Chapter 10: Not so Different
Lu Fang pulled Po by the paw and raced him down the hall. She was all too eager to show him to his room, leaving Liang to tend to Viper, Mantis, and Monkey back at the table. Lu Fang came to a sudden stop right outside a room with a door made of some dark wood and golden trim on the frame. She failed to hide her smile as she opened it.
"This is where you'll be staying." She said, revealing a lavish room fit for a prince. Crystal vases and decor from all over the world littered the walls. Po's mouth nearly dropped at the sight. The room was nearly three times larger than his simple room at the Jade Palace. Instead of a simple, worn cot he had an actual bed. Po knew, then and there, what he would be asking Shifu for his next birthday.
"This is wonderful…" Po began, hoping he wasn't talking to an enemy. He was still awfully confused at the situation. He didn't like the moral ambiguity or the gray between the black and white. He wanted to know who the enemy was and fight them. He was no good at moving subtly through friend and foe. "…but what about my friends? Where are you taking Tigress?"
"She is safe." Lu Fang said. "I promise. You will see her shortly. Tai Tzu is as trustworthy as they come. He'll have her up and ready in no time. Now please, sit with me." Lu Fang sat first on Po's bed. The female panda nearly sank into the pad of fluff and silk. Po, unsure of what to do, decided to sit beside her. It was all he could do. Suddenly, without warning, Lu Fang inched closer. Oddly close, Po thought. Their shoulders pressed against one another. Po wanted desperately to slide away, but he knew how rude that would look. Rude? He thought. This was the enemy! Wasn't she? The thoughts swirled in his head.
Po had hoped that this mission would be just what he needed to reach the next level. He would go on an adventure and find it and use it to defeat her. Now, sitting shoulder to shoulder with the enemy, he was lost. Would he find his next level? He turned towards Lu Fang.
He saw something behind her eyes. Something the makeup couldn't hide. They were hazed over. Wet. A tear trickled down her furry cheek, but it didn't survive long. Seeing Po was now looking, she wiped the tear away carefully, trying not to smear her makeup. Po's heart sank at the sight.
"Po?" Her voice was soft. Soft, but just loud enough for Po to hear the crack of sadness.
"Huh?" Po was frozen. Unsure of what to do. What to say. He was caught off guard. He meant to sound caring, but he was too distracted at the oddity of the situation. The vulnerability of the enemy.
"Am I truly the only panda you've seen since Shen's attack? Are we really all that's left?"
A thick knot formed in Po's throat as he nodded. It hurt him to lie, but it was all for the safety of his friends and family and the rest of the pandas. Maybe, one day, she would have the euphoric revelation that there are more of them. That she wasn't alone. For now, though, Po knew the secret was his to keep. "Yeah." Po finally blurted. "We're all that's left."
Lu Fang's paws formed mighty fists. She shook with anger taking over the sadness. "Where is he?" She growled. "The peacock? Where is Shen?"
"Dead." Po said, thinking back on that time in the harbor. He had tried to bring Shen back to reason, but he only wanted to see darkness. He chose it. The memories of seeing Shifu and the Furious Five so hurt in the harbor still got to Po. His paws formed fists as well. If it had not been for fluffy nature, he was sure he would have died. The fact that Tigress was willing to take the brunt of the cannon for him meant the world. Seeing her, holding her paw, and looking into her eyes as she laid on that piece of debris gave him the strength he needed to overcome the demons and defeat the peacock.
Shen was lost, but Po had a gut feeling that he has intentionally cut the chords. The same chords that brought his mighty weapon down on top of him. It was clear he had accepted his fate when it came. Po looked at Lu Fang and began to wonder. How similar was she to Shen? If she was our enemy, could she be saved?
"How?" Lu Fang asked softly. "How did he die?"
"The Furious Five and I went to Gongmen City to overthrow him. I fought him and his own weapon fell on top of him."
"Good." She spat through her teeth. "It hurts to be alone."
Po knew the feeling. Po found himself slowly rubbing the paws of Lu Fang. Her fur was just as soft as his. He wanted to pull away. He had no idea what he was doing, but something seemed right. Was this truly the enemy? No. Not at this moment. She was just a lost soul. One who wasn't too far gone. Despite Po's sympathy, he knew there were still questions that needed answers. Far too many.
