Man, this chapter took a longer time to put together than I thought it would! Also wanted to let you guys know that I'll be starting my Fall semester soon so I might not be able to update for a while, but I'll try my best to write when I can. So, without further ado, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!
Chapter 3: Feral Awakening
"This can't be real," Shu muttered, taking a step back. He looked down at his hands, expecting them to change back to normal, but they remained large paws. He stumbled backward, knocking over a few bottles of shampoo, which clattered noisily to the floor.
"Shu, are you okay in there?" his mother called from the kitchen.
"Uh, yeah, Mom!" Shu shouted back, trying to keep his voice steady. "Just... just dropped something!"
"AHH!" Mei's voice suddenly screamed from inside the other bathroom.
"Was that Mei-Mei? What's wrong with her?" He wondered what was wrong with his sister, but he quickly shook it off and remembered that there was a bigger problem here.
His mind raced, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. How did this happen? Was it a dream? He pinched himself, hard, but the pain only confirmed that he was very much awake. He took a moment to look over himself, taking in his new form. His entire body was covered in thick white fur with black stripes, and his muscles were more defined and powerful than he had ever seen.
As he continued to examine himself, a pungent odor hit his nose. He gagged, realizing it was coming from him. "Ugh, I reek!" he muttered, the smell of his body odor making his stomach turn.
Trying to ignore the smell, he reached up and touched his face. His fingers ran through the thick, scruffy fur that now covered it. It was both soft and coarse, a stark reminder of his transformation. The fur on his face felt strange and alien, a constant reminder that something extraordinary had happened to him.
"Okay, calm down, Shu," he told himself, taking deep breaths.
He turned off the light and carefully exited the bathroom. Shu heard the smoke alarm go off in the kitchen and assumed his mother left the porridge unattended, so he knew that was the perfect distraction. He quickly bolted toward his room unseen and unnoticed. He closed the door and stared at his reflection in the mirror, willing himself to try and change back. "Come on, come on," he muttered, closing his eyes and concentrating. He tried to remember how he felt when he was human, focusing on every detail: his hands, his face, his height.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes and glanced at the mirror. Nothing had changed. Frustrated, he tried again, this time thinking about all the things he had to do that day: homework, chores, hanging out with friends. He focused on the normalcy of his everyday life, hoping it would bring him back to his usual form.
But still, nothing happened. Shu sighed, feeling the weight of his predicament pressing down on him. He paced the room, his mind racing. What if he couldn't change back? What if he was stuck like this forever?
Desperate, Shu sat on his bed and tried to calm himself. He remembered how his meditation practice always gave him a clear head and helped him through his issues, maybe it could help with this? "It's worth a try," he muttered.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to meditate. At first, his thoughts were scattered, but slowly, he began to focus on his breathing, the rhythm of in and out, finding a calm center within himself. "Inner peace," he repeated softly. "Inner peace."
As he continued to meditate, he felt a strange tingling sensation in his ears. Opening his eyes slightly, he saw that they had disappeared. Encouraged, Shu kept meditating, repeating "inner peace" over and over, allowing the calm to wash over him completely.
Slowly but surely, his body started to transform back. His tail poofed away as if it was never there, then his whiskers disappeared too, and he felt his facial features shift. Finally, when he opened his eyes fully, through a quick poof of white-light bluish smoke he was back to his human form.
"Yes, I'm me again!" Shu cheered. Then he glanced in the mirror and saw his familiar face looking back at him but with one noticeable change: his hair was now white with streaks of black running through it. He ran his fingers through his new hair, marveling at the change.
"Great, how am I going to explain this to Mom and Dad?" he muttered, feeling a pang of anxiety. He ruffled through his room, searching for something to hide his hair. After rummaging through drawers and under his bed, he finally found his old black beanie.
"This should do the trick," Shu said to himself, pulling the beanie over his head and tucking in the last few strands of his new hair. He checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting the beanie until it looked just right. "Okay, I can work with this. And if anyone asks, I'll just say I'm having a bad hair day."
Taking a deep breath, Shu tried to steady his nerves. "I'll figure this out after school," he told himself. "One step at a time."
Lester B. Middle School…
Ming pulled up in front of the school, Mei was riding shotgun while Shu rode in the back. Mei was also wearing a beanie which was odd, but she claims she is also having a bad hair day.
