Author Notes: Okay chapter 8 is up and ready to go. Hope every likes and reviews. I think there are only about 2-3 chapters to go so it should be done soon. As always I don't own anything. It's all Disney.
Open the Door Chapter 8: Training and Preparation
By
Darkcloud
Ron practically blurred as he made his way to Kim. With each passing moment the power within him seemed to grow and in turn making him run all the more faster. Within in seconds it seemed he had made it to the room where Kim had gone to investigate Monkey Fist. Ron's hand reached for the door handle and it was then that he had his first surprise. With his abilities pumped up the way they were Ron was able to see door begin to bend out but he was not fast enough to get out of the way.
The door blew apart with amazing force slamming the young warrior into the closest wall. Had Ron discovered later that he had left a small indentation from his impact he would not have been surprised. Slowly he began to regain consciousness and the darkness receded from his vision. This was somewhat of a shock since he hadn't realized he had fainted in the first place. Kim! The blast was huge. Ron picked himself up and wondered for a moment that he wasn't more hurt than he felt. As he stood his pants fell to floor his belt broken.
"So not time for this." Ron grimaced as he pulled out his spare belt. Composed he entered the room expecting anything.
The room was in shambles. Off to one corner there was a pile of rubble that looked like the remains of a statue of a...monkey? Ron let his gaze follow around the master bedroom everything was in tatters if not from Monkey Fist and his minions then certainly from the explosion that had followed. However neither could be found now, only the scattered remains of furniture and old decorations. The young man's eyes locked on the sad sight sitting unusually stiff on the old battered bed. His best friend since Pre-K sat there on her knees and Ron knew that even though she was looking in his direction she did not see him; her eyes were oddly...vacant.
"KP?" He said quietly as he made his way over to the redhead's side. God let her be okay Ron thought as he neared her. When she didn't respond he climbed up on the bed and knelt in front of her and took her by the shoulders.
"Kim?" Ron said a little more forcefully. The young woman flinched as if startled and looked into Ron's eyes as if seeing him for the first time. Ron was thankful for the Mystical Monkey Power still coursing through him ( How come that hasn't faded yet Ron wondered) as Kim wrapped her around him and buried her head in his chest in an embrace born out of desperation.
"Ron...Monkey Fist...he's not like before...I fought...not like before"
"Shh KP. It's okay." Ron said as he started stroke her hair trying to sound as comforting as possible. In truth he barely knew how to handle this. In almost the entirety of their friendship Kim had been the strong one. Oh, Kim had her moments of weakness alright just like anyone else but this time was different...Kim was afraid, not Josh Mankey crush afraid or how do I look on Food Chain afraid but real fear. She was shivering in his arms.
"Ron he was so much faster and stronger than before. The whole fight he was just playing with me and he was so..." she couldn't continue and Ron would have sworn she whimpered as she pushed her face back into his shirt.
"Hey Kim no big right? So big bad Monkey has a few new moves nothing we haven't taken on before right? We'll just regroup and kick a little monkey but next time he shows up." Ron felt Kim shudder for a moment but was relieved when he noticed her breathing was slowing down.
"Ron I don't know if I could beat him not like he is now." She bent and looked up in his eyes and he had a realization as saw the emotions warring within them. It wasn't just fear he saw in her eyes but she the look of someone begging for forgiveness. If wasn't just that she was afraid of Monkey Fist she was worried that she had failed him, that she had not been strong enough for him and here she was the strongest most caring friend he had ever known.
It was on that moment that Ron Stoppable knew he truly loved Kim Possible.
"Kim enough of that you lost a fight with Monkey Fist and let me remind you that is a first."
"But--"
"No buts," Ron interrupted. "Your the girl who can do anything remember...except cook your one of the scariest people a kitchen I've ever known." He said with a slight grin.
She smiled back. "Great now all we have to invite him to one of my home cooked meals." Kim replied with a laugh.
"Oh no KP that just wouldn't be right." Ron said with mock seriousness and Kim looked at him quizzically.
"We want to beat the bad guy...that would kill him right out." Ron said letting the laughter creep back into his voice."
Kim laughed and punched him on the arm. "Jerk"
"Ronman's just doing his best to make his bon-diggity best friend feel better." He said trying to maintain one of his patented goofy grins.
