So far, this chapter is the most tearful chapter, (almost), and with the Shadow Ichi, I think I've resembled it differently. No flames, please!


Chapter 2: Musaki's Comfort

Musaki was looking at the sky under the Sacred Peach Tree of Wisdom, thinking about his parents where father's day became the lonliest holiday for him after his parents' death. He sighed heavily and lowered his head down and closed his eyes, while thoughts of loneliness quickly rushed through his mind. He whispered to himself, "If only you were here right now. You would always say something to me to make me feel better."

He was unaware that Ichi was behind the tree for 2 1/2 minutes when he crept up silently without Musaki knowing. Then, he came out of the tree and saw him sitting there, looking really sad. He sighed silently and asked, "How's it going, man?"

Musaki turned around and saw Ichi behind the tree. He was surprised that he didn't know he was there the whole time. He asked, "How did you find me here?"

"Well, I always come here when I feel that way, especially when it's father's day."

He already knew what the problem was, but didn't want anyone else to know about it except himself. He wanted to cover it, but Ichi already saw right through him and realized what the problem is. Musaki sighed exasperatedly and realized he was right. He asked, "How'd you figure it out?"

"The same way you're feeling at this point. You feel lonely and feel like crap and like your parents left you behind for no reason at all."

"Most times, I get in a state of depression since I was in Bau Gu Oprhanage where father's day was my lonliest time after my parents died. I can hardly remember any waking moment I spent time doing stuff with my dad, except for this one time when I was, I guess, three, a year before they died, we would look at the stars together and they resemble a feeling that when a loved one passes away, just look at the stars and they will guide you no matter, on what regardless what you're feeling. Sometimes, I feel like I'm being watched over and sometimes I'm not, but I always feel that I am being taken care of. My parents gave their lives up for me. Still to this day, it just doesn't feel the same. Every night, I would look at the stars for a short time and really just to think about them and their unselfishness that had to do. If it wasn't for them., I.... I wouldn't be here right now." Musaki explained.

"Wow, that's very powerful. Your parents gave you up because they love you. Me, I killed them." said Ichi.

Musaki looked very surprised abiut what Ichi said. He turned to him and asked, "Are you serious? Why did you kill them?"

Ichi sighed heavily and said, "I guess you had to find out sooner or later. I guess I was just protecting my parents from Dai Lee and knew that he was gonna kill me and my parents, I couldn't let that happen. My fire powers just got me to that point where the shadow part of myself.... killed them, so he stabbed them, thinking that it's me. After witnessing that, I was so scared and I took a long, hard and somehow demonic look at myself thinking, 'I killed my parents. I'm a monster.' I was afraid that if someone adopted me, I would do the same thing to them as I did to my parents. I didn't mean to do that. The reason why is because I loved them. I really, really do love them."

Musaki felt a little distressed about what Ichi said and rubbed his head in a worried, sympathic way. Ichi looked at him and realized that he was starting to turn away from him. He told him, "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me."

"Me? Hate you? What would make you think that?" he asked.

"Because it was my shadow that did it, thinking it was me. Plus, because you wouldn't want to be around me."

"Are you kidding? I would never hate you. Well, your shadow might hate you, but I never could. Also, you loved your parents and I'm sure they loved you back. You have to believe that."

"I do. They loved me and they always will. Father's day is pretty much my loneliest holiday, but with you around, I guess I'm not alone."

"How do you think it got me here to live with them? When you're with Po, Shifu and the Five, you've got family who cares about you, 100 billion and three percent."

Ichi chuckled and thought about for a moment. He realized having them as a family was a good thing that happened to him, since he's been in isolation for 10 years. He's been really lucky to have Po as a big brother, Shifu as a dad and the Five as their brothers and sisters. He smiled at him and said, "You're right."

They leaned over and gave themselves a hug. Ichi's eyes were misty-eyed and Musaki's eyes were a little glossy. They can tell they were pretty emotional throughout that conversation. Ichi sighed and said, "Well, I gotta go find the others. They might be going crazy looking for both of us. They think you're gone or something like that. Wanna come with?"

Musaki smiled and said, "Absolutely."

He got up and walked with him out of the Sacred Peach Tree of Wisdom and back to the Jade Palace. While they were walking, he asked, "Does anyone else come by there?"

"Yeah, Po and Shifu and everyone else go there for simple reasons, watching the sunset, hanging out, hiding away and sometimes, Po goes in and sneaks a peach or two." Ichi explained.

"You mean--?"

"Yep, he's a peach-aholic."

Musaki and Ichi laughed hysterically while they were walking and they kept talking to each other until they went back in the palace. Musaki got the feeling that today was gonna be a good day after all.


The term 'Peach-aholic' kind of a new word I came up. Meaning: addiction to peaches. Weird, right? I hope I captured klonoakazeno's aspect of Shadow Ichi very well.