Act 2: The Dragon Warrior
Week 13: June:
The body: Welcome to the second trimester, Savior! This is usually the time when you as an upcoming mother feel your best. You are over the 'joy' of early pregnancy, and now have more energy. You will also begin to feel pregnant. Even though birth is months away, your breasts may already started on making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow. Your belly may be popping out a bit now as well. Women start showing at different times in their pregnancies so don't stress if you're not obviously pregnant, or if you look like you're in your 14th month. Your internal organs shift positions to make room for an expanding uterus, and your skin stretches to allow your bump to grow outward. As your uterus stretches, you may feel some abdominal achiness. This is called "round ligament pain". You're finally not just feeling pregnant - you're looking pregnant too! This will also be the time where that pirate of yours, along with the rest of your family will start to become more involved as the pregnancy becomes more real for them. Also, if you're still feeling tired, listen to your body, and rest!
The baby: Your baby's eyelids are fused shut to protect the eyes as they develop. The bones and skull are solidifying, and soon the ribs will start appearing. Your baby's intestines are finally right where you want them - in the belly and not poking out into the umbilical cord. Your baby's tooth sockets are all loaded and ready to pop out baby teeth six or seven months after baby is born. Also, the baby's vocal cords and larynx are completed now. Your baby is almost 3 inches long - the size of a chicken egg, and weighs nearly an ounce.
One trimester down, two more to go!
Valley of Peace, China:
The sunset created an mixture of the most beautiful colors imaginable. Yellow, orange, and purple painted the sky as the sun slowly disappeared behind the barrier of tall mountains, surrounding the great valley in the Chinese landscape.
A thousand years ago, this place was found by Master Wūguī Ling, in this realm known as Master Oogway.
After departing from his home in the Galápagos Islands, he had traveled the world to discover every country in the world. He had stood on a hill overlooking the valley here in China, and knew that he had found the place he would call home the rest of his life.
He had founded the Peace Village, and by now, it had become inherited by a good amount of people. Not too many, not too few. Among the newcomers, Oogway had found his one true love, and had slowly created a small family. One daughter who had now grown up, and had made her own family with a lovely husband, and two daughters.
In the early years, shortly after having found the valley, Oogway had planted the seed of a peach tree, his favorite tree. The tree now known as The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom stood on the top of Peach Tree Hill. Every day, by sunset, wearing his green cloak with a stylized yin-yang symbol, Oogway would go up here, and do his tai chi. From the hill, he could look down on his beloved village and out across the valley. His home, and the place he had sworn to protect from any danger, and harm.
Not far away from the hill, the Jade Palace stood. The palace was large, elaborately designed, and sacred. Standing on the top of Jade Mountain, it overlooked the Valley of Peace, and could be seen from hundreds of miles, and it was well known to be the symbol of justice, honor, and courage.
True to the name, the Jade Palace's roofs was colored deep in jade green. However, other colors such as blue, orange, yellow, and red also decorated the roofs, but to a lesser extent. While the main entrance was jade green as well, the pillars supporting the lower roof was red with golden dragons spiraling down them. Inside the palace the Hall of Warriors was found, which contained all the artifacts of past masters. The palace grounds contained an arena for public tournaments, a training hall with an outdoor training courtyard, student barracks, and a bell tower.
The Jade Palace served as the grand residence for the kung fu masters, and the students, and was owned by Oogway's earlier student and great old friend, Master Shifu.
Master Shifu overtook the position as Senior Master after Oogway had retired, and had been the trainer behind the famous Furious Five.
In all of the years, Oogway had accomplished many things. Both here in the valley, in China, and even outside of the country. This included the creation, and perfection of kung fu, the development of the Dragon Warrior legend.
The Dragon Warrior? You might ask.
Legend says that one, and only one would get the powers to be the Dragon Warrior. The title has been inherited from person to person. As one would fail to defeat the threat, another would take over. The power of the Dragon Warrior is said to be the most powerful source of light magic in all realms. In other realms, the title of the Dragon Warrior was also known as the Savior.
