Love, War, and Choices
Chapter 8...Hardships
..."It's too far down, we'll never make it!" Kimiko pondered at it.
"No, yes we will!" Jack was just about to jump, until Kimiko grabbed his arm.
"Let me go first...You know Chase will go at some attempt to save me...He won't for you..."
He didn't like the idea, but he backed down. Kimiko sat crouched in the window seal ready to jump. She took a deep breath and flung herself out...
Kimiko was getting close to the bottom, so she got herself in a position to roll. Suddenly, seeing the ground looking harder than expected, she tried to remove herself from that position and just land, but she was a little slow.
She fell hard, and would have landed it, but her ankle had gone to it's side, and she heard the bone crack. She let our a yelp and fell.
"Kimiko!" Jack called in a hard whisper.
"I'm okay!" she called back, and he jumped to see if she was really lying.
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Kimiko's PoV
I saw Jack jump, knowing exactly what he was gunna do for a landing. I knew he had changed...
He landed on his two feet, putting his hand down for support. Getting back up quickly into a straight position, he came over to me. He could already tell something went wrong with my landing, and looked directly at my ankle.
"Jack..." But he didn't give me time. Jack picked me up bridal style and ran with my easily, trying to get out.
"Wait..." He said, suddenly remembering something. He pressed a bottom on his watch and his propellers came out. He blushed as I looked at him thinking why on earth we didn't just use those to leave. "Sorry...forgot." His face turned an even greater crimson red, which was weird for Jack's pale skin.
I smiled at his thoughtfulness. It was funny. How, when we first met, and throughout Shen Gong Wu hunting, he was never able to lift me, or he'd shrink away from me. Now, if I glared at him, he'd only flinch, and now it seems like no problem for him to carry me. He can stand up to Chase too. And...his pale skin, now...it fits him. And, the dark marks (or mascara, not sure exactly what it is) under his eyes...that also fits him now...
Stop hitting silently on Jack Kim! You love Raimundo!
Why do you keep saying that?
Because you know it's true...
That voice that had always admired Raimundo kicked back in. And soon, I felt silent tears rolling down my cheeks, as my shoulders began to shake in Jack's grasp, and I began to sob quietly. I tried to stiffle it, but that just made it louder, causing Jack to notice.
"Kimiko...what's wrong?"
I tried to shake my head to answer as nothing, but I blurted words out. "Raimundo doesn't remember me!" I cried out, wrapping my arms around his neck, and hiding my face in his shoulder, crying desperatly.
Surprisingly, I could sense he didn't at all feel jelous, which was another reason why I began to adore him. (gross!)
We finally came to the entrance to Chase's lair, and flew out. "It's gunna be a long way back...You prepared?"
"Yeah." I said, getting over my crying a little bit. I still held my grip around his neck, and soon I found myself drifting into a peaceful sleep in Jack's warm arms. Where everything seemed...calm, and I felt comfortable and at home in his arms.
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Normal PoV
Kimiko wiped yet another tear away into the rain, visiting the small gravestone they had managed to put up. She just couldn't stop crying. She could have sworn she'd heard him say, "Please don't cry over me...move on and be happy...that's what I would have wanted."
Of course...she couldn't be happy, and she'd never move on. Never in her life would she forget him, or do something as horrible as turn on him. He'd always be her one and only, until the day she died. Then, she'd be happy. Because she'd see him again.
A fresh set of flowers fell gracefully infront of the stone, it's impact on the ground jerking her chest back, making her fall to her knees as she poured out sobs of sadness.
"Why, Why did you have to do this!" she screamed, not even asking it in a question form. "Why did you have to leave me to rot! Why did you have to do this to me! Why did I have to be the damn lucky fool who fell for you! Why'd you have to leave me! Why did you do it! Why do you want to make me suffer! Why did you want me to! WHY?!?!?!" she slammed her fists into the ground over and over again, as the crying made her breath short gasps.
More and more tears poured out as she kept on the ground, muddied and hurt.
She heard footsteps behind her. There was someone there, but she didn't care. She had her face only inches from the ground, breathing in the soft scent of moist earth. She could feel the rain hit her back, and she could see her own tears, and the small drops of rain fall before her eyes, to the spot she was keeping dry.
Her now long locks of black hair shifted over her shoulder and fell to the ground limply, giving her face a shadow from the world.
"Kimiko, it's time to come in." A voice said from behind her.
"No...I cannot leave him."
"Well you surely cannot stay out in the rain either." the voice said in a matter-of-fact tone.
She turned with red puffy eyes against the rain to see Jack standing above her with an unbrella. "I can't leave him...He wouldn't want me to." she said simply, although whispering, Jack could hear her completly.
"Kimiko...It's been three years. He would have wanted you to move on and be happy."
