Kim Possible copyrighted by Disney, etc.

Chapter 8
Hail Hail, The Gang's All Here

'Farewell, Kim Possible!' he screeched. 'As adversaries go, you were always a cut above the rest!' The Lotus Blade glowed and was lancing towards her. She threw up her hands, hoping the battle suit's defensive shields would hold. But the Blade never reached her.

A green glow lit the warehouse and someone leaped between Kim and Ron. Two glowing hands swept in a wide circle and deflected the Lotus Blade with a flash of green light. Kim looked up, getting to her knees.

'Shego?' she said. There was no mistaking the black and green outfit and the curvy silhouette with a mane of dark hair.

Ron glared. 'What are you doing here?' he grimaced.

Shego looked over her shoulder down at Kim. Kim flipped up into a defensive stance, ready for anything.

'Relax, Princess. This time we're on your side!' said Shego, and she winked, a smile on her face unlike any expression Kim had ever seen her use. It was friendly - and sincere. 'Jade sent us along - as many as she could round up. She said you could use a hand.'

'Us?' said Kim, her eyebrow raised.

From the shadows, several figures stepped forward. Kim gasped. Dr. Drakken was there, but his skin was flesh colored. Monkey Fist also sauntered forward, and Duff Killigan, as well as the Seniors. All of them formed a semi-circle around Kim, facing Ron.

'That poor girl!' said Drakken. 'She needs our help!'

'Aye.' said Killigan, taking out his pitching wedge. 'If ye want to hurt her, ye'll have to go through us!'

Kim couldn't believe it. All her worst enemies were standing around her, protecting her. It seemed beyond reason, but on this day, so little had been. 'Jade... you rock!' she thought.

'Well,' said Ron, a frown creeping onto his face. 'I thought any other do-gooders out there would be too busy with my world full of villains to even know what was going on, let alone find their way here. What a burn!'

Sensei walked to where Kim and the others were standing. 'It may have been unexpected for you.' he said. 'But I knew that help would come to our aid while none would come to yours. For while evil will always fight amongst itself for supremacy - good will always unite.'

Ron started to snicker, softly at first, but quickly rising to a full-throated screeching laugh. 'You... you've got to be kidding!' he said, struggling to speak through his mirth. 'This is the best that good could scrape together? I'm supposed to be intimidated by you clowns? You were all failures as villains - what makes you think you'll do any better as heroes? I christen you the Loser Brigade!' He started looking them up and down. 'Dr. Drakken!' he said, his voice dripping with scorn, 'A ten-time loser who's failed at everything he's ever tried!' From Kim's side, Shego chuckled for a brief instant.

'What are you laughing at?' Ron sneered, his eyes locking onto her. 'You're an even bigger loser than Drakken! A pathetic sheep who'll follow anyone who waves a dollar bill under your nose!' Shego scowled, but Ron was already looking at the others.

'The Seniors - you're not even good enough to be losers - you're just loser wannabes who are all money and no brains! And there's "Lord" Monkey Fist! A flea-bitten loser who still thinks he can take over the world with chimps!' He looked at Killigan, shaking his head and waving at him angrily. 'And you! Why am I even talking to you? Calling you a loser would be an insult to losers everywhere! You've never done anything!'

Killigan's knuckles whitened around the club in his hand. 'Then a rammy wi' you sounds like a grand way to put some notches in me golf clubs!'

Ron gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing. He snapped his fingers and Team Probable silently flanked him. 'Fine!' he said. 'You want to know what it's like to tangle with the top dog? You've got it! Rhonda!' he said, nodding towards her, 'Activate the Mega-bots! All of them!!' Rhonda mashed her palm on every button on her bracelet. From circular openings in the floor, dozens of Mega-bots slowly rose up, their eyes lighting.

'Mega-bots - attack!' Ron shrieked, and as one, the skeletal robots charged.

'Monkey ninjas - attack!' shouted Monkey Fist, gesturing forward. There was a wild screeching, and a number of ninja-clad monkeys leaped forward, tumbling over Kim and the others.

'Aaaaah!!!' Ron screamed, looking rattled for the first time. 'Monkeys!!!'

The Mega-bots and the monkey ninjas clashed. The Mega-bots had the edge in size, strength and numbers, and the initial melee had the monkey ninjas on the defensive. The Mega-bots drove through their ranks, tossing them aside.

