Rise From The Ashes
Chapter 2: Loyalty
(A/N) A longer chapter to make up for the first short one :) xx I know I said this chapter would be called Dark Alliances, but I came up with an idea and decided to push Dark Alliances into being the next chapter. Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favs. Your supports greatly apprenticed. I've replied to the reviews at the bottom of the chapter. xx
Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.
The frosty winds nipped away at Kimiko's skin, lashing her hair around her wildly. Her hands clutched onto Dojo's scaly side tighter as he spiralled higher into the menacing black clouds, narrowly avoiding the snow-capped peak of several treacherous mountains.
Kimiko kept her eyes trained on Dojo's glistening scales, not daring to look down below her. She knew what she would see and couldn't bare to acknowledge it.
Far below her, visible through the patches in the stormy clouds, The Heylin armies were ravaging the lands, turning it into a barren, flaming wasteland of despair. Smoke filled the burning field; crops, farms, and forests set ablaze.
"Evil sure doesn't waste anytime in getting started," Dojo muttered in disgust, watching as the once beautiful green fields that had surrounded his home for miles were singed into char. "Wont be long till The Heylin reach the nearest city."
Kimiko lifted her head at that, a dismay choke caught in her throat.
At mention of 'city' one particular city had flashed in her mind. A thriving capital city brimming with life, bustling with cars and filled with glimmering towering skyscrapers that soared impossibly high up into the sky. A city that stood bravely in the shadow of the highest mountain in all of Japan; the active stratovolcano Mt Fuji.
Tokyo.
The city where her father was right now. Completely unaware of the terrible fate that had just befallen the world.
'No,' Kimiko thought in aghast. 'No! I can't lose Papa too!'
Fumbling about in her pocket, Kimiko retrieved her phone, instantly dialing her fathers number. She bit her lip, drumming her fingers against Dojo's back as she anxiously awaited for him to pick up.
"I'm sorry. We cannot currently connect your call as our services are temporarily down. Please try again la-"
Kimiko hung up and tried once more, but again the same lifeless voice droned the first message. With a hiss Kimiko flipped her phone shut, resisting the urge to chuck it with all her might.
Scrambling about again in her pocket, she pulled out her PDA, intent on trying to get a hold of her father via the internet. When she did get onto the internet, however, a blank screen came up.
Kimiko frowned and tried accessing it again. This time the screen went yellow, a red dot appearing in the centre, before unfurling into an eerily familiar spiral. The red spiral on a yellow background which was Jack Spicers signature logo.
"No! No! No!" Kimiko growled.
Spicer had somehow managed to shut down the internet! She would bet her PDA that he also had something to do with the failing phone networks as well. It seemed as though he was shutting down all means of communication.
No matter how smart he was, doing something as colossal as putting the world on global communication shutdown took time. He must have already taken them down before he and the other Heylin had attacked the temple.
Dashi's ghost only knows what else they had pre-prepared before they had went on the offensive.
"Great!" Kimiko snarled, squeezing her PDA tightly in her hand before thwacking it down hard on Dojo.
"Hey!" Dojo yelped, sounding hurt.
Kimiko looked up at him wide-eyed, realization of what she had just done hitting her.
"I'm sorry, Dojo! I didn't mean to! I was just-"
Angry.
Frustrated.
She had just lost her friends, her home, and now if she didn't do something soon she was going to lose her father as well! She didn't know if she could handle losing him too! The mere thought was sending her into hopeless despair.
She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on the possibility of a future without him.
She had to stay focused and remain calm.
"Dojo," Kimiko said firmly. "I need you to take me to Tokyo."
If she couldn't warn her father through the conventional means of communication then she was going to have to go there and save him herself. She would not allow another loved one to fall into the hands of The Heylin, especially not when this time it was in her power to prevent it.
She didn't want to know what The Heylin would do to her father if they got a hold of him.
As far as The Heylin were concerned, Toshiro Tohomiko was nothing more than a means to an end. He was the father of one of the thorns in their side, and therefore could be used to lure her out and capture her, finally ridding them of the spanner wrenched in their master plans for utter world domination.
At least... that's what they would try.
However, if she didn't get to her father on time, then she knew what choice she would have to make.
She would have to leave him too.
