(party is still going on)
Raimundo: (subtitles) Wow, dl-sPirit isn't back yet?
Ferret: (subtitles) YUP!
Roni: (walks up with a cup in her hand) (subtitles) O positive?
Raimundo: (subtitles) Um...nah.
Ferret: (subtitles) Where's Lobo?
Roni: (subtitles) Threw him in the closet :D
Ferret: (subtitles)XD
Raimundo: (subtitles) This update took forever...
Roni: (subtitles) You can say that again.
Ferret: (subtitles)But we have pictures! (holds up two large cue cards)
Cue Card 1: Ferret - http/ www. deviantart. com/ view/ 2908 1407 (take out spaces)
Cue Card 2: Roni: - http/ www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 2916 6793 (take out spaces too)
Raimundo: (subtitles) Disclaimer's on first chapter.
Roni: (subtitles) And here's the chapter! (drains cup)
Raimundo/Ferret: (subtiles) Eeeeewwwwwww...
"Cause you're always like that," replied a familiar voice as a shadow jumped from a tree onto the wall and sat down next to her. She gasped.
"Rai?"
Kimiko stuttered as she stared at the brazilian in shock. "How- how did you-"
"You were busy reading the letter. I could've snuck up right behind you," Raimundo said jokingly, obviously trying to lighten the mood. He looked at her face. "Kim, one of your cuts – it's bleeding."
Kimiko touched her face. Sure enough, she felt warm liquid. A cut had opened. "Oh no," she whispered, holding her hand against it. Then, a leaf was shoved in her face.
"Use this. It'll work better," Raimundo explained. The Dragon of Fire looked at Raimundo oddly before taking the leaf and pressing it against her face. She then realized – he had used his right hand. Looking at his other arm, she found it in a sling, wrapped in a cast.
"So…um…why'd you return?" she asked, "Not that I didn't want you to, I'm just kinda-"
"First, to make sure you're ok," Raimundo started, "Also, to say I'm sorry for, you know, helping Roni."
"Unless you lied in this letter-" she held the paper up. "You didn't have much choice."
Raimundo gave a tiny shrug. "I still feel bad about the whole thing." Then, he pulled something out from his pocket. "I wasn't sure if you wanted it back but, just in case…"
Kimiko gasped for the second time that night. Glittering in Raimundo's palm was the locket, the one she had torn off so carelessly earlier. Shockingly, the chain was fixed. Then, the Dragon of Fire saw something else – his hands were burned.
"Rai? How – how did you burn your hands?" she asked, carefully taking the locket as if it'd burn her too.
Raimundo paused, in thought. "You probably won't believe this, but…"
--
The brazilian held the silver chain in one hand, a glowing stick in the other. Roni had left a fire burning, he needed to repair the chain – it had seemed like such a good idea. Now…
He hissed as, once again, the stick hit his hand, burning it. Third time already.
"Raimundo, vut'er ye doin'?" came a familiar voice from above, causing Raimundo to mentally curse. Looking up, he saw Roni peeking over a cliff, something sticking out of her mouth.
"Just trying to fix my girlfriend's necklace, if you don't mind," Raimundo replied sarcastically. Roni's eyes furrowed, in thought.
"Need 'elp?" She picked the thing up with her mouth and quickly scaled down the mountain face.
"Um…"
"I'm dead. Fi-er ken't 'urt meh."
"Fine." The brazilian reluctantly handed the broken necklace over to Roni, looking at the small thing she had put down. It was a young tiger, dead and drained of blood. "You got a tiger?"
"Yep. Go'a know where ta luk." She held the broken ends together, over the fire, watching as they turned a bright orange. "Ye 'ungree?"
"Huh?"
"Ye 'ungree? Cuked tigur meat ees tas'y, ye know."
--
Kimiko couldn't stop herself from pulling a face "You ate tiger meat?" she asked.
"And she was right," Raimundo replied, "Tiger meat tastes pretty good." He chuckled lightly before turning back to Kimiko, growing serious. "But I'd rather be here than up there."
"Can't you-" the Dragon of Fire started. She was silenced as Raimundo put a finger on her lips.
"Sorry Kim, I can't stay any longer." The Dragon of the Wind looked around, unsheathing the Golden Tiger Claws on his right hand. He looked at Kimiko, who seemed ready to pass out. "Well, maybe another few minutes."
As Kimiko leaned on him, near sleep, she heard him sing quietly:
"Dois guerreiros do outcast de épocas e de inimigos difercents,
Do espaco são supostos para ser,
Amigos que unwilling se tornarão.
A luz enevoon-se por sombras estará iludida de seu destiny,
Quando o vento forcado por uma promessa da morte,
E por uma esperanca de ajustar a luz livre.
O vento é declarado un traitor,
E a luz girou a escuridão,
Ambos com nenhuma escolha mas para ajudar a outra.
Por sas mãos o escuro verdadeiro retornara que roubará,
A luz e desencadeará a escuridão verdadeiro.
O venta sera perto da morte,
E o tempo comecará a terminar,
Porque somemte os criadores podem,
Verdadeiramente parar o escuro e conservar nos todos.
O vento e as sombras,a luz e o ar,
Um serao idos para sempre,
Porque os outros dois são deivados,
Com somemte as memoria do duram."
Raimundo looked at the now-sleeping Kimiko. "Gonna miss you Kim. Love you." He gave her a light kiss.
And that was the last thing Raimundo gave her before leaving, the Golden Tiger Claws left behind.
(---)
Kimiko sighed as she trained – alone. Though today was her birthday, it was also the one-month anniversary of the last time she saw Raimundo.
After his song, he had vanished. Clay and Omi had gradually let him fade. The Dragon of Fire refused to forget the brazilian. She still loved him and, she knew, he still loved her.
She looked at the sun, starting to set on the horizon. Winter had started two weeks ago, and already a foot of snow coated the ground. Thus, the days were ending earlier, and so did training. It was now time to quit.
She began walking to the door, passing a large dragonic snow sculpture.
A few hours later, darkness had completely fallen. The monks had just finished with Kimiko's cake, and now the Dragon of Fire was opening her presents. Omi's present had been a small bouquet of orange roses. From Clay, she got a CD. Dojo gave her chocolates (everyone made sure that he didn't eat them).
A few minutes later, that left only a small, unwrapped box. "Whose is that?" Clay asked, looking at the tiny package, both interested and suspicious.
No one answered. The tag it bore read only "To: Kimiko". Nothing else. Its handwriting was unfamiliar, and rather large and messy. Kimiko slowly took the package and opened it. What she saw made her lose her breath.
The light glinted off the golden medallion. Its small swirl seemed to be darker than usual. Yep, it was Raimundo's medallion. Kimiko stared in shock, at the same time trying to hold her tears back.
Was it from Raimundo to say he was ok? Or from Roni to tie up a loose end?
She couldn't be sure…
(---)
It was now ten at night. Kimiko had ended up crying herself to sleep. The silver moon shone on the grounds.
All was quiet.
Ferret: (subtitles) That was a long song.
Roni: (subtitles) Eh, it was more like a prophecy...
Raimundo: (taps someone who's lurking in the corner) (subtitles) Hey, why don't you join the party - holy crap, dl-sPirit?
dl-sPirit:K (eye twitches)
Raimundo: (VERY large subtitles) EVERYONE OUT! SHE'S BACK!
Ferret: (subtitles) REVIEW AND RUN!
Everyone: (starts running out, with screams in the subtitles)