He wears a mask, and he flashes a pretty blade, they tell me. He uses the point of it to carve his hated letter Z on the cheek of his foe! Ha! The Mark of Zorro they are calling it! A pretty blade he has, in truth! But I cannot swear as to the blade – I never have seen it.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe I left him there." Kim said as she looked out the window of her townhouse inside the pueblo of Los Angeles.
She stood in a simple night gown as she watched the morning sun begin to rise on the horizon. She was able to get the family onboard the ship that was at the docks, and now they were sailing to some of the settlements further north. But Ron sacrificed himself to ensure they got away. Why? Why did he do that? Then, there was what he had done before he fell off the horse.
He had kissed her cheek and told her – that he loved her. Did he mean he loved her like a friend? A sister? Or did he really – did he lover her more than that? If he did, how long had he loved her? Why didn't he ever tell her before? Kim began to feel guilty for everything that had happened in their past. He had helped her with her outings with Don Carlos' son Josh, and helped her gain the courage she needed when ever she had a crush on another young man. If he had loved her all this time, it must have been torturing him. For him to feel like that and to always see her with someone else and not him. How could he even stand to look at her?
Now he was back inside the garrison, and he was with the Alcalde. If she had known Ron would be recaptured, she wouldn't have angered the Alcalde like she had. Now Ron was paying the price for it and would be executed tomorrow if the Alcalde didn't speed the proceedings. What was she going to do? She needed to think of a way to free him. She couldn't sneak in again. The Alcalde would double everything to make sure he stayed in the prison and would most likely keep an eye out for Zorro. What was she going to do?
"Kim? Are you decent?" Zita asked as she knocked on the door.
"I'm decent." Kim said as she leaned her head against the window.
"You wouldn't believe what I've heard! A masked bandit actually broke into the garrison and freed the school teacher and his wife!" Zita said excitedly. Kim had to remember to act like she didn't know anything about it, and she wasn't that good of an actor. This was going to be hard.
"I find that hard to believe, Zita." Kim said as she picked up her robe and wrapped it around herself as she turned to her friend and noticed the cloth covered plate that had been placed on her bedside table. "Breakfast? This early?" Kim asked Zita.
"Kim, the whole pueblo is already awake. You've been standing at the window for a while." Zita said.
Kim mentally kicked herself for that. She had lost herself in so much thought that she didn't pay attention to the time that had passed. She couldn't help it. This was the first time something had backfired on her so badly. How was she going to rescue Ron now?
"Kim, are you okay?" Zita asked her.
"I'm fine. Have you heard anything about Ron?" she asked her.
"You know, I have. He helped the school teacher and his wife escape last night." Zita told her; the excitement growing in her voice.
Kim knew she was going to hear about last night, but she had to remind herself to act like she didn't know anything. She couldn't risk anyone finding out she was the bandit that rescued those people last night. If the Alcalde found out, her family would end up like Don Carlos if not worse. "Ron helped them escape? How?" Kim asked.
"Didn't you hear all the commotion last night?" Zita asked her.
"I went to bed early last night, Zita. I thought I heard something, but I had assumed I had been dreaming."
"Well, you really missed something. A masked man broke into the prison last night and freed the school teacher, his wife, and Ron. Ron was able to help break through the gates of the garrison while the masked man humiliated the Alcalde. I wish I could have seen the look on her face." Zita said.
"How do you know about this?" Kim asked her.
"All the soldiers are talking about it. And I just might have overheard a detail or two." Zita said.
"What happened next? What about their baby?" Kim asked, acting like she was interested but it was breaking her heart inside.
"That's the strange part. A messenger brought me a note saying to bring the baby to the dock, and it was signed 'A Friend.' I rode to the ship with the baby, and got there a few minutes before they did. The masked man was with them. He gave them some money and told them he had booked them safe passage to escape." Zita said.
"Did this masked man have a name?" Kim asked.
"Yes. They told me his name was Zorro. As soon as he gave them the money, he rode off into the night."
"Zorro?"
"Yeah, Zorro." Zita said, her face full of excitement.
"So Ron also escaped, right?" Kim asked, even thought she knew and hated the answer.
"No, he didn't. The couple told me that he stayed behind to give Zorro and them time to escape. The ship sailed away not too long after I left." Zita said.
