Volume Five: The Shadow
Chapter XVI
The Caretaker
This memory was all coming back to her after so many years. After so long, Tigress visited the old house of Bao Gu, where the caretakers had nursed her since she was an infant. After all the moons, Chen Meigui still did not remember the faces of her biological parents; she could only know a few sheep like the caretaker, including her old friends. Where could they be now?
"Biyu?" Tigress called.
Biyu, the sheep in multicolored robes of intricate red, yellow, and brown, held her hooves close to her mouth, gasping. "Oh! Oogway's blessing! Goodness gracious!" she smiled at the feline. "I can't believe it's you!"
The sheep laughed heartily and approached her, spreading her arms wide. Tigress knelt and hugged her. "Oh, Biyu," the striped feline master grinned. "It has been a very long time."
"Oh, my dear kitten. You have grown up!" Biyu simpered. Thanking the spirits for letting her healthy eyes inspect Tigress's strength and her face, the sheep patted her shoulders. "Why are you so big. . .? What has time been coming to?"
The feline held her still, knowing that time had her and many grow before heading to old age. Age was only natural to everyone. "It was a long time ago, Biyu," Chen Meigui answered, letting the retired caretaker go.
"I thought I would never see you again after you. . . left with the Five to do the mission, my dear," the sheep wept, her tear from her left eye coming out. "It has been. . . so long."
"When was that?" she arched her brows.
The sheep sniffed. "Twenty years?" Biyu guessed but shook her head. "Oh, dear me. My mind is all rusty."
The feline hummed, disappointing herself. "Me too," Tigress said, and they chuckled.
"Auh, come in. Come in!" Biyu guided her into the house before them as the Nine's Doctor was behind them. "I served my tea. And I would like to share it with you, my dear."
Hong cleared her throat. "Master Tigress?"
The feline looked at the rabbit. "Oh, yes. Hong. You can go back to the group," Tigress told her. "Tell them I am meeting the caretaker from Bao Gu. I'll be with them soon."
Hong nodded, strolling towards the complex road. Tigress could see the bunny merge into the stream of civilian hordes as she spotted Tai Lung and Monkey farther up to the next road.
"By the spirits. Is that — Daozi?" the caretaker broadened her cloudy eyes, beaming at the threshold.
"No, it is my friend Hong from the Nine," Tigress answered.
"The Nine?" the sheep asked. "The Fellowship?"
"Yes. Do you know the young fighters?"
"Oh, yes, yes, my kitten. I heard about the Nine everywhere I go," Biyu stretched her lips, droning her tender throat. "She looks like Daozi — your friend who came to you before the goose did. I miss them so much."
Tigress thought about Daozi and the goose, whom she had forgotten to remember his name. Her friends used to be terrified of her since she had grown into a child-like beast; she was no creature with sharp fangs and claws that she would never slaughter anyone. All the eyes did display the true horrors in the dark — the rains showered with hundreds of white flashes, with a shadow of the beast crawling on all fours across the walls, forcing the children to cower in their bedsheets. Their fears faded when they saw Tigress mastered her discipline and temper, all thanks to the late Grandmaster Shifu, who taught her how to control her strength.
Tigress had only two friends after she showed them all with oblongs — the shape of yin and yang — that brought joy to many. They were orphans, and after so many annuals living somewhere in China, most of the orphans who were raised could be gone, but she could only remember the others.
What was the goose's name? Tigress thought. Where is Daozi?
"So, what was a bird saying, Mantis?" Monkey asked.
The insect shared his previous conversation about the last time he and Crane were fighting in the little village during their mission about a month after the Second Gongmen battle. To the langur, the conversation with an avian citizen was bitter as Mantis remembered every word a citizen criticized him and the avian master with an excuse.
"When Crane and I put down crocodile bandits near the swamp, a bird talked shit, so I go, 'Bla-bla-bla,'" Mantis said, with his "whatever" posture while neglecting a villager's criticism when Monkey was on all fours, walking next to Tai Lung. "And then his face had gone red before he walked away like a wimp."
"Like that?" Monkey asked.
"Like that. Bla-bla-bla, you little shit!"
Auh, Mantis.
Monkey could not stop chuckling. The snow leopard had the slightest idea with a brief confusion to follow what this insect complained about but found amusement in comprehending Mantis's strange behavior.
"Do you ever stop cursing?" Tai Lung asked, not as solemn.
"Never and never will be, big guy," Mantis told Tai Lung.
