The Rise and Fall of Kai
Chapter 2:
A/N: Shout outs-
Comrade – I'd prefer husky if anything with those beautiful blue eyes of theirs :P But later on it will be important why Kai is a White Bengal Tiger.
LTspade – I wouldn't trust Tigress to cook anything, you never know she might poison him O.o
RidingtheRoughWaters – Meh for me it's Tigress acting out on instinct against him and yes she does know how to pick them xD
For everyone else that read my story I was kind of disappointed at the amount of reviews but hey with the other three people favouring the story I'll take it as people are willing to read more. But please review at the end of the chapter even if it's 'yeah good story' or 'update' it lets us authors know people are interested and we're not wasting our time. –Cobra
"This...isn't...spar...sparring" Kai panted between breaths.
Tigress raised her eyebrow before casually walking over to the white feline except his face near his muzzle was red stained by blood and dripping onto his body.
"How so? I'm a master and so are you." Tigress bent down to eye level to Kai who just looked at her with pain written across his face.
"Sparring...most people...walk away...from I'd *cough* call...this a demolishing session."
Tigress punched him playfully hard on the shoulder and got a groan of pain. "Man-up Kai, besides this is only the start."
Kai watched Tigress stroll of with a spring in her step.
'I swear she has it out for me.' Kai started groaning as he tried to get up his chest hurt every time he exhaled. Slowly walking over to the springs where he could wash up after his battering. He could feel a warm liquid making its way down the white feline's nose. Kai brought his paw to wipe the liquid away. As his paw made contact to his nose he winced in pain. 'Yep, Broken'
As Kai looked at his paw he noticed the crimson coloured liquid staining his white fur. After limping his way up to the springs Kai decided it was best to relax for once, he didn't care if Tigress or Shifu caught him.
As reached the rocky edge of the spring Kai unbuttoned his black vest before neatly placing it on the edge of the spring. As Kai took off his vest he traced down his upper body checking for any bruises or broken bones it was hard to tell because of his fur. As Kai's paw reached the lower part of the ribcage he hissed in pain. 'Great one of my ribs is broken as well'
Eventually Kai took of his white sash and black trousers before finally sinking into the spring. As the white feline lowered himself into the warm spring he could feel the tension in his muscles start to fade.
After a while of soaking and feeling his muscles relax Kai couldn't help but remember what Tigress said.
"Man-up Kai, besides this is only the start."
"Pfff, Man up. She's more of a man..." Kai touched his nose as he remembered the straight punch.
"Who's more of a man?" Kai jumped in fright only a few people could sneak up on him as he turned around he felt scared hoping it wasn't Tigress. As the white feline turned around to meet the eavesdropper he felt relieved as he met a pair of amused jade green eyes.
"Po, Gods you scared the life out of me. How in hell did you sneak up on me?" the large white and black panda chuckled before shrugging.
"You were clearly out of it and I heard you talking about someone being more of a man and I couldn't help but ask who." Po gave his signature grin before looking confused "So...who were you talking about?"
Kai let out a breath of relief that Po didn't know. "Don't worry about just remembering old times." Kai sincerely smiled before relaxing again.
Po looked at Kai trying to determine whether he lied or was telling the truth. Kai noticed Po staring at his face intensely and it creped Kai out a bit.
"Is there something on my face Po?" Kai was a bit confused to why Po was staring.
"What happened to your nose?" Po gave up on trying to figure Kai out and noticed his nose was slightly out of place.
"Do you even need to ask Po?" Kai couldn't make it sound any more sarcastic if he tried.
"What you do to her this time Kai?" Po sighed and had a feeling it was Tigress' doing.
"Nothing! Master Shifu demanded that I learn from Tigress in how to conduct myself as a warrior all I've learnt is don't let your guard down around Tigress otherwise you'll be in this state." Kai just huffed before sinking further down into the spring so only his head was visible. Po just laughed at Kai.
"By the way Kai I never got the chance to thank you for saving my dad."
"Nah it's cool it's what us warrior's do right?"
Po chuckled and nodded in response.
"Po I was meaning to ask you, why were you upset when you got back? Surely you'd be happy to be back?" Kai sat up and looked at Po who shifted around uncomfortably.
"It's about Tigress isn't it?" Po just sighed before nodding again.
"What went wrong?"
Po got up and moved himself to the opposite side of rocky spring where he could sit comfortably.
"Well you know about me and Tigress..." Kai just nodded "...well she just being hostile to me all the time and even when we're alone she doesn't change." Po sighed before hanging his head.
Kai sat there digesting all the information before thinking.
"Look Po I'm sure Tigress doesn't really mean all of that. But you've gotta look at Tigress' point of view. I mean you're trying to keep your relationship a secret that's why she's acting like she isn't interested in you." Kai just relaxed back in the pond.
