14

Sapphire sat perched by the edge of the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, feeling the wind lap around her ears, as she picked up a flower that had landed beside her moments before, soon followed by a peach. It bounced on her shoulder before she scrambled to catch it, letting go of the flower, and letting it flutter into the wind. Raising it up to her mouth to eat it, a voice in her head stopped her from taking a bite.

"Is she a venomous gas ready to end us alongside her demonic father?"

Closing her mouth as she pulled the fruit away far enough for her to look at it. "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree..." she whispered slowly, remembering the words Jun used to described Tigro and Lotus on the day of their arrival. Look over her shoulder to the tree hovering over her, she just stared. The wind rustled the branches and flowers, carrying some of the petals off into sky. Turning back to face the fruit, a growl echoed from her throat, as sudden strength ran through her paws, destroying the fruit, bits of it, and juice going everywhere, and sickly soaking into her fur, and clothes. Her eyes transformed into slits, and her breathing moved in and out of her nose. "I wish I had been on a high, secure, and cleaner slate..."

"As do many." Spinning her head around, ready to cuss off the person who spoke to her, to find Shifu, standing there. "Did I scare you?" He asked.

"Shifu," she said bluntly. Suddenly shy, she looked away, patting the area above her racing heart. "A little bit..."

"Apologies..." he cleared his throat. "Mind if we sit here awhile?" She gave a silent nod, and scooted up a little to give him some space. He sat beside her, and they both looked ahead, to see the Valley below the mighty mountains that hid in the clouds. His form settled one her left side, as her guitar settled on her right, the strings begging her to play them. As her paw pulled away from her chest, he passed her a plain white hankie, which she gratefully accepted, and wiped off the remains of the peach where she could. "Lovely view." He said after a while.

"Indeed." Sapphire replied quickly, not wanting to leave them both in an awkward silence too long. "Jun would love to paint this..."

"One of us better tell him about this place..." He cleared his throat a second time, and gave her a side glance. Seeing her paw set itself on her guitar, he smiled. "I've only ever heard you play twice... mind playing something small for me?"

"Now?"

"Now."

"Um... okay..." After pacing the hankie back to him, she straightened her back, cleared her throat, propped the instrument in the right places, and began to play.

"When the days are cold,
And the cards all fold,
And the saints we see,
Are all made of gold..."

She stuttered slightly on the last word, looking at Shifu apologetically for messing it up. Shifu nodded and gestured with a circular motion. Gulping quietly, she looked down at the chords, and continues slowly, starting off with a smooth strum.

"I wanna hide the truth,
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,
There's nowhere we can hide..."

Deep breath, her mind suggested. She did, and as the tune flowed through the air, so did the words from her mouth. While she sang, she kept her eyes on Shifu. He, in contrast, had his eyes closed, his form completely still.

"When you feel my heat,
Look into my eyes,
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close...
It's dark inside...
It's where my dem-ons hide,
It's where my demons hide..."

Shifu beamed at her, even though her ending was abrupt. "That... really speaks to the listener, my dear. Did you write that yourself?"

"No..."

Shifu fixed his gaze a little more securely. "Are you sure? I have the suspicion its from within..." He held a closed fist over his heart, before Sapphire warded off to a different direction, holding the tool of melodies against her. "I, um... have been meaning to speak with you." Sapphire tensed up. "But you left."

"I needed to-"

"You were ill?" Sapphire held the back of her neck, eyes lined to the ground in embarrassment. "I'm not surprised."

Sapphire wasn't sure what to think of what he said. Was he mocking her? Or was he being sympathetic? "I wouldn't have thought think you'd want me around..."

"And why is that?" He was seemed a little vexed; the crinkle in his eyebrows were on the verge of creating a frown.

She glanced at him like he was going mad. "I'm a descendant of Tai-lung, a criminal..."

"Yes, and a child that was fathered by my former student, and..." He added, nearly choking on a word Sapphire couldn't catch as she put the guitar back down beside her. "I'm not being distant towards you. I'm sorry if that's what it seems like, I'm just... uneasy." Shifu's paws found each other in a muddle before settling on his lap. "By the fact he is still alive... and I had no idea about you."

Sapphire froze. "You... didn't?"