Kim did her best to try and keep herself together, but it was easier said than done. This was her best friend that would soon be facing a firing squad. And this time, part of it was her fault. How could he have done something so stupid, so idiotic so – noble. That was the other part that stuck in her brain. The way Ron had been since she had returned wasn't really like him.
"Zita? Do you happen to know why Ron is acting so differently?" Kim asked her.
"What do you mean?" Zita asked, a little confused by the question.
"When I left, Ron was the type of person who loved to do something that wasn't work. Now when I come home, I find that he's actually helping around my home and everything else." Kim said.
"Right. I keep forgetting you've been in Madrid. I don't know if I should tell you though." Zita said.
"Zita, Ron is my best friend. We promised each other a long time ago that we wouldn't keep any secrets between us. Zita, he's changed so much that I'm scared I don't know him anymore." Kim said.
When she set her mind to something, she didn't quit. Zita knew this all too well and would have preferred she talked to Ronald himself. But given the situation at the moment?
"If he finds out what I told you, you didn't hear it from me. Okay?" Zita asked her.
"Okay." Kim said.
"Ron was really depressed when you left. He didn't have you, and he didn't have Rufus around anymore. Your parents did there best to help him, but you know Ron. That's when Ron and I started hanging out a little bit more over the years. Well, he revealed something to me the day the Alcalde arrived. Something that I'm surprised he didn't tell you." Zita said as she took a seat.
"Go on." Kim said as she sat on the bed.
"You remember what happened to his familia?" Zita asked her.
"I remember. He told me they were killed by bandidos." Kim said.
"It turned out that it wasn't bandidos. Ron told me that it had actually been a band of soldiers that had raided and burned his home."
"Soldiers? Why would they attack his parent's home?"
"I don't know. But he told me that when he escaped and hid, he had gotten a good look at their commanding officer. He told me he would never forget that face. Kim, he said that the Alcalde was the one leading the soldiers that day. And that it was her who killed his father." Zita told her.
Kim's jaw would have hit the floor if it had not been attached to her face. Why would Ron hide something like that from her or her parents? The Alcalde, Miss Shelia Gogh, was the one responsible for the death of his parents? If that was true, that would explain why Ron was so eager to fight against her. In fact, it made a lot of sense to why Ron was so eager to help her. To see the face of someone who killed not one, but two of the closest people to you every day and not be able to do anything must have been horrible.
"Why didn't he tell me about his parents?" Kim asked her.
"I asked him that, but he didn't really say anything. I think he might have been scared, Kim. Senorita Gogh is in a high position of power with the Governor on her side. He was probably scared she would do something worse to you and your family if he tried anything." Zita said to her.
"That would make sense. Have you heard anything about the ex- exe- I can't even say it." Kim said.
"From what I heard from the soldiers, he's still going to be executed tomorrow by a firing squad. In the middle of the pueblo no less." Zita told her.
"In the middle of the pueblo? So that means it will be in front of your inn." Kim said as her brain began to spin its cogs.
"That's right. I think I'm going to close the inn that day. To see Ron – God, please let another miracle happen for Ron." Zita said as a tear ran down her cheek.
"Don't worry, Zita. I'm sure something will happen." Kim said, trying to comfort her. "I don't mean to change the subject, but do you know where the tweebs are?" Kim asked her.
"Those little pendajos are still at my inn. They were able to make something to make smoke, and it took me almost the entire day to clear out all that." Zita said.
"Good. I'll talk to them about trying to give you less trouble." Kim said as she stood and began to look for something to wear.
"Gracius, Kim. If you can get them to quit, the more thankful I'll be. My patrons think their stunts are hilarious, but they don't have to clean up their mess when they're done." Zita said. "Adios, Kim." Zita said as she left.
"Adios. And I think it's time Zorro began a little planning." Kim said to herself as she glanced back out into the village.
"You know, you could make this easier on yourself if you just talk to me." Miss Gogh said to Ron as he sat on the cot in his cell.
"And how can I talk about something I don't know about?" Ron asked her.
"Please don't start with that again. You helped that bandit free those two criminals and let yourself be captured to make sure they escaped. I could have you killed right now. However, I may allow you to just rot in a prison cell for the rest of your worthless life if you just tell me one little thing." Miss Gogh said.
"Which would be?" Ron asked her.
"Just tell me the name of the bandit who helped you escape." She said.
"Sorry, I can't help you there." Ron said again.
"Why the hell are you protecting the identity of someone who doesn't give a crap about you?" Shelia growled.
