Hi, everyone, welcome back. I hope you've been well this week; things have been going okay for myself. This chapter is going to focus on our heroes spending time with the family and just having a good time. Please enjoy ;). Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.
The Xiaolin Dragon King: Arc Three
Chapter Six: Celebration (Part Two)
(Back at the Pedrosa residence)
"So let me get this straight, not only have you fought demons and witches, but also an evil-talking vegetable?"
"Yeah, all that has become a regular Tuesday at this point." Raimundo shrugged nonchalantly.
"Okay, the other stuff I can see. But the vegetable one was a joke, right?" Ricardo asked from the small group huddled around his younger brother and Kimiko.
"You would be surprised, actually." she answered, taking a small sip of the punch she got earlier. "We see and do all kinds of weird stuff almost every day. Like, this one time, I was transported into a video game to stop this evil mob boss from taking over my father's company." her chuckling turned sheepish at the wide, disbelieving eyes staring at her.
"You just had to be there." Raimundo told them. " But it was totally awesome watching Kimiko in action. She kicks butt like no other."
"W-Well, maybe a little…" the female monk said, trying to be modest.
"That honestly doesn't surprise me. Us Pedrosa men have always had a thing for strong ladies." Ricardo grinned.
"We can tell since you always have a nasty bump or two on your head courtesy of your wife." one of the other men spoke up.
"It's the best way for Rosalie to make sure this dog learns his lesson." said another, causing a round of laughter throughout the group.
"By the way, Kimiko, your father is the owner of Tohomiko Electronics, right?" one of Raimundo's uncles asked.
"Yes." she replied.
"You're not about to ask for a handout, are you, Tio?" the Brazilian joked.
"No, no, of course not. I just thought she would be interested to know that Izzy is a huge fan of their games."
"Really?" Kimiko blinked in surprise.
"You bet! For months, she saves up her allowance and does odd jobs for friends and family to buy the latest releases. Just a couple of weeks ago, she got the newest Goo Zombies."
"Oh, yeah, that's right." Raimundo said. "Izzy's crazy for those games."
"Why didn't you mention this before?" the female monk asked him. "I could have brought something over for her."
"Sorry, it slipped my mind. There's always next time, right?"
"I wanted it to be this time, I don't think I made a very good impression on your sister." she sighed. "She doesn't seem to like me a whole lot."
"Hey, it just takes time for Izzy to get used to people, it happened with my sister-in-law when she and Ricardo started dating. After a while, she practically fell in love with her herself. Trust me, there's plenty of time for you two to get to know each other."
"I guess you're right."
"Of course I am." Raimundo grinned confidently.
The female monk gave a soft smile. "I'm sorry, for making it about me. It's your birthday, we should focus on you."
"Don't sweat it." he told her, squeezing her shoulders gently. "If it makes you feel any better, I think you've already won over most of everyone here."
"Yeah?"
"Totally, I bet some of them are even playing to steal you away from me."
The two shared a small laugh, staring at one another for a few moments. Then they began to learn in, lips about to touch. Someone deliberately cleared their throat loudly and made them jump in surprise. They had completely forgotten they were very much not alone.
"You wanna take this to your room, or should we just have everyone clear the backyard?" Ricardo teased.
"Oh my Xiaolin…" Kimiko buried her red face in her boyfriend's shirt.
"Actually, if you could get everyone back inside, that would be great." Raimundo grinned.
The others around them laughed when the Japanese girl stepped on his foot.
"So, yeah, I basically carry the whole group from one Shen Gong Wu to the next, or anywhere they need to go." Dojo told the people around him, curled on top of one of the tables in the backyard.
"No offense, but you're a little small to be carrying anyone, meu amigo retiliano."
"That's where being a shapeshifting dragon comes in handy. I would do it now, but the space is rather limited. I can do this, though."
The green dragon took a deep breath, holding it in as he turned his head towards the sky. Then, with one big puff, he shot out a stream of fire that flared out at the top. The party-goers exclaimed in awe, clapping as he took a few bows.
"Alright, alright, that's pretty impressive." Chucky said, climbing onto the table with the other dragon. "But this one will really knock your socks off."
Making Dojo move back for space, he cleared his throat a few times. He wet the tip of his finger with his tongue and held it up, feeling which way the wind was blowing. Nodding in satisfaction, he took a deep breath and twisted his long body, holding the position. Then, opening his mouth around, he relaxed and spun in a fast circle. However, instead of fire, all that came out was black smoke that covered him completely. Dojo and the people around them coughed as it fanned out into their faces.
Chucky became visible again as he stopped spinning, letting out a few hacks while beating a fist against his chest. "Whew! What- ahem!- What did you think of that?"
"Uh, I think you're a bit out of practice, old buddy." the green dragon told him.
"On the firebreathing, there's no question about that. But not out of sleight of hand~" he pulled his other hand out from behind his back, revealing the set of watches dangling from his arm.
The small crowd held up their bare wrists in astonishment. They cheered as Chucky bowed, tossing the timepieces back to their respective owners.
"I'm surprised you didn't try to keep them." Dojo remarked, crossing his arms.
"Eh, I thought about it." the lighter-skinned dragon admitted with a shrug. "But I figure I could make an exception for the kid's birthday."
"Oh, you."
