I know what your thinking. Where the heck has he been?! For those who've been patient and waited for my return thank you! I won't trouble anyone with the exact details but sick pet's, weddings and general craziness had taken over most of my available time. Anyways, back on topic! Chapter 6 picks up where we last left off, with Shifu and Po being rescued by a mysterious masked man. Enjoy!


Chapter 6

The Path to Enlightenment-Part 2

"She must never know the truth about what happened… about her family." Oogway's normally clam demeanor had taken on a completely serious tone. It was a cold moonless night at the Jade palace as a sense of deep sorrow hung above the masters like an approaching storm. "But master she'll have to learn eventually, if not for her safety for our own." Tai Lungs familiar voice echoed throughout the sacred hall. "Yes, I fear Tai Lung is right master, if we do not address this problem now we'll regret it once she's reached her full potential as a master of the Jade Palace." Shifu understood the gravity of the situation and knew it best not keep secrets from their students. Sigh "I'm afraid we must for if she knew what happened to them she might follow a path toward darkness….towards destruction." Shifu couldn't stomach the thought of lying to that innocent face, a mere child. "Master please there must be another option…."CLANK The tortoise drove his staff into the tiled granite floor. "You will obey my wishes!" "Understood master."

Their attention was drawn toward the doorway by faint sobbing. A small tiger cub stood against the door, her amber eye's welling with tears as she looked toward the Jade Palace Masters. "Tigress….wait!" Master Shifu called out to his young pupil before she disappeared into the palace courtyard. "Master I…." Oogway nodded toward the red panda. "I understand Shifu, bring her back." Shifu was brought back from his waking dream by the faint crackle of burning wood and the scent of cooking. The still night air swelled with the cacophony of ambient wildlife sounds as he looked toward their mysterious rescuer. "Oooh that smells delicious! What is it mister? Say, you never told us who you were?" Po looked on hungrily at the steaming cauldron as the masked savior stoked the flames. "A friend." Shifu looked on, unconvinced. "That is still no explanation for why you happened to conveniently show up at the mountain bandits camp. And you still conceal your identity for what purpose?" The masked stranger continued to methodically cook their meal, never once looking toward his suspicious guest. Po tried admirably to break the tension. "Hey come on guys lets enjoy some food I'm starving! How about you Shifu?!" Ignoring his cheerful pupil Shifu approached the small figure hunched over the fire. "You still haven't answered one question…Po we should leave this place now, the Xin Xao Forest is sanctuary for the vilest of creatures." Their host looked up toward the inquisitive red panda. "All your questions shall be answered friend, but first we eat."


Back at the mountain bandit's encampment…..

Ru stood motionless in front of a large green tent, his mind racing for the best excuse as to why their captives escaped. How could he of all people let down his guard so carelessly? Now he had to answer for this failure. GulpA flap lifted as a beaver exited grinning toward the jaguar with his rotten yellow teeth. "Good luck in there Ru, you'll need it. Hahaha!" "Come in Ru." The nervous jaguar entered the tent summoned by a thick Brooklyn accent. "So, you've made quite the problem here Ru." Ru looked up from his feet toward a large desk faintly lit by candles. "Sir, you have to understand we were ambushed by a third master!" "A third master? I was under the impression the rest were back in the Valley Peace." He struggled to find an adequate answer so as to not escalate the situation any further. "He-he wore a mask." "A mask, so you're tellin' me you couldn't identify him?" Ru uncomfortably shuffled back and forth sensing his masters scrutinizing gaze. "Well no sir…but he was small…like-like a mouse or an armadillo."

