What up? I know it's been a while since I've made a 'Kung Fu Panda' fic. But here I am now, making a new fic and it about-wait for it-MUSAKI! That's right! We get to see Musaki's past play out in a crucial part. I decided to make another KFP fic, because with 'KFP 2' coming out, I thought that it's the best time. Now I wanna tell ya this, it's unlike any Musaki story I've ever done and it's all about his past where most of everything is a complete blank and he gets to fill in the answers in a place where his family used to lives-and yes, his parents also-and meets some...living relatives!

I pitched this idea with some of my fanfiction friends; vampire1031 and hidden stranger-via facebook. It was hidden stranger that helped me out with the title of the story, so thanks a million. This one is for my amigos-vampire1031, hidden stranger, Black Raider and my awesome friends: Joe 'Po' Navark and Tan-Tan Tanuki. Mostly, it's dedicated to Tan-Tan Tanuki and everyone else I mentioned. I hope ya'll enjoy this!

Memories Regained

by: Terrell James

Chapter 1: The Flute

One night in the Jade Palace, while all of the students were sound asleep, there was someone outside playing the flute. Somehow, Mantis heard the sound of the flute with his antennae. He opened his eyes slowly as his antennae chirped several times as he woke up, groaning in his sleep. Soon, he hears someone play the flute and it's not Master Shifu. He went out of his room and proceeded to hop through the hallways of the Student Barracks and then headed outside to see who's playing the flute.

As Mantis went outside, he sees someone playing the flute and it's at the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom and he got a little sneaky without giving himself away. Once he got to the steps, he sees someone playing the flute and then it comes to realization that it's none other than Musaki. Mantis was surprised that Musaki could play such an instrument really well. He listened in as he played a little tune on his flute.

Musaki closed his eyes as he keeps playing the flute and he remembers most fo the notes of a beautiful melody that he remembers from his past. He continued playing and some of the memories came back to his head about his parents and after a moment, he stops playing for a minute with a final note. Once he stops, he sighs heavily and puts his fingers over his eyes as he begins thinking. All of a sudden, he could hear a chirp coming from behind.

Musaki froze for a second and didn't know what to make of that sound, but he could already tell that it was just Mantis. Suddenly, Mantis asked, "Why'd you stop? That was great."

Then, he turns around and sees Mantis behind him and Musaki chuckled sheepishly and asked, "How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough. That flute of yours kinda woke me up."

Musaki gasps and feels embarassed about it and he asked, "It did? I'm sorry. Sometimes, I just can't help myself playing the flute."

"Oh, no, no, no, no. Don't apologize. It actually sounded really nice."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks. Nobody else knows about this yet."

"No one?"

"Nah, it's kinda my hidden talent. A talent that nobody else knows about."

Mantis chuckled softly and then sees the flute in Musaki's paw. He looks over and sees a dark and light brown-orange bamboo flute with the letter 'M' carved into the center. He asked, "Is that your flute?"

Musaki looks at it and said, "Yeah."

"Looks good."

"Thanks. My dad made it for me."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he made it for me like a month before he and mom died. He always told me that he was gonna teach me how to play the flute and it was like a couple of weeks before he died. He taught me how to play the flute and how it captures your emotion and your soul. I guess to him, it's kinda like a little tool to sort of express your feelings and to escape everything about the world. The last time he taught me how to play was the day before he and mom died while we were on a family trip through China. It was the last times we've ever spent that time together, because I was only three."

"Wow. You really remember that much, huh?"

"Yeah, I do. I kept that flute after they died and it's the only thing I ever have left of my dad's.

"Man, that's gotta be hard."

"It has. I still practice playing my flute while I was in the orphanage where no one could see me and I would play it on some huge hill, looking over the Valley of Peace every night."

"Alone?"

"Yeah."

"What were your parents like when you were alive?"

"They were really good parents. They're both pandas, this much I know. Other than that...they were...they were...great parents and protectors. I kinda don't remember much about it."

Mantis was surprised to know that he doesn't remember much about his past before his parents died at age three. He asked, "You don't remember anything from your life?"

"I remember some things about my past, but everything else is kinda blank."

"Nothing at all?"

Musaki shook his head slowly and got a little misty-eyed and told Mantis, "To be honest with you, it is kinda hard to mention them without even crying, because once it brings up, you start to feel the pain of depression and also something that you wish you could've prevented death from happening."

Mantis hopped on Musaki's shoulder and told him, "It's kinda impossible to prevent death from happening. You can try, but it'll always catch you."

"Yeah, I know. If it hadn't have been for them protecting me from Tai Lung, I probably wouldn't even be here right now. That shows that they're really selfless and are willing to risk their lives for me."

"They're good parents."

"I know they are."

"I'm sure that wherever they are, they must be very proud of you."

"They are."

"Besides, that tune you played was great."

"Thanks. It's...my lullaby. My mom would always have her flute and play my lullaby for me and it would always put me to sleep. She used to play it for me every night when I was a cub and that would always put me to sleep. After they died, I spent so many sleepless nights trying to remember what most of my lullaby was played until I came up with my own and it kinda puts me to sleep as well."

Mantis looked at Musaki and told him, "That's why you kept the flute, so you'll always remember them?"

"Yep. Because I don't want to forget about them. But when you're in a vulnerable place in your life, life never matters much to you anymore, so you just forget about things. It's been like that for 10 years since I was in the oprhanage."

"That's a long time. Can I share something for you?"

"Sure."

"Everything happens for a reason. We may not know why, but when something like this happens, we always hope that it always gets better. Your parents may be gone, but their souls will never leave."

Musaki looks up at the sky and said, "I always knew that."

"Their lives will keep going and it'll never die. We can't change the past, but we can try to move forward."

"My past is still blank, Mantis. I just need to know everything about them."

Mantis sighed heavily and said, "I can't answer that one for you, but if you want to fill in the blanks of your past, I'll respect your wishes."

Musaki chuckled softly and said, "You know I look up to you, right?"

"However you put it."

They both chuckle softly and both of them head back to the dormitories to get some sleep. As Musaki gets back to his room, he looks up at the ceiling and thinks about getting some answers about his parents. He sighed heavily and told himself, 'I need to know more about my parents.' With that thought in his mind, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, hoping that some of those answers will be answered about his past.

Great way to start off this story, huh? Well, stick around, cuz there's lots more coming up! Next up, it's Musaki and his Uncle Mako share thoughts about Musaki's parents! It'll be so cool! Until then, feel free to review!