I know you guys have been waiting a while for this, and here you go! (chucks story at people) No, just kidding. Chapter 2 of Amaranthine!

I wanted to call this story 'Amaranthine' because the word amaranthine means undying and unfading, which is exactly how love should be. It's based on the word amaranth, which is a flower that never dies. Love is like the amaranth in a way. It blooms inside of someone's heart and never dies. That's basically why I called it this. It's Rai/Kim, and I think that their love is strong enough to break all bonds and last forever.

I also decided to use 'Amaranthine' because I like throwing horribly hard words at you. (joking, joking)

Enjoy Chapter 2, 'Letters'.

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Raimundo sighed sadly as he gazed out of the window in Brazil. All he really wanted was Kimiko and Clay and Omi to come back. There were plenty of teenagers his age in Brazil, but he never found an interest in any of them. Some were too academic, and others too much of the poser type. Raimundo stared back at his room, still miserable. He had been away from the Xiaolin temple for a week already, yet it didn't seem any different from the first day. None of the pain of leaving his friends had lifted. He remembered that he still had Kimiko's e-mail, telephone number and address, and also Clay's telephone number and address. He gave a faint smile at being able to talk to them again. He would be getting monthly visits from Dojo and Omi, however, as Omi had promised that night that they had left.

He reached for his phone and dialed the number to Clay first, as he was a little nervous in talking to Kimiko yet. It was better to talk to a guy first. "Hello?" he called instantly, even though he was sure nobody had picked up the phone yet. Finally, after about five rings, a woman with a cowboy accent that reminded him of Clay answered. "Hello?"

"Yeah, um, hi. Is Clay home right now?" Raimundo said nervously. For some reason, he wasn't very good on the phone because he was talking to someone he couldn't see. He usually liked it when he was talking to someone right in front of him. It was more in his comfort zone.

"Um, yes. Just wait a couple of second, 'kay? Clay, honey? There's someone who wants to talk to you," The woman said in a falsely sweet voice. Raimundo snorted.

"But, Mom! I'm just about to eat my chicken meal!" Clay's voice rang out loud and clear. Raimundo snickered quietly. That sounded just like the Clay he knew.

"Well, I think it's pretty important if one of your friends is calling you now, at dinnertime, don't you think?" Clay's mom argued. "Come here and pick up the phone, I don't want to disappoint whoever's calling ya."

"All right, all right." Raimundo could hear footsteps and then Clay's voice came through the phone all of a sudden. "Hello?" He asked loudly, sounding a little irritated.

"Hey, Clay! Dude, it's me, Rai here. So how's it goin'? Did I catch you at a bad time?" Raimundo gave Clay his 'innocent' act. He knew that Clay was having dinner at the current time.

"Uh, yeah, kinda, I'm havin' dinner, Rai," Clay said apprehensively. "Sorry 'bout that."

"No problem," Raimundo tried to hide his big grin. He was finally talking to at least one of his old friends! "So what's up, dude?"

"It's been okay for me, I guess. It really ain't much fun without you and Kim and Omi," Clay said sadly. "I wish we were back at the temple. I really do miss gettin' the Shen Gong Wu, but they're safe in Master Fung and Omi's hands. I miss all of you guys and I even miss training, even if it was boring."

"Man, I know just how you feel," Raimundo said in the same tone as Clay. "Why'd we have to leave?"

"Well, fella, I guess our parents did miss us while we were gone," Clay said, shaking his head. "But they don't understand what it feels like, bein' completely cut off from yer best friends."

"Yeah," Raimundo said. He sighed heavily into the phone. Then he tried to hide his sadness with a quick change in tone. "Well, I've been all right. There are some Brazilian guys around to talk to, I'm glad for that."

"You don't sound very glad," Clay said. "You sound kinda… I dunno, disappointed?"

"Yeah, I was lying. The people around are too… I'm just not used to them. I guess it's 'cause I haven't been in Brazil for so long, it almost seems foreign to me. Even though I've lived there for most of my life… I know it was four years we spent together, but it feels like it's only been a few days. The time we spent just passes by so fast… and I don't why, but I always try to remember everything about us. Every single Wu, every single event that happened. But… I think I'm starting to forget it. I don't want to forget, though," Raimundo said quietly, his breathing heavy. Emotions he hadn't thought about flew out of him as these words hit them like an anchor: the truth. He would, maybe, someday forget about his friends or grow out of them. Someday he might even find a different girl to be with. He thought of Kimiko and winced.