"So you're telling me some kind a mouse scurried into this camp?" "Well yes." "The same camp filled with over 1,000 of China's most deranged bandits and mercinaries?" "But Lord Tung Tui I…" "And my second in command, the greatest assassin in the region fell before him with no struggle?!" The fearful Jaguar readied himself for the verbal and perhaps physical onslaught that awaited. "Eh, you need to be more careful Ru." Ru felt the tension and anxiety flow out of his body his tail slowing down its nervous lashes. "They're of no concern to our plan, besides the further they are from the Valley of Peace the better. Prepare the troops we move out in 2 moons Ru!" The soft candle light revealed an Alexandrine Parakeet perched behind the desk, the flames casting eerie shadows on his lime green plumage, accented by his reddish brown beak. Lord Tung Tui compensated for his minuscule size with his dependable body guard/perch, Yong a 390lb silver back gorilla with a penchant for snapping the Parakeets enemies like a twig. "Yes Sir!" The Jaguar bowed in compliance as he exited the silk tent. "He's lucky I'm in a good mood today Yong." The parakeet smirked with a sinister grin. "Do you wish for me to break him Lord Tung Tui?" "No, that won't be necessary Yong. If he's that careless again he'll pay for it tenfold." A faint chill crept up the evil parakeet's spine as he looked over his invasion plans. "Yong, please leave me for a moment." The massive gorilla looked troubled by his master's request. "But Lord Tung Tui, what if those kung fu masters return?" Tung Tui waved his wing ushering his body guard to leave. "I'll be fine, I'll call if I need you Yong." "Understood master."

Tung Tui looked around the tent for that familiar silhouette. That fool always has to make an entrance. The candles flickered ever so slightly before a rush of cold air swept through the tent extinguishing the flames leaving the parakeet in darkness. "I wasn't expecting you so soon." He glanced toward the corner of the tent. "You let Shifu and the Dragon Warrior escape?" A raspy voice emanated from the shadows. The parakeet looked toward the darkened shadow gliding toward him as if death itself were paying him an unwarranted visit. "Well, yes but they shouldn't be a hindrance to our plans." "Your plans Tung Tui." The cloaked figure came into view his features concealed beneath a shadowy vail cast by a dark green cloak. Tung Tui ruffled his feathers as he nervously watched his mysterious guest approach the desk. "In order for my plans to work we need all the Jade Palace masters eliminated." The parakeet anxiously pecked at some bird seed. "And they will be, including the Dragon Warrior and this Shifu character." "I hope so for your sake Tung Tui." Gulp. "If you succeed the Valley of Peace is yours as agreed but if you fail you shall relish the day's you've seen sunlight for there shall be only darkness waiting for you." "I understand, but will my troops be adequate to stop the fabled Furious Five?" The hooded figure looked behind him for a moment. "My five pupils shall assist in your capture of the Valley of Peace. When they arrive they'll take care of everything." "When can I expect them?" The Parakeet looked around, the tent was once again bathed in candle light, and his sinister guest had vanished as quickly as he had appeared. "I'm already regretting making a deal with that demon." Tung Tui glanced back at his invasion plans. "Though I can't wait to see the look on their sorry faces."


The Xin Xao Forest

The giant panda cautiously slurped down his gracious host's soup as he watched his discerning master stare down their mysterious rescuer. "Wow this soup is excellent say what's in it?" Pouring out a bowl for Master Shifu the masked man looked up toward the sky above. "Funny you should ask Dragon Warrior, it's a mixture of Dragon Lilly's, silk worm, and tree bark. Po's face turned a pale shade of green as he looked down toward the insects and bark floating in the brown broth. "Bluh….E-Excuse me I've got to take care of something." "Certainly Dragon Warrior." He watched Po scramble toward the darkened forest covering his muzzle. "You'll have to excuse Po he's used to gourmet meals. How do you know who we are?" Their masked rescuer lifted his mask slightly to take a spoonful of soup. "I know a great many things about you Shifu." "You're vagueness is growing irritating." "Ah, you always had a quick temper, I'd expected those years of training with Oogway to have calmed you a bit." Master Shifu stood up from the shocking revelation.

"You knew me before I became a Jade Palace Master?!" "I knew you before you could walk little brother." The mask fell to the forest floor revealing an older red panda his brown hued eye's looking warmly back at the stunned kung fu master. "B-B-BROTHER?!" Before Shifu could grapple with this recent revelation Po meandered back to the camp fire shocked by what he found. "OH MY GOSH! THERE'S TWO MASTER SHIFUS! HOW COME YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU HAD A TWIN?! WAIT…IS HE LIKE AN EVIL TWIN?!" Shifu twitched with anger under Po's onslaught of foolish questions. The other red panda calmly held out his paw. "Rest assured I'm not his evil twin Dragon Warrior, I'm Manchu, Shifu's older brother."


Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for Chapter 7: Distant Dreams.

J.G.