It was tearing her apart having to make these decisions. It felt like she was betraying everyone who had ever stood by her, who had ever cared and loved her. They were always there for her and yet in order to be there for them… she had to leave them? Abandon them to evil?
Not making those tough choices though, would just be her succumbing to her own selfishness.
There were more lives at stake than just her friends and family.
Everyone's loved ones were at risk.
Why should her loved ones be valued above the others?
Wasn't the Xiaolin way to treasure all life? To never hold one life higher than the others?
Of course the guys and her father meant everything to her. They were her world. Her family. She would gladly give up her life to protect them.
But throwing away her life in vain wasn't going to help them, or anyone. If she did surrender herself to The Heylin in order to save her father, then there would be no one left to rescue them, or anyone else.
They would all be at the mercy of evil.
Kimiko had to put aside her selfish desires.
She had to be patient.
She would save the guys.
She would!
It was only a matter of time.
She just wished that this raging turmoil of guilt would stop churning inside her. It felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside.
"Please, Dojo."
Dojo looked over his shoulder questioningly. He saw the desperate, yet determined look in Kimiko's eyes and was wise enough not to argue. He nodded and changed course, spinning higher into the clouds.
"Tokyo here we come!"
It took far longer to reach Tokyo than Kimiko would have liked. Once they reached it, she was relieved to see that the Heylin hadn't arrived yet.
The threatening signs warning of the impending doom heading to the currently peaceful city, however, were already lingering in the air.
The sky was darkening. The winds picking up pace, blowing the greenery more and more ferociously with every passing breath.
The Sumida River seemed unsettled; its normally calm waters which coursed through the city in a tranquil manner, were now far faster and more harsher, large waves smashed and splattered against the bank walls, striking the bridges and buildings on the edge of the waters.
One such building that was being hammered by the rivers growing wrath was her fathers building; Tohomiko Enterprise.
Dojo swiftly landed on the skyscraper. His eyes moved upwards watching as the crackling grey thunder clouds rolled in, devouring the darkening blue sky and casting a dark looming shadow over Tokyo.
There wasn't much time left.
Kimiko threw herself from Dojo's back and darted for the fire exit that lead into the building.
"Dojo stay here and wait for me!" Kimiko shouted over the howling winds.
She twirled, round kicking the door in with a boot to the handle, causing the door to break off from its hinges and crash to the floor with a loud bang!
She ran inside, leaping down the flights of stairs five at a time.
Her fathers building was a labyrinth of sterile white stairs, corridors and rooms. Thankfully, she knew the general layout having spent much of her childhood helping her father with his work.
Once she reached floor forty, Kimiko pushed her away through another door and into a marble floored hallway. Her eyes fleeting glanced at the walls, taking in the sight of the framed photographs of various high up employees hanging on them.
She knew many of the men and women in the photographs, many being old friends of her fathers. Much like her Papa, they too always gave her the privilege of being the first to try out all of their newest gadgets. She was their 'little guinea pig' as they had so endearingly put it.
Skidding around into another corridor, Kimiko finally saw the double mahogany doors that would lead to her father's office.
A rush of excitement raced through her as she drew closer. A grateful smile forming on her lips.
After everything that had happened today, finally something was going right!
The moment she saw him she would dive into his arms, feel the comfort of his warm, protective embrace. It may not solve all the terrible problems overshadowing her, but at least for that short moment everything would be fine. The heavy burden would be lifted, just for a blissful second.
Kimiko pushed open the double doors to her father's office, the hopeful smile on her face growing larger as she stopped in front of the long black table that stretched out to the other end of the room, stopping a few feet short of the window wall overlooking the river.
The room was impressively large. The walls were a dark navy colour, hanging along them was a timeline of photographs of some of the most successful products produced by Tohomiko Enterprise. In the centre of the room, black leather seats surrounded the long table.
Kimiko looked across the room, seeing the back of her father's chair facing her at the end of the table. She could just make out the top of his black hair.
"Dad!" Kimiko called out, a wash of relief evident in her voice.
She had got to him in time.
He was safe.
He was-
Lightning flashed, sending long, frightful shadows stretching out towards the young warrior. Thunder roared as rain pelted down against the windows. The lights flickered, spitting electricity. The emergency lights, which were far duller switched on at the edges of the room, alighting the large office in a dull red light.
The occupier in the chair spun around to face her.
