The Monkey's Tail

All characters and places in this story belong to the Disney Corporation. Original creators, Mark McCorkle and Robert Schooley I receive nothing for the writing of this story.

Sorry for the length. This has ended up being the longest chapter of any story I've ever written but I had a few lose ends to tie up.

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Previously,

"Ron. Let's let Global Justice to sort this mess out. We'll get Mom and take her, Yori and Steve to the hospital for a checkup. Just to make sure they are alright. I want to get out of here and feel the sun again."

He kissed her hair and said. "You got it KP." He then said," Come on Rufus. Let's go and get you some hospital food to snack on. That should hold you."

The small pink rodent made a face as it said, "Hospital food. Bleeh!

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Time: Later that night.

Location: Possible home. All Christmas decorations are turned off.

People Present: Mr. & Mrs. Dr. Possible, Kim Possible, Jim & Tim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Steve Barkin, Yori, Master Sensei and Director Betty Director. Wade had bowed out of attending saying his girl friend wanted to talk to him about something or other.

Ron had just come back in from walking his parents out to their car while he carried little Hanna out with Rufus keeping her company. His little sister had been wound up all day and forced to stay in the hospital room, along with her parents and James Possible, that Ron had occupied in order to keep up the illusion that he was still in it. Thus, having been that wound up all day, she fell asleep as soon as she slowed down tonight and his folks had to take her home and put her to bed. They both kissed him and told him how proud they were of him and what he and Kim had done today.

"But then," said his father, "we've always been proud of you son."

Ron was a little worried about a talk he would have to have with Hanna real soon though. His mother said that she was so wound up that at one point she started asking about someone or something named Cthulhu. Hanna had been channeling in on Ron's thoughts. He'd have to talk to her about not doing that when he was with Kim. Or thinking about Kim. Or thinking about doing something with Kim. Or,...

Oh hell. He'd better just ask Sensei about how to block her from doing that all the time since Kim was on his mind most of the time now. Even more than usual. But that could wait till tomorrow thought Ron as he yawned while re-entering the house.

The Possibles had invited Master Sensei and Yori to spend the night at their house in the guest room. A way to show their gratitude to them for all they had done and strangely enough, Master Sensei took them up on the offer. He normal wouldn't have done that, but he said he still had some things to finish up before the night was over and he wanted to share them with others.

After he got back inside he saw Mr. Barkin sitting off to the side talking with Yori and Master Sensei. It seems that they had been trying to get caught up with each other, although it was Yori trying to do most of the catching up. Ron noticed that she was giggling and smiling more than he could ever remember. She truly looked happy.

Ron drifted over to where Dr. Betty Director was talking with Kim and her parents, mostly about what they had found and were still finding.

Betty was saying, "Before they left, Dr. Lipski said that when we were ready, to call them and he would return to release the monkeys one at a time. After what Dr Hall told us about them returning to normal in a few days, we decided the best thing to do was leave them caged till that happens and then let the zoo keepers retrieve them then. It would be much easier on everybody. The one monkey called Frederick has volunteered to act as their caretaker till then. He's been feeding them and keeping them calmed down by talking to them. He has been a great help."

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble Director, when you call Drew to come and release the monkeys, would you give me a call?" asked Dr James Possible. "I think it's long past due that I apologize to him for an incident that happened back in our college days. Hopefully he can find it in heart to forgive me and a couple of our classmates."

"I think that can be arranged Dr Possible." she replied as she reached up to rub her eye patch.

"Doctor Director." interrupted Ron when he thought they were at a stopping point. "What's going to happen to Lord Fiske and Dr. Hall? She is responsible for us finding the location of their operations and technically he is totally innocent of having done anything wrong.

After looking at the floor and considering her answer, she looked up at him and said, "Right now we have both of them and his valet in protective custody. We intend to run some tests on Fiske to confirm that he is no longer Monkey Fist or the Yono. Dr. Hall as you have said was instrumental in our locating them and assisting in making sure that some things didn't get out of hand. She did show remorse when she tended to the wounds of Steve's daughter. Of course it will be up to the courts to render the final verdict but with both your's and Miss Possible's statements, if all goes well, they will probably get off with a 24/7 probation. They would have to wear a tracking device for probably a year and report their activities to their parole officer if they travel. Lord Fiske is wanting to get back on the lecture circuit again to rebuild his family fortune. He is still the world's foremost authority on all things simian. He is also talking about funding a rape crisis center here in Middleton to reconcile what he may have been a party to. He wants to name it the Yori Barking Rape Crisis Center."