Ron seemed to take courage after his initial flinch when he saw how well the Mega-bots were doing, and turned to Rhonda and Grimm. 'What are you guys waiting for?' he said. 'Get in there!' Grimm and Rhonda nodded and joined the fray.

Sensei had gone to the aid of the monkey ninjas, with Monkey Fist at his side. Grimm confronted him again, and the two resumed their duel. Junior and Senior were making their way towards Ron when Rhonda stopped them. 'Not so fast, Mr. Gotbucks!' she said, going into a ready stance.

Junior turned to Senior. 'Father, this is unacceptable! I cannot hit a girl!'

Senior nodded. 'Yes, that would be most dishonorable.'

Rhonda cracked her knuckles. 'Boy that's a relief!' she said, then with a swift kick, she sent Junior sprawling backwards. 'Booyah!!'

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Kim tried to thread her way towards Ron through a sea of battling Mega-bots, monkey ninjas and former villains. Ron was still the key to stopping this, and she focused on occupying the Mega-bots on the left flank. She fought them, using her shield device to protect herself from their strikes. As the Mega-bots turned their attention to her, the monkey ninjas who had been fighting them were free.

She stared at them, hoping they would obey her now that they were 'good'. 'Get Ron!' she said, pointing at him across the warehouse. The monkey ninjas looked at her, then looked to Monkey Fist, who, along with Sensei, was engaged in dueling Grimm.

'Do as she says!' said Monkey Fist, blocking a strike from Grimm and standing back to back with Sensei as two Mega-bots joined Grimm in his fight. The monkey ninjas looked back at Kim, and then dashed towards Ron, screeching.

Ron had been using the Lotus Blade to push Shego back through the ranks of Mega-bots she had managed to get around. But he turned and saw the gang of monkey ninjas charging at him and immediately the Lotus Blade formed a gleaming barrier around himself. 'Hey, no fair using monkeys!' he yelled.

'Who's the loser now, laddie?' said Killigan, chuckling as he watched Ron fending off Monkey Ninjas. He zipped open a pouch on his golf bag, spilling several white balls on the floor.

'Fore!!' he shouted, and with a practiced swing of his club, he sent a golf ball flying straight at the head of a Mega-bot that was squaring off against Junior. The Mega-bot neatly caught the ball in a metallic hand, but with a high pitched beeping, the ball exploded, blasting the arm off the Mega-bot. The robot stood, with sparking wires trailing from the empty arm socket, then it charged at Killigan, racing at him full speed.

'Fore!!'

Another ball flew into the Mega-bot's midsection as it made a swift leap at Killigan. The upper and lower halves fell to the floor with a crash. Killigan smiled. 'That's one way to improve your handicap!' he said.

Shego barely managed to fend off a pair of Mega-bots as they struck relentlessly. 'Come on, Doc!' she said. 'You're the genius - can't you think of any way to stop these things?'

Drakken looked around in dismay at the raging battle. 'Oh my!' he said. 'So much violence!'

'So find a way to shut these things off before they hurt someone!' Shego said, glaring.

Drakken bit his lower lip. 'Hmm - they seem to operate independently, so they're not being remote controlled.... Each one must have it's own processing unit and a certain degree of artificial intelligence....'

'That's great, Doc.' said Shego, narrowly avoiding another strike. She fired another plasma burst, sending a Mega-bot flying backwards, though it quickly sprang to its feet and charged towards them again. 'But does it help us beat them?'

Drakken cringed behind her as she kept fighting. 'Well, I could make something that might affect them temporarily, but I'll need parts and maybe some jamming equipment!'

'You mean like that?' Shego said, pointing to the table, which still had various circuits and machinery littered on it.

He moved towards the table. 'All right, but I have trouble working when robots are trying to put sharp, pointy things in me!'

'Got your six, Dr. D!' she said. 'Just work fast!'

'Oh, goody!' said Drakken, looking delighted. 'I love fixing things!'

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Monkey ninjas were being swatted away left and right by a hand at the end of the Lotus Blade's tentacle. Ron still looked twitchy, but finally he stamped his foot, sending out a rippling shockwave which scattered the ninja primates. 'Scat!' he yelled, and the monkeys backed away. He grinned wickedly. 'Not so scary now, are you?' he said triumphantly. 'Who's the ultimate monkey master? No points for guessing!' Then he scowled and turned around slowly.

