well, it's been a long time coming and, in the making, but I've finally decided to upload then submit the tenth chapter of my 'Xiaolin Showdown' fanfiction, 'Raimundo Pedrosa and Kimiko Tohomiko's 'Into the Rush Now', which also doubles as the first chapter in quite a while since I'd uploaded the previous chapter just before I hit a roadblock with my own rebuilding of CommonKnowledge's own fanfiction of a similar name, 'Into the Rush'. I'm not actually stealing their work. I just hated it when they totally abandoned their fanfiction, let it end on a cliffhanger plot and left it forever unfinished. I'm also beginning to wonder if whoever CommonKnowledge is behind their own penname is even still alive today. I'm only writing this fanfiction because I hate to be left in suspense, really. in this fanfiction, however, Raimundo is less of a CIA agent and more of an Interpol officer.
this tenth chapter of 'Raimundo Pedrosa and Kimiko Tohomiko's 'Into the Rush Now'' is a good two-thousand-two-hundred-ninety-six words of storyline long, give or take a comment or two from yours truly disguised as an author's note hidden within the chapter. it is a storyline which doesn't include the explanatory paragraph up above, the headnote, right here, telling how many words are in this tenth chapter, or the (mandatory) disclaimer which makes up the following paragraph after this word-counting headnote.
disclamation: I don't own either the gem that was 'Xiaolin Showdown' or its sucky excuse for a reboot that was 'Xiaolin Chronicles'. both series are owned solely by Christy Hui in terms of creation. I know, just like the Fountain of Hui shen gong wu. if I were a gambler, I'd wager that she named that particular shen gong wu after herself. the ownership rights of 'Xiaolin Showdown' in terms of production are reserved for the Warner Brothers Studios, while the ownership rights of the trainwreck that was 'Xiaolin Chronicles' in its own productional terms are reserved for DisneyXD. most of this fanfiction is not even my own work. it was originally done by someone else on this site under the penname of CommonKnowledge, but he/she abandoned their own fanfiction. I'm beginning to wonder if the person behind the penname is even still breathing. anyway, I only wrote this fanfiction up because I wanted to continue their work for them if they were just never gonna finish their own fanfiction. at least, I admit to that sort of thing.
Meanwhile within the guest room, Raimundo worked pretty fast and opened up a bag of his own which he had yet to touch since having even come to New York City just under a year prior. Inside of his bag were things like his Interpol badge, his gun, and mace brand pepper spray, along with a few other stuff that he had with him leftover from his days working at the International Police. It was all things that would deter a baddy who had gotten too close.
At first, Raimundo had planned on giving the pepper spray to Kimiko until he remembered just how easily the girl had flipped Paulo over back in the dojo. She looked pretty capable of taking care of herself just from that alone. The memory of the beautiful girl flipping that intentionally arrogant and knowingly malicious Italian/French jerk over her shoulder left the Brazilian more than a bit lustful towards her. Shaking that kind of thinking out of his head, he decided that the girl with whom he had to play this sick, twisted game would be better off safe than sorry.
Raimundo had even considered the bullet-proof vest he had also brought with him from his days working for the International Police. He decided against wearing it, though.
Raimundo Pedrosa's brain: I wonder if I could get Kimiko to wear it instead, just in case.
The Brazilian only smirked at his thoughts on the girl in the other room wearing the bullet-proof vest in his stead, guessing that it would probably be a lost battle. In all honesty, Raimundo did not even know why he was even bothering with all these precautions from his own bag. He did not even know who his enemy even was, never mind if they posed a real enough threat to warrant his need for the stuff inside of his bag from his days on the force as preparations of any kind.
Raimundo then chanced a glance around the doorjamb into the living room in which Kimiko was at the time. He spotted her sitting on the couch, and her brow and her nose were both completely wrinkled. She looked as though she were considering something about the instructions of the game with which the two of them both had to play along like their lives depended on it… well, the lives of certain family members of theirs, anyway.
Raimundo Pedrosa's brain (continued): Ah man, is she ever cute?
The Brazilian even drooled a bit at the sight of the pretty girl in the other room from just beyond the door hinges.
A/N: OK! down, boy! heal! take it easy there, Romeo.
