Chapter 4 – Contenders Part I
Ron Stoppable has never fought like that. Any success he had before was only due to his 'dumb skill,' something Drakken was familiar with on many an occasion. He was livid at the idea that the boy considered the first round of his fight a 'warm-up.' Yet to that idea, Drakken had no practical comeback; he fought the urge to grumble in the usual unintelligible way that Shego frequently drove him to do while clenching his fists at his sides and gritting his teeth in a malicious expression aimed at Ron. He wrestled with the thought that he would have to comply with the agreement to tell Ron where he was, but Drakken was momentarily spared the embarrassment of conceding when it was reported that someone wanted to speak to him.
His tone was bitter when he asked, "Who is it?"
"He says he will only speak with you on a secure line before identifying himself," stated the henchman.
"Well tell whoever he is to buzz off! I don't have time to chat!"
"He says he has a proposition for you regarding the boy."
A proposition? Drakken's frustration gave way to curiosity. He decided to comply. "Very well. Go secure." Drakken then looked at Ron's screen. "Don't go anywhere," he stressed. "I'm not through with you yet." He then gave the order to terminate all transmissions, cutting off the world, Kim, Wade, and Ron.
When it was confirmed the transmission between Drakken and the incoming caller was safe, a single image was brought up on the main screen. Drakken recognized the leader of the Worldwide Evil Empire. "Gemini?"
"Greetings, Doctor Drakken." Gemini appeared genuinely pleasant and not at all smug.
"What's this I hear about a proposition?"
"Global Justice-" Drakken and company wondered why the sounds of growling and frantic barking would cause Gemini to stop speaking. Then they heard him apologize in a nauseatingly sweet tone to someone named Pepe who was off screen.
Gemini resumed addressing Drakken in a more serious tone. "GJ once conducted research on Mr. Stoppable, believing he was the secret behind Kim Possible's success."
Drakken knew that was absolute rubbish.
Gemini continued. "I sought him out to learn about the skills he possessed; I lost agents in the process of my research. When I finally had him, he insistently claimed he has never been the key to Kim Possible's success. Not long after, his partner Kim Possible and the director of…" He caught himself almost saying 'Global Justice' again, knowing those two words always upset Pepe. Once he resumed, his tone grew dark with each passing word. "…GJ infiltrated my lair and defeated me! Ron Stoppable made a fool of me!" At the word fool, the armrest of his chair was fractured when he angrily pounded his cybernetic hand against it.
Gemini took a few breaths, calming down. "I seek to avenge myself of that humiliation."
Gemini's attitude towards Ron intrigued Drakken. Yet there was one thing that troubled him. "Just a moment. If you beat him then the credit goes to you. I'm still left to deal with the humiliation of this defeat."
The founder of WEE simply smiled. "Nonsense. This is your challenge. You would merely send him to the next round… or next level, whatever you want to call it. I merely desire the satisfaction of his defeat." A map appeared onscreen with the Greek symbol for Gemini blinking steadily, indicating the location selected by the man Gemini. "I want you to send him here." Beside the symbol was the name of the site.
The map was gone leaving only Gemini. "'Ron Factor' or not, he will pay. When you send him, say nothing about me. Also, you're welcome to let the world watch this as well."
Drakken, Shego, and all others knew not what he meant by 'Ron Factor,' but Drakken was eager to comply. After he agreed, and after Gemini added one more suggestion, the transmission ended. Drakken ordered all regular communications up again.
"No! You agreed to tell me where Kim is if I won your challenge!"
It was now Ron who was outraged when Drakken refused to disclose Kim's whereabouts and said that a new contender was chosen to battle Ron. As instructed, Drakken said nothing to Ron about Gemini. He simply instructed Ron to travel to the Theatre of Dionysus, in Athens, Greece, where his next challenge awaits.
When Ron refused, Drakken merely crossed his arms and smiled haughtily. "You will go, or bad things will happen to good people… specifically your girlfriend." Gemini suggested that he ought to do to Kim whatever he chose if Ron did not comply with this challenge. "To Athens, you buffoon." Drakken ended the conversation.
Ron was now en route to Athens and Rufus was finally conscious. After a scan by Wade, he was assured his mole rat was 'A-Okay.' It troubled him that Wade had still not located Drakken's newest lair. His communication with Drakken ended so fast he never had the chance to ask if he would then learn of Kim's location if he beat this one. If his challenger knew, maybe he could get the answer out of him.
Ron finally touched down in Athens, and with Wade's help he was able to find the ruined theatre. Ron, having made his way to the ancient, stone stage, looked around, finding no one. The theatre was out in the open and there were no structures anyone could hide behind very well, not even the trees. Thermal scans by Wade revealed him to be the only one there.
