Chapter Text
Generally speaking, regret was not something Tai Lung was accustomed to. Whatever he had done, he never saw it as a mistake — in fact, he believed he was never wrong. But now, watching the Furious Five cheerfully egging Po on to new records, he thought perhaps it was time to reconsider. Maybe it was time to feel regret, admit his errors, repent his sins, shave off his fur, and retreat to a monastery.
Anything was better than having to watch that foolish panda.
The Dragon Warrior was expected to achieve great things — heroic feats, intellectual breakthroughs, legendary deeds. Yet this panda was only good at stuffing his cheeks with food. Annoyed, Tai Lung flicked his tail and sidestepped the Five, snatching the bowl of dumplings right from under the chubby bear’s nose.
“Get to work!” he growled at the underlings, taking grim satisfaction in watching them bristle at his presence.
He didn’t like them, nor did he hold them in any regard. In his eyes, only strength mattered. The panda had defeated him — much as it galled him, the snow leopard had to admit it. But the others? They weren’t talentless, true, but they still fell far short of his level. Were they even remotely interesting? Tai Lung didn’t notice.
And worse — they clearly distracted Po from truly important matters.
Training.
Though Master Shifu had softened somewhat and no longer insisted on grueling drills from dawn to dusk, Tai Lung held a different opinion. The weaker a warrior’s qualities, the more discipline they needed — and Po, for example, was more than questionable. But Shifu rejected this view, shaking his head enigmatically:
“Your judgment is flawed, and your methods are certainly not suitable for him. Don’t torment your shidi in vain.”
Shidi — 师弟 — junior disciple, younger brother.
Perhaps it was time to explain how Tai Lung ended up in this position. Well, the story wasn’t a happy one. Long ago, Master Shifu had taken in a young snow leopard and raised him as a son, training him in kung fu. Harsh training, fueled by exceptional talent, brought astonishing results. Both Tai Lung and his master believed he was destined to become the legendary Dragon Warrior — the greatest hero under Heaven. But Oogway, Shifu’s mentor, shattered that illusion. Enraged, Tai Lung laid waste to the Valley, injured Master Shifu, and was ultimately defeated by Oogway.
After a long imprisonment, he escaped, determined to prove his truth this time. But when he finally faced the true Dragon Warrior — the panda Po — he lost.
He nearly died — and honestly, he would have preferred it. But for some reason, Po brought him back to the Jade Palace. After numerous attempts to talk, to understand each other, to decide what came next, Tai Lung chose to stay with Shifu. He once had a goal — to become the Dragon Warrior — but now that it was impossible… what was he to do? What was he for? While he searched for answers, he began guiding Shifu’s students as their dashixiong.
Dashixiong — 大师兄 (dàshīxiōng) — the eldest or first-enrolled disciple.
Everyone except Po feared him. That suited him just fine. But there was one problem: whenever this unruly group needed anything, they sent the panda as a messenger. And Po didn’t mind at all! In fact, he wasn’t afraid in the slightest. There was hardly anything to scold him for — Po was always polite and obedient to his master’s teachings. He even sought advice from Tai Lung, and when he managed to track the snow leopard down, Tai Lung would answer. Otherwise, he avoided the clingy junior disciple.
When Shifu first noticed this, he laughed — too loudly for someone so small.
“What has Po done to displease you?” he asked, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. Tai Lung didn’t know how to answer.
Po had defeated him, yes — but that wasn’t it. Of course, Tai Lung valued his pride deeply, but one defeat he could endure. It wasn’t about that.
It was that he felt himself becoming too involved in Po’s life. Whether it was due to Tai Lung’s own vulnerability or something inherent in Po himself, he couldn’t tell. The panda’s idle chatter felt soothing, his smile warm, and everything else… it was simply pleasant to be near him. Tai Lung hadn’t felt that in a long time. In the prison fortress, he’d grown used to solitude, contempt, and chains. Relearning freedom was hard enough — but companionship?
He’d never had friends. Fear wasn’t something Tai Lung knew — but the idea of making even one now frightened him. His life had only ever included his master, who had ultimately rejected him. That had hurt. But what if he gained a friend? How much more painful would it be to be abandoned?
Tai Lung had no illusions about himself. He knew friendship required certain personal qualities — but did he possess any of them? Unlikely. It would only be another failure.
So when Shifu asked, he simply replied:
“More likely, I’ll become repulsive to him than the other way around. I’m just delaying the inevitable.”
Shifu wanted to argue, to continue the conversation, but Tai Lung ended it firmly. They never spoke of it again. And the panda, as usual, remained annoyingly clingy whenever he got the chance.
This incident was no exception. The moment Tai Lung snatched the bowl, Po lunged at him, mumbling incoherently through a mouthful of food:
“Mmmph! Gimmie back!”
“Master Shifu is calling us,” Tai Lung huffed, as if nothing had happened. “Follow me.”
He tossed the dumplings to Tigress, who frowned and followed the two of them with narrowed, suspicious eyes. As the saying goes: two tigers cannot share one mountain. That was certainly true for them — he felt no affection for Tigress, and she felt none for him.
All the way, Po chewed and talked at the same time:
“And about my new record—”
“Don’t care.”
“It’s fun!”
“Not for me. You’d do better to adapt to my training style faster,” Tai Lung muttered, slightly annoyed. Of course, it also mattered that the others spent more time with Po, training together, while Tai Lung did everything alone. But the fact remained: he’d already developed combined techniques with some of the Five. It stirred a strange envy — even jealousy. Tai Lung tried to convince himself it was just his pride — why should someone else be ahead of him, even in team moves? But deep down, he suspected it wouldn’t bother him at all… if it weren’t for the panda.
Not that Po didn’t want to train with him. The panda practically besieged Tai Lung with persistent requests — but cooled off after attending a few of the snow leopard’s sessions. He was shocked that someone could be so merciless in their self-torture, as he put it. Well, that was Tai Lung’s style — in battle and in life. Why should he pity himself? He didn’t deserve it.
“Oh, but I think it’s the perfect time to start training together!” Po declared cheerfully.
“You sure?” Tai Lung asked, without much enthusiasm. He felt uneasy under the look Po gave him — not the usual excited gaze, but the one that followed, when Po’s enthusiasm faded. When he realized how Tai Lung had achieved his current mastery in kung fu. When he understood it had been through pain.
“Uh, yeah! I think so. Besides, I’ve been asking Tigress, and I understand more now. Your styles are really similar!”
Tai Lung growled in displeasure.
