If you have played Sly 3, did you notice that everybody has an epilogue but Tsao? All the members of the Cooper Gang go on with their lives. Octavio ends up a professional prison performer. The Mask of Dark Earth was destroyed. The Black Baron turns out to be Penelope. LeFwee was eaten by sharks. And Dr. M gets crushed by a cave-in. But what happened after Tsao was arrested?
Tsao's Humility
Panda King was sitting on his porch in his old rocking chair, watching the sunset.
"Tea, Father?" Jing King asked as she came out with a tray.
"Thank you, Jing," Panda King said as he took one of the small glasses into his massive hands. It had been several years since he had joined forces with the Cooper Gang to rescue his daughter from General Tsao, and he was still thankful every day for it.
While father and daughter shared the pot of tea, Panda King noticed a silhouette on the horizon. The figure continued to walk down the path that led to the Kings' house, and Panda King made ready his fireworks.
"What is the matter father?" Jing King asked.
"Jing, get inside," Panda King said, rocking himself onto his feet. When his daughter didn't move, he said, "Go. I'll be in soon."
Jing nodded and took the tray in with her.
Panda King stepped to the top of his porch stairs as the figure arrived. Though the man was dressed in peasant's clothes, Panda King easily recognized him as General Tsao. He took a firm grip on his fireworks.
General Tsao stood and the foot of the steps. He was once the greatest of nobility, but now he looked as sad as a man could be. He kneeled himself on the ground and laid himself flat before the giant panda. "Hail to the glorious Master Panda King. If he so wish to destroy me with his fireworks then may his will be done," he said.
"What do you want, General Tsao," Panda King said, glowering and taking a firmer hold on his firework belt.
"I have come to beg forgiveness," said General Tsao. "And please, call me Tsao. I am no general anymore, nor do I deserve to keep the title. You have defeated me, and I have dishonored both my family and yours."
Panda King gave a stiff nod. "And how do you plan to acquire my forgiveness and, by some remote means, regain your honor?" he asked.
Still on the ground, Tsao replied, "I have come to serve thee. Whatever thou command me to do, I shall do. I shall even kill myself if you ask it."
"And why would you offer such service?" asked Panda King. "And how do you expect me to trust you?"
"I wish to gain humility, for it seems that without it, I only dishonor my family," said Tsao. "And if you do not trust me, than I probably do not deserve your trust."
Panda King stroked his chin as he looked down upon the boy before him. There was serious nagging in the back of his mind, but there was also the fact that he had not always lived as goodly as life as he did now. "Alright," he said. "If you come to me seeking humility, then you shall be taught. It seems as though the humility you need is respect, so you shall do what was traditionally man and woman's work."
"If that is what you bid me," said Tsao. "But I am afraid I have not learned the culinary arts."
Panda King grunted. "If I do not trust you, why would I allow you to cook for me?" he said. "You will begin work tomorrow. Now, you may sleep out by the temple."
Tsao stood up. "Yes, Master Panda King," he said with a bow. "I shall be waiting for your fist command in the morning." He walked away to the small temple at the top of the hill behind the Kings' home.
Panda King sighed as he walked into his house.
Jing King was waiting for him in the living room. "Who was that father?" she asked.
Panda King sighed. He did not want to tell Jing the truth, but he knew better than to lie to her. "Tsao has come seeking forgiveness and humility," he said.
Jing King gasped. "Surely you sent him away, father," she begged, holding onto her father's massive arm.
"If he has come seeking humility, I shall teach him as Cooper taught me," said Panda King. "But if he shows any signs of fraud, I shall not allow him to live a moment longer."
"Are you sure that is wise, father?" Jing King asked.
Panda King lifted a hand to his head. "For now, Jing, I am tired," he said. "We shall talk of this further in the morning." He walked heavily to his bedroom.
Being sure to lock the door behind him, he walked to his mirror. "You fool, how could you allow General Tsao to live!" Dark Panda roared, glaring from the mirror. "You should have blasted him while you had the chance!"
"He has come to me seeking humility," said Panda King. "I cannot turn him away, for I know how important humility is, and so do you."
"Humility! Bah!" spat Dark Panda. "You and I both know he will take Jing as soon as we turn our back."
