The Berserker Saga reading order:
Daddy-Daughter Issues – One-Shot – Shifu and Tigress have a discussion on the events of KFP2… (Completed)
A Completed Collection – One-Shot – Tigress notices something missing from Po's action figure collection… (Completed)
Father's Day – Two-Parter – Mr. Ping helps teach Shifu to be a better adopted father for Tigress while Tigress goes to Po for help with a gift for Shifu…
Confidence and Courage – multi-chapter – A horrible "accident" shakes Po's confidence in himself and his Kung Fu…
Today is a Gift – multi-chapter – An ancient artifact sends Tigress on an amazing yet horrifying adventure…
Hidden Talents – one shot – Everyone has little things that they can do, things that they enjoy… one member of the Furious Five's will surprise Po the most…
The Claws of the Berserker – multi-chapter – The Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five face their greatest enemy yet, a monster, a Berserker that does not want power, wealth, or rule, but to watch all of China burn… and why is Master Shifu determined to keep Tigress out of the fight?
After the Storm – multi-chapter – the Masters of the Jade Palace and the Valley of Peace try to heal the physical and emotional wounds left by the Berserker…
Father's Day
Chapter 1: Level Zero
Daddy's hands
Were soft and kind when I was crying
Daddy's hands
Were hard as steel when I'd done wrong
Daddy's hands weren't always gentle
But I've come to understand
There was always love
In Daddy's hands…
"Daddy's Hands" – Holly Dunn
A Great Distance from the Valley of Peace
A sagely master entered a small training ground, his green robes blowing around his body as he approached his student. "Master…" the student bowed, placing his one good paw into his braced, long injured fist.
"You've done well and come a great way from how you were when I found you," the Master said, his green eyes staring hard at his student.
"I thank you, Master," he bowed.
"Yet, you have not found your inner peace, not yet," the Master stated, "Complete this mission and I am confident you will not only find your inner peace but your own closure."
"What are your wishes, Master?" the student asked.
"Go, find my son, and protect him," the master instructed.
"Your son…" the student asked awkwardly.
"I have meditated on this highly, my faithful student," the master smiled, "I am certain that you have crossed paths before. Go and find him, and your inner peace will follow."
"Yes, my master," the student said, and without any more delay the snow leopard disappeared into the forest surrounding the temple…
-KFP-
Tigress pushed with all her might, fighting any poor wolf that was unlucky enough to get in her way and try to stop her. But for the first time since she had been named a Master she had lost focus on her surroundings; instead she was tunnel vision on what was happening above her. He was in danger; the stupid Panda didn't listen to her and now was in more danger than he had ever been before. She fought through a large group and made it up the stairs in single bounds. 'Hold on, Po, I'm coming… just hold on!' she screamed in her mind but silently fought wave after wave of wolves.
"Po…" She made it to the top and the Dragon Warrior stood before Shen in his cannon holding only a metal rice pan. "NO!" She screamed as the cannon fired.
"NO!" She gasped loudly as she sat up on her bedroll.
She sat there for a few moments to catch her breath before shakily climbed to her feet. She opened the door and saw that no one was up. She didn't wake anyone…. Good. She silently padded her way across the hall and opened Po's bedroom door. Just for a peek… just to make sure he's ok.
"Po?" She whispered, walking back the case holding the Po and Furious Five action figures. "Po, are you awake?" she whispered, but his back was to her.
She touched his shoulder and he rolled to his back. Her eyes widen and a paw went to her mouth as she saw him. His eyes were open but unseeing; his mouth was wide open, as was the large cannon-ball-sized hole in his chest.
"Tigress!" Tigress's eyes snapped open and she saw Po Viper and Shifu looking down over her.
She gasped and sat up quickly, Shifu and Viper easily got out of the way, but Po took a hit and was sent rolling back out into the hallway.
"Master Tigress, are you alright?" Shifu asked with concern in his voice.
"I'm fine," Tigress said, bowing slightly and awkwardly to her master before climbing to her feet.
"You slept through the gong, Tigress," Viper noted, "That's never happened before…" She said, her eyes going to Tigress's slightly trembling paws.
"I said I'm fine," Tigress said again, adjusting her vest.
