There's Always a Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas related to Xiaolin Showdown.

The next morning, Raimundo, Clay, and Omi woke up earlier than usual. They would have to get an early start on their journey to Jack's lair. The three apprentices sat together in the Meditation Hall, deciding on which Shen Gong Wu they would take with them.

"I want the Orb of Tornami," Omi stated.

"I think we should take the Falcon's eye. It might help us locate Kimiko once we get to Jack's place." Clay said.

"How about the Shroud of Shadows. We could definitely use that," Rai added.

"We need the Reversing Mirror," said Clay, "It's as useful as tic tacs are to my Uncle Bobby."

Neither Rai nor Omi questioned Clay's strange expression about his uncle. They were both used to his way of talking by now. He always used old expressions and sayings, some of which he himself made up on the spot.

After making final Shen Gong Wu decisions and having a hearty breakfast, the three apprentices left the temple. They carried with them bags full of food, bedrolls, Shen Gong Wu, and other items they would need. They also brought with them the Shen Gong Wu scroll to alert them if any new Wu revealed themselves. As to how they would locate the Wu if this did happen, they still were not sure. They set out walking at a steady pace, slow enough that Rai could keep up in his condition, and fast enough that by their calculations of where the destination was, they would be arriving in a little less than a week.

"Man! Why don't they have any cars at the temple?" Rai was already complaining in the second hour of walking.

"Even if they did, none of us have our license yet. And besides, we're gonna' be walkin' through rougher terrain than a car could drive through," Clay put in.

They continued walking another hour before stopping for a snack/rest break at the side of a fast moving river. They took out slices of bread, fruit, and water and began enjoying their snack, sitting slumped against tree trunks.

………………………………...

Kimiko sat beside a crackling fire watching the flames. She felt really dizzy. Omi, Rai, and Clay had been with her only moments ago, but had left her behind when they went away. She was sweaty but freezing and she was holding a Shen Gong Wu. At first she didn't recognize the Shen Gong Wu, but then she said "Crystal Glasses" and brought the Wu up to her face and put them on. She looked through the glasses and saw herself alone in a dark room. Then someone else walked into the room. It was a bright figure, slim, and tall. She squinted trying to make out the person. Then she saw his face. It was Jack. He walked up to her. When he came close she could smell something…an odor not good, not bad. She couldn't place it. She fell into his arms and was trying to kiss him but he kept turning away as if unsure of something. He looked troubled. Then she could hear Raimundo's voice shouting something, but she couldn't make out the words. She was shouting back to him frantically.

Kimiko woke up breathing hard. Her muscles felt like she had just run a mile or more. She sat up on the small couch which she had been sleeping on. It was bright in the little room. She thought it must be at least ten o'clock in the morning by now, much later than she usually slept. She slumped back against the couch. She tried to remember what had just happened in her dream. She had been dreaming no more than two minutes ago but now that her body was conscious again, it seemed so far away. So vague. She recalled the feelings from the dream and that she had been trying to kiss…Jack? Yeah, it was Jack. She shook her head in bewilderment. She recalled the shouting to Raimundo and how she felt when they had left her, alone by the fire. Hmm. She didn't usually have such dramatic dreams. She mused at how weird and unrealistic dreams could be, knowing that what had happened in the dream was very farfetched.

She looked over to the little table in front of the couch and saw that some breakfast was already sitting on it for her. Jack must've already come in while she was sleeping. Her breakfast was a cinnamon roll (which had obviously come straight out of a store bought package) and a glass of orange juice. Kimiko didn't think that cinnamon went good with orange, but thought Jack, being a clueless teenager, didn't put thought into that kind of thing. She ate the small meal, then went over to the door to her room. Since she had been sleeping when Jack had come in, she didn't get a chance to be let out to go to the restroom. She knocked loudly on the door.

"Jack? Are you out there?" she called.

Jack, who had been doing some tinkering with his robots in his work room, heard her. Kimiko could hear footsteps coming toward her from the other side of the door. Jack unlocked the door and slipped inside locking it again behind him.

"Whacha need?" he said casually, as if he was not the one holding her prisoner.

"Honestly? Well…I could use being let out of here," Kimiko said and was surprised at herself that she said it in a humorous way. Jack looked a little uneasy at her reply, then decided to keep the light feeling of this conversation.

"I can't do that yet. But what did you really need?"

"I do really need to be let out, but I suppose a restroom break will suffice," she said and smiled. Why did you smile? What is nice about this situation? Jack doesn't need to be smiled at.

"K," was his reply. He didn't take the time to chain her hands together like he usually did when taking her down the hall to the bathroom. (Kimiko thought chaining her up just to take her thirty feet through his lair to the bathroom was stupid, and was grateful that he didn't today.)

After doing her morning business in the bathroom, Kimiko was led back to the small room from which she had come from. But instead of Jack locking her up and leaving, he came in with her before locking the door behind him. Kimiko gave him a questioning look. Which apparently made Jack feel slightly stupid. He averted his eyes to the ground.

"Oh I…I just thought…you might like company," he said.

"Ok… that's fine," Kimiko blurted without thinking. What! Tell him to get out, you weirdo! You don't need Jack sticking around, making you mad! But you need human interaction. It's practically what you live for. Just let him stay for a while and talk, you need it. Kimiko didn't know what to think about what she had just said. She wasn't losing her mind, she just desperately needed to be around another human, even if it was Jack Spicer.

"So… um," Jack began, trying to break the silence. It turned out to make things more awkward. "You're from Tokyo?"

"Yeah. Uhh…… w- where are you from?"

"Well, I was born in Canada and lived there 'til I was twelve."

"How did you end up coming and living in a weird cave slash lair thing?" Kimiko said genuinely interested in why anyone would do such a thing.

"Well, when my dad sent me the puzzle box, and it just happened to be Wuya inside it. Well, you know, Wuya and I have similar interests. You know, we both want world domination." Here Jack paused, as if for the first time in his life he realized that world domination might be a stupid idea. He shook it off and continued. "Well, most of the Shen Gong Wu were hidden close to China since Grand Master Dashi lived in China. So I decided to come live here for a while until we obtain all the Wu, and when we do we'll be one step closer to the whole…domination thing," Jack ended awkwardly.

"Oh, so this is just your temporary residence?" Kimiko was trying to keep the conversation alive.

"Yeah."

Kimiko was trying desperately to think of something else to say when her thoughts were interrupted. A loud clatter was coming from the 'foyer' (as Jack called the first room you enter when coming into his lair). Kimiko jumped into a fighting position, then smiled to herself as Jack screeched and fell to the floor.

Jack clambered to his feet and said, "What was that?"

"Open the door, and we can go see," Kimiko said, exasperatedly.

"Right…" Jack obeyed, and signaled that Kimiko should go first. Kimiko rolled her eyes, muttered "Wimp," and cautiously walked into the main room of the cave, Jack right behind her. Together they peered around the corner and saw a pile of robot rubble, with five of Panda Bobba's henchmen standing above it.

Jack let out a whimper, and whispered, "Rubble-bots… attack," in a defeated voice.

………………………………...

A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. But I've finally got my ideas flowing and I should have the fourth chapter up soon. I hope you all are liking my story, but please, please, take the time to review! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll post the next chapter. If there is anything I'm wrong about in the story or any mistakes I've made, feel free to point them out. I can always use the help! Thanks for reading!