A/N: Please don't hit me! *hides* I know this has been a LONG time coming, but I finally finished it! I had actually written this chapter quite a long while ago, but a power outage and my own stupidity for not saving resulted in the loss of my work. School work began to pile-up and before I knew it, I already had severe writer's block not to mention about four hours of sleep daily. But now, thanks to a week off from school, as I managed to pass the comprehensive exams, I am back with a vengeance! So please, to all my readers, old and new alike, enjoy this extra long final chapter in the Mei Ling trilogy!
Special thanks goes to Nievelion who beta'd my story and gave me some valuable writing tips! If you haven't read "A Different Lesson" by him yet, I highly recommend it; tis' awesome!
Taking a deep breath, Crane ticked off the seconds in his head as he exhaled slowly through a funneled beak, having returned from a quick riffling through the Qi Gong scrolls collected in the Archives. From what he had read, proper breathing apparently did wonders for a nervous constitution. Whatever those exercises were supposed to do, he needed it more than ever now, since whatever confidence might have been instilled in him back on that fateful day in Li Dai, it was nowhere to be found at the moment.
It was ironic, he thought, how the one who gave him courage in the first place was now the one responsible for stripping him of it. The funny part was, she had no idea she was doing it. If he were anyone other than himself right now, he'd have laughed at the poor schmuck who was freaking out over a date with a woman, when hordes of bloodthirsty barbarians failed to evoke anything close to similar.
Continuing his breathing exercises, the avian master fixed another critical look at his reflection on the polished sheet of metal that hung on the wall of his sleeping quarters. He was not one to hold physical appearances in high regard, and now, he felt in no small part like a hypocrite.
Well, he didn't really keep the mirror to check himself out anyway. It was part of a secret ritual of his, a special process that no-one but he and Master Shifu knew about. He had resolved to take it to his grave and would not be performing it with the others still present in the Palace, if the situation wasn't so dire.
Today was the day; his dinner date with Mei Ling. She had finished her evaluation of the Jade Palace, deeming it a "Center of Excellence" and was scheduled to leave the next morning. Actually asking her out had been the easy part, surprisingly; setting the date for the date had been nerve wracking. But he had managed to do it, and now, things were going quite smoothly.
He focused the chi in his ears and strained to hear any disturbances in airflow; in this state, a leaf falling on water would be hard-pressed to escape his notice.
After a minute, he smiled in relief to himself. The ritual could begin.
He fixed his reflection with the most piercing glare he could manage. "Who's the most bad-ass kung-fu master there ever was?"
"You are. That's right, you are the MAN," the bird in the mirror responded.
"Who's going to take Mei Ling on the best date she's ever had?"
"Master Crane is. He will sweep her off her feet!"
Crane stood straighter and puffed his chest out, settling nicely into the ritual. "Yeah, that's right! You, my friend, are a strong, virile man, and you're going to rock her socks off, you magnificent SON OF A BITCH! You're going to show Mama that you're a big boy now and that those assholes in Li Dai can suck it! Ha!"
The bird could feel the confidence surging back into his being, filling him with power. He struck a pose, flexing his wings as if to show his muscles. It was a shame this was the only way to do this; if anyone ever found out he'd have to stab himself with his own paintbrush.
"Dude…were you just psyching yourself out?"
Crane froze and stared slack-jawed at the figure that appeared at his doorframe. The confidence that had filled him previously had been replaced by every meal he had ever eaten in his lifetime threatening to escape his body from all available orifices.
It was a real shame he'd have to kill himself now. He'd already planned out a menu for the date too.
Po stared blankly at the bird who seemed frozen in a pose that was quite unsuited to his skinny frame. He took note of the tall mirror hanging on the wall, and gave an understanding smile.
"It's totally normal, you know." said Po, with a wistful look in his eyes. "I used to do that too when I was kid; my Dad would take me to his mahjong games and I didn't know any of the other kids there…."
"What the hell are you doing?" the young bear wailed vainly at his reflection, wiping his brow with a handkerchief. "Stop sweating, you stupid bastard!"
Crane silently prostrated himself in gratitude to every deity and god he was familiar with; it was a divine stroke of luck that it was Po who found him in this state. He also found himself secretly proud of the rotund warrior for having improved vastly in stealth; no small feat, considering his size and weight.
"Here ya go, buddy." said the panda, holding up a brush in front of the bewildered avian.
"Huh?"
"You were mumbling something about 'ending' something with a 'paintbrush' a while ago. Did you wanna finish a painting or something?" Po asked innocently, continuing to wave the brush in front of his beak.
Crane quickly snatched the drawing implement from the bear's paw and set it down on the floor. Those were some very morbid thoughts he had a while ago. His panic subsiding, he realized the panda was dressed in a manner quite different from his usual attire. He was wearing clothing on his upper half for one: a blue, sleeveless vest with gold lining the collar and hem and a five-clawed dragon emblazoned on the back. On his feet, he wore heavy leather sandals and fresh leg bindings. A large backpack had been set down by his feet, filled with what was sure to be fresh changes of clothes and survival gear.
"You're all packed up I see." Crane said happily. "Give the others the best of luck from me."
"Thanks. This is so awesome! My first adventure with the Furious…oh, I mean…er…" said the bear, beginning to shuffle nervously.
Crane allowed himself a small chuckle. "It's okay, Po. You need the experience a lot more than I do. Besides, they need someone here at the Palace to keep watch."
Not for the first time that night, Crane pledged to burn ten sticks of incense in the Temple the first chance he got. A letter from members of the Imperial Navy in Biànliáng had arrived not a day before, asking for assistance from members of the Furious Five. In what he was sure was a sign of divine intervention, the letter specifically named the members of the Five that were needed for their respective attributes.
He was grateful that the captain of that certain division, a falcon named Jiāo Jīn, had made sure to imply, none too subtly, that an aerial combat specialist was not a requirement. The waterfowl was quite sure it had more to do with the raptor's pride in his own skills than any sort of personal insult, and he was all the more glad for it. Biànliáng was only a day's worth of leisurely travel at most but it would be plenty of time.
Because of this turn of events, he and Mei Ling would have the Palace to themselves that night.
A small amount of guilt crept inside him when he realized he had been celebrating his comrades going off to battle but it subsided as quickly as it had appeared when he realized what that would mean.
No Tigress always challenging Mei Ling to sparring matches. (From the rumors he had heard and the numerous betting pools circulating among the servants, it was twenty to nineteen in Tigress' favor.)
No Mantis or Monkey revealing some of his most humiliating battle mishaps. (Seriously, did they have to tell her the one about the Amazons? That incident was quite enough to put any thoughts of romance out of his head for a good number of years. To his further mortification, Mei Ling couldn't look at him without blushing for nearly two days.)
No Viper or Po hanging out with him. (Okay, so that one wasn't actually that bad in itself, but when the two joined him and Mei Ling, the hinting and innuendos that came from the two were enough to effectively silence him and his old friend for hours on end.)
