Title: Jack of Spades
Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown
Characters: Rai, Kim, Clay, Jack
Prompt: 050:Spade
Word Count: 1,633
Rating: PG
Summary: Twenty years Omi has been gone, and Jack makes Kim an offer.
Author's Note: Takes place during Time After Time 1 when Kim was leader and what happened during those long eighty years of Omi's disappearance. EDIT: I was SO tired when I put this up that I never once considered grammar and now it's bugging the living hell outta me.
Twenty years. Twenty long years. It had been twenty years today that Omi had disappeared and Kimiko was named leader. And every since, the dragons have never been worse than they are now. Truth be told, the three remaining were nothing without the little yellow guy. Which gave an upper hand on the Heylin side. But no one could ever suspect that Jack Spicer would be the one to turn out on top. Putting Chase Young under Chinese Water Torture, strapped Wuya to wall and forever forced to wear a cheerleader uniform, and Hannibal Roy Bean, bloated and squeezed in a cage. As for the team's mentor, he has been placed in a arena for entertainment purposes. Nobody knew how he did it, they just knew that he took advantage of a vulnerable, crippled team.
Jack's prison finished construction eighteen years ago, his robots have gotten more sleeker, more advanced, and all hope was lost. Especially to Kimiko. She had given up hope thirteen years ago. When it was certain that Omi would never come back. Clay too had given up hope. But it was earlier than Kimiko. It was when they were dumped in this place, when he was first given the gruel that was served at the prison. And he actually hurled. But Raimundo, he was the only one that hadn't lost hope. The other two told him that it was no point in hoping, but he knew better. He knew one day Omi would return and the team will be together once more. Even if it took a hundred years.
Hard to believe it had been twenty years. Age does come, but everyday seemed the same. Wake up, torture, eat, torture, break, torture, sleep, and torture. Everyday for twenty years. This thought alone, brought stray tears and a couple of hiccups out of her now guant body. Not too far from her did the boys notice and got concerned. Thank goodness it was break time now. Raimundo got closer to her and rubbed her back.
"Kim? Are you OK?" he asked with worry. She stared at him and the tears poured.
"T-Today's the day," she replied now balling. The two boys looked at each other and understood immediately. On instinct, Raimundo pulled her in and allowed her to cry openly on his tattered prison shirt. Whispering in her ear that everything is going to be all right. That was when she pulled and stared at him angrily.
"What are you talking about?!" she shouted through her tears. "Nothing is going to be OK! And it's all my fault! And yet you just stand by and continue to have hope! Face it! It's hopeless now!" Raimundo just stared at her. Then they heard Clay clear his throat and they turn to him.
"Sorry, Rai. But she's right. Omi's never coming back," the Texan said plainly. Raimundo still continued to stare.
"I don't care what you guys say. I went to hell way before this even started and trust me, this is not it." The two stared at him in question. They didn't know what he meant and when he saw this plain as day (well, as plain as it use to be), he then sighed. Getting a little choked up at the thought. "When I was with Wuya." They understood now and Kimiko leaned back into Raimundo's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Brought her even more closer than she already was. Feeling left out, Clay rubbed her back.
Then a shadow casted over them. Noticing the change, they turned and saw a Jack-bot hovering above them.
"Kimiko Tohomiko. The master would like to see you," it said. Raimundo tightened his grip and she refused to move. Upon detecting this, the robot reached out its arm and ripped Kimiko away from him. He tried to get her back, but he was faced with the barrel of a lazer gun. It was then that he backed away. The Jack-bot hovered away, dragging Kimiko.
Through corridor after corridor, if fatigue didn't already taken over her, she would've been exhausted anyway. But the hallways did lighten up as they went. It went from dirt and grime to clean and gold. She couldn't help but scoff at the gold decor. The Jack-Bot approached two giant double doors. It pushed the doors open and it dragged her in. The room was like a mile in. Even with a red carpet, and at the end sat Jack on his giant golden thrown. He looked different today. It was probably because this was the first time she saw him since she was brought into this prison. His hair has grown longer, a suit of armor that's adorned by his robots covered his arms, legs, and abdomen. Worst of all, he got a satisfying grin on him. Shuffling a deck of cards his hands.