"You do you know."
"What?"
"Make me feel better, you always have." Kim said with a strange look on her face. "Even when you drive me crazy."
"You know I always be here for you KP." Ron though he had said something wrong as the look on her face faltered and the look of despair began to creep back in.
"Three days." she said at almost a whisper.
"Three days what happens in three days?" Ron asked as he searched his brain trying to figure out a way to keep her spirits up.
"Monkey Fist said he was coming back in three days." She nodded toward the ruined statue. "That was what he was after; he destroyed after kicking my butt and said you have three days until he comes back. He thinks you two are going to have a reckoning of some sort."
"We are, we will." Ron said with a hint of cold in his voice and he pushed Kim away from him and looked her in the eye. "But it will be me who fights him KP."
"Sure you'll be there and maybe together--"
"I WILL be there I have to fight Monkey Fist but you won't."
"Ron you can't seriously think I let you fight him alone do you." she said with her voice going back into there more normal commanding tones. She looked at him with determination.
Well that moment of fear is over Ron thought lightly. Time for serious face.
"No Kim something about this place is making the whole magical powers thing that much stronger than it was before. The Mystical Monkey Power is not just coming and going when it feels like it. Kim it's like being around him is making the power scream to be released."
"All the more reason for me to be there."
"This isn't about you Kim."
"I'm not saying it is I'm just--"
"Trying to save me again." Ron interrupted. "Like this was some kind of mission, but it's not, this has to do with me, my destiny, and my responsibility."
"Since when are you Mr. Responsibility?" she said with a half hearted teasing voice.
"I'm still not," Ron grinned back at her, "I mean just ask Monique if she wants to partner with me on the next science project."
"Well you did mange to help out."
"Only after fighting a cloned dinosaur I felt I owed her for dragging the poor girl into that." Ron face became grim. "But this isn't some schoolwork dilemma where the worst I have to worry about is getting another D on my report card. For some reason I was chosen for this power. If I don't do this people could get hurt and I could live with myself if that happened KP."
"So why does that mean I can't help?"
"I just feel have to face this alone KP, your going to have to trust me on this one." Ron knew that even as he was telling his best friend this that she was already thinking of a way to be there and help him. He knew it wasn't really a matter of trust. She did trust him but she was more than willing to do what she thought was needed to protect him. Ron knew that in the reverse situation he would do exactly the same.
Beside he had an idea.
﴾ Scene Break﴿
Elder looked at the two young heroes talking and for a moment once again wondered if they were ready for the path he was going to lay before them. He supposed it didn't matter in the long he really didn't have much of a choice.
No matter the outcome young Stoppable would have to face the eventual battle that having the Mystical Monkey Power required. Elder could not change that even if he wanted too. But the real issue was whether the young warrior was ready for this fight. Monkey Fist Might not normally be as powerful as Ron but he was a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar while Ron had only had a few weeks of formal training. Also Monkey Fist had more to fight for…he had a burning desire to be the ultimate Monkey Master while Ron was only doing this to keep Monkey Fist from harming anyone. An honorable reason but in the end it was not enough to allow Ron to win.
Was three days even enough? Elder was starting to doubt. He knew that young Stoppable could be a great warrior one day no matter what his ultimate destiny was but there was so little time in order to prepare him for this fight. There was no time to train him in the skill. In terms of power here in this place the two warriors would be about even. That left the young warriors spirit. There might just be a way to prepare his spirit but it would be dangerous. It would not due to have young Stoppable die before completing his Destiny.
But it was a risk Elder was willing to take.
﴾ Scene Break﴿
Kim was still a little freaked by her fight with Monkey Fist but with Ron there she was feeling a little better. She could see a change in her best friend, there was same worry in fear in his eyes that she was used to seeing but there was a…steadiness there that wasn't normally there. And she wasn't quite sure it could be the lightning in the room but was there slightest blue glow emanating from Ron's skin? Was Ron right that his powers were manifesting themselves here stronger than they had ever seen before?
Her train of thought was interrupted by a loud cough. Standing in the doorway an old man watched the both of them. Kim wasn't sure but she thought there might be a note of worry in the old man's expression. If it was there it disappeared after a moment and was replaced by a more typical arrogance that Kim found infuriating.