"True, I don't trust him anymore than you do," replied Panda King. "But for now, I know nothing. However, I will promise that if he should betray us, I will let you blast him to the depths of Ti Yu."
"You had better," growled Dark Panda. "For I am amazed I do not send you there for your foolishness. I certainly hope you know what you are doing."
"As do I," said Panda King. "But now I bid you good night."
Dark Panda and Panda King bowed to each other before retiring to bed.
In the morning, Panda King woke early. He walked out into the early dawn and up to his temple. When he arrived, he found Tsao standing in the crane position. However, it was hard to see him at first, for the temple was so clean that even the little sunlight there was had a glaring reflection on its walls.
"You have work for me already?" asked Tsao.
Panda King wiped a finger against the temple wall. "Interesting, I do not remember asking you to clean my temple."
"Meditation is best in a place that is as clean as heaven," said Tsao.
"And you meditated within my temple?" asked Panda King.
"No, Master," said Tsao with a bow. "I would not dream of taking such honor from you."
"I see," said Panda King. "Well, as for your work, I will need you to cut wood for the stove."
"As you ask," Tsao said, bowing before walking away.
"And you are not to use magic," Panda King added as an afterthought.
"If you wish me not to use my magic, then my magic I will not use," said Tsao.
Panda King walked into the small temple. "I must say, he did do a good job," he said. "This place is cleaner than when it was first built."
A couple hours later, Panda King went back into his house to find Jing King setting breakfast on their small dining room table. He looked at the table. "Jing King," he said softly. "It seems you have set one place too few."
"What do you mean, father?" Jing asked.
Tsao had entered into the house. "I have chopped enough wood for today's cooking and stockpiled the wood chest out back full, Master Panda King," he said with a bow.
"Aw, my pupil," said Panda King, "You are just in time to share breakfast with us."
"Father, you can't be serious," said Jing King.
Tsao bowed. "Please, I do not mean to offend, Master," he said. "But I do not think myself worthy to eat with you."
Panda King knelt at the table. "Nonsense," he said. "If you are to gain my trust, then you eat at my table." He gave the table a soft pound of his fist. "If you do not spend time with me, then how will I know what you are doing? And if I do not know what you are doing, how will I know you are not planning to betray me?"
"If that is what you wish," said Tsao. He knelt to Panda King's left side, while Jing knelt to Panda King's right.
Breakfast started in silence. Jing King glared at Tsao the whole time, but Tsao paid no attention to anything but his rice. Panda King could sense tension building.
"So tell me, Tsao," he said. "How did you go about cutting the wood? I saw you take no axe, and you promised to not use magic."
Tsao put down his bowl. "Well, honorable master, I used my bare hands, for as bamboo may be snapped by the hand, so may the tree be snapped with the fist."
Panda King nodded sagely. "Yes, that is most remarkable. You still have your famed power," he said. He remembered each and every rumor of the former general. From these rumors, he could guess that he was just as great in the three skills that each member of the Cooper Gang boasted one each. He still thought it remarkable that they were able to defeat Tsao.
"It is not that great, master," said Tsao, his head bowed. "I'm sure you could break trees as well."
"You flatter, but are correct," said Panda King. He turned to his other side. "And how was your morning, Jing?"
"Fine, father," Jing replied, still glaring at Tsao.
Panda King sighed, and breakfast continued in silence.
After breakfast was done, Tsao stood and bowed. "What work do you bid me now, master?" he asked.
Panda King leaned back. "I saw how much effort you put into cleaning the temple," he said. "I would like to see if you will put such effort in cleaning my house, again without magic. And I do not believe Jing would want you in her room, either."
Tsao nodded. "I shall do my best," he said before walking off.
After Tsao left, Jing King said, "I do not trust him father. I know he is planning something."
"As far as I know, he is only planning to clean the house," said Panda King.
"Yes, but that is what concerns me." said Jing King. "To him, that is woman' work. Why would he do it so willingly?"
"If he wishes to truly be humble, he will do as he is told, no matter what it is," said Panda King. "But now, I go to my workshop."
During the day, Panda King worked on his fireworks in his workshop. He watched as Tsao even cleaned around him, including cleaning up scorch marks and organizing the different powders. He hummed quietly, thinking about whether keeping Tsao was a good idea. But he also thought that anyone who could make gun powder squeaky clean was good to keep for a while.