"Hmm. How inappropriate you are, but maybe you could turn those bitter manners off," the leopard suggested. "I do not think Grandmaster Oogway and Shifu ever taught you to curse your tongue in front of all the masters and civilians."
"No. But I make jokes about bandits."
"Me too," Monkey commented.
"But that idiot, who bashed Crane and me for no reason at all, was on my nerves," the insect added, grunting while crossing his limbs. "Thank Crane for not letting me fight that bird."
"Who is that bird you are referring to?"
One of the aces before the warriors emerged — the avian in his lamellar armor with upward shoulder patches. Mantis gasped with his chirped wings, exclaiming himself when flapping his limbs.
"Master Eagle!" Mantis widened his eyes. "It's good to see you too! I was talking about some guy who was being rude. Not to mention—"
"Shh."
Monkey had his digits nudge the insect, silencing Mantis. The Furious Five's comedian cleared his throat. "Nah, we were just chatting about our home."
The avian master gave a cold stare of nonchalance in confusion, but Eagle understood Monkey's perspective. "Indeed," he said, his eyes now meeting the snow leopard, showing courtesy. "Tai Lung."
"Master Eagle," the leopard greeted him with respect, blinking his eyes with a nod.
"You fought well with Tigress and her group."
"So did you and your men."
The avian thrummed his throat with a silvery cream tone. "I see Tigress brought two warriors from the Nine. Master Hong. Master Bao."
"I am at your service, Master Eagle," the Nine's Doctor bowed to him.
And the Nine's Heaver puffed his muzzle with the introduction. "Bao, Eagle. Bao, pleasure."
"It is nice to meet you as well. A few aces of mine find their inspiration much stellar," Master Eagle said, grinning. "Considering the Nine achieved the most daring mission to prevent Boar Commander's conquest, as you were teens, your actions stopping the reign of horrors inspired many and the young. I admired your courage."
"I am flattered to hear, sir," Hong smiled.
"Bao, flattered. Bao, honored."
The Nine's Doctor delivered her fist a soft pat on the ape's bulky arm. "You betcha, big guy."
Eagle cleared his throat to a pardon. "Forgive my interruption. I am hoping I could speak with Master Tigress?" he asked the snow leopard.
"She is meeting an old friend of hers, Master Eagle," Tai Lung answered, crossing his arms. "Tigress will be with you in the moment."
"Hmm. If I may speak with you if that is what you wish."
"And for what purpose, if I may ask?" the leopard inquired.
"To share with you the status of a few critical damages across the capital city and the known whereabouts of the late boar clan leader's hideouts," the avian answered. "Aside from the locations that reveal their turf and the Fire Clan, I would like to speak with you."
"Go on?" Tai Lung allowed Master Eagle to speak plainly.
"For my absence from appearing at the Jade Palace, I did grieve with a loss while on duty to search for other clan leaders," Master Eagle answered. "I would gladly have a moment with you as I like to share my sympathies. You are Grandmaster Shifu's son, is that correct?"
"I am," Tai Lung said, his silky voice numbing under the ripples as bubbles foamed.
"Come, Master Tai Lung," the avian gestured, and the leopard joined his company as they strolled into the road.
"I'll stay close to Tai," Monkey turned to his group. "You two can stay with Tigress."
"Very well," Hong nodded, then walked away. "Come along, Bao. Let's go see Master Tigress."
"Bao, Tigress," the gorilla strolled on all fours with her. Monkey and Mantis could see the two enter the road with a river of pedestrians and ace avians walking in various directions; a few citizens spotted Hong and Bao and uttered them with commemoration when they recalled the Nine the last time the young warriors were here. Not long after, Monkey and Mantis followed Tai Lung and Master Eagle to the nearest pavilion with dark emerald covers outside.
The scents of peppermint and Dragon's Blessing (lavender) wafted near the window where the dusk shone on the flowers. At the sheep's kitchen, the caretaker finished boiling water in a teapot and dug portions of green tea; the sheep sang her hums as she could see her flowers blooming, and Tigress had sat on the corner, seeing the old paintings of children and caretakers and the Bao Gu house next to it before she could see herself — so smaller than the one in charge who initially raised her. What could have changed her from being a creature with innocent eyes to a strong warrior who swore to serve and protect the citizens of frail from bandits and evil forces? How long ago was that?
The remembrance of her living in that place used to be haunting and scarring. Thinking about Bao Gu long enough would not change anything for her because the lack of companionship withered Tigress. From the orphans' perspective, many were frightened of a newcomer like her, who were like the predators that terrorized villagers; the young cub was not like terrible people out there because she was only a child. One of the caretakers denied her sisters, who were hysterical and concerned about the child turning against all innocence. They were proved wrong; all thanks to their sister, the sheep was the only one who nursed Tigress.
