Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown, but if I did … (Shakes fist dramatically)
(A/N) Inspired by the song 'Coin Operated Boy' by 'Dresden Dolls', but containing none of the lyrics. I wasn't gonig to upload this, but decided to anyway. Dedicated to everyone who read the 'RMR?' trilogy.
The first few rays of light were beginning to shine through the high windows in the temple walls. They fell across the separate rooms of the four sleeping figures. The light hit the face of a young girl obviously of Japanese heritage. She was approximately seventeen. Her black hair was spread out like a halo for her pale face and shoved into her clustered room was a collection of hair dyes, make up kits and electronic gadgets. On the walls were posters of her favourite bands with the names written in elegant Japanese lettering. A trunk above her head was left lying open, full of a variety of different co-ordinated outfits each in a separate clear clothes bag to stop them from getting mixed. Written on each of these bags was the name 'Kimiko' written in slender handwriting. Just peeking out from under the pillow her head was resting on was the corner of her diary and her games consol.
Kimiko rolled over and mumbled something in her sleep. She frowned and then her face softened and she went back to breathing softly. Her dreams remained interrupted until a small, round head slid around the corner. Omi crept silently into the room and edged closer to the bed. Very slowly, he reached down and slid the games consol from under Kimiko's pillow. He was about to walk away when a slender hand flew out and wrapped itself around his wrist.
"Ahh!" Omi yelled, leaping back into wall, causing several of the bottles of hair dye and perfume to fall over and splatter the floor in a mixture of colours and scents.
"Omi, get you grubby hands off my game consol!" Snapped Kimiko, sitting up and glaring at him with her bright blue eyes.
"But I have not yet succeeded in reaching level three!" Moaned Omi, clinging desperately to the electronic device in his hand.
"Hand it over and get out of my room!" Shouted Kimiko.
Before Omi could move, a blonde head was stuck through the doorway.
"I'm tryin' ta sleep!" Shouted Clay.
"Well you're not making it any easier!" Shouted Raimundo, sticking his own head out of his room.
"Blame Omi, not me!" Shouted Kimiko.
"Well why don' ya just let him play your game Kimiko?" Asked Clay, rolling his eyes.
"Because it's brand new and I still haven't played it yet!" Said Kimiko, yanking the consol out of Omi's hand and rolling over.
Omi's large eyes welled up with tears and he started to walk very slowly from Kimiko's room, whimpering slightly. He heard a groan and then something heavy hit the back of his head.
"Just don't break it okay Omi?" Said Kimiko.
Omi looked down at the consol at his feet and a grin spread across his face as he picked it up and ran into the temple gardens to play as the sun rose.
Kimiko slammed her face back into the pillow and shut her blue eyes. By the time she opened them again and looked at her alarm clock it was ten past eight. She groaned and got up. She shifted a few packets of clothing from her trunk and pulled out a fresh new outfit. She opened it and then started searching for a hair dye to match.
"Kimiko? Are you awake?"
"I'm getting dressed Omi. I'll be out in a second." She called.
"Alright then, I'll tell you about Raimundo breaking your games consol later." Said Omi, walking away.
"Okay then … WHAT?"
"Do you have any idea how much that cost?" Shouted Kimiko, dressed in a black pleated skirt, a black and purple sun top, combat boots and finger less gloves that came up to her elbows. Her black hair had purple streaks in it and around her neck was a purple studded choker.
"No, was it a lot?" asked Raimundo, staring unenthusiastically at his breakfast.
"YES IT WAS A LOT!" Shouted Kimiko, her darkly painted lips spreading wide.
"Sorry." Said Raimundo distractedly.
Kimiko glared at him and sat down.
"You are such baka." She muttered.
"What?" Asked Raimundo.
"It means idiot, stupid, fool … TAKE YOUR PICK!" Shouted Kimiko, getting even more frustrated.
Master Fung walked into the small room in which the four dragons were eating. In his hand was a white envelope.
"Kimiko, now that you have finished shouting the temple down," He said calmly as Kimiko opened her mouth to complain, "I have a letter from your father."
Kimiko looked up at him in surprise.
"From papa?" she asked, holding out her hand.
"Yes," Said Master Fung, placing the letter in her outstretched hand, "Perhaps he heard your shouting and was wondering what the problem was."
"Thanks," Said Kimiko, distractedly, choosing to ignore the comment.
She gently opened the envelope with a delicate finger and removed the letter from inside. As her eyes darted over the Japanese letters, they widened with surprise. She bit her lip and her brow creased slightly. Omi, Clay and Raimundo watched as her face grew more and more concerned.
"Kimiko?" Asked Raimundo tentatively, "Is something wrong?"
Kimiko looked up, her eyes half glazed over.
"What?" she asked.
"Is something wrong with your dad?" asked Clay.
"No … not with him …" she muttered absentmindedly.
"Well … what is up?" Asked Omi.
Kimiko stood up quickly and turned from the room. Omi, Clay and Raimundo all looked at each other.
"Should we follow?" Asked Clay.
"I'm not sure … I think she would've told us if it was too serious." Said Raimundo.
"But what if she is weeping?" Asked Omi.
"She'll be fine." Said Clay confidently.
