(Hello my little band of loyal followers! I'm curious as to the amount of people that actually read this part. Hmm...
Anyway, I put a LOT of work into this one, hence why it's taken such a long time to write. HOWEVER, I do hope you like it, and there's a big surprise at the end of the chapter!)

CHAPTER ELEVEN: A HELPING HAND

Crysta's heart was pounding loudly and so vigorously that she could feel it pulsating against her eardrums. What she was about to do required so much courage that she was not sure she had the strength to go through with it. Her trembling hands crept inside the boot of her car, pulling a small but full backpack out of it. She had stuffed it with supplies from home as she made the trip to Chase's palace and stored it in the boot of her car for just this moment. Then, very deliberately, she got into her car and waited. The guards from Chase's Palace were walking around the car park, and there were many people around her at the moment.

She knew that rebels all over the world would be watching this, hearing her deep and calming breaths through her earrings that Krod had given her.

"Guys," She said quietly, trying not to move her mouth too much in case she was being watched by one of the many guards patrolling the area. "Raimundo can't hold out for long. I tried to keep my head lowered so you guys couldn't see, but he's weak. I've gotta get him out today. Wish me luck." Her words were so faint they could have been whispers, and she prayed that her fellow rebels would hear her every word.

She stuffed her hand inside her bra, pulling out the Shroud of Shadows that she had concealed there earlier and held the glistening material in her fingertips. Wordlessly, she activated it, and pulled the soft fabric over her body. She stole a quick glance around at the passersby. Much to Crysta's relief, they were too busy piling into their own vehicles to notice a teenage girl vanish in hers. She looked in the mirror of the car, checking to see if she was covered, and then opened the car door when she was certain no one was watching, carrying the backpack with her underneath the Shroud. She pulled the backpack on, making sure every inch of her body was invisible, and set off.

Thank goodness for Shen Gong Wu.

To avoid the hoard of Heylin followers, Crysta moved along the edge of the car park, coming close to getting hit by a car a few times as she tried to walk silently and not touch anything as she walked. The dust beneath her feet was almost impossible not to disturb but there was nothing that could be done about it. The Shroud Of Shadows was touching the floor behind her anyway, smoothing the dust over where her footprints had been left. She made her way back towards the Palace, avoiding the path of the guards, and could not have been more nervous.

Or so she thought, but once she slipped inside the dreaded structure, her heart was pounding so loudly that as she tip-toed past the guards, she felt sure they would hear it thumping loudly inside her body.

All she could picture was Chase's unnerving stare, resting on her. It sent shivers down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end at the thought of it. Luckily for Crysta, the last of the rebels were leaving the room, and the doors were still open, allowing her to slip inside unnoticed.

Chase was still there, and so was Raimundo. For a split second, she considered trying her luck right there. The excitement and terror within her body was building, and in one wild fantasy, she saw herself whipping the Tangle Web Comb out of her underwear where she had hidden it; it was not her first option since it was extremely uncomfortable, but other than hiding it in her bra and risking it falling out, she could not think of anywhere else that the Warriors would not check if she was called to be searched, which luckily she had not been. Crysta imagined her tying Chase and the guards up with the Comb, and then getting Raimundo out, but she was not sure that in her current state, she would have the self-control to face Chase that way.

She hugged the wall, sneaking along the edge of the room to avoid colliding with the last of the rebels who were leaving. Her eyes were glued to Chase and his warriors, not wanting to rest upon Raimundo for too long. His warriors were eagerly awaiting orders and had untied Raimundo from the poles, supporting the fallen Dragon between them. His head was drooping – obviously he was unconscious, or too weak to support himself – either option seemed likely. She knew that Clay and Omi would not want to see their friend this way, but there was nothing that she could do to stop them seeing the sight, not while she was so nervous. She hoped that her hair was covering the camera as she kept her eyes on Chase. He was standing in front of Raimundo, with his eyes closed and his arms folded out in front of him.

"So," Chase's crisp and deadly voice rang cut through the air, sending fear shooting through Crysta's body, "You refuse to tell me where the other Xiaolin monks are hiding, Raimundo. Why?" His voice seemed to hold a sense of curiosity, yet frustration at the same time.

Raimundo wearily lifted his head, "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you." His voice was cracked and weak, but his words ignited hope within Crysta, giving her the strength to feel the courage she needed. If he could get though this, so could she.

Chase took a step forward, lowering his head so that it was level with Raimundo's. His gloved hands gently cupped his chin and lifted Raimundo's head so that their eyes met. A look of disgust flashed across Raimundo's sweat-soaked face.

"Why do you defy me, Dragon?" Chase's voice was deadly and soft as it sliced through the air.

Crysta could tell from the look on Raimundo's face that he was deciding on an answer – there was too much choice, it seemed.

Finally, he spoke: "Because you took her..."

