Past Lives

Po was giddy again. I rolled my eyes. "Calm down. I know you're excited about the other Master Swordsmen coming but, at least, get a grip on yourself," I said. He wrapped his arms around himself to try to calm him. I just facepalmed myself. "Yeah, that will work." Just then there was a knock at the door. Po rushed over to open it. There stood Tai-gee, Nelon who was much bigger than I thought, another tiger, and a mountain lion- Mei-ling. Po was dancing in place.

"I'm so excited to finally see you!" Po jumped. I grabbed him and forced him to stay down.

"Let me guess," I said as the others were coming in. "You're Tai-gee, of course." He bowed. "You are the famous and infamous Saber." He glared at me coldly but nodded. "And you are-"

"Mei-ling?" Crane interrupted. It only took minutes for the mountain lion to recognize the avian. She immediately, faster than I could see her, ran up to Crane and hugged him tightly around his neck.

"Crane! It's so good to see you," She said delightfully and joyfully.

"Good to see you, too," Crane wheezed out. Her strength seemed to be strangling the life out of the bird. She finally let go of Crane.

"Everyone this is Mei-Ling. She used to-"

"You use to be with Crane when he was a janitor," Po butted in.

"Yes," I said glaring at him. "And this is-"

"Saber," Tigress added. Saber and I were a little surprised that Tigress knew about the tiger Master Swordsmen. "There have been stories of this tiger," She said very menacingly.

"The rumors you've probably heard are true to a certain extent," Saber replied somberly.

"But not all of them are true," Mei-ling spoke up, defending the tiger.

"Calm down, Mei-ling," Tai-gee soothed, "No one's accusing Saber of anything."

"What did he do," Po asked.

"The legend goes that Saber killed someone before, but what actually happened was that the guy he killed was trying to rob someone else. He killed a criminal," I explained. Saber nodded. That seemed to calm Tigress for the moment. "And this is-"

"Nelon," Tai-gee finished.

"Can I please finish a sentence," I exclaimed.

"So, you're the Lion Warrior," Nelon asked me. It's funny how tall people can make you feel two inches smaller. I sheepishly nodded. Nelon bowed. "It's an honor to finally meet you."

"Now that everyone has met everyone," Tai-gee spoke up, "Po is the one that wants to ask some questions."

"Oh no," I sighed.

"I don't have pestering questions. I just want to know some things," Po replied.

"Like," Monkey said.

"How did Mei-Ling get to be a Master Swordsmen?"

"She wanted a boyfriend," Nelon said plainly.

"Nelon!" Mei-Ling shouted. Monkey, Tai-gee, and I were laughing and Tigress and Saber just smiled a bit.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't supposed to say that aloud," Nelon sarcastically recovered.

"Anyways, Nelon was actually the first one who became the Master Swordsman," Tai-gee said. "I was the second, Mei-ling and Saber were third and fourth, respectively."

"Wow, cool," Po said. Nelon seemed to recognize Po.

"I've heard about you. You're the Dragon Warrior, aren't you," Nelon said. Po was amazed.

"You know me?!"

"From Tai-gee," Nelon said.

"Oh," Po said defeatedly. While they discussed, I decided to leave everyone to their own conversation. I was in the kitchen when Tai-gee, Mei-Ling, and Crane came in.

"What brings you here," I asked.

"Po's practicing with Saber and Nelon. Master Shifu told us how he fared with the Legendary Two-side Samurai and Lady Samurai and they wanted to see if for themselves," Mei-Ling explained. She was wearing her usual dark green fighting vest. I could tell she was still fit. Men must always want to get her number, er mail address to be exact. But that got me thinking.

"Mei-Ling, aren't you married to Saber," I asked. Mei-ling's eyes widened as her mouth dropped.

"How did you know that?" Mei-Ling questioned.

"Lion Warrior. Hello!"

"Right," Mei-Ling realized.

"So, you're married," Crane repeated. Mei-Ling nodded. "Wow, it's been a while since I've seen you. How long has it been?"

"Fifteen years," Mei-Ling answered. Crane scratched his other wing nervously.

