A Place Once Called Home
"You take care Kimiko and call me when you land . . . I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is you're doing just please be safe, ok?" Keiko said as I smiled and gave her a big bear hug as she gave soft cries.
"I'll be back before you even know it." I said reassuring her as she still cried a little, which made me tear up.
I looked to the plane I was about to board and saw that it was time for me to get going. I hugged Keiko one more time before saying good-bye and heading on a plane to China. If memory serves me right, I should remember how to get to the temple from the airport. I sighed as I stared at the plane. In all my life I've never left Japan. Or at least before I got my memories back. There is still a lot that doesn't make sense to me. It seems I only have fragments of my memories as I can't remember everything. I know all the main things like my friends, the temple, Master Fung, and Dojo, but there are still a few pieces I'm missing to the puzzle. I took a deep breath one last time before getting on the plane that would change my life forever.
. . . . .
"Wow that plane really did a number on my back!" I said to myself as I stretched.
I sighed and then looked outside the window of the airport as I gathered my luggage. I can't believe I'm actually here . . . China. I looked at the beautiful scenery outside and it was just breathless. I couldn't believe I was actually here . . . It's incredible! After gathering my things, I hauled a taxi and gave him directions to where I needed to be. I vaguely remember where the temple it, but I knew once I saw it I would know I was finally here. The drive was pretty long as I caught myself dozing off, but then my eyes widen as I looked out the car window. There it was . . . I saw the temple in what seemed like ages and it didn't seem to change at all. It looked exactly the same just like in my memories. As I paid the cab driver and gathered my things, I just stared at the temple in awe. I can't believe it . . . After all this time. As I was slowly walking to the entrance of the temple, I suddenly stopped. What was I going to say? What if they don't remember me at all? How will I explain all of this to them when-!?
"Can I help you Miss?" A voice spoke.
I looked up to see none other than Master Fung as he stood near the entrance of the temple. My eyes widen as he slowly descended from the stairs. I can't believe this is all really happening. I placed my luggage down and just stared at him in awe as he looked at me rather confused. We stood there in silence for a while, until he spoke.
"Is there something I can help you with?" He asked as I blinked a few times before speaking.
"Hi um . . . You don't . . . happen to recognize or remember me . . . do you?" I spoke as he looked at me more confused.
"I'm afraid not, Miss. However if there is something I can help you with or do something for you." He spoke, but I shook my head.
"My name is Kimiko Tohomiko and I just came here to . . . Well it's a little complicated, but is anyone by the name Clay, Omi, or Raimundo here?" I asked as he lifted an eyebrow to me.
"There is a monk name Omi here. He is one of my students are you perhaps a friend of his?" He asked me as I gave a small laugh.
"Something like that yes." I replied with a small smile.
He then gestured me to enter the temple. I walked up the stairs and then followed Master Fung as he led me through the temple. I looked around and memories started to come back to me as I walked around the temple grounds. This place was once my home. This is where I trained and went hunting for Shen Gong Wu with my friends. As we drew near to the training grounds I felt myself gasp a little bit. There in front of me was my old friend. The Xiaolin Dragon of Water, Omi. I watched as he was meditating and then doing some basic training by practicing his kung fu moves. He then noticed my presence and looked to Master Fung in confusion.
"Is this perhaps another student, Master?" Omi questioned, but before Master Fung could speak I spoke.
"No Omi, I'm here to see you." I admitted as he looked at me in confusion.
"I do not know you. Especially any girls." He replied and my heart ached a little.
"I know this is going to be hard to explain, but you do know me. I'm one of the Xiaolin Warriors just like you. My element is fire and yours is water. We've been friends for a very long time." I explained, but then all of them looked at me as if I was insane.
"How does she know about my element and about the Xiaolin Warriors?" Omi questioned to Master Fung.
"I do not know, but I must ask you Miss Kimiko why you are here?" Master Fung questioned.
"Yeah I'd like to know that as well!" Dojo appeared out of Master Fung's robe pocket.
"Dojo!?" I exclaimed as he stared at me in shock.
"How does she know my name!? Are you some kind of witch!?" He exclaimed as I shook my head and placed my hands in defense.
"No, you know me! You all know me! Look I know this all sounds crazy, but I know all about the Xiaolin way and how you fight against the darkness of evil like the Heylin. I also know that you collect Shen Gong Wu! I am the Dragon of Fire and Omi is the Dragon of Water. I know the other two dragons, but there not here right now . . . Look please believe me, when I say I know all of you. " I explained as they all stared at me very lost and confused as Omi began to freak out.
"Master, how could a mere girl know about all this!?" He exclaimed as I frowned at him.
I looked to Master Fung who looked at me curiously without saying a word. He then moved closer to me and looked me straight in the eyes. I wasn't lying . . . and he knew that too. He took a step back from me as Omi stood beside him and then spoke.
"As much as I'd like to believe your word Miss Kimiko, it just does not make sense to me. I went looking for the other dragons three years ago. In my search however, I could not find them due to the sudden power or magic loss. You are correct about Omi being the Dragon of Water, but ever since the sudden power or magic loss he could not perform his elemental powers. Any powers he had were futile just like trying to find the other Xiaolin Warriors." Master Fung spoke as I looked to my hands at a loss for words.
I realized though that I haven't once tried to use my powers. I tried to at this moment, but nothing would work. No flame appeared in my hands. I looked up to him a little surprised and spoke.
"This can't be . . . This doesn't make any sense! I have these memories with you, Dojo, Omi, and my other friends. We were all Xiaolin Warriors and we fought against the darkness of evil together! We collected Shen Gong Wu! We've made beautiful memories here at the temple!" I exclaimed feeling my throat tighten and my eyes becoming misty.
