Love, War, and Choices

Chapter 14...Unbelievable Stories

Before I begin...

1). Okay, so through out the story, which has been stated twice, it says three years later, but... It's not, it's actually four. See, I suppose I was thinking Kimiko as twenty, but actually, it ended up with her being twenty one, so when she's screaming at Jack saying it's been three years, or when Jack is telling her to get over it because it's been three years, (I dunno which) please just switch to four :D thank you.

2). I think this story is being dragged on quite a bit, so I'm gunna wrap it up in maybe two chapters here... so yeah :D with that said, on with the story!

...Kimiko turned to leave, but a few people called her name. She turned with a stunned look on her face to see five people there... Who she longed to see so very bad.

But then, they stepped aside, and one person she hadn't seen forever smiled at her...

Kimiko's PoV

"Kim..." A longing sparkle came into those emerald green eyes...

"Raimundo?" I whispered, my eyes widening, as I couldn't believe my eyes.

He nodded, his now longer, chocolate brown, ruffled hair shook. "It's me."

I shook my head, not believing. "But... that day..."

"Kimiko..." finally I remembered the six other people there. It was Clay, who had just spoke, Omi, Kieko and Jack. "When you wen' to tell Raimundo's mother... Dojo wan'ed Raimundo's body to actually burry... When I lifted the rocks, it wasn' there. I wan'ed to tell you, but you wouldn't talk to anyone, or even listen... Dojo and I didn't understand then... We just decided it was because of his wind power... So we didn't think we should give you the hope he was still out there... I know, I know... we should have told you, but... Ya know, you go'a unders'and we didn' think we should give you false hope... Now, all the pieces fit 'ogether! He was gone because... well, why?" He turned to Raimundo, with just as a confused look as everyone else did.

"I used the serpents tail, plus my wind power to get me to Washington D.C... People found me unconscious, and brought me to the hospital. When I awoke, people were there, telling me I wasn't a legal citizen. I told them about what had happened, and although skeptical, they let it slide with my condition. After I was well enough to sit up, not cough up blood and to walk, which was about a month, police asked me where I was from. I told them Rio, and they transported me back. Well, it turns out, after my mother found out about my death, she'd moved to a different part of Brazil.

I had no money, no house, no nothing to recover with. I went back to the circus. They were of course, willing to take me back in, and they helped a ton... But after I was fully recovered, which took another month and a half, I needed money. So, I trained up for some new acts for a month, and began to work. It was a year after I got enough money to fly to Tokyo. But when I got there, Tohomiko Electonics had gone out of Toshiro Tohomiko's ownership. Made frontline news too! He'd gotton sick, and, as his daughter stated, "He'll be greatly missed. He was a great husband for when my mother was alive, a great father, business man, and friend. He won't be losted from memory or thought, especially from me." It also said that Ms. 'Pedrosa' "

I sort of felt bad about taking his last name, but as I looked back up at him, he beamed that I took it.

"would not be taking over the business, and would be moving to America with a friend. It also said, you wouldn't release any other information. After that, since I had bought a one-way ticket, I took a bus to China to see that Omi was not there anymore. So, using the small bit of Chinese I knew, I worked up enough money to get back to Brazil, which took another year. I worked some, gathering information about where you or Omi, or Clay were staying. I had found out that Master Fung died under rock, and knew Omi would be devistated and would have most likely gone with Dojo to live with Clay."

Omi then nodded cheerfully, yet with sorrow about the subject of Master Fung.

"Then, I saved up money to go to America for good. It took a year and a half, but I got there, took a test, became a citizen, and went to Texas. Of course, I hadn't really remembered where Clay's ranch was. More research came, ontop of trying to find you or Jack. Because..." He chuckled. "Jack would be where you were... I assumed anyways, with how much he used to defend you, and - "

There was a hard glare from Jack, so Raimundo decided to just smirk and shut up.

"Anyways... I finally found Clay, about five months later, and... He helped me locate Jack in New York... AKA, you." He smiled at me.

I couldn't bare it. I was fighting off tears, although it was a losing battle. I ran as fast as I could and rammed into Raimundo's chest, sobbing and hugging him as hard as I could. I knew from my position that he was happy, and greatly loosened up at the time of me hugging him.

