Volume One: A Visitor
Chapter IV
Noodle Party
Both spiritual dragons safely landed towards the Sacred Tears's land. Chi and Metal creatures entered the panda and tiger's backs as if blossoms and natural breeze sharpened its melody bamboo zen. Shen and Wolf Boss set their eyes at the Dragon Warrior, who opened his jade eyes, and the other dissipated the white eclipse eyes, shading to stone blues.
Xing widened his mouth. "That. Was —"
"HARDCORE!" Po delighted, fisting both paws into the air. "I can't believe I got a fancy present from the Mind of Metal!"
"So now you can summon your Chi dragon as many times as you like," the tiger delighted, springing down to the flat ground ahead of both Shen and Zhong.
Po glanced at the sky, which both of his eyes had sparkled. "Oh, sugar honey iced tea! It's almost dusk!" the panda sprung his back, his knee kneeling to rise. "We better get to my dad's noodle restaurant!"
The tiger's head gestured. "Let's go celebrate, buddy," Xing chirped.
Both Po and Xing hastily paced their stroll toward the edgy, rocky stairs, both of their knuckle-fists made a gentle blow. "Well, er — that was marvelous." One-eyed wolf shrunk his pupil, pacing his walk as if the peacock did the same. "I thought this big dragon gonna eat us all."
"Is that so?" the peacock hummed.
"Xing's dragon didn't attack, so I'm surprised it was looking at us oddly."
The dusk flattened amid the western horizon, and the sky shaded cherry. Among the cherries, the paint grew slightly darker while the sun pressed against Mother Nature. Luckily for the quartet reaching Jade Palace in time in an exact hour walk journey, the Masters of Jade Palace and two Nine members were waiting for the company.
Every breath of her sinus, Tigress masked this troubling issue for the past few months after the Battle of Gongmen City she and the Five dealt the Prince of Darkness. She was not the only one or a few who concerned the albino's presence, as if having a reckless, pandemonium, and evil Lord of Gongmen who would have slaughtered many pandas. A coward, she once called him — You are going to be part of something beautiful, Shen gently threatened next to her ear, let her ears shrink back and sinus bend with a defiance look.
Her glare had distracted as Tigress's paw once stroked by a pointy tail. It was her closest companion, her sister, Viper, who glanced up to the feline's right. "You okay, Tigress?" her innocent tone queried. She was sure to have Shen living at Jade Palace as Po desirably craved him from the peacock's critical life; worse than death, insanity and tyranny were Shen's appetite.
"Yes," Tigress relieved, her fingers relaxing as the tip of her tail swiveled with a soft gesture. "This day feels like a historical moment, isn't it, Viper?"
"Oh, yes. So historic," Viper agreed, slithering beside the feline. "I think this day shall be luminous. We also have an idea for you and Po to sit and let us perch next to you both. What do you think?"
"Hmm. I will accept it."
"My big sister. My best friend. You know, we love you," Viper crawled onto Tigress's leg and let the feline hold the snake. The serpent's tongue rapidly brushed to Tigress's fluffy cheek. "We are a family. If there's something you should need help with, let all of us come to you."
"I expect whatever my mind comes," Tigress simpered a little.
"Stripey!" Tigress's student Lei Lei caught sprinting behind both masters. She spread her right arm, embracing the feline's whole back.
In front of them, a whole group descended near the Jade Palace Arena as Tigress watched her nephew strolling with the masters. "You brought me cookies from your sister, buddy?" Monkey knuckled the tiger's forearm.
"Unfortunately, Lotus has a routine to forbid herself from eating all the cookies for now. Sorry, Master Monkey," Xing explained, his back was pinpointing as it crawled toward his shoulders. The edge of the tiger's right eye caught a tiny green that whizzed his insect wings. "I can see you are sneaking next to my shoulders, Master Mantis."
Mantis widened his golden eyes. "Oh, he's wary — like his Auntie." The insect said. "Now your face looks vicious, Xing. You're badass, by the way."
"Um...Thanks?" Xing perplexed.
"I would like to follow up on your doctor's details, the way she swaddled your battle scar," The bug sharpened his inhaling breath, widening. "Hey! How's my partner been up to, by the way?"
