I'm Sometimes a Red Panda [Turning Red]

The Red Moon

A week passed. Fans milled around the stadium where the 4Town concert was being held, camped out to get the best seats. Posters of the 4Town boys surrounded the venue, and a giant electronic billboard read 4TOWN TONIGHT.

Miriam, Priya and Abby went up to the box office window. They had decided they would go to the concert without Mei after all. Besties stuck together, and Mei could hardly be described as part of their group now.

A chipper clerk took their order. "All righty, general admission, eh? How many tickets?"
The girls looked at each other and sighed. They still missed Mei. It was like they were all grieving. Miriam shoved their portion of cash through the ticket window. "Three, please."

In the temple courtyard, Mei sat with Mr. Gao and her family around a table for dinner. The evening was beautiful. She looked up to see a giant number four flickering in the sky. Mei sighed. She knew it had to be a projection from the concert.

Mei wasn't the only one who had noticed. Wu pointed at the number in horror. "What is that?"

Her relatives stopped chatting to look up.

"I think it's coming from the stadium, mother," Ming said.

Wu shook her head. "Four is the worst number."

"You know," Lily answered. "Vivian was due on the fourth so I held her in until the fifth-"

"Quiet, Lily," Wu interrupted. "Hurry everyone. It's almost time for Mii's birthday and the ritual to start."

Mr. Gao noticed Mii didn't look so great. "Nervous, Mii?"

"A little," Mii said.

"I've got fifty years' experience as a shaman," said Mr. Gao. "This will be a piece of cake."

"Thanks, Mr. Gao," said Mii.

"And mostly painless," he added.

"Wait," Mii muttered, concerned. "Mostly?"

Wu clinked her chopsticks against her glass, making everyone stop and cleared her throat. Wu cleared her throat. "Long ago, the spirits blessed the women of our family with a great challenge. Mei Mei, tonight is your turn."

Mei's stomach quaked. She didn't like it when her aunts and her mother stared at her like that. Talk about performance anxiety.

"Like all women around the table," Wu continued, "you will banish the beast within and finally become your true self. May Sun Yee guide you and keep you safe."

"Hear hear!" said Ping.

"That's right," Chen agreed.

"Don't blow it," Lily said.

Mei's stomach quivered again. Ming gave Mei an encouraging smile.

"And also," Wy continued, "we would say that it was Mii's birthday tonight. She's becoming thirteen and becoming more honoring to us all."

The family graduate Mii happily. Mii could not believe that she had her birthday and about to start a ritual. "Now that she had her birthday, she will be given by each gift from one of your aunts."

The aunts cheerfully put some gifts to Mii's lap, chattering happily as Mii held on to the presents. "Uh, thanks." she said, meekly.

Mr. Gao gazed at the full moon above. "It's almost time. The red moon is about to begin."

The women started clearing the table. Ming turned to Mei. "Mei Mei, Mii, go get ready."

"Yes, mother." Mei rose from the table and passed her father, who had been in the kitchen, cleaning up. He smiled at her. Mei wondered why she couldn't have taken after her father's side of the family. She smiled back.

"Oh. And Mii, don't forget to unwrap your presents. You don't want to wait any longer."

Mii understood and head off. As she continued to her room, her smile evaporated. Jin noticed.

"Jin!" Wu called. "Help clear the table."

Jin hurried to obey Wu's order.

He picked up some folding chairs from the courtyard and returned them to the basement. When he placed them in a corner, he bumped a table and his video camera fell to the floor.

The viewfinder popped open and a video began to play. The sound of Mei laughing with her friend came from the camera.

Jin picked it up and adjusted his glasses to get a better look. He chuckled as he watched Mei beatboxing and singing with her friends.

Jin looked up at the ceiling of Mei's room. Mei must have forgotten to delete her video after she'd used his camera.

From Mii's bedroom, Mi began to unwrap her presents. The first present was a shamisen from Aunt Chen. She began to test it and it sounded lovely. It was like a traditional instrument. The second gift was lotus hair clips from Aunt Lily. She began to tie both her hair into buns and put the hair clips on them. It fits nicely. The third gift was a kimono of pink silk from Aunt Ping. She began to wears it and tied the obi around her waist. The fourth gift was a necklace from Aunt Helen. It took the shape of a red panda head with a golden chain on it. She began to put it around her neck and hooked it in. The last gift was from Grandma Wu. As she uncovered the lid of the box and saw that it was a red panda knife.

She read the note and said that the knife can banish evil beasts and destroy them. She looked at the reflection of the knife and can see that sense that some red panda spirits are good. She began to wonder how her sister was doing.

In her bedroom, Mei stood in front of her full length mirror. She was wearing a white ceremonial robe. She pinned a flower clip to her hair. She let out a long breath to calm down and put on a tight smile. She needed to stay calm and focused on the ritual. Someone knocked on her door.

"Come in," Mei said.

It was Jin.

"Hey Dad," Mei said as he walked in. "I'm almost ready."

Jin held out the video camera. "Did you make this?"

Mei's smile faded as she reached for the camera. In the viewfinder, she was a panda in all her glory, hugging her friends. "Here. I'll erase it. We were just being stupid," Mei explained.  She then sighed. "The panda's dangerous. Outta control."

"You sound like your mother," Jin said. "What has she told you about your panda?"

"Nothing," Mei sighed. "She won't talk about it."

"It was quite destructive," Jin recalled. "She almost took out half the temple."

Mei's eyes widened. "You... you saw it?"

"Only once. She and your grandma had a terrible fight."

"Over what?" Mei asked.

Jin pointed to himself. "Your grandma didn't approve of me," he explained. "But you should've seen your mom. She was...incredible."

Mei's cheeks burned and was stunned.  She only wished she was as incredible as her mother. "But...I'm a monster."

Jin looked at the video as it played. "People have all kinds of sides to them, Mei. And some sides are messy. The point isn't to push the bad stuff away. It's to make room for it, live with it."

He passed the videocam to his daughter. "Mei, erase it if you want. But this side of you," he paused to chuckle, "made me laugh."

Mei looked at the video. In it, Mei was flanked by her laughing besties. She poured snacks into her own gullet and then hugged her friends close. Mei put away her camera as Ming opened up the door.

"Mei Mei," Ming called. "It's time."