A/N: Chapter fooouuuur yeah! Today's lesson shall be "Time Lapses: the Other White Meat." I want to once again thank you awesomepants readers, reviewers, favoriters, watchers, other types of -ers. You guys keep me young.
Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda is property of Dreamworks.
Chapter 4: A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind
The Hall of Heroes was as quiet and tranquil as it always was- except for one big difference. Shifu's eye twitched when he caught sight of Lin standing mere inches away from a nearby painting, her eyes wide and unblinking. He looked around the hall, but he was the only witness to the oddity. He walked up behind her and waited to be noticed, and when that didn't happen, he cleared his throat.
She jumped away from the painting and spun around to face him, a guilty look on her face. "Oh, hello," she choked out, then fell silent.
Shifu glared. "What were you doing to that painting?"
"Uh... Looking... At it?" She wrung her hands together and seemed to shrink a little.
"Have you any idea of the value of that painting?" While his concern for the painting was genuine, he was also relishing the opportunity to scold her. There was just something about Lin that rubbed him the wrong way. "What you are standing before is a depiction of Master Flying Rhino reaching a state of-"
"I know," she interrupted, her voice barely audible.
"What?" Maybe it was the way she made comments like that, but didn't intend anyone to hear them that angered him so much.
"I, uh... I know," she repeated louder, sounding sheepish. "It's eighty years old. It's unique among Chinese scroll painting of its time because Master Chen, the artist, signed his name directly onto the scroll, a practice that he himself popularized in the Eastern Hemisphere." She reached up and scratched behind her ear, blushing.
Shifu took a step back, narrowing his eyes. "How do you know all that?" he barked, straightening himself and crossing his arms behind his back.
"Uh, I, um..." Her eyes darted around the room, completely avoiding him.
"Well? Who told you that?"
"Uh... Nunya?"
"Who?" he demanded firmly, taking some pleasure in watching her grasp for straws.
"Nunya business," she finished in a tiny voice.
Shifu's ears flattened against the back of his head, and he was about to chew her up and spit her back out when a friendly voice called from the entrance to the hall.
"Why hello, my friends!" Oogway shuffled toward them, smiling as warmly as if he'd just seen them put their differences aside and become best friends. "Ah, I see you are admiring Master Chen's painting of Master Flying Rhino." He stopped next to them and pointed up at the scroll with his staff. "Did you know that Master Chen was the first known artist in China to visibly sign his paintings?"
"Yeah," Lin answered instantly.
Shifu glared at her some more.
"An interesting fact indeed," Oogway sighed. "Though I am surprised to see the two of you here in the Hall of Heroes. Isn't it about time for lunch?"
"Yeah, I'll bet Tai Lung's pretty hungry by now." Lin's concern for Tai Lung only annoyed Shifu more.
"You haven't started lunch yet?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.
"I finished it... Actually." She took a step away from him. "I think I'll go, uh... Set the table." She practically ran from the hall, and good riddance.
"Master," Shifu started the moment she was gone, "I just don't know if we can trust her."
"Ah, but do we ever know if another is trustworthy?" Oogway smiled down at him. "My friend, trust is not the responsibility of others, but your own responsibility. It is up to you to trust."
"But Master-"
"Trust, Shifu."
He fell silent, knowing that the conversation was over for Oogway. His Master spoke of trust so easily, as if it were a decision as simple as what to wear for the day. Still, he had taken a vow to obey his Master, and so... He supposed he had to at least try. It wouldn't be easy, though.
Lin sat in her room, a pile of coins in front of her, a piece of blank paper and a brush and ink at hand. She had been working at the Jade Palace for a little more than a week, and in addition to room, board, and free food, she was being provided with a modest salary. She would have probably been able to make more money out on the streets, begging and performing tricks. However, she enjoyed having a roof over her head and three square meals a day; she also enjoyed the company of Oogway and Tai Lung, more than she'd admit out loud. Shifu, however, was the kind of person who took some getting used to.
She finished counting her money, then grabbed her writing utensils and began to calculate. If she only ate once a day, stopped to beg at every town she passed, slept outdoors, and never bought anything but the most meager provisions possible... She would have enough money saved up for a journey in about a month and a half.
"Dammit," she cursed, leaning back and rubbing at her face. Patience was a virtue, but the thought of spending so much time in the Valley of Peace made her nervous. Maybe if she took some food from them before she left...
No, there was no changing the facts. She could always search for a new job in a new place, but there was no guarantee that the job would come with the kind of cushy working conditions this one provided. She even had a room in the barracks (in order to be close to the kitchen). And it had been a while since she'd been able to live so decadently.
