Kim Possible Fan Fiction ❯ Kim Possible: The Impossibilities Series ❯ Chapter 6: An Impossible Interlude ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

An Impossible Interlude by Jarkota
Author's Note:
I know it's not the new story arc I promised, but I felt I needed to get this out of the way first so that I wouldn't have it nagging away at me. I wanted to put this at the end of my last chapter, but it was already long enough as it is. This picks up pretty much where the last one left off and is basically Bonnie and Yori's pregnancy in a nutshell. Right now, I'd like to answer a bit of criticism from the last chapter (I usually do this sort of thing in private via e-mail, but I cannot find this person's e-mail address, so I'll handle it here):

Jackaniny - While, in a way, it would make sense for a person to react more to losing a limb, for massive trauma like that, there is no pain for quite some time. Whenever severe nerve damage is involved, the brain automatically shuts off all signals from that part of the body to keep you from going into shock from the pain (after being hit by a car, I can verify the lack of pain after such an injury). There was a World War II movie (I believe it was Saving Private Ryan) where they show the Allied troops storming the beaches at Normandy, and in one shot you see a soldier walking by whose arm has been blown off and he is carrying the lost limb in his remaining hand, walking around as though in a daze. I asked a doctor about that once because I thought there would be enormous amounts of pain, as well, and he said that the movie was fairly accurate. According to him, the reason the brain cuts off the signal is a survival mechanism. If you're alone and something like that happens and you go into shock, you're doomed. You can't think straight, your entire world is nothing but pain and confusion, and you'll mostly likely even black out. But by temporarily cutting off the impulses from the damaged part of the body, it would give you time to at least try and locate someone to get some help. So, I took that bit of knowledge and ran with it (of course, Tara being pretty much insane at the time doesn't hurt my case here, either). Also, I'm confused by what you called a "Ryu reference"; to my knowledge, there isn't any Street Fighter reference present. The final attack Ron used on Josh Mankey was the Kamehameha Wave, most commonly used by Goku in the Dragon Ball manga/anime series, not Ryu's Hadouken fireball. Any similarities to Street Fighter are purely accidental on my part, as I wasn't even thinking about it when I wrote the scene.

On another note, some of you who've read my other works may notice that I almost always have a character, whether major or minor, named Shadow. I assure you, this is not the same person in every story. Well, it is, but it isn't. The "Infinite Worlds of Maybe" theory states that there are an inifnite number of possible alternate universes out there, each having similar or identical features and people but with enough differences to set them apart (fans of the show Sliders will know what I'm talking about here), and thus each world could, in theory, have its own Shadow. I write such a character because every time a mainstream media publication has a dark warrior in it, he's always a villain, and I'm rather tired of darkness always being equated with evil. Shadow is my attempt to show that darkness can be used for good, as well. That's pretty much all I've got to say here. As always, I don't own these characters; Disney does. ********************************************************************* ************** It had only been a week since the concurrent pregnancies of Bonnie and Yori were announced, and already things were changing in the house. Despite the two mothers-to-be stating repeatedly that they were pregnant, not invalids, Ron insisted on waiting on them hand and foot. "I don't want to sound like I'm complaining or anything", Bonnie said to Yori as they sat up in bed, eating the breakfast Ron had brought them, "I mean, when Ronnie gets devoted to something he goes all-out and that's one of his most endearing qualities, but he's treating us like we're dying and he's trying to make our last days comfortable. Breakfast in bed, taking our share of the chores, getting us all time off from any Global Justice duties until after the babies are born..... In one way, it's really sweet, but in another, it's totally embarrassing." Yori giggled. "Ron-chan has a heart of gold; no thought of himself if he feels someone else is in need. It is one of the many reasons I fell in love with him when we first met. Kim-chan is lucky to have him." She took a knife, cut a chunk out of what was in her bowl, and grimaced as she chewed it. "I only wish she would learn that oatmeal is not a solid object." Now it was Bonnie's turn to laugh. "If Kim didn't have Ron and Shego helping her, we'd probably be better off eating with Rufus." She took a bite of her own food. "Shego's pancakes, on the other hand, are divine. I've got to find out how she manages to cook the syrup in the batter without making it too sweet...." "Old Go family secret, Bon-Bon," said a voice from the doorway, "and I've sworn never to reveal it." Shego entered the room carrying a tray with a teapot sitting on it; she was clad in a tight pair of blue jeans, equally-tight green T-shirt, and the snakeskin boots and cowboy hat Slim Possible had given her the last time the group had went to his ranch for a visit. "After you two finish eating, get dressed. The families are coming for a visit." "'The families'?" Yori asked. Shego nodded. "My brothers, the Possibles, and the Stoppables. Seems they all go crazy when they hear someone's got a bun in the oven and they just had to set up this little meeting. Be nice if they gave us a little more advanced warning, but maybe one of them can convince Ron to stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off. The way he acts, you'd think those are his kids you two are carrying instead of each other's." She shook her head. "I'm probably never gonna get used to that. Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder around here, now we've got two girls that managed to get each other pregnant. Even Drakken never came up with anything that insane." She smiled as poured the tea into their nearly-empty cups. "I'll warn you, Mego's gonna be vicious on that one. He and I have the same sense of humor, so you'll just have to deal with it. But he doesn't mean anything by it, and neither do I. I'm just happy you two found each other, especially given what you've been through." She kissed them both on the forehead, then left the room. ********************************************************************* ************** The Possibles and Stoppables arrived together, and Bonnie and Yori immediately grabbed up young Hana to take turns holding her, imagining what it would be like when their own children were born. Kim couldn't help smiling; of all the girls she'd met in her life, Bonnie Rockwaller was the absolute last she would have ever thought of as a mother; but, seeing her with the baby, she couldn't deny that Bonnie and motherhood seemed to go together. As she watched the two girls with Hana, however, she felt a pang in her heart she'd heard other women describe. As happy as she was for them, she couldn't help but feel envious, as well. So lost in thought was she that she didn't even notice Ron sitting down next to her on the couch until he spoke to her. "Penny for your thoughts, KP?" She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Sorry, Ron; I was just thinking...." "Want one of your own, don't you?" She nodded. "But you're also worried about missions, aren't you? Not being able to do the hero bit because you'd be doing the mommy bit?" She nodded again. "Well, there's only one thing I can tell you." "What's that?" she asked, looking into her love's eyes. He smiled at her. "Just let things come as they may and don't worry about it. We'll have one someday, and when we do, I'm sure there's no kid on Earth that could possibly ask for a better mother." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "I know I can't ask for a better girlfriend." Kim hugged him tightly. "I think I'll keep you around, Ron." He returned the embrace and stroked her hair. "Booyah," was his only reply. Kim smiled at him and said, "Don't change. Ever." before capturing him in a kiss. "No chance of that, KP. I got you by being exactly as I am, and there's no way I'm gonna screw it up now." Not long afterwards, the Go siblings arrived, and no sooner had they stepped in the door than Mego let his witty side out. "And here I thought I'd seen it all," he began. "I've fought supervillains ranging from the usual mad scientists to animal-themed crazies and genetic mutants, but never have I seen two girls knock each other up." He grinned slyly. "You two got extra 'equipment' or something? Might explain why my sister can put up with you for this long when she never could any of her other girlfriends." Shego glared at him. "Mego, I think you'd better stop right there...." "What? You didn't tell them you dated pretty much every girl in Go City?" Now Shego was actually growling. "It's no secret that I used to get around a bit, Mego, but I do not appreciate my old mistakes being brought up!!!" Mego was scared. "Sorry, sis....I didn't know you were still touchy about that." "Yeah, well now you do." Kim walked over to stand between them, Ron close behind. "Look, this is supposed to be a happy occasion, and I know you two can get along better than this." Mego sighed. "She's right; I'm sorry, Shego. I stepped out of line." He turned back to Bonnie and Yori. "And I owe you an apology, as well." Bonnie dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Nah; we're cool. Shego warned us about you, so we were ready." "However," Yori said, her tone serious, "remember that I am ninja, and it would be to your best advantage to not eat or drink anything I prepare for you today." Mego gulped nervously, which caused Yori to erupt in a giggling fit. "Yori-chan;" Ron said from behind Kim, "always with the Japanese-style jokes." The day went on as their family visits usually did, but Bonnie noticed that Kim kept staring at her watch. Finally, at around three o'clock, the brunette asked her former rival what was up. "It's nothing," Kim said, dejected. "I'd invited someone else here today, but it looks like they're not going to show." But she wouldn't give up any more information. Another hour went by, then two, and Kim and Shego went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. As the group sat down, once again utilizing folding tables to make enough room for everyone, the doorbell rang. Her eyes brightening, Kim dashed for the front door. When she returned a few minutes later, the last two people any of them expected to see were following her.
"Mom?! Dad?!" Bonnie asked, her eyes becoming as wide as the plate in front of her. Mr. Rockwaller cleared his throat. "Kim told us about the baby, Bonnie. And we also realize....we've been pretty pig-headed about all this." His wife nodded. "We've been doing a lot of soul-searching since we last saw you. We asked the pastor at the church what to do, but he told us we would have to find the answer. It took us a while, but we have." "Despite what we said, you never stopped being our daughter," Mr. Rockwaller continued, "and we hope that you didn't stop thinking of us as your parents. We're not going to judge you, and we're not going to make you leave. If living here makes you happy, then we won't interfere." Bonnie nodded. "That's fine; I never liked the silence between us, either. But this isn't good enough. You have to extend the same courtesy to Johnny if you want me to accept." "I'm afraid we can't do that, Bon-Bon," her mother said. "Then we have nothing to say to each other." she started to leave, but Yori stopped her with a hand on her arm. "We never kicked Johnny out of the family. He's dead." Mr. Rockwaller said. "We made that entire story up because we thought you wouldn't be able to handle the truth, but Johnny'd fallen in with a bad crowd; drug addicts and street gangs, to put it bluntly. We tried to help him, but he pushed us away. He....he died during a deal gone bad. One of the buyers was a police plant with a wire on him, and when the cops busted in, Johnny was caught in the crossfire." Now Bonnie was furious. "You thought I wouldn't be able to handle it??? I was fourteen! Things like that are on the news all the time! It wouldn't have made me think less of him, if that's what you're worried about. But it does make me think less of you." Che clenched her hands into fists, trying to hold back the tears. "Bonnie," Mrs. Possible said, "watch your blood pressure. It might harm the baby." "Yes, Bonnie-chan; I would not wish you or my son hurt." Bonnie's parents had no reply. "Oops," Mrs. Possible said, putting a hand over her mouth. "Did I forget to mention who's son your daughter's carrying?" "Yes; yes I think you did...." Mrs. Rockwaller said. "I'd assumed it was the Stoppable boy's." Anne ran through the process as quickly and simply as she could. "And that's how it's possible," she finished. "Bonnie and Yori love each other as deeply as Kim and Ron do, and I felt honored when they asked me for help." Mr. Rockwaller sighed. "Well, it's too late to back out now even if we wanted to. We're as willing to accept our grandchildren as we are you, Bonnie." Bonnie shook her head. "I need some time to think about this. Knowing that you lied to me for so long isn't easy to deal with, but that you used that lie to kick me out when you found me with Tara hurts even more." "Speaking of Tara," Mrs. Rockwaller said, "why wasn't she invited to this? From what I was told, this was mostly so you could 'bury the hatchet' with all of us, so to speak." "Tara...." Bonnie gulped nervously. "Tara's dead. She totally lost it and tried to kill me out of jealousy a year ago, and I had to defend