KFP owned by Dreamworks

Opened for comment and criticism! Please R&R

(Longfeng took Dragon Warrior for his second test to unlock Heroes Chi...)

Second Vision : The Jade Palace.

Everyone was sitting, rather distressfully around the kitchen table, in front of them, laid an important looking scroll bearing the Emperor's seal, sprawled its content for everyone to see.

Coinciding the current critical situation, and protecting national interest, hereby, the Emperor requiring every Man who had Sons capable of bearing arms, that are between age 15 to 50 years, to send all of them immediately into the Emperor and gave them leave to enter into Imperial Army, to assist the country in the conflict at hand. Please understand the urgency of such message, and for the respective, potential soldier to make their leave promptly to each closest Imperial Army post - The Emperor would like to extend his voice of gratitude for such selfless action.

Everyone had a forlorn, afflicted stare. Each of their mind enslaved by the daunting possibility, the worst of expense the war might have demanded.

"Master Shifu, what's the meaning of this?"

"Tomorrow, Po, you... Monkey, Mantis, and Crane would be leaving to Chang'an to join the Imperial Army, as requested. The country is at war, and your service as kung fu Master, as a soldier, and as a defender of China is much needed. Tigress and Viper would fend the Valley as usual."

"I would like four of you to write to your respective parents, as soon as possible. Also, write, one more set of letters - as your final letters to anyone you wish, should the worst happened to you at war. I shall be responsible for the safe-keeping of the second letters, and would only be disposed discreetly to the intended recipient upon confirmation of your death. Now, all four of you are dismissed, take heed of what you are going to write... In my own selfish hope that each one of you returned, unharmed,... just take this as a mere precaution."

"Be a warrior, and not a worrier. I bid four of you the very best,... the greatest pleasure in life is to do, accomplish, and to win what people say you can not do."

Po looked at the letter in disbelief. Was this a prophecy of the future? Suddenly, the prospect of tomorrow had become uncertain as liken to the rain that threatened to fall. Would he live to see another day? When would he return? Would they succeed stopping their adversary? Who would take care of his goose dad should he die in the battle? And... would he see Tigress again? As the voice inside his head harkened, he landed his worried glance to the striped warrior sitting opposite him. Her eyes were gleaming with tears, her heart was heavy, her countenance was stricken. But this was no time for comfort and ease, it's time to dare and endure, for this was a chance that every man would stand for their dignity and proof the love to their country. And there was no love with no sacrifice.

Before this, Po had never given too much thought about dying. To a certain extent he was much aware, in his line of job, there was always a certain element of risk... to be killed. But nothing would outwit the feeling of demise to be part of a war.

The next day, Po and three other male warriors were bidding their final farewell to their family. There was a lot of teary exchange, as the warriors readying to leave. He cradled his dad light feathery form, let himself once again soaked in the sentiment, the man that incessantly took care of him day in and out, showered him with his unconditional love, and had transformed him physically and mentally from a cub to a man. He stood and curtsy respectfully to his Master, thanking him for all the valuable parting wisdom and guidance he had bestowed. Lastly, he stood in front of the striped feline, his idol, his rock and his comfort. He started at her glassy amber eyes, gleamed with loads of emotion threatening to fall. He reached her paw, and he tugged her firmly in his arms as if he did not want to let her go. Both of them intertwined in a melancholic embrace, as their souls silently lamented their farewell. Her voice dropped along with her eyes, as she loosened up her grip.

"Po... it's time to go. Promise me... never let fear decide your fate. I am always proud of you... Dragon Warrior."

He felt his heart broke at that instant, but instead, he put his brazen facade on, smiled firmly and nodded to her. "I'll be back Tigress." Although he knew no one could guarantee that, his own word of affirmation felt elating his spirit, sending a new wave of courage and earnestness. Tigress looked immensely proud, wiping the forming water in her radiant ruby eyes, as she watched him disappear into the horizon.

Again, Longfeng scooped him before he actually went and enter the battlefield. Smiling pointedly, the creature remarked. "This would be your last lesson, Dragon Warrior. Which for many... would be the hardest... Are you ready?"

"I am born ready!" Po smiled affably.

