Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda doesn't belong to me, the whole concept is property of Dreamworks and each one of its producers, directors and other minds behind it. I'm merely doing this because, apparently, after watching the second movie inspiration has been following me around with some ideas.

Chapter 1

The Invitation

"His Imperial Majesty,

Shu Han, Lord of the great and magnificent Empire of China,

Has deemed your skills as Masters of the arts of Kung Fu invaluable and, as such, has decided in his infinite wisdom to extend an invitation to the Kung Fu Tournament, celebrated every four years, that will take place in the Imperial City by the end of the Summer Solstice..."

The rest of the letter was soon forgotten as the hand holding the letter trembled lightly. The news had been quite surprising. Never before had they been invited to these tournaments in such a direct way, mainly because Master Oogway had shown his disapproval to such events that dare to present Kung Fu as a mere spectacle for others to amuse themselves instead of the art it really was.

Master Shifu re-read the letter as his ears twitched with every sound his students made while training. He knew there was something in the content of the letter that was bothering him. There was something he was missing but couldn't pin point what it was.

With the nagging feeling at the back of his mind, Master Shifu went directly to his students. Smiling with amusement he knew of a certain Kung Fu Master that would be very pleased hearing about this Tournament.

It was an extremely dangerous situation; the shadow provided by the dark column was enough to cover him and hid him from prying eyes. His back was pressed against the column as his eyes moved from left to right before resting on another figure. This one hanging from one of the beams on the ceiling, both eyes connected and with a single nod they both went out of their hiding places ready to attack.

With a pretty amused smirk, the Master of the tiger style bent over with her left leg stretched out and the right one supporting her weight. The semi-circular movement she did was enough to throw aside Monkey who had jumped from up the ceiling while her outstretch leg was enough to divert Po's uncontrolled race.

However, none of the Master's ever thought that playing tag with some kind of special ball filled with water would be dangerous. That was it until Po staggered forward, the ball in his hand balancing dangerously until it finally crashed…on Master Shifu's head.

The red panda didn't even have a time to react; he only felt the cold and wet contact from the water filling the ball all over his head and body. His eyes opened really wide as his body, clothes and the letter he had with him got soaking wet.

There was a long, tense silence in which each one of the Kung Fu Masters stood frozen in place. All of them with astonished and fearful expression on their faces.

Monkey and Mantis were readying themselves to point to the really culprit of the whole game. Crane was trying to make his presence unknown from his Master, while Tigress and Viper stood still, maybe if they didn't move Master's Shifu twitching eyebrow and clenched fists wouldn't get to them.

Po…well, Po was trying to hide the smile forming on his face while he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ma-Master Shifu!" he exclaimed under the even more horrified expression of his friends. "I…we…" Po chuckled nervously as Master Shifu narrowed his eyes at him. "You're 'it'?"

Po could hear several palms hitting their respective foreheads while the Red Panda growled loudly. "Panda," Po gulped looking with his eyes the help from the others but receiving some shrugged shoulders. "You know the drill, right?"

Uh-oh, the usage of 'panda' was never good for Po. And as soon as Shifu said the following words said Panda understood. Po's ears lowered in disappointment as he understood what Master Shifu was asking. It wasn't the first time he had to do it, but every time was really a tiresome task.

"Yes, Master." Po started dragging his feet when Shifu stopped him with a hand gesture.

"Before you go, I need to tell you all something." This time all six students perked up in curiosity moving closer to the wet Master who glared at Po before showing them the letter.

"I received this morning a letter from the Imperial City." There was a collective gasp; each one of them looked at each other with certain surprise.

"The Imperial City?" asked Tigress with a light frown. "What does it say, Master?"

"We have been invited to the Kung Fu Tournament."

This announcement was received with certain shock from his students. All of them were dumbstruck while Po's eyes seemed to be gleaming with a strange light. "Wow! Are you serious? 'We'? As in 'we' including me?"

Shifu took a deep breath to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "Yes, Po, even you were invited."

"Oh, wow, I….YES!" the sudden scream coming from Po startled his friends as Po started babbling about the 'awesomeness' and 'incredibleness' of the event and how he felt really lucky to have been invited.

"Po? Po?" Master Shifu tried to call Po's attention much to Monkey, Crane and Mantis amusement as Po started hitting invisible enemies while naming the amazing techniques Master Ox and Croc showed last time. "Panda!"

"Oh, Master sorry, you were saying?" said Po looking back at Shifu barely holding back his enthusiasm. This time Shifu did roll his eyes.

"As I was saying," he cleared his throat looking at Po with a serious expression, though the softening of his gaze spoke about the changes in Shifu's heart regarding the Dragon Warrior. "Even you were invited."

