A/N: Wow! I am glad you liked the chapter! 15 reviews and over 100 views! So I am happy! But the question is… Can we continue like that? I hope so!
Random fact; the whole plot was kind of improvised in the first chapter! It is called; getting ideas while writing! ;)
I do not own Kung Fu Panda.
Widen Your Golden Heart, Patience
"Should we get the doctor, Master?" Viper asked, as Po placed the unconscious tiger on her own bed. Only him, Viper, Lu Chu and Master Shifu could be in the room, and the other remained on the hall or followed the situation from other rooms.
They were all curious, and of course worried, about what was going on. They had all known Tigress for long time, and even though they had feared for her life many times in the past, this was something serious.
Never before had Tigress just fainted like that.
Shifu shook his head. "For now, we will wait. But if it gets worse-"
"Worse?" Po asked. "How 'worse'?"
His master gave him a grim glance that told him to thin before he asked. "Oh…" Po said slowly, getting some ideas of what 'worse' was.
Shifu then turned towards Lu Chu. "You said you have seen this before?"
The mountain cat nodded. "Yes. But that is very long time ago. It was when Mei-Hua was sick."
"And when was that?" Shifu asked her. "And what kind of sickness was it?"
Lu Chu sighed. "I don't know much," she revealed. "It happened long time ago. When I just was a little girl. My mother worked at the Dragon Palace, and I often came by and helped her…"
"Mother?" the little mountain cat called. "What should I do with these?" she then asked, holding up a tray with cups.
"Uhm…" The older servant bit her lip as she looked stressed. So many things to do with so little time. "There is a pot with tea over there, my dear. Please fill the cups."
Lu Chu nodded. "I will do that, Mother." She was careful with not spilling anything, and in the end proud of her work when she saw the fine decorated cups standing there filled with tea.
"What now, Mother?" the cub asked.
"Uhm…"
"Yao Niang!" a voice called from another room. "We need your help here!"
Knowing that she now would not be able to give the masters their tea, Yao Niang turned to her daughter. "Lu Chu?" she asked, and the cub nodded. "I need you to be a very good girl."
"What shall I do, Mother?"
"Do you remember the big hall I showed you yesterday?" The cub nodded again. "The masters are there now, and I need you to give them their tea. Can you do that?"
Lu Chu bit her lip. She had never really met the masters before, but knew that many things could go wrong if she accidently offended them... But she also knew that she would end up working here, so why not just start now?
"Yes, Mother."
"Good." Yao Niang brushed some flour off the girl's dress. "Remember to be silent, and if they ask you about anything, you will answer politely."
"Yes, Mother."
Yao Niang then kissed her daughter's forehead. "Good girl. Now be quick and be careful not to trip."
Lu Chu nodded and then hurried off with her tray. She remembered the way to the hall perfectly and was soon standing in front of the big door.
But when she had to open it, she met a problem. Trying to push it open with her back, Lu Chu found out that she was not strong enough.
And as she was using both of her paws to hold the tray, she understood that the door was closed for her. What should she do?
Pushing with all her might, she tried using her back again. It opened, but only about an inch.
Looking through the crack with her eyes, Lu Chu tried to spot anyone who could help her.
What she saw, made her widen her green eyes.
The masters, nearly all of them she knew, where standing in the middle of the room. They were talking with a tiger…
Master Mei-Hua.
"I do understand that you worried-" a voice said.
"Of course I am worried," Mei-Hua snarled. "I want to know what is happening to me!"
"The doctors are unable to name the disease-"
"Then find some new doctors!"
"Master Mei-Hua." It was Master Fox who was taking a step closer to the Dragon Queen. "Your body is weakening. That's what we know."
Mei-Hua took in a deep breath. "And that's the cause of why I am fainting?"
"We believe so. It started with that."
"Will it get worse?" the tiger then asked.
"Yes, Master Mei-Hua. At least, that is what we think."
"Is it lethal?" the Dragon Queen asked.
No one said a word.
Taking in a deep breath, Mei-Hua said, "I'll take that as a 'yes'."
"Of course we are doing our best to find a cure. Until then we suggest you to remain calm."
"How long time?" Mei-Hua then asked.
Master Fox sighed. "We believe that in two weeks you won't be able to rise from your bed."
"Just lovely," the tiger growled and turned her back to the masters. "I'll go meditate."