"Oh, my kitten. I am so happy you see you, my dear," the caretaker simpered, holding a tray with two steamed tea cups. When placing the tray on the table, they held their cups and sipped. "I am hoping I could meet Grandmaster Shifu — I haven't met him in years."
"I. . ." Tigress trailed her voice off, knowing the sheep did not know the latest news about her late father. "I must say that Shifu was away, Biyu."
The sheep had nearly sipped but withdrew her cup with a slight shock. "Away? You mean — ascended?" the caretaker broadened her eyes, staring at the feline. "Since when?"
"April," Chen Meigui said, her eyes drooping to the tea cup with the reflection of her ambers. "Shifu went to a new home where my tortoise grandfather lives. My father's passing was imminent; he wished to have people like me and the Dragon Master to take care of Oogway's temple."
"What happened to him, my dear? Did he die with conditions?"
"No conditions," the feline said, breathing in. "My father was retired, Biyu. His time was up for him to live with Oogway."
Words from her own struck Tigress, reflecting the last moments of meeting her late father next to the peach tree. Her moment was to see Shifu's spirit swimming away with petals and blossoms, hovering towards the ocean of heavenly stars. All remnants of the yin-yang flowers left to her were the red panda's soul; she hardly cared about him, and after Shifu accepted peace when Po banished Tai Lung to the Spirit Realm, he was all there for his daughter, unwilling to follow the same mistake again.
"Oh, Tigress. I am sorry for your loss. My condolences, my dear," Biyu held her hoof on the feline's digits. "I didn't know."
She looked at her own tea. "I missed Dad."
"With that look on your face, I know how you feel," the sheep expressed empathy. "I lost someone, and I have been thinking about my mother every single day. I was in her chamber to have her sip Ying's Healing."
The striped feline master heard about the medicine that saved her panda friend from a harsh cold — a lifesaving story that Mei Mei fell under the ice near a frozen waterfall. With a strange benefit from the remnants of herbs and cherry flavors, a warm sip, engulfing with the serpent's flames, flushed all the shivers away. And Mei Mei was relieved to see the rescuer who caught her out of the current.
The caretaker looked at the striped feline master. "Mother never wanted the medicine anymore. The old age made her frail, and she thought about wanting to live with the other who loved her dearly — my father. He died of sickness a week before I joined with caretakers at Bao Gu."
Tigress could see the sheep's eyes closed. "Knowing her time nearly came, my mother looked at me and said she would live in my heart wherever I go. Mama and Papa will be with you," Biyu said. "Her breaths whizzed throughout the night; I stayed close to her heart, and I told my mother that I loved her. Her wheezes were gradual in the morning, and her grasp was loose. And after the sun came up. . ."
"I am sorry," Tigress sympathized with her, her other claw holding onto the sheep's hoof. "My condolences."
"Thank you. . ."
Their conversation went short beforehand. As Chen Meigui made a brief tale about how she had been accomplishing with the Furious Five and Shifu before the Dragon Warrior, including the last ten years with them, Biyu was impressed at Meigui's missions and her incredible journeys.
"Goodness me. The world is filled with spills. Oh, dear," Biyu held her hooves between her thin muzzle.
"Yes," Tigress had her head wander off to the flowers, seeing the petals luminate with a dusk hue. A rose stood brightly, having Tigress reminded her aunt crossing on the garden bridge. She could finally tell the caretaker about living with a long-lost family. "There is something you should know, Biyu," Tigress turned to her. The sheep's brows stretched toward her forehead. "After all the years, I could never find anyone who looks like me to raise a child. But after many moons. . ."
"What is it, my dear?" the caretaker asked her. And the feline looked up to her, stretching half of her grin.
"I found. . . I found my family related to my parents."
The sheep prevailed over her shocked face, arching her brows with incredible wonder, holding her heart. "You found them?" the caretaker queried with glee.
"After all these years," Chen Meigui began. "I knew only a name that you came up with and got used to it ever since. And now, my aunt recognizes her sister's face — my mother. She remembers the name I was given at birth."
"You do?" the sheep held her hooves on her lips.
"I am. . ."
Tigress! Tigress, the Monster!
A haunting memory dragged her into a self-isolated room where claw marks on the walls lingered. The light from the window showed the type of this poor cub, who was only a child with innocent eyes. Doubts and anger initially prevailed in her; only the teacher's eyes, she was only a little girl. Chen Meigui would not have that dark past cloaking the present and the tomorrow, knowing the striped feline warrior would let the past go and be what she deserved the moment she had everything that stayed with her — the Five, Oogway, Shifu, her aunt and nephew, Po and his fathers, pandas and her student, Lei Lei.
