Here we go! Chapter six and I'm writing this with very little game plan- eeph! Usually I have some idea where a chapter is going when I start it but I will honestly tell you I'm flying by the seat of my pants right now. I'm also working on two one-shots (one's an AU Christmas Story!!) but my wrist really, really hurts from doing around fifty hours of data input for Toys for Tots (a great organization by the way and you should donate if you have the chance). That's the reason why this chapter is so late. I apologize but here it is now! Enjoy!

Special thanks to

PrncssGrl1881

Spinningisfun

Stormy Dreamer

Crystal Moon Child

Mwth06

Your reviews are always so great! Thank you all

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"Well this is a little discouraging," Omi said surveying the landscape that the four monks and Dojo had landed on.

"At least we've still got daylight," Raimundo said looking off on the horizon where the sun was just beginning rise in the sky. When they'd left the temple in the heart of China it was around seven pm. In Greenland, where Dojo had lead them the day was just beginning. Most knew that Greenland, despite its name, was hardly green. While the four boys had dressed in their normal winter gear Kimiko had pulled out a new outfit yet again. Calf high black boots that seemed more stylish then practical, to Raimundo at least, some how kept their grip on the glacier surface. Her black pants were folded neatly over the top of the boots and on top she wore a light purple tank top covered by a darker low cut sweater that hung snugly over Kimiko's hips. Over all of this she wore her tan trench coat open, a white scarf hung around her neck with a matching stocking cap pulled over her ears. Her hair, a third shade of purple to match her shirts, was braided into two long pieces that framed her face.

"What direction Dojo?" Kimiko asked while pulling on a pair of black leather gloves. From his spot in one of Clay's pockets the tiny dragon stuck an arm out and pointed. The four nodded to one another and spanned out searching the ground for the Hecate Lock, Raimundo's eyes wandering to where Kimiko searched every so often. He felt her eyes on him too every once and a while so he didn't feel so guilty. The trip to Greenland had luckily not been very uncomfortable after the first few minutes. Omi and Clay, seemingly oblivious to the two's discomfort or perhaps they were just used to it by now, had started talking about the Lock and Kimiko had had to pipe in to correct they about the legend of Hecate.

Historically speaking Hecate was supposed to be one of the older Gods, probably borrowed from a Goddess in Asia Minor. Depending on who you talked to, Kimiko had said, Hecate was another from of Artemis, the Greek moon goddess, and was suppose to represent the darkness of the new moon and all the evils that went along with it. In recent times Hecate had come to stand as a Goddess of witchcraft or wicca magic.

"Then what does she have to do with Aphrodite?" Omi had asked intrigued.

"You all know the story of the Trojan war?" Kimiko had asked and when the three had given nods of ascent she'd continued. "You all know it was started when Paris stole Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, away from her husband because Aphrodite had promised Paris the most beautiful woman in the world as a prize if he named her the most beautiful of all the gods. Well that whole contest was started when at a party for the Gods Hecate appeared with a golden apple claiming it was for the most beautiful of the Gods. That had started a contest between three of the Goddesses which Paris was chosen to judge. Each Goddess offered him a different prize if chosen but he chose Aphrodite's gift of the love of the world's most beautiful woman."

After Kimiko had finished speaking the conversation had continued more and the four had become more comfortable. Or at least Raimundo had. Kimiko had pulled him aside before they left and had asked him just to drop what they'd been talking about, to just forget about it. Raimundo hadn't really bought it, his mind still consumed with how to respond when the time came. His mind was still on that even as he searched for the all important Wu. No one had talked about its importance, heeding Master Fung's warnings not to act to joyous about its discovery to Kimiko so as not to upset her.

Suddenly a thought seemed to dawn on Raimundo and he realized how much of an idiot he was being, dwelling on something that wouldn't matter as soon as they found the Hecate Lock. 'I won't have to answer,' Rai thought with a happy smile, 'because this whole thing will be over once we use the Hecate Lock on Kimiko.'

"What are you so happy about?" Clay asked from nearby. Checking to see if Kimiko was near enough to hear and finding she wasn't Raimundo turned to Clay.

"Just happy that this is going to be over soon," he said with a goofy smile.