After seven years of intense battle, he found himself standing on the bottom of the thousand steps. The war had finally ended and Dragon Warrior once again staved off the ugly oppressor from the shore of China. Watching friends and enemies rise and die, witnessing war brutality stole many fathers, brothers and friends from their loved ones, did engraved mark on the panda's form and his soul. In peaceful time sons would bury their fathers, and in the war, fathers buried their sons.

He could see some white fur began to grow among his black fur, he'd earned a few more heroic battle marks around his limbs and torso, he'd made some new friends, and lost some forever. And if war cruelty not enough, anyone who ever looked into the gleaming eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield, would consider long and hard before starting a war. How war had made use the best warriors, like him to do the worst to other, was beyond comprehension - but yet unavoidable. War had stolen his innocence, the way he used to perceive the world and his attitude towards peace. War, really did not conclude who was right, but who was left.

However, unbeknownst to him, his three other comrades had returned four years ago, they were assigned to a different battalion. Po, dutifully as Dragon Warrior, was requested to stay back and wrapped up the loose end, as much as bestowing his valuable insight and wisdom on various political matters.

He climbed up the thousand stairs excitedly, the happy memory carved many years ago in this place, exploded into tiny sparks of happiness in his chest. How he missed his home, his friends, his family, his Master... and a certain tiger. Finally, he arrived in front of the palace gate, and Zeng had taken notice of his arrival, dashed as fast as a rocket launcher, informing and preparing everything for Po's dramatic entrance. In a celebratory mood, everyone quickly gathered in the Hall of Warriors, while a few geese assisted Po with his pack.

This is it. His heart hammered loudly against his chest as he pushed the door.

"Po...!"

"Man... you made it!"

"Panda, glad to have you back..."

"Wow... Big Guy! We missed you!

Everyone half sobbed, half laughed, pinning him down forming a pile of stacked animal on the floor. His large figure was wrapped, braided by many paws and wings (and pinchers! and..tail?) in unbidden group huddle... His vision blurred behind the blanket of happy tears, as they drew away, giving him a room to breathe and moved away from him, he had a chance to see each of his old friends and some new acquaintances. He immediately turned to his Master.

"Master...you have a few new students." He bowed respectfully upon seeing Shifu.

"Indeed, I do Dragon Warrior. But... I am glad you are back. We thought you were...dead." He said soothingly, his azure orbs suddenly mellowed, even welled with tears. His skinny hand reached his plump furry arm patting it gently. "But I am glad you've made it... however there is one pressing thing I need to speak to you." He hastily dismissed the other students, leaving the panda in puzzlement.

"Po...I had a news for you." He paused and averted his gaze to the floor ruefully, lines of worry dug deep into his skin.

"Tigress is getting married in two days time."

Po swore his heart was stopped right there and then. He took a few calming breath, as the red panda looked at him - dejected, anguished and mournful.

"You see... none of us knew you've survived the war. When the three had returned, none of them knew where you were or heard from you. It may be my fault to take the matter into my own hand, but I can't let my daughter wait indefinitely for you - her loss for you eating up her soul every day, I simply couldn't watch her suffer. So, a year after Crane, Mantis and Monkey returned, I bequeathed your final letter to each of the masters as we agreed in precedence. I don't know what exactly you wrote for Tigress, that's a private matter for her, but she had requested for me to look for a suitable man for her."

Po nodded understandingly, he knew what he wrote. In his last will, he asked Tigress to move on, to laugh and to be happy again, and to live a life again.

"So... who is... this man?" He asked haltingly.

"His name is Yong Gang, he is a Siberian Tiger a few years older than Tigress. He was initially a Master at Gongmen Kung Fu Academy. Upon her request to look for a suitable suitor, I wrote a letter to various kung fu school, and I found Yong Gang was quite a fitting, his personality very much compatible with Tigress. He came as the result of my letter, a little rough start at the beginning, but within months, things seemed to fall into place. Both of them courting not long after. You can meet him, he'll be in the kitchen for dinner. He's a loyal, amiable man, also an excellent fighter with great nobility."

Po excused himself after that, he headed down to the Sacred Peach Tree and meditated for a few hour, just to confided his thought in a moment of reclusion. Suddenly, a gentle, velvety voice that he craved to hear, called his name.

"Po?" The panda flicked his glance behind his shoulder to find his best friend stood there.

