Recollections of the Past and Present
Disclaimer: See first chapter. I also do not own the designer labels Yves Saint Laurent, Diane Von Furstenberg or Marc Jacobs. As nice as the thought sounds; it's just not going to happen. I do, however, own some of the products, which is good enough for me.
A/N: I'm temporarily off my hiatus for Recollections, but this might be the only chapter in a while. I still don't particularly like Xiaolin Showdown, but I want to see where my plot goes. (Seeing as ff. net doesn't seem to like my preferred page breaks, said paid breaks will now be "OOO")
'Thoughts'
Thoughts or Flashbacks
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Chapter 6: Standing Still
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Kimiko was bored. Kimiko was tired, and the waiting room chairs did nothing to ease her physical and emotional discomfort. She inwardly moaned at the fact that she'd been sitting on a chair for about three hours. Her butt was getting sore from sitting down for an excessive period of time. She made a move to get up and get away from the harsh fluorescent lights that were threatening to eat her alive-or maybe it was the fear that her best friend was in a room somewhere, barely clinging onto to life. God, I'm so selfish. Keiko's in surgery and all I can think of is how uncomfortable I am. She had always been selfish, hadn't she? Her selfishness was always something she'd personally tried to push aside and cover up with her "self-reliant" attitude. She was always out to prove that she could do better, and be the best at everything. She was always at the top of her class-in intelligence, talent, and popularity-and she always did it without needing some manly shoulder to lean on, or any shoulder for the matter. The truth was, whichever way Kimiko twisted it, she knew that she had always been and always will be vain, spoilt, and selfish. Of course, her friends were always one of her top priorities, but it wasn't as if the voice inside her that whispered "Me! Me! Me!" wasn't there. Kimiko was, at least to some degree, self-absorbed, but that didn't mean she didn't care. Her eyes drooped at the reiterating sounds of silence and hushed voices lulled over.
:.Flashback.:
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Kimiko?"
An ebullient seven year old girl lit up in sheer delight. The simple phrase of, "Yes, Kimiko?" gave her an opening to ask her dad a very important question. She diligently practiced the art of playing the piano since she was four, and she was finally granted to opportunity to display her hard work. She was the only seven year old in the "very prestigious"-as her mother put it-Tokyo Academy of Music to be playing at Level Seven. She was so proud, and she wanted her daddy to be there-for once. Kimiko already knew her mother was coming. It was "appropriate" for her mother to come, but she wanted her father to be there to watch her.
Kimiko smiled, "Well, my piano recital's in three days, and I wanted you to come, daddy. Please? It'd mean a lot to me."
Sparing his daughter the rare glance, Nathaniel Toho sighed, "Kimiko, you know how full my schedule is," another sigh, "but I can try. What time is your recital?"
"Eight o'clock! Promise me you'll try to be there on time! Okay, daddy?" Kimiko shouted gleefully.
"I promise, Kimiko."
Smiling, Kimiko ran back to the piano room to practice. She wanted to be perfect.
Three days came, and the clock read, "7:50 p.m.". Ice blue eyes peeked through the thick velvet curtains in hopes of find her father seated by her mom, only to find one of her mother's expensive purses in her dad's seat. 'He'll be here soon.' she reassured herself. Eight o'clock came and went, and still no sign of her dad. A reception followed the performances, but Kimiko chose to ignore the praise she received from androgynous faces.
"Oh my gosh! Miko, you sounded so great up there!"
Kimiko turned, recognizing the voice, and smile, "Thanks, Keiko."
Kimiko was disappointed that he dad didn't show up, but she wasn't about to make Keiko sad too. Kimiko reassured herself that her father was just too busy, that he tried, but couldn't make it. She'd just have to try harder next time. Ballet recitals came and went. Her tap dancing, kick-boxing, and jujitsu competitions rolled by. Her academic awards and child roles in Musicals went unnoticed. She excelled at everything, but her dad's seat in the auditoriums remained empty.