"Ow." she said suddenly as she rubbed where her eye patch was again as Mrs. Dr. Possible moved to her side. "It's been a long time since I had one of those."

"One of what?" asked Dr Possible as now Steve was moving over to the small group.

"A phantom pain."

"What's a phantom pain?" asked Ron.

"I hope you never find out Ronald, but it's a pain that comes from a lost limb or organ. People that have lost a foot or a leg will complain that the missing part "hurts" or "itches," like it was still there. That's what a phantom pain is. It usually goes away after a couple of years. Ow!"

"Here, Let me have a look please." said Ann. "It's not my area of speciality but I can at least see if there's a noticeable problem."

After lifting the eye patch Ann examined the area underneath it and asked, "What sort of an implant did you have put in, Betty?"

"None. I was never so vain as to think I needed one. Why?" the Director answered.

Ann frowned and after getting a small pen light that she carried with her asked Betty to close her eye. Ann then opened the eyelid of Betty's right eye, the one that she wore her eye patch over, and aimed the pen light on it and asked, "Do you see anything now?"

To say that Steve was amazed at looking at her eye would have been an understatement. He's seen her when they first removed the bandages in the hospital. The eye ball was totally missing, yet as he looked at her, he could clearly see that there was one there now.

"I...I see a fuzzy light. But how?

Turning off the pen light, Ann asked her to hold her head down and blink several time and keep her eyes closed. After she had done that, Ann said, "Okay Director, raise you head and try to open only your right eye and tell me if you can see anything."

By this time, most of the occupants of the room had gathered around her, except for Sensei, who remained sitting with a small smile on his face.

Betty did so and as she opened her right eye, felt the pain of muscles that hadn't been used in years, trying to operate again. At first all she could see were shapes and shadows, but after blinking several more time to moisturizes the new orb and give it time to focus, the first image she saw was of a tall, heavy built man with a crew cut looking at her with hope written on his face.

Most people, given the same circumstance would have simply stated the obvious, or variations of it, "I can see!"

Betty Director was not most people. Looking directly at Steve Barkin wth her new eye, she smiled and said, "Hello Boss. Long time no see."

Steve, almost over come with emotions at having seen her eye sight restored having lost her eye in an accident that he blamed himself for, just shook his head and said, "Damn Probie. You get your eyesight back and the first person you see is me? You have got to be the most unluckiest person in the world."

She smiled and said, "The way I see it, things looks pretty good, Steve." She then jumped up and gave him a hug. Which she held and Steve returned until he realized where they were and how many people were standing around them watching.

"Oh... Well... I... uh..." He stammered after breaking the embrace as his face started turn four different shades of red as everyone else in the room gave a smile and maybe a soft chuckle at his embarrassment.

At the same time, she was stammering about maybe getting an eye patch that she could see through. She like the look and it helped keep the rank and file in line.

It was at this point that Sensei stood up and asked, "Could I have everyone's attention please? Yori, it is time."

Yori went to a closet and retrieved two packages. One was less than a foot square and over five foot long and the other was a simple tube about two foot long.

"Many years ago," stated Sensei. "a man believed that he had lost his honor. He was partially correct, but the situation he had found himself in, was a true conundrum with no fit way to resolve it without some loss of honor. Today, that man has managed to recover that which was lost in his willingness to sacrifice his own life to assist in the capture of the Yono."

Opening the larger of the packages revealed a case and when it was opened revealed a katana. The katana that Sensei and his daughter Kiyone, had helped Chen En Dowa forge. (The name given to Steve when he had amnesia. See chapter 2.) The one Steve left behind along with his daughter Yori, till he could once again claim them with honor.

