We're almost done I think. I really hope you're enjoying it! This is my new favourite chapter, but I got too caught up in writing it to pay attention to typos and that so I'm really sorry about them. I hope you enjoy it anyways.

Chapter 14

Tohomiko's Escape

Kimiko's POV

No one even noticed when I had gotten to my feet. Every eye in the room was focused on Rouge and Rex, breaths being held as Rex dangled over the edge of the floating rock. Even Raimundo's, although I doubt he knows what's going on. Wuya was going to pay for what she had done to him. I didn't what would happen to me in the process but I'd worry about that afterwards.

I slipped around the side of the room, passing my friends, chained to the wall, rather than Wuya. They were so focused on the Showdown I don't even think any of them noticed me passing right in front of their faces. That suited me just fine though, if they noticed me they might draw more attention to me.

I reched the door and chanced a quick sideays glance at Wuya. The only thing that mattered to her right now was her husband winning this Showdown. I took a breath and placed my hand on the door that almost completely blended in with the walls. I half expected it not to open, was praparing myself for it, but it swung open eaily. I silently slipped threw, and closed it as quietly as possible behind me. I took several tentative steps backwards then turned and ran full out down the dark corridor. The sound of my footfalls ricocheted off the walls but I didn't care. If they came after me now the most important thing was to put as much distance between them and myself as possible.

I hurried up the stairs and through the open door to the cold entrance hallway. A panther sat boldly at the foot of the stairs to my left and I didn't need to know what had happened to know that this was Chase Young. Call in instinct. The cat turned it's yellow lamp-like eyes on me and bared it fangs. I raised my hands to show him I was weaponless, as if the cat were a figure of authority and I was a criminal.

"It's alright, Chase," I whispered. The cat snarled. "Chase Young?" I said, hoping the name would get through to it. Afterall, when Chase had turned Omi into a cat, Omi still remembered who he was. Chase looked at me but didn't move. I took a few steps closer to him and he still didn't move.

"I'm going to free you Chase," I said softly. "Not because I like you, but because we need you. You're the only one who's ever beaten Rouge LeBay." I reached out, my arm shaking and feeling weak, and gentley stroked the panther. He made a noise deep down in his throat that sounded oddly like a pur.

"You remember, don't you?" I smiled. "Well I'm going to help you so that you can help us, and then we'll be equal." I didn't want to waste anymore time. I turned and ran from the palace.

Although it was dark outside- not to mention pouring with rain- the light in comparison with the light inside the palace was overwhelmingly bright and it stung my eyes. I breathed in deeply, smelling the rain and the damp grass and a feeling of exhileration ran through my like a current. It was the feeling of being free.

The Crouching Cougar that Omi and Rex had arrived on was still standing in the rain. I climbed on and raced off as fast as I could.

End Kimiko's POV

.:.:.:.

Rouge's anger terrified even his own wife as he stormed back through the long corridor, roaring and cursing at the air. He had locked everyone, including Rex, in that chamber so now the door couldn't be opened from the inside. How could he be so foolish as to not tie the little bitch up? He suddenly rounded on Wuya.

"I was in a Showdown! You should have been watching her!" he yelled. Wuya recoiled, frightened. He continued on his way up the corridor and ascended the stairs. She followed him, making sure to stay several steps behind him.

Chase was still sat at the foot of them stairs when Rouge and Wuya emerged from the passage stairway and he watched Rouge with obediant yellow eyes. Rouge walked straight past him. Wuya bent over, her hands on her knees, and looked into Chase's panther eyes.

"Did you see her go out?" she asked quietly. "You did, didn't you? And you let her. You're still in there, aren't you Chase?" The cat just looked back at her, long, black tail flopping lazily from side to side, unphased by Rouge's anger and the deadly serious tone on Wuya's voice.

"You're still acting like Chase," Wuya said. She rolled her eyes then followed Rouge out into the rain. He was stood in front of the wooden doors staring off into the distance.

"She might still be in the palace," Wuya said. Rouge shook his head.

"Rex and Omi came on the Croughing Cougar. Neither of them had it with them and it's not here. Kimiko's took it," Rouge said. He was gazing off in the direction of the Temple. "She'll come back though." He turned and went back into the palace. Wuya followed him without a word.

.:.:.:.

