Is Love Safe?
Chapter Ten- Blinded by Love
Fu, Hao, Jing Shen, Little Shen and Ming Xing (c) mine
Like old friends, Tai Lung and Po embraced each other with pats on the back before separating in a good laugh.
The audience that stood there watching were of gaping mouths and stoned faces.
Shifu was the first to step forward. "Panda! What is the meaning of this?"
Po still continued to smile heartedly, the same was for Tai Lung. "There's no worry, Shifu. Tai Lung is good now. He had been for the past year. I've been keeping in contact with him by my own secret messenger goose and letters." The panda explained.
"And you thought it best to keep me in the dark?" The old master growled with his ears pinned back.
Po held up his paw in defence. "Shifu, before you go kicking either mine or Tai Lung's butts around I think you should understand that he is of good nature. I know it. I mean, he did just save us from Hei Xin's men." Po added as he waved his staff to the litter of bodies covering the ground. "Need I say more?"
The red panda uncurled his fists and brought his ears upright. He gave a deep sigh. "Alright Po, I trust you. If you think that Tai Lung is of good nature and for keeping in contact with him for so long...then I believe you. But don't think I trust him completely. There is still much to discuss." Shifu warned with a wave of his finger.
"You're right, Shifu. There is much to talk about." Tai Lung said as he stepped forward. "But I think it's best if we find somewhere safer to continue this conversation. It's possible for those archers to return with reinforcements."
Shifu nodded and turned to Tigress. She nodded in agreement on the situation. "Very well, where do you suggest?" The Grand Master questioned.
Tai Lung smiled and turned on his heels, walking back into the forest. "Follow me."
Po and the rest of the gang followed Tai Lung as they trespassed through the dense parts of the forest, the darkness of the night air dimming the chances of seeing where they were going. But they soon spotted a faint light in the distance and strode onwards to it. The rest of the gathering soon looked forward to the building that materialised in front of them. Its walls were plain and simple, coloured in a dark brown paint that matched the trees standing around it like figurative bodyguards. There were a few windows staring out onto the path, a light was coming on from the inside. The gang followed Tai Lung with tight lips, not wanting to say anything that would either upset or offend the feline about the house.
They walked up onto a porch as Tai Lung pushed open the front door and walked in. Po was the first to follow with the others towing behind. The inside was warm and welcoming, brightly lit with candles situated in lanterns and on stools. Once inside, everyone stood in the low candle light and surveyed the room. It was the main room of the household, widely spaced and of basic principle: with a large wooden table in the centre of the room, placed on top of it were an assortment of candle sticks and an old lantern hanging from the ceiling above it. There were three rice papered doors, one leading to a small kitchen, the other leading to the main bedroom and an extra room that was surprisingly larger than the bedroom: a space where the spotted feline could personally train.
Tai Lung gave a sigh of relief and dropped his cloak on a hook by the door. "Come on in." He welcomed with a swing on his paw. His was face wearing that same smile of pride, with a hint of embarrassment. "It's not much, but it's home." The gang all looked over the space with inspecting eyes; none of them knew what to say.
But Po knew exactly the right words. "I think it's awesome." The panda beamed.
Tai Lung let out a small sigh of relief. "I'm glad." He then turned, calling out. "Ming? Ming, I'm home."
"Tai Lung? Is that you?" A tender voice came from the door leading to the bedroom. Tai Lung strode off with a powerful walk as he opened the door and slipped into the darkened room. The kung fu masters, Fu and Hao stood out by the front door as they waited for the big cat to reappear in the doorway. All of them were silent as they listened in on the voices coming from the other side of the rice paper barrier. "I'm glad you're back."
"Me too." Tai Lung's voice cooed. There was a pause; still no lights came on from inside the room. "How is he?" The snow leopard asked.
"He's sleeping, took him a while though. He has his father's energy." The soft tone said.
Tai Lung's deep voice chuckled softly. "Well, he has his mother's beauty."
There was a pause and a regretting sigh. "I'm just glad he doesn't have my eyes."
"Your eyes or my eyes, I love you both just the way you are."
