G'day All!
Welcome to Chapter 7 for Eye of the Tiger.
Hope you've all been keeping yourselves safe and healthy. Apologies for having to delay this chapter by a week. When you're writing chapters that are 9,000 words long, it takes time to put them together. Especially when you have a limited amount of time to work on it. Given the level of detail these chapters contain, some scenes take days to put together. Some days I'll get in the groove and write 2,000 words, other days I'll be lucky to scratch out 200 words. Every sentence that's included in these chapters is diligently planned and evaluated during the edits. Sounds like a lot of effort, but a story like this needs that effort put into it. Hopefully that effort shows.
This chapter was another challenge to write, but a good challenge. No chapter has ever been a drag (well, maybe chapter 5), but some do take to get right... well, get right to my standards. I'm very stingy on my writing, so unless it feels perfect to me, I'll chop and change until it feels right. Probably one of many reasons these chapters take several weeks to complete. Anyway... this chapter marks the end of the events from KFP 1, and kinda marks the end of the initial phase of this story. Exciting times are ahead, but first we must get through this chapter. Now, most chapters will have a rolling effect, where the plot develops slowly throughout the story, giving the chapters a core structure, but all chapters need content to fill them out. I'm happy to take ideas, so if you have any, feel free to send me a message. Any ideas used that are not mine will be credited to whoever gave me the idea. This story is designed in a way where you can have an input without affecting the plot. Even if it's a single scene, that's fine. All ideas will be considered. Some will work, others won't.
Milestone moment: This story has now passed 50k words. Well, when you exclude my author notes, the story itself is nearly 57k words. Sometimes I waffle on and on, so we'll make this milestone moment brief. Fifty-thousand may seem like a large number to some, but for this story, it's the tip of the iceberg. When this story is eventually completed, 50k words will look like the Sun compared to UY Scuti (largest known star in the universe - 5 billion suns could fit inside it). Okay, so obviously this story won't be 5 billion words, otherwise Africa will split apart before I complete it, but you get the picture. It's more of a panorama than a picture, except that panorama doesn't really end...
A special thanks to gsmith1030 and Rocky9999 for leaving reviews on the latest chapter. It's always a nice surprise receiving reviews, so thank you for your positive feedback. Hopefully these chapters keep delivering to your expectations. To everyone else, thank you for taking the time to read my works. I highly encourage you to leave a review. Reviews are an extremely helpful guide for me to understand how these chapters are being perceived. Without reviews, I'm working off my own judgement, and while I do my best to sure these chapters are of the highest quality that I can produce, getting feedback is invaluable. I'm not asking for long essay-like reviews. If there's something you liked about a chapter, let me know. If you think something could be improved on, let me know. The only way I'll know is if you tell me. If you'd rather send me a PM, that is also fine. My PMs are open anytime. All reviews (or PMs) are welcomed (as long as they're acceptable), whether it's positive feedback or constructive criticism. Your reviews will help shape this story, so don't be afraid to share your thoughts. I'll respect the time you take to leave a review.
Anyway, I think that's enough dribble for now...
Disclaimer: All characters and settings used in this story are property of DreamWorks (except for the characters/settings randomly created by me throughout the story.)
Without further adieu, here is chapter 7
Please Read, Review & Enjoy!
Chapter 7 - A New Era of Peace
The journey back to the Valley was slow and given how far we had walked since evacuating with the villagers the night before, it took several hours to return. During the walk back to the Valley, my mind struggled to comprehend everything that had occurred. Not in the sense that the events were unexplainable; whoever used the Wuxi Finger Hold caused the chi shock wave, but who that was remained unknown. Apart from Master Wuxi, who developed the technique almost a thousand years ago during the third dynasty, only Master Oogway and Master Shifu know how to execute the Wuxi Finger Hold. It's a sacred, and almost frowned upon, technique that should only be used when there are no other alternatives to restore peace.
If whoever used it performed the move on Tai Lung, then that would be deemed necessary, for banishing Tai Lung to the Spirit Realm was the only way to restore peace to these lands. This doesn't answer who executed the move, though. Everyone possesses chi. It's the universal energy that runs through all living things. Chi is your life support. Without it, you wouldn't exist. The concept of chi is complex and takes many years to master. Few have managed to utilise their chi, but given how fragile chi is, manipulating it comes with high risks. Using too much or incorrectly incorporating chi for other uses, such as the Wuxi Finger Hold, can drain it from your body. Essentially, you drain the life from your body.
An overexposure to chi can supercharge a person's chi, causing them to overcharge and implode. As sickening as that sounds, this happens during the Wuxi Finger Hold. When a person grabs someone in the Wuxi Finger Hold and flexes their pinky, their chi travels into the recipient's body. This sudden overexposure to chi not only supercharges the recipient's chi, but morphs their chi into the executor's chi, before all the chi rebounds into the executor's body, strengthening their chi. Basically, the person who executed the Wuxi Finger Hold consumes the recipient's chi, while the recipient transforms into the Spirit Realm. All of this happens in an instant, and it's this sudden transfer and rebound of chi that creates a vacuum, generating a shock wave which ripples across the landscape for miles.
The strength and colour of the shock wave encodes crucial information, but my lack of study on chi limits my abilities to decode such information. This shows how complex the concept of chi is, and why it takes years to not only understand it, but to master. Strange forces happen when someone executes the Wuxi Finger Hold, but you must know how to master chi before executing it. Improper use of the Wuxi Finger Hold can backfire if someone uses it without understanding how to utilise their chi. Any technique that involves chi can have fatal consequences, either for the user or recipient. Sometimes both. Master Oogway and Master Shifu have mastered the art of chi, but with Master Oogway passing on to the Spirit Realm, Master Shifu is the last remaining mortal warrior who can execute the Wuxi Finger Hold.