"I don't know what's going on, but I need your help! Even if this all sounds crazy, I just need you all too please believe me when I say I'm telling you all the truth! If I can't convince any of you . . . then I honestly don't know what else to do . . ." I explained desperately.
They all stared at me for a moment. I began to look at Omi though and see through his eyes and expression. He looked at me with a sense of confusion and mystery. He was contemplating whether to believe me or not. Still in his eyes I was still only a stranger to him . . . To all of them. I looked at the ground not wanting to see there expressions as they stared at me. Maybe this was a bad idea. None of them remember me. They only see me as some lost and insane girl. I was about to say something, when to my surprise Omi spoke up.
"If I were to believe you . . . would you tell me everything you know and why it is that I cannot remember you?" He questioned as I gave a small sad smile and nodded.
"I'll tell you everything I know," I replied.
. . . . .
"From your explanation is seems like we've been through a lot together and with our friends . . . Clay and Raimundo?" Omi asked as I nodded.
"Yes, but for whatever reason it seems that everyone has forgotten." I said.
"Expect you somehow managed to remember?" Master Fung spoke as he handed me my tea.
We all sat down in the main room drinking so tea as I explained all that I knew from our past that they seem to not remember.
"That's the confusing part . . . I don't know why I exactly remember after all this time, but after I looked at this certain photo of all of us in front of the temple on my 18th birthday was when all of the sudden I began to remember everything." I explained.
"Where exactly is this photo?" Omi asked.
My eyes completely widen as I had almost forgotten about the photo I had. I quickly opened my luggage next to me and started to rummage through it to find the photo. Once I found it, I then looked at it before looking to everyone. I slowly handed the photo to Master Fung. When he reached out and touched it he quickly flinched with the photo falling on the table. His eyes widen and he looked at me as if he was shocked. I looked down at the picture and my eyes widen as well. I noticed the picture glowing a little bit. I looked up to see Master Fung staring at me and at a loss for words.
"Master!?" Omi exclaimed shaking him a little.
"Did you remember anything?" I questioned suddenly.
He looked up to me as he stared at me intensely. He then stood up from his seat and so did I. He then moved slowly to me as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked to him waiting for an answer and praying that he had remembered something. However, he gave a small smile to me and spoke.
"I remember vaguely about certain things." He spoke and my eyes widen in happiness.
"Certain things like me?" I asked and he smile brightly and nodded.
"I remember you and the others Clay and Raimundo. However, I don't quiet remember everything as you told all of us. I believe in time though my memory shall come back along with everyone else's." He explained as I smiled brightly.
He then looked to the photo and held it in his hands and smiling down at it. It was like he was reminiscing the past. He handed me the photo to which I took as he began to talk.
"This photo carries probably the only magic left in this world. I could feel it's power the moment I touched it. Take care of it Kimiko as it may be the only way you will be able to convince the others." As he said this, I then turned to a lost and confused Omi as I gave my best friendly smile to him as I held the picture.
I looked down to him as he stared at me in wonder as I glanced back at the picture and then at him and smiled as I began to speak.
"I know this may seem a little crazy and very confusing, but I need you to try and trust me on this. It may be a little scary, but I promise it will answer a lot of unsolved questions you may have if you'll take a look at this picture." I explained as I slowly handed him the picture.
He stared at me and then the picture and then to Master Fung who nodded to him. He looked back to me and then to the photo as he slowly and carefully reached for it. The moment he touched the photo it began to glow brightly in his hands. He then stumbled back into his chair and all of us stood there looking at him shocked. I quickly went to help him up and when I grabbed hold of his arm to help him, he just stared at me in shock. He stood now looking at the picture. He looked to me with a look of uncertainty, but then softly spoke.
"Kimiko?" He said as I looked at him with hope.
"Yes?" I questioned and suddenly his expression changed from a confused one to a very happy one as he shouted to me.
"I remember! Everything you've said I sort of remember!" He exclaimed as I laughed in relief and we hugged as we reunited as friends.
Soon after we were able to convince Dojo and he too started to remember a few things as well. As we all talked about what we remembered it was incredible to think that this was able to work! I couldn't believe that I was able to convince them with one photo! I only hope now that it will be easier to convince the others now with Omi by my side. As we talked about our memories, there was still one more thing that didn't make all sense to us.
"So all that we remember is that some great evil was coming towards us at the temple." Omi stated as we all nodded.
"Everything after that only leads us to where we're at now, which is one year later after that incident. From what it seems like the past previous two years before we lost our memories was replaced by new ones. Ones that we believed actually were real. However they were just fake memories placed into our minds to make us believe they were real. It's like waking up from a dream and into the bitter realization." I spoke feeling yet again conflicted.
Everything I thought that was real before my memories came back seemed so perfect. I got everything I could have wanted and more. Yet even my perfect little world, I knew in my heart that something just didn't seem right. It was actually like a dream. Everything just seemed to perfect for it to be true. Soon I felt a hand on my shoulder and I saw that it was Omi as he gave me a small smile and I gave a small smile back. I then took a deep breath and closed my eyes and then got back to our main topic.
"We need to find Clay and Raimundo and try to get them to remember everything they had forgotten. It seems I'm the only who truly remembers everything or at least almost everything. You all are still missing fragments of your memories. So I think I might have to go get our partner Clay and then finally get our leader Raimundo." I explained.
"Raimundo was our leader?" Omi questioned and I was going to say something, but then I just stopped myself.
"We need to find them fast, because something tells me that if we're all starting to remember then who's to say the thing that was after us, won't remember as well?" I questioned.