Chapter 1: Different, But Exactly the Same.
Raimundo closed his eyes, and sighed. He knew he was growing more aloof from his friends every passing day, but he felt all out of place. Nothing made him excited anymore. His companions, Clay, Omi, and Kimiko; had already begun to take notice in Raimundo's strange behavior.
Breathing in the crisp autumn air, Raimundo went deeper into his meditative state. Master Fung was exceptionally proud of this. But, the Temple didn't seem like the good old Temple everyone used to know. There wasn't a breezy monk pulling pranks on anyone, and there wasn't that playful dash that brought the Temple to life.
With his eyes shut, he thought back of the days when they were only Apprentices, and Wudai Warriors. How could he have been so joyful back then? He even was on the good side. Anyways, something was bugging him right now, but he didn't think about it much. He might as well spend his whole life in this place.
Someone was walking toward the willow tree he was meditating under. He opened his emerald eyes and glanced at his hands. They were ready to release a blast of Wind at any second, if that was an enemy. "Raimundo, what are you doing?" Her. Raimundo knew that voice too well. Kimiko. She was that explosive, wealthy, Japanese girl. Now, he didn't want to deal with her. He didn't say anything, instead he simply waited for what she felt like blabbing about.
Kimiko, uncomfortable with this silence, tapped him on the shoulder. "I'm over here, and it's rude not to look at someone when they're talking." Raimundo moved his head and stared her in the eyes. No, he didn't feel anything for her. Everything had lost all meaning when he become a Xiaolin Dragon of Wind. Kimiko, on the the other hand; did have feelings for him. She blushed and turned away. "So... You didn't answer my question, what are you doing here?" His gaze still didn't move, and Kimiko knew his eyes were boring into her back. "Nothing and everything," Raimundo answered, his voice somewhat emotionless. This wasn't Raimundo. He was such more carefree than this.
"Raimundo, what's wrong? You've been acting different lately."
"Everything and nothing is wrong. Whatever I feel is none of your business, Toho." he said a bit too sharply. She winced and sat down on the dirt next to him. Raimundo stayed in his place, in a lotus position. Silence followed. Hurt, Kimiko got up to leave, and when she moved a few inches away, Raimundo fell straight into meditation again. "You're different," And that was one phrase got him to open one eye. He got a small glimpse of her disappearing figure. "Well so are you"
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Kimiko didn't tell Raimundo that lunch was served, but would he listen? Every time she called him in, he arrived thirty minutes later. What could he be doing that was so important? All he did was sit around under a willow tree and meditate all day, and sometimes he didn't even come out of his room... "Kimiko? Are you goin' to eat that?" Knowing who that was, Kimiko shook her head solemnly. Of course it was Clay. He smiled at her, but that quickly faded. "What's wrong Kimiko? Didn't ya tell Raimundo that lunch is ready"
Not even his silly bow boy slang could throw her out of her misery. She pushed her plate toward him and left the kitchen.
Kimiko didn't even think about where she was going. Her feet seemed to carry her to her room, but when she finally looked up, she realised she had stepped right into Raimundo's room. Yes, everyone had their own bed now, for privacy purposes. After all, they're teens...
His room was a mess, little knick-knacks littered the floor, and several sweat shirts were flung around carelessly around his bed. You couldn't put your foot down and not step on something!
She might as well take a look around... Maybe something in his room was causing him to be so narrow minded. Carefully avoiding all the clutter on the ground, Kimiko finally made it to his desk. If he was organized, he'd keep everything that was important in there. (And he's not organized)
More pens, pencils, and paper were all that Kimiko could find.
How come he likes to hide everything from me now?
"Looking for something?" asked Raimundo, leaning on the doorway. Kimiko turned around, expecting that cute smirk on his face, but there was a slight sneer present. "No... I thought this was my room. I'll leave now." She trampled over all his things while leaving his room. But that didn't matter to him.
Kimiko had stopped walking and watched what he would do next. She was just hoping he would burst out laughing and tell everything he was doing was a joke, but he didn't.
Sensing that she had paused at the door, Raimundo turned and glared at her. "Learn to go through your own things," Raimundo said, extending his hand; and slamming the door shut with a gust of Wind. On the other side of the door, Kimiko stood there for a couple of minutes. Slowly, she walked away. It was just like that. A door was the only thing that kept Raimundo from liking Kimiko, but a door of what?
