So long ago
Chapter 10
The whole inn was cheering at the young dragon, his voice drawing attention to the people passing outside. As he finished his song, the inn was bursting with new people ready to hear the next song of this magnificent singing warrior.
"Wow he sure knows how to gather a crowd, huh Ti?" Po asked his belowed tiger only getting a small chuckle in response. Tigress was already tired, and the singing didn't exactly help. So the half sleeping tiger rested her head on the giant panda's shoulder and hugged his arm tight. Without thinking much Po instictively put his paw gently onto her shoulder and hugged her close, which resulted in the tiger purring a bit louder than she might have wanted.
On stage Jin picked up the faint purr with his sensitive hearing and smiled to himself.
"I think the mighty Dragon Warrior would like a turn on the stage." He said with a slightly teasing tone. When Po tried to refuse he was cut off by the immense ammount of people gathered inside. They all wanted to hear him sing. After this was over, Po was sure that if Tigress wouldn't hurt Jin he would personally make him 'feel the thunder'.
He pointed towards the now sleeping tiger as an excuse, but Jin had already thought of this and provoked him playfully.
"Oh well, I'm sure you can sing right about anywhere so why not from there?" Po sighed in defeat and murmured to himself 'yup he sure knows how to gather a crowd'. When the crowd started cheering again it awoke the slumbering beauty, that was latched on to Po's arm. The noise wasn't what had awoken her though. It was a sweet familiar voice that comforted her when she most needed it. The voice that belonged to a loving, caring panda that would no doubt give his life for her in an instant. Yes it was his voice that would make the tiger wake up smiling and excited for what was to come.
The panda looked lovingly at his 'Kitten' as he started calling her (Well after his Kitten stopped beating him to a pulp everytime he said it) and began to sing a song, with which he wanted to tell her just how much she meant to him.
All the while the caring and loving snake that was sitting right besides them was sobbing quietly, it didn't take long for Jin to notice this and make his way through all the people towards the only person that stole his heart in such a long time.
When it's black,
Take a little time to hold yourself,
Take a little time to feel around,
Before it's gone.
You won't let go, but you still keep on falling down.
Remember how you saved me now,
From all of my wrongs.
And if there's love just feel it,
And if there's life we'll see it.
This is no time to be alone, alone, yeah
I won't let you go.
Vipers quiet sobs were muffled by Po's voice, but Jin was determined to be there for her, to give her comfort in her time of need.
Say those words, say those words like there's nothing left.
Close your eyes and you might begin that there is some way out.
Open up, open up your heart to me now.
Let it all come pouring out,
There's nothing I can't take.
And if there's love just feel it,
And if there's life we'll see it.
This is no time to be alone, alone, yeah
I won't let you go.
(Won't let you go, won't let you go)
And if your sky falling,
Just take my hand and hold it.
You don't have to be alone, alone, yeah
I won't let you go.
(Won't let you go, won't let you go)
And if you feel the failing of the light.
And you're too weak to carry on the fight.
And all your friends that you care for have disappeared.
I'll be here now darling, forever, holding on.
Woah
And if there's love just feel it,
And if there's life we'll see it.
This is no time to be alone, alone, yeah
I won't let you go.
(Won't let you go, won't let you go)
Woah no
And if your sky falling,
Just take my hand and hold it.
You don't have to be alone, alone, yeah
I won't let you go.
(Won't let you go, won't let you go)
Woah no, yeah
I won't let you go, no I wont let,
I won't let you go, no I wont let,
I won't let you go, no I wont let you go.
Po hugged Tigress close and planted a loving kiss on her cheek making the people aww and cheer at the same time. Jin however made it to Viper just as Po finished singing. He knelt down to her and asked his voice showing the worry and concern he held deep in his heart for her and only her.
"Viper what's wrong?" He asked the snake, holding her up to see her eyes. Instead of an answer Viper pulled away from him and slithered her way out of the inn, the dragon following quickly. The streets were now more or less empty as most of the population went to sleep or have been watching the warriors sing inside of the inn.
"Viper… Please talk to me. What's wrong?" Jin said as his snake came to a stop in the middle of the empty street, that was lit up brightly not by lights but by the round moon, that hung low in the sky, giving off a enchanting silver shine, making Viper seem to glow as Jin looked at her. Her eyes full of tears, that glistered in the moonlight as they slowly fell to the ground.
She whispered in a cracked voice, her heart falling apart at her own words.
"Jin… I'm sorry… But I can't do this anymore…" Viper began to sob again, the dragon slowly making his way to her and wiping off a few tears, planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Viper whatever is bothering you… we can make it through" He said with a comforting smile, which only made the snake feel more sadness and sorrow as her heart finally gave way and fell to a million pieces.
