Chapter 9: The Antaract Vase of Love
A.N- Alright so I've been thinking about some new stories to write here and one of them is asked of me by an author. Anyways, just be expecting a lot more from me...because I just came up with this story and many others, all in one day. Ugh...I hate my rambles..so please enjoy the next installment.
"Tigress!" Po screamed in utter joy as tears dripped from his eyes as he looked at the tiger he thought to have been dead.
"Po!" Tigress screamed as she jumped into his arms and planted a kiss on his lips, tears also streaming.
"I...thought you were dead," Po said as he stared at the beautiful tiger.
"I survived...I made it," Tigress said in a chocked up voice as she gave a hug to him.
Po pushed her away slowly and looked at her in the face.
"How...how did you survive...I watched you fall from the cliff...I-" Po was about to say, but was interrupted by Tigress.
"I'll save that story for when we get home, now lets get that vase!" Tigress exulted walking past Po as he came quickly up to her as Ting led the way.
"Now...are you sure your not a ghost...coming back to haunt me for all the things that I...didn't...do," Po asked curiously.
Tigress quickly grabbed Po and pulled him into another kiss and slowly pushed away leaving the panda dazed.
"Was that real enough for you?" Tigress said in a sort of sarcastic manner.
"That depends...because I didn't feel that one," Po said jokingly.
"Oh is that so; well...we'll make up for that when we get back to the Jade Palace," Tigress said while brushing past Po, her tail briskly yet smoothly slid across Po's face.
"We're almost there...just a little bit farther!" Ting said as a bright room suddenly came into view.
Suddenly Po heard the horrifying screeches of the creatures that were once again gaining on them.
"I hate to be a pushover, but...we got to move!" Po said as they all traveled to the room in front of them.
Master Shifu sat underneath the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, planted on top of Master Oogway's old staff, looking out over the horizon. He allowed the petals from the tree to brush past him as he breathed in and out in meditation.
The four that were left from the Furious Five strolled leisurely up to where Master Shifu was.
Without opening his eyes, Shifu answered to his approaching students.
"Hello my students...you have questions?" Shifu said.
The members stopped and looked up to the old red panda, quiet at first but then Monkey finally spoke up.
"Yes Master Shifu, we were wondering why...the others have yet to return?" Monkey said as he bowed in a respectful manner.
"I agree with Monkey...I've been worried abut Tigress lately," Viper added in.
"Oh come on, now everyone has forgotten about Po...what about him?" Mantis said as he looked up at his taller colleges.
Shifu breathed in and out once again and opened his eyes and examined the area.
"I too, am also worried about them both; but..." Shifu started as he proceed to jump off his staff doing a double back flip, grabbing his staff, and then landed in front of his students, "...we can't worry ourselves with the future at hand."
"I don't know if it's just me...or if anyone else is feeling the same, but I feel that their in trouble," Crane said.
Monkey planted his prime ape hand on his feathered friend's shoulder and looked underneath the flat hat that covered Crane's eyes.
"Crane...thanks for stating the obvious," Monkey said in joking way.
"Hey...I was serious!" Crane said defensively.
"I know, but not having Po around is killing me." Monkey said sadly.
"You know Crane...I am feeling the same way too, what about you Master Shifu?" Viper said as she looked at the red panda who slowly grinded to a stop.
Shifu sighed as he looked down at the black colored ground that laid beneath his feet.
"Yes... I feel the same also...but there...is something...different that I sense as well, but I can't put my finger on it," Shifu said as he slowly started to walk back to the Jade Palace.
Mantis jumped onto Monkey's shoulder as they all started to stroll back to the Palace.
"What do you think Shifu meant by that?" Mantis said.
"I don't know, but I never seen him like that before," Viper said in concerning way.
"I agree, Shifu hasn't been acting like himself since he sent Po and Tigress out to find that vase," Monkey said.
"I've been wondering about that vase, what do you think is so special about it?" Crane asked.
"I don't know, but I'm sure this will all become clear soon enough." Viper said as she slithered along.
Tigress, Po and Ting all entered the brightly lit room to see a remarkable vase standing in the exact center.
"Woo ho...there it is!" Po exulted as he started to run over to it but was stopped short by Tigress.
"Hold on you idiot!" Tigress said as she scanned the room.
"What the vase is right there!" Po said a he pointed with his paw over to where the vase was standing on a fancy wooden table.
"I think you missed something there Dragon Warrior." Tigress said as she pointed up towards the ceiling, where dozens of thousands of knives where hanging.
"Oh...missed that," Po said as he slowly brought his paw up to his neck and began caressing it.
Tigress picked up a rock and threw it over towards the lighted area and instantly a chain reaction began dropping all of the knives down surrounding the perimeter of the vase.
Po smiled as Tigress proceeded to walk towards the vase. He then noticed something that Tigress didn't and stopped her.
"You missed something Master Tigress." Po said pointing up showing a huge pendulum ax hanging dangerously from the ceiling.
"Okay...I missed that one. Tigress said while looking up.
"How are we going to get around these traps?" Po said as he looked up to see more dangerous items surrounding the vase.