The Jack-bot tossed her on the ground before him. Then it left just as fast as it came. She got up on her hands and knees and looked up at the, to her, the most disgusting face she had ever seen. She scowled at him.
"Don't give me that look, Kimiko," he mocked. "After all, I couldn't of done this without you." She continued to scowl. So he continued. "You know what? Wouldn't you say that life is like a full deck of cards? Without one, the deck falls apart. Wouldn't you say so?" She continued to scowl. "It's OK, you can throw any sarcasm at me. It's not going to do you any good." She'll admit, he had a point.
"In that case, I say you are missing fifty two cards in your head," she grunted. He sent her a glare.
"Except when it comes to remarks like that. I'm going have to program a robot to give you extra beating tomorrow." She still scowled with, if possible, even more hatred surging through face. "But, I am feeling a little lenient today. I wonder why? Oh wait, yes I do." Then he got up and walked behind her. Marveling at a large portrait of himself that hung on the opposite wall. "Today's the day, isn't it? Twenty years ago. The cheese ball finally went up and left." She looked down and fought the urge to cry. "Shame. I was really looking forward to putting him through this, like you guys." She balled her fists. "And speaking you guys, how are you doing?" She opened her eyes and turned to face her captor.
"W-what do you mean?" she asked, trying to comprehend.
"I asked about your well being. Is the torture good enough for you or is it so bad that you wish you could just die any day now?" She looked away from him, determined not to say anything. And that's all he really needed. "That's what I thought." He walked closer to her and knelt behind her. "If you want, I can make this end for you." Her eyes widened and she turned to him. "I'm not saying you should die anytime soon."
"Then what are you saying?" He then lifted his hand and stroked her jawline.
"Rule with me," he whispered. Her eyes widened and she backed away from him. "What's the matter?"
"I would never rule with you. I prefer dying before that ever happens," she said with venom piercing her words. He let out a sigh as he got up and played with his deck again. He then, just for fun, lifted the top card to his face and saw the Jack of Spades.
"Have you ever notice that the Spade is like an upside down heart? Except it has a peg wedged into it. I wonder why that is?" He then tossed it before her. "Maybe because the heart is breaking. Or that it feels betrayed. But the person in question would have to be already in love. Is that true, Kimiko? Are you in love with someone else?" She just scowled at him. "That's what I thought. I should have known." He walked passed her and stood before his thrown.
"What?" she asked curiously. He turned to her and feeling the need to do something to her. He approached her and slapped her across the face. When she was down, he grabbed a cluster of her hair and brought her close to his face.
"It's Raimundo, isn't it?!" he yelled. She didn't answer. Her cheek was burning from meeting his metal clad hand and the pain surging through her scalp. "You love him! Don't you?! DON'T YOU?!" He shook her but she still wouldn't answer. Seeing that, he threw her back on the ground and pressed a button on his arm. A Jack-Bot came hovering in. "Take her away. And make sure when it's torture time, this slut gets an extra beating. As well as her boyfriend, Raimundo Pedrosa." The robot obeyed and dragged her away.
She felt nothing after that. No pain, no fear, not anything. She remained a mute only when Raimundo talks to her. Whenever he asked what happened between her and Jack, she would draw a blank and didn't want him to worry even more than he already did. She wouldn't admit to herself that Jack had successfully broken her, inside and out, but the whole ordeal was enough to leave her reeling. And she didn't want to worry Raimundo, but Jack was right. She did love him. And she was willing to stay silent so she wouldn't hurt him more than what he has to go through.
While with Jack, he guessed he has always known. About how she felt for the Wind Dragon. And ever since the incident, he was always playing with not a full deck. Only because the lone Jack of Spades still sat in its place.