Chapter Four: Snow's Discovery and Shade's Dream
"Hey Po, when do we get a tour of this place?" Camille asked as she smiled at him.
"Well I can show you around but some places that are off limits okay so please don't touch anything," Po begged.
"We promise not to touch anything," Snow said quietly. The others nodded in agreement. Then everyone looked at Camille and Speedy.
"We won't touch anything either," they said smiling their angelic smiles. Po led them into the palace's library.
"This is all the history of techniques of Kung Fu, Masters of Kung Fu the good and the bad. Criminals and some weapons they made, along with Kung Fu tools used for good and some prophecies that some seers made and some came true. Here is the scroll of the Dragon Warrior which is me but I never actually read the scroll but Shifu pretty much summed it up for me. Anyways moving on," Po said quietly. His friends followed him but Snow's talon slipped and caused one scroll to fall.
"Hold on Po I will be right with you I need to put this scroll back," Snow said.
"Okay we will be in the training hall just go straight and turn left first door to your right can't miss it," Po said.
"Okay," Snow said. She turned her attention to the scroll and began to roll up the scroll when the first sentence caught her attention. She always loved to read especially books and she told Po she would not touch anything but she just thought a quick read of this scroll wouldn't hurt anyone. This is what the scroll said: Long ago a white peacock prince lived in Gongmen City. He like his ancestors before him was fascinated with fireworks but he wanted to use the fireworks for a darker purpose. His parents who were worried about him went to a Soothsayer and she said if he continued on this dark path he would be defeated by a warrior of black and white. Now the young peacock prince heard of this prophecy and vowed to change his fate but instead of going to find this warrior of black and white he went to another seer a golden leopard named Golden who was banished to the lone caves for practicing black magic. She too had a vision but she revealed a different outcome for him instead of him being defeated by one warrior of black and white. He would be defeated by two warriors of black and white who would be naturally skilled fighters. Along with them would be six other warriors with special abilities. One warrior would have control over the shadows, another would be a shape changer, one would have an incredible memory, one would be able to destroy anything with a high pitch sound, one would be faster than anything in the world, and lastly one would be a healer and be able to heal themselves. The peacock prince wanted to destroy the warriors but Golden persuaded him to find these warriors and make them serve him. He liked the idea and Golden made an amulet that looked like a golden skull that could find each of these warriors. From that time on the peacock prince and Golden were after these warriors for if they turned the warriors evil all of China would be doomed.
When Snow got done reading she shook her head in shock. "Wow what a great story whoever wrote this had an excellent imagination. I wonder what they called this story oh here it is the Power of Eight. Cool title maybe if I ask nice enough Po could find me the other half of this story so I can read more. Yet, somehow that Golden person seems familiar but I don't know from where and those warriors powers seem just like the ones we have but I wonder who wrote this maybe someone just made it up and it sounds like us. I will ask Po later I am sure it is just a coincidence," Snow said happily. She put the scroll back and flew off to find the others. Just like Po said they were at the training hall. Tigress was breaking the wooden dummies with ease.
"Hey easy Stripes it took me all night to fix those things," Harmony called. Tigress saw Harmony walking on both legs and was shocked by this.
"Harmony how are you walking on both legs last time I saw you was last night with your crutches?" Tigress asked. Harmony walked back with her crutches last night so the Five wouldn't know about Red's power of healing for Po told all of them to keep their gifts a secret. So far Shade's shadow message was all agreed as a trick of the light. But Harmony forgot about her crutches and Tigress knew her leg wouldn't be healed till a few more days.
"Oh uh it healed quickly so I am not wearing my crutches," Harmony said. Tigress gave her an "I don't believe you look" but said nothing.
"That is good news," Monkey said eyeing Harmony with a grin.
"Hey Po how long are your friends going to visit?" Mantis asked casually.
"Oh just a few days," Po said politely.
"Will they be able to attend the Star Festival?" Viper asked.
"The Star Festival what is that?" Speedy asked with interest.
"It is in two days when the stars are the brightest. People sing and dance and there is tons of good food," Crane said.
"Sounds like fun can we stay Po?" Camille asked as the others smiled eagerly.
"It's fine with me," Po said. They all high fived each other and Po heard his stomach rumbling. "I better get dinner ready," he said and went into the kitchen. "Har do you mind finishing the tour without me?" he asked.
"I got it," Harmony said. Po went to the kitchen and made a big bowl of noodles with dumplings. They soon ate the meal while the Five learned about the Six. They learned Red and Shade were farmers who worked on a farm growing crops to make a living. Dark Wind and Speedy owned a restaurant where they bought all their vegetables from Red and Shade and they all lived in the same village. Snow and Camille lived in a village a few miles away from where the others lived and Snow owned her own library and Camille worked at a bar as a singer.
"Hey do you think you can sing at the festival?" Monkey asked Camille.
"Sure I love singing," Camille said happily. Then she turned her attention to Tigress and asked," So how long have you and Po been dating?"
"Not long just about a week maybe two," Tigress said.
"That is nice Po is a sweet guy so please treat him good or I might just have to steal him away," Camille said winking. Speedy smiled for he knew Camille was kidding she only saw Po as a brother but Tigress did not know this.
"What do you mean by that?" Tigress asked sharply.
"Just be nice or I will happily take your place as Po's girlfriend," Camille said slyly.
"Camille knock it off," Snow said sharply. "She is kidding Master Tigress sorry but Camille has a friendly nature but she isn't being serious right Camille," Snow said glaring at her.
"Oh sorry I am joking Tigress I didn't mean anything by it Po's is like a brother to me sorry if I seemed too serious it is my way of joking forgive me," Camille said in an apologetic tone.
"It is alright I forgive you," Tigress said but would keep a close eye on the chameleon in case she tried anything with her panda. Later that night they all went to sleep for Po promised them a tour of the village and Snow would ask Po about the weird story she read. Red was still uncomfortable about not having Shade in the same room with him. Back home they had separate rooms but she slept right next door to his room. Still he had to respect the rules of the Palace and watch nervously as Shade went to the room across from his.
"She is just across the hall, she is just across the hallway," he repeated reminding himself that Shade would be fine. Shade crawled into the cot and went to sleep excited for tomorrow but her dreams were not so pleasant.
Shade was in a throne room all alone well so she thought. Standing in front of her was a figure in a golden cloak. The figure turned around to reveal a golden leopard. "It is you the woman in the golden cloak!" Shade shrieked with fright. She was the only one of the six that actually saw the woman's face and was scared stiff.
"Hello my child I missed you and soon I will find you and the others. And you will help destroy China," the woman said.
"No we won't!" Shade yelled but it came out as a frightened squeak.
"Oh my dear I am afraid you won't have a choice," the woman said sweetly and held up a golden skull amulet and laughed evilly as the amulet glowed a deep red.
Shade awoke in a cold sweat breathing heavily. She held herself for a while trying to calm her fears. It took all her strength not to run into Red's room for two reasons. One he would get upset and not let her out of his sight. Red was a wonderful guy but he was a tad overprotective over Shade. She thought it was because of her size but it was actually because he loved her and couldn't bear to lose her. The second reason was she didn't want to break the rules of the Palace. So she decided to keep this dream a secret and maybe talk to Po and see if he could help her. It could just be nothing maybe a past fear bothering her or her fear of wolves coming to her home. With that thought in mind Shade fell back asleep and tried to forget her nightmare. Unbeknown to her is that her nightmare would soon become a reality.
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review.