I Now Pronounce You Crane and Viper 7

"Lynnah!" Viper cried happily hugging the yellow, green snake. "I can't believe its you! Wow you look awesome!"

Jia, Xiang, and Mei-Ling rolled their eyes. Viper smiled over at them, the three girls faked a smile back and held it.

"I can't believe she's back," Jia said through her tight smile.

"I thought daddy ran her out of the village," Mei-Ling added.

"Apparently, daddy didn't do a good job seeing as Lynnah came back."

"And Howin still here," Xiang added bitterly.

"That was daddy's fault, though," Jia said. "He let Howin comeback because Howin wanted to marry Viper, and he's here to stay even though Viper is married to Master Crane."

"Master Crane is cute," Mei-Ling said.

"He is," Jia agreed.

"Can we stop smiling?" Xiang asked. "My face hurts."

"Yeah."

"This is bad, girls," Jia said when she released her smile.

"Why?" Xiang asked.

"If Lynnah is here then that means..."

"Oh my gosh, Viper!" Two voices cried happily.

"Mayleen! Yenni! Oh my gosh! I'm so happy to see you! I missed you girls so much!"

Jia, Xiang, Mei-Ling frowned watching their older sister hug the other two snakes. The three little snakes glared at Viper when she smiled at them. Viper looked away, trying to avoid their disapproving expressions even though she knew what they were thinking.

Jia shook her head. "How is she not bursting into tears right now? Those girls were so cruel to her!"

"Maybe she's in denial," Mei-Ling suggested. "You know how Viper is. Whenever something bad happens to her, she denies feeling hurt."

"I hate all of them!" Xiang said angrily. "They made Viper cry all the time!"

"Xiang! Keep your voice down! You know how Viper gets when it comes to her friends!"

"They're not her friends, Jia... They can't be... They can't possibly be her friends... Not after what they did to her..."

"Let's hope so..."

The three younger snakes watched as Viper talked to Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni. From what Jia remembered, Lynnah was the meanest out of all the three, and Mayleen and Yenni used to be Viper's best friends, until Lynnah came and screwed everything up...

When Viper was younger, everyone in the village said, Viper was the prettiest girl in the whole village and was pushed to enter the annual village beauty pageant. She came first in everything, beating out Lynnah, who jealously asked the judges, why she didn't get first place. They told her, Viper had one thing Lynnah didn't have... Inner beauty...

Jia, Xiang, and Mei-Ling remembered, from that day on, Lynnah spent her time getting back at Viper. She stole Mayleen and Yenni by coming up with a lie, saying, Viper called them ugly and that they were horrible friends. Together, the three snakes pretended to be Viper's friends and started tormenting her with insults, remarks, and any other demeaning things they could think up...

Jia remembered, before a dance, Mayleen did Viper's makeup and made her look like a clown. Since they were in a hurry, Viper didn't have a chance to look in a mirror so when she showed up, everyone at the dance laughed at her. Viper instantly went home crying. Jia and Mei-Ling helped Viper remove the makeup, and told Viper she made a beautiful clown. Instead of going back to the dance, they stayed home and cooked. Jia told Viper not to hangout with Mayleen because of what she did, but Viper brushed it off as a prank...

Xiang and Mei-Ling both remembered at the annual village talent show, Yenni tripped Viper while she did her ribbon dance causing her to fall off the stage and break her tail. Viper was okay with the broken tail, because it healed, but she didn't understand why Yenni would try to hurt her, so she said it was an accident. Xiang and Mei-Ling were banging their heads against the walls after that...

Then came Lynnah... She challenged Viper to a fight when she found out Viper was going to continue the rest of her Kung Fu training at the Jade Palace. Lynnah, being the coward that she was, fought with no honor and cheated in the fight. When Great Master Viper found out, he kicked Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni out of the village and told them to never comeback...

"Let's go see what they're talking about," Jia said leading them to their sister.

"Viper, we should hangout tonight," Lynnah said smiling hopefully. "It's been awhile."

"Viper," Xiang said nervously.

Viper narrowed her eyes defensively. "Why should I? All of you were so cruel to me growing up. It's nice seeing you girls, but why should I hangout with you three?"

Jia let out a sigh of relief, happy Viper wasn't in denial about what happened to her when she was younger, and happy that she realized Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni weren't her friends.

"We're really sorry, Viper," Mayleen said. "Please forgive us."

"Don't, Viper," Mei-Ling whispered to Viper.

Lynnah pulled Viper into a hug. "Viper, we're sorry... What we did to you when we were younger was wrong and very mean. We all grew up since then. Please forgive us, we're very sorry!"