"Don't go getting too excited until we actually have the Lock," Clay cautioned and then dared a question, "so what happened now with Kimiko?"

"Huh?" Rai asked off guard.

"Well you two have been getting along so great this past week or so but the past two days Kimiko has been awfully mopey. And then tonight she seemed a little too ok. Like you could tell she was faking she was ok on the way to find this Wu."

"Yeah well, we were talking when Dojo came in to tell us about the Lock."

"Can I ask about what?" Clay pressed. Rai considered this for a moment before shrugging. If this whole mess would be over soon then why not tell Clay.

"She asked me if I loved her," Rai said nonchalantly looking behind a particularly large chunk of ice.

"WHAT!" Clay exclaimed loudly causing Omi and Kimiko to look up from their search.

"Is everything all right Clay?" Omi called.

"Fine! Sorry!" Clay yelled back.

"You sure?" Kimiko called as well.

"Yeah, yeah," Clay yelled back but offered no other explanation leaving Kimiko and Omi looking confused.

"That was interesting," Raimundo said studying Clay.

"What did you say?" Clay asked ignoring Raimundo's lackadaisical attitude.

"Dojo interrupted us before I could respond," Raimundo said.

"So that's what you were talking about," Dojo said sticking his head out of Clay's pocket.

"Hey!" Raimundo protested. "What's with the eavesdropping?"

"Can't help it," Dojo said lamely, "its one of the best things I do."

"I know one dragon that's about to get stuffed," Raimundo threatened.

"Well what would you have said?" Clay pressed stuffing a hand into the pocket that held Dojo to shut the tiny dragon up for a moment.

"What does it matter?" Rai said looking happy. "As soon as we get this Wu everything will get back to normal and this will all just be a bad dream."

"Didn't seem to notice you really hating it all that much," Clay muttered surprising Raimundo but before he could respond Omi wandered over.

"Enough of this gapping, we must get to work."

"I think you mean gabbing and I could agree more Omi," Rai said following Omi as he walked by.

"He sure is in a good mood," Kimiko said dryly joining Clay who had stayed where he stood while Rai walked away.

"Yeah well you know Rai," Clay said trying to make it seem like nothing for Kimiko's sake.

"Unfortunately," Kimiko said with a shake of her head before resuming her search. What Kimiko was really thinking, though she tried to put it out of her head, was her conversation with Raimundo before Dojo had interrupted them. She kept wondering and worrying 'why didn't he answer, why didn't he answer'. But she'd told Rai to just forget it and she was trying to as well and put her mind to the task at hand. Kimiko knew that this was an important Wu but part of her hoped they didn't and try as she might Kimiko couldn't push that thought from her mind despite knowing it went against everything that she'd been working for the past few years.

'I love feeling like this about Rai but I hate being pulled in so many directions. It shouldn't be like this all the time. I know love is hard but,' Kimiko thought as her eyes grazing the landscape. 'Maybe,' she thought slowly considering something for the first time, 'the guys are right. Maybe I really am just under the effect of a Shen Gong Wu. Maybe that's what really is going on.' Not even a second had gone by after finishing this thought when a horrible pain shot through Kimiko's head. She'd been having sudden strong headaches like this for a while now but nothing like this. She felt as if someone had taken a whip directly to her brain.

Kimiko let out a yelp when the pain shot through her whole being, shaking her all the way to her boots. The young girl slapped her hands to her temples and closed her eyes before sinking to her knees in pain. Another pain shot through her but she managed not to cry out this time.

"Kimiko!" she heard Clay call and then the footsteps of the others. "Kimiko," Clay repeated this time closer, "are you alright?" Kimiko cracked her eyes open and slowly removed her heads from her head.

"Yeah, I think so," she said with as much confidence as she could manage. She didn't want to others thinking that she was weak or anything like that.

"Girl you ok?" Rai's voice asked and Kimiko immediately turned toward that. She would never admit it but she liked it when he called her girl and it seemed like forever since he had.

"I'm ok," Kimiko assured for a second time getting to her knees and dusting off her knees.

"What happened to cause you to cry out Kimiko?" Omi asked looking concerned.