'Kimberly Ann Possible!' he said.

Kim stared at him. She had used the distraction of the fight to get to him, and now stood at the ready, confronting him. 'Ronald Stoppable.' she said.

'Coming in the game late again.' he said. 'Take a look, Possible. Even with the Loser Brigade, you're no match for my Mega-bot army!'

Kim winced. One glance at the battle told her that Ron wasn't just bragging. The assembled former villains were simply outnumbered. Even with elite fighters like Sensei, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.

He held up the Lotus Blade with a smirk. 'I know what you're thinking, Kimberly Ann.' he said. 'You're thinking - "If I can just take out Ron, then we can still win this!" And you're probably right! Looks like it all boils down to you and me, doesn't it? One would think it was destiny, or some stupid junk like that.'

'Yeah.' Kim said. 'We just can't keep ourselves apart, can we?'

'Well,' he said, his teeth flashing as he grinned at her. 'Let's find out if one really is the loneliest number!'

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Shego yelped as a Mega-bot's strike left a tearing cut in her shoulder. She flung it back with a plasma burst, but it rose up again, joined by another. Drakken was still hunched over the table, flashes of light rising up as he welded components together and spliced wires and circuits.
'How about it, Doc?' she said.

Drakken held out a small black box with various dials on it. ' With this device, I can pull signals from the jamming equipment in the warehouse and broadcast them in a short radius with much higher intensity.' He ducked as a monkey ninja spiraled past them. 'It won't stop them, but it will interfere with their processors enough to slow them down.'

The Mega-bot which had thrown the monkey ninja was racing towards them, whirling it's left hand on a chain extending from it's forearm. 'So just do it, already!' Shego shouted.

Drakken hit a switch on the device. 'All right, you don't have to yell!' he said, looking hurt. As the Mega-bot drew close, it suddenly looked unsteady, wobbling on its feet, though it was still coming towards them.

Shego leaped at the Mega-bot, which moved to block her, but its arms didn't move quickly enough. Shego's glowing green hands slashed across the neck of the Mega-bot and its head went spiraling across the warehouse, it's body collapsing to the floor.

'All right, Dr. D.' said Shego, grinning. 'Now you're taking point!'

'Oh my...' said Drakken as Shego pushed him forward into the thick of the battle.

Wherever Drakken walked, the Mega-bots would shudder and slow down, and the tide of the battle turned. The monkey ninjas and the other assembled villains were able to begin taking down the Mega-bots, one by one, as Drakken moved among them. Drakken looked ill at ease, but went wherever Shego prodded him.

'Sorry. Sorry.' he said, apologizing every time a Mega-bot was defeated and landed at his feet. 'Oooh, what a mess! I'm not normally this disruptive, you know - sorry! Sorry!'

Rhonda ducked as one of Killigan's golf balls blew apart another Mega-bot. A gang of monkey ninjas were overpowering another, filling the air with their raucous screeches while they peeled off parts of it's exoskeleton and tugged on wires and circuits.

Grimm was fending off Shego, blocking her greenish energy blasts before flipping backwards and sending her flying as his feet arced upwards and struck her in the chest. He landed standing back to back with Rhonda.

'The sitch is going all ca-ca-cooey on us.' she said, sounding nervous. 'Looks like Ron's plan is a bust! What do we do?'

'Eyes on the prize, Rhonda.' said Grimm. He looked more intent and focused than ever, but he was still smiling faintly as he continued fending off monkey ninjas, his protective field occasionally flaring up and encompassing both himself and Rhonda. 'I personally don't care if Ron succeeds or not. We're angling for something else completely.' His eye strayed towards Kim, who was approaching Ron through the fighting.

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Kim stood before Ron, who glared at her. 'Once I deal with you, I'll mop the floor with your Loser Brigade!' he said.

Kim felt her suit charged and ready. 'Come on, Ron.' she said. 'This isn't you! Don't make me do this!' She wasn't sure how she wanted this to end. Even if she defeated Ron, Grimm had destroyed the capsule containing his good side. The thought of having to watch Ron being hauled off to prison, ranting as Dr. Drakken always did, was almost too much for her to bear. But she had to stop him.

'Why do you keep talking like you can win?' he grinned. 'I've beaten you twice now - do you really think the third time's the charm?'

