Our Place in the Food Chain: Part XXIV
It had become truly dark by the time Ron reached the waterfall. Even being in far better shape than ever before he was still quite winded due to the elevation and the fact it was still a strenuous climb. It was also quite a bit colder than he expected and he almost stopped to unpack a sweater but he thought better of it. In the weeks to come he would spend most of the time wearing only a white training gi, no matter how cold it got. Bulky clothing would only hinder a ninja's movements.
Just before he stepped behind the veil of falling water he caught the hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. He was still being followed and whoever was doing so was either sloppy or wished for him to see them.
He already discarded the notion that it might be Yori. It would be silly to think that such a pretty, smart and talented young woman would hold onto a crush for a modestly skilled, plain looking American when she was surrounded by so many young men her age at the school. She had known him for what? Ten days, tops? While she had actually grown up with some of the students. Certainly there was someone among them who had formed close bonds with her.
Paper lanterns swayed slightly in the cold breeze, bathing the school in an undulating, ethereal light. There was a slight hint of flurries, though it was still just slightly to warm to consider any significant snowfall.
The school seemed utterly deserted, though he was aware of many eyes upon him. It was early yet so the older students should have been in their evening training sessions. He thought it odd they might be putting on a show of sorts for his arrival. He cracked a slight smile as the sound of a tittering laugh, probably from a younger, less disciplined student reached him as he made his way to the central pagoda.
One moment the raised platform seemed empty, the next Sensei was standing right in the middle as if he had been there the whole time. Knowing what he knew about the abilities taught in this place it was very likely he had been.
At about that moment he realized there were at least three dozen older students in the courtyard as well.
He walked up to the edge of the platform and stopped, bowing low toward the school's wizened master. Behind him the students all bowed as well.
Sensei returned the bow, though not as lowly as Ron or the students had. "Welcome back to the Yamanuchi school, Stoppable-san. You honor us with your presence."
"I am the one honored to be invited, Sensei-sama." He said bowing again.
Though he showed no outward sign, Sensei was pleased with the boy's attempt at proper decorum. Of course, the last time he simply did not know and could be excused his ignorance. He also sensed the growth of maturity in him as he rapidly neared adulthood.
"Walk with me, Stoppable-san." The old man said, turning aside.
Ron followed him as he walked into a seemingly empty part of the school grounds.
"Perhaps you are wondering why you have been called back here after so much time."
"I was a little. I started to think I only got called here the first time so I could protect the Lotus Blade."
"Yes, but that was only part of the reason. Do you recall when you followed your enemy, Monkey Fist into space to prevent his becoming the Supreme Monkey Master?"
"Uh, yeah, thought I have to be honest with you, I didn't really follow him, I kind of got on that rocket by accident."
"Accident? If a man's fate befalls him, is it truly an accident?"
Ron puzzled that over a moment as Sensei bid him sit on the same stone bench where he first asked him to retrieve the ancient magic sword.
"Do you recall what happened to you next?"
"Uh, well, see, we've been on so many missions they all tend to run together in my head."
"I mean what happened right when you returned home."
"You mean all the monkey ninjas? They followed me around for a few days before Kim and I managed to run them all off. What about them? I just thought they were after me because I beat their master again."
Sensei merely nodded. "That is a good, logical explanation."
"Um, sure."
"It is ultimately wrong." He waited a moment before going on. "There are still many mysteries that even I do not understand, but we have waited to call you back here until you were ready for the next stage in your training."
"Oh, so it does have something to do with my Mystical Monkey Power."
"Indeed, Stoppable-san. You are one of only three beings in the world to have such power and because you destroyed the idols, you are the only ones who will ever have it any more unless a way is found for you to share it." He opened his small eyes as far as they could for effect.
"I didn't know it could be shared." He admitted.
"It may be…possible. We simply do not know yet but until the power was divided among those idols it was passed along by the joining of souls. For now, however, we must foster that power within you."
"How do I do that. I can't even control it, it just comes and goes."
"That, Stoppable-san, is why you are here. Like your comic books say, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'"
"Hey, Kim says that."
"Indeed. It is my responsibility to teach you how to bring forth and control your power. You are not here to become a master of Ninjitsu. That is not your calling. You are here to start on the road to become the Great Monkey Warrior, a Paladin, if you will. A protector of all humanity. You see, while I teach the arts that some use for evil, assassination, espionage, the true purpose of Ninjitsu is the perfection of body and soul through discipline. That is why, when we train, we wear the white gi instead of the black. My students are trained to serve humanity, not the darker needs of the few. It is with that purpose I choose to train you.
