There's gonna be a lot of surprises with this chapter.
Chapter 14: Back Home
Later that day, Ichi, Arizona and Musaki felt the wind in their furs while they're riding on Ring and for Musaki, he felt like this is a great experience because he flew with a dragon before and then, Ring looks over all of them and asked, "Everyone okay?"
"Yep, we're good!" everyone replied.
The traveling dragon smiled and then decided it was a good time to show them a few tricks and he flew up in the air, did an alley-oop and spun around, which made all three of them thrilled and amazed that he actually did that. Ichi was speechless and didn't expect that coming and he said, "How'd you manage to do that?"
Ring chuckled softly and replied, "Years of practice, kid. Trust me, I've had several passengers freak out over stuff like that because they're kinda afraid that I'll drop them."
Arizona looks up at Ring and asked, "How many passengers you had fall?"
"Amazingly, a few but I always fly down and rescue them...so often times they fall and I have to catch them. The only concern is getting them to safety." Ring answered.
"That's cool, though." Musaki added.
Ring looks up at Musaki and he said, "First time riding on a dragon before?"
"This is my third. My uncle's got several traveling dragons."
Ring gasped in amazement when he heard that he heard that he rode a dragon three times and he said, "Amazing."
All three of them look down on the clouds and they could see several mountains and everything from there and it made Ichi feel like he's completely on top of the world and the more he thought of it, he never felt so free before in his life. As he looks on the view, he seemed to feel a little anxious, but also in deep fear about what happens when he comes back to the Jade Palace.
Ring turns around and he sees Ichi a little sad and he asked, "Something wrong, little guy?"
Ichi looks at Ring and he didn't know how to answer the question, but he took a deep breath and he asked, "I'm kinda worried about...what might happen if I got back home."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I know that I did what I had to do for the emperor...but I don't know how Shifu will react when he sees me. I'm kinda scared that he'll be mad or disappointed in me that I went out when he told me I couldn't go, but I had to follow my heart and do what's right."
"You know, sometimes you have to figure out who you're doing it for; either yourself or for someone else. Choices aren't that easy sometimes because we all think about what's in our heads instead of what's in our heart. You...just had to follow your heart and had you not done that, the emperor would've died. Either way, I think Shifu would be very proud of you after you cured Huang di."
Ichi sighed a little bit and he kept silent for a bit and Ring smiled at him and told him, "Hey...just keep ya head up, guy. Everything will be fine. It's a good thing that you have friends with you."
Ichi looks up at Arizona and Musaki with smiling faces and realized that he indeed made the right choice for it wouldn't be possible without them around and he smiled as well and figured that it's the best decision he ever made in his life and he looks up at Ring and said, "Yeah, you're right. With my friends around, it's like I accomplished something I never thought I'd do. It's a great feeling too."
"That's the spirit, kid!" Ring said, with joy as he continued flying around.
Soon enough, they continued flying and when they reached down, they could see parts of the Valley and when Musaki looked down, he sees Shanghai Secluded Valley and he over and sees his grandfather on the top of the hill and waved to him. Oak Sung looks up and he sees his grandson on a dragon and he asked, "Did you succeed?"
Musaki gave his grandfather a thumbs-up and that gesture meant that he did succeed and as Musaki flew off, Ichi told him, "We did it!"
They flew off and Oak Sung smiled and said to himself, "That's my grandson."
As they passed through Shanghai Secluded Valley, Musaki asked Ring, "Are we almost there?"
"Any quicker and we'll be there in a jiffy." Ring replied.
All of them were laughing as they flew over and Arizona looks down on the skies and he seems to be enjoying himself up there and it's like he couldn't have asked for a better view of China. He chuckled softly and Ichi noticed Arizona looking deeply excited and he asked, "You okay?"
"Dude, I'm flying with a dragon for the second time. That's on my list of things to do before I die." Arizona answered.
Ring chuckled softly and he said, "Well, that's really good, kid."
5 minutes later, Ring flew down on the clouds and he looked around and sees this big palace in the center and he said, "We've reached our destination, kids!"
