A.N.1 Just for reference, Omi, Rai, and Kimiko are all 17 and Clay is 19 in this story.

A.N.2 :glomp: i'm so glad people like this story.

To kaboot, the answer to you questions : Omi makes his appearance! And it's not Jack the dragon is gonna have to worry about ::hinthint::

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Chapter Four

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Dojo sat on the edge of Rai's mattress, watching as Kimiko dug through his clothes, tossing most things out with muttered comments of 'What in the world was he thinking when he bought this?' or 'Eeeew, no, poor Dojo would need therapy...'

Finally, after Kimiko had gone through Rai's clothes, and had made a sea of unwanted articles around Dojo's feet, she handed over what she found acceptable.

"Um... Kimiko, this is a ... Kimono?" Dojo asked, holding the carefully folded robes at arms length, studying them curiously.

"Uh huh. I gave them to Rai for the setsubun festival, but remember, he was sick that day? Well, he hasn't ever worn them, and I doubt he ever will, either. Besides! They're green! They work so well, don't you think?" Kimiko grinned, and grabbed him by the arms, trying to pull him to his feet. He laughed and stood up, still holding the kimono carefully away from his body to keep from wrinkling it.

"I was thinking I'd just steal one of his hakamas and yukatas... like clay's, cept, you know, better fitting?" Dojo was watching Kimiko circle him, most likely eying him for more clothing ideas, but to him it was just so reminiscent of Jack Spicer's Shark-bots.

"No, no, too much red, makes you look like a holiday character." She muttered, waving away his suggestion and continuing to think. "I know! I'll call daddy. He can send some more clothes for you!"

"Kimiko, that's not necessary. We have plenty of spare robes that can be hemmed." Dojo protested, grabbing Kimiko's shoulders and spinning her around to look at him.

"Dojo, get over it. I don't why you seem to think that you're so... I don't even know! You're trying to hide in the shadows or something! First of all, even if you do look like a christmas card, you're pretty." Kimiko ranted. Dojo cocked an eyebrow, staring flatly at her.

"I'm not pretty Kimiko... I'm handsome!" Dojo grinned, flipping his hair over his shoulder. Kimiko snorted, and shrugged out from under his hands.

"Regardless, I'm calling dad. If you want to catch any eyes, especially since we're always all over the world, monk robes aren't going to cut it." She smirked, watching his eyes widen and his jaw go slack.

"Um... Kimiko, I don't know how to break this to you but... I'm not interested in 'finding anyone'" Dojo said, complete with air quotes.

"I know Dojo, I'm just joking. But it doesn't hurt to look nice for, you know, just around here, either." without any warning, she jumped away from him and whipped out her cell phone. "Tousan? Hai, hai. Genki desu! Watashi wa hanashikute kudasai? You sure you aren't busy, tousan? Okay, could you do me a biiiig favor, onegai shimasu?" Dojo hit his forehead, muttering about 'nosey girls, fashion crazy monks, what happened to the good old days?'

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After the incident in Rai's room, Dojo had wandered out to the gardens, sitting on a bench underneath the willow tree in the center. He could hear Clay and Omi training a ways away, and judging from the sounds, Omi had gotten frustrated and brought his wudai element into the mix.

When Clay came crashing through the garden, his back smacking into the tree, and the entire area becoming a muddy mess from the water streaming in, Dojo's suspicions were confirmed, and he sighed, standing on top of the bench to keep from dragging the kimono hem in the mess.

"You guys mind? This wasn't part of your training area. And now it's a mess." he complained, watching in amusement as Clay slumped to the ground, making a wet plopping noise as his backside hit the mess below them.

"Sorry Dojo. Didn't mean to get you caught up in this mess." Clay stood, pulling himself free of the muck and trodding over to the dragon. "C'mon, I don't want to get that all muddy, Kimiko'd be madder'n a cat in a room full a rockin chairs." He said, holding out his arms and waiting for Dojo to move closer so he could carrying him out.

"Clay! We are not done!" Omi was shouting, sliding in the mud as he ran towards the pair.

"Hang on a second partner, we made a pretty big mess here, and I don't wanna leave poor Dojo here to slop around in it." Clay said, picking the flustered dragon up and picking his way back to solid ground.

"Dojo?" Omi's eyes went wide and watery. The moment Dojo's feet touched the ground, Omi pounced, wrapping his arms around Dojo's neck and nearly dragging him to the ground. "Oooh, my poor little dragon friend! What has happened to you?" He wailed, staring at Dojo's new look and poking the blond spikes running down the center of Dojo's head.

"Easy Omi, it's just temporary. We're pretty sure this is what happens when the Xiao Pai necklace is activated." Omi stood on his own two feet again, and stared up at Dojo in wonder.

"But..."

"Yes?" Dojo drug out, eyeing the innocent looking boy warily.

"I thought you were a boy dragon! You're so pretty in this form." Omi grinned, pulling the dragon's long green hair.

Dojo's eye twitched at this, and he pulled his hair from the other boy's hands while Clay laughed.

"Omi, partner, Dojo's got a beard... I don't know any lady, sides my great gramma that is, what's got a beard like that. Shoot, I don't know too many men what's got a beard like that these days!" Clay grinned, slapping both of the boys on the back.

"Yea, Omi, I'm a guy, trust me." Dojo said, straightening up after getting hit on the back by the much larger earth dragon, "Say, weren't you and clay in the middle of something? Don't let me come in between you guys and your work. I don't want Master Fung to be disappointed in you." He laid it on thick, his voice sugary sweet and so fakely innocent and caring Clay nearly choked on a laugh, rolling his eyes at the hopeful tone behind Omi's back.

"Very true! Sorry to leave you dangling, but we must get back to training!" Omi said, grabbing Clay's arm and dragging him away.

Dojo shook his head, "You mean hanging, Omi." From across the yard, Omi turned mid jog, and grinned, shouting back,
"That too!" before disappearing around the corner of a building and heading off to wherever it was that he planned on tearing up next.