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KP © Disney. Original characters © author

A/N: Dear Reader: please accept my apologies for how long it has taken me to post this chapter. A return to work from vacation combined with writer's block proved to be a nasty roadblock to writing and editing. Added to that was my need to edit the previous chapter and, well, here we are. I appreciate your patience! I will complete this story. Eventually ...

Chapter 36: Gaming Can Be Hazardous To Your Health

I.

Betty Director rubbed her temples. This … revelation … was not what she needed right now.

"We must act, Doctor Director," Will insisted. "Now. Time is of the essence."

"Will …" she said, not completely hiding her frustration with her Number One Agent.

"Ma'am, permission to speak freely," he said crisply.

She sighed. "Okay …"

"Despite my past comments, I will concede that Kim Possible and her team have made some notable contributions to global security. I can even see why you might see her as a protégé …"

Betty arched an eyebrow. Will, though arrogant, had always been perceptive.

"… However, and I say this with all due respect, you cannot let your personal feelings towards her interfere with your judgment. Regardless of what Miss Possible may feel or how she might react, Ron Stoppable needs to be brought in now."

"You seriously don't think he's a threat, do you?" she asked, unable to hide her disdain for the idea.

"No, ma'am, I do not. However, I believe that our military colleagues" – Will said this with what Betty recognized as contempt – "will and they shall take action to address their fears, as unwarranted as they may be."

Betty's attention was now engaged. "Go on."

"Ma'am, as you are well aware, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, improbable as it is, is General Syms, formerly commander of Area 51…"

Betty suppressed a shudder as she recalled some of the meetings she had with her nation's top military man, who she thought was indisputable walking, living proof of the Peter Principle.

"… I do not believe he will be satisfied to allow Ron Stoppable to remain at large. It is my belief that he would have no compunction about letting his scientists examine and analyze and, frankly, do as they wish with him. And as they do their work, they will not be as considerate as ours would be."

Betty pursed her lips. Will was right. This was a problem and Global Justice needed to get out ahead of it before it was too late for her — or Team Possible. She sighed, but then said with determination, "Reactivate the Ron Factor project and bring in Mr. Stoppable — and Ms. Possible — as soon as you can."

II.

Kim long ago learned how to survey a disaster scene, to identify those who needed to be tended to, and what steps needed to be taken so she could help people. She quickly took in everything, then focused on what most needed her attention: in this case, her BFBF. She ran over to Ron, who appeared to be unconscious, knelt by his side, noted there were no obvious injuries, took hold of his wrist, and then felt for his pulse.

Tentatively, Traci joined the two.

"Is, is he okay?" she asked.

"He's breathing," Kim replied as she completed her initial check of Ron's vitals. "Other than that, I don't know. I so wish I knew what was going on here."

Traci was impressed by the aplomb with which her fellow cheerleader was handling the situation.

"C'mon, Ron, talk to me," Kim said gently as she stroked his cheek.

III.

"So, this is different," Ron said, looking around as he tried to determine where he was, which was difficult, given there were no landmarks, no features, nothing, to be seen. Much to his surprise, he wasn't freaking out, though he wondered when he had changed clothes: gone was the Llenrock sweatshirt Kim had bought him, replaced with a martial arts gi. As unsettling as that was, something told him he was safe here, at least for now.

"It is good to see you, Stoppable-san," a familiar voice said, drawing Ron's attention to his rear. A man emerged from what Ron was realizing was a heavy mist.

"Sensei?" he replied as he spun around.

"Indeed, it is I," the old teacher intoned.

"Where are we?" Ron asked.

"We are on the astral plane." As he said this, the misty nothingness began to resolve itself into a landscape, one that was soon recognizable as the Yamanuchi School's main quadrangle.

"Yeah, that's cool and everything, but I was about to score a personal best on Cosmic Invaders before I showed up in this astro turf place."

"Astral plane," Sensei corrected him, before continuing. "It is most regrettable that your gaming was disrupted and for that I must humbly apologize but things are unfolding quickly and I fear that we must accelerate and complete your training."

"This isn't all about that darkness stuff is it? Because I've had enough problems this fall though I guess I can't complain because now I'm at school with KP and—"

"Monkey Fist has returned," Sensei interjected.

"No way," Ron stammered.

"Way," Sensei countered. "And I fear he is he is more powerful than ever before."

"So what's Monkey Dude going to do next?"

"I am afraid I do not know. But I sense that he still has a connection to the dark power of the Yono."

Ron immediately remembered how the malevolent monkey had petrified Sensei, Rufus, and worst of all, Kim the previous spring. As he recalled what had happened to his friends, his countenance hardened. "Then it's time for Ron Stoppable to become Ron Stepuppable. Again."

Sensei nodded. "Good. You have already shown you have access to the full range of your powers. Your training is complete."

"I have?"

"Indeed. You are ready."

"Uh, Sensei, last time you said that I was in the bathroom and then aliens attacked us and kidnapped KP and …"

"Trust me, Stoppable-san, you will know what to do. Remember, anything is possible for a Possible and Stoppable is unstoppable. Together—"

"C'mon, Ron, talk to me," a woman's voice – Kim's voice! – said. He looked around but didn't see her.

