Chapter Nine: If Looks Could Kill
The Soothsayer rested her weary eyes and slouched. Her horns weighed her heavy head, and a leak in the ceiling pattered. Her legs hurt; the walk from Gongmen City grew more difficult. She would do well to simply stay put in the city, but she had to maintain this old house. This was her debt, and she would endure.
A bird cawed somewhere in the midday distance.
Birds, she thought, why is it always birds?
Today, there were a few items to keep in order. She was expected at the library to resolve a historical dispute; she had offered to visit the temple to read to the children; the Trade Authority demanded her presence—a demand she would again ignore; and she was running low on herbal salve and linens. The last item had only been recently added—a mar in her otherwise meticulous planning. But some things were unexpected, even for her.
A gust shook the rickety building. The Soothsayer scrunched her long nose at the smell of wet wood. Once again, she found herself in the center of fate. Wisdom was more of a chore than a gift.
She straightened out, and shifted her hooves on her cane. Her eyes remained shut. There was a peacock opposite her in the room, and it made no sense. She had never been wrong before. Perhaps, she was shown only a piece of the truth.
Bah, she huffed. Were it so simple.
She floated a thought toward the lanky Crane. The timid bird had brought Shen to her.
Crane, she thought. Not a difficult name to remember. The Soothsayer perceived a confidence about him. Why, then, did he seem so uncertain?
One thing seemed clear—the bird was an idiot. Or, perhaps, he merely acted like one. Whatever the case, he owed her a new rug.
"One who cannot see the path will stumble," she mumbled to herself.
The Soothsayer allowed herself a slight smile. Idiot or not, Crane acted quite strangely. He was unusual, and she had never met anyone like him. Head always in the clouds, like most birds. Although... the crane said he saw another bird out there. One with yellow eyes. Which would be troubling, if not for the fact that it was impossible. Gongmen City was old, and full of more stories than one could count. Few true, most not.
The bedding made a slight rustle, and the Soothsayer opened her eyes. What she saw before her gave her pause. The peacock, the last of the Shen family, was awake. Not only that, but his head was raised, and staring directly at her. Dull grey lit Shen from the paper walls behind. The peacock's white head was encased in bandages, minus a single eye and his beak. Piercing red from his iris shined down at her, and his beak was slightly parted.
"Do not wake yet," her melancholy voice spoke. It was troubling. The Soothsayer didn't expect him to be awake so soon. He was rent with wounds, and hadn't eaten in days.
Suddenly, Shen screamed. He screamed in that distinctive, shrill peacock fashion, interrupting The Soothsayer's thoughts.
"Hello?" She said, but her fears resolved. She knew that he couldn't answer.
"Head trauma," she said to herself with sorrow.
Her heart sank, and Shen screamed again; his red eye bright as a wildfire. His injuries ran deeper than she thought.
The body I can heal. But the mind… that's up to him.
I didn't lie, I just… withheld a piece of the truth, Crane reasoned with himself. Deep in thought, the turbulence of the air blended into one long movement. He barely noticed his destined course—the fireworks factory under a slowly growing tower of smoke.
He hoped it would get clearer. He was a Kung Fu master. He should always know the right thing to do.
I have to tell them sooner or later. This all ends the same way, he thought. Something didn't feel right about that. Po had seen something in that peacock. And that felt important.
"Uh, Crane, we're losing altitude."
Mantis reached around Crane's neck with a pair of claws. Crane flapped to rise, breathed a steadying breath, and tried to relax. The factory neared, and at this moment, he was needed. Lord Shen would have to wait. He hoped he had made the right choice.
He's with the Soothsayer. Nothing is going to happen. Just wait a couple days until it all gets clearer.
The wind buffeted his brow, and he sighed. I miss my hat.
"Well, I feel like shit," Mantis said, "you must not feel much better. We all got pretty sloshed."
Crane ignored him. Drunk or not, Mantis had insulted him in front of everyone.
"How about Po, huh? He seemed a little off to me. Still didn't tell us what happened after he got shot, either."
