Chapter 4 : Reunions and Unspoken Decisions
he morning sun shone brightly over the bustling docks of Gongmen City, casting a warm golden hue across the river. The boat that carried Leo, Tigress, Viper, and the rest of the group slowly approached the pier. As the boat drew closer, Leo's heart skipped a beat—Gongmen City had always held a special place in his memories. It was here that he met Panther months ago when Lord Shen and Prince Sying was alive back then.
The moment the boat docked, Leo stepped off with a sense of anticipation. Standing at the end of the dock, awaiting their arrival, was a familiar figure.
Panther.
Leo's breath caught in his throat. She was just as striking as he remembered her. Her presence had only grown with time, adding a quiet strength to her sharp features. Her jade eyes, always so vibrant and filled with determination, now sparkled in the morning sunlight. Her long black hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, showcasing the sharp angles of her face and the confidence in her posture.
She wore a simple black tank top that exposed her toned stomach, black pants, and white shoes—functional yet elegant. Despite the gravity of the occasion, there was a calm, almost serene confidence that emanated from her. It was a sense of familiarity, one that Leo hadn't realized he missed so much until he saw her standing there.
The two locked eyes, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fall away. The memories of their shared past—the endless hours of training at the Tao Palace in the human world, their unspoken bond—rushed back to him in an instant.
Tigress, ever observant, noticed the slight tension in Leo's shoulders as he stepped forward. She gave him a small, knowing look before she and the rest of the group followed suit, making their way onto the dock.
"Panther!" Po called out enthusiastically, breaking the moment between Leo and his childhood friend. "It's so good to see you again! You look even more fierce than ever!"
Panther smiled, a warm expression on her face, but her gaze lingered on Leo for just a moment longer. "It's good to see you all again," she replied, her voice smooth and steady, carrying with it the same confidence Leo remembered. "But I think we both know who I'm really here for."
Leo took a step forward, his heart still fluttering slightly in his chest. "Panther…" he said, his voice soft yet filled with an unspoken depth.
Before they could continue, Master Ox stepped forward with a respectful nod. "It's good to see you all, but we must make our preparations for the funeral," he said, his deep voice carrying authority. "Shifu and I will be staying behind to finalize the arrangements for Master El. You all should head to the hotel and get settled in. We'll join you in a few days."
The group nodded in acknowledgment, and with that, Master Ox and Shifu turned to make their way back to the city, leaving the others to head toward their temporary lodging.
Leo, Tigress, Viper, Po, and the rest of the Furious Five followed Panther through the winding streets of Gongmen City. Despite the solemnity of their purpose, there was a sense of ease in the air. It felt good to visit the city again.
As they arrived at the luxurious hotel, Leo couldn't help but admire the grandeur of the building. It was opulent, the kind of place that made even the most well-traveled warriors stop and take notice. The marble floors, the intricate decorations, and the sweeping arches—everything about it was meticulously designed.
After everyone settled into their rooms, the group gathered in a small sitting area in the hotel's main hall. It wasn't long before Panther found her way to Tigress and Viper, who had been quietly discussing something amongst themselves.
Panther approached them, her expression neutral but her eyes full of understanding. "I heard Leo decided not to come to the funeral," she said, her voice low but steady.
Tigress looked over at Viper, her gaze shifting as if to silently confirm something. "Yes, he made that decision a while ago back on the boat," Tigress replied, her tone calm but heavy with the weight of the unspoken. "We're not sure why Leo made that decision."
Viper, ever the one to add a playful twist to any conversation, couldn't help herself. "He's been a bit… difficult," she teased, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Last night, we tried to give him a little preview, but he wasn't having it."
Panther raised an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. "A preview?" she asked, clearly curious.
Tigress gave a small, amused sigh. "Just some light teasing," she explained, clearly understanding Panther's unspoken question. "We pushed a little, but nothing serious."
Panther nodded, her gaze momentarily flickering toward Leo's door, where he was no doubt still brooding. "I see. But I'm not surprised he made this decision," she said quietly. "He's always been like that. Not one to face things unless he has to."
The weight of those words hung in the air for a moment, and Tigress and Viper exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. They all knew Leo too well. They knew that, no matter how much they teased him or tried to encourage him, some things he simply wasn't ready to face.
Viper, ever the optimist, smiled lightly. "He'll come around. He always does. He just needs time. We all do, sometimes."
