Taranna stood and looked down over the valley that she had always called home;it's wonderful traditional Japanese architecture silhouetted against the dying red sun the gentle breezes brought down the wilting cherry blossoms which had only arrived a few weeks earlier they seemed to mirror the way she was feeling as they fought to stay afloat in the swift moving stream that ran down from the hillside to the village pond and well. Her usually clam mind swirled like the torrent in the stream milling over a thousand things;She would soon be returning to a home she barely new and a family she rarely if ever saw. She wondered if he had felt that way when he left of if leaving was just something he was use to.

Her thoughts were so many that she sat there gazing at the sky until the moon had reached midpoint.

Her thoughts would have continued to posses her had she not been snapped out of her trance by her sensei Who Placed his hands on her shoulders,she sighed softly and lay back against him as he stood behind her,for a long while he just stood there with her before he started to speak.

"The moon seems to hold a lot of answers for you tonight Little Panther or is it more questions?" His Voice was so soft and kind as he smiled down at the Black hair girl himself Seeking some kind of insight into why she had been so lost in thought she had not felt him near her until he lay his hands on her shoulders. Taranna could not help but feel inclined to answer the person she admired most in her life.

"More questions than answers fa...sensei,and all of the answers I do find,no matter how I try lead me to the same conclusion I must leave here and return to Angel Grove." she turned back toward the moon with a sigh. He nodded and let a small sigh escape before he spoke.

"Yes my dear Panther, but from the start we knew this day would come,your father never intended for you to stay this long after all;but you know it will always welcome you back. Now shall we go inside before the birds wake?" he chuckled lightly, while Taranna simple nodded brushed herself off and nodded. With the sun rising behind them they made their way into the Lotus Dragon dojo.

The next three weeks was spent in preparation for the International Youth Martial Arts Tournament this years tournament was to be held in Angel Grove. The Tournament had always meant a lot to the Students of the Lotus Dragon Dojo but not for the reason others thought to the Lotus dragons it wasn't about the trophy or anything else is was all about the 75 of the profits they gave back to allow for guest team spots for the next years tournament teams who would otherwise not be able to join.

Taranna's thoughts seemed to have melted away for the time being as her eyes danced with joy watching & helping her fellow students practice for the coming tournament;all the time she kept close to her teacher wanting to hold every moment with him as if it were the last. As focused as she was she knew in the back of her mind that time was against her. The eve before departure from their hometown was an especially quiet one; everyone gathered in the main hall for dinner their thoughts kept to themselves for one reason or another at the head of the small sat a case inside lay the dojo's most guarded artifacts which included a necklace, Silver staff, and a few other artifacts which the other dojo in the region had tried to steal numerous times.

No one moved after dinner as Sensei Young stepped up to the case and opened it, taking out the necklace & the staff. He motioned Taranna Forward where she knelt before her teacher a bit nervous. Master Young's eyes had gotten misty as he peered down at her in her silver karategi

he started to speak to all gathered.

"Taranna my dear Panther you have studied with us her for 13 years you have mastered many skills and stolen many hearts with your dedication you give of yourself unto other and never expect anything in return. Glory means nothing to you only honor, and family, Let these truths forever be your path little panther." He Stepped closer to her and lowered the necklace over her head then quickly released it letting it fall into place around her neck. He took a step back and half smiled after placing the silver staff in her hand. No one saw the way Tara was shaking from emotions tears were starting to well in the normally collected girls eyes. Her grip tighten on the staff as her sensei started to continue.

"These Items I want you to watch over our little panther, And I can promise you this if you watch over them well they will return the favor,keep them with you always,and never allow them to leave your sight. My Little Panther you are ready now to move forward without us." And even though it wanted to his voice never once broke. The same could not be said for the spirit and emotions of his student knelt before him before he could reach up to have her stand Taranna had stood and ran from the room tears flowing freely. She would not be seen by another student or her teacher for the rest of the night.

In her room Taranna lay on her stomach with the necklace & staff beside her. It was several hours before she could regain her calm enough to focus on the treasures her father,no she shook her head she must not think of him that way anymore, her sensei had given her. The staff was simple enough a silver colored shaft of a metal she had never seen the hand hold was tinted darker silver with a small raised button which with drew the two ends into it creating one piece about 6 inches long, when pressed again the staff would go back to it's impressive 3 foot size. The necklace was more impressive made of onyx and jade the central piece was a yin-yang , the jade side housed an onyx sun,and the onyx side housed a jade crescent moon. It was supported by two silver lightning strikes one on either side the chain was silver with a simple lobster claw clasp. She sighed and slipped it back around her neck then slid under her sheet to get some sleep.

The rains had never fallen so hard on the small dojo village as Tara turned to board the boat to take her & the others to Tokyo, She knew this would be the last time she looked on her beloved home for quite sometime, but she forced herself to focus on the task that lay at hand to her one more trophy for her dojo one last win for them before she left them to go to a home & family she barely knew. It was also that mindset that would set off a chain reaction that no one saw coming. Not even the wise Master Young could foresee the events that would change the balance of power in Angel Grove. After all a heart filled with love can do great things but a heart filled with bitterness & sorrow can as well.