"I don't know," Kimiko lied, "my head just hurt all of the sudden. I think the sunlight might have caught me in the eye the wrong way." All knew it was a lame excuse but nobody argued. "Come on lets keep looking," Kimiko encouraged and the others reluctantly got back to work. Rai hesitated for a moment before fishing something out of his pocket and handing them to Kimiko.

"Here," he said coolly.

"What are these?" Kimiko asked taking the item out of Rai's hands and looking at them. They were large, bulky sunglasses that Kimiko had seen him wear a few times before.

"If the sun is bothering you then wear them," Rai said walking away but Kimiko followed.

"Rai," she said barely holding back a laugh, "these are possibly the ugliest things I've ever seen in my life."

"Yeah well they're sunglasses and if the sun's bothering you, you should wear them," Rai said in a tone that tried to be confident but Kimiko could tell he was slightly embarrassed. She noted a faint blush on his cheeks as he turned away again and Kimiko felt warmth spread through her wiping away any remnants of the head pains she was still feeling. With a happy little sign Kimiko slipped the glasses on and continued to work.

"Dojo you've gotta be sensing something," Kimiko said a few minutes later. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked expectantly toward Clay's pockets. When there was no response Clay poked the outside of the pocket. There was some movement but not much else.

"Is he sleeping?" Rai asked disbelievingly. As if to answer his question a snore emerged from Clay's pocket.

"DOJO!" the four yelled at the top of their lungs causing the tiny dragon to shoot from Clay's pocket.

"Wa? What?" he yelled looking around bewildered.

"Dojo," Omi said in a kind voice that was obviously forced, "perhaps you could take time from your nap to help us locate this most important Shen Gong Wu?"

"Yeah maybe," Dojo said with a yawn and Omi fumed.

"Calm down little dude," Rai advised but had begun edging away from him anyway.

"Maybe you should lead the way Dojo," Clay suggested picking up the dragon and holding him in a gloved hand.

"Sorry, I can't help it if the cold makes me sleepy. I am cold blooded you know," Dojo said curling around himself.

"The Wu Dojo?" Kimiko pressed sensing the dragon losing focus again.

"That-a-way," he told them pointing to an area they'd been avoiding. The crevice in the glacier was dark and ominous and something everyone wanted to avoid.

"Is it in the crevice?" Rai asked in a nervous voice.

"Beyond it," Dojo assured and everyone gave a breath of relief.

"Ground doesn't look too stable around it," Clay said as they approached.

"May I?" Omi said pulling out the Orb of Tornami. When everyone nodded with a smile Omi called out the Wu's name and then added 'ice' at the end creating an ice bridge over the crevice. "I suggest caution while crossing. It is quite slippery and it would be a truly bad thing if anyone were to fall. Of course I do not worry for this is my element," Omi told them as he began to cross. The others all rolled their eyes but held their tongues as they followed Omi across.

"This is slick," Kimiko said suddenly regretting her choice of footwear. Rai, in front of her, automatically stretched a hand behind his back and offered it silently to Kimiko for balance. Kimiko took it without a second thought.

"I do not find it slick Kimiko," Omi said nearing the end. A moment later her tripped, falling flat on his face and sliding the rest of the way down and landing face first in a snow pile on the other side.

"Divine justice," Rai muttered and Kimiko giggled.

"We're close," Dojo said when everyone was safely on solid ground.

"Lead on," Rai said gently dropping Kimiko's hand. They walked for only a minute or two more before Dojo began to shake excitedly.

"In that ice shelf!" he told them excitedly. Everyone ran to the large chunk of ice and peered closely. There seemed to be an object buried deep in the ice but its shape was so disoriented that it was hard to make out.

"Are you certain Dojo?" Omi asked.

"Sure why not?" the dragon said slipping back into Clay's pocket.

"Well let's give it a shot," Clay said pulling out his Wudai weapon and stepping back. Everyone stepped back even further not wanting to be in the cross fire. "Big Bang Meteorang!" Clay called letting the boomerang go flying. Upon impact the ice of the glacier wall exploded making everyone duck as the chunks went flying.

"Oops," Clay said sheepishly.

"No wear for the worse," Omi said dusting himself off.

