Chapter 2 - Escorting - Luke, Tigress and Viper are tasked to escort a rich fox to his home and they're having a difficult time as the fox seemingly thinks he's better than everyone else. This happens as Fung and his gang try to kidnap him for a ransom.
Right now, it's the beginning of August and today, we were taking the day off as we all take the weekends off. I had just finished a bit of sparring with Tigress (without my sword because I'd like to take a break from using here and there) and we were both relaxing by simply sitting down on the steps that led to the Training Hall soaking in the perfect summer breeze. Viper was with us as well as she lay on the ground soaking in the heat from the sun since she's a reptile.
"Hey Tigress, Po said to me that he tried to figure out your favourite colour. Do you have one? You don't have to answer." I said to her as I stroked her paw. She turned her head towards me and smirked.
"Well, I actually don't have one. Do you have one?" She replied. Well, that solves one supposed mystery.
"I've always been fond of blue. I always found it relaxing." I answered as I looked back up at the clear blue sky.
"You got a good point there." Tigress said as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. I then paid attention to Viper and realised that she tends to be with Crane a lot of the time.
"Hey, Viper, don't you hang out with Crane a lot of the time?" I asked her and she slithered to us and stopped right next to me.
"Yeah, it's just that I'm trying to think about something." Viper said to me while avoiding my gaze for some reason, I'm starting to suspect that she's hiding something.
"Come on, Viper, you can tell me, I won't laugh, I promise." I reassured her. And she took a deep breath.
"Well, I have-" Viper was saying but then was interrupted by Zeng coming into the courtyard.
"Masters Tigress, Viper and Tiger Warrior, Master Shifu wants to meet you in the Hall of Warriors." Zeng said to us and we all looked at each other before we got up and jogged to the Hall. We finally made it there and saw Shifu standing by where the doors are. We stood in a line and bowed to him.
"You wanted to meet us, Master?" I asked him.
"Yes, I've been sent a letter stating that Edward Chang is needing to be escorted to his estate as he's been on a business trip. He's asked us to help escort him. And he specifically said he wanted you 3 to do the job. Understood?" Shifu explained to us. We all nodded.
"Master, who is Edward Chang?" I asked him as I never heard of this guy.
"He's one of the richest men in China. He helps build architecture and is the latest in his family. He's to be treated with respect, is that clear?" Shifu answered and we all nodded.
"Good, he'll arrive shortly outside the Valley, follow me." Shifu said to us all and we followed him all the way to meet up with Edward Chang.
"Do you guys know this Chang?" I asked Viper and Tigress as we walked down the main street.
"Yeah, he apparently helped rebuild some old, wrecked up buildings to be used as orphanages and hospitals. He has been a great benefit for the country." Viper told me and it seems that this guy cares for people, though I feel as though he may not be the most easy person to get along with.
We finally reached the outside of the Valley to see a carriage being pulled by buff looking boars. And then the carriage door opened to reveal a male fox in his 30's wearing an all black jacket with a light purple shirt underneath. He stepped out and looked at us and then walked right up to Shifu.
"Mr. Chang. Pleasure to meet you." Shifu said while bowing to him. Chang just stood there looking at him.
"If you say so. So these are the 3 warriors I requested?" Chang said in a voice that had hints of a British accent, he must've had a British parent.
"Yes, Master Viper, Master Tigress and the Tiger Warrior." Shifu answered him while gesturing to us. Chang then walked up to us and walked in front of us. And then he stopped in front of me and examined me from head to toe.
"You seem to be a strong warrior, that had better be the case." He said to me before he walked back to the carriage. The tone of his voice made it seem like he was so full of himself. Oh, this was going to be an interesting trip.
"Come on, let's get moving." Chang ordered us and his servants to escort him to his home. I just frowned.
Later in the Day
We've just passed 2 villages and the day was extremely boring. I was behind the carriage with Tigress and Viper and we were to watch from the rear as Chang was heading home.
"Well, what do you think of the guy?" I whispered to Tigress and Viper to strike a conversation.
"He seems….interesting." Tigress replied.
"Yeah. Definitely not what I expected." Viper remarked. Really?
