This is still one of my favourite episodes, and it was so much fun to write.
I hope you like it!
Chapter 4: Tangle Web Comb
A cold wind carried across Loch Ness, making both Clay and Raimundo shiver.
"It's so cold! This is crazy!" Raimundo complained, rubbing his bare arms to try and warm up.
"It's Scotland, what do you expect?" Rory asked. She wore a long coat over her favourite hoodie, keeping warmer than the two.
"The sun?" Raimundo suggested, looking up at the sky. Dark grey clouds covered every inch of it. Rory gave a wry smile in response.
"It's chillier than the feet on a penguin right now," Clay complained.
"I like that comparison," Rory couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't fault them for complaining about the cold. Both were from much warmer places than her, and living in China hadn't been much preparation for the colder climate. "You should have brought coats," she teased them.
"I didn't think we'd be here for too long," Raimundo grumbled.
"Correct. Our trip here was delayed because of Kimiko's loss," Omi nodded, and Rory winced. She'd hoped they wouldn't bring up the Showdown, considering Kimiko was sitting at the end of the boat that Dojo had become silently sulking. In her first Showdown, she'd lost against Jack, costing them the Fist of Tebigong, and the Monkey Staff.
"The water's cold too," Dojo shivered, making them all stumble. "I tell ya, I don't know how my cousin Nessie stands living here!" he complained.
"The Loch Ness Monster is real?" Clay asked.
"She's your cousin?" Rory asked, finding herself not that surprised that the Loch Ness Monster was real. They'd already dealt with unbelievable things.
"Yeah. If you ask me, she likes all the attention," Dojo told them. "'Hey look, it's the Loch Ness Monster!'" he gave an example, making them laugh.
"Hey look, it's the Loch Ness Monster!" a Scottish voice rang out, and he rolled his eyes.
"See?" he shook his head.
"Oh, Kimiko," Omi approached the girl, who was sitting down with her legs pulled in as she glared out into the fog. "Please, do not feel sad," he put a hand on her shoulder.
"That's as dangerous as trying to feed a tiger," Clay muttered to Rory, who had to agree. Kimiko was already very hot-headed, and now she was stewing in her anger and humiliation over losing to Jack.
"I don't!" Kimiko snapped at him. "I don't need your pity either!" she glared at Omi, before turning back to glare out at the water.
"I was merely going to point out that you could not expect to do better, because you are a girl!" Omi's exclamation made both Rory and Kimiko's eyes widen.
"Pardon me?" Kimiko snarled at him.
"Since we met, I have been studying all about girls from this 11th century tome!" Omi pulled a book from his sleeve, seeming completely oblivious that he had two angry girls ready to drown him in the murky water.
"'The Ancient Guide to Females'?" Kimiko read the title of the book, her face turning red in anger.
"Yes! It tells us that your talents lie elsewhere, in the kitchen for example," Omi read aloud as he flicked through the book.
"Oh, I'm going to feed him to Nessie," Rory hissed, and Clay grabbed her arm, holding her back.
"Don't be so hard on Kimiko," the cowboy interrupted, trying to stop Omi before either girl murdered him. "She was just trying to do her level best!" he defended. "Which was pretty good, considering…" he trailed off as Kimiko turned her dangerous glare on him.
"Considering what?!" Kimiko was getting angrier and angrier.
"Considering you're such a hothead," Clay clarified for her with an innocent smile. Kimiko folded her arms and turned away, trying not to rise to his comment.
"You're poking an angry bear," she warned Clay.
"Yes!" Omi agreed as he kept reading from the book. "I believe it was due to her lack of upper body strength," he announced.
"I'll show you upper body strength!" Kimiko shrieked, ready to fight Omi.
"Look out, she might use her slip and fall move on you," Raimundo couldn't help but join in to tease the raging girl.
"And I'm the one poking an angry bear?" Clay asked Rory, before Dojo started to shake. The group swayed, almost falling from his boat-like shape.
"Shen Gong Wu alert!" Dojo yelped.
