I am wondering what this revelation as you all noticed Huoju's game trying to cluster bomb on every warrior's heads, while there is one, last dependable quest you may or may not remember Huangdi's second volunteer group.
Now let's get through the newest circumstance, then venture your favorite side characters! *wink*
3/9/2018
Episode Nine: Haidao ( 41 - 46 )
Chapter XLII
Ocean Tide
Most of the heads went pale. Warlords and the Company glimpsed Tigress's amber eyes she revealed her vision. Not a view, but a memory she witnessed with the Furious Five and Dragon Warrior across Peafowl Noble courtyard at the Kung Fu Council. Formerly Tower of the Sacred Flame before both Lady Mianfu and Lord Feng died with a natural cause; painful death as if their suffering could not end to see their own son's return.
Tigress lurched out of the War Tent conference Xing called his aunt. Viper's tail pressed the tiger's left cheek toward the reptile master. "Go check your aunt, sweetie," Viper urged. Xing admitted during his nod and moved out of the conference meeting with a rush of his stroll.
"Did I speak something wrong?" Wolf Boss rose his innocent voice, bent his ears back, realizing that either his tone abused Tigress wrongfully, or caused him including Masters of Jade Palace have history to embark their stories. "Whatever I said badly, I am sorry."
"It's not that, Commander," Crane flattened his feathers behind one-eyed wolf's back. "Let's just say you let many of us here revealed where that big Ox guy would be heading."
Wolf bobbed his head. He thought most of the Five could hate this commander who was the only responsible for Shen's incursion. Zhong sighed heavily and forwarded his head at Master Bear. "This isn't something how Hoju interests perching on the Throne Room," he claimed, glimpsing the peacock Lao beside him. "This Prince of Darkness sitting on your grandfather's Sapphire and Golden chair does not matter if the enemy wins —" Wolf Boss turned his head back to warlords and Bear. "— The gorilla who the Company and I captured him, said the Prince of Darkness marched across China and brought something powerful, and enormous thing whatever we all heard."
Many warlords contemplated this perilous importance as if they including Bear desired to justify instead of killing an enemy prince. General as part of being a kung fu master obeyed not to slaughter, but to eradicate any bandit's nasty sovereignty ideas. "We worry the Jade Slayer later," Master Bear announced with his soft colossal voice.
"Sir?!" the owl burst his oval eyes sparkling with cinnamon.
"If we handle General Kai and his, um…"
"Jombies, sir," Lao worded Bear.
"Thank you, Prince Dongji. If we handle General Kai and his jombies, Master Owl, then what if Huoju's forces arrived in Beijing's sister city, conquered and slaughtered one million people?" Bear demanded the owl as if circumstances elevated. Most of every warrior's eyes gleamed toward to themselves with murmur tones in their mouths. "Together, we march across China and arrive the capital city's sister. I will warn the Emperor."
"But, sir—!" Owl rejected.
General stomped his clenched claw in front of the crumpled map table. "That's an order, Master Owl!" Master Bear dictated. The giant suppressed his grimace look with a low sigh, peering the brown yak to his left. "Lieutenant Colonel, write back the Anvil. Inform Vachir's Commander to begin marching to the sanctuary town. Emperor Huangdi needs reinforcements."
A giant yak bent his head forward with a respectful bow. He proceeded across the War Tent exit behind him, leading his followers behind him. Master Owl breathed his beak sinus out, shutting his hard eyes as if General's order became prior instead of handling Beast of Vengeance and jombies. If you dislike high rank's rule, you could only obey without testing his or her grimace feeling. Without following the order, you would strip your position and even a slight punishment if you defy the high rank's arrangement.
"Do we have numbers to conclude Huoju's army, Master Bear?" Crane inquired Master Bear next to the young albino prince.
Master Bear silently shrunk his belly with a silent inhale, darting his pure eyes at the heart of War Tent's lantern that it's horizon colored with tangerine and light brown mushroom.
"Not even," he shook.
"Tigress!" her nephew followed across General Bear's ambiance camps, catching behind Tigress next to the bamboo cage, crowded with Fung's crocodile bandits and one gorilla Gang. Tigress ceased her rapid walk, panting loudly. "What happened? You knew and been that place with the Five and Po before. Are you alright?"