It was as if someone had physically struck her. Kimiko visibly recoiled, taking a bewildered step back as a startled cry spluttered free from her. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, her head shaking in disbelief.
Sitting on the chair with a triumphant smirk on his face… was Chase Young.
"Hello, Dragon of Fire," Chase greeted, his voice rich with mirth.
The sounds of the doors behind her slamming shut with an almighty bang, caused her to jump and instinctively turn around.
The doors to her father's office had been shut by two stoic cat warriors, a zulu warrior and a berserker, who had silently been hiding behind the doors when she had first entered.
They looked at her through cold, unfeeling eyes.
To think they had once been proud warriors.
Now they were nothing more than puppets on strings dangling from Chase's fingers, ready to obey his every whim, want or demand without a flicker of hesitation.
How cruel an existence that must be? To never have any say in their lives. To be simple clogs in Chase's master plans. To be forced to do as he says, when he says and have no say in the matter, whether they liked it or not. They were trapped, forever bound by loyalty that had been forced upon them.
It felt inevitable that Kimiko may be joining them soon.
With a steadying breath, The Dragon of Fire turned around to face Chase.
She didn't like having her back facing the cat warriors, but she would rather it face them than Chase. At least they wouldn't attack unless given a direct order.
"Chase," Kimiko said in a low voice, afraid to speak up in case her voice quivered.
She didn't want to show any fear in front of the enemy. It was difficult for her not too; she always wore her heart on her sleeve, her emotions as plain as day for all to see. Right now she was afraid, and she knew that despite the brave face she put on that Chase could see right through her like a sheet of glass.
Chase titled his head, crossing his arms as he reclined back into the leather chair.
"Where is my dad?" Kimiko demanded to know, trying to keep her voice steady.
"You're father is currently in our custody. Don't worry, so long as he does what he's told he'll be fine," Chase smiled frightfully, shadows dancing across his face as lightening flashed.
'I wasn't fast enough.' Kimiko's heart sunk, her chest tightening. 'Unless this was something else they had pre-arranged.'
Apart of her wanted to clear the distance between her and Chase, to smash her fist into his face and beat him to a bloody pulp for having taken her father prisoner. She supressed the urge as best she could, instead digging her nails into the palms of her hands.
"Now, care to tell me where you thought you where going? Running away to your father when things get bad?" Chase tsked, wagging his finger. "I'm surprised. I expected better from a Xiaolin Dragon."
Kimikos cheeks flushed red with anger, she growled quietly. "I wasn't running away."
"Oh weren't you now? So if you weren't running away why did you abandon your friends back at the temple?" Chase smiled chillingly, leaning forward as he clasped his hands on the table. "Why is it that you're here at your fathers enterprise, rather than trying to save them?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Kimiko spat, her confidence rising with her fury.
"No... you don't," Chase began as he rose up from his seat, clasping his hands behind his back. "You don't have to explain anything."
Leisurely, he began walking around the table, making his way towards her. Kimiko moved to the opposite side of the table, trying to keep the table acting as a barrier between her and Chase.
"I can see you for exactly what you are, just by looking at you," Chase said, his eyes locking with hers.
"Oh really?" Kimiko challenged, her voice shaking.
"Yes." Chase replied curtly, confidence ringing loud as he spoke.
Kimiko watched as he continued pacing his way slowly around the table. Her hand trailed along the wood, ready to flip the table over if Chase made a move to leap over it to get to her.
"You are nothing more than a pitiful excuse of a Xiaolin, and have no right to call yourself a warrior. Unlike the coward that you are, your fellow monks stayed and fought for all they were worth, never one backing down," Chase spoke calmly, a hint of respect at her friends courage in his voice. "Although they are misguided in their belief that they fought for the right side, and were indeed wasting their talents, they were without a doubt true warriors."
'Unlike some,' Chase's unspoken words whispered venomously in the air.
"After we defeated your 'friends,' if you have the gall to still call them that, I and my fellow Heylin made an offer to them," Chase continued.
"What offer?" Kimiko asked suspiciously.
"I offered them a place by our sides, to help us rule this world and allow evil to take its rightful place," Chase said darkly, his face momentarily lighting up as lightning flashed outside.
When the lightning had flashed, for that moment, Kimiko swore that Chase's shadow had been replaced by the monstrous creature lurking under his skin.
