[A/N]
Welcome to the first chapter of Bounty Hunter! - I also humbly welcome you to my first ever extended AU work.
I had this idea a couple of nights ago and decided to expand on it, I decided instead of keeping it in my mind, I should attempt to bring it into a fanfiction.
If you're familiar with my writing style, notably Fallen Phoenix, you'd take note of how long my chapters can be. I plan on adjusting that for this fanfiction, opting to post chapters that are 6-10K words in length… as sometimes writing chapters of such immense sizes can become mentally taxing.
If you by chance enjoy this chapter and would like to show your support or offer criticism, then by all means do so. Any input helps me improve as a writer so I can bring greater content in the future!
Okay, that's enough rambling, I humbly present to you…
Bounty Hunter – Chapter 1 – A Fateful Meeting.
A beaming sunrise glistened throughout the many hills and cliff-sides surrounding the Valley of Peace. The Jade Palace stood triumphantly above all, overseeing the various activities that the large array of citizens would conduct.
The warriors within the Jade Palace were notorious for offering protection for the innocent, allowing them to feel safe during their times inside of the vast valley… However, their jobs were proving to be a difficulty to conduct as the Valley of Peace was beginning to lose it's 'peace' part of the title.
An influx of criminals had slowly migrated nearby the Valley of Peace after hearing legends from across China that the Jade Palace was filled with various riches, their main objective was to draw out the protectors of the valley in order to do such a thing. But there was a great issue looming over them…
Each time they would attempt to do such a thing, their mercenaries and their bandits would end up being brutally beaten, but never executed or prosecuted. These humiliated mercenaries called him the Warrior of Black and White.
6 AM – Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop – Valley of Peace.
Po, an 18-year-old panda adopted by Mr. Ping at the tender age of 6 months old after a village incident, slowly attempted to crawl out of his bed. Over the past 2 years, he had many merits lining his mind as he had saved the lives of so many innocent people.
Truth be told, this panda was no ordinary panda. He was fascinated by kung-fu and the Jade Palace at a very young age, although he never understood the concept of the ranking system. To him, the masters were just regular people with an extraordinary job; although there was always one that stood out amongst that crowd… and that was Master Tigress.
Po had personally witnessed Tigress dish out her own improvised version of kung-fu onto unsuspecting opponents, but he was doubtful that she would've ever noticed him in combat as he always gets his job done in an efficient manner.
This panda had put himself on the market as a professional bounty hunter, not for the sake of conducting the dirty and often brutal work of criminals… he would instead offer his services for ordinary civilians that were dealing with a crime problem. Those who were not fortunate to pay a lump sum of Yuan were often instructed not to worry about it. Po was working for three important things. The first of his objectives was a fairly simple concept, he wished to have his own source of income so he didn't have to rely on his father; of course he would chip in his time to assist Mr. Ping with cooking and handing out his various dishes but Po always strived to be independent… even from the very beginning.
His second objective was for him to secure the safety of the people who resided in the Valley of Peace. A lot had changed since that fateful day in which Tai Lung laid waste to the valley. Po may not have been alive to witness such events but the scars of those battles live on within the minds of the various villagers that still conduct business and carry out the duties of their day-to-day lives. This panda had high levels of optimism for the Jade Palace warriors, but he was able to get to most crime scenes faster; wiping them out and disappearing even before the kung-fu masters could even think of tracking him down.
His third task was making a name for himself. Po has always been a humble gentleman, especially now that he's approaching the tail-end of his teenage years; but he always felt as if he wanted to be remembered for something. He didn't want the typical legacy of a kung-fu master, he wished to be known as someone who did the right thing without having to nurture an ego; instead of becoming a master, he would become an urban legend.
Po chose to quit reflecting on his achievements and his goals for the future and open his ears, noting the droning bell that his father was ringing from downstairs. The panda ascended from his rustic and worn-out bed to admire the various amount of kung-fu memorabilia that surrounded him, mainly dedicated to Master Tigress, of course. His admirations were swiftly interrupted once his brain awoke and he realised what the time was.
