Chapter 1
A/N: A quick note for those who don't know. This story is a rewrite of Gatekeepers: Deception and will be the completed version. I feel that there may be some confusion and just wanted to clear things up.
So If you were reading Gatekeepers before, this is the renamed title. Thank-you and Enjoy!
I.
"This can't be over! It can't be!" Drakken whined as Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable shut the doors to the armored police van that held Drakken, Shego, and his henchman.
"Dude, it's over." Ron crossed his arms, a prideful smile crossing his face. He looked to Rufus who was standing on his shoulder, eyes closed nodding in approval. They both turned to Kim who clasped her hands together. Taken aback by her beautiful green eyes, Ron stood there like a statue, unsure of what to say next. A little over an hour ago he was on the cusp of revealing his true feelings before he was interrupted by Rufus. How he even pulled together the confidence to do that he didn't know. He was astounded himself. Two weeks ago, he didn't know how to handle the feeling weighing on his heart.
His eyes darted back up to hers, which were now staring directly back into his. Those green eyes bore into his. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly averted her eyes away. Why have I never noticed her until now? Ron was bewildered by his own blindness. Up until a few months ago, he had never known Kim as anything more than a friend. Josh Mankey or any other boy had never made him angst before. Now… now Ron couldn't imagine being with anyone else at this moment. Why after all this time? Where did all that time go? Why now? The questions raced through his head as the thump of his heart grew louder by the second.
He looked away just as she realized his awkward stare. He could feel the heat in his cheek as he rubbed the back of his neck trying to play it off. He glanced back at Kim who stared nervously at her feet. He hadn't seen her this nervous or flushed since her date with Mankey and the embarrassing ninjas. That's when he noticed, whether she was wearing her amazing blue prom gown or her super battle suit, she was beautiful all the same. She was beautiful just the way she was, even on a mission. For the first time in his life, Ron was actually taking in her true beauty.
Ron looked back up at Kim who was still looking down at the ground nervously. Her cheeks still flushed just like back in the storage room. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by Kim looking up, trying to speak up too. They both looked at each other, both ready to speak. Again they looked away quickly, cheeks reddened and hotter than before. They both chuckled nervously as they were about to say something. Ron rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, embarrassed that he hadn't said anything yet.
He looked back up at his best friend that he was falling for, "You go first KP." Ron said feeling too nervous to say much else. His stomach was tying itself into knots that he never thought were possible. His heart was starting to race as it thumped against his chest.
Kim smiled nervously unsure of what to say herself. Ever since Ron had partially confessed in the storage room earlier, she wasn't sure what to think. Everything had been so sudden. Bonnie's insults and the food chain. Ron acting up over the last few weeks after Eric entered her life. The prom. Eric being a synthodrone and the betrayal that came with it. Emotions were swirling and fluttering around in her chest. She could feel the heat radiating across her face. She couldn't go first. She needed Ron to reassure her. Reassure her feelings and what this meant for them. What this meant for the future. Their future.
She glanced down at her feet, clasping her hands behind her back, "I… I can't. You go first. I insist." She looked back up at Ron smiling. Her smile was one that yearned for an answer. She needed to know what Ron meant back in that storage room. Was it true what he was saying? Was he confessing his feelings back in there?
The thumping in his chest grew louder and faster. He had felt this way back when the moodulator sitch happened, but his resolve was different now. Back then he had wanted to break things off with Kim for fear of ruining their friendship. He held his friendship with Kim close to his heart, so dear that back then he couldn't afford to lose it. Now things were different. He wanted to risk it. He was more sure now than ever before that this was the right course of action. But as he opened his mouth to confess his feelings and tell Kim how he felt, nothing escaped it. A look of confusion and despair replaced the nervous smile that had been there before.
"Kim!" That voice saying that name. It drove daggers through Ron's heart. It was familiar, it was gut-wrenching. The strife of his life was walking on the concrete path that winded out of the Bueno Nacho's headquarters.
Ron was confused. Not an hour ago, the bane of his friendship with Kim had spilled his synthodrone guts all over the master transmitter. He had watched Rufus do it himself. Yet here he was. In his spoofy, perfect white tux.
And to Ron's dismay, Kim heard his voice too. Ron knew this was it as Kim turned away. The moment they had was quickly fleeting as she shouted back.
"Eric!?" Kim too was surprised, as she pivoted around to see the boy who had taken her to the prom earlier.
The misery pulsed and inflamed in his chest. Flutters were replaced by an implosion of emotions as he sank to the state he had been in hours earlier, only worse. It felt as if someone had taken a dagger to his chest and twisted it.
