Chapter 21 - Soul Concern

(In this chapter we find out the full extent to Shifu's injuries, and see a side of Oogway we've never seen before.....)
Shifu blinked. Ugh! He had a pounding headache. The red panda cub attempted to sit up, but quickly fell back gasping in pain. His arm! It was on fire! .And his shoulder! He tried again.
"Shifu, stop." Oogway gently pushed the cub back into the pillow. "You cannot get up for a while."
The cub moaned, his visions were disoriented, but he could see the familliar shapes in his room. He saw all his friends gathered around his bed. Ming Yang had her shouldres hunched forward, sobbing. Even Wu Lian looked very upset. Lotti and Peach Blossm........waitasec...Lotti and Peach Blossom?!
Oogway could sense the cub's confusion. "Shifu, Lotti and Peach Blossom needed to perform surgery-"
The cub gave a startled gasp.
"You had a dislocated shoulder. They needed to put it back and place."
Shifu peered down at his arm. It was in a sling.
"You also have a very bad broken arm, and you had a major concussion."
Shifu was quiet.
Lotti smiled gently. "Consider yourself lucky dear......you could have killed yourself if the injuries concerned your neck."
Peach Blossom nodded gravely. "Right, Cutiecub..."
Lotti sighed. "Well little one, we need to go now. We told Oogway some methods to help the pain." With that Lotti abruptly left the room.
Peach Blossom sighed. "Take care now..." With that, she too left the room.
Wu Lian tugged on Ming Yang's sleeve. "Ming Yang, we probably should go now...our parents will be worried."
Ming Yang shook her head, not getting what Wu Lian was saying. "No, my mom said I could stay for an hour and-"
Wu Lian cleared her throat and pointed over her shoulder. Ming Yang gave a silent "o" and followed Wu Lian out the room.
"....." Shifu looked around helplessly. If only Ming Yang and Wu Lian hadn't left. He knew he'd be punished and lectured for hours! If his friends were here Oogway wouldn't be able to scold the cub very much, not with his other classmates in the same room.
Oogway was silent. He hadn't spoken a word for almost two minutes now, it was killing the cub!
Say something master! Shifu pleaded silently. Even if you yell! Even if you lecture, just say something!
Oogway opened his eyes. His expression was cold and angry.
Shifu cringed and squinted his eyes shut. He was in for it now...
"Shifu..."
The cub cringed to that cold tone. "Y............yes master?"
"What were you thinking?"
"I....I wasn't.."
"You've got that right!"
Shifu flinched and drew back into the pillow.
"You could have killed yourself! Do you not realize that?"
".............I-I'm sorry.."
Oogway sighed and closed his eyes, trying to remain calm. "You could have broken your neck...hip...smashed your face...split your skull right open.."
Shifu flattened his ears to the sides of his head, trying to drown out his master as he explained any other possible worst fate he could have had. "Stop it!"
Oogway was silent, and just stared at the cub.
"...."
"Why did you do it Shifu?"
"I............I don't know..." He murmured softly. "I guess.....I just saw you praising the girls on their dancing and wanted that too.."
"So...you thought if you nearly killed yourself and almost gave me the first heart attack of my life it would make me proud?" He asked sarcasticlly.
"I....I.."
Oogway sighed. "I've seen you dance before." He said softly. "You are very good, and I would have been proud if you had done that. ..But trying to over power the girls with moves so complex and impossible for your level..." His voice trailed off as he shook his head.
".....I guess I just thought you were more proud of the girls-"
"How could you think that?" Oogway demanded softly. You are my soul concern, you are the one who was put under my care when you were six, you and not them. They are one of my concerns for as long as they train here, but you are the concern I must look after for the rest of my life."
"Oh you must...huh?" Shifu asked sarcasticlly.
Oogway gave he cub a curious look. "Huh?"
"You must?! Is that it?! You took me in because you had to-not because you wanted to?!"
Oogway was shocked beyond all belief, and wondered if Shifu's concussion had given him brain damage. "Wh-what?? Where on earth- how- you-" he could hardly get a sentence out. "Where in the world-who on earth told you that?''
Shifu sent his master a stone glare. "You just said it yourself! You said you must!"
Oogway shook his head in disbelief. "Where on earth is your head at today?" He sighed. "I am sorry...I did not mean to use that term."
Shifu quieted, but he still wasn't very convinced, he turned away.
"You are my soul concern that I want to take care of..."
Shifu looked up hopefully. "Really?"
Oogway smiled gently. "Of course..."
Shifu smiled, he felt much better now. "........................Am I going to be punished?"
"Yes.."
The cub's face fell. "Very well then, what is the fit punishment for my actions master?"
Oogway was thoughtful. "It's not that huge, your injuries will be punishment enough......no trampoline for three months."
Shifu's eyes went wide. "Three months?!" Aww well, that wasn't to bad actually. After all, it would take three months or more for his broken arm to heal. A small smile crept up on the cub's face.
Oogway could tell what he was thinking. "Three months after you heal."
And Shifu face palmed.
"Alright." Oogway said, as he handed the children ten yuan each. "You have all trained so well, I'm very proud. With your yuan you can all go to the Valley and buy yourselves a little treat."
The children jumped up and cheered. (With the exception of Shifu, who just sort of raised his uninjured arm and squealed.)