"But, Master," interrupted Tigress who felt a pang of guilty before continuing. "We've, sometimes, turned down those invitations."

"What? Why?" asked Po with a hint of incredulity in his voice.

Master Shifu nodded his head as he tried to open the letter. Once more he glared at Po but the Panda was too busy watching the letter to notice.

"I know, however, this time is different." Shifu frowned as the nagging feeling he felt early was back. "The Emperor himself wrote the letter, signed it and sealed it. Not attending would be a direct insult to him and all China."

Master Tigress frown deepened as her eyes met Shifu's ones, "so, in other words, we don't have a choice?"

That was it.

That was what had been nagging Master Shifu since he read the letter. In other times, they would receive the invitation as a mere formality, how could the Imperial City made a Kung Fu Tournament without inviting one of the most important representatives of the art? But they had always found a way to turn down said invitations, and even when they couldn't their participation had been a mere formality. Nothing too big or eccentric.

But those invitations were made for the general Kung Fu Masters, wrote for the Emperor's scribes or the Masters council. This one was different. None of the former letters carried the seal and coat of arms and even the complete name of the Emperor.

"Yes, that's right."

"Who would turn down such an invitation?" interrupted Po who seemed horrified at the idea. "I mean, this is an opportunity to meet the other Masters! We would get to know them and see their awesome fights! I can even get some autogr…"

Po trailed off as the Furious Five and Master Shifu looked at him. He chuckled flustered, clearing his throat. "Right, I mean, we can get together and compare techniques and share…you know? Eh…mmm…"

"Action figures?" commented Monkey with amusement, Po glared at him.

"No, I was gonna say wisdom." He said.

Mantis snickered while eying Po, "sure, you were."

"What wisdom?" replied Crane.

Shifu sighed calling his students attention, "I think this is something we all should meditated about. You may have the rest of the afternoon free."

The Furious Five shared some smiles and Po was about to commented when Master Shifu poked him with his staff. Po turned around and saw the satisfied smile on his Master's features.

"Dragon Warrior, I think a task worthy of your title is waiting for you."

"Oh, but Master, I…" Master Shifu interrupted anything Po may have said with his hand raise.

"Not a word, Panda." He grumbled. "I think you should remember, once again, why we don't create games that we're not ready to take the consequences of. Now, you can go ahead, I will meet with you after I change my clothes."

Po sighed sadly as he turned around making his way out of the training hall. He was so engrossed in his thoughts about unfairness and lack of humor from Shifu's part he never noticed the pair of yellow eyes following his every move.

The afternoon came with a soft warm breeze in contrasts with the dark clouds in the horizon. The sounds of laughter and conversation were dancing around the establishment in which Po, along with Mantis, Crane and Monkey were sharing a drink and a game.

Po was still weak and hungry after the six hours of torture Master Shifu liked to call 'training to reform stupid games create by Po'. Well, Master Shifu didn't call it like that, but Po was pretty sure that's how it should be named. He had spent hours making push-ups at the top of a hill while Master Shifu made him recited different extracts of the Kung Fu Scrolls. Every time he got some of the contents wrong Shifu would put another weight or rock on top of Po to 'equilibrate' the process.

He looked at the cards on his hand and sighed. He didn't get this game and would surely lose to Crane. They always did. Besides, he was hungry, tired and kind of sleepy. Po pouted while taking another card. He wanted to take a bath but the girls decided today was the day they would use the thermal baths back at the Palace. After a pretty fair and decisive fight, Tigress and Viper earned the right to use them the whole day. What were they doing for over an hour there? Well, Po learnt while Watching Viper and Tigress hit Mantis to not ask. It wasn't worth it.

"So, any idea why Master Shifu seem so hesitant about the tournament?" The question coming from Po made the rest of the males looked up at him. Crane looked at Monkey who also sent the same glance at Mantis, the three of them just shrugged.

"Well, it's a little complicated." Said Crane looking around them before leaning forward; Po tilted his head confused but leant as well as the others, all looking like big conspirators under the watchful and pretty confused eyes of some of the villagers.

"We never got the full story, you know? Master Shifu and Master Oogway seemed reluctant to share all the information." Said Crane in a soft conspiratorial tone. He had Po's undivided attention who never heard of this before. "Apparently the one who organized this tournament is a former student…"

"I heard it was a former friend." Interrupted Monkey frowning.

"Yeah, well, I heard it was Master Oogway's teacher." Said Mantis, Po's eyes went really wide.

"Master Oogway's teacher?"

"Shhhh!" said the other Masters to Po who had screamed rather loudly making everybody around them turned to look at them.

"Sorry." Mumbled the Panda. "But, this is huge, was he really Master's Oogway teacher?"

