Love, War, and Choices

Chapter 2...No

"Battle of a life time...Sounds sorta familiar..." Raimundo said, staring into space, remembering past 'battles of a life time.' or 'good vs. evil battles.' something around that.

"Raimundo...this is no joke! We must go and train!" Omi turned and ran to the training grounds.

"Fiesty little fella, ain't he?" Clay chuckled as he followed behind.

"Honestly Raimundo. You should start being a little more serious...you are the leader after all..." Kimiko said as she turned to follow her other two companions.

"You shouldn't be talking..."

Kimiko turned, obviously annoyance in the form of curiousity got the best of her. "What are you talking abo-"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about...Omi told us what he saw...Jack took over the world, and we fell to him...You, me, Clay and Master Fung...and all the other monks...Kimiko...that's when you were leader." He knew he had gotten under her skin, but surprisingly, she didn't blow up, or scream, or come stomp on his foot...nothing was more shocking ever in his life than what she did next.

"Then we best not make that mistake again." She said calmly as she turned once more and began walking. She just left Raimundo there, dumbstruck.

Soon, he shook himself out of it and ran up to her.

"Kim...what's wrong?"

"Nothing...anything wrong with you?" she kept looking straight forward, as if trying to burn a whole through something with just her eyes. But...nothing was infront of her, except for the ancient temple atmosphere.

And when Raimundo thought ancient, he really did mean ancient. He wasn't talking about how long ago the temple structure was new...rather, he saw the same thing every single day, and he thought he'd be creative wording it...Not just old...but ancient.

"Raimundo?" she had stopped now, and yet he was still staring straight forward walking. He was about six feet infront of her now.

"Huh?" He turned back.

The icy cold, blank and unreadible tone had lost her eyes way, and now, the dark sapphire spark had found them once more, making them swirl with worry and concern for her fellow monk.

"Yes...I'm fine..." He trailed off, seeing Clay and Omi practicing with their elements.

"He's getting better you know..." Kimiko said, obviously startiling Raimundo, as he jumped at her voice.

"Yeah..." He sigh. "He wouldn't have to...if it wasn't for me..."

"Rai...come on...don't beat yourself up, I mean...It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah Kim...it was...ALL my fault."

"Rai..." She placed her hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off.

"Just forget it Kimiko...There's no way you'll change my mind...or the true fact that is...because...you know...it WAS my fault." With that said, he walked out to the training grounds, just to see Clay and Omi stop.

Kimiko sigh. "Everyone forgave him...even Omi...I just wish he'd forgive himself..." she whispered, choking back, for some reason...a tear...she thought, probably of pity, and concern for a friend, and making sure it was choked far enough into her throat, she stepped out with her three friends.

"Everything is going according to plan..."

"Really?"

"Yes...isn't that what I just said!" a croaky, male (That's, I guess what im gunna go with) voice snapped.

"Sorry." This one was also a males voice, but many would probably mistake it for a girls...at least...if he screamed.

"You two shut up, and can we get moving!" a new voice said.

"This way!" Another new voice said.

"I can't believe I'm going with you!" the first male's voice groaned.

"I can't believe I GET to go with you guys!" The girlish male's voice said.

"Shut up you idiot!" the third voice snapped.

"Someones cranky..."

"Shut up!"

"Enough! We must get going, and you all must stop bickering, otherwhise, they're going to know we're coming!"

"Yeah...for once I'm agreeing with you." The first voice said.

An odd four yes, but they all had one thing in common...

Revenge.

Flipped.

Kicked.

Missed.

"Kimiko, work a bit harder on the flip-kick, it needs work." Raimundo nodded at Kimiko's missed aim at his own leg.

She growled but nodded.

"Again."

"What? That'd be about the seventh time!"

"You wanna slack! You go ahead and be no help when we fight! You want to be help, you do it again!"

Kimiko's eyes tinted flame, and she narrowed her eyes.

"You know Raimundo, who's the slacker! Just because you are leader, doesn't mean you don't have to train! Even though you are leader does not mean you will be the best at fighting! Heck, even though you are leader, doesn't mean you will be the slacker and not someone else!" Kimiko screamed, fire coming to her hands.