myself." She thought it best if she left out the parts about Global Justice and Gemini. "I thought you'd have heard about it by now." "We'd heard about it," Mrs. Rockwaller said, "but we thought it was just a rumor. Tara seemed too sweet and innocent to try and kill anyone." "Just like she was too 'sweet and innocent' to turn against me the moment we were caught," Bonnie muttered. Kim spoke up. "Regardless of the past, we're all here now, and we should make the best of the situation. We're here to celebrate Bonnie and Yori starting their family together, and hopefully," she said, looking right into Ron's eyes, "these won't be the last babies we get together to celebrate." They then bowed their heads for the round of Christian and Jewish prayers followed by Japanese blessings that had become part of the daily routine in the house, and began to eat their dinner. When the meal was finished, they moved to the living room. The Rockwallers, adjusting to the fact that their daughter was carrying another girl's child, couldn't leave Yori alone. They wanted to know where she came from, what she was like, and other such things that seem trivial, but are of great importance to parents. Despite their annoying questions about her upbringing, most of which she had to lie about or dodge totally due to the answers involving Yamanouchi, Yori found them to be tolerable, if not likable in some ways, and she found it surprisingly easy to open up to them and even forgive them for the way Bonnie was treated. As the day wore on, Bonnie found that it was like old times with her parents again, save for the fact that she learned they'd been lying to her for years and that she was involved in a relationship with another girl - and carrying that girl's child, to boot. She didn't think that things would or even could go back to the way they were before, but seeing Yori and her parents getting along so well made her believe that it would be a close comparison. Kim smiled when she saw how well everything was going; indeed, it was as though no bad blood had transpired between any of them. Bonnie and her parents were getting along and the Rockwallers had accepted Yori and the babies, Ron and his parents kept busy by taking photographs of everyone with little Hana, her own parents were engaging Hego and Mego in conversation about pretty much anything and everything, her brothers...... Wait, she thought, where arethe Tweebs, anyway? Meanwhile, Hego had become fascinated with James Possible's latest creation. "So," the strongman said, "your new micro-rocket engine can provide enough thrust to propel the average automobile at twice normal speed while still being only the size of a flashlight?" "Yes," the rocket scientist replied proudly. "The engine uses a new fuel compression technology which would allow you to store massive amounts of fuel in a capsule no bigger than a thumb. I've got the prototypes in the back of my van, if you want to take a look." Ron's eyes went wide. "Uh, Mr. Dr. P? I saw Jim, Tim and the Wegos opening the van up a few minutes ago and...." About that time, an explosion was heard outside. The group rushed out onto the lawn just in time to see the four boys being propelled down the street on skateboards with flashlight-sized rocket engines attached to them and let out a collective sigh. "Those boys will never change," Kim said. "Which set?" Shego replied dryly. ******************************************************************** *************** Two more months went by, and Bonnie and Yori were very visibly showing. The doctors who were overseeing their pregnancies, Anne Possible being without a doubt the most influential, told them not to worry about gaining weight like most young mothers did. "After all," she repeatedly told them, "you're each eating for two now, as they say, and those babies need all the nutrition they can get if they're to be born healthy. And you can always lose the weight later. Look at me; after three kids, I've still got the figure of a twenty-year-old." The two young women were quite obviously unable to disagree. As a result of this advice, Ron, Kim, and Shego were kept busy providing the expectant mothers with food. To keep the jobs suitably separated, and to ensure edibility, Ron and Shego handled food prepared in the house and Kim was relegated to Bueno Nacho duty, which was a good thing, as it turned out a pregnant Bonnie could eat a dozen Nacos a day, which put even Ron to shame. So as to give the two plenty of room while they slept, the bedroom had been declared the house's maternity suite and Ron, Shego, and Kim took to sleeping on the foldout sofa in the den. It wasn't the most comfortable arrangement for the trio, but they managed. As time went on, it became more and more apparent that this was not going to be a walk in the park for any of them. Between Bonnie's morning sickness, which sometimes decided to stay with her all day, and Yori's often-violent mood swings, there weren't very many peaceful moments in the home. Every morning at five o'clock sharp, the bedroom door could be heard opening rather violently, followed by the same from the bathroom door, and then the sound of a certain brunette emptying her stomach into the toilet. Shortly after, regular as clockwork, the two expectant mothers would be in the kitchen, drinking coffee and quite irritated. "Every morning I get up with this damned nausea., I can barely keep anything down some days, and all anyone can do is try to comfort me! I don't want to be comforted! What I want is for this to be over with!" "Well, how do you think I feel, Bonnie-chan?" her Japanese lover said. "Honestly, I do not know why I ever agreed to this! I am bloated, I am always off-balance and dizzy, I have not seen my knees in weeks, and I look like a beached whale!" Ron picked that moment to enter the kitchen, munching on a breakfast burrito. "Aw, c'mon! It's not that bad!" he said. "There's just more of you for us to cuddle!" A second later, a razor-sharp fan embedded itself into the wall a few inches from his head. "Um, right....I think I'll be going now...." A second later, he was gone. Bonnie smirked. "Your aim is as good as ever, Yori-chan." "No; it is not. I was aiming for his shoulder." "Harsh." "Perhaps unnecessarily so. He is only trying to help in his own way." Bonnie was about to reply to that when her eyes went wide, she clapped her hand over her mouth, and bolted from the kitchen. A moment later, the unmistakable sounds of morning sickness were again heard. When she returned, Yori was still at the table. "Gomen nasai, Bonnie-chan," she said with a heavy sigh. "I did not mean to sound as though I regret carrying your daughter. I...." she was silenced by one of Bonnie's fingers on her lips. "I know, Yori-chan. I know. We'll get through this, and when all is said and done, we'll each have a living, breathing reminder of our love for one another." She leaned in, planted a kiss on the ninja girl's forehead and sat down next to her, her arm across her shoulders.
