A/N: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown.
CHAPTER TWO
Burn
Dojo soared through the crisp mountain air. The Xiaolin monks atop his back gathered around Kimiko to look at the Shen Gong Wu scroll. The image on the scroll showed a figure drinking from a chalice. Another more transparent figure appeared from the liquid in the chalice and the two began to chat. Or what looked like chatting anyway.
"The Chalice of Qin is a Shen Gong Wu that acts as a way to communicate with the dead. Kind of like a telephone." Dojo explained, "When activated, the cup fills with water and only the user can hear the spirits of those who are still here and want to communicate.".
Clay shuddered, "Talk about givin' the heebee jeebees!"
"Tell me about it." Kimiko replied, stuffing the scroll into her backpack. Looking over the side, she could see a dense forest with a small town and monument in the distance. She asked, "Where are we, Dojo?"
Flying low, the reptile replied, "The Rocky Mountains. Watch out for the mountain lions, guys! They are not too friendly." He warned. Dropping them off near a ridge, Dojo shrunk down and nestled onto the girl's shoulders.
Omi jumped into the air, "No need to fear, my friends! We have fought against Wuya in her ghost form, surely no other ghost would dare mess with us!" He struck a pose, "And if they do, we shall simply make them push the pail."
Raimundo lifted an eyebrow, giving the smallest monk a curious look, "I think you mean 'kick the bucket." He chuckled, "Which, sorry to break it to you but they already have." He clapped his hands together, "Alright team! Enough dillydallying, we got a Wu to find!" Taking command, the leader instructed each member to split up so as to cover more ground. Omi took to the south, Clay to the north, Rai to the east, Dojo and Kimiko to the west.
Trudging through the foliage, Kimiko was silently grateful that she had worn warm clothes for this mission, "It's freezing up here!" She complained to the dragon.
Shivering on her shoulder, Dojo nodded, "Yeah, I really regret hiding the Wu up here. Lovely view but the temperatures this high up are insane!"
Continuing on, Kimiko barely registered what Dojo was saying about how he and Grand Master Dashi had argued over the best place to hide this particular Shen Gong Wu. She searched high and low for the Chalice of Qin- in trees, in bushes, even in a small cave that she and the dragon had decided there was something in there but neither wanted to find out.
Kimiko sighed once she had looked through the tenth bush. Casting an annoyed look towards her companion she asked, "Can't you sense anything, Dojo?"
He shook his head, casting an equally annoyed look at her, "No, with this insane rash it's nearly impossible to figure out which way the Wu is." Emphasizing his point, he began scratching at the rash forming on his arms.
The teen groaned, "Man! At this rate we'll never find it." Sliding down the base of a tree she pouted. The dragon on her shoulder gave suggestions of where to keep looking.
"Maybe I hid it more north? Maybe Clay found it-"
"Kimiko…"
"Huh?" Standing abruptly, Kimiko frantically looked around her surroundings.
"Woah! Watch how fast you stand, kid!" Upon receiving no sarcastic remark, Dojo watched as Kimiko's frantic face searched the woods. He placed a gentle hand on her face, "You okay, Kimi? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Eyes still firmly set on finding the voice, Kimiko asked in a hushed voice, "You didn't hear that?"
"Hear what?" Dojo asked, looking around.
Great, I really am going crazy. Deciding she did not want anyone to be concerned, Kimiko turned her attention to her dragon friend and smiled, "Must have been a bird." Her calm voice must not have reached her eyes because the reptile looked at her with worry.
"Hey, kid, if something's bothering you, you can always tell ol' Dojo." He said.
Kimiko smiled at the dragon's concern, "Thanks, Dojo. But it really is probably just a bird I heard."
"Alright, only if you're- WOAH! OW! OW! OW!" Writhing in pain, Dojo started scratching at his scales, "The Chalice of Qin is close! I can feel it now!"
Gasping, Kimiko asked, "Which way?" The dragon pointed towards a small clearing through the trees. Sprinting with all her might, the girl burst through the brush, eyes scanning the field. She huffed, "Where to now?"
"How about to Loserville where you came from?" The familiar sound of the Helibot thwip-thwip-thwipping through the air caused Kimi to look up.
She snarled, "Oh yeah, real original, Jack! Did you get those insults at the bargain bin?"
Dojo chuckled next to her.
The self-proclaimed evil boy genius rolled his eyes, "Nice one, Kimiko. Did you get your outfit from the bargain bin, too?" His voice was laced with sarcasm.
Kimiko pulled a face.
"Uh oh." Dojo wisely hopped off the girl's shoulders just as she shouted-
"Wudai Mars Fire!" She threw her fireball at the goth teen and grinned when he yelped out of the way. Taking this opportunity of distraction, Kimiko followed Dojo's instructions to where the Wu was hidden.
It took no time at all to find it as it was wedged in between two limbs atop one of the tall trees.
"Jackbots! Attack!"
Kimiko prepared herself to battle the flying pests when Clay came soaring in.
"Wudai Crater Earth!" With the help of his element, the cowboy body-slammed into the Jackbot. Smiling at his destruction of the bot, Clay looked back at Kimiko, "Sorry 'bout that! Couldn't resist."
The girl smiled and waved her hand, "You keep them busy, I'll get the Wu!" Running towards the tree, she caught glimpses of her fellow monks joining in on the robot smashing fun.
"Wudai Neptune Ice!" Omi speared a bot, "Ho, ho! I am in heat!"
