5
Before the clouds could descend its natural tears upon the valley once again, Po, Tigress, Tigro, Little Lotus, Jun, Lok, Sapphire, Yuki, and Yumi, finally made it back up to the Palace. The droplets were only hitting them once they reached the top of the steps. Tigress and the boys made it up after everyone else, with Sapphire nearly sweating beside her, and the others almost collapsing in front of them. Jun and Po were on the ground, completely out of breath, Lok wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, and the twins staring at Tigress and her sons wide eyed. "How are you guys not out of breath?"
Tigro raised an eyebrow in question. "The real question here," Sapphire spoke after a heavy pant, turned to look at Po, who rolled over slowly onto his back, giving Lotus the time to walk over and check his heartbeat by pressing a tentative paw on his chest, before kneeling beside him, and listening with his ear, which were painted white to camouflage. They were large and round, with a tuft permanently sticking up, to add a sharp look, to resemble his mothers. Ditto to his brother. "After being the Dragon Warrior for the amount of time he's been now, how is he still out of breath when he makes it to the top ."
"Pandasma." Tigro replied, taking hold of Tigress' paw. "It runs in the family... but we don't have it."
Jun snorted, before slapping his paw on top of his mouth quickly, when Lok and Sapphire glared at him. "R-really? Such a thing exists?"
"Yeah?" Lotus lifted his head, speaking with a bit of concern. "Isn't it Papa?" He was starting to question the existence of such a condition.
"Mainly in pandas..." Po took a few deep breaths, before attempting complete the sentence flawlessly. "You got your mother's stamina, that's for sure... phew!" He raise his arm, and bent it over his eyes. The rain was getting heavier again, and this triggered Po and Jun to jump up. "Quick! Inside." Everyone made a dash for the door. Po pushed it open, and once the gap was large enough, everyone squeezed in; with Master Shifu, the remainder of the Furious Five, Li, Mei Mei, and Shifu, facing their direction. "You guys! Guess who just came into town?" Po gave a classic jazz hands, catching their attention.
They raised a look of question, before hearing a familiar 'holla' as the others wandered in one by one. Shifu just stared at them in surprise, while Viper gave a gasp of shock, before she and the others ran for Sapphire, Lok, Jun, Yuki, and Yumi, who in turn opened their aims, cheering every Master's name in excitement as they dumped their bags. After a group hug, Viper grabbed hold of Sapphire's paw.
"How are you darlings?" She said happily, giving each of them the same amount of undivided attention. "Look at you! How you've grown!"
"It's been crazy, I can tell you that." Sapphire knelt down to hug Viper again, while the others exchanged their own little messages.
"Would've been quicker up here; but we stopped in the famous Mr Ping's for some food!"
"What you think of the soup?"
"The best!"
"What's it like being a travelling artist Jun?"
"Learning new things everyday; I've gotten into the singing and all now, and Sapphire is starting to become the master of the paintbrush."
"I'll stick to my guitar thank you."
"You still have it? The one Tigress gave you-"
"Ahem." They all turned quickly, voices immediately died down at the sound of his voice, to see Master Shifu smiling at the scene, walking down the steps slowly, with the existence his staff. Each time the wood came in contact with the ground, it made a soft clank. "Good afternoon."
Yuki, Yumi, Lok, Jun, and Sapphire bowed. "Master Shifu..." He smiled at them for another a seconds or so, before opening his arms, perhaps to motion while speaking or shake paws with Lok as he was closest to him, but Yumi saw a different message, and was quick to kneel down and hug him.
"Children... allow me to introduce you to some unfamiliar faces-" He gestured at Li, who was kneeling down to hug his grandsons. "This is Po's biological father, Master Panda-"
"No need for the formalities Shifu," Li smiled. "Pleasure to meet you all! My daughter-in-law has told me about you. Talented artists I assume?"
"Of different categories, yes." The wolf twins held their skirts against their frame, Jun posed like he was painting a picture, Lok fixed his glasses, and Sapphire pointed towards her guitar, that sat beside her bag. Lok then walked up and formally shook hands. "Pleasure to meet you too Li sir. I'm Lok, and this is Yuki, Yumi, Jun, and Sapphire."
"Nice to finally meet you at last young sir! This is Mei Mei," Li gestured her to come close, and she took no chance to decline. She glided up with her fan in paw, fanning her face as flawlessly, and as seductive as she could muster.
"Hello there handsome," she batted her eyelashes shyly. Lok smiled back, feeling his ears go a bit hot as they lay themselves closer to his head. "Glad the stars aligned for this day to take place..."
"Um... thanks?" He heard Sapphire giggle behind him. Mei Mei took a slow step back, before everyone's attention (to Lok's relief) went on to Yuki piping up 'It's great to see you all again Master Shifu! How have you been?' The red panda still had the his lips curved when he peeled away from the eager wolf, but when looking behind her to see the other young guests, his lips fell to a flat line.
"As destiny places the pieces," he began slowly. "I follow it with curiosity."
"Huh?" Yumi stood up properly and edged to the side, so she could see in the direction he was looking at. The former orphans looked at each other in confusion, before doing the same, briefly making eye contact with the Masters, and even Tigro and Lotus, for an answer. The cubs seemed to look like they were embarrassed, or awkward about the current situation; they both glanced at each other, and walked towards their father, who welcomed them by raising his arms, and placing each one around them quietly, while the others looked in another direction, all except Tigress.