"Hey guys...I found the deactivation switch!" Ting said as she pulled a lever down retracting all of the weapons back up into the ceiling.
Po and Tigress let there jaws drop and they both smacked their foreheads as they thanked Ting, who just smiled.
"Alright let's get that vase!" Po said as he ran over to the the small table which had the vase planted upon.
The vase had beautiful carvings of a huge and marvelous bird that flew gracefully through the background of the vase. It had a gold plated rim with a bronze colored cap.
The vase made Po stop to admire it as he slowly reached out with his paw to touch the vase.
Po's paw came in contact with his paw but what he felt next wasn't pleasant, as shock waves suddenly coursed through Po's body making him jump and jitter as he suddenly hit the floor with a groan as smoke slowly rose from his cooked body.
"Ting...I thought you had turned the defenses off!" Po said wearily as Tigress approached the table.
"I did...sometimes my dad likes to go to the extremes when it comes to defense." Ting said.
"Thanks for the tip," Po said as he let his chin fall onto the floor.
"Hmm...there's got to be a switch on this table somewhere," Tigress said as she scanned the table.
"Careful Tigress...(*cough*) that thing packs a...wild punch!" Po said as he stood up with a grunt.
"Ah here it is!" Tigress said while pressing a little button that was underneath the table.
The table then started to make a faint whirring sound as if the thing was powering off.
Tigress shot a little sly smile as she turned to look at the vase.
"Oh...hold on a second!" Po said knocking Tigress out of the way and began to reach for the vase.
Tigress got up off the ground and pushed Po away as she reached for the vase and picked it up. The vase felt surprisingly light in her hands and suddenly she felt a warm current surge through her body as she held the vase.
"Uh guys?" Ting said while she held up a paw.
"Look at it Po...it's so beautiful," Tigress said as she turned the vase around and about.
"Yeah it is," Po answered as she looked at vase too and then he suddenly wanted to touch it too.
"Uh guys?" Ting said again, but this time a little bit louder.
Irritated the both of them turned around to see the creatures quickly gaining towards the door.
Ting closed the big metal door that covered the doorway and barred it so that they the pursuers couldn't get in.
"This way, quickly!" Ting said while pointing towards another doorway.
Suddenly the door started to dent as the first creature attacked the door.
With Tigress holding the vase and Po trailing behind, Ting led the way through the doorway.
The door started to become more dented as the creatures continuously banged on the door until finally it flew from it's hinges, revealing five dark creatures who appeared through the door.
One of the creatures sniffed the air air and then was pointed toward the other doorway.
"They went that way...hurry...Master Tenizar wants them dead or alive!" The head creature said in a dark and low voice as he pointed towards the doorway, sending all of them continuing on the pursuit.
"I hope you have an idea Ting!" Po screamed as he continued to run as fast as is chubby feet could take him.
"Don't worry...this is a shortcut!" Ting said as she continued to run through the corridors.
"Why didn't we use this before?" Po said in an irritated voice.
"I guess it didn't come to mind...sorry!" Ting said apologetically.
"We'll save the apologizes for later; let's just focus on getting out of here!" Tigress said as she continued to run while holding the vase as she listened to the blood curdling screeches of the approaching pursuers.
They all suddenly came into the big corridor which led to the big, black metallic doors that were at the end.
"There's the end!" Po exulted as he pointed to the big doors.
As they came up towards the big doors, three creatures jump down from the darkness blocking their way, as all three of them suddenly skidded to a stop and then turned to run the other way but the same results occurred as the pursuers stopped in front of them. All of the creatures then encircled them, trapped by the beings of the darkness.
"Well in my head...I imagined this escape to be little more awesome...and this is what I get," Po sighed as he and Ting readied themselves in a fighting stance while Tigress held the vase tightly in her paws.
Then clapping could be heard from beyond the darkness as Shan Tenizar stepped out from the darkness with a smile on his face as he clapped, stopping just a few feet away from the circle.
"I'm impressed panda...you have been able to deceive me by pretending to be the vase cleaning person." Tenizar said while he chuckled under his breath.
"Yeah sorry to say this...but they weren't going to come anyway," Po said as he locked his face into determination mode as he stared at the white tiger.
"Ah...I knew they were never going to come!" Tenizar shouted.
"Have you ever looked at this place; I mean seriously this place has only a single light bulb and that light bulb isn't even lit; it's just hanging there by a string! Po said as he strained himself to speak.
Tigress leaned over to Po and whispered to him.
"Very smooth Dragon Warrior," Tigress whispered in a sarcastic manner.
"I think we all had a good laugh didn't we...now let's get down to business...why are you here panda...or should I call you... the Dragon Warrior?" Tenizar said as his face became strict and sincere as he folded his arms across his chest.
A.N- Well they have finally gotten what they have came for, now the question is...will they make it out alive to warn everyone in time? Or will they ultimately fail in the end? All I can tell you is...( yeah you guessed it.) read to find out! Please leave your thoughts, because I need to know how you all have liked this little adventure so far. Well until next time... ( Ah forget it!) - David265.