At evening, Tsao was still working. Panda King shared tea with Jing on the porch.
"You seem troubled, my little Jing," said Panda King.
Jing sighed. "It's just that with Tsao here, I feel so restless," she said.
"Jing, I know that Tsao has caused us trouble in the past, but I do not think there is anything to fear from him now," said Panda King.
"It's not that, father," replied Jing King. "It's just that keeping the house clean was my job, but he does everything I plan to do. Not only that, but I do not believe the house will need cleaning for a whole month with what he's done."
Panda King let out a full, round chuckle. "Is that all, Jing?" he said. "You are a grown girl. You should take your newfound free time to visit the village, make friends, shop for something other than groceries."
"Are you sure, father? What if Tsao does something to you while I'm gone?" asked Jing.
"Do not worry, Jing," said Panda King, patting his daughter's hand. "I can fend for myself."
"Alright, father," said Jing King. "But only if you are sure."
"I am sure," Panda said, nodding as he rocked.
For about the next month, Jing King took her father's advice. Panda continued Tsao's training, but soon found he had no more work for him. So, he decided that he would teach Tsao the art of fireworks and Flame Fu. When the rooster asked why he should have such an honor, he replied that they were good disciplines that required as much respect as a person. For the most part, it looked like things were going well, until...
Jing King stomped, at least as well as someone with such small feet could stomp, into the living room, where Panda King sat. The massive panda knew that his daughter was not easily angered, so he knew there must be something wrong. "What is the matter, my little Jing?" he asked.
Jing King sat down roughly on a chair. "Tsao," was all she growled.
Panda King raised an eyebrow. "What is your matter with him? Has he done something to you?" he asked.
"No," said Jing. "That's the problem. He doesn't talk to me! He won't even look at me!" She folded her arms and scrunched her body. "I bet he still thinks me as nothing important because I'm a woman."
"Hmm," said Panda King. "And have you tried talking to him?"
"No," said Jing. "If he had any decency, he would at least apologize. Really father, when I was his prisoner, he wouldn't shut up sometimes."
"Perhaps you should approach him," said Panda King. "If I am his master, then it can be inferred that you are his mistress. If you need him to go to town with you, or if you decide to assign him any chore, feel free to. I am almost out of things for him to do."
Jing King stood up, still looking peeved. "If you think that best, father," she said, before walking away."
"Oh, Jing," Panda King called behind him just as Jing reached the doorway.
"Yes, father," replied Jing King.
"Why does it concern you if Tsao has not spoken to you?" asked Panda King.
"No reason," Jing said, turning to leave.
"You were expecting him to come only to kidnap you, didn't you?" asked Panda King.
Jing King's cheeks were touched with the slightest blush. "No," she said. "I just think it's rude of him to ignore me so." She walked off in a huff.
Panda King only smiled as he continued his study of Fung Shui.
Over the next week, Jing King "accidentally" walked into Tsao, took him into town (where several girls were actually jealous of Jing after seeing the former warrior), and kept him in the kitchen more. However, Tsao never looked at her. He never spoke. He only did that which was asked of him, and bowed in apology for the occasional accident. Needless to say, Jing became furious.
One day, Panda King woke up and headed out to his temple. At first, he didn't see anything, but he felt something was amiss. After several moments of meditation, he realized what it was. Tsao was not there!! He ran out to the forest, and then to the workshop, but still no Tsao.
Fearing the worst, Panda King began to run down the path, shouting, "Jing King! Jing King!" But at the sound of his name being called from the house, he stopped. He turned to see Jing was calling him in for tea.
Panda King ran up to meet his daughter at the door. "What is the matter?" asked Jing.
Wheezing slightly, Panda King said, "Nothing." To him, only his daughter's safety mattered at the moment.
Jing nodded. "Well, come in for tea, father," she said, turning to go into the house.
Panda King walked in until he felt something on the door. He grabbed it and brought it in front of him to discover that it was a scroll. He opened it carefully, and this is what it said:
Dear Master Panda King,
I am sorry to have left before my training was through, but it was
necessary. I am not worthy enough to approach Miss Jing King, but she has
persisted in talking to me and keeping near me, neither of which have I
earned the honor of yet. Because I do not know if I will return, I bid you both
a fond farewell
-Tsao
"What is it, father?" asked Jing. Before Panda King could even answer, she took the scroll from him. Her eyes grew wide as she read. She thrust the parchment at her father as she ran to her room.