Chase smiled, "I did not take Kimiko, Dragon. She chose to join my side. You were present when she made the decision. All this hatred for me is merely misdirected." His voice had become a persuasive hiss now, "Perhaps, you would be better to turn your hatred towards the people who really deserve it? You say that your fellow Dragons and yourself had a misunderstanding. Are those not the ones who have truly wronged you, Raimundo? After all, they are the ones who have deserted you. One might think that they wanted you to get caught..."

Chase gave a sinister smirk when he saw Raimundo's expression; his face seemed to have fallen and be filled with hurt. So much so that it brought tears to Crysta's eyes just seeing it. He said nothing, merely stared with a pained expression at the evil man before him.

It was not enough for Chase Young. The sinister man continued to whisper his poisonous words into Raimundo's ear.

"Perhaps they felt that you are not strong enough for them anymore. After all, you used to be such a strong warrior, yet look at yourself now, Raimundo – in the arms of my warriors and in such a pitiful state. You are not who you used to be, young monk. It could be true that you do not belong on the Xiaolin side anymore, could it not? That is why Kimiko thrives now. Her power is utilized correctly, giving her strength and life. Both of which, you now lack."

Raimundo said nothing, looking utterly defeated, then let his mournful eyes drop to the floor.

"I do hope that you will change your mind, Raimundo. There is always an option to join me. You could be the favoured warrior that you have always desired to be if you joined my guards. Whilst you stay with the Xiaolin Dragons, you hold no hope of ever achieving this dream. I will not be defeated, Raimundo. Clinging onto a fantasy of the past will not change that." Chase let go of Raimundo and nodded at his guards, "Take this monk to an empty cell. We will continue tomorrow Raimundo, but the offer still stands, should you change your mind. I hope you will remember this."

With a nod, the guards began to move, and the previously immobile Crysta was forced to move her numb legs to follow them. They felt so stiff she was not entirely sure they would get her moving. She kept her eyes on Chase, who appeared to be too deep in thought to notice her. She was invisible, but she would not have put it past Chase to know she was there anyway. His senses were sharp; too sharp. Surely he would hear her trembling breath?

Moving as silently as she could, she slipped out of the room, sticking close to the two warriors who were dragging Raimundo between them. Keeping every element of her being silent was near impossible. Making sure her breathing was unheard, stepping softly so her shoes did not make a sound against the stone floors, and silencing the rustling of her clothes meant that following the guards was no easy task. As she was walking, she could tell that Raimundo was in a bad way. The tattered hoodie that Raimundo had worn religiously for so long was hanging off his frame in tatters, revealing the bloodied mess of his back to Crysta. She could smell the stench of the blood from it, even though she was a few feet away.

She had noticed the conditions of the palace worsen considerably as they finally passed through a set of thick wooden doors. A chill had descended upon the air and it seemed to grow dark in a matter of seconds.

An eternity later, the guards, Raimundo, and their invisible follower finally came to a halt in the dungeon. They had stopped in front of a wooden door that was bolted shut by a thick and heavy-looking padlock. They had passed several doors like this already. One of the guards carelessly dropped Raimundo's arm to unlock the giant padlock. Raimundo slumped, trying to hold himself up but failing miserably.

The guard opened the door, allowing the one with his grasp on Raimundo's arm to march inside. Crysta seized her opportunity and slipped inside as soon as the guard did, keeping close to the wall. Fear had all but seized her body now, it was hard to stop her breath trembling.

She watched the guard dump Raimundo on the floor mercilessly and then retreat, slamming the wooden door shut behind him in an instant. There came the rattling of keys, a click, and then fading footsteps.

It took a few minutes for Crysta to become certain that there was not a guard still outside the door, but as soon as she was, she pulled her ear away from the wood and turned to face Raimundo. In the dark, she was forced to allow her eyes time to adjust, but once she saw Raimundo, she knew that help was needed. He gave a pained groan as he pulled his aching body off the floor, trembling and trying to use the strength he did not have to slouch against the wall. With another moan, he gently lowered his bleeding back against the stoney cell, closed his eyes, and let out breathy whisper: "So much for the Dragon of the Wind."

The cell was a fair size considering its purpose, with heavy stones for walls, ceilings and floor. There was a tiny barred window, which Crysta supposed was for air, but it was impossible to see what time of day it was. There was a faint red glow emitting from it, giving the cell a miniscule source of light. One thing that Crysta had noticed was that it was unnaturally cold. She was used to the scorching and harsh sun of a barren wasteland, not temperatures that caused her to shiver.

The cold seemed to affect Raimundo too, because he was also shivering.

With a small intake of breath, Crysta finally built up the courage to speak, whispering quietly.

"Raimundo, can you hear me?"

His eyes flew open and he jerked his head around wildly, looking slightly afraid.

"Who's there?" He said loudly, trying to get to his feet using the wall. It pained him to move.

"Please, be quiet." Crysta begged, "I'm here to help you."