She placed a paw on her stomach protectively, almost like she was trying to hide the little visible bump, staring right back at Shifu intensely. She looked at Sapphire and the others, before bobbing her head slowly in a respective gesture. "Master Shifu."
"Tigress." He said bluntly, copying her tone of voice. "Doctor Shang awaits for you in the medical wing."
She nodded again, before holding Sapphire gently on the shoulder, and looking at the others. "Excuse me." They did, and watched her walk away. Shifu looked at Po, who also gave him a quiet 'Master'. Tigro and Lotus glanced at one another, before walking towards their grandfather, and knelt on one knee before him. Sapphire and the others just stared, while the other Masters just watched on like it was normal to see this from the boys, whom weren't quick to say a soft 'Master' confidently, nor slow to bow their respectively. Once satisfied, the red panda followed their mother, towards an open space and the two were soon out of the Hall.
All was quiet until Sapphire dared to speak. She just coughed before letting out a question on everyone's mind. "What happened there?"
"The usual." Viper smiled, trying to sugar coat something that didn't seem so.
"Yeah..." said Jun, raising a brow in suspicion.
"Tigress is just having her monthly check up with the Doctor." Po smiled. "The baby... you know?"
"Of course, but- Dragon Warrior... the words between Tigress and Shifu? I feel that's what Sapphire was trying to ask. I mean, talk about a sour moment between Masters..."
"And the twins?" Tigro and Lotus looked towards Lok like he was being rude. "Last time I checked a grandfathers meant..." they took their attention away from him, and instead set it upon Li, who held up two action figures. Their eyes lit up and they soon tackled him playfully to the ground, "...to be more playful?"
"Any of them except Shifu by the looks of things. The way he spoke to her... like she was beneath him?" Sapphire's eyes went a shade or two darker, her fists and tail curling up as she let out a low growl.
"Sapphire please..." Po spoke lowly, something that was never destined to be of his character. He walked closer to her, and whispered; "Not with the boys here... and not now."
She was about to protest, but bowed her head in defeat, darting her eyes over at the children; Li was still on the floor, with Tigro sitting on his stomach, inspecting the action figure with might focus. As for Lotus, he was was sitting by his grand pand-father, listening to him talk about a completely different topic. "You're right... sorry," She sighed a little once he placed a paw on her shoulder, but quickly smiled. "Anyways, we should be happy to see one another again. What shall we do while we wait for her?"
Viper cleared her throat. "We can wait a few more minutes, and then join Tigress. These check ups don't take too long."
Monkey grinned. "She's been hoping you guys came to see her before baby number three. We all have... not to mention the wave of disappointment that swam around here when we found out that you couldn't make it to the boys' 100th day..."
"Or anytime through the last couple of years."
The corner of Yumi's lips ticked upwards weakly against the force of her frown. "Yeah, sorry about that... we all had been travelling see... speaking of boys, how is Ch-"
"Mono?" A little form came out from where Tigress and Shifu went through. His weight aided the volume of his footsteps beforehand, in which only the Master could identify, as young Chang; clothed in a dark blue tunic and black pants, the little beige monkey moved cautiously towards Monkey, watching the strangers in the room. They also observed him, but with widened beams stretching across their lips. "Is auntie Tigress okay?"
"The usual check up little man." Monkey replied, opening his arms to welcome him, but he instead climbed up his back, and sat on his shoulder happily. "Now, I don't think you'd remember these guys... but they certainly remember you." Chang looked down at his father through his exchange of words, and looked up at Sapphire, Jun, Lok, Yuki, and Yumi once the last word hung upon his tongue. "You lived with them before you lived with me."
"No..." he shook his head to emphasize his answer. "I don't... sorry." Why would the boy know he was adopted so early?
"That's quite alright Chang." Lok knelt on one knee to be at eye level with Chang. "You were just a little baby then... but we remember you!"
"I was the really small and sick baby in the orphanage, remember?"
"Who doesn't remember?" Jun placed his paw on his hip slowly, trying to mask his surprised look. Normally, as far as he was concerned, babies found out when they were much older... around the age Jun was when he was at Bao Gu. "You were the talk among the Nurses. They adored you more than any other baby there."
"As papa said to me." Chang smiled proudly at the thought of Nursing loving him so.
"But what do I always say?"
"That no one adores me more, than my Mono!" Suddenly, Chang wrapped his hands around his father's eyes. The older primate, however, was expecting it; instantly, he began to fall about, pretending to go blind.
"I can't see! Po! Who turned out the lights? Where's Chang gone?" He'd say, being fed on the laughs and giggles released from his son. "I hope I'll be able to see in time for our walk later." He stopped on the spot, and thought aloud. "Otherwise I can't take him to the toy stalls!"
"Toy stalls?!" Monkey gained his sight quickly, and he picked Chang off his shoulder and held him against his chest, where Chang immediately snuggled against comfortably. "Can Tigro and Lotus come too?" He gently took a clump of his father's fur into his hands. "Please Mono?"
"If they want." Monkey looked at the cubs. "How does that sound boys?"
Tigro looked up, half listening to their conversation. "Can we see Mama first?"
"We won't be going til after dinner, so of course..." Monkey then started walking out of the hall, and motioned the others to follow. "Knowing Shang, they should be nearly done by now... but why don't we take you for a grand tour, and show you to where you're staying?"
Hope you like it so far people!
I'm sorry about the lack of updates, because I have exams right now, and they're all on my mind at the minute.
Chapter 6 is in the making, and I hope to have it out soon.
Ciao!