Kim felt a misery deeper than anything she had ever felt as she looked into Ron's face, twisted with evil glee, but in the midst of the raging battle, no further tears came to her eyes. 'I went easy on you before because of how I feel about you.' she said. 'But if you won't put an end to this, all bets are off. I can do anything.' she said quietly. 'Even fight you!'

'Bring it!' Ron screeched.

Kim charged forward, dodging the Lotus Blade, which snaked at her again. She tumbled and rolled, using her booster jump and leaping around Ron while the Lotus Blade continued to pursue her. Ron's face grimaced in concentration while Kim continued to dodge.

'You can't evade me forever!' he said, clenching his free hand. The fist which had formed at the end of the Lotus Blade flew after her. Kim flipped over Ron and skittered to the side, leaping across and dodging. For some time, Kim kept it up, managing to stay just ahead of the Lotus Blade.

Finally Kim landed a few feet in front of him and Ron grinned. 'Ah-ha!' he said. The fist shot at Kim, but suddenly it stopped a foot or two away from her. The hand flexed and clutched at the air, fighting to go forward. 'Huh...?' Ron said quietly. Then he looked around. He was standing in the middle of a vast web of twisted metal which trailed here and there as if someone had blown up a box full of streamers. The tentacle of the Lotus Blade was tangled and twisted everywhere.

Then Ron glanced up and saw the underside of Kim's foot for one brief instant. 'Oh crud.' he muttered, then flew backwards with a muffled shout as Kim kicked solidly off from his chest. The Lotus Blade flew from his hand, the snarls and tendrils disappearing in a flash of light. The sword reformed and landed on the floor with a ringing clang.

'Oh really cute!' said Ron, rising up. Kim stood in front of him and lashed out with all her strength. He tapped his belt buckle and a glowing green cylinder formed around him. Kim's attack was deflected away. 'You think you got game? You ain't got game!'

'Give it up, Ron!' she said. 'It's so over!'

'So not!' he said. 'You think I'll run cryin' home to momma just because you disarmed me once?' He kept one hand poised over the button on his belt that controlled his shield device. The other hand moved to the pouch on his belt. 'Admit it!' he sneered. 'You've always wondered what I keep in here, haven't you?' He slipped what looked like a ray gun from the pouch - a gun with a U-shaped protrusion on the end like a tuning fork. Kim went back to a ready stance.

'Check it!' Ron said. 'It's called the Mega Magnetic Manipulator - or MMM for short - 'cause it's mmm-mmm good!'

Kim leaped at him again, but Ron squeezed the MMM and a blue bubble surrounded him. Kim felt herself catapulted back, landing with a thud. She saw the Lotus Blade next to her and glanced nervously back at Ron.

'Pretty cool, huh?' he was saying. 'The entire Earth is a colossal magnet, you know. With this device I can focus it's incredible power and use it to repel things....'

Kim rolled and seized the Lotus Blade, rising up and charging at him.

'...or attract them!' Ron said, grinning. Kim paused and gasped as the Lotus Blade was wrenched from her grasp and started whirling towards the MMM in Ron's hand.

'No!'

Kim turned, for the voice was not hers. Monkey Fist flipped forward and landed beside her, holding up his hand. The Lotus Blade stopped in mid-air, hovering.

'Monkey-man!' said Ron slowly, his eyes narrowing.

'Ron Stoppable.' Monkey Fist answered, his voice sounding as dignified as ever, 'Sensei is quite right - we will not allow the Lotus Blade to be used for evil! And in case you've forgotten - I have Mystical Monkey Power as well!'

Kim stared as both Ron and Monkey Fist stood with their hands raised. Monkey Fist's fingers were trembling as if he were arm wresting. The MMM was emitting a high-pitched whine in Ron's hand. The Lotus Blade remained floating in the air between them. They both glared into each other's eyes for a moment.

Then Ron began to run forward towards the Lotus Blade, and Monkey Fist did as well. Both their hands clasped around the hilt and they were surrounded by an eerie glow. They stood that way for several moments, and the Lotus Blade bent and twisted, leaning first towards Ron, then to Monkey Fist, then back and forth between them, changing shape, rippling and bubbling as they fought.

Ron glared at Monkey Fist, his face looking surprised. 'You were never able.... to control the Lotus Blade... like this before!' he grated, sweat beading on his forehead.

