Redux Chapter 2: The Valley of Peace

As Yué made his way across the rickety old bridge the light of dawn broke and illuminated the valley beyond the mountain pass. In the distance his keen ears picked up the sound of a bell ringing throughout the region. People would be up soon. He arrived at the perfect time. The wolf continued his trek down into the valley, walking over a small stone bridge and entering the slowly awakening village.

Pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, and geese all hurried about to get an early start to the day. Shop stalls and storefronts began to open. Villagers put out freshly washed laundry on the clothesline to dry in the warm midsummer morning's sun. Children broke free from the confines of their homes in search of their friends to enjoy the beautiful day out. A brisk and comforting breeze cut through the streets to carry the sweet scent of peach blossoms and mountain air.

As Yué strolled through town he couldn't help but quietly admire how pristine and charming the vista was. However he wasn't oblivious to the looks he was getting from the locals. The villagers gave him a wide berth, walking to other sides of the street to avoid the wolf. He could hear the muttering and mumbling, the 'who's that's and the 'what's he doing here's. He was fairly used to questions and comments like these made by passersby but these were different. He could hear it in their voices and could see it in the way parents pulled their children away from him. They were afraid. No, terrified.

For a valley as famed as this for its peace the locals were awfully skittish. Yué could easily chalk that up to how well armed he was. Or how he was an outsider. Or even the obvious case that he was a wolf in a village full of grazers, as he would call them.

Chances were slim at best that someone could get over their nerves long enough to give him any solid leads on The Dragon Warrior. He'd have to make the best of those odds. However before he could make a move to ask anyone anything his stomach gurgled almost angrily. It'd been a solid few days since the wolf had anything remotely decent or filling to eat. The smell of fruit and occasional scenes of street vendors serving food drifting on the wind only made things worse. Perhaps one of the locals would be able to assist him, if they weren't too petrified by fear.

Yué stopped by a vender selling small carved wooden figures of kung fu icons. The gray skinned pig smiled brightly but soon became petrified and his grin was replaced by utter terror when the wolf approached. The canine scanned the small stall's products and looked over the shopkeeper carefully. The craftsmanship for the figures was something to behold. The edges smooth and fine grained, the joints easily posable for small paws or hooves. He closely looked over the Crane figure and smiled softly before setting it back down. Yué cleared his throat and spoke. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know a good place to score some grub would you? Been traveling for a while and I could really use it." The porcine vendor shivered uncontrollably and his words came out stammered and stuttered. "Th-th-there's a nnnnoodle shop not far from here. A b-b-block away" The wolf smiled brightly and nodded. "Gotcha. Thanks." The pig nearly fainted after the canine took his leave, feeling as though he just narrowly dodged a premature end. He couldn't help but think of the poor goose that was ignorant of the wolf headed his way.

Yué made his way to where the pig said the noodle shop would be and sure enough there it was. The shop was packed away in a small alleyway with a round doorway was just large enough for a rhino or water buffalo to pass through without having to duck down. The doorway was decorated with two posters, one beside the single window for the shop depicting a fierce looking panda warrior. The other, opposite of the former, of seemingly the same panda serving a bowl of noodles with a small goose. The wolf chuckled softly at the odd looking pictures and shifted his focus to the sign above the door. Despite how humble the restaurant looked the sign was quite extravagant. It was made of a fine wood colored red and gold with carvings of dragons on both ends and a bowl of noodles between them. 'Dragon Warrior Noodles & Tofu' read the sign. Yué groaned inwardly as he went inside. "Please don't tell me this guy is just a chef. Or worse, a restaurant." he muttered to himself.

The restaurant was loud and bustling. People conversed and laughed heartily as they all bonded over the delicious smelling and looking food. Just about everything from noodles to dumplings were being served and quickly devoured as well. The wolf quietly scanned the restaurant as he walked to an open table near the middle left, stepping carefully past and over small children running about. The walls were decorated in more images of the heroic looking panda. All in dynamic battle poses and stances that made him appear stoic and courageous as well as powerful. That panda couldn't be the famed Dragon Warrior. Could he?