“… And you two don’t exactly get along. Two tigers on one mountain, ha!” Po laughed. “But you’re more alike than you think!”
“I’m not interested.”
“She said the same thing.”
In response, Tai Lung simply quickened his pace, shifting from a normal walk into *qigong* movement. Po hadn’t mastered this art, nor had any of Shifu’s other students — they only knew basic kung fu techniques. So the snow leopard smirked like a cat, leaping effortlessly from one treetop to the next. Arrogance swelled within his vain nature as he landed lightly on the riverbank, separated from the islet where the master resided. He bowed, hands clasped in a formal greeting. Shifu turned to face him.
“No quarrels today?” he asked, studying his first disciple.
“Not that I’ve argued with anyone since returning,” Tai Lung snorted, rolling his shoulders and letting his muscles tense threateningly. “They just fear me. And rightly so — I haven’t apologized, and I don’t regret giving them a scolding. How will they grow if they keep winning? They needed a wake-up call. But even so, they still find time to fool around…”
With a loud splash and a yelp, the panda landed beside Tai Lung.
“And there’s your reason.”
Shifu allowed himself a chuckle before solemnly nodding at the panda’s flustered greeting.
“Well, I’ve called you both for an important matter. It’s not an easy conversation, but I believe the two of you are closest to understanding what I wish to say.”
“We?” Po blinked in surprise. “Maybe Tai Lung — he’s your first student — but me? What are we supposed to understand?”
Usually, Po loved to boast about himself, but in serious moments, he assessed himself honestly. He had started learning kung fu later than everyone else. He hadn’t grown up in the Jade Palace, surrounded by the wonders and truths of the Jianghu.
Jianghu (江湖) — “rivers and lakes,” but in Chinese culture and literature, it refers to the social world of wandering knights and martial arts masters.
“You have a natural talent for grasping the essence of things — when you choose to,” Shifu observed. “So, Po, I ask you: please take this seriously.”
The panda twitched his round ears nervously and stilled. Tai Lung stood before the master like a stone statue the entire time. After studying them both, Shifu nodded to himself and leapt onto the tip of his staff.
“Now listen. Until this moment, we have all followed fate — or the Celestial Dao, as the sages call it. The will of Heaven sets the laws of nature, which we come to understand by studying the world. The will of Heaven determines our life and death. And it also imposes certain limits. But it turns out many ancient masters agree: these limits can be overcome.”
“Overcome the laws of nature?” Tai Lung swished his tail thoughtfully. That sounded very tempting.
“Exactly. Master Oogway deliberately ignored these possibilities,” Shifu’s ears flattened, and he lowered his head sorrowfully, recalling his mentor’s departure. “He had a different mission…”
“Like deciding I was the Dragon Warrior just because I accidentally fell in front of him during the ceremony?” Po clarified with a touch of self-irony.
“Yes,” Shifu hissed through gritted teeth. “The worst day of my life.” He drooped his ears and hugged himself, as if shivering from cold. “In one moment, my entire past flashed before my eyes. All my achievements turned to dust…”
Po winced. He’d heard this before. Hadn’t they moved past it?
“The Celestial Dao always finds a way,” Tai Lung suddenly sneered. “Isn’t that so? Sooner or later, the panda would have arrived at the Jade Palace as the Dragon Warrior. If not that day, then another.”
“Yes, disaster was inevitable,” Shifu agreed, sighing and relaxing. “Only if we accept the will of Heaven and follow it passively. But it *can* be resisted! Kung fu opens this path, but deeper understanding of the world continues it. Ultimate wisdom grants freedom — a wisdom we all have yet to attain.”
“But how?” Po began hopping in place with impatience.
“By seeking your own path — your *Dao*. By studying yourself and the world through a certain lens,” Shifu explained, leaping down from his staff. “You may stop at kung fu… or you may go further.”
“I want to go further!” Po cried excitedly. “That sounds so cool!”
“Don’t ask me — I will never accept anything less,” Tai Lung snapped.
“But what *is* this Dao you speak of? How do we find it? Do we go on an adventure? Or—”
“This is *your* Dao. It takes time—”
“Tigress,” Tai Lung narrowed his eyes, turning around. A moment later, Tigress appeared before them, clearly in a hurry.
“We need your help in the village — now!” she blurted. “Immediately, Po! And you—”
“I’m going,” the snow leopard said, bowing to Master Shifu and vanishing in the next instant.
“He’s not waiting for us, is he?” Po sighed.
Chapter Text
“I can’t help it, he’s just so cool!” the panda wailed, rolling on the ground before springing back to his feet. When else could he chat with the Furious Five if not on the way to the village they were supposed to defend from attack?
“Tai Lung? Get a grip!” Monkey advised, snorting as he swung from one tree branch to the next, gripping with his tail.
“Be careful with him, Po,” Snake whispered softly, slithering just behind the others with a faint hiss.
“Guys, come on! Yeah, he did some bad things once, but that’s all in the past. He and Shifu made up, everything’s fine…” Po nearly tripped but quickly regained his balance and kept running.
“You’re so naive it’s not even worth mentioning out loud,” Tigress scoffed, her whiskers twitching. Her paws pounded the earth, launching her into powerful leaps.
“Your name should be in the dictionary next to that word,” Mantis agreed, perched on Tigress’s shoulder. Po rolled his eyes.
“Hey, it’s not that bad! At least I’m not wrong about him!” Po puffed up indignantly. “He’s been with us for months now, and nothing’s happened. You’re all overthinking it.”
When they arrived, the battle was already in full swing—Tai Lung had gotten there first.
“How do you do that?!” Po exclaimed, rushing into the fray between Tai Lung and a wolf. One powerful strike sent the wolf flying several meters, yelping as he crashed to the ground.
Nearby, the Furious Five joined the fight.
“What?” Tai Lung asked, leaping to kick another attacker aside.
“You’re so fast! Is that a special technique? It looks just like—”
“Have you ever heard of qigong?” the snow leopard snapped, irritated.
“Of course! That’s it! Did Shifu teach you? Why hasn’t he shown it to anyone else? Is there something special about it?”
“Can you ever just be quiet?!” Tai Lung growled, then suddenly noticed movement from the corner of his eye. “Watch out!”
“Huh?” Po turned toward the sound, already dropping into a fighting stance—ready to strike. But then his gaze fell on the red sun emblem on the wolf’s forearm band, and a flash pierced his mind. A vision? Or a memory? He froze, stunned, like a stone statue. He would’ve been finished if Tai Lung hadn’t lunged in front of him, sweeping the wolf’s legs out from under him. The attacker crashed to the ground.
