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Meanwhile at the Jade Palace.

Inside the dimmed lighted room, Dragon Warrior was still waiting faithfully by her bedside. It's been almost a week Tigress laid unconscious. Po came in with a few spools on his hand, this had been his way spending his time waiting for his best friend to finally returned to the world of the living. He shuffled into a comfortable position on the floor, and minutes admiring the beautiful creature that laid in front of him peacefully. He came closer and reached his paw to hers gently stroke it as if to comforted her spirit to keep going. The thought of what happened nearly a week ago replaying in his mind, impaled his heart to know he was the cause of all this. His eyes felt warm as he studied her. 'Fine... do as you pleased Dragon Warrior!' her voice rang out in his mind. He wanted to scream how sorry he was. He wanted to apologize badly. He just needed her to be back. But there she was, laying silently... listening to the hundredth probably thousandth time he utter of apology without replying a word.

Po sat there reading his scroll, squeezing his mind to concentrate rather than roaming in arduous rumination. There was a lot of 'what if' scenario playing in his mind. What if Tigress never woke up, what if took her years, what if she couldn't forgive him? what if she wanted him gone for good? Suddenly, a tap on the paper wall alerted him from his reverie. His master stood there as he slid the door open.

"Po, there is someone that required some help to move some heavy items down the village. I've sent Monkey and Crane, but look like they could do with another helping paw. I'll stay here with Tigress." The distraction was normally Po biggest enemy, but today, this kind of interruption was the exact medicine he needed to take his mind away from Tigress.

Po ran down through the thousand stairs, he immediately found himself down by his father's shop. His dad never failed to notice his son existence even when the restaurant practically bursting with feisty customers.

"Son...!" The goose greeted him enthusiastically.

"Oh hi, Dad," Po replied with a smile, but the goose quickly detected burdensome look in his eyes.

"Is Tigress still unconscious?" His son just nodded weakly. He placed his wings on his black furry arm. "I know it's hard Son, but you have to be patient. I am sure she'll come back fine. We've seen how hardcore Tigress is right?" The bear didn't reply, he knew his dad just wanted him to feel better. "Thanks, Dad, look... I had to go to help Monkey and Crane. See you later Dad."

"Bye Son." Mr. Ping watched as his Son walked wistfully and disappear behind the crowds.

At Gongmen jail. Tigress was faithfully following Bai as he did his errands. After signing all her adoption paperwork and meeting the Kung Fu Council, both of them headed down to their last stop. The Kung Fu Council had informed Bai, there was one prisoner that needed medical attention. They were still unsure how this guy with a name Black Arrow ended up in Gongmen Jail after being transported from Imperial Jail, the paperwork surrounding his arrest also remained vague.

"Are you Black Arrow? Hi, I am Bai Shan, I have some medicine for you." The black panther opened his tired fiery red eyes. After begging permission from the guards to take off the prisoner's manacles, Bai helped him to sit up straight. He was covered with a lot of bruise and laceration, there was a gash on his right arm and his abdomen that had swelled implying they demanded serious attention instantaneously.

"Oh... what... what did they do to you?" Bai worried eyes busy examining the prisoner's wound. The person in question just closed his eyes, Tigress could see the beads of tears on his dark fur glitter under the flickering light of the candle.

"I was captured last night." He let a long heavy breath. His eyes were dulled and slightly redden with a desperate gleam.

"Care to tell us what happened," Bai asked in a comforting tone, while his mind and hand began to work it's magic, making the herb concoction that would at least ease him from the physical torment.

He remained ambivalently silent for a moment, having an internal debate on whether to tell these strangers something that might have been important or confidential. "My last post was as an imperial guard of Imperial Palace, but in reality, I am a spy… part of Imperial Intelligence. One night I heard a news about Lady Khan planning to overthrow the man on the throne." He cautiously watched his surrounding as he continued his story with low, conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh, I thought he died of… natural cause." Bai replied, visibly astonished. The panther shook his head haltingly.

"Lady Khan... plot all this? But why?"

The panther sighed exasperatedly. "She was jealous of someone… I can't tell you more I'm afraid. Just put it, Emperor Xiang relationship with Lady Khan deteriorated after her arrival in the Imperial Palace."

"Oh, kind of…. Love triangle dilemma…" Bai nodded in understanding.

"Lady Khan was furious and planned to eradicate all of Emperor Xiang's family and especially this Lady she was jealous of." He expounded, "...and I helped her to escape...The plan proven to be a success - she did escape, until someone accusing me of treason and brought me here." Bai took note of the misery and fear etched into his worried voice.

