How do you Define "Real"?

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

I never knew how much blood a single person was able to spill. Until I shed it from them that is. It was mind boggling to me. I've witnessed unprecedented horrors where so much of it was spilled but I never took into account how much of it was attributed to a single individual person. I suppose ignorance is bliss to some people, while it is a lack of power to others. A curse you could say.

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

'I wonder if I could make a poem of my own with power as a topic. But how would it go? Should it be short? It would be far easier to remember a short phrase rather than a lengthy one I suppose. Hmmmm.'

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

"How is 'Power corrupts all that be ignorant'?...Naaaah. 'Cursed are those that hold no Knowledge'. Thanks captain obvious, but no. 'Knowledge holds power'. Mnnnn. No no no. That's not it either. How about 'Applied knowledge is Power'?" I muttered underneath my breath. "Yeah, that'll do. Perfect for a wise saying. I gotta remember to write it down for later."

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

I was deep in thought as I landed another blow. Deep crimson was splattered onto the walls bathing the floor with red.

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

<𝑺𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑯𝑻!>

"What do you think? Doesn't it roll off the tongue with finesse? Well I suppose you can't say, now that you don't have one anymore haha." I let out a hollow laugh to the woman that lay beneath me utterly battered beyond repair. When I noticed that she didn't respond I lightly slapped her in the face a few times. "Haah. Not again. Oiiiii~! You're not asleep are you? It's the middle of the day!" (I had no way of knowing if it truly was but due to my lack of tiredness I went with the flow regardless)

"Urf!" She groaned out likely due to her broken ribcage. Every breath she took nearly sent her into a fit of coughing out flem and blood out of her misshapen, swollen, disfigured face. Her lips were busted in multiple areas. Cuts lined all the inside of her mouth due to chipped teeth tearing them open every time I punched them in. I'm pretty sure her skull was broken in many places after the amount of times of me slamming her helmet upside and across her head.

"Oh good you're up." I sighed a breath of relief. 'Was worried I'd have to start over for the umpteenth time,' The previous amount being lost to me as I didn't even try to put effort in remembering them. "Don't you know its rude to fall asleep when someone is having a conversation with you? Tch Tch Tch!" I tutted wagging my finger at her. "Looks like I need to teach you some more manners, 𝑨𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏."

Her one eye that was still functional and not dangling from its socket connected to its optical nerve dangling from the side of her head fearfully gazed up at me. "Ooooh. Uuuuurf!" A final streak of water slid down her cheek as she cried out unable to defend herself.

"Nice to know your tear sacks still work. Should I tear them out this time or leave them though?" Her body sat battered and bruised all over. I took off all her armor long ago putting them to use as torture devices. The very thing that was meant to protect her was now the cause of her suffering and causing her the most harm.

"Hahaha," I couldn't help but to laugh once more. 'Oh the irony, how cruel and genius your sense of humor is,' I thought as I wiped sweat off of my brow with the back of my forearm, careful not to smear the blood that gloved my hands up to my wrist onto my face.

Her clothes ripped apart for me to see all the blue and black marks my fists helped make brought about this rush of elation I couldn't fully describe. This. Seeing her like this was the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. How would one describe her? Being in this very state. What would it be called?

"Broken?" The word came natural to me. Yes. She was broken. Even her very body: Her arms and legs bent in various directions. Her ribs and skull caved in all over. Her shoulders, feet, even her back were all broken. It was inevitable. If hit enough times with enough force over a prolonged period of time, anything will ultimately...Break. I made an effort to inflict as much pain on her to the very best of my knowledge. It may not be perfect to some. But I found great satisfaction in dealing it. It was mine. "𝑺𝑯𝑬" was mine. To do with as I wished. And that exactly is what I did. I had...Fun. And it brought a smile to my face. One that instilled fear in hers.

"Oh! That reminds me," I leaned even closer to her face. To which she rightfully so attempted to back away due to me having a history of constantly biting chunks off her ears. Keyword attempted. Kind of difficult to move far when one is paralyzed from the neck down. "Hehe. I don't even know your name."