Even Master Shifu had been called away to the Forbidden City. Their master was to serve as a temporary adviser to the legendary Lord Bao Gong for a particularly gruesome case about a peasant who had killed his wife to be able to marry royalty.
Breaking his stream of thought, Crane saw the panda giving another smile. A small gleam of white from the bear's front teeth indicated that he seemed to be struggling not to turn it into a full-fledged smirk.
Po bowed respectfully. "Thanks, Master Crane. Say hi to Mei Ling for me on your date!"
He made a quick turn despite an irritated look from the bird, letting the smile finally turn into a smirk, and then into a broad, open grin. Yeah, Crane had some 'watch keeping' to do, all right.
***
Rummaging through the pantry, the feathered master was fretting over the menu he would be cooking tonight. Again, if it wasn't him this was happening to, he would have laughed himself silly.
"Well, we are well stocked," he quietly muttered to himself. The shelves of spices, herbs and fruit preserves were quite a sight to behold. The large wooden compartments stood easily three times taller than he and held a variety of jars and containers holding various implements for culinary diversity.
His eyes were beginning to run down the containers of anise and saffron when he caught sight of a small note propped up between a couple of jars. Squinting, he noticed that the sandy colored parchment was still quite crisp, meaning that whoever wrote the message must have done so no longer than a few hours before.
Deftly snatching the note with a dexterous wing, he read its contents.
Jien-jien,
Me and Monkey have a special surprise for you by the Pool of Sacred Tears. No need for thanks; just some gory details when we get back.
Scanning further down, he found that the paper had been signed with the character for 'good luck'. Beside this, an inked impression of a thumbprint was pressed onto the paper.
Crane held back a sigh; Mantis and Monkey would always sign their notes this way, especially the ones that pertained to their various pranks in their younger days. He folded up the note and slipped it in the cloth sash that held his trousers before heading for the stated location.
He arrived shortly at the holy training grounds, having taken flight to get there. Landing noiselessly on a patch of weeds, he quietly scanned his surroundings, from the lush green floor that seemed to shine in the moonlight to the natural centerpiece that was the pool itself. He remembered hearing the legends about a dragon who had once wept over this very place, his heart broken by a woman who left him for another man. Instead of challenging the other suitor for her, he saw that she was indeed happy, and having loved her so, chose instead to leave for the heavens. He climbed to the mountain and found that he could not ascend, the weight in his heart being too much to bear. And so, the dragon wept for days over what was once a deep pit and turned it into the revered body of water it was today.
Crane gave a small sigh; the mysterious allure of this place never got old, even after he had lived in such close proximity to it for a number of years. He quickly started looking for the surprise Mantis had mentioned, wondering just what it might be.
An unpleasant memory resurfaced in his thoughts, remembering the last time his friend decided to surprise him with a book for his birthday. It was supposedly a collection of ancient teachings from across the Himalayan mountains.
It had sounded fascinating at first until he found the incredibly graphic artistic depictions of sexual acts the book had contained. If nothing else, he at least found out how intimate a chicken could get with a wolf, having seen several odd couples during his travels with his comrades.
He continued searching, his talons making soft noises against the dew-speckled blades of grass. Looking behind a large moss-covered boulder, he found himself grinning in stunned silence. He came across a wicker basket filled with an assortment of dried and fresh fruit, a variety of breads and even a bottle of what looked to be expensive absinthe.
So, this was the surprise! Crane found himself pleasantly startled and honestly amazed. He had been quite sure that Mantis and Monkey had not a single romantic bone in both their bodies, and here they were, coming up with this!
The bird began to pick through the collection and located a folded sheet of cloth, undoubtedly to be used as a picnic spread. He started laying out the food when he noticed a small covered plate amongst the various edibles. Another note was attached to it as well so he gingerly took hold of it and started to read.
Jien-jien,
Hope you appreciate this. Again, DETAILS!
This particular one's for (the ink had dried quite a bit, meaning that Mantis apparently had to think a while before writing the next word) STRENGTH.
The avian raised an eyebrow; what on earth would he need strength for? Setting the note aside he opened the covered plate and was greeted by a salty smell, much like brine. A slight scent of lemon was there as well, which very much complemented the whiff of tomato puree that he also detected.
Oysters.
Crane felt his face heat up.
Ohhh……strength. Right.
***
"Wow, this place really is pretty," gushed the female mountain cat as she trekked along the path with her avian friend.
"Yeah…pretty," Crane said, wisely deciding to keep his words to a minimum. He had been quite ready to say the old 'but not as pretty as you' line when he caught himself.
That said, the feline looked positively radiant that night; she had again abandoned the heavy green vest (a combination of wool and leather, he had learned) and in its place wore long-sleeved silk robes that looked as if they were sewn from strands of molten emerald. The accompanying black trousers she wore were bordered at the hems with white, with an embroidering of a dragon stitched with shining yellow thread at each pant leg.
Apparently, she was taking Viper's fashion advice in a much more accepting manner than Tigress; he had been privy to a few snippets of 'girl talks', in which Viper and Mei Ling would laugh and giggle, and Tigress would growl miserably, trying to sleep.
The pair walked (and stared, in Crane's case) for an hour and a half, chatting amicably and sharing a few scattered giggles. The feathered master noticed a calm aura surrounding his old comrade; her eyes shone brightly against the velvet canopy of the night sky, almost burning into his own whenever he managed to catch them.
He sighed heavily; damn, Viper's romance novels did wonders for the vocabulary.
After another minute or so of walking, Crane began to feel the gradual reduction of the incline of the ground, meaning they had reached their destination.
Mei Ling had stopped walking, gaping open mouthed at the scene before her. "Wow, Jien…it's so beautiful here…."
Crane gave a small nod, he himself caught up in the moment; the moon was perfectly full, its glowing façade reflected almost perfectly on the surface of the water of the nearby Pool of Sacred Tears. The millions of stars shone bright as if trying to outdo each other, looking effectively like grains of glowing sand spilled onto the heavens.
"Hey, there's food here!" came the female cat's slightly startled voice from behind him, having found the spread he had painstakingly set up not a few hours before.
She wore a wide smile, looking back at him as if to ask 'Did you do all this?'
Crane swallowed a bit; gods, why was she so beautiful?! He wanted to be able to do that, to convey his thoughts smoothly through meaningful looks and grand gestures! All he ever mastered was blubbering incoherently. From what he had read from Viper's romance novels and even Mantis' own er…'romance' novels, men were supposed to be able to make women melt with a single….
He felt a gentle tug on one of his wings. "Jien, come on. Let's have a seat."
Crane blinked rapidly and smiled at the female master. "Sure."
***
"….and then I said, 'I don't know, I was just trying to get a drink!'"
Mei Ling let out a hearty laugh as Crane recounted an old story from his days as a young kung fu master. After some initial quiet awkwardness, the avian had to admit dinner had gone quite smoothly, thanks in no small part to the wonderful menu and venue.
