Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kung Fu Panda, nor am I in any way affiliated with it's creators. All belongs to DreamWorks.

I only claim the storyline and OC's.

Author's note below:

Apologies for the very delayed update. Life likes to throw us some curveballs sometimes and it's hard to dig in and do what you love.

Regardless, hopefully the updates should be more regular again.

That being said, please enjoy~ ;)


Chapter 7~*

The morning light was bright. Happy chatter could be heard wafting through the air. The relaxed bustle from the streets far below could also be heard. Usually these noises created a sense of piece in and of themselves.

But today, it seemed the normal ambiance was not good enough.

Shifu paced back and forth in the training hall, ears twitching minutely every few seconds. He had made a point to listen to the sounds his sandals and staff made as he walked, trying to use those as a distraction. This method was just barely working.

He was nervous.

It was not a normal occurrence for him, but he felt he could hardly be blamed. When his students had departed a week ago, he had been left with a sense of ease. As if all the answers would come as a result. But as the days had worn on, he could feel anxiety poking at the back of his stomach and creeping up his spine. While the nightmares had blessedly come to a stop, he almost wished he had those back. At least the anxiety went away when he woke up… for the most part.

But now he was left trying to deal with it in the waking world. Admittedly, he'd never been very good at it. He had always had Oogway to rely on to help him through it, to be the calm in the storm of his mind. And while he'd learned a great deal over the last several years, it seemed old habits died hard.

Shifu stopped his pacing for a moment and stood straight. He tightened his grip on his staff and brought his free arm around his front, holding his palm up and paw horizontal to his waist. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in through his nose, counting slowly to ten as he did so. He then let it out through his mouth counting in the same slow pace backwards from ten to one. He'd had to do it several times already today. It only forced a calmness over him for a few minutes before the nervousness took hold once more. Shifu stood still for several moments, allowing the sounds of the palace grounds to tickle at his ears thought the thick walls of the training hall. He finally opened his eyes and sighed lowly. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be as calm as you were, Oogway," he said quietly.

Shifu gripped his staff with both paws and looked in the direction of the Master Garden. While the Sacred Peach Tree held more memories, it always seemed more appropriate to look upon Oogway's statue when remembering him. And, looking upon the statue's face made it seem a little more like Oogway wasn't really gone. He let out a scoff as another memory floated through his mind. The memory of the giant, carved rock flying through the air and crashing down and breaking to pieces.

Shifu shook his head, quickly dispelling that particular memory. It was of no use to him right now.

He huffed and looked to the light angling in through the training hall's upper windows. It wasn't even noon yet. Not knowing details, he supposed he shouldn't be concerned with what time Po and the Five would get back, only that today was the day of their return. They'd get back when they got back, it was that simple.

Shifu huffed. "It should be that simple, anyway," he mumbled. He glanced around the room, as if a sense of calm would pop out from behind the equipment or pillars. Hardly worth the effort. Shifu shook his head. "Maybe I should just make some tea… or meditate at the Peach Tree," he said to himself, starting towards the exit.

No sooner had Shifu reached the first step leading up to the platform did the doors burst open.

"Master Shif-wheh!" Zeng flapped halfhazardly to a stop, narrowly avoiding flopping off the platform onto the grand master himself. "M-Master Shifu," the goose bowed quickly, "the Furious Five and Dragon Warrior have been spotted coming up the western slope," he spouted.

Shifu felt a smile jump onto his face before realization hit him. "Wait," he frowned, "why are they coming up the western slope?"

Zeng swallowed nervously. "Well, um…" he tapped his feather-tips together, "It might be because they have someone with them," he answered in a small voice.

Shifu caught Zeng's gaze sharply. "What do you mean? Who's with them?" he shot

Zeng looked away. "That's the thing… we aren't sure," he looked up cautiously. "And we aren't sure why they'd have one of this particular folk with them either," he continued, his voice trailing off.

Shifu narrowed his eyes, gripping his staff tighter. "And what folk is this person?" he asked in a low voice.

Zeng tightened his beak, glancing to either side of himself before tapping his feather-tips together again. "Well… it… looks like he's… a nomad, sir…"

Shifu was still a moment as he let those words roll around in his head. He finally took his eyes from Zeng and felt his brows draw down. "A nomad… just one?" he asked, eyes darting back to the goose.

Zeng nodded. "A-and, he doesn't look very well kept either… It's almost like they picked him up off the side of the road. I'm not sure… what's going on, sir," Zeng finished with a defeated expression.

Shifu looked away again, shaking his head slowly in confusion. "This makes no sense. I'll have to see for myself," he muttered.

"They'll be at the Master Garden within a few minutes at the pace they were going," Zeng commented.

Shifu looked to him and nodded. "Very well, I'll meet them there."

XoXoX

She could hardly believe it.

Her face hurt. A lot. It was taking so much effort that she was considering asking Mantis to check if something was wrong with her. Tigress huffed yet again as she looked to her left to the trees and rocks in her last ditch attempt.

She was having to work harder than ever to keep from smiling.

She'd had this problem before. But that had been with Lei Lei, a panda cub that she had just started getting accustomed to.

Not a fully grown bull.

He's not acting so different from her, though, Tigress thought, mentally punching herself for it, while her eyes betrayed her and looked back.

They had decided to take the western route through the mountainous outcroppings so as to avoid the majority of the Valley. And while Bobo had been rather amazed throughout most of the journey so far, he was now apparently awestruck, looking around at the lush colors and exquisite beauty as if it was all a dream he was afraid to wake up from. It was rather humbling really. She and Po had grown up here, and the others had lived here so long that it was just… normal. It was almost strange to see someone else looking at the mountains and mists as if they were barely real.

Tigress caught herself again as they collectively paused with the bull. He'd stopped to reach out to a tree. Viper quietly assured him it was okay to touch it. Tigress watched him slowly run his claws over the mossy bark before her eyes darted to his face. She tightened her lips considerably.

He looked so much like a child, his eyes wide and his expression so open and curious.

Tigress took a deep breath through her nose and glanced away, her gaze trailing up the steps. Quite abruptly, the warmth in her chest that she had been fighting consistently for more than a day now was pierced by a sliver of pain.

They were only thirty yards or so from the Master Garden.

Memories started rolling into her mind like high tide and she clenched her fists as the sound of rustling chains, flashes of green light and an image of a sadistic grin washed through her head. She closed her eyes tightly, bowing her head for a moment. She forced a breath in through her nose, surprising herself with just how hard it suddenly was to do so. She remained still for another moment before slowly opening her eyes, keeping her gaze down.

"What is this?"

Her eyes shot to the source of the question to see Bobo still looking at the tree as if mesmerized.

"What is what?" Viper asked kindly, her confusion obvious.

Bobo blinked. "This." He ran his hoof slowly up the length of the tree. "This soft stuff."

