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I had lots of fun writing this Chapter and I do hope that you readers will find it exciting as well. Things haven't been going so well lately so I will try my best to make this as good as possible. This is my longest story that I've ever written and I thought of trying it out.

Chapter 6

The table was set with 8 sets of cutlery for dinner. Everything was ready and somehow, Tai Lung was quite happy with his work even though it was just a simple meal. Somehow, I think I'm being used as a maid around here doing labouring chores, like doing dinner. Times have changed so much when I last left this place. First were women being kung fu warrior. Second, doing simply chores just to make this place spick and span. Whose idea was this? Most probably the girl's ideas.

Once had Tai Lung set 2 bowls of each person, he called out to them," It's ready."

A sense of silence filled the air.

"I said," Tai Lung shouted a little louder, "Dinner is ready."

A few seconds later, everybody poured in.

"I hope my stomach can endure this torment." Po said.

Monkey whispered to Po, "I have some extra cookies at the top shelf. We can still save our stomachs from being poisoned."

"I heard that." Tai Lung exclaimed. He had already started eating his Hai Nam rice quietly and sipping down the sweet barley that he had made.

"What's this?" Tigress questioned. "No side dishes?"

Without even looking at her, he answered, "No. None. Just Hai Nam flavoured rice and barley. Either you take it or leave it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tigress slammed her fist on the table.

"It means either you eat what I had cooked or you can starve for tonight."

"I would rather starve than be poisoned."

"Then leave it. Plain and simple." Still not looking at her and enjoying his meal.

"Get something else or-."

"This is delicious!" Po exclaimed cutting in Tigress's conversation.

"Amazing!" Viper added.

"Wow. I kinda wish my mouth was bigger. This barley has the perfect fragrance and sweetness, balanced." Mantis joyfully said.

"Tai Lung, this is delicious." Shifu complimented him.

"Thank you, Master Shifu." Tia Lung beamed.

"You guys are taking his side?" Tigress looked at each and every one of them.

"Sit down and enjoy your dinner Tigress." Crane suggested.

"No I won't!" she ran out of the kitchen, leaving all of them behind.

Everybody was stunned with her sudden move of expression and no one said anything at all.

"Can I have hers since she's not eating?" Po slowly crept up to Tigress's bowl but was stopped short when a pair of chopsticks slapped his paw.

"Oww," he screamed. "Why not…."

The criminal that had hit Po was Tai Lung and he took her food on to his side, "Leave it. I'll attend to her later." And he continued eating.

"See?" Viper whispered extra low to Crane, "He is concerned with her and cares about her health."

Crane eyed at Viper and rolled his eyes.

The stars were shining brightly in the dark skies and there wasn't a cloud in it. The moon was full and was extra beautiful tonight. However, one female Tiger wasn't very happy with the night and had sulked under the sacred peach tree of heavenly wisdom.

"Why am I so angry? Why?" she asked herself. "Is it because he's here? Is it because I miss him so much during the years and contained all of my emotions that long?"

Tigress looked up to the dark sky and let the cold breeze of the night passed own here body but she didn't anticipate that the cold breeze was a freezing once. "Achoo!"

"Cold?" she looked behind and saw that the snow leopard was hanging around the peach tree as well. He was holding a basket on his right paw and some warm clothes on his left.

"Go away." She turned in front.

"And let you freeze here to death? I don't think so. You didn't even touch your dinner." Tai Lung came up to her right side and sat beside her. Tigress moved away a little from him.

"If you came here to gloat about your victory here in the valley of peace, I'll-"

"Tigress," Tai Lung cut through her sentence. "Why are you like this? You don't look or act like this when you were young. Instead you were so innocent and wanting to know all."

"Times changed and I've moved on, okay. I'm not the so call 'innocent' being that I am now."

"And did Master OogOog say this?" Tai Lung imitates a child's expression and made a sad voice.

Tigress's eyes nearly bulged out of her eye sockets after seeing his face and lets out a small laugh.

"See, smile again. You look better when you're smiling. Just like when you were little."

She stopped and replaced her emotions to sulking and anger, "Shut up."

Tai Lung reached out in to the basket and toke out a container, "The Hai Nam rice during dinner." He gave it to Tigress.

"What makes you think I'm eating?" Tigress snapped.

"It's obvious cause I hear a low growl coming from your inner gut telling you to feed it's poor soul."

As if on cue, Tigress's stomach made a growling sound. Traitor.

"So?"

"Still not eating"

"Look. I made this a little more special. I remembered in the past that you liked a special rice ball that tasted really good. I figured it out and it's this. The rice is rolled up into a ball shape" he opened up the container. "At least try one, please."