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Depressed, Kimiko collapsed onto her own bed. It was only five o'clock too.
She was clever minded, by all the clues she had found so far, she could tell Raimundo wasn't feeling well. If he hid everything, then something is wrong. If he didn't talk about what was troubling him, then something is wrong. Obviously, that was the case.
Raimundo had once liked her more than a friend, and she knew that. But when did he stop liking her, and start getting all... lonely? There were things that always went between the both of them. They used to play tag, and run around, with no care in the world whatsoever. Then he became a Xiaolin Dragon, after Omi.
His cool personality disappeared. He began to act solitary. At first Kimiko thought he was just acting along the lines of a Master Dragon, but he wasn't.
Trying to remember what happened, Kimiko took a mirror from her dresser and stared into her eyes. Raimundo did that once...When she was having a thoughtful conversation with him...
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(FLASHBACK...)
"Raimundo, you know when you turned to the dark side?" asked Kimiko, gazing up into the moon. He smiled at her and reached out for her hand. "Yeah, I remember. That was today, you know? I came back today," Raimundo sighed, "And I shouldn't have gone"
Kimiko almost nodded in a agreement, but she didn't, showing her manners. "All that matters is that you stay on the good side, and that you're here with me, at my side. Nothing could be better." Kimiko said, beaming, "Then, we can save the world, and live happily ever after. Won't that be pleasant"
Raimundo shrugged and took her other hand, pulling her closer. Bashful, Kimiko blushed a bright red and examined the ground. Still, Kimiko didn't figure out why he shrugged. Was it something he was concealing? "Why did you even leave in the first place? Was it something I did?" He shook his head.
"I don't know why I left. I guess I was getting bored of being on the side of good. But now I'm fine. It wasn't that fun without you guys anyways," Grinning, he led Kimiko over to the Temple doors. Kimiko knew he was going to tell her to go back inside."Well, I think you should go to sleep, it's past your bed time." Kimiko crossed her arms and jutted out her chin stubbornly.
"Since why do you get to stay out?"
"Because I'm older, and cooler." he replied, giving her a good night's kiss on the forehead. That made her feel weak in the knees... "Don't do any of that mushy stuff. I kissed you on the cheek, and that was it." Kimiko said, secretly wanting him to do it again.
Raising an eyebrow, he opened the doors for her. "So, you doing anything tomorrow night?" he asked.
And what was he inquiring on?
"You know my schedule, and no; it's not a date." Kimiko added, giggling to herself. She closed the oaken doors, leaving Raimundo outside. He wanted to go on a short walk anyways. Before he took another step, Kimiko opened to door and whispered, "Raimundo, there's something I need to ask you"
"Shoot"
Raimundo shut up when he saw her face. She wasn't kidding about this. Kimiko fastened the door behind her and practically fell into his arms. "You turned to the dark side. It's going to take some time to make this all work. I won't trust you for a while, but I'll try. You have to make a promise too. Promise to be on my side always? Promise to make everything better when I'm down? Promise that you'll stay on the good side?" asked Kimiko, holding both of his hands in hers. She said everything so hastily, that Raimundo had to anticipate for awhile.
"I promise, I promise, and I promise." Her eyes brightened. He kissed her on the hand and let her go back inside. Adorable.
The Wind blew against his hair, blowing it in different directions. He'd always be carefree and optimistic, but this was something he needed to think about. How long would those promises last? Hopefully long enough for love.
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Kimiko sighed when she thought of that moment. He had kept his promise of staying on the side of good. He had done everything she had asked of him, but why didn't she feel pleased?
Because he's losing you.
Ugh, that voice! Maybe Raimundo still remembered.
Getting up, Kimiko opened the window. It just didn't seem right to be looking for Raimundo inside. There he was, under the tree, with his eyes closed; again. She wanted him too badly... What did he think about anyways? "I see you like spying on people." Raimundo was right in front of the window.
Startled, Kimiko topped back onto the ground. "Don't do that!" she screeched, temper getting the better of her.
"It's your own clumsiness that got you into this mess. And you were thinking of me. I know so." Again, he stared into her eyes while he said this, making her flush and try to stand up; but sadly, she fell down. Shaking her head, Kimiko welcomed Raimundo (reluctantly) to her room, from her window. She certainly wasn't going out there.
