Chapter 2
I.
The portal stopped abruptly and Ron landed on his rear on the soft grassy ground. Grassy? Ron mused to himself opening his eyes to find tall green grass that waved in a dimming light surrounding him. Just a few seconds earlier he had been plummeting through a vortex into darkness and now this. He jumped up and pumped his fist up into the air, "Boo-yah!" he bellowed excitedly. He immediately regretted it as the sharp pain from the wound in his shoulder came back. He clutched the wound looking at the burnt clothing and flesh. He winced at the pulsing pain that kept throbbing. He was going to need to get it checked out and soon.
But he had made it out of the vortex. He was successful in getting to the other side. Now he had one mission and that was getting Dementor and stop whatever devious scheme he had concocted. "Shhhh!" Almost as if on cue someone hushed Ron. Ron looked ahead to find Dementor cowering in the grass like prey trying to hide from a predator.
"Dementor!" Ron pointed. His situation was improving by the minute. First his successful travel through the wormhole. Now he had found Dementor without even having to lift a finger. Ron noticed that the mad scientist seemed preoccupied with something ahead of them. He also didn't have the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer tucked under his arm. Did he lose it or drop it? Ron looked down to find the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer laying hidden in the tall grass between them.
"Be quiet!" Dementor hushed him again in a strained, urgent voice. His eyes were wide in fear. His hands slowly reached for the sky as he had been caught by the police.
Ron smiled determinedly, "Nope, I'm not falling for something like that. You want me to look back so that you can grab the vortex inducer thingy and run off. Not this time," Ron dove toward the Pan-dimensional Vortex Inducer grasping it in his hands and hugging it to his chest."Ha!" Ron triumphed smirking proudly getting back up on his feet. It was quiet, too quiet. Ron stopped and looked back at Dementor who was solely focused on whatever was ahead and above him. His hands were still raised high into the air. No snarky or witty comeback from the mad Bavarian scientist. Just silence
Out of the corner of his eye, Ron noticed Dementor's laser gun that he had used to shoot him earlier. The throbbing in his shoulder intensified as he remembered being shot. But why was his laser pistol on the ground and not in his hands? Now that he thought about it, why was Dementor acting so cautious? It wasn't like him to get scared easily. When Ron took a closer look at the pistol, he noticed it was busted, like it had been shot.
Ron gulped hearing several metallic clicks coming from behind him, sending a cold sensation up his spine. Ron noticed Dementor's lip quivered, terrified. Keeping his head low, Ron slowly turned around keeping the Vortex Inducer close to his chest.
He saw the two pale brown figures on the ground. They were made of metal and Ron noticed a black gun in each of the figure's rigid three-fingered hands. They were robots but he had no clue where they had come from. Ron concluded Dementor had shot them, given the scorch marks on them. If Dementor had shot them, and his pistol was now busted on the ground. That meant that Dementor had really ticked someone off and Ron had a bad feeling about why Dementor looked so terrified.
More metallic sounds rang above his head. Ron didn't want to look but his eyes drifted upward anyway where he found a sizable group of more robots. Their skeletal form gave them a frightening appearance. Ron counted more than a dozen and they all had their guns trained on either Ron or Dementor. Ron understood Dementor's fear clearly as he himself trembled. Wherever they had landed, they weren't welcomed in the slightest.
But what terrified Ron more was what seemed to be a special squad directing them. These robots were the same in appearance except for the silver coloring. They were much better equipped and one seemed to be responsible for knocking out Dementor's weapon. The foremost figure who bore yellow markings held his blaster at eye level with Ron on the other end.
Ron assumed the leader of the squadron was the silver robot with yellow markings. It motioned two of the regular tan colored robot soldiers toward Ron and Dementor. Ron slowly backed up to Dementor's side holding his hands up with the Pan-dimensional Vortex Inducer. He winced, raising his arms didn't help the wound. They stopped in front of Ron and Dementor. Ron began to wonder if this was the last moment of his life. He closed his eyes as tightly as he could, waiting for the impending shots.
"Hands up," the first robot ordered. Ron's eyes shot open in disbelief. His arms were as high as his injured shoulder would allow.
"Um, Mister Robot? They're raised, so…" Ron wasn't sure what the robot was asking of him.
The robot looked to its partner, "C-Four X, we have a smart one. I said put your hands up, all the way up. And I am not a robot, I am an advanced B-1 battle droid," It laughed, or what Ron could make out was a laugh. It was awkward for a robot who was holding a weapon to him. And advanced?
The other battle droid nodded his thin head up and down confirming what the first one had ordered, "Roger roger."
Ron's fearful expression morphed into confounded. He was dumbfounded. "Really guys? Our hands are already up. You can't be that stupid can you?"
The battle droids looked at each other. Without any expressions, Ron really couldn't make out what they were thinking. However, just with the way they spoke and their goofy, quirky personality, Ron could tell they weren't the brightest robots… droids he had met.
"Hey…" the battle droid that had been identified as C-4X seemed to complain. "We're not stupid. C-542R just informed you we're advanced B-1 battle droids. Don't get smart with me civilian. We're performing an investigation."
"Really?" Ron drawled out. "And what investigation are you performing?" Ron asked.
"We were on patrol when we ran into your friend over here-" the battle droid unit C-542R started to explain to Ron when his partner C-4X butted him with his blaster rifle.
"You bucket head!" Unit C-4X exclaimed. "You're not supposed to tell the prisoner what we're doing. They're under arrest!"