Over a few days after the Kong Bai Stadium ambush, Mantis and the Nine's Doctor Hong gathered many of the remedy equipment as they salvaged third-quarter of the weak and injured soldiers. Often not eaten the insect's head, which could have turned fatality to end his life, that was anxious if Mantis ever met other insects.
"Hong's been busy lately. She's following up a few remedies — her colleagues and cousin Wu Hop searched some healing items throughout the east of China. Hong patched my scar well," Xing rejoiced, his voice balancing.
"I see," the insect bobbed his head.
Giant hands on all fours approached with light and loud behind the tiger and insect. A lofty gorilla, Bao, palmed Xing's left shoulder. "Bao, noodles! Bao, dumplings!"
The cobra Fanshe ahead of the ape chuckled. "Hold your belly there, big guy. We're almost there."
"Boy, he's hungry, alright," Mantis murmured to the tiger's ear.
The ape buzzed his throat, craning his whole head near the bug's side. "Bao, green bug." Bao grinned with his teeth wide open.
"Whoa! Don't eat me!" Mantis yelped and nearly slipped to Xing's shoulder.
"He does eat the insects?!" Monkey chirped, gasping.
"Oogway's blessing — No! Bao's trying to say that he likes for you to dine with him," The cobra reasoned both masters out.
Monkey's fur collapsed back to normal when Mantis mounted back to where he stood next to Xing's head. "Oh," Monkey and Mantis glanced at each other, calming their terrifying breaths.
"By holding hands while dating together," Xing bantered, and half of the warriors boomed their laughs, and the other half snickered.
The albino strolled beside his panda teacher. They reached out of the Jade Palace Arena. "It's your birthday, panda," Shen icily spoke. "I suspect not many of your villagers could let me roam at your brilliant party."
"I invite you to my noodle restaurant, Shen," Po said. "I like for you to come with me and the Five. There are a lot of places you never see in my village before. Of course, I only show you my father's restaurant."
"I admire your goose father, panda. You can roam me next time while I crave meditation."
"As long as you are with me, my people will not scream at you," Po pointed out. "The Valley is not a violent village, nor intimidating people go rioting, and mobbing with torches and farm equipment tools."
Moments went by as the whole group arrived at Noodle Restaurant, where many villagers and a few visitors would visit soon. Most of the stores, motels, beverages, and garments, but Noodle Restaurant forbade the peacock lord's presence, knowing half of the Valley of Peace now populated with pandas. Not every panda disgusted Shen, Po supposed as he reasoned them, and his father, Li Shan, had almost lost his loving child for many years and found Po.
To the Dragon Warrior, it was impossible to see both Shen and Li discuss as if any peacock's breath struck into Li Shan's presence, Po's dad could reach both paws and lock onto Shen's throat. That mostly led to the peacock's years of regret. When you have bitten someone's back, he will bite you hard where it hurts. Po had only admitted that he would have loved Shen to roam the Dragon Warrior's party, despite what Li hated Lord Feng's son going near the People's Hero. Po strongly agreed to keep Shen in the panda's room instead.
Decorating every lantern light above the restaurant, including the tables lining with a horizontal position, Po lifted his soft ears as if the horde of villagers outside of the entrance cheered. He and Tigress dressed their elegant gold garments, their silky hats towered with headdresses. Both cement walls left with many pictures of the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. The whole restaurant had wafted with spices and pasta noodles Mr. Ping cooked within his kitchen with Po's cousins.
The Nine's Leader lastly positioned the main table, where both Po and Tigress could sit and watch many visitors and companions. His left eye caught his aunt's little grin; Tigress nodded with a "thank you" gesture. "My grandmother sends her regards, Auntie. She would love to see you celebrating with the Dragon Warrior," Xing admitted, his paws fiddling behind his back. "Although Ming has other plans to watch over Shui Palace."
The feline bobbed her head. "Understandable, nephew. I am happy for you being here with us." Tigress spoke, placing a mahogany chair beside the other, which was twice the size — the Dragon Warrior's seat. "Is your sister Lotus coming tonight?"
