07: Snow

"Wake up! Wake up!" Those violent shakings of Po finally woke the poor guy from a sad sleep.

"What is it, Po?!" Fulvio grunted.

"Now that R is awake already, you're the one taking his stead!" The panda friend said. "We've gotta train! Come on!"

"O-OKAY!" He cried. "I'll be wakin' up soon!"

"Not soon! NOW!"

"OKA-" With a thrust, he got up and hit his head with that of Po, hurting both himself and his friend.

"I'll have to say," The panda yelped, holding his own head. "You've got one rock-hard head here!"

"S-Sorry 'bout that!"

"No sorries! Now, training!"

"UGH!"

A tender snow flake has formed.

Same day, same training filled with fun and fight, same shouts bouncing through the halls, same after-training meal, and same travel down to the valley. Now totally odd after the previous night, Fulvio appeared bored. His face reflected that something wasn't right. What was it?

"Fulvio…! FULVIO!" The call from his human friend woke him from the thoughts. "Where are you lost?"

"Wh-What?" He shook violently his head, waking from the day dreaming, finding himself in the Noodles Shop.

"Don't you 'what' me!" R said. "Where are you lost? I've been noticing you're not present at all since the morning!"

"I've been watching this same hanging face." Mantis spoke. "What's the deal, buddy? You're not even eating anything."

"Really?" Fulvio looked in his front and found his noodle bowl turning slightly cold, breathing out vapours. "Maybe I'm not in a mood." Unwillingly he mumbled.

"Not in a mood?! You were the one forcing us here. Something's definitely not right!" The little guy gave a suspicious look. "Tell us, what's the matter?"

"N-No! It's nothing!" Under his fake giggle, Fulvio tried to hide.

Perhaps Artur read his face with a normal eye and then mildly spoke, "Just leave him. It happens to him at times. Normal stuff."

"Is that so, Fulvio?" Asked the little, green master.

"Y-Yeah! He's right! Happens at times! Pretty, pretty normal stuff!" Another fake giggle while scratching the head in nervousness.

A brief eye of suspicious again and then Mantis spoke, "Okay! Let's just leave that aside then!

Another tray full of bowls of dumplings and tofus clatter near that of Fulvio's.

"Hey, handsome!" It was the beauty of the Panda Village – Mei Mei.

As if death has sat beside him, Fulvio got all depressed, anxious, and nervous. "H-H-Hey, M-Mei Mei!" He gulped.

"Oh my! You seem pretty… sweaty on your face!"

"Well," R interrupted, "Maybe he just saw you."

"WHAT?!" A grave look from the pink panda lady.

"N-Nothing, nothing! It's nothing!" The grave look surely scared him. "I-I remembered now that Po just called me and Mantis!"

"What?" Mantis asked. "Since when did Po—"

"No, you don't remember! Just come on!" and Artur grabbed the little master in his hand and fled away.

"R…! R! ARTUR!" Fulvio's angry whispers could no longer reach his friend for they had left already.

Flake bewildered.

"So… we're alone now, right?" Her sudden whisper shook him.

"Uh… I guess yeah!" still figuring out to deal with the lady, finding any solution with those instant taps of his foot. But in that tight-spotted situation, nothing was going to hit his mind.

A brief moment of silence – weird silence.

"Anyway, now that the two of us are alone," Mei Mei spoke mildly, "How about some…" a whisper. "Cute, little talks."

"Well, to be honest," the human cleared his throat, "I'm not really good! I mean, at talking! I mean, at cute, lil' talks so. . ."

"So. . .?" she wondered.

"So… I should go!" and the boy left like a sudden storm, leaving poor lady alone with a sad face.

The next day, it was Fulvio again with Po and Artur, checking out the empty streets of the valley for bandits and criminals that pink ribbon appeared again on the deserted streets.

"Hey, Fulvio!" Those flirting eyes dumbfounded the human again. After a slight pause, he fled, nowhere to be found. At night, in the Jade Palace, by those charming and alluring eyes he was found in the kitchen but the pink presence and the lady's aroma foretold Fulvio of her coming and in front of his eyes, he disappeared again!

Whether day or night, Jade Palace or the Valley, along or with friends around, there was no corner left where Fulvio could breathe peacefully or take a calm nap or sip the soup wholly. Whatever the place, whatever the situation, Mei Mei would appear like a ghost that would scare the heck out of Fulvio and suddenly would he flee without a word.

Just another day that Fulvio was wandering on his own, exhausted face looking at the pale moon of the night that again she appeared in the deserted street.