"I've met people like him at Chow Xu and they're annoying. They just think they're better than everyone else, but they're not." I whispered to them and they looked at me with blank looks and then I noticed that one of the servants was leaning to the carriage, don't really know why. We were walking for another 30 minutes when I realised it was getting dark and we just arrived at another village. I saw that there was an inn so I decided that we should stay for the night, and so, I walked up to the carriage and knocked to get Chang's attention.
"Yes?" Chang asked.
"I think we should rest for the night. There's an inn we could stay in." I told him and then he stopped the carriage.
"Why can't we just keep moving as we'd be able to reach my home by sunrise?" Chang fired at me. Is he crazy?
"2 reasons, 1, we won't be able to maintain the same amount of energy throughout and therefore, won't be able to do our job right. And 2, bandit attacks mostly happen at night." I insisted. Tigress came up behind me.
"He is right, sir. Your safety is top priority." Tigress added. Chang stroked his chin and sighed through his nose.
"If you say so." Chang said and then he put the carriage next to the inn and left the boars outside to guard the carriage and the servants were taking care of it. He and the rest of us entered the inn and it was pretty decent in decoration and felt homey. It was dimly lit which I thought was soothing. I rang the chime that was on the reception desk and a wolf came in.
"Hello. How can I help you?" The wolf said.
"We'd like to stay for the night. Do you have 2 rooms available?" I asked him kindly. Tigress and Viper looked at me confused.
"Yes we do. It'll cost 20 yuan." The wolf said to me and thankfully I had some money with me as I was saving money for whatever reason down the line. I grabbed the amount of money needed and handed it to him.
"Alright, here are your keys. Your rooms are 10 and 12." The wolf said as he handed me the keys. I nodded to him and we all walked up the stairs to see a hallway that had 6 doors on each side and 1 at the end of the hallway. The last one on the right was room 12 and opposite it was 10.
"Sir, you'll take room 10, me and Masters Viper and Tigress will take room 12." I told Chang and he took the key for 10. We all walked down the hallway and were about to go into our respected rooms until Chang cleared his throat.
"Tiger Warrior, can I have a word with you in my room?" Chang asked me. I was confused. I looked at Tigress and Viper with a look telling them to go into the room and then I followed Chang into his room which was plain with a window, desk and bed. I then closed the door behind me.
"What do you want to speak to me about, sir?" I asked him as I put myself into a stance.
"One of my servants told me what you said to your friends earlier." Chang said rather bluntly as he took off his jacket. That's what the servant was doing.
"I see." I said. He then decided to walk up to me and stopped right in front of me, practically nose to nose. I began to feel uncomfortable.
"Why do you hate rich people? Is it because you're partly jealous?" He said to me as he for some reason rubbed his paw on my arm.
"No. It's that it's because of how they think they're better than everyone else because they are from a rich family. That they're life is handed to them on a silver platter. They don't know what people like me have been through as we go through so much to get to where we are." I stated to him and he then walked around me examining me, what is he doing?
"What if I told you that I actually did go through some hardships to be rich?" Chang whispered to my ear. I was perplexed.
"What do you mean?" I asked. And then he stepped in front of me.
"My life wasn't handed to me on a silver platter. I actually had to prove myself to show I can be worthy to handle the wealth my family had. And I wanted to help people by helping build orphanages and hospitals." He elaborated and this was something to hear. But I was curious about one thing.
"Well if that's the case then why act as though you're better than everyone else?" I asked him and then he placed his paws on my waist, I was frozen stiff when he did this.
"It's because I want people to respect me. And because I'm also insecure about a little secret I have." Chang said in a hushed voice. I was now starting to suspect what his secret might be.
"Oh yeah?" I said to him. He just nodded as he leaned in and then kissed me on the lips. I was shocked and wide eyed that I took a step back. So that's his secret, he's gay. I have nothing against it, I was just surprised this happened. He just stared at me confused.
"I'm sorry." I said to him avoiding his gaze as I exited his room and entered room 12. I was taking deep breaths and Tigress and VIper woke up from the noise I made.
"Luke, are you alright?" Viper asked me as I slid down and sat on the floor.
"Chang just kissed me." I just simply said to them and they both looked shocked, especially Tigress.
"He what?" They both asked in unison.
