"Happy tenth birthday, sweetie" "Thanks mum." Everyone was gathered around the table at the Ping resturant. My mum, the current record holder for "Youngest Person to Master the 1000 Scrolls of Kung Fu" and leader of the Furious Five, Master Tigress. My dad, the Dragon Warrior, Master of the Dragon Style and su chef in "Ping's Noodle Resturant", Po. My granddad on my father's side, head chef in "Ping's Noodle Resturant", Mr. Ping. My granddad on my mother's side, the greatest Kung Fu teacher in all of China and the adoptive father to the only two people ever to master the 1000 scrolls of Kung Fu, Tigress and Tai Lung, Master Shifu. My only true uncle, altough I would never say that to my other self-proclaimed aunty and uncles, the first to master the 1000 scrolls of Kung Fu and the new Grand Master, Uncle Tai Lung. And the other members of the Furious Five, masters of their own styles, Aunty Viper, Uncle Crane, Uncle Monkey and Uncle Mantis. Everyone in my family is as successful as they can be in their chosen lifestyles. I wish I could be someone important in my own right, not just the daughter of the Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress. Everyone reached the end of the birthday song and I blew out my candles, shouting that wish over and over in my head. Little did I know, the universe had plans for me and they were put in work from the day I was born. The rest of the day went by in a joyous mood. Everyone had cake and lots of other party food. As the sky started to turn dark, everyone started to head home. Not long after I was born, mum decided that it was time the Furious Five finally disbanded, with the new Grand Master of the Jade Palace watching over the Valley of Peace. They all agreed and moved away to their old homes to find their own destiny. Aunty Viper was welcomed home with open arms, well, sort of, and is expected to become the new village protector when her father retires. Uncle Crane went back to his old home and was welcomed by his old friend, Mei Ling, who is now head of the Lee Da Academy. He was given his old job back as a janitor, but he still helps out with the new students from time to time. Uncle Mantis and Uncle Monkey returned to their own villages and opened up new Kung Fu schools to teach the next generation. Mum and dad moved from the Jade Palace down into the village and bought a house near "Ping's Noodle Resturant". Uncle Tai still lives up in the Jade Palace with Granddad Shifu and is learning how to look after the Palace and the Valley, on top of teaching kung fu to new students. Granddad Shifu has retired from teaching Kung Fu and is helping Uncle Tai with the new students. Granddad Ping and dad started packing up all the dishes, while mum and I said goodbye to Uncle Tai and Granddad Shifu. Once evryone was gone, and dad had packed up most of the mess, mum and I headed home. I went to bed not long after we got home, but I just couldn't fall asleep. It about an hour maybe, when I heard the front door open and close; dad has come home finally. I close my eyes this time and finally fall asleep. I had a normal sleep, I didn't appreciate it as much as I could have. If I had known what tommorow and the next half a dozen years would entail, I would have appreciated that sleep a little more.
Tigress P.O.V.
Today was my daugthers tenth birthday, I met my old comrades in arms, Viper, Mantis, Crane and Monkey, and my father and step brother Shifu and Tai Lung. We all had a good time. Everyone enjoyed the party, all except Sumita herself. I think there may be something bothering her. When everyone had left, and Master Shifu and Tai Lung were leaving, Sumita and I were saying our goodbyes while Po and Mr. Ping were cleaning up. It has been ten years since the Valley was in danger and we have had a wonderful era of peace. But, like they say, all good things must come to an end. Why it had to be on my daughters birthday of all days. I knew eventually that the Valley would be in danger once more, but at the same time, I just wanted it to stay peaceful forever. But later that night, while I was asleep, I was taken to a place all too familiar, the place above the clouds. Where Master Oogway took me ten years ago to warn me about the invasion.
Dream Sequence
I open my eyes and find that I'm back in the Cloud Palace, looking down through one of the overly large windows of the castle and all I can see is cloud. Looking around the "ground", I see the very tip of what must be a mountain. "That must mean it's possible to.." "Master Tigress, he is waiting for you." I turned from the window to find a palace attendent. "Thank you." The attendent turns and begins walking away, I follow him to Master Oogway. After roughly five minutes of walking, I arrived at a giant door. The attendent signalled for me to stop as he walked forward and knocked on the door in a thought out pattern, like a secret code. Immediately, the door began to open. "Please. Continue inside." I walked through the door, looking back I saw the attendent just standing at the door facing down the hallway. As soon as I was in the giant room, the doors began to close. I made it to the front of the room where I finally saw Master Oogway. "Master oogway. Why didn't you just appear where I woke up here like last time?" "I needed you to come to this room to show you something terrible." "The Valley has four Kung Fu Masters, plus the Furious Five will be able to help." "Tigress. This isn't just about the Valley of Peace. This about the fate of the entire world. It will take more than mere mortal strength. This threat is not an army of bandits or anything you have faced before. This is evil itself, in it's true form. There are only four people who can stop this darkness. Have you ever heard of the Four Guardians?" "No, Master. I have not. Who are they?" "The Four Guardians are the protectors of the entire universe. They were sent from the Heavens to earth to put an end to the darkness many centuries ago, now they are needed again and so have been reborn in your world. I need you to find these people and have them trained to use their powers over the elements to rid the world of darkness once and for all. You and Po must travel far, from here in the Western Valley, Home of Byakko,
to the other Valleys. Once you find the Guardians, they must be trained to control their powers. The darkness will rise in the hearts of anyone, everyone you know will be tested. You must leave first thing in the morning." The palace starts to fade to white. "How will I recognise the Guardians?" "They are one of a kind. They will be the only one of their kind in your world." The entire palace had turned to white, and slowly Master Oogway faded into whiteness.
End of Dream Sequence
I awoke suddenly, I feel Po stir. Then he opens his eyes and looks up at me. "Is something wrong?" "Po...we need to travel to the Northern Valley of Tranquility."