"Because I don't know who he is, lady." Ron told her.
"And if, by some miraculous chance, you did?"
"I wouldn't tell a heartless bitch like you." Ron told her evenly.
Miss Gogh let an exasperated sigh escape her lips as she did her best to tame her temper and glanced back at the young man again.
"Why are you being such a thorn in my side? All I'm doing is trying to enforce the laws." She said.
"What you're doing is robbing helpless people blind while trying to control the rest of us with a death grip." Ron said to her as he shot a hate filled glare straight at her.
"You know, Senor Stoppable; I've noticed something about you. Out of everyone in the pueblo, and even the governor, you loosen your venom at me the most. Now why is that? What could I have done to you to warrant such hatred?" she asked him, trying to probe the depths of this young man's stupidity.
"You should know." Ron said as his hatred began to become more obvious in his eyes.
"I'm getting sick and tired of the game you're playing. So get this straight, buffoon. Someone has to take the school teacher's place in front of that firing squad tomorrow. If you won't tell me who that bandit is, then my hands are tied." Miss Gogh said.
"Like telling you anything would make a difference. I told you, I've got nothing. And I would never tell you anything even if I did. So you can shove that in your pipe and smoke. I'm just a servant." Ron told her as he did his bed to keep his anger and his bile under control.
"No one's going to help you. One bandit isn't enough to go against a whole regiment of Spanish soldiers." Miss Gogh said.
"Keep telling yourself that, lady. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt." Ron said to her.
"Suit yourself, Stoppable. You better make peace with your God, kid. By tomorrow's early light, you'll be meeting him." Miss Gogh said and walked out, slamming the door as she did while Ron kept looking at the cracking ceiling.
Ron slowly let out the breath he had been holding to keep himself calm. It was so tempting to try and reach through those bars and try to bash her head against the bars. He rested his head in his hands and began to think about the situation he was in. He was glad that the teacher finally escaped, but now he had dug himself into a hole he probably couldn't climb out of. He knew Kim would think of something, but Kim never went up against something this big before. A small twinge of fear started to form deep inside his gut as he realized that there was a good chance that he was going to die tomorrow. Ron looked back up at the ceiling as the fear slowly tried to grow.
"Kim, please hurry." Ron whispered to himself as he forced himself into a dreamless sleep.
Kim kept looking out the window of the inn, and saw the post that the soldiers were putting into the ground for the execution tomorrow. She still felt an unbearable chill every time she looked at it. But she had to. If she was going to try and save Ron tomorrow, she needed to know what her options would be. But there was also the one little detail she needed to figure out as well. Her escape. It would be day when she would try to pull this off, so that meant she just couldn't hide in the shadows.
The more she tried to think of a way to escape the Alcalde, the more she kept going back to the one option she was dreading. She didn't want to, but there was no other choice with Ron's life at stake. But why did she have to turn to them? She would have to ask the Tweebs for help. They were annoying and a major pain in her backside, but they were smart. They were even smarter than most of her professor's at the University in Madrid. So there was no other choice; she needed their help.
She glanced up from the notes she had been writing and saw them standing around the entrance to the kitchen in the back. She found out from Ron and her father that they didn't know how to handle the grief of loosing their mother. For days, they didn't do anything except constantly fight with each other about almost everything imaginable. That's when Tara decided it might be helpful for them if they started working at the inn. Kim smiled a little as she thought about the havoc they had caused since they started working at the inn. She was thankful for having such thoughtful friends, but she bet they were regretting their offer now.
As she glanced back at the kitchen entrance, she began wondering why they were back there for a moment since they were supposed to be helping Zita or Tara clean the inn. That was when she saw what they were up to. She saw them one standing on the shoulders of the other while trying to lift a full bucket of water upward above the entrance. Then she realized they were setting up another prank, and she saw Zita working in the back of the kitchen.
Kim stood and quickly dashed across the dinning area of the inn to the kitchen entrance and saw the contraption they had set up. With the pull of a rope, the platform the bucket would be sitting on would drop and poor water all over whoever was under it. As the Tweebs began to step off the other's shoulders, Kim grabbed the rope and yanked it as hard as she could. The resulting shout of surprise and drenching of her brothers made everyone in the inn laugh and applaud that the two had finally gotten what they deserved.
"What did you do that for?" Jim asked his older sister.
