by Tracey West
Po nodded. “Right. Don’t worry, Master Shifu. We’ll catch that sneaky . . . scaly . . .”
Viper glared at him.
“I mean serpenty, slithery . . . Ah!” Po smacked his paw on his forehead. He couldn’t help it. Most snakes really creeped him out . . . except for Viper, of course.
“Just go,” Shifu said.
Po and Viper headed into the mu tong forest, where Fu-xi had been spotted. Rabbit workers were busy lashing together the tall poles that supported the wide gutters that would carry the water from the mountains down into the valley.
“Excuse me, fellas. Have you seen a very large, very lethal snake in this area?” Po asked them.
The workers looked up—and saw Viper next to Po. With terrified screams, they dropped their tools and fled.
“They think I’m a bad guy just because I’m a snake,” Viper said.
“That’s because they don’t know the real you,” Po said. “They can’t get past the skin shedding and the leglessness.”
Viper’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe we should split up.”
“Wouldn’t it be safer to stay together?” Po asked.
“Not for you,” replied Viper, and she slithered away.
Moving quickly, she left the forest and found herself in an old cemetery. It looked pretty deserted. . . .
“That’s as far as you go, snake!”
Three workers jumped out from behind a tombstone. These weren’t frightened rabbits. A tough-looking buffalo held a pitchfork, and behind him stood two muscled hogs.
“Wait! I’m on your side!” Viper said.
“You don’t fool us,” said one of the hogs, as the angry-looking thugs stomped toward her.
“Don’t come any closer,” Viper warned. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Aaaaaiii-yah!”
A goat suddenly somersaulted from a wagon behind her, attacking her. Viper flipped him with her tail, but the buffalo hurled his pitchfork at her. The pitchfork jabbed into the wood wagon, and her long body got tangled around the tool’s handle. She was stuck!
The workers charged at her, roaring angrily, but before they could reach her, a giant snake jumped in front of them. A brown pattern decorated his gold scales, and his eyes were the color of ice.
“Miserable two-leggers! No one harms a serpent while I live!” he hissed. He stretched out his neck, exposing the wide hood around his face.
Then he sprang.
Bam! Pow! Slam! Viper watched, wide-eyed, as the cobra took down all of the workers in seconds.
“Lord Fu-xi!” she cried, slithering up to him. “You saved me!”
I’d do the same for any serpent, little sister, even the great Master Viper of the Jade Palace,” Fu-xi told her.
“You . . . you know me?” Viper asked.
Fu-xi slithered around her. “We all know you. You’re a serpent, yet you fight for the two-leggers. Why?”
“They’re my friends,” Viper explained. “We protect the valley.”
Fu-xi eyed her. “Well, Viper? Are you here to defeat me? Do the two-leggers’ bidding and lock me up?”
“I . . . I was,” Viper admitted. “But I can’t. You are a great hero. The others just don’t understand.”
He grinned. “I’m flattered you think so highly of me, little sister. But I warn you—I’m about to strike a great blow for serpents everywhere. You and your Jade Palace friends had better stay out of my way.”
He started to slither away, but Viper stopped him.
“Lord Fu-xi, wait!” she called out. “Maybe I can help you.”
“Really?” Lord Fu-xi asked, but before Viper could reply . . .
Po arrived and tackled Fu-xi, certain that Viper was in danger.
Then Fu-xi wrapped his body around Po’s left paw.
Pow! He made Po punch his own face! With a mighty grunt, Po pushed Fu-xi off him, slamming the snake into the ground.
“Perish, fool!” Fu-xi yelled, lashing out, his fangs ready to strike.
“Feel free to help at any time!” Po called to Viper.
“Po, stop!” Viper begged.
Whomp! Po sent Fu-xi flying before grabbing him in midair, stretching the snake’s body like a rubber band.
“No!” Viper cried. She pulled Po off Fu-xi, sending Po flying.
“Come on!” she urged Fu-xi, and the two snakes raced off into the forest.
When they came to a stop in a clearing, Fu-xi asked, “So, are you ready to help me?”
Viper nodded. “I am.”
“We will soon restore justice, peace, and freedom throughout the land for snakes everywhere!” Fu-xi announced, his eyes shining.
“Yes!” Viper cried. “How do we do it?”
“By driving every two-legger in the valley mad!” Fu-xi replied. “My bite instills terror, but eventually the venom wears off. If I mix it with mu tong root—the effect will become permanent! I have venom hidden away in a secret location. You’re going to help me deliver it into the valley’s water supply.”
Viper looked unsure. “But . . .”
“Viper! Where are you?” Po called from the woods.
Viper looked behind her.
“It’s time to decide, little sister,” Fu-xi said. “Are you a snake or aren’t you?”
Viper’s eyes narrowed as Po ran into the clearing.
“Viper! What a relief. I’m so sorry about the dumb things I said.”
Viper’s eyes narrowed. . . . She leaped at Po, biting him in the cheek!
“Viper!” Po cried. “You . . . bit me. . . .”
Then he fell hard onto the forest floor.
Viper and Fu-xi acted quickly. They tied up Po and dragged him with them to the mountains.
