Back with another chapter, enjoy. Took me long enough, life issues aside the fact I'm trying to work on my other unfinished stories, lots to do yet.

I admit I've given priority to A Change of Heart mostly because it's an unexplored plot and, honestly, I was a bit tired of keeping writing over the same story for so long. I intend to complete the first part of Forgotten Hope soon, but then a sequel might come way later.

My deepest apologies for keeping so many people waiting this long for the updates. I made promises that I failed to accomplish, for now I'll try my best to, at least, make all this effort worthy and finish the first part once and for all.

The Assassin of Xion;

Thanks! I'm glad to see you again! :) It's been a long time...

TheWhisperingWarrior;

Yeah, kinda like that. :P things will clear out a bit more soon. Glad to see you again btw.

Minutes went by as Shen stood calmly over the table while keeping a rather chilling stare over Crane, the waterfowl grew uncomfortable as time went by. Mei Ling was by their side while exchanging glances with Crane one time or another, she was intrigued of what made Shen to act so much like...his previous self.

"Hum..." Crane wondered of what to say to ease the mood. "...so what were you two doing during the morning?"

Shen's gaze hardened considerably which made the other avian quickly regret saying anything.

"We'll discuss about it another time perhaps. For now we should just focus on what matters," The peacock said while checking for any signs of Ryuu returning with his mother.

"Shen, just tell us what this is about, you don't have to be like that. We're your friends," Mei Ling felt really uneasy with the sudden coldness in the room.

"I would, but things would get...complicated," Shen said rather hesitantly. Crane snorted.

"Things are always complicated, no need to make secrecy."

For a moment Crane would've sworn he saw a red glow going past the peacock's eyes. A glow he saw the first time he meet Shen, and it was a sign of danger.

"Exactly."

After few more tense minutes Crane's brother and his mother went into the room. Miss Jien seemed a bit pale while sitting at the table. her eyes locking over the peacock's form.

"So...what this is all about?" Ryuu asked, being bothered for having to move his mother around on her weak state.

"This is about what happened in our past, whether good or bad is now irrelevant, the true must be brought to light, it might help ease the pain you've been through," Shen said firmly while looking at Crane's family. Mei Ling, Po and Paol eyed each other severely, not sure of how much good would come out of it, if any.

"You want to talk about what happened with my father?" Crane asked, his voice a bit dry. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Don't you wish to know the same?" Shen asked while crossing his wings inside his robe. Crane stared doubtfully at him, his eyes going from the peacock to his mother and, very occasionally, his brother.

"I do, but mo-

"Your mother won't have to say much, she knows exactly what happened after I left," At this Shen stared straight at her. "Isn't that right?"

Miss Jien weakly nodded while avoiding the peacock's stare, she seemed extremely nauseated.

"After you left?" Crane felt enraged by a sudden suspicion. "You actually remember!" Shen slowly halted his wing for Crane to calm down.

"Very recently yes, forgive me if it was just moments ago that the memory became alive again," The peacock said with a touch of irony. Crane was deeply mad but restrained himself from saying anything else. "Now we must see if our story has a connection, one that will bring us the truth about what happened."

"My mother can't talk much. She really could use some rest," Ryuu informed severely while keeping at her side.

"She would be much better had you not drugged her," Shen remarked pointedly while fixing his eyes over the other crane. Master Crane's eyes went wide open, the others around him gasped slightly while wondering if that was true.

"Ryuu, you actually did that?" Mei Ling seemed petrified while taking closer at Miss Jien's features. Ryuu's beak was slightly open at shock.

"How did you know?" He asked while keeping a wing protectively over his mother. Shen snorted.

"Because she's having serious behavior issues during the short time we've been here, I assume you forgot to drug her after the shocking recent events, isn't that right?" A smirk forming over Shen's face as he stared coldly at Crane's brother.

"She has been in that condition ever since I was a kid. What happened with dad was terrifying for her, but losing my brother just aggravated that beyond what she could handle."

Crane felt a wave of guilt come across him, perhaps if he stayed at home a little longer his mother would've come back and found him.

"So she's being constantly drugged so she doesn't lose it?" Po asked rather calmly while looking at Crane's mother with great concern. Ryuu nodded.

"It's been never this bad, but once I was able to take care of myself I spent most time looking after her to make sure nothing would go wrong, this last night incident was the first time I let it slip,"

"Such is my luck," Shen muttered while playing distractedly with a wooden spoon. Once the boring talk was done he would bring the important subject up again.

"But for how long she'll stay like this?" Crane asked worriedly. "Sure it can't be forever?" Ryuu sighed.