Tigress blinked as she realized what he meant.

"Oh that?" Mantis cut in. "That's moss. You've- wait…" Mantis tilted his head. "You've never… seen moss before?"

Bobo looked to him with those wide eyes before looking back and shaking his head. "No."

Tigress looked from them, her eyes somehow finding Po's. Funny, she thought, looking into the panda's vibrant eyes as her memories continued to get the better of her, moss carpeted everything up there. She could have sworn Po had heard her thoughts, as his expression seemed to sadden, his lips tightening as he broke their gaze to look back at the scene. She looked down to the rocky steps and heaved a sigh.

"Come on," she said quietly, starting to walk again, her gaze down as she passed her cohorts. She didn't say anything more as she ended up in a leading position, trekking resolutely to their destination. The others followed suit, starting after her without a word. And without warning, a heaviness started to descend upon them.

Tigress could almost feel the same memories she had relived flowing through the others' minds. Or perhaps it was simply her own mind playing tricks on her. Either way, the heaviness that had settled on her shoulders was playing company to a sudden anxiety in her stomach. I wonder if this will spark memory in him, she thought. Considering their path, it seemed more appropriate that he should have remembered something by now, but he still seemed utterly oblivious. What if he does remember? she asked herself, glancing up. They were almost to the pillar gate of the Garden entrance. She narrowed her eyes as she clenched her fists, feet moving without pause. What if he… doesn't remember?

Faster than she would have liked, her foot hit the top step. She stilled, hearing everyone else grow still behind her. She allowed her gaze to travel, roaming across the familiar faces set in stone lining the path. She abruptly dropped her eyes, however, before letting them land on the most familiar face of them all, standing at the far end. She closed her eyes tight, clenching her teeth and holding her fists steady.

After a few silent moments, Tigress finally took a deep breath. She opened her eyes to look at the rock beneath her feet, and squinted, as if seeing it for the first time. The colors seemed more vibrant than she remembered, the mossy growths shining as if covered in dew. She listened to the sounds around them as the leaves rustled gently in the slight breeze, and paid attention to the feel of the air tickling her fur and whiskers. It felt fresh. New, like the morning after the rain. A new day, she thought absently.

Tigress blinked and stood straight. She then turned, looking back to the others. She could see the concern on their faces. Her eyes alighted on the bull and she could see clearly the apprehension in his expression. Tigress examined his eyes, staring back at her wide and unsure. Finally, she allowed the corners of her lips quirk up ever-so-lightly. "Bobo."

The bull straightened, his shoulders tense. "Y-yes?"

"What do you think of this place?" she asked.

Bobo slouched downward again, his face dropping as he his gaze broke from hers to look around again. "It… seems unreal," he answered quietly.

Tigress felt her lips tug upward again… and she was suddenly grateful for it. "It may seem so. But it is very real."

Bobo looked to her as he clasped his hooves together in front of him. "Am I… allowed to be here?" he asked in a small voice.

Tigress' brows shot up in surprise. She didn't look to the others, but she could see them in the edge of her vision radiating the same surprise in one way or another. "Yes," she answered. "You are allowed to be here." She then tilted her head in curiosity. "Why would you ask that?"

Bobo glanced away. "There's… no one else here…"

Oh… that makes sense, Tigress thought. She nodded as her small smile started to come back. "That is because this place in particular is special. So when we pass through," she waited a moment for him to look back to her, "be respectful. Okay."

Bobo looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded obediently without question.

Tigress nodded back, finally allowing her gaze to dart to the others before turning back. She started into the garden without another word, listening to the others behind her. She zeroed in on the bull's heavy steps, hearing Po hang back to allow him up the stairs first. When she had counted the amount of steps proper to reach the landing, she finally turned back around.

Bobo was looking around with the same awestruck expression as he'd had on his face when they'd first started up the mountain. His eyes were drinking up the stone masters as if thirsty for water, taking in every part of one master's visage before moving on to examine the next.

Tigress glanced to the others, noticing their own curious expressions as they watched him. The corners of her lips quirked up once more as she caught eyes with Po. He looked… relieved. And excited. He had that look on his face as if waiting for something, a question, a comment, a gesture. He looked ready to dive headfirst into everything all over again like he had been when they had come up on the village. Tigress welcomed the happy note that chimed in her at seeing it. His excitement, his emotions in general, were always so contagious. She looked back to Bobo as she finally came to a stop, having been walking backwards the whole time, the lot of them walking slowly with Bobo as if in a procession of some sort. His eyes were stuck on the great Master Rhino. Finally, they darted her way.

She held her breath, anxiety among other things swirling in her chest. She watched his face closely as he looked at the statue of Oogway just up the steps behind her. She could feel the others watching him as well.

Bobo's eyes seemed to be glued to the statue's face. His hooves were clenched in front of him, his claws tightly wound together. His breathing seemed to have become shallower than before. He blinked and slowly looked around at the rest of the statue, eyeing the staff and the upward raised paw, angling over the eloquently carved robe before they suddenly found Tigress. He blinked again and seemed to shrink, eyes never leaving hers.

Tigress realized she must have been staring intensely and closed her eyes before turning and looking up at Oogway's visage. "Do you recognize anyone here?" she asked without thinking.

The silence was thick. Nervousness seemed to waft through the air.

"No," Bobo answered softly. "I haven't seen… any of these before…"

Tigress felt her eyebrows tinge down and she looked at the bull. He was glancing around at the other statues. "Do you mean… you've never seen the people these statues represent? Or you've," she raised a brow, "never seen statues?"

Bobo looked back to her and lowered his head slightly. "Both… I've never seen carvings like this, or this big…" He looked back up to the face of Oogway's statue. "And I've never seen folk like this. Well…" he glanced away.

Tigress' ears perked up but Po beat her to it.

"Well what?" he asked too quickly.

Bobo jumped lightly at the question and looked to Po before lowering his eyes to the ground. "Um, well…" his eyes drifted upward… only to land on Master Thundering Rhino. "I've seen him before," he said, pointing to the very dignified visage.

Tigress felt her eyebrows meeting so hard she thought she'd crack her face. She looked to Po and the others, seeing them mirroring her confusion. She looked back to Bobo and tilted her head. "You have?"

"When?!" Po asked, head comically tilted to the side.

Bobo looked back to them, eyes darting from Tigress to Po. "Gidahn." He pointed back to the statue. "He is a woodworker… he has a wood carving of this person."

Tigress looked to Po and saw his mouth hanging open. She glanced to the others to see them all radiating some sort of shock. She was shocked too.

Why would the old yak Gidahn have carved out a visage of Master Thundering Rhino?

"Did you," all eyes darted to Viper, still draped around Bobo's neck, "ever ask Gidahn who he was?" she asked carefully.