"You're back..." I whispered. Then I pulled back and he stepped aside.

Omi looked, kind of the same, but yet, he was taller... A lot taller. He stood at 5'5, three inches taller than myself. His eyes sparkled with so much more sense of the world, street smarts and book smarts.

Clay. He had longer hair, but the same cowboy hat on his head. He had lost a lot of upper body, replacing it with muscle. His eyes had more spark since the last I saw him, backed with book, street, and ranch smarts. (haha, ranch smarts, I dunno if there is such a thing, but I don't care, bare with me:)

Dojo. The same old dragon, just looking scalier from age, and a lot more hyper, again since the last time I saw him.

Then there was Kieko. I'd lost contact with my best friend last. Her hair was down to her waist, just like mine, but it had blue hilights in it. She had, again like me, stopped at 5'2, and she had make up done looking like it was professional. I assumed she took up her dream job in hair, make up, skin, and message. I wondered if she had her own spa. There were so many questions I had to ask her, but all I could do was say three words.

"My best friend..." I flung myself onto her, hugging her desperately as she returned the hug.

"Kimiko, it is great to see you again!" Omi beamed, his non-use of contractions still showing through.

"Sure is lil' lady, so happy now!" Clay grinning widely at me being so happy. Come to think of it, I now felt the rush of excitement, something I hadn't had in a long time.

"Yeah... Haven't seen you smile in Four years..." Jack seemed the happiest to see me smile, minus Raimundo.

Jack had been with me for those four years, and... he was right... I hadn't smiled. Despite the fact, he tried to make me laugh, or cheer me up, he knew I was faking the smile, the laugh, the care in my own voice, or expression.

This only made me smile more.

"I'm glad I'm even seeing you Kimi..." Kieko decided to add in, and everyone else agreed.

"Happy Birthday Kimiko... I think you deserve something proper..." Raimundo turned me around, and brought out a small box. He then slipped the ring off of my finger, and put it in the box, along with something out. He shut it before I could see what else was in there.

Although confused, I still had a smirk on my face.

"Time to do it right!" Kieko squealed.

I didn't dare turn, I was too excited.

Raimundo opened the box, revealing the first ring Kimiko had, and a second.

"Kimiko, along with the money I got to travel, working in China also got me a rare stone."

I was speachless, I couldn't believe what I was seeing...

"No one has probably ever heard of it, but... (don't make fun of me, I needed something creative, and no it is not a real stone :D, but don't think it's cheesy either, please and thank you!) It's a fire gem."

"Where did you get - "

"Well, I don't know if anyone remembers, but do you remember the Shen-Gong-Wu we got called the Sapphire Dragon?"

"Ugh, I try to forget it!" Dojo shuddered.

"That was a most dangerous Wu!" Clay and I agreed.

"The fire that the crystal dragon breathed came from its crystal mouth. When that Wu was destroyed, amoung some other wu, fire was caught in a shattered piece. I, myself crafted it down, being the talented person I am... Then, I god someone to make a ring."

He then got down on one knee and smiled up at me. My smile became even bigger as I almost knew what was coming.

"Kimiko Tohomiko... Will you marry me?"

The double rings in the box weren't nearly as sparkled as Raimundo's eyes were in that moment.

"Yes!" I cried out, and he got up, almost to slow. I jumped into his arms, not wanting to let ago... Afraid it was all too real.

He slipped the two rings onto my finger, and they fit perfect together. They looked like one ring. His mother's ring was shaped in a crescent, forming an outline around the perfect circle cut fire gem. It was beautiful.

"I'm sorry I've missed so many birthdays..." He whispered in my ear.

"It's okay... I got what I really wanted." I kissed him well on the lips, pouring four years of passion into the short kiss.

"I love you..." We both said at once.

Kieko, Omi, Dojo, Clay, and Jack stood behind me, happy for me in every way. Well, everyone except Jack. I could feel the jelously from where I was... Even in Raimundo's arms.

It was okay though... It'd all be okay.

"Well!" Kieko squealed. We all looked at her. "It's Kimiko's twenty first birthday! I think she deserves some celebration!!"