He grudgingly had to admit that his two comrades might actually deserve the 'details' they kept asking him for. Looking at his side as he sat on the picnic blanket, he found that he actually wouldn't mind recounting this.
The feline nursed her small cup of water, both of them having made the joint decision not to drink the absinthe. She looked at him with half-lidded eyes and sighed contentedly.
"You know, I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. Thanks, Jien."
Crane took a sip from the cup he held in his talon before returning her smile. "Don't mention it."
"Ever?" she asked slyly
He gave a light chuckle. "Ever."
"Man, I'm really going to miss this. It's a hell of a going-away present, that's for sure," said Mei Ling, a slight note of melancholy in her voice. She pulled her knees closer to her chest, hugging them closely.
"Hmm? I…uh…thought maybe…that you'd, y'know….do this sort of thing all the time….with your friends…."
The female master gave a small smile at her companion.
"…..or you know…..boyfriend….or something….."
Shit.
The universe was playing a cruel joke on him, he decided; the exact reason he had declined drinking alcohol was that, and here was the kicker, he didn't want to say anything he might regret later.
"I don't really hang out with friends much," said the mountain cat lightly, seemingly unaware of his plight. "I mean, sure, we go out for a bite to eat sometimes but I'm not exactly part of their clique."
"Er, really? Why not? You always seemed to be a real people person back in Li Dai."
"Yeah, but that was before receiving the missions, after missions, after missions." She gave a tiny sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I love helping people and I'm proud and honored that they hold me in such high regard…"
"…but?"
"You know, I can't get close to them. The people I help, I mean. And, I guess it kinda carried over to my personal life as well."
"Why can't you get close to the people you're helping?" Crane said quietly, watching the shift in her emotions. Her aura again was beginning to change and this seemed to become reflected by the temperature of the surrounding breeze.
He was met with silence for a few moments.
"I-I'm sorry…I didn't mean to pry…"
"No, no, it's alright; it's just—about one year since I got my rank as a Master, I got my first commendation from the senior instructors at Li Dai. They assigned me to protect a noble's daughter. He was being targeted by assassins and they were afraid that they might try and get to him through her. So, I watched her and guarded over her all the time. It was like having a sister; she was only a year younger than me and we became friends. I swore to her that I would always hold her best interests at heart.
"It wasn't long when the assassins decided to make their move. I was with her when they took her; it was a group of rebels, mercenaries. I was too green back then; thought that the rules in sparring would apply in an actual battle. So, I fought them as honorably as I could, but in the end, I killed one of them."
"Your first kill?" Crane asked, moving closer to the mountain cat who was shivering lightly. He suspected it had nothing to do with the temperature.
"Yeah—it wasn't even worth it, 'cause turns out, he was just a distraction. They managed to take her away, wrote letters demanding that the nobleman hand himself over to them, in her place. The parents tried to bargain with them, tried to pay them off. But no, they didn't want money; their ideals couldn't be bought. All the while, I tried everything I could to find her but I couldn't. I was a mess, Jien, I cried almost every night she was gone. I cared for her like a friend, like my own flesh and blood. Maybe if I didn't let my emotions get in the way….I could have found her sooner…."
Crane himself began to shiver slightly as his companion continued to tell her tale. "Mei Ling…it's okay….you don't have to continue…"
"N-no, it's fine….I want to get this off my chest. So, I was searching for her, right? One day, I received word that I'm being called back to Li Dai. I couldn't understand why, since the mission was far from over. I was hoping that someone else had found her or that she had escaped, or the rebels had miraculously decided to give her back. You know what happened? They decided not to give in to rebels' demands; the nobleman, her father, was apparently too important a figure in the government to lose. You should've seen that bastard and those other rich assholes….you know he was talking about her like she was an object?! Like something he would rather have returned or refunded….s-she w-was—she was w-waiting for him t-to do something! S-she…was….w-waiting—waiting for me…."
Crane tried to swallow again but found his throat to be too dry. The female cat was sobbing openly now, letting her tears drop freely from her once jovial eyes.
"T-they…called me back….just after they had sent that letter to the rebels, saying they weren't willing to deal…..I f-found her body…..a day later….washed up in a river…. raped her….b-beat her to death….her fingers…oh gods….t-they had to pry her fingers from a p-pendant I g-gave to her….she…t-trusted me….oh gods, Quan Yin in heaven….."
He couldn't take it anymore. He felt confidence, strength and concern boiling inside him, mixing into a potent brew. In a swift motion, Crane used his wings to envelop the crying feline beside him in a cocoon of his own feathers. He whispered soothing words to her as he pressed his forehead against hers, so that he felt the shallow breaths and sobs generate from her frame and pass into his own.
"Shhhh…it's okay….it wasn't your fault….."
Slowly, Crane felt a pair of strong but slender arms slip under the crook of his wings and latch onto his back, returning his gesture. Further shocking him was the soft, wet thing that pressed and lingered at the corner of his beak. He opened his eyes just as the unfamiliar, but gods-damned incredible sensation he felt on his beak decided to stop.
The avian gaped at Mei Ling who was sniffling, yet was smiling and blushing at the same time.
"I—I don't have a boyfriend."
"B'whuh?"
Mei Ling blushed hard, her skin seeming to glow crimson underneath her fur. "Completely by choice—I mean, most of the guys back in Yúnnán, well, they're a bit old-fashioned I guess….they have some trouble grasping the fact that a woman can fight better than them."
Common sense told Crane to shut his trap, but another voice that sounded suspiciously like a certain insect won out and had him speak exactly what he had on his mind at the time.
"You can fight for me, anytime."
The female mountain cat cocked her head bemusedly at the stuttering bird in front of her.
"N-no, what—what I meant was….oh, geez…"
She gave him a coy smile. "It's all right. Do you wanna go back down to the Jade Palace? I mean, we've pretty much eaten all of the food…."
Crane gave a small nod and moved to help his old…friend (was she, still?)….gather the various containers for the food they had eaten. It was mostly finger food and small snacks they had fed on, brilliantly devised by Mantis, he guessed, to keep the conversations going and to make cleaning up easier.
"Hmm, looks like we have some leftovers…." he distractedly heard Mei Ling murmur, until he caught a glimmer from the corner of his eye.
It was a very familiar silver covered platter. He wailed helplessly in his head for the ground to swallow him up but it was too late. He should've thrown them away, but his mother had instilled in him the principle of never wasting food.
The familiar smell of brine and pureed tomatoes wafted into his nostrils again, meaning the cover had been removed and his utter humiliation was exposed.
"Oysters?"
He chuckled nervously. "Y-yeah, so they are…."
Surprisingly, Mei Ling took one of the shellfish and with a dainty slurp, consumed one. She licked her lips a bit, eyes pointed upwards as she took a moment to discern the flavor.
"Hey, that's pretty good! Want one?"
"Er, sure, why not?" Crane answered, feeling slightly relieved that his companion seemingly hadn't made the connection between the oysters and……other things.
