A/N: I do not own KUNG FU PANDA or any of its characters, locations, etc. They belong to Dream Works.

I only claim my OC's and I must say that there will be quite a few introduced in this chapter:

Lady Mei (Beautifu Plum)

Lady Anmíng (Peaceful clarity)

Yun (Melody)

Ming (Shining/Tomorrow)

Lady Hua (Flower)

Lord Kuò (Vast)

Jìn (Ember)-I only own the name, not the character. (You'll see what I mean)

Proof in a Box

Po and the Furious Five followed Master Shifu and Xue down one of the many crowded streets of the city of Shuǐ de yáolán. Despite the threat of bandits beyond the city walls, the city was buzzing with activity as the citizens prepared for the upcoming festival. Flags and lanterns were being hung from nearby windows and above the city streets. Multiple booths were selling kites, masks, fireworks, and costumes for the event, and scores of people were rushing about to make purchases.

The Kung Fu Warriors gazed in wonder at the sight before them; they had never seen a place as lively as this. And to top it off there were dozens and dozens of different species here. There were wolves, pigs, gorillas, gazelles, bunnies, geese, ducks, sheep, foxes, badgers, and raccoons. They even caught sight of some red panda's going about their daily business.

"I've never seen a more diverse place before in my life," Crane said, "it's fascinating."

"Yeah," Monkey added, "No doubt that people from all over China have come here because of the gold mining."

"I like this place!" Mantis exclaimed, "Wonder why we haven't come here before."

"Yeah, we're definitely coming here again." Po agreed.

A group of laughing children suddenly rushed past the six students and a small red panda cub accidently bumped into Po's large belly, causing the child to land flat on his tail, "Oof!"

"Watch it there." Po smiled and reached out a paw to help the cub back to his feet. The boy was so tiny that he could have easily fit inside Po's open palm.

"Sorry mister!"

"Nah, it's okay, you better get going; your friends are getting away."

The cub nodded then ran after his friends; it was only after the children were out of earshot when Viper gave a delightful sigh, "Aww, they're so adorable!" She exclaimed, "Can you imagine Master Shifu at that age?"

Their eyes widened at Viper's statement and they all stole a glance towards their master, who was in the middle of a conversation with Xue. Just the thought of a cub Shifu baffled their minds.

"I don't see it." Po answered. They all continued their journey down the crowded street when Po finally asked, "So who is this Lady Mei we're seeing again?"

Tigress rolled her eyes, "Weren't you listening Po?"

"You know me," Po stated, "sometimes the things that Shifu says go in one ear and out the other."

'Ugh…" Tigress sighed and shook her head before continuing. "She is Master Xue's mother, and the widow of Master Rui."

"Oh…right." Po answered, slightly embarrassed.

"Po, you're an expert on everything that revolves around Kung Fu fandom; why is it that you don't know about Lady Mei?" Monkey asked.

"I wouldn't say expert," Po answered, "it's not like any scrolls go into detail about their families."

"Po," Viper said, "what exactly happened to Master Rui?"

The panda lifted his paws and wiggled his fingers, "No one knows wooooo…" he said with a spooky tone in his voice. The other members of the Five gave him odd looks.

"No, really Po, what happened to him? This isn't a joke." Crane said.

"I'm not joking," Po stated, "No one really knows what happened to him. He went off to go fight against some bandits, and he was never heard from again."

"Yeesh!" Mantis exclaimed, "talk about creepy."

"It's one of the great Kung Fu mysteries…" Po added in a low spooky voice.

They finally were able to break from the crowded street as they made their way towards a two story building. It was simple, but had a certain elegance to it. Multi colored orchids grew along the small pathway to the front door and a humble garden sat peacefully to the left side of the house. "Now I want all of you to be on your best behavior," Shifu stated to his students, but he seemed to be eyeing Po in particular, "Lady Mei is a dear friend of mine, and I would like you all to treat her with the respect that she deserves."

"Yes Master Shifu." They all answered.

Their attention was suddenly drawn to the front porch where two little raccoons played with their toys. The girls were quite young from what they could tell. The eldest, seven years old perhaps, wore a yellow dress embroidered with purple flowers at the ends of her sleeves. The youngest, probably around three years of age wore a lime-green dress with golden trimmings. They both turned towards the approaching guests and their eyes widened with joy upon seeing their father.