There's every chance Tai Lung mastered the complex technique too, as the others suggested, but his chi was possessed by an icy blue aura, representing the darkness in his heart. The shock wave we experienced was of a golden aura. Whoever executed the Wuxi Finger Hold possesses a golden chi, but the only person, to my knowledge, who possessed golden chi was Master Oogway. It's unknown what happens once you pass through to the Spirit Realm, but it didn't seem feasible that you could return to the Mortal Realm once your chi expires. The chi that flows through your body is your life clock. Once it runs out, that's it. There's no coming back. That created doubt in my mind about who performed the Wuxi Finger Hold. If Master Oogway wasn't responsible for it, then who was?
Legend says few people possess golden chi, for only those with pure hearts can create golden chi. Those that have golden chi inherit the ability to exploit their chi in ways most cannot. Some would describe it as magical powers that break the boundaries of your standard kung fu. When we receive universal energy as white light from the sun, it seeps into our bloodstream, creating a wide variety of chi auras. Most living creatures have a mixture of pureness and darkness that runs through their hearts. This mixture of pure and evil determines the colour of one's chi. Those whose hearts contain more pure than evil will possess a yellow-based aura in their chi. Yellow chi is most common among all living creatures.
This means that, while their hearts are mostly pure, there is some darkness within the deeper layers, preventing them from obtaining golden chi. If this darkness gains strength and overrides the pureness of one's heart, their heart becomes enclosed with darkness, and their chi shifts to an icy blue aura. This would have been the case for Tai Lung all those years ago. His hunger for power had already set his heart spiralling down into a sea of darkness. Being denied the Dragon Scroll acted as the catalyst, triggering the change in his heart that will forever scar the Valley. It's easier losing control of darkness than regain control of it. Once darkness takes over your body, your chances of regaining control decreases with each passing day.
That's not to say it's impossible. You can control the darkness in your heart, and sometimes even eradicate it from your body, but it takes an enormous amount of willpower to do so. Then there are cases where some are born with pure hearts, and thus, are born with golden chi. Their hearts do not allow darkness to enter. Despite knowing Master Oogway possessed golden chi, something inside of me sensed it wasn't Master Oogway. It couldn't have been Master Shifu, for he does not possess golden chi. The last time he used chi, it was a jade colour, which demonstrates the struggle in his heart. His chi may have once been more yellow dominant, but after the betrayal of Tai Lung, it would have rocked his heart, altering his chi. None of this solves who used the Wuxi Finger Hold, though.
It's the first time in my life, having witnessed the Wuxi Finger Hold. The one person who kept coming to mind annoyed me, for it couldn't be possible, but nothing else seemed logical. When thinking about all the possibilities for who executed the Wuxi Finger Hold, all the signs pointed towards the one person who has been missing since we left the Valley. That was the panda. We haven't seen him since leaving the Valley, and after hearing from his adoptive father, the goose, that he had gone after Tai Lung, it was the most logical explanation. I didn't want to believe that, but nothing else seemed feasible. Master Oogway had passed on, and he was the only person who possessed golden chi. Perhaps that is why Master Oogway selected the panda as the Dragon Warrior.
How Master Oogway knew that is beyond my comprehension, but whatever the case, we were about to find out the truth. After several hours of walking, we reached the outskirts of the Valley. The early afternoon sun glistened through the golden dust that shrouded the Valley in a golden hue. Upon venturing deeper into the Valley, the golden dust thickened, making it difficult to see our surroundings. It became so thick in some areas that we couldn't see thirty feet ahead of us. This raised my awareness, knowing anyone could appear from the midst of the dust. None of us spotted any conspicuous activity, and while the golden dust didn't help, its presence allowed us to sneak along the rooftops. Despite making it almost halfway through the Valley, there was nothing but silence.
It created an eerie feeling until the citizens' cheers broke the silence. Curious to know what they were cheering about, we hurried across the rooftops to where they had gathered, stunned seeing them surround the panda. He had done it. The panda had defeated Tai Lung. He was destined for this. Not by accident, but by fate. The panda was destined to become the Dragon Warrior. Nothing can question that. Not even my befuddled state of mind. Amid my confusion, the panda's father emerged from the crowd. "That's my boy! That big, lovely kung fu warrior is my son!" The panda ran to his father, engulfing him in a hug.
After hearing from the goose the pain he was going through, thinking he'd never see his son again, it was a touching moment seeing them reunite. Although, that feeling was short-lived, with the exchange between the panda and his father reminding me of my detached relationship with Master Shifu. He has never treated me with the same parental care the goose was showing the panda. The scars from Tai Lung prevented him from finding that emotional connection. Instead, Master Shifu treated me as a student, and nothing more. "Tigress!" Viper said, gaining my attention. "We're heading down."
The others leapt off the roof, giving me no choice but to follow them, before we made our way through the crowd to where the panda and his father were hugging. As they hugged, the wok on the panda's head fell off and rolled across the ground, towards the villagers. Mantis stopped the wok, preventing it from colliding with anyone. Why the panda had a wok on his head remained unknown, but that was an irrelevant train of thought, given the circumstances. The panda looked up, seeing us standing there, and let go of his father as a genuine smile appeared on his face. "Hey, guys."
Many disarrayed thoughts were swirling around my head, but the one thing that stood out was that the panda, no, the Dragon Warrior had brought peace to us, and to the Valley. After everything we had put him through, he deserved to be respected and acknowledged as the Dragon Warrior. It would be disrespectful addressing him as 'the panda' after he risked his life to restore peace to the Valley. He deserved to be acknowledged for his efforts. I stepped forward, maintaining eye contact with the Dragon Warrior, before stopping and bowing to him. "Master." The other masters, and all the villagers, followed my lead, bowing to the Dragon Warrior and acknowledging him as 'master'. Upon looking up at the Dragon Warrior, a sincere smile formed on my face, thankful for everything he had done for the Valley.
