Ch.85

Rufus. The little guy took Ron's injury the hardest and besides spending time with Ron, eating and hygiene he devoted himself to Conquest with the persona of Tunnel Lord. It was his distraction from the pain and led to the undisputed number one player in Conquest.

The day Yori was attempting to break into the liquid stage, Rufus was curious and had accompanied her into seclusion. As Rufus focused on the young woman he entered a sort of trance himself and understood how to advance past his own bottleneck.

As they meditated their aura became visible and the weather in the area changed. Curiously Rufus pink aura and Yori's red aura were accompanied by a blue aura that was centered on Yori's heart and growing in strength.

~~~~~

At first there was pain.

It was like the fabric of his being was being torn apart. That brought the question of who he was? That question led to where he was? Which led to how he got there?

But he could give no answers.

In time, bits and pieces started coming back to him. A blonde child, scared in a corner as a chimp approached, loud and threatening. When the chimp started attacking he saw the child shrink in on himself yell for Rufus. Other bits where of the blonde child and redheaded child but looking at her brought pain to his core.

Little by little the story came together and with it the memories. The blonde child was called Ron and it was him. The redhead was Kimberley Ann Possible who once was had the privilege of being his best friend, KP. Then there was his parents who were good people but bad parents. Most of his precious memories lacked them and recollecting their memories filled him with a sense of longing and sadness. Bit by bit the others came into focus and with it precious moments that he shared with them. Rufus, bestfriend and partner. Ron relied on the naked mole rat more than his parents but the little guy was a pillar for Ron. Ann, Shego, Yori, Tara, Monique, Bonnie, Wade, Felix and others that he met throughout his life.

Ron remembered the moment he had his first crush, Ann. Kim's mother was always a beacon of light for Ron and when he started becoming aware of the opposite sex her beauty and kindness made a space for her in his heart.

The more Ron remembered the faster the memories came, piecing together his life. His first time with Ann. Being Yori's first. Growing closer to his ladies and sharing dreams with them. Then Shego went missing and how he found her brought pain and sadness to his being but he manage to rescue her.

As he basked in the good he accomplished Ron realized that he might be on his journey to the afterlife and decided to wait for what came next, accepting his fate.

After an uncertain amount of time and nothing changing Ron became worried that there was just oblivion after life. Then he felt it. A pull to his being in different directions. It was disorienting yet peaceful though he couldn't focus on a single point enough. He saw his ladies and they at first looked in pain making him want to be there for them so he reached out subconsciously. He held them trying to comfort and be there for them. Ron noticed they'd talk but he couldn't focus on any one of them enough to know what was said.

Like this a sort of cycle began for Ron in which he would be alone for great lengths of time and then accompany his ladies for a brief period.

With no idea how long this would continue for Ron started to feel like his sanity begin slipping. He started dreading being alone. He felt like it ate at him, at who he was and he didn't know how much longer he could take it. Then as Ron felt completely past his limit and could break at any point it happened. A change. It was so shocking Ron knew he finally broke. In front of him in the darkness stood another Ron. This Ron was confident, stood to his full height and seemed to ooze calmness.

"Hello?" Ron greeted since he had no idea what else to do. "Are you me?"

"Hey!" The other Ron greeted then answered. "You could say yes and no to that."

"Yes and no." Ron repeated. "What do you mean?"

"I'm an ideal that you created and strived to become before your injury." The other Ron explained.

"Oh." Ron said looking other Ron over again. "So, what brought you here?"

"You did." Other Ron replied calmly.

"I did? How?" Ron asked.

"That I'm not sure but I guess it's because you yourself don't know." Other Ron said.

"Guess you're right." Ron admitted before asking. "So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Don't know." Other Ron said.

"Uh, want to try sparring?" Ron asked.

"Sure." Other Ron said and assumed a stance.

Ron could see it easily. This version of himself knew how to handle himself in combat. Slowly Ron got into a stance himself and observed.

Other Ron struck first. Lightning fast and precise an attack to Ron's right temple. Seeing this Ron moved into other Ron's attack ducking under and sending a counter to other Ron's jaw.

Ron's counter went wide when other Ron swept his legs from under him and used his left hand that had been attacking his temple to throw him onto his back by pulling on his shirt, his momentum taking care of the rest. Ron didn't linger on the floor and rolled back onto his feet his counterpart already attacking.

Ron and other Ron fought back and forth with Ron mostly on the defensive as he adjusted. Other Ron was a gifted fighter and attacked and defended as a whole. Sometimes Ron thought he got by his defense to realize that he allowed the hit to get the upper hand, a lesson Yori had thought him but other Ron seemed to have mastered.

No surprise, Ron lost the bout to other Ron. After his defeat Ron meditated, thinking of those who no doubt were waiting for him and hoping they were okay. Drawing strength from them. Then he focused on the sparring. On what he could have done better. He went over every moment and when he felt ready, he'd challenge other Ron again.

Like that his time passed. Sparring, meditation, seeing his ladies and constantly improving upon himself. Ron noticed the stronger he became the stronger other Ron was when on the fiftieth sparring his counterpart should have fallen for his trap but was faster just like he himself. Not a surprise really since both were him.

Ron didn't know how many sparring matches he had with himself but he felt himself grow in real time as he fought. His reaction time and precision were nothing like when he started. And his confidence had soared.

Ron hadn't realized it but he now stood to his full height and maintained a calm air around himself as he confidently attacked and defended. Ron had changed. His time alone with only himself had allowed him to face and conquer parts of him that blocked his potential. Ron had faced his fears and problems in his meditation and was confident that he moved past them.

Eventually Ron did manage to best his counterpart who faded shortly after.

That's when Ron felt himself warm up. Like heat was building up inside him. As he tried to understand what was happening Ron saw his form begging to glow blue as his aura manifested. Suddenly and in large quantities Ron felt Ki rushing into his being.

