POV Tai Lung
Noodles, to my delight, were indeed left over—though not much. However, the Dragon Warrior solemnly swore that by lunch, there would be plenty for everyone. Heh.
My mood was surprisingly good. Even Monkey's sly look—he actually winked at me for some reason as I sat down for breakfast—couldn't ruin it (seriously, what was that about?). Neither could the haunted, terrified gaze of... Lin, was it?
Regardless, having stuffed my gut with pancakes and noodles, I called Po outside. Training waits for no one! We had agreed beforehand that I would "push" the panda a bit, and he had warned everyone last night, so there were no surprises. My talk with Tigress had happened right after that.
On the training grounds, Po began his warm-up while I sat on the steps, "evaluating" his physical condition...
Well...
It was better than I thought, but not even close to the shape the Five were in. How exactly did he beat me in the movie? It had to be the scriptwriter's doing...
"Ahem..." a quiet cough sounded from behind me.
It was the little fox. I sensed her presence much more easily now, so I had noticed her staring at me from the bushes for the last five minutes.
"Excuse me, could we talk?" the ninja asked, clearly embarrassed—presumably because she, a Shadow, had been detected, caught, and then broken like a dry twig all in one evening. She tried her best not to look at me.
"Of course," I nod.
Why was she let go if she was a "dastardly spy"? Well, she wasn't just any spy; she was a "friendly-adjacent" spy. Imperial authority is sacrosanct to almost any master, and if she was following the monarch's orders, why keep her? She hadn't learned anything top-secret, committed no crimes—she just watched me.
In short, there was no point in locking her up, so everyone was largely indifferent. If she were an agent from some sect or clan, she wouldn't see the sun again for a long time, but as it stood, I was sure she was free to go wherever she pleased.
Things used to be different, but no government tolerates an uncontrollable force like Chi users forever. As far as I know, even among those training under Oogway, there were those who craved more—power, wealth, authority. When these superhumans started causing chaos, crackdowns began, culminating in an attempted coup against the dynasty. Since then, all Kung Fu masters have been servants of the Emperor, receiving the title of "Master" (equivalent to junior aristocracy) and many privileges in return.
"I... Can I ask you to forget that you saw me?" the girl asked, still fidgeting with the edge of her clothes in shame. "I have nothing but my rank as a Shadow. If... if they find out I failed my mission, I'll either be killed or, at best, have my memory erased and be thrown onto the street... I..."
"Be quiet," I interrupt, raising a hand.
Honestly, she's talking nonsense. Not just because no one wastes energy on memory wipes when simpler solutions exist (though who knows the temperament of her boss, the "Blade Shadow"?).
The point is, no competent leader fires an employee for a single mistake—especially when the assignment was way above their pay grade. I suspect the idiot who thought it was a good idea to send a green Shadow to spy on me is either being grilled right now or will be soon. What were they thinking?
But her request revealed something interesting. She doesn't view me as a threat to the Emperor or an enemy; otherwise, she wouldn't be asking me to cover up her mistake from her own superiors.
Among the Shadows, everyone is ready to die for the Emperor. In any other case, Lin would have crawled back to report her failure as a matter of duty.
This is intriguing. It means my assistance to a certain snow leopard was correctly assessed by those invisible observers whose presence I felt since entering the city (even if I tried my best to ignore them). There are so many Chi techniques—it's best not to even think certain things without proper mental protection.
"What do you think of him?" I ask, nodding toward Po, who had promised to show me "something cool" and was currently trying to remember a stance. He was currently in a full split, but it looked like he was actually stuck and was just pretending it was intentional so he wouldn't have to admit he couldn't get up.
"...Not great. It's obvious he hasn't been training for more than a year," the girl replied, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
"Be more specific," I say. Shadows are trained to gauge a master's strength to avoid surprises. I wanted to compare our perceptions.
"About eight... no, nine months."
"Less than two weeks," I tell her. "He's been training for less than two weeks. Before that, he had no martial arts experience, and his first days of training were just him getting beaten up."
"But how is that possible?" Lin asked in shock, her ears twitching. "You mean he had no prior training? But from what I see, he has quite a lot of power, and his movements aren't the fumbling of a beginner..."
"That's what I'm wondering. I don't know if they sent you specifically for a reason, but let me be clear—I have no intention of serving the Emperor," I abruptly change the subject. I have a suspicion this was a calculated move by the Shadows, though I can't prove it. "If His Majesty needs a warrior capable of defeating any opponent, I will train one. In return, I require only a full pardon for my sins and total freedom."