The Dragon Warrior looked at me and half-chuckled to himself. "Master?" Without warning, the Dragon Warrior widened his eyes as he started retreating from us. "Master Shifu!" My heart skipped a beat at the mentioning of Master Shifu's name. My mind had been so preoccupied in keeping the villagers safe that it gave me little time to think about Master Shifu's wellbeing. It was unknown whether Master Shifu had survived, and with the Dragon Warrior showing great concern, it brought an unsettled feeling to my body. The Dragon Warrior turned and sprinted up the thousand steps, racing towards the Jade Palace faster than expected for a panda. Despite knowing the Dragon Warrior was going to the aid of Master Shifu, part of me wanted to help, too.
Not because the Dragon Warrior wouldn't know how to assist Master Shifu, but seeing for myself that Master Shifu survived would help calm these unsettled feelings. However, we have a duty of care towards the villagers. Given the Dragon Warrior had left to assist Master Shifu, we could focus on supporting the villagers as they settled back into the Valley. Most of the Valley appeared unscathed, although there was some debris scattered on the pathway, indicating some damage had occurred. The golden dust that once shrouded the Valley had long cleared, allowing the warm afternoon sun to bear down on us. There were still many hours until the sunset, giving us enough time to clean up the rubble and assist the villagers as they needed.
"MY SHOP! WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THIS?!" someone shouted, bringing my attention to where the shouting had originated from. It was the Dragon Warrior's father. He was standing at the entrance of a building which was severely damaged. Compared to the other buildings around us, it appeared to have sustained the worst damage. The entrance, a stone circular archway, or what remained of it, was almost completely destroyed. We walked over to the damaged building, seeing it had sustained more damage than first thought. Not only was the entrance destroyed, but the boundary wall inside, what looked to be a dining area, was also damaged. The goose's home had suffered some considerable damage that would impede on his life.
"Sir?" The goose looked at me as I approached him. "We'll repair the damage, but it will take a few days to gather the resources."
The distressed look in the goose's eyes changed into more of an irritated expression. "A few days? How do you expect me to maintain a business when my restaurant is in this condition, hmm?"
"We can provide you temporary accommodation, sir, until this is repaired," Viper said, slithering to my left, with the others following her. The blunt response from the goose was unexpected, but he had every right to question our statements. His home-based restaurant had sustained severe damage, and would affect not only his business, but daily living, too. We had to repair the damage right away to ensure the goose could resume operating his business with no unnecessary interferences or disruptions.
The goose glanced back at his damaged restaurant before looking at us. "I appreciate your help, but I want to know who did this. They should be repairing it… AND pay for it, too!"
"You won't have to pay for any of the repairs, sir," Viper said with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure Po would know who caused this damage," Crane said, causing the goose to raise an eyebrow at him. "Maybe you should ask him."
"Are you saying my son deliberately destroyed his father's restaurant?"
A stunned look crossed Crane's face, not expecting the blunt response from the goose. "What? No, no. I-I mean, if Po and Tai Lung were fighting here, one of them has thrown the other through your entrance during the fight. I'm sure it wasn't on purpose. Your restaurant just got caught in the middle of the battle."
"Hmm." The goose maintained an interrogative gaze on Crane, glancing at the damage to his restaurant, before looking back at Crane. "So, Po owes me a new entrance, then. Very well. I'll just have to wait for him to come back down here before talking to him."
"W-We can go get him now if you like?"
The goose waved away Crane's suggestion. "Oh, no. That won't be necessary. He seemed to be in a hurry. Now, if you excuse me, I have to get my restaurant cleaned up. This mess isn't going to clean itself, now, is it?"
Seeing the goose about to pick up large chunks of debris caused me to step forward, preventing him from doing so. "We'll clear the debris for you, sir. The last thing we want is for you to injure yourself." The goose glanced at me, adopting a questionable look, making me feel the need to further elaborate. "Once we clear the debris, you can resume operating your restaurant, but you'll have to tolerate with the condition of your dining area until we can repair it. If that would prove a problem, we can arrange for you to work in a temporary location until we complete the repairs."
The questionable gaze in the goose's eyes transformed into more of an understanding look. "I suppose I can deal with that. It could be worse. Best we get some noodle soup on then. You'll be hungry once you finish cleaning that up." Before being able to respectfully decline his offer, the goose vanished into his home, opening the wooden board that was blocking the view into what looked to be his kitchen. The goose started chopping vegetables and other unknown ingredients at speeds that were impossible to follow. Seeing nothing would stop the goose from his frantic cooking, we left him to his own world, and turned our attention to removing the debris from his restaurant so it could function with little interference. Once we clear the debris from the goose's restaurant, we'll begin cleaning up the rest of the Valley.
It shouldn't take long to clean the Valley, for there didn't appear to be much damage when we returned a few hours ago, but the golden dust that once covered the Valley affected of field of view. Now that it had long cleared, we could conduct a thorough assessment of the Valley, but with the sun getting lower and lower, daylight was running out. I turned to the others, gaining their attention. "We're best to split up duties. Crane, Monkey, Mantis, assist the villagers returning to their homes, and check for other damaged buildings. Make note of what buildings need attention, but for now, focus on cleaning up any loose debris. Is that clear?" The boys nodded. "Meet us at the bottom of the thousand steps an hour before sunset. Let's get moving." The boys left, leaving Viper and me to clean the debris from the restaurant.
"What's the plan, Tigress?" Viper asked.
"We'll take the debris outside, but ensure you separate the larger chunks from the smaller bits of rubble." Viper tilted her head at me, appearing confused. "We can reuse the larger blocks to reconstruct the entrance, while crushing the smaller bits into a paste to use as filler. Tomorrow, we'll begin reconstructing the entrance, but for now, we only have enough time to clear the debris." Viper nodded, understanding my plan, before we began clearing the debris from the goose's restaurant. Because of Viper's limbless body, it was easier for me to collect the larger chunks while she focused on cleaning up the rest of the debris. Viper used her tail as a broom, sweeping the debris into the corner of the restaurant.
