It was night. Po laid in his bed, tossing and turning. If someone kidnapped the emperor's daughter, they must be really strong. How could they get past hundreds of well-trained guards?

The thought nagged his mind, and then a thought struck him. That bandit from earlier was quite skilled and put up a fight. From what it seemed, he was tenacious and fast. The team would definitely benefit with him on their side, he just hoped it would be easy to get him out of Chorh-Gom Prison, and he wondered if the crocodile would even want to help at all.

He stood up, a plan in his mind. He would go to the prison and negotiate with the guards to let the crocodile go, and then he would provide the bandit with an incentive to help them. He prayed his plan would work, because the bandit's skills would serve to their advantage.

Po made his way out of the sleeping quarters and set out to Chorh-Gom Prison. It was a long way, but he was confident he would be back by morning.

Once he reached the prison, he knocked on the large doors. A rhino guard opened up.

"The Dragon Warrior," he breathed. "What are you doing here so late at night?"

"I'd like to speak to the bandit Mantis brought here," Po said. The guard raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"Um, alright," the guard responded, opening the door all the way. Po walked in, looking around. The prison had been repaired since Tai Lung broke out. The cavern dropped deep, and it looked as if there was no bottom.

The guard led him farther down the cavern until they reached another cave. The guard walked inside and turned to a jail cell, hitting the bars. "Wake up!" The guard yelled. A grunt came from inside, then some shuffling.

"What do you want?!" Someone hissed. The guard narrowed his eyes angrily.

"The Dragon Warrior is here to see you," the guard informed. A dark figure walked up to the bars and grabbed them, sticking his long snout in between. His green eyes darted over to Po, and he pulled his lips back in a snarl.

"The Dragon Warrior," he growled, tightening his grip on the bars. "You're the one who put me in here."

"Yeah... I'd like to talk about that." Po said. Turning to the guard, he asked, "Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?"

The guard nodded. "Yes I can, but I'll stand outside the cell just in case you need anything, okay?" The guard pulled a key from his belt and unlocked the cell. Po slipped inside and the guard closed it.

The crocodile sat on his bed, glaring daggers at Po. "What are you here for?" He asked. "To gloat about how you got me in jail?"

Po shook his head. "No. I came to ask you a favor."

The crocodile straightened up, looking irritated but interested. "Oh? What is it, Dragon Warrior?"

Po leaned against the wall. "You can just call me Po." He gestured to the crocodile. "What is your name?"

The bandit shifted uncomfortably. "Ezuoju," he responded.

"Why did you join the croc bandits?"

Ezuoju dug his claws into the bed. "I can't answer that," he hissed.

"Why not?"

"Because it's personal!" Ezuoju tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. "I don't even know you anyway."

Po frowned. "Well, Ezuoju, back to my favor. You see, the emperor's daughter has been kidnapped, and the emperor needs the best warriors in all of China to go rescue her. You seem like you're skilled at Kung Fu, so maybe you can help us?..." His voice trailed off as he saw Ezuoju's expression go cold. The crocodile let out a roar and hit the wall with his fist.

"Who cares about the emperor?!" He snapped. "What has he ever done for me?! How has he helped me get out of poverty?! He hasn't!"

The guard outside looked inside, a concerned look on his face. "Everything okay in here?" He queried.

"Yes, just fine!" Po lied, then returned his attention to the raging bandit. He had his hands on his head and his body was shaking, his teeth gritted. Po shuffled his feet awkwardly. "So... Is that a no?"

"Yes!" The bandit spat. Po took a surprised step back, tending up in case he attacked.

"But it's his daughter! Don't you wanna rescue her?" Po questioned. Ezuoju stood up.

"Why should I?!" He snarled.

"For... Honor?" Po shrugged. Ezuoju shook his head, but then a thought struck him.

"I'll do it for money." He rubbed his hands together greedily. "Lots and lots of money."

Po sighed. They needed Ezuoju badly, but he didn't want to pay him. He wanted the croc to rescue the girl for a good reason, not money.

In a panic, he nodded rapidly. "Fine, we'll do it," he gave in. Ezuoju smiled, but Po raised his hand. "But you gotta promise to be on our side the whole time. Otherwise we'll throw you back in jail."

Ezuoju grabbed Po's hand and shook it, a large grin on his face. "It's a deal!" Po smiled and lead him to the front of the cell, where the guard opened it, putting cuffs on Ezuoju.

"Where are you going with him?" The rhino inquired.

"I'm taking him with me," Po answered, nodding goodbye to the guard and taking Ezuoju out of the prison.

On their way back, Po couldn't help but worry how the others would react. They would be so angry! Him, bringing a bad guy to help fight? And he's only doing it for the money? Po's stomach churned with anxiety and he grew nauseous. Part of him regretted his decision, and he considered taking Ezuoju back and throwing him in prison. But the other part of him told him it was a good idea, having Ezuoju's skills on their side would be very beneficial. This side of him took over and he carried on. Po decided he would somehow convince the others to take in Ezuoju and train him to be on their side. He wanted to do so to help save the emperor's daughter, but also to not make himself look like a fool in front of his friends. He was going to make this work.