Remembrance of Things Past

Disclaimer – I don't own Kim Possible.

A/N – Thanks to all my readers and reviews. Sorry this chapter is so late, getting all of the interpersonal dynamics right took much longer and many more revisions than I originally planned. I am honored that you still read this even after my long absence. Special thanks for nominating me for several Fannies.

Note that ~O~O~O~ indicates major shift in time and place, while ~o~o~ indicates small shifts in time or place.

This story is an AU and diverges from canon early in the fourth season before Mad Dogs and Aliens or Big Brother, so there are no Lowardians in this universe and no Hana.

Chapter – 15 – Remembrance of Things Past

Kim stared open mouthed at Ron as he rose to meet her, a smile on his lips. Her tired mind, overwhelmed by 36 hours without sleep, hours of tiring travel and a vigorous two-hour chase, whirled as it tried to grasp what was before her eyes. After a moment of fruitless effort, it chose the easiest solution. Kim's eyes rolled up in her head as she fell towards the ground in a faint.

Ron started to rush forward to catch her but stopped when he saw the look on Shego's face as she caught Kim in her arms. Ron stepped back to stand next to Yori in front of the couch and watched Shego carry Kim up the stairs and out of his view. He shared a long look with Yori, the two silently communicating their worry and questions as they waited for Shego's return. After several minutes, Shego returned down the stairs and stood glaring at the two for a moment.

"Why are you here and why shouldn't I just blast you?" Shego raised a plasma-sheathed hand.

Ron regarded her coolly, far more coolly than the Ron she remembered would, before answering. "I came to talk to Kim. A great evil is threatening the world and she is needed to stop it."

Shego lowered her hand and gave a tired shrug. "Fine, be all cryptic if you want. Have a seat and tell me the whole thing." When Ron started to speak, she cut him off. "If you don't convince me it is worth our time, I will tell Kim seeing you was a hallucination brought on by exhaustion and she will believe me because there will be no evidence you were ever here."

Yori bristled at Shego's words and started to angrily rise from the couch when Ron's hand on her arm calmed her rage and got her to settle back on the couch. Shego smirked at the two. "Good thing you stopped her buffoon or you might be figuring out where to bury her."

Ron gave her a small grin in return. "I stopped her because I knew Kim would be mad if she woke in the morning and found you dead or in traction." Ron continued without pause, cutting off Shego as she tried to interrupt. "This is my fiance, Yori. She is the first student at Yaminouchi and more than capable of handling you."

Ron laughed silently at the bewildered look on Shego's face, outwardly calm as he waited for her reply. "OK, I want explanations and I want them now!"

Ron bowed his head in respect for a moment before replying. "I take it Kim told you what happened after she returned home?" At Shego's curt nod he continued. "After we graduated, I wasn't allowed to see Kim anymore and would be questioned if I got to close to her house. Since I lived next door to her that made things difficult. I was being questioned weekly by one government agency or another for several months and it almost drove me mad. I left Middleton to get away from everything. "

Ron took a breath to calm himself as the memories of that time came back to haunt him. "I wandered around for a time before Yori found me. We had met earlier when I was invited to study at Yaminouchi in high school." He saw the question in Shego's eyes. "Have you ever heard of Mystic Monkey Powers?"

Shego smirked. "Sure Monty was always going on about them and how great they were but he got caught just as often as everyone else so I figured they only existed in his mind."

"They do exist; Monty just hasn't learned how to access them. We were both exposed after he used Kim to retrieve the source of the powers. That was why Yaminouchi was interested in me. Their founder had the power too and is the one who hid its source so it could not be misused."

Ron looked Shego in the face for several moments, seeing the grudging respect in her eyes. "As I said, after I left Middleton, Yori found me and took me to Yaminouchi where Sensei had me trained in how to harness my powers. Recently Sensei received a prophecy and gave me the task of dealing with it."

Shego quirked an eyebrow. "Prophecy, huh. What did this thing say and how does that explain why you are here? It has been a long couple of days and I am tired. So just spit it out."

"Storm clouds gather in the twilight.
Darkness soon will engulf the world
Only the impossible and the unstoppable
Can find the daughter of mind and the son of machine
And lead them to the world salvation"

Shego groaned. "OK, I can see how that relates and why you want to see Kim but you are going to have to wait until we get a good night's sleep. Come on, I will show you rooms you can use."

Shego rose from her chair and lead them up the stairs. She escorted them down a short hallway to two adjoining bedrooms as far from her and Kim's room as possible. "Here you go. You can share one room or not it is up to you. Night."