His heart deflated as the emotions caved and coalesced into one. He felt the burning coals of anger and betrayal spread the flames in his heart. His soul dragged through the five stages of depression in a second. He wanted to explode at the sight of her running into another set of arms.
Ron felt his heart deflate as the anger subsided. The new person of affection he thought he had found was now in the embrace of someone he strongly disliked. In his eyes, he saw his best friend, Kim with two very different choices. For Ron, at this point, it was black and white. If Kim liked him more, if she truly felt as he did then she would have chosen him without a second thought. Yet here he stood alone, not taking her a second who to run to.
Eric was the thief in Ron's life. He had hijacked his circle of friends, stolen his best friend, and a potential chance at love. For the first time in a long while, he felt a throbbing pain spread through his body. His bruises from earlier became sore and noticeable, his body aching from the fighting with Synthodrone 901 earlier that evening. His adrenaline had died down and the onset of pain came.
Yet physical pain couldn't compare to the numbness taking hold in his soul. He turned away from the scene before him, putting his hands in his pockets starting a slow stroll away from what was tearing at his heart. Ron had even forgotten Rufus who was yammering away at him trying to get his loved friend's attention. It was no use as Ron was lost in a hurricane of emotions.
Sadness, anger, joy, disgust, fear, contempt, and everything in between.
Ron felt like his eyes could burst but he kept any tears back. He held in his emotions, keeping his composure. He needed to be strong. Now was the time to let Kim be happy, he had to take his pain elsewhere. He looked at Rufus who was still trying to persuade him to change his course. "No little buddy, let her be. I don't think I ever had a chance with her," Ron cracked a broken smile at Rufus. "Come on, let's get outta here, I just keep getting in her way," he said solemnly taking in a deep breath. He had to be stronger, the stronger one of the two. Rufus sighed with a frown crawling down his arm and back into Ron's pocket.
Ron reached his scooter and stood there gazing at Kim's blue helmet hanging off the handles. Memories of Kim passing him by on Eric's motorcycle clouded his mind. He closed his eyes shaking his head trying to force the images out. He threw it to the side of the road watching it splash into a muddy puddle left by the earlier rains. He stared at her lone blue helmet briefly pondering to himself at what could have been. If this is what made Kim happy then so be it.
He started the scooter's engines, igniting the rockets attached to the side, humming as they powered on. "It's time to face the truth Ron, you'll never be with her," he blew a sharp breath of air up his face moving his bangs from his eyes. Looking ahead he thought maybe it was his time to step up. If he couldn't have what he wanted then it was his fault. He needed to look forward to the future and what that held. Choosing not to look back at the discomforting scene behind him, his scooter took off and sped down the road, leaving nothing behind but the odor of burnt rocket fuel, a blue helmet, and a broken heart.
II.
Kim hugged Eric as tight she could, nuzzling her face into his chest. It was the real Eric alright. His white prom suit that he had worn earlier that night was still on him. The cologne that he had put on earlier hadn't worn off and its scent was soothing. She opened her eyes and leaned back still in his arms. Kim noticed a scar on his neck and a trickle of dry blood that had run down from it.
"Where did you get that scar?" Kim hoped this time it was a rational answer and not one fraught with treachery like Synthodrone 901. She couldn't handle anymore deception today.
"Shego." A rational answer. It would be like Shego to hurt him just to irk her. Kim reached out to touch it but Eric stopped her gently grabbing her hand. "It's okay, it doesn't hurt." He spoke softly with a reassuring smile reaching out and caressing her cheek.
Ha! Synthodrones don't have blood, Kim mused to herself. She held his hand to her face, their foreheads touching. She stared up into his dark brown eyes becoming lost in their gaze. Eric slowly leaned down for a kiss, Kim raised her head so he could capture her lips. As their lips brushed against each other a memory flashed to the forefront of Kim's mind.
"... There are guys out there that are better for you than Eric. G-guys that are real for one thing..." Ron started looking at her disheartened face.
Kim responded to him almost desperately, "You really think there's a guy out there for me?"
"Out there... in here," Ron said trying to get through to her that that guy was strapped to a Bueno Nacho cactus right in front of her.
Kim responded shyly, blushing, "Oh... really?"
Ron blushed too, "Yeah, you know, guys like- Rufus!"
Kim snapped out of the memory realizing what her heart was trying to tell her, although confused. She had forgotten that she was with Ron. She quickly broke away from Eric before she fully committed to the kiss frantically turning around looking for her best friend. To her surprise, or maybe not so much given the situation, he was gone, nowhere to be seen.