"Kimiko! I will not slack! I train with Master Fung about two hours more than you all three do, and you don't get personal training!"

"You...You-" She never finished, but instead, she lunged at him, although he just barely moved away. Kimiko threw some fire balls at him, and one just slightly singed (sp?) his robes.

He glared at her, and was about to take some oxygen away from her, just to knock the sense back into her, but he didn't get the chance.

She flipped up, and kicked in the air, slamming her foot into his stomache. He fell to the ground with an 'ohf', and Kimiko, satisfied, lowered her angery as best she could, and smiled slyly.

He got up and sent an even angrier glare her direction.

"Hmm...who's slacking on their dodge!" Kimiko mocked in a sing-song tone.

"Kimiko!" Raimundo growled.

She giggled, her anger totally evaporaded now.

His anger also lifted and he laughed slightly, going over to her. "Nice kick..." he mumbled.

"What was that?" she asked, her grin never disappearing.

Clay chuckled, but Omi was confused.

"Kimiko, if I could hear Raimundo, then surely you could, why did you ask him to repeat it...OHH Unless, you do not have good hearing! Or maybe it is just my wonderous skill! I-"

"Omi! It's sarcasm." Raimundo interrupted, not wanting to hear a ramble on his great skill.

"Oh..." Omi looked down, but then looked back up smirking. "I see!"

Clay and Omi went to take a break, and just before Kimiko could follow, Raimundo grabbed her arm.

"Kim...Since um...well...you see...I...you...it's..."

"Yes Raimundo?" she giggled.

"Well, you see...since it's Valentine's Day and all...I thought I should tell you know tha-that-"

He never got to finish, because he was knocked backwards from a jungle cat bouncing on him.

"RAIMUNDO!" Kimiko screamed.

"Well, well...what do we have here? A couple of love bugs sharing a moment? How kind of us to interrupt hmm?" A crackling old womans voice cooed.

"Wuya...!" Kimiko huffed angerly.

When Wuya had said what she said, Chase Young sent her a look.

"Not just Wuya my sweet..." Chase glowered.

"Or Chase!" Hannibal hissed.

"Or any of them!" A girlish voice piped in.

Raimundo had gotten back up, and was now standing next to Kimiko. All of them were staring in disbelief.

"No way..." Raimundo started.

"Jack Spicer? Since when does he hang with you three?"

"Since when do you ALL team up...Cause...Wuya liked Chase, but Chase hated Wuya, so Wuya went to Hannible, and Hannibal hates Chase, but likes Wuya, and...everyone hates Jack, he is just usually a pawn if he's in partner ship with any of you."

"Thanks Raimundo...Thanks..." Jack's self esteam was going down fast.

"You're welcome Jack." Raimundo growled.

There was a loud crash, like glass breaking.

Footsteps came next.

And before anyone could accumulate all of this, Clay and Omi were at Kimiko and Raimundo's side.

"Chase Young!" Omi hissed.

"Wuya..." Kimiko repeated angery swelling over her.

"Hannibal..." Raimundo growled, never forgetting Hannibal's title of dreamstalker.

"Jack Spicer?" Clay asked in a questionable tone. It was obvious that he wasn't scared at all, just confused.

"Way to ruin the moment Clay!" Jack fumed.

Suddenly Jack sent his twenty five Jack-bots on them, and the only thing the monks and the heylin villians heard before the lasers began to shoot uncontrolably, was "Spicer! Stop!" and it happened to be spoken by Chase.

Clay's PoV

I kicked up some brick from the ground to smash a couple Jack-bots. Those things were so useless, why does Jack even make them?

"Clay, move!" I heard Omi scream at me, and I ducked just in time to see fire blaze the top of my hat. I sigh dispairingly. I guess I need another hat.

"Sorry Clay!"

"No problem Kim!" I heard myself autimaticly say. That was the second time that I could remember that Kimiko burned my hat.

I was ripped from my thoughts when a jungle cat pounced on me.

As I struggled, it ripped away at my skin as scissors on paper. I could feel the gashes, deep, but not deep enough to kill, or for me to bleed to death.

Just as I thought about punching the giant kitty, I was completely pinned. It just stared at me. Yup, that's what the thing did, stare at me...Like it had to wonder if it should kill me or not. One bite at the neck, and I would have been dead. Luckily, I had a certain Dragon of Wind watching my back.