"She appears to be helping out one of my grandmother's colleagues in Tanhuang right now, along with Hong," answered Xing, who only buzzed his throat while smirking at his aunt. Another thought began swiftly as if his eyes dazzled with the ocean meeting the stars. "Is there any news about Shifu's student, Tigress?"
This word student that Xing may be dodging the name to someone's reputation that the rest of the Jade Palace masters never mention speaking in public (or private when Shifu's long ears could press against the paper wall when hearing his students' discussion). His aunt lightly pressed on her lips; the feline's look giving half concern and thought to what Tigress's nephew deserved to know. Tai Lung, Tigress reflected. "Nothing yet as I recall," She answered with her head shaking.
"DAD!" Po gasped in delight and raced.
In front of the entrance, the elder panda in greet coat and conical straw hat called his son. "Give your old man a hug!" Li Shan spread his limbs and crushed his son's back. "Happy Birthday, son!"
Intriguing to the fact that Xing observed the father embracing his son, there was a moment he had felt the hug before — nevertheless, the tiger's parents had many blessings Xing would have hugged them back before their final breaths. His mother, when she crashed in the gloomy forest, dried her ocean eyes before her breath was stopped — the black arrow punctured her back where her heart was in front. The last glance as he and his grandmother watched in horror, Ming's son Shui saw his son and sobbed before the angry, swarming fire crashed down to him.
Moments went by, the bamboo flutes whistled, and guzheng strings lightly vibrated around the Noodle Restaurant the band members played. Five pigs (two percussionists and three flutes) and four geese (two bass, one lead, and one rhythm).
Li Shan entered the crowds; the one-eyed wolf crossed both arms and squared at the constellations above. Many excitements engulfed this valley; young pigs, geese, bunnies, and pandas at many directions raced over the villagers in circles, the air carrying giggles; Wolf Boss thought of them as he was before.
Next to Zhong, a clearing throat let the wolf escape from thoughts as if his presence had been summoned. Li Shan held his chin toward his height to the wolf's left, spreading his lips; he dazzled both green eyes. The one-eyed wolf let his whole head face down when Li towered in front about two feet, standing. "Sir," Wolf Boss addressed, his tone was steady. He could feel his back brush with thick brisk. "I am not here to fight."
"I've noticed," Li Shan grinned. "You are the one called Zhong. Po mentioned you before."
Zhong nearly hesitated to crane his head about an inch. His eye yet drifted where Li Shan was. "My son talked about you who pledged the Emperor and helped with the Company to rescue Po."
"Since the attack in your village, the aftermath was not my call to hurt and capture your people. Not my adoptive peafowl parents' order," Wolf Boss explained, his eye pointing more toward the panda. "Er. Lord Feng would never turn back on you that you both were close, long time ago."
"Feng's not always a serious peacock. I remember him well," Li reminisced. "He would have loved to have me by his side as the Master of Farmer. Sadly, he reckoned with someone else who's much wiser than mine."
"Lord Feng had a good heart. May he rests well along with his Lady," Wolf Boss simpered. "To me, he was a father-figure. I always called him dad while not in public or a hearing inside the Throne Room."
"Yes," Li nodded.
Zhong glanced at the road, which packed with many villagers strolling along with their children. Their eyes seemed meeting, their voices tittering — one panda mother carried her infant cub. She held her small spoon and let the child sip pasta noodles. This road and people were reminded of him as the young wolf of seven, sitting a dining chair with intricate patterns of gold heart metal and velvet constellations inside the Dining Chamber, which filled with the divine, the chandelier hanging underneath the dawning yellow ceiling. Cherry and grape scents engulfed.
Beside the young wolf and his peacock prince, they sat, Lord Feng and Lady Muqin's gardener Soothsayer held the boy's spoon sip into Zhong's lips and smiled. "You still think you are to put up the blame." Wolf Boss heard Li Shan's concerned voice as he escaped his thought.
