A/N: And hello once again readers! Welcome to another fun and exciting addition to the Aftermath mini-series! I really appreciate all the feedback I've gotten so far. In this episode, Crane is reunited with an old friend of his. Will there be sparks between him and his friend? Read and find out!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KUNG FU PANDA. ONLY THE NON-CANON CHARACTERS AND STORIES.

AFTERMATH

Chapter Two: Reunion

PART 1 OF 2

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope, I'm afraid not buddy. If it's in writing, then it's official."

"I seriously doubt that."

"You mean like how you still doubt that you did in fact make that 'ka-kaw' noise during that battle?"

"Read my beak: I. Did. Not. Make. That. Noise."

Mantis then interrupted the debate from across the table, "Are you brats quite done arguing with each other? Because some of us would like to get back to playing this game!"

Crane glared at the insect and responded, "Who said you guys could stop playing? I'm just trying to clear something up while I wait for my turn."

It had been at least two and a half hours since Po, the Five, and Shifu returned from their memorial ceremony; and the Dragon Warrior, along with his five fellow fighters, have all retired to their suite. Shifu meanwhile excused himself to go spend some time with the Soothsayer. Apparently, though unsurprisingly, the goat fortune-teller was a close contact and friend of Oogway; which lead to both red-panda and goat setting a time for them to discuss Oogway's passing and relating each other's memories of the late tortoise.

The first thing the six students of the Jade Palace have done upon their return was to live up to Po's promise, and break out his new board game. Po was as eager as ever to play it, while the Five were slightly uneasy about the whole thing. Much to everyone's amusement however, the game turned out to be not nearly as cheesy or ridiculous as they all thought it would be. It was actually enjoyable to recreate some of their biggest battles, as well as add some twists onto some of them, or even create new ones altogether. Po without surprise was rather enjoyed with the prospect of finally being a part of the Furious Five's biggest fights and battles in that imaginary version of China lying there on the table.

To kick things up a notch, all six of them even decided to play as someone else. This involved Po switching places with Tigress and Mantis switching places with Viper. But when it came to Monkey wanting to play as Crane in the game, the avian master instantly began to regret the role-switch idea. Ever since first arriving at the Gongmen Prison all those days ago, Po and Monkey were convinced that Crane would occasionally make noises that were primitive to his people; much to the chagrin of said bird. Deep down however, he knew for a fact that he did make that primitive noise during the fight at the harbor and yet… Well, he's got to protect whatever dignity he has.

Which brought Crane's thoughts back to the game he and his friends and fellow masters were playing. They were all in the middle of thwarting the imaginary sacking of the imaginary port by the imaginary pirate gang bent on stealing all of the imaginary valuables and treasures as well as terrorizing the imaginary citizens of said imaginary port; the very fact that Crane managed to put it in that perspective in his mind made him inwardly groan. Come on Xin, you're more mature than that!

There were also several cards that had the game's version of the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five statistics on them. Including: Health; Attack Damage; Damage Resistance; Strengths; Weaknesses; and Special Abilities.

Upon inspection of the Crane card, the real life Crane saw that whoever the obsessed fan was that made the game had decided to add "Wings of Justice" as one of his Special Abilities.

How this guy finds out all this stuff about us is beyond even me. Maybe one of the palace servants is really an inside man… or woman for that matter… and is feeding this kind of information to the game maker. Or maybe I'm becoming more and more paranoid by the second.

"Yoo-hoo… Crane! You still with us?" He heard Po say as a large, black paw was then in front of his face; snapping Crane out of his thoughts. Looking back up, he saw everyone else looking at him with various looks. Some were impatient, as though they were waiting for his turn. Looking down again, he saw that everyone's game pieces have moved from their original places. Sure enough, it was indeed his turn and everyone was waiting on him.

But before most of the others could complain at the bird for holding up the game, it was Po who told him; "Relax Crane, I can see how something like that would get your mind rolling. But let's worry about that later okay? For now, we've got some serious fake business to take care of."

Before Crane could reply or give thanks to the panda for defusing what could have been quite the argument, making it clear that some of Crane's conflict-avoiding trait was influencing Po, the Dragon Warrior then took a look at the Po character card.

"Though I gotta tell you guys, I'm kinda disappointed that they didn't include a 'Heroic Speech' ability for yours truly. 'Cause when I gave that big speech while looking down at Shen and his fleet, I bet he was shaking in his talons! Am I right?"

Crane and the rest of the Five shared slightly nervous glances at each other, then looked back at Po. It was Viper who broke the silence.

"Uh… yes Po. Shen and his army knew right then and there that you were a force to be reckoned with."

Mantis then added, "Yup, never saw you coming tough guy."

None of them had the heart to tell Po that everyone could barely hear Po's big return speech from way down below in the docks. Crane remembered that it was that and when he made that futile attempt to free the Five with that straw hat that confirmed that Po was in fact alive and not some phantom coming back to haunt them. After all, it would have somewhat ruined the moment of them being reunited in the end.

Shaking his head slightly at the memory, Crane took the dice in one of his own talons and rolled them. After moving seven spaces to catch up with the other pieces, he noticed that the Po piece was a bit farther behind from the others. Okay, is Tigress really trying to make an accurate depiction of our travels. Po, you're combat skills may have substantially improved since you first arrived here, but I think we need to work on your long distance fitness when we get back home… right after we all get a nice long nap first.

During the course of their fake adventure, Mantis and Monkey explained that Tigress seemed to have hit a stroke of bad luck during their session. While everyone managed to get large rolls of the dice, the tiger always seemed to get small numbers whenever she rolled them. She even managed to get four "snake eyes" in a row. Tigress defended that the dice had to have been rigged, something the others immediately interpreted as denial.