************************************************************ *********************** Another month went by, and Ron was walking on eggshells. Whereas Kim and Shego seemingly instinctively knew when to stay away from Bonnie and Yori, Ron did not, and he constantly found himself on the receiving end of temper tantrums, evil looks, and thrown objects. "Ron," Kim said, bandaging his head up for the third time that week, "you can't go on like this. Bonnie's aim is improving and if you get hit with another sledgehammer, you're going to get a concussion. Either find a way to make peace with those two or stay out of their way." "I know, KP, but they're going through a lot and I have to try and be there for them." "I know that, but you can be there for them without being so......you." Ron thought about that for a minute. "Wait a minute......I can be me and be there for them!" He got up and headed for the door. His red-headed lover was puzzled. "Ron....what are you doing?" "I'll be back in a bit, KP. While I'm gone, clear a space in the den!" With that, he was gone. Tossing her hands up into the air, she made her way to the den. Two hours later, Ron returned in the cab of a rather large delivery truck. As it rolled to a stop in the driveway, three large men got out of the back and started carrying what looked like sound equipment into the house. "Ron," Kim asked, ducking her head low so as to not get hit by a microphone stand, "what is all this?" Ron grinned. "I rented some karaoke equipment for a week. Figured we could all have some fun, unwind, and maybe cheer up Bonnie and Yori." "You did not just say karaoke...." Shego said, her eye twitching. "What? Can't sing?" Kim asked. Shego shook her head. "Not that. The last time I heard anyone try to karaoke, it was Drakken, and he'd been into his personal supply of vodka." Kim and Ron shuddered. "Yeah; not a happy day." When the equipment was set up, Ron stepped behind one of the microphones. "This one goes out to a pair of special little ladies out there. I know you're going through a lot right now, and I just want you to remember that you don't have to deal with it alone. Hit it, Rufus!" On cue, the mole rat pressed a button on one of the machines and a familiar techno beat began to play. "Kim," Bonnie asked, "isn't that the song...?" Kim nodded. "The song he wrote for me to use in the talent show." As Ron worked through the track, which ended up being an extended mix of the original, the girls couldn't help but be impressed. Not by his singing, of course, which wasn't exactly bound for the Billboard Top 100 anytime soon, but rather by his emotion. He put every bit of his heart and soul into the performance, and it actually moved Kim to tears. When he was done, five pairs of hands, four human and one naked mole rat, were applauding him. He grinned and pointed to the bright red '4' and animated 'thumbs-down' picture on the monitor. "I wish the scoring equipment liked me as much as you guys do." Kim stepped up next to him. "Maybe this is like everything else in our life, Ron; it's better when we work together." She beckoned Shego, Bonnie, and Yori up onto the stage and Rufus hit the playback button again. The five continued singing throughout the day and most of the night. They didn't even pay attention to the monitor; they didn't need to. Ron had, indeed, found exactly what Bonnie and Yori needed. Not the singing, per say, but a reminder that they weren't going through their pregnancies alone and that they had three friends that were willing to help see them through it no matter what. ********************************************************************* ************** Two months later, as the quintet sat eating their dinner, there was a knock at the back door. Kim started to get up, but Ron put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get it, KP. Mrs. O'Hara probably just locked herself out of her house again." As soon as he opened the door, a black-clad figure rushed into the house. Or, at least, he would have if Ron hadn't grabbed his arm and slammed him face-first onto the kitchen counter. "Alright, pal; just what're you trying to...." He paused when he saw a familiar symbol stitched with barely-visible black thread into the man's hood. "You're from Yamanouchi." He didn't even bother trying to hide the anger in his voice. Bonnie stood up. "I suppose you're trying to kill Yori too,aren't you?" The masked man shook his head. "No, no! You misunderstand! The actions of Fukushima were not condoned by the Master Sensei or anyone else at Yamanouchi! I have come here only to deliver a message!" Ron stared daggers into his eyes. "If you're lying....." "I swear upon the graves of my ancestors that I come with only peaceful intentions!" Shego raised an eyebrow. "Then what was with the stunt you pulled at the door?" "Gomen nasai," the ninja said. "I had not intended to speak; only to enter, leave this behind," he pulled an origami crane with kanji on the wings representing 'peace' and 'reunification', "and exit quickly. I had not anticipated that Stoppable-san or anyone else would be able to so easily halt my progress." Yori nodded. "Let him go, Ron-chan, and we shall hear what he has to say." Ron released the ninja, who then knelt before Yori, his head bowed low, and presented the paper crane. "Master Sensei has deeply missed you, Yori-san. He was against the decision of the other teachers to exile you from the school and has finally persuaded them to change their minds. We are aware that you have found a new home here, but he asks that you return for a special ceremony held only once every hundred years." Yori bowed as well as she could. "I am afraid I must decline. As you can see, I am with child and travel is not easy for me." "Master Sensei anticipated that you would be concerned for your child and has allowed me to provide you with whatever you may need to make the journey." The Japanese girl smiled. "Then it will be our honor to accept." The ninja bowed his head again. "Domo arigato, Yori-san, for accepting our gesture of peace. Master Sensei will be most pleased to see you carrying the child of Stoppable-san." Bonnie spoke up. "Um, hate to tell you this, but it's not Ron's kid she's got in there." The ninja blinked in confusion. "It's mine." There was a rather loud 'THUD!' as the black-clad warrior's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed backwards onto the floor. ******************************************************************** *************** Three days later, accompanied by the ninja that had come to their home, Ron, Kim, Shego, Bonnie, and Yori stood at the gates of Yamanouchi. While students, teachers, and visitors alike were normally expected to walk the many stairs, this time an exception was made due to Bonnie and Yori and the group was airlifted in by helicopter. As the massive doors swung open, the smiling face of Master Sensei greeted them. "Yori-san! Stoppable-san! Possible-san! It is good to see you all again!" He bowed to each of them, then turned to Bonnie and Shego. "And I am pleased to meet you, as well, Rockwaller-san and Shego-san." Bonnie blushed a bit. "No need for formalities; just call me Bonnie." The old man