"What do we got?" Raimundo asked. Kimiko pulled the scroll from her backpack, opening it to show them.
"Ah, the Tangle Web Comb!" Omi exclaimed as the Shen Gong Wu showed on the scroll.
"What's it do?" Kimiko asked. They watched the art come to life, showing a person using the Comb. What looked like hair shot from it, wrapping around another person.
"Whoa, that's hairy," Raimundo laughed as the other person fell over.
"Well, let's quit dilly-dallying and go get it!" Clay exclaimed.
"Nowhere to go," Dojo told them, making them all look up. "It's here baby," he said. They frowned, confused.
"Here?" Omi repeated.
"Like, right here?" Kimiko asked, pointing down.
"That's what here traditionally means," Dojo frowned at them. "Right here!" he pointed straight down. Looking down, they saw light shining through the murky water.
"In the cold water?" Rory asked, hesitant to try and retrieve it. She was more used to the cold than the others, but that didn't mean she wanted to take a swim.
"This one's all mine!" Kimiko shoved them out of the way and climbed onto the side.
"Kim's right," Raimundo nodded. "It should definitely be hers. She has to replace the one she just lost," he grinned, and she glared at him. "Sorry, I mean the two she just lost," he corrected himself. Rolling her eyes, Kimiko jumped, flipping before diving into the water with a loud splash.
"You deserve every punch from her," Rory told Raimundo, who was laughing to himself as they peered over the edge.
"Do girls know how to swim?" Omi wondered as the water started to settle.
"I'm going to burn that book," Rory muttered to herself. Finally Kimiko broke the surface, holding up the Tangle Web Comb triumphantly.
"Got it!" she grinned, catching her breath.
Once the five had returned to the temple - and Kimiko had gotten a hot shower - they gathered in the grounds to try out the new Shen Gong Wu.
"It's a...comb," Raimundo wasn't particularly impressed as Kimiko held it up. "Cute," he shrugged.
"I think it's great you found a comb, Kimiko," Clay said, offering a smile.
"Oh yes, accessorising is within your talents, as a female!" Omi exclaimed. Kimiko scowled as Raimundo didn't hide his laughter.
"Oh, we're back on this?" Rory groaned, not looking forward to Omi's outdated assumptions about girls, though she was a little relieved they were more directed at Kimiko. "So let's see the Comb in action," she quickly returned to the topic at hand.
"Stand back and prepare to be impressed!" Kimiko walked away from them, towards one of their training dummies. "Tangle Web Comb!" she threw out her arm and sent vine-line hair flying towards the dummy. "Oh yeah, I am so-" Kimiko stopped as the vines suddenly veered around the dummy and shot back towards her. "In trouble!" she screamed, and the vines slammed into her, forcing her to drop the Comb as they wrapped tightly around her. "Hey!" Kimiko groaned, overbalancing and dropping to her knees.
"Kimiko!" Rory ran over to try and help her, and the three boys ran off to rummage through her things. "Wow, this is gross," Rory said as she studied the vines that ensnared the angry girl.
"Just get me out of it!" Kimiko whined. "Who knows what they're doing with my stuff," she cried as Rory tugged at the hair.
"Why? You got dodgy stuff in your room?" she couldn't help but tease.
"If they touch my diary, I'll-"
"Kimiko?" the two stopped quickly as Master Fung approached, holding the Tangle Web Comb. "Are you in need of assistance?" he asked as Rory stood quickly, hands behind her back.
"No! I just need to...practice!" Kimiko struggled again, and fell over.
"Yes, the Tangle Web Comb is a difficult Shen Gong Wu to master. It requires absolute focus," Master Fung explained.
"I am so all about focus," Kimiko insisted, before glancing at Rory. "Go make sure they don't wreck my stuff," she pleaded with the girl. Rory bowed to Master Fung, before hurrying off.
"Ohh, Kimiko's PDA!" Raimundo's voice was filled with glee as he grabbed it from beside her pillow. "Wonder what's on here…" he immediately started going through it.
