Cloudless Authors

Chapter E

Tai Lung wanted to go after the figure and give him a good chase, but his body wouldn't let him move forward. After a second, he finally got himself moving, but he had decided to focus on saving his master instead. He quickly ran over to the pile of rubble and began to work on the task of freeing Shifu.

The red panda laid limply underneath the ceiling debris with several cuts, bruises, and even a gash on the side of his head. Tai Lung worried for a moment that he might have been dead, but a small moan from the grandmaster put his mind at ease. Tai Lung removed more of the debris before carefully grabbing his former master and putting him gently on a part of the floor not covered in fallen beams, broken tiles, glass shards, or splinters. Tai Lung debated on what to do for a second before Shifu interrupted him with some stirring and groaning.

"Shifu?" Tai Lung asked gently as the old master winced in pain. He attempted to stand up, though he only managed to get to his knees. He glanced over at Tai Lung, still wincing.

"Are you alright?" Tai Lung asked. "Should I get something? Or...someone?"

Master Shifu shook his head. "I'm alright," he assured the snow leopard. "I've been in worse conditions."

Tai Lung bore a brief side-smirk. He could easily believe that. Seeing Shifu continue to blankly look at him though, the snow leopard grew a little uneasy and glanced over at the doors. "Do you...Should I leave?" he asked. "I wasn't...I didn't mean-"

"No," Shifu told him firmly. "You don't have to leave." He again made the effort to stand up and managed to shakily get to his feet. He looked back at Tai Lung and added, "You were about to tell me something that didn't sound too threatening, I believe...."

Tai Lung nodded, relieved that the red panda was giving him a chance to say what was on his mind. "Yes, I was," he confirmed.

Shifu eyed him. "Well..." he said.

There was a slight pause that indicated to Tai Lung that it was his turn to speak. Taking a small breath to steady himself, (and brace for the possibly worse), the snow leopard said, "I...just wanted to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"For acting like a short-tempered brat and going against you and Master Oogway."

Master Shifu looked a bit surprised, but continued on by saying, "Well, this is an unusual change of attitude. When exactly did you realize your error?"

Tai Lung hesitated for a second before answering the question: "Right after I was Wuxi Fingered."

Shifu's face was blank for a moment before he very slowly began to smirk. Tai Lung felt a nervous knot rise up in his stomach. Master Shifu smirking was never a good thing.

"Oh," Shifu repeated slowly. "After you were Wuxi Fingered." A look of sarcastic amusement crossed his face as he added, "Well, what a surprise. It's not until after your defeat that you finally take a hint."

Tai Lung bit the inside of his lip and winced slightly. This conversation was going downhill faster than a perfectly round log. "I know I made a lot of mistakes," he explained. "I know I was stubborn and blind. I let disappointment cloud my morals and my judgment.... I should have known better, but I didn't....And I'm ashamed of the fact that it took nearly being killed to knock some sense into me."

Shifu nodded. The smirk slowly began to subside, though not by much. "I see," he told his former student. "However, it would have saved you all the trouble had you simply listened to Oogway instead of acting on your selfish pride."

"I know," Tai Lung told him. "I'm well aware of that."

"Then I suppose you're well aware of the consequences that come with such actions."

"I'm well aware of the consequences! I've lived through them!"

"It's not just about the Wuxi Finger!" Shifu snapped. "I'm talking about other people! You're not the only one to suffer!!!"

"I know that!!!!!" Tai Lung yelled back.

The room echoed for a second before falling into a dead silence. Neither of the two spoke, though neither of them really knew what to say. Tai Lung finally took a breath, breaking the tension. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Are you?" Master Shifu asked.

"I said that day, when we met again to fight," Tai Lung continued. "That everything that happened regarding that assessment was your fault. And I understand now that the fault had always been mine. I blamed you for my actions, while in the meantime it was my own anger that hurt everyone. I probably traumatized the valley a great deal, disappointed you and Oogway....I probably hurt you the most. I can only imagine what you think of me."

Shifu raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"I'm aware that it would probably be difficult to forgive all of the terrible things I've done," Tai Lung finished. "And if you can't, I won't blame you in the least. However, I at the very least wanted to let you know how sorry I am for...well, everything. I should have acted better."

Master Shifu gave him a stern look, his hands folded behind his back. "You should have," he agreed. "I had raised you in the righteous morals that our masters' code was founded on. And for you to go against it...to go against your family...words cannot begin to express the bitterness and disappointment that was felt as a result of that! I ought to turn you away!"

Tai Lung looked slightly hopeful as Shifu sighed. "But I'm not," the grandmaster continued. "Though I am still furious at your previous behavior, I can see that you're being truthful. I can't say at the moment that I'm ready to forgive you, but perhaps if I see more of your behavior, I could be persuaded otherwise."

Tai Lung opened his mouth into a huge smile. "Really?!" he exclaimed.

"I said perhaps. Actions speak louder than words."

"I know."

Shifu started to ask Tai Lung about his plans after his arrival at the Jade Palace, but light footsteps, muffled by the heavy door, interrupted the conversation.

Choose what happens next. Skip to chapter:

m-Tigress appears in the Sacred Hall of Warriors.

n-The figure returns to kill Shifu