"Hey, PO!" Mantis called out. The furious five had just finished training for the day and were now going their separate ways to do what they wanted.
"Yeah, what's up?" Po was thinking of going to his dad's restaurant to help him out if he needed any help.
"Monkey, Crane and me are going to the new tavern that's down the street from your dad's, wanna join us?. We're going to try that new drink, it's called 'The Icy Cannonball'."
Po was not sure if it was a good idea to tag along. He never had taken one sip of alcohol and he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle it. Also he had heard what effects the beverage could do if you drank too much of it, and he was not planning on making a fool out of himself.
"I don't know guys. I've never been one for drinking." Po replied.
Mantis frowned.
"Aw come on Po, what else is there for you to do? Tigress and Viper have their own plans. Hang out with us for a while. Or does the name of the drink intimidate you? Come on, if you could handle Shen's cannonballs, I'm pretty sure you can handle this one." Mantis tried to persuade him. If all else failed he had his secret weapon at the ready.
Po shook his head furiously.
"No! Besides I do have something to do. I can help my dad at the restaurant." Po declined.
"Po, it's going to be really boring if you don't come."
"Nope. I already made up my mind." Po knew there was no force in heaven or on earth that would cause him to change his mind.
"I'll tell you where Monkey keeps his batch of new sugar coated almond cookies."
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Po exclaimed as he started making his way to the Thousand Stairs.
Mantis grinned at his accomplishment.
"That's the spirit Po!" Mantis hopped onto Po's shoulder and Po started walking down the steps.
"So where are Crane and Monkey?" Po asked.
"They're probably already at the tavern. Trust me Po, you'll like it."
"Even if I don't, you still owe me those cookies." Po warned. Mantis nodded. "So tell me more about this drink."
"Well, its said to originate from a weird land, far away to the west. Ugh, I can't remember the name. Anyway, I also heard that instead of a bitter taste, it has a sweet taste. That's all I know." Mantis said.
"Far away land huh? Sounds mysterious." Po mused.
"Yeah but that doesn't matter. What matters it the quality of it. You can buy a bottle of sake that's imported from Japan, but if it has no quality of taste, it might as well be considered crap." Mantis added.
"Uh huh." Po wasn't paying much attention. He never found an interest in the drinking topic. He doesn't even know why people drink that stuff. All he knows is that as soon as he's done, he'll be enjoying a delicious batch of sugar coated almond cookies. Po could feel his mouth water at the thought.
A few minutes later Po and Mantis made it down and started walking in the direction of the tavern. While passing his dad's shop Po looked inside only to see one or two customers finishing their meal.
"See, your dad didn't need help at all." Mantis smugly said.
"Hmm, I wonder where all the villagers are? Usually at this time of the evening the Shop is packed." Po wondered aloud.
"Beats me." Mantis replied.
The duo continued walking and soon saw a large wooden sign hanging from a horizontal wooden pole that read 'Sai's Tavern'.
"Were here." Mantis informed.
"I can read you know." Po said somewhat grumpy.
Po sighed and reluctantly walked to the wooden door of the establishment and pushed it open with one paw. 'I have a weird feeling I'm going to regret this.' he thought in his mind.
When they entered they were really surprised at the number of people that were in here. There were pigs, geese, avians of different kinds, rhinos, gorillas and much more.
"So this is where everyone is." Mantis commented.
"Even some that are not from the Valley are here." Po stated.
Anyone that was above drinking age and older was here. Both panda and mantis were brought out of their shock when they saw a wing wave from none other than Crane. They made their way through the crowd of people until they made it to where Monkey and Crane were waiting.
"'Bout time you guys arrived. We've been waiting for ages. I think I've even grown a small beard!" Monkey had to shout over the voices of the other people that were there.
"Yeah, sorry guys we were...delayed." Mantis said as he glanced at Po.
Both Crane and Monkey nodded. They knew Po would be difficult to persuade regarding this, that's why they left Mantis up to it. His persuasion skills were unmatched.