"Look, I know what you're going through." Po said, pulling his paw away and sticking them firmly at his side. "I was a little too young to remember every detail, but when I heard about what happened with Shen, something inside me wanted to explode. I wanted to show everyone who stood in my way that I wasn't going to mess around. I felt lost." His voice softened. "Luckily, I had people help me through. My adoptive goose dad and my master back home. Plus, with some of the best, most awesome warriors at my side, I knew I could overcome anything."
There was a quick flash of Tigress, bruised and beaten, floating in the water. Po winced, turning away from Lu Fang.
"Are you okay?" Lu Fang asked.
"Tigress…" Po whispered. A million scenarios ran through his side. She had been through so much and nearly died more times than anyone Po had ever known. Why her? Po turned and looked deeply into the eyes of Lu Fang. If you hurt her…
"Tigress?" Lu Fang managed a smile. "That's the tiger, right?" The question was too obvious to be real. "You were awfully quick to help her when she had that reaction. You must really like her. What is your relationship with her, if I may ask?"
"Friends." Po blurted instantly. "Like… best friends."
Lu Fang laughed. "Cute." She grumbled. "I know you're worried about her, Po. I just hope you can trust me when I tell you that Tai Tzu is going to do everything he can for her. He is just a little bundle of knowledge when it comes down to herbs and medicine."
Po felt the tables starting to turn, and he didn't like it. He stood up and stretched, distancing himself from Lu Fang and pretending to look around the room. It was time to turn the table back in his favor. "So, what about yourself? You said you were trying to bring peace, right?"
"Oh, wonderful! Down to business!" Lu Fang became as giddy as could be. "Of course I want peace, but not just temporary peace. Po, I want true peace. Everlasting peace. Peace that will last our lifetime and the lifetime of our children. I have spent most of my life towards that goal, but it's tough doing it alone." She laughed and stood up alongside Po. "I was just as confused as you were when you were taken by my whale assistant…"
"Sea panda."
"…but now I see it all." Lu Fang's voice became a shriek. "It's destiny!"
"Destiny?"
"Right! Destiny!"
Po groaned. If he heard that word one more time, he would lose it.
"Po, you and I are meant for great things. I have looked into the history books. I know exactly how to achieve that peace we all want. You and I will work together. Baby steps first, of course. But over time, we will become a force so unstoppable, China will bow before us!"
"Bow?"
Lu Fang froze. "Not bowing because we conquered China, of course. I'm talking like… in gratitude."
"Oh…"
"Yeah! It all starts with small steps. I help you with your little problem on the mainland, then you help with me with my goal. I have scrolls upon scrolls of plans. We can go over them at a later date, once you're fully on board with me, of course. Yes!" Lu Fang's enthusiasm became overwhelming. She began to pace. Touching objects at random and twirling around the floor like a dancer. "I can see it now! China at peace. Brought into a new age by two pandas who met as opposites, but united in a common goal of peace and prosperity! Yin and Yang!"
"Yin and wha…?" Po was brought back to his conversation with Master Oogway in the Spirit Realm. If I'm supposed to be Yin and Yang, what was Lu Fang getting at?
"Yeah. Yin and Yang. You know? Two opposites uniting. Chaos and order? Trust me, it makes sense if you look into it a bit more. If you haven't heard of it, I can recommend a few wonderful scrolls."
"That is something I'll have to consult with somebody first. I want to see Tigress." Po puffed out his chest. He was big. Tall. Strong.
Lu Fang sighed. Her enthusiastic nature died quickly. Her eyes became mundane. Nearly lifeless. She shuffled towards the door. "Follow me." She said.
Shifu stood at the base of a set of large doors that towered above him. Before him was a spire. One that wrapped around itself, circular, reaching for the heavens. The doors were large chunks of wood so thick that even Tai Lung would've had a tough time getting through. It occurred to Shifu then and there that most doors in the Imperial City seemed oversized, but he dared not speak his mind about Emperor Hongwu or his city. He knocked politely and waited for the door to open. Despite the thickness of the door, the sound of his simple knock seemed to echo within.