"Are all guys this nosy about a girl's belongings?" Rory asked, snatching Kimiko's diary from Clay before he could open it. She examined the book, which seemed to have been plain in appearance before Kimiko had covered it in stickers.
"Hey, we have to entertain ourselves somehow," Raimundo shrugged, unapologetic as Rory hit Clay's arm with the book.
"Out, before I get to break out some Shen Gong Wu," she smiled at them.
"Ah yes, it says in my book about females being more inclined to violence at certain times-"
"Omi," Rory cut him off, her smile now strained. The boy looked up from rooting around in Kimiko's makeup. "You finish that sentence, and you'll be swimming in the fountain again," she warned him. Omi blinked, confused, but fell silent as he followed the other two out.
"Don't take what the lil fella says to heart," Clay patted Rory on the shoulder. "You know he means no harm," he reminded her.
"I know that," Rory nodded. "But that book of his will be the victim of Kimiko's wrath eventually," she warned him. Clay nodded, knowing it was only a matter of time.
"Yuck!" Omi spat, disgusted. "This candy is most unpleasant!" he exclaimed, but took another bite regardless.
"That's not food, Omi," Rory sighed as she saw him chewing on Kimiko's lipstick, which was smeared across his face.
"Oops! I think I deleted something," Raimundo commented as the PDA he was still holding beeped loudly.
"Hey!" Kimiko shouted, carrying a massive teapot that was bigger than her. "That's my lipstick! And my PDA!" her face started to turn red in anger.
"Keep pouring, Kimiko," Master Fung sat cross-legged nearby. Raimundo looked up as he heard the shouts, and grinned.
"Look guys, Kimiko's serving up tea!" he ran over to the table where small cups were laid out.
"Ah, the traditional female role," Omi grinned as he followed.
"So much for stopping them," Kimiko hissed at Rory as they sat down.
"I stopped them from looking in your diary. There's only so much I can do," Rory said, looking apologetic. Kimiko sighed, and started pouring tea into the cup. Rory hid her guilty feeling, having held back when kicking the three out of Kimiko's room. She didn't want them knowing just how sharp her tongue could be, or how 'foul-mouthed' she was. She still regretted that Jack had seen that side of her.
"Tea sure would hit the spot right about now," Clay said as Kimiko poured tea into his cup.
"Are you making cookies?" Raimundo asked. Kimiko growled at him. "We could use cookies or something," he said, smirking.
'Rai has a death wish. That's for sure,' Rory concluded.
"Oh yes, something tastier than this!" Omi declared, throwing the lipstick away.
"Master Fung!" Kimiko pleaded with the teacher, who was sitting quietly.
"Keep pouring," he told her lightly, and Kimiko groaned as she turned to him. "You must drown out all distractions. Quiet the storm of your mind. Only then will you achieve absolute focus," Master Fung told her. Kimiko watched her friends, as Raimundo balanced the cups on top of each other and Omi used his sleeve to wipe the lipstick from his face. He smiled, showing that it was all over his teeth as well, and Kimiko's temper boiled more. Rory put a hand to her face. Whatever Master Fung's lesson was, it was brutal.
They watched as Kimiko struggled to pour tea into a cup, making the cup shake dangerously. However, she managed to fill it without it spilling over, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"The next one will be perfect," she assured, moving past Omi to pour the last cup. Omi watched her for a moment, before turning to the others.
"I'm very surprised that Kimiko can lift such a heavy pot with her delicate female arms!" he exclaimed. Rory slapped a hand to her face.
"What?!" Kimiko roared at him, and the spout of the teapot landed in the cup, spilling tea everywhere. She let out a cry of horror as the cup rolled away, and yanked the teapot back up to try to stop it. However, it slipped out of her hands, and Kimiko gasped as she watched it sail through the air. As if in slow-motion, they watched as the pot tumbled through the air, before hitting the ground with a loud crash. It shattered, and tea spilled everywhere. Master Fung, now on his feet, simply shook his head with a disappointed expression. Kimiko groaned loudly, defeated as Master Fung walked away.