"Master Tigress, in the twenty years you have lived here, you have not once overslept," Master Shifu stated with no room for argument in his voice as Po crawled back in rubbing his jaw. "If you have something that needs to be discussed, now would be the time."
Tigress's eyes went around her concerned friends back to her master. Her jaw was set and her crimson eyes narrowed. "There is nothing to be concerned about, Master…"
"This would not be the first time you kept things to yourself, Master Tigress. I am certain you are aware that that, as before, could lead to nothing but trouble…" Shifu said, his jaw set and eyes narrowed. "Students, leave us." He said to the others without taking his eyes away from the tiger before him.
The rest of the Furious Five bowed and left while Po turned toward his master.
"Master Shifu, she had a bad night and a nightmare…" Po tried to defend her. "And like you said, she'd been here forever and never missed the wake up time. A little leeway wouldn't be a bad thing, ya know…"
"Dragon Warrior, this is not your concern," Shifu said, his jaw twitching.
"Kung Fu warriors stick together," Po said, holding his shoulders square and head high. "I've missed the gong more times than I can count anyway, so hit us with your best shot, Master," the panda said, punching his palm and bowing.
"Panda… Po," Tigress said, with a softer tone, "It is appreciated, but this is something between Master Shifu and me. We'll partner up for sparing at the training hall. Now, get out of here."
"You sure?" Po asked with concern in his big eyes.
"Sure, now go, Dragon Warrior," Tigress nodded, and the panda reluctantly left the room, closing the door behind him.
"Loyal to his masters and open with his feelings," Shifu said with a tilt of his head, "You could learn much from him, Mei Ren."
"With all due respect, Master, my name is Tigress now," Tigress said icily. "And when have I shown anything but loyalty to you and my companions?" She growled softly with her eyes flashing slightly. "And I am as open as I was taught to be, Master."
"You still have much to learn, Tigress," Shifu said his temper flaring slightly. "I had hoped this friendship with Po would help you with your hang-ups concerning your strength and misconception of others' views on you. You keep the Five at length and only let the Dragon Warrior in so far. Not trusting your allies will only get you hurt or killed in battle."
"Attachments can be one's strength, but more than likely be used as a weakness," Tigress replied with no emotion, "Your own words, Master."
"Keeping one's friends and family at length is only building one's own prison," Shifu replied, heatedly, "Master Oogway's words."
"And he claimed a blank scroll was the secret to limitless power," Tigress replied with a snarl, "Maybe Po was right when he said he was just a crazy old turtle."
"NEVER speak of Master Oogway like that in my presence again!" Shifu snapped, and Tigress took a step away. "I am only concerned, Tigress. I am your adopted father…"
"You adopted me," Tigress said with a clinched jaw, "You gave me a home here, you taught me everything I know to be a Kung Fu master. That is all."
"Is that really all I am to you, Mei Ren?" Shifu asked, his ears drooping slightly.
"Yes, for the last twenty years," she said, looking him coldly in the eyes, "You are my master and I respect you as such. May I be dismissed to begin my daily training?"
He lowered his head and nodded, "You may be dismissed… tell the others to do their basic sets…"
"Thank you, Master…" Tigress whispered as she walked out of the room, leaning on the door after she closed it, both master and student sharing the same miserable expression at the same time.
-KFP-
"Inner Peace…" Shifu muttered as he sat beneath the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. "Inner… Inner Peace…"
He focused hard and quickly entered a dreamscape. He heard whimpering and opened his eyes to find himself standing at the head of the dormitory hall.
He looked down the hall and saw himself, twenty years younger standing before a bedroom, leaning heavily on a cane. "Tai Lung is gone," the younger Shifu said coldly, ignoring the cries. "Dry your eyes, and go to sleep. We must go on without him. We will continue to train and become stronger. Is that understood, Mei Ren?"
"I asked you a question," younger Shifu pressed in a hard tone.
"Yes… M-Master…" a small voice whimpered from the bedroom.
"Very good, you will be a master, Mei Ren," Younger Shifu said, turning to walk down the hall, "I will not rest till you achieve your goal."
Shifu walked past his younger self and looked in to see the young tiger cub curled into a ball crying. "Mei…" Shifu said, looking apologetic.