"Baba!" The girls shouted and ran towards Xue. He smiled and scooped them both up into his arms, giving them a hug.

"How are my two favorite girls?" Xue smiled towards his daughters.

The older of the two girls spoke first, "Okay!"

Xue then set the girls back on solid ground and turned towards the others. "These are my daughters; Yun," He patted the eldest on the head with his hand, "And—" But the little three year old had vanished from her father's side and was now standing in front of Po. The tiny girl stared wide eyed up at him then pointed with her tiny black finger, "Toy big!" She exclaimed in a tiny, high-pitched voice.

"Huh?" Po gave the child a confused look.

"Ming, that's not very nice." Xue firmly stated to his youngest daughter, but the little raccoon continued to stare at Po and then to each member of the Five.

"Toys all big!" The toddler said excitedly before leaping onto Po's belly. She spread her arms as far as she could as if to give him a hug.

Po couldn't help but smile at the little girl, but he felt a twinge of embarrassment as he heard the suppressed giggles of his comrades from behind; even Shifu gave a small chuckle towards the child's display.

"Forgive me Dragon Warrior Po," Xue said as he detached Ming from the panda's belly, "she must think you are all larger versions of her toys." It was then that Po and the Five stole a glance towards the toys that lay scattered across the porch. The six wooden figures were just like the ones that Po had in his room back at the noodle shop.

"Thank goodness they don't have one of me." Shifu chuckled, while his students frowned at his statement.

"Just you wait Master Shifu." Po said with a sly smile on his face. "One of these days you'll be part of the collection too."

Shifu rolled his eyes and followed Xue inside the house. Once the door had closed behind them, Po turned towards the others, "I mean c'mon," he stated, "he'd make a great stuffed animal with that fluffy tail of his."

"I heard that!" Shifu called from beyond the door. "And for that little comment Po, you will have a special training session with me once we get back to the academy!"

"Busted!" Monkey and Mantis laughed towards Po, who seemed to visibly shrink at Shifu's words. They all started to head inside the house when Tigress felt a tug on her leg. She looked down to see that Yun had grabbed onto her with her tiny hands.

"Um..." The girl said shyly.

"What is it little one?" Tigress asked softly as she knelt down to the little raccoon's level. She knew how easily intimidated children could be when they were facing a taller individual. Tigress figured that it would be easier to relate with the child if she were at her level, and not towering over her.

Yun bit her lip and her wide brown eyes stared towards Tigress. "Will you…um."

"Yes?" Tigress smiled.

"Will you teach me some Kung Fu moves?" Yun asked. "My baba has taught me some things, but you're my favorite of the Furious Five." By this time, little Ming had grabbed onto the feline's stripped tail, and Tigress couldn't help but smile towards the pair of them.

"Of course, I'd love to teach you."

"When?" Yun asked excitedly.

"Well, I can give you a little instruction right now if you'd like."

"Oh! Yes please!" The little raccoon hopped up and down excitedly.

Tigress turned towards Po who had been waiting for her. "I'll be in in a minute." She said.

"Okay." Po smiled and headed inside. He was instantly met by the scent of lilacs, as there was a vase of them sitting on a nearby shelf. He followed his fellow comrades down the narrow hallway and into the main living area. There was a beautiful ornate rug that covered the bamboo floor, along with extravagant carvings along the walls. There were several chairs lined with soft pillows that sat surrounding a large fireplace, but considering the warm weather outside, it wasn't being used.

Two raccoons sat next to each other on the far end of the room. One was an elderly woman with a pair of glasses that sat upon the brim of her nose. She wore a purple silk dress with silver trimmings and an equally silver wrap around her waist. Her face was greying with age, but her honey colored eyes looked towards all of them with satisfied joy.

"My dear Shifu." She said once the Grand Master had made his way towards her, "It has been too long." She stood up from her chair and bowed respectfully to the elderly red panda, who smiled and returned the gesture.

"Too long indeed Mei, it is good to see you again."

"And these must be your students." Lady Mei gazed towards Po and the four members of the Five. "The Furious Five I presume?"

"Well actually," Crane stated, "Po here is the Dragon Warrior."