"What's up, cutie?"

With a contorted face of anger, Fulvio ignored the pink lady with a snort. But the beautiful panda (so considered by herself) would not give up quite easily. Walking side by side, step parallel to his, she asked, teasing, "Not in a mood to talk?" but no answer. Not even a grunt this time. "I was thinking of meeting you one final time before I leave back to the Panda village after three days because… you know… meeting new friends one last time and wishing good-byes, preparing dress, makeup and stuff takes time." Still silence from other side. "Hey, can't you say just one word… for MY sake?"

Out of the blue, those chubby hands clutched her shoulders and struck gently against a wall. Eyes, one filled with fire of anger while the other with the sparkles of wonder. "Enough of this flirting, okay?!" He shouted at the lady! "You might be thinking that there might be some slight thing called Love in my heart but the truth is that there is none! I do NOT like you, did ya hear?!You don't know my story! You know nothing about me! Just go back to the Panda village and have the same fun with that other panda guy Po told me about!" and those hands loosened and left with another angry grunt with the lady panda quiet.

"You… Your name…" Under the rose- pink lips she mumbled downheartedly. "…is Fulvio. I know your name." but the mumble could not touch the ears deafened by intense fire.

Where would the snow flake finally land on?

Night arrived again.

The swellings of the heart were being shared with the panda friend at the same place again. Po was delighted to know that his friend Fulvio could now share every last word inflicted by the girl he liked the most. One moment and the next would Fulvio share – some funny, some sad – and would Po grin and frown over those moments.

"Uh… I've heard from R and have also seen myself," the panda friend spoke carefully, afraid of collapsing the feelings. "You're interested in Mei Mei, right?" Prolonged gasp shook the boy. "Wha-Wha-What are you talking about?! I-I-I am not interested in her! Not at all! Nope! Never!"

"You sure?"

"Yeah! Dead sure!"

"Hm. Anyway she's gone.

"WHAT?!" A face colored in surprise! "But she was… she was going after three days! It's impossible! I don't believe it! How could she just—" The guy had no idea how much of truth he just blurted out in astonishment. At once, he stopped. But words could no longer be taken back.

"You… You mean you…. really… like her?!" Surprise written all over that chubby face.

"Uh… I, uh…. Yeah!" Sadly, his head turned down. "But it's no use. She's gone now." His voice felt defeated to Po.

"Hey, c'mon!" A gentle, friendly blow to his shoulder by that furry punch. "You're sitting here with a guy who knows the place to the valley."

"You… You do?"

"'Course, I do!" It was hope for the gloomy human, not a ray of hope but the sun itself. "Tomorrow, we'll leave to the Panda Village, okay?"

"Okay!" now, his face was brighter, like the moon.

The sun of the day brightens the moon of the night. And the flake finds itself a company.

Late night.

Something happened to Fulvio that he could not rest at all. Turning here and there but no sleep would come. Even Po's velvety fur couldn't lull him to sleep. Something was constantly pitching his insides.

"Po… PO…!" His whispers at first disturbed the peacefully sleeping panda but failed to awake him. "PO! I need help!" shaking the shoulder did the thing!

"Whaaaht?" The child-like sleepy panda, now disturbed, yawned and rubbed the eyes.

"Please, help me! I want to go!" Whisper intense, now changed to suppressed squeal.

"Go? Where?"

"To the Panda Village! I… I just can't take it anymore!"

"What?! Right now?!"

"Yes! I want to go to Mei Mei right now! Help me! Please!"

Those begging eyes. . . Po simply could just not ignore the pain on that contorted face. It was as if he felt the same pain what Fulvio felt. "Okay! Let's go!"

Finally, Po approved. As they both left the room, a smirk appeared on the eyes-closed human's face. So, Artur knew the truth, too?!

After they got out of the barracks, Po, using his Stealth mode, achieved the scroll map to the Panda Village, just in case. And before the sun could shoot its first ray across the horizon, they both left without telling anyone.

"Po," Fulvio stated. "I… I'm sorry." He sounded sad a little.

"Huh? For what?" Asked Po as they ran through the forest of bamboos.

"I just… I just dragged you into my troubles. I'm troubling you, I know. I'm feeling really… bad."

"Are you stupid?" A sweet giggle the panda gave. "Why would I be troubled by your troubles?" A question on the eyes of that human. "You see, all of my friends, especially you guys, are very dear to me. Even if it takes me to plunge into a river of fire to save you guys, I'll gladly do that."