The young Dragon of Fire shook her head. "They would never agree to join you!"
"How can you be so sure?" Chase challenged, raising an eyebrow. "You had run away with your tail behind your legs long before we made them that proposition."
Kimiko's hands tightened into fists, a light stream radiating from them.
Chase stopped walking and instead leaned against one of the chairs, his arms folded. This prompted Kimiko to stop pacing as well, having came to stand beside her fathers chair at the other side of the room.
"Because I know them! They wouldn't betray the Xiaolin!"
"I wonder if they thought the same about you?" Chase mused as he mocked contemplated the thought, rubbing his fingers against his chin. "I wonder if they believed that you, their dear, trusted friend, would never betray them."
"I haven't betrayed them," Kimiko bite out with a snarl. "And I know in my heart they would not turn their backs on the world to join the likes of you!"
"You left them to suffer at the hands of their enemies while you saved your own skin. I believe that classes as an act of betrayal, young one," Chase smirked. "As for their possible new allegiance to the dark side, how can you know for sure that they haven't already joined us? They've been offered a way to escape the cruel fate that was about to be inflicted upon them. Anyone who's smart enough would know to take such a deal."
Kimiko bit her lip, frowning.
There was no way that the guys had succumb to evil. They had their principles and wouldn't sell out the world to save themselves!
'It wouldn't be the first time one of the guys have slipped into the path of darkness though,' a doubtful voice murmured in the back of Kimiko's head. She brushed it off, refusing to listen to it.
"Originally the same offer was intended to be made to you," Chase continued casually, his voice smooth and unwavering.
Kimiko mouth gaped open, her face contorting into a look of disgust.
"I would never join-"
"I never asked you to-," Chase raised his hand, silencing her as he continued as though she hadn't spoken. "I am in the need of warriors and have no intention of allowing a snivelling little girl with no loyalty to join my underlings."
Kimiko clenched her teeth, biting back a growl.
How dare he! The egotistic sadist had the arrogance to act like he knew her when he knew nothing!
He didn't know how hard she worked every day just in hopes of getting even a small token or gesture of acceptance from her fellow dragons. She was constantly looked down upon and underestimated because of her gender, something that she had no power in controlling.
Every jab, every remark, every off handed insult that the guys threw her way in regards to her gender and her ability as a warrior drove her insane! She put her up most into everything that she did! Always worked with passion and dedication. She was determined to prove to them that she could become an incredible warrior, that it didn't matter whether or not you had two X chromosomes or not.
Hearing Chase taunt and mock her credibility as a warrior was infuriating.
She had acted rationally, trying to pick her battles wisely.
She had accepted that she wasn't strong enough to have went back down to the temple to fight for her friends, despite that being her immediate reaction to do so. If she wanted to help her friends then leaving them had been the only option.
Chase didn't know how much that decision to leave her friends was killing her!
Staying to fight in vain may have earned her some inkling of respect from Chase, but quite frankly, her friends lives took priority over such trivial matters. The Heylins opinions of her were of little consequence.
Chase didn't know her true motivations of leaving her friends, her actions had lead him to assume she was a coward.
If that was what he thought, so be it.
It would be his downfall.
"You really shouldn't assume things about me, Chase," Kimiko warned.
"Actions speak louder than words. You're actions have spoken loud and clear," Chase scoffed bitterly, his golden eyes boring into hers. "You have shown that you are not worthy of the title of Dragon of Fire, have no right to call yourself a warrior, and have demonstrated that you do not understand the simple concept of loyalty."
"Loyalty?" Kimiko spat. "Like you know anything about loyalty!"
Chase frowned, crossing his arms. "What do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean?" Kimiko laughed bitterly. "Whose loyal to you, Chase? Do you have anyone who would be willing to go to the depths of hell and back again if it meant protecting you?"
Chase smiled, snapping his fingers
The two cat warriors moved forward, standing on either side of their master. Their faces remained impassive.
"You seem to have forgotten that I have an army of fallen warriors who have sworn their eternal loyalty to me," Chase smirked in amusement, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"That isn't true loyalty though, is it?" Kimiko questioned quietly, taking a brave step forward. "Their loyalty to you was forced upon them because they lost a showdown to you. Do you really think if they had the chance to leave that they would stay with you willingly? That they would still stand by you and defend you till the end?"
She couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it must be for the warriors.
They had been stripped of their freedom.
Taken away from their homes, their loved ones, and their way of life in order to serve Chase.
They had been cursed with immortality, had to endure watching as time stole away the world as they knew it, forever changing it as the centuries went by. All the while they remained relics, ghostly reminders of times the world had nearly forgotten.
Did Chase truly think that the cats would remain loyal to him if they were given the chance to escape from him? After everything he had done to them? After everything he had stolen from them?
For a moment Chase fell into silence, the amusement vanishing from his narrowing eyes.
"They knew exactly what they were signing up for when they accepted my challenge," Chase growled darkly, his eyes glowing bright with an inner turmoil of rage.
Kimiko blinked.
Had she hit a nerve?
Wounded his pride perhaps?
Inhaling deeply, Kimiko took the plunge.
If she wanted out of this alive, to get the opportunity to fight for the future of the world, then she was going to have to fight Chase. He had came all the way to Tokyo to deal with the loose end, to squash all hope of good ever defeating evil again. There was no way he would let her easily stroll out of here.
"Face it Chase," Kimiko taunted, trying to provoke him into rage.
If he was angry, then maybe, just maybe he would be less focused and it would give her at least a sporting chance. She didn't have to beat him. She just had to get away from him.
"True loyalty is something you will never understand! Loyalty comes from the heart. Despite what you think, I am loyal to my friends, I always have been and always will be. But you? You'll never have anyone willingly put their life on the line for you, willing to stand by you and defend you! You know why? Because no one cares about you! How could anyone care about someone as cold, heartless, selfish and cruel as you!"
He was on her in an instant.
His movements had been cloaked by a white flare of lightening, any sound he made-if any-had been completely covered behind the rumbling roars of thunder and heavy rain slashing against the glass.
Now in his beast form, he loomed over her, lips curled back as he snarled through his fangs. His clawed, scaly green hands, wrapped around her throat, before hositing her into the air.
The next thing Kimiko knew, she was sent tumbling across the table. With a groan Kimiko rolled herself off it, scrambled to her feet, and bolted for the door.
Chase must have issued an order, because the cat warriors dove for her. The Zulu warrior leapt into the air, ready to pierce the young warrior in the heart with her spear, while the Berserker raised his axe, swinging it towards her head.
With a yelp Kimiko ducked out of the path of the incoming axe, quickly cartwheeling to the side and avoiding the spear.
The Zulu warrior darted forward, aiming a kick to her head. Kimio blocked the attack with her arm, swiftly ducking and swinging her right leg towards the Zulu warriors feet, tripping her up.
Without missing a beat, Kimiko spun to her feet, kicked up the fallen spear from the ground and twirled around just in time to block the Berserkers next blow with his axe, using the spear.
Kimiko kicked her leg up into the air, whacking the Berseker in the face, causing him to stumble backwards.
Behind her she heard the Zulu warrior getting back to her feet. Spinning around she smiled.
"Think fast!" Kimiko grinned, tossing the spear to the startled warrior. The next second the Zulu warrior was sent flying backwards when Kimiko spun around and booted her in the stomach.
Not wasting another second, Kimiko made a dash towards the door, slipping out quickly and rushing down the corridors the way she had came in. She didn't dare look back. The sound of running footsteps from her enemies only spurring her on faster.
She had to get out of here! Now!
All her instincts were screaming at her to run. To run faster than she ever had before!
She just had to get to the roof top where Dojo was waiting for her. If she got up there he could fly them to safety.
To her right she heard a whooshing sound. Eyes widening, Kimiko moved her head to the side, narrowly missing the spear that plunged through the air, then lodged itself in the wall. It seemed the Zulu warrior was back on her feet.
Rounding a corner, Kimiko saw the fire escape that would lead to the stair case to the roof.
She was so close!
Just a little further and-
Something large and heavy rammed into her, the incredible force knocking her through the concrete wall and sending her crashing through several pieces of furniture.
She had been sent crashing into one of the buildings many small laboratory rooms. Complicated series of test tubes now lay shattered, their neon liquid contents having spilled out across the glossy white floor. Workbenches and chairs were now toppled over. Laptops and machinery broken.