The goose must have noticed this, because he came out insisting Viper to use a broom instead. Removing the large chunks of debris from the goose's restaurant wasn't laborious work, but given the lack of opportunities to train the past few days, it proved a good workout. In fact, none of us had trained since leaving to fight Tai Lung. There were many reasons for the lack of training sessions, all of which don't need elaboration. While my mind focused on the task at hand, the smell coming from the goose's kitchen made it difficult to concentrate. It reminded me of the smell that came from the Dragon Warrior's meal, which was no surprise, given he would have learnt how to cook from the goose. Both caused a tingling sensation in my nose, having rarely smelt such alluring foods.
It distracted my mind from wondering whether the Dragon Warrior had found Master Shifu alive, although now that such thoughts crossed my mind, it was impossible to stop thinking about it. The fact the Dragon Warrior hadn't returned to the Valley in a state of mad panic was encouraging, but the concern flowing through my mind won't cease until we return to the Jade Palace and learn of Master Shifu's condition. None of us had seen Master Shifu yet. We didn't know whether he was dead or alive. My only option was to pray to Master Oogway that Master Shifu survived. It was absurd to feel such concern when it wouldn't change anything, but it's difficult to not be worried about Master Shifu. Despite having lacked receiving any sort of parental guidance from Master Shifu, he has always been part of my life.
If he hadn't taken me from the orphanage when he did, my life would have been beyond imaginable compared to now. Anything could have happened to me. The orphanage may have kicked me out at some point, forcing me to survive in the wilderness with nowhere to go and nowhere to be. My life would have had no purpose, no direction. Something may have tipped me onto the dark side. Perhaps my life would have ceased to exist. There are endless possibilities, but Master Shifu prevented any of them from happening. He set me on a path, and even though he never acted much like a fatherly figure towards me, he guided me to become the warrior I am today. No words can express my gratitude for the life Master Shifu gave me.
To think there's a possibility he's no longer here to guide me creates a sickening feeling in my stomach. He has to have survived. There's too much left in life to achieve for Master Shifu to have not survived. It would be too much to accept. After almost two hours of clearing debris from the goose's restaurant, his restaurant was looking much tidier than before. Viper gathered the smaller bits of debris into a pile in the corner, out of the way, leaving enough room for the goose to operate his restaurant. The damage prevented the restaurant from functioning at full capacity, but that didn't stop some villagers from ordering food from here while we were clearing the debris. That wasn't surprising, given the smell that came from the goose's kitchen. It had that alluring effect on everyone that strolled past.
For now, we would have to leave the restaurant in its current condition and return to the Jade Palace for the night. Apart from the entrance, and a small section of the sidewall, the goose's restaurant was intact and in operative condition. "Tigress!" Viper said, calling out to gather my attention. She slithered over to me, dragging the goose's broom behind her. "We should inform Po's father we're leaving."
Nodding in response, I turned and walked over to the kitchen counter, with Viper following me. The goose, who was cleaning some dishes, looked up, seeing us approaching him. "Apologies for the disruption, but we must return to the Jade Palace. We'll begin the reconstruction of your entrance first thing in the morning. Will there be any issues with that?"
The goose looked past me, into the dining area, presumably assessing the work we had done, before reverting his attention back to me. "Will it disrupt the flow of customers?"
"There will be some unavoidable disruptions, but we'll complete the reconstruction as soon as possible so your restaurant can return to full functionality. As we mentioned before, if that will cause problems, we can organise for you to work in a temporary location until construction is complete."
The goose sighed. "No, that okay. It would be disrespectful of your efforts to complain. You are doing a magnificent job for me. Would you like some delicious Secret Ingredient Noodle Soup as a thank you for your time?"
"Thank you for the offer, but we must decline. Is there anything else you need?"
The goose looked between Viper and me, appearing hesitant to respond for unknown reasons. "Could I have my broom back, please? It's my only one."
I looked at Viper, seeing she still had the broom wrapped around her tail. She lifted it up to me, allowing me to grab it and hand it back to the goose. "We'll return in the morning." Satisfied the goose was content with our plans, my attention turned to Viper. "Let's go. The others will be waiting for us at the stairs." We left the goose's restaurant and headed for the thousand steps. With the day nearing sunset, there wasn't much daylight left, and we still needed to assess the Jade Palace for damage before darkness arrived. We wouldn't have time tomorrow given other duties we've planned. Upon passing over the crest of the bridge, there were no signs of the others, making me sigh in annoyance.
"What's wrong?" Viper asked.
"The others aren't here."
"They shouldn't be too long." Silence followed as we stopped underneath the paifang at the bottom of the thousand steps, waiting for the others to arrive. Upon looking up at the Jade Palace, it was too far to notice whether there was any damage, but my primary concern was for Master Shifu. This paranoid feeling wouldn't go away, and until we learnt of Master Shifu's fate, it would remain that way. "How are you dealing with everything, Tigress?"
Viper's question made me look at her, confused. "What do you mean 'everything'?"
"You know. Since we discovered Po defeated Tai Lung and all. It was wonderful to see you acknowledge him as a master before. He seemed rather honoured by it."
"Acknowledging and accepting are two different things, Viper. He may have proven himself worthy of being the Dragon Warrior, but that doesn't make the events leading up to this point easy to accept."
Just then, Crane flew around the corner of a building, with Monkey and Mantis following, racing towards the thousand steps where we stood. "Sorry we're late," Crane said, landing on the ground. "A building near the river had collapsed, so it took longer than expected to clean up. We'll have to finish cleaning it up tomorrow."
"Was anyone occupying the building?" I asked, hoping it was one of the unoccupied buildings within the Valley.
Crane shook his head. "No, it didn't look like anyone lived in it. There was nothing amongst the rubble, but it'll require a complete rebuild." Pleased to hear the collapsed building wouldn't affect the lives of any villagers, my focus turned back onto the Jade Palace. It was unknown whether the Jade Palace had sustained any damage, but we were about to find out. With the sun approaching sunset, the others followed me as we made our way up the thousand steps. This was the first time, in a long time, to walk up the thousand steps with knots in my stomach, unknown to what we were about to discover. Either we find Master Shifu alive with the Dragon Warrior, or the worst case possible. Just the thought causes my stomach to turn over.