The door opened, just a crack. Slowly. So… so slowly. When there was enough space, a head poked out. A head of a goose.
"Evening." The goose said. "I am Chan. Welcome to the Imperial Library."
"It's a pleasure, Chan. I am Master Shifu of the Jade Palace, and I am here searching for information. May I take a look around?"
The goose quickly hopped with excitement upon hearing the panda's name. He used all his might to open the gigantic, comically oversized doors until there was a crack large enough for Shifu to squeeze through. He stepped inside and was led by Chan further into the library.
"I just wanted to say that it is an honor to meet you, Master Shifu. I was subject to captivity for a long time." He laughed. "That is, until your warriors stepped in. I must say that they were quite proficient."
Shifu smiled at the thought of the Furious Five completing their mission. He wasn't there, but he wishes he had been. "That is good to hear. I am glad they were able to complete such a dangerous task."
"They were about to torture me, I think." Chan said as he continued to lead Shifu further and further down the library's long hallway. It, like the building itself, wrapped around the walls. Being a circular building, the hallways were anything but straight and clear. "They kept asking me about this myth called the Hidden Valley. Have you, perhaps, uncovered anything on the matter?"
Shifu felt the pendant of the Yin and Yang in his pocket. "Not yet, but that is why I am here. Answers will come soon, I hope."
Chan nodded with seeming disinterest. "That tiger of yours was quite a sight."
"Master Tigress?" Shifu smiled. "She is quite good at what she does."
Chan laughed. "You have really allowed her to come into her own."
Shifu's ears lowered. Odd thing to say, Shifu thought. Into her own? How had he known how she was before? Shifu concluded that, being a historian and a librarian, Chan had read about their past. That explanation was good enough to satisfy Shifu's curiosity, but he remained silent.
Chan pressed his wings to a set of smaller doors at the end of the winding hallway. Past that door was a sight no man or woman would ever forget. Towering to the heavens were books. Millions of them. Pillars of pure stone ranging from green to gold lifted the building higher than Shifu ever thought possible. Books and scrolls covered every square inch of the walls, yet none seemed out of place or disorganized. Ladders littered the room, from small to large and everything in between. Every size needed to reach every book. A staircase seemingly floated along the walls, wrapping around the inside of the structure and lifting itself higher and higher.
Despite the awe Shifu felt, he couldn't help but groan at the sight of so many books. Books, he knew, he would have to read through.
"So, what kind of information are you searching for?" Chan asked, oblivious to Shifu's annoyance.
"Not sure." Shifu sighed. "I suppose I should start looking."
"Have fun." Chan said. "Let me know if you have any questions."
Shifu grumbled, switching immediately to the persona of a grumpy old veteran.
Shifu wasted no time and started looking on the lower level. He looked through the markings that were supposed to reveal what the book or scroll would be about, but none fit what he was looking for. Some were far too colorful, signifying content made for children. Others seemed like pure comedies. Some didn't have markings, which were the first ones Shifu actually checked. He hoped he would catch lightning in a bottle. Book after book and scroll after scroll, he was left with nothing.
Slowly, time wore on. He had begun the tireless search for information and after what felt like hours, he had begun to climb the stairs. He was more than a few dozen shelves up and far below the base floor became smaller and smaller. Shifu was not about to throw in the towel. The information he needed was here. He knew it, and nothing would stop him from reaching it. Another dozen levels up, he stopped and looked down. Chan was still far below. Shifu could hardly make it out, but it looked as if he was writing something on a fresh piece of parchment.
"Greetings, Chan!" Shifu hollered. His voice echoed a dozen times, at the very least.
"Hello, Master Shifu of the Jade Palace!" Chan pulled away from his desk and waddled to the middle of the spiral room. He tilted his head to look up at the elderly panda. "What can I do for you?"
"I do love a good scavenger hunt, but are these scrolls organized in a particular way? By author, perhaps? Name? Content?"
Shifu found it hard to tell, but it looked as though Chan shook his head. "Sorry. It's all kind of random."
"Kind of random?" Shifu grumbled to himself, crossing his fingers the echo wouldn't reach Chan's ears. "What kind of stupid design is this place? I'll die before I find the answers I need." He forced a smile and looked back down at Chan. "What about the ones written by wise scholars? I imagine you don't just throw the in any random slot, right? Perhaps there is a section specifically for them?"