"That wasn't supposed to happen to us!" Tim added.
"I need to have a word with you two." Kim said as she grabbed them both by the ear and began to tug them outside to the back of the building and out of hearing range.
"Remember Kim, take you're time slapping them around!" Zita said as she smiled at what had happened to the two young boys.
"Kim, what's the big deal?"
"It was just a joke!" Jim and Tim said.
"One, everyone's getting sick of the stunts you two have been pulling! What's going to happen if you piss off one of those soldiers?" Kim asked.
"That's not going to happen." Jim said.
"You want to bet? Those soldiers beat natives for just looking at them! They were going to kill that school teacher for talking about democracy! What do you think they'll do to you?" Kim shouted at them as she tried to get her point across to them, and saw them lower their heads as her words seemed to finally get through to them. "Tweebs, we lost mom and you've seen what it's done to dad. What do you think will happen to him if he loses one of us?" Kim asked them, in a calmer and softer tone of voice.
"We're sorry."
"We weren't trying to upset everyone. It was just for fun." The Tweebs said.
"I know." Kim told them and took a deep breath. "I know this is going to sound really weird, but I need your help for something." Kim told them.
"You?"
"Need our help?"
"I know it's weird. But a friend of mine is going to need some help for something big. I need you to tell me how you made those smoke bombs." Kim said to them.
"Something big? What kind of something?" Jim asked her.
"I can't say, Tweebs. It's too dangerous." Kim told them.
"Then why should we help you?" Tim asked.
"Because if the plan my friend has made works, we might not loose Ron tomorrow." Kim told them, and smirked when she saw the smiles on their faces grow.
Ron couldn't sleep as he waited for the sun to rise. He couldn't even eat what was supposed to be his last meal. And Ron could just about eat anything; except the dish Tara called Mystery Meat. He wasn't sure, but he could swear there were snouts somewhere in it. He just took a deep breath as he slowly let it out. He glanced down at his hands and saw they were starting to shake again. He had tried to calm himself repeatedly, but it was no use. He couldn't help it, he was terrified. As soon as that sun rose and the entire garrison were awake, he would be dragged to a wooden post and shot to death.
As he lay there on his hard cot, his mind began to drift back to the horror stories he had heard about people getting shot. He remembered Anne telling him how some people would shrug it off while others screamed bloody murder. But all the tales had one thing in common. A gunshot wound to the gut was one of the worst pains imaginable. The feeling of hot lead boring its way forcefully and doing who knows how much damaged as it also burned the tissue around it.
"SHUT UP, BRAIN!" Ron shouted as he sat up and grabbed his head. His thoughts weren't helping him at all at the moment and only made his fears even worse. Ron glanced back upward, and out the window to see the pueblo which might be his last time.
As he saw the tops of the buildings of Los Angeles, he began to think of how often he and Kim had played and caused so much mischief when they were younger. They were almost as bad as the Tweebs some times. That was the other thing that began break his heart. He had finally told Kim how he felt, and now he would never know if he could have had a future with her. He wouldn't get to see her eyes, or even help her with trying to end the oppression that was strangling Los Angeles. He would never get to show how much he truly loved her.
He glanced back at the pueblo again, and swallowed the breath he was taking in a loud gulp. In the distance, lighting the land and the sky, was the arrival of the rising morning sun. Any minute now, his life was going to end. He took one more deep breath as he stood to his feet, faced the door, and waited for what fate would have planned for him. It wasn't too much longer that the door opened, revealing the Alcalde wearing one of her finer clothes with an evil smirk on her face.
"You don't want to be late to meeting your maker, do you buffoon?" she asked him.
"At least I know where I'm going, Alcalde. And I'll enjoy watching you burn from my place when your time comes." Ron told her.
"Brave words, Stoppable. They still won't help you." She said as four armed soldiers marched in to escort Ron on his long walk.
The sounds of the drums could be heard easily through out the pueblo as Ron was led with to the waiting post with his hands bound together. The crows had already gathered with most of them shouting their outrage at what was about to happen. Sadly, their cries fell upon deaf ears as the Alcalde only smirked to herself. Among the gathered villagers were many of the landowners; including Don James Possible. Not too far from him, Zita stood shouting as many profanities as she could at the soldiers while Tara was crying her eyes at the spectacle before her. It was no secret that Tara had admired Ron for a long time, but the only person who had been clueless to her affections seemed to be Ron himself.
