Obedience - Chapter Two

“So, correct me if I get any of the details wrong.” Started Master Fung, looking down at his apprentices, with the ‘new member’. “The Kupido’s Arrow was used, and instead of hitting it’s target, it implanted itself into Jack Spicer, thus obeying Kimiko’s every command?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” answered Raimundo, scratching the back of his head.

“Can we keep him?” asked Omi, putting on his best innocent face. “He now has a chance to redeem himself!”

“There is no redemption if one does not choose it, young monk.” Replied Master Fung, sighing a little. “The Arrow cannot come out on it’s own. It must be forced out in a battle. Until then, this is not the true Jack we are seeing. But I shall leave his fate to you, Kimiko. Although I disprove of using a new Shen Gong Wu before it’s powers are fully understood, it seems I have little say in Jack’s future, for you are the only one he will obey.”

“Yes, Master Fung.” Kimiko bowed her head in respect. Clay, suddenly thinking, leaned into her ear to whisper. “What?…No!…Well…Fine.” She looked at Jack. “Um, Jack!”

He looked at her, ready for anything. “Yes, Kimiko?”

“Sit!”

Down he sat.

“Roll over, then speak!”

He rolled, and woofed.

Clay and Raimundo were now in hysterics, leaning against each other for support, as Omi just looked confused as always, and Master Fung put a hand to his head in embarrassment. Kimiko felt a stab of guilt, and cleared her throat. “You can stand up, Jack.”

He did so, still looking at her. “Anything else?”

“Make him clean my room!” demanded Raimundo, grinning eagerly.

“My boots could use a good polishing!” Clay added, rubbing his chin in thought.

“Stop it!” Kimiko shouted, glaring at them, hands on hips. “I know Jack is…well, was, our enemy, but that doesn’t mean we should be so mean to him. He’s a human being after all, he has some rights!”

“Kimiko is most wise.” Omi nodded. “We should not use the effects of the arrow for our own selfish needs.”

Kimiko smiled at Omi. “Thanks…”

“Now that THAT is settled, would you please tell Jack to finish some of my chores?” Omi looked up at Kimiko, hands together in a picture of pleading innocence.

Kimiko leaned down to glare at Omi some more, and then turned around, huffing. “Come on, Jack, I’ll fix you up a guest room.” She walked away, with Jack right on her heels.

“Man, Kimiko you’re so nice!” he replied, with a voice full of cheer.

The boys watched them leave, confused. “What’s got her so upset?” asked Raimundo. “Jack’s been bothering us since day one…heck, he’s the one who let Wuya out! We should be allowed to boss him around!”

“As of now, he is not your enemy.” Master Fung calmly replied. “Treat Jack as one of your own until the arrow is released. He does not know what has happened to him, and you should not take advantage of this situation. If ever the urge comes up, think of what would happen to you if places were switched. I doubt that would be enjoyable.” He watched glances of uneasiness dart from boy to boy. “If you need me, I shall be in meditation.”


~


“Here, this should do it.” Finished Kimiko, putting the last pillow in Jack’s makeshift bedroom. The monks all slept in stalls next to each other, and there were plenty of empty ones, so making another room was easy.

“Thanks!” said Jack, admiring his new room. “Perfection, of course, coming from your hands!”

Kimiko’s cheeks flushed pink. “You know, Jack, you don’t have to compliment me…so heavily, anyway.”

“Why?” He looked over at her, puzzled.

Kimiko struggled to find an answer. “Well, its just…awkward.”

Jack shrugged a shoulder. “If you want me to stop, I’ll stop. So, when do you guys eat around here?”

“Not for another hour or two. That’s when lunch is served.” Kimiko began thinking…if Jack was going to obey her, rules had to be set. “Listen, Jack as long as you stay here, you can’t be evil.”

“Got it.”

Kimiko blinked. She didn’t expect it to be this easy. “And you can’t attack anyone.”

“Yup.”

“And…no robots.”

“Not one.”

“And you have to speak French!”

“Oui oui!”

Kimiko was joking about that last one, so she was a little surprised he actually did it. “I was…kidding. Forget it.” She shook her head, turning around. “I should go back to training.”

“Can I watch?” Jacked walked up to her, curious.

“Sure, whatever.” Kimiko shrugged, and began walking, Jack right behind her. They walked to the front doors of the temple they were in, and were about to go down the small steps. Kimiko wasn’t exactly watching where she was going, and lost her footing on the first step. Quick as a flash, Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and held her back. “Careful!” And before Kimiko could protest, he nuzzled his face against her hair. “Hey, Kimiko, what kind of shampoo do you use, your hair smells like strawberries!”

Monks all over the world could have heard the feminine screaming that came next, followed by immense pummeling. Clay, Raimundo and Omi all scurried over to try to discover the source of the noise, to find Jack, very beaten up, on the ground, and Kimiko stomping on his back.

“What happened to ‘he’s a human being’ ?” Raimundo mocked, looking at the violence.