"Then where is the fifth member of the group?" Lady Mei asked.

Po thumbed towards the front door, "She's a little occupied with your granddaughters at the moment, she won't be long."

The second raccoon gave a small laugh, "Of course, they do love to hear stories about the greatest heroes of China." She stated. The younger woman wore a dress of midnight blue embroidered with silver butterflies. In her hands she held two knitting needles and was obviously knitting together a tiny green sock. Po and the others suddenly realized why, once they noticed her growing belly, indicating that she was pregnant. And from what they could tell it was clearly obvious that she was expecting the baby fairly soon.

"And this must be Lady Anmíng, Master Xue's wife." Shifu bowed towards the expecting mother. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Anmíng nodded her head towards him, and Xue went to her side, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek. He then gestured towards the empty chairs, inviting their guests to sit and make themselves comfortable.

"So tell me Shifu," Mei addressed the red panda, "how has it been at the Jade Palace?"

"Fairly well, but I must say that my students have found it rather boring in recent days." Shifu gave a smirk towards his students.

Mei gave a small laugh, "Of course, no doubt itching for some action."

"Indeed."

"Well, as you've all been informed," Anmíng stated as she continued her knitting, "we've been having a bit of a bandit problem of our own. Of course there's no telling when they'll leave."

Viper nodded, "Let us hope that they will retreat soon."

Mei stood up from her chair, "Allow me to get the tea; I believe it is ready now." The elderly raccoon then headed through the kitchen door on the opposite end of the room.

Po arched his neck to look at the many paintings and unique objects that either hung from the walls or stood on the overhanging shelves. He could see a rather old looking sword that was suspended above the mantel piece of the fire place, and he noticed that the nearby window had painted glass, and there was a nice little window bench right beneath it. "Nice place you got here." He said.

"Why thank you Dragon Warrior." Xue said with a smile. "Master Qiang has been quite generous to our family since my father's passing. They were good friends in their youth and he took it upon himself to watch out for myself and my mother in the days since, we owe much to him."

"Where is Master Qiang now?" Anmíng asked, "Wasn't he coming today?"

"He's gone off to investigate a potential weak spot in the city's defenses along the south wall." Shifu stated, "But he asked us to send his regards."

They could all hear the sound of the front door opening and closing accompanied by the sounds of Tigress's footsteps approaching through the hall way.

"In here Tigress!" Mantis called.

Tigress entered the room, just as Mei was coming in from the kitchen. The elderly raccoon held a tea tray precariously with one hand while a teapot was grasped in the other. Tigress gave the woman a concerned look, worried that she was carrying too much than she could handle.

"Excuse me ma'am," Tigress stated, "do you need help with that?"

Mei didn't even look up towards Tigress; she was using nearly all of her concentration to keep the tea cups from falling from the tray, "Yes that would be nice!"

Tigress instantly grasped the tray and the tea pot from Lady Mei, using her Kung Fu skills to keep the tea cups perfectly balanced.

"Thank you my dear," Mei gazed up towards Tigress, "Thank—" The old raccoon froze where she stood, her body suddenly tense and rigid as she gaped towards the feline. Her honey colored eyes were wide with both shock and disbelief.

"Mother, is everything alright?" Xue asked upon seeing the look of near terror on Mei's face.

Mei continued to stare at Tigress, and the others exchanged troubled looks. "Mei?" Shifu's eyes narrowed.

Finally Mei pointed a shaky finger towards Tigress, "Y—you're not supposed to be h—here! You—you're dead!"

Tigress gave the elderly raccoon a puzzling look, "I'm—"

"HUA!" Mei shrieked before her legs gave out beneath her.

"Mother!"

"Mei!" Both Shifu and Xue rushed forward, barely catching the elderly raccoon before she hit the ground. The others hurried forward as well, all standing around the unconscious Lady Mei. "She's fainted!" Shifu stated as he and Xue gently eased Mei to the floor.

"What the heck just happened?" Mantis exclaimed as he perched on Monkey's shoulder.

"Something must have frightened her!" Anmíng answered.

"But what?" Po asked as he rubbed the back of his head in confusion. Everyone then looked towards Tigress, who was still holding the tea tray and the tea pot. She looked towards all of them suddenly.

