KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.
Chapter Five: There Are No Accidents
Jade Palace: The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom
Shifu was at a lost.
With Oogway gone, he didn't know what to do anymore. He just felt like this sad old man that was lost in the dark woods of China. He hadn't talked to Lotus since last night. In fact, he hadn't talked to anyone last night. Not Tiger, not Ping or Zeng. it was just silence. Most of the Palace was quiet, the servants paying their respects to the past Master and already working on a statue in the Masters' Garden.
Speaking of Lotus, Shifu couldn't help but replay the promise he made to Oogway when he left.
"Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you'll believe in her."
"I-I'll try."
Shifu sighed, deciding that none of this was helping, but when he strained his ears, he thought that he heard something. Thinking it was the Five training, he made his way to the Training Hall, but it was empty, then he realized it was coming from the sleeping quarters. As he made his way over, the noises got louder, and they sounded like a female's cries of anger and frustration. When he peaked into the Lotus's room, which was the area of all the commotion, he was surprised to see the entire room in shambles. Selves broken in two and on the ground, the bed was flipped over, and many scratches were on the walls and floors. And there were also... burns.
In the corner was Lotus, curled up in a fetal position, crying. Shifu found this image familiar. Like when he first met Tiger at the orphanage. But rather then tense and threatening, she was distraught. Then Shifu realized how obvious this whole thing was. She just lost the only thing close enough to a father that she has ever known. Shifu wasn't the only one suffering here. Everyone was mourning the loss of Oogway, and he selfishly just continued on like he was the only what that had something to loose from such a loss.
It was like Tai Lung all over again. He lost both his sons, one to greed, another to self-pity. Tiger lost both a father, a brother and a friend. And right now... Lotus lost her grandfather.
Shifu took a deep breath, before walking past all the rubble, hands behind his back as he approach. Lotus noticed his presence, but didn't say anything. They were caught in an awkward silence for about seven seconds before Shifu started speaking.
"I..." he started off awkwardly, before taking a deep breathe, "I realize how... selfish I've been since Oogway's... passing." Lotus whimpered, strangely making Shifu's heart clench at the sound. "He effected each of us in the best way, and I selfishly pushed aside everyone in my grief and took no notice of how everyone else was suffering." Lotus didn't move her head from her knees, but her voice was muffled as she responded.
"Kinda like how you did when Tai Lung went bad." Shifu didn't looked outraged. If anything, he actually looked hurt and accepting.
"You..." Lotus waited for the berating. The scolding, telling to never mention 'that' name again. "Are right." her ear twitched. What? "In my despair of loosing Tai Lung to the dark, I ignored everyone else's suffering. Tiger's... Yours... Oogway's..." Lotus clenched her eyes tightly to prevent anymore tears.
"We all mess up at some point." Shifu looked up from his guilty form and raise an eyebrow in question. "After all. This was all an accident."
Shifu was silent, before smiling softly. "There are no accidents." he told her, this time making her raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Come with me." he told her, making a small 'come-along' gesture. As she stood up, he called over his shoulder.
"And pack some supplies. We have a long trip ahead of us."
"What?"
A Few Thousand Frickin' Miles Away from the Jade Palace.
"Shifu. Please tell there is a method to all this madness." Lotus begged as she pulled herself up over the ledge, a large camping bag on her shoulders as she Shifu sat upon said bag in a meditation position.
"Very well. There is a method to all this madness." he smirked. She groaned loudly.
A few hours later, and Shifu finally hopped off and walked ahead, quickly disappearing in the fog. Lotus took his absence as a moment to breathe, hands on her knees, before following him slowly. When she finally caught up with him, he was sitting in a meditation position by a very particular looking pond.
"Shifu... please don't tell me you dragged me all the way here for a drink." she pleaded, but none the less, was glad to have finally come across water, as their water flask ran out hours ago.
"Lotus. We do not drink from the Pool of Sacred Tears." he told her just as she scooped up some water and was about to lap it up before letting it sprinkle back home. Lotus finally took the chance to look around. She had a good look of their general area. They were in a wet and grassy field, with fog blanketing the whole area, but it seemed to be fading as the sun was starting to rise once more.