With a groan she raised a hand to her head, wincing as it throbbed. She tried focusing, but her head just kept spinning.
Through her blurring vision she saw Chase making his way towards her, tossing aside any chairs and tables that stood in his way. He looked furious, his golden eyes burning with rage.
'Oh boy am I in trouble,' Kimiko muttered.
Gripping onto the near by workbench, she tried to haul herself to her feet. She hissed in pain as her body cried out in protest at her movements. Frantically, she looked around the room, straining to make out any form of exit other than the one behind Chase.
Realising there was no other way out, Kimiko dropped into a fighting stance, ignoring the aches and pains in her body.
If she was going down then she wasn't going down without a fight!
With an inhuman snarl, Chase lunged forward. Immediately he began firing powerful punches and kicks at her. Each strike hit her like a tonne of bricks, only further antagonising her already bruising, aching body.
Kimiko remained on the defensive, blocking as many of the attacks as she could. Most of his hits landed, very few did she manage to successfully avoid or block.
With a growl Kimiko shot forward, swinging a kick towards her opponents face. Chase caught her leg in mid-air. Swiftly, Kimiko swung her other leg, slamming it into Chase's neck and forcing him to release her leg. Kimiko's hands landed on the floor first and she flipped over so she was once again standing on both feet.
Twirling around she kicked the beast in the stomach, moving as fast as she could to deliver a blow with her fist to his snout.
Chase grabbed her tiny fist in his talon like hands, crushing it in his tight grasp. Kimiko cried out, launching her other hand in his direction. Chase caught it in a bone crunching grip as well.
The dark Heylin Prince began pushing her backwards.
Kimiko struggled, trying to push him back. Her feet skidded across the ground as Chase over powered her and coniuted driving her backwards. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw what he was trying to accomplish.
He was pushing her back towards the glass window!
Digging her heels into the ground, Kimiko tried to bring them to a stop. She ferociously struggled against his grip on her hands, trying to break free.
It was no good. He was just to strong!
"Let. Me. Go!" Kimiko hissed. "FIRE!"
Hot searing flames burst to life in her hand. Chase let out a howl of pain, reflectively releasing her. Kimiko took the fire in her hands, merging it into one large ball, before pitching it towards Chase.
The Dark Heylin creature growled, batting the ball of fire away with a powerful whack of his tail. The fire-ball shot off towards a nearby workbench filled with test tubes and chemicals, large yellow warning signs labelled on the wall above it saying 'Highly flammable.'
'Uh oh,' Kimkio winced.
She didn't have any time to duck for cover as the fire ignited the chemicals and caused an explosion which rocked the entire building, the blast knocking both warriors off their feet.
Kimiko lay panting on her back, staring up at the smoke, cracked roof panels and sparking wires dangling dangerously from the ceiling. She could hardly move, her body now completely exhausted.
Suddenly, cold leather clad hands tightened around her neck, hoisting her up into the air. Kimiko could barely scream or cry out, the iron grip on her throat strangling her. Struggling to keep her eyes open, Kimiko saw Chase, now in his human form, smiling victoriously at her.
Feebly, she swung her legs at him, trying to kick him while her fingers weakly clawed at his arms.
"Let... me… go!" Kimiko choked out, trying futilely to unclench his hands from her throat.
"Now Kimiko," Chase smiled slyly, tilting his head as he examined her. "Try not to fall for me."
Then, with one last smirk, he sealed her fate.
With a mighty heave he sent her shattering through the window of the fortieth floor.
Pain shot through Kimiko as her back impacted the glass. Shards of glass sliced into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain as blood splashed through the air. Her pain only got worse as the sensation of falling over came her.
As Kimiko plummeted down towards her soon to be watery grave at the bottom of the raging Sumida River, she managed one last glance to the fortieth floor of her father's building.
Chase was louring on the edge of the broken window, his long raven like hair, with its glint of green, blowing behind him. He waved to her, then turned to leave, not even bothering to watch as she fell to her demise. Treating her death as nothing more than insignificant to his precious time.
Oh how she hated him!
With a one finally breath of resignation, Kimiko clenched her eyes shut.
All she could do now was wait for the inevitable.
'I am so sorry everyone,' Kimiko whispered to herself, a single tear slipping past her defences. 'I failed all of you.'