It's rare to feel this anxious about anything, and even rarer to express any kind of stress, but this was one of those times where it was impossible to contain. Anything would be better than discovering Master Shifu had not survived. Not only would it be a massive loss for us, but for the community. We couldn't afford to lose his knowledge and experience. Not after losing Master Oogway days prior. Nobody will replace the knowledge and wisdom Master Oogway took with him. Losing Master Shifu would further compound everything we've lost. After climbing the first hundred steps, the first signs of damage appeared, with several steps ahead of us damaged or destroyed. They weren't the only steps to have been damaged. There was damage scattered along the entire length of the thousand steps, but it became more prominent the closer we got to the Jade Palace.
It wasn't until we reached the Palace Arena where the damage became harder to miss than find. Several roof tiles along the Western Pavilion of the Palace Arena were damaged, and just like the thousand steps, sections of the stairs leading up to the Hall of Warriors were also damaged. The worst of the damage didn't reveal itself until we reached the top of the stairs. A massive hole had been created at the top of the stairs, creating a dangerous hazard, but what caught my attention was the condition of the Hall of Warriors. The doors were almost completely destroyed, and some pillars had massive cracks through them, making me question their integrity. From the outside, it looked bad, but when we stepped inside the Hall of Warriors, the destruction was even worse.
"Man, this place is wrecked!" Mantis said, stating the obvious. Despite the palace servants having already begun cleaning up, the artifacts that were on display in the Hall of Warriors had been scattered everywhere. Master Flying Rhino's armour was scattered across the floor. The Golden Shield was lodged in a pillar. Some of the other pillars also suffered damage. Amongst all the damage, what caught my attention was the sword lodged in the floor of the Hall of Warriors, indicating some of these weapons were used during battle. Whether that was Master Shifu, Tai Lung or the Dragon Warrior who used them remains unknown. When it seemed like the damage couldn't get worse, the next thing that crossed my field of view made me expel a breath of shock.
Beside the Moon Pool laid Master Oogway's staff, snapped into two pieces. Of all the artifacts to have sustained damage, this was the most significant of them. This staff reminds us of the legacy Master Oogway left behind. Just like Master Oogway, something like this is irreplaceable. Upon picking it up off the ground and assessing it, there wasn't much we could do. Master Oogway's staff was snapped in half. It might be salvageable, but it won't hold the same significance as before. The connections within the staff are severed. Despite all the damage, there were no signs of Master Shifu or the Dragon Warrior. Apart from the palace servants cleaning around us, no one appeared to be here. It made me pray that the Dragon Warrior found Master Shifu and took him somewhere else.
After walking over and placing Master Oogway's broken staff where it belonged, I turned to the others. "Let's go to the kitchen." We left the Hall of Warriors in its destructive condition, passing through the Master Garden, before following the path that led to the kitchen block. Upon entering the hallway, the smell of freshly cooked dumplings barged its way into my nostrils, bringing a strange warmth to it.
"I could get used to these smells every day," Crane said, which the others agreed with. It raised my hopes, thinking the Dragon Warrior found Master Shifu alive and brought him here to make dumplings. A train of thought that seemed feasible seeing the Dragon Warrior knew how to cook. However, upon looking into the kitchen, there was no Dragon Warrior or Master Shifu. Just an empty kitchen drowning in the smell of dumplings. It made me wonder where they could have gone, or whether it was the Dragon Warrior who was in here making dumplings. The palace chef had never made dumplings before, though, so it had to be the Dragon Warrior. We left the kitchen and made our way to the Training Hall when the sound of laughter in the distance broke the silence.
The others followed me as we raced towards the Peach Tree, to where the laughter had come from. It sounded like the Dragon Warrior's, or so hoped it was. After passing through the trees, the sight ahead of me caused relief to wash the anxiety from my body. Underneath the Peach Tree sat Master Shifu alongside the Dragon Warrior, appearing to be sharing a bowl of dumplings. It was difficult to maintain my composure after expecting the worst, but seeing Master Shifu alive, and appearing unharmed, brought jubilation to my body. All because of the Dragon Warrior. Not only had he done the impossible and defeated Tai Lung, restoring peace to the Valley, but he had risked his life and saved Master Shifu. That alone earnt the Dragon Warrior respect for the selfless acts he performed.
"MASTER SHIFU!" Viper shouted, crying out in happiness as we approached the Peach Tree.
Master Shifu and the Dragon Warrior jerked their heads over their shoulders, startled by Viper's shouts, but realised we were approaching them. They stood up from the cliff, with Master Shifu walking over to where we were standing. "Students, I'm glad to see you all."
"We're glad to see you, too, master," Viper said. "None of us knew if you had survived."
"If it wasn't for Po's courageous act of selflessness, I might not have survived. No, I wouldn't have survived. Tai Lung was very close to finishing me before Po showed up."
"Ah, c'mon, Shifu," the Dragon Warrior said, walking over to us with the bowl of dumplings in his right paw. "I just did what I had to do. Does anyone wanna dumpling?" Mantis and Monkey took one, but Crane and Viper declined. The Dragon Warrior looked at me, offering the bowl of dumplings. "Master Tigress?"
"You may think your efforts were insignificant, Po," Master Shifu said, cutting in before allowing me to answer the Dragon Warrior. "But they were monumental for the peace of the Valley. Because of your efforts, we no longer live under the threat of Tai Lung. You have brought a new era of peace to us. Now, I am aware you know who my students are, but it is time to officially introduce you to these amazing warriors. Po, it is with great pleasure to present to you, Master Mantis."
"Hello."
Master Shifu pointed to Mantis, then did the same with everyone else. "Master Monkey." Monkey waved at the Dragon Warrior, donning one of his typical grinning smiles. "Master Viper." Viper bowed to the Dragon Warrior. "Master Crane."
