I know I should really try to finish my other stories before starting new ones but this is one that has been on my mind for a while and since my GCSEs are finished and I no longer have school...
Enjoy! And please R&R!
Chapter One
A solitary figure stood before the post box on the small island, three letters in hand. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. For these weren't simply any letters; these letters possibly held the key to regaining her best friend's lost happiness. Glancing down at the letters in hand, the drying ink of the names glinting in the light of the moon; Omi, Clay Bailey and Raimundo Pedrosa. 'She wouldn't hesitate to do it for me.' Steeling herself for any possible repercussions of her actions, she thrust the letters into the letter box and turned to trek her way back up the hill to her mother's villa.
The following day, across the world, while she ate her breakfast and descended to the island's dock with her still in-the-dark friend, three letters were delivered to three different boys, each in a different country but with intertwining pasts which would draw them together once again for an adventure of an entirely different nature.
Four high pitched shrieks filled the air as two pairs of girls flung themselves at each other. One pair of opposites, one, a tall, green eyed blonde and a very short, blue eyed girl with ebony curls came from the hilltop and the other, two girls of roughly even height, a brunette with deep brown eyes and a redhead with hazel ones came from the small dock. Embracing each other the girls let out squeals of excitement and 'oh my God's before the blonde pulled back. "Wait, wait." The others' eyes lit up in understanding and the four began to chant.
"We're Kim, Kei, Neko, Sishi,
We're the greatest bestest mates,"
The three tall girls continued,
"We're tall and taught"
Before dropping out to let the dark haired girl take her turn.
"I'm tiny"
All four joined in once again for a final,
"And we're gonna rock this place"
The girls continued to giggle before the smallest glanced at her watch. "Great ghosts of Dashi, is that the time?" she began to scramble back up the hill. "I'll see you guys later!" She called over her shoulder.
"Bye Kimiko!" They chorused back. The blonde turned back to the remaining two.
"Oh, I've missed you guys! And I'm so glad you're here because I've got a secret and I can't tell anyone else!"
"Keiko!" the redhead placed a hand on Keiko's lower abdomen. "You're knocked up!"
"No, Neko!" they carried their bags out of the shade of the sun and sat on nearby rocks. "I've invited Kimiko's soul mate to the wedding." The brunette spoke up this time.
"You've found him?"
"Not exactly, Sishi." She looked sheepishly at the two.
"Then how…" she trailed off when Keiko produced a hard baked book from the shoulder bag she had been carrying,
"I was cleaning out our rooms the other day, and I found this." The others still looked confused. "It's Kimiko's diary from the year she began acting differently, you know, when she went to that temple." They squealed excitedly as Keiko opened it and began to read. "'July 3rd, what a day. I find out that I am the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire and leave to live in a temple in China. That's an unusual day, even for me. Well, I arrived at the temple and guess what I discover? I'm the only girl! All of the temple monks are men and the other Xiaolin Dragons are boys. First, there is Omi, Xiaolin Dragon of Water. He has lived in the temple his entire life – he's an orphan. He often confuses slang and other phrases and is so naïve that it's adorable, especially when added to his appearance – small black eyes, contrasted by a huge, bald yellow head. Well, if he wasn't such an arrogant, sexist pig. However, he soon learnt not to make sexist comments in front of me, lest I explode on him. One look from me can usually silence him.'"
They raised an eyebrow, "Omi, then?" but Keiko merely began to climb the hill again, still reading.
"'Next, the Xiaolin Dragon of Earth, Clay Bailey from Texas. He is the complete opposite of Omi, large, blonde with blue eyes and one of the politest guys I have ever met. He is honest and dependable, which is more than can be said for some. Although, he often comes up with strange western phrases that confuse us more than Master Fung's metaphors and proverbs.'"
"So, Clay?" Neko and Sishi were beginning to pant now but Keiko, used to the journey, continued on.
"And finally, the cocky, wise-ass, laid back, street smart, brunette, green eyed Brazilian Xiaolin Dragon of Wind, Raimundo Pedrosa.'"
"Well?" Neko prompted, leaning her arms on her thighs as they reached the villa. "Aren't you going to read us what Kimiko has written about him?"
