Hello guys and welcome to the second chapter of my remake of Dark apprentice, I hope you enjoy Reading it as I enjoy writing it, but enough talk let's get into the story, and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think.

Arc 1 chapter 2: Painful memories

It was a nice day at the valley of peace, and the merchants of the valley where busy trying to earn their daily rewards for their efforts, but they were unaware that there was a wolf roaming around to find his next victim. Akashi was walking through the streets of the valley looking around for someone vulnerable enough to steal something from him, the white and black wolf placed his hands on his pockets and whispered. "Hey Kaze, can you find any good prey here."

And when Akashi said those words, the shadow below him started moving around the merchant's stands looking for something and when he found a merchant pig holding a big bag of money her returned to Akashi. When the shadow returned to Akashi, the wolf smiled and whispered. "I see, I fat pig with a fat prize."

Akashi walked towards the merchant pig and glared at the bag of coins he was holding, so he kicked a pile of pots beside the pig distracting the poor merchant and giving the wolf the perfect opportunity to snatch the bag of coins and run away. The pig saw Akashi when he took his bag of coins and called some guards that went after the wolf.

Akashi noticed this and ran away from the guards, trying to lose them, but the guards where still behind his tail. Akashi growled when he noticed the guards approaching him, so he ran in all four and tried to block the guard's path with some stands, but the rhinos easily knocked the stands with their horns. Akashi tried to gain speed, but still he was too slow so he shouted. "Kaze, I need more speed."

Then Akashi's paws where engulfed on darkness, somehow giving him more speed, but then two guards appeared in front of the wolf to stop him from once and for all, but the young thief engulfed himself on darkness and knocked the guards off his way. Akashi stopped and turned around to see the guards still following him, and realized that his dark powers where back and where ready to fight.

Akashi clutched his fists and waited for the guards to get near him, and when the first rhino approached the young wolf, he grabbed the guard by the horn and slammed him on the ground with all his strengths. Akashi glared at the guards as they surrounded him and pointed their spears at the black wolf, but he felt no fear, since his dark aura was all around him. Akashi took one spear and lifted the guard with it, and then threw him to another guard, Akashi was in a rage, so he tried to summon the dark creature within him, but when it appeared, it faded away.

Akashi looked at the bracelet's Master Shifu placed on him the other night, so he growled in anger and tried to take the bracelets off, but it was impossible. Akashi was so distracted with the bracelets he didn't noticed one of the guards sneaking behind him ready to take him down with a hammer, but the young wolf noticed him and jumped away from the harm, and disappeared with a smoke bomb. The rhino guard looked around searching for Akashi but didn't found him anywhere, and then from nowhere the black wolf appeared behind the rhino and delivered a powerful kick on his back, sending the guard flying to a nearby wall.

Akashi cracked his neck as many other guards appeared ready to fight him, the young wolf smiled as the rhinos ran towards him, so he jumped over them. Akashi landed over one of the rhinos slamming him on the ground, and then he blocked some blows from another guard, and proceeded to punch him directly on the face. Akashi noticed one of the guards sneaking behind him and trying to hit him with a hammer, but the smart wolf evaded it and jumped over the hammer, so the guard tried lifting the hammer sending Akashi to the air, but the young fighter flipped in the air and impacted the ground with his fist creating a wave of dark energy that knocked most of the guards. Akashi noticed one guard left so he rushed towards him ready to knock him with a single punch, but at the last moment.

"Stop!"

Akashi stopped at the last moment, inches away from the guard, causing him to faint and fall down to the ground. Akashi sighed as he shook off the dust from his clothes and said. "I was just getting to the best part."

Akashi walked away only to find Tigress on top of the roof observing the whole fight. "It was a nice test, but you still lack of control and balance, if those rhinos know how to fight they could have easily beat you."

Akashi sighed and placed his hand behind his head and replied. "I beat them didn't I, why are you scolding me."

Tigress sighed heavily and said. "First, you were not allowed to do this little exhibition of yours to prove how strong you are, second you stole something isn't yours." Tigress then took the bag of many Akashi stole and gave it back to the confused merchant pig.