Storybrooke, at Emma's and Killian's:
A week had passed since the accident where Emma had fainted on Main Street. Since then she had spent two days in the hospital, and the rest of the week at home.
During the days, Emma had gotten a treatment by her husband and family that would have challenged if not beaten the level that a queen would be treated in the Enchanted Forest. If she as much as coughed, Killian would be there instantly, and it wasn't Killian, it was either her mother, father, or son would come running as if she was dying, and while Emma was a person who hated to be nursed, she had to admit that she had actually enjoyed relaxing and being taken care of.
It had almost made her forget about the whole situation with Mei, and the dreams about the Chinese people, and the bird. She was only reminded when she fell asleep and the dream would appear.
Maybe it was time to let people in on that. Whatever it meant, there was potential for it meaning danger was on it's way, and with her expecting her second, and Killian's first child, she was not going to take any risk. During her stay in the hospital, Dr. Whale had given her the first ultrasound with Killian by her side, and now sitting here on the couch with the photo from the scanning, and feeling the small bump on her stomach with the other hand, the feeling of responsibility hit her even harder
She wanted to tell them, or at least telling Killian, but she had a hard time figuring out how. She could still recall the disappointed, and somewhat angry faces of her family when she had told them about the visions of her death months ago, and how she had been forced to tell it. She didn't want to be in that situation again, and she knew that at some point she would be forced to tell them, and that they would be as disappointed as she had been on them last week when they told her about how they had held back information about Mei and her link to the robberies.
Still though, the past week had taken quite the toll on her, and she felt like she couldn't find the right time to tell them. The meeting with Mei had been postponed as well, and from what she could understand, Mei had done quite effort to ignore her, and her family. Apparently she would ignore Henry and Violet in school, and she had cancelled out on the meetings in the math group since the meeting at the station.
Emma felt the need to get up. She had been sitting here on the couch since she woke up. For the whole week 'travelling' from her bed to the couch in the living room had been her only way of 'exercise', and while she knew she should at least text Killian or her parents as they were out at either the harbor, the school, or the station, she wanted to be alone for a moment, and ever since she had escaped the tight up situation at the station last week, she could only think of one good place with the quiet enough atmosphere to think.
And with one flick of her hand, she was gone in a cloud of grey smoke.
Chinese village, Storybrooke:
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nolan, but if the Savior really wants to talk to us, she will have to show up on her own," and with that Jun closed the door firmly, completely ignoring David's slightly shocked expression.
David knew he had the authority to break in, but he knew that that would leave even more chaos than there already was. Emma had a few days ago mentioned that she had wanted to talk with Mei, but by both doctor's orders and her family's insisting she had not moved an inch from her home. David had thought of bringing Mei to her, but so far, no luck, this had been the second day in a row that Jun had refused to let him even come inside the house.
Giving up, he turned around and went to the car, and drove away.
Jun embraced herself as she could hear David knocking on the door, calling her, but she decided not to open again. While she knew that the Savior was indeed needed for the whole village, she couldn't forget the quite mean spirited way that her daughter had been rejected.
Burying her face in her hands, she sighed deeply. They really needed her, and if what her father had told her was true that the Savior was hearing the Nightingale then it meant that the possibility of them going home grew even bigger as they would have the much needed support to defeat their villain.
Collecting herself, she decided to check on her father, and make his tea while she was at it. While he was often sleeping at this time of day, and often asked to be alone at this point, she had a feeling that she should check up on him. While preparing the tea, Jin lost herself in her thoughts. She was indeed worried for him. More than she had ever been, and while the tea could withhold his coughing so long, she knew that the 'ingredient' they needed the most was locked away far, far away from here, and only one person could help them bring it back, and make it 'work' again.
After a few minutes, the tea was ready, and Jun took out a tray and placed the cup and teapot on it, and slowly went upstairs, careful not to trip or drop anything.