"Now, the hour is late and you have had a long road in arriving."
"It wasn't so bad this time, Sensei. I actually feel good after making the climb."
"I am happy to hear it. That means your body and your soul are becoming one already."
"Actually, it's because Kim has been working my butt off trying to get me in better shape." Ron admitted.
"Yes. As I said, your body and your soul are becoming one."
"Sensei, who was following me on the trail?" Ron asked as they got up from their seat.
"I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about. Nobody was sent to follow you. It was my intention you make the journey alone." His mustache twitched higher. "Perhaps you imagined such, thinking you would curry some favor by spotting them."
"I guess I was seeing things."
"It is time to take your rest Stoppable-san. We can discuss many things in much greater detail tomorrow."
"Four am?" he smiled at the master.
"Indeed. You will rise and train with my students in the morning, then later I will take you aside to begin your training in Tai Xing Pek Kwar. Goodnight, Stoppable-san."
Ron was a little confused. He kept replaying what he saw on the trail as a young boy led him to his cell. He was absolutely certain he had seen something…someone shadowing him as he climbed the mountain. He wondered again if it had been Yori. So far he had not seen her, though he knew he had only seen those who wished to be seen, at least among the older, better trained students.
A bath would have felt good, but the hour was already getting late and he knew he needed to get at least some rest before the grueling training started the next day. Before he had gone to bed each night in fear of the almost impossible schedule. Now he actually relished the prospect, knowing how much he had benefited from his brief stay.
Just as he was lying down on the tatami, he heard a voice in the hallway. "Konichiwa, Stoppable-san."
"Uh, come in."
The screen slid aside. Kneeling at the entrance was the schools master cook. She bowed to him and placed a tray just inside the door.
"Master Lunch-Lady, did I see you at my school a couple months ago?"
"I not know what mean, round-eye. I cook meals for Yamanuchi. No time cook for lazy round-eyes. Why ask that?"
"Uh, nothing, I guess I was mistaken."
"Round-eye, I have name. Nooni."
"Okay, Nooni-sama." He bowed to her.
"Sama. You funny round-eye. Sleep good." She cackled as she closed the shoji.
She was gone a few moments before he looked down at the tray as a familiar aroma finally reached his nose. Sitting there steaming was not a few cakes of rice with raw fish but two grande-sized Nacos with a side of yellow Mexican-style rice.
"Booyah." He whispered as he sat down for a late-evening meal.
"So what do you think?" Felix asked Monique, who was sitting next to him on his sofa. It felt good to be close to him though it did take her help to get him out of the chair. He apparently didn't mind one bit that several times his face ended up mashed against the softer parts of her anatomy, though he wasn't quite sure whether that had been a happy accident or not. Not like he cared either way. He might not have had the use of his legs but he was still a guy.
"About what? Whether I should wear the soft, fuzzy, magical to touch sweater or the slinky top and just wear a poofy coat?" She played with the back of his head, running her fingers through his short hair.
He flinched a little at the touch, not because it was unpleasant but because he wasn't used to anyone touching him. He saw the look on her face and leaned a little closer to her, fighting down the reaction. That seemed to satisfy her since she started playing with his ear. "No, I mean about Possible. Last night if I heard the term 'fifth wheel' one more time I was going to stand up and slap her silly."
She grinned at him, knowing if anything could make him stand up for any reason it would be alright with her. "Oh, she'll be okay in a couple days. She's just got to deal with missing Ron. Those two have been joined at the hip since the prom, so she doesn't know what to do with herself right now. Personally, I think the two of them could stand some time apart. It's like they're one person."
"You know, I didn't get that at first, but man, the way she bugged out when Stoppable decided to go to the Zombie Mayhem Bash with me. The girl didn't know the first thing about the game, at least at first. She's got promise but I don't think her heart was truly in the game. Funny thing is, they weren't even going together then."
"Tell me about it. The only difference between now and then is she kisses him. Constantly, but I think she'll be fine."
"I don't know. Have they ever spent any decent time apart before?"
"Two years ago when Ron went to Japan the first time."
"So they've seen each other almost constantly since. Yow. I really, really like you but I don't think I could stand being with anyone that much. What happened then, she get all down in the dumps like she is now?"