Akashi scratched the back of his head and said. "I had to attract the guards somehow, and that was a good way to do it, anyway, what's the next thing on the agenda."

Tigress shook her head from one side to another and replied. "Train, you really need to learn how to fight someone without your dark aura, but this time you will fight me."

Akashi chuckled slightly and said. "Last time I remember I beat you easily."

"We will see how you will do this time." Tigress answered hitting Akashi slightly in the head.

Back at the jade palace

Akashi was sparring with Tigress, but this time he was having a harsh time trying to beat the tiger master, Tigress was kicking Akashi's tail this time and did it with no mercy. Akashi tried to evade the master, but she was fast as him and managed to deliver a powerful punch to Akashi's stomach, leaving the poor wolf breathless. Akashi tried to stand, but the master turned around and delivered a powerful kick to his face.

Akashi panted heavily trying to regain his strength but it was useless. "I thought I was just student, why are you trying to kill me."

"An enemy will no doubt on killing you, you must fight like if your life depends on it, even if it's just training." Tigress said trying to deliver a roundhouse kick, but Akashi managed to block it.

"You got it." The young student said grabbing Tigress leg and throwing her to a nearby wall. Tigress noticed the boy's renovated strengths and flipped on the air landing over the wall with her feet and darting towards Akashi, but Akashi jumped over her and landed on her back, then he jumped off her and slammed her on the ground. Akashi landed over the roof and targeted Tigress on the ground, so he used all his strengths to send himself soaring towards her and impacted the ground right on front of Tigress causing a wave of darkness to knocker. The tigress master was impressed on Akashi's techniques, but she knew he was still lacking on control so she took that as an advantage, and rushed towards him delivering many hits with her fists, and finally delivering a powerful uppercut that lifted Akashi off the ground, and sending him to a wall with her devastating double palm hit.

Tigress panted heavily proving her point on Akashi. "I told you, you still lack of control, you really need to improve."

Akashi stood up, speechless looking to the ground, and then he punched a wall breaking it and shouting. "All this years and I'm still weak!" Akashi clutched his fist while crying slightly and then turned to Tigress.

Tigress Akashi's face of hate and despair, and realized that was the same face she had when she was at the orphanage. Tigress tried to walk towards Akashi to calm him down, but the enraged wolf turned away and ran far away from the palace. Akashi tried to go after him, but master Shifu stopped her with his cane and said. "Leave him; he needs some time with his thoughts."

Tigress stood there worried about Akashi and what he might do, but she needed to obey her master's orders so she followed everyone to the kitchen. Several hours passed without signs of Akashi and master Tigress was starting to feel worried for him, and couldn't stop thinking that it might be all her fault.

"Maybe, I shouldn't have beaten him so hard." Tigress said blaming herself.

Po stood up from his chair and said. "Don't blame yourself Tigress that boy is a bad influence, he is full of hate and despair, and he is no good for those around him."

Tigress felt enraged instead of feeling better and shouted to Po. "Hate and despair, how could you possibly know how he feels Po, you don't know what's to feel reject and alone, the fact that someone is harsh like him doesn't mean he is evil."

"Po, and how do you know he is not evil." Po asked Tigress trying to bring her to her senses.

Tigress breathed deeply and shouted. "Because I know what's to be alone!"

Everyone stood there in silence without saying any word, Tigress rage was then changed by sadness from her memories at the Bao Gu. Po then noticed Tigress crying so he hugged her to calm her down, Tigress felt Po's hug and couldn't do anything else but cry over his shoulder. The room has filled with silence until a knock could be heard from the main entrance, so Master Shifu walked towards to the door and opened it only to find and old female wolf standing there.

Master Shifu raised an eyebrow when he saw the old female wolf, and asked. "Excuse me, can we help you."

The old she wolf looked at Master Shifu and replied. "Indeed you can, I'm looking for a young boy, his name is Akashi Zai Okami, and I heard he was training in this place."

"I'm afraid he left, and we have no clue where he can be." Master Shifu replied to the old lady.