Crane agreed, but didn't answer. Po had acted a lot less cheerful than usual at the bar.
"You look weirdly bald without your hat. And where'd you get this bandage from, anyway?" Mantis said, tapping Crane's shoulder. The bird continued flapping in the overcast day, annoyance growing.
"Okay, that's fine. I get it. Don't wanna talk to me." Mantis said. They continued flying forward, neither speaking.
"Look, I said I was sorry," Mantis said.
"That doesn't change anything," Crane bit back.
"Come on, Crane, get a thicker coat. Yeah, I called you a pushover. That isn't even that harsh! You're lucky I didn't say anything worse, frankly."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Crane said with irritation.
Mantis paused.
"…bird brain?"
They both laughed, despite the dour mood.
"You're such a moron," Crane said. He'd have to talk to Mantis later.
The fireworks factory was now only a glide away. The entire thing looked purpose-built to be intimidating. Crane noted that a number of Gongmen buildings shared the crimson, flared, layered roof design… as did the strange building on the archway, where Lord Shen lie. His feathers stood up a little bit.
"Woah, your feathers just got all pointy. What's that about?"
"It's nothing!" Crane called, "the air is just a little chilly,"
"Ooh. It's Viper, isn't it. I saw the way you were looking at her."
"I wasn't looking at her," Crane said.
"Shifu said he's giving us more freedom…"
"Would you shut up?" Crane said, "your sharp insect voice is hurting my ears."
"Aren't snakes like, your natural prey?" Mantis teased. Crane shook his body, jostling the insect.
"Alright! Alright!"
Underneath, the other masters leapt across the clay rooftops. They sped forward with skill, jumping and flipping like acrobats. The large panda Po managed to match their pace, which was a little surprising.
Crane circled the fireworks factory. Black smoke rose from the north side. It formed a steady column, morphing and swirling in a hidden heat. The uncertain air around it shimmered like fake water.
"Let's get down there and show those wolves who's boss," Mantis said.
Crane saw the warriors below reach the building's entrance. Masters Ox and Croc were supposedly guarding the factory. Between the pair's vast skill, the wolves were probably already retreating.
"Not yet," Crane said, "Shifu told us to surveil from the air."
"Surveil? What does that even mean?"
"You know, like, watch from a distance."
"Screw that," Mantis said, "I'll see you at the bottom!"
The bug leaped from his back.
"Mantis!" Crane shouted after him, then grumbled. Mantis slipped through a crack in the roof.
Not again, Crane thought.
He made a final circle around the building. Sharpened wooden stakes and tottering scaffolding surrounded the rocky flats. A large cliff faced the winding river. Above it, the factory wall was blasted open. Crimson light emanated from the impressive hole; it must've taken a lot of strength to breach it. Within the smoky red interior, the ring of steel echoed. Seeing no danger in the vicinity, Crane dove for the hole, hoping to catch the wolves from behind.
He glided through the smoke and alit on the remains of a walkway. Conveyors and large wooden gears sat dormant. Flames and embers glowed from charred timbers. Crucibles hung from flimsy pulleys on the ceiling, and shadows painted the walls. No wolves seemed present.
Somewhere out of sight, Shifu yelled: "Master Ox! Stop! We are your fellow masters!"
"Croc! Snap out of it!" Po's voice said. More clashes of steel followed, along with Master Croc's distinctive bellowing. Unable to make sense of the dialogue, Crane swiftly rounded a paneled guardrail. His talons scraped the wood, and he brought his wings into his fighting stance.
On the lower level, antelope guards ran through the large front door in terror. In the entryway, what Crane saw was all too bewildering. Masters Ox and Croc were locked in battle with Shifu and the others. Their eyes shone a familiar yellow. The two fought with the same ferocity Crane had seen before, except this time it was directed toward his friends. Crane lowered his wings and straightened his neck.
"What?" he said aloud, nonplused.