"Tigress... Hi." He deceptively placed a gleeful smile. But the tiger didn't buy his charade and immediately stomped out the truth out of him. "Po... don't pretend in front of me." She sighed heavily. "I take it Shifu has already told you everything, hasn't he?" The panda hummed a small agreement.

"Po... I am sorry. I wished I knew you'll return." Po smiled inwardly at her confession. May be... just may be, Tigress did wish both of them to be together. But her action was intelligible, none of them grew younger, and in his final scroll - he did ask her to move on with her life, and she did exactly as he wished.

"That's ok Tigress... you are just... following my wish." Immediately one question bade his mind. "Are you... happy with Yong Gang?" His jade orbs pleading for reaction.

"Very..." The tiger smiled sullenly, as she took a seat next to the panda.

"He makes me very happy... just the way when you are with me..." Those words stung his innermost being, a twinge, insufferable pain crept to his heart knowing how much Tigress had endured waiting for him, missing him... loving him. But the same way his heart washed over with a warm sense of relief witnessing the love of his life had found comfort she deserved - even when it was on the arm of another man. There were tears in both of their eyes, gold meet jade, and they could only see regret reflected back. Then he knew that he loved her so much that he couldn't even hate her for breaking his heart. His finger quickly wiped the forming tears in her eyes, as he fought back his, even though uncontrollable eruption of heartache and sorrow strangled his being, choking his soul.

"Shh... Tigress, don't cry. I hate to see you sad... especially over me." His voice sounded raspy, he took liberty to glance again into her beautiful eyes, the window of her being, reminding him again this was Tigress - the girl who took no order from anyone, the platinum souled warrior, the master of hard-style that he had grown to love, yet Po had seen the softer side of her, the vulnerable, affectionate and passionate woman that he was very much in tune with. She let him wiped her tears away and nodded obediently.

"I understand if you don't want to be there at my wedding, but I wanted you to know, you are always welcome and you owned a special seat in my heart, when you crash landed in front of me years ago, I just knew... you will be such a special friend to me."

Moved by her earnest confession, the panda abruptly pulled her into his arm, girded his large paw on her small frame, securely inside his protective embrace, giving himself time to accept with his heart, the fact that his mind already knew. She belonged to someone else. Some people meant to fall in love with each other but never meant to be together. And Tigress would be the one person he always loved, no matter how much pain it caused him.

He quickly loosened his embrace, not wanting anyone to speculate things unseemly. He smiled.

"You are too... I am happy for you Tigress."

He trudged heavily back to the student barrack, slid the door that covered a lot of cherished memory. Concealed behind those paper walls, he and Tigress had spent countless nights, comforting each other's nightmares, confiding their insecurities, exchanging words of consolation, or simply gazing into each other's eyes. He was greeted with his empty room, the creaky wooden floor that normally screamed an excruciating creak upon being pressed by his immense weight, his slightly crooked bamboo bedroll that had followed the exact curve of his frame, and a collection of his action figures, faithfully waiting for his owner black arm to play with them or took them on mission. He cautiously picked Tigress' action figure, held it in his paw as he began to weep openly.

But resolutely, he knew, even though one day he might had to let go of his life, his heart would never be able to let go of her.

He felt a claw, tapped his shoulder. "Dragon Warrior, time to go back..."

Haltingly, he claimed back his vision, finding himself back under the Peach Tree. His heart was still heavy from his last trial, it was so vividly real, his stomach churned when he thought about it. But in his heart, he had made a decision.

"So..." Longfeng hoisted in front of Po. "The first test was testing your willingness to forgive... which you did well, even when you had a moment of doubts - at the end - you chose to trust your enemy and gave him a chance. The second one was demonstrating your heroic character - again, at the end, you managed to step up and sacrificing yourself for others, and the third trial was assessing how pure is your love...by far, many other Dragon Warrior failed this test..., but I am glad you've passed with flying colours - Dragon Warrior, you loved her unconditionally."

Po merely grinned in contentment albeit mentally he had already launched himself into orbit in pure delight (and a little bit proud), but in a moment his expression turned into a frown.

"Are all this... a vision of future?"

The creature shrugged indecisively as if he himself had no information about it... "Some of the events in the past indeed happened, those of the future could be a vision, or a lesson - and depend on what you decide to do, you may well be changing the fate itself."

Po exhaled a slow-relieved sigh. As enigmatic as it might sound, at least for one part he knew the war, and Tigress' betrothal to someone else was something he could fix.