Entering her father's room she almost dropped the tray in shock as her eyes widened. The bed was empty. Placing the tray in the bedside table, she ran out to the hallway and knocked on the door to the bathroom.
"Father! Father! Are you in there?" She asked slightly panicked, praying that he was in there, but no answer. Fearing the worst, she slowly opened the door, but was yet again surprised to find the room completely empty for people.
Where could he be? Her father never left the house, heck, he didn't even knew the way to Main Street.
Hurrying downstairs, she opened the front door praying slightly that David hadn't left, but unfortunately, the Sheriff's wagon was gone.
Storybrooke Forest;
Just like last week, Emma now stood in the forest glade by the fallen trunk.
A wave of heavy dizziness hit her hard, and she had to sit down, and closed her eyes. Taking deep breathes, she began feeling more steady, and as she opened her eyes, she felt more fresh and clear again.
Standing up she decided to walk along the trail that she had been on last week. Smiling to herself as she passed the cave that had protected her from the rain, she decided to walk past it and further down the trails, at least she knew where she could hide if a rain storm would come.
As she walked along, she thought more deeply of how she would approach Mei. It wasn't rocket science that the girl probably was scared to death of her, and Emma knew she would have to be careful when going to her. It irritated her deeply that Mei had been so distant as Henry and Violet had described as she really wanted to know Mei's status.
Her thoughts was interrupted abruptly as she had now reached another forest glade, but this was indeed different. If different even could describe it;
In front of her the most beautiful tree stood. She couldn't make out what kind of tree, but that didn't seem to matter as the whole place had an atmosphere of a peacefulness and quietness that she couldn't remember having experienced any other place in Storybrooke or even the Enchanted Forest.
The tree before her was nothing like the pine woods surrounding the glade. It seemed to be somewhat 13 feet tall. The tree top was covered in pink flowers and petals was falling here and there from it, and the ground was covered in green moss around it. On the ground underneath the tree branches, a stone bench was placed. Beside the tree a small pond was spread out. The water was completely stilled and it created a beautiful reflection of the tree.
Nearing it, Emma could make out some kind of fruit hanging from it and as she came even closer, she could tell it was peaches. A peach tree!
Looking around, she took more in of the place. It was as if she had entered a completely other realm. A few minutes ago she had walked along a trail with ferns and high pine woods and now she stood her in this, yeah, magical place.
Silence filled the area. No birds, no wind or any other sound.
Turning back to the tree, Emma slowly reached out to grab one, when she was interrupted by a voice.
"Oh yes, the peach tree, the symbol of spring, and renewal, a gift from Mother Nature herself."
Slightly startled Emma turned around to see an elderly man walking towards her. Wearing a yellowish green robe, a green cloak, and a cone shaped, yellow straw hat, it was clear to her that he was Chinese. Using a slightly two forked wooden staff he slowly neared her.
'Who is he? And where did he come from?' She asked herself as she eyed the man confused, trying to remember seeing him before, but nothing came in her mind.
"Who are you?" She asked trying not to sound too insecure, and stepped back slightly.
The elderly man just smiled at her and shook his head. "Easy there, child, I'm not here to cause any harm," he spoke calmly, and closed the distance so he was now standing by her.
"I see you found my secret place. Not even my family know about this," he spoke and used the staff as a support to sit down on the stone bench. "I come here every afternoon to connect with nature," he continued, ignoring Emma's confused stare and kept his gaze out on the pond. "My strength is not what it used to be. I am an old turtle after all, or that is what my granddaughter used to call me in her younger years," he chuckled, and finally turned his gaze towards Emma.
"You seem to have a lot in your mind, child," he commented and patted the empty seat beside him for Emma to sit down. Emma kept standing on her spot though, not completely sure if she could trust this man.
