Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda, except the DVD, which was awesome!
Thank you all for being with me until the very end but this is yet to be done. Things will be going uphill and downhill from here on out and I will try to get this done by next Saturday. Posting of story will be once a week. Not like last time. Sorry. Would like to thank everybody who was with me through out this story as I have received 70 over reviews. This is a big thing for me and I didn't expect this story to have that much of reviews.
Again, thank you Luna Goldsun for making this chapter to be uber awesome! Thank you!
Chapter 23
The ghostly image of two familiar faces stood in front of Tai Lung as he couldn't believe that a giant panda and a snow leopard was standing right in front of him. Po put on his cheerful smile and had started his garrulous habit again.
"Hey, buddy!" Po hugged the snow leopard tightly.
Tai Lung felt a slight chill running down his spine as the panda hugged him hard. It felt solid enough to make the snow leopard believe that the panda hadn't truly died, but in reality, he was already done for.
"Po? How did you…?" Tai Lung returned the hug.
"Don't have much time either," Po said as he looked at Tai Lung with happy eyes. The green eyes of the panda were always full of happiness and nothing seemed to faze the Dragon Warrior.
"I can't tell you how we managed to do this but I gotta say one thing, it's not easy and there were so many terms and conditions to obey," Po quickly said as he took Tai Lung's paw. "However, it was all worth it, although we only have ten minutes."
"No, wait," the snow leopard was flummoxed by these presences and just couldn't believe that he was actually talking to Po, the Dragon Warrior; his best friend!
Po sensed his curiosity, "Tai Lung, it's a little something that I wanted to do before I moved on. Your heart kept calling me back. You know why? Cause you're unable to move on with my death. That's all I can say. Due to that, I can't help by coming here, just to see you, even though it's just a fragment of time. Come on; tell me what you wanted to say. I'm all ears."
Tai Lung was dumb stricken but quickly regain his right mind. "I-I just don't know what to do."
"Easy," Po joyfully said. "Move on. Like me. I'm going forward, to a new life later on. I was offered a great place in another country, half way around the world. Where, if I'm not mistaken, the sun rises later than it is here. Oops…" The giant panda had slipped the little piece of information and quickly closed his mouth with his big paws.
"Forget what I just said. I'm not even suppose to say that and you weren't suppose to know that either," Po grinned. "Anyways, how's Tigress doing?"
Tai Lung explained everything to the ghostly panda, right from the start to the finish. He never felt so alive after the whole disquieting week! Tai Lung wasn't so much the talkative type but whenever he was with Po, everything seemed to just break loose.
The panda just nodded and made a few oohs and ahs as he listened attentively to the snow leopard. Finally, he had finished his story and looked pensive. He then realized that his father was actually there, listening to every word he had just said. Tai Lung felt embarrassed a little when he looked at the opaque image of his father.
Po quickly introduced to Tai Lung his paternal father but he snow leopard quickly hugged him. He tried to squeeze as hard as he could and slowly spoke. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done. Thank you."
The old snow leopard couldn't help but smile back and as he patted his son's head while he stroked the pleasantly spotted fur. "And I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you when you were so fragile."
Tai Lung pulled away and sat next to Po. The two warriors looked at the older snow leopard, waiting for something but they have no clue what is it.
"Alright," his voice croaked. "Tai Lung, when the earthquake split the earth, we were buried under a pile of bricks but luckily enough, help came from the other side of the ground. I was terribly hurt since I protected you from every falling stones but I desperately wanted to see your mum again. They told me that I was at death's door but I still wanted to save you. However… I don't know why… I just can't explain it but, I told them to send you to the hands of Master Oogway. I realized something at that time that you would be somebody, I don't know who, but somebody. You can say it's an instinct."
"The Dragon Warrior?" Tai Lung scoffed at him,
"I don't know," he replied. "Only Master Oogway can help you do that."
"And Mum?"
His father looked away without gazing back at Tai Lung. "I didn't know what happened to your mother later but I do know one thing: she's being reborn again. She has gone through the examination and passed. I don't know where she is right now."
"Somewhere good I hope," Tai Lung closed his eyes.