Really, that cat had not been wondering what to do with me, as I am sure now that the thing would have eaten me if it had the chance...

Raimundo had sucked all oxygen out of the tiger's breathing bubble area, and I should have noticed, because, the air was thinner by me too, but luckily, I had enough to still breathe.

Thank god for Omi as well. He whipped a string of water at the cat, turning it to ice at the last second, stabbing the cat in the shoulder, allowing the paw on my right shoulder to go limp. It was then when I took my chance to wap the cat across the head with my fist.

It was easily knocked, but it seemed the cat swayed for several moments before falling over.

I forced a rock dome around me so I could examine my cuts peacefully, as long as the dome held.

I could hear Jack's laser coming from above, but it didn't bother me. No one of his damn Jack-bots would get through. The only thing they had that could was...

Then there was a smash, and as if on cue, Wuya's magic shot a whole straight though one end of the dome to the other, ruinin' my hat more, so it was totally out of repair range.

I growled, but then pulled the dome down, obviously looking mad, because Wuya backed away from her position so very close to me. I smirked at her fear, then called out.

"Wudai Crater, earth!" The ground beneath her rumbled, and then it was completely pulled out from under her. She yelped, then fell. It was almost like one of those cartoons where someone would have supposed to fallen into a hole or maybe off a cliff, but stayed up for a minute to give a whimpering and idiotic face.

I then chuckled at my own thoughts before shooting the hole she fell into up again. Then, when the missing earth appeared again, there Wuya lay, the gravital force from the speed obviously keeping even the 1500 old hag down. Her face was set of confusion, shock and fear all at once. Then, I made the earth come to a sudden hault, which made Wuya keep flyin' in the air.

When she finally came back down, I couldn't help but laugh with my fellow trainies because, she hit that ground so hard a huge cloud of dust picked up. I stopped laughing when I realized that the cloud of dust swallowed up Chase Young and Raimundo.

Knowing Raimundo, I knew Chase Young had the better advantage. He was like Omi in that way and only...I think...that way. They both had awsome tiger instincts, and I was darn ruiten' Raimundo wasn't that fast.

"Raimundo!" Omi yelled, rushing to help his friend. He had obviously seen what I just had, but I was too busy getting these jungle cats off of me to help.

"Quiet you!" Hannibal called, forcing Kimiko back, and dazing her for enough time to talk to Omi. "Don't you remember what he did to you? How could you forgive that Omi my boy? Come now, let him suffer as you did! Let him suffer!"

"No! Raimundo did not mean to do what he did!" I heard Omi's voice crack, as I remember the horrible thing that happened.

Omi's PoV

"No! No! I will not listen to you!" I kept screaming. Hannibal Roy Bean was trying to get me to listen to him, but how could I betray Raimundo for a second and a half time. The first being when I changed to the Heylin side, even though that was my Xiaolin word honor, and pure force, and the half...being...when he...did what he did to me. It was only my fault though! It really was...but Raimundo thinks differently.

♥ ♥
Normal PoV

Flashback!

"I...I don't know what to say, I didn't think I would get it!" Kimiko and Clay looked at Raimundo with a sort of 'yeah right' face. "Okay...maybe I did...a little!" They then smiled back at him again, and Master Fung stepped infront of me.

Raimundo let Kimiko down and they all looked as Master Fung revealed Omi, looking very depressed and saddened indeed.

Raimundo walked forward to Omi, obviously wanting to offer some sort of comfort.

Omi looked up with tear-filled eyes, but they showed a very heavy proudness in them. His lips twitched upwards and he puts his hands together into a bow.

Raimundo's face then lit up, his smile turned to a weird grin and he bowed back, just as Omi had, giving Omi the thought that he had taught Raimundo well.

They were all walking outside when Master Fung spoke.

"Raimundo, what comes with being leader is great responsibility for the rest of your team...much greater than everyone else put together."

They stopped at the temple gates to see every single villian they ever faced waiting there, a smirk fully on their face.

"Yeah, I think I can handle it." Raimundo decided, taking the bandages off his hand, then his face.