Bobo was still, eyes still at the statue, examining the late master's face. "I did one time. He saw I kept looking at it and asked me if something was wrong. I asked him… who is this person." Bobo lowered his eyes, his head drooping. "He said that answer was for another time."

Tigress crossed her arms. "So, he never answered you," she stated more than asked.

Bobo looked to her at those words and nodded slowly.

"Well, we can answer you," Mantis said from Bobo's other shoulder. "This is Master Thundering Rhino, son of Master Flying Rhino, former steward of Gongmen City!" He looked to Bobo proudly.

Bobo looked to him as if he'd spoken another language. He then blinked, eyes drifting back to the statue's face once more. He was quiet for a moment, long enough for the others to look at each other in concern.

Tigress took a breath to speak but stopped as she noticed Bobo tilting his head.

"Master…" he said quietly. "Gidahn was called Master, too." Bobo looked back to Mantis on his shoulder. "Master of what?"

"What?" Mantis asked, antennae flicking.

Bobo pointed to the statue. "Master Thundering Rhino. What is he master of?" he asked.

Mantis blinked and straightened. "Uh… well-"

"Kung Fu!" Po said, cutting him off. "It's one of the greatest things ever!"

Bobo looked to him, his confusion easy for all of them to see.

"Don't worry," Tigress cut in, watching as Bobo whipped his head to her. "We'll show you," she said, her lips quirking up again.

Bobo's eyes widened for a moment before he looked down, clasping his hooves in front of him again and nodding.

Tigress felt a brow raise at that but shook her head as she turned. "But before we can do that, we need to get you to the palace. Come along," she said, uncrossing her arms and starting up the steps. "It's just up this way."

She listened as the others started moving, ears strangely aware of Bobo's steps. She bit the inside of her lip, feeling a lot less anxious than she had been. He really… doesn't remember, she thought. But even as she though that, her mind shifted to what they had learned. They had a lot more questions than they did before about this Gidahn. Perhaps Shifu will have some insight, she thought, her mind replaying Bobo's comment about Gidahn being called Master. I wonder… Tigress blinked. Her focus shifted to her ears as she heard something other than her comrades' footsteps. She paused her own steps and lifted her head, ears twitching.

Realization struck like lightning.

Tigress barely had enough time to gasp and turn around. "Down!" she shouted. But it was too late.

Bobo's head was thrown up, Viper and Mantis tossed to the side, the bull spun around and before anyone could call out another word, Bobo was on his stomach, arm twisted around his back and the head of Shifu's staff wedged tightly at the nape of his neck.

"Shifu!" Po shouted.

"Master!" Tigress bounded down the steps on all fours and had to stop herself short from grabbing her own master off the bull's back. "Mast-"

"What is the meaning of this!?" Shifu yelled, wide eyes glaring angrily at the lot of them.

"Shifu, please!" Po said desperately, "Let us explain!"

"Oh, you will," Shifu responded acidly, hardly batting an eye at the struggling wheezes underneath him.

XoXoX

"You expect me to believe this!?"

Shifu shook his head as he continued his frenzied pacing on the table of the scroll room. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from not just Po but his own Tigress. He was absolutely sure they'd gone insane. He looked back to them, his accusation blatant in his gaze.

Po raised his paws. "I know it sounds crazy, but like I said, I- if, if it hadn't been for the 'doing the right thing' part that Oogway had said to me before-"

"Which you admit you withheld," Shifu shot out with a glare.

"Yes, yes, I did! Again, I didn't think it pertained to, well… any of this!" Po said with an exaggerated shrug. "I thought it was just general wisdom or something. But once we saw him then I knew, I just knew we had our part one!" He shook his head as his shoulders sagged. "I mean come on, this all lined up perfectly, do you really think-"

"What if you're wrong?" Shifu asked, cutting him off. He stood still and eyed Po angrily. "What if you're wrong and we are delivering something of unknown power and possibility into the paws of a bloodthirsty warlord who will turn on us the moment he is back to full strength? Hm? Did you think of that?"

"Master," Tigress resisted the urge to heave a sigh, "do you really think Oogway would send us out there, to the very place Kai has been for the last five years, just to… not find him?" she asked.

"What if the purpose was to finish him off once and for all?" Shifu responded, throwing his arms up. "By some fluke he ended up back here and we needed to finish the job!"

"That makes even less sense," Po said with another energetic shrug. "The fact that he's here and mortal is a miracle! You really think Oogway would want us to just… undo that?" he asked incredulously.

"I don't know, are you sure you haven't left anything else out of your discussion with him?" Shifu shot out. "Anything else that might actually tell us something about this mess!"

"No!" Po shouted. He then shook his head. "I mean yes, Master! I'm sure I didn't leave anything else out! Look- listen, you haven't even heard the best part yet!" he said, his own aggravation starting to become obvious.

"Oh, there's a better part?" Shifu said, tilting his head in mock surprise. "Oh, please do tell, Dragon Warrior, I'm sure this'll make all the difference!" he said, before turning and starting his frenzied pacing once more.

Po groaned and rubbed his eyes with his fingers.

"Chi."

Both Po and Shifu looked to Tigress.

Her eyes were solely focused on Shifu. "He's still involved with Chi it would seem. But not in the way we remember."

Shifu stopped in his tracks and looked to her seriously. "And what does that mean?"

Tigress tilted her head to the side. "He's leaking."

Shifu stared. He blinked rapidly before shaking his head and standing up straight, tilting his head as genuine confusion marred his face. "What?"

Tigress nodded. "He's leaking. Leaking Chi. It's coming from him on a constant basis. He cannot make it stop, and from what I can tell through my questioning, does not even know this is happening. That's why this village was so lush and thriving, why the crops needed little to no water to grow, and why the villagers never let him leave. He made everything around him grow. They realized this and have been taking advantage of it this whole time."

Shifu eyed her incredulously before glancing to Po. Po had a smile on his face and nodded. He blinked slowly before looking back to Tigress, only to look back and forth between the two of them several times. Finally, he shook his head, rubbing his paws over his face. "Are you two serious?" he asked, this time without the burn of an angry tone, or sarcastic quip.

Tigress allowed a quirk of her lips and nodded while Po nodded emphatically.

"Yes, Master Shifu," he said excitedly, "we're serious. And you can talk to all of us, you can even separate us and treat it like an interrogation if you want, but the fact is we've spent the last three days with him, watching him, talking to him- and it's just obvious! He really has no idea who he is or what is what." Po's expression became more serious. "He's lost all of his memory, Shifu, all of it. And I am convinced that we're supposed to help him. I can feel it. Oogway knew he was there, he knew why he was sending us. Kai is part of this Key, and helping him… will help us." Po looked to Shifu earnestly. "And in the end… it's the right thing to do."

Shifu clenched his teeth as he held Po's gaze, ears flat against his head. He narrowed his eyes before finally breaking their stare and turned, gaze uncontrollably drifting up to the cubicle that had the Jade Scroll in it. He took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out slowly through his mouth. What does all of this mean? he thought desperately.

