Possible Home:
"Morning, Ron!" Mr. Dr. Possible grinned as the blond teenager entered the kitchen. Gesturing to an empty chair at the table, the rocket scientist prompted, "Have a seat. You're just in time. We're getting ready to eat."
"Thanks, Mr. Dr. P." Ron answered back with a big smile as he sat down at the table. "How's it going, Mr. and Mrs. Dr. P?"
"Going good, my man!" Mr. Dr. P. proclaimed. "The Minerva-2 probe's on track and we've got a couple of other projects I wish I could tell you about but can't."
"I understand, Mr. Dr. P." Ron grinned as Anne handed him a plate laden with pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, and hash browns. "Thanks, Mrs. Dr. P." The young man smiled as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. "Where's Kim?"
"She's getting dressed." Anne replied, "She should be down shortly." Raising her voice, the redheaded mother called out to her daughter, "Kim? Ron's here!"
"On my way, Mom!" Kim hollered back as she made her way down the stairs. "Hey, Ron!"
"Morning, K.P." Ron smiled back, "Ready for another year of Barkin?"
"Not really." Kim joked back, "You? Ready for another year of extra work?"
"Why did you have to say that!" Her blond partner sighed, "Now for sure he'll be waiting at the door with a pile of assignments that he'll want me to turn in the next day. Thank you, K.P."
"We do what we can." Kim chuckled, giving her best friend a playful punch on the arm. "Don't worry, if he does, the gang'll help you get through it."
"I'm gonna hold you to that." Ron joked back before gulping down another forkful of pancakes.
"Good to see you still have your appetite, Ron." Anne smiled as the young man helped himself to a second plate.
"Gotta keep my energy up for track tryouts." Ron replied as his redheaded host handed him a glass of milk.
"Whatcha trying out for?" Mr. Dr. P. asked as he set down his coffee cup.
"440 relay, decathlon, and cross-country." Ron answered with a grin, "Dillon says I have a good chance at making the team in at least two of those events."
"That's great." Kim's father exclaimed with a toothy grin.
"How's your girlfriend, Ron?" Anne asked as she started picking up the empty plates.
"Zita's doing great, Mrs. Dr. P." The blond youth responded. "Since she's already got her license, she doesn't have to take driver's ed with us, but she's doing it anyway because her insurance company gives a discount for people who take it."
"Good idea." Anne remarked with a smile as everyone rose from the table, "Jim…Tim…" the Possible matriarch commanded, "Get your books and be ready to go in ten minutes."
"Awww…Mom!" The twins cried out in unison, "Can't we wait until the end of the Ricky Racoon cartoon? He's tricking Duncan Dog into running off a cliff!"
"You heard me!" Anne shouted back, "Get ready!" Turning her gaze to her daughter and the blond boy standing next to her, the neurosurgeon grinned, "Have a good day today, kids, and tell Tara and Hope I said Hi."
"Will do, Mom." Kim answered back with a smile of her own, "See ya this afternoon!"
"Have a great day, Kimmie-cub!" James exclaimed as he waved goodbye to his daughter, "You too, Ron!"
Middleton High
"Once more into the breach!" Tara joked, putting out her cigarette as she parked her silver Alfa-Romeo Spyder in a parking spot.
"I wonder how things are going with Babushka." Hope remarked, a worried expression on her face.
"We should know something by lunch." Tara replied as the pair exited the car and made their way to the school entrance.
"Yeah." Hope shook her head as the pair walked together. "How does that old saying go? Hope for the best..."
"But expect the worst." Tara nodded. Heaving a sigh, the blonde Englishwoman moaned, "Helluva a way to start the school year.
Pointing to the redheaded girl and blond boy walking towards them, Hope exclaimed, waving, "Kim…Ron! Over here!"
"Hey!" Kim waved back. Drawing closer to the pair, she queried, "What's the word on Sergei's grandmother?"
"Don't know yet." Hope answered back, "They're doing a full battery of tests on her—blood, MRI, a neurological workup…"
"He should be here by lunch." Tara interjected, "But we probably won't know anything for sure for a while yet. It's going to take time to get the results back from the tests."
"Well…" Kim consoled, "We're keeping our fingers crossed."
"So…" Hope asked, changing the subject, "Where's Josh?"
"He's on his way." Kim replied. "He had to drop his sister off at her school on the way. Normally she'd take the bus, but they switched times so she missed it."
"These things happen." Tara quipped, "At least he doesn't have to go out of his way."
"This is true." Kim nodded. Grinning, she added, "Oh…by the way…thanks for looking over the contract for the car for me."
"Not a problem." Hope smiled back, "So…have you set down the deposit?"
"Yep." Kim replied, "I still have to pass driver's ed. though—it's part of the deal I made with Mom and Dad this summer."
"That's right." Tara recalled, "You have to pass driver's ed first." Her lips turning up in a sly grin, she inquired teasingly, "So…does the Old Man know that the car you're getting is a Corvette?"
"Hell no!" Kim exclaimed with a vigorous shake of her head. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she admitted, "I'm going to have to figure out some way to tell him. Just like I'm going to have to figure out how to tell him that me and Josh are having sex. Just one of those alone is enough to make him blow up. Both?"
"We're talking a Chernobyl scale meltdown." Ron interjected, finishing his best friend's thought.
