A\N HI! UPDATE! Ok rant time. I HATE the doc manager on this site! Way to restrictive, messes with my text and punctuations, doesn't allow line skips unless i do some mumbo jumbo and so on… I swear if this keeps up i'm going to switch to pony fanfic and go to fimfiction, i heard they had a much better in-site editor in there -_- !(Not really serious, just pissed off) Anyway, i'm trying to do something with a format here, i hope it will work out.

And, as always…

READ AND REVIEW.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible.

Chapter 17

Painful legacy

Nervous, curious, and slightly excited, Ron stuffed his mouth with Bueno Nacho's unhealthy savory food. Across from him, slurping strawberry smoothie, in equally excited state, sat Bonnie. Yesterday her father told her that he might find something for Ron to help him adapt better in his new chosen lifestyle. She broke the news to Ron this morning, making him totally unfocused through the classes, almost having him getting in the detention from Barkin. Thankfully, a grouchy substitute teacher just gave him a warning, making perfectly clear that there won't be a next time. Counting his lucky stars, Ron made a mental note to NOT daze off during Barkin's classes ever again.

"We should go." Bonnie checked time on her cellphone. "Dad will meet us there in fifteen minutes or so."

"Wait, i'm not done with these yet." Ron grabbed the rest of nachos from the plate, shoved it in his half-eaten burrito and, in three consecutive bites, the food was devoured.

"Are you ok?" she asked, noticing a temporary absence in his eyes.

"That tasted godlike." boy mumbled, descending back from food nirvana. "I'm so doing that again."

"Aha, i don't even know if i want to know what you are talking about. Wipe your face and let's go, we're gonna be late."

"Oops sorry." Ron rubbed the area around his mouth with a napkin, missing couple spots of hot Diablo sauce on his left cheek.

"Still have something there." she pointed at his face.

Ron wiped his face once more, missing the spot again. Bonnie let a short growl out, rolled her eyes, and arched her torso over the table, grabbing the napkin off his hand.

"Here." she said removing an irritating smudge of hot sauce from boy's cheek.

"Th-thanks" his hormones burst up instantly from seeing her in that pose, with all willpower concentrated to not go for a sneak peek under her blouse.

"No prob, now let's go."

Bonnie smiled excitingly and walked off, with Ron not far behind her. She couldn't be happier, knowing that he had chosen to stay with her. Ron, despite some of his flaws, was a great friend. At least the best she ever had, which didn't say much considering he was the first actual one. Sure she had kids she talked and played with before the tragedy stroked her family down, but they were in fact just playmates, not someone you can rely on or trust. Ron, on other hand, proved himself pretty reliable at times.

"I wonder what dad had found for you. Especially in that old store." Bonnie wondered.

"Maybe it's a sword? Or a gauntlet! Or a magic gun!" Ron spitted out ideas excitingly.

"I don't think there's such thing as magic gun, Ron."

"Really? But it would be so cool though. I would totally be like Inkara!" he formed his hand in the gun shape and made couple shots, accompanied by pew-pew sound effects.

"Who's Inkara?"

"He's the guy from ~Adventures of Inkara~ comics. He is fighting evil forces from space, time and other dimensions. He has his trusty friends like 90th guy, Davey Smoothpipes and the little robot helper Rollo! And he also has a big assortment of weapons, tools and artifacts. Most iconic one is his Magic gun, never got to know how he'd purchased that one. I heard it was explained in the Quiet Mountains arc, but i hadn't got a chance to read those ones yet."

"OMG you are such a nerd." Bonnie rolled her eyes, putting a barely visible sly smile on.

"Oh yeah? Said the bookworm! How many have you read this week? Three, four already?"

"I don't read that much!" she retorted, unconvincingly. "And at least my books have more words in one chapter than yours in the whole series! And they actually allow you to use your imagination, and not limiting it by some average drawings."

"Don't even pretend that you know how many words are in the comic series! And do you have any ideas how much heart an artist puts in every single panel? At least each comic book is short enough to not put the reader into sleep. And aslo…"

"Oh look, we're here." Bonnie stopped at the store's entrance and pulled the door handle.