"Hi!"
"And, finally, Master Tigress." Though I didn't make any gestures towards the Dragon Warrior, our eyes locked contact again. The Dragon Warrior's eyes expressed exhilaration, appearing mesmerised at being introduced to us. "They are the Furious Five, and it is an absolute privilege to be their master. I am extremely proud of everything they have achieved, and hope that in the coming months, you will become part of the team. It will take time, but the hindsight of seeing you fight alongside them is something that excites me, and I cannot wait to get started with training." Master Shifu shifted his attention to us. "Students, you must ensure to remain patient with Po while he settles into the Jade Palace and learns his craft. It won't be easy for Po to adapt into his role as the Dragon Warrior, but with our guidance, he will acclimatise much smoother than if we were to neglect him."
"Oww!" My focus shifted to the Dragon Warrior after hearing him yelp. He was rubbing his arm for unknown reasons. "Alright, this isn't a dream."
"Now," Master Shifu said, reverting my attention back to him. "Before any training occurs, we must repair all damage the Jade Palace, and the Valley incurred. We'll begin with the Valley at first light tomorrow. Any questions?"
"We've actually planned to reconstruct the entrance of Po's father's restaurant tomorrow, master," Viper said.
"Huh?" The Dragon Warrior looked at Viper, concerned. "What happened to my dad's restaurant?"
"It sustained damage during your battle with Tai Lung, but don't worry, Po. Tigress and I cleaned up the debris this evening as best we could." The Dragon Warrior glanced at me before looking back at Viper. "We promised your father to return tomorrow to rebuild the entrance."
"I think your father wanted to speak with you, too, Po," Crane said, making the Dragon Warrior widen his eyes.
"Oh, okay. Ah, yeah, I probably should check on my dad. Hey, Shifu, is it okay if I stay at my dad's tonight?"
"No, all masters, including you, must remain on Jade Palace grounds from sunset to sunrise unless it is an emergency."
The Dragon Warrior looked up to the twilight-lit sky. "Ah, the sun hasn't set yet, Shifu." This caused Master Shifu to glance at the Dragon Warrior, displeased with his response, though it didn't seem to faze the Dragon Warrior. "C'mon, Shifu. I just wanna make sure my dad's okay."
Master Shifu maintained his irritated expression. "There are reasons we don't wonder through the Valley at night, Po. It would alarm the villagers."
"It's only gonna be me, Shifu. Once I get to my dad's, I'll stay there. Won't go anywhere else."
"Po, I said no. That is final."
"But if my dad's entrance has been destroyed, he's not protected. I'll feel more comfortable being down there. Pleeeeeeeeease!"
Master Shifu rubbed his forehead, sighing in annoyance. "Fine, only on this occasion, Po. After tomorrow, you must reside in the Jade Palace. And that is final." Master Shifu turned to us. "Students, it is best you rest up. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I will see you at first light."
"Goodnight, master," we said, bowing to Master Shifu as he left the Peach Tree. That was an interesting exchange to have witnessed between the Dragon Warrior and Master Shifu. It is never a smart idea to argue with Master Shifu, for his word is final. Anyone that dares to challenge would receive a harsh punishment, but that exchange showed the stubborn mindset of the Dragon Warrior. Though he is toying with death, he sought reason with Master Shifu, but unlike me, he convinced Master Shifu to change his mind. Something that's almost impossible for me to do.
"Um." We looked at the Dragon Warrior, hearing him break the silence. After seeing him argue with Master Shifu, it was confusing why he appeared nervous, although he also showed excitement in his eyes. "I-I just wanna say how ridiculously crazy it is to be standing here in front of you guys. Like, you have no idea how amazingly awesome you are, and how much you've inspired my life. If it weren't for you guys, I'd be spending my life making noodles and being a nobody. A-and as much as I love making noodles with my dad, it's not my dream. Kung fu is everything to me. Most of my dreams have been about fighting alongside you guys, but never thought those dreams could become true. I dunno what I did to deserve this opportunity, but the last thing I wanna do is make it seem like I'm defaming you guys or anything."
"You haven't defamed us, Po," Viper said, slithering up to the Dragon Warrior. "We're all extremely proud of what you did, and we'll support you however we can, right guys?" Viper looked back at us, maintaining eye contact with me longer than the others. It felt as though she was insinuating for me to say something, but there was nothing to be said.
"Of, of course," Crane said, drawing our attention to him. "You're one of us, now. A-and look, I know I probably speak for most of us, but we are ashamed of how we treated you." The last thing needed was for someone to remind me of my treatment of the Dragon Warrior. It appears my actions over the past few days will forever haunt me. "I'm sure you never intended for any of this to happen, nor would you have expected Master Oogway to choose you as the Dragon Warrior, but despite that, we had no right to mistreat you the way we did. We're incredibly proud and equally impressed with how you single-handedly defeated Tai Lung." The Dragon Warrior smiled at Crane as his eyes began to glisten. What Crane said was true, but unlike me, the others weren't holding themselves back from expressing their honest thoughts towards the Dragon Warrior.
"That means a lot to me. It really does, but I totally understand why you guys reacted the way you did. I mean, c'mon! A big, fat panda falls from the sky and is chosen as the Dragon Warrior? Like, how ridiculous is that?" The Dragon Warrior chuckled to himself, but soon died down, realising none of us were. It surprised me to hear the Dragon Warrior attempt to justify our actions towards him. That's something he shouldn't be doing, for he wasn't in the wrong. We were.
"Why did you launch yourself in the air?" Mantis asked, chuckling. "It was the most absurd thing I've seen anyone do."
The Dragon Warrior chuckled once, looking away from us while scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, it wasn't the greatest of ideas. I was just tryna get into the Arena to watch you guys. It worked in the end, but not how I intended. I'm just glad I didn't land on anyone. That wouldn't have ended well." The others chuckled along with the Dragon Warrior, as that incident replayed in my head. It didn't cross my mind during the moment, but now it's obvious just how close the Dragon Warrior came to crushing, not just me, but Master Oogway. He somehow landed in between us.
