Soooo, another oneshot from me :D We have just watched Kung Fu Panda 2 again on DVD and this little story crept into my head :P Enjoy!
Stories of the Past
The sun was setting, storm clouds were hanging on the sky and the forest was turning from beautiful to terrifying. The trees were like statues, giants that watched over the hillside. Even the bushes weren't that friendly now, though every rabbit just loved them. Hu, the little child had the same opinion too.
He was a rabbit, he loved bushes, they were awesome hiding places but now all of them looked like giant mouths in the growing darkness that wanted to swallow him. So he kept running even though deep down he knew he was heading in the wrong direction. His family had come here in the mountains to enjoy a week of camping but now Hu was lost thanks to a little toad that was just 'so cute' he had to run after it. And now he had no idea where he was.
Suddenly a glimpse of fire sparkled in the distance. Hey, he might have just gone in the right direction after all. Hu ran even faster. When he arrived to a small clearing, he realized that fire wasn't his family's. It belonged to a little hut built from wood. The little fire flickered on the 'balcony' of this cottage. A tall figure was sitting next to it.
Hu stopped dead but the creature noticed him. It slowly stood up, face covered in shadows. The little rabbit froze to his spot in fear. The owner of the cottage slowly stepped down on the small stairs that lead from the balcony to the ground. He was limping.
Hu couldn't say a word or start running but soon he saw he didn't have to. In the dim light of the setting sun the figure turned out to be a peacock. He was old, his greyish blue feathers were dim and slightly shaggy. His once beautiful train (with odd red eye spots) was missing a feather or two so did his crest. Red irises filled with memories and tiredness. His robe was black as the starless night.
Hu sighed in relief. This old peacock didn't look so bad.
- Well well… a visitor – the bird said, voice barely over a whisper as his head bent lower and lower as he walked towards the little bunny. – Are you lost, little one?
- Ye-yes, mister – Hu stammered. – We are camping here and... I got lost.
The peacock bowed so deeply that his grey beak was only inches away from the bunny's forehead.
- I see. And you don't know where your family could be, eh?
- Yes, I don't even know which way I should go…
- I can lead you to the main path that ran across this hillside – the bird offered in a tired tone. – Campers usually stay next to it.
*KA-BOOOOM!*
The roar of the thunder made Hu jump and scream in fear. The peacock didn't even flinch at the sound, slowly lifting his head up he gestured for the bunny to follow him into his hut.
- After this storm has passed, of course – the bird said calmly.
At first Hu didn't want to follow, but soon he ran after him when he felt cool drops of water fall on his head.
They sat down on the balcony next to the fire, the roof of the cottage protecting them from the rain that was growing stronger and stronger with every second. Hu felt a little uneasy and stared at the embers. In the growing darkness the small fire and its cinders were more and more like orange eyes.
- What brings your family here, little one? – the peacock asked after a while.
- Don't really know – Hu shrugged. – My dad just thought it would be a good idea… Oh, I haven't even introduced myself, mister. My name is Hu – and he smiled a little.
The peacock nodded but nothing more.
-… – Hu waited, but no answer came. – Uhh… what is your name, mister?
- Nobody – the peacock answered.
Hu shook his head a little in confusion.
- Nobody? – he asked. – Everyone has a name…
- I once had, but I lost it long ago.
- Oh.
Another period of silence. The peacock's gaze was lost in the fire. Hu shuddered a little. It was getting colder and colder, but the rain didn't seem to stop anytime soon. The host looked at him then stood up and disappeared inside the hut for a minute. He returned with another robe. This one probably had been silver once but had lost almost every color over the years. The peacock gave it to Hu who immediately wrapped the big piece of cloth around himself.
- Better? – the bird asked.
- Yes, thank you, mister – the little rabbit smiled.
- Are you hungry?
- No, thank you.
The peacock returned his gaze back to the fire. Hu was getting curious about this old guy.
- So… uh… mister, what are you doing here, in the middle of the forest?
- Nothing much – the peacock answered quietly. – Just thinking.
- All the time?
- Why yes, what else should I do?
- Well… - Hu couldn't really say something. – Don't you… grow something? Vegetables or… or fruits or anything?
- No, I'm a terrible gardener.
- Oh…
End of the conversation. But Hu was getting braver and braver.
- I know! – he shouted happily after a while that made the peacock flinch a little.
- What? – the bird sighed in frustration.
- Why don't we tell each other stories to kill time? – Hu grinned. – I bet you know a lot of stories.
- I don't.
- What? Oh come on, pretty please?
The peacock sighed.
- Should I start then? – Hu offered. – I know a few.
- … Yeah, sure, why not – the bird gave in. This night might just be different a little from what he got used to over 20 years.
Hu smiled widely and began:
- Okay, so once upon a time there was the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five…
The peacock's eyes flashed on him, he tilted his head to one side a little as he listened.
-… Those six warriors are still the most famous warriors in the world – Hu got very excited. – I hope once I will be able to master Kung Fu just as they did… oh, where was I? Oh right, so those six warriors saved many villages and cities from evil bandits and once from an evil overlord too. They say it was an epic fight and there was a weapon that spit fire and metal too! Some say the overlord was a peacock as black as the starless night… But yeah, it's just probably a fairy tale – Hu giggled a little. – There are no weapons that spit fire and metal.
The peacock chuckled too.
- Funny – he said quietly. – I know a story that is similar to that. Do you want to listen to it?
- Of course! – the little bunny's ears shot up in excitement.