"Alright, everyone is getting the same thing right?" Crane asked. The other three nodded in unison. "Someone find a table where we can sit." he added.
Mantis jumped from Po's shoulder to Monkey's and the two disappeared into the crowd.
"What did you use to get him to come?" Monkey asked once they were out of earshot.
"Told him that I would tell him where you hide your sugar coated almond cookies." Mantis answered. Monkey started laughing hard.
"Sugar...hahahaha...coated almond...hahahahahaha...cookies? Hahahahahaha...and he bought it?."
Mantis nodded.
"I thought Po knew that I only like one specific type of cookie recipe? Why would I change up the recipe?" Monkey asked.
"Well when it comes to food, you could tell Po that the Emperor's living quarters is made out of moon cakes and he would believe it and do anything to see it."
"True that."
Po and Crane appeared out of the crowd. Po was carrying a wooden tray that had four ceramic cups and a jug. He placed the tray on the table and took a seat. Each one took his own cup and held it it his hand.
Po was looking at the liquid in his cup with a disgusted face. He sure hated the smell that emanated from it.
"Okay. You guys ready for this?" Mantis asked. Everyone nodded eagerly except Po, he nodded nervously.
"On three. Oneee...twoooo...THREEEE!" All four of them brought the cups to their mouths and jugged the liquid down.
When he was finished swallowing the liquid, Po's eyes shot open.
"That...was...AWESOME!" he shouted. Some villagers that were surprised at the noise turned to look but turned away just as fast when they saw nothing but a group of Masters enjoying their evening. "Now I see why they call it 'Icy Cannonball'. Because it feels cool going down your throat but it has a powerful flavor. Wow I've never tasted something this sweet." Po rambled. "Can I have another cup?"
Crane, Mantis and Monkey smirked.
"Sure." Monkey poured more of the beverage into each cup. "Okay. Again. One...Two...THREE!"
This time Po finished his cup first and slammed it on the table.
"Aahh! It gets your throat colder." He said.
Time passed as they were enjoying each cup they downed. What Po didn't know was that the sweeter the beverage, the faster you get drunk. It was starting to show after the sixth cup each had drank.
"Yeh, I luv dis." Po slurred.
"Hey, we should doo a constest tooo see who can drink more before the throat freezezz." Mantis spoke, he too was under the 'effect'. All of them were.
"Is not constest, its contest dummy." Crane corrected. He was trying to remain sound of mind, but he too was fighting a loosing battle.
"How do you know who winss?" Monkey asked clearly inebriated.
"Simple. The one who does not loose winzz." Po's reasoning wasn't that good to start off with, it's much worse now that he is under the effect of the intoxicating beverage.
"A'ight." Crane filled the cups again until there was no more left in the jug. "After this round we'll need a defill."
"It's refill, craniac." Po said.
"Whateva." Crane retorted. They were about to chug down their seventh cup until Po interrupted.
"Hold on...hold on!...HOLD ON!" Po exclaimed as he gripped the side of the table.
"TO WHAT?" The others shouted.
"Wait...why?" Mantis asked perplexed.
"THE FRICKING ROOM IS MOVING!" Po shouted.
This time not many people payed attention since most were clearly drunk too.
"Now I think you be drunk." Monkey grinned.
"I ain't drunk cause I'm still awake." Po defended on his behalf.
"Lets just drink this cup before it gets cold." Crane said. The others awkwardly nodded.
"One...THREE!" Again, Po was the one who downed it first.
"Wait! I think you missed poor lil' ol' number two." Po realized.
"Two late. There, happy now!?" Crane exclaimed.
Po nodded. He was starting to move around in his seat. After a while he decided to stand up and stumbled over to a row of empty barrels. He looked at each barrel, then started examining the one in front of him.
"HEY! WHO DOES THIS BARREL BELONG TO?" Po called out.
"Why?" Mantis asked from the table. Po looked from the barrel to Mantis.
