Long time, no see. Sorry for this egregious break from writing that I had. I believe last time I produced anything was during the final weeks of school. God, what a shit semester. I am happy to be done with that and back to doing this.

As you can all tell, I took some personal time to relieve the stress of any writing. I took the time to just answer questions and concerns while also responding to some newcomers. It has been really good since this chapter has also produced its own problems. I didn't know what I wanted to do for the longest time, but I figured it out. Hopefully it is still up to the standard even with the amount of time I spent away from the story.

Anyways, I should probably say the usual spiel, but I am not quite back to that level of response. So, I am just going to leave it at this:

Thank you for all your patience through the wait. I know it can really suck waiting for that one more chapter. This is hopefully a message to myself to get back on the horse and for me to start producing work biweekly again. It is just as stress-relieving for me as it is for some/most of you. We have hit over 94,000 views, 300 reviews, 250 favorites, and 276 follows at this moment. That should be my kick in the ass to get this work moving again.

Anyway, to the story.

Chapter 35: Power and Revolution

I breathed in. Then I breathed out. The calm air surrounded me as there wasn't a peep from anyone. I wasn't surprised, it was the early morning with a day off. However, I wasn't treating it like a rest day.

I wanted to get a little closer to achieving Inner Peace, and I thought that today would be a good day to try. However, I feel that all I have been doing is just sitting around. It doesn't feel like I am any closer to achieving it, and I don't entirely know why. I have already been through physical and psychological hell. However, I seemed to have not gained any sort of peace beyond accepting what has happened to me. Is that not what Inner Peace is? What more could I possibly endure before I understand what this all means…

I didn't sense my Master approaching from behind. My thoughts seemed to be too preoccupied with my inner frustration to hear him. I did hear him clear his throat as he came closer. I turned around and got to my feet before bowing. "Master."

"I do have to say that I am surprised to see you up here this morning, but I am pleased to see you meditating at such a good time." He looked over the valley bathing in morning Sun. It was always a beautiful sight from the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. "I can see that you are a little frustrated."

I nodded, "I am, Master. I was trying to meditate on my course for Inner Peace, to find anything that I could grasp onto to begin this journey. I thought that what I have endured this last year would be enough of a start and by accepting all of that and moving on would be it. I think I have mistaken, though."

He nodded, "You have mistaken. I cannot explain the road you face, but it is not as black and white as all of that. Sometimes moving on isn't what you should do, and sometimes it is. Maybe looking toward the future is a better course. I cannot tell you what you should do and there is little advice I can give you for this." He approached closer, "I was the same as you. I had spent decades trying to find my path and meditating constantly. Once the panda came and I trained him, I was then able to understand peace."

A small shiver went down my spine. I didn't like how he mentioned that it could take decades, but I wasn't about to think about it too long. Perhaps I had spent too much time meditating this morning. "Thank you, Master Shifu. I guess that puts things in perspective."

"I am always available to guide my student. Don't be afraid to approach me." I bowed at him before making my way toward the steps down to the palace. "Oh, and Tigress notified me it was your birthday. Enjoy it."

My eyes widened a little at his words. How does he know it's my birthday? How does Tigress know it's my birthday?! I don't ever recall telling anyone here. I guess there is only one way to find out.

Anyways, I guess it is obvious that he is right. I am now 27 years old. I can't believe that I have spent this much time here. I barely feel any older than when I first came here, but I guess that is how age gets you. One second you are young, the next you are old.

Beyond my internal wisdom, I just smiled back at Master Shifu before walking away toward where everyone is. Before I got very far, Master Shifu spoke up again, "I forgot to mention-" I turned around with my attention on the red panda, "I needed to have the Zhen Ceremonial Sword delivered to the Dan Da Military Academy. They are going to use it for their graduation of high-ranking officers. A great honor that Tigress offered to do with your assistance. I would find her quickly so you two can start your small journey."

I nodded to Master Shifu. I wonder why she would offer to do this, especially on my birthday. It isn't completely out of character for her to do it, but I thought she would even want to take a small day to enjoy every once and a while.

My mind was preoccupied beyond the point in which I didn't even notice that someone was spying on me. They jumped from cover-to-cover trying to stay outside my line of sight and keep away so that I wouldn't hear them. Their practice in stealth made them undetectable to any of my senses. So, I continued on like nothing was wrong.

