Chapter 43: origins
It's been about three weeks since I taught Po about reproduction. As you could imagine, Po still had a few questions about it and I was happy to answer them. It's good he finally has a full understanding of the subject. God knows about it would have affected him in the future if he remained oblivious to it. Anyway, I'm glad he finally knows. Today was Saturday and I had just woken up from a wonderful nights rest. I sat up from my bed and released a long yawn before standing up and throwing on my vest. I gazed over to my cupboard and my eyes fell upon a mirror that I acquired some time ago. I walked over to it and lifted it up to look at my reflection. I've certainly changed since I first arrived here. My hair had gotten longer and I had tied it back into a sort've Qui Gon Jinn fashion. I've also grow a chin strap attachment to my goatee. And to be honest, I didn't look half bad. I developed a particular fondness towards this appearance. I released a small smile before I gently laid my mirror back onto my cupboard.
"What to do today..." I mumbled to myself as I opened the doors to my room. Once they were opened, the first sight to be seen was Tigress, who was sitting on her bed in her room while she held something in her paws. "Oh, hey Ti, how you feeling today?" I asked standing by her doorframe. She dragged her gaze from the object in her paws and laid them on me.
"Ben, hello. I'm...I'm feeling okay." She replied in a hush tone while she turned her gaze back to the object in her paws. I entered her room and took a seat beside her on her bed.
"What's that you got there?" I asked observing her twiddle the object in her paws. She stopped shifting it from one paw to another and lifted it for me to see.
"It's a domino piece. It...it was a gift." She explained. I raised a brow.
"That's a...pretty strange gift. Who gave it to you?"
"My father. When he first came to see me at the orphanage."
"I see. Are you're feeling a little nostalgic or something?"
"Seems like an appropriate feeling to experience. Considering that today's the anniversary of when he adopted me."
"Wait, really?" She nodded in response. "Well, why don't we go do something then? Maybe we could go out for a meal or something. I'm sure we'll have fun. We...Ti?" I halted my suggests as I notice Tigress seemed to...just stare at the domino piece, turning slowly with her fingers. "Ti, is something wrong?" She shut her eyes for a brief moment while also sighing.
"It's just...it's nothing." She turned away. I put my arm around her shoulder and stroke it slightly.
"Hey, come on now. You know you can tell me anything." She turned her gaze back to me and I smiled. She thought for a moment before looking back down at the domino piece.
"It's just that every year when this anniversary comes around, I'm reminded of my days at the orphanage. And when that happens, my thoughts shift towards...my parents. I just wonder where they are and why they left me as they did. All I want is answers." I took a moment to process what she said. She wants to find her parents? It's just strange because she's never mentioned them before. And I suppose considering the fact that she was left alone at that orphanage, she does deserve answers.
"Wow...well, have you ever tried...looking for them."
"I often think about it, but I just seem to shove those thoughts aside. I guess its because I wouldn't know what to say if I found them."
"I'm sure you'd think of something to say if you found them. Maybe...maybe trying to find them isn't such a bad idea." Tigress turned her gaze towards me.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you said it yourself, you want answers and you sure as hell deserve to get some."
"I..I don't know.." She doubted averting her gaze once more. With my arms still around her, I pulled her closer and stroked her arm.
"Come on. I'll even come with you." Tigress turned back to me.
"You will?"
"Of course. I'll be by your side through this whole thing." Tigress released a smile as she wrapped her arms around my neck and began hugging me. I released a chuckled before I hugged her back.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"No problem. You know, for a warrior who's suppose to be the hardest of us all, you sure have a cute soft side."
"Oh shut up. You'll see just how soft I'll be in the training hall on Monday." She threatened.I merely chucked once more as I broke the hug.
"I'm trembling at the thought." I quipped. Tigress rolled her eyes with a smile.
"I guess...we should get prepared. I have a feeling this is going to be a long trip." I nodded in a agreement.
"Alright, lets get started." We both stood up and headed out the door. From there we both searched around the Palace grounds for Shifu. Once we found him, we informed him about the trip we had planned. He seemed a little saddened by the fact that Tigress wanted to search for her parents, but respected her wishes and granted us a leave. After that, we gather necessary equipment such as sleeping rolls for us to rest on, two tinderboxes to light a fire if we end up sleeping outside somewhere and finally some food, such as fruit, veg and some dumplings. With everything packed, Tigress and I set out to search for her parents. Heh, I guess you could say I'm going on an adventure! Oh Jesus, I apologise for that joke, that was just awful. Anyway, once we left the Palace, Tigress suggested we go to the Bao Gu orphanage to see if we could gather some information. We arrived there after walking for three hours. After walking past various house and farms, I believe the Orphanage came into view. It stood tall with ageing cobblestone in a tulou fashion. It was surrounded by beautiful landscape and tall trees that whistled in the wind. I noticed the top of a tree that emanated from the Orphanage. Ti and I stood idle by stone slabs that lead towards the building.
"It almost seems nothing has changed since I was here." Tigress spoke up walking slowly towards the building as I followed.
"I bet a lot of memories are coming back, huh?" I asked.