Po after seeing a different perspective lightened up "Thanks Kai." Po gave a goofy grin which resulted into Kai chuckling.
"That's the Po we all came to know and love, besides can you like give me some space so I can dry off and get into my clothes now mate?"
Po nodded and turned around while Kai busied himself drying off after the sounds of clothes rustling Kai cleared his throat. "I'm decent now." As Po turned around he erupted into hysterics when he saw the white feline.
Kai just growled "What's so funny?"
Po fell on the floor laughing. "Your fur!"
Kai looked at his fur to see it all puffed out and curly. Growling at the humidity causing this he used his claws to groom out the fur but parts were still curly. "Ha-Ha real funny...maybe if you took a bath now and again you know how it feels like."
Po stopped laughing when he heard the insult "Aw c'mon that was a bit harsh...besides my fur has never done that."
Kai just huffed "Well I guess it's normal with felines then."
"Ha-ha...wait felines? So that means..." Kai saw the mischievous grin and thought go through his mind.
"Oh No! Don't even think about trying to see if my statement is correct with Tigress." Kai was not going to be a part of this.
"Oh come on Kai stop being a buzz kill, it will be funny." Po pleaded with him to join in.
"Yeah it would be funny for like 3 seconds before we are maimed, chewed, clawed and if were lucky not murdered. I'm already on her bad side this would just be taking it to a whole new level!" Kai refused any part of this.
"By all means Po you can spy on her to see if it's true but don't involve me. I see Tigress WAY too much lately and it shows; one broken nose and a broken rib and she's been back for less than a day!" Kai just gave up on discussing with Po the insanity in his idea. Kai turned around before leaving and waving goodbye to Po.
As Kai made his slow descent, he felt fresh and soothed from his relaxing spar session as he went further the Five walked past him before stopping.
Monkey was the first to greet him. "Hey Kai where were you in training?"
Kai looked at the primate smiling "I was sorting out my BROKEN nose and BROKEN rib." As he emphasised the word broken each time he looked at Tigress who looked unfazed.
Crane was the next to pick out the issue. "How come your fur in parts is curly?"
'Damn he has sharp eyes' Kai remained expressionless in his facial features if there was anything he learnt while being at the Jade Palace it was how to lie to even fool the Five. "To be honest Crane I have no idea. But thanks for pointing it out."
Crane bought the whole speech as did Monkey, Viper and Mantis. Tigress however just smirked at his antics. She knew why his fur was curly. As Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper walked away the turned to see Tigress not coming with them. "Hey Tigress you coming or what?"
The orange feline just shook her head still focusing on Kai. Monkey just shrugged before looking back at Kai as he mouthed the words 'Help me'. Monkey just laughed before walking off.
Mantis and Monkey was exchanging jokes while Crane and Viper were moving side by side together talking about their pasts. Crane and Viper got so in-grossed into the own conversation they weren't aware of the looks Monkey and Mantis were giving them.
As Tigress watched the rest of the Five slowly disappear she noticed how Crane and Viper were so close. As the others disappeared out of sight Tigress focused her attention onto Kai. "So what were you really doing?"
Kai couldn't help but look nervous. It was easy to lie in front of Tigress when there were others around but when she's alone, she becomes nasty and Kai still has the scars from her claws on his stomach to prove it.
"I was err..."
"The Truth."
Kai just huffed in defeat 'Damn Crane.' "You know what I was doing obviously thanks to Crane's observation."
Tigress just smirked. "You know if Master Shifu finds out about this..."
Kai's eyes widened "Shifu nooo...please Tigress be reasonable."
Tigress' facial expression turned back into its emotionless state again. "I won't tell Shifu."
"Oh thank the gods." Kai huffed in relief.
"BUT." Kai winced at the sudden addition 'nothing ever is simple.'
"I need some...help." Kai saw Tigress' facial expression drop in embarrassment as she admitted she needed help.
"Help? ... With what?" Kai was sceptical of the whole situation.
"Well because you know about me and Po and you're close to Po I..."
Kai laughed in realisation that she wanted advice about the panda. Tigress just growled forcing him to shut up.
"I could always tell Shifu!"
Kai waved his paws defensively. "No no no I'll listen."
Tigress grinned "Good."
"Wouldn't you err prefer to do this somewhere private... I mean we're standing in the middle of a path in the open about to talk about your secret." Tigress just nodded and lead the way. Tigress lead Kai towards the hall of warriors but before they reached it they went down the side. After a bit of walking they reached an opening, Kai eyes widened at the beauty and tranquil setting of the garden Tigress took him to. As Kai looked around the colours of the flowers were powerful mostly a rich purple stood out, in the corner of his eye Kai saw a pond that looked like a mirror; not even the wind could disrupt the calm of the water.