Oogway patted their heads. "I need to make lunch so I can't come."
"Awww..." The children said in disapointment.
Oogway now had his back turned to them. "Oh, and Shifu?"
Shifu straightened himself. "Yes master?"
"Try not to jump off anymore trampolines that might be in the market." Oogway said, in a teasing tone. It had been three weeks since Shifu's accident, and now everyone constantly joked about it. Much to the cub's distain.
Shifu rolled his eyes. "Oh ha ha." He said sarcasticlly. "That's a joke that never gets old!" But he smiled, when Oogway gave the cub an affectionate ruffle on the head, and walked off.
"Mmmm....what should we get?"
"Melon buns!"
Wu Lian rolled her eyes. "No pipsqueak.....you're not allowed any melon buns, remember?"
Shifu nodded. "Mmmm.....yeah." He said glumly. No melon buns had also been part of his punishment, thankfully it was only for a month though.
"Hey.." Ming Yang's long ears piped up. "Do you hear something?"
Wu Lian listened. "Yes....yes I do!"
Shifu pointed to the alley. "It's coming from behind there!"
The three children hurried to the alley, and listened intently.
"So, how do we get up the Jade Palace's steps?" A tiger asked.
"............We climb them stupid!" The other tiger growled, smacking his comrade.
"Maaaann, if only Raissou was here! He'd be able to tear that cub from Oogway's grasp."
The children felt sick. The tigers were after Shifu?
"Rasissou's dead you idiot!"
The tiger huffed. "I know that I'm just saying- aw never mind!"
"Hey!" One of the tigers shouted. "I see them!" He pointed to the corner of the alley. "Them brats are eavesdropping on us!"
"Get them!"
The children uttered shrill screams oh horror, and ran as fast as they could. Their persuers were hot on their tails. One tiger lunged for the slow and frantic Shifu, but Wu Lian quickly yanked him up onto her back. "Come on pipsqueak! You'll never get anywhere running that speed!"
Shifu gave a relieved sigh. "Thanks Wu Lian...you saved me!" All of a sudden he felt himself being lifted off of her shoulders by his tail.
"Haha! Caught you ya little brat!"
Shifu whimmpered and squirmed, but he couldn't get out of the tiger's grip. "Let go! Master!! Help!!!!!"
The three tigers sneered and made their way up to the great gates. They banged on the door.
Oogway opened it with a polie smile. "Yeeees? ....! Wh-what are you doing? Put him down he has a broken arm!"
The tiger snickered. "Master Oogway, my name is Lio Sha, these are my comrades Sai Shei, and Ruka! Were are here to take custody of the cub!"
"Wh-what?"
"Giao Xun demands the cub. He wants him as a servant."
"Wh-wh-what?"
Lio Sha rolled his eyes. "Ugh! Is that all you can say you old tortoise?!"
Ming Yang gasped. "Don't you talk to the supreme Kung Fu master like that you arragont, striped mole-rat!!"
"Why you little-" Lio Sha snarled, lunging for the bunny.
"Leave her alone!" Oogway exclaimed, drawing the bunny close to him protectively.
"Giao Xun was ready to take Kohaii to be his slave, and take him into the aliance. He never actually intended to kill Kohaii, just wound his enough so there would be no resistance when he was taken to head-quarters. Since both the cub's parents are dead, there is no one who can legally come between us and Giao Xun's law."
Oogway glared at the tigers. "That is not true!" He said sternly. "Shifu was put under my care."
"But you are not his parent."
"When a child is given to me as a student, they relinquish their position as the parent and I become the "father." The parents give up their rights, and I take full responsibility and custody over the child. Shifu is legally my "son." Whether I was his godfather or not....he would still belong to me."
"Giao Xun demands it sir." Lio Sha said in a low voice.
Oogway slammed his cane on the ground. "And has Giao Xun's blood thirsty greed not had enough?! He killed my dear students! Does he really need to take the life of an innocent child as well?!"
The children were shocked. This was the master's great weakness. "Child abuse."
Lio Sha glared daggers at Oogway. "Are you really going to resist such an army?! We have way more power over you! It would be easiest to give up your "son" and continue your life without being hunted down by our alliance."
"NO CHILD DESERVES TO BE MISTREATED!!" Oogway yelled.
This shocked everyone. Oogway had never raised his voice before-ever!
"Do I believe in discapline when a child misbehaves? Of course! Do I believe consiquences should usually follow? Of course! But one thing I do not believe, and will never allow for my child is CHILD ABUSE!!"
The tigers exchanged grim looks.
"And if Giao Xun doesn't agree with it, then you can just tell him where he can go..." Oogway added in a venomous tone as he pulled the children through the gates, and slammed the huge doors. Leaving a certain few very shocked tigers at the gates.

(Whoaaaaaaaa.........what did you think? Bet you didn't think the old tortoise could get so angry, eh? Haha! WEll one thing is for sure........never mess with Supreme Kung Fu Master Oogway!)

Preview of the next chapter!

Tears streamed down Shifu's face as he clung to the bark of the tree. "Mingy hold on tight!" The wind roared like an enraged lion, and tried to suck the children into the vortex.
Ming Yang sobbed. "Shifu! We're going to die! I do not want to die! Save me!"
"I-I don't know how!" The cub wailed tearfully.
"Shifu! I-I'M SLIPPING!!"
"No! Ming Yang you have to hold on!" Shifu screamed back.
"I-I can't!" With that Ming Yang let go of the sturdy bark, and was swept into the wind.
"MING YANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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