37. The Half Niece

"Phew, finally! We're there." Exhausted, Po leaned against a large tree. Not far from him lay Dr. Wu's property. The panda looked soberly at the partially burned down house. Only charred skeletons of the roof remained and the walls of the house were covered with black soot. Po, who had still different memories of the house, rubbed his forehead sadly. "Oh dear. It's a miracle there's anything left."

He turned to where behind him stood several wooden carts pulled by a couple of strong oxen. Almost everyone had come with him. Including Yin-Yu, the little peachicks, Sheng, Xia, Shen, Ān-Mā, Ling, Xiang, Liu and even the Furious Five and King Wang. But of course Mr. Ping, Pong and his family were also there to look after their daughter's well-being. Even Dao had insisted on his coming, despite his injuries. He just couldn't wait and also wanted to know what had happened to his niece or half-niece. For this, he even put up with the long journey to Gongmen City.

Po was glad that Shifu let him, the Dragon Warrior, and the others go with him. It was only with difficulty that Shifu and the whole Kung Fu Association could be persuaded that they could travel to Gongmen City to inquire directly about the well-being of the sick little peachick. Whereby Po had to beg on his knees in front of Master Shifu.

Po's gaze wandered to Ān-Mā. "And you were really in there?"

The old goat sighed. "It's a miracle we got out alive," Ān-Mā replied.

At that moment, Zedong jumped out of his cart and landed right next to Po. "It looks more like dad blew something up." He laughed at the joke, but Po's ears dropped. "You might not be entirely wrong there," he murmured.

"Were you serious, panda?" Shen's voice behind him gave him a wince.

Po spun around and grinned shamefacedly at Shen. "It was just such a déjà vu."

Shen narrowed his eyes. Then he also climbed down from the cart that had been taking them all the way from the Valley of Peace to the edge of Gongmen City. Then he took his son in his wings, lifted him up and tapped his beak admonishingly, but with a smile. "Never say that in public," he whispered in Zedong's ear. "Just tell me."

Zedong sighed cheerfully. "Okay, dad."

Liu also got out of the wooden cart and worriedly looked at the burned property.

"Hopefully he was able to take care of our child." She reached behind where Xiang was sitting in the cart and gripped his wing tightly. Xiang sensed her nervousness, which also rubbed off on him, but he said nothing.

"Well, let's go in," Po said after a period of silence and headed for the gate, which was a crack open. In the courtyard, there stood all sorts of furniture that had barely escaped the flames. They were probably put out so that the renovation could begin later. At least that's what Po hoped.

"Hey, look at this!" Zedong yelled, heading for a large doll that must have been some kind of bear. "Is it real?"

Po looked at the big bear with wide eyes, knowing that every stuffed animal had once been alive. "Uh, I think so."

"Totally awesome," Zedong cheered.

Now his siblings were off the carts too and looked around in awe.

Po watched as Liu helped Xiang out of the cart. Shenmi watched them briefly just to make sure Xiang didn't fall out. After he climbed out safely, she silently rejoined her siblings. Meanwhile, Dao was being placed on a stretcher by two pigs.

Ping and Pong also left their seats and sniffed the air first.

"Smells like my first flambéed crêpes," Pong said, nudging his brother in the ribs.

Mr. Ping twisted his beak. "Yes, you nearly set half the kitchen on fire because you had to set those flat cakes on fire."

"That's why it's called 'flambéed'," Pong affirmed.

The Furious Five also left the vehicle. Mantis immediately jumped over some of the "burnt victims" and went rigid with shock when he saw a dead mantis in a jar.

Hastily, Po grabbed him with his paws. "Er, they were all volunteers. It certainly didn't hurt him."

Quickly, he pressed Mantis into Monkey's hands and noticed how Liu looked around uneasily. Sheng also gave the impression of being a little nervous.

"Don't worry," Po reassured them. "Everything will be okay." He looked around. "I hope so." Up close, the building looked even more battered than from afar.