Panther didn't answer right away. Instead, she stared out the window, her eyes distant as she reflected on the situation. She had known Leo for years, and she understood the complexity of his emotions better than most. But some things were better left unspoken, especially when it came to their past.
Finally, she turned to Tigress and Viper, a quiet understanding in her gaze. "I'll talk to him," she said softly. "Maybe I can help him through this."
Tigress nodded, her expression more serious now. "We'd appreciate that, Panther," she said, her voice laced with quiet gratitude. "Leo trusts you in a way he doesn't trust the rest of us."
Viper added with a playful but supportive grin, "You've got a way with him, Panther. Go work your magic."
Panther smiled faintly, but there was a quiet resolve behind it. "I will. He's been carrying a lot, and sometimes the weight of it all makes him retreat into himself. But I know he's stronger than that. I'll help him when the time comes."
With that, the conversation tapered off, and the group quietly settled into their respective rooms for the night. Outside, the lights of Gongmen City flickered, a reminder of the city's history, its strength, and the memory of those who had trained here.
As Panther sat by her window, looking out at the vast city stretching before her, she felt a mix of nostalgia and resolve. The upcoming funeral was a reminder of the fragility of life. But it was also an opportunity for healing—for Leo, for all of them.
And, as always, Panther would be there for him, even if he didn't always want her to be.
The evening fell over Gongmen City like a quiet shroud, the soft murmurs of the city below unable to pierce the heavy silence in Leo's room. He stood by the window, staring out at the lanterns lighting the streets, but his mind was far from the city's serenity. Instead, it was filled with memories that had haunted him for the past decade—memories he had tried so hard to bury.
The funeral for Master El was only days away. He had been here for a few hours now, but his decision remained unchanged. He wasn't going. He couldn't.
And the weight of it pressed down on him.
His thoughts drifted, once again, to the promise he made ten years ago, to Fang. The night she died in his arms, her last breath a soft whisper on the wind. The promise had been made in the aftermath of the storm that had torn their world apart—a promise to stay strong, no matter what. To never let anyone see him fall, to never shed a tear, to never be like everyone else who broke under the weight of loss.
He had kept that promise. For ten years.
There was a soft knock at the door, a quiet sound that barely reached him through the fog of his thoughts.
"Leo?" came the familiar voice of Panther. "Can we talk?"
He didn't need to open the door to know it was her. Her voice, always steady, always knowing. She had been with him through everything, from the moment Fang died to every moment after. There was no hiding from Panther, not when it mattered most.
With a deep breath, Leo turned away from the window and walked toward the door. He didn't want to talk. Not now, not about this. But he couldn't avoid it, not with her.
He opened the door, and there she was—Panther, standing in the hallway, looking as composed and self-assured as ever. Her striking jade eyes held him in their gaze, and for a moment, they just stood there.
"Can I come in?" she asked softly.
He stepped aside, allowing her to enter. The room was sparse, just like it always was—no luxury, no distractions. Just him and his thoughts, for better or worse.
Panther walked in and surveyed the space. She always had a way of making any room feel both small and safe, the kind of presence that made the air feel more manageable.
Without a word, she sat down on the, her posture as calm as her demeanor. Leo lingered by the door, unsure of what to say, how to start this conversation. He closes the door behind him.
Finally, Panther spoke, her voice quiet but resolute. "I heard you decided not to go to the funeral." She paused, watching him. "I thought you might change your mind."
Leo didn't respond at first. He didn't need to. His silence said everything.
Panther's expression softened, but there was no judgment, only understanding. "You don't have to go, Leo. I'm not going to push you." She sighed. "But I know why you're avoiding it."
Leo's heart tightened in his chest. He hated how well she knew him. How well she always had known him.
"You've been carrying that promise for ten years," Panther continued, her tone soft but filled with the weight of shared history. "I understand that. But you can't keep holding onto it forever."
"I made a promise," Leo muttered, his voice rough. "To Fang."
Panther nodded slowly. "I remember. You promised you wouldn't shed a tear. You promised you wouldn't fall apart like the others."
Leo's throat tightened, and he looked away, unwilling to meet her gaze. "I fucking promised, Panther, damnit," he repeated with a soft growl, his voice strained.
