Chapter 11: The Truth

77 1 0
                                    

On daybreak in a forest of an unknown distance from the city, an unconscious Po and an unconscious Vee floated down the river. Po's fur was singed from the blast and Vee had black dust that covered her cheek and arms. They came to a stop at a low bridge. A familiar elderly goat stood on the dock and poked Po's belly several times with her cane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some time later, Po woke by water drops that on his head, and found himself inside the ruins of a small house, bandaged and covered with acupuncture needles. He spotted the Soothsayer and Vee, who sat in front of a small fire. Soothsayer boiled something inside a pot while Vee was wrapped in a blanket with bandages on her body for recovery. Po attempted to crawl away on his back silently, as he winced as while doing so. Vee and Soothsayer raised their heads slightly when one of the floorboards creaked. Po froze... then went limp, as he played dead. After a few seconds, Po opened his eyes and found Soothsayer right in his face.

"Ah!" Po yelped, as he jumped and then groaned in pain.

Soothsayer silently held out a cup of unknown liquid.

"Yeah... like you're going to get me to drink daw!" Po said, before Soothsayer stuck a needle in his forehead, that made his eyes bulge and his mouth popped wide open. She tossed the medicine in his mouth and yanked out the needle, that made him swallow. Whatever she gave him made him gag as she returns to the fire.

"Thank goodness you're awake." Vee sighed as she walked over to Po. "Soothsayer brought us here to recover."

"If I wanted you dead, I would have left you and your friend in that river." Soothsayer said.

"Why save us?" Po asked, as he began to remove the needles.

"So you can fulfill your destiny." Soothsayer replied.

"What are you talking about? Where are we?" Po questioned, as he noticed that they were among the burned remains of a small village. "What is this place?"

"I am surprised that you remember so little... but then, you were so little when it happened." Soothsayer replied.

"You mean...this is...?" Vee asked, slowly.

Po suddenly heard screaming inside his head and cried out in pain.

"Po?!" Vee gasped in worry, as Po crawled toward the edge of the house ruin.

Soothsayer gazes at him and Vee.

"He has to deal with this on his own." Soothsayer said to Vee. "I will help him."

Vee knew that Soothsayer was right, but she was very worried about her best friend. With a sad sigh, she stepped back.

"Perhaps you do remember." Soothsayer said to Po.

"What?" Po shrugged. "It's just a stupid nightmare."

"Nightmare... or memory?" Soothsayer questioned.

Po gazed into a puddle just outside the ruin. His reflection changed into that of an infant panda who laughed happily at his older self. Po looked up as another flashback took over...

This time, he saw a 2D animated village full of pandas happily living their lives. Panda children rushed by as they flew kites as farmers who worked in the fields. Po's parents waved sweetly as baby Po climbed down the stairs outside his house, as he clutched a tiny panda doll. Adult Po staggered out the ruin as his memories return to him.

"Perhaps you feel the same about yourself." Soothsayer said to Vee.

"You knew that I was from another world, but I'm not in pain." Vee replied.

The Panda and the Turtle (Book 2)Where stories live. Discover now