"NO! YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" She screached, standing up and getting in his face. "HE WOULD WANT ME TO BE WITH HIM FORever! Forever, forever, forever!!!" Her crying started again as she fell into Jack's chest, crying histarically. "Forever..." she whispered through sobs.
"Kimiko..." he said trying to sooth her, "I knew Raimundo...And don't get me wrong, you knew him better, but I know he wanted what was best for you. I know he would want you to be happy."
"I know!" she wailed. "And that's what's making me so upset!" she screamed, pounding him in the chest with her fists, although it didn't hurt Jack, on the account of Kimiko was so weak from crying. "He wanted me to be happy! But I cannot turn on him!"
"No one would be saying that you were Kim...Listen to me." she looked up at him. "He loves you Kim, and we all know, and that includes him, that you'll always love him back, even though he's gone Kim doesn't mean it's good-bye, and it doesn't mean that he's let go. Kimi, he will always love you, and you will always love him, but he wants you to move him aside so you can be happy. Have a wedding, having children, and not to die alone."
"But I won't die alone Jack! I won't!"
"You have to try and look at it from a differerent point of view Kim." he tried to reason.
"Don't be kidding me! If it hadn't been for Wuya!" Jack knew what was coming next. "If it hadn't been for Wuya trying to kill me!" She had brought it up so many times, just to make it rain on her, that it was her fault (which it wasn't in everyone's eyes) make the rain of guilt heavier on her every day. "If it wasn't for her..." she whispered. "He would have engaged to me that day! THAT NIGHT!!!" She screamed, again pounding on his chest. "HE WOULD HAVE ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM THAT NIGHT...The night that we met! Our month aniversery! He would have asked me to marry him Jack! And I would have said yes! He would have seen my wedding, because he would have been right there next to me! He would have seen my having a child, because he'd be right there, soothing me through it! He wouldn't see me die alone because he would have been right there with me Jack! HE WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT THERE!" She screamed in cries.
"All hope isn't lost Kimiko...You know you could still be happy, and that would make him happy. And then you would have been even more happy after you saw him again!" He tried to knock sense into her.
"Look at me Jack! I'm a mess, and I've been crying over this for three years! I haven't left the temple in a week because I'd come out every day and cry for 18 hours until someone would come out and get me! I go home to an empty apartment until you get back! Jack, I'm a life screw up!"
Jack now just pulled her into him and Shh'ed her crying to a stop as the rain began to fall harder and harder with every harder sob there was from Kimiko. (obviously, Jack's tactic wasn't working.)
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Kimiko awoke with a jump, clinging to Jack's neck harder than before. He didn't seem to notice though, he was just looking straight forward, clinging to Kimiko's small body even more.
"Jack?"
He didn't answer, which scared her a little bit. She tried to move, but he only held onto her tighter. "Jack...let go!" He still clung onto her as she struggled. Suddenly, his grip loosened. "Thank you." She snapped, but then his grip kept getting lighter and lighter. "O-Okay Jack, you can stop playing stupid, getting a tad bit freaked out that you're going to drop me."
Her worst fear came true. His hands dropped to his side, and she screamed, only holding onto his neck. "Jack!" she yelled at him.
Soon, a smoke clouded around her, and soon she could hear Jack's voice. "Kimiko! God, what happened!?"
"I was just gunna ask you the same question!" she screamed, as he picked her back up. Then he mumbled something, she had to strain to pick up, but she didn't let him notice.
"Shit! Blind gas!"
"What's blind gas!?" she squealed.
"Just close your eyes!"
"You close yours!" she cried out.
"If I do, it'll get to you too, just keep them shut and don't worry about me!" he called out his order, and she took it, trying to hold back the guiltful lump in her throat forming.
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..."Okay, Raimundo...what were you doing last?"
"Well, I was in the car with my girlfriend, best friend, and his girlfriend..."
'Girlfriend...he has a girlfriend...'
"What's your girlfriend's name?"
"Kimi..." he said, trying to remember.
Master Fung's eyes widened...
"Kimi who?" He asked.
"Umm...T-"
"Master Fung, is he getting any better?" Omi asked, as he and Clay walked through the doors.
"Oh my god? Who is that!?" Raimundo tried to stiffle a laugh, even in his current position of pain.
"Who is who? Please, do tell what this means Raimundo!" Omi called out, paranoyed.
"How does he know me?" He asked Master Fung. "And what is up with your big yellow head? Jesus!"He laughed.
Omi's eyes welled as Clay took him aside. "Remember Omi, he doesn't remember you. It would be strange to see a round yellow headed boy when you're in the 9th grade..." Omi nodded and turned while Master Fung was explaining that Omi and Clay were really close friends of his.
"Yeah right, I don't even remember them! Which reminds me...Where is Kimi?"
Both Omi and Clay looked over. "Don't try and get up Raimundo, you are much to hurt."
"Not planning on it baldy."