"Where are we?"
"This is where Oogway unraveled the mysteries of harmony and focus. Lotus, what you see before you, is the birthplace of Kung Fu." Lotus felt the air leave her lungs as she looked around in shock. This is where Oogway first invented Kung Fu! She turned to Shifu, only to find he had leaped into the air, and landed on a large pointed stone, just as the sun peaked off of it.
"It is time, Lotus. Time to put your skills to the test, turn you into the true Dragon Warrior!"
Lotus was stunned by this new growth of faith Shifu had in her, but nodded nonetheless and smiled.
She was ready to try.
A Hour Later
Lotus continued to follow the Red Panda as he spoke.
"When you focus on Kung Fu-when you truly focus-you show potential. And it was my fault that I never saw that before. Before, I always viewed your reluctance to learn Kung Fu as cowardice. But it was truly the wisest acts I've witnessed in years. And now, the best way I think I can train you, is with this." and gestured a magnificent temple in front of them.
Lotus raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You have shown immense power and strength in scenarios that, at times, don't require them. So the first thing we do is learn to focus your strengths." he then flicked a marble out to her, but she didn't react in time and it hit her nose, bouncing back. She stepped back, shocked as Shifu caught it with ease.
"It's time."
Lotus sighed. She really didn't know about this. She thought that this was all a lost cause. But if Shifu had faith in her, then she should at least try. In honor of Oogway's memory.
She had to try.
And training began.
"First, we'll practice your palm technique. A powerful hand strike is one of the basic techniques in Dragon Kung Fu." Shifu told Lotus, circling her as she stood in the middle of the open temple in a starting position. But her eyebrow quirked at his words.
"Wait. Dragon Kung Fu?" Shifu raised an eyebrow to her.
"A problem?" she shook her head quickly, "No, it's just... I assumed I would be learning Tiger Style." Shifu smiled, which really scared her. When was the last time Shifu ever smiled like that? "Yes, I understand the confusion. But you are the Dragon Warrior, so learning the Dragon Style is going to be expected of you. Plus, Tai Lung is a Master of Dragon Style, and so, you'll need to be on even battle ground, should you ever do face him. Which I hope never comes to pass." Lotus smiled.
But then Shifu tapped her leg with Oogway's staff a bit roughly. "Now, back in position." she did as told and he continued.
"Now, as I was saying, a powerful hand strike is one of the basic techniques in Dragon Kung Fu. To deliver a dragon palm strike, your hand should extend palm out, with fingers pointing upward and curled slightly. Using a heavy punching bag for practice, strike the upper part of the bag with the heel of your hand. Hand strikes in dragon style target an opponent's upper body and face. When striking, rotate your waist to bring forward the same side as your striking hand to add power to your palm technique. Understand?"
Lotus stared at him increasingly, the stances she's trying, to copy everything he literally just said looking sloppy and uncoordinated. In over words, slumped in disbelief.
"I guess...?"
Shifu sighed.
"You'll learn."
"Now, we've some... familiar with your palm technique. now it's time to learn how to develop a strong dragon claw, another hand technique in the Dragon Style. To form a dragon claw, extend your hand forward," Lotus did as told, glad that Shifu was now explaining much slower then he was previously. "palm facing forward and fingers curled to form claws. Extend the thumb, index and middle finger forward, curling the ring finger and pinky downward. Dragon Kung Fu Stylists use the claw for grabbing and grappling, aiming for the eyes, throat and other sensitive striking points of an opponent." Lotus nodded, getting the idea of what he was saying.
After all, these were just basics to get her started. Right?
She was sure to find out when she faces Tai Lung.
"Now, while Dragon Style emphasizes powerful hand strikes, it also involves low, sweeping kicks intended to hit the lower areas of the opponent's body. Ankles, knees, even the groin." Lotus giggled at the thought of her giving Tai Lung a well deserved kick in the nether regions. "You'll need to rotate your hips and waste to add power to a kick. And always strike with the ball of your foot. Observe."