"Well, not so much, at least on the surface. The school over there sent this major hotness named Hirotaka and Kim and I sort of fought over him."
He arched an eyebrow "Possible? Fighting with you over a guy?"
"Yeah, it's like she became this whole other person just to get him to pay attention to her. She even called in a mission favor just to get to him at the mall before I could to ask him to a concert. To this day I don't know what kind of mojo that guy had working."
"Sounds a lot more to me like it wasn't this Hiro-something guy's mojo, it was somebody else's. I don't think she'd get all like that just over some good looking guy"
"Yeah, maybe, but it wasn't just her. That guy had every girl in the school fawning over him, including the ones with boyfriends, so I don't think it was all about missing Dude-boy."
"So what's the Princess of Sulk doing tonight?"
"A fate worse than death."
"What, she's going up against Dementor or somebody without Stoppable at her side?"
"Worse. I think a real mission would do her some good right now, but I think her being cut off by the new rules at school have a lot of people looking somewhere else for help. No, I mean something far more horrible than any of her usual freaks. Her parents are taking her and her brothers to J.P. Bearymores to celebrate something-or-another. Some kind of test results came back on the twins and they're all whooping it up about it."
"Ouch. I don't even like going in there to play the video games. The controls are all sticky and you can get better pizza in the frozen foods section than you can at that place."
"I won't go in there for love or money." She was getting a little tired of talking, at least for the moment. It wasn't that she didn't like talking with her boyfriend. She could talk all night with just about anyone on Earth, whether they spoke English or not, but she had other things in mind. His mother wasn't home and likely wouldn't be until later that evening, having driven to Boulder for a robotics conference. She had a very good looking young man on the couch with him and she wanted him to herself, not with Kim. They could baby-sit her some other nights.
Monique liked kissing, she was just so picky about boys that she didn't get the chance often enough, at least for her liking. She wanted guys to appreciate her for the fine specimen of womanhood she was, but something about most guys really ticked her off to the point she almost never went on a second date.
Before he could say another word she had her lips against his. Felix seemed to know the fine line between hungrily joining in and pawing all over her. Maybe it was his inexperience, maybe not. At least he was enjoying himself. Yes, she could tell that he certainly was enjoying himself, that much was clear.
They didn't start out dating. Much of the time they simply got thrown together by their mutual friendship with the 'Stoppables' but one night, while Kim and Ron were off doing their own thing they had been left by themselves, with no one else to talk to but each other. Somehow or another their conversation had turned to the nature of his condition, about what he could or could not feel.
"I can't feel it if somebody lightly touches my legs, but something harder, like a pinch, I can feel the pain. The rest works, kinda, though I don't feel as strongly as other people. Something to do with motor control nerves and all. I just can't make my legs work."
Monique had the strongest urge to kiss him then, just to see what it was like. It was a strange, awkward moment, but the kiss was good. In hindsight, it was more than good, since it was followed by more…
…and a few dates later, more than just kissing. On their third real date she got her proof just how well things worked for Felix. She wasn't the innocent little creature her world-saving friend was, though she knew taking things even further would require some degree of experimentation. That was fine. Her grades in Chemistry and Physics were proof that she was quite familiar with the scientific method. Maybe when the time was right they'd figure it out. That wouldn't be this evening, after all, they were both just at the beginning of their first really serious relationships. Still, half an hour later Felix was a very happy young man.
Not long after that, Monique was a very happy as well.
She pulled him against her, half hugging, half cuddling him, letting him lightly doze for a while.
Odd thoughts flitted through her head, thoughts about Kim. Despite what she told Felix she really was worried about Kim. She might have been strong when it came to helping other people, but when it came to herself she was prone to becoming an emotional basket-case. Outside of missions she was a creature of routine and part of that routine ever since Monique had moved here two years ago had been Ron. When anything broke up that routine she almost panicked. Somehow the girl needed to find some balance.
For the time being, however, it was up to her and Kim's family to keep her busy, basically keeping her mind off her absent boyfriend but that couldn't go on. It was a whole month and some of that time she would have to be alone.
Tuesdays would likely be bad for her. It was no secret the two of them would hole up together in his house while his parents were away for most of the day. What went on there she could only imagine, since Kim did keep some secrets from her. She only knew one specific thing hadn't happened yet but there was a whole host of things that could be done. She had just proven that herself. Well, she had gone sixteen years without, she could go a month.
Or could she? Monique thought as she started kissing Felix's neck.
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