Monkey Fist's teeth were clenched and he also was sweating with the effort of their contest of will. 'That's because I never realized...' he said, ..how good I could be!'

'Rufus!' Ron yelled. And Rufus began leaping towards them, flying in an arc toward the handle of the Lotus Blade...

'Monkey Power!' Rufus squeaked, but suddenly he saw the iron bars of a cage and gasped. He had leaped right back into the cage, which Kim Possible was now holding. Kim snapped the door shut and locked it.

'Sorry, Rufus.' she said. 'I'll make it up to you later!'

'Do-gooder!' Rufus squealed, staring at her through the bars with slitted eyes.

She turned back to Ron and Monkey Fist, who were both still clutching at the Lotus Blade. Both of them cried out until their voices rose to a screaming pitch and the sword began to glow with a white light, which steadily grew brighter until at last there was a blinding flash. Both Ron and Monkey Fist flew back in opposite directions. Monkey Fist crashed into the large table full of parts and scrap metal before falling to the floor with a groan. Ron slammed into the huge screen above the control console. The screen cracked and Ron fell tumbling down the steps leading up to the console, sliding to the bottom and lying still. The Lotus Blade fell to the floor.

'Ron!' Kim ran forward and turned his limp body over so he was lying face up. She sighed with relief as she found his heart beating and his breathing was steady. He was simply out cold. She stood up. Ron was down, but the battle was still raging through the warehouse. She glanced up at the hulking metallic spider which was the Mega Synaptic Transducer.

No matter what happened after, she had to destroy it now. Kim heard Killigan yelling 'Fore!' again. She saw a swish of white and leaped forward, catching a golf ball explosive in mid-flight. 'Sorry Duff.' she shouted. 'I need to borrow this one!'

'Quite all right, lassie!' he yelled from across the warehouse. 'There's plenty for everyone!'
She looked around. Killigan, Shego, and a horde of monkey ninjas were beating down the last of the Mega-bots. Senor Senior Sr. and Junior were fighting with Grimm and Rhonda, though it was clear they were no match for Team Probable. Ron and Monkey Fist were still down.

She ran to the main console. The switch Ron had set was there, with a panel button reading 'Big Shield Turn On Now' below where it was set in place. At the top was another panel, reading 'Turn Off Big Shield Thingy'. She could not help smiling faintly. Underneath it all, the Ron she knew was still in there. She would find a way to save him - no matter what it took.

She set the switch to turn off, and the shimmering field which surrounded the Mega-Synaptic Transducer faded away with a slowly diminishing hum. Kim stared up at the metal circle, and with a grunt, she threw Killigan's golf ball with all her strength. It flew straight and true, striking the base of the metallic circle on top of the Mega Synaptic Transducer. There was a bright explosion. Kim saw the colored energy fields within the circle change places, and then the upper section of the Transducer was blasted apart. A series of smaller explosions hopscotched across the middle portion as metal and wires rained down from above. And finally, the large support struts which held up the machine wobbled, groaned and the Transducer collapsed with a roaring crash which echoed through the warehouse.

The villains-turned-good suddenly hunched over, clutching their heads, and then straightened up again. Drakken's skin was turning blue before her eyes. 'Help Kim Possible?' he said, looking around in confusion. 'What was I thinking?'

'I think we're all wondering that, laddie.' said Killigan, adjusting his golf hat.

Shego turned her eyes to where Kim was standing at the console. Monkey Fist was struggling to his feet. 'Well,' she said, the evil glint returning to her eye. 'As long as we're all here, we may as well finish what the buffoon started!' Her fists lit up with a green glow.

'Indeed.' said Senor Senior Sr. 'How very kind of Mr. Stoppable to soften her up for us....'

They advanced towards her, but Kim smiled and pressed another button on the console that was labeled 'Set Troublesome Prisoners Loose'. The cylinders that imprisoned Yori and the Yamanouchi students retracted and a dozen black-suited ninja vaulted forward with Kim at their side.
'Aaaaah!' said Drakken. 'No one told me there would be ninja!'

'I suppose you're gonna run now?' said Shego with a sigh.

'I wasn't going to say it out loud, but yes!' said Drakken, and he dashed towards one of the many gaping holes in the warehouse wall. Duff and the Seniors followed after him. Shego looked back defiantly towards Kim. 'Later, princess.' she said, then turned and ran.

