A / N: So you guys do read this, lol, I feel like a dork. I have no idea how the currency works either O_o I looked it up and my internet is bad, so it was more trouble than it was worth, so ignore it? :3
D i s c l a i m e r: Any recognizable characters do not belong to me, nor does Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2 or any related works save for this fic of course. I'm just playin' with the characters and I'll put them back when I'm done :)
R e v i e w s: A n o n. . .A N O N! I can't reply to y ou y'know . And I gotta try to reply to everyone ;P
Comrade: It is really awesome actually. I've never used it before now, lol. I love it, but she [Masha] is actually writing in it, I just thought it'd be fun to respond in the language as well. Aw, I don't think that's true, remember, Shen's crippled and his pride is wounded. He has issues. Mmhm, waiting DOES help...a little XD Yes you are! Lol, nice
Masha:Ха-ха, нет! Mmhm, просто чтобы сказать ему. и он хотел, чтобы показать ему, как найти внутренний мир тоже. Да, но, возможно, он будет! Мы будем видеть.Я рад, что это все-таки интересно вам! Спасибо вам и спасибо. Я рад, что вы думаете Кран прекрасно, как он. "Secrets of the Furious Five"? Нет, но я хочу Mmhm! Это звучит интересно! Я не говорю, но это звучит очень круто. Ха-ха, добро пожаловать!
WiseScholar: They did end in cliffhangers, but I picked them up. And the hangar for pt II was touched on it ch. III. Sorry ^^; This is true...I hadn't even meant to do that, lol XD Pretty much, that, and it's all in the past. As for everything Shen essentailly gave him...i'll have to work that in. I like it. Haha, I'm glad you liked that! And wait no more, chapter IV is here :]
Again, reviewing means a lot guys, so thanks again to EVERYONE. You've all been a BIG help.. .. ..
Again, again, I still hope everyone is in character!
(Also, thank you everyone that is favoriting this story!)
This fic does contain some SPOILERS.
Un-beta-ed.
Enjoi~
[Ch. IV]
1838
The last time Shen heard gasps in his presence that were worth something, he was bent on reclaiming his home. The gasps he heard now though were different.
Admiring.
"Master Crane!"
One child shouted from their place beside their mother and said warrior nodded with a smile, "hello."
This continued sporadically. Everyone knew who the crane was and it wasn't much of a surprise to Shen. In fact, it was a bit annoying. So annoying in fact, he walked off and began to search for a suitable robe for himself. He knew he would not find the finest silk that he was used to, especially in a run down market such as this one. No. He would have to find something acceptable.
Keeping his head high, Shen navigated through the dump and looked at a few stands. There were bright colored robes in the dozens but nothing that he was quite looking for.
After a while of walking through the market, the albino bird was about to just look for the crane instead and demand to be taken back, but his eyes caught something else. Across the path was a shop and he could see someone hanging a white crisp robe up.
Shen walked over to the shop, having to dodge three giggling piglets and their angy father, before he made his way inside.
"Welcome," the owner boomed from somewhere in the shop.
Shen did not respond as he was focused on the robe. He held the material between his feathers and a weight came off him. This place was not as pathetic as he thought. The silk that he held was far from the finest he grew up with, but it was the best in this place and likely the only thing for him here.
"How-" he cut himself off. He was going to ask how much before he realized that he had no currency on him, not even a coin.
"If you're not buyin', get out," the same voice boomed again, scaring off two young rabbits that were looking at robes on the far side of the shop.
Shen knew that meant him, but he had to have this robe. The cotton one he had on now was not good enough for him.
"Hey peacock, if you're not buyin' then," owner came around the robe to look at the bird and he blinked and snickered, "you're that peacock!"
Shen blinked and let the silk fall from his feathers. "Who are you?"
He knew the fat and disgusting pig was no one he knew; he would never keep such an animal in his company.
"I'm just one of about everyone that heard of you got defeated by the Dragon Warrior!" The loud bellowing of the owner caused his eye to twitch, but he said nothing. He was defeated.
"Ha! Get outta my shop you dumb bird!"
The owner continued to laugh and he gave Shen a 'shoo' motion with his hands. Despite his annoyance he took a step back but just one. He would not be treated this way.
"Get out! I'm not selling to you or-M-Master Crane!" His demeanor suddenly changed and the pig bowed and smiled, "welcome to my-"
"Is there a...problem here?" His question was airy and light, causing the pig to smile.
"No! No, just letting this peacock here know that I reserve the right to refuse service to him, and he has no money," the fat slop's tone was confident, he felt as though he was in the right and there was no harm done.
"Oh?" Crane walked to Shen's side, "what were you looking at?"
Shen blinked and was about to say something but closed his beak.
Crane looked around the shop and spotted a white robe behind the large store owner and said, "I'd like to buy that." He gestured to the robe with his foot and set the radish filled basket he was holding in his wing to the ground to get coins to pay.
"B-but he-!" It was clear that the owner did not want to sell the robe to Shen.
"How much?"