There was no denying that the lupine's recognition of reckless and soulless alpha became Lord Shen's second-in-command. Never asked or signed up for the peacock's side to anticipate anyone dared to prevent Shen's tyranny from happening, despite how Soothsayer forewarned Peafowl Nobles. With his single eye, including the mark of shame to his other eye, Wolf Boss had pictured every inch of the pandas sprinting away with horrifying faces on the night.
Swallowing his throat as soft as he could prevent looking away from Li Shan, Zhong answered. "As the wolf commander I once was who Lord Feng promoted me to serve the city and defend the weak, his son let me and my wolves trek toward your land, and force us to capture you all," Wolf Boss's throat tightened to open his wounded vocal. "Consequences gave my blind scar eye, sir. This scar is my wound; I faced suffering and innocent."
The lupine's fluffy tail had caught when you embrace the pillow harder. A firm grasp was indeed crushing, where Zhong's spine became tense. Behind the wolf, a giant infant panda lay forward. "Fluffy puppy!" the infant with brown eyes giggled. More than three infants joined behind the little girl they met lupine's eye. Two of them gripped on Zhong's whole legs; the third mounted his back and embraced his entire neck, the cub's cheeks brushing the mohawk.
Po's father chuckled. "Relax, Zhong. Everything's settled." Li Shan enlightened, palming Wolf Boss's right shoulder. "You have come to the right place to celebrate my son's birthday."
The wolf's silky black lips stretched as if behind his back was no longer brisk. One faced regrets many years, wished that the panda attack would have never happened, and the other wanted vengeance, but to seek sympathy toward a person who was forced into doing terrible things by his leader. "Come. Dine with me, and watch my son and Tigress open up their presents." Li guided Wolf Boss back into the Noodle Restaurant.
The challenge was not yet intended while the Dragon Warrior opened his fourth present by his awesomeness kung fu master. One gift of dumpling necklace by Dim and Sum and — thank the blessings, no pandas ever munch the dumplings they did before. The second present showed a duplicate of Wu Hop's spoon, representing the Master of Cooking when many chefs cooked their fabulous food decorations every Winter Solstice day. The third revealed a Wing Chun dummy as it widened its length, three arms spreading more for the panda's space and its feet bending farther for the opponent's kick — gifted by his tiger colleague.
The fourth present as Po pulled strings and opened the brown-paper box. The garment had the replica of Shifu's brown robe and green shawl. Po's new gown grew about fourfold, despite Shifu's height as if Po seemed tall enough to wear. "Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I have another new robe!" Po stunned, maintaining his new garment. He could hear the red panda's light chuckle ahead of him. "Master, I love you for this! Thank you!"
The red panda smirked with a chuckle. "Seems you are a master, Po, now you can educate my students with Tigress," Shifu said, his staff pinning with a click to the pavement.
More than a hundred scrolls of messages were placed between Tigress and Po; the rest of his presents stashed to his right as Tigress's presents were placed on another table. Her gifts had packed with ten, as her last one was Mei Mei's pink-cherry garment with blue sash waist and intricate patterns of lotus flowers on a full dress. Her ninth gift was Lei Lei's flower necklace and crown roses. Lei Lei spread her arms and grasped Tigress's whole body without letting her go.
One scroll Po browsed his whole paw he caught, it was pale blue glass scroll with fine intricate lines of water and clouds, with the name Lord Dongji of Gongmen City. "Oh! Xing's It's your brother's letter!" Po announced, maintaining a scroll toward the tiger, who chuckled. After opening Lao's letter, Po spread the index sticks, which revealed the young lord's ink writing. "He wishes me good fortune for my birthday. He presents me with his ancestor's revised scroll tale A Song of The Great War," the panda gasped with awe. "That looks severely cool! And P.S.!"
Oh, brother. What's on Lao's mind?
Xing thought with hilarious determination. The gorilla behind Xing gave a soft punch to the tiger's upper left shoulder, lowering his mighty chuckle.
"'Let my brother know I present him another scroll for his paintings. To Xing: Our mother never stops cherishing you and Lotus. Come to Gongmen City if you and the Nine wish to linger Honorable Warrior's Guest Room. We miss you both, brother.' "
One-third of the villagers echoed with a touchy "aww" expression. The golden-snub master next to Crane trained at Xing. "You are an artist, Xing?" Monkey astoundingly inquired.
