Kimiko woke up the next morning, thinking about what she was going to do that day. Smiling at the thought of training with the others, she opened her eyes, only to discover that she wasn't in her room at the temple, but rather in her old bedroom in her home in Japan. She gazed around, taking in the stuffed toys on the bed, the glass figures on the shelves, the hundreds of gadgets that had been bought for her over the years and her trunk and suitcase which were lying open on the floor beside her bed. Beside them was the picture of her and her friends.
Her heart slipped as she remembered the events of the previous day. Her worse nightmare was coming to pass. Jack Spicer. Out of all the billions of people in the world, why did it have to be Jack Spicer? Really, what were the chances?
"Kimiko, are you awake?" Called her father's voice from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes papa, I'll down in a few." She called.
After getting dressed in jeans and a black sun top (With matching accessories of course) she ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, almost colliding with her father who was laying out a plate for her on the table.
"Slow down Kimiko. You'll hurt yourself." Said her father, catching her as she almost slipped on the smooth floor.
"Sorry Papa," Kimiko noticed that there was only one plate on the table, "Aren't you eating?"
"I have already eaten, I must get to work." Said her father, pulling out the chair for her to sit down, "By the way; you're meeting with Amber Spicer today. She will be here shortly so eat fast and get changed into something nice."
"What?" Asked Kimiko, sitting down.
"I really must be going. Have fun!" Said her father as he waved goodbye without answering her question.
Kimiko glared at the door way and then looked down at her clothes.
"What do you mean 'something nice'?"
"Are you sure this is real?" Asked Clay, looking down at the picture Raimundo had printed off.
"Yes." Said Raimundo simply.
"How do you …" Began Omi, but Raimundo rolled his eyes and groaned in frustration.
"Look at what's in the picture will you?" He shouted.
"That's what we've been doin'" Said Clay, his voice slow and calming, "I'm just tryin' to find a different conclusion to the one you've brought up."
Raimundo looked straight in Clay's eyes. He could see that Clay was trying to see it from his point of view, but this was time consuming. If they just went to Kimiko then they'd find out the truth, but …
"What did Kimiko say in her email?" Asked Omi.
Raimundo showed them the print-off of the email. Kimiko had asked him to show it to them after all. Clay and Omi read it together and then Clay looked back up at Raimundo.
"This doesn't show anythin' to say …"
"Well would she really put down 'by the way I've decided to date Jack Spicer'?" Interrupted Raimundo.
Omi and Clay both frowned in the exact same way. However, whereas Clay's frown was sceptical, Omi's frown was caused by his concern that Raimundo could be right and that Kimiko had betrayed them and gone to Jack Spicer. As unlikely as this seemed due to the fact that it appeared that Kimiko loathed Jack Spicer with all her being, perhaps they had all been fooled.
"Blackmail!" Said Dojo suddenly.
They all jumped and looked down at the tiny dragon they had not noticed was there.
"You want to blackmail Kimiko? Or Jack?" Asked Raimundo, confused.
"No, I mean maybe Jack is blackmailing Kimiko into this!" Said Dojo, "Or someone else is."
"That's a very good explanation." Said Omi, instantly satisfied.
Raimundo looked doubtful. Kimiko didn't look particularly like she was being forced into hugging him, but she didn't look happy either. She looked sort of stressed and sad. Maybe she was being blackmailed and she had been forced to send that email to throw them off the scent, but had sent this to warn them, or someone else had. In which case they'd have to go and help her!
"If she's being blackmailed then we've got to help her!" Said Raimundo defiantly.
Clay had been remaining quiet through the blackmail talk. He looked even more doubtful that Raimundo.
"We'd better wait for another email." He said.
"No, if Kimiko is in danger we've got to help her!" Said Raimundo desperately.
"I agree!" Said Omi.
Clay frowned. The majority of the remaining dragons had cast their vote, but still he didn't think it was wise. Kimiko had asked them not to come to find her and if they turned up unexpectedly and there was nothing going on, well … Kimiko had a very nasty temper.
"We'll leave tomorrow." Said Dojo, "I've got to recharge before the flight."
Kimiko came back down the stairs in a green skirt, black shirt and combat boots. Her hair was up in a clip and she had decided that this would have to classify as 'nice'. She had hardly gotten to the bottom of the stairs when she heard a knock at the door. She groaned and went to answer it.
Amber Spicer was standing in the doorway, smiling kindly. She had a shoulder length red hair and green eyes. She was a little taller than Kimiko and fairly pretty. Kimiko was amazed how she could've produced a son like Jack.
"Kimiko, how nice to see you again. I hope your father warned you I was coming." She said, smiling broadly.
"Yes he did." Said Kimiko, bowing and smiling in return, "Please come in."
Kimiko showed her through to the kitchen, where Kimiko hastily put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and switched it on.
"Can I get you anything?" She asked, trying to keep a civil tongue.
"No, I'm fine." Said Amber, watching her, "I was wondering if you'd like to come shopping with me today?"