Those paces stopped at once… for reason unknown. Po turned. "What happened?"

One step forward… and an unforeseen hug!

"I… I don't know…" Broken voice, warm heart. "I don't… know how to thank you?" The warm-hearted human leaned back. "You are doing so much for me. Just thanking you will not pay the debt. So tell me, what can I do for you?"

"You sure are stupid." Po reflected a smirk. "Friendship is not a debt. I can't clearly define what it is but caring and loving each other and helping one another at least with the words, that's what I consider a true friendship.

"And when it comes to do something for me, let's just say that I want you to stay with me. You and Artur, you two are very dear to me. I've already lost two friends. I don't wanna lose you guys too… So… stay with me… till the end, okay?" The panda friend then squished those chubby cheeks with affection.

"Okay!" With haze of happiness in the eyes, Fulvio smiled.

"Whaddya think? Should we go now?"

"Heck Yeah!" Further pause felt useless. After that, the two left as fast as they could.

The sun had now shown itself, spreading its glory all across. While the two had almost crossed half way, there, in the Jade Palace, everyone was striving for the doors of the Hall of Heroes for they were in the middle of the training. None cared about Po and Fulvio for they were already told by R the truth of where and why the two had left. Everyone was happy indeed for their human fellow.

Now, as those huffs of the panting warriors reached the doors of the Hall, everyone was dumbfounded by the familiar appearance that gleamed in the eyes.

Out there, a strange feeling took place inside the panda's furry chest. Some sort of fear perhaps it was. At first, the panda tried to control the feeling but slowly and gradually, it was becoming stronger, difficult to control. He stopped!

"Po, what's the deal? What happened?"

"I… I dunno. I just have some strange feeling… some sort of intuition telling me to go back to the Jade Palace. Something's not right there."

"Gimme the map and go." Said Fulvio, with hands comforting his shoulders.

"But I can't leave you he—"

"Don't worry about me. People at the Jade Palace need you more than I do. Go!"

"Okay!" Po handed him the map and turned back, saying over his shoulder, "You can do it!"

"Mm-hmm." He gave a slight nod in return.

Opposite ways, opposite fates… And the consequence…?

Let's hope for this tender piece to live long.

Now, Fulvio had the map in his hands. One glance and another, he would track his way through to the village. Through the sky bridges and the mountains, terrains and the plains, forests and the rain, the bone-tired, panting guy struggled and did not stop even though he stumbled, slipped, and fell Every scratch on his body was a complete story in itself – a story of his unstoppable struggles.

Finally, the cold, freezing gust swished through his thin clothing, giving immense chill. It was the final quest to gain what he was on the verge of losing. There was no turning back now. A deep breath to muster the courage needed to struggle more… and there he was now piercing through the thick wall of snow.

Surely, his legs were freezing, he was not shivering but vibrating instead, the fingertips could no longer be felt as life appeared to leave those and yet… he did not stop and kept making his way through the haze wall by those frozen hands.

"I. . . I'm coming!" It was his inner struggle crying out. "Mei. . . Mei Mei… I'm coming… for you! I'm. . . I am. . .!"

The boy had reached the great wall of ice, but the weather had him pretty much ruined! The haze vapours in his breath, he could see them mix blend into the skies at this point. But he did not care about that for there were more important things.

A sudden flake crossed his eyes, being drifted by the winds.

Now, those impatient eyes looked here and there, scanning the great wall that stood between his destination but no further way could be found. An eye he gave to the map once again and saw that the Panda Village was just right ahead according to the map but… but it wasn't! There was just this great wall of snow covering almost half of the sky hiding into dense fog. Poor quivering soul alone in the icy hell was left with no option, or perhaps it could find no option.

"Whhh-Whhaat… What the…! The village should be… rrright hhere!" His lips were quivering, now crimson purple. At this moment, Fulvio could no longer feel his fingers for the warmth in his palms had long gone. "D-Dddarn it!"

For another brief moment, the same impatient eyes bewildered by the negative thoughts of losing his real love grew further eager. And due to the eagerness, his breaths rushed at once with the heart drumming, trying to break open the chest.

At once, he jumped and tried to cling on a peeking-out rock but the hands slipped and he fell. Again, he got up and jumped, clutching the same rock successfully this time! After that, another rock just above came to his sight. He stretched out the hand and grasped it, dragging the rest of the body against gravity.

Such strength was all thanks to his Kung Fu abilities he had learnt at the Jade Palace. But it turned out soon that this was not enough to climb up that terrible height. The height still blind to his distorted eyes required strength more than his capability.