Ron and Yori watched as she trudged down the hall to her room, before they turned and entered one of the bedrooms together.

~o~o~

Shego gently slipped out of bed, making certain not to wake Kim. With her metabolism, she could get by with six hours of sleep, even after the exhausting few days she had had recently. She watched Kim snuggle up to a pillow for a moment before quietly leaving the room and heading down to the main floor. She hoped to catch Ron before Kim woke up and find out more about the warning he brought and his real purpose for being there.

Hearing faint sounds coming from the dojo, she switched her course from the kitchen and peeked in the doorway to find Ron practicing katas. Shego watched for several minutes, impressed with his skill and focus. Remembering her purpose, she cleared her throat as she stepped into the doorway.

Ron stopped his kata and turned to face her, no evidence of surprise on his face. "Shego. I hope you don't mind me using the dojo. I woke up early and wanted to work off some nervous energy."

She smirked at him in reply. "No problem. I was hoping you would be up so we could talk before Kimmie wakes up."

Ron walked over to the corner where his towel and water bottle lay on the floor at the edge of the mat. He took a swig from the bottle and set it down before turning to face her. "So, what do you want talk about?"

"About the prophecy you say you received and what exactly you want from Kim?"

Ron gave her a goofy grin. "You don't have to worry; I'm not here to take Kim from you. If you remember, I introduced Yori as my fiance so I am already taken."

Shego tried to not let her relief at his answer show. "I didn't mean that, I meant what did you want in relation to the prophecy."

His goofy grin only grew wider. "Whatever you say. What do you want to know about the prophecy?"

Shego turned to face the wall, gathering her thoughts, as she wondered how the buffoon was able to see right through her. "For starters, how did you get to study at Yaminouchi? The last I heard they didn't admit westerners and ever Orientals had to have been born into it or mastered several martial arts to get an invitation."

Ron gracefully sank down into lotus position. "You have heard about Monkey Fist?"

"Of course, he and Drakken teamed up once or twice."

"Good. He was obsessed with obtaining the Mystic Monkey Power, but could not overcome the traps that guarded the source of the power. He contacted Kim and had her get the items in question." Shego did not comment on his obvious attempt to hide the source of the power. "Once he got the items needed, he used them to give himself the power. While stopping him I was exposed to the items and gained the power, too."

"If Monty had the power, how come he didn't use it? I never noticed anything special about him, other than the hands and feet, of course." Shego interjected.

"Monty had the power but never learned to use it. He tried to command the power and force it to work but it doesn't work like that. The power requires you to become an aspect of the monkey to use it. If you force things you will fail, only by not trying but simply doing can you use it."

"Very Zen." Shego snarked.

"Very." Ron agreed. "That was one of the biggest obstacles in my learning to harness the power. Anyway, once Yaminouchi learned I had been exposed to the Mystic Monkey Power, they arranged a fake student exchange program to get me there so they could evaluate me. While I was there, I helped stop Monty from stealing a vital relic and earned my place there. Over the next few years Kim and I helped them several times."

Ron looked wistful for as moment before continuing. "After Kim was put on probation, I was feeling very depressed. I couldn't see my girlfriend and best friend since pre-K and was being harassed and questioned by government thugs every week. I left Middleton to get away from that and try to settle my life down. A few weeks later Yori found me and brought me back to Yaminouchi. I have been training there ever since."

Shego nodded and let her gaze wander around the room. "You are pretty good actually. A little sloppy in places but solid technique and good focus. It's hard to believe you only have three years training."

Rising gracefully from the floor, Ron started to wander aimlessly about the room. "Thanks, it is quite a compliment coming from you. I will probably never be as good as Yori, who was raised at Yaminouchi, but I try to do them proud."

For the next several minutes they stayed in awkward silence, each avoiding the others gaze as they nervously shifted around the room. Their irritation with themselves and the situation grew until they both turned to confront the other.

"We need to talk." They both spoke at the same time. Ron gave a goofy grin as Shego cocked a hip and smirked at him.

"We do need to talk." Ron spoke first. "You are worried about my relationship with Kim and how it will affect your relationship with her." He raised a hand to stop Shego's protest. "I know we talked briefly about it earlier and that you will probably claim you and Kim are only friends but it is obvious from the way you act that she is more than that to you."

