*bows low* This review has been a long time coming, I admit. My fault entirely for not putting this on Story Alert :( That, and still being completely busy... Anyways, I figured that since I missed reviewing the last five or six chapters or so (*cringes*), I'd write a nice LONG one!

First off, let me say that your rendition of Tai Lung and the inner workings of what transpired in the movie is probably the best I've ever read, notwithstanding the works of nievelion. You pretty much cover all sides of the story, and in that regard, you've turned these characters into genuinely realistic people we've come to care about. It's nothing short of incredible how you've built up Tai Lung's eventual downfall, and also how you've shown how it's the sum of different events that lead into his becoming the "villain". It wasn't just because he was proud and arrogant (which he was) or that Shifu deprived him of the approval he so sought after (which he did); it was the combination of those two events that lead to it.

So, in a nutshell, it was both their faults and you've shown in no uncertain terms how they've both suffered for it. On that note, you are so incredibly skilled in weaving together a serialized epic that I'm just in awe. It's seriously like watching a great TV show ( like Heroes season 1 or Chuck), where details that were shown in the previous chapters have some significance in the upcoming storylines, without resorting to the cheap 'red-herring'. The best example I could think of was the reason for Shifu treating Tai as nothing more than a student; you seamlessly weave the original, admittedly simple canon of the events that transpired in the movie, and your own, much deeper and richer canon. You've made Shifu from a mean old man to an unsure father who made some very bad decisions and Tai Lung from a power hungry monster to a much more sympathetic character.

Next, I'd like to commend you for writing one of the most convincing TigressXPo romances I've ever read; you, my friend, have single-handedly made a believer out of me ;) Their interactions were sweet and funny, but never out of character, so I always felt incredibly satisfied after reading.

Finally, I'm not going to spoil the ending to those haven't read, but you've proven your mastery of "The Twist", more commonly known as the "mind-f**k". Seriously, the ones you've included (in the final chapter most especially) would give the entire writing staff of Lost headaches for weeks. Even more impressive, they're not twists just for the sake of twists; they were all deliberate, likely planned from the beginning before we even had an inkling of what was about to happen and tie together beautifully with the rest of the story; I could pretty much imagine your satisfied smirk when my jaw dropped after reading a few of them, knowing full-well the effect it would have on us readers. It's one of the most satisfying endings ever for me, and that's including TV shows, movies and books; seriously, probably the best ending ever since the TV show, The Shield.

Allow me to join nievelion in saying that you've pretty much outdone yourself here; "Present" was a great story, no doubt, but "Memoirs" is downright monumental in its scope and sheer *ahem* awesomeness. Great OCs that were so well-developed and organic, an epic storyline and a whole new take on existing characters makes this a must-read for any KFP fan or even fanfiction in general.

Thank you Luna, for this wonderful piece of literature that you've created and poured yourself into, despite the current hardships you are going through. Take care of yourself and always remember, that today is a gift )

Basing on this whole chapter as a whole, I’ll say that you’ve gone and depicted extremely well with the POV thing from scratch based on the movie itself. It isn’t easy to attract your readers to actually pay attention to stuff that’s already happened in the movie, they’d rather see the movie than read it out. However, you’re mind tells us something else. Lol! The description on Shifu’s POV is extremely well done and there’s nothing better than this to tell how good it is.

The best part, of course, would be the Five’s reaction when they’re reading the whole memoirs. Monkey finally got to know who on earth took in almond cookies while he was fighting over Tai Lung. For the record, that was the best ever joke in this whole chapter. I mean, I literally choked with laughter when I read how most of them already knew Monkey’s so call ‘Secret hiding spot’ for his cookies. Yum… :D

The fight on the dumpling is much better than expected and you’ve put in more than what the movie has to offer. Yes, we only see and not hear what happens but here, we get to see both. I mean, like… wow… that’s more than I could bargain for… did Shifu really starved Po to near death (not exactly) during the training? I mean, yeah, he needs motivation and reward but… not giving him anything to eat for a few days means that he wouldn’t have enough strength to go on. Then again, those foods did make him move his fat a$$ to do work.

As I write this review, the next awaits but I’m dying to know some things in the last chapter. I’m so so sorry for not reviewing in early with your final chapter. Geezz… I’ve gone through so much with your story. Seeing it done from the start till the end. It’s so sad but let’s leave it for my review on the final chapter. It may take some time but I’ll get to you ASAP.

Of course, having beta'd this chapter beforehand, most of it is again not new to me. Though I must reiterate: I *knew* Shan was alive, I *knew* Yeying was alive, I *knew* that she had gone back for Shan after she learned his betrayal was due to manipulation and not true evil, and I *knew* the father of Tai Lung was Tai Lee. (The fact Shan was the one who made him an orphan was something suspected but didn't know for sure.) This is not because your story was predictable, but because I knew your characters, how they thought and acted and believed, and it told me what the ending of their intertwined tales had to be.

