(A/N) Hello everyone, and sorry for the delay in regards to chapter four. I'm thinking of adopting a new title for the name of this fan fiction, as 'Trials of Fate' does not accurately represent the story. If you have any suggestions (or objections for that matter), then feel free to give me a message. Enjoy this chapter!


Po woke slowly as the morning sun shined brightly, leaving his fur to bask in all its warmth and glory, as he pressed his paws against the grassy grounds and heaved himself up. The lingering morning grogginess dulled his senses as he looked around him, one paw perched over his eyes to shield them from the invading brightness. He realized he was stood in a never-ending field of grass and small-streams, and the only thing he could see were large hills along the horizon.

It was a beautiful and tranquil place, an epitome of peace and patience itself; one that invited him to bask in the warmth of the sun and the breeze that played along the grass. His eyes glanced around him once more, confirming the fact that he was alone, that the furious five where no where to be seen, and this was most certainly not the Jade Palace's backyard.

"Tigress?" Po yelled, blinking as he heard his voice echo strangely around him, waiting for a response. None came. "Master Shifu?" He asked again, scratching his belly with a paw in a nervous gesture. "Monkey? Mantis? Hello, anyone? Oh, come on!" Po threw his hands up in the air before trudging forward aimlessly. He didn't know where he was or where his friends were, and if it was not for the gentle atmosphere, he would be freaking out by now.

"Come on guys, this isn't funny." He grumbled to himself, looking around in an attempt to spot the five. He was constantly reminded of the beautiful scenery around him, of the peace and tranquility, and had to resist on more than one occasion the urge to lay down on the grass and rest. Po scratched at the back of his head, and raised an eyebrow as a thought sprung to mind.

"Did mantis overdo it with the acupuncture again?" He asked himself quietly, looking around him as if he expected Mantis to be hiding somewhere within the grass, needles at the ready to jump him. His thoughts distracted him from the sound of firm footsteps against the grass behind him. It wasn't until a shadow loomed over him, which prevented him from enjoying the warmth of the sun, that he noticed someones presence. Quickly turning around, he found himself caught off guard and visually stunned by what he saw.

Red eyes. Red, evil eyes, that seemed to bore into and beyond his very soul, appraising him as if he was nothing but an insect that was beneath him. It reminded him of the cold and calculative gaze of Lord Shen, and the furious, consuming rage that filled Tai Lung's eyes. Gulping loudly, Po forced himself to inspect the rest of the figure before him, noticing that the figure had orange fur and a countenance that distinctly reminded him of a male tiger. The man was garbed in a vest that had two golden dragons meeting at the middle, and loose slacks that barely rest over his feet.

It was then that he noticed his stance. His paws were rest behind him in a formal position of authority that reminded him of the guards back in Gongmen City, his lips set in a thin line as he continued to stare straight at the panda. Silence perpetrated between the two of them in an odd stand-off, one that left Po rather unsettled.

"Uh, well, hey there!" Po said in an attempt to create conversation, raising one paw and waving at the figure enthusiastically. The tiger merely raised one eyebrow at the gesture, causing Po to lean back and look over the man in confusion. 'He's one hell of a strange guy,' Po mused inwardly. 'Right! Got to ask him why we're-'

"We meet at last, Dragon Warrior."

The voice - which was gravely and full of authority and power - broke through Po's thoughts, who nearly did a double take at the tiger. "You know who I am?" Po said in surprise, raising a paw and pointing at the male tiger selectively, who raised his other eyebrow to join its twin. The thin line of his lips curved upwards slightly, hinting at a small smile as he spoke.

"Indeed, it would be hard to come across someone in China who has not heard of the legendary Dragon Warrior." The man spoke with confidence, his eyes staring straight into Po's own. For a moment, Po thought he could read his mind, and started to panic.

'What if he can-no, pfft, no!' Po chuckled inwardly, resisting the urge to shake his head. 'There's no way he can read my mind!' Po started to smile warmly, looking over at the male tiger and choosing his own words, driven by curiosity.

"So, what's your name-wait a minute," Po stopped himself and blinked, "shouldn't I ask where we are?" Po eyed his surroundings suspiciously for a moment, raising and gesturing around with both of his arms, earning an amused smirk from the tiger in response. Po was about to say something else before the one singular question he wanted answered most sprung to the surface of his mind, screaming 'pick me, pick me!' at him. "Wait... most importantly, what brings you here?"

"You shall learn that in due time, Dragon Warrior," the tiger spoke in response, his words seemed to carry additional weight to them. "We are everywhere and nowhere, a place of significant importance in history." His eyes glanced down to the ground, leaving Po's gaze for the first time, and seemed to be interested by the trail of water that trickled near his foot and down a path. Po followed his eyes and hoped to find an answer, narrowing his brow as he looked intently at the trail of water, expecting it to divulge the secrets of Kung Fu at a moments notice.

"In answer to your last question," and here, if Po was paying attention to the Tiger's face, he would have noticed the savage smile that adorned his lips, how his hands casually dropped to his sides, and his left foot moved forward slightly. "I am here to kill you, Dragon Warrior."