"Sorry." Chan laughed.
Shifu gripped his staff tight. His face twisted with frustration. He took a breath. A deep, deep, deep breath. Inner peace.
"What if the majestic Emperor Hongwu wrote about his life? Would that be subject to the same fate and lost to time?"
"Yep."
Shifu groaned and hung his head. "This is hopeless. You have one job."
"What?"
"I said thank you!" Shifu broke from Chan and looked up. The endless stream of books and scrolls continued on, seemingly forever. Forever, until, further up towards the ceiling, was an area where not even the light reached. It was an area of pure, pitch blackness.
"Just out of curiosity, what are you looking for?" Chan asked.
"A book written by my old master. It'll take a miracle to find anything in here!"
"You'll find it."
"Will I?" Shifu's frustration began to boil over. "Everything is so cluttered! How do you truly expect to find anything you are looking for?" Shifu started to ignore the constant echo. He had gotten used to it. "There is no organization. No rhyme or reason!"
Chan laughed. "Sometimes, all it takes is a shot in the dark."
"Shot in the dark?" Shifu groaned. He sounded just like Oogway. "Is that what you're saying? The only way to find something is to fumble around in the darkness and find it by accident? That is ridiculous!" Shifu turned to continue his search.
Far below, Chan laughed. "Sometimes we can only find the things we are looking for is when we are blind. Remember, Shifu, there are no accidents."
Shifu froze. He allowed the words to echo in his ears. He spun around and opened his mouth, but Chan was gone. Nowhere below did Shifu see the little goose. Must've scurried back to work, Shifu thought. Odd. A bit too odd. Then it clicked. Sometimes the only way to find the things we are looking for is when we are blind? He looked up at the darkness far above. Quickly, he rose. Level to level, using agility where it was needed. He had scrapped the ladders and the stairs. He flipped from one section to the next. Towards the darkness he climbed until he couldn't see. Only then did he manage to spot it. A petal. A pink petal that seemed to glow, so he reached out. Sitting behind the petal was a scroll. He gently pulled it from it's place in the wall and held it out. Through the darkness he saw the light bamboo lining the scroll was incased in. His heart raced. He had found it. Somehow. Someway. The case was marked with a single circle of contrasting colors. Yin and Yang. Black and white.
Shifu returned quickly to the main floor and looked around for Chan, but the goose was nowhere in sight. There were papers strewn around the floor, but that was nothing new. Suddenly, the door opened. Sure enough, it was Chan.
Shifu walked up to the bird and smiled, then bowed politely. "Thank you, Chan. It has been a pleasure." He held out the scroll. "I found exactly what I needed, thanks to your advice."
Chan looked Shifu up and down. His eyes narrowed. "Shifu?" The goose asked for confirmation. "What brings you to the Imperial Library?"
Shifu's eyes crossed with confusion. "Didn't we just…?"
"Well, never mind that." Chan said, springing to life. "Let me tell you how grateful I am. Your warriors were quite proficient when they helped rescue me. Please, could I perhaps make you some tea?"
Shifu was left stunned. "I am glad they aided you well, but I really must be off. This is rather important."
"Of course." Chan said. "It was an honor to make your acquaintance." Chan bowed. Behind him, a pink petal floated softly to the floor.
Tigress was forced to lay on a small bed that she swore was made purely of feathers and straw. Her back itched. Her legs itched. Her arms itched. Her chest itched. Her feet, paws, nose, and tail. Everything that touched that bed itched. She rubbed her soft nose and tried to stand up. Her strength had not completely returned, so after a moment of wooziness, she returned to the bed. Tai Tzu sat and watched.
"Isn't there something else I can rest on?" Tigress asked.
Tai Tzu shook his head as he readied another bowl of broth mixed with some healing herbs Tigress knew nothing about. "Only bed. Sorry." He said with a snicker. "How are you feeling?"
"Itchy." She groaned, then began sipping the broth.
"Better than when you had that scare at the table, I presume?"
"I suppose." She tried to downplay the effect the broth was having. In reality, she felt much better. Her strength was the only thing that wasn't one hundred percent.
