16Buckle up! This is going to be a longer-than-usual chapter. It's going to be quite an interesting one also!
…
Chapter 17: The Den of Thieves
So now we're in the dark tunnels as Zhen leads us down to the entrance to the Den of Thieves. A thousand memories came rushing to me…some good…many bad. Memories of my early childhood…more importantly our days in the den…just Zhen and me.
There was no Chameleon…
There was no Kung Fu…
It was just the fox and me in our early days (with Han and the others of course.) In retrospect it really did feel like a normal life…
Po could see the uncertainty in my face but he said nothing…it's as if he's got a lot going on his head right now too. Maybe he's just trying to come to terms with what just happened above us?
I decided to focus on myself again…
Han…
My goodness, how is he going to react once he sees us? It won't be good, I just know it.
I'm taken out of my thoughts when Zhen muttered to our guest, "it isn't much farther now…"
The panda groaned a bit at that, "you always say that and it's always so much farther!"
As if on cue, we arrived at the end of the tunnel to see the village that Zhen and I called home as kids (at least for a while.)
We're now in the Den of Thieves.
First thing I noticed is how many more people there are. Seriously, it wasn't this crowded before we left! Could it be because of Chameleon's hold on the city…maybe people got desperate and decided to join Han?
It also appeared as though Han and his men worked a bit on infrastructure: this place really does look much nicer now. Maybe he was thinking of resale, heh.
Either way, we heard Po ask the question Zhen and I knew was coming ever since she decided to take us here, "what is this place?" He said in astonishment.
Zhen hesitated a bit, but not enough for him to notice, "home sweet home…" she half-lied.
Po raised an eyebrow…she didn't notice this but he physically jolted a bit…it was so subtle but I happened to be the only one to notice it. It was a kind of reaction as though he didn't believe in his heart what she said.
Either way, we climbed down the rickety ladder to get to the lower levels.
"This is home, huh?" Po asked with a scrutinizing tone. The gray vixen played it cool, "yes, and no." She then gave him the grand tour (she just couldn't resist this, could she?)
"Some of the best crooks and criminals in all of Juniper City live here."
I mean, it was everything, Zhen didn't sugar-coat it: there were people card-swapping, hogs sharpening their horns to impale people, people arm-wrestling just to eat something, and people stealing and fighting each other over scraps. I definitely recognize some people here, they're definitely older now.
She stopped us for a minute, giving a smug warning, "careful, these guys could steal your pants right off 'ya and you wouldn't know it!"
As she continued with her tour, I was in my own little world…reminiscing about our first home. Compared to Lady Chameleon's palace this was nothing. Yet, I find myself strangely drawn to the good old days…and I realized just how special this place really was. I mean, we had a roof over our heads…it was warmer than when we slept in the streets, and there was a sense of belonging for sure.
Deep inside I always wished we could have people like this in the Chateau, but how could we…how could we? Chameleon always saw common people as something we shouldn't bother investing our emotions in.
Now we're here again and I felt…guilt…pain…mostly shame. Zhen looked at me and could tell how I was…and inside she too felt a bit sad about leaving everyone behind on that day we met the Chameleon.
Hell, we even saw our old "room" that we shared together in those days. It was an old, dry, drainage pipe that Zhen and I managed to clean up and make our room. We slept against the concrete bottom inside but we were savvy in our methods: putting blankets down and pillows we stole to sleep. Sometimes we would sleep next to each other, trying to distribute as much warmth as possible on really cold nights during the winter.
I visualized Zhen and me as kids inside that drainage pipe…reliving old memories. She was wearing her greenish tunic and reddish trousers, and I was wearing a blue long-sleeve (I forget what pants I wore, funny enough.) We were sharing an apple we stole off of the streets…it was an especially hard time because of a food shortage in the city.
I realized then that adult Zhen now stood next to me…inspecting the same drainage pipe that is now abandoned and overgrown…probably since we left. I looked down to see her slightly somber and nostalgic expression as she, shortly after, looked up at me.
I crouched down to be at eye level with her, and I suddenly nudged the side of my face against her as a sign of comfort. I simply sighed at this…deciding to pull away and put my hand against the side of her gray muzzle. I looked into her brown eyes with a beckoning look as she stared into mine, we made the right choice to follow Chameleon.
Then, I mentally stopped myself…now I wasn't so sure, did we make the right choice?
My mind was now in a battle to see which side of me would win. I remembered how I was tormented here for being different than everybody else…but then I remembered seeing how truly happy Zhen was.
Sure, being with Chameleon is great, I guess. I don't have to deal with people ridiculing me all the time, but out here is where we really felt free. I mean, why would we always come to Juniper City when we didn't have to train, it was to live as ourselves and be truly happy!