"I know it feels strange, Mei-Mei. But I promise, nobody will notice a thing," Ming reassured, placing a hand on top of Mei's.
"Thank you for your concern, Mother. But I'll be fine," Mei said in a monotone.
While Shu was dealing with his… issues this morning, Mei-Mei was apparently going through a lot this morning. Especially when he heard it was her… feminine issue, but he didn't know why she was acting so strange and monotone?
"Well, you two are clearly about to do the whole puberty, blossoming into a woman, feminine talk so I'm just gonna-." Shu was then cut off by his mother, preventing him from leaving just yet.
"Hold on, Shu," Ming said, turning to face him. "I want to make sure you're both okay before you go."
Shu sighed but nodded. "Yeah, Mom. We're fine."
"Well, here's both your lunches" Ming presented and handed them their lunch bags. "I packed you both extra snacks. And for you Mei-Mei, I packed you some herbal tea. For cramps. It helps relax your…"
"I got it. Thank you. Bye." Not wanting to hear more of this awkward talk, Mei-Mei quickly left the car.
"Yeah, bye Mom!" Shu tried to follow his sister, not wanting to hear this either, but Ming grabbed onto Shu's arm, stopping him.
"Shu, wait!" Ming quickly said, "I want you to keep an eye out for your sister today at school. Make sure she's okay. What she's going through right now can be… difficult."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Shu replied, trying to hide his annoyed impatience. "I'll keep an eye on her."
Ming looked at him with concern. "And Shu, if anything feels off or if she needs anything, promise me you'll let me know. Can you do that for me… please."
"Sure, Mom," Shu said, giving her a reassuring smile. "I promise."
Ming finally let go of his arm, giving him a small, worried smile. "Alright. Have a good day."
A minute later, Shu finally got out of the car as well. But before they entered school Shu saw Mei looking back at their mom with a nervous grin and giving her two thumbs up.
He could tell Mei was going through a lot today, but she wasn't the only one nervous and dealing with surprising life changes.
The twins soon entered the building, walking past their peers who were chatting amongst themselves. While trying to stay calm about everything.
"Hey Mei, hey Shu," Miriam called out to them, the twins meeting up with Mei's friends.
"Hey, girlfriends. What is up?" Mei greeted them in her awkward monotone voice.
"Uh, what's with the tuques?" Miriam asked them.
"We're having a bad hair day," Shu lied, at least on his part.
Abby then began sniffing the air around Mei and Shu, "Did you guys, like, work out this morning?" she asked the twins.
"I've got you, girl," Priya handed Mei a stick of deodorant which Mei began rubbing on her pits and also strangely on her face for some reason? "I've got you too Shu, I keep a spare just in case. Don't worry this one doesn't smell as girly." Priya handed Shu her spare deodorant and gave him a small smile.
"Thanks, Priya," Shu said, taking the deodorant and giving her a grateful nod. He discreetly applied it, hoping it would mask any lingering odors from his earlier transformation. After he was done, he quickly gave it back to her.
"Mei, we've gotta talk," Miriam said while Mei was still subconsciously rubbing the deodorant all over her body.
"Ok," Mei said, still monotone.
"Tyler's been telling everyone about the Daisy Mart," Miriam said.
"What?" Mei replied.
"He said your mom went nuts," Abby spoke.
"Uh oh…" Shu said with a hint of a wince. He already knew things at the Daisy Mart didn't go so well from what his sister told him. But hearing that Tyler was there to witness it and is already spreading rumors around pretty much confirmed that it seemed worse than what he previously perceived.
"And that you're kind of a perv," Priya added.
"I am not a…" Mei was about to shout, but quickly stopped herself by breathing in deeply, "Tyler is an insecure jerkwad. Words were exchanged. Slight uncomfortable secrets were revealed," she said, handing Priya back her deodorant, "End of storyyy…" her voice suddenly became slurred.
Shu then saw his friend Carter walking by, "Hey Carter!" Shu greeted him with a fist bump.
"Hey, Shu!" Carter greeted back, returning the fist bump. "What's up with the beanie? Trying out a new look?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Shu replied, trying to keep his tone casual. "Just one of those mornings, you know?"