"I love you too."
"Good, now come with me. There are some people I'd like you to meet."
"Oh, Tai Lung. " The soft voice now shook with fright and uncertainty. "No, no, I couldn't. What would they think if they saw me? I'm...I...I don't want to embarrass you."
"How could you?"
The silence that soon filled the house told the gang waiting around the main room table that the snow leopard already knew the answer. "...Oh." Tai Lung soon caught the idea. "Well, it doesn't matter. You can't embarrass me in front of these guys. Trust me."
There group braced themselves as they were about to meet this Ming character, but as Tai Lung came slowly through the door and into the light of the main space all the kung fu masters and Fu bit their lips simultaneously. Hao, being at the young age that he was, tilted his head to the side and stared with curiosity and interest.
Nobody could help but stare at the female as she stepped into the room, coming to lean on the ex-evil feline. Ming was a snow leopard, like Tai Lung, but slightly shorter in height and slimmer. Her attire was of a simple dark green robe with a brown sash across her waist, capturing her curves and form of her body. But of all the things that the group could draw their attention to, it was the snow leopard's face. Whereas most feline's eyes were bright yellow, orange or ember coloured with dark irises, the female's orbs still had their golden ring but the irises were ashen grey. There was a covering of three claw marks running parallel over her entire muzzle.
She was blind, but the smile on her face gave off a bright aura from her body that gave everyone a sense to relax.
Tai Lung addressed the gathering, before mentioning to the woman on his arm. "Everyone, this is Ming Xing."
The female feline bowed her head and spoke with a voice so soothing and calm that the kung fu masters all relaxed their shoulders. "It's nice to meet you all."
Po leaned on his staff and smiled softly. His eyes dancing from both Tai Lung and then Ming, much like what everyone else was doing, but with an understanding gaze in his green eyes. He then looked down to the Tai Lung's paw when he spotted something gleaming on against the feline's claw. And then he noticed the same gleam coming from Ming's claw.
Po's eyes sparkled. Those gleams were the reflection of the candle light on a set of rings, golden rings. A gaping smile spread across his face. "You never told me that you were married!"
The gang all snapped their eyes to the panda before looking to Tai Lung and Ming who were glowing, not a shine that came from the light of the burning candles but the kind that came from the inside of someone's heart and shone so bright that it glowed like an evening star.
No one could deny it.
Tai Lung and Ming, they were married.
Further on into the night, everyone had settled in after coming down from the high of the surprising news that Tai Lung and Ming were married. Everyone had gathered around the table and taken a seat, Ming sat at the head of the table, Shifu at the other end with his head buried deep into his small hands. After both the snow leopards had admitted their relationship, the overwhelming news and shocked, mixed with surprise and a slight touch of astonishment was too much for the Grand Master to take, he collapsed on the spot.
Well, it did break the silence that followed after the news.
The candles of the kitchen were on and the sound of the tea pot was on the stove, its high whistle howling throughout the house mixed with the scraping of cups being gathered for the gathering. Soon Po and Tai Lung came out with a tray of filled cups filled with piping hot tea each. They gave everyone a cup before taking a seat themselves. Tai Lung sat next to his wife and took hold of her paw. Po sat next to Tigress.
"I...I can't believe it." Shifu finally spoke since coming out of his state and fully divulging the information given not a few hours ago. The red panda looked up and dragged his lithe fingers down his face with a groan. He looked straight across the table to Tai Lung and Ming. "First I know that you're alive, and then I find out you're married?"
The snow leopard pair bobbed their heads with simple smiles. "And we also have a son." Tai Lung added, reminding the old master.
"...and have a son." Shifu sighed. His sapphire orbs darted to Ming. "What's his name, by the way?"
Tai Lung and Ming smiled. "Shen. Little Shen, if you like it better, after Tai Lung's brother, Jing Shen."