Chameleon would not approve of this thinking…
After all, she is our master, she SAVED us…we were half-starved…on a good day, you could see bone for crying out loud!
I shake my head to see Zhen, soon whispering to me with a sullen tone in her voice, "it's just a dumb pipe, our lives are better now" she muttered. That comment from the fox stung for some reason, but I ultimately let her say her piece. I simply stood up and patted her shoulder in response in muted support.
Our moment was soon broken when we heard Po yelling and we snapped our heads to see that three young rabbits were on him! Zhen rushed in before I grumbled…giving an annoyed look.
Oh well…let's get back to what we needed to do.
The fox grimaced when she saw the rabbits tearing Po up and in quite a comedic way. Sure enough, though, he overpowers them and they innocently walk away as if nothing had happened.
The panda gave a probing gaze at us, "friends of yours?"
Zhen darted her eyes back and forth as I did the same, funny enough, "kinddda…they're new recruits. They're practically family" she replied, suddenly shifting back to her smug grin before I secretly gave her a wink for making that story up fast.
"Oh really? You don't sound so confident with your statement. How do I know you're not just making all this up?" He raised an eyebrow to her as she brushed his concerns away with a paw.
Then, we heard a voice above us…catching us off guard.
"Zhen!"
T-that voice…
The "stranger" rolled into a drainage pipe, coming out at the bottom. He soon unfurled to greet the three of us. It was the pangolin…Han…
By the looks of things, Han was now much older…almost in his fifties or sixties…I wasn't sure…it's been so long. Despite that, he still wore the same straw hat, and still had that adorable walk of his.
"It's been so long since I've seen you!"
Under my mask I gasped slightly, does he NOT recognize me? I guess with Zhen it's easier.
Speaking of the fox, she played it off, smiling to the old scaly man, "Han, nice seeing you again!" She nudged Po's belly, looking up, "he's our old mentor from the streets."
That's when I could tell the pangolin could recognize me behind the mask…he saw the brown eyes and some of the brown hair hidden beneath. That's when I knew he knew.
The greetings got the attention of several animals who gathered around us upon hearing Zhen's name being called. I relaxed a bit, thinking maybe they had forgiven us for what we did.
After all, it wasn't personal…uh, I don't think it was anyway…
As the leader of the Den of Thieves walked closer to us, he threw his paws outward and said with great exuberance, "I always knew someday you two would find your way home to the den, and when you did-"
Inside I wanted to run to him…hug him…say how much I was sorry. Maybe that's in the past, maybe Han looked past what we did and really did want to welcome us home. He actually brought his arms out as if he was going to give the corsac fox a hug, after all.
That was not his intention…at all…
In the blink of an eye, blades of all shapes and sizes met us…close to lethal piercing range. A handful of Han's followers had us surrounded. We all backed away slightly, taken aback by what just happened.
I mentally sighed…why did I expect anything else to happen?
The look in our former mentor's eyes was one of anticipation and fury, "-I'd be sure to give you two a proper…homecoming…" he said with a devilish smile.
We are dead…so dead...
"Family, huh?" Po said, looking at her with a glare…leaning slightly toward the fox. She simply shrugged at him as if 'opps…my bad!'
"More like distant cousins…"
Sure enough, our attention is drawn to the leader of the den again, "you two should have never come back. I mean…If you two told me you were coming, at least I would have thought of a great way on how we should kill you!" The Pagolin said, pacing back and forth across from us, "so, how should we do this then: quick and painless…or…slow and painful?"
The three rabbits behind him jumped up and down in childlike innocence, yet they muttered a cold and brutal response beyond their years, "slow and painful!" They chanted.
Han grinned before looking back at them, "alright you little scamps, slow and painful it is!"
Zhen the fox just had to walk forward, giving a scoffed warning to them as I gave a nervous look, "I wouldn't do this if I were you. Mei and I are expert fighters now, we won't be the only ones you'll have to worry about." I mentally facepalmed…oh boy, will this be a repeat of what happened in the Happy Bunny Tavern?
"Is that so?" Han narrowed his eyes, moving a bit closer to her.
She smirked at him, eyes half-lidded. She suddenly ran up all over Po…soon standing on his shoulder, "you'll have to also deal with…the Dragon Warrior!"
Po nodded, giving a stoic face as Zhen whispered in his ear the same words as said before. The others just stared at him…with the leader simply muttering in confusion, "ah…who?"
"Who…who? What are you, an owl?" The vixen retorted before Po shook his head, "ah man…are my adventures really that small in scale?" He looked down at me and I nodded in response. Sure enough, the fox had to marinate this confrontation further…crouching down to be at eye level with Po while still on him, "introduce them, Po-" soon after she jumped down to meet her former acquaintances head-on, "-to your fists!"
