Author's Note: Hey guys. Yeaah real sorry for the late update. Real sorry. It's just- it's nearly exams and I've been under pressure and I'm to study so I could have a life and I'm even working on a novel soooo ya know. Normal stuff. Anyway here's a somewhat lengthy chapter for you guys, honestly it's done for a few days and I probably should have posted it sooner buuuut, heh. Better late than never. Hahaha.
Anyways, thanks for you people for reviewing my fanfiction. You special, special people. Yes, you. Anyhow, here's When the Storm Passes.
Cold the night was as the storm thundered still upon the Valley of Peace. The sun, although hidden by the ever looming clouds of the storm, had long vanished into the horizon, the skies darker and the inhabitants of the valley using blankets and sheets to gain as much warmth as possible.
Using Po's training room, Po and Tai Lung had spent the entire day training. Well, more of Tai Lung than Po. Po had spent most of the time switching between simply staring at awe at the methods of Tai Lung's training (some he had called brutal), and playing with Xue and Fang. Now, they had just finished some of Mr. Ping's noodle soup, and Tai Lung sent the cubs to sleep, though, not without retaliation, of course.
"But brother! We're not tired."
"Yeah! *Hic* I wanna *Hic* stay up too! *Hic*"
Tai Lung growled in irritation. He had spent the last hour or so chasing them around the small noodle shop all the while trying not to break anything, and now he had to listen to their pathetic whining as he carried them over his shoulders to their room. If that had not been trouble enough, the panda spent that entire time just standing around and laughing his fatty face off. ''Really! He could have at least done something to help. At least the goose helped in keeping some things from breaking. Well I suppose it's because it ishis things, but still…'
Tai Lung casted a glare toward Po who was covering his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laugh at no avail.
Growling, Tai Lung scowled at the whining pup on his right shoulder. "Fang, you are tired. You've been yawning your big mouth for the past hour- Do not attempt to deny it!"
Fang quickly shut his mouth before he could retort, deciding it's better to listen than have to have Tai either ground him or throw him out in the rain. He didn't like either of those options. So instead, he decided to give it up for now and simply yawned in response as he hanged limply from Tai Lung's shoulder.
Hearing another hiccup from the kitten on his left, Tai Lung turned his head to look at Xue. The kit was obviously bone tired and was hiccupping nonstop, yet the tiny thing still attempted a pout with her arms crossed in front of her. Although usually Tai Lung would find it amusing, he was getting tired of their hyperactive antics and they were going to bed whether they liked it or not.
"Xue. Don't give me that look. Your eyes are tired, your nose is running, you're getting hiccups, and you're shaking like a leaf from the cold."
"Achoo!"
"My point exactly. Now go to sleep you two."
Kicking the door close behind him, Tai Lung dropped the cubs onto their bed, the two finally relenting at the contact of warm sheets and pillows. Tucking them both in and watching them finally give in and close their eyes tiredly, Tai Lung couldn't help but be thankful that he had shut the door behind. Or else the panda might've have seen the small smile that made its way across the ex-convict's face.
Opening the door, Tai Lung took one last look towards the cubs as they lay nestled in their beds. The rain pelted hard on the roof but at least they were warm. Slowly, Tai Lung shut the door behind him, missing the small smile and fluttering of eyes as Fang watched the retreating shadow of Tai Lung.
"I'm glad we met Tai, Xue."
Xue looked up at her cousin. "It's like having a family again." Xue smiled tiredly yet happily as she nodded in response. "Yea…" The cubs closed their eyes as they stopped fighting the tiredness.
"Home…"
Tai Lung barely shut the door before Po exploded with coos and awes.
"Oh my spices, that was adorable! Those kids really do love you, don't they?" Po looked unbelievingly at Tai Lung for a moment before resuming his series of chuckles and snickers.
Tai Lung saw Mr. Ping pass them from the corner of his eye, the goose making his own way to his own room to rest. Growing more irritated at the bear's continuous teases and jokes, Tai Lung kept walking forward. Making his way around the small house, Tai Lung had no real destination in mind only that he hoped that the panda would soon grow tired of keeping up with him and leave him be. However, Po persuaded him still as he managed to catch up with the snow leopard's large steps.
"You must really make a great dad. Are you sure they aren't your real kids?" A glare his way. "Hey, just sayin'. I ain't judging you. I'm just throwing it out there. And how have you managed to raise them so well this entire time? How long have you three travelled together?"
In response, the snow leopard only remained silent and refused to acknowledge Po's presence. Po had to speed up to keep up with the ex-convict, the latter having increased speed in his stride.
Ignorant to the snow leopard's growing ire, Po would not stop in his opinions of the warrior.
"To think that this whole time everyone - including me, pictured you as this dark and cold demon snow leopard. Hah, who would've known that there was a kind, soft and good side to you, Tai Lung?"
Po nearly knocked into Tai Lung as the larger cat abruptly halted in front of him. Confused, Po could only see the leopard's back as Tai Lung tightened his paws into fists, his form tense and trembling. His breathing becoming ragged, Tai Lung summoned all his will and control to keep himself from attacking the panda. It wouldn't help his reliant situation any better.
Gritting his teeth in irritation, Tai Lung slowly turned himself around to look at the bear behind him, trying with all his might not to lash out at the bear as he glared at him.
Suddenly, looking at Tai Lung's darkened face, Po knew that he might have pushed it a bit too far.