"Wow, I didn't think it was that long," Crane said, stuttering a bit. I noticed this. I decided to change the subject.

"Crane, when's the last time you've seen your mother? Other than the time you and Po turned the Jade Palace into a hotel," I smiled innocently as he glared at me.

"Stalker," He retorted. "Anyways, it's been about... a year I guess."

"Why do you take so long to revisit friends and family," I asked.

"I don't," Crane said, defending himself.

"You do," Mei-Ling and I both said. Tai-gee nodded with us. The bird sighed.

"Okay, okay. So...things have gotten very busy while I've been at the palace. Bandits, training, saving China is a big task. I don't have much time for... relaxing. Plus, taking care of Po is difficult and you know personally how that is, Lion," Crane said, pointing me out. I rolled my eyes.

"Nevertheless," Tai-gee countered, "Family comes before the job. You won't always have your mother around with you."

"Let me ask you a question. Name me three memories you have of working, training, and being here," I asked.

"Being chosen, Po being chosen, and... my mother coming here," Crane replied.

"Now name five memories you have of being with family," I said.

"When my mother taught me how to write, when I was learning how to fly." Crane laughed in between. "When I was relearning how to fly." We all looked at him. "I had hit my head pretty hard and I forgot how to fly. It was momentary, though. Then there was when my father died and when I... nevermind."

"What," Mei-Ling asked curiously.

"It's nothing, really. You would laugh," Crane said, almost ashamed of himself.

"Crane, we're mature adults here," Tai-gee said.

"Speak for yourself, brother of Po," I jumped in. The big snow leopard glared at me. "But the point is you can tell us anything." Crane was quiet for a while.

"When I was young, probably around 15 or 16, I use to date this girl name Lu," Crane explained. I gasped.

"Who's Lu," Mei-Ling asked.

"Isn't Lu the Kung Fu Master of Southwest China," I asked. Crane nodded. "Why did you stop dating her?"

"Well, she wanted to become a master so she left. And that's the end of the story. So I have more happy memories of my family than of the Jade Palace, so what?"

"So what? Crane, do you honestly want to look back on your life and only remember those things," Mei-Ling asked. Crane sighed.

"You're right. I need a vacation," Crane admitted. Just then, Zeng came in with a concerned look.

"What's the matter," I asked.

"I think I know what a human looks like," Zeng answered. Crane and I looked at him with a bewildered look.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. Zeng presented another book. It was large like my journal, but it seemed worn and a little torn in some places. To be honest, it looked like some of my notebooks. Needless to say, that didn't explain why Zeng thought he saw a human.

"A person came here earlier and told me to give you that. He matched the description of a human. He didn't have much fur except on top of his head. He had no tail, and he was light brown. Oh, and he said his name was Demi." I instantly got upset.

"Well, Zeng," I said in a calm rage. "The next time you see Demi, make sure that you tell Dead Shot Duck to stick an arrow between his eyes for me." Zeng laughed and went his way. Mei-ling and Tai-gee were confused. Crane explained.

"Demi is the person who threw Lion into our world and the one who's given him a wife."

"Why are you upset with him then," Mei-Ling asked.

"The whole thing has kinda been...forced," Crane muttered. I looked in the book. It was written in fine print making it easy to read. "What is it?" I was shocked.

"In the other world, I use to write stories. This book is a collage of every story that I've written. And on the first page, Demi says, 'For Krystal, since Lion has been boring for the most part'," I huffed. The other three laughed. "I'm not that boring."

"Well, the problem is that we don't know if you're a boring husband," Mei-Ling giggled.

"You know, I'm starting not to like you," I said, not really meaning it. The others laughed.

"Wow," Krystal marveled as I wrote more in the journal in my room, "You're an interesting writer. I guess what you lack in social skills and interest you make up for in writing." I turned around to look at her.

"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult," I said, unsure. "I don't know why Demi wanted to give you that."

"Because he knew that I was interested," Krystal smiled charmingly. I grumbled under my breath. "Besides, it would be nice to understand who's a legend and who's not. You're a good writer."