"Wanna bet chores on when Kimiko will find her focus? This century or next," Raimundo suggested to the others. Kimiko's frustrated noises rose in volume as she struggled not to start screaming at the boy.
To Kimiko's relief, talk of her focus was put on the backburner as Dojo sensed a new Shen Gong Wu awakening. She kept quiet, still sulking over the tea incident, and the others wisely didn't poke her about it, instead discussing the Golden Tiger Claws.
Dojo finally touched down in Japan, shrinking down as they jumped down, and they all looked up at the massive walls that towered over them.
"The Golden Tiger Claws are inside that palace?" Omi asked, pointing up at the large building.
"That's what this rash is telling me," Dojo said, scratching his back with his sharp claws. "Oh, I wonder if there's an ointment for this," he groaned, scratching harder.
"I swear, you need some antihistamines or something. You're definitely allergic to Shen Gong Wu," Rory told him.
"How do we get in there?" Raimundo wondered, looking up at the burly guard who stood watch.
"Maybe if we knock on the door and ask real nice-like?" Clay suggested.
"That's the Emperor's Palace," Dojo shook his head, still scratching. "They don't let just anyone in there. We need connections," he explained. Rory frowned, looking up at the imposing building.
"Well I don't know about you guys, but I have no connections," she admitted.
"Oh, no worries," Kimiko lifted her phone from her pocket. "I'll call my dad," she selected her dad from the contacts and it began ringing. Dojo raised his eyebrows, looking sceptical. "Moshi moshi Papa, Kimiko," she greeted him. They could hear rushed talk on the other end, as Kimiko spoke in Japanese to her father. Her smile quickly faded, and she seemed to argue, but quickly gave in.
"Well?" Raimundo pressed when she ended the call.
"We're in...but there's a catch," Kimiko said, reluctant.
"Are you sure it's okay for me to wear something like this?" Rory said as she tied the sash around her waist.
"It's okay," Kimiko shook her head. "You need to wear something like this to get in. My papa said so," she sighed. "Gimme a hand?" she asked, and Rory turned to her. She whistled at the sight of the already pretty Japanese girl, who now looked even more beautiful.
Kimiko's black hair was twisted up and held in place with long needle-like pins, and the Tangle Web Comb was secure at the front, and she wore just enough makeup to accentuate her features, including a small blush. She wore a pretty pink and gold kimono with her Geta, and was struggling with the bow.
"You look amazing," Rory told her honestly. She'd always felt plain compared to the fashionable beauty, but now she felt downright drab, even in her own getup. Her long pale brown hair was tied up as well, braided and curled up into a bun, and she wore a kimono as well, which was primarily white with red highlights and a red sash, but even that felt drab compared to Kimiko.
"Shut up," Kimiko groaned, blushing more. "I hate dressing like this. It's so stupid," she complained. "And you know Raimundo is going to laugh at us," she added. Rory sighed, knowing that she was right. She never considered herself much of a tomboy; happy to wear dresses and skirts, but both looked very different to their usual styles.
"How does anyone walk on these things?" Rory asked as she took a step in the Geta she wore and wobbled.
Raimundo's laughter echoed when Kimiko and Rory walked back into view, both looking very put out. Even Omi was giggling, as both Raimundo and Clay wore formal outfits as well, with Clay still wearing his cowboy hat.
"Told you," Kimiko muttered to Rory. "Shut it," she snapped at them.
"I think Kimiko and Rory's clothing is most appropriate. They at last resemble girls!" Omi exclaimed.
"At this rate, I think even a judge would consider his murder justified," Rory whispered to Kimiko, who nodded.
"Where are your formal duds, Omi?" Clay asked, trying to stop Omi from digging his own grave.
"These are my formal robes, Clay," Omi answered, putting his hands to his slightly darker red shirt. "The thread count is slightly higher. Notice the exquisite sheen," he held out an arm to show them off.
"Let's find these tiger claws and bail," Kimiko rolled her eyes and started trying to make her way up the stairs.