Rex ran his hand over the door, exasperatedly. He had been locked up with the rest of the prisoners by his own brother. Adrenaline had blocked out most of his feelings but now he was calming down, his head was beginning to throb dully. He had tried loosening the chains on all of the warriors but none of them budged so instead he was trying to wrench the padlock off Dojo's tiny cage. He wasn't having much look.

"Don't worry about it, I'll live," Dojo said from inside the cage.

"Have you tried supersizing?" Rex asked.

"Of course I have!" Dojo said, sounding insulted. "I nearly suffocated."

"You can teleport can't you? Like Rouge can," Omi said.

"He'll have thought of that. There'll be something here that stops me from doing it," Rex said. He was beginning to lose his temper on the padlock and began beating it with his fist.

"Hey! You've no idea how loud that is in here!" Dojo complained. Rex turned his anger onto the wall instead and planted his fist into it's rocky surface giving out a yell of pain.

"Did that help?" Clay asked. Rex was looking down at his bleeding knuckles as if he had never seen blood before.

"There's got to be a way out of here," Rex said, not looking up.

"But you've tried everything possible," Omi sighed.

"Kimiko will come back," Clay said.

"Yeah she will. She wouldn't leave him," Rex said. He looked at Raimundo. Raimundo stared blankly at the wall.

"What's wrong with him?" Clay asked. Rex shrugged.

"I fear Raimundo may be catatonic," Master Fing said, speaking up for the first time.

"Well, that's not good," Clay said sadly.

"Kimiko will return," Omi said.

"As long as they don't catch her before she gets here," Rex said quietly. There was silence.

.:.:.:.

Kimiko's POV

I'd been walking for hours. My feet hurt but I barely noticed. I couldn't get the image of Raimundo, all chained up and staring blankly, almost lifeless, at nothing, out of my head. I was determined to get him- and the rest of my friends- out of there before one of them was actually killed.

I approached the house I'd been asking around for and looked upat it. It was just an ordinary house in an ordinary street but this had to be the place- there was a cat stalking through the long grass in the garden and two more cats perched on the windowsill. I reached up, hesitated, then knocked on the door. There were butterflies in my stomach, making me feel sick, but they'd been there ever since I realised I could escape without anyone noticing me.

There was silence for a few minutes and I was starting to think no one was in, or maybe I had got the wrong house, then I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Moments later the door was opened and I was looking at a girl a head taller than me. She had green eyes and her short blonde hair was hanging losely to her shoulders. She was wearing pink pajamers with a picture of a fluffly, white cat on the top. Katnappe. Although, without her costume, she's just plain old Ashley isn't she?

"What do you want?" she snapped. "It's the middle of the night."

"I know but it's important!" I said, praying she wasn't going to either slam the door in my face or start a fight. I didn't have time, I knew Rouge and Wuya would find me eventually.

"Do you remember when Raimundo locked Wuya in that puzzlebox and then you let her out?"

"Yes," she said shortly.

"What did you do with the box? Have you still got it?" I asked.

"I might do," she said.

"Can you have a look?" I said desperately.

"What's in it for me?" she asked. She rested one hand on the door frame and looked at me intently. I thought furiously.

"I'll buy you a new house. A better house," I said.

"Have you got that money?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Well, I'll ask my..." I trailed off, thinking of my dad for the first time since I was released from the Possession Necklace and thrown into the chamber. I looked at my feet. His money would be mine now, I knew, but I wasn't sure if I could bring myself to spend it on Katnappe. But it would help us. It might even save the world. It might save Raimundo. I looked back into Katnappe's eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, I do," I said. She grinned, revealing fanglike teeth. She stepped aside to let me into the house.

End Kimiko's POV

.:.:.:.

Rex sat crosslegged on the floor beside Raimundo's lifeless body. He had tried everything he could think of to coax Raimundo out of his trance and had resorted to clicking his fingers in front of Raimundo's face, still with no success.

"What has she actually done to him?" Dojo's voice asked from inside the cage.

"He's got a lot of quite deep cuts," Rex replied. "He must have lost so much blood... I don't anything's broken...I hope nothing's broken anyway. But I've been tortured by Heyling magic once, the pain is unbelievable and it was only for a couple of minutes. He's had for how fucking long? Wuya really goes at it doesn't she? And it's quite a few times a day. And he's been here for over a week... no wonder he's like this. He's lucky to be alive."