Kaze flew above the heads of the party guests, careful not to risk hitting them with his feet. Below, a few of the children in attendance chased after him, screaming in delight and wonderment as he spun and twirled through the air easily. Sometimes he could go lower, showing off his maneuverability by flying around people.
"Woah!" Omi exclaimed when the phoenix shot past him, wing a bit too close to his face. "That is most dangerous, Kaze!"
All he got was a squawk in response as the bird went higher in the air, still entertaining the younger Pedrosa family members.
"He is becoming very much like Raimundo." the short monk remarked. "Apologies for the distraction, my friends. I am ready for another one."
His arm stretched out to the side, he was balancing a metal folding chair by its leg with the tip of his finger. Stacked as neatly as possible on top of it were many more chairs.
"This is the last one we can do." said one of the men, holding the only other chair left in the backyard. "Sofia will kill us if we use the good chairs in the house."
With help from the other party-goers, he placed the metal piece of furniture at the very top of the stack. The tall tower wobbled dangerously for a brief moment, but Omi managed to get it under control. Slowly and carefully, he moved his arm until it was above his head, the chairs perfectly balanced.
"Thank you, thank you." the bald monk bowed his head, as his feat was met with impressed applause. "If anyone wishes to know how to do it themselves, I will be most happy to teach you."
Suddenly, a lasso wrapped around the folding chair at the top of the stack and pulled it down. A hand caught it before it hit the ground and set it upright.
"See? Nothing to it." Clay said told the Brazilians to whom he was demonstrating his lasso. "It's all about precision and a flick of the wrist." he twirled the rope around at his side, easily jumping back and forth through it. Moving it to be above the ground, he stepped into it.
Then, out of nowhere, a ball came sailing through the air, hitting the cowboy in the back of the head. This made him inadvertently pull on his lasso and tighten around his feet. Losing balance, he crashed to the ground, much to the amusement of those who saw.
"Oh, sorry about that, Clay!" Juno came over, a group of adolescent kids behind her. "The ball kinda got away from us. You okay?"
"Yup, not the first time I've taken a tumble." he pushed himself into a sitting position. "Here ya are." he grabbed the round piece of rubber and tossed it to her.
"Thanks." she smiled as he worked to get the lasso off him. "Ping-Pong, you wanna join in?"
"Merci, but I will have to pass, Master Juno!" the shortest monk called back, sitting with the oldest members of the party guests. "I am learning such interesting things about the city."
"Nice to know there are still young people out there who have an appreciation for history." one of the men smiled, patting the young boy's head.
"Could you please tell me more about the March of the One Hundred Thousand?" Ping-Pong requested, holding a notebook and pencil to write it all down.
Juno smiled to herself, glad to see the kids were enjoying themselves. Speaking of kids, she turned to the ones she was playing with. "You all wanna give up now on trying to score against me?" she smirked as she gave the ball a small toss, catching and balancing it on her knee.
"No way!" they shouted, determined.
"That's the spirit." the redhead grinned, letting the ball drop to the grass. Easily, she kept it out of reach of the younger ones and headed for the two trash cans that acted as goals.
"Try not to crush that spirit, Juno!" Dashi called from where he stood with Guan and Chase. "She always has to play hardball, even with something as simple as a makeshift soccer."
"Or playing against you in Go." the Master Monk added.
"Hey, I have more wins over her in that game."
"Yes, but you don't see her collapsing to the floor after taking shots of liquor from losing a round." the Heylin warrior pointed out, arms crossed as he leaned against the fence.
"I swear, she must be using magic to keep it from affecting her." Dashi defended.
"Poor carpenter blames his tools."
"That does not apply to me! And didn't Juno want you to mingle with Raimundo's family?"
"I'm steeling myself." Chase replied simply. "And what about you? Have you taken on the role of the fun uncle who just sits around and drinks at family events?"
"Ha ha, funny." Dashi shot back. "Besides, all they have here is punch. Speaking of being the fun uncle, there's something that's been on my mind lately. You know how I'm Omi and Ping-Pong ancestor, right?"
"Really? I didn't notice." Guan said with a smile.
"I'm being serious, guys. They've always referred to me as 'Grand Master Dashi', and that's it. It's not that I mind, but it feels a bit weird since I know they're related to me. So I've been trying to figure out a way to ask them to address me more… familiarly. But I can't seem to find the right time or words. Plus, what if they don't see me as their family member? To them, I could just be the all-powerful Xiaolin warrior who comes around from time to time and gives sage advice and training?"
"I don't think you have much to worry about, Dashi." the Master Monk reassured him. "Omi and Ping-Pong already worship you, and that was before they were aware of your relations. In fact, they just may have heart attacks if you were to ask them."
"Yeah, you're probably right, big guy. I just don't want to make things awkward in case this doesn't go as I planned."
"There is no rush." the taller man placed a hand on his shoulder. "The right time will come, and you will know when it is."
"As fun as it is to see you struggle, I agree with Guan." Chase added.
"Aw, Chase, you big softie." Dashi grinned, slinging his arm over the other man's shoulder. "You guys are the best."
"Yes, I'm aware." the Heylin warrior replied, but a small smile appeared on his face.
"Excuse me? Gentlemen?"
The three warriors turned their heads and saw that a young woman had approached them. She looked to be in her twenties and was fairly tall. Her long, smooth dark brown hair was pulled over her left shoulder. A pair of familiar green eyes shined in the sunlight as she smiled at them. She was beautiful, indeed.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Elisa, I'm one of Raimundo's older sisters."
