Author's Note: Hey there people! Yep, I've managed to buckle down and get this finale to the trilogy started. This is something that I have been planning ever since I planned out the story of clouded minds... so for the past 2 years. I'm hoping it won't take the same amount of time to get this one out, but we'll see. As for the story itself, things are going to get crazy very fast, and I hope you are ready for one hell of a ride! Alright, let's get to it!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP! (Obviously)
Enjoy.
A Harrowing Loss
Dark clouds swallow the skies whole, blotting out the sun with a potent, irreversible despair. Despair bludgeoned into the hearts of many, infecting even the most jovial of souls. A torrent of snow begins its graceful descent from the obscured heavens, yet they are not the blessings the Gods would usually provide. Instead, they are grief-stricken tears, frozen in a fear that very few on the surface truly understand. There is a slight yet noticeable howl in the rough breeze, an unsettling wail held in the winter air that none of the valley of peace's citizens can decipher. But why would they need to when its very touch brings chills to their spines? When the shivers that erupt from their bodies aren't merely from the cold, but from the pungent stench of death lingering in the air.
Shifu's funeral had been conducted hours ago, his extravagant yet humble coffin out to rest in the memorial garden. Though the ceremony had concluded and the guests had all paid their respects, the harrowing depth of his loss can still be felt all around. A scar that will take years to heal. A valley in mourning of someone truly courageous. A hole punched into the world of kung fu for years to come.
A father cruelly ripped away from his daughter.
Red threads can be seen on every front door within the valley, planted on there to dispel the merciless claws of death or fate or destiny. Whichever cruel entity that had brough the grandmaster's tragic end. Even the doors of dragon warrior noodles and tofu bear this mark, its owners praying that their son, that his friends be spared from anymore heartache. Its owners currently braving the thousand steps up to the Jade Palace after shutting the restaurant's doors to all except for a grieving panda and tiger.
Aged jade and brown eyes glower along the temple's plentiful steps, both of Po's fathers having felt their hearts shatter at the sight of Tigress' reddened eyes, at the worry etched into their son's face. They could see her misery at the feast held in Shifu's honour after his burial, they could practically feel the anguish bleeding out of her heart, yet something about her look told Li-Shan something else. He could recognise her grief-stricken eyes within an instant, remembering that same look within himself after Shen's devastation. Yet, it wasn't just grief. Was it shame? Guilt? Paranoia? Could be all of them at once. Come to think of it, it probably is. He could remember when they let Po and Tigress into the restaurant, when a certain irresistible panda cub reached her arms out for her stripey baby. Instead of the warm smile that they all had hoped or the despondence they expected, there was honest-to-Gods fear in her eyes. She was frozen in place, leaving Po to take Lei-Lei in his arms whilst Tigress forced herself upstairs.
What unnerved the panda chief most was his son's muted expression to this. Almost as if he had anticipated this sort of reaction. Clearly, there was something else about Shifu's death that neither of them has mentioned. Come to think of it, their usually boisterous, talkative son barely shared any details of what happened. At the time, they understood. Shifu's death had weighed heavily on them for the past two weeks. But from what he saw mere minutes ago, he could tell that it runs deeper than that.
Though he was tempted to ask Po what happened, Li-Shan managed to restrain himself. Now is not the time to bombard them with questions, not when their pain still runs this deep. Blissful flashes of white patter onto his equally white robes, snapping him out of his sympathetic rumination. Shifting his gaze over to his goose companion, he takes in the paleness of his robes and his silver, non-noodle hat, remembering the idea that he had given Po. "Are you sure we have to do this, now?" An idea the panda remains uncertain about.
Mr. Ping looks to his panda confidant, an assured glint filling his eyes. "Of course."
"But wouldn't it be better to give them a bit of space? Time to grieve, y'know?"
"They've been grieving for two weeks. I don't think anymore time alone with their thoughts would be good for them." With this explanation, the goose chef gazes up to the Jade Palace, his expression wilting at its grace diminished by the clouds as they get closer and closer.
"I was still inconsolable after a month."
Li-Shan's downtrodden voice forces Mr. Ping's gaze back to him, noting the seriousness in the panda chief's expression. Offering a sad, understanding smile, the goose chef doesn't back down. "No matter how long someone grieves, its never enough." Li-Shan's expression softens, despondence filling him whole at the truth of it all. "No life can be summed up with words, tributes and memories. But we try to anyway, no matter how pointless it may be." Brown irises glance back up to the Jade Palace, spotting the pale white parchment on the front gates leading into the courtyard. "I don't want them to fall into that spiral of sorrow."
