Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Steady."

Crane had to be careful with this box, he bit down on the rope as best as he could considering flying with boxes over such a short distance was pretty wasteful. 

That and he lacked the space for it in the dorm anyway. 

So he had to do it the old-fashioned way, get a rope and tie it around whatever he needed to carry and go. 

"Steady." He repeated as he neared the storage facility door to the right of their dorms, he could feel the cool moss and stone under his feet. 

With a wip of his wing against the open door, there was now enough room to go inside without much trouble. 'Should have opened that wider first.' The avian chided himself as he stepped into the dusty old building. It was long, wide, and filled to the brim with personal items from the residents of the palace considering they couldn't fit everything inside. 

He had to hold himself back from sneezing after placing the box in a clear space. "Maybe I should dust this place too while I'm at it..." He let loose his sneeze right after that thought escaped his mouth. 

Smart. He was really smart. 

But there was no time to worry about cleaning this building, he had to finish cleaning up his room and the room Mei Ling would be using during her visit here this month. His eyes scanned the small area one last time, some curiosity nibbling at his consciousness knowing he had old works of his in here somewhere. 

The bird shook his head and finally turned away at the multitude of boxes, scrolls, and personal items scattered around its interior. 

"Haa...." He breathed in the fresh air of the outside, no dust to clog his nostrils up. And then he breathed out, enjoying the quiet of the area, it was slowly changing color due to the changing seasons. There was not only green but yellow and even orange in the leaves on the trees and even littering the ground. 

'Mei ling will love this scenery.' He thought happily as he moved his wings about. 

He was about to start his trek back before he noticed something. 

Or rather someone. 

Under one of the trees near the storage house he'd been looking at, he somehow, no she probably kept out of sight. Crane corrected himself. 

If Tigress didn't want to be found he would not be seeing her. 

He looked into partially glowing red eyes under the shadow of the tree not but a few feet away from him as she stood still under it as a soft gush of wind blew the branches and leaves about. 

He had no idea how to respond to this? He couldn't keep his sights steady on her because really it surprised him she was here more than spooked him. 

But still how long had she been there!? 

Instead of continuing to awkwardly stand there, he lifted his wing up to at least wave at her. Maybe that would placate the tiger?

As soon as his wing lifted a few inches from his body all he heard was the sounds of leaves being crunched under her foot.

Whether it was intentional or not, he may never truly know. 

In a literal blur, because he does not use that term lightly, his sight was good but apparently not good enough to keep up with a tiger dead set on running towards him and...

"Huh?"

Hugging him!? 

The avian truth be told almost lost his balance as soon as he felt her arms and body come close to his own in surprise but he caught himself as he looked at every disturbed leaf she left in her wake to get to him.

His left wing instinctively covered her back as she held onto him. 

"Um. Morning." Was all he could piece together at the rather strange behavior of his friend. Well she had a lot of strange behavioral patterns, this was new. "Miss me or something?" He decided to joke lightly with a small laugh. 'As if.'

"Yes."

"Ah." That was unexpected. Crane blinked, finally looking down at his young friend, whose face was buried into his shoulder. "Chunhua. You saw me an hour ago." 

His statement unsurprisingly went ignored as he could feel her head shift. Most likely noting the open storage door. 

Tigress separated slightly from his person, staying within wing length. "Do you need help?" The tiger tilted her head. 

"N-" Crane stopped halfway through saying no, his wing was still upon her back and he knew she often wanted to assist him. And he wasn't in the mood to see her disappointed... "Yes actually." He nodded with a smile as he guided her back to the dorm. "I have four more boxes to move from the guest room. You can get two and I'll get two." 

They started their journey down cool stones back to the dorm. 

"I can carry all four and get it done faster." He watched as she used cat-like reflexes to catch a flowing leaf coming his way, 

"I know." 

And then let it flow freely from her open palm. 

"But I'd rather we work together." 

In the end, they got the job done together just in time for him to pick up Mei ling from the front gate of the valley. 

~

After all, just being here proves that

~

"Po!" 

"Yeah!?" He heard the panda call from the training hall's open door. 

"I'm taking Chunhua with me down to the valley so don't worry about taking her to your dad's today!" 

A fuzzy black and white head immediately popped out of the crack of the door. "Thanks so much, Crane! I owe you one!" 

"Don't worry about it! You know I don't mind taking her." Crane shook his head at the panda, he could hear Tigress shuffle to the entryway where he currently stood. She had half her face wrapped in the scarf he told her to get. 

"Still!" Po seemed further inside the training hall as he kept talk yelling to him. "I appreciate what you do for her. Make sure you behave Chu!" 

"Why don't you tell her to behave when I take her down to the valley!?" Monkey yelled from even further inside, he almost sounded muffled.

"Because you deserve it after eating the Nian Gao I made!" 

"ONE TIME PO! IT WAS ONE TIME!"

After fixing her scarf with his beak, and he was shocked at how still she was when he preened her a bit. "Let's go. Before they start up that mess again." 

Chunhau nodded and gave him a thumbs-up, with her lower face now free he could see a small smile playing on her face as they made their long walk down the thousand steps in peaceful quiet.

~

We got here through hard work 

~

They stood at the entrance of the valley, right outside of the stone valley’s walkways. This place was used not only as a means of trade but also travel. Families, friends, and tourists alike would meet and bid farewell here in its lush and calming environment as they were but a few mere steps away from the road that connected to the forest and other small areas in this vast place.
Crane was content just watching everything and everyone move on the sidelines, it was relaxing. He kept his attention trained on the road though, not wanting to miss his friend.

“Who are you meeting again?”

The avian turned his head from the road and looked down at the seat the young tiger was on. He moved his wings out a bit, not fully stretching them out as he noticed with her speaking up, that he was a tad bit stiff. “I’m waiting for Mei Ling,” Crane noted how she tipped the figure of himself, hat upward to show his face more. “This will be the first time you all get to meet her. Well,” He paused as she pushed the wings outward. “Minus Master Shifu. I believe he’s met her once.”

Without skipping a beat, Chunhau lifted her figure up slighting as if she was viewing it flying in the sky. “You mean the pretty girl in the pictures you have?”
“Do not repeat that to her.”
She turned her amber eyes to him at that. “Noted.”

And soon Action figure Crane came back down to reality.

“Hey! Jia!”
He could never mistake that pleasant voice. A smile he just could not contain and even feel grew even wider as he looked up and walked towards his dear old friend. The golden cat was hopping off a wagon and waving him down as she jogged towards him with her bag over her shoulder.

“Mei Ling!” He brought up his own wing to match her greeting. She hadn’t changed one bit well, that wasn’t entirely true. She was taller now after all these years just as he’d grown but her attire was very much the same.
Thunk!

“I hope your trip went well?” The sound of her bag falling to the ground couldn’t break his attention away from her face, it’d been so long.
In a matter of seconds, he was wrapped in light brown arms covered in green gloves. It seemed he wasn’t the only one who missed the other. “It was certainly an adventure, I'll say that.” He wrapped his wings as best as he could around her slim figure, it seemed she still wore the green cuirass. “But I can tell you about that later how have you been!?”

Crane laughed, feeling it rattle his body from deep within. “Don’t my letters tell you enough?” He forced himself to move back away from her hold fully so they could talk properly.
Her yellow eyes were still as beautiful as the sun above them.

“If I wanted a letter I would have waited at home!” Mei moved back aswell to pick up her bag as more people started passing by them. It was starting to get busy. “I want to hear every detail from the beak of Master Crane!” Without another word, the feline followed him back to the seat where Tigress was. “Still can’t believe this is my first time coming to The valley of peace. It’s so…” He noted how her dark brown ears flickered about at the liveliness of the entrance alone as her gaze looked forward over countless buildings that lead to the palace hidden above the clouds. “Mystical yet feels like home.”

Crane nodded, despite the fact he’d lived here so long even now after so many years. He felt he never truly knew everything about this grand place. So, the appeal never truly wore off.
“Jia…”
Crane thought he jumped out of all of his feathers at that small voice! He hadn’t heard her move much less walk towards them.
“Oh?” The golden cat’s attention was now away from the vastness of the valley and now directed at the tiger, now looking between them with intrigue. Mei Ling tilted her head which now that he thought about it was similar to how Tigress did. “You must be Master Tigress,” As expected of the now veteran teacher of Lee Da Kung Fu academy, the young woman was prepared to bow respectfully to the tiger master.

She did not get far though. The cat wasn’t even able to place her paws together before his friend slinked her way into a hug on Mei. And to make things worse, she looked shocked and confused by it all!
The avian blanked as he stared at what his friend just did. It was one thing to do that to him, but you shouldn’t just hug strangers you just meet! “I’m so-”
Pat pat.
Before he could utter an apology towards his friend, she was already hugging the tiger master's back and patting her on the back.

“I didn’t expect such a warm welcome.”

~

You'll be left behind if you don't hurry

~

“I hope you don’t mind a little detour before we head out.”
“Oh no. Not at all.” Mei Ling waved him off before going back to looking at Chu’s action figure of him. ‘Great. Now she’ll want one too at this rate…’ The avian thought with a roll of his eyes.
At least Chunhau was getting along with Mei well.

They were walking down the street to Mr. Ping’s place, passing by different vendors and shops that littered the valley's diverse market.
“Jia…” He caught the tiger once again tipping the figure’s hat up again. Didn’t she use to do that to him? He did hear her repeat that earlier but was too startled to explain to her what the name meant.
“That’s my real name,” Crane spoke up and those amber orbs were now on the real Crane. And she blinked at him. “Sorry, guess it kind of slipped my mind.”

“Aha. I didn’t mean to say it aloud…” Mei laughed sheepishly as she tapped the figure's claws. “I guess at the moment I forgot you’re going under codenames.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re my girlfriend so you can call me by my name every now and then.” He fluffed up his wings, not that he was too cold or anything. He looked downwards at mentioning that title aloud.
His vision was filled with green and dark brown spots as a paw tipped his hat up. Which knocked it back fully off his head! “What a privilege I have!” What was everyone’s problem with his hat!?
He was about to yell at his playful-looking feline companion!

“Can I call you that?”
At that moment between them, it seemed as if time stopped. His yellow eyes looked at the tiger, and she was holding that poor little toy tight as she asked him that small question. Her body language screamed hesitance and that thought alone made him slightly uncomfortable. Maybe this would shorten the distance between them?
“Of course you can.” And he did fluff his feathers this time due to the chilly wind that blew past them. Chunhau stayed still, waiting. “You’re my best friend after all.”

“This is where you live?”
Both masters' heads turned forward as they noted Mei ling had left them behind. Chunhau was the first to leave him behind, to ponder that entire interaction between them.
He started to walk at his own pace behind them, watching the two interact among themselves. Maybe he’d taken advantage of the fact he had a name for too long. ‘ I lied to you.’
Those words stuck with him as he neared the entrance of the shop, Mr. Ping’s broom leaning against the side of the main entrance wall with a pile of leaves.

He looked up to find Chunhau had found her father and had given him a hug, before turning back to look at him. “Bye Jia!”
‘I have no name.’

“Bye Chunhua.”

~

“Something’s bothering you?”

The golden cat asked him with an expression that could only be as serious as anyone could be as they ate noodles. He had to force himself not to laugh.
“Huh?” He blinked away another chuckle that wanted to escape his beak as she slurped her noodles away to speak properly. “No. I just well…” His dumplings were untouched now that he looked down at them. Maybe he was a bit bothered by something. “Before you came here I was putting stuff away in storage and well,” He found himself pausing again watching Chunhau work in the kitchen with her father. She was folding dumplings with Mr. Ping’s supervision of course. “I guess I’m just tempted to look back to the past, maybe even find some of my old works. You know?”

He turned his sights back to see Mei eyeing his dumplings.
“You may have one .” And his tone meant no more than one, he’d been around Po long enough to know people never just wanted one.
“Thank you.” She was quick to pick a nice plump one from his dish and he picked up one with his beak. “We should look together then.” The feline smirked with the dumpling expertly held in her chopsticks before she went in for a bite.

“Do you really want to spend your vacation time inside a dusty old storage building?”
Mei Ling covered her mouth as she finished chewing. Before going back to the secret ingredient soup, he was sure she’d be taking bowls to go if she could. “Can I not do something domestic with you?” The feline made a pleased noise as she drank the broth. “Do you think I just came to visit you to be spoiled and nothing more?”

Crane lifted a brow at his love and shrugged. “Okay then, I can always get a refund for these tickets for this nice restaurant right around here.”
“Wait!” Her eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Art can wait. I want good food!”
“That’s what I thought.”

~

Ah, you're waiting for excitement

~

“So what did you think?”
“It was good but,” Mei ling drew out her last word as she looked down upon the mossy stones he walked upon daily towards the dorm of the Jade Palace.
It was late and cool under the moonlight.
“But?” The avian looked to her with a sigh.

She started to only step and hop between the stones as they went up further. “Come on! You can’t expect me to say that fried rice was better than Mr. Ping’s soup!” Her paw pads made light tapping sounds against the stones.

She made a slight noise of surprise on one of the stones as her posture leaned left and he brought his wing up, flat up, to keep her upright. “I guess I can’t. I don’t either.”
They smiled at one another through their eyes and expressions under the starlight as they neared the steps.

He could hear the leaves of the small trees rustle, the feline was most likely touching them as they walked upward. “What is the secret ingredient anyway?”
The avian looked back at the cat behind him with a raise of his brow. “What makes you think he told me!?”
They stopped at the top of the stairs. “I just assumed with how well you get along with his daughter, you might get some insider information.”
Crane shrugged, not really minding the break as leaves skittered past them. “I wish. Po won’t even tell me and even if Chu knew I don’t think she’d tell me of all people.”
Mei ling made a ‘pfft’ sound, she stopped and made a ‘pfft’ sound at him again. “You underestimate how much she likes you as per usual.”

“And. What.” He turned his entire body towards her pulling his head down and letting his wings stay at his sides. “does that mean exactly?”
“Oh nothing~” Mei ling was the one that started walking again, her yellow eyes glowing in the dead of night as they darted between the buildings attempting to head left. “So where’s that old storage place you were talking about?”
“You’re still on that?” Crane moved to the right and went ahead of her. “It’s not over there by the way.”
“Yes, I am still on that.” He could thankfully hear her behind him again.

“You’re not going to let this go.” His voice lowered already making his way towards the inevitable. “Are you?”
The master did not have to look back at the smile on his dear friend's face. “What can I say? I have an eye for interesting things like you.”
Crane was thankful she was following him so she wouldn’t catch his surprise blinking at that. His sights moved to the dorms his friends were in, as light after light was blown out and only a few stayed up. Most likely Viper reading late on her day off, he noted.
“You just don’t know when to give up.”

~

“Ack!”
Crane coughed as he opened the door to the old storage building. And just his luck, a cloud of dust would rear its ugly head near his senses!
“Phew!” Mei ling slinked past him inside, waving her paw in front of her face to dispel any more dust. “You weren’t kidding this place is dusty.” Her other paw held a lantern they kept outside for emergencies at night. “But look at all this stuff in here.”

The orange glow of the lantern and the natural white of the moonlight mixed upon the floor.

“So, where do you think your stuff is?” The cat was ahead of him, swerving around boxes, crates, and bags.
He entered behind her after closing the door with a slight crack so some fresh air could clear the dust away. “That’s the thing. I don’t know. It’s been so long since I thought about that stuff and we only ever come up here for holiday decorations.”

He moved his head around to view the items poking out of some of the boxes. He could tell some of these were Monkey’s old things just by some staff pieces and old party tricks.
“What the?”
“What?” He asked after hearing Mei ling, when he turned she was standing and looking down at something. His claws tapped against the wood as she kneeled near what he could now see as a bag.
“It’s a bag of rocks…” The gold cat pulled a small stone from the bag and looked at it in the glow of the lantern.
“Oh.” And he had to stop himself from laughing a bit but ultimately failed. “That’s mine.”
“Why….do you have a bag of rocks?”

“Well, I only started with four when I got here.” The avian used his claws to pick up his own stone as he did many times before. “I can’t hold a scroll or keep it steady so I use rocks to keep it in place. And when Tigress noticed that she started leaving me some at my door.”

Mei ling threw the rock up and down in her palm, most likely noting the smoothness of it before putting it back. “That’s adorable.”
“It's helpful and...yeah adorable.” Both stones clattered against one another when they were returned to his bag. Crane lifted his head again and looked left and right. He had no clue where to start. And it was late, they really should wait until daylight to do this.

“Maybe you unknowingly put your stuff near your old things?” Mei ling as he could hear seemed to be moving forward.

Something caught his eye.
He followed the thin line of moonlight, some of his shadow covered its shine as he moved forwards. There was something to the back. Something that looked like it had a face?
In the back, he heard noises of the golden cat moving aside the paper, most likely scrolls in an open crate.
His sights met silver and green.

“Jia, I think I found something!”
He picked up the mask with his claws, careful not to squeeze it as he marveled at its vibrant yet dark colors. Was this a demon mask of some sort? He turned it around in his grip which meant he had to juggle it in a way. On the back was signed a name.

“Jia!”
“Hmm?” He moved the mask under his wing so he could stand better and check on his friend. “Sorry I found something strange.”
The shadow of her paw beckoned him towards her and the orange light. “Well come here so we can trade finds!”

He did not make her wait, but he couldn’t help but look back at where he had found that mask. It was sat atop a small wooden box.
The clunk of the lantern being placed atop a box resounded in the small building. “I think I found old drafts of letters you sent me. I never knew people kept these.” Mei ling with both paws pulled a scroll open, reading it up and down.
“Not everyone sends the first draft with x marks all over it as you do…”
“Aha. Fair.” She closed that scroll and opened another. “Weird to think you used to be intimidated by her.” He placed the mask next to the lantern, its light revealing all the varied colors upon it. “Whoa, what is that? Better question whose mask is that?”

Crane shrugged as he looked back at the mask. Still puzzled by it. “I don’t know? I’ll ask about it tomorrow at lunch.”
He tore his gaze away from the mask, a part of his mind was telling him he’d seen it somewhere but he just couldn’t remember where? “Let me see those.”
“Here you go.” Mei ling was ready to hold an open scroll for him to look at right near the light.
“Oh, man.” He sighed as he looked upon his old handwriting. “I’d rather forget that time..it was too awkward.”

His first few months at the palace after the Boar incident was rather, how do you put it?
Uneventful.

It was a mixture of moving and every pain that brought with it, saying goodbyes and of course getting situated within the palace.
The avian stood in the middle of his room, the bag with his things wrapped around his waist. He looked left and right at the rather wide room and smiled to himself. “Well, it’s an upgrade from my room in Lee Da for sure.” He moved his wings around happily since he was alone in the dorm and stepped in.

Ooh. The floors felt amazing. His claws tapped lightly against the wooden surface, he promised inwardly to not scratch these floors. For a year at the very least. He reached his neck around his waist and pulled on the bag strap with his beak before placing it down.
He took a deep breath in and let it out as he looked out of his new window. ‘This is my new home where I’ll finally practice Kung fu!’ He had to hold himself back from just hopping in place as he unpacked his essentials.

He was just about to fully take his bedroll out before he heard a step, it was small but he knew what one sounded like after living in a dorm full of huge animals for years!
Crane swiveled his head as far back as he could.

And met two orbs in the shadows.
He stood stock-still, mind trying to process who else was here because he had come in alone and hadn’t seen anyone outside nor inside in here. ‘Did I come into the wrong room maybe?’
He thought with nerves rattling his very legs.

Tap.
The stranger neared walking into the light from his window.

Yellow eyes met familiar orange and black fur, Tigress. The nice kid who’d picked him up from Lee Da academy albeit by accident. But he was counting his blessings.
They stared at one another for a good while as the trees were rustled by the soft winds of the Jade Palace.
This felt like their first meeting all over again and to top it off, he had no clue how long she’d been there. What if she saw him fluttering or worse enjoying the feeling of the polished wooden floors?

So, he did the same thing he did that day.
Crane lifted his wing in the awkward position he didn’t have the nerve to move from with such an intense gaze on his back and waved with an equally awkward smile. “Hey.”
The greeting felt small and hollow and he wanted to go slink under the mossy rocks he walked past to get here. ‘Kung fu masters don’t just say hey.’ He reprimanded himself as his sights went to the floor, Shifu’s warnings he veiled as teachings were clearly to be used in this sacred place and he couldn’t just forget them at a time like this.

When he looked back up, the tiger was gone.

And so began his day-to-day life in the Jade Palace. Starting off with an encounter that would make even Oogway pause. Soon the rest of the group joined them. One by one they entered the palace gates, with bright eyes filled with hopes and dreams of valor.

That Shifu crushed into dust.

“Your form is still sloppy. Even after all these weeks,” His words were as sharp as knives that pierced your very heart without restraint. “How do you expect me to believe you want this style to work!?”
All he could do was stand and watch as the red panda berated the young tiger for a simple mistake. He had learned quickly when it wasn’t your turn you stood and did not speak.
Shifu pointed at her as his features scrunched up in an indescribable way. “You’re still relying solely upon your strength and instincts!”

You only listen so that you do not repeat what your partners did.

“What else is there?”

This wood did not feel as good as the one in his room. This flooring felt stained with the blood, sweat, and tears of many who tried and failed to meet Shifu head-on.
The feline merely stood, the only indication of emotion and movement upon her person was how her ears went down upon her head. He wondered how she kept herself from slumping?

“Tigress?” The elder master stood still in front of Tigress, all he could see was half of the red panda as the tiger’s head shifted ever so slightly.
“It won’t happen again, Master. I will find a way to polish my style.”

His face turned downward. “I wish I could believe you.” Master Shifu said the comment in a harsh yet low tone as he walked away, going back to his position at the end of the training course they now stood in. “Go back to the line.” He waved dismissively at his student as he continued upward. “Viper is up next.”
Tigress moved with the usual grace he was used to, a quick yet deep bow showing how much she respected her master. “Yes, Master.” And soon she was on his right side, looking only ahead at her goal.

Crane couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to be so young and determined. She knew what she wanted, and she was willing to do anything for it. Every bruise and scratch upon her person was proof enough of that. He kept thinking of the days when he didn’t have his job, he had no clue what he wanted, no idea what role he would play in this big, wide world. And yet…
The avian turned to give one last look at his new teammate because that’s what they were right? A small bit of encouragement could go a long way. He’d know, his head nodded slightly at that thought and memory.

He turned around and found himself in yet another staring contest with the tiger.
‘Was she looking at me, that entire time?’ His posture slacked a moment in surprise before he locked up again before Shifu could notice as he looked back at her.
She blinked at him.
He blinked back feeling confused at this whole ordeal. He couldn’t really say anything right now or else he’d get in trouble which was what he wanted least because Shifu seemed to be in one of his moods today.

So, he pulled his trump card waved, and then turned back to watching Viper, still feeling those amber eyes on his body.

Tigress was a good kid, Crane reminded himself. She was a good, well-meaning kid who just wanted to perfect her craft, he told himself. There is nothing wrong with that. Sure she was a bit serious and didn’t pick up on most of their conversations or jokes but that did not mean she was bad.
He walked back to his room after doing some extra training, his whole body ached and yet he knew even this wouldn’t be enough to please that red panda! He would have to do more, train more no matter what!

Tigress is a good kid. She hasn’t done anything to hurt anyone much less himself. Tigress is a good kid.
The avian was dragging himself up those stairs, the dorm was so close all he had to do was walk up one more path and he could rest. Forget eating he needed sleep.
But Crane swore if he saw her staring at him from afar one more time he’d combust into flames and turn into ashes.

Why? Why him? Why?
Why couldn’t she just stare at Monkey or maybe even Mantis, that would at least make sense! But no she just had her sights on him with nothing to say.

Tigress is a good kid.
Maybe she was just messing with him like that Master Oogway tended to do?

The door to their dorm felt heavier than it should have, thoughts of what the academy tried to show was tough training did not compare to this unrewarding pain. It was quiet in the dorm room as all the doors were closed and he could hear some movement and murmurings of his sleeping friends. Was this going to be his new normal? Could he handle it?
Crane stopped right before his room door, respite at his very wingtips. And yet he stood there staring at what he’d been so excited to have not but a month ago.

Could he handle failing and going back home a disgrace?
Kid’s just do that, they stare at people for some ungodly reason he may never understand. Even with that reasoning, he still cringed at knowing it was going to keep reoccurring between them.
Thud

He didn’t even have to look up to know who it was, no one else made soft and quiet noises in his presence but her. He tiredly brought his head up to meet Tigress and she stood in the entrance towards the rooms, watching him with her paw against the wooden frame of the building. He didn’t have the energy his mind wanted him to have, to combust into said flames, and merely watched her back. But his body nagged at him to hurry up and get in his room so he winged it. “Evening.” He started without purpose and he sounded awful, his voice sounded dry. “Yeah I’m heading to my room after some training so,” The avian wasn’t even sure why he was speaking to her. She rarely responded to anyone that wasn’t Shifu or one of his orders. So he was essentially talking to himself. “I’ll see you later.” He moved his door with his beak, cringing at how he even felt pain in his neck and waved her adieu.

But this time, this time.
She lifted her paw up slowly, opened it up fully, and moved it ever so slightly to the right.

He closed his door and immediately went for his ink brush and blank scrolls, sat down two rocks hastily on its edges. And began to write a letter.
‘Mei Ling. I’m going, to be frank with you. I can’t do this anymore.’ His leg attempted to keep up with his racing thoughts as he continued. ‘It's not even about Shifu well it kind of is. He’s connected in all of this, I don’t know how yet but he is but my real problem is I do not know how to handle this young girl who I’m working with. She’s not bad or anything really but she has this aura about her that is mysterious and haunting.’  He paused in his writing as he heard a shade slide open and Monkey exited out yawning. ‘She walks without noise, and her eyes. Her eyes stare through my body and soul and I can’t take it. I thought I could tolerate it really. I did just as I said I would tolerate Shifu’s irritating tantrums in my last letter to you but this is different. I’m going to have to work with her for who knows how long and I…’   He paused again, not at any noise but at his thoughts coming to a halt. “I don’t know how to communicate with her properly.”
Crane moved the rocks, picked up the letter, and threw it aside before starting anew.
‘Dear Mei Ling, I would kindly request your advice on my teammate…’
Tigress was a good kid; he reminded himself as he remembered her tiny wave at him.

“That meant she liked you.”
Crane made a face at his old friend. “What?”
“When she blinked at you.” Mei ling pointed at him for emphasis. “That meant she liked you.” The golden cat shook her head away from him. “She probably didn’t realize that either…”
“Wai-Wait! That’s real? That’s actually a thing?”

“YES!” The cat threw her arms up as if it was obvious. “Do you know how many times I batted my eyelashes at you so you’d notice me!?
His beak fell at that admission. “No!”
“What did you think I was doing!?”
“I thought you had something in your eyes! That’s why I sent you that handkerchief!”
Mei ling looked absolutely scandalized at that, she gave him such an awful hurt expression that made him want to apologize profusely. “You’re. So. dense.” Each word was pointed with an incredible amount of cringing and mere shock in her voice as it seemed to go higher in pitch. “Do you know how many men I’ve heard saying they’d love to see a cat-like me bat my eyes their way!?”
Crane shrugged. “I am not most men.”

“But you like those romance novels.” Mei ling placed her paw up on the crate, her paw and face now illuminated by the soft glow.
“And?” He said pointedly, mostly shocked his friend thought he was that naive. “I know I don’t live in one. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
There was a pause, and a face he knew that only meant he was going to hear something that he did not want to hear. It was a Chesire smirk.
“My sweet nerdy birdy.”

Crane picked up the mask and headed straight for the door.
“I can’t believe you just said that.”

He could hear Mei ling shuffling to get the lantern and some scrolls before jogging after him. She bumped into a few things in the process.
“Oh, c’mon you’re laughing so that must mean you are!”

The light of the moon greeted him as he breathed in the fresh air.
“Be quiet, you corny cat!”

~

Shall we start something again?

Chapter Text

Ladies and gentleman, The moment y’all been waiting for

~

He woke up later than he usually would.

Monkey lifted his blanket over his head to shield his waking sights from the sunlight that was streaming through the thin paper walls of the dorm. He could already hear everyone else up and moving, talking without a care as they took their time for breakfast since they had the day off.

He didn’t have much he wanted to do today but he knew he couldn’t sleep all day especially with the smell of something good coming from the kitchen. The simian threw his blanket aside, leaned upward, and stretched all his limbs outward as he yawned. Grunts and stretches of his fingers followed him out the door as his stomach rumbled but he wasn’t heading for the kitchen first.

It was cool outside today.

Monkey brought his arms up to his shoulders and rubbed them up and down. He may have to change his habits with the temperature lowering but it was too late now. He was walking towards the well near the dorm, he knew he could wash his hands in the kitchen but he preferred coming here to do that. It was just habit, the master thought as he listened to leaves crunch under his feet.
Lucky him, someone left water in the bucket near it.

Sploosh!

He splashed cool morning water upon his face and shook his head quickly in order to dispel any sleepiness away. “Whoo! Good morning!” Now, he was feeling more awake, it wouldn’t do to have everyone see him so tired. Next was his hands…

“Jia!? You got that alright?”
The golden langur lifted his head up at the voice. ‘Who was that?’ He couldn’t help but think with a blink. Viper was in the kitchen and Tigress was at her dad’s place so it had to be some other woman.
Monkey moved stealthily around the well and up the small hill that connected to the stone path that led to the storage building. The door was open, he noted. He ran up the hill quickly on all fours, climbing the side of the building as soon as it was within his reach, and listened in as he leaned against the top of the door frame.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” He heard Crane all but wheeze. “Just this dust is so thick.”
Another sneeze escaped the bird and he couldn’t help but snicker at the sound of it. Monkey leaned further as he heard approaching footsteps coming towards the door.
“Take a break and come outside if you need to-”

“Whatcha doin!?” Master Monkey hung upside down, letting his hindlegs hold him up as he was met face to face with a startled golden cat almost dropping the box she held.
“ MONKEY! ”
He smirked a bit at his friend's angry voice and swung back and forth. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Thought we had an intruder.” Crane’s topsy turvy face neared with a duster in his beak before placing it to the side.

The avian shook his head as he looked upon the stuffed building. “Who in their right mind would steal all this junk?”
“This isn’t just junk! It’s the memories of the Furious five in the form of memorabilia!” The feline looked toward him after gathering herself and put her paw out towards him. “I’m Mei Ling by the way. I can see why you’d be on guard.”

He raised his brow as he took her extended paw. “Ah, you're that friend of Crane I’ve heard about so much. Forgot you were coming by.” As soon as he let go of her paw he let himself fall and land upon the entrance grounds before giving his fellow master a look. “Seriously dude?”
“What?”

He gestured widely to Mei Ling who was still moving boxes without a care. “You have your girlfriend cleaning our storage building on her visit?”
“It was her idea!” Crane shook his head as he stepped past the simian, batting his wing towards him. “I wanted to go sightseeing around the Valley but she’s stubborn.” Which he jumped out of the way of. “And these could hardly be considered memorabilia Mei…”

Monkey slipped by the couple, looking around the stuffy place. Despite the fact he rarely came in here, he could tell they moved around quite a few things.
“You have to stop selling yourself so short.”
The golden langur kept going forward as the sunlight grew smaller in the back.

“I’m not selling myself short.” He heard the bird stamp his feet around a bit. “Just saying these items are far from memorable.”
“Oh!” He made a noise of astonished joy at his find near the left of the large space. He picked the staff up running his hand over its smooth yet dusty surface. “I knew I didn’t get rid of this.”
“Monkey? Come on, let’s get breakfast!”

~

It comes and goes too quickly for me

~

They walked into the kitchen together shortly afterward. The smells and feeling of steam warming their chilly bodies from the cold outside.

“Mmmmm.” Monkey used his free hand to waft in the smell towards himself. “Are you making Congee, Po?”
He heard an audible clank of the top of the pot, hit against its edge. Knowing all too well why it was steamy in here. “Yup.” The panda turned to regard him before noticing the company tailing behind him as he took his usual seat. “Why do you have a bo staff here?” Po waved at Mei and Crane as he curled a brow his way.

Thud.

The golden cat sat a medium-sized wooden box down on the right side of the table, before placing her paw upwards to wave at the small group. “That would be because of me. Good morning!”
Viper was the first to welcome her with a smile. “Oh. Good morning you must be Mei Ling!”
“Mornin!” Mantis piped up across from Viper, inspecting the box. “What’s this?”

“Good morning everyone and thank you for welcoming my friend properly.” The avian gave him a pointed look before moving to push his chair with his wing a bit to the side.
Mei ling took the seat without question as he went for the box, opening the top of it with his beak.

“Of course we’d welcome the misses with warm arms!” Mantis hopped up and laughed as he skittered around the box looking inside the box with his friend.
“Whoa! Look at all this different stuff!” Monkey looked up at Mantis’s voice, not even noticing his sights had been glued down upon the bo staff still in his grasp.

The avian ruffled his feathers to and fro in a gesture he knew was frustration. “I thought maybe opening it would help me figure out who this belongs to but now I’m even more confused.”
He let it lean carefully behind his chair never letting go of its base as he leaned back watching his friends go through its contents.

“Alright, guys I think the congee is cooled off enough!” Po announced with a small clap of his hands before he heard more than saw the panda gather bowls just as he always did.
Crane pulled a piece of paper out of the box.

“Is that an ice cream flyer?” Viper blinked and turned her head inspecting the piece of old paper as Crane sat it flatly upon the table.
The bowls audibly slid against the table in front of them all as the panda rounded the table and looked upon the flyer himself. “Huh, it is. Must have been some good ice cream to keep the flyer.”
Monkey only looked down at the poster with a blank stare, feeling the steam of the congee tickling his chin. His grip tightens on the bamboo staff.

How could he forget that day?

Monkey knew from the getgo that Tigress was a strange individual. It was clear as day when she came by the club looking for a comedian to the way she ran on two feet before copying him but nothing could have topped that inkling off more than by living with her.

They were complete opposites.

They barely had anything in common, he liked to joke and she could never even now after all these years understand many of them. Which left them in a silence afterward that he could not stand. The customers that threw tomatoes at him had better reactions!

She preferred to be quiet and not in a sneaky way as he did.
That and she never reacted how he wanted when he snuck up on her and tried to spook her. The tiger would always just stare at him as if he was from another country and spoke a different language to her and walked off.

Who does that!?

And they found out quickly how easily they could disagree when it came to planning! He wanted to be on the frontlines doing what he did best! But Tigress, their wise and ever knowing leader kept him in the back for side attacks while she went in for what he wanted!

“It’s more beneficial this way.” The young tiger had said. Sure and his wife was actually a banana!
But all in all, there was one thing they could do well together.

Their backs bump into one another in the heat of the battle, here in the throws of the battlefield was where they could put their differences aside and head straight for a shared goal.
Fight.

He could feel her controlled breathing compared to his own rapid heartbeat making him breathe just a bit more intensively as the gorillas they were fighting closed in on them in a circular motion.
The simian felt the nudge of her elbow on his shoulder. “Monkey,” She paused, moving her arm back into a proper position to strike as they moved in a circle to stay at the ready for whoever took the first move. “I need you to go left.”

The simian smirked as he tilted his head her way whilst keeping his sights on a particularly nasty-looking gorilla with a mace. “My left or yours?”
She answered him seriously as always. “My left.” The tiger even moved her left paw for emphasis!