Straightening up, ready to scold the panda, Tai Lung turned—and froze himself at the sight of Po, completely dazed.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, flicking his tail from side to side like a cat. He feared the Dragon Warrior might’ve lost his mind. But seeing the glint of tears in Po’s eyes was somehow worse—more terrifying than Tai Lung could have imagined.
“I-I… I’m fine,” Po stammered, shaking himself. “Yeah. All good! Everything’s fine!”
“You’re not fine—I’m not blind!” the snow leopard snapped, a strange unease rising in him. It unsettled him deeply to see Po so distressed, and it angered him that the panda wouldn’t even share what was bothering him. A thought flashed through his mind: whether he liked it or not, he was already involved with this idiot.
“They’re escaping!” Monkey shouted. Without hesitation, Tai Lung dashed forward and knocked the fleeing wolves off their feet.
“Tie them up,” he ordered, grabbing Po by the arm and pulling him toward an empty field. “Then take them back to the Jade Palace. Chorh-Gom’s been missing new prisoners—toss them there after interrogation.”
“Hey-hey, where are we—?!” Po yelped in alarm.
“To talk,” Tai Lung said. His tail flicked sharply against Po’s nose. Po couldn’t help but sneeze.
On the way, Tai Lung reflected on how it had come to this. He’d tried so hard to keep his distance—avoid idle chatter, ignore the panda’s nonsense—but none of it had worked. The moment this big, clumsy fool showed even a hint of tears, something inside him twisted. He’d have gladly beaten anyone responsible for making the damn panda cry. But what if he was the one to cause those tears someday? What then?
“Are you going to talk?” Tai Lung finally asked.
Po sniffled and plopped down on a log.
“There’s nothing to talk about. It was just a little thing…”
“You almost cried,” Tai Lung stated firmly.
“No!” Po panicked, denying it instantly. “Never! We’re warriors—what tears? C’mon…” He gave a nervous laugh, but the snow leopard growled sharply, making it clear he wasn’t in the mood for games and that hiding things would get him nowhere. Po dropped the act and sighed.
“I… I thought I saw something. Or maybe it was a memory? I saw my mom… But I never even knew her!” The panda looked away, his expression filled with sorrow.
Tai Lung knew that feeling all too well. He himself had been abandoned as a baby and raised by Shifu. And judging by the fact that Po’s father was a goose, he must be adopted too. It was strange they’d never discussed it before, but still, the truth was clear enough.
“Do you remember much from your childhood?”
“Not at all,” Po shook his head.
“Ask your father. He must remember something, right?”
Po nodded slowly and looked up at Tai Lung, hesitant.
“Why does this bother you so much?”
The question left the snow leopard silent. He flicked his tail and vanished into the trees without a word.
***
Po still hadn’t fully recovered, but he hid it well. This time, no one asked questions—yet he couldn’t stop asking them himself. Hadn’t Tai Lung been in the same place? Shifu had become his adoptive father; Tai Lung didn’t know his real parents either. Was that why he’d been so understanding? So concerned? But no—Po realized he’d only figured that out later.
In truth, the panda wasn’t nearly as foolish as people thought. He’d noticed how Tai Lung avoided him—more than just keeping distance, it was a deliberate effort to stay away. It wasn’t hatred or disgust, nor even fear. Nothing quite fit. Tai Lung had accepted his defeat, didn’t dwell on it, rarely acted rude, never picked fights—just lived his life. The ones he truly disliked were the Furious Five, yet even with them, he made no effort to disappear from their sight completely. So what was different?
After a brief report to Master Shifu, Po trudged home, not realizing a shadow was following him—the very one who occupied so many of his thoughts.
Tai Lung had no intention of having a long heart-to-heart about feelings and life. But he knew exactly what Po was going through: doubts about himself, about belonging anywhere or to anyone, the desperate need for someone to love him—especially those who gave him life. If they didn’t, then what was the point of anything? It was painfully familiar. Even hateful. He’d never found his own family…
Po turned into Mr. Ping’s noodle shop, and Tai Lung stopped on the neighboring rooftop. Mr. Ping reminded Tai Lung of Po—equally cheerful, energetic, always smiling. They’d only met a couple of times, but this odd little goose had shown not a trace of fear toward the snow leopard. Strange? Not really. Po must’ve told him there was nothing to fear.
When the panda left, even more thoughtful than before, Tai Lung leapt silently onto the roof of the noodle shop and descended softly, like a cat, landing on the first floor beside a goose who was even more distressed than Po had been.
“Mr. Ping?”
The voice startled Po’s father, who quickly straightened up, forcing a polite smile.
“Tai Lung! So good to see you!”
“The feeling is mutual,” the snow leopard replied, slightly flustered, flicking his tail awkwardly. When had anyone ever said they were glad to see him—besides Po and his father? Even Shifu wouldn’t dare. And yet, those words stirred something in the usually stoic and unshakable warrior.
“It’s about Po.”
Tears welled up in the goose’s eyes, and he rushed forward, wrapping his wings around Tai Lung and burying his face in the soft fur at the snow leopard’s side. Tai Lung froze, unsure what to do. This was the second time today someone had broken down in front of him, and he had absolutely no idea how to respond. Awkwardly, he placed his paws around the sobbing Mr. Ping as the goose babbled through his tears:
“He was so upset, so heartbroken! And what can I do? I don’t know anything! But I do love him—he’s my son!”
“You raised him well. He’ll be back to himself soon,” Tai Lung said quietly. He meant every word. The goose looked up at him, sniffing.
“You really think so? My Po… he’s so fragile…”
“But resilient. He’ll be fine.”
“You’re right. Thank you…” Mr. Ping wiped his beak. “Please, Tai Lung… look after him. He’s so absent-minded, sometimes too naive. It’s so easy to deceive him!”
The snow leopard felt torn. He genuinely wanted to comfort the old goose, but at the same time, the mere thought of someone harming Po on purpose made his blood boil and something tighten painfully in his chest. He wouldn’t allow it.
“He’ll be safe with me. I promise,” Tai Lung said firmly.
“You’re a dear,” Mr. Ping smiled, then suddenly perked up. “Oh! Look at me, chattering away! What did you come for, anyway?”
Tai Lung hesitated, then blurted the first thing that came to mind:
“Uh… noodles?”
“Oh! You came for my noodles!” Mr. Ping beamed and immediately bustled off to his kitchen. Tai Lung instantly felt out of place, though the conversation continued. This kind of peaceful, ordinary life hadn’t been part of his world in a long time.