She released suspiration from her soft mouth, revolving her head to the anxious tiger. "I have seen this ancient palace where the sky kissed the tower, and fire crawled below that building, Xing," she calibrated her paw at the War Tent. Tigress's soothe voice nearly crawled behind her tongue. "I know the place, where Po could not stop talking about ravishing gold and reflective interior inside the tower."
"The Kung Fu Council?"
"Was," Tigress added. "Now I know where Huoju is leading. I must warn Po and the Emperor."
"Wait," the tiger intervened as if his aunt again paused her left foot and turned her head back softly. "Do we need to talk about that battle we all witnessed both evil warlords?"
His aunt nodded. "Yes. How did Kai return from Spirit Realm?" Tigress demanded with her flare amber eyes. "Dragon Warrior surrendered his dragon chi and gave it to Kai to obliterate him."
"I recalled the swan's voice," Xing reflected, returning his eyes toward Tigress's. "She warned us about the black bear including Huoju who both went to the Spirit Realm without Oogway's sightseeing and returned to Mortal Realm. Needless to say for this perplexing thought, why would Huoju want General Kai?"
"Hoju found the last jade amulet to some realm he went there with that dangerous and attractive bear," the voice met next to Xing's right side. Fung grasped the bamboos; heads glimmered behind the alpha.
"The last jade?" she repeated. "If Po's Chi destroyed Kai, then why is HE still alive?"
Her concern voice thrived near two tents as plenty soldiers yanked their eyes slowly at both tigers. Fung stumbled his shaky fingers away from the bamboo. "Maybe that bull made himself a jade by his own hands. I only heard rumors about Huoju who noticed the amulet that someone caught that Beast-of-Whoever from being obliterated," Fung guessed terrifyingly. "Before that guy returned, Hoju tossed the last jade into Po's chi, and summoned Kai."
"Why did they battle themselves?" Xing demanded, bending his curious head to the left. "What is their purpose?"
"There are motivations that the Prince of Darkness desires more than just returning Kai," the brute gorilla shared his answer, releasing his giant hands above the bamboo ceiling he had gripped.
"What do you mean, Gang?" the tiger concerned.
"Before I went to local scouts and searched you all, Huoju was gathering those mysterious shadows above him inside the Room of Woe. Even as the Prince interests someone who knew he stood in front of the greenish stone, Huoju once said about eyes to see things."
"You mean Huoju wants someone's eyes?" Xing asked, perplexing with Tigress glimpsing at their own flare eyes of Phoenix and ocean. "Did he build someone before Kai's arrival?"
"He gathered some black, shroud clouds around the whole breeze and crossed over that Ox-demon." the gorilla replied. "Whatever it is that the Prince created, you guys need to destroy that thing before it will shine throughout China, and burn."
The brute's unflustered tone had both Tigress, and Xing turned their concerned eyes. "Thing that roared two nights ago?" Tigress inquired at Gang.
"Yes," the gorilla flared his eyes when nodding.
"So what was the discussion you guys were shocking about?" Fung inclined his eyes as if crocodiles behind him gathered behind the alpha. "Something to do with us or bad?"
Giant soft steps strolled at Xing's left side. The ground whispered any colossal person's footstep quietly. The giant brown bear sharpened his look; Xing turned and looked at Fung. "A lot worse than going to free you all if accepting Master Bear's order to support Emperor Huangdi and us," the tiger informed.
"And what is this have to do to free us?" the gorilla demanded.
"This isn't about clashing with each other anymore," Xing continued. "It's about bringing tons of allies to cease Huoju's ambitious wrath."
"Xing. Friend? My gangs and I cannot go to war with you guys. Look at us —" Fung gestured his hands at him, including his companions with frightened looks. "We are NOT soldiers or Emperor Huangdi's superior men!"
Plenty of the crocodiles trembled their hands, heads, and clasp arms looking away. "Gary, my gangs, we are all scared to go there." Fung continued.
"Why?" Gahri turned beside Fung, releasing his brilliant eyes he squinted and bent his arms together. "So Hoju and that blackness cloud thing will end our lives?"
Fung burst his irritating sigh. "Do you see Hoju's flaming power in him, Gary? He's invulnerable for crying out loud!" Fung almost screamed as he burned his throat under his tongue. "Kid, you cannot win this war." The alpha crocodile shook.
"Unless we need numbers, Fung," Tigress interfered.
