Author's Note: Once again thanks to Rebelrsr for help on the fic, couldn't do it with out you. Gah! Sorry but no Shegoness this chapter. I promise though – next chapter will have her in it.
As Ron left Sensei's quarters he thought about what he was told. 'So, I haven't come to terms with KP's death. But how am I supposed to do that when I didn't even have enough time to give her my respects.' He continued to wander aimlessly through the ninja compound, just letting his mind mull things over. 'I guess one thing that doesn't help is that no one ever found her body, making me think she's going to pop up somewhere.' Ron's thoughts were shattered as he heard someone yelling at him.
"Stoppable-san!" It was his bo-staff teacher. A simple way to describe him would be to say he was a Japanese Mr.Barken, but that only worked to explain his personality. His stature was average for his people, but he still seemed to loom over Ron. His deep brown eyes regarded the blond before him, and then prodded him with the staff he carried. "We are about to begin a special session; you'll be needed."
"Yes, Tarō-sensei." Making a quick bow, Ron sprinted off for the training yard. The first thing he noticed that was different about this session was the larger number of students. The next was that the extra students were ones that practiced the other weapons that the school taught. Since everyone was already in their weapon groups, Ron went to the bo-staffs. He didn't even make a scene. The few murmurs of conversation dropped off when Master Sensei came onto the platform in front of the assembled students.
Looking over the small crowd of ninja, Sensei spoke, "Today all of you are to spar against your chosen weapon's opposite. The objective is to realize your weapon's weakness and to improve upon them, use them to your advantage. Each weapon has its opposite, its other half that helps to complete it. When they are set against one another they help to build each other up, making both stronger." The old man continued as Ron began to think about what was being said.
'Opposites… I can't think of a better example of that than Kim and Shego. I mean, Kim was everything Shego wasn't; selfless, kind, mature… non-plasma-y… they really were the other's opposite.' Ron let his mind wander over the two women's differences as he continued to listen to Sensei.
The short elder turned his attention on the staff wielders and steel fans. "The first weapons that will be demonstrated will be the bo-staff and steel fans. Both the style and appearance of the each instrument clash against one another. The staff is modest and simple in appearance and use, designed to protect the wielder by keeping the opponent at arms length. All the while the fan is exotic and aggressive. They orient themselves around getting in close and destroying the opponent's defenses. Suzuki, Stoppable, if you would demonstrate." Ron was caught by surprise by being asked to come forward while Yori calmly moved before Sensei. The two bowed to him, then to each other. Taking up their stances the two watched the other for the first sign of movement.
Yori started off by taking a few tentative steps forward, watching Ron's reaction. When his position didn't change she moved in closer. Just when she was out of reach of her opponent's staff she dashed in, hoping to catch Ron by surprise. The speed that Yori went at the blond startled him for a moment before getting his weapon up. The staff shot up to get the fans edge imbedded in it, blocking the blow from landing on his right arm. As Yori spun around, yanking the fan free and building momentum for her next attack. Ron flipped back landing in a crouch, letting his staff swing out at her feet. Jumping over the attack, she moved in again, attempting to strike his head. He whipped the staff up to defend himself, the wood moving so fast it appeared to bend from the speed.
As the fight continued, Ron's thoughts became more distracted. 'Wow, I never noticed how even KP's and Shego's fighting styles were opposites. Shego was always hard, fast strikes, moving to the offensive whenever she had the chance. She was like fire, burning and destroying anything that got close. I mean, hey, she could make green glowing fire from her hands! Kim, though, seemed to flow like water, every attack against her she turned on her opponents. Bobbing and weaving through everything that came. Speaking of bobbing –' Ron barely had enough time to duck under the fan as it cut some loose hair from his head as it passed. Turning the duck into a roll, the blond came up on Yori's right side. He thrust his staff at the opening, but Yori deflected it at an angle, causing the staff to narrowly miss her. Turning with the blow she lifted her leg, keeping it tight to her, and pivoting on her heel. Once she had turned far enough her foot came out to take Ron heavily in the back.
Stumbling forward the teen thrust his staff into the ground flowing with the momentum from the previous kick he swung up onto the staff. Using the staff as a pole he spun around it sending his feet at the brunette's chest. Yori didn't even have time to get her fans up to block the attack, taking the hit full force she flew a few feet before landing hard on the stone ground. "Notice how the two are building off of each other's attacks? Suzuki is using her speed to move inside Stoppable's reach, while he in turn is using the attacks against Suzuki," Sensei intoned. "The more often you fight against your opposite the more you will learn; about your opponent and yourself."
Once more the blond's thoughts drifted to Kim and Shego after Sensei's comments. 'Huh, I wonder who knew Kim better by the end, Shego or me?' Ron asked himself. 'I got to know her by living with her day in and day out, but Shego got to know KP by fighting with her. If my training has taught me anything it's that fighting is as much a form of talking as anything else. Wait…'
Stopping in mid stride, Ron was on one foot with the staff extended forward when he exclaimed, "I got it!" stunning everyone watching. Yori took advantage of his apparent epiphany and lashed out with a foot to the leg he was balancing on. Ron inevitably came crashing down onto the floor. Sensei had a ghost of a smile on his face as he shook his head. "The rest of you may begin sparring. I believe there is something I must speak with Stoppable-san about."