Nodding her head, Kim affirmed, "Right. It's gonna be rough."
"But it's gotta happen sooner or later." Tara pointed out.
"Yeah." Kim agreed, "And definitely no later than after I pass driver's ed."
"What about you, Ron?" Hope asked, "You taking driver's ed. too?"
"Yup." The blond youth responded with a cockeyed grin.
"Buying a car, Ron?" Oscar Willemsen, the newest star on the wrestling team, chuckled as he and his cheerleader girlfriend, Cindy Grouse, walked up.
"Nah." Ron shook his head, "I'm looking at buying a motorcycle—that is if Mom and Dad will let me."
"Parents giving you a hard time?" Cindy asked as the tiny group walked towards the main entrance.
"Yeah." Ron nodded, "Dad says the scooter's good enough until I..." Drawing air quotes, the blond sidekick finished, "…grow up. As for Mom—she wants me to go back to riding my old bike."
"That old scooter of yours is falling apart." Hope remarked with a snort.
"Tell me about it!" Ron sighed dejectedly. "It broke down a couple of nights ago while I was on my way to Zita's."
"So what are you thinking of getting?" Oscar inquired, "A Harley?"
Shaking his head, Ron explained, "Nah. I'm not looking to win races or stuff like that. Just something to get around town without worrying about it breaking down."
"So…where is that girlfriend of yours?" Cindy asked as a voice called out.
"Hey, Babe!"
"Speaking of…" Ron grinned as his girlfriend approached, giving her a quick kiss. "Mmmm…" he murmured as he caught a whiff of the lovely Latina's perfume, "You smell good."
"And you taste good." Zita replied with a sensuous growl, returning her boyfriend's kiss.
"Better get it outta your system now." Tara laughed as the tiny group made their way to the school's front entrance where Mr. Barkin was already standing, his gaze alert to even the slightest infraction of the rules.
"Barky must have camped out all night." Hope giggled as Josh approached. "Looks like your man's here now, Kim."
"Yeah." Kim growled as her boyfriend gave her a quick kiss.
"Miss anything?" The brown-haired artist/musician inquired as he locked hands with his girlfriend, the pair walking side by side with their friends.
"Nah." Kim smiled, "Just general catching up."
"So…how's that new song coming?" Hope asked as the group entered through the high school's double doors under the scrutiny of their stern teacher.
"I was running into some problems with the lyrics." Josh responded, "Then Kim came over and helped me work them out."
"Uh Huh." Tara smirked, "And did that working out include some in between the sheets action?"
"No comment." Kim primly replied, giving her boyfriend a flirtatious wink.
"So…do the 'rents know about the painting?" Hope asked as the group of friends reached their lockers.
"Mom does." Kim answered. "She's seen it and is cool with it. She thought it was done in good taste and doesn't have any problems with it being put on display."
"That's good." Tara nodded, "But then you figured she'd be all right with it."
"Yeah." Kim acknowledged with a nod of her head. "We figured that she'd be okay with it once she saw it. The problem's gonna be…"
"Mr. Dr. P." Ron finished. "You know he's gonna go ballistic—don't you?"
Nodding her head, Kim readily agreed. "Oh yeah. He's gonna blow his stack when he sees me wearing nothing but my birthday suit."
Spotting a girl wearing a sky-blue t-shirt and jeans and a red headband with Asian features standing alone in the corridor with a confused look on her face, Hope gestured towards her, "New girl?"
"Must be." Zita responded, "First time I've seen her. What about you, Ron?"
Shaking his head, Ron answered, "Nope. Never seen her before."
"Let's say hello." Kim prompted with a big smile on her face as she and her companions walked up to the stranger and greeted her. "Hi! New here?"
"Y…y…yes." The young woman answered with a slight accent that most of the group immediately recognized.
"Japanese?" Tara queried with a raised eyebrow.
Nodding her head, the newcomer replied with a bow, "Yes. This one is called Yori. Yori Shimada. I am here as part of a study abroad program sponsored by my school."
"Welcome to Middleton High!" Ron greeted the newcomer with a wide grin. "My name's Ron. Ron Stoppable. And these are my friends." The blond youth introduced the lovely stranger to the rest of the group. "Hope you have a great time and if you need anything just holler." Lowering his voice to a stage whisper, he quipped, "Piece of advice…Keep away from the mystery meat. It bites back."
Giggling, Yori blushed, "Thank you, Stoppable-san, I will remember that." With a confused look on her face and a shy smile, she pleaded, handing the young man her schedule "May I ask for assistance? I cannot find my way to my class."
Her doubts growing as she witnessed the Japanese girl's coquettish actions, Tara, glancing at the schedule and then at the other two girls in the Trio, raised her eyebrow in a subtle wordless gesture. Seeing that they had picked up on the same thing, the blonde Englishwoman quickly and smoothly interrupted, Hope and Kim both by her side.
"We'll be happy to escort you to your class, Sweetie." Tara grinned, "Right Hope…Kim?"
"Sure thing, Bestie." Hope replied, sparing a suspicious glance towards the newcomer.
"Good idea, 'Ra." Kim quickly agreed, not giving the new arrival any time to protest, "It'll give us a chance to go over that new routine I picked up in the summer workshop and introduce Yori to everyone." Giving her boyfriend a quick peck on the lips, she murmured, "See ya at lunch, Josh. Come on, girls."
