CHAPTER TEN: BREATHE
"Kimiko!" Raimundo shook Kimiko violently, "Quick! We have to get out of the Temple!" She opened her eyes, feeling like she had been knocked out. Groggily, she blinked slowly.
"W-what?" She mumbled into the darkness. Kimiko could only see blurry lines but she could tell Raimundo was there and it was nighttime.
"Kimiko! Get up! Chase is attacking and we have to get you out of here!" Raimundo pulled her off her bed and onto her feet. Kimiko was drowsy and could not manage to find her feet, leaving her floppy.
"Kim, for God's sake!" Raimundo swept his arm under her legs and carried her through the temple. The noise was deafening as he carried her through the corridors and out the back entrance, running.
Kimiko blinked again and shook her head. The mist covering her eyes cleared and she was able to take in her surroundings. Raimundo was carrying her through the temple. She felt something wet on her hand. She lifted her hand up, and noticed a spot of blood, which glistened in the pale moon's light. Kimiko could smell blood and when she looked up at Raimundo, she saw he had three long, bloody gashes across his chest. His top was stained as the wounds bled, quickly turning his white hoody into a red/brown colour.
"Rai, what's happening? You're hurt!" Raimundo did not look at her, but stared ahead, still jogging.
"It's nothing. Kim, sorry, I had to move you. Chase is attacking us again! There's a huge army of jungle cats running around all over the place. Master Fung ordered me to take you to the caves. The others are staying here to fight." Raimundo continued through the archway and left the Temple. He stopped for a moment, checked his surroundings, and then carried on. Raimundo was panting slightly, feeling the muscles in his arms beginning to strain from lifting Kimiko's weight for so long. He had, after all, carried her halfway around the Temple whilst jogging. Raimundo continued into the depths of the forest before Kimiko finally came to her senses.
"Raimundo! Put me down!" Kimiko ordered. Raimundo stopped and hesitated. He seemed to decide it was all right, because he gently lowered her to her feet. She turned towards the Temple and before she knew what she was doing, she was running back towards the battle.
"Kim!" Raimundo called after her and she sped away from him. Kimiko ran faster than she had ever run before. This battle was her doing and if anyone got hurt, she would never forgive herself. Raimundo was catching up to her fast as she approached the edge of the forest. With a fleeting look behind her shoulder, Kimiko felt her palms burn hot and she fired a thin streak of fire behind her. Whether it hit Raimundo or not, it would slow him down. Kimiko hoped he had dodged, but a small burn was minor compared to the angry scratch marks left by Chase's jungle cats on his chest.
Raimundo managed to dodge the fireball, but as he did so, Kimiko was already inside the Temple. She almost flew into the courtyard where she could hear her friends fighting, when she almost collapsed. Standing dominantly was Chase Young in the centre of the courtyard, close to the fountain. Omi and Clay were surrounded by dozens of jungle cats and warriors. Omi had a large bump protruding from his head, and his right arm and left ankle were bleeding. Clay had a trickle of blood oozing from his forehead, a mangled leg, which at least, was broken. Kimiko froze as Chase turned around slowly.
"I was wondering when you would join us." He said. Kimiko considered her options for a moment; she could run, and no doubt cause more trouble. She could fight him, and most probably lose. Then, Kimiko did something she had never done before; she begged.
"Let them go, Chase. Please. They didn't do anything to deserve this." Kimiko pleaded, "please… Please don't hurt them…"
With a small smirk, Chase turned his back on her and looked at the surrounded monks.
"The offer still stands, Kimiko. If you agree, it might sway my decision." He said, smiling wickedly at the monks, who were looking around at the growling animals.
Kimiko clutched her head, which throbbed painfully. It was far too much for her to handle. Omi and Clay shouted their support, but Kimiko doubted if they truly meant it.
"Don't do it, Kimiko!"
"No, Kimiko!"
Chase turned back to her and held his hand out.
"Well?"
She looked at the jungle cats that were waiting eagerly for Chase's signal and at the apologetic look on her friends' faces. A tear slipped from her eye as she shook her head.
