Living at the Jade palace has the same old routine I suppose, just like any other day. Wake up, train, eat, train some more, save the valley of peace from bandit attacks, dinner then bed. Pretty stiff routine that I've grown accustomed to but hey, it has its moments. Being a warior does have its perks I'll say that much, but sometimes I guess it's about taking the good with the bad and seeing how well you endure. I think it's fair to say I've had my fair share of both considering the events on how my life literally changed. Not to mention my personality. I think that it is clear to say that I've changed for the be-
"Hey Mike"!
Oh Goddammit!
"WHAT"? I yelled, turning round to see a large panda shaped sillouette standing right outside my room, twiddling his thumbs.
"Just... wanted to see how the speech for the ceremony is going". Po mumbled, a little startled at my yelling. But yeah, for those who don't know, ever since the defeat of Fennu, the Valley of Peace now officially sees me as a warrior of the Jade palace, which is why Shifu had gone and decided to make me an official member of the Jade palace, allowing the villagers to celebrate what he called to be a rare event. Kind of surprising for two reasons. The first one being Shifus generosity, and secondly, wasn't I already an official member of the Jade palace? Can't help but feel just a little insulted there. Anyway back to the matter at hand... or tail considering my species.
"I was just going over it in my head until you interupted me"! I snapped back.
Oh, and did I mention that the event takes place tonight? I only realised this whole event scheme this morning and ever since I've been freaking out! Coming up with speeches, especially ones that have to be spoken in front of a couple hundred villagers, can be just a teeny bit stressful on ones mind. And the interuptions I've been getting about it were really not easing the situation. Still, I guess going two hours straight of annoying my own brain deverves a break for now. I finally got myself to slither out of the stuffy room and next to Po, trying not to chuckle at the blue and red robe he was wearing.
"Sorry about that"... Po responded sheepishly in answe to my last comment and rubbed the back of his head in mild embarrasment. Great. Now it was my turn to feel bad.
"It's fine Po". I said with a sigh. "I... I just wish I had a little more time on this whole speech thing! It's really beginning to drive me up the wall".
"But... you're right here on the floor".
Oh for Gods sake...
"It's an expression Po".
I just watched as Po's mouth formed an Ooo shape and let out a barely audiable "Ooh"... sound.
"Anyway, I think I've had enough pshycological torture for the time being, so I'm just gonna rest for a moment". I made my way past Po.
"But didn't Master Shifu say that you were to practise your speech until you could do it perfectly"? Po called back. I almost froze given the person that had said it. Instead, I replied with...
"Shifu says a lot of things"! ...And slithered out of the barracks.
Ah, finally, fresh air at long last!
For the first time within the last four hours, I smiled. Then with the sudden shock of being out being over, I went over my thoughts. The ceremony doesn't begin until seven PM in five and a half hours time, so just take an hour to relax, come back and practise a little longer. Lest I want to encourage the wrath of the white fuzzy furball that is my master.
So with a smile, I headed down the stairs and into the village, seeing the villagers prepare for tonight. I couldn't help but stop dead in my tracks for a brief moment the second I moved off of the last stair and look at the villagers ahead of me. Most of them were either sweeping the paths, hanging decorations or preparing food. Heck, I even saw one bunny selling kids posters of your truly. It almost hit me emotionally how all of all of this was just for me. My anger was replaced with happiness. For a total of five seconds, then the next thing that happened was a certain feline I know all to well walking up to me with her usual unemotional face and took away whatever positive feeling that I had just felt. Of course, like the other members of the furious five, Tigress had been helping out villagers with tonight. Though I'm pretty sure she would have prefered to have been training than be here. Guess that's what happens when you let Po volunteer you for something.
"Aren't you meant to be practising for the big speech tonight"? She asked with her arms crossed. She seemed a little ticked off with me.
Not that Tigress hated me... at least not anymore. We were more or less friends now. Still, it didn't mean to say that she would often give me a tough time whenever she assumed that I had stepped out of line or wasn't following instructions to the fullest. And everytime that happened, I almost wanted to tear my brains out in frustration. It was like being told off by a strict school teacher or something.
"Just finished pracising it I'll have you know". I smirked. "Done and done".
"Then perhaps you won't mind giving a demonstration"? She asked with a raised eyebrow. Of course, knowing her, she wasn't asking, she was demanding. And once that was done, there was no getting out of it. My face paled slightly. I was more or less still perfecting my lines, but the majority of it was finished.
"Very well then". I spoke with confidence, taking a deep breath and beginning, making sure I was quiet enough so that noone else could hear..
"Hello Everybody. How's todays festivity going for you"?
Aaaaand just as I had begun, Tigress raised her arm up in the air to stop me. Well ain't this going to be a fun way to spend my break...
"You would be better off saying... Good evening Citizens of the Valley of Peace. I trust that today has been a promising series of events for you thus far"...
For the next half hour, you can only imagine the bull I was recieving for what Tigress has now called, my poorly planned sentences that have been exercised with little time or concern. By the end of it, I had ended up being even more freaking stressed than I had earlier! Most of her replacement sentences were either too long or contained words I didn't even know the meaning to. Her "help" as she called it, wasn't particularly as helpful as she was assuming it to be.