"Oh they're growing up so fast!" Dojo commented, wiping a tear from his eye. Master Fung gave him a weird look, but Dojo just shrugged.

Soon after they're little moment, all the monks jumped into action, beating and battering any who dared come near them. Kimiko faced Pandabubba and Darlice (mermaid chick incase I got the name wrong) very easily, with renewed faith in Raimundo. Clay took on Tubbimora (i think that was his name) and Vlad on easily, and Omi, he took Chase Young on with a little help from Raimundo.

Raimundo...He took down Hannibal and Wuya very quickly, and soon helped Omi with fighting off Chase young.

Then, after all of this was done, there was Jack Spicer.

He was off to the side, giving direction to people who just shrugged it off easily with little to no annoyance. They had all obviously gotten used to it.

All of them attacked Spicer, and easily kicked his butt. They all had fun, as too they were doing quite well against everyone else. (There were more than the ones I said, but like I'm gunna go through and describe all of their battles...no) Then...for old time sakes, Omi kicked him one last kick, that sent him flying off, doing his girlish scream, they really truly never got sick of hearing.

"Yeah! We did great!" Kimiko beamed, obviously happy with her skill.

"Yeah, we did." Clay agreed, feeling the same as Kimiko.

"Good job team, it was great!" Raimundo smiled.

Omi sent an annoyed look to no one but himself, but no one seemed to notice. "Well...shall we go train?" Omi asked, smiling at the thought of getting back to training.

"Why not? haven't done that in a while!" Clay said, walking back. As everyone else followed, Raimundo answered.

"Umm Clay...I think, that'd be my decision?"

Clay looked a little taken aback, but he found himself enough to answer. "Oh...right...sorry Par'ner."

"Yeah...no problem. But training sounds good."

Omi rolled his eyes, but this time Kimiko saw it. As Clay and Raimundo walked on, Kimiko stopped, and stopped Omi with her.

"Omi, what was that?"

"What was what friend Kimiko?"

"You rolled your eyes at Raimundo, when he disagreed with Clay, but then said it himself."

"It is nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..."

"It's about him getting leader isn't it?"

"Kimiko, if I tell you this...will you not tell?"

"'Course I won't Omi, you're secret's safe with me."

"I do not think Raimundo is worthy of being leader."

"And you think someone else should have been made?" Raimundo asked, sounding really, really angry.

"Raimundo! It's not what you think!" Kimiko tried to back up Omi.

"It's not...What is it them...tell me Kim, what else could 'I do not think Raimundo is worthy of being leader' mean?"

"Well..."

"There you go!"

"Raimundo, do not blow up on Kimiko!" Omi hissed.

"Shut it cromdome! You think I'm not worth, well then you ain't either! I was talkin' to Kimiko Tohomiko! You're name isn't Kimiko Tohomiko, is it? You're just Omi! You don't even have a last name!"

Omi's eyes welled up in tears as he shot a string of water at Raimundo's right shoulder, turning it to ice, so it pierced his skin deeply. Blood began to gush out, and Omi stared in horror at what he had just done.

"Omi!" Clay called, running to Raimundo. He wasn't against Omi, it was just, he needed to check out Raimundo's shoulder.

"Omi!!" Raimundo shouted angerly. He walked toward Omi, who just collasped crying on the ground.

"Raimundo stop!" Kimiko dove at him, just as he was about to strike Omi with a wind attack. She tackled him to the ground, saving Omi from the blow.

"Kimiko, get off!" Raimundo squirmed, and to his surprise, Kimiko kept a ferm hold. Then...Raimundo did the unspeakable. He slapped Kimiko across the face. She was stunned for just enough time for Raimundo to throw her off and go after Omi once again.

"Raimundo!" Kimiko sobbed. "You know that's a touchy subject for him! You hit it hard! you deserved that!"

"Rai, there was no reason why you had to hit Kim! She's a girl, and girl's SHOULDN'T be hit! No effence or anything Kimi...Raimundo, she and Omi don't deserve this!" Clay tried to knock some common sense into Raimundo. But Raimundo just turned and sicked a huge gust of wind on Clay, knocking him back a few good feet.

"Yeah, they DID Clay! They DID!" He screamed, turning his attention back to Omi.