"So show yourself." He retorted, glancing around the room suspiciously. His voice had lowered to a faint murmur now, for which Crysta was immensely grateful. Finally, she pulled the Shroud of Shadows off of her body.

Raimundo stared at her in total shock. He couldn't believe his eyes. Not only had this girl miraculously appeared, but she also held one of the Shen Gong Wu.

"Raimundo, my name is Crysta. I'm part of a rebel group. I'm here to rescue you." She whispered quietly as she got to her knees beside him. She kept the Shroud clamped in her hand, just in case – she knew that Raimundo would be suspicious of her, and if he took it, Crysta would find herself publically executed for rebelling against Chase once she was caught.

Raimundo was still struck dumb. His mouth was open slightly as he regarded her.

To coax him out of his paralysis, Crysta pulled the backpack off of her back and opened it, revealing four bottles of water, three sets of sandwiches and a thick wad of bandages that she knew would come in useful. She handed him a bottle, and he took it without question. He was still staring at her blankly, apparently not sure how to react. His face showed surprise, delight, perhaps hope. It was difficult to tell.

"Raimundo," She tried again, lowering her head to meet his, "Omi and Clay are waiting for you to get back to them. If you let me help you, I can take you there?"

This seemed to work, because Raimundo turned his head away slightly. "They don't want me. And even if they did, you couldn't get me out of here." His voice was cracked and weak, and Crysta unscrewed the cap to his water bottle, pressing it to his lips.

"Drink." She commanded softly, and he did as he was told. "They do want you back, Raimundo." Crysta whispered as he gulped the water down, "And Dojo, and Master Fung, Jermaine, and the rest of us rebels working with them that you know nothing about. There's so many people fighting against Chase now. Even Kimiko!"

This engaged a reaction that she did not expect. Raimundo was so surprised that he almost choked on his water, coughing and spluttering at the news he considered a fantasy.

"What?" He looked at her, his eyes streaming from his coughing, "Kimiko's fighting against Chase?"

"In her own way." Crysta answered, "If you do as I tell you, I will update you on everything, Kimiko included?"

Raimundo nodded, eager to hear what news Crysta held. He did not know if she was trustworthy, but she had food, water and stories to tell. It was almost too good to be true. Perhaps it was.

For a second, Raimundo wondered if he had actually died. He had blacked out for a second during the torture session earlier with Chase and the warriors –or had he? Perhaps that "blackout" had been his death? And now this random girl who claimed to be a rebel was just some figment of his dying imagination, trying to bring comfort to his shattered mind before it finally lay to rest for good?

Still, if that was the case, there was nothing that could be done. If this really was his imagination, preparing him for death, why refuse her help? He may as well listen to whatever lies fell from her lips, accept the food and water she offered him, and allow her to bandage up his wounds, just to ease his passing.

With a nod, Raimundo forced himself upright, looking at Crysta with shining eyes.

"Tell me everything." He whispered.

Omi was sitting quietly with his legs folded on the floor of the hall where they ate. His eyes were closed, and he was in his best meditation pose. It was the first time for many months that he was able to sit down and meditate like this without having to worry about being disturbed by warriors.

He took a deep and calming breath, breathing out slowly through his mouth. He could hear Clay tapping his foot anxiously and biting what was left of his nails – they had lost contact with Crysta and Raimundo almost an hour ago, and it had caused them all to be extremely on edge. The signal had began to blur as Crysta had followed the guards through the Palace, and then by the time they had reached the dungeons of the Palace, they could only see blurred and faded images, which had cut out shortly afterwards. Krod was trying desperately to get it back up and running, but he was not having much success.

No one knew if Crysta had made it inside the cell yet, and the whole building was waiting in fear for news, should any come.

"Omi," Clay's voice broke though Omi's wall of concentration and he opened his eyes.

"Yes, my friend?"

"What're we gonna do if the lil lady don't get Rai out? It'll be just us against Chase and Kim. We can't compete with those odds. We ain't that strong..." His voice was trembling, despite his efforts to conceal his over-whelming emotions.

Omi could not find the words to console his friend. He had none. They were hollow and empty without their meaning. He could not lie and tell Clay that it would all be okay – what if it was not? He could not look Clay in the eye and tell him honestly that he knew that there would be a happy ending. Even Omi had to admit that things did not look good for them at the moment. He had always tried to stay hopeful, but even for Omi, it was proving a difficult task.

Omi was immensely grateful when Hope appeared in the doorway of the dining hall they were sitting in. Her face was puffy and red from tears that had obviously been spilled minutes before, but she gave a light smile.

"Hey guys, I know it's not much, but another rebel group has managed to get in touch with us, and we think you'll be happy when you realise who's there." Her voice was soft and quiet, so much so that Clay pulled her into a gentle hug.

"Thanks, partner." He forced another smile, and followed her back into the computer room, where he found one strikingly familiar face beaming at him from the computer. It caused his own to light up with happiness and Omi to stare with his mouth open.