It made it all the sweeter for me to learn the true ramifications of this: that Yeying must have told Shan the truth about Rong Lang, thus causing him to do all he could to atone for his actions, especially becoming an assassin of the usurper's supporters and eventually killing the wolf himself. (I cheered so loudly when I learned that, and even more when I saw the gruesome details you provided here in the epilogue. Yes, I'm cruel and malicious, but he so deserved it.) I'm still not sure if the atonement was the condition Yeying set in return for sparing Shan's life and nursing him back to health, if she had made him swear to look out for the boy he'd orphaned through the sisters, or if she actually ordered him to kill the emperor. Regardless, it was a wonderful if bittersweet moment. I had already forgiven Shan, but his deathbed confession and reunion with his old friends made me love him all over again, and remember the honorable, kind, good-hearted man he used to be. Requiescat in pace, Zigsa, Xue Shan...

Aside from this, I still have to say the snowball fight scene is one of the funniest things I've ever read from you, period; that the inclusion of the Wu Sisters, inspired as it was by my fic, makes me feel very honored; and that the return of the stuffed panda to Tai Lung was so beautiful, so well-written, and so powerful that it made me cry almost as much as the death of Shang. I can easily say that, as usual, you've done with a short scene and a few words what it took me so many words and a whole long chapter to do: reconcile Shifu and Tai Lung more fully and lovingly and perfectly than I ever could.

When you add this to the new stuff you included, though, particularly the reconciliation with Tigress and Tai Lung...on the one hand, reading that makes me want to address the same thing in "Different Lesson"; I'd already planned to have some of the resentment and bad blood between them flare up, but now I'm thinking I need them to become a true father and daughter too. I even think I know exactly when to do it. Though I know it will pale in comparison to yours, I still have to make the attempt. The way you handled it was so well-wrought and crafted, emotional without being melodramatic. I loved Shifu wanting to be called 'Rat Ba$tard', and Tigress only wanting to call him 'Baba', and especially him calling her by her given name. Pitch perfect.

And speaking of that, your additional final scene of the story. Absolutely, 200% wonderful, Luna. I'll never stop enjoying the banter between Li, Ren, Ochir, and Shifu (I especially loved the bit about 'no cake'). The return of so many call-backs and shout-outs...'damn your eyes', 'Yes'm', 'that's what she said', 'pseudo-erudite cretin'. All of the notes left for Shifu in his memoirs: Tigress and Po both thanking him for not killing the panda, Po calling him bodacious and

awesome, Xian Xin's humble thanks from his 'greatest fan' (it seems he hasn't lost any of his humility and kindness, which only makes me love him even more), the smiley face from Jun...and of course, Tai Lung's message which made me cry hardest of all, all over again. Shifu getting up in arms about Po 'molesting' Tigress and his sleeve accidentally catching fire were, well, the icing on the cake.

So much to love here. I still love and will always love "Present" but I really think you've outdone yourself, Luna. This is an even better story than "Present". It all fits together so perfectly, one might think you planned it all in advance and in detail like I tend to do. :P You can say what you want about "Different Lesson", but I think "Memoirs" is ten times better than it and I always will. I can only be grateful you think my fic even worth reading let alone being allowed to be posted in the same place as yours, and that I could aid you in whatever small ways I could. Thank you so much for writing this...while in one sense, this story ending means I don't have to worry about us accidentally mirroring and influencing each other's writing anymore (for the most part), and I can focus on my work without being distracted by waiting for and reading yours, of course I am also very sad to see it end. But like "Present" I'll surely be reading it again and again. :)

You so deserve the time to rest, recover, and get your life back on track. And while I look forward to your continued assistance with my fic and what you're going to be writing next, in the meantime I can only praise you as highly as everyone else has done and support you in everything you do, here and in the rest of your life. *hugs*

AMAZING! Talk about a surprise! I love Yeying's appearance! And Shifu and Tigress's little heart to heart chat! And the snowball fight! And the whole fic!

Congrats. You just finished one of the best fics of all time!

SD04

Congrats on finishing your best story yet! (Heh, I can't even tell you how ridiculously happy I am that Yeying came back. This chapter was by far the iceing on the proverbial cake, and I'm glad that Shifu had a happy ending.) I'm sorry to see it's all done and over with, I enjoyed reading it very much!

(Sorry for lurking... I like to review after the whole story is done with. It's a habit I need to break.*groans*)

There is only one question I have that you never resolved in your fic: Why did Yeying turn around and go back (in the chapter she supposedly died)? Was she trying to buy time for Shifu and the others to get out of the palace grounds, or was there another reason that you just never got around to writing down?