"We will be able to move him once we're all unchained, won't we?" Clay asked uncertainly.

"It could be really risky," Rex replied. "And even if he survives a trip back to the Temple or to a hospital he might stay in this state for god knows long. Maybe he'll never come out of it. And if he does come out of it, he might not even be able to walk."

"He could be paralysed?" Omi asked. Rex nodded.

"The chances of him being able to finish his training to become a Xiaolin Dragon if by some miracle of god he survives this are a million to one," Rex said, now shaking his head. He felt something deep down, but for now he refused to believe it was pity for this poor boy. He couldn't pity a Xiaolin warrior. When this was all over, they would be enemies. It was bad enough he was already having to tell himself he couldn't make friends with any of them.

"We will give Raimundo all the help we can get for him to help him recover," Master Fung said.

"Yes," Omi agreed. "We cannot give up on him."

"Suppose..." Clay begain. He felt everyone's eyes sting him and was on the verge of forgetting what he was about to say, but he knew the idea of it would eat him up if he didn't. "Suppose Raimundo doesn't survive this...suppose he dies...what do you think will happen? we need Raimundo whether any of us will admit it or not...and if we lose him...we might lose Kimiko too."

Omi looked sadly at Raimundo, secretly sure they had already lost them both.

.:.:.:.

Kimiko's POV

Katnappe's house stank of cats. That's all I can say to be honest. There were cats everywhere. I was starting to think it was all just a crazy dream or hallucination. There were five or six cats prowling around the living room that she led me into and there were two photographs of cats and one painting of a cat hung on the living room wall. It was insane.

"Wait here," Katnappe said. "If you so anything, or steal anything, I will kill you, right?" Then she left the room. I felt something brush my ankles and I looked down to see a fluffy white cat rubbing its head against me. It looked up at me hopefully, its tail flicking back and forth, and I gave it a gentle push with my foot. It looked at me disdainfully and stalked off, its tail held up high. I watched it go without a single trace of guilt. I never was a cat person.

It felt like I was standing in Katnappe's cat-ruled living room for hours and I was starting to think she had just forgotten about me and gone back to bed when she re-entered the room. A small puzzlebox was held in her hands and my heart skipped a beat.

"This what you're after?" she asked.

"Yes!" I said, a tiny spark of hope flickering in my heart. I reached out to take it but Katnappe pulled away.

"If you go back on our deal, I'll let Wuya out again," Katnappe threatened.

"Okay, just give me it!" I said. She raised an eyebrow. "Please!" I said. Finally, she held it out and it took it gentley from her hands and looked down at it. It felt oddly cold in my hands. It was shut and my heart sank when I remembered how it was opened last time.

"The box will open when the person who need to open it most opens it," Omi had said. The only person who could open was Raimundo and the chances of him doing that now were slim.

"Is there a problem?" Katnappe asked. I jumped slightly; I'd almost forgotten she was there. I looked up and smiled.

"No, I'm good," I said. And then she said something that truely shocked me.

"You look tired," she said. There was true concern in her voice. I just looked at her and then it was too hard to look her in the eyes so I dropped my gave to her pajama clad knees.

"You don't think you can do it, do you?" she said. I felt tears prick my eyes and I fought desperately to keep them at bay but my efforts were in vain and the tears overflowwed and spilled down my cheeks.

"They've got Master Fung, Omi, Clay and Dojo and Wuya's done something to Rai!" I sobbed. I think I startled Katnappe because she took a single step backwards. "He's alive but he's not moving or anything and he's siffered so much! I think if I don't get him some medical help soon he'll die! And Rouge's brother was trying to help us and now he's been caught and Chase has been turned into a fucking panther and Hannibal Bean's been sent to sleep with the Sleeping Star which we don't have!" Tears tumbled down my cheeks in a rapid waterfall and Katnappe stood motionless, looking at me.