"Wait a second." Wade spotted something on his monitor then tapped some keys on his keyboard. "Ron you've got incoming." He switched the image on the Kimmunicator so Ron could see, too. There were eighteen blinking dots closing in on the center of the screen.
"What do you think they are?"
Wade received feedback from a scan of the objects. "They're not very big." He paused. "They're aerial cameras. You should see them now, heading your way from your left."
Ron looked. Each one flew, none flying by propeller or rotor. They scattered and settled at different spots, some on seats, others in the trees; some nearby for close-ups, and others at a distance for wide view. Three remained in the air, hovering around the stage.
"Ron, there's something else headed your way. A single aircraft, directly ahead of you."
Ron looked up and spotted the large jet. It approached, and then landed a little more than one hundred meters away, the port side facing Ron. A door slid open at the middle section of the plane, followed by a stairwell descending to the ground. From the doorway and down the stairwell marched twenty-three uniformed men, each bearing a Greek letter. To his dismay they all carried various weapons – spears, swords, or holstered laser pistols. Each entered and scattered around the theatre.
Ron regarded each armed man apprehensively, but strangely felt no reason to assume a fighting stance since none appeared intent on fighting yet. His back was now facing the location of the jet. A couple of the agents he faced pointed behind him. Ron turned to look back at the jet and found one more person – a familiar face, one eye concealed by a patch, and one lethal, robotic hand – descending the stairwell.
Drakken was grateful for the chip planted on Ron. It allowed him to know where the boy was and for the cameras to find the theatre. The sight of Gemini's armed men troubled him, but this feeling he kept to himself.
Shego addressed Drakken with the question that Kim, Ron, and the entire world demanded be answered. "Dr. D, I know you want Stoppable beaten, but don't you think killing him is going too far?"
Only Shego and his henchmen would receive an answer. "This is Gemini's fight," he replied with a shrug.
Shego glanced at the monitor displaying Kim's cell. Kim knew nothing about the arrangement between Drakken and Gemini. She saw how the girl was practically against the wall, horrified, staring at the monitor displaying the theatre setting, palms pressed firmly to the right and left of the screen, fearing for Ron. Shego was a villain, but she felt a slight twinge of sympathy for the girl. She looked back to the Theatre of Dionysus.
"This does not bode well for the Ronster," he said aloud to himself, just as Gemini stopped at the outer seating area. "I take it a tour of the theatre and history lesson are out of the question?" he called out to the approaching villain.
Gemini merely huffed at Ron's remark. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Ron Stoppable," greeted the WEE leader. "I was very impressed with your skills against Drakken's fighters."
"So you're my next challenge?" Ron asked. "Why?"
"Old times' sake," Gemini answered plainly. "Plus, you did quite well in unarmed combat. It's time to test you in armed combat."
"But I don't have a weapon!"
"Then you came unprepared," was the mock-pity response.
Ron tapped his pocket to summon Rufus. "We got trouble, little buddy," he said quietly. "I'm going to need help, big time."
Rufus poked his head out and looked around. He gasped then looked up at Ron.
"Go find us some weapons."
Rufus nodded then leapt from his haven and hurried off.
This act did not escape Gemini's notice. "Sparing your little rodent?"
"I'm… making things up as I go?" Ron replied. He wondered to himself, "Now what?"
"A true warrior needs not his eyes to see." The familiar voice spoke inside Ron's head.
"Sensei?"
"These men will come at you from all directions, Stoppable-san. If you rely solely on your eyes to find them, you will lose."
"You're suggesting I fight with my eyes closed?"
"Hai."
"But, Sensei, they also have weapons. I don't."
"Remember my words? 'So long as your heart remains pure-'"
"The Lotus Blade!"
"Correct. If you need it, the Lotus Blade will come to you." Sensei's voice faded with, "You can do it."
"Okay then," Ron said out loud.
Gemini took note of how Ron looked like he was staring into space over the past couple of minutes. "I take it you're done thinking and are finally ready?" he asked, hands on his hips.
Ron looked up at Gemini for a moment. Without a response he removed his backpack, and then knelt down and began rummaging through it. After several seconds he pulled out his football jersey. He looked at it for just a moment, considered its significance, then shrugged his shoulders – the jersey could be replaced. He then tore a long section from it, dropped the refuse, and then stood up. Aligning the strip with his eyes, Ron then wrapped it around his head and tied it. Then his hands fell to his sides and he just stood there.
"You honestly think you can win fighting blind?!" Gemini, as baffled as the viewers around the world, asked after a few silent seconds. Ron did not answer him.
Gemini huffed. With a nod, he then signaled to one of his agents to his left. This one, Agent Sigma, carried a spear. Complying, Sigma looked down at the boy on the stage. He raised his weapon, drew it back, and threw it.
