Okay Let me just say that I am sooooo sorry that this Chapter is a day late! Had a bit of a family emergency and was nowhere near my laptop or focused enough to write...but I have the latest chapter now, so here it is.

Chapter 9

Prophecy Revealed…

Shifu's POV

Shifu was standing before the reflecting pool with his hands behind his back as he awaited the arrival of his students. All the while he was wondering if Po had managed to actually ask Tigress to marry him. He would need to apologize to the panda later for interrupting such a moment. After watching the couple these last few months, he could see no reason that the two should not be together. Not once had the two lovers broken any of Shifu's rules he given them when he gave Po permission to date his daughter (As far as he knew anyway.), and the training could not be going better. Tigress had been smiling more and more lately, allowing herself to actually have fun, while Po was becoming more focused and serious, though Shifu still couldn't get Po and Monkey to cease there childish prank war no matter how many times he threatened them with punishment.

As Shifu smiled a small smile, the doors to the hall of heroes flew open as he turned to see four of his students came rushing up to him. As his students approached before him, they all bowed as Viper spoke up. "Master Shifu, you summoned us?" Shifu took a deep breath then stated. "Yes, I did Viper…something terrible has happened." Monkey then asked. "Is it something we can handle ourselves?" Shifu's face was in a frown. "I'm afraid this matter will require all of our efforts this time." His students lowered their heads in disappointment, and Shifu had a feeling he knew exactly why. "Where are Po, and Tigress?" Shifu asked, but at that moment, the doors opened a second time, and Po and Tigress were stepping through them. Everyone turned to see them coming inside looks of apologetic smiles on their faces. Shifu watched the couple walking towards them hand in hand until they stood before the old master, when they released each other's hands. Shifu tried to give Po an apologetic look but was returned by Po's signature grin with a slight nod of his head. "So what's going on?" Po asked as the masters all turned their attention to the red panda.

The old master looked at his students and then began. "Over the past several weeks we have received reports of citizens being reported missing from numerous villages outside the Valley of Peace." Po then asked. "So why haven't we heard about em till now?" Viper then explained "Because Po, if we were to answer every call for each person that's been reported missing we'd be run ragged to the point of exhaustion. A lot of the times it's just a neighbor who didn't know the person or people were just moving or traveling on a short trip." Po then asked his master. "So what makes this time different?" Shifu then revealed the scroll Zhang gave him moments earlier. "This." As Shifu revealed the scroll with an emblem of a red sun stamped onto it. "This scroll came from Elder Choi Dak of the Full Moon Village. In it he describes the most recent kidnaping along with some new details we didn't have about the kidnappings before." Mantis interjected. "So wait, now we're dealing with kidnappings?" Shifu nodded his head. "Elder Choi Dak is a member of a secret society known as the Golden Sun…"

Po's POV.

At the mention of the name of the Golden Sun, Po could feel Gladir beginning to stir restlessly. It was odd; nothing usually made the great dragon feel uneasy like that. Po could feel the dragon's presence begin to watch the events through Po's eyes. Po felt Tigress's paw grip his as he turned to look at her. She had a look of worry on her face, she apparently notice Po tense up just then so he gave her a soft smile and the two turned their attention to Shifu.

"The Golden Sun has been around dating back as far as a thousand years, tasked with a single mission. To watch and wait for signs….of the end of our world." All of his students gasped except for Po. Instead Po just stared on at his master. He knew it…it was just like Gladir had told him…the Prophecy was coming to be…of all the times. Shifu noticed the panda's unusually calm reaction as he continued eyes never leaving Po. "One of the signs that the time is upon us is the sighting of the Mark of Hei'an." as Shifu opened the scroll to show his students a drawing of a purple spiraling dragon. "There is an ancient prophecy dating all the way back to the founding of the Golden Sun." as Shifu revealed a second scroll from his robe, this one very old and tied with a string. As Shifu untied the string and slowly unrolled the scroll his eyes never leaving Po. Po could feel his master gazing at him and had a pretty good idea why, as Shifu began to read from the scroll. "It is foretold that one day a great Darkness will rise from the confines of an earthly prison, to flood the world in eternal Darkness, ending life for all. Upon the rising of the Darkness two-" "-Two Lights will rise up to face it…"

Everyone turned to look at Po who uttered that last line. His face was calm as he looked at them all but his eyes fell on Shifu. Shifu looked absolutely stunned. But Po just stood there looking at his master. Shifu finally asked. "That's…correct...Po, where did you hear that?" Po took a deep breath as he turned to Tigress one last time, this time she too had a look of confusion on her face. No doubt she was wondering the same thing. As Po griped her hand again he withdrew it and walked past Shifu to stand before the reflecting pool. He could feel the eyes of his friends and his master on his back as they waited for him to answer. "You need to tell them Po…"Po looked up and saw Gladir floating over the pool, well a significantly smaller Gladir that could fit inside the Hall of Heroes. "It's time that they know the truth…ALL of it…" Po nodded to the Dragon and turned to face his friends, taking a deep breath.