Not even half way there that his chest started wheezing constantly. But the height was terrible enough to cause some serious damage. He gave one look down to the earth and was shaken by the distance he had crossed. Next time, he decided not to look again. His struggling claws with skin torn at the tips did not stop yet. Though bleeding, a little amount of strength left was still meant to be used in those hands; the same hands that pushed Mei Mei to a wall, clenching her shoulders in anger. . .

"I'm not… going to give up! Mei Mei… just a little… more… Just a little. . ." but what was that?! Those fingers slipped out of the blue… and human fell all the way down to the ground again!

On the impact upon the ground adorned with few layers of white, cotton-soft snow, following painful yelps and a few rushing wheezes escaped some consistent, deep breaths with intense groans. Lying straight, facing to the sky, his eyes blurred with the haze still tried to seek a way up to the village.

While the map flew by the breathing gusts, fading into the white, his ice-frozen lips gave some constant, dying quivers. "I. . . I. . . I. . . m. . . com. . . in. . . Mei. . ." but nothing further could escape those lips after that. The last thing his blurred, darkening vision saw was something black and white landing below… perhaps for his aid.

The flake finally lands.

"He's freezing to death! Chances are very rare… but I hope he makes it."

"He'll have to! For my sake!"

"I'll try my best, Mei Mei."

"Please… save him! Make him open his eyes again!"

The dialogue between Li and Mei Mei brought a part of his back to life and he struggled with opening his eyes that got both of their attention.

The shirtless body was actually drenched in bandages and herbs all over nearby the yellow-glowing fire – the room that belonged to Li.

"Are… Are you alright?!" It was the contorted face of the beautiful panda and her voice shivering in pain that touched Fulvio's senses, giving them some life. She put over the shirtless body a warm blanket as Li asked her to. In return, the boy smiled as much as those frozen lips could but that, in reality, was a very dim smile almost on the verge of vanishing again. On that smile, her eyes so carefully adorned trickled tears over her furry cheeks gleaming by the yellow glow.

Her beloved wanted to speak but no word would come out except a few broken utterances.

"Please, don't speak anything." The male panda Li requested.

"Just why…" Her painful voice asked. "Just why did you go through so much?! You… You loved me, right?" A slight nod at the best in return. "You should've told me earlier!"

"How could I…?" His heart spoke, but strange fact was that only Mei Mei could listen to his every word now! "I was so much afraid!"

"Afraid… of what?" asked Mei Mei. Li, on the other hand, could not understand why Mei Mei was acting like that.

"Afraid… of losing you just like I lost her."

The words shook her! But then the heart-broken panda turned even warmer. "You are an idiot!"

Another smile again. "Yes. I am an idiot… But I am your idiot."

After the pink smile, a brief moment of grief and then the lady panda spoke again, "I know something about you."

"You do?"

"Yes. Your name… It's… Fulvio."

His name whispered by the lips of his beloved felt rejuvenating as he felt a warm breath inside his chest.

"Since the day I saw you," she added. "I always thought we'd make a good, cure couple… And hey, you were worried about that other panda I liked, right? He left the village months ago. It's just you and me now." She sniffled.

"I'm… I'm glad." A moment of pain again. . . "Mei?"

"Hm?"

"Are you happy now?"

"Yes. I am."

"Good. Then, I guess, it's time… to go."

"Go? What do you mean?" But soon, she realized what he actually meant.

"No! You're not going to leave, right? You're-You're just joking, right? Stay with me, Fulvio! Stay with me! Please! Plea. . ."

"Why… can't !... hear anything? She's… talking, right? She's… Why can't I see her? Why is it completely dark? It is scaring. I'm scared of it… Is it… done for me…? I guess so. But I am happy that I met you. . . I wonder if Po made it or not. . ."

The snow flake finally melts.

For she knew that her beloved had reached the final destiny, she cried at his chest while Li looked at the snow-white face, totally wonderstricken.

Out there, the panda friend felt some strange feeling that stopped his paces at once near the entrance to the valley. Po turned around to look back as if a call had been made to him in Fulvio's voice, but there was no one behind. His eyes sought for the figure but no soul to be witnessed.

After a pause of that call, the panda realized his mission and headed back to the Jade Palace again. On reaching the front door of the hall, what he saw were badly defeated bodies of all the warriors and masters and standing in the front was the cold-eyed, solemn-hearted… Kay.

Let's see where this confrontation goes…