A few minutes later, Jing came out with a small pack and her only pair of shoes that she could run with on.
Panda King stretched a hand out in front of the door. "And where are you going, my little Jing?" he asked.
Jing huffed. "I'm going after that self-righteous idiot," she said. "This is not ancient times. He doesn't have to be so dramatic about honor."
Panda King nodded. "I suppose I have failed to teach him the difference between honor and respect," he said. "If you believe you can teach him, then you may go."
Jing King rushed out the door and left her father standing there. The giant panda only smiled as he went to get his tea. He was going to need it, for Dark Panda King was certainly going to have a fit.
Jing ran as fast as her small feet could carry her. She had to rest often, but she was surprised with how quickly she had caught up to Tsao. Of course, she noticed he was keeping to the path that led out of the village to the big cities, and he was walking at an awfully slow pace. She was about to rush in for the last hundred yards when she heard something above her.
Jing King had no time to react as the tiger descended upon her and gagged her. "Well now, look what we have here," he said, holding the poor girl roughly. "I'd say you're probably the Panda King's daughter. That hair style of yours gives you away."
"Let her go," called a voice.
The tiger and Jing King looked to see Tsao standing only about five feet away. "Who are you, punk?" the brigand ordered.
"I am the one telling you to let the girl go," said Tsao. "If you are to kidnap a woman, at least show a little respect and hold her properly."
"And who are you to tell how to treat a woman, peasant?" said the bandit. "Women don't need to be treated with any more respect than the likes of you!"
Jing could see the fire erupt in Tsao's eyes. "I will tell you one last time, let the girl go, or I shall make you let her go."
The tiger laughed. "Oh ho ho! I'm so scared," he said. "What are you going to do? -!!"
The bandit didn't get to finish, for about twelve ghostly hands hot out of the mountainside and pulled him away from Jing King. He struggled helplessly as Tsao walked in front of him. "I am the last of the Tsao clan, blackest of the black sorcerers," he said. "And though I treated this same maiden poorly, at least I had the decency to treat her like a porcelain doll, instead of a cleaning rag. That is a disgrace beyond forgiveness. Fist of Chuan-lun wang!"
The bandits eyes shrank in fear as the black-colored fist aimed for him. On impact, he released a horrible scream as he disappeared into thin air.
Jing King stood in terror as Tsao picked up his pack. "What did you do to him?" she asked, pointing at the mountainside.
Tsao breathed deeply. "I sent him to the depths of Ti Yu," he replied, beginning to walk away. "I may have treated you like property, but I at least treated you with decency. But now, I have disgraced your father again. I have used my black arts against his command."
Jing King ran up beside him. "But you did so to protect me," she said. "I'm sure he will forgive you."
Tsao sighed. "I had to protect you," he said. "It was to make up for the last time I failed to do so."
"Failed to protect me?" Jing King asked herself. She fumed. "Hey, you were the one who kidnaped me!"
"If it was just your father, then I could have either kidnaped him, too, or I could have lost with honor," said Tsao. "But it was to my greatest dishonor to lose, not one, but two treasures to the Copper gang. I still do not understand how they got that fox spirit to take your place."
"Two treasures?" said Jing King. She turned slightly red. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."
"I should hope a compliment," said Tsao. "But I am afraid I do not deserve to talk to you anymore." He walked on with greater speed.
Jing rushed up and slapped the chicken. "I think I should be the one who has a say in that," she said.
Tsao stared blankly at Jing.
Jing crossed her arms and huffed. "If you want to apologize, then apologize," she said. "My father meant to teach you respect, but you don't respect me enough to ask my opinion."
Tsao bowed himself flat on the ground. "I am sorry, Miss Jing King," he said. "For both kidnaping you and disrespecting you for being a woman."
Jing King tugged at his collar. "Please, that is unnecessary," she said. "You do not need to bow anymore." After Tsao stood up, she said, "Now, let us go back home to my father. You still have much to learn in the ways of respect."
Tsao nodded. "Yes, it would be best if I escorted you home," he said. "No telling how many other bandits may be on this path."