Xing bobbed, humming. "I do paint in some other time. It came back to me ever since I was a boy."
"Oh, good!" The insect cherished, springing his whole arms and legs above Monkey's head. "You're a painter!"
"Perhaps someday, Xing," Crane continued, his feathers palming behind the tiger's back. "I would love to encourage you to redraw some old banner heroes in all of China. You and I can appoint in some part-time."
The tiger's eyes softly shut at once after a nod. "It would be my honor. We'll see."
The albino browsed the Dragon Warrior's room. The sense of the panda's fur swam into his beak. Star metals landed crits of the angry red bull's head; about three stars lied on the wooden structure. Posters and banners of the Furious Five, Masters of Gongmen, and every master hung on three grayish clay walls ahead of Shen.
Shen sharply inhaled, his pupils shrinking to awe.
On these cabinets, Shen followed, were more than twenty wooden action figures as he fiddled his feathers toward six, which the Furious Five and the Great Dragon Tai Lung he recognized. Behind them, Thundering Rhino, Croc, and Storming Ox stood by; and next to the masters to their left, the wooden bull figure was far twice the size of Ox. A large gray bull with black threads behind his back (dark brown mane), and both horns shaped with fire-like, attached in between the mighty's head.
The albino snorted with disbelief. Action figures?! Perhaps, Shen had many believe in the Five as they grew their determination to the Dragon Warrior's action figures. As Shen lifted his head, a wooden sign marked Donations For Bao Gu Orphans.
This panda has a heart for those children. Shen thought, grinning.
One of the candles dazzled to Shen's eye as he glanced to the right. Tugging both feathers in his sleeve, Shen approached the memoirs it stashed with jade wax candles. The banner above the candles revealed the Magnificent himself. Many people cherished the reptile master. Oogway sat with criss-cross legs on the rocky cliff; behind the tortoise along with blossoms swarming over him, the Peach Tree enlightened its pink leaves, shining above billions of constellations with the twilight horizon.
One of Shen's eyes drew his attention, which he craned near one of the jade candles to the left. A paper, positioning against both towering candles, was a mother panda supporting her precious infant. The peacock's train collapsed down behind his head when his spine raced with a fire burning the path and ice breezing his feathers. The panda mother's rasping voice swarmed in Shen's head.
He who seeks within your fear favors you to enlighten your heart… She-panda shut her eyes. Her vision could no longer reveal from opening with warming tears dripping to she-panda's cheek. He who senses your pain... you flow crave of harmony with him…
Who is "He"? Shen demanded.
My. Little. Lotus. Po's mother breathed her final words before her green eyes dried out.
Melancholy Sky and Earth
The bamboo zen started tuning its whisper as guzheng adjusted, the six strings echoing through miners. The albino widened his ruby eyes as if his crests pulled downward, and his spine cooled. Shen knew this song before. Before the days of eternal darkness within him, there was this emotional song which many people contemplated, passed by generations, professional composers blessed it.
The peacock strolled toward the window where he could view the party after barging away from Po's room. The Dragon Warrior's paws connected to Tigress's; they sidestepped in slow turns, so did Mei Mei dancing with the panda villager. The crowds lightened their cheer while the zen band played. Shifu, Li Shan, and Mr. Ping at their dining table chuckled and watched all four in the middle. The Nine and one-eyed wolf beside the fathers impressed this song, so did both warriors Po and Tigress as they managed to balance their side steps. The quartet of Furious Five thundered their claps (except Crane and Viper), applauding.
Summer Solstice — Young Shen (Seven Years)
There was this peachick, Shen became, grasped his mother's pink-ocean feather he and Lady Muqin walked across the concrete platform at the Tower of the Sacred Flame. The night prevailed a million white sparkles stretched along with the light-brown surroundings over the horizon. Zen music was engulfing the air with healing and soft tunes. Young Shen and his mother observed the musicians dressed in green garments supporting their instruments. His father, Lord Feng, along with Master Flying Rhino and Soothsayer behind the musicians, sauntered through the public walk bridge near the iron gate.