Carter lightly chuckled. "I hear you, man. Well, good luck with that. See you in class."
As Carter walked away toward his locker, Shu turned back to Mei and her friends but then he noticed his sister acting weird. Her eyes were dilated, and she was blushing with her mouth slightly open. It was like she was in some sort of trance.
"Mei. EARTH TO MEI!" Shu shouted while shaking her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.
"Why are you staring at Shu's friend, Carter Murphy-Mayhew?" Miriam asked her, the rest of her friends wanting to know why as well.
"I wasn't," Mei replied. She turned slightly and gasped. On several lockers were various drawings of Mei with Devon, the clerk from the Daisy Mart, "No!" Mei tore one of the pictures down.
"Tyler's been putting these up," Miriam informed them.
They then heard mocking laughter and turned to who was making that. It turned out to be none other than their jerk of a classmate, Tyler.
"Devon, my precious manly man," Tyler said in a mocking tone.
Shu growled at the boy. Tyler was Mei's rival and Shu disliked him just as much as she did. He never knew why Tyler always picked on and messed with Mei, but right now he didn't want Mei to deal with whatever Tyler was doing to her.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" he screamed, drawing the attention of everyone on the scene.
"Girls, go to class!" Shu ordered, not taking his eyes off Tyler. Mei's friends, familiar with Shu's protective nature and the rare but fierce side he sometimes showed, quickly ushered Mei away, casting worried glances back at the unfolding scene. Other students, sensing the tension, began to scatter, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire of Shu's wrath.
Shu stormed over to Tyler, his face a mask of fury. "What the hell is wrong with you!?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Tyler shrugged nonchalantly, clearly unbothered. "Pfft! Lay off, man. It's just a little fun. Heck, your sister is nothing more than a joke to this school and should be treated like one. It even cures me of my boredom." He sneered, clearly enjoying the attention. "Besides, I got a kick out of watching your crazy mom go nuts on a boy who's not even your sister's type. I'm surprised she wasn't arrested for that stunt she pulled at the store. Crazy people like her belong in prison, or the madhouse."
Shu's eyes narrowed, his anger intensifying. "I don't care what my mother does. I care about my sister. And right now, you've gone way too far this time, Tyler! This goes beyond your usual teasing! If this doesn't stop-"
"Oh, yeah? What are you gonna do about it? Give me a swirly in the bathroom?" Tyler chortled, and some of their classmates who were standing nearby laughed along with him. "That little freak just uses you to deal with stuff she can't handle because she's too big of a scaredy cat."
Something inside Shu snapped. Before Tyler could react, Shu grabbed him by the collar of his jersey and slammed him against the lockers, the metal denting from the force.
Tyler, though shocked, tried to maintain a facade of defiance, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him.
Shu's grip tightened, and his voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "Now you listen to me, you ignorant, selfish, nauseating little brat… Do you really have no shame for mocking people over their secrets or insecurities because you find it amusing!? Well, I don't. And every time you do it, it makes me wish I was a predator. That way I could rip you to pieces!" He leaned in closer, his voice barely a growl.
"Continue to do this, and I'll make you wish you had a new dentist because after I'm done with you, your current dentist isn't going to be able to fix the damage I'm going to leave. You're not gonna be able to eat properly or talk again with that annoying big mouth of yours. You better take down those pictures of my sister and Devon, and don't stop until you've thrown out every last one. And you better not tell anyone about our little discussion."
Tyler's bravado faltered. He tried to sound defiant, but his voice came out hoarse and shaky. "What if I say no?"
Shu sneered, his eyes beginning to glow faintly, and his fangs just visible as he leaned in closer. "Because if you even whisper a word about this, I'll make sure you need a new dentist and—" His words were abruptly cut off as someone grabbed his shoulder.
"Shu, get ahold of yourself!" It was Stacy, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion. She looked at him with a mix of concern and alarm. "Everyone's staring at you. Don't make it worse."
Shu glanced around, noticing the fearful faces of the students who hadn't yet fled. Realizing what he'd done, the anger in his eyes faded, and the blue glowing hue that had begun to seep into his eyes receded. He released Tyler, who fell to the ground, gasping for air. Tyler quickly picked himself up, casting a frightened glance at Shu before hurriedly retreating.
