Title: Day One
Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown
Characters: Rai, Kim, Omi, Clay, Toshiro, a few guards (my ocs), the receptionist (my oc), Jack, May (my oc), Jesse
Prompt: 077:What?
Word Count: 2,271
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU Kimiko stayed in the hotel all her life until one day she snuck out and ran into someone who helps her understand the world better.
Author's Note: faints Holy crap! My fingers are about to fall off! This was originally gonna be a one-shot, but since the thing as so damn big (the word count was 10,417!), I had to cut it into seven parts. So, I hope you enjoy the series. And finally! An AU! I haven't done one of these in a long time. :D
-----Save some face, you know you've only got one. Change your ways while you're young. Boy, one day you'll be a man. Oh girl, he'll help you understand. Smile like you mean it.-----
She looked over the glowing city with envy. Someone out there was having the time of their lives while she sulks in her room that was precariously in the pent house in one of the most luxurious hotels in the entire city. Alone. She hated it. The whole thing. Spacious rooms, high quality luxuries, being treated like a delicate flower, her father always at his business meetings. She hated every single bit.
While she was growing up, she never once left the safe haven of the hotel. Her father provided her with a tutor and, as far as she was concerned, Professor Fung was the only person she knew outside the, what she likes to call, prison. She never had real friends. Well, her father did try to accustom her with companions, but every single one of them left with either aggravation or tears coming out of their eyes. She appreciated the thought, but she didn't want artificial friends. She wanted ones that didn't care who she was or how much money she had in her pocket. She was, after all, the daughter of Toshiro Tohomiko. The great video game tycoon. Ironic as it is, having a dad who came up the Goo Zombie series to have a daughter whom he barely spends time with. Sad enough as it is, she didn't mind though. She understands why he has to be gone so often, she just wishes he could spend at least five minutes with her.
She let out an irritated groan. She had to get out of here. Anything to be out there where there was freedom. So she devised a plan for the following day.
Day One
She prepared a couple of cups of tea for the security guards that stood outside the door. They were placed on a tray as she walked over to the two full grown men that were in suits. She put on a sweet smile as she stood before them.
"My, it must get tiresome just standing out here with absolutely nothing to do. You must be getting thirsty," she said with a kind voice. The two looked at her and thought nothing out of the ordinary.
"Why thank you, Miss Kimiko. That's very nice of you," one of the guards said as they took the cups and began to take sips. Soon they finished their cups and placed them back on the tray. She went back inside to put it away. In doing so, the men grew tired as the seconds grew and soon they were both so fatigued that they fell down and dozed off. She opened the door again as she took out a bottle out of her pocket and observed it carefully.
"The bottle says it'll work for several hours. Better get going now," she muttered as she crept through the corridor towards the elevator.
She went through the doors and for the first time in her life, she sees the city from the bottom instead of being at the top. She couldn't hold in her excitement as she started down the street. Completely unaware of what's in front of her, because she was so busy looking up, she ran into some stranger who seemed a little aggravated.
"Watch where you're going, princess," she heard the stranger sneer as he continued to move along.
"Excuse me? What did you just call me?" she sneered back. He turned to her and she saw his piercing green eyes.
"Well, judging by your clothes, you look like one of those fake rich girls that only care about their nails." He turned around again but she chased after him and appeared in front of him.
"Do you have any idea of who I am?"
"No and I couldn't care less."
"I'll have you know, I'm Kimiko Tohomiko. As in the daughter of Toshiro Tohomiko. The great video game tycoon."
"Yeah, you and every other girl in the city," he muttered as he drew past her. But she wasn't done with him yet.
"What is your problem?"
"Right now, I have a stout girl chasing after me."
"Stout?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah y'know, short, kinda annoying," he smirked.
"I know what stout means."
"Then you don't need me to tell you to get your rich butt back in the hotel," he said as he started off again. But she couldn't help but feel something was amiss.
"Is something wrong?" she asked. He turned around again to meet her concern eyes.
"You don't know anything," he said as he started off again.
"You're right, but I want to." He was surprised to hear this from this girl.
"What's a girl like you wanting to take interest in a guy like me?" he asked.
"I dunno, but you seem like the kind of guy that keeps everything locked up. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Sorry, princess, but my mommy taught me not to talk to strangers," he said sarcastically.
"I'm no stranger if you know my name." He raised a thick eyebrow. "By the way, what is your name?" He hesitated before answering.
"It's Raimundo Pedrosa. But everyone calls me Rai." She stuck out her hand to him. He looked puzzled.
"It's nice to meet you, Raimundo." His puzzled look didn't dissipate as he shook her hand.
"The same." He let go of her and couldn't help but notice her smooth hand. "I was going to meet a couple of friends and I'm running a little late, so, I'll see you later, Kimiko," he added as he started off again.
"Can I meet them?" she blurted as he turned to her again.
"Why? Don't you have some rich friends you want to meet up with?" he asked. She looked shamefully at him as she got closer.
"Can you keep a secret?" she asked.
"Uh... Sure. I guess." She took a deep breathe.
"I... don't have any friends." He looked surprised at her.
"What? That's stupid. Everybody's got friends."
"Yeah, well, not me. This is actually the first time I stepped outside the hotel." He couldn't help but feel pity for her.
"Are you serious?" She nodded. He let out a sigh. "All right. You can meet my friends. I was just gonna meet them at the arcade." A smile spread across her face as he lead her to the nearby arcade.