"Numbers?" Fung repeated his demand, raising his eyebrows at both tigers. "How many does Huoju have?"
"Ninety thousand bandits," Xing answered.
Many former bandits surprised, and looked at their eyes to themselves, murmuring loudly. "And yours? How many do you all have?" the colossal crocodile Lidong behind Fung asked, opening his sharp mouth.
"Over a sixty thousand," Bear detailed. "Huangdi's Resistance is thirty-five times one thousand men, and my army is more than twenty-five thousand, previously thirty before attacking the mountain."
"Let me ask you this urgent, reasonable way for me including Fung's gangs to join," Gang stepped forward when releasing his grips above the bamboo ceiling. "Where are Huoju and his army going? Something apprises me none of you all will win the battle."
"Do you want to know before Master Bear decides?" Tigress appeased Gang.
"Just tell us, Tigress. I like to help Po." Fung exhorted. "There are things my gangs and I regretted in the past, but none of that matters. My cousin, Gahri and I helped Po bringing food that no guards could feed the panda, I swear."
Jade Palace masters and crocodiles gangs had a history as the gangs accused before. Tigress had to admit these crocodile bandits were not the same they steal or intimidate innocent villagers.
"Gongmen City," Tigress told ahead of the bandits.
Gorilla rose his shocking head like lightning. "WHAT? Wait a minute!" Gang held his gesture hand in front, testifying Tigress's revelation. "Are you telling me that Huoju is interested sitting on Lord Feng's Sapphire Throne?!"
"Tell me," Xing peered at them. "Has any of you watched Huoju sat his chair?"
"No," all heads shook.
"It does not matter what Huoju desires to sit a throne chair. He interests death as you notice," Bear implied. "This new war represents not just everyone against everyone venturing against themselves to claim China; it is now the conflict between the living and the immorality. But make no mistake: Evils are coming."
Their hearts stumbled to the ground as if Fung and all the crocodiles quivered and breathed in inaudibly. Xing and Tigress could peer every prisoner's horrified eyes they all contemplated General Bear's insinuation. Fung stepped forward, giving a brave eyes squinted in front of three warriors. "I'm in," Fung accepted. "Where do we start?"
Perplexing voices burst inside the bamboo cell. "Are you freaking crazy, Fung?!" Gahri and Lidong squealed.
Their leader rotated his head at all the stunning, confusing gangs. "I am sorry, boys," Fung admitted, now glimpsing his second-in-command who wobbled his whole head with mouth opened. "It is time to end being a criminal. If a giant bear wants numbers to help, we will be joining Po and the Furious Five to kick Huoju and his army's asses —!" he raised his palm. "— WHO'S WITH ME?!"
"You can't be serious, Fung," Tigress crossed her arms, grinning bitterly.
"I am serious, Tigress! I will not hide behind the bamboo woods with my gangs!" Fung clenched the bamboo bars. Good riddance! "Look at me in my eyes! Am I really Po's friend? His friends need a backup? I will fight with the panda, and so will you and Furious Five!"
"Alright," Bear opened the cage door. He gave a little grin. "Welcome to the Rebellion."
Many bandits except the gorilla proceeded out of the bamboo cage, extending their arms and craning their backs popping loudly. At least everyone needed a good stretch for Oogway's blessing!
Most of the lieutenants including the Company members strolled out of the War Tent Meeting behind them. Tigress approached Viper, Crane, pandas and all who occupied from the Valley of Peace. "Po has awakened. You can go see him in the medic tent." Tigress pointed. Many followed the Five's alpha when Viper rushed in front of feminine tiger master, giving no time to wait as the reptile obsessed and adored her panda brother like a family she always encourages Po.
Crocodile bandits followed the Valley's people and entered the medical tent; cheerful voices echoed thunderously. Xing positioned next to the entrance, witnessing every hug, kiss, and grasp hands, even Viper's circulating body she stroke her head under Po's jaw.
"General. Has any of your spies found my gorilla student Bao?" Xing asked the General of the Resistance.
Master Bear palmed his claw on Xing's right shoulder. "We will find him, my child," he oathed. "I only received news about the gorilla bandit who supports with Great Gorilla, rumoring about this prisoner who speaks his name, and two or three words."
"That is my student you are describing him," the tiger noticed.
"Is your gorilla student well disciplined?" he questioned the tiger interestingly.