“Po cooks well, of course, but I’ve had a bit more practice. Oh! May I ask something?”
Soon after, a steaming bowl of fragrant noodles with green onions and rich broth was placed before him. Mr. Ping sat down beside Tai Lung, watching with quiet affection as the snow leopard ate. It was a little awkward, but Tai Lung tried to act natural.
“Of course. Ask anything.”
“It’s a delicate topic, but…” Mr. Ping hesitated. “I remember that incident when you caused chaos in the Valley. Don’t misunderstand me,” he waved his wings quickly, “I’m not blaming you. What’s done is done. Now you’re one of the Valley’s heroes again, and that’s wonderful. But from what I recall… you looked so heartbroken back then.”
“I was furious. Not heartbroken,” Tai Lung muttered unconvincingly, staring into his bowl.
“Furious—because you were heartbroken,” Mr. Ping said gently, shaking his head. “What happened?”
Tai Lung didn’t want to answer. To revisit that terrible time, his pain, the rage that consumed him…
“Master Shifu raised me in a certain way,” he began slowly. “I showed great talent in kung fu, and whether he meant to or not, he set a goal before me: to become the Dragon Warrior. Training from dawn till deep into the night, thousands of scrolls filled with secret knowledge and techniques. And then, in one moment, Oogway says I am not the Dragon Warrior. And what then? Nothing. My entire life was shattered in an instant, and Shifu simply bowed his head to his master. He said nothing more to me.”
Mr. Ping clucked in outrage:
“How could he? Wasn’t he like a father to you? Didn’t even comfort you, didn’t even—”
“No.”
The goose sighed sadly and fussed around Tai Lung like a mother hen.
“I don’t understand what was wrong with him. A boy like you deserved better.”
The snow leopard couldn’t find the strength to respond. He could have said no, that it was right—what he’d become was what he’d earned, given what came after. But for once, he just wanted to believe the words of someone else. That he hadn’t been meant to become a monster. That he wasn’t inherently terrible. He smirked to himself and kept eating, while Mr. Ping hurried off to take another customer’s order.
Chapter Text
Tai Lung found a decent way to distract himself—interrogating the captured wolves. It was a chance to detach from what had just happened, to quickly patch the crack in his armor, in the familiar emotional shield he kept between himself and the world.
He knew how to be cruel. He understood that sometimes, cruelty was necessary. For instance, when a witless creature cowered before him, baring its teeth in fear instead of simply answering why an attack had been launched on a remote, peaceful village.
There were bandits in the Valley of Peace—of course there were. Mostly pitiful creatures, the kind you couldn’t look at without pity, and the law forbade killing them. Useless beings. But wolves didn’t belong to that category. Tai Lung had only ever heard of a crocodile gang. Moreover, there wasn’t a single wolf settlement nearby, nor had any been seen in the surrounding cities. So why were they here? And why did they want to steal ordinary items—yet all made of metal? That was strange.
“Either you talk,” Tai Lung growled, his patience worn thin by the prisoner’s silence, “or I’ll rip off your tail and shove it down your throat.”
The snow leopard loomed over the wolf, his oppressive aura pressing down like a storm. The wolf curled into a trembling ball, barely daring to breathe. Only seconds passed before he shrieked, unable to endure the tension any longer:
“It’s Lord Shen! He—he sent us to gather metal!”
“For what purpose?” Tai Lung pressed, glaring down at the criminal.
“He’s building weapons! Weapons made of metal! He plans to return to Gongmen… After that, I don’t know—please, have mercy!”
Tai Lung straightened, calming his aura. He had learned all he needed to know.
The infamous Lord Shen—exiled from Gongmen City, the rightful heir who should have ruled it. Of course he would want to return and seize power once more. It had been years, but Tai Lung remembered something else about Shen—something important…
“Hey, Tai Lung, how’s it going?” Po poked his head into the basement where the prisoner was held, and in that instant, a sudden realization struck the snow leopard like lightning.
Of course. That was it.
Pandas.
Shen had wiped out an entire village of pandas…
“It’s clear,” Tai Lung replied, his voice slightly hoarse. “You’re not involved in this.”
“Yeah… yeah, clear…” Po mumbled, glancing at the wolf—then suddenly registering what Tai Lung had said. “Wait—what?”
Tai Lung stepped out of the cell and in two powerful leaps scaled the stairs to the first floor.
“I know what I heard.”
Po caught up with him in the courtyard, where Snake and Monkey were locked in a training duel.
“Hold on—what are you talking about? What do you mean, ‘you’re not involved’? Why not?!”
The two members of the Furious Five froze, exchanging glances as they slowed their sparring. The snow leopard exhaled sharply, irritation flaring at the unwanted questions.
“The wolves were sent by Lord Shen of Gongmen City, who needs metal for new weapons. Before you ask why that matters, let me explain: over twenty years ago, he became infamous for slaughtering an entire village of pandas. Now, do you want me to spell it out, or can you figure it out yourself?”
“He… what?” Po’s mouth fell open. “He—he…”
“He mercilessly wiped out countless members of your species,” Tai Lung turned sharply and jabbed a claw into Po’s chest. “Possibly even your own family. You were just lucky to survive—it was nothing short of a miracle. And now you want to help him finish what he started and let him kill you too?!”
The courtyard fell utterly silent at the snow leopard’s roar. Even the wind seemed afraid to rustle the leaves, as if afraid to disturb the moment. Monkey and Snake had long stopped fighting, watching the sudden confrontation with growing concern.
“He… killed pandas?” Po’s eyes widened—whether in shock or on the verge of tears, it was hard to tell. “But…”
“He’s a madman. You think I’m bad? You’ve never met him.”
“I don’t think that!” Po protested, raising his paws and stepping back.
“Others do!” Tai Lung snapped, lashing his tail in frustration. “What does it matter?! Everything up to this point has been child’s play. You could be facing a killer who has targeted you. So you’re staying out of this. Clear?”
Po blinked. His shock quickly turned to anger.
“Since when do you get to make decisions for me?” the panda snapped, crossing his arms. “I have to go see him. Let him explain what happened back then!”
“He’s just going to tell you? Don’t play the fool!”
“Don’t tell me what to do! If Shen is the only one who can explain what happened twenty years ago—who I am, where I came from—then I will go! And what do you care anyway?!”
Monkey and Snake looked from one to the other, trying to grasp what was happening. If this escalated into another fight, it wouldn’t end well.