"Don't try to change the topic! It's not over yet!" Ron exclaimed, following her into the place.

The end of their banter caught the attention of Ryan Rockwaller, who just finished a particularly interesting tome on magic sigils, and currently was placing in back on the old shelves. An elderly man behind the counter noticed theme as well, keeping his calm demeanor, and small gentle smile.

"Chill! I was just yanking your chain." Bonnie smirked, with tongue stuck out.

"You're evil." he sighed, slouching shoulders down in defeat.

"Ahem." Ryan got their attention.

"H-hey dad." Bonnie was startled a bit.

"Heya Mr. Rockwaller." Ron waved half-heartedly, still down from Bonnie's trickery.

"You've met Mr. Craft before, i assume." Ryan moved his arm to point towards the man.

"Dominique is fine." an elderly man, standing with a straight posture, made a small nod with his neck.

"Of course." Bonnie nodded back, same head gesture followed by Ron, as she scooted over to her dad's side and whispered quietly. "Does he know about..."

"Yes, Dominique is well aware about world of witches, monsters and magic."

"Ow. Well, this would explain a thing or two." Bonnie deadpanned, remembering all time her father brought weird old books from this place. "Anyway, will you finally spill what have you found here?"

"Is it a sword? Or a magic gun? Or a gauntlet that shoots fireballs?" Ron babbled excitingly, folding fingers as he listed possibilities out loud.

"Those are some imaginative options, but no." Ryan answered, noticing a slight disappointment on blond boy's face. "Actually i'm not even sure that whatever we are here for will work for you or not."

"I assume young mister Rockwaller means this." Dominique made a slow smooth gesture with one hand, pointing at the square black box on the counter with an open palm.

"I'm not that young anymore." Ryan pulled up a half-hearted smile.

"That's an understatement." Bonnie made a snide remark.

"I'm not that old either." the librarian said to his daughter.

"What's inside the box?" Ron asked, standing near the counter.

"To be honest, even i'm not a hundred percent sure." Mr. Craft answered to him.

"Huh, i don't see any lid." Ron reached his hands towards the box. "Does it slide of or…"

At the moment boy's fingers touched the box, a flash of light enveloped his body, and transported him away.

"Ron?" Bonnie panicked, leaping to the empty space where her friend stood just a second ago. "Where did he disappear?"

"Don't worry little miss, i assure you, the boy is quite close."

"Bonnie, calm down." Ryan walked to her side. "Ronald got transported into the space inside that box."

Without any hesitation Bonnie reached for said box. However nothing happened as her hand touched it surface. Just to be sure she grabbed the item with both hands, to no avail. She still stood before the counter.

"I'm afraid the trial is available only once, and only by a single person." Dominique said. "This box contains the last will of Master Quint."

"Who" asked Bonnie.

"The last and the greatest alchemist known to man." Ryan clarified, noticing a great amount worry and confusion on girl's face.

"Who turned off the lights?" Ron shouted into the dark, slowly realizing that he isn't in the same room anymore. "Bonnie? Mr. Rockwaller? Mr. Craft?"

Getting no answer was getting in his nerves. With small shaky steps, he went ahead, with both arms put in front, desperately seeking something in endless shadows. He could feel the panic in every inch of his muscles. Scary thoughts visited his mind as he was marching on. Is it really dark or he gone blind? Is he under some spell? Did the thing he touched have killed him? Maybe this is afterlife? An endless road into nothingness. And yet despite fearing the worst, he kept going forward.

"300 tacos grande on tray, 300 tacos grande. Pick up one, in bite it's done, 299 tacos grande on tray."

Singing this little song to distract himself, Ron moved his feet faster. He used to be scared. In camp Wannaweep he was at constant stress. Flora, fauna and kids, everything was against him there, and yet, by miracle, he survived. Boy lost count of how many nights he rocked himself to sleep in a bug-filled run-down cabin, by thinking out loud of any random thing that came into his head other than the dangers of everything around. Sometimes a rant, sometimes a song, or just a chain of random facts. It was his defensive mechanism when he is alone. And yet sometimes in the daily life, it showed up as a weird quirk of his, forever imprinted as part on his character.