~~~~~

Rufus was the first to make a breakthrough. His pink aura expanding and seeming to connect with everything around him. Then he started to absorb Ki like there was a bottomless pit inside him.

Inside Rufus dantian, his Ki, that was in the form of gas, started to compress itself and getting smaller though the quantity of Ki Rufus body contained steadily increased. It took nearly an hour before Rufus' Ki stopped in the form of a single drop of liquid.

Then Rufus seemed to return to himself and open his eyes. In front of him still sat Yori, now enveloped in her red aura the he could easily perceive. Then he noticed Ron's aura emanating from Yori's heart as the blue aura seemed to grow and overwhelm her aura.

Rufus sensed Ron's aura and recognized it as such instantly. He watched and didn't realized he was now standing as Ron's aura separated from Yori and strengthened itself. Bit by bit, Rufus watched Ron's astral body coalesce from the aura.

When Ron's astral body fully formed Yori made her breakthrough into the liquid stage. Her red aura blazed and harmonized with everything around her, then large quantities of Ki began to be absorb by her.

As this happened Rufus stayed watching Ron's astral body with his utmost attention as if worried he'd fade. Like this time passed. One hour. Two. Upon the third Yori finished her breakthrough and opened her eyes. Then it was like time stopped for her as well. She looked at Ron's astral body as it floated in front of her, seemingly unable to believe what she was seeing. In a moment Yori was on her feet and tentatively reached out to Ron.

When Yori's fingers touched Ron time seem to resumed and Ron's astral body disappeared.

"Ron!" Both Yori and Rufus yelled already sprinting to Ron's room at the fastest speed they were capable off.

~~~~~

There it was, pain.

That was the first thing Ron noticed upon waking up in his body. It was a headache as if his brain had been recently stitched together. Upon opening his eyes he saw a room of Japanese design and looked around for any sign of where he was. With no clue to answer he called out.

"Hello?" Ron called out.

"Hello Ron." Bebe greeted.

"Bebe, hey, do you know where I am?" Ron asked and greeted.

"Yes, you are in Japan. Yamanouchi to be precise." Bebe replied.

"That would explain the decor." Ron mused then asked dreading the response. "How long have I been out?"

"Three years, two months, nine days, twelve hours, forty three minutes and twelve seconds." Bebe accurately replied.

Ron sucked in a breath of air. That was a long time.

"Bebe do you know where Yori or Master Sensei are?" Ron asked.

"Master Sensei should be in his courtyard awaiting news of Yori breakthrough and Yori is at a nearby peak breaking through to the liquid stage of cultivation." Bebe replied.

"Okay, Bebe." Ron said and asked. "Is Rufus here at Yamanouchi or did he stay with my parents?"

There was a longer pause before Bebe replied. "Rufus is with Yori observing her breakthrough."

"Can't wait to see them." Ron said.

"Ron there's something you should kno..." Bebe began to say but was interrupted by the sliding door opening.

"...ha... ha... Bebe did... Ron wake up?"

Asked a panting Yori not yet looking up.

Even as Ron looked at Yori in surprise Rufus climbed onto the bed, panting much like Yori and froze, his eyes going wide.

"Hey Yori, Rufus. I'm up." Ron greeted.

Yori looked up sharply as Rufus started tearing up. Ron reached with his left hand to Rufus and began petting him, his right towards Yori. Yori's face bloomed with a smile so delicate Ron wished it would never fade.

'Yeah, I'm up.' Ron realized.