Tai Lung roared, crouched low, and launched himself off the ground, leaping onto one of the rooftops of the Jade Palace.
“If you won’t listen to me, then fine. Do whatever you want.”
The snow leopard vanished into the shadows, leaving Po staring blankly at his own feet. He no longer understood what was happening.
“Po, what’s wrong?” Snake slithered up unnoticed, gently brushing her tail against Po’s paw. He sighed—how had he missed the familiar rustle of her movement?
“Nothing. I’m fine. I… I’m okay,” Po mumbled quickly. “I, uh, should check on the kitchen—see how lunch is going. Might need to make more…”
He backed toward the door, then turned and ran—like a pack of Tai Lungs was chasing him.
Monkey stared after him in bewilderment, while Snake shook her head slowly.
“Is he serious? Did they both really mean that?” Monkey tried to process it. Po was in danger, and he still wanted to dive into this mess? And what about his family?
“What happened?” Tigress emerged from the training hall, frowning at the unsettled expressions of her two comrades.
“You won’t believe it—Tai Lung and Po…”
As Monkey recounted the argument, Tigress’s face grew longer and longer. By the end, she could only mutter one thing:
“Two idiots.”
Meanwhile, Tai Lung had taken refuge in the grove of ironwood trees. The familiar environment helped him focus on the practice he had developed during his twenty years of imprisonment. First, he needed to calm down—but he saw no way to do that. In his youth, he might have destroyed the entire grove, but now he saw no point. It didn’t calm him; it only fueled his emotions further. Once one feeling broke free, the others surged behind it, and this was the worst possible moment for such a flood. Too many unacceptable, destructive emotions had built up inside.
The snow leopard assumed a stance for practicing a strike combination and began repeating it slowly—then faster, adjusting to a rhythm that suited his training. Still, he realized, today’s plans wouldn’t come to pass: his keen hearing, sharpened in the depths of Chorh-Gom Prison, picked up the approach of his master.
“Shifu,” Tai Lung greeted simply, frozen mid-stance. He didn’t bow—didn’t feel like performing rituals, and besides, his master wouldn’t have minded. Shifu sighed and leapt onto the lower branch of a nearby tree.
“You and Po never used to argue. What happened?”
“Happened?” Tai Lung grunted, slowly rolling his muscles beneath his skin as he straightened. With anyone else, he would have kept training, but with Shifu, he risked losing control again. “He’s always been reckless and irresponsible.”
“That never bothered you before.”
“Before, I used to care about you opinion,” Tai Lung snapped, unable to hold back.
“That’s true too. But this isn’t about me.”
Tai Lung clenched his fists and growled.
“What do you want to know—and why?”
Shifu slowed his movements, the thin staff—his replacement for Oogway’s favored pole—gliding smoothly through his small, skilled paws, slow enough to allow for reflection.
“I was wrong about you in many ways. And like you said—those mistakes can’t be undone. But that doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you.”
“You didn’t worry about me when I was stuck in prison for twenty years!” Tai Lung shot back bitterly. He still couldn’t forget it—couldn’t forgive it. They had started as something greater than master and student. They had been father and son. Now they were barely that. And that hurt more than Tai Lung usually let show.
“I thought I’d already ruined your life enough… Now, I hope to do something good for you.”
“Then do it—by leaving me alone.”
Tai Lung waved his tail dismissively and turned away.
“Po is an unusual panda,” Shifu said, and the next words made Tai Lung freeze. “But no matter how strong he is, without you, he could be hurt. This thought isn’t mine, Tai Lung. It’s yours. And I won’t say you’re entirely wrong.”
“It… it doesn’t have to be me.”
Tai Lung gritted his teeth. Of course—anyone could look after that foolish panda. True, no one else could talk sense into him (and even he hadn’t managed that). But what could he possibly do? Why should he even care? Did he need this panda so much?
“It doesn’t have to be you. But you want to. And I see that as a good sign. Wanting to care for someone—how can that be a bad thing? Why are you afraid to tell him?”
“He doesn’t need me!” Tai Lung exploded. “I’m not needed! Let Tigress watch over him, or Crane, or anyone else—anyone who won’t eventually disappoint him!”
“Must that happen?” Shifu shook his head. “You have a difficult nature—who knows that better than the residents of the Jade Palace? But Po doesn’t push you away. Not even knowing what you’re capable of.”
“He’ll realize it’s a mistake—sooner or later. Better sooner.”
“Since when did you become so doubtful of yourself?”
“In prison, you learn many things,” Tai Lung growled, sinking onto the grass. He didn’t have the strength to leave—or run again. He couldn’t bring himself to do anything else. It was as if the argument had drained every ounce of energy from him, leaving him hollow and sorrowful.
“Did someone tell you that?” Shifu asked, ears flattening with concern. He had often wondered what happened to Tai Lung in that prison—but for the first time, he was facing the consequences. Never before had his little snow leopard shown such insecurity. He could go without friends, content in solitary kung fu practice, ignoring whispers and rumors. But now? How many times had his jailers told him he was worthless? That no one needed him, since no one came to visit? That he was weak, for staying there so long?
“Don’t pretend it matters to you,” Tai Lung turned away.
“But it does matter,” Shifu began—when suddenly, the familiar flapping of wings interrupted them. A messenger goose arrived with a letter. Shifu gave Tai Lung a pointed look—this conversation wasn’t over—then unfolded the scroll.
A moment later, he went pale.
“Whether you like it or not,” he said quietly, “Po will have to go to Gongmen City. This time, it’s the duty of the Dragon Warrior. Lord Shen’s weapon has killed Master Rhino.”
Chapter Text
Po was being eaten up by anxiety from the inside. Something was wrong—and he was directly responsible. He’d argued with Tai Lung and left for Gongmen City with the Furious Five without reconciling with the snow leopard or even inviting him along. Tai Lung wouldn’t have refused. He never did. It was simply easier for him to act than to stay still and do nothing. Po understood that. But Tai Lung controlled himself far better than Po ever could, which created the illusion that he didn’t care what he did—or whether he did anything at all. The panda knew that wasn’t true.
Tai Lung was like a tightly coiled spring, ready to snap open at the first opportunity. That half-hidden energy and strength were mesmerizing…
But none of that excused the fact they’d parted on such bitter terms.
Po was used to irritating both Shifu and Tai Lung. Though Shifu had clearly softened toward him—and toward others—over the years Po had known him, Tai Lung hadn’t. And that wasn’t really his fault. Nor was it Po’s. Still, for some reason, just remembering their last conversation—well, their argument—made Po want to cry.