Shego glared at him briefly before exhaling loudly in exasperation. "Why is it you have to be so insightful? This would be so much easier is you were your old, buffoon self." She paused to gather he thoughts. "I . . . I care for Kim. A lot. When she broke me out of prison we talked about how we felt and decided we were just friends, that what we felt in Plantain was just the desperate situation."

She stared at the floor for a moment. "Since then I . . . I have found my feelings changing. After all she has been through, Kim is still the same fight any evil, right any wrong hero she has always been. She stared into the abyss and the abyss flinched. She could have become obsessed with vengeance and lost all he morals but she didn't. She remained a hero." Shego turned from him muttering under her breath. "Unlike me."

"I bet you didn't have someone to help you, like you are helping Kim." Ron replied gently. "And it seems that helping Kim is also helping you."

Shego simply stared at Ron for a minute before answering. "Thanks." She whispered. Clearing her throat, she continued. "I take it you want Kim to help face the danger this prophecy warns about?"

Ron nodded to her and shifted his gaze to the wall in order to give her some privacy. He chose to ignore her abrupt change of topic from her relationship with Kim. "Yes, the prophecy says we will both be needed to find the daughter of mind and the son of machine that are required to fight the coming darkness."

Shego turned and looked him in the eye. "And what about me?"

"We could use your help, if that is your choice." Ron gave her a small, encouraging smile.

"If you convince her to help you, you can bet I'm going along. I won't abandon Kim again."

"You didn't abandon me, you saved me from myself. What the sitch I'm supposed to help with?" They both turned to see Kim standing in the doorway looking at them. After several moments of awkward silence, Shego cleared her throat and headed for the door.

"I'll start breakfast while you two talk."

~O~O~O~

Alford stared at the road from his hiding place, waiting for the bandit group that had been plaguing the area to appear. Once they did, he would end their marauding and pillaging forever. Until that happened he would simply sit and watch, his senses taking in every detail, his mind cataloging every detail and find the hidden patterns inside. As the minutes ticked by, he sat motionless his eyes fixed on the road as a storm brewed behind him. His mind followed the hidden patterns and was able to see visions and hear voices.

A young man in a long white coat stood in front of a large metal box as an elderly man in a similar coat approached. After surveying the blinking lights on top of the metal box, the elderly man addressed the younger one.

"How is the subject?"

"The changes you suggested have worked well. He no longer fights the downtime simulations and his pattern matching effectiveness is up 15%."

The older man nodded. "Any side effects from the changes?"

"The only side effects noted concern the downtime simulation. He no longer uses the slow time acceleration and seems able to predict the future of the simulation with great success. There are also indications that his ideas and will are starting to affect the simulation itself."

"That is to be expected. The changes will have increased his concentration, particularly for minutia. Given his abilities I would be disappointed if he could not predict the future of the simulation." He paused in thought for a moment. "Since the simulation is a gestalt reality, it stands to reason that he would be able to affect the overall shape of the illusion."

The younger man nodded and made several notations on his clipboard. "Is there anything else, sir?"

The older man shook his head. "No, that should be all. As long as he is under control, he presents no danger to us or the world outside the simulation and analysis sessions."

Strange visions flashed through his mind at the mention of the outside world, the flashes falling into a jumbled shifting pattern that seemed to flex and squirm under his minds eyes. Understanding seemed to shimmer and glow just under the surface of his consciousness. Phantom ideas and notions cascaded across his mind before one idea settled in. A storm was coming.

As Alford sat and waited, dark storm clouds continued to gather behind him, lightning flashing and thunder booming as it grew. He took no notice of the change in atmosphere, keeping his attention focused on the road. A small dot in the distance appeared and grew into a caravan slowly making its way down the road.

Before the caravan reached his location, the world fell out from beneath him and he was whirled through a kaleidoscope of color and sound, one thought in his mind, a storm is coming. Just as memory and consciousness fled, he reached out and left a clue for those who would need it.

~O~O~O~

Kim and Ron stared awkwardly at each other as Shego left the room to prepare breakfast. They fidgeted nervously; shifting from foot to foot, as they searched for a way to start the conversation they both dreaded and wanted more than anything in the world. The each opened their mouths several times to speak but no words came out. Finally, Kim broke the silence, a haunted look in her eyes.

"You said we needed to talk."

Ron regarded her for a moment. "We do, about several things."

Kim crossed her arms across her chest and looked him in the eye. "What first?"

Ron's head dropped and he starred at the floor, nervously shuffling his feet, as he muttered to himself for a moment. Finally gathering his nerve, he raised his gaze and locked eyes with Kim. "I received a prophecy from Sensei and I believe it concerns you as well as me."

