Raimundo was super aware of Kimiko: of her lips brushing his cheek, her hand on his chest, his own arms wrapped around her legs, gently supporting her. But now she was saying something. Rai struggled to focus. "Congratulations, Rai, for making Shoku Warrior!" She smiled, and her face lit up. As Rai smiled back, a powerful urge swept through him, and for the thousandth time, he wished that he could get her alone, so he could finally know. Suddenly, Kimiko morphed into Omi, who promptly planted a wet one on his mouth. "YAAAAAAAAARRRRRRG!!!" Raimundo cried, clutching his throat. With a start, Rai sat up in his bed, still screaming. He looked around, and saw his familiar room in Xiaolin Temple. Littered with posters of the Brazilian Soccer team, piles of dirty laundry, and a soccer ball in the corner; this was Rai's sanctuary. This was the real Rai Zone. Thinking to himself, Rai realized that Wuya, with all her Heylin magic, could never create such a perfect, serene place as the Xiaolin Temple. I'll never get back to sleep now, Rai thought. Leaping to his feet, Rai grabbed his white hoodie and slipped it on. Walking silently outside, Rai had to force himself not to look into Kimiko's room. Once he was outside, Rai leapt up on the wall and settled into a cross-legged position. As the sky gradually lightened from navy blue, to pale gray, and then to shocking pink, Rai's mind drifted to thoughts of his home. How it was always warm, the sun shining brightly down on him, surfing at the beach, or playing street soccer with his siblings and friends. Raimundo realized how much he really missed Brazil. But he wasn't sorry he left to become a Xiaolin Dragon. He loved fighting Jack Spicer for the Shen Gon Wu, and, if he had never left Brazil, he never would have met Clay or Omi. Or Kimiko.
"Sometimes the heart and the mind are at odds, Raimundo." Rai almost jumped out of his skin. He turned around and saw Master Fung looking at him with understanding.
"I- um,...What?" Rai asked. Smiling slightly, Master Fung replied,
"I can see that you are homesick, Raimundo." Rai blushed.
"Well, sure, but I- I'm ok."
"Very well, Raimundo. Would you care to join me in my morning Tai Chi?"
"No thanks Master Fung, I think I'll just sit here for a while."
     When the sun had fully risen, Rai got up and went back into the temple. He went to his room and changed into his new black and red monk robes. Later, at breakfast, as Clay was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and Omi was jabbering about nothing in particular, Rai snuck a glance at Kimiko. She was doing something on her handheld, as usual, so Rai had a chance to look at her. She was beautiful in a fragile kind of way. She looks like you could break her if you touched her, Rai thought to himself. But he knew from experience that this girl packed a punch. She was a spirited as her element: fire. Rai hadn't realized that he'd begun to stare when Clay clapped him on the back, saying,
"Watcha lookin' at, partner?"
"GAH!" shouted Rai; he had been totally lost in his own world. "umm nothing, Clay" he answered sheepishly.
"Whatever you say, Rai." said Clay skeptically.
"I agree, you look most spaced in." added Omi.
"Out, Omi," Rai sighed automatically, "Spaced Out."
"That too!" cried Omi. Kimiko looked up quizzically.
"Huh?" she said. Rai said nothing, and just dug into his breakfast.