I'm getting less and less free time due to far too much college work, but I'm making free time to write for you, all my lovely readers and reviewers, so I hope you like it. Also, I have noticed that some people are adding this to their story alerts and stuff but not reviewing and I was just wondering if you'd mind taking just a minute or two to give me some feedback and maybe some ideas and stuff please. Thank you. Enjoy.

Chapter 11

The Pedrosas II

Kimiko stood on the doorstep, heart pounding, listening to footsteps inside. Then the door swung open and a woman with long, curly brown hair, wide brown eyes and a scar that ran across her lower lip stood before Kimiko. She hadn't opened the door fully and was leaning out from behind it, as if trying to hide herself. She said something but Kimiko didn't understand it.

"I'm Kimiko," Kimiko said desperately. The woman looked at her for another moment then her eyes softened slightly.

"Kimiko Tohomiko?" she asked. Kimiko nodded. "Rai's friend," the woman said. She smiled too but it was a sad smile and it made part of Kimiko's hope vanish like the flame of a candle.

"Are you Raimundo's mother?" she asked. The woman nodded.

"Yarah Pedrosa," the woman answered. Then her eyes suddenly narrowed "How did you get here?" Kimiko held up the Golden Tiger Claws.

"It's a Shen Gong Wu that can transport you anywhere you want," Kimiko explained.

"You might still get caught while you're here," Yarah said. "She's already watching us. She'll kill you. She might take another one of my children away," Yarah's voice began to shake.

"...Another one of your children?" Kimiko said, suddenly frightened for this woman she had just met. Frightened for Raimundo's family who had already suffered enough.

"We told her we didn't know where Raimundo was but she wouldn't listen!" Yarah said beginning to cry. "I shouldn't be talking to you. My family is in enough trouble as it is." She began to shut the door but Kimiko caught it and stopped her. She looked into Yarah's tear filled brown eyes.

"I'm here to help you," Kimiko said calmly. "I think Raimundo's alive and I'm going to find him no matter what it takes. I need your help."

.:.:.:.

"Kimiko has taken the Healing Hand of Dashi. If something happens to her and it falls into the wrong hands we may be in great trouble," Master Fung said gravely.

"But surely Kimiko knows of its importance. How could she be so stupid as to take it to a country ruled by Wuya without permission?" Omi said. The three dragons, Master Fung and Dojo were stood on the steps inside the Temple vault.

"Who cares about what might happen to us if someone else gets that Wu, why aren't we focusing on making sure nothing does happen to Kimiko?" Sampson demanded.

"Fair point," Clay nodded.

"Come on. Let's fucking go!" Sampson said restlessly. He raced out into the Temple grounds. Omi, Clay and Dojo exchanged glances before following.

"Sampson!" Omi said, tugging on Sampson's sleeve.

"What?" Sampson said, exasperated.

"How are we going to get into Brazil?" Omi said seriously. Sampson just looked at Omi as hope drained from his green eyes.

.:.:.:.

Yarah had reluctantly let Kimiko into the house after several furtive glances around to make sure no one was looking. Once inside, she collapsed onto an old sofa and wept. Kimiko stood before her and glanced around nervously. The house was a mess. All the curtains had been drawn shut and only a dim light shone through them, making the house dark. It was quiet except for Yarah's sobbing.

"Mrs Pedrosa...Yarah...tell me what's happened since Raimundo disappeared," Kimiko said. Yarah wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked up at Kimiko. Her eyes were red from crying and full of hopeless desperation.

"Can you really help me?" she asked. Kimiko simply looked into Yarah's pleading, wide brown eyes, not sure what to say.

"Yes," Kimiko said eventually and hoped she wasn't lying. "I promise. Now tell me everything." Yarah looked down at the dirty floor, gulped then began to speak.

"He sent us letters regularly, ever since he left for China. They got fewer after he went to war but he still sent them, to reassure us that he was okay. Then they just stopped. We waited for months and heard nothing. Then we got a letter. I thought it was off him at last but it wasn't. It was off his teacher...Master...I forget his name sorry. But it was saying how Raimundo had disappeared and he thought he might be dead and he was really sorry," a trace of bitterness crept into her voice at that but then she swallowed again and when she continued it was gone. "It wasn't his fault I know. Rai had to go to war to help protect the world and he did brilliantly. But then she came looking," Yarah said.

"Wuya," Kimiko said. Yarah nodded and her eyes met Kimiko's once again and this time they were fearful.

"She said she didn't believe he was dead. She thought we were hiding him and she said he had to die for daring to fight against her. For daring to betray her. She had the whole house turned upside down in her search for him but of course he wasn't here. She still wasn't convinced. She said just because he wasn't in the house it didn't mean we didn't know where he was so she..." she broke off into tears again and covered her face with her hands. Kimiko waited patiently but he heart broke at the sight of the poor defenceless woman, weeping for her children.

"She took Carlos," she managed at last. "She said if we gave her Rai she'd let Carlos go and if we didn't she'd kill him. I don't even know if Carlos is still alive! He's only seventeen! What if he's dead? What if Rai's dead? What if she comes back and takes someone else?"

Kimiko couldn't bear it anymore. She sat beside Yarah and wrapped her arm around Yarah's shoulders. Yarah didn't move but she didn't push Kimiko away either, she simply cried.