"Well, just so you know, Po," Viper said, gaining everyone's attention. "We're extremely apologetic for the way we treated you and hope you can forgive us for our poor judgemental behaviour. We want you to feel included, not excluded."
"Of course, I forgive you guys! I'm not gonna hold a grudge or anything. That's the last thing I'd do. Especially to you guys. You're my heroes."
"We are?" Monkey asked, sounding rather chuffed by the Dragon Warrior's statement. Although, Monkey's question caused the Dragon Warrior's cheeks to turn a faint red.
"Um… did I say that out loud?"
"It's okay, Po. We're honoured you find inspiration from us," Viper said, attempting to lessen the Dragon Warrior's embarrassment. Despite her efforts, the Dragon Warrior's cheeks still had a faint red glow to them. It's obvious the Dragon Warrior admires us. He hasn't tried to hide it, but perhaps we've underestimated how influential we have been in his life.
"Yeah, anyway, I should probably let you guys go rest or something. You're probably exhausted from all the craziness."
"It has been one long, crazy week," Crane said, which was an accurate statement. This week had been like none other, and a week we'll never experience again. "You should head off before it gets dark, Po. Master Shifu dislikes anyone wondering around the Jade Palace during the night."
This caused the Dragon Warrior to look at Crane, confused. "Huh?"
Crane glanced at us before looking back at the Dragon Warrior. "Y-You were going to your father's… right?"
The Dragon Warrior widened his eyes after Crane reminded him of what he was doing. "Oh. Right. Yes. Of course. I better go. Okay, I'll see you guys tomorrow." He sprinted past us—"Can't believe this is rea-WOAH! OWW!"—but fell on the ground after not paying attention to his footing. The Dragon Warrior sprung up as quickly as he fell, looking at us, appearing embarrassed after his clumsy moment. "I'm okay! I'm good. Didn't see that. See you tomorrow, guys!"
"Bye, Po!" Monkey said, waving at the Dragon Warrior as he disappeared from view, following the path that led to the Palace Arena from the Peach Tree. "I like him. He seems cool."
"He's an interesting character," Crane said, glancing at me before looking at Viper.
"I'll tell you what," Mantis said, reverting our attention to him. "He's quick for a panda. Didn't know they could run, let alone that fast." Mantis looked at Viper, and held his pincers in the air, seeing her unamused expression. "I'm not making fun of him. Just making an observation."
Having no desire to join their conversation about the Dragon Warrior, I walked over to the cliff and watched the darkened horizon approach the Valley. A mild breeze blew across the cliff face, picking up dozens of Peach Tree petals and swirling them around in the wind. It felt as though Master Oogway were speaking to me, but couldn't understand his message. "You okay, sweetie?" Viper asked, snapping me from my internal thoughts.
She slithered up to my left side as I looked back over the Valley, sighing. "I'm fine." Truth was, many thoughts were going through my head, but these were my problems to think about. There was nothing Viper could do to control what went through my head.
"You sure? Something seems to be bothering you."
"It's nothing that concerns you, Viper."
Upon looking at Viper, she held a concerned look on her face. "Hey!" Crane said, gaining the attention of both mine and Vipers. "We're going back to the kitchen before calling it a night. You wanna join us?"
"Sure," Viper said, before looking at me. "You coming, Tigress?"
"No, thank you. I'll stay here." Viper left with the others, leaving me to sit alone underneath the Peach Tree, watching darkness set over the Valley. After what had been one of the most physically and emotionally draining periods of my life, we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Valley was at peace, no longer under threat from Tai Lung. Despite knowing peace had been restored to the Valley, my mind struggled to gain any of that peace. Several things were going through my mind, but it was difficult finding any clarity amongst these thoughts. Since the Dragon Warrior Tournament, everything happened so fast, there was little time to think about it before something else happened. Now that the chaos had ended, there was time to reflect on the past few days without other distractions. But where to start?
It's a time of our lives that will remain unforgettable, even though most things are worth forgetting about. Certain aspects have nestled themselves into my memory, but the moment that resonates more than anything else was the confrontation between the Dragon Warrior and Master Shifu. What the Dragon Warrior said about himself replays in my head. To understand why the Dragon Warrior stayed has made me disgusted with my treatment towards him. He didn't deserve to be treated with such disregard. Nobody does. My anger blinded me from giving the Dragon Warrior the chance he deserved. Instead, we treated him like a worthless nobody, and it's obvious we weren't the first to treat him in such ways. The Dragon Warrior believed he was a nobody. He even said it himself just before.
The Dragon Warrior may have said it in a joking manner, but goes to show such thoughts cross his mind. When you treat someone is such a way, after a while, they'll believe it and start acting how you describe them. All those, including us, who mistreated the Dragon Warrior, hurling insult after insult, made him feel like a worthless nobody the same way everyone at the orphanage made me feel like a monster. That's what disappoints and angers me more than anything else. Many words can describe my actions towards the Dragon Warrior, but the one word that best describes my behaviour is 'monster'. I treated the Dragon Warrior like a monster. To have the thought of having coercive power to say he was a disgrace to us, and that he didn't belong here, was not only degrading, but unwarranted.
Despite knowing why the Dragon Warrior stayed, it's still unfathomable why anybody would endure such treatment. Had the Dragon Warrior not possessed such a determined mindset and left the first opportunity we gave him, Tai Lung may never have been defeated. Peace would never have been restored to the Valley. What could have happened would have been our fault. Nobody else's. The possibilities of what could have happened are endless, but the one thing we didn't deserve was for the Dragon Warrior to save the Valley. Not after everything we put him through. That doesn't justify our actions. Not one bit. It's difficult enough understanding why he fought Tai Lung, but what's impossible to understand is how it was the same panda who couldn't defend himself against the bandit adversary days earlier.