I sighed, I guess a fight is inevitable…
Sure enough, I joined Zhen's side…the both of us get into our stances. Soon, Po joins us, but he stops…he was thinking about something regarding everything.
Before a battle can commence, the flabby panda threw his arms out and stopped everybody, "wait!"
As if he used magic, the mob stopped their advance and remained frozen in place. Zhen and I looked up at him in confusion.
"He who resorts to violence now…will only…find…more violence later!" He said in a sort of…wisdomly…omniscient manner with pauses in between. We all just looked at him with confused glares. He literally just made that off the top of his head.
An antelope across from us thought about it, "so what you're saying is…if we don't hurt Zhen and Mei a little now…" A pig chimed in to finish her statement, "we can hurt them a lot later!" They said as the crowd erupted into cheer.
Po's eyes widened before he tried to correct them, "n-no! That's not what I meant!"
I rolled my eyes as Zhen looked back and forth, unsure what to think of everything happening: Oh boy…not exactly the words that'll save us…
Han stopped everybody, throwing his arms out…loving the idea, "yes! And more violence later is better than less violence now!"
The Dragon Warrior stepped closer to the anteater, shaking his head, "no…I think you're misunderstanding the fundamental point of what-"
"That panda makes a lot of good points" the antelope added in the mix.
"I like it!" The pig next to her nodded.
Everyone just started walking away…as if nothing had happened. Zhen and I just looked at each other and smirked, for some reason…his WISE proverb DID save us in the end…at least for now…so there's that.
Po tried all he could to get everyone to change their minds but it was futile and once the three of us are left alone he said softly, "I'll come up with better wisdom…"
"You've got to workshop those proverbs…" Zhen muttered in annoyance.
…
A few minutes had gone by, we were in Han's study. It's usually where he planned heists and where he'd also administrate the unincorporated community. Po had just gotten done trying to get the man across from him to know who he was…to no avail, yet they knew who Master Shifu was funny enough! Zhen was amused by all this while I was quietly examining the interior of Han's old room.
I had a lot to say to the pangolin (but as you probably guessed by now: that will never happen. I wasn't really good at writing either, so there's that.)
The fox moved closer to our former mentor, giving a pleading look to him, "Han…I know we've had our differences and it's been a while…"
"A while!? It's been years, Zhen." He snapped back but calmed himself down shortly thereafter.
"I know, it's just…we're really in a jam here, and I was hoping you'd help us out."
I'm next to Po when I see the three little devils (the bunnies) walk up with what appears to be tea…it's not tea.
"Don't drink that" Zhen scolded in a monotone voice to Po before I kick the jade teacup away. Once it shatters on the ground it revealed acid that began eating the floor underneath. I winked at the panda once he realized that could have been him if not for us. He looked at me as I gave a satisfied wink, deciding to pour tea that Han had made without his permission for Po. He probably would have said something about it but was busy dealing with Zhen.
Anyway, the vulpine continued begging Han for his help. It's crazy…I've never seen her beg so much before…is she remorseful? I doubt it, she's just trying to get us out of here without any problems…she's just using him. Still, I saw the pangolin's eyes…he was wanting an apology for what happened all those years ago. It might seem petty on his part, but I can tell: he's HURT.
I, unlike Zhen…maybe, was a bit remorseful…I've thought of this place from time to time but I just didn't know how to tell Han…or if I could somehow do so…
First rule of the streets…never trust anyone, the Chameleon's voice rang in my head like a viper…those were some of the first lessons she ever taught us.
Still, that side of me that wanted things to be healed tried to shine through…
I soon heard Zhen keep trying to convince the older man, "we just need to lay low for a while until the heat cools off."
Han narrowed his eyes, pointing a scroll at the fox, "and why should I help you two?" He said with a tinge of resentment in his voice. Zhen just smiled at that, leaning in toward him, "because deep down…beneath that iron-scaled exterior is a good-hearted soul who still thinks of us as part of the family?" He was having none of it. I gave a pleading stare to him and he looked up to see my eyes…the only thing he could see on my shielded face.
He suddenly gave a solem look to us…to me especially. He got up from his seat and said with a sad heavy accent, "take off that mask…"
Po and Zhen looked to me as I sighed…nodding. I reach for the back of my head where I tied the stolen cloth together and I soon unlock it. He could see my older face now…remembering the last time he saw my face is when I was seven or eight…
"Look at you, Mei. Why do you keep that ridiculous thing on you?" He said that as if he respected my appearance. To be honest, he always did in some way. He'd never defend me if I got ridiculed but he never shamed me either. I think he did truly saw me as one of his own in some way…
"Ah…Han, will you help us?" Zhen said, getting impatient, trying to divert the scaly mammal's attention back to her.
