Holidays (An Impossible Quartet 6)

December 2007

Rating: T (Teen)

Notes: Kim Possible and her cohorts belong to Disney.

Chapter 1 [Three Days following "The Test"

[Yamanuchi Courtyard

Ron stretched his arms to the sky, trying to work a few kinks out of them after a tough morning workout with his classmates. Even by Sensei's standards, the session had been a rough one for the teacher wanted to work on certain issues with the trainees.

Despite their usual understanding to do things slower, Hirotaka had uncorked at full speed on him, not holding anything back.

Ron had taken a hard shot with the staff against his knuckles, forcing him to drop his weapon. He'd backed away and slid on a streak of black ice. As he did so, his feet came out from under him and kicked out.

The right one caught his classmate in the chest, stunning both men.

"Ooh yeah!" Ron had cheered.

["Stoppable-San, concentrate!" Sensei had chided.

Great. Can't even enjoy an awesome moment! He felt his left ankle protest as he braced for Hirotaka's next attack. "Ow! Man!" He put his hands together. "Time out! Time out!"

"This is not your American style football match, Stoppable-San. No time outs here!" Hirotaka pointed out good naturedly before knocking his friend on his rear end. "There. We're even." He could almost feel the bruise forming on his upper chest.

"Yeah whatever," Ron conceded. Still he knew Hiro and Sensei had a point. Bad guys didn't give timeouts so they couldn't either.

"Ron San, are you all right?" Yori asked while hurrying over to his side.

"Just twisted my ankle. A little ice and it'll be good as new again. You know how tough the Ron Man is," he bragged.

Rufus shook his head.

"Let's get you to the infirmary," she urged while pulling his left arm over her shoulders.

"Aw man! I look like such a baby!" he complained.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "You hardly looked like a 'baby' as you put it out there. A ninja's body is like a machine. One must maintain it in order to count on it during battle."

"Listen!" the mole rat urged.

"Now I get to insist you get treatment," she teased; her eyes sparkling at him as she said the words.

Recalling that sitch following the kidnapping by Monkey Fist, he rolled his eyes. "Fine!" They made their way into the clinic where Dr. Kogimato, the alumni turned physician, awaited them.

"Take a seat. I will be with you shortly," the physician called to them from behind the curtain.

"Hai," Yori agreed while helping her BF into a seat. Seeing how dejected he was, she complimented, "You did well today, Ron San."

"Yeah. I still look like a baby," he groused. "I want to be like you."

"Like me?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Bondiggity ninja. You're like KP in that way—always have a plan, always know how to knock the bad guy out, yada, yada, yada," he elaborated.

She chuckled. "Oh, Ron San, you and your American-style imagination! I wish I could be like that. I have trained longer than you. That is the only difference." She took his hands in her own. "Have faith in yourself. Hirotaka did not hold back today."

"Yeah right," he doubted. "Probably used eighty percent or something."

"I have sparred with him too. Ron San, Hirotaka fought at full speed as you Americans say. You reacted by instinct." She smiled warmly. "Over the past half year, we all have seen great things in you." She bowed her head.

"Hey, I have badical support, remember?" he reminded her.

She giggled and blushed. "Oh, Ron San, you and your American-style comments." Still, she knew he meant it. "Domo arighato." Seeing that nobody was watching them, she snuck a kiss off of his cheek.

"No big," he declared while putting the injured foot up on the seat next to them. "Hey, has Barkin said anything more about this 'big project'?"

She shook her head. "No. Sensei and Barkin Sama agreed to hold off on it until today's class." She glanced at her watch. "We have time to get you treated and then back to the room to change before then."

"Yeah." He frowned, imagining the wisecracks (not to mention the harping from KP) over his ankle. "This will be something else."