"Okay. Weird." He crouched and narrowed his eyes, ready to join their struggle. The multi-leveled fireworks factory glowed in his vision as he plotted his course. The unsure battlefield was a forest of dangling ropes and bamboo poles. Whatever was going on, Ox and Croc were a formidable pair, and had to be subdued. Just as he was about to take off, the uncanny, unmistakable whine of a firework streaked behind him.
Crane had just enough time to bend his legs and jump.
"Huh!" he yelled and leaped upward. The walkway he had been on moments prior exploded in a blaze of red sparks. A crackling boom sent a wave of heat to his legs as he dodged. He spun in the air, frantically scanning for danger. A dark, sinister, hooded figure hunched on the highest walkway. It was lit by the burning light below. Crane hovered over a since-cooled crucible of metal, icy fear running him through. The figure beamed at him with its yellow eyes, like two smoldering suns.
"You," it said.
Crane screamed, terror and realization taking hold. And then, a blinding flash of golden light filled his entire field of view…
…
"Come on, Crane! Everyone's waiting for you!" Viper called him from the nothingness.
Waiting… for me?
The landscape became clear. The Valley of Peace unfolded before him, golden, peaceful, glorious. Tree-covered mountains rose and fell, impossible in their height, ripe with blooming flowers and gilded grasses. A table with steaming cookware was on a ridge below him, surrounded by Po, Shifu and all of his other friends.
Crane smiled, filled with an astronomical happiness. He adjusted his hat, and smiled again. Unencumbered, he flew through the warm honey-like air, worries slipping away. He landed in the pillowy grass beside the table, where a space was empty for him. Po dished out bowls on a gleaming platter. Monkey laughed as he accepted the soup, and Mantis recited a delicious story. Shifu kicked back on his chair, chewing on a reed.
"We did it," Viper said from beside him, "we saved China. We don't have to fight anymore."
Everything was right in the world. Crane relaxed completely. He would've shivered in delight if he didn't feel so warm.
"Say, Crane," Po said, releasing his platter, "Is Shen coming? We saved him a seat..."
…
Cold metal cut and bruised Crane's sideways head as the roar of flames returned. He gasped and panted, tongue lolling from his open beak. His limp wings splayed about him. The bandage on his bicep had come undone. He opened his eyes wide, stunned by the golden dream. Soon enough, he returned to himself, finding his body had fallen into the crucible of hardened steel. He stood up and stumbled as the deep vessel swayed. With a wing, he caught the crucible's rough side, still gulping air.
What… the hell… was that…
"Crane!" Viper said and peered over the rim. Crane's vision blurred as he watched her lower a curl towards him.
"What's going on…" he stammered, rubbing his head.
"Grab on!"
Using a foot, Crane grabbed Viper's body, and she lifted him over the rim. Viper's muscular back tensed under his grip.
"Look out!" She said, and sprung from the crucible back onto the scaffold. Crane looked up to see another firework blasting for the beam above him. Just in time, he jumped off the crucible, before an explosion ruptured the ceiling. The entire assembly, crucible and all, crashed down to the factory floor below.
Crane wheezed and struggled to remain upright. Focus lost, he hung his wings and looked ahead without seeing. He felt violated. It felt like he had lost something precious. Like something had been stolen from him.
The sounds of a fight on the rafters centered Crane's attention. The feminine notes of their vocals indicated Viper and Tigress. He crept his wings back up, and with a slow turn, looked toward the action.
Viper and Tigress took turns blocking quick, thrusting blows from the creature. Its billowing robe flayed wildly with each bolting twist. It fought with incredible speed, and dodged the attacks of the tiger and the snake rather than block them. Crane caught a flash of its yellow eyes and winced, wary of the strange effect. But when he lowered his wing, he realized that he was this time unaffected.
The creature yelled, and whipped its scarlet robe at Viper and Tigress. The two absorbed the impact and skidded back a few wingspans on the narrow scaffold. Tigress brought one paw forward, and lifted the other over her head. Viper raised her tail and pointed toward the creature, which simply held its wings at its side. The combat was at a stalemate.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Tigress asked with a steely bite.
The creature hummed.