He sighed, looking away in bitterness, "fine, you three can stay…but you better be out of here by nightfall, or I'm calling the bulls myself!" He said with utter disdain for her. Inside, the Steppe Fox felt relief…but also a tinge of pain from his response as if it suddetly hit her as it did for me.
Before she could reflect on it further, Han curled himself into a ball and went into a pipe…leaving the three of us alone.
I sighed, patting Zhen on the back for her efforts as she placed a squishy paw on my hand in return, looking up at me.
"Great, tonight the Chameleon is going down!" Po said, slamming his hands together with a confident grin. The fox next to him giggled, looking down, "sure, but get your pants back first."
Sure enough, the panda looks behind him to see two monkies had stole the oversized garments. He grabbed a teapot to cover himself up and soon gave chase, "not cool you guys…come on!"
…
Some time passed, Zhen and Po were spending time going over how to use the Staff of Wisdom. I suppose he only did it to pass the time and to brag about his ultimate attack. Yet, I found it idiotic that he would reveal his secret to people he only just met a few days ago. That's like if Tai Lung just casually revealed how to use his Nerve Strike move to some random goose pedestrian on the street for fun…
As I observe them from Han's study, I thought: he's putting a lot of trust in her, but why? He barely knows us? The fact Po is doing this like it is playtime makes no sense!
I mean, is Po really that naïve, what's his ulterior motive here?
"Let's go over this again" Po said, stepping away to inspect the corsac fox. She had a broom in place of the green staff…reciting what she just learned from him, "stir the pot" she made a downward circular motion with the broom. Then, she started spinning with the "weapon" behind her back, "roll the wok!" Next, she jumped down and swept the broom across the floor, "serve the dish!" Finally, she jumped high in the air…bringing the broom down to slam it against the ground, "and skablam!"
Once she's finished, she looked confused as heck, turning to Po…armed with a question, "where's the golden dragon that's supposed to shoot out?"
In the background I was trying my best to hide my laughter. All these instructions had something to do with food and the fact it's utilized in the attack makes it all the more hilarious!
The tourist smiled at her, shaking his head in response, "not going to happen with a broom."
Zhen placed the sweeper against her and said with a mischievous grin, "that's still not bad, though!"
"Yeah, but you gotta do the moves exactly. Stir later, roll higher, and then say skadoosh!" He demonstrated.
They heard me laugh in the background in response, Po seemed to have an annoyed face at that.
Skadoosh, really!? I thought you were just saying that as a catchphrase…you ACTUALLY got to say those words to finish the ceremony?
Zhen had her paw on her hip…looking back to the "bear" with a nod, "I don't know if Mei thinks the same, but Skadoosh isn't a word."
From the corner of her eye she could see me nodding furiously so she knew. Po rolled his eyes back to her in retaliation, resting the Staff of Wisdom on his shoulder, "and ska-blam is?"
Not a moment too soon, hilarity ensued where some monkeys had fireworks attached to them. They started flying around like crazy and I was forced to jump down from Han's workshop to avoid getting hit!
It was the three bunnies, "skablam!" They said in unison as a monkey is rescued by the panda: he had used the staff to set them in a water tank to rest.
As I recovered from my fall and stood next to Zhen, she had something to say about Po. It's something that she had been meaning to say for a while now, "you're unlike any of the other masters we've met" she gestured to herself and me.
He simply brushed it off in his usual comedic manner, "yeah, I know. There's not a lot of pandas."
She stopped him as I crossed my arms, "no, you're like…a good guy. I mean it…I've never met anyone as selfless as you, Po…"
He smiled in return, "you and Mei are good people too."
Zhen simply scoffed at that.
Inside I also had to doubt that statement, good? Now granted I wouldn't go so far and say Zhen and I are evil, but there's no way we ever did good in our lives either. If anything, she and I were just neutral parties taking advantage of people for our own benefit at the end of the day. I mean, our mission was still clear: take the staff and give it to Chameleon…if necessary we take Po to fight the Chameleon…so she can become the ultimate master of Kung Fu. We were SO CLOSE to the Chateau, our trap was sprung and Po didn't suspect a thing. He trusts us as if he HIMSELF had lived among us at an early age…which completely baffles me!
At that moment, he seemed to have made a deep face…a somewhat serious face, but one that was also reassuring to us.
"You two don't have to do this, ya know" he simply said. We looked at him in confusion…our interest perked before he continued, "I know the Chameleon wants the staff from me."
The world around me and Zhen slowed…as if it suddenly got dizzy. Both our eyes widened…my face turned pale…and Zhen's ears folded behind her in surprise and then fear.
He knows.
…
That's right! Po knew all this time that Zhen and Mei were taking him into a trap! It's an interesting change from the movie. The next chapter will reveal how he found out.
This will be a pivotal change. How will it affect how the rest of the movie goes? Let me know what you think in a review!
Until then, take care everyone, peace!