Babu's Past

It was eight years ago when I found myself lost in an unknown forest. All I can remember is the overwhelming fear that consumed me as I cried like a baby in this unfamiliar place. The eerie silence of the forest only amplified my cries, attracting the attention of nearby creatures.

As time passed, I grew increasingly hungry and cold. Alone and helpless in this vast wilderness, I feared for my life. My cries grew louder as I heard the howls of wolves drawing closer.

I closed my eyes for just a moment and when I opened them again, I found myself surrounded by a pack of wolves. As they inched closer, my cries grew louder and more desperate. The distance between us was close enough for them to attack but not too close.

As I cried helplessly, the pack of wolves lunged toward me. At that moment, a black wolf darted between them and snatched me up with his teeth. He didn't bite me but instead carried me away from the hungry pack.

The black wolf was fast and strong. Despite my weight, he carried me effortlessly and continued to run without slowing down. We ran until we reached a small town where he gently placed me in a corner. He looked into my eyes for a brief moment before running off into the night.

The town was quiet as it was late at night. But the black wolf's howl stirred a few people from their slumber and drew the attention of the other wolves. As they chased after him, I was left alone once again.

Just as I was about to cry out in despair, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. My cries had attracted the attention of a human who had come to investigate. He walked slowly towards me and when he saw me, he lifted me up and looked into my eyes.

For the first time in my life, I saw kindness in someone's eyes. The man smiled at me and I couldn't help but laugh in response. It was as if I had never seen a smile before.

When no one came to claim me, the kind man took me on his back and brought me to his home. That's how I met my master and became his pupil. We spent many years together as I learned and grew under his guidance.

As a panda, I matured quickly compared to humans. Eight years for them was equivalent to just two years for me. But age wasn't the problem. As time passed, people began to see me as strange and different. My peers would tease me instead of playing with me.

I never told my master about the bullying because I didn't want to upset him. Whenever he asked, I would lie and tell him that everything was fine and that I got along well with the other children.

But things changed when I met two young children - a boy named Zeru and a girl named Nitu. Zeru was taller with black hair while Nitu was shorter with red hair. They were both younger than me but they were always kind and accepting.

We spent most of our days together, making the most of our time. Eventually, my master discovered that Zeru and Nitu were orphans. He saw how well we got along and didn't want to separate us so he adopted them for our sake.

Our family was growing and for the first time in my life, I had a warm home filled with love and companionship. Master Yix taught all three of us about herbs and I thought my life would continue to be happy and content.

But things took an unexpected turn when I entered my teenage years. Master Yix had been badly wounded in a battle and it became difficult for us to make ends meet. Despite our shared lineage, we needed money to survive in this world.

So I began to do odd jobs around town with Zeru and Nitu. While they were able to find work easily, I was shunned by society because of false rumors that had spread about me. After much searching, I finally found a job that would take me but it was far from ideal.

I was hired to fight in a ring for money. At first, I refused but my body was well-suited for the task and I couldn't stand by while everyone else worked to support our family. So I agreed and began fighting for money.

I felt like I was betraying myself and everything that Master Yix had taught me but we needed the money. After a few easy fights with only minor injuries, I made a decent profit. I didn't want to continue fighting but for a short time, it provided us with the means to survive.

Not everyone in the town was of the Cronus lineage and those who fought for money were often considered outcasts or degenerates. By participating in these fights, I was breaking the rules of my lineage. The Cronus code stated that anyone who used their power and training for personal gain or pleasure would be expelled from both the town and the lineage.

With this in mind, I moved secretly through the alleys to avoid being caught. But my luck ran out when I was confronted by Adreon - a boy who had always caused trouble for me. Despite being of the Cronus bloodline, he was a troublemaker.

I tried to ignore him and continue on my way but he blocked my path and taunted me. "Look who it is," he sneered. "Our little Joon."

"Get out of my way, Adreon," I replied. "I have nothing against you."

"But I have something against you," he retorted. "What's in the bag?"

"Nothing," I lied.

"Don't play dumb with me," he said. "I know you've been fighting for money even though it's forbidden. And I'm going to tell the council. But if you're a good boy and give me that money, we can keep this between us."

"You must be joking," I said incredulously.

"Children, come on out," Adreon called to his friends.

Suddenly I found myself surrounded by Adreon's friends - just like when I was a baby surrounded by wolves. But this time I wasn't going to let them scare me. At Adreon's signal, they charged toward me, but I fought back and in a few minutes I knocked them all down.

In the heat of the moment, I even broke Adreon's arm, but then things took a turn for the worse. Adreon's father was a member of the council and it didn't take them long to find out what I had done.

I knew I had caused a lot of trouble and there was no way to shift the blame onto someone else. It was best for everyone if I left the town and the Cronus clan behind. So I left the money I had earned at Master Yix's house and packed a few things before setting off.

As I neared the exit of the town, someone stopped me. It was Master Yix. He knew about my suffering and struggles, but there was nothing he could do to change things. Unless we did something extraordinary, we were just ordinary outcasts in the eyes of society.

Master Yix did not try to stop me from leaving. Instead, he spoke to me with kindness and understanding. "So you are leaving town," he said.

"I'm sorry, Master," I replied, "I didn't mean to embarrass you further. You have given me a sense of family that I never had before, and I can never repay you for that."

"Nothing is gained without something being sacrificed," he said. "A man I loved said those words to me and from that day on my life changed. I fought for justice and honor and now I tell you to do good for others as I have done for you. No matter how bad the world seems, keep fighting, Babu."

"Babu?" I asked in surprise.

"Juillon was the second name I gave you," he explained. "Your first name is Babu."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Babu means someone who is optimistic and strong," Master Yix explained. "It was also the name of our first leader and the founder of our lineage."

"I'll do my best, Master," I promised.

"I trust you," he said. "And don't worry about Zeru and Nitu. I'll take care of them. Just be good and do what's right."

"Thank you, Master," I said before turning to leave.

I never looked back as I set off on my journey. I went on many adventures and helped countless people along the way. I even spent six months trapped in a mine before finally being rescued. And now, I'm back to continue fighting for my cause.