Episode 17: Fox Tales

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Within the mountains north of the Valley of Peace, the famed, Chor Gom prison resided among the snow blanketed peaks neighboring the colossal prison. To any who violated the laws of the land, only the bitter cold and dark cells was their just reward after being escorted through the massive doors into the gigantic jail carved inside the mountain. While inmates are fed, the substance they're given couldn't possibly be considered delectable to the taste buds. Besides the occasional brawl and gang fight, almost nothing provided prisoners with anything resembling amusement. Rhino guards patrolled Chor Gom's passageways and bridges that ran down the hallow cave, keep ever vigilant eyes on the crooks and scum under their watch. Little light was shown, even in the day time. Only the burning torches of laid throughout the jail gave light in the underground jail. This was Chor Gom; the most secure, cold, empty, secluded, and harsh prison. In the eyes of millions, there was no place more fitting for China's thieves, murderers, gangs, and all kinds of villainous, vile crooks.

Sitting all in his lonesome, Shi resided in his cold, empty cell, besides having a hard, wooden bed and a bucket to relieve into. Just a few days ago he was thrown into this cold, square room, which only had a single torch to keep him from wallowing in total darkness. Having his head down and his elbows resting on his knees, the fox's thoughts were put back to just a week ago. Back then, it seemed all his troubles were finally over. With the amulet from that bizarre goat cult, he had the ability to command his own brain-warped gang from another time far ahead. And he very well might have succeeded where that idiotic boar failed due to his own muscle-headed brain. Shi very nearly became rich beyond his imagination by selling treasures from the present in the future. Everything went so well, so well indeed. That was until-

Clank! Clank! sounded from the other side of Shi's cell bars. Looking to his left, he noticed that the captain of Chor Gom's guards stood just outside the cell. The rhino warrior stood with a posture of intimidation, keeping his bare chest held up to always display his strongly built arms and chest, with their mighty biceps, large pectorals and hard nipples. Shi however wasn't in the mood for anything at the moment, but the captain spoke up in his deep, rough voice.

"You have a visitor." The rhino announced.

Looking back in puzzlement, Shi asked "What, I don't know anyone who'd visit?"

"Well you must, because he's here to see for awhile." The captain replied.

The bare, burly rhino proceeded to unlock the metallic cell door and cleared the way for the visitor. Shi watched as curiosity quickly turned to bafflement upon realizing who'd came to see him. Stepping into the cell, was that teenage wolf boy, the same who'd thwarted the fox's plan, and saved his life as well. The small, orange vulpis chose to be quiet and observant. He noticed an older, much more muscular wolf mutter something to the younger lupine, and two other people remained outside of the cell, just barley visibly from Shi's line of sight; a panda and a tiger. While those two talked with each other, the two wolves finished their small chat before the guard captain stepped outside of the cell and locked the door once again, leaving the fox to his single visitor.

For the first few minutes, nothing was said between the two. Shi examined the wolf boy; wearing a simple shirt and pants, accompanied by a dark red bandana around the lupine's neck. In his hands, he held a basket, and tried to show a friendly smile on his face. After long, drone-out moments of silence, finally, Shi spoke.

"You're Erdan, right?" The fox asked with a raised eyebrow.

Speaking back politely, the teen wolf replied "Yes, that's my name. And you're Shi."

"Yes, that's my name, you gonna mock it like your friends?" the fox protested.

"No, no… I just wanted to talk with you." Erdan explained.

Shi however became silent again, turning his head slightly away and keeping his thoughts to himself. Erdan wanted to get to know the fox better. But thinking for a moment, the young lupine decided it'd be best to allow Shi the time he required before starting a chat. The fox looked towards the wolf boy, now wanting to ask a burning question that's been tearing his mind up for the last couple days.

"Why" Shi asked. "Why did… did you save me?"

"You were in danger." Erdan replied simply.

"But why would you, after everything I've done to you and your family and your friends?" Shi asked again.

"Well, after being tormented by that monster for months, I couldn't leave you to such a terrible fate, and also… I believe all life has value, and anybody can change."