Glaring with suspicion at the Japanese girl as she was ushered away by her friends, Zita took her boyfriend by the hand. "Walk me to class, Ron? We need to talk."
"Sure thing, Zee." Ron replied as the couple walked to their classroom, "What's wrong?"
Zita shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe nothing but a little jelling, but didn't you notice something seemed a little off about the new girl?"
"I didn't see anything." The blond youth replied with a confused look on his face, "Except maybe that she was very polite, but I think that's a Japanese thing. Why?"
Smiling inwardly at her boyfriend's naivete, Zita quipped, "You're so sweet when you're clueless. In case you didn't notice it, that girl was all but throwing herself at you."
Chuckling, Ron responded with a goofy grin soon replaced with a look of concern, "Zee…I wasn't…"
"I know you weren't, Ron." Zita replied reassuringly, patting her boyfriend's hand in a placating gesture. "But…do me a favor?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Watch yourself around her." Zita cautioned, "I don't know why, but there's something about her that has my hairs standing on edge. And it's not just me—Kim, Tara, and Hope picked up on it too."
Nodding his head as the pair approached a classroom, Ron agreed, "Okay. I'll be careful. Promise."
"Good enough for me." Zita smiled as the pair stopped at the classroom door. "Well…this is my stop." Giving her boyfriend a quick peck on his cheek, the brown-skinned Latina joked, "Better get moving, stud. Tardy bell's gonna ring soon."
"Yeah." Ron laughed as he returned his girlfriend's kiss, "I'm not in the mood to do detention on the first day of school. See ya at lunch."
Amelia
"Amelia? " Bonnie asked as she and her two best friends walked down the corridor together. "That boy…Ummm…what's his name?"
"Felix." Amelia, her lips turned down into a disapproving frown at her best friend's words replied with a defiant tone, "Yeah. So what? I like him. He makes me feel good. Any problems with that?"
"No, of course not." Monique interjected diplomatically, moving quickly to head off a potential confrontation. "We were just curious—right, Bonnie?"
Taking her friend's hint, the brown-haired cheerleader nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I just wanted to know more about him. What do his parents do? Where did he go to school in Go City? That sorta thing."
"Oh." Amelia nodded, relaxing as she accepted her friend's olive branch, "Tell you what—why don't you have lunch with us? That way the two of you can get to know him better."
"Aren't you gonna eat at the senior table?" Bonnie asked curiously.
"No." Amelia shook her head, "Not unless Felix can eat there too. But…like I said…you're welcome to join us if you want."
Taking the subtle hint as she spied Monique's slight incline of her head, Bonnie responded with a faux smile as she reached her and Monique's classroom, "Sure. We'll see you at lunch."
"Later, girlfriend!" Monique grinned, "Good luck with Barkin!"
Sighing, Amelia smiled back, "Yeah…I bet he's already got a pop quiz for us ready for us! Catch ya at lunch!"
Yori and the Trio
"And here we are. Mr. Zygote's biology class." Kim grinned as she gestured in the direction of the classroom before turning her attention back to the newcomer's map. "The rest of your classes are on B-Wing. If you get lost, a teacher or one of us will be glad to show you where you need to go."
"Thank you, Kim-san." Yori bowed politely, her curtsey conveniently hiding the expression on her face. "I am grateful for your aid."
"Anytime." Kim replied, maintaining her smile. "We've got algebra and since it's in C-Wing, we've gotta move it before the tardy bell rings. Maybe we'll catch you later. Have a good day."
"Thank you again." Yori responded before entering the classroom.
"So…" Kim drawled as she and her companions made their way to their class.
"Polite." Tara replied, "Formal. A bit too formal and polite for my tastes."
"Yeah." Hope concurred, "She was just a little too nice if you ask me."
"I know what you mean." Kim remarked, "Do either of you know anything about Yamanouchi?"
"I know it's in the Nagano region of Japan." Tara recalled, "Uncle John and Grandmama told me that there's a very exclusive school located there that offers a very…specialized curricula."
"What do you mean 'specialized?" Kim inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Her lips turning up in a smirk, Tara replied, "They didn't say much except for the fact that more than one agent in the Japanese intelligence service either graduated from that school or attended classes there at one time or another and that access to the school is very carefully controlled. No one goes there unless they're invited—and that includes the Yakusa. It's one of the few places in Japan where the Yaks have absolutely no influence."
"Hmmm…That school sounds like it could be bad news" Kim pondered as she took her Kimmunicator out of her purse, "It might not be a bad idea to have Wade do some digging."
"That sounds like a smashing idea." Tara immediately agreed. "I'll contact Grandmama and Uncle John and ask them to do some discreet snooping as well."
"Sounds good." Kim agreed as the Trio reached their classroom. "Ready for another year?"
"Nope." Hope chuckled as the tardy bell rang, "But it's not like we have any choice."
Laughing, Tara quipped as the Trio barely made it into the classroom in time, "Once more into the breach!"
Drakken's Caribbean Lair
"I got what you wanted, Dr. D." Camille announced as she handed a thumb-drive to the blue-skinned mad scientist.
"What is it?" Adrena Lynne asked as a series of equations and diagrams appeared on the computer monitor.