bowed to her. "As you wish, Bonnie-san." He then addressed the group as a whole. "I am very much pleased that you have accepted my invitation to this ceremony....and my apologies for the dishonorable treatment of Yori-san. She should not have been penalized so for following her heart, but it seems in her exile she has found what her heart desires. If you will follow me, I have the traditional robes waiting for you inside. The ceremony begins tonight." ***************************************************************** ****************** Later that evening, the five were dressed in identical black silk kimonos with white trim and sashes and a taijitu on the back representing the opposite-yet-equal forces of Yin and Yang, Light and Darkness, on the back. Master Sensei had gathered them in front of a small shrine inside the main hall of the school, along with another man they had never seen before. His black hair was cut quite short, his seemingly-emotionless face bore a long, jagged scar on the left-hand side running from temple to jaw, and his deep brown eyes carried the look of a man whose life was tormented by inner demons that may never be conquered. He, too, wore a black kimono, though his bore a belt and trim of black. In addition, the back of his robe was decorated only with the Yin symbol barely outlined with thin white stitching. They had attempted to communicate with the man to find out who he was, but he neither moved nor spoke, remaining on his knees and staring at the shrine. Master Sensei entered the room, bowed to them, and rang a small gong. "I thank you all for coming here on this day. Most of you are guests and will only be observing the ceremony, but two will be the primary focus of this day. Stoppable-san, Shadow-san, please step up to the shrine." Ron and the mysterious man both stood and climbed the small set of stairs to the shrine, bowing before Master Sensei. "Shadow-san is an accomplished warrior who spends his life bringing wanted criminals to justice, and Stoppable-san has been instrumental in preventing harm from coming to this world on countless occasions. Both have demonstrated that their hearts are pure and carry no evil within them, and thus they have been chosen to participate in this sacred ritual." "What sort of ritual, Master?" Ron asked. The man called Shadow spoke up for the first time. "I expected as much from you; you're a competent fighter, Stoppable, but you're rather lacking in intelligence and observational skills." He sighed. "This ritual is done once every hundred years, when the forces of Yin and Yang are in the portion of their cycle where they are the most balanced. At that time, candidates are gathered together and tested to see which one embodies the purity of Yin. The one who passes three tests is the only one allowed to face the final test, to see if he truly is worthy." "Worthy of what?" "Of wielding...." Master Sensei opened the shrine to reveal a very familiar sword, "....the ultimate weapon of Yang - the Lotus Blade." "Wait a minute - I thought I'd already proven my worth." Ron said. Master Sensei shook his head. "You've proven that you are capable of using the sword, and that is why I have asked you here to participate in the tests." "And why did you invite him, exactly?" the blond asked, pointing a thumb at Shadow. "Shadow-san came on his own. I do not know how he knew of the ritual nor is it my place to ask. All that matters is that he is here, and at least two are required for the ceremony. Thus far, no-one in recorded history has managed to secure the right to the Blade's ultimate power. Enough talk; the forces of Yin and Yang are in perfect balance, and the time for the tests to begin." He rang the gong once, and two groups of monks entered and set up twenty human-shaped wooden targets in two rows; one in front of Ron, and the other in front of Shadow. "The first test," Master Sensei said when they had finished, "is to measure precision and technique. You must use all of your skill to find the weak point in each of the targets and break it. If you fail to destroy any target with a single blow, you are not given another chance and must move on to another target. This is not a timed exercise, and you are encouraged to take all the time you need to locate the fracture point. When each of you has struck a blow at each of his targets, the test will be over and the one who has destroyed the most will be declared the winner. Begin!" The two warriors began moving along the jagged rows, striking out with deadly force. They were through the columns in less than a minute, and when they had reached the other side, Shadow had destroyed all ten of his targets and Ron had destroyed none of his. "Stoppable-san, you failed to find the fracture point of the targets. Your focus is not what it should be." "Aw, man," the blond said. "This is harder than it sounds." "If you're going to start whining already," Shadow replied, "then maybe you should quit now. A true warrior does not let one failure affect him so." Master Sensei rang the gong twice, and two more monks entered wearing robes covered with bells of varying sizes. "The second test measures speed and dexterity. You must each remove as many bells as possible in fifteen seconds without making a single sound. If a noise is heard, the one responsible immediately fails. Begin!" The movements of the two were impossible to follow and it looked as though there was going to be a tie. Twelve seconds in, however, a faint jingle was heard from Ron's side of the platform. Master Sensei sighed and quickly looked at the bundle in each man's arms. "Enough. Though Stoppable-san obviously gathered more bells, he allowed himself to be heard, which means he was careless and thus loses the contest. Once again, I declare the winner to be Shadow-san." Ron looked over at Shadow. "Tell me; is it alright for a 'true warrior' to be discouraged by two failures in a row?" "Actually," the older man replied, "yes. It is quite acceptable, though I do not consider your test a failure. You obviously have an edge on me in speed, and I respect that. You just need to be more careful." "How many times have I heard that one?