"Yes, the rest of the story, you-" A soft and beautiful jingle reverberated through the room as it cut off the old snow leopard's speech.
"It's time," Po stood up. "Tai, we have to go. Our time is up. It was great seeing you again. Goodbye, my friend."
The opaque images of the panda and snow leopard slowly dissipated in thin air without a trace. A warm breeze wafted through the air as they disappeared. Silence once again filled the room. The only audible sound was the nature outside his window. Tai Lung breathed in and slowly held up his journal as he read his final sentence. 'The panda sure-'
Tai Lung grinned at those words that he had inputted in the journal and continued. The tip of the writing material started to make scratching sounds as it moved on the parchment.
The panda sure was quick and agile. I would never trade him for anything else. Ma…Ba… I wish you the best of luck and I will forever be grateful for all the sacrifices that both of you had made.
Thank you.
Friday,
Tai Lung/Hoong Long, the Temperance Arcana, owner of Byakko.
"Hey, finish off in there," Leo suddenly knocked on his door.
"Coming!" Tai Lung growled loudly and kept his journal as safe as possible from prying eyes.
"Don't make me go in there. I don't care if you're about to-"
"I was not playing with it!" Tai Lung opened the door and pushed Leo aside.
"Even if I did, it's not this time nor will it be in my room. The walls are made of paper for god sake! One slight poke can make a hole visible enough to see everything."
"Okay! Okay!" Leo stepped aside cautiously. "I get the message. You don't have to bite my head off."
Tai Lung grinned again to himself. Intimidating big bro: Done.
"What's for dinner?" Crane asked the chef on duty.
Leo had taken the liberty of cooking for the whole week and apparently, everybody loved the lion's cooking. Throughout the whole week, that was the only thing that everybody was looking forward to because there wasn't anything else to do. Every day, Leo had something new and refreshing.
Monday: Herbal eggs with chicken broth. Tuesday: Porridge with salted fish, egg, bean paste and wheat noodles. Wednesday: fried Mee Hun, topped off with fresh prawns and ginseng tea. Thursday: Herbal soup with chicken stock and fragrant rice that was on top of the world.
With each passing day, their taste buds were enticed with so many different flavors. Although they still missed Po's noodles, they tried not to bring up that issue.
"Well, Master Crane," Leo politely said while he was stirring the pot of boiling ingredients. "Today will be some plain old noodle soup. I'm sure you all know about it."
The Five looked at him with concerned eyes and later, towards the floor. They knew what Leo was referring to but no one said a word.
"Here," Leo slides to each of them a bowl of noodle soup. "Enjoy."
"I'm here!" Tai Lung suddenly barged in without warning to the kitchen entrance.
"Good, just in time," Leo tossed the bowl of food to the snow leopard and he caught it without dropping any of its contents.
"Where's my chair?" Tai Lung looked around, searching for a place to sit.
"In the firewood pile," Leo pointed at the pile of wood, ready to be used for burning.
"You-"
"You eat while standing," Leo took his respective seat.
"Eat!" Shifu suddenly hit the snow leopard's leg hard as he was coming in.
What is it with Masters and bamboo sticks! Tai Lung thought as he rubbed on his sore leg.
Shifu took his seat and dropped a few letters on the table. The old master slowly pushed the letters to each of the Furious Five. The Five were surprised with the letters. They hardly ever got any mail! It was either a request for help from a faraway village, or some supply letters but this time, the letters were addressed to each of them.
"Master, what is this?" Tigress held up the piece of envelope and examined the script on it.
"I don't know either, and I'm curious as well," Shifu took his bowl of hot noodle soup and started to slowly sip at it.
Each of them shrugged and slowly opened their mail. They read their respective letter and each one of the Five screamed in unison. "May I be excused?" Tigress, Viper, Crane, Mantis and Monkey got up to their feet.
"Whoa!" Leo exclaimed. "Where's the fire?"
"Um, I gotta go," Tigress quickly left.
"Me too," Viper slithered away behind her female friend.
"I'll be in my room. If you need anything, tell me in an hour," Crane rushed to the door, his feathers nearly knocking over Tai Lung. The snow leopard looked at the avian with surprise.