“Ah…” Monkey didn’t really have the heart nor patience right now to tell her he was joking so he just went with it. “Got-Gotcha, boss.” He replied with a slightly dejected tone and a sigh.
It was just going to be one of those days it seemed.

“Wait for them to strike first,” He could feel her back move just the tiniest bit away from his own, her tone turning to nothing but a whisper. “Then I’ll strike low-”
“And I go high.” He readied his bo staff already feeling his teammate bristling at an incoming attack she could predict.

The primal yell of a Gorilla was the signal for the true show to start, and he didn’t need the wind to tell him Tigress was meeting the brute head-on as she always did.
“The usual.” He twirled his staff, turning to act as her support, the other would soon follow and after dazing the one without a weapon they could take care of the other easily.
He was lucky to catch a glimpse of the power of his teammate he’d long to come to respect.

The tiger went in hard and fast and the gorilla raised his arms high together, allowing his large hands to come together in a huge fist meant to crush anyone in his way!
When he brought them down with all his upper body strength, Tigress didn’t even move!
She brought her own arms up and caught them in her own paws, the sheer force of these two mighty animals clashing shook the ground around them and he felt he may just falter at the intensity of it all.

The tiger’s growl was loud enough to equal the clash between them as she eyed him down, daring him to go further as he pushed down upon her small body.
‘Now it’s my turn!’ Monkey was quick to use his momentum to hop against a tree and propel himself towards the gorilla’s head, he could hear a crack in the ground beneath them as the two fought for dominance.

Twak!
He brought his staff upon the gorilla swiftly, the training in his upper body strength paying off as the natural sting of bamboo did make the brute falter with a shout. He landed and rolled away just in case the big guy got pissed at him. The simian slid to a stop in the dry dirt of this land, kneeling with his staff still in hand before looking towards the brute with the weapon. Who seemed to be questioning what he was going to do, that was rare for their kind? The young martial artist thought to himself.

Monkey stood to his full height giving one last glance at the all-out brawl between the tiger and gorilla. They seemed to be trading blows with Tigress moreso dodging now that she knew he was out of range.
He gripped his staff as he glared towards the larger animal.

Today would be the day Tigress saw him as more than support! He dashed towards the brute, there was no way he could lift that large weapon fast enough to hit him at least before he got enough hits on him! “Hey, big guy? Lonely after we gave your buddy all our attention?”

Tak! He went low and upfront just how he wanted and it was as thrilling as he expected! His staff hit the gorilla’s ankle and he felt the growl of annoyance at this action from the big ape! He slung his staff behind his back thankful his golden sash was enough to hold it without the need of a strap.

He went in again quick and fast just as Master Shifu taught him, his small hands extended upward straight and to the point on all the necessary areas upon the body of his opponent!
But as expected a gorilla was never an easy opponent to take down, no matter how fast he was sooner or later he’d be hit or tripped up by something.

And that something was the unpredictable chain of the mace, the gorilla had finally found the strength to move and swing to his left.
How ironic, he thought as he fell, his foot had gotten caught in one of those tiny holes of the chain. He rolled away with a shriek as that large ball of spikes almost fell on him.
He took a deep breath to calm himself down as he looked upon that massive black iron ball of destruction that crushed the grass and dirt he was on mere moments ago.

“Guess you’re not as durable as your lil buddy over there.” The Gorilla smirked down at him as he pulled on the chain to bring it out of the ground in a showcase of his strength. “Once I squash you I think I’ll get 'em next for sure.”

Monkey huffed through his nostrils if there was one thing he hated more than being sidelined. He rushed at the gorilla with a primal shriek of his own, stomping on all fours with a fury that only promised pain!
It was being looked down upon!

No more talking! He went in for the gorilla’s face which he blocked with his large fuzzy arm.
No more games! The gorilla moved back a step as they continued to engage with one another, blocking and attempting to hit one another. Monkey went low again with the intent of hitting his ankles hard so he would lose his balance but…

The large Gorilla clad in bronze armor let go of his weapon and brought his fist down upon him.
It seemed the simian had lost the game of unpredictability here.

He shrieked in pain, at the sudden force of that large fist upon his body and his sights hit the ground in a matter of seconds.
“Ughhh…” Monkey groaned as he attempted to lift himself up, he ached and all in all felt out of sorts. He wasn’t sure why he looked in the direction of where Tigress was and he slightly regretted it.
It was so quick really, about a millisecond of a look between them as he pushed himself halfway up and he swore her eyes glowered a deep shade of red as soon as she registered what had happened to him.

Tigress’s next strike upon her opponent sounded as if thunder clashed and crackled!
And the gorilla reacted as if he was struck by the noise, recoiling in pain as her dangerous palm strike met his arm. He held it with a grimace.
And then all he saw was her running on all fours towards him just as they’d run together the day they met. But instead of a smile all of her sharp teeth were bared in an aggressive manner as she pounced his way in an incredible feat! He knew this move well, witnessing her movements the first time was an unforgettable experience.

“Haa!” Her palms came together as she roared and only with the sound of her palms hitting something hard only now did he notice that the armed gorilla was aiming to squash him in his dazed state and she just redirected it straight into the ground once again shaking him to his very core with her strength!

He blinked.
The simian was lost in a sea of dust and shock at the entire scene that just played out before him.

‘I could have died…’ The thought pierced his mind sharply as he stood up on shaky legs, he had to catch himself by going on all fours. “Tigress!?” He called out to the young tiger, putting his hand in front of his face as he moved away from the cloud of dust she had created. Thankfully it didn’t take him long to see the lush yet barren ground forest more clearly, he was inwardly thankful they’d tracked these two outside of the village rather near the roads they seemed to be raiding.

He caught sight of familiar stripes not put a foot away from where he had been, the tiger stood before the gorilla’s still form. ‘Least that big lug was out of the way.’
As he drew closer to the tiger at his own pace, he couldn’t help but note the red that laced her paw. “Did you get him?” He stiffly stood on his two feet as he tore his gaze away from her injured paw and looked at the face of his opponent. He looked stupid right now.

“No.” The tiger shook her head as she looked his way. “It seems as though when I hit his mace the chain and handle recoiled towards his face.” He felt a paw upon his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t want to think about how she just hurt herself for him.
“Ugh…” The gorilla groaned as one of his eyelids opened slightly.
Monkey punched him square in the jaw knocking him out.

But he knew he’d have to thank her later.
“Now I am.”

~

Guards were quick to come to the scene after hearing reports of battle in the forest. And with guards thankfully came healers with bandages at the ready.
Blue eyes looked upon his shoulder as one of the medics wiped off the bloody paw print that stained it. He was thankful he only got away with a few bruises and scratches that would heal over time. But Tigress…

His sights moved to the left of their small makeshift medical spot. The young tiger was surrounded by two medics and another Guard who seemed to be intrigued by her paws as they bandaged them up. Even when she was garnering attention, her back was straight, never wavering as she was tended to, and gave her report to the guard.

“Alright. You’re good to go young man.” A soft pat to his back was given to urge him on, he was thankful the doctor was mindful of his bruises.
“Thank you.” He replied with a nod as he slid off the log the rhino had dragged over for him to sit on. The simian went straight for his partner only giving a small glance to the gorilla who was also being tended to, it seemed she broke something over there. By the time he had made it to her side, the healers and guard had walked off. Leaving the two banged up kung fu students alone.

“Are you alright?” He wasn’t sure why he asked, of course, she wasn’t alright! She’d hit a mace for him of all people!
“Yes. There’s no need for concern.” Tigress brushed off her vest with her bandaged paw as if there was no pain. “We accomplished our mission and you are fine from what I can see,” The tiger stood to her full height as she looked him up and down, and placed her paw upon his shoulder once again.

“So, therefore I am fine.”
The young feline started walking before he could even reply to her, she was heading back to the village most likely to make sure the bandits made it to jail without issue. Monkey blanched at that reasoning.
It made no sense!

He jogged to catch up with her as he tried to wrap his mind around it, why did she put himself before herself? Sure she was their group's leader but that didn’t mean she had to care for him that much.

“Pull!”
Both students stopped at the sound of someone yelling and grunting. Both of them looked to the left. Two large Rhino guards were attempting to pull the mace out of the ground, looking at it now, she had hit it into the ground fairly deep to the point of disrupting some of the soil. And the way Tigress tilted her head at the scene made him giggle.

“Do you require our assistance?” The tiger asked in a polite manner and the Rhino who ordered his men to pull harder looked at them with a nervous little frown before waving them off with a not so confident smile. “No, no. You kids have done enough for our village. We…” He paused as he watched his men struggle to pull the mace with its chain. “We got this.”

“Are you sure? We really wouldn’t mind helping you out.” Monkey shrugged and attempted to calm his laughter but he just couldn’t help but smile.
“No!” The Rhino replied quickly as one of his guards fell over after losing his grip on the chain.

“Boss! I don’t think we can pull this thing!”
“Yes, we can! I’m not getting upstaged by some group of kids!”

Monkey could feel his snickering start up again so he decided to take the lead for once. “Come on.” He took a hold of the tiger’s arm and tugged on it lightly, wary of her injury. “Let’s go and let them have their fun so we can have ours!”
“Fun?” He could tell even without looking at her she was still watching the group of guards struggles, most likely pondering if she should step in. “For what?”

“For our mission accomplished and…” He paused thinking back on just how ferocious she looked at that moment. To save his life. Monkey pushed a stray branch from a bush aside as they made their short trip back to the small village.  “I need to get you something as thanks.”

~

“Anything in particular you want?”

To say he was surprised the tiger went along with his little idea of a break instead of immediately heading home to report back to Master Shifu was an understatement. The tiger seemed to be all business and barely any fun in her life whatsoever.
Tigress shook her head. “No.”

Of course, she wouldn’t have any requests he thought with a groan as they walked past multiple tiny shops, he let his arms and shoulders slump low as he looked around for something! Anything! There had to be something she enjoyed outside of training and being quiet all day long.

His eyes widened as he found a flyer, bright in its own right! He ran up to the wooden board filled to the brim with flyers, there were even some stamped over others! He used his tail to reach the poster.
The illustration had an Argali upon it holding up a small bowl of ice cream! Monkey outwardly gasped and held onto the flyer as if he had been picked by Oogway himself to be the Dragon Warrior!
The simian giggled to himself as he read the headline. “Limited time only! Fresh Ice cream from the mountains!” The poster slipped from his hands as he brought them up to his face. He just couldn’t believe it, Ice cream in this little town out in the middle of nowhere? How lucky were they? He turned towards the tiger noticing how she held the flyer he had touched. “Come on Tigress! I know just the thing we can get!”

And with that Monkey was on a mission, no matter what they would stay in line to get their ice cream even if it did take them almost two hours to get to the front and then another hour when they found out the Argali had to make another batch. The only positive he got out of that whole thing was watching Tigress attempt to see into the back upon her tiptoes on just how the sheep made ‘this ice cream’ as she put it.

“You’ve really never had it before huh?”
They had taken seats on a bench not too far from the ice cream shop as more people crowded near it. He watched her inspect the little wooden bowl with the soft white ice cream they’d ordered, he wondered at what point she would sniff it. He giggled at that thought.

“I’ve never heard of it until today.” Tigress moved the bowl away from her face, turning her head towards him “Is it really that special?”
He took a small scoop of his ice cream with the small spoon they’d been given. “Mmmhmm. Ice cream is the best! One day, I’ll get some red bean ice cream for everybody.”
While he savored the cool sweetness of his desert he caught her putting her spoon into the ice cream and copying him in a sense albeit more slowly and dare he say cautiously.

He smiled and giggled even more as her eyes opened wide and blinked at the flavor. He could tell she loved it from how she went in for another bite. “I guess you get why it's so cool now? Huh?” Monkey nudged the tiger with his elbow and he swore he heard a small noise from her that could be mistaken as a snort of stifled laughter.
“Hold.” He placed his paw over her own stopping her from taking another bite of her treat. “If you eat it too fast you’ll get a sick brain-freeze.” He slowly moved his paw away from her, only now noticing how close they were. “Trust me I know.” He tried to laugh off his hesitance but really neither of them had been that close since they met.

This was new.

She slowly placed her spoon back near the bowl, looking a little disappointed but accepting in a sense. He never noticed her little ears moving until now.
They were quiet after that, just taking their time eating as animals of all kinds walked by, going about their day. He even saw a small cart of fruits being carried off by a red panda.
“It's cool because it's kept in snow.” Tigress surprisingly broke the silence between them and he quirked his brow at her. “Right?”

He literally said that joke ten minutes ago and only now was she responding? His blue eyes watched the tiger beside him, she was sitting as straight as ever compared to his slouching and it seemed she was taking a break from her treat again. He quickly took his own scoops of ice cream before answering her.

It was melting.

For the umpteenth time this day, he felt her paw upon him, his vision was filled with orange and black stripes, stopping him from eating his spoonful. They merely looked at one another for a quiet moment as the town buzzed along without them.

“Yeah Tigress.” The tiger’s paw moved away from his own slowly just as his hand did from her own. And began to eat again. He placed his hand upon her head giving it a pat.
And without pause she copied him.
“Yeah, it is.”

~

Clouds of Autumn carry fulfillments and wishes

~

Thwack!

The loud sound of noodles meeting the table met her ears once again and after months of practice, she did not waver from the loud sound because this time she was making it.
Today her father had trusted the young tiger this early morning before they opened the shop to take care of the noodles with him. She would at the very least make forty while he went for the usually 512 noodles for a usual day at the shop on weekends.

Chunhau placed her roll of noodles down to cut it before taking a glance at her father, twirling a short roll of his own and catching the bottom of the stringy substance easily between his feathers and allowing it to slide into the shape most knew the dough for. She sprinkled flour upon her own noodles, to keep the moisture as Mr. Ping had instructed and began the rather strenuous process again
The tiger stretched it again after feeling that it had enough flour, there were no measurements to be had with this recipe.
‘You have to feel it out from experience.’

That instruction alone made her nervous at how her noodles would come out, everything she had practiced prior was all about order and doing it precisely without fail but this.
Thwack!
This was different, while it was intimidating it was also fun in a sense. Chunhau placed her dough down again, lathering her workspace with flour to roll her dough in again after pulling it for a few minutes. Soon she’d have to work on her next batch.
Thwack!

Right now, she was only at twenty noodles. The tiger had to move her body a bit more than the expert beside her considering she was still very new to the craft. It was tricky at times she wanted to switch the dough between her paws but she knew that would only result in disaster after trying out with Po once.
She had to keep steady and hold it carefully.

Her ears picked up the sound of Mr. Ping’s knife upon his dough, no doubt preparing for his next batch.
“Do you need any help?” The tiger was tempted to look his way but knew if she did her noodles would go astray somehow.
“No.” She answered quickly before twirling her own dough into a knot-like shape, careful not to forcefully move it as it twisted around one another as if it were two dragons.
“Alright, just tell me if you need any or a break since I’m almost done with my batch.” Her ear flickered at his movement around the kitchen. “Ah.” She heard the older goose sigh. “I’ve gotten things done so much earlier with your help.”

Alright, it was time to pull for real now. The tiger carefully just as her father instructed cut her now stretched dough into medium-sized pieces, she was careful with the strangely shaped knife in her paw that was sat next to her bowl of flour. When she cut inbetween her noodles, it twirled slightly and it looked as if they were shimmering in the morning glow.

She moved her pieces to the side with absolute care as she felt perspiration on her head. Chunhau placed her paws in the small bowl, coating the table in flour once again for the final step. ‘I wonder how Po did this every day? Does he do this at the palace too?’ The tiger couldn’t help but wonder as she rolled the dough back and forth in the small spot of flour. Back and forth. Back and forth. She recited inwardly as she moved her body with the dough making sure it did not roll away from her.

She never really caught him making noodles in the morning since he would shoo her away to wash up first and by the time she got back the broth would already be boiling and the noodles cleanly cut beside him.

Now, was the tricky part that usually ended in disarray for her. Locking the noodles between her paws and keeping the thing together and unlocking them to truly pull them for that noodle look people loved to come here for. The tiger gulped as she locked those first few noodles between her paws, and brought up together four times before pulling a bit more slowly than she wanted too.
Now, she knew why he was covered in flour at least.

Her right paw stayed downward on her flour-covered workstation and brought her left paw up, taking her noodles with it. Her paw stayed as still as it would in Tai Chi and she focused intently on their shape as she breathed out slowly and brought her noodles over the table again. Inwardly thankful she’d put enough flour on the table because she still had no clue how Po and Mr. Ping picked up more flour for this part.

Twak!
The tiger held both sides of her ring of noodles firmly as she let them hit the counter and flour a few times until she felt they were ready for the next and final step. She remembered vividly how her father had shown her this part.

The goose had lined the noodles and his posture perfectly, using each feather upon his left and right to shake the noodles in order to make them dance in the flour!
It looked as if he was performing his own kind of kung fu. Artful.

Chunhau’s version wasn’t as eye catching but it worked based on what her brother had said. She had a more simplified version of that, moving her body and entire paw to lift the noodles enough to make it look as if it was hopping and swimming in the flour if she moved just right.

“You’re doing so good.”
The tiger's tail couldn’t help but sway almost wag at the praise as she caught her noodles upon her paws, letting them slide a bit from the tip of it so show them off to her father. She tilted her head at them. ‘They look a bit thicker than what Papa makes…’
She heard more than looked at her father moving to touch them.

“These look great!” The goose piped up with a smaller one before moving to her right. “Place them in the bowl with the rest and we’ll finish up these together.”
The tiger did as told despite the doubting look she had at the noodles she made. “Are you sure? They seem a bit thicker than what you make.”

“Thicker isn’t always bad.” After putting the noodles beside his own large batch, she looked up to see him starting on one of her rolls of dough, effortlessly making noodles in seconds where she took almost half an hour. “I used to make them like that when I was younger and…” The tiger could see his shoulders shake in silent laughter. “I’ll tell ya a secret. Customers rarely ever notice if the noodles are thick or thin. And even then people love Cumian.”

Chunhau couldn’t help but watch him work so swiftly and without thought. It was as if he was doing it automatically! “I thought I was supposed to be making these?”
“Oops.” Mr. Ping’s eyes widened as he looked up at her while rolling another bit of dough. “Sorry. I got bored after finishing my batch…”
He kept going and she shook her head at his behavior. Once he started a batch he could just never stop.

The tiger moved around him to pick up her own roll and started the process over again alongside her father as orange finally met them.
“Plus it’s more fun when we do this together.”
The morning had truly started.
Twak!

Two sharp sounds of dough hitting flour-covered tables filled their early morning.

~

“No.”

The goose watched as his daughter eyed the last piece of Tofu they had up for grabs, he knew she wanted it. He’d even given her a few for lunch when he said he wouldn’t this time but of course. He just couldn’t say no to her. Now she wanted another one.

He saw those amber eyes upturned to look at him for some leniency, she could work with but Mr. Ping stood his ground.
Which really meant he looked away in guilt because the counter needed to be wiped of imaginary dust and vegetables. “We’re still open so no.” He repeated rather weakly as he looked to the entrance of his shop. Hoping, praying for a customer to save him from this situation. “You cannot eat it.” His eyes gained the courage to look at her head go down in defeat but she seemed to accept the fact. Not entirely but somewhat respecting his decision.

“I’ll make you some for dinner okay?” There was his lack of self-control again, Shifu had been getting on him for spoiling her but he couldn’t help it. She never really asked him for many things except snacks and food she just could not get enough of from him.

Which delighted his friends and family, especially the elderly they thought it was cute when he’d let her snack on things in the kitchen...
And he couldn’t deny it was cute himself. The tiger just seemed so happy when he gave her anything.

Which just made this scenario harder to sit in as his restaurant was scaringly quiet this evening, it wasn’t as bad as last summer but still it stung when people stayed home in the late evenings when it started getting too cold. ‘I’ll have to start up the delivery cart soon.’ He knew he couldn’t delay it any longer with Autumn starting and it seemed they’d have a very cold one this year. He’d heard rumors it may snow from the other merchants this year if some of the avians up north were to be believed.

That also meant he had to stop and give Chunhua a rundown on how to do deliveries; she'd only ever taken dishes to his brother Yang so far at his hotel. The goose shook his head at himself, he’d really gotten lax with age and time it seems.
“Go ahead and take it Chu.” He waved, knowing the motion would catch her attention. The goose would never forget how truly sensitive her hearing was. “I’ll just charge you a smile for it. Haha.” Mr. Ping chuckled as he looked around the back of his kitchen wall where all his pans were.

“Huh?”
Except for one.
He was shifting through his bowls and other pots and pans to the point he couldn’t hear the tiger over the clatter of movement. “What are you looking for?”
“My wok, I’m sure it was here.”

“No,” He could hear her chewing inbetween her sentences. “you let Po borrow it.”
The goose paused in his frantic searching and turned his head to see his daughter still chewing on the soy sauce tofu in her paws. “When did I do that?”
“Three days ago. He wanted to make vegetable stir fry and you told him to just take it and bring it back later since you didn’t need it.” He was already placing his things back in place realizing he’d almost made a mess of his kitchen for a simple mistake.

“Oh.” He caught her shoving the rest of the cube away, brushing her paws off on her shirt before helping him with his task. “I did. Seems we wanted to do the same thing.” He chuckled as he went back to the counter, taking the basket that held the tofu back to where the young tiger was finishing up stacking up his bowls. And placed it under the shelf right beside another basket.
“Stir fry is good when it starts getting cold,” Chunhua added while she bent down making sure everything was neat and tidy. When she looked towards him, he was rewarded with a soft smile on her face.

“It is, maybe we can have dinner up there tonight.” He patted her shoulder with his wing, urging her to follow him and she did without question.  “Guess we’ll just go up there and get it back since no one seems to be coming in.”

~

But then you came into my life and you changed that

~

It seemed the Thousand steps never got easier.

“Sorry.” The goose huffed as his body slumped and he found himself turning around and sitting down on familiar steps. “I need a break…” His sights met the grey aged stone of these stairs along with the moss that had grown on them, the only thing interrupting that image was his red scarf flowing as the wind blew past them.
“It’s fine.” Mr. Ping turned to see his daughter, walking upon the uneven rocks of the steps keeping her paw up in the air, in the form of what looked like a bird flying.

Tap. Brown eyes watched masterful balance being used so casually as she easily hopped to a higher stone.
Tap.

The old goose couldn’t help but smile at the display, it seemed she was getting very comfortable moving around as she wanted lately, the way her long-sleeved shirt and scarf flowed as she moved made it all look as if she was performing on a natural stage.

“Does the sky interest you that much?” Mr. Ping couldn’t help but ask as he continued to watch her, the young tiger was nearing his spot so in a sense this little show would end soon.
“Not just the sky.” Her amber eyes were glued upward as her body expertly moved and without a second thought let her body fall to the steps near him.
Her paw came down to her side as soon as her feet touched the ground. “But what’s in it aswell.”

Mr. Ping turned his head upward, if he was being honest he’d never really thought much of the sky or what was in it except the clouds and all the weather it brought to their valley. Anything else was too far for him to see or notice. “And what do you see up there?” He couldn’t help but ask as he squinted at the slow-moving white clouds slowly being engulfed by the evening. Only hints of light blue were left above them. “Not many birds fly around here so I assumed the sky was rather empty outside the messengers and Crane.”

“There.” Her very same paw pointed upward as she stepped beside him. He couldn’t help but notice her paw spreading open wide as if to reach whatever she saw.
He really had to squint to see what she had, to the point of even taking a step up until he finally caught it.

A black speck that would go unnoticed by most high was moving at what he could tell was a casual pace but as a bird himself, he could recognize what it was. “Oh my!” His beak opened wide at the sight, he’d never really seen many birds fly so high they must have been a larger kind to soar that high. “How-How did you catch that!?”
Mr. Ping couldn’t even tear his sights away from the speck and just marvel at how lucky he was to see it!

“I always look up there.” Her voice sounded soft and dare he say nostalgic. “It’s freeing.”
“I’ve never thought of it that way.” Now that he was thinking about it, the sky had never really been on his mind even as a chick. “In a way, it just seems as if I’d get lost in it all…We should keep moving.”

The young tiger was beside him in seconds, only tearing her eyes away from the sky and their new find to ask him a question. “But you’re a bird. Isn’t flying something you’re meant to do?”
Meant to do? His sights went back to the moss-covered stairs as they continued up at an easy pace. Again, he’d never really thought about that outside noodles of course considering it was his profession but flying. It never felt like something he had to do, sure he’d flown with friends when he was younger but that was about it. It was a pastime and skill his father had passed down to him out of tradition and nothing else. 

 “I don't need to fly anywhere because everything I need is within reach. All my friends and loved ones, like you and Po, are here so why would I need to reach any higher?" Mr. Ping nodded to himself, pretty happy with his answer. “I’m guessing you’d fly all the way to the clouds if you could.”
“Higher than that.” He lifted his wing to catch her paw. Something in his heart told him that his daughter was floating away somewhere he couldn’t reach. “But I can’t.”

He looked up to see her sights were glued back to the now pink sky. “Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean you can’t want it.”
“To want things out of reach seems pointless.”
“I don’t think so.” They were soon reaching the end of their trek, well the first part at least. “We all have dreams, and sometimes it's nice to dream of the impossible.”

~

The "me" on the other side is "me" too

~

The sizzle of the vegetables pops and sounds out in the kitchen from the wok as multiple people move about the scene. One could see it as chaotic but to those who knew the kitchen, it’s a fairly cohesive system unless you are on the sidelines.

Left out.
Chunhua sat in her usual seat, looking at the chair that was meant to be across from her. But it had been moved to the end of the table. She was taking her time cutting the vegetables her father had asked her for. ‘That was Crane’s spot.’

She was cutting her carrots slowly in half just as she was taught, as Mr. Ping and Po talked amongst themselves near the stove as they fried the second batch of stir fry. “Do we really need this much for your friends?” Mr. Ping asked.
The orange and black feline shifted in her seat as she looked upon Mei Ling’s nicely cut mushrooms.

Po answered with a mouth full of veggies he most likely stole from the bowls they had them in. She didn’t even have to look up to know. “You’d be surprised how much four masters alone could eat.”
The rest of their conversation fell on distracted ears as her gaze moved to the now occupied seat. “I’ve seen them eat and I can attest to that statement, Mr. Ping.” Mei ling smiled as she sat back down near her. “But I can’t blame them. Who wouldn’t want thirds and fourths of that soup you all make so well.”

The golden cat just stepped into conversations so smoothly and all she could do was sit there and wonder what to say as another carrot was cut in half. Her amber eyes followed the piece she cut as it dropped to the plate she had them over. The tiger frowned.

“Oh, you flatter me!” Ping replied happily and the tiger couldn’t help but look his way when he moved his wing Mei’s way. “Crane told me about how much you loved my soup.”
“Does that mean I can’t tell you again?” The golden feline’s expression, she noted how Mei Ling's expression brightened and how naturally it changed and how easy it came to her face. A bright unrestrained smile.

The tiger lightly touched her own face pushing the side of her mouth up a bit. Could she do that?

A shuffling noise near the door made the feline move her paw away from her face quickly as if the motion burned.
“Sorry about all that.” Crane entered the kitchen with a box tied around the rope and a mask upon his waist.

She stared at the mask as she heard and felt the thud of the box upon the table. “You found another box?” Mei ling started before she could even blink.
“Evening Crane.” That was all Chunhau could think of saying, before cutting her last carrot in half.

She got up without saying anything else with her plate of carrots, it didn’t feel right for her to speak right now. The tiger could hear the goose shuffling ingredients about and watched him a moment longer before asking her question. “Is this alright?”
When she had nothing to offer.
“Yeah, that’s just what I needed. Good job.” Po answered instead, he slipped his paw under the plate and she let it go without issue knowing the panda would never drop anything if it had food on it.

“Do you need anything else?”
The panda shook his head halfway before stopping. He lifted his head upward for a moment before answering. “Actually, can you check up on Monkey for me?”
The young tiger made an affirmative noise as she walked away from Po, only slowing her pace as she passed Crane and Mei Ling.

“It’s locked.” The avian looked down at his golden companion attempting to open the medium-sized box. “We’ll have to find the key…maybe it’s in the storage building somewhere?”
“Or break into it,” Mei suggested with a smirk as she let one of her claws free.
“Mei Ling.” Crane deadpanned as he shook his head, before moving to his waist and pulling the mask off his sash. He gently placed the colorful mask upon the table. “No.”
“You’re such a downer.” Mei ling retracted her claw with a downcasted look.

Chunhau now stood beside Crane as she stared into the masks, empty eyes, the shades of green eyebrows catching her attention. It was as if she was looking in a mirror.
“Chu?” Her head quickly turned to regard her friend, her teammate. The avian slightly stretched his long white wing before moving it back. “Do you know anything about this mask?”

Crane waited on her answer, and he couldn’t help but note her posture. How controlled it was, how she had straightened her back as she kept her paws firmly at her sides as her gaze traveled back at the mask with clouded eyes. He wanted to play it off as simple intrigue but there was something there.
Something he couldn’t describe.

The avian watched as amber orbs shifted slightly to look in Mei Ling’s direction before-

“Hey!” The tiger moved with expected speed but still! She went for the mask so quickly and dashed past him without a word.
He turned his head to regard the now ignored front kitchen door with confusion. “Chunhau!” He called out feeling rather annoyed at her actions more than anything!

“Don’t worry about it.” Mei ling spoke up with a little smile on her face as she pushed the box further towards him. “It’s just an old mask and at least now it has a new home.” The golden cat shrugged her shoulders before going back to cutting the mushrooms before her.

Crane wanted to interject because that wasn’t the only issue here, she’d taken it without asking but he supposed he could let it go for now.
~

Like a coin

~

He could sparsely hear slight sound from the way he was twirling his old practice staff, it was so light now compared to when he had first been given a staff, a weapon by Master Shifu. He moved his right foot forward allowing his body to flow freely across the wooden floors of the training hall as he switched the staff between his hands. He brought it behind his back and moved his upper half-forward as he expertly guided the staff around and above his head before bringing it down along with himself.

Master Monkey came to a stop upon his knees, relaxed with the feeling of pure bamboo upon his lap. The simian kept his eyes closed, merely taking in the quiet moment he usually wouldn’t take but as the days grew colder it was only expected to get a bit sluggish and stop every now and then.
He could hear a breeze begin to grow into a strong wind outside.

A small almost nonexistent laugh escaped his sealed lips as his head and shoulders slump as he sat on the floor. My, how time flies…

Monkey felt a weight upon his shoulders and a strange hard surface near the back of his head. This feeling of melancholy could blow away with the wind for now. “Oof.” He slumped exaggeratedly allowing his hands to fall forward, pushing the bamboo staff off his lap. “Heavy. Must be Po.”

“AH!” As soon as he uttered the name Po he was whacked with a tail in his face which promoted him to open his eyes in surprise as he laughed at the reaction. If it hadn’t been for the black and white clouding half of his vision he would have thought it was Viper.
“Definitely not Po.” Monkey spoke inbetween giggles as he reclined. “What are you doing up here so early Chu?” It was Saturday and usually, she’d be down in the Valley with her father but now that he thought about it he hadn’t left the training hall in hours.

“We’re staying for dinner.” That was all he got out of the younger tiger who held on tightly to his neck. He finally turned his head away from her striped arms, his blue eyes only catching a glimpse of his staff before being met with quite a sight. From his rather awkward view, he could see silver, green, black, and red upon an intimidating yet determined expression that donned the mask she wore upon her face. The golden langar couldn’t help but blink at the extravagant mask she wore, it wasn’t something you’d expect someone like her to wear, and yet…

“What’s Po making tonight?” He didn’t have the heart to point it out in the quiet of the training hall as the wind continued to whip outside. In a way, it reminded him of her stripes.
“Po and Papa are making stir fry noodles tonight.”

He could feel when her gaze shifted to his staff on the floor even without watching how the mask so easily formed around her head.
It was a perfect fit, fierce and beautiful in its own right.
“Ah,” Monkey sighed as he turned his head to regard the aged bamboo staff before them. “I’m guessing you remember where that came from?” He knew he didn’t have to ask that question but it never hurt tooask. They’d been so young and naive back then.

“You sure you want to fight with me now?”
Monkey looked downward at his companions' paws, they were bandaged specifically around her palms. “And without a weapon against mine?”

Blue eyes watched as her paws formed into fists. “Yes.” Was the reply he received from Tigress as she stared at him with a familiar stern look he’d grown used to. The simian shrugged, not really wanting to argue with her. He learned quickly she was stubborn as Shifu.

“Come on man! Hurry up!” Monkey closed his eyes a bit when Mantis yelled to the sides. “I wanna spar with her next!”
“Fine!” He shook his head. Sometimes he swore Mantis and Tigress were on the same page more often than not. They both loved fighting and training nonstop more than he did. “But don’t start crying when you use your paws and get hurt all over again.”
“I won’t.” The tiger bowed as respectful as ever even to someone as lowly as himself before moving further away from him. Her feet stopped at the edge of the fading white chalk lines they’d used today. “Shall we?”

Monkey followed her steps soon after, Master Shifu had been drilling proper tournament etiquette into them for weeks and it was better to get into the habit of it rather than hear a mini Shifu lecture from his opponent.

He walked to the opposite side with his bow casually sitting upon his shoulders until he reached just the same distance of his own faded white line.
He smirked widely as he twirled his staff around, Shifu had never said a little showing off beforehand was too bad! He pointed the end at his opponent. “Let’s!”

“1”
Mantis took the role of referee and started the countdown as both students poised themselves for a spar.
“2. 3! Go!” He couldn’t help but laugh as his friend rushed through the countdown, not even the wind could keep up with his friends' impatience, and nor could it keep up with Tigress!
She came at him hard but he was ready for her aggressive style considering he had six weapons at his arsenal while she only had two.

He wouldn’t allow her to have too much leverage now! He used his staff just as Oogway taught him, as an extension of himself, he waited with bated breath as she came dangerously close to him with those palms!
Twak!

Monkey shoved his staff forward at just the right moment and stopped the soon to be an assault on his person. Tigress, the lucky cat, managed to block that jab with her paw straight on!
He breathed in quickly as he felt push back on that palm from her as if she was pushing him to the edge of the field. The golden langur pulled his staff back and did not hesitate to sidestep and go for the tiger again!

“Haa!” He screamed aloud as the staff fluidly rotated through his moving arms and hands towards Tigress. He was focused on making his combos quick and precise. Monkey made sure he was moving forward no matter how powerful her strikes could be he could not lean back!
Monkey pushed all the force he had in his upper arms to bring his staff down on the tiger to hopefully make her move back but-

Thunk!
His eyes widened momentarily as he watched this young tiger take a full blow of his staff upon her bandaged paws.
Monkey kept going!

He went low and she followed him to block each and every one of his hits with her paws and nothing else! He kept his posture straight and yet he could feel that he was losing his edge as this continued on between them. She was on the defense and yet he could feel each block through his staff and it was immense! It felt as if each strike he landed on her palms hit him back at half force.
He decided to go in for a simple combo. He went high and low, she followed him as expected. In a way, he kind of felt she was mimicking him?

His arm came up, and he cringed at how he was forcing the power behind his strikes rather than letting it come to him naturally, but he wanted to win!
Tigress merely lifted the back of his paw up and the contact between them was electric.
Blue and red met for only a brief moment and he could tell, she wanted to win too!