"He's my special student, General. The Nine's Heaver," Xing noted the General. "As I looked into the gorilla's eyes when approaching him, Bao smiled and could tell you few brave, encouraging words: 'Bao, bamboo stick. Bao, hungry. Bao, help. And Bao, Master.'"
"I see," Bear comprehended.
While speaking to each other and their eyes meeting next to the medical entrance, the gorilla Gang felt his heart crunching and softly closed his eyes at the side of the dirt path.
He looked down and sauntered away on all fours.
One Day Later
The sail billowed with its gentle wind to the Southeast, and the crew of five dangled the ropes. One midnight goose dove his neck near to the large red mast, landing in Junk Ketch's quarter-deck to the starboard side. The Ketch had drifted off to Vu City shore at sea in the daylight.
Master Ox held the messenger's tan scroll, scrutinizing this urgent news what these two Masters including Three of the Nine have missed. The young gray bull pirate balanced the Ketch's wheel, sniffing the ocean's salt from gentle waves that slightly pushed in front of the boat. I miss the ocean's song. I am coming home. Shou thought, shutting his sapphire eyes as if blue surfaces were his apotheosis preference; the water sang into his floppy ears, soothing his heart and mind.
Shou craned his neck to the bottom right of the starboard side, scanning his ocean eyes at Master Croc approaching his longtime companion at the starboard side. "What news, Ox?" the reptile master inquired.
Ox quivered his mouth. Something had struck in gentle giant's heart at once Master Ox read the goose's manuscript. Ocean soft winds billowed Ox's gray robe. His crimson eyes rose toward Croc. "Terrible incursion in the Valley of Peace," Ox revealed, gripping the script like a paper crushing into a ball.
No, that's impossible! The reptile crocodile thought horrifyingly. "How did this happen?" Croc concerned with his sharp teeth collapsed.
"Huoju's second-in-command clashed the Dragon Warrior's home to her advantage with her army. Many villagers and Emperor Huangdi survived the ambush," the goose messenger explained ahead of the Gongmen Masters.
The giant Ox hurled the crumpled scroll into the blue ocean with white lines of foams snarling beside the starboard. "We should head back," Ox clenched his teeth. Perhaps the ocean's tone of splash waves suppressed his mind that sparked his nerves. "Emperor Huangdi is my friend who I'd always stood next to him as his guard!"
"You cannot, brother!" Master Croc palmed Ox's bold left sleeve. "We vowed the Emperor to stop the incursion of Huoju's ships and Pirates. What would the Emperor do if we turn back to him or fail this quest? He will strip our reputations, and we would dishonor him."
Ox's red eyes darted at Croc. "Croc, Huangdi is our brother like Rhino he was!" he imaged the reflection of Thundering Rhino's personal feeling that compared to Huangdi's. Ox palmed his closed eyes and breathed his suspiration out.
"The Emperor is like our dearest companion," Croc discerned. "I am sorry, Ox. We cannot go back unless we handle many fleets skirmishing Haidao's pirates."
Both masters have to admit; they dislike to disobey their loyal companion nor abandon this critical quest. No master would do ever such ignore tasks and dangerous missions when bandits or outlaws conquered and threatened ahead of the innocent villagers.
Ox breathed out inaudibly. "Where are the villagers and Emperor going?" he asked and darted his crimson eyes at Huangdi's messenger.
"To any sanctuary city. No clue he did not inform me where," the messenger told, clasping his feathers together he slightly quivered his heart and craned long neck on giant Ox master.
"Get a word to Huangdi," Storming Ox commanded, writing the scroll with large ink brush he borrowed from the messenger. "Inform the Emperor that we are near Haidao's island about a week or less. Make sure you ask the Emperor where he goes, and report me back." He rolled and placed the script inside the scroll, and handed over to the messenger.
The bird nodded. "Yes, Master Ox!" the bird flapped his wings and leaped out of the junk ship; the tip of the wave splattered the messenger's robe with water, almost caught him and as the messenger flew off with his luck. If this goose cannot swim, I immerse because the ocean is my enemy! Croc is not a salt water swimmer! He could get seasick if Croc dives, hopefully not. Ox reflected.
Shortly for over ten minutes of sailing away from the harbor, Ox and Croc listened to the melody of living ocean waves. "This journey is astounding," Croc smirked, flattening his arms on the edge of the porch. "Our running and walking are flawless to exercise."