Shifu got into a stance, preparing to hit a large heavy punching bag that he had Lotus set up. He did a run up, before leaping into the air, preforming a twirl, before changing his position midair, rotating his hips and waste as he said to do, before delivering a deadly kick that knocked the bag off it's chain and hit the floor with a thud.
Lotus stood in shock. That was 150 pound bag and with only a single kick, he broke it off it's chain.
.
.
.
Her giggles intensified she imaged the bag as Tai Lung's groin.
Shifu stared at her, perplexed, before rolling his eyes.
Women.
"The mighty dragon represents strength and power, but is also the bringer of wisdom." Shifu told her as Lotus stood once more in the starting position. "Cultivating internal energy is an important element of Dragon Kung Fu. You must practice proper breathing techniques that cultivate the body's internal energy. This means slow, controlled breaths that engage the lower parts of the body to pull in and release air. This type of breathing develops strength and power."
Lotus nodded. So deep, slow, controlled breathing will help her in a fight.
"Now, remember the exercises Ping did with you to help you with your nightmares?" Lotus raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" "Then you should have that handled. Breath in for four seconds."
Lotus breathed in.
"Hold it in for seven seconds."
She held it in as the imaginary seconds ticked by.
"Then breathe out for eight seconds."
And exhaled for the next number of seconds. She immediately felt a lot more calmer. Maybe she can do this.
She and Shifu did this for hours after, improving her skills after she learned and perfected on skill before jumping to another one. She honestly never felt stronger. She felt more wiser, more aware of her surroundings. It was like she got something back and she didn't even know it was lost in the first place. She felt like she could fight off a thousand gorillas.
Like she could square off against a pod of crocodiles.
Like she could defeat Tai Lung.
She felt like a Warrior. A Dragon Warrior.
It was the next day now, and Lotus now knew all the techniques involving the Dragon Style, having practice them, and redo them, until it was perfect. Lotus had spent the rest of whatever the night was left resting up for the next amount of training. But when she found Shifu, she found him in front of a flat boulder, with a bowl of dumplings and two sets of chopsticks.
"Shifu? What's this?" Shifu smiled pleasantly and gestured to the bowl with his chopsticks. "After you."
"What?"
"I vowed to train you, and you have been trained." he explained, before bowing his head towards the bowl, once again gesturing to the dumplings with his chopsticks. "You are free to relax, and therefore free to eat."
Lotus looked suspicious. She felt like Shifu had a reason for this. So, studying him carefully, she sat down, grabbed her chopsticks and grabbed a dumpling. Shifu smiled. "Enjoy."
Lotus still watched him with careful eyes. But shrugged lightly and went to put the dumpling in her mouth.
But then Shifu zoomed by, faster then lighting and ate it quickly. "What?" Lotus exclaimed, perplexed. Shifu looked at her innocently. "I said you are free to eat." he told her, as though whatever happened, didn't happen.
Lotus narrowed her eyes, and much quicker then before, grabbed another dumpling, only this time, Shifu kicked it out of her hand, sending it into the air before he grabbed it with his chopsticks and ate that one to.
Lotus glared playfully. Now he saw his game. He wants her to fight for it. She cracked her neck, before slamming her fist against the bowl, sending all dumplings into the air. Shifu jumped up as well, and spun a little as he ate all the dumplings.
Leaving only one left.
Lotus leap into action to get it before him, but he was too quick, causing her to fall on her knees by the boulder. Shifu smirked, about to eat it, before she flipped onto her feet expertly and flicked out of his chopsticks with her own pair.
It fell into the bowl, and they started to play with it, trying to get it with their set of chopsticks, but it only lead into a small sword fight, the chopsticks scrapping against the bottom as Shifu managed to flip the bowl over the dumpling.
Shifu smirked as Lotus guessed where he was going with next. He flipped the other two bowls and started to shuffle then at an abnormal speed, and it didn't look like he was stopping. Her eyes flickered rapidly to the white blurs on the boulder, before deciding to chance it and flipped one of them.
Bingo!
They went back to their little stick fight, this went on for another ten seconds, before Lotus palmed the bowl, knocking the bowl off the boulder, and then kicked the bowl to jump the dumpling out and into the air. She went to grab it with the chopsticks, but Shifu speared it with his own, pinning it to the tree. Shifu ran up her back and leaped, but she managed to catch his foot with her chopsticks and grounded him to the floor.
