The seed of dishonor

In the old village of pandas, near Gongmen…

"We can't waste our time any longer. We need to go to the Valley of Peace." said an irritated feline.

"Guys! I still can't find Crane anywhere. What if something bad had happened to him?" Viper cried to the four remaining warriors.

"I understand, but the main thing now is to break away from these supposedly "servants of the Emperor" and find a safe place, where we can rest and develop a further plan of actions." Tigress said it in such a firm tone that it was immediately clear that no arguments would be heard.

"What about Master Shifu?" Snake was not appeased.

"Master isn't easy to win. He'll handle this and certainly know we hide in a safe place." Tigress insisted, trying to appease the angry snake.

"But we can't just leave them! We have to..." Viper just started talking, when Tigress interrupted her.

"I have already told you to leave it. We gotta go and it's not discussed." she said in exasperation that made the snake to become silence.

"When we get to the Valley, where we will go?" Po spoke up, breaking this awkward silence.

"In Jade Palace, where else?" said Tigress, not giving this idea a lot of thought.

"I still can't believe that they were stronger than we. They could beat us without any effort. Have you seen that guy?" Po began to mumble, while all the masters of Kung Fu gathered in the way back home, "How such a thing could be?"

"Yeah, who he was?" added Monkey irritably.

Fighters hit the road in complete silence, gathering their thoughts and thinking about the battle that occurred.

Flashback…

"Go."

After this one word all hell broke loose, when soldiers attacked six Kung Fu masters. Guards crushed everything on its way. The battle was fierce, unlike previous battles there was such impression that the enemy already knew what to expect. They were strong and held samurai swords very skillfully. When they attacked, it was immediately obvious that they seek only to kill them and aren't going to show any mercy, especially take prisoners alive. After the battle began, the screams of frightened passers, who began to scatter in different directions in a safe place to hide, immediately were heard. The guards themselves didn't restrain and destroyed everything around them. Chaos erupted: fragments of different benches, shops and other things flew in all directions. Kung Fu masters fought with the imperial guards as they could, and even began to triumph. Up to the moment until a lone warrior in gold armor, standing not far from them silent as a statue, intervened in fight.

Viper knocked masked wolves off their feet. When she jumped on the next victim, suddenly someone grabbed her in the air and threw her into the counter standing nearby.

Mantis threw samurais in different directions and broke their weapons. Despite the fact that their blades were strong, they gradually fall apart after a few bug's blows. Suddenly he heard something slammed against the wooden store very hard. When he turned toward the sound, he saw Viper in the wooden rubbles. This moment of his confusion served as a pretext for his enemy to attack him. One wolf kicked the insect and while he was recovering from a blow in flight, jackal suddenly appeared out of nowhere and with a roundhouse kick kicked small bug aside. Viper just got out of the wreckage when suddenly Mantis flew into her face, sending them both back to a bunch of garbage.

Seeing this Tigress punched the wolf, which attacked her, and rushed to the jackal. With a roar she jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. Jackal was lying on the ground and tiger was on top of him. After that she stabbed him in the face but he blocked it. Then he grabbed her paws with his own and wrapped his legs around her waist. The situation would be laughable and ambiguous if he hadn't turned them around, grabbing her paws in one of his and holding up his other hand ready to strike. Tigress arched her head to the side to dodge the blow and then bent slightly to release from the jackal, and, drawing her knees to her chest, punched a dog in the face with a strong blow of her legs. Although he only recoiled a little back, releasing her hands. Jackal was about to pounce on her again, when suddenly another blow connected with his head.

Monkey punched jackal, throwing him back. Then he helped Tigress to stand up and together they attacked their enemy. But the jackal didn't lose it. He quickly rose up, reflecting the impact of Tigress attack, and grabbed an ape's hand, and then he turned around and grabbed the female tiger's hand, wringing and twisted their hands, he threw them into the same heap as the other two of their friends.