Po went to the front door and knocked. "Dr. Wu? Hello? Are you there?"

"Who's there?" he instead heard an old voice from the basement, whose folding doors were open.

Po turned his head in the appropriate direction. "Dr. Wu, are you down there?"

"I think, I know that voice," came the answer from the vaulted cellar. Shortly thereafter, they heard, someone was climbing the basement stairs.

Po hastily walked towards the cellar door. "Oh, Dr. Wu, is Liana with you, too? And where's the little one who she brought here... AHHHHHHH!"

At that moment, Dr. Wu was out of the cellar. Po cried out when the doctor stood in front of him with his blood-stained apron.

Only Zedong looked enthusiastic. "Cool." Shen wasn't impressed by this performance either and kept a straight face. Different the others. Liu just held her wings in front of her beak and the rest stared at Dr. Wu speechlessly.

Dr. Wu seemed to guess why the majority of those present were looking at him so horrified and waved his hands defensively. "Don't worry. I was about to autopsy a frog. His family had asked me to determine if he actually choked on a fly. You have to keep working. Even if circumstances make it difficult to use the usual facilities." He looked up regretfully at his burned house.

"Couldn't you change your clothes then at least?" Po asked, heart still pounding.

"Where is my baby?" Liu asked.

"And where is Liana?" Sheng asked, too.

"Yeah, where are they?" Po wanted to know.

Dr. Wu scratched his forehead briefly. "Oh, you mean the nice lady with the chick. You'll find them somewhere in the garden, over there..."

Liu was the first one who ran, closely followed by Sheng.

Dr. Wu leaned toward Po and whispered: "Would you like to see a dissected frog? From inside? It's really very interesting. You don't experience something like that every day..."

"No!" Po firmly refused and raised his paws dismissively. "It's really not necessary." Then he turned away hastily and followed Liu and Sheng into the garden, in the direction where Dr. Wu had pointed. The others followed him.

Meanwhile, Liu and Sheng had arrived in the garden and looked around searchingly. Everything gave a peaceful impression. The bonsai trimmed trees, the blossoms and the walkway paved with flat stones. Then they heard a softly humming melody. A goose girl was standing under a small pavilion roof. Her back was turned to them.

"Liana?" Sheng asked.

Liana turned to them. In her wings lay a white peacock chick, wrapped in a blanket. It squeaked and lolled.

"My baby!" Liu ran towards them and took the chick. Liana didn't stop her. As soon as she had her wings free, she was hugged by Sheng. But in the next second, the peacock turned back to the chick and bombarded Liana with questions. "How is she doing? Have you arrived well? Did you have any difficulties along the way…?"

Liana stemmed Sheng's verboseness by pressing a finger feather on his beak. Immediately, the young peacock froze.

Liana smiled. "The flight went smoothly."

Now Pong and his wife pushed forward. "Liana, dear child! It's such a pleasure to see you safe and sound again."

Exuberantly, the gander thrusted past Sheng and squeezed Liana's wings. His wife Li-Li nearly knocked Liana over when she hugged her. Only the brothers held back. Since Liana made a lively impression, they didn't care, unlike her parents.

Liu didn't notice any of this. She was just anxious to examine her baby. Gently, she pushed the blanket aside. Everything was still attached to the chick and it even happily stretched its small wings towards its mother. Liu felt her tremble a little while reaching out a finger feather to her baby. All the excitement and fear that had been building up over the past few days caught up with her, but she controlled herself. Her baby was fine. That was the most important thing in her life.

At that moment, Xiang limped toward them, followed closely by the others, who politely let Xiang go ahead.

The blue peacock stretched his neck shyly. "How is she doing?"

Liu walked up to him. "She's really better. Look at her." She held the little one up to him. "Would you like to hold her?"