"You really believe that?" Shi asked sarcastically.

"Of course, I've seen it first-hand with my foster dad."

"Wait, you were adopted?" Shi asked with a hint of interest.

A small smile beamed on Erdan's face as he answered. "Yeah… it's kind of a long and crazy story."

Causally and subtly, Shi replied "I… got time…"

Erdan then sat down on the hard, stone floor and set his basket down. "Well, I thought that if we could talk, we might also enjoy some food. Unless, you'd rather not-"

"YES I WOULD!" Shi said suddenly.

The captain of the guard walked nearby, and in his tough voice asked "Everything alright?"

Erdan turned towards the large rhino, replying "Yeah, everything's alright."

The captain gave a sternful sneer towards the his foxy prisoner before walking away. Erdan soon after began emptying his basket, revealing delectable dumplings, tasty noodle soup, and sweet moon cakes as desert. Immediately Shi grabbed a bowl of dumplings, took a piece in his paw and bit down on its thick, mouth watering flavor. The fox's mouth was in a paradise, even though it was just a simple recipe.

"It's really good, huh?" Erdan commented.

"OH IT'S SOO WONDERFUL. It's an emperor's dinner compared to the slop they serve here." Shi replied before savoring more delectable, delicious dumplings.

The two began to eat while Erdan gave his life story. At least, up until today. He ate and slurped noodles as he told his life's tragic tale. "I was born in a village, far away from here and the Valley. In a place called the Tavon Bodg mountains. And I was born into a tribe of wolves living all by themselves, secluded from the world."

He told of his birth parents and his first home in the snowy mountains. How he was mocked and judged, his relationship to his parents, the terrible, fateful night where his whole life changed for the worse.

"And there I was… all alone, the single survivor." Erdan explained.

After Shi gulped down his soup, he said "All because of that young mountain lion?"

"Yep… if it weren't for him… I guess neither of us would be here now." Erdan replied.

The wolf boy then told of his journey to Gongmen City during Lord Shen's occupation, how he ended up living with the mad peacock's right hand in secret, and told of one of the darkest days in the young lupine's life.

"Just like that, it he was gone. And I was all alone again."

"Wait, but he's alive now. I mean I just saw him out there?" Shi questioned while pointing to the outside of his cell.

"I'll get to that part." Erdan answered.

Shi listened and was baffled by Erdan's story. He heard of how Erdan journeyed half way across all of China to reach the Valley of peace and all the torment, ridicule and hardship he endured. Next he was told of how the boy was reunited with Yu in the Valley, as well as how the boy learned to forgive the man for leaving him.

"And you were willing to forgive and forget… just like that?" Shi asked curiously.

Erdan gulped down a dumpling of his own before answering. "Well… it wasn't easy by any means. But by morning, my love for my dad out-weighted my anger at him."

The story then continued, with how Erdan became a student at the Jade Palace, how he helped rescued his then new foster father from Fung and his crocodile bandits, and he told of his foster mother, Shu. The two ate and talked, all the while Shi relished every second and every bite of the moment. Finally, Erdan finished his life story, with telling of his recent adventures that lead up to this very moment.

"And… yeah… that's my life so far." Erdan said, now slicing up the moon cake.

Shi could only sit there in awe at what he just heard. It was, unbelievable to say the least. The fact that this kid survived and pushed through such hardship was not only incredible to the ears, but the tales also sparked something in Shi's inner being. For some reason, he resonated with the wolf boy's sufferings and triumphs.

"So, would you like to tell a little about yourself, Shi?" Erdan asked politely while handing a plate with a slice of moon cake.

The fox stayed quiet to a minute. He didn't even take a bite out of his dessert, as his mind was trying to decide on what to do. Erdan waited patiently as he ate and enjoyed his slice of cake before Shi finally spoke up.

"My life isn't anything great." Shi said with his head down.

"If you don't mind… I'd like to hear it?" Erdan politely requested.

Shi sighed before saying, "It's nothing at all like your tales."