Monkey took this chance to jab forward with his staff and she did move back this time to avoid it. He moved forward quickly as he twirled his staff in his sweaty palms again for this maneuver! He brought the staff upward again and she blocked it without a single flinch as hardwood met her paws.
He brought his staff down with her paw with a smile. Monkey whipped his staff upward and he was surprised when she moved back so fluidly. The feline was always so stiff, he didn’t know she had it in her!

But it was no problem, there was one last part to this combo that would end this entire spar.
He swooped low with his entire body as he staff grazed near her lower legs. His small body twirled around only for a second but he knew even before he fully turned around that, he had made a mistake.

His head lifted upwards as the shadow of Tigress covered him mid-jump, he brought his staff up in a panic as soon as he saw her paw heading his way. If he hadn’t been on the receiving end, he would have been amazed by her prowess and adaptability! Monkey brought his staff forward with both hands, the worse he’d get was a stumble if he was lucky.
The sound of her palm connecting with hardwood made his ears ring.

Snap!
The hollow sound the wood made as it dropped to the courtyard ground echoed as he looked down in pure shock at it.
It was only one piece, splintered and broken just as the one he held in his right hand. The fight and need to win were gone as he looked down at his weapon, no.
A part of himself was broken.

“Monkey?” Tigress’ voice sounded distant to him as he continued to stare down at his broken staff, now he could see the pieces of himself littered upon the ground.
“You okay man?” Mantis sounded closer, most likely skittered closer to their little space.
“No.” He gritted his teeth as his shoulders shook.

He could feel eyes on him and despite the fact, he couldn’t help but throw the other half of his broken staff down.
Monkey moved his head up slowly, glaring at bandaged paws all the way up to her face.
“You broke my staff!”

He saw red.

Her expression didn’t change, it never did. The tiger blinked as she looked down upon the broken piece of wood. “I’m sorry.” Was all she had to say, nothing else.
“Yeah Monkey,” Mantis interjected. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it-I mean she had to block and take her shot.” The green bug shrugged as he looked away from the mess of wood in the middle of their circle.

“Oh so you’re taking her side now!” Monkey bared his teeth, fangs and all to the left. He glared down at his so-called friend sticking up for the tiger.
“I’m not on anyone’s side Monkey but it's your fault!” Mantis yelled even louder than when he was usually speaking and he knew he struck a nerve. His thingies were now pointed his way in an angry manner. “Don’t take your anger out on me for your own mistake!”

He heard a noise of movement and only out of habit did he look away from the bug. He watched as Tigress picked up the piece that he had thrown. “I’m sorry….”
“Of course you’d be on her side because that’s all you two do together.”

He felt angry, more than he had ever felt in his life so far. Once more their eyes met that day, but this time he had no clue what was going on in that head of hers. “All you do is break things!”
He stormed off without another word as Mantis yelled for him to come back.

~

Night had befallen the Jade Palace.

It was quiet as the staff waddled off to other sections of the large palace after taking care of their evening duties, and the students themselves prepared for bed after dinner.
A very, quiet and awkward dinner. Despite their very small age gap, Viper had a tendency to give him looks that would put his own mother’s gaze of disappointment to shame. Monkey ended up looking down at his plate of tofu quietly for the majority of the evening. As thoughts of Mantis being a tattletale of all things gave him something to slightly smirk at despite his gloomy mood.
His downcast eyes took a glance to his left.

Tigress’ seat was empty.
Which wasn’t surprising to anyone in the palace, the young tiger was known to train until the very last minute before she had to retire at the time they were meant to be in bed as per Master Shifu’s orders.

The clack of his dishes sounded louder than they should have. Thankfully, it was Viper’s turn to wash dishes this evening.
He couldn’t imagine training all day and night, there was so much to do in a day and so little time. You should enjoy everyday to the fullest, kind of like Oogway did. The simian smiled to himself as Mantis skittered past him quietly. He knew the old turtle did things moreso for enjoyment than anything. That’s how he wanted to live.
It stung a bit.

But he couldn’t dwell on these feelings forever, right? Tomorrow. Monkey opened the door to his room as two lights went out as they prepared for another harsh day of training.
Would this routine ever change?
He fell right onto his mat with a thud before using his feet to pull his sheet over himself. His blue eyes stared into the opposite side of his small room, only shadows appeared behind them.
He wanted to live happily, and yet.

“You broke my staff!”
He saw red.
That wasn’t funny or cheerful as he usually was around the others. Monkey was the kind of guy who didn’t let things bother him, right? That’s how he wanted to be even still...
“All you do is break things!”
He really didn’t mean that.
“I’m sorry….”
At all.

Monkey shifted on his mat again, as if running away from his thoughts but he knew he couldn’t. He pulled his sheets over his head, shutting his eyes tightly. “Why did I say that?” The golden langur whispered to himself as he curled in on himself. Mantis was right, it was his fault but that staff was special, it was his, it was a part of him and-

Thud
He absolutely did not make a tiny eek sound at the noise near his door but he was shaking a bit. He was man enough to admit that. Who could that be? Maybe it was just noise from the other rooms, this was an old building from what Oogway told him. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d heard strange noises at night.

Monkey peeked half of his face from his sheets to see a tall shadow near his door, and was it holding something? The simian tilted his head, it wasn’t Crane that was for sure so it had to be Tigress. He didn’t dare move as she moved her paw back to whatever she had in her paws. It was long and thin from what he could tell through the paper walls and for better or for worse her eyes were starting to glow through the paper.

Which just made him not want to get up even more.

They stayed like that for far too long in his honest opinion, the tiger as always was more patient than she let on as she stood before his door similar to a statue.
Until she moved and not in a casual manner. The tiger from what he could tell from his spot on his mat, got on one knee holding the item forward towards his door with the care only a soldier would have with their sword.

Tigress bowed before his door. He could see her back and if he was not mistaken, her head must be touching the floor of his door!
Monkey’s eyes widened at this gesture, he hadn’t even been respectful enough to open his door for her and she still bowed respectfully for someone like him!? It just made no sense to him at all. He was just the jokester and jokers didn’t get anything but laughs and smiles! So why was she so dead set on showing him so much respect and meticulous care!?
It somewhat reminded him of…

While his thoughts ran, the tiger slowly rose from her position and bowed as if he was Master Shifu, himself and walked off without another word.
Monkey blinked. He blinked twice, trying to rationalize what had just happened to him in a matter of minutes. How was he supposed to sleep after that!? He sorely leaned his entire body back at that, only now realizing his legs and arms had fallen asleep whilst he stared at the door. “Why me?” The simian would never know if he said that for the fuzzy feeling in his limbs or the fact once again Tigress had confused him with her actions.

Would that also ever change? Would he ever get used to it?
He made a frustrated noise as he rolled off his mat, uncaring of who could hear him at this point because today was the worst day of his life and he’d had tomatoes thrown at him so that was saying something! 

His blanket fell off his body as he stood, shaking his arms a bit before hobbling towards his door. Monkey’s head slumped as soon as his hand took hold of the door. “Hopefully Tigress didn't learn how to create a prank today…” That would kill him in more than one way because if so, it was devilishly smart, sneaky but above all else scaringly funny.
The door slid open to reveal…

His knuckles fell to the floor as his mouth gaped at what lay at his feet. Monkey blinked far too many times to count at the staff before him. Even in the darkness of the dorm hall he could tell.
This was pure bamboo. Its light green color shined through the darkness. Monkey slowly but surely kneeled before this beautiful piece, he rarely saw such fresh bamboo, his old staff was dark green.

“Oh.” He made a small noise as he lifted the plant up only to see it was at a decent length for his height. His hand ran down the rough surface of the bamboo, realization dawning upon what this gift was. It was a staff, somehow Tigress had found one for him in a day. His blue eyes squinted as he took in the ends of the staff, they were really chipped. Maybe she’d gotten someone to cut it for her? But despite its flaws, he couldn’t help but smile at the gesture.

“Oogway…” Yes, that’s who she reminded him of. Kind in their own unique ways to people who didn’t deserve such bright gifts. Monkey walked back into his room with the staff in hand, mindful of the paper of course. Those sharp edges could spell for a nasty tear. He closed the door with his tail as he reached for his knife from his small sack. Monkey sat cross-legged next to his blanket, as he moved the staff in his hands, so he could reach the end.

He started cutting the rough edge of the first end of it, he laughed feeling his shoulders shake as he tried to cut quietly but ultimately failed. The simian knew he should be sleeping but something in his heart told him to make the most of this generous gift. “Yeah, I’ll have to thank her again.”

~

Let's blow away our worries

~

“I’m sorry.”

At some point, he’d ended up holding her paw. He squeezed it tight and his friend made no move to stop him.

“For what?” That was all the young tiger asked him, she was now seated beside him rather than leaning on his back. Somehow, he felt heavier without her weight upon his back.
Monkey turned his head her way, only seeing the sides of her head with the mask covering the rest, and even with that, he could tell she held no ill feelings towards him when she very well should.
“I never properly apologized to you that day, you know?” He didn’t think he could ever make up for it now that he thought about it. “I shouldn’t have said that to you. No matter how angry I felt.” His voice softened and was quieter than he wanted. His shoulders shook, he could feel laughter coming but mostly at himself.

“It’s fine,” Chunhua answered without hesitance as their tails met and moved away from one another as the wind died down. “If anything what I gave you, could never make up for the gift I destroyed. All its memories and care, shattered.”
Monkey slumped, his free paw finding his head. His fingers ran through his fur before answering her. “How’d you get it so quick anyways? I always wondered that.” He dodged what she said hoping the change of subject would deter those kinds of thoughts.

He gripped a tuft of his own fur. The thoughts he helped create within her. Monkey looked up as she turned her head to regard him, he watched as black, white, and orange disappeared to reveal the full visage and color of her mask.

For some reason, he could not tear his eyes away from the green of it right above her amber eyes. “I broke it.”
He gripped that tuft harder. “What?”
“I broke it with my paws…” His eyes moved towards the red upon the cheeks of the mask as she squeezed his paw back. “for you.”

Monkey stayed silent as he stared into that mask, the realization of it all hitting him hard. What could he say to that? Once again, he was trapped inside his mind wondering why? Why him of all people she go so far for? It was unnecessary. What had he done for her besides crack jokes at her? That’s all he could offer.

As the young tiger stood up, she kept his hand in her paw, silently urging him to move. Monkey followed without a word to the door of the training room as they were met with the blanket darkness of the night.

“Why?” Monkey couldn’t help but ask, his voice cracked at the pure emotion bubbling in his heart at what she had admitted to him. “Why me?”

The wind had died down. So it was so very quiet up here.

“Because,” Chunhua stood with him at the open door of the training hall, looking upward towards the sky. “You made me realize I’m best at breaking things.”
Monkey said nothing as she guided him to the dorms.

There was nothing to say in the end.

How could he reply to someone so bright?

~

I'm sure I'm going to meet my new self

Chapter Text

But there are things that we have yet to find

~

Mr. Ping was once again stumped.

It wouldn’t be the first time nor the last considering his track record in life but this was different. The goose looked upon the mask that was settled upon the top of his daughter's head, he wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to its bright colors and expression. He’d stayed with the tiger in her room since she was quieter than he liked as they walked back down the steps.

It was Sunday and considering how late they came home, he decided not to open today.
Even with the mask upon her face in the dark of night, he could tell she was looking up upon the stars.

His wing rubbed circles upon Chunhua’s back as she rested peacefully. At least she had gone to sleep well enough but that couldn’t sate his worries that overflowed his heart.
She’d worn the mask during dinner, lifting the bottom to eat while Monkey had a lost and dejected expression on his face as they ate quietly amongst themselves.
To say the least, it was an awkward dinner without the joy of Monkey bouncing off Po and Mantis.

His son promised he’d talk to his friend before he left but still what happened between them to cause such a state? Surprisingly out of all the colors on the mask, it was the silver that caught his attention, it covered a good portion of its nose area and led down to its mouth. Mr. Ping sighed outwardly, he would really have to talk with her today considering he had to take her back up to the palace later.

He patted her paw upon his stomach before sliding out of her hold and off the bed. “I’m not getting any more sleep so I may aswell fix breakfast.”
The goose stopped once more, just watching her sleep for a moment. He was happy that she was at peace when she slept at the very least even though he knew she’d wake up and all those thoughts would weigh her down again.

He gently pulled the mask away from her head and placed it to the side, now he could see those beautiful stripes and spots of hers. His wing brushed through her shimmering fur, and he still never knew how it was just so naturally soft! Mr. Ping could never imagine hiding this precious face, especially that slight dark spot around the top of her nose which he and Shifu bet on would be a new spot to grow in maybe later on in her life.

He chuckled to himself, thankful for the happy memory as he slipped quietly out the room so as to not disturb her, the sun wasn’t out yet and he wanted her to get as much rest as possible. His wingtips ran past the walls of his steps right down to the kitchen as his thoughts too wandered along with the chilly wind of the early morning. With his front door closed, he didn’t have much to look out into except the sky slowly changing colors to welcome the sun.

“Seems like I’m picking up her habits…” He tore his gaze away from the sky as he kneeled as best as he could to reach that basket of apples he kept in the kitchen. Maybe some Apple Congee would make her happy enough?

He was quick to take his knife as he did every day for work and cut away at the apple into the dices he wanted. Since the leftover congee was already situated to the side he wouldn’t have to do much outside warm it up and add what he wanted. “I should thank Po more often.” He thought absentmindedly to himself as he moved once again to grab said congee along with cinnamon and walnuts.

The fire was lit along with some extra water as he placed all the ingredients he wanted for his daughter into the mix.

He should do many things for both his children now that he thought about it, Po needed more clothes even though Po told him he didn’t need him to buy him anything, he wanted to! He was his father after all and he was working so hard to be a good master outside Kung Fu alongside Shifu! He was so proud of him! And Chunhua needed specific clothes for her Cuju club, he was tired of her coming home dirty in her nice shirts. But besides that, he was happy she was enjoying spending time with her new friends. To be frank, he was glad she was meeting new people instead of only sticking with everyone in the palace.

He found himself so lost in his thoughts he forgot to mush some of the rice in his stirring!
It would hopefully expand her view on things.

He slumped a bit as he looked into the pot of congee. “Cooking can’t solve my problems this time, it seems...”
Orange peaked beyond blues and black in the sky as the stars retired.

~

Stand up! Reach for the sky! Don’t let your spirit die!

~

When he came back up the steps to his daughter’s room, she was awake.

Mr. Ping blinked when he saw that she’d put the mask back on her face, even with the light littering through the blinds of the window, the colors popped so vividly to him.
“Good morning.” He smiled despite his internal worries and placed the tray with their two bowls upon the floor. “I decided to add some apples to the congee.” He softly blew the steam from the bowl away as he handed it to her before taking his own and sitting next to the tiger.

“Morning.” Was the delayed answer he received as she looked down into her bowl quietly as her tail barely moved behind him. That and along with the way she moved her palms against the warm bowl, light taps of her claws filling the silence between them showed that she wasn’t entirely all there.

The goose took a bite of his own congee, he’d been so preoccupied in his mind he forgot to make his own so it was apples for him today. Not that he minded. “How about we go for a walk today?”

She was hiding.

Mr. Ping didn’t even have to look up to see that Chunhau had tilted her mask in order to eat her own food, and that small shuffle of her tail behind him made him feel a bit better on that cool morning. The clatter of windows across from them was clear as day, soon the valley would wake up for a new day. “But I have to go back to the palace today,” Chunhau spoke through light chewing, and that alone made the old goose chuckle to himself all but forgetting his breakfast.

That was the last thing he wanted her to do.
“I’m sure Shifu wouldn’t mind if we’re a little late.”

~

Kiss and make it better

~

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Shifu tapped his fingers away upon his desk as he read the schedule for this month, considering it was November they would have to start on preparations for the Winter Solstice this year. Many of the Masters from last year seemed to love the prospect of having it at Mr. Ping’s noodle shop again. They’d raised a considerable amount of donations from that whole affair so it was only natural they would do it again.

Tap.

“Po?” He called out to the panda who was searching through one of his cabinets for a scroll of names he’d asked for a mere moment ago. “Where is Mr. Ping’s list? I’d rather have what he needs than him rushing around for everything.”
‘Dumb goose.’ Ping had made a whole fuss about bothering him while he shopped as if he had a process to work with at all! That goose did nothing but drag him around during the week before the actual dinner as he window shopped!

His round glasses tilted ever so slightly off his nose as his cheek fell into his hand.
“Oh yeah!” The panda said as if he forgot something. “It’s on a separate scroll, should be on your left!” Po even moved his left paw about as if he didn’t know where it was.
Despite that though, the old red panda did look to his left, and lo and behold there it was, he hadn’t even noticed the scroll there next to his cooling tea. Shifu picked the scroll up and allowed it to unfurl outward as he adjusted his reading glasses.

The bottom hilt bumped against his desk and rolled off to the other end of his small room.
Shifu tilted his head to watch it continue to roll on until it came to a stop when it hit the wall. “ Why ...is this so long!?” And by god, it looked as if it had more on it! “What does he need all this food for!?”

As he took it upon himself to pull this monster of a list back to him, Po answered his question with an unnecessary statement tacked onto it. “Well after last year alot of the masters made requests for different kinds of food they’d like to have at his shop and well,”  The bottom rolled away again as he pulled the upper part of it up. He was going to choke that goose! “You know my dad, he wants to go all out considering what a success it’s been, that and I think he’s enjoying challenging himself with all these new recipes. He even imported a few ingredients last week. Also,” Po turned away from the small cabinet he kneeled near and watched with a smile as he struggled with the long scroll. “You really need to clean this out…”

“If you don’t want to clean it then be quiet.” The master growled out as he was seconds away from giving up on this thing entirely! It just never ended!
Shifu’s ears were only graced with about three minutes of silence before Po spoke up again. “Found it!” Po shouted triumphantly as he tapped the bottom of the cabinet with his foot before coming his way. “You had it in the wrong section Master. By the way...”

The old red panda paused in taking the scroll from the dragon warrior before him as he added that last line. “What is it?”
Po hesitantly let the scroll go between them as his claw tips met one another. He looked hesitant. “I was just wondering if you still needed my help this morning. There’s something I need to do.”

Shifu’s ear flickered a bit at his low tone. “Does it have to do with that wood you brought in yesterday?”
Po laughed. “Guess Viper was right. I am an open scroll to you guys.” The panda rubbed his paw upon his shirt, it was pure green with leaf patterns littering its sides. “But yes it is. I just have to cut it up in a certain shape for Chu and I’ll be right back so please?” The panda looked towards him with bright green eyes filled with pleading as he brought his paws together.

He couldn’t help but look away at that. “It’s...alright Po. You’ve done enough for today to help me when you didn’t have too so go on.” The old panda cleared his throat despite not really needing to and waved his student off. “Are you making her a new figure?”
He wasn’t sure why he asked but in a sense, he had been talking more casually to Po lately. And calling him Panda less, he noted.

“Oh no. I’m making her a board.”
“A board?” The panda had said it so casually it caught him off guard. What would she need a board for?
“I should probably explain it a bit more.” He was thankful, Po was catching up to him in these kinds of scenarios because he found that at times, he just couldn’t keep up with any of their ideas. They were so extravagant and borderline absurd at times.

Po hummed a moment as he thought before in a flash he picked up a blank scroll and immediately took an ink brush before drawing something. “I’ve been trying to help Chu with her expressions since it seems like a big worry for her lately so I thought maybe she could just draw how she feels so no one would have to guess. Like this!”
Shifu was presented with a drawing of a basic cat-like head with a square shape over where the face would be, which had a simplistic little smiley face covering it. He never knew Tigress worried about her expressions that much. “So why wood exactly? And how is she going to carry this around?” The questions piled up in his head as he thought how she’d use it on a day-to-day basis because he knew at this point she would.

“We picked wood because Chu brought up the fact paper would get wet in the rain plus if she does drop it the wood would at least hold out and not crinkle,” Po explained as he looked upon his work. “We thought of that too actually!” He found a black claw pointed his way. “That’s why I’m going to add a handle around the wood so she can have it on her side and add more boards to it if she wants like a key holder!”
“That’s really well thought out Po.” The praise slipped so easily from his mouth he surprised himself a bit. All in all, he was content with the fact the panda was helping his sister out so much.

“Thanks, Shifu!” Po beamed at the compliment. “I’m just glad she’s letting me help her towards her goal.” His expression grew dim at that, his head lowered just enough to make it seem as if he was slumping.
“She has a goal? Towards what? If that’s alright to impart to me…” He really had to stop hesitating when he was talking to his students outside of training but it wasn’t easy just talking to them as it was. They had their own lives separate from him and that was fine by him.
“That’s the thing…”

Shifu waited with bated breath, he was so curious as to what her goal was. What if it was outside Kung Fu? Or outside the Jade palace in general?
Now he kind of didn’t want to know.
“I don’t know what it is yet.”

Shifu dropped Ping’s list as his ears and eyes twitched. Sometimes he swore everyone just emulated the most annoying aspects of Oogway in his life just to torture him.
Po continued despite his master’s silence and looked back at the picture with a small smile. “I think that’s the best part about it all, she’s changing every day, and sooner or later she’ll find what she’s looking for. And I’m happy enough to support her towards whatever it may be.”

Shifu didn’t know how to respond to that declaration at all. It was about as endearing as it could get from Po but also, there were qualities of a kind-hearted teacher just waiting to be uncovered in that statement. It reminded him of Crane, just how much hidden wisdom they kept to themselves until someone truly needed it.
“I should get going.” The Dragon Warrior shuffled off his floor, leaving his drawing upon his desk. “Chu will be back soon won’t she?” The panda hopped over the still unfurled scroll and went to grab his scarf.

“She should have been back by now?” Shifu finally spoke up before the panda was halfway out his door.
“See ya Shifu!” Po closed his door and not but seconds later opened it up again to look at him. “Promise to come for dinner tonight right?”
“Right. I promise now, go on.” He urged the panda before he started up another conversation with him. “You’d best use your time wisely, Dragon Warrior.”
“Aha yeah. Byeee!” He was left with a quick wave and a closed-door before the silence truly hit him.

‘Maybe. I’m getting too used to his noises.’ The old red panda shook his head moreso at himself than towards Po before his eyes found his way back to the doodle he’d left behind. He stared at the smiling face for far too long in his honest opinion.

Why was she worried about her expressions? Was that why she wore that mask at dinner? He wasn’t there to see it but he heard enough from Po about it to feel a bit concerned about it all. “I should have asked him about it.” When he thought about Tigress’s expressions, he mostly remembered the way her ears or tail moved.

Not so much of her face now that he thought about it.

“My, my you must be little Tigress.” The old tortoise spoke up as he walked with his cane to both him and his new student.
By the time they had entered the palace entrance, night had begun. Stars twinkled above them, watching and wondering where this path would lead them.

“Come closer little one and let me get a good look at you.” Oogway laughed good-naturedly as he offered his claw to the small child.
Shifu watched her hesitate as she stood next to him. He took a step away from her when he noted how close she’d gotten to his side before urging her on with a firm movement with his head towards his master. “Go on. Do not be rude to my Master.”

To salvation?

He watched as two golden fiery orbs directed her hesitation at him so clearly and vividly, it almost hurt to look away. Her paws stayed with one another as she took cautious and uneasy steps towards Oogway, her little ears were also lowered.

Or ruin?

His master was as calm and patient as ever as he was with every living being upon this place and anywhere he went. He patted her head gently which caused her ears to go up before relaxing. “You remind me of a little star.”
The old red panda didn’t even have to look at the young tiger to know her tail was wagging at the affection she was receiving.

“A star?” Tigress questioned and he looked up just in time to see her rub against that palm with her head. “But they're bright.”
“And so are you.”
Shifu clenched his fist at the casual talk amongst them, he tried not to think about him. He really did but every little detail about her reminded him of his dear, dear son. He’d used to rub himself against his palm just like that and would make little noises to let him know he was happy.

He stormed off without another word, running his fingers through his fur.
“Master?”

He stopped only a moment, not even bothering to look back at the little girl.
“Where do we go now?”

“You…” Shifu paused once again, not wanting to look into eyes that glowered and begged for his attention. “You will be escorted to your room by one of the servants. Good night.”

Just want you by my side

~

Their walk had led them down a path he’d become more and more familiar with. It was a small path littered with weeds and wild brushes spread in the forest, mostly due to the fact this path wasn’t used much by any of the valley’s occupant’s anymore. Mr. Ping only knew about them because he used to come this way to look for mushrooms and other herbs before the market grew to what it was now.

His brown eyes couldn’t help but take in the scenery surrounding them as they walked together at a casual pace, he could hear his daughter purposely step on dry leaves making them crinkle beneath her feet. ‘At least she seems more relaxed than earlier.’
He couldn’t hesitate this time.

He brought his feathers up to his shoulders rubbing them up and down for warmth, it was still morning so it was very chilly. “Chunhua. I want you to talk to me okay?” The goose spoke up as he continued to rub his shoulders, he noted they were nearing that same stone bridge. He turned his head towards her, which was to his right. Here he could see how she held herself, standing tall and straight as if she was being watched.

Mr. Ping stopped at the aged old stone before them and spoke again when he was greeted with silence. “You don’t have to hide from me.” The tiger stopped beside him with hesitance, that mask still covering her face from his view. He watched closely as her body language changed, her muscles shook as she clenched her fist, never looking his way and only forward. The sounds of soft winds rustling the trees accompanied her paw as it slowly came up to pull the mask away from her face and to the side of her head.

“I wanted to believe I’ve changed…” Her paw dropped to her side and here, where he could see what was truly wrong.
“You have.” Mr. Ping reached out with his wing towards her paw, he was thankful she held onto him. It was the least he could do in his limited position. “You’ve changed so much and I couldn’t be more proud of the steps you’ve taken.”

“But not enough.” Chunhua shook her head, eyes closed shut. “At this rate, I’ll never be able to reach it.”
He knew he had to move forward with her, if he stopped here there would be no going back. “Reach what?” Mr. Ping took a step forward and as expected she followed along with his pace. “Tell me what it is so I can help you. That’s what I’m here for so…”

Please don’t hide. The old goose inwardly begged, for every day she grew and changed he did often worry about his daughter falling back into old habits. It’s what anyone would do in the face of such drastic change. He’d know.

Chunhua stopped abruptly and he could feel that shift in her stance. “The end of this role.” Her shoulders were squared and her head was leaned forward, despite this rather intimidating form she took to air her own troubles. He refused to let go of her paw. “When it ends maybe I can begin anew so I can be what you all cherish…like Mei Ling,” The tiger abruptly moved her gaze away from him and looked away, she tried to pull away from his hold but again.
He refused to let her go!

Mr. Ping felt a heavyweight upon his heart with how soft her voice had gotten at cherish, it sounded as if she couldn’t even say the whole word. “Why do you think we don’t cherish you already? I know I do.” The goose smiled despite his own worries, there was nothing else he could do but inwardly he hoped it would be enough to lift her spirits.
“Both you and Po are my beautiful treasures.” He continued on without pause as the light river below flowed beneath them. “And I wouldn’t trade what I have now for anything or anyone else.”

Mr. Ping urged his daughter forward and he was thankful she followed beside him and not behind. Sometimes he’d catch her doing that out of habit but he wanted her to clearly know that he would stay by her side. Forever.
“Even though all I have to offer is what I can do on the battlefield?” Chunhua was looking down directly into his brown eyes and he could tell with her glower that she was serious. “If I have to spill more of my blood for you all then so be it. If that helps me find what I want then I will do it.”

And he knew with each word that she literally meant it, he’d seen time and time again that she was not one to shy away from taking a shot for her friends or mere strangers for the sake of justice and protection. She was a shield personified. The goose’s wing shook at just how passionate she sounded with her declaration. It was all too tempting to yell and tell her that putting herself into danger like that wasn’t worth it.

“You don’t have to repay us in your blood.” But he also knew as her father, that would get him nowhere. What she needed most was guidance down this murky path in her life and he would be there with his lantern to help her!
“It’s all I have to give.” They stepped off that bridge together as the trickle of water sounded behind them as her head fell low, ears flowing in that sad expression he never liked to see on her.

“I don’t think so. What about our time together.” It just didn’t fit in his honest opinion. What fits her best was when she smiled even when it was small along with that slight tilt of her head. Mr. Ping nodded to himself as they went further down the path, the trees parted inbetween one another to let the light of the sunshine through. “Your happiness. You have so much more to give than in just a fight.” He’d tell her that no matter how many times she needed to hear it.

Chunhua's paw fiddled with the mask upon the side of her head. “That’s only one side of me.”
“And it’s still a part of you, isn’t it?” He held onto that precious paw as tightly as he could, it didn’t matter that she couldn’t feel it due to years of abuse to her own body. “Which way do you want to go?” The old goose already knew what she would do on this pathway, she’d look towards the off-beaten path on the left and then abruptly turn to the right leading them back to the Valley.
Mr. Ping was determined to share his warmth with her.

The tiger slid the mask down, covering her face fully once again. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I do. You’re my little spring flower after all.”

~

This is a song about you baby

~

For once, he didn’t feel as if he would choke in this old building, maybe all the dusting they did pay off.

After a few days of leaving the door wide open, wiping and shaking dust while moving boxes around, they’d found quite the old treasures in the back. From old vases to attire that looked far too good to be just day-to-day training outfits, and portraits lost to time. They’d even found Viper’s crate of old things when she’d first moved here!

Crane moved carefully with the rope that held the box he was carrying out, there had been reports from the birds who kept a watch in the skies for the weather and they warned for snow soon. ‘We’re going to need a lot of blankets no doubt.’ He leaned his head down low, carefully placing the box down upon soft grass. The avian was smart enough to wear a scarf with how cold it was today, despite the fact it got in the way of his movements at times. Crane tugged on the rope, using his claws to tip the box upward so it would untie itself from around it so he could continue.

To the left, he could hear Mei Ling rummaging through another box, he swore they’d never find those blankets at this rate. Although he was getting a bit tired so maybe a break here and there wouldn’t kill him. Master Crane shook his head while he made his way to the side of the building where he’d left a bucket of water for himself.
With the rope set aside, he went ahead and got a mouthful of water for himself.

When he lifted his head he couldn’t help but look upon the box beside the bucket. It was the box that he had found after picking that strange mask up, one that Tigress had yet to return. The avian was still baffled by her behavior; it was just so strange, and worst of all. In a way, the mask fit her as if it was meant for her face and no one else's. He knew that was impossible but…
Crane used his talons to open the box again, before taking another gulp of water from his bucket. It had become a habit as of late, he just kept opening it and looking upon these random objects.

There was the ice cream flyer, a clover, some sort of wilted flower, and a brown bag he had yet to touch.

‘There had to be some connection to it all.’ He moved his wings about as he lifted his talons to pluck the small bag. “Either that or someone was a bit of a saver of obscure objects.” He shook the bag a bit and from the sound of it.
“Please don’t tell me that’s more rocks.”

He expertly turned his body on one leg to face Mei ling. “No, It sounds like wood?” He gave it another little shake. “Maybe little pieces of wood at that. Is that?”
The golden cat grinned widely as soon as he noticed what she held in her paws. “An ornate plate? Why yes it is.” She shimmed her shoulders as she showed off that beautiful piece of art, he placed the small bag to the side as he peered closer at it, with a little “awe” escaping his mouth.

“This must have been for an opera show of some kind.” The illustration upon the plate was of a
Crane covered in a beautiful headdress and white make-up to accent her features, her wing was lifted upward showing small details upon her dress sleeve, tiny flowers painted with care. The piece even had the stand for the plate which was pure black dragons holding the dish upon their backs. “The writing is kind of old, I could polish it to see it better later.”
He lifted his head, only now noticing how close he was to the saucer.

“I knew you’d know exactly what it was from.” The golden cat giggled as she adjusted her hold on the stand. “I thought it was just the kind of fancy China most parents won’t ever use…”
Crane scoffed at that. “One day, I’ll have to take you to one so you’ll get why these are so beautiful and not meant for food!” He swung his wing her way and she feigned being hit rather dramatically. “Or maybe I’ll just shove you on the stage.”

They both laughed together under the soft yet growing breeze that carried the cold of Autumn.
“I’d heard Crane’s had a large theater for shows like that,” Mei Ling made her way to the stray box they’d pulled out an hour ago and placed the ornate plate upon it with a small noise. “Does that mean you know how to dance and act?” Yellow eyes darted towards him with that glint of light he knew too well and loved.
He smiled. “No,” The avian answered in a forthwith manner that he recovered from with a puff of his feathers. “All Crane’s do not know how to dance and act, especially not me…”

Pat pat pat!
“But you're the graceful master of the Crane style!” He was soon met with the hopping Mei Ling, as she drummed her paws against the wooden box with no rhythm in mind, her shoulders moved along with her own internal beat as she smiled. “Surely you know something! C’mon show us something!”
Crane stared at his girlfriend wide-eyed at just how quick she was to do anything just for the sake of doing it. He lifted his right claw and brought his hat low as he once again turned on his left leg to leave the cat to her own devices.

The drumming continued and she started to make a rather repetitive beat as if she remembered a song. “Jia! Don’t just leave me hanging! I’ll be leaving soon and wouldn’t you be sick if I left without seeing you dance?”

The beat was beginning to pick up from Mei. His shoulders began to roll along with the mere thought of a song, any would do in the midst of the chaotic rhythm they shared between one another.
The taps of her paws began to lighten up from the drumming she had started with in order to go along with the beat. Mei ling began to sound out. “Dun duun dun duun daa!” His legs started to move and at that point, he was too close to hopping. Well, no one was out here to see them messing around so..
Mei Ling knew him far too well.

‘Why not have some fun?’ Crane could feel his wings flow upward just as easy as when he trained on a day-to-day basis but this was more relaxed and far more natural than that. His other going downward before he found himself twirling and taking the very wind with him as he turned himself around to see the love of his life having a grand old time watching him move.

So he may have shown off a bit more than he wanted!
The bird carried himself as he always did lightly ever mindful of his steps and yet dancing no matter how many times he did it felt so freeing. He brought one wing up near his chest and let it slide down and repeated the motion a few times before bringing both wings down in a wavy kind of way.
It didn’t take long for Mei ling to move from drumming to join him after that!

And the cat was as nimble as he remembered as she hopped and strolled towards him with a small march while keeping her arms in motion. Round and round they went as she laughed with pure joy.
When they closed that distance between one another, dancing around one another despite their differences in the cold of the morning, Crane felt he knew what love truly meant as he watched Mei Ling sing out random lyrics and he couldn’t help but join in!

~

Her paws stayed still upon the bark of the tree she held onto as the two danced without a care in the distance.

Behind her mask, Chunhau watched and noted how they interacted, how they smiled and laughed so honestly between one another. They didn’t need silence or time to think of what to say to one another. The tiger's claws scraped against the tree, leaving behind long, thick marks.
The tiger master was quick to get up and leave after that.

She stayed to the sides quietly avoiding each and every leaf that littered the ground as the sounds of their joy sounded further and further away.
Chunhau stopped before the well. She stared at it, thinking. Was all it took was a smile and a laugh to bring the ones close to her joy? Would that close the distance between them that she just could not keep within her reach?

Could she keep it up was the question that plagued her mind the most as she pulled the bucket of water back to the surface. The water sloshed around, she could hear the droplets fall back to their source.