Kim glared at him. "And what is this prophecy?"

Ron sighed slightly. "It says -

Storm clouds gather in the twilight.
Darkness soon will engulf the world
Only the impossible and the unstoppable
Can find the daughter of mind and the son of machine
And lead them to the world salvation.

I think you see why I think it applies to both of us."

Nodding Kim shifted her gaze to the wall behind him, a hard look settling on her face. "That is all well and good, but I still have work to do, to punish Global Justice for their crimes. When that is finished then I can help you, not before."

Ron moved closer to Kim, wanting to put his arm around her shoulder. "Kim, I know how much making GJ pay means to you, but this could involve the fate of the world. I think that take precedent."

Kim gave him a cold glare. "Maybe you forgot what they did while you were half-way around the world but I haven't. I swore that they will pay for their crimes and they will, no matter what."

Ron returned her glare. "I haven't forgotten anything, Kim. If anyone has forgotten anything, it is you. The Kim I knew would never pursue vengeance over helping someone. I think you have lost yourself since I left."

Kim stood in his face a murderous glare on her face. "I have forgotten nothing, Ron, you have. I am working to prevent Global Justice from hurting anyone else like they hurt us. That is far more important than some nebulous prophecy from an alleged mystic."

Ron returned her glare. "Sensei is not some fake mystic who spins tales for his own profit. Do not insult him again or not even your girlfriend will be able to stop me from hurting you."

Kim snorted. "You're one to talk. While I was stuck in hell, you walked off to a vacation at Yaminouchi and a new girlfriend. How long did it take you to hook up with Yori, a month, a week, a day?"

Ron started to raise his clenched fist as Kim shifted into her fighting stance. Before either could start the fight, a voice from the doorway stopped them.

"Enough."

~o~o~

Yori woke to an empty bed and quickly got dressed and went in search of Ron. She knew he had gone to talk with Kim, without her present and was worried about what might happen. He had matured greatly over the last couple of years but one area that had not only gotten better but had actually gotten worse was what had happened with Kim. She knew from experience, and Ron's stories, that Kim's reaction could be quite volatile.

Heading down stairs, she went in search of Ron and Kim. Checking several empty rooms, she entered the kitchen and saw Shego cooking breakfast. She cleared her throat to alert her to her presence and waited for her to acknowledge her presence before speaking.

Shego glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, you are up. Ron thought you would sleep for a couple of hours more. Have a seat; breakfast will be ready on a few minutes."

"Thank you, but I wish to talk with Kim and Ron first. I am worried about their reactions when they meet."

Shego shrugged. "I think they will be alright. They have been friends since pre-K."

Yori gave her a baffled look. "They are friends who haven't seen each other in over three years and who parted on . . . not the best terms shall we say. There are a great deal of unresolved issues between them and I fear they will not handle them well."

"I am certain they will be fine, this is Kim we are talking . . ." Shego's voice trailed off as she recalled some of Kim's more forceful actions. She gave Yori a worried look. "Maybe you are right. They are in the dojo, head back towards the entrance, it is at the end of the first corridor on the left."

Yori gave her a small bow, then quickly turned and set off to the dojo. As she neared the door, she heard them arguing and cautiously peered into the room. She listened to their argument, shaking her head at their blindness to the changes in each other. As they were about to come to blows, she stepped into the doorway and spoke in a forceful voice.

"Enough."

As they turned to look at her with startled looks on their faces, she continued. "You have both made the same mistake; you have acted as though the other person has not changed."

Turning to face Kim, she continued. "Ron is no longer the unsure boy you knew then, Kim. He has matured, mastered his Mystical Monkey Power and proved himself worth of being Sensei's heir to the leadership of Yaminouchi. Don't not treat him as the boy you remember but as the man he is."

Turning, she faced Ron and frowned slightly at the smile forming on his face. "You are not blameless in this Ron. While you had Sensei, Yaminouchi and me to help you, Kim had no one. She survived her ordeal and was made stronger by it. Even after all she went through she retained her ideals. She wanted to expose Global Justice's crime but wouldn't let people, innocent or guilty, get hurt in the process. You must respect her ideals and her passion."

She gave them both a slight bow and turned to head back to the kitchen. "Take as long as you need, I will tell Shego to delay breakfast until you are finished."

Kim and Ron shared a shamefaced look before they both spoke at once.