Raimundo tried to snap himself out of the trance into which Kimiko had unknowingly put him, but he just could not do it… not quietly, anyway. He was only able to snap himself out of his daydream upon punching himself across the face.
Raimundo Pedrosa's brain (continued): This is starting to get annoying, dude! How many times do ya gotta tell yourself to keep those stupidly perverted thoughts outta your head, Pedrosa?
Of course, it was only natural that a guy like Raimundo Pedrosa would be that heavily attracted to a girl, no, to a woman, as pretty as Kimiko Tomye was, she was so cute. And sure, the two of them had only just met one another and were only with one another because they had been drafted into participating in such a dangerous game for the sake of their loved ones. Raimundo did, however, want to know so much more about Kimiko than just her name and her age, it had hurt the young Brazilian so bad.
At the same time, however, Raimundo just knew that he did not know any of the personal details of Kimiko's life, nor did he actually need to know. He let out a breath at the realization that he had only known the girl in the other room for less than even a day. Of course, the realization of that one little fact was that of the blindingly painful kind in more ways than one.
Raimundo then put his efforts for the rest of this little stop by his and his New Yorker friend, Omi's, apartment into concentrating completely on concealing all weapons he would most likely need for the day ahead of him and his partner, Kimiko, for the dangerous game into which the two of them had both been drafted with which to play along. The girl with the young Brazilian was probably on the side of their mystery enemy, for all he knew, anyway. As such, it was definitely not the time to have such lustful thoughts about just this one girl.
Raimundo hooked a gun onto the back of his waistband and made extra sure that his shirt would be able to keep it concealed. The Brazilian hooked another gun onto an ankle holster on his personage. He then considered a couple of throwing knives he liked to carry and made sure to hide them, as well. He also shoved a Swiss Army knife into his pocket for a bit of good measure.
Raimundo had finally started to feel ready for this dangerous game into which he was drafted for the day ahead of him only for his mind to wander right back to Kimiko immediately thereafter. The Brazilian had only wondered if the girl in question had any protection from anyone sketchy the two of them might encounter together. Of course, there was but one way to find out, and that was for him to ask her, himself. So, he headed back into the room in which she was and prepared himself to ask her if she had any protection from whomever the two of them were up against.
Raimundo Pedrosa: Yo, Kimiko?
Kimiko seemed to hear Raimundo. She acted as though she did not listen to what he was about to say, however, especially since she did not even look up at him as he re-entered the room of the apartment in which she was.
Kimiko Tomye: Let's get started on this.
Since Kimiko obviously just wanted to get started on the matter at hand of the game into which the two of them were both drafted as participants, Raimundo suddenly sighed and believed that he should probably have just cut to the chase of asking her if she had anything on her personage for the sake of protection from whomever the two of them were up against in their dangerous game.
Raimundo Pedrosa: I just wanted to ask you if you had any sort of protection on you.
Kimiko suddenly sat up straight like a gunshot had just been fired off. She looked up at her partner, Raimundo, as her face became enflamed into a blush. Then, her face grew an expression of indignity and even blinked at her male partner.
Kimiko Tomye: Excuse me?
Raimundo suddenly wondered just what he had said or done to offend Kimiko at all. Finally, his big ole' eyebrows shot up, his face turned as red as hers and his eyes widened to the size of large serving plates as soon as he had suddenly realized just what he had just asked her at the time.
A/N: serving plates… they're like the size of dinner plates, only even bigger than that. do you get it?
The young Brazilian suddenly became completely desperate to fix his mistake.
Raimundo Pedrosa: Ah God, no. That was NOT where I was going with the word 'protection'. I just wanted to know if you had anything, at all, to defend yourself with. You know, like a taser or a mace pepper spray or something.
Kimiko Tomye: I'm sorry.
It was an awkward apology from her end, and Kimiko's face then glowed a bright red at Raimundo. For one reason or another, she was also relieved yet still uncomfortable.
Kimiko Tomye's mind: Just what the hey was even going through my mind if 'sexual protection' was what I thought he meant at first?
Raimundo looked just as uncomfortable as Kimiko was at the time.
Raimundo Pedrosa: You know what? Just forget it.
It was a pretty reassuring thing for Raimundo to say to Kimiko. He then cleared his throat to speak to her further.
Raimundo Pedrosa (continued): So, do you?
