Title: Pleasant Family Reunion
Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown
Characters: Rai, Kim, Omi, Clay, Rai's Mom (my OC), Rai's Dad (my OC)
Prompt: 027:Parents
Word Count: 2,413
Rating: PG
Summary: After a showdown, Rai decides to head back to his hometown to make amends.
Author's Note: I guess this sorta ties with 061:Winter. Maybe like a small reference or something and by far the longest yet! Translation provided by Teh'Elric.
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A showdown was being commenced in the beautiful Rio De Janeiro.
"Shoku Falcon, Wind!" Raimundo shouted as he sent a gust of wind towards Wuya. She flew right off the ledge and fell down the abyss. He won the showdown.
The scenery changed back to normal and Rai was left holding the newly acquired Shen-Gong-Wu. The others went up to him and congratulated him. Wuya went off with scorn on her face.
"Thanks, guys," he said homely.
"And now, let us get our backsides to the temple," Omi said.
"Later, right now, I got something to take care of," Raimundo said as he started off in one direction. The others stared at him as he did so. Particularly Kimiko.
"Where do you think he is going?" Omi asked.
"You know that Rai, he can be as mysterious as my mamma's mystery pie," Clay replied.
"I'm going to go find out," Kimiko said as she started off in the same direction. "You boys go on without me."
Soon she managed to catch up with Rai, in hopes of finding out what this 'business' might be. She hid behind a tree or jump into a bush every time he looks back. Every time he did, he merely shrugged and continued on. This would be a lot easier if she had the Shroud of Shadows. It was a long time before the path finally changed. He stopped and looked into the town that lay before him. From what Kimiko could tell, it was a tiny town that didn't have a whole lot to offer. The buildings seemed run down and close together. There were street vendors along side the main road and every so often a merchant would chase off a group of children who were really just trying to make a living. A giant wall separated the town from a huge dormant volcano. Why would Raimundo come here? There was basically nothing to this town as far as the eye can see.
"You can come out now," he said, knowing that she was there. She had no choice but to join him by his side. She approached him and looked in at the town.
"What are we doing here?" she asked.
"Kimiko, welcome to Toberejo. My hometown." She held her hand over her mouth and tried not to let out a gasp. "Different from Tokyo, huh?"
She snapped out of her gaze and averted it to him.
"Rai, I had no idea."
"What? That I didn't grew up in the lap of luxury, that I didn't always get what I wanted, or how about always having to provide what I can to my family. No offense, Kim, but not everyone can live like you did," he sneered.
"That's not what I meant. You always talked about how great it was being in the circus and not once did you mention anything about this place."
"Didn't you think I had a reason?"
"And what would that be? Were you, I don't know, ashamed?" Raimundo gazed down and had saddened look. Kimiko took notice and realization took over. "Oh my gosh, you were ashamed." He turned his back on her. "But, why?"
"Would you want anybody to know what you had to grow up with? You and the others would've thought about how much of a low life I am," he said in almost a whisper. A saddened look was on her as she approached him and placed her hand on his arm. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Rai, I don't care where you came from, it's who you are that really counts." She added with a smile.
"Who am I then?"
"You are Raimundo Pedrosa, you're our leader and my best friend." He smiled down at her but grimaced when she said 'friend'. Luckily for him, she didn't catch it.
"Thanks, Kimiko."
"No problem. So, what are we doing here?" she asked. He turned his head towards the town.
"Actually, there's someone I would like you to meet," he said as he grabbed her hand securely and lead her into the village. As they were walking through the streets, the people were staring at them with either disdain or complete question. The grip on Kimiko's hand tightened, she looked up at Rai and saw his reassuring smile. She smiled back but still felt uncertainty creep through her spine.
They soon came to a stop in front of a building that was on the far side of the town. Without letting go of her, he knocked on the door and waited for a little bit until the door opened and were immediately bombarded by Raimundo's many brothers and sisters. They ran past the two and out on the street. They looked upon the event with wide eyes as another figure came to the door way. Kimiko saw that it was a woman with tanned skin, dark brown eyes, short brown hair, and looked like she was carrying. She saw the woman's eyes widen as they laid upon Rai.
"Raimundo? É você?" she exasperated.
"Hey mom," he answered. Kimiko drew back her breathe at the sudden realization. His mother wrapped her arms around her son, but he still didn't let go of her hand. The woman drew back and looked him over. Taking in every detail.