As James watched the man he would call son being led to his execution, his rage was beginning to boil as he felt his knuckles crack with each balled fist. As he glanced away for a moment, he noticed that someone was missing from the crowd. The one person he was sure that would attend this perversion of justice.
"Tara, where's Kimberly?" he asked the young weeping woman.
"S-she's back at the townhouse. She said she couldn't watch." Tara said to the older gentleman.
"I don't blame her. Please watch the boys. I'm going to see what I can do." James said as he moved from his place and tried to make his way towards the Alcalde. As James walked away, that's when Tara noticed something else missing from the crowd.
"Where are they?" Tara asked herself.
"Why are we listening to our sister again?" Jim asked his brother as they weaved their way through the crowd.
"Because she guilt tripped us into this, and she's blackmailing us." Tim answered.
"She could have at least told us who this friend of hers was. All she told us was we would know who it was and when to throw these things." Jim said.
"Who knows. It's probably some whiney snob like her." Tim said; not paying attention to where he was walking.
Tim soon bumped into a person wearing a monk's robe and dropped the satchel he was carrying. The adult quickly caught the satchel before it could fall as Tim fell onto the ground.
"I'm so sorry about that. You should really watch where you are going." The person said in a deep voice.
"My apologies, padre." Tim said as he stood back to his feet and tried to get some of the dust off of his clothes.
"You know, you should be more careful with this. You don't want these to go off at the wrong time." The padre said, causing Tim to raise an eyebrow.
When Tim looked up, his eyes widened as he saw a masked man underneath the hood of the robe. Before Tim could ask, the masked figure carefully put a finger to their lips, signaling for Tim to keep quiet as he gave a small wink. As the figure walked away, Tim quickly rushed back to his twin.
"He's here!" Tim said excitedly.
"Who?" Jim asked.
"Zorro! I saw Zorro! Come on!" Tim said as he picked his satchel back up and both headed to the roof of the inn.
"ALCALDE!" James shouted as he made his way to the raven haired woman.
"What do you want, Don James?" she asked him, already sensing another long winded talk from him.
"You can't do this! He has done nothing to deserve this kind of punishment!" James said to her.
"Actually, he did. He assaulted me in public, and then aided the escape of two traitors." She said to him.
"In a pig's eye! You know as well as I do that,"
"Unless you want to join your servant today, I'd suggest you be quiet Possible. Like I told your daughter, your rank among the villagers or your reputation means nothing here. So unless you want to join your wife, get the hell out of my face." The Alcalde said as she turned and began walking again while James fumed.
"This isn't over." James said to himself as he watched her walk to Ron as they bound him to the wooden post..
"This is your last chance, Stoppable. You give me the name of Zorro, and you can live your life in a cell. Maybe as my personal servant." Miss Gogh said to him as Ron tried to loosen the ropes that had his hands bound to the post.
"No." Ron said as he glared at the woman.
"Enjoy death, buffoon." Miss Gogh said as she stepped next to Sergeant Drakken.
"Do you wish us to remove the children?" Drakken asked her.
"No."
"What?" Drakken asked her.
"This can be an educational experience for them. Let them see how our Justice system works." Miss Gogh said as she looked at the crowd in front of her.
"SERGEANT! Read the list of charges the prisoner has been charged with." Miss Gogh said loudly so the rest of the villagers could hear. Drakken removed a scroll that had been under his arm, and unrolled it as he began to read.
"THE PRISONER, RONALD STOPPABLE, IS CHARGED WITH THE ASSAULT OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, INCITING REVOLUTION, DESTRUCTION OF MILLITARY PROPERTY, AIDING THE ESCAPE OF A PRISONER, AND TREASON TO THE CROWN OF SPAIN! IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT THE PRISONER IS TO BE SHOT BY FIRING SQUAD UNTIL DEAD!" Drakken shouted what had been written on the document in front of him.
"Corporal Garcia, carry out the execution!" Miss Gogh said.
That was when a row of five soldiers marched from the rest of the gathered soldiers, carrying their weapons against their right shoulder as they formed a line in front of Ron. A large soldier with a thick mustache marched to the right side of the firing squad, standing not too far from the gap of two adobe buildings. He drew his saber from its sheath; the blade almost cutting the cloth that barley came together across his large belly.
"READY!" he shouted as the soldiers removed their muskets from their shoulders and now gripped them in both of their hands. "AIM!" the corporal shouted as he raised his sword high into the air, and the firing squad took aim at the bound young man.