Kimiko continued to gaze down at the letter in her hand. Roughly translated it read:
To my dearest daughter Kimiko,
I have been missing you greatly and I must give you some bad news. Due to some rash decisions our company has currently hit a hard situation. However, do not worry, I have a solution, but I'm not prepared to go through with it if you're not as it greatly involves you.
I have been informed that the best solution to my current situation would be to get an investment with a large amount of brand new electronic equipment allowing us to start rebuilding the inventions and getting them on the shelves at an accelerated rate so we can start brining in money. Of course, the last time I tried this it ended badly with Pandabubba attempting to take control of our company.
However, I have some friends who are willing to help by investing in our company, but there is a catch which greatly involves you, but I would prefer to tell you face to face and get your honest opinion.
Remember no matter what happens I love you dearly and nothing will ever change that. We'll manage to get by. Please return home soon.
With all my love,
Your dear papa.
Kimiko already had a very bad idea of what he was going to ask her and she didn't like it one bit. She hoped that nothing would make her sink that low. She clasped the letter in her hand and held it tightly to her chest. Her eyes were closed and her heart beating fast. She whispered quietly to herself.
"I'm coming papa."
"Kimiko?" Asked Omi, coming around the corner.
"Omi? What is it?" Asked Kimiko, quickly putting the letter in her trunk.
"I was going to ask you the same question." Said Omi, "Is something wrong?"
Kimiko looked away.
"I don't know yet." She said.
"Do you wish us to accompany you back to Japan?" asked Tokyo.
"No!" Said Kimiko firmly, "Sorry," she added hastily at the look of hurt on Omi's face, "But I need to go alone. My papa needs to talk to me."
Omi nodded to show he understood, but couldn't handle trying to speak. It was too painful to think of one of his best friends leaving without them. It would be the first time they had gone anywhere without being in the group.
"Thankyou Omi." She said, kissing him quickly on the cheek, "tell the others that I'm going okay?"
Omi blushed and nodded.
Kimiko picked up her completely full trunk and suitcase and left to find Dojo. Omi looked around the painfully empty room and sighed.
"Please come back soon." He whispered.
"She's gone without us?" Asked Raimundo.
"Well that's a full barrel of hurt!" Said Clay, pulling off his hat, "she could've at leas' told us she was goin'."
"She did not want to worry you, I'm sure." Said Omi, sniffing slightly.
"Well she still should've told us!" Said Raimundo, "We should go there and …"
"No!" Shouted Omi.
Both Clay and Raimundo stared at him.
"She said that wanted to go alone." He explained.
"Rude." Said Raimundo.
"I guess it was more serious than we thought," Sighed Clay, "Otherwise she'd have told us."
"I thought you both said she'd tell us if it was serious." Said Omi.
"Well, maybe it's serious to her, but not to us." Said Raimundo.
All three of them sighed in unison and looked own at the floor. She had hardly been gone half an hour and they were already missing her.
After Dojo had gone, Kimiko ran into her house and looked around.
"Papa?" she called.
"Kimiko?" called a voice from upstairs.
Kimiko ran up the stairs two at a time, the way she used to when she was younger.
She ran into her dad's office and he stood up from his chair.
"Papa!" she called, running into his outstretched arms.
"My little Kimi-Chan" He said, gently stroking her hair.
Kimiko smiled at the old nickname.
"I missed you." She whispered.
"I missed you too." Her father whispered back.
Kimiko pulled away and looked into the beloved eyes of her papa. He smiled softly at her.
"Papa, what's wrong?" asked Kimiko.
"Ah, yes, "Said her father, "As I explained in my letter, we are having slight money problems … or serious money problems to be accurate. I have made some bad decisions and …"
"Papa, I have an idea of what you're going to ask me to do and … well …" Kimiko frowned, trying to think of the right words, "I'm not sure … but I still want to help."
"Kimiko this is a big deal," Said her father, "I need someone to inherit the company, but I also need the money to keep a company to give to them."
"I know," Said Kimiko.
Kimiko gulped and stared at the ceiling in desperation for a moment before looking down at him once again.
"You're talking about an arranged marriage aren't you?" she asked tentatively.
"Yes," Said her father, nodding, "But only if you choose to agree. If you don't … we'll find another way, but promise to meet him first."
" Okay, I promise. Who is he?" Asked Kimiko.
"Well, he's the son of a friend who can deal in electronics." Said her father, "They have a large house and I'm sure he'll be very nice to you. I've known his father for along time, though you've never met them."
Kimiko stared at her father. He hadn't answer her question yet.
"What's his name?" Asked Kimiko.
"Oh … right," Said her father, "His name is J … something."
"Second name?" asked Kimiko.
"Second name," Said her father, smiling, "There's something I can remember."
"What is it papa?" Asked Kimiko, picking up a glass paperweight.
"Spicer … that's it."
There was a crash as glass paperweight fell to the ground and smashed into a thousand pieces.
" JACK SPICER?"
(A/N) And so the story has been set up. As you can see I'm trying to escape the depressing realistic (Or as realistic as XS gets) stories I've been writing and I'm currently going for something completely out of my style. I've never written something like this for XS so give me a break okay? Tell me what you think. Luv Becky.