And finally, bringing herself with a calming thought, Master Tigress introduced her to a long-lost name. "I am Meigui."
"Oh. . ." the sheep broadened her mouth, now as delighted more than ever. "Oogway's blessing. It's a lovely name."
Is it? Chen Meigui thought.
"That name comes from the dirt, my dear. A red rose, sprouting to a blooming flower, does have sharp-edge thorns like daggers, my dear. They are like protectors, and thorns cut off unfriendly clutches from foes harming petals," the sheep elaborated, gazing at the feline's cloth texture on her left torso.
Meigui had reflections about the rose myth that meant her name; although, she regarded thorns like claws and teeth to her defense, and a red rose shone in the days and the dark, emerging to a majestic bloom before other flowers. Not as royal as other blossoms were. When giving a last sip of her tea while watching the sun sinking, Meigui saw the caretaker's hoof blanketing her quivered lips.
The sheep was sniffing.
"Oh, please forgive me," her eyes became watery.
"Biyu?" Tigress arched her brows. She could see the sheep stand up and lean towards the window with roses before them.
"I remember you came at the front door," the caretaker began, with her rigid words clutching her throat. "You were the only one swathed in a fancy cloth that came with it —" she turned to the feline. " — A rose symbol."
Tigress regarded that her aunt, Chen Ming, mentioned the sigil at Bao Gu. At this time, the sheep continued, staring at the petals she caressed. "I thought it was a texture," Biyu said, her eyes beginning to stream tears. "Good heavens. . . I was hysterical, in fear of your kind. Fear of them because I never get close to the tigers."
She cleared her tears but could not after remembering the poor child in her arms, nursing her while sitting on the chair. "But you are the closest one," the caretaker told Meigui, turning to her. "I was afraid of understanding who they are. But you, my dear, changed me. Neither the orphans understood until they were close to you fondly."
Neither did I understand why they were afraid of me. Meigui reflected. For a moment, the sheep's tears unleashed.
"When I brought Master Shifu to Bao Gu, I never thought about what he could do to you; he had the advantage of controlling your strength."
"He taught me well," Meigui said, the sense of downcast receding from overflowing her heart with regrets. She could reflect on the delightful moments of being by her father's side and her friends close to their teacher.
"I am sorry for your loss, Tigress. . . Oh," Biyu had her hoof meet her forehead, moaning. "Oh, dear me. I called you again for so many years."
"Biyu, it's alright."
And the sheep's eyes flashed to a glare.
"I am at fault for being a terrible caretaker who should have never treated a sweet, precious girl like you," the caretaker sobbed. "If-if I called you something that made you angry, I—I am sorry for everything!"
The caretaker's eyes started shedding before her hooves, attempting to barricade herself but could not resist her guilt. Biyu despised herself for labeling the young girl's eyes as a horrid creature. But Tigress was no cub, despite her growth allowing Tigress to comprehend the feelings of one another.
Weeping, Biyu felt limbs enfolded on her, something warmth with caresses. The sheep never thought she could ever be hugged by one of the orphans again every day and night, remembering a last hug from the girl like her own child. And this embrace comforting her from the striped feline master lessened her weeps, her red tears softening from spurting more.
Oh, my dear child. Biyu caressed the feline's back paw before leaning her head to Meigui's head, glancing at the window where the rose still towered before the dusk sank and shattered its heavenly beams through a blanket of clouds.
The dusk still shone with its rot orange, and Monkey stood beside the threshold of the archway, locking his digits together under his stomach; the langur still glanced at Master Eagle speaking with Tai Lung inside the dark green pavilion across the shattered courtyard. Mantis was on his companion's shoulder, his insect wings quivering with sputters. The bug assumed the conversation between the two masters took longer, and Monkey could think that Tigress had moments with Master Eagle several years back. They could hardly remember the last time when their feline friend mentioned the old avian, who claimed to be Shifu's companion after Grandmaster Oogway introduced him, Chen Ming, and the young leopard.
After contemplating his memory, Monkey surveyed a few bovines across the road before the brick structures, their hammers hammering the nails against the mugshot posters - the faces of missing citizens and wanted bandits. The langur leaned his shoulder away from the archway.
"Hey," the bug nudged his friend's neck. "What do you think Master Eagle is talking to Tai Lung about?"