"I just want my daddy!" I cried. The tears came harder than ever. I could see them hitting the top of the puzzlebox in my hands and then splashing off like the rain hitting the rooftops outside. Katnappe left the room but I barely noticed. I stood where I was, releasing the tears that had built up for so long but were never allowed to fall. Then Katnappe came back and she prised the puzzlebox from my hands and forced a cool glass of water into them instead. I was so surprised by her act of kindness that I actually stopped crying for a moment. Not for long though. I drank the water and sobbed my thanks as she took the glass of me. I wiped my streaming eyes on my sleeve and took the puzzlebox back. Katnappe went to put the glass back in the kitchen and I fled the house before she returned.

End Kimiko's POV

.:.:.:.

While Kimiko had been wandering the dark, rain drenched streets searching for Katnappe's house, Rouge was taking his anger out on a defenceless man who had the misfortune to be wandering the streets late that night. The damage had been numerous cuts, three broken fingers, a broken wrist, a leg amputation, two broken ribs and a punctured lung until the man finally choked to death. But Rouge was still angry. How could he have let the little bitch escape? Had it been planned? Was the real reason for Rex's Showdown? Whatever it was, he would find her and she would pay.

Wuya watched Rouge, a little scared, as he tossed the body of the man back out into the rain. His rage hadn't subsided in the slightest. Rouge hardly ever got angry, but when he did, you had to stay out of his way. Wuya knew that well enough, especially after what he had done to Rex when she and Rex first got together. Although, at the time, she had been more flattered than frightened. He had been angry because he liked her but his little brother was the one she had chosen. In the space of fifteen minutes, he had beaten Rex so badly, Rex had almost died. That was when she first started to realise that Rex was useless. His first attempts to fight back were feeble and then he ceased fighting altogether after five minutes because he was too weak and too injured.

She and Rouge had actually got together while she was still with Rex and when Rex found out he and Rouge had gone at each other like stags fighting over a doe. Of course, Rex came of worse then as well and that was the official end of her relationship with him. She and Rouge were together for twenty years before they became husband and wife and at first she wasn't sure whether they were rushing it or not but she didn't care. Rouge had stuck by her until the end. Until that fight with Dashi, Chase and Guan. That had been the last time she saw Rouge until he showed up in the temple grounds not long ago. And his years of imprisonment as one of Chase's wild cats hadn't changed him in the slightest.

Rouge was now throwing balls of dangerous green light at the rock walls, breaking chunks of it, and it one place, he had torn a whole completely in the side of the palace, letting in small showers of rain. The wall had groaned slightly and Wuya was sure the whole thing was going to collapse but it didn't. The walls were thick and strong. Wuya knew that if they caught Kimiko, it'd be her last day on Earth. The thought made her grin as more rock crumbled from the wall and the air around her flashed green.

.:.:.:.

Kimiko's POV

I was back at the palace. I hid the Crouching Cougar in my pocket, hoping it not being parked outside the palace, screaming at the world that I was inside, would buy me more time. I could hear Rouge nearby, screaming in fury and every now and again the ceiling above me shook and rock dust fell to the floor, some of it landing in my hair and once, going in my eye, stinging it. My eyes were already swollen and sore from so much crying, but I fought the tears back now, simpley because I knew how loud the sound of my crying in this palace would be.

Chase Young was still sat at the foot of the stairs and I was fairly sure that his ears pricked and his tail flicked slightly when I entered, almost as if he was happy to see me. I knew he could still remember if I was with him, but if Rouge gave him an order he had to follow it whether he wanted to or not. I prayed Rouge wouldn't turn up now.

"Chase?" I whispered. I approached the cat and scratched it behind the ears. "Do you know where Rouge has hidden the stolen Shen Gong Wu?" The cat just looked at me for a moment and then it got to it's feet and padded lightly up the stairs. I looked around nervously. The sound of Rouge taking his anger out on the walls was coming from the door on my right. I quickly and quietly followed Chase up the stairs. The staircase was longer than I had expected and the chill in the air seemed to deepen the higher I climbed. I finally reached the top and looked around. For a second I thought Chase had disappeared, but then I saw the end of his tail flick round a corner to my left and I hurried after him. He stopped halfway down the corridor at a wooden door and scratched it with his right paw. I tried the handle but the door was locked. I looked down at the panther. The panther looked back up at me. There was nothing for it.

"Judellet Flip, fire!" I said. I applied a strong kick to the door. Flames burst around the area where my foot hit the door and spread all over its surface and it crashed to the floor. I held out my hands and the fire rushed into them, vanishing. I knew Rouge and Wuya would have heard that, even with the racket Rouge was making. And I was right. I heard two sets of footsteps racing across the entrance hall floor towards tha stairs.

