Hey, there. Me again. I know, I know, I should be working on Fire and Ice, or Island of the Past, but I couldn't help myself. I tend to have a liking towards surprising, plot-twisted stories, so I decided to kinda attempt something like that. It looks kinda like a shot at an idea for KFP 3, and it sorta is...just with a few little mysteries only I know, and you, dear readers, will have to wait to see. Trust me, this is nothing like Island of the Past.

I've heard people are getting tired of TiPo, and as a fair warning, I'm telling you there might be hints in this fic, but nothing serious. Until maybe the end. For the moment, I've decided to add...hrmm...a bit of competition...well, no more spoilers, I guess. You are free to read.

And free to leave some awesome reviews too; let's not forget that fact.

No, I don't own Kung Fu Panda...just my idea and OC's.

One: Visitors

Mei-Ling had found the amnesiac snow leopard trying to sneak out of the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy after he'd 'accidentally found' around a week's supplies of food rations; she hadn't bothered to ask questions.

The fight hadn't been easy. She had to admit, the fellow feline was pretty good. But in the end, she'd gained the upper hand, or paw, whatever you want to call it, in the heat of the battle and now he was pinned to the floor, face rubbing against snow and yellow eyes slitted. Mei-Ling clutched both his paws in hers and twisted his arms in a painful lock, then she bent over and smirked, "Had enough yet, big guy?"

"Yeah, I'm done." He groaned, voice muffled. Mei-Ling stood and pulled the thief up with her while he shook his head and tried to dust himself off. The mountain cat had sized him up earlier, noticing the shady, tattered cloak he had on and the hood that didn't do much to cover up his face. Mr. Leopard was just a few inches taller than her, and Mei-Ling couldn't tell if he was bulky or well-built because of the brown robe he had on covering his entire body.

"You can have your stupid food back," He sighed, tossing over a lumpy cloth bag that Mei-Ling caught without taking her eyes off the big cat. "It wasn't for me, anyway."

They stood there for a while, unsure of what to do. "Who...who are you?" Mei-Ling finally thought to ask. The leopard hesitated.

"They...they call me Hulong." He admitted, but his tone was unsure.

"Are you from around here? Do you train in some other Kung Fu school?"

Hulong grit his teeth. "I'd rather you not ask." He growled, but relented and answered anyway. "Look, I don't live around here, or anywhere. I...travel a lot. So, no, I don't go to any school."

"Well, you're a good fighter."

"I know."

"Who taught you?"

There was a long pause, and the leopard's dark eyebrow's furrowed. "I...don't know. At least, I don't think I know. I might. I'm..I'm not sure...look, I have to...have to go. Sorry for the misunderstanding."

Mei-Ling watched him walk away, the sack heavy in her paws. "Do you need it?" She asked uncertainly.

Hulong dipped his head, not turning. "Some other's do. They're counting on me to bring something back."

Mei-Ling raised an eyebrow, then walked up and put a reassuring paw on his shoulder. He flinched slightly from the touch, but looked down, which was a mistake.

The mountain cat's caring smile transformed into a snarl and she ripped the cloak of the leopard's shoulders, hood and all. "Tai Lung," she took a step closer to him and balled her hands into ready fists, fur bristling.

"That's what they used to call me," He didn't seem fazed by the intimidating glare and snarl he was recieving. "I don't know if that's who I am anymore."

Mei-Ling ignored the sincerity in his voice. "You're a criminal."

"Maybe I used to be." Tai Lung/Hulong's shoulders dropped nonchalantly. "I can't remember."

Growl ceasing to an abrupt, cut-off stop, Mei-Ling backed away. "I...I can't say I believe you. And I can't let you go free."

She locked her gaze on his authoritatively and demanded, "But you can show me these...other friends of yours."

"I can't."

"And why not?"

"Because they're at the Jade Palace."

"I won't do it."

"It's too dangerous, Po!"

"Tigress, don't let go! DON'T LET GO!"

"I'm not!"

"Why did I agree to this?"

"Asking myself the same thing, Viper."

"Guys! Don't chicken out on me!"

The Five and Po, dressed in winter clothing, were positioned on top of a huge, flat circle of brass, like a giant gong. And they were all arguing.

Below them, the hill sloped down almost dangerously. Rocks were strewn over the snowy expanse, waiting to overturn a sledfull of Kung Fu Masters. Up at the top of the hill, the only thing keeping them from riding down to certain doom was Tigress, who had a firm hold on a slim tree trunk.

"It'll be fun!" Po protested, repositioning his hat.

"You said that the last time we pranked Master Shifu!" Monkey spat. "Was it fun? NO!"

"Then you're just afraid?" Po countered smugly. "The bravest warriors in China scared of sledding down a hill?"

"No, Po." Tigress growled, clearly straining to hold the other's weight along with her's and the gong's from sliding down. "We're cautious."

"Same thing. You're all too scared!"

The Five shared a meaningful look. Tigress rolled her eyes, sighed, and let go of the tree trunk.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then gravity reached out and tipped the makeshift sled over the crest of the hill, and down they went.

Wind ripped past their faces, snow stung their eyes, and they slid down faster and faster, Po whooping loudly, Mantis screaming, Viper huddled in a corner, Crane yelling 'Tell me when it's over', Monkey waving his hands in the air and grinning like a madman, and Tigress crossing her arms and squinting against the wind.

They inched to a sluggish halt...but right over a cliff edge. There the six tilted precariously, trying not to get dizzy as the sheer drop below swam in their vision.

"Are we supposed to stop?" Mantis asked.