Shu stood there, breathing heavily, as the reality of what just happened sank in. He looked down at his hands and saw that they suddenly poofed into white tiger paws. Panic flashed through his eyes as he quickly shoved his hands into his pockets before storming off toward the nearest boys' bathroom, leaving behind a trail of whispers and stunned silence.
As Shu pushed open the bathroom door and entered, he leaned against the sink, trying to steady his breathing. He stared at his reflection, seeing the fear and anger still etched in his expression. His hair, some white thick strands started to peak through the beanie, and his tail and whiskers now appeared as well. The sight of all of this made his stomach churn.
Desperate to regain some sense of normalcy, he reached out to turn on the faucet, but his newfound strength betrayed him. The moment his paw gripped the sink handle, it snapped off with a loud crack, sending a spray of water everywhere.
Panic surged through him as he frantically tried to shove the broken piece back into place, but the water only gushed faster, spilling over the sink and splashing onto the floor.
"Come on, come on!" Shu muttered through gritted teeth, trying to fix the handle with his clumsy paws. After what felt like an eternity, he finally managed to jam it back into place enough to stop the water from leaking.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Shu stepped back, his heart still racing. The mess he'd made mirrored the chaos inside him. He couldn't let this continue—he had to calm down.
He took a deep breath, trying to push down the panic that was threatening to overwhelm him. He reached up and carefully removed the beanie, letting his white-and-black-streaked hair out. The sight only reminded him of how out of control everything had become, but he needed to focus. He didn't know how this was happening or why this was happening, but what he did know was that he had to pull it together.
Shu leaned over the sink and splashed cold water on his face, the shock of it helping to ground him. He closed his eyes, taking slow, measured breaths as he repeated to himself, "Remember... inner peace..."
Gradually, his heartbeat began to slow, and the tension in his muscles eased. He opened his eyes, feeling more like himself again, though the weight of what had just happened still hung heavy on his shoulders. He was back to normal. His paws, Tail, and whiskers were gone again, but with a stark reminder of the changes he couldn't ignore.
"You'll get through this," Shu whispered to himself, his resolve hardening as he pulled the beanie back on. "Just got to get through the rest of school."
As Shu stepped out of the bathroom, trying to steady his nerves, he almost bumped into Stacy, who had been waiting just outside the bathroom door. Her arms were crossed, and she looked at him with a mixture of concern and frustration.
"Shu, what the hell was that?" Stacy demanded; her voice low but intense. "You nearly strangled Tyler in front of everyone! What's going on with you?"
Shu winced, avoiding her gaze as he tried to come up with an explanation. "I—I just lost it, okay? He embarrassed Mei by posting those drawings around school, he was also saying some messed-up stuff about her and my mom, and I just…I don't know, I snapped."
Stacy narrowed her eyes, not entirely convinced. "Shu, I've seen you mad before, but that? That was something else. You looked like you were ready to rip him apart. What happened back there?"
Shu felt a surge of panic rise in his chest again. How could he explain what was happening to him when he barely understood it himself? He couldn't tell Stacy about the Tiger, his black and white hair, or the terrifying rage that had consumed him. Not without sounding completely insane.
"It's just…everything's been stressful lately," Shu said, trying to sound convincing. "Trying to keep up with school. This morning, I just found out Mei-Mei is going through her…you know. Which I didn't need to know from my mom, and with Tyler pushing my buttons, it's… it's just been a lot. I didn't mean to scare everyone."
Stacy studied his face, her expression softening slightly as she took in the genuine fear and confusion in his eyes. "Shu, you know you can talk to me, right? If something's wrong, you don't have to go through it alone."
Shu forced a small, strained smile. "I know, Stacy. And I appreciate it. I just…I need some time to figure things out."
Stacy sighed, clearly not satisfied with his vague answer but willing to give him some space. "Okay, but promise me you won't do something like that again. I don't care how much of a jerk Tyler is, you can't just go around threatening people like that. It's not you."
Shu nodded, though he wasn't entirely sure he could keep that promise if the same rage took over again. "I'll try. I just…need to cool off."
"Good," Stacy said, her tone softening further. She hesitated, then placed a hand on his arm. "Just…take care of yourself, okay? And if you need to talk, I'm here."