- Then listen carefully, because this story has a lesson too, little one – the peacock took a deep breath. – Once upon a time there was a peacock. He had everything ever since he was born: loving family, fortune, anything he wanted could be his. But this peacock was blind. He has never seen what he had, he always wanted more. His loving parents and even his nanny tried to reason with him, but he was blinded by power… by something that brought joy and magic to others' lives. He grabbed this magic and twisted it into a devastating weapon, into death itself…
- Just like that black peacock – mumbled Hu, eyes wide.
-… Yes. This peacock loved his new invention, he loved it so much that he showed it to his parents. They were terrified and asked a soothsayer for guidance. The soothsayer told them that if their son keeps going on the path he chose, a warrior will come and destroy him. The young peacock heard it and decided he would something against it.
- He abandoned his ways?
- No, on the contrary. He decided to prevent that warrior from coming. So he and his minions attacked the "enemies" who didn't even know what hit them. The peacock returned to tell the good news to his parents, but when they realized what he had done, they banished him. The peacock promised he would return and his rage will consume everything. And he disappeared for 30 years, not knowing that his parents died from grief that they had to banish their beloved son. When he returned, he kept his promise well… He let his rage destroy the city he once lived in, he killed almost every friend he ever had… until a warrior came. A descendent of the peacock's "enemies". And just like the prophecy said, the warrior defeated him. But didn't destroy him. The peacock, blinded by rage and even insanity, destroyed himself with the weapon he created. Some say he did it on purpose. But he didn't die. Maybe the gods wanted him to live and suffer for his crimes. The peacock, terribly wounded, had to run from the citizens, from the warrior, from his own minions who turned against him. He became an outcast because of his own actions again, but this time nobody mourned over him.
Hu unwillingly wrapped the clothes tighter around him.
- He became a wanderer, a roamer, a vagabond. Loneliness and pain were his only companions over the years as he wandered in the land of China. Those who saw him, mistook him for a ghost who was unable to rest and that wasn't really a far cry from reality. Finally, the peacock arrived to the Yellow Sea. He sat down on the shore and started crying. It was the first time in more than 40 years. He cried on and on, it seemed nothing could stop his tears. He didn't have the power to kill himself, he couldn't stand up. He was tired beyond everyone's wildest imagination. But someone heard his cries…
Hu's eyes widened even more, he hardly dared to blink.
- It was the great Dragon that lived at the bottom of the Sea. He heard the peacock's wail and ascended from his dark cave to see it with his own eyes. The Dragon was wise, he knew the peacock has suffered enough for his crimes, he deserved peace now. So he asked: "Why are you crying, little peacock? What pain has come over you?". The peacock managed to stop his tears and answered: "I have committed terrible crimes in my life and the gods punished me for it. I have been an outcast nearly in my entire life, had to run from everyone. I cannot find peace no matter how hard I try and I cannot be forgiven. I am tired, my body and soul are exhausted. Please, Great Dragon of the Sea, end my miserable life. For I do not have the power to do it." The Dragon shook his head: "I will not kill you, peacock. But you did suffer enough and the gods forgave you. Come, climb on my back and I will take you to a place where you can find peace at last." The peacock did as he was told, and Dragon swam to the other end of the sea with him. There he showed him a small, hidden island. Nobody lived there, but for the peacock it was like heaven itself. The Dragon took him there and said: "This will be your new home, peacock. I will pray for you to find peace here." And with that he descended back into his cave. The peacock finally could see what he had and he was very grateful for it. He had built a small hut in the forest and lived there forever until the end of his days…
The peacock stopped when he saw Hu lying on his side and sleeping peacefully. The old bird smiled a little, lifted the little bunny up and took him into the hut where his nest was lying. He placed Hu on it then went out to the fire once more.
...
The next morning, after Hu and his host had breakfast, they headed out. The peacock walked next to the bunny with slow, proud steps. Well, as proud as one can be with a lame leg. Hu noticed the iron "gloves" on the bird's talons.
Dark clouds still covered the sun but the rain had stopped for a while. Yet the forest was more friendlier than before. The bushes were finally bushes and not mouths. And the trees turned back to normal too. Hu smiled in relief. He still had the once-silver robe around him.
After half an hour of walking, they reached a wide path among the trees.
- Here – the peacock said. – You should find your family around her—
Shouting interrupted him. Hu excitedly turned to the direction of the sounds. It was his mother calling for him! He ran down the path and collided with his mother. She worried herself sick but she could finally ease a little when she saw that nothing has happened to her son.
- Mum, Mum! Come with me – Hu started pulling her arm. – I want to introduce you to someone.
- Who, honey?
- He's a peacock. He welcomed me at his hut yesterday night, Mum. He's living in the forest all by himself and—
But when they reached that spot of the path, the peacock was nowhere to be found. Hu looked around in disappointment.
- Mister? – he shouted, but no answer came.
- Did he give you this robe, honey? – his mother asked as she ran her fingers down on his shoulder. – Oh my, what fine silk. You should have given it back to him!
- Y-yeah… but I don't know where he lives – Hu blushed a little. – I didn't even notice it was stuck on me. He didn't say it either…
His mum sighed heavily.
...
The nameless peacock watched as the mother and the son lift the robe over their heads as an umbrella as they ran back to their camp from the rain that just started falling again.
It's been a while since he could talk to someone. He thought he even forgot to speak. A smile crept to his face at this. Yes, it's been a while. 20 years, actually. It's amazing how time can twist stories into something completely different.
Cool drops of water fell on his feathers. They were crystal clear in the air, but once they ran down on his exposed neck and tail and fell onto the ground, they were greyish blue. The feathers slowly turned into snow white as the paint was being washed down.
The peacock turned around and pulling his now white train with bright red eye spots with him, he walked away as proudly as his lame foot allowed him.