Master Fung grunted in frustration and strolled over to Omi and Clay. "I was just getting to know what the last name of this girlfriend was. I am still trying to see what he remembers, so my young monks... Do not give anything away to him." Master Fung warned in a whisper.
"Got'cha." Clay made an 'O.K.' sign with his fingers.
Omi, back to his normal self questioned, "I do not understand Clay...You do not 'got' Master Fung...that is most-"
"Omi...You're going a little too far with that...it's an expression." Clay warned away from the subject. Omi just simply nodded and shrugged it off.
"Okay Raimundo...I need to know about this young lady."
Raimundo suddenly grunted in anger, trying to remember. "She...I...I can't..."
"Do not try and struggle, take your time." Master Fung soothed.
"I can't remember her name now. Who is she?"
Master Fung turned a downcast glance at his two young pupils behind him.
They nodded and they were both about to leave when Raimundo spoke, "Wait."
Omi and Clay turned back, along with Master Fung's gaze. "I feel like I know you." He pointed at Clay.
Omi didn't know how to react at Raimundo not knowing him, so his eyes welled and he ran out of the room. "Well...You do." Clay shrugged. Then he just turned and walked out, leaving Raimundo with questions Clay wasn't ready to answer.
"Hey!" He tried to call to him, but Clay was gone.
Master Fung took a sad smile into his features. Raimundo was trying so desperatly to remember all of it, he could see it was a losing battle.
"I need to find Kimi..." Raimundo whispered to himself as trying to move out of the bed.
Master Fung didn't notice, as he was lost in his thoughts. It was only at the point that Raimundo almost fell over out of the bed with pain that he noticed, and quickly took action so Raimundo didn't fall.
"You must rest."
"I have to find Kim!"
"You need to rest, your injuries are much to major."
"I don't care about me! I care about her!" he got angry, in his competitivity, just like before when they were going to get Kimiko.
"Can you describe her to me. Perhaps I could bring her to you."
"Well...Raven black hair and sapphire eyes-"
Master Fung's heart skipped a few beats, he had to think quickly, he knew he couldn't get Kimiko to him. "She was transfered."
"Wh-what?!"
"To a better hospital."
"Why, what was wrong with her?!?!"
"Her ribs were cracked, but other than that, just some cuts and bruises. She told me to tell you to be safe." Tecnically, it wasn't a lie to his student, but it wasn't completly the truth. Kimiko hadn't told Master Fung that...But he knew she had been thinking that.
"Well umm..."
"Raimundo, you must know something."
"Yeah, what?" He asked in a bored tone.
"You are not in the nineth grade."
"What? Course I am."
"How old are you?" He asked in a threatning tone.
"17..."
"You aren't in the nineth grade...When you were fourteen, you were recruited to a temple in China..." Master Fung started the very detailed story, just the way he remembered. All of the Shen Gong Wu hunts, in the perspective of his students' fews and all of the things that happened while at the temple.
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"What was that all about?" Kimiko coughed as she could sense the smoke beginning to get thinner.
"I...I don't know. It could have been anyone trying to get on Chase's good side." Jack said, flying out of the smoke.
"Question." she said, changing the subject.
"Yeah?"
"Why's it called Blind Gas?"
"Well, it's suppose to make you temporarily blinded, but...false alarm, I guess Chase isn't exactly smart enough to come up with that stuff. But he's gunna come to the temple looking for you, and with Raimundo in the condition that he's in, no one is ready for a fight. But I've got a place to go."
"No." Kimiko said simply.
"What?"
"I'm done hiding. I'm done." She had a fierce determination in her eyes. "Jack, take me back to the temple." she said, her eyes slimming.
"Kim-"
"God Damnit! Just do it!"
He quickly obeyed her orders, flying fast, turning direction.
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"Wow..." Raimundo let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.
Master Fung just simply nodded.
"Well, can you show me what I've missed?"
"I would need a fellow teammate to do that." His teacher replied simply.
"Why not Omi, he seems determained enough, and it seems to me, according to you, he helped me a lot."
"Omi is crippled..." That's all Master Fung had to say.
"Dang, that's right...what about...Clay...?"
"Raimundo..."
"What?" He asked, feeling frustrated at hard this Fung guy was.
"I believe, meditating might help your memory. Can you walk?"
He got up, and surprisingly, it felt easier to get up than before. "Does being a dragon have healing perks?"
"Everyone has their own strengths." Master Fung started as they walked. "Each of them helping the other. The fire dragon - - warmth and comfort - - used to sooth the body and relax it after the wind, The dragon of water - - cool and calm - - used to cool down the body from the fire, The dragon of earth - - sterdy and safe - - used to reasure the body from the water, and The dragon of Wind - - freeness and security - - used to loosen the body after the earth, then starting over at fire again. Each help each other in a calm contact as to help each other."