"What are you all looking at me for?" She asked defensively. "All I did was offer her my assistance!"

Mantis shrugged his stick-like shoulders, "Well she did kinda freak out when she saw you."

"So you're blaming this on me?" Tigress glared towards the insect.

"No one is blaming anyone!" Shifu firmly stated before turning to Xue, "Let's get her to the window bench." The two masters gently lifted Lady Mei off the ground and successfully transferred her to the nearby window bench. Shifu draped his jade-green Grand Master's robe over her like a blanket while Xue carefully placed a pillow beneath his mother's head. "She needs rest." Shifu stated.

"I'll repeat my earlier question: what the heck just happened?" Mantis said.

Crane shook his head, "I think the better question would be is: what did Lady Mei mean?"

"Like?" Monkey asked.

Crane turned towards Tigress, "She called you Hua."

"Hua? Who is Hua?" Po asked, clearly confused.

Shifu turned towards Xue, "Do you know what your mother meant by that?"

Xue gave them all a troubling look, and his brown eyes narrowed with uncertainty. "Hua was the daughter of General Feng."

"Was?" Viper asked.

"Their whole family was killed in a skirmish when their home was attacked by Shadow Dragons, my mother worked for them in their household but thankfully, she wasn't there when it happened."

At the mention of the Shadow Dragons, Shifu's grip tightened on his staff, and his eyes narrowed.

"Shadow Dragons?" Po stated, "The bandits that were known for their legendary stealth, espionage, and assassinations? But I thought they had died out years ago."

"They did," Xue stated, "but apparently, some escaped the great purge. There are even some speculations that they are the very assassins that attacked you upon your arrival to the city."

Po and the Five exchanged nervous looks. They hadn't realized that the Shadow Dragons had been the ones behind the earlier attack. The Shadow Dragons had been well known in China for their plundering's, mass murders of innocent people, and many other crimes that caused the Emperor himself to finally act against them. He sent his armies far and wide across China to flush them out, and finally they were found. And in one swift attack, the Emperor ordered their extermination. Po shuddered at the thought that some of them may have survived the onslaught.

"But why did Lady Mei call Tigress by that name?" Crane asked.

Xue shook his head. "I'm not sure. I myself only met General Feng's family on only a few occasions, but my mother worked for them on a daily basis. Perhaps she could spread a little more light on the situation once she wakes up."

"Speaking of which…" Monkey pointed towards Lady Mei who was beginning to stir.

Anmíng stood up from her chair, using the arm rest as a hold to keep herself steady. "I'm going to check up on the girls, make sure that they're not getting into any trouble." She placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder, "Call me if you need anything." She then made her way out of the room and out the front door.

Xue placed a hand on Mei's forehead, "Mother, are you alright?"

The elderly raccoon gave a small sigh before answering, "I…must have blacked out for a moment."

"You had us worried." Shifu added.

Mei opened her eyes and gave a pained chuckle, "I could have sworn that I saw something…"

Shifu gave a silent signal with his hand towards Tigress and she instantly took a few steps behind Po so that Mei would not see her.

"Mei," Shifu stated, "What exactly is it that you saw?"

Xue helped his mother into a sitting position by placing more pillows behind her. Mei readjusted her glasses before speaking. "It must be my old age," she answered grimly, "I'm finally starting to lose it!"

"I don't think that's the problem." Shifu assured her. "What did you see?"

Mei wrapped her arms around her shoulders as if she were cold. "I—I thought I saw Lady Hua, General Feng's daughter."

"This Lady Hua," Shifu said, "can you tell us more about her?"

"Well," she hesitated, "I was under her employment about twenty-eight years ago. She and her whole family were massacred by Shadow Dragons." Tears suddenly sprang to her eyes and she quickly hid her face behind her small hands. Xue sat down next to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her. He looked towards the other Kung Fu Warriors.

"The night of the murder of General Feng's family was the night that my father disappeared." He stated, and everyone gave each other concerned looks. "A messenger had brought word to my father of the danger. He sent for reinforcements from the academy but he went on ahead to see if he could help. By the time Master Qiang arrived at General Feng's home with reinforcements, the mansion was already in flames, the entire household slaughtered, and my father was never heard from again."