Taking the katana from the case, he pulled the blade from its saya or sheath and noticed that the dried blood of his wife was still where he had put it near the tsuba or guard, but the blood from the villain Dr Chicago had been cleaned away. Other than that, the blade looked as it had when he surrendered it to his father in law, so many years ago.

After re-sheathing the sword, Steve turned and bowed to Sensei and then turned and said to everyone in the room, "Today, my honor has been restored along with the sword that represented it. It is now my honor to present to you my daughter, Yori Barkin."

Yori bowed to everyone and said, "It is my honor to greet you as such."

Everyone shook hands with Steve and Yori, offering them congratulations. Betty held back till she was the last one to congratulate him. When she came up to him there was a slight pause as they looked at each other and then they shook hands in a very formal way.

Yori's eyes blazed for a moment and she then asked her father and Doctor Director to come over near the front door for a word please.

Trying to maintain her calm, and with her back to the front door Yori asked. "What in the Hell was that?" of both older people.

"Yori." Began Steve with shock registering on both his and Betty's faces. "I don't know what you..."

"Sensei allowed me to read some of the letters that you sent him. All that I knew was that they were from my father, who spoke of himself in them as "Boss." My father spoke of another that he called "Probie," and that he had great feeling for her as she did for him. I hoped that my father might be able to move on with his life after the death of my mother, which would have been her wish. Are you two not those people the letters referred to?"

"Well, yes." they both replied.

"Have your feelings changed so much for each other that you greet one another on such a joyous occasion with a formal handshake?"

Betty started to say, "Look Yori. Things are very complicated and ..."

"No. Feelings of this kind are not complicated. Words complicate them but the feelings are true. Father, do you still deep in your heart have strong feelings for Dr. Betty?"

"Yori, it's not that simple." said Steve.

"Yes. It is. Now please answer the question and only use one word. Too many words try to hide the question." said his daughter.

Steve looked at her and then looked at Betty. Looking back at Yori, he said "Yes."

Now looking at Dr Director she asked, "And you Dr. Director or Probie. Do you still have strong feeling towards "Boss," my father?"

Wanting to look anywhere but at Yori, Betty put off answering the question as long as she could without being rude, but finally she looked back at her and said, "Yes."

Opening the door behind her, Yori pushed both her father and the Director of Global Justice outside and stood in the doorway. "Go to my father's house and pillow. Pillow many times and find your true happiness with each other." She then closed the door on them. As both Steve and Betty started to turn, Yori opened the door again and said, "If you would be so kind, stop by tomorrow near eight and it will by my honor to go and have breakfast with both of you." She then closed the door again.

Steve and Betty both turned away from the house as they considered what the young woman had said to them.

"What do you think Steve?"

"Well, I only ever tried to date one other person since I left you. I've got the scars from her attack dogs to prove it. What about you Betty? "

"After you left, I buried myself in my work. I never took the time to look elsewhere, but I do remember saying I would wait for you and I remember why I said that. Because I loved you."

The two slowly turned to each other and kissed. It started chaste but emotions soon lead beyond that point. When they broke it, one of them said "Wow." Neither can remember which one of them said it. Only that it was said and that it was what they both felt.

Betty smiled and said, "One thing you'll have to say for me, I'll be going into this relationship with both eyes open."

After they laughed she then asked, "What did she mean by "pillow?"

He smiled and asked, "Ever read "Shogun," by James Clavell?"

"Once."She answered. "Back in high school." She then let out an "Oh!" as she remembered the reference.

She then started to smile and she asked, "Should we take my car or take separate cars?"

"Your car." he answered. "I can pick mine up in the morning when we come back to get my daughter and go out for breakfast."

The two then turned and almost, but not quite, ran to his car.

Yori allowed the curtain to fall back into place with a smile on her face as she moved away from the window that looked out on the front of the house.

Sensei smiled at his granddaughter as she returned to the living room where the others were gathered. Sometimes healing must happen on many different levels.

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After she had returned, Sensei said, "I have one last item to bestow tonight. Ron Stoppable-san and Kim Possible-san, please come to the table.

Ron had been sitting in a too comfortable chair and was almost dozing when he heard Sensei request his presence. Trying to keep his eyes open he made his way to stand next to Sensei with Kim on the other side.

