Chapter Three: An Invitation
"So how long have you guys been together?" Vixey asked.
She and Jin walked into the Training Hall, where the other Masters were training.
"Since we were little kids," Jin answered, "but it didn't become official until about six years ago."
"Six years?" Vixey began. "Why haven't you proposed to her yet?"
"It didn't seem like the right time," Jin told her.
"Slackers!" came Monkey's voice.
"It's about time you guys got here!" Mantis shouted. "Get going!"
"All right, all right," Vixey said, stretching.
She flipped onto the Field of Fiery Death and danced past the jets of fire without getting a single burn on her robes. Jin pole-vaulted over the jets of fire and landed on the farthest edge of the Jade Tortoise, causing Monkey and Crane to steady themselves before continuing their fight.
Po and Tigress carefully edged around the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, keeping an eye out for their opponent. Suddenly, several wooden figures began to spin around, the source approaching Tigress. She thrust her arm out, barely missing the flash of green zooming by. She kicked high in another direction, hitting Mantis and sending him flying. More wooden figures spun, their source heading straight for Po. He, too, struck out, but he was too late. Viper's tail struck him across the cheek, sending him spinning into the wooden figures. He was knocked around until Tigress caught up to him and steadied him. Then they prepared for the next attack.
As all the Masters were training, Shifu walked in to see their progress.
"Master!" Jin cried. "Found what you wanted!"
He tossed a scroll into the air and hit it with his staff, sending it in Shifu's direction before continuing his fight. The red panda effortlessly caught the scroll and opened it, reading quickly.
"Very well, Jin," Shifu said, "however, Vixey, this does not explain why you were late."
Vixey tripped and fell backward off the Field of Fiery Death, flipping back onto her feet. She quickly bowed to him.
"Sorry, Master," she told him. "Couldn't find my brush this morning."
"Learning Kung Fu does not require perfectly brushed fur," Shifu said sharply. "If you can't find it, go without it."
"How many times have they had this talk?" Po asked quietly.
"Too many to count," Tigress whispered, repelling Viper.
"I'll do better next time, Master," Vixey said, bowing again before leaping back onto the Field of Fiery Death.
Shifu shook his head and made ready to leave the Hall. Zeng suddenly ran in, stopping just short of the red panda.
"Master Shifu," he began, holding out a fancy-looking scroll, "this just came."
Shifu took one look at the scroll and rolled his eyes.
"This wouldn't happen to be another invitation from Ting, would it?" he asked. "She should know we can't come to every dinner and festival that happens in Gongmen."
"It doesn't look like that, Master," Zeng said as Shifu opened the scroll and began reading.
Shifu's eyes widened.
"Hmm," he began, "this is quite sudden. Why would he suddenly be inviting us?"
He turned toward his students.
"Stop, all of you," he said.
Vixey jumped off the Field of Fiery Death and Crane, Monkey, and Jin stood an equal distance apart on the Jade Tortoise to keep it from moving. Those among the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors stood at attention.
"You have been invited to attend the Emperor's birthday celebration," Shifu announced.
"What?" Mantis began.
"I hate these things," Tigress growled.
"When is it?" Viper asked.
"In two weeks," Shifu answered, looking back at the scroll.
"Two weeks?!" Vixey started. "His birthday is in six weeks!"
"Maybe he just wants to have an early birthday," Po suggested. "I don't know anyone who wouldn't want an early birthday."
Everyone looked at him.
"Okay, maybe I know two people," Po corrected. "Maybe three!"
"The point is, we all have to go," Monkey said.
"The Emperor himself invited us," Crane added.
"Not all of us," Shifu said. "All of you. I wasn't included on this list."
"That must be so heartbreaking," Tigress said sarcastically.
Shifu eyed her as Vixey muffled a giggle.
"In order for you to get to the Imperial City in time, you must leave tonight," he said. "Prepare yourselves, and I will see you in a month."
His students bowed to him and began to head for the barracks.
"His birthday party?" Vixey began. "His birthday party? It isn't like the Emperor to have his birthday early! I think something's up."
The eight Masters were walking along a wide path far from the Jade Palace while dusk was falling. There were dense forests on both sides.
"Maybe he suspects someone's going to make a threat against him?" Viper suggested.
"He's always suspicious," Mantis said. "He's the Emperor. There's always a group of people who don't like him."
"But Vixey's right," Tigress said. "It isn't like him to suddenly invite us to an early birthday. He would have made sure to invite us weeks ago. And even the mention of an 'early birthday' sounds dubious."
"Dubious or not," Po began, "the Emperor himself invited us to a personal event! The Emperor! Of all of China!"
"I figured you'd be psyched about it, Po," Crane said.
They continued on in silence. There was barely a light on the horizon when Tigress spotted a dark figure farther up on their path.
"Hold up," she said. "I have a feeling we'll need to be ready for a fight."
"You always have that feeling," Monkey told her.
Jin had already spotted the figure and reached back to grab his staff at a moment's notice.
"It's better to be safe than sorry," he muttered.
The uneasy feeling spread to all the Masters when they saw that it wasn't just one figure, but a group of them. The tension grew as they approached each other.
It was full-on night when the figures stopped walking.
"Halt!" one figure cried. "Masters of the Jade Palace! We place you under arrest for treason against the Emperor!"