"Glad to hear." Tai Tzi returned to the far wall where his workstation sat. A garden of herbs were strung along the wall. Some were dried and some were freshly picked. The vulture even had some herbs still growing in small pots. Tall flowers of blues and purples littered his workstation. The smell of lavender and rosemary had become nauseating.
The room itself was small, which only added to the uncomfortable feel of the room. It was humid. Much more humid than anywhere else Tigress had been in the palace. There was a small, barred window leading to the outside above her bed. Some of the fog seemed to trickle into the room, casting much of it in a light haze. Other than the window outlet, there were two doors. One being a large, wooden door. It was the main one that lead to the rest of the palace. Tigress had pinned Tai Tzu as a secretive person, so it only made sense that the main door had three hefty locks on both the inside and outside of the door.
The second door was more normal looking. It sat just beside his work station and appeared to be just a normal door. Nothing special, but Tigress knew nothing could be taken for granted. The room itself was littered with furniture, decreasing the size of the room even further. Each piece of furniture, aside from the bed, was covered with a white sheet. Tigress had asked Tai Tzu once about this, but she shrugged her off.
"So, I suppose I'm not getting any privacy?" Tigress asked, feeling more and more uncomfortable. "Can't you leave?"
"I have to keep an eye on my patient. Sorry. Lu Fang's orders."
"Since you're sticking around, what do you know of Lu Fang?"
Tai Tzu smiled at the innocent question and crept closer. "There's not much to tell, really. She saved my life. Now, we work together. She may come off as mean or overly protective or cold, but that's just her way. I'm sure you and her have a lot more in common than you may think."
"We are not the same!" Tigress cried out.
THUNK.
There came the sound of metal ring from somewhere in the room. Tigress took a quick look around, but quickly lost interest.
"You disagree?" Tai Tzu asked inquisitively. "Perhaps I have pinned you wrong. Then again, I do have very little information to go off of. Perhaps you would care to elaborate a bit more about your life?"
"Not particularly." Tigress said.
"I'll find out one way or another." Tai Tzu almost laughed, but quickly cut himself short and returned to his professional attitude. "What about your family?"
"You've already met my family." Tigress said.
"Parents?"
"I don't know. They left me at an orphanage when I was young."
To Tigress' surprise, the eyes of the vulture before her softened. He nodded and gave a resounding sigh. "I know the feeling." He whispered. "I watched my parents die, but I am well aware what it means to have a family surround you. Blood or not, it can mean the world. Lu Fang is my family. I do what she tells me to do, no questions asked.
"Mighty noble." Again, her attempts at sarcasm flew right over the vulture's head.
"What about other tigers?" Tai Tzu continued. "Have you seen many? As far as my research leads, the are rare. Quite rare, actually. There is nothing in the records that lead me to believe they were exterminated as the pandas were, but I have yet to see one. Can you believe that? Not a single tiger, except for you. Must be lonely."
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
"Who is it?" Tai Tzu hollered.
THUNK.
"It's… uh… Po. The panda."
Tai Tzu's eyes went wild for a mere moment, but quickly regained his composure. "Right! Come in. I'll unlock the door." Tai Tzu flew across the room and unhinged the bolt, then proceeded to unlock the rest of the door. Po was quick to step in, but slow to do anything else. He looked around the room, comparing it to his own. While he was living like a prince, Tigress was down here dealing with some odd sickness in a crammed room that smelt like somebody set fire to a rosemary bush. He wanted to gag.
"So, what do I owe this pleasure?" Tai Tzu smiled warmly.
"I just came to see Tigress." Po said, almost deadpan. "Lu Fang said I could."
Tai Tzu nodded. His smile remained.
"Alone."
Tai Tzu finally got the message. He was quick on his feet. "Right! Sorry. Unfortunately, I can't leave the patient alone, but I will give you two a bit of privacy. I'll be over here near my herb garden. Do whatever it is you two do." He chuckled. "I won't listen or look."
Po, still uncomfortable with the vulture lurking around, bent close to Tigress. He spoke soft. His breath barely moved her whiskers or the fur on her nose. "Did he hurt you?"
"No." Tigress answered. "But something isn't right here."