"He was telling me that he heard what I told you guys and he said that he was just acting that way so that people can respect him, and that he was insecure about being gay." I explained to them and they looked stunned.
"And he must've been interested in me as he rubbed his paw over me, and of course, kissed me on the lips." I added.
"That's such a shift." Tigress said and then we heard a door open then close and heard footsteps. Chang. We all walked out of the room and followed him to make sure he's alright.
"Sir." I called out to him but he just kept walking. We followed him down the stairs and then as he exited the building I saw a blur pass by and grab him. I instantly ran out to see some crocodile bandits running with Chang on one of their shoulders. We chased after them and then we leaped into the air and landed in front of them. Tigress growled looking at the crocs.
"Fung?!" She yelled in surprise. She must know him and his buddies.
"Oh, hello there. Why can't you just leave us be?" Fung said to us. Okay, is he this dumb to think we'd let that happen.
"After trying to kidnap Chang, I don't think so mate." I said to him right before I lunged at him and axe kicked him in the head which made him drop Chang who ran towards me.
"Get behind Tigress, Chang!" I ordered him and then he did as I told him. We then faced off against Fung and his bandits and I've never come across a more dumb and stupid bunch of crooks than these guys. When we just finished the last one, they all got back up on their feet.
"We'll be successful, you'll see!" Fung shouted at us as he and his bunch ran off to who knows where.
"Who were those dummies?" I asked Tigress.
"That's Fung and his gang. They've been a real nuisance because of how idiotic they are." Tigress said to me as we checked up on Chang.
"Are you alright?" I asked him.
"Yeah. Look, about what happened, I-" Chang said before I interrupted him.
"Look, we'll talk about it in the morning. Let's just go to sleep." I said to him and we all walked back to the inn and slept through the night.
Following Morning
I just woke up as well as Viper and Tigress and we exited our room and lead Chang to outside and let him enter his carriage. But then he stopped as he was entering.
"Would you 3 like to come in with me?" Chang asked us. We were taken aback at this but we looked at each other and thought it wouldn't hurt.
"Okay." I answered. We all entered his carriage and then it was pulled.
"Look, Chang, I'm sorry about what happened last night." I said to him just so I could clear things up with him.
"No, I should apologise. I shouldn't have advanced onto you like that. I just found you so attractive." He said to me in a sad tone. I looked at Tigress and Viper and they looked like they felt sorry for him like I did.
"Hey, I only walked out because I'm already in a relationship with Tigress. And I was just so surprised by what you did." I told him.
"Do you see why I have to put on an act now?" He said to me. I wanted to help him get out of this shell. He should be more open and therefore live how he wants to.
"Listen to me. There's nothing wrong with being gay. And if you ask me, pretending you're better than everyone else won't work as you're just living a fake life. You can still do what you do while living how you want. That's what I've been told." I said to him and it seemed my words had gotten to him as he looked as though he was thinking and then he smiled.
"You're right. I think I should be more like myself and be more open. Thank you, Tiger Warrior." He said to me with a new enthusiasm. I smiled at this and so did Tigress and Viper.
"Please, just call me Luke." I told him.
The next few hours went by rather quickly and then we finally reached his home. We all stepped out and wow, his home was really huge. There was a gate in front of us and the 2 boars pulled them open.
"Well, here you are, good luck in the future, Chang." I said to him, pulling a hand out for a handshake. He then shook my hand.
"Thanks, Luke. Before you do go, can I ask for permission to kiss you again?" Chang asked me. I raised an eyebrow and turned to Tigress for permission, she nodded and then I turned to Chang.
"Just needed to ask Tigress for permission." I said in a chuckle before he stepped forward and kissed me on the lips. You know, he's not a bad kisser. We then broke apart and he turned to Tigress and Viper.
"Thank you for escorting me. I knew I could rely on you." He said to them both. They both bowed to him.
"No problem. We do hope you find someone special." Viper said in her trademark kindness.
"I hope so too, goodbye." Chang said with a smile as he walked back into the carriage and he entered his home.
"Come on, let's head back home." Tigress said to me and Viper and we all made our hike back to the Jade Palace.
A/N: I've just been sent a private message that told me how to improve my writing and that will throw my plan off a bit but I'll be able to hopefully make it work. So the time it'll take to write chapters will be longer than normal.