"What do I want?" it said, cocking its head slowly. Its voice was deep and raspy, like an opium smoker's. Charisma dripped from every syllable.
"Now that's a rather big question. Shall I summarize?"
It raised its wing and fired another rocket at the female warriors. They escaped the blast as the scaffold disintegrated in a shower of sparks. Crane shielded his face from the heat. With another cry, the bird-like creature jumped off the edge. Just then, two fiery jets crackled from its form, and it hovered under the hole in the ceiling.
"I have seen what you desire," it declared. With a flourish, it propelled itself out of the building.
Crane coughed in the smoky plume, and Tigress called out to him: "Crane!"
With a shake of his head, Crane unfurled his wings and made chase. He flew through the hole and looked to the sky. A trail of smoke led into the grey clouds in the direction of the wilderness. But there was no sign of the creature.
Crane hovered over the fireworks factory, stunned. His muscles tightened as he became aware of his bruised body. His stomach ached. Wings extended, he circled back into the factory. Tigress panted on a line of rickety wood, holding her arm.
"You alright?" He said, landing next to her.
"Just a little burn. I'll be fine." Tigress' arm was singed, but it didn't look serious.
"That thing… is it gone?" She said.
Crane nodded. "Okay, so… what, uh… what happened?"
Tigress pointed to the ground floor, where the male masters were supporting each other. Crane glided on shaky wings to meet them. Ox held his great horned head in his hooves. His curled blades rested on the ground next to him. Croc sat on his large green tail, rubbing a studded leather arm. They all looked shaken.
"Are you certain you're alright?" Master Shifu rested a hand on Ox's knee.
"I'm not sure. Did I hurt you?" The large ox said, low voice filled with concern.
"No. But your attacks were quite potent," Master Shifu said.
"That was horrible. I felt so helpless," Master Croc said in his peculiar accent. He looked at Ox with understanding.
"What was that thing?" Po said after helping Monkey up.
Shifu shook his head. Mantis ran into the center of their circle and proclaimed: "I had a dream that someone ate my head!"
"You had a dream too?" Monkey said, limping toward Mantis on balled up hands.
"I think we all did," Crane said, eying the ground. He pondered his own vision… no, it was too weird to think about right now.
Tigress flipped down from the upper level, and Po rushed to greet her. The panda grabbed Tigress' injured arm before she shrugged him away. Viper slithered from around the ruined crucible that jutted out of the wreckage. Red fire lighted their uncertain gathering.
"What? You guys had dreams?" The snake said.
"Yeah, we all had this really weird dream," Po said, stepping away from Tigress.
"My dad and I were cooking for the Winter Feast, and—"
"What? I didn't see that." Monkey said.
"Maybe we all dreamed different stuff," Mantis said.
"I saw nothing." Tigress said.
"This is no time to talk about dreams," Shifu said. His eyes were wide.
"The city is in danger. That bird… whatever that was, it is still out there. From what I saw, it uses a combination of close- and long-range techniques, as well as other abilities that are a mystery to me. If you see it, regroup immediately. We were able to hold it off this time, but there is no guarantee that it can be stopped again. Come, you six, outside." Master Shifu motioned for his students.
"Ox and Croc, guard the factory, and put out the fires." The two masters looked up but didn't reply.
They made their way outside, keeping their guard up; shaken, but ready.
"I thought Ox and Croc went crazy," Monkey said. "I didn't even see the bird thing until it rocketed away."
"How did it do that, anyway?" Viper said.
"Crane, did you see where it went?" Master Shifu asked.
"North, away from the city," he said.
"That doesn't mean that it won't return." Shifu eyed them warily.
"Does anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Mantis said.
"Some kind of possession," Tigress said. "Ox and Croc attacked us as soon as we came in. We didn't know the bird was here until it looked at you, Crane." They looked his way.
"Look, I don't know what it was," he said. "But…"
Yellow eyes.
"…I think I saw it last night, when I went after the wolves," Crane said, "it flew away before I could follow it."
"You're telling us this now?" Mantis said, stepping forth.