Kai, alive and mortal, apparently no memory of anything, and radiating Chi without knowing it. And somehow, it was connected to the issue that they weren't even consciously aware of yet? And somehow, he was supposed to help them? And, even better, that he might do so… willingly? Shifu clenched his eyes shut as he resisted the urge to growl.

He turned back to the two of them, leveling his glare once more. "We'll see."

Po and Tigress blinked, nearly in unison, as surprise marred both their faces.

"What?" Po asked, tilting his head.

Shifu stood straight. "You two may be convinced, but I am not. We'll see how much he really doesn't remember."

Tigress' brows furrowed as she regarded him. "Master… what does that mean?"

Shifu looked to her then to Po. "Anyone can lie. Even children can be exceptional at it. And someone as old and conniving as Kai could easily put on a believable performance." He saw the both of them move to speak and raised his paw to silence them. "But old habits borne of centuries of training? How hard do you think it to keep those at bay, hmm?"

Po shook his head. "But we've done this before. It was the first thing we-"

"A surprise attack that he may have known was coming?" Shifu cut him off. "No. We're going to do this properly," he said in a low voice.

Tigress and Po looked to one another before setting eyes on their master once more.

Shifu nodded curtly. "Bring him to the training court."

XoXoX

When I said we'd show him, this isn't what I had in mind, Tigress thought, discretely chewing on the inside of her lip.

They were all lined up in the training courtyard, Bobo in the center. Shifu was doing a great job of being intimidating. The bull would barely look at him and flinched if they made eye contact. Tigress couldn't help already feeling sorry for him. He'd already been thrown to the ground once today and yet hadn't even gotten to the worst part.

She already knew: This was going to be like Po all over again.

"Master Viper," Shifu called. "You're first."

Viper's head was lowered. She didn't move for a moment. She then straightened up and did her version of fist-to-paw and started over. Bobo looked at her in apprehension. It radiated off him so thickly it almost seemed they could see it. Viper apparently could to some extent because she looked up to him and flinched.

"On my Kiai," Shifu said sharply.

Tigress held her breath, paws clenched tightly behind her back. Viper was without a doubt the most careful of them, but even her least powerful strike was still to be reckoned with.

It was so quiet that everyone heard Shifu take his breath to utter the command.

"I'm sorry, Master," Viper suddenly said, lowering her body and touching her nose nearly to the ground.

"What?" Shifu asked, one ear flicking in aggravation.

"I believe I have injured myself. I should have said something sooner," Viper said, turning to look at Shifu with an ashamed air.

The rest of the Five and Po remained perfectly still.

Bobo, for his part, seemed oblivious. His face a mask of concern, he lowered slightly, looking Viper up and down. "Are you-"

"You have not been given permission to speak," Shifu cut him off gruffly.

The bull jolted and lowered his head, clasping his hooves in front of him. The action came too swiftly and too naturally. It was obvious he was practiced at it.

"I apologize, Master," Viper said, hanging her head low, eyes to the ground. "May I excuse myself?" she requested in a hushed voice.

Shifu was quiet as he regarded her. The courtyard was quiet too. His ears flicked a few times as they all stood at attention. Seconds seemed to tick by agonizingly slow.

"I can step in, Master!" Monkey suddenly chimed. He did not wait for acknowledgment, making his way to the weapons rack to grab two staffs. "Not a problem!" he said cheerfully, spinning one in each hand expertly.

Shifu finally took a deep breath, glancing to Monkey before returning his gaze to Viper. "Agreed. You may be excused, Master Viper."

Viper repeated her vision of fist-to-paw, her head and eyes still lowered. "Thank you, Master." Without another word or move, she slithered out of the court and made her way to the courtyard gate.

Tigress flicked her ears as she listened to the others, her eyes on Shifu as she paid attention to Monkey stepping into the court in her peripheral. It wasn't common for Viper to lie so boldly. Even Shifu knew she was lying. It also wasn't common, being that he did know, that he would let it slide. Perhaps he has an inkling that what we've been saying is true, Tigress thought with a glimmer of hope. She then looked to Monkey as he tossed the second staff to Bobo.

"Catch!" the simian said cheerily.

Bobo moved to catch it, but did so in the clumsiest fashion Tigress had seen in a long time. He didn't even catch it in his hooves. He simply managed to lift his arms in time to wrap them around it before it could bounce off him and fall to the ground. He looked startled, as if he hadn't expected to be given one. Tigress tightened her lips. Perhaps he is simply looking forward to seeing him getting hit with an actual object, she amended mentally.

"Okay!" Monkey said, looking like he was trying not to laugh. "Here's what we're gonna do. When he says 'Kyai' I'm going to try to hit you with this," Monkey moved his staff around for emphasis, "and you try to block me with yours. Got it?" he asked, raising a brow as he smiled.

Tigress felt her own brows twitch upward as she realized what was going on: Monkey was trying to make this less terrifying. He was trying to make it seem fun. She glanced to Shifu. That might be a futile effort, she thought.

"Monkey!" Shifu hollered. "No explanations!"

"Oh! Right! Yes, Master," Monkey said, turning to bow to Shifu.

Bobo had finally taken grip of his staff in mimic of the way Monkey held his. However, he didn't seem any more enthused than he had been when Viper had been in front of him.

Tigress found herself holding her breath again as Monkey faced Bobo and nodded.

"Kiai!" Shifu called without warning.

Monkey was swift, as expected, catching Bobo on both arms several times before bopping him over the brow. He moved to poke him in the stomach but stopped abruptly as the behemoth stumbled back, eyes closed as he dropped his staff to the ground. Bobo shook his head and looked to Monkey in shock.

Monkey sat the foot of his own staff on the ground and seemed to cringe, wearing an apologetic smile. "Oops. You are supposed to block me, remember?"

"Up!" Shifu called.

Monkey immediately snapped to attention and took stance.

Bobo looked up.

Tigress resisted the urge to slap her paw to her face. She heard a muffled wheeze from mantis and heard Crane pulling his hat down. She saw Po lower his head in her peripheral, though she could see his eyes were still directed to the scene.

"I said, up!" Shifu hollered, glaring at the bull.

Bobo looked to him, eyes wide, then looked up again. "Wha- what?"

"Pick up your staff and retake position!" Shifu grated, managing somehow to achieve a shouting voice through clenched teeth.

Bobo looked to him fearfully before finally looking back to the staff. He hurried forward, fumbling as he made to pick it up, before standing straight, eyes on Monkey as he held the staff awkwardly in front of him.

"Kiai!" Shifu called.

"Block me!" Monkey shot out as he moved once again.

Bobo did manage to move the staff and block Monkey's first strike. However, as Monkey made more strikes, landing all of them, it was apparent he hadn't done it on purpose; he'd merely jerked his arm upwards as he'd flinched back.