"Right!" C-542R agreed as it turned to look back at Ron.
"Hey!" Ron looked up to find the voice had come from the small hill. It seemed that the silver battle droid with yellow markings was talking now. "Quit that useless jabber and get the detainees back to the hovercraft." The silver battle droid didn't have the same high pitched voice as the battle droids that were harassing Ron with their stupidity. It seemed that 'It' was the leader of the whole squad of annoying battle droids.
The battle droids nodded their heads and looked back at Ron. "Roger roger. Get moving!" the droids prodded him with their rifles.
"Okay! Okay! I wasn't trying to judge." Fear took over again as the robots forced him up the hill in tow with Dementor. They crested the small hill where the rest of what Ron could make out was a platoon of other battle droids, waited. They surrounded an elongated hovercraft that had no roof. The front had a small open cab and seats for two drivers. The rest of the craft was a longer cabin with the seats lining the edge of the craft. Ron attempted to stop and take in the scene of wherever he and Dementor had landed but his battle droid captors weren't keen on letting him stop as they butted him in the back.
"Keep moving, prisoner!"
Ron groaned from the pain. Being butt in the back by their guns didn't exactly help the pain in his shoulder. They stopped at the entrance to the transport and Ron was put just beside Dementor. The battle droids that were originally performing security around the hovercraft all began to board it in a single file line. Ron looked over at Dementor who looked, dare Ron think it, gloomy. Who wouldn't? He had planned on some world domination scheme only to be foiled by some quirky battle droids. Dementor had been foiled by robots that were worse than robots he could build probably. Ron snickered at the thought.
Crunching grass caught Ron's attention and he glanced to his left. The silver battle droids, the ones who didn't seem to be buffoonish in any way. The leader with yellow markings stepped in front of Ron and Dementor, clipping its rifle to its back. It seemed to study them up and down like it was thinking. The other silver battle droids, there were five in total all boarded the craft. The leader looked to the tan battle droids who were gripping his arms with their three-fingered hands.
"Board the prisoners," the leader ordered. The other battle droids shoved Ron and Dementor into the craft. The silver leader boarded last motioning for the pilot to fly off.
The craft lifted off and drove forward through what Ron could describe as grasslands. As they traversed the alien savanna, Ron's mind began to wander as they traveled to wherever they were taking them. The alien world's sun had already set below the horizon, illuminating the land in a radiant red glow. Opposite the sunset, the stars already shone brightly as the sky turned dark blue. The night sky was still even stranger as the sun completely set behind the horizon. As the sky morphed from dusk to night it was even more obvious they weren't on Earth. The sky was filled with three waning moons bathing the grassy plains in a resplendent shade of blue. The stars were alien too. The moons were so bright that only the brightest stars were visible but there were no familiar constellations.
Ron's gaze turned to the plains they were flying through. The air was clear enough for him to see for miles and miles around. He peered further into the distance, making out a large forest at the base of shadowy purple mountains capped with snow. Large strange creatures roamed the land in the distance making bellowing noises that Ron was unfamiliar with. Wherever Dementor had dragged them both, Ron wasn't liking the sitch.
Eventually, as time passed, Ron somehow got comfortable in the metal seat. The warm air blowing by and the quiet hum of the hovercraft eased Ron's stress. The pain in his left shoulder began to subside as Ron grew tired and his eyes closed. He tried to keep his eyes open but the savanna had grown tiresome. But the warm air was so comforting like a soft blanket wrapping around him. Eventually, his body and mind caved to the pressure of sleep.
Ron awoke to an elbow to his waist. His neck cramped and the pain in his shoulder had returned. Dang it, I knew I never should have slept on this thing, Ron thought cracking his neck. "Ow!" he was elbowed again and turned to see Dementor glaring at him.
"What do you want?" Ron whispered groggily. "I was happily asleep. What do you want?"
"Wake up sidekick! I think ve've arrived at our destination," Dementor whispered. The air was cold now and stung chasing away any remaining sleep in his eyes.
"Grrr. How do you know? And my name is Stoppable!" Ron growled annoyed that the mad scientist never used his name. Dementor pointed to the front of the craft drawing Ron's eyes outside the hovercraft. The open plains had been replaced by streets and buildings with people walking about.
"Don't you think it's a little late for people-" Realization hit Ron in the face, "People!" Ron's eyes popped open as he looked back at the new scenery surrounding them. There were people and buildings. The buildings didn't look like a modern city. Their architecture was more… medieval if Ron could describe it. Medieval yet with modern, or should Ron say more futuristic technology. Medieval fairs back on Earth didn't have more battle droids patrolling the streets.
Dementor smacked himself in annoyance, "Young people and their enthusiasm!" He huffed.
Ron ignored Dementor's aggravation, "Does that mean we're still on Earth?" Ron asked.
Dementor rolled his eyes, "No! Our planet does not have three moons!"
Ron looked up and sure enough, that much hadn't changed after his nap. There were still three brilliant blue waning crescents in the sky. Ron swiveled his head back to the front of the craft looking ahead when he saw something that struck awe into him. "Wow, look at that," Ron pointed ahead of them.
"Vha..?" Dementor asked turning to look at what Ron was pointing at. Dementor was dumbfounded as they both watched as a massive ship a few miles in the distance lift off the ground. Huge thrusters threw out bright yellow energy of some sort. It ascended into the night sky, shrinking until it disappeared high above them.
"Wow, that's the biggest airplane I've ever seen," Ron commented.