The Master shook his head long enough for her to turn and see him doing so. "I've spoken to Tai Lung, and he said you were born just after nine years into his imprisonment..." Both their ears flatten at the thought. She then asked if he never knew about her mother coming to visit him. "No, I was never notified... but he told me he saw you once, before your mother walked out and never came back." Shifu shifted his position to cross his legs. "I never saw your mother after his arrest." This sparked Sapphire's interest. "I used to ask myself where she ended up after all the... havoc."

"You knew her then?" See the girl curious about her background was starting to look brighter. Her mother was a utterly different character to Tai-Lung, from what he remembered of her.

"Barely. She was a girl he courted in his time here. "

They looked out. "Did you ever go to see him in prison?"

"...No. The fact that I had made him that way , the cause to make him attack the valley... I couldn't bring myself to."

Sapphire turned to him. "I wouldn't blame you... I would've been the same..." Another moment of silence over throws them, and before Shifu could ready himself, the silence was broken by Sapphire, soon overthrown in anger. "Why are you even talking to me?" Shifu jumped slightly, staring at her in complete and utter discombobulation, but she kept going. The words were piling up inside her, and they needed to get out at some point, and now was the perfect opportunity. "You should be trying to make me leave... surely I'm destined to be like him... why am I not locked away in a cage?"

Her eyes pierced into his, but his face soon settled for one like he was just looking right through hers. "That would be a cruel act to pay upon an innocent girl, don't you think?" Her expression didn't shift. "I can see you have a good heart Sapphire... until something upsets you... you tend to hurt others with words, and not fists." Sapphire's eyes softened in their gaze. "I forgot to mention your mother seemed lovely from what I saw, and she adored Tigress, and cared for her." Shifu tilted his head slightly. "Just like how Tigress deeply cares about you..."

It takes Sapphire a minute to realize what he meant, before she held her head in her paws, and Shifu found himself settling a paw on her shoulder. "I never asked for this..." Tear began to well up in her eyes. At first he could see it, but her voice cracking was a huge give away. "I'm... trying to find it within myself a reason to see why they made their decision to trust him. After what he has done. And the fact they never told me-"

Shifu sighed. "The Masters' Council have a rule that if one of evil doing wanted to change their path, we would have to be willing to help." A thought suddenly flew through Sapphire's head. Is that what Tigress meant by A Kung Fu Master being more than just fighting evil physically? "But at the same time, we couldn't have the village losing their trust in us. I, Mr. Ping, and Li aren't too happy about the fact that he was around our grandson's... and may still be here when our next grand child comes."

"What do you mean by the last part?" She asked, wiping the tears away.

"I don't know what to do with him... that I must figure out in time. However, I too am trying to find it within myself to see their reasons why... but all I need is to find faith in the choice Po and Tigress made in trusting him... the very one they did for your sake." Shifu patted her shoulder as he stood up. Picking up his staff and peeling a petal off it, he added. "They had you in mind Sapphire... I'd may sound hypocritical, but I would appreciate that."

He then left her there, like nothing of their minutes together weren't sentimental enough to comment on. Sapphire sighed and looked out to the village below again. A flower fell from the tree and landed on her head. Peeling it off, she held it in her paws like she was just offered a large piece of bread; paws joined together by the side where her pinkies were, and palms exposed. Staring down at the flower in silence for a few more minutes, she let it float off into the wind with her wordless consent. After that, she too stood up and left. She knew she had to apologize...

But she wasn't going to swallow her pride.

Lok, Jun, Yuki and Yumi sat in Mr. Ping's restaurant, playing mahjong while waiting for their noodles. Mr. Ping just opened up shop after being up in the Palace, and he was still shaken up by whatever took place after they walked out. Lok and Jun made it their duty to collect the order a few minutes later, kneeling down so he could see eye to eye with the goose.

"Order up," the bowls hit the counter with a bang, miraculously not breaking. Lok's ears flicked at the volume, before watching the goose fall back to stirring the bubbling pot of noodles. "Last order for the day... enjoy."

"Is... everything alright-" Bam. The order counter shuttered were pulled down shut. There was mumbling behind the barrier, so Jun went for the chance to go inside. "Don't." Lok, gripped him on the shoulder.

"Why not?" Jun asked, one bowl in each paws.

