Hey, well here's another chapter! As always, I hope you really enjoy the chapter and the story so far! It took me a few days to write, but I have it posted almost exactly when I said I would post! Yay for me and getting more accurate with posting! Again, thanks for reading and please review the story, as I crave feedback!

thank you!

-wolfgangwalker12

Taken

Chapter 2: Suicide Mission

Po woke up with a loud groan.

"Hey kitten, I just had the strangest dream. We were-" But he stopped mid-sentence as soon as he saw where he was. He was lying flat on his back in the Hall of Warriors, and there was debris scattered all around him. Suddenly, images seeped back into his mind like a poison as he recounted the events that had taken place. Suddenly, a feeling of dread washed over him, leaving Po soaked in fear and anxiety. He got up immediately and ran out of the hall, yelling,

"Tigress! Tigress where are you!"

He ran back down to the arena. The altar was now ablaze and the place was completely abandoned. All except for Shifu and the rest of the five, who were all tied up with ropes and squirming about on the ground like wriggling worms. Tigress was nowhere to be found among them. Po rushed over to Shifu, who had a cut across his left cheek and had a black eye.

"Master Shifu! What happened? Where's Tigress?" He pressed as he quickly untied Shifu.

"Po…" Shifu said, "They took her. She's gone Po." The red panda sighed.

"No, no they couldn't have. Where is she?"

"Po!" He said as he raised his voice. "They took her. It was Xia, she led the attack…" He trailed off, trying to comprehend the fact that his beloved daughter had been stolen.

"Now Po, untie the rest of the five and we'll get this settled." He said.

Po spent the next half hour going around to the rest of the five and untying them. Poor Viper, the bandits tied her in a knot, which Po thought had to have hurt. After they had all been untied, they headed back up to the palace to assess the situation.

"I don't understand!" Monkey exclaimed as he looked around the hall. "They didn't steal any of the relics, they spared all of our lives, and they didn't burn down anything except for the altar. Why would they come here and not do any damage?"

"They did do damage!" Po snapped at Monkey, "They took my wife, your friend, and Shifu's daughter. You don't consider that damage?"

"I didn't mean that Po. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too. It's just… been an eventful day for me."

Shifu carefully inspected the odds and ends that were scattered about the hall, carefully piecing together what had happened.

"They were clearly after Tigress alone, and if Xia was leading the attack, she would have wanted to make a big deal about capturing your wife Po, so she did it at your own wedding. We all know Xia was jealous of you and Tigress from the start, so she must have taken her as a way of getting to you." Shifu said sadly, as he in fact blamed himself for what had happened here.

If I had only ordered more security at Chorh-Gom, Xia might have never been able to break out. Shifu thought.

"Hey guys!" Crane shouted from across the room, "I think you should all have a look at this! It's a note, from Xia." He said as he flew over to where the rest of the group was. He then showed then a small scroll, written on it was a hostile and menacing note.

Dear Furious FOUR plus panda,

As you know now, I have taken something precious of yours. I am holding her deep within the Wu Dan Mountains at the Mangsau Palace. Your Dragon Warrior shall trek to the palace ALONE. If he is accompanied by anyone else, I will kill the kitty instantly. I shall negotiate her life once he arrives.

Love,

Xia

"What!" Shifu said, astonished. "The Mangsau Palace is impossible to get to! There's no way Po could make it there let alone any of us for that matter. What are we going to do?"

"Shifu, I can make it. I must go. I know getting there might be near impossible, but Tigress would do the same for me." Po said with an air of sadness to his voice. "I don't care if I die on that mountain, but I'm going to get Tigress back. I have to try."

"Po, you can't do that!" Shifu said, "It is one of the most dangerous journeys in China, and surely you would just end up getting yourself killed. The temperatures are frigid even on the hottest of days there. You'd die of cold before you even made it halfway there."

"Ya Po," Monkey spoke up, "It's too dangerous. Tigress might already be dead Po!"

"STOP!" Po shouted. The very echo of his voice shook the floor and turned the hall dead silent.

"How could you say something like that? It's like you've already given up on her! She isn't dead. She can't be. I'm going to get her, no matter how dangerous it is. You should all be ashamed. Tigress wouldn't be so quick to give up on any of us if we were captured! Look, I know I'm the Dragon Warrior, and you guys need me here more, but the point of being who I am is to help those in need and right now Tigress is in need of my help. Tigress is my wife and part of my family. Family doesn't give up on each other. "

His words had an appalling effect on not only Shifu but the other occupants of the room, who all shot each other neurotic looks. The five had never seen Po so upset, and they certainly had never seen him raise his voice to Shifu, or anyone for that matter.

Shifu looked dubiously at his pupil, and then turned and took his leave. As Shifu reached the doorway, without turning around, he said

"I understand your feelings towards Master Tigress and I know you feel devoted enough to save her even if it costs you your own life. We haven't given up on her Po; it's just that I don't think we could handle it if we lost two students in such a short time. But go. Bring back my daughter but try not to die. I'm counting on you Po." Shifu said transcendently as he left Po and the rest of the five in the hall.

Po stood there for a second, in a muse about his new daunting task. Wondering how he could possibly save his beloved in a practical manner. How could he rescue Tigress without having to bargain with Xia? What would they do after they had gotten out of the mountain and were paired against the unmerciful arctic terrain, with no food or supplies? He quickly snapped back to reality however as he realized he was wasting precious time so he sprang up and ran to his room.

The five worryingly followed him, as they knew the panda they had all come to love would not be deterred from getting Tigress back. As they joined him in the room, they found him furiously packing a few things into a small burlap bag. He took out a pile of clothes and piled them idly in the bag, forming a misshapen hill of fabric.

"Ummmm, Po?" Viper inquired nervously, "You're not seriously considering going there alone, right?"

"What do you mean? The letter said I have to come alone. If I don't they'll… well, you know what'll happen…"

"Po, this is a trap! Xia's using Tigress to lure you in." Crane said, "Let us go with you. We can help."

"It's too dangerous. You need to watch over the valley while I'm gone, keep everyone safe." Po said frankly as he packed the last of his belongings, including a small painting of him and Tigress with their arms wrapped around each other. Tigress' stunning smile was the focal point of the picture, along with her eyes, which were filled with a lighthearted buoyancy that made Po grin every time he looked at the painting. But Po did not even elicit a half-smile as now her face only brought new determination to his mission. This painting was their wedding portrait; a marker of the happiest time in Po's life. He needed something, anything that would remind him of her. Something that would remind him of those spectacular days spent with her.

Po walked out of the room briskly and padded along to the front of the palace. He turned around and faced the five.

"Well with any luck. I'll be back with Tigress in a few months, but just in case I don't return, there's something I left for you guys in my room. Only open it when you're sure I'm not coming back. I love you guys, and I'm sure gonna miss you." Po said with a tear forming in his eye.

"Po, we're gonna miss you too." Viper said solemnly. "You know you don't have to do this Po. We can find another way to bring her back."

"There is no other way. I have to. I'm sorry."

Po then started down the stairs, shuffling slowly. Once at the bottom, he cast one more look at the palace. He knew that this would probably be the last time he would see his home, the Jade Palace.

"Goodbye." Po whispered as one, solitary tear slid down his cheek and splattered against the rough stone pathway, lying there like a fallen soldier.

Tigress slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the room in which she was in. Light flooded in from a single window at the far end of the room, proving that there was a world outside of this cold, dank prison after all. She tried to move her hands, but noticed that there were steel cuffs around her wrists, and those cuffs were steadfastly chained to the wall.

Soon, panic spread over her, wrapping the feline in blanket of fear.

"Ugh, help! Someone help me!" She shouted. Her pleas only echoed off the walls pointlessly.

The wedding, the bandits. Po. What happened at the wedding? Where was she?

Everything was such a blur to her now that it hurt her head just thinking about it. She lowered her head in despair. How could she let something like this happen? She should have expected Xia to come back to exact her revenge.

How stupid of me… She thought to herself.

Suddenly, the sound of metal hinges screeching made Tigress instinctively snap her head up towards a large wooden door opposite her as it was forcefully shoved open. There, standing in the entranceway was none other than Xia. Tigress emitted a low growl and bared her teeth as Xia walked up to her, grinning wildly.

"Ah, dear sister I'm glad you came!" Xia exclaimed, taking out a long sword from its sheath around her waist. "Why so sad? Oh wait, are you mad at me because I ruined your wedding day? I'm so sorry about that." She said with a mocking apologetic tone.

"I never did anything to you, and therefore I have no feud with you." Tigress said flatly, as she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead of her, not even bothering to look at her 'sister'.

"You didn't do anything to me? You stole the Dragon Warrior from me, beat the crap out of me, and then sent me off to Chorh-Gom. I certainly have a feud with you and now it's time for my revenge!" She shouted as she swiped the blade across Tigress' abdomen with a quick flick of her wrist. Soon, a small trickle of blood formed at the gash, and began to drip onto the floor. Tigress cried out in pain, but stayed on her feet. She refused to let this brute take control of her.

"You think you'll get away with this? As soon as I'm free, I will make you wish that you had never met me!" Tigress said coldly as she growled again.

"Yes, I actually do think I'll get away with this! And trust me; you're not getting out of those chains any time soon."

"Po will come and get me." Tigress said. "And when he gets here, you better run. I know he'll come, he has to."

"Well, that's the point!" Xia said, "You're the bait, and when he comes, he will be all mine!" And with that, the other female tiger took the sword and ran it across her legs this time, creating a large cut on each one of her shins. This time, the great Master Tigress did fall to the ground, the pain being too much of a burden on her agile legs. Tigress glared up at her sister, pure rage and hatred enveloped her completely now.

"I used to think that I was a monster, until I met you. You really think Po will just idly walk in here and do whatever you say? He will fight, and he will win. I know he will."

"Yes, I'm sure he will." Xia said dismissively as she walked out of the cell, slamming the bulky door behind her.

Tigress just stared at the grey, blotchy stone floor beneath her and thought of Po. She began to sob silently, wondering if she would ever see her panda again.

Did you like it? Hopefully, you found some entertainment in reading this. Thanks so much and all of the story info/posting dates are on my profile! Please review!

-ww12