"Ron? Ron..? Ron!" Nothing, no response even when she yelled. Everyone that was still there looked at her in bewilderment as if she should have known his whereabouts. Her eyes darted around the crowded scene, seeking the familiar blonde cowlick.
"Kim? Kim!" Kim felt a pair of strong hands grasp her shoulders. She turned to see Eric staring back at her with concerned eyes. "What's wrong Kim?" He tried pulling her closer to him but she resisted.
She didn't know why she was so frantic about her search for her best-friend, wriggling free of his hands. She was confused and emotions were running wild inside her. It felt like she had the butterflies but tenfold. "I- I- I have to find him. I have to find him. He was just here!" For the second time tonight, her voice began to fill with uncertainty.
"Who?" Kim heard Eric's plea for an answer. "Ron..?"
"Yes! Ron! He was just here and now… he's gone." Kim looked around desperately searching for the familiar face of her best friend. She groaned in frustration.
"Try not to worry. I'm sure he just gave us some space to ourselves. You'll see him tomorrow, I'm sure-"
"No, no. He's confused… I confused him. I'm confused!" Kim threw her hands up in the air. She looked to Eric seeing his distraught face. "I'm sorry! I think… I think I made a mistake tonight. It's complicated. I have to go find him. Wait for me back at the dance?" Kim asked with pleading eyes.
Eric's soft smile reassured her it was okay. "Don't worry. I will."
Kim smiled back, giving him a peck on the cheek. She took off in the last direction she saw Ron. His scooter was gone and trying to bring Wade up on her kimmunicator wasn't working. The EMP must have fried it. Kim ran past the blue helmet on the side of the road, almost missing it. She skidded to a halt looking back at the helmet, her helmet sitting in the muddy water.
She slowly walked over to it, squatting down and taking it in her hands. "Oh, Ron. What have I done?"
III.
Ron sped as fast as he could through Lowerton, Middleton, and Upperton on empty highways. Most people by now were asleep or picking up the pieces from Drakken's latest fiasco. Diablos littered the ground in the Tri-city area. He mindlessly drove through the last of the suburbs into the hills, climbing the road into the mountains.
By now the rockets had run out of fuel and his scooter was running on fumes. He came upon the last intersection for the next fifty miles. A blue sign to the right gave the same warning about gas. Looks like I'm gonna need to fill up soon if I wanna keep going, Ron thought looking at the fuel gauge on his moped. Turning around the bend, he hoped that the gas-station was still open, but to his dismay, it was destroyed, wrecked, and abandoned. Next to it, Ron made out two small red and yellow objects off to the side on the pavement. Diablos Ron thought aggravated. Instead of continuing down the highway, he continued on the dark, lonesome road into the mountains.
It seemed the forest had been largely untouched by Drakken's Diablos. Before long all he could see were trees and a thin strip of the starry sky above. He used the stars above as his guide. I wonder if this is how life is, dark and lonely. He strained his eyes to see the road ahead. His scooter's headlight started to dim out. His eyes drooped from fatigue as he grew weary.
Soon the road's smooth asphalt had transitioned into rough gravel, with the dark forest narrowing down the road to a thin trail. He never really minded being the one person who went unnoticed in life. Yet he had never imagined that the person he had shared so much with would push him into that category either. He imagined being close to Kim even if she gained a romantic partner. To be pushed out so suddenly shocked Ron. Kim had readily moved on from hanging out with him all the time to concentrating on her new romantic life. Then again, never did he imagine developing feelings for his best friend. Pshh who am I kidding? I never ever had a chance with someone as badical as KP, Ron dryly laughed to himself. How could he ever imagine such an implausible scenario?
His scooter started to sputter and finally died. Ron sighed in exasperation pulling off to the side of the dirt road. He stepped off the scooter not bothering with the kickstand letting it fall. Just ahead the road ended and with it, the forest was replaced by a grassy meadow. Ron looked back at his precious moped and sighed. He loved the machine but now he was numb to it. It was just as worthless as everything else seemed. He stepped away from it slowly stepping forward toward the grassy field.
As he stepped into the meadow, a breeze of warm wind blew by him and the grass rippled. The breeze tickled his cheeks and he sighed despondently. A small smile crossed his face, his eyes gazing out across the field. It was all so surreal to him. Shouldn't he be at the dance confessing his feelings for his best friend? Yet here he was up in the Middleton Mountain State Park wandering aimlessly.
Ron began strolling through the clearing and after walking for about fifteen minutes he reached a small pond. The moon was full and the pond faintly reflected this on its surface. Ron laid on the tall grass near the water's edge having no care for the world around him. Gazing up into the night sky he thought that with Kim drifting further away, nothing seemed the same. His world was constantly changing all around him.
