A/N: And I am finally back! So… will you ever be able to forgive me? Please? Pretty please? Well, you should since I am still updating while I actually have my final exams (admit it; it's pretty impressive!) So if I get a bad grade, I'll just blame you. Who am I kidding?; I won't get a bad grade!

I do not own Kung Fu Panda.

Long Lost, Long Hidden
In The Solitude Of The Night

"I think you might be wrong," Tigress said quietly as she and Viper enjoyed their tea. It was morning and the boys were out training; Tigress had asked if she could use the day on exploring the valley and Viper had asked to be her guide. Shifu had allowed them both to do what they wanted, and now they were sitting in Mister Ping's Noodle Shop.

"About what?"

"Me being a great master. I don't think I am as good as you describe," Tigress sighed, lowering her whiskers.

Viper widened her eyes. "Of course you are! Well, maybe you need some training before your skills will be as great as they were before the accident, but-"

"Po beat me, didn't he?"

The snake was not that glad about the conversation, it actually worried her. "When? You're comrades."

"But he became the Dragon Warrior. And that was what I wanted." The last sentence was stern; she was sure of that. "And Shifu wanted me to become it."

"Po is special. None of us would have expected him to be our hero. But that was how things turned out. And it doesn't change that you are our leader."

Tigress hummed out a word Viper could not hear. She then spoke, "How is Po's father?"

"Which one of them?" Viper asked, turning her head so she was looking at the kitchen where Mister Ping was busy cooking the noodles.

"The panda one."

"Oh, they are all fine last time I heard from them. Looks like Jung has forgotten all about them."

"Jung hasn't forgotten them; she has just changed target," Tigress muttered darkly. "Shifu knows that too. Where is he?"

"Meditating."

Tigress closed her eyes, remembering what had happened last night. Then she sighed.

"Is something wrong?" Viper asked her.

"Just tired. I stayed up to show Shifu that I still remember Kung Fu."

That made Viper curious. "And? Did it go well?"

"It went fine," was the tiger's short answer.

Kiew had never tried travelling alone before. She could not even remember a time where she had been out of the village. But now she was being stubborn and she would not return home now. She refused.

She had to do this. She had to tell Tigress the truth. Everything else was just lying, and that was not something Kiew would be proud of.

Therefore she did not understand why all the others had agreed when it came to Shifu's plan.

She was going to find Tigress, and she was going to follow her purpose. It was destiny. She was the one who could bring the tiger's memories back. And she had already proven that she could do it.

Then why did no one listen to her?!

But now she finally climbed the last hill and got a view of the valley. And when she did, she dropped her jaw. "Whoah…" She had never expected it to be this big or beautiful. Very different from the little village she had lived in.

And there in the distance, on the top of a major hill, she could see it. The Jade Palace.

It looked bigger than what she had imagined.

Tigress was there, not so far away anymore. She would just have to walk all the way to the village and the climb all those stairs…

Kiew was not so happy about that plan. She was already tired of walking.

Actually, she had started hating walking after the first day.

But it was necessary, even though she was sweating like crazy.

She could do this! She was no useless panda!

She was the one who could help Tigress!

And she would not let Shifu or any other stop her.

Tigress walked home alone. Viper was still in the village, but Tigress had said she was tired and wanted to go back to the palace. And so she did.

But instead of walking to the room, Tigress changed her path and walked down the stairs that led to the dungeon. He had to be there; where else would he be?

And sure enough; when she manage to open the creaking door, she could see Seh in his little cage. He was not awake, but was curled into a big ball of scales.

Tigress slowly walked closer, careful not to alert him. When she was close enough, she kneeled down to look inside of the cage. But as she came close, the ball suddenly turned into a hissing body, head lunched towards her.

But the bars of the cage stopped him, and the only thing Seh could do was to startle her a bit. But Tigress just looked him into the eyes, knowing he could not hurt her.

"I must be honored," the snake hissed slowly. "Getting visited by Master Tigress herself. So how is your memory today?"

"I came here to ask you a question," the tiger told him, sitting down in front of him. She calm, though she knew he had been close to kill her.

"Oh, Shifu did that earlier. Maybe he did not tell you that I keep my mouth shut," Seh hissed.

Tigress ignored that comment. "The first attack… when I fell in the river… Why then? What was the reason?"

"Don't you even listen when the grownups are talking? Jung said that ever so clearly; her husband, one of Shen's warriors, died when you freed Gongmen City. So now she is taking revenge on all of you. And as you saved the panda's lie, it would only be a fitting start of his torture to kill you. Imagine his guilt…" The snake shook his head. "But that's all in the past. Something we need to leave behind us."

"You know what Jung is planning," Tigress said quietly. "I am sure of that. But why are you working for her?"

"Ah… There came the real question. Funny how none has asked it before. Let's just say that Jung and I grew up in the same village and that I owe her some favors. And after ending up in prison, I decided it would be nice to let the masters taste their own medicine. That's pretty much it; nothing I cannot tell."

Tigress stared at her own paws, lost in thoughts. Then she lifted her head a little to stare at him again. "You… bit me. Didn't you? At the first attack, before the river."

Because she remembered it. A bit. Staring at her own paws, wondering if the poison had entered her blood. She had done that. She could almost see the scene happening in front of her.

But now she was here, away from the battle. Safe.

Seh tilted his head, trying to figure out how much she remembered.

But then the tiger quickly stood up and left the room. She was confused and she did not know what to do. Should she tell Shifu and the others that she was starting to remember? Or should she keep quiet?

Did she even remember? Or was it just her imagination?

Maybe she should talk with Shifu… Or maybe she should not… He had looked so sad last night, after telling her softly that it was great she could remember her fighting skills and she would put them to good use.

