Hey guys! This is a bit of a short chapter and the next one after this will also be short. I'm almost done with it so hopefully, I'll have it up before April ends. After those chapters, ch 21 will be a long chapter and that one will take me a while. So let not waste time, enjoy more character development!


Chapter 19: Good Terms for Now

"Are these the plans?"

"Yes. I would like for you to look at them."

Gang finally made it back to the village with the scroll still intact. It was a long journey back but he made it, despite his injured wing. He handed over the scroll to the blacksmith. The blacksmith rolled out the scroll on his work table and look through it. While he was studying it, Gang flew over to a cabin to grab bandages. His chest was healed but the hole in his wing started to bleed. Not too much blood was lost but the crow knew he still needed more bed rest.

After patching himself up Gang watched the warthog studying the plans. He looked up to the crow.

"So, this Lord Shen, is he still on board with this plan?"

"I don't know what happen to him and I don't care," Gang responded quickly, "These plans are mine now."

The blacksmith shrugged and studied more of the designs, "These are very unique, but I'm gonna need more material to build these."

The crow smiled as he made his way to the table. He sat on the other side of the table and grabbed a piece of paper and ink with a paintbrush.

"Not to worry, I can send a note to my men to come here. They can help you with the work."

The warthog scratched his chin, "Mm, very well, I tell my buddy to send the order."

"When will you complete them?" the crow asked.

"If I were to do this alone it would have taken me a year," explained the hog, "But with your help, we may get this done before the Winter festival comes around."

Gang twitched his head back to the blacksmith, "What was that?"

"We'll get it done before the Winter festival" the blacksmith repeated.

Gang had forgotten about those events, he hasn't been to village festivals in a long time. Then an idea popped in his head, the winter festivals were always filled with many people even masters. Where there are many people, there are banquets of food. Perhaps, if Shen was still around, he might be hiding in one of those villages that hold festivals.

He smiled a very devilish smile.

"That would be perfect."

As the blacksmith gathers some metal he had in his workshop, he called his lizard friend to come over. The lizard rushed in and waits for his orders. Gang gently flew down to the floor and gave him his orders he finished writing.

"Tell my men from the mountains to come here, and I want all of them," he tells the lizard, "Tell them not to worry about the stored food, if Master Eagle find them we'll simply gather more from a special place."


When Shen opened his eyes, he felt that something was off. He glanced around only to see he couldn't see much of anything. He glanced down and saw he was laying on the floor. Why he was on the ground he wasn't sure.

He got up and lifted his head to see he was outside of the Jade Palace. This was really strange, Shen doesn't even remember going outside. Getting up to his feet, Shen walked back inside and tried to find the masters. He checked in every room including the kitchen, but he still couldn't find anyone. The last place he hadn't looked at was the training area.

Shen walked back outside and saw the sky had changed, no longer clear blue but painted dark clouds of red. This sends eerie chills down the peacock's spine, he doesn't know what is going on. He rushed to the courtyard to find anyone, only to hear the sound of someone groaning.

Someone groaning in pain.

Shen once again looked around to find the source of the noise. Then he saw him, it was Po who was laying on the ground. Po's back was facing the peacock, he looked like he was clutching his chest in pain.

"Po!" Shen cried.

He rushed over to his friend and turn him around, he took a step back. Po was bleeding from a heavy wound on his chest. Before Shen could ask what happened he heard more sound behind him, his eyes were wide as he stared down at Master Shifu and the Five. They were also bleeding from heavy cuts all over their bodies. They weren't there a second ago but that fact didn't register to Shen's mind. The peacock started to breathe heavily, panicking.

"Wha-what happened?" Shen managed to make himself speak, "Po who did this?"

The panda didn't hear him as he was still groaning in pain. Po, with a little strength, opened his eyes up to the peacock. His breathing became faster as soon they made eye contact, he looked so fearful.

"W-why-y Shen-n" Po stuttered, "H-ho-ow co-could you do this-s to us?"

"Wha.." Shen was stiff and he felt cold sweat on his forehead, "What do you mean? I d-didn't do this I-"

Shen looked down to his wing and froze, they were covered in blood. Laying on the ground right by his feet was one of his throwing knives, stain in a deep color of red.

"No…"

Shen was shaking, this can't be is real. It couldn't be real, he couldn't have done this. He stared at Po with so much disbelief. The peacock had killed the last panda, it filled his heart with dread than triumph.