Xiang froze for a moment, then he shook his head, wanting to shake off the tension. Then he immediately nodded. He sat down on a low stone wall and put the crutch beside him. But before stretching out his wings, he took a deep breath. Only then, he was ready to take her. Liu hesitated a little. She wanted to give him time. Then, when she was sure that Xiang was stable inside, she leaned towards him and handed the chick in the blanket to him.

Xiang noticed how light the baby was. To his embarrassment, he realized that this was the first time he had held his daughter in his wings. Actually, he had planned to do it shortly after the birth, but everything had turned out differently. He looked scrutinizingly at his daughter. In contrast shortly after hatching, it was now no longer weakened. On the contrary. It even kicked its feet a little.

He winced when he saw a shadow appear next to him. His gaze wandered to the side and noticed Xia looking at him inquiringly. Xiang narrowed his eyes. What was going on in his ex-daughter's head?

He flinched when he felt Liu's wing on his shoulder. Xiang hastily shook his head and looked back at his little daughter. When he saw her eyes, the terrible feeling rose in him again. She really did have his mother's eyes. He had never wanted to see them again. Why got his child these eyes?

Liu felt his dislike. "She must have a lot of you," she said with a slight smile.

Xiang sighed. "Or from him, too," he said acidulously, remembering that their baby had the exact same illness as his one-time rival.

Liu nervously rubbed her wings. "Or from him." She pointed to Dao, who was being carried on the stretcher.

"May I see her, too?" Dao asked, raising his head with difficulty.

"May I after him?" Po asked excitedly.

"Po!" Tigress said sternly, causing Po to duck his head in embarrassment. "Sorry. Of course, family members come first."

As if on cue, Zedong, Jian and Fantao came running. Excitedly, they surrounded Xiang, who was still holding the chick.

"At least she's not sleeping anymore," Zedong said cheekily.

"She looks like Shenmi," Fantao said, "she looks kind of pale."

"I don't care," the color-blind Jian said, "I like her."

Po, the Furious Five, Mr. Ping, King Wang, Ān-Mā, Ling and Yin-Yu watched in amusement as the three little boys nudged their half cousin with their wings. At first, the baby was a little confused by so many heads. But when Jian tickled her foot, which was sticking out of the blanket, it squeaked. Everyone laughed. Except for Shen, who was still standing some distance away on the garden steps of the sidewalk and gave the impression of not being interested in all of this. He looked down at the goings-on disparagingly.

The old goat caught his gaze. It was exactly the same look he had given her when he had asked her about his future in the palace: suspicious and cold. At the same time, Shen narrowed his eyes. He hadn't missed Xia's piercing look at Xiang and he guessed why she behaved like that.

"May I now?" Dao called from his stretcher. The pigs, who had carried him, had put the stretcher down in the meantime. Dao might be a flyweight, but on the ground he didn't feel as wobbly in the air.

The old goat tried to get him up, but Po was quicker.

"Don't do it," Po offered, gently pushing Ān-Mā aside, "I'll do it."

With that, Po pressed his paws against Dao's back.

"Slow down, Po!" Tigress and Viper chorused.

Po stopped, startled. He had bent Dao forward a little too quickly and too far. "Oh I'm sorry. I'm very sorry." Forgivingly, he patted Dao on the shoulder, who was holding his stomach with a pained face.

Viper immediately crawled forward and pushed Dao's upper body into the right more comfortable position with the tip of her tail, which Dao returned with a grateful smile.

Po smiled sheepishly at Viper. "Sorry. I'm just very excited. I mean, we haven't had a baby for a long time... I mean, a lively, not ill baby... uh, or is she still ill?"

His gaze wandered to Dr. Wu, who had now also joined the others. At least, he had taken off his bloodstained apron.

The doctor rubbed his chin. "Well, she's making good progress. The remedy seems to work on her just as well as on her relatives. But it was pretty close."