Then the sound became muffled. Kimiko's sobs became twisted cries, and Omi's whimpers became almost silent, just the sound of a squeaking mouse remained. Clay's Shouts became more like loud moans of slow motioned words, all screwed into one big one.

Raimundo pulled back to air from Omi, and Omi immediatly struggled for breath.

Omi's eyes had become very big, and his face was turning a little purplish color.

Omi's heart beat was going twice as fast as before, and suddenly no sound was heard in Raimundo's ears except the rapid heartbeat of his friend.

Friend.

The word Raimundo was betraying at that very moment. To all of them.

Soon all the sound came back to Raimundo's ears, rushing into them like a huge autumn breeze. Then he heard running footsteps and soon felt impact on his skin. It was hot. Very hot.

Fiery hot.

He was burning.

More footsteps.

Omi's eyes were rolling in to the back of his head, then rolling back out.

Raimundo's hand remained still, all the wind blowing up, swirling around it, just waiting to go back to it's original spot all around Omi's head.

Then, there was a new contact on Raimundo's skin.

It was hot.

But, inside the hot, right in the middle there was a hand.

Soon two hands.

An arm.

Two arms.

Feet, pushing off against him.

Then two legs, the knees hitting him with great force, but still...

his hand remained still.

Then came a chest.

It was like slow motion, Raimundo could have sworn it.

Then came the head, and he soon found it from the hair whisping by his face, it was Kimiko tackling him down again.

His arm finally went down.

He heard gasps, sobs and shouts, all at once.

He saw before his eyes, and between the black hair that had fallen over his eyes, a gasping Omi.

Coughing.

Gasping.

Gaping.

Horry struck eyes.

A hand to his neck.

His chest moving in and out rapidly.

Then came a cowboy into the picture.

He went to touch the monk, and Omi didn't flinch.

The cowboy's gaze met Raimundo's.

Clay's eyes were filled with anger.

Dispair.

Horror.

And shock...

All at once.

Raimundo just lay there, his arm still stinging from the 3rd degree burn there.

He saw Master Fung and Dojo rush to the scene infront of him. Four sets of eyes lay upon him...

All saying the same thing.

Why?

How?

How could you Raimundo? Why did you?

He only set of eyes not upon him were Kimiko's.

He could only hear the rapid beat of her chest, and nothing else.

Was she okay?

Where they not staring at him, but at her?

He wondered, but he dared not move.

He suddenly felt something wet on his face.

A tear.

He knew all to well who it was from.

It stung his heart to know...

he had made her cry.

for probably the second or third time since they'd been at the temple.

He knew she had cried over him...

When he had betrayed them for Wuya...

And after her father's run in with Pandabubba.

Obviously, it had been too soon for jokes.

He could hear his and Kimiko's heartbeat only now.

One much faster than the other, obviously Kimiko's...then...the other...his own.

Suddenly, her weight was heaved up, so obviously, she was taken up by someone. He looked forward and saw Clay wasn't by Omi anymore...Niether was Master Fung...

He was now, Raimundo learned seconds later, helping Raimundo up.

"...And that's what happened." Clay finished.

Raimundo looked at him, shamefilled eyes.

"I see...Well Raimundo, it seems this is true, considering the look in your eyes."

"Yes..." Raimundo mumbled, guilt swallowed him too deeply, so that he couldn't look anyone in the eyes.

"Well Raimundo, you've just become leader, I expected a fight like this to come along."

"Really?" Omi, Raimundo and Clay all looked up at Master Fung as he nodded.

"Yes...although, I did not expect it to be like that." Master Fung chuckled slightly. "Omi, will you come with me?"

"Yes..." he said, a little cheerful, but still a bit shaky.

They both walked off, and you could already hear Master Fung's concerned words. The only thing they heard Omi say was "Indeed, I did not think it would come to Raimundo trying to 'choke' me, but I will forgive him for that, when of course...he proves himself as leader...which I know, will be soon."

"Where's Kim?" Raimundo asked suddenly remember her heart rate.

"Umm Rai...Your attack...when she tackled you...it backfired...so it kinda knocked the wind out of Kim."

"Is she..." Raimundo trailed off, seeing the girl in Clay's arms, still breathing rapidly.