I almost made it to the student barracks. I was climbing up the steps to them when the slightest rustle of leaves and the sound of branches under stress echoed behind me. It was too manufactured to be the wind, so I spun around to get a look at what was happening. Then it hit me. Well, by 'it' I mean the tiger that had been apparently stalking me for some time.

We rolled for a moment before coming to a stop. She had me planted on my back as she held me down, "It seems you weren't paying attention to your surroundings."

"Seems that way, or maybe I wanted you to tackle me to just be in this position."

Tigress smiled sweetly at me before jumping off me and allowing me to get to my feet, "I guess I should wish you a happy birthday."

Then I remembered what I wanted to see her about, "Yeah, about that. How did you figure out it was my birthday?"

"I got curious a number of months ago what was in your bag that you kept around all this time. Your belongings that you arrived with when you first arrived here."

I nodded at what she was referring to, "It has been so long since I have looked at any of that stuff. I just stored some of it away and that was the end of it. I guess it doesn't really surprise me that you decided to take a look at that stuff."

Tigress smiled slightly, "I guess I should apologize for my snooping. It would have been more appropriate for me to ask your permission before looking at that stuff."

I brushed it off, "It isn't a big deal. Like I said, you were curious. I would be surprised if some of the stuff still worked or if you could understand how they work."

"Some of it… did confuse me. Your calendar was confusing and had some foreign language on it. I guess I just counted the days from the beginning of the calendar and just assumed your marked birthday on it is today."

I let out a small breath of humor. I guess that is one way of figuring out my birthday. "Well, you were right to guess today. I do have to say that I wasn't expecting anyone ever figuring out or even asking. I am more weirded out by Master Shifu mentioning it."

She smiled at me with a softness that wasn't truly fitting of her. However, her look brought a smile to my face and that was all that matters. "Come on, I told Master Shifu that we would deliver that ceremonial sword to Dan Da Academy."

We began to walk while I looked at her with some curiosity, "Yeah, about that… Why did you offer to do this?"

She rolled her eyes, "It must be terrible to have quality time with your girlfriend, alone, on a journey where we get to just enjoy each other's company. Yeah, I really didn't think this through."

It was my turn to roll my eyes, "I get it." I kissed her on the cheek, "I guess it will be a day well spent. Come on, might as well get started."

We made it outside the village to be greeted with rising temperatures and the morning sun high in the sky. There was a small breeze that barely wisped through my hair and that rustled the leaves. It was a good change compared to the rains that were had gotten so use to.

I took a small look at the sword that Tigress had given me not to long ago. The blade was definitely not made for combat. The hilt was engraved with many intricate designs that seemed to dance with one another. The blade also had designs that were carved into its surface. The blade had no wear in it, I doubted that it had ever struck anything.

"It is only used for ceremony. The sword is a couple hundred years old. It was crafted at the Imperial Forge in the capital. It has been entrusted to the Jade Palace for all its life until it is called into service."

I looked over to the tiger, "I was just thinking that. Wow! A couple hundred years old?! I really could have never guessed."

"Well, you are many thousands of years old."

I looked at her with an unamused façade, "Technically I was born tens of thousands of years ago, but I am not that old."

She smiled, "I know, I was just trying to be witty. I was always interested in that part of your life."

I looked at her with a raised brow, "What do you mean?"

"You know mostly about how I ended up at the Jade Palace, about how my family left me at the orphanage and about all that…" She went silent for a small while, "However, I don't know much about where you came from. The information you have provided is limited at best."

I looked forward to avoid her gaze, "There isn't much to say about it. It is all in the past and it doesn't have much bearing with how what I have built here. If I recall correctly, you did get a pretty good view of it while you and Po went through my head."

Tigress seemed not entirely satisfied with the answer. However, she remained silent with no argument heard from her. What is the point of not telling her? She is someone I care for, probably a person I have cared for the most through my entire life. She deserves a small glimpse of what life was like back then. "Alright, what do you want to know the most about back then?"

"Some of the stuff you hid away. I don't really understand any of it, and what they are used for." I looked over to see Tigress entirely confused by items like what I would assume as my phone and medical equipment I was given. "That axe you brought; it doesn't seem fit for combat but seems to be masterfully crafted."

