The Twin Dragon Chronicles

Realization

     Back at the temple, the praying Mantis picked up a weapon called the Morning Star. Master Shifu laid still on a table, almost every part of him covered in needles. Shifu had a pained and terrified expression on his face, the temple floor were littered with needles, knives, scissors, cloth, hammer and nails, pitchfork, a bucket with strange green fluid, broken teacups, kettles, sledgehammer, and rope. Mantis looked down at Master Shifu with a smile on his face as he explained what the type of acupuncture he was about to perform with the weapon "I read about this one. It's called eyeball acupuncture." He held up the top of Shifu's eyelid "So brace for impact." He hits Shifu in the eye, Shifu gives an agonizing yell.

      Tigress kept up her running regiment as Monkey ran beside her on all fours. He looked at her curiously, as Tigress looked back at him, Monkey began to copy her running and breathing but it wasn't long before he went back to all fours laughing at Tigress's silly behavior he sped off ahead of her. Tigress looked up to see Crane swiftly flying over her, quickly catching up to Monkey as he corkscrewed between tree branches he yelled excitedly "Whoa!", Viper quickly slithers under Tigress, she looks down surprised as Viper made her way passed Tigress "Coming through" she says catching up to the others. Tigress comes to a slow stop as did Mei, she watched her sister intently wondering what was wrong until she saw Tigress look down at her feet and paws. Mei grinned as she encouraged her sister to embrace her primal side. Tigress smiled as she got on all fours and took off, Mei quickly followed her as they both caught up with the rest of the group. Tigress couldn't help but feel happy as she happily ran finally feeling free, she giggled as she looked to the others before taking off ahead of them.

      Mei ran next to her sister feeling the exhilaration overtake them both, Mei looked at her younger sister which caused Tigress to feel as if someone was watching her as she ran. She looked to her side but saw no one but felt as if someone was staring back at her, she smiled having a feeling that her sister was beside her made her feel more energetic, he looked back ahead as did Mei continuing their run. At the last minute, she saw a medium-sized rocky hill in front of her, Tigress's instincts took over as he eyes glowed a slight tinge of orange becoming slit, she jumped towards the hill and demolishes it with no trouble but fails to see the edge of the cliff as she falls Mei's speed picks up as she jumps off the cliff at the last minute Crane swoops down and catches Tigress, she opens her eyes to see the snake girl smiling up at her and to see Crane carrying her across the water. Mei chuckled as she ran across the water and watched her little sister have the time of her life, Crane dropped her and rode on Vipers back as Monkey walked above them on stilts. Tigress and Mei couldn't help but laugh at the Monkey's goofy grin, they all climbed to the top of the other side, they all jumped and swung through the bamboo trees.

      Mei couldn't remember the last time she felt this carefree, she felt as if she was truly happy again, she missed this feeling although, she just wished she could feel this way with her brother by her side. All her cares seem to disappear with the wind, the faster she ran the more her worries vanished, maybe this is what she needed all along. She just needed to separate herself from the expectations of her masters, the conflicting feelings between her and her brother. Reflecting on her trip she realized something, something that made her finally feel at peace with herself. She knew then she was finally ready to head home, with this she smiled genuinely for the first time in years and made up her mind to finally head back home. She stopped as she watched the others rush ahead, she smiled wishing Tigress and her new friend's good luck on their journey back to the Jade Palace before disappearing. Unknown to her Crane stopped and turned looking around feeling as though someone was there but shook it off and followed the others.