"I don't think that... vas an airplane..." Dementor said, mouth still agape. With everything going on, Ron was more surprised there were people walking around than a giant ship ascending through the atmosphere.
They reached the end of the town and entered the fields of grass again. Gone were the soft rolling hills and ahead Ron could make out dozens of other ships that were grounded as large as the one they had seen lift off. Some were more skeletal, narrow, and long. Far off he could see what looked like gigantic steel spheres implanted in the surface of the ground. As they neared the base they could see it was crawling with thousands of battle droids.
Ron turned to the silver robot with the yellow markings who had sat next to him and Dementor. It and the silver battle droids seemed to be asleep, unlike the other tan battle droids its head was lowered onto its torso as if it had shut down. "Hey?" Ron leaned in to see if it was in fact awake. The droid's head raised up and looked at him. Ron was surprised he had got a reaction. "Is that where you're taking us?" Ron inquired pointing at the large looming base.
"Affirmative," the silver battle droid answered.
"Do you know why?" Ron asked.
"That information is classified," it answered him turning its head to face the base.
Ron heard a sigh behind him, "Do you really think that they're just going to tell us why we're going there. Can't you see we've been captured?"
"Well, we can at least try," Ron retorted.
"Ve're Prisoners!" Dementor shouted. "They are not going to just tell us where we are going!"
Ron crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance. He didn't know if he could ever get used to Dementor's pessimism. The vehicle entered the base past a perimeter fence and stopped just a few moments later. The clunky battle droids got up in unison as if they all had the same order issued simultaneously, and marched off in a two-column file. The silver droids stood up and motioned Ron and Dementor to follow. As they exited, Ron took note of the thousands of armed automatons walking about. They weren't all congregating around one area, but they were spread throughout the entire base carrying out whatever duties they were held to. Trying to escape now would be suicide.
The silver battle droids, Ron thought of them more as commandos, marched to the entrance of what looked like a fortified bunker jutting out of the ground. There a tan yellow marked B-1 battle droid waited with two hulking droids guarding the entrance behind it. The B-1 battle droid raised its hand and halted them, carrying an advanced communicator.
"Where are you taking them?" it asked the leader of the commando droids escorting Ron and Dementor.
The yellow marked silver battle-droid stepped forward, "Sector two, level five."
"What is the nature of the persons you are escorting?" the other B-1 replied.
"Prisoners," Ron's captor replied.
"Access has been cleared. Proceed." The B-1 stepped aside as did the hulking droids it did, the metal doors behind them opening to the bunker.
They all marched into the building down a dim hall as the doors slid shut behind them. Ron looked around curiously. The bunker was small, the hall descending into the ground toward another metal door at the end. Ron turned back to look at the entrance he had just walked through. Would he ever get out of this base?
"Get in!" Ron turned back around to see the droids and Dementor standing in what was a large elevator, or more like a repulsor lift. He hurriedly stepped inside as the doors shut behind him. Ron moved beside Dementor with whom he was strangely more comfortable now. I'm more comfortable standing by a supervillain who shot me just a few hours ago than a battle droid, Ron smirked at himself. He watched the command battle droid entered a code into a pad and the elevator began to move.
Ron's stomach heaved with the sudden increase of speed as the elevator began its descent. "I think I'm gonna be sick," Ron said. It abruptly stopped, and the doors slid open to an underground facility. There was a huge expanse, almost like a hangar carved out of the bedrock. There were hundreds of more battle droids, many of them quite different from what he had seen so far. The unpleasant mark about the base was that it was hot. Hot and humid.
They followed the leader out into the hangar passing through it quickly and entered a dull tunnel on the other side. Upon entering they passed more armed battle droids walking about in pairs or squads. Ron was more precarious when he saw aliens dressed in elegant purple robes and hats that passed by. Their amphibian skin made Ron's skin crawl. Now Ron was growing concerned. Just where in the world had Dementor taken them? What had he dragged Ron into? Scratch that. I was the guy that followed him. I should have just stayed. These guys took Dementor captive. Or… An idea popped into Ron's head as he began to regret his recent decisions. Maybe this was all a ploy by Dementor and this was his secret robot army. In Ron's mind, it made sense.
The underground passage seemed to go on for miles and Ron was growing weary. "Man, this tunnel is way too long. My legs are getting tired," Ron moaned in frustration.
Dementor eyed him, "Stop complaining, at least ve veren't shot."
"Well, that's an upside," Ron remarked sarcastically.
They continued passing more green amphibious aliens and battle droids along the way. They passed a group of what Ron and Dementor both perceived as large locusts. The aliens came in all shapes and sizes, some tall, others short, some with three eyes bulging out of their head. Ron hadn't seen these aliens in the town outside the base. Were they truly all separated from the people outside? Ron wanted to conclude that he was deep inside Area Fifty-one but that didn't explain the three moons in the sky. What was going on? Just where were they and why did Dementor come here of all places. Did Dementor know the place? He had told the scientist..? What did he tell him again? The same setting?
Thinking about the situation wasn't helping Ron's injury as Ron wanted to collapse out of exhaustion. He hadn't had much sleep in a while with the Diablo sitch, fighting Synthodrone 901, and then Dementor. It had all tired him out. The only sleep he had gotten was the nap on the transport, and it wasn't even that long. It seemed like hours of walking to Ron's exhausted mind when it had only been minutes. The tunnel seemed longer than any lair he and Kim had ever infiltrated.
