Chapter 2 : The Successors

100 Years Later

Tigress was in a place she didn't recognize. The place looked so ancient and unfamiliar. But she was sure she was still in part of China.

A dragon and a tiger appeared. Both were fighting in front of her. But it seemed that they didn't notice at Tigress. Even, they kept fighting as if there was no any person around them.

Both The dragon and the tiger were great fighters. But, the dragon was more powerful. He succeed to kill the tiger only by bursting out fire from his mouth, which engulfed his opponent's body alive. After the battle ended, the dragon stared at Tigress, but he didn't do anything to her.

Tigress stepped forth closer to that dragon. In the rest of her life, she had never seen any dragon before. Most people believed that dragon wasn't real but only a myth. But wee folk believed that dragon did really exist. And this time was her very first time to see a dragon though it was only in her dream.

Before she could touch that dragon, the situation around her changed rapidly. Sky turned into dark and land turned into red. Wind came and blew everything. Tigress felt uptight and she stepped back slowly. Suddenly, the dragon transformed into a giant panda she knew best.

"Po?"

Po only watched Tigress with his unusual gaze. There was something different with this Po. He seemed scary and terrible as if he was facing someone he hated much.

"You are China's enemy. All enemies must be destroyed," that was the thing Tigress hear from that panda's mouth, but that voice didn't belong to Po.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I am destined to be a Dragon Warrior not only to defeat Tai Lung. A dragon sent me to this world to kill you."

"No. You won't."

"I will."

Po grabbed Tigress by the neck and choked her strongly.

"Po… let go off me…," Tigress struggled. "It's me… Tigress."

"I know you. You are my archenemy and my major task is to kill you. China will be safe without you."

Po unleashed his claw and all of a sudden, he stabbed her neck.

"NO!"

Tigress woke up from her sleep, panting because of that nightmare. For a few seconds, she managed to control herself.

Someone opened the door. Viper, her snake friend, entered the room.

"Tigress. Are you okay? I heard a scream."

"I'm okay," Tigress answered, trying to look calm outside.

"Well then. I was worried. If you're just fine, then wake up. You're up late."

"I'm 'what'?" Tigress asked in surprise. She got up quickly and opened the window. The sunlight shot directly into her eyes and it made her blinked several times. "Why didn't you wake me up early?"

"Master Shifu forbade us. He told us to not wake you up because he knows you barely sleep. Gee, it's weird. This is my first time to see you up late. Even Po was up earlier than you."

"Po?" upon hearing Po's name, Tigress recalled her nightmare. That panda killed her. Remembering that, she felt a bit fear even though it was just a dream.

'Don't worry, Tigress,' she calmed herself. 'It was just a stupid dream. He won't hurt me'.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Viper as she watched her friend stare blankly. "Come on. Let's go to kitchen before Po eat your breakfast."

Tigress followed Viper went out of her room to kitchen. When they both arrived, the boys had already been in there. They were sitting on chairs as they enjoyed their breakfast.

"Look who's finally decided to wake up," said Mantis when he saw the girls.

"I never thought you would up late, Tigress," Crane commented.

Tigress didn't respond to their opinions. She pulled out a chair and sat down, staring at Po that was sitting opposite to her. That panda looked disturbed about something. He even didn't realize Tigress' arrival. Usually, he was the first one to greet her in every morning.

Tigress cleared her throat to get Po's attention. "Good morning."

"Hi Tigress," Po greeted her back weakly.

"Thinking about something?"

Po smiled bnitterly. "Yeah. You wouldn't like to hear it."

"Maybe I can help."

"Po had a nightmare last night," Monkey answered it.

"Ah… really? What nightmare?"

"Really bad and horrible."

"I know nightmare must be bad and horrible but how horrible is yours?"

"As horrible as when you failed to be Dragon Warrior."

"Just tell me what were you dreaming about."

"I killed you."

Tigress looked at Po with her scarlet eyes in shock. "You…killed me?"