"I-I didn't... no one 'sent' me to negotiate, sir. I really did make a mistake and—"
"I don't care. I assume since you approached me, you've reached a consensus with Shifu and the others. You've heard my answer. I want your report to mention him," I point at Po. "It should state that with my help, the panda will become a truly formidable opponent for any master. Is that clear?"
"I will not lie to my superiors, even if my life depends on it... but I can omit certain details for the benefit of the Emperor..." the girl conceded.
That was almost too easy. She was definitely sent to make contact. Whatever, I need to maintain ABSOLUTE VIGILANCE. But the idea of making Po truly powerful sounds promising.
My fixation—the Dragon Scroll—is finally no longer weighing on my mind. I'm lucky that when I made that "contract" as Tai Lung, I used the words: "Obtain the Dragon Scroll." I don't know what kind of magic was at play, but I'm glad to be rid of that strange influence.
To think—I was so desperate for validation through a title invented by Oogway, the very person responsible for me spending half my life in prison, being tortured daily...
No thanks. The thought of that old turtle being considered my master makes me sick.
"Then it's settled," I tell the fennec, as Po finally gave up and started asking for help getting up... This is a circus. "You're free to go. And remember: I am not an enemy of His Majesty."
"I will remember," the girl nodded seriously, clearly understanding my meaning. "I will go write my report."
With that, the ninja simply vanished. But not from my perception—I felt her clearly as she moved slowly back toward the Jade Palace.
"I don't even want to know how Shifu imagined our battle," I sigh, hoisting Po up by his collar with one hand. His progress is incredible, but his personality...
"He didn't. When the Furious Five didn't come back and the scroll turned out to be empty... Oops?" the panda realized he'd said too much. "Anyway, he sent me to evacuate the village, but when I got down there, I met the guys, and they dragged me off to make noodles..." Po explained, dusting off his pants. "But actually, he bet everything on the Wuxi Finger Hold."
"The Wuxi Finger Hold won't work on me," I explain. "With a master's build and physical strength, his chance of a successful grab is minimal. Besides, he hasn't unlocked his Chi, so the application takes time I wouldn't give him..."
"Oh, no-no, I mean he taught me the Wuxi Finger Hold so I could use it to beat... well, you... yeah..." the Dragon Warrior said, shuffing his foot shyly.
No way. It's impossible that he mastered that skill in such a short time, just like in the movie. It's simply unrealistic!
"Are you saying you mastered the Wuxi Finger Hold?" I double-check.
He's either an idiot or incredibly naive to tell me this. Does he really trust me this much after everything Oogway and Shifu said?
"Yeah! It was tough, but it's such a cool-awesome move that I spent the whole day on it!" the big guy declared expressively.
I wouldn't be surprised if I heard this from some ancient grandmaster, but from a guy who's been studying Kung Fu for two weeks? Fine. There's no reason for him to lie. Is the panda really a genius among geniuses? We'll see...
Meanwhile, far to the South...
An exiled prince and two strangers were discussing something that could change the fate of the world...
"So, you want to help me reclaim what is rightfully mine in exchange for... future assistance and a couple of ancient artifacts?" a young man with long white hair asked, raising an eyebrow from the shadows of a pavilion. Behind him stood two massive warriors—each over two meters tall, their arms rippling with steel-like muscles, betraying a powerful and rare lineage.
"Precisely. In return, we are prepared to fund you and assist with men and metal," one of the strangers agreed, barely masking their impatience.
"We are also prepared to share blueprints that will help you mount your invention on ships. That way, you will surely defeat the current Emperor's fleet..." a charming female voice came from the second figure. "It is a very fair trade, don't you think?"
"Fair, is it...?" the white-haired man whispered, his red eyes flashing. "I expected much from guests all the way from England, but such nonsense is laughable." The man stood up abruptly, making the strangers tense. "Do you think I need financial help? Do you really believe I can't find a way to mount cannons on ships? Do you truly believe I am an idiot who would agree to be a puppet on a throne? You have disappointed me."
From nowhere, throwing knives appeared between the man's fingers. "Farewell."
In the next second, the knives flew, but something inexplicable happened. The tent where the negotiations between the exiled Prince Shen and the foreign emissaries were taking place imploded inward. Dust and dirt swirled, and the two guests simply vanished, leaving only a slight distortion in the air.
"Is that a Chi technique?" Shen asked the air, climbing out from under the collapsed canvas.
"Doesn't seem like it. Though there was a surge of Chi, it was too brief. Only powerful masters or artifacts are capable of that..." one of the gorillas replied, helping the prince brush off his luxurious robe.
"I see... Artifacts, then..." the white-haired prince mused, narrowing his eyes. "Interesting."