"Ron, I'm so sorry. I know how much you -"

"I am sorry for getting angry, Kim, I -"

The looked at each other in silence for several minutes, really looked at each other for the first time. Ron saw the faint lines of worry and stress on Kim's face, as well as the determined look in her eyes. Kim saw the serious look on Ron's face and noticed the stony demeanor of his face. The both started to smile at the other at the same time. Ron gestured for Kim to speak.

"You go first, Kim. K comes before R." Ron gave her a silly grin that reminded her of the boy she knew and had loved once.

Kim gave him a warm smile in return, the first time, Ron thought, that Kim had looked like the Kim she remembered. "Thanks, Ron. I'm sorry about what I said before. I was hurt and angry and took it out on you. I know you went through a lot and I am glad you had Yaminouchi and Yori to help you get through things."

Ron returned her smile. "No problemo, Kimbo, I understand. I know that what you went through was worse than what I did and I was afraid you would blame me. Yori was right, you never lost track of who you are and what you stand for. I hope you will help me with this prophecy but I will understand if you won't."

"Deal. How did you hook up with Yaminouchi after you left Middleton? Did you seek them out or did they find you?"

Ron sank down to the mat and motioned for Kim to take a seat beside him. "They found me. I wandered around aimlessly for about a month trying to find myself when Yori found me and took me back to Yaminouchi. Sensei took me in and helped me deal with everything that had happened, mostly by having me train for twelve hours a day. Eventually, I learned how to handle what had happened to me as well as mastering my Mystical Monkey Power."

Kim sat next to him and smiled at his words. "I'm glad you had people to help you, Ron." Her face lost its smile and grew sad. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you. It was all my fault that you had to go through that, if I hadn't gotten involved with Shego none of this would have happened."

Suddenly, Kim was openly crying as Ron put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He let her cry, gently stroking her hair and telling her it wasn't her fault and everything would be all right. After several minutes, Kim's tears stopped and she simply let Ron hold her, content to have her best friend hold for a while.

Ron gently brushed her hair away from her face. "Feeling better?"

Kim nodded. "Yes. Thanks, Ron, I needed that. I'm sorry I'm so weak, I -"

Ron put his finger to her lips, stopping her in mid-sentence. "No more apologies, for either of us. What is past is past. We can learn from it but we must not obsess over it or it will rule our lives."

Kim gave him a weak smile. "How did you get so wise? Taking lessons from Sensei."

"That is part of it. I think the biggest part is that it is not my problem. You know it is always easier to fix someone else's problems than your own."

"So, how did you and Yori hook up?" Kim asked with an innocent look on her face.

Ron got a goofy grin on his face. "She was there for me from the start, helping me train, supporting me emotionally. Once I started to master the Mystic Monkey Powers we became close friends, then more."

Kim returned his grin. "Good, you deserve to find someone who makes you happy."

"Thanks."

The two sat side by side for several minutes in silence, basking the familiar sense of being with their best friend. Smelling breakfast cooking, Ron stood up and offered his hand to help Kim up. "Come on, I smell breakfast and I don't know about you but I am starved."

Kim took his hand but instead of letting him pull her up, she pulled him back down to sit next to her. Ron looked at her questioning, but stifled his question when he saw the serious, worried look on her face.

"Ron, we still need to talk about what happened in Plantain and after."

"Kim, it is OK. We don't -"

"No, Ron, we do need to talk about this. We can't ignore what happened and how we feel or the situation will never get any better. You need to know what happened and why and I need to tell you the truth."

Ron looked into her eyes for a moment before reluctantly nodding. Kim took a moment to gather herself, then started to speak in a low voice.

"It was supposed to be a standard mission. Shego steals something, I track her down, we fight, I get the item back. I wasn't even worried that you weren't there; I figured I could handle it. But the mission was a lie; they planted a tracking device on me when I met the government officials."

Kim hugged he knees to her chest. "Once I found Shego they moved in to attack. Three Apache attack helicopters with full black ops teams. They opened fire as soon as we were in sight. The mini-guns destroyed the house and out building, there was nothing but splinters left. Shego and I found shelter behind a stonewall and she shot a plasma ball at one of the choppers. It took out the tail rotor, the pilot lost control and his mini-gun fire hit one of the other choppers.

She took a deep breath. "The chopper that was hit by the mini-gun exploded in mid-air while the chopper that was originally hit spun out of control and crashed into the jungle in a ball of fire. The one remaining chopper set down on the far side on the beach and the men came out shooting. We managed to escape on one of Shego's motorcycles.