"Because it's not our business," Lok hissed, his eyes moving around the restaurant, peering at the other customers in case he saw someone eavesdropping. "And when we see Sapphire," he continued, as they placed the bowls down in front of Yuki and Yumi, and then themselves, they sat down. "We're not to ask her what's going on."

"Who Sapphire?" Yumi was only half listening.

"It's not like we don't know what the situation is." Yuki whispered, as Jun nodded in agreement.

"Just don't talk about it." Lok muttered, picking up on of the pieces to restart the game. "It's hard enough for her to find out who he is, and have to bare the judgement of the common folk, and even us. I know we've been friends since forever, and we need to support her. If she mentions it..."

"There she goes." Lok, Jun, and Yuki looked where Yumi was pointing. Sapphire sped past the entrance, her guitar over her shoulder. The four jumped to their feet and ran out. "Sapphire! Wait!" Yumi called out, but Sapphire kept going. Jun, knowing the only way to stop the stubborn leopard, picked up the pace, and pounced.

Both felines hit the ground, somehow not damaging the guitar. "We told you to stop." Jun said in annoyance.

"No you didn't; Yumi said 'wait', there's a difference." She kicked him off. "Now leave me alone."

"Where are you going?" Jun asked he lent a paw to help her up, but she slapped it away and got up on her own, and brushed herself down.

"I have to leave," Sapphire looked up towards the Palace, before whispering. "I can't stay here... not while he's up there. If someone found out about me being..."

"Don't say anymore darling," Yumi wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Jun's eyes narrowed when his eyebrows raised they knitted together in question. "So you're going without your bag?" His words made Yuki, Yumi and Lok avert their gaze from the distraught snow leopard, and onto him.

"Yes... I'll need you to bring them home when your leaving."

"Along with everything else I have to bring home?"

Lok elbowed his rib cages roughly, angrily telling him not be more considerate. "Think of her situation," Lok placed a paw on Sapphire's shoulder. "If she needs to go now, just help her out. I'll walk to your hometown with her to subside the labor for your back. Are you, or are you not, her big brother?"

Jun pressed his sight on Sapphire for a few moments. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and heavy, and her paws tried to hold her up by the elbows, before she could let herself fall. Letting the silence between them sink in, barring the hustle and bustle of the village life around them, Jun placed his paws on Sapphire's shoulder, lightly squeezed them, and stared deeply, beyond her eyes. He saw the girl he grew up with since the cradle, the girl he used to terrorize in the courtyard grounds, but above all that, she always had his back... "I'll do that, don't worry Sapph... what purpose do I have to you if I don't care and protect you?" He pulled her into a hug, and she her head bobbed up and down in the crook of his neck, whispering something he assumed was 'thank you'.

They managed to persuade her to eat with them for a few moments, taking their food to the fountain, suspecting that Mr Ping may not want anyone in his restaurant. Sapphire had her fill, and then took off.

As the flower found itself landing by a lonesome pebble, just outside the Suite, Shang, Viper, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis were nearing the end of their journey to the same place. Standing near the door, where it was now bare from the guards and their armor. Crane dismissed them for a lunch break.

"We're gonna be here a while anyway." His sentence didn't have to be repeated; the guards bowed and made their way.

"Okay," Viper instructed quietly, even though the guards were out of reach. "Let's approach this carefully... just ask them calmly about the who's, how's, and why's."

"That way we can get the answers we're looking for." Crane added, while Monkey and Mantis nodded in agreement. Shang, just folded his arms, staring at the door wordlessly. "But at the same time, we mustn't let them think we're against them, so lets' not be... aggressive." There were various mumbles of agreement, before Crane called upon Shang for his say.

The tiger just glanced at him, before nodding, and looked away. Viper and Monkey exchanged glances themselves, before Monkey walked up to Shang, and tugged at his arm. "You alright bud?" He asked.

Shang sighed. "I'm just... trying to comprehend... he harmed her in the past... and she's protecting him?" Shang didn't have to turn to the Master's to feel their eyes on him.

"We're gonna hear them out, alright? If Tigress could protect the likes of Tai Lung, she must have a really good reason to do so." Viper smiled at him softly, and he couldn't help but agree. Po and the rest of the Five were in Tigress' life much longer than he was; it was almost too easy to say that they knew her better, and could read her clearer than what he has been able to in the past seven years, and that was something he wished he didn't have to admit.