"Are you planning on walking three steps behind us?" Raimundo giggled as they watched her struggle.
"No, I plan on leaving you in my dust!" Kimiko snapped back at him. She groaned, forcing herself to keep going.
"Be careful," Raimundo sang, watching happily. "Or you'll…" he trailed off as Kimiko overbalanced and fell with a loud cry. "Fall," he finished, walking up to her.
"Is it me, or does Rai like bullying Kimiko more than the rest of us?" Rory murmured to Clay.
"It's not just you, partner," Clay nodded with a small smile. Omi looked up at the two, confused by what they meant.
"Need a hand?" Raimundo asked as he crouched beside Kimiko, offering his hand. She glared up at him, seeing the amusement in his expression.
"What I need is for you to get out of my way!" Kimiko snapped at him. "Stupid kimono!" she complained, continuing her struggle back up the stairs.
"Kim's looking wobbly," Raimundo grinned to the others. Rory shook her head in exasperation, and started her own unsteady steps up. Clay offered her his arm, and she took it with a thankful smile, not too proud to get help. "Anyone wanna double our bet? Say, two weeks of chores?" he offered as they reached him.
"Focus," Kimiko growled to herself, hearing his words. She made it up to the top of the stairs and flashed her phone at the guard to show their invitations. He opened the door for her, bowing respectfully as they all went inside.
Wandering around the quiet rooms, the group immediately began searching. Rory admired the bonsai tree that was growing beautifully in one of the pots, before moving onto the real antiques to see if anything stood out.
"Any sign of the Claws?" Kimiko asked, turning to the others.
"These are lion claws. Very similar," Omi grinned as he admired the Komainu statue.
"But no dice," Raimundo shook his head.
"Oh, dice! Are we looking for dice too?" Omi asked him, excited. Raimundo rolled his eyes.
"Just accept that no slang is ever going to work with Omi," Rory told him as she walked past to look at one of the statues.
"Nothing here but dust bunnies," Clay shook his head, blowing the dust from a set of armour. Dojo sniffed the air loudly.
"I know it's down here somewhere," he said, pressing himself flat against the wooden floor. "But...but more down, than...than here," Dojo took another loud sniff.
"Well, this seems to just be the expensive stuff. Maybe there's a place for random old magical artifacts that can cut holes through space?" Rory suggested. Hearing a hollow sound as she wandered around, Kimiko stopped, finding a square of the panelling that was a slightly different colour to the rest of the floor.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing at the hatch that she'd stepped onto. "There's a door!" the others gathered around as Clay grabbed the small metal hand and pulled it up. The panel came away easily, revealing a set of stone steps.
"Great, more stairs," Rory grumbled, before hearing a strange noise echo from below. "And a ghost?" she wondered.
"A staircase into the darkness! How very…"
"Creepy?" Clay finished for Omi.
"Yes…" Omi gulped.
"After you, Kimiko," Raimundo gestured with a grin. Rory rolled her eyes at Clay, who resisted a smile. Another groan echoed up. "Unless you're scared," he taunted, making her scowl.
"Oh yes! Females are easily frightened!" Omi nodded as he lifted the book from his sleeve again.
"You're lucky you're cute, Omi," Kimiko grumbled at him, making her way down the steps and ignoring Raimundo's comments. The others followed her down, as the stairs made way to reveal a massive chasm.
"Uh, guys?" Rory called as they reached the bottom of the steps. They stopped looking at her as she shivered. "I hate to make things worse but...we're not alone," she warned as the familiar sensation settled.
"Jack and Wuya?" Kimiko asked her, and Rory nodded. "Great. Like things weren't bad enough," she complained, continuing to walk as she grabbed her phone and let the torch light up their path.
"At least these caves are less...cramped," Rory offered as they walked along the path, looking for the Golden Tiger Claws.
"I still don't know how you dealt with being near Jack Spicer for so long," Raimundo commented. Rory shrugged.
"I have a high tolerance for annoying, I guess," she offered. Raimundo shot her a look as if trying to determine if she was including him in that comment, and she just smiled and kept walking.
