Disclaimer: Turning Red is owned by Pixar Animation Studios, a division of Walt Disney Studios and the Walt Disney Company. I own nothing except for the plot of this story. Feel free to rate and review.
Meilin Lee was smiling with delight as she skipped to her family shrine to do her after-school volunteer work. She arrived at the shrine and found her mother Ming setting up a few large donation boxes to raise more money for the repair of the SkyDome. Her father Jin was setting up the Red Panda merchandise in the lobby and adding decorations of paper lanterns along the walls, and he had already placed necklaces of cherry blossoms around the red panda statues outside the shrine.
Mei greeted the red panda statues happily, saying, "Afternoon, Bart. Hi, Lisa." Then she headed into the shrine and found her parents waiting for her.
Ming turned her attention from the donation boxes and beamed as her daughter approached with the same loving smile as always. Jin finished decorating the statues and hanging up the lanterns and came over to Mei.
"Welcome home, Mei, sweetie," Jin said sweetly to his child as he gave her a hug.
"Mei-Mei! My little panda princess!" said Ming, kissing Mei's cheeks. "And how are you this afternoon? Have you had a good day at school?"
Mei nodded and said, "Quite delightful, Mom. Check this out!" And she produced some recently graded homework assignments for English, algebra, French, history, and science, and each of them sported a solid "A". While Mei was no longer expected to be perfect, she still sought to make her mother proud with her school victories.
Looking over each of Mei's assignments, Ming felt the glow of pride rush to her face. "It's brilliant! It's remarkable! It's amazing! It's grand!" she chortled. Then she gave Mei another big hug and cheered, "You wonderful, beautiful daughter of mine, you! Your father and I are so proud of you!"
Mei laughed and smiled before saying, "So, shall we welcome new visitors to experience the history and mystery of our family's ancestry?"
Ming nodded, and she and Mei went to pay their respects to Sun Yee, whose fascination with red pandas and love for her family had convinced her to take on the form of the red panda. Afterwards, Ming and Jin opened the doors for visitors while Mei prepared to reveal her special power. The thirteen-year-old girl thought about how happy she was to meet her favorite rock stars in the 4 TOWN band, and she instantly transformed into her red panda form in a great puff of pink clouds. When the many tourists and visitors entered the Lee family shrine, many of them immediately greeted Mei kindly and some lined up to have a picture with her.
While Jin gave tours of the family shrine to visitors, Ming shared the story of the family's ancestor Sun Yee and helped customers pick some red panda merchandise made by Mei and her best friends. Mei's friends had called earlier and asked if Mei would be interested in joining them for karaoke night on Friday, and Mei had been given her mother's permission, so even if her friends weren't able to stop by for a visit, she knew she would see them again very soon.
For most of the afternoon, Mei stood for photos with tourists, had her panda ears scratched, and allowed children to hug her big, fluffy panda belly and feel her bushy tail. At the end of the day, Mei changed back to her human self and waved goodbye to every visitor with her mother and father beside her. The ride home was comfortable, and after Mei had done her homework and chatted with her friends on the phone, it was dinner time.
Mei told her mother and father about her day at school and about her karaoke plans for Friday over a dinner of bao dumplings and fish. It was here that Ming said, "Your friends are wonderful, Mei-Mei. I only wish I had gotten to know them sooner."
"No worries, Mom. They practically love you already," Mei assured her.
"Well, let us hope so," said Jin. "We'll need our girl to have good company when the lunacy that is high school comes around, won't we?"
"Dad," said Mei teasingly.
The Lees finished their meal and then went to start their evening activities. Mei went to her room to read for a while, and once more, she delved into The Life of Pi, which had been her favorite book since fifth grade. However, while Mei was a lot happier with her mother's accepting her for being more than just her "perfect little Mei-Mei", she still felt guilty for having to go under her mother's nose just to attend her first 4*TOWN concert and for standing up to her that night. With a sad sigh, Mei picked up her pug stuffie Wilfred and sat on her bed.
"Should I tell her, Wilfred?" she said to her stuffed toy. "I know Mom is accepting me for more than what she expects me to be, but has she really forgiven me for being such a loose cannon?"
As if the stuffie had replied to her, Mei nodded a little and said, "You're right. I should tell her. It's only going to be all the worse for me if I'm keeping more secrets from my own mother. Besides, how am I gonna live with myself if I don't?"
And so, Mei hopped from her bed and went to find her mother.
…
While Mei had been reading in her bedroom, Ming had been looking at pictures in the Lee family album. She had been looking at the photos of herself and Mei winning a tennis tournament, herself and Jin feeding their little girl, herself and Mei standing before Canada Tower, and herself brushing Mei's hair while her little daughter sat on the couch brushing the hair of one of her dolls. But when she turned to the next page, Ming looked the longest at the photos there.