"I know." Po froze, wanting to continue but there was something deep in his mind telling him he should leave those words unsaid. They were in a firepit, and this was not the time to dawdle. Get in. Get out. Po knew, deep in his heart, he could do more. "Lu Fang is hurting, and-"
"Seriously?" Tigress groaned.
"I know. Just listen, please." Po took a deep breath. "These people might be bad, but this can all end soon. I can, and long before anyone else gets hurt. All I have to do is get close to Lu Fang. If she is actually the bad guy, I can convince her it's wrong."
"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Just trust me. I was so close with Shen. Lu Fang is hurting. I can help her, Tigress. I've been in her shoes."
"If she is bad, then she attacked those villages. If she did, then it doesn't matter if she's hurting or not. She has plans, Po. Nasty plans, and I don't feel comfortable here. Never fight a battle uphill. We need to get out. We need to return to the Jade Palace and tell Master Shifu. We need to rally."
"Yes. You do. I agree."
"I do?"
"Yeah. You leave with the Furious Five while I stay and help Lu Fang. We can do this without a fight."
"You love to fight!" Tigress spoke a little too loud. "What's changed?"
"The kicks and the special moves are fun, but this is more important than all of that. This might be where I can find my next level."
"Next level? Are you still worried about that?"
Po nodded. "Look, this plan of mine isn't fully thought out yet, so there might be a few cracks here and there."
"A few?!"
"It's a work in progress. If you're feeling uncomfortable, you leave with the Furious Five at first light. Find Crane and return to the Jade Palace. You tell Shifu I can change Lu Fang. Tell him that I'm trying to help her. I know I can do it, Ti. If I don't try, then what else can I do? Do you walk into a home and start throwing punches?"
Tigress gave Po a stare that started melting bone. "If they attack helpless villages, then yes, I do. Besides, you were more than willing to before we met Lu Fang."
"Maybe my next step isn't about fighting or those special moves. Maybe it's about helping others. Helping Lu Fang and help bring peace to China. Please think about it."
"No. YOU think about it." Tigress hissed.
"I know you're upset, but I'm getting you out of here, okay? Nothing more is going to happen to you. I promise."
Tigress was able to breath easily. She knew she was, at this stage, helpless. All she could do is nod and appreciate Po for who he was. "All right. I just want to know that I trust you. More than anyone. I just want you to be safe."
"I want the same for you."
"Thanks, Po."
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
"May I enter?" Lu Fang said, pushing her way through. She stopped and chuckled at the sight of the tiger and the panda so close.
"Greetings, Madame Fang." Tai Tzu walked to the middle of the room to greet the female panda. "What can I help you with?"
"Po's friends wanted to visit."
Lu Fang stepped aside and allowed Monkey, Mantis, and Viper through the doors. Viper was quick to Po and Tigress. Mantis hopped on top of Monkey and observed the room. Their room had been more akin to what they were used to at the Jade Palace. Monkey's eyes immediately drew towards Tai Tzu's station along the far wall. His love for plants forced him to try and name everyone he recognized.
"This is really great, Tigress." Viper said. Tigress was amazed at how Viper could make her fake delight sound so genuine. "Oh, so comfy." She pressed herself to the bed. Her eyes widened and she quickly pulled away. "Yeah. Very comfy." She said, itching her neck.
"Trade you beds?" Tigress said, forcing a smile.
"I don't have a bed, actually. I think I'm just going to curl up beside the fireplace."
"So, what have you two been up to?" Mantis asked.
"Nothing much." Po responded. "Just checking up on Tigress."
"Speaking of that." Monkey said, pulling himself closer towards Tigress. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." Tigress said. "I've just been drinking this broth. It does the job, I suppose." She tried to take another sip to give an example, but the taste was unbearable.
THUNK.
Another sound. Tigress looked around, hoping somebody would show some interest, but nobody seemed to hear it as well as her.
Lu Fang forced her way into the pile, nearly pulling Viper and Monkey away from the bed. "So, tonight we are planning on setting off a few fireworks. We do it every once and a while, and it never ceases to amaze. We would love for you all to join us." She looked out into the hall. "It should be starting soon."
