The Stuff of Dreams

Dealing with the Past

Po was a lot happier. He visited the grocery store multiple times and saw Monkey keeping things in order. The employees were overjoyed, and the customers seemed to like the change. Even Kai said that the earning from the grocery store had gone up significantly. It was bittersweet for him. While the change was greatly welcomed, its success made him all the more aware that his son had put it in its former predicament. Po told everything to Crane and Tai-Lung after things had cooled down, and the snow leopard showed a small smile at the news. "I'm glad that things are better. You must be excited."

"Yeah, it's the first time in a while that I don't have to worry about Boqin anymore."

"Whatever happened to the secretary?" Crane asked.

"Well, she ended up confessing to Mr. Wang, but he just considered it water under the bridge. It's not really her fault for being entranced." Po joked.

"Well," Mei huffed as she brought the three their food, "I think that she should have had some punishment."

"She didn't know, Sis."

"Still," Mei sighed.

"So, what do you think about the story? Magnum?" Po asked.

Tai-Lung rolled his eyes as he set the tea he sipped down. "I think you need to change the title. Magnum means 'big' but in our culture now, it can mean a big hole, a big gun, or a big-"

"I get it," Po spoke up, sighing, "So what should it be?"

"What is the book about?" Mei asked from the kitchen.

"It's just a book of short stories," Tai-Lung answered, "Of course, these stories aren't really related in any way. I wonder if we can say-"

"Dreams." Po and Tai-Lung looked at Crane. "Call it Dreams. All of the people inside the book are going after something, whether that be a goal, a girl, or a truth. It's about Dreams."

"Dreams. Hmm. I don't think that's it," Po said, "But I think it does give me an idea for another story."

"In either case," Tai-Lung sighed as he stood up, "You're gonna have to make that call for the publisher, the deadline's almost up. And what about your other book?"

"'It Is Well with My Soul'? That one still needs major work," Po said.

Tai-Lung coldly rolled his eyes, "It's gotten all the work that it needs to get. Stop being scared and just do it."

"I'm not scared," Po muttered under his breath as his bird friend chuckled alongside him. "I'll see you later, Mei."

"See you," The panda replied. As Po and Crane walked out the door, Mei finished drying her hands and walked up and down the stairs, giving Tai-Lung his papers back. "Now, Mr. Tai-Lung," She said with a cheery voice, "I managed to fix some of your edits, and I think all of them are complete."

Tai-Lung gave a slight smile, "Thank you, Mei. You've been a great help to me. I hope I'm not too... overbearing."

"Like teasing me with a strip show?" Mei smirked.

"It was not a strip show," The snow leopard lightly growled. The panda smiled as she hummed back to the kitchen but accidentally bumped into one of the bookshelves. "Careful!"

"WHooA!" Mei looked up and saw a small portrait fall. She reached out and caught it in her hand. "Phew. Sorry about that."

"Hmm, that's one thing I would like to have broken," Tai-Lung said. Mei looked at the picture. It was a portrait of Tai-Lung and two other felines that she could only assume were his parents.