[3rd POV]
The Furious Five, Po and Master Shifu were currently gathered in the pond of the Jade Palace. The once awe-inspiring hall of wonder and majesty was nowhere to be found, replaced with a wrecked hall and a devasted floor that hints at the intensity of the fight that took place.
It was a broken Palace.
Master Shifu was standing at the edge of the pond while turning his back on his student. His eyes were focused on his own reflection in the water as he was deep in thought.
The students of Shifu had just finished helping the villagers settle back into their homes and they reassured them that they were safe with the lie that the Dragon Warrior had protected them.
It took a long time to calm the villagers but at last, when it was evening they were done. After that, they had all gathered at the Jade Palace and found their master like this.
"Master, what are we going to do?" Viper asked with a hiss of worry.
"Umm correction, what can we do?" Monkey said while folding his arm as they all looked at their master for answers.
"We can always run away." Mantis commented as everyone else snapped their neck to look at him. "Or not." He added.
"Let's all calm down first and wait for Crane to come back with the news," Tigress said to her fellow students and just as she finished, the sound of flapping wings brought their attention to the entrance.
Crane flew inside with rapid breaths and a panicked look on his face. He tumbled on the floor as he could not even execute proper lading due to his panic.
"It's true, he is sleeping in the student barracks at this very moment!!" Crane declared, getting the gasp of everyone's in response.
Tai Lung of all people was sleeping in their room. What the heck were they supposed to do about that?
"Whose room was he using?" Monkey was quick to ask the important question as everyone looked at Crane for answers.
"I don't know! What do you expect me to do? Get closer to the dorm and see whose room he was sleeping in? Hell no, I am not going anywhere near that guy! I love my life thank you very much." Crane defended his ignorance, "The only thing I know is that he was indeed sleeping in one of the rooms."
"I think you might be overreacting a bit Crane." Mantis said after he appeared on top of his hat in a blur of speed.
"Easy for you to say! You were not pushed down and threatened! You were lucky to get taken out early." Crane said, "I still remembered it clearly, the dangerous eyes he had when he pushed me against the ground and told me he wouldn't show mercy next time." His body shivered just remembering it.
It seemed after his encounter with Tai Lung, Crane, ever soft-hearted had developed PSTD. He was under the most emotional torture after all, seeing all his friends taken out, not knowing if they were alive or not. Yet he was not able to do a damn thing.
And then he was taken down from the sky which he always thought was a safe place for him. The threat Tai Lung gave him was the final nail in the coffin.
"His eyes..." Crane muttered and remembered Tai Lung's bright yellow eyes burning with cruelty and violence.
"It feels like he was looking at me like food." Crane said, many people had looked down on him before and even had eyes of disdain for him, yet none could even come close to how uncomfortable he felt under Tai Lung's gaze.
The eyes of a predator looking at his prey.
"He definitely wanted to eat me."
"Don't be ridiculous." Tigress scoffed, "Why would anyone want to eat you?" she said, feeling a bit defensive of Tai Lung.
"Tai Lung isn't like that."
"...."
"I- I guess." Crane said, although to this day he wondered why Tai Lung muttered 'Would it be like chicken?' right before letting him go.
After that small exchange, everyone turned back to Master Shifu who was still deep in thought, looking at the pond.
"Master..."
Shifu finally turned around and looked at his students. He observed them one by one and noticed that Po had a bandage wrapped around the side of his abdomen.
Other than that, everyone else was fine.
"You all did a good job in helping the villagers. You are dismissed for the day." Shifu said stoically to his students who were taken aback.
"But Master! What are we going to do about-"
"You'll do nothing." Shifu cut them off.
"The Jade Palace is as much of a home for Tai Lung as it is for all of you. If he wants to stay in the Jade Palace, he can stay. It is his home." Shifu said with no room for argument but Viper found one.
"But Tai Lung is a villain! He is a criminal, we can't let him stay here and endanger the Valley." Viper voiced out her rejection to the idea.
"Viper, Tai Lung is not who you think he is. He is...not what the rumours made him out to be." Tigress said. She was going to say good but she realised that Tai Lung may not be evil but he was not good either, like he said.
He was also annoying.
"He hurts Po!!" Viper snapped at Tigress, anger apparent when she said that.
Everyone turned to the Panda who was awfully silent as he stood with them. He made a face when he realized everyone was looking at him and he wiggled around nervously.
