Chapter 7

The years continued to move through the doors of the Palace, faster then most anticipated.

It was a whirlwind for Jian and Azure; spring came around once more after their thirteenth year, they found themselves by their Mother, and Master Oogway as Shifu stood in the middle of the crowded arena; crowds flooded the galleries, cheering and chanting as Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis lined up in front of him, and bowed in respect.

"Citizens of the Valley of Peace!" He addressed the crowd. "For many years, five young warriors have worked hard to perfect their skills to protect those in need. Here I present; the Furious Five!" He named each of them off, and once they heard their name being called, their head rose to watch the crowd.

They clapped along with the crowd, who cried out their praises and good fortune to the adults that was in front of them. Azure observed the scene; every pair of eyes was watching the group in the middle of the fighting grounds; every pair of hands, paws, wings, and hoofs were clapping, every voice was singing in the sea of streamers, and bang of crackers. Music flowed through the air in rejoice, while Tigress and the others basked in all its glory. They waved, smiled, or simply watched the atmosphere around them with pride, and determination.

Azure felt her muzzle shift into a smile once Tigress' eyes moved in their direction. Jian was grinning at her excitedly, nodding enthusiastically as the striped feline smiled at them; she wasn't smiling before she looked at them; she was watching the arena's occupants with a straight face, the proud feeling was masked well.

Seeing her smile only for them made her feel important...

That was when Azure heard her heartbeat in her ears, and her eyes moved back around the space, once the cheers seemed to fizzle out; Sying wasn't beside her, and when she turned to tell Jian she was missing, he was nowhere to be seen...

No one was.

Like a gust of wind swept all sound and signs of life but her own away, she stood alone on the platform above the fighting grounds. It didn't take too long for her to touch the ground beneath the level she stood above, and looked around.

"Hello?" She called. There was movement behind her, and she slowly turned her head as the sky began to darken. "Hello..."


Azure woke with a start. "Az?" Jian, Tigress and Crane were at her bedroom door. Once she consented for them to come in, Tigress sat beside her once the girl swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Everything okay?" Crane prompted, as Tigress placed a paw on her shoulder. Azure glanced at the window once she peeled her head away from her paw; it was still night time; her window was closed, but even though it sealed her inside, if the sun wasn't battling its way through the fabric, she could always tell it was night time. "We could hear your call from the kitchen..."

Her cheeks instantly burned up. "It was just a stupid dream." Azure brushed it off, but her twin brother frowned at her words, and Crane was quick to notice it.

"You've been having these 'stupid dreams' a lot lately, are you sure everything's okay?" He passed her a robe to cover her cold shoulders.

"Yes..." she looked Tigress in the eye, who raised an eyebrow, before nodding slowly.

"Jian, go back to bed. You as well Crane." They reluctantly nodded... and once they were gone, Tigress carted Azure to the kitchen.

...

Her eyes remained glued to the table while Tigress made tea. Every once in a while, she glanced up at the tiger, to see her back to her each time.

Viper, Tigress, and Monkey had just turned twenty-one, but Azure and Jian had another few months to get through before they hit their fourteenth year. Every year came new challenges, many which they brought on themselves; Jian and Azure's training schedule weren't much different to Tigress' when she was growing up; they had their sessions in the morning, afternoon, and tai chi was practiced in the evening. That wasn't the puzzle to solve; it was what they did in their free time.

Azure had spent some time talking to the villagers, asking them about her father. Many of them refused to talk at first, and were ready to push her away or slam the door in her face, but once she explained that she was informed of what he had done, and wanted to make sure she did not follow his path, many of them took her in, and told her many things that Shifu, Oogway, Tigress, and her mother didn't tell her.

Tai Lung was the only Master to read, and master, every single scroll in the Palace; every move he delivered had a secret technique, or an ounce of power no one else had learned. They warned her that every piece of information he consumed made him strong over time, and he went through them all very quickly, though it would take a normal being years and years to read them all, he had them all disrupted from their shelves before the age of twenty. Now, she would ask Shifu and Oogway if she was ready for the next scroll, no matter the content. Shifu seemed a little vexed by the constant inquiries, but Oogway reassured her that she was able to move forwards, in hopes to ease some anxiety.

Azure was often asked why Jian wasn't going on routes with her to learn more about Tai Lung, and every time there was some excuse made, even though it was clear for everyone; Jian didn't want to associate himself with his father at all. His name could not be mentioned near Shifu, like it were some curse or taboo. Jian tried to detach himself from the image that was imprinted on the village people; he studied pictures of Tai Lung, and learned through Oogway, his mother, and Master Tigress of his character... even down to the way he dressed.

"Are you going to tell me what's really going on?" Tigress finally asked her, straining the tea leaves carefully. The next time Azure looked up, Tigress was seated in front of her, pushing a cup of tea her way. Watching as her head tilted to the side, she felt a paw brush her cheek lightly. "You've haven't slept well the past couple of days."

"I have-"

"You have bags under your eyes." Azure pulled herself back, taking the cup with her. The kitchen was dimly lit with several lanterns, and Tigrss had opened the window above the sink to let some air in before she took a seat. There was no breeze, but seeing the night sky made her feel a lot cooler, and somewhat relaxed. The striped feline waited for a response... but Azure took a hesitant sip of her tea instead. "What's happening in these dreams?"

"I..." she sighed, placing the cup down with a soft clank. "That's the thing... I don't know what's about to happen." Tigress blinked at her in confusion. "It could be something simple happening; I could be walking outside the valley, and then I notice something is up; you or Jian aren't around. Then there's this mass of darkness..." her grip tightened around the cup. "Whatever it is never hurts me, but I have a feeling it could hurt me, or someone else." Azure takes another sip when she feels a chill across her shoulders. "Could it have a connection with my dad?"