Shu nodded again. "Thanks, Stacy. I'll be okay."
Stacy gave him a searching look, as if trying to see through the facade he was putting up. Finally, she stepped back, letting him pass. "Alright. But don't think I'm letting this go. We're going to talk about this later."
Shu managed another weak smile and then walked past her, trying to act as normal as possible while heading to class. But the weight of what had just happened hung heavy on his shoulders, and as he made his way down the hallway, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse from here.
Later in History Class…
Shu sat down at his desk, ready to start class. His mind still racing from the morning's events. The usual chatter of his classmates felt distant, like background noise, as he tried to focus on anything other than the lingering anger and fear that had consumed him earlier. He knew Stacy was right; he needed to get a grip on himself. But how could he, when he didn't even understand what was happening?
As his teacher began his lecture, Shu absentmindedly started taking notes in his notebook, trying to focus on something, anything, other than the fear gnawing at him. But all he could think about was how he had to get through the rest of the day without losing it again.
Shu knew he needed answers, but where could he find them? He couldn't exactly talk to his mom about turning into a Tiger, or his dad, and Mei…well, she had her own issues to deal with. Maybe if he could just keep his cool until the end of the day, he could sneak out to see Mr. Gao.
He was a wise old man who lived across the street from them and always visited their family temple. He knew a lot about ancient history and mythology. Maybe he might know what was happening to him!
As Shu continued to pay attention to the lecture, he then felt a poke on his shoulder. He turned to the person who was trying to get his attention, and it was his desk-mate, Raven Sinclair!
Raven was one of the other goths at school and was one of Carter's friends. He's talked with her a few times. She seemed chill, but she mostly kept to herself. She wore a black graphic T-shirt and a black choker. She had black nail polish on her nails, winged eyeliner, purple lipstick, and a septum piercing. Her hair was shoulder-length with bangs, which were dyed pinkish purple.
"What is it, Raven?" Shu whispered, leaning slightly closer.
Raven glanced around, making sure the teacher wasn't paying attention, then leaned in. "Um, I don't know how to tell you this, but I think that your mom is outside."
"What?!" Shu exclaimed, glancing toward the window. He looked outside and, to his disbelief, saw his mom standing behind a tree, wearing sunglasses. "What the hell?" he muttered, widening his eyes in confusion.
"What's she doing here?" Shu muttered, his heart pounding. "She's never come to school before."
'Wait a minute,' Shu thought to himself. 'Mei's class is just down the hall. Did she come to spy on her!? Why did she even ask me to look out for Mei if she was just going to spy on her anyway?' Shu thought bitterly.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. It felt like a slap in the face—like she didn't trust him to do what she asked, or worse, didn't trust Mei to handle hands clenched into fists under the desk as a surge of anger coursed through him.
To make matters worse, the security guard had approached her, and they seemed to be in a heated argument. Shu's eyes widened in shock as he watched his mom kick the security guard in the shin.
"Mei-Mei, tell him it's mommy!" Shu heard his mom shout from outside. Yep, she was definitely spying on Mei.
"This couldn't get any more embarrassing. For both me and Mei-Mei…" Shu groaned, rubbing his face in frustration. But then, his mom said the one thing no one should ever say in front of their daughter's friends.
"Mei-Mei! Tell him you forgot your pads!" Ming called out, holding up the pads for everyone to see.
Shu sighed, utterly defeated. "I spoke too soon…"
Without thinking, he shot up from his desk and hurried out of the classroom, ignoring the confused stares from his classmates and the teacher's call for him to stop. He had to get to Mei before things got worse.
He bolted down the hallway, up to Mei-Mei's classroom door. He pushed it open just in time to witness something that left him speechless.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" Mei-Mei Shrieked from the shock of embarrassment.
Then suddenly…. POOF!
A huge explosion of pink smoke blew up the classroom knocking over all the desks and chairs everywhere. Even throwing off some of the other students' balance and the force of the explosion threw them against the window.
But what shocked Shu the most was what he saw next. Out of the pink smoke, he saw a large creature with red fur and a ringed tail emerge. It was a giant Red Panda, roaring in frustration! Shu put two and two together and instantly realized who this creature was!