KP. It hadn't even been a full day and he was already missing Kim. How long was he going to be away from her? His plan wasn't to be away from home forever. If that's what Sensei had meant by finding his own path, he wasn't sure that he wanted this anymore. Was it really worth it? Spending a whole summer away from Kim at Camp Wannaweep was torture for Ron. Could he spend a day? Weeks? He dreaded thinking about larger timescales away from his best friend. Then again… Ron thought this was for Kim. He needed to step up and start taking care of himself. That included the feelings he had developed for his best friend. She was happy with Eric and it was wrong for him to get in the way. Maybe if he stayed away long enough she would forget about his confession. He could bury his feelings and just be happy for her.
"Halt!" Ron looked up to see the leading battle droid had stopped raising its hand. They had reached a door as the tunnel reached a T-intersection. The door slid open and the commando droid entered. Ron could make out that the battle droid was talking but couldn't make out specific words. It came back out and signaled the other droids. They shoved Ron and Dementor toward the room.
"Okay!" Ron snapped dragging his feet into the room. It was cooled, unlike the hot damp underground base. The walls were a light red with a window where Ron could see trees and a small lake, confusing him since Ron thought they were underground. Did they travel so far in the tunnel that Ron didn't know up from down anymore? How was there a window with scenery outside?
Ron looked forward where across from them was a man, armored from head to toe. A matching metallic T-visored battle helmet hid his face. Although he couldn't see his eyes or any feature on his face, the helmet and his posture spoke for him. He stood up and walked around the desk, confidence resounding out in every step. On his hip was a brown utility belt with pouches. Hanging from the belt on his right hip was a holster that carried a sleek silver pistol.
"So my commando droid informed me that they caught you two out near the Artinell Forest in the Fre Plains. They say you aren't a registered citizen here but didn't find a ship. I am General Beta and as such, the commander of this outpost. So may I ask how you got here?" he asked clasping his gloved hands together behind his back, his voice thick and rough.
Ron looked down and then back up at the armored man, "Where exactly is here?" Ron asked perplexed. Ron still wasn't really sure where he was.
The man sighed, "Ord Canfre of the Outer Rim near the Braxant Run. Have you been stuck under a rock your entire life? Even a Gungan would know he's in the wrong place." Beta asked. "You're in Confederate territory, deep in Confederate Space." He mocked.
"You mean the Confederate States? I knew they used robots in the Civil War!" Ron exclaimed.
Dementor face-palmed, "You idiot! He said space!"
"Oh! Space, okay so we didn't go back in time," Ron sighed depressingly. He thought maybe some familiarity would help.
Dementor shook his head in frustration, "You'll have to excuse him and his idiocy. His brain is schiffskampange."
"Hey! I'm not dumb! What does that last word mean?" Ron asked puzzled. Now Dementor decided to get his spunk back.
"Enough! I asked how you got here, not which one of you is dumber!" Beta growled frustratedly. Ron could tell he didn't have the patience nor the time for beating around the bush. "Perhaps you ended up stranded here, though I don't know how you'd get past my blockade? Maybe some refreshments would help?" he pondered walking back to his desk. "Water?" he asked holding up two metal glasses that were strangely just sitting behind his desk.
They both quickly snatched the glasses out of his hands without a second thought, guzzling down the water.
"You guys act like you've been stranded on Tatooine for days," Beta laughed dryly. Ron got the impression he was trying to get an answer he liked out of them. "So where are you guys from. Null? Wayland? Maybe citizens of the Republic who crossed the wrong smugglers? The question is, how did you get past my blockade?"
Ron looked at Dementor puzzled, "So are those like other cities on this world or what?" Ron asked, trying to see if he was right. Apparently, Ron didn't give an answer that the general liked.
Beta seemed to stare at them in disbelief, the fuse on his patience was beginning to disappear. "What system... planet, are you from!?" he raised his voice.
"Oh, planet? Well, uh, you see, we came here through a portal from Earth. I don't know-"
"What did you say?" Beta inquired in a low tone, tilting his head ever so slightly. Ron looked at him awkwardly. His answer took the general off guard. Yet even with the battle helmet on Ron could tell that the general didn't look comfortable with that answer.
"What? I said we're from Earth. Now I don't know if we're somewhere else in our- our, oh man! What's the name of our galaxy again?"
"The Milky Way! And no ve are in another dimension!" Dementor shouted at Ron clearly annoyed at his lack of knowledge.
"Impossible!" Beta exclaimed almost exasperated. He turned away from both of them seemingly thinking of what he had just heard.
"What's impossible? What's going on?" Ron asked nervously. By saying Earth, did that mean he was now an enemy? The general wasn't gonna kill him on the spot, was he? That couldn't happen. He didn't want to die!
Ron watched the general saunter back to his desk and open a drawer. He took out a strange-looking stone tablet and gazed over it. He looked up at Ron and then back at the tablet. He did this for about two minutes. Ron watched precariously trying to figure out what the general was thinking. He looked over to Dementor who just gave him an awkward shrug while slowly sipping the remainder of his water.
Finally, the general spoke, "What is your name?" Beta asked looking up at Ron.
"Don't answer him! You have rights!" Dementor whispered in an urgent tone.
"We're not in the United States, no less on Earth!" Beta retorted. "What is your name?"
"How do you know of the United States if we are in another dimension?" Dementor asked with an inquisitive tone.
Beta looked over to Dementor, "I'm not speaking to you. I'm speaking to him." He stared back at Ron. "What is your name?"
Ron sighed seeing no choice, "Ron. Ron Stoppable."