As Yué quietly mused about the pictures and posters the restaurant began to quiet down, falling into near dead silence. Not even the sound of eating or chopsticks noisily picking at glassware could be heard. He stood beside his chosen table and looked around to see what brought about the silence. All eyes were on the singular wolf in the room. There was his answer. The canine chuckled, "Oh, please. Don't mind me at all everyone. You can go back to eating." He took his seat and could hear whispers pass about the restaurant. The people, unsurprisingly, whispered and spoke in hushed voices about him. A few people noticeably shivered and a few other either quickly left or quietly payed and rushed out of the restaurant.

Yué rolled his eyes and sighed softly before opening up the menu to look through it. The pamphlet offered up a number of appetizingly illustrated dishes, all themed based on the Dragon Warrior himself. He looked up from the pamphlet briefly and took notice of the goose standing beside his table at arms length. The waterfowl was dressed in a simple looking red robe with light yellow lining, and a gold-colored belt with wave designs on it and donned a funny little hat that looked like a bowl of noodles with chopstick. He appeared to be shivering but ever so slightly, nearly unnoticeably as he tried to hide his fear and anxiousness from the wolf.

"W-welcome to Dragon W-warrior Noodles and Tofu." He stuttered, "I am Ping. What can I-I get ffor you?" Yué gave the menu another once over to see if anything caught his eye, despite him wanting to try everything. However only dish stood out from every other: Secret Ingredient Soup. The name alone was more than enticing considering the undertones of mystique surrounding it. Accompanied by the picture made it nearly irresistible. "I'll give this secret ingredient soup a try. Surprise my tastebuds." He smiled confidently and handed the menu to the goose. "V-very good choice sir. I'll be riight back with your order." Mr. Ping hurried back to the kitchen, waddling as fast as his feet could take him.

Yué chuckled softly at the nervous avian and looked into the kitchen across the courtyard restaurant, watching as the chef cooked up a storm. 'Not quite a warrior of black and white like the poster said,' he thought, 'Should probably keep my expectations tempered.' The wolf looked around at the stunning posters as his nose was filled with the aroma of cooking soups and tofu. Perhaps a panda was the Dragon Warrior. Why else would the restaurant owner have so many displays of pandas? Unless he had a strange fixation on the bears, in which case he would be a very odd goose. A moment later his attention was drawn by the strong and delectable scene of food and the sound of a clinking dish. The soup shone as if it were made of solid gold, which he would probably think as much had noodles not been floating in the broth. "Here you go sir. One b-bowl of Secret Ingredient Ssoup." Mr. Ping smiled wryly at Yué as he presented the meal to which the wolf smiled back. "Thank you." He nodded politely.

He took chopsticks in paw and brought the noodles to his muzzle, slurping up several strands. The flavor burst in his mouth like exploding fireworks. Never before had the wolf tasted something like this, but he managed to keep a straight face and his composure before looking at Mr. Ping. He nodded as he chewed and swallowed before dropping said composure and lifting the bowl to his maw, gulping down amazing soup, broth and all. Yué sighed satisfactorily and set the empty bowl down while licking his chops, laughing heartily. "That has got to be the best tasting thing I've had in years!" He smiled brightly at the goose, "You, my good sir, are an amazing chef." The wolf praised, bowing his head with his fist in the palm of his paw respectfully. Mr. Ping chuckled and bowed back, "Oh, thank you very much. It was nothing." He said humbly. Yué scoffed in disbelief, "Sure it wasn't." He pulled several coins from his pocket to pay for the meal, unknowingly dropping a small slip of paper. Mr. Ping noticed the scrap Fall and picked it up for the wolf, getting a look at a small painting of a very young wolf pup. Her fur was as white as freshly fallen snow and she smiled brightly.

The goose handed the picture over to Yué, the wolf's smile twisting into a somber grin. "I'm so sorry for prying. Is she yours?" He asked. The canine nodded. "Yeah. My pride and joy this one. Her name is Zhang Li." He brushed his thumb over the small joyful face. Mr. Ping scooped up the coins into his wing, "Is she..." he trailed off as to not upset the wolf. Yué looked up from the picture and shook his head. "No no, not at all. It's just... I haven't seen her in a while. Work has me traveling a lot."

"I know how that can be." Mr. Ping nodded, "My son goes away from time to time and it can be very worrisome." Yué leant his sympathetic ear to hear the fellow father out. Mr. Ping sighed wistfully as he recalled his son's journeys and his own worries. "Sometimes I don't even know if he'll come back home! But China needs him and it is his duty." The wolf raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Wait, what do you mean it's his duty?" Mr. Ping gestured to the posters on the walls, "Why he's a Kung Fu Master! The Dragon Warrior! And I am very proud of my Po." Yué was stunned but soon pieced it all together in his head. The wanted poster's description, the restaurant and the posters, it all seemed almost too obvious now.