He back away from the dying panda and was going to make a run for it but when he turned around he stopped. The masters disappeared and in their place was the soothsayer, Lang, Master Rhino, and his parents. All five of them were laying on the ground in a pool of blood. Shen fell to his knees, eyes still wide and his body was shaking violently. What broke him to his breaking point was hearing the soothsayer speaking to him.

"S-h-Shen-n" her voice weakly uttered, "Is t-this w-what you wat-want-ted?"

The peacock covered his head, not wanting to hear their dying voices.

"Ar-aren't we your-r f-fam-family" Lang splatted, blood spilled from his mouth.

"Y-ou have brought us-s-s dishonor-r" Master Rhino choked out.

Shen tried to ignore their voices but they were getting louder. When he heard his parent's voices, he lost it.

"W-we-we're so-sorry we weren't good-d enough for you" Shen's father stuttered out his apology.

"We-we're sor-r-ry for-r not m-making you hap-py" Shen's mother cried.

"NO!" Shen snapped, "None of this was your doing! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

Shen started to scream his apologies. He didn't want any of this anymore, just seeing the people he was supposed to love, moaning in agonizing pain was too much for him to bear. He then felt a paw on his shoulder he turns around to see someone was standing behind him. It was the last person he wanted to see, it was Po's mother staring at him. Only this time she didn't look terrifying, she looks like she was filled with sorrow.


Shen opened his eyes and sat up with a gasp. He swiftly looked around and looked at his wings. He signed in relief, it was a nightmare and he was safely home.

After sending the Chomp squad to jail for good, Shen and the others journeyed back to the Valley of Peace. Ever since they came home, Po refused to leave his bed and had slept throughout since yesterday. The Furious Five reported to Master Shifu and will continue to search for Gang the next morning.

It was still night, which meant Shen hadn't been sleeping for very long. He was upset and terrified, he was still having nightmares and he doesn't know why. He thought he has moved past this ordeal. He rubbed his groggy eyes, wanting to go back to sleep but was too afraid to go back to that nightmare realm. The peacock allowed his eyes glanced down to his wings, his unstained wings.

"Are you alright?"

Shen filched by the sound of a voice. He turned to see Master Tigress right in his room. What really startled him was her eyes, he saw glowing orange eyes staring at him.

"What are-!" he paused realizing how late it was and tone down his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking up on you," Tigress said bluntly.

Shen sat up straighter and stared at her with a spacious look.

"You're checking up on me?" he questioned.

Tigress put her paws on her hips as she stared blankly at him, "I heard noises coming from your room. So, I came to check on you."

"Oh."

He glanced away almost embarrassing. He didn't even think that he would make noises when he dreams, he must have sounded like he was dying. It was already weird that the female tiger would check on him, he thought she would not want to speak to him since that fight they have.

Shen cleared his throat trying to clear off the silence.

"Well, I'm alright now as you can see. So, you can um…"

She didn't let him finish his sentence as she walked closer to him. Tigress gently tuck her legs under as she sat on the floor.

"Shen" Tigress started, "You are a terrible liar. So whatever is on your mind, might as well get it off your back."

The peacock was confused by this kind gesture. "I don't understand…"

Tigress sighed and explained herself.

"I know we don't see eye to eye, but the least I can do is help rid of your troubles. After all the trouble you have been through with Po."

She then gave a small smile, "Thanks for watching over him."

Shen gave her a look like he didn't believe her, "I'm sure he would have been fine without me."

"Maybe," said Tigress, "If you weren't there those creeps would have taken him away."

"I did what I had to do," said Shen, "He's done so much for me."

The female tiger blinked and smirk.

"Wow, he has really got to you. Is this the same peacock who tried to take over China?"

Shen rolled his eyes, "Yes, it is."

"The same one who was planning a second plan to get rid of us?"

Shen's body filched by that and looked at Tigress trying not to look guilty.

"Po told you, didn't he?"

"He told me everything," said Tigress with a knowing look, "He knows he can't lie to me, no matter how hard he tries."

Shen's rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward. Tigress and probably the others now know about his secret plan, but he thought maybe it was for the best. He originally was going to keep that information hidden, but since Po told them, there was no way of denying it. He glanced back at her.