"Now Dragon Warrior, closed your eyes and find your center, your true Heroes Chi would be unleashed. Remember as I told you, use this power wisely..." And Longfeng receded into thin air. Po obediently sat on lotus position and followed Longfeng's instruction. He didn't feel anything different, however - unapprehended to him, a large form of a dragon, came forth his being launched itself into the sky and came back inside his being again.

The sun had cascaded down the rolling hill, the panda realized he been sitting there the whole afternoon. Unbeknownst to him, Tigress watching him in awe, as the golden scaled creature twirling in the sky, acknowledged her, almost smiling at her presence.

At dinnertime, after such a tiring session of training, the Dragon Warrior had been released from his usual appointment as the chef. The eight of them, even the Grand Master himself, rather resplendently decided a dose of Ping's secret ingredient soup would be just the juice the team needed to restore their strength. After everyone witnessing how Tai Lung ran through all the training obstacle from a mere muscle memory, and sparring with Tigress like he never forgot any single scroll from the past 30 years of absence, everyone concluded the snow leopard might have work his butt off a little too hard... In essence, he needed to chill down a bit, enjoyed the life he never had - a life outside kung fu. Again, being the master of all the fun stuff, the panda creative streak had suggested that Tai Lung could start by exploring the culinary art of cooking.

The snow leopard, as usual, needed a little importuning from the team. He was never comfortable to explore his other talent, but Shifu egged him of his musical flair, that only been unraveled after he was given a flute for his 10th birthday.

"Tai, cooking is the same as kung fu...you followed instruction, performing certain steps and enjoyed the end result." Po elbowed him teasingly, much to the snow leopard annoyance.

"Not everyone had a broth in their blood, Panda." He snorted tartly, glaring with his usual sardonic look beyond his broad shoulder at the grinning panda next to him. "Besides I am a man, it's not compulsory for me to learn the art of culinary perfection, which is, categorically, a type of feminine pursuit."

"But most of China's famous cooks are men!... that includes Po and Mr. Ping." Monkey smiled lopsidedly. The spotted leopard grunted in defeat.

"Tai, it would be a good weapon to captivate the striped feline you fell in love with," Mantis added, grinning widely. Tai Lung could feel his face heated up.

Heavens... why me?!

After a long pep talk, the snow leopard agreed to have a taste of his own culinary adventure under the tutelage of Master Ping and Dragon Teacher. What worst could happen other than inedible food, a few burn mark or food poisoning? After all, if Po, the klutzy panda who always tripped over on the thousand steps, could be so successful in the art of chopping, kneading and frying, what stopping him - a person who had excelled in delivering nerve attack with such accuracy, (not to mentioned he was an avid calligrapher and excellent music player) to achieve similar outstanding culinary journey? Little did the spotted leopard knew - there was very little correlation between nerve attack and bean bun.

Arrived at the restaurant, the goose owner exuberantly greeted his band of honorary guests. It's not every day the Masters were spotted together eating at his place. The sentiment was shared by numerous ebullient customers who clustering around the Masters immediately, some profusely firing nonsensical questions, some simply stood in awe in their presence, some had requested autographs, some had appealed for intimate hugs...even a kiss! (ok on the cheek...nothing more!), some even requested permission to touch Shifu's ears and Tai Lung's tail (in which the answer is NO!).

But Po did not intend the focus to deviate elsewhere, as he quickly grabbed Tai Lung by the wrist and dragged his muscular form - which barely fit the door, straight into the kitchen. Secretly thanking the panda for saving him from the harassment of a little piglet that insisted on kissing him right on the lips, Tai Lung shade of pink had not faded as the Masters were teasing the extent of his virginity and awkwardness around women, even with a girl at that age. But the kitchen was never designed to fit three creatures, much so - one was wide on the waist, the other one was wide on the chest, but vertically, neither Tai Lung nor Po stood a chance to stand straight without sacrificing their heads. So, the panda decided his dad was more than enough to lead the spotted leopard to the sacred world of noodle making.

Crouching rather uncomfortably, Tai Lung listened as Mr. Ping blabbing series of ingredients.

"Really? it's just egg, salt, flour and water?" He shot a critical glance at the goose head chef, who replied him derisively with rather miffed tone to his apprentice. "Don't you believe me? I made that as a living y'know!" His wings on his hips, as he glared a vexed look.