"The plans for Project Phoebus." Drakken cackled as he outlined his scheme, "It emits a brainwave beam that augments the cerebral cortex for a short time."
"In other words…" Camille interjected, "It makes whoever's hit by the ray smarter."
Nodding his head, Drakken grinned as he enthusiastically replied, "Right, my assistant! At thirty percent it will augment the user's intelligence by a factor of ten. At forty percent…a factor of thirty…"
"And at a hundred percent?" Adrena queried as she opened a beer.
Vigorously shaking his head, the mad scientist responded, "Oh no! That would put too big a strain on the neuro-cortical network."
"What do you mean, Doc?" Adrena asked, "If forty percent increases your intelligence by a factor of thirty, then one hundred should send it through the roof."
"Not so my dear." Drakken grinned paternalistically at his daredevil assistant, "That much power would overload the neurons in your brain—rendering you an instant vegetable—permanently."
"So…" Camille asked, "How much is too much?"
"Hmmm…" Drakken hummed as he pondered his other assistant's question. "That's a good question my dear. Perhaps we should test it on a guinea pig or two." An evil grin appearing on his face, the mad scientist cackled, "I have a mission for you Camille. One suited to your special talents."
Global Justice Headquarters—Middleton
Dr. Director remarked sarcastically as her assistant, Agent Will Du, brought her a cup of coffee and set it on her desk. "I'm sorry Dr. Bortel, I find it hard to believe that Ron Stoppable possesses any sort of super power—much less one that can alter probability. On what do you base this hypothesis of yours?"
"See for yourself." The scientist responded, setting a folder down on the director's desk. Watching as she perused the contents of the dossier, Bortel argued his case, "In each of those instances, that young man was at the center of an event that turned what should have been a disaster into either victory or a narrow escape."
"One could simply say that he was very lucky." Betty pointed out with a crooked grin on her face.
With a shake of his head, the scientist lectured, "These occurrences happen far too frequently to be merely statistical flukes. No. Something else has to be at work."
"I disagree." The director declared with a sigh, "But…I would be remiss if I do not investigate all possibilities. So, Doctor, how would you go about determining whether Mr. Stoppable has superpowers or not?"
"Through this invention I just perfected." Dr. Bortel responded enthusiastically, handing the director another folder. "The SV-39 microchip. I call it the Super Detector. If young Mister Stoppable does have reality altering powers, then my chip will instantly identify them and transmit the information to us."
"How would we get this chip into Mr. Stoppable without him or his friends—especially Wade Lode—finding out?" Betty asked before pointing out, "I will not take the risk of losing the goodwill of Kim Possible and her friends—or of Ms. King passing this on to her grandparent who would then pass it on to Mother and British Intelligence. No." The director shook her head, "I will not permit it unless you can absolutely one-hundred percent guarantee that neither him, his friends, or Mr. Lode would be able to discover it."
"While there is no one hundred percent in anything, Dr. Director…" the scientist protested, "The potential gains we would make from a successful experiment would greatly offset any blowback."
Shaking her head, Betty again rejected her scientist's request, "The decision is still no. However…" the director appended, "I would not object on the condition that he agrees willingly to the implantation."
"How are we going to accomplish that?" Dr. Bortel protested.
"That's up to you." Betty declared, ending the meeting. "However, I'll repeat to be sure that you understand, you will not implant Mr. Stoppable with any microchip without his voluntary consent. Good day, Doctor. Agent Du will see you out."
Middleton High—The Assistant Principal's Office
After carefully perusing the note handed to him by the lean and muscular dark haired high school student standing in front of his desk, Mr. Barkin nodded his head in satisfaction. "The doctor's note is properly signed and dated with a valid reason." Opening his desk drawer, the substitute assistant principle took out a hall pass and signed his name. Handing the pass to the boy, Mr. Barkin growled. "Your tardiness is excused, Radovsky. Get to class." As the Russian chess player/soccer team striker turned to leave, the former Marine cleared his throat, "Oh…Sergei…I hope that everything turns out well for your grandmother."
"Spasibo, Mr. Barkin." The young Russian replied in a soft voice, "Thank you."
Middleton High—Cafeteria
Immediately spotting their boyfriend as he entered the cafeteria, Tara and Hope waved him to their table. "Sergei! Over here. We saved you a seat."
"Give us a kiss." Hope pleaded as the slender Russian youth made their way to their table. Leaning down, he gave both of his girlfriends a quick kiss before taking his seat.
"How's Babushka?" Tara asked, her voice etched with concern.
Heaving a sigh, Sergei replied, "She was in good spirits when I dropped her off at the community center. We're still waiting on the lab results though."
"How long until you hear something?" Liz asked as she and Kevin joined their friends at the table.
"Hopefully by the end of the week." Sergei responded. Speaking to Kim, the Russian chess player smiled warmly, "Your mother promised to let us know as soon as the results come in and she's sure of the diagnosis."
Nodding her head, Kim answered back, "Your babushka's in good hands, Sergei. My mom's the best."
"Da." Sergei responded with a smile of his own, "I know. And we are grateful."
"So…" Kevin inquired, changing the subject and discreetly pointing as the new girl entered the lunchroom and took her place at the end of the line, "What's the word on the new girl?"