"So, you have an obsession with me, or something like that." He pointed over to the wall, which was lined with many pictures of the monks, most of them had Raimundo featured. But that didn't prove anything.
"Raimundo, we need to talk," Kimiko said, "You haven't been yourself. Ever since... That day when you became a Dragon of Wind. You don't pay attention to me anymore, you stay under a tree and meditate, you do all this shit that I can't stand! Why can't you be yourself!" Raimundo listened to her ramble on some more, while he picked at his nails. When was she ever going to except the fact that he wasn't going to go to back to being a total jerk? That wasn't hard to believe. Raimundo was beginning to mature, and Kimiko was basically telling him to grow childish again? No!
"Are you even listening Rai? This is serious! You were always there for me, and now you're different! I want you to come back"
Still, he didn't say anything.
Kimiko fell onto her bed and waited for several minutes, then Raimundo spoke up, "Is that all you wanted to say? 'Be a jerk again, Raimundo?' Please. I'm not going to back there, and I don't want to be with you. And that's the truth. Don't call me Rai too." She held back a scream. "Now I can't call you Rai! What's... What's WRONG with you!" Suddenly, she was angry. She felt like attacking him. The worst thing was his eyes didn't even sparkle like they used to. They stared dully at her.
"Kim, or should I say Kimiko?" Raimundo asked, smirking for some reason. Smirking.
"Rai, or should I say Raimundo!" Pissed, Kimiko stormed out of her room. Raimundo didn't feel the slightest bit guilty.
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But, that did make him consider of what she was referring to. Under the willow tree again. He spoke his thoughts. "Fine. Kimiko was right, I think everyone has to grow up. But I'm not that different. I still pull pranks. I still talk to everyone like I used to. I still make fun of Omi... Where ever he is." Mumbling this under his breath, he dragged his finger in the dirt, making a tiny Chinese symbol for Wind. "If I did change, they why didn't anyone tell me? Master Fung is proud, Omi is... and Clay is... and Kimiko... Okay. I don't know what they think. I don't care in the first place. They don't give a fuck about me in the first place," said Raimundo, getting more dirt under his fingernails.
"Why are you talking to yourself Raimundo, I find it most curious." Omi. Dang that little... Raimundo shot a half glare, half frown in Omi's direction. That yellow kid always wanted to be better than Raimundo, but now since Master Fung was deeply impressed with Raimundo; Omi turned jealous in a heart beat.
"Raimundo? Are you going to answer me"
'No idiot!' Rang through Raimundo's head as clear as a bell, but he didn't say it. There was a thin line between honor and dumbness.
"So are you? And you have made Kimiko cry. She is running around the Temple, making puddles on the ground." For a second Raimundo felt sorry, and Omi noticed this.
Raimundo's eyes had been cast downward for a while, but he snapped right back up and glared, with something that looked like hatred.
"It's none of your business. You should know, the more time you spend meditating the less weak you are." Raimundo shut out Omi's pleading eyes.
"You have... Changed." Omi scuttled off, still in a fairly content mood. This only made Raimundo ticked off. "Sure. Everything turns good for the goody good guy"
A thought wandered it's way to Raimundo's mind. What happens if he really broke every ones' happiness? His head immediately turned to where Kimiko's room was. "Nope. I didn't do anything to hurt her. I can't hurt her. But..." Raimundo stopped his sentence and closed his eyes. Why? He didn't get sleep last night, or the night before that.
While he slept, strange thoughts clouded his mind. Plagued his mind. When he awoke, he felt different. "They will pay, all of them will pay"
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Kimiko tossed and turned in her sleep. How come she couldn't forget of all this? Raimundo had made her cry, but she didn't go do it right in his face! His nice tanned... 'Stop it!' Her mind snapped. Yeah... She shouldn't go thinking about him that fondly if he didn't even like her. Yet... Again, she moved her body to a more comfortable position.
All of this triggered memories.
She had fallen asleep in Raimundo's arms before; without knowing it. When she was awake, he was already up and peppy. Another thing that made her dig back into her time with him was the stars. They went star gazing together, secretly. No one ever knew, and no one ever found out. Then, she gazed into his eyes. Like stars... Except his eyes were more breath taking.