Some of the water spilled onto her feet as she placed it down on the ground, one deep breath was taken in before she took her mask off.
Chunhua looked directly at her reflection in the water as it moved, and all she saw was Tigress.
The mask was still hanging on the side of her head as her paws came up to move the sides of her mouth upward.

Only Tigress.

~

So Baby keep on doing what you’re doing

~

Crane walked leisurely through the halls, only letting his vision stray to the windows to the side as the grey clouds grew darker and darker in color and intensity. ‘Maybe it will actually snow.’ He couldn’t help but think to himself before stopping at a surprise visitor.

Mr. Ping exited Shifu’s room and waved at him with the smile he came to expect and cherish from the older goose.
“Good afternoon Mr. Ping!” The avian waved as he walked closer to the older bird, they’d long since left behind formalities between one another. The noodle owner was as respected as any master here at this point. “I didn’t expect to see you here so late.”

“Aha. I didn’t either but life tends to throw you off at times.” Mr. Ping was adjusting his scarf no doubt getting ready to head back down to his shop.
Crane tilted his head at that, the other avian sounded distant albeit not too far from his usual cheerfulness. “Did something happen?”
“No,” Ping stretched the “o” out as if to emphasize everything was fine before he looked out into the window a bit away from them. “I think I’m just worrying too much about things that have yet to come is all.”

“I can understand that.”

“Ah but don’t let me keep you here!” Mr. Ping waved his wing at him to shoo before waddling off to the way he came in... “You came here to see Shifu, didn’t you? And I need to hurry and see if I can open in time for lunch hour!”
Crane laughed at the old goose, always trying to stay on top of business as usual. “Alright Bye Mr. Ping take care going down those steps!”
“I will!” The sound of Ping’s voice echoed down the halls, that goose could move when he wanted!

Crane stood there, looking down that narrow hall towards the exit, he was left alone with his thoughts once again and he wasn’t sure what to do with them entirely. He knew he just wanted to ask Shifu about the box and this bag of dominoes but there were also other feelings boiling within his heart.
His yellow eyes looked upon the door of his Master’s room. ‘Hopefully, they weren’t as transparent as I think they are.’

Knock knock.

“Come in.” Was the delayed reply he was given before he slid open the door with his claws and entered.
The old red panda hadn’t even looked up to greet him, only his left ear raised listening to the sound of his steps no doubt. “Afternoon Master Crane.”
Despite that, he still bowed as he entered further into the room. “Good evening Master Shifu,” He paused as he watched the red panda pull scroll after scroll from a cabinet right next to his other dark wood one. “If you don’t mind I wanted to ask you a question about something I found in the old storage building.”

Shifu turned his head slowly to him, which seemed to catch the old master's attention. “I’d heard Master Mei Ling had caught an interest in our old things from Po but I didn’t believe him at first…”
“Neither did I but she’s very…” Crane couldn’t help but smile as he thought of his friend. “determined as you can see.”
“A good trait in my humble opinion.” He caught the faintest of smiles from the red panda as he opened one last scroll and gave a small kick to the door of the cabinet and walked to his desk with briskness. “Now what is it that you wanted to ask me about?”

Crane blinked almost forgetting himself in their casual conversation, which seemed to be the norm between them as of late. “I found a box filled with random items,” He turned his head and plucked the small bag tied to his side and placed it gently upon Shifu’s desk. The wood clattered ever so slightly as it touched the smooth wooden surface.
He noted carefully how Shifu’s ear’s flickered at that.

He barely had time to explain what was in it before the old master pulled it closer to himself and opened it slowly with an expression that could only be described as grief-stricken nostalgia.
“Dominoes.” Was the only word uttered between them in that quiet room as he watched his Master’s hand fall upon his heart.
Crane took his chance after allowing the moment of realization to pass, he didn’t want to bombard the old man with questions so soon but sooner or later they had to be asked. “Did this belong to someone you knew?”

“Yes, It...” Shifu picked up a single piece from the bag and inspected it, it was light brown yet held some dark brown upon its sides. The red panda paused and that grief turned into a more sorrowful expression. He’d never seen him like this before.”It belonged to a past student of mine, I helped her long ago with her training.”

Crane found himself confused again, tilting his head to look at the domino Shifu held up so carefully. “How could dominoes help with training?” He’d always been interested in the old masters' methods of training that seemed to vary from genius to downright outrageous in his honest opinion but this. This felt like something special.
Shifu stood up, taking the small bag with him as he pushed pillows aside with his foot. “I’d be happy to show you.”

~

Everybody’s dancing all around the world and all you gotta do is do what feels good to you

~

Monkey looked up into the sky, noting just how dark the clouds were getting, he rubbed his hands in random places for any kind of warmth despite the fact he was wearing more clothes than usual today. “Maaantiisss!” The simian whined as a chilly breeze ran through his fur and bones. “Let’s go back to the dorm, it's too cold to be out here!”

He was still wondering why he’d even followed the bug out here when he was just fine, snuggled under his blanket in his room. He stopped for a moment in their accent to the training hall. ‘Oh yeah I said I was bored…’ He groaned to himself.
“C’mon man a lil cold never hurt anyone!” Said the bug who bothered to wear a small vest and scarf! Monkey found himself snickering at his friend without even saying anything.
They passed the red gate together.

“It’s snow laughing matter when you catch a cold after staying out too long in it.” Monkey was thankful his laughter was making him slightly forget how cold it was getting.
Mantis turned around and pointed his thingy at him with similar laughter. “Just for that, I’m pushing you inside the jade turtle!”

“I’d love to see you try! Oh, wait I have another one!” They were already going up the steps to the hall past the courtyard as he brought his hand up and Mantis hopped on his shoulder with the shake of his head. “It’s so cold today, I would like you to know this cold weather is snow much fun!”
“Monkey, don’t ever quit your day job…”

“Haha, hey I don’t see you making any good puns! It's tough-” Monkey stopped mid-push upon the door as he noted something was off to the side of the door. He slowly turned his head to see a familiar form, it was obviously Tigress from the mask alone she donned that hid her face. He blinked as he stared at his friend, sitting with her knees close, whilst her arms were wrapped around them. ‘Did she not notice we were here or was she ignoring us?’ Monkey couldn’t help but question as the silence was getting deafening between them as she just sat there unmoving.

“Hey, Chu what’re you doing there!?” Mantis yelled without prompt.
“Mantis!” Monkey turned his head to glare at the bug for yelling and not even giving him a moment to think! She could be hurt all they know or worse, sick.
“What?” Mantis asked with an exasperated tone.

He brought both of his hands up together before his mouth as he thought for a moment. Usually, Tigress came to the training hall when she was upset or obviously wanted to train. So.
Both master's eyes darted as they noted her tail moved just a tiny bit.

The fact she was sitting outside of the building altogether was not only weird but concerning. “There’s a better way to approach this.” The simian brought his hands down as he pointed towards the young tiger. ‘I think.’ He thought unsurely to himself as he walked towards her on all fours. Mantis mostly acts as support on his shoulder.

“Hey, Chu…” Monkey started as he kneeled near the tiger, allowing his face to fall in his hands. Upon closer inspection, she was wearing her black changshan, along with a scarf. At least she was wearing something warm. He thought with a bit of relief considering they didn’t know how long she was out here. His only acknowledgment was a lift of her downcasted face which revealed more parts and colors of the mask to the duo. The simian gulped, he’d forgotten how intimidating the eyes of the mask were, the black and grey now taking his attention as amber eyes looked upon his form.

“Something wrong?” Was all he could manage and he could feel Mantis’ tiny punch to his neck no doubt mad at him for getting on his wording of all things.
Chunhua nodded.
“Okay, we have something to work with now!” Mantis spoke up as he hopped off his shoulder and onto Chu’s knee. “Tell us what’s up?”

“Okay first,” Monkey jabbed his finger at Mantis for interrupting and taking over the conversation which the green master blocked. “You’re okay, right? No injuries?”
“No.”
Monkey let a relieved breath of air out. “Then what’s got you so down?” He was trying desperately to think of what Po or Crane would do considering she stayed around them the most out of all of them lately. Maybe a treat would do? He might have candy in one of his pockets.

Chunhua moved her paws over one another a bit. “There are so many things I can’t do.”
Monkey blinked twice, that’s what this was about. “Well, there are lots of stuff we can’t do.”
He tried to comfort her but he knew as he opened his mouth that wasn’t going to help her at all.

Mantis hopped again and it was upon her shoulder and placed a thingy over his chest. “Except me, I can do anything.”
“Not the time.” Master Monkey rolled his eyes as an idea popped into his head. “How about this?” He patted her knee quickly. “You tell us something you want to do and we’ll help you do it! That way you can do lots of things on your own afterwards!” Genius, pure genius. Monkey chuckled and smiled widely to himself as he continued patting her knee.  He’d have to get Po to make him an extra serving of soup for dinner tonight for that idea.

“I want to dance.”
“What?” Both masters said at the same time upon the tiger's request. It wasn’t a bad request but it was just surprising. ‘Did Chu really worry about things like this?’
“Dancing.” She repeated more adamantly. At that point, she’d lifted her head fully, showing the full scope of that mask and all its colors. “Mei Ling can do it and I want to do it too.”
“Well, Master Monkey is at your service for dance lessons!” The simian hopped up from his kneeling spot, somewhat glad he moved because he could feel his limbs falling asleep. He twirled before stopping and lifting that mask upward. “We’ve got to see that face for true dancing!”

“Monkey...you cannot dance…” Mantis chuckled as he watched Chu move her mask fully off her head, before staring at its face a moment. As if hesitating. “The only thing you’re good at is monkeying around.”
“Just for that hehehe I’m excluding you from hehehe my class.” Monkey had all but lost his posture and fell over while giggling at the pun he should be offended by!
“So where do we start?”

It went silent after that, Monkey’s head touched the cool ground of the training hall front as he stared up at aging wood, even Mantis was quiet, not even a chirp escaped the little bug. Where did they start?
“uuuhh...Let’s see what do dancers usually start out with?” Monkey patted his forehead over and over again as he tried to think of something, anything off the top of his head! “Oh! What about a song!? We could write one for our dance!” He pointed a finger gun at his two friends.
“Oh.” Chu copied him and pointed at his own hand.

“Do you guys even know how to write a song?”  Mantis leaned forward with his arms low, blinking in almost disbelief at them.
“That’s why we have you here Buddy go get the paper inside the training hall! Shifu always leaves some in there!” Monkey pushed himself upward before making his way to the door. He waved for them to follow them inside. “Come on!”

Mantis sighed heavily. “I wanted to train…” He skittered off the tiger's shoulder and went about finding the scrolls Monkey mentioned. “Why does he even keep blank scrolls out here!?”
“We’re training our souls Mantis.” Monkey pushed the door closed shut after everyone was inside, thankful it felt warmer in here without that cool breeze nicking at them. “Remember,” The simian mimicked Shifu as he kept his head held high and walked straight on two feet. “Kung fu is about improving oneself. Also I dunno!” Monkey shrugged, breaking his character altogether.

He turned to see Chu was placing her mask near the wall, leaning it carefully so it wouldn’t fall face-first to the floor. “It’s to help keep a record of our progress in training mostly.”
Monkey stared at her back for a moment as he tilted his head. “Huh, didn’t know he did that.”
“Alright! What do you guys have in mind because I am not contributing to this mess outside writing it out.” Mantis carried a scroll with ease on his back, if you didn’t know better you’d think the scroll was floating! It clattered to the ground when he dropped it before he dashed in a green blur for an ink brush.

“Oh! Oh! It’s got to be about snow!” He was the first to give a theme, considering it was close to winter a holiday song would be perfect! “Maybe Mr. Ping will give us royalties if it's good enough.” The simian chuckled when his hand found its way to his chin. “Owchie!”
He took two whole steps away from Mantis after he whacked him with the wood of the ink brush.
“Let’s get the song done before you run off and join the circus buddy.”

Chu raised her paw up.
Monkey hopped up on her back and brought her paw back down. “You don’t have to raise your paw up just say what you want.”
“Oh.” She looked straight at him with a puzzled expression. “Expressing emotions.”

“Okay okay, uh snowflakes!”
“I like that.” The tiger made a thumbs-up gesture to Monkey.
Mantis stared at Monkey. “You already said snow, man…”

“Playing together!”
Mantis was trying to keep up with their ideas but they were shooting them out a mile a minute. “One at a tim-”
“We have to say Hooray at least once!” Monkey still upon Chu’s back lifted his hand up high in a fist while saying ‘Hip Hip Hooray!’
“Dreams!”

Mantis had to blackout a character he misspelled. “Can-Can you guys just wait-”
“Maybe we can express wanting to see each other every day!”
Monkey snapped his fingers. “Yes!”

“For the love of KUNG FU!” He angrily wrote out ‘dreams’. “One at a time!”
 
~

Clack

“Shoot,” Crane repeated in a frustrated manner as his dominoes tipped over again, knocking the entire stack down in the process.
The old master chuckled as he continued placing his own pieces carefully upon the now clear floors of his room. “It’s more difficult than it seems doesn’t it?” At this point, he was making a circle of his own dominoes around the avian.

“Yes,” Shifu couldn’t help but smile as Crane tried again from the start despite his frustrated actions, at least he imparted a good morale of trying again into his students. “It requires more precision and control than I initially thought it would.” The red panda stilled as he held a single domino watching his student carefully as he moved not only his legs but wings aswell, spreading them to keep not only his balance but also the domino's balance in order to better control it.

Clack Clack Clack

‘He’s very quick to pick up on my methods.’ It brought him joy to see even an older student of his enjoying an activity meant for someone much younger than intended but knowing Crane and his goal he was most likely keeping note of the exercise for the future. The Jade Palace was truly blessed with such considerate souls leading the future of Kung Fu for the next generation.

“Astute as ever Master Crane.” Shifu didn’t feel as surprised at this compliment, he’d thought long after Po left him to his own musings that this was but a natural change he was going through. After letting go of Tigress, his mind was far more clear than it had been in the past and now he could see clearly through his eyes what his students were truly like.
He was about to go back to the bag of dominoes but Master Crane was quick to pluck a domino with his long legs and claws before he gracefully put it near him. “I’ll bring the bag closer to our pile.”

He caught the released wooden domino from the avian with a small thanks into his palm, feeling and remembering its texture.
“If it’s alright, do you mind telling me what was in that scroll?” He could hear as the bag of dominoes was jostled and placed with care in the middle of his circle.

“Ah, that…” He finally placed his domino down upon the floor, it tettered a bit before falling into place. “After Suan left, I couldn’t help but look for an old picture of you all.”
Crane turned his entire head towards him and he could barely see his raised brow under that hat. “Us? I didn’t even know you had any.”

Master Shifu blinked at that, did his students think he didn’t have anything of theirs to keep for himself? Maybe Tigress wasn’t the only one he distanced himself from. That thought made him frown deeply.  “Oogway made sure I had at least one copy. He told me that all memories are precious and should be kept tightly.” He reached over his line of dominoes to pick up another piece from the bag. “Because you never know when they may fade with time.”

“I can agree with that sentiment. Eighteen…nineteen…” Crane counted out his dominoes as he carefully placed them upon the floor in a straight line. “It’s why I keep so many pictures of everyone up in my room or things they’ve made. It’s nice to look back every now and then.”

Clack
He was far too focused on Crane’s words to notice what he had done, his circle collapsed on one another as his thoughts raced. Was it nice to look back? He couldn’t really agree with that sentiment considering how many of his memories scarred his heart and yet...
Sometimes he could smile when he thought of times before his body and soul shattered, did he miss them because he never kept things as closely as he should have?

Mantis looked upon the scroll they were working on as Monkey moved around randomly in what he called a ‘dance’ to a beat only he could hear. It looked like a mess to him personally, after his outburst they had all started writing and scribbling on the piece of paper with all their ideas.

“How are you two even going to make this work?” The bug lightly scratched his head as he looked upon a certain doodle the tiger was finishing up of all three of them dancing in the snow together. He couldn’t help but stare at it, it was a really innocent drawing in the scope of things but it said something about what she wanted.
“Easy!” Both the tiger and bug's attention was stolen from the paper as he pointed squarely at their leader. “She’ll copy me!”

He wondered if he could live up to such things.

Crane watched his master carefully, he seemed so out of it during this small game of theirs. It was like he was there but would disappear somewhere in his mind far away from this place. He couldn’t help but wonder who this student was who needed these dominoes. But he also didn’t want to pry too much considering his Master’s history with people in the past.

“Hmmm.” The avian hummed to himself as he picked up the pieces of dominoes around them that Shifu had knocked over. He’d never really thought about how imperfect and breakable his teacher was until now or rather lately.

Clack Clack
Same with Chunhua now that he was on that train of thought. His head turned to regard the quiet red panda, his tail must have pushed aside some of the pieces as he moved to his desk. The old master stopped near the side of his desk, opening the scroll up and staring at it fondly as if he’d missed something.

“Sometimes I can’t believe this was twenty years ago.” His finger touched a certain spot upon the picture.

Clack
Crane dropped the piece he was putting away into the bag before walking towards the scroll, he wanted to see what Shifu was looking at even if that meant leaving all those dominoes upon the floor. When his eyes met the illustration, he was hit with much more nostalgia than he had expected. It was a picture of all the Furious Five together right in front of the training hall. He remembered this fondly due to the fact they had to take multiple takes because of Monkey making silly faces and the fact Tigress funnily enough had sneezed during one of the takes.

‘I wonder if I still have those copies.’ His shoulders shook with light laughter as he looked upon himself, he had long hair back then…
“I can see why she worries about her expressions now,” Shifu spoke up abruptly without tearing his eyes away from where his fingers lay. It was atop where Tigress was right next to him with that poor excuse of a smile he had upon his face.

He leaned a bit to look at the younger Tigress in the photo and, “Yes, I can see why too. Outside of a few rare instances especially as of late, she never smiled much.”
The expression before these two masters was one of absolute neutrality that could be mistaken as seriousness or vexation.
“This is my fault.” Shifu’s ears lowered as he pulled his hand away from the tiger.

Crane wanted to tell him it wasn’t but at that moment, he didn’t want to sugarcoat anything. The memory of that day before Tigress’ birthday came full force at him.
“I have no name.”

“It was.” Master Crane stared directly at the man who made him who he was. “For so long I was mad at you. I almost hated you.” His claws scraped against the jade that flowed beneath them as he felt his irritation flare.

Surprisingly, Shifu did not reprimand him in any way, only looked upon the dominoes that laid upon the floor. “I don’t blame you.” Was the quiet answer he was given. “I pushed you all so hard for something that was never in sight.”
Crane watched his master move once again, more slowly than he’d ever seen him. His limp was more obvious at that moment. “That sounds just like what Mr. Ping said…”

“Why do we have to be outside!?” Mantis rubbed his thingies across his shoulders and he could feel Chu doing similar despite wearing a long thick shirt, that he was sorely tempted to sit in one of her pockets. “You were whining about the cold earlier and it’s just gotten more windy!”

Monkey whilst shaking himself broke a single shaky finger up. “I was thinking about what you said earlier about how a little cold didn’t kill anyone…”
The tiger sneezed to the point of leaning over.
Monkey huddled up near her side as he urged them to walk down the steps of the front. “Bless Chu.”
“Thank you.” Chunhua hadn’t even acknowledged he’d used her name as a pun and that in itself was kind of funny.

“And what exactly did you get out of that?” Mantis had finally put pride aside and took a piece of Chunhau’s scarf for himself which shielded him from a bit of wind that pushed past them.
“That, it would be perfect to sing and dance about snow while it snowed down on us.” Monkey brought his right hand away from himself and let it sweep all the way to the cloudy sky above them. “Imagine how pretty that would be!”
He peaked angrily from his spot upon the tiger's shoulder. “And there’s no guarantee of that Monkey!”

“There’s a slight chance for it considering the state of the weather right now.” The tiger interjected as she looked up into the sky. Her ears flickered. “We may get a slight flurry of snow at best.”
“Please don’t urge him on!” Mantis was hoping Tigress would be that small sliver of common sense to stop Monkey but it seemed she also wanted to try this out no matter what.
“Then let’s start!” Master Monkey finally tore himself away from the tigers' side and stood to the right of the training court, the stones separating them in small rectangles. “Chu, you take the left side. Mantis will be our audience and this will be our stage!”

The bug was quick to hop off the tiger's shoulder, he was not about to get thrown around from a dancing routine! “But you guys haven’t even memorized your lines!”
Surprisingly it was Chunhua who gave him a thumbs-up before speaking up. “It’ll work out!”

That did not make him feel better as he stood to the wayside.

Clack

Crane watched without another word as his master gracefully set up each and every domino piece again, he was practically hopping around only stopping to lean his body forward, carefully but quickly putting together the circle he had knocked over earlier.
“Why did you do that to her?”

He wasn’t sure why he asked but it seemed appropriate to ask this question here as his master was so focused on his task. As if he needed to do this for his sake. “Not give her a name, she lied to us, you know.” His wing brushed against his beak as he thought about that day again.
It hurt.

Clack
The circle was soon being filled into place. “Because I feared for many months and days I would place a great burden upon her heart that I did to my son.” The master picked up another piece, even from his spot beside Shifu’s desk, he could see a slight crack in its form. “But in the end, it happened anyway.”
There was silence between them again and Crane wasn’t really sure how to process that answer at all.

“And even then Ping picked out far better names than I could.” Shifu continued on, the light colors now popping enough to be seen on the right side for him to see. “All I saw was her strength even after I admitted to her that she was just a little girl. The potential in it and how it could be utilized,” The red panda moved to start on the other side of the circle pattern, the bag was slowly losing all its pieces. “And nothing more. Should a person like that give a name to a child?”

“No,” He didn’t have to hesitate on that, his wings moved outward mostly after being still for too long. “But it still hurts to think that pain could have been avoided.”
The avian didn’t even have to see the red panda’s face to know he arched his brow up at the tone of his voice. “You blame yourself for my mistakes?” Shifu asked him firmly, knowing the old master he already knew the answer to that question. He just wanted him to say it out loud.

“Partially. With each change she makes I can’t help but see every chance I missed to reach out to her.” Crane shook his head as he looked upon the piece that was slowly but surely taking shape with each small step. “So much has changed.” Not even from just the day that Po arrived but so many little things shifted and moved when they formed the furious five without his notice.

“You just noticed?”

Clack

“Does it ever stop or pause?” He couldn’t help but wonder with how the seasons changed and his friends grew each day.

“No” There were only two more pieces left. “We think it does at times but…” The red panda held them in his hands, rubbing his thumb over them in thought before placing them both smoothly in the second circle. Now they could both see the yin and yang symbol clearly before them and without further ado, Shifu pushed one key piece over and let it all fall to reveal its vibrant colors. 

“The only thing that stops is ourselves. The world continues to spin.”

They stood across from one another, it honestly shouldn’t have felt any different than usual since they sparred often but he couldn’t help but feel as if he was buzzing with energy just from the fact they’d made something together.
He led them off with a soft humm and she followed albeit delayed but it was nice to see she was trying. Trying something new with him.

“I want to see you every day!” Monkey moved two steps forward and turned to his left towards her and he was thankful she looked back at him as she sang her lines, her voice was softer than he had expected but he guessed she’s never sung much before this. “Let those be the days I want to cry, or the days I want to laugh”

He tried to make the dance as simple as possible with small gestures that matched the lines she had made and small hops, they both strode at the same time across the middle of the court and he noticed out of the corner of his eye how her face looked. She wasn’t showing much emotion but her movements were telling enough.
They both tapped the top of their heads surprisingly in sync as she sang her next line.  “I know I’ve never thought about it this way”

Now it was his turn! “We’ve been together every day!” He stepped forward and Tigress followed him along just a few inches away as their paws barely touched. “Since then you’ve given me energy even when things were rough.” They both gave each other a thumbs up!
Monkey couldn’t help but get excited at this line, and he felt Tigress was also happy with it aswell because he could tell with a wag of her tail she agreed with the sentiment. “I want to be with you”

They departed from their close circle and moved in a wide circle, he acted as if he was skipping and Tigress moreso looked as if she was jogging with their arms out wide! “There’s snow dancing through the sky! It’s really snowing!”

Surprisingly enough it did start to lightly snow on them.
Monkey laughed aloud as that soft snow fell on his face! “Wow! What an unusual sight!”
“So, if I touch it, it’ll disappear?” Chunhua reached out her paw, actually catching a snowflake before showing him that it was gone in an instant.
He exaggerated his expression at that with wide eyes and a smile! “How lovely is that!”

“Alrighty, Hip hip hooray!” The two both put their paws and hands up cheering for the miracle of snowfall!
The simian had to place his finger up to show they needed to stop moving for this part. And the confused look on her face was priceless. “Oooo~”
The tiger didn’t disappoint in catching back up with him and taking his hand in her paw. “The white radiance I grasp in my hands when I reach out.”
“The snow may be cold but” They sang together and he couldn’t care less how they sounded, it was fun and that was enough for him! “After that, I wanna play with you a whole bunch!”

They swung each other's arms happily! “Our dreams are the same!”
“The warm radiance I grasp in my hands when I reach my arms out” Was it the snow they meant or the other's presence? “Because the hot glow is dazzling!” Maybe both, he thought.
“Y’know, even if there are things I can do alone” Her hold on his hand tightened as she sang this part, and he could feel how much she meant it in her voice before looking at him with a happy expression.

And he smiled back at her. “Doing them together is so much better!”
“It's so much better!”

It really was much better doing things together!

~

No more hiding!

~

She’d done it.

The pounding in her heart was evidence enough that she had taken another step into becoming the person her friends would love. The sensation of dance was very different from kung fu or even Tai Chi, it required a lot more constant movement than she had first thought it would initially. Her amber eyes looked upon their intertwined hands as small puffs of snow fell from the sky.
She could still hear Mantis cheering them on, applauding and vocalizing his surprise at how well the performance turned out.

The tiger’s gaze went up past Monkey’s orange sleeve all the way up to his radiant smile as he gazed up into the sky, every now and then trying to catch snowflakes into his mouth.
At that moment, she believed in the pit of her heart that this was true happiness.

“Hey, guys!”
Monkey and Chunhua both turned their heads to the main gate to see Po walking into the courtyard with a slight huff of air. He had his red hat on along with his yellow scarf, it blended in well with his green shirt and pants. “I’ve been looking all over for you! Glad I heard all that noise.” The panda put his paw on the redwood of the door and took a much-needed break.

Monkey was the first to move from their spot and she was a tad bit surprised he didn’t let her paw go. So she followed beside him while Mantis hopped to catch up.
It was then she noticed the object in Po’s right hand that she finally let Monkey’s hand slip from her grasp.
“What did you need Po?” The simian asked as he patted some snow off the panda’s arms.

This was what she needed most! The tiger took slow steps towards her older brother, eyes glued to the pieces of wood that seemed to have some sort of key hold on it.
The panda brought his right hand up and it was far too late to stop the smack of the wood against his face. “Ow! Well, I was mostly looking for Chu.” He said with a small wince as he moved the clatter of wooden boards far away from his face.

“What’s that supposed to be?” Mantis asked.
“Yeah they look like those boards you put up for New Years' except…” Monkey climbed up on Po’s shoulder, pulling one piece up and letting it fall back with a sound of clattering. “Bigger.”
The panda chuckled before looking towards her with a prideful smile. He moved the boards away from himself and urged her to take them. “It’s for Chu to do something that she wants.”

Chunhua was speechless, she had no idea how to thank Po much less express her happiness over the fact he had taken the time to make this for her when he really didn’t have too.
‘Oh wait…’ The tiger was quick to take the board before leaning down, setting the board upon her knees.
“And I have a knife so you can carve whatever you want into the wood-”

Scratch

Chunhua used her claws to carve the image she wanted to fully express her happiness the most to her dear friends and family. She wanted to create a smile that could only be seen as a smile and nothing else!
“Auh…” Po sighed.
“It’s okay buddy. I’m sure she’ll use it next time.” She could hear Monkey pat Po on his head.

She carved in the sides of her head to show that it was in fact her face they were seeing along with what she considered eyes that accompanied a smile. The tiger nodded after brushing the dust away. ‘This. This is my smile!’
The tiger turned the board in her hold as she stood up before bringing the piece fully up to cover her face. “I…” She paused realizing now she couldn’t really see her friends with this, would they like it?

“That’s so cute!”
“I love its adorable triangle smile!”
Her posture shifted a bit at the sudden praise. ‘They thought it was cute?’ She’d never really been called cute before outside Mr. Ping but that was her dad so it was expected from him to think so, and that he was excessively kind to her.
“It suits you.” Mantis commented.

At that she just couldn’t contain her excitement, she lifted her board up just a bit higher and peeked around the side of it. “I’m happy you all love my smile!”

A brilliant thought crossed her mind after the breeze blew more snow and cold air their way, making each Master shiver. “I should go show Viper and Crane my board.”
“Well you can show Crane, I think he’s still here but Viper,” From here, she could see Po scrunching his face up trying to remember something. The panda turned his head to Monkey who was holding on to the panda for warmth at this point. “Hmm. She went out with Mei Ling today, right?”

“Yeah, they talked about it this morning at breakfast. They should be back by dinner.” The simian patted Po’s back. “We should get back to the dorm, it's getting too cold.”
“Onward Panda!” Mantis yelled from his spot on Po’s shoulder.

“Uhh…” Her friends moved ahead of the tiger as she took in this information. She slowly followed behind them as they interacted amongst themselves, one of her paws slipping from the board's hold. ‘It makes sense she’d hang out with Mei…’  Chu’s left paw grasped the ends of her long shirt and held it tightly as she walked down the steps with her friends.

All of a sudden, she didn’t feel like smiling anymore.

~

I can’t stop this loneliness

Chapter Text

Shifu wasn’t sure if he had helped Crane with what he had said. In a sense it was a truth of life, the world did in fact continue to spin whether they moved with it or not.
He tapped his ink brush against the surface of his desk, somehow irritating himself with the noise, and yet he couldn’t stop.

It was a lesson he learned the hard way and he didn’t want Crane or any of his students at that to repeat his mistakes. ‘The cycle had to be broken.’ And he could feel it cracking with each casual interaction they all shared together more and more often.

The red panda’s tapping came to a stop as he looked upon the aged wood of his ink brush. “I should have told him.” His cheek fell into his left hand as he tilted his ink brush upon his right, he’d never get any work done at this rate, would he? Now that he thought about it he wasn’t really sure why he didn’t tell Crane that bag of dominoes belonged to Tigress. Which in turn meant that box was hers. The old master found himself closing his eyes, not in meditation but to escape from his work for just a moment.

Maybe he trusted the young tiger to tell them herself?

Tap
Shifu’s ears perked up at the sound, he should have stopped being lazy and opened his eyes but at this point, the Valley was living up to its actual name for once so he couldn’t help but lean into that peaceful bliss every once in a while. “Yes, Master Tigress?” He could tell it was her from the light scrapes he could hear from his door.

No answer.
‘Strange.’ The elder master opened his eyes and turned his head towards the door, usually, Tigress would always answer him. He had an inkling of why she may not be answering him right now though. The red panda pursed his lips as he noticed a black and white tail near the open entrance, idly moving.

“Yes, Master Chunhua?” Shifu corrected himself with a small smile at her behavior, she seemed dead set on being called by her name as of late but he didn’t mind indulging her every now and then.
It was a small thing after all.

A small clatter of wood interrupted his thoughts as she moved into his office as carefully as ever, but what stood out to him the most was when her face came into view.
The red of the mask was what pulled his eyes to it the most, it was so very prominent around its face from its forehead all the way down to its cheeks and lip. He almost didn’t notice the grey and green until she stood mere inches away from his desk.

He cringed at his ink brush falling with a small sound upon his desk, he hadn’t even noticed his hand had moved with the way he was staring. ‘That must be the mask Po was talking about.’ The old master wasn’t sure if the panda gave it justice in its description. It was certainly intimidating though. The young tiger didn’t react, or at least he couldn’t tell if she did or not with the mask covering her entire face as she moved right to his side, moving his decorative silk pillows in a more organized fashion. That reminded him of the fact he just shoved them to the side when Crane came in…

Shifu mostly found himself quietly watching her, ever so often looking at the board tied to her side by the key holder.
Chunhua even placed a few behind his back.

When she was finally pleased with how the pillows were set up, he was expecting her to merely sit by his side but once again, she did something new.
The tiger laid herself by his side, bringing her board from her waist to the floor before her face. The old master could feel her head bump against his side. “Ah.” The small sound escaped his mouth before he could stop himself. She’d only done this a few select times when she was sad or upset, most notably when she had gotten mad at her father. It still shocked him that she came to him of all people to vent.

Shifu had no clue what to say and knowing Tigress neither did she. So they sat in the silence between one another as they usually did until one of them broke it.
The red panda noted how she hid her claws after a moment, she was tapping them lightly against her board.

“So,” He took a leap of faith into the dark, hoping he wouldn’t fall into a void he could not climb out of. “Po told me he was making a board for you.” His mind raced, Should he point it out, that may make her feel self-conscious about it or should he just let it happen naturally? “If it’s alright how about you show me how you’re feeling?”
Yes, yes. There was a start.

He was shocked at how quick she was to flip to the board she wanted, from his spot near his desk he could only see a few expressions carved into the wood. The tiger lifted the board up a bit over her head so that he could see it properly. It was a sad face obviously from the round eyes with the dash of small tears on the side of them, and the squiggly line for the mouth had to be a quivering lip.
It was rather cute, he had to admit.

“Oh, that’s not a very happy face.” The old master commented, he was expecting her to be elated on having such a tool for expression. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Shifu really needed to ask Mr. Ping to write some cards on how to comfort people or at least Tigress specifically.
The red panda waited patiently as the young tiger brought her board back down flipping through it again. “I’m mad at someone I shouldn’t be and I want to stop.”

Shifu nodded even though he knew from her spot, she couldn’t see him. He rolled the scroll he’d been neglecting up as he spoke up again. “Maybe we can work out why you’re mad at this person. Is there anything they do that bothers you?”

He almost fell back with how quickly she brought up her next board! The eyes had a strange look to them, two arrows? He wasn’t sure how to describe them but again there was a small tear on the right eye with a thin line that had to be a mouth. ‘That was certainly a creative way of expressing distress.’
“They can do everything I can’t with ease,” Chunhua spoke with a small voice and he could feel the way she shifted considering the proximity of their closeness. She bumped him twice with her head. “And everyone is so happy with them unlike me.”

Despite her lack of telling who ‘they’ were, he had an inkling of who they were already and the old master averted his eyes from the colors of that mask he could see whenever he looked down to his left side towards her. “There are a variety of things we can and can’t do and I’m sure the others aren’t unhappy with you. I’m not.” He added the last part quickly, knowing usually his opinion was a highlight for her.

Shifu looked upon his hand at that very moment. Was that kind of manipulative?

The young tiger lowered her board, not changing the expression on the way down so he had to assume her troubles were still very much present despite his words. “Even if they aren’t unhappy with me…” Tigress’ tail softly tapped a pillow. “They're happier with them and it makes me want to look away.” There was a yearning in her voice that was as clear as day, and that alone made him frown. “It hurts. I hate this part of myself...”

He heard more than felt her shift and he had to force himself to look as she curled upon herself and brought her paw up to her chest. Right over her heart. “Everyone is so far away as they walk forward.” Chunhua continued on forward without him as if these thoughts had plagued her all day. “And yet every step I take only leads me to the same spot.”