"Olhá, você cresceu tanto."
"Que bom te ver. Meu pai tá aqui?"
"Ele tá fora. Quem é essa?" she asked turning her attention to Kimiko.
"Essa é Kimiko. Kimiko this is my mom," he said to her confused face. But for being polite, she stuck out her hand to his mother. She shook it.
"Ela é quietinha, né?" his mother asked.
"Ela não é daqui."
"Ah tá.. É sua namorada?" Raimundo tensed up and blushed. His grip on Kimiko's hand tightened even more.
"Uh… Porque você acha isso?" he asked with a nervous laugh.
"Você está segurando a mão dela." He looked down at his and Kimiko's locked hands and immediately let go.
"What did she say?" Kimiko asked.
"Uh... she asked if... you... uh... if you're my... well... girlfriend." Kimiko's eyes widened and blushed a crimson red.
"A-And what did your tell her?"
"I... uh... say lets go meet my dad," he said as he lead her inside the home towards the back. A glint gleamed in his mother's eyes knowingly.
They went to the back screen door and looked to see his dad looking out into the horizon. Rai looked down at Kim.
"Uh, you don't mind if I talk to my dad alone, do you?"
"Take as much time as you want." He smiled down at her.
"Thanks, feel free to go into the fridge," he added as he watched her leave. He turned back to the screen door and took a deep breathe before taking a step outside. He walked up the path and had his hands inside his pockets. He stopped just a few feet behind him.
"Hey Dad," he said sheepishly. His father turned around and saw his estranged son. He narrowed his eyes.
"You came back," his father said rather flatly.
"Uh, yeah. I did. Why? You got a problem with that?" Rai added with lowered eyebrows.
"There's no problem, except when you abandon your own family."
"I told you, I didn't abandon you."
"Then please, explain to me why you ran away and joined a circus?" Raimundo looked down at the ground and started shifting his feet on the dirt. "Well?"
"Because..." he hesitated.
"Because what?" his father demanded.
"Because of you and mom were always fighting and me and everybody else were always in the middle of it! I got sick and tired of this place and you know what! I don't regret it!" Rai yelled.
"Oh, you don't! Well, let me tell you something, after you left, your mother was devastated! She couldn't cope with you gone and your brothers and sisters asked everyday if you were ever coming home and I told them that you weren't! And then this Xiaolin garbage came up-"
"Hey! It's not garbage! If I didn't go there and went through everything I did, I wouldn't of become leader!"
"Leader! Of what!"
"Of the Xiaolin Warriors! That's right, you raised a leader! So congratulations, dad," he added with a sneer. His father just stood there. Didn't have anything to respond. He watched as his son walked down the path towards the house.
Meanwhile, Kimiko looked out the window and watched as Rai and his dad argue. Then she felt a presence join her. She turned her head and saw his mom. She kept her eyes on the fighting two.
"They were alway like this," she said in her hard Portuguese accent.
"I didn't know you spoke English?" Kim asked.
"I learn while Raimundo away, but I am still learning."
"You're doing a good job."
"Thank you."
"So, you said they always fight like this?"
"Yes. But they don't realize that they more alike then they think."
"You mean Rai is just as stubborn as your husband?" His mother nodded. Kimiko took into thought as she watched Raimundo walk down the path towards the house. He opened the screen door and slammed it shut. He turned and saw his mom and Kimiko looking at him with worried faces.
"Dê um tempo pra ele, ele te limitou de entrar."
"Desculpa, mãe. Mas eu não posso ficar quieto sabendo que ele não me perdoou."
"Raimundo..."
"Come on, Kimiko, we're leaving." He was just about to go to the front when Kimiko's hand reached out to his. He turned to her with the same expression.
"Actually, I think we need to stay."
"What?"
"Rai, try talking to him some more."
"Pfft, why should I? Dashi knows he won't listen." Then they heard the screen door open and close. They turned and saw his father with more of a calm face.
"Leave, I need to talk to Raimundo alone," he said sternly. Kimiko gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before she left the room with his mother. Now it was only father and son.
"Who's she?" his father asked.
"Kimiko, she's a friend from the temple. Why? Do you have a problem with that?"
"She looks nice."
"She is nice."
"Do you like her?"
Raimundo blushed
"Why is it any of your business?"