"KP, where are you?" Ron asked himself as he felt his breath quicken and the fear in him begin to build.
Faster than the bite of a diamond back rattle snake, a black whip emerged from the shadows of the alley of the two adobe buildings and wrapped itself firmly of the musket of the far left soldier. With one massive pull, the whip jerked to the weapon right and caused the others beside it to change their aim. Startled by the sudden change, the soldiers squeezed the triggers in a panic and sent their musket balls into the body of the overweight corporal. The soldier gave one last loud yell before he fell to the dirt and gripped his burning wounds in pain. Several in the crowd cheered when a figure in black flew from the shadows with his rapier drawn.
The firing squad drew the swords to attack. Before they could react, many of them found themselves cradling their hands as the bandit's whip made contact. The hard and taut leather cut the skin open as soon as it made contact. Two others charged with their swords drawn, but Zorro was easily able to deflect each blow and strike they tried to make towards the bandit. One soldier tried to make a strike towards Zorro's head, but found his blade halted by the sword of the masked bandit. The other made a charge, but couldn't stop himself as the bandit stepped aside and found himself pushing his blade into the chest of his fellow soldier.
"KILL HIM, YOU IDIOTS!" the Alcalde screamed as more soldiers charged after the masked bandit.
The soldiers were well trained men who had been taught the skills of combat against another man on the fields of battle. They knew how to handle someone wielding a bayonet, gun, or a sword. All that training was now of no use as the skilled bandit in front of them kept bobbing and weaving through their attacks like he had seen them coming. Each soldier that had tried to attack was met with either her sharp blade, the harsh lash of her whip, or impacting with another fellow soldier or a weapon. Zorro pierced his blade through the shoulder of one of his attackers while he wrapped his whip around the legs of another, and then jerked him off of his feet and onto his back.
When an opening in the wall of soldiers was made, Zorro ran and jumped off of a hitching post and flipped over the heads of three armed soldiers. Once his boots came back to the ground, Zorro quickly picked up a fallen saber, and ran to the post Ron was tied to. In one swift motion, Zorro sliced through the ropes with his sword.
"You know how to use this, right?" Zorro asked him as he handed Ron the saber.
"Yeah. The pointy end goes into the other man." Ron replied.
"Oh crap." Zorro said and slashed one officer across the face as he lunged the blade into the hip of one that tried to charge at Ron.
Zorro took his whip in hand again and began to strike at the soldiers that dared come anywhere near the two. After a few more received the harsh lashes of the whip, they decided to do their best to keep their distance from the fierce fighter. That's when the masked bandit focused his gaze upon the Alcalde.
"It seems your soldiers are outmatched as well as out classed." Zorro said to the pale woman.
"It was very stupid of you to try and rescue this whelp." The Alcalde said as she drew a saber from her side.
"Again, Alcalde? I thought you had learned your lesson the last time you decided to try and fight me." Zorro said.
"That was merely a fluke." The Alcalde said as she and Zorro began to circle each other, both glaring.
"You have a choice, Alcalde. You can drop the charges against Stoppable to start." Zorro said.
"And if I don't?" the Alcalde asked as she tried to make the first strike, but the blade was deflected by Zorro's sword and felt the hilt of her nemesis' sword impact her jaw.
"Then you can suffer the same fate that has met your soldiers today." Zorro said as the Alcalde regained her footing and spit blood from her mouth.
"You're bluffing." The Alcalde said as she went in for two strikes, only to miss her target as Zorro's blade kept clashing against hers.
Her anger was beginning to boil over as she kept trying to strike the bandit dead. Both opponents kept adding more speed into their attacks, trying to confuse the other. As their blades clashed together, each strike echoed every time steel clashed against steel. Zorro just smiled at the older woman in front of him while the Alcalde's look of rage kept on growing to where it seemed her eyes were almost burning with pure rage.
The Alcalde made a lunge, trying to shove her blade through the bandit's chest in a futile attempt at victory. A wave of shock and surprised over came her when Zorro not only deflected the blade, but shoved it from the Alcalde's hand and into the dirt. When the woman's eyes focused back onto the bandit, the tip of Zorro's sword was pressed at her throat.
"Victory is mine today, Alcalde. Drop the charges against Stoppable and the School teacher, or the only time you will see this world again will be on El Día de los Muertos." Zorro said to the woman.