"Getting something from my room," Monkey ran out as Mantis jumped on the primate's shoulder.
"I'll be back in a jiffy," Mantis nodded.
The Five left the kitchen, leaving behind Tai Lung, Leo and Master Shifu. They were dumbstruck by the sudden exodus and looked at each other. Leo and Shifu then stared at Tai Lung.
The snow leopard had buried his face in his own bowl of noodles but stopped when he felt two pair of eyes staring at him uneasily.
"What?" he asked. "I don't know anything at all. If I did, I wouldn't blab it out either."
The Five were in their own respective rooms, reading the contents of their letter.
"Thank you Master Tigress," Tigress said, as her eyes darted back and forth. "For your letter about your application-"
Viper's room
"We have looked upon the matter," Viper continued. "And are very honored to have you here-"
Crane's room
Crane quickly ruffled up the paper. "Our academy specializes in one particular kung fu style and has gone through several new and old techniques of combat-"
Monkey's room
"Facilities and training provided are based solely for your own specialty," Monkey paused to see an overview of a picture enclosed with the letter.
"We are more than happy to have your presence around in our academy-"
Mantis's room
"You can begin training at any time," Mantis reads on as his pincers slowly glides down the words on the letter.
"If it's alright, training starts on Monday, XingQiYi, of the first month."
Leo took the dirty bowls from dinner and placed them in the washing area. The lion threw an apron towards the snow leopard's direction and the cloth muffled him.
"Your turn tonight; I did the dirty dishes for over four days. I cook and wash for everyone."
Tai Lung grumbled under his breath. It never dawned to him that it was also his duty to do the dishes. Most of the time, it was the servants in the palace to do the dirty work.
"This is a disgrace…" he trailed off.
"Disgrace my ass," Leo pouted. "A warrior is still a living being and needs the basics of life. Unless of course, you want to become a dirty warrior, it's fine by me."
Tai Lung smirked at the comment. "Oh yeah? What about the old legendary 'Beggar Clan' up in the northern mountains? They don't shower or do dirty dishes."
"True," Shifu suddenly interrupted. "The legendary 'Beggar Clan' was the most fearful clan in the whole of China. They steal food, clothes, played dirty tricks, and destroyed a few properties and pilferage."
"All this without cleaning themselves up or do dirty dishes."
"Just shut up and wash." Leo pointed at the unsanitary kitchen utensils on the table. It looked like a dump and if left alone, pests would invade and conquer the whole kitchen.
"MASTER!"
Three of them jumped out of their skin after hearing the shrieking. Tai Lung dropped a plate, breaking it into little pieces. He cursed softly under his breath.
The Five quickly pushed each other as they tried to come through the door, all at once.
"Hey, watch it!" Tigress shoved Monkey away.
"I'm passing through here!" Crane tried to not get himself tangled up between the rest.
In the end, the Five fell on the ground with a loud bang. They groaned in pain and each and everyone were trampled between each other.
Shifu got up and hit the Five with force as he circled around them. The bamboo stick found each and everyone's pain nerves and they yelped in pain.
"Hah!" Tai Lung punched his fist in the air triumphantly. "Now you know how pain is that ridiculous-"
An apple had landed on his forehead.
Leo burst out laughing as watched the hilarious scene between the Five and his brother. He had never seen anything that funny before in his life, but his laughter ceased when he saw Master Shifu's flaming eyes.
"Ahem-ah-well, I'll just-um-sit and watch from here," Leo slowly pulled up a stool to sit on.
"So, tell me," Shifu galled over them. "What made you Five to act out of your own character? Barging in like small children, not obeying rules and screaming at the top of your lungs?"
Tigress frantically got to her feet as she quickly pushed Crane aside, freeing herself from the tangled mess between her comrades. The female warrior spoke in a rush.
"I applied in an academy at the southern end of China, and the Lou Fu academy of Tiger warrior accepts it!"
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Sorry guys. Po ain't coming back. I know that a lot of you were expecting Po to come back since Tai Lung saw him in his room. But no. Dragon Warrior ain't coming back. Neither will the Furious Five. As usual, R&R. Thank you all. I love you guys!