"Help?" Asked Raimundo.
"You've got to be kidding," Said Ashley.
"Kimiko," Said Master Fung, "this is your decision."
"I've got to go with Ashley!" Said Clay.
"It's Nihon's decision," Said Yuuji.
"I am unsure if Chase Young is truly that evil." Said Omi.
"That's because you have no memory of what he's done," Said Clay.
"After what he did to Jermaine, me and Jack we can't let him in!" Said Ashley.
"He's had a spy in our operation for ages now! He can use it all against us!" Said Clay.
"I think we should let Nihon decide, but I'm not sure trusting him is the best decision." Said Yuuji.
Raimundo looked around at Kimiko and Chase, their eyes were locked.
"A weed that does not grow doesn't need to be cut down." Said Master Fung.
"Huh?" Asked Raimundo.
"He's saying," Said Kimiko, "that Chase hasn't done us wrong today and that we don't need to seek revenge."
"Kimiko," Said Raimundo, "I get it if you help him and I get it if you don't. Whatever you do, I'll stand by you. I trust you."
"Thank you Raimundo," Said Kimiko.
She looked back at Chase Young.
"You and one other member of your council can come down to discuss terms." Said Kimiko.
She looked back at the other dragons, Yuuji, Jermaine, Ashley, Jack and Ritsuko.
"Ritsuko, you'll be our member from above ground. The rest of you, conference room, Raimundo show Chase and his council member the way." She took a breath.
She turned to Master Fung.
"Please stay with me," She said.
"Of course Dragon of Fire." Said Master Fung.
Raimundo turned to Chase Young. The person stood beside him was Tammy. He rolled his eyes and glared at her.
"You have bad taste in friends Young," He said, "This way."
In the conference room, there was a table. Two could sit at either end of the table and five on the longer sides. Starting from the top left corner, they sat around it with Kimiko and Master Fung on the shorter side, then Raimundo, Clay, Omi and Ritsuko on the longer side. It was then Tammy and Chase Young on the shorter side and then Jermaine, Jack, Ashley and Yuuji. There were seats left spare between Tammy and Ritsuko and Jermaine and Chase.
The room was dark and a projection of a map of the world was in the centre of the table.
"The red areas," Said Chase, "Are where Wuya's loyal troops are known to be. The green are where mine are. They're mostly in hiding and the blue troops are where we know there are loyal troops of yours."
Kimiko tapped a button and a few more blue areas appeared.
"Our combined troops are almost equal to those of Wuya," said Chase Young, "But we need to get them all here."
"That's going to be difficult." Said Kimiko, "The red areas are blocking almost all of them."
"That's because Wuya is close to figuring out all of our locations." Said Chase Young, "but I'm sure you also have members above ground?"
"Not trained ones," Said Ritsuko, "We're the ones who didn't want to join the guard."
"I know of maybe two groups of about one hundred trained fighters above ground." Said Tammy.
"Tell us where they are and we'll have our people get in contact." Said Kimiko.
Tammy glared at her and Kimiko countered with a slightly smile.
"Sorry, but we can't have traitors running our operations," said Raimundo, flipping his pencil into the air and catching it.
"You've got no one else to run them," Said Chase.
"Ritsuko, you want a job?" Asked Kimiko.
"Sure," Said Ritsuko.
"That's settled," Said Yuuji, "how about we move on?"
Tammy flicked her hair back and sat back in her chair, not looking at anyone. The Rebellion group all glared at the exact same moment and then got on with their notes.
"I will insist upon having at least one member of my council in your operation to insure that I am not being tricked." Said Chase.
"And we insist that after all this is over, you will leave the battle field and nothing with happen until we are given time to relocate our troops and settlements without your knowing the location," Said Kimiko, "We have our own people to worry about, never mind yours."
"Fine, but until then, we will all have to stay in the same settlement." Said Chase.
"And we will, Clay and his forces are earth based, they will clear out as much of the rock as is safe and you shall remain hidden below ground here." Said Yuuji.
"We have heavy mining equipment we'd be happy to put towards the cause." Said Chase.
"Good," said Master Fung, "But I believe there is one more thing we need to sort out."
"What's that?" Asked Chase.
"All of your spies are to be removed from our camps and all of ours from yours. There is no need to hide them any longer." He said.
"Deal," Said Chase.
"No deal," said Kimiko.
"Excuse me?" Asked Chase.
"If we reveal our spies we'll have no one to infiltrate your operations at a later time," Said Kimiko.
"Same here, but wouldn't that be more honest?" Asked Chase.
Kimiko stood up and slammed her hand on the table.
"You want to talk about honesty?" she said, "How about having your bitch smack in the middle of our facility?"
Tammy stood up as well.
"You had two spies of your own in ours, you can't question us!" She said.
"Yes, but ours weren't planning on slaughtering all the innocent people in an underground protection area!" Said Kimiko.
"Don't act like you're better than us!" Said Tammy, "The only reason you didn't do it was because you knew you would lose!"
"No, we don't kill innocent people!" Said Kimiko.
"Still bitter Kimiko?" Asked Tammy, "Remember just before you moved under ground? All those innocent people; bet it still burns. The fact that you weren't good enough to protect them."