She noticed Tigress' jaw tighten uncomfortably. "Have you been thinking about him lately?" A nod answered her question. "Have you spoken with your mother?" A shaking of her head, and all ten of Tigress' fingers stretched across their granted space on the kitchen table. "Usually, something we may over think on can dwell within our subconscious state, and can distract us..." Azure's gaze immediately moved towards the bandages wrapping around her paws.

"Here," Tigress passed her another cup; there was a faint green color surrounding the rim of the cup. "Take it in one sip," she did, and nearing spluttered it out of her mouth; the taste wasn't pleasant to start with, but then it dissolved into this sweet brew that lapped around her tongue and gums. "Lay your head on the pillow, and try to clear your mind, and you should be able to sleep in seconds. I'll speak with Shifu in the morning."

"Thank you Master Tigress," she got up to go, before turning back to her. "You coming?" Tigress raised her cup. "Oh, right... good night then."

"Good night," and with that, Azure ventured down the halls alone. Nearing her bed, she felt the drink settling in her stomach, it light and casted a warm feeling through her body as she crawled under the covers. Once her head touched the pillow, her head was clearer; no mist, no dark shadows... she was out like a light.


Shifu and Oogway took every word in.

When it was usually a fumbling of words in their interactions with Sying, especially when she was asking for a favor, it came to a surprise when she spoke firmly and assertively, like she rehearsed what she was going to say repeatedly, until she got the right pitch, and the right rhythm to speak.

"Master Oogway has already agreed... I take my leave in several days."

"Where are you going?" Shifu asked, his eyes narrowing a little. He had sensed a change was coming; there was something lingering in the air for the longest time.

"I'm moving to Gongmen city. My sister has started her own business out there, and has asked me to come work for her." It had been in the talks for a while, without Shifu's knowledge; her sister had visited, usually without their parents, and helped Sying come to the realization she wasn't happy in the Valley of Peace. Maybe it was because she had been there for so long, she needed a change of scenery? No, she felt trapped here, and needed a release; and a job opportunity in a new city was just what was needed, for her sake.

Shifu raised a brow knowingly, "and how do Jian and Azure feel about this? Are they going with you?"

"They... don't know yet."

"And why is that?"

"I don't want to take them away from here." Shifu's eyes focused on her words a little bit more now. "They would wish to remain here to continue their training. Once they reach their twentieth year, they can come stay with me in Gongmen city, if they chose to."

"Why can't they go with you?"

Sying crossed her arms. "Gongmen city is no place for them. The job's location is temporary." If the business was to become successful, they could move elsewhere, and then she could let them live anywhere in the world...

"Yes, but they're still children, and aren't old enough to make their own decisions, and as you chose to leave on your own accord, they must have a guardian here with them to take over your parental duties." Sying felt stumped, and glanced at Oogway for an answer.

Master Viper's father let her live in the Palace on the order of the Master's council requesting her presence, and until she reached her twentieth year, her father made several visits a month to ensure her needs were met. They were never abandoned, and the other's were old enough, or had to make their own decisions for themselves due to certain circumstances; Mantis was old enough, Crane was already living away from his mother, earning his own keep as a janitor before Tigress found him; and Monkey had no immediate family to guard him since the age of sixteen. Jian and Azure's situation, of course, had to have some difficulty; they weren't abandoned at the Palace doorsteps. Sying has been living with the Master's long before the children were born, therefore, she couldn't just leave that easily.

"Shifu is right." Oogway stated gently, which Shifu's ears twitched to, and a small smile edged across his mouth, "if you can get a guardian for them here in the Valley, you may leave on your own accord, without them."

Sying thought for a moment, before nodding. "I know just who to ask."


Later that day, just before sunset, Tigress pushed her way through the doors of the Hall of Heroes. Zeng, one of the new recruits, had just summoned her by Master Shifu's order to meet him and Master Oogway there, but she couldn't think of the reason why. Could it be a mission?

"Welcome child..." Oogway greeted her as she closed in on the reflection pool. Shifu watched her closely, and Sying stood on the other side of Oogway, wrapping her paws together.

Bowing, she put a fist to palm respectfully. "Master..." he waited for her to straighten up before speaking;

"We've asked you to come here for a special request, made by Sying."

Tigress turned her gaze toward the snow leopard, and Sying just cleared her throat. "I'm taking my permanent leave from the Jade Palace in several days," she noticed her brows furrow at the news. "I've been offered a job position by my sister in Gongmen city... and I know Jian and Azure will want to remain here and continue their training. As they are too young to make their own decision... I ask you personally to become their legal guardian." Tigress ' eyes widened, and Sying stepped closer. "I know this is very sudden, and I'm asking for a lot," she took hold of Tigress' paw that was stuck by her side, while she placed her other paw to her chest. "But I can't think of anyone better, who knows them best, to take care of them."

Tigress opened her mouth to speak, before being interrupted. "Although you must understand, that Master Tigress has enough on her plate protecting the Valley; she doesn't have time for children." Shifu pressed on, his arms linking behind his back. Oogway just glanced at the red panda, but Sying's eyes didn't look away from Tigress, who took a breath... and nodded.

"Master Shifu..." Sying felt her heart drop, and Shifu's mouth perked up into a smile, before Tigress turned to him. "If you could do it with two... I don't see why I can't do the same."

"What?" Shifu shook his head in confusion as Tigress bowed to Sying. Master Oogway smiled and nodded towards Tigress without her knowing.

"I'll protect them. Don't worry..."


Hey all, didn't want to leave you too long without a chapter, so here you go!

Hope you like it!