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At fourteen, Kimiko had grown used to her father's unexplained absences in her life. Any potential they had at creating a strong father-daughter bond was gone. Kimiko loved her dad and respected his opinion, but their relationship really just consisted of Kimiko asking for a new credit card, or nifty new gadget. At fourteen, Kimiko also came to the conclusion that she and her mother didn't quite get along, which sort of brought her to where she was now-dress shopping for the ball her parents were throwing for her fifteenth birthday.
"Kim, honey, how do I look?" Adele Toho questioned while modeling an overly extravagant gown by Yves Saint Laurent.
Looking up from her magazine, Kimiko dully replied, "Great."
Short, curt answers were usually what Kimiko gave her mother. In fact, Kimiko frequently avoided conversing with her mother if she could help it.
Adele sighed, she knew wasn't exactly the best mother in the world, but Kimiko was a…difficult child. Crossing her arms, Adele gave Kimiko an apprehensive gaze, "Can we have just one decent afternoon together?"
Kimiko responded with a not very lady-like snort, and proceeded to flip through her magazine. Frustrated, Adele walked up to her daughter and snatched the magazine out of Kimiko's hands.
"I was reading that." Kimiko glared.
"I just wanted to spend some mother-daughter time together. We don't talk enough." Adele said, exasperated.
"Well, I guess you should have thought of that before you shipped me off to boarding school." Kimiko snapped back as she got up. "Why do you even try? It's not like you even care about me or dad."
"What is that supposed to mean, Kimiko?" Adele's voice was barely above a whisper.
Kimiko smirked, she knew she'd won, "I'm not so naïve to think that you wouldn't leave my dad the moment the stocks drop, and the company collapses."
"Kimiko, I love your father," Adele responded, "And don't you-"
"Of course you love him." Kimiko replied hollowly.
All Adele could do was stand and watch her daughter walk away from her.
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Kimiko stood in a sea of mindless chatter, tapping her fingers on the tables she was leaning against. She opted for a black and white dress by Diane Von Furstenberg, and loaned Keiko her blue Marc Jacobs dress. The ballroom they rented at some fancy hotel Kimiko couldn't remember was basked in chandeliers, orangey lighting. Four long tables were laid out against the walls, while waiters with plates of finger food, and wine adorned the floors.
"Hey, Kimiko, I'm going to see if I can find any water amongst the growing number of alcoholic beverages." Keiko said whilst waving her hands in front of Kimiko's glazed eyes and expression.
"Oh! Sorry. Heheh. Actually, Keiko, I'm sure you can just ask one of the waiters to get you some water." Kimiko replied, snapping out of her reverie.
The blonde stalked over to the nearest waiter and demanded some, er, freaking water before returning to her friend.
"Honestly, I don't even know why your 'rents throw you such humungous birthday parties. It's not like you have much fun at them." Keiko said light-heartedly, but Kimiko couldn't help but detect something else.
Kimiko shrugged, "It's just an excuse for my mom to throw a party and publicize herself."
It was Keiko's turn to frown, "Well, your parents include your dad too. Don't you think he did this to make you happy?"
"You said so yourself, I never have fun at these parties. My dad's just too busy to notice." Kimiko answered bitterly. 'What's Keiko getting at?'
"You never seem to give your parents a break Kimiko," Keiko whispered, before her voice changed to a harsher tone, "They give you everything."
Kimiko was furious, "Yes, Keiko, I do get things I want. Material things. I can never have the kind of relationship you have with your family."
"What good is that when I have to work two part time jobs and study twenty-four hours a day to pay for school and keep my scholarship." Keiko spat.
Kimiko opened her mouth to respond, but Keiko cut her off, "And you make me come to your stupid parties, and I'm stuck borrowing one of your dresses because not everyone can afford to buy the things that you can." Keiko paused to catch her breath. "You're just so fucking selfish, Kimiko. You take everything for granted."
"Oh, shut up, Keiko! Do you think I enjoy this? Do you honestly think I enjoy standing around at what's supposedly my birthday party while my mom only invites hoards of middle-aged socialites who look about twenty with all the cosmetic surgery they've had done?" Kimiko shouted, unaware that all eyes were now on her.