Crane rolled his eyes, "really? Didn't you hear me say we never got the whole story?" he said glaring at Mantis and Monkey, "there had been some speculations but really no one really knows. The thing is, apparently, Master Oogway had an old feud with the one who organizes all the tournaments and the one in charge of training the Emperor."

"I don't get it, so you usually don't go to the tournament because they are fighting?" Crane shrugged nodding his head. "I thought you guys always participate."

"No, we go there and watch, sometimes when some challenge is directly address to us we do participate, but otherwise we weren't oblige to even attend." Said Mantis. "But now…well…"

"Yes, apparently it was the Emperor himself who sent the invitation." Po looked just as confused as the beginning.

"Isn't he the one who usually send the invites?" The other Master shook their heads.

"No, it's the council of Masters, as a formality." Replied Crane. "But this time it was really official. They even sent the Real Eagles with the message."

"I still don't get what's so bad about it. I bet we're going to meet a lot of Masters and we're going to see some awesome fights." Said Po with enthusiasm that apparently the rest of his friends didn't share.

Monkey smiled lightly shaking his head, "Well, Po the difference this time is that, better we like it or not, we have to go and we are going to be the ones who everyone else is free to challenge. Without any consequences or any rules whatsoever."

There was nothing like a free afternoon with a fresh bath and not sound of disorder. They have spent a really peaceful afternoon without the guys laughing, screaming and making annoying sounds in general.

Most importantly, she and Viper had the bath for themselves.

Tigress sat with her back against a prominent rock that was located at just the perfect distance from the hills edge granting her a fresh atmosphere. Viper was resting above the edge of the bath letting her tail played with the water.

"This is definitely what we need." Commented the female snake while stretching out. "Since Gongmen City Master Shifu seemed pretty intense with our training. He's been especially hard on Po."

Tigress growled in agreement, her eyes were closed making it impossible for Viper to try and find out what her teammate was thinking. The events after Gongmen City had been confusing to say the least, it was apparent that Tigress behavior towards Po had changed but no one dared to say if it was a change for the good or bad. With Tigress this kind of things were always unpredictable.

"What do you think about the tournament?" Tigress opened her eyes and frowned when Viper turned around slightly flustered. The Master of the tiger style rolled her eyes having caught her friend examining her.

It had become a habit of Viper to try and 'figure Tigress out'. Right now, however, Tigress was more interest in what the other female thought about the invitation to the Tournament.

Viper lifted her head turning it in Tigress direction; she also had a frown while thinking about her friend's question, "It was surprising. But there is something bothering me about it, never before the invitation had been so formal."

"Or so mandatory." Complemented Tigress.

"What do you mean?"

Tigress shrugged, "Just that never before we were giving such a formal and direct way of invitation. Giving the nature of it, we can hardly decline this year. We must go whether we like it or not."

Viper went back to her resting position before a soft, amused smile appeared on her face. "Yes, but Po was really excited he was invited. I don't think we could have say 'no' even if we want it."

The mention of Po made Tigress tensed up and turned her head to the side. The kung Fu Master knew her friend seemed pretty excited about the idea but she had to wonder if he really knew what it meant for them the invitation. The same feeling of dread and longing she have been feeling for some time towards Po was back, Tigress really hated it. She didn't understand why her stomach felt so funny; it was a tingling feeling she used to compare with some kind of sickness.

After Gongmen City, she wasn't so sure.

"Yes, he seemed pretty excited about the Tournament." The tone in which Tigress said it made Viper looked over her friend.

Tigress had her head turned to one side and her eyes downcast with a thoughtful frown on her face.

"At least with him going with us and participating things aren't going to be boring." Viper giggled shaking her head. "Things with Po are never boring. Right, Tigress?"

"Um? Eh, yes, yes they never are." Tigress raised her gaze at Viper who was looking at her through narrow eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I?" Viper blinked confusedly while Tigress seemed to just lower herself little by little under the water.

"No, just…asking." Commented Viper with her eyes still following her friend. This was strange and Tigress had just woken Viper's curiosity. The Kung Fu Master wouldn't rest until she knew the reason behind Tigress peculiar behavior.

For her part Tigress was just trying to hide from Viper's watchful stare. Really, she didn't need anyone forming any kind of ideas about her and…her peculiar behavior before she could know the reasons behind it.

Closing her eyes as she let herself feel the soothing caress of the warm water, Tigress mind seemed to go back to her main interest. By now, it didn't surprise her this interest of hers took the form of Po's bright green eyes.

AN: I know, I know...another one. Oh, well, remember English isn't my native language and this was made in kinda a hurry state. Do not forget to comment and share with me what you think.

Thanks for Reading!