"Yes, it is. It's was only getting worse, I'm intensifying the doses at each year that goes by, but..." He paused, his gaze lost into the nothingness.

"What?" Paol asked fearing the worst.

"This dosage has a limit, once it reaches the limit it's over. More than it should will most likely kill her,"

Crane stood speechless as he watched his younger brother agonizing in front of him. This couldn't be happening.

"So you're saying...she..." The waterfowl couldn't get enough strength to finish that sentence. Ryuu nodded, his eyes still shut.

Shen let out an exasperated sigh. Just great, now it seems Miss Jien was at the verge of dying and there was nothing that could be done about it, as if things weren't bad enough.

"Shen's right, I should've told about this to someone a long time ago, but I rather not have my sons carrying the burden of it," Miss Jien said putting all the strength available for her voice. She eyed the peacock doubtfully, but with a firm nod from Shen she managed to gain enough courage to proceed.

"It was several years ago, back at the province of Cheng Lau….

Flashback…

"This doesn't seem the most traditional robe for such occasions," Miss Liu Jien commented at the clothes she just bought at the latest market.

"Oh, come on Liu, you're always complaining how these robes are so heavy and all, you need to relax about it for a change," Xin Luang retorted playfully at his wife. "Besides I don't see what the big deal with robes is, I never had issues with a decent tunic,"

"Urgh, you and your informal tastes sweetheart, no wonder I have to be concerned about our son's development. You know how hard it's for him to have any friends, making him wear extravagant clothes won't make it any easier for him to socialize," Xin's wife retorted swatting one of her wings gently at his side. He chuckled.

"Hey, now now, take it easy. We don't want for Huang's brother to come into this world with such turbulence, do not push yourself too hard on the exercises, I'm getting tired just of seeing you going around nonstop because clothing and such," He said with a hearty laugh. "Also we're almost at the next village, I heard we can find some nice kitchen equipment aside other extravagant material,"

"I just don't want to go that far, we've went way off from the center, I hate to leave our son alone for so long. We should have brought him with us," She said clearly concerned. Xin rolled his eyes.

"Just don't worry that much, Huang can handle himself for the moment, the faster we get there the sooner we'll be back,"

The road became thicker with several tress at each side of it, it was getting dark as they progressed through it.

"Do you smell that?" Xin suddenly asked as he saw the village's entrance at distance.

"I do, but also I hear a lot of noises," Liu replied as her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness around them.

They had barely taken few steps forward when all of sudden dark figures jumped around them surrounding the couple instantly.

"Oh, look what we have here, two little lost birdies."

The voice came from one of the many wolfs that were advancing towards the bird couple, their swords raised ready to strike. Miss Jien eyed them fearfully as her husband tried to keep her hidden, his wingspan expanding at the sides in a vain attempt to protect his wife.

"Listen, we don't want any trouble, please jus-

"Shut up bird! We've little time to mess around," One of the wolfs growled at him. "Now we can make this the easy way or my favorite way," He added with a devious smirk.

Xin Luang stared alarmed at the wolf, suddenly realizing what they wanted. He tried this best to contain his anxiety while making sure none of them would try to sneak and take his wife.

"What's going on here?"

Another voice spoke, but one much softer yet carried with such coldness that amazed both avians as they stared at the source.

A white-feathered peacock stood at the middle of the road, his ruby eyes studying the wolves surrounding the pair. A deafening silence feel over the group, the extravagant avian stepped slowly towards their direction. The sound of metal clanking echoed through the night, originating from his foot coverings.

"L-Lord Shen!….we….we found these those wandering around at the outskirts, we were just about to take care of them," One of the wolves informed, his voice trembling at nervousness. The peacock stared at him briefly before making his way near the waterfowls.

Xin Luang's face hardened a bit, he wasn't sure if this 'Lord' was actually a man of honor or a man that claim himself as such to his subordinates. The peacock seemed to study them for a second, his eyes fixing for a second longer over Miss Jien.

"I assume none of you knows what happened here," He said though it didn't sound like a question.

"Something happened?" Xin asked clearly surprised by what the peacock said.

Shen remained quiet while observing carefully the male crane, his stare so intense that made Xin grew very uncomfortable.

"You should go home, there's nothing here for any of you, only danger awaits on the path you travel. If you two value your lifes you'll turn around and go back immediately."

"But Lor-

Before the wolf could finish a knife pierced right through his neck. He choked and made gurgling noises while trying to stop the severe bleeding with his both hands. Miss Jien and Xin stood terrified while watching as the wolf slowly died an agonizing death, the peacock standing indifferent while waiting for the wolf stop debating over the floor.

