A/N: You know, as a general rule I try to avoid using author's notes in an actual chapter because I feel it draws attention away from the story. But I did want to take this moment to say thank you to those of you who have reviewed thus far and to encourage those of you who haven't to do so.

This will be the only "in a chapter" author's note I leave, but I will follow up with one at the end of the story.

Thank you!

-MT2011

Two Days Later

"I haven't seen the inside of this place in... fifteen years? Maybe longer." Tigress admitted as they entered the old prison gates. The place was still in shambles from Tai Lung's escape. They walked down a set of stone stairs to a plateau. "Home, sweet home." Xian sighed, dropping his pack to the ground and sitting himself on his bedding. "Kim should be here sooner or later as we were agreed to meet back here today no matter what. I wonder what kind of luck she had."

"Not bad luck if I don't say so myself." Came a reply from the top of the stairs. Xian looked up to see his sister grinning down at him as she made her way down the stairs. "And what about you, brother?" She questioned. "Not too bad if I don't say so myself." He replied, motioning to Tigress and Crane who were sitting in the corner. "With a third making his way here."

"Not bad, Brother." Kim grinned as she spotted Tigress and Crane. "Might as well complete the set." She chuckled, glancing over her shoulder as Mei, Monkey, Mantis, and Viper came down the stairs. They froze at the bottom of the steps when they all spotted each other.

"I can't believe it... they actually pulled it off." Crane whispered to himself, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "It really is you guys!" He shouted excitedly before his gaze landed on Mei. "Mei... Mei Ling! Is that really you?" He said in awe, stepping forward towards his old friend. The mountain cat grinned back, closing the gap and wrapping her arms tightly around him. "You have no idea how good it is to see you, old friend."

Kim took a seat next to her brother, leaning against his shoulder. He winced slightly, still in pain from the fight with Darius. "What happened to you?" She asked, curiously lifting up the side of his shirt. He swatted her hand away, watching the Kung Fu Masters before them greet each other for the first time in years. "Dad." He said simply, glancing over at her.

Kim tapped her shoulder. "Zhang."

Xian turned to her fully with a look of surprise on his face. "What?"

"Zhang must have tracked me to Gongmen City. He found me at an Inn that Monkey had been running and as a result of me giving him a hard time he dislocated my shoulder. Nothing too severe."

"Yeah, this time." Xian stated, glaring at his sister before sighing. "Sorry, I know it's an all out war and we're going to get hurt. Just doesn't make it any easier, you know?"

"I understand." Kim chuckled, laying out on her brother's bed. "So what's next? You're the planner."

Xian opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted. "How about you all die?"

All eyes landed on the black and white figure standing at the top of the stairs.

"...Po?" Tigress asked quietly, taking a step forward towards the panda when Mei Ling placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Wait... something isn't right."

A moment later, a small portion of Zhang army appeared behind him, blocking off their escape. The panda had an almost feral grin on his face. To the others it was like nothing they had ever seen on the care free panda before.

"Po, what are you doing! This isn't funny!" Tigress shouted, clenching her hands into tight fists.

"I agree." He snorted, slowly making his way down the steps. Darius turned the corner at the top of the stairs, stepping out into the light. "Darius?" Xian gasped. "How did you find this place?"

Xian was on his feet in a matter of seconds, already dropping into his stance as his sister did the same. The other masters in the room readied themselves for a fight. Well, almost all of them. Tigress was still captivated by the panda standing before her.

"Long time, no see." Po snarled. Tigress's jaw was almost on the floor as she studied his face. "I can't believe it's really you..." She said, reaching out to touch his face.

"Why so surprised, Tigress? What? You didn't think I would survive the fire that you left me to burn in?" Po growled out. Tigress took a step back as if he had actually lashed out and hit her. "What? Po, that building came down on top of you! I didn't think you had survived it... if I thought for a moment you were still alive I would have dug you out! You know that!"

"I thought I did. See, a funny thing happened. I saved you and you left me to burn. You know who pulled me out of that rubble?" Po asked, nodding over his shoulder towards Darius. "I ran into a burning building to save you and you left me to burn." He repeated through grit teeth, his fists clenched in tight balls by his side.

"Po, that isn't true!" Tigress shouted, taking a step forward. For the first time she looked into his eyes. Those once beautiful green eyes that were filled with life and passion were now hollow and filled with only pain.

While everyone was paying attention to the exchange between Po and Tigress, Xian was slowly inching his hands for his pack and his weapons. He already knew a fight was going to break out, it was just a matter of time.

"Po!" Darius shouted from the top of the steps. "Are we going to stand around all day and talk? Or are you going to kill them? I don't have all day panda."

Tigress let out a gasp as she looked from Darius back to Po. "Po, don't do this!" She shouted, dropping into her fighting stance. "Please, don't make me do this." She pleaded. Po let out a growl as he lashed out at Tigress.

Seeing that the tiger master was too distracted by the fact that Po was alive to concentrate on blocking the incoming attack, Mei grabbed Tigress's shoulder, pulling her back away from the punch as she stepped forward to block it. "Hey! Is that any way to treat an old friend?" She hissed, pushing the panda back a few steps. Tigress didn't move from her spot on the floor in shock. What had happened to him over all these years?

"Darius!" Xian shouted, having grabbed his dual daggers from his pack during the exchange. "Your problem is with me and Kim, leave them be!"

"I think not, boy. You brought them into this fight, I will happily take them out of it." He said, snapping his fingers.