I chuckled, "That is not the purpose of the axe at all, and I wouldn't so much as say that it was crafted in the same sense." She waited for me to elaborate, I abided. "You know how I fought fires before I came here."

"Of course, it is one of the things you haven't had a problem telling us about."

"That axe was more of a tool in helping with that. It allowed me to dig and cut to strategically limit an uncontrolled forest fire." I smiled once more, "I would tell you about some of the other items you probably saw, but I doubt I would be able to describe it in a way that you would understand it. That technology will take hundreds of more years to replicate if it is possible anymore."

Tigress seemed to accept that fact, her question changed scope with it. "You told us that cities use to be much larger than the ones here, how much larger?"

"Tens of millions of my people in a single city that spanned beyond what the eye could see. We built towers that extended over a hundred stories. In total, there was around seven and a half billion people in the world by the time I left it." Tigress's eyes grew wide from this. "We did this by defeating disease, famine, and war between the major powers of the world. NONE of that saved them from extinction. I don't know if it was one of those three that killed them, but I don't want that to happen to this world."

Tigress put her paw on my shoulder, "I can still see that this topic makes you uneasy. I can stop-"

I waved her off, "Of course I am upset by it, but you still deserve to have your questions answered. All this happened a long time ago and there is nothing I can do about it now."

"Does that mean you have to not feel anything?" I looked at her with confusion. "I understand the urge to try and hide away your emotions. Up until recently, that is all that I have done. I only wish for you to share it with me instead of hiding it away."

I nodded, "Alright." I choked down a little spit as I tried to get rid of my nerves. "I will try to be a little more open about this. You can continue with any questions you have."

There was a small silence between us as Tigress thought of what else to ask. She seemed to settle on something as her thoughts seemed to play out on her face. "That demon from last year said that the entire world has lost. I know that they aren't one to pay mind to, but you seemed to recognize what it was getting at…"

I understood what she was getting at. I huffed out a breath as if she said a joke, "That dreadful thing." I collected myself to answer her question before she even asked it, "I kind of know what they meant. My world was on the brink of ecological collapse. I guess the best way to describe us is that we were 'apex predators.' We weren't prey to any species."

Tigress seemed confused, "Prey and predator? I don't quite understand."

I mentally smacked myself. She didn't grow up hunting for other species to serve her carnivorous behavior. While this world is an echo of the past, the food chain has virtually vanished since everyone is sentient. "Well, most humans ate meat. There were other animals that did the same, such as tigers and snakes. This was also in a world in which every other species was feral."

Tigress took this concept quite well as if this were more of a lesson than anything else. Tigress awkwardly laughed, something I am not used to seeing, "That does make me a little sick."

I rubbed my neck, "Yeah, I was a little hesitant to tell you that…"

"Mantis does talk about his head getting eaten when he settles down with someone. I guess it shouldn't surprise me about your old world."

I looked at her weirdly, "Is he telling the truth about that?" Tigress only shrugged at that. That wasn't exactly the answer I was hoping for, but what can I exactly expect? "I kind of got off topic. Anyways, humans put a lot of species close to extinction. We had a lot of problems, but I don't see exactly how I would be the destroyer of this world. One human can't possibly do that."

Tigress lightly smiled at me, "And that is where I would forget all that. If I remember correctly, that demon tried to break your mind for its own game."

"I guess you are right." I laughed a little, "I have to say I feel a little better now that I shared all this with you." I stopped Tigress to give her a kiss. When we separated, I said, "Thanks for being so nosey."

Tigress rolled her eyes and game me a hard punch to the shoulder, "You could have stopped at the kiss. Come on, we have sidetracked ourselves too much. We need to deliver the sword soon."

My stomach growled from the lack of substance consumed today. "I guess I should have grabbed something to eat before we left."

Tigress looked over to me, "We will get something when we get back to the valley. For now, try and keep the complaining to a minimum. I don't want to hear you channeling your inner Po."

"I am not going to promise anything, but I will hold you to that promise."

Tigress put her arm out in front of me effectively stopping me in my tracks. She took a deep inhale through her nose at the air. "Do you smell that?"

I shook me head, "Your sense of smell might be a little better than mine. I don't smell anything new."