Jackal looked at the panda almost directly in front of him that fought with the wolves. Standing on all fours, he ran to him as fast as he could. Po dodged strikes of three wolves with difficulty as they attacked almost simultaneously by different beats trying to attack from different angles to catch him off guard, but he had only to relax as wolves suddenly stopped and looked back. He was even more puzzled when they squatted on all fours in front of him.

"What's the matter? Scared of the mighty power of the Dragon Warrior?" Po began to say, thinking that the wolves were surrendering, "You don't need to bow down-"

He faltered when he saw someone, behind the crouching wolves, rushes to him at full speed. Po had only to raise his hands to cover his face, when jackal ran on the backs of wolves and jumped, causing the same impact as Tigress and sending panda to his friends. Only four warriors have begun to rebound as suddenly they were knocked back by their bearish friend, slamming them all in a wooden shop behind their backs. A roof of which collapsed on them.

With a corner of his eye a jackal saw someone's shadowy silhouette in the sky. He turned his head slightly and his eyes moved to the edge of the eye socket so he could see what was happening there. A moment later, two figures came down from the sky. Narrowing his eyes, he saw that it was their falcons. It looks like they caught that bird that was with these four imbeciles. Something like a smirk appeared on his snout. However, this smirk turned into a scowl as he turned and saw that the masters were escaping and the wolves were chasing them. When four animals ran outside the city wolves stopped following them and looked at the jackal waiting for his decision.

"Once sent someone like us then they have no chance, and sooner or later they will be caught. There's no place in whole China where they could hide." thought leader of the group, "Lady Lian will be sure of it…"

Jackal hemmed, going back into the marquee that was not touched by anyone, and passionately waited for his master to return. Wolves followed his example, helping their comrades.

End of Flashback…

So they walked under cover of night, thinking about their defeat and what they are going to do now. After all, if the Emperor really has stated them as enemies of the Empire, they will be on the wanted list. The entire country will be wary of them. They will be the ones with whom they were fighting all this time…criminals, murderers, robbers and other bad people who committed many evil deeds. Who could stoop so low to denigrate and disgrace them?

Po sighed as he walked, "And after the day started so well…"

Somewhere on the way to Beijing…

Breaking dawn has begun.

On the horizon, the sun began to rise dispelling the gloomy darkness and lighting up the sailing ship. It was one of the dragons of the sea. Those, who met the sea dragons, admired and shacked from the grandeur of this maritime armada. In terror fishermen hastily turned the boats. Strange sight appeared before them. Skyline trembled, and distal margin of the sea became covered by countless sails. That's already a huge wall they ascended, and the wall that was rolled ashore. It was impossible to get through it, pass it. Hardly moored, confused natives dropped their frail craft and rushed helter-skelter in a nearby safe place. On the deserted coastal sand lay a huge shadow. Unprecedented armada ever came to the coast. All who saw this spectacle could not even believe in the existence of such greatness. It was the most magnificent, the most beautiful, and the most powerful ships.

Sailing ship was huge. Nine masts towered on it. With its armored nose it could ram and sink enemy ships. The ships of this type had four decks. At the bottom was placed ballast, tinted the stability of the vessel; above was the living deck. Being on the third deck, the sailors were managed with deep red sails of color of blood. Finally, on the upper deck was free space for something. Ship was teeming with security. Although they were not so much as the first time when they sailed as half of the wolves had to stay in Gongmen City.

At the moment in the captain's cabin, Shenlong was pondering about the upcoming meeting with his mistress. His two jackals, his lackeys, his bodyguards stood at the door of his cabin, silently watching their lord. Sitting at the table on which was laid a bunch of some drawings, he thought about how his noble lady will be pleased and happy to learn that he had fulfilled her task.

"Even though we had a small problem, everything is going according to the plan." thought Shenlong, recalling his meeting with the wolves.

Flashback…

Peacock with his attendants came to the tent and wasn't happy with what he had saw.

