Watching the eldest dragon child had been interesting- Or at least as interesting as watching someone slide between tables for hours on end could be. Sometimes she would stop at a particular table and shoot a witty phrase to the customer she was serving, but for the most part it was the same repetitive action of setting a bowl down before running off to get a new one.
"How riveting..." Tai Lung sighed, watching the restaurant goers clear out for the night.
It was late in the evening by now, the sun having long since dipped below the horizon's edge. From the kitchen window he could see the owner and his grandchildren scrubbing pots and counting the day's earnings. Such a lovely sight- had he been any other outsider looking in. However, he wasn't. Tai Lung was ruthless and vengeful-
"Would you like to come in?" Tati's voice slammed him back into his current situation harder than any hit he had taken before. Golden eyes instantly darted for her's out of habit- it was almost startling how welcoming they still seemed, given the circumstances. "Its already passed dark and-"
"My dear, I could kill you and your family at any moment, and yet you still show me such kindness?" Tai Lung mocked, "Where have your senses gone?"
"You won't." Tati replied, "Word travels fast here- If you killed us now then my father would have several days to build up a vengeance worse than yours."
"I suppose that is true." He mused, watching as she so boldly pulled up a chair alongside his and sat down. In either paw, she held a small bowl of noodles. How he hadn't noticed before was now beyond him, but he didn't ponder it long, as one was pushed closer to him.
"As a proper response though- my parents taught me to respect strangers." Tati sighed, taking a spoonful of noodles and swallowing them whole. "You never know the kind of journey they've been on."
"That is the kind of lesson that will get you killed one day."
With that, he took up his bowl and his own spoon and tried a bit of the food. It was rather bland and cold compared to the first bowl he had been given, an all but obvious sign that these were leftover from the day's preparations with a limited shelf life left. Still, it was filling and better than nothing at all. The conversation, however, was not.
"Or save me... But worst case- at least I died doing the right thing." Tati spoke up, idly twirling her chopsticks about in her bowl.
"Well then-"
"TATI!" The sudden sound of the goose's voice caused them both to jump and Tai Lung bared his claws out of instinct- though they were quickly put away as he was drawn back to his current situation once more. Startling the father of the Dragon Warrior by revealing himself- that was put his senses where Tati had left hers.
A kind smile was instead placed on his face, and he strained to hold it as the goose made his way over to them, one cub holding each of his wings.
"Tati, would you please put the little ones to bed tonight?" He asked, all but shoving the Cubs into her arms. "Its Mahjong Night and I don't want them to hear Mrs. Ming's horrible words again- Your father would kill me if he heard your brother say another bad word!"
The older cub rolled her dark eyes, but gathered up the young in her long arms gracefully. She then turned her gaze to Tai Lung. A sickening prickle ran through him, and he felt dread settle into his stomach. He was about to he asked a favor that he was not prepared for. He just knew it.
"Come in with me." She said firmly, before turning sharply on her heels and starting for the inside of the restaurant. Not wanting to make a scene, he followed her.
As they walked up the stairs of the warm, but cramped hovel, he began to think once more of how easily he could have killed her. Just snap her neck and leave her corpse before his enemy- the cubs' bloodied pieces strewn about the stairs of the Jade Palace as a warning for those who dare to challenge him- their parents soon joining them as he finished them off. And yet he found himself doing none of that. He simply watched Tati's tail as it swayed in front of him, her steps far in front of his despite the load she carried.
Soon, they came to the very top of the restaurant. A near empty attic, with three mats and a few toys set up. It was cool, but not entirely unpleasant.
"Its the only room with enough space for the three of us." Tati muttered, slipping the male cub onto his mat. "Try to put my sister to sleep- she will bite you, so be wary."
Tai Lung scoffed and lifted the little tiger cub into his arms. She looked nearly identical to the loud-mouthed tiger who had attempted to defeat him on the bridge. The fake Dragon Warrior- just tinier and with little black nubs for ears. She looked so ridiculously cute that a genuine laugh found it's way out of his throat and into the night air...
He recieved a hard bite to the wrist for it. A low growl replaced his laugh, but that was as far as he would take things for now. The little thing was then placed on her mat and covered with a nearby blanket. The cub let out an irritating whine and began her struggle. A pair of strong paws attempted to hold her down, but even Tai Lung found this to he a touch difficult- especially with those tiny fangs dragging down his arm.
There had to be a way to distract himself from the pain until she fell asleep- perhaps talking was the route he should take? It was better than sitting in silence at that second.
"I suppose you'll be tucked in next?" He sneered to Tati.
"I'm a 23 year old female. The only reason I am here is to watch my siblings when our grandfather can not." Tati hissed- before quickly adding, "That and... I was kicked out of the Jade Palace for the time being..."
Now, that was interesting.
"What could someone of your size have possibly done to earn such a dishonor?" He asked.
"I set off a chair of fireworks in the grand hall." She sighed, shaking her head. "Shifu was nearly blue from anger-"
"Yes... That does sound like my old master." A soft chuckled left his throat. "Though I had only set fire to one tapestry as a child."
"And that got you kicked out?" Her black nose wrinkled in disatisfaction.
"No, I also laid waste to the Valley of Peace as an adult over the Dragon Scroll." He frowned, "I would have assumed your parents informed you of that. Just like any other good parent- my flaws and misdoings should have been highlighted as a way to teach good to children-"
"They did, but I've seen something else you've done that I have put into focus at the moment." She said.
"Oh really? And what is that?"
"You've put my baby sister to sleep."
Golden eyes darted down to the cub, now snoozing peacefully under the weight of his arms. Her whining had dissolved away into soft snores, and her little pout was replaced with a look of sleepy content and trust. It was almost an adorable sight. For once, his monologue was used for good.
"... It seems as though I have."