"Yeah, she'll be fine, after a little time."

"I didn't mean..."

"I know Raimundo, but...it was dumb...for you to do that to Omi...I mean...by the time Kimiko tackled you...Omi was almost dead."

"I feel already forgiven...and I shouldn't be."

"Trust me Raimundo...you aren't from a lot...I'm sure Kimiko will still be quite scared for Omi, because...she doesn't know if he died or is alive...me, well...I'd say I've pretty much forgiven this...because, even though you shouln't have tried to actually KILL Omi, he did do that to your shoulder."

Raimundo looked down to his left to see blood still gushing out from the cut.

"I do think you deserved it a little, Kim was right, it's a touchy subject for Omi, and to spell it out for him bluntly like that...You know Omi...And ya know, I've forgiven you, but don't think you're getting off easily...you tried to kill him, you slapped Kimiko...and well...that's why you deserve that."

He jerked his head towards Raimundo's right shoulder to see a horrible third-degree burn, and suddenly, both shoulders began to burn horribly.

"Come on." Clay said, starting to walk. He thought dropping the subject would be the best thing to do.

Raimundo just simply followed, hoping that it didn't take too long for everyone to forgive him, because...he knew Clay was trying to make him feel better...He could tell...Clay was mad.

The last thing Raimundo saw was Kimiko's raven black hair bob up and down, coming out of it's ribbons from the fight. Then...all he saw was the ground...

Then dark...

ground...

dark...

sky...

dark...

Because Of what happened to Omi, hit would get harder and harder for him to breathe when he worked at training and in fights, causing him to have to stay out a lot, or lay back. He got better over time, and everyone forgave Raimundo...except, Raimundo himself...

End Flashback

♥ ♥

Omi's PoV

I shuddered as I remembered, but glared at Hannibal while jumping into the cloud.

"Raimundo!" I shouted, scared that Chase and Raimundo were already fighting. Knowing Raimundo and Chase both...Chase wouldn't hesitate on Raimundo.

Suddenly I heard a low scream, full of pain, and knew it was instantly Raimundo. "Raimundo!" I quickly slid to the noise and found Raimundo now standing again, in pretty good condition, but that changed after Chase struck again.

Chase kick Raimundo in the stomache, punched him in the face, then tripped him, and as he fell, Chase punched him in the rib, satisfied with the loud crack that could be heard.

I rushed to his side, but he still seemed to be very consciously. I helped him up, but didn't approve he was going to try and fight Chase again.

I then stepped infront of him, and got ready to fight Chase myself. But, I heard Raimundo weakly say something.

"Omi, no! Don't do it, this is my battle, whether I win or lose, go and help Kim and Clay!"

"No, Raimundo, I will not leave you here!" I said bravely, but, there was nothing I could do because of what he did next.

"Wind!" He slid me so far back that I flew passed Chase and out of the other side of the cloud.

"Raimundo!" I screamed.

He was going to get beaten pretty bad if not killed, and I could have done something about it. Even though he did use that attack on me...I could have stopped him.

Something then jammed itself into my leg as I gave out a whimper of pain. It came right to the front of my leg, but I unfortunatly was too worried about Raimundo. I looked down, and very soon regretted doing so. There was a piece of Jack bot, about half way through my leg if not more, it was sharp, and it had totally cut the bone in half. The only person who could throw at such a speed was Chase...unless Wuya used one of her full magic attacks.

I fell down, my eyes turning fuzzy as I heard a scream from a girl.

"Omi!"

I smiled at the thought of Kimiko, before my whole vision turned black.

I wasn't unconscious, I soon found out about a half minute later, because I could feel Kimiko's touch.

But soon that fell away as I could hear she got blasted with Wuya's magic. I knew she had slid close to the Shen-Gong-Wu vault, and only hoped that she would use that to her advantage.

"Oh Kimiko, I'm so ever sorry!"

"Why don't you go play with your little Chase Toy!" Kimiko spat. Then I heard footsteps coming to me, and felt a very unconfortable amount of pressure on my chest.

"You move one bit, and I'll push my foot down hard enough to kill him!"

"Omi..." I heard Kimiko whimper.