"Go to hell." The Alcalde growled. Her eyes widened as she felt the tip of Zorro's blade being pressed harder against her windpipe.
"Then you will be sent there first." Zorro said as his grip on the sword's handle tightened.
"All right." Miss Gogh said.
"Pardon? May you speak louder so everyone may hear you?" Zorro asked her.
"I SAID ALL RIGHT!" Miss Gogh shouted. "All charges against Senor Stoppable and the teacher are dropped! They're free to come and go as they please!" The Alcalde shouted and winced as the crowd cheered with joy.
"Just remember, Alcalde. Your life was in my hands, and I chose to give it back to you." Zorro said to the woman as he withdrew his blade from her throat.
"You're forgetting one thing, rogue! You can't out run my entire garrison!" Miss Gogh said.
"I might not have to." Zorro said as he slid his sword back into its sheath, just as several bottles broke against the ground and thick smoke began to surround everyone in the pueblo. A thick smoke screen had formed in seconds, causing several people to cough while they stumbled about and tried to find their way to fresh air.
"Drak - cough! DRAKKEN! BRING ME THAT BASTARD'S MASK WITH HIS FACEW STILL ATTACHED TO IT!" Miss Gogh shouted as she tried to find her way out of the thick smoke.
"W-we can't! cough! I can't even see my men!" Drakken shouted as he collided with the post Ron had been tied to.
Soon, the hot California wind blew the smoke away from the pueblo, allowing everyone to gain there bearings and to see who was where. The Alcalde could see most of her men on their knees or leaning against the adobe buildings as the tried to expel the smoke from their lungs. She could also see young Stoppable standing near the crowd, but there was no sign of Zorro anywhere!
"GET ON YOUR FEET! ALL OF YOU! HE HAS TO BE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE! I DON'T CARE IF IT TAKES YOU ALL ETERNITY, I WANT ZORRO FOUND!" the Alcalde screamed as her men stumbled to their feet and to their horses. "This isn't over, buffoon! Not by a long shot!" Miss Gogh said to Ron before she mounted a near by horse and rode with her men in search of the bandit.
"KIM!" Ron shouted as he ran into the townhouse, and tried to figure out where she could be. With all the confusion, he had guessed this would be where she would run to. But he didn't see her in the main living area, nor in any of the other rooms from his vantage point. Where could she be? "KIM?" he called out again. That's when he heard a small noise coming from upstairs. As he listened more closely, he realized that the sound was crying.
As fast as his legs could carry him, Ron rushed up the stairs and burst into Kim's bedroom to see her sitting on the bed; still wearing the black clothes with the cape, gloves, and mask laying on the bed.
"KP, you're not hurt are you?" Ron asked as he sat beside her, trying to find any sign of wounds on her.
"I-I'm fine. I just – I can't believe did today." Kim said as she drew a shaky breath.
"KP, you saved my life." Ron said to her.
"I know Ron, and I'm so glad I did. But, I killed that man." Kim said to Ron.
"Killed? Killed who?" Ron asked her.
"That corporal. I didn't mean for them to fire, I just didn't want you to get shot. He's dead because I didn't think everything through." Kim said as she let out another sob.
"Kim, you didn't kill him. You saved me, and it was the soldiers that killed him. It wasn't you." Ron told her.
"But what about what I did to the Alcalde?" Kim asked him, looking at him through the tears that still lingered in her eyes.
"You didn't kill her though. And frankly, she deserved that. Look at how many people she's hurt and probably killed. KP, you saved me and made sure to let that bitch know that she can't control everyone." Ron said to her, and earned a welcomed hug from her.
"Thank you, Ron." She said as she enjoyed feeling him in her arms; alive and well. As she leaned her head onto his shoulder, she began to think about what he ad told her that day he fell off the horse. She had constantly thought about it, and was beginning to realize that there might be more to her feelings for him as well. "Ron, what did you mean that night?" Kim asked him.
"W-what night?" Ron asked as he tried to play dumb.
"Don't, Ron. Please don't. Before you sacrificed yourself, you said that you – Do you?" Kim asked him as she felt her heart jumping into her throat.
"Yes." Ron said, knowing he couldn't lie to her.
"For how long?" she asked him.
"For a while now. I don't know when I started loving you, I just know that I always have. Every time we got into trouble, I kept wondering what could I do to keep you safe. I knew that if something ever happened to you, I just couldn't go on." He told her.