"Really now? Because, funnily enough, he's why I'm here now." Yué said with a soft smile. "I had just finished a job a few villages over and my daughter's a huge fan of the Dragon Warrior. I was hoping to get an autograph from him and I have no clue where he is." Mr. Ping eyed the wolf dubiously. He took note of how well armed he was, his grizzled and unkempt fur, his oddly colored eyes, the left a shimmering gold and the right a brilliant jade green. However the picture of the young wolf pup and her father's story appealed most to his more compassionate side. Ping smiled back at the canine. "Well, these days he spends most of his time at the Jade Palace. On the northern side of town, up the mountain. You can't miss it." Yué quickly stood and bowed graciously to the goose, "On the behalf of my daughter and myself, I thank you sir."

"No need to thank me. You go get your little girl that autograph." Mr. Ping smiled brightly and shooed the wolf. Yué nodded and hurried out of the restaurant to many of the patrons delight. The goose hummed happily to himself and waddled back to the kitchen to cook for more customers passing through.

Yué roamed the streets of the northern end of the village until he came to the foot of the mountain Mr. Ping told him about. A long winding set of imposing stairs lined a path directly to the top. He could just make out the structure known as the Jade Palace. He dropped down to all fours and began to scale the staircase, sprinting as fast as he could. The wolf's goal was so close and motivated and propelled him up the mountain. The village below shrunk as it became more distance the higher he went.

The wolf soon came to a pair of red wooden doors below a blue tiled archway. Yué stopped short of the entrance and pulled his crossbow from his back and pulled back the drawstring before loading a bolt. He cleared his mind with a few short breaths as he prepared to meet the Dragon Warrior beyond the great doors. "Ready or not, here I come." He muttered quietly before bursting through the doors. He rolled into a crouching position and aimed his weapon at the first person he saw, which happened to be a goose with a broom. He was dressed in a yellow robe with a green belt and a small hat to match the ensemble. He was also quite visibly shaken by the intruder and let out a surprised honk. "Oh... Hi." Yué smiled politely and waved before beginning to scan the area. He appeared to be in some sort of arena. The space was a large stone square surrounded by blue roofed buildings and was completely deserted, save for the goose.

The wolf lowered his crossbow, "Say, you wouldn't happen to know where the Dragon Warrior is would you?" He asked, "Big panda, legendary fighter." He turned towards where the avian was sweeping only to find a few fallen feathers with no one to accompany them. He groaned to himself and looked around, finding another set of stairs leading higher and to a much large building. "Figures." Yué put the crossbow on his back and began to trudge up the steps, annoyed by his failed first attempt to surprise the legendary warrior. He approached the large structure and silently marveled at it for a moment. The roof tiles were a magnificent jade color and the roof itself was supported with brilliantly decorated pillars that were red with golden dragons spiraling down them. The entrance itself was an even larger set of doors, this time jade in color and ornately decorated. He readied his crossbow once again and growled quietly to himself, "Let's try this again."

The wolf burst through the doors with a tactical roll into a crouch and was met with six warriors on the other side of the great hall, all very much prepared for his arrival. The first one to catch his eye was a small elderly red panda dressed in reddish-burgundy robes with a jade green shawl and wielding a forked staff. Next was a female tiger, a crane in blue pants with a purple sash and a paddy hat, a monkey, and a viper. Lastly was the panda, largest of the group and his main target. However the bear looked a bit underwhelming, dressed a pair of patched-up burlap shorts with Shaolin wraps around ankles. Nothing like the fierce warrior on the posters. He was a bit too... plush and cuddly looking.

The standoff between the canine and the Jade Palace warriors was tense, not a word was spoken since he burst into the building. The burning stares from the legendary fighters, the most fierce coming from the tigress as well as a low growl as she bared her fangs.

Yué dared to test the panda to see if he was who his supposed father said he was. He pulled the trigger on the crossbow and let the bolt loose, aimed directly at the ursine's forehead. The tiger beside him reacted lightning fast, deflecting the shot and redirecting it to the wolf. Yué caught the crossbow bolt just before it could pierce the bright gold of his left eye and loaded it back in the weapon, aiming it again.