Monkey Fist moved towards the Lotus Blade and raised his hand. But the sword did not rise or move towards him. He frowned, crawling forward, and reached for the hilt. But he drew back his hand in alarm, as a wooden sandal came down and stepped on the shaft of the Lotus Blade.

'This does not belong to you.' said Sensei. Two more of his students came up to support him, their hands raised and ready.

Monkey Fist stared at him, glancing and seeing Kim and the others closing around him on either side. 'Another time, then.' he said, bowing slightly. Then he sped away after the others, shouting 'Monkey ninjas, retreat!' His black-clad followers scampered after him, their tails vanishing through the gaps in the warehouse walls.

Kim unlocked Rufus' cage, then turned and faced Grimm. He was standing at the main console, with Rhonda at his side, and Rueful perched on her shoulder. He was staring at them with a faint smile, not seeming to care that he and Rhonda were now alone and outnumbered.

'It's over, Grimm.' she said. 'Now I owe you something for what you did to Ron....' She glanced at Ron, who still lay on the floor, his skin still blue. Ron had curled himself up with his cape around him and was snoring as he lay.

'Why yes, I will have Diablo Sauce with my world....' he murmured between snores.

'Call them off, Possible.' said Grimm, looking calculated but still defiant as the ninja and Sensei formed a semi-circle around them. 'You'll want to think twice before you get us mad.' He snapped his fingers and Rhonda reached into her belt pouch. Kim let out a gasp and felt a renewed bite of fear and concern as Rhonda handed Grimm a fist-sized capsule that was glowing blue. He held it out. 'Ron's good - his Yang, as it were, is here.' Grimm said. 'If anyone tries anything, I break this and Stoppable stays on our side forever!'

'You said you already destroyed it.' Kim said.

Rhonda chirped in. 'Duh!' she said. 'He lied!'

'Blue phosphorous.' Grimm said, a satisfied smile on his face. 'It's kind of annoying when someone fakes you out, isn't it Kim? Well, I guess we both know that now.' he said. 'As it stands, I'm more than willing to help you get Stoppable back to his normal self. For starters - the Attitudinator is in the cabinet.' He nodded to a large cabinet a dozen yards from the console and watched as two Yamanouchi students opened it and brought the gleaming metallic helmet over to Kim.

Barely a few moments later, Kim had the Attitudinator fastened to Ron's head. 'How do I know you're not lying now?' she said.

'You don't.' he answered flatly. He kept staring at her. 'Do you want it or not?' he said. Kim said nothing, but held out her hand. 'Say please.' he said.

Kim felt anger boiling inside her. But she fought it back and kept her hand held out. 'Please...' she said. 'I want Ron back.'

Grimm stepped forward slowly, and placed the capsule in her hand.

'Why?' she said, gritting her teeth.

He stared back at her, and for a moment he looked equally furious. 'Because you played me the last time we met, Kim Possible.' he said, an electric spark of anger in his voice. 'I fought you fair and square - but the only way you could contrive to defeat me was to play me. I did all of this for one reason only, which I think our good Sensei is uniquely fitted to understand.' he nodded to the ninja master, who stood quietly, staring at him.

'What reason?' said Kim.

Grimm paused, seeming to relish the moment. 'To restore... balance.' he said. 'Plus I couldn't wait to see the look on your face.'

Kim stood trembling with anger. 'Yeah - that look.' he said with a smirk. There was a sudden flash of light and Kim saw Rhonda putting a camera in her backpack.

'Got it, GP!' she chirped. 'One for the scrapbook!'

Kim balled up a fist, prepared to strike. 'First things first, Kim.' said Grimm, nodding toward Ron. Kim snapped the glowing blue pod into the Attitudinator and with a high pitched whine, the pod went dark, while the right side of the Attitudinator suddenly lit up with a brilliant blue.

Ron struggled to a sitting position with a low moan. Kim felt a wash of relief and a sudden happiness so strong she felt tears starting in her eyes. Ron was still dressed in his costume, but his skin had lost its blue tinge, returned to its normal flesh tone. She threw her arms around him and held him tightly, forgetting everything else but the simple joy of having him back.

'Kim, what happened?' he said, his bleary eyes locking onto her at once. 'Last thing I remember was...' and he flinched as he saw Grimm and Rhonda. 'Waaaagh!' he squealed, backing away with a frenzied crabwalk.