"I will not sell to him!"
"You're selling it to me," brown eyes narrowed beneath his hat, "how much?"
Crane was clearly not leaving anything open for discussion and the owner fumbled. He knew his shop being in the graces of the Furious Five brought in money and customers, even now the drawing crowd at the entrance would spend money on what he was selling simply because Master Crane was here.
Shen cocked his head and looked to the other bird with much interest. It was something to see the other, so gentle and kind, to be harsh.
"F-fif-fifteen hundred Y-Yuan," the pig stuttered as he held his greedy hands out to collect the money that Crane dropped into them.
Once the owner collected his money and handed back the change; he then turned and handed Crane the silk robe. The warrior all but snatched the robe and held it out to Shen, all the while watching the shop owner who was watching his sold product.
The peacock blinked and took the robe as Crane picked the basket up and held it against his body.
"Thank you for shopping at-"
Crane was not particularly interested in what he had to say, so he turned and walked out of the store with Shen close behind him.
The peacock wasn't particularly used to being verbally attacked like that. In any other case he would have simply killed the owner and be done with it, but with his train being damaged and the fact that he was disarmed were all against him. Not to mention that pig was probably bigger than the Dragon Warrior in size and weight.
The pair of birds navigated through the crowd but before they made it out a goose suddenly came flapping by and all but crashed into Shen. The peacock stumbled for his footing and by the time he regained it he spotted Crane looking around for him in the sea of merchants and customers. Getting back to him wouldn't be a problem, so the albino bird relaxed.
"Watch where you're going," he hissed at the stupid bird that flew into him. Shen gave an annoyed sigh and started to make his way back to Crane, but as suddenly as the goose had run into him he was hit again.
Hard.
Ruby eyes widened in shock, a bit dazed, as they continued to blink. What hit him?
He turned in time to see a fruit fly at him and only was able to dodge at the last second. The spines on the fruit caught his neck and he glared at the rabbit that threw it at him. The creature picked up another fruit and returned his glare. It wasn't until a blunt object hit im in the back did Shen look around. Ruby eyes scanned a crowd that had now began to circled around him.
Oh how he wanted to kill each and every one of them. How simple it would be had he had his weapons with him.
Another fruit came flying at him and he lifted his wing in time to block it. Unfortunately his wings were still not up to strength so the impact hurt far more than he anticipated and he winced. Bringing his feathers out of his face, Shen's eyes widened when he saw a large pig running at him. The store owner.
Any other day he would fan out his train to distract the stupid creature then discard him, but right now he had to focus so much to keep his feathers down. It was distracting and very costly. The peacock stepped out of the way in time, but not far enough because the animal stepped on his long feathers and Shen could actually feel some being pulled from his body.
"Aaah! Get off you filthy animal!"
"Haha, oops!" The pig moved his foot and Shen turned to see three of his tail feathers on the ground and he glared up at the large creature.
In a matter of seconds, the pig was flat on his back and Shen had his talons gripping the fat throat tight. He would die. Right here.
"Shen!"
The bird's talons gripped even tighter, even as a fruit flew past his head. The pig was flailing under him and Shen's eyes brightened with amusement. Oh how he missed this.
"P-Plea-" the pig's plea was cut off as he went limp, and just as Shen was about to break his neck to make sure he was dead, a weight tackled him to the ground.
The albino bird screeched out and tried to get out from under the pig that was on him. The creature was so fat he could barely breathe and with his previous injuries not fully healed he wasn't able to get himself free.
"Shen!"
The peacock couldn't see who was calling him, and even with the pig off suddenly of him he couldn't see anything. His vision blurred and his breathing was labored, then everything went black.
In the barracks, every room was dark, save for one. The warm glow of the fire reached into the hall and two shadows were cast against the paper door.
Shen was seated on the floor and Crane was standing beside him. The albino peacock's feathers were a bit ruffled and dirty. Mantis and Viper would have been the ones to fix Shen up, but Crane took it upon himself to do it. Of course he wasn't going to be able to do as good of a job and his two friends, but he had the basic skill when it came to medical work, and the peacock's injuries were not so bad. He knew though, that they would have to check him later for further damage on his previous injuries.
"Did you...see the look on their...faces," Shen's voice was distant, his breaths came out short and shallow, "They...hate me..."
"No they don't," Crane said softly as he pressed a wet cloth the the peacock's neck, "they were...surprised..."
Shen knew that the other bird was just saying that in a sad attempt to make him feel better, but he knew that it was a lie.
"No they weren't," his eyes wandered down to the floor and he sighed, "they hate me...they will always hate me..."
The bird that was standing knew Shen wanted to say more. He wanted to say that they hated him...that everyone hated him. Crane gave the cloth a gentle squeeze to get the medicinal liquid onto the wound before he dabbed the cloth over the abrasion a few times, "I don't hate you."
Shen turned his head to look at the crane who was mending his wounds. The bird was staring intently at what he was doing and the peacock watched him a few seconds more before turning away.
That had to be a lie.
Right?