"I am only curious. Tell me more about this Xiaolin thing you do.," he added after a long pause. Rai raised an eyebrow at him, but then he saw his father smile and he smiled back.
Raimundo told his father everything. From the moment he arrived to the temple to when he moved up to being Shoku Warrior. He told him about his betrayal and joined Wuya, being last to move up to apprentice level, how he saved Toberejo from the volcano and ended up being possessed by the hag, how he tricked a bean into thinking he joined the dark side again, and how the said bean went into his dreams and tried to break him down. His father listened to every word and didn't dare to interrupt. By the end, he gave his son a look that is only unique to give. He placed his hand on Raimundo's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Raimundo looked up at him.
"That's quite a riveting tale, but by basing on what you told me, you handled yourself like a man. And for that, I am very proud of you."
"Thanks, dad."
"And Raimundo, tell her." Raimundo looked at his dad with a raised eyebrow.
"Huh?"
"A girl like her only comes once in a lifetime, if you don't tell her, chances are that someone else will." Rai had an astonished look upon him. But then a smile glazed over him.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."
Then Kimiko and his mom came in.
"Deu tudo certo?" his mom asked.
"Sim, filho, deu tudo certo," his father replied with a smile. Raimundo smiled as well.
"I hate to break this little family reunion, but we have to head back. Omi, Clay, and Dojo are still waiting for us," Kimiko intruded.
"She's right, we have to go back to the temple," Raimundo said as he lead Kimiko to the entrance. He turned to his mother and gave her a hug.
"Tchau, mãe"
"Tchau, Raimundo." He let go and then placed his hand on her swollen belly.
"Você vai me deixar saber, certo?" he asked. His mother nodded in response. Then he turned to his dad.
"Bye, dad."
"Goodbye, son." The two hugged each other and then let go. Raimundo almost stepped out of the door when he heard his dad call out his name. He turned to face him.
"Remember what I said." Rai gave him a reassuring smile and a slight nod. Then he and Kimiko stepped out the door and out on the street.
They soon left the town and went the same way they came.
"Hey, Rai?" Kim asked. He turned his head towards her.
"Yeah?"
"What did your dad mean?"
"Oh um... just some things."
"Is it one of those father and son things?"
"Sort of."
"And another thing, what did you tell your mom about the... you know..."
"What?"
"The... uh... girlfriend... thing." She blushed as well as him and stopped on their tracks..
"U-Uh... I... uh... The thing is..."
"What's the matter?" His heart raced at ten miles per hour. How was going to answer her?
"Well... Kim..." He decided right then to take the plunge as he turned his back to her with his hands in his pockets. "You see, I- I like you, a lot. And I know that you probably don't feel the same way, but I can't keep it in any longer and my dad told me if I didn't tell you, then I would never get another chance. But I can still handle being friends if that's what you really wa-" Raimundo was interrupted by two smooth hands over the sides of his face pulling him down and being met with a pair of lips over his. Shock over took him as his eyes widened. She pulled away and looked at him.
"I like you too, Rai. I just never knew you felt the same way." Shock still over took him, but then a smile glazed over him.
"Your dad is a smart guy."
"Yeah, he is."
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Raimundo? É você? - Is that you?
Olha, você cresceu tanto. - Look at you, you've grown up so much.
Que bom te ver. - Good to see you too.
Meu pai tá aqui? - Is Dad here?
Ele tá fora. - He's out back.
Quem é essa? - And who is this?
Essa é Kimiko. - This is Kimiko.
Ela é quietinha, né? - She's a bit quiet, isn't she?
Ela não é daqui. - She's not from around here.
Ah tá. - I see.
É sua namorada? - Is she your girlfriend?
Uh… Porque você acha isso? - Uh... what makes you say that?
Você está segurando a mão dela. - You're holding her hand.
Dê um tempo pra ele, ele te limitou de entrar. - Give him some time, he's bound to let you in.
Desculpa, mãe. - Sorry, mom.
Mas eu não posso ficar quieto sabendo que ele não me perdoou. - But I can't stay knowing that he hasn't forgiven me.
Deu tudo certo? - Did you work everything out?
Sim, filho, deu tudo certo. - Yes, dear, we worked out everything
Tchau, mãe. - Bye, mom.
Tchau, Raimundo. - Bye, Raimundo.
Você vai me deixar saber, certo? - You'll let me know, right?