"I had seen death before, on mission and doing rescue work, but this was the first time I had seen death that was that violent, that . . . raw. The next week was incredibly intense. We were on the run from military forces that would have shot us on sight, hiding out with rebels that we could never be certain we could trust."

Kim stared into the distance her eyes seeing only memories. "I got to know Shego in ways I had never thought possible. We grew closer than I ever imagined we could in that time. I saw her shot and held her in my arms, thinking she would die. We each came close to dieing several times and saved each others lives numerous times. What we went through drove us closer together. We . . . we fell in love. I know now it was the situation we were in, but at the time it was the most intense feeling I had ever had.

"When Wade got in touch with GJ, I thought everything would be OK. I never considered what would happen with Shego, with her being a wanted fugitive. When Dr. Director told us we were wanted and said she couldn't help I was lost, not having a clue what to do next. I wanted to stay with Shego and continue the fight with the rebels. Shego knew better, she knew that what we were feeling was only temporary, that I couldn't give up my whole life for a dream."

Kim wiped tears from her eyes. "I was mad when Shego made her offer to Dr. Director. She would turn herself in and plead guilty at her trial if I wasn't punished. I thought she had betrayed me but she saved me. She was right, what we had wouldn't have lasted. I yelled at her and told her I hated her that I never wanted to see her again."

Kim's voice was rough and her face a mask of sorrow and regret. "I am lucky she is still my friend that she is still willing to work with me. I wouldn't have blamed her if she never wanted to see me again."

Ron's voice gently cut in. "You still love her?"

Kim nodded absently. "I do. When I first broke her out, I thought I was over her, that we would just work together. I was wrong. As time went by, I found that I needed her more and more. If she left I don't think I could go on."

Ron gave her a quick hug, as she took a deep breath. "I never meant to hurt you, Ron. I wanted to talk to you, to explain what had happened, to tell you I still loved you but thanks to GJ, I couldn't. I wanted to pick up things were we left off but the restrictions on me wouldn't let that happen. I loved you Ron and I still do, just not in the same way. I'm sorry you had to suffer because of what they did to me. They will pay for every innocent they have hurt."

Ron shook his gently head. "Kim, you don't need to get revenge for me. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life on a futile mission just because of me. You are better than that. You can be the hero you once were again. Join me in stopping the threat facing the world."

Kim gave him a wan smile. "I . . . I'll think about it, Ron, I promise. I need to talk to Shego first. She has a say in this too."

Ron returned her smile and started to stand. "Breakfast?"

Kim stood. "Good idea, I'm starved."

~O~O~O~

Mask move effortlessly through the crowd in Singapore's Changi airport, heading for the nearest taxi stand. His nominal mission was to contact the Wah Kee Triad and give them his Master's instruction but he suspected there was more to this mission than that. This suspicion had been growing for several weeks as his Master sent him on several mission to convey his orders to some of his agents.

That in and of itself was not unusual but the targets of the missions were. These were all low-level agents who normally would be lucky to have him contact them once if at all. Plus, the orders he was giving were simple ones, such as proceed, continue, or stop. All of this had him convinced that his Master was using him as a stalking horse and decoy.

As he entered his cab, a call from his Master came on his cell phone. Taking a moment to prepare himself, he answered the call. "Yes, Master?"

He listened intently for a moment, his attention focused more the background than the orders his master was conveying. As usual, the orders he was to pass on were basic ones that could have been transmitted by normal means instead of requiring his presence. He was far more concerned by what he had heard in the background of the call.

His master had taught him most of what he knew about using his powers but there were a few tricks he had learned on his own. One of those was how to enhance his senses far beyond normal human capabilities. He seldom did it, since it took a great deal of effort and the senses tended to overwhelm him with too much information. Luckily, this time he hadn't been overwhelmed and he had been able to hear the background of the room his Master was making the call form clearly.

None of the voices he heard were ones that he knew and from the snippets of conversation he heard, he was able to deduce they had only moved to their current location recently. He gave the cabbie the address of his hotel and sat back to mull over what he had learned. It was obvious to him that his Master was using him as a distraction intended to lead his enemies astray. He was certain his Master had moved to a location he knew nothing about and had removed any link between Mask and himself.

The real question in his mind was what he should do now that his Master had betrayed him. Part of him said to repay betrayal with betrayal, to find his Master's enemies and give them the secrets he knew. Another part remembered all that his Master had done for him and argued for loyalty. Then again, it could be his Master was using him as part of some elaborate plan and needed him to act as he normally would. But what if his Master counted on him to find out about his betrayal and planned on him reacting in that way.