"Five months ago, when I saved Tigress from almost certain death…I didn't do it alone…"Everyone stared at Po with looks of confusion. But Tigress said "We know Po…you said Oogway helped you save me, remember?" Po turned to Tigress. "Yeah Oogway taught me how to call upon the Heroes Chi, but even though he left it to me…he wasn't the one who actually…gave it to me. There's someone else…someone who embodies the Heroes Chi… and we share the same soul…" they all gasped, especially Tigress, and Po knew why. He had never told her any of this before and he knew he had some explaining to do later. After a moment Shifu encouraged Po to continue. "Go on Po…" Po took another shaky breath turning behind him to gaze up at the Dragon one last time as the spirit nodded his head. This action earned Po a few odd looks from all but Shifu, as Po turned to his friends again.

"His name is Gladir, and he's a great Dragon. After I saved Tigress, he told me a few things." He paused to see his friend's reactions. They all were watching intently waiting for him to continue, so he did. "He taught me that I cannot use the Heroes Chi to cheat death…that all life eventually has to come to an end…" as he said this he looked at Tigress, her eyes showing confusion while his were sad. "But he made an exception, and that's when he told me about the Prophecy. He told me about the Darkness rising and how two lights would need to rise to stand against it." Shifu then asked Po. "And did he by any chance tell you just who these lights are supposed to be?" Po nodded his head as he continued. "He did…he told me that the first of these lights was to be me…and the other one…" as Po's gaze fell upon Tigress. Her eyes widened as she began to realize what Po was going to say. "The second Light to stand by my side…and face this Darkness…is Tigress."

All eyes fell upon Tigress but she only had eyes for Po. As he looked at her and she looked at him she only said "Me?" Po nodded. "It was why Gladir allowed me to save you at all…because he believes you and me share this destiny Tigress." Tigress was at a loss for words but it was Shifu who spoke. "Why did you not say something before Po? You should have said something!" Po turned to Shifu a look of guilt on his face. "Shifu, I admit I wasn't crazy about saying something in the beginning. I mean, I just got Tigress back, and I just couldn't bring myself to tell her that we were going to be destined to go out on another life threatening mission, to save the entire world for crying out loud." Tigress then spoke again. "You still shouldn't have kept this from us Po, from me; we have a right to know these things." Po then looked at Tigress. "Tigress you're right. But when I was ready to say something I wasn't allowed to…" Tigress then looked at Po eyes narrowed "What do you mean Po?"

Gladir then spoke out to Po. "Po, perhaps you should let me explain from here…" Po turned to the dragon and asked "Can you do that?" his friends looked like Po was going crazy. But Shifu asked. "Po…is Gladir here right now?" But Po ignored him. Gladir then said. "I can speak through you, but only if you allow me to…" Po then nodded his head saying "Okay…go for it." As Po closed his eyes He began to feel Gladir merge with his psyche, until it felt as though Po was being placed into the back of his own mind yet he was still aware of what was going on. As the others watched Shifu asked "Po?" when the Panda turned around his eyes were closed. But when they opened instead of eyes of Jade the masters were faced with eyes of Gold, as a deep and powerful voice came from the pandas lips. "The Dragon Warrior has allowed me a moment to explain my actions to you all." The warriors gasped as Tigress stepped forward "Who are you!? What have you done with Po!?" but Shifu brought an arm out front stopping her, his eyes never leaving the Panda. Gladir then addressed the Tiger. "I assure you Master Tigress, Po is quite safe, as I said, he has allowed me the opportunity to speak with you all through him so that I may explain why I would not allow him to reveal his knowledge of the prophecy." Tigress relaxed a little but remained vigilant.

"It is true that I revealed to Po the prophecy of the rising Darkness, and in the beginning I felt I was safe in doing so because he did not want to say anything. But as the two of you grew closer he began to feel that he didn't want to keep the secret from you, yet I asked him to remain silent about it all the same and here is why." The warriors remained quiet as the Dragon spoke through Po, his gaze focused on Tigress. "Master Tigress, though I have seen it that you are indeed the second light in my visions, what I have not seen is HOW you become the second light. As you are now…I'm afraid that if you were to have ventured off to stop this threat in an attempt to prevent it, you're death would, without a doubt, be imminent and your world doomed. And I am not about to allow this Panda to feel such loss…so early in his life."

Tigress's eyes widened as she allowed Gladir's words to sink in. she lowered her head as she thought about his words. Then she returned her gaze to the panda as he began to speak once again. "I have said all that I have intended to say. And I leave you all with this. The time has come for the two lights to venture out to stand up and face this Darkness. Though I cannot say for sure what the outcome will be…if my disciples have seen the Mark of Hei'an, then the time has indeed come." Crane then asked. "Your disciples?" Gladir turned to him and said. "The Order of the Golden Sun, I am its founder. I founded it to keep watch over this area while I traveled this world over the years to keep watch for this evil to return. Now, I must return your friend to you." As the panda stepped back he said to Tigress. "I can see why he loves you Master Tigress…you have a fire in your eyes unlike that which I haven't seen in a very long time." As Tigress pondered his words Gladir closed the panda's eyes and in a moment Gladir's golden eyes were replaced by Po's Jade orbs staring back at Tigress.

"Now THAT was awesome!" the panda exclaimed, as Master Shifu released a sigh and then addressed his students. "It is getting late; we will depart for the Village of the Full Moon in the morning. It will take us five days to reach the village on foot, so pack appropriately." His students bowed and went to pack for their upcoming journey. As Po walked up to Tigress he waited for her to say something. He was expecting her to yell at him or just walk away. After all he did keep a big secret from her. But instead he received a small smile as the Tiger took his hand in hers and the two left the Hall and headed over to the barracks.

Next Chapter up ASAP...

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