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"You saw them what," Zan asked O.
"Just talking to each other. Seemed to me like they were having a good time, too," O explained. Zan smiled his cocky smile. "Zan, what are you thinking?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking something," Zan said trying to act innocently. "So what did you guys want?"
"Nothing, we just wanted to see you is all," Ai replied with a smile. Zan blushed a bit messing with his headband. O was completely confused.
"Um...am I missing something here," the ox asked.
"No," The two birds replied quickly. O just shrugged.
"Anyways, it seems I'm going to one of the courts to see how they work. Yay," He said unenthusiastic about the idea.
"How long would you be gone," Ai asked, now worried.
"Master Shifu says it would be about a month. These cases are very long sometimes," Zan said. He could see Ai's sad expression. "But don't worry. I should be back before you know it. Not much can change in a month, right?" Ai smiled bravely. O patted Zan on the back. "Besides, it'll be a week before I'm gone."
"Well, I-we're going to miss you a lot. It won't be the same without you," Ai replied.
"I'll miss you, too," Zan said. They were silent for a while.
"Okay," O practically shouted to get their attention. "Why don't we get to Mr. Ping's place and have some fun?" So they went down the mountain to hang out with the others.
Her dress was a little longer than usual. It was a different one, same color, but it was longer. It was still white with a black waistband around it. Standing at now 5'8", she stood like a watchman outside the village boundaries. Her counterpart rolled her eyes.
"Do you have to stand there like that? You know he's coming, relax a bit," she said.
"Ruby, what if he got hurt on his way here. What if-"
"I will not have you do the 'what if's on me now, Ai. Just relax. A watch pot never boils," Ruby replied. The female fox had changed a bit over the length of time Zan was gone. For starters, she, besides the twins, was now the shortest person in the group, which was about to Vick's nose. Now fifteen, she was much more mature than a lot of her friends. Her outfit was still the same, though a bit longer to accommodate for her growth. Her orange-red fur was smooth to the touch and her green robe was complementing her very nicely.
Ai had changed too and for the better. Ai was now taller than Ruby but just matching Vick's height. Her shyness had gone away and she resembled a Viper-like spirit. She also took up lessons with Master Tigress, as Zan instructed her. He didn't want her to get hurt because he wasn't there. Her body changed a great deal: growing above Zang, Aang, and Ruby, her feathers in their prettiest white fashion, she developed a strong yet very sleek figure because of the training, and her blue eyes would sparkle in any lighting.
Just then, Vick came. The gray wolf had become the leader of the group in Zan's absence and had done the requests that Zan asked of him regarding Tigress and Po. Ruby's calm and laid back demeanor would collapse when he walked around and she would blush. Vick and O were sixteen now and Vick, a half inch taller than Ai, was the second tallest in the group. Vick coughed to announce his presence, but Ai didn't seem to notice much.
"Hhhey," Ruby stammered.
"H...Hello, Ruby and Ai," Vick stuttered. The two had developed an awkward kind of relationship. Weird stirrings, as O would say. Ai did a hasty greet.
"Hey Vic," Ai replied quickly. Vick rolled his eyes.
"He's coming. You don't need to be so anxious about it," Vick stated. Ai sighed as Vick led them to Mr. Ping's shop.
"He said he was coming today," Ai said slightly disappointed.
"He will. You and Zan have been writing each other constantly. I'm sure he's okay. Zan wouldn't lie to us," Vick said. Ruby and Ai looked at him. "Well, he wouldn't lie to us about something that didn't involve our lives or our safety."
Zan's trip to the courts in Bai-Jin was suppose to be a quick one month. However, due to the situation in Zan's kingdom, much of the cases from his town came to other courts, namely the one in Bai-Jin. He explained to the others that he wanted to know everything about what was going on in his kingdom so he had to stay. As a result, Zan's month long stay turn into a seven month long stay. Zan and Ai...and the others would always write each other. Today was suppose to be the day that Zan came back. It was only noon, but Ai had already given up hope that Zan was coming.