She returned the coins to their hiding place, then went about cleaning up her writing supplies. "Face it, you're stuck," she muttered to herself.
Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. She jumped at the sound; dinner had ended a couple of hours ago, so she couldn't possibly guess what anyone would want from her.
"Hold on," she called out, glancing around at the papers scattered about the room. Perhaps it would be best if she met whoever it was in the hallway. She straightened herself out as much as possible, trying to rub the ink stains on her hands off on the inside of her sleeves. Then, she opened her door only wide enough for her to slip through, shutting it tightly behind her. She blinked in surprise to see Tai Lung standing there.
"Hi," he greeted, his arms folded behind him, the stance he usually took when addressing Shifu.
"Whatsamatter, kid?" She was certain there must have been something wrong, since Tai Lung had never sought her out past meal times before.
"I, uh... Well, I couldn't concentrate on my meditation." He shifted uncomfortably. "Would you make me something to eat?"
"Jeez, kid, that's it? You can find something to eat on your own, can't you?"
He stared down at his feet, sighing. "Yeah, but..."
Lin remembered enough of her own childhood to know that the statement would end with "but I want you to do it."
"...Nevermind," he muttered.
"Wait a minute there, kid." She gave him a firm pat on the arm. "C'mon, I'll scrounge something up."
"Yeah?" The way he cheered up at that was worth the trouble of reopening the kitchen for business.
"Yeah," she replied, leading the way. "What're you in the mood for?"
"I don't know... Something sweet, I guess."
"You're in luck," she informed him loftily as they entered the kitchen. "It just so happens that I am a master of dessert." She started rummaging around in the cabinets while Tai Lung took a seat. "What about poached pears?" she pondered aloud, eyeing the cabinet she had decided to dedicate to liquor and wine. "Nah, too fancy."
"Well what kind of fruit did you buy today?" he prompted.
"Apples... But I don't like those so much, I only got 'em 'cause..." She trailed off, frowning. She only bought apples because Shifu liked apples, and for some reason, she was still trying to suck up. "Whatever. Then there's oranges, but the way I like oranges-" soaked in whiskey- "you're not allowed to have. So that leaves... Bananas!"
Tai Lung jumped a little when she shouted. "What's so great about bananas?"
"Don't you see, man?" She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him; that got the kid laughing. "I can make bananas foster!"
"What's that?" He turned in his chair to watch her gather ingredients.
"Pretty much just pure sugar," she replied. "Now that's my kind of dessert, am I right?"
Tai Lung nodded, grinning. "Yeah, you're right."
After nightfall, the barracks were usually silent, the residents in deep meditation. This was how Shifu normally spent his evenings. He sat in his room, breathing deeply as the tranquil darkness of complete relaxation overtook him.
And then, an annoyingly loud laugh broke his concentration.
He kept his eyes closed, willing himself to relax again; it was just one laugh, nothing to get angry over. He took a deep breath and-
"Agh!"
This time, he snapped his eyes open. That had definitely been Tai Lung's voice; Tai Lung, who was supposed to be meditating in his room this late at night.
"Tickle fight!"
He groaned to himself, reaching up to massage his temples. Of course. With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself to his feet and headed for the kitchen. It seemed like the longer Lin stayed with them, the more time he spent in the kitchen. As he approached, it appeared that the tickle fight had ended, and he could hear snippets of conversation.
"So what kind of dog are you, anyway?"
"Oh, a little of this, a little of that. I'm a mutt, in every sense of the word."
Shifu walked into the kitchen, then reached up and gripped his forehead in pure frustration. Tai Lung and Lin were both sprawled on top of the kitchen table, the table at which they ate, and giggling. "What is going on here?" he grumbled.
They both immediately scrambled off the table, Tai Lung bowing while Lin stuttered out a series of unintelligible noises.
Tai Lung straightened up and stood with his arms folded behind him, then glanced back at Lin, who was looking more and more like she was going to melt into the floor. "Would you like some dessert, Master?" he offered.
Shifu blinked in surprise. "Dessert?" Since when had anyone at the Jade Palace ever eaten dessert? "If you were hungry, you should have eaten more at dinner."
Lin snorted as she fumbled with a pan and a plate. "Dessert's not about being hungry," she muttered to herself.
"Eating is about hunger," Shifu snapped at her, annoyed. "Food is fuel, you eat to survive."
Lin walked up to the table, loudly set a plate down in the spot Shifu had been occupying during meals as of late, and dropped a spoon next to it. "Please try some." She spoke quietly and politely, a stark contrast to her actions.