Shifu was silent for a few minutes, as were Po and Tigress –who shared quick glances at each other. Frozen with his hands on the table, the red panda snapped back to reality. "You do know who it is you married, I'm right, Ming. I do not understand if he has or has not-"
The spotted female laughed, or more giggled. "Relax Master Shifu, I know. Tai Lung told me everything. He missed out nothing. He told me of his past; how you taught him kung fu, the Dragon Scroll, his outrage on the Valley- which led to Ghor Chom prison- his escape, the fight with the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. I know it all. There is no secrecy in this family."
"I see." Shifu replied, taking a quiet sip of his tea.
"How is it that you two met?" Crane asked.
At the question, Ming's shoulder tensed up. Her posture went as hard as a rock, as she drew in a sharp breath and gripped Tai Lung's paw more tightly than usual. Shifu, Po and Tigress caught this immediately, they looked down to Ming's paw as Tai Lung gave a comforting squeeze back in reassurance that he was by her side. Tigress eased the tension that had now grown around the table. "You don't need to tell us anything if it makes you uncomfortable. We understand completely."
Ming was quick to come out of her inner shell and compose her manner once again. "No, no, Master Tigress. It's okay. It's just a powerful memory; I don't like to remember it." The female took a deep breath and continued. "But... we can't escape our pasts." Unconsciously, everyone around the table nodded in perceptive agreement. Hao just dipped his head to join with his mother and friends.
"I was never blind before, I used to be able to see and, like all of us felines, had exceptional sight at night than during the day." Tigress nodded, being a tiger herself. "I never knew my parents, like Tai Lung I was an orphan adopted by a foster family since I was very young. They were a harsh family, and I hated them for choosing me. But I guess you can't choose family, can you? I lived with them all my life and learned to rue the day I was born. They were strict, demanding, horrifying. I was one of the unlucky orphans to be picked. I don't even know how or why I was just given to those people...I...I..." Ming began to stutter to a halt as tears came to her eyes and she dipped her head a little.
Tai Lung noticed his wife's expression and got from his seat and stood behind her chair, laying both his paws on her slim shoulders. The great snow leopard took over. "After I had fought Po, and was defeated- I'll admit it- I kept on running as far as I could go in my state. I was ruffled up pretty badly and weak from the fight, but I kept on running. I went over the Thread of Hope, stopping just at the entrance of the Northern Plain to take one look back on the place I once called home." Shifu's eyes gained attention on the table surface, his mind recalling what he said to the Thousand Scroll Master after returning from his escape at Ghor Chom Prison: this is no longer your home and I am no longer your master. Those words chocked at his throat with an iron grip. "After that I ran to the nearest civilisation."
"The village of Xi'an." Monkey piped in.
"Correct." Tai Lung acknowledged. "But I knew I couldn't just show my face, I well still a wanted criminal. So for days at a time I would steal things to ensure my survival. Just the little things like peaches, apples, used clothing. Anything I could get my hands on without being caught." The clouded leopard gripped Ming's shoulder a little but relaxed them with a sigh. "And then one night, when it was raining hard, and I had not been able to get my hands on anything to eat for about a week I hear the sound of someone coming from down the street. Ming was sent out by her foster parents to gather shopping; they did not care of the harshness of the weather! They just sent her right out!" The feline growled and looked away, taking a few slow breaths and feeling his wife's paw on his own. "Anyway, everyone had packed up and made for their homes. At least that's what I thought. I watched from the corner of an alley, wondering if I should break my cover and charge Ming. Unfortunately someone beat me to it. A group of drunken thugs from the old tavern had appeared. They surrounded Ming; I could see the sick smile on their faces. I knew what they wanted, and it was not the food. One of them first knocked the bag from her hands and then struck Ming across the face." Tai Lung halted for a minute, his eyes wandering. Shifu and Po could see there was more to this story, something not good. "Her scream had been enough; I ran in and tore at those animals, doing anything to keep them away from Ming. I won't lie to you, I did kill them. But it was of good nature knowing that she was safe. I turned to help Ming to her feet, but she was looking around widely. It was only when I asked if she was alright that she swung for me. There was a flash of lighting; I then saw what was wrong. The one who had struck Ming had used his claws; he had cut at her eyes. She became blind instantly."