Rufus crawled out of his pocket and slowly patted Ron's face. "Aw, it otay," Rufus tried to comfort his friend. It was to no avail as Ron only nodded but spoke no more looking up at the night sky. Ron barely noticed Rufus anymore than he did the rest of the world. Instead, his thoughts were beginning to run astray into a maelstrom. Where did he go from here? With these feelings, was being a friend with Kim even an option anymore? Did they need a break from being friends? Could they even save the world together after this? There were so many variables spinning around in his head.
Ron was so entrapped in his own thoughts that he almost didn't hear his name being called out. "Stoppable-san!" Ron shot up to the unique and all too familiar use of his name. Only two people in the world had ever called him by that name, neither of whom were on this continent at the time, at least to his knowledge.
"Sensei?" Ron looked around but couldn't see anything other than the tall grass still gently waving in the moonlight. A bright flash of light blinded him. He squinted his eyes as he looked back toward the pond. In front of the muddy shore hovered Sensei's illusion. Ron wanted to say he was shocked, but ever since Sensei used mystery meat gravy a month or so ago, he really wasn't. This was Sensei after all.
"Stoppable-san. Are you… okay?" Sensei asked gently. Ron could tell by his voice that he was slightly concerned.
Ron could no longer be shocked that Sensei could find him anywhere, anytime. After the last time he and Yori had rescued him from DNAmy, he didn't doubt Sensei could do just about anything. "Eh? I guess. The diablo sitch is over now if that's what you mean," Ron sighed wearily. "Otherwise nothing major going on. Just some thoughts going through my mind," Ron continued pulling his knees up so he could hunch over and lean on them.
"I feel other troubles plague your mind Stoppable-san? Ones that may not be as small as you think," Sensei replied tilting his head concerned.
Usually, Ron would get nervous if someone was closing in on a sensitive subject in his mind. He would start fidgeting and wheezing. At this point, he could care less about Sensei probing into his personal life. In all honesty, Ron didn't want to talk to Sensei at the moment. He was sure there was nothing that Sensei could do to help with his problems anyway.
"Nothing that I really want to talk about right now," Ron huffed out a breath of air. "I can't imagine that you just appeared here to talk to me about my problems," Ron rebutted glancing at Sensei's floating apparition.
BOOM!
Ron turned left to the dark forest where he heard an explosion. He caught a glimpse of the fading flash of fire against the backdrop of the mountains. "No Stoppable-san, although I do think highly of your safety and state. I am not here just to 'talk'."
"It doesn't have anything to do with that loud explosion that just happened does it?" Ron thumbed back glumly. After getting through the Diablo sitch, Ron wasn't too thrilled with going on another mission. Unless… unless this was just me, Ron mused. Is that what he needed? Did he need something for himself?
"At this point, you probably wish it did. Young Stoppable-san, you have a choice to make tonight. You have come at a fork in your path through life. Now you must make a choice, and once you do, you cannot go back. You must choose between staying stunted as a tiny seed, or grow into a mighty oak. The question is… Are you ready to make your own path?"
IV.
Kim had ridden in the back of a police car all the way back to Middleton. She hadn't said a word. Instead of going back to the prom, she had instructed the police officer to go to one place in particular.
"Turn here Miss Possible?" the officer asked. Snapping out of her daze she looked out the window. She was silent for the whole trip. She didn't want to talk, she had to find Ron. Turning to the officer from the back seat she nodded to him in the mirror. The officer turned off the main road and onto a smaller one. Kim looked down deep in thought. Confused was a word that barely grasped the tip of the iceberg of how she felt. What Ron had said at Bueno Nacho headquarters, the moodulator incident months ago, finding out Ron had a secret crush on the other side of the world. It all conflicted with how she also felt about Eric. Kim shook her head in frustration. How would this affect her friendship with him? What was she supposed to say?
"Is this the address ma'am?" the officer asked. Kim looked up and turned to see the officer had parked in front of a familiar yellow house. Kim had come to know this house very well during the past thirteen years. Kim pursed her eyes shut nervously, flutters racing through her. This whole time she was eager to find Ron and now… now she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say. The more she thought, the more flustered and confused she became. She took a deep breath and opened the door stepping onto the sidewalk.
"Thanks for the ride," she thanked the officer forcing a fake smile. Before he even got the chance to say anything back she had shut the door and turned to face Ron's house, still full of uncertainties. She ran up the walkway to the house, up the steps, and rang the doorbell. What if Ron already told his parents about us? This sitch is so...