"Exchange student from Yamanouchi." Tara replied, "The jury's still out on her."
"Yeah." Hope echoed, "There's something about her that's raising warning flags." Spotting their fellow cheerleader, the raven-haired beauty called out, "Crys! Over here! There's still a few more seats."
"Hey!" Crystal grinned as she approached the table and sat down, "What's the gossip?"
"We're talking about the new girl." Kim replied, gesturing towards Yori who had moved up in the line and was currently staring forlornly at the slop being ladled on to her plate. "So, how was the movie?"
"It was great." The tawny-skinned cheerleader exclaimed, "Especially the final scene in the hospital ward. I don't think I've laughed so much…"
"Yeah." Ron agreed with a snicker, "The bit where the mother-in-law from Hell slips on the banana. That movie's one of my favorites too."
"You know they're still showing it…" Zita suggested in a teasing voice.
Laughing, Ron responded, "Okay, Zee…I can take a hint. How about this weekend?"
"Works for me lover."
Grimacing at the quivering blob on her plate, Crystal sneered, "Damn. Now they're feeding us gelatinous cubes." Pushing her plate back, she addressed her next remarks to the young musician seated next to Kim, "So, Josh, is your band performing at the Kitty Kat Club talent contest?"
"Sure are." Josh responded, "Got some new tunes we're going to try out."
"Really!" Jessica exclaimed as she and her boyfriend Steve took their places at the table. A twinkle in her eyes, the freckle-faced blonde joked, "Does a certain redheaded cheerleader figure in any of them?"
"I don't want to ruin the surprise." Josh bantered back with a smug grin.
"The cheerleaders will be showing off our new routine at the show too." Kim announced to everyone's applause.
"Khorosho." Sergei exclaimed, "Good. All of you have worked on it all summer. It will be good for everyone to see it."
"That's right." Both Kevin and Steve echoed, "You girls busted your asses."
Turning to the redhead seated next to her, Crystal declared, "And…Ummm…thank you, Kim, for giving Zoe a spot in the program. I know she's not a student and all…and neither one of us wants you to get into any trouble over it…"
"Hey." The redheaded cheerleader captain grinned, "From what I saw of her while we were practicing the routine, I'd say she's still got it. It's too bad Middleton Community doesn't have a cheerleader team."
"Hell yeah." Hope exclaimed, "She's got some nice moves."
"Once a cheerleader—always a cheerleader." Jessica declared sincerely.
"You bet your ass." Kim affirmed.
"It's gonna be a helluva show." Liz smiled as the new girl approached their table.
"May I sit here?" Yori asked in soft pleading tone as she approached the table, her tray in hand.
"Sure." Kim smiled courteously as she gestured to an empty chair at the end of the table. "Sorry, but all the other seats are taken."
Hiding her disappointment behind a mask of feigned politeness at being effectively relegated to an outside position, the Japanese girl responded as she made her way to her chair, "Thank you."
Taking her seat, Yori quietly listened to the conversations of those around her while picking at her food, hiding her contempt at the what she considered the banal and often raunchy dialogues between the teenagers. Spying the young Japanese girl silently observing her and her friends, Jessica nudged Tara, dropping her voice to a barely audible murmur.
"What's the deal with the new girl? Any reason she's being put in the kiddies' corner?"
"Maybe nothing…maybe something. We're not sure yet." Tara whispered back.
"We're doing some checking." Hope added in a low murmur. "If everything checks out okay—no problem. But if there is an issue…"
"Right." Jessica nodded, "Understood. Keep us posted?"
"Of course, luv." Tara promised as her gaze drifted to the table where Amelia and Felix sat eating lunch with Bonnie and Monique. Taking a deep breath, the blonde adventuress remarked, "I've got to give those two credit…"
"Amelia and Felix or Bonnie and Monique?" Kim asked, her attention now drawn to the other table.
"I'm not sure which." Tara replied with a crooked grin, "Maybe both pairs. Amelia and Felix for wanting to stay outside the cliques. And as for Bonnie and Monique…"
"Yeah." Crystal nodded, "It's looking like they're at least making an effort to get along. Gotta give them credit for that."
"True." Tara agreed with a slight nod of her head, "But let's see if it lasts."
Kim affirmed, "Amelia's been through hell, and Felix has been good for her." A scowl appearing on the red-headed teenager's face, she growled in a low voice, "And I'm not gonna be responsible for my actions if the mean girls club does anything to hurt either one of them."
Cafeteria—Felix and Amelia
"So, Felix, what do your parents do?" Monique asked conversationally as she made a face at the mystery meat lying on her tray.
"Dad works for Schlockmann Industries as an accountant." Felix replied, "And Mom just took a professorship at MIST."
"Hmmm…" The dark-skinned fashion diva vocalized with raised eyebrows in a subtle gesture of approval. "That's not bad."
Flashing a grin, Bonnie spoke to her old friend, "Say…Amelia…Dad said it was okay for me to have a pool party this weekend. Wanna come?"
"Sure." Amelia smiled back as she turned her head to the boy seated next to her, "That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun—doesn't it, Felix?"
"Dad said I had to keep it small." Bonnie quickly stated through pursed lips before Felix could respond, teal-colored eyes reflecting disdain for the boy seated in the wheelchair next to Amelia. "Friends only."