"Oh, of course." Guan said, stepping forward. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Guan."
"Hi, I'm Dashi." the Grand Master introduced himself.
"Chase." was all the Heylin warrior said.
"I was really happy to learn how many friends my baby brother made since he left home. And that most of them…" Elisa's attention became more focused on Chase. "Are quite attractive."
'Uh-oh.' Dashi and Guan both thought, seeing what direction this was heading in.
"So, Chase, how did you and Raimundo meet?" the young woman asked as she went to stand by him, maybe a little too closely.
"I tried to kill him and his friends." Chase replied, moving back to put a respectable amount of space between them.
Elisa let out a small laugh. "He can have that effect on people, can't he?"
"I can vouch that it was more serious than what she may think." the Master Monk whispered to his fellow Xiaolin warrior.
"This is very forward of me, I know, but…" Elisa stepped closer towards the Heylin warrior. "If you're interested in seeing what Rio de Janeiro has to offer, I know all of the best spots." she smiled prettily, giving a small bat of her eyelashes. "Anytime would be good for me. The weekend, tomorrow, or…" she reached out her hand and touched his arm. "Tonight even. The city is even more beautiful when it's dark. What do you say?"
"I say…" Chase looked at her with a blank stare. "You should be aware that I am-"
Something fast suddenly flew between them and hit the fence. Looking back, they saw a rubber ball fall to the ground. It bounced the way it came from a few times before someone placed their foot on top of it.
"Oh my goodness!" Juno exclaimed, face and voice a bit too cheerful. "I totally lost control over the ball there. If it was only a few more inches to the left, someone's head could have gone splat!" her eyes shifted to Elisa.
"I'm surprised she didn't bust a hole through the fence." Dashi mumbled to Guan. Then he flinched when the redhead turned her cold smile on him. He held up his hands and chuckled nervously.
"Impressive shot, Juno." Chase told her.
"I have Raimundo to thank, he's been giving me lessons." she walked over and stood between him and the Brazilian woman. "Hello, I don't think we've met. I'm Juno, Raimundo's mentor. And Chase's wife."
"W-Wife?" Elisa blinked twice.
"His one and only~" the female warrior smiled brightly. "It's very nice to meet you. Did I hear you're Raimundo's sister?"
"Yes, Elisa… Uh, I'm very sorry about what happened just now." she looked and sounded sincere, posture hunching. "I swear I didn't know you two were married. Please forgive me…" her face flushed.
Juno stared at her for long, silent seconds. Then her expression softened, smiling becoming genuine. "Well, there was no harm done. This kind of incident always happens, to tell you the truth. Honestly, I think it's because he's too handsome."
"Are you making this my fault now?" Chase asked.
"Well, maybe if you made yourself less attractive, we wouldn't always be having this problem." she told him, a teasing look on her face.
"And what about you, Juno?"
"Oh, we know that's just downright impossible for me."
Elisa giggled slightly, relaxing as the tension melted away. "I'm sorry again for causing trouble."
"It's all water under the bridge now." Juno waved her hand dismissively. "But there is something you can do for me to make up for it."
"What is it?"
"You see, I have one kid who's nuts about history and wants to take a look around the city. Since we agreed to spend the night, I thought we could hit some places before we head home tomorrow. Do you think you can tell me about those great spots you mentioned earlier?"
"I might be able to do better than that. You see, I actually work for a tour guide company, taking people around Rio de Janeiro and telling them all about its historic past. If you want, I would be more than happy to do that for you. Free of charge, of course."
"That would be fantastic!" Juno smiled widely. "Ping-Pong is gonna love that! Just between us, though, are there any good taverns you can recommend? You know, something for the adults of the group."
"Oh, there's this one bar I go to all the time. They serve the best drinks, but some of them are a bit extreme."
"One thing you should know about me, I can take a lot. Now, any stores you recommend, too?"
"Why don't you and I sit down and talk about all the places you think you and your friends would like to visit?" Elisa offered.
"Excellent." the redhead smiled, linking arms with the taller woman. "Let's go see if we can snatch one of those chairs from Omi."
"That's quite rare." Guan remarked as the two women walked off to continue their conversation.
"Yeah, how often does Juno make a female friend?" Dashi chuckled. "Especially one who tried to hit on Chase."
"It's good to see her having fun." Chase remarked, smiling to himself.
"Hey, dudes." Raimundo then walked over to them. "I see Juno's met Elisa."
"You were almost down a sister just a moment ago, Raimundo." the Grand Master told him.
"Uh-no, she tried to get fresh with Chase, huh?" he sighed. "You know, she always complains about how she doesn't have any luck in the romance department. I'm starting to think she might be right."
"She can't be that unlucky, Juno was in a good mood today. By the way, where's Kimiko?"
"Oh, one of my aunts dragged her off to talk with the ladies. I tried to save her, but they're pretty intimating in a cluster."
"Your family is certainly close-knit." Guan remarked.
"Yeah, we sure we are." Raimundo turned around to the small sea of Pedrosa members. A smile came onto his face as he saw his friends mingling and having a good time with everyone. "I am glad I finally got to introduce them to my other family."