She pulled her arm back, "Continue with caution, I feel uneasy. I just smell something odorous and not in a good way."

I nodded, "That doesn't really ease my apprehension."

We continued to walk with a slower pace. Tigress seemed ready for an ambush, but I wasn't concerned with that. I would have assumed that Tigress would have picked up something with hear hearing, which is better than her sense of smell. However, I was starting to get the smell she was starting to refer to.

My face showed confusion and displeasure, "Is that… sulfur?"

"Sulfur? I don't know what that is." Tigress seemed slightly confused.

"Oh, umm… Brimstone? It is the same thing."

Tigress still seemed confused, "I have heard of it. I cannot say that I have studied any material that much."

"That doesn't matter. I just can't think of why we are smelling it. It is usually used in explosives, more specifically black powder." I frowned at this, "It could mean nothing, but I don't want to risk ourselves."

Tigress nodded with her usual stoic expression, "I agree. It would be best if we stick to the trees and out of view of the academy as we approach."

I nodded and followed Tigress. Now, it may seem as if we were taking unnecessary precautions. Whenever she gets a feeling that everything is not alright and something is out of place, we follow that feeling. We take the safest route possible, which I have to say is something rare when compared to Po. I enjoy missions with him, but that guy puts us in the worst predicaments possible.

My thoughts came back to the surroundings as I looked up and saw a column of smoke bellow a distance forward. My nerves were on edge, I felt as if we were walking into a trap. I tightened the sword on my back. I have a feeling that we are going to arrive back at the Jade Palace with it in our possession.

"I have a feeling we are walking into a fight."

Tigress nodded, "That is kind of obvious at this point. We need to look over the situation before we act."

We peered through the trees and looked down a hill that overlooked the academy. Our worry was well found as the place looked as if it were under an invasion. Many dead soldiers littered the ground, the marks made from their blood stained many surfaces of the buildings and walls. Fires blazed out the windows and from the rooftops, ash spilled into the air and spread from the ruin.

A distinguishing feature of the ruin was the gate. It seemed to have been split open with an immense force. There was debris from the gate that was impaled in the center tower. The wood was smoldering and the once white rock from the wall was now a charcoal color.

Tigress asked, "What could have possibly done that to the gate?"

"I can't tell from here. Something that is vast in power and has enough heat to turn the wall into burning rock. I think we should investigate after we deal with them."

I pointed to the obvious bad guys. Their armor was unlike any I had seen on any warlord. Gray cloth wrapped their abdomen, their armor more masterfully made than most small armies. All dawned in dark metals and cloth. Some of them dawned masks made of iron. The characteristic that I noticed the most was what they all were. They all were wolves with the occasional gorilla amongst their ranks.

Tigress's face seemed a little more serious. "I cannot say that they resemble bandits. Bandits would never try and attack an academy like this nor work with the brutality as these wolves are." She flexed out her claws before cracking her knuckles on the ground. "We must save those that are still alive of the imperial troop."

"I agree. I can't see what possibly devastated the gate. I think we could take them." I got to my feet and got ready to run after Tigress.

She smiled, "It is healthy to head into combat with an optimistic outlook." She charged down the hill and jumped over the wall to ambush some unlucky wolves.

I chuckled to myself and mumbled, "I guess so." I ran after her and climbed the wall she had jumped over only seconds ago. I caught a glimpse over to see Tigress already taking down the wolves. I jumped over and landed on one that was pulling an arrow back aimed at Tigress.

I looked up to see that a few wolves and two gorillas were descending on us. One of them yelled out, "Make sure the weapon and metal gets out of here. We will hold off the Kung Fu masters as long as possible."

A few soldiers behind the gorillas ran in the opposite direction. I stood beside Tigress and whispered, "We need to figure out what they are talking about. I cannot imagine that they are referring to anything good."

Her face still showed an intense concentration as she commented back, "They said weapon, of course it isn't good."

I whispered over as the mutts crept closer, "I can throw you over."

"I am not going to leave you surrounded. Think of something else."

I glared over, "There is no time to argue. We need to stop their mission."