"Po! Wake up! It's sunrise and you know what that means… right? - It's time for us to open up the business!" Mr. Ping cheerily chirped from below Po as he shook his head in an attempt to gain a basic understanding of his surroundings. Once he had realised his goose father was calling for him, he instinctively replied with the usual…
"Yes, dad! I'm getting up!" Po wearily replied as he repositioned one of his many Master Tigress action figures before descending the stairs.
"You're getting better at this whole waking up on time, son! If it weren't for your schedule and your willingness to fulfil the needs of the public, you'd most likely still be sleeping from 8 PM to 10 AM!" Mr. Ping sarcastically remarked before lighting the fire that lay below his pot, filled with the typical amount of noodles, spices and vegetables.
"Any visitors today, dad?" Po nervously asked, despite being someone who served the needs of the public ever since his father allowed him to go out, part of him remained anxious and childish; every new person requesting his help was almost as if it was his first time. Po was an ace at his job but always socially awkward, preferring to speak with actions instead of words.
"Ah, thank you for reminding me! Someone spoke with me a few minutes ago. I handed them a cup of jasmine tea and told them to wait outside; they're requesting your presence!"
"Would you mind telling me who this person is?"
"Oh, you'll know who it is once you dress yourself appropriately and head outside!" Mr. Ping mildly chuckled as he admired the creased clothing his panda was wearing. Po rapidly ran his paws across his black and white robe alongside his black jeans and slowly cracked open the creaky door that led into the outside world, he immediately became blinded by the golden sunrise that shined throughout the valley; but his vision soon began to clear.
"Po Ping," An elderly tortoise addressed the panda, although Po hadn't fully regained his ability to see into the outside world. Once his vision cleared, he was shocked to see who was sitting outside with a half-empty cup of jasmine tea beside him.
"Master… Oogway?" Po anxiously replied, shutting the door behind him as he nodded to his father. "What brings you to Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop?" He politely asked, still anxious about being within the Grandmaster's presence.
"I have come because I seek your help," Master Oogway wisely spoke, causing Po to temporarily become awestruck.
"You-you need… my help? - What mission requires the assistance of a flabby panda who collects Yuan from those in need of protection?" Po retorted, becoming more starstruck by the second as Master Oogway gently sipped his jasmine tea before gently placing it down on the table.
"Have a seat, young panda," Oogway calmly gestured towards an open chair opposite him, his claw ever so slightly shaking thanks to the breeze of the spring wind. "My senses are telling me a great warrior of black and white has been undertaking a great sense of duty, a duty to those within the Valley. I have been pointed in this direction… and thus, to you."
"A thousand pardons, Master Oogway… but I'm still attempting to understand why you are here for an 18-year-old panda," Po kindly stated as he leaned back on his chair, adjusting his straw hat to avoid having it blow off with the wind. "Wouldn't you ask one of your students at the Jade Palace for assistance if it was that big of a concern?"
"Typically, yes. However, I have foretold that a great event will take place today, one in which you will meet the masters of the Jade Palace in person."
"It's been 2 years since I began this great adventure, Master. With all due respect, I have never run into them… at least not before I'm long gone."
"That is why you are needed. Not only do I require you to bring down an opponent, but I also ask of you to deliver a scroll to Master Tigress once your meeting commences."
"Why would you need me to deliver a scroll to Master Tigress, couldn't you do that by yourself?" Po asked, confused by the motives of Master Oogway.
"Because it contains the ingredients that will cure her heart, you are the chef that will nurture these ingredients into a rich broth."
"Master Tigress has heart issues?"
"Metaphorically. Master Shifu has worked her to the bone. I do not wish to strive away from the natural ways of the universe, but I have received warnings that without assistance; she will turn to actions to be heard… she will, unfortunately, follow the footsteps of Tai Lung if her heart does not see a glimpse of light anytime soon."