Another groan echoed through the poorly lit caverns, and they looked around, trying to find the source of the noise.
"What's that moaning?" Kimiko asked, her voice quivering.
"Definitely a ghost," Rory decided.
"Stop," Kimiko groaned, shooting her an exasperated look. Finally Jack and Wuya emerged from the shadows. At least, what they assumed was Jack. Holding onto the Monkey Staff with a long brown tail, Jack had become monkey-like in appearance. "It's Jack!" Kimiko realised. And he's headed towards-" Kimiko's gasp echoed. "The Golden Tiger Claws!" she realised, seeing that the main source of light in the caverns was the sharp claws sitting in the centre.
"Oh...I so don't need this right now," hearing Kimiko, Jack turned and spotted them. "Jackbots, get rid of them! Now! And get me some ginger ale," he added. One of the bots flew over to him; its head turning and offering a glass. "Thanks. You can crush them now," the Jackbots immediately flew towards the five.
"Water!" Omi kicked the Jackbot aside as it flew at him, and it headed straight for Clay.
"Earth!" the cowboy braced himself, and as the robot spun, out of control towards him, and he knocked it down with the back of his hand. He watched as it fell, crashing to the ground. "Thanks for dropping by. Or uh...just dropping," he smirked.
"Wind!" Raimundo dodged the shots fired by the second robot, ignoring the graze across his cheek that drew blood. He leapt through the air and landed behind it, punching it hard.
"Light!" Rory moved around the robot that veered unsteadily at her after Raimundo's hit. As it flew past her, she kicked hard, and it crashed into a rock and exploded.
"Why do you build these stupid machines?" Wuya groaned as she watched the Xiaolin Warriors easily defeat the robots. "They're useless!" she shouted.
"Mom said I needed a hobby," Jack shrugged, before running towards the Claws with a loud shriek.
"Not so fast Jack!" Kimiko saw him swinging with ease along towards the Golden Tiger Claws. "Fire!" she flipped through the air and grabbed the Golden Tiger Claws as he did the same.
"Sweet," Jack laughed, showing off sharp fangs. "Kimiko, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown," he declared.
"Name your game, Jack," Kimiko glared at him.
"A race across the bridges," Jack pointed down at the two paths that ran through the cavern. "First one over wins. What do you say, Kimiko?" he taunted, the memory of their last showdown still fresh.
"I say let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" Kimiko agreed. The others watched from above as the cavern changed, and red light shone from below. Spiked stalagmites rose up as the bridges started to crumble, suddenly seeming a lot more fragile.
"Oh, that's gonna be rough in that outfit," Rory considered as Kimiko and Jack appeared on the bridges.
"Gong Yi Tanpai!" as soon as they shouted the words, Jack took off with a shrieking laugh.
"We really need to start setting fairer rules in these things," Raimundo commented.
"I dunno, you've handled most of them pretty well," Dojo considered, watching as Jack cleared ground quickly. Kimiko took a few tentative steps before stumbling, and with a curse she kicked off her geta, letting them fall into the abyss below. "Get in the game girl!" Dojo cheered her on.
"Anyone wanna double our wager again? Omi, Clay?" Raimundo asked, leaning against the wall. Rory rolled her eyes, watching Kimiko quietly. After being on the receiving end of the cheers, she felt it was more distracting to hear the cheers.
"Okay!" both Clay and Omi agreed.
"Kimi's right. You're all idiots," Rory muttered to herself.
"This is too easy!" Jack laughed as he stopped to look back at Kimiko. Holding up her kimono to walk, Kimiko was going at a much slower pace than he was. The ground then started to rumble, and Jack fell with a shriek. However, his tail caught the bridge, while Kimiko barely managed to grab onto her own bridge. Jack swung upside down, unfazed.
"Spicer seems a lot more chill as a monkey," Rory considered.
"Doesn't say much," Clay replied, making her smile a little, even as Kimiko hung from her bridge.
"That's a good look for you!" Jack taunted as he watched her dangling.