"Ummmmm.." He started, "He seems cool? Although he hurt me, it was during the fight and it is not that serious."
Although Po was afraid of Tai Lung at first due to all the bad rumours and stories about him, he was surprisingly chill. He might be rude and ruthless but Po definitely felt that he was not a bad person.
Everyone nodded, agreeing with his words as Po was running around with them and helping the villagers even with his so-called injury.
"But he is still a criminal and a fugitive, what about what he did to Mielin City? He killed Master Wubao!!" This time, it was Crane who spoke out. He seemed to side with Viper, he though Tai Lung should not be allowed to remain in the Jade Palace.
"He explained that to me when I asked. It was not an attack but a duel to the death which both of them accepted. The reason was related to Wubao's father whom Tai Lung defeated, or something? And Wubao wanted revenge. Tai Lung never attacked the city itself." Tigress came to Tai Lung's defence yet again.
"And you simply believe that?" Viper asked, "Why are you defending him anyway? What did he do to you while you were with him?"
It was truly surprising that Tigress was defending Tai Lung. She used to be the one who hated him the most yet here she was, taking his side.
Tigress glared at Viper for her stupid question. She just came to learn that Tai Lung was not evil like the people made him out to be. It was not fair, so she wanted to make it right.
There was nothing more to it, she was simply doing what she thought was right
"Ah, I see. That makes sense." Shifu said, catching their attention. "I do recall about the fight Tai Lung and Lishou had. It was the source of gossip around China for a while."
Shifu touched his beard while recalling that event. Lishou's great reputation was ruined after Tai Lung defeated him with one finger and his dignity was also destroyed as he peed himself during the fight, in front of thousands of crowds.
It was such a dishonour to his name because he was a serious and respected giant bear, the fact that he peed himself was especially humiliating for a person of his stature. He never recovered from that humiliation and killed himself a long time ago.
Such a tragedy that was. But Tai Lung could not be blamed because he only mastered the nerve attacks during that fight. So it was not on purpose that Tai Lung humiliated Lishou like that.
But from Wubao's perspective...
"Yes, it seems reasonable that Wubao, the son of Lishou would seek revenge against Tai Lung." Shifu said with a sigh.
"Sooo...does that mean Tai Lung is living with us now." Mantis asked.
"Yes. It means just that Mantis." Shifu said and no one else had other objection. In the end, Shifu was the master of the Jade Palace, they had no right or audacity to question him further.
"And even if I were to decide against it. There is nothing we can do." Shifu said in a measured tone.
Who was going to drive Tai Lung away if he wanted to stay here? The different masters in China who refused to come to their aid when Tai Lung went on a rampage?
That should speak volumes of how respected and feared Tai Lung was. It was the duty and honour of every Kung Fu master to give aid to the sacred place of Kung Fu, the home of the inventor of Kung Fu when it faced danger. Yet they would rather abandon their honour than face Tai Lung's rage.
However, there was one possibility, if a kingdom decided to get rid of Tai Lung and used all of their troops and masters to attack Tai Lung. But what kind of kingdom or city would waste such resources for a single person? None.
So it could be said that Tai Lung was unstoppable, especially after the passing of Oogway. There was nothing that could be done.
The Furious Five also realized this, what were they going to do? Fight him again? They did not want to do that ever again.
"But worry not students, I have talked to Tai Lung and settled the issue. He will not hurt anyone of you if left unprovoked. You can return to your rooms now." Shifu said and with reluctance and helplessness, the Furious Five and Po left the Jade Palace.
Shifu watched as his students left with a small smile. Then he turned back to the pond which had now settled while they talked. The water was calm and Shifu could see his reflection clearly.
A failed father.
That's what he saw.
But the universe had given him a chance to redeem himself. Tai Lung was going to live in the Jade Palace from now on.
Maybe, just maybe, he could do better this time.
.
.
"Master." Tigress called and brought Shifu out of his reverie as he turned to look at her student.
"May I sleep in the guest room?"
Shifu raised his eyebrow.
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[IMAGE]
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Author : I have never seen a fanfic reaching more than 10000 stones before in all my times of reading here on webnovel. Thank you all for that.
I would've loved to give you guys extra chapter but I am not in the best condition right now.
But extra chapter tomorrow for sure.
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