Chase scowled and turned his back on her.
"Very well. Jungle Cats, take care of those-" Chase was cut off mid-sentence by the war cry of a flying being, who leapt across the courtyard and aimed a flying-kick at Chase, who blocked it effortlessly.
"Did you honestly think that would work, Raimundo?" Chase asked, smirking slightly. Raimundo growled angrily and moved back a little bit, so that he had more distance to safely choose a next move.
"Look, Chase. Kimiko isn't interested in you or your stupid offers. So leave us all alone, because none of us would ever go onto the dark side." Raimundo folded his arms and glared at Chase.
"Oh?" Chase raised his thick black eyebrows, "I heard you did."
Raimundo suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
"That's enough chit-chat!" He shouted as he leapt at Chase again. Raimundo aimed a punch at Chase, who caught his fist with his left hand and stopped him in his tracks. Chase's right hand crept up to Raimundo's throat and he began to get a firm grip on the boy.
"You betrayed your friends for material possessions without a second thought, then betrayed Wuya again. Tell me, Raimundo, have you ever stayed true to anything? Or do you just enjoy turning your back on everything and everyone?" Chase was still smirking, which seemed to be the permanent expression etched upon his face. Raimundo turned red.
"You don't know me!" Raimundo shouted, spitting purposely as he spoke. Chase gritted his teeth and squeezed Raimundo's throat, as Kimiko stared on in horror. Raimundo began to pull at Chase's hands, gasping for air.
"NO!" Kimiko shouted, running towards them both. Omi and Clay were staring in horror, frozen to their spots. Kimiko pulled at Chase's hands.
"Let him go!" She shouted, aiming to kick Chase in between the legs. Chase flicked her on the forehead effortlessly and she fell backwards.
"Stop please!" Kimiko leapt back up to her feet. "Please!" She repeated. Raimundo slowly closed his eyes and his body went limp. Chase let go of him and he fell to the floor with a horrible thud. Kimiko ran to the boy, who was lying face down on the hard stones. She flipped him onto his back, where she listened for his breathing to start again. Kimiko put her ear close to his mouth, where she could hear his throat creaking. Suddenly, Raimundo's eyes opened and he started coughing. His eyes watered and he turned a deep red, as he coughed violently. Pushing Kimiko away, Chase picked up Raimundo by his top, and held him several inches from the floor, while the young monk fought to get his breath back. Chase pulled out a long blade from a holder in his belt and held it to Raimundo's neck. Kimiko stared in horror again. Her head felt like it was going to explode.
"NO!" He cried and ran towards Chase, who aimed a kick at her, sending her backwards.
"You know what you have to do, Kimiko." Chase smiled wickedly and turned on the small girl. Kimiko looked at Raimundo, who had stopped coughing. His neck looked sore and red, Kimiko knew he was going to be bruised there. Kimiko didn't answer.
"I'm waiting." Chase said, scrutinising her carefully. When she didn't respond, Chase pressed the blade into Raimundo's neck. Tiny streaks of blood began to run from his neck.
"Ten seconds, Kimiko." Chase taunted her, smiling like a madman. Kimiko trembled violently. Either way, Kimiko knew she was going to hurt someone, but she could not just stand idly by while Chase slaughtered her friends.
"Seven…" He counted. Omi and Clay shouted their support again.
"Kimiko, don't do it!" They both called in unison, and both flinched as a jungle cat took a swipe at them with its' sharp claws poking out of its paw.
"Five…" Chase counted. He was beginning to wonder if Kimiko was the best monk to move to the dark side after all.
Kimiko's head was swimming. She was unable to move, or talk. Chase was growing impatient and picked up the pace of his counted. Kimiko saw Raimundo look at her with eyes that clearly told her not to agree.
"Three… Two…-"
"FINE!" Kimiko screamed at Chase, "I'll do it! I'll join the Heylin side! Just let them all go, unharmed, and I'll come with you quietly."
Beaming, Chase dropped Raimundo to the floor. He rubbed his sore throat and looked back at his fellow monks with a clear look of disbelief on his face. They all stared in shock at Kimiko's final choice.
