The Sins of Bol-Lat
To past the time, Po and Tai-Lung shared stories about what the Master did for them. Tigress still didn't talk to Tai-Lung. Tai-Lung understood why and didn't press the matter, but Po did press it. When night time came, the three decided to stay for the night, camping outside. Tigress was sitting alone by the fire, thinking both Tai-Lung and Po were asleep. She angrily peered into the flames, absentmindedly stirring it. "Shifu was right," Po commented. Tigress turned to see Po standing next to her.
"What do you mean?" Tigress asked, confused about what he was talking about.
"He said there are three things people can't stop looking at. Running water and a fire. Both are the same yet always changing," Po recited. Tigress said nothing. "The Master said not to persecute him. That includes giving him the silent treatment." Tigress stood up.
"I don't want to talk about it," Tigress muttered.
"What will your hatred of him do?" Po asked, stopping her in her tracks, "He has a wife, a kid, a respectable job for life, and a relationship with the Master just like me." Tigress turned to face Po.
"He destroyed the village, he tried to kill us, he tried to kill Master Shifu, and he tried to kill you. All for a scroll, he didn't understand the meaning of. And you think I'm going to accept him right away?"
"I'm not saying you'll forgive him in a second, but you're not even making any progress of 'trying' to forgive him. Listen, I didn't expect you to immediately forgive him like I did. Because of the way you are, you're slower to forgive people who hurt you. Well, you're surprisingly quick to forgive me when I make mistakes like accidentally walking into the women's restroom," Po said nervously scratching the back of his head. Tigress smirked at the embarrassed panda. "But you have to forgive. It's the only way of becoming better and healing." Tigress was stubbornly silent. "There's another reason why you hate him. Something personal." Tigress sighed.
"He was the major reason for hurting Shifu. I... look at Master Shifu with high respect," Tigress said.
"I understand that. Shifu raised you, so it's natural to have those feelings," Po replied.
"But he grabbed Master Shifu's pride and joy with ease. When he turned against Shifu, he took his inner peace away. It was... hard for me to... make him proud of me. It was hard to get his approval," Tigress explained.
"So in a sense, you were j-" He stopped when he saw Tigress' look, "I mean, desirous of Master Shifu's approval of Tai-Lung but not you?" Tigress nodded. "And you don't think he's proud of you."
"I know he is proud of us now, but back then it was a different story. I know I shouldn't be contemptuous towards anyone because of what you've told us about the Master, but I don't know if I can help it with this one," Tigress said, staring into the fire.
"He was prouder of you than he was to me," said a voice behind them. Tigress and Po looked to see an awake Tai-Lung. "He didn't necessarily tell me that he was proud of me. With you, he outright said it. That's something I never got. Imagine my surprise when I battled him to learn he was always proud of me. All those years trying to get something I already had." Tai-Lung came closer to Tigress, who had her arms crossed. Po knew that Tai-Lung was scared at this point. The fire was behind Tigress, and whenever that happened, Tigress seemed to have an aura of fire and rage. She looked twice as frightening as before. "You don't think there's a day that goes by that I wish I could change everything. If I had known the reason why Po was chosen, I would have brought him into the Jade Palace and have Master Oogway raise him. The incredible guilt I felt about what I did, to everyone, nearly consumed me to the point I was thinking of committing suicide. Forgiving myself was the hardest part I had to do. Surprisingly, asking you for forgiveness is much easier." He sighed looking at the ground for a moment.
"I don't expect you to forgive me right away. I don't even expect you to ever trust me, but I want you to know that I am deeply sorry for what I've done to the valley, to Master Shifu, to the others, and to Po. But most of all, I'm deeply sorry for what I've done to you," Tai-Lung said. Tigress stared at him for a moment. She looked at Po standing with his jade staff and sighed.
"For the sake of things, I will formally forgive you. That is to say, I understand that you are sorry for what you've done. But I won't fully forgive you until I know that I can trust you," Tigress said. Tai-Lung sighed.
"That's all I ask," He said, bowing, "Master Tigress."
"Come on, let's go to bed. We have a lot of work to do," Po said.