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes. Master Sensei rang the gong three times, and the monks returned with two large carts filled with fist-sized hard rubber spheres. Two more walked over and strapped heavy, cloth-covered square weights to the back, arms and legs of the two men. "The third test measures strength and durability. While wearing these training weights, you must each walk a path straight to the cart in front of you and place your hand upon the it. Meanwhile, the monks will be throwing the target balls at you and you must endure every hit. If you fall, deviate from the straight path, or block, deflect, or dodge any of the balls, you will fail the test. Begin!" As soon as that word was spoken, the monks began their assault. Shadow calmly walked though the hailstorm and a normal pace, being jarred and shaken by each hit but never faltering in his steps. Ron tried to charge through as fast as he possibly could while carrying the weights, but found himself struggling to maintain his balance. He made it about three-quarters of the way through before one of the balls struck his stomach, another struck his right knee, and a third smacked him in the forehead, sending him toppling backwards. "The test is over." Master Sensei said, ringing the gong a final time. "Shadow-san only made it halfway to the cart, but he is still standing. Stoppable-san, I am sorry, but your tactics in this case were ill-chosen. Your focus was to end the challenge as soon as you could, and while some situations call for it, this test was about being able to outlast an enemy. I am sorry, but you have failed all three tests and therefore cannot participate in the final challenge." "I understand, Master Sensei," Ron said, bowing as the monks removed the weights. "Perhaps this can serve you as a lesson for the future. Your skills are mighty, Stoppable-san, but you need to hone them better than you have thus far. You are a powerful warrior, but power alone may not be enough to win a battle. A warrior's greatest asset is his mind, and it is clear to me that yours is unfocused. You were far better than this when you last visited Yamanouchi, and I cannot help but wonder what has happened to make you lose that focus." He pointed to the girls. "Perhaps they are the cause of your problem. It is likely that your thoughts are so occupied by them that you no longer have the ability to concentrate on your training." Ron's face hardened and he narrowed his gaze. "I never thought you could anger me, Sensei, but you have. Kim is the love of my life, and without her, I'd be nothing. My training, the monkey power, my friends....I have everything because of her, and Shego, Bonnie, and Yori have proven to be truer friends than I ever thought possible and I'm damned lucky to have them. Think what you want about me, but don't you ever insult them again!" The blue aura of his monkey power flared around his body, and a passionate fire burned in his eyes as he stared down the old teacher. Master Sensei started to laugh. "That is the focus I was speaking of! You have turned your thoughts towards them, as I thought, but it has not weakened you. It has made you stronger. Love is the greatest of all weapons, and you have it in abundance in your heart. Your battle aura was stronger than I have seen in many years, and I commend you for finding this new strength." "Does that mean I can try the tests again?" the blond asked hopefully. "No; I am afraid not. You are only allowed one chance at the tests. Shadow-san, step up to the shrine." The scarred man did as instructed. "You have made it this far, and have earned my congratulations. But now you face the final test; one which will measure your heart. If you succeed here where none have ever succeeded before, then you will be the first to unlock the true power of the Lotus Blade." Shadow bowed, then reached into the shrine and grabbed the hilt of the mystical sword. A bright flash of light filled the room, and the dark warrior cried out in agony. When the light faded, he had the sword in a firm, two-handed grip; the Lotus Blade's light energy was surrounding his body, and his own dark energy flowed around the sword. "Well done, Shadow-san," Master Sensei said. "You have balanced your Yin with the sword's Yang and proven that your heart is pure. Now, focus the energy you have balanced, and bring forth the true power of the Lotus Blade!" Shadow closed his eyes, and the combined aura flared brighter and brighter. The sword began to flicker, as though it were fading from existence, before exploding into millions of tiny silver-white particles. Those particles hung in the air for a brief moment, then began to coalesce into a new shape in the middle of the room. Shadow, meanwhile, was frozen in place, his body pulsing with energy. It took him a moment, but Ron realized what had happened: Shadow absorbed the light from the Lotus Blade, and the sword absorbed the darkness from Shadow. Both were achieving perfect harmony, in spirit and in form. When the transformation was complete, Shadow's demeanor seemed to have changed. Rather than a cold shell of a human being constraining a burning passion, he was almost literally glowing with that passion. The darkness was still there, giving him power, but the sword changed something within him so that it his emotions, now freed from the prison they had been in, amplified that energy a hundredfold. On the other end of the spectrum, the Lotus Blade was no longer a blade. The particles had reformed themselves into the image of a young, beautiful young Japanese woman. Her petite frame, pale skin, shoulder-length white hair, and ice-blue eyes were in every way the opposite of Shadow's body build. She was clothed in a pure-white kimono and belt, with the symbol for Yang on the back outlined with thin black threads. "Konichiwa," the girl said in a small, almost timid-sounding voice. "I am called Lotus. To you who have awakened my power, I thank you. Centuries ago, when the sword you know as the Lotus Blade was created, the priests who commissioned it ordered a special crystal which absorbed all light during the day and glowed with that light throughout even the longest night to be forged into the blade to imbue it with the power of Yang. At the same time, an enchantment was cast upon it so that the true power could only be awakened by the one chosen to bear the ultimate power of Yin. Today, the requirements of that spell have been fulfilled. I am the embodiment of the Light, and you are the embodiment of the Darkness. Our powers combined will be needed to restore the balance between the two forces should it ever be thrown into chaos." "And what do we do until that happens, if it ever does?" Shadow asked. She smiled and walked over to him, taking his hand in hers. "I am to be your companion. Your soul is a lonely one; that which brings you so much power also alienates those of your own kind, and there is no worse fate in the universe than to be so alone." Shadow raised an eyebrow. "You're my....'companion'?" She nodded. "And more, if you like. We are destined for one another, in many ways. If you desire me as a friend, a friend I shall be. And should you desire me as a lover, a lover I shall be." Bonnie grinned. "Kinda forward for one supposed to be so 'pure', ain't she, Kimmie?" Lotus turned to the brunette and gave her a flat 'I-am-not-amused' stare. "I may be pure of soul, but I'm also human now. It isn't my fault that sex is the driving force in your lives." "Woah," Ron commented. "Talk about mood swings." Master Sensei chuckled. "Lotus-san will have much to learn about her new form, just as Shadow-san will have much to learn about his new power. They will teach one another, and grow stronger from it. Now, I invite you all to dine here tonight. There will be a great feast to celebrate the fulfillment of the prophecy." Bonnie and Yori's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "BOOYAH!" they exclaimed, high-fiving one another. Kim sighed. "Yeah; Ron's definitely having an influence on us." After the meal, Shadow and Lotus were offered a room at the school for the night, but they declined. "I've got to get back home. I left some unfinished business there that