Chase padded into the room. It was tiny, no bigger than a closet and there was nothing in it. Chase pawed at the blank wall on the left.

"Are they hidden?" I asked the cat. It's tail flicked once to the right and I took that as a yes. "Do I have to open it with blood like Rec did in the chamber?" The tail flicked again. Rouge and Wuya had nearly reached the top of the stairs. I held the puzzleboxin my left hand and raised the thumb of my right hand to my mouth and bit down, hard. I winced at the pain but clamped down harder until I felt the skin break and tasted the metallic tang of blood. I trickled slowly down my thumb but it wasn't bleeding too much. I ran my thumb across the surface of the rock wall and it stung even more but I ignored it. The outline of a small door, more like a cupboard door or a safe than anything else, glowed green. I pressed down on it and it swung open. Inside were all the Shen Gong Wu Rouge had stolen, including the Possession Necklace, the Sun Chi Lantern and the Sleeping Star. I pulled the Sun Chi Lantern from it's place on the dusty shelf and crouhed down in front of Chase.

"Put your paw on it," I said. "Quick before he gets here or he'll stop you!" The panther raised it's paw and placed it on the Sun Chi Lantern just as Rouge and Wuya entered the room. Rouge screamed, outraged.

A blue light glowed around Chase. He reared up onto his hind legs as his black fur retreated into human skin. His snout shortened and became a human mouth and nose and the fur on his head elonginated until it resembled Chase's hair. His paws became hands and feet. The glow subsided and Chase Young stood before me, flexing his fingers and wincing as if they were stiff.

"Thank you, Kimiko," he said. I never thought I'd be so happy to hear Chase Young's voice. Then Chase looked at Rouge. I was sure I saw a flicker of fear dart across Rouge's dark eyes, but it was so quick I could have imagined it.

"As for you, Rouge LeBay," Chase raised his hand, ready to click his fingers and I knew he was going to turn Rouge back into a cat, but Rouge seized one side of the Sun Chi Lantern that was still in my hands and it glowed yellow.

"Kimiko, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown," he said. Chase couldn't dishonour a Showdown challenge and he lowered his hand. I knew full well that if I lost the Sun Chi Lantern to Rouge he would turn Chase back into a panther and he would probably kill me. I passed the puzzlebox to Chase just as Wuya noticed it the panic in her eyes was definite.

"No Shen Gong Wu, just martial arts skills," Rouge said. "Winner gets the Sun Chi Latern."

"And all the other Shen Gong Wu you stole," I said. "And I win, you free all my friends and Rex." Rouge bared his teeth angrilly, but nodded.

The floor shook as the four walls drew back, widening the room. A thick black ring formed around us. A chunk of rock where Chase and Wuya were each standing burst from the ground and raised them into the air so they could see into the ring.

My panic was almost overwhelming as I glared into Rouge's dark eyes and saw nothing but pure fury. My certainty that he was going to kill me didn't change but I started to realise that he would make me suffer a lot first. Like what Wuya had done to Rai. Then an image of Rai, chained up, bleeding and staring unseeingly at the wall ahead of him, flashed across my mind and my panic was momentarily overcome by fury that might just match Rouge's.

"Gong Yi Tempai!" we screamed. Rouge was quick. He darted forward and kicked me in the stomach. I wasn't ready, therefore, I didn't have time to block the attack, and I went sprawling on my back, my stomach heaving dryly. I got shakily to my feet and received a blow to the head which knocked me straight back down again. I suddenly felt far too weak and far too tired. I hadn't slept or eaten in days and I was in no condition to fight. I had been running on adrenaline up until now but it seemed that adrenaline was running low now, at the most inconvenient time. A ball of ominous black mist hit the floor beside me powerful enough to leave a small crater and I had time ti imagine what would have happened of it had hit my head when a second one struck my arm. I let out an earpiercing scream as pain ran up my arm, through my chest and into my head. Blood blossomed on my sleeve and I wasn't sure I wanted to see what damage had been done. I knew if I stayed on the floor any longer I'd lose for sure. That thought got me to my feet. My left arm stung fiercely and it stung even more when I moved it but I was relieved to find that it it did actually move, nevermind how much it hurt.

