Chapter Twelve: Reminiscence; Ping Wants Advice but Gets a Surprise
Zhang Liao was asleep, sitting down with his face resting on his arms on his desk. His mask lay beside him on his desk. He had fixed his letters except for the Acceptance Letter as he was going to bring that. He was mumbling and twitching slightly. He was surrounded by darkness in his dream and all he heard were voices.

"What are you doing?!" One voice sounded like despair.
"I was denied my right!" Another was angry. They seemed to be fighting.

He indeed was a lion with no mane. How is this so? He is male and all lions even younger than him have manes. Zhang Liao's name started four years ago.

"This is madness! This is not the right way!"
Screams and running were heard.
"I blame him!"

He already had his iron mask when he was in school. He never removed it unless he was sure he was by himself and no one was watching. Yet he still had a mane.

"No… NO!!!! Aaargh!" The same voice in despair screamed in pain. He still stood but was full of pain. He held the left side of his face and covering his eye.

Although the school allowed him to keep his mane, he shaved it off some time during his weapons training. He told everyone it was in his way, but he never told them the true reason.

"No no… I'm… I'm going blind!"
"No… None of this should be happening…! This… is HIS FAULT!!"
"This is not the way! You have to fight it!"

"Mmmmhm…" Zhang Liao mumbled and looked in pain as he dreamt. Recently he had applied for application as the same prison where Tai Lung was held. He also never told anyone his true reason.

"My friend, let's talk about this… It does not have to be this way! Don't follow this path!"
"I won't give in until I get what's rightfully mine!"
"Aah…!" The individual in despair was struck one last time before falling silent.

Zhang Liao flinched and twitched one last time as his dream started to fade.

"This was not meant to be!"

Zhang Liao woke up in a gasp as he heard knocking on his door.
"Who is it?" Zhang Liao called as he licked his dry lips. He had been sleeping long.|
"It's me, Ping," Ping called.
"Five minutes," Liao called as he stood. He quickly got his iron mask and put it on. He looked at the Application Letter once more before going to the door and opening it.

"What do you want?" Zhang Liao looked at Ping.
"Advice," Ping answered honestly and simply.
"Come in," Zhang Liao stepped aside to let Ping come in.
Ping did go in and both of them went to the study room to talk.

"What's the problem?" Liao asked Ping.
"You know I live in the orphanage, right?" Ping asked.
"Bao Gu. Correct," Liao replied with a nod.
"Well, there's a new kid there. And she's scaring everyone," Ping told Zhang Liao.
"Even you?" Zhang Liao asked curiously. Surely the brother of Shu Ai wasn't scared.
"Truth be told, she's strong but has a temper," Ping told him.
"Ah, a female… Tell me more," Zhang Liao began to think. If this one had a temper, it needed to be fixed as soon as possible.
"There's nothing more to tell. She means well, she just needs more control I believe," Ping answered.
"Why not try being her friend?" Zhang Liao asked.
"I was thinking of that, but needed a second opinion," Ping said.

"Why come to me?" Zhang Liao asked.
"One thing, the orphanage wants the old man of the Jade Palace to have a look at her. I can't go there since I'm one of the very few or the only one who seems to be unafraid," Ping told him an answer that Zhang Liao quickly identified as a reason and not the true reason.
"I'll go to the old man and talk to him," Liao told him.

"Another thing…" Ping started but stopped. He looked down in thought.
"What?" Zhang Liao asked, placing his paws on his mask and adjusting it a little.
"Are… you related to my brother, Shu? You remind me a lot of him," Ping looked up at Zhang Liao.
Zhang Liao shook his head in an answer that said no. Technically he didn't lie.

"Oh…" Ping nodded.
"Ping, do you want to stay here for a while?" Zhang Liao noticed Ping was not showing any signs of leaving.
"Hm…? Won't I be a bother?" Ping asked.

Ping's eyes started to light up as Zhang Liao was placing his paws on his iron mask. He was going to take it off in front of Ping.

Zhang Liao soon took off his mask in front of Ping who gasped in surprise.