After another five turns, Tigress managed to catch back up with the others and had begun their fake assault on the fake pirate gang when Viper spoke up.

"You know, word is going around the city is that they're going to have a massive fireworks display tonight. I think it sounds lovely."

Po agreed, "Yeah, those fireworks are awesome! We should totally go see them tonight!" No one disagreed with the panda in the slightest. But it was Mantis, no surprise, to be the one to add some spice to the evening plans.

"Hey, I think I know how we can make it a bit more interesting. Two ways to be exact." Everyone slowly turned towards the insect master, interested to hear what his suggestions were. He then continued; "We can totally get the best view of those fireworks from the roof of the hotel. And I just happen to have a bottle of sake…"

Everyone gave him a rather stunned look, it was Monkey who broke the silence, "You mean, the liquor?"

Mantis nodded and said, "Imported straight from Japan." Another brief silence; "Oh come on. We're all adults here. It won't kill anyone to have some once in a while. Besides, we've got all the reason to celebrate. And what's better than to kick back on the roof, watching the fireworks, and enjoying a good drink while we're at it."

But before anyone could answer, there came several knocks at their door.

"Come in" Tigress said.

The door opened and on the other side revealed a soldier of the Imperial Army regiment sent to Gongmen City. He looked like he was a fresh-from-training recruit, because he seemed rather nervous coming into their suite. He was also a snow leopard; but unlike another certain snow leopard the Dragon Warrior and the Five crossed paths with in the past, this one looked a bit younger, probably somewhere in his late teens or early twenties. He also had a different pattern of brown spots on his fur, and he had an average build of muscle.

The soldier then spoke with slight unease, "Uh… greetings masters. I've uhm… I come he-here with a m-m-message f-for-"

"Hey buddy, calm down;" Po said in a calm voice, "We're not mad at you for interrupting us. And you can call us by our names."

Mantis agreed, "The guy's right kid. No rules against fraternization here."

Somehow, however, this only made the recruit even more uneasy. "I-I know it's just… well I DIDN'T know! But I was just-I mean that is to say that- aw jeez…"

"Hey, take a deep breath and calm down." Crane said. He supposed he did understand why the young leopard would be nervous. Being sent to deliver a message to some of the greatest warriors in all of China would give anyone proverbial butterflies in their stomachs. But he also assumed that some of the higher ranking or more experienced soldiers in his group gave him that responsibility.

Most likely some kind of hazing ritual.

It was also likely that those experienced soldiers lied to the poor kid and told him that the Jade Palace warriors didn't take too kindly to snow leopards after that fiasco with Tai Lung. With that, they all let him know that what Tai Lung did, both twenty years ago and several years ago, did not represent what all snow leopards were like as a whole. During the Furious Five's travels across China before the arrival of Po, they did meet several snow leopards and they were in fact very polite people. They were just as varied in personalities just like everyone else.

Po and Viper managed to coax the young solder into taking a seat on one of the couches and he eventually calmed down enough to talk normally. Po, being the kind-hearted big guy that he was, spoke to him. "That's it pal, just take it easy, there's no need to get all worked up. Now tell us, what's your name?"

"Xiao Chang of the Sichuan Province. I enlisted about nine months ago. In fact, coming here to Gongmen City is my first assignment with the regiment." The leopard named Chang responded.

Tigress then stepped up to the young leopard and asked, "How do you like being here in the city?"

He replied, "I've never been here before, but from what I've seen it's quite the marvel. It's also lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. I mean, General Hao said this place was big but… you know… once you actually see it with your very eyes…"

There was certainly no debate about that, for it was also the Five's and the Dragon Warrior's first visit to the city as well. Of course at that very moment they could now take in all the sights and not have to dealing with a deranged peacock and his plans for domination of China. Crane and the others knew that eventually they would leave for the Valley of Peace in several days, so he and the others would have to enjoy their R and R while they can.

"So, what's this message that you had to deliver?" Monkey asked out of curiosity.

Chang blinked several times, then spoke; "Oh right! Um… it's a message for Master Crane." Everyone looked at Crane as the leopard soldier continued, "They wanted me to tell you that there's a visitor that's just arrived to the city and would like an audience with you."

"Alright then," Crane nodded and replied, "Who is this guest that wants to see me?"

"I believe it's Master Mountain Cat."


Crane had a blank, practically emotionless face. But Mantis knew him a lot better than that. He could tell that there were a million thoughts running through the bird's head at that very moment the words "Master Mountain Cat" were mentioned. The insect knew about the story of Crane's beginnings of kung fu, and his friendship with this mountain cat whose real name was Mei Ling.

Oh man, the guy's got it bad for her.

Po meanwhile was reverting back to his fan-boy attitude. He heard him gasp, then utter out, "No way! THE Master Mountain Cat? The very same one who's fought fifty of the Blackhoof Bandits and won without a single scratch? The very same one who is rumored to have went fishing on the moon? Crane, you honestly didn't know she was-?"

But the ecstatic panda never did get that answer he was hoping for… because when he, Mantis, the rest of the Five, and Chang all turned to look at Crane again… he wasn't there anymore, the door was wide open, and they could hear frantic footsteps getting fainter and fainter by the second.

"Well…" Mantis said, "…looks like Crane won't be joining us on the roof tonight."

A/N: Alright, I originally intended this to be a one shot on it's own. But while I was writing this I realized that it'll wind up being too long to fit onto one story. So I've broken it up into two parts. I'll post the second part as soon as I possibly can.

Review Button. It's right there for you to use.