Sensei spoke as he unwrapped the other package that was a simple tube about two foot long.

"Many years ago, in the achieves of the school of Yamanouchi a scroll, that was created by the founder of the school Toshimiru himself, was found that had very specific instructions. It was to be given to the Chosen One in the year of Water Dragon on this date. The only problem was that the instructions were written in Tibetan instead of Japanese. It was this humble servant that made the translation so that I can fulfill Toshimiru's wishes."

"Master Sensei," said Ron with his eyes mostly open now and having read the scroll case. "I don't mean to interrupt or be disrespectful, but aren't you late by over fifty days?"

Sensei looked at Ron and asked, "You speak ancient Tibetan Stoppable-san?"

"No sir." said Ron as he felt himself under the heavy gaze of everybody in the room. "But you did teach me some one time when I was there at the school."

Sensei smiled and said, "So my teachings did reach your ears, in spite of your laments over the fact that the Master Lunch lady did not serve Nachos at the school."

Chuckling more to himself for the joke, Master Sensei continued by saying, "You are correct Stoppable-san. By your calendar, I am fifty three days late, but the instructions are in Tibetan as well as the reference to the Year of the Water Dragon. This is the first Year of the Water Dragon that we have had a Chosen one, but what you are forgetting is that the Tibetan calendar started on the twenty second of February which makes it today. Let us open the scroll and see what it reveals."

Slowly unrolling the scroll from right to left, the background of a painting done in ancient Japanese style was revealed. It was the mountain behind the school at Yamanouchi. As he continued to reveal more of it, a warrior, dressed in a black shinobi, or ninja style uniform, also came into view. There were several things that were interesting about this warrior. He was holding the glowing katana form of the Lotus Blade, in his right hand out as in a salute or challenge. His eyes were not done in the style of the rest of the painting because they did not have an oriental look to them. They appeared to belong to a caucasian, something not seen in ancient Japan in the year 338 and they were the color of tea, with a swirl of blue in them. The hair of the warrior was also strange in that it was the color of wheat, shining in the sun. Not the normal hair color of a Japanes man. But the most noticeable were the ears. Clearly they offered more wind resistance than anything else.

"Ron." said Kim in a hesitant, almost disbelieving voice. "Ron, that's you."

"What?" he said as he tried to focus on the painting. "No. It can't be me. No. Besides, look at his right arm. It's clearly deformed. Look at the shape of it and it has two hands."

As everyone tore their eyes from the face of the warrior to his right hand that was holding the blade, there did appear to be a second hand there. One that was both supporting the other hand and was touching the tsuba or guard which was something no one else could do when the lotus bade glowed like that.

Smiling, Sensei then continued to unroll the painting and it showed a woman standing next to the warrior also wearing a black shinobi. It was her arm entwined with the warrior's that also held the sword. Her hair was red, the color of the sky that promised good weather for the next day and her eyes, also those of a caucasian, were the color of grass on a spring day and they too had the swirls of blue in them. The only thing different from Kim's hair and the hair of the painting was her hair in the painting was much shorter.

Kim's mother was the first to voice what everybody else could see but could not accept. "Kim. It's both of you. You and Ronald. Together."

Kim looked at Master Sensei and asked, "Master Sensei, Sir. How is this possible?"

Sensei looked at her and folded his hands inside his robes as he said, "I...do not know. I am only the humble delivery person of this gift, but it is most clear who it was meant for."

Ron was long past what everyone else was thinking and asked. "Master Sensei, over here." and he pointed to a line on the side of the painting. "It says "The Chosen One and the Chosen One. Isn't that a double usage thingie that doesn t exist in the Japanese language?"

When Sensei looked at him with a puzzled expression, Ron said. "Sorry. Japanese school word thing."

Kim, catching up with Ron on what he was talking about asked, "Could that mean the Chosen One and his betroth? We are engaged to be married."

"No." was Sensei's reply. "That would be the Chosen One and his chosen. This is indeed Stoppable-san's "double usage thingie," and can only mean two separate Chosen Ones, yet the same one."