Beta sighed musing over the tablet. He slowly put it back in the drawer he had retrieved it from, securing it. "So the prophecy might not be a fairy tale after all. Interesting. Come here," the general said, almost ordering Ron to do as he stepped back around the desk. Ron gulped nervously stepping forward toward the armored man. He was taller than Ron by a couple of inches and he was much more intimidating now than he was before. When Ron was right in front of him, the general placed his right hand over Ron's forehead. The man nodded, "Interesting. The Force is strong in you. I can sense the Force flow through your very being, yet your other power masks it making it impossible to single you out."
"Force? Prophecy?" Ron was confused about what Beta was talking about. Sensei had talked to him about his own path. His own destiny. One that he had hinted that might be separate from Kim's. Yet he lands in an unknown world, with unknown people, aliens, and battle droids. He's brought to a general who tells him he has the Force and is part of a prophecy. What was going on?
Beta stepped back around his desk, "I was sent here when I was just a boy and instructed by my fathers that my brother and I were part of a prophecy. One that would bring forth either peace or destruction. At the time I was just a boy so I didn't believe what they were saying. They did tell me that my brother and I weren't the only ones part of the prophecy, nor were we the main ones."
"You're the boy they detected before ve came through the portal!" Dementor pointed in disbelief dropping his glass on the floor.
Beta looked at Dementor, "And one of the only survivors." He answered morosely. "After all this time I began to lose hope. That I was merely a pawn of some twisted fate that had no purpose. The butt of a bad joke, but I believe it was you who I was sent to wait here for. Perhaps… perhaps…" Beta's musings were interrupted by an impatient scientist.
"Okay? I do not know vhat is going on but vhat about me!" Dementor shouted frustrated. To Ron, it seemed that the mad scientist was greatly annoyed that he was now being played as second fiddle.
Ron leaned into the general, "Bro, don't listen to this dude. He's an evil super-genius scientist who is bent on taking over the world," Ron crossed his arms thumbing at the stout mad-scientist.
"Vay to sell me out, sidekick! When I get my hands-" Dementor reached out his energy bound hands.
"A scientist?" General Beta asked interested. "I've been in need of one since the ambush on Pengalan Four." Beta mused, "Perhaps in exchange for your services, I give you a position in the Confederate Army as my top scientist. I'm in dire need of one-"
"Professor Dementor," Dementor gave him his name crossing his arms. "And vhat if I don't agree to your offer?"
"In this time of war, the alternative is to send you to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy on the remotest of worlds or…" General Beta snapped his fingers and the commando droids stepped from their posts at the door and behind Dementor. Dementor's cocky attitude went from one-hundred to zero as they pressed their rifles to his back, "Or I can write you off as a spy and have you executed right now."
"I think the latter iz most unpreferable," Dementor chuckled nervously. "Fine General, you have yourself a deal," Dementor huffed.
"Excellent. OM-1, release the Professor and Stoppable," Beta ordered walking back to his desk.
"Yes sir," the commando droid ordered his squad to release them both from their binds.
"Escort them to our medical facility and make sure they are taken care of. I need Ron in top condition. Ensure the injury he sustained to his left shoulder is taken care of promptly." Beta instructed OM-1.
"Um, sir… Beta if I may, aren't you gonna explain everything-" Ron tried to talk but Beta cut him off lifting his hand.
"Yes sir." OM-1 pushed Ron back with Dementor back into the tunnel system. Beta sat back down at his desk watching the commando droids escort Ron and Dementor out.
"We will discuss things more after your injuries have been healed," Ron looked back at the armored man. Ron noted that the man didn't look right behind a desk. Though he couldn't see the general's eyes through the T-shaped visor, Ron felt as if they had locked eyes. Who was this man? What was all this about a prophecy? What had Sensei dragged him into? Professor Dementor. An alien world. Battle droids and now an armored warrior stating that Ron might be part of a prophecy. Ron wasn't sure whether this was cool beyond all belief or something he wanted to retreat from. Whatever it was, he had an irking feeling nothing was ever going to be the same.
II.
Everything was so foggy and cold. Why here? What so special about this place? Kim couldn't remember why this place was so special. She stood at the corner of two familiar streets. But what was so familiar about them? Was it the street? She turned around finding a chain-link fence surrounding a small playground and a yard of grass with a large tree. Why couldn't she remember? This place was so familiar yet she couldn't put a finger on it. There was a red building behind the playground and the door opened with small kids running out.
She remembered! This was the preschool where her friendship with Ron began. But something was off. The day she met Ron was sunny, yet this day was foggy. Was this a day sometime after she had met Ron? She watched the kids begin their routine of playing but there was a notable difference. She saw herself playing on the playground, but there was no Ron. It was strange. Ron was already at the preschool when Kim's parents enrolled her so why wasn't Ron here? What was going on? Nothing was wrong with the younger version of herself. She herself was freely playing on the playground with the other kids.
Where was Ron? With that thought, the world around her began to shake. The setting around her, the preschool, and the playground morphed into a blend of colors and shades. Below her, the sidewalk had turned into dirt and a flower bed. She looked up to find the preschool had been replaced by a house, but not one that was familiar to Kim in any way. Where was this? She looked around but didn't find any familiar feature that she could recognize. She stood where the sidewalk and driveway met. The house had a large tree in front of it. The weather was much warmer than where she was before and it was now night.