"I trust that my version of the speech would be seen as a clearer message to the public"? She asked.
"Oh, yes of course. Your speech certainly helped me to improve"...
Eff that...
"And I'll be sure to try and apply it into my own speech". I smiled, more forced than appreciatted. Tigress nodded back with a smile. At least I think it was a smile... the left side of her lip just moved slightly up.
"Good. In that case, I shall be looking forward to hearing it tonight". And with that, she finally left me alone thank God.
Now I was free to slither through the town and focus more on being cheerful as I was greeted, more often than I usually was, which wasn't a lot to begin with, but still I smiled and waved back. Not to mention that at least a dozen kids pleaded for my autograph on their posters of me, how could I say no? Kids are awesome. I signed what I could and decided to head into the bamboo forest as soon as I reached the boarder of the town. I mean, I did come out here for a break, and not that I don't appreciate the villagers doing what they're doing, because I do. It's just that it's better to relax on your own, without any interuptions and without giving a care in the world, for a short moment in time anyway. Just a few minutes and I'll be back up at the Jade palace ready to practice once again. Eventually, I sat up against one of the bamboo stalks and smiled once again. I didn't even dare sigh, as though even the slightest hint of noise would have broken the peace before me...
...
...
"My my, what have we here"...?
MOTHER FFFF...!
My head whipped up at once the instance I could hear what sounded like a hostile voice. I looked round towards the source expecting to see someone there, but there wasn't. Okay, great, seems like everybody and their mothers are out to freaking prevent me from taking one measly break! There was certainly no way that I had imagined that voice either.
"Who's there"? I asked. After a good five seconds of silence, I got into my kung fu stance. "Whoever is out there, I'm specially trained under Masters Shifu and Viper, so don't think I'm defenceless"!
Probaly a bandit I'm sure, but I wasn't giving any chances of being caught off guard.
"I must admit, you seem certainly distrustful towards a simple greeting... even from one of your own kind"...
Okay, so the guy has just gone and informed me that he's a snake. Whether giving that information was intentional or not, who knows. Least I now know what I'm up against...
"Then why hide in the shadows like a coward"? I called back up the the braches above as I was sure that was where he was hiding.
"I assure you, the only cowards here are the ones you serve to protect"! Was my response. "Relying on a serpant to do their dirty work for them".
Okay, now I was starting to get annoyed with this jokester.
"Then how about showing yourself, huh? If you're so sure you're not afraid of me, why bother hiding"?
A moment of silence passed.
"Very well. If it pleases you, behold"!
And like that, a brown figure dropped from the branches to the ground in front of me. I was right, it was another snake. A brown cobra to be exact. One that gave a sinister, and rather disturbing smile. I looked him up and down before asking a single question.
"Who the hell are you meant to be"?
It was amusing to see his smiling face change to one of surprise and shock, and then over to anger as though he was ready to go and throw a fit.
"You don't know me? You know what I'm capable of? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM"!? He snapped angrily.
"... A hobo"? I answered truthfully. It was either that or a bandit for all I knew.
"Foolish mortal! Every snake in China knows of me"! He snarled, slithering forward.
"Ah, well, there's your answer genius. I don't originally come from China, I was born in England". I replied, not daring to move out of my stance should he dared to attack.
"And what of your dear Viper? Has she not boasted her victories over Lord Fu Xi"...?
Fu Xi? Oh crap!
"Lord Fu Xi?! Of course, now I know"! I snarled, as his smile grew. "You're that racist that hates anything that moves on legs".
His look vanished yet again to one of shock and horror.
"How dare you! I am no racist"! He yelled in anger.
"Uh, yes you are". I responded.
"Am not"!
"Are too".
"AM NOT"!
"So you're telling me you have no hate towards... people who walk on two legs"?
"Two leggers... And yes, I hold a serious disliking towards those beasts"!
"Yeah, racist".
"I AM NOT RACIST"!
"... Actually, you have a point". I responded, taking back what I said, causing him to nod in approval while glaring angrily at me. "You're not A racist. You're THE racist".
"WHAT"?! Aaaaand, he's back to being angry again.
"Think about it. You hate two leggers for no reason. You know how many animal species walk on two legs? That means you hate pigs, rabbits, geese, rhinos, buffaloes"...
With every animal species I listed, I failed to notice Fu Xi's face become redder and redder with anger until he had finally had...
"ENOUGH"!
At this, I stopped counting animal species, of which I was on thirty two at this point.
"If we could get back to the matter at hand"! He hissed wildly.
I glared back. Guess I had gotten a little caught up then...
"Alright. So what is it you want"?
With that, his sinister smile returned once more...
...
Well, I'm finally starting to get round to writing this fanfic at last. Sorry for the wait those who voted for it at Christmas, but hey, we're finally starting it! I don't know how many chapters I'll be writing for it, but with luck, it should take a heck of a lot quicker to finish than "A lesson in time", God that one took far too long than I wanted it too. Anyway, least the first chapter is up so you'll have a brief understanding of what is going on and what may or may not unfold. Cheerio!