"153 tacos grande on tray, 153 tacos grande. Pick up one, one bite, it's done, 152 tacos grande on tray."

After losing his parents in the car crash his quirks toned down a lot. He felt guilty. After he got blamed for the thing he didn't do in school, he started ranting about it to all, unwilling to let it go. Because of this rant he got in trouble with principal, his friends turned on him, his social and school life got down fast. Seeing his troubles, Ron's parents decided to cheer him up with surprise trip to the amusement park, a week earlier than usual. It was a tradition to go on his birthday into that park after all. In the end, he was spending a usually celebratory day at the hospital, mourning the loss of two dearest to him people.

Slowly, but surely, he was getting back to his normal self. With help of Bonnie and Possible family. And yet, he feels as he would never be able to forgive himself.

"14 tacos grande on tray, 14 tacos grande. Pick up one, in bite it's done, 13 tacos grande... ooph!"

A solid wall hit his open palm, and bright light hit his eyes once again. He shut his eyelids by reflex. Slowly, he opened them, eyes focusing on new environment. Standing in the middle of the white room, he looked with still blurry eyes some peculiar images on each wall that surrounded him.

"I'm not blind…that's good." boy said, noticing that there are no doors or pass ways out of this room. "Hello? Anybody?"

With a new wave of panic, Ron started to pace around, with his fingers rustling nervously through blond hair in a vain attempt to calm himself down.

"Ok, ok. This is bad, very bad! Come on, think! How did i get here? I woke up, got to school, met Bonnie, we went to Bueno Nacho after classes, after that we went to see her dad in that shop she showed me before, i touched the box and… Oh man! What if it killed me? Wait…" Ron put to fingers on the wrist, in attempt to feel the beat of his heart. "Well, maybe i'll meet Mom and Dad, i have so much to apologize for… Ow wait, there it it! I'm alive! And i was ready to welcome death… damn, i have some issues." Ron reflected upon himself, trying to shake off unhealthy thoughts. "Alright, if i'm not dead, this means i'm just somewhere else. Question is: HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE!"

With his options running low, Ron examined the room more closely. An outline of human body was drawn each wall. The closest one to Ron had a small circle of constantly swirling colors in its chest area. The one to the right of it had almost the same picture, but had also added outline of weapons like daggers, swords and axes around them, showing the same color scheme as the circle in the body. Next wall was also different. There were no weapons, but instead swirling colors filled the whole body, releasing a wisp of it from what supposed to be a mouth. Last wall was especially peculiar. This time a swirling ball of colors was outside the outline. A thick wavy string moved from it into the body, coiling through it and exiting from the other side.

Mesmerized by the movement of the colors, Ron outstretched his arm and touched the image at the first wall.

"Norm…"

A somehow familiar voice appearing inside his head, making Ron instantly pull his hand off.

"Wah! That was freaky!" boy took several seconds before moving his hand back on the wall's surface.

"Normal humans, most common folk on this world. Minimal magic potency, possess little to no knowledge about mystical and supernatural. Moving scientific, social and philosophical progress, while being unknowingly protected."

"That kinda sounded like Mr. Craft, but less soft." Ron realized, and moved to the next wall.

"Hunters, defenders, crusaders, etcetera. Minimal magic potency, possess a good amount of knowledge about mystical and supernatural. Despite being the same as normal human, they branched off from the common folk in order to fight the forces unknown to most. Like any other human being, they often pursue their own agenda, be there revenge, wealth, power or something else."

After another explanation down, boy went to the third drawing.

"Witches, mages, warlocks, enchantresses, shamans, etcetera. The greatest magic potency, possess an overwhelming knowledge about mystical and supernatural. The main mediator between humans and magic. Have a great understanding of our world as well outer worlds. Most preferred to be in the family circle, forming a clan. Other ones forming so called covens. Being divided in groups making it easier to control actions of each other. Rogue, unmonitored and uncontrollable ones can make an irreversible damage to the world and society."

With this one down, Ron moved towards the last wall, trying to keep the information he heard in his head, just for a case.