He couldn't help but let out a sigh that soon turned into a hearty laugh, or one of insanity to the opposing party. "Damn you're good! Almost took out my eye!" he choked out and lowered his weapon, "I was kinda hoping the panda would do something like that but you take what you're given I guess." The elder of the group spoke first, "What business do you have here?" the red panda asked authoritatively. The laughing ceased but the smirk on his face persisted. "I'm just here to see if the Dragon Warrior's the real deal. So far, pretty underwhelming. Judging by who your kin is I didn't expect someone so... pillowy." Yué gestured to the panda's physique with a chuckle. "So, I have no beef with you, Masters Tigress, Crane, Monkey, Viper, and Shifu." He said counting off the masters. "I am surprised to see the Furious Five without the fifth master though. Where's Mantis?"

"Right here furball!" called out a voice. Yué squinted and spotted Master Mantis perched on Monkey's shoulder, scowling at the canine. "Right. My bad." he chuckled and slung his crossbow onto his back, drawing his dual butterfly swords in its place. "If you oppose him then you stand against us all." Tigress snarled. "Pardon me for assuming but are you hard of hearing? I'm only here for the panda. I just wanna see if he's the real deal." he said scraping the blades against each other, "Now, if you want to get involved be my guest sweetheart. But I'm not afraid to leave here with a bit of blood on my paws. So, if you would be so kind?"

The panda looked at his comrades with concern. He was more than confident in their abilities but they've underestimated opponents like the wolf before and paid for it. Visions of the aftermath of their encounter with Tai Lung flashed in his head before he stepped forward. "It's okay guys," he said cautiously, "I'll take care of this." Crane caught his shoulder with his wing, "Are you sure Po?" he asked, eyeing the wolf across the room. "Yeah. I can take this guy." Po said with a confident smiled and kept walking, meeting Yué halfway. The masters stood down but kept themselves tense, ready to jump in and assist the Dragon Warrior should he need them.

"There we go, Po was it?" The lupine taunted cockily. Deep down he was brimming with nerves, both anxious and overjoyed to find the panda. "Let's see if you're really the guy I'm looking for." He flipped his blade in a reverse grip and crouched into a ready stance. The black and white ursine readied himself as well for combat. "Get ready to feel the thunder."

The two began to slowly circle one another. Yué's blades and fangs gleaming past his wide smile in the light pouring through the windows of the great hall. Po, the Dragon Warrior, watched the wolf stoically, searching for a weakness, a chink in his defenses. The canine crouched lower onto all fours much to the confusion of the panda and his cohorts, his closed fists being held up with the crossguards of his swords.

He lunged at the Dragon Warrior and struck him with a crossguard in the side, the attack seemingly having little effect as the panda flinched back. Po reeled a bit from the attack and retaliated with a back kick, pushing Yué away. The canine snarled quietly and dashed at the bear once again, attacking with swipe after swipe of his blades, not aiming with the edge but with his fists. The panda dodged and deflected each swipe before countering with a jab to the wolf's face, dazing him for a moment. He growled and attacked again with a left hook only to have the Dragon Warrior kick his paw away, knocking the sword from it. He followed up with a roundhouse kick to his other paw, sending the blade skittering across the floor.

Yué backflipped away from Po to reorient himself and stood. He stood and laughed. "Well, you're pretty okay so far. But I was just going easy on you." He smirked and lunged for the panda again, bounding off the side of a jade pillar and coming down on him with a falling punch. The Dragon Warrior blocked the attack but before he could strike back the wolf quickstepped to the side away from his reach. "Hey!" Po shouted and charged Yué, but the lupine leapt over the bear and dropkicked him in the back. The large panda toppled over and the smaller wolf landed with a tactical roll and a smirk. The ursine looked back at him and scowled, quickly getting back up and charging the canine once again. He soon closed the distance between them and attack Yué with a spinning back kick. The wolf had just blocked the strike but was still pushed back by the impact, nearly knocking him off balance and wiping the smirk clean off his muzzle. He grimaced and dodged a punch but wasn't fast enough to avoid a bicycle kick to the chest, pushing him against a pillar.

