Raimundo spent the best part of the next three days, trying not only to figure out a fake plan to sell to Wuya, but also trying to figure out how to get the next part of his own plan to get out of this partnership once and for all. He was sick of having to be a part of a team. He didn't want Wuya's help and he didn't want the xiaolin dragons to try and help him either. He was done with all that and was prepared to go solo; finally.
However, he couldn't work on his own plan when he could constantly feel Wuya digging further and further into his thoughts, trying to discover what was behind his secretive nature. It was becoming more and more difficult to get a moment to think for him these days.
Kimiko on the other hand was dealing with her own problems. She still hadn't found a real solution to what Master Fung had told her to do. How could she look into her heart when her heart wasn't opening its doors to let her see? It seemed so silly that she was looking inside of herself to decide whether or not Raimundo was really asking for her help when Master Fund could've just told her what he thought she should do.
Kimiko was currently sitting on her bed opposite Dojo who was scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"Well?" She asked him for about the fourteenth time that day, "What do you think?"
"I think … that Raimundo was asking for your help," Said Dojo, "But I don't know if he wants your help or if it's a trap."
Kimiko moaned.
"Dojo," She whined, "That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out!"
"Well in that case we're finally on the same page," Said Dojo, smiling, "So what was your question?"
Kimiko groaned and slammed her head back into her pillows.
"Sorry," Said Dojo, defensively, "But I really don't know. It's like Master Fung said; you've got to look inside yourself. You can't really ask someone else's opinion on this one because Raimundo didn't ask anyone but you."
She sat back up and scratched Dojo absentmindedly on the head.
"Do you think …" She began after a minute, "That Omi and Clay would understand if I told them what I thought?"
"No." Said Dojo simply, "But you'll never know if you don't ask."
Kimiko thought about this for a moment and then shook her head,
"They'd jump to conclusions too quickly." She said, frowning slightly, "Omi and Clay are almost as impatient as Raimundo is himself."
"Too true," Said Dojo, nodding in agreement.
"Then again, I'm not much of one to talk am I?" Laughed Kimiko.
"Also a valid point." Said Dojo, continuing to nod.
Kimiko gave him a little nudge, laughing at him.
"Whose side are you on anyway?" She laughed.
Kimiko stopped laughing and her face fell into a sad beauty.
"Do you think that's why we split up?" She asked quietly, "Because none of us were patient with Raimundo and he wasn't patient with us?"
"Who knows?" Said Dojo, "Maybe the other side was just that little bit too tempting."
"I guess …" Said Kimiko, her voice trailing off as her mind was plunged back into deep thought.
Dojo watched her in silence. This was obviously weighing heavily on her mind and it wasn't doing her much good to sit around here trying to figure out what to do when she wasn't even sure how she felt about the situation. Of course, Dojo didn't have any clue either so he couldn't even offer any advice. This was something everyone had to decide on for themselves, just like he said before and Master Fung said before him; she had to look inside herself for the answer.
"Would you like some tea?" He asked her suddenly.
Kimiko jumped slightly as she was jerked out of her thoughts. She smiled down at the smiling face of the dragon trying so hard to be helpful.
"Some tea would be nice," She said, getting up and letting him climb onto her shoulder.
"I think I've got it!" Said Raimundo, standing up abruptly.
Wuya (Who had been absorbed in her own plans as she stared into space) jumped and turned to face him.
"Got what?" She croaked.
"We've got to bring the Shen-Gong-Wu to us!" Said Raimundo.
Wuya looked completely unimpressed by this sudden and unexplained statement.
"Next time a Shen-Gong-Wu activates we'll go and I'll challenge whoever it is to a showdown and then, "Raimundo grinned from ear to ear, "I'll challenge them to a Shen-Ye-Bu dare! All the Wu for all the Wu, including anything they haven't got with them. We'll win it all in one showdown!"
Wuya still looked unimpressed.
"And this didn't come to you before because?" She asked.
"I was thinking about Goo-Zombies-3." Said Raimundo simply.
Wuya glared at him. She knew the truth now; he had been working on a plan of his own. She didn't have all the facts yet, but she was sure it wouldn't take long to get the rest.
"This is your brilliant master plan?" She asked bitterly.