"Maybe a reunion thing. Could be sharing sympathy with Tai," Monkey thought. "How are you holding up?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, after that bovine slit his throat back there, you thought about him?"
This had the bug contemplate bitter moments before the bandit's eyes broadened to dryness and the splotches that sprayed on Hong's paws. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Monkey; I am on the same boat with Hong. I felt bad for the bandit who was mindlessly loyal to the boar clan leader. She was the only one who knew him and told me about that guy."
"Remember we encountered a few who took their easy way out?" the langur asked, looking down at his feet.
"Yeah. Bandits made their final choice; they refused to head back to the cells," Mantis said, losing his thought; he squinted at the mugshot across the path near the right side of the alleyway. "I'm bored; I'll look at the posters over there. Let me know when Tai Lung is out."
The bug hopped off and sprang to the sidewalk on the opposite road before entering the alleyway. After seeing his friend merge to the corner, Monkey looked back at the pavilion; he could see the snow leopard and the avian still conversing, though sitting on their chairs while sipping tea cups. Behind him, a sow villager driving behind the cart with bananas and red apples excused the langur, and he stepped aside for her. This table where the masters were there had Monkey reminded of Shifu and Oogway enjoying their conversation together, entertained by Monkey's not-so-terrible jesters. He thought his jokes would disappoint his teachers; instead, Monkey's stand-up play and his slight sense of humor character were valid in his heart, as if his teachers followed where his one-line jokes were at all the means.
"Not bad, Monkey. Not bad at all."
Monkey heard the red panda's silvery drones creamed with honey when he successfully adapted his agility acrobatics inside the Training Hall, swinging on spikey rings underneath the behemoth ceiling, plunging into the ring gaps. He finished one of the trials of the mastery teachings before Crane and Mantis became the last ones performing theirs. With the rank of a student-master, Monkey felt one's pride compared to his late mother, enduring greatness in her eyes and bearing honor in his mentor's eyes.
A soft pat from Shifu was all Monkey could ever earn from being accepted to the Jade Palace.
"Master Monkey."
A voice from Hong called from the langur's back, and she held two bananas in her arms, handing one to him.
"Oh. Thank you," Monkey simpered, peeling the fruit's flesh off.
"I thought this one could cheer you up for a bit, so here you go," the Nine's Doctor pulled her grin, beginning to eat her banana. Behind the two, crossing from the near-crowded road, Bao sauntered with his heavy palms.
"Bao, fruit. Bao, healthy," the Nine's Heaver heightened his soft grunt.
"How is Tai Lung holding up?" the bunny asked.
"Still hanging out with Master Eagle," Monkey answered, chewing his fruit. "Maybe like half an hour." He turned to her. "And Tigress?"
"She's still speaking with the sheep. Where's Mantis?"
"He's right by the alleyway where wanted and missing pictures are," Monkey guided his digit at the corner.
"Great."
After a few moments of waiting outside for the leopard to depart from Master Eagle's presence, Monkey and Hong found the insect by the corner of the alleyway, gesturing to them. When Tai Lung emerged from the avian's pavilion and presented his bow to late Shifu's companion, Bao followed the two masters and entered the alley before the antelope and bovine officers pinned new faces a few yards before them. Not long after Monkey momentarily observed unfamiliar heads of mugshots — missing citizens and wanted criminals — the langur took his sharp turn and heard Mantis's shout.
"Guys! You are not going to believe this!" the insect chirped his wings when springing, pointing at the picture. "Come over here and look at this one!"
Monkey approached. "Where?"
"There!"
All the eyes did follow, leaning toward the second column and third picture on the right. One reptile out of three bovines and two wolves appeared, and Hong snatched the mugshot painting that illustrated the crocodile with a black metal helmet. Depicting the name of this "wanted" criminal before their eyes, warriors invited their gazes and shared their gasp expressions before the snow leopard joined the group by their side.
From Hong's eyes, she hardly knew the crocodile. From the appalled eyes of Monkey and Mantis, they remembered him. The langur intensified his shocked voice.
"Fung?!"
Author's Note:
— Special thanks to my beta reader, gsmith1030, who checked for any signs of errors!
— Another good cliffhanger, eh? This is where a mystery begins with a single step after discovering Fung's appearance, and I have been planning for him to appear for a few years. Now we know our crocodile buddy is alive after he and his friend Gary (NO! *Clutches a metal hat and slams it on the cobblestone.* It's GAHRI! Darn it, Fung!) went missing with the water deer (Jade Tusk) while my OC bear Mingling and Kai fought last time in The Trinity, Book I.