"I sense your doubt. It's quite alright. You can trust in good old Wūguī here," he calmly stated, and slowly, Emma neared the man. Wūguī. She had never heard of anyone by that name. Not even from Henry's book could she recall having heard of anyone named Wūguī.
"You remind me quite a lot of another young spirit. Though he had other ways to show it, he was quite insecure as well," Wūguī told while watching the younger woman as she slowly sat down by him, clearly stiff in her body language.
Wūguī had met countless of people through his thousand years of living, and he could always feel when an indeed special soul was nearby and there was no doubt that the woman beside him was one of them. No wonder that destiny had picked her out to be the new Dragon Warrior. Though, it was also clear to him that her insecurity towards him came from a life filled with betrayal and being hurt by those that was supposed to care for her.
"So, you come here everyday?" Emma finally gathered herself enough to ask and gazed around once again. This place was stunning, but yet so out of place from the other parts in the forest.
"That I do, indeed, but please, keep it between the two of us. So far those back at home doesn't know," he whispered holding his hand up to his mouth on one side as if others were listening to their conversation.
"As I said, I'm not the young fellow I used to be, and the family is too worried to leave me be for a long time, so I often use sleeping as a cover," he told Emma, who smirked slightly by the elder man's trick. She used to do that too when she would run away from bad foster homes in her younger years.
Suddenly the peace and quiet was interrupted by Emma's phone. At least she had brought it with her this time. Standing up, she took the device out, and smiled when she saw her husband's picture on the screen. Her heart dropped though when she also noticed the time, gosh, she had been gone for hours. He must have been worried sick!
"It's me," she greeted after tapping the green button and taking the phone to her hears.
"Emma! Oh gosh, where are you?" Came the slightly desperate voice from her pirate.
"I'm out in the woods. I had to get out for some fresh air, I'm sorry, I didn't mind the time," she apologized honestly, and sighed a little.
"It's okay, love. I just worried that something happened to you. I just came home hours ago, and neither your parents or Henry had seen you, or heard from you," he explained, and Emma immediately felt even more guilt by knowing that the rest of her family knew about her 'disappearance' too.
"Listen, Emma, your father just got a call from Jun Ling, you know, Mei's mother. Her father is missing, and she told us that he's very sick, and he needs to get home immediately," Killian continued, and Emma glanced at Wūguī, and smiled to herself, "any description of that elderly man?" She asked out loud, and had to fight to hide her laugh as Wūguī looked up at her.
"Yeah ok...I'll look for him out here...Okay, see you at the station, love you," she finished off and put the phone back in her pocket.
"I think your family has discovered your fake-sleeping lie," she smirked at him, and Wūguī laughed back. "It seems so. Then I guess you found me," he laughed and spread out his arms.
"So, are you going to go home by yourself or?" She began slowly, but stopped when Wūguī waved his hand at her. "Naah, I will go home soon, it's not so far away, you can go back to your family" he shrugged off, and kept sitting on the bench.
"What about your family? Your daughter seems to be worried about you," Emma wondered out loud, crossing her arms.
"She is indeed, but that will be my burden to carry, not yours. I will be home soon, don't worry," he assured her, and Emma only nodded and was about to walk towards the path that had let her to this place.
"Same time tomorrow?" Wūguī asked out loud, making Emma stop abruptly in her pace and turned her gaze towards the man who still sat on the bench, back facing her.
"I want to show you something," he told her, and turned his neck to face her.
Emma stood still for a moment, considering what to do. The man seemed trust worthy but mysterious at the same time. Biting lightly at her inner cheek, she nodded at him, "okay, same time tomorrow," she agreed, and was about to turn around and walk away again when Wūguī's voice once again stopped her.
"Please keep this place to yourself will you? Let it be our little secret," he whispered to her and held his forefinger up to his mouth while shushing.
Once again, Emma only nodded, and this time there was no interruption as she walked out of the now 'secret place'.
As Emma disappeared out of sight, Wūguī turned his gaze up at his peach tree. The peach tree was of the very same sapling from his old and missed home.
