Chapter 1
Clay's POV
I stood on the sidelines quietly watching the others. Omi was doing some weird training exercise, Rai was play with his favorite WU the sword of the storm, Kimiko was no where in sight. I've had been the Xiaolin Apprentice of Earth for more than 4 years now the final battle against the Haylin forces had been won, Wuya was put back in a puzzle box and Jack Spicer, unfortunately was still very much around. Poor, sweet Kimiko had saved him from dying when the force from her Star Hanabi attack brought down part of the mountain nearly on his head. Now he lurked around asking her out and leaving little "tokens of his esteem" for her. I laughed as I thought about the last "token" the thing had looked like a regular rose… right until it attacked Omi for coming to close to Kimi. Kimi nearly killed him for that one.
"NO MEANS NO MEANS NO!!! I will not date not now not ever!"
I ran towards the sound of irate yelling, praying she didn't blow anything up before I got there. I turned the corner closest to the flower garden where I like to spend most of my time. Kimiko came into view and as I figured there was Jack pleading with her. I noticed she was physically beating her temper down, trying not to hit him. I wanted to rip his head off for making her angry again. She paced for about five minutes before finally speaking again.
"Listen, Jack, I really like someone else. (My heart nearly jumped out of my chest at hearing that please let it be me I silently begged) I honestly don't know how he feels about me, but I am not giving up before I even try. Now that we are not in constant battle, I've gotten to know him better and REALLY REALLY REALLY like him. I am not telling you this to hurt you. I am not telling you this to get rid of you, I honestly think you would be cool to hang out and play video games with if you weren't asking me out all the time. I'm sorry I hate being this blunt with you but you honestly pushed me into it. I hope we can be friends if not I am sorry. Please do not EVER ask me out on a date again. See you around." Kimiko bowed slightly and left Jack sitting on the ground, staring at his hands. I stepped on a stick and it sounded like a gunshot, I jumped higher than a cat on a hot tin roof. Jack looked up right at me. CRAP!
"You heard that huh?"
"Uh..Yeah sorry didn't mean too. Just didn't want my garden fried again, that's all."
"No, it's cool. I think she was right to tell me the way she did. I wish I knew who it was she liked though."
So did I. I've never tried to let her know past protecting her as much as I could but that little fire cracker holds my heart in her beautiful little hands
"Why do you want to know?" I ask curious.
" She saved my life even when we were fighting each other, I just want to make her happy even if its not with me. (Hmm my sentiments exactly) If that means being the best friend I can be alright I can do that. If that means setting her up with the guy she does like and being there when she wants to talk alright, I can do that too. Well I am off . Kimi wants to play video games with me I am going to go get some new ones, tell her I'll be over tomorrow so we can play, oh and please tell her I understand what she said and I'll be good." With that he flew off using his Heli-pack.
I wave as he leaves, then move off to find Kimiko, again hoping she doesn't blow anything up (like me) when she finds out I heard what she said. I found her in her room, which was now at a different side of the temple since they had gotten older, looking a little sad. She looked up with tears in her eyes when she heard me. I'd love to use the fist of tebigong on Jack's head right now.
"Oh, Clay, I was so mean to him! He has been so nice, insane, but nice and I just told him off and I wasn't very sympathic."
" Don't worry about it. I found Jack a couple of minutes ago and he said to tell you he understood and would like to get together to play games tomorrow and he would behave himself. So how where you mean to him?" ACT dumb I know nothing, I know nothing…
" I um I told him I like someone else." I didn't know Kimiko could turn that red.
" And do you? I mean you didn't lie to him right?"
"OF course not! I mean, You, I , OH!!!! I like someone, so I didn't lie." She was blushing even harder which was making her mad which probably meant I should not follow in that line of questioning, if I valued my health. So SUBJECT change. Then I remembered the email from Daddy I got this morning.
" We have leave coming up and Daddy wanted to know if we all wanted to come to his ranch for a few days, there is going to be an ole' fashioned Barn Raising and dance. He'd be mighty happy if ya'll all came." ME TOO MIGHTY HAPPY
"That'd be fun and after that we can all go to Japan my Father wants us to visit during the cherry blossom festival in Tokyo. There will be amusement park rides and festival games and things like that. That and I am dying to hit the shops in Shibuya again."
"We need to tell Rai and Omi the plan then, the last few days maybe we could go to Brazil and see Rai's family." Kimiko went to discuss the plans with Rai and Omi and left me to deal with Master Fong. What fun.
Later that night we were sitting down to supper and Rai and Kimi were telling Omi about their homes and all and the kid looked ready to bust his buttons he was so excited. Omi'd never really had a family the monks being the closest thing. So he was always really happy when he got to see our families. Master Fong seemed real pleased, almost like a cat that got into the cream, we'd invited Omi along, and I think he worries about him. Jesse was back home and behaving herself, daddy said, so maybe this will be a good visit. We would be leaving for Texas in three days. I hoped it went by quickly.
Apparently Jack did like he said and behaved himself the next day, cause Kimi didn't fry him and seemed in a decent mood when he left. The next day was spent doing extra chores cause we would be here for about two weeks. I barely got to see Kimiko all day until she landed on my head about an hour before supper time. She'd be cleaning the rafters and slipped.
"Thanks, I would have broken my neck yet again if it weren't for you. You must be in Cahoots with my guardian angel or something." When did she start blushing when she talked to me? Tarnation! She's even cuter when she does that.
"Kimi, gotta be more careful. I wouldn't want ya to miss all the dancing, you'll be savin one for me right? " I said tapping her forehead with my index finger, which seemed to make her blush even more. She just nodded.
After we ate, we went our separate ways to pack and sleep, long after I had finished packing I lay awake thinking about the day I meant Kimiko this tiny little raven haired girl jumps off a private jet while her butler unloads her massive suitcases which honestly looked taller than she was. She was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. I felt clumsy and giant-like compared to her, I think I loved her even then. Its midnight before I drift off and we leave out tomorrow at dawn. Master Fong is letting us use the Golden Tiger Claws to travel so its going to be a lot easier than finding a plane. Kimi seemed nervous as a sore tail cat in a room full of rockin chairs. I asked her twice if she was ok. Both times she flashed me a big smile and looked away. Why are girls so weird. I mean guys, unless they are scared will tell you what's going on when ya ask not girls nope, gotta be all secretive and junk.
"Rar."
Rai who was standing closest heard me. He arched an eyebrow at me then noticed I was eyeing Kimi like I'd eye a mad bull.
"Girls,eh? Good luck on that one. We would never survive in the real world. I mean yeah we can fight evil and control the elements, but we are 18 and 19 and we've never been on a date, we'll probably never attend a prom or do anything normal teens take for granted." Rai laughs" We're socially stupid, dude. I mean we're still like fourteen year olds when it comes to dating." Rai paused. " Oh man, I just depressed myself." He then walks away looking totally bummed out and slumps against the wall till time to go. Come to think of it I was a bit depressed at the thought myself, damn thanks Rai. Oh well, time to go. I grab the traveling Wu wait till everyone is close, imagine my Daddy's front porch, and Off we go.