Tears now came freely as Ming hid her face in her paws and sobbed uncontrollably. Viper and Fu covered their mouths and fought back tears of their own. Tigress and Shifu all clenched their paws into fists. The rest of the kung fu masters stared with wide eyes. Hao was just as stunned, feeling his own multicoloured orbs tenderly.
As for Po, the panda was so filled with anger at the men who ruined Ming's eyes that he shot to his feet and strode a good distance away from the group, standing by the window out looking the front of the house and the forest. His wooden staff was leaning by the doorway just next to him. Po never took his gaze from the starlit sky above, trying to focus his attention on the night sky without imagining the horror of what Tai Lung had just described. With a steel tone, the panda asked. "What happened next?"
"I took her to the nearest doctor." Tai Lung spoke on, his voice slightly broken, kneeling down and wrapping his tree trunk arms around his wife: Ming did not hold back the cries as she buried herself in her husband's chest. "It was certain, her blindness. I decided to stay with her whilst she recovered- something forced me to never leave her- it's not something I can explain. I told her what I did to those men and that I saved her. I remembered that she smiled. Days past and she and I talked- mainly speaking of my past, as you already know. And when we weren't talking I helped her with all the essentials that she needed."
Mantis raised an eyebrow. "All the essentials?"
Tai Lung's lips were straight and he bobbed his head. "Yes, everything. Eating, walking and finding the bathroom, everything."
"Oh." The insect replied. "Wow."
Ming's cries were beginning to falter to just little hiccups of whimpers. "I asked the doctor how long she would have to stay: he said at least a few weeks, time for the wounds to heal. I asked Ming if she had anywhere to stay. Her answer was no. I soon found out, like you guys have, as to why. And so, I left Ming in the care of the medical staff whilst I came out into the woods and began constructing this place." He motioned to the household around them. "I did not care for looks, for Ming's sake, but made it safe, living and warm. Giving her the proper home she never had. I had it finished quickly. Then, getting a job with one of the local farmers, I managed to pay for such things like kitchen utensils and a bed or two. By the time Ming was allowed to leave and the wounds had healed into scars, I took her in my arms and brought her here." Tai Lung nuzzled his wife who had managed to cease her crying.
Ming muzzled him back and finished the story off. "I never returned to my foster home- I never wanted to- Tai Lung took care of me. For a year we lived together, and soon found that were made for each other. I know it's not tradition but Little Shen was conceived before we got married. But it was because of us knowing, when the signs showed, that we were the right couple. We held the marriage in secret and been together ever since. Our son was born nine months later.
"A-and how old is he now?" Shifu asked.
"Three months. You're a Ye Ye, Shifu: you're a grandfather." Tai Lung beamed.
The sage red panda slumped back into his chair and ran a small hand across his head. "I'm a grandfather." He said with a smile, chuckling before parroting the same words again. "I'm a grandfather!"
There was a matter of laughter now rising from around the table, even Tigress smiled.
"But..." Viper interrupted politely as the giggles and chuckles settled. "...there's one thing I just don't get."
Tai Lung hung his head a little and looked up through his eyebrows at the kung fu masters with a sincere glance. "How did I survive the Wushi Finger Hold?"
Viper nodded.
From the front of the house, Po's lively jade eyes slightly twitched. He gazed down from the stars and looked just over his shoulder at the table basking in the light of the candles and the lantern hanging from the ceiling. His eyes then caught sight of his walking staff standing idol aside to him and the front door just beside that. With one glance back at the table, Po moved away from the window.
Well the thing is..." Tai Lung began as he took a moment on how to explain his next set of words. "...I was never affected by the Wushi Finger Hold."
"What? How?" Shifu bellowed as he sprang forward in his chair, leaning against the table.
Tai Lung rose up a paw for a change to speak. "The reason is because, by no means, did it ever happen. Po never performed the technique."
The kung fu masters, Fu and Hao looked at each other, astonished.
"He just let me go."
All the kung fu master turned in their seats as Tai Lung looked up past the table to the front of the house, hoping to see the large panda still standing by the window: he was not there, nor his walking staff.
The front door was ajar.