The party went on for almost all night, until people decided to go back to mine and Jack's apartment. Raimundo and I decided to go to a park.

"You, you wanna know something funny?" I asked between giggles.

"What?" He asked, also with a chuckle.

"You can't laugh!" I said, even with a laugh.

"Okay, okay!"

"Earlier today, when I got home... I pictured my twenty first birthday with you. I thought I'd get completely hammered, then, we'd go to a park... And I'd make myself sober enough with fire, and we'd talk... Before taking a three mile walk back to our house... It's stupid, but... It sounded so perfect at the time."

"Well... So far it's been true..." Raimundo smiled at the stars, beginning to light one by one. "You got hammered... now, ya know, you being the Dragon of Fire, you made yourself considerably sober, and now we're going to a park, and talking at the same time."

I sigh horribly loud. "Too bad we don't have a house..."

"Are you so sure?"

My eyes widened with confusion as he began to run with me. He would usually run faster than me, but this time, I ran ahead of him.

"Hey! Whoa!"

I began to laugh.

"You know, you've changed!"

"Well you've missed a few things!"

"I wanna hear all about it!"

I began to talk, and we'd laugh, and be silent for a while, but I kept on talking, no matter what came along.

After about a mile and a half we began to walk (yeah they can run). I had taken my shoes off long ago, even before we started running.

"So..."

"Hmm?" I asked, grinning at Raimundo. I still could not believe he was here... He was twenty two. I never thought at least I would see it.

"I saw the gravestone that you guys put up."

I cringed at the thought.

"And... It said, soon-to-be husband, and soon-to-be father... What was that about?"

I sigh. "I knew this would come up sometime..."

"What are you talking about?" A concerned look came over his face.

"Well... I found out soon after you... 'Died' that I was pregnat."

His eyes widened... And if it wasn't such a serious moment, I'd laugh at how much bulge he could put into them.

"Go on..."

"Yeah, I was pregnat for nine months, and I had the baby."

"Really?" he seemed excited, but nervous about what was gunna come next.

"It was a girl. I had already had a name picked out. My father and mother had decided they wanted four children before I was born. They had four girl names, and four boy names. For girls... Kimiko was first, and... A completely not Japanese name came second... Vataliney. That's what I was going to name her."

"Was?" he was now more confused than excited.

"She lived for about twenty minutes." I said sadly. Although it was upseting, nothing could make me cry to night. No tears even came to my eyes. I had cried enough over the baby, Raimundo, life. But now, Raimundo was back... I couldn't cry anymore.

"Why? What happened?"

"She couldn't breathe right..."

"Kim - "

"But, I could feel something you know... It was a kind of... wind..."

"Do you think the baby had - "

"I bet so. Who knows... But... perhaps that's why she could not breathe right..." I looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"But hey... Maybe's it's only because you weren't there..."

"Kim, that's insane, I-"

"Did you think it was insane when you found out you had power over wind?" I smirked, as he tried to think of a reply. "Did you think it was insane when you fell for me?" I laughed at his reaction that time, and began to run.

After a bit, he stopped and turned me. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a beautiful wooden home (It's like, instead of siding, it's got that wood look to it), and it looked about three stories high.

"Rai..."

"Happy Birthday Kim..."

I smiled widely as I turned to kiss him. "Life's gunna be perfect."

"You can count on that..."

Again, sorry if that was a craptastic chapter, rushed, and horribly written. I think, maybe that's gunna be my ending point... I like it there... but, one more chapter for wedding, and a kid... haha well, Raimundo is back! Can you believe it? Well most people probably didn't expect his story... It's funny how, if he went through the world ( look this up on a globe. From a good mountainy place in China up by Dunhuang, Anxi, Jiuquan and Wuwei if that means anything to anyone :D he ended up anywhere from Pensilvania (sp?) AKA right under New York, or Washington D.C. AKA practically under Pennsilvania. Anyways... Please Review and keep reading FOR THE LAST CHAPTER:D okay well toodles, and thanks! haha, one more thing... sorry forgot. It's funny how long ago this story was started to. Let's try to a good amount of reviews in before the next chapter :D okay I'm done rambling now.