"It's gonna take a lot more than a quaint family meal to do that. Shifu was like a father to them. Heck, he literally was Tigress' father."
Though annoyed by his overwhelming doubt, Mr. Ping knows that he has a point. This will be a long process. It will take time for them to heal from this. But that doesn't deter the kooky goose, his smile growing alongside his determination. "Well, we have to start somewhere. And what better way is there to comfort them than to remind them of the family they still have?"
Mr. Ping's innocent smile tempts a chuckle from the panda chief, reminding him of Po's more goofy expressions, but he manages to hold this into just a smile. Leave it to the lovable goose to want to help even if it seems impossible. Li-Shan nods to him as they make it to the front gates, murmuring to himself. "We have to start somewhere."
Whilst the well-meaning pair go to knock at the gate, the subjects of their inquiry all stand with a hollow, unnerving stillness in the memorial garden. Four warriors paralysed into solemn stares directed at the gravestone of their fallen master, nearly matching the unblinking eyes of the garden's statues. White chrysanthemums, envelopes and scrolls containing parting words; many tokens of respect and remembrance litter Shifu's gravestone, an impressive stone statue stood just behind it.
Crane retains his white tunic and burlap shorts, his hat held in his talons in a show of respect. Blue eyes lack their usual mischief as Monkey keeps his gaze fixed on the ground, sipping a cup of rice wine as his white kung fu shirt and black trousers catch the winter's prominent breeze. The alcohol had started as a sort of 'last drink' with Shifu, the other cup remaining in front of his grave. But the langur found quickly that it works better as a painkiller than a show of respect. Viper and Mantis sit together, her white and silver cape fluttering in the light wind and his gauntlets glistening thanks to the snow pelting it. By far, the serpent master's grief had been most present, her sky-blue eyes shrouded by red clouds of despair, a remnant of her hale of tears that rained down since the procession ended. As for Mantis, a surly, sombre expression has replaced the usual brazen confident that usually makes up his countenance. Despite the intensity of the emotions swarming his spirit, he's managed to hold it together. Not a single tear shed, not a single word said.
For the past ten minutes they remain stood here, enraptured in a deafening, harrowing silence. Only the eerie wails of the winter wind bear the essence of a voice. Only the soft careful drops of snow flakes act as a soundscape, its quiet pattering now bearing the weight of many funeral knells. How long had it been since they started training with him? 15… 20 years? No matter the answer, they all know that it wasn't enough. No matter his age, his fate or his destiny, it was too soon for him to go. For him to be taken away in such a cruel way. For most of them he had felt like a stern, strict yet kind father figure. Even Viper, who still… had a father. Her lip wobbles at the mere thought of Nuba's heartless plan, but she holds in more tears. They can't cry forever; they can't stay here and wallow in their turmoil forever.
Although, some may prefer to do so for a bit longer, "I really thought we had it." Mantis' gruff voice breaks through the silence in a hoarse, downtrodden timbre, the gears of his voice box coated in a miserable rust. "I really thought we could make it out of that whole mess all fine and dandy… I should've known better." He mutters this last part to himself, his brothers and sister hearing his words pummel his spirit without mercy.
"You weren't the only one, bro." A lame attempt at… assurance? Comfort? Monkey's not even sure what he could call it but its certainly some attempt to heal their wounded spirits. If only it was a simple wound and not a deep, cavernous scar, "It's always just another mission until… it isn't. And by that point, it's already too late to go back."
A harrowing truth, but one that none of them can deny. They may have all known from the start that this mission would be different, but there was no way of knowing just how different it would be. "Still… we could've done more." Yet another harsh truth that Monkey bows his head at whilst Crane ignores it, his eyes fixed on Viper's silent form. "We should've been ready for anything." Mantis' words invite the memory of him soothing his serpent sister's worry. How foolish he was. "Like Shifu taught us."
Crane takes a few steps towards her and places a comforting wing on her back. She can't help but lean herself onto his feathers, cherishing his warm touch. However, amidst her appreciation, her bird can only look on in sorrow as his eyes immediately pick out the marks of his talons shredded past her scales, embedded into her skin. A scar that horrible wolf made him give her.