He accepted the offered seafood, preferring to use his wing again, and after some short hesitation, ate the contents of the shell in one gulp.
"Wow, that is good!"
A small smirk crept up on the mountain cat's features. "Told ya. Plus, you know what they say about oysters…."
Crane smiled; apparently, oysters did a LOT of things. For Mantis, it obviously was meant to get someone in the mood for sex. He wondered what Mei Ling thought they did.
"It er…gets you….uhm…in the mood."
"Huh?"
"Y-you know….for….sex…."
Crane felt his jaw unhinge from his skull as he replayed the words over and over in his mind. He gaped openly at the female master, who began to turn so red, even her fur itself seemed to change color.
***
The trek back down to the Jade Palace was nerve-wracking for Crane. The offhanded comment from Mei Ling had sent shivers up his spine and now, he was back to being a quivering wreck.
Did she expect him to….perform well? He had never been with a woman! He didn't have the slightest idea what to do, let alone how to do it well. In kung fu, he was reasonably adept; it did take him a few tries to get a move right but he would often master it by himself, with very little instruction. He wasn't a prodigy like Tigress, or needed 'unique' training like Po, but he was all right.
But no, this was his first time; with a girl he had known since they were but younglings. It couldn't be just all right. It needed to be perfect.
For not the first time, he wondered if he had postponed getting a girlfriend all this time because secretly, in the back of his mind and heart, he was saving himself for her.
Yeah, right, 'cause girls were just throwing themselves all over you, weren't they? Had to fight them off with a stick, haven't you?
The distressing thought sent his stomach churning; out of the Five, he was decidedly the one who invoked the least….primal of responses from the public. He got praise for his skill and his intelligence, but never for his looks or physique.
Getting a bit greedy, aren't we? What, the admiration of the entire population of China not enough for you?
No, it wasn't that, he meekly protested in his head. It was because….it was her. Every time he was praised for a mission well done or a technique he pulled off successfully, he would remember the way she beamed at him when he completed the obstacle course, back then in Li Dai.
Back in the days when he was a traveling warrior/painter, people had bowed to him, in gratitude and admiration, for helping them. Some fell to ground, willing to kiss his talons. He was extremely humbled by these exhibitions, of course, protesting gently but firmly whenever it happened.
But her smile….gods, her smile.
He felt guilty and selfish, but he wished sometimes that he could have captured that one moment in time in a bottle and re-lived it over and over. Even in the most hopeless situations and most arduous of battles, he closed his eyes and looked to that that moment for sustenance. It had never failed him, not once.
"Er, Jien?" came the familiar voice, curiosity in her voice.
He nearly choked on his spit, before looking at her nervously "Wha—huh?"
"I really want to thank you, you know?"
He gave her an awkward grin, directing his eyes on the dirt path as they continued to walk down to the Jade Palace. "What for?"
Mei Ling gave a small shrug, hugging her arms for comfort. "Oh, you know; great food, nice conversation. And um…thanks for listening to me. I haven't really talked about that incident in a long time."
"You're welcome," he replied, thankful that he had kept the stutter from his voice.
An awkward silence ensued for a few moments.
The feline cleared her throat lightly. "So, uh, where are the others? I heard they were going on a mission of some sort?"
Crane gave a little chuckle. "Yeah, they went to Biànliáng; some Navy officers needed their help there. The captain, some guy named Jiāo Jīn, said I didn't need to go."
"Well, that's good," Mei Ling said, sighing a bit.
"Er, what do you mean?" said Crane with a light grin.
"I heard the Captain is like an aerial combat genius or something. I'm sure he and the others can handle it," she said offhandedly.
For reasons unknown to himself, the grin on Crane's beak faded ever so slightly. When he had read the letter, he remembered feeling bemused and even a little curious as to the true nature of the Captain's fighting ability. He never felt angry or irritated.
The same exact statement coming from Mei Ling's lips and in her voice, however, had a decidedly different effect.
He could handle himself in battle. He had shown it time and again, from his days as a lone warrior to his current status as a member of the Furious Five.
Did she doubt his abilities? If that was the case, he didn't feel angry or insulted; he felt miserable.
He had thought that he had finally shown himself as a capable warrior in her eyes, back when he had vindicated her recommendation to the senior warriors in Li Dai. He had thought that news of his exploits as a traveling avenger of wrongs in the country and now, as a member of the most elite fighting force in the whole of China, would have been the key to finally be worthy of her.
"Jien?" Mei Ling asked worriedly, having noticed the downtrodden look that appeared on her friend's features.
"Yes?" he said, quickly replacing the smile on his face.
"I….I don't think that came out right…." said the female master, not meeting his eyes. She was picking nervously at the hem of her robes as they finally arrived back to the Jade Palace complex.
Crane began to open his mouth to re-assure her that everything was fine; he would just have to try even harder, get even stronger. It was worth it, for her smile.
"Crane?! CRANE! Buddy!" someone yelled, the familiar voice echoing in the deserted sparring grounds.
The avian master, as well as the female mountain cat, looked to the source of the call, having quietly decided to settle the matter another time.
Crane felt the wind knocked out of him as a tiny but immensely powerful object managed to successfully tackle him to the ground. His mind spinning a bit, he opened his eyes and was met by two familiar, manic looking orbs.
"Mantis? What's going on? When did you get back?"
"Dude, we're in a bit of a pickle…" the insect began as he nervously wrung his pincers, still fidgeting nervously as he stood on Crane's chest. The bird quickly sprang up and dusted himself off, watching as his minute comrade hopped off at the same time and began pacing on the soil.
"Okay, Mantis, calm down. Tell me what's going on," he began calmly. Thankfully, the insect took heed and after taking a deep breath, regarded him seriously.
"So? How was the date? You got my notes?"
"Notes?" Mei Ling asked curiously, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Crane made frantic gestures for the insect to be quiet before looking at Mei Ling, who gave a pleasant wave to the green colored master.
"Mantis, focus. Where are the others? What happened in Biànliáng?"
The insect suddenly became serious. "Yeah, we went there to help the Navy. Apparently some bandits were trading some illegal shit there to some foreigners. Weapons, drugs, even people. Man, you name it, they traded it."
Mei Ling regarded the insect with a solemn look. "Was anyone hurt? Did you manage to stop them?"
"Yeah, but I'll get to that in a second." replied Mantis, looking curiously happy about something. "We set a trap for the bandits, right in their own field. They went to some abandoned weed patch somewhere, to trade with some warlord from the northern mountains. We hid in the weeds, along with some of the Navy soldiers. It seemed like the bandits were trading the field itself."
"Say what?"
"Yeah, I know, apparently they were growing something really important there and it was one of their best-sellers. I think it was the weeds; there was a ton of them there, man. From what we heard while we were hiding, they're the only ones that grow that particular plant here in China.