"That sounds awful! I'm guessing I have some significant role as to why I'm delivering the scroll."
"Even with our first meeting, you are beginning to understand the ways of the universe. It won't be long until we meet again, Master Panda," Oogway was preparing to leave until Po remembered what the wise tortoise had mentioned in regards to an opponent.
"What about that opponent you mentioned?" Po pensively asked as Master Oogway lifted from his seat.
"The universe will call you once the time is ripe. I look forward to the outcome of this event. I also encourage you to read through the scroll; it'll assist you in understanding the significance of your mission," Master Oogway warmly smiled towards the panda before turning to leave.
"Wouldn't intruding on Tigress's privacy be a little… un-awesome?" Po commented, to which Oogway chuckled.
"If she did not wish for you to see this, then she wouldn't have left it out in the open. I am merely carrying the message of the universe," Oogway ominously stated before leaving the noodle shop, before Po could get another word in, he had seemingly vanished.
"I wonder what that was about…" Po sighed, knowing his day of running errands for his father was most likely going to be thwarted by this calling. "You know what, I will continue with my day and we will see whether or not Master Oogway is the carrier of truth… I just can't help but wonder what's contained in this- kind of awesome scroll," Po was beginning to let his inner fanboy take over as he realised the scroll was titled with a reference to his name.
"Son! What was that all about? - Master Oogway visiting our humble noodle shop, it's not every day you see that!" Mr. Ping enthusiastically commented before noting his son's lost expression as he was contained within a deep adventure of thought. "Son?" Mr. Ping's concerned voice swiftly snapped him out of his trance.
"Ah, I'm okay dad! Master Oogway just wanted to chat with me. Apparently, my work as a bounty hunter is earning me a bodacious reputation!" Po victoriously cheered before looking at the scroll contained within his paw. "He also gave me a scroll… I need to deliver it to Master Tigress."
"I see, he has you carrying around his messages around whilst keeping the valley safe! - Are you going to look at the scroll?"
"I'll take a moment to get prepared for business and then I'll peer into the scroll… something about Oogway's attitude tells me that this holds some dark secret about Tigress, as he mentioned her heart was turning dark."
"We can't be having another Tai Lung situation! Ah well, it's great that he asked my grand and honourable son to fulfil such a task!"
"Daaaaaad!" Po whined as he began climbing the stairs. His father was proud of him, sure, but the sappy praise sometimes got to Po. In his mind, he was merely doing the right thing for the safety of his community.
Po stepped into his modest bathroom in order to relieve himself and brush his teeth. After completing both of those tasks, he sat the wrapped up scroll on his unstable desk and contemplated unravelling it.
"If Master Oogway said it was important for me to read it, then I guess there's no harm in following the words of a Grandmaster…" Po grumbled as he nervously picked up the scroll; paws shaking, beginning the process of unravelling such a text. He closed his eyes whilst laying out the extended form of the scroll, he ran his paw across the page before opening his eyes… becoming stunned at what he saw.
The scroll appeared to be written in Tigress's own hand, which was rare; considering no one thought of her to be the type to write down her own notes. Po carefully read the title of the scroll before almost fainting on the spot.
'A message dedicated to the Warrior of Black and White'
"Why is she writing a message directed at me? I'm just some nobody panda… I wonder what business she has with a peasant such as myself." Po mumbled. Despite doing all that he could for the Valley of Peace, he could never get over the fact that he would most likely live as a humble peasant… an animal encapsulated within a common sea. "I guess I should read the rest before I head out for my father's errands."
'Greetings, sir… I apologise for the awkwardness, I've never written one of these before.'
Po almost began to burst out laughing as he realised he was peeking into a form of Master Tigress that nobody had witnessed before. He was no longer looking at her hardcore and rigid exterior, he was now looking into the remnants of her warm interior; to him, her awkward comments reminded her of other girls his age.
'Whoever you are, I'd like to express my gratitude for the deeds you have done for the Valley of Peace… personally, I have been training under Master Shifu since I was a very young