"Ugh, how boring." Shadow groaned to herself, lowering the Eagle Scope from her face. She was perched atop a church spire built in a more desolate part of Rio de Janeiro. "Nothing more than a waste of time."
She had followed the Xiaolin Warriors all the way from China, thinking they were on their way to find another Shen Gong Wu. Much to her disappointment, though, they only came to the city to celebrate the windy one's birthday. Seeing how they were smiling and laughing with one another made her sick to her stomach.
"Does she not have a life outside of those kids of hers?"
Looking back through the Eagle Scope, the villainess focused on the Xiaolin Dragon King as she conversed with a Brazilian woman. She clicked her tongue at the sight of the pleasant smile on her face as they talked. Besides the fire girl, she thought the redhead hated other females. But here she was, laughing and chatting happily with someone she just met.
An acidic feeling bubbled in her stomach, a whole new emotion she found herself experiencing. As much as she enjoyed the cold, angry expressions Juno directed at her, she briefly wondered what she would feel if she gave her one of the bright smiles she reserved for her ragtag bunch.
"What is wrong with me?" Shadow groaned, lowering the Eagle Scope and leaning her head back. Her hand came up to block the sun's rays from her eyes.
If this keeps up, these foreign emotions might interfere with her plans. She'll have to do something about it should that be the case. And the best way to do that was to deal with the source, immortal or not.
"Todos!" Sofia suddenly called from the kitchen door. "Hora da alimentação!"
"Alright, it's time to eat!" the Brazilian cheered as everyone started resetting the tables and chairs. "You guys are gonna love my mom's cooking."
"I don't doubt that, I just hope she made enough to feed Clay and Dojo." Juno remarked, helping out.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Pedrosa, but would you like an extra hand bringing the food out?" Kimiko offered.
"That would be very helpful, thank you." Sofia smiled appreciatively. "If you could just grab a tray or two…"
No problem." she took a platter and held it against her palm, taking another one with her free hand.
"I made all of Raimundo's favorite dishes." the older woman said, carrying a bowl filled with extra punch. "If you're ever interested in learning how to make any, I'm more than happy to share a recipe or two. I'll even tell you about some secret ingredients I use." she whispered the last part.
"I would love that." Kimiko smiled. "Raimundo's mentioned how much he misses your cooking, Mrs. Pedrosa."
"Please, sweetie, call me Sofia."
"Oh, I don't want to seem rude or overly familiar."
"Not at all. Raimundo has talked about you so much that you already feel like part of the family. Plus, I hear you've won everyone over by now."
"I don't know about everyone…"
"If you're worried about Izzy, the best course of action is to have patience." Sofia told her. "She's always been the closest with Raimundo. She became even more attached to him when their father suddenly left without warning."
"I see…." Kimiko looked over to where her boyfriend was. He was talking with his younger sister, who looked more lively and animated compared to earlier. "It really hit everyone hard, didn't it?"
"Yes." the older woman gave a small sigh, traces of sadness in her eyes. "Raimundo was completely torn up over it, he didn't want anything that reminded him of the man who abandoned us. He carried those feelings for so long, but now…" her gaze settled on her son. "I've noticed that he's been doing better about the whole matter. Now he doesn't automatically get upset when his father is mentioned. I think it's thanks to you and your friends, especially that Chase Young."
"Yeah, they've become quite a duo." the Japanese girl told her.
"I'm glad he's found the father figure he needed." Sofia smiled softly. "I thank you and your friends for looking out for him all this time. He's grown into such a fine young man since he met you."
"He sure has." Kimiko smiled back. "You wouldn't think he was the same mischievous slacker I first met at the Xiaolin Temple."
"I know." the Brazilian woman laughed. "I was worried about him having no ambition at all. In fact, there was this one time when-"
As they made their way to the setup tables, one of the children accidentally kicked the ball they were playing with toward them. It knocked into Sofia's legs, throwing her off balance. Thankfully she didn't fall, but the bowl she held slipped from her grip and went into the air, along with the punch.
Quickly, Kimiko stuck her leg and caught the plastic dish, balancing the bottom with the tip of her foot. Pink liquid soon rained down and she maneuvered the bowl to catch it, not letting a single drop hit the ground. She sighed in relief, then blinked in surprise when people started clapping.
"Amazing save there!"
"Raimundo's sure got himself one heck of a girlfriend."
"I expect nothing less from my students." Juno said, beaming proudly.
"Thank you so much, Kimiko." Sofia took the bowl, allowing her to put her leg down. "I see the things Raimundo has said about you weren't exaggerations."
"It was no big deal." Kimiko flushed, a bit bashful. "I've balanced heavier stuff than that. Uh, I didn't mean for that to sound like I'm bragging or anything, I just…"
"Don't worry, you're fine." the older woman smiled. "Come on, let's set all this down before any more balls roll our way."
Soon, all the tables were together, covered in a wide range of various foods. The guests pulled out chairs and sat down. Thankfully, there was enough room for everyone.
"Hey, Kimi, over here." Raimundo waved at her, gesturing to the seat right beside him.
The female monk smiled and went over. However, before she could, someone else already grabbed the back of the chair,
"Can I sit here, big bro?" Isabella asked, not bothering to wait for the reply as she sat down.
"Well, actually, Izzy…" the Brazilian looked at his girlfriend.
"It's cool." Kimiko told him. "I'll go sit with Juno, she's with Elisa."
