Kimiko snipped off the last bit of uneven hair. She stepped back and looked at his new haircut. It looked about as close to the way she remembered it as it was going to get. She gathered up the pieces of hair and dropped them into the bin.
"Not bad," she said, "But I won't look forward to a career in hairdressing."
She smiled, but Raimundo continued to stare into space. She sighed and sat down next to him, trying to think of a way to get her old friend back. A way that she could awaken him from the nightmare which he currently resided in. She put an arm around his shoulders.
"It's gonna be okay, I promise," she said, "We'll get your memory back."
Raimundo blinked slowly. His mouth moved, but no sound came out, but still his mouth moved in the same shapes. 'Ki-Mi-Ko'.
There was a sudden loud knocking at the door, accompanied by a loud voice.
"Kimiko? You in there?" asked Clay loudly.
"No!" came the reply, "Piss off already!"
"We wish to speak to you!" said Omi.
"Later!" said Kimiko.
Omi shrugged.
"She's busy," he said, before running off down the corridor.
Clay, however, was far more suspicious than Omi was. As he listened, he could hear Kimiko talking to someone. Very slowly, he twisted the handle, before flinging the door open. Kimiko stood up straight, blocking the window from view.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked.
"I'm here to see who you're talking to!" said Clay, walking forward.
"You've been listening at my door?" asked Kimiko angrily, "Perv!"
Clay quickly pushed her aside and leaned out of the window. When he stood up he was holding Raimundo by the collar. He pulled him back into the room from where Kimiko had just hidden him.
"Clay stop it!" screamed Kimiko.
"You've let this traitor into your room?" asked Clay angrily.
"Clay let him go!" shouted Kimiko.
Clay looked around at Raimundo. As he tugged the shirt, it came undone, revealing the bandages across his chest and stomach. Clay let go in surprise.
"What the hell?" asked Clay, as Kimiko leaped in front of Raimundo to protect him.
Raimundo backed into the corner and sank to the floor, rocking back and forth again.
"Wuya," Said Kimiko.
"You're telling me she did that to him?" asked Clay, horror passing across his features.
"Exactly, now shut the door will you?" she said, walking over to Raimundo and crouching down next to him.
Clay shut the door and watched as Kimiko helped Raimundo over to the bed.
"What the fuck is going on here?" asked Clay.
Kimiko grabbed his arm and shoved him out of the door before turning to Raimundo.
"I'll be back in a second, just try and get some rest." She said, before leaving and shutting the door tight.
"Kim, what's going on? What happened to him?" asked Clay.
"Keep your voice down would you?" she muttered, looking up and down the corridor, "Wuya's been keeping in chained up in the mountains, torturing him…"
"But the last time we saw him was about…"
"Two years ago, exactly, he's been in that cave for two whole years!" said Kimiko.
Clay swore under his breath.
"Are you sure…I mean…you one hundred percent sure he's not lying to you?" asked Clay.
"A hundred and fifty to be precise," said Kimiko, but Clay didn't look convinced, "Look, he doesn't remember a thing…"
"Convenient," said Clay.
"Clay, he doesn't even remember his own name," said Kimiko, "All he remembers is being tortured by Wuya…"
"But…" began Clay, "Why do you feel that you have to look after him? Why don't you just take him to a hospital?"
Kimiko shook her head. She knew what they would do with him if she put him in a hospital. Straight to the mental ward. But she knew that he was still in there somewhere. Clay began to walk away.
"My name…" said Kimiko quietly.
"What?" asked Clay.
"He remembers being tortured by Wuya…and my name…not me, just my name," she looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "And I know he's still in there! I'm going to get him out!"
"What are you doing here, in the corridor?" asked Omi, walking up the passage.
Kimiko quickly wiped her eyes before Omi could see them.
"I just found out that…" began Clay, but then he caught sight of Kimiko, trying to silently plead with him, "…that…Kimiko isn't actually mad at us. You were right, she was just busy."
Kimiko stopped holding her breath and relaxed.
"You see!" said Omi, smiling, "Kimiko is our friend and of course, would accept our apologies!"
"Of course," said Kimiko, "But right now, I've got to finish what I started!"
She slipped back into her room and sighed with relief as she shut the door. She looked around to see Raimundo asleep on her bed. She smiled gently and pulled the cover over him. It was getting late, the sun had already set. She pulled the spare cover of the end of her bed and sat down in her chair, curled up and the blanket.
Raimundo's sleep was being punctured by fright filled nightmares. He was running in the cave. He could hear the witch chasing him through the cave. He just wanted to get to the river. He needed to find the river. He couldn't remember why, he just knew that he had to get to the river.
"Kimiko…"he whispered.