Tigress growled in submission as she offered her paws. I grabbed them and swung her around before sending her flying over the group of wolves and gorillas. Sadly, she didn't soar far before a chain wrapped around one of her back legs. She was pulled back to the ground and was instantly confronted by the gorillas. The chain around her leg allowed her to pull the wolf on the other end into one of the gorillas.

A sword swung into my vision and I was confronted by erratic movement. Even with more energy and stronger movement than the average bandit, this wolf was still easy to defeat for a skilled warrior. However, their strength comes from their numbers, not from individual strength.

I kicked one of them into another wolf and they tumbled over one another. I dodged a chop downward from an axe. I could now see that their weapons were all custom made. They had curves in them and sharp points they I had never seen before. These weapons were made to maim and kill the opponent in a brutal fashion. A small wound could very well become dangerous if not attended immediately. I should avoid any strikes if possible.

I broke the shaft of the axe with my foot and spun around to strike the wolf with my other foot. After he fell, I took to the offensive against the other enemies. They only took one or two strikes to take out for a little, and they would be back to attacking me once they recovered from the blows.

Tigress palm stuck one of the gorillas into a large group of charging wolves. She growled at the wolves attempting to surround her as she began to make decent work to the opponent. I jumped over to her and stopped an oncoming blow from the other gorilla that stuck downward with both his arms. I blocked it with one of my arms as it was supported with my other hand at the wrist. The strike brought me to my knee.

Tigress heard the sound from the blow as she kicked the gorilla hard in the side. He yelped from the blow, which allowed me to push back and deliver a quick strike to his face. He fell back and held onto his now bleeding nose.

We got into a tighter defense as dozens of wolves surrounded us with their weapons drawn. A howl cracked through the air, and no movement was made. The wolves all withdrew from the ruins of the academy toward the howl. A few of them threw pellets at us which exploded smoke in our faces. Our senses were overwhelmed by the vapors. My eyes watered and I coughed profusely before exiting the toxic cloud.

I looked over through my watering eyes to see Tigress right beside me. No wolf in site, the only active part of the academy was the smoldering fires from the buildings. There were no sounds of pain, only silence. I don't think these wolves intended on keeping any survivors, so everyone here was dead, and any lucky ones may have fled a while ago. I don't think that there were many lucky ones since there are a lack of imperial troops here.

I got to my feet and helped Tigress to hers. She spoke to me through the coughs, "Sorry, I didn't quite expect this for a mission. It doesn't make for a very good birthday… Unless you are me."

I smiled and hugged her, "It is better than what it could have been." I pulled away and looked at her with a more serious façade, "This felt a little different. They weren't as strong as the typical soldier, but they seemed to have a tactic. Do you think they could have been some sort of army?"

Tigress shook her head, "I don't recognize them. They are not a part of any warlord from what I can see." Tigress pointed toward the body of a wolf. He was unfortunate to have died, the wound was from his own sword. I looked more closely to see a red and white symbol. Five alternating circles starting from red and going to white were radiating out from a center with five red rays emitting out from both sides of the circles. "I don't recognize that symbol."

"It isn't like I would either. If they were able to mount an aggressive move against this academy, I think it is possible this isn't the last we have seen of them." I looked over to the shattered gate and then at the opposing building which had a demolished entrance. I was able to get a closer look at it. Mixed in with the blacked earth was blood. Whatever struck the wall pulverized all that was behind it. "Sooner rather than later."

Tigress's features strained at the thought, "We should report back to Master Shifu. This is something he is going to want to be aware of."

I could only nod before taking one last glance at the ruins. Why attack an academy of graduating officers of all places?

We made it back to the Hall of Heroes to see a pacing Shifu with the rest of the Five and Po present. I stopped at the rest of the group and Tigress began to tell Master Shifu about what had happened. She handed him back the ceremonial sword and joined the rest of us. Master Shifu's blank expression told me something, and it was not good.

"It seems that Dan Da Academy has also been attacked." He rubbed his beard, "This is not all a coincidence."

I interrupted him, "Umm, Master? What do you mean by 'also attacked'?"

"I have been getting messages from the nearby provinces that military fortresses and camps have been attacked all along the central and southern part of the country. I sent the Five and Po out to figure out more about the situation. They mostly injuries and little death by a group of wolves, all metal taken. However, what you and Master Tigress have run into has thus far been the worst." He paced back and forth, "It is not a coincidence, but the pieces are not here for us to see."