"It amazes Elder how American teenagers keep ending up in each others arms after supposedly being here to help poor helpless old man with his chores. Elder impressed really, the room looks great." He said sarcastically as he gestured to the wreck of a room around them.
Ron pulled away from Kim clearly a little embarrassed. Kim could understand where he was coming from since they were in a compromising position when someone who was as old as their grandparents walking in. However the young heroine couldn't help but be a little mad that he pulled away so quickly. Though if she was honest with herself Kim knew it had more to do with the fact that she didn't really like Elder all that much. Kim opened her mouth to try to come up with an explanation but the old warrior cut her off before she could begin an excuse.
"I see the Monkey Fist finally decided to strike." Elder said calmly.
Kim looked back at Ron, the realization of what Elder had just said dawning on her.
"You told him!" she whispered piercingly. "I thought you had agreed with me that we shouldn't tell him anything until we learned more!"
"Well not exactly KP," Ron said timidly, "I mean you basically just told me not to tell but it just didn't feel right I mean there was a supervillain running around his house. "
"This is ferociously uncool Ron; you could have told me if you felt that strongly about it. I would have understood."
"Maybe but your natural Kimmness seemed to be taking over. You were kinda stuck on the whole Elder is bad thing plus I needed…." Ron trailed off not wanting to finish his sentence.
"Enough with teenage drama." Elder interrupted. "Elder is too old for this. Young Possible do you actually an entire troop of monkeys and a rogue supervillain would not catch Elder's attention?" Elder made a tsking sound. "Please Elder knew the moment they were here."
"But why didn't you tell us?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Elder countered. "We both had reasons for keeping our own counsel. Young Stoppable was the only one of us willing to actually take the time to trust. He did so because he felt he needed help with this Monkey Fist character."
It is important to note at this time that as Ron saw the vocal sparring match going on between the old warrior and his best friend his newly enhanced senses (or maybe just a good normal sense of self-preservation) told him it might be a good idea to put some distance between himself and the now fiery redhead. So when Kim turned and looked back Ron had already managed to give himself a nice healthy distance away from those deadly looking green eyes.
"I thought no one could help you, Ron." Kim said with ice dripping off her words.
"Well uh KP I mean he's not really helping me per say…" Ron stammered.
"Young Possible there is no reason…." Elder tried to start in but was interrupted by the same deadly stare that Ron had just received. Elder was surprised to find that he had actually flinched!
"You know I think I've had enough of you!" Kim said her voice border lining on shouting. "I mean you act like I have some sort of issue with trust. Well gee, you did attack us the first second we stepped in the door. I presume I was just supposed to forget about that. And then let's not forget you have like five centuries of junk stuffed in this place, a supervillain running around, books that talk about ancient magical weapons, oh and let's not forget that Wade the boy genius who can find out anything seems to be unable to find a trace about you!"
Ron who up until now had been doing a good job by not making a sound decided to do something stupid. He moved. He might have had any number of reasons for this foolish act. Maybe he was going to try and calm Kim down, he might have considered making a bolt for the door and leaving the old man to his fate, or he might have just had an itch. In any case the slight movement drew the wrath of the beast back to him.
"And don't think for a minute that I forgot about you Ron Stoppable!" Kim said and turned pointing at him. "I know you have been holding something back from me this whole sitch! So you have a secret fine. You don't have to tell me but what I don't appreciate you going behind my back. I'm your friend I'm supposed to help you but instead you go to person we both hardly even know who for all you know could be working for Monkey Fist!" Kim stopped suddenly and looked back and forth between the two men. She seemed slightly out of breath and a little drained.
"I can't take either of you right now." And with that she stormed out of the room.
Ron and Elder just stared at each for a few minutes. It was Elder who finally broke the silence.
"Young Stoppable much braver that Elder ever imagined."
"Yeah when KP gets tweaked she can be really scary." Ron replied.
"Is she worth it?" Elder asked.
For a moment Ron was going to reflex with saying that they were just friends but he stopped himself wanting to be honest.
"Yeah she is more than anything else in my life." Ron said with a grin.