Kimiko just shook her head at Raimundo as she was still unable to look at him. Then, she replied further.
Kimiko Tomye: No. I hate that kind of stuff.
With Kimiko's response, Raimundo saw that she clearly did not think that she had any need for things such as even a mace pepper spray. It was a pretty brave choice to walk around without even a thing of pepper spray, but the Brazilian turned New Yorker still believed that she would be better off safe than sorry.
Raimundo Pedrosa: Maybe you should.
Kimiko easily had a comeback or two up her sleeve at Raimundo's comment about even a thing of pepper spray on her personage. She finally looked him in the eyes as she spoke to him.
Kimiko 'Tomye': Maybe we should get to work on this clue. And why do you even think I'd need any kind of protection at all?
Raimundo suddenly saw that Kimiko was getting suspicious of his former career as an officer of the Interpol back in Washington D.C.. That sort of idea was obviously nothing good for him. The Brazilian knew he had to do something or say something, anything, to deter the suspicions from this very girl both of origins and of intents unknown who was with him in his best New Yorker friend's apartment by then.
Raimundo Pedrosa: I'm just preparing for anything and anybody we might encounter in this game we have ahead of us. Is that so bad? Is that so wrong? Is that so unusual?
Kimiko 'Tomye': To all three of those questions you asked me after what you said; I don't know, I don't care, and why would I think it's unusual on the mean streets of New York City?
Raimundo sat next to his newest partner, Kimiko, on the couch as he spoke further to the girl of origins and intent known only to the young woman in question.
Raimundo Pedrosa: So, just goin' out on a limb here, but I'm guessing that I probably couldn't convince you to wear a bulletproof vest then, could I?
Kimiko 'Tomye': I'd have to say a big 'no' to that. You couldn't.
Kimiko's eyes widened to the size of serving plates as she realized what suggestion her new partner for the game into which she had been drafted, Raimundo, had just made at the time.
Kimiko 'Tomye' (continued): Why? You don't think we're up against something that requires a bulletproof vest, do you?
Raimundo only shrugged at her sarcastic question.
Raimundo Pedrosa: All I'm saying is that you might need it, especially when considering the exact kind of people we're dealing with. I mean, we're up against somebody who has no qualms whatsoever with kidnapping your father and a little girl from some random family and even threaten the lives of their captives in question.
Kimiko had finally conceded to Raimundo's request for her to at least wear the bulletproof vest he had carried with him on his personnel.
Kimiko 'Tomye': OK, fine. You're right. It's just a little hard to get my head around something like this.
Raimundo watched Kimiko as he thought it would have most likely been good for her to wrap her head around the thought of the people who had orchestrated her father's and his younger sister's kidnapping and who had drafted the two of them into their sick little game before she could comply to his request about his bulletproof vest. The Brazilian had only hoped that his partner for the game into which the two of them had both been drafted by the ones who kidnapped her father and his kid sister would get the idea around her head as soon as possible. He did not want to scare her with the need for a bulletproof vest, but he could not afford to let her take it lightly either.
Raimundo Pedrosa: It's not like I'm tryin' to scare you here, Kimiko, but I just need you to be prepared for anything and everything that might happen to us while we're playing this deadly game.
Kimiko looked at her partner, Raimundo, and for the first time since the two of them had met one another, the Brazilian saw her confidence waver slightly.
Kimiko 'Tomye': You know, I'm just not used to dealing with stuff like this.
Kimiko's eyes narrowed slightly as she took a much closer look at Raimundo.
Kimiko 'Tomye' (continued): You seem to be used to this sort of thing, though.
Raimundo shifted uncomfortably at the possibility of being so close to Kimiko figuring him out for real.
Raimundo Pedrosa: I was in law enforcement.
Kimiko 'Tomye': 'Was'?
Raimundo Pedrosa: I've been thinking about a shift in my career for a while now.
Granted that it was not much of a lie, but it still was certainly not the truth. Luckily for Raimundo, Kimiko seemed to accept his explanation and nodded her head as she motioned back to the stapled sheets of paper.
Kimiko 'Tomye': First clue.
Raimundo took a quick breather and reached for the sheets of paper which were stapled together, plucking them from within Kimiko's hands.
Raimundo Pedrosa: Shall we?