The three traveled to the city of Bol-Lat where the people went on with their daily work, lives, and lifestyles. On the surface, Po couldn't really see anything wrong with the city, but he knew that wrong deeds are never publicly seen. However, as they got through the outskirts of the city, the out and blatant evil of the people here was evident. Men, women, and children all stood on corners selling their bodies. Screams were heard left, right, and center from people killing people, fighting people, some abusing people. Then there were evils great and small. Children ran amuck and some slapped their parents. Parents abused their children. Curses and profane things were said. One person tried to grab Tigress, but both Po and Tai-Lung punched the guy clear through the wall, though Tai-Lung could have sworn he never touched the guy. Po's angry scowl burn directly on the guy's face. Po scared him clear out of the way. Everyone looked to see what the commotion was about and they were hushed as well. Tigress and Tai-Lung were surprised, but Tigress held Po back.
"It's okay, you don't need to protect me. I know how to protect myself," Tigress said. Po's glare still bore through any person who even thought of getting near Tigress. There is no polite way of putting this. This was the birthplace of sin itself. The ironic thing is that this used to be the holiest place to go to. Temples and worship places still littered the place. As they walked towards the majestic palace, Po still burned with a fiery anger. Tigress placed her hand on Po's shoulder.
"Po, I don't think giving the people a message from the Master in anger is good. Our mission is to warn them, not condemn them. Maybe they are redeemable," Tigress stated. Po breathed and relaxed a bit. They entered the palace to a royal wolf ruler.
"Who dares comes into the presence of Xingfu!" boomed the ruler. Ironic name for a ruler in this city for the name meant 'blessed'.
"I am the Dragon Warrior. This is Master Tigress and Jiu Zhu of Northern China. We've come to give you a message for the city of Bol-Lat from the Master," Po said. The room started to laugh.
"You guys again?" Said the ruler, "I thought we put an end to your kind."
"What do you mean?" Tai-Lung asked.
"We've had many so-called servants of the Master that told us about the Master's 'wrath' against this city. We've either chased them away, imprisoned him, or killed them. So, choose wisely about what you're going to say because it may be your last." Po turned to Tigress and Tai-Lung. He didn't want to endanger them. His unsure face told them what he was thinking. Tai-Lung looked at Tigress. He wasn't going to stand down, neither did Tigress by the look of it. Po smiled and turned back to Xingfu. "Well? What's your message?" He said mockingly.
"This is what the Master has said. 'You are no longer the holiest of the nation. In fact, you teach others how to be eviler than themselves. I've sent you priests and prophets in my name, and you've killed and chased them away. I've pleaded with you like a father pleading with his son. But you've said, "The Master will understand the evil that I do." Do you not know that I understand all of your struggles, yet I do not compromise? My law is still the law. No one can change the truth. My understanding does not cause me to compromise. I've tried to give you mercy and grace, but you've lived on borrowed time for too long. Forty-eight years, before Po, my servant, was born, I've been pleading with you. Now, your probation is up. In thirty days, unless you show TRUE repentance, I will surely destroy the city. Only those who are still holy or will show true repentance shall live. And I will cause the invading Mongolians to destroy you. Thus says the Master'" Po immediately turned around and started walking out, leaving the shocked people. Tai-Lung and Tigress followed. They noticed how Po was starting to rush out.
"Po, where are we going?" Tigress asked.
"We have to get out of here. They'll come looking for us," Po said.
"We're ready to fight," Tai-Lung confidently said, cracking his knuckles.
"Me too, but that's not what the Master told me to do. There's a place he's shown me where we can stay." They went outside the city and camped on a hill, looking over the city. "So, there were others like me," Po sighed. Tai-Lung gently laid his hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for what Xingfu did. If I had known, I would have sent an army to destroy all of them," Tai-Lung said.
"Which is why the Master didn't tell you," Po replied. "I've said this before. The Master doesn't enjoy in the suffering of evil people, but he enjoys the redemption of evil people, which why I've forgiven you so easily." Tai-Lung sighed, looking at the tent that Tigress was in. "She'll warm up to you. I promise."
"You can't promise that Po," Tai-Lung countered.
"I can. If she can warm up to me, she'll warm up to you," Po replied. Then Tai-Lung voiced something on his mind.
"Po, why were you so angry when the guy came at Tigress?" Tai-Lung asked. Po must have had to protect other people countless times. Why did this one tick him off? Po's angry glare returned as he looked away. "Um... actually, never mind," Tai-Lung said, not wanting an angry Po on his hand. He couldn't imagine what he was like angry. "I'll go to bed then."