"Where are we?" Kai looked towards Tigress who was calmly sitting in lotus position.
Tigress didn't bother opening her eyes. "We are behind the hall of warriors; this is where I go to meditate if I don't want to be found."
Kai looked around and was dumbstruck for anyway to describe it. "Wow."
Kai shook the thoughts of the garden and remembered why Tigress brought him here. Leisurely walking Kai sat himself a good few feet opposite of Tigress and cleared his throat to get her attention.
"You wanted help with Po in what aspect?" at the mention of the panda's name Tigress' eyes shot open.
Tigress sighed "I was pretty harsh to him on the journey back...and I don't know how to make it up to him."
Kai laughed before stopping. "Really? Is this some sort of joke that you need help with this?"
Tigress just growled "If it was that easy for me I wouldn't have asked you would I?"
Kai just sighed before face-pawing himself. "Tigress. No matter what you do Po will love it...he idolised you before he even met you lot! Every time me and Po talk the topic always ends up on you! He loves you Tigress, you just confuse him... this is a talk you should be having with him not me."
Kai went over to the pond before sitting in lotus position. 'Maybe I can actually meditate here.' Kai closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. As his mind started to go blank he felt the howling wind cut through him and he involuntary shivered. Opening his eyes he got up and shook his body. 'That's it I'm never meditating again.'
Tigress sighed before getting up she turned towards Kai. "You know you still haven't helped me find something to make up to Po."
Kai just groaned. "I don't know bake him a cake or something."
Tigress just growled at the usefulness of the white feline. "I could always go talk to Shifu."
"This is blackmail." Kai mumbled under his breath. "Fine. What does he like doing Tigress?"
Tigress just huffed "I don't know that's why I asked you to help."
Kai started rubbing his temples to stop the mental pain that was developing. "Not much of a girlfriend if you don't know what he likes... seriously he likes being around with you. Do something that isn't training with him... you know like go out for a meal and you pay seeing as you need to make up."
Tigress placed her paws on her hip while narrowing her eyes. "I do things that are not training now and again. And the meal I won't be able to justify without revealing the relationship."
Kai just schemed to himself while grinning. "Well I have an idea but you're not going to like it."
Tigress looked confused "Why?"
"Tomorrow is training right?..." Tigress nodded "Well if you say to Shifu we'll be training outside the palace grounds and won't be back until dinner. You can then have that meal with Po and since he's the Dragon Warrior he can flunk out of training whenever he wants since he's only reading those stupid scrolls." Kai just grinned out her reaction. Tigress has never flunked out on training.
"And where would you be in all of this?" Kai grinned evilly.
"Out and about leaving you two to get on with it. So how about it?"
Tigress crossed her arms across her chest. "No. Absolutely not... its one thing me flunking out of training but you allowed out on your own? Think again."
Kai just chuckled "Suit yourself. Go bake him a cake then...oh you do know how to cook right?..." Tigress sighed before shaking her head "That's what I thought... so this is really your only option and you obviously don't care enough to make it up to Po, if you're going to let your pride and honour get in the way."
Kai could see the inner battle of Tigress going on. Tigress had mixed feelings on this never had she once skipped her training not for nothing...but Kai did have a point this was the only way to have a meal with the Dragon Warrior.
Kai watched longer waiting for the decision. Tigress dropped her arms from her chest and sighed. Kai smiled knowing what she had chosen.
"Don't worry I'll make sure Po will be there. Mr. Ping's or somewhere else?"
Tigress just nodded meaning Mr. Ping's
"So where will you be going?"
Kai just shrugged before sitting down again. "Most likely my parent's house, haven't seen them in a while."
Tigress raised an eyebrow "You do know they aren't your real parents?"
Kai looked at her like she had grown three heads. "Of course I knew. Who the hell is so dumb that they don't know geese can only have geese offspring?"
Tigress remembered the talk she and Po had and how surprised he was that Mr. Ping wasn't his real dad. "I guess no-one. Why do you spend so much time with them anyway? You're there on your free time as well."
Kai just smiled over the countless memories he had. "They're all I have left, When I was cub growing up no one wanted to play with me or talk to me, I was alone I never really had the luxuries of friends but the only thing I had were my foster parents. The only people who weren't scared of me... to think of my life without them... I don't think I would've made it this long. Either gone mad from having no one to socialise with or just die from starvation and other things. So I spend most of my free time with them, helping them. My way of saying 'Thank you'."
Tigress just smiled at the insight into Kai's past. "What will you do when they pass?"