There didn't even appear to be a mark on the Dragon Warrior. To defeat Tai Lung one on one, without injury, is no small feat. We couldn't defeat him five on one, but to learn the Dragon Warrior did so by using the Wuxi Finger Hold was beyond my expectations. Part of me struggles to believe he executed that technique without it backfiring, but just like everything else, the Dragon Warrior appears to possess more skill and power than was first expected. Perhaps the Dragon Warrior's chi is one of the many reasons Master Oogway chose him as the Dragon Warrior. Whatever the reason, or reasons, we will never find out the truth behind Master Oogway's reasoning. It will forever remain a mystery, gone with the legacy Master Oogway left behind.
The outbreak of Tai Lung distracted me from the fact that Master Oogway's no longer with us. Another thing that will be difficult to accept. For my whole life, Master Oogway has always known when to be there to support me, to encourage me, and to show his belief in me. His departure leaves me with no choice but to face my problems without his guidance, despite most of our conversations leaving me with more questions than answers. It's going to take time to accept he's gone. There will never be another person like him. Someone so tranquil no matter the situation we're facing. He was always ten steps ahead of everyone else. My mind kept flashing back to our last conversation by the Peach Tree. The same night my anger almost got the better of me.
After having almost attacked the Dragon Warrior, Master Oogway somehow knew to appear in my time of struggle. There are many parts of the conversation that my memory recalls, but the one thing that shines brighter than the rest was when Master Oogway said the Dragon Warrior and I would complete each other. The Dragon Warrior may have proved me wrong, but that didn't give me any desires to gain his acquaintanceship. Why would anybody want to give someone a second chance after being treated with such hostility? It wouldn't make sense, but there was something about the Dragon Warrior that made me think he would give me another chance. That he would forgive me for my mistakes. He brushed off the apologies from the others like it were nothing.
How the Dragon Warrior can be so forgiving towards us remains unknown. It's challenging enough forgiving myself for my behaviour, let alone, seeking forgiveness for it. That's something my pride cannot do yet. To ask for forgiveness, one must forgive themselves for the mistakes they've made. You must concede to your failures, but that won't happen overnight. It takes time to accept reality. Becoming the Dragon Warrior may never have been part of my destiny, but that doesn't stop me from feeling like a failure. To dedicate my life to kung fu, hoping to become the Dragon Warrior, only to fail, is an immeasurable failure. It would have fulfilled my desire to make Master Shifu proud of me. To repay him for the life he has given me.
Then to go after Tai Lung and fail defeating him adds salt to the wound. An internal wound that may never heal. These events have made me question my credibility as a warrior. It makes me question my whole life. Has it been a waste of time chasing something that was never mine? There are so many questions going through my head about myself, but none of them have answers. Perhaps they never will have answers. This whole situation leaves me uncertain about the direction my life is taking. There's no clarity on what my future holds. The last thing Master Oogway told me was that nobody can decide my destiny, except me. My life has been built around protecting these lands from danger. Nothing will stop me from doing that.
We pride ourselves and take great responsibility in keeping the innocent safe, but if we couldn't defeat Tai Lung, would we stand a chance against something stronger and more powerful? The edition of the Dragon Warrior adds a whole new dynamic to our system. Without his presence, things would be far different to how they are now, but goes to show if it weren't for the Dragon Warrior defeating Tai Lung, peace would never have been restored to the Valley. He's proven he can handle such situations on his own. If he's got the skills to defeat someone like Tai Lung, why would he need us? This is why it makes me question my credibility. It makes me question our worth. There's no doubt we can defeat a bunch of rouge bandits, but the minute someone stronger threatens the Valley, questions arise surrounding our abilities as protectors of the innocent.
Nothing will stop me from sacrificing my life to protect the Valley. The villagers rely on us to keep them safe from danger, but knowing it wasn't enough against someone like Tai Lung means the only way to improve is to train harder and get stronger. We cannot allow our defeat against Tai Lung to affect our mindset. Our duty as kung fu masters is to protect the Valley, but failing to defeat Tai Lung hurt more than any other failure. After failing to become the Dragon Warrior, it was an opportunity to prove myself. To restore faith in myself as a warrior, but all these failures have left me lost on what to think. Sitting here pondering on what could have, should have been won't change the past. Or my failures. What's done is done.
My dreams of becoming the Dragon Warrior may have been shattered, but these are things I must accept. It was never in my destiny to become the Dragon Warrior, but that can only mean my destiny lies elsewhere. Somewhere that hasn't been discovered yet. The sooner the past is accepted, the easier it will be to move on, but accepting the past is proving hard to achieve. My pride cannot accept these failures. It is not allowing me to accept that this is what it is. Perhaps swallowing my pride is the only way to move forward, but until there is some clarity in my life, my mind will remain stuck in an internal battle. Whatever my decisions are, the world will keep spinning around. Life will continue. It's just… I don't know how to accept the direction life has taken me. It's a direction that wasn't planned.
[End Notes]: That concludes the end of this chapter. What did you think? Lemme know in the reviews (or PM me).
There's probably a few things to talk about in this chapter. Did you notice the change in how Tigress addresses Po? Hopefully the things Tigress thinks about in this chapter seems realistic for the situation. Now, something you've gotta remember when reading these chapters is we know what happens throughout the franchise, but in this point of the story, Tigress does not. There's things she doesn't know about, but assumes based on her knowledge. So, just keep that in mind when reading. Particularly with the talks about chi, and Master Oogway not being able to return from the Spirit Realm. These are all assumptions based on what she would know at that point.
As mentioned at the start, any review, no matter the size, will be muchly appreciated. If you find any mistakes, please don't hesitate to let me know, either. All feedback, no matter the size, helps me gauge where the story is at and how to improve.
Thank you for taking the time to read the latest chapter.
Chapter 8 is scheduled to be released on June 13, subject to change
Until then, take care and stay safe!
Footrot Flats :)