Chapter 20

Viper was hurting. So much. She wished it would be easier with death, except she couldn't die. Not just yet - she was on a mission. It wasn't a mission for herself, it was for China. She knew it had to be completed or everyone would die.

"Now listen up. Don't cry, don't you dare cry!" Her mentor, a siamese dragon, looked eerily coldly at her. "There is only one survivor of these games. And a spy has found out tht if we can't stop them, these games will go on forever, each year using children form around China, if we don't stop it now. So there is a rebellion. It's secret, at the moment, but China is raising an army against this 'mysterious figure's' army." Viper, shocked, stared blankly at her mentor, "Viper? Are you listening and taking this in? You have to do it, for the sake of all these children!" Quickly, Viper nodded, as the mentor continued, "Now, you're probably wondering what part you have to play in all of this. You are going to be the spark to ignite the rebellion's flame. Now, before I continue and tell you what you must do, I'm so sorry. Now," He continued after a brief pause, "All of China completely adore the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. Having the Masters fight to the death is bad in their eyes, yes, but having the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior fight to the death with them... that would devastate them. So hard that they will fight back! But they need a good excuse. So, to start off the chain that leads up to it, Crane will die in the initial bloodbath. Again, I'm sorry. Crane already knows this. I'm so sorry."

Viper could only breathe out, "Oh, Crane, no..." before her Mentor continued:

"That will probably bring about a pretty big outrage, as everyone say Crane as the nice, friendly one... and how friendly ones always die first, sadly. Soon after, Masters Mantis and Monkey will die, so it is only you, the Dragon Warrior, and Master Tigress left. The 'starcrossed lovers' will come into play then - you have to make sure neither see each other until then. But make sure both are alive. On around the fifth, sixth day, when a fair few are dead, and most of the survivors are the strongest, fittest Masters, you will be with Tigress, and lead her to Po. Hopefully, they will take the iniative and be lovers, even if it fake."

"So they don't know about all this?" Suprised, Viper looked for an answer.

"No. It wouldn't be convincing enough. Anyway, that, and I'm so awfully sorry about this, I truly am, is when you will die."

"Die." Suddenly going extremely pale under her scales, Viper could only manage a squeak.

"Yes. Make sure Tigress is there, preferably without Po. Make a diversion, then, no offence, get yourself in a position where you will die tragically. I must sound like the evillest creature to grace this earth, but the effect of you dying on Tigress will shake her right to her core, even if she seems emotionless. It will set up an outrage among China, stronger than anything. The Games will end, and Tigress will win."

"How do you know that?" Trying not to comprehend her own death, she tried to learn more about this rebellion in the games.

"You know Tigress well. Po may be the Dragon Warrior, but she is the only one capable of holding a rebellion upon her shoulders. Besides, if her 'one and only love' dies, she can play that card and has a very good chance of convincing China to go into rebellion. If we go into rebellion, there's the chance we will win, and this army will be defeated, and the Games will go no further than this one, terrible year. Now, this was a lot for you to take in, both mentally and emotionally. Are you alright?"

"Y-yes." In a state of shock, but still able to remember anything, she nodded to prove she had been listening and paying attention.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Will you be going ahead with it?"

"Only if you make a way for Po to get out alive, too. Even if they aren't lovers, Tigress will be far too broken if you kill him. They're each other's soulmate. You can't have Tigress and not Po. And I won't help if both of them aren't there."

"We have a Gamemaker on our side. There's a hopeful chance we could convnce him, later on in the games, to change the rules. Maybe, just maybe, we can get them both out alive..."

"I'll do it if you promise you can get them both out alive."

It took a day before Viper's mentor came back to her on that: "We've managed to get the rules change in for them. Now, you need to follow up with your side of the bargain..."

This was it for Viper then. She was signing her own death warrant.

But she was signing her own death warrant so the children of China would live. And, in her heart, Viper would do that in a blink of her eye. So, when she replied, her words were:

"Yes. I'll do it, for China. So the rebellion wins. Not for you, mind. For the children. For China." Shakily, she slithered off on a high, hoping that, after her death, she would be remembered well.

Tigress jumped down off the tree. It was a decent day, and though Viper was in pain, they still needed a source of water, which Tigress was off to find. Once Viper knew Tigress was gone for a bit, she made her move. She had, at most, 3 hours.

Time to find Po.

a/n: HERE IT IS! *cue dramatic music* A TWIST! If you want more, you know the way... REVIEW! I'll put up the next chapter after 5 reviews, on the evening of that day, so encourage your friends, your enemies, the postman, the librarian, the shop-owners, your favourite FF authors, your least favourite FF authors, anyone and EVERYONE to review! Okay, thank you, and good night!