"No J-Jin… we can't…" She backed away from him, tears running freely from her lush and deep eyes.
"N-No… please don't go… not now…" The dragon whispered, a big lump forming in his throat, water threatening to leave the big green eyes.
"We both know t-that I'm not what you r-really need…" That sentence, those few words, they were like poison to him, like daggers through his heart, and coming from the one he loved so much that he would die for any day was so much more painfull.
Viper saw that he would not want to let her go so she did what she had been thinking about ever since Jin sang the first song in the inn.
The small creature sang into the night, her voice rivalling those of angels singing their last song, echoed softly through the night, making it's way to the inn they were in not long before. Soon the two warriors heard her, Tigress and Po walked outside, being followed by about a dozen people. They stopped a short distance behind the dragon and listened.
If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way.
And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you. Hmm.
Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.
And I will always love you.
I will always love you.A steady flow of sorrow managed to make its way from those lush green eyes that she loved looking at so much.
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.
And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.
You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you.
The snake took one last tear filled, loving look at Jin and then turned around and left. Leaving behind only the long green ribbon she bought for him. The dragon made his way slowly to the green cloth on the ground and picked it up. As he did, the sky darkened and a cracking sound could be heard. To anyone else it was just thunder, but to Jin… he wasn't sure if it was just thunder or his heard breaking into thousands of pieces.
Before anyone could say or do anything to comfort the brokenhearted warrior, he took off, he ran out of the town and into the forest, he ran as long as his legs would carry him, rain soaking him to the bone. When the poor dragon could run no more he collapsed onto the ground, a painfully familiar song creeping it's way into his head as memories of his time with Viper flooded his mind.
Flashback (N/A as you read the flashback play the song Tears And Rain by James Blunt in the background set it to replay if you're not finished reading by the end of the song.)
The four cubs found the singing tiger in the forest, venting his frustration on the ironwood trees. They mistook him for their tiger friend and approached him without hesitation.
"Hey Tigress, we should be going back home. Master Shifu is waiting for us." A young crane said to the tigers back.
The tiger cub stopped punching the trees and turned around with a confused face "Who's Tigress?".
A few weeks after he was introduced to Master Shifu and was taken in, he had made great friends with the five. A snake in particular.
"Hey Viper! Wanna play?" the tiger cub asked happily as he ran towards the snake.
"Sure Jin. What do you wanna play?" the young snake asked with a smile on her face.
"Let's play tag. You're it!" Jin the tiger cub yelled playfully as he tapped Viper on the head gently and ran off. For the next few hours happy laughter could be heard from the Jade Palace courtyard.
It had now been a couple of years since they met eachother. The teenager snake was slithering from her training session towards her room to take a rest.
The shy and unsure tiger slowly walked behind her gathering up the courage to finally ask.
"H-Hey Viper…. I was thinking… that m-maybe you w-would like t-to g-go…. Out with me?" He closed his eyes firmly awaiting rejection but it never came. He slowly cracked open one eye to see the snake smiling lovingly at him.
"I thought you would never ask" She said as joy overcame her and she coiled herself in a hug arround the blushing tiger Jin.
"GET HIM! THAT'LL TEACH THE LITTLE PUNK TO PLAY PRANKS ON US!" The angry mob yelled as they battered the poor tiger half to death. But he refused to stand down. He was the only thing protecting his best friend Monkey from the angry mob. He was holding up well until Shifu and the rest of the five showed up with horryfied faces.
"ENOUGH! He has learned his lesson! Now stop this madness at once!" Shifu commanded the angry mob from the rich district of the Valley of Peace. They were alwys up to no good, and knew well how to hold a grudge against anyone. And for some reason they chose this poor tiger.
They were rich, no denying that, and with wealth came political power. "YOU FILTH ARE NOW BANISHED FROM OUR VALLEY FOR 10 YEARS!" one of the leading villagers yelled at him.
"Jin n-no… please don't go… not now…" Viper choked out between her sobs in a futile attempt to stop the tiger leaving for such a long time.
He turned around, tears matting his fur, a big lump in his throat and kissed his lover goodbye "Viper I'll always love you… A-And I promise i'll be back… no matter what…" The last night he would spend at home was ticking away. The last night he could be with his love before they were forced appart.
"J-Jin… I love you…" Viuper whispered in a crushed tone as the tiger held her in a last and warm embrace.
The memories of those 10 long years flashed before the dragons eyes, each living day, he would spend thinking about her, writing songs and defending innocent people from bandits. Even after he joined Shanxi's army he hadn't stopped thinking about Viper, and every night he fell asleep with tears in his eyes and a broken heart, thinking of the snake that brought joy to his life so long ago.