"Well, you don't have to worry," he said, "I abandoned those plans. I have no intention of betraying all of you."

"Are you sure?"

Tigress knew she shouldn't ask that question, but she couldn't help it. Her instance was kicking in and she just wanted to be sure. She watched him, waiting for a response from the peacock. Shen frowned and turned away, she saw that he was trying to come up with something. His eyes were wide, he was shaking, he lowered his head in shame.

"Quite honestly, I'm not sure where my set of mind is at. I don't think can even trust myself."

"Why do you say that?" Tigress raised a brow.

"I don't think is wise if I tell you of…" he sighed, "My, nightmares."

Tigress's suspicion suddenly vanished and was replaced with a soft expression of understanding.

"So that's what this is about," she said, "Your nightmares are clouding your mind, maybe it's best if you talk about it, they may stop."

"No!" Shen snapped but kept his voice quiet, "You don't want to know if you knew what they were…you'll just see me as the same monster."

Tigress felt her eyes grew wide, inhaling her breathing to a halt. She stared at the peacock for a second before she breathes out and places her paw on his shoulders. She made sure that her touch was gentle so she wouldn't startle him. Tigress waited for Shen to finally to lookup back to her, she could tell that the nightmare really disturbed him. Thinking for a moment, Tigress decided to do something she thought she would never do.

"I know what it was like being looked at as a monster," she began her story, "When I was a little girl, I couldn't control my own strength. The kids were so scared of me, scared that I would break their toys or their bones."

Tigress's eyes narrowed sadly, the memories of the orphanage always made her sad but she kept herself talking.

"I would always get upset when no one wanted to come near me. They started to see me a monster…"

Her voice got quiet. Shen, who was listening the entire time, was going to say something but the female tiger found her voice again.

"For a while, I believed that I believe that I was a monster and that no one would want me. Then Master Shifu came along and took me in, he was never afraid of me and train me to control my strength. And ever since that, I finally felt accepted."

Tigress paused. She allowed herself to steady her breathing, she didn't want to end up getting teary about her story. She collected herself and smiled at the peacock, it was a real genuine smile.

"I understand what it's like, to be looked at differently," said Tigress, "Sometimes I want to loosen off steam, but I was scared I would lose control. Sometimes I would have nightmares where I'm hurting my friends. But I remind myself who am and conquer them, it's not easy but it helps."

Shen stared at her, flabbergasted on all of this information. This was probably the first time she told anyone about her story. It made him felt guilty about the horrible things he said to her. Another thing he noticed was she was having a real conversation with him, no hinted sarcasm or insults. The peacock breathed out a small sigh.

"We're not that different, are we?" he asked soberly.

"No, we not" Tigress agreed.

Shen nervously swallowed, and cautiously began to tell his nightmare.

"My nightmares are more gruesome than yours," he said "It's not just me hurting those around me, but killing them, watching them bleed out. I don't remember doing it, and it terrifies me."

His voice then started to strain, "They were dying in front of me, I couldn't do anything to make it right…"

Shen wrapped himself with his wings as if he was cold. He could feel himself shrink in so much shame, just seeing his mother and father bleed out in his nightmare was too surreal. He was even afraid of what Tigress's reaction would be after he told her that he killed her friends. She probably won't talk to him at all or worse. But in the end, Tigress kept herself clam, showing no sign that she was upset.

"It's okay, all that matters is that you told me. But it will never happen, Shen, you showed Po and us that you can change."

"How can we be sure?" Shen asked, "I thought my search for peace would stop them, but I'm constantly reminded of my nature."

"It's doesn't have to be your nature," Tigress said firmly, "Just keep searching for peace and you'll conquer them."

Shen still wasn't sure, but if the advice was coming from someone like Tigress, then he has to keep trying. The peacock gave a small smile to her, grateful for her help.

"So now that you are talking to me, does this mean we're in good terms?" he asked.

Tigress raised a brow but gave a playful grin, "As long as you behave then yes."

Shen watched as she turned to the door to leave, only to remember something important and called out to her.

"Wait, Tigress."

He waited for her to turned around and said I needed to say to her, "I… I'm sorry."

Tigress was surprised and her tail pause for a moment. She was going to ask what the apology was for, but then she remembered. Once again, she smiled. Before walking back to her room, she gave her response to him, "Thanks."


Remember if you see any mistakes let know right away, thank you and thanks for reading!