Xian ducked as the first attacker flew over his head, bringing his first dagger up to block a swipe of a sword before kicking that bandit's feet out from under him, quickly swinging back around and jumping as another tried to do the same to him. He leaped forward, knocking that bandit over and landing on his chest before grabbing a knife off his vest and throwing it at a bandit who was sneaking up on Tigress.

"Tigress! Wake up before you get yourself killed!" He shouted, causing the tiger master to scramble to her feet, dropping into her stance in front of Po. If the panda wouldn't listen to reason, she would beat it into him. "Ready."

Po grinned as he get into his own stance. "I really don't think you are." He replied before launching himself at Tigress. She side-stepped his first attack, lashing out at another bandit who approached her. She threw him over the edge of the plateau. She turned around just in time to see Po charging her again, and again she side-stepped the attack, kicking off his back and knocking another bandit off Mei and over the edge. "Thanks!" The mountain cat shouted, already blocking another attack with her staff.

Tigress deflected another blow from Po with a feral roar. Pushing the panda back several feet before launching herself into the air and landing behind him, quickly turning and throwing him to the ground. She blocked an incoming throwing knife from one of the bandits, holding it tight in her hands as she got ready to throw it back when Po lifted up from under her, throwing her on her back and landing on top of her.

Tigress gasped for breath as the panda's weight threatened to suffocate her. Someone collided with Po's side, rolling him off her. She gasped for breath before rolling backwards onto her feet.

"We need to get up the stairs!" Xian called, fighting off two bandits at once. The numbers were thinning, but their main problem was Darius and Po. "Wings of Justice!" Crane called as his attack blew three more bandits over the edge and into the cavern below.

"Po, you are leaving me with no choice!" Tigress panted, squaring her shoulders with the panda as he stood across from her. "Good! I'd hate for you to take the easy way out again!" He shouted, launching forward at her.

Meanwhile Kim was fending off the last of Zhang's army members as Darius watched from the stairs. She let out a cry of pain when one of the weapons connected with her side, causing a large gash to appear. She cringed as she threw her opponent over the edge, coughing up blood as she pressed a hand to her side. "Shit..."

"Kim!" Xian called, bringing his arm down on his opponent's elbow; ignoring the snapping sound of breaking bones as he delivered a shot to the head, knocking him unconscious. He rushed to his sister's side, picking her up when she fell to a knee. "You're going to be alright." He told her, pressing his hand to her side.

Darius jumped from the top of the stairs when the last minion fell, landing behind the ground with a feral growl as he raised his hands up. "I tried to warn you, Xian!" He shouted, firing off a ball of fire at his son. Xian pushed his sister out of the way, deflecting the ball with one of his daggers, launching the weapon at his father. Darius tried to deflect the weapon in time but failed to do so, roaring in pain as the dagger sliced past his arm and lodged itself into his shoulder.

Xian could hear the battle between Tigress and Po going in the background as the others tried to help her but with little success. He glanced to his side as Kim shakily got to her feet. "Xian, take the others and get out of here."

"What?" He shouted, unable to believe his ears.

He heard a thump come from behind him and turned to see that Tigress had managed to choke Po out, his unconscious body slumping to the floor.

"Take the others and go. I'll buy you time." She repeated, pushing her brother towards the stairs. Xian went wide eyed as she took up her stand, panting heavily as the wound in her side dripped blood on to the floor. "You may defeat me today, Darius. But know that your end is near." She panted, letting out a roar as she dashed forward; catching him off guard.

Kim managed to land a few punches on her father, blocking the few he managed to get out during her barrage. Xian watched in awe as his injured sister fought back with everything she had, relentless in her attacks.

"We need to get moving!" Crane called, grabbing Xian's arm and pulling him towards the stairs. Xian watched as the others ran for the stairs, Tigress and Mei Ling carrying Po's unconscious form with them. He pulled away from him, turning around to run back for Kim. "I'm not leaving her!" He shouted, watching as Kim was thrown back a few feet.

Darius brought his hands up, launching a massive fire ball at Xian. Before the wolf could react Kim threw up a barrier of water around him, tackling him to the ground behind it as the ball of fire slammed into it above them, filling the room with steam. "Brother, go, please! This is my destiny!" She shouted, putting up another barrier of water as their father tried to incarnate them again.

Scrambling to his feet Xian shook his head. "I'm not leaving you behind to die. That's final! Lets go!" He said, grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the stairs. Kim growled before coughing up more blood, tightening her grip on his hand and pulling him down to her, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I'm sorry, brother. But this is where my journey ends." She whispered in his ear, her sea blue eyes looking deep into his golden ones. Time seemed to freeze for him when she did this, but before he knew it she was shoving her charm bracelet and a scroll into his hands, shouting for Viper and Crane as she turned back around. "Go!"

Again Xian tried to get to her as the tree green serpent wrapped around his arms and dragged him towards the stairs, Crane's talons digging into his shoulder and lifting him off the ground. Xian continued to struggle as they dragged him past the prison gates and out into the cold air. He looked down to see Tigress and Mei Ling in a run, carrying Po's body as far and as fast from the prison as they could.

He looked back towards the prison entrance is it grew farther and farther away with each flap of Crane's wings. His breath catching in his throat as fire erupted from the entrance. He gripped his sister's charm tightly in his hands. So tight his palm started to bleed. A moment later Darius stepped out into the open, watching as they made their escape. "No..." Xian choked as he watched his father standing there, grinning.