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! Clay!" Jessie's face was smiling down at her big brother from the large computer screen, leaving both Omi and Clay speechless.

"Jessie? Is that really you?" Clay asked softly in disbelief.

"Now," She wagged her chubby finger, "Don't you be gettin' all disbelievin' on me. You know as well as I do that this ain't the time. We saw what your gal's doin' in Chase's Palace, and all of us here are backin' her one-hundred-per cent! We've got big numbers now, big brother, and a pretty good teacher, teachin' 'em too!" Her freckled face lit up. She still wore the leather jacket and cowboy hat, but there was something different about her. Jessie was more mature, womanly, not just the chubby cowgirl that blurred the line between good and evil; now, she was sitting pretty on the side of good, and Clay could not have been more pleased. Even if it was a small one, a smile found its' way onto his face.

"Who's teaching them?" Bling interjected from behind Omi and Clay, causing them both to jump in surprise as they had not realised he was there.

"Why, the one and only Master Monk Guan, of course!" Jessie smiled.

Jermaine stepped forwards.

"You mean-. He's still alive? I thought he'd been killed in the fire!"

"Nope, alive and kickin'. He's trainin' more recruits right now. They ain't the most skilled bunch of critters out here, but they want to fight against Chase, and that means they're worth keepin' close."

"They're being taught by the best." Bling commented, and Jessie nodded.

"You got that right." She pulled the cowboy hat off her head, revealing the same straw-coloured hair tied back in pigtails. Jessie fanned herself with the hat lightly.

"Master Fung says that the number of warriors does not matter, as long as they believe in themselves. This is what makes me such a fierce warrior, I have total belief in myself!" Omi piped up, and then moved on to demonstrate his infamous Monkey Strike.

Clay lowered his head, shaking it lightly, "Omi, you ain't changed much." He chuckled lightly, and Bling and Jessie joined in with the laughter, causing Omi to blush.

"Oh, yeah, Clay, before I forget, there's somethin' I gotta tell you and cue ball." Jessie said as the laughter died down.

Omi raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"You guys know a guy called Switchblade, don't you?"

"Yeah... How did-" Clay began, but Jessie cut him off almost instantly.

"He's one of ours! We've been trackin' you for a few months, and we positioned a couple of guys in the towns we thought you might visit. Luckily, you found Paul, or Switchblade as you know him. We kept feedin' you guys information, hoping you'd take the hint and head to Spicer's old house. And you did!" She grinned, "It looks like my big brother finally learned to take a hint!"

"Hey, come on now! Why didn't he tell us he was workin' for you?" Clay defended.

"We weren't sure it was actually you guys. I mean, we didn't want to take any chances. It ain't like you guys are easy to find. We didn't wanna be passin' on valuable information if we weren't sure it was you guys. And we got in touch with the gang over there and told 'em that we thought we'd found you." She said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I gotta jet outta here, I gotta go help with the trainin'. By the way, Bling, Master Monk Guan asked me to tell you that he knows when the time comes, he knows you will make him proud. Never give up, and stay strong."

The words seemed to have an effect on their friend, because he lowered his head for a second, and when he lifted it again, his eyes were glassy with tears. He nodded with determination. "I will make him proud. I won't fail him. I promised that much when I started training."

Jessie then continued, smiling faintly at her brother, "Well, Clay, it sure is good to see you again, bro. I really don't wanna leave so soon, but you know how it is. I'm glad you're still alive and kickin'. Hell, I even miss you, bro, but I gotta take care of business. Keep smilin', and when the rebellion is ready, you guys let us know, we don't wanna miss any of the action! We're ready when you are, big bro."

Clay thumbed his hat, "Yes ma'am. See ya around, baby sister." He was smiling warmly.

"You too, Clay. Take care, bro, we're countin' on you." With a final smile, Jessie's face disappeared, leaving the screen blank, but Clay and Omi smiling.

Maybe there was hope for their cause after all.

Two of the sandwiches that Crysta had packed were gone already – Raimundo had eaten them so quickly that it surprised her that someone could chew so fast and still have time to swallow.

"Man, I've missed the taste of good food." He whispered, almost smiling as he swallowed the last of the bread.

"You've got to keep your strength up. You're gonna need it to get out of here. I can't carry you the whole way to my car. So if you let me bandage you up, I'll give you a quick overview of everything that's been happening with Omi, Clay and Kimiko." Crysta breathed, trying not to alert the guards of her presence. She was not sure if they would be walking around outside the door, and if they heard voices from within, she would definitely be in trouble.

Raimundo gave a nod, and groaned loudly as Crysta helped him to sit upright. His body shook as he sat on his own – he was so weak now. Crysta dived into her backpack and pulled out one of the water bottles, a tube of lotion that was supposed to stop wounds getting infected, and a rag. The unscrewed the top of the bottle of water and soaked the rag in it.