The album page Ming was looking at contained Mei's baby pictures: Ming and Jin with baby Mei swaddled in a blanket in her mother's arms; Mei learning to walk; having her first taste of ice cream thanks to her aunt Ping; sleeping in her crib. But Ming's absolute favorite photo was of herself and Jin on the couch with Mei in a white onesie, smiling at the camera, for that photo was taken on the day Mei got her first tooth.
"I miss those bygone days too, honey," said Jin, sitting beside his wife. "All parents miss those days when their little ones begin growing up."
"It's been harder for Mei than for me, dear," Ming admitted. "Mei's enjoying the beginnings of teenage life better now that I'm accepting her choices and listening to her, but I can't help worrying that she's been taking recent events too hard."
Jin rubbed Ming's shoulders to ease her troubled spirit and said, "What do you think should be done?"
Ming took a moment to think over the question, and then she said, "I think Mei could do with a little quality time with us tonight. It'll help her know that we're still here for her."
Jin nodded in agreement before he noticed Mei coming from her room with a downcast expression. Ming felt the pang of concern in her heart and asked her dear daughter, "Is everything okay, Mei-Mei?"
"Mom, I've been feeling pretty bad lately," admitted Mei. "I know I didn't tell you the truth about acquiring the money for tickets to my first 4*TOWN concert and going to Tyler's birthday party, and I know that you've told me that you forgive me for it, but I still can't let it go. I want to make it up to you."
Ming stood up and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, giving Mei an expression of empathy. She said, "You don't have to make it up to me, Mei-Mei. I'm your mother."
She gave her daughter a hug, which Jin added to, and then Ming asked, "How about we just share a little quality time together? Would you like that, sweetie?"
Mei's face brightened at that. She smiled and replied, "That does sound like a good idea, Mom." Then she asked, "Could Dad join in too?"
"Absolutely, honey."
…
For the next few hours, Mei enjoyed some quality time with her mother and father. They watched three episodes of The Jade Palace Diaries together and then put in one of Mei's favorite movies, namely Independence Day. Ming wasn't entirely interested in science fiction, but she loved action films as long as they weren't too intense. Mei and her parents enjoyed their TV time, and then Ming sat Mei on her lap and brushed her hair.
After her mother had brushed her hair, Mei was given a warm bath, and when she was in her pajamas, she was seen reading with her mother while wrapped in a large blanket. Ming smiled so warmly as she looked down at her child. Mei might be a thirteen-year-old teen, but it felt so wonderful for Ming to have her sitting on her lap.
Mei noticed her mother's expression and set her book aside, saying, "What is it, Mom?"
Ming only continued smiling and replied, "I know you're growing up, Mei. But it's moments like this that remind me you're still my daughter. And I'll be here to help and support you like a mother should."
With these words, Ming gathered her beloved child in her arms, blanket and all. Jin placed his arm around his wife and completed the hug, and all Mei could do was snuggle in her parents' embrace. After the three Lees had hugged their troubles away, Mei went to brush her teeth. Then she was in her room, ready to say good night. When Ming and Jin entered Mei's room, they both smiled to see their daughter hugging her plush pug Wilfred and beaming at them like the angel they knew she was.
Ming and Jin tucked Mei into her bed, and then Jin said to her, "Comfortable, Mei?"
"Mm-hm," replied Mei softly. "Good night, Dad."
"Sleep well, Mei-Mei," Jin said warmly, giving Mei's right hand a little squeeze and then standing to the side.
Ming came to Mei's bedside and stroked her daughter's vibrant red hair. It was still a bit of a surprise to her when Mei had chosen to keep the panda instead of sealing it away, but her acceptance made it worthwhile. Besides, Mei looked as beautiful as always with her new red hair, she thought.
"Good night, Mom," said Mei sleepily.
Ming beamed at her daughter and kissed her cheek, taking care to pull the covers up to Mei's neck. She lingered beside the bed as Mei lay back on her pillow and closed her eyes. For a moment, all Ming could do was look upon her beautiful daughter, of whom she was so proud. Then she whispered warmly, "Remember, Mei-Mei: you are loved. I love you, your father loves you, and your friends love you too. Sleep well, dear."
Now Ming wasn't sure, but as she left her daughter's room, she could have sworn she saw a smile on Mei's face as she slept. And in her mind, seeing her daughter so carefree and happy was enough to bring a smile to her face as well.
A/N: I hope my second Turning Red fanfiction wasn't bad. Please let me know in a review if you like. Thank you very much, and keep an eye out for more fanfiction fun!