"Anyways, we waited a while and then we sprang to action. There was about twenty, maybe thirty of the bandits, plus the warlord's own group. There was about fifteen of us, including the Captain. Man, that dude was one of the cockiest, most arrogant bastards I've ever met in my life! I mean, sure, I guess he was pretty good and he did some fancy-schmancy flying shit but come on, that shit ain't gonna win you any battles! He was all 'a chain is only as strong as its weakest link' or some bullshit like that…"
"Mantis, focus! Was anyone hurt?"
"Man, dude, relax! You'll have plenty of time to cavort around with Mei Ling later."
"I w-wasn't…I mean….."
"Yeah, sure. Anyways, yeah, we fought them and we won! We freed the people they were holding hostage as slaves, he found their hidden weapons stash. We turned most of the bandits over to the Navy. Everybody's happy. The end.
"So what's the problem?" Crane asked sharply, his patience wearing thin.
Mantis regarded him with a glazed look in his eyes, seemingly struggling to remember what he had just said a few moments ago. After a few moments, both of his antennae frizzed up, as if hit by a sudden thought.
"Oh, yeah! Well, before we went, some of the guys thought it would be a good idea to burn the weed field. You know, 'new beginning' symbolization type shit. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…."
"And what?" Mei Ling pressed on, anxious to know the problem.
"…aaaand well, the smoke from the weeds? It did…..something. I don't know what, but it did something."
"What do you mean by 'something?'" the tall bird asked, bewildered by his friend's 'stranger-than-usual' behavior.
"I think you'd better come with me," replied Mantis morosely.
***
"Dude, you know what I think? I think someday, they're gonna show shows about kung-fu."
"Shows? Like in the theater or something?"
"No, I mean, like shows, like shadow puppets. Except instead of puppets, they're going to use real people man! But, like, pictures of real people! And the pictures, they're going to move so fast, it's like it's the people that are actually moving! But they're not! Because they're pictures!"
In the Hall of Warriors, Crane and Mei Ling gaped at the ludicrous conversation they had just beheld. Viper and Tigress seemed completely engrossed in the nonsensical topic they were currently engaged in and didn't pay any attention to their flabbergasted audience.
Tigress was sitting on the floor, her usual steely amber orbs hazy and unfocused. She kept smacking her lips after every sentence, something she took notice of verbally every time she did, as if forgetting she had done so before. Her legs were crossed underneath her, with her paws clasped around her folded shins, rocking back and forth.
Viper was wearing her head ornaments around her neck as she swayed to and fro, as if listening to an imaginary tune. She had the same dazed expression as the striped feline, giggling sporadically.
"When did this happen?" Mei Ling asked, eyes wide. She looked inquiringly at Crane, then at Mantis. The latter shrugged, moving closer to his teammates.
"Hmmm, 'bout few seconds after we started to burn the field. Man, those weeds burned for hours! We made our way back home a little after that."
"What time specifically?" asked Crane, feeling this was something he had to know.
"About an hour after lunch; why?" Mantis asked simply.
Crane continued to gape at the giggling females before fixing Mantis with a stern glare "That would mean you should have been back about four hours ago! I'm not complaining—(he glanced sideways at Mei Ling)—but, what happened?"
Mantis let out a small mirthless chuckle. "Well, Tigress kinda figured out what was wrong with us after a few minutes. She was still thinking clearly back then, but she decided it would be a good idea to 'buy some time' and circle the Valley of Peace a hundred friggin' times!
"Er, why?" asked Mei Ling, letting morbid curiosity overtake her.
"She kinda forgot that Shifu was called away and she was terrified that he'd somehow find out that she's, you know, stoned out of her mind," said Mantis, watching as Tigress held a paw in front of her face and giggled happily.
The insect sighed deeply again. "The only problem was, she forgot why we were doing the laps in the first place! Yeah, after about the fiftieth lap, she just kept going, 'cuz you know, she figured we were doing it for a real good reason."
He said the last words with so much venom, even Crane flinched.
"Finally, she remembered that Shifu had been called away, decided to stop on an even hundred laps and we made our way back here. And here we are."
"Okay," said Crane, not at all regretting being left behind. "Where's Monkey and Po?"
Mantis' eyes widened. He started scurrying about, looking for the two missing members before returning in front of Crane and Mei Ling.
"I just….I left them here a while ago! Where the hell…."
Crane and Mei Ling frantically joined in on the searching; how exactly did one lose a three-hundred pound panda and a ninety-pound langur?
"I AM A GOLDEN GOD!!!!"
All three searching parties froze at the echoing declaration coming from the roof top of the Jade Palace. Crane quickly spun his head and looked up, as did Mei Ling and Mantis.
Silhouetted by the full moon, a rather large figure stood precariously on the roof of the Hall of Warriors, the highest point of the Jade Palace. The arms of the figure were held up, as if celebrating some sort of victory, and it wobbled dangerously close to the edge.
"I am a…..GOLDEN GOD!!!"
Crane felt his heart drumming heavily in his chest. "Shit! Po, stay right there! Don't move!"
From the distance, he could see the bear nod slightly. "Dude, you can tell the scholars and scribes that my last words…..were……"
A beat of silence.
"…..I'm on drugs!" he yelled triumphantly preparing to jump.
"Yay!" Viper and Tigress chorused beside Mei Ling, who was keeping a close watch on them. The female mountain cat tensed, ready to move should the situation call for it. She glanced sideways at Crane who met her gaze.
He shook his head quickly. No sudden movements. It could set him off.
Mei Ling gave a nod and stood her ground.
The avian master's mind started to whirl quickly; he could reach Po and try to carry him down on his own. But the distance between him and the bear would make no margin for error, adding to the fact that the adrenaline-fueled strength he once used in the battle with Tai Lung could not be factored in, in this situation at least.
Crane decided to buy some time, trying to make conversation as he gathered some vine and strips of bamboo from the natural foliage surrounding them. "Po, maybe we should work on those last words!"
The rotund warrior made a grunt that sounded sort of like he agreed with the suggestion. He plopped down on the roof, legs dangling. He tapped his head with one paw for a few minutes, the other crossed over his chest.
"Hmmm…..think, think, think……." he muttered quietly, as Crane, Mei Ling and Mantis hurriedly worked on a vine cord.
After a few minutes, Po stood up again. "Okay….okay……I got it…..I got it…….I got it……this one's better……"
Crane began to work faster, instructing Mei Ling and Mantis to hold the makeshift rope taut as he braided the vine and bamboo together at a frantic pace.
"…..I dig kung fu," came the statement from Po, holding his arms aloft once again. He got a few scattered claps from Tigress.
Po grinned wickedly, raising his arms higher than before. "I'm on drugs!"
"Yay!" came the unanimous response from Viper and Tigress.
Checking his handiwork rapidly, Crane took one end of the vine rope he had made and started measuring the trajectory and wind speed as he prepared to take flight.
"Jien…"
He would most likely need to fly straight up, and then use gravity to be able to achieve the speed he needed at such a distance.
"Jien…."