"Yes. Not all particularly happy either." She replied. She opened the double doors that lead into the building and we stepped inside. The first sight to greet us was children running around, playing and laughing. They're was a lot of of them too. All full of energy, smiling and playing games with each other. They all just looked so cute. I'm serious too. They're was ducklings, canine and feline cubs, calfs and so on. Oh Jesus, I sense a cuteness overload starting to form. Tigress gazed around the courtyard and observed the children. "Still full of life as always." She said.
"I'll say. God, they're just so frickin cute." I said smiling as I saw a couple of kids play hide and seek.
"I guess we should look for the head mistress." Tigress suggested.
"Alright, where should we start?" Tigress took a look around the courtyard before she started to head towards her right. I followed as she lead us inside a hallway. We headed down it, making sure to search each room we walked by for the head mistress. Upon searching for sometime, Tigress stood still in her tracks as her gaze seemed to be locked onto something. "Ti? Ti, are you alright?" I asked. She gave no response and instead walked slowly towards something. After following her gaze and soon found it set upon a large metal door, which was rather aberrant for this building. It just seemed so out of place. Tigress stood in front of the door and stared at it for sometime while she gently placed a paw onto it. She then used the other to unlock a bolt which was in a locked position. As Tigress began to open the door, she elicited a creaking noise. Once it was completely open, I was able to see what was inside. It was a small room which held nothing but an old bed which was at the too half of the room. There was a window with bars on it, allowing only fractions of sunlight to enter the small room. I watched quietly as Tigress stepped inside and stopped on the middle of the room. To turned around slowly, staring at the wall. Her eyes locked with the wall to her left and she took one step towards it, gently placing her paw onto it. This was just strange behaviour Tigress was showing. Did this room mean something to her? Actually, come to think of it, I remember she told me that when she was at this orphanage, she was confined to a room to stop her from hurting other children. Was...was this the room she was talking about? I stepped inside and noticed something I hadn't before. On the walls, there seemed to be faded marks of some sort. Upon further inspection, I found that they were claw marks.
"I spent so many hours in this room. So many days, just sitting down feeling miserable and empty." Tigress finally spoke up as she ran her paw down a claw mark on the wall.
"Certainly looks like a lot of anger was released here."
"There was. Almost every day. Just thinking about it...makes me remember...what a monster I-"
"Don't you dare say that, Ti. You are not a monster." I interrupted her. She finally turned towards me.
"So you say. But...what if that's why my parents left-"
"That's not be reason, Ti. So don't say that." I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're the kindest person I've ever met. You're sweet and helpful. Don't you forget that." She turned her gaze back to the walls and looked at the claw marks. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and began leading her out of the room. "Come on, you shouldn't stay here." Once we were outside the room, I shut the doors behind us. Not even a few steps out of the room and we bumped into someone. To be more exact, it was an old sheep. She wore brown robes with a fluffy collar and a pair of glasses.
"Oh, my apologises...wait a moment...Tigress? Little Tigress?" The sheep questioned.
"Mistress Huon, it's nice to see you again." Tigress replied.
"Oh my goodness, what a pleasure to have you here again. It's wonderful to see you again, deary. I see you've brought a friend." The sheep said noticing me.
"Yes, this is my friend Ben."
"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am" I said politely.
"You too. So tell me, what brings you back here after so many years?"
"Well, I was wondering if I could possible get some information about when I first arrived here. Anything that might help me track down my parents." Tigress explained.
"Of course. I'll help you anyway I can. Come with me." Mistress Huon said leading us into a room which was a couple of feet from where we stood. The room we entered wasn't large but certainly wasn't small either. There was a desk with a quill and inkwell on it as well as various pieces of paper. There's was also a couple of cabinets which seemed to hold blankets and such. Mistress Huon entered through another door which she began scavenging for something. "Ah, here we are." She spoke from within the room. Shortly after searching for something, she exited the small room and set a small basket onto her desk.
"What is this?" Tigress asked.
"This, my dear, was the basket that you were resting in when I found you on the orphanages doorstep. And this," The sheep said lifting a note from the basket, "was in there with you." She handed it to Tigress, who began reading it aloud.
"Please take care of our Tigress and please keep her safe. She means everything to us." Tigress turned the note over again and again before finally stopping. "That...that's it? Surely there must be more." She said to Mistress Huon.
"I'm sorry, buts that's all there was." Tigress stared back down at the piece of paper with a frown as her ears flattened against her head.
"There's gotta be something else that can help us find her parents." I spoke up. The old sheep thought for a moment before turning her gaze towards the basket.
"Well, there might be something..." Tigress's ears perked up at the ray of hope.
"What?" She questioned. Mistress Huon picked up the basket and adjusted her glasses, and began to inspect it.
"If memory serves me correct, I believe the make of this particular type of basket is only native to a certain part of China. If I'm correct, there might be a chance for you to find your parents."
"Okay, see can you determine where this basket is from?" I asked. The sheep craned it slowly before drawing a conclusion.
"Mmmm...this looks like authentic work by the people from Giojin. Do you know where that is?"
"North of here. Probably a days travel." Tigress replied. The sheep nodded.
"That's right. I believe that's all the hell I can provide I'm afraid."
"Believe me, you have done more than enough. Thank you, Mistress Huon." Tigress said.
"Of course. You are Always welcome anytime. Goodbye!" She waved as Tigress and I left to find this 'Giojin'.
(please leave a review! by the way thanks for spotting that mistake Epsilon Vindicare. I'm such an idiot)