Little Lu Chu was surprised of how cold the master was behaving. The cub knew what dying meant, and had expected more panic. She had heard that Master Mei-Hua had been fainting often in the last weeks; her mother had told her that.
Suddenly, she understood that Mei-Hua was coming towards her, and before she could react, the doors were opened.
Master Mei-Hua stared at her, obviously surprised.
Lu Chu quickly bowed her head and held up the tray.
The tiger took a cup and called over her shoulder, "Since when did we hire children?" The masters' only response was shrugging, but Mei-Hua did not care much about the mountain cat.
Instead she just walked past her, leaving Lu Chu to give tea to the rest of the masters.
"Lethal?" Viper whispered after the servant finished her tale. They all looked at Tigress who still had not woken up.
Lu Chu nodded, eyes big. "I heard them say that."
"But Mei-Hua survived," Po said. "I mean, she came here, and that was, you know, many, many years after that."
"That's true," Lu Chu said. "She did survive. And she did also stop fainting."
"How?" Shifu asked, still not removing his eyes from Tigress.
"I don't know," Lu Chu said quietly. "None of us servants were told how. I think only the masters know. And of course, Mei-Hua, but…"
"She's dead," Crane said, saying what they were all thinking.
Shifu set his jaw. Tigress was deadly sick and they did not know a cure… "I'll send d a message to the Masters of the Dragon Palace," he told the others. "They were then Mei-Hua was sick. I am sure they can remember what they did."
"And they have to tell us," Monkey said. "Tigress is their Queen…"
"I am sure they will help," Lu Chu said.
"How old were Master Mei-Hua when she became sick?" Shifu then asked.
"Some years older than Tigress, I think," Lu Chu told him. "Why?"
"I just want to know the similarities," the master muttered. "I'll go writing the letter. You three," he pointed at Viper, Lu Chu and Po, "will keep an eye on Tigress. Tell me if there are any changes."
"Yes, Master," Po and Viper said while Lu Chu just bowed.
Mantis then asked from Monkey's head, "What about us?" And with 'us' he meant he, Crane and Monkey.
"Go and search through the scrolls to see if they say anything about this sickness," Shifu told them.
They too bowed. "Yes, Master."
They then gave Tigress a last glance and then left the room.
"So…" Po began. "What now?"
"We'll wait," Viper said. "There is not much else to do."
"We can hear why Lu Chu is here!" Po exclaimed and they both turned to look at the servant.
Lu Chu's smile disappeared. "It's because I need your help."
"What's wrong?" Viper immediately asked.
"Jie is gone!" Lu Chu exclaimed as the first tears came. "And I don't know what to do?"
"Jie is missing?" Po asked and the mountain cat nodded. "Since when?!"
Lu Chu looked at the ground nervously. "Since I told him I am pregnant…"
"You are what?!" Po and Viper exclaimed on the same time.
Viper then got back her senses. "Lu Chu, that's wonderful! When?"
"Soon… I think…"
"And then he just left?" Viper asked, mouth agape.
Lu Chu nodded silently. "I am sure he is lost somewhere…."
Po and Viper shared glances, but decided not to tell Lu Chu their thoughts.
"Can you help me when him?" Lu Chu then asked him. "I mean, of course we can wait to Master Tigress wakes up…"
"Of course we will help, Lu Chu," Viper said. "We just also have to take care of some things here." They both looked at the tigress on the bed; knowing what it was Viper was talking about.
"Uhmm…" Po said and held up a hand. "Question; why did Jie leave?"
"He said that he had some important things to do," Lu Chu explained. "And that he was in a hurry."
Viper laid the tip of her tail on the mountain cat's paw. "Lu Chu, could it be that Jie might have left as a reaction to the news about your… Future child?"
Lu Chu widened her eyes. "Of course not! Jie is happy! He was shocked… But I am sure he is happy."
"Wow," Po said. "I really can't imagine Jie as a father…"
"But I can," Lu Chu said sternly. "And I am sure that Jie can too. He just can't find his way home."
"We will find him Lu Chu," Viper promised. The two girls smiled to each other, but the smile disappeared as they heard a groan from Tigress.
Viper rushed to her friend's side. "I think she is waking up!" she exclaimed. "Po, go get Master Shifu!"
"On it!" the panda said and quickly left the room.
"Come on, Tigress," Viper muttered quietly to her sick friend. "Tigress!"