He hoped the vine cord would hold the weight of the bear. Had he used rope, the bear could still be gravely injured since the rope held little to no elasticity. A dislocated leg would be very bad indeed….
"Crane!"
Dazedly registering the voice calling him, he turned to the source. Two amber orbs stared back at him, pride and a small hint of sadness welling in them.
He felt his heart skip a beat again as Mei Ling drew closer to him and gave the corner of his beak a quick peck.
"Good luck."
Confidence and courage surged into the feathered master's being, much like the fateful day in Li Dai, except amplified a million times. With speed that matched even Master Mantis, he flew off like a bolt of lightning just as the Dragon Warrior prepared to jump off the roof with a yell of triumph.
Crane landed on the roof silently, despite the speed of his flight. He snuck up quietly behind the panda and tied the cord around his leg securely.
"Here we gooooooooo……"
Crane listened in horror as he heard Po's voice echoing farther and farther away, meaning he had jumped. Grasping the cord at the end of one talon, he quickly wrapped it around one of the pointed corners of the roof, using it as a pulley.
He felt the vine cord go taut as the bear's rather massive weight bore down on its length. His talons skidded lightly through the tiles of the rooftop as he used every ounce of his strength as to lower the dazed Dragon Warrior safely to the ground. He watched from what was now his perch on the rooftop as Mei Ling and Mantis gathered around Po, who looked confused as to what happened, but was otherwise alright.
From down below, he saw Mei Ling give him a thumbs up which he responded to with an awkward wave.
"Good show old chap! A very impressive display of your tactical prowess if I do say so myself," said an oddly familiar voice from beside Crane. The tall bird quickly whirled around to see Monkey lounging on the roof, having escaped their notice. He held the same vapid expression that was present on the other four master's faces as he gazed at the sky.
"Yes sir! That was quite the spectacle, old boy!"
Crane raised an eyebrow at the unusually eloquent speech that came from his normally silent brother in arms. "Why are you talking like that?"
"Talking like what, if I may so inquire?"
Crane shook his head lightly; whatever that weed did, it apparently varied from person to person. He watched as the simian languidly met his gaze before smiling faintly and going back to gazing at the sky.
The avian peered down below, watching as Mei Ling looked over at Po's prone form.
"Hey, pretty….pretty…." said the bear softly as the mountain cat knelt down to examine him. She had been holding her fingers up for him to count when Mantis decided to check up on Po as well.
"Hey buddy, how you doin'?"
"Ahhhhh! Not pretty! Ugly!" Po wailed, to which Mantis responded with a nonplussed look.
***
Crane let out a long relaxed sigh as he soaked in the warm water of the hot spring. Although rarely used, the open air bath house was, in his personal opinion at least, a genius idea of Master Oogway's. He and the other members of the Furious Five requested permission to build it when they were all still in their teens and the old turtle had agreed rather passionately. He remembered a few years ago, digging the springs with a shovel along with Monkey, while Mantis and Tigress laid down bricks and tiles. Viper opted to provide ambient decorations for the place, well-placed lanterns and towel racks being her handiwork. There was even an actual entrance with two doors, one leading to the women's side and the other to the men's side.
It was one of his rare indulgences to come every so often to this place and just relax and unwind. More than once, after a particularly stressful day, he would duck his head under the hot water and scream his head off.
The fiasco earlier that night had driven him to belt out his most anguished wail in the safety of the hot spring, leaving his throat a bit hoarse now.
His date had been going well.
Surprisingly, admiringly well, made possible by the undeniable help from Mantis and Monkey.
He and Mei Ling talked like old times, almost as if they never parted ways and lived in their own worlds for almost ten years.
It was almost like things hadn't changed.
But they had changed. Yes, she was still Mei Ling; the sweet, kind-hearted girl he had fallen for all those years ago. Her smile, the smile that kept him going, was still there.
There were other things though; the full, unwavering trust those eyes held had been tempered. The infectious optimism that was ever present in her aura had been dimmed somewhat.
She had changed, but so had he. He had tried so hard to hold on to his innocence, guarded it jealously like a treasure never again to be replaced or rebuilt. Despite being the eldest of the Five, he had been the last to kill.
He had told part of his story to Mei Ling, but he coated it in jest and sugar, sharing it as a humorous anecdote. The barbarian had tried to kill him, blazing rage in his eyes as he lifted the morning-star and brought it down on his feathered skull.
Crane liked to believe that the rest was a blur; that he didn't remember. But no, every time he had the dreams, they had been as clear as day. He screamed from the blinding pain and panic, flapping his wings as he tried to escape from the enraged boar. He could still feel the heavy hands wrapping around his neck, squeezing his life from him.
He could still hear the piercing scream of agony from the boar as he reached up with his talon and tore one of his assailant's eyes out.
As painful as ever was the fire raging in his lungs as he tried to breathe, after taking the thug's own barbaric weapon and bringing it down on his face multiple times. The crackling sounds of the metal hitting the bone still rang loud and clear, long after he would wake up panting and crying, biting his tongue so as not to alert his housemates.
He had been horrified that day. He had been driven to kill, not out of heroic necessity or some twisted sense of justice.
He killed that man, because he had been afraid to die. It was weeks before he could eat, yet he did not forsake his training, feeling the need to punish himself. He had even gone into town and lit a stick of incense for the man, though he did not know of his name.
One day, Master Oogway had taken notice of his self-imposed punishment and took him aside to talk.
"What I did was wrong, Master," he had whispered quietly, not daring to look up at Oogway.
The old tortoise simply placed a hand on his trembling shoulder, smiling lightly.
"My young friend, right and wrong is such a wide term to describe what it is that goes on in this world."
"W-what do you mean, Master?"
"Sometimes, there is only what is, and what isn't. You made your choice, as he made his, and that is that. You believed you were right in taking his life..."
"N-no, I didn't mean to…"
"Yes, my friend, but only after you had committed the deed did you realize this. At the precise moment, you believed your actions were right, as he himself also believed in the validity of his decisions."
"So, now what do I do?"
"Continue to live, continue to believe. Make a choice and tand up for what you believe in; often, what you believe in will stand up for you."
Crane ducked his head under the warm spring again, feeling as if the heat was cleansing his mind. He rarely let himself get lost in his thoughts like this, preferring to move forward; after all today was a gift, as Master Oogway liked to say.
"Crane? Are you there?" said a soft female voice.
The feathered master let out a small squawk of surprise, sending rivulets of water flying every which way as he lowered himself further into the bath.
"M-mei Ling?! W-where…"
"I'm on the other side. I had a feeling you were there," came the mountain cat's voice again from the other side of the bamboo fence that separated the women's side of the bath from the men's.
Crane let out a sigh of relief, composing himself. Still, he made sure to check that his trousers and hat were still where he had left them a while ago, on the wooden benches beside the spring. He let out a quick breath, spotting the familiar indigo material of his pants a few feet away.
Feeling a bit more at ease, he moved closer to the bamboo wall, leaning against it and letting his gaze run over the night sky.