"If Tigress needs her rest, won't the fireworks wake her up?" Monkey inquired.
"Nonsense!" Lu Fang laughed. "This room is surrounded by stone. Nearly bricked off entirely. She won't hear a thing. Come!" Lu Fang took Po by the hand and pulled him close. Too close. "You'll just love it!" Her iced over eyes turned towards Tigress. "I promise we won't be too loud. A kitten needs her cat nap, right?" She laughed again, this time pulling Po out of the room. She skipped merrily on ahead, leaving Mantis, Viper, and Monkey to trail. Tai Tzu closed the door behind them.
Monkey lagged a bit more behind than usual, especially with the two oxen, Han and Qin, standing at the far end of the hall.
"What'd you see, pal?" Mantis asked from atop Monkey's head. He knew something was off.
"Too much." Monkey glanced back towards the door. "Something isn't right."
"Like what?" Viper asked.
"The vulture had plants strung along the wall."
"Yeah? So?"
"I saw some digitalis."
"Digi-what?" Mantis was immediately confused.
"Digitalis. It's a poison."
Back in the room, Tigress groaned. She looked around. Tai Tzu was busy at his desk. He wanted to close her eyes and be done with the night, but something didn't sit right with him. She would prefer he left and allowed her to rest, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen.
THUNK.
Another round of noises. Still soft. Tigress heard them, and it was clear Tai Tzu did as well. He glanced back, but only for a moment.
THUNK.
It sounded like something metal. She silently rolled her way out of bed and crouched low. Her muscles were weak, but she pushed through it. She moved slowly.
THUNK.
This time, she was able to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. In the corner of the room sat some furniture with a white sheet draped over. Each step she made was deliberate and calculated to be as silent as possible.
Tai Tzu laughed, still at his desk. Head down at his work. "Plants are so fascinating."
Tigress ignored him and reached out for the white sheet.
"They live, just as we do. They protect themselves. They can hunt and feast."
Tigress grabbed the sheet.
"To kill."
Tigress lifted the sheet. Behind it wasn't a desk. It wasn't a table. It was a cage. Within the cage was a familiar prawn, wrapped in chains.
Yijiro? Tigress went stiff. Her eyes wide. The poor prawn looked at her with fear in his eyes. His mouth was covered with a white mask. She turned around to find Tai Tzu standing over her. In his feathers was a knife coated with a purple liquid. She tried to dodge, but Tai Tzu was too quick.
The knife scraped her paw. She looked down at the wound with horror. Almost immediately, there came a feeling of restlessness. Her heart began to race once again. This time, faster than before. Far faster.
"Don't panic." Tai Tzu said nonchalantly.
Tigress could no longer rise to her feet. She crawled and clawed her way towards the door.
"Po!" She tried to roar. It came out a mere whimper.
"There wasn't enough poison on that blade to kill you. Just to help you drift into a dazed state, if I did the dosage right." He laughed. "You tigers are so fascinating. I honestly don't wish to hurt you. I simply wish to study you. Your diet. Your breeding habits. The source of your strength. Your stubbornness."
Tigress could no longer crawl. She looked up at the vulture. His red, beady eyes glared down at her. It became all too clear why he seemed familiar. He had tried to kill her once. He had killed Tsang. She remembered, but it was far, far too late.
"So, on with the interrogation, I suppose?" He laughed once again. "I told you I would find out what I wanted sooner or later."
Tsang's words rang in her ears. Don't trust the panda. Don't trust the bird.
A/N: Sorry guys! This is another rough one for Tigress. I know! I know! I have a theory that in order to bring your characters to a cathartic highpoint, you have to allow them to hit rock bottom. Hopefully it's true, because I believe I have done my due diligence in making sure she has hit rock bottom time and time again. I promise, I do love the character. Anyways, thank you for reading! This is the longest chapter yet, I think? I told you it would get chaotic, and there is plenty more to come.
Also, I couldn't help but slip a Yijiro cameo in. Do I like the character? Not particularly. Will he do much in the story? Probably not. Was it fun for me? Oh yeah!
PS: I just found out that there is a character in the show called Lu Kang. Didn't realize it until now. I promise, Lu Fang and Lu Kang have nothing in common. Thanks for reading!