As they were walking down the street, she described to him more of what her life has been like. All the things that she despised and what she truly wished. He listen to her with interest. Normally, he wouldn't listen to girls like her, but there was something different about this girl that he found intriguing. He had no idea why and he was certain that he won't speculate even further.
They arrived at the arcade into the bright and noisy atmosphere. The aroma of pizza and soda filling their senses brought joy to her demeanor. He took note on this as he scanned the room until he found his friends standing by the air hockey table. He placed his hand on her back and lead her to the two boys that stood there.
"Hey guys!" he exclaimed as they reached them. The two guys turned to them and Kimiko saw a cowboy hat on the tallest of them and the short one had a really big bald head.
"Hey Raimundo! You're a little late there par'ner," the cowboy said to him.
"Yeah I know, I had a little run in. Guys, this is Kimiko. Kimiko this is Clay."
"Howdy there little lady," he said as he shook her hand.
"And Omi."
"It is a very pleasure to meet another one of Raimundo's girlfriends," Omi said casually as he too shook her hand.
"Hey, she's not my girlfriend. She's just some girl I ran into in front of that ritzy hotel." She got a little annoyed. They were talking about her as if she wasn't even there and she doesn't take that lightly.
"Thanks, Rai. But I can speak for myself," she said. Clay let out a whistle.
"Got yerself a feisty one there, Rai." Raimundo let out a groan.
"Are we going to stand here and talk or we gonna play some games. That is, if Kimiko can play," he added with a smirk in her direction.
"Is that a challenge?" she smirked back.
"Goo Zombies Eight. Up for it?" She let out a sigh.
"Fine." They went over to an available two player arcade game and inserted their coins.
"I'll have you know, I got the highest score on this game," he boasted.
"We'll see about that." The game started.
As the game commenced, he couldn't believe it. He was actually having a difficult time getting through a barrier while she looked like she wasn't having a tough time at all. The scene was spectacular that everyone in the arcade surrounded them and watched with interest. Including Omi and Clay. Raimundo finally let out a groan of frustration as the screen lit up with the words 'Game Over'. Kimiko beat him at his own game. The crowd soon dissipated after they cheered for her. The only ones left behind were Omi and Clay.
"Way to go, Kimiko. I thought I'd never see the day anyone beat his score," Clay said.
"Oh yes, what a spectacular moment to see Raimundo actually lose to a girl," Omi said. She sent him a glare and immediately regretted it. Clay took him over to the pizza bar for the celebration. Leaving the two alone. When he finally recuperated, he turned to her.
"How did you beat me? I rule at this game," he said in a defeated whine. She pointed to a logo that laid on the panel. He leaned over and read the logo: Tohomiko Electronics. He sent a glare at her. "You cheated."
"No, Papa let me play this game before it came out and ever since, I beat it at least fifty times," she said nonchalantly. He raised an eyebrow on her. The others came back with four plates of pizza. They handed them their slices.
"To Kimiko, for making Rai cry like a little school girl," Clay said as he raised his pizza and Raimundo sent him a death glare. She couldn't help but laugh.
A little later, Omi challenged Kimiko to a game of air hockey and she accepted it. The two boys stood on the side line and watched it commence. But Raimundo's eyes were on Kimiko the whole time. Clay took notice and let on a smile.
"I know that look," he said. Raimundo turned to him with a questioning look.
"What look?"
"You like her." Raimundo's eyes widened.
"What? I don't like her. Its been only a day," he said defensively.
"It doesn't take much to like someone." Raimundo ignored him but he averted his gaze back to Kimiko.
It was getting dark and the four walked down the street. Clay and Omi had to go in different directions while Raimundo did agree to walk her back to the hotel. But he couldn't help but contemplate on the days events.
"If only I had my camera with me, I've never seen Omi look like that before," he said while laughing.
"Hey, it's not my fault that arcade was filled with my Papa's toys," Kimiko said. He looked at her with softness in his eyes. He hadn't had this much fun with a girl in a long time.
"Y'know, you kinda surprised me today," he said as they stopped.
"Yeah? How?"
"Well, I thought you were one of those rich snobby girls, but you turned out to be nice, funny, and a serious butt kicker at video games. And..."
"And what?" For once his young life, his heart started to race and heat rose to his cheeks. Before he knew it, he got closer to her and stared directly into her eyes.
"I-"
"There she is!" They turned around and saw two police men race over to them. He instinctively put his hand on her shoulder. The two men grabbed her by the arms and dragged her away. She turned her head around to see him growing farther away from her. She quickly stuck her hand in her pocket and allowed her cell phone drop. The police men brought her through the rotating doors while Raimundo walked further in and picked up her cell phone. He looked up at the hotel.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS!" Toshiro yelled at the top of his lungs. Kimiko looked down with aggravation. "You drugged the security guards! If they didn't press charges, you'd be sitting in a juvenile hall right about now!"
"It was only your sleeping medicine. And Papa, I had to. I can't just stay cooped up here with nothing to do."
"No! You were suppose to stay up here! You have no idea what's out there!"
"Yeah, because you wouldn't let me be out there."
"It doesn't matter! From now on, I'm doubling security!"
"Papa no!" She got up and started yelling as well. "You can't do this! I'm not some sort of vegetable! I need freedom! And today, I actually have friends. You can't take that away from me." He looked at her and started to ease a little, but not completely. He rubbed in between his eyebrows with his forefinger and thumb. Slightly lifting his glasses.
"Go to your room. We'll talk more in the morning." She looked at him before she left to her quarters. He let out a sigh. "She's just as stubborn as her mother."