"Fine...fine... my bad." He replied tartly in a caustic tone. Irked by the goose continuous barking, the spotted leopard decided to adhere to his instructions nonchalantly - not that Tai Lung liked to take order from anyone except for Shifu, but because his awareness that Mr. Ping was holding his best cleaver, which he said could cut his chopping board together with the ingredients.

"So how much water?"

"Approximately two tea cup...orrr... maybe three."

"So, is it three or two?"

"Let's make it two and a half."

"And salt?"

"Just as much as needed..."

"Like?... a handful?"

"No... a pinch would be enough."

"Can't you be more exact? your pinch and my pinch size were likened to a spoon and a shovel."

Dumbstruck by how little the snow leopard awareness about cooking (not that Tai Lung was incapable, but more due to lack of exposure to the kitchen), Mr Ping wondered whether having raised among servants, living a privileged life, compiled with Shifu's despotic, borderline brutal attitude towards their diet in the name of kung fu, leading to Tai Lung having no single bone of culinary senses. Legitimately, Mr. Ping worried about Tigress, what if she were to get together with Po, to everyone stupefaction, a wife of a noodle maker had no idea how to judge water and salt measurement on cooking, how could she even make noodle? That probably explained why her favorite food was plain, tasteless tofu. Hang on Ping, you get ahead of yourself there.

After much frustration in the goose loose approach of 'approximating' everything... or 'as deem needed' kind of measurement, Tai Lung - while dressed in white flour - finally had a well formed kneaded dough. During his exchange with the goose, the leopard insisted that Mr. Ping had to start recording his recipes on parchment and taking a proper, serious and exact measurement to be passed onto his future successors so his noodle legacy would live on. The goose, however, obstinately objected with the excuse - he would be doomed should someone broke into his house to steal his recipes.

After meddling with a pile of flour, water... eggs and salt, his first noodle began to take shape. Thanks to his kung fu training, the last stage of pulling the noodle strand was easier than it looked, and with another set of instruction to make the broth, his dish was declared complete.

"This is quite an impeccable tasting noodle, Tai Lung. Certainly not bad for a first try." The Grand Master eyes widened in prideful agreement, even the goose head chef nodding resplendently on the snow leopard achievement. Chuckling at her brother's face - a war between eminent blush and his signature cockiness, swaggering pride struggling to make its mark on his facade, Tigress noisily slurped her noodle and made a remark.

"If Shifu didn't give you a place in Jade Palace, you can try to work here." Her complement earned a whooping laughter from the rest of his comrades. But the most spellbound was obviously Po. The panda eyes brightened and his mind orbited to cloud nine, although he knew it was just a joke, but imagining him and the Master of Thousand Scroll moving nimbly, employing their kung fu fluency in chopping, cooking, sauntering between tables together, was indeed rather overwhelmingly awesome. Not to mention how besotted their audience would be watching and cheering at such... bodaciousness! Even Mr. Ping started to consider the idea, his profit might even rocket to the roof.

On their way back, climbing up the palace stairs. Po thought seriously about Tigress' statement.

"What do you intend to do after this?" Po questioned the spotted leopard.

"You mean after we get rid of Khan?" The panda nodded to his question. Tai Lung paused for a moment, and shrug indecisively. "I'll return to the Imperial City, back on my post I suppose."

"What if Shifu offered you back your position here?" Po eyed him seriously.

"I don't know..." Tai Lung sighed heavily, he hadn't given the subject another thought. He was much focused on fixing his relationship with Shifu, Po and the rest of the Five.

"Shifu would be happy if you stayed." Suddenly, Tigress butted in.

"How about you? You are a princess after all Tigress..." The striped feline looked stunned, while Po began to feel nervous around the subject. What if she had a political obligation to serve as the heir to the throne? What if Tigress decided to stay with her biological family someday? Suddenly he understood why Tigress was so disconcerted when he expressed his desire to move back to Secret Panda Village.

"I hate to think that... I think... I wanted to meet my mother. If she still alive, I would like to spend a little more time with her... and get to know her." She replied incoherently.

"I am sure you'll find the answer for yourself, Tigress."