"Sure why not?" Laughed Raimundo, "We just wait until the Shen-gong-wu activates and it's all ours!"
"What if you lose?" Asked Wuya.
"Wuya, show a little faith!" Said Raimundo, sitting back and closing his eyes, "I totally know what I'm doing!"
"That's what I'm worried about," Hissed Wuya in an undertone, too quiet for Raimundo to hear.
Raimundo grinned to himself. His plan would be back on track, all he had to do was face Kimiko in the showdown and he'd talk to her until she trusted him. He'd get them to deal with Wuya and he'd go scott free with the Wu. However, he couldn't think about that now or Wuya would read his mind. Couldn't risk that happening, not when the plan was only partly under way.
Dojo suddenly shivered and dropped the teapot her was holding. It smashed to the floor and the tea splattered Kimiko's legs where she was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Dojo?" She gasped, "What's wrong?"
"Shen-Gong-Wu," He said, shaking in a very stiff sort of way, "Activating … now!" He added as Kimiko remained just sitting there.
Kimiko quickly got up and headed for the scroll. She unrolled it and stared at the moving image as the others came running into the room.
"What is it?" Asked Clay.
"Book of tricks." Said Kimiko, "If you open it facing your enemy, they'll see an illusion of their deepest desire."
"Sounds very … tricky." Said Omi and Clay and Dojo rolled their eyes as he fell into fits of hysterics.
"There it is, the book of tricks." Said Wuya, pointing a slender finger towards a golden book, hovering over a pedestal inside the ruins of an old temple.
"Wait," Said Raimundo, putting out an arm, "We've got to wait for the others to get here."
Sure enough, no sooner than Raimundo had finished saying this, his old friends came into view, approaching the golden book. Kimiko was in the lead, with Omi behind and Clay at the end. He could just see Dojo curled around Kimiko's outstretched wrist.
Raimundo leaped into the air and approached the pedestal silently, hovering on a cloud of wind he'd just conjured.
"There it is!" Called Dojo, pointing towards a golden book on a pedestal.
He began to shake on Kimiko's outstretched wrist as the power from the book became stronger.
"I've got it!" Said Kimiko, running forward and putting out her spare hand.
As she approached the pedestal, she immediately knew it was way too easy and no sooner had her hand touched the book, another hand that she recognised all too well grabbed the other side. Kimiko looked up and found herself staring straight into those bright green eyes that she both cared for and loathed with ever breath in her body.
"Kimiko," Said Raimundo, grinning slightly, "I challenge you to a Xiaolin showdown."
Kimiko glared up at him.
"I accept. My Mantas Flip coin for your golden tiger claws!" She said.
"Great," Said Raimundo, grinning more broadly now, "So I challenge you to Shen-Ye-Bu dare. All the Shen-gong-wu for all the Shen-gong-wu, even the stuff in the vault back at the temple."
Omi and Clay both gasped behind Kimiko and she looked hesitant. Raimundo, who was crouched on the pedestal, placed an arm across his knee. He gave a cocky little smile and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, do you accept or don't you?" He asked.
Kimiko glared up at him. His eyes suddenly became softer and an almost pleading look filled them, even though his face remained as cocky as ever. Kimiko could hear Omi and Clay calling her to leave it behind her, but she didn't want to.
"I accept you challenge Raimundo!" she shouted.
"The game is frog catching." Said Raimundo.
"Frog catching, you serious?" Asked Kimiko.
"Deadly, but you can't get into the water completely." Said Raimundo.
"Gong-ye-Tempai." Said Kimiko, shrugging.
The temple floor was suddenly full of water and in this water; frogs were visible, jumping from rocks to lillie-pads and back into the water. Kimiko looked down, slightly disgusted by the frogs and because she didn't want to look at Raimundo.
"Golden tiger claws!" Shouted Raimundo, jumping through down portal and out another right in front of the oncoming frog.
Kimiko pulled a small red and gold coin out of her pocket. She flipped it up with her thumb and jumped into the air calling:
"Mantas Flip Coin!"
She leapt high into the air and down, snatching frog in mid leap, then another and another. She was doing well and it was a lot easier for her than Raimundo who had to estimate the frog's next move.