"All I ever wanted… all I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me…" Mei Ren looked up, standing to her feet, growing into Master Tigress. "All I ever wanted…" She lifted him by the collar and punched him through the wall.
He shook his head and glanced around finding himself in the destroyed training hall, surrounded by the fallen Furious Five and Dragon Warrior. Tigress stalked toward him, eyes filled with hate, her fangs and claws bared. "Tell me, Shifu? Are you proud of me now? How proud of me are you now?" She asked, pouncing on him, putting her claws to his throat. "Are you proud of me, Baba?" she asked, looking back to a towering, muscular tiger, slightly more built than Tai Lung, in black armor and with shimmering metal claws.
The armored tiger walked up beside them, and removed his helmet; his one eye twinkling in amusement then spoke in an eastern accent. "Hello, old friend. You may be her master… but I am and will always be her father."
Shifu's eyes snapped open and he gasped loudly. He clutched his chest and got to his hands and knees, "You won't have her, Lungri… I won't allow it…" He breathed, climbing to his feet with the help of Oogway's cane.
He walked down from the tree and peaked in to see his students training, focusing his eyes on Tigress who was unusually on the defensive of Po's attack. It seemed something was bothering her. 'Maybe Po can help her… as he helped me…' he thought as he bowed his head. "I am a failure…" He said, referring to his twice attempt at fatherhood.
He turned and made his way down the long steps to the village in the center of the Valley of Peace. He smiled and prepared himself as he approached Mr. Ping's noodle shop. He was relieved to see that business was slow at the time. It was still early, so he guessed he had beaten the lunch time crowd.
Shifu approached the counter watching the old goose wiping down the counter. "Hello, Mr. Ping."
"Master Shifu! Has something happened to my Po?" He asked with his eyes wide in concern.
"No, he's perfectly fine. I was just hoping we could discuss something…" Shifu stated.
"First Master Tigress and now the Grand Master himself! I am so deeply humbled!" Ping gushed.
"Master Tigress?" Shifu asked curiously.
"Yes, yes, she came inquiring some information on my Po," Ping explained, "I am so happy for my son, he's always looked up to Master Tigress from a far, now to have her as a dear friend."
"Yes… I see…" Shifu said awkwardly.
"Anyway, come on in, I still have some time before the customers come," Ping motioned for him into the kitchen, "Come, come!"
"Tigress is such a good young woman," Ping smiled brightly. "I understand she is your adopted daughter, yes? You must be so proud!"
"That's something I wish to speak to you about," Shifu said taking a seat at the table in the back of the kitchen, and Ping followed curiously. "I have come humbly seeking advice."
"What could this old goose know that a sage grand master of Kung Fu not?" Ping asked humbly.
"I must confess I am often times jealous of your relationship with the Dragon Warrior," Shifu said, his ears drooping as he spoke.
"Jealous of me and my Po?" Ping asked, "I am uncertain I understand…"
"You have a bond with Po… one that I do not fully comprehend, nor have I been able to establish with either of my children…" Shifu explained. "You and Po have the perfect father child relationship… while with both Tai Lung and Tigress… I feel I have deeply wronged them."
Shifu's blinked when a bowl of steaming noodles materialized before him, "Eat and talk to Mr. Ping," Ping offered. "I can offer you this much advice, never give your child furniture that they can eat… but I believe that won't help your situation…" He said with a smile.
"I believe I went with one extreme to another with both of them…" Shifu sighed, "With Tai Lung I deeply encouraged him and pushed him to reach for the star… push to push himself till his bones hurt to become the Dragon Warrior… and I blinded myself to the selfishness he was festering… I was so fearful of repeating that mistake with Mei … with Tigress that I didn't show any encouragement at all, I just pushed for harder discipline... I think … I know I was too hard on her…" he looked at Ping, "What is your secret of having such a wonderful child and having the perfect relationship with him?"
Ping laughed and shook his head, "Believe me, Po was not always a wonderful child and we have far from the perfect relationship." Shifu looked at him doubtfully. "Do you remember the day Master Oogway chose my Po to be the Dragon Warrior?"
"How could I forget…" Shifu said, trying to force down the eye twitches.