The group began to chat amongst each other with variations of worry and anxiety. This all seemed to come out of nowhere. It seems that Tigress and I were right about it being a capable force, but this was beyond that.

Master Shifu held up his paw to silence us, "This has paralyzed this part of the country. We will discuss this further when we get more news. Po, we will continue the lesson on Inner Peace in the morning. You all have the rest of the evening to yourselves." He began to walk away, and he left us all in a state of shock.

Crane was the first to speak up, "This all seems sudden."

Monkey responded, "Tell me about it. I thought this would be a nice day off."

Mantis asked the group, "Do you think that we will fight these guys in the future?"

Tigress nodded, "Based off history, yes."

Po pumped his arms up in the air, "Awesome! This might be an actual adventure with its own legend. My own Kung Fu legend, it will be so awesome… Well, beyond defeating Tai Lung."

Tigress growled at Po and prodded him in the chest. Po fell to his butt, "You think this is something to wish for. People will get hurt during this. If we encounter this in the future, this could kill us. This is not something that is 'awesome'."

I walked up to Po, "Po, did you even see them?"

He shook his head, "By the time I arrived, they were all gone."

I looked over to Tigress with a raised brow. It was about what we saw, the wall and what the wolves were so desperate to conceal. It was something that would kill us. 'Should we tell then right now or not?' She shook her head as she held understanding in her eyes. I looked at the rest of the group, "We shouldn't talk about this now. Like Master Shifu said, we have the rest of the day to blow through."

The rest of the Five and Po looked at me with happiness and wished me variations of 'happy birthday'. In their eyes, they showed that they knew I was hiding something. They also knew not to prod into the subject.

I pulled Po to his feet, "Po, what is your bean bun record?"

He rubbed the back of his head, "I believe it is something like thirty-five."

I smiled, "I think today is the day we try and beat that. You think you could make it to forty?"

"What?! You think I can?"

Mantis jumped onto Po's shoulder, "Only one way to find out."

We all began to walk out of the Hall of Heroes. Tigress joined my side and we interlocked our hands/paws. I gave her a small peck on the cheek. I looked forward to see Po looking at us with saucers for eyes. I cocked my brow at him with confusion before a look of realization dawned my face. Him and Monkey have yet to find out. Who knows, he can sometimes be dense to some things, maybe he won't put the pieces together.

Po blurted out, "Wait, you and Tigress are dating?!" Well, shit. There goes that hope.

Monkey began to laugh from under his paw. It was obvious out of us who knew about this relationship and who didn't. I was pinching the bridge of my nose and I could imagine that Tigress wasn't too pleased with this situation.

Po continued, "That. Is. So. AWESOME! Two of my favorite Kung Fu Warriors are dating. I had imagined this a long time ago." We all looked at his with 'really' looks. It was his turn to be a little embarrassed. "I mean… nothing."

I let out a long exhale, "Let's go stuff bean buns into Po's mouth. I really need that at this moment."

Everyone made sounds of agreement as small chatter about the development continued. I didn't care too much, I just wanted to do something a little fun for my birthday.

I hope it was worth the long wait. Again, just to get me started again. Also, yes, this is the beginning of KFP 2 content. I am now going to start shifting the next 5 of so chapters toward the villain being Shen and the story taking place in Gongmen City. The plot will be self-written but same setting. Also, some things might come off a similar, but that is done for a reason.

I have read continuously through everyone's feedback from the last chapter and have tried to keep open eyes. It is still not perfect with some peoples concerns, but I have done my best as a single individual. I cannot please everyone. Someone says something, another person has a contrasting view.

Big note here: Due to my limited ability to respond to guest reviews and slow dialogue, I have decided to create a Discord channel. Anyone is free to join if they want. I believe it is open for people to share stuff (at the moment), so you all can share some interesting stories amongst each other and build your writing in a beneficial way. Feel free to friend me if you want and address your concerning my story. I want this to be a good opportunity, so if things that I don't like are becoming a norm, I will close the channel. Deal? The channel address is directly below. (I can only provide the specific address)

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Anyways, thank you for the continued support. Favorite, follow, review, read, I don't care. All that matters is that you guys are enjoying the story. So...

Until Next Time,

Forsvaret-Komandir