The panda desperately tried not to think about it. All the way to the port, he pushed himself physically, hoping to keep his mind blank as long as possible. But alas, now they were finally on the ship, and the silence gave him space to sink back into those awful thoughts. So many thoughts.
Master Rhino’s death, for example. One of the greatest warriors of the age had been felled by Lord Shen’s mysterious new weapon—the very one Tai Lung had warned about. The same Lord Shen who might know something about other pandas—perhaps even about Po’s parents. After all, his father hadn’t been able to explain much. Who had placed him in that box of radishes? How had he even fit inside? Why had he been so restless as a child? And why had Tai Lung so fiercely forbidden him from going to Gongmen and facing Shen?
The idea that Tai Lung might actually be worried about him felt more like wishful thinking than reality.
But Po wanted it to be true. Of course he did. He wanted everyone to like him, but there was something especially precious about Tai Lung’s care—Tai Lung, who was indifferent, closed-off, and focused solely on kung fu. He already treated Po a little differently than the others. Why not just be content with that? Why did he have to be so ungrateful?
Despite the late hour, Po couldn’t sleep. He shuffled onto the deck, careful not to wake the others. A restless energy coiled inside him, urging him to move, so he exhaled and began practicing a technique he’d once secretly watched Tai Lung perform.
It was hard, to say the least. Tai Lung’s style was fluid, agile, built on swift, precise strikes—very different from Po’s preference for stability and grounded stances. It didn’t come naturally to him. But Po had an incredible memory. See it once, and he could replicate it.
You could blame fate—the same fate that chose him as the Dragon Warrior and gifted him a natural talent for kung fu. Or you could say that, as a lifelong fan of the Furious Five and martial arts in general, Po had studied enough fundamentals to break down complex moves in his mind and reconstruct them effortlessly. Shifu had once said he progressed faster than even a genius should—once they found the right style for him.
But Po had his own quirks, reflected in his technique. He relied on raw power where Tai Lung used speed; he favored deep, wide stances, while the snow leopard flowed from one position to the next without pause. In that sense, Po’s style had more in common with Tigress’s.
Still, there was something fascinating about moving his body through someone else’s techniques. Po often played with this, sometimes even discovering moves that worked for him. Maybe that was why Tai Lung always needed more action and practice—how could anyone used to such dynamic kung fu endure years locked in a shell at Chorh-Gom without going mad?
A soft cough pulled him from his thoughts. Po immediately stumbled mid-combo, tripping over his own feet and crashing onto the deck.
“Ow!”
“That didn’t look like your style,” Tigress remarked, leaping down from the roof onto the deck. Po sighed—he’d messed up again, making a fool of himself in front of her.
He hadn’t been exaggerating when he said Tigress and Tai Lung were alike. Both feline, both graceful and silent, both radiating hidden strength. Both emotionally closed-off. And both made Po fail spectacularly in every possible way.
“It was Tai Lung’s move,” Po mumbled, getting up.
“He showed you?” Tigress raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Well… you could say that. I once watched him train,” Po admitted, embarrassed.
“And you remembered it?”
“Yeah. What’s the big deal?”
Tigress shook her head at Po’s clueless expression. What could you expect from this Dragon Warrior?
“Any reason you’re not sleeping tonight?”
“Ah, um…” Po’s eyes darted around. “Sea sickness! Every time I lie down, I feel nauseous.”
“I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way,” Tigress replied, stepping in front of him.
“It does for me! I just—”
“Has nothing to do with Tai Lung, right?”
Po let out a nervous laugh.
“Well, no, ha-ha… I mean, I was the only one he didn’t treat like a piece of furniture,” he muttered, speaking faster with each word, “and now I’ve fought with him, and maybe we’ll never make up, and he’ll hate me forever and never speak to me again, and I’ll spend the rest of my life blaming myself!” His voice cracked into a hysterical cry, nose sniffling. “And if I survive this Shen guy who has a thing against dead pandas—what will happen to my dad?! What if Tai Lung was right and I—?!”
“Breathe,” Tigress interrupted, shaking him by the shoulders.
“I’m not crying!” Po squeaked. “I’m fine! Really! I—”
He didn’t get to finish. In one swift motion, Tigress stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. The words died in his throat, and his eyes welled up. Who was he kidding?
Hesitantly, Po hugged her back and let out a shaky breath.
“I messed up,” he whispered. “I don’t even know what I was trying to prove or to whom. I left on bad terms with my dad and Tai Lung, and I don’t want that to be the last thing they remember about me… if something goes wrong.”
“I don’t think it’s that bad,” Tigress said calmly, her voice steady and reassuring. “And even if you did mess up, we’ve got your back. That’s what friends are for, Po. Everyone makes mistakes—but they’re rarely irreversible.”
Po exhaled, relief washing over him. Her unwavering strength gave him something to hold onto, reinforcing the hope that they could get through this. That he wasn’t alone.
“Thanks, Tigress.”
“Uh… are my eyes deceiving me? Hugs?” Monkey asked, surprised. Po quickly jumped away from Tigress, while she merely snorted—she’d heard the others approaching. Of course, Po had woken everyone with his outburst.
“Po’s having issues with his dad. And Tai Lung,” Snake explained, slithering up to the panda.
“Pretty much,” Po mumbled.
“Love troubles—how familiar,” Mantis sighed melodramatically, emerging from the shadows closer to Snake. Po nearly jumped out of his skin. What was that supposed to mean?
“This isn’t about you!” Snake snapped.
“It’s not love troubles,” Crane said, landing beside the group. “It’s nerves. I know a great herbal remedy—very calming—but it requires a rare flower…”
“The best way to calm down is practice,” Tigress stated firmly, punching her open palm.
“Better yet—a joke!” Monkey chimed in. “Like this one: a man from the state of Lu tried to carry a long pole through the city gates. First, he held it upright—didn’t fit. Then horizontally—still no good. When he finally gave up, an old man approached and said, ‘I’m no sage, but I’ve seen much. Why not saw the pole in half?’ So they did! Hah!” Monkey nearly fell over laughing, while the others stared at him in bewilderment. After a moment, though, Crane chuckled, covering his beak with a wing.
“Jokes aren’t your strong suit,” Tigress cut in.
“You just don’t get it!” Monkey protested. “If you saw the pole in half, what good is it then?!”
“You could’ve just carried it diagonally,” Po mused.
“Or held it at an angle so it fits through the gate,” Crane added with a shrug.
“The old man wasn’t wise,” Mantis commented, “but the man from Lu was twice the fool.”
