Chapter one

It was just another day at the xiaolin temple. Raimundo was training with Omi while Clay worked on his kung fu; Master Fung meditated under the garden's trees as Dojo basked in the sun. The only one that was not with the others was the lone female monk, Kimiko Tohomiko. Said monk was currently in the belly of the temple training herself in a place Master Fung told them never to go.

Down in the temple's belly, the farthest it could go, was a place filled to the brim with fire. It comes from deep in the Earth and brings the flame from magma from the core. Kimiko, being the curious person that she is, snuck down there late one night and found the place for her to train powers.

Currently, she was standing in the middle of the room concentrating on the moving flames around her. In her mind's eye she could not only see the fire, but she could feel the life it has inside it. It danced around her, caressing her skin, and bringing joy. Kimiko could feel her inner fire and the flames around her connecting into one.

Snapping open her eyes, Kimiko jumped into the flames, twirling and dancing in the warmth. Instead of burning her, the fire accepted her as one of its own, allowing her to touch it. She felt one with the fire as she trained within, learning more from its voice then she ever could from Master Fung.

Every voice that she hears from the flames teaches her something different each day. They tell her of stories long past and dangers untold. They had become her friends and she trusted them more than her xiaolin friends.

'Kimiko, the monks are done training.'

'It is time to go young one. Fung will be looking for you.'

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow during training."

'Be safe, Kimiko, we are worried.'

'Yes, be careful.'

"I will, bye." Kimiko ran up the stairs two at a time, trying to get to the kitchen before the boys. Luckily, she made it in time to make herself look like she's been there for hours. Slowly, the boys walked in, one at a time, joking and laughing at something Raimundo said. They didn't even notice Kimiko sitting at the table as they sat down and grabbed at all the food. Master Fung and Dojo was the last to come in and spotted Kimiko eating her helping of rice.

"Ah, Kimiko, so good to see you." The boys stopped eating and looked up, finally noticing their only girl companion at the table.

"Well, howdy Kim'ko, we didn't see you at training."

"Yea, Kim, you're never there anymore."

"Kimiko, I do not think it is okay for you to be skipping your training. Girls are naturally weaker than boys and with you skipping training you are going to be even weaker."

Kimiko slowly chewed her rice and took a drink to wash it down. Everyone quieted down and waited for her answer, even Dojo who usually just stuffed his mouth.

"I have been training, just in a different place than you. Just because you don't see me doesn't mean I'm not doing what you are." She replied, wiping her mouth on a napkin. " And Omi, It's not that girls are weaker, it's that most don't train like we do. Also, I can clean the floor with you anytime." Getting up, she cleaned her dishes and walked away from the group. Master Fung sat silently as the guys conversed against themselves about her answer, deep in thought.

Kimiko made it back to her room and flopped on the futon, her head hurting from the guy's naturally loud voices. Looking up, she noticed her fire that gone out while she was gone for training. Raising her hand, she willed the fire back and was soon rewarded with its warmth.

'Kimiko…'

"Li?" Kimiko asked as she looked around as she looked for the voice she called 'Li'. "Where are you? Aren't you bound to the Room of Flames?"

'(laughs) oh Kimiko, I am bound to no room. I can appear wherever fire exsists.'

"Oh….well, what's up?" Kimiko looked to the flame, the bright red had turned to a brilliant green. The flames in the room never turned colors before so this was new to her.

'I came to warn you about tomorrow.'

"Warn me….what? What are you talking about?"

'A Shen Gong Wu will activate tomorrow and you will be in danger."

"Dang—What are you TALKING about?" Kimiko was getting scared and when she got scared she got mad.

'Things will happen, xiaolin will lose, friends will be lost.' The green flames turned red and Li vanished from her room. Kimiko sat looking at the flames in disbelief. How could a simple training day go good to forboding…?

"…..I'm just going to go to sleep." She turned put out the fire and crawled into bed, wanting to forget about everything she just heard.