A moment of quiet passed, then Erdan simply replied "I got time."

Finally making up his mind, Shi the fox decided to open up, and share his life story with someone else. A decision he never made before.

"I was born as… well… what you'd call… a bastard offspring. My mother worked at some night place, and as soon as she birthed me, she left me with someone else."

"Who?" Erdan asked.

"An orphanage, the head care lady told of this when I was your age, actually."

Shi told of his upbringing in an orphanage, and how it was perhaps the one period of his life that was simply ok. But his tale took a turn for the unfortunate.

"When I was older, people wouldn't want to adopt me, one; because I'm a fox, and two; because I was a teenager. People only want to adopt little kids."

Erdan replied. "Well, that's not always true."

"Yeah well, when I was old enough I left on my own. And soon enough, I found myself in trouble." Shi continued.

The fox inmate explained of his first years in adulthood. He tried to find a job, but anywhere he went nobody would hire him. No matter how much he tried to impress or who he went to, not a single opertunity was given.

"Of course they'd never hire a fox. Everybody thought I'd steal their life savings when they werent' looking. Bunch of asses!" Shi scoffed.

Relating very well to his unfair treatment, and the fact that he'd been in the exact situation, Erdan said "I know that feeling all too well. Being a wolf, everybody thinks I'd be just a killing monster."

Shi looked at Erdan, noticing sincerity on the lupine's face, upon remembering those hard days of horrible treatment simply for what he was instead of who he was. Shi then continued.

"So, with no money and no job, I did what lots of guys do, steal."

"But, wasn't that proving those shop owners right?" Erdan commented.

"Hey, honesty and legitimacy doesn't fill your stomach. So I became a thief. I robbed stores, noodle shops and pick-pocked a lot of people. Eventually, I joined a bandit gang, and we set our sights on a grand heist."

Erdan finally put two and two together, and said "Let me guess, that was when you and those goons tried to rob the Jade Palace, right?"

"Correct. I still remember how you got out of that mess. Using greed to get those idiots to fight each-other, clever… very clever." Shi commended.

"Well, I can be sly like a fox." Erdan said jokingly.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" Shi replied in an annoyed tone.

"Sorry, I just couldn't." Erdan answered with a cheeky grin.

Shrugging off the boy's joke, even though Shi didn't find it very amusing, the fox continued with his story. He explained how he was in this very prison before, after being arrested for trying to steal the Jade Palace's artifacts. Telling of how and he snuck out, Erdan was surprised to hear that the two were near each other without knowing it, back when he was with Tigress during that prison riot. Shi shivered as he told of those creepy goats and how they tried in induct him into their cult. Most memories of those few days Shi purposefully forgot, for the sake of his own sanity. Next was how he obtained the amulet from those goats and attempted to use it on villagers at the Valley. That was, until he, and unknowingly Erdan also, were plunged through time by a wolf boy from centuries ahead.

"Wait, so you were taken to the future, the same time as I was?" Erdan asked in shock.

"I have no idea how it worked. One minute, I'm at the market, and a moment later I'm in an alley, covered in trash, and I was almost run over by some metal encased rickshaw with nobody in front!?"

The next portion of the tale was interesting. Shi told of his time in the future: the difficulty he had grasping his surroundings, the fact that he couldn't understand anything, and the fact that an ink demon was apparently living in his body the whole time.

Erdan placed his paw to his chin, and with deep thought, said "Sounds a lot like what happened to me. That monster, spirit-thing camped in my body and mind for months."

"Whatever it was, it seriously messed with me. And I'm just glad to rid of it." Shi replied.

"I'll agree to that in aheartbeat." Erdan agreed.

Shi then told of how he saw the artifacts of the Jade Palace in the future, and how priceless they were. After he found a device to travel through time, he devised a plan that lead to his second attempt to pull a heist at the Palace. And like before, his plan was foiled. And now here he is today. Finishing his story, Shi had eaten his meal. His stomach was full with satisfaction. But he looked at Erdan, puzzled that the talkative boy was now silent and stared at the fox.