Kimiko never thought jealousy would be what tore their friendship apart. She thought they were above that. Everyone stopped to watch as an angry Adele stormed after her daughter.
"Kimiko, come back here!"
"Kimiko!"
"Kimiko!"
:.End Flashback.:
"Kimiko."
The owner of the voice was gently shaking her shoulders, and waking up, Kimiko came saw with a pair of brown eyes, and long black hair.
"Mrs. Tachikawa?"
Keiko's mother smiled a slightly forced smile and nodded. "Keiko's out of intensive care now and the doctors say she'll be fine. Would you like to go see her?"
Not trusting her voice, Kimiko just nodded and let Mrs. Tachikawa usher her to Keiko's hospital room. Kimiko sat down in the chair beside Keiko's bed and stared, a bit shocked, at how pale her friend was. Keiko's vibrant blonde hair was dull, and the bouncy curls were now limp waves.
"Would you like something to drink, Kimiko?" Fumiko Tachikawa asked.
Kimiko shook her head, "No, I'll be fine."
"The doctor said she'll come-to soon." Fumiko added as she closed the door.
Looking at the charts, Kimiko saw that Keiko now had a concussion, a broken arm (her left), and various bruises. Kimiko noted that Keiko's head was bandaged from where it hit the steering wheel.
'How could you of all people get into a car accident?' Kimiko thought to herself. 'You always said you'd be super-careful on the road ever since your sister died all those years ago…'
Kimiko wish she'd brought her bags with her. That way, she'd have something to do while she waited, but her body guard insisted that she let him handle her bags.
"Miko, is that you?" Keiko's voice broke the ubiquitous beeping noise that recorded her heart rate. "What are you doing her?"
Kimiko looked up to see that Keiko had woken up. Hazel eyes bore into blue ones.
"What kind of question is that?' Kimiko said light-heartedly. "You're my best friend…why wouldn't I be here?"
Both questions were meant to be rhetorical, but neither of the two girls really wanted to hear the answers. It had been eleven months since the incident, and their friendship was far from what it used to be. Awkward silences never existed with the two, but there were still some unresolved issues that hung in the air. All they could do was sit and walk blindly ahead, and watch their friendship disintegrate.
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A/N: Not my best work, but I only had half an hour. I might not update in a while, but I didn't want to leave whatever readers I had left hanging with Kimiko's side of the story. I thank you for your patience.
Elemental-Zero- I'm terribly sorry, but I have returned, however brief my return may be. The thing is, I've never really been interested in Xiaolin Showdown. This writing project of mine was more of a way for me to see how decent of a thing I can write with 20-30 minutes.
Snowmouse- I'm sort of back.
anime-lover93- Here it is! And thank you.
unknown- I'm touched, that you think so. I can't stop writing considering I still have to go to school as soon as the school year resumes, and that I happen to be part of the Journalism crew.
TamerTerra-Alright. Wait, what break?
music man-I hope you're still reading! It's been a long wait.
A Minor Pentatonic- I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, I wanted to give the guy something positive, so I had him and his brother make-up.
Pink-Positive- Tank you, and sorry about your computer
Addicted to Perfection- Thank you. I try to avoid too many spelling and grammar errors.
Mitchy- Thanks.
Griffin kid-It's a bit late, but if you're still reading, I hope you enjoy.
Kendricks Alashane- Thank you.
Butterfly in the Dark- I like your username, haha. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. Things and lack of interest in the show in general got in the way. P
DesiredStorm- Oh, okay then. Thank you for your patience.
DerryBabe-Well my other fic is officially dead. The plot wasn't very good and it bored me. I hope you haven't died considering how long it's taken me to update…
Link007-As you can see, school and extracurricular activities have taken over. I actually have been writing, I just haven't been writing for ff. net.
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Don't forget to review. If enough people like this, it might motivate me to write the next chapter. I'm not one to beg for reviews, but it's necessary in letting me know whether or not it's worth my time.