"I need to...relieve myself!"
Mantis, Monkey and Crane started cracking up. Some, Monkey and Crane, fell from their seats to the floor.
Po just stood there, slightly swaying, as he wondered what he had said that was so funny. He thought it would be better to relive himself some other time, so Po started walking towards the table his friends were at, until he bumped into a golden fur colored gorilla. Po looked up at the gorilla and his eyes widened.
"Monkey!? MONKEY!? WHAT THE HECK MAN, HOW DID YOU GET SO BIG!? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING!? HOLY CRAP!"
"Po, I be over here." Monkey was laughing as he called.
Po looked between Monkey and the Gorilla a few times.
"Sorry Monkey, my friend Monkey is calling me." Po said to the gorilla.
"Come on big boy. Lets get you to the Palace." Crane stated when Po reached the table.
Crane and Monkey stood from the floor and placed themselves on each side of Po. Instead of supporting Po they were leaning on him. The three headed over to the door and tried to go out all at the same time.
"Move over a little would ya?" Crane pushed at Po.
"Suck in your gut Po." Monkey tipped.
Mantis who was still on the table saw their predicament and decided to 'help'. He leaped from the table and extended his insect feet. When he made contact with Po's back, the panda was launched clear across the street crashing into a house and making a hole in the wall.
"Oh boy, now you've done it Mantis." Monkey said.
Po stood up, swayed out of the new hole in the house and he looked back at the hole.
"Guys have you seen this whole before? I think its new cause I haven't seen it before."
The three chuckled.
"Hey, you know what we should do? We should make a campfire atop the Hall of Warthogs."
"You mean Hall of Warrions." Monkey said.
"No, its the Hall of Warriors. You guys are so wasted." Mantis corrected.
"Speak for yourself little green man."
Mantis face became one of fury.
"Did you just call me little?"
"No?" Po's face showed fear.
Back inside the tavern, a pair of orange orbs showed from a darker corner. A orang.e and black hand was seen as the figure lifted the cup to drink.
Tigress shook her head. She had seen everything that just happed. To be honest, for her it was entertaining. She had come to try some of the new drink they brought, and she was now to her fifth cup.
"Seems like they can't handle it. Heh, we beat them. Right, Viper?" Tigress looked to the other side of the table to where the snake was supposed to be, but she wasn't there. "Viper?" she looked around until she heard a yell.
"OH MY GOSH, MONKEY!? HOW THE HECK DID YOU GROW SO FAST?" Viper screamed.
Tigress saw her shouting to the same gorilla PO had confused Monkey with and she facepalmed. "Seriously?"
The next morning...
"Ugh, what a headache." Po grunted as he got up and clutched his head.
Shifu slammed the doors wide open making Po jump back in surprise.
"PANDA!" Shifu bellowed.
"Master Shifu!" Po bowed.
"Come with me! Now!"
Po knew when Shifu was angry and right now he was furious. There's a big difference.
Shifu lead Po to the Hall of Warriors and both entered. Once inside Po saw pieces of the roof on the floor. He looked up to see a hole in it with scorch marks around it, meaning fire was the cause of the damage.
"What happened?" Po asked. Shifu raised an eyebrow.
"Someone decided to make a campfire on the roof." Shifu explained.
"Wow. Who would be stupid enough to do that?" Po chuckled.
"I'm looking right at him." Shifu's tone was dead serious.
Po's memory from last night started coming back. A fearful expression started to appear on his face on his face. 'Oh crap. I'm in serious trouble.' Po thought.
Po came out of the Hall of Warriors sometime later. "Great, Now I have to clean the whole Palace grounds for a whole month."
He saw Mantis and when Mantis saw him, he tried to avoid Po.
"No you don't." He began to chase the insect.
"Sorry Po! I lied about the cookies." Mantis confessed as he tried to gain distance from the panda.
"WHAT? YOUR A DEAD INSECT!" Po fumed.
And that's how it was the whole day, panda chasing insect.