Musaki, Ichi and Arizona looked up and they see that they're at the Valley of Peace. All three of them started cheering knowing they made it back home and Ichi looks up and said, "I'm home, Shifu."
Ring flew across the town, surprising everyone in the Valley that a dragon is there and when they flew up, he made a stop as he got near the roof of the Jade Palace, he looked at them and said, "Jade Palace, last stop."
He then flew all the way down and landed on the Palace Arena and then, Ring sets his wings down as Ichi, Musaki and Arizona climbed out of him and Musaki said, "Thanks for the ride. It's pretty awesome."
"You're quite welcome. Hope your flight was the best experience." Ring answered.
"Oh, it was wicked awesome." Arizona said, happily.
"Glad you think so."
Ring then looks at Ichi and he said, "And thank you for doing what you did for our kingdom. You're a strong kid."
Ichi let out a smile and said, "Thanks."
Just then, all three of them turned around and a very stunned Crane saw a dragon in the middle of the arena along with Musaki, Ichi and Arizona coming back. He dropped his beak and then Ring looks at him and asked, "What up with the bird?"
"This is Crane. He's 1/5th of the Furious Five." Musaki explained.
Ring gasped in shock and he recognized his physiche and he asked, "One of THE furious five?"
"Yep."
He comes up to him and slobbers him directly, but then refrains his self-dignity, clears his throat and said, "I am honored to be in your presence."
Crane tries to wipe the slobber off of him and lets out a chuckle and told him, "Thank you very much..."
"Ring. The name's Ring. I'm Emperor Huang di's traveling dragon. Wherever he goes, I make sure he gets there safely."
"Nice to meet you as well."
Musaki, Ichi and Arizona walked all the way back to the bunkhouse as they waved goodbye to Ring, but not before Tigress comes in and she was surprised to not only see all three of them come back, but a dragon has stepped into the arena, which catches the traveling dragon's eye. He looks at her, lets out a whistle and said, "Who's that fierce hottie?"
Tigress was a little ticked by that comment and Musaki knew that she wouldn't take it well and he told him, "Fierce, yes. Hottie, not even close...ever. Anyway, this is the ringleader-scratch that-obnoxious ringleader of the Furious Five, Master Tigress...in the flesh, unless she wants to skin it like a scratching post."
She comes towards him and then, he grabs her paw, kisses it and said, "Well, hello there."
Tigress snarled at him, which adds to Ring's interest and he said, "Feisty. Ringie likey."
"Listen here, as much as we all appreciate you bringing them home to us, you and me...will never have a future." Tigress said.
"And suddenly, you'll be Po's mate?" Ichi asked.
Tigress turned around and wanted to kill Ichi for that, but Musaki decided it's best to get out of the situation and Ring said, "I should get going. See yinz later!"
"Thanks again!" Ichi shouted.
Ring opened up his wings and then, he flew out of the palace, which leaves perfect timing for all three of them to wave goodbye to Ring and head inside the palace before Tigress could lunge at Ichi. When she turned around, they were nowhere in sight. Crane looked at her and said, "Man...you suck at receiving compliments."
She glared at Crane for that remark then walks away and Crane told her, "Well...it's great to have them all back."
She said nothing to him as she walked up the stairs but when she came inside, she sees only Ichi and Musaki just high-fiving and laughing with each other for the mission. She could sense a bit of envy on how they're getting along so well, but also a sense of relief that they made it home safe and sound.
"So...what do we do now?" asked Ichi.
Musaki sighed exasperatedly and replied, "Don't know about you, but I think I need a bath and then get a much needed rest."
"Me too. After all that adventure, I think I might sleep until like Christmas." Ichi joked.
"But we'd miss out on more kung-fu training."
"Good point."
Musaki immediately went out of the room to make his way to the bath house to take one while Ichi took a look at the adventure he had for the past couple of days that he had and he hopes that he did all he could do to make Shifu proud of him.
"Ichi?"
Ichi turned around and he saw Shifu standing there, making him completely nervous and a little speechless on what his reaction would be.
He swallowed deeply and said, "Hey, Shifu."
What will that moment be like? Another cliffhanger! So...is the suspense getting to ya? Will it keep you guessing? Next chapter, the answer will be revealed!