"Are you sure? I can just get another chair and-"
"Really, that's not necessary. You spend time with your little sister, and I'll get to know your older one."
"Well, okay…"
Kimiko went over to where Juno sat with Elisa, pulling a chair next to the latter. She sighed as she took a seat.
"Izzy's a bit of a handful, isn't she?" the Brazilian woman said with a sympathetic smile. "She tends to get like that when it comes to Raimundo."
"Your mother told me they've always been close."
"That's true. You should have seen her when he was chosen to go to that temple in China, I think she was more upset about the whole thing than Mom was. In fact, she didn't leave her room for almost four days after he decided to go."
"Oh…"
"She only came out after Raimundo talked to her and promised to always keep in touch. That helped a little bit, but she still gets anxious when she doesn't hear from him after a certain period."
"It sounds like she's more than just attached to her big brother." Juno remarked.
"Ever since what happened with our dad, he's been the one constant in her life she doesn't want to lose." Elisa said mournfully. "I remember the day Raimundo told us you were dating, Kimiko. We were all excited, but Izzy was thrown for a loop."
Kimiko looked down at her hands in her lap. It was all too clear Raimundo shared a close bond with his family, remembering all the times he'd talked to her about them. Knowing what she did about their father, it made sense why Isabella wouldn't want her older brother to leave home like he did. From the way the younger girl looked at her earlier, she probably thought she was also trying to take him away from her.
"Oh, please don't think I'm trying to make you feel bad or anything." Elisa said to the female monk when she saw her expression. "I know Izzy will come to like you if she takes the chance to get to know you better."
"She doesn't seem that interested at the moment." the female monk glanced over to where her boyfriend was talking with his younger sister.
"Maybe you should get her attention by kissing Raimundo right there and now." Juno suggested.
"I'm sure that's just gonna make her dislike me even more."
"Kidding, kidding." the redhead waved her hand with a small grin. "But setting up a good rapport with the little sister might be a good thing to do before we leave."
"I'll try my best." Kimiko said.
"Attention, everyone!" Sofia called, standing at one end of the connected tables. "I would like to thank all of you for being able to make it today. We are here to celebrate my youngest son, Raimundo Pedrosa, becoming a young man."
Cheers and applause sounded out as said young man rose and grinned at the guests, giving a two thumbs up. When he sat back down, Ricardo leaned over from where he sat across from him and ruffled his hair affectionately.
"However, if I'm being honest, he became a man a long time ago." Sofia continued. "When I first heard he was chosen to train as what they call a Xiaolin Warrior, you can only imagine my shock. Not only that, but he had to travel to China. My heart was telling me to refuse, I was not ready for one of my babies to leave home so soon. But then, one night, Raimundo came to me and said he wanted to go. That was the first time I had ever seen him look so serious about anything in a long time. At that moment, I realized this opportunity would be what was best for him, a chance for him to grow. And, I am happy to say…" she looked at her son, eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears. "That I was right. Raimundo, I can feel nothing but pride when I look at one of the finest young men I have ever met in my life. Eu te amo, querida."
"Ah, geez, Ma." Raimundo bowed his head, hand over his eyes. "Thanks…" he sniffled a few times as one of the guests next to him patted his back.
"Alright, I think that's enough tears for one day." Sofia wiped her eyes. "Everyone, dig in!"
"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am." Clay rubbed his hands together excitedly, eyeing the spread of Brazilian cuisine hungrily.
"Kimiko, you have to try this cuca de banana." Elisa said, putting a slice on the younger's plate. "Ma has this special way that makes it taste extra sweet."
"Is this an empanada?" Juno asked, taking one of the small pot pie-like snacks on a platter. "Raimundo's told me a bit about them."
"Yes, they're made with flour and filled with things like meat, cheese, shrimp, and just about anything else. With our family, Ma makes them with multiple fillings. That way, it's a fun surprise when we take a bite."
"Hmm." the redhead bit into the piece of baked dough. "Mmmh! I got cheese!" she pulled back, a string of gooey, white cheese connecting her mouth to the food.
"That's one of my favorites!" the Brazilian woman laughed. "It's even better when Ma uses extra Oaxaca cheese!"
"We definitely have to make these at home." Juno chewed happily. "Remind me to get the recipe from Mrs. Pedrosa."
"By the way, Kimiko, since we have this moment together…" Elisa turned to the female monk. "Let me tell you about the time when Raimundo was eight and Ricardo convinced him he could fly."
At the other end of the table, Raimundo was suddenly struck with a sense of dread. Looking down, he saw his girlfriend and older sister laughing at something the latter had said. He mentally sighed, knowing whatever it was was at his expense.
Seeing the wide smile Kimiko had on her face, though, he couldn't help but form one of his own. She was so nervous and tense about meeting his family earlier, and now she was so much more relaxed and comfortable. It looked like she was a member of the family.
To be honest, the thought had crossed his mind more than a few times a while after they got together. But he kept that piece of information to himself. It was still too early, and they had plenty of time before making such an important decision. Even though he had already gotten a few questions on the subject from his relatives earlier.
Isabella saw the smile on her brother's face and who it was directed towards. Appetite suddenly gone, she set her chicken pastel back on her plate. Raimundo was finally home after so long, but she didn't get many opportunities to spend any real time with him. He got wrapped up in talking with the rest of the family.