His heart tightened as she spoke about how she felt, it hurt to think after all this time and change that she felt she hadn’t made any progress. He was proud of her beyond words with how far she’d come even before Ping had taken her under his wing.

Shifu brought his hand up to the back of her head and rubbed it gently as he leaned his head and body to lay upon her own. “You’ve moved forward, further than I ever have.” And that was far from a lie, if anything he was stuck in the confines of the palace despite his small changes to his schedule. “It may not be as fast as you want but taking it slow isn’t a bad thing alright?”

She had moved on and he was still stuck in the past. Maybe just maybe this was the cost he had to pay for letting her go?
The tiger tried to lean into his side further, their warmth apparent between one another. “Can’t I just stay with you?”

The old red panda shut his eyes as he held onto Tigress. As much as he knew he shouldn’t indulge her like this he just couldn’t help it. He wanted her to be happy and comforted but he knew deep down this was her undying loyalty to him talking. “No.” Shifu had to force himself to say as his throat tightened. “You have to walk on your own path without me. And...I have to walk on my own while watching you from afar.” It hurt to admit but he supposed sooner or later it would have to be said. She would understand one day hopefully, that no matter how much he wanted to help his precious student, he wasn’t prepared to face the problems she had.

“I don’t want to leave your side master.”

“I’m sorry.” The soft kiss he placed upon her head as her ear twitched, made him remember those precious last weeks they spent together as a family. “I’m sorry.” He repeated to Tigress in the small cool room as the wind rattled branches against his window.

“I’m so very sorry…”

~

I really want you to know…

~

Chunhua sat at the table, she’d left Shifu’s office a good while ago and their last interaction would not stop replaying in her head. She was alone in the kitchen, it was too early for dinner so Po was most likely off taking a nap or reading in the scroll room.

Scrap

The carving knife sat nicely in front of the tiger as she used her claws to scrape what she wanted into the remaining blank boards. Master Shifu had apologized to her profusely for some reason. Her claws dug deeper than needed into the wood as she carved in the mouth to finish the expression.

If anything she should have apologized to him, she was leaving him behind for her own wishes.
Tap. Tap. Tap.

The tiger’s ear’s flickered as she heard two sets of footsteps and a small hiss pass by the kitchen, her amber orbs only caught glimpses of their silhouettes through the thin parts of the kitchen’s wall.

“I had a great time Viper!” Chu knew she shouldn’t have been listening in on their conversation but she just couldn’t help it even as she looked down upon her board, stilling her paw so she wouldn’t alert them of her presence. “That Fleece fashion shop really had everything despite its name.” Mei Ling continued with brilliant laughter that could only come from someone with a pure heart.

Chunhau’s shoulders shook and moved closer to her body as Viper and Crane laughed with her as if they were the best of friends. She wanted that.

“I’m glad I could get you away from that dusty storage building of ours.” The snake said inbetween giggles. “I’d feel bad if we kept you there all winter.”
“Ah don’t worry about that.” The tiger tore her eyes away from her board slowly past the aged wood of the table, the seat that was not meant to be at the end of the table and then to the hall where they stood. The golden cat waved Viper off so casually. “I wanted to go looking around there. It’s helped me get to know you all so much better!”

Crane snorted and she could tell even from his silhouette his focus was solely on Mei Ling. “Basically you just like snooping around.”
“You’re a snitch Jia!” It was strange for her to see Crane so playful with someone else. Mei from what she could tell through the paper window had swatted him softly and he moved out of the way with his wings moving about as if he couldn’t contain his joy.

Their casual laughter echoed loudly in the small quiet hall.
They were normal.

“But don’t let me keep you Viper, I can’t imagine how tired you must feel in this cold weather.”

She was broken.

“Mei, I told you to just call me Vi like everyone else does!”

Mei Ling was in a league far above her.

“Aha, Vi go get some rest then!”
The rest of their cheery conversation was blocked out by her racing thoughts, she’d wanted individuality similar to Mei Ling for so long, her desire was standing but mere feet away from her but that small distance alone told her how far she needed to go in order to achieve that.

The door creaked open and without a second thought she lifted her board up quickly to a friendly smile to greet her company.
“Oh?” The young tiger was inwardly glad she couldn’t see the golden cat, because she could just feel the smile come so naturally to her pretty face, accenting her sweet voice. “Chunhua I didn’t know you were in here.”

Mei Ling was intimidating.
“Everything okay?” Chu’s ears perked at Crane’s voice acknowledging her presence, she hadn’t seen him since last week so it was nice to hear his voice again. Her smiling board wasn’t entirely a lie now.

“Yes!” Her thumbs rubbed against the rough wood of her board, she didn’t want Crane to see her unsightly emotions. “I got my Chu Board today! Do you like it?” Chu tilted her head bringing the board along with her face.
“Chu Board?” Mei Ling spoke up and she could see parts of her light brown coat upon her arm sitting casually on the table. “That’s such a cute name!”

“Stole the words right out of my beak,” Crane’s claws scraped against the wood of the floor as it always did when he shifted on his feet. “And that smile fits you perfectly. Did you use that knife to make it?”

Once again the attention was somewhat overwhelming to her senses. There were alot of cute comments she was not sure how to process. “Thank you and no.” The tiger paused. “I used my claws to make it.” There was another pause before she looked down, only allowing Crane and Mei Ling mere seconds to look upon her real face until she flipped to the next board she wanted.
“Is...it really that cute to you all?”

“That’s even more adorable!”
Chu physically moved a few inches away from the golden cat after her exclamation!

Crane surprised her with a small laugh. “I have to agree. It’s really stylized the way you draw these expressions, especially this one. It has a question and exclamation mark for the eyes to show surprise, right?”
“Yes!” Her response came so naturally, maybe just maybe she could keep up with them all!

Mei Ling decided to interject at that very moment. “And I love the way you drew the sides and top of your head into the board really makes it feel like your own thing. You really weren’t lying when you said she was creative.”
“I’d never lie about that!” The avian tapped the tips of his claws against the floorboards of the kitchen and she leaned her board over just a bit to see his wide smile and bright eyes looking Mei Ling’s way. “She makes so many beautiful pictures with me and she’s getting the hang of calligraphy faster than I did when I was her age.”
“Uh…”

“You should teach me too sometime, you know?” Tigress lowered her board, looking over at Mei and the way she leaned into her right paw, the golden cat gave her one small glance with a small smile not only in her expression but in her eyes before going back to Crane. Chunhau couldn’t stop thinking about her eyes and how they twinkled brightly between herself and Crane as if she had enough light to share with everyone.

Crane tipped his hat up with his claws willingly showing his face to the Academy Master near him, he barely did that around them. Ever. “Calligraphy or painting?”
Her sights raced back to the golden cat beside her, Mei’s tail wagged about happily as she spoke to Crane. “Calligraphy, I love how you write in your letters to me.”
They’d forgotten all about her. Chunhua had lowered her board, feeling herself fall into the habit of blanking during conversations between her friends that did not hold any important information that she needed to know or keep personally. Considering she could never properly respond, what was the point really?

“Chu?”
“Hmm?” A small sound escaped her mouth as she gazed at the avian across from her, without his chair. That still bothered her a bit as much as she didn’t want to admit it.
“Sorry about going off-topic there.” Mei Ling turned to regard the young tiger fully, the air of affability could not be mistaken in her voice. “You must have felt left out.”

Her kindness and understanding just made her feel all the more worse in what hid inside her heart and mind. Crane wouldn’t approve of it, she knew that much. Could a tiger such as herself change into something as kind as that?

Crane interrupted her musings. “Yeah, we kind of went elsewhere but I thought you’d like to go watch me flying like we always do.”
The tiger perked up at that offering, ears going upward and she could feel her tail sway this way and that. She’d thought with the cold weather that he would take a break from flying but she was glad they could spend some time together.

“With me and Mei Ling,” Crane added with a good-natured smile. “You’ll have to get your scarf, a hat, and maybe some of the extra blankets we pulled out of the storage building but you both should be fine. I just want to fly.”
“Ah.” That disappointed her alot. Not that she didn’t want to be around Mei Ling, it was just… “No.” Chunhua spoke the denial quietly as she pulled her board up, hiding away from the incoming disappointment she was used to from her friends when she declined their invitations.

It was quiet for a good moment between the small group. “Are you sure?” The avian asked and she swore he sounded worried.
Why? “Yes…” The tiger responded despite what she actually wanted, hiding behind a fake smile made her heart tighten and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Mei’s light brown tail.
He had Mei Ling, he didn’t need her.

Chunhau got up abruptly and left, she didn’t trust her voice even behind her board, she was angry again.

“Chunhua wait!”
She ignored Crane’s calls intent on going anywhere but here, it was all too much. It was ridiculous and yet she just couldn’t help but want to run away from it all. The tiger master flipped her board as she walked down the halls of the dorm away from the kitchen.

It was easier.

A cold breeze welcomed Tigress as she slid the door open, small flurries still falling from the sky but not as much as earlier.
It was better this way. She’d do nothing but get in their way, they had limited amounts of time together so why would she intrude on that precious time they had together.
Her brisk walk turned into a jog as she heard the door behind her open, the expression upon the board was one of anguish, eyes closed shut and mouth tightly sealed shut. An expression most would never show anyone.

“Together…”

~

I’ve been standing here for oh so long...

~

“Be honest with me.” Tigress had her back to Shifu, after picking herself up from his side. Everything he’d said should have made her sad, the thought of her Master, the one who had molded her into what she was today, would have to take separate paths now.

But all she felt was anger.

And the Grandmaster waited, ever so patiently for what she wanted from him. Her ears picked up the small telltale signs of his hands rubbing against one another.
Master Chunhua turned around, taking a step forward away from his side despite what she really wanted. It pained her to think this is where their familial ties would be severed.“What do you see when you look upon me, Master Shifu?” Tigress stood tall and resolute before the red panda, leaning forward, prepared to wait on his word.

Her amber orbs watched as he hesitated in his answer.

Chunhua moved her board aside, settling it to her side with the key holder before donning her true face again. The mask slid over the features of her face perfectly, her gaze fell to the aged grey stones beneath her feet as she walked to a place she hadn’t visited in a while. Her paw came up only to touch the green part of her mask, she knew exactly where it was, right above the black eyes.
“I am strong.”

The tiger looked down upon her small master as he sat and looked directly into her eyes for what she truly was. His sight only faltered a moment as he looked upon a closed scroll on his desk before looking back up to his student. His expression held a forlorn feeling to it, the way his eyelids seemed to want to close but catching himself every now and then. “I see the little girl I took in on that warm evening…” Shifu’s voice was but a whisper but to her sharp hearing, she could tell each and every pained syllable that laced his speech but most of all…

Tigress clenched her fist as the realization hit her, it was all so clear now.
She turned, her steps silent upon the smooth jade floors of his office as she headed towards the door.

Fear.

The wind howled and blew her long sleeves along with its powerful gust. The small miracle Monkey had wished for slowly melted away into slush upon the grass of the palace grounds, past the palace ground she walked to the Master gardens, her steps came to a slow pace as they met the stairs to this sacred place. Time after time, the young tiger would walk past these statues of great warriors that she hoped to reach one day.

The fog soon welcomed her as it always did, it seemed to be a permanent feature of the garden, a never-ending mist that protected the resting masters and whomever came to grieve them.

Tigress passed the giant statue of Oogway, looking upon the old turtle’s serene expression. Despite the fighting pose, the statue took on, Oogway looked as calm as ever just as she remembered him in his final days.
It was still strange to think he was gone.

“Master Oogway…” The young tiger spoke from behind her mask as the mist grew thicker as if it knew exactly where she was heading next. The smell of each and every candle Shifu would light for his late master wafted in the strong winds. “Do you believe I’ve changed?”

Her only answered where the continued howl of winds, pushing branches to creak and scrape against anything it hit.
“I thought I did…” Chunhau moved down the steps away from Oogway, ignoring the force of the wind attempting to push her body from her intended path. The thoughts of her father being disappointed in her pierced her mind and yet…

Past the formidable statue of Master Gorilla and his axe to the middle right next to Thundering Rhino, a small path most would miss was laid out just for her.
Master Tigress stood at this crossroad, staring into it becoming darker as the clouds covered more and more of the sky, soon night would paint the sky.

“But here I am once again.”

The stars would not be visible.

Chunhau’s amber eyes looked to her left, knowing she could go to the training hall from here. It would most likely be better considering she had no scarf or extra clothing for this cold weather.

She walked forward into the dark, where lusterless things such as herself resided.

“Move Tigress!” She looked up, despite the fact they were almost the same height, which did not make her Master any less intimidating. He seemed so much bigger than her. His eyes were narrowed down at her and it was clear in his body he was deeply annoyed with her actions.

Again.

“I’m sorry Shifu…” The little Tiger’s paws found one another as her head lowered, moisture she knew to hold back appeared in her eyes at how angry he sounded.
The older master groaned lowly to himself as he turned his head away from her. “That is Master Shifu.” His hands moved smoothly from the confines of his sleeves and moved to his back. “I told you, as Master and Student you will address me as such.” The red panda took four steps forward, creating a distance she did not like between them.

It hurt.

“You cannot lean under me.” She cringed at the intensity of how he grabbed his arms behind his back, his hunch was much more noticeable now. “You will stay behind me, no closer than that. Do you understand, Tigress?”

Did he not want her anymore?

Tigress hesitated to look into the jade that lay beneath her feet before straightening up and placing her own paws behind her back just as Master Shifu did. “Yes, Master.”

Pink petals danced about in the rough holds of the wind, she kept walking down this uncharted path past trees as tall as the palace itself.

The sound of wet crunching leaves filled her ears as she moved forward. This path was hers and hers alone, it was a path bathed in righteous blood. A testament to how she was meant to be on the battlefield. As a warrior.

The grove started to thin, widening into a more expansive area to reveal more of the mountain’s uncharted sides. The difference in trees began to show themselves as the winds continued to flow without mercy, some trees would sway yet these would forever stand tall against any opponent.

Chunhua looked up towards the branches of the ironwood tree, what leaves remained on its crown flew away to the unknown leaving only thin twigs behind. Her body turned to regard the tree fully, each and every line and bump littered with small thorns down its immense dark grey trunk.

She hesitated to reach out to the trunk of the ironwood tree, afraid of how her actions would affect Mr. Ping. This was a new feeling...before she would have gladly done it for Shifu so that one day he would see how dedicated she was to the craft he wanted her to learn. Along with his ideology of what a warrior should be, unfeeling, resolute, and quick-witted never wavering against the tide of any battle or opponent.

That was what she wanted at first but then she had changed.

No matter what she did, how much she bleeds or broke time and time again, the distance between them grew more and more to the point she could no longer reach out to her Master.
“Did he ever see me? Or did he see...” The tiger’s paw reached toward that aged bark its damage clear upon its surface.
Or did he only see the warrior he wanted to mold her into, was this why it was so hard to reach what she wanted?

The palm of her paw pad touched the cool, rough bark of the ironwood and her body leaned into it for support, her thoughts making her weary more than any training regimen could.
A burst of strong wind attempted to push her aside but years of training kept her still. That would never change.

“I see the little girl I took in on that warm evening…”
This emptiness…

“Just Tigress.”

~

Maybe I’m wrong, for still hanging on

~

Crane breathed out shakingly.
That was the second time.

The second time Chunhua had run away from him without an explanation.
His right talon touched the edge of the table, and he could hear Mei Ling shift in her seat next to him.
Why?

Had he done something to upset her? Or was it something else? The avian was truly puzzled by her shift in behavior. Just a few days ago, they were communicating just fine. The young tiger was also reaching out to him more than usual which felt like a big step forward for them both.
And this distance between them now felt…

His talon dug deep into the wood of the table as his mind raced, he could feel a small piece of the table being splintered off by his actions.
Awful.

“Crane.” His head turned to regard Mei Ling, only now noticing his head had fallen low. The golden cat’s expression was as clear as day, concern riddled her features as her lips opened and closed with hesitancy.
Had he scared her?

Mei Ling closed her mouth before pushing her chair back and standing up. “Why don’t we go outside and get some fresh air okay?”
He tipped his hat once again with his right claw following behind his dear friend. “Okay…” And with a quick twist of his legs pushed back the chair, he stared at it for a moment knowing it didn’t belong there.

It wasn’t long before they made it outside, the duo mostly put their Hanfu cloaks on quietly with only small glances between one another. The avian wanted to say it was awkward but in a way it felt right as if they didn’t really need to fill the silence between one another incessantly, Mei knew he needed a moment and she allowed him that.

“I got the door.” The golden cat spoke up, breaking the silence they had built together. It was cold but his black cloak was enough to keep him warm. The sound of the door closing was eclipsed by the roaring winds that plagued the high mountain tops of the valley. Yellow irises kept a steady gaze upon the large mixtures of light and dark grey clouds that built around them, covering the Valley in soft flurries of snow no doubt. It hid the many mountains and fields they could usually see from this area.

“Brrr….” Master Crane looked down to his side to see Mei Ling bringing the collar of her cape closer to her face, it was an extra red one they’d found in the storage building. It had an incredible amount of details upon both sides of it, two dragons surrounded in what he could only tell was lightning following them up and down.

“We can go back inside if it's too cold,” He let a smile slip from his face as he moved his own wings to push the collar of his own black Hanfu cloak closer. “The winds are starting to pick up and it seems cold enough to snow.”
“It already snowed.” The avian didn’t even have to look to know the feline had taken a step closer to him for warmth, her head leaning upon his shoulder. “It did for a bit earlier at least.”

Crane simply nodded, it must have snowed while he was inside with Master Shifu.

She leaned further on him and he stood his ground. “You were never good at hiding your feelings…”
The master brought his head back to fully look at Mei Ling. “What?” That was entirely off-topic. And those yellow eyes did not waver against his own. The usual mellowness of her character stepping away as the teacher he rarely saw scrutinized him. “You were always an easy book to read. It’s funny how some things never change.”

“Getting nostalgic are we?” Crane lifted his head up and straightened his beak forward. “Then Master Mei Ling please tell me how I feel.”
There was a tug on his collar before he could register her moving, walking and all he could do was follow along.

“Troubled. But as per usual you won’t say it.” Mei Ling didn’t look back at him as she said this merely walking them towards the stairs and rocky path away from the dorms. Mist escaped from the clouds surrounding them creating a light fog that wasn’t too hard to navigate in. But it made the grounds look much darker than it should have been.

He wanted to tell her it was nothing, and that these feelings were nothing more than his anxiety flaring making him jump to conclusions. It would have been easy, wouldn’t it?
Crane hesitated as they walked down those steps together, the rustling of leaves reminding him of last week. “Will saying something really fix anything?”
He’d said quite a few things these last few years and they just never seemed to stick, talking wouldn’t solve this problem. That much was clear.

Mei Ling shrugged as they came to the end and looked back towards him. “Saying nothing has obviously not worked.”
She let go of his collar.

“Then what do you want me to do?” The avian leaned his head to the side, looking for answers and maybe a hint towards a solution. “This...This is bigger than me. This is about someone, someone special to me and their future. And I have no clue if I can properly help them.”

He carefully watched Mei Ling move away from him, very aware she still didn’t know her way around the palace yards much less the dorms and where these paths lead to. She gestured widely to the two paths that split. “Pick a path.”
To the Jade Palace or near the Dragon grotto. “And stick to it no matter what.”

Crane frowned, he couldn’t help but shake his head at her. “Are you sure you don’t belong here?” He decided on his path, walking ahead to the right stone path towards the grotto. “Because Oogway would have loved that transition.”
“Well if there’s an opening maybe I could.” Light-hearted giggles followed behind him, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, it did make him feel better to choose where he wanted to go rather than wait for a path to open or follow someone.

“But Lee da is my home…”
Home. Crane thought about that word and could instantly relate, the Jade palace was his home and no matter the opportunity he could never think of leaving it all behind no matter how hard the training got. “I understand, I suppose that’s the path you chose.”

Mei Ling nodded with a smile as her paws disappeared behind her back. “Mmhmm! Of course! I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t follow my own teachings.”
The wind whipped and howled past them and he couldn’t help but laugh a little as the cat was quick to move her paws to catch parts of her cloak. “Actually I was wondering, was that special person Master Chunhua?”

The sound of a waterfall was nearing as he stopped. “Yes. There’s a lot you don’t know about her.” That was an understatement, sure he’d written to Mei Ling on and off about her but that didn’t scratch the surface of who she was as a person.
“Then tell me!”

The couple now stood upon one of the mountain's many edges, the view as fantastic as any of them could be! The dorms usually gave them a view of the valley’s fields that spanned for miles but here, near the waterfall right above the Dragon grotto lay an endless sea of clouds. Small puffs of flurries flew past them as the wind began to pick up.
At least he got to see a bit of the snow Mei Ling was talking about earlier.

“I wouldn’t know where to start myself…” Crane shrugged and admitted more casually than he would with anyone else. “I’ve known her for so long and here I am years later still learning about who she is and more.”

They shuffled closer, as the wind blew harshly against them. Black and red intertwined as the bottom of their cloaks fluttered roughly beside one another.
“That just sounds like she’s growing up.” He watched as a fleeting mist of her breath was taken along with blowing snow and leaves long left to the ground.

“Yeah,” Despite the cold weather, he didn’t want to go inside content with the warmth they shared between one another. Side by side. ”but sometimes it feels like she’s a completely different person. I don’t know if I can keep up with her sometimes...”

“Is that a bad thing? People are always changing with the seasons.” He could feel Mei Ling’s ear twitch beside his neck as they both looked out towards an unclear path before them. Shrouded in secrecy.

“There?”

Crane turned his head around to the young tiger following behind him, constantly looking up towards the sky, scanning for their target. He looked upward just as he’d done a dozen times before while they walked this long road, it was quite barren and flat in terms of terrain near a mountain range that had a long cluster of trees filling its entrance.

“No, but you were close considering that’s the wing shape of a golden eagle.” The avian had to squint as the golden eagle above them soared high above them in the clear blue sky. They were searching for a Mountain Hawk-eagle based on the description the villagers provided them, this bandit had been attacking farmers and stealing their crops while they tried to move them to the village for profit.

Tigress kept her sights glued to the sky as she walked closer to him and he couldn’t help but smile a bit, this was probably the most fun he’d ever seen her have on a mission. It was nice to be away from Shifu so they could all breathe, especially her.
“How are you able to differentiate them so well?” Her question brought him back to the real world, he was now aware he’d been staring at her under his tilted hat. Crane blinked thankful for the fact he could hide under the shadows of his attire.

“It’s just a matter of knowing yourself and well the experience above.” He moved away from the center of the dirt path and looked around the sides for a stick of some sort. “It’d be easier if I could show you.” His head turned every which way to the green grass that surrounded them.

“I’m sure an explanation would suffice.”
“It would but that’s not what I want to do…” Crane thumped his foot impatiently before giving up and moving back to the dirt road before waving towards his partner to come closer with his wing.

He’d found out rather quickly the distance she tended to put between them. It was that small gesture that tore her gaze away from the deep blue skies mysteries, and if he didn’t know any better he would have guessed that she hesitated in taking that step forward to him before straightening up.

“You have to pay attention to the wing and body shape…” Crane’s claws dug lightly into the dirt beneath them as he drew an outline of a bird's body and wings. “And then the tail. Is it forked, wedged, rounded or blunt?” Tigress’ shadow covered his picture and it was a bit jarring to see he was taller than her. Even by just a few inches, she always seemed so much bigger than he could ever be. “My tails rather short.”

Tigress bent down, and he could tell she was seriously scanning his messy piece to heart with the way her head was moving.“Can you draw a similar picture to the hawk we’re looking for?”
“Um, Sure.” The avian was shocked at how easily she fell into things such as this.

“Describe the wing and body span we’ll need to look for.” Her tone was as firm as Master Shifu’s during training and he only dared to look up at her intense gaze upon the ground with her paws together. “Would flight patterns also count? Such as diving or flying straight.”
“Yes, it would count.” She was smart, which was why she was the leader. There was no way he could theorize as fast as Tigress could. Much less create plans and give directions to others.

The tiger had them all carefully placed in specific roles that fit the field they needed.
“Mountain eagle’s wings are rather long so they shouldn’t be too hard to spot.” He was sorely reminded how limited his leg movement was when he attempted to draw the massive wingspan of this hawk. He hoped this could give her a good idea of what she needed to look for. “They glide mostly with shallow beats.”
“In contrast to how you flap then. Hmm.”

Crane turned his head once again to the tiger beside him, still crouched near his side. Did she watch him fly? He wasn’t sure how to process that thought. The fact she could tell the difference between flapping and gliding was also a rarity considering most land mammals were merely entertained by the sight of flying and not the specifics of it.
When he finished the tail it looked rather bad in his honest opinion.

Tigress stood up abruptly after he stopped and moved back away from the drawing, inspecting it from a new angle. “Would listening for sounds benefit us?”
Crane made a small noise while he thought about that, hawks weren’t the most social of birds from his experience at least to other species they mostly stuck to their own. Very rarely diverting to anyone else. “No, from what I know these types of hawks are silent.” The avian moved his head around to his waist, catching the metal chain that hung alongside his purple sash to get to his water canteen. It was a simple silver metal canteen with no design upon it.

“If that’s the case then it will be difficult to find them in the forest.”
His canteen felt light borderline empty in his beak, he almost didn’t even want to open it considering how far they’d have to walk for more water. The avian let go of the metal chain and with a quickness, he was thankful to have developed from his years of training caught the flask into his raising talons. The lack of sound that came with a slight shake of his foot made him frown. ‘I really need to learn to conserve better…’

Crane could hear Tigress pull her own canteen from her side, the swirling of water clear in his ears as he placed his own canteen back to his side for later.
What he didn’t expect was to look back up and see the tiger up close to him, the can presented to his face.

“Y-You don’t have to give me any!” He took a step back, still feeling startled at how quiet she could be when she wanted to be. His wings shuffling at his sides. “You should save that for yourself. I can get some more when we enter the forest there should be a pond or river maybe…”
Crane felt himself rambling and looked away once again thankful for his hat to cover his unsightly expressions, he still wasn’t entirely used to her it seems. And that thought alone made him sigh in defeat as he looked upon the messy ground that surrounded them.

His yellow eyes caught a familiar shadow and he barely had enough time to react as his hat was tipped upward.
“Huh!?”

The avian was quick to catch the tip of his hat with his wing before it could fall all the way off his head! He glared squarely at the tiger about to question why she’d done that to him in the first place. But then...she placed one claw up to her cheek before opening her mouth without a single sound.

Crane, rightfully confused by Tigress’ behavior, opened his mouth once again, to ask what she was doing!? Because he was at a loss for words right now.
That was his first mistake.

As soon as his beak was open wide enough, Tigress had popped the cap to her canteen and poured water right into his beak.
And he choked on it.

“You done yet?”

Mei Ling was all but convulsing with laughter into his side, she was attempting to cover her mouth with her paw but it was a losing battle. “I-I’m sorry I just-” The golden cat slid down his side and leaned her head into her paws.
The master of the Jade palace couldn’t stop his own shoulders from shaking along with her.  “Yeah, it’s really funny I was about to choke on water.”

He could hear her tail wag and push dirt about.
The golden cat lifted her head and he was greeted with the widest tooth-filled expression he’d ever seen from her. Mei’s beautiful eyes twinkled with joy and they were difficult to look away from.

“A bit.” She covered her mouth with half of her paw again, rocking on her heels. “All I’m learning is she cares about you all so far. I was expecting more from what I’d heard about her.”
Even in this cold weather, she made him feel warm and complete inside.
“There is...more…” Crane found himself fluttering again, his wings and heart just couldn’t stay still in this moment. This should be the happiest moment of the year for him, getting to spend time with all his loved ones in his hometown. “But you’re probably sick of me talking about Chunhua to you so much…”

He wanted to look away as he did with most things in his life, but with Mei Ling it was different. Crane, Jia whatever he wanted to be called at the time didn’t matter, because whenever he needed a person to confide in, she would always be there even if distance separated them. That in itself was more special than any amount of intimacy.

Mei Ling blew air into her paws. “Jia. It’s fine. I love hearing you talk about things you're passionate about along with people you care about. You sound so light and free when you do.” She rubbed her paws together, her eyes ever so slightly shifted to the sea of clouds before them again and he swore he could see them reflected in her irises. “Could I really say I love you if I didn’t listen to you when you feel troubled?”

~

That time you pulled my timid hand...

Chapter Text

The sound of a rushing wind filled his ears as he flew through the air desperate for leverage, the sun was still high and beaming brightly down upon them.

Crane glided past tall green trees, his large shadow covering them as he zoomed forward. Two shadows slowly appeared beside him, coming in as silently as a predator would upon their prey.

It had been an ambush!

The young avian made a sharp twisted turn in order to avoid sharp talons attempting to latch on his neck, he kept his head low, not only to save his neck but look around the foliage for Tigress. He took one small chance to look back, noticing the two shadows had disappeared from his sides.

He saw nothing but the neverending deep blue of the sky as the wind continued to whip and whirl around him, he flapped his wings once more to keep himself steady as he turned his head slowly forward.

Tigress a mere hour ago had pushed him aside as soon as they started exploring the forest they had seen in the distance, somehow she’d noticed the Hawk they were tracking down was attempting to grab him.

The young student in training huffed through his nostrils, as he kept a sharp eye on his surroundings, this was already turning into a bigger mess than either had expected! But he supposed this was simply a part of his job now, Master Shifu had warned them to expect the unexpected.
This world was ruthless.

Crane’s head turned sharply to see the large frame of a golden eagle coming to glide beside his side a few feet away from him, their wingtips vibrating from the mere closeness of one another. Hazel eyes met yellow eyes as they sped against the world, they only seemed to blur as they flew forward. This Hawk was medium-sized and had a far more patchy color of feathers than the patterned stripes of his partner. The hawk was easily outpacing him, his smaller beak coming to the tip of his own, with a smirk knowing he could in fact go faster than this.

A knowing gaze was shared between them, at this height they couldn’t simply fight, it was too low and far too close to the trees for their wings to get clipped.
It would end in disaster for them both.

He’d have to hold off on finding Tigress for now, as much as he hated to admit it. She’d have to take care of herself or wait below on the ground for him considering the Mountain eagle had dropped her a fair distance away. The hawk was the first to move, the beads upon his ankles clicking against each other as he sped ahead of Crane, prepared to show off before they fought.

He didn’t want to admit the older hawk’s small laugh and smirk bothered him, as he watched the other make some distance between them.
Crane flapped his wings to gain his own momentum and speed preparing to go higher, but he had to stay calm and not fall for any kind of bait. He was already at a disadvantage as it was already since it was two against one in the air.

He could feel his body being lifted, wings fanning outwards to catch the wind under them. It tingled and yet it gave him the push he needed to move forward. He had to fight for his friend! With one last glance at the shrinking image of tall green tops of trees, he brought his attention back to the sky, the avian couldn’t help but wonder where the Mountain hawk had flown off to.

There was too high of a possibility he was hiding in the brush of the forest again. That thought alone made him nervous, he could be hunting Tigress through the forest all he knew!
When he felt he was high enough, he looked down, noting his opponent was taking his sweet time circling the area, not yet taking himself up to the height he was.
A sharp and surprising scream filled the emptiness of the sky in a matter of seconds!

Crane gawked at the show from above, the golden eagle-hawk had been hit by Tigress no less! A direct palm strike to his side barely missing his wing, as the hawk made a turn. The tiger must have used the fact fliers barely parsed their surroundings from below to her advantage and launched herself from the trees for the trick to fully work.
His yellow eyes followed the hawk’s body tumble and fell through the messy brush of the forest, he couldn’t help but cringe a bit at the sound of wood breaking. The fact she’d used a blind spot like that was scary enough!

He watched carefully as the tiger latched onto the nearest tree she could land on and when she slipped, he was sorely tempted to fly down there and catch her himself! Thankfully she’d found her footing.

Before he could even sigh in relief at the fact his friend was well, he wasn’t sure what pulled his body to move, maybe instinct or a shift in the wind. Whatever it was.
It had saved him from serious injury!

Two sets of claws meet in a fight for leverage, this, this was the Mountain Hawk they were looking for! Its broad wings, lined with dark and light brown covered his entire frame, making Crane feel smaller than he should as they spiraled downward!

“It was really stupid of you to come out here alone with some land animal!”

The avian glared at the Hawk above him, bringing his wings back as he felt the chill of the air streak through his feathers. Everything was a blur around them up here and yet he could feel when they were getting too close to the ground. He brought his wings down together with the force and power behind his wings accompanying the natural force of the wind that surrounded them he successfully pushed back the hawk!

Crane was aware that it was a gamble of a move that Shifu had instilled into him. He didn’t control the wind, he worked with it the best way he could tame such a wild element.
He made a sharp turn while spreading his wings wide to glide and catch his breath. ‘I could have fallen…’ That thought alone made him shiver, but he couldn’t let what ifs hold him back, this was a real fight in the sky. No more practice or simple spars.

This world was out for blood.

A shadow covered his body once again and Crane had no time to think whether it was close or not.
“Ack!” Crane couldn’t hold in the pained sound as claws scraped against the nape of his neck, in a desperate attempt to get the predator away from him, he brought his wings together, twirling his body before letting his long legs loose upward!

His talons brought together in a form of his own namesake beak struck directly into the ribcage of the hawk above. “Haa!” He decided to go for a double strike in this case, despite the fact that the bandit did not know Kung fu from what he knew at least. He was still dangerous and needed to be immobilized! The rings upon his toes and legs jingled upon each strike, the large hawk was starting to falter in his flight, the only indication of pain he could see was the tightening of his closed eyes before deep orange eyes glaring daggers at him.
Crane dodged a desperate yet powerful kick from the Hawk bandit, this guy just didn’t want to give up even when he was losing altitude against him.

They separated soon after, both feeling the weight of the earth nearing.

Crane was breathing extremely hard after that scuffle, soon the game of circling would begin again and he would have to be ready! His yellow eyes were sharply focused on the hawk, neither of them could go higher and hide now. They could only clash until one of them succeeded over the other!

He brought his legs back further, straightening them out for a bit more speed and he could tell even with the large distance between them as they flew above this large forest, the hawk was scanning for something. Crane didn’t want to admit it aloud but he was afraid at that thought, this bandit had the home advantage over them, just from the color of his eyes he knew this large bird was far older than he was and seemed to have a plan of action for anything.

The avian took a moment to scan below since it seemed the distance was growing wider and wider between them for some reason. ‘Maybe he’s trying to run away or find his partner?’ With that thought, his head dipped low while also eyeing the hawk, whose form grew ever smaller in his sights.
It was when his sights went downward from that form did he notice his biggest mistake!

High atop the treetops, sat an orange figure, the red from her vest popping out in between the deep shades of green that surrounded her small form below.
What was she doing!?

His eyes widened as his heart stalled at just how close the hawk was to Tigress’ position, forgetting any kind of plan he dived straight for her! The hawk had a similar idea bringing his wings inward to swoop down faster than he could ever wish too and watching that hawk stealthy fall upon Tigress made him sick!

As he flew lower and lower, closer and closer with only one form in his sight, he could see clearly how she was looking up at him, watching him when she shouldn’t be!
The large shadow of the Mountain eagle-hawk was growing bigger near her small form and he couldn’t help but scream he was too far!!
“Tigress! Move Please!”

It was too late.

