This is my second chapter

R&R

The Next Dragon Warrior

Chapter 2

Today's the Day!

I practically leaped out of bed. Today was the day! It was finally here!

My neck felt sore from sleeping weird.

I flexed my neck joints a little. I really have to stop using my pillows as my practice punching bags. It was really starting to take the fluff out of them.

I turned to a poster on my wall. It was the one my parents got me of the Dragon Warrior holding up his fist with his pinky sticking out. From what I could research, it as called "The Wuxi Finger Hold."

I stood facing the poster and placed my fist in my palm. "I'll make you proud."

I grabbed my backpack at the foot of my bed (I packed it two weeks ago) pulled on some of my purple pants with my trademark gold belt and I was ready to go. But of course I was ready much earlier than my parents so I still had to wait.

My parents owned a shop in the Valley that sold polished stones and gems for jewelry, souvenirs and other gifts. The business actually did really well. They were very popular with the tourist and out-of-towners as well as the regular inhabitants. Their best sellers were jasper, jade, emerald, opal, larimar, black mica and lapis.

The shop took up a small part in the front of our house. My parent's room was in the back of the building and my room was upstairs. I looked out my window into the street. The Valley was slowly quickening it's pace into a normal busy day.

My parents and I started making our way through the village. It was summer, so the streets were fairly crowded with shoppers and a few vacationers from out of the country. I imagined they'd be even more crowed by the afternoon. The village was always busy but especially during the summer. We passed by the noodle shop where I was told the Dragon Warrior would occasionally worked. I imagined he spent most of his time up at the palace. I wondered if I'd get a chance to meet him while I was there.

Once we had gotten to the base of the mountain, we began to climb up the towering flight of stairs to the top of Jade Mountain.

By time we got to the top I was exhausted under the weight of my backpack. We walked through the wooden doors at the entrance to the palace arena. It looked just as I remembered from the last time, except a little less crowded. There were several other parents there dropping off their children.

I noticed (like I had guessed) I was the only badger. A few pigs, most of them were rabbits, that was abou...

HIM!?

He was the only gray rabbit here with a black spot over his left eye.

He stood there smugly wearing a shiny slate robe, while I was standing there in just my baggy purple pants.

It was Park. I had heard his name said in the street once.

And the nightmare came flooding back.

A little less than a year ago I was walking through the village when I saw some rabbits playing some game. After the first five minutes of getting up enough nerve I went up and (as coolly as I could) asked if I could join there game.

For a second I thought some of them were about to say "sure" but he pushed his way through them (obviously he was one of those people who thought he was always in charge) smirked and said.

"How about you go play "jump off a cliff," streak-face."

It was one of the most pathetic insults I'd ever heard, but all the same I wasn't gonna take it lying down. "Why don't you get a life!"

"I'm not the one who's walking around talking by himself." A few of them laughed along with him and turned back to the game.

I tried to scowl as I walked away. Some insulter he was. I didn't care if I had streaks on my face. They at least made me look distinguished, At least I didn't look like I had a permanent black-eye. And who was he to say I was always by mysel.... I....... Oh my God, he was right.

"Jo, are you alright?"

I snapped out of my flashback. "Yeah, I'm fine, Dad."

I looked back where Park was standing with (who I assumed were) his parents.

God, I pray he won't recognize me-

My worries came to an abrupt ending as well as all the excited talking around us as a clang of a gong silenced the crowd. Standing, proudly on the arena's elevated platform was Master Shifu.

"Welcome parents and kung fu campers. We hope you will enjoy the next month of extensive training in Kung Fu, something that we take great pride in, here in the Valley of Peace. If all the campers will follow me, we will begin the camp."

I turned to my parents and my mom said "I guess this is where we leave. Have fun."

My dad patted me on the back. "We'll see you in a month, Jo."

I smiled. "See yall then." and they walked out through the large wooden doors with the rest of the parents.

They were gone. My foster parents were really gone. There was no turning back now. I was left with nearly 20 other kids and the greatest kung fu warriors known for the next month. I took a deep breath and followed the crowd of kids that was trailing after Master Shifu.

***

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