Ron could see nothing but the barest amount of daylight through his blindfold. Still, since almost the instant his eyes were covered, his monkey powers kicked in. He could hear the wind and other distinctive sounds, but he especially heard breathing around him. Strangely, he could practically tell where every one of Gemini's agents stood around him, as well as Gemini himself. There was also the faint sensation of a patter at his feet – Rufus was still wandering around somewhere.
Ron quickly leaned to his left just before something zipped right by him. Between a sense of danger and the rapidly increasing, yet usually inaudible, sound of something thin slicing through the air, Ron avoided the spear thrown by Agent Sigma. Sensing no other imminent threat, Ron stood straight.
Surely the rest of the world was as dumbstruck as Gemini and the agents there. He could not believe Ron had actually avoided the spear and so decided to signal Agents Rho and Iota, both armed with swords. They went down to the stage, standing to the right and left of Ron. In a pattern they swung their swords all about him trying to strike, but the young monkey master ironically snaked his way around both agents' attempts to cut him. To everyone's astonishment, Ron was able to first grab Rho, and then Iota by a wrist. He flipped them over themselves and disarmed them. Ron then tossed the swords aside; these were not his weapons of choice.
Not about to take chances that more would charge him while he remained weaponless, he decided to summon the Lotus Blade. He barely had to think of it when there was a strange sensation in the air. Ron knew it was here, so raising his right hand up he readied for it. After an instant flash of light the Lotus Blade fell from midair and landed in his hand. Not wanting the death of anyone on his conscience, Ron transformed the Lotus Blade into his own long wooden staff. With it he could disarm and defeat his attackers without bloodshed. His blindfold still in place, Ron took a fighting stance.
Only a few have ever seen a weapon do what Ron had just done – make a weapon become something else. The world was certainly amazed, but Gemini's agents were rather unnerved by the feat. But at the command of their leader, the agents dismissed their anxiety and charged. All twenty-three had something to bring into the fray – Sigma, Rho, and Iota had each recovered their weapons. The seven men armed with laser pistols stood their ground from the seating area, but held their weapons at the ready for a chance to fire at Ron. Frequently shots were fired, but Ron mysteriously avoided them all. From time to time Ron had surprisingly fought his way past those armed with spears and swords and managed to incapacitate each gunman.
Hearing that fighting had begun, Rufus stopped his search and hurried back to the theatre. He watched in amazement as Ron battled the horde of agents, swinging his staff like a master. His attention was drawn to the gunmen who remained among the seats. Although Ron had gotten to some of them, one appeared to have a clear shot of Rufus' best friend. The mole rat raced over to that gunman and climbed up and all around his person. His attempt worked, for the gunman lost focus, freaked, and began thrashing about in an attempt to dislodge the critter.
Both the pistol and consciousness were lost to the agent by Ron who managed to make his way to the distracted man.
In the end, some men were unconscious, there were minor injuries, and no blood was spilled; let it not go unmentioned that a few of them fled, particularly a couple of the agents whose laser pistols had been lost to them. But, all had surrendered.
As for Ron, he was merely a bit winded. He felt something crawl up his mission clothes and perch on his shoulder. Removing his blindfold he found Rufus smiling. "Thanks buddy," he said and patted Rufus on the head. Rufus smiled and gave a thumbs-up.
The world was all the more open-mouthed in amazement at Ron's latest display of skills. Drakken, on the other hand, quickly shifted from amazement to further infuriation.
"The blindfold – the sword – Since when can he DO that?!" he cried out to all in the watch center, his arms outstretched. Yet who there could actually answer that question?
He so wanted to know that he intended to demand an answer from Kim. But the look on Kim's face when he looked at her screen and saw her just as mystified as anyone else told him she had no explanation.
There was still Gemini. The villain kept out of the fight to observe Stoppable's skills. He was undoubtedly amazed, but this is the Ron Factor he had counted on. He would let Drakken believe that his entire reason for this was revenge, but he was determined to have Stoppable as one of his.
The boy, who had recently defeated every one of his agents, who had just welcomed back his little friend, now turned to face him, the Lotus Staff now held and propped on the ground beside him like a walking stick. The mole rat, still on his shoulder, scowled at Gemini.
"Well?" Ron asked, apparently prompting Gemini to make the next move.
Gemini made two – he smiled, and then raised his hands and began a slow applause. "Wonderful," he added after one last clap.
The world was likely confused by this gesture. Ron and Rufus exchanged similar looks.
Gemini began his decent down towards the theatre. "This is more than I ever hoped for." He sounded very pleased. "You have exceeded my expectations of your skills, Ron Stoppable – I am very impressed." He now stood before Ron. "In fact, I'm so impressed… how would you feel about… a partnership?" Gemini reached out and grasped Ron's shoulders, forcing Rufus to leap from his place. There was excitement in his eyes.