Fu-xi stopped in front of a hollow tree and pulled out a metal urn full of glowing green liquid.
“Oh, they’re so proud of this aqueduct,” he said. “But one drink from their new water supply and the entire valley will belong to the serpents!”
“Poison the water supply?” Po asked in shock. “Viper, what’s the matter with you? Why would you go along with this?”
Viper lashed at Po with her tail, knocking him off his feet.
Fu-xi opened a sack of powder. “Now to add the mu tong root,” he said, pouring the powder into the venom. Satisfied, he capped the urn shut.
“No!” Po cried, jumping to his feet.
“We don’t have time for this,” Fu-xi said crossly. “Finish him!”
Viper crawled toward him. “I warned you, Po!” she said. “You’ve had this coming for a long time now.”
She jumped at him, her sharp fangs extended. Po cringed, expecting the worst.
But Viper’s fangs slashed into the rope, and it crumpled at Po’s feet. He was free!
“Huh?” Po asked.
Viper turned to Fu-xi.
“Sorry,” she said. “Your reign of terror ends now.”
Po pumped his paw in the air. “Ha! I knew it! You’re not all evil and nasty!”
“Shifu sent me to uncover Fu-xi’s plan,” Viper explained. “I had to find the hidden venom before I could make my move.”
“But you bit him! I saw you!” Fu-xi exclaimed.
“Paralyzing shoulder pinch,” she said, sliding over to Po and hugging him with her tail. “I’d never bite one of my best friends.”
“Traitor!” Fu-xi spat angrily, and he flicked his tail, sending the urn of poison flying off the mountaintop—and toward the chutes of the aqueduct below.
“Po!” Viper yelled. Po dove after it, and Viper held on to him with her tail. She wrapped herself around a tree, straining to hold on as Po caught the jar. Then she sprang like a rubber band, pulling Po back up. He landed on top of the tree trunk, which started to crack from his weight.
Fu-xi lunged at Viper. “I trusted you and you betrayed me!” he cried, pinning her to the tree.
Then . . . crack! The tree trunk split in two, sending Po and the snakes careening into the chute of the aqueduct. The gates had been opene
d, and water gushed down the chute in a wave, taking them with it. Po held on to the jar with one paw while Viper fended off attacks from Fu-xi’s powerful tail.
Whack! The tail hit Po, and he teetered on top of the log.
Wham! Fu-xi slammed into Po’s chest, sending the urn flying. It landed in the rushing water. The lid fell off, and green poison spilled into the aqueduct.
“The venom!” Viper cried.
Down below, the villagers waited anxiously for the water to reach them.
“When the water comes through, let’s take a big drink to celebrate!” said the duck in charge of the festival.
Back up in the chute, Fu-xi struck Po with his tail. Then he attacked Viper, catching her by surprise. She flew off the aqueduct, but grabbed a pole with her tail before she hit the ground. Then she heard the villagers cheering again.
“No!” Viper cried. “I can’t let the water reach the village!”
She zipped between the poles, but she knew she couldn’t reach the villagers before the water did. Unless . . .
She wrapped her body around one of the poles and pulled with all her might.
Crack! The pole broke and tumbled to the ground, taking the attached chute with it. Viper, Po, and Fu-xi fell out, and the poisoned water seeped into the soil.
Po raised his head, groggy. “What happened?” Then he remembered. “Viper!”
He raced through the wreckage until he found her—crushed by one of the thick poles. He pulled it off her with a powerful heave.
“Viper, speak to me, please!” Po pleaded.
Viper opened her eyes. “I’m sorry I had to trick you, Po,” she said with a moan. “It was the only way.”
“But you saved everyone,” Po said.
Fu-xi slid up to them. “How could you choose the two-leggers over me, especially that panda?” he asked Viper. “He hates all snakes.”
“Not really,” Po said. “Just you.” He grabbed Fu-xi, lifting the cobra over his head. “Viper!” he called out.
Viper jumped, wrapping her tail around Fu-xi. Then she whipped around furiously. When she let go, Fu-xi shot off into the distance.
Battered and tired, they made their way down to the village. Master Shifu waited for them, along with the rest of the Furious Five. When the villagers saw Viper, they ran toward her, cheering.
“It’s Viper!”
“She saved everyone!”
“She’s a hero!”
“I’m sorry I was such a jerk, Viper,” Po said. “But I hope you realize how much everyone cares for you.”
“I do,” Viper said. “I just feel bad about Fu-xi. He was a great and noble soul once.”
“Yeah, well, you know what they say about snakes,” Po said, and then he noticed Viper glaring at him. “They’re fantastic! Am I right? Give it up!” He held out his paw for a high five.
Viper’s tail lashed out, grabbing Po’s paw and flipping him over.
He groaned. “I had that coming!”
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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www.SimonandSchuster.com
First Simon Spotlight edition June 2014
Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness © 2014 Viacom International Inc. NICKELODEON and all related logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Based on the feature film “Kung Fu Panda” © 2008 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C. All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-4814-1704-4 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-1703-7 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4814-1705-1 (eBook)