"Then…I'm sorry." Amelia replied with a frown, "I can't come."
"Amelia…" Felix protested in a soft voice, "Go ahead…they're your friends. I understand."
"Thanks, Felix. Amelia replied with a firm expression on her face, "My mind's made up. If you're not welcome—then neither am I." Turning her gaze back to her old friend, she declared, "Bonnie. If you still want me to hang out with you, then you're going to have to understand that me and Felix are a package deal. I'm not going. I've got other plans. I'm watching a special on the gardening channel with Felix." Standing up and picking up her tray, she concluded, "You and Monique have a good time and give my regards to everyone."
Picking up his tray, Felix also said his goodbyes. "I have to go too. I'll talk to you later."
Watching the pair as they made their way to the line of students waiting to deposit their trays, Bonnie shook her head, "I know Amelia's been through hell M—I really do! But that…nerd! He's using her to score a higher spot on the food chain! Can't she see that?"
"Maybe he is…" Monique replied, her voice taking on a soothing, diplomatic tone, "Maybe he's not. But even if he is, right now Amelia's not going to listen to us. We've got to bring her solid proof that he's using her."
"So how do we get that proof?" Bonnie queried, lowering her voice so that no one else could hear.
"Just leave that to me." Monique promised, her lips turning up in a sly grin, "If there's anything dirty going on—I'll find it."
The Trio's table
"Well…" Hope remarked sarcastically as Felix and Amelia walked away from the other two girls, "That looks like it went…well…"
"Bonnie keeps this up and she's not going to have any friends at all." Kim noted. Changing the subject, she prompted her best friend, "So when's tryouts, Ron?"
"Not for a while yet." Ron replied with a shrug, "Towards the end of the semester. Dillon says that I've got a good shot at making the 440 relay and even decathlon."
"Decathlon." Steve mused, nodding his head thoughtfully, "Makes sense given what you and Kim do in your spare time."
Nodding her head in agreement, Tara affirmed, "Decathlon is a smashing choice. And it will help you out in the field. You never know what Drakken or those other wankers are going to throw at you."
"That's why Kim's putting me through her version of basic training." Ron quipped. Turning to his girlfriend, he joked, "I apologize in advance for any bumps or bruises I come home with."
"Don't worry, baby." Zita teased back, "I'll kiss 'em and make 'em better."
"We'll give you some pointers that I guarantee will get a rise out of that man of yours at our next ladies club meeting at Lady Di's." Tara joked, her best friend and their shared lover joining the banter.
"Yeah." Hope laughed, "We've had plenty of practice taking care of Sergei's boo-boos."
The Russian soccer player chuckled as he gave Ron a playful punch on the arm and then gestured with a wave as he spoke to all at the table, "Our lyubovniki are the best—are they not?"
"No argument from me." Ron smirked, giving Zita a playful wink.
"Track's not going to interfere with your being the mascot, is it Ron?" Kevin asked.
"Nope." Ron replied, shaking his head. "Coach Thompkins said that there shouldn't be any conflict."
"That's good news." Brick exclaimed as he and Sue joined the others, "We need our mascot to rev up the crowd."
"How's the team looking for this season, Brick?" Steve asked.
"Funny thing…" Brick replied thoughtfully, "We're in a lot better shape now than we were last season. I know it sounds weird, but being disqualified from playing for State this year has made us even more determined. We're going to show everyone that we can win the right way—without cheating."
"Good on you, mate." Tara exclaimed.
"I second that." Kim added, "This year's going to be our best year yet." Turning her gaze to Sue, the redheaded hero asked, "Are you gonna play at the talent contest?"
Responding with a smile and a slight blush, the clarinet player answered, "Yeah. My parents said I could do it on the condition that they go too. I think they're worried about that place's reputation."
"There's nothing for them to worry about." Hope interjected, "Max is waving the Club card requirement for entry and closing the casino and strip show for the evening."
"The bar's also non-alcohol for the night." Tara added. Then she finished with a wicked grin, "But those of us with platinum cards have access to the private lounge."
"Yeah." Kim sighed, "I'm gonna need a drink or two after putting up with Bonnie and Marcella's shit."
Listening silently to the byplay going on around the table, Yori, who had been patiently biding her time, finally joined the conversation, "Excuse me, please."
"Yeah, Yori?" Kim responded as the bell rang, "Oops…that means lunch period's over. We've got to go if we don't want to be tardy." Rising to her feet along with the others, the teen hero smiled, "Come with us. We can talk on the way to class."
Shego
"All right…" the former villainess frowned as she gazed at the abandoned warehouse through her binoculars, "Let's see whether Betty's source was worth the money she paid him or not."
Forcing the warehouse door open, Shego entered the building, a frown on her face as she gazed at the now abandoned structure. "Now…where did the source say it was?" Spotting a door on the other side of the spacious building, a sly grin replaced the frown. "Ah! There it is. Now…" She took a deep breath as she made her way to the office and opened the door. Walking to the desk, the former villainess knelt down and began to search. "Now…where are you?" she murmured to herself as she continued her examination until her fingers traced the slightest of indentations in the floor. "There you are! Now…what was that sequence? Press the groove on the left once…the one on the right three times…then the left three more." Hearing a hissing sound as she pressed the final entry of the sequence, she looked up, her smile returning as a portion of the wall slid open to reveal a hidden chamber. Standing up, the green-skinned ex-villain quipped, "Looks like I owe you a drink, Betty. Now…let's see what's in there and whether it was worth me kicking out early that hunk I slept with last night."