Chase walked towards Kimiko, grinning from ear to ear; a rare sight. He snapped his fingers and the jungle cats surrounding the monks moved away. Kimiko looked at her friend's ashamedly, bowing her head. Tears were flowing freely from her eyes. Chase held out his gloved hand to her and she took it. He pulled her up from the floor.
"Do you swear your loyalty to me, Kimiko Tohomiko?" Chase asked her, his eyes bearing down upon her, as she bowed her head down low.
"Yes." She whispered and sniffed loudly.
"Kimiko! Have you any idea of what you just did?" Raimundo yelled at her. She didn't move, or even acknowledge he had spoke. Kimiko knew exactly what she had just done. She had been selfish; she could not watch her friends die to save the world. It was impossible.
"Good." Chase reached out and touched her forehead with his two fingers. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. Kimiko felt a jolt of energy run though her body. Kimiko groaned in pain as her spine began to shift. Her long, slender arms legs shrank into short furry feline legs. Her back cracked as she fell forward. She felt a long tail form from her tailbone and her feet turn into paws. Her face slowly elongated and grew black fur all over it. Whiskers sprouted from her nose and she felt the shape of her mouth change. Her ears seem to move upwards and become pointed.
Kimiko groaned as the pain shot through her body again, it was almost as if the pain was completing the process. Raimundo, Omi and Clay gasped as Kimiko opened her eyes. She was much shorter as she glanced up at the towering figure above her. She felt not two feet on the floor, but four paws. With a loud gasp, Kimiko knew exactly what had happened. She used her back legs to hop up onto the side of the fountain. Moving came naturally to her, almost as if she had learnt to do it already. She was careful not to lean over too far off the edge of the stone fountain and stared down into the water held inside it. What she saw surprised her slightly, for she was no longer Kimiko. No.
She was a cat. But not a tiger or a lion like Chase's other warriors, she had transformed into a small black cat. Her fur was shimmering under the moons pale light, and Kimiko's piercing blue eyes stood out against her black fur. She felt her ears twitch and lower at the sadness of her new form. Chase moved behind her, joining her in looking at her reflection in the water. He stroked her head softly. Kimiko leapt back and without realising it, let out a fierce hiss. Chase looked mildly surprised, but did not hold this expression for long. Chase Young shot a smirk at the gob smacked Xiaolin Dragons, who were stood in the corner of the Temple's courtyard, looking at Kimiko in shock and horror. Chase Young felt a feeling of joy; he had broken the four Xiaolin Dragons apart. Now, nobody could defeat him. Not only this, but he also had Kimiko poised at his side forever. Chase's eyes flickered for a moment and he narrowed his eyes as he turned away from the scene.
"Come, we have much to discuss." Chase beckoned Kimiko to follow him as he left the Temple's courtyard. Kimiko timidly approached her friends in her new form. Her friends looked down upon her with mixed facial expressions. There was a variety of expressions on each of their faces; betrayal, sadness, disgust, hopelessness and apologetic. Kimiko sat in front of her friends with her head bowed in shame.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. Another tear fell from her bright, blue eyes and ran down the side of her furry face.
Omi reached forward and stroked her head softly. Kimiko purred slightly, feeling safe with her friends.
"Kimiko, you have perhaps chosen the wrong decision, but I have faith that no matter how long you stay with Chase Young, you will never truly be evil."
Omi smiled. He had meant his words to comfort her, but Kimiko did not really take in what he had said. Clay had to bend down, trying not to put any pressure on his broken leg, and patted her with a rather heavy-hand, on her head and smiled reassuringly.
"Trust me, lil' lady. If there's one person that ain't switchin' sides, it's you." Kimiko smiled slightly, before turning to Raimundo. She expected him to say something, but he just bowed his head at her, saying nothing.
"I'm sorry." She repeated to the monks before she turned away from them and slowly made her way out of the Temple. Chase Young waited for her at the edge of the forest. Kimiko made her way to him slowly and sat down beside him. He snapped his fingers and they both disappeared into a cloud of thick, green smoke.