"Think of it, Stoppable!" He insisted. "You would not work for me as an agent – no not as Agent Alpha, but with me as an equal!"
Ron just looked at Gemini as though the man was wack.
"You could be 'Taurus,' or maybe even 'Scorpio'!"
"Definitely wack," Ron concluded to himself. With his free hand Ron gave Gemini a light push against his chest as a gesture for him to step back. "Easy there, fella."
Gemini did step back, giving Ron a little personal space. Ron continued. "Let me just say this. My name is Ron Stoppable, and I already have a partnership – with Kim Possible." Ron felt within him that in spite of her current distress, and if she is watching and listening, saying that made Kim smile.
The excitement in Gemini's face melted away when he heard this. He now looked at Ron with contempt.
"Where is she, Gemini? Where's Kim?" Ron was firm. He had had enough of Drakken's 'game.'
Gemini closed his eyes and shook his head, caring little for Stoppable's demand; he was quite disappointed in the boy. "I don't know," he answered flatly, looking at Ron again. "Drakken didn't tell me, and I didn't care to know. You were all I was interested in." He turned and left the stage.
Ron watched as he ascended the hill back towards his aircraft, seeming to leave without his defeated agents. Ron supposed he was retreating, but that thought was nixed when Gemini stopped midway up the hill and turned again to look down at him. Gemini then raised his cybernetic hand, aiming at Ron's spot, fingers and thumb spread wide. Five digits then launched from his hand and rocketed their way toward Ron.
"Rufus, run!" Ron cried. The mole rat was too petrified to flee, and so remained perched on his friend's shoulder.
Each projectile spread out, giving Ron no place, left or right, to run. He could not bear to watch his own demise, so shutting his eyes he buried his face behind crossed arms.
The world watched as the miniature missiles hit the stage and exploded. Flames and stage debris flew thick and high. But once the flames and smoke vanished and dust settled… to the shock of Gemini and all watching, Ron was still alive and still standing. He was encased by a transparent, blue shield, big enough to surround Rufus, him, and the staff he still held in his right hand.
"Whoa," was all that past Gemini's lips.
Realizing he was still alive, Ron slowly opened his eyes. He was amazed to see the shield. Ron did not know if it was he who created it or if the weapon was protecting its master. Now feeling safe, Ron uncrossed his arms; the shield vanished.
His fight was not over yet. He looked up at the sound of a mad roar that came from Gemini. The man was charging toward him, his cybernetic hand raised high. There was a new feature to that hand. Where there were once finger-rockets, there were now a new thumb and razor-sharp finger blades. Gemini ran up to Ron and took a swing at him.
Ron quickly restored his weapon to a sword, just as Gemini's fingers connected with the metal of the Lotus Blade. There were but a few attempts by Gemini to strike Ron, but the boy maneuvered to one side, took a swing, and off came the upper half of the hand; the thumb remained. In shock, Gemini gripped his wrist and stared at what remained of his limb. He then fell to his knees.
Looking up at Ron he cried, "You took my hand!"
"I'm sure you'll be able to replace it," was Ron's response.
Now that his fight with Gemini was over, Ron decided he no longer needed the sword. He tossed it back into the air where it vanished, returning to its place at Yamanouchi.
"Please, Gemini, where's Kim?"
Gemini was too occupied by his injury that he had not heard Ron at first, nor did he pay attention to Ron sending away the sword. But once he heard the boy ask about his friend, he looked at him. "I told you I don't know," he reaffirmed. "Ask Drakken yourself."
For a moment Ron just looked at the now pitiable villain and gave an annoyed sigh. Then he pulled out his Kimmunicator. "Wade, can you have Global Justice-"
The boy genius interrupted. "They're already there, Ron."
GJ agents appeared at the top of the hill, Dr. Director was among them.
"Patch me through to Drakken." Wade transferred him. "Enough is enough," he said to the indignant looking villain. "Where are you and where is Kim?"
Abandoning his agitation, Drakken responded straightforward with, "Don't think you've won yet, you buffoon. I have another opponent for you to face. Here is where you are to go."
While Ron received his latest instructions, much to his displeasure, Gemini and his WEE agents were being escorted by GJ agents to face criminal charges.
Dr. Director walked alongside her brother. "You and your men weren't really trying to kill Stoppable, were you?" She knew Gemini was a madman, but also that he was no murderer.
"No," he insisted. "I just hoped he would really consider joining me this time. I so thought he would when I offered him a partnership." He looked so dejected when he said this. He received a genuinely sympathetic pat on his shoulder from his sister.
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