With that last thought, Kimiko felt the darkness overcome her as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Hey Kid, come on! Wake up!
Kimiko felt something shake her roughly. With a groan she batted away the irksome thing.
She was so tired. Just a little more sleep and then she would get up and start her chores. Surely Master Fung wouldn't mind her sleeping in just this once? She was just so tired and sore. It felt like she'd been hit by a truck, her whole body pulsing with painful throbs.
Come on, Kimiko! You need to wake up now! Please!
'Just a few more minutes,' Kimiko pleaded.
Please, Kimmy. Please... wake up!
"Oh for the love of-Alright! I'm up!" Kimiko whined.
Groggily, she raised her hand to her head, hissing when it throbbed sorely. No doubt there would be a very nasty bruise forming there.
'Oh gosh, when did I bang my head? And why do I feel so awful?'
Opening her eyes she found her vision was blurred. In front of her she could just make out blurs of different shades of red and a small green blur frantically hovering over her, applying what she thought to be a white cloth to her head. The moment it touched her skin she let out a yelp as it aggravated her wound. With a growl she pushed it away.
"Oh, Kimiko! You're finally awake!"
"Dojo?" Kimiko frowned.
The little lizard sprung forward, enveloping the bewildered girl in an embrace while smothering her with affectionate, slobbery kisses on both her cheeks.
"Dojo!" Kimiko groaned, his affections causing her pain. Awkwardly she unlatched him from her.
Wiping her eyes with her sleeve she tried to re-focus her vision. It took a few minutes but eventually the green blur morphed into the familiar shape of her little dragon companion, Dojo.
Behind Dojo, she could now see that the various tones of red were coming from what appeared to be a river of... lava?
"Where-where are we?" Kimiko stuttered, attempting to push herself up, using the wall that she was slumped against as leverage.
"Hold your horses, Kiddo. That was one really nasty fall you had!"
"Fall?"
It felt like a cold bucket of water had been thrown over her. Everything came back to her, sobering her up from her slumber.
Kimiko nodded and relaxed herself against the wall, allowing Dojo to continue flitting about her as he dealt with fixing up her wounds. Well he did that, she allowed her gaze to travel around her new location.
She appeared to be in some form of underground cavern.
Long, claw like stalactites hung from the ceiling, their ghostly shadows stretching across the cave walls.
On the ground, a river of molten lava weaved its way through the centre of the cave, its bright glow alighting the cavern in a soft, soothing red warmth. Stalagmites rose up from the ground around it, some reaching the stalactites above and forming magnificent pillars.
There only appeared to be two ways in or out; two large holes, one where a waterfall of lava was pouring into the cavern, fuelling the river, and another where the river disappeared further into the cave system.
"Are we in a volcano, Dojo?" Kimiko questioned, awestruck by the cavern.
"Yipe," Dojo nodded, carefully un-wrapping a bloodied bandage around her left arm. "We're inside one of the lava chambers in Mount Fuji. I use to come to this place, back when I was still in my rebellious teen years."
"Are there more caves like this in here?" Kimiko asked curiously.
"There's a whole system of caves in here. Most people can't get to them though as they can't stand the heat. That's actually why I brought you here. I figured the Heylin wouldn't be able to follow us here due to the extreme conditions," Dojo explained, sticking his tongue out as he carefully wrapped a fresh bandaged around her left hand.
It was extremely hot down in the cavern. No one could survive long down here without some form of aid. Then again, depending on how far into the volcano they were, conventional equipment that could be used to help people endure the extreme conditions may be useless. Possibly the only way for someone to get down here and survive would be through the use of Shen Gong Wu, such as The Black Beatle.
Kimiko being the Dragon of Fire, however, could withstand the fiery conditions easily.
She could wield flames in the palm of her hand, or even engulf herself entirely with her fire and have no burn marks to show for it. She was fireproof.
Despite this, she could still tell that it was unbearable hot, yet it didn't faze her at all. It just felt natural. Comfortable even.
Oddly enough, Kimiko felt right at home here in the depths of the volcano. The inside of the volcano was almost like a natural temple, a safe heaven for her element to soar freely. It was like being submerged in the heart of her element.
"How long have I been out for?"
Dojo went quiet, hesitating while tending to her wounded arm. .
"About a week."
"A week?" Kimiko echoed lightly.