"I… I thought it was just a dream,"
Yellow eyes. The creature was there when he had found Lord Shen. Crane's dream lit up his mind at the thought of the evil bird.
What does Lord Shen have to do with that dream?
He thought of the secret he kept as he looked at his friends. Uncertainty carved into each of their varied faces.
"Did that creature remind you guys of anyone?" Viper said.
"Shen…" Po answered.
"It wasn't Shen," Crane said. All of them focused on him.
"Lord Shen is gone!" he said, "I don't know what that was, but it definitely wasn't him." His secret grew more tenuous. But... it wasn't the right time.
Yellow eyes, he thought, remembering the wolves strange ramblings.
"But I think I know someone who might."
The warriors walked through the double doors of Gongmen Jail. Dim lanterns lit the octagonal interior with a sullen glow, which added to the hopeless atmosphere of the depressing building. Crane had watched from the sky for any sign of the demonic being, but had seen nothing but the usual sheep, bunnies, pigs and antelope. The city was safe—for the moment.
"To think, the Trade Authority ordered us out of the city, and on a day like today," Viper said.
"We are not leaving." Shifu said.
They stopped at the balcony in front of a sunken room. Cells lined the walls, and cruel cages hung from the ceiling.
"Yeah, I don't care what those rich fat cats say; they need us," Mantis said.
Master Shifu held his staff with both hands. "Crane, show us this wolf you talked about."
The six hopped onto the dusty floor in unison. A Yin-Yang pattern rippled from the center: an odd choice of decor for a prison, Crane thought. Wolves jeered at them from behind cold bars.
Crane took a moment to remember the wolf he had fought in the streets yesterday. All of the dogs looked very similar, dressed as they were in ropes and rags. They lounged carelessly against the walls, except for one. He sat on the ground, hugging his knees.
"Here," Crane said. The other warriors looked upon the wolf through the vertical bars. Crane scowled.
Wolves, he thought with disgust. As vile an animal as they come. They seemed incapable of holding any respectable profession, instead becoming bandits and thieves. Plus, it was said that they practiced cannibalism against other species. Crane felt sick having to be close to them, let alone speak with one.
"You, wolf," Master Shifu said, "what do you know about a bird with yellow eyes?"
"Ah! No! The Scarlet Robe!" He screamed and backed up against the wall. "Is it here? Is it going to take me?"
"Calm down," Tigress said, "It's not here. But we need you to tell us what it is."
"The Scarlet Robe…" Shifu mumbled, furrowing his brow in concentration. Crane had never heard of such a thing either.
The wolf shifted his eyes back and forth as he spoke:
"You… Tiger… your eyes are yellow… did it already get you? Oh, why? Why did we ever come back?!" The wolf sunk to the ground and wrung his triangular head in his hands.
"Jeez. What's wrong with him?" Po said with pity.
"Ah, now you've done it." another wolf hidden in the cage said. He had whitish fur and wore a black tunic with red stripes. Atypical for a wolf.
"It's okay, Daan, calm down. You're okay." He set a paw on the scared wolf's head, then walked to the front of the cage.
"Hey, I recognize you. You're the ones who attacked us and blew up our boats." The wolf looked at Crane.
"Where's your hat, baldy?"
Crane glowered at the insult. Mantis tried to hide a laugh, but failed badly.
"You best get lost, freaks," the wolf muttered. His accent was thick and grumbly.
"Tell 'em, Kang!" Another wolf said from around the prison.
"Wait!" Po said, meeting him at the bars, "we just want to know what it is."
Kang stopped, and looked over his shoulder with a sigh.
"Look at you all. Scared like little children. You know The Scarlet Robe isn't real, right? It's just a dumb story. Leave us alone."
"Alright, wise guy," Crane said with a step, "what about the wolves we saw last night? They were running scared, and said something about a demon."
"Let them run." the wolf said, turning around with force.
"Our wolf pack is in pieces. Those of us that chose to stay, well..." He grabbed the bars and poked his head through. The other wolves lounging around grunted in agreement.
"You are mistaken, fools. There is no demon."