He heard some slight sloshing of the water from the other side before hearing a light thump from the wall. "Everybody's okay, in case you were wondering."
Judging from the sounds, Mei Ling had taken a place nearer the wall as well to better talk to him.
"Really? That's good to hear. Hope they weren't too much trouble."
"No, not at all. They did develop quite the appetite though." came the reply from the female master, accompanied by a few sounds of water being moved around.
"Yeah, Mantis said that was one of the effects of inhaling the smoke from the plant."
More sloshing sounds came from the women's side. "Yeah, he seems to know quite a bit. Speaking of which, why do you think Mantis wasn't as affected as the others?"
Crane gave a short laugh. "About that; he's apparently already had some experience with the plant. He said that some healers and physicians actually use that plant to help some people deal with painful conditions."
Mei Ling's voice sounded slightly strained from her side of the fence. "Oh. Good to know."
A few moments of silence ensued as Crane created small waves on the hot water with his wings.
"Mei Ling, I'm sorry," he finally said, hoping she could hear through the barrier.
He heard the feline master sigh heavily. "If anyone should be sorry, it should be me. I realize what I said after dinner and it was totally out of line. I didn't mean…."
"No, no, it's alright. I'm all right, I just overreacted and I took it the wrong way. I shouldn't have acted like that…."
Crane heard another series of sloshes as Mei Ling shifted her position from the other side of the fence. Her voice rang much clearer through the barrier now, almost as clear as if she was right beside him.
"I just—I don't wanna lose you," she said quietly.
The bird felt his breath hitch in his throat. He opened his beak to respond but found that no sounds were coming out.
"I—I've changed," continued Mei Ling. "I didn't want to; I wanted to be what you remembered from back in those days, but I did. I know one thing that's never changed though, and that's that I still care about you. I know you've changed too, Crane, but I'm hoping not too much….."
For a moment, Crane wondered if Mei Ling knew of the real story behind the scar on his head, but quickly reminded himself that she couldn't possibly have.
"I know that you're more than capable of handling yourself in a fight; I know that you have more battle experience than most of the Emperor's lieutenants; I know that you're one of the best warriors for miles in any direction," said Mei Ling, her voice growing softer. "It's just that, I still remember you from way back then. It's just that—you're still so familiar, it's so easy forget all that."
"In a weird way, I kind of want you to. Forget, I mean," responded Crane, feeling foolish for thinking that Mei Ling ever meant to hurt his feelings in any way.
"Crane? What are you…."
He chuckled a bit. "It's weird when you call me that. When I'm with you, sometimes I also forget. Honestly, I feel like I never want to remember anymore."
"I feel the same when I'm with you….Jien," she said, a smile in her voice.
They were silent for a few moments, letting each other's words sink in.
"Jien?"
"Yeah?"
"I—I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"Let's go to the top of the fence. I'll tell you there."
Crane felt his mind go blank. She wanted to tell him something; and it required that they talk face to face? Well, it would be kind of awkward to say the least since they weren't wearing….
His face went pale under his feathers. He had been avoiding thinking about it for the past few minutes, ever since he had heard the damned sloshing water from the other side.
"Er, Mei Ling?" he called out nervously, his voice cracking.
"Hmm?"
"Are you….uh….that is…..to say…..er…..are you, by any chance……urm….." he sputtered, feeling his face grow red. He sank further into the bath again, crossing his wings over himself.
Mei Ling couldn't see through bamboo fences. He was pretty sure.
"Jien? What are you trying to say?"
"Er…." he gulped nervously. "Are you…..y'know…..wearing anything?"
"Oh! Erm….well…." squeaked Mei Ling, sounding quite flustered. He heard her sink into the bath as well.
Another awkward silence ensued.
"Maybe…..maybe we should meet outside? I'll, er, go get dressed…." began Crane, slowly making his way to his clothing.
"Wait! H-how 'bout…..we meet now?"
The avian let out another surprised squawk, diving back into the water with a splash. He had nearly reached his clothing when he panicked and ended right back in the water. He kept his wings crossed over himself, as he examined the bamboo wall.
It was solid, he was sure of it.
"Jien? H-how 'bout it?" came the mountain cat's voice, sounding a bit flustered.
"B-but, Mei Ling…..I'm….er, you know…..and you're…..er…..are you?"
"W-well, I don't think I can take a proper bath with my clothes on, now c-could I?" she replied jokingly, attempting to lighten the situation.
Despite this, she kept one arm crossed over her chest and clamped another paw between her legs.
She knew Jien couldn't see through walls, but just in case…..
She groaned internally; she had been the one to make the suggestion to meet at the top of the barrier, and now she was the one who was chickening out.
Gritting her teeth, she made her way to the fence.
"Okay, on 'three', I will be climbing this fence, Jien! Meet me up top; I—I have to say something important….."
Crane felt the heat spreading from his face and into his entire body. Well, this was it; whatever was going to happen tonight, it was going to happen.
"One…..two……three!"
Steeling himself, he began to flap his wings. He started to rise from the water, a few beads of water sliding off his plumage. He had not bothered with a towel but he pushed back this thought with all his might straight to the back of his head.
He could hear soft clacks of claws against the fence as the female master steadily but surely made her way up on her side of the fence to meet him.
The fence was only about ten feet tall, and so in a few seconds time, he was but two feet from seeing Mei Ling….
"Hey Crane! How's it hangin'?"
He screamed as he fell like a sack of hammers, straight back into the spring, swallowing what he was sure was at least a gallon of water. The hot spring water also made its way into his nasal passages threatening to drown him. From the few seconds of free fall, he also heard Mei Ling gasp in surprise as she also fell in the water with a loud splash.
"M-mantis?! What the hell?!" he said in between coughs as he re-surfaced. His fixed the angriest look he could on the green insect.
On his part, Mantis looked absolutely unaware of what he had just interrupted. He carried his own miniature towel with him as he jumped in the hot spring with a small splash. He squirted a small jet of water from his mouth as he swam around lazily.
"Hey buddy! What's with the glare?" he said, floating around on his back.
Crane only responded with an eye twitch.
"Heard you an' Mei Ling talking. She still here? Oi, Mei Ling! You there?" Mantis called dazedly, the lingering effects of the weed still quite apparent.
"H-hi, Master Mantis! J-just taking a bath…nothing more, nothing less……" squeaked Mei Ling from the other side.
Crane fixed the minute master with an irritated glare. "You were listening?! For how long?!"
"Relax man. I couldn't hear nothing you were talking about. I just figured that since you like to chill here from time to time and that since two of our girls are currently down with the munchies, I figured it was you an' Mei Ling."
Crane gaped at his….well, 'friend' would be pushing it now, wouldn't it? He had just interrupted what would've been a life-changing experience for him!
"G-guys? Er, I'm going to….go now, okay? Um, yeah….so…..bye…" Mei Ling called from the other side, sounding very embarrassed.