Once again, he was staffless, holding his head in his hooves as he stumbled back.

"Monkey! I told you, no directions! And the only commands being given are mine- or did you happen to forget the most basic rules of sparring during your excursion?" Shifu shouted angrily.

Monkey turned to Shifu immediately, bowing with fist-to-paw, staff still in hand. "Yes, Sir, and no, Sir!" he answered spiritedly.

Shifu audibly growled. "Twenty laps around the courtyard, now!" he ordered.

Monkey nodded. "Yes, Master." He turned and hopped to the rack, quickly depositing his staff and started for the edge of the courtyard. He started his run, the rest of the Five and Po stepping forward to let him by.

Tigress looked to Bobo as she listened to Monkey pass by. He looked terrified and unsure. She immediately noticed how different it was from when Po had been in that court. Po had gotten back up again and again, wanting to go over and over. Bobo already looked like he wanted to hide and sink into the ground. This is not good, she thought, worry starting to color her insides.

"Mantis! Your turn," Shifu called out, his eyes also glued to the bull.

"Yes Master!" Mantis bowed and hopped into the ring, making a point to grab the staff from Bobo's feet and roll it towards the rack. He then took position in front of Bobo. He smiled and nodded. "Ready, big guy?"

Bobo, shoulders hunched, head low and eyes wide, stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "No," he squeaked.

Mantis went wide-eyed, but before he could say anything-

"Kiai!"

Like a flash of lightning, the miniscule master had the bull's knees kicked out and then had him flipped onto his back. He hopped onto his chest and seemed to cringe in the same way Monkey had. "Um… got ya?" He laughed, but it was forced and awkward.

Tigress had a sudden urge to sink into the ground herself. Her eyes darted from the mountain of awkwardness that was her fellow master to Bobo underneath him. At least he looks less scared, she thought. He appeared shocked, perhaps awed at the insect's speed.

"Up!" Shifu called.

Mantis hopped off and retook position. Bobo moved to get up, but moved slowly, as if it hurt to use his legs. He looked back to Mantis as he clasped his hooves in front of him.

Then the courtyard grew quiet, the only noise being the sounds of Monkey's feet as he continued his laps.

Tigress looked to Shifu, her face a stoic mask as she examined what she could see of his. He was so still, he looked like one of the statues of the Master Garden. Not even his ears flicked as they usually did. She felt her brows twitch down in confusion as she glanced to Po at her right. He seemed to be watching Shifu as well. What is he-

"Mantis, out. Crane, get in," Shifu said suddenly.

There was a moment of silence as the two masters looked at each other and at Shifu in confusion before they both bowed. Mantis hopped out and Crane fluttered in, taking the former's position in front of Bobo.

Mantis hopped up and bounced to Tigress' left shoulder, furthest from Shifu's ears. He leaned close, though he kept his head straight. "I don't like this." He whispered so low it almost sounded like a simple sigh.

Tigress just barely tilted her head towards him as she nudged her shoulder up. Mantis could get away with speaking so low as not to be heard, but she couldn't. I don't like it either, she thought instead, eyes glued to the two in the court.

Crane took stance, his wings splayed proudly. His expression was softer than usual, however, and he gave a low, slow nod, his eyes locked with Bobo's. Bobo swallowed nervously, glancing to either side of himself before nodding back.

The courtyard seemed to grow quiet again.

"Kiai!" Shifu called.

Silence.

Tigress' ears perked up as she looked from Crane to Bobo. Bobo had flinched at Shifu's word, but Crane hadn't moved a muscle. He still hadn't moved. He was still in stance, still staring straight ahead, his face a mask. No, Tigress thought, concern sparking in her chest. She looked at his face and could see the telltale wrinkles at the corners of Crane's beak that happened when he was clenching it shut too tightly. She looked to his eyes and saw they were unfocused.

"Crane!" Shifu shouted. "What are you doing?"

Crane suddenly blinked and broke stance, backing away as he folded his wings and stood tall. "I'm sorry, Master. It won't happen again."

Tigress watched him closely.

"Oh no," Mantis breathed beside her.

Exactly, she thought in response.

Crane was on the verge of an anxiety attack. They'd known him long enough they'd learned to read his ques. Even Shifu could read them, though currently, he was likely blind to them. Crane always went quiet and would often go still right before an attack, his eyes wouldn't focus and he'd often clench his beak shut. The issue was if he stopped breathing. If he got to the point where he couldn't breathe through it, he would succumb to it entirely.

Tigress watched his chest as he retook stance. She saw it rise slowly and started counting. -Three, four, five, six, seven… At ten it reached its crest and started to go back down. Tigress could have heaved her own sigh of relief, however temporary. Crane was doing fine for the moment; he was still using the ten-to-ten count method.

The only issue was if he could keep it up while sparring.

"Kiai!" Shifu called.

Crane moved with that swift elegance that he was so known for, wings a kaleidoscope in front of him as his feet hit every possible pressure point he could have needed to hit. In a manner of seconds, he had Bobo face-first on the ground, wheezing. Crane fluttered back to his starting position and touched his feet to the ground, his wings folding immediately as he seemed to shrink into himself. He looked to either side with an almost guilty air as Bobo moved his arms, struggling to push himself up.

"Up!" Shifu ordered.

Crane retook his stance.

Bobo was still trying to get up.

"I said, up!" Shifu yelled.

"How is this hehffng…" Bobo wheezed, his voice trailing off as he gasped for air.

"What?" Shifu barked with a glare.

Bobo shook his head. Finally managing to get his knees underneath him. "You… they…" He huffed, head low as he leaned back into a kneeling position. "They said… they wanted to… help me." He shook his head and looked up, confusion and frustration warring on his face. "They said they wanted to… help me remember," he said, his expression flickering with a hint of pain. "How is this helping?" he asked. "I don't understand," he finished, his voice faltering.

Tigress clenched her teeth and her fists. Her mind was aggravatingly blank. She knew Bobo had a point: this wasn't helping him. But she knew that not one of them knew what would. Movement caught her eye and when she looked to it, she immediately froze.

Shifu had turned to look at them. His eyes were squarely on Po. They then darted to her. His eyes were hard and his expression stony. He then turned back to the court.

Oh no, Tigress held her breath.

"Oh, so they didn't tell you?" Shifu asked, sharp sarcasm coloring his voice. He glanced to Crane and nodded to the side. Crane obliged and exited the court with a bow. Shifu zeroed back in on the bull and started forward. "You see, this is right up your alley."

Bobo seemed to find new energy at Shifu's approach and clumsily got back to his feet. His hooves retook their clasped position in front of him as he eyed the diminutive master fearfully. "R-right up… my alley?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Shifu answered, his staff tapping loudly against the ground. "You are very good at this. It's called Kung Fu, if you can't remember that either." He said, his voice somehow menacing even though he spoke with almost casual tones. "You see, you are so good at this, that you bested almost everyone here in this courtyard." Shifu raised his arms. "Even me!"