Whilst the two have their moment, Monkey can only gaze at Shifu's statue, thinking back to everything he had done for them. Even if it was through a veneer of coldness, the kindness of his actions had rarely been put into question. They all knew there was more to him, but only Oogway, maybe even Tigress, could ever know the extent. Heroes rarely ever get an ending that they deserve. His own words pierce into his heart, reminding him that despite Shifu's age, his long life filled with accolades and legends, his death had come so suddenly. So much of his life has been left behind, only bringing a question to the langur's mind. "So… what happens now?"
Silence graces the memorial garden with an undeniable familiarity, almost as if no-one had said a word in the first place. None of the five look to him, either choosing to gaze at Shifu's statue or the grass below. It's a question that has filled all their minds within the past two weeks, yet its one that they simply couldn't answer, assuming they even wanted to answer it. How could they possibly just move along after this? How could they just go along and train with the absence of his stoic yet guiding voice? His wisdom? None of them can find the heart to truly think of an answer, but they all know that there isn't really a choice in the matter. They can't soak in their misery for the rest of their lives, lest they inevitably drown in it.
"Maybe we could make a suggestion?" All four warriors dart their heads over at the sound of a certain kooky goose, their eyes widening at the sight of both of Po's fathers stood near the edge of the garden. It's not surprising that they'd be here, especially after what happened, but Viper can't help but wonder why they would come up here rather than comfort their son. Wonder that banishes itself as Li-Shan takes a solemn step forward.
"I know how tempting it is to want to stay here and continue mourning Shifu until the pain finally goes. But… it doesn't work. In fact, it only makes the pain stay longer." They can feel his experience in his voice, over 20 years of grieving blotting out the dorky mirth that would normally be present in his eyes. "It only reminds you of when they died. How they died. That there is nothing left of their spirit." He pauses for a moment, noting the hopeless expressions still present on their faces. A hopelessness that he knows will remain for a while. "Do you guys remember what I told you after… what Nuba did?" Monkey and Mantis nod whilst Crane and Viper look on with an air of befuddlement, his previous message blocked out by their past melancholy. "Your memories are the last thing that truly remains of him. They are something you must cherish, must preserve until the very end. The sight of his grave will only taint those memories until only your grief remains as his legacy."
Another painful truth, one that Li-Shan himself had realised far later in his own torrent of melancholy. One that the four masters can already confirm to be true. So many fond memories of him, moments in time where he happily dropped his heartless façade and showed them how much he cared, all made bittersweet by that solemn marble reminder wedged into the grass. So many reasons to celebrate his life all warped by their mournful hearts. "But memories alone can't help the pain pass." Mr. Ping adds with a sad smile, gaining their attention once more, "And so, I wanted to invite you over. To sit down and dine to all the good that Shifu has done. To remind ourselves of the family we still have and the future that we can still build." Though Mantis gains a sceptical look, Viper, Crane, and Monkey gift the kind goose chef the first true smiles they have been able to manage for the past two weeks.
"That would be wonderful, Mr. Ping." For the first time since they got to the garden, Viper speaks, catching both her brothers and her bird off-guard. Mantis' uncertainty of the goose's plan vanishes however, at the sight of her sweet smile. How could he possibly let his pesky rationale ruin a moment of much needed levity for her? For his brothers? Besides, maybe this will prove to be a great help for him too.
Upon noticing their lighter expressions, Mr. Ping returns their smiles in kind. "Then follow me." Within moments of him saying that, Viper, Monkey and Mantis all head off with both of Po's fathers, wanting out of the garden before their grief can truly shackle them there.
Crane, however, takes a moment to gaze back at his master's statue before noticing 'Shifu's' cup of rice wine. With a single promise brimming within his eyes, he takes the cup in his talons and raises it up as a toast. "To your incomparable legacy… To the family you've helped us keep… To a future that we can still build." He pours the rice wine along his gravestone, paying what he hopes and prays to be his final respects to his great master before following his kung fu family along. He can't let himself be a slave to his melancholy, not when all their efforts have granted him a chance for a life that most warriors die dreaming of. A chance that he cannot let slip away.
A pretty short and simple chapter to start with, gotta ease you guys in especially after the madness of clouded minds' ending. The next chapter shouldn't take too long, so do keep an eye out. Oh, and yes, you did read the character tags correctly. Let's just say I've got some fun stuff planned. Until next time :)