Okay, everybody, here's a new story. Hope you enjoy it.
Chapter One—The Traveler
Jing stepped through the village in the Valley of Peace, adjusting his wide, straw hat every few minutes to keep it centered on his head. So, this was the place? This was the place that had witnessed the demise of Tai Lung? This was the place where the Furious Five trained and defended the people?
This was the place where the Dragon Warrior—all Jing really knew about him was his name, Po—was chosen by the deceased master, Oogway?
Somehow, Jing had expected something different. It was peaceful, just as he had guessed the Valley of Peace would be, but where was the Dragon Warrior? Jing wanted to meet him, to test him. Surely, if the legendary warrior had defeated Tai Lung, then Jing could learn much from meeting him.
Jing's stomach growled lowly and he stopped. It had been a while since he had eaten. He looked around him and quickly spotted a noodle shop; Mr. Ping's. Curious and hungry, Jing walked over to the shop and sat at an empty table. As he did so, other patrons—some of which with half-chewed food in their mouths—stared at him in curiosity. He wasn't surprised by it. Since the selection of the Dragon Warrior, many pandas received strange looks. Jing had wondered why, but the answer will come to him when he meets Po.
"Good afternoon," said a chipper voice and Jing looked down at a goose in an apron, wearing a hat shaped like noodles. "What can I get you, sir?"
"Just a simple bowl of noodles," Jing replied, refusing the menu when the goose had offered it.
"Very good, sir. It'll be right out."
The goose shuffled away and Jing exhaled sharply. Impatiently, he tapped the table with his fingers.
Somebody else soon entered the shop; a female tiger and a male monkey. They were deep in their conversation, but they had quickly drawn Jing's attention. The way they walked, the way the carried themselves... These were no ordinary patrons. They had some class.
"...was difficult," the monkey was saying as he got in range of Jing's hearing. "I mean, even you had trouble against Po, Tigress."
At the mention of Po, Jing listened even more carefully.
"I didn't have trouble," Tigress replied. "I just went easy on him."
"You say that every time he beats you in a sparring match," Monkey laughed. They sat at a table, and the goose from earlier, Mr. Ping, hurried over to them.
"Ah, good afternoon. How's your day?" he asked, a new kind of perkiness to his voice.
"Tiring, but nothing we can't handle," Tigress replied in a detached tone.
"How's Po?" Mr. Ping questioned. "Is he doing well?"
"Just fine," Monkey answered. "He actually wanted to come down for some noodles, but Shifu wants him to do a bit more training beforehand."
"Ah, he is the Dragon Warrior."
"Pardon me," Jing said, standing and walking over to them. "I could not help but overhear your conversation. I take it that each of you knows the Dragon Warrior?"
Tigress analyzed him carefully, but Mr. Ping spoke with true pride.
"Of course they do. And so do I. He's my son," Mr. Ping chimed.
"I'm Monkey and this is Tigress. We're from the Furious Five," Monkey explained kindly, holding out his hand.
"Can you take me to meet the Dragon Warrior?" Jing asked excitedly. "I'd like to speak to him."
"I'm sorry, but we aren't allowed to bring random outsiders to the Jade Palace," Tigress told him in such cold indifference that Jing felt a surge of hatred, directed—it felt—towards him. "He'll be out of the Jade Palace soon. You can meet him when he talks with the townspeople."
"I must speak with him now," Jing insisted. "Please."
"Why is it so important to you?" Monkey questioned. He looked over him carefully. "Do you practice Kung Fu?"
Jing nodded. "I do. I'd like the chance to test my mettle against the Dragon Warrior."
"It's below the Dragon Warrior to accept random challenges from random travlers," Tigress stated.
"Then what about the Furious Five?" Jing asked. He flexed his knees, taking an offensive stance. Without a moment's hesitation, Tigress and Monkey took their stances, ready to defend themselves. They stood there, watching each other carefully for any signs of movement, any signs of an attack.
"You don't want to do this," Tigress warned. "This will turn out badly for you."
"Humor me," Jing stated and he made his first strike, a lunge at Tigress which was quickly and skillfully blocked and reversed; Tigress twisted Jing's arm and heaved, lifting the panda off his feet in an attempt to throw him on his back. Yet Jing quickly reoriented himself, landing smoothly on his feet and attempting to use the same move on Tigress; Monkey moved in hurriedly, striking Jing in the stomach and forcing him backward.
They stood once more in a standoff, watching each other carefully. Once again, Jing made the first move, this time taking to the air. He struck downward at Tigress with his fist. Tigress dodged and Monkey attempted to strike when Jing had unintentionally stuck his fist into the stone ground. Hurriedly, before Monkey could get his strike in, Jing hurriedly flipped himself over, his foot skimming Monkey's jaw and allowing Jing to stand upright, wrenching his fist free of the stone.
Tigress was not waiting for Jing to steady himself; she struck with amazing accuracy, and Jing had narrowly managed to move to avoid a severe injury. Tigress's fist met Jing's left arm, and he hurriedly back away from the pair. He had to admit that they were skilled—he had expected as much from the Furious Five, but their skills superseded his expectations. Perhaps he was simply taking it too easy on them.
"Master Shifu has taught you remarkably well, but it's not over yet."
"Face it," Tigress growled. "You can't win." She charged once more and Jing found himself dodging and blocking her blows, patiently awaiting his proper chance. He struck at Tigress's arm—once at the elbow and once at the shoulder—and hurriedly backed away. Tigress made another attempt to strike, but noticed it immediately; her left arm had become paralyzed. She growled. "A nerve attack..."
"Sorry, but you didn't leave me much choice," Jing sighed. "You're still able to fight, aren't you? One arm does not defeat a Kung Fu master."
Monkey dashed forward and Jing hurriedly flipped, airborne to allow Monkey rush beneath him. Extending his arm, Jing struck Monkey's arm twice—at the elbow and shoulder. Like Tigress, Monkey's limb had gone limp and he rushed over to stand by Tigress.
"I don't want to fight, you two," Jing huffed. "I want to fight the Dragon Warrior."
"Oh, yeah? Well here I am."
The voice came from behind Jing. His fur stood on end at the sound and he hurriedly turned, to see a black-and-white panda standing behind him, angry and ready to fight. Jing grinned. He could tell that there was something different about this panda. Undoubtedly, this was the Dragon Warrior.
"Po..."
Okay, everybody, here's the first chapter of the new story. Enjoy and let me know what you think.