Entering the secret chamber, a smile once again appeared on the green-skinned former villainess's face as she eyed the wall safe. Taking an electronic device out from her small carrybag, she slapped on the side of lock and pressed a button, causing a series of red, green, and yellow lights to blink. Waiting patiently as the lights cycled, she let out a breath of air as first one green light…then a second…stayed lit. "One more and we're…" the third green light staying steady, Shego's smile grew broader on hearing a click, "In."
Peering into the safe, the former villainess spied her objective—a data disc along with some papers. Cleaning the safe out, she quickly perused the contents. "Well…shit." She muttered as she activated a special cell phone and spoke. "Hey Nerdlinger—you there?"
"Shego? I thought you were working with Global Justice." The image of Team Possible's tech support guru appeared on the screen, a look of surprise on the dark-skinned pre-teen's face.
"Yeah. It's me. And yes, I am." Shego replied, "Look. I don't have much time. I'm on the clock. I've got some docs for you to scan and pass on to Cutie, Cheerleader, and the Princess."
"What are they?" Wade inquired as he typed on his keyboard.
"Don't know yet." Shego answered back, "That's why I'm sending them to you. In case Betty decides to hog all the info."
"Thanks." The young hacker acknowledged, "Got 'em. They're in code—gonna take some time to crack it."
"Yeah." Shego responded as she caught a glimpse of motion out of the corner of her eye. "You better get started. I gotta get to work."
"Gotcha." Wade replied, "Stay safe."
An evil grin appearing on her face, Shego quipped, "It's not my safety you should worry about." A green ball of plasma appearing in her hand, the reformed villain exclaimed as she tossed the superheated ball of energy in the direction of the motion, "It's party time!" Hearing cries of agony and rage, she smirked, "There's a lot more where that came from boys.""
Middleton High
"A pop quiz on the first day of school!" Ron moaned as he exited the classroom, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Barkin?" Oscar asked as he joined his friends in the hallway.
"No." Kim replied, shaking her head, "Algebra."
"Ms. Whisp." Ron grunted. "And I'm sure I failed it. "Because I don't remember a thing from last year."
"She called it…" Jessica interjected, doing an exaggerated imitation of the math teacher's Brooklyn accent, "A diagnostic test to determine how well we retained last year's knowledge."
"I called it bull shite." Tara quipped with a wicked grin.
"And I gave her the finger." Hope added with a smirk.
"Well…there's two detentions." Cindy joked. Turning to the third member of the Trio, the dark-haired teenager jibed, "Kim?"
"Almost." The teen hero blushed. "I gave her the finger too, but she didn't catch me."
"That's because Vinnie from the Detention Gang tossed a paper airplane and hit Ms. Whisp on the nose." Tara interjected with a laugh.
"And I get another F and a butt chewing from Mom and Dad." Ron moaned, "Maybe even grounded."
"Yeah." Zita sighed, "They've been extra paranoid since the Incident."
"What Incident?" Cindy asked as the group walked together to their lockers.
His face a deep red, Ron explained lowering his voice to almost a whisper, "Mom found a pair of Zita's panties in between the cushions when she was cleaning the couch."
"I'm sorry, Ron." Zita smiled at her boyfriend, "I thought I'd gotten everything out before they came home."
"It's okay, babe." Ron responded, "We talked our way out of it."
Laughing out loud, Tara exclaimed, "How the hell did you bullshit your way out of that one, Stoppable."
"It wasn't easy." Ron moaned his face reddening even more with embarrassment. "I had to call on Kim for help."
"Right, Possible." Tara mock glared, "Spill. How did the two of you pull this little caper off?"
Blushing also, Kim explained, "I told Mrs. Stoppable that the panties were mine. That Ron and I had come off a mission where our mission gear got really muddy and messy and we decided to use the washer and dryer at his house because Mom was using ours at the time—which she was. Then we dumped the laundry on the couch to sort it out and the panties must have fallen through the cushions."
"And they bought that?" Hope exclaimed disbelievingly.
"Yup." Ron nodded, "Kim gave Mrs. Stoppable her best puppy-dog pout. That saved the day."
"And we have our front runners for the Best Bullshitter trophy." Steve laughed.
"There's the spirit." Tara joked as she transferred her books at her locker, "Since I've already got detention, I'm gonna sneak a smoke break before class. Anyone wanna come with?"
"I might as well since I'm in there with you." Hope laughed, "What about you, Kim? Wanna help me stand lookout while Tara feeds her nicotine habit?"
"Hell." Kim snorted, "Why not? Got nothing better to do. Lead on."
"I'll take a pass." Ron chuckled, holding his girlfriend's hand, "I'm gonna be in enough trouble when Mom and Dad see that F. I don't need any more."
"Okay." Tara grinned in response, "Good luck with Barkin!"
"You had to remind me." Ron groaned as Zita took him by the hand.
"C'mon, Stud. I'll walk you to class."
Watching quietly from her locker, Yori shook her head in a gesture of both disapproval and disgust. She would have much to discuss when she made her report to Sensei this evening beginning with requesting that she be removed from this assignment.