Before Kim could finish her thoughts, the door opened and Kim found Mrs. Stoppable standing in the doorway looking at her inquisitively. "What's wrong Kim?" Mrs. Stoppable asked. Am I that obvious? Kim thought to herself, her stomach wound in knots. She didn't realize that Ron's parents paid just as much attention as her own. "And why are you in... that suit?" Mrs. Stoppable queried looking over Kim's attire.
Kim looked down at herself. This whole time she forgot that she was still wearing the super-suit. Kim kept her eyes at the ground, shuffling her feet. She had never been this nervous in front of Ron's parents. They were always so relaxed, yet here she was struggling to get the lump of words out of her throat. Kim gulped, "Long story. Is Ron home? I need to talk to him." Kim asked giving Mrs. Stoppable a fleeting smile.
"Ron's not here right now," Mrs. Stoppable quirked her brow looking around.
Kim was confused. If Ron wasn't here, where was he? "Do you know where he went? I really need to talk to him," Kim persisted urging her to find him. Ron had to have gone home, hadn't he? With Bueno Nacho destroyed where else would he have gone?
Mrs. Stoppable crossed her arms looking up pensively. "Last thing he said running out the house… he needed to get to prom to confess to a girl. Hmm, I hope he's okay. Last time things went south with that Zita girl he hardly talked to us for a week. Did you see him at the dance?"
Mrs. Stoppable's concerns were rubbing off on Kim in a nauseating way. Ron had gone to the prom to confess to a 'girl' about his feelings. With everything that had happened the last few hours, Kim narrowed down that 'girl' to one candidate. Kim nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "No, I didn't but I was hoping he was here. Do you mind if I check his room? Maybe things went south and he snuck back in," Kim replied forcing another smile. This sitch definitely headed south and was digging deeper.
Mrs. Stoppable was about to answer when she was interrupted by Mr. Stoppable yelling from the back of the house. "Just a minute hun!" Mrs. Stoppable shouted back. She looked back at Kim giving her son's best friend a warm smile. "Sure Kim, go right ahead. If he's up there I'm sure you're the first person he wants to see."
Kim chuckled nervously, awkwardly shuffling past Mrs. Stoppable. "Thanks, Mrs. Stoppable."
Before Kim could reach the stairs, Mrs. Stoppable said something to her that wrenched her heart. "Thanks for being there for Ron and being his friend. Sometimes I don't know what he'd do without you."
Kim winced at her words. She looked over her shoulder back at Ron's mom and gave her the best smile she could muster at the moment. "Sure thing, Mrs. Stoppable. I'll always be there for him. He's my best friend after all." Kim turned back muttering to herself after Mrs. Stoppable closed the door and walked out of the entryway. "If only that were the case right now," Kim muttered stepping up the steps to Ron's room.
"By the way! I forgot to thank-you and Ronald for saving the world once again. Is that a new suit you use?" Kim turned around again to find Mrs. Stoppable leaning around the corner, pointing at her super-suit.
Kim mentally face-palmed herself. She didn't have time for this, she needed to talk to Ron. "Something like that," Kim said cracking another nervous smile before she continued her climb up the stairs.
When she got to his door she recognized the faint smell of a teenage boy's room. Kim reached for the doorknob slowly twisting it, pushing the door open. Ron's room was empty, no Ron, no Rufus. She stepped inside noting that Ron's room was slightly disorganized. Okay, very disorganized. Kim mused to herself as she looked around. At the very least it was clean and up-kept. She looked around noticing the lava lamp and Steel-Toe poster in his room. Something crumpled up on his bed caught her eye. She walked over, reaching down to pick up the light blue clothing up. It was the suit that Ron had worn to the Bermuda Triangle. His dad's prom suit. She looked over to the foot of the bed where she saw the bowtie strewn over the sheet where he must have tossed it in frustration. He really was going to come to the dance to confess…
Beep Beep Be-Beep
Wade! Kim quickly yanked out her kimmunicator from her pocket. "Hey Kim! Great job on busting Drakken's plot. Sorry you couldn't get a hold of me earlier if you tried. Had to fix some things around here." Wade fumbled with equipment and wires trying to fix the damage that Drakken's scheme had caused.
"Wade! You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Seems like you're pulling everything back together on your end," Kim stated smirking as Wade struggled to organize the mess of wires.
"Oh, it's not much. I'll have all this figured out in no time," Wade grinned.
