Ch. 04

Ron wasn't exactly conscious of what he was doing, after a while of asking the small blue flame for help and when feeling his body heat up as if the flame responded, he decided to trust it and let it guide his actions. Opening his eyes and feeling as if it was the first time he truly saw the world around him, as if before he looked at a black and white version of everything, now colors and details he did not know existed were present.

Unbelievably, Ron found Shego to look even more beautiful than before, he also noticed her aura around her, instantly it's emerald color reminding him of her eyes, it was also flickering unstably. Following the feeling he got from his MMP, he released her right hand which shortly after wrapped around his throat, her plasma already beginning to burn his skin in the area. Ever so gently with his now free hand, he caressed the side of her face before moving it to the back of her neck and lifting her head slightly. Then, feeling her strength cutting off his air supply as he pushed against her hand to bring his head closer to hers, Ron closed his eyes and brought the two together. Shego's aura trembled slightly before turning a cyan color.

~~~~~

Shego's plasma attacks proved to be effective against the sharks, her dream self watching them dive deeper into the water and not returning once hit. Shego, still moving towards the edge of the pool, soon feels her back touching it, taking a look at Ron to make sure she had enough time to get out before he reached her, she turned and quickly pulled herself free of the water. Turning around to face him and to keep him in sight, Shego was startled to see he was nowhere to be seen in the pool.

"Boo Yah! hahaha hahaha!" Ron laughs, appearing behind her already in the middle of kicking at her unprotected head. Shego reacting to his laughter, ducks and rolls to the side, narrowly avoiding the kick and spins to face him.

"Told you," Shego comments. "you have the evil laugh down." She begins to charge, already throwing a plasma ball, " But you should really give it a rest." she finishes.

To Shego's surprise, the Ron in front of her didn't need the device he used that day to deal with her powers. He moved like an experienced fighter, dodging her plasma and counter attacking. They went around each other in an exchange of offense and defense, not really landing a hit on the other. Ron was waving, parrying and dodging her blows, as if he knew what was coming, that being exactly the case considering he was conjured by her imagination. Shego used everything around them in an attempt to create an opening, all the while moving away from the pool to avoid having to keep an eye on it and having it used to restrict her actions.

Their exchange continued and Shego found herself having trouble staying on the offensive, seeing as Ron also began using the furniture to his advantage. No longer able to cleanly dodge all his strikes, Shego began taking glancing blows. Eventually both fighters found themselves on the tennis courts, though with the various nets either melted by plasma or on fire and the ground not doing much better, it was hard to tell at first glance.

Shego was beginning to wonder where was the goofy sidekick who ran around the henchmen and at times lost his pants. She became lost in her thoughts, remembering the incident when Princess and Ron had switched bodies and how she effortlessly used Ron's body to perform her usual level of martial arts. 'So there is more to him.' She realized. Still thinking, Shego found herself punished for her lapse in concentration, when Ron fainted a kick to her abdomen, which she intended to grab ahold off but he re-directed it to her right knee, bringing her to her knees with the surprising amount of power it held.

Before she could move to recover, he was on her performing a knee strike to her exposed face. Shego barely managed to put her hands up in time to protect her face but the force of the impact forced her onto her ass, with her arms still protecting her face, the rest of her body was left open to attacks. She was aware that this was not a position she wanted to be in, so she tried to roll backwards intending to get on her feet. Sadly, Ron was not about to let her do as she wanted, grabbing her legs by the ankles just as she started to roll and pulling on them hard enough to straighten her body all at once. Before she could even think to work herself loose, Ron focused his attention on her right leg, twisting it harshly and delivering a quick succession of knee strikes, till he heard her bones break. Shego was fully expecting Ron to press the advantage but strangely enough he simply stepped back admiring his work before beginning to speak.

"Now, how am I gonna punish you?" Ron asks beginning to circle around her. "Seems like the sharks aren't going to work huh." He adds already contemplating the issue.

Shego stared at her broken leg, deciding that maybe fighting was not the best choice, opted for another approach. She decided to try reasoning with him, completely forgetting that she was having a nightmare and that she would be reasoning with herself about the worries she had involving Ron.