Bobo stared at him, eyes wide. He swallowed nervously as he radiated the same anxiety that Crane was so practiced at hiding. "I-I don't-"

"You are so good at this," Shifu continued, cutting him off, "that you believe we should all know your name, who you are, and what you're capable of. And you even tried, not so long ago, to kill and destroy everyone else who is good at this too." Shifu's voice grew rocky and cold. His eyes never leaving Bobo's as he continued his slow procession towards him.

Bobo was visibly upset, his hooves trembling, his eyes wide and his breathing shallow. He shook his head with difficulty, eyes never leaving Shifu's as he took a step back. "No," he said in a small voice.

"Shifu, that's enough!"

The courtyard rang loudly with the sudden silence that followed Po's shout. He'd stepped forward, arms down and fists clenched, as he glared at Shifu with an ardor he barely ever used, especially not on his own comrades, and never so towards someone he respected as his superior.

Shifu remained still as Bobo trembled in front of him, their eyes locked. He let out a small sigh of air through his nose. "Is it?" he asked quietly.

Bobo remained stationary for a moment before he finally shook his head and broke eye contact. He closed his eyes and jolted to the side, taking a step towards the courtyard gate.

Shifu moved with his practiced speed and before anyone even had time to gasp he had Bobo knocked to the ground on his stomach, right arm twisted around his back and his staff head pinning down the nape of his neck, exactly as with their first encounter.

"Shifu!" Po hollered.

"Master!" Tigress called.

"NO!" Shifu yelled, glaring up at them. "YOU said you wanted to help him remember!" he shouted, yanking Bobo's arm further up and pushing slightly against the staff. "YOU were the ones who brought him here, after EVERYTHING he's done!"

Monkey bounded up, taking place on Po's right. "Master, please!" He said, holding his paws up. "Things change-"

"Oh? Do you really think so?" Shifu said, annunciating his question with yet another tug and push, Bobo struggling to breathe as he clawed at the ground with his free hoof. "I think maybe you've all forgotten!"

"Master!" Crane pleaded, fluttering up next to Tigress. "Stop, this isn't-"

"What? Isn't right?" Shifu shot, turning his glare on the bird. "Do you think he cared about what was right?!" He tugged and pushed once again, eliciting a pained yelp.

Tigress bristled and nearly pierced her own paws with her claws. Something about that sound struck her wrong. "Master, you're going to break his arm," she said in a deceptively smooth tone.

"And if I do? He broke much more than that!" Shifu responded, her comment seeming to stoke his anger even further.

"uuffff…"

All eyes darted to Bobo.

His eyes were clenched tightly, his expression pained. "Oouufff…" he wheezed.

"What?!" Shifu barked, once again pushing against his staff and tugging on the bull's arm.

"Gntt… oofff…" Bobo managed in nothing less than a pain-filled whine.

The others stared while Shifu's glare intensified, as if trying to burn a hole in the back of Bobo's head.

"Oh, I don't think so," Shifu growled. He pushed yet again on the staff. "You'll get up when I-"

"sss- gET OFF!"

Quite suddenly there was a whirlwind of motion, dust was flung up, claws scraped the ground and heavy thuds reverberated through the courtyard.

Tigress stared. She could feel the stillness of Po, Monkey, Crane and Mantis with her as they all stood several steps back. Her mind was empty as she simply continued to stare at the impossible scene before them.

Bobo stood in perfect stance, Shifu's staff in his hooves and pointing to the master who was now in front of him and on his back.

In less than three seconds time, Bobo had somehow managed to buck his back up and twist his body, throwing Shifu off him while gripping the staff with his free hoof as he fully twisted around, using the momentum to bring himself to a stand.

That was something that only a master could have managed.

That was something Kai would do.

Shifu snarled. "See! I told… you…" his words failed as he stared, his anger started to fade at the sight before him.

In the blink of an eye, the expression, the glare, the very stance that had radiated Kai was gone.

The end of the staff started shaking as Bobo's terrified eyes darted from Shifu, to the staff, to his hooves. The shaking grew to encompass his forearms and shoulders and suddenly his whole body was trembling. Wide eyes darted back to the master on the ground. He blinked. Then blinked again. His breathing started coming in tiny gasps as he let go of the staff, the sound of it bouncing off the ground echoing through the courtyard as he brought his hooves to his face. "I c-cant… m-my eyes… why…"

"You're crying," Mantis suddenly said from Tigress' shoulder.

Bobo was crying. A lot. Water was flowing down his face as if literal streams had been opened up and his eyes were the only outlets.

Bobo took a step back as he ran his claws over his face. He looked at his soaked hooves and tried again, but the tears kept coming. "W-why… a-am I… I d-don't…" He shook his head, trying to rub his eyes. He continued wiping at his face, only to be met with more and more water. He shook his head again, taking another step back, then another, his breathing starting to become labored as the tears kept coming. There were so much of them and they were so heavy that the sounds of them hitting the ground beneath him were loud enough for everyone to hear. "I d-don't understand," Bobo whined, looking at his shaking hooves as his trembling seemed to worsen.

Quite suddenly he fell to his knees. He didn't seem to notice as he covered his face, tears forcing their way out from under his hooves and through his claws. "W-what's wrong with me?" he uttered in a weak voice.

No one said a word.

Sudden movement broke the trance that the others had fallen into as Tigress started forward. Her steps were smooth, careful and quiet. She moved her left shoulder up, and Mantis took the cue to hop off. She continued her path, passing Shifu who remained frozen in his spot on the ground. She closed the distance to Bobo.

The bull seemed unaware of her presence as he sat hunched over, hooves pressed into his face and claws digging into his forehead.

Tigress reached out, letting her fingers brush against the smooth but scarred surface of one of his horns. He tensed, his breath hitching. She trailed her touch down to rest her paw on the top of his head. The moment of stillness seemed to last a lifetime. Then, she removed her paw and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his bowed head into the crook of her neck. "It's going to be okay," she said softly. "Just let it out." She rested her chin atop his head, her face snuggled between his horns as she looked to the courtyard beyond them and listened.

There was another moment of stillness. Then, the breath he'd been holding rushed out against her fur and she felt him shudder in her arms. The claws that had been digging into his own face were now digging into her silk as he leaned into her, sobs wracking his body in earnest.

How surreal, Tigress thought, her mind strangely calm. I wonder… if Oogway would approve. She took a breath, closing her eyes as she held Bobo close, letting him bawl away in her arms as the others looked on in silence.

XoXoX

The night had brought with it a chill in the air. It seeped in from the outside to soak into the floors and pillars of the palace, creeping through the hallways and making whatever feet were traipsing about at this hour walk just a little bit faster.