Po's head snapped back up to the tiger in disbelief, noticing the savage smile and shivering in response, while attempting to step back as he stared into those malicious red eyes. "... What?" Po gasped out.

As if in response to his question, the Tiger tilted his head slightly and clenched his left paw, claws springing into appearance. Po's eyes widened as the Tiger then lunged forward, and within a second, all went black.

Po screamed.


The mattress groaned in protest as Po lurched forward from sleep, his senses kicking into overdrive as the panda brought both of his paws up towards his chest, feeling his chest in an attempt to comfort himself, to assure that his heart had not been impaled by the tiger's claws, and that he was still alive. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he realized it had all been a dream, a fabrication, and Po let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding in. Moments later, the door was pushed aside as a small yet nimble figure surged forward into the room, maintaining a defensive stance; two fingers pointed forward in Po's direction, ready to switch to the offensive if needed, while a wooden staff, which forked into two directions and was forged from the peach tree, was held behind the red panda's body.

"Po!" Master Shifu's voice called in alarm, eyes already scanning the room and taking in every detail - searching for any intruders, hidden traps, or any remains as evidence of an attack. After having quickly assessed the room to be safe, the red panda's gaze halted over the figure, his body relaxing slightly while his voice took on a more concerned tone for his student. "Po, are you alright? What happened?"

Po struggled to bring his breathing into control, his breaths coming in ragged and labored pants. The Dragon Warrior used his arm to dry his forehead, which had broken into a cold sweat when he abruptly woke up. Finding his voice and a sense of security, Po opened his maw and slowly answered his instructor before him.

That is he would have answered the red panda, if not for the desperate call laced with worry, fear, and anger, that came from the second figure who appeared by the door in an instant.

"Po!" Tigress spoke quickly, having made a similar assessment as her instructor when she first heard the panda scream. She blinked while she stopped in her tracks by the door frame, her eyes meeting Master Shifu's own in brief recognition, before her gaze returned to the panda. Her face, which had previously been etched with worry and the slightest trace of fear, something which did not go unnoticed by their instructor, settled into an expression of concern. Her body relaxed after realizing they were not in imminent danger.

"Po, what happened?" She asked cautiously, watching as the panda closed his maw and slowly stood up from the mattress. Whatever had shaken the panda had left a heavy price, it seemed, and she was not willing to find out just how high the price was. Carefully approaching the panda, she stopped beside Master Shifu, who was already assessing the panda within his mind.

"I'm-" Po breathed heavily, taking several deep breaths to reign himself in. "I'm fine, I just... I had a really bad dream, a nightmare even, but it felt and seemed so real..." The shocked panda shook his head and brought his paws up to his temples, massaging them to help relax.

"A nightmare?" Master Shifu asked, his countenance betraying his clear puzzlement. "What happened?"

Po opened his maw again to answer the question, but was interrupted as the rest of the Furious Five made their appearance and expressed their immediate concern. A sensation of joy and friendship welled up within Po's heart, unable to resist the warm smile that appeared on his face.

"You guys," he said slowly, his eyes looking over each and every one of them as if he was trying to discern if he was dreaming. "I'm sorry for worrying you all. It's nothing now, I'm fine." The panda tried to convince them all with the biggest, widest smile he had to offer.

Master Shifu and the Furious Five gave him a skeptical glance at first, then stood at attention as the red panda gestured to the exit of the dormitory. "Everyone, we shall begin morning training shortly. We must give Po time to breath so that he is ready to cook breakfast and practice alongside us." The assembled members of the Furious Five nodded and bowed in respect.

"Yes, master." They all chimed in chorus, before leaving the room and heading towards the kitchen. Tigress stopped by the door frame, briefly looking over her shoulder in a concealed glance, ensuring that the panda was being truthful and that he was feeling okay, before making her way back to the kitchen. That very gesture had gone unnoticed by everyone except for Master Shifu.

"Po, take as much time as you need, but we will have to have someone else cook breakfast if you take too long to prepare yourself." Master Shifu eyed the panda skeptically again, before taking on a more softer tone. "I do not know what caused you to have such a reaction, Po, but maybe meditating would help you deal with your troubled mind."

The two shared a bow as Master Shifu departed, leaving Po to sit upon the mattress, resting his chin upon his paw; his elbow pressed against his knee. What was that dream? Po thought to himself. It just didn't make any sense... hopefully what happened was just a really bad nightmare. The panda stood up and stretched out his body. After a few satisfying pops from his spine, the Panda made his way down to the kitchen where the rest of the Furious Five and their instructor sat patiently by the table, sharing simple conversation.

Alright! Po thought enthusiastically, returning back to his original self. Time to make some noodle soup!

With the masters reconvening at the table, Po shuffled past them and made his way into the kitchen. Within minutes he was at work, preparing the noodles, the broth, all while managing the dishes and setting them out in preparation when there was nothing more to do. The ease in which he managed several kitchen tasks at once, all the while talking and having conversations while never missing a beat, had established his reputation as the culinary master. His dedication, fortitude, and zealous approach to Kung Fu was likewise applied to noodles. Minus the zealous, of course.

