Chapter 11
"That's odd."
"What?"
Po tilted his gaze over at Tai Lung. "For a moment there, I thought I saw someone slipping down the alleyway."
The bulking snow leopard followed the path of the young panda pointed toward, but only shook his head a moment later. "I swear you make me feel so old when your eye sight is sight is far keener than my own."
"Months of seeking out one blue lantern out a sea of hundred yellow and red," Po said with a smile. "But you really didn't see anything?"
Before Tai Lung could offer a reply, a cry of anguish rose up into the sky. "I've been ransacked!"
Rushing past the rhino guards Tai Lung and Po came upon a chubby little pig sitting in the middle of a cluster of overturn barrels and broken crates. "I've been robbed! It had to have been that robed female."
"What female?" Po asked.
"Some old lady ran up to me when the fighting started and told me a young sheep was hurt, so naturally I rushed out to help, but there was no one there."
"Oh please."
Po turned to the sound of the voice to see a large highly dressed bison force his way through the crowd. He gazed upon the shop owner with a look of disgust. "We all know you run a sloppy stand. It's amazing you can even find fresh fruit here at all."
"That's a lie Sloan!" the pig snapped, "I take great pride in my work, and not all of us can live the fancy life like you."
"That will be enough out of you," Sloan said brushing off the pig's remark, "just pay me what you owe me and we can move on, I have plenty of other shops to collect taxes for."
"You mean steal," the pig protested. "Why must we hand over so much of our hard earn money to pay rhino guards that only protect your interest?"
"As the village mayor my needs are a bit higher than yours," Sloan said in a mocking tone, then calmly waved an arm about drawing the attention of the rhinos, "but if you're not happy with how they're dealing with things, I'm sure they would be equally pleased to show you the way out of the village."
Po cast his gaze between the two of them, wishing there was something he could do. As the Dragon Warrior he was entitled to intervene in public problems, but only when the need was great and with either Master Shifu or Master Oogway's approval.
"Oh dear," the bison carried on in a mocking tone, "who then will provide for your family, what with your wife sick and everything? Perhaps your son can lend a hand down in the mines."
"Alright, alright," the pig pleaded with haste, "you win, I'll pay."
"Glad to see you've come to your sense."
The pig grumbled something under his breath as he reached down for his strong box, though his expression shifted from anger to dread. "Oh no!"
"What is it now?"
"My money," the pig cried out, "it's been taken as well."
Sloan came to stand beside the pig, shoving him aside to gaze upon the half empty case. "I see you still have some coin left," the bison said picking up the small bad, shaking it a little, "not much, but you can pay me the rest next week with interest."
"But you can't," the pig cried, "I need that to help pay for my wife's medicine. She could die without it."
"You should have thought of that before ran off falling for some foolish trick. Now I must—"
Before Sloan could pocket the pig's bag, Po reached out, snatching the bison by the arm. He had seen enough, the actions of the town's mayor were cruel and unreasonable. "Give it back," Po said, eyes narrowed and twisted the bison's arm, not enough to break it, but enough to show he could.
"Just who do you think you are?" Sloan said trying in vain to remove his arm from Po's grip.
"He," Tai Lung said, his voice and expression calm in comparison to the panda's, "is Master Po Ping, the future Dragon Warrior."
Sloan released a sudden gasp, jaw slack and eyes wide. He turned his gaze back to Po, appearing to be a bit sheepish. "This is the future Dragon Warrior, a mere panda."
A sly smile began to form on Po's face. "You were expecting something else," Po then suddenly let loose with a set of moves that sent Sloan flat on his back. "Now you will let the poor man be, and in return I will send you money he owes you…for the next three months."
"You do that," the pig said with a shocked expression, "for me?"
Tai Lung released a playful chuckle, leaned over and whispered into the pig's ear, "He'd help out his own worst enemy."
"Do we have a deal?" Po said eyeing the bison.
Sloan looked on with a doubtful expression. There could be no way this panda was indeed the real Dragon Warrior, but he knew Tai Lung was not a warrior to be crossed. "So long as I get my money," he said standing up, "then we have an agreement," he paused as he lowered his gaze upon the panda, "but if you're lying to me, I will personally come looking for you."
A smile formed on Po's face. "Glad to hear it."
"Well then," Tai Lung said, "your rhino guards can escort these thugs to prison while Po and I head back to the Valley of Peace. Be sure to send word if you still have trouble with bandit attacks."
"I surely will," Sloan said a pleasing expression though his voice still carried a level of mockery, "though next time perhaps you can leave the chubby panda behind," the bison then turned away rattling, "who in their right mind would ever think that a panda could be a kung fu master?"
"What a prick," Po said.