She hated the fact he was so far away from her now. Moving into a different house here in the city was one thing, but he was on a completely different continent. The calls, texts, and Facetiming made the separation bearable, but it wasn't the same as seeing him in person.
Originally, Isabella thought he would just give up halfway on this whole Xiaolin Warrior thing and return home. However, it appears he's been seeing it through to the end. He has all these friends he treats as family and even a girlfriend. There wasn't a reason for him to come back. The thought made her clutch the fabric of her dress tightly.
Would the visits eventually stop, along with the means of communication? Would he become so caught up in his new life that he would leave behind his old one? Would he come to forget about her and disappear from her life completely? Just like… him?
"Hey, Izzy." Raimundo's voice pulled her from her sea of thoughts. "Since me and the others are gonna be staying the night, how about you show me those new video games of yours later?"
"Yeah?"
"Totally, it's been a long time since you and I had a late-night game session. We just gotta make sure Mom doesn't know about it." he gave a mischievous wink. "So, how about it? You down?"
"Okay!" Isabella smiled widely. "I've been wanting to show you what I've gotten since you've been away." she felt her appetite return, finishing off the rest of her pastel. A shimmer of hope came over her that her brother would be willing to come home and stay.
(Meanwhile)
A family of five giant otters swam in the deep, flowing river of the riparian forest, diving under the water in search of any fish available. When they found their desired prey and headed for the surface, they instantly chomped down on its head with the sharp teeth of their jaws. They ate in noisy contentment, ignoring the other wildlife gathered on the shore.
On the other side, a fox pair dug in the mud, searching for crabs hiding underneath. Capuchin monkeys swung merrily in the trees, chasing one another through the branches. Parrots and toucans squawked angrily when they came too close, pecking their beaks at the little primates. They only got playful chitters in response.
One of the smaller capuchins slid down a tree trunk to the forest floor. It searched among the grass, looking for any roaming arthropods to eat. Then its eyes caught sight of a millipede attempting to burrow into the ground. Letting out a gleeful coo, the black and white primate reached its hand out towards the insect.
A large paw suddenly stepped on top of the millipede. The monkey shrieked, instantly running back up the tree it came down. The other capuchins rushed over to see what happened, their bald faces watching a black mane heading for the river.
The foxes, having just found a few crabs to munch on, noticed the newcomer. They quickly scampered over to a nearby log and hid in its hollow middle. Carefully, they poked their heads out and observed in cautious curiosity.
The large maned wolf's bright reddish-brown fur shone in the bright sun, not an ounce of dirt to be seen. His white-tipped tail brushed lightly against the ground as he reached the river, long legs trudging into the flowing water. Standing statue still, amber eyes stared at their reflection in the distorted surface. The family of otters watched warily from their side of the bank.
Rushing water was the only sound filling the animals' ears, all eyes trained on the tall canine. Time slowed as he appeared frozen in the river. Then, quick as a whip, his head snapped downward, the silence broken by loud splashing.
With a toss of his head, the maned wolf threw the fish he caught onto the bank. When it landed, it flopped around helplessly before eventually going limp. The creature looked back at the water, waiting patiently for the next aquatic vertebrate to swim back.
In less than thirty minutes, the maned wolf accumulated a small pile of fish on the shore. When he had gathered enough, he walked out of the river, shaking the excess water off his long legs. Going over to his hard-earned feast, he plopped down and ate the first fish absentmindedly. After devouring the second, he was about to start on the third one when he noticed the foxes still watching from their hiding spot.
The animals stared at one another, the smaller ones giving nervous flicks of their ears. Letting out a small exhale, the maned wolf took hold of a fish with his jaw and gave it a toss. It landed near the foxes, who flinched back in surprise. They didn't move, believing it was a trick to leave them open for attack. However, the larger canine simply returned to eating the rest of his pile, no longer looking at them.
Carefully, one of them came out of the log and went over to the fish. It sniffed it once, looked at the other creature, and picked it up in its mouth. Then it hurried back to its partner to enjoy the treat gifted to them.
Just as the maned wolf was halfway done with the pile, the peace and quiet were disturbed when the monkeys in the trees began to shriek in panic. Leaves rustled violently, and birds took flight into the air. The giant otters hid among the foliage on their side but stayed close enough to see what caused the commotion.
The foxes peeked out of their log and gave fearful yips. A slender, tawny body was noticeable as it crouched among the green bushes. Grey eyes zoned in on the maned wolf, who had not even moved from his position on the ground as he continued to eat without a care. Large paws kneaded the dirt underneath them, claws prodding out in preparation for attack.
When the canine began to eat his last fish, head bowed, the opportunity arose.
The cougar sprinted from its hiding place, hind legs giving it an extra boost of speed. Halfway, it leaped high into the air, fangs baring wide open. As if finally noticing the other's presence, the maned wolf looked up, eyes meeting one another as the distance between them closed.
A flash of gold and a bright dome of light covered the area of the river.
It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, the cougar now tumbling back across the ground by a sudden force. When it recovered, the maned wolf was standing, encased in an amberish aura as golden-orange eyes glowed and stared down the other creature.
The large feline hissed loudly, crouching low to the ground with pinned-back ears. After a few moments, it turned around and went for the trees. When it disappeared among the foliage, the aura around the canine disappeared, glow leaving his eyes.