"Mei…" Shu whispered; his voice barely audible over the noise. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His sister, a bright and cheerful girl now transformed into this giant red fluffy beast.
Mei-Mei realizing what she had done quickly bolted out of the classroom and ran past her brother.
Shu sprinted after his twin, managing to stay just a few feet behind her swishing tail. Mei barreled through the hallway, accidentally colliding with two students before dashing into the girls' bathroom.
"Mei?" Shu called out, as he tried to pull the door open, but to no avail. Mei must have locked it. He put his ear to the door to hear if she was still in there. That's when heard a sharp gasp from inside.
"O… M… G!" a familiar voice said slowly.
"Oh no, Stacy..." Shu murmured, feeling a pang of anxiety. It wasn't ideal for his friend to catch Mei in her current state, but he hoped she wouldn't realize it was his sister. The unmistakable sound of the bathroom window sliding open confirmed his fears.
Realizing Mei was trying to make a getaway, Shu darted toward the front door. As he rushed outside, he nearly collided with his mother, who looked just as startled to see him. Together, they bolted out of the building and onto the street, where they spotted Mei darting across the road.
"Mei-Mei! Stop!" Ming called out to her daughter but to no avail. She got into her car and started it up. Shu was about to get in the car too but was stopped by his mother.
"Stay here, Shu," Ming ordered, her voice firm as she locked the car doors. preventing him from getting into the car. "I'll handle this. Get back to class."
"Are you serious?" Shu snapped, his frustration boiling over. "You want me to just go back to class while Mei is out there as a giant Red Panda and freaking out? She needs me, Mom!"
"I said stay here!" Ming barked, her eyes flashing with a rare intensity. "This is too dangerous. You'll only make things worse. Go back inside and let me deal with it."
Shu clenched his fists, his jaw tightening in anger. 'Make things worse?' He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was his twin sister they were talking about, and their mom wanted him to just stand back and do nothing. He had promised his mom that he'd watch over Mei today, and now his mother was pushing him away from helping her.
"You told me to look out for her so that's what I'm doing! Why won't you let me help!?" Shu demanded, his voice rising in frustration. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Mom! I can help her!"
"This isn't a debate, Shu!" Ming's voice was sharp and unyielding. She glanced at the street, where Mei had already disappeared around a corner. "Get back to class. Now!"
"But—" Shu started, but Ming cut him off with a look that said she wasn't going to argue any further. She turned and hurried to turn on the engine, speeding off in the direction Mei had gone.
Shu stood there, seething. His hands balled into fists at his sides, and he had to fight the urge to punch something. His sister was out there, scared and alone, and his mom was treating him like some bystander instead of her son.
"This is so messed up," Shu muttered to himself. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside him. There had to be something he could do. He wasn't going to just stand by and let this happen. Not again.
Ignoring his mom's orders, Shu sprinted off in the opposite direction, determined to find Mei before things got even worse.
As Ming drove after Mei, she called her husband to inform him of the situation. "Jin! Jin, get home now. There's been an emergency!" Ming said to her husband over the phone, "No! Another one…" she replied with dread.
Somewhere near Chinatown…
Shu ran as fast as he could, quickly passing by people on the sidewalk. He figured Mei-Mei with nowhere left to turn was running back home! To hide out or something.
He quickly turned around a corner and saw his mother's car driving down the street, only to get stopped when a sign fell right in front of her car. He looked up and saw Mei-Mei running across the rooftops.
Phew, Shu sighed in relief. 'At least no one got hurt', Shu thought to himself. He might still be mad at his mother, but it was a relief to see she was ok.
Mei-Mei was moving fast, panic fueling her as she leaped from one building to the next. Shu knew he couldn't keep up with her, at least… in this form. Shu knew what he had to do. Without a second thought, he ducked into a narrow alleyway. It was hidden enough for what he needed to do. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing mind.
"Alright. Time to do this." He whispered to himself.
Shu closed his eyes and focused, feeling the familiar surge of energy course through him. And soon he poofed from his human form to his giant White Tiger form.
He flexed his claws, took one last deep breath, and bolted out of the alley, moving on all fours. His new tiger form allowed him to cover ground much faster, and he expertly dodged through the scattered crowds of people who hadn't yet noticed the chaos happening above them.