"Pardner, that's exactly how I feel," Clay said quietly. He sounded like he was anxious and worried. "I don't wanna forget, either."

Clay paused for a moment and Raimundo could hear the loud screams from his mother. "Cla-a-ay! Hurry and eat your chicken before it gets cold; you've been on that phone for who knows how long!"

"Sorry, fella, I gotta go," Clay said, sounding genuinely disappointed. "I'll call ya sometime, I guess."

"Sure thing," Raimundo said, giving a faint smile to nobody in particular. At least he could still talk to Clay, and that thought made his sad mood lift a little.

Raimundo decided to email Kimiko instead. Kimiko usually had that little miniature computer around to talk to her old friends, so Raimundo thought it might be easier for him to email her. He wasn't sure, but at that moment the mailman came around his house. He walked out to get the mail, as usual. He felt it quite comfortable to go outside; the summer skies were a faded light blue, reflecting the light he had seen so many times in Kimiko's eyes. He enjoyed the small breeze that passed by, neither too hot nor too cold. He felt as if he were that wind- wind was his element and it made him happy to feel the pleasant flow of the breeze again.

He looked through the envelopes and gazed in astonishment. A letter from Kimiko! He knew that he had to read it as soon as possible or he would die of suspense. He hurried into the living room, clutching the letter tightly in his excitement.

Raimundo plopped softly onto the sofa. He ripped the envelope as fast as he could; he had to see what Kimiko had written!

There was a piece of white paper, folded three times. He also found a new and improved Raimundo-bot from Kimiko's father's company. He smiled at it and put it aside, glad that Kimiko had gone to the trouble of bringing him a present.

He carefully unfolded the letter and read:

Hi Rai,

It feels like a really long time since I last saw you, doesn't it? I just wish you were here with me… I'm having a good time right now. I get plenty of visits from Omi; he doesn't live so far away. It's been nice in Japan and I've gotten back with some of my old friends like Keiko. It was kind of disappointing, because I thought it would be great to see my girl friends again after so long, but they aren't as fun as you, Omi and Clay. Don't take me wrong though, I'm still having a good time in Japan. But not too good. Not without you and the other Xiaolin monks. You know, you're the only one I ever really liked. The Japanese guys all really let me down after knowing you, Rai.

Anyways, I will never forget you or the other two monks. I know that maybe someday I won't like martial arts or my element of fire anymore, but I can't stop liking you or Omi or Clay. You guys are the best friends I ever had and I love you guys. I hope you're having a great time back in South America, but not too good. I can't let you have a great time without me, can I?

Anyways, I haven't been in contact with Clay yet. I forgot to ask him for his phone number because he left so early. But if you have his number, please tell me. I want to talk to Clay too, even if he's got the cowboy accent. I actually kind of miss that now, even though I was so annoyed at it at first. So please, please tell me if you know. It's too bad Omi doesn't have a phone or computer. After all, he does live in a temple. But I just feel bad because Dojo and Omi must not have a great time visiting me so often because as Dojo says, it takes around 2 hours to get to Japan.

I'm sorry if this letter was too long, Rai, but I just really wanted to tell you stuff. I miss you so much.

Love, Kim

Raimundo saw slightly damp wrinkly in the paper near the end, where he strongly suspected that Kimiko had been crying. He felt a little like crying, too. Before he had taken it for granted that Kimiko was there every day to see him, but now he had to get so worked up for only a letter. That was just how much he had missed Kimiko's presence. He put the letter on a shelf where he kept his most prized possessions, and stuck the Raimundo-bot there too. He smiled a little at his collection of toys and interesting objects, which also included the Kimiko-bot she had given him to help him remember her.

Raimundo took out a good piece of paper and thought about what he should write for a while. He could tell her that he missed her, obviously, and he could comfort her and tell her that it was all right. He smiled, wondering what Kimiko's reaction to his letter would be when she saw it. He knew that Kimiko had probably paid a lot of money for a fast mail express, because it had arrived in less than 5 days all the way from Japan.

Raimundo thought for a while, but he kept forgetting what he wanted to put down. In the end, he let his feelings pour out as he just wrote whatever his thoughts were directly on the paper. He felt proud when he was done and folded it in three creases, stuffing it into the envelope and sent her a box of candy.

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Yup, that was it. It was a little shorter than the last one, I know, but I can't keep on making 2000-word chapters. I hoped you liked it and please review.