Even from this deafening spot so far away from her, he could tell she had tilted her head, looking towards him with her amber eyes. Trusting him before she was roughly snatched by the scuff by the hawk. It was the most terrifying moment of his life, watching his young friend being whisked away into the never-ending deep blue sky, he could hear the quickening pace of his heart in his ears as he spread his wings once again to gain more height and follow them upward!

He was flapping desperately to get to them as he watched Tigress struggle in the hawk's grasp. There were two possibilities he did not want to think about but ultimately it was necessary. One, this bandit was going to use her as a hostage to get away or threaten to kill her unless he was allowed to escape.
He wasn’t a fan of his odds right now.

Crane was pulled from his thoughts as the hawk lost some altitude when he cursed aloud at the tiger scratching his ankles. The avian was quick to take his chance and speed upward towards them!

Crane rose high with his left-wing wide open as his right began to turn inward, the cross elbow strike was the first to hit as soon as he was in range of the hawk’s throat! And that got a screeching noise out of the proud Mountain hawk. He was glaringly aware Tigress was slipping from the other talons!

Crane quickly brought his left-wing up for a rising elbow strike once again to the same spot on the hawk's throat, before quickly flapping his wings in an attempt to catch his friend before she fell inbetween their spat! He could feel the very tips of his talons hanging onto the seams of her vest before he had to duck from the hawk’s sharp beak coming dangerously close to his face!

Tigress had been caught by the Hawk’s talons again while he was trying not to get his eye poked out! Crane didn’t have time to prepare his wings once again for a strike so he had to improvise with his leg, what would normally be an elbow strike in his combination turned into a clean rising kicking strike to the stomach of his opponent!
He could have sworn he heard the hawk growl in annoyance. “Stop! Or I’ll drop her!”

“No, no, don’t do that please!” Crane couldn’t stop from begging, as the two birds stopped fighting altogether, merely gliding and flapping to stay afloat in the air.
He could still hear his heartbeat as if it was stuck in his throat.

“You don’t have to do this!” He was trying not to shake because that’s not what Shifu had instilled into him these past two years. They were supposed to be unshakable warriors.
But at this moment, high above the earth, he could feel each and every shiver rake his small frame at the mere thought of Tigress falling to her death because he wasn’t fast enough to protect her. “She’s not a part of this,” Crane felt the pit of his stomach match with his deep breathing. “This is between you and me! Let her go!”

The older hawk tsked at him, as he flapped his own wings a moment, considering he had to shift his weight every now and then with Tigress in his hold and she wasn’t making it easy for him. “She’s a part of this as much as you are!” The mountain hawk stuck his beak upward. “You think I didn’t see her take down my partner! No, you just want me to let her down cause she’s not a flier but when you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.” Orange eyes pulled to slits as he stared down upon his body.

“You should know that.”

There wasn’t anything he could say to that, he did understand that as a bird who’d been a part of a flock himself. It was just something they all did, sticking together no matter what came their way.

“Now you are going to let me go or-” The hawk was about to speak before Tigress twisted in his hold, reaching for his ankles. “If you don't stop I'll drop you just for the fun of watching you fall, you little monster!" The hilt of the Hawk’s foot hit the top of Tigress’ head!
“Tigress stop!”

“No!” The tiger ignored his pleas, staring holes into his body with her intense gaze. Her sharp fangs bared in defiance of his wishes. “Don’t let him get away, forget about me! We can’t allow a criminal to escape!”

Crane stalled at that proclamation, his sights switching between Tigress and the Bandit that held her life in his claws. She was being the warrior Master Shifu wanted them to be, told them these hardened personalities were needed to protect innocents but… He lifted his head high as he flapped his wings. “Let her go safely and I won’t chase you.” That wasn’t who he was.

“Crane!!”
“Heh Good choice kid.” The Mountain hawk smirked, haughty laughter piercing his heart, he knew he had made the right decision and yet he hated being at the mercy of a guy like this.

The Mountain Hawk bandit, shook his crest as the wind started to pick up its pace around them,
“You’d best hope your friend can get you back down safely.” His large talons started to loosen from the tiger’s neck.
“Stop!”

His words were ignored as Tigress was released from the hawk's grip, he moved before any rational thought crossed his mind. He could care less about the disgusting bandit who’d use someone to just get away for another day! Crane had to reach his friend before she fell to her death! He had to be fast enough this time or else there may not be a next time! He swooped down, closing his wings close to his body to gain enough speed to catch up with her plummeting body.

His hat tipped off his head, thankfully the string saved it from flying away as he prepared his claws to grab the young tiger! The heavy yet fresh air of the mountains was buffeting his feathers as he pulled back his body in order to get his talons ready!

Crane caught her roughly under the arms, cringing slightly at how tightly he’d gripped her arms. But the most important thing was that she was safe.
He positioned his body upward allowing the wind to carry them as to not overexert himself, he’d rather keep his distance from the Mountain hawk who seemed to be heading for the forest.

“Crane,” Tigress spoke up, her stern voice never wavering even from so high up in the sky. “We’re going after him.”
“What? No, there’s no way I can catch up with him at this rate!” The avian was sure she’d lost her mind at that point, sure it was bad that they were put into that situation but there was no need to be reckless about this whole ordeal. “After I set you down, we can search for him again but I won’t let you get caught like that again!”

Crane took that moment to glide with the wind forward and lower his neck to see Tigress’ expression. It was an expression he did not want to see, the pure fire in her eyes that burned with an unmatched passion towards the goal right below them was her only focus. 

Nothing else.
Tigress growled loudly, and the sound alone rattled his frame. “No. I will not fail.” She twisted her shoulders which caught him off guard but he wouldn’t let her foolishly kill herself! As soon as part of his grip loosened he caught the edge of the back of her already tattered vest.

And Tigress just as quickly brought her sharp claws up to cut what little he held of her.
Snap!

That thin line of red thread was cut and all he could do was gawk as she free fell downward at speeds that would make even him pause! But then…

He watched how she moved in the air, her slim body straightening yet not tensing as she brought her paws up only to turn in a fluid instant that almost reminded him of a swan! The tiger’s posture and technique were damn near perfect, to that of an experienced flier. She swayed with the air currents without hesitation. If he wanted to dearly lie to himself, he would have thought she was truly flying.

Tigress was riding the wind in order to align herself to where the Mountain hawk was below them until she zipped past said, Hawk.
Which pushed his gawking into action immediately, he dived straight forward bringing his wings even closer to his body to catch her, he was stupid just to watch her do something that could endanger herself so carelessly! And then he was met with another shocking surprise.

Crane could feel the shift of the wind coming, how the tide of it all was going to bring a harsh gust their way and he was prepared to brave against it at this moment but.. .
Tigress rode it back upward, with another graceful spin she propelled her body back up along the tail of the wind, catching the hawk in her awaiting claws with a terrified and shocked squawk!

Crane opened his wings as he approached the fighting duo, spinning uncontrollably in the air as blows were traded between them! He was able to witness a particularly nasty punch from Tigress to the hawk’s face before the limit of space became too close to ignore!
Crack!

The two young students of the Jade palace watched on as the Hawk bandits body met the same fate as his partner, through broken branches and the untamed brush of the forest he fell with pained grunts. Crane had once again caught Tigress under her arms, for once being thankful of how close to the ground they were. He still couldn’t believe what had just happened in a matter of moments, his body felt too light for it all.

The avian lowered them down carefully, mostly due to how much growth of greenery infested this forest thickly. Before they were even within six feet of the ground, Tigress had once again wriggled herself out of his hold and landed upon the ground with a thud before turning to look up at him. “Don’t allow weakness to cloud your judgment again.” The tiger spoke up curtly to him with harsh amber eyes before running off into the thicket for the bandit.

Crane landed without a word as he stared at her disappearing form.
He was acutely aware of the gashes upon her back as she ran off.

The sound of vast amounts of water rushing downward brought him back to reality. Coupled with the howling whips of the winds, it sounded as if these two sounds of nature were making beautiful music together.
Filling in the void in his heart.

“That’s why I don’t say anything anymore…” Crane spoke up, watching as the wind carried the white mist of the Jade Palace waterfall up high. “Nothing or something. There’s no difference. In the end, I can’t control her or anyone in my team at that…” The master took slow and steady steps towards the edge, and looked upward to his right, upon closer inspection even hidden among the clouds and mist, you could see more waterfalls lined above this one. “I’m just holding them back with my worries.” My weakness.

A never-ending path downward.

“I don’t believe that.” He could tell Mei Ling was still huddled in the spot he moved away from. “You all wouldn’t be such a great team if that were the case. They need you just as much as you need them.”
Crane shook his head. “No. I need them. It ends there.”

“And why do you think that?”
“Because if they needed me then I’ve failed in that regard.” He fluttered his wings, causing his hanfu cloak to open briefly. “I still remember returning to the village on that evening. I said nothing, I felt frozen on the spot whenever I looked at Tigress’ wounds….” His talons gripped the moist soil beneath him, trickles of water droplets bounced his way. “I didn’t say anything until…”

“Until?”
Crane turned to regard Mei Ling, who had walked up to his side, her paw falling upon his back. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her glowing yellow orbs, signaling the start of the evening and the end of the light of day.
“Until it was too late.”

The duo said nothing to one another as they left the village and started their long trek home. Past mountains getting further and further away from his sights to the embrace of the forest in all its serenity.

And yet he couldn’t feel any less anxious amongst the greenery, that spread from the ground all the way up and around the trees and rocks that lead back to the Valley of Peace. The sting of his wounds was long forgotten considering he’d been rather lucky to get by with only scrapes on his neck that would heal with time.

Crane looked back up, feeling his neck stiffen at looking down for so long. All he could see was Tigress’ back, walking ahead without hesitation as always, he could have been flying above her he knew that. She would never object to his absence by her side but… They walked past and down a slanted path, the sound of pebbles being disturbed from their spots breaking what quietude they had built up to this point.

When his eyes caught the top of the bandages that wrapped around her neck became clear to him, he couldn’t possibly tear himself away from the earth that he would so readily fly away from.

It was starting to become cloudy, darkly so even with the trees covering the majority of the wide sky above them. ‘It may rain soon.’ That simple thought passed through his mind as he walked behind Tigress, once again noticing the distance between them. It felt strange to think they were far away from one another when in reality, if he just took a few steps further to catch up with the tiger he would be able to reach her easily.

But things were never that simple were they?

Thunder rumbles in the distance as he stops dead in his tracks, wanting nothing more than to return to how they were before that mission. Just looking into the endless sky and walking with no destination in mind.
“Tigress?” His voice is more quiet and hesitant than he wanted to sound, he never did things like this. Talking first to catch someone else’s attention, but at this moment neither of them could fall into the habit of waiting for someone to speak up for them.

“Why don’t we stop and find some shelter? It seems as if it might rain any moment.” Despite himself wanting to look away from the tiger's strong form, she was most likely mad at him and he couldn’t blame her at all after what happened a few days ago.

He was weak.
The tiger stopped, fists ready at her sides. She was the warrior Shifu wanted them to strive to be and he had no clue if he could ever live up to such a standard. And she knew it just as well as he did.

The shadow of a large grey cloud covered them both in a matter of seconds, taking away each and every bit of light the sun had to offer away from them. Tigress’ head slowly turned to regard him and the piercing glow of her red eyes made him take a step back, knocking stray pebbles aside. Her ears twitched in his direction before her gaze lowered and turned back to that straightforward position he could only associate with the tiger.

A stray droplet of water fell upon his beak as the other started to walk to the left side of the forest.
“Very well.” The avian guessed she wanted him to follow her, to where he wasn’t sure but at least she was alright with taking a rest rather than pushing themselves through the drizzle back home.

Crane ignored the distant rumblings of the sky as they walked with a purpose, or at least Tigress did. Past a wide area filled with patches of clovers, flowers, and small clusters of bright green bamboo, he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander around this lush area. It reminded him dearly of the area around the Peachtree of heavenly wisdom, the exact opposite of the loud ongoing activity of their lives, this was a place of peace. Every small shake of leaves could be heard as they walked up another slant hill lined with bamboo at its sides beneath the towering trees before he saw the mouth of a small cave.

His pace started to slow as he looked upward at the mountain; this cave was connected too, its peak shrouded in leaves and clouds. He was so enamored with the view he almost forgot himself as it started to drizzle, the avian scurried up under the shelter of the cave.

They stood side by side near the exit of the cave to keep some semblance of light from outside rather than sitting in the dark of the inside. His gaze turned to regard Tigress as the rain started to pour before them, her paws merely laid against her sides no longer fists but her eyes...they seemed somewhere else. Far away.

“Tigress”
He called the other and it felt as if time itself stopped only around them as the rain continued on.

“Tigress.” His wings began to flutter at his sides, as worry was beginning to grow in his stomach. The tiger’s ears flickered his way, just as they did earlier but she didn’t look towards him this time.

“Yes?”
“I’ll do better next time.” It was something he would say to Shifu after a mission, but here and now his friend needed to hear it more than his master. He wanted her to know that he would be there for her. This didn’t need to be complicated. “I won’t let this happen to you again.” No meaningless apologies, only a statement for betterment. That was the Lee Da academy way he knew.

The rain continued on, forming puddles as it rushed to cover the lands ahead of them. The anticipation in merely waiting for her to answer was killing him, that and the fact she’d barely moved. “What happens to me doesn’t matter. As long as the mission is accomplished and you are still alive, I don’t need anything else.”

Crane felt his breathing grow heavy, deja vu of what happened in the sky hitting him in waves all over again. Drowning in her words. “Tigress...you don’t mean that do you? I mean…” The avian turned his head away from his friend to the ground, dirt, and rocks being splashed with light droplets of rain. “I understand what we have to do but I don’t want to see you hurt just because of my mistake.” That was the pure truth of the matter, he couldn’t adopt the same steel determination as Shifu wanted them to all have. He had to be himself. That was how he got this far in the first place.

“It was not your mistake. It was mine.” Tigress spoke up tonelessly. “The battlefield is a place where the unexpected occurs. And as the leader, I must spend my time wisely so as to not burden any of you.”

He heard a small bit of movement from the tiger next to him and he couldn’t help but turn to watch her. The tiger’s right paw was lifted up from her side, and she rubbed the inside of her palm with her thumb. “The sky is another world of its own.”

“It is.” Crane agreed, unsure of where she was going with this line of thought. Everything she was saying was rather concerning and scary to ponder on. Was a warrior meant to be so self-serving for others? “But it wasn’t your fault, I could have warned you or…” He sighed feeling the chill from the rain caught up with him. “Something.” He said rather lamely.

“I don’t understand you.” They were both staring at her paw now as water trickled off the top of the mouth’s cave.
“What?”
“I don’t understand you.” She repeated. “Why you dwell on a being such as myself? It makes no sense.”

“Being such as yourself?” Crane could feel his hat tip at the way his head swerved upward to regard her downcast face. “You’re my friend. That’s all. I don’t know what Master Shifu told you but you do matter-”

And then those burning amber eyes directed themselves to his form at the mere mention of their master. “Don’t act as if you know his intentions!” The tiger’s shoulders were squared as she took a wide step towards him. “What he does for me is necessary!”
“Yelling at you for small mistakes isn’t necessary!” Crane met her head-on, truthfully tired of all these riddles and vague sayings in the palace he lived in. “You don’t have to go so far for him! Or for any of this!”

“Yes, I do! You don’t understand!” Tigress’ paws curled into fists and shook along with her body, her ears lining back upon her head as her glowering eyes turned to slits. “Master Shifu picked me when…” Her gaze fell away from him as she stared upon the ground. “He picked me to continue his dreams. His lessons, harsh words, and silence are proof of my existence.”
Crane’s eyes widened, trying not to look away from the tiger’s form but with each word he could hear the pain from her voice. Even the harshest of training never got her this worked up and yet this. This is what broke her heart more than anything.

“Unlike you and the others, I have nothing else.”
He reached a wing out to her shoulder, wanting nothing more than to at least give her some comfort. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her now before they returned home.
“Tigress, I’m sorry…”

Before his wingtips could even touch her shoulder, she moved away from him entirely looking rather perturbed, the feline’s back met the stone of the cave’s mouth as they stared at each other. The rain covers the sound of their breathing.

A gush of water falling and splashing as it hit the ground sounded as his yellow eyes caught the tall tale sign of her foot moving. His body swayed as her eyes darted to the down-poured path ahead of them.

As soon as her body began to turn she made a dash for it. “Tigress!”

Crane felt the weight of the rain upon his body as soon as he was halfway out of the exit, carefully jogging behind the now running tiger. He shook his head as the water leaked through his rice hat. He could somewhat see her orange and red form right ahead of him and yet the constant downpour wasn’t making it easy to navigate the lush forest! He had to catch himself with his wings to the sides of the thick trees and bamboo due to the moist dirt beneath him, even Tigress had to do the same down this messy path.

“Tigress stop!” Crane called out to her again as the rain continued to fall upon their bodies without mercy. “I know I don’t understand everything but I didn’t mean any disrespect.” Honestly, he didn’t entirely mean that because Shifu was running his last few nerves but he’d say anything to get her to just stop! “Okay so just come back...let’s...let’s go back to the cave and-”

While he rambled on Tigress had in fact stopped in her tracks, standing beside a tree and a cluster of bamboo. Her breathing looked heavier than it should have been, bandaged shoulders went up and down. She raised her paw up.
“Don’t say that title anymore!”

Crash!

Crane pulled his neck back as he watched Tigress punch a hole into that large tree, the sound of wood breaking into tiny pieces made his heart still. For the second time this week, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears, accompanied by the crashing sounds of the rain, it gave the entire area an eerie feeling.

The duo was once again still among the ever-moving nature of the forest, he had no clue how to handle this. His mind wandered back to the clear blue sky above them rather than these grey ones that plagued them with nothing but sorrow. His eyes scrunched close as he watched Tigress pull her paw away from the hole she had created. He was expecting this to be the end, she’d come back with her injured paw and maybe after bandaging it they could talk this out…

Tigress ran further ahead without any outward issue.

The avian gawked at her level of perseverance, at times it could quite frankly be terrifying. Which was now one of those times. With a shake of his head and a few flaps of his soaked wings that splashed water droplets into the puddles beneath him, he took a sharp takeoff upward!

He knew one thing, this entire time, Tigress was taking the same route they had taken to get up to that cave, so it was only logical she’d take the safest route back down in this storm!
The avian flew at a decent height above the trees and cursed at the rain pelting him. At least it wasn’t also windy. He passed over the brush and trees and thicket of bamboo that soon led him to the opening of flowers and clovers.

His keen eye caught the tiger’s orange form exiting that exit from the bamboo and he did not hesitate to dive downward.
Crane lifted his talons upward ready to take her hold if he had too but he forgot to take into account her acute hearing! Her ears shot up as soon as he was in range, the tigers injured paw lifting up to block whatever attack she most likely assumed was coming her way.

Splash!
Tigress’ feet moved into a defensive stance, the movement of her circling foot creating a small wave from the puddles beneath them as he grabbed a hold of her injured paw into his grasp.

Fiery glowing amber met yellow again beneath the neverending rain that soaked them to their very core. Crane stared into those determined yet frantic eyes of Tigress’, he would have thought after knowing her for this long he’d have gotten used to it but it was still so very unnerving to be under. It felt as if she was trying to make him disappear upon her sights without a single word and he was tempted to do that but…

The avian flapped his wings lightly before allowing his right leg to meet the puddle-riddled ground without letting go of her wrist. Her body alone screamed for him to move away from her but he couldn’t help but notice how the tiger never pulled herself away from his hold. By some miracle above he tore his gaze away from her simmering one to her paw, to no surprise it had leftover splinters in it covering her fur.

Right then and there Crane made a choice of his own.

He hopped expertly closer to her while pulling Tigress’ injured paw forward close to the tree they were under. He couldn’t help but smile a bit when she looked at him with a confused but intrigued expression as her tail moved about. He covered the young tiger with his wide wing as small streams of water fell from inbetween the tree's leaves right onto her paw. It wasn’t the best way of dealing with it but it was all he could really do at this moment.

Crane let himself breathe out as he felt the tension in her wrist wither away as the rain continued to pour on them. ‘Maybe the sound was calming to her?’ He couldn’t help but think as he allowed his left leg a break and pulled it back to the ground where it belonged. Tigress kept her injured paw right where he left it.

He was alright with shielding her when no one else would. That was essentially what he wanted to say in the first place when all was said and done. Tigress was his friend and he didn’t want her to think she had to be the personification of Shifu’s dreams. “Once I heard a story, that at the end of a rainbow, you can find something special there.” It was a tale he’d heard when he was but a chick from his mother when he asked where they lead too. “I’m not sure what’s there but...but I hope one day you can make it to the end of one and find what you want.”

Truthfully with time, he began to believe in it less but here and now maybe the story of wishes beyond the sky could give his friend something else to think about rather than the brutality of their roles in Kung fu. Even for just a minute.

Crane looked up towards the dark grey sky. “And then we can stand under its light together. Not today, tomorrow, or even next month. Someday when you’re ready.” What she needed now wasn’t comfort but… “I want to stand by you under the many colors of the rainbow, okay?”
Water drips upon her paw, running through her still fingers.

“Can you promise me that?”
A new goal.
“Yes. I promise.” Tigress said. “That we will stand together under this grand rainbow when my finale nears.”

~

I’m still dreaming...

~

Shifu scurried into the student barracks, it had gotten awfully cold very quickly despite the extra layers he was wearing today. He practically slammed the door shut before the wind could nip him with any more chills. He rubbed over his upper arms a few times before hanging his cloak up with the others at the side of the door.

Twak!

The old master’s ears twitched at the sound, it made him raise a brow considering it sounded familiar but he just couldn’t place what it was? The wind howled and whipped outside as the old wooden floorboards creaked under his feet until he made it to the light of the kitchen.

Twak!

Shifu watched with surprised eyes as Po hit the table with long strings of noodles in both his paws right into a small space of flour. He’d had Ping explain the process of making noodles to him but he never really got to see them being made since he only came by in the evening.

“Oh! Shifu, Evening!” Po smiled at him only for a moment before bringing his attention back to the noodles he was making. The panda pulled on the strings of noodles faster than he could process between his paws before shaking them in the flour. “You’re a bit earlier than I expected but I’m glad you came by..”
“Yea...I mean yes! I’ve come to every meal you’ve invited me to so far, so why stop now?” Master Shifu corrected himself, finding his attention being taken away by his students' culinary skill and how delicate he made it all look. “I finished my work early and decided to check on you all. Is everyone inside?”

Twak! Twak!
Po hit the table two more times before pulling his noodles up high, almost tying them together. “Everyone’s inside except Crane and Mei although…” The panda paused after carefully laying down his batch into a bowl and picked up a larger roll of noodles to pull on. “I was wondering if Chu was with you?”
Shifu blinked at that, he hadn’t seen her since this afternoon. “No, not since she returned with your father.” His brow scrunched up at that wondering where she could be considering the state of the weather out there.

“It’s alright I’ll go get her.” Po interrupted his line of thought, and the old master couldn’t help but feel slight envy at how easily the panda was casually talking to him while twisting and pulling on those noodles without a single care. “She’s probably just out there practicing and lost track of time again.”
“No, Po. I’ll go look for her.” That made the dragon warrior stop momentarily in his rolling of his noodles in flour. Shifu smiled. “You said it yourself I’m early and you’re far from down making dinner so...it’s the least I can do.”

If he didn’t know any better he would have assumed Po was beaming at his words. “Thanks, Master Shifu, just be careful out there!”
“Of course.” The elder bowed respectfully to the dragon warrior before heading back out into the cold he just escaped from. He was tempted to check if she was merely in her room meditating but knowing Po that was the first place he checked before he started cooking.

Shifu had only gotten halfway down the steps away from the dorm until he saw Crane and Mei Ling walking back up, huddled together for warmth.
“Good evening Grandmaster Shifu.” Mei Ling bowed respectfully towards him before huddling back into Crane’s side as the wind blew their cloaks upward.
Crane also nodded to him. “Good evening Master, what are you doing out here?”

“I’m just going to find Chunhua since dinner isn’t ready yet.” He gripped the top edges of his own cloak before breathing out a puff of mist. “You two should get inside, I will be back shortly.” And without another word he passed the couple, determined to find the tiger and get back so he could enjoy some warm soup and company.

The wind was restless this evening as he passed by the Jade palace, from this height alone even past the trees and fog, he could tell no one was inside the training hall much less the yard. Shifu found himself walking towards the Master Garden, he’d walked down these steps countless times enough for the fog to not deter his movement. The feeling of soft, wet snow that was slowly melting away could be felt under his feet as he stepped further.

His gaze went upward as he stepped down those last few steps, noticing a light coat of snow covering Oogway’s shell. He was sorely tempted to ask for his Master’s help now but that would be silly, wouldn’t it? The older master continued forward, giving one last respectful glance to his late master before going back to search for his stray student. Now that he thought about it she had left his side rather abruptly after her last question to him.

The wind started to blow again but this time it felt different, warm instead of cold as if caring arms were wrapping around his small form.
He couldn’t help but wonder if that was the answer she needed?

A single peach petal caught his attention, his blue eyes followed the lone pink petal as it drifted near Master Gorilla’s statue. Shifu followed it without a second thought. He’d learned well enough recently to not question the ways of the universe and how it interacted with this land much less its people.

As the red panda got closer he could feel a scatter of petals, dashing around his feet leading him down a dark path inbetween the statues of the great masters of the past. The tall dark trees and mist make this place seem mysteriously haunting as if this place was not meant for him to step into.
A world separate from his own.

He finds her standing in front of a tree among many. As the chilly wind blows away at his fur, one paw grasps his robe as he nears her person. The clatter of the thick and thin twigs and branches of the trees fill the silence between them. 

"Chunhau?" He calls out to her and she is still standing in quietude surrounded by small patches of grass and uncovered dirt without movement. 

Now that he is close enough he can see her head is downcasted still covered in that mask. 

Another burst of wind hits him square in the face and he can't help but bring his arms around his body as he stands side by side with his student in front of this graying brown tree... 

"Aren't you cold out here?" 

Silence still lingered heavily between them, as leaves were pushed past them by the cold winds. It was so cool, he thought it may snow. "Chu?" He decided to use her nickname that he didn't use often. It was growing dark and the gloomy clouds were not helping. 

He reached his right paw up to her own and grabbed it, hoping the contact would get a reaction out of her.

He didn't want to say this despite the fact he often still called her by this title within the palace but right now? In the cold embrace of the beginning of winter. It didn't feel right. 

The old red panda held her paw in his own tightly as if she would disappear forever if he let her go. "Tigress." 

It took a moment of rustling leaves and howling winds. "Yes, Master?" She turned her head slowly, her voice sounded small and tired as he was once again met face to face with her mask. The red took all his attention and made him shiver.

“Ha!” The young tiger yelled as she threw up and grabbed the bag with her paws just as he instructed her to increase the strength in her arms and palms. Kung fu was an unforgiving art upon one's hands and it was necessary preparation for the continuation of her training.

Shifu watched from a fair distance as she barely missed catching the bag in her grip, his right ear twitched as he could hear the unsheathing of the tigers' claws. She went low, bending her knees and spreading her grip in an animalistic manner. His right hand reached for his lower sides as he watched Tigress grip the bag, the tear was so light yet present as the sand spilled little by little out of the grey canvas bag onto the aged wooden floors of the training hall.

The little tiger growled at her mistake.
Shifu stepped forward, his short cane behind his back as he straightened up to confront his student on her mistake. He couldn’t allow her to keep going down this path.
“Do you know why you failed?”

Little amber eyes looked up to him with that same timidness she walked into this palace with and yet she held her sights firmly towards him, going so far as to catch the canvas bag with her foot when it unlatched from her claws.

Tigress nodded, straightening her posture before him and it was at that moment he realized how tall she had gotten. “Because I lost control.”
“That is correct.” His sight fell to the sand near her feet. “And you must never do that. Allowing your emotions to take hold of you…” He tried not to think of him at that moment. It was a terrible blemish upon his heart that he had allowed to grow- “It will only lead to your downfall.”

When he looked back up he noted how the tiger’s tail twitched and moved curiously.
“That includes your anger. We will have to keep working on that.”
“If I may…” His student spoke up. “I thought you already taught me how too.”

Master Shifu shook his head, she was just a child he had to remind himself. Unaware of the dangers of this world and what her emotions could very well lead to. “Tigress, Listen to me very carefully.” And he knew her attention was upon him fully.

“Beings such as yourself are strong and they must never give in to their emotions or desires.” The sound of his cane coming down upon the wood was loud enough to make both their ears twitch. He leaned on his knee rather stiffly taking the sand into his small hand. “The strong must never stop moving forward no matter how hard it gets, no matter how much it pains you. Am I clear?”

He refused to let her go down the same path as him.
The sand slid back down into the pile upon the floor between his fingers as he opened his palm.
“Yes, Master.”

Shifu leaned into her side, still holding onto her paw tightly. "How about we get some warm noodles from your father?” This was all he could do for now, despite the fact he wanted nothing more than for her to stay by his side.

“I'm cold...."

~

Because our hearts have been connected since we first met

~

“I was amazed at just how far the waterfall goes up!” Mei ling excitedly exclaimed before going back to her soup.

Po brought his bowl up to his face, drinking the broth left within it before nodding his head happily in agreement. “I know! And the best part,” Viper couldn’t help but giggle at the way Mei Ling all but stopped in her meal to hear what Po had to say. “There’s another waterfall near it!”
Those two had hit it off as friends very quickly.

“No way!”
“Yes WAY!!”
It was nice to have the dinner table so light and happy this evening. It was so nice to feel bits and pieces of everyone’s brimming warm energy surround her after feeling rather sluggish today after her trip with Mei Ling today.

“I can’t believe you're impressed by waterfalls!” Mantis spoke up as she heard the door open and close.
“Well, I’m from a village that is far away from mountains so it's really rare to see! Much less see two of em!”

The clink of her spoon against her bowl sounded as Master Shifu entered the kitchen, looking worse for wear as he attempted to fix his robe and awkwardly smiled.
“Evening.” Master Shifu bowed before immediately going to the back to fetch himself a chair no doubt. “Sorry, I was so late.”

“Shifu are you okay?” Po asked as his head followed the old red panda as he walked and followed him back as he pulled a chair back to the table, right next to her.
“Yes, yes I…” The older red panda rubbed his hands together as he paused, mind clearly elsewhere. The panda got up already ready to give their master a warm bowl of soup to ward away the cold outside. “I just had to take Chu to her father’s place.”

“Why?” Viper couldn’t help but ask as her tail uncoiled from her spoon. “Is she alright?” She respectfully gave him a moment to take a bite of his soup, the young master couldn’t even blame him for keeping the warm bowl in his hold as he turned his attention to her.

“I just found her around the ironwood trees and I thought it would be best if she was with her father tonight.” Shifu looked into his bowl of soup, biting the bottom of his lip.  “There’s no need to worry yourself, she’s fine.”

Viper wanted to speak up on that but soon the liveliness of earlier returned, it seemed the others were sated by his words. Minus Crane. Her blue eyes caught the way he gripped his spoon more than needed before he went back to telling his girlfriend when it cleared up he’d show her the second waterfall. ‘Why would Chunhau go to the ironwood trees?’ The snake couldn’t help but think to herself, her thoughts drowning out the conversations going on around her as she curled her tail around the spoon again. It didn’t make sense, weren’t those kinds of trees off a beaten path upon the palace grounds?

“Viper?”
“Hmmm?” She lifted her head up, thankful she’d brought the spoon up so it wouldn’t look like she was staring into her bowl endlessly. “Yes, Master? I’m sorry what was that?”
“It’s alright.” The elder red panda chuckled in good nature, which was always a nice change to witness no matter how many years came to pass. “I was just wondering how your trip was today since Mei and Po seem to have hopped subjects in a matter of seconds without us.”

Viper looked up to see Po was gearing everyone for thirds while enthusiastically telling her of their fight in the musician’s village.
The snake leaned inward and smiled. “Oh, I don’t mind at all.”

She would find out later.

~

We want to run ahead to the future! 

Chapter Text

Let me see what love is like on Jupiter and Mars…

~

He woke up to the sound of footsteps on this cold morning as he laid down on his mat. The silhouettes of his friends standing high above him. It was another rather quiet and slow day off for them considering the cold weather as of late.

“Morning, Master Po!” Mei Ling spoke up and he watched as the golden feline’s silhouette maneuvered around the panda with a small bow.
The panda chuckled. “Morning and it's just Po!” He watched the large bear continue down the hall with a yawn no doubt about to fix breakfast for everyone.
“Ah! Right!”

Mantis breathed in and out. The bug finally lifted his body off the floor and sat straight, with no lotus position whatsoever. He wasn’t sure why he felt so lethargic considering yesterday was filled with nothing but good news. A literal noise of knock-on wood that layered the sides of their doors interrupted his groggy thoughts. “Jia! Good morning!”
“Morning Mei.” The lightness in Crane’s voice couldn’t be missed especially by his best friend. He’d never personally heard the bird so carefree in the morning, he was usually as monotone as ever.  “I’m ready. Let’s go before breakfast starts.”

Mantis’ antennae twitched as they walked together without a single word uttered nor any kind of pause, they followed one another without issue. And he couldn’t help but wonder how Crane of all people could walk with such confidence with another woman.
‘It’s because you were weak again…’
“I love you,” Crane spoke with nothing less but complete adoration without any prompt.

He made it all seem so easy.

And Mei Ling followed in kind, her voice was sweetly laced with similar adoration. “I love you too.”
It wasn’t fair, in reality. Being able to throw that phrase around like it weighed nothing! As if it didn’t set you up for the commitment of a lifetime with someone else. They made it seem so easy….

Mantis grit his teeth as he watched their silhouettes disappear past his room further down the halls of their dorm where he was left alone to wonder just what he was doing wrong. It seemed no matter what he did, no one would ever love him like that.
He found himself lost in his thoughts as branches clacked and scrapped outside, cold and listless.

But love. Love is hard.

“Alright, alright c’mon open it!!” The sounds and movement of the bustling restaurant around them didn’t matter; all that mattered was that she opened that scroll! Mantis was all but rubbing his claws together in anticipation.

Zongying giggled, hiding her face behind the scroll which in turn allowed her long sleeves covered in beautiful flower patterns to flow in the cool breeze. “Okay, alright hold on!”
Mantis shook his head at his girlfriend, another mantis he’d met a few months ago, at the Autumn festival... “No, we already know they accepted you and all your amazing designs!”
And if he had to be honest it was the greatest decision he’d made all year to speak with her.

Zongying hesitated to open the entire scroll again, closing her eyes as she slowly pulled the small scroll open. He couldn’t help but look up as Mr. Ping passed them by to get to the other tables. “We don’t know for sure…”

“Well, I do!” The green bug poked her shoulder. “I mean you made me that snazzy vest, that fit me perfectly.”
“That you barely wear out.” Zongying dryly shot back with a lazy glare.
“Hey hey…” Mantis leaned against one of the cups of water they had at their table. “I don’t want my new clothes getting messed up by bandits now.” His brow quirked and he could feel his feelers twitch as an idea popped in his head. “Unless you want to make me more?” He smirked.

She thought about it for a moment before looking back at the scroll in her claws. “I mean...it could be good for business.” Zongying all but beamed.
Mantis picked up his chopsticks, feeling his patience thin a bit at having to wait for their order. “You’d really make your boyfriend pay!?”
“YES!” Zongying cheered loudly, well as loud as she could get. She didn’t have the same booming voice he did.