Raimundo punched a bot, "No, no! We've been over this! You're on fire!" He shouted amidst the robotic chaos.
Running past them, Kimiko shouted, "Nope! I am!" Using her fire, she propelled herself upwards towards the target tree. Bouncing from limb to limb. Kimiko panicked briefly at the tingling feeling the fire had left on her hands and feet.
What was that about? Ignoring it, she continued her upward quest. Finally, the Wu was within reach but of course as soon as she touched it, Jack did as well. The Wu began to glow. Typical.
Jack smirked, "Kimiko, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown! My Monkey Staff against your Star Hanabi."
Highly annoyed, Kimiko sneered, "Fine. Name your game, Jack!"
"The game is Forest Hopping! Last one to tumble out of the trees wins."
"Alright, let's go-"
"XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN!"
As per the Showdown fashion, the scenery began to shift so the trees grew taller, the branches enlarged, and to Kimiko's surprise- the trees grew legs. Uprooting themselves out of the ground, the trees began to shake themselves and walk around.
Kimi gulped, "Ooooh boy."
The obnoxious sound of Monkey Jack's yowls echoed through the forest, "What? You scared, Kimiko?" He chuckled.
The girl shot him a glare, "No. Are you, Jack? Star Hanabi! Fire!" She shot her fire bolt towards the boy feeling a grand sense of satisfaction when he yelled and hopped out of the tree onto a moving one.
Shifting beneath her, the tree Kimi occupied raised one of its trunks. It flew towards her.
"Watch out, Kimiko!" Her teammates warned her.
Thinking fast, the Dragon of Fire leapt into the air just as the trunk came crashing down. She flipped in the air landing on an adjacent tree. Unfortunately for her, this was the same tree Jack was on. She felt the branch jiggle while Jack laughed at her unsteady frame.
"What's the matter, loser? Can't stand it?"
Snarling down at the perpetrator, Kimiko jumped into the air, "Wudai Mars! Fire!" Jack screamed as the branch he occupied burned. Normally, the girl would have laughed at this victory. Yet, as she set herself onto another branch, she hissed in pain. She could not see what was going on beneath her Wudai armor, but the smoke coming off her legs worried her.
It's okay. It's okay! Just focus on beating Jack.
Looking around, her eyes landed on the monkey boy as he swung from branch to branch avoiding the trees' attempts to swat at him.
"Come on, Kimiko!"
"You got this, girl!"
"Do not fail, Kimiko! Think of the honor!"
Kimiko bared her teeth as she watched another trunk make its way towards her. Timing it just right, she leapt out of the way as the tree let out a moan and fell back. Focusing her attention on Jack, she smiled to herself as he seemed too preoccupied by the trees to notice he was getting closer to her.
She got into a leaping stance.
"Come on… Come on…"
He leapt closer.
Kimiko felt the tree beneath her shift.
Sweat formed on her brow.
"Come on!"
Jack leapt into the air. She did the same. Using her fire, she once again propelled herself so she could slam her foot into the oncoming enemy.
A burning sensation traveled up her arms. She let out a pained gasp, letting her fire die. Completely missing her target, Kimiko began to fall.
"Kimiko!"
"AH!" As she fell, Kimiko held her hands to her chest. They burned. Why did they burn?!
The scene changed back to normal around them but despite Jack's gloating laugh and her friends' concerned cries, Kimiko ignored everything and looked down at her hands. Her hands were red. Confusion swarmed her thoughts as she tried summoning another flame. For only a split second, she felt the tingly sensation return. However, searing pain engulfed her hands just as quickly.
"AH!" Kimiko cried out in pain as the flame died out in her hand. She fell to her knees, looking at the damage done to her skin, "W-what's happening?!" Horror filled her voice as she tried conjuring another flame only for it to sting once more.
"Kimiko!" Her friends cried, running towards her.
Using his power to get to her quicker, Raimundo landed in front of her, "Are you okay?" At first he watched her face but as she ignored him and stared down, the boy looked to where she was staring. He gasped, "Kim, your hands! What happened?" With a gentleness that even surprised him, he took her delicate hands in his.
Kimiko shook her head, "I-I don't know. My flames… they burn, Rai!" Terrified eyes met his concerned ones.
Raimundo frowned, "Come on, let's get you to Master Fung. He'll know what to do." She nodded as he helped her to stand. Calling for the others, Raimundo ordered everyone to return to the temple. The only thoughts on his mind were how to help Kimiko, not on the Wu.
"Hey, what's up with Kimiko?" Jack's question caught Rai's attention as Clay and Omi helped the poor girl onto Dojo.
Not wanting to explain- nor having the faintest idea of how to explain, the leader merely responded, "We don't know but don't think this is over, Jack! We'll be back for the Wu."
The boy genius frowned, "Fine." His Helibot activated, "I'll see you losers later!" He shouted before taking off with his spoils.
Satisfied with this exchange, Raimundo joined his team. His eyes settled on the curled up form of Kimiko. Her face contorted in pain. A feeling of helplessness and panic settled in the boy's stomach, "Don't worry, Kimiko. We'll figure out what's happening."
As she lay curled in on herself, the terrified girl heard what Raimundo had said but the pain was too much to bear for her to respond. Her eyes were shut so tight she began to see spots. She tried thinking of something else- anything else to keep her distracted. In the back of her mind however, all she could hear was that voice.
"Kimiko…"
"Kimiko…"
"Kimiko…"
A/N: Oh boy, what could possibly be happening?! Stay tuned to find out!
~K-Zittles