She backed away and ran the other direction, and I assume she made it look like she was running away, so I didn't get hurt, but...I knew what she was doing.

"Pitiful little Xiaolin Monk." I heard Wuya mutter.

"Sun-Chi Lantern!" I heard Kimiko yell from her spot behind me. I could feel my element rise to her, and I hoped it wouldn't cause any problem for Clay or Raimundo.

"Wudai Neptune, Water!" she yelled, making a huge wave at Wuya. She ran to me, then whispered "Water." gently, the water went onto me, easing any pain I had at the moment, and clearing my vision.

I sat up just to see the Sun-Chi Lantern deactivate.

"Thank you Kimiko!" I smiled brightly at her as she giggled at me.

Kimiko's PoV

I giggled at Omi's smile. It was great to see something like that in mid fight. I glanced behind his head for a moment and saw Clay get attacked by three jungle cats and Jack's newly aquired laser.

"Clay!" I got up quickly, expecting Omi to follow, but when he was lagging behind I flashed my head back and saw the problem. "Omi, just stay here, don't damage your leg even more." I smiled at him quickly, and before he had time to argue, I ran to Clay's assistance.

"Wudai Mars, Fire!" I quick burnt off two of the three cats, who went whimpering back somewhere beyond a wall. All I had to do was light my hands on fire before Jack screamed that so annoying scream and ran off to find Wuya or Chase to hide behind.

While I was 'scaring' off Jack, the other jungle cat went to the struggling Clay who was stuck under Wuya's magic, and it took up his paw just as I turned and saw the horror unraveling.

I made a mad dash for Clay, but it was too late. The stupid cat slammed it's paw the the side of Clay's head which jerked to one side curiously hard.

"Clay!" I cried out as I threw some deathly fire balls at the cat who fell flat down just the first hit him. I ran to Clay's side and sigh in relief deeply. He was still breathing, and so...I thought to look at the side of his head.

It was really bloody, which was totally gross, but, from what I knew about concussions, I knew he had one.

"Kimiko!" I heard Omi yell. I set Clay's head down, and placed a fire circle around him, that would spread to any intruders to his body. Running to Omi's aid, he called out. "Not me! The smoke! It's clearing!"

I was a little confused at first, but then it hit me. Omi was talking about the cloud of smoke where Chase and Raimundo were. I ran up to him to get a better look, and unfortunatly for us, Chase was standing there, laughing his crackley laugh. I spat as I ran for Raimundo who looked bloodied and battered enough for one final punch and he was dead. And he was just about to get it from Chase and Hannibal together.

I knew I wouldn't be able to stop them, so I just did the first who came to mind...I slid on my leg and kicked Raimundo firmly, but soft enough that it wouldn't hurt him too terribly bad out of the way. Instead of him getting hit, Hannibal and Chase's blows both hit me to the side of my chest, cracking one of my ribs loud enough to make me gag. But what came up in that gag was a loud screech of pain.

I was breathing heavily, even though it hurt like hell, and I couldn't believe how much that would have damaged Raimundo's already damaged ribs.

"Raimundo." I breathed sharply as I got up. I was quite mad at the moment, so I swept up all of the fire power I had and hit Hannibal with it, knocking him back into a tree, making him unconscious. Omi got the message and cleared Wuya and Jack, but in the mean time, had stepped to hard on his leg, making him collaspe in pain.

Hot tears began to stream down my face. As Chase's smirk became bigger.

Normal PoV

The Dragon of Fire began to cry even harder, but...everytime she cried harder, Chase's smirk became a upset frown.

Suddenly Kimiko's eyes widened as she remember the notes, and Chase's expression. She pulled them all out of her robes carefully.

"Which one did you write?" she said, obviously mad.

"What?" he said confusion hovering over him.

"Which one did you write!!" she screamed it wasn't as much a question anymore than it was a demand.

"That one." he pointed to the one with the gold ribbon still attatched to it.

Kimiko read over it quickly, her lips opening, then closing just as a goldfish would. Finally she looked up at him with a questioning expression, but said something completely different.

"If I go with you...will you leave Raimundo, Omi and Clay at peace?"

Chase nodded and added, "Yes, I will, under a couple conditions."

Kimiko raised an eyebrow.