"Yarah, I promise you, I'm going to get Raimundo and Carlos back alive and I'm going to defeat Wuya," Kimiko said, her voice strong with determination.

"Can you really do that?" Yarah whispered. Tears still fell silently down her cheeks but her eyes were now fixed on Kimiko again.

"I can," Kimiko replied. "I will."

"Rai spoke about you a lot," Yarah said and a small smile graced her scarred lips and made her look ten years younger, transforming her back into the beautiful woman Kimiko had seen in the family photograph on Raimundo's bedside table back at the Temple. "I think he liked you."

Kimiko smile as well but she shook her head.

"We were good friends, but that's all it was," she replied. Yarah wiped her eyes and became serious again.

"How are you going to beat Wuya?" she asked. Kimiko thought for a moment.

"I'll find a way," she said. The determination blazing in her eyes was overpowering but Yarah still had doubts.

"She'll kill you," Yarah sniffed.

"No she won't. Not before she's paid for what she's done to your family," Kimiko replied.

At that moment, the door opened and a girl in her early twenties walked in. She had long black hair, tied back in a ponytail and her fringe was long but swept aside revealing dark green eyes, just like Raimundo's. She was dressed in a plain white tank top and baggy ripped jeans. Her feet were bare. She saw Kimiko and froze. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion and fear. Yarah spoke to her daughter in Portuguese so Kimiko could not understand her, but relief washed over the girl's face so Kimiko assumed her mother was telling her Kimiko meant no harm.

"I'm Bethania," the girl said. Her voice was strong. "Are you really going to help us? Are you going to save Carlos?"

"I'm going to save Carlos, find Raimundo and beat Wuya," Kimiko answered. Bethania looked at Kimiko for a moment and then she spoke.

"Let me help you," she said.

"Beth," Yarah protested. Bethania began to speak to her mother defensively in Portuguese. The look on her face told Kimiko she wasn't taking no for an answer.

Yarah sighed sadly and looked at Kimiko. Bethania's eyes turned to Kimiko too.

"They're my little brothers. I'll never forgive Wuya for taking them away from us. I want to make her suffer for what she's done. I'm coming with you no matter you say," Bethania said.

"Okay," Kimiko replied. "We'll have to go back to China though. Are you willing to leave Brazil?"

"I'll do anything, as long as it saves my family," Bethania replied. Kimiko smiled slightly then turned her gaze to Yarah.

"Don't worry. I'll look after her," she assured Yarah. Yarah didn't look convinced but she nodded. Bethania smiled at her mother and spoke to her in a reassuring tone. Yarah got to her feet, went to her eldest child and hugged her tightly. Kimiko looked away, beginning to feel as if she was intruding. Yarah planted a kiss on Bethania's forehead then released her. Then Bethania turned back to Kimiko.

"How do we get to China?" she asked. Kimiko held up the Golden Tiger Claws.

.:.:.:.

Omi and Sampson were sat on the porch steps at the front of the Temple. It had been an hour and a half since Sampson had discovered Kimiko's note. They had decided it was too risky to fly into Brazil on Dojo and had no other way of getting there, so they had to settle for simply waiting for her to return and hoping she was okay.

"Did Kimiko and Raimundo get on well when he was here?" Sampson asked.

"Kimiko and Raimundo got on just as well as we all did," Omi replied.

"...He seemed like a really good guy," Sampson said.

"He pulled pranks on us all. He made fun of us all. He never did his chores. He was lazy. He betrayed us and went to the dark side and nearly got us all killed. He saved our lives so many times and he was always there to cheer us up if we were feeling upside down," Omi said.

"It's just down," Sampson corrected him, although he was amazed at what Omi was telling him. Omi took no notice.

"He was brave and determined. He always went against Master Fung's will, like when we were told to take the Shen Gong Wu and hide from Mala Mala Jong, Raimundo came back to fight. Master Fung was angry but Raimundo just wanted to help," Omi looked at Sampson and smiled. "He was a really good person."

"Yeah...he sounds it," Sampson replied.

"You would have liked him," Omi said, facing the Temple grounds again. Sampson opened his mouth to answer when a rip suddenly appeared in thin air at the other side of the grounds. Kimiko and Bethania tumbled out of it onto the grass. Omi and Sampson jumped to their feet and raced over to the two girls.

"What were you thinking?" Omi demanded before Kimiko could even open her mouth.

"I'm trying to save Raimundo's family!" Kimiko answered back, defensively. "And to be honest, I'm trying to save all of Brazil!"

"It was irresponsible!" Omi said.

"It was more than you did! Raimundo always took risks!" Kimiko argued.

"Yes and now he's dead!" Omi said.

"He's not dead," Bethania interrupted. Omi's attention was drawn to Bethania for the first time and he just looked at her questioningly, as did Sampson, who was simply stood with his hands in his pockets, not involving himself in the argument.

"I'm Bethania," Bethania told Omi. "Raimundo's sister. I'm going to help you defeat Wuya and free my brother."

Master Fung appeared behind Omi.

"I trust you are well," he said, his eyes going between Bethania and Kimiko. They both nodded. "Then go inside and tell us what has happened," Master Fung ordered gently. Kimiko led Bethania into the Temple and Omi, Sampson and Master Fung followed.

I hope you liked it. I'll update as soon as possible. Remember to review. Thanks!