"What?" came the groggy reply.
"You are awake!" the snake exclaimed and hugged Tigress' paw by curling herself around it. "We were so worried!"
Tigress opened her eyes, blinking to get everything into focus. "Lu Chu?" she muttered. "What are you doing here?"
Lu Chu opened her mouth, but Viper cut her off. "We will explain later. How are you feeling, Tigress?"
Tigress placed a pw on her head. "A big headache. Else than that; I am fine." She sat up, even though Viper tried to protest. "What is going on?" she asked.
"You… fainted in the training hall," Viper explained. "We carried you inside."
Tigress raised an eyebrow. "I fainted?" Lu Chu and Viper nodded. "I guess I have to more careful then," Tigress said. "I must have forgotten to drink water."
"No, it's not tha…" Lu Chu trailed off when she saw Viper's warning glance.
But Tigress had heard what she said. "It's not what?"
Sighing, Viper uncurled herself from Tigress' paw. "You are sick, Tigress."
"I am?" Tigress asked, surprised. "But I feel fine." In this moment, she had decided to ignore the headache.
A new person entered the room; Master Shifu. "Tigress," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"
"Alright," she answered shortly, but then turned back to Viper. "Then which sickness is it?"
The snake bit her lip, as she felt her master's glance on her. Glancing back, she begged him with her eyes to explain it for her.
Shifu took a step forward. "So far the sickness is unknown."
Widening her eyes slightly, Tigress asked, "Then how…?"
"Master Mei-Hua apparently dealt with the illness," Master Shifu explained to the shocked tiger.
Lu Chu nodded. "It is true, Master Tigress. I was there when it happened. Though I was only a little girl…"
"What's the cure?" Tigress asked.
Shifu cleared his throat. "We don't know."
"Oh…"
"Yet," he continued. "But I have just sent a letter to the Dragon Palace, and since they were there when Master Mei-Hua was cured, they must know what to do."
Tigress nodded. "I see. Then what is going to happen to me? I want to be prepared."
Shifu was unsure of how much he could say. He knew that Tigress was going through a hard time, and did not want to worry her further. If she knew that she could die of this…
No. None of them should be that worried. Soon they would receive a letter, and they would be able to fix Tigress before this illness brought her down.
It was going to be alright.
"You will get weaker," he told the tiger. "That is what we know. And that is why I will not see you in the training hall until we have found the cure."
"What?!" Tigress exclaimed. "But, Master, I…"
"You will manage it, Tigress," Shifu said sternly. "And it is for your own best."
"But…" Tigress began, but sighed as she realized he would not change his mind. "Yes, Master," she then muttered.
"Master Shifu," Lu Chu said quietly.
"Yes, Lu Chu?"
"I have to ask if it possible if I can stay here the next days."
Shifu gave her a comforting smile. "Of course. It would be an honor. But may I ask; why you are not at home?"
Lu Chu opened her mouth, but Viper decided to speak for her. "Jie is missing, Master Shifu," she explained. "And Lu Chu needs our help with finding him."
"I see," the red panda said and then turned to Lu Chu. "When did you last see him?"
"About a week ago," Lu Chu said quietly. "He left after I told him I am pregnant."
"You..?" Master Shifu found himself unable to finish, but instead stared at the servant's stomach. Yes, she was indeed pregnant. But then he pulled himself together and quickly removed his eyes from her. "Do you have any ideas of where he could be?"
She shook his head. "No. At first I thought he might have gone here to talk with Mister Enlai… But I hear that he is missing too."
"Oh, he is not missing; he is…" But Shifu stopped himself as he saw Tigress' sad eyes. He took in a deep breath before continuing, "He is out handling some of his own business."
"Jie is doing that too!" Lu Chu exclaimed. "Maybe they are doing it together!"
Tigress gave her a grim smile. "Maybe."
A/N: I know. Not the longest or most exciting chapter. But it is the beginning so things are going slow. But I hope you like it! So let us see people; can we keep up the reviews? And get more favorites? (I love how 'Last Lullaby'; the story I thought you would all hate, got more favorites than this story). Love you all, my dear readers!
Oh, you might want to know, that I probably won't be updating the next days. Christmas is tomorrow (December 24.) because that is when we hold in in Denmark. So merry Christmas tomorrow!
Merry Christmas (glædelig jul!) and happy winter!