As Shu raced down the streets in his tiger form, weaving between startled pedestrians, he couldn't avoid every person in his path. His massive frame bumped into a few bystanders, sending them stumbling.
"Hey! Watch it!" a man shouted as he nearly dropped his coffee.
"Oh my God, is that a—" another woman screamed, clutching her friend in fear.
"I'm so sorry!" Shu called out, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. He needed to keep up with Mei-Mei.
Each apology was hurried, breathless, as he dodged around more people who barely registered what had happened, just seeing a white blur past them. Shu's heart pounded in his chest, not just from the exertion but from the chaos he was causing. He knew he was drawing some attention, but there wasn't time to worry about it. Mei-Mei was still ahead, and he had to ensure she was safe.
He continued pushing forward, jumping over a parked car and ducking into another alleyway, quickly leaping onto the nearest rooftop. He could see Mei-Mei a few buildings away, unaware of his pursuit. His mother, now on foot, was running down the street with determination in an attempt to follow and catch up with her.
Shu was closing in on his sister and they were soon near the temple. He needed to grab a hold of her but also didn't want to reveal his new form to her either. He quickly tried to calm and clear his mind in hopes of turning him back.
And… it worked! The force of him turning back even propelled him forward to catch up with Mei. Shu managed to grab hold of Mei's tail and quickly climbed onto her back. Just in the nick of time too. Mei took a giant leap from the roof of Mr. Gao's apartment. Shu could hear the old man gasp in awe as he witnessed the scene. They were rapidly approaching the temple wall, but instead of soaring over it, Mei crashed straight into it, knocking the wind out of her and sending Shu tumbling off her back.
Mei burst through the temple doors, crying. Moments later, their mom appeared, panting heavily, her hair disheveled, and clearly out of breath. Shu could hardly believe she had run all the way here.
"Shu?" Ming said, still gasping for air. "I thought I…," Gasp, "told you to stay at school!"
"Well, SORRY Mom, but there was no way I was just going to go back to class while my sister is going through a crisis!" Shu stated to his mother in a frustrated tone.
Ming wanted to be angry at her son for disobeying her orders, but she was more concerned about her daughter right now.
"We'll talk about this later! Right now, we need to get to Mei-Mei!" Ming told her son before they both ran through the temple.
Ming and Shu rushed toward the house, their hearts pounding with worry. As soon as they stepped inside, they were met with chaos. The house was a disaster, with overturned furniture and scattered belongings trailing from the living room all the way to Mei's room.
"Dang, Mei…" Shu muttered under his breath, taking in the wreckage. They hurried to Mei's door, finding it slightly ajar. Inside, they saw her curled up under her covers, her sobs muffled but unmistakable.
"Mei-Mei?" Ming's voice was gentle as she looked at her daughter's red panda form, concern filling her eyes.
"Don't look at me! Stay back!" Mei cried out, frantically brushing her furry cheeks with her paws, trying to hide herself from their gaze.
"Sweetie… it's okay," Ming said softly, kneeling beside the bed, her voice soothing. "Mommy's here. You don't have to hide from us." She reached out a hand, hesitant yet full of love, hoping to comfort her distraught daughter.
"What's happening to me?!" Mei sobbed, her voice cracking with fear and confusion as she wiped away tears with her paws.
Ming's heart ached, but before she could respond, the door creaked open, and Jin entered the room, his face paling at the sight of his daughter's red panda form.
"It's happened already?" Jin gasped, his voice low with disbelief.
Mei's sobs suddenly quieted, her breathing hitching. She peeked out from under the covers, eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion."…What did you say?" Mei asked slowly, trying to make sense of her father's words.
Jin exchanged a solemn glance with Ming before stepping closer, placing a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "Ming, it's time."
Shu's shock deepened as he looked between his parents. "Mom, you know what this is? You knew this whole time!?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing, realizing that his parents had been keeping something this huge from him and Mei.
Ming sighed, nodding as she met her son's gaze. "Yes, Shu, I do. It's something our family has carried for generations."
Jin stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Both of you need to come with us to the temple. There's a lot you need to understand, and you deserve to hear the full story."
Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think! And if you guys have any ideas or what you would like to see in the next chapter leave it in the comments and I just might add it!