you very much."

Kim sighed, "Well what do we do now?"

Ron smiled and looked at Monique, "Well since Yori would only let me get two hours of sleep last night, I'm going to get some sleep."

Monique bounced a throw pillow off of Ron's head, "You are so wrong for that Ron…Just like the science project we had to do…Wrong, wrong, wrong."

Ron smiled, and started to rub Monique's neck, "I'm sorry Monique…We get back home…I'll make it up to you."

Monique turned a cold shoulder to Ron and then peeked around at him, "Damn right you will."

Kim just shook her head, "Ron it would have been easier if you just started dating me again…well maybe not…I'd probably just dump you for a comment like that." She told him with an evil grin.

They all started laughing much to the bewilderment of their Japanese hosts and then the called it a day. Tomorrow they would be headed back home to Middleton.