Not being able to tell where she was exactly, Kim walked up to the house. Instead of walking up to the front door, she snooped around the house to a window. She peeked around the edge of the sill and into the room. She found him! It was Ron, the same goofy Ron that she knew and held dear. But why was he here? He looked exactly how she remembered him in preschool but why was he here? This wasn't Ron's house nor was he in his living room. Was this a stranger's house? She heard a baby cry to which Ron seemed mildly annoyed. This must have been a day when Ron was visiting relatives out of town. That had to be it, not that Kim remembered Ron ever missing preschool. So then why was he here?
She fell to the ground as if someone had pushed her. She looked around to see who had pushed her but she found no one. She felt as if a hand began to tug on her leg but she found no hand. What was going on? A pressure began to build in her head. The pressure forced her eyes shut and then it suddenly disappeared. She opened her eyes and stood back on her feet. When she looked up she found a girl, with flowing blonde hair that felt eerily familiar to her. She was younger than Kim but not by much, maybe two years. She was almost identical in build to Kim. Her hazel eyes seemed desperate as if she was seeking help. She was wearing the same mission clothes that she wore. The girl waved at her to follow.
Kim was unsure of what was going on. Who was she? She took a step forward and once again the whole world seemed to warp even the girl in front of her disappeared. The scene morphed to that of her living room. She rubbed her eyes trying to take in the scene in front of her. There she was sitting on her couch, the tweebs laying on the floor watching the t.v. Why here now? She was so confused. First the preschool, then another house, and now in her living room. Nothing was making sense. She felt an eerie presence and looked to her right. It was the girl again and she was staring at her with sad eyes. What was she doing here? Was she the one dragging her around to all these places? The girl pointed to the t.v. and Kim looked again.
Kim's jaw dropped at the scene on the screen. She was on it, but she wasn't the center of focus. The headline of the story was far different from what she was used to. It read TEAM UNSTOPPABLE SAVES THE WORLD. Team Unstoppable? Kim looked closer and noticed that it wasn't just that she was almost sidelined. Someone else… two people were the center of attention. She couldn't believe it, the one on the right was the girl standing by her right now. Kim turned to her, she was still pointing at the screen. Kim turned back. There was someone else standing next to the girl. He was older. He was… Ron?
That guy standing with the girl by her was Ron. That was Ron. Ron and this girl were Team Unstoppable. She was in disbelief. Ron still had some of his soft features but he was different. What was this?
Just then Kim's mom walked into the den. "Hey Kimmie! Made the news again I see. So has Team Unstoppable decided to recruit you yet?"
The Kim sitting on the couch perked up at Mrs. Possible's comment. "Ron is still on the fence about it. He says I have talent and loves my attitude but doesn't like the fact we're in different states. He has to call in separate favors just for me."
Mrs. Possible's frowned, "Oh. I thought that Ron was going to have the final say after this mission. He changed his mind?"
The Kim sitting on the couch smiled dreamily at the t.v. "It's no big mom. I'm sure I'll get a spot on Team Unstoppable soon. Then I'll be able to save the world with them all the time." The real Kim couldn't believe it. It seemed this Kim had an open crush on Ron.
"So did Team Unstoppable manage to take out Team Impossible's scheme?" Kim's dad walked in from the kitchen.
"Should have seen it, dad. Ron took on all three of those goons at once," Kim motioned punching the air mimicking what Ron had done in the fight. "By the way. Ron did say he wanted to stop by in the future and have Team Unstoppable meet the family."
Mrs. Possible smiled, "Oh, wouldn't that be exciting."
The real Kim was in shock. She didn't know what to say. Here Ron wasn't her best friend. He was someone that she idolized. What was going on? None of this could be real. She had to be dreaming. Ron wasn't like this in real life.
Kim looked back at the girl who was now staring right at Kim. She was mouthing something but Kim couldn't make out what it was. She was completely silent. What was she trying to tell her? Kim hadn't realized that the living room had begun to fade away into nothing. Now it was just her and the girl.
The girl looked like she was shouting at Kim, tears rolling down her face. But nothing came out. Then the darkness slowly started to swallow the girl up. Black tendrils wrapping around the girl's arms and legs. Before Kim could reach out and grab her the girl was gone. Swallowed by the darkness.
Kim felt something crawling up her legs. She looked down to see the tendrils of darkness slowly wrapping around her. She tried to lift her foot out of the darkness but to no avail. It only quickened the process as the darkness swallowed her whole.
Heat. She felt heat. Kim opened her eyes. The darkness was gone and as she looked down she found herself in her new super suit. It was hotter now. Where was she? She looked around. Robots with guns? They were firing laser bolts. She looked ahead to find soldiers clad in white armor firing back. She was in a war-zone. Ahead of her was some weird freaky cyborg brandishing glowing swords stalking towards her.
She glanced down and noticed she too was holding a blazing sword that was green in color. She was part of this!? Kim quickly leaped over the crazed cyborg before it could cut her down. She landed and glanced behind her. It was distracted by someone else with a similar sword. She faced forward again this time confronting a man dressed in what looked like thicker blue khakis and shirt and silver-plated armor. They wore a silver battle helmet with a pitch-black T-shaped visor. The armored man held a red energy sword and began to swing away at Kim.
Before she knew it they were exchanging blow for blow in a sword fight. They were good whoever they were. Anytime she tried to gain the upper hand they were able to counter with their own strike. It seemed like they were pretty even. But why were they even fighting? What was the point of all this? She was growing frustrated wanting to scream. She wanted out of this weird dream. That's right, it was a dream. It had to be that was the only explanation.