"I know," she said quietly, her gaze steady. "But that promise wasn't just for her, Leo. It's been for you, too. You've been carrying it all these years, and I get it, I do. But you're not the same person you were ten years ago. You've been holding onto that grief, trying to keep it all inside, thinking that's the only way to honor her. But it's not. It's just… eating away at you."
Leo clenched his jaw, the pressure building in his chest. The last thing he wanted was for Panther to remind him of what he had buried so deeply. "I can't break it," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "If I break it, then everything fucking falls apart. I'll be just like everyone else who couldn't handle it. I can't be like them."
Panther's eyes softened with sympathy. She stood up slowly and walked toward him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to be like them. You don't have to carry it alone anymore, Leo."
Leo shook his head, stepping back from her. "I'm not going to the funeral, Panther. Not now, not ever. I promised her, and I can't break that."
"Leo," Panther said, her voice quiet, almost a whisper. "You're not breaking the promise. You're just facing the truth. Fang would want you to live, to keep moving forward. She wouldn't want you to be trapped by this promise, to be trapped by your grief forever."
Leo's heart raced, his breath shallow. The words were true, but the truth felt like a weight pressing against his chest, suffocating him. He had spent so many years convincing himself that holding onto the promise was what kept him strong, but now… now it felt like an anchor pulling him under.
"I'm not ready to let go," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I can't. Not yet."
Panther didn't push him, didn't try to force him to do something he wasn't ready for. She simply sat there, her gaze steady, her presence grounding. "I'm not asking you to let go completely. But you don't have to carry it alone anymore, Leo. And you don't have to carry it this way. It doesn't make you weak to mourn, to grieve. It makes you human."
Leo felt his chest tighten again, and he looked away, unable to bear the intensity of her gaze. "I made the promise for a reason, Panther. If I let go of it, then… I'll be just like everyone else who crumbles. I won't be who I promised to be."
Panther's expression softened further, but there was no pity in her eyes—only understanding. "You're not failing anyone, Leo. You're not breaking anything. You're just letting yourself heal. You can still honor her without locking everything away. You're allowed to feel, to hurt."
"I'm not fucking going to the funeral," Leo said again, his voice hard now, almost final. "I won't. And I won't shed a tear."
Panther watched him for a long time, as if weighing his words, considering his pain. Finally, she spoke, her tone gentle but firm. "Okay. But just remember, Leo… grief doesn't wait for you to be ready. It'll come for you, whether you want it to or not."
Leo didn't reply, his silence saying all that needed to be said.
After a long pause, Panther stands up and stepped back toward the door, her movements slow and deliberate. Panther places a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be here if you change your mind," she said quietly. "But for now, you don't have to face it alone. We're all here for you."
As she left the room, Leo was left with only the sound of his own breathing. His promise, the one that had bound him for so many years, felt like it was closing in around him, suffocating him. But he refused to let go. Not yet. Not now.
He couldn't.
The soft click of the door closing echoed through Leo's room, and for a moment, he was alone again. The silence that followed felt heavy, suffocating in its intensity. Panther's words lingered in the air, wrapping around him like an invisible weight. He hadn't intended to speak with her about any of it—hadn't wanted to. But she had found a way through, as she always did, breaking down the walls he had built so carefully around his grief.
He couldn't let go. Not yet. The promise he made to Fang still clung to him like a second skin. How could he?
The night sky outside the window seemed to call to him, a quiet whisper in the dark, offering some kind of escape. Leo stood slowly, his movements stiff and deliberate, as he crossed the room and opened the window. The cool breeze immediately washed over him, but it did little to quell the fire that burned deep inside. The city of Gongmen spread out before him, its lights shimmering like a thousand distant stars, but it all felt too far away.
"Leo," came the soft voice from the door, pulling him from his thoughts.
He didn't turn around. Not at first. Leo knew the voice.
Tigress. He could feel her presence before he even heard her voice, the unmistakable force of her energy filling the space. It was as if the room had shifted the moment she stepped inside.
He knew she was waiting, watching him silently, but he kept his back to her, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside. "I don't want to talk, Tigress," Leo said, his voice quieter than he intended. "So go back to your room."
Tigress stepped closer, her footsteps deliberate but light, like a predator on the hunt. "I know you're struggling," she said, her voice laced with understanding but firm. "But ignoring it won't change anything. I know you're still grieving. And I know you're still holding on to that promise."
