Okay this did take LONGER than the previous chapter. Sorry. So for the long wait, I'll give you a long chapter.
Lien means "Lotus". I own the name, not the character. And you'll find it quite fitting too *wink*
And oh, forgot about the twins: Mei-mei is translated as "sister" in Chinese, but I also found various sites where it can also be a repetition of the adjective "beautiful". I think either one of them works :) As for Nian *sigh* it means "Read" but it's supposed to be a boy's name. You see, like Wu, I just picked Nian's name randomly.
Anywhoo, on with the story.
I don't own Kung Fu Panda.
I am you
Colorful fireworks exploded in the evening sky, the moon was shining brightly as if smiling down upon the earth-dwellers.
Families emerged from the entrances of their homes, carrying baskets filled with moon cakes and other goods in search for a perfect spot - with an equally perfect view of the glorious full moon - to settle. Some remained within the area of their properties; laid a blanket on the soft bed of earth for every family member to sit upon next to each other, and set the food they prepared for tonight. Music began to play in a beautiful and tranquil symphony. Many citizens began to sing songs and reciting moon poems in honor of the moon and to thank the heavens for a bountiful harvest. Others just listened while the festival went on.
Up the Jade Mountain, entering the palace arena is among the masters who accepted the invitation. Each one of them handed a purple scroll, tied by a golden sash to Zeng who was stationed near the entrance of the arena. Beside him was Grand Master Shifu himself, there to greet the masters personally. Sadly, there were only a few of them, but those who declined the invitation had a valid reason.
"Master Shifu!" greeted one master who had just entered the gates. He bowed to the red panda.
"Ah, master Sheep," Shifu returned the gesture. "I'm happy to know that you have accepted our invitation."
"My pleasure Grand Master." Then a palace servant began leading Master Sheep where he should sit.
Shifu addressed the other masters.
Tables were set amidst the Palace Arena. Each table accommodating five to eight heads with a red, plush cushion decorated with intricate designs for the guests to sit upon. Food was served at each table with Moon Cakes as the main cuisine and aside from that are other round fruits and dishes which, in the chinese belief, brings forth good fortune.
On the left side, were Po and the rest of the five who were watching their master welcome more newcomers. Mr. Ping was there too. Shifu had allowed the goose to join them in celebration with the provincial masters. It was at least they could do to repay him for all his efforts in baking the moon cakes; but mainly because they wanted to keep his mind off of what happened to his shop (which he still bemoans on some occasions).
"Not many masters came this year, huh?" Crane commented as he observed the number of people inside the area.
"Yeah," Mantis agreed. "I guess they chose to celebrate on their own." He shrugged. "They have families too y'know."
"Speaking of families…" Monkey said with a smile pointing at the entrance.
There stood Grand Master Viper, Viper's father, and beside him is an elderly green tree viper - female - having two tiny lotus flowers decorating each side of her head. Ever so lovely with her charming smile and she looked with so much love in her gorgeous blue eyes to her daughters.
Viper gasped at the sight of her, and exclaimed, "Mother!" she rushed towards her. Mei-mei and Nian followed, excitedly shouting, "Mama, mama!" at the same time. They jump and gave their mother a hug. Their mother kissed each of them on the cheek.
Viper quickly embraced her father before turning to her mother to give her one as well. "You're here!" Viper said.
The older snake chuckled softly. "Of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world." She planted a kiss on Viper's head. "How are you sweety?"
Viper beamed. "Wonderful, mama, but…" she looked troubled all of a sudden, "what about the village? Who's looking after it?"
"My students,' Grand Master viper said, slithering closer to them. "I've gotten myself a new batch of potential warriors to help in situations I can't handle alone. Been training them for quite some time and they've blossomed into wonderful warriors."
"If you ever need anything, just ask straight-away daddy. We'll be there as fast as we can," Viper assured.
Grand Master Viper smiled proudly. "That's my girl." Viper flushed.
