Chapter 12: Home

Kat sobbed a bit as Po rubbed her back. He exchanged a saddened look at Tigress who looked at Kat. The female tiger holding onto the trembling girl as the sky cleared. The rain stopped and the lightning was gone. Even the thunder was silenced, everything became still. The only thing that remained was the moon itself full and bright. It would have been a great victory if no one knew the price that was paid. Mario was the first to stir as his eyes opened.

"What happened where is LaDemone?" he asked rubbing his head. Crane soon woke shaking his head and held Viper on his back. The poor female snake had a huge bruise on her tail but she would be okay. Mantis awoke along with Monkey as they had bruises but would live.

"He is gone," Kat said breaking the silence. Mario frowned and walked closer to Kat to see her. Her brown eyes dimmed and her face showed pain as the tears fell. Po and Tigress were attacking as walls preventing anything or anyone to cause more harm to Kat. The panda and tiger looking at each other unsure of what to say so, they remained silent.

Mario soon put two and two together for when he saw the remains of the amulet and saw the pile of dust. "You crushed the amulet?" he questioned. Everyone's eyes widened with shock. That amulet was Kat's only way home. Without it she would forever be trapped here.

"I did," Kat said finally getting to her feet. The tears fell but she wiped them away. They were not needed for what would tears do for her. They could not fix the amulet nor take her back home. Time to face reality she was stuck here and she may never see her mother nor or friends again. Neither of them would know what happened to her and she could never tell them. Seeing her mother; in their car driving around stopping, every few blocks calling out to her, with such fear in her voice. She remembered that look for that was the look her mom had when dad died.

James and Jane running around the neighborhood searching for her both growing worried. She wanted to yell out them to say she was right in front of them. Kat hated herself she promised her mom that she wasn't going to leave like dad did and vowed to her friends she would come home. But she had to stop LaDemone there was no other choice. So, she had to stay in a world that was not her own but the only silver lining was she brought her father's killer to justice.

Mario and the others saw Kat's pain and they remained silent. The rest of the Five looked at her with the highest form of respect. Kat could have used the amulet to go home and allowing LaDemone to kill them. Instead she crushed the amulet thereby killing him and saving them all but trapping herself here. Those were the actions of a true warrior to them.

"What has happened I sensed a great disturbance and I came running? What has happened?" Shifu asked running out of the entrance to the cave. On his back were all of Kat's things. They wanted to bring it with them so when they defeated LaDemone they could give it to Kat and send her home.

"LaDemone is dead I destroyed the amulet and it killed him. He will no longer harm anyone else like my father," Kat said softly.

"He killed your father?" Shifu asked shocking everyone. Kat nodded and then Shifu realized what Kat had done to save not only his students but the world itself. Placing a paw on her shoulder they looked at each other. "Thank you Kat I know what you did was not easy. But know this you will always have a home at the Jade Palace and I will find another way to send you home. I don't know how long it will take but I promise I will get you back home. But as of right now you are one of my students and part of our family," Shifu said.

"Thank you sir," Kat said smiling at last. Po and Tigress placed a paw on her shoulders and smiled down at her.

"Come on let's go home," Po said gently.

"Okay," Kat said and they began to walk away. Just then a small piece of the amulet was still intact and Kat picked it up. "Guess I could keep you as a souvenir," she said. The moonbeams glowed onto the piece dissolving it and a purple mist appeared flowing into Kat. Her body levitated as everyone watched in awe at what was happening to the young girl. Kat's eyes were pure purple as a light flashed and she was set back down on the ground.

"Kat are you okay?" Tigress asked worriedly.

"Yeah I think so that was weird," Kat said rubbing her head. "Thanks for everything guys I am glad I can stay with you but I wish I could go back home," Kat said sadly. Just then her hands glowed a deep purple and a portal formed and Kat to her amazement saw her hometown. "Hey that is my home!" she exclaimed.

A smile came to her face as she looked at her hands. "How did I do that?" she asked.

"In my theory the amulet was made to help people travel to dimensions to help people. LaDemone abused that power but when it was in your possession Kat you did not abuse it. You could have went home and let all of us be killed by LaDemone instead you shattered the amulet thereby saving us all. Yet, you only broke the vessel holding the power and the power sensed you were a good choice for a new vessel one who would use the power to help and not destroy. So, it went into you giving you the power to open up portals whenever you wish," Shifu explained.

"You mean I can go home, awesome I can go home!" Kat exclaimed smiling wider. Everyone smiled at Kat but they were sad for they would miss her dearly. "Goodbye Crane, you were so nice to me. I will miss you," Kat said hugging the bird.

"Good bye Kat take care," he said hugging her.

"Bye, Viper I am sorry I was scared of you. You are a good friend and I will miss you," Kat said stroking the snake's head.

"Farewell sister, have a safe journey home," Viper said.

"Bye Monkey and Mantis thanks for making me feel welcome," Kat said hugging Monkey and giving Mantis a pet on the head.