"I'm just gonna clean you up first. You could lie down if that would be more comfortable, but you'll have to sit up again when I bandage you up."

"I'm fine here. I don't want to move." He replied simply, and she gave an understanding nod.

Her fingertips gripped the bottom of the hoodie and being as gentle as she possibly could, she lifted it up, revealing his bare skin to the cold air. He shivered as he pulled the hoodie off his head totally.

"Sorry," She murmured as she pressed the damp rag to his back. She knew that it would feel cold against his skin, not to mention painful as she softly began to wipe over the bloodied welts on his back.

The skin on his back surprised her. Between the many swollen slashes on his back, she could see pink scarred flesh shining where the red light coming from the window was catching it.

Sensing her hesitation, Raimundo turned his head slightly to glance over his shoulder, "Not my first meeting with a whip." He muttered lowly, remembering being in that room all those years ago, Chase's conniving voice commanding Kimiko to hit harder, telling her to keep going.

Crysta looked at him for a second, and then continued to wipe away most of the blood on his back. Raimundo fell totally silent, maybe he had nothing to say, or he did not know what to say. He seemed thoughtful.

"Well," She began softly as she tipped some of the water over his back to wash it away. He flinched at the cold water hitting his stinging back. "Sorry," The girl whispered, and then continued, "I found Omi and Clay heading towards our headquarters, and persuaded them to stay with us. As it stands, there are quite a few of us. About fourteen including myself, Clay and Omi. Jermaine is part of us, and Master Fung too. There are other groups all over the place. We'd been planning a rebellion against Chase for quite some time, so when we happened across Clay and Omi, we were over the moon. Then we heard what had happened to you, and we had to formulate a plan to get you out of here."

Raimundo said nothing as she paused for a second to unscrew the tube of disinfecting lotion.

"This will probably sting, but it will help you, okay?" She squeezed a small amount of the peach-coloured lotion onto her finger and lightly traced over each bloodied welt. It did not even seem to take effect until she really began to rub it into the wound, which was when Raimundo would let out a low gasp and flinch under her touch. Between gritted teeth, Raimundo hissed: "Keep talking."

"So that's where I came in," Crysta hurriedly continued, "My family are Heylin, so I was able to get into Chase's Palace without suspicion, which is probably a good idea really because there was a lot of security around. I was part of the crowd. Just before they brought you out, Kimiko and Chase were fighting, like really fighting."

Raimundo hissed again, and then prodded her to continue with words spat through gritted teeth; "Go on. Tell me it all, please."

"Well firstly, she just walked up to him really calmly and was whispering to him quietly. And then out of nowhere she just started shouting at him, asking what his problem was. Then he said that she was his problem. They were really nasty towards each other. I can't remember what was exactly said, but I remember Kimiko saying something about him hiding who she used to be. I think she knows now in her heart what Chase has done to her. She even said that she knew Chase was keeping her memories from her. And then suddenly they were fighting."

Crysta finally finished with the tube, having taken all the lotion she could out of it, and tossed it back in the bag, before gently massaging the ointment into the cuts again to make sure that it was being absorbed.

"Fighting?" Raimundo asked softly.

"That's right. Then Chase won, and she ran off. But that means that she's definitely fighting back now. So you've got to keep yourself going strong, for her, you hear me, Raimundo?" She began to wrap the bandages around his torso, looping them around his body while he lifted his arms.

"I will..." He caught her eyes, and gave a slight smile as she circled around his body with the white bandages, wrapping it tightly around his body to give support to him, halt the bleeding and give them time and encouragement to heal.

"And to all the other rebels out there that are waiting to fight against Chase, you've got to keep strong for them. All their hopes rest on you Clay and Omi. They're even watching this, right now. Seeing you regain your strength, to show all the rebels out there that even though you're still stuck in here, there's still hope for them all." Crysta had wrapped the thick wad of bandages all the way around his torso, and had now pinned them in place with a safety pin. "I'm no nurse, but I think that will do. How does it feel?"

"Good." He lowered his arms and stretched his back, immensely grateful for the support they provided. The Brazillian boy pulled the hoodie back over his head, feeling much better already, "Did you say that the rebels out there are watching? How?"

Crysta fingered one of the earrings in her ear and grinned, "We have a little genius on our team who knows how to make a microphone and camera small and inconspicuous enough to hide from even Chase Young."

Raimundo grinned, "Dude, that's so cool. So all the rebels can see and hear me right now?"

"Yep."

"Wow... You guys... I'm sorry you guys have gotta do this. It should be my job to fix this... I promise you all, I will be fine, and I will be fighting Chase, even if I do it on my own." He whispered meaningfully.