Kim frowned looking back at Ron's bed. If Ron wasn't here then where was he? He couldn't be at Bueno Nacho Unless he's over there mourning its destruction. Now that I can imagine. Kim was growing worried. Now that she had Wade on the kimmunicator, she would just have him check for her.
"Hey Wade, could you do me a favor?" Kim asked. Wade paused what he was doing and paid attention. "Do you think you could find Ron for me?"
"I thought he was with you?" Wade straightened his monitor.
"About that, he was and then- look, it's complicated. Could you just find him? I'm getting worried," she furrowed her brow. She didn't have the patience, nor the nerve to tell Wade what was really going on. Kim didn't want to bring Wade into their circle of drama and misconceptions about their relationship. She needed to find Ron and talk out everything with him first. That was her number one priority.
"Yeah, just a sec," Wade must have seen the frustrated look on her face as he began typing away on his computer. A puzzled look crossed his face, one that worried Kim a little. "Got him, he's in the Middleton Mountain State Park about sixty-four miles north of you. Why is he all the way out in the middle of nowhere?"
Kim's expression turned serious, "No questions Wade, just get me a ride." Kim said demandingly. She didn't have time to explain to Wade what the sitch was. She had one goal in mind and that was finding Ron and talking this sitch out. She had to save their friendship at the very least.
"Okay, okay," Wade typed furiously. "Got it, your ride will be at your coordinates in fifteen minutes. While you're waiting let me give you the download. Ron's heading toward the base of a southern ridge in the park. The kimmunicator will have the coordinates."
"That it?" Kim asked.
Wade frowned furrowing his brow, "No… the base of that ridge has an enormous energy signature. It's using a lot of power." Wade typed furiously. "If Ron keeps at his current pace, you'll get there about ten minutes after he does."
"Wade, can you figure out what the energy source is? Is there any way to slow Ron down?" she asked as she walked out of Ron's room.
"I have no idea? Ron still hasn't changed course, and his phone is off. I'll try to make sure the pilot knows that you need to get there as soon as possible." Wade replied as she ran down the stairs and out of Ron's house as fast as she could.
A helicopter flew in from over the trees and dropped a rope ladder over Kim. "Wade, my ride's here," Kim smirked grabbing hold of the rope.
"Faster than I thought. Maybe they didn't have to refuel?" Wade smirked.
"Later Wade! Update me if you find out anything," Kim pocketed the kimmunicator climbing up the rope ladder as it flew away from her neighborhood. The only thing on her mind was finding Ron and talking things out.
V.
Ron had run into the forest never stopping. His mind had split focus. At the forefront of his mind was the explosion that he had heard minutes ago What in the heck was that? He could only imagine that Drakken had a back-up plan and he had escaped from the van carting him off to jail. As he ran out of the thicket Ron noticed the faint noises of shouting from a distance to his right. He turned to see light coming from another smaller clearing and made a dash for it. About to run into the open, a familiar voice stopped him. He turned on the dime and leapt behind a bush at the edge, listening.
"Is that zhe best you can do? I told you I wanted it put on the setting it vas on fifteen years AGO!" the familiar thick German-accented voice yelled out. Ron peeked out over the hedge and saw two white-coated scientists and an all too familiar short stocky man.
"Dementor!" Ron whispered. Ron continued to watch the two scientists who were sitting in ordinary metal fold-up chairs cowering beneath Dementor's ominous black iron helmet.
"I-I-I'm trying. It's just that you have to get i-it exact or there could be, complications" the scientist stammered nervously. Ron didn't have to be a genius to figure these scientists were here against their will.
"I don't care, I just vant it done, we vill soon find out if the families we sent years ago through that portal survived!" Dementor raved pointing at a large hollow metal ring.
Ron observed the hollow ring positioned on a pedestal in the middle of the clearing. Behind Dementor and the scientists was a large ray gun pointed at the center of the hollow ring. A shiny object shimmered within the ray-gun's barrel. It was yellow, having two green rings which showed that it had been activated. Ron squinted his eyes trying to figure out where he had seen the device before, then it clicked The Pan-dimensional Vortex Inducer. Now Ron knew he had to stop whatever was happening before Dementor did something that even he would regret. What if he caused a black hole the size of the state of Nevada!?
"Sir, we have the correct setting, you may proceed with the operation sir," the other cowering scientist informed Dementor hunching over the system controls.
"Thank-you. See, was that so hard?" Dementor mocked candidly. He turned to his few henchmen that stood off to the side. "Today gentlemen is the moment of truth!" Dementor exclaimed hovering his finger above a switch that would engage the system. "Today is the first step into a future where I vill rule!" he threw his arms into the air.