Standing up, he slowly began focusing on his breath and began doing his tai chi movements. While doing his coordinated movements and focusing on his breath and inner self, he was interrupted when the corner of his eye caught something white.
While eying the figure that had landed on the small pond, he kept doing his movements by standing on one leg and slowly stretching the other out and slowly putting it down on the ground while stretching his arm out while the other hand held onto his staff for balance.
"I see, you have found the place too, how convenient," he commented to the mute swan who was now gliding across the water.
The swan turned towards him, and slowly swam towards him.
Sensing it was not threatening, Wūguī kept on focusing, but still had an eye on the the fowl.
The bird now raised up and flapped its wings out in the air before collecting them again as if it wanted to say something to him.
Wūguī chuckled a little, "you know more than I do, don't you?" He asked the swan and stopped his movements to watch the white creature.
The bird turned its gaze towards him, but spread out its wings and was in the air again, flying away from the spot.
Storybrooke, the station, later:
Emma had just appeared outside of the station, and had to yet again fight off the dizziness hitting her before she went inside.
"Emma! There you are," her father greeted her as she went inside.
Both him, and Killian was sitting by the desks in the open area of the station, and both stood up as she walked in.
She smiled as she was greeted with both hugs and kisses from both men, and she had to fight not to roll her eyes as they guided her to the couch to sit down.
"Guys, I'm fine, I'm sorry for worrying you, but seriously, I just needed to get out, and wasn't think about time," she told them, and tried to sound firm enough for them to understand this, but had to smile slightly as she realized that the 'treatment' she was getting now was as adorable as it was annoying, and when a hot cup of coffee was handed to her, she sighed slightly, but thanked for the drink, and began sipping at it.
"I guess by you coming here alone, you didn't find our missing person," David commented as both he and Killian stood up now that the 'damsel in slight, or no distress' was saved and was sitting put on the couch.
Emma only shook her head, and was about to suggest going out to search for him, or in her case, going out to the 'secret place' to see if he had gone home or not, when the station's mobile ringtone was heard from the closed of office.
Killian hurried into the room, and got the phone, and though neither Emma, or David could hear the conversation clearly, they could tell that it was good news by Killian's relieved expression.
"That was Jun, apparently her father had went out for a walk, but he is home now," Killian told them after hanging up as he walked towards them with the phone in his hand.
"Oh, that's a relief, I don't think I would be able to handle one more trip in the woods," Emma spoke out loud as she leaned back and stretched her arms out.
"You wouldn't have been allowed to anyway," David commented, and Emma only rolled her eyes slightly by his answer.
"Well, what do you say that we call it for today and go home to the farm, I will take the shift tonight and take the phone," David announced and took the phone from Killian's hand, and put in his pocket, "and if the rumors are true, dinner should be of roasted chicken," David announced and clapped his hands together and smiled as both daughter and son-in-law nodded happily, and all three got up and left.
Charming's Farm, night:
By the time dinner had been consumed and all the dishes had been done, it was quite dark outside, even for June.
Snow had offered both Emma, and Killian to stay overnight, and they had both agreed as that had allowed for Killian and David to watch tonight's game of hockey was on screen, and both men sat with beer and cheered on the favorite team.
Emma, and Snow was sitting by the couch and looked at each other each time the boys would either cheer or shout out at the tv screen. Snow smiled to herself as she could feel Emma leaning more and more against her, but she knew that if Emma fell asleep on her now, it would be quite the challenge to get up and check on Neal without waking her up.
"Go to bed, sweetheart," she whispered at her daughter and placed a light kiss on Emma's forehead.
