AN: So the lord of the land has not survived his exile, and it will fall to one of his three adult children. Uh-oh. This doesn't bode well! Thanks to the reviewers so far: RenkonNairu, D.JStriker, and Kelev!
Chapter Five: What the Reunion Brought
Tao easily traced the source of her brother's growling to its source. She pushed open the door to the dimly-lit dining area, revealing Master Tigress and Guiren standing on either end of the ancient wooden table. Both were openly snarling at each other.
The other four kung-fu masters uneasily glanced back and forth between the two, clearly wanting to drag their leader away from this fight, but just as incensed as she about whatever had been said.
"It is outrageous that you barge in here and make demands! The Furious Five are NOT, nor will we ever be, your private army!" Tigress flashed her teeth as she spoke, and her long tail churned the air. Her opponent merely seemed to find her fury amusing. He crossed his thick arms and favored Tigress with a condescending smirk.
"No, you are FATHER's private army, and I intend to see to it that you are utilized in the manner most worthy to the.."
All conversation stopped as the large sun bear caught a glimpse of the newcomer in the doorway. He smirked openly at the disinterested little tanuki. "So... little Tao has returned as well, has she? What news do you and Father bring from your long exile?" Tao's bronze eyes narrowed appraisingly as she examined the room for herself.
Instead of answering his question, she purposefully strolled past him, heading for the teapot she spied on the other end of the table. A quick whiff to be sure of its' contents, and she was helping herself to the first cup of really, genuinely good tea that she'd had in years.
Guiren ground his teeth as he watched his still-obstinate little sister pointedly ignore him. Finally he could stand no more and slammed his fist down on the table, startling the Furious Five with his rage. His older sister merely scoffed and continued fanning herself. Perhaps she feared her makeup was going to slide off in the warm and cozy room. Guiren's voice was a low growl as he spoke. "Listen you little-"
Tao-hua's eyes, which had been closed in blissful enjoyment, snapped open abruptly. "Shut up, you insufferable, self-absorbed bore."
There was a table-wise double-take as the bear and the tanuki locked glares. Mantis made a slight, nervous sound and hopped up onto Monkey's shoulder. Tao finished her cup off as her brother stuttered in surprise. He'd never heard her speak up like that before. She carefully sat her cup down, and regarded each of her siblings in turn.
"Guiren, you're much the same as you ever were. Every bit as loud, obnoxious, and violently-inclined as ever, if the conversation I walked in on is any indication." Guiren scowled, easing back down onto the cushion behind him. It was impossible to note that he didn't deny the accusation.
Tao's eyes flicked to her older sister next. "And Ruiling.. you seem even more like yourself than I remember." The fox's false smile faltered, as she tried to piece together what exactly had been meant by that. She even stopped fanning herself with the effort of puzzling it out.
"You should both know that father is no longer with us," Tao continued, standing and pacing the small room. The older two exchanged glances at this news. "So I suppose we call all stop acting like we tolerate being in the same room with each other now, since we no longer have to do so for his sake." She paused, pointing a small dark hand at Guiren.
"Shifu is searching through Oogway and father's belongings, trying to determine if there is indeed a will. Personally, I have come back here only to fulfill my promise to father to see him safely home. I'm not interested in any of his money or treasures, so you two can feel free to go ahead and seize whatever wealth he's left you like the scheming vultures that I saw in your eyes the moment I told you of his passing."
The diminutive woman climbed suddenly onto the table, stalking down its' length towards her siblings. "But know this.. you will have nothing he has not allotted to you. Whatever father has left to his people shall REMAIN THEIRS so long as I have breath in my body." Satisfied that she'd made her point, Tao-hua stepped down from the low table, and exited the room.
It was the elder sister who responded first. "Apparently the years have not been... kind to our little sister, Guiren." The fox sniffed dismissively, preening a little before standing herself. "She seems to have become quite the angry little bitch over the past few decades."
Ruiling's sharp gold eyes narrowed and she smirked openly. "Father will, of course, have left ME the Jade Palace. It is, after all, my namesake."
Guiren rose to his feet again as well, crossing his arms and throwing a nasty grin over at the Furious Five. "Fine. All I want from father is a good company to fight with. The remaining army and this little kung-fu performance troupe should suffice well."
Crane and Monkey both grabbed Tigress' muscular arms as she attempted to leap on the bear. "You can't DO THAT!" she roared, teeth and claws bared. "We are NOT your army, nor are we your slaves!"
Guiren grinned, and she could see that the large, graying bear was missing a few jagged teeth. "You don't get it, do you? You are in the service of the Jade Palace, of the Valley of Peace.. which is part of the overlying domain of our father's lands. IT is subject to the will of its' lord. You serve at its descretion and direction. WE OWN YOU, you fool!"
Tigress slumped back against her comrades in shock. "No... Master Shifu would never allow.."
Guiren and his sister laughed. Unpleasantly. "Little girl, Shifu and Oogway both served my father. Don't believe for a moment that Shifu is not bound to our will as well."
With that, the two older siblings left the Furious Five as well. Tigress clenched a fist, and slowly let it fall to the table surface.