"I would recommend for any of you to NOT question me! I've made myself clear?" He asked fervently while looking around. The silence that followed seemed to satisfy the peacock. "Good, now you two leave for once,"

Xin Luang would've loved to ask more, but after seeing that wolf being murdered without second thought perhaps it was for the best to just disappear. The smell of smoke invaded his nostrils, something was burning and whatever it was already made it's way to the road.

Miss Jien was clearly shook by the sudden events, her wings gripping hard at her husband's shoulders. He winced at the extreme pressure she was doing over him but managed to suppress it.

Slowly their turned around and walked back the way they came, the group of wolves and the peacock watching as the couple left.

End Flasback.

"Wait! So what happened then?!" Both Shen and Crane asked at the same time, they eyed each other with odd looks.

While Crane was anxious to know how even after Shen sparing his parents something went wrong, the peacock wanted to know what could've happened after he spared the waterfowls.

Miss Jien was struggling to keep the story, whatever happened brought her into a past she was too terrified to discuss.

"You can do it mother, please….we need to know," Jien begged as he came closer to her, Ryuu was too stunned to speak as he never heard of this story before. His mother rarely mentioned about his father.

Mei Ling stood along the rest of the group, watching as her boyfriend was mourning over his past along his family. She hated to see Crane like this, and to think that his path was related with Shen's past bothered her to no end.

Sure it wasn't bad as her past, it's not like Crane endured the fact of having the same blood as the Wu Sisters, though that now wasn't really a bother thanks to Helo's sacrifice.

She regrets of treating Helo so poorly, also made her wonder why did Shen never recognize the eagle on the few occasions they have been together, and why Helo never bothered to remind Shen of who he was?

To think that Shen had a direct impact over Crane's and Po's lifes…..how many other lifes were ruined due his actions? It was possible that other members of the Five suffered the same fate?

"What do you think?" A voice asked breaking Mei Ling off of her thoughts. Her eyes feel over Paol, though he wasn't returning the stare.

"How much of a coincidence all this sounds? Or how bad I feel about my boyfriend?" She said with a touch of humor. Paol kept a straight face, obviously taking the situation more seriously than normally he would. Mei Ling sighed heavily.

"I think that it doesn't matter, the past is the past. I totally understand they want to dig this up, it's about his father after all. I would've done the same if it was something regarding my mother, b-

Mei Ling stopped herself, realizing how loud she spoke, she didn't notice how her voice raised all of sudden, being carried away by the emotions that such memories brought to her. She slowly turned her head around, Jien was staring directly at her, his eyes filled with such sympathy that made her embarrassed.

She accused the waterfowl many times of never mentioning about his past, but she also never mentioned anything about her own, the incident involving the revelation about her being a Wu was quite a shock for the waterfowl.

Crane stepped away from his mother and went to the mountain cat's side. His wings extending away from his body and enveloping her into a tight embrace that she did not expect.

"Hum...so...what happened?" Po asked unsure of how to react to anything that was happening. Miss Jien was too busy watching her son and his girlfriend to notice Po's question.

After few more seconds of awkward silence Crane finally let Mei Ling go, the mountain cat with visible tears coming out of her eyes.

"Thank you," She whispered towards Crane. He nodded slightly before turning around.

"We're not over yet, you own me a lot of explanations," Crane said somewhat seriously. Mei Ling chuckled.

"Yeah, sure. I'll give everything you want,"

Crane stumbled a bit while walking away, what the mountain cat just said sounded highly inappropriate to be said in public like that. Poal tried to contain a laugh from escaping his muzzle. Shen raised an eyebrow towards the cat, he seriously believed she said that on purpose, smart as she is the mountain cat probably did that to lighten the mood. A good tactic, even if it sounds...naughty.

"What else can you tell us mother? What happened with our father?" Ryuu said to her beating Crane's intention of asking first.

Crane and Ryuu spent a good part of the morning talking with each other to figure out what they've made of their lifes so far. Ryuu started by explain his role as keeper of the grounds where they have their inn, as also another particular areas. He spent most of his childhood as a farmer, probably going thorught much harder times than when his old brother was a janitor.

It pained Crane to hear how much of an ordeal his young brother went through without a father and a sick mother, the waterfowl couldn't stop wondering how much would've been different if he kept waiting for a bit longer.

Still something really bad might have happened, it took two days for him to leave the house and look for his parents on his own.

It was bad to hear how much pain Ryuu went thorough, but it was even worse to tell his brother of he was. What would Ryuu think about his brother being one the legendary Furious Five?

That event was one he would never forget, perhaps the only time in his life he really blamed himself for his family's fate.