Their weapon grazed Kim's arm. She had enough as she let her frustration take control of her movements. Before she knew it, they were on the defensive backing up trying to get space away from her assault. Kim blindly started thrusting her sword faster and faster and finally made contact. Her blade had impaled them in their upper abdomen just a couple inches below where the heart would be. She kicked the battle helmet back-flipping backward, the sword still ignited in their chest.
Kim landed and was horrified. The helmet had been knocked off. It was Ron. He looked more similar to hers than the one she had seen on t.v. But his eyes. They were full of hatred. A lone tear trickling down his face.
"Ron?" Kim mouthed quietly looking at his contorted face as he stumbled back on one knee.
He glared at her, "I… Hate… You…" he uttered venomously as blood began to spurt out of his mouth.
Kim shook her head in horror. Not just that she had stabbed her own best friend. Not just that he was now dying. His words. They tore her heart apart. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. "Don't say that!" Kim demanded.
"I hate you!" Ron growled falling to his other knee, his eyes still locked on her. "I wish we had never met…" a snide smile crept across his contorted face. His blade that had dropped to the floor flew at her straight for her heart.
"Noooooo!" Kim shot up in bed startled. She was drenched in sweat. She looked down at her chest. There was nothing. Where was she?
She glanced over at her alarm clock. It was six in the morning. She took in deep calming breaths. It's alright Kim, it was just a dream Kim reminded herself. The night terror frightened her. She looked down at her hands, there was no blood. It was all just a dream.
She hung her head in exasperation. Never before had a night terror done that to her before. It was a dream but it felt so real. A dream of Ron. What was it about?
She looked around confused. She was in her bed. Why was she in her bed? That's right… Kim remembered now. The bad dream had felt so real she had a lapse in memory. It was all coming back to her now. Ron had gone into the portal and disappeared last night. After he had disappeared she had solemnly made her way back to Middleton. Her first stop in her walk of shame was the Stoppable's residence. Although they didn't blame her for Ron vanishing, Kim ultimately blamed herself for it.
If she hadn't run to Eric. If she had just talked to him. If she had figured out sooner where he had gone. She could have stopped him long before he ever reached Dementor. She felt something move in the bed next to her. She lifted the covers to find Rufus. That's right. Ron didn't let Rufus go with him. She cracked a small smile at the sleeping naked mole rat who slept soundly next to her. She moved her hand over him to gently pet him, careful not to wake him up.
Kim sighed. After telling the Stoppable's about Ron, Kim had phoned Monique and informed her she wouldn't be coming back to the dance. She tried calling Eric to apologize to him but he didn't answer. She didn't blame him and honestly, she didn't mind it as it made the night a tad less drama bound. After coming home, she had gone straight to her room. Her parents had followed her to comfort her but it wasn't much help. Kim was lost.
Kim dragged her feet over the bed and stood up. She couldn't focus. Taking a long shower soothed her skin and edgy feelings. She leaned her head against the tile wall letting the hot water run down her back. The heat relaxed her tense muscles and eased the frustration on her mind. She closed her eyes wishing that what had happened the previous night was all part of her nightmare. She hoped that yesterday was repeating itself and she could fix the past. But it was already tomorrow, the alarm clock didn't lie.
Kim passed on breakfast not feeling hungry and instead opted to watch the ceiling fan spin in her loft. Without hearing from Wade yet she couldn't just up and do it alone. She had received a call from Monique later in the morning and Kim had agreed to meet her at the food court in the Middleton Mall later. She had nothing better to do than mope around in her room thinking of what could have been. What-ifs weren't going to help her in this situation.
She decided to walk to the mall instead of asking her parents for a ride. It was more of her thing anyway and it gave her time alone to mull over her thoughts. Her parents had been worried about her and the situation since she had come home. They would just make things worse though. It wasn't their fault. Kim just felt off about everything last night. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! A Possible really can do anything. Even screw up her own relationship with her best friend. Or was he… Kim stopped. Was Ron right? Was she just obsessing over the whole food chain thing with Bonnie? Could she have had feelings all this time for him but been just as shallow as Bonnie? Could it be…
Beep Beep Be-Beep
The familiar sound of the kimmunicator rang from her pocket. She was quick to reach in only to find Rufus holding the device out for her. She kept forgetting that Rufus wasn't with Ron anymore. Kim gave him a small smile before taking the device.
"What's the sitch Wade?" Kim internally hoped that what he had was good news. She couldn't help but notice he wasn't in his room. "Where are you?"
"I'm on a flight heading to Japan, but that's not important right now. I've already set up a ride for you to meet me there. They should be arriving any minute," Wade answered a smirk crossing his face.
"Did you find Ron?" Kim asked hopefully.
"No. Even his chip isn't responding. However last night we received a hit on the site that said they could help locate Ron for us. Do you remember Yori?" Wade asked quirking his eyebrow giving his friend a devilish grin.
"How could I forget the girl who dragged Ron across the world without me ever knowing," Kim groaned.
"Well, get used to them because it looks like we'll be working with them in getting Ron back?" Wade answered her leaning back in his chair.
It wasn't the best news Kim had been hoping for but it was better than no news. "Fine. So whose my ride?"
Wade sipped on a can of soda and snapped his fingers cockily. As if on cue a Global Justice hovercraft began lowering to the ground and a rope ladder fell in front of Kim. Kim pocketed the Kimmunicator. She was in mission mode. It was time to find Ron.