The jingle of keys outside the door made them both freeze in horror as fear bolted through the both of them. They exchanged a horrified glance as they heard the jingling sound. Crysta dived for the Shroud of Shadows and her backpack, the fear in her heart threatening to cause it to implode, activating it wordlessly as she attempted to disappear underneath it. Raimundo threw himself backwards, trying not to whimper as his back collided heavily with the floor. He was eternally grateful for the bandages wrapped around his torso – they provided little protection, but it was enough for him to silence his cries. He clamped his eyes shut and feigned a soft snore, stealing a glance towards the corner where Crysta had disappeared into half of a second ago, closing his eyes just in time as the door swung open, flooding the room in light.

Kimiko was expecting it.

It was inevitable.

She knew it was going to happen.

How could it not?

She was sitting in the place she normally sat, every night on the same day of the week. It was the games tonight; where the captured rebels were forced to fight each other, and the victor was then given a chance to join Chase or die. Some rebels were totally devoted, and chose death, but most claimed to see the error of the ways and reverted to Chase Young's side.

It was savage, and quite often brutal, but it was entertainment, or so they had been trained to believe.

Chase Young had always enjoyed watching the games, but Kimiko knew that tonight, he would be silent, furious – maybe even deadly. She knew his temper was volatile at the best of times, but freeing a prisoner, especially Chase Young's most tortured prisoner, would surely unleash his anger? Kimiko thought so.

She waited, her body filled with dread at the events that were soon to come to pass. Tapping her fingers nervously on the arm rest of the chair, she glanced at Chase Young's empty seat beside her, and then back to the stadium that was slowly filling up with people beneath her. Chase's, and her own seat, were elevated slightly higher than the rest of the seats, as expected.

The stadium seemed to instantly fill up, as when Kimiko snapped out of her daydream, the entire thing was full of chattering men and women. Her heart was thudding nervously, as she knew Chase would be here soon. She wished that her presence would go unnoticed, and that her seat would swallow her up, so she did not have to face Chase, and what she had done.

A door to her right opened, and Kimiko knew that Chase had just walked out, simply because the crowd had risen to their feet and were roaring. She kept her eyes focused out on the floor of the arena, choosing not to look at Chase. She heard the rustle of clothing as he took his place beside her.

A few moments of silence passed, before the announcer's voice bellowed over the speakers that the games were beginning.

"Tonight's first contestants are two rebels, captured at the base of Mount Hong two weeks ago. The first killed two of our own Warriors..."

There was a loud boo from the crowd.

"And the second killed THREE of our warriors."

More booing.

"Kimiko, you are very quiet. I see that you are nervous. Did you think that I was going to punish you?" Chase's voice was surprisingly calm. So much so that Kimiko snapped her head towards him, and then took into account what he had spoken.

"I don't understand..." She managed to say, struggling to make the words fit together. Her head felt so confused. It was like she was trying to force a piece of a jigsaw puzzle in the wrong slot; simply not going to work. "I'm not in trouble?" She was hopeful.

Chase Young smiled, "Oh, yes, you are. But there is no punishment. I'm simply severely disappointed."

Kimiko felt her spirits drop once more. "Oh."

He raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "I have more than enough reason to be disappointed. You freed a prisoner, deliberated disobeyed me, attempted to fight me in front of our fellow Heylin supporters, and tried to humiliate me in front of them." His voice had turned venomous now.

"I understand why you're disappointed." She said quickly, "I have behaved dishonourably today."

"Yes, indeed you have. You have been a disgrace to me today, but you have also made me proud." A serving girl stepped forwards, holding a platter with a steaming bowl of green soup on it, which Chase Young took with satisfaction and began to sip at it. The stench wafting from the bowl was easily recognisable, it was of course, Chase's infamous Lao Mang Long soup.

There was a clash of swords from the arena below. The crowd were going wild, but neither Chase nor Kimiko were paying attention.

"Proud? How?"

"You have demonstrated evil by doing these things. Lies, deceit, treachery. While they should not be aimed towards me, this merely proves you truly are on the correct side, Kimiko. And besides, freeing Spicer was a pointless effort, my guards will catch him soon enough. The boy can barely tie his shoes without asking someone for help. My guards will find him."

Kimiko nodded, agreeing that Chase was right, but there were still things that she needed to say.

"I'm sorry, Chase." She said quietly, "I just got desperate. I'm frustrated with not knowing who I really am. I know you keep my past from me for my own good, but I feel like I can't be one whole person without it." She paused for a moment, and Chase stopped drinking his soup to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Trying not to meet his gaze, she cast her eyes to the floor instead.