"No worse for the wear," Rai corrected him observing the limited damage Clay had done, "unfortunately that seems to also apply to the ice."

"Stuff's thousands of years old. What did you expect?" Dojo asked sticking his head into the open but quickly disappearing under Raimundo's glare.

"Let me try weakening it first," Kimiko offered stepping forward. The others took a few extra steps back unsure about what Kimiko was about to do. They watched the tiny Japanese girl stand with feet squared and shoulders back and tall. With a deep breath she stuck her arms out in front of her, pressing the heels of her hands together. "Wudai Mars Fire!" she called and a steady stream of fire poured from her hands. The ice began to melt in the spot she pointed her fire too but apparently not fast enough for Kimiko's liking because she narrowed her eyes and shoved her hands out even further in front of her. The blaze grew bigger and Kimiko smiled smugly.

"That should do it," Kimiko said closing her hands extinguishing the fire, "try it now Clay."

"Sounds good," Clay said stepping up. He was about to throw the Big Ban Meteorang when the ice in front of them suddenly cracked down the center.

"Thanks for weakening it Kimiko," came a chilling voice. Ever one looked above them to the top of the ice shelf. Chase Young was crouched down his fist to the ice, looking smug. He raised his fist again, hitting the ice underneath his feet a second time this time breaking it open completely. The ice fell down around the four dragons in training and vapors trapped within blinded them.

"Wind!" Rai called blowing the area clear. Everyone looked among the ice chunks, searching for the Lock. Rai was the first to spot it and Chase Young going for it. He knew he had to act fast. "Crest of the Condor! Blade of the Nebula!" he yelled launching an attack. Chase disappeared for a moment, avoiding the attack.

"Is that all you have Dragon of the Wind?" he asked smugly. Rai bristled.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Rai called knowing that he had to get this Wu. If he could keep Chase distracted then the others could get the Lock and get out of here. He took a breath and called up the new powers he and Master Fung had been working on. "Shoku Star Wind!" he called and then used the Blade of the Nebula to launch it, making it even stronger. "Get the Lock!" Rai called to the others and followed through with another attack.

The other three watched in shock for a moment, not having ever really seen Rai's new powers in action but then snapped into action. Omi was the first to react and located the Lock. He also saw Wuya heading toward it. He began running toward it but felt his feet go out from under him for the second time that day. This time at least he was able to control it and slid toward Wuya and the Wu, kicking it out of the way.

"After it!" Kimiko yelled as she and Clay took off. They passed by, slipping and sliding slightly as they went but still managing to almost catch up with the Hecate Lock as it slid across the ice of the glacier.

"Jack Bots Attack!" came an annoyingly familiar voice.

"You've got to be kidding me," Clay groaned jumping back from where the gun fire fell.

"You've got really bad timing you know that Jack?" Kimiko yelled to the sky that Jack Spicer hovered in.

"Blah blah blah blah blah," Jack mocked before sticking his tongue out.

"I've got him," Clay told her, "get the Lock." Kimiko nodded and took off after the Wu again. Behind her she could hear the sounds of her three teammates various battles but didn't look back.

'Gotta get this Wu,' she kept repeating. Ahead of her the Wu finally stopped sliding and came to a stop. A part of her didn't mind the idea of seeing the Wu in the hands of the enemy; after all it had no real powers except to counteract the Key of Aphrodite. 'And you don't really believe in that Wu do you?' the voice asked in her head.

'But I have to,' another voice, a more familiar and determined voice argued, 'I'm a Xiaolin Warrior.' That's when another pain, similar but more intense than before shot through her whole being. Before she could coherently react her body took over, blacking out and sending her limp form crashing to the ground. A distance away where Rai continued to fight with Chase Young the leader saw Kimiko fall to the ground out of the corner of his eye.

"Kimiko," he hissed to himself barely blocking another blow from Chase.

"Stay focused Wind Dragon," he cautioned mockingly, "or does the Key of Aphrodite's power affect you also?" That caught Raimundo by surprise.

'How does he know about the Key? He wasn't there, but maybe Jack Spicer told him.'

"Do you know," Chase continued, "what the Key is doing to her? Has your Master told you?"

