Mei Turning Red

Meilin Lee was a fun filled, at the same time responsible thirteen year old girl. She had  a plumpy face with round eyes and black hair. Mei loves to play flute, cuddle pet animals and help her mom in making dumplings. She had three best friends Priya, Abby, Miriyam. Mei loved 4 town band (like BTS, our latest favorite).

Mei along with her parents Jin and Ming took care of their ancestor’s holy temple. The temple of Sun Yee - guardian of Red Panda.

One night, Mei had a nightmare two angry red pandas ran out of their holy temple came towards her. The next morning when she woke up and saw herself in the mirror she had turned into a giant red panda. Mei had an enormous furry body with a big tail. Her hands had changed into two black furry cushions with claws.

Mei tried to hide herself in the bathroom behind the shower curtains before her parents could see the new her. Her mom Ming called out for her as it was late to school. Before her mom finds, she swiftly went into her room and calmed herself. All of a sudden she changed into the normal human form but her hair changed red.

Somehow she covered her hair with a woolen cap and left the home.

Back in the school, she was happy that no one noticed her until Tyler from Grade 7 found Mei’s red hair which was out of the cap. He shouted and teased her in front of everyone. Mei got angry and her panda tail came out of her back. She hid the tail with her school bag and sat in the class quietly.

When she again heard the boys teasing her for her hair, she became very angry and turned into a big red panda. Embarrassed Panda Mei ran out of class didn’t know how to hide herself. She broke out and started climbing the building. Her best friends Abby, Miriyam and Priya were shocked to see their friend Mei as a red panda.

Meanwhile Mei’s mom, Ming, was driving the car for work. She saw the red panda which was climbing the tallest building.

Ming knew that it was her daughter transformed into a red panda. Ming got the attention of Panda Mei and asked her to come home.

In home Ming told the secret that Sun Yee and the women from their family can turn themselves into a Red Panda, it’s their special power. To transform back into human, a ritual should be performed on a red moon day where the power will be sealed into a stone in the pendant and can be worn by them.

The next day Mei’s three friends came home to check on her and also plan to go to 4 Town concert which was about to happen in the city. Seeing Panda Mei they hugged and cheered her. Priya, Miriyam and Abby accepted Mei as she was. All of sudden Mei again turned into human. They all now knew that Mei could control her power of turning on and off the Panda.

Mei even showed her parents how she stay calm and control her powers. But her mom didn’t permit her for the concert. Mei and her friends had secretly planned to buy the tickets. But they needed money. 

Two girls from the school gave an idea of using Panda Mei as a Panda Tout. It worked. They collected money through selling panda hair bands, panda T-shirts, Panda high striker game and take a selfie with Panda.

A new problem arose. The 4 town concert was the same night the red moon ritual was set up for.

On the night of Red moon, her grannies and aunties formed a circle around Mei and started chanting the prayers in the holy temple. The whole place lit with a different spiritual light caused by the holy prayers. Mei was floating in air and the smoke filled the temple.

Amongst the smoke Panda Mei was standing there near the temple’s gate with a glorious glow on her.

She pushed her mom to the floor. When Ming flew on the floor, she broke her stone pendant. Unknowing what happened to her mom, Mei ran out shouting “Mom, I am going to the concert”.

Mei along with her friends cheered the 4 Towns boys, “Hip Hip Hurray! 4 Town! 4 Town! 4 Town!”

In the midst of the performance a big red panda appeared. Much bigger than Mei’s panda form. It was Mei’s mom Ming. She transformed into a Panda as her stone in the pendant was broken. Mei Panda and Ming panda fought.

Meanwhile the crowd ran out of the stadium seeing the pandas. Mei’s grannies and aunts arrived at the stadium to perform the ritual and to transform both Mei and Ming into human form. When all the ladies broke their stones, they turned into red pandas and an astral realm formed with a vertical mirror. Ming went through the mirror turning her into human form. When it was Mei’s turn, she refused. She wanted to remain as red panda and enjoy her life with her family and friends forever.

Ming accepted Mei’s decision and was proud of her for being her true self.