"Probably something came up and he had to go back," Ai sighed sadly. Suddenly, something covered her eyes. She froze in surprise.
"Guess who," said a voice more smug and confident than usual. Ai whipped her head around and saw who it was. His cocky smirk was his give away. He had grown a lot since the last time they saw him, and now Vick was the third tallest in the group. No person who knew him could mistake his blood red robe, headband, and orange lined gray feathers. But it was the smirk that Ai recognized. She shot out of the chair, making it stumble to the floor, and wrapped her feathered arms around the tall duck tightly. Zan nearly fell back. "Missed me much?"
"What do you think," Ai said smirking. "When did you get here? How did you get here? I was just at the village's entry and you weren't there."
"I asked Master Shifu if I could fly ahead and see my friends first. He should be coming shortly. Meanwhile, I'm starving from the trip."
"Here you go," Vick said bringing him some food. "We made this when you said you were coming. We kept it warm."
"Vick, is that you," Zan exclaimed. Vick nodded with a smile as they gave each other a brotherly hug. "My goodness you've grown. I have been away for a long time."
"Yes," O said coming from the kitchen, "Yes you have."
"O? Wow and I thought I was tall. You're as tall as Po now," Zan marveled.
"What am I, chopped dumpling," Ruby said offended. Zan smiled.
"I couldn't forget my fox friend," He said hugging her. Social structure would say that just bowing would be suffice. But sometimes a hug conveys something that simple bowing couldn't. "So how's the village been?"
"Quiet, but crowded thanks to your kingdom's war," O said. Zan sighed.
"The situation seems to be slowing down but a lot of the people are moving out of the kingdom. When it stops, I might not have a kingdom to come back to," Zan said sadly. Ai held his hand.
"I'm sure everything will turn around," she smiled. Then out of the blue she punched him.
"Ow! What was that for."
"For leaving for a month and then staying away for seven months," Ai retorted. Zan smiled nervously.
"Hehe, sorry about that. Some cases from my kingdom came and I really wanted to know what was happening," Zan explained.
"So what is happening," Ruby asked.
"Well, the defense is finally starting to work together, but it's still a hard fight. However, the rebels are losing recruits."
"Wow, and your family?"
"They're still hidden and okay. I was able to talk with my mother. I'm not sure about my father but I'm sure it's nothing big," Zan replied. He looked around the shop. "By the way, where are Zang and Aang?"
"Oh, they moved a little further out of the village. They can't make the usual trip anymore but they come on weekends," Vick explained. Zan smirked.
"Are they still causing trouble?"
"Of course, that's something that will never change about them," O sighed. Everyone laughed.
"Well, that's good. So how's everything in the palace," Zan asked.
"Nothing much. Mantis got a new girlfriend." Ai could see Zan's horrified look. "It's a ladybug." Zan blew a sigh of relief. "Other than that, nothing much. Oh! Except for one thing. Master Tigress and Po are a lot more friendlier to each other than last time." Zan's face was priceless. He had a childish excited smile, his eyes were wide and bright, and he seemed to giggle a little.
"DEEEETAILS!" He sang.
"Well, they spar a LOT with each other, they take patrols together, and when Po cracks a joke, she actually laughs." Ai blinked several times before continuing. "It's weird but pleasant."
"So basically it's like la-la land there," Zan smiled.
"I...guess you can call it that. What's even more weird is that now they tell each other good night." Zan squealed in excitement. Then he stopped.
"Wait, how do you know this," Zan asked.
"Well, Viper, Ruby, and I have been hanging out a lot and she tells us what happens at the Jade Palace when I'm not learning from Tigress," Ai explained. Just then, Master Shifu walked past the shop, signaling Zan to come with him.
"Well, I have to go to the others," Zan said, getting up from his seat.
"I'll go with you," Ai shot out without thinking. Everyone looked at her. "To...show you what I mean by...things...changing in the Jade Palace," she recovered. Zan just shrugged as they went up the mountain with Shifu. Ruby chuckled to herself.
"What are you laughing at," Vick asked.
"When do you think those two will get together," She said. Vick and O just laughed.
To be continued.