Po and the rest appeared to greet the Viper's family. Po looked like he was going to burst out and start his fan boy rant any moment. Luckily, Monkey, Mantis and Crane were there toning down his exuberance by stepping on his foot and nudging him. So instead of gushing out any particular victory achieved by Grand Master Viper, the panda bowed, addressing them formally. "Welcome to Jade Palace, Grand Master Viper" - the patriarch bowed - "you as well...um..."
"Lien."
"Madame Lien." Po finished.
Viper's mother, Lien waved her tail dismissively. "Please, Dragon Warrior, you're making me sound older than I really am. Just Lien would be fine. Very pleased to meet you." She bowed.
They immediately felt easy around Viper's mom. It was clear where Viper got her good-natured personality as well as her charms. In fact, they look so much alike, all four female vipers, including the mother: same personalities, same physical features, and the same talents in ribbon dancing. Though it's highly unknown whether Viper's mom knows how to fight, but no one asked. It might sound rude.
"Why don't we all take a seat?" Crane suggested. "The party's going to start very soon."
"A splendid idea!" said Grand Master Viper.
"I'll introduce you to my dad." said Po.
"You should try his noodles, mama," exclaimed Mei-mei. Nian nodded who then said, "They're really great!"
Lien chuckled as they went to their seats. When they reached the table, she and her husband looked for someone who might be Po's father. When they couldn't find who that person is, they looked worried and turned to the panda. "Where is your father, Dragon Warrior?" asked Lien.
"Right here!" Po indicated Mr. Ping, who smiled widely at the two older snakes. "Dad, this is Viper's parents. Grand Master Viper, Lien, this is my dad."
"Very nice to meet you," Mr. Ping said.
Lien and Grand Master Viper gaped.
The noises outside had been so dreadfully annoying. Tigress only wanted some peace but it seems she can't with the festival going on. She tried to meditate to keep her mind at peace, but the booming fireworks had already ruined that. And the consistent playing of music and poem recitals outside didn't help much, so all the tiger could do is lie down and stare at the empty ceiling, feeling sick and angry of doing absolutely nothing which she is not used to.
Tigress scowled at another eruption of fireworks, its many colors invading the blackness of her atmosphere through the open window on her room. She sneered at the sound of people cheering.
Tigress flipped on her side her gaze trailed down at the tray of food on the floor which someone left fifteen minutes ago. She wasn't hungry. She starved for something else: freedom. For the tiger, this seemed more of an abuse than a punishment.
Then the unguarded door to her room came to her line of view. Everyone was too busy having the time of their lives to concern themselves about her.
At that moment she felt almost tempted to go out since no one is keeping an eye on her. But she knew better than to make another mistake that'll make her endure a far heavier punishment, and above all, she would never dare disobey Shifu. He had clearly said to her that she is not allowed to leave her room until the festival ends, and that is what she ought to do.
At least it's only until the festival is over. Sighing, Tigress reached for her bandaged wound. She stroked it gently to check if it still hurts and was relieved to know that it doesn't anymore.
She lied on her back again and once more, stared towards the hollow space before her.
Her thoughts eventually wondered to the previous events. She still hasn't figured out how the leopard, Wu, found out about her past and the other deeper issue. How had she known that she had craved Shifu's love and approval for so long? The subject about Shifu being the one adopting her was known all throughout China, but that matter? That alone where she herself is the only one who knew?
Tigress groaned, whisking her pillow from beneath her head to cover her face with it. All of a sudden, she felt a lump against her skull. She slipped her paw under her head and pulled out a small wooden tile. It had many scratch marks, one side painted brown, the other one gold in which a tiny part of it removed.
Her features softened. She smiled faintly as she gazed towards her domino. It was one of those that which Shifu used when training her back in Bao Gu, when she couldn't control her temper and strength. The only one left among the ones that were already broken...
"Tigress, it's time to train," Master Shifu called from outside the Student's Barracks.
"I'm coming!" Tigress called back as she ran down the hall towards her master.
When he reached the end of the hall, she saw Master Shifu there waiting for her. Both his hands were tucked inside his sleeves, his face set like stone. The young tiger cub felt trepidatious. The elderly panda then freed one of his little hands and presented it before her, fingers closed. She stared at his outstretched hand, confused, but as though by instinct, Tigress reached out her own paws and Shifu dropped something small atop her palm.
She drew her hand back, dumbfounded to see a wooden domino, battered and old.
"Keep it," Shifu told her.
Tigress sighed. She wrapped her fingers around the block of wood and pressed her paw against her chest. She did keept it. For twenty years she did. What for? To remind her of what she was before so that she could completely depart from it and be a new person? Or to serve as a symbol of what Shifu had done for her? Or maybe, to simply to remind her to never turn back into that person that everyone feared before.
However...
"I saw her there," She heard Shifu utter with sadness. "She was staring at me, bathed in blood of I didn't know whom. Of her own? Of the villagers? I-I was too shocked to think clearly. And all she said to me was..."I didn't"."
Tigress' expression turned menacing. She didn't do what? Didn't murder all of those villagers? Didn't mean to do it, or didn't do it at all?
Her head is starting to hurt now from all the pondering. She lied to her side again, staring outside her open window.
Fireworks exploded in the moonlit sky. She watched the show for a while, and then her eyelids felt heavy. Her vision slowly blurred as she was losing consciouness. She fell asleep.
Tigress heard a sound of rushing river fading little by little as she was gaining consciousness. She fluttered her eyes open, and blinked several times to fully regain her sense of sight. The first thing that came within her line of view is a dark space stretching infinitely.
She sat up and looked at all directions. Nothing. Every inch of the place devoured by black emptiness. Not a single of light could be located from anywhere.
Her gaze landed on the ground. And to her astonishment, she saw that she was sitting upon something which looked like the surface of water in the evening hour. Her paw moved an inch and she gasped, voice resonating, when she saw a large glowing bluish ripple emitting from where her paw had shifted to, with a corresponding rippling sound. She moved her right leg and attained the same results. It seemed to be like that every time she stroke the ground.
"What is this place?" she breathed. She stood up and examined her surroundings. Complete darkness. Her eyebrows met in confusion. "Where am I?" Her voice became louder this time, and it echoed.
"Nowhere." Someone with a feminine voice replied, deeply echoing as it sounded.
Tigress searched for that particular person. Had someone else entered this world as she had? If so, that person is nowhere to be found.
Tigress lightly slapped her paw against her forehead, thinking either she was just hearing things or losing her mind. The voice appeared again.
"Look at you. I never thought you would turn out like this in the end. And you worked so hard not to. Such a shame."
Tigress glared in the darkness. "Who are you?"
It giggled. "It doesn't matter who I am. What's important is who you are...what you are becoming. Don't ask what I mean, because I know you know, Master Tigress."
As if automatically, Tigress clenched her fists, her lips stretched into one ferocious snarl. Yes, she knew. That single matter which continues to creep into her conscience. It had been too much to bear.
"Tsk, tsk, poor little Tigress," the invisible being mocked, "tried all her best not to go down the same path as Tai Lung and she did after all in the end." Tigress was ready to retaliate but as she opened her mouth to speak, the voice intervened. "And she's going to deny it! Please...no use doing it Master Tigress."
Still, Tigress spoke. "I'm not."
"Yes you are! Everyone saw that you did, you said that you did. That's the start of it."
"I didn't! Wu did it to herself. I have nothing to do with it!"
"You once said that you did, and yet you're denying it now? Which is it really Tigress? Did you, or did you not murdered Wu?"
"I didn't!" Tigress bellowed.
"You did, remember?" All of a sudden, a large screen appeared in front of Tigress and her battle against Wu replayed. She watched in fear and shock when it came to the part where she appeared to have stabbed Wu with the sword.
"See? You did. Face it, you're morphing into what Tai Lung was and you can never avoid that fate."
"No. No I won't. I will never be like him. I-" It chuckled.
"Never? Seriously? Yes, you might convince yourself to never be what he was before, but that doens't assure that you won't. Maybe not now, or tomorrow, or the day after that and the day after. But you will, someday, and you're just going to wait until that day arrives? When you really do turn into a monster?"
"I'm not a monster!"
It ignored her. "I suggest you leave, Tigress, for everyone's safety. Besides, what are you going to lose? You're friends? They don't care about you. They're only concerned with the matter that if you are gone, they'll lose one force in the group. It would be harder for them to fight in battles because they lack one head. And as far Shifu is concerned, you only served as a patchwork to him. He needed someone to keep him busy to keep his mind off what happened to his last student, someone to pour all his anger and frustrations at. And the best candidate was you. Didn't you notice when he was training you he used a harsher method? He's often cold and didn't even care about you? That's proof of all his pain and suffering."
"He told me he was proud of me..." Tigress lost the conviction in her voice, instead she sounded pitiable; unsure of her own words.
It laughed harshly. "You still believe that pile of rubbish? He might have told you that he is proud of you but you cannot prove that he was referring to you. Remember, that was the time he was fully convinced Po is the Dragon Warrior because he had completed his training. How can you be sure that when he said those parting words, you're included in the ones he was talking about? He may only be proud of Po and not any of you five? Especially you, Tigress."
Tigress entire body stiffened, unsure of what to respond. She was too overwhelmed by the power of the invisible being's word to construct any winning statement. Instead she stood there, petrified.
"Leave while you still have the chance, Tigress. Leave while you still have some honor left in you. Don't wait until you finally give in to your violent nature...and Shifu decides to have you taken away. Leave..."
Tigress bowed her head, clenching her fist tightly as if her palm would bleed. "No..."
"Don't be foolish." It said, its voice seemed to be drawing closer. "Run away, as a far from the Valley as possible; to place where you can't harm anyone...even yourself."
"No." Tigress said firmly.
"Leave."
"No I won't!"
"It would be wise to listen to me, Tigress, or you'll suffer dire consequences."
Tigress snapped her head up to glare at nothing but the darkness in front of her. "And why should I listen to you."
"Why?" it chuckled.
The ground before started to swell forming into a huge formless mass of black blub. It grew limbs in which it started to form the body of a feline. It sprouted fingers, ears, eyes and muzzle, color adding into it's features. At its full transformation, Tigress watched horror-stricken at the feline wearing a devilish smile, that was herself.
"Because I am you."
Tigress backed away one step. She felt strangely intimidated as she set eyes upon a being with her face. However, she doesn't have such cruel and malevolent eyes and wicked smile. Her replica grinned at her, its eyes glowing red as they turned horrific.
"The Valley has no place for monsters like us," her lookalike told her. "Leave..."
"No!" Tigress lunged towards the other tiger, anger and denial flooding her mind. They landed on the ground with a loud rippling sound as ripples emanated from their point of impact. But the next thing she knew, she was staring in front of a dead snow leopard's body; both covered in red blood from head to toe.
"No!" cried Tigress desperately.
Her surrounding melted. The darkness that took over was replaced by the scenario of a village caught in roaring fire. Dozens of villagers running round in circles in total panic.
"No!" She could only stand and watch there as the flames devoured the houses, its people, everything. Dark shapes shooting across the roofs and an orchestra of roars and grows joined, shying the many wails and cries of help from the helpless citizens. "No..." Tigress' voice quivered, the steadfast walls of discipline and strength falling down like so many dominoes.
"Prepare to die..."someone said behind with a completely different tone of voice.
She turned around and saw the blackened form of a feline with stunning blue eyes fixed upon her dangerously. It held a saber and it raised it above its head.
