Hello everyone! Because I cannot continue with my main story, "the return of Lord Shen" for a while, I am giving you this short story. Enjoy.
Chapter One
"PO! keep up!"
Tigress did not mean to sound so harsh, but she was tired, hot, and annoyed. She and the rest of the Five, (along with Po) were on the trail of a supposed kidnapper. It had all started a few weeks ago...
"Master Tigress! Master Tigress!"
Tigress turned, and saw a female bunny, obviously in great distress, heading her way.
"What is it, ma'am?
"You've got to help me!...M-my children..." The woman stopped to regain control over her emotions, and to catch her breath.
"One of my children are gone! I left him outside to play, and when I came back out, he wasn't there! I thought he had wondered off, but then I found this..."
The woman held up a small card, which Tigress took and read.
"Child bearers, The most historically trusted child-removing service in China! We offer quality service to all our clientele, being a clean alternative to simple kidnapping. If you have questions about our service, just journey to here!"
A small map was drawn on the back of the card, indicating an area on Snow Pire, a large mountain just inside the valley.
Tigress had to wonder what kind of kidnapper left a map behind showing his whereabouts. She turned back to the rabbit.
"Were any of your other children in the yard?"
The rabbit nodded.
"Several of my children were out playing at the time... This just scares me! But only he was gone, he was my youngest child... All his brothers and sisters say that they didn't see anything..."
Tigress leaned down.
"Don't worry. We'll get your child back. I just need to get permission from Master Shifu. Then we will head to your home, and interrogate the children."
"Oh thank you, thank you!" the rabbit exclaimed, "I don't know how I could ever repay you..."
"Don't worry about it." Tigress reassured, "Just wait here for us." She turned, and leaped up the stairs to the jade palace.
Shifu had given her and the rest of the five permission to investigate further. Po had begged and pleaded to be let along, and finally Shifu had given in. They had hurried back to the woman, still standing exactly where Tigress had left her. They had journeyed the short distance to her house, and proceeded to question the children. This was harder than they had thought, as the children were struck dumb by the, (as Po called it) Wow-the-famously-furious-five-are-talking-to-me disease.
"Where were you when the kidnapping occurred, about two hours ago?"
No answer, the child just sat dumbly.
Each child was the same, except for one. The second youngest proved the most talkative.
"I was outside."
Good! Tigress thought, now we can get somewhere.
"Did you see-..." Tigress was interrupted by the little rabbit.
"And I'm glad he's gone! He got all the attention, and I got nuffin'! He stole my place!" The little rabbit was nearly in tears. "He scribbled on all my coloring books and ate ma' crayons! He deserved to be kidnapped!"
The rabbit burst into tears. "It wasn't my fault!"
"Of course it's not your fault." Tigress said, smoothing the child's fur, "you didn't do it. It wasn't your fault."
"Yes it was!" the rabbit sniffed. "I stole the money and paid the man!"
"Wh-what happened?!" Tigress suddenly grew a little harsher. "What man?"
The rabbit burst into tears again. "The man which took my lil' brother! I found him...and I told him to take my brother, and I paid him to do it...and now I feel awful!"
Tigress nodded. She understood. The child had become jealous of her little brother, and had somehow found out about this "Buisness" and had contacted an agent of the "business" to remove her little brother, stealing her parents money to pay the agent. Tigress sighed.
"You paid someone to take your little brother?" she asked.
"Uh huh..." the little rabbit sniffed. Her mother looked on in horror.
Tigress decided to press the child a little. She needed the information.
"Where did you meet this man?"
"I called him by messenger, and he came here..." The child sniffed miserably.
After asking a few more questions, the Furious Five (and Po) took their leave, promising to return soon with the missing child. They were following the instructions on the card, and that was how they ended up on this hot, sweaty mountain. For something called "Snow Pire" it wasn't snowy at all.
They hiked up the mountain for a few more hours, before stopping to take a rest. Or, to be more presise, to give Po a rest. He just couldn't keep hiking like the rest of them could. He sure could still talk, however.
"Crane?" Po asked.
"Yes?" Crane answered.
"Since you deliver babies, shouldn't you like, already know where they all are?"
Crane stiffened. "Er... Well..." he stammered, searching for words, "Traditionally, it is the stork, not the crane which delivers children..."
"Oh..." Po sighed. "So you don't help? What if they get understaffed, then would you deliver some to help out?"
Po snickered to himself evilly. He knew full well where babies came from, but he also knew that the Furious Five somewhat doubted his intelligence...
"Ehhhh... Note I said traditionally. In reality, neither storks nor cranes deliver children." Crane blurted. Oh, please don't let him ask...
"Yeah they do!" Po exclaimed. "If storks don't, where do they come from?" Heh. That should put him on the spots...
So much for that hope... Crane stalled. "Well..., storks don't deliver children, but-..."
Crane was interrupted by a whooshing sound above him. All eyes tuned to the sky, as a large white bird flew overhead. A stork! And... No way! In its beak, the stork carried a bundle...from which a distinctive baby-cry issued forth.
"See!" Po said excitedly, "I told you that storks deliver babies!"
"I dont believe it..." Crane gawked.
They all watched the stork fly a few miles, then land in a cleverly concealed cave. It dissapeard from view.
"What do you make of that?" Mantis asked.
"Hey guys..." Tigress said, "It's just possible we may have found our kidnapper."