Shifu took a deep breath in through his nose. He held it for a moment, then let it out slowly. He opened his eyes to view the colorful walls illuminated by the hundreds of candles surrounding the viewing pool at the end of the Hall of Heroes. He looked down into the water, it's smooth surface mirroring the great dragon sculpture that overlooked it.

"Master?"

He blinked slowly, keeping still in his seated position, staff laid prone in front of him. "Yes, Tigress?" he responded, his voice unusually soft, even to his own ears. He heard her shift lightly from behind him.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to interrupt."

He would have smiled, the exchange eliciting a brief memory from when Tigress was younger. However, he felt perhaps it was a bit inappropriate.

He had a big apology to issue before he could walk down memory lane.

Funny… that seems to be all I can do right now, he thought to himself. Shifu finally heaved a sigh, lowering his head before finally making the effort to turn himself to face Tigress and Po. They'd come as called and had been waiting for him to address them for several minutes. He opened his eyes to them, seeing Po looking rather concerned and Tigress wearing her usual mask of stoicism.

"Please," he said, "be at ease." He gestured to either side of himself. He noticed their respective looks of surprise at the occurrence, but was inwardly grateful when they both moved to sit on either side of him. Po took his right side. Tigress, his left. He nodded before moving to turn back around. He listened as they turned with him, the three of them now facing the pool.

"Master?"

Shifu flicked his ear and looked to Tigress, now on his right. She was regarding him with concern, her mask gone at this unusual happenstance.

"What's going on?" she asked earnestly.

"Are you okay?" Po asked on his other side.

Shifu looked down, gaze drifting back to the viewing pool. He again regarded the mirror image of the dragon carving. It only served to reinforce the memory that had pulled itself from the muddiest reaches of his mind to replay again and again and again in the last several hours. He closed his eyes, bowing his head. "I need to apologize."

The room remained quiet at his words.

"You do?" Po asked in a small voice.

Shifu couldn't even bring himself to feel annoyed. He kept his eyes closed as his ears dropped back, flattening against his head. He lowered his head even further. "I am sorry. To both of you. For not trusting either of you." He opened his eyes slowly, keeping his gaze down. "I have made a terrible mistake."

"Master…" Tigress' voice was soft, "you… weren't the only one who made that mistake."

Shifu blinked and looked to her, ears angling towards her. Her eyes held understanding as she met his gaze.

"I attacked him without provocation," she said. "The only reason I didn't hurt him was because of Po."

Shifu already knew that of course. They'd told him in the scroll room. But he supposed, in his anger, he hadn't thought that perhaps the emotion he had been failing to control in that moment, was the very emotion that had motivated her in her own moment. He let his eyes drift down.

"This is hard." Shifu and Tigress both looked to Po. He was staring at the viewing pool, hunched over with his arms resting on his knees, paws clasped in his lap. "It doesn't seem real. And we can't help but wonder how this could be the way it is." He looked to Shifu.

Shifu felt his ears lower once more as he regarded his youngest student and friend. He had such a wise look to him. It reminded him of Oogway. Shifu closed his eyes, once again the memory forcing itself into his consciousness.

"Shifu… are you okay?" Po asked again, but this time more deliberately.

Shifu moved his head towards the viewing pool. He shook it slowly. "No," he answered honestly.

"Master," Tigress' voice held a note of concern, "you can't be so hard on yourself for-"

"Even if I hadn't acted grotesquely out of line," Shifu interrupted quietly, "which I… I definitely did…" He clenched his eyes shut tightly. "It is made worse by what happened as a result."

Po and Tigress glanced to one another over Shifu's head. "What," Po looked back to him, "are you talking about?" he asked, his confusion evident.

Shifu clasped his hands in his lap, gripping his own fingers tightly.

The memory played again. Pale green irises shined in the darkness behind his own lids and he bit the inside of his lip as brilliant green ones shimmered to the surface to replace them. He opened his eyes once more, trying to allow his mind to empty before he riled his emotions up yet again.

"I think you are more right than you realize about Kai," he stated. He felt them go still at his sides.

Tigress was the first to ask. "What do you mean?" Her voice was quiet and apprehensive.

Shifu swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump growing in his throat. "Kai. … His memory isn't lost." He was quiet a moment as he tried to find the right words. "It is buried. Buried very, very deep. But not lost." He waited, expecting the questions to come rolling in. But it was blessedly silent, his students as patient as ever. He looked down, his gaze catching his fingers still clasped in his lap. He ran one thumb over the other as he used their patience to find more words to give definition to his realization. "I can't know in truth that he chose this or if it happened due to these circumstances, for surely no one would willingly choose to… forget, for lack of better phrasing… Especially not him, I would expect." Shifu heaved a heavy sigh. "But… while on the surface, he has no memory of even the very basics of Kung Fu… part of him remembers it. Part of him… remembers who he really is."

He heard Tigress shift. "How can you be sure?"

Shifu remained quiet for several moments, gaze drifting to the staff in front of him. He stared at it for a moment too long. He felt his face mar and closed his eyes. "Because… one cannot feel the pain of regret… without knowing what to be regretful of."

He heard Po shifting towards him. "I don't understand," he said quietly. "Are you saying… what are you saying?"

"You are saying," Tigress said, "that Kai… feels regret?" she asked as she too shifted towards Shifu.

Shifu breathed in and out slowly through his nose, taking his time. It was one thing to relive the memory. It was another to speak it.

He'd never told anyone.

"I've seen it before," he said softly. "What happened in the courtyard. I've seen someone… a warrior… break down into uncontrollable tears." He clenched his fingers together tighter.

Both Po and Tigress grew still and quiet, sounding almost as if they'd stopped breathing. Whether this was due to patience, curiosity, or confusion he wasn't sure. Never-the-less, Shifu took advantage of their silence. He took one more deep breath, and pushed open the doors of the past, allowing the memory to run its full course.

"When I was young, only a resident of this very palace for a few years, the village was attacked and held hostage by fear. These were no ordinary bandits. They would come, terrorize the people, take what they wanted, then go. Never much at a time. But they would come every night. They were there and gone within minutes, leaving nearly no time for Oogway, at that time, the only protector of the Valley, to reach the scene while the culprits were present. After many nights of this, a message was finally left, addressed to Oogway himself. It read, 'We will meet you at your palace at the height of the next day'. It was ominous and strange, but Oogway held no fear. The villagers believed in him, as he believed in himself.

"That night he told me I was to hide in the scroll room. He would tuck me into one of the most unused shelves and hide me under the scrolls. He said, no matter what I heard, and no matter what happened, that I stay there until he came to retrieve me. The next morning, he hid me and he went to meet with these strange bandits. But, not long after, I heard someone come back into the room. I realized very quickly that it wasn't him, but not one of the servants either. I did well in my task. I remained still and quiet as I heard this person start to go through the shelves one by one. By the time I realized something was truly wrong, it was too late. I was uncovered and found myself eye-to-eye with a feline masked and clothed in black. She was too fast and had me by the mouth before I could even move.