"If I really was good, and I was a Xiaolin Dragon, like Spicer said-" Kimiko flicked her eyes up to his face to see his expression, and then continued boldly, "Then why would remembering those days change what I am now? They would just be memories? Surely, they would not alter-"

"Enough." Chase said sternly, causing Kimiko to break off, mid-sentence. His voice was now harsh, uncaring and cold. Kimiko recoiled sheepishly. "What used to be is of no concern to you, Kimiko. You have no place questioning why I keep these things from you. Has it ever occurred to you that I do this to keep you safe? If these rebels believed you to still be on the Xiaolin side, they would surely be more rebels, fighting against me! The world must know who you are now, Kimiko. What you used to be is of no importance, it is in the past. It holds no meaning now. If the remaining Xiaolin Dragons believed that there was still Xiaolin power within you, they would try to use to fight against your own cause! This is for your own good, as well as mine. When you are ready, I will release them, but until that day, I do not want to hear another word of this, or else you will find yourself in the dungeon with the rest of the rebels. Understood?"

"Yes, Chase." Kimiko said dully, knowing that the battle was lost. She desperately wanted to argue back, and to point out that Chase had, in fact, contradicted himself. If they held no meaning, why did he keep them? Although, even Kimiko could admit that he had a point. She did not believe that Chase would keep them from her to harm her; although she did believe, privately, that the only reason he kept them was because he felt afraid of her power. She knew, if she could break his power, she would be able to release his lock on her.

What had bonded them together in the first place was Chi. Kimiko had realised that if she could get back her Chi, her memories, her strength and power, whatever Chase had managed to harvest from her by merging her Chi with his own, would be returned.

Was this what frightened him? That once she had her own Chi, she would stand a chance of defeating him? Perhaps not only that, but maybe that if she realised that she wanted to be a Xiaolin Dragon, and not a Heylin Warrior, that she would then attempt to defeat him?

The Xiaolin Dragons, and the rest of the rebels at the house, could not sleep. They were so anxious for news of Raimundo and Crysta that they were all sat awake, around the table. Hope was still teary eyed, clinging onto Wulf, who looked giant in comparison to her tiny frame. Omi was sitting silently, with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating. Bling, Striker and Tattoo had engaged in a silent game of cards to pass the time. Clay chewed the remains of his fingernails. The only noise that could be heard was Krod tapping the keys of his keyboard, trying to boost the signal to Crysta's hidden microphone and camera.

Occasionally, there was a burst of sound, which caused all the rebels to jump and stare at the screen in hope, but the sound usually cut off as quickly as it had started. It had been a few hours, but it simply felt like an age had passed since they had heard anything.

Master Fung returned every so often to offer words of comfort, and Dojo had made himself useful by keeping a watch from the attic over the horizon. Even Dojo, who was notorious for getting distracted or falling asleep on the job, had found it extremely difficult to take his eyes off the deserts horizon. The sky seemed darker than usual, and it was making it difficult to spot anything. But then Dojo spotted something gleaming on the horizon. A flash of light.

He stared, wondering what it could be. Crysta? The little green dragon was as anxious for news as the rest of them were. He waited a few more seconds, watching to see what the glimmer of light did. It seemed to slowly be drawing closer. Maybe, just maybe, it would be Raimundo...

He slithered down the steps silently. When no one noticed him, he cleared his throat, causing a number of the rebels sat around the table to jump slightly.

"I can see a light in the distance. I think it could be a car. You guys might want to come and see for yourselves." Dojo announced, and Clay got to his feet.

"I'll go." Clay volunteered, and Omi got to his feet too. The two followed the tiny green dragon back up the steps into the attic room.

Clay and Omi squinted their eyes at the light in the distance, and Omi raised an eyebrow.

"That is not a light, my friend, it is two."

"I think you might be right, Omi." Clay commented, narrowing his eyes even further. There was another pause, and then Clay spoke again.

"Wait... Dojo, you're right, that's a car. Definitely. You'd better go tell the others fast. If it is Crysta, we gotta know ASAP."

Dojo nodded and went downstairs to alert the others.

"Do you really think it could be Raimundo?" Omi asked of Clay, a trace of doubt in his voice.

Clay looked down at the small boy beside him, and gave an encouraging smile. "I reckon we've got a good chance of it bein' him, lil buddy." Omi allowed a small smile back.

It was a tense wait.

The car seemed to take hours to cross the desert.

Krod had activated the security mechanisms, just in case it was a rogue Heylin car. Sometimes Chase's warriors liked to randomly search old buildings for hiding rebels. If the car came too close, a complex system of defence would ensure that the car stayed permanently. The warriors were taken care of, and the car was taken apart for spares. If it was Crysta in the car, she would know how to evade them easily.

They crossed their fingers, closed their eyes and waited with bated breath, hoping with all their might that it really was Crysta.

Crysta murmured softly, so as not to disturb Raimundo, who had been asleep on the back seat for most of the car journey. He had sprawled out across the length of the three seats, and was now snoring softly there.

Crysta kept whispering updates through her microphone, hoping that it was still working. She had been driving for almost half an hour, and the steady and endless stretch of wasteland between Chase's palace and their base was making her nervous. She had not seen a single sign of life for the drive – this was a good thing, she supposed, it meant that she was not being watched or followed. Still, Raimundo's gentle snores kept her focused on her task.