III.
The sun set behind the mountains surrounding Yamanuchi. The mountain range's shadow loomed over the school and valley below as if it were foreshadowing unforeseen events to come. The school itself was quiet as of late. Another break-in had happened the night before in all the chaos of the Diablo plot. The Lotus Blade had been stolen again and this time they weren't successful in retrieving the weapon back.
The Cherry blossom trees around the campus had already passed their peak bloom. The remaining flowers were struggling to retain their place on the trees themselves. The rest had fallen to the campus floor littering the ground with their past beauty. Normally this was a time that Sensei would meditate on the past, reminiscing on old friendships and adventures. Change was coming, however, and it wasn't good. Out beyond the horizon, a powerful typhoon was forming that could very well bring about the destruction of not only Yamanuchi but the world itself.
"Sensei!" It was Yori. She had finally found him. This was a conversation he had hoped to avoid for years. She was his most trusted student. But he feared even she wasn't ready for the storm ahead. Or her own internal storms that she had yet to face. He was aware of her feelings for Ron and that would bring her in conflict with the young man's closest friend. He could feel that she was here to discuss the boy he had just help turn onto his own path. This is what she was coming to discuss with him.
He opened his eyes finding her bowing from across the small pond. "Is it true Sensei? Has Stoppable-san left us?"
Sensei sighed nodding his head. "Stoppable-san has chosen to walk his path. He has not left us in the manner you mean."
Yori straightened her stance, "But Sensei?"
"Stoppable-san has chosen his destiny, my young pupil. Are you ready for yours?" he stood up from his perch on the rock.
Yori seemed surprised, "What do you mean?"
Sensei sighed. He turned to face his pupil. "Do not worry about Stoppable-san. You cannot guide him on his destiny nor change the way he grows when you have to become sturdy enough to guide him through that growth." Yori looked confused. "One day my dear, you will understand what I mean."
"What about Possible-San?" Yori asked concerned if Ron even had help wherever he was bound for.
"You will get to ask her soon enough," Sensei started to stroll through the Yamanuchi Garden. "The greater issue is whether you are ready to face the trials?"
"Trials?" Yori questioned. She hadn't the slightest idea of her Master's intentions.
"Yes. Your trials to graduate Yamanuchi," Sensei replied. "If you pass your trials, your destiny does not fall far from Possible-sans."
IV.
Rain drenched the canopy of the Congo in the dark of night. The torrents of rain making small waterfalls through the thick flora. All the creatures in the forest were silent. The air dense, heavy with an evil aura emanating from deep within. A shadowy figure drudged through a small muddy path.
He slipped down a muddied slope to a flooded basin. Lightning streaking across the sky revealed a dark cave opposite of him. He continued his track through the slosh and into the cavern. The ceiling stopped the rain but the air thickened. He could feel the malice flowing from within.
The hiss of a sparking match gained his attention. A lighted candle shed light on a cloaked figure.
"Did you succeed in destroying the files to the Hephaestus Project?" the cloaked man asked.
"All the files in Doctor Possible's lab have been destroyed, his mind erased of its knowledge. Our agents in Global Justice are having the Diablo's collected and stored in hidden undisclosed locations," the muddied man removed his soaked hood revealing an obnoxious smirk.
"Excellent!" The cloaked man set the candle on a rocked mantle. "My plans are moving forward as planned then. I hope my other apprentice will have succeeded in his task." He walked over to a younger man who stood at the back of the cavern, head hung but still looking up.
"Eric?" Eric. The same Eric who was dating the famous heroine Kim Possible. He was no longer in his white prom suit, instead, his clothes reflected his darker self. A dark loose set of black khakis and a black long sleeve shirt. Eric knelt down before his ominous overlord. "Did you manage to eliminate Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible?"
Eric paused taking in a breath of the moist, dense air. "No Master." His reply was simple. He wasn't reaching for excuses. He knew he had failed.
The cloaked man frowned sickly, "How disappointing." The man lifted his hands toward the arrogant youth. "I expected more from you." Dark blue lightning streamed from his hands striking Eric throwing him back against the rocky walls.
Eric groaned in pain, his clothes sizzling from the intense heat. He painstakingly pushed himself back up and onto one knee submitting himself to his master. "Please master, I ask of your forgiveness." He knelt down as the electricity danced around him. Eric was proud and wouldn't beg to not receive punishment. He knew full well the consequences of not completing the tasks he was assigned.
"I gave you the simple task of killing both of the teens! Drakken and Shego would have been blamed as planned." He sent another blast of lightning into Eric's body.
"You're right master. Next time when I encounter Kim or the buffoon, I shall not hesitate to end their lives," Eric gritted his teeth through the pain passing through his body.
"Very well my apprentice," the dark overlord stopped his barrage of punishment.
Another person stepped into the cavern gaining the dark lord's attention. He turned to the new presence, a snarling scowl drawn about his face.
"You'd better not have failed me this time!" He demanded.
Fukushima knelt down between Eric who had now stood up and the stolid apprentice who came before them. He presented a sheathed katana and a lumpy brown bag. "I have attained both the Lotus Blade and the other Lotus talisman."
The cloaked man smiled smugly, lifting his hands and pulling the items towards him with an invisible force. He turned away with the items in hand. "Finally! Soon my plans will come together. After a thousand years of planning, the Sith will have their revenge!"
A/N: All characters from Kim Possible or Star Wars are the property of Disney. Thank-you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
And thank-you for the warm welcome back. It's good to be back.