"I'm not in the mood for listening to your lies today," Rai yelled back at Chase.

"You really don't know do you?" Chase said with a laugh. "Master Fung trying to protect you from the truth or are you just in denial?"
"About what?" Rai asked hating himself for being baited.

"Your Kimiko is fighting a losing battle against the Key of Aphrodite. Soon she will cease to be the girl you once knew."

"You're lying," Raimundo said not wanting to believe him but his words were familiar. Master Fung had mentioned something similar only a few days before. Suddenly he was hit by a well placed kick from Chase Young. From where he landed Rai struggled to stand. 'Gotta focus,' he thought, 'please be ok Kimiko.'

Kimiko was just coming around as Raimundo thought this. "This passing out thing is getting really old," she said out loud. Pushing herself up onto her knees Kimiko's eyes fell on the still untouched Lock. Her relief was quickly replaced by panic though because she saw a tiny dot moving toward the Wu. "Hannibal Bean," Kimiko whispered and shot to her feet.

'Let him have it,' a part of Kimiko thought but she physically shook her head clear of that thought. Sticking a hand into the pouch on her side Kimiko flinched as another pain swept over her.

"I'll fight," Kimiko said determinedly before sending off her attack, "Cat's Eye Draco! Arrow Sparrow!" The fiery bird shaped bombs flew from her hand landing near the Hecate Lock and Hannibal Bean. Both went flying in the air and Kimiko scrambled after it. The explosion attracted the attention of everyone else fighting on the glacier and everyone stopped what they were doing to jump for the Wu. Eight different hands grasped at the Hecate Lock and it glowed at their contact.

"We all know how this goes," Kimiko said eyeing everyone else.

"Ah I don't," Jack said sheepishly and everyone gave him an odd look. "Well can you blame me? Showdown rules change all the time? Is it four on four? Eight way free for all? What?"

"Well," Dojo said pulling the rule book out of nowhere, "says here its up to majority rule."

"You've got be kidding me," Raimundo said with a groan.

"Fine," Omi said, "four on four. Last one standing their team wins."

"Fine," Chase said looking annoyed.

"Oh Chase," Jack exclaimed, "you actually want to work with me?"

"I take that back," Chase drawled out. Jack looked hurt and whimpered silently.

"And I don't want to work with these sorry excuses for evil," Hannibal said and the monks, minus Kimiko looked over in surprise.

"When did the bean get here?" Rai asked glaring at the tiny bean.

"Does it matter," asked Kimiko rubbing her fingers to her eyes. Her head was starting to hurt again and everything was starting to get on her nerves so she couldn't wait for the Showdown to begin so she could blow off some steam.

"Fine!" Omi yelled sounding as annoyed as Kimiko felt. "Eight on eight, last one standing wins. Agreed?"

"Finally," Kimiko groaned to herself when everyone nodded.

"Let's go! Xiaolin Showdown!" Omi yelled and the scenery changed. The three Wudai warriors switched into their battle gear and Rai into his Shoku robes. Everyone was placed on individual disks of ice placed on top of a large hill. Below the eight was a winding path littered with various obstacles, twist, and turns. At the end the Hecate Lock floated expectantly.

"Guess we're racing down," Raimundo said softly.

"Shall I start this?" Dojo asked peering over the edge of the ledge everyone was perched on.

"Call it dragon," Wuya said looking annoyed, "I'm losing patients."

"Ok, ok," Dojo said defensively. "Gong Ye Tanpai!" All eight contestants shot over the ledge like they were on snowboards. Jack almost went down immediately but managed to stay on his disk.

"We must be most careful," Omi said when he reached Raimundo toward the front. "Jack wagered the Reversing Mirror as his Wu. We mustn't let it be used on Kimiko."

"Gotcha" Rai assured him more confidently then he felt. The pack of racers still seemed impossibly close to each other as they rounded the first turn. 'Gotta thin this crowd down,' Rai thought. His first though was Clay and the Fist of Tebigon but Clay was too far back in the order to do much. Kimiko was in an ideal location with Chase and Wuya just behind on either side of her. Jack was further back with Clay and Hannibal was third behind Omi and Rai. 'Should I risk it?' Rai thought but Kimiko answered that for him.