"What?" Shi asked.

Erdan thought to himself for a moment, then said "I'll be right back."

The young lupine then left the cell. The rhino captain unlocked the door, only to lock it again after the wolf left out of Shi's sight. The fox was puzzled, then shocked to himself. His right paw was placed on his forehead, realizing that he'd confessed all of his recent bandit and criminal activity. Everything he did, stole, and broke was now in that wolf boy's ears. Mentally slapping himself, Shi held his head down in his paws, now realizing that he may very well be doomed to this cell for the rest of his life. Ten minutes passed, or at least what Shi guessed was ten minutes, since he had no way to keep track of time. Then, Erdan returned and reentered the cell once again.

Standing up Shi said "I can't believe I let you fool me."

"What?" Erdan asked in confusion.

"I know what you were doing!" Shi protested.

"… Having a chat and a meal?" Erdan guessed.

"No, you were getting me to confess everything I've done! Now I'll never get out of here!" Shi said back.

Erdan was speachless for a second before saying "That's not why I'm here!"

"Then what then was your reason!?" Shi shouted.

"I wanted to evaluate you!" Erdan shouted back.

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you before: I believe anyone can change. And when I rescued you from that ink monster… I thought I saw something in you." Erdan explained.

"And what did you see?" Shi asked.

Erdan paused a moment, giving a second of silence before answering "That you're not all bad."

Shi paused, confused beyond reason.

"And Shi-" Erdan said."We want to give you a second chance."

"We?" The fox asked.

Suddenly, the guard captain joined from the other side of the bars, and said in his deep voice "Listen up fox, I don't do this often, so treat it like a gift: The kid came in with Shifu and his students. And he believes you got some good in you. So, if you behave yourself in here for the rest of the year, we'll let you out."

With a face of puzzlement, Shi asked "You'll just… let me go?"

"Well, there's a catch." The rhino explained. "If you do behave yourself, you'll be let out of Chor Gom, but we'll keep an eye on you while you work a job."

"A job, you mean IF I get a job." Shi pointed out.

Erdan spoke up, addressing that little detail. "Well, actually, you will have a job ready for you. You see, I have this friend, his name is Jimbo, and he's recently open his own restaurant, The Dumpling Hut. Now he's doing fine right now, but eventually he'll need hired hands. So, he's agreed to give you a job and a place to live."

Shi examined both the wolf and rhino's faces, suspicious yet intrigued by their proposal.

"You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"If I were, I'd pull it clean off!" The captain jokingly replied.

Shi gave a dirty look, in response to the shirtless rhino's crude joke.

"AH come on, I'm just teasing." The captain said before becoming serious. "Look, if you do well, and don't cause trouble, and do your job… in a few months, we may not have to keep an eye on you."

"Your serious?" Shi asked.

"That last part wasn't a joke, believe me." The rhino answered.

Shi looked back at Erdan, who arranged all this and asked "Why, go through all this… for me?"

Erdan knelt down to talk to the fox face to face, and with great sincerity, gave his answer. "Because I just know you have potential to become better for yourself. And now I understand everything you've been through. Shi, I know the kind of pain and hardship you suffered through in the world. Life has taken so much from you. But now it's giving you a gift."

Shi pasued a moment, before uttering "A… a new start?"

"Yes" Erdan replied. "A new beginning for you. And If you'd like, I'd like to be your first new friend."

Shi took a minute to grasp what just happened, what he was offered, and despite his nature telling him not to trust him, something about this boy secured sincerity in the fox's judgment. Shi sighed to himself, and looked back at Erdan, who held out his right paw, waiting to see if it will be shuck in agreement. Shi the fox then looked at Erdan, this wolf boy who he'd opposed and even tried to ruin. And yet, here he was, willing to let bygones be bygones. Shi reflected on his past again, seeing this as a chance, a gamble for himself. But this gamble, was one he saw fortune in his favor with. Shi then looked at Erdan, who had a warm grim beaming across his face. And in a single moment, Shi took his gamble and shook Erdan's paw.