"Bye Kat be safe," Monkey said.

"Take care Kat," Mantis said. Then she turned to Shifu and bowed to him.

"Thank you Master Shifu for allowing me to stay at the palace and for trying to help me," she said.

Shifu hugged her and said, "Anytime Kat you are always welcome here". Mario went up to her unsure of what to say to her. Kat looked at him and smiled.

"I know you chose a dark path and now you wish to redeem yourself," Kat said.

"Only because you reminded me of what I didn't want to become," Mario said.

"If you wish to repay me then join the Five and help protect this Valley from people like LaDemone," Kat said firmly but softly.

"Yes, my Mistress," Mario said bowing to her.

"Don't call me Mistress just friend," Kat said hugging him.

"I never had a friend before," Mario admitted.

"Well I am happy to be your first," she said and then let go. Then she walked up to Po and hugged the massive panda. "Thanks for being my friend and protecting me I will miss you dearly," she said.

"I will miss you too Kat take care," Po said smiling at her. Then lastly Kat walked up to Tigress and hugged the feline.

"You were a great body guard Tigress and a great friend thanks for keeping me safe and the fun adventure we had," Kat said smiling.

"It was an honor meeting you Kat and you made me realize something," Tigress said looking at Po lovingly. Kat smiled for she knew they loved each other. "Just promise me one thing Kat," Tigress said firmly.

"Anything," Kat said.

"Come back and visit us," Tigress said.

"Of course, good bye Tigress," Kat said. She released the female tiger and waved one last time to her new family and jumped through the portal. It soon disappeared and Kat was gone.

"Think she will be okay Ti?" Po asked.

Tigress kissed his lips and said, "Yes she will be fine".

Back in Kat's world Kat woke up with a groan. "Hey I found her I found her!" James shouted.

"James?" Kat asked thinking she might be dreaming.

"Easy Kat don't move will we get you to a hospital," James told her. The next thing Kat knows she is being taken to the hospital and her mom rushes over to her.

"Mom!" Kat exclaims shedding tears.

"Oh my baby I missed you. What happened to you where did you go?" her mom demanded while placing kisses on her daughter's face.

"Kat you are alive!" Jane said happily hugging her. "What happened to you? You were gone for three days and we found you in the park what happened?" she asked. Kat didn't know what to say. If she told them the truth she would be locked up in a Looney bin. So, she told a little white lie.

"During the storm I ran into someone and they took me to their car to get help," Kat said.

"Did you recognize this person?" a cop asked.

"Uh no they were like a hermit I guess and I was asleep for about two days and they dropped me off near the park and begged me not to reveal their location for they wanted to be left alone," Kat said.

"Yeah sounds like a hermit did they hurt you or anything?" the cop asked.

"No sir just took care of me and dropped me off near the park. I was on my way home and I fell and that is when James found me I guess," Kat said.

"Yeah that makes sense," James said agreeing. The cop thought it was weird but they lived in a small town where people's words are their law. Kat was a trustworthy person so the cop bought it and so did her mom but Jane looked at her like she didn't believe it but kept her mouth shut.

Kat spent a few days in the hospital to make sure she was okay and then was sent home. Her mom was shocked to see her daughter actually going to sleep at night instead of reading a book till who knows what time. "Honey why are you going to bed during the night?" her mom asked.

"Let's just say I no longer need to fear the dark," Kat said. Her mom smiled and went to bed and Kat tried but she remembered Po, Tigress and everyone along with the adventure they shared. She was afraid she would forget it so she did something she hadn't done in a long time. Taking out her notebook she wrote down her real story so she would never forget it.

The next day Jane came over because James had an errand to run. "Hey Jane, great to see you," Kat said smiling.

"Hey Kat, look we have been best friends for a long time and you know you can trust me right?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Kat said.

"Good then tell me what really happened to you. I know for a fact there are no hermits and if there were you wouldn't have stayed for three days even if you were hurt. So, come on Kat what really happened?" Jane asked. Kat bit her lip and knew maybe she should tell Jane.

"Okay let me show you something first," Kat said and pulled out her notebook. "In this notebook is what really happened to me and it will seem unreal but if I read it to you everything I read is true. Now you sure you want to know the truth?" Kat asked.

"Yes, now read it please," Jane said. Kat took a deep breath and began her tale.

Epilogue

Kat told Jane her story and to her surprise Jane believed her. Life soon returned to normal for Kat. She was no longer afraid of the things that went bump in the night. In the Valley of Peace Po and Tigress began to date. Mario kept his promise to Kat and became a member of the Five and protected the Valley from evil. Kat returned to the Valley a few times and promised Jane that one day she could come too. In time Kat had another adventure with her Kung Fu friends but that is a story for another time. So, this is the beginning and the ending of the Legend of Kat the Guardian of Dimensions.

The End

Author's Note: I will try and make a sequel to this story. If anyone has any ideas let me know. Spoiler the sequel takes place during October if it helps. So, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and this story and please review. Till next time.