"Look, Sensei, I gotta go," Ron said, knowing something important was happening.

"Indeed, you do," the old man acknowledged before he faded into a fracturing, kaleidoscopic landscape that was once again overwhelmed by mist and then nothingness.

Moments later, much to his relief, he was staring into Kim's worried eyes.

IV.

"KP?" Ron asked. He didn't recall her being here with him in the Student Union. He also didn't remember being flat on his back. "KP!"

Kim smiled, then leaned in to give him a buss on the cheek. "Sitch me, please and thank you," she said, her voice all business but her expression one of visible relief.

He was about to answer when he noticed Traci behind her. Then he noticed another person approach, a portly and geeky fellow who made Kim's cousin Larry look like the epitome of hipster cool.

"Uh, yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea, Kim," he said warily.

"Traci's okay," she said reassuringly, knowing her classmate was close by.

"And what about him?" Ron asked.

"That was the coolest thing ever!" Kim's international relations classmate Slim Chance gushed. "Did you communicate with aliens?"

Kim rolled her eyes when she saw who had joined them. "Time and place, Slim. Do you think you could give me and my BF some privacy?"

"Come on, Big Guy, time to get a smoothie," Traci said helpfully. She didn't know all that much about what Kim did on her missions, but she'd just heard enough conversation to tell her some aspect of one was going to be discussed.

"R-really?" he stammered, unaccustomed to a woman speaking to him, let alone in a friendly tone.

"Yeah, it's time to take a walk on the wild side," she said, suppressing a smirk. "See you later, Kim."

"Thanks, Trace," she answered with gratitude "You're the best."

Now grinning, Traci replied, "Don't you know it!" With that, the senior cheerleader and a still stunned Slim wandered off in search of the Student Union snack bar.

"Man, talk about taking one for the team," Ron said admiringly as the duo wandered off.

"Traci rocks hard," she said as she took his hand and helped him sit up. "So, what's the sitch?" Kim asked.

"I know this isn't gonna make sense but a couple of minutes ago, I wasn't here," Ron answered.

"Excuse me?" she said, wondering just how hard he'd hit his head.

"I mean, my body was here, but I wasn't," Ron explained. "I know this is going to sound kooky, but I was on the astral plate."

"The astral what?" she said, utterly confused. "I hate to say this but you so aren't making sense."

"Oh, wait a minute," Ron said with a nervous laugh, "Sensei said it was the astral plane."

"Oy," Kim said. She now knew what he was talking about, thanks to a weird graduation gift from her cousin Larry: a mint copy of the rare Green Llama Meets Astral Plane Girl comic book. "Given he talked with you as a gravy ghost on the school caf wall, why am I not surprised," she sighed. "What happened?"

"KP, it's not what happened, it's what's going to happen," he said earnestly.

"You remember that warning he gave us?"

"About the darkness?" Her eyes then opened wide. "It's here? Now?"

Ron nodded, then said in a small, worried voice, "Yeah."

"This is so the drama," she said.

Ron looked at Kim, then at the ruined video game. She saw where his eyes were focused, and found herself looking at the remains of the Cosmic Invaders console.

"Oh man, I was about to get the high score!" he whined, then realized he had bigger problems and looked to Kim. "They're going to make me pay for this, aren't they?"

"If by 'they' you mean anybody but Professor Barkin, I'm sure it'll be okay once you explain what happened," Kim said.

"You really think that's a good idea, KP?"

Kim looked sternly at her boyfriend. "The truth is always a good idea."

"Yeah, I know," he conceded. Then he gulped, "And what if 'they' is Professor Barkin?"

Kim pursed her lips and shrugged. "We'll deal," she offered sympathetically before adding, "But we won't be using coupon books for our dates."

V.

Lynn Accurate's career was not quite in a tailspin, but it definitely was not heading in the direction she had anticipated in August when she thought she had the dirt on Kim Possible. Since then, her web site's hit count and her show's ratings had taken a beating in the wake of her encounter with the teen hero and her boyfriend. But she was determined if anything and she still had a loyal cadre of viewers who seemed to want nothing more than to see public figures be besmirched. For months, she had plotted to rebuild and expand her fan base and reputation and, if possible, to exact her revenge on the two teens. Now, she was sure she would be able to do both as she surveyed the interview room.

It was an unusual setting for her. She had not done a jailhouse program before. But that was before she heard from Hank Perkins, who represented Troy Bell, Junior, who was prepared to tell all about Kim Possible. At this point, Lynn didn't care if it was true.

She waited for the young man to be brought in. Even wearing his prison uniform, he looked cocky. Lynn immediately observed that like his father the senator, the young man would be telegenic.

She shook hands with him and gestured for him to take his seat.

Troy smiled, then sat down, remembering one of his father's lessons: tell people something often enough, even if it's not true, and they'll believe it.

Now it was time to tell the public how he had been framed by Kim Possible after he had rejected her advances …

To Be Continued ...