The Furious Five began discussing the scenario, breaking into laughter—until, ahead, the lights of Gongmen City finally appeared. Po looked forward, his expression steady, ready to face his enemy.
Dawn found Gongmen City in turmoil. Worried citizens peered out onto the streets, only to quickly retreat at the sight of Shen’s wolves.
Not everyone could escape. The Old Soothsayer was among them. Serving the palace, she had no right to leave without the lord’s permission—and though the peacock wrinkled his beak at the sight of her, he neither killed nor banished the goat he’d known since childhood.
She remembered him as a child—always scowling from hurt, swallowing tears, surrounded by servants but never parents. The late Lord Shen had feared his son, born with white feathers and red eyes, an ancient omen of coming disaster. He blamed his wife for the “cursed” child, and her health deteriorated from sorrow. She avoided her son, afraid of worsening her condition.
No one paid him attention except the Soothsayer. No one respected him, not even for his bloodline. The wounded boy learned to claim fear through violence and pain. Fear was enough for him—better than nothing. And no matter how the Soothsayer tried to guide him toward wisdom, he refused to listen. He listened to his father, who said he’d bring nothing good to Gongmen. He listened to his mother, whispering that his very sight made her sick. Filled with pain, he grew, nurturing twisted dreams of love and acceptance—dreams he would one day take by force.
The Soothsayer wished she could erase the day she foretold the young Lord Shen’s death at the hands of a panda. To avoid fate is to fulfill it. And so, young Shen dyed his feathers red with blood, terrified of dying too soon—before he could seize his happiness. That fear led to catastrophe.
It pained her to see him then. It hurt even more to see him now—lost, yet desperately clinging to his delusions. He had nothing else. Only pain, loss, rage, and vengeance. He didn’t exist beyond the desire to inflict the same pain on others. His entire life was a chase after phantoms.
And now, here he stood before her again, demanding another prophecy.
“The future. I meant to say—the future!”
The ghostly flame revealed familiar images.
“The peacock defeats the black-and-white warrior. Nothing has changed,” the Soothsayer stated flatly.
Shen erupted in fury. She barely heard him, sensing the presence of an alien aura within the palace—aggressive, demonic, brimming with life and power. But she said nothing of the uninvited guest. He was not foreseen by fate. How much would he be capable of?
Chapter Text
While Shen’s gorillas and wolves were clamping them into shackles, Po had time to realize just how many times Tai Lung would have yanked his adorable little ears for the mess he’d caused in the city. He wasn’t just disgracing himself and the Furious Five—he was also disgracing their master and the dashixiong himself, the snow leopard. This wasn’t the first time, but for the first time, Tai Lung wasn’t there to deliver an immediate swat to the back of his head, and so Po felt a pang of guilt.
He’d failed to sneak into the city unnoticed, started a brawl in the prison, botched negotiations with Masters Croc and Ox, picked a fight with a wolf, walked straight into an ambush, and was now pretending to surrender. And of course, his captors were using them as leverage at the worst possible moment.
“Eight-point shackles!” Po gasped, his chest tightening with sorrow. “They used to hold Tai Lung in these… I tried asking him how it felt to be locked in them, but…” He yelped as Shen’s henchmen dragged him toward the palace entrance. “Well, guess I’ll find out myself!”
“I’d be surprised if he told you anything about it,” Tigress sighed.
“Do you really want to talk about this right now?” Crane grumbled, twisting his neck in a futile attempt to loosen the cuffs.
“Hey, relax,” Po said, swallowing hard. “We’ve still gotta live long enough to get to Shen, and right now, our biggest problem is…” He looked up and gulped. “The stairs. Hey, guys—give me a lift? Please?!”
The entire Furious Five groaned in despair. What had they done to deserve this?
Riding piggyback on a gorilla he’d nicknamed “Nyan,” Po couldn’t stop thinking about the snow leopard. What would he have done in this situation? Well, for starters, he wouldn’t have ended up here at all. But if he had? He knew how to wait, how to observe, how to prepare an attack. Po, on the other hand, was mostly good at making a fool of himself. Still, he always managed to survive somehow. Right now, the main goal was to destroy the weapon—and then, maybe, he’d finally get his answers from Shen.
Assuming Shen’s miracle weapon didn’t kill him first, of course.
Where would a smart guy like Shen hide his weapon? The simplest option would be on his person—but that depended on the size. If it was too big to carry, if it was massive… then what? As a peacock, Shen could reach any corner of the palace…
Before Po could refine his guesses, he snapped back to reality as he was thrown onto the floor of the top floor of the palace. He yelped:
“Hey, watch it! I’m not a mop to clean up your dust! Achoo!”
Sitting up, Po glanced around and noticed a shifting shadow. Following it with his eyes, he froze as he saw a massive metal something. So that was why the wolves had been gathering metal! But what in the world was he supposed to do with it?
“We’ve finally met, panda,” crooned the peacock, draped in a snow-white silk robe.
“Just so you know,” Po sniffed, getting to his feet, “you’re terrible at hosting guests. Sure, you did carry me up the last floor, but you still greeted us poorly. Not even a cup of tea or a snack? You’re a lousy host, feather-face.”
Lord Shen froze, clearly taken aback. Well, throwing enemies off-balance was something Po excelled at.
“You’ve grown even larger than I imagined…”
Suddenly, he began examining Po with intense interest—prodding his eyes, tugging at his ears. The panda felt like livestock at a market. This was unacceptable! Po barely made out the goat doing the inspection.
“Hey, cut it out already!”
“Strong, sturdy…” The goat reached into Po’s mouth.
“Back off, grandpa!” Po yanked his head away.
“She’s a lady,” Snake whispered.
“Oh! Uh—sorry!” Po jumped. “I’m sorry, your beard threw me off!”
“Enough chattering! Bring the prisoner to me!” the peacock bellowed.
“Hey, don’t overdo it with the ‘prisoner’ thing!” Po protested. “What kind of prisoner am I? I’m just a guest. A guest in shackles, sure, but that’s on you—your hospitality is the problem here!”
“What guest?! You—panda!” the peacock flared his tail in a threatening display. “You should be dead, just like all your kind. I suppose you’ve dreamed your whole life of meeting me…”
“Not really,” Po mumbled, shrugging. “I didn’t know anything about you. But if you’re the one who killed the pandas… why? What were you even trying to achieve?”
Lord Shen froze, staring at the Dragon Warrior in disbelief.
“You… don’t know?”