Master Shifu raised an eyebrow as he observed the busy panda within his natural habitat, applying several spices to the soup to give them an extra taste, something that was greatly appreciated by the masters. A tired sigh followed as the red panda rested his chin upon his open palm in thought, peering around at the other masters who were engaged in conversation.

"Master Shifu," Monkey spoke in a hushed tone, earning a curious look from his master. "What exactly happened with Po?"

Master Shifu nodded in understanding. Ah, that. Apart from himself and Tigress, the rest of the Furious Five did not catch a glimpse of the panda before he had regained his cool. It made sense to him that they were worried about their friend, and he was secretly proud to see the camaraderie form between his students. With another brief sigh, something that was becoming oddly frequent from the old master as of late, he turned his full attention to Monkey and spoke.

"I am not sure," he confessed silently, looking back on his memories when he had burst into the panda's room in a hurry, only to find him clutching at his chest, presumably near his heart. "He mentioned something to do with a nightmare, though I find it oddly strange. Perhaps I will attend meditation with him later on." His outer musings had earned a nod of understanding from monkey.

"Rest assured, I believe everything will be fine in the meanwhile - focus on your training, everyone." His voice rose when he addressed training, earning respective nods from everyone, including the busy-body panda.

"Foods ready!"

Such dangerous words invoked a power of command the panda never knew he had. He held sway over the masters in a way which he could never fathom, and with two simple words, he could turn the heads of every single person who had tasted his secret ingredient noodle soup.

It was truly a dangerous weapon. The heads of every master instantly snapped and turned to attention at the panda, who was precariously balancing several bowls of his special ingredient noodle soup. Even Master Shifu, who had trained for years underneath the tutelage of Master Oogway and gained rigorous control of his emotions, struggled to not lend a hand. The very thought of one of those precious bowls, filled with such important food, falling and breaking upon the ground, freeing the contents of the bowl...

The red panda shuddered at the thought. A content smile appeared upon his lips as the panda made his way across the table, serving everyone with their bowls. "Thank you, Po." Master Shifu nodded in thanks, instantly reaching for his chopsticks.

"No problem!" Po chirped happily, settling himself in his own chair and reaching for his chopsticks. Clicking the tip of the chopsticks together and reminiscing of the time he dueled Master Shifu over the single dumpling, Po started to eat the fruits of his labor. Everyone else followed suite, eagerly eating and satisfying themselves for the mean time. After minutes of peaceful eating - apart from the loud and sloppy cook - at the table, Monkey decided to broke the silence.

And broke it he did.

"Hey, Po!" Monkey asked with a wide smile, which was returned by the cheery panda. After stuffing his face full of noodles and eating, Monkey continued. "How did Tigress get to your room first?" The question was not as much a genuine question to the panda as it was a subtle jab at the tiger, who had just dug into the meal herself.

Subtle jab turned into an elbow strike to the chest as Tigress responded by coughing and spluttering, raising a hand to her mouth as she desperately fought to retain her dignity in front of the prankster monkey. Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the usually tame master, and Monkey eagerly dug into his dish, hoping that Tigress wouldn't notice the wide grin that had spread from ear to ear.

If the death glare she sent his way after controlling herself had anything to say, she most certainly had noticed. And there would most likely be a serving of vengeance at some point during training. "I am an early riser, Monkey." She responded calmly, though the slight tinge of red at her cheeks betrayed her. "It's not surprising that I would be quick to respond to potential trouble."

Mantis instantly hopped onto the bandwagon, nudging Monkey in the arm and speaking in a low, hushed tone. "Trouble, huh?" Mantis winked, and Monkey returned the sentiment by wiggling his eyebrows.

Tigress was having a hard time not snapping her chopsticks - or the duo's necks for that matter - while Viper merely shook her head. Crane busied himself with his food, content on not getting involved. The table had summarily been split into two groups-well, three groups. There was the prankster duo of Mantis and Monkey against Tigress, the quiet and chilled conversation of Viper and Crane with Master Shifu, and then there was Po.

Shortly after having finished their meals, Po went about cleaning up the dishes. As Master Shifu was about to share with them the plans for training on that day, a knock at the kitchen door caught the attention of everyone present. Master Shifu turned to the door and noticed one of the servants by the door, nervously gulping for some strange reason.

"Come in." Master Shifu nodded, watching as the servant scurried over. "What is it?"

"W-well, an escort of sorts has come for the Dragon Warrior," the servant stuttered. "T-they said to meet them at the entrance."

Master Shifu stood thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding at the servant, who accepted the dismissal and made about the quickest way of leaving - a mad bolt for freedom.

"Po, come with me. We shall see just who this escort is," he spoke, gesturing for the panda to follow him as he turned to face the masters. "The rest of the Furious Five shall attend to training, and will be joined by us shortly." After having bowed in respect, the Furious Five instantly departed for training, and Po followed Master Shifu to the entrance to the Jade Palace.

Well, as long as he never had to go outside the Jade Palace, he wouldn't mind. Beyond the gateway existed his most fearsome foe, one that he was still, to this very day, struggling against in a mortal combat that would effect the history of Kung Fu as he knew it.

Stairs.

He really, really, really hated stairs.