He went over to the river and lapped at the water a few times. Then, shaking his head and whole body, he let out a long yawn. Paws walked along the muddy bank, passing the hollow log the foxes had watched the scene unfold from.
After filling his belly, a wave of sleepiness overcame the tall canine. A nice, undisturbed nap was in order.
(Meanwhile)
Jack was outside in his home's backyard, lying in a hammock installed between two trees. All the items on his to-do list were done; his Jack-Bots were finely tuned, chores completed, planned inventions finally built, and no Shen Gong Wu alerts as of late.
With the free time available, he was settling in for an afternoon nap. He yawned, getting more comfortable on the soft fabric of the hammock. Face shielded from the sun by the tree tops, a gentle breeze blowing, it was the perfect environment to just kick back and drift off to the land of dreams.
Until a piercing scream broke the peace.
Letting out a surprised shriek himself, Jack turned and fell out of the hammock. Crashing to the ground, he let out a groan. A lookup showed a certain floating head as the cause of the disturbance, limbs floating wildly as her eyes glowed brightly.
"Wuya! What's the big idea?!"
"A Shen Gong Wu! A Shen Gong Wu has just made itself known!" she flew around wildly.
"That's nice." Jack got back on his feet, dusting himself off. "I'm sure the monks will have a fun time tracking it down. Now, if you'll excuse me." he turned to get back in the hammock.
"You don't understand!" Wuya went over to him, putting her face right against his. "The level of this one is too high to ignore! We must go and find it before they do!"
"Is this Wu really that big of a deal?" the redheaded boy questioned, a bit taken aback by her insistence.
"If the surge of power I felt just now is correct, then we cannot allow this chance to slip through us." Wuya confirmed, phasing right through his head. He screamed and fell back to the ground. "We must hurry! Knowing those monks, they're already halfway there!"
"Okay, okay, I'll get my Jack-Bots." he stood up again and shook the chills off his body. "If it's making you act like this, then it must be a pretty strong Wu."
"Something of this magnitude could turn things around for us, Jack." she told him. "If we manage to get it, it'll make our future plans easier."
"Well, heck, you've convinced me." Jack replied with a grin, heading for his lab. "By the way, where can we find it?"
"I'll know the exact location when we get there, but I do know that it's somewhere in South America."
"Really? You know, it's funny. Juno and the others told me in the group chat that they would be visiting Raimundo's hometown to see his family and celebrate his birthday. If I remember correctly, he's from Rio de Janeiro. You know, that one city we almost destroyed by causing a volcano to erupt by using a piece of the Heylin Comet that one time."
"What?!"
"Yeah, good times, right?"
(Meanwhile)
"Xiang! Xiang!"
"Ah, what?!" the Chinese man was awakened from his second nap of the day by his partner shaking him. "What is this time, Felix?" he yawned.
"We just got a signal!" the blond held up an electronic tablet. The screen first showed wave frequencies until he tapped it, switching to an aerial map of the area. A flashing dot appeared, along with a line of coordinates. "It must be what we're looking for!"
"I knew our little computer genius would come through for us." the darker-haired man took the device and zoomed in on where the frequencies showed up. "It's some miles from here, but we should be able to track it down before the signal disappears. "You drive, I'll direct."
"Copy that." Felix strapped the driver's seatbelt across his body. "Hold on, the terrain gets rough." he grabbed the wheel and turned the keys in the ignition.
"Just how I like it." Xiang grabbed the handlebar above him with one hand, holding the tablet with the other. "Let's ride."
The jeep sped off, the tired kicking up dirt as it drove into the trees of the riparian.
(Meanwhile, at the Pedrosa residence)
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
Dashi spit out his drink, coughing as he looked at the green dragon. "Dojo, what's the matter with you?" he blinked in surprise as he watched him twist and turn his long body in every way imaginable.
"S-S-Shen Gong Wu!" Dojo curled into a tight ball before springing into a straight line. "And it's huge! One of the biggest I've felt in a long time! I can't keep still!"
"Woah, woah, breathe, buddy." the Grand Master grabbed him, holding him at arms-length as he continued to wiggle around like a worm. "How huge we talking about?"
The dragon took a deep breath, eventually gaining control of himself. "You remember our old friend the Sapphire Dragon, don't you?"
A look of shock came onto Dashi's face. "Oh, Xiaolin…"
"Dashi, what's going on?" Juno came over. "Is it a new Wu, or is Dojo having stomach problems again?"
"Juno, you and the kids have got to go now." he told her. "You need to find this Wu before someone else does."
She was about to question the urgency, but saw his expression. The time for questions would have to wait. "Understood. What about you and the others?"
"We'll hang back here, this is a job for the Xiaolin Warriors." Dashi handed the dragon over to her. "Dojo will explain on the way, and I'll fill you in on the rest when you get back."
"Got it." the redhead nodded. "Stay in touch in case we need backup. Kids!" she rushed over to where the monks were. "We're gonna have to pause the celebration, there's work to do."
They looked at her in surprise, but nodded in understanding when they saw the serious look on her face.
"Dojo, you know what to do."
The green dragon saluted before the female warrior tossed him towards the sky. He transformed into his larger form in mid-air, the guests of the Pedrosa household staring at him in complete awe.
"If this is as serious as Dashi is making it, do be careful, Juno." Chase said as she jumped onto the flying reptile's back.