She would be there soon, she could see a lump in the distance, which was unmistakably her target. It was very easy to become lost when there was nothing around to point the way, but Crysta was sure that was Spicer's old place.

She approached the building as she usually did. She drove the same path as she always did, knowing the exact points where the security measurements would be set off, and avoided them easily. She drove up beside the wall that harboured a small nodule. Crysta came to a slow halt as she traced her fingers along the filler between the bricks, reaching four bricks down to find a small protruding rock that was seemingly innocent. She pressed against the rock, and then came the soft grinding sound of rock moving.

A portion of the bricks in the wall lifted outwards like a garage roof, revealing a dimly lit garage, where Crysta usually parked her car. She pulled inside, parking the car and switching off the engine. The door closed behind her.

As Crysta climbed out of the car, a figure jumped at her, making her stumble against her car. She was about to kick the figure off, but Hope began to sob noisily, calming Crysta down in seconds. "We thought you weren't gonna make it." Hope cried into Cyrsta's chest, getting tears onto her clothes.

The other rebels gathered around the car as Crysta patted Hope on the back comfortingly.

Omi had rushed forwards to peer into the car, but soon recoiled as he saw Raimundo sprawled out over the seats peacefully. He shot a glance back to Clay, who did not move a single step.

The cowboy stood in the doorway, apparently not sure what to do. Crysta gently pushed Hope towards Wulf, who pulled her into a hug, and stepped towards Clay. She smiled as she put her hand on his shoulder.

The whole room was silent.

"Don't worry, Clay. With plenty of rest, Raimundo will be fine." She said softly.

In his relief, Clay pulled Crysta into a tight hug. After a few seconds, he managed to whisper "Thank you," and released her. He pulled open the car door to the car, reaching inside and gently shaking the body inside.

"Raimundo?" Clay whispered gently. "Come on, buddy, you're safe now."

Raimundo stirred, muttering softly, and then opened his eyes groggily. He was pale, exhausted, and weak, but he managed a smile at the sight of Clay. He attempted to stand up, and with the help of Clay, managed to get to his feet. Omi flew at Raimundo's legs and hugged them tightly.

"Raimundo! I am so happy that you are not dead! I knew that you would not fall pretty to the dark forces! I knew you would survive!"

The Brazilian looked at all the unfamiliar faces around him, gaining a confused expression.

"These are the rebels I was telling you about Raimundo. Everyone's here." Crysta explained, and suddenly the mass of faces that Raimundo could see became people. Master Fung, who bowed to him respectfully and Jermaine, horribly scarred, but still beaming at Raimundo, and gave him a gentle high-five.

Raimundo, who was still being supported by Clay, turned to his friend, and his eyes fell to the floor.

"Look, Clay... I'm really sorry about before..." He began, but Clay held up a hand.

"None of that matters now, partner. All that matters is you're here, safe, and Chase ain't getting his hands on you again. You're back with us for good now partner, and we're gonna have you fighting fit again in no time, just you wait an' see." Clay smiled warmly. His grin stretched from ear to ear. "Together, Rai, we're gonna get Kimiko back, and then we're gonna be able to defeat Chase Young. You belong with us. We're just so happy to have you back, safe and sound partner."

"Yeah," Raimundo managed a smile, and then grimaced as his wounds began to throb.

"Come now," Master Fung gestured for them to leave the room, but there was someone in the way.

Striker.

He was stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the doorframe. His face was still covered by his hood, and he was still as mysterious as ever.

"So you're the one who completes the gang..." His soft voice crooned from the shadows of his hood.

Everyone was stunned; no one had ever even heard his voice before. Yet here he was, talking.

"Excuse me?" Tattoo broke the silence, her voice sounding too loud for the situation.

"Master Fung wants me to train you guys how to fight the dark forces of evil..." His voice seemed to cut the air. It was barely a whisper, yet every word was distinct. There was another silence, until Striker spoke again.

"I guess now it's time for me to blow my cover, huh, Master Fung?" Striker's head turned towards Master Fung's direction. The old man nodded respectfully. All eyes were on the two men.

With that, Striker ripped off his hood, and his face stunned everyone in the whole room.

Omi's jaw almost hit the floor. His eyes were surely deceiving him. How could they be telling the truth. This wasn't right. He could see them

"It cannot be!" He exclaimed loudly. His voice was filled with disbelief.

Striker stood beaming. But, of course, he wasn't Striker anymore. He was someone else. Someone totally different, yet, someone all too familiar.

Clay was the one who first said his true name. A name that made everyone gasp.

"Grand Master Dashi?"

(Heyy, I hope you guys enjoyed that. The end was a little rushed, but I hope you guys couldn't tell. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. They really make my day and inspire me to keep writing. Even if it's just a few words, asking me for another chapter, it really does make me want to keep writing. Thank you guys, and if you do review, you're officially one of my favourite people ))