He glared at her, sensing the challenge she'd put forth. With that one dish, she was fighting for control over the kitchen; if he ate it and enjoyed it, he would be conceding.
"It's really good," Tai Lung vouched. "You should try it, Master." He obviously had no idea what was at stake.
Shifu weighed his options; he had to admit, Lin's cooking had been good so far. Even better than good. Her food was simple and robust, an obvious reflection of her roots as a peasant, probably the daughter of a farmer. This dessert, however, was different. It was meant solely for indulgence, he could already tell from the sweet aroma wafting toward him. Slowly, he approached the table and sat down. He picked up the spoon and glanced at Tai Lung, who gave him an encouraging nod. Then, he tasted it.
His experience with the opposite sex was limited; he'd had his short romances as a young man, flings really, and he'd known what had ultimately been puppy love. With that knowledge in hand, he could safely say that if he never so much as smelled another woman for the rest of his life, he would be great, as long as he had this dessert. "What is this?" he asked, staring down at it.
"Bananas foster," Lin replied smugly; she could obviously tell that he'd enjoyed it immensely.
"It's... Good," he admitted grudgingly.
"Thank you." She smiled tightly.
"Can I have more?" Tai Lung asked her quietly.
"No, you'll never get to bed with all that sugar in you." She returned to the stove. "Have some herbal tea, that'll make you plenty sleepy."
Before Tai Lung had a chance to protest, she was shoving a steaming hot cup of tea into his hands.
Shifu had to admit, he was a little bit impressed by the authority in her voice when she spoke to Tai Lung; impressed enough, at least, that he decided not to say anything about her mothering his son.
She placed a cup of tea in front of him, as well, without even asking if he wanted any.
Although he could go for some tea. "Tai Lung, it is getting rather late," he scolded as he tasted the tea; it was light and floral, but not sweet. "Once you're done with that tea, get to bed."
"You don't want me to stay up and meditate?" he asked hopefully, most likely looking for an excuse to stay up. He glanced at Lin, who was washing dishes.
"Don't look at me," she said.
"Aw, okay," he finally agreed, downing his tea. "I'll go to bed." He slunk out of the room, looking dejected.
Shifu realized belatedly that this left him (once again) alone in the kitchen with Lin. He wondered if he could beat a quick retreat, but he hadn't finished his tea or his... Dessert. Instead, he found himself sitting in awkward silence, eating while Lin cleaned up. Still, he couldn't think of anything to say, nor did he even want to say anything.
He finished up the admittedly extraordinary dessert, unfortunately, and before he could even stand up Lin grabbed his plate and washed it for him. "I can clean up after myself," he informed her.
"Nah, I got it." She took his empty cup, too. "So... You liked the bananas?"
If he didn't know any better, he'd say that she sounded like she actually wanted his approval. "Yes," he conceded, standing up from the table.
"D'you... Eat peaches?"
He furrowed his brow. "Of course I do. Who doesn't like peaches?"
"Just checking." She moved to push his chair in for him, but he beat her to it. "Oh, uh, thanks."
He lifted one eyebrow at her. "Are you heading to bed?" He realized after he'd said it how suggestive it had sounded, and frowned.
"Uh, no." She rested her hands on her lower back, much in the way a pregnant woman would. "I usually just... Go to sleep whenever I run outta steam, y'know what I mean?"
"No, I don't." The statement was greeted with silence, and he shifted uncomfortably, unsure of whether or not their conversation had ended.
"Well!" She thankfully broke the silence. "This was actually... Okay. I'm gonna head off, now. Not to bed, in case you were wondering." She started to laugh, but quickly fell silent at the stony look on his face. "Right. Seeya."
He nodded to her, and watched her leave out of the corner of his eye. Then, with a sigh, he headed for his own room. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what her ulterior motive was; anyone else would think he was just being paranoid or distrustful, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Lin was the kind of woman who had a reason for everything she did and said.
Still, he couldn't for the life of him figure out what her aim was. If she was a thief, surely she would have attempted to take something and be on her way by then. She couldn't be a warrior looking for a challenge, that would have come up the first day she'd arrived. Besides, while he knew better than to judge a warrior by appearances... There was no way she knew the first thing about any style of fighting. Perhaps his first impression of her was correct, and she was simply a bum off the street, looking for food and shelter.
He supposed the only thing he really could do was stay vigilant, and wait. Sooner or later, the truth would come out.
A/N: Shifu is srs bsns, yo. :P As you can see, I'm finally getting the show on the road and revealing information. Maybe eventually something will happen, haha. We can only hope, right?