Leo clenched his jaw, his fists tightening by his sides. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to be reminded of the one thing that had defined him for so long.
"I don't need your pity," he replied, though the words felt hollow even to him. "Does it look like I need your pity?"
Tigress didn't flinch at his words, her presence unwavering as ever. "It's not pity, Leo. It's understanding. I'm not trying to make you go to the funeral. I just want you to talk about it. You don't have to carry everything on your own. You've been carrying it for ten years. I'm here."
The words lingered in the air, hanging between them, and for a moment, Leo felt something stir inside him—a crack in the wall he had built. But he slammed it down before it could break through.
"I can't break my promise," he said, the words coming out like they were made of stone. "It's not about you or anyone else. It's about me. I made that promise to Fang, and I'm not going to break it."
He heard her take a step closer. Her voice softened. "Leo… You don't need to break the promise to honor her. But you need to give yourself the chance to heal. If you keep running away from it, it's only going to hurt you more."
He didn't respond. His heart was racing, his mind caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The pull of her words, the weight of his promise… It was all too much. He could feel the tension between them, the years of unspoken understanding, and the deeper connection that had always been there.
Before he could say another word, Tigress moved closer, her steps steady and sure. Without warning, she reached out and grabbed his arm, her fingers strong, pulling him toward her. Leo, caught off guard, turned to face her. His heart skipped a beat as their eyes locked, and for a brief, fleeting moment, he saw something in her gaze—a deep, quiet longing, mixed with concern.
Before he could react, Tigress closed the distance between them, her hands gently cupping his face. She kissed him then—softly, slowly, and with a kind of tenderness that took Leo by surprise. It wasn't a kiss of passion, not at first. It was something else entirely: a kiss of understanding, of connection.
Leo's mind screamed at him to pull away, to maintain control. But the warmth of her lips, the steady comfort of her presence, sent a rush of emotions he wasn't ready to face flooding to the surface. He hadn't realized how much he needed her, how much he needed this, until now. But even in the heat of the moment, something inside him resisted.
Tigress pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, her hands still on his face. "Leo…" she whispered, her voice low and full of concern. "You don't have to do this alone. I'm not asking you to forget. Just to let go of the burden. For both of us."
He swallowed hard, trying to steady his breath. His pulse was still racing, but he wasn't sure if it was from the kiss, or the weight of her words.
With a heavy sigh, Leo stepped back, his expression distant, his mind still a storm of confusion. "I can't, Tigress. I can't let go. Not yet. I'm not ready."
She didn't argue, didn't try to convince him further. She simply nodded, her gaze unwavering as she took a step back. "I understand," she said, her voice soft but resolute. "But don't shut me out, Leo. You don't have to carry everything alone."
Leo didn't reply. He couldn't. The words were caught in his throat, tangled in a sea of conflicting thoughts and emotions.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door. He needed air—distance. He needed to escape for a moment before everything he had been holding inside exploded.
Tigress remained standing by the window, watching him go, her expression unreadable.
Leo stepped out into the cool night air, feeling the weight of the city press down on him once more. He didn't know where he was going, or what he hoped to find, but for a moment, he was alone again. Away from the questions, away from the expectations.
He needed to breathe.
The moon hung high above Gongmen City, casting a silver glow on the cobblestone streets as Leo walked alone, his footsteps quiet against the night air. He had left the hotel at exactly nine thirty in the evening, his mind still a whirlwind of thoughts after his brief encounter with Tigress. She had tried, as she always did, to comfort him, to help him carry the weight of his grief. But tonight, he needed to be alone. He needed the solitude of the city streets, away from the heavy weight of unspoken words.
The city at night was quieter than he had expected, the hum of distant conversations and occasional laughter the only sounds that filled the air. Leo walked with no particular destination in mind, his eyes scanning the streetlights, the ancient architecture of Gongmen's buildings, but none of it seemed to matter. His thoughts kept returning to one thing: the promise.
He could hear Tigress's voice in his head, the way she had told him, gently but firmly, that he didn't need to carry everything alone. But the promise was his burden, not hers. He couldn't break it. Not now, not for anyone.
Lost in thought, Leo didn't even notice the familiar figure sitting at a small cart until he was almost upon it. Po, the Dragon Warrior himself, was munching on a plate of bean buns, his eyes scanning the street as he chewed contentedly.
