A/N: It's been a while, but I am finally in the mood to type something. I think that I'm getting slightly depressed so I'm going to try writing to get into a better mood.
Tai Lung bit back a groan as the rough kick landed on his face. The rich irony taste swirled in his mouth and he immediately spat it out onto the cold, grey ground. He refused to give the satisfaction to the guards who continued to abuse him. The rhino pulled his head back and glared into his golden eyes as he asked, "So how does it feel to be in hell?"
When Tai Lung's black lips didn't move and his face remained stoic, the rhino raised his fist into the air. Then a loud knock stopped his movements and everyone's eyes moved to the metallic gate.
"Open the gates!" shouted one of the guards.
If that's my father, I've got a whole lot of rage to unleash. How dare he place me in a place like this? First he denies me of my destiny, makes me break my promise to Tigress, and then coops me up in this place?!
His eyes darkened and focused on the figure who stepped into the gloomy dungeon. He couldn't see who it was, but he could hear quiet footsteps; the sound of quick, yet steady feet moving stealthily along the floor. The footsteps only a kung fu masters would have. It would be undoubtedly his father, coming to lecture him.
A low growl rumbled in his throat. Then he heard loud whistles above his cage and the stench of rhinos merged above. Tai Lung frowned at the situation.
It can't be my father? Otherwise, why would they be whistling?
In the darkness, a pair of large, orange eyes frowned upon him. Tai Lung held his breath at the uninvited visitor and kept his eyes focused on the emerging figure. A thick orange coat that was decorated beautifully with stripes of black and white shone brightly in the dark room and Tai Lung only stared quietly while his anger quickly evaporated into the nothingness.
Suddenly one of the guards stared at the snow leopard menacingly and spat, "What are you looking?" Before he could return the glare, the rhino next to him stomped down his face.
Tai Lung didn't move, but continued to stare into the eyes which contained sadness and anger. Tigress demanded angrily, "What are you doing to him?"
Another guard wrapped his thick arms around her shoulder and said, "Don't worry about that filthy criminal, Kitty. Why are you here anyways? It's a dangerous place here you now."
Rage filled Tai Lung's body and he nearly shouted until Tigress tossed the rhino's arms aside. She darkly threatened, "If you touch me again, I swear that I am going to twist that arms of yours around your throat until you stop breathing."
Tai Lung couldn't help, but grin proudly.
That's my girl. She hasn't changed one bit.
However, a different rhino roughly grabbed her wrists and she immediately broke free of the guard's grip only to unsheathe her claws. One of the guards could only shout, "What the hell," before Tigress began to flip and punch all the guards unconscious. Tai Lung remained down on the floor unfazed by the outcome of the quick fight.
The leopard stayed chained on the dirty floor and asked, "It's just as they ask, what are you doing here?"
The angry tiger said, "No, Tai Lung. What are you doing here? How could you allow yourself to turn into a criminal?"
The leopard angrily shouted, "I only tried to fulfill my promise to you. That's how I ended up here and I definitely don't regret my actions so if my father sent you here to lecture me in his place, don't bother. Go home."
Tigress responded, "You self-centred bastard. I didn't come because of Master Shifu."
It was at that moment, he noticed that her original orange eyes were tainted with redness. Hot angry tears cascaded down the precedent trail of tears and Tai Lung only looked away.
Unexpectedly, her soft, gentle touch rested on his dirtied face. She whispered, "You changed so much, Tai Lung. I just desperately want you to remember who you're supposed to be."
I'm supposed to be the Dragon Warrior.
Her tone quietened and he couldn't hear the rage from earlier. She explained slowly, "I came to remind you who you are. And to help you like the way you helped me when we first met."
Tai Lung shifted his gaze and stared at a small, wooden domino that has been chipped from aging through the years. She asked, "Do you recognize it, Tai Lung?"
He answered, "How could I not? It's the domino piece that I gave you at the Bao Go Orphanage."
She flipped the domino over and revealed the yin-yang symbol that they painted years ago. Tigress said, "When I first met you, you told me that a kung fu master must be strong, but gentle at the same time. I didn't understand it back then, but you helped me realize what I needed to be a kung fu master. You had that touch of gentleness back then and somewhere on the road of mastery, you dropped it and I think you can find it back. Otherwise, you are no longer a master, but the game-old criminals that we used to fight."
Is she telling me the truth? Have I simply become an ordinary bandit? But what about the promise that I made to you?
Tigress stepped closer to Tai Lung and helped him sit up. She ordered, "Open your paws."
He opened his rough paws as she demanded and she placed the domino piece in the centre of his palm. She closed his paws and held them together for a few minutes in absolute silence. They gazed into each others eyes and Tai Lung leaned forward for their lips to touch. Tigress nearly let herself lean in for his touch, but pulled back and shook her head.
She whispered, "Tai Lung, I truly fell in love with you and I still am madly in love with you. But right now, you aren't the same leopard that stole my heart away. The one I know, had honour, respect, and a caring heart. Please remember the past and find your true self for me."
Panic churned in his empty stomach and wished to scream her name when Tigress stood up and began to walk further and further away from him. His claws protruded as he tightened his fist. He heard a small crack and softened his grip on the wooden domino.
"Relearn to be gentle huh?" he muttered to himself.
How ironic, after I taught her to be gentle. But how am I supposed to reclaim 'gentleness' when I filled with bitterness and anger from the tip of my fur to the end of my tail?
Before the heavy gates sealed itself close, he heard Tigress say, "Remember the past," as if to answer his inner thoughts.
He closed his eyes as the ceaseless abuse took its toll on his muscular, tattered body. Before his body fell into deep slumber, Tigress's advice echoed in his mind: Remember the past. Remember the past.
That's all I've got so far. Next chapter will be set in Tai Lung's dream state. That'll be interesting to type out. So until then, bye guys! Hope you guys enjoyed the story! Don't forget to review! Thanks :)