Two days found Raimundo walking on his own, the pain in his chest only causing him to faint when he bent over or moved to fast. He was beginning to get annoyed at staying in the grounds but didn't dare to provoke his injury by going to the top of the mountains his element enjoyed so much. The young Hispanic inhaled deeply, his eyes closed as he felt his element unfold from inside him to dance among the flowers and the birds, it surrounded him, held him, caressed him, it protected him.
"Raimundo needs to work on his defense…"
Omi's words echoed in his mind as he felt the wind start circling around him slowly, playing with his hair. He brought his hands, one newly released from the cast, and crossed them at the wrists in front of his heart and tilted his head back, allowing the wind to pick up and blow his hair straight up, his pant legs rustling with the tails of the top of his uniform. He could sense any disturbance to the air when he got like this. He felt when Omi stopped rustling the air with his jumps to turn his head, he knew when Kimiko leaned out of the window, and he felt Clay's form pushing air aside as he walked towards him. A smile spread on his face as his eyes opened, green orbs sparkling with pure joy. He let the wind die down and felt it spread, calm as it only lifted itself to help a butterfly testing her wings for the first time.
"You okay, partner?" he halfway heard Clay ask him.
Rai was still spacey from his break from reality when he tilted his head from side to side, stretching out the slightly cramped muscles.
"Just happy to be moving about again," he replied, a breeze lifting his hair. He could almost hear the wind… his wind laughing as it jumped about, discovering things he would have discovered days ago. It was helping him note every change in the garden, including...
His euphoria vanished to be replaced by sternness. Something was out of place in the garden.
"Bring it to me…" he muttered. It was supposed to be under his breath but he saw Clay raise an eyebrow at him.
"Rai…" the Texan said slowly, worrying for his best friend. Rai had been acting weird every since he became Shoku Warrior. He had seen Rai's break with reality before and seen the pure ecstasy etched on his friend's face when his element did as it pleased, and frankly, it worried him. The cowboy made a mental note to talk to Master Fung when he saw him next.
However, just them Rai caught a piece of paper in his hand that had been brought on a very strong wind. He read the card and rolled his eyes, sticking his hands in his sleeves as he crossed his arms, eyebrow twitching in annoyance.
"Omi! Kimiko!" he called and the two joined them in a second. "Unfortunately, I can't join you, but I found this," he flipped out a card instantly recognizable as Jack's "Evil Boy Genius" business card. "My guess would be the vault," he sighed. Jack was too predictable. He opened his eyes to see the three waiting, albeit impatiently, for his word. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, the mirth shining in his eyes again. "Go on, have fun, and kick his but for me!"
"Right!" the other three dragons yelled and high-fived Rai before running off.
"Jack bots! Attack!" the cry echoed across the grounds only seconds before the crashing sound of metal breaking sounded. Rai felt himself smiling and missing being in there with the others, kicking Spicer butt. He felt himself sit down and didn't really mind. Folding his hands in his lap he let his mind's eye wander on the wind and was soon brought above the battlefield, lending assistance in the wind to push a friend forward, or to still a robot for attack. Everything became a chess game. He would be on the defensive and the offensive, setting everyone up for a-
"Check mate," he murmured, opening his eyes and standing up slowly. After all of the use of his element he was tired, and where Chase had stabbed him hurt awfully. He decided to make a beeline for his room and when he got there, he crashed down on the mat, not caring for his injuries, and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, outside where Jack was currently running away with Wuya who was, of course, screaming about how he was an idiot.
"It is amazing that we did not have to go through a Xiaolin Showdown," Omi said, grabbing the various Wu that had dropped out of Jack's escape bag.
"Yeah, even with Rai gone it seemed easier than normal," Kimiko agreed, pocketing the Star of Hanabi.
"Uh, listen, I need to go talk to Master Fung," Clay said, handing Omi the Fist of Tebigong. "I'll be back later to train, ok?"
The other two nodded and Clay turned on heel, determined to get to the bottom of what was causing Raimundo's strange behavior.
"Master Fung?" Clay said, taking his hat off as he walked up behind the meditating Master of the Temple. "Uh… I really need to speak with you about-"
"Raimundo?" Master Fung said, opening his eyes and turning around. "Please sit down, Clay."
"Yeah, its about Rai… he's been acting kind of funny every time he uses his wind now," Clay said, seating himself in the traditional meditating stance.
"So you have noticed?" Master Fung asked simply, staring Clay in the eyes.
"Well, yeah… the first time was when he was on the mountain, and this time it was actually in the temple. His wind just surrounds him and blows straight up and he gets this weird happy look in his eyes."
"That is because he is finally becoming one with the dragon within him," Master Fung said, his eyes twinkling.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I will be perfectly honest with you, Clay. There hasn't been an actual Wind Dragon since Grand Master Dashi. For some reason most of them die young or can't get through this stage of their powers and are lost in a state of euphoria for the rest of their lives. We normally have to lock them away and seal their powers before they hurt someone."
"Do you think Rai…?" Clay let the question hang, not wanting to voice it further.
"I believe that Raimundo is actually getting complete control of the wind. His state of euphoria gets less and less every time. However, there is something strange. If someone doesn't stop it before it reaches its peak, the wind goes wild and Raimundo breaks. It has happened once on the mountains and it broke Raimundo. I had never seen him cry before that time and yet he just fell to his knees as the wind died down and tears fell from his eyes. Apparently this state of euphoria is similar to an emotional high and it calls memories out from the dark recesses of Raimundo's mind. Memories that he himself may not know."
"Why are you tellin' me this?" Clay asked quietly.
"Because if all of you do not make Raimundo open up, I fear we may loose him… for good this time."
(Ah, short… but I was bored so I just started writing… so this is just kind of a filler chapter that has part of the plot in it… this is like the Prologue version 1.5 XDDD… Rai's past will start shaping in the next chapter as will the actual plot of this story… and hey! Maybe a Xiaolin Showdown… if and when you review… care to share some ideas for a Showdown and/or Shen Gon Wu? This will take place about five days from Clay's conversation and Rai feels that he's healed enough… but will he be? BWAHAHA! Ano… I love Rai… truly I do…)