Crane narrowed his eyes at the wolf: "It said 'I have seen what you desire,'"
A light flashed in Kang's eyes. His fabric-covered ears angled, he scanned them more closely. The other wolves quieted their chatting and listened as well.
"What did you say?"
"I have seen what you desire. That's what it said, before it flew off."
"Did you have visions?"
"Yes, actually," Crane said, surprised.
"Well, except for—"
"The women," Kang said. The Kung Fu warriors shifted uncomfortably. It was true; neither Viper nor Tigress had dreamed like the rest.
"Just like the stories…" the wolf licked his lips, and cleared his throat.
"No one's seen it in fifty years. You best hope it's not real, freaks, or you're all in danger. Especially," he paused and smiled widely, "the men among you."
Crane scrunched his beak at the strange statement.
"Oh come on," Mantis said, "seriously?"
He waved for the others. "He's just trying to scare us. Let's get out of here."
The other warriors made their way to the exit, arguing amongst themselves. Crane approached the cage, disdainful.
"You think you're funny, do ya?" He said.
"Don't believe me, baldy? I couldn't care less. Now scram." Kang said. The others in the prison continued their jeering, but Crane could sense their unrest.
He grunted in contempt, feeling foolish for trusting a wolf. Still, he wondered if there was some truth to his story. What Crane had seen, and what they had fought, was real. He walked through the prison foyer, weighed down by fatigue, inside and out.
"Psst! Over here!" A boar said from the last cell in the prison block. His blue fur was matted by leather cuffs and armor. Crane approached him with apprehension.
"I heard the same story—well something really similar. Yeah, yeah. I went to this play when I was really little. I think The Scarlet Robe has something to do with Gongmen City."
"Really?" Crane asked.
"Mmm, my memory is hazy," he rubbed his head, "But, Gongmen Library's sure got a lot of interesting scrolls. Shouldn't hurt to take a look, hmm?" A tantalizing eye gazed at Crane through the prison bars.
"Okay, but why help? Aren't you a criminal?"
"Who, me? No! I'm an aspiring Kung Fu warrior! But those antelopes looked at me funny, so I socked them in the mouth."
"Y'know assault is a crime, right?" Crane said, lidding his eyes.
"Bah. That's what they all say. Good luck, baldy."
"Why does everyone keep calling me that? I'm not even bald!" Crane scratched his foot with his head to confirm his head feathers were still there. He sighed, supremely annoyed. Nothing made sense anymore. But, at least they had a lead.
He regrouped with the others outside of Gongmen Jail, and told Shifu what the boar had said.
"There will be time for research later. Now, our priority is protecting the city. Everyone," Master Shifu said, "meet at The Broomstick Inn at dusk. I will have new orders for you then. Now go."
He pointed his staff down the back alley. The Kung Fu warriors went their separate ways, and Crane took to the air. As he rose above the huge city under the clearing clouds, he saw his friends disappear in the winding streets. He was alone once again with his secrets. He sighed, knowing that their time in Gongmen City was far from over.
His thoughts turned to the night he had left injured peacock. He had to return to the Soothsayer. The goat's motives were a mystery, but if anyone knew Gongmen, it was her.
And I really gotta find my hat.
A/N:
Hey all, sorry for the big delay getting this out. I am aware of every day that passes between my chapters. I am making it a goal to get at least three new chapters out before the new year, so please, don't touch that dial!
This chapter gave me a lot of trouble since I'm trying to lay down so many narrative threads. Keeping track of them is a bit challenging; I have never written anything this long before. A big part of writing is keeping those threads at the forefront of the reader's mind; not an light task.
The Soothsayer's perspective was fun to write! She has a more easy-going mind that comes with her age and wisdom, but she's not afraid to be judgy. And I'm sensing a great deal of history between her and the city...
RACIST CRANE RACIST CRANE. He has a big prejudice against wolves. As they are portrayed in the franchise, I don't blame him. Character flaws are the best.
Hope you enjoyed reading it! As always, please leave any critiques you want! I am all for improving my writing. Until next time (very soon...).