"Hey, Leo!" Po's voice rang out with his usual enthusiasm, making Leo flinch slightly before he turned to face him.
"Po," Leo greeted, his voice flat, trying to mask the storm of emotions swirling inside him. "What are you doing here?"
Po waved a bun at him with an exaggerated flourish. "Just enjoying a snack. You know, after a long day of heroic work, a bean bun really hits the spot!" He grinned wide, crumbs falling from the corner of his mouth.
Leo couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement at Po's antics, even if it didn't fully reach his eyes. He glanced around, noticing how peaceful the city felt, the gentle sounds of the night.
"You okay, Leo?" Po asked, his tone a little more serious now. "You seem… off. Is everything alright?"
Leo took a deep breath, his shoulders stiff. He didn't want to talk about it. Not now, not with Po. But Po, being Po, wasn't going to let it slide that easily. The big panda finished chewing a bite of his bean bun and wiped his mouth before locking eyes with Leo.
"I heard you're not going to the funeral," Po said softly, not accusatory, but there was concern in his voice. "Why not?"
Leo's gaze hardened, though he wasn't looking directly at Po. He stared at the ground, the words feeling heavy on his tongue. "It's not my place," he muttered. "Master El meant something to all of you. But not to me. I don't need to be there."
Po blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting the response. He set the plate of buns down on the cart and stood up, walking over to Leo. "Come on, Leo. You don't really believe that, do you? You don't need to be there for just Master El. You need to be there for all of us—for yourself, too."
Leo's jaw tightened, and he tried to step around Po, but the panda moved to block his path. "Po, it's fine. I don't need your help."
"Don't do that, Leo," Po said, his voice suddenly quieter, more earnest. "I know you think you're doing the right thing by staying away, but… that's not true. I get it, okay? I understand that grief makes you want to pull away, that it makes you feel like you're protecting yourself. But you're not just shutting out the pain. You're shutting out the people who care about you. You're shutting out me."
Leo stopped in his tracks, the weight of Po's words settling on him like a boulder. He swallowed hard, but still, he didn't speak. He couldn't. Not yet.
Po placed a large paw on his shoulder, gently pulling him to face him. "Listen, I know it's hard. I do. I've lost people too. But you don't have to carry this by yourself. And the funeral isn't just about saying goodbye to someone. It's about being with the people who understand. It's about facing the pain together, and letting go. You don't have to be alone with it."
Leo's eyes flickered with a mixture of frustration and uncertainty, the familiar weight of his promise still looming over him. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words felt stuck. He couldn't say it, not to Po, not to anyone.
"I can't go, Po," he finally muttered, his voice quiet, almost inaudible. "I promised… I promised I wouldn't shed a tear."
Po furrowed his brow, trying to process the words, but it was clear he didn't fully understand. "What do you mean? You promised who?"
Leo's face tightened, and he turned away, suddenly uncomfortable with the vulnerability in Po's gaze. "It doesn't matter. I made the promise. I'm not breaking it."
For a long moment, Po said nothing. Then, he sighed deeply, his expression softening. "Leo… you're more than just your promises. You're not some machine, some perfect warrior who never feels pain. You're allowed to hurt, you're allowed to grieve. No promise, no matter how important, should weigh you down forever."
"I can't break it," Leo repeated, his voice more forceful now, like a shield he was raising to protect himself. "Not for anyone."
Po studied him for a moment, searching his face as if looking for something. "I don't want to force you to do anything, Leo. But just think about it, alright? Think about how you'll feel if you keep pushing people away, if you keep running from this."
Leo said nothing, only giving Po a brief nod, though the words didn't quite reach him. He didn't feel ready to face what Po was offering him, not yet. He wasn't even sure he could.
With a final, reluctant glance at Po, Leo turned and started walking away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The evening air was cool against his skin, and the streets were empty save for the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. He needed to clear his head. To be alone.
Po watched him walk away, but said nothing more. He understood the unspoken words between them: Leo wasn't ready, not yet. But he hoped, with all his heart, that someday Leo would find the strength to let go of his burden.
Leo continued walking, the city stretching out before him. But inside, it was quiet. Too quiet.
And in that silence, the promise he made to Fang echoed louder than ever.
Author's Note: What do you guys think? I hope you all enjoy this chapter, everyone! Don't forget to Follow, Favorite, leave a review and PM!