“Oh.” He broke his chopsticks with ease. “I was just joking about that…”
Zongying shook her head, he looked up just in time to see her all but hug that small scroll in her grasp. Close to her heart. “No! Not that!” The green of her irises looked to him dreamingly as she sighed happily. Her smile was so wide yet it closed somewhat as if she was about to say something.
“They accepted me.”

The clatter of dishes sounded in the background as he blinked looking at the woman before him. What was once a dream was now a reality for her. “See? Told ya, you’d get it.” Mantis took confident steps towards Zongying, as soon as she was within his range he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He placed a light kiss upon the top of her head, the tip of her flower pin lightly scraping against his chin.

“Thank you Mantis, without you...I would have never tried to do this…” Zongying moved closer to him, the crinkling of the scroll between them filled his ears as the wind gently pushed the fabric of her dress closer to him. “I love you.”

The Master gulped, every sound around them became louder, every child screamed with joy and ran down the street, every elder person playing mahjong or speaking of personal matters it all became too vivid to his hearing and consciousness.

“I feel the same.”

The sound of Mr. Ping placing their bowls before them sounded out as they separated, looking into one another’s eyes blankly.
“Congratulations, you two!” 

“Mantis?”

The insect looked up as his name was spoken to see Monkey at his door. He looked concerned, so much so that he could even see the way the simian's throat swallowed away any other words he had at that moment.

“What?” He asked as abrasively as he would when someone didn’t knock on his door before opening.
“Well, I’ve never seen you that still before…” Monkey scratched the side of his face “That and you didn’t answer after I called you short twice.”
Mantis blinked as he watched a sly smile appear on the simian's face.
“WHAT!?”
Monkey giggled as he ran off down the hall. “Nothing!”

~

I need to hear your voice

~

The previous night.

“You be careful heading back up there Shifu!”
Mr. Ping watched as the older master gave him one last wave before walking back to the palace. His small form was disappearing into the dark, even with the lanterns everyone had alight tonight the clouds of snow were making it extremely darker than it should be. He gripped the sides of his cloak closer to his body as the snow began to fall heavier than it had all day.

It was late into the evening when Shifu and Tigress walked hand in hand to the front of his moon gate. He wasn’t sure how to describe how he felt when they came in and Shifu told him exactly where he found her. It was a flurry of emotions flying about in the wind that passed this entire valley through, worry and of course, fear for his daughter’s wellbeing came first. He’d gotten the young tiger up to her room with tea and blankets.

The goose knew he should have gone inside as soon as Shifu was out of his sights, most likely sprinting up all those steps to escape the cold. He breathed out, brown eyes falling from the mist to the leaves he had raked to the front of his shop yesterday, now all covered in snow.

And as soon as he’d gotten down the stairs of his home Shifu had told him what happened.

The noodle owner brought his wings around himself, taking one last glance around the street before he went back inside and closed the front door. He couldn’t deny he’d been upset at where she’d gone off too. The tips of his wings absentmindedly touched upon the cool and moist surface of his tables as he walked to the kitchen. Mr. Ping was about to head upstairs and head to his room but… ‘What good would getting upset do anyone?’ He turned his head where his cooking pot was, right above it were the portraits of his family.

Irreplaceable memories.

Each and every single moment leading to them was special and made his restaurant even more homely than he could ever have imagined in his lifetime. From Po to Chunhua it all had fallen into place so perfectly. Mr. Ping pulled himself away from staring too long at the portraits after a very chilling howl of wind brought him back to reality, the goose didn’t hesitate to kick a stool to the side to reach the shade for his kitchen.

The shade as per usual was noisy, and the wind didn’t help the clattering noises it made as he pulled it downward. Ping only paused when he felt eyes on his back.
He had only pulled the shade halfway down, leaving a streak of natural light in his kitchen to show the tiger’s lower half, the rest of her upper body was shrouded in shadows.
Her amber eyes burned brightly in the darkness.

The goose was used to her merely staying in the shadows, watching him quietly and only revealing herself when she was ready but as he looked closer at her posture…
Chunhau squared her shoulders, the sound of her foot pulling back made him frown. “Aren’t you disappointed in me?” She sharply asked him with a glare.

There was no mask for her to hide behind.

His wing shook on the handle of the shade. “No.” He didn’t want her to feel like this at all, it hurt so much.
His daughter didn’t stop at that, she was anticipating a reaction from him. “Are you angry with me?”
His heart tightened as the frigid wind wafted past him again. “No. I’m not.”

“Why?” The tiger sounded furious, almost growling out her question to him.
“Because that’s what you want from me.” He closed the shade fully, encompassing them in complete darkness. “And I’m not going to give you that.”

Even in the dullness of his kitchen, he knew from her eyes that she was confused and irritated by his neutrality, he had to remind himself often she wasn’t used to this. That he had to treat her differently than he would with Po when he was upset.

“You made a mistake.” Mr. Ping carefully stepped off the stool, kicking it back to the left side of the wall. “We all do,” A blustery wind was making the wooden signs outside clack loudly against the buildings outside. “And even then all I could feel was fear that you’d hurt yourself. Nothing else.” He’d lived here long enough to walk in his own kitchen with confidence in the dark, it took him no time at all to close the distance she had created between them.

“And I couldn’t be happier you’re all right.” Both of their eyes fell upon their now shared hold upon one another, a small wing wrapping around a paw.
“I can’t feel that.” Despite her own saddening words slowly turning into a whisper, she held onto his wing tighter. “I never will…”

“I know but I’ll still hold onto you so you know how much I love you.”

~

They say every meeting is meaningful

~

“Okay okay! You got this just keep rolling it!”
“Eek!”

Mantis stood upon Monkey’s shoulder as they entered the kitchen together, he saw that Crane and Viper were already seated at the table watching the other two who were crowded around a w ok with too many noises to describe. Albeit hearing Mei Ling scream and shriek was not on his to-do list. Monkey, the ever-curious guy he was, was quick to jog over to Po’s side to see what the panda had cooked up for them. The bug could feel the heat radiating from the oil as it popped.

“What are you guys up to!?” Monkey asked as he hopped around the panda.
Po placed his paw upon Monkey’s head to stop him in his tracks. “We’re making Youtiao for breakfast and I’m letting Mei Ling roll one for herself.” The panda hadn’t even torn his gaze away from the wok as Mei hesitantly used her chopsticks to roll the dough.

Mantis moved from the simian’s shoulder and hopped up to Po’s with ease, he’d only ever seen street vendors roll these around so it was a bit funny to see a master fumble with it.

“C’mon, you have to move closer to it.” The Dragon warrior attempted to coax the panicked golden cat towards the stove but she was still trying to catch the dough again.
‘At least it’s somewhat turning brown…’ Mantis couldn’t help but think to himself as he watched Mei struggle.

Crane at that moment spoke up. “It’s not going to burn you, Mei. Don’t be scared of it.” The avian even chuckled with a small sound of dishes moving around.
“Shut up Jia!” Mei Ling was quickly trying to keep a grasp on the roll of dough that was rolling moreso to the right as it tilted out of her chopsticks grasp. “This is harder than it looks!”
Master Mantis could feel the shift in Po’s posture as he turned to his left.“Oh! Guys if you want to eat now, I have a batch right here.”

The panda was about to pick up the plate before Monkey got to it first with a small salute to his friend. “I’ll take it to the table for you Po.”
“Thanks, Monkey!”

Meanwhile, his gaze was stolen by Mei as she breathed with small noises. “I-I think I got it! Look!” The young Master lifted the cruller up with shaky paws and a bright smile before her hyped-up smile turned wayward. “Po! Take it before I drop it!”
Mantis was smart enough to jump away before Po decided to pull any mad waiter moves on them and made a clean dash for the table. The green master was already pushing away the soy milk to Monkey’s side of the table knowing he preferred it.

“Mornin Viper, what are you so quiet for?” It was unusual for the snake to be so quiet at this time considering how lively it was in the kitchen right now. He was fully expecting a Good morning and all that jazz from her but got nothing!
“Oh, nothing…” Blue eyes rolled rather lazily away from him to her own chopsticks on the table.

He pushed another cup of soy milk Viper’s way and she stopped it with her tail easily. “And here I thought you couldn’t get any worse at lying.” Mantis chuckled as Monkey placed the plate of Youtiao on the table before taking a seat.
“Ah, Fine, you’re unbearable!” A less strained smile graced her features and he couldn’t help but give himself a pat on the back. “I’m just worried about Chunhua yesterday, and I know Shifu said she’s fine but…”

Mei Ling and Po soon joined the table with a plate holding the cruller she’d made. The golden cat took her own sauce bowl. “I’m worried about her too honestly…”
Mantis tried not to look too far into the way Mei and Crane gave each other a knowing look. It was none of his business what was going on between them but he couldn’t help but be curious.

Po had already taken four pieces for his own plate. “Yeah...I thought with my gift she’d be a bit more happy.”
“She was happy with it Po.” Crane gave the panda a reassuring smile, with a slight hop and flutter of his wings as he picked up his own youtiao with his chopsticks. “It’s just other things bothering her I think…”

Mantis was already chewing away at his breakfast, content with the chewy goodness mixed with soy sauce.
Monkey dipped his youtiao with his hands before pointing it at Po.“We should do something to make her feel better when she gets back!”
“That’d be a great idea!” Viper exclaimed. “Plus it’s been a while since we’ve all been out together.”
Po tilted his head as he ate away the last part of his cruller. “But what would we do?”

The table went silent.

“Uuuuhhh….” Monkey drew out as he all but forgot about his breakfast. “Maybe we could watch Crane fly around. She likes that right?” The simian turned to the avian, hoping he would accept this mission!
Master Crane fluttered his wings as his head dipped low hiding his expression under the shadow of his hat. “She...didn’t want to do that yesterday.”
Mei ling covered her mouth as she spoke up, still slightly chewing. “Isn’t there anything else she likes to do?”
“I wish I knew…” Mantis’ antenna twitched at the mumble of a response Viper made and he couldn’t bring himself to look up at any of his friends racking their brains around something so simple while he ate.

“She just likes being around everyone. It’s not that serious.” Which is why he stepped in to save his friends as he usually did. Quite often, he might add.
“Wha?” Monkey asked while chewing before going back to double-dip.
“It doesn’t matter what we do as long as she’s with everyone. Chu will be happy, we could just go out and eat together and she’d be ecstatic over that alone.” Mantis shrugged before going back to his breakfast.

Monkey audibly gasped. “That’s it! We could go out and eat! We could even get ice cream like I promised her!”
Crane turned his head towards the simian with a confused look. “When did you two go to get ice cream!?”
Monkey scratched the side of his face with a small smile. “Oh, that was a long time ago…”

“Isn’t it a bit too cold for ice cream?” Viper asked.
Po’s eyes could only be described as shining, no doubt already imagining their day out. “I mean there are a whole lot of vendors out since the winter solstice is a month away!”

 “We could try a whole bunch of new things!”
Mei raised her chopsticks with a smile. “I’m down! I wanted to buy some candy anyway.”
‘These guys are truly hopeless without me.’ Mantis shook his head as he let them brainstorm whatever they had in mind for today. He took another bite of his youtiao without dipping it.

‘Huh, wonder why I know that and everyone else doesn’t?’

Mantis never really thought much about Tigress.

She was a warrior and the reason they had all come together in the first place, which he was grateful for. Despite himself, he would always feel called back to fighting for those who couldn't; it was just in his blood.

He supposed.

Unlike Monkey, he didn’t really disagree with her decisions; they made sense and worked which was what he wanted most. Results and she delivered fast and precisely as he would if this was his team. So what if she was quiet? The tiger was determined and he couldn’t help but get pumped at the competition and camaraderie they had built up over these past two years.

Tigress didn’t ask anything more of him and he didn’t ask any more of her than needed.
Fwip.

Mantis opened yet another scroll as the afternoon warmth of spring settled into his room, the rays of the sun spread across his room and it was all too tempting to settle his studying spot in one streak of light. Best part though? Barely anyone was in the barracks since it was their day off, which meant he was given absolute quiet so he wouldn’t be distracted. Only the slight movement of Crane and his brushes in the background reminded him of where he was.

He was currently studying a basic diagram of a sheep's body. Tapping his claws against certain parts of the body in order to memorize the appropriate places to insert a needle in order to regulate the flow of chi in one's body along with alleviating pain.
Tap. Tap. Tap.

His red irises were skirting over the scroll as he memorized a pattern along the body, it was a key factor in his style, so it was only natural he’d use similar methods to enhance the way he healed others. The Furious five as a whole were full of rookies including himself. And there was no doubt in his mind that sooner or later they would run into injuries.
The least he could do, no what he wanted to do was to ease their pain whether it was for training or while on a mission he would be there for them!

Tap.

Mantis paused in his practice, head slowly turning to his door. He blinked, sure he was strong but that tap wasn’t him, was it? Considering it was daytime, he couldn’t really rely on looking for silhouettes during this time of day.
“Yeah?” No one really should be here unless it was Crane, but he rarely ever came by his room when he was doing his calligraphy. The guy lost himself in just writing.
He could never find it in himself to understand but never questioned it.

“It’s Tigress.”
Mantis waved a claw at the door, knowing that kid she could see him better through the door than he could. “Let yourself in.” He was already back to his scroll, back to tapping away at the diagram. Tigress also usually never came by his room too often but when she did, it never bothered him. She had this uncanny ability to almost erase her presence from the room until she made herself known.

The door slid open after a silent moment as the feline entered and closed it ever so quietly before she seated herself near his space.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Mantis pushed aside the sheep diagram before unrolling a pig scroll with a soft kick next after accepting he’d gotten the points for that body type down. “Did ya need something?”
Tap. Tap.

Tigress took a moment to respond. “I can come back at a later time.”
Mantis stopped in his tapping, gaze going up to the tiger who was seated neatly upon her knees with eager attention in her eyes upon the scroll he was working on.
“I don’t mind if you watch, you know?” The insect shrugged before walking up to the top of the scroll pushing it further back to show a list of terms for each part of the body. The differences were apparent in each body type but it never hurt to check them every now and then. “This is going to be something I’ll use to help you all.”

His red eyes fell upon her bandaged paws that sat upon her lap, it seemed to be the norm with her lately. Always some bandage on her paws or body, it just seemed to never end with Tigress.

“That is a worthy endeavor.” The tiger nodded with her eyes closed. “But it wouldn’t be useful to someone such as I.”
Sometimes he wondered if his respect for her resolve for Kung Fu was misplaced…

“I wouldn’t say that you don’t need to be a doctor to know basic first aid.” Two shades of red met one another as they both heard the swish of Crane’s brush move across the paper. “And if you want to do something you should go for it.”
Tigress’ ear flickered and yet her stare was as blank as ever. “I cannot leave my role behind as you do, Mantis. You should know that.”

“If I can do it then so can you!” His voice boomed louder than he usually would but he didn’t want her to stay like this. He wanted to… Mantis took a step forward towards the tiger and pointed directly at her. “Do whatever you want! It’s better to live life that way!”

“Whatever...I want…” Tigress’ tail moved about before she stopped it and turned her head away to the streaks of light that passed by on the floor. “No. Someone’s dream…” Her bandage paw pulled the fabric of her pants as they curled inward. “Someone’s dream is what I want to make come true. No matter what. Both of our goals are the same, aren’t they?”
‘Someone’s dream?’ Mantis couldn’t help but try to understand in the stillness between them. His posture slacked forward as he spoke up again. “No. It’s not. What I want to do isn’t only for you guys.”

Tigress turned her gaze to him, half of her face illuminated by the light and the other half covered in the shadow of the receding afternoon. “Is this for you then?”
“Yeah. Even though I want to help you guys, this is for me so…” He felt his small heart tighten. “I can do more than break things. I want to be of use to anyone in need. That’s my dream.” It felt strange to tell Tigress this, he’d never really spoken much about why he did what he did but here and now he felt as if he wanted to be honest with someone dishonest with themselves.

The tiger pulled her paw upward, never taking her gaze away from his as she unwrapped her paw with a practiced hand.

“I cannot live that way. I have far too much debt to repay.” The white wrapping was slowly falling to the floor.
“Sure you can. You just don’t want to.” Mantis never really thought much about Tigress but when he did... “But here with me, you can do whatever you want okay?”

The last of the wrapping fell to the floor with little grace. “Very well.” Her right paw went back to her lap as she extended her left to him, open and trusting. “I want…” She spoke the phrase so uneasily. “I want to read with you...and allow you to use me for your dream. Because I want you to reach what you desire.”

He thought she was naive but most of all...sad.

My lost feelings are painted in the transparent sky

~

The snow fluttered softly from the sky as she looked up into the mix of blue and grey, only slight streaks of white escaping from the cold darkness of the clouds of winter.
The tiger ruffled the collar of her black coat that she received from Mantis two years ago as her breath turned to mist. She’d spent the night with her father, nestled warmly together as the wind roared winter into the valley.

There was a crunching noise beneath her feet, and the tiger looked down to see that the entrance of the Moon gate was covered in a layer of snow, as her eyes lifted upward she could see the street was covered in a thick blanket of untouched snow. Her ears pricked upward at the sound of children and adults alike up the street, joyfully playing in the snow. It flew left and right as people didn’t worry about work or time in the middle of this cold season.
“Chu?”

Chunhua turned her head to the right, to regard her father. The goose was not only wearing a coat but a light blanket over his shoulders as he took in the pure sight with a smile.
“Good morning.” She offered softly. No matter how many times she saw this kind of weather it was always dazzling not only to her eyes but to her senses. “If you’re too cold you can go back inside.”
“Oh no…” Ping almost waved his wing at her before bringing it back to the blanket he was covered in. “I have to open soon, people will want some hot soup for this cold after they're done playing.” The goose laughed to himself as he looked down the street at all the happy people playing in the snow. “Can’t waste an opportunity dear.”

The tiger shook her head at Ping’s behavior, while it was for profit she knew deep down he was thinking of the villager’s warmth and comfort aswell. She kneeled after stealing a glance up the street again as she watched a small pig make a snowball.
Chunhua decided to make one herself.

She took a handful of the snow, it felt fluffy, wet yet it crunched just a bit in her hold. The tiger brought her paws together, attempting to make a shape with it but in the end…
It looked rather crude.
Crunch

Amber eyes darted to her left where her father was, his red blanket lightly touching the surface of the snow as it stuck to the fabric. He was gathering snow in his wings, humming a small tune she’d become accustomed to hearing in the kitchen early in the morning when he made noodles. And yet his posture was far more relaxed.
“It just takes a bit of dry snow here and there…” Mr. Ping patted his wings together over the snow he gathered to slowly make it whole, little bits of dust that shone in the morning sunlight fell from his hold. “And then you have a perfectly good snowball. I remember when Po wanted to make a great one on days like this.”

The goose opened his wing to show what she could only describe as the perfect snowball, it had no crude edges or looked as if it was a square, It was round and looked more delicate than any snowball she’d ever seen.

“Here.” Her father offered with a soft smile, bits of snow falling back from whence they came from his scarf.
“I don’t really want to throw it…” Chunhua admitted as she took the snowball from Mr. Ping, carefully as to not disturb a single speck of what he had shaped. This was yet another special memory they shared together and she wanted to hold onto it as long as she could.

“You don’t have to. You can do whatever you want with it.” The goose wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders before turning back to his shop. He even fluffed his feathers as a chilly wind passed through the area. “It’s yours.”
‘Mine.’ The thought of something being hers, wasn’t something she’d thought much about lately. It all seemed to fall to the wayside as she became more and more comfortable with the life she had been gifted by her Master. The tiger stood up taking uneasy steps out into the street, layered in shiny snow. Her amber eyes directed themselves from the street all the way up to the Jade Palace hidden above the clouds, only part of its roof visible to her keen sight.

Chunhua brought the snowball close to her heart.
“You’re heading back up there,” She didn’t even have to look at Mr. Ping to know he was smiling, he knew her far too well. “aren’t you?”
“Yes.”

She had too, no matter what she didn’t want to let go of the life she had made for herself. It was foolish to think she could change overnight, and until she could learn what she was missing she’d have to endure the path laid out for her.

Snow crunched under the noodle owner’s feet as he approached her. “Do you want me to walk with you? I don’t mind going since I need to drop off an order for Yang. Knowing him he’s not going to walk out in this cold…” Her father grumbled that last part under his breath.
The tiger shook her head, before touching the side of her head where her mask laid with her free paw. “No, I...I think I can make it on my own.” She bit the bottom of her lip, she hadn’t meant to sound so unsure but still…there always seemed as if something was out of place with herself lately.

“Ah, alright well before you go.” And the goose was already running off to the back, the clatter of dishes and pots, with the added sound of the back door creaking open which made the tiger master tilt her head. Mr. Ping was back out in a blur with a round straw basket. “Do you mind dropping this off at your uncle's place? You know where it is right? You know what, I could just walk with you, it's really not a bother-” The goose rambled on as he brought the basket ever so closer to himself before even handing it to her.

“Dad.”
“Yes?”
Chunhua extended her paw to take the basket from him. “I’ll be fine.”

Mr. Ping sighed softly, creating a small brush of mist. “I know but still I can’t help but worry sometimes.” She took the basket, balancing it with ease on her left paw as the warmth and smell of soup filled her senses. He closed his eyes. “I want you to be happy.”
“I am.” Sure she’d been rather out of it yesterday but today she was focused, she’d lost her way for only a moment and would not allow it to happen again. ”I have you and Po now. What more could I need?”

There was no time for her selfish whims.

“There’s always something more out there.” Mr. Ping’s gaze went up to the palace just as she had a minute ago. There was a hesitant movement out of the corner of her eye of his wing nearing her side and for some reason, he pulled it back to himself. “Just like there’s more than noodles to make, there’s more ahead for everyone. That’s the beauty of life I want you to experience.”

The tiger felt a shiver run down her spine.
“I’ll see you later.”

This feeling, it wasn’t cold or warm. It sunk deep into her heart heavily similar to a rock sinking to the bottom of a river. The master walked forward in the snow, feeling guilt settle alongside this new emotion as she ran away once again.

“Alright, I love you!” She didn’t stop to look back, only lifted her right paw with the snowball to signal that she had heard her father. “And make sure Yang pays for that unless he wants me to come get it from him!”

‘I’m nothing but a coward.’ The tiger’s pace was brisk as she stayed to the side of the street, giving people enough space to walk by or around her if needed. ‘More in life for a being such as I?’ It was preposterous, she was lucky enough to get a name and a family much less show she was worthy enough to have it in the first place. Her breath began to quicken. ‘I am grateful for what I have now to ask for more would be-’

A child’s laugh ringed out, her ears flickered towards the innocent sound.
Chunhua wasn’t sure why she stopped, the scene before her wasn’t anything new. A mother watching as her small child was towed around in a small sled by their father, in the front of their house.

“Why?” Chu whispered to herself as she looked upon the small pig's face, smile bright and pure. She wanted to move forward, away from this. The sinking feeling was growing worse.
The young pig fell off the small sled after lifting their hands up in glee, right into the snow.

Their laughter was replaced with small cries.
The father forgot the rope of the sled, quickly checking on their child, the distress in not only their face but the body language was clear to her.
“I’m sorry bud. I didn’t mean to go so fast.”

It was then the tiger’s feet decided to move forward, she ignored the loud sound of the snow crunching underfoot. She had to keep her sights set forward no matter how many families she passed by. Every smile and gesture of kindness and love for one another.

The tiger stepped into the Yang’s hotel building, wiping her feet off on the mat he’d set out.
She really was just selfish.

The tiger sighed moreso to herself as she walked towards the front counter where Yang should be.
“C’mon!” She narrowly avoided two geese, running towards the door before walking ahead to the counter and sliding the basket onto the counter. There was Yang, head down with his small yellow hat, he only lifted his head to yawn before acknowledging her fully.

“Ah, Sorry about that.” Yang gave her a small wave with his brush while he covered his mouth.
“It’s fine Mr. Yang. I’m sure things are rather busy with the storm coming by so suddenly.”
The pig clad in red was already inspecting the basket lifting the lid a bit.“How many times do I have to tell ya don’t be so formal with me? It's Uncle Yang!” And then looked directly towards her with a smile. “You’re my niece so no matter how busy I am I always have time for family!”

Chunhua blinked. “Right...Uncle Yang. Papa asked me to make sure you paid for this.”
“I can always pay him back late-”
The tiger presented an open paw for the payment, feeling her Uncle’s next answer to be quite obvious.“Or else he’d come and get the money from you himself.”

Yang gulped as he shuffled back into his seat. “F-Fine…” Her uncle reluctantly reached for his change purse tied to his side and placed the money into her palm.
Chunhua counted it. “This is too much…”
“Consider it a tip for delivering my breakfast.” Yang leaned on the desk behind the counter with a small wink.

“I’m not going to give you any discounts after this if that’s what you’re after.” She deadpanned.
“A-Ab-Absolutely not!” Yang waved both his hands up as if he’d been caught in a scam. “Like I said you’re family and every now and then I don’t mind giving a lil extra here and there.”

The tiger to be frank didn’t really understand his position, did the role of family really only mean gaining special privileges such as this? Or was it enticement for interaction considering they’d rarely talked outside of the celebrations he attended at her father’s restaurant.
All she could do was nod and tell him to have a nice day before she left.

The sky wasn’t nearly as cloudy yesterday and yet she was once again yearning for the pure simple blue that had greeted them throughout summer and part of autumn.
The young tiger was near the lower steps of the Jade Palace, far away from the noisy environment of the Valley’s populated area. The weight of warm noodles within a basket was gone leaving her left hand with not much to do but reach for the heavens.

She didn’t expect to see any kind of bird out today, outside maybe one messenger or two, the conditions of yesterday and what it could bring most likely deterred them from trying, and yet…

Her paw passed a dark-looking cloud, as small bits of light from the sun attempted to escape its hold, her fingers spread like wings to fly as she went higher and higher.
“I don’t know what else to do…” But this. It was strange, how much she wanted to be up there despite that not being her role in this world. No matter how much she wished that fact would never change. It was the reality of this small world they resided in.

She tipped the side of her mask with her right paw, mindful of the snowball she held. It only covered half of her face as she continued to watch clouds slowly move by as they drew closer to her sights. It was beautiful. Too beautiful to not want to reach for.

“And yet…” Her paw passed a pure white cloud as its shadow cast over her features in black. “I can’t help but wonder if it was better if things had stayed the same because even now…” Her arm began to waiver, preparing to land back to the world that kept her grounded. Not the sky of dreams. “I don’t know what to do with myself or what to believe in.”
A small peach petal entered her sights.

“Huh?” A burst of wind pushed her upward and it felt cozy and pleasant instead of the biting cold she’d felt yesterday. In surprise she allowed the wind to push her forward making her run up the stairs with her left arm held high!
At first, Chunhua assumed she was surrounded by petals until her feet met the familiar stone of the palace arena, out of the corner of her eye, her pupils dilated to catch something that looked almost like a feather floating right in front of her.
“...!”

But as soon as she reached out for it, it disappeared as the warm wind died down, the only evidence it had happened was the bits of snow rolling about around the arena.
“Mmm….” The confused noise left her mouth before a proper thought could form in her head, she stood straight bringing her left paw up to inspect it. The tiger knew it was impossible for the wind to feel as if it was pushing her forward but that’s the only way she could describe it and that feather looked like-

“Tigress?”
Chunhua’s head snapped upward. Upon the upper stage of the Palace Arena was Master Shifu, leaning against his staff looking just as surprised as she felt. Truth be told, she wanted to greet him properly with a bow but remembered the snowball she held and stilled.

Shifu’s ears flickered about for a moment before he cleared his throat. “I hope you’re doing alright,” His blue eyes looked away from her form. “If you needed to stay with your father I would have understood.”
The tiger wanted to assure her master that she was in fact fine. After that warm feeling, her heart didn’t feel as heavy as earlier despite it somewhat still being present.
Chunhua gave Master Shifu a thumbs up!

Shifu gave her a rather crooked smile before lowering his head. “Well, at least I know you’re happy…”

~

A scene that dashes in the wind in a flash

~

“So when are you guys planning to go out then?”
Mantis shrugged, hopping off the panda’s shoulder and landing lightly against the cool wooden floor of the dorm. “I guess whenever she gets back or when the mood strikes Monkey you know.”
Po laughed. “Yeah.” Before stopping, the insect didn’t even have to look up to see him standing there looking at him, the lack of vibrations told him enough. “You’re not heading to your room?”

Mantis shook his head. “Nah. I need some air after all that.”
“Alright…” Po awkwardly shifted his weight upon the old wood, making it creak. “Just don’t stay out too long okay?”
“Mmhm.” He hopped and skittered to the front door of their dorm, leaving his cloak behind. He wasn’t sure what bothered him more, people questioning him or the fact everyone was making small things seem so complicated.

It was obvious Chu liked being around everyone, he’d never seen her happier than when she was with them. That’s how it's always been. She never changed. He was greeted with a soft chilly wind, littered with small flurries of snow still trying to stick to the ground. The insect only shivered a bit before fully stepping out the door and kicking it in.

‘There’s no point in changing anyway, everything is fine just the way it is.’ Mantis thought to himself as he walked down the steps of their dorm to the small opening at the bottom of it. “Why change something that’s not broken.” He whispered to himself more than anything. Changing for others only led to unending pain.
“Mantis!”

He jerked his head upward, vision filled with white pure snow and making him blink in confusion. When had his head lowered? His sights were met with the tiger jogging towards him, she had that mask on.

As soon as she was close enough she bent down on her knee, crunching and pushing the snow around them as they fluttered upward and away with the breeze.
“Look!”
He decided to indulge her considering she was pretty happy about whatever she’d shoved close to his face. ‘It was just a snowball.’ Mantis tilted his head as he took in the snowball, he wasn’t sure what was so special about it. It looked like any other snowball, really.

“Did you make it?” Was the only thing he could put together.
“No. Papa made it for me.” Chu brought her paw with the snowball away from him and closer to her person. She went so far as to move her mask to the side of her head to look at it better. “It’s perfect isn’t it?”

“Perfect? Well if it is to you I guess it is.” Mantis shrugged. “You’re not going to throw it at me are you?” He tilted his head towards the tiger with a suspicious look, he’d seen how much she was copying Monkey lately so he would not put it past her at all.
“Mm? No. Actually…” Her expression fell at that, she lightly touched the top of the snowball. “I don’t know what to do with it. He told me it's mine and that I could do whatever I want with it.”

“Well if you’re not going to throw it. I don’t know what else you can do with it.” Mantis scratched the side of his head with his claws before sighing. “And you can’t hold it forever…”
“Then I want to show it to everyone then,” Chunhua spoke softly as she kept her sights upon the snowball. “before this warmth it holds disappears…”
Mantis watched the tiger, holding this small cold snowball as the breeze continued on and snow fell from the tree branches. It was probably one of the most out of place sights he’d seen in a long while and yet it suited her. The snow in all its pure white glory.

Unlike him.

The insect moved to her right side, catching a glimpse of the green upon her mask that made him want to look away for some odd reason. He started pushing snow aside, making a small hollow spot under a tree. “Here.” Mantis brushed some snow off his shoulders.
“You can keep your perfect snowball nice and chilly here so it won’t melt.”

He looked up to find Chu merely blinking at him for a moment, before taking slow and steady steps in the snow towards the spot he’d made. He wasn’t sure if it was out of confusion or the snow slowing her down but…
The tiger softly placed her snowball in the hollow spot he’d made, and they both covered the sides of it without a word. “Thank you.”

Small details like that didn’t really matter.

“And Chu.” Mantis took a moment to look at his fine work and quick thinking.
“Yes?”
The two masters turned to look at one another in the face, surrounded by white.
“I don’t think that warmth will disappear, as long as you don’t forget it….ah…” Mantis found himself shrugging again and looking away from the tiger as soon as her amber eyes started to look at him hopefully. “Now go ahead and go inside, Po made some Youtiao.”

He didn’t need to be looked at that way for saying something so naive.
“Okay!” Mantis didn’t even have to look up, he could feel light bits of snow fly from her movement of jogging away from him. “Thanks again Mantis!”
He raised his claw up with his eyes closed. “You already thanked me!”

She really never did change… Happy with the smallest most simple things they did for her.
Mantis found himself shivering again as he looked at the snowball before him. ‘Warmth from this cold thing huh?’ The bug turned around with a shake of his head at that mere thought but he wouldn’t say anything else on the matter. If it made her feel cared for who cares? It's better than what most people thought showed care-

“Ahh!” Master Mantis jumped back, almost bumping into Chu’s snowball.
Right behind him was Master Shifu!!

“What the-!?” Mantis found himself fumbling with his words as he tried to calm his racing little heart! “How long have you been there!!??” He shouted angrily at the old red panda. He hated that inner peace disappearing act of his! It was nothing but a cheating tactic anyways!

A small smile played on Shifu’s face as his right ear twitched in the direction of the dorm. “Long enough...My,” The elder directed his blue eyes towards him.  “What a kind soul you have become Master Mantis.”

~

I want to hold your heart tightly

~

Monkey was glad he bumped into Mantis near the door, letting him steal more glances at the beautiful snow outside. Now he was more excited to go out to the market, even if it was cold. Who could resist a snowfield like this!

The simian walked on all fours, all but bouncing on his knuckles towards his friend's door. He was glad Mantis didn’t mind a bumpy ride every now and then since this was the perfect way to make up for what she’d done for him. He’d already gathered the others preparing to leave to pick her up from Mr. Ping’s place but Mantis had already told him she’d been back.

Monkey tapped lightly on the wood surrounding the thin rice paper walls of their dorm, as his tail moved about happily every which way. It was silent for a good moment as they waited. The only sounds in the dorm filling it was snow falling outside and movement between Po and Viper looking for something in their rooms.
Monkey puffed his cheeks before slowly cracking the door open.

“You really have to stop doing that-”
“Sshh!!” Monkey shushed his green pal immediately before turning his eyes back into the small creak he’d opened. From the looks of things, Chunhua wasn’t doing anything but bending down with her paws holding her face as she stared intently at something on her bed? Her tail moving ever so slightly before stopping.

He slid open the door fully, only closing it halfway as he entered. Monkey decided to sit next to the tiger, if she’d wanted him out she would have said so.
The two items before the trio were the mask, each of its vivid colors and soulless yet intimidating eyes on them along with the board she’d been given by Po. The smile board was visible and he preferred to look at that.

Monkey reached for Chu’s paw and to his surprise, she reached out to him without a word or even a glance his way. “Chu?”
It felt as if she wanted to go with him even though she didn’t know of their plans for today. His grip tightened on her paw, the mask making him feel as if every failure was staring at him from below with no escape.

“We’re...going out today to get ice cream...like I promised.” Blue eyes darted to her free paw as she reached for that mask. “Remember?”

‘I shouldn’t be afraid of some mask!’ Monkey bit the bottom of his lip as she lifted the mask upward, the tiger looked straight into its eyes. ‘If she wants to wear it then I’ll accept it-! It’s just a mask it doesn’t mean any-’
Chunhua placed the mask back down upon her bed, running her fingers down from its eye, black and grey all the way down the lip and the red that colored the bottom of it. “Yes, I remember our promise…” The tiger whispered. “All of them.”