The old lady sighed in defeat and said. "I'm sorry for intruding like this, my name is lady Rei."

Tigress was really confused why that lady was looking for Akashi and asked her. "Excuse me, why are you looking for Akashi."

Lady Rei turned to Tigress and replied. "I'm the guardian of that boy, but he is always escaping from me, he is always moving from place to place."

"So you say Akashi have been in many places." Viper said intruding the conversation.

"Indeed, he has been in Mongol, Japan, Korea, and now he is here in China, and I most find him before he travels to another place." Lady Rei replied to the Master while turning around and walking away, but Tigress stopped.

"Excuse me Lady Rei, but can you tell us about Akashi, maybe we can track where he went if we know a little about him." Tigress asked the old lady hoping it might give her the answer of where is Akashi.

Lady Rei sighed heavily and replied. "That boy has a really sad past, since he was a little baby until now; let me tell you about him."

Lady Rei sat down while everyone heard Akashi's back-story. "Akashi was born from a lovely couple, a white wolf from the Okami clan, Akimitsu Okami, and a white tigress from the Tora clan, Shizue Tora, the two of them where happy when they little cub was born, and named him Akashi, to honor the man who made their love possible, the master of Akimitsu Okami. The couple lived happily with their little cub until the tragedy struck the life of the little kid; the father of Akashi was murdered when he was only three, and his mother has forced to raise him alone, all by herself. Akashi lived many years under the teachings of his mother and trained hard every day to make his dream come true, to become strong enough like his father, but then the tragedy came over Akashi's life again, an evil man named Dotsu attacked the home of the young boy, and her mother gave everything to protect him even to give her own life." Lady Rei started crying when he said the last words, but then he regained herself and kept talking. "Dotsu managed to defeat Shizue, and in the most horrid act of malevolence, he killed her right in front of the young kid's eyes. Akashi saw how her mother fell to the ground, he ran to her side and hugged her while crying, and Shizue did nothing else but kiss the kid's forehead and whisper her last words to him, at that moment I was Shizue's council woman and when I got to the scene it was too late, Dotsu took Akashi and the poor Shizue was holding onto life with all her strengths, I tried to heal her, but it was too late, before she could die, she told me to take care of Akashi, to teach him the good and the bad, and that's how I was invested with the responsibility of taking care of Akashi."

Everyone couldn't believe what Akashi has been through, and how he has been suffering most of his childhood. "But if he was kidnapped by that man, why is he here now?" Monkey asked the old woman, trying to know a little more about the boy.

Lady Rei sighed and said. "Akashi managed to escape Dotsu's evil grasp, but promised him that he was going to be back and that he was going to avenge the death of his mother by killing him, since then Akashi has been traveling from place to place, avoiding my constant presence and my teachings about life, he was a enraged boy, full of darkness and hate, or so it was until he met a group of kids like him, they all lost something on their lives, so he decided to be with them, live with people like him, he was happy with them, it was the first time I saw Akashi smiling in years and perhaps the last. Everything was fine until Akashi lost it all again, his friends, his first love, and the two persons he called sisters, when that happened, darkness returned to him, he was always mad and enraged, I tried to follow him every place he goes to be sure he is safe, but as you can see I'm getting old and I might not be able to keep going with my task, that's why I have also been looking for someone that could take care of Akashi and show him the true path of righteousness."

Tigress couldn't believe she had a lot in common with Akashi, both of them lost their parents and where left alone and rejected by others, so she took a decision. "Lady Rei, I want to be Akashi's new guardian, I want to take care of him from now on, only if you allow me to."

Lady Rei was astonished when she heard Master Tigress words, but she also felt happiness she found someone that could take care of Akashi. "I guess I can finally complete my task, thanks Master Tigress, I know Shizue will be glad if you take care of the boy."

"Akashi you have grown a lot, I have seen you grow and develop all by yourself, I just made sure it was the right way." Lady Rei said remembering the last time she was with Akashi.

Flashback

Akashi and Lady Rei where walking together through a forest, and Akashi was remaining silent not wanting to talk to lady Rei, the old female wolf noticed Akashi rage and said. "Akashi, I want you to look up to the skies."

Akashi stopped walking and said. "Bachan, I don't want to hear another of your teachings, beside there is nothing there besides the stars."

Lady Rei chuckled and said. "Exactly, our ancestors thought that all the stars are the souls of our beloved ones shinning on the sky to illuminate our path through life."

Akashi glared at the skies and remained silent as he kept walking leaving Lady Rei behind. The old wolf glared at the skies and whispered. "Don't worry Shizue; I will make sure he takes the right path."

End of flashback

Lady Rei just realized where Akashi was and said. "Tigress, I just know where Akashi is, follow me please."

Then the two females went outside and ran towards the forest searching for the perfect spot to look at the stars. Then of sometime searching they found him, there was Akashi, sitting over a stone glaring at the skies, both females walked towards Akashi, but stopped when they heard him talking. "I don't want to hear you now Bachan, I want to be alone."

"Tigress, this is your first task as Akashi's new guide, talk to him, I will leave you alone." Lady Rei said leaving both master and student alone.

Tigress walked towards Akashi and sat by his side, both of them remained silent until Akashi talked breaking the silence. "Why can't I be strong enough, I want to avenge the death of those who I love but I will never achieve it if I'm too weak."

"Akashi, being strong doesn't not mean to have the strength to beat your opponents, but to stand for those who can't" Tigress said trying to comfort Akashi. "You see, I was just like you, seeking for strength and perfection, but then thanks to some fat panda, I realized strength isn't everything, you must protect your friends if you really want to become stronger that your stepfather if you want to beat him."

"Stand for others" Akashi said remembering how many times he heard those words. "Maybe you are right."

Then from nowhere both, master and student heard a scream from nearby and rushed to see what was happening. Akashi and Tigress reached the jade palace and watched how many shadow like creatures appeared from the ground and tried to hurt the masters and Lady Rei. Akashi felt a rage inside him, but then he remembered Tigress words, so he calmed down and rushed to help everyone. "Stay away from my friends." Akashi said punching the ground creating a wave of energy that destroyed most of the shadows.

More shadows appeared from the ground surrounding Akashi and his friends, but he couldn't do anything against the shadows since his aura was blocked by the bracelets. "Master Shifu, I need you to take this things off me, I can't fight this things with them."

"I'm afraid I can't right now, but I can do this." Master Shifu said touching the bracelets and saying. "Know you can use most of your aura, finish these things."

"My pleasure" Akashi replied hitting the palm of his hand with his fist and then rushing towards the shadows, Akashi dashed through the shadows engulfed on his dark aura knocking most of the shadows, then he jumped in the air and slammed on of the shadow with his feet, then he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick eliminating a row of shadows. Akashi noticed the shadows surrounding him, so he rushed to Tigress and shouted. "Tigress I need a lift." Tigress knew what Akashi was planning so she prepared herself as Akashi jumped over her hands while she threw him high in the air. Akashi spun in the air and soared towards the ground impacting it with both fists eliminating all the shadows.

Akashi stood up and shook off the dust from his clothes and hair and said. "That will show you not to mess with my friends."

Everyone smiled towards Akashi, especially Tigress and Lady Rei who realized was starting to change, then lady Rei noticed something on Akashi, something she hasn't seen on a long time, the young boy was smiling again. Akashi smiled as he glared towards the night sky and whispered. "Don't worry mom and dad, I will follow the right path this time, and I will make sure you will be proud of me."

"I guess I was wrong with you Akashi, let's go everyone, and let's celebrate with a bowl of noodles." Po said as he entered the barracks and everyone followed him, but before he entered the kitchen Akashi turned to lady Rei and said. "Bachan, thanks for being all the family I needed all this time"

Lady Rei smiled at Akashi and said. "It was a pleasure to take care of you, Akashi Okami, you will do great things from now on, and I know it."

Then both wolves entered the jade palace to start a new life, and with a renovated hope that everything will be just fine.

Well that will be all for now guys, I hope you liked it, and I will try to post the next chapter sooner, okay see you on the next chapter and don't forget to leave your reviews about the story.