"That sounds … fun." Said Kimiko.
They set off not long after. They were driving along motorway when Amber broke the silence.
"So … where have you been living for the past few years? Your father says it was in China somewhere," Asked Amber.
"Yes I've been staying in a temple with some xiaolin monks." Explained Kimiko, "And my friends are there as well. They're probably worried about me."
"This must be very difficult for you," Said Amber, "I know Jack wasn't thrilled at the idea. He sulked all the way here if you can believe it."
'I bet he did' thought Kimiko.
"I was very worried about Jack." Said Amber, "He's very cut off from everyone. He spends all his time in the basement at our house. I told him he needed a hobby and he decided to start building these ridiculous robots that are good for nothing. Oh, I'm sorry I must be making him sound like a complete freak. It must sound so surprising to hear me talking about some strange boy who lives in his basement building robots!"
"Not as surprising as you might think." Said Kimiko, trying to sound as though she didn't know what she was talking about.
"I was worried about you as well," Said Amber.
"Oh?" Said Kimiko, not really interested at all.
"Well, I was hoping you'd be a nice, pretty girl who could help him … get in touch with reality if you know what I mean." Explained Amber, "He seemed strange yesterday. He seemed jumpy like he was up to no good, but he seemed happy at the same time. It's strange, but it's like you're already having a positive influence on him; just like I hoped you would."
Kimiko didn't say anything. This was too painful. She obviously thought that Jack and Kim were actually falling for each other and she seemed so pleased that Kimiko was the type of girl she had wanted him to meet. This was bad.
Katnappe sighed and put her feet up on the table. Phase one of the 'get back at Jack' plan was complete. This would show that twerp what she was capable of. She smiled softly to herself before putting her feet down and getting up.
She didn't want to miss Jack's reaction when he found out, or when he told that brat what had happened. Then lets see if she was in a hugging mood. More things to ruin Jack's life with would be perfect right now. He deserved everything he got after what he had done.
"What do you think?" Asked Amber, holding up a dress.
She had been trying to find an outfit for Kimiko and so far all the shops they had tried were coming up with nothing appealing.
"I don't think it's my kind of thing," Said Kimiko glancing at the flowery dress being held up.
Amber sighed and put it back on the rack.
"You're just like Jack, always wanting to wear the same sort of clothes!"
Kimiko was going to point out that her wardrobe consisted of a number of different items, but then she realised that all the outfits she had been wearing and had picked out recently had all been dark colours. Perhaps this was to reflect her mood or perhaps it was to put across the point that she didn't want to be fussed over all the time anymore, but she realised that they weren't friendly colours to greet your future 'parent's in law'.
"I guess," Said Kimiko, "I'm sorry, I think it's just a phase I've been going through."
"Well when you leave it, please take Jack with you," Sighed Amber, "I was worried that he was wearing black all the time and then on top of the eye-liner…"
Kimiko had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud. The thought of him suddenly coming up from the basement one day with eyeliner on and his mother's expression flew into her imagination. It was a very funny image.
"Well, I don't know what to think sometimes," Said Amber, her voice going lightly higher, "He spends all day in that basement when he's not running out to go travelling. The things he shouts about sometimes. I think he watches too much television. He keeps going on about 'Evil Boy Geniuses'. Quite ridiculous."
"Hmm," Said Kimiko, nodding.
"Well, have you seen anything you like yet?" Asked Amber.
"Not here, maybe somewhere else." Said Kimiko kindly, smiling softly.
"There's a teen store near the food court. How about we go the café there and then do some more shopping?" Asked Mrs Spicer.
Kimiko grinned and they left the store. Not noticing her hand held computer was indicating a new e-mail had just been received from someone called 'Katonapp2020'.
Raimundo was lying face down on his bed. On his computer screen, the picture of the two 'people' was still present. He hadn't been able to close it. Every time he did, it just came back to the screen. It seemed the person who had sent it to him had made sure that he wouldn't be able to get rid of it. This was really annoying. All he wanted to do was forget those two …
He rolled over and stared at the screen. Kimiko was standing there, in the arms of a guy he hated beyond all others and he couldn't stop it and he couldn't even go there to try and find out what was going on because that lazy-assed lizard was recharging. What was worse was that his two best friends doubted him. He couldn't prove that it was a real photo and they weren't going to believe him until he had.
What Omi had said to him was ringing in his skull. 'Because I feel the same way …'. Right now Raimundo was feeling distinctly pissed off, but what about Omi? Had he been as hurt as Raimundo? Maybe he was just waiting to see as well, but still …
Raimundo got up to go and speak with Omi. It was only fair that he offered the same courtesy as Omi had offered him when he was down. And still Raimundo kept hearing it:
"Because I feel the same way …"(A/N) Sorry it's late. Not a lot's happened in this chapter other than Raimundo's talk with Omi and Clay and Kimiko's talk with Amber about Jack. Next chapter I intend to get some time with Jack and Kim together again. Hope you enjoyed!
Luv Becky.