Ch.94
As everyone soon started filing into the dining room, Ron asked. "Who can help set the dishes?"
There is a wave of me's and Tara, Monique, Yori, Bonnie and Shego make short work of the preparations. With Ann, Amy and Kim joining everyone else(the Load's, the twins, Felix, Zita and Ron's ladies) around the table, Ron started bringing out the food. There was nicely cut fruit, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and hashbrowns with OJ. Yup, Ron was aiming to please.
There was a nice atmosphere going as everyone ate and chatted. Then the meal ended and it was time for business.
"Ron it's time to make you presentable." Monique declared, reminding everyone that Ron was going to make his official world debut.
"Time, huh." Ron said and asked. "When do the stylists and designers get here?"
"The stylists should be here in ten minutes, as for the designer, you're looking at her." Monique said proudly.
"Guess you finally get a crack at my wardrobe." Ron jokes.
"You bet, we are going to make you the worlds most desirable man." Monique said.
"I don't think I want to go that far." Ron said unsure that's where he wanted things to be.
"Trust me, Ron, this is the right move." Monique assured.
"On a similar line of thought, when are you making your presentation?" Ron asked Monique.
"My presentation?" Monique asked not understanding. "What presentation?"
"Weren't you looking for investors for your brand?" Ron asked.
"Ron!" Monique said excited that he'd do that for her.
"I expect to see a full presentation and viable business plan, then we'll talk." Ron said trying to sound professional.
"You got it." Monique declared, adding. "By the end of the presentation you'll swear to only dress in my brand."
"Looking forward to it." Ron said.
Tara who watched their conversation from the side got a faraway look for a moment before speaking up. "Ron."
"Yeah, Tara?" Ron asked.
"I would like yo..." Tara starts speaking.
Ting ting!
"He's here!" Monique calls out. "Fransua, welcome!"
Tara began to ask Ron if he'll help her with the orphanage but was cut off as the doorbell rings and Monique shouts. Ron is then quickly dragged away for his haircut. Sighing, Tara follows along.
As everyone crowded the dining room, Fransua got to work. They had debated for a while what they wanted Ron's haircut to be but ultimately settled on letting the professional choose.
Fransua cut away all hair at the sides and back, leaving the top styled in such a way that it made the ladies breathless. Fransua had done it again, Ron was reborn from his signature cowlick to a modern look.
"Pass." Rufus squeaked.
"I must agree, love the new look." Bonnie comments.
"Yeah!" Tara sighs with Ann, Amy, Shego and Yori nodding.
"Looking great Ron." Felix declares and Zita agrees.
"Love the new look." Wade comments as the twins high five.
Kim for her part swallows hard and blushes but refrains from commenting.
"I love it but now it's my turn." Monique declared after Ron wired Fransua his fee.
"I'm in your hands." Ron said as he was dragged away by Monique to her room.
~~~~~
A few minutes later, Ron stands looking at his reflection in the mirror and can't help but wonder what the ladies think.
"So what do you guys think?" Ron finally asked since the silence was dragging.
"Wow!" Someone said and the ladies nodded.
"Ron, you look like... like..." Felix tries to come up with the words but fails.
"A celebrity." Zita says.
"A supermodel." Amy supplies.
"Like royalty." Kim whispers.
Ron grabbed the back of his head and blushes a bit. "Thanks guys."
As everyone looks at Ron in the grey suit with a black shirt and shoes, Monique nods. 'This is my man!' She thinks.
"Now ladies, this is the important question." Ron speaks. "Do you want to step onto the world stage with me? It's going to be dangerous and I, myself think that you shouldn't but the choice is yours."
"I'm in." Shego says without hesitation.
"Me too." Yori agrees.
"So I'm I." Bonnie declares.
"And me." Tara says.
"As am I." Ann says.
"You know it." Monique agrees.
"If you'll have me." Amy says.
"Okay, then let's go out there and have this press conference." Ron says
"Wait, Monique do you have something that can match Ron?" Asks Ann.