"No. Panic!" Po screeched, just as the sled plummeted down. Everything was a blur as they rocketed southwards, bounced onto the snowy ground and bolted down the steep hill faster than the speed of light. Now, everyone was screaming.

"HOW DO YOU STOP THIS THING?" Viper shrieked.

"YOU CAN'T!" Po shouted back.

"AHHHHH!" Everyone screamed in response.

Wide-eyed with terror, they swerved past trees and boulders, digging their claws/wings/pincers/tails on the edge of the gong to keep a hold. Out of fear, Po hugged Tigress close to him, and she pushed him away, only to widen her eyes as the lake zoomed into view and this time they both held onto each other in terror. No one else noticed; they were too busy screaming.

"I'm too young to die!" Mantis wailed.

"I know! Shut up!" Crane moaned.

They sailed over a snow bank jutting out of the ground and it worked as a ramp, sending the gong flying in the air along with it's passengers, who, from the momentum, were all sent flailing in different directions.

Crane did an awkward somersault in the air and landed with his beak lodged in snow, Viper coiled herself around a tree by accident. Mantis faceplanted a boulder. Monkey landed with just his tail poking out of the deep snowdrift. Tigress and Po flew through the air, still yelling and unconsciously clinging to the other, dropped diagonally to the ground, and slid unceremoniously to a stop an inch in front of the lake, which, though not frozen over, was still cold enough to make them into warrior-sicles. The sled wedged itself into a tree trunk.

The Masters panted and heaved, shaking their heads and popping out of the snow. Their eyes shone with terror and excitement.

Mantis peeled himself off the face of the stone. "That was-"

"AWESOME!" Po exclaimed through a mouthful of dirty snow. "Let's do it again!" He tried to get up, but he had sunk mid-belly into the ground. "Uh, little help?"

Tigress hoisted herself up and offered him a paw, which he took. With some pulling (and Monkey's help), she dragged the panda out. He shook the snow from his head, grabbed his threadbare scarf which had fallen to the ground, and wrapped it around his neck once more.

"Thanks," He said to Tigress, who nodded formerly. She rubbed her paws unconsciously, which still stung even though it had been nearly three month's since she'd received that cannon blast. Her fur still felt warm from the panicked-sled-hug, and she scowled in light irritation at herself. Po looked away sheepishly.

"Sorry...umm...instinct, uh, kicked in," he offered. Tigress opened her mouth to reply but instead changed it to a small half-hearted smile.

"Don't fret about it," She shrugged, turning to leave.

Suddenly, the smaller gong (not the one that Po had borrowed), sounded loudly in the clearing twice.

"Lunch!" Po grinned excitedly.

GONG!

"Not lunch," Po moaned, then brightened. "Three times means...there's a visitor. Ooh, maybe another lost noodle delivery guy!"

"Oh, come ON," Viper giggled as the panda hurried up the slope; or at least he tried to.

The others watched in amusement as he pawed at the vertical cliff, grunting and muttering, pebbles scattering when he hoisted one leg up.

"I don't know if who else wants to climb cliffs, but I'm taking the stairs if anyone's wondering," Crane said.

"Oh, stairs...uh..." Po looked down from his awkward position at the steps, then at the intimidating rock wall. "Stairs are sounding pretty good, yeah, those might...might work, actually."

Tigress rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Or maybe-this?!"

At the last word she shot out and kicked the cliff with such force it shook. Po gasped and let go of the the vibrating stone, falling to the ground. Well, at least, he was falling until Tigress spin-kicked him up so high he was sent flying over the cliff and rocketing in a fortunately soft pillow of snow up on the ledge.

The feline below raised her eyebrows in satisfaction before pouncing skywards to join him, levitating herself off a foothold and spiraling to the top. She landed nimbly on one foot with much more grace than Po had, needless to say.

"Oh yeah, you get to jump all the way to the palace," Mantis grumbled below, barely visible except as a green dot. The little ants beside him (meaning the other three) sighed and stalked, slithered and knuckle-walked to the stairs.

Po looked up to find Tigress already on all fours and loping away. He shook his head, dusted the snow off his ears and reluctantly broke into a sprint to catch up with her.

"Aren't you in a hurry," He smirked, pumping hard at the frosted ground.

She somersaulted to two feet and kept running, but backwards then stared at him, mouth twitching into an undecided curve that was either a frown or grin. "Is that a challenge?"

"Uh-no?"

"Too bad,"

"I...haah...hate...races...haah!" Po gasped out every word as he dragged himself to a halt, groping at the floor. Tigress stood with an unreadible expression in front of him, arms crossed in a tell-tale sign of smugness.

"You may have mastered inner peace, Dragon Warrior, but stamina seems to lay on a whole different level for you," She joked in a stern voice, helping him upright just as the rest of the Five appeared on the crest of the mountain.

"Oh, look, he made it." Monkey grinned pointedly, holding out one open palm. Mantis glared at him and tossed two gold coins at him in silent, grudging understanding.

"Students,"

Everyone straightened and bowed on impulse out the sound of Master Shifu's gruff voice when he apparated ten feet in front of them seemingly out of nowhere.

Geez, how does he do that?Po thought in the corner of his mind as he and the others echoed a collective, "Master,"

The red panda dug the end of his staff into the snow absent-mindedly, ears flicking, robes and fur ruffled by the wind pricking around them, and his steely blue eyes fixed on the six in front of him. "You must of heard the gong; come inside. We have some very important...guests-that acquire of our attention."

He led his disciples into the simple kitchen and to the mystery that waited them there.