Mantis' antennae pricked at the sound of light splashing, a few speedy footsteps and the sound of rustling clothing. After a while, there was silence.
The green master looked at his silently seething friend.
"So buddy, what about those details we talked about, eh?"
Crane groaned, sinking until only his head remained above the water. He fixed Mantis with a glare.
"Shut the door," he said blankly.
Mantis immediately complied, jumping out of the water and closing the wooden entrance with a resounding slam. He quickly scurried back into the pool and looked eagerly at Crane.
The avian fixed him with the angriest glare he could manage. "You're on the wrong side of it!"
Mantis opened his mouth, looking quite incredulous.
"Dude, how can you be so selfish? You know I live vicariously through you!"
Crane watched idly as the random character slowly took shape on his parchment, his ink brush gliding effortlessly over the page. He had been feeling a tiny bit melancholy that morning as he knew that in a few moments, she would be gone again.
"Crane? You okay in there?"
The tall bird looked up from his project to see the face of Tigress. She had opened his door just enough to allow her head to get through, a small hint of concern gracing her features.
"You know, she'll be leaving in a while." the striped cat stated matter of factly, as she entered the room.
"Yes, I know."
"So…what the hell are you doing here? We're all waiting outside in the courtyard to see her off."
The bird didn't respond, though his brush had stopped moving. His eyes were cast downwards, suddenly very interested in the pattern of the straw mat on his floor.
He sighed heavily after a few moments. "Tigress, I don't know what to do. Something happened last night…."
The feline cringed at the reminder of the incident, but said nothing. She crossed her arms, nodding for him to continue.
"…and—and now suddenly, everything's different! But I don't want them to be; I don't want things to change….and now, she's leaving again! What if the next time she comes back, I become so different, that she doesn't recognize me anymore?"
The female master coughed lightly, uncrossing her arms and putting them in her pockets.
"Look, I really don't have much experience with this sort of thing but....you said that you didn't want things to change between you and her. Are you sure about that?"
"H-huh? W-what do you mean?"
She looked up to meet his eyes with a stern gaze. "You talk about 'change' like you don't have a choice in it. Thing is, we're not just passive pawns, following its every whim!"
Crane looked at his comrade and leader, amazed.
"You can't just sit around waiting for change to happen; sometimes, you have to take the initiative. Make 'change' work for you. It's your choice, always has been, always will be."
The bird gaped widely at the words from Tigress. Since when did she become so wise?
She seemed to read his mind as a corner of her lips turned up. "You're not the only one who hung out with Master Oogway."
Crane smiled. "You went to him for love advice?"
While he had meant this as a joke, he was surprised to see a blush forming on the leader of the Five's face.
She quickly regained her composure however. "J-just get your ass out there! On the double!"
"Yessir! Er, ma'am! Sir!"
He tucked his wings further into his body, speeding through the air. In a moment of spontaneity, he had jumped out a nearby window and took flight, feeling the wind whipping his feathers. He circled the other dormitories and the sparring court yard, before finally seeing the long staircase coming into his view. Squinting, he could make out a green clad figure, making its way to the steps.
He swooped in, adjusted his wings so he could right himself in the air, before landing gracefully in front of Mei Ling.
"Jien!" said the mountain cat, smiling as she looked at him. She was carrying a large backpack with her trusty fighting staff sheathed among the belongings. The usual green vest was once again in place
"Hey Mei Ling. Um…where are the others?"
He scanned for his teammates but saw that they were quite alone.
"They already saw me off, in the Hall Of Warriors. Tigress said to take the stairs. She told me that 'something' just might surprise when I get here." she replied with a chuckle.
"O-oh, she did? Well, that's….er…..I, uh, didn't get you anything…."
"Naw, that's fine! It was great just spending time here with you." said Mei Ling softly, rocking slightly on the balls of her feet.
"Yeah, it was great having you here Mei Ling."
"Y-yeah." she said, unsure of what to say next. "Er, I'll write you, okay? I mean, that's what friends do, right?"
Crane gave a small nod, his talons digging into the soil. It was now or never.
"Mei Ling, I don't wanna be friends anymore."
The change in the female mountain cat's face was instantaneous. The jovial look in her features was replaced by a look of horror which morphed into disbelief and sadness.
"B-but…Jien, what did I do?!"
"We're just too different now Mei Ling. I'm not who you remember and you're not who I remember anymore. I'm ready for a change."
The feline could only stare in shock as tears began to well up in her eyes. She turned quickly, intending to get away from the Jade Palace as fast as possible. Before she could start walking however, she felt a wing turn her around again.
"Wu Mei Ling, will you be my girlfriend?" said Crane, removing his wide brimmed hat, looking at her expectantly.
"H-huh? But—but you just said, w-we're too different now….."
"I didn't say 'from each other'. I know there's going to be a lot more things that are going to change in this country and in the world. And I want us to face them together."
Mei Ling began to sniffle, the unshed tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. Despite this, she wore the widest and happiest grin he had ever seen on her.
"Yes, of course! A thousand times yes!" she cried, enveloping him in a tight hug before giving him the deepest, most searing kiss he could ever imagine on his beak. He returned the hug, enveloping her with his wings and returned the kiss carefully with his beak.
As Crane felt the warmth of his friend….no, girlfriend's lips over his own, he decided that change wasn't so bad. After all, it was the person's choice that made the change happen, and right now, he knew he made the right choice.
"That's our boy!" whispered Mantis from the bushes, as he, Po and the rest of the Five watched.
"Aw, isn't it romantic?" Viper gushed.
Everyone approved in unison before deciding to leave the two alone.
"Hey guys, I managed to save some of that groovy plant from Biànliáng!" Mantis said, grinning wickedly as held a small wicker container in his pincers. "Who wants in?"
There was a chorus of "No!" that greeted him.
Unperturbed, he pressed on. "I hear Master Oogway would put some of this stuff in his tea sometimes…."
Silence ensued as the others digested this little bit of information.
Tigress finally voiced her thoughts. "That actually kind of makes sense."
END
A/N part 2: A few notes; for those wondering about the legend behind the Pool Of Sacred tears, I actually invented it along with my roommate while we were celebrating 4/20 with some of her 'special brownies' ^_^ I guess that also explains where I went with the second fic, eh?
Bao Gong is a famous Chinese historical figure, a legend in that he personifies justice. The case with the peasant who had killed his wife is one of his most famous cases.
Captain Jiāo Jīn's name literally means 'boastful'; hopefully, he'll make some more appearances in future stories. I believe I might've unconsciously based him on OCs from nievelion's and Luna Goldsun's excellent stories, so again, read those if you still haven't 8- ) I actually was influenced on nievelion's take on Mei Ling and the mentor-student relationship between Oogway and Crane.
Finally, I make several references to some movies and TV shows here, such as 30 Rock, Almost Famous, Chuck and a bit more subtly, That '70's Show. See if you can find them all and if you do, please put them in your reviews J So uh, yeah, read and tell me what you think guys!
Peace
-Peter