Silence followed, and the only sound that could be heard was Lady Mei's muffled sobs. No one seemed to want to talk; even Mantis and Monkey didn't dare speak. Po twiddled his thumbs as the silence dragged on and even Shifu was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the stillness. Tigress herself couldn't handle the suspense; she walked slowly from behind Po and knelt down beside the window bench where Mei was still sitting.

Po, Shifu, and the other members of the Five waited with baited breath, hoping that Lady Mei wouldn't go into another panic attack. Tigress placed her paw gently atop the elderly raccoon's lap, causing Mei to look up at her. She took a sudden intake of breath and shut her eyes tightly. "You're a ghost Hua—you're not real!"

"I am real, Lady Mei," Tigress stated softly, "but I'm not Hua."

Mei opened her eyes and turned her gaze cautiously towards Tigress. She looked into the south china tiger's fiery amber eyes with their red cores, and her own eyes began to study the feline before her. "But, you look just like her." She reached a small black hand forward and touched Tigress lightly on her cheek. "You even have her eyes…"

"I'm sorry, but my name is Tigress, you must have me mistaken for someone else." Tigress reassured her as she coaxed Mei's hand down to her lap. But Mei continued to stare at her, completely bewildered.

"H—How old are you Tigress?" Mei asked.

Tigress stiffened slightly at the realization of what Mei was asking, "I am…twenty-eight..."

The other Kung Fu Warriors gave each other surprised looks and Viper gave a small gasp. Mei had just said herself that the murder of General Feng's family had occurred twenty-eight years previous.

Mei's honey colored eyes widened with shock, "It couldn't be…" She immediately sprang to her feet, surprising everyone that she could move that fast. The elderly raccoon placed both hands on either side of Tigress's face as she examined her. "It couldn't be!" Mei said again before looking Tigress square in the eyes. "Little Jìn!"

"What?" Everyone else said at once. And Mei's earlier despair had suddenly turned around into sheer joy.

"I don't believe it!" She exclaimed happily with tears in her eyes, "I don't believe it! You're alive!" Mei then wrapped her tiny arms around Tigress's neck, giving her a hug.

Tigress on the other hand was completely bewildered by Mei's statement, "But my name is Tigress!" She looked towards her master and fellow comrades, but they looked just as dumbfounded as Tigress felt. Even Crane's beak had fallen open out of sheer shock.

"Well," Po stated as he scratched the top of his head, "this is certainly unexpected."

"Way to state the obvious Po." Mantis added.

Mei released Tigress then cupped her face between her tiny black hands, "Oh, you've grown up beautifully; you look just like your mother!"

At this statement, Tigress backed away so that she was no longer within the elderly raccoon's reach. "How would you know anything about me?"

"It was my job to know about you! I was your nanny!"

"What?" Everyone stated again.

"My brain!" Po exclaimed as he placed his paws on either side of his head, "Too much information at one time!"

"Everyone please BE QUIET!" Shifu's voice echoed throughout the spacious living area and everyone immediately went silent. "Ahem." Shifu composed himself before addressing them. "I believe it would be best if we figure this out calmly, and without any further interruptions." He eyed Po, Monkey, and Mantis in particular. "Now, Mei, are you certain that Tigress is indeed who you say she is?"

"If you need proof, I have it right here!" The elderly raccoon slid herself off of the window bench and made her way towards a large wardrobe just to the side of the window. She opened it up and pulled from it a small ornate wooden box that was lined with golden trimmings. She placed it atop the cushioned window bench, and everyone gathered around as she carefully opened it. Inside were two small bundles of silken cloth. Mei gently lifted one from the box and began to carefully unwrap it. "Qiang managed to salvage these from the fire when General Feng's mansion had been destroyed; he believed that I should hold onto them for safe keeping." She finally un-wrapped the final fold of cloth to reveal a small woolen blanket, or what was left of it anyway. Most of its edges had been charred by fire, and the blue dye in the fabric had faded with age. Mei lifted it carefully into her small hands before offering it to Tigress. "I made this blanket for you myself when you were born."

Tigress wasn't sure if she should touch the fragile piece of knitted fabric, but with an encouraging nod from her comrades, she allowed Mei to place the tattered blanket in her paws. The feline carefully rubbed the fabric between her thumb and forefinger; she couldn't help but think that she had felt its gentle touch before.