"Then why do you intend to push her away on the eve on your greatest challenge."
"Because she is not apart of this fight." Ron replied not bothering to ask how Elder knew his intentions.
"Just because this battle is yours alone Young Stoppable does not mean that you have to be alone. She can be at your side lending her strength and spirit to you."
Ron shook his head. "No she can't, you don't know KP, she doesn't have it in her to sit on the sidelines. It was always me that played the distraction. She faces things head on and if I was fighting Monkey Fist she would try to fight him and he might actually kill her just to mess with my head. I couldn't live with that."
"Who knows Young Stoppable you may be right but in Elders experience two people tied together such as you two are not so easily parted. "
"Yeah right umm what exactly does that mean?" Ron asked with a perplexed look on his face.
"It means that no matter what you may wish you may not have a choice on whether she is with you or not."
"But that is enough for tonight. By now Young Possible was realized that she actually has nowhere storm off too considering you have the keys to the only transportation around here and might have calmed enough for you to take her home."
"Umm what about the mess?"
"Not important right now, I'm sure you can clean it up later. Tonight you must get some rest since tomorrow you will have your training."
"Not really a lot of time for training is there?"
"Elder will be the judge of what is it time for. Now go you don't want to keep the young woman waiting." Ron attempted a partial bow (this guy was technically his sensei after all) and left the room.
Elder pondered for a moment what would be harder for the young warrior facing his quasi girlfriend or the "training" Elder had in store for him. Remembering the look in Kim's eyes when she left the ancient man considered it a toss up.
﴾ Scene Break﴿
Ron walked toward the foyer wondering how he had screwed up things so quickly. The impossible had happened Kim actually liked him sans moodulator and he managed to make her hate him within a week. One week! They hadn't even gone on a real date yet. Well maybe it would be easier to keep her from showing up to face Monkey Fist this way.
"Hey Ron." A voice said from behind him. So absorbed he was in his thoughts he had not noticed he actually passed Kim who had been sitting on a chair in the hallway. Unfortunately Mystical Monkey Power or not he was so taken aback that he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.
"Ow."
"Ron are you okay?" Kim asked worriedly as she knelt beside him.
"Just fine KP, just thought I'd take a moment to admire the fine quality of carpet Elder purchased for this hallway. It's surprisingly soft." Ron was surprised to hear a small laugh from his friend. She helped him sit back up. The look Kim caught in Ron's face was far sadder than she had been expecting.
"Ron you sure your okay. I mean if you hurt yourself we should have my Mom take---"
"Kim have I screwed us up?" Kim was a little taken back by the question and Ron took her hesitation badly."
"Kim I'm sorry for going behind your back and I have been keeping some secrets from you but I made a promise so I couldn't tell you!"
"Ron I am mad at you, a lot."
"I'm really sorry KP—"he stopped as she held up her hand.
"Let me finish, I am mad at you, but that has nothing to do with "us" Whatever your reasons did they have anything to do with you and me being a couple?"
"Well no not particularly I mean things would have been the same even if were just best friends."
"And do you think you had good reasons to do what you did?"
"Yes I still do."
"Then don't apologize just because your scared of losing me, we have been best friends for a long time and both of us have done some stupid things to each other and our friendship has been strong enough to take it. That's not going to change just because we are trying something new. If you apologize I want you to feel like you want to not like you have to. "
"Pretty deep KP."
"Not really I was incredibly pissed when I left but I had a few minutes to think things through."
As Ron stood he looked at his friend and the leaned over and kissed her. For a moment she kissed him back and he felt the warmth of her words. She would be there for him even if he was being dumb at times. He sighed a little as she pulled away.
"Stop that," she said with a small smile, "I am still mad at you remember?"
"Sorry KP caught up in moment."
"Well get caught up in giving me a ride home."
"On it KP!"
As Ron drove his girl home he was happy to find she still held him tightly.
﴾ Scene Break﴿
Late that night….
Wade woke up the sound of the Kimmunicator alarm. To his surprise it was Ron on the screen.
"Hey Ron what's up did Monkey Fist attack again?"
"No but I do need some information from you."
"Okay what?"
"I need some possible targets that supervillains could hit in the next couple of days. Oh and a few email addresses."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably but I need you to trust me."