Back at the Jade Palace
"Weak, very weak..." I say, sitting on the back of the Dragon Warrior as he does push-ups. "Is this all you've got?"
I pushed him until evening, with only two breaks—for lunch and dinner. "An army marches on its stomach," after all... and no, it's not because I love noodles. That's just a coincidence.
The problem was that the panda's enthusiasm seemed to be... not disappearing, but fading? He was trying, that much was clear, and he was getting stronger at a rapid pace, but... something was missing, and I couldn't figure out what.
"Tai Lung... could I have a minute?" Shifu said quietly, approaching us.
"Mmm... Yes, of course." I hop off the panda. "Keep at it, Po. Push yourself." I followed Shifu a short distance away to where I had sat earlier. "Well?"
"I wanted to... speak with you. If you don't mind," Shifu sighed, looking at his feet.
"I told you I don't mind."
"Oh..." Shifu exhaled again. "I am... I am sorry that you spent those twenty years in prison... because of my weakness..." he said heavily.
My heart skipped a beat.
I haven't forgiven Shifu. Not really. I still hold a grudge, even if I don't show it. I can't forgive him completely—that betrayal was too painful, too personal. But I can't hate my... father, either. Parents can be good or bad, but they remain parents. That's what I believed in my past life, and though Shifu isn't my biological father, he's the only one Tai Lung ever had (unlike Po, who has two).
To forgive that betrayal... it's hard. Very hard. But I lived so many years dreaming of hearing those words.
I can't say this "bought" my forgiveness, but... whereas before I didn't even think about reconciliation, now it's hard to be so categorical.
"You abandoned me. At the moment your son needed support, you just stepped back and walked away..."
"I... I was wrong. I am sorry, Tai Lung. I thought I was doing the right thing and... it will sound like an excuse, but I didn't just walk away that day. I followed my master and tried to convince him to change his mind, and then you snapped..." the old master looked down. "I realize now I should have comforted you first. I realize that the goal—the title of Dragon Warrior—was something I put into you."
Shifu looked me straight in the eyes. "Young and hot-headed, knowing so little, having seen nothing of the world... You were left all alone, without support, with a destroyed future and a shattered dream... I should have known my support was more important than a foolish title I asked Master Oogway for..."
Moisture appeared in the eyes of the warrior who had lived for centuries. "I am so sorry. Forgive me, Tai Lung. Forgive me, if you can..."
"I..." I swallow, looking away, unable to find the words.
Shifu had never acted like this. He was a harsh teacher, but now I saw an old man who had carried a burden all these years. A burden that was destroying him, causing pain more terrible than anything Vachir did to me.
The resentment... it hasn't gone anywhere, but to reject my father, the only family I have... I could. But I don't want to. Idiots might call it weakness, but I don't see it that way. Attachment, love, trust, friendship... these feelings aren't weakness; they are strength. I don't want my father to keep blaming himself. Ultimately, it was that damn turtle who pulled the trigger. Shifu might not be a perfect father, but he is mine.
"I forgive you."
A bitter tear rolled down the old master's cheek.
"I see you've taken Po's training quite seriously, haven't you?" Shifu spoke again after a while, dabbing his eyes with his sleeve and returning to his usual tone, though his voice still trembled.
"Yeah, I want him to be worthy of his title. I don't know how that crazy old turtle chose him, but he's not fit for the role of Dragon Warrior. Not yet."
"When Master Oogway raised his hand to point at the Dragon Warrior, Po fell from the sky right in front of him, blocking Tigress..." Shifu explained, ignoring my comment about Oogway.
"So it was just a total accident?"
"There are no accidents... but yes, that day was one of the worst of my life... until I found the right approach with him."
"Approach?"
"Yes, look. See how he's slacking? Not even on purpose, but as if instinctively trying to save energy," Shifu nodded at the panda, who had slowed down and was breathing heavily, looking like he was on the verge of a heart attack, though he did look genuinely exhausted.
"Well... I wouldn't say he's 'slacking,' he just looks gassed..."
"Now watch," the old master said, a small smile touching his lips. "Hey! Po! If you do a thousand push-ups in ten minutes, you get dumplings!"
"Aaaah! I'm gonna win dumplings!"
The panda's speed increased by... tenfold? All visible exhaustion vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.
"Holy crap..." was all I could say, watching the blur of motion.
"Use that," Shifu smiled back.
Well, I was planning to head off on some adventure until Po mastered Chi or something, but it looks like... I'll be staying here for a bit.
Maybe I can even become friends with the Furious Five? They seem like decent people. I should hear their stories and get to know them better...