"Viper, no," Jia whispered. "They're still the same! They didn't change!"

"Jia, you don't know that," Viper whispered back. "It's the past, we all grew up since then." She turned to Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni. "I don't think I can forgive you for what you did to me when I was younger, but I will accept going to dinner with you girls..."

"Viper, no!" Jia said, this time loudly.

Viper ignored her. "It can be like starting over... Almost..."

"You can't go!" Mei-Ling said before Lynnah could say anything.

"Why not?"

"You're going out with Master Crane tonight!" Jia said aloud making Viper's eyes widen in fear. Confused, she mouthed, what?

"Master Crane?" Yenni said questioningly. "Who's Master Crane?"

"Viper's husband," Xiang said.

"Viper, you're married?" Lynnah said after a moments stunned silence.

"Yes..." Viper admitted. "Yes, I'm married..."

"That's great!" Mayleen said happily. "You have to have dinner with us, tonight! We want to know everything about him!"

Viper smiled. "Okay, I'll see you tonight."

"What about Master Crane?" Jia asked.

"I'll go out with him tomorrow night. Crane is very understanding, he won't mind."

Jia resisted the urge to tell her, she was taking advantage of Master Crane's understanding and niceness.

"We'll see you tonight Viper!" Lynnah said turning to leave with Mayleen and Yenni.

"Bye!" Viper turned back to her sisters. "All right, let's go home."

"Why?" Mei-Ling asked. "We just got here. Why do we have to leave so soon?"

"I have to get ready for tonight. I'm going out with my friends!"

Jia frowned. She would rather spend time with girls she hadn't seen for years, then a guy who was, at one point, her best friend and is now her lover and husband. In Jia's mind, it didn't seem fair to Master Crane.

"If you really love Master Crane, you wouldn't do that to him," Jia said stiffly, earning shocked looks from Xiang and Mei-Ling. It was true, though and Jia felt like she needed to say it.

Love, Viper thought. She shook the thought out of her head and glared at Jia. "Why did you bring him up?"

"What?"

"Why did you bring up Crane to Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni?"

"Why wouldn't you want me to? He's your husband! You're having another wedding! Wouldn't you want your friends to know?" When Viper didn't answer, she said, "You don't trust them..."

"What are you talking about, Jia?" Viper laughed nervously.

"You don't trust them. You think Lynnah will say something to Master Crane."

"Thats crazy," Viper said moving a head of her sisters.

"It's not and you know it!" Jia yelled angrily.

"Enough!" Viper said turning angrily to them. "I will hear none of this anymore!" Her sisters stopped in their tracks and stayed silent. Viper looked away and started going back home.

"What now?" Xiang asked Jia, hoping for a good answer.

Jia sighed sadly. "Nothing... We do nothing..." Something, Jia thought in her head. I'll try something... Something before nothing...

"What can I say to keep you from going?" Jia asked while Viper applied makeup alone in her room.

When they came home, Master Crane was gone. Daddy said, he went to the mountain top to train before going out with Viper. Jia thought about telling their daddy, Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni were back, but she decided against it because he was busy with mamma, planning the wedding, and if she brought it up, daddy would be under more stress. She didn't want that...

Viper sighed bringing Jia out of her thoughts. "Nothing."

"Master Crane will be sad."

"Crane is strong, Jia. He's a Kung Fu Master. He won't mind and besides it's just for one night, I promise. I'll go out with Crane tomorrow night."

"You think because he's a Kung Fu Master he's denied emotions?"

"I didn't say that, Jia!"

"It sure sounded like it."

"I said, I'll go out with him tomorrow night!"

"Don't tell me, tell Master Crane!"

"He's not here, Jia..."

"Then wait! Wait for him to comeback so you can tell him!"

"Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni will be here any minute now..."

"How can you hangout with those girls when you don't trust them and they been so cruel to you, Viper?"

"They changed."

"Viper, girls like that don't change and they won't change!"

"How would you know, Jia?" Viper asked angrily. "You never been through any of this!"

"How do you know what I been going through?" Jia asked brokenly."You haven't been home, Viper!"

"Jia," Viper said going over to her, wanting to hug her.

"No!" Jia cried now in tears. "You don't know what any of us are going through. You spent most of your life at the Jade Palace with the Furious Five and Po. You didn't write, you didn't invite us to your wedding, and you didn't come home. How would you know what we were going through?"

It really has been awhile, Viper thought sadly. "If you wanted me to come home, I would've, Jia."