"Hopefully the boatman manager we spoke and delivered Huangdi's pardon at Vu Harbor will convince," Ox reflected.
"He's not a serious villager," Croc admitted. "The boatman knows why."
Both heads turned to their right of the starboard stairs they reached to the chief captain's deck. A bold, aggressive dark green crocodile with midnight kilt joined with two Masters of Gongmen, scanning hundreds of rough waters swinging up and down on the large surface. "Vu City looks amazing," Zhao smiled with his sharp light brown teeth. "How does Vu City can deliberate those vessels they make, Masters?"
"Vu City is one, careful concentration to forge many ships as if you ever been to Gongmen City. You'll see many boats sail there to the bay. Both cities are natural in a partnership as Lord Feng signed an agreement dealership to Mayor Bohai to settle delivery package crops for Gongmen, and sending large ships with woods to the bay for Vu." Croc explained.
"Sounds like I can live here for making vessels," Shou steered the junk ketch's wheel. "The sea is where I born there. The smell of ocean and beach are my soul. Swim every day, speak with dolphins and fishes in Water Temple about eighty miles southeast of Vu City."
"Yes, it's a pleasant place for you to live, as you are a pirate," the giant Ox master grinned.
"With respect, Master Ox," Shou added, handling and steering the ship's mahogany wheel, detailed with soft wood, "since I occupied with Master Ming and the Nine at the Prosper Valley during my exiled times, my lesson is not to steal anyone's belongings. I trained with your son and my friends to spar with the sword."
"Your styles of pirate and Wing Chun butterfly knives are seemingly outstanding," Ox chuckled, standing next to Shou's right side. "How is that you trained sword combat, Shou?"
"My father did," the young bull smirked; soft winds billowed over two sails attached on both masts from the front and in the middle in between the port and starboard sides. "He somehow educated me to become a pirate before sailing to the sea against other pirates who opposed us. Before my exile, when I first entered his navigation room from his ship while we searched some chest filled with gold, and artifacts somewhere near my father's land, I was alone in there when I read the mapping charts of eastside sea. One letter near to his candle lamp I once checked there, and read it about my father's greediness with some illusion of illness."
Storming Ox rose his left eye. "An illness?" Ox's son questioned curiously.
"Mind poisoned," the young gray bull answered. "Once my dad kept gazing to those gold, it controls him how rich he is. On that letter I read while I carried it, somehow was written by someone who I never knew from my family, except my father."
"Who?" Ox asked.
He glimpsed Shou's head, went sunk and yet slowly raised. "My mother," Shou replied, peering Ox's crimson eyes as if the master closed his mouth. "My father does not speak about his wife. I have no memory of my mother."
"My deep condolences, Shou," Master Ox palmed Shou behind the young pirate's soft black mane.
"Hopefully you will reveal soon, kid," Croc regretted.
The reptile master peered the young crocodile positioning in the port side Zhao flattened his arms onto the wooden rail. His thoughts entered through curious concerns as if Croc have a couple of relatives and many reptile gators across China. He approached the Nine's Ferocious; Zhao caught the gentle steps at his left side, discerning Master Croc's tan emerald eyes.
"I have never been and seen the astounding land of blue in my life," Zhao widened his eyes, listening to the peaceful, crashing and breaking waves. "The sound of waves and sense of salt breeze."
"Neither have I when journeying across the Pacific Ocean as of now. I have watched and smelled the sea and bay from Kung Fu Council every time," he nodded. Croc had been in Capital City's sister smelling the breeze of the sea as if the Masters of Gongmen occupied their council tower and previously vowed to defend the Tower from bandits, especially Shen who the albino captured Croc and Ox, murdered Rhino and destroyed his parents' Sacred Flame he opposed Jade Palace masters.
The reptile master heard an excruciating sigh; Zhao braced his hands on the edge, panting from headache sting as the fire grew from the small fire camp logs. "I don't feel good," Zhao mumbled, covering his fangs he sensed short breath. "Croc?"
"You have nausea," he determined.
"Seasick?"
"You'll get used to the ocean travel and this smell. Let me help you with that," Croc pressed his palm on Zhao's left side of the chest, waving with pale yellow beams Zhao gasped inaudibly. "Better?"