"When am I not?" she grinned, winking.
"Raimundo?"
"Ma…" the Brazilian turned to his mother as the other male monks joined their leader. "I'm… I'm really sorry to leave like this, but I have to go. I know I'm putting all yours and the other's hard work to waste, it's just…"
"Hush now, you don't have to explain." Sofia told him. "You have responsibilities, we all can understand that. Although, not many are on the scale of saving the world." she chuckled. "All I ask is that you come back in one piece, okay?"
"Deal." he said, leaning in and kissing her's cheek. "We'll try to wrap this up fast and come back right after, I promise."
"I should hope so, you still have to blow out the candles on your cake."
"That I wouldn't miss even if the world was ending." he grinned and looked up where Dojo hovered. He prepared himself to jump, but something wrapped around his waist.
"You can't go!"
"What the?" Raimundo blinked and looked down. "Izzy."
"I… I don't want you to go." the younger girl clung to him tightly. "You just came home after so long and now you're going to leave again?"
"Izzy." Ricardo came over, kneeling closer to his sister's height. "Come on, this is something Raimundo has to do."
"But why him? There's plenty of other people who can do what he does, so why does it have to be him specifically?"
"It's because it's our job as Xiaolin Warriors." Kimiko spoke up. "I know it seems unfair, but we were all chosen for this. You're brother is very good at what he does, he's helped so many people and saved the world more times than you may believe. He's accomplished incredible things, it's something to be proud of." she tried to reassure the younger girl.
"Shut up… Just shut up, I don't want to hear about that!" Isabella yelled. "Everyone talks about how great Raimundo's become, but what's the point if he's not even here? Why do you and your friends have to keep stealing my brother away? Why do you have to be so selfish and keep him to yourself?!"
"Isabella Pedrosa, that's enough." Raimundo spoke firmly, pulling her arms from around him and looking at her. "Listen to me, no one's stealing me away. It was my choice to leave home, to become a Xiaolin Warrior. I wanted to make a difference with my life, and I have more than I originally thought. I've made totally awesome friends, and seen things that are beyond amazing. I know how upset it made you that I had to leave, but I don't regret my decision. It's true I haven't been at home as much, but we still keep in touch, don't we?"
"And how long until that stops?" the girl looked at the grass beneath her feet. "One day, the calls won't come anymore. I won't get to see your face, not even through a computer screen. Your letters will stop coming, everything. For all I know, this could be your last visit and I'll never see you again. Just like… Just like…" the tears she was holding back finally dropped from her eyes, falling to the ground.
She didn't have to finish, Raimundo knew who she was talking about. Even he could see it was obvious where her over-attachment to him stemmed from, he had gone through a similar experience with some of his older siblings. Isabella was always against him leaving for China, but it looks like she had been holding back some deeper feelings for a while.
"Raimundo, if you need to stay, there's no problem." Juno told him from Dojo's back. "Me and the others will be able to take care of the Shen Gong Wu."
"I just need a minute, Juno." the Brazilian replied before looking back at his sister. "Izzy, listen to me…" he knelt so they were eye-level. "I totally get why you feel like I'm leaving you, I really do. The old me probably would have come back home if you asked, but things are different now. As a Xiaolin Warrior, it's my job to protect the world from people who want to do majorly bad things to it."
"What about protecting your family?" she sniffled. "Is that not good enough?"
"Well, our family is part of the world, so of course that applies." he gave her a small smile. "In all seriousness, I do hate being away from all of you, but I try to make the most of it. Maybe you don't understand it now, but I love what I do. If I didn't leave when I did, I wasn't gonna change, I still would have been the same slacker who just phased through life. I wanted to be someone you can be proud to call your big brother."
"I didn't need you to become some world-saving hero, I was happy with the way things were. Because you were still around."
"Izzy…" Raimundo looked at her mournfully. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to finish this talk later. I really do have to go. But, before that…" he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.
Kaze flew over and landed on his held-out arm. The Brazilian moved him closer towards his sister.
"Can you keep an eye on Kaze for me in the meantime? He's important to me, so I gotta make sure I come back and get him. And, when I do, we'll talk. Okay?"
Isabella didn't say anything as Kaze hopped onto her shoulder, chirping as he nuzzled his head against hers. Much to his chagrin, she still didn't look him in the eyes.
"You go." Sofia came to stand behind her youngest, hands on her shoulders. "We'll be waiting for you."
"I'll try not to be away too long." Raimundo stood up straight. "Kaze, you keep an eye on Izzy for me, yeah?"
The phoenix squawked, flapping his wings in affirmation. The Brazilian nodded once, looked at his little sister for a moment longer, and then turned around. He jumped and landed on Dojo's back, settling down behind Kimiko.
"Let's ride, guys."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" the female monk questioned, gazing worriedly at his family before turning to him.
"Family is most important." Omi remarked. "It is understandable if you wish to continue talking things out."
"No, it's alright." Raimundo told them, even though his expression was crestfallen. "We'll work things out when we get back."
"If you're positive." Juno said. "Dojo, time to head out."
The dragon nodded once and wordlessly flew higher into the air. Everyone on the ground watched them leave, all except Isabella. Her eyes never left the ground.
To be continued...
Please share your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear them. Next chapter will be much more action-packed, so look forward to that. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you all again soon. Take care!