"Star of Hanabi- Fire!" she yelled point the Wu behind her. It seemed to have little effect on either so Omi turned back as well.

"Orb of Tornami- Ice!" Omi called. The immediate attack of ice seemed to catch at least Wuya off guard. The Heylin Witch had no time to defend herself and ended up in a block of ice.

"Alright Omi! One down three to go, err make that two," Rai corrected as he watched Clay send Jack Spicer flying.

"Thorn of Thunderbolt," Chase called calmly aiming back at Clay. The cowboy didn't have a chance, trying to balance on the ice and avoid being hit by the lightning strikes. The track was nearing the end with Rai and Omi in the front, follow shortly by Hannibal Bean, Kimiko, and then Chase Young.

'I don't like him at our back,' Rai thought. "Watch your back Omi! Kimiko" Rai cautioned.

"Wise words son," Hannibal cautioned pulling out his own Wu. "Kazusu Atom!" The blast luckily missed both Omi and Rai but it blew a large hole in the ice ramp they all raced down. Rai looked back and saw Kimiko and Chase managing to clear it but Kimiko landed in a heap whereas Chase continued on his way. Rai turned his attention back to his race hoping Kimiko would be up in a moment.

"Sword of the Storm-Wind!" Rai yelled trying to blow Hannibal Bean away.

"Going to have to do better then that Raimundo," Hannibal taunted. Raimundo looked back to where Kimiko had gotten back into the race and was quickly gaining ground and Chase was nearly on them. Raimundo looked over at Omi who looked back and nodded in assurance. With a yell the two launched themselves at each enemy, Rai to Bean and Omi to Chase. Omi and Chase's fight took them off the race course first. Trying to balance on the board along with Hannibal as well as fight at the same time was a challenge for Rai and he couldn't understand why Hannibal, with no legs seemed to be having a very easy time of it. Out of the corner of his Raimundo saw Kimiko round a corner bringing her closer to where he and Hannibal fought.

"You're concern for that girl will be your down fall," Hannibal said surprising Raimundo. Even more surprising was the hit that quickly followed. Rai went tumbling off Hannibal's sled and onto the race track. He stayed still for only a moment before rolling to the side out of Kimiko's way. He looked as she passed and their eyes caught. Raimundo noticed those eyes fill with hesitation and regret for a moment before narrowing with determination. She practically flew down the last leg part of the track, getting even with Hannibal and then gaining a small lead.

"Go girl go!" Rai yelled watching. Kimiko seemed to head him and sunk lower on the board, urging it faster. There was one last incline to get up before reaching the Lock and Kimiko had the slightest lead on Hannibal. Raimundo watched with baited breath as the two grew closer and closer. Suddenly he saw Kimiko flinch as if she'd been hit and her eyes narrow in either pain or concentration, from his distance Rai couldn't tell. "Come on Kimiko," he said softly. Hannibal and Kimiko had reached the top and Hannibal extended an arm toward the Lock. Kimiko was defiantly not within reach so she launched herself off her board and then pushed off Hannibal's arm, using the extra height to reach the Wu first.

The landscape dissolved around everyone leaving four very happy Xiaolin monks and four very annoyed villains. Kimiko landed gracefully on the ground, the eight Wu once in the fight scattered around her feet and the Hecate Lock in her hands. Hannibal surprisingly landed on her shoulder and seemed to say something to her before the Dragon of Fire flicked the bean away. Out of nowhere Hannibal's bird Ying Ying appeared and caught him. Raimundo noticed this as he ran over to Kimiko with Omi and Clay.

'What would Hannibal Roy Bean have to say to Kimiko?' he wondered but pushed it from his mind. Kimiko had won the show down bringing in not only a huge amount of Wu but also claiming the Hecate Lock. This meant that they could reverse the effects of the Key of Aphrodite. He worried slightly about how life would be after all of this but at the moment all he cared about was getting back to the temple and learning from Fung what to do to use the Hecate Lock.

Behind them Wuya and Chase watched. Wuya was frowning and Chase looked neutral. Wuya looked over at Chase and observed him, noting the neutral expression but seeing a flicker of something in his eyes.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"That things are working out quite nicely," Chase said allowing his lips to curl in a slight smile.