"Tell me about it," Tai Lung replied then patted the panda's head, "that was very kind of you to help the shop owner, your father and Master Shifu shall be very pleased to hear about this."
Po playfully pushed the snow leopard's arm aside. "Oh please, like I would have done anything less," he paused as something caught his eye off in the nearby alley. "Say Tai, how about you head on to the valley without me, there something I'd like to take care of."
Tai Lung followed Po's gaze, a solemn expression taking shape. "Are you sure you can handle it on your own?"
Po had already moved off, slipping around the crowded street with ease, waved behind him saying, "Please, it's me."
"Yeah," Tai Lung said shouldering their sleeping packs, "I thought so."
Tigress held the small sack of money close to her face, the faint rays of light caused them to shine brightly. She still felt a bit awful about what she did, but it had to be done. This was the most money she had land her paws on and would keep her well fed for several months.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Tigress spun around, clutching the sack closer to her as she found herself confronted by a group of muscle bound crocs. Two of them held up a stone mace while the leader ran a thick claw along the edge of a deadly sword, the blade appeared to flare whenever it caught the rays of the sun. He eyed her bag and spoke in a chilling tone. "I'll be taking that now."
"Please," Tigress said, slowly backing away, "please stay away from me."
"Oh we'll leave you alone," the leader said in a mocking tone, causing the others to snigger, "once you hand over that bag. I lost some good thugs on this here run and that there gold will help round up some more."
Tigress back away again, she bared her fangs and narrowed her eyes attempting to look fierce, but her voice showed just how scared she was, "I'm telling you, stay away from me, I…don't want…to hurt you."
The crocs laugh out loud once more, appearing to sound even louder this time. "Oh that's a riot," the lead croc snapped using his sword to keep his balance. "You expect us to believe that some pretty little thing like you can hurt anyone."
"She might not."
The three crocs turned around and released an angry hiss at the sight of a young panda.
"But I can easily put you lot in a world of hurt."
"Its him," one of the crocs screamed, "from the square!"
"Get him!"
The two crocs charged the panda's who amazingly stood his ground, body unhinged in the slightest way. Tigress thought for sure he would run and yet he waited until the two bandits were right on top of him. Unable to watch this panda be torn to pieces, Tigress turned away, the fierce thrashing and pounding sound fueled her imagination to the horrors that were unfolding.
"Impossible!"
Confused by the shocked tone in the lead croc's voice, Tigress turned back to see two of the crocs were laid out cold, bruises covered their face and several teeth were scattered about the ground. How did he do that?
Po gazed into the eyes of the remaining croc bandit. He could tell by the subtle twitch of his sword that the ease of taking down his two thugs had left a lasting impression, "So," Po said with a mocking gesture, "do you want to finish it?"
The croc leader took a step forward, hand held tightly about this sword hilt, eyes narrow and baring his fangs, though at the last moment he suddenly threw his sword aside, spun about and ran down the alley pushing his way past the young tiger he had been threatening. "Screw this; I am so out of here!"
Po shook his head with a solemn sigh. "They never want to do it the easy way." Po then pressed his foot against one of the croc's club causing it to flip into the air and caught it in one try. Taking aim, Po brought the club back and with a slight flex of his bicep hurled it after the retreating croc.
Tigress couldn't believe what just happen. Just a minute ago this panda was being assaulted by a pair of crocs and yet somehow they were both knocked out cold leaving the panda untouched. Someone had to come in at the last second to save him. It was only the that made sense. She was just about to leave when the panda picked up one of the bandit's club and her eyes widen at the sight of his muscle. It wasn't massive but just large enough to stand out on a panda. The young panda then hurled it across the air, sailing over her head, following the path of the weapon, Tigress's amazement grew as it came crashing down on the retreating bandit. That was amazing.
"There," the panda said, drawing Tigress's attention once again to see him tying the other two up, "that should hold them until I can go round up some rhinos."
How could a chubby panda like him possibly take down three full grown crocs in a matter of seconds? It was true that he look buff, but it took more than blind strength to do what he just did.
The panda double checked the knots then turned his piercing jade eyes upon her and a real friendly smile formed on his face. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," Tigress said rising to her feet, "well seeing how you took care of my problem, I suppose I should be on my way."
Tigress calmly made her way toward the panda, hoping to slip past him without giving anything away as to why those crocs were threatening her. She had just about made her escape when she was suddenly blocked by the panda thrusting an arm before her face.
"I'm more than willing to let you go,"
Tigress forced her head to gaze into the panda's eyes, only now he looked angry, eyes narrow and lips pulled back into a deep rooted scowl.
"Once you return the pouch of gold coins you took from the shop owner."