"I can't." She answered simply, shrugging. "She's ripped out the rest of the pages after his name." The others leaned forward to peer at what Keiko indicated as they reached her room.
"So?" Sishi inquired eagerly as soon as they were safely inside Keiko's room. "Who is it? Omi, Clay or Raimundo?"
"I don't know."
"But…" Neko narrowed her eyes. "Then, who did you invite?" Keiko shrugged. "Oh, God."
"Oh, Keiko, you didn't!" Sishi's eyes bugged out of her head.
"Do they know?"
"What do you write to three guys you've never met, 'please come to my wedding, you might be my best friend's soul mate?'" Keiko spoke sarcastically, rolling her eyes at the two gaping girls sitting on her bed. "No! They think Kim sent the invites, and with what is no doubt ripped out of here…" she indicated the diary with half of its pages ripped out. "No surprise, they said yes!"
Meanwhile, on the shore of the mainland, two taxis pulled up and two men stumbled out of them, both tall; one brunette and a blonde, both sprinting towards the port from which the last ferry of the day had just pulled out. "Dang it!" cried the blonde in a Texan accent whilst the other nodded his agreement. "You going to the wedding?" at his nod he continued. "Bride or groom?"
"Well, both, actually." The brunette replied with a laugh. "I'm the best man and the maid of honour invited me too. A bit odd, really…" he broke off, a frown forming on his face.
"Hello there!" called a cheerful voice from above and they both pivoted to see a bald man with a round yellow head standing on the mast of a boat. "I see you are in need of a means of transport to the island and I would be mooost honoured to assist you."
The brunette's eyes lit up with a disbelieving look on his face. "No way…Omi?"
Omi's face lit up too with delight. "Raimundo, my friend! And…Clay, is that you?"
"It's been a long time partner! It's good to see you again!"
The three old companions began to steer the boat towards the island and soon fell into the easy banter from their youth.
"So, uh," Raimundo began, landing on the deck again after coaxing his element into the sails. "Do you keep in contact with Kimi?"
"No." Both shook their heads, a slightly confused look blossoming upon her face. "Haven't heard from her in two years in fact."
"Me neither; and then this invite, out of the blue."
They shook themselves out of it and set back to work as the island came into view.
"You are so clever!"
"We're going to look fabulous tomorrow!"
The two girls continued to gush at the dresses Keiko had designed and made for her bridesmaids with the aid of Kimiko. A tall man's head popped around the door frame and was at once launched upon by two said bridesmaids. "Aaah! Put me down, I'm getting married tomorrow!" The girls disentangled themselves from him and he surveyed their dresses.
Twirling and giggling, they asked, "Well? What do you think?"
"I think," he began, patting Sishi on the head to her displeasure, "that my fiancée is an absolute genius if she can manage to make you look pretty sis."
"Aidan!" Aidan ducked to avoid whatever Sishi threw at him. "We are twins and by insulting my looks you are insulting your own, idiot!"
"Now please leave, we're very busy." And they promptly pushed him out the door. Once he was out and the door once again shut, Neko rounded on Keiko.
"Why haven't you told him you've invited Kimiko's warrior friends?"
"Um, because he'll say I have to tell her!"
"Kimiko's going to kill you when she finds out!" Keiko looked apprehensive for a moment but those thoughts were quickly wiped from her mind by a distraction, in the form of Sishi, who had been standing with a thoughtful look on her face, suddenly jumped up with a jubilant expression.
"That's it! I knew the name seemed familiar!" If she expected the others to understand what she was saying, she was greatly disappointed for they were staring at her blankly. "Raimundo Pedrosa."
"The one in Kimiko's old diary?"
"Yeah, he's Aidan's best man. They've been like brothers since they were about five years old."
"Well," Neko came out of her shock first. "It looks like you didn't need to send him an invite."
"He came home about two years ago from the temple, not long after you say Kimiko did. But, he was…different."
"How so?"
"He just seemed sort of…depressed. As if something terrible had happened and he just…didn't know what to do anymore." Keiko raised her eyebrows. 'Now that seems familiar,' thinking back to the almost identical way Kimiko had acted. "He did get better, but never quite his old self, you know? Just like Kimiko."
The girls sat in silent contemplation before Neko voiced the thought running through all of their heads. "What happened at that temple?"