"So far, how many heirs to the emperor's throne were there?" Bai asked.

"There was only two actually, which is quite shocking since the emperor had three wives and dozen of concubines."

"That's would be his fertility problem then." Tigress thought seriously.

Both men gave her incredulous look considering that knowledge and words came from a four-year-old cub.

"Anyway, what's your name cub?" Black Arrow looked infatuated at the little cub next to him who clearly sounded a lot more mature than her age.

"Oh sorry, this is Xiu, she was... a daughter of a friend." Explained Bai, not desiring further question on the matter if he said Tigress was his adopted daughter a mere 30 minutes ago.

"She is one clever girl." The panther patted her head and his red fiery eyes met her amber dazzling gaze.

"I am missing my son…" He said sullenly."He is about your age Xiu."

"That's so... sad, but we'll try to do everything to help you. How long would you be staying here? I might get back with more medication."

"... I don't know, my life hanging by a thread now, they might decide to execute me if they found proof on false pretense that I was plotting to kill the Emperor."

And as they prepared to leave, Tigress saw a black panther cub, his right arm was bandaged from it's upper to the wrist. He had a guard escorting him as they head down towards their direction. She speculated that he must be Black Arrow's son. They exchanged glances as Tigress and Bai heading out of the jail.

Days turn into weeks, weeks turn to months. Tigress had been adapting her life well in Tenhuan among the pandas. Should anyone knew how her life was in Jade Palace as a cub, she wouldn't ever want to go back. She spent her morning studying with Zhi, reading the scrolls, learning to sew, replicating one of Zhi's famous soup recipe, or practicing her Tai Chi moves.

In the afternoon Zhi would take her to see Master Dao. Master Dao unconventional approach of teaching her had made her a formidable warrior, but as a cub - Tigress was enjoying the old panda sense of humor and his easy going attitude. They would spend a large chunk of their training time engaging in silly games, or meditating, or listening to him narrating one of his wise proverbs, and normally they would stay until the sun goes down.

On weekend, normally there wouldn't be any training for Tigress, so Zhi and Bai would take her shopping in Gongmen. Habitually Zhi would do a little shopping, sometimes buying a pair of robe with a similar design for her and Tigress, while Bai then would draw a good sketched of two of them. In just a short two month they already had 4 pictures done with them in 'twin' clothing. Although Bai seldom at home during the course of winter, he himself never failed to spend time with Tigress. Every chance he was at home, he'll tuck her to bed, read her stories and kiss her goodnight. Tigress couldn't be any happier.

And when she couldn't feel her life will turn any better, Zhi gave birth to a baby panda and Tigress soon graduated from the only child to be a proud big sister. Whenever her baby brother was awake, she'll show him cool kung fu moves, or the folk dance she learned from their neighbor Ms. Ling, or read a poem to him. They'll sit in the bathtub together watching countless bubble formed and disappeared into oblivion. At night, Tigress often sneaked into the nursery, just to watch an amusing display of the tiny cuddly figure striking the most ungraceful pose - sometimes with mouth wide open and snot bubble coming from his nose.

But all that was just about to change.

That afternoon, Zhi took Tigress back to see Master Dao for her training. Zhi couldn't go as Mr. Chan their neighbor had to agree to draw Zhibao and her new baby marking his 100 days. So today, Bai took Tigress to see Master Dao for a change, promising he'll be back to pick her up that evening.

"Xiu,... are you ready to do serious butt-kicking business?" The old master grinned.

"Yes, Master." She bowed obediently. But then he offered a high five instead, Tigress giggled and met his master palm, so hard that both of them wince.

"Shall we start with the hypnotic therapy again? I think you are ready to confront more stuff from your past, don't you think?" Tigress nodded confidently and quickly sat in the lotus position, she closed her eyes as she listened to her Master's guiding voice.

On her trance state : first, she saw was a ceiling, and her ear perked up from a yelling sound outside. As she sat up she realized she was on the boat. She climbed out the back and saw a panda attacking the boat mast ferociously. Then all sort of kind of voice came into her mind.

'My apology, I used to punch the ironwood tree by the palace.' 'That's severely cool.' Po? Are we on a mission? Mantis? Crane? Viper? Monkey?

And then the image changed into a prison, the same prison she'd been with Bai a few months back. She saw herself and Po engaged in a heated argument.

'You are staying here.'

'I had to get to him'

'Tell me why.'

'He was there... okay! The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents.' 'The hardcore can't understand.' '

The hardcore could understand, but I can't watch my friend be killed.'

She breathed heavily, tears started to stream down her cheeks. Master Dao quickly snapped her back from her reverie.