His gaze wandered to Shen as if it reminded him of the past. Meanwhile, Shen had also moved a little closer to the group, but he still seemed quite reserved and indifferent.

While Po struggled to keep Dao upright, Liu took the baby from Xiang's wings and then she carried it over to Dao. She bent down and held the baby out to him. Dao struggled to lift the wings, but he managed to hold the baby securely and firmly. The baby squeaked loudly, but when Dao held a wing in front of her, she fell silent for a moment. Babbling, she pressed her little wing against his and clawed her finger feathers into Dao's feathers. Did she notice they were the same color?

"May I have a look, too?" Shenmi asked, who couldn't wait any longer. Xiang was a bit surprised that she hadn't come to him with her little brothers. When Shenmi's gaze swiveled over to him briefly, he avoided her gaze. And at moments like this, Xiang wondered if he would ever really get to know Shen's family.

Dao, on the other hand, smiled at Shenmi. "Of course you can."

Shenmi leaned forward so that she could get close to her half cousin. The peachick looked at her in silence at first. Then it threw out its wings and patted Shenmi on the beak.

"Oops," Shenmi backed away, irritated. "Papa, have I ever been like that?"

Dao looked up. Shen was now only a few steps away from him, but quickly Shen looked away again when Dao's eyes met his. Was he interested in the baby but didn't want to say it?

But before Dao could say anything, Shen cleared his throat at Shenmi's question. "Well, you were... you were very quiet..."

"Actually," Po jumped in unashamedly, "actually she cried when Master Ox..."

Shen gave him a stern look, which silenced Po for the time being. But only for a few seconds.

"Uh, but I thought you wanted to know..."

"Shen," Dao finished Po's forced statement, "would you like to hold her, too?"

Shen flinched and looked around hastily. To make matters worse, everyone was now staring at him expectantly, as if everyone was waiting for his answer.

Shen's gaze got stuck on Xiang, who was watching him closely. Did he fear something from his rival? Until now, Shen had never been so close to his daughter. Even when she was an egg, he had feared for her safety. How should he behave now?

"Take her, dad," Zedong demanded when Shen still didn't say anything. "She won't hurt you."

Shen sighed internally. The boy couldn't understand it yet, but then again, Shen couldn't refuse his brother Dao's request. He feared too much that Dao would then be disappointed in him. He'd taken an immediate liking to the little one, and for better or for worse, Shen had to follow suit.

Without a word, Shen stepped closer to Dao. Po caught his breath. He feared one malicious remark at least. But Shen said nothing. He stretched out his wings and took the bundle with the chick from Dao's embrace. At first, Shen was quite tense, because he could almost feel Xiang's gaze in the background, but he decided to ignore him. As soon as he felt the chick in the blanket in his wings, a dislike rose in him at first. He constantly recalled past conflicts with Xiang. He just didn't want to build a spiritual bridge to her. No matter how closely related she was to him. What he kept there in the wing was only his half niece. Xiang's mother even hadn't loved his father Liang.

After Shen had straightened up, he now found some time to take a closer look at his half niece. He looked at her thoughtfully. Xiang hadn't exaggerated, he realized. She really had the exact same eyes as those psycho sisters in Mendong City. He glanced over at Xiang. Resentment rose in him again. This child's great aunt had nearly killed him and his family...

At that moment, the baby began to whine. Maybe she was getting tired of being passed around to strangers all the time. Immediately, Shen automatically lifted her up a bit to make her stop crying, and he even rocked her. At least the little one calmed down a bit, but she seemed to want to go back to her mother. She leaned sideways and stretched her small wings toward Liu.

Driven by maternal instinct, Liu immediately wanted to go to her and wanted to take her back from Shen. But to her amazement, Yin-Yu held her back. Shen wanted to say something about it at first, but a look from Yin-Yu was enough to make him realize that he should keep the baby in the wings.