As the cab pulled up to his hotel, he gave a resigned sigh. He climbed out of the cab and made his way to the registration desk after paying the fare. He needed to rest and think for a while before he decided how to act. A resigned part of him was certain that whatever he decided to do, his Master would have foreseen it and taken his reaction into account in his plan.

Once he reached his room he pulled off his jacket and tie and flopped down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, his mind was a whirl of options and worry as he contemplated his future. After several minutes of fruitless though he shut his eyes and struggled to still his mind. He knew, deep down, that he would continue to follow his Masters orders, even though he was being used as a distraction and decoy. Resigning himself to his fate, he fell into a fitful sleep.

~O~O~O~

Yori was sitting next to Ron, across the table from Kim and Shego, as they ate their breakfast in silence. Ron was, as usual, focused on his food to the exclusion of all else, Kim was eating mechanically, her mind lost in thought, while Shego kept casting sidelong glances at Kim, worry etched on her face. Yori ducked her head, focusing on the food on her plate. Used to a simple bowl of broth in the morning, the amount, and heaviness, of the breakfast dismayed her and she silently searched for a way to politely excuse her lack of hunger.

She gave a silent sigh of relief when Ron, having finished his meal, looked up and saw the food on her plate. "Yori-chan, can I have your -." his question trailed off as she slid her plate over to him. "Thanks!" Ron gave her a wide grin as he dove into the new plate of food.

Shego rolled her eyes. "Classy as ever, Stoppable."

"I am what I am." Ron mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"That you are." Shego gave him a wry grin as she glanced over at Kim and saw she had finished her breakfast. Shego stood, collecting her and Kim's plate, and took them to the sink to wash. As she finished the last of the dishes, she looked at Ron with a mock glare in her eyes. "You can do your own dishes when you get finished."

"No problems, Sheegs. Kim can tell you I always clean up after a meal, unless she is cooking." Kim didn't even look up at Ron's taunt, keeping her absentminded gaze focused on the tabletop in front of her. Ron and Shego exchanged worried glances, then Ron looked questioningly at Yori, who gave him a non-committal shrug.

Shego dried her hands on the dishtowel and walked over to stand behind Kim. Gently resting a hand lightly on her shoulder she waited until Kim turned to look at her. "Are you all right, Princess? You have been distracted ever since you and Stoppable finished your talk. What is on your mind?"

Kim cast a slightly guilty at the three of them. "I have just been thinking about what Ron said and whether I should help with his problem or finish taking out Global Justice. I can't seem to make up my mind, every time I come up with a reason to decide one way I come up with another reason to decide the other. Sorry, if I haven't been good company."

Shego gave her a quick hug, a hug, Ron noticed, she was reluctant to end. "It's OK pumpkin, you don't have to make you decision right away. You can talk it over with us if you want."

Kim shook her head. "Maybe later. Right now I need a distraction to give my mind a chance to calm down."

Ron gave the three women a grin. "How about some sparing? It should do the trick with your mind. Besides, the three of you just might have a chance of beating me."

Shego and Kim stared at him in open mouth amazement as he turned and headed to the dojo, Yori in tow. "Ron-san, you must stop joking so. I do not think even the three of us can defeat you if you use your full ability."

Kim and Shego shared a heated look, fire burning in their eyes. As one the turned and stalked after him. Shego muttering darkly. "Monkey master my eye. He is going to be one dead little chimp when I get a hold of him."

Kim nodded her agreement as they entered the dojo and stopped in awe. Ron and Yori were already sparring and both the skill and power being displayed were more than they had expected. Ron saw them standing in the doorway and waved for them to join the fight. "Come on you two, I would like to get a good work out in."

Kim lept into the fray with a determined look on her face, hands and feet flashing. Shego had an even grin on her face as she followed Kim, plasma wreathing her hands. For the next three hours, the four of them fought in ever changing combinations. Ron's Mystical Monkey Power made him faster, stronger and more skilled, Yori was technically perfect in her martial arts forms, Kim knew almost two dozen forms of martial arts and could mix and change them on the fly and Shego, while not knowing as many forms as Kim or being as technically perfect as Yori, had her comet spawned powers to even the score.

The four lay sprawled on the mats in the dojo, sweat coating their bodies, their breath coming in rough gasps. After several minutes, when their breathing had slowed to almost normal, Shego let out low moan. "Damn, Stoppable, you are good. I haven't had a workout like that in a long time."