Only nodding slightly, Emma got up slowly and went to kiss her husband goodnight before she headed up to their room. Changing to her tank top which now felt more tight because of her small bump, and brushing her teeth all seemed to be in one big haze as she laid down on her side of the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
That night, the dream came again, or so she thought;
The sky above her was a beautiful sunset, gradient with orange, pink, purple and yellow. In front of her a beautiful, and big Chinese palace stood, or wait, no! There was no palace in front of her. Instead, she was standing on a hill. Her eyes widened as she turned around beside her a tree stood. A tree with pink flowers covering its top, and with fruits hanging from its thinner branches. A peach tree. Sinking slowly, she turned around and her eyes was met by the most beautiful sight. A valley stretching across as far as her eyes could see. Mountains surrounded the place. Looking down she spotted a village. Turning back again towards the tree, something else caught her eye. Further away from where she stood she could the familiar jade green palace standing. So she was in the same area, but at a different spot, she figured.
"This is my home, Dragon Warrior," a voice suddenly spoke, making her jump slightly. Looking around for the source she was confused by seeing that no one was there. The voice was familiar though as if she had heard it before somewhere, but before she could wonder more about who the voice belonged to, and what it meant by 'Dragon Warrior', as she had heard that title in the other dreams, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.
Turning her gaze toward it, her eyes widened slightly when she saw a small brownish bird sitting on one of the branches, looking down at her. There was no doubt. This was the same bird from her other dreams.
The small creature switched its gaze from her and out at the horisont and opened its beak.
Now the most beautiful and calming singing came from the small creature, and Emma closed her eyes as the song seemed to reach inside her, and she could feel herself relaxing in a way she had never experienced.
The song seemed to reach out across the valley, and soon the whole area echoed the song.
But then the dream took a turn to something far less pleasant;
Like a scenery change at a theatre or in a movie, suddenly everything faded into black, and when faded out again, Emma was now standing facing a new area.
It was closed off by thick, and grey walls with four watch-towers by each corner. Behind her, the area was closed off by a heavy, decorated entrance The floor was of stone tiles. Everything seemed to be only grey in color, except for the air which was blood red. Turning around, her eyes widened as she a traditional Chinese sky tower with about 10 stories with beautiful carvings on each floor.
The tower was placed on at least three concrete platforms. The one in the middle being the biggest, and the platforms made the tower go even higher.
The place was completely empty. No people around. No guards. No sounds.
Something told her to go nearer it, and slowly Emma made her way along the tiled pathway, and up towards the entrance. As she finally reached the heavy and closed off entrance, Emma gazed back for a moment. Now that she was even higher up, she could sense more of the area around her. It seemed more metropolized than what she remembered, and she could make out towers in the horisont here and there, but none of them as tall as the one she was about to see if she could climb.
Reaching out for the red, heavy, wooden door handle she glanced at the carvings on it. Retreating her hand, she stepped back a few steps to get a better look.
The carvings was of a beautiful peacock. She gazed into the eyes of the carved bird, and suddenly the bird's eyes lit up in a strong red color, and before she could react the peacock released itself from the carving and flew right into her.
Emma jerked up from her lying position with wide eyes. Looking around she could make out that she was in her room in her parent's farmhouse and that Killian was in deep sleep beside her.
Panting heavily, Emma ran her hand across her forehead. She could feel sweat on her skin, but she couldn't tell if it was from the dream or the warmth of a summer night.
"Emma, love?" A voice whispered horsley. A hand touched her back, and Emma jumped slightly.
"Hey, hey, what's going on?" Killian asked as he sat up more. He had been roused by Emma's sudden movement in the bed, and by the way she was looking and sounding it was clear to him that she had been haunted by a nightmare of some sort.
"Shh, shh," he whispered as he gathered her in his arms, and rubbed his good hand up and down her back.
Slowly but surely Emma could feel herself calming down, and she leaned her head back on Killian's chest, relieved by the feeling of safeness she got from him.
While Killian wanted to know what she had been dreaming of, he could also feel that the exhaustion was creeping up on Emma again, and he decided to let her sleep in again here in his arms.
Closing her eyes, Emma could feel herself drift of to sleep again, but not before a now familiar birdsong was heard from far, far away.