"Stupid showdown…" Kimiko grumbled as Jack's laughter echoed.
"Hey, what's keeping you?" he called as she managed to get back up. However, as soon as she stood, the bridges shook again and she fell. "It helps if you don't fall on your butt!" Jack laughed. With another shriek, he kept going, swinging through the air. Kimiko grabbed the Tangle Web Comb, letting most of her hair fall down behind her. She looked at the Shen Gong Wu, and took a deep breath.
"Tangle Web Comb!" she threw out the vines, which easily caught up to Jack. "Yes!" Kimiko cheered, but as Jack turned, eyes widening, the vines turned back on her. "Uh oh!" she screamed as they wrapped around her, knocking the last of her hair loose. The pins fell into the chasm below as Kimiko fell to the ground, even her mouth covered by the vines. Jack howled with laughter before continuing on. To add to the chaos, he used the staff to smash through a stalagmite, which broke through the bridge.
"Well, there go another two Shen Gong Wu," Raimundo shook his head as Kimiko seemed to give up.
"I wouldn't count Kimiko out of the race just yet," Rory grinned suddenly, as the vine-like hair suddenly unwrapped from around the girl.
"The Golden Tiger Claws are mi-" Jack screeched as the Monkey Staff was pulled from his grasp. He whirled around to see it land in Kimiko's hand as she smirked. "Hey!" he yelled, before screaming, hunched over as he started returning to normal.
"It worked!" Kimiko gasped, amazed at what she'd done.
"Big deal, you got the Monkey Staff!" Jack grumbled, trying and failing to hide how upset he was about losing it.
"She has achieved absolute focus!" Omi grinned as Jack stomped towards the Golden Tiger Claws.
"Too bad I'm only-" Jack stopped as the ground shook again. "One...small step - no!" as he reached for the Claws, they tipped over the edge, falling. "No!" he yelled, leaping down after them. Behind him, Kimiko was laughing, flipping as she started forwards with a lot more confidence and speed than before. Still laughing, she used the vines on the Tangle Web Comb to swing down from the bridge. Before Jack could grab the Claws, Kimiko swung by and grabbed it, letting Jack fall.
"Told you she would," Raimundo smirked. Rory rolled her eyes again as he shook Clay's hand.
"Looks like you win the bet, partner," Clay said graciously.
"I never doubted her for a second," Raimundo told them, ignoring Rory's droll stare.
"We shall do all your chores for the next week," Omi nodded. Raimundo raised an eyebrow at him.
"For the next four weeks," Raimundo corrected him. "We doubled, twice. Remember?" he smirked as Omi sighed.
"Actually...I was hoping you would forget," he admitted. They looked up as Kimiko swung over, carrying the Tangle Web Comb, Monkey Staff, and Golden Tiger Claws.
"How do you like me now?" she smirked, tossing the Claws to Omi.
"Good job," Raimundo praised, bumping her fist.
"That was deadly," Rory nodded with a grin.
"You whipped ol' Jack butt good!" Clay declared, bumping her fist as well. However, his strength was much greater, and Kimiko whimpered as something in her hand cracked.
"Kimiko, you have taught me much about the strength of women," Omi told her, taking a step forwards. "I now completely understand the modern female!" he announced confidently. Rory rolled her eyes at his declaration, very much doubting his words.
"Let's just say you've made a step in the right direction," Kimiko crouched to pat Omi's head. "Which is good. I'm hoping to get a little more respect around here," she said, levelling a glare at Raimundo and Clay. The two suddenly smirked, and Rory put a hand to her mouth in shock.
"You got it," Raimundo nodded as Clay giggled. "Monkey butt!" the two burst out laughing, and Kimiko gasped as she turned, staring at the black tail that had ripped through her kimono.
"Girls have tails?" Omi yelled.
"So much for knowing all about women," even Rory couldn't help but laugh as Kimiko went bright red.
The Monkey Staff is one of my favourite Shen Gong Wu, so it will definitely make more of an appearance in this story!
Let me know what you think!
Please review!