Seven full days had passed since The Heylin had defeated them.
How much of the world had been completed conquered by evil in that time? Was there anything left of the world she had known? Or had it all fallen into eternal darkness?
Kimiko could hear her blood pumping in her ears. She took a calm breath.
"Dojo... What happened after I-after Chase... threw me out the window. I... I thought I was a goner."
Dojo glanced away, gripping his tail and fidgeting with it nervously.
"You nearly were," he whispered. "I... I could barely hear anything over the storm. I swore I heard glass shattering so I... I glimpsed over the edge to see if I was just imaging things. Then I saw you falling and-"
Dojo struggled to finish his sentence, blinking his eyes rapidly as he tried to fight back the tears threatening to spill.
"You saved me," Kimiko finished for him, a tender smile on her face.
Dojo nodded mutely, still not meeting her eyes. "I almost didn't make it to you, Kimiko."
"But you did, Dojo. You did. You were fast enough. You made it," Kimiko said softly, reaching out for her friend.
'You did so much better than me, Dojo.'
Dojo sniffled, turning away from her.
"Dojo," Kimiko asked tentatively. "Are you...are you okay?"
It was silly question, that she knew.
But what else could she say?
What did one say to their friend when he had lost everything? When they both… had lost everything. What words of comfort could she offer when the entire world was crashing and burning all around them? When they were seeing everything they cherished slipping through their fingers and being thrown into oblivion.
If there were such words, words that could take away the chaos of emotions, to put their hearts at rest, to ease their fears and make everything better… then she didn't have them… though she desperately yearned for them.
"I'm fine, I just have some soot in my eye," Dojo said quickly, almost cheerfully. "I'm fine."
The little dragon nodded his head, softly uttering the words over and over again. Kimiko knew he wasn't trying to convince her; he was trying to convince himself.
With a strained smile that didn't reach his eyes, he finally looked up at her, his tiny claws fidgeting with one another. A second later the smile wavered, wobbling from a smile to a frown before the dam of tears welling in his eyes finally broke, and the little dragon burst into hysterics.
Kimikos heart broke at the sight. Swiftly she moved forward, scooping him up into her arms and pulling him into a tight embrace. Dojo flung his arms round her neck, crying loudly into her shoulder.
"I thought I'd lost you too! Just like the guys and Master Fung!" Dojo wailed, tightening his embrace.
The sound of Dojo weeping nearly pushed her over the edge, almost forcing her to succumb to the heart breaking sobs threatening to break free.
'Don't you dare cry, Kimiko Tomokish!' Kimiko chided herself. 'Don't you dare!'
Kimiko hugged the little dragon twice as hard.
She was all Dojo had left.
She was all the world had left!
For them, she would not only have to be strong. No... she would have to become stronger!
She didn't now how long she and Dojo sat there, simply enjoying the small comfort of each others embrace. Eventually the two of them were lulled into slumber.
While Kimiko slept, one thought rang through her mind, a thought that would haunt her every night for years to come whenever her conscious would be seduced into sleep.
What did her friends believe?
That she was still faithful to them and intended to rescue them as soon as she could?
Or did they come to the conclusion that she was nothing more than a coward, a traitor who had turned her back on them to save her own skin?
Not knowing what they believed tormented her.
Such ponders as to how her friends now viewed her were not the only thing that would plague her dreams. For every nightmare she had, there was one thing that always appeared, hiding away in the dark corners of her mind.
A pair of golden, mocking reptilian eyes, smirking at her in the darkness.
(A/N) Thanks for reading :) Hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think, any theories or advice. xx
shipperfreak: Thank you for the review :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter xx
anonomous fan: Thank you for the review. Big fan of your stories btw :D
Tsukuyomu: Thank you for your review :D xx I hope you enjoyed this chapter. xx
GrammarScanner: Major thanks for the long review, advice and tips! Its greatly appreciated! I'll definitely take your advice on board. I've went back and fixed the errors that you've pointed out :) xx Thank you! xx
Bears of the west: Aww thank you *blushes* xx I haven't written it up yet, but would you be willing to beta my next chapter when I finish it? :) It would be greatly appreciated. xx
dangerous-angel-123: Thank you and don't worry I will do :) xx
Next Chapter: Dark Alliances (Unless my muse takes a detour again lol) xx