really can't wait any longer." Turning to Ron, he said, "You really impressed me today, and that isn't easy to do. I'd be honored to train with you any time. If you're ever in Honduras, look me up." "Honduras?" Ron asked. "That's where you live?" "It is now. I was raised in the Appalachian mountains, but my Dad moved to Honduras when he retired. My stepmother was born there and he'd always loved the charm of the country. I just kinda tagged along for the ride. Didn't have much going for me in the States at the time, anyway." Kim spoke up. "Master Sensei said that you bring criminals to justice." "And he's right. I'm a bounty hunter. I was tracking down amajor score, the leader of a Columbian drug cartel, in Florida when I got the urge to drop everything and come here and now I know why. But I've got to get back before the trail gets cold." "We've got to get there before the trail gets cold," Lotus said, holding onto his arm tightly. "Let's face it - you're stuck with me." He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Did I ever say I was complaining?" With that, the two walked off, arm in arm. "I am most pleased," Master Sensei said when they were gone. "Their chi is already beginning to align. In a short while, they will be an unstoppable team." He smiled at the five gathered before him. "Much like a few others I know. Now, tell me, Yori-san and Bonnie-san, how is it possible that you are carrying one another's children?" "That," Bonnie said, "is something of a long story." "We appear to have plenty of time, and I would be most interested in hearing what has taken place since the incident with the Jigoku no Banken." ************************************************************** ********************* Several weeks were spent at Yamanouchi, with Yori renewing old friendships and the rest creating new ones. The masters apologized for their admittedly-rash decision to banish Yori, though they complimented her on how strong she had become in her temporary exile. Despite the cheerful and welcoming atmosphere, they were forced to leave when the projected due dates for Bonnie and Yori's children drew closer. Back in Middleton, the two expectant mothers were at the hospital being given a series of exams by Anne Possible and one of the OB/GYN specialists at the hospital. "Well," the OB/GYN said when all the results were tallied, "you've certainly been eating right. Both babies are the proper size and weight. I'd say within another month or so you'll be holding them in your arms." "Thanks to Mrs. Dr. P," Bonnie said, pulling her shirt back on. Yori bowed her head, all she could manage at this stage, and slipped her sundress over her body. "Yes; thank you very much for being so helpful." "As a doctor," Anne replied, "I can be nothing else. And as a mother, well, I can say it definitely helps to have someone who's been there to help you through it." "If there's anything we can do to repay you for what you've done for us, just let us know." the brunette said. Anne smirked. "Let me know if Kim and Shego want to have children. I'd be interested to see what kind of babies come from that gene splicing." Yori shivered. "One Shego is bad enough; I do not think any more would be advisable." "I heard that," the olive-skinned woman in question said from the doorway. "Just for that, I might convince Kimmie to go through the procedure with me just to torment you two when the kids are born." Kim lightly smacked her girlfriend on the back of the head. "Reality check, Sheila. I'm not ready to have kids yet, and when I do, the first one's going to belong to Ron." Shego smirked. "I know, sweetie. But it's nice to know we've always got the option." She cupped Kim's jaw in her hand and pulled her in for a kiss that can only be shared by two people in love. "Hey," Anne said, realizing that something was amiss. "Where's Ron?" Bonnie chuckled. "We were isolated on a Japanese mountain for almost two months. Where else would he be?" "Bueno Nacho." the five women said together. ***************************************************************** ****************** A few days later, Bonnie awoke with a strange pain in her chest. Pulling back the covers, she saw that her breasts were swollen and her nipples were enlarged. She crawled out of bed and went to the bathroom, where she found Kim preparing for her morning shower. "Morning, Bon-Bon." she said. "Sleep well?" "Yeah, but I'm not feeling so good now." "What's wrong?" The brunette explained what was going on and pointed to her chest, and when it dawned on her what was happening, Kim's mouth went dry. "Bonnie...." "What? What is it? Is something wrong?" Kim shook her head. "No....nothing's wrong. You're....you're.....here; I'll show you." She gently took one of Bonnie's breasts in hand and lightly pulled at the nipple, causing a small white drop of fluid to leak out. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked. "It's milk. You're lactating, Bonnie, and you started a little sooner than expected. If you don't get the milk out of there, it's just going to build up and cause you even more pain. It may even damage the mammary glands." "What am I supposed to do? The baby's not even born yet; he can't exactly suck it out at this point." "No," Kim said nervously. "He can't.....but I can." Bonnie's eyes went wide. "Kim...." The redhead silenced her with a brief kiss. "Don't worry about it. It's not like it'd hurt me.....and it's something I've always wanted to try." By this time, she was blushing. "You'd be willing to do that for me?" Kim nodded. "Okay; I officially feel like an ass for treating you so bad in high school." "That was water under the bridge a long time ago, Bonnie," Kim replied. She lowered the lid on the toilet and covered the lid and tank with thick, warm towels from the line closet. "Sit." she said. Bonnie sat down, and Kim knelt in front of her. She licked her lips before leaning in and taking one of the other girl's dark brown nipples into her mouth. She ran her tongue over the nub of flesh a few times, then began sucking. It didn't take long before streams of sweet milk splashed onto the redhead's tongue. It's every bit as good as I imagined it to be, she thought as she continued to suck. Her hands wandered all over Bonnie's body, the right pausing a little over the bulge in her stomach before traveling further down and playing with her slit. Bonnie was lightly holding Kim's head to her breast and moaning softly. "Your fingers are magic, Kimmie. I mean that. It's been so long since I've gotten any that I'd almost forgotten what it was like." Kim didn't reply; she was too intent on pulling every drop of milk from Bonnie's tit. When she had accomplished this, she pulled away and latched onto the second nipple to begin the process all over again. Her fingers kept working at her lover's mound, tweaking the clit and occasionally dipping inbetween the folds. She brought the girl to three orgasms by the time she was depleted of milk. Slumping back against the toilet tank, Bonnie sighed. "Thanks, Kim. I needed that in more ways than one." "Anytime, Bonnie." She kissed the mother-to-be, letting her taste her own milk in Kim's mouth. "Not bad," she said. "Not bad