They then heard a squishing sound and peered up to see that the dumpling was slowly slipping off the stick.
Shifu smirked and flipped her, twisting her arm. She shook him off and flipped him, but he did the same and threw her on the floor onto her back.
The dumpling slipped and fell. Lotus noticed his moment of weakness and jumped up while he was distracted and shoved him aside. She went to grab it with her paw. Only for Shifu to press her hand against her wrist and watch as the morsel rolled down his arm and closer to his mouth.
She roughly pats his arm up, sending the dumpling into the sky once more, and does a sweeping kick, but Shifu jumped and side kicks the dumpling away. Lotus ran after it. Shifu smiled wildly, discarding the chopsticks and grabbing his bamboo stick that he's used to fight.
Lotus almost would have grabbed the food had Shifu not batted it upwards, higher then before, giving them time to do a brawl. She blocked two of his attacks and side kicked at him, but he blocked that one and flipped down to a lower ground to grab the dumpling, but Lotus kicked it higher and blocked and dodged more of his attacks while kicking the dumpling aloft with expertise.
Shifu tried to climb over to be closer to the dumpling and to get an open attack, but Lotus surprised him, pinning his stick to the ground, before leaping into the air, doing an aerial horizontal turn as she hip bumped the dumpling further towards her destination.
Shifu watched in awe as Lotus landed on her fours effortlessly, before finally grabbing the dumpling in her paws.
She won.
Shifu looked at her with admiration and pride. The White Tiger looked over to the master with a bright smiled as she heaved in and out with exhaustion. Shifu bowed, gesturing that she was finally free to eat.
Lotus smirked, and tossed the dumpling to him, surprising him. She smiled. "I'm not really hungry right now." she quipped playfully. Shifu smirked and chucked it away behind him.
"Master." she said respectfully as she placed her hands together and bowed traditionally. Shifu bowed as well.
Her training was complete.
The Furious Five
The Five had finally made it. They had finally reached the Mountain Pass and to the Thread of Hope before Tai Lung crossed. If he had crossed the bridge before they got here, there would have been no stopping him from attacking innocent villages. They got to the start of the bridge and took in deep breathes from their long journey.
They heard rapid footsteps from the other side, and sliding into view was someone Tiger didn't think he would see in a long time. Tai Lung. The snow leopard saw his adoptive little brother and smirked.
Tiger growled.
The Kung Fu Master roared, before started pounding his way across the bridge in rapid speed. Tiger's eyes widened. If Tai Lung reaches them...
"CUT IT!" they obeyed immediately, cutting the lines of rope that held the bridge. Tai Lung jumped at the last second and would have made it if Tiger hadn't made the leap of faith and uppercut kicked his chin, sending him flipping backwards. The rest of the Five grabbed the bridge at the last minute and held it up as the two brothers stood there ground Tiger in a battle position and Tai Lung in a casual pose as he lent against the bridge, tilting it.
"Hello, little brother." Tiger growled at his mocking tone, before the leopard went semi-serious. "Where's the Dragon Warrior?"
"How do you know your not looking at him?" Tai Lung laughed as Tiger tried to save face. Does he already know?
"You think I'ma fool?" Tai Lung asked, before glowering as he gestured to him. "I know you're not the Dragon Warrior. None of you!" he yelled to the others as Tiger growled a warning. Tai Lung stepped closer, keeping perfect balance on the rope as he continued.
"I heard that they came down on a Juggernaut on a ball of fire. That they is a warrior unlike anything this world has ever seen!" Tai Lung told them as Tiger growled louder, warning him about taking another step.
"He's talking about her? Isn't he?" Monkey whispered so he wouldn't hear, and Crane nodded. Tai Lung looked longing.
"Finally. A worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary!"
Tiger had enough and charged, hitting his former brother with everything he had. Tai Lung dodged and deflected all of them, but Tiger was able to get his head between his feet and threw him around, and over the bridge. But the leopard grabbed the rope and swung under and up, higher into the clouds until Tiger couldn't see him.