Kai rubbed his forehead. "Well if they pass peacefully then it's there time nothing much I can do about that..." Tigress noticed a feral gleam appear in Kai's eyes that turned his eyes blue eyes ice cold and void of emotion, the look in his eye made Tigress' fur bristle. "If someone prematurely took their lives however... I don't know what I'd do."
Kai shook his head of the thought. As he looked at Tigress he noticed she stood uneasy around him.
"You okay Tigress?" Kai's facial expression looked confused as she was staring at his eyes.
Tigress looked into his blue eyes. This time though Kai's eyes seemed warm and inviting instead of cold, emotionless void. "Yes I'm fine."
Kai shrugged before standing up and heading off back towards the barracks in the hopes of finding the panda.
Tigress still stood there remembering the look in Kai's eyes. The look in his eye was un-natural no look made Tigress react in such a way and yet here she stood remembering the malicious glint in Kai's eye.
(Somewhere Unknown.)
Two heavily armed wolves with battle-axes stood guard in front of the large door which lead into a vast and reach estate. Their guard shift was nearly up but before they cloaked off they heard panting. One of the wolf guards narrowed his eyes to see the upcoming figure charging on all fours but what caught the wolf's eye was the whenever the figure landed on his left side the figure would limp.
As the figure got closer they could make it to be a lone wolf. The figure stopped running and started to walk to the door. As the wolf got closer towards the door the guards instinctively moved their battle axes to stop him proceeding.
"Halt!"
The lone wolf just growled.
"Get out of my way you idiots, where is my father?"
As the two guards got a closer look at the wolf they gasped before pulling their battle axes and bowing.
"Captain Wu! Where are the rest of the men that accompanied you?"
Tai Wu just growled "I have no time for this where is my father!"
"He is at the mansion Captain... OPEN THE GATE!"
Tai Wu limped forward slowly as the large gate in front of him opened. As he past the large gates he saw a large presence of wolves practicing in different arts. Nearest the gates a pack of 30 wolves were training in archery and next to them a pack of 20 was training in Kung Fu and finally a large pack of 50 was training in the use of the sword.
As Tai limped further in many wolves looked at him baffled before bowing. Eventually Tai made it past the main encampment and made his way up a hill towards the massive mansion in which his family lived in. As Tai approached the massive steps leading to his front door Tai noticed a group of four lightly armoured wolves start to leave. Tai immediately smiled as he saw them.
"Just the men I need come with me." The four wolves nodded at the command.
As Tai stepped through the front door of the mansion he was met with a soft and luxurious carpet under his feet. In front of Tai there was a grand staircase leading up to the personal rooms taking a left Tai went down a massive corridor filled with armour and weapons from over the years at the end of the hallway a large wolf stood there guarding the door. As Tai limped closer to end of the corridor the wolf guard attempted to stop him.
"Captain Wu your father is busy..."
"I don't care move!" Tai pushed aside the guard with ease before barging in through the door. As he entered there were at least 15 wolves all wearing expensive clothing sitting at a grand table all focused on the sudden intrusion.
One of the wolves was angry at the sudden invasion of their meeting. "Captain you dare interrupt our meeting? Learn your place!"
There was a ferocious growl at the head of the table where a brown timber wolf sat with menacing crimson orbs. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY SON LIKE THAT!"
The angry wolf raised his paws in defence "I-I-m sorry milord, I-I had no idea."
The brown timber wolf got up from his chair at the head of table and strolled towards Tai Wu, Tai watched his father in his official council member's uniform walk towards him. The regal black silk robe with a golden trim with a golden sash around him was tight showing off all the muscles he had gained through life.
Tai bowed as his father was close enough.
"Tai what happened you look like a mess?" Lord Wu gazed down disappointedly at his son.
"Father forgive me but the Valley wasn't as defenceless as we once thought, there is another that guards the valley and is well versed in the use of a sword. We couldn't get the Dragon Warrior's father as planned."
Lord Wu growled at the report of the failure. "Walk with me Tai."
As Tai walked his father caught the limp as he moved. "Why are you limping?"
Tai looked up at his father with his tail between his legs and ears flattened to his skull. "I-I have been crippled father... the defender sliced my hamstring clean."
As Tai looked at his father he could see the rage building up before Lord Wu let out a roar that shook the room. "This ordeal with the Dragon Warrior was just business but now it is personal who did this? ... Shifu? One of his students?"
"A young white tiger named Kai."
Lord Wu growled when his son said the perpetrators name. As Lord Wu looked behind he saw four of his most trusted assassins behind Tai.
"Xiang, take your men and deal with this 'Kai'... I want him dead! And kill anyone who tries to stop you!"
Xiang bowed before taking the rest of his men to carry out the task immediately.