"You…" Tai Lung managed to growl out. "You…" Taking a step forward towards the panda, Tai Lung only narrowed his eyes in growing frustration as the bear looked up at him in fear. Gritting his fangs and growling, Tai Lung spoke icily.
"You… know nothing about me, or my life before this," he raged, his eyes glowing in anger and his pupils narrowed into slits, Po shook just from the sound of his voice, taking steps back when Tai Lung took one forward.
"You may be the Dragon Warrior, but I always saw life different from you, I liveda different life from you!" Tai Lung trembled with long held in rage as he snarled at Po. "And if you think that you have any authority to assume that you know anything about me, than hear this, Dragon Warrior." Po gulped.
"If you ever do something as stupid as to assume to know anything about me, then I'll make sure you never will!"
Po dodged his head in time for Tai Lung's fist to be lunged at him, then flinched fearfully at the impact it made with the wall behind him, causing a small tremor.
Realizing he had shut his eyes, Po slowly opened them only to catch his breath as he saw Tai Lung's fist. The punch made a sizeable crater in the wall, but fortunately did not appear to cause too much damage on the house's structure. But what had really disturbed Po was the blood that now oozed from Tai Lung's paw. He had clenched his fist so much that his unsheathed claws cut into his paws.
Had he upset him that much?
Po didn't have time to ponder as Tai Lung straightened himself, removing his fist from the wall after a moment. Having calmed down at a certain degree, Tai Lung stared straight at the ample crack on the wall- refusing to meet Po's stare.
"Send my apologies to Mr. Ping, would you?"
Turning on his heel, Tai Lung walked away and disappeared around the next corner, declining towards being bothered anymore for the night, leaving Po frozen where he stood, staring at the small blood droplets on the ground.
Po sat slumped in his room. After cleaning up the small blood on the floor and managing to hide the damage in the wall with a houseplant, he'd eaten whatever was in the kitchen to take his mind off what had happened.
'It certainly didn't work', Po thought grimly as he stuffed another bun into his mouth.
He thought of what Tai Lung had said before, and why he had suddenly lost his patience. Well, sure, perhaps he had been a bit too verbal with his thoughts, but they had been all good things, right? And besides, if they were to understand one other, the first step was to know about each other.
Po crammed another bun into his mouth as he sat miserably. And just when it seemed he was getting to him.
Suddenly the door began to open, and Po sat upright- quickly swallowing whatever was in his mouth- thinking that it may be Tai Lung.
Mr. Ping poked his head through the door.
"Po, you're eating," he said thoughtfully.
Po quickly hid the bowl of buns that had been on his lap behind as he laughed sheepishly. "What? No I wasn't," Swallow. "W-why would you think that?"
Closing the door behind him, Mr Ping stared at Po. "I overheard you in the kitchen." "Oh," Po replied lamely, looking guiltily at his feet. His dad ought to be used to his mannerisms by now.
Folding his wings in front, Mr Ping watched Po knowingly. "Po, what's wrong?" Sighing out loud after a moment, Po realized there was no getting out of the situation. "It's Tai Lung," Po began. Mr Ping had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Oh dear.
"It's just that- I don't get him," Po admitted bewilderedly. "One minute I thought we were getting along, then all of the sudden- BOOM!, I'm back to square one. I just-" Po struggled for words to finish before giving up and sighing loudly in exasperation. "I just don't know."
Mr Ping stood watching Po for a few moments before sighing and making his way next to Po. So that was what that small tremor he felt earlier must have been about. After allowing the silence to drag on for a few more moments, he lay a small wing on his son's arm and began to speak soothingly. "Po, I understand that you want Tai Lung to change and perhaps redeem himself but- Po," Mr Ping paused for a moment, before continuing. "Tai Lung had only arrived here a mere three days ago. You could not have simply expected that within that short amount of time you would have changed him from who he once was," Mr Ping said carefully, hoping his son would understand. "But didn't you notice how he acts with those cubs?" Po interrupted. "He's always so different-" "With them." Po stopped abruptly. Mr Ping sighed exasperatedly. "Po, he only acts that way towards them alone. Two young, innocent cubs oblivious to his past. Cubs who, from the time he first found them, have grown to love him; and he to them." Po listened silently as he began to understand what his father was trying to explain. "Po, what I'm saying is- yes. Perhaps it is possible for you to change Tai Lung, but- that won't happen if you keep trying to rush it." Looking up at the ceiling as if remembering a wonderful memory, he continued. "It's like when you cook noodles. You can't simply put it in a pot of water and expect it to cook itself in no time. You have to wait. Wait for the water to boil at the right degree, put the noodles in, and then cut in vegetables and spices." He sighed blissfully. "Sometimes, you could add additional seasonings and salt to make it taste better. But in the end, all you need to do is to give it time, and it would be the most delicious meal for a cold night." Thunder cracked from outside. Mr Ping looked up at Po who looked back with a new understanding. "Well, Tai Lung needs time, Po. All he needs is time."
Thinking for a moment of what his father had said, Po smiled appreciatively as they sat in comfortable silence, listening to the ever constant patter of the rain outside.
Time, Po thought. All he needs is time.
Okay, that's pretty much it. This was supposed to be waaaaaaay longer BUT I decided to cut it up into separate chapters.
So anyway, please, PLEASE review and tell me what you think and how i can prove. Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated.