Animadverto Licentia

I own nothing. Done for the Christmas fic contest. Dedicated to my big brothers, both of them, and to my little brother and my sisters for being an awesome family.

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Chapter 1

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Shifu, contrary to popular belief, was not a morning person. He had enjoyed early morning conversations with his master, but that was the only reason he'd ever have for getting up. When he realized that he could still see his old master, however briefly, at dawn and dusk, he had been beyond elated and had swiftly jumped on the opportunity to speak with him, the two happily and lightly speaking of anything and everything.

As he rolled out of his bed to go see his master again, he made an astute, given the ungodly time of the morning, observation. Blankets were not very good. They were always either too hot or too cold and did nothing to block out the taunting sunlight that insisted on ripping through his eyelids regardless of how tightly they were shut. Really, he shouldn't have even had a window in his room. None of the other rooms, save Master Oogway's, had windows. That was because, aside from Po, all the others were morning people, always awake and ready to go.

Shifu would swear to his dying day that his master had assigned him that room just to annoy the living hell out of him.

Shuffling out the door, he allowed a curse to pass through his lips, toes smarting from their sudden, unpleasant contact with an unruly tile.

'Note to self,' he thought, heading for the front gate. 'Have tiles fixed by tomorrow morning.'

Opening the Palace doors was not usually a big deal. They were certainly significantly larger than Shifu, and weighed considerably more, but years of Kung Fu had perfected his muscles so that the doors seemed to weigh next to nothing. On any other morning, he would have done the trivial task and continued on his way, not even noticing he had exited through them, simply doing it to reach his greater destination.

Of course, the operative words there were 'on any other morning'.

A soft coo met his ears as fear had him rooted to the spot. Spots, tons of them, coated the tiny figure before him wrapped in silk and wool. Two words floated across his mind. Déjà vu.

The tiny creature smiled and reached out to him, as if to say I love you. He was tempted, so very tempted, to carry the creature into the palace, to care for him, to raise him. He could start again, maybe even get it right this time.

In the glistening jade eyes of the tiny snow leopard cub, he saw another chance. He saw a new life, a clean start, and every possible mistake he could make, and was simultaneously overjoyed and horrified.

Feeling a light morning chill settling into his body, he lifted the child in his arms, figuring his master would understand him not being there for one day, and took the baby boy into the palace.

'What should I do?' his mind screeched, numbing terror seeping through his limbs. As good as Tigress was, she was flawed, too closed off by his lack of care, but Tai Lung, the child he had cared for, loved, and given his heart to…

"Master?" came the voice of his closest and newest friend, to whom he could always turn.

"Po, I need your help," Shifu admitted, turning to face him, the giggling child clapping as he caught sight of the panda.

Emerald orbs shot open as Po, gaping as gears spun in his mind, sputtered, "Um, Master, didn't know you were still, um, active…"

Blushing furiously, Shifu shouted, "He's not mine! I found him outside the palace. I didn't see his parents anywhere, but I know I can't raise him. Po, I need you to take him to the Bau Guu Orphanage. Maybe he'll have a better chance there…"

The old master seemed close to tears as he finished, already latching onto the infant in his mind. Po was awestruck. How could Shifu do that to him? He was just a child! He deserved someone who could give him complete and undivided attention, not the half-hearted care of an old sheep who remained tactfully detached from all the children for both her and their protection.

"Shifu…" Po began, but was cut off as the red panda turned away, carrying the infant over to the kitchen, placing him in a small basket.

"No, Po. I tried loving, and the monster I created nearly killed us all. When I denied love, I broke a little girl's heart. I can't do that. Not again," Shifu whispered, unable to look the child in the eyes as he walked out of the room.

Po shook his head, knowing he couldn't take the cub to the orphanage. It wouldn't be fair to anyone.

There was one name that came to mind, and a smile crossed his face as a plan formed in his mind.

Picking up the basket, he made his way down to a small, warm house on the edge of the village, knocking softly on the door, waiting patiently for a response.