Tigress didn't act immediately but after a few minutes, she gave in and gingerly toke one and pops in the rice ball and chewed. Her taste buds tasted an extraordinary flavour that she can't even explain. The rice was so tender and hot yet hard on the flavouring. It was like heaven but not on Nirvana though. She couldn't stand it anymore as her hunger strikes with such force that she started to pop in another rice ball, and then another and another.

Within a few minutes, she was full.

"Erm… I take it that you're full and satisfied?" Tai Lung looked at Tigress.

"Unfortunately, yes." Between mouthfuls.

"My work here is done." He got up and started to trail off but Tigress stopped him.

"Tai Lung."

"Hmmm?" he looked behind.

"Er…Thank….Thank you….Thank you for the food."

He walked back and stood beside her, "No. Thank you." He bowed.

"Are you being sarcastic?" she glared.

"Kinda and here," he threw at her the warm clothes he was carrying. "I sense that tonight will be colder than usual so keep warm or you'll be in bed for the next few days."

A week has passed since Tai Lung's returned to the Jade Palace but Master Shifu has been keeping the ex-convict in the Jade Palace for that long too. He never wanted to let the villagers know that he's back until the time is right but will they accept him back as he has accepted him? That's the biggest question of all but Master Shifu left that thought until the time comes.

On the other hand for Tai Lung, he's been having a hard time to get his grubby paws on the dragon scroll. Po has never once toke out or used his scroll during training. Most of the time, the furious five will train him until one faithful day, he himself was given the duty.

Po groaned, "Aww man. Give me a break."

"What are you groaning about?" Tai Lung circled around him.

"I think I see now why I lost to you in the previous battle. Your only advantage is your body physique. It's like a rubber ball, bouncing up and down with all those….fat."

"You mean fur?"

"Distinctively not," with sarcasm. "How can others say this as fur. It's pure fat. The fat forcefully returns damage that it receives and bounces away like a spring."

"Are you finished mocking me or you're going to do this all day." Po pointed.

"Listen panda. One of the true reasons to be a great warrior is to analyze your enemy. Look, see, smell, touch, hear and feel your opponent. Be the enemy and strike when the time is right."

"So….what you're saying is that you are sizing me up so that you can claim the dragon scroll?"

Tai Lung puts on a small smile.

Po was stunned for words but wasn't easily intimidated, "O…Kay…."

Note to self: Be careful when Tai Lung is around and treat him to lunch next time.

Night fell again but this time, the moon was totally covered with dark clouds. It didn't help to brighten up the Jade Palace and it was hard to see where you're going. Since that's the case, Master Shifu ordered them to tuck in early as it was useless to get any work done at all.

The hours past by and everyone was asleep. Well, except for one stubborn snow leopard.

"Ungh… Can't sleep," He told himself, "Its way too early and I kept on thinking about the dragon scroll. It's been a week and I've not shown any results to Vikki and Leo yet"

He tossed and turned around his sleeping mat but still couldn't sleep at all. Finally, he gave up fighting his sleeping hormones and walked out. Suddenly, something struck his mind like a speeding arrow cutting through his heart.

Wait a minute. My room is next to Po's. Maybe, just maybe but I've got to…no…… He shook his head. But then again, I do want the scroll as well.

Tai Lung mustered up all of his courage and gingerly walked towards Po's room. He exhaled and spoke, "Po? You asleep?"

No respond.

"Po?" he asked again.

"Come in. It's not lock"

Oh boy. This is one heck of an adventure.

He opened the door and walked in. Po was lying on the floor gazing up on the ceiling. "What's up?" he looked at Tai Lung.

"Umm….nothing much. Just couldn't' sleep. That's all." he sat down and laid next to Po, side by side but at an opposite direction. Tai Lung was heading north and Po was beading south.

"Neither can I."

"Yup." Tai Lung responded.

Few minutes had passed by and the only sound audible was the crickets of the night. Po finally broke the silence, "Tai Lung?"

"Yeah?"

"Where'd you go during the fight in the valley?"

Tai Lung didn't know what to say and kept quiet a few seconds. Then he answered, "Someone magically toke me away."

Po looked at Tai Lung, "Magically? Who?"

"Some animal I meet when I broke out of prison."

"Who?"

"Do you have to ask?" he turned around and gazed at Po's eyes.

Po smiled and said, "Yup. I'm curious. Come on. Be open man. You and I are going to be buddies here and we need to have a connection. You and me."

Tai Lung sighed, "That's the least of my worries."

"So tell me."