"If you felt like that, then why didn't you tell me?" she asked him.
"Because I didn't know if you felt the same. And I thought you deserved someone better than me." Ron said as he began to look away.
She didn't know what was making her do it. She didn't know if it was her heart controlling her actions, her mind, or both that was making her choice right at the moment. She carefully placed her hand against Ron's cheek to make him look at her again, face to face. Not even questioning her actions, she slowly leaned in, and placed her lips against Ron's in a gentle embrace. It wasn't filled with passion or the urge to hurry, but nothing but kind gentleness. To let the other know how they truly felt as the melted into one another and not wanting this moment to end. A small twinge of sadness was felt in both their hearts as their lips parted and they looked into each others eyes.
"Wow." Ron said to her.
"Yeah, wow." She said to him as they couldn't help but both blush and laugh a little.
"So I guess this means that we're – you know?" Ron asked nervously.
"Only if you want to." Kim told him as she felt her nervousness grow as well.
"I really do want to. I mean – if you want," Ron didn't finish as Kim placed a finger against his lips as another small smile graced her lips.
"Just shut up and kiss me again." Kim said as they held each other in their arms and their lips met again, filled with more passion and love than anyone knew could exist.
PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW! PREVIEW!
It all started with one man's sinister plan.
"Dr. D, how does this all work again?" the plase villainess asked the slouched blue skinned man in front of her as he grinned at the vastness of space in front of him.
"Shego, don't you ever listen to my plans?" he whined.
"Of course not." she said to him.
"With the new advanced telescope, I can use it to focus the sun's rays like a magnifying glass on ants." he told her.
"And why do we have the Princess' friends here?" she asked as she pointed to the group of bound and gagged teenagers.
"Insurance." was all the man said.
But in the hands of victory
"KIM POSSIBLE! YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL THAT? WELL YOU'RE"
"We've got bigger problems, Dr. D!" the vilaness said as she checked the gauges of their small space craft.
"What's wrong?" he asked his assistant.
"Something weird is going on. Whatever it is, it's making me loose control of the ship!
"Wade, what's going on? The controls aren't responding." the red headed hero asked her friend behind her as the rest of her rescued friends strapped themselves in for a bumpy ride home.
"I don't believe it." Wade said as he checked the readings.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"It's a wormhole! And it's fixing to open!" Wade said to them.
"How long do we have?" Kim asked; right before there was a bright flas of life and a swirling vortex of blue and purple hues opened like a blossoming flower with an inner light in its center. "Never mind." Kim said.
They are thrown into jeapordy beyond anything they've known.
"Wade, please tell me you know where we are." Ron asked as he tried to calm his stomach after their voyage through the vortex.
"I'm not sure. I think that worm hole flung us to another part of the galaxy." Wade said as the computer had trouble finding any recognizable star patterns.
"Maybe they can help us." Bonnie said as she pointed to the several fighters that were heading their way.
"Unidentified ship! You have entered the soverign empire of King Zarkon! Stand down and prepare to be borded!" the strange voice said over the intercom.
Now six friends are the only hope for a galaxy in bondage.
"How can we help? We barley escaped from that lunatic with our lives." Felix said as they sipped on the hot drinks that was handed to them.
"There is a way. Long ago, five brave warriors were the pilots of the only machines that were able to stop Zarkon once before. I have been the keeper of these machines since then. If you are able to pilot them, there may be hope for our world yet." the woman said to them.
Choose your side.
"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING LEFT STANDING! EVERYTHING ON THAT PLANET MUST EITHER BE DYING OR DEAD BEFORE THE WEKK IS OUT!" the roared as he slammed his twisted hand against his throne.
"ALL HEIL ZARKON!" his first leutenant shouted, with the rest of the soldiers eching the chant.
And prepare yourself,
"No more lying down or running away! This time, we fight back!" Kim said into her communicator.
"Let's show these guys what Earthlings are made of!" Ron said as he powered up his ship's systems.
For a battle of Galactic proportions.
"Let's do this!" Kim said to all her team members as they felt the thrusters kick in and her console began to shift and ready itself for the next phase.
"LET'S GO VOLTRON FORCE!" they all shouted as their vehicles reached star filled space as their machines gave out a loud and mighty roar.
DEFENDERS OF THE UNIVERSE
coming soon