Chapter 20: And It's a Never Ending Circle of... What?
Master Fung calmly sipped his tea while Raimundo stared, trying to cram everything in his brain. If you spend time with him, you'll know it takes that long. "So if you're the oracle, then why do you want to help me?" asked Raimundo, cautiously. Still, Master Fung sat there, his eyes boring into Raimundo's. Could he read minds? "I don't think-"
"Raimundo
you must not think of who I am right now. Think of who you are." More
time passed. Eventually, Raimundo got up to leave.
"Well I guess I should see where Kimiko is..."
"She's not here. And you know that, Raimundo. The only reason you came here was because you thought she was going to take care of herself. No, she cannot do this alone."
Master Fung made Raimundo sit back down by
tripping him back onto the chair. Raimundo swore in his head and rubbed
his head. "You didn't have to do that." There was no sharp response,
Master Fung had his eyes closed, like he was asleep.
Again, Raimundo
got up, and Master Fung said, "Raimundo have you ever tried meditating
on what your goal is? Is that why Chase Young and Wuya have the upper
hand?" While he asked this, the Prince fell back down to his chair. "I
don't need to meditate. I'm as carefree as a breeze. Nothing matters.
It'll all turn out right."
Opening one eye, Master Fung glared. "If
you are so sure of the future, what do you think will happen to Kimiko
if you aren't there?" That was an insult.
But it got Raimundo
thinking. Kimiko not having Raimundo. What would happen? She probably
wouldn't marry anyone, because she would want Raimundo, then she'd
spend the rest of her life in the Temple or something making potions...
Or... If she was still captured she would be slavering as something.
Then...
"I sense that you like her more than a friend should, Prince. She returns the favor. Why do you not save her?"
"I
can't. I can't... She's not there for me. I don't like her. No... She's
happy without me. Besides, we can't be. She's not even a Princess. If
she was, then I could marry her."
Cocking an eyes brow, Master Fung
took his cup and made it vanish into thin air. "Love is something
precious, remember; it's a thing that can't be broken forever."
Raimundo snorted. No old man could be right about these things. He wasn't even married! Well, he might have been married... "I see you have doubts Raimundo. Don't loose faith. And I have a feeling you would want to talk to Keiko. She is Kimiko's closest friends. She may remember something about the day when Kimiko was kidnapped." Raimundo nodded, and stepped out of the room, moving the rice screen. "Do remember Raimundo, you must come to me after Chase Young strikes." There was emphasis on must. It wouldn't be that important. What could an old person do? Make the world good again? Make Raimundo and Kimiko get married? Maybe not. But he was the mind reading oracle. Who knew things about Shen Gong Wu. Raimundo just didn't ask him.
The Temple
hallways held this emptiness, because Kimiko wasn't there to lighten
anything up. All the hallways were stained with dirt, and now the floor
seemed even dusteir, if that was possible. If Kimiko moved out, then
Keiko would be most likely in that room. Raimundo knocked softly on the
door.
"Come in. Is that you Kimiko?" She pushed open the door and
stopped. Keiko was looking at the Prince after all. The one who made
all the poor qualities of the Temple... "Hello... P-Prince." Keiko
stuttered, blushing. She always heard Kimiko talk about Raimundo, but
she didn't think he'd be so... Cute.
"Do you know where Kimiko is?"
he asked, emotionless. He wasn't as big as a jerk Kimiko said he was!
Still, Keiko remained stunned at the door. "So, are you going to let me
in or what?" Impatience was clear in his voice. Smiling weakly, Keiko
opened he door and welcomed him in the small, cramped room.
"I know
it's not neat, your Majesty. But..." She realized he wasn't listening.
He was gazing intently at the floor. And how interesting was that?
"Excuse me, Prince. But I think you were going to ask me some questions
of some sort? Or something else?" Keiko stammered, growing redder by
the second.
Raimundo didn't notice. He hadn't even as much glanced
at her face. She had black hair, and what colored eyes? Raimundo didn't
care. A world without Kimiko to him was miserable.
Keiko flushed
and sat down on the bed. The PRINCE of XIAOLIN was in her room! But
there was no one to tell this to... "Do you know where Kimiko is?" he
repeated. His emerald eyes didn't show anything from Keiko's view, but
if you looked close enough, tears were forming.
"I'm sorry. I don't
know where she is. Are you crying?" asked Keiko, moving toward
Raimundo. She placed a hand on his chest, making him back away. If she
was a commoner too, why wasn't he attracted to her? Raimundo didn't say
anything. Now he wanted to get out of this place.
Away from his past
life. He needed to find Kimiko and live somewhere else, where he
wouldn't be bothered with all this shit. A gust of Wind surrounded him.
And he was gone.