"Alchemists. Zero magic potency, possess great knowledge about mystical and supernatural. An outsiders, researchers, creators. By using their bodies as conduits for outer magic, they can mend it as they will. Like hunters, they usually have the closest connection with normal people, since they were born as one. Also susceptible to be caught in their own agenda, potentially irreversibly harming people and environment. Rare kind due the fact that this ability is earned, and not born with."

Images on all four walls began to drain down, gathering in the central of the floor. Ron stepped away to the corner, just for a case. A spot of color on the floor began to rise, forming a sphere. A shining ball soon hovered in the dead center of the room.

"Ok, that does not look good." Ron noted, still pressing himself in the corner as hard as he can, as the sphere of swirling colors was pulsing rhythmically.

"Your willpower had been tested in the depth of darkness. Your body will be tested by the blinding light. Let the wave of pure magic quintessence flow through your feeble human frame. Step into the source."

Ron wasn't ready for what happened as soon as the voice pronounced the last word. Sphere exploded, spreading into every inch of the room. Ron wanted to scream, but no sound was leaving his throat. Even breathing was impossible for him at the moment. It felt as each and every cell of his body got pierced with a needle, nailing him into the wall. Once again he felt himself on the verge of death. It would be easy to give in, just bear the agony long enough to his brain shut sown from the lack of oxygen. And yet, he refused to go away this way. Any consciousness that he had, concentrated, was trying to find a solution to survive.

'It's...a test…' his mind was working through the pain. 'Tests… can be passed… Light… pure magic…something… flow… body…conduit…magic… source'

His vision began to decline, as his consciousness was going away. With all remaining strength, mental and physical, he was attempting to relax his right hand as much as possible. Ron slowly removed it away from the wall, pain in it dulled, replaced with a weird tickling sensation. With his hand now free, his torso followed. Ron was getting a hang of it, now moving his legs, one after another, slowly approaching an epicenter of the energy. With each step it was easier to pass through the colorful light, breathing though still hard, was possible again. Soon enough he reached the center, with all light around swirling back to the source, enveloping boy.

First thing first Ron made a long, deep, lung-filling breathe.

"Holy shit! I'm alive!" he said between moving air in and out of his chest. "And… where am i now?"

He now was in a different room, with a wooden floor, black painted walls and bright white ceiling that was lighting it. In the middle, on a single one legged table, laid a small, palm-size, black box.

"Nope, nah-ah." Ron backed away. "I'm not touching that box again!"

"You have passed my trials. Alchemist, you are ready to take your own pass. The box will lead you out." Craft-like voice announced.

"So i do need to touch it… great."

Hesitantly, he approached the table. Cringing, he reached his tremoring hand and touched the smooth surface of the box. Brightest light blinded him, moving him away once more.

"Ron!"

He heard Bonnie's voice calling him, and opened his eyes. As it was focusing, Ron managed to notice a very familiar blur. Realization hit him instantly.

"I'm back!" he cried out happily and took Bonnie in a tight embrace.

"R-Ron…" girl blushed furiously.

"K-hem" Ryan cleared his throat loudly, getting attention from the teens.

"Mr. Rockwaller!" Ron let Bonnie out of his hands and stepped aside, pointing a finger towards the librarian. "Next time could you please give me a heads up? Like: Caution, don't touch that box, it may contain several near death experiences?"

"Near death?" Bonnie woke up from a little daze cause by a hug. "Ron, what happened?"

"I… don't want to talk about it now." Ron shuddered. "Let's just say it was an hour or so of my life i don't want to repeat ever again."

"Hour?" girl's eyes widen in shock.

"Ronald, you were missing for no longer than a minute." Ryan explained. "This is exactly type of dangers i was warning you about. Don't misunderstand, i didn't know or wanted for it to happened, but life and death situation are not out of the norm for you anymore."

"Dad!" Bonnie fumed.

"It's the dangers we meet in our line of work sweetie. And Ronald here if full aware of it." her father said, keeping his calm tone.

"Yeah he's right." Ron sighed.

"No he is not" girl kept protesting.