"No... The only reason why you came back this time was because daddy asked you to, and he wanted to see if you were married. If Xiang, Mei-Ling, or I asked you to visit, you would say no..."

The door slid open and Mei-Ling stepped into Viper's room. She looked at Jia before turning to Viper. "Lynnah, Mayleen, and Yenni are here."

"Thanks, Mei-Ling," Viper said smiling and moving to the door.

"Viper, wait!" Jia cried. Viper turned to her. Last chance... If this doesn't work, then it's over... There was nothing else she could do... "Viper, if you leave with them tonight, you'll be making the biggest mistake of your life... You'll be hurting yourself all over again... You'll be letting go of Master Crane. Don't let go of him... He's the best thing in your life... Choose, Viper! Who do you want tonight? Who will define the rest of your life? Those girls, or him?"

After a moments silence, Viper said, "Tell Crane where I'm going so he won't worry..." With that she was gone, and Jia was more broken then ever...

"What now?" Mei-Ling asked breaking the silence and the leftover tension, that was still thick in the air.

"I don't know!" Jia yelled. "Quit asking me because I don't know! I don't know so just leave me alone, Mei-Ling!"

"Okay! I'm sorry!" Mei-Ling instantly left the room closing the door behind her leaving Jia in Viper's room...

I hope Viper isn't mad that I'm late, Crane thought rushing to Great Master Viper's house. After his headache cleared off, he spent the whole day meditating and training on the mountain top. He lost track of time while he was meditating and almost forgot he was going out tonight with Viper.

Crane grinned to himself when he made it to the Great Master's house. He quietly opened the door and walked inside the quiet house.

"Viper!" Crane called out breaking the silence. "I'm sorry I'm late." He waited but when he didn't get an answer, he walked to Viper's room and stood outside her door.

Crane figured she was probably mad about him being late, so he tried to come up with a good reason for why he was late. Unable to think of one he decided to just wing it. He slid open her door and stepped inside...

"Viper, I..." Crane stopped when he saw a little blue snake sitting on the bed. Jia? He was in Viper's room, right? He looked around. Yes, all pink. "Hi, Jia... What are you doing here? And where's Viper?"

Jia sighed sadly. "Viper wanted me to tell you, she's going out with friends tonight... But she promises to go out with you tomorrow night."

"Oh..." Crane said after a moments silence. He was looking forward to his night out with Viper.

Jia didn't know what to make of his answer. She pouted. Stupid Kung Fu masters and their ability to show lack of emotion.

Crane sighed. Viper never stood him up before, even when she made him go shopping with her! But Crane understood why Viper stood him up tonight. Viper had been away from her village for a very long time and she wanted to have fun and spend time with them. Right now, he wanted her to have fun. Pretty soon they would have to focus on her complicated plan, then they would be going back to the Jade Palace.

Crane turned his attention back to Jia. "I didn't have dinner yet sooo... Do you and your sisters want to go with me?"

"Oh! Xiang and Mei-Ling already ate!" Jia said excitedly. "I'll go with you! Like a date, right?"

Crane frowned. Viper was young, but Jia was younger. Hey, he had limits too. "No, not a date... You're very young..."

"Oh... Okay," Jia blushed and giggled. "Let's go, I know a nice restaurant we can go to."

Crane reluctantly followed Jia out of Viper's room. He sighed and smiled. If Monkey and Mantis saw him now, they wouldn't shut up about him "cheating on Viper with her sister." No, he wasn't like that, he was just a nice guy wanting to make a good impression on her family.

"So is this restaurant like the one your father took us to last night?"

"Yes, but it's better."

"How?"

Jia thought about it. "I don't know... But I assure you, Master Crane, it's way better."

"You can call me just Crane, Jia. I am married to you sister."

"Okay."

When they were outside, Crane asked, "So, Viper's friends... Who are they?" He didn't mean to pry, but he was curious. He didn't know what Viper's life was like before she came to the Jade Palace, and he wanted to know more.

"Oh..." Jia said nervously. "They're just some girls Viper grew up with... They're her... Best friends..." She started to feel sick.

"That's nice," Crane said. Maybe Viper will let me meet them sometime, he thought.

Jia sighed. She hated to admit it but sometimes the lie was better then the actual truth.

AN: This seems like a short chapter... Anyway if you went on deviantart you might've already read this but here's the real chapter 7. Chapter 8 might take awhile because school is starting soon and I have to rewrite it after it got deleted. I might've mentioned this in my profile, but be careful with deviantart. I got the MoneyPak virus from it. If you like deviantart my advice would be to view pictures and stories from your phone. Its safer.