Chase looked at Raimundo who sensed his gaze and looked around. It suddenly occurred to Raimundo that the last Chase probably heard, Raimundo was still stuck in the time gap. Chase smiled slightly and Raimundo looked back to Tammy and Kimiko.
"You want to know what burning feels like?" Asked Kimiko.
"Hit a nerve huh?" Asked Tammy, "Why do you always have to act so high and mighty? We all know that you're no better than me. At least I don't sleep with a guy and then agree to marry another the next day."
"WUDAI MARS FIRE!"
Raimundo and Yuuji both decided it would be best to get Kimiko away then. Raimundo swept the fire away with a gust of wind and Yuuji pulled Kimiko back. Omi then put the fire out.
"Wow, someone's stressed out for a person with two guys madly in love with her." Said Tammy.
"Get out," Said Clay, "while you still can."
"Tamara, I think you'd better wait for the Fiery Dragon to cool down." Said Chase.
Tammy walked out of the room and Raimundo put a hand on Kimiko's shoulder.
"I'll get her out of the way, just keep your cool." Said Raimundo.
Kimiko nodded and Yuuji glanced at Raimundo. Raimundo understood that he was saying he had things under control.
Tammy was stood outside the door, leaning against the wall.
"What do you want?" She asked as Raimundo closed the door.
"I could ask you the same thing." Said Raimundo, he shook his head, "Why did you do it?"
"Because she's always looked down on me," Tammy clenched her hand into a fist, "And I hate it. She's had it all and I've had to claw my way up to be her damn secretary!"
"Had it all?" Asked Raimundo; "From the day we all met at the temple she's had to put the world in her first priority. I refused to do that at first and it got me nowhere. She's done her best at everything and she's worked her hardest to keep these people safe."
"Well she hasn't done a good job of it," Said Tammy, "these people are still suffering. Down here, deprived of sunlight. How is this better for them?"
"It's better than being evil." Said Raimundo.
"You don't understand that," Said Tammy.
"Trust me I do," Said Raimundo, "Anyway, that wasn't what I was talking about. Why did you betray the Rebellion?"
"For the hell of it," Said Tammy.
"Seriously Tammy," Said Raimundo, "Why? We're trying to make the world better for everyone."
Tammy didn't answer and Raimundo grew impatient. He began walking away.
"Raimundo, I …" He looked around at her, "I haven't lied about everything … I really did like you."
"Shame," Said Raimundo, "Because like you said, I'm madly in love with Kimiko."
"That bitch is going to get what's coming to her," said Tammy.
"No, but I think you will, Kimiko wants revenge" said Raimundo, walking away, "And next time we won't stop her."
Raimundo walked back into the room just as Chase signed the agreement. He could see that Kimiko, Master Fung and Clay had already signed it. The three leaders and Chase had come to their agreement. Dojo was also in the room by now.
"She's outside," Said Raimundo as Chase started to ask, "Probably still sulking."
"Well, dragon of the wind," Said Chase, "I'll be interested in hearing how you got out of the time rip."
"Beats me," Said Raimundo, "Maybe we'll figure it out one day."
"Maybe," Said Chase, walking out of the room, "We'll be moving the mining equipment down shortly."
The door shut and Kimiko sank back into her chair. Jack, Ashley, Ritsuko, Jermaine and Yuuji left, leaving the four dragons and Master Fung.
"You did good Kim," Said Clay.
"You got all of our requests!" Said Omi happily.
"Yeah," Said Kimiko, "I just wish that fire ball had gone straight through that bitch's head."
"Kimiko," said Master Fung, "You must control your anger."
"She wanted you to get stressed," Said Raimundo, "She was playing you."
"I know," Said Kimiko, "thanks for stopping me."
"Hey it was more Yuuji than me," Said Raimundo, "I just stopped it from hitting her … wish I hadn't after talking to her."
"What'd she say?" Asked Clay.
"That she really did like me and that Kimiko was gonna get what's coming to her" Said Raimundo casually, "I told her that it was more likely to happen the other way round … and that next time I wouldn't stop you."
Kimiko smiled.
"That must have been hard for you," She said, "Thank you."
"No prob," Said Raimundo, "and I can't say that it was that hard. She really had it coming."
"Raimundo," Said Master Fung, "I believe that everything happens for a reason and that it is not coincidence that you have a connect with this girl. I also believe that you are here for a reason. Something must have decided that you must be at this battle."
"You think?" Asked Raimundo.
"You do have the most likely connection with both Tammy and Wuya," Said Clay, "And we got Omi back just as we need someone who knows Chase Young. Looks like someone wants us to win."
Master Fung looked around at their grim faces.
"After negotiating, I feel that cup of tea is in order." Said Master Fung.
"Definitely." Said Kimiko.
They all smiled slightly.
"Do you even remember the last time we were all together like this?" Asked Clay.
"Yep," Said Raimundo, "but I skipped eight years."
"Before we went to look for that damn yoyo," Said Dojo.
"Before I turned evil," Said Omi.
"Before I fell into that rip in time," Said Raimundo.
"Back when we were all young and pretty," said Dojo.
"Speak for yourself Dojo, some of us are still young and pretty," Said Kimiko.
"Whatever you say eye patch," Said Dojo.
"Hey, not many people can pull an eye patch and all black look off," Said Raimundo, "but she manages."
(A/N) one chapter down. Tell me what you think.
Lots of luv, Becky.