…If she had upset him on some way, then she would not do it again.

Viper. She could talk with her. Or Po…

But maybe she should wait.

Tigress stepped outside, enjoying the fresh air. The trip to the dungeon had made her feel uncomfortable. Hearing battle shouts coming from the training hall, she entered to find her friends fighting. She quickly joined them, wanting to improve her skills as Viper had suggested her.

It was late night when they were finally finished. At that time Tigress was exhausted and her entire body felt sore. She just wanted to sleep and so she followed the others to the barracks.

But as she was about to enter the building, she had a low whisper. "Psst!"

She turned her head around, and could barely see a person hidden in the bushes. "Psst!"

The other saw that Tigress had stopped and turned to her. "Just a minute," she spoke softly. "I need to talk with Shifu."

The others did not find that suspicious and stepped inside, leaving Tigress to do what she wanted. And so she walked towards the bushes where the sound had come from.

In the second she came close enough, Kiew let out a happy shriek and threw her arms around her. "Tigress!" she exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!"

The tiger widened her eyes, but did not resist; she was too stunned. "Uhm… thanks? Who are you again?"

Kiew pulled away from her, still smiling though. "Right; they did not tell you. I am Kiew; I was like your sister while you stayed in our village."

Oh yes. Tigress could figure out that she somehow had met this panda before. First thing; it was a panda. Second thing; the panda knew her name and had given her a hug.

"Then… Kiew… what are you doing here?" she asked her slowly, still trying to find a meaning of all of this.

The panda's face brightened up. "I've come to help you!" she exclaimed.

Tigress crossed her arms. "Really?"

Kiew nodded. "Really!"

"How?"

"I can bring your memory back!" the panda told her. "That's why I came! But you can't-"

"Tigress?"

The tiger turned around, seeing Shifu slowly coming towards her. "Who are you speaking with?"

Tigress pushed Kiew forwards so the red panda could see her. The panda let out a low shriek; this was what Tigress must not do.

"We have a visitor," Tigress spoke calmly.

Kiew lifted a paw. "Hello, Master Shifu."

The master had raised his eyebrows in surprise. By the way he was staring at her, Kiew understood he had forgotten her name. "I'm Kiew. I am-"

"I remember who you are now," Shifu said quickly. "Welcome to the Jade Palace. But I must ask; has something happened?"

"Not like you think," Kiew answered, knowing what he was fearing. "The village is all safe and no one has seen Jung. But… But…" She knew that she could not just say that she has come here to restore Tigress' memory.

No one would believe that she could do that unless…

Unless someone they believed in believed her!

Yeah, that was a good plan.

"Weimin sent me," Kiew sad quickly, betting both Shifu's and Tigress' attention. "He had a vision."

"Of what?"

"That I can help Tigress!" Kiew started smiling again. "Just like the last time."

Shifu watched her closely. "And you are sure of this?"

Kiew nodded with her mouth closed. "And I can help in the palace too! I mean, I don't want to be a burden. I can cook dinner, wash clothes-"

Shifu held a hand to stop her. "You are a guest here and will be treated so. Come; we will inform the others. And I am sure Po has many questions for you to answer."

Kiew looked at Tigress who gave a short nod and then turned around to follow her master. The panda was just behind her, entering the students' barracks.

"Students," Master Shifu called and immediately everyone stepped out of their room. "We have a visitor."

Viper was the first to speak to her, "Well, hello." She gave her a big smile.

"Hey," Kiew said while blushing. "I'm Kiew. Form the village. You know, the one you saved. I… I am here because… I can help Tigress. Weimin had a vision-"

"Dad?" Po asked. "How is he?"

"Oh, very well. We are all. No attacks or such. So yeah, everything's fine. And I should greet you from him. He already misses you very much and he wishes you the best." She took in a deep breath. "But the vision-"

"She can help me get my memory back," Tigress said from behind Shifu. She was looking calmly at Kiew. "And I believe her."

Kiew scratched the back of her neck. "I've done it before so…"

"How will you do it?" Crane asked her. Not because he was suspicious; he was just simply curious.

"Well… That depends of how… I'll have to see if she will react lie the last time," Kiew declared.

"But first you all rest," Shifu told them. "You can start tomorrow."

Jung was not amused. They had destroyed her plan and now she had been forced into hiding.

But not for long.

She would return, and they would regret making a fool of her.

She still had warriors and she was unharmed. She was ready to fight.

The masters did not scare her. They may be strong, but they were too soft; that was their weakness. Just take someone captive, even just a worthless villagers, and they would follow her orders.

It was so easy.

Yet, they had managed to capture Seh. She felt sorry for him; she knew how much he hated being trapped.

But he was still alive; they would not kill him. And from what she had heard from her spies, then he was still in the Jade Palace.

That stupid palace would be her target.

And she would free Seh; she owed him that much. He had been a loyal servant and would follow her orders without doubting her. He deserved his freedom.

Though, if the choice was between him and revenge, she would choose revenge.

She could find a new snake.

But that was not her plan for now.

Soon she would attack. She just had to wait for the right moment.

"Master Jung!" It was another one of her worthless servant, though this one looked like he had news. "Pandas have left their village."

"Interesting," Jung said while turning to the monkey. "How many and where are they?"

"One has already reached the Jade Palace."

"A shame. We are too late on that one."

"But the two others are close to reaching the Valley of Peace," the servant told her.

Jung grinned. "Those two are a whole other story. Gather my warriors."

A/N: Did you miss me? Just a tiny bit? I will hopefully update soon this time, but I have my exams right now, so it might be a bit delayed.

Thank you for reading and I hope you can forgive me!