"You must come with me with no fight or complain, try not to run away, nore have any contact with the three until I allow it. IF I allow it."

Raimundo stood up slowly, barely able to stay conscious, and is struggling to even remain alive. His weak voice pierced the silence that followed Chase's words. "Kimiko, no, please...we may never be able to see you again! And...you can't go with Chase...You know for a fact Chase AND Jack wrote one...Chase admitted it, and Jack...well Jack can't spell. You don't know what either of them will do to you!" A faint whisper emerged in the form of those words, which shook Kimiko with upsetness, which made more tears stream down her face.

"I can assure you Dragon of Wind, that Kimiko will be fine, and no harm will come to her."

As this is being said, Omi get's up, although the bone in his leg jerked out even more, he went and stood next to Raimundo on one foot, giving Raimundo support as well. "Kimiko, you must be careful, and...I promise you, we will find a way to come and get you..." He smiled weakly, obviously shooken from this whole thing. "Chase Young...you must repsect that she is giving herself up, and she MUST have free will, and she MUST be able to talk to us! We are like her family!" He glared at the half reptillian facing him.

Chase raised an amused eyebrow. "Since when are you so whise with me Omi? Is you being on MY side affecting you at all?" He knew he had just gotten under everyone's skin, making them all quiver, but Omi came back with a smark remark.

"Chase!" Omi growled, "Your side is only affecting my knowledge of your honor!" He knew he had gotten to Chase, and knew he was close to fictory of the vocal fight.

"Fine! But...she will not be able to stay with you at huge amounts of time, and..." He chuckled before he continued. "Myself, Hannibal, Wuya or Jack...well...not Jack, but one of us three must be with her...at ALL times...we know what you are capable of Omi...If she is alone, you will try and escape...and I honor the thought, I really do...but...if we are going to make this deal, Kimiko most make her choice now."

"Kimiko! Please!" Begged Raimundo.

"Raimundo, stop, please!" Kimiko's tears began to choke her. "You are leader, I know you will find a way to make this work..." she then turned to Chase. "Let's go."

She stepped up to Chase, who wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her close.

"Good luck guys!" she said, tears rolling down her delecate cheeks slower now, but more deeply did she feel pain for leaving, "Good luck..." she then whispered.

Just as Wuya was getting up to teleport them all back, Raimundo spoke.

"Kim! Wait! Just so you know...I wrote one...the first one you got! The one...ya know, right before you dumped my head in the oatmeal...I know, I didn't seem to smirk or anything Kim...because...it wasn't a joke...It...was...n't...a...a...jo...ke." He began to sway, and started to go unconscious, but no one knew if he was just going unconscious, or if he was really going to die.

"Kimiko...since we are going one out-"

"Coming all out..." she smiled, for old time sakes.

"That too! But...anyways...I too wrote a note...It was...the last you came across...Please Kimiko...whatever happens...please...becareful...for mine and Raimundo's sake." His eyes were now downset.

There came a small chuckle. "Judging...On...On...th...the ho-ho-hot...sauce...on tha-that...one...there...it...look...s...liike...C...Cl...Clay sent...one...too..." Raimundo collasped onto Omi, just as he was whispering his last words, but no one, as much as they strained their hears to hear (Kimiko the most) no one, unfortunatly, seemed to catch what he said. Chase smirked, waved good-bye to the monks, and Wuya who was now standing, teleported Chase, Kimiko, herself, Jack and Hannibal back to Chase's lair.

Kimiko was gone...it was only 10:00a.m...and she was gone...

Well there was your chapter, sorry for the wait...lot to write, turned out to be very long too lolz, longest I've ever written...anyways, hope you liked it and hope it was worth the wait. Anyways, big shocker! Kimiko and Chase are together for now, but that doesn't mean Kim will like it. gasp this is horrible to write...even for me, and I made Kim die before Rai could tell her how much he loved her in a story...but okay ummz, please review, thanks to those who do...an Ice cube for those who do...and when I saw Ice cube, I mean those really good pure fudge square that are soft, but taste like they just came out of a freezer...yum lawlz, but okay please keep reading...thanks a million! Tell me what you think, press the little 'Go' botton under this A/N:D

Next Update: Foreign Exchange