"So, does it have healing perks?" He asked again, barely grasping what Master Fung had told him.
"Yes." Raimundo was about to speak, but his teacher stopped him, "Together, the healing process is easy, but alone, they struggle as the next stage cannot complete itself... But nonetheless, those who pocess the power, will heal themselves physically and spiritually easier."
"Now we are at the meditation hall, and I believe, despite your loss of memory, you will be able to proceed with this easily."
Raimundo, although confused, sat cross-legged on the floor. He reacted to this almost instantly by putting his hands in a comfortable position, and closing his eyes. His mind, knowing what he was trying to do, obliviously let his mind calm, and open up.
Memories flooded through him, painful and peaceful.
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As Jack got about ten feet from the ground, Kimiko struggled him and let herself freely fall, feeling the wind breeze by her again. Her eyes flickered with fire as Jack tried to call to her.
She ran as fast as she could to the temple, knowing that she probably didn't have a lot of time before Chase discovered they were gone. "Master Fung! Clay! Omi!" she called to all of them.
Clay came hurriedly to her aid, obviously joyed to hear her voice. "Kim!"
"Clay!" she breathed, jumping into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm so happy to see you." happiness swelled over her.
"Me too..."
"How's everyone?"
"Peachy, yourself?"
"Oh just great..."
"Where's Jack?"
"He's back, I sorta jumped him at last minute." she giggled in his arms.
"Glad you're here, but won't Chase come for you?"
"Yeah...but I'll be ready..." Kimiko nodded in determination.
Clay didn't let her hope die, he smiled with just as much feriosity as she had in her eyes.
"Get some rest?" Clay asked her.
"Just a small bit, I wanna check on Raimundo a little later. I have a feeling Master Fung is still with him?"
"Yeah."
"Okay...thanks Clay." she whispered in his ear. He pushed his lips against her cheek as she blushed fiercly.
"You're welcome lil' la'y."
She waved her hand as she lightly limped down the hall, although she couldn't believe she was going to sleep at a time like this... She needed it.
Clay smiled just as Jack came up behind him. "She's great..." Jack sigh.
"Yeap." He sigh. "Too bad we all already know her choice."
"Huh?"
"We all know...an' so do you Jac'...Every'o'y knows who she lo'es."
Jack's mind quivered. He hated to admit it, after all that Kimiko had done. She'd kissed him... Made out with him... Hugged him... Snuggled into his arms... Asked for his help... Everything, and yet... He knew who she really loved.
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Kimiko was brushing her waist long hair down after being out in the rain all day. She grabbed her keys off of the small table in her living room and briskly walked out of the apartment door, locking it on the way out.
On her back was a backpack, and in her purse was a plane ticket to China...
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When at her destination, she saw it strangely empty. She spat on the ground in irritation. "No one should forget him like this..." she muttered. She walked over to a grassy spot, below a tree, with a small stone gravestone infront of it.
In Loving Memory:
Raimundo Pedrosa
A great warrior, leader, dragon, and friend.
A soon-to-be father, and soon-to-be husband.
1990-2007
Kimiko's vision fogged as it began to rain again. Whenever she cried...it rained...
Whenever she was unhappy, the wind would pick up slightly...trying to sooth her.
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"Master Fung..." Raimundo breathed.
"Yes Raimundo?"
"Where is the fire dragon? Kimiko...and...why did she seem so much like my girlfriend when I first woke up?"
Master Fung didn't really know how to answer the question, but he was about to respond when Clay came in.
"Sorry if I'm in'errup'in'..." Clay trailed.
"Not at all Clay, what is the matter Young Monk."
"Kim's back." he said, Master Fung and Raimundo both got to their feet. "Yeah...I told her to get a little rest while I got you guys...thought it'd take longer to find you."
"Can I see her?" Raimundo asked anxiously.
Master Fung bowed to Clay, as he did back, and then turned to Raimundo. "Are you ready?"
"I think I am. I remember a lot more about Kimiko now... And I need a few answers only she can give."
"Be whise Raimundo... She is just coming back from Chase Young with Jack Spicer's help. " Raimundo cringed. "She may need time to accumulate that you do not remember her, but you know her." They both bowed to each other, and Raimundo limped off.
"I won'er how he's doin' so goo'." Clay sigh. His best friend went off to try and convince his crush that he's the one for her... It was a pity, but in Clay's heart, he knew that between him and Kimiko...things could never work... They were too different.
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"Kim!" Raimundo called to see her puffy red eyes look at him with surprise.
"Raimundo?"
"Kimiko...what's wrong...?"
Tears escaped her eyes once more. "I...I thought you were dead."
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There's your chapter! Hope you liked it! Sorry for the long update, busy busy...anyways please review and keep reading, thanks a million guys, give me more reviews, I'll update faster! Make me happy and take 30 seconds from your life! Please... :D