"Goodnight," Po sighed.
"People of Bol-Lat," Po shouted in the marketplace of the city, "Turn away from your evil." The people booed and hissed him, throwing fruits and vegetables at him. Po retreated to the campsite. This had been going on for two weeks now. Po would talk in the crowded places and tell people to repent, and the people would chase him out. Finally, on the 15th day, Po was captured by the guards of Xingfu while he was in the marketplace alone. He told both Tai-Lung and Tigress to stay at the campsite, even though Tigress pleaded to come.
"You've been running amuck in my town. You should have stayed out of the city when you had the chance. Now, you shall die." With that, a guard took his sword and swung it at Po's neck. As it hit Po's neck, the sword shattered into a million pieces. Everyone was shocked. Xingfu was the first to get over his shock. "Try again!" Another guard took another sword and it shattered like glass as well. The ruler finally got fed up. "Take him to the dungeon." So they did, throwing him into one of the dampest and darkest prison cells. Po sighed as he rested his head on the wall.
"Well, this is familiar," He joked to himself. Then he heard something. "Who's there?" Slowly, a head popped out from the dark corner of the prison hall. It was a teenage wolf. This must be the son of Xingfu. "Who are you?"
"I am Xiwang. I've heard your words in the palace and in the marketplace. I believe that the Master has sent you," He said. Po smiled.
"You're not like your dad," Po commented. Xiwang looked away ashamed.
"My father was led by the corrupted priests to turn this city into the way it is now. I hope that the Master can forgive me for what my father has done."
"You won't be punished for the mistakes of your dad," Po comforted, "Neither will your dad be punished for the mistakes you do. The person who does evil, only he shall be judged." Xiwang was comforted by that fact.
"What can I get you?" He asked. Po thought about it; then his stomach growled.
"Paper, ink, feather, and a whole lot of food," Po said. With that, the wolf bowed and ran to get the things. "Master?"
"Yes, Po?"
"Will this one change? Will he stop doing wrong?"
"Let the sky turn to brass and people will pray," The Master replied. "Only when it's too late and mercy has long been offered does the wicked ask for grace."
"So how are people judged then?" Po asked.
"The light of truth and righteousness has come into the world, but others like the darkness rather than the light. Those who do evil and refuse to do good hate the light and will not come to it because they do not want their evil deeds to show up. But those that do what is right, come to the light, in order that others may see what they did was for me," The Master explained. Po understood. Just then, the prince wolf came back with the stuff. The first thing Po did was eat.
"Mmm, good dumplings. Now, I must write to the people and send them the message the Master has given me," Po said.
"Shall I tell your friends that you're here?"
"No, Xiwang, I think the Master will tell them. In the meantime, just keep me in your thoughts," Po smiled. The teen wolf nodded and left the panda. It was about two minutes of writing the paper that Po heard another sound coming from the open gridded top of the cell.
"Po?" said a familiar voice.
"Wow, you guys are quick," Po said. Cutting through the grid and using a rope, Tai-Lung lowered Tigress into the cell.
"We're here to get you out," Tigress said, but Po resisted.
"Not yet. I think I can get more done in here than out there. Leave me to the prison and I'll be fine," Po replied.
"I'm not leaving you here," Tigress said determinedly, "I heard what happened with you and the guards' swords. What if they didn't break? I have to make sure you don't get killed." Po smiled as he rested his hand on her shoulder.
"I'll be fine," Po assured. Then he looked up. "Tai-Lung, take Tigress out and wait for me outside of the campsite."
"Um... I can't do that," Tai-Lung answered, producing a cut rope. Po glared at Tigress's smirking face.
"You're hard-headed, not hardcore," Po grumbled.
"Please, Po. Let me stay with you," Tigress asked. Po sighed.
"Fine, Tai-Lung, go back to the campsite. I'll figure out a way to explain to the guard about a tiger just popping out of nowhere," Po muttered. Tai-Lung nodded.
"Have fun, you two," Tai-Lung teased. Po grumbled under his breath as his face reddened a little. Tigress smirked at Po's frustration. Though she hated to say it, she liked seeing Po frustrated. It was kind of funny. Po decided it was best to finish the letter.
Continued...