“No idea,” Po shook his head. “I’ve got no clue what kind of mind would go around wiping out entire species.”
The peacock suddenly burst into laughter and began circling Po. His gaze—the cold, practiced stare of a killer—bore into his future victim. Tigress tensed and stepped forward, shielding Po. The rest of the Five gathered close around him.
“Answer the question,” she growled, watching the peacock’s movements warily.
“I have no intention to,” Lord Shen said, pausing for a moment. In that instant, Tigress’s shackles snapped open—Mantis had freed her. She lunged at the peacock, aiming a punch at his beak. Po cried out, trying to stop her, but she ignored him. The albino peacock gracefully dodged, parried her strike with iron claws on his foot, then shoved her back with the other and hurled several blades hidden among the feathers of his tail. She deflected two, but the third was aimed straight at her chest—and she couldn’t dodge in time.
Suddenly, the blade was knocked backward, and the peacock shrieked as his tail was pinned to the wall. Tigress stared in shock at the grey paw whose powerful strike had sent the blade flying.
“Gége,” she breathed involuntarily. Tai Lung growled and flicked his tail.
Gége — (哥哥, gēge) — elder brother.
“I’m not even going to ask whose brilliant idea this was,” he sneered at the panda, who instantly adopted an expression of wounded innocence. “But since I’ve been here longer, I have some answers.”
To Tai Lung, the entire day had been absurd. He’d been lurking in the shadows, observing and eavesdropping on everything he could. He’d gathered enough information and was about to head to the warehouse where Shen stored all his miracle weapons to start destroying them—when these six idiots were brought in. Tai Lung couldn’t believe they hadn’t fought off the wolf guards. Why were all his foolish shidi here? He had to hide again… and well, nothing had gotten clearer. Except that Po’s direct approach to interrogation wouldn’t work. And then Tigress had lunged forward—and Tai Lung would’ve never made it in time if not for the incredible speed he’d honed in the shadows. He didn’t dwell on that thought, focusing instead on the moment at hand.
“How dare you know anything!” the peacock shrieked, wrenching himself free and leaving several feathers stuck under the blade.
“I know you killed the pandas,” Tai Lung hissed, stepping into a defensive stance in front of Po. “Only because you were afraid to die.”
“Silence!” Shen screeched, flaring his tail. “I cannot die! I cannot now! This panda must perish! Seize them!”
Shen’s servants charged at the Furious Five, while the enraged Tai Lung lunged at the peacock—and the two of them tumbled out the window. Po cried out:
“No!”
“Look out!” Tigress shouted, and Po quickly parried an incoming wolf’s strike—using Tai Lung’s technique. But there was no time to think about it: he threw himself into the battle.
Shen and Tai Lung continued fighting mid-air, locked in a tangled clash. The snow leopard had the advantage—close combat was his element. The peacock needed space for wide swings and evasions, and he was gradually losing his ability to defend himself, one move at a time.
Tai Lung was in a blind rage. His protective instincts roared, demanding the elimination of the threat to his panda. His mind slipped into a hazy state, cutting away everything unnecessary, leaving only one goal—the bird before him.
In the final moment before impact, Shen flipped Tai Lung onto his back. The snow leopard didn’t feel the pain. With a snarl, he unsheathed his claws, sank them into the peacock’s neck, and hurled him several meters away. Shen crashed into a wall with a choked cry. Flapping his wings, he soared into the sky and flew toward the northern edge of the city. Tai Lung growled after him, watching until the figure disappeared. With each breath, the fog in his mind cleared, leaving his thoughts sharper.
Meanwhile, Po was trying to make his way toward the stairs. All he could think about was that Tai Lung was now alone, facing a completely insane murderer. His heart fluttered with anxiety at the thought of something happening to the snow leopard. He needed to be there, to make sure he was okay, to help…
“Where are you going?!” Tigress snapped, noticing him backing toward the exit.
“To help Tai Lung!” Po shouted, his voice trembling.
Tigress shook her head firmly, refusing to let him run into danger where Lord Shen might be.
“Stay here and destroy the weapon! I’ll go help him!” she declared.
“We’ve got your back—go!” Monkey urged.
Tigress leapt down the staircase, bounding off the railings and ignoring the steps. She was in a hurry, worried that her sworn brother might be in danger.
Bursting out onto the street, she instantly spotted the snow leopard—unharmed. But around him, dark, ink-like shadows clung tightly. And when Tai Lung suddenly turned his head toward her, the iris of his eyes glowed with an otherworldly light—golden around the pupil, ringed by green. The moment he blinked, the mystical glow vanished, and the shadows dissipated.
“Are you alright? Where’s Lord Shen?” Tigress asked, rushing toward him.
It had always been hard for her to connect with him. Officially, he was her elder brother, but he’d long since ceased to be part of the family and showed no hurry to catch up. All her life, she’d heard only bad things about him—but when Tai Lung returned to the Jade Palace, she discovered he wasn’t monstrous at all. He didn’t torment the servants, as one might expect from a haughty kung fu prodigy. He obediently carried out Master Shifu’s tasks. He didn’t start fights, was polite to elders, and didn’t challenge Po’s title as Dragon Warrior—the very thing he’d seemed so obsessed with just months ago. But he also showed no warmth. To no one. Which made it all the stranger that he’d intervened to save her. Why? And what was he even doing here?
“What could possibly happen to me?” Tai Lung scoffed. “You seem to be in one piece too.”
“I… yes,” Tigress frowned. “You saved me. Why?”
“Can’t I help my meimei?” he asked.
Meimei — (妹妹, mèimei) — younger sister.
Tigress nervously flicked her tail. The term of endearment sounded surprisingly gentle, and suddenly, she found a thread of understanding between them. She sometimes called him “brother” in her thoughts. Tai Lung had become part of the Jade Palace’s life, whether he liked it or not—and for Tigress, that meant he was family. She’d admitted it to herself, and now, Tai Lung had confirmed it.
“Of course… of course you can,” Tigress said awkwardly, clearing her throat. “What are you doing here?”
“Can I really leave you lot to your own devices?” the snow leopard raised an eyebrow skeptically, crossing his arms. And the moment Tigress opened her mouth to reply, the Gongmen Palace collapsed with a thunderous crash. The other five members of their group scrambled to escape the falling debris, and Tigress winced at the sight.
“Yeah. That’s exactly what I mean.”
champnation on Chapter 2 Tue 05 Aug 2025 02:40AM UTC
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GilValtorKinni on Chapter 2 Tue 05 Aug 2025 11:27AM UTC
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