"There's the compliment," I smirked as I continued writing.

"But-"

"Oh dear," I shook my head as I looked at her again.

"You seem to drag things on too long. You're needlessly complex in some of your dialogue and plots. Like for instance with Zan you made the kid get into a relationship with the tiger and the panda."

"You know, Alien-heart said something like that," I chuckled to myself, remembering my old reviewers and helpful critics.

"Who?"

"Nothing," I recovered, "But you're right. Sometimes I think I put too little detail in the important parts of the story and too much detail in other parts. Every person has something about themselves that they wish they could change. The same is for writing."

"But I want to tell you this: I. Loved. A Month! That was the only time your dragging was great. It was believable, funny, dramatic, romantic, surprising, and all within the span of thirty days, essentially."

"Thanks for that. And thank you for the helpful tip. I have to remember that when I get back," I said, continuing to write. Home. That was something that was plaguing my mind. I guess it showed.

"What's the matter," Krystal asked.

"Nothing, I was just thinking about home. Oh! Did I tell you about Master Crane?" I asked her. Krystal shook her head. I explained to her my plan. Her face fell. "What?"

"You can't get the cat and panda together but you think you can get two lovebirds together?" I shrugged. She had a point. Plus, I didn't know about Crane as much as I did about Tigress. "Maybe it would be best to not focus on them," Krystal suggested. I groaned.

"Why are you right," I grumbled. Krystal chuckled as she pushed her side on mine.

"Because I am," she replied. "So where is this Lu person?"

"Who knows and cares? Right now, I have a tiger and a panda to worry about," I said. Then Krystal popped up from her bed and ran out the door. I didn't ask where she went until about an hour later when she returned with a decorative globe and a bowl. "I forgot they were ready!" I suddenly remembered about the pottery that we made at Ru's place. "It's a good thing you remembered." I looked at Krystal's globe. "Hold on to that," I said. I ran outside, scooped up a handful of dirt, molded it to stay together, and shaped it into a stand and gave it to Krystal. She placed it on my desk. "Are you sure that's not going to fall?"

"It will," She stated, "But as long as the maker is alive, I can always make another one." I smiled. It was only three days when we made these things and she already seemed to be an expert.

"I guess you're right," I said. Just then came an interesting thing.

"Hey Lion," Tigress AND Po said coming from different sides of the barracks and colliding. "Oh, I didn't mean to-," They said at the same time.

"Okay, ladies first. What is it Tigress?" I asked.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to you alone," Tigress said.

"Okay, Po," I asked.

"Well, um... I was wondering something about the Lion Warriors," Po asked quite timidly. Tigress rolled her eyes as I sighed a bit.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Can you guys go back in time," Po asked. I looked at him with a suspicious look.

"Why do you ask," I questioned. Po was quiet for a while.

"Well, I... always wondered if I could go back in time with you guys and stop so much from happening. So much," He repeated. I could tell he was serious.

"Unfortunately, Lion Warriors can not do that," I replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Tigress."

"Actually, I'm okay for the moment. I... I just forgot about what I was going to tell you. I'll be training if you need me," Tigress hastily said. With that, she rushed away. Before I could talk to Po, he left, saying he had to go away to help his dad.

"Was that weird to you," Krystal asked.

"You're asking the guy whom everything here is 'weird' to him," I replied.

"Good point," Krystal said. "So why do you think Po asked that?"

"He was an orphan and adopted by his dad, Mr. Ping. I guess he wanted to go back in time and change that," I guessed. Krystal shivered. "What's wrong?" I asked, getting closer to her.

"Just cold," She said.

"You're lying," I said. "It's pretty warm here. That's a thought shiver, not a cold shiver."

"What's the difference," Krystal asked.

"Cold shivers are based on outside temperature. Thought shivers are when you think of something disturbing and you react."

"Oh," She ended.

"Krystal," I urged her on.

"Do you," She sighed, "think that Po had the rough life you portrayed in Life of Po?" I took a deep breath.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know. But I'm praying that he didn't." But I couldn't be worried about that. I had to get prepared for Tigress's training tomorrow.

to be continued