at all. Think we could make this a morning ritual until the baby's born?" "Oh, I definitely think we can arrange that. And even afterwards, if you've still got some left after feeding." About that time, Yori walked in looking rather panicked. "Kim-chan, I believe something is wrong. My chest hurts." Kim and Bonnie grinned at each other. "Don't worry, Yori," Kim said. "I've got just the treatment for that." ******************************************************************** *************** "Okay, Bonnie! I need you to help me here! You're going to have to push!" "I *AM* PUSHING! WHAT DO YOU *THINK* I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST THREE HOURS????" the brunette yelled at the nurse who was kneeling between her legs. "I know, dear, but you're going to have to push harder, and you've only been in labor for twenty minutes." Bonnie screamed in pain as she felt her pelvic bones being pushed out from the inside. "Okay; I can see the head! Keep pushing! We're almost there!" Three long, torturous, agonizing minutes later, Bonnie's son was brought into the world, and he came out screaming as loudly as his mother had been a few moments before. The umbilical cord was cut and tied off and the baby taken by the doctors to be cleaned up. In the bed next to her, Yori was the picture of calm and serenity as the doctors urged her to push as they had Bonnie. The tanned woman huffed. "Figures; all that ninja training and discipline must've made her immune to pain." She watched, fascinated, her own discomfort pushed aside for the moment, as Yori's daughter - their daughter - was extracted from the womb. This is real, she thought. All the time we've been waiting for this moment has been real. It all seemed like a dream until now. A few hours later, the two proud parents were in an observation room, cradling their sleeping children, and neither could be happier. Kim, Ron, and Shego came in, carrying twin blue and pink teddy bears. "How's it going?" Ron asked. "We are fine now that the pain is mostly gone, Ron-chan," Yori replied. Bonnie smirked. "The doctors said that they couldn't even tell you were hurting, Yori. I saw you myself; you were laying back and relaxing like it you were getting your hair done instead of having a baby." "Ninja training does much to improve one's endurance, Bonnie-chan. But I admit - that hurt like Hell." This elicited a belly laugh from Shego. "Hey," Kim said after silencing her girlfriend for fear of waking the babies, "have you decided on names yet?" Yori shook her head. "No, and we are not going to." Bonnie nodded. "We agreed that, since it was more or less Ron who made it possible for us all to be together, it's only right that he should get to name them." "Guys," Shego said, "are you sure about that?" "Hai," Yori said. "I cannot think of a more suitable person to name these children." Ron thought for a moment, then smiled. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." He disappeared down the hall and didn't return for nearly an hour. When he did return, he had a small shopping bag in hand. "Sorry about that, but if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right." He reached his hands out and took the boy from Bonnie's arms. He carefully unwrapped him from the thin blue blanket the hospital had provided and bundled him up in a black one from the bag. "I may not be as in tune with these things as Monkey Fist or Master Sensei," he began, "but I can see that a great power sleeps within you. You will have Yori's courage and Bonnie's determination, and none will be able to stand against you. You will do both of your parents, and all of us who will be helping to raise you, very proud someday.......Anakin." Kim's eyebrows shot up. "Anakin???" Shego buried her head in her hands. "I knew this was a bad idea." But Bonnie was smiling. "Anakin Rockwaller......that has a nice ring to it." She took the still-sleeping infant back from Ron. "Thank you, Ron." Yori handed him the girl, and wrapped her in a pure white blanket to replace the pink one she had been in. "I can feel within you a great mind waiting to be honed, young one. You will have intelligence and cunning like the world has never seen, and be the perfect compliment to your brother's power. You will be Yang to his Yin, and for that reason I give you the name Hikari." "The word meaning 'light'. It is a most suitable name, Ron-chan. Domo arigato." She took her daughter back and smiled down at her peaceful face. "Hikari Rockwaller." Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Did I hear you right?" Yori nodded. "I was orphaned as an infant, Bonnie-chan, and raised by the Yamanouchi teachers. I never knew my parents or even what family name I was supposed to carry. I have thought about this much over the course of our relationship, and I would be honored if you would let me take your family name for my own." Bonnie found herself trying to hold back tears. "And I am honored to let you have it....Yori Rockwaller." They leaned towards each other and shared a kiss. At that moment, Anne entered the room. "Hey, kids. Just thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing. James is bringing the Rockwallers and Stoppables over in the morning, so you might want to rest up while you can. Have you picked out names yet?" Kim told her mother what Ron had chosen. "Ron always has had a flare for the dramatic, and it doesn't hurt that he's probably dead-on in this case. Anyway, I've got a tumor to operate on over in the next wing; I'll pay you a longer visit after my shift." She left after giving them each a hug. "You know, Kim," Ron said, "this whole thing has gotten me to thinking." "About what?" "About us. Seeing Bonnie and Yori here makes me happy for them, but it also makes me sad." "Why?" "Because it took me this long to get up the courage to do this." He dropped down to one knee and pulled a gold ring from his pocket. Sitting atop the ring was an emerald the same color as Kim's eyes. "Kimberly Anne Possible, I love you with very fiber of my being. I always have, and I always will. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Now it was Kim's turn to tear up. She knelt down and grabbed Ron in a fierce hug. "Of course I will, Ron!" They pulled apart long enough for her to slip the ring onto her finger, then they embraced again. "Just when I thought this group couldn't get any closer...." Shego said, grinning. "Remember, Ron, you don't just get Kimmie all to yourself. I love her as much as you do, and we're still a package deal." "We wouldn't have it any other way, would we, Kim?" Kim shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak at the moment. "See? No problem. The Ron-man's got everything under control." The five stayed up most of that night, speaking of plans for the future. No-one quite knew where the winds of Destiny would take them or what hardships Fate would throw in their path, but they did know that they would face it all together. As a family. ******************************************************************* **************** And that's that. Now I can get to work on the second story arc without having any loose ends to tie up. As always, comments are always welcome.