A real chaos was around. Debris of various structures and items were lying on the ground. Soldier doesn't look good too as they were received enough in their fight against Kung Fu warriors.

"What the hell is this?" shouted Shenlong, looking at the pitiful sight of the Royal Guard and not seeing the prisoners or at least their bodies, "What has happened here? Where are the fighters, who were taken captives?"

Some soldier came up to him and said that the masters ran away. Peafowl wasn't satisfied with this answer. With unhappy snarl on his face, he went into the tent waving his wing towards the wolf, who brought him unpleasant news. Peacock's bodyguard came to the imperial samurai and grabbed his head.

SNAP!

Kung Fu masters, going before that behind henchmen of the Emperor, stopped in their steps at the sharp cracking sound of broken bones. Looking ahead, they saw a jackal, departing, as if nothing had happened, from the immobile body of the lying wolf whose neck was snapped. They were overwhelmed by such action and the fact that everyone continue to behave as if nothing had happened.

"So that's how important persons of the Emperor solve all their things, which they don't like." Ox said warily, looking at Shenlong's back with accusing glance.

"Well at least my disciples fled." said Master Shifu, feeling relieved at heart.

"On your place, I wouldn't act as reassuring about them." came Shenlong's voice, "They are enemies of the state. And the times are such that even the closest people can't trust each other, isn't it?"

After these words, a bird with a victorious smile on his beak disappeared along with his faithful ward behind the curtain of the marquee.

He frowned and wanted to say something else, but suddenly behind him someone pushed him as well as the other masters forward. Wolves hurried them as their master was about to leave. Holding up the tent wolves carried him accompanied by masters to the port where the docked ship was waiting for them.

End of Flashback…

"Damn scums." Shenlong thought, remembering Kung Fu masters, "Why can't everyone just go and die? And what to do with Shen?"

His last thoughts were about white peacock who recently settled in the palace and in due time gave quite a stir.

"Have you seen this Shen?" He asked his bodyguards who kept silent and didn't answer him, "What did she see in him? He's only wasting our time."

Then his thoughts reverted to the goddess of his mind that he admired more than life. The one in which he is willing to put all his faith.

"My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals herself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind." He said, referring to that for which he is willing to do anything, "I'm not saying that befits a man to be insane. But sometimes, for the sake of a fiery woman and noble dreams, can be burnt whole cities."

Meanwhile, in the hold of a ship masters were discussing what actions they should take.

"All this is very strange, why would Emperor so suddenly takes off and do things for city? Something is wrong here." said Master Ox

"Also we have stated as enemies." added Croc to his friend's statement.

"I have such feeling as if it's definitively planned. It looks like someone really doesn't like us." Shifu got in conversation.

"Someone set us up." Ox concluded in the end.

In Valley of Peace…

Fighters only started coming to the entrance of the Valley, when suddenly beside them, a rustle came from bushes. They were on the alert and prepared for the worst.

A moment later bird jumped out of the bushes right at them.

In the Forbidden City…

"Everything went well, I suppose." Someone hissed, referring to the girl.

"Don't worry, Doctor Rushifa. Everything is in order." Lian said to the scaly lizard, "By the way, where a detachment that I sent to Gongmen? The whole day has already passed."

"Surely they'll be here in a few moments." Dr. Rushifa said with some smugness in his voice.

"I hope on this for our sake." Lian answered, "And now if you'll forgive me I have to take care of our guest. I hope he isn't bored without me."

"You can always take him to some sort of concubine if he is."

"Ha ha, very funny." It was Lian's bemused reply.

When she left a voice of figure with glowing red eyes came, "For our sake, you say? Is this a worry for our lives? Hmm… How amusing. Our whole essence is a mind game. Not the power to remember, but its very opposite, the power to forget, is a necessary condition for our existence."

A/N: Rushifa belongs to skitzopheliac. Image of the character is taken from deviantart