Yué pushed himself off of the column rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck with a growl. It was Po's turn to grin confidently at the wolf, "That was me taking it easy on you." The lupine smiled brightly back and clapped, "Alright! Now it's a fight." He laughed before charging the panda once again. The canine slid under and past the ursine and hopped onto his back, raining down punches aimed at his head and face. A couple managed to hit their mark, punctuated by Po's pained groans and 'ow's, but he was soon thrown off and into the cold unforgiving marble floor. "Ouch." Yué gasped out quietly as the wind was briefly knocked out of his lungs. He quickly rolled away to the side to catch his breath for a moment.

"Give up?" The Dragon Warrior smirked. "Not a chance." Yué snarled, dashing with claws at the ready. The panda grinned and readied himself, tightening his stance and sucking his belly in. When the wolf got within his range Po decided to finish the fight, striking the lupine with his gut in spectacular fashion. Yué was thrown back into a pillar with a sickening thud, falling limply to the ground.

"Yeah!" Po cheered with his paws in the air, bouncing on his heels, "Didn't expect that did ya?!" The wolf was motionless and breathed shallowly in his incapacitated state.

Master Shifu and the others cautiously approached the panda and wolf, watching the lupine very carefully in case he was playing possum. "Who is this guy?" Mantis thought aloud. "Doesn't matter," Tigress said coldly, "If he knows better he'd leave and never threaten us again." Yué soon regained consciousness with a deep gasp and a wheezing cough. The warriors all took a ready stance as he picked himself up, prepared to face the canine should he oppose them once again. He shakily got to his hind paws with a wry smile and more coughing. He held onto his side and chuckled softly, "Alrighty then. You're definitely my guy panda." He stood up straight and laughed more, visibly wincing with every breath.

"Your test is over, wolf. Leave now." Shifu commanded. Yué shook his head and looked to his left arm curiously. It had fallen numb and was hidden away under his cloak. As he moved the covering and chuckled again though the masters flinched away in disgust, Crane nearly losing his lunch on the floor and ducking his head under his wing. The wolf's arm had been dislocated and hung lifelessly and at an angle out of place from his shoulder. He shrugged with his one working shoulder, "I'll get to that soon enough. As for you Dragon Warrior," He turned back to Po, "I'm in need of your help." Reluctantly the masters all looked back at him, averting their gaze from his arm. "You attack us and just expect help?" Viper asked incredulously. "I didn't attack you, I attacked the panda," Yué clarified covering his arm with his cloak, "And I'm asking for his help. Only his."

"Why do you want my help?" Po asked curiously. The wolf sighed softly, having practiced this speech in anticipation for this meeting a hundred times. "My daughter is missing. She was kidnapped. Last I saw her was five months ago, six in a few weeks." He fished her picture out of his pocket and showed the bear. "Her name is Zhang Li and I believe you're the only one that can help me find her." The panda hesitantly took the picture and looked it over, the other masters inspecting it, and Yué, as well. "I don't buy it." Monkey said dismissively, "She doesn't even look like him!"

"But what if he's telling the truth?" Viper tried to rationalize, "We should at least hear him out." Tigress shook her head, "We don't even know him. I agree with Monkey, this could be a trap." Master Shifu stroked his mustache as he thought on the situation. "Then we shall find out who he is."

They all turned back to face the wolf, Shifu speaking up first. "We've come to a–" The grandmaster was interrupted by a sharp clang, the wolf falling face first onto the floor. Behind him stood Zeng with a large newly dented pan in his wings and an unconscious canine at his feet. "That was a close one, eh guys?" He smiled wryly at the surprised masters, the grin soon falling into a look of uncertainty. "Zeng! What'd you do that for?!" Po asked incredulously. "H-he was attacking you. R-right?" The goose stuttered and gulped nervously. "Yes! I mean, no! I mean, he was but he stopped so... kinda?" Po said, confused about the situation.

Shifu sighed exasperatedly and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing away a slow approaching headache. "Tigress, Monkey, take the wolf to Mantis's room. We need to treat his injuries." The two hesitated for a moment to register what their master wanted them complied, carefully picking up Yué. "We'll keep him here until we find out just what he's up to. He will under very close watch until then." All but Zeng, Tigress and Monkey bowed with a chorus of 'Yes, Master' as the lupine was carried off to the student barracks. Po looked down at the picture of the wolf pup. If it was a fake, it was very convincing. But a part of the panda believed him, or at least felt he should.