I applaud the brilliance of how you decided to end this amazing story. Every last issue, every unanswered question, it's all concluded, solved and answered in this chapter. Well, for me it is.

The reunion with Yeying was incredible! I was so excited/shocked/extremely happy when I read this:

"The woman lifted her face, giving both warriors full view of a pair of almond-shaped sky blue eyes; she answered, “Yes, my husband.”

I literally squealed with delight! I mean, dude! It's her! She's back! Oh geez, what a relief and what a happy reunion. Isn't it so great to see people are still so much in love after being apart for so long?

And the aftermath of it all, the publication of his memoirs, the engagement of our favorite Panda and Tiger, Dong Li and Ren! I am so glad that it wasn't Ren or Li dying! And Master Flying Rhino too! It was so great that the friends still have days/months/years/etc. to live, love, and laugh together.

The relation of the Wu sisters and Xue Shan was a shock. I seriously did not see that coming, and the part where it was revealed that he killed Tai Lung's parents was also a huge shock. I REALLY did not see that coming. I was happy to read that he died with no pain; he left in peace. This for me is always a good thing.

Overall, you are truly a master in the art of writing and I must admit that really look up to you. Throughout this story life has been a bitch to you and yet you never gave up. You continued, gave us entertainment, and saved us from boredom. I hope that you get well and hope to see more of your work! You are an inspiration to us all.

Thank you

Hi! It's over? Too bad... these weekly updates were the most looked forward to things in my life, after a week of school. But...wow! What an ending! It really, really surprised me when Yeyng showed up again, but in a really good, happy way. And the snowball fight was funny! Poor Shifu got pelted with snowballs, LOL! But...the Wu Sisters! That SHOCKED me! But you make it flow right into the storyline if your story, and into the movie/games. You are amazing. I quit reading Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, the Silmarillion, and Twilight for this, in the name of heaven! Can I e-mail this to myself so I can read it on my iPod w/o WI-Fi? I'd ask to print, but cnsidering the length, it would probably be...500 pages? It's too bad that you aren't gonna be working much anymore, but I guess even great writers like you need breaks! Well, outta computer time, cyas!

"place one clenched fist against an open palm in the usual greeting " Master Luna ...

A title such fitting for you... I mean you are of many chosen to guide the masses in fight a common enemy "the boredom time" ..

In fact people like you help us struggle this time of need u8ntil the next movie of the panda is release until 2011..

So the mere thought of you taking a break (in other words recharge batteries) is a blessing to us , because everyone here of your loyal readers will wait for your comeback again and I have no doubts in my mind you will return with a "BLAST".

This story was pretty good. Thought I expected it to end with Tai Lung and Shifu talking face to face.

Wow, what an ending! I think it's awesome that you took all this time to write this fanfiction. I bet it could become part of the movie if you pressed it! (Rated PG-13 of course, lolz!) But wishes aside, this was a wonderful ending! I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved the way the Tai Lung finally got his redemption. Bravo!

wow. now that's an ending where everyone is happy and ends up being friends. Usually, a good story needs someone killed. Well yours is somewhat like that, but everyone gets along well in the end and it's a totally good ending. I like that. I'm still curious to your long break. Will your next big fic be the continuation of this or will you start all over again with a totally new plot.

Glad for yeyings return and shifu and tigress getting along and the wu sisters (which I actually learned from watching a sample of the game in youtube, but you totally gave them a much bigger role here.)

Well, I think I share everyone's thoughts here, but I kinda like it if you continue it. Then again, that would mean a totally new plot and you can't leave the story in happily ever after for so long or it will totally get boring, but somehow, if you did continue it, I get the feeling you won't disappoint.

It's still up to you though. No one is forcing you and you could totally start a new plot again. I dunno. I think we all totally fell in love with your OCs. Final words. Good luck to whatever you're doing. With your personal troubles, hope they get fixed. And may you enjoy your temporary break to which when you go back to the writing scene, you'll give us an even spankin' new story D.

it was a good idea to bring Yeying back. Now I like this story again. I love happy endings. I hope to se you in another story soon. untill then, bye for now.

Oh, wow! This is the MOST PERFECT ending that I had ever seen! It is so beautiful and it almost bring me tears (sobbing, I didn't cry!)! You had done a totally awesome and great and marvelous job!

To conclude, best fanfic I've ever seen. Best ending and you deserve to be the best author and the best idea around this site.

I've been following this story for a while now and am very pleased to say that I will be adding this to my fav's! You should be very proud of this, it would make for an excellent movie if the time were ever to arise. Well done!

*clap clap* Whoo Hoo!~~!

This was so good! Yeying came back

A happy ending, except Shan dieing, but other than that, happy.

Good job on finishing, but you know...I never did get the joke 'That's what she said'.

But anyway, I loved it