"Alright, alright. They are named Vikki and Leo. When I broke out of prison and killed Vachir and his army, oh I hate that son of a whore. Stupid asshole. After I sliced him up," he grinned.

"You sliced him up?!" Po got up. "As in cut? Slice? A…a…..sword as in cut, slish…pssh…." He imitates.

"Yeah."

"Okkaaayyy. Continue. I'm gonna have nightmares after this horrible talk since you've just inserted that image into my fragile little mind."

Tai Lung ignored Po's remark and continued his story, "After the escape, I ran all the way heading toward the valley of peace. The snow was coming down real hard and it was getting harder to see where I was going. If I continued, I would have lost all sense of direction and got lost. So, I took refuge in a cave nearby. When I got there, it seems that this ain't any ordinary cave because the first thing I saw in there was a wooden door."

He stopped and exhaled, "Why is there a wooden door in a cave? I mean, cave? Door? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe someone was living there and making doors for a living." Po said.

"Don't be silly panda. Since that's the case, I got curious and opened the door. What I saw next was one THE most amazing sight that I've ever seen in my life."

"Oh, oh… I know, I know. You saw mountain and mountains of delicious food and….and a chef cooking at lightning speed. A variety of culinary delights from all over the world." Po happily said while clapping his furry paws.

Tai Lung looked at him with a confused look, "What are you talking about? I'm telling the story. Butt out okay."

Po made a sad face, "Hmmph. You're no fun."

"As I said before, what I saw was amazing. The whole cave was lit with fire as if New Year has arrived early. There were so many ancient items around the cave, it was so so old. There was the double edge sword, monkey stick used by the legendary Shu Eng Hong, the wheels of fire, the fan of wind, the horns of the bull lord and so many others that I can't explain off."

First time in his life, Tai Lung had never been so excited before. Telling his life stories isn't part of his game but in this matter, he made an exception somehow.

"Wow." Po exclaimed.

"Yeah, wow." He answered back, "however, when I continued further on, Vikki and Leo just appeared in front of me."

"How'd they look like?"

"Vikki is a female tiger whose personality is a tad seductive and Leo is a big lion with big beefy muscles and slender body, a little like me but taller. Oh, and he always acts as a fatherly figure."

"So two circus freaks approached you." Po said trying to adjust the image into his fragile mind.

"In your terms, yes. That's when I met them. I wasn't so happy at first because they practically knew every single nook and cranny of my life. I hate others spying on me."

"Then why'd you given in?" Po asked.

Tai Lung turned around whiles his back facing Po. He exhaled again and spoke, "I fell into their trap."

Flashback in the snow mountain.

"This mirror my dear Tai Lung is the double edge mirror." Vikki spoke.

"What does that mean?" Tai Lung growled.

Leo puts his massive paws on him, "It means, you can store all of your other emotions in to this mirror here and only choose one emotion that you se fit. For now, I suggest releasing all other thoughts and emotions and only store hatred and revenge. What do you say?"

"Will that even help me?"

"Hohohoh – what…a….question," Vikki laughed, "Of course it will my dear. What more do you want? The dragon scroll isn't it? Only that and that alone. If you have other emotions flowing through you, you will lose sight of your goal."

Without a second thought, Tai Lung accepted the offer, "Bring it."

"Excellent my dear Tai Lung."

"Shut up."

Vikki puts on an angry face and whispered to herself, Lets see whose going to shut up now. Vikki held the mirror in front of Tai Lung and…..

End of Flashback

Tai Lung stopped. It took a few moments for him to regain his consciousness and he continued, "Then, there stood another me."

"Another you?!" Po said in utter shock.

"Yeah. The result of the mirror is that you exchange it for power. I accepted hatred and revenge and left all others. I was strong – yes but somehow, I managed to keep a little of my senses and fight back but….I was defeated." He was silent.

Po looked over Tai Lung's shoulder, "Tai? You don't have to continue if you don't want to you know. I think I've heard enough. It's late and if you want to, you can sleep in here." Po offered.

Tai Lung didn't say a word. Am I feeling remorseful or just plain stupid. I'm here to grab the scroll when you're asleep and now I've got the chance but after telling you all this, I feel so…… is this a new feeling that I've never encountered over the past 20 years?

"After I've lost, I made a deal with them. They get rid of my other self and I do one favour for them." Tai Lung continued despite his feelings.

"Tai Lung….."

"That favour is between me and them. That's when I disappeared suddenly during the last battle, to discuss our little agreement."

"Tai Lung," Po stopped him, "Enough. Go back to sleep. We have training tomorrow." With that said, they both slept together, as friends do when friends needs you the most.

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Flames? Suggestions? R & R maybe?