Po nodded. "It was the worst nightmare I have ever got. I felt different, as if I wasn't myself. There, I was the mighty dragon that was fighting against a tiger to protect China. When the battle ended, I saw you and I sensed my duty hadn't been completed yet before I killed you."

Tigress could hear her heart beating fast. Po's nightmare exactly was the same with hers. Is this a sign? But a sign of what?

"Tigress?" Po called her when he saw Tigress was only silent.

"Yes?"

"What's wrong? Oh, I knew it! I shouldn't have told you about that dream."

"What are you thinking, Po?" Monkey asked out of curious. "Thinking you scared her only with that nightmare? Impossible."

"That's right," Crane chimed in. "It's just a dream and will not be real. Anyway, it's impossible if you kill Tigress in the future."

"Of course I won't do that," Po said. But who knows ; The crazy things always happen to Po and it also always be started everytime he gets a crazy vision. Just like when he got a dream about being a great warrior and fought alongside The Furious Five and the next morning, he was chosen Tha Dragon Warrior. Years later, he got a vision about his mother and in the same day, he was sent to Gongmen City on a mission to save China.

And now, he saw himself killing Tigress in his dream.

Po and The Furious Five continued their breakfast. Tigress didn't touch her food. She wasn't in mood to eat.

.

~0~0~TLoTDaTT~0~0~

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Darknest Land,

Far away from The Valley of Peace, right ontop of a hill, there was an enormous building, called Khan Palace. The palace's name was taken from a name of a leader from one thousand years ago. The palace was twice bigger than The Jade Palace. Around that building, there were many small houses and marketpalce with some activities by its residents. The only thing what made Darknest Land unique was because it was inhabited only by tigers.

Emperor Tiger, that no other than the thirteenth generation of Khan, was sitting on his throne in a huge hall. His wife, called Empress San sat beside him. They both were wearing white silk robe with some golden flower pattern. Not long after that, an another tiger that was similar (but younger) to both of the emperor and empress came in, entering the hall. He bowed in respect.

"Father. You summoned me?"

"Yes." The emperor said. "I'm highly sure you did know what I would tell you, Yuan Sheng."

"Is this about reincarnation of Khan?" the prince asked again.

"Correct." The emperor stood up. "It had been twenty five years passed since the birth of reincarnation of Khan. I did not expect 'they both' hid the birth of their daughter- reincarnation of my ancestor- from me and now no one knows where they are. I'm afraid The Dragon Warrior that Long spoke of will appear to kill her. We must find her before The Dragon Warrior does."

"What do you want me to do, Father?"

"I thought you knew it already."

"Forgive me, Father. But there are so much things you told me to do."

"Apologise is accepted. You knew that reincarnation of Khan is our only hope to get our glorious back. Without her, we cannot fulfill Khan's ambition." Emperor Tiger glanced at the young tiger. "This year, you're twenty eight, aren't you?"

"Yes father."

"There is still twenty years left for you to become the next emperor."

"Father, can I say something?" asked prince Yuan Sheng again.

"Just say it, Son."

"Father. Actually, I can read where this talk is going. You want me to have a role to find reincarnation of Khan back to us, am I right?"

"That's what I'm thinking. This is a chance for you to gain honor for this family since the accident you have."

The prince stared at his legs for a moment. His fingers touched them. They were stiff. They were not real legs. "Then allow me to travel in order to find her. I would be happy to do it for you, for our people and for our ancestor."

"I didn't say you have to be wandering out of Darknest Land."

"I know, Father. But I think I need to do this. I'm the future emperor and I want to do something for our land."

"I'm happy the way you think. But you're a prince and it will be too dangerous for you since you're disabled. Take ten soldiers to guard you."

"I think I don't need any of them to protect me, Father. Let me do this by myself. Believe me, I can take care of myself."

Empress San stood up and came closer to her son. "I'm proud of you. You grew up faster than I thought."

"Thank you, Mother."