Evening—the Possible home
"How was your first day at school, Kimmie-cub? James asked as the Possible family gathered around the dinner table.
"Not bad." Kim replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Except for the usual first day pop quiz from Mr. Barkin and a surprise test from the new algebra teacher."
"New teacher?" Ann asked as she ladled some peas on her plate.
"Yeah." The teen hero affirmed, nodding her head as she reached for the roasted potatoes. "Ms. Whisp. Tough too. I'll be lucky if I managed to scrape by with a B. Ron's sure he failed. He barely managed a C in geometry last year."
"Young lady." James reproved, "While I'd expect for Ron to have trouble, a B is not an acceptable grade for you."
"Dad!" Kim protested, rolling her eyes. "Most of those questions were college-level at least! They were hard! Even Tara had trouble with them and she's gone to university."
"I'm sure that if she had the opportunity to study and prepare for the test, she'd have done better, James." Ann interjected, interceding for her daughter.
"Yeah, Dad. This teacher's strict. The moment the tardy bell rang she took roll and gave us the test. But now that I know who I'm dealing with, I'll be ready for her next test." Kim vowed, her promise temporarily mollifying her father.
"I know you will, Kimmie-cub." James responded, favoring his daughter with a smile. "I don't doubt it for a moment."
"Good." Ann exclaimed, "Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, let's eat our dinner." Turning her attention to the Tweebs, the redheaded mother inquired, "How was your day Jim…Tim?"
"Great!" Jim answered back, "We made some friends."
"Yeah." Tim interjected, "We met Hope's brothers—they're twins too."
Remembering her earlier conference with the school's teachers about her precocious children, Ann cautioned, "That's good, but I don't want to hear any bad reports from you—no electronic probes or practical jokes—got it?"
"Yes, Mom." Both Tweebs acknowledged in a sing-song voice as they crossed their fingers behind their backs, "We promise."
Global Justice HQ
"Something for your nerds to play with, Betty." Shego announced as she dropped the disc and documents on Dr. Director's desk.
"Nice." The head of Global Justice replied as she perused the contents of the documents. "I was informed that you ran into…complications."
Shrugging her shoulders, the green-skinned former villain responded, "Nothing I couldn't handle."
"Very good." Dr. Director nodded her head in satisfaction, "The agreed upon stipend has been electronically deposited to your account according to our agreement. We'll call you again when there's another job."
"Ohhh…" Shego responded in a sarcastic voice, "Now you've made me wet."
"Get outta here!" Betty commanded, hiding the smile forming on her lips as the reformed villainess departed. Tapping her comm, she called out, "Mr. Du? I've got an errand for you to run."
Drakken's Lair
Entering her employer's lair, Camille shifted out of her disguise as Ms. Whisp and resuming her original form, approached the mad doctor currently hunched over a computer monitor with his other henchwoman, Adrena Lynn, sitting on the corner of a desk drinking a beer.
Looking up from his work, a big smile appeared on Drakken's face as he recognized his henchwoman, "Ah! Camille! Did you get what I asked for?"
"Of course I did." Camille responded as she dropped a stack of papers on the mad scientist's desk.
"Excellent!" Drakken exclaimed as he examined each of the papers in turn, shaking his head, "No…no…no…definitely not."
"What are you looking for Doc?" Adrena asked before taking another sip from her bottle.
"A suitable candidate for my experiment after you and Camille swipe Project Phoebus." Drakken explained, "I need two subjects—one—with limited intellect—to test the machine. And another to act as a control. His lips turning up in a grin, the mad scientist crowed triumphantly. "And I have found them." Pointing to the paper bearing the name Ron Stoppable, his lips turned up in an evil grin, "The Buffoon. The perfect test subject." Taking out another paper, his smile grew even wider, "And of course, Kim Possible who will make an excellent control subject."
"So…" Camille pondered, "We're going to nab the Princess and the Buffoon."
"Right." Drakken affirmed, "But first—you must steal Project Phoebus. Once that is completed, then we will put the next step of my plan into action."
"So what's the end game?" Adrena asked.
His smirk growing even wider, Drakken responded, "What else? To get revenge against all of my enemies—especially Kim Possible and all she holds dear and…oh yes…to conquer the world."
"Freaky."
Yori
Sitting in the lotus position, Yori breathed evenly, willing herself to relax. Then she uttered an obscure chant, repeating it until finally a voice called out to her.
"Yori-chan." The astral form of Sensei appeared, "What do you have to report?"
"Forgive me, Sensei." The young ninja apologized, "But I cannot see the purpose of this mission. Stoppable-san has no interest in pursuing the gifts of the Monkey. His lover distracts him from his duty—his destiny And his companions…" Yori shook her head. "They are vulgar, crude, and do not take anything seriously. He will never be able to pursue his path as long as he is surrounded by these distractions.
"What is destiny, Yori-chan, without free will?" Sensei countered. "Our destiny is shaped by the choices we make—the people we befriend—the people we love. I think, perhaps, this is the road that you need to follow for now. Allow yourself to explore uncharted paths. Revel in the new and unexpected."
"If that is your wish, Sensei." Yori replied deferentially, bowing her head. "Then I shall continue my mission."