Disclaimer: Don't own Kung Fu Panda and whatnot. Stop asking me to do this. Story haven't been much of a hit lately cause of the rating of being an M. Oh well, will still continue to write cause it's fun.


128th month

2 months has just come and go and nothing cruel happened. Heh…wonder where that crap commander went. Personal business huh? Personal my ass. Must be off getting more craps for me to 'play' with. I hate that fucking guy.

"Ungh…" I tried to stretch my arms and claws but only moved a little. Instead, I yawned again and mumbled something in a low breath.

I'm still wondering when this ephemeral body will still stay alive even after being here for over ten years. How many more years do I still have to endure before I die?

I held my head high to see the cavernous prison up above. Heh…or before I get out of here… Guards patrolled down the hallway everywhere up above and I saw the rhinos standing by a huge crossbow on my left. The only way down here, was through a wooden lift that was lowered manually by some other guards up above. Booby traps were located everywhere in front of the pathway that I was facing.

"Good system," I smiled. "Impressive, but, we'll see about that when I'm free…"

The gates in front were slowly brought up and Swee Hoong came to visit again. His hooves pounded the pathway and he brought along a tray of food. Food…why do they still feed me? I barely eat much anyway.

"Here." He slid the tray in front of me and instantly sat down on the firm ground beside me.

"So, what's today's topic?" I queried.

"Tigress," He casually answered.

I raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "What about her?"

"She's coming right now; on her way. Fighting through the land filled with snow and blizzard. She must be freezing in her uniform."

I didn't say anything. Instead, I lowered my head and took a small lick at the plain water on the tray to wet my dry tongue. As the cool liquid wetted my painfully dry throat, I regained my voice and cleared my throat.

Both of us sat facing each other but not making eye contact. He tapped his hooves on the ground and the audible noise echoed exuberantly through the prison as the sound bounces off the rocky walls. We did this for over 2 whole minutes. Around that long, give or take. I don't keep track of time.

Finally, the rough rhino broke the screaming silence. "Well?"

I paused and looked at his heavy armor that protected his upper torso. "Nothing. Let her come. If she wants to see how pathetic I look in this condition, let her. I'm not going any where."

"Good, cause she's here already," he said in a hushed tone that was barely audible if my sensitive ears didn't perk up.

"She's what?!" my eyes bulged

"She's here," he repeated himself and waved his right arm to alert the guards. The gateway slowly cranked itself up and I held my head as high up as it could go. Slowly, the steel gate rose. I saw a pair of black shoes, black trousers, and the bottom part of the body revealed. Next, the opening gateway revealed paws, the waist, red silken uniform, body, shoulders and….Tigress.

Tigress! God of the skies!

The beautiful female tiger walked across the drawbridge, her stride strong and firm, proud as I have never seen her. Ten years had done something remarkable to her. She had grown into a pretty adolescent girl, who would soon become a beautiful woman that much I knew. Against my better judgment, I locked eyes with hers. We held that look for eternity as she paced around me. Finally, she stopped.

"Brother Tai Lung…."

I hung my head down in shame. This is ridiculous. How could she….

"I'll leave you two cats alone to catch up on lost time," Swee Hoong rose to his feet and strode off, leaving both of us alone.

I didn't respond to anything and still hung my head, looking at my third class food for the day.

"Da Ge…I'm here…" Tigress said.

I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes as my head rose up.

SMACK!!

I got a shock of my life when I realized what had happened. Fresh blood trickled down my left cheek from the three short scratch marks she had given me. I sighed and looked at Tigress. Her paws stopped in mid air after her attack and I saw tears brimming in her striking eyes. She was trembling and flopped down on the ground as her paws wiped away a tear.

"Anything else?" I said while turning away from her gaze.

"You idiot!" she said, half screaming at me.

"Yes. Yes I am. Being a jerk and lusting for the scroll was an idiotic act of stupidity. I know that."

"Then why?" she choked.

"Power. I want power. I want to be the strongest warrior in China, damn it!" I growled loudly. "The scroll can give me that. Nothing else can. I want the scroll."

"Is that all you think about?!" She stood up again. How was I to know she'd meant something more behind her words?

"Yes, that's all I think about!" I shot in quickly.

She bit her lips with anger and held up another paw, claws unsheathed.

"Hit me if you like," I closed my eyes. "If that's going to help you throw away your anger towards me, then do it. I've had worse. Do whatever you want. Claw me, bite me, spit on me, punch and kick, slap, anything that makes your heart at ease."

Tears trickled down her cheek as she held her paws high up. Then it happened…

SMACK!!

Another mark on the other side…

Matching pairs…

Blood once again oozed out on my other cheek. Tigress turned her back to me and malevolently spoke. "I hate you. Die in here. Just die…I hope you die." With that, she was gone.

The gates slowly closed and I was alone once again.

Tigress…I'm sorry. This is what I want and need. This is how it was meant to be. I can't change the way I am. Death is upon me. I can't change.

I took another lick at my water and nearly gagged this time. It tasted horrible. I can finally taste how bad the liquid was after drinking the whole thing for years.

Sweet at first taste but bitter till the very end. The taste, of revenge…

--

If you readers have been keeping up with me and my stories, 'Temperance' will be up soon enough but this story will be on hold for a few weeks. I'm trying to finish 'Temperance' first before coming back to this chapter. While juggling between test and assignments in college, I'll try my best. Don't keep your hopes to high on this story.

Once again, thank you Luna for your grateful help with this story. Your question about Swee Hoong will be asnwered soon enough. The Star will shine.