Ron didn't hesitate another second and jumped from his bush while Dementor continued gloating. Ron sprinted around the clearing in the shadows trying to remain out of sight and toward the ray gun that held the Pan-dimensional Vortex Inducer. He only had one shot at this and he had to make it count. If he got caught beforehand there was no way he could fight off all of Dementor's goons.
Maybe this is what Sensei was talking about Ron thought. He ran faster, Maybe it's time for me to step up and save the world. Maybe I have to go back to Yamanuchi and save the world from threats that KP doesn't even know about. Ron smirked at the thought of being a hero in the shadows. One that operated alone and wasn't just relegated to the role of sidekick.
As he neared the ray gun from the other side he didn't get the chance, instead being thrown back by a massive shock-wave as Dementor flipped the switch. "Finally! Ha, ha, bwahaha!" Dementor cackled. Ron watched as he flew back, the ray gun firing a sick greenish beam of energy into the hollow ring. Ron hit the ground hard rolling back to the edge of the clearing.
Ron sat up rubbing his head groaning in pain. It wasn't the worst fall he had taken but it definitely wasn't the easiest one. He shook his head trying to shake the pain out and refocused on his goal. He had to get the PDVI from Dementor. From what Ron could tell, the beam had opened an other-worldly portal.
Dementor laughed maniacally looking up into the sky. He stopped abruptly clasping his hands behind his back looking back at the scientists. He looked them squarely in the eye, "What are the life readings from the portal? Are there survivors?" Ron heard him ask.
Beep Beep Beep Beep…
Ron heard the monitor bleep. He knew the beep couldn't be good. "Vell?" Dementor asked impatiently and growing angrier by the minute at the scientists for postponing his triumph. Ron decided, even with Dementor and his henchmen just yards away he had to try again. He couldn't wait around for Dementor to get his way. If he did, who knew what would happen.
Ron put his hands to the ground prepping to lunge from his spot. I can do this. I can do this! Ron pumped himself up as he sprinted toward the large ray gun. He was sure Dementor and his goons had seen him at this point but he didn't care, stretching out his arm reaching for the device in the ray guns slot. As he touched it, his gloves began to singe and smoke. It was too hot. He looked around quickly and found what he needed. A metal rod on the ground. He made quick use of it to pry out the PDVI.
"No!" One of the scientists shouted. Ron could hear Dementor's cries of anger and the orders he flung at his henchmen. Something else was happening as he could hear a helicopter approach from the distance. Maybe the authorities had been clued in too. Finally, the PDVI wriggled loose and it launched out of its socket landing in the dirt behind him. Slowly the machine began to hum down.
Ron wasted no time as he ran toward the PDVI as it powered itself off. He nearly had it in his hands before he was tackled from behind into the ground.
VI.
Kim had watched the events unfold from the helicopter over the trees. Whatever it was that Dementor was up to, it screamed his style of villainy. She made her way to the side door and opened it.
"Thanks for the ride, Mr. Randol!" Kim shouted out to the pilot as he brought the helicopter down lower. She jumped giving no time for the pilot to respond. She did a triple somersault landing perfectly. She stood up to catch one of Dementor's brutes raise the muzzle of his laser pistol at one of the captured scientists. Ron and Dementor were by the large ray gun fighting over the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer nearing the portal's edge. Memories flashed through her mind of hers and Ron's previous encounter with the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer and cable television. She cringed at the thought of being dragged into something similar.
She quickly leapt into action, knowing she needed to deal with the situation quickly before it escalated. The henchmen were taken off guard with little time to react as Kim delivered a decisive kick to the closest brute's nose. Kim jumped in front of the second henchman while the first fell to his knees. He tried to bring the pistol up to Kim, but she kicked it away. She then delivered an uppercut to the man's jaw and then another hook to the left side of his face, spinning him around slack-jawed.
One of the scientists reached out for Kim's hand, "Thank you Miss Possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you," he said gleefully shaking her hand.
"No big, is everyone okay?" they both nodded their heads. "Alright, I'll be right back after I deal with Dem…", Kim was cut off by a scream that sent shivers up her spine. She slowly turned to see Ron fall to his knees at the mouth of the portal. Dementor held a laser pistol in one hand and the Pan-dimensional Vortex Inducer tucked up under his other arm. She watched as Ron begrudgingly stood up on one foot clutching his shoulder in pain. Ron had been shot.
VII.
Ron had fallen to his knees at the mercy of Dementor letting out a painful scream. Ron gripped the burning wound to his left shoulder. He put one of his feet back on the ground, glaring up at Dementor who looked back at him with sick joyous malice. Ron could feel the despair sink in. He was failing at what Sensei had implied was his destiny.