"Anyway." Ryan ignored sound of Bonnie grinding her teeth in frustration. "I know you don't want to talk about it now, but we still need to know what happened to you."

"Why won't you ask that guy then?" he pointed at Mr. Craft. "It's his voice i heard inside."

"I believe we are in a bit of a misunderstanding here." an elder man said. "Who you heard was most possibly my master's voice."

"Well you sure do sound similar." Ron squeezed his eyes skeptically.

"You see, i am not actually a human being. I am a puppet with appearance and a voice of my master, made for tasks like looking out for this workshop, social interactions with customers, grocery runs, cleaning, and etcetera. I am quite literally Master Dominique's craft, his creation." old alchemistic puppet made a bow.

"Ow." Ron blinked, processing the new information along with both Rockwallers.

"With this revelation aside." Ryan got back on track. "You, Ronald, are the only one who could tell us about your experience now."

"Fine." boy grunted. "So i touched the box, next thing i know i'm in a total darkness, no light, no sound, no nothing. Not knowing what the hell is going on i started to go forward, after some time i started to sing a silly song simply to keep myself sane. Most of the time i spent there. Maybe it was an hour or maybe less, it felt long, trust me. Eventually i touched a wall, or something, and got moved to a room with these doodles on the walls. When i touched them Mr. Craft's… ehm, his master's voice talked in my head about what is drawn there. Like short descriptions of humans, hunters, witches, and alchemists. Than the all melted and gathered in the shiny ball of moving colors, exploded, pushed me to the wall. It felt like i was stabbed everywhere, i could barely breath! Then i remembered bits and pieces of voice's explanations and let this light somewhat pierce through me…i guess… i don't know how to describe it really. I reached the spot where the ball exploded from, appeared in another room, voice told me i'm an alchemist, i touched that black box again, and i'm here."

An awkward silence fell upon the room. Bonnie, even paler than before, was appalled by her friend's experience. Ryan as well was highly discouraged, hiding one hand behind his back, with his trimmed nails piercing his skin in tightly clutched fist. Unknowingly, he sent the kid though a mental and physical torture. Maybe it was to help the boy getting something for standing his ground in the new environment, or maybe because he caved in to the excitement of unknown, eager to see what was in the box left by the alchemist. Ryan made a rushed decision, and sadly it wasn't him who paid the bigger price for it.

"That's it, i can't take it anymore!" Bonnie said, grabbing Ron's sleeve and dragging him away. "We gonna go to the mall, get some milkshakes and try to not think about anything pain related for the rest of the day. My treat."

"Can i get cookies in mine?" Ron asked at the door.

"All the cookies." Bonnie pushed the door and turned to her father, her tone went cold. "And i will speak to YOU at home."

Dreading the lovely talk that will wait for him at the evening, he switched his attention to the Dominique.

"I guess being a puppet explains why you haven't changed at all for twenty-something years i know you." just like his daughter, his vocal tone went colder. "Please tell me you truly didn't know about the content of the box."

"I honestly had no idea what trials actually were in there, young Rockwaller. Trust me, i would warn both you and Master Ronald of the dread inside the box if i knew about it." Mr. Craft said apologetically.

"Master Ronald?" Ryan asked, calming down a bit.

"No matter the circumstances of becoming one, the boy is an alchemist now." Dominique explained. "This place is an alchemist's workshop, and by all rights belongs to him, along with me."

"Can you teach him about alchemy?"

"I'm afraid not." elder puppet sighed with a sign of sadness. "My previous master only granted me enough knowledge in it to operate and maintain this place, and all his personal records were destroyed by his own will. Master Dominique believed in self-improvement, so he would believe Master Ronald should be fine exploring his newfound abilities on his own."

"Not on his own." Ryan said sternly. "I dragged the boy into this mess, I'm not leaving him alone in it. Gather all books or publications with even passing mentioning on alchemy by tomorrow."

"As you wish."

After an older Rockwaller left the building, Dominique, pushing a trolley cart, went through the door behind the counter, stepping in the long hallway with bookshelves instead of walls. Despite the words of the old master of his, he agreed with a male witch, new master needs all help he can get. And, as his loyal servant, Dominique would do his best to provide it.