That night after such a long day, the panda plodded his tired being to the comfort of his bed. His emerald orbs fixated to the ceiling, wide and alert - Po still couldn't sleep, the thought of war still haunting him - even when Longfeng had assured him it was not an ultimate representation of what would transpire in the real future. But what if it were?

As usual, to clear up his useless rumination, he decided to march to the Sacred Peach Tree. He saw that someone had beaten him to it. The low rising moonlight throwing a magical pale golden glow around her slender figure, and her scent filling the air, capturing the wheel of his mind to a complete stall. At weak moments like this, he felt his knee had weakened, his heart palpitated chaotically, how can falling in love make one lost control over his own being?

"Po... is that you?" Her lustrous, enticing voice made his fur neck stood in awe. How did she do that he had no idea.

He had prepared for this, but as his gaze fell on hers and those hypnotizing golden lantern looked back at him, all the mindless drivel he meticulously planned suddenly wiped clean, thrown out of the window, he stood muted as if lost his ability to speak. While Tigress had never admitted it out loud, she did think that he looked utterly adorable in his embarrassment. Almost like a switch, his memory recited the profound words Tigress said to him when Longfeng took him for his second test. ...never let fear decide your fate.

He huffed assembling his inner courage, even Crane's advice helped to push his courage even further.

"Err... I wondering, whether...-"

"Yes...?" The striped feline cut her gaze from above her shoulder, smirked rather too sweetly, tossing his heart into the sky. Her captivating smile and charisma knew no bound, and as if that hadn't tortured him enough, Tigress had abandoned her usual gold qipao and dressed in red cashmere robe which hugged the curve of her figure slightly more than usual. The gleam of hopeful recognition glowing from her adorable amber eyes, completing the entire package. Po swore he would do anything to earn those smile, climbed the Thousand Stairs, yanked the moon, even living with a single dew drop from a gingko leaf... Focus Po... focus... He reprimanded himself.

"Ermmm do you want to do chi-fusion again with me...?" In his uneasiness he let those unplanned words flew out. He gasped in shock, instead of confessing - he had settled for something completely different, but equally embarrassing. Oh well! He tapped his claw, fidgeting in nervousness, and tugged diffident, timid grin, in an adorable fashion that melted her heart.

"I'll be honored." She answered immediately, with the smile still glued firmly on her lips.

She needs to stop doing that, driving me insane!

"What do you mean?" He said in an unbelieving tone. Normally Tigress would exchange favor like this with something that equally inflicting duress on his side.

"Don't you see what happened under the Peach Tree just now?... you have Heroes Chi in you, and by doing the fusion you'll practically giving me some." She stated her reason. Astonishingly, he didn't ask much of what she meant, but simply nodding expectantly.

"You know what Po... we need to name that... ritual, you were saying." She interjected. Po confided his thoughts.

"What about the cosmic-blend?"

"I know you are excellent at making up corny catchphrases." Upon hearing the compliment, a ridiculous lovestruck smile formed on his maw. The panda took all his effort to muster not to prance in joy. "Right! Let's do this..!"

"Po... there is one problem... where are we going to do this?"

"Ermm... normally no one in the bathhouse after this hour. Wanna do it there?" Po flushed at his own words, hoping Tigress didn't imply salacious, perverted intention on his side for suggesting such a place. To his delightful bewilderment, she immediately hummed her agreement without further hesitation nor persuasion.

Nonchalantly, both of them went to the bath house and did the ritual that they had grown to use to by now. Unknowing to them, Crane was initially planned to take a late night soak, but his intention halted upon realizing the presence of Tigress voice and patched trousers by the man changing room. With intense curiosity strangled his mind, he peeked one of his eyes through the torn part of the silk screen, his heart jumped to his throat to see what took place but immediately scolded his mind for suggesting such privacy-evading action and decided not to watch any further, retreated stealthily to the student quarter.

Goodness...I would have trouble sleeping tonight!

At the same time that night. Tai Lung and Jade were sitting in the kitchen for supper before going to bed when Zeng came with unexpected news.

"Master Tai Lung, a message for you Master."

The goose handed him over an important looking scroll. The spotted leopard exchanged a quick, perplexed look with his panther comrade, he slipped his large paw underneath the lip of the scroll to open it. His claw gently but accurately worked under the red wax seal which bearing the Imperial emblem. The parchment rolled open, displaying an intricate calligraphy, had written thoughtfully line by line.