A sigh escaped Kimiko's lips.
Raimundo never knew she liked him, loved him; more than a friend. He always thought of her as a little sister, but she saw him in different eyes when he came back from the dark side. She noticed he was precious, and that if she ever lost him then everything would be terrible.
On that night, before she closed the door on him, she whispered something he couldn't here. She said, "Promise." Not only Raimundo promised, but she did too. Promises are promises. There would be no regrets.
Finally, her mind drifted to present time issues. Raimundo should have come in the Temple now.
From her window, she could see the candle he was supposed to blow out every time he went back inside, and he it was his duty to lock the front doors too. He was so light headed sometimes... Pulling on her white silky night gown, Kimiko opened her door and peered down the dark corridor. Fine. She admitted she was a bit scared of the dark, after all she had been through.
Raimundo's door was closed.
Did that mean he already went inside, but only forgot to blow out the candle? It would be rude to burst into his room and ask, and it would count the same for Clay, Omi, Master Fung, and Dojo. Well, she could worry during the morning, and then go check, or she could go now into the darkness.
Kimiko shook her head and shut her door softly, she locked it just in case Raimundo didn't lock the front door.
With her fatigue increasing, Kimiko slumped onto her bed, and stared at the ceiling once more.
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A sleepless night was would equal a tiresome morning. Kimiko had got up during 5:00, figuring there was no time to sleep; and training started soon anyways. Her eyes weren't as keen and as focused as they used to be, but she could tell there were bags under her eyes. That was the price to pay of not getting any sleep.
After she dressed and brushed her teeth, she added the additional make up you were supposed to have one if you wanted to look like an average young woman. Kimiko fumbled with her mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow. Her lip stick was kind of smeared, and it looked as if she had been making out with someone or something like that. Then she noticed she had to take a shower...
By the time she was done, she was late for breakfast.
Raimundo used to knock on her door every morning and dump water on her, but that was used to.
She wrapped a towel around herself and took out her regular monk outfit, with the sash of a Dragon. Adding her make up again, Kimiko stalked out of the room with a crummy mood. She was going to take it all out on whoever she saw first, and that was Omi. "Good morning Kimiko!" Omi said, bouncing around. Kimiko could feel her fuse get cut even shorter. Only a matter of time before.
1... 2... 3... "HOW CAN IT BE A GOOD MORNING!" Exactly what a bomb does. Kimiko jerked Omi to the side and stomped away. Rubbing his head, Omi caught sight of a brunette walking out of sight...?
"NOT in the mood to talk!" Kimiko screamed when she entered the kitchen. Clay opened his mouth, closed it again; and then opened it. Dojo still had his spoon in mid air. Omi paused at the door. Master Fung cocked an eyebrow. Raimundo.
"WHERE IS THAT MOTHER-FUCKER!" No one said a thing. Omi moved his foot an inch and replied, "I think he's outside meditating. I saw him..."
Kimiko had left the room. When she did, Master Fung cleared his throat and followed Kimiko. What would he want to do? Kimiko listened to the rain patter on the ground. It matched her mood.
Feeling a little cooled off, Kimiko closed her eyes in the rain. Then she noticed he was watching. Raimundo. Not matter what weather he was always under that damn tree!
Not thinking, she raced toward him, and then noticed something. He was floating. Off the ground. In mid air. Her rage drained away, it was replaced with concern. Why? "Raimundo? Are you okay?" The answer was no. She didn't know why she felt like sympathizing him when he just acted like a total idiot to her.
Hardly opening his eyes, Kimiko knew something was wrong. Instead of cheery light green eyes; there were dark, almost black eyes in it's place.
"Raimundo?" repeated Kimiko, stretching out her hand to touch him. Everything went too fast for Kimiko to remember .Raimundo put up his arm and sent her flying across the Temple courtyard. Kimiko's arm broke, her ankle twisted, and her lip busted. But the thing that hurt most was in her heart... Couldn't be happening... Wind blew hard against her. Why would he hurt her like this?
She felt herself unable to move. A apparition flashed before her eyes. Master Fung was fit by some sort of Wind, and Raimundo disappeared from the Temple. From Kimiko. From his friends. From the side of good.