Getting up off the floor, Ron bowed sheepishly to both Yori and Master Sensei. "Um, sorry about that. It's just I suddenly got an idea that might help dealing with KP's death."
"And what would this thought be?" Sensei asked, as he motioned the pair to follow him.
"Sensei, Stoppable-san, I will take my leave and return to the other students," Yori said as she bowed.
Stopping her bow the old man suggested, "You should follow, Suzuki-chan. That is of course if it is alright with Stoppable-san."
Agreeing the two students followed the master out into the garden that the three had spoken in when Ron had first arrived. "I thought of something to get closure on Kim." Seeing the others waiting for him to go on, he continued, "I need to talk with the person that knew her almost well as I did; in some ways even better."
"Who could have known Possible-san better than you Ron-kun," Yori asked.
Looking at the red tinted lotus tree, Ron answered, "Her opposite; Shego. The two fought almost weekly, add to the fact that they had near polar opposite personalities and she was there in KP's final moments, she might just help me in getting over Kim's death. Who knows she might even help with doing something about KP's murder."
Sensei regarded Ron for a moment before asking, "Are you suggesting that you leave Yamanouchi?"
Shrugging his shoulders, "Well you were the one that said something was keeping me from reaching my full potential. I honestly think this could help."
"Very well, but if you are to leave I would require that you take Suzuki-chan with you," Sensei decreed.
Yori merely nodded her head but Ron asked, "Um, not that I'm against it but why are you sending Yori with me?"
"Because, Stoppable-san, you are alone right now, both Possible-san and Load-san are lost to you," Master Sensei turned to leave and said one last thing. "And I would not want a member of our family alone in this world."
The blond teen was a little blurry eyed at the admission, and said in an emotion choked voice, "That means a lot to me, Master Sensei." After Sensei left, Ron turned his attention on Yori. "So, I guess that means we have our first mission."
"Yes, it is. It will be just the two of us so it may prove to be difficult," Yori said.
Rufus suddenly appeared on Ron's shoulder as though he had been there the entire time. "'An me!" the little rodent added.
Chuckling behind her hand the brunette agreed. "Yes, and you Rufus-kun. Where do we begin Ron-kun?"
"Starting will be easy, it's going to be the step right after that'll be hard." Moving to his sleeping quarters, he looked through the items he brought with him from the States. Finally holding the item he was after up, Ron showed it to Yori. It was the strange device Draken had given the sidekick the night everything went wrong. "We'll need to get in contact with Doctor D and hopefully he'll know where Shego is."
The device reminded Ron of an evil looking Kimmunicator, black with fewer buttons. After switching it on the screen finally came to life showing the back of Doctor Draken. "Hey, Doctor D, you ever meet up with Shego?"
The blue scientist looked shocked at first before remembering the little pact he had made with the buffoon in the hours after Kim's death. "Oh, yes. I did, it was just a few weeks after Possible's death. It was at a safe house we had agreed on for meeting up in if we ever got split up. It was a rather nice safe-house, satellite TV, Villain's Weekly, nice decor…" Draken started to ramble on.
"Come on, Doctor D, focus here. Where's Shego now?" Ron asked.
Suddenly coming back to the conversation, the blue man said, "I don't know. And why would you want to know? You're not going to try and put her in jail again are you?"
Rolling his eyes before answering, "No, I'm not. I just want to talk with Shego because she was with Kim last."
Thinking on things for a moment, Draken finally gave in, "The last thing she told me was she was going to go look for someone that would know about 'her Kimmie's' death."
Ignoring the strange wording the blond asked, "You have any idea where she could be?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Draken answered, "I think she said something about Europe. Maybe even something about Italy specifically."
Sighing in annoyance, Ron thought 'No wonder Shego was always threatening him.' "Come on, Draken, you have to know something more than that."
Huffing at the sidekick's insistence, the blue man asked, "If I find out what city will you leave me alone?"
"Yes, now come on, cough up."
Disappearing from the screen, Draken came back in a few minutes. "She's in Rome somewhere. Or at least her jet is."
"Are you sure Shego's in Rome?" Ron asked.
"I'm not positive; she left here a month ago with her jet and has been jumping around the globe with it since," Draken said in an exasperated tone. "Tracking her is near impossible if you don't know exactly what you are looking for."
"Been keeping tabs on, her haven't you?" Ron asked.
"Nnn-no of course not. I'm evil; why would you think I'm worried about Shego's safety?"
"Rriiigght," the teen replied, drawing out the word. "It's alright; I won't let Shego know you've been watching out for her."
"Really? You won't?" the blue man asked in a quiet voice.
"Yeah, I mean, I would have been doing the same thing if it had been KP that survived," Ron said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Thanks, Doctor D." Shutting off the device the blond turned to Yori. "Well, looks like were going to Rome."