Greeting Venerable Tai Lung,

It deeply astonished me, after a long period of absence, to hear you had reappeared in Valley of Peace proceeding a period of reticence after the clemency from the Emperor. Hereby, with this letter, the bearer of the following attached momento had been captured and arrested under my surveillance - should you wish to ensure her safety and well-being, I commanded you to surrender not more than 3 days after you received this letter. This message is of uttermost importance and must be dealt with secrecy. - Lady Khan.

"What happened Tai?" Peering from the side of his shoulder, the panther watched agitation and vexed stare took hold of his friend's expression.

The leopard held a stash of pictures with his trembling paw, one of them still held a strong smell of incense and agar wood. The panther jointly glared in disbelief.

"How on earth those got here?"

Tai Lung pinched the bridge of his nose, his heart sank realizing what all this might entail. Wu Jia! No... she can't be...

Decided on his action, the spotted leopard resolutely prepared his pack for the journey.

"Wait... Tai, you can't go there and surrender yourself...and you can't go there alone! She'll kill you, and she'll kill my mother." Firmly grabbed the leopard's arm, and piercing an implored look, Jade tried to reason with his friend. Judging from the perturbed and tortured look in his eyes, he knew, Tai Lung was desperate to go.

"I don't care if she wanted to kill me... she could try... I am ready to die anyway." Tai Lung replied stubbornly.

"But how about your bucket list?" Jade reminded him, but Tai Lung just smirked with his usual smugness and unrolled the parchment which was hidden from under his pocket. "You've crossed them all?" The panther raised his brow in astonishment.

Perusing over the message again, after reading it the dozenth time, the black panther mind begged a question. "... I know that Khan has assaulted my mother's home a few time before. But normally we anticipated it rather well...and moved or escaped prior to the ambush, but...how did Khan know you were there with my mother?" As much as Jade was aware, no one except himself and a few of his mother family members, knew Tai Lung was escorting his mother moving around the continent, avoiding being captured by Khan's accomplices.

The spotted leopard reciting all his past memory, until he hit a sudden moment of enlightenment.

Oh, heavens... of course!

"The lacquered box... I fetched it from the house on the night during the ambush. We hid in the cave, and she realized the lacquered box was left in the house. I went back to get it, and I didn't use the shift-stone. Darn it! Khan's henchmen must have seen and reported me, I engaged in a ferocious brawl with them."

"But Tai...This could be a trap...you know how Khan is like." Realizing any blunder would be detrimental to the already-sour situation, Tai Lung mentally relented.

"You mean... Wu Jia might not actually be captured?" His tone was incredulous, but having a second thought - that really could be the case.

Attempting to calm the leopard, Jade had put more reasoning to the table, "...remember, Su was with her, she is an experienced fighter with decades of experience. And my Mother was more than capable to fend herself." Although in all account, Jade comment was very much logical and warranted, not that it lessened Tai Lung desire to besiege and oppressed the white tiger over Jia's safety.

He sighed dementedly.

"But... I can't risk it, what if..." Feeling Jade's strong paw on his shoulder, stopping Tai Lung's words on its track. He was tormented.

"Then take me with you, I'll follow you with reasonable distance... just in case," Jade concluded.

Both of them formulate a plan, at least if the worst to come and Tai Lung was captured, Jade would be able to scheme an escape plan.

Hope you've shed a tear or two on this chapter. :')

The Chi-fusion was first elaborated in chapter 6 if you want to read it back in details.

I would like to ask for anyone who would be willing to be my beta reader. Please drop me a line if you do.

** the lacquered box will be explained in the future chapter.

A little recap of my OC.

*Hei Yu translated Black Jade - Tigress' step brother, his father married Wu Jia after she was forced to make an escape from the palace.

*Wu Jia/Lady Jia - Tigress' biological mother, Jade stepmother, Emperor Xiang third wife.

*Hei Jian translate Black Arrow - Jade biological Father, his biological mother died during childbirth.

*Lord Chin - a pig that was saved from war by Lady Khan.

*Lady Khan - Emperor Xiang's Chancellor/Advisor

*Empress Xiaxue - current standing Empress, replacing the deceased Emperor Xiang - her uncle, Wu Jia automatically was her aunt.

*Emperor Xiang - previous Emperor, Tigress' biological father. Assassinated by Lady Khan.