"It would have been nice to have won the Lock and all those other Wu's thought," Wuya said looking annoyed at the happy ground.

"Yes but now we know that Hannibal Bean knows about the Key of Aphrodite being used on the Dragon of Fire and it seems he has his own plans to take the Dragons down already in motion."

"I know all that," Wuya said inspecting a nail, "but it still would have been nice to have gotten all that Wu."

"You press your luck," Chase warned and Wuya immediately shut up and batted her eyelashes at the evil overlord. Chase ignored her and silently wisked them away from the Xiaolin Warriors. His spies were in place and waiting so he knew he'd be well informed of the progression of his plan. Now all he had to do was wait.

Meanwhile Raimundo and the others, chatting happily, and seemingly unaware of the quite Kimiko, collected their won Wu and mounted up onto Dojo. "Master Fung is sure going to be happy with you all," he told them as they rose into the sky, "haven't seen a haul like this in a while."

"Good day's work," Clay agreed patting the bag of Wu tied to Dojo.

"Yes it certainly was," Omi said beaming.

"And the best part is," Rai said with a goofy expression, "is that we got the Hecate Lock. And you know what that means." Omi and Clay nodded and made noise of ascension.

"It means," Kimiko said quietly surprising them, "that you can negate the effects of the Key of Aphrodite."

"Ah yeah," Rai said not sure why she sounded so down about it.

"You know," Kimiko continued, "I still don't believe in that stupid Wu and what you say its making be due. But you all seem so convinced that I guess it must be true." The others looked amongst themselves unsure of how to react. "Well," Kimiko went on surprising them even more, "what if I don't want to have the Hecate Lock used on me?"

"What!" the three boys and Dojo exclaimed. Dojo even halted in midair he was so shocked.

"What are you saying Kimiko?" Clay asked.

"I'm saying that even if I do believe that I'm being affected by the Key of Aphrodite that I don't want the Hecate Lock used on me!" Kimiko said defiantly. "Keep flying Dojo," she added a little softer and the dragon took off forward.

"You don't know what you're saying Kimiko," Raimundo argued.

"I know exactly what I'm saying Raimundo," Kimiko shot back not looking in his direction. She was sitting up toward Dojo's head and refused to turn back to face the boys.

"Kimiko it isn't natural to live under the power of a Shen Gong Wu," Omi said wisely looking and sounding worried.

"I still don't believe that I'm under a Wu's power," Kimiko said again, "and even if I am it's my choice isn't it?" No one knew what to say to that and Dojo also seemed to be at a loss for words. "Besides I won the Hecate Lock," Kimiko said. "It's my choice."

"Kimiko you're being ridiculous!" Rai protested.

"Just shut up Rai!" Kimiko yelled back surprising everyone. Rai looked ready to protest or argue more but Omi cautioned against that.

"Perhaps we should wait to talk to Master Fung," Omi cautioned softly.

"I agree with Omi," Clay said looking worried. Rai gave a sigh of frustration but went quiet nonetheless. This was not working out the way he had planned.

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EEK!!! I can't believe this chapter. I don't know what to think about it. I can't decide if I like it or not. I'm not good at writing the showdown or fight scenes so who knows. It needed to be written. About half way through the chapter I got an inspiration for the rest of the story and came up with a piece that had been missing. I was so happy I could have written all night expect, as stated in the beginning, my wrist really hurts. Probably not a new chapter out until after Christmas unless I get really lucky- there are other things I want to work on like the two one shots but most importantly the Christmas one. The rest of my family gets in on Saturday and we all really get into Christmas so that'll take up a chunk of time. Also the laptop I normally write on while at home has been taken for family use cause the family computer is in the shop so now I have to share and don't get as much time to write. And to make matters worse my wisdom teeth come out on the 28th and that scared the crap out of me! Think of me! It's my first surgery and I'm scared senseless!

Anyway Happy Holidays to everyone!! I hope it is an amazing time of year for everyone and you are all safe and happy. I love my readers, especially my reviewers, so much. Best wishes everyone and again Happy Holidays!!