Monkey tilted his head as she picked up her mood board. “Hmm?”
Chunhua turned her head towards them before lifting her board up. That simple but bright smile board was presented to him, the one she had drawn first.  “Let’s go then.”
Master Monkey merely smiled back and led them all out of her room, hand in hand.

~

“I don’t think I should go…”

The golden cat followed behind him out of his room, sliding his door shut. “And yet you’re walking out the door already.”
He didn’t want to look back at her knowing face with that carefree smile that tended to plaster her features. Crane closed his eyes as they walked down the noisy halls of the dorm, everyone was pretty much near the door waiting for them to gather so they could leave together.

“That doesn’t mean I’m leaving out the front door.” The avian shut his eyes tighter, even though she wasn’t saying much he knew Chunhua was back. Well mostly because Po yelled her name but that's beside the point! “I could just be making sure everyone, especially Mantis, is wearing a cloak at least in this cold weather.”
He opened his eyes to see Mei Ling pop right in front of his sights, with a terribly smug expression directed towards him.

Mei Ling chuckled before straightening her posture to walk ahead of him.“You keep telling yourself that Jia.”
Crane found himself glued to that very spot in the hall, nerves wracking his brains as he thought about this outing. “What if she’s mad at me? We didn’t exactly depart on good terms?” That in itself was what hurt the most, sure Chunhua didn’t talk alot but when she did she was growing more comfortable speaking with him as of late.

“And what if she isn’t?” Mei Ling shrugged without taking a glance back at him.
“Okay, Master Oogway,” Crane grumbled sarcastically under his breath but by the looks of Mei’s ears and the way they twitched, she must have heard him.
Mei turned her head towards him. “I will take that as a compliment so I don’t have to embarrass you in front of all your friends.”

As soon as they hit the small indent where the front door was, that soft smile graced her face in a matter of seconds. “Po, can you hand me my hanfu cloak please?”
Crane shivered at her previous tone.

Sometimes...she really scared him with how quick she could go from intimidating to downright sweet so quickly. He shook his wings a bit before taking that step forward.
The first thing his sights were met with was the young tiger fixing the collar of Monkey’s collar of his blue cloak. He noted how she was wearing a white hanfu cloak with a similar pattern as her vest had.

“Here Jia.” Crane was snapped out of his jumbled thoughts, he looked down to see his black cloak. Mei Ling didn’t wait for his response, already placing it over his shoulders.
His gaze shot back up to the tiger and to his surprise she looked back at him.
Her amber eyes shifted to the ground for a moment, and he felt every single fear he’d held onto since yesterday bloom into the truths he knew them to be all along.
But then…

Their eyes met again as Monkey pulled upon the paw he took a hold of and she pulled her free paw upward, spreading her palm wide before waving it just ever so slightly to the right before the duo was out the door.

“Why is Chu wearing her cloak and not the coat I got her!??” Mantis yelled from behind the half-open door of the dorm as he stood and took in what Chunhua had done.
“She probably just wanted to match with everyone. Haha!” Po spoke up with a small laugh as their voices faded into the distance no doubt walking towards the steps.

Crane nodded to himself after tying the string tight enough to keep himself warm before heading out after Mei Ling to catch up with everyone. All of his dear friends.
‘Maybe...things will return to normal.’

~

You and I, eye to eye let's make this moment ours!

Chapter Text

“Have a nice morning Master Shifu.” Mei Ling bowed to the GrandMaster before catching up with the rest of the group. They’d all walked down together just as they planned with Shifu unintentionally tagging along as he’d put it to visit Mister Ping.

The golden cat caught up with the small group after jogging in the snow, the smells of noodles and tofu still wafting in the air. “So where to first?” Mei brought the sides of her hanfu cloak close as she slowed down so as to not bump into Chunhua and Monkey. She couldn’t help but smile at those two still holding hands.

“Well,” Crane started, tipping his hat forward to brush some snow off of it with the tip of his wing. “The market shouldn’t be too busy considering all this snow so we can look around if anyone is open before getting the ice cream.”

Po turned fully as he walked backward. “It's still super early so we have time before a bunch of places open although…”
“What?” Viper asked from Po’s shoulder, her purple hanfu mixing rather oddly with his yellow cloak.
Po scratched the side of his face for a moment before turning back around after almost tripping over on his feet. “I wouldn’t be shocked if there were places open now with the snow, people especially kids are going to want something to eat after playing.”

“That… actually makes sense.” Crane sounded surprised as he paused in the middle of his sentence before nodding.
“I know my marketing. Thank you very much!” The panda smiled back at the couple before his face contorted into confusion as he looked directly at Crane with Viper resting on his shoulder. “Hey wait a minute, why do you sound so shocked!?”

“Look! Someone’s making Youtiao outside!!” Monkey all but yelled as he dragged Chunhua and Mantis along with him.
“Wait up you guys!” Crane sighed exasperatedly before shaking his head and turning to Mei Ling. “They don’t even have chopsticks…Mei?”
The golden cat in question looked to the pretty snow that covered the ground as the avian stared at her from the middle of the walkway.
“Mei...you really don’t have to stand that far away from it…”

Luckily for the group, Po did have some chopsticks on hand albeit the vendor was nice enough to share some extra ones from a cup on the side of his cart so they wouldn’t all have to share the set.

“Alright, it looks about done! Go ahead and pick yours up, lil lady.” The Alligator who ran the small cart had a small fire around the outside of his house. The smell of burning wood and the dough that sat next to it was a strange yet alluring scent. That and the allure of getting fresh Youtiao and watching it be made was worth every cent!

Chunhua didn’t hesitate to dip her chopsticks into the wok, quickly plucking her cruller up as Monkey went in to get his alongside her. Chu lifted her board up with an excited expression with simple lines mimicking closed eyes and a wide smile to match it. “Thank you it came out perfectly!” The tiger moved her board aside to take a bite of the Youtiao, even without sauce it was still delicious.

Mantis sighed on Monkey’s shoulder, opting out on the treat for now. “I can’t believe you’re eating even more Youtiao…”
“And I can’t believe you said no. That'll warm me up for the day! That and there’s nothing better than street food.” Monkey blows on his youtiao before taking a bite of it himself with a pleased smile and noise of joy.

The sound of coins rang out as half of the group enjoyed their treat for the morning. Crane slid his coin purse back to his side with his claws before nodding respectfully to the older alligator. “Thank you very much for the food sir.”

“You’re very welcome, Masters.” The Alligator also lowered his head in respect while tugging on the blanket on his body before going back to carefully turning the multiple lines of dough over in the wok in front of him. “I apologize for not being able to greet you all properly so this is the least I could do…”
“There’s no need.” Crane waved his claw dismissively at the elder before setting his foot back into the cold. “We all understand it's hard for you to move around in this cold weather.”

“Hey!” Po yelped and the avian couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for bringing all this noise to the old man’s front yard. “Don’t just bite off mine, Viper!”
Viper had taken a bite of Po’s youtiao after bringing it too close to his person.
Crane pulled out his coin purse again as he attempted to smile without restraint. “Take a little extra as a tip.”
The alligator took it gratefully.

They hadn’t gotten far after that.

Crane was with Mantis this time, the bug merely relaxing in the crook of his cloak’s collar for warmth. The avian looked left and right for the rest of their wayward group, one moment they were looking at candy boxes that were looking similar to lacquerware to him from all their stylistic designs on their tops. He could admit that he wanted one along with Mei Ling…

The avian had been so enthralled by a particular piece with an illustration of two birds among large leaves and other plant life, he hadn’t noticed when he’d been left behind and Mantis was no help either!

He was about to start calling out their names until he heard a distinct holler of amazement that could only be the Dragon warrior.
Master Crane surprisingly didn’t have to walk too far from the shop he was previously browsing, the group surrounded a medium-sized cart across the way, he had to walk around a few people since it was starting to grow more active in the southern part of the Valley.

When he finally stood beside the young tiger master, he was able to truly see what had grabbed their attention. It seemed as if a snubbed-nosed monkey was pulling some sort of elastic ring? Unlike Mr. Ying, this monkey was black and white with a small bit of orange fur under its chin. The vendor looked focused as they pulled and stretched the ring into an eight shape, before placing it into a pan over and over again.

Yellow eyes looked away only because he heard some applause from not only his friend group but a few villagers who’d gotten curious at the commotion.
“Jia.” Crane blinked as he looked at Chunhua, it caught him off guard to hear her call him by his real name again. The tiger pointed straight at the vendor as she looked towards him. “You missed him making this big ring out of something! It almost looked like a big clear coin!” He couldn’t help but smile at how excited she sounded. The process of cooking was something else he had to admit.

“I think they used corn syrup but I don’t know what else,” Po added while never taking his eyes off the vendor.
Monkey clapped again. “And then he made it look like a donut!”

Chu brought up her board again, mostly to the side so he could see it clearly as she went back to staring at the sweet show. It looked as if it was a serious thinking expression? The eyes were straight lines while the mouth was an upside ‘V’. “It’s reminiscent of noodle making.”

Mei Ling finally tore her gaze away from the monkey, still pulling away and dipping the long string of mixed corn syrup into the pan filled with white powder. “Is it? I haven’t seen Po make noodles before so I wouldn’t know.”
“It is.” The panda nodded with a smile. “Lathering flour in noodles is an important part of the process. I wonder if this also keeps the moisture up for this or better yet adds flavor to it…” He could hear the tiger tell Mei as he watched the vendor’s black paws slowly turn white from the amount of strenuous stretching and rolling into the pan he had for this candy.

“It just lacks the whacking part.”
“Hold on you...wack noodles?”

It was growing thinner and thinner by the minute and yet with the way the vendor was holding both sides of it, he could tell it was growing thicker with all the corn starch, it smelt similar to flour but there was something off about it that did not seem as if it was flour to his senses. The black and white snub-nosed monkey flipped over his stringy piece fully into the pan, sprinkling small bits of corn starch over it before gripping again and patting it down back into it all over again.

They all watched this process, as slow as it was. In this cold weather it was relaxing, just watching a simple process such as this with only one or two times they’d stop to sprinkle more on the sides of the candy as it grew more stringy and funnily enough like a beard! Before going back to pulling and wrapping the string-like candy around itself, only shaking the bottom as he brought it around into a full wide circle of strings!

The snub-nosed monkey shrugged his shoulders, only now did Crane notice he wasn’t wearing a coat! The Black and white vendor pulled one last time on the strand before laying the top part in his right hand and picking up a rather long chopstick. He put the stick right in between the opening he’d kept apart with his two hands and his palm, he held it up for them to see! It was weighty enough to hold up strongly even in this weather!

The monkey slightly stretched the top across the stick somehow making this piece even thinner than he thought it could get!
After that, they were shocked to watch the monkey sit the entire piece down into the pan while taking small threads from it keeping the tips of his fingers close to the top as his right pulled and tore away pieces of the candy right back into his palms. And the vendor was smiling all along the way as he repeated these motions, even shaking the small pieces from time to time before another Monkey of a similar color pattern as he brought a small bowl to his side.

“Thank you.” That was the first time he had heard the vendor talk, he sounded rather young to the avian. The snub-nosed monkey left his palm spread open as the stringy candy swayed in his hand as he picked up a spoon to scoop up ground peanuts right on top of it all! He wrapped the strings of candy around it as if it was a cocoon, guiding each thread carefully but quickly with his hands until it was perfectly sealed.

The vendor smiled as he held the Dragon beard candy up fully and offered it to one of the audience.
Master Crane patted Chu on the back with his wing urging her forward. May aswell let her have it since today was meant for her happiness.
There was another brief look shared between them, and for a second time, he swore he saw the clouds reflected in her amber eyes before she ran off board still in hand towards the vendor’s table.

The avian watched her bow gratefully towards the vendor before taking the small candy he’d just made.
The tiger master ate the small ball of candy whole, she went so far as to cover her mouth before turning to them all before flashing another board with literal heart eyes! “It's delicious!” Chunhua nodded with a thumbs up to boot!

“We’ve got more Dragon beard candy for you all! But I’ll be making more if you want to continue watching!” The vendor announced over the applause while waving to gain everyone’s attention.
They all ended up buying a few boxes of them.

“Monkey, just how far is this ice cream place?” Crane asked as they walked further and further down the streets of the market, smells of all kinds of hot food wafting in the air as people gathered around small fires.
“Just a little further down this way.” The avian sighed, shaking his head which only made snow fall off his hat. It had started to snow again, not as much as last night but it was adding up.

“You said that an hour ago…” Master Crane mumbled moreso to himself knowing saying that aloud would get them nowhere. He only dared to look up to his right as Mei Ling gave him a supportive pat on his back.
“Try not to worry about it too much. We’ll get there when we get there.” The golden cat smiled as her eyes wandered to the sides of the market, where vendors lined up their products. “Oh, Look! Someone’s selling tanghulu here! We should get some on our way back.”
“I think you have enough candy to last you all winter-”

“Aaahh!!” The avian twisted his head around to look back at who had screamed, he had an inkling of who it was but to be fair he had no clue what had caused it.
Po to his credit looked pale and guilty beyond words as he brushed away snow off the snake’s head. “Viper! I’m so sorry!! I didn’t mean to turn that way!”
“I know you didn’t mean to Po, i-it’s okay.”

“Mm.” Crane turned his head away so as to not smirk at the fact she’d gotten hit, and that Monkey and Mantis’ laughter couldn’t be ignored. Pulling his composure together he spoke up. “Guys don’t start a snowball fight in the middle of the market. Just wait till we get home.”
Viper hissed after shaking the last of the snow off herself. “Po throw one back at him!”

The simian continued to giggle and smile widely as he picked up and molded another snowball. “I may have missed you that time Po but not this time-AH!”
A snowball hit him square in the face, and Mantis hopped and skittered away from Monkey entirely. Chu said nothing before pulling her arm back and hitting him with another snowball. Po and Viper were laughing loudly at the display considering Monkey staggered after that second hit. His words went ignored as per usual.

If Crane had to describe this next scene with a few words it would be: overly dramatic.
Master Monkey looked up as his right hand whipped away the snow that stained his fur with a betrayed expression towards the tiger right beside him. “Why?”
The young tiger kneeled to gather up more snow and threw another snowball at him.

“Crane!” Monkey looked to him for support pointing his finger at Chunhua who paused mid-throw of her snowball. “Tell her to stop! You told us all to stop! Remember!?”
Crane took his sweet time to ponder on whether or not he should. It would be the responsible thing to do, the avian fluffed his feathers before looking at Chu and nodding.
“Hit him one more time and then we have to go.”

The simian's eyes went wide and closed as the tiger's arm came down in the blur! “NO!”
“Hehe. That’s what you get.” Mantis chuckled at his friend's misery as he wiped some snow off his cloak. The bug had decided to get out of the line of fire towards him.
Crane lifted his leg to push aside some snow his way.

He did laugh at the bug’s indignant screaming at the avian as they continued forward.

~

The group continued down the street, as more and more people came out. It wasn’t the usual flow of customers but it was still a decent margin in all this cold snow. That and there was a lack of cart movement overall. Most carts they passed were covered in blankets of untouched snow.
“There it is!”

Crane’s head moved abruptly upward; he hadn’t noticed that Monkey, Chu, and Po, along with Viper still on his shoulders, were well ahead of him. He blinked before catching up with his group. The building overall reminded him of Mr. Ping’s restaurant minus the moon gate. It was a simple structure with small lanterns and other small trinkets hung about to personalize the place. Rather than a wall surrounding the eating area, it was open in the front.

The avian couldn’t help but look upon the tables and chairs covered in snow. There were four sets in total. He reached his wing out from the warm comfort of his Hanfu cloak to brush it against the snow, disturbing its peace.

“Taste of tradition.” He heard Mei Ling say aloud. “No wonder you forgot the name. It’s not really ice cream-themed…”
“Yeah but the guy who makes it here is the real deal!” Monkey replied.
He tore his gaze away from the snow-covered tables and walked to the front with everyone else. “I like it,” Chu spoke up as she touched the small sign along with Mei Ling.
“Oh, I didn’t say I didn’t like it. It’s unique, just not something that screams ice cream, you know?”

Monkey giggles to himself as the front door opens with a shake and rustle of snow which makes Po move back.

The first thing that popped out of the door was large curved horns, and then a white muzzle made itself known as the argali. He assumed stepped out fully from his home. 
“Good afternoon.” The tall argali stood to their full height after bending through the doors, bowing respectfully to the masters before his home. His light brown eyes looked towards Monkey with a soft smile. “I see you got your friends here as you wished.” The argali sounded old and his coat was wrapped tightly around his body making his already fluffy white fur puff out of the sides of it.

Monkey smiled widely at the older man. “Yup! That and you deserve way more business than you get. This is the best ice cream in all of China after all! Uncle Hong.”
Hong merely shook his head as he moved to the front of his shop, pulling the shutters of the wide window up with one hoof. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that. I’m not that old.”
Monkey shrugged. “Even then you seem like an uncle to me!”

“Either way…” Hong gave a small turn to the group and his tables. His expression was indiscernible, considering it looked as if he was worried and tired at the same time. “You all might have to wait. I don’t want to send you all home to eat your ice cream or on the move but my place wasn’t made in mind of the winter here.”
Crane couldn’t help but smile despite his rather crusty and quiet mood, he did seem to care about how his customers enjoyed his creations. And he couldn’t really blame the guy for not being ready for their weather here, it wasn’t always the easiest to predict.

“We’ll clear off the snow, won’t we guys!?” Po raised his fist in the air while looking towards the group.
Hong lost all his composure at that, waving his hooves in front of the group with a frenzy. “You all really don’t have to do that!”
Chunhua nodded before looking back at Hong with her paw above her heart with a determined expression upon her face. “There is no need for concern Mr. Hong. As protectors of the Valley, it is our role to assist the people who continue to support us.”

“Well, that and you can focus on giving us ice cream afterwards!” Mantis shouted from the top of his hat.
Crane sighed, his shoulders sagging as his wings dangled at his sides. “It’s best to just take their help. And as Chunhua said, it is the right thing to do for you all.”

Hong’s features softened a bit as his hold on his coat grew tighter, a small smile graced his lips for the first time during their meeting. “Thank you very much. I’ll have your ice cream done before you know it! Oh.” The tall argali walked to the side of his building, giving a small ‘excuse me’ as he passed Mei Ling by and pointed to the small alley inbetween his building and the next. “If any of you need a shovel I have one here.”

Monkey was quick to slide around the older argali, and go into the alley, and brought the shovel out with him. The master saluted while holding the shovel upon his shoulder as if he was a worker. “Gotcha Boss!”
“Don’t call me that either!”

And with that, they started up on clearing the snow from the front of Taste of Tradition! Shoveling was soon left to Chu after Po and Monkey tired themselves out which didn’t take too long considering the snow was barely above a foot.

Mei Ling, Crane, Viper, and Mantis were left to clear off the chairs and tables, which turned into more of a process of figuring out how to not knock more snow on the ground the other group had cleared. So they ended up sweeping it all into a pile of snow to the side.

“Alright, step back.” Master Crane took a stance at the very edge of the shop’s front as he stared intently at the lined up tables and chairs. This was the final touch the area needed!
He widened his stance allowing his cloak to flow into the wind! The avian took a stance, right wing raised high as the left was pointed directly at its target!

As he squinted his eyes, he could see Po still trying to sweep aside some snow while Money and Chunhua hid behind the nearest source of cover to avoid the mini snow storm!
His focus was slightly disturbed by Mei Ling waving towards him. “Do your best Jia!”
“Yeah, you can do it!” Viper added alongside Mei and Mantis.
Of course, he could, it wasn’t as if it was a do or die mission! He was just pushing aside some small specks of snow and ice that was a bit too hard to move precisely despite that fact.
Crane brought his wing down swiftly but carefully so as to not put too much power in his swing, the wind was breezy enough as it was so all he had to do was guide it gently.
His heart still welled up in pride at them appreciating his craft.

As soon as his wing came down he could feel the wind flowing with him as if he was flying. No one could control the wind completely but it could be given a small push towards a different path. It gusted lightly past the tables and chairs, dragging small pieces of the cold they missed along the way to the edge of the open eating area. It looked as if the small bits of snow were dancing in the wind as it cleared away to the other side safely.

“Crane that was….” The mentioned avian looked up to the panda who was shaking with his arms and fists close to his person while smiling widely. He’d dropped the shovel completely. “AWESOME!!” Chu and Monkey both popped out from behind the dragon warrior who was covered by bits of snow that he’d blow away. “No, that was even better than awesome, it was uhh incredible! No! Amazing!”
“Stupendous,” Chunhua added.
“Yeah, that too!”

“Po! Why didn’t you move out of the way!?” Crane exclaimed with wide eyes matched with his beak hanging wide open.
Po chuckled. “I didn’t notice what you were doing and got too caught up in how cool you looked!”
Before he could say anything against what the panda said, Hong stepped out holding up two trays of seven bowls of ice cream. With a balance that could rival even Po’s! “Ice cream’s ready!”
Maybe it was alright to take praise such as that every now and then…

The group sat at the now clear tables with a blanket of snow right before them as a nice view to boot as merchants and customers alike continued to gather outside and try to move about as they normally would despite the conditions.
“Mmmm! This is really good!” Po exclaimed whilst he held his cheek in pure blissful happiness! “Monkey you really weren’t kidding when you said this was the best in all of China, maybe even the whole world too!”
Monkey gave an almost baleful laugh. “Hehe. Of course, it is! Master monkey has never steered anyone wrong on restaurant recommendations! I take my sweets seriously, you know.” He took another bite of his ice cream mixed with delightful fruits. “That and my friends only deserve the best.”

Po set his spoon down and put his hands together, clapping them twice. “Yes thank you Master Monkey for all your services!”
Monkey almost choked laughing after that display!
Chu took a bite of her own ice cream, along with Crane were the few that went with one’s without the added fruit. “Mm. Delicious.” She nodded before pulling her board from her side, flipping multiple boards away until she reached the one she wanted. When she lifted the board it was the arrow-like eyes with a mouth that looked as if it was chewing and a small blush.
“This is really fantastic!!” The tiger exclaimed again before taking another bite and flipping her board again rather quickly to another expression.
The eyes looked as if they were sparkling with a wide O mouth.

Mantis turned slowly to his other two friends at the table. “Is no one gonna ask where she got the time to draw all these expressions!?”
The next expression was rather... dramatic. The eyes were wide and the pupils were looking upward with lots of tears running down its surface with a smiling face. “Tasty!!”
“Anyone?” Mantis asked with slight concern.

“She’s really enjoying that ice cream.” Mei Ling commented with a small laugh from the table next to theirs.
Monkey turned to regard Chunhua as she kept that happy teary-eyed board up. “Chu, it's okay to take it easy. I want you all to savor this moment we have together.” He patted her on the back.
“But…” The tiger set her spoon aside still keeping her board held high as she switched it to an expression of uncertainty. “I want to make sure my feelings are clear to you…I want you to know I’m enjoying it like everyone else is.”

Despite the noise of the market slowly going up in volume, both tables grew quiet for a single moment.
Monkey placed his hand upon the top of the tiger's head before smiling. “Your feelings connected with me perfectly!”
Chu looked towards him with an unsure expression. “Really?”
“Really!” Monkey hugged her close and despite looking confused while she held her board, Chu didn’t make a move to show discomfort. “Your happiness was so infectious I want to share a bit of my strawberry ice cream with you! Here!”

The simian let go of the tiger as he quickly went to scoop a nice bit of his cream before holding it up to let her have it. 
“Oh, I want to feed someone too! Jia! Jia Look this way!” Mei was already holding a spoon up for Crane to take.
“N-No! We don’t need to do that!” Crane shook his head.
“We’re a couple! I’ve read that couples do this every now and then! When will we ever get the chance to do this again!” The golden cat waved the spoon in his face. “Do it for me please~”

The avian sighed tiredly to himself, not understanding what was the appeal in feeding one another at all. That and it’d never look appealing if he did it. “Fine just once alright?”
Mei Ling raised her free paw up excitedly!! “That’s all I want!”
Crane opened his beak and as to be expected all Mei could do was let it fall from the spoon to his mouth. Nothing cute at all about it.
“Mm.” But he had to admit the added strawberry was delicious, better than he expected. He nodded his head as the taste melted away in his mouth. “That was pretty good.”
Mei Ling covered her mouth as she spoke up.“See! You need to try new sweet things more often.”

Crane could only shrug as his posture slackened, before going back to his own simple treat. “Aha. Not when I have you willing to feed me what you have at the drop of a hat.”
“You should be glad I’m not stingy.” Mei Ling puffed her cheeks.
Crane couldn’t help but laugh loudly at how cute she looked, it was that childish side that he loved to see most from her at times. “I’ll remember to count my blessings then.”
As soon as he turned to look at the snowy landscape before them, he was met with a familiar sight. Amber eyes stared intently into his yellow ones with a spoon of ice cream at the ready.

Crane looked away and back to the tiger several times, in an attempt to stall the inevitable.
“Ah.” He opened his mouth without much prompt and let the tiger once again, just let the scoop of ice cream fall right into his beak. “We got the same thing,” Crane noted as once again the taste of vanilla melted away in his mouth.

He tried to ignore the step forward she’d taken towards him but as per usual, his curiosity gave himself away and he could tell just from her own eyes what she wanted. “I just told you we got the same thing…” Despite himself, he still scooped up his own ice cream with his talons holding tightly to his spoon and giving it to his rather spoiled friend. “I’ll never understand why you guys want to do things like this.”

Chunhua took her bite of his regular ice cream rather happily if her tail was any indicator. It wagged some small bits of snow away!
“Are you happy now?” Crane got a response via her board with a very happy face, and the tongue was going upward on the smile. Which was extra cute. He couldn’t help but smile back at her reaction, it was rare he could make people happy with such simple little things. Especially her….

The sound of a chair scooting near him broke his train of thought and once again, he knew exactly who it was. Crane turned to see Mei with her elbows on the table holding up her face.
“No.”
Mei Ling glared at him. “You don’t even know what I want!”
Crane waggled the empty spoon her way. “Yes I do and no!”
“You were so obedient for her but not for me!” Mei Ling pouted as her paws grabbed the side of her face before looking down at the table dejectedly. “Is this what they call sibling privilege…”

“Heh.” He heard Chunhua beside him.
“Don’t laugh at me!”
Master Crane rolled his eyes up at the snowy sky. Before dipping his spoon back into his bowl and towards Mei Ling who honestly shouldn’t have looked as distraught as she did over ice cream of all things! “Here! Just take it!”
“Thank you!”

Mantis chuckled at the chaos at the other table, noting how Po was heading towards Crane too and knowing Monkey he’d soon follow suit. It was the kind of noisy environment he was getting used to over all these years. ‘The quiet used to be deafening…’ Now that he thought about it. His antenna twitched at a familiar sound out in the streets. The ice cream in his mouth melted as he looked into the crowd of the market as one lone figure walked with a backpack and bag in their hold.

His spoon dropped with a clatter.

~

The steam of his tea was nothing short of a bonus in keeping him warm, he was surrounded by the soft warm crackling flames from the oven of the restaurant's kitchen. He rubbed his hands around the warm cup before taking a small sip.

“There you go, Miss Liu! I put some extra snacks in there for the kids!”
Shifu sighed at that quiet moment being broken, but it should have been expected. He had to remind himself this wasn’t the Jade Palace and yet Dragon Warrior & Tofu had its own ethereal charm to it. In a sense it lured people in…

Blue eyes watched as Mr. Ping waved to the customer he had just served a warm goodbye as he always did, no matter if it was a regular or a newcomer. Sometimes he wished he could emulate that warmth the goose had.
‘It would solve so many of my daily problems…’ The old master thought to himself, shuffling a bit in his seat in the kitchen while taking another leisurely sip of his tea as his eyes wandered away instead of closing as they usually would. His ear twitched at the small sounds of Mr. Ping moving around the kitchen as snow continued to fall lightly.

“Suan.” He called out his friend's name while still watching the snowfall away.
“Hmmm?” The goose absentmindedly responded while checking on the dumplings still warming up, he could feel the small burst of heat hit him before it was closed again. “Real quick, can you throw me those stalks of celery right near you!”

Shifu’s eyes widened as he looked to his left, the noodle shop owner had barely looked his way before telling him where the vegetable was. Maybe Ping was more organized than he initially thought. The red panda picked up the celery on the shelf near him before hesitating to throw it towards the goose.
Ping swiped it in a matter of seconds without even blinking! Before cutting it precisely and pushing the ingredient right into a bowl of soup before sliding it towards a customer just walking up to the counter.

Ping planted the chopping knife firmly into the wood of his board and turned towards him casually. “Now what did you need?”
‘The Ping family were truly skilled in the kitchen… Deadly so...’ The red panda looked away before sorting out his thoughts. “I...I just thought we should talk about that mask.” It was something that had been bothering him since yesterday, and while Tigress did seem fine on the surface. He was concerned his actions had only delayed something worse. “I don’t mind that she wears it considering Po has only recently gotten new attire but I don’t think it's for mere flair…”

The goose shook his head as he moved back to the large pot of soup. “It’s not the mask that’s the problem, Shifu.”
“Then what is? Everything was fine before she put it on.”
He could hear the swirling of the soup's contents as Ping stirred it. “If you think that then I’m really disappointed in you. The problem is what’s hiding under that mask.”
“Under...the mask?” Shifu titled his head in confusion. “The only thing under the mask is just Tigress.”

“No, there’s so much more than that.” Mr. Ping walked over to where he stored the tofu.  “And it's a shame you can’t see that yet.”
“More? I don’t understand? I just want to know if there’s something that you can do to help her…” He struggled to word what he wanted, he wasn’t exactly sure what any of this meant. “Overcome this. Whatever it may be.” Shifu disliked how unsure he sounded but he had to trust Ping as her father now for these things.

“And that’s your first problem!” Mr. Ping pointed a single feather his way which made him hold his warm cup a bit tighter than needed. “Like I told you before, she's our daughter and I can’t fix everything on my own. That day wasn’t the only day you left a scar on her heart and you have to face that with her.” The goose lowered his wing before looking out the open window of his shop as white pure snow drifted in the sky. “No matter how much it hurts…”

“I can’t! If I do she’ll never move on, she’s…” Shifu hesitated, feeling his heart tightened at the mere thought of the word that quite frankly described how she’d been towards him for the better part of her life. “She’s too loyal to me, Suan. I’ve done enough!” He turned his blues eyes away from his distorted reflection in the cup of his tea for the cloudy cold sky. “What I did...I mean my actions were out of love, weren’t they?”

Mr. Ping sighed tiredly, for once the old goose had been still in his stance as he looked upon the sky. “If you have to ask then the answer should be clear.”
The way Mr. Ping had said that sent a shiver down his spine that the cold early winter simply could not replicate. The entire feeling made him uncomfortable as if something was constricting around his entire person making him look-

“What do you see when you look upon me, Master Shifu?”  He remembered exactly what he thought while looking at her. The way she stood so firmly before him, waiting for his word as he trained each and everyone of his students… ‘I saw something I never wished to see in her again.’ His ears lowered at the thought, it was something he’d kept to himself for years. He knew very well everyone knew about his son and it wouldn’t take long for her to piece together what was missing.

What was breaking them apart…

“Good afternoon!” Shifu’s head jerked up at the sudden interruption, almost dropping his teacup, which was now rather lukewarm.
What greeted them was a rather colorful sight to say the least. There was a flamingo with his head peeking into the kitchen of Mr. Ping’s shop, their glasses far too big for their head.
A long pink leg is brought up as the avian straightens up, fixing his glasses upon his beak. They didn’t really need fixing in his honest opinion…

“Afternoon Shuo!” Ping spoke up for them both, already moving ahead without him. “Are you keeping warm up there?”
“I’m trying to Mr. Ping.” Shuo fluffed his feathers close to his body, shaking rather large amounts of snow off his black cloak. “S-Sorry about that…” Shuo stuttered as he looked down at the floor. The goose waved him off. “Don’t worry about it, you haven’t trailed in any less than what the kids have from this morning. I’ll get your soup ready so sit tight.” Mr. Ping had already pulled out an empty bowl near the counter before heading towards the steaming pot of soup.

‘And so the tranquil atmosphere of the kitchen was renewed.’ Shifu reluctantly took a sip of his cooled tea as he wrestled with his messy thoughts. It was probably best to leave it alone for now and think about it in a more quiet environment.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Ping! Oh while you’re doing that, do you mind if I hang up a poster here?” Shuo cocked his head almost upside down to reach the contents of his bag, which sounded as if it was filled to the brim with papers. “I know everyone in the village will come here at least once for something warm and I trust you to make sure everyone gets inside before dark.”
Shifu’s ears flattened upon his head. It sourly reminded him, he still never cleaned his own drawers out…

“Of course!” Mr. Ping quickly chopped any ingredients in a flash and slid them into the bowl with ease. Shuo must have been a regular to get an order without even asking. “Is it another weather update?” The warm bowl of noodles was given the finishing touch, a light sprinkle of celery. Before it was pushed right in front of Shuo. “Because you said we had a chance of snow this week. I can only imagine what you found up there this time!”

“Do you fly into the clouds to tell the weather?” Shifu decided to ask, he’d only heard of the bird by name from Crane and the fact he was the only one who went to such lengths to write out the weather not only for the Valley but for small villages further down south. He’d never really thought much of how Shuo went about doing these things.
“Yes, I get as close as I can to get the feeling of the temperature along with the kind of clouds that are traveling this way.” Shuo bowed slightly towards him while stirring his soup. “I won’t bore you with all the details but we are getting more snow, possibly rain mixed with hail again tonight. I’d prefer if everyone was inside since the winds have been rather unpredictable. Especially for the Jade Palace...” Shuo took a small sip of his soup before speaking up again. “Considering the altitude.”

Shifu found himself smiling at the bird’s dedicated behavior. It was admirable to see, “Thank you very much but you can eat first.” The old master stood up from his stool and placed his empty cup with the rest of the dirty dishes.

Even in the snow, people’s determination burned bright.

~

It’s too late now to wish for love and happiness

~

As the afternoon came to a close, people were beginning to disperse. The cold growing too much for them or needing a break from the morning hustle, preparing for the evening rush.

In the middle of all that were two people, linked together by one single string of emotion.
“Zongying!” Mantis called out to the other, thankfully she had stopped dragging her large bag through the snow as taller animals walked by them without a single glance.
The mantis clad in bright, vibrant colors that made her stick out in the never-ending white wonderland that surrounded them didn’t turn around to meet him with a smile as she usually would.

She stood frozen as if the cold winds had tied her down to that very spot.
“Hey…” He started awkwardly when he caught up to her, not feeling welcomed enough to stand by her side. “Do you need any help? I’m sure that’s heavy.” Mantis tried to laugh the entire situation off but it all felt so hollow and cold.

Zongying gripped the string of her bag tightly, bringing it closer to her side. “No. It’s fine. I could see you’re out with your friends today…” She stared shrinkingly at the snow before her. “Don’t worry about me anymore. I’ll be fine.”
Mantis blinked as his head reeled back. “What-What do you mean ‘don’t worry about you’?? Look I-” He brought his claws forward hesitating to reach out to Zongying. “I know you’re going to be busy with your new job and all but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend time together.”
Maybe it was nothing, knowing Zongying she’d probably worried herself into a tizzy over all her new responsibilities. It had nothing to do with him. His posture relaxed at that thought, the feeling of his cloak made him aware of the chill that surrounded them as people kicked up snow.