"And if that doesn't convince you then this definitely will!" Mei reached into the box to pick up the second bundle. It seemed more solid than the first bundle had been. She un-wrapped it carefully before revealing a picture frame beneath the silk covering. The once polished surface of the wooden frame had been scorched by flames, but the painting inside had only suffered minor damage towards exposure to the fire. Mei took the blanket from Tigress and placed the painting in her grasp, and everyone crowded around to get a good look at it.

It was an image of two tigers, one male, and one female. Everyone gave a collective gasp upon seeing the female south china tiger. She looked exactly like Tigress, even the eyes. The two felines in the painting were holding each other in a loving embrace, gazing down upon the tiny bundle of fur in the female's arms. Tigress squinted, trying to see past the damaged painting towards the cub. Her amber eyes widened, "It—It's…me…"

"Yes, you are Jìn." Mei stated with a smile. "Daughter of Lord Kuò, and Lady Hua."

Shifu eyed his daughter very carefully. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Tigress depicted in the painting with her birth parents. But he wasn't sure how she was taking the news of their demise. He wasn't the only one; Po and the other members of the Furious Five were watching her anxiously, awaiting her reaction to this revelation. Tigress simply gazed towards the painting, almost not wanting to believe it; and yet here was the proof staring her right in the face.

All she had ever known before Shifu's arrival was the orphanage. She had no memory of her birth family, and she had always wondered why they had left her there, why they didn't want her. During her isolation at Bao Gu Orphanage, she had thought that her parents had seen her as a monster, like everyone else had, that's why they had abandoned her. But this painting was telling her a completely different story. From the looks on their faces, her parents looked towards her with nothing less than pure love. And yet she had still ended up in that orphanage. If what Lady Mei had said was the truth, then Tigress's family was dead; all of them.

Tigress could feel a sudden twinge of pain in her gut as if someone had stabbed her with a knife. Her arms began to shake, and her breathing came in and out in short gasps. Po placed a comforting paw on her shoulder, knowing exactly how she felt. He himself had recently learned of the fate of his own village and his parents when Lord Shen had invaded their home, killing them all off, all for the sake of preventing a prophecy from coming true.

"Tigress, I—"

But she shoved his paw away and placed the painting back down on the bench. "I—I have to go." She started her way for the door, only for it to be blocked by Shifu.

"Please don't go Tigress." The diminutive master looked up towards her with deep concern etched on his face. He wanted to help her get through this, but he was still trying to figure out what he could say to put her mind at ease.

"Yes Tigress," Viper stated, "you should stay here with us."

Tigress only shook her head, "I need some time to myself…I—I need some time to think." And with that, Tigress pushed past Shifu and headed down the narrow corridor towards the front door.

"Tigress, wait!" Po called out and he jogged down the hallway just as Tigress slipped out of the door. The panda ran forward and pushed it open, making his way onto the front porch where Yun and Ming were still playing with their toys. Shifu and the other members of the Five filed out behind Po, but there was no sign of the distressed tiger anywhere.

"Is everything alright?" Anmíng asked as she sat on a rocking chair on the porch with her knitting needles. "I thought I heard shouting in there, is something wrong?"

Shifu gave a worried sigh before answering, "I wish I could tell you my Lady." He closed his steel blue eyes and shook his head, wondering how they were going to make it through this mess, "I wish I could tell you…"

A/N: By far, the LONGEST chapter I have written! Hope you all liked! Sooooo...did this chapter freak you all out? Because if it didn't then I have failed miserably as an author!

The stakes are getting higher! Poor Tigress... :(

Anyway, I've gotten a ton of reviews and I am really happy about it, but I've been getting a lot of "This story is amazing!" or "This is great, keep it up!" or "This is my favorite story!" Thanks you guys, I'm honored, but could you reviewers elaborate a little more? Tell me why you like this story, tell me your favorite part in each chapter, tell me what you're hoping to see in future chapters. The one-liner reviews are nice, but they kind of leave me hanging, wondering what particular elements of this story that you readers find interesting.

I would like to know what you guys like in this story so that I can add more of it into future chapters. I do love thorough reviews!

See ya'll next time!