What that why he had to get to the river? Yes, that was it, he needed Kimiko's help, but who was Kimiko? He didn't know her…at least he didn't anymore. He must have known her…but when? Suddenly he was at the river, he suddenly realised just how thirsty he was. He cupped his hands in the water and drank deep, but no matter how much he swallowed, he remained thirsty.
He stood up, looking around. Why was he here again? There was nothing here…but there was when he was there last…or what that all a dream? Was this a dream? He looked down at the water, but it wasn't water anymore, it was blood. He was covered in it. Blood everywhere.
He opened his eyes; it was still the middle of the night. Kimiko was stood next to the bed, her hand on his forehead.
"You've got a fever," she said, before walking into the bathroom.
She came back with a glass of water and held to his mouth. He drank it, and luckily, this did quench his thirst.
"I…was meant…to…meet you at the river…" he whispered.
"You did, remember, I was there," she whispered back, "And I'm here now."
He rolled over, shivering despite his soaring temperature. Kimiko lay down on the bed next to him and put her arms around him. He stopped shaking and relaxed. For some reason, he felt safe with her. Even if he didn't know who she was…
Kimiko woke up to find Raimundo already awake. He was stood up, looking out of the window at the mountains. He had a confused look on his face. She walked over.
"Rai? What's wrong?" she asked gently.
"I was…I was up there…I don't remember…how I got there…" he said, "I keep…trying to think…but it won't come back."
He sighed and looked around at her.
"But I…I remember finding you…on the mountain path…you were looking…for someone…" he closed his green eyes, "Why do I remember that…when I can't remember anything else?"
"I don't know," said Kimiko, "But we'll figure it out."
She put her hand on his forehead and smiled.
"But you fever's gone," she said, "Do you feel better?"
He nodded.
"I have to admit you're certainly acting more 'with it' today," she said, smiling, "You talking more as well."
There was a knock at the door.
"Wait in the bathroom." said Kimiko, before walking over to the door, "Who is it?"
"It's me," said Clay's voice from behind the wooden door.
Kimiko unlocked the door and let him in.
"It's okay Rai, you can come out." Said Kimiko.
Raimundo walked out, looking blankly at Clay.
"How is he this morning?" Clay asked Kimiko, handing her some clean clothes, "Those are for him."
"He's better this morning," said Kimiko, "He had a fever last night, but it's gone now."
"Are you hungry?" Clay asked Raimundo.
Raimundo didn't say anything. Kimiko turned around to him.
"Rai? Are you hungry?" she asked, Raimundo blinked and nodded.
"It's not his fault," said Kimiko, turning back to Clay, "He still doesn't feel secure around other people."
"Can you blame him?" asked Clay, "He seems fine around you."
"Well…I found him," said Kimiko.
"Well grab him some stuff at breakfast," said Clay, "Unless you'd rather stay in here with him."
"I think it's safer that we don't leave him alone," said Kimiko, "I get the distinct feeling that Wuya isn't going to let him go without a fight."
Clay nodded, walking out of the door. As he walked into the dining hall, he grabbed a wooden tray and started piling things up on it.
"Clay?" asked Master Fung, "Are you especially hungry?"
"It's not for me!" said Clay, "Kimiko's…not feeling great and I think she might be contagious so…I figure it's best I take the food to her and let her eat it at her own pace rather than having to keep taking her meals."
Master Fung raised an eyebrow. I wasn't a particularly convincing story.
"Well, she did fall in the river, perhaps she should be left alone for today," said Master Fung.
Clay sighed with relief and took the tray along to Kimiko's room. She opened the door and took the tray. Clay began to walk away without saying a word when she stopped him.
"Clay…thanks for doing this…you don't have to…" she said.
"No problem, just keep him safe for now," said Clay. He sighed, "You do realise they're gonna find out eventually, don't you?"
Kimiko nodded.
"I just don't want them knowing yet," she said, closing the door.
She put the food down on the bed.
"Eat as much as you want," she said, grabbing some clean clothes from her wardrobe and going to get changed in the bathroom.
When she came out, Raimundo was eating an apple and looking at a photo on her bedside table. It was a picture of the four dragons, back when they were all friends.
"Does it help you remember anything?" asked Kimiko.
"No…" said Raimundo, "I…don't recognise them…except you…"
Kimiko smiled gently and picked up the picture as she sat down next to him.
"That's you," she said, pointing to the picture.
"Me…"said Raimundo quietly, "Who…am…I?"
"…you're Raimundo," said Kimiko, "…you're our friend…"
"Rai…mun…do…" said Raimundo, as though trying it out for sound, "Is that my name?"
Kimiko nodded.
"That's your name."