Grimm and Rhonda didn't move, but Grimm stared down at Ron. 'Listen to me very carefully, Stoppable.' he said, his voice was sharp and serious. 'She'll say she did it to protect you. She's lying.'

'You are so busted!' Kim growled, standing up and turning to Grimm. The ninja and even Sensei were closing in on them.

Grimm did not seem remotely abashed. 'How do you feel, Kim?' he said. 'Are you so full of rage that you want to hurt me?'

Kim stared at him, panting, her fists clenched. 'Take your shot, Kim.' he said, spreading out his arms. 'I'll give you one for free. You know you want to, I can see it in your eyes!'

Kim lashed out with a right hook. Grimm's head snapped to the side and he grunted in pain. He turned back to stare at her, rubbing his chin, a slow smile creeping across his lips. 'Welcome to the dark side, Kim Possible.' He turned to Rhonda. 'What did I tell you?' he said to her. 'We didn't even need the Attitudinator for her.'

'The G-man is never wrong!' Rhonda said, smiling up at him.

He turned back to Kim. 'I want you to remember how you feel now Kim.' he said, his expression turning hard and cold. 'The next time you even think about trying to play me or Rhonda, remember how you feel right now - because if you ever try it again, you'll get more of the same!' He fired his grappling hook in the air. Rhonda threw her arms around his neck. Grimm's booster soles activated, the grapple line whirred, and they both shot upwards, rising toward a hole in the ceiling.

Twelve sets of hands flew as each Yamanouchi student flung throwing stars up at them, but a sphere of reddish-orange formed around them and the shield device flashed as each star came close to them, repelling them back. The shuriken fell to the ground with the sound of ringing metal as Grimm and Rhonda continued to rise towards the gaping hole in the roof.

Rhonda stared down at Kim wickedly. 'Stew in it, pom-pon!' she shouted, and then they were gone.

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Ron was staring at his grey reflection in the main console screen. It was cracked in several places, splitting his image into a fragmented web. 'I remember - Grimm used the Attitudinator on me.' He looked at his outfit, his cape. 'Was I... Zorpox again?'

Kim nodded weakly. Just like before, Ron seemed to remember only flashes of what he had done while he was evil. Ron looked around at all the wreckage. 'Did I do this?' he asked, his voice timid, as if he were dreading the answer.

'It wasn't you, Ron...' she started.

'It was Kim!' he said, tearing off his goggles and clenching his hands. 'Grimm said the Attitudinator wasn't gonna put someone else's evil in me - it was just going to suck out the good! This wasn't Zorpox - it was Ronster the Monster!' Rufus looked up at him, and let out a sympathetic groan.

Ron turned to Sensei, who stood looking at him, his students and Yori standing beside him. 'Sensei, I let you down. I let all of you down. Some 'chosen one' I turned out to be.' he said, slouching and bowing his head. 'I used the Lotus Blade to.... Oh man.... I am so not worthy....' Yori looked down too, her eyes flicking to Sensei for a brief instant.

'That is not so, Stoppable-san.' Sensei said, and there was warmth and understanding in his voice. 'Your heart was, and still remains pure. The evil that was in you was only placed out of balance through means beyond your control. But you still found the strength to resist. You could have done great harm to Kim Possible with the Lotus Blade - but each time, you chose only to capture her. While indeed there is darkness in each heart, it is almost always balanced by the light. That is the true philosophy of the Yin-Yang. The one cannot exist without the other, and each has part of the other within it. If that were not so, you would never have found the strength within yourself to resist the evil, and give good the chance it needed for victory.'

Ron was still looking down, not saying anything.

Sensei smiled again. 'If you still doubt your place as the chosen one, you may confirm it with one simple test...' he gestured toward the Lotus Blade, which lay shining on the floor.

Ron still looked ashamed, but raised his arm. He glanced over at Kim, who smiled at him and nodded. 'Here Lotus, Lotus, Lotus....' he said, holding out his hand.

At once, the Lotus Blade rose up and shot towards him. It swished past him, imbedding in the console screen. There was a ripping sound, and Kim blushed as the sword whirled past, somehow tearing off his jumpsuit and cape, leaving him wearing only his purple boots and a pair of lavender boxers with a pattern of black Zs. 'Aw man!' he said, staring down.

Sensei smiled. 'I believe, chosen one, that we may take this as a sign that all is well once more.' he said.