I faced Rouge. He had that hideous grin plastered on his face again. It was so similar to the one Rex always wore with one major difference; Rex's seemed a lot more...friendly, whether he was evil or not.

"Come on Kimiko, you can't give in this easily," Rouge smirked.

"I'm not," I growled. I gritted my teeth against the pain and charged at Rouge, aiming for a flip over him so I could trip him up from behind and deliver a swift kick to the head to leave him dazed but her caught me by my forearms. I did do a flip but it didn't go as I'd intended, mostly because Rouge helped me. Heswung his own body around with such force and speed that I was lifted off my feet and slammed back down onto the ground on my back. Tears of pain welled in my eyes but I jumped to my feet before Rouge could attack again.

"Judellet Flip, fire!" I called. Balls of flame circled around my closed fists and I spun in a full circle to gain power and threw them as hard as I could at Rouge. He dodged them easily and I groaned.

"Come on, you can do better than that," Rouge said. "Give it your best shot."

I did. I went for the most basic attack there is and threw my fist into his face. It connected with his cheekbone and he fell backwards, hitting the ground with such force that his legs rebounded slightly and bounced into the air again. I'll admit, I was slightly stunned by that punch.

"Come on Rouge, get her!" Wuya screamed from her perch above us. Her hands were balled into fists and she was dancing from one foot to the other with anticipation. Chase stood calmly, his arms folded across his chest, gazing down at the battle as if he were watching nothing more exciting than the weather report on television.

Rouge was up instantly. And then he vanished. I groaned, looking around nervously. Something caught my in the stomach and flipped me forward so I landed on my front and this time I did vomit. I choked, trying to get my breath back whilst trying to keep from vomiting again. Rouge approached me calmly. He placed his foot underneath me and rolled me over onto my stomach.

"You can always give up," he said. I stared down, straight into my eyes and I saw nothing in his but pure loathing. I felt like if I looked in to those dark eyes for too long I'd go insane.

"Or you can join Pedrosa in lala land," Rouge said. Wuya laughed wickedly at that as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. I thought of Raimundo again. That anger. That undescribable anger. It washed over me like a cold wave and I welcomed it.

I rolled backwards slightly, so my legs were in the air, my knees bent and then kicked out at Rouge with all the force I could muster, like a horse kicking a man with its hind legs. Rouge let out a surprised yell and stumbled backwards, holding his stomach, then tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor. I rolled back onto my front and got on my hands and knees; it was easier to get to my feet that way. I ran to Rouge before he could get up again and kicked him in the head as hard as I could. He let out another yell. I quickly crouched down and grabbed a handful of Rouge's shoulder-length red-brown hair and yanked it up towards me so his head lifted off the floor. Then I placed my other hand on his forehead and slammed his head back down onto the floor. I jumped up and delivered yet another blow to his head.

"Fight her!" Wuya was yelling from the side. A thin smile had spread across Chase's lips, but I paid no attention to either of them. Right now, my mind was fully focused on the image of Raimundo and I vented all my anger onto Rouge. Wuya was the one who had hurt him, but Rouge was the one who had captured him. He had used me to get him. He knew Raimundo would come after me. If I won this Showdown, Raimundo had a chance of recovery. If I lost...I didn't want to think about that.

Rouge flung out an arm, more in self defence than an attack but he caught me on the side of the leg and my knees buckled. I fell to the floor beside him. Before I knew what was happening, he was looming over me and his hands were around my throat. For now, he seemed to have forgotten he had Heyling magic. There was blood running down the side of his face and his features were contorted into an ugly picture of terrible rage.

I flailed and then grasped his hands and tried to pry them away from my neck but they wouldn't budge. He was too strong. I couldn't breathe. The panic returned and I became certain he was going to choke me to death right here, right now. I kicked my legs wildly but they hit nothing but air and all I could see was those dreadful dark brown eyes, partly covered by his red hair. Blood trickled along his cheek and onto his nose and dripped onto my face. It was hot and it almost felt like it was burning my skin where it had landed.

"Fuck lala land," Rouge growled. "You're going where your pathetic fuck of a dad went! I never fucking lose!"

