Chapter 2
Wake up. Wake up. Wakeupwakeupwakeupwakeup-
"Just open your eyes!"
He winced at the sudden exposure to the light. Po looked at him cautiously, unsure about what to say. The horse blinked rapidly, then cried out in relief. The panda stared nervously as he laughed maniacally, tears streaming down his face.
"It was just a dream! Every messed up thing was fake! I am grateful, handsome young man. Hey, are you going to THE PARTY?"
"What party?"
The horse stared blankly at him. "The party near the Crystal Lake? Next Friday? At the- WHERE AM I!" Fear possessed his body, forced it to tremble, made it hard for it to stand up on its muscular legs. His vision cleared, sending his brain images of a forest, its trees straight as an arrow with its branches touching the sky. Dark and light green eyes searched past the branches, up at the high, calm ocean of blue. The rising sun's light washed over them, making their figures an orangish hue. It also forced the squinting eyes to lower themselves.
They stood there for a long time, waiting for clarification to descend upon them. A sigh escaped from both mammals, one of relief, and one of defeat.
"Can you die from an overdose of noodles?"
"No." Sheepish laughter. "I'm immune to- you meant about yoursef, right?"
He nodded, nervousness written across his face. The panda gave him a sympathetic look, not knowing what else to do.
"You want to eat noodles?" Po stuttered. He began to wobble past his silent companion, realizing that simplicity can be the best medicine for stress, that it was sometimes better to ask questions later. A smile stretched across his face when the cause of annoyed grumbling was following him.
About an hour later, they were both at a noodle shop. The horse shifted uneasily, aware of the mud clinging to his black fur. Luckily for him, a few customers were occupying the large shop. Nobody seem to notice him, their eyes drooping and blank. His thoughts were interrupted by a thud made by Po placing two wooden bowls on the table. As the panda's soup slid down to a large stomach, the dirty companion bit the edge of his bowl. He raised the bowl at an angle that allowed the soup to slide down his throat. Loud gulping noises were heard throughout the shop. A few pairs of eyes squinted in annoyance.
"Hey," snarled a pig sitting next to his son. "Can you not do that?"
The horse dropped his empty bowl on the table with a soft thud, then bended over as his noodle soup traveled back outside and landed on the ground. He panted heavily, his pink tongue trembling against his muzzle. Po's face met a muddy hoof shortly after. The panda groaned on the floor, stroking his sore face.
"That's not what I meant," said the same pig sitting next to his sleeping son. Almost all the customers gawked, their minds not able to fully grasp what had happened in front of them.
"What clues did you pick up when I said 'can you die from an overdose of noodles?'. I said noodles, not soup. How can you die from drinking too much soup? Oh yeah, by drowning in soup! What were you thinking?"
Po glared at the scowling face, hating the harsh voice coming out of his muzzle. "I thought you were so hungry you wanted to eat a lot of noodles," he stated flatly.
The horse sighed and grumbled," Then we have to do it the painful way."
"What way!"
"I guess you have to sit on me."