He felt no dizziness, nor his stomach growled from nasty vomit you could have discerned short breath and hot headache above your temple. Zhao nodded. "Thanks, Master," he panted usually.
"Zhao. Have you ever recalled your parents before you occupy with the Nine at the Prosper Valley?" Croc asked.
"Nope," the Nine's Ferocious quivered his head. "I only raised by crocodile gangs, especially a dark green alligator who was the alpha. Tall, foggy right eye, and half emotional he grinned and growled his stomach."
Croc hummed within his honey throat. "Are you sure you are one of my relative's missing infant crocodile?" he raised his right eye.
"I do not think so," Zhao ventured. "Forgive my insist, Master Croc. Why do you ask?"
"My cousin's son has been missing for almost twenty years," the reptile interpreted, clasping his hands together and perched both arms on the wooden port side. "Years ago while having dinner with Lord Shen's parents inside the seventh floor from the Tower, I received the message from my cousin's wife she shared the message about her husband who abandoned their child in the Swamp Lake. Thirty miles away from the Valley of Peace."
"That seems enigmatic," Zhao surprised softly. "Whoever that child was, he or she seemed the same as I am."
"Same?" Croc dazzled his eyes, bending his head to the left as if the interesting revelation had attempted. "How old are you, kid?"
"Twenty-One years, Master," he rose his head ahead of the reptile master.
"Hmm. The child who right now as an adult, his name is Cǎozé."
The Nine's Pirate called the reptile master. Zhao looked on Master Croc strolling up to the captain's main deck. He and this child crocodile "Cǎozé" have had the same, inception time as if Zhao never mentioned nor met his parents before. Cǎozé! A squeal echo vibrated in his dazzling head. Contemplating mysteriously in Zhao's head, he heard both Oxen they approached toward the starboard side, seeking through the perfect, undulating waves that broke across the ocean; twenty or more pale waves crushed into the surface.
Both Niu and Master Ox watched over the ocean's rough surfaces splashing below the Ketch's buoyancy.
"Dad, I have a question for you," Niu turned to his father, ceasing their amble. "Do you know how to swim in the ocean, right?"
"Relax, son," Ox palmed his son's neck. "There's no need to be anxious. Your dad here loves to bathe, and can survive in the perilous nature."
I am sure you do. My tiger colleague can strangely sense every warrior's feelings. Niu thought. Is Xing right about my dad? Since I met my buddy, he felt my hidden rage after I left Gongmen, fought the boar wrestler at the Prosper Valley, and cured by white tigress's grandson at their Shui Palace. He knows!
"Let us eat slices of bread and boil salt water with your friend Shou he will manifest the survival from dehydration," smiled Storming Ox. Both glimpsed the young bull Shou descending to the middle deck and grasped the strong rope near the edge, pulling, and both him and Zhao held the wooden cask, filled with ocean water.
Minutes went expeditiously. The young pirate searched and grasped the crumpled yellow sheet, hardened and as more accessible to brush or ink. He drew against the map after Shou placed the plan on the counter table and small brick among it preventing from winds. Recalling every mark, land, and position of Zei Dao island, took him minutes and figured — Shou had not been through this ocean for years, shaking his rusty thought to mop and clear the dust out of his floppy ears and cozy blue eyes.
Croc stood beside his old Ox companion to glimpse Shou's map; Zhao took the reptile master's turn he sauntered at the captain's deck as if the Nine's Ferocious already discern Shou's plan. "Once we reach Zei Dao, we'll have to budge the Ketch to the north side of the island," the bull browsed his hoof finger at the northern terrain in between the middle, painted and manifested a couple of landmark names. "For this purpose, it is a ten-mile hike to meet my father in his Quarter Room. No watchers around the beach and within the steep trees."
The young Ox chewed his garlic bread. "And at the South?" Niu muzzled his mouth when he gestured his head and pointed the southern land.
"Too many eyes," he added, "Haidao's Quartermaster scans the whole south side, crowded with Huoju's war vessels and pirate ships. As long as we stay hidden through the northwest, no ships can interfere on all sides and catapult against us. Neither a giant trumpet sound that can warn the pirates across the island."
"Brilliant plan." Ox agreed.
The breeze struck against both sails forwarding. "Looks like the breeze's going nuts," Shou craned and looked at the red canvas.