"So long, too bad your little girlie friend vasn't here to he-" Dementor froze mid-sentence, a shock of terror and anger replacing his sardonic smile. Ron turned and saw what had caught his attention, an all too familiar friend running toward them. "Not this time fraulein Possible, not ever!" Ron turned back to catch a glimpse of Dementor before he disappeared into the shrinking portal.
Ron slowly propped himself up off his other knee, wincing in pain. Kim's here. That's just great. The thought antagonized him. Kim, his best friend that he had just confessed to a couple of hours prior was here to help. Ron wanted to do this on his own. He didn't want help, he wanted… no… needed to able to do this on his own. Kim's face looked puzzled and worried and it disgusted Ron. This isn't what he wanted as he turned away from her and stepped toward the portal. As he neared the portal he heard Sensei's voice. These words were new, repeating themselves over and over.
This Stoppable-san… this is your destiny. Through that gate is your destiny that will change you forever. That gate is the destiny that will cause you to bloom into a mighty oak. Ron wasn't aware that Sensei could communicate with him with just thought. He knew about the apparition, but this was a whole other level of badicalness for the master of Yamanuchi School.
Ron stood in front of the portal as it shrank to his height. So this was his destiny. He felt a wriggling movement in his pocket. It was Rufus, who he all but forgot about the last few minutes. He looked down at his pocket where Rufus poked his head out with a frightful look. Ron smiled, "Well, I guess this is it buddy. Are you ready to go?" Rufus quickly shook his head back and forth in disapproval of Ron's thought process. Ron sighed looking back at the portal. "Me neither", he said wincing as he clutched his shoulder. The pain from where Dementor had shot him with the laser pistol was throbbing. Ron looked back as he could see Kim running toward him. It hurt seeing that she was here. Here he was again messing up her night because he was in trouble.
An idea popped into Ron's head. One that he wasn't too fond of, but might be for the best. "Rufus, I want you to stay with Kim, look after her for me. I don't know if I'm coming back or not." Rufus disagreed and folded his tiny arms in defiance. Ron took Rufus out of his pocket and set him on the ground. "I know it'll be hard, but it's for the best," Ron said with tears brimming in his eyes. Rufus began to whimper and shed tears as well. Ron smiled at Rufus warmly, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Besides," Ron snorted a chuckle through his tears. "I doubt there's any Bueno Nacho where I'm going. Good-bye ole buddy," Ron whispered blindly putting his right foot in the portal. The feeling in his right leg tingled as it disappeared.
"Ron!" Kim's voice grew closer, she was sprinting toward him. Should he give chase or should he stay and swallow his feelings and act like the earlier situation at Bueno Nacho headquarters was all a farce? Just a pep-talk to bring back his friend's confidence. Did he truly want to take this path? Did he truly want to live the rest of his years in Middleton as a lie? Not being able to confess the feelings he had developed over the months for his best friend. What if he never came back? What if he, knowing his eccentric personality wasn't able to keep his mouth shut and ended confessing anyway and ruined their friendship? He stood there indecisively for a moment.
But before any more thought could be put on the matter, something grabbed onto Ron's right leg and pulled. Ron fell into the abyss, never stopping after he went through. It was like a roller coaster, minus the fun and absolutely terrifying. He tried to look back, but every time he did his head was snapped forward. He tried to scream but no sound came out. He tried again, continuing his descent through what he could only think of as a wormhole that didn't seem to have an end. He tried one last time before everything slowly faded to black.
VIII.
"Ron!" She could see he had put one foot into the strange sickly portal that Dementor had created. Don't do it, Ron! You don't know what's on the other side. We can find Dementor later. We have too much to talk about. Thoughts raced through her mind. She was so confused about everything. Her heart was in turmoil and the only way she could solve it was by talking out things with Ron, who had put Rufus on the ground. She knew that he was on the verge of doing something reckless and she didn't like it.
She had to choose. Either she had to tackle him and they would go into the portal together or if she could adjust her body just right, she could successfully pull him to the side and out of the shrinking portal. She was almost there, just a few more yards.
She kicked off with her right foot leaping through the air at Ron and the portal. He didn't see her so he couldn't do anything rash. She had the element of surprise. She had him.
There was a blinding bright flash that forced her eyes shut. Reaching out blindly she was sure of her aim. She pummeled into nothing sliding into the muddied dirt. She looked under her pushing herself up. Ron wasn't there. She looked behind her and all around desperately. It was no use, Ron wasn't anywhere to be found. The portal… Ron was gone. She was too late.