"Okay but I want the entire sitch." Wade waited while Ron contemplated his demand.
"I can give you a lot of it but something's I cannot tell."
Wade listened as Ron gave him his instructions and after hearing his reasons he still wasn't sure if he should help but this was one of the few areas where Ron knew more than Kim. Wade began gathering the necessary resources and hoped he was making the right decision.
﴾ Scene Break﴿
The next day the young couple arrived early at Elder's estate. There was no longer much of a pretense for cleaning. Ron had spent a good part of his night telling Kim everything about the Lotus Blade and its ties to the Mystical Monkey Power (when she pressed for details about how knew what he knew Ron told her honestly that it was a secret) and about Elder's offer to train him. Kim once again felt it unwise to trust the old warrior but Ron explained he felt the Power was telling him to go to the old man. After some more arguing she finally agreed to let him as long as she was there for the training.
In the foyer there was a note saying to meet Elder in one the studies that Elder frequently disappeared too. It was after a few minutes that they knocked don his door.
"Come Young Stoppable, Possible." Elder called. As they entered Kim glanced around the room. Despite the furniture which was what you'd expect in a study Kim was surprised at the amount of Japanese decorations and style. On small table however there was a tea set and Kim could smell it from here. Unlike the teas Elder drank at dinner it smelt horrible.
"What is that stuff?" Ron asked echoing her thoughts.
"That stuff is to prepare you for training." Elder said and he pointed to a sofa obviously wanting them to sit. After they complied he continued.
"Young Possible I did not truly intend for you to be here but as I have said to our warrior here I felt the both of you are two connected to try to avoid it. But I must have a promise from you if you're going to stay."
"And that is?" Kim said a little frostily.
"That no matter what happens or what you think is happening you will not interfere. You may be here for him but you must not try and help him."
"You don't seriously think that if—"
"KP." Ron said. "We went through this."
"Fine. I promise." Kim said as she grasped the arm on her chair. She clearly did not want agree to this.
"Very well in that case we don't have any time to waste. Tomorrow is when the monkey man attacks after all." Elder handed Ron a cup of the fowl smelling tea.
"Uh Elder sir? Do I have to drink this?" Ron asked eyeing the cup dubiously.
"Yes."
"Oh well the Ronman can handle a bad drink." And he downed the tea in one gulp. He waited to see if anything was going to happen.
"Ron are you okay?" Kim asked fearfully.
"Yeah KP I know it smells horrible but it actually didn't taste that bad—"his sentence was cut off as his eyes rolled back up in his head and he fell over. Kim was just quick enough to catch her friend before he hit the floor. She quickly checked his pulse to see if it was erratic. She paused and felt again. She didn't feel a pulse at all! She looked up at Elder with tears in her eyes.
"What did you do to him?"
Elder looked at her and this time she could see the sadness in his eyes. But there was no emotion in his voice.
"I killed him."
﴾ Scene Break﴿
Ron blinked and looked up at mostly clear sky. This was funny because the last he knew he had been indoors. He head was hurting and through his clothes he could feel grass. After a moment as the pain in his head began to subside he decided it would be in his best interest to look around. He was on the edge of a small forest and looking around he could see no signs of civilization. The air was remarkably clean and fresh. He seemed to be alone so he reached for his Kimmunicator to reach Wade or Kim. That was when he noticed he was not dressed in his regular clothes. He was dressed in a normal stylized karate Gi. The only difference was that opposed to the standard white his was a light blue. Ron was pretty sure he didn't deserve the black belt.
"Greetings Ron Stoppable." A deep voice said from behind him.
Ron spun around and saw no one.
"Oh great I'm going crazy." Ron mumbled to himself.
"Sigh. You're not going crazy." Ron still didn't see anyone.
"Why don't the voices go away?" he whined.
"Down here." Ron looked down and saw…..Rufus? Well maybe if Rufus had spent his life body building. This little guy was ripped!
"As I was saying, greeting Ronald Stoppable I am the High Spirit of the great race that is the Naked Mole Rat and I am your fill in spirit guide."
Ron was still getting over the fact that Rufus was talking to him so it took him a minute to register the last part.
"Wait fill in?"