Legend of the New Year Monster
Chapter 1: The legend
What is the meaning of the word 'legend'? It's a story that tell about something that can be seen unreal by most people. And sometime, there is even another side of the legend that forever remain untold. It is a bright side or a dark side? No one know. But one thing we know for sure that legends are always tie with truth more or less. And this legend that you about to read was not an exception.
"Long time ago, in the deepest place of the sea, lived a monster named Nian. Nian is a monster with the body of a buffalo, the head of a lion and has a very wide mouth, wide enough to swallow many people at once." Po stopped to see the reaction of the bunny children in his class. They were terrified. He smiled then countinued.
"Nian sleeps under the sea the whole year. But, when New Year is coming close, Nian will leave the sea, go into the villages, hurting and eating people. Especially children." There was loud gasped among the children but Po still keep going. "So, every year when New Year is coming, everyone will have to evacuate into the mountains to avoid Nian."
"But, one fateful year, while everyone was getting ready to evacuate then, a stranger come. The stranger asked for a place to stay for the night and promised he will help them defeated Nian. But of course, no one believe him. Everyone try to told him to come with them and hid, but the stranger stay. Realized that they can't change his mind, everyone decided to leave without the stranger.
"When Nian arrived, it destroyed everything in it's way. Crops, houses, everything. Until it arrived the house where the stranger stayed. At the door frame, red papers where hanging all over and there were candles light coming out from inside. Nian become nervous, but that didn't stop it. It lunged toward, ready to attack... Suddenly, the stranger appeared in a red outfit with loud and noisy fireworks. The monster got terrified and run back to it laid, never once been seen again. Turn out, Nian afraid three things and they are: red, fire and noise.
"After helping the villagers, the stranger disappeared without a track. And from then to very now, everybody started to celebrated the New Year with fireworks and colorful decoration as a reminded of the New Year's Monster - Nian." The children were now more relaxed as the story end. "Now, any question?" One bunny girl raised her paw. "Yes Xue?"
"Does-does Nian still out there?" she timidly asked. Immedially, the others started to whisper to each other. Before Po can answer, someone jumped in.
"Of course not, that's just a legend. And Po please, stop telling them those kind of stories. You'd scared them."
"First of all Tigress, they are the one who ask me to tell the story, not vice versa. Second, that's not just a legend. Legends are tie with truth. So who know, maybe Nian is still out there, waiting for the right moment...and then BAM!" Po suddenly exclaimed, causing the little bunnies to startled. Tigress rolled her eyes.
"But," she said, "If 'Nian' is out there, which I highly suspect it," she muttered the last part, "We will protect you."
"You will?" asked the little bunnies hopefully.
"Of course we will, it's our job to protect the innocents after all."
"I'm innocent and yet you still like to beat me." Po muttered.
"Sparring does not count." Tigress answered smugly. The bunnies started to laugh at Po's pouting face. "Now, all of you should go home. We only have one week left to prepare for the New Year Eve you know."
"Yes Master Tigress!" the bunnies said at the same time. They made a bow to Po and Tigress and then leave.
When the last bunny disappeared from they view, Tigress immedially grabbed Po arm and dragged him with her. "Come on, Dragon Warrior, we have work to do."
"Real work or just an excuse to spend time with me?" Po smirked.
"Both, I guess." Tigress smirked back. "Master Shifu said it's something about the robbery that happen lately in the village."
"The robber that only take decoration and metal stuff? Yeah I hear. Thank god that they didn't rob my dad's cause I swear if they do, they will pay for it. Litteraly." They chuckled at that. Everyone know how obsessed Mr. Ping is with his cooking materials.
"And that why we will have to do a patrol on the village tonight. But for now, let just enjoy ourselves."
"Agree." Po has managed to get out of Tigress' grip and now walking beside her. He took her paw in his. "Hey do you want to check out the Hall of Heroes? I hear there is a new artifact has been send there."
"Let me guess, you're still gonna make me go even if I say no?" Tigress eyed him questionly. Po nodded and made pleading eyes. Tigress sighed. "Well, I have no choice. Come on." And they headed to the Hall of Heroes.
Mean while, in somewhere deep, deep down the sea, a creature was walking back and font in his lair. The creature was bigger than anything you have ever seen. He has a pair of sharp horns on his head, pointing out of a very messing mane. His whole body was cover in scales. There were some fur at here and there too.
He looked above at the surface with his bloody red eyes. A smiled crept onto his lips. "It about time..."
A/N: So... Hi again?
Sorry for the short chapter but it was just meant to introduced the legend, I will try to make the next ones longer. Now some of you who are really into Chinese's history and legends might see the legend in this story a little familiar. That's simple because it is real in Chinese's culture (and some other countries in east Asian too). It's my favorite legend so I decide to make a story from it. Of course, I do not own it nor KFP.
I want to make something creative for the New Year so I come out with this since nearly every stories about New Year in KFP community that I have read are one-shots. This will be longer than that.
This is irregular update for personal reason.
Hope you like this!