19 I am home

[Tai Lung's POV]

"Are you sure you are not vengeful? Do you not bear rage or hatred?" Tigress asked me as we slowly traversed on the road leading to the village of the Jade Palace.

We were extremely close to the Jade Palace and I didn't expect the scent or landscape to be this familiar after two whole decades.

Nothing's changed.

I looked towards Tigress who was walking backwards in front of me. She was looking at my eyes, observing my facial expression as she tried to find something on me.

She had grown rather tame in our one and a half half day journey but she was growing restless again now that we were so near to the Jade Palace again.

"Kitty, I told you my intention is no such thing." I said, the sound of my voice was still as pleasant and deep as before but there was a hint of annoyance.

"I just want to make sure."

"Yes, I am sure you do. But you have to understand that 20 years is a long time for a person to change and for such childish rage to dissipate." I said.

The reason I was so rageful in the movie was because I was still harbouring hatred towards everyone else. Hatred and anger were like fire and fuel.

But this time, I had the experience of another life which gave me a chance to look at things as they were, without rage, without hatred and without ignorance.

To be honest, they were not wrong for the things they did. Putting myself in their shoes, I could understand why they did what they did. But they were also definitely not right either.

They were just..

Mortal.

Imperfect.

I do not hate them for their imperfection, no one is perfect. And without that hate, my anger slowly died down. Fire could not burn without fuel afterall.

"That's exactly what I am worried about, you were locked away for 20 years for actions which do not warrant such punishment." She said, oh was she implying that I am a good person and she accepted that Oogway and Shifu were wrong?

How cute.

"One does not attain inner peace while holding onto the past," I said with a shake of my head, chuckling.

"Maybe my good side is noticeable with my infamy but I am not a saint either. I have done things to scar people for life." I said as the image of Wubao came into mind.

Wubao, in a lot of ways, reminded me of my old self. He was filled with hatred and anger that he refused to let go. It got to the point that it became his lifeline, his whole identity.

It made him strong, very strong and dangerous but in the end, it cost him everything. He was so blinded by hatred that he forgot his duty to protect the city. If he were to meet his father, would he have been proud of what he did?

In the end, to hate someone is to hate yourself. 

"But what about the scroll?" She asked.

"What scroll?"

"The Dragon Scroll."

I blinked, "Oh, you mean the empty scroll?"

"What does that mean?" She narrowed her eyes.

"It means that I do not need something special or magical to make me great. I do not need to be a Dragon Warrior, for I am Tai Lung. That is enough." I declared with a smile.

"What? No! I mean what do you mean an empty scroll?"

"Forget about it. You will know in due time." I said as I could not be bothered to explain the meaning behind that. She should find out soon enough.

We continued walking on the road, traversing it uphill until I stoped to look at the scenery presented before me.

"Whao." I said in an almost vulnerable tone as I slowly walked to the highest level and stared down at the Village and the great temple at the top of the mountain far away.

It was mesmerizing. 

It was beautiful. 

It was..

"Home." I said and breathe out. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the Jade Palace nestled at the top of the mountain. 

It felt like a long time and just yesterday that I was living in the Palace and practice my Kung Fu tirelessly. 

Geez, it got me emotional and shit.

I stared at the scenery for a long time before my focus turned to the village and the villagers who were in the middle of evacuating. 

"Kitty, go and inform them that they can return to the village." I said to Tigress.

"What about you? What are you going to do?" She asked me and this time not with an accusing tone but with genuine curiosity.

"The Jade Palace." I said.

"You are not going to burn it down just to destroy Oogway's legacy would you?"

"Huh?" I looked at her like she was stupid, "Why would I burn down the Palace which houses boundless knowledge of Kung Fu and generational wisdom just because of spite? Have you not listened to anything I said before?"

And I was going to destroy Oogways legacy by surpassing him. 

I shook my head, "Just go." I said and she gave me the faintest smile before running towards the village.

After she was away from view, I let out a sigh as I felt something build up in my heart. I didn't expect seeing the Jade Palace to emotionally affect me this much.

I also felt a lump in my throat at what I was about to do.

It's time I finally meet my father after all this time.

Or should I say, Master Shifu?

*KA-CHANG!!*

The sky rumbled and lightning split the sky, it followed by a thunderous crack. An eclectic gale blew around, foretelling an incoming storm.

It was early in the morning right before the crack of dawn. The sun had not risen but it was already starting to become bright. Yet the dark clouds have snuffed out that small light and turned the infant day into night.

Lighting continued flashing amongst the dark clouds as I sprinted towards the Jade Palace, my home.

I climbed up the stairs and went through the training grounds, the houses, the markets before I reach the very top of the mountain.

In no time, I was standing in front of the entrance gate to the Jade Palace. I took a deep breath and pushed open those giant decorated gates.

I looked up and was greeted by another flight of stairs, but this one directly lead to the Jade Palace. That was not all as I saw Shifu himself standing at the last flight of stairs. 

He was standing there with arms on his back like a dignified elder. I gazed up at him with an absolute stoic face. My eyes could capture his figure clearly even from afar.

When he closed his eyes and when the sky flashed bright, I made my move and with the silence of a feline, I reached him.

I stood in front of him, as the thunderous rumble shook the sky.

Shifu opened his eyes.

And I closed my heart.

.

.

[Image]

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Author : Short chapter? Cliff hanger?

I know. That why I am making a challenge again. Reach 6000 stones and the moment we hit I upload the next chapter.

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