"Okay," he whispered. "I guess we'll go in now..." As he turned to knock on the door, he stopped before his knuckles touched the door's surface.

"Uh... are you going to-" Mantis began, before Shang twisted his head in their direction, bringing a single finger to his lips. When they were about to question his first action, another followed as he motioned them to move closer, putting an ear to the door. Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis followed. Inside they could hear a noise; one voice... two voices...

"Aw Ti..." Shang edged the door slightly. "Sapphire will come round, I'm sure of it. She's just a little upset..." Through the crack, Shang could see the room brightened by several lanterns, and Po and Tigress sat on the bed, backs facing him. Po had his left arm around Tigress' shoulder, his head facing her in such a way that Shang got a side view of his face. He eye had worry written all over them. As for Tigress, he could see anything else but her back.

"Where have I gone wrong? I did it for her sake... and now I've lost her trust..."

"Sweetheart..." Po's eyes moved in the direction of the door, before Tigress stood away from him.

"What she said... the way she looked at me..."

His gaze moved back to her. "What did she say to you?"

"What kind of Mother I am-" In a swift motion, Po's gripped Tigress by the shoulder's, and gently shook her. Shang could see her face; tears were rolling down her cheeks, her body hung heavy with exhaustion, frustration. As for the others, they could only hear everything, and they looked at one another all the while.

"Just listen to yourself! Garbage!" His paws peeled off her shoulders, and cupped her face gently on both sides, his thumb wiping away the tears. "Tigress, honey, you're an amazing mom, and I couldn't ask for anyone better to be the mother of my sons... our children. Sapphire's just upset, she's just letting it out... you're doing the right thing, Ti, you really are."

Tigress pulled away from her husband, staring right at Shang, as if he was standing there. Shang froze in case she could see him, but she moved her head back to look at Po, holding her head like she had a growing migraine. "Then why does everything seem to do wrong? Was I careless to let him into the house the night the boys were born? Am I a Master for following the Sacred Creed, or turning those I love against me?" She held her head again, before Po sat her on the bed again, and gently pushed her back until she was lying down.

"You're not hun. Who said being a Kung Fu Master was gonna be easy, huh? They just don't see what we see in Tai Lung yet, if he proves he can be trusted, everything will be okay."

"No, it won't..."

"It will if you just rest..." He pulled the blankets over her, kissed her on the forehead, and that was when Shang knocked. "Come in." They all pushed the door open, eyes immediately falling on Tigress, who rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms in embarrassment, sitting up again, and glared at the wall. "Hey... guys." Po said softly. There was silence. "You... heard anything?

"Hey, uh... yeah." Monkey hands opened and closed to stop the sweat from sticking to the surfaces. "Look... we were coming up here to talk about your... mission, with Tai Lung but-" gesturing at Tigress, her ears flicked as her paws sat on her stomach again, but not in a protective way; there was movement within her. "Seeing how Shifu and Woo are treating the situation... we don't want to make it harder for you guys. When you guys are ready... we can talk then."

Po stared at him through his words, while the others nodded in agreement. Tigress just listened wordlessly, eyes weighing to the ground now. "We're sorry for not telling you guys... but Tai Lung asked to be on the low profile, and we respected his wish..." He continued to talk, with Crane, Viper, Monkey, and Mantis hooked on every word. Shang however, moved to the bed, and sat beside Tigress, taking her paw in his. She looked up at him, and he smiled weakly at her...

It was quickly wiped off his face when she stiffened up. "Tigress?" He asked, catching the others attention. Po turned his head, watching with wide eyes when Tigress suddenly doubled over, and fell to her knees. Shang collapsed beside her, trying to make her look at him. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"I- don't know!" She grunted. Her eyes darted up to Shang, her pupils small, and her breathing shallow. "Help- me..." Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed in his arms. Po and the others ran for them, all scrambling to get wake her up.

"She's unresponsive..." Shang passed her to Po, who was whispering her name repeatedly, almost paralyzed with fear, and he (Shang), wasn't far behind. "We gotta get her back to the Medical Wing- now."

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