And with that being said I pressed my knee into her gut bringing forth her groans of discomfort from being forced to breathe using her chest instead of her diaphragm. I knew that it would cause her to cough more and slowly suffocate to death. It is because I knew it would happen that I did it. It reminded me of the puppet plays my family used to go see at the festivals. It was a show. And I simply watched as the time drew on. Ten seconds. Thirty Seconds. Two minutes. By now I had wanted her to have a harder time breathing. So I straddled her chest and took her throat in my hands. Ever so slightly, every few seconds I would begin to squeeze. Three minutes went by. Four minutes. Five minutes gone by and she was hacking for breath that wouldn't come. Her single functioning eye pure bloodshot as she fought to take in air. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing on edge. Sweat was dripping down my back. My heart beat was soaring as I was face to face with her watching the climax as the vessels in her head and neck bulged. Her face that was bright pink red was now taking on the hue of purple and dark blue. The pulse I could feel under my palms and on my fingertips began to slow to a crawling halt. She was dying. I could feel her dying!

Her chest refused to rise underneath my weight. Her heart had finally stopped. I stared into her pupil as I witnessed it slowly dilate. In them I could swear I was able to see my reflection in them. A crazed grin was plastered on its face with tears and blood caked all over. Then before I could look away my reflection took on the form of Fama. With the same exact crazed grin looking down on me. His hands were tightened around my neck. My face felt bruised and I couldn't breathe. I tried my best to pry him off but his grip steadily got tighter. Kicking my knees into his back I found my vision going blurred. I didn't have much time left. I knew if I didn't make him let go I would die. I threw my hands around trying to strike him, force him to let go. But it was no use, the idea of finding something to hit him off wiggled into my mind. So with my nails on one hand I dug them into his fists and the other I fished around trying to grab a hold of something. Anything.

With my fingers I searched until they stumbled onto a flat cold piece. With a sharp quick motion I brought it up trying to hit it across his arm to let me go. Instead it cut into his throat. The result wasn't immediate, I felt something splash down onto my face. A second later the grip vanished off my neck bringing in fresh air into my lungs. And with it my vision also cleared up to where I could open my eyes and see. Above me was a Fama that looked down on me with a hollow smile as he yanked out the glass shard making his blood gush out down onto me and the floor. He was leaning off to the side more and more. Before he could hit the ground I caught him by his rag of a shirt. Firmly pressing my palm on top his wound I tried my best to stop the profuse bleeding. But it was to no avail. The horror to what I have done finally sinking in. The regret and feeling of not knowing what to do. I couldn't stop it as I heard him gargle for breath, drowning in his own blood. Blood that I shed.

"....Ghugh!.....Forgive....Me [Hatàn]." He gripped my forearm.

The large burden of shame hit me. To know that this was my fault landed on my shoulders and there was no way I could take this back.

"Forgive me...Fama. I...I am sorry." My tears fell on his neck as my grip tightened on his shirt, his face grew paler by the second. He smiled as though all of this was a lie and within a split half of a micro second his arm went limp.

But this time, before it hit the floor, I caught it within my own.

{Do you see now?} A voice I hadn't heard for a long time called over my shoulder.

"Yes. I finally remember." I whispered laying Famas hands across his chest folded over one another.

{Have you learned anything, young lord?}

"Much. There is much that I have learned." I closely inspected my hands as I was crouched beside the corpse of my cousin. Taking in the burden I was forever cursed to carry to my grave. I didn't want to miss a single detail. To not do so would be disrespectful of me, to my family. I must never forget such a thing in the future. Ever again.

{Would you like to tell me something that has stood out to you? Something that has stuck with you throughout this ordeal, perhaps?} The curious tone didn't reflect the gruesome sight in which we were both present. It spoke volumes as to how much death and destruction Shifu was used to after all his years of living. I never considered it before until now. But his words struck a cord with me.

"Something that has stuck...." I mumbled taking the time to fully stand. "Yes, I suppose there has." I turned to him as he stood next to me with his hands clasped behind his waist and his shoulders pulled back. He stood tall. Like a soldier. A master of death that has perfected it down to the smallest minute detail. "Applied Knowledge is Power."

{Hm. And what knowledge shall you apply to assist you in this life young lord?}

"The weight of the name of Bàolì is not just a name. It is more than a birthright. I must by any means necessary right my wrongs. My sin will forever haunt me, but I can take solace in knowing I have my entire life to take vengeance on those that has subjected me to such torments. I will steal, I will kill any who gets in my way of vengeance. This I swear by my name [Lao Hatàn Bàoli]," I proclaimed never breaking eye contact with him.

After a while he nodded and pressed two fingers above my brows. [Then it seems to me my young lord that...you are at long last, finally ready.]

~~!!!!!!PHSHHYOOOM!!!!!!~~