Kim gave a weak nod. "You are so right, sweetie. Ron, that was amazing, I always knew you had potential, but wow."

Ron gave a contented sigh. "Thanks, ladies that means a lot. I know I am good if I can keep up with you two. Taking on the three of you was much tougher than facing the senior class at Yaminouchi."

"Hai." Yori said weakly. "I knew Kim-sama was good but I am very impressed by the number of styles she has mastered and her ability to switch between them on the fly. And Shego-sama's speed and strength rival that of Ron-san when he is channeling his Mystic Monkey Power."

"You are not too bad yourself." Shego replied as she slowly sat up. "You are technically perfect and were not fazed for a second by my powers. Plus you were fearless to get in the middle of the three of us."

The others sat up slowly and the four shared a few minutes of silence goofy grins plastered on their faces. Kim's gaze grew clouded and the grin slipped from her face.

"Cupcake, what's the matter?" Shego reached out and took Kim's hand comfortingly.

Kim spoke hesitantly. "I still have to decide if I want to help Ron of finish with Global Justice. My mind keeps going around and around with no answer in sight."

"No matter what you decide I will be with you, Princess." Kim smiled in response as Shego squeezed her hand.

Yori waited a moment before speaking. "If you help Ron-san, you will be hurt Global Justice." Seeing their questioning looks. "When we were searching for you, we talked with Dr. Director. Ron gave her the prophecy. If you defeat the threat, when they could not, would that not damage their reputation?"

Shego looked Kim in the eyes. "She is right. You can be the hero you have always been, save the world as always and make GJ look incompetent at the same time."

Kim saw Ron nod out of the corner of her eye but kept her gaze focused on Shego's. "Plus it will show the world you aren't a villain anymore and take away their reason for hunting you." Kim covered Shego's had with hers and squeezed.

Kim stared into the distance for a moment; her sight focused inward not outward, before she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "You are right. The best way to get back at Betty and her storm troopers is to do their job better than them." She turned to look Ron in the eye. "What leads do you have?"

Ron ducked his head sheepishly. "We don't really have any leads so far. We were focused on finding you first."

Kim nodded. "Given the prophecy, that makes sense. I guess we will have to start from the beginning then."

"We have asked the network of Yaminouchi alumni to help but so far they have found nothing." Yori added quietly. "Global Justice may have an advantage in discovering the danger due to their intelligence network."

Yori fell silent when she saw the grins on Kim and Shego's faces. Seeing the quizzical look on her face Kim explained. "Come with me and you will understand why that won't be a problem."

Ron gave a shrug in reply to Yori's unspoken question as they rose and followed Kim and Shego back to the main room. They watched as Kim pressed a concealed switch to cause the hidden entrance to the lower level computer room to be revealed. They started to follow Kim after she motioned for them to accompany her and Shego as they descended the stairs. Ron gave a low whistle when he saw the mass of computer equipment while Yori simply nodded in appreciation. "This is very impressive, Kim-sama. Do you think you will be able to discover the danger that threatens world with this?"

Kim laughed. "It should be good for that, but the main use for it will be to see what GJ has on the problem."

"GJ?!" Ron and Yori exclaimed in unison.

Kim smiled at them. "Ron, if you remember when we helped Condor and he gave us this base?" Ron nodded. "He was a member of the Autonomous United Nations Tribunal, one of the predecessors of Global Justice. Since he is listed as semi-active and no one knows this base is not his anymore his computer system still has access to Global Justice's system."

By now, Ron and Yori were grinning too. "Then by all means KP, let's see what they are up to."

Shego, who had been activating the system while they talked, turned to them with a puzzled look on her face. "Something is weird here. There is a message for us, but it makes no sense and there is no clue as to how it got on the system."

They all crowded around the monitor. "Let's see what it says."

When all is darkness
And all hope seems gone
Despair is not the answer
Everything will work out in the end

xxxxx

NA NA na na,
NA NA na na,
hey hey hey,
goodbye

xxxxx

Simple everyday items
Need no explanations
Implying the underlying simplicity
Truly simple things are better than
Complex things in this
Hierarchical world of privilege where
Everyday is a trial and
Solutions are hard to find

xxxxx

Do you need a helping hand?
Understanding is the way
Love is the answer
Contrary to popular belief
Everything is coming up roses

The four looked at each other in confusion. "So, what does that mean?"

~O~O~O~

A/N- Next chapter coming soon. We will check in and find out what Ann, Betty and Nancy have been up to.