Chapter IX: Regrets

It's in their hands, now, thought Tai Lung worriedly. I did what I could. I just wish I could've done more!

It was dark and he was sitting alone outside the cottage where the Furious Five and Master Shifu were tending Po's myriad of injuries. Sometimes he heard whispers, but he couldn't understand what they were saying, and he knew that one more person inside that tiny cottage could only make it worse. It was pretty cramped in there to begin with.

Or maybe the reason Tai Lung hadn't gone in was because he was scared of entering? What if… what if he died? They wouldn't tell him, they thought he was the enemy! He got up and spun around only to see Master Shifu standing right in front of him. He spoke before Tai Lung did, his voice calm and steady.

"Po will be fine. Mantis is an excellent healer, and Viper an expert in toxins. Crane and Monkey gathered the herbs he needed and the medicine is working as it should," explained the elder master.

"I could have helped," began Tai Lung, but at the same time he saw through he opened door a pair of bright eyes glaring at him. Tigress. Of course he wouldn't have been allowed to help, inside or outside the house, as long as she was there.

"So… he told me you were dead." mentioned Shifu. Tai Lung looked at his former master curiously.

"He did?" questioned the leopard.

"Yes. I thought, when I saw you today, that he had fooled me… but I guess he was right, in a way. I mean… Tai Lung is not the same anymore is he?" deduced the wise red panda.

Tai Lung took a deep breath before he replied surely, "No."

Silence fell for some moments and then Shifu spoke again, his voice no more than a whisper, "And your Darkling is gone?"

"Yes. I didn't want to believe it. I thought it was only a fairy tale," confessed Tai Lung, head hung in shame.

"Oh, no, they are real… I know I would have one myself because of you, if it were not for my lifelong search for inner peace and intense meditation," responded his master.

"Did you feel that guilty because of me?" Tai Lung asked incredulously.

Shifu thought a bit before answering, "It was your choice to bring destruction to the Valley, Tai Lung. I cannot blame myself for that. But I could have stopped you. And I didn't because I loved you… and maybe in a way I still do. My guilt comes from that love and it's very great indeed."

"I'm sorry," murmured Tai Lung.

"It is not your fault that I love you. And I've already made peace with myself. Now If I may ask… where were you two?" inquired Shifu.

"The Dragon Warrior took me on a journey. He wanted… he wanted to save my soul," sighed Tai Lung.

"And did he?" Shifu continued, wondering what he meant.

"I still don't know," replied the leopard.

Tai Lung realized that it was the perfect opportunity to say something to Shifu, but he didn't know exactly what that something was. So he asked, "Why did you make the Five stop attacking me? How did you know I was telling the truth?"

"Well, first, you were being attacked, but did not attack back and second, you called Po 'Dragon Warrior' without mockery - that caught my attention," answered Shifu. "And third… I've never seen you lie, Tai Lung. I've seen you deceive yourself, but I've never heard anything others than facts coming out of your mouth." Tai Lung felt silent again. Shifu could see he was distressed and tried to cheer him up.

"He asked how you are." Tai Lung turned his head to face Shifu.

"He did?" The leopard asked, with wide eyes.

"Yes. You are the only thing he speaks of. He asked how you are and pleaded with Tigress not to come out here and kill you. He said he cares about you and you deserve better. He also said that you're not to be blamed for anything, because he was meant to be attacked," explained Shifu.

"He said what?" questioned Tai Lung, amazed.

"Yes, he said that this… all of this… was meant to happen. It's strange… when he talked about it there were moments where he sounded…"

"Like Master Oogway," interrupted Tai Lung. "I know. It's happening more and more. Sometimes he's just Po, and sometimes he's… someone else."

"The Dragon Warrior," finished Shifu. Tai Lung looked to the sky.

"Oogway was right. I could never be the Dragon Warrior," confessed Tai Lung.

"Yes, he was right. But he didn't know everything nor could he foresee everything. This is a very strange event, indeed. It seems that you have made a friend, Tai Lung," concluded Shifu.

That was it. Tai Lung couldn't hold his tears anymore, and he wiped his face with his paws as they started getting his whiskers sticky and his fur wet. To Shifu, it was a sight both disturbing and familiar – it reminded him of the innocent little baby he used to carry in his arms, long ago. The old Master was truly amazed and didn't know what to do.

"I was so scared…" sobbed Tai Lung "So scared that I would lose him…"

After a few more seconds of tears, Shifu held the leopard's chin and fixed his gaze on his.

"It looks like the Dragon Warrior saved your soul after all…" noted Shifu, locking eyes with his former student.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted. It was Viper.

"He's awake." She then turned and pointed to Tai Lung "And he wants to talk to you."