"Just before that Po and I had another argument," Ping said, "I thought he would grow out of this Kung Fu phase, no offense intended, but I mean really? A kung fu panda?" the old goose shook his head, "despite his love for Kung Fu and the ground Tigress walked upon, he never really had the physique or stamina for basic exercise let alone the intense martial arts training you and your students do every day…"
"I see…" Shifu nodded, "What was the argument about?"
"He told me a lie, he finally told me he had a vision kung fu… he recently told me more details in that he saw himself using the Sword of Heroes fighting a monster in black armor alongside the Furious Five… but at the time he told me he had a dream about noodles, like all great noodle chefs have… Oh I was so overjoyed and proud, I thought he had finally let go of that silly Kung Fu notion and embraced the family tradition of noodles! Then it all exploded… literally…"
"Looking back, I guess he was always meant to come to you, to become the Dragon Warrior," Ping sighed, "I tried for years to stop it but it seemed to only make him more determined, the drive to be a kung fu warrior only became stronger in spite of all I did to stomp it out."
"We often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it," Shifu smiled.
"But Po and I aren't the problem," Ping put his wings together on the table across from Shifu, "Tell me first about you and Tai Lung. You say you encouraged him to become the Dragon Warrior. What happened when he was denied that right by Grand Master Oogway?" Ping asked.
-KFP-
Crane, Mantis, Monkey and Viper left the training hall laughing after the day of intense training. Po stretched his sore muscles beside the nemesis and watched as Tigress wiped down her fur with a towel across the training course. "You wanna talk about it?" Po asked his friend.
"Talk about what?" Tigress asked standing up, draping the small towel across her shoulder.
"Was it the bad dream or was it the chewing out by Shifu that got you all upset?" Po asked softly.
Tigress glanced away and Po walked up and tentatively placed a paw on her arm. "I'd say something like the soft-core do understand, but ya know… it probably wouldn't have the same effect as what you said before…"
She smiled softly, before her eyes darted around slightly in thought. "Po… I could use… some help…"
"Help? Sure, I'm all about help!" Po said, grinning, "If help was-" he was silenced by a glare from the tiger.
"This morning… I did have a nightmare, and I admit I was upset…" Tigress bit her lip. "I might have said some things to Shifu that I didn't mean entirely… just to get away… with Father's Day coming up in a few days I'd like to do something nice for him but … something I've always wanted to do but never been able to learn… I'm not like you Po. I can't say how I feel. I've spent too long training to be strong and silent. I have to show…"
"So what do you need me to do?" He asked honestly.
She smiled at him in a way that made him feel he might have gotten into more than he planned…
-KFP-
"Oh this is going to be sooooo COOOOL!" Po cheered as he stood alone in the kitchen with an awkward Master Tigress. "I can't believe you don't know how to cook! And I get to teach the Great Master Tigress!"
"Po…" Tigress drawled.
"Yeah?"
"Focus."
"Right, right," Po nodded looking over the counter and stove. "If you're doing this for Father's Day we need to do something Epically Awesome, right?" He said, and Tigress started to get a bad feeling.
"Like what?" Tigress asked in an uncharacteristically small voice.
"What else? Secret Ingredient Soup," Po smiled, and Tigress's mouth opened and ears flattened back in horror.
"What? No! I mean… Po, that's a little above my level…" She said glancing around the kitchen, "Can't we do something a little simpler… and safer?"
Po tilted his head, "I know you said you haven't really been able to learn much but what level are you?"
"Why don't we start at … Level Zero?" Tigress nodded with a smile, "That's a good place to start, Level Zero…"
"Master Tigress… there's no such thing as Level Zero," Po smiled brightly, "C'mon show me what you got!"
Ten minutes later Po ran through bellows of smoke outside of the kitchen coughing and waving his paw in front of his face to clear the smoke.
Tigress slowly dragged herself out behind him, her fur and clothing covered in black soot with her left ear on fire. "How'd I do…" she asked miserably.
"Tigress…" He said turning to the pitiful-looking Kung Fu master. "There is now…" He reached up and patted the fire from her ear, "a Level Zero…"
To Be Continued…
Next time… will Mr. Ping help show Shifu how to have a better relationship with Tigress? Will Po be able to teach her how to cook? Will the Jade Palace survive it?