The baby whimpered louder. Sighing, Shen turned her back onto her back, which the chick responded with a protesting squeak and tried to sit up again. But Shen held her down with his wing. Automatically, the baby clung to that wing and tried to pull it away from her, pulling uncomfortably on his feathers.

"Well, well, well," Shen admonished. He was getting fed up with this fuss. He slipped his wings under the chick's armpits and lifted her up so she was eye level with him.

At first, the peachick tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but when Shen held it in front of his face, it stopped and touched Shen's head. Shen endured this childishness for a few seconds, but when the peachick flapped its wings on his beak, it was too much for him and he carried the peachick on its back in his wings as before. In the meantime, the peachick had calmed down again and continued to look up at Shen.

Shen sighed. It had been so long since he had last carried a peachick in his wings. Memories of the birth of the little ones came back to him. Only this time there was no angry ox around. At this cue, he was reminded of Xiang again. Shen's expression darkened for a moment.

He flinched when Yin-Yu laid her wings on his shoulders from behind.

"She reminds me of Shenmi, doesn't she?" she whispered to him.

For a moment, Shen didn't know what to answer. "Well, sort of…" He felt the baby tug at his finger feathers and put one in its mouth. Shen blinked. When he thought about it, she was a little bit like Shenmi, but he couldn't quite get used to it. While the fact remained that they were related by blood, his feelings blended like two different colors. It was neither white nor black, neither positive nor negative. He could neither love her nor completely reject her. Shen dared to hug the little creature a little. He could feel her movements under the small blanket. He wished for Shenmi back as a baby a little bit. With each passing day she grew older. A process he could never stop. Time went on so relentlessly. One day she would make her own decisions. This baby too. How would it turn out?

Shen was so deep in thought that he realized too late that his long mustache were touching the chick's face, tickling it. The chick squeaked. It probably thought it was something to play and bit into one of the feathered whiskers.

"Hey, let go!" In vain, Shen tried to pull away the baby from his whiskers, but the chick wouldn't give up his new "chew toy". Eventually, Shen managed to get his mustache out of her beak. He rubbed his face sullenly.

The others giggled. Only Po tightened his lips immediately when Shen gave him an angry look. Finally the others fell silent, too.

Shen took a deep breath, then he walked over to Xiang and held the peachick out to him.

"She has exactly the same character as you," he remarked snidely, and pushed the peachick back toward Xiang, rubbing the sore spot on his face where the child had pulled. Both engaged in an eye-to-eye battle again and Xiang turned his back on him in a huff. Liu hastily took the peachick from him. There would have been an awkward minute's silence if Shenmi hadn't said something.

"What's her name?" she wanted to know.

Po slapped his forehead with his paw. "Yeah, right! You haven't told us her name at all. What's her name supposed to be?"

Pong also had to agree. "But of course. She must have a name."

Xiang flinched as all eyes were on him and Liu. He hadn't seriously thought about the name until now. Maybe he hadn't really wanted to do it, Liu had been responsible for that. He looked to Liu for help. She caught his glance. At first, they looked at each other in silence, then she smiled and stroked the baby's forehead.

"Xiu," was her only answer.

She looked around. At first, everyone was silent, as if nobody dared to say anything.

Finally, it was Pong who clapped his wings. "Oh, lovely. That's a cute name."

Po, meanwhile, had handed back holding of Dao to Viper and was rubbing his chin.

"Hmm, Xiu. Sounds nice, doesn't it?" He nudged Shen in the ribs. But Shen just turned away and folded his wings. Forgivingly, Yin-Yu gave him a hug, which only half soothed Shen from his insult to his half niece about pulling his mustache.

Xiang, on the other hand, ignored Shen's foul mood and looked at Liu. "Was that the name you wanted?"

Liu smiled, then she nodded.

While the bystanders all offered their congratulations, one by one, King Wang, who had been staying in the background until now, only murmured one sentence:

"Well, I hope this family doesn't have any more surprises in store for the future." And he could only hope so.