Hey guys! Hope you guys are starting to piece together one of the surprises in the upcoming major story! Anyway, here's the next chapter!

*The next day, early morning*

Kiro sat under the peach tree, looking out over the valley which was bathed in the morning sunlight. The wind lightly blew across the fields, the grass swaying in the breeze. It was such a peaceful and tranquil scene.

"Ah, so I see that you decided to meet me here." Oogway croaked as he slowly made his way up the hill to the peach tree.

"Well, now that my 'master' is in jail, I have nowhere else to go. I'm open to any options that you may have for me. Besides, I'm NOT going back to being a homeless person." The white tiger replied.

"Hm. Yes, we wouldn't want that. However, I do have an idea." The turtle stated.

"Oh? What's that? Merc for hire? If so, that'd be totally cool!" Kiro responded, slipping into a state of daydreaming.

"Kiro…" Oogway said softly.

"A lone man who answers to no one. He lives by his own standards!"

"Kiro…" The tortoise said, a little louder.

"A rogue warrior, who doesn't play by the rules!"

The master lightly whacked Kiro on his head, snapping the tiger back to reality.

Kiro rubbed the sore spot on his head. "Ow! Ya couldn't have just tapped me on the shoulder? That would've been too difficult for ya?"

"I needed to grab your attention. No, young tiger, not a mercenary, but as a bodyguard for the Emperor."

The white tiger snorted. "Yeah, ok. Alright, so what's my REAL occupation going to be?"

"Bodyguard for the Emperor."

"Come on, stop pulling my leg. What's it gonna be?"

"Bodyguard for the Emperor."

"Oh really? And, his majesty is fine with this?" Kiro asked, still not believing the master.

"Well, this letter says he is." Oogway replied, handing Kiro a very shiny and gold lined scroll.

The tiger's eyes widened and he grabbed the scroll, opened it, and sped through the writing, explaining how the Emperor would love to have a warrior who sounds so talented as Kiro.

"But, you've never seen me fight!" Kiro sputtered.

"Haven't I? My dear boy, I see a variety of things from you. I know your past, your heritage, and bits and pieces of what you will amount to. So, yes, I have seen you fight, and you do so very well." The master explained.

"ALRIGHT! AWESOME! I'm going to guard the Emperor!" Kiro cheered as he started to do a little victory dance.

Oogway chuckled and let Kiro run and pack his things.

*A couple hours later*

"Well, Master Oogway, thank you for all that you've done for me. I don't deserve it, but thank you." Kiro said, bowing to the turtle.

"Oh, Kiro, I assure you that the pleasure has been all mine! However, I must tell you, I know your feelings for Tigress. Do not pursue those feelings, or conflict will arise! Her heart is destined to be with the Dragon Warrior's and his only." The tortoise remarked.

"I…understand, Master. I'll do as you say. Well, so long!" The tiger gleefully replied before he turned and marched down the hill, embarking on his eight day journey towards the Emperor's palace.

*Eight days later*

"Whoopee, I feel like a homeless person again! No water or streams that I could bathe in for five days? Come on! That just doesn't happen!" Kiro complained as he trekked through a large forest. His fur was caked with mud and leaves and branches clung to him like a magnet.

Once the tiger reached the top of a large hill, his jaw dropped as he gazed upon the shining, sparkling city before him. Merchants and their products littered the streets, and people rushed about, trying to buy what they needed. Large commerce buildings seemed to puncture the blue sky, and the sun shone down on the littler buildings, bathing them in its bright light. Kiro looked over to his right and saw the tall palace, which had golden statues climbing the sides of it. The building was at least eight stories high and had at least two thousand steps leading up to the courtyard.

"Well, looks like I'll get to use my rocket cart to zoom up those steps!" Kiro said to himself.

Once the tiger had entered the city and marched his way to the bottom of the steps leading to the palace, he took out his staffs and summoned a red outline of an iron cart with fireworks strapped behind it.

He hopped on and yanked the string on the cart, sparking the fireworks to life and shooting him up the stairs. However, he was going so fast and so high that he actually over shot his goal and headed up into the air. People below in the village started screaming and running for cover, and guards rushed around to their battle positions.

"AAAAAHHHHH! NOT GOOD! TOTALLY NOT GOOD!"

Kiro's cart vanished from underneath him and the tiger slowly started to fall towards the Earth.

"I really have to learn to fix that. That always happens! Too high in the sky and poof, it's gone!"

Kiro tapped his weapons together three times and summoned an outline of a red sled underneath him. He rocketed towards the roof of the palace and slammed on the tiles, sliding down the sides at a great speed, knocking red tiles off of the roof as he went.

"Well, this'll be a great first impression!"

He reached the last roof floor and slid off, landing in the courtyard.

"TAADAA!" Kiro shouted.

Imperial guards burst out of the palace and surrounded the tiger, pointing their spears and crossbows at him.

"ON YOUR KNEES, NOW!" A rhino yelled.

Kiro dropped down on his knees, but his staffs on the ground, and put his hands in the air.

"Guess I shoulda knocked, huh?" He said, smiling nervously.

Well, here's the next chapter! Sorry it took a little longer to write! Anyway, leave a review if you enjoyed! Why not favorite/ follow the story as well? The big fight/ action scene is coming up in a couple of chapters, so stay tuned for that!

NOTE: I don't have anything against homeless people. I'm just trying to depict what it'd be like to be homeless.

ANOTHER NOTE: I do own Kiro, Los, and Sashi. However, if you want to use them in one of your stories, just PM me and tell me what you plan to use them for, and usually I'd agree.

More to come…