Storming Ox grasped and sensed his tongue meeting the green tea with pure honey. "How many days we can arrive at your homeland?" Ox sipped his giant gray mug.
"Two days, Master Ox," Shou replied. The Bull bounded to the edge and swung the starboard's climb ropes he scanned the prosperous, venturous and enormous white and blue ripples of the sea. He peered and announced to both oxen."This wind is taking me home, and so as the stars as if you ever study horoscopes and zodiac stars above the heaven, you do not need the map!"
Two Days Later
The Giant Ox laid on the flat wooden surface with his eyes closed and knees bent together near to his belly. He pillowed his arms below his neck as his whole head and sides could not perch because of his two horns preventing his rest. The sea's melody entered Storming Ox's ears, most of the waves were his new liking to hear the song of the ocean. It soothed his eyes, temples, head, and his grin bent to the side.
The gray light vision struck his trance. The body of Ox stood on a wooden loneliness platform that drifted across the quiet midnight sea with a full white moon glimmering like a flashbulb, dazzling smooth ripples from the horizon. Below Ox's feet below stroke with solid bamboos, and water. His awareness went leveled near to his cold spine, swimming his head around the nowhere ocean. Storming Ox might have thought of his perplexing vision he never experienced the loneliness. He only knew this dream is not real. His fur ankles floated with a bristle surface. Is this real! Ox almost flared his eyes. Wake up!
The white thunder clapped at a further distance across the east side of the twilight horizon, dotted with pale, living stars. Hello, Jùrén. A vibrant, elder tone echoed behind the master's head. Ox slipped his eyes to the right, revolving at a slow pace as his head wobbled tremendously. His mouth went full of the inhale, dazzling his daylight horizon eyes at this person who most every master and student deemed the tale of one warrior from wrestler to a highest kung fu rank master.
A smile of the gray-skinned master with enormous metal horn trimmed with clouded patterns reached and grasped Ox's back of the head with his hand. "You cannot be…" Master Ox opened his wide eyes.
You must not surrender, Jùrén. The elder, strong voice echoed.
"How?" Ox went brilliant gape. He caressed Rhino's elegant gray coat; realistic and silk from Jùrén's eyes he broadened and spoke enigmatically. "How are you alive? I watched you shot from Lord Shen's cannon. I cried, mourned, and griefed you after his defeat and your funeral with Croc."
Rhino grinned. I admire you and Croc. Did I ever recall the Storm Family you spoke at once?
"Have I?" he asked, sensing his wet ankles dripped beneath his feet.
You are a Storming Ox. Storm waves are your living soul. It enters your within your heart and grasps your body. Arms and your feet are your essential guide. Hooves, kick. Hooves, kick.
"Have you been watching me, Rhino? After all this time?" Jùrén asked brokenly. "You have noticed my hidden empathy. My son's tiger colleague can sense every warrior's agitation while I heard Niu perched with his companions."
You are petrified.
Ox slowly fled his neck away. Your body is like a boat drifting across the sea, Jùrén. The weak do not have a buoyant strength to keep the head above the ocean, lake, and river. The strong and learner can survive the dangerous waves and fierce storms. Do not tense the tread mobility when the water goes in the vessel. Thundering Rhino advised his Ox companion.
Ox could not bear to open his lips. Seeing his longtime friend during the trance, he felt his throat rising and quivering his head from the reunion Ox craved more. He had finally wished to glimpse Rhino, and as the Spirit Realm he would have loved to look; Jùrén once told from Po and could not describe how peaceful and most loving home the panda met Oogway after Dragon Warrior's successful battle.
You have the dragon's courage. Be a dragon who floats. Rhino suggested.
Ripples at Ox's left side shook. Clump. He heard a soft thud, not a sound of plunges neither a pale thunder slapped against the ocean. "What was that?" Ox posed. He heard another thud again, a little loud than a gentle bang. He felt his garment behind him going cold and crawled through his neck and head. "Why am I soaked—?"
BOOM!
Woods shrieked and blinked him.
So for Storming Ox, I name him Jùrén, meaning "giant." Even though his name is Storming Ox, I get a complex creation idea as if his unnamed father could be a Storm Family from the East side of China, where many oxen are miraculous people to go bold, analyze every person's weakness, and eradicate their greatest fears.
That's my headcanon idea for Master Ox, and like to extend his perspective in the future someday!
GZ