The old door creaked in protest to being so rudely tossed open as a hunched, bat eared fox emerged, eyes covered by milky film, blinking uselessly as a contrast to pale fur the color of dull, dead grass. The figure's giant ears were torn in many places, yet stood defiantly atop a scarred, aged face. Odd jewelry and cloth were scattered over a vaguely feminine figure.

"Po, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?" she spoke kindly, smiling softly with rotten teeth.

"Him," Po replied, handing over the basket as he stepped over the threshold of her home to seat himself on an old sofa.

"A child? Po, I had no idea you were married!" she exclaimed, shutting the door, laughing as she sat across from him.

"I'm not. The baby was left on the door step of the Jade Palace. Shifu wants me to take him to Bau Guu, but I can't do that to him. It wouldn't be right!" Po shouted worriedly, as if trying to convince both her and himself.

"Well, you're right about that. Does he have a name?" she asked, steely eyes fixating upon the child.

"Not yet, not that I know of," replied Po. "I was hoping you could name him. Something fitting, you know. Something with meaning."

She smiled, closing her useless eyes to let a withered hand hover over the silent child's head before she announced, "Royalty has entered my house; his name is Adewole."

"Adewole," repeated Po, rolling the syllables around his mouth. "Adewole has a nice ring to it. So you're not going to send him to the orphanage?"

"I may be old," she replied, puffing out her chest. "And I may be blind, and a host of other things, but I'm not heartless. This child needs me, and I'm going to care for him."

"Thanks, Ekundayo. This means so much to me, maybe he can come and play at the palace some time and-"

Po was cut off by her sudden outburst as she leapt to her feet, the basket still in her hands as she shouted, "I'll not have this child anywhere near that pompous ass you call master! He'd have this child dead by the rainy season! I would rather die!"

Po caught the force of the rage like one would catch sight of an old scar from a battle ages ago, but did not press the matter. He had to get back to the palace before Shifu became suspicious of what he was up to and sent out a search party.

"Alright, if that's what you want. I've got to go, good luck, Ekundayo," Po bade her farewell and left, making his way back up to the palace.

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The day was quiet, Shifu being mysteriously unable to teach for reasons known only to Po and him. The Five had accepted it without much hassle, and Tigress had decided to try to get Po's lazy ass in shape.

The two sparred in a corner of the training hall, or, more or less, Tigress took a beating from the strange panda.

"Hey, Tigress?" Po began, dodging a well-aimed punch for his head and catching Tigress's legs, tripping her onto her back.

She caught herself and leapt back up as she replied, "Yes, Po?"

"Can I ask you something kind of important?" he inquired, grabbing her wrist and swinging her around.

"Ask," she prompted, spinning to break free of his grasp, dropping down into a crouch only to shoot forward, barely missing hitting Po's large belly.

"Did Master Oogway ever teach any women besides Lady Lotus?"

The training hall froze.

All eyes were trained onto Po as he fidgeted, looking from startled expression to startled expression, finally stopping as he met Tigress's menacing glare.

"That is none of your concern, Dragon Warrior," she growled, turning on her heel to leave for her room, the rest of the Five silently following suit.

'Uh oh,' thought Po worriedly. 'She only calls me Dragon Warrior when she's angry at me. But why would she be? It wasn't like I insulted her or anything! I don't even know why she would care!'

Angry at himself and at the tiger master, Po stomped toward his room, but stopped as the sound of Tigress and Shifu speaking worriedly met his ears.

Quickly leaping to the top of the Training Hall, Po listened carefully to the conversation below.

"But Master," Tigress complained, gesturing angrily. "Po knows! He must have some idea, and we can't let him soil the Palace's name!"

"I know, Tigress!" replied Shifu heatedly. "But if we don't make a big deal out of it, neither will he! Just apologize and tell him the story of Xia Tu."

"But she wasn't even-"

"I know that, and you know that, but he doesn't. Tigress, we cannot let Master Oogway's name be spoiled. Please, for his sake, swallow your pride."

The pleading in Master Shifu's voice was noticeable enough that Po had to wonder what was going on. What could one girl have done that was bad enough to ruing the entire Jade Palace?

These thoughts were cut off as a swift blow to the back of his head rendered him unconscious.