Tigress lost her balance all of a sudden and she fell on her back. Her body ached. She couldn't move. She could do nothing as the feline descended its sword and then came blankness in which all she could here is a loud sickening ZZZZZNG
NO!
Fireworks boomed outside and rainbow lights flashed as Tigress fell from her bed with a deep intake of air. She grasped her bed to heave herself up, breathing rapidly like she had just finished running a miles-long course. Her claws dug into the surface of her bed, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.
A dream, it seemed so real.
Her body trembled and she could not stop it. Her head was spinning from all the fear and confusion, anger and despair that had consumed her entire will. She clamped her eyes shut, hoping that she would escape this reality.
"Leave while you still have the chance, Tigress. Leave while you still have some honor left in you. Don't wait until you finally give in to your violent nature...and Shifu decides to have you taken away. Leave..."
Tigress pounded her fist against her bed with a mighty roar. At the precise moment, a firework exploded that disguised her cry.
"It would be wise to listen to me, Tigress, or you'll suffer dire consequences."
Eyes narrowing, Tigress's head sank to her bed, torn between which decision to make. Should she stay or leave? Would she stand by her belief that she is nowhere near becoming the demon that Tai Lung had become? Or would it really be wise to listen to her lookalike and run away as far as possible so she could do no harm to anyone should he do become a mindless killer, going around in a mad rampage to take life that isn't hers?
"Maybe not now, or tomorrow, or the day after day and the day after. But you will, someday. And you're just going to wait until that day arrives? When you really do turn into a monster?"
Tigress closed her mouth, pausing for a moment to consider her final decision.
"No...I won't wait..." she said.
The tiger stood up with pride as she marched towards the window. She held on its frames and hoisted herself up, landing gracefully outside without producing any noticeable sounds. She stole one last glance at her room through her window, bidding a last farewell for this may be the last time she'll see it.
Without wasting any more time, Tigress sprinted forward and took the other path which led down the village. She leapt from tree to rock and from rock to tree, trying her best not to compromise herself as she fled. Fireworks erupted in the sky, illuminating the fiery trees that served as witnesses to her departure. One huge jump sent her soaring down the village, setting her body in a position that would achieve greater speed. She landed on the roof of one of the many residential houses in the village. She crouched low like a deadly hunter, choosing the precise moment to act. When she thinks no one was looking at her direction, Tigress sprang into action, bouncing from roof to roof in a marvelous display of subtlety, elegance and secrecy. No one saw her as she while she ran...maybe no one even cares.
This is the only way. She had no other choice but to leave everything behind so she could protect them against herself. She would bring nothing with her except her rank and her name. She's no longer a member of the famous Furious Five, no longer a student of the Jade Palace, no longer Shifu's daughter...though even at the beginning, she hardly ever was.
She had left everything. But she did bring something with her that will serve as a reminder of her life there.
Tigress could see the edge of the Valley. Almost there. One last jump and she was out the Valley for good. She glided like an eagle in front of the moon's face as she passed the village's boarders, one of her paw keeping a tight hold of her precious domino.
Shifu accidentally dropped his cup of tea and it shattered into many pieces as it hit the floor.
"Are you alright Master?" asked Master Sheep, looking at the red panda with concern.
Shifu cleared his throat realizing that he had interrupted with the Master's conversation by his sudden clumsiness. "I'm fine," he assured everyone. "Just had a clumsy moment."
The servants cleaned up the mess and gave Shifu another cup of tea. "Please, continue with your statement, Master Rhino," Shifu said as if nothing happened.
"As I was saying..." Master Rhino resumed.
Shifu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as though something bad had happened. He glanced towards the direction where the tiger was now, spending time with herself. At least nothing's going to happen as long he had her within the grounds of the palace.
Or so he thought.
(O_O) (O.O) (O_o) (.O) (0/0)
O...M...G...
And for those people who have read my one-shot "Gone Forever" and wondered why Tigress left...does this answer your question?