"Doing well Raimundo?" She laughed, flipping past him, "Or do you 'need my help'?"
Raimundo stopped glanced back at her for a moment before catching a frog without even looking at it attempted to leap past him to safety.
"Kimiko …" He began, making sure the others were out of earshot before speaking, "I really do need your help."
"So what? You can trick me out of winning another battle? Not likely!" Said Kimiko.
"Kimiko I had to do that to stop Wuya fro suspecting me!" He said, "You know I would never intentionally hurt you!"
Kimiko stopped and looked sceptical for a moment before flipping over Raimundo's head to catch a frog behind him and he snatched one out of the water.
"Okay," He said, "So now I'd never intentionally hurt you."
"What's changed? Wuya's given you a pay cut?"
"Ha ha," Said Raimundo, sarcastically, "You're so hilarious. No, the truth it I miss you … I miss the others too, but … I really miss you."
"Stop it!" Shouted Kimiko, stopping still, "This isn't funny Raimundo. You joined the Heylin side and now you're trying to trick me by pissing around with my emotions?"
Raimundo looked her straight in the eyes and they were so sad that she had to stop.
"Meet me, tonight at the river." He said, never taking his eyes off hers, "Around eleven should do it. Just … come alone all right? However, right now you have to beat me."
Back on the shore, Omi, Clay, Dojo and Wuya were watching the Raimundo and Kimiko facing each other.
"What are they doing?" Asked Omi.
"It looks like they're talking." Said Clay, squinting slightly at the distant figures.
"They should be battling, not talking!" Said Omi.
"Lets just hope he doesn't trick her again." Said Clay.
At that moment they stopped talking and from the distance they saw Kimiko suddenly flip into Raimundo's chest and kick up before flipping back onto a rock, making Raimundo lose his balance. He fell down and they saw the splash as he plummeted into the water.
"It looks like Kimiko tricked him!" Laughed Omi.
Wuya on the other hand knew perfectly well what had just taken place between Raimundo and Kimiko. She had gained many gifts since becoming whole and one of these was being able to focus her hearing over great distances. She had heard ever word spoken by Raimundo and not only that, based on what she had so far seceded in taking from his mind in brief snatches, Raimundo wasn't being honest, not only to her, but also to Kimiko.
Wuya had figured out that Raimundo intended to return to the temple under the impression that he was injured badly at her hand, Kimiko, Omi and Clay would then go up to the mountains to find Wuya, before Raimundo was run for it taking most of their Shen-gong-wu. Wuya knew he loved Kimiko and that Kimiko's feelings were increasing towards him, but he was willing to break her heart and his own to get away from both Wuya and the responsibility of being a Xiaolin monk. He was a traitorous bastard and he would pay. He would pay …
Raimundo was dripping went and shivering slightly as they left the ruins. He was swearing under his breath and kept glancing at her sideways.
"You let me down Raimundo," She hissed at him.
"Yeah well it wasn't exactly fun for me either!" He snapped, folding his arms across his chest and rubbing them up and down in an attempt to warm himself up.
"Why do I find it hard to believe you?" She said.
Raimundo stopped and glared at her. He had a horrible suspicion that he had just been found out, but he couldn't let her know that.
"What do you mean by that?" He shouted, "You mean you don't trust me?"
"That's exactly what it means!" She snapped back at him.
Raimundo started to back off, not taking his eyes off hers as cold sweat started to form on his brow. He stepped back and his cold stone. He turned around and he was back in the cave. Wuya had brought them back without him noticing.
"Wuya what are you …" He began before a hard blow struck him on the back of the head and he fell to the ground, blinking as his vision became cloudy and he eventually blacked out completely.
It was nearly midnight when he gained consciousness. He was chained up by his wrists to the ceiling. He strained with all his might, but they were too tight. He suddenly noticed Wuya watching him and glared coldly at her.
"You fuc …" he began, but Wuya smacked him hard across the face.
"You traitorous little piece of insignificant shit," She said, digging her nails into his cheeks as she pulled his face towards hers.
"I was about to say the same thing to you." Said Raimundo.
Wuya, frustrated beyond belief, pulled a dagger out of the back of her belt and lashed it across his chest. Raimundo grunted and swore loudly as she proceeded to wipe the knife clean on his shirt. She then drew her arm up and lashed the back of her palm across his face, before lashing the knife across the chest again.