"Oh man." said Ron. "I have got to sit down before my head explodes from too much information too fast."

As Ron sat back down, the room filled with questions for the Master of the Yamanouchi School about the gift for Ron and Kim. After about ten minutes of nonstop questions, to which he gave no answers, Sensei cleared his throat and the entire room fell silent. "I believe that I and my granddaughter," and here he paused. "will leave you to ponder these questions as we will retire for the evening. Perhaps you will be able to fathom better answers than I have concerning this gift." With that said, he and Yori went upstairs to the guest room and the two beds that awaited them there which would be far more comfortable than the sleeping mats they were accustom to.

The Possible family crowded around to stare and offer up speculation about the painting for another fifteen minutes before Kim said, "I don't know. What do you think Ron?" Hearing no answer, she turned and saw Ron had fallen asleep in the chair. Going over to him, she lightly tried to rouse him to take him home. All she got were a few mumbles.

"Well, the lights did warn us that he would sleep soundly. I should have known that for Ron, that means dead to the world." Kim said with a loving smile on her face.

"Jim, Tim, would you carry Sleeping Beauty here out to the car so I can take him home? I'll take him up and put him to bed. I'll spend the night so I can be there with him when he first wakes up."

"Now just a minute young lady. You will do no such thing." said her father in that voice he saves for talking to his children when he's unhappy about something and wants them to know it.

Both Jim and Tim Possible froze where they were. Neither one of them wanted to be a part of this arguement.

"James." Ann said as she put her hand on his arm getting ready to take Kim's side and persuade him to change his mind.

"No. I am putting my foot down on this right now. Kimberly, you are not going to do what you just suggested, under no circumstances." James said firmly.

The area between father and daughter became a frigid waste land where no living thing could survive as they stared at one another, neither one willing to back down. As James held his ground, the pressure of Kim's anger built. He was her father and she loved him, but he was not going to win this argument. She was just waiting till she had built up a full head of steam so she could properly vent it at her father.

Just before she reached that point, James turned to his two frozen sons and said in the same commanding voice, "Jim, Tim. Carry Ronald upstairs and put him to bed."

The young men looked at each other and then to their father as they said taking turns, "Ah sir?"

"Mr. Sensei and Yori," said Jim.

"are in the guest room," said Tim.

"and we have no empty beds," said Jim.

"available. Whose bed," said Tim.

"should we put." said Jim.

"him in?" asked Tim.

"Why put him in your sister's bed of course. We got her that queen size bed as soon as she got home from college." he said without adding the "duh" to it.

As they hastened to comply with their father's request Kim, still holding her steam pressure just below the red line asked, "And where am I suppose to sleep tonight, father?" she spat out.

"Why in your bed of course. Didn't you hear that it is a queen sized bed? Duh! If the boys carried him out to the car, you would have to try and carry him up to his attic room all by yourself. Don and Lonnie have probably already gone to bed by now. Doesn't it make more sense for him to sleep here with you so you can be there for him when he wakes up?"

Kim stared at him with her eyed wide open now and her jaw falling to the floor. Her almost full head of steam released in an instant. When she regained the ability of speech, she asked. "Uh, alright. Who are you and where is my real father? Mom, check him for a mind control chip because I swear I didn't put it there. Although it does sound like a good idea come to think of it."

"Kimberly." came her father's voice now switched over to calm and reassuring daddy voice. "You are both responsible young adults. We have brought you up to know right from wrong and you are fully capable of making your own decisions in these matters. Besides, if you are anything like your mother and I were, I'm sure it's nothing that you two haven't tried before. Probably several times."

Now Ann was staring at him with her eyes wide open and her jaw hitting the floor.

Now reduced to babbling, Kim said, " Bu ...but ...but ...boys...b...bla,,,,,black holes...sp...spa...space probes..."

"If you will remember, that threat was for only if anyone did anything to hurt you. Ronald would never do anything like that. Besides, it was for boys. That young man that your brothers just carried upstairs is a man. Not one of those sperm bags with only one thing on their little minds that they don't use when it comes to these kinds of things. Kim, he's saved your mother's life, he's saved my life, I don't know how many times he's saved your life by being there with you. He even took off in an experimental rocket to save you from those Lowardians, and he's saved the world doing it. Don't you think that sort of thing demands a little respect from me?" asked a now smiling James Possible.