Leaving Keiko a little bit disappointed. He was one who couldn't and wouldn't be tamed, but only by the person he loved.
Now,
he didn't know who he loved. Whenever he asked himself the response was
always Kimiko. Kind of like that snap responses game he played with her
before they were taken to the palace.
Sighing, he opened his eyes.
In front of the water fall. If he was landed right here, then he must
have some sort of purpose. The Wind wouldn't misguide him. Oh look...
There's... Omi? How could the midget get out of the palace? Hm. No one
would notice him gone. Then the Prince disappears, and everyone would
be like OH MY GOSH.
Raimundo blended in with the air, making
no sound while he floated gracefully over to Omi's side. The Wind could
make him invisible too... "Who is that person in the Water?" Omi asked
to no one. Wait. Someone was in the water? Raimundo peered at the water
fall. Ah look. That's Kimiko. Kimiko! Uncloaking himself, Raimundo
dived into the water.
Swiftly, he grabbed her my the waist and he swam to the surface. Instead of Omi there, it was Chase Young.
"I
see appearances aren't always as they seem." Chase smirked and tossed
back his long ebony hair. Raimundo gritted his teeth, while he held the
almost-drowned Kimiko in his arms; it was somewhat comforting to be so
close to her.
"It's nice to be at your acquaintance again, Chase!
What did you do with Omi?" Raimundo asked, practically demanding Chase
to tell him where Omi was.
"He's no where to be seen, with your eyes
at least. Let's say he's a hard fish to catch. And I mean he's under my
control now." He snapped his fingers, and Omi was at his side. Fine, an
Omi cat. Hissing, Raimundo pressed Kimiko tighter to his chest. She
stirred a little, mumbling in her sleep. Something about 'run'.
"There's
no where you can run Raimundo. It seems like Kimiko is going to be my
first victim," Chase unsheathed his dagger, aiming it straight for
Kimiko's chest, "It all ends here, Raimundo."
His dagger flew threw
the air, making a high pitched whistling sound. It couldn't hit Kimiko,
no matter what. Raimundo set Kimiko on the ground and waited for the
dagger to hit him in the back. Kimiko opened her eyes, and finally her
vision was clear. Her boyfriend would die in a couple of seconds.
Frantic, Kimiko touched his hand. "Don't do it Raimundo!
"
Too
late. The knife flew to his chest, making him fall on the ground;
causing Kimiko to spurt out tears. Raimundo didn't move. Was he?... No!
NO!
"YOU KILLED HIM CHASE YOUNG!" In a whoosh of Fire, Kimiko made a
shield around Raimundo and herself. Wind rushed past her face, a
feeling she had to get used to.
Then, there was silence. She had teleported out of Xiaolin.
Out of Xiaolin...
"Raimundo,"
Kimiko cried in between sobs, "RAI!" She cupped his cheek in her hand,
trying to feel a pulse. There was one. Raimundo would survive! Where
did that dagger hit? Kimiko didn't even think about his private
property. But she touched his chest before.
The dagger had pierced
him somewhere in the middle of his chest, and she needed a better look.
Climbing on top of him, she put her knees on the ground next to his
hips, making her... V touch his... Thing. But now wasn't the time to be
naughty with him! Kimiko hastily pulled of his shirt, exposing
Raimundo's abs. Wow. He was hot.
"Get to the point already Kimiko!" A voice in her head screamed.
Then
she noticed something. The dagger didn't hit him, it hit his medallion.
His medallion, with a piece of fire fern on it. Then how did he get
knocked out? Was there poison on the tip?
Yes... There was a sticky
black ooze next to his medallion. It had to be poison. To make sure,
Kimiko took a leaf and touched the substance. The leaf shriveled. No...
She had got to get something for this poison!
Finally examining
her surroundings, Kimiko saw that she was in a part of the forest she
hadn't seen before. Was this out of Xiaolin? Then what name would the
place have?
"Use your healing powers." Healing? Kimiko thought she
saw Raimundo do something like run his hand across the wound to make it
healed. She tried doing that many times, but nothing happened.
"Oh
Raimundo... You're going to die aren't you? I'm sorry. I'm sorry for
weighing you down and making you take the dagger for me. Why did I have
to go in the water? Why was I so weak? WHY?"
Tears sprang out of her eyes, landing on the poison. Something unexpected happened. It healed. All of it. No trace was left.
"Kimiko?" With his eyes still closed, Raimundo tried to get up, bumping into Kimiko.
(In a certain place...)
She toppled onto him, her hands on his chest, and her face close to his. Now wasn't the time to be stubborn.Kimiko bent down and kissed him on the lips, pouring out all the emotions she hid. No tongue was added, this was a loving kiss. Raimundo sat up, bringing Kimiko with him, she continued kissing him while he snaked his arms around her waist. And this was love. This was meant to be.