"For me too!" Bonnie says and the others agree.
"I got just the dresses." Monique soothes. 'I had a feeling this was going to be the case.' She thinks. "Ron, step out with the men while us ladies get dressed."
"Okay." Ron easily agrees and leads the way out. Once outside he looks at Wade, Felix and Zita, asking. "Are you sure you guys don't want to step into the spotlight with me? And Felix what about Mrs. Renton?"
"We're sure Ron." Zita says.
"Yeah, we had plenty of time to think about it and we decided against it. Mom would say the same." Felix agrees.
"Yeah." Wade adds.
"Still, I feel like this should be our moment." Ron says.
"It is our moment, we're just not stepping into the limelight." Wade explains.
"Okay, I'll respect you wishes." Ron says, then looks to Rufus who was standing on his shoulder. "You're going to be with me right buddy?"
Rufus nods and does a thumbs up. "Uh huh."
"Thanks." Ron says.
An hour later the ladies finally step out of Monique's room wearing an array of different dresses that all compliment Ron's suit, even Kim.
Ron took a moment to find his voice and spoke his thoughts. "You all look amazing."
With smiles the ladies nodded their agreement.
~~~~~
Thirty minutes later Ron, Ann, Monique, Bonnie, Shego, Yori, Tara, Amy, Kim and the twins stepped out of a limousine in the Cross Industries garage where a horde of reporters were present and bombarded them with photos and questions. Amy being the CEO was at the center of the questions.
"Miss Watson, who are these people with you?" A reporter asked Amy.
"Is one of them a founder?" Another asked.
"Or the inventor behind the Neuro Linker?" Asked yet another reporter.
"Those questions and more shall be answered in the press conference, now please follow us inside and we shall begin with today's proceedings." Amy expertly answered.
With no choice but still asking the others questions, the reporters followed the group inside noting that everyone seemed to circle the man in the center.
As they entered conference room Ron noticed that the reporters that had been outside where but a minority, as the room was packed with others.
Ron watched Amy go onto the stage and begin a simple introduction. "...and so I'd like to introduce a cofounder and one the minds behind the Neuro Linker, Ronald Dean Stoppable!"
Ron took his cue and with his ladies by his side joined Amy at the podium. As he walked Ron struggled to look ahead as camara flashes and questions bombarded him. When behind the microphone Ron raised his hand and the room went quiet.
"First off I would like to thank you all for joining us today as we launch Conquest's gold exchange." Ron said. "Now I know many if you have questions and I would like to answer them to the best of my abilities. So let us begin with the lady in..."
And thus Ron began the QA. The reporters had a ton of questions and Ron patiently answered them. First they asked if he was responsible for the time dilation that existed in Conquest and Ron explained he was. Then they asked how it worked and Ron simply said 'Trade secret'. That was followed by someone asking if the people with him were part of the inventors and Ron said they weren't before introducing each one. When asked what was his relationship with them, including wanted in eleven countries Shego, Ron smiled with pride and declared 'We're dating'. That left the room in stunned silence for a while but soon the questions resumed.
Ron answered everything that was thrown at him before finally declaring an end to the two hour long press conference.
~~~~~
"That was exhausting." Ron said as he sat in the limousine back to his estate.
"You did great Ron." Amy beamed.
"Yeah Ron, you were absolutely amazing." Tara agreed.
Ron looked at them and felt grateful. Then he noticed Jim and Tim seemed to have nodded off and was going to suggest they lowered their voices but he noticed the light indicating they were diving into Conquest so refrained wondering how the game was.
"I think I'll try it." Ron mumbled.
"Try what, Ron?" Asked Yori who heard him.
"I'm going to make a Conquest account." Ron said.
"Great, I'll help you train once you do." Yori offered.
"Me too." Shego added. "It's like training in real life." She explained forgetting for a moment Ron was involved in it's creation.
Smiling Ron nodded before looking at his watch. Ron had three hours before his date with Ann.