“I thought the Arrow made him friendly.” Omi added, tilting his large head in confusion.

“He got a little TOO friendly just now.” Kimiko snapped, taking her foot off.

“Won’t happen again.” Jack shakily raised a broken finger up. “Nope. Never. Learned my lesson.” There was a crack, and the hand fell back on the ground.

~

Lunchtime arrived, and so did its battles. Jack sat next to Kimiko, who tried to ignore him. She spotted a tasty piece of sushi in the middle of the table and made a grab for it.

“Sorry Kimiko!” Clay called out, shooting out his large hand. “Bigger stomachs go first!”

“No way, that’s mine!” Raimundo shouted back, leaping up and kicking the raw fish piece from his hands.

“Ho ho, victory is mine, my friends!” laughed Omi, standing on the table and opening his mouth, ready for the flying fish to enter.

Only it did not, when a quick pair of chopsticks grabbed it in the air. It was Jack, who then plopped it onto Kimiko’s plate. “Here you go.”

Kimiko blinked, then smiled. “Thank you, Jack.”

“But, but that was mine!” cried Omi, pointing at Kimiko’s plate.

“Technically, that was Kimiko’s, orb head.” Jack spat back. “You all saw it for yourself, and it’s first come, first served! Now pipe down and eat, I don’t wanna eat and hear you whining at the same time!”

Omi grumbled and sat back down. Kimiko couldn’t help but smile, eating the sushi.

~

After the meal, Kimiko headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth. Unfortunately, Raimundo was charging from behind, and leapt over her. “I call dibs!”

“Hey!” Kimiko cried out, watching him leap…

…only for Raimundo to be kicked in the head by Jack Spicer, flying with his helicopter backpack. “I don’t think so, Raimun-Dummy! Dibs go to the one who was actually there in the first place!” he landed on the floor, and opened the door for Kimiko.

Kimiko smiled again, brighter this time, and found herself humming as she entered the bathroom.

~

Later on, the monks went out to train once more. This time, it was Kimiko’s Lotus Twister, verses Clay’s Fist Of Tebegon, versus Raimundo’s Sword Of The Storm. As the heated battle raged on, they suddenly heard Omi crying out, and running out to them, Jack right behind.

“Kimiko!” Omi growled in a state of annoyance. “Tell Jack Spicer to apologize for viciously attacking my skull!”

“I had a good reason for slapping him over the head.” Jack argued. “He went into your room and-”

“I was merely wishing to play one of her electronic games!” Omi snapped.

“Omi, did you ask permission?” Kimiko narrowed her eyes, her arms again on her hips, although looking rather lopsided and long, due to the effects of the Lotus Twister.

Omi blinked, then looked down at the ground, shuffling his feet nervously. “Well…no…”

Kimiko looked at Jack. “Thank you for defending my stuff!” She smiled at Jack, who beamed right back. Clay and Raimundo exchanged looks, shrugging and raising eyebrows.

“Ya’ll are getting mighty nice together, Kimiko.” Clay finally commented, taking the Fist off.

“And really annoying!” Raimundo snapped, tightening his hold on the Sword. “We’re getting sick of your little guard dog! That Arrow’s coming out right now!” he charged for Jack, who screamed like a little girl and began running. Kimiko stepped between them.

“Lotus Twister!” She called out, and her extended right arm reached out and wrapped Raimundo up, and slammed him onto the ground. “Grow up, Rai. Just because Jack can be a gentleman doesn’t mean you have to get so jealous!”

Raimundo sat up, flabbergasted. “Jealous?! ME?! Of what, your new pet?”

Kimiko ignored him, unwrapping her arms and looking at Jack. “Aw, are you okay? Did that mean stupid boy hurt you?” Jack shook his head ‘no’, whimpering like a little puppy. “Let’s go take a look at Master Fung’s garden, that’ll calm you down!” She walked off with Jack by her side, leaving the boys dumbfounded.

“Those two are sticking closer than PB and J.” Clay stated, crossing his arms. “I reckon that Arrow isn’t going out anytime soon.”

Omi picked up the Lotus Twister that Kimiko had left behind. “My friends, I feel most uncertain about all of this. Perhaps we should reconsider how we have treated Kimiko. She may not have grown so accustomed to Jack Spicer’s presence if we had been more considerate of her.”

Raimundo threw the Sword down in frustration. “I still say the only place Jack belongs is under my foot, as I kick his butt! One way or another, we gotta take the Arrow out!”

~

As the sun began to set, Dojo was laying in a pond near the shrine. “Ah, rest and relaxation.” He cooed to himself. “And I so deserved it, too.” He sighed, then noticed two looking shadows over him. “Hey, you’re-”

The owner of one shadow bopped him over the head, and little dragon was knocked out. The other tossed him into a small cage. “We shall announce this claim soon…and then we shall have our Arrow back!”

End Of Chapter Two.