"Well...you...going...to lose...this time," I managed. My choked voice sounded foreign even to myself and it hurt my throat even more to talk. But that comment on my dad had gotten through my panic to that part of my brain that still functioned correctly. I kicked my leg out again and this time, instead of hitting air, my foot connected with Rouge's critch so hard he couldn't even scream. He rolled off me and curled up on the floor, tears streaming down his cheeks, his pale face turning red.

"Cheap shot!" Wuya yelled angrilly. I lay where I was for a moment, choking down beautiful air and then coughing it back up again. I could already feel bruises forming on my throat. I rolled over and got on my hands and knees again, still coughing. Then I forced myself onto my feet and stumbled over to Rouge. I kicked him again in the head and then in the shoulder and then in the chest and then the head again. Then I seized his wrists and dragged him towards the edge of the circle. He was already beginning to fight back.

"No!" Wuya cried. I kicked Rouge in the head again, hoping to knock him out but with no such luck. He was kicking out violently with his legs and his wrists were trying to rip themselves from my grip but I held on for dear life.

"You'll...pay...for what...you've done," I coughed. Then I turned to look up at Wuya. "You both will!" Then the coughing was too strong for me to speak and resorted to simply dragging Rouge to the edge of the ring.

"GET OFF MY BITCH!" Rouge screamed. "YOU CAN'T FUCKING WIN! I NEVER FUCKING LOSE AND I WON'T NOW! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU BASTARD!" I screamed. My throat burned angrilly and it felt like my lungs were being ripped open with the force of that yell but it brought my anger back. I pulled on Rouge's wrists as hard as I could so he was pulled up a bit then swung him around with strength I never would have believed I had until today.

"Judellet Flip...FIRE!" I screamed as loud as my swollen throat would allow. With the power of my element, I raised Rouge's whole body off the ground and swung him in a full circle. Then I let go of his wrists and he flew striaght out of the ring.

"NO!" Wuya screamed. But it was too late. I had won.

End Kimiko's POV

.:.:.:.

Rex was lying on his back on the floor, his eyes closed and one tattooed arm lay over the top of them.

"She's not coming back is she?" Clay said doubtfully. It was hard to tell how long it had been since Kimiko's escape but he knew it had been a more than a few hours. He looked sadly at his fellow warriors. Omi looked away, not wanting to meet Clay's eyes. Raimundo didn't even blink.

"Trust in your fellow monk," Master Fung said. He had barely finished speaking when the chains around their wrists, and the ones around Raimundo's ankles and the one attaching the belt around his neck to the wall glowed green and seemingly melted into nothing. Dojo's cage did the same. Omi, who had been too small for his feet to reach the floor, gave out a startled yell as he thumped down to earth. Clay looked at his wrists in wonder. Raimundo's arms flopped limply to his sides and he leaned over to the right and his head hit the floor. Healing wounds on his arms ripped open again a new cut was torn into his cheek when it hit the ground, spilling yet more blood. Omi, Clay, Master Fung and Dojo ran to him. Rex had sat up and was just looking at them in wonder.

"Raimundo? Can you hear me?" Omi asked. Raimundo did nothing.

"Raimundo, partner?" Clay said. Raimundo did nothing.

"Raimundo?" Master Fung shook Raimundo's shoulder gentley. Raimundo nothing.

"Come on kid, do something!" Dojo said desperately. "Blink at least!"

Raimundo did nothing. Omi and Clay looked at Master Fung for answers, but Master Fung just looked down at the motionless Xiaolin Dragon on the Wind.

.:.:.:.

Kimiko had run off to find the chamber with her friends inside, now all unchained inside an unlocked room. She had forgotten all about Chase and the puzzlebox she had gotten off Katnappe. Rouge was recovering already, but most of it was just because he was so angry. He screamed and punched the wall, just as his own younger brother had done, and grazed his knuckles. He forgot about everything and stormed from the palace and Rouge LeBay unleashed his fury on the world.

If you have any sort of idea how hard I worked on this chapter, would you PLEASE be kind enough to review and tell me what you think of it. I really, really, REALLY appreciate it and reading your comments boosts my self confidence and your constructive critisism helps me further develop my writing, so please, take two minutes to give me your feedback and I will love you forever. I'll try and update soon but I've started college again now so I don't know how long it will take.