The pain was unbearable and yet all Raimundo could think about was going to meet Kimiko. He had to go to the river. He had to meet her at the river. It was his last chance. Kimiko's face repeatedly flashed across his eyes with every smash to the head with every stab of the blade.
Raimundo very gently opened his mouth as blood trickled from a cut on his head.
"Ki-mi-ko."
Kimiko sat at the side of the river. She gazed down into the water, her eyes glazed over. Dojo slithered down her sleeve.
"It's time to go kid." He said.
"I really thought he'd changed." Said Kimiko quietly, "I really thought he'd be here … I'm such an idiot."
"No!" Said Dojo, "He's the idiot. You gave him the benefit of the doubt and he wasted that chance. It's his problem not yours!"
Kimiko smiled down at the determined green face in her hands.
"Thank you Dojo," She said, quietly.
"No more chances?" He asked.
"No more chances." She repeated, smiling softly.
She gazed up at the mountain. No more chances. She'd never trust him again. If she saw him two years from now it would be too soon.
A month later and we return to the same scene. The tall mountains over shadowing the winding river that trickled softly over the golden sand. However, deep inside a hidden cave in the mountains, a boy, barely recognisable through the bruises was trying desperately to cling to something in his mind.
Yet, he knew what the solution was. Trying to hold onto anything was causing him more strain than ever on his battered and bleeding body. There was only one thing that he wanted to keep. In his mind's eye he saw that pale face with a stream of black hair bringing out her startlingly blue eyes.
Very slowly, he started to let everything slip as he clung onto that face. That beautiful face. He let everything else fade into the blackness which held his heart.
A tall woman came into the cave. Her cold eyes fixed on his green ones.
"Well, what do you say to your traitorous actions now creature?" She hissed, "You betrayed me and now you're nothing. You're barely human and she'll never love you … well? … What do you say?"
The boy didn't answer.
"Raimundo!" She shouted at him.
"Who … Raimundo?" He hissed through his swollen lips.
Wuya stared at him in surprise. She had been more accurate that she thought; he wasn't human anymore. Nothing but an empty shell. Then, the boy opened his mouth again and the only word he would say again for two years escaped his lips.
"Kimiko…"
(A/N) This is a reminder for all of those who've read 'Remeber me Rai?'. This explains the line in RMR?. Just to remind you, here is the section containing the lines I mean about the river: (Chapter 3)
Raimundo's sleep was being punctured by fright filled nightmares. He was running in the cave. He could hear the witch chasing him through the cave. He just wanted to get to the river. He needed to find the river. He couldn't remember why, he just knew that he had to get to the river.
"Kimiko…"he whispered.
What that why he had to get to the river? Yes, that was it, he needed Kimiko's help, but who was Kimiko? He didn't know her…at least he didn't anymore. He must have known her…but when? Suddenly he was at the river, he suddenly realised just how thirsty he was. He cupped his hands in the water and drank deep, but no matter how much he swallowed, he remained thirsty.
He stood up, looking around. Why was he here again? There was nothing here…but there was when he was there last…or what that all a dream? Was this a dream? He looked down at the water, but it wasn't water anymore, it was blood. He was covered in it. Blood everywhere.
He opened his eyes; it was still the middle of the night. Kimiko was stood next to the bed, her hand on his forehead.
"You've got a fever," she said, before walking into the bathroom.
She came back with a glass of water and held to his mouth. He drank it, and luckily, this did quench his thirst.
"I…was meant…to…meet you at the river…" he whispered.
"You did, remember, I was there," she whispered back, "And I'm here now."
He rolled over, shivering despite his soaring temperature. Kimiko lay down on the bed next to him and put her arms around him. He stopped shaking and relaxed. For some reason, he felt safe with her. Even if he didn't know who she was…
(A/N) And so we have the whole story. Those of you who have read 'Keep With Me Kimiko' can now see that Wuya was in fact telling the truth for a change. The final part has come to an end and I will not continuing any further with this story line. Thanks for reading. You've all been brilliant! Lots of luv!
Becky.
(AKA Mushroom1302)