Chapter 9: Keeping in Touch

My dearest Mei,

It's been a while. Sorry it took me a while to write to you. It took a while settling in the Jade Palace. Wish you were here to see it. Hopefully you will some day. It looks amazing. I hope things are well at Lee Da.

Training here has been…interesting. I'm not certain if Master Shifu being strict with his teachings is good or bad. I did have expectations of what kind of teacher Master Shifu would be. But some part of me wished he would relax a little. Oh well. I'm still here after a week, so I must be pleasing him somehow.

On another note, every so often I'd get small meditation sessions with Master Oogway. They're mostly to help me find my center. To find balance in my anger. To channel it into a different direction that will benefit me. To make my weakness into a strength. I've found it to be…most peaceful. Master Oogway says it will help me find my inner peace. So far, it's been working despite feeling a impatient at times. Dare I say a little restless. But it's nothing I can't handle.

Training with the Furious Five has been an interesting experience. Knowing about them on a personal level, that's a different story. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure what to say to them or what friendly manner to approach them as. It felt so much better back at Wang Fu. At least there was no need to feel intimidated back at the village. Not certain how the Valley of Peace will treat me.

Took some time, but the Five did start to warm up to me. It happened one morning during breakfast. I was the first one there until Lady Viper came a few moments later. Her friendly demeanor softened me up a little and I soon began letting my guard down. We talked. I told my story and she told me hers.

I've learned about her father Great Master Viper, the greatest known leader of the Viper Clan and its sole protector. He is well known for his legendary Poison Fang Technique. There was just one problem; Viper was born without fangs. No fangs, no venom. Seeing her father saddened by this, Viper made an attempt to make him smile by performing a ribbon dance for him. It did make him smile, even if it was just a little bit.

Things changed one night during the Moon Festival. While Master Viper was slithering towards the wonton booth, he encountered an armored gorilla bandit. What her father didn't count on, however, was that the bandit wore armor so tough it broke his fangs. Seeing him in trouble, Viper single-handedly took down the bandit with her ribbon dancing skills.

A rather admirable story. It made me smile. Pretty soon, Crane, Monkey and Mantis soon joined us. They told me of their stories as well. Before dabbing in the field of medicine and acupuncture, Mantis was already a protector of the people. He was rather impatient, always jumping to conclusions and making impulsive decisions. One day, it got him in trouble as he found himself captured by surprise by some other crocodile bandits. Not to be confused with the ones you and I faced, I hope. Long story short (too late), Mantis learned to be patient and got himself out the situation with bandits bruised and arrested.

Monkey's story took a turn I didn't expect to happen. He was well-known troublemaker in his village Monkey was a troublemaker who tormented his village, all because of how he was publicly humiliated when he was at a young age. When they asked him to leave, he refused. They then resorted to force, willing to pay anyone who can get rid of Monkey. And yet, he couldn't be put down. That is until, who should appear but, Master Oogway came. He easily defeated Monkey and even saved him from a falling pillar. From that day on, Monkey learned to be compassionate to those who're in need of it as much as him. While also being a prankster in the side. Yesterday, he got me with a prank involving exploding powder. I did not care for it, but it was harmless so I let it go. At least until I can find the right moment to get back at him just to be even.

Anyway, Master Oogway confronted and defeated him, but also saved him from being crushed by a falling pillar. Oogway saw the reason why he acted so, and rather than making him leave the village, the tortoise told him to stay and encouraged him to show compassion for others, treating them the way he wished to be treated.

You've already told me about Crane, although I didn't expect him to be the academy's janitor when you mentioned how he started out before I came along. He seemed to perk up when I mentioned your name. We often talked about our experiences with you at the academy. Me with restraint and him with confidence and a skinny body. Chalks that up to two lives you helped change for the better.

And then there's Master Tigress. I surprisingly know very little about her. All I've been told about her was that she was a student here before either me or the others came. I had thoughts prying, but I thought it best for her to come forth with the whole story when she trusted me enough. It only seemed courteous.

Funny enough, it was by pure fate that the Five came to be. That, or sheer luck. I'd say it was by accident, but Master Oogway did say, and I quote, "there are no accidents". About five years ago when Tigress was still young and training, a brute of a bruiser simply called "Boar" was making his way towards Master Shifu and defeating anyone who got in his way. From what I understand, this brute used nothing more than brute strength to beat them.

Regardless, Shifu himself was prepared until he fell violently ill due to eating some bad food. He made Lady Tigress head to Wang Fu to bring four warriors he needed to fight Boar. But due to "mere accident", she got the wrong scroll and mistook Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis as the masters when really it was our masters from the academy he requested. Heh, talk about coincidence. Long story short, the five managed to defeat Boar and became the Five Masters that you and I both know of today.

It's amazing knowing more about these masters and I look forward to train with them. I do miss you and the others. I'll look forward to seeing you all again someday. Until then, I'll continue to make you all proud.

Sincerely yours,

Kalek

P.S. If there's any way you can ask Miss Chyou for more of her famous bean buns, I'll be more than happy. They're very, very good and I'd love to share them with the others.

Kalek smiled as he set down the ink brush, finally done writing his letter. He did, indeed, miss Mei and the others he made a bond with. Her orange cat eyes always reassured him of the warmth and comfort that he searched for for some time. She believed in him, just the same as it was with Crane.

He rolled up the parchment and looked for Zeng. It was near dawn, a perfect time before waking up for the next day of tough training. He eventually found him at his servant quarters and knocked. He almost forgot how much he towered over the little duck and kneeled down to his level.

"Pardon the intrusion, Mister Zeng," he said. "But if it's not an inconvenience, could you please deliver this to Mei Ling at Lee Da Academy? If now's not a good time, I can come by later at your best convenience."

"Oh, it's no problem at all," said a slightly nervous Zeng as he took the letter from Kalek. He became a little more comfortable with the fierce-looking wolverine, given his politeness. "I just have to check in with Master Shifu first before I can deliver this."

"Whatever you have to do, sir." Kalek offered a friendly grin. "Thank you very much." Both bowed to each other, and Zeng flew off to meet with Shifu. Smiling, Kalek breathed in the cool morning air and exhaled with much vigor. Every day was getting better, and he was going to show the world just that. It was only a matter of time.