"She carried me through the palace grounds, grip so strong it was as if her arms were made of rope. Her paw over my mouth, and thumb covering my nose if I made too much noise. I was at her mercy. Then, I realized where she was carrying me to. I heard words, arrogant and boisterous. Too soon, we were at the grand courtyard, and I saw Oogway facing a panther and his hoard, all clothed as the one who held me, though he had his mask undone. The panther saw me, and proudly proclaimed his underling's catch. Oogway turned and when he saw me… I had never seen him look so horrorstruck. The panther challenged, 'Give me what I ask of you, and your charge will go free. His life is in your paws, oh honorable Oogway.'

"I realized, again too late, why Oogway had been so struck by what he saw. The feline who held me stood me to my feet, but then crouched low, holding me too her. I felt something at my throat and knew it was a knife. The smell in the air made me understand. The blade was poisoned. Only a nick, and it wouldn't matter what Oogway did.

"It was then that Oogway did something I'd never seen before… his face… it hardened. Not in a way of determination, not in a way of anger… the expression was so foreign to me that I didn't even know a word to call it. He turned to the panther and responded, his voice carrying a tone just as mysterious as the expression on his face. He said, 'You will release him. And you will leave.'

"The panther merely laughed. He looked to the feline behind me and nodded."

"Everything happened so fast." Shifu finally opened his eyes, gaze finding Oogway's staff instantly. "It could have been seconds, minutes or an instant of time. But suddenly, I was standing alone. I looked and the feline was on the ground behind me. I looked further and saw that the others of the crowd were on the ground, unmoving. I finally found Oogway standing several yards in front of me, the panther on the ground before him. Relief and happiness hit me like a landslide and I started running to my master. I know I was smiling, and I said out of pure joy, 'You did it, you did it Master, we're all safe'… but… I stopped running.

"Oogway… he wasn't smiling. He wasn't moving. He was looking at his paws. His eyes were wide. I looked at his paws and saw them shaking. When I looked back to his face… his eyes… they shined so bright in the sun… and then… he started crying. Tears started falling so freely down his face. They were like streams, just… falling and falling. I just stood there, at a loss, in total shock. I didn't understand… and then he spoke."

Shifu looked up and away from the staff, his heart heavy as the moment played once more as if it had only happened yesterday. "Do you know what he said?" he asked.

Po and Tigress were both deathly quiet at his sides.

Shifu let his eyes fall shut again.

"Oogway said… 'What is wrong with me?'.

"I stared at my master, so at a loss that I didn't know what to think or feel. I then realized, once again too late, what was going on. I looked to the panther in front of him. I looked to the feline far behind who had held me. I looked around to all the others on the ground. And I knew.

"Oogway had killed them all."

Shifu opened his eyes as his own tears finally escaped. They made their tracks in his fur, leaving his face hot yet cold at the same time. "I could think of no way to comfort my master. I didn't even know what to say. My logic had failed me and I had yet no wisdom to guide me. And yet somehow, my lack of knowledge led me to do probably the wisest thing. I looked to my master, and I walked to him. I held out my arms… and I embraced him. I held him around the middle as tightly as my arms could. He was shaking so hard I even thought I might lose my grip of him. But I held on. He finally realized I was there. And he shrank. He wrapped his arms around me, held me close, and sank into himself, holding me as if I was the only thing that could keep him alive."

Shifu swallowed hard against the knot in his throat, his eyes burning as his gaze drifted back to the staff in front of him. "That was the first… and only time I saw Oogway cry. That was also the only time I saw him ever express regret of any kind. It forever changed my view of him. I realized that day that… there… was more…" Shifu clenched his teeth as the stinging in his eyes grew sharper, "there was so much more about him that I had never known. Because I realized, after much thought on that day, that Oogway… he knew how to take a life. Long before that had ever happened. He knew. Because he had done it before. And he'd done it that day, one last time. And the regret was so hard on him… that the only thing he could do… was cry."

Po and Tigress looked to one another over Shifu's head. Each mirrored the other's somber expression. Neither of them spoke as they looked back to their master, moving in near unison to touch a paw to each shoulder.

Po squeezed tightly as he bit his lip.

Tigress merely looked to the staff, her thumb moving up and down over his shoulder in an instinctive motion.

"You think…" Po seemed to lose his voice for a moment before shaking his head, his eyes shiny. "You think… Kai… the real Kai, deep down inside… remembers everything? You think… he regrets what he did?"

Shifu never took his eyes off the staff. He shook his head slowly. "I can't say that for sure. I can't say that this is true for him… that if, when, we uncover his memories and he truly knows his own name again, that he'll be a different person." His brows furrowed as his eyes started burning again in earnest.

Shifu reached out and grabbed the staff, standing it upright and gripping it tight as he looked up the length, over the repaired middle and to the crescent at the top. "I can say though… that this is one coincidence that I don't think I can overlook." He closed his eyes and bowed his head, inwardly grateful for the paws at his shoulders. "A similar situation. The same time of day. Even the same exact question." Shifu leaned forward and let his arm pull. He took a shaky breath as he felt the staff touch his forehead. "… and the same tears."

Shifu clenched his eyes tight and his grip on the staff tightened. Oogway's pale green, tear-filled eyes shimmered to life behind his closed lids before rippling away to be replaced with Kai's vibrant green eyes, filled with the same tears, torn with the same expression.

Shifu took another deep breath, the action hard and causing his shoulders to shake. "I don't know what will become of this," he breathed. "I cannot predict what is going to happen. And while I am sorry for how I acted, and I hope you can forgive me… I can't say I will be able to trust him, even now."

Po gave a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, Shifu."

"Believe us," Tigress said. "We understand."

Shifu opened his eyes, not really seeing the marble but not really seeing nothing either. "I know you do," he responded. "And I hope you know, while I may not trust him… I do… I will, trust in you." He lifted his head, looking first to Tigress, and then to Po. He then looked forward to the staff in his paw, tightening his grip on it. "But most of all… I think we all know we can trust Oogway. And… I'm willing to give this a proper try."

"For him," Po said suddenly, as if reading Shifu's mind.

Shifu looked to the panda. Po's eyes were on the staff. He looked back to it, looking up to the crescent, as if he could still see Oogway perched upside-down in its crest.

"For him," Tigress suddenly repeated, her paw squeezing tightly as she too looked to the staff.

Shifu breathed in, the smell of the night air mixing with the subtle scent of his own tear-soaked fur. He breathed out and felt his inner turmoil finally starting to ebb away like the ocean's tide.

"For him."

XxXxX


How's that for some nitty-gritty, eh? Don't worry, it gets better. ;)

Thank you for the read! Have a good day or night and a wonderful time~