Kim's jaw came up and it broke into the biggest smile possible even for a Possible as she ran and hugged her father. She quietly whispered to him "Thank you daddy." She released him and ran upstairs telling her brothers to be careful of Ron's head.

James stared up the stairs smiling as Ann came over to him and said with a smile, "Alright. Who are you and what have you done with my husband?"

"Oh honey, my little Kimmie-cub has grown up. It's time I put the "over protective father" mask away and let her live her own life, don't you think? Besides, if I tried to hold on to her too much longer she would have started to resent me and I could have lost her forever. This way I can still share in some of her world. I only wanted to protect her."

Astounded at her husband, Ann asked, "James T. Possible, when did you get so smart?"

Looking back at her he said, "The day I asked you to marry me."

Ann looked at him and said, "Oh you are good. Ronald may be too tired tonight to do anything with Kim, but I think I'd like to check to make sure that you are my husband in my own way." Smiling her own special smile for her husband she said, I think I might be able to find that special outfit you like me in so much. The Princess Leia s metal bikini, outfit."

"Oh Ann. You are my fantasy. You don't need to put that thing on to launch my rocket. As a matter of fact the less clothing the better as far as I'm concerned."

"Okay." said Ann as she stood there almost giggling like a school girl. "I don't care what you done with my real husband, just as long as I can keep you. Let me go turn out the kitchen lights and I'll meet you in the bedroom." As Ann almost raced to the kitchen, she stopped and asked, "Uh Honey. When they rebuilt the house, you did have them..."

"Double insulated bedrooms for double the sound proofing dear? Sure did."

"Screw the kitchen lights, James. Let's just head upstairs now."

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Her clock showed five AM. She didn't know why she woke up, but when she did, she thought she saw something reflecting off her engagement ring, but there was no light in the room to do that. Looking closer at her ring, the two stylized monkeys intertwined both seemed to be glowing a light blue. She held it up and away from her and they still glowed. Then a voice from her side said, "I like what you're wearing Miss Possible."

Turning, she could just make out Ron's half opened eyes in the small amount of pre dawn light that came in through the windows. "Why Mr. Stoppable. The only thing I'm wearing is my ring."

"I know." he said as he ran his hand behind her to pull her into a kiss.

After the kiss, she whispered, "And I was afraid I was over dressed." Then she asked, "Are you alright Ron?"

"Yeah. Just very sleepy. I woke up because I dreamed I was sleeping next to an angel and I had to check to see if it was true."

"And was it?"

"Right now? Yes. I know that sometimes she can switch into a little devil in a heart beat when she wants, but right now, she's an angel."

"Good. Go back to sleep then and we'll see about that little devil when you wake up."

"You'll still be her when I wake up Kim?"

"Ron. If I have my way, I'll always be there for you when you wake up. I love you."

"I love you too KP." he managed to say just before he fell asleep again.

"And I hope you always go to sleep with those words on your lips and hear my voice saying the same words in your ears."

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The End

The next part of this story takes place in "Broken Heart, Broken Mind," and that story is already complete.

If anyone doesn't understand the reference, please Google the words "Shogun" and "pillowing."

For anyone interested, The years of the Dragon occur every 12 years but Water Dragon years only occur every 60 years. The last Water Dragon year was in 1952. Dragon years are characterized as dramatic, full of lavish and unpredictable events. New business ventures and relationships are also considered to be auspicious and therefore successful.

Predictions for 2012 were that this was a critical year for the consciousness of humanity and began to lead us into a new spiritual era. It was also believed to be a good year to start a new business especially if it is in the field of technology or the internet. Water Dragon year is a social year with lots of extravagant food, generosity and good will. The cleansing effect of water will also help love relationships heal. Most of all, remember that Dragon s traits will bring lots of unpredictability so try to relax and enjoy yourself.

Thank you to all that have read and hopefully enjoyed this, my first real attempt at writing, It was my first real story idea.