"Mother. What song are they playing right now?" Young Shen asked his mother with a curious tone, pointing at the musicians.
Lady Muqin answered when pressuring her other feathers toward her heart. "The members are playing beautiful zen music. A song Melancholy Sky and Earth had passed many generations ago." She eyed her son's sparkling red eyes and continued. "A goose musician from the old times of the Great War trekked into the North and mounted toward the mountain peak. A group of his composers traveled with him to witness his daughter's spiritual wind. He had lost one of his children, taken by Mongol bandits.
"Some say the girl was lost, traveled far down towards south to reunite his family, and her father traveled to the North to search for his beloved daughter. Once reunited about a day, a Khan bandit from Mongolia released an arrow and penetrated the girl's heart."
Shen's right eye reflected with light red, dripping under his cheek. "When did the girl pass on?" He hardly inquired as his throat lifted. Lady Muqin watched her son combine heartbreak with sorrow.
"Twenty years after the Desolation of Qing Temple." Lady Muqin replied.
Young Shen's mother continued further after inhaling. "This song has the meaning of meeting a long lost family member. The goose musician wished to embrace his daughter's spirit while he and his musicians played — wishing to live among the Spirit World where all the souls of warriors and innocent people. Before his death, his musicians vowed to pass the music to many generations. Many say the father lives where his daughter passed on, and so he did."
Lady Muqin eyed on his son's whole face; Shen kept his tears withdraw and beak trembling. Neither of he and every young could contemplate this sorrowful tale — the albino wished that the missing girl and father's sacrifice would have never happened. Muqin's son looked up to her. "If we all grow old together, does that mean when you and father passed on — will I be able to see you?"
"Oh, my sweet child," Lady Muqin palmed her chest, bowing her knee ahead of Shen, "You will, Shen. When you become Lord of Gongmen someday, having a Lady beside you, consider this prospering heaven song. Close your eyes. While these musicians illuminate the middle of the verse rhythm, our souls never leave you. —" Muqin's feather softly pressed toward her son's heart. "— Right here."
The albino opened his eyes, relieving to his historical memory he wished to become young, fix every mistake he had made, would never want to let many people in all of China turn against him. He would allow the past bury, promising to meet his family again in the afterlife instead of faults, including blames that Shen ventured.
One of the people trained at Shen; the peacock held his long breath in exhaustion. The tiger shut his eyes and bobbed his head with a simultaneous gesture of greeting, wanting to make sure the peacock face no threat or have his teacher's colleague stand beside him. Lord Shen nodded at Xing in return, and the Nine's Leader glanced up toward the rooftop.
Yellow eyes popped with its near gloomy form of clouded fur, towering as Xing peered at the appearance well. Xing pondered if this student could reveal the people's fear in public or loved to break the Dragon Warrior's party. Worse than any, as if the dark figure with gold eyes glaring at the party, the tiger followed his look toward Po and Tigress.
Author's Note:
— Now that should be hard to miss about our old friend's golden eyes as many warriors tend not to speak the leopard's name. And thank the blessings, we all need to see him briefly, but we will get our boy in the game. (I swear it by the Old Gods and New!)
— I use the scroll's title "A Song of the Great War" as it references the Game of Thrones series "A Song of Ice and Fire."
— Melancholy Sky and Earth is the song I've searched on YouTube as its background reveals the Peach Tree on the rocky-dirt cliff, and underneath it, was lava veins and dark smoke scorching the terrain. So as that goes when listening to it, I would use this song's reference, plus the tale as Lord Shen has heard it before during his younger days.
— Not so good at those patterns of the instruments, but as far as I can do how it sounds. Hopefully, if anyone has good experience of instrument sounds, punch a PM to help Gray!
— Y'all might be wondering how and if these villains are coming over to my book's sequel, knowing all three of them are dead in canon. There will be reasons for having Tai Lung, Shen, and Kai in my fic series as a promise from Gray here. Second chances aren't that easy as they are challenging to prove their redemption — so as the other that all three would possibly face the mystery aside a redemption story.
— That's all for now, and happy writing from KFP hardcore fan!