Then he came back, roaring ferociously, and Tiger flipped the bridge and backed away, allowing the power hungry leopard to break through the bridge and fight the tiger upside down. He blocked a few punches and threw a kick, but he grabbed his leg and threw him towards the gorge. Tiger was quick and sinked his claws into the flesh of his brother's wrist and positioned himself back on the bridge.
Tai Lung yelled in slight pain before chasing after him, Tiger throwing punches and kicks to get him back as he swung away to regroup. But Tai Lung caught up to him and started beating him.
"We got this! Help him!" Monkey told Viper and Crane as he reached for their ropes.
Tai Lung swung one final kick that sent him far back, breaking the boards of the bridge in one swift moment. Tai Lung then flipped the bridge and started chocking him, the ropes twisting around his neck tightly. Viper slithered under him and whip bashed him in the face, forcing him to let go.
But Tiger started to plunge into the misty depths of the Devil's Mouth and Crane flew after him, quickly catching him and pulling him up above the mist.
Viper hissed angrily at the leopard as she strangled him and forced him to punch himself with her tail wrapped around his wrist. She made a get away when it looked like he was about to fall, but he quickly regained balance and grabbed her harshly by the throat.
"Monkey!" she cried out, choked.
"Go!" Mantis told the monkey master, before grunting as all the ropes have now been passed to him. "WHATWASITHINKING!?"
Monkey leaped and kicked him in the face, making him let go of the snake and land roughly on the two ropes. Mantis grunted, struggling not to slip and send them all to the Devil's Mouth.
Tai Lung roared as he leaped and started bounding towards them, switching from rope to rope as he speed closer and closer.
"MANTIS!" Tiger called out, hanging from Crane's legs and he understood and whipped the bridge, sending a wave. Monkey and Viper jumped so they wouldn't be harmed as the whiplash hit the mad master in the face and forced him back once more.
"NOW!" they charged, roaring battle cries as Tai Lung actually struggled to keep balance. Monkey hopped and banged his feet against Tai Lung's chest. Then made a pathway for Viper, who slithered up his arm like a runway and whip lashed him. Crane then grabbed one length of rope from what was left of the bridge and kicked him in the stomach, keeping him in the air so he could tie him up.
Then Tiger jumped on his back, then leaped off, giving a powerful palm strike to his brother's chest and then cut the remaining rope.
Tai Lung screamed in rage as Mantis pulled his team back to their side of the Devil's Mouth. They watched as Tai Lung continued screaming, until he hit the pillar and went silent.
They took deeps breathes, and exchanged looks. It seems like they won. Tiger turned to the team, making sure everyone was OK, but he found himself turning back to where his former brother disappeared.
The rope was moving.
Tiger frowned, his eyes calculating. The rope swung back and forth, before it stared swinging around the whole pillar. Then the vine raised in their direction, and flicked. Tiger watched the rope carefully.
There was no-one there.
A loud thud made them all turn in surprise and stood panicked as Tai Lung slowly rose to his feet, an air of confidence, and an impressed look on his face. He stared down at his adoptive little brother as he looked at him in shock.
Tai Lung chuckled inwardly. Poor little cub. Did he really think he could have been beaten so easily? His mind briefly wandered to a certain white feline, but dismissed it.
"Shifu taught you well." quick as lighting, he surged forward, two fingers poised outwards and straight, and jabbed Monkey in the chest. Blue rings echoed from the spot as Monkey chirped in surprise and fell forward, paralyzed.
The Five took a step back, preparing themselves for the inevitable.
"But he didn't teach you everything." he told them, surging forward once more with a growl.
As Tai Lung made for the tiger master, fear and a feeling of failure bridled him.
"I'm sorry, Lotus." he thought to himself painfully as the severely wounded Crane carried him and the rest of the Five to the Jade Palace. "I failed you."
Writing fight scenes is friggin' hard! And it was hard to figure out how Shifu was going to train her. I couldn't do dumplings, I couldn't copy how he trained Tigress and used marbles instead of dominoes.
So I settled with the basic teachings of the Dragon Style.
So, here it is. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Seeya next chapter and/or story!