~~~~~

The first thing Ron noticed was his new surroundings, he was on the pool area of a resort he'd never been to but strangely enough, there was no one in sight. Ron was instinctively aware that this is Shego's dream, meaning that whatever has her throwing plasma yet unresponsive is here somewhere. Taking a closer look around, trying to find a clue as to where Shego might be, he notices the plasma burns and broken furniture. Deciding to follow the obvious path of destruction, Ron comes up on a scene that momentarily stuns him.

There was Shego on the ground, wearing a black bikini, with various injuries but the most noticeable one being her broken right leg, a bone piercing the skin and blood still flowing. Her opponent is one Ron instantly recognizes as himself but this was not the him that usually stares back in the mirror. No, it was not himself, it was the insane version that came about as a result of the Attitudedinator. This Ron's appearance was mostly accurate save the blue skin and slight difference in build, he was wearing blue swimming shorts and a black t-shirt. Even though Ron knew that this was Shego's dream and that he had not done any of the things that happened to her, he couldn't help feeling guilty just the same. Here was someone so affected by his actions that even their dreams conjured his image to hurt them again.

Ron, feeling tears come to his eyes, was not about to stand by and do nothing, specially when his ride appeared behind the dream version of himself. It was already in assault mode, the back wheels laying sideways on the ground for support and stability. The front wheel in the air, revealing the hidden plasma catapult barrels built in. Not thinking of the consequences, he was already running forward to intervene, his body feeling lighter than ever and a shout escaping his lips.

~~~~~

"H-hey Ron." Shego begins trying to sound calm and lifts her arms up in a show of surrender. "Wanna talk about it?" She ventures.

"Boo Yah! hahaha hahaha!" Ron's response was preceded by laughter. "Talk? You want to talk?! Ha! I've already giving you that chance remember?"

Shego's face tightens at his response, everything's been happening pretty much as she expected, not a surprise considering the circumstances. Putting her hands down, she waits for him to attack her again. What happened next left her momentarily stunned, so much so that she did not even react for the majority of it.

Behind Ron appeared the weapon he had during the wedding she interrupted and took him from. It was charging no doubt about to fire. Still, that was not what shocked her, it was a scream so desperate Shego wondered vaguely who it was from.

"Nooooooo!"

Before she had the time to look for the source, another Ron appeared before her. The first thing Shego noticed of this Ron were his eyes, they were gentle, unbelievably so. They also looked guilty as if he done countless unspeakable things to her and had tears falling down, unmistakably for her. Next came his clothing, he had on his regular light brown cargo pants, long-sleeve navy blue mock-turtleneck shirt under a short-sleeved red jersey and white sneakers. In his hands, he had a black leather jacket that no doubt he was just wearing. This other Ron knelt before her, draped the leather jacket over her shoulders, which caused Shego's heart to quicken at what she assumed was residual warmth and the care he showed. Then, he proceeded to bring her into his arms, in what Shego first thought to be a hug but shortly realized he was using his body to protect her, when tremors ran through his body as the first's Ron's weapon began firing.

~~~~~

"Argh-" Ron groans briefly but cuts it off forcefully. He intends to apologize to Shego and was not about to let pain get in the way. "I am so very sorry, Shego!" He begins, making sure to say each word carefully to ensure she understands. "This whole thing is my fault and I make no excuses. When I was under the effects of the Attitudedinator, I turned into a lunatic completely out of my mind." Ron pauses, choking off another scream and beginning to feel extremely tired and light headed but continues regardless. "And, if you need to hate me, that is fine." He coughs blood and ignores it. "In fact, I encourage it. You...shouldn't...torture yourself...w-when you're...the victim!" Ron finishes barely above a whisper.

Everything started going black, the pain that was assaulting Ron, the only thing he was now aware of.