Chapter 19
After the honeymoon, I soon discovered what was in store for me. Viper was the first to see the signs of Niki's condition, but soon enough they were clear to all of us. Frequent vomiting, eating non-stop yet never feeling satisfied as if she wasn't eating at all, and it was evident as the bulge in her stomach grew. Over the months it got harder for her to move. I was worried for her health, but one day Viper pulled me aside to talk.
"It's about Niki" She said
"Do you know what's wrong with her?" I asked
"Yes" Viper replied
"Tell me" I commanded. She remained silent. "Viper?"
"Fisk, she's pregnant!"
Over the next few months the baby grew, and then was born. Viper aided in the delivery while I waited outside the room as requested by Viper and okayed by Niki. After what seemed like hours of hearing Niki scream and Viper shout out commands, I was invited back into the room to meet my new daughter. I walked into the room and saw Niki holding her. The baby's snout wasn't as long as Niki's, but not as short as mine, and her fur was snow white and freshly cleaned by the nurses who normally work in the palace infirmary. Her eyes were open, which had the nurses astonished, and she was looking right up at her mother. Tears were still falling from Niki's eyes as she looked at me.
"Come meet your new daughter" she said
As I got closer, Niki extended the baby in my direction. Nervously I took her in my arms, and her gaze turned to me.
"Hey baby girl. I'm your daddy" I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes. I looked at Niki, "What should we name her?"
"You decide…you're better with names" She replied
I looked down at the baby, and she looked up at me, and the color of her eyes seemed never-ending. It was as if I was looking into the night sky and it just shimmered with endless stars lighting up the entire universe.
"Star…her name will be Star"
"I'm coming! I heard the screaming and thought you might need my awesome-" *Thud* "Owe! What happened?" Po said as he came running into the medical building, running into one of the support beams on the way in. He got his answers as soon as he walked in the door, first looking at the blood covered towels, then at Niki, then me, then the baby. He seemed kind of sick at the sight, "Oh, you…had your baby…you…" *Thump*
The ground shook as Po fell, passing out on sight of all the blood. This made everyone laugh, even in the time we were in. Tigress, who was silent the entire time leaning against the back wall, walked over and rolled Po out of the room, returning after a few minutes, followed by Sky entering the room. For the longest time he just stood and stared, but finally spoke.
"She's beautiful" he said
When I heard his voice, it brought my thoughts to one thing.
"Can you tell if she's a Xing?" I asked
Everyone's attention was grabbed, knowing what a warrior she could become if she was.
"It's too soon. No powers awaken this early in a Xing's life. Be patient, the time will come. Train her, both of you, and prepare her for if it does happen. Make her ready" He replied, looking both of us dead in the eyes
Without words, Niki and I nodded, then looked down at Star, who was switching glances between us. It seemed she already had a connection with us…only by a look in her eyes.
Ten years later…
I was already awake that morning. I'd awakened to the sound of my father shuffling around in bed. Today was my tenth birthday, a day my mother and father seemed to be fearing, anticipating, and dreading for as long as I could remember for reasons they never told me. I'd made my way up to the Sacred Peach Tree, located at one of the highest points of the Jade Palace, home of the Furious Five, said to be the greatest warriors of their time, but they never impressed me. They could never beat my father, and I'd seen them spar all against him at once. The only warrior who seemed great in the palace was someone who seemed to be the wisest in the valley. I'd never had a long talk with him, but he guided me through everything I did with a simple metaphor for each lesson.
His name was Sky. An old tiger who couldn't be beaten by even Shifu, and was the only one who could ever match my father. Though neither of them were as close to me as Tigress. Our relationship began as her getting me out of trouble. I was a free spirit, so I would often wonder into the bamboo forest alone to see what I could find, and often found trouble. Tigress was always watching me from a distance, though, and ended up saving me then scolding me about my stupidity. But even though she seemed a little too strict, she became like a big sister to me, which, I must say, made viper quite jealous. Tigress was the one who taught me my first few lessons in Kung Fu before being stopped by my father, who said it was too dangerous.
So anyways, I'd gone up to the Peach Tree before sunrise to meditate and my parents' alertness. I couldn't find an explanation to it, and was extremely confused.
"Up so early little one?" I heard behind me
I turned around to see Shifu, standing by the trunk of the tree, looking at me questioningly.
"Yes master, my father is a noisy sleeper and woke me" I lied
"You're a clever liar, little one, but I sense in you much confusion. What is bothering you?" He asked, taking a few steps toward me
"It's my parents. They seemed to be dreading the day I turn ten, and never told me why. Now I'm ten and haven't got a clue what's going to happen" I replied
"Well, I can't tell you the reason why they've been dreading today, because that's something they must tell you. But I will say that today is when you decide just how important your father has been to China and the entire world. Be patient and you will discover something but a chosen few discover in their lifetime" He finished, then began to walk away, but stopped. "Oh, and happy birthday, Star"
End of Part 2
So, here is the second leg, completed. Let me clear some things up: Yes, America was in the 21st century, I don't know what I was thinking but that's how it is. I think it was because I sucked at history class, but I'm not entirely sure. And don't ask me how the actual cast of KFP stays young as the generations of my characters pass, I have no idea. Anyways, I'll post the third and final leg to this story when I have completed it. You can either read along with it on its column which I update chapter-by-chapter, or wait for it to be completely posted here. Either way, thank you!