After they had walked a while, Tsao said, "You know, that is the reason I would not let you leave."
"What?" asked Jing.
"Bandits," replied Tsao. "I was too busy with wedding preparations, I could not spare time to take you to visit your father. The bandits in my country are scared of me, but that means that they will attack anyone who is not me that leaves. And even with a band of guards, they certainly would have attacked for someone such as yourself."
"And what would you have cared back then if I were taken?" asked Jing.
Tsao shrugged. "If it was by your father, then fine," he said, "I could always come and take you back from him." He winced and turned to glare at Jing. "But do not insinuate that if I had learned you had been kidnaped by someone else that I would have left you." He started to look like the old General Tsao. "I would have taken on an army. You were mine. My bride. My PERFECT bride." He stopped in his self-glorying. "Excuse me, Miss Jing King. I lost myself in the moment."
Jing had shied away from Tsao, but she was also blushing like mad. "You cared that much?" she asked.
Tsao nodded sagely. "I will admit that I was cruel. But do not think I did not care," he said. "It is almost impossible to find the perfect bride as tradition calls for these days."
Jing King had remembered saying the same thing several years ago. "And what was a perfect bride according to tradition?" she asked.
"First, of noble birth," said Tsao. "But a perfect bride also had to be as beautiful as a goddess, honor her husband, and be a kind and caring mother to the children."
Jing King had covered her ears by this time and even the blacks parts of her face were scarlet. Tsao had never complimented her so much before. Not only that, but his new kindness accentuated the fact that he had called her the perfect bride. He had thought her perfect. She shut her eyes and shook her head, leading to her almost tripping over a stone.
Tsao had caught Jing before she fell. "Are you alright Miss Jing King?" he asked. "You look feverish. Should I carry you?"
Jing King could only nod, afraid she would say something embarrassing if she opened her mouth.
Tsao took Jing King up in his arms, and she noticed how strong they really were. But they were something more now. They were protective.
Jing King fell asleep before they arrived and the King household. Tsao had placed her in bed, and explained to Panda King all that had happened before he retired outside the temple.
The next morning, Tsao was woken up by Jing King. He was surprised that she had woken up before him, but he was even more surprised at what she was wearing.
Jing King wore a long silk robe and several pieces of golden armor, including a golden tiara. With her hairstyle and her make-up, she looked similar to an empress. She had even strapped on a smaller version of her father's fireworks cannon and belts. She even held a noblewoman's fan made out of gold. "Good morning, Tsao," she said. "Given recent events, I believe you are deserving of a bedroom of your own."
Tsao looked Jing King up and down several times. There was something eerily familiar about her choice in fashion. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"I do not think you deserve to be left outside," said Jing King. "Come, come, I will take you."
Tsao followed Jing into the house. They went down the hall, past Panda King's room, until they came to a room at the end of the hall. It was opened to reveal a small, simple room.
"This shall be your room from now on," said Jing King. "Go on, make yourself comfortable."
Tsao took one step in and the rest was a blur. Jing King bumped him in the rest of the way with her hip, slammed the door shut, and locked it.
Tsao turned around and pounded on the door a couple times. "Miss Jing King. Miss Jing King!" he called. "What is going on?! Jing!"
Jing King gave an evil empress-like laugh. "Do not worry, esteemed future husband," she said. "This is merely to make sure you don't run away again."
On hearing the laughter, Panda King burst out of his room, sending the door flying. He took in the scene in an instant and paused. With Jing King staring at him with a wry smile, he grumbled, "I'm not going to try to deal with this until after my morning tea." He started to walk to the kitchen.
Passing a hallway mirror, Panda King turned to see Dark Panda raise an eyebrow at him. "Your daughter decides to go berserk, and you do not reprimand her?" asked the reflection.
"You do not think Jing can do such dark deeds?" asked Panda King. "You do remember she was initially your daughter."
Dark Panda smirked. "I guess so," he said. "To tea then?"
Both Pandas nodded before continuing to the kitchen.
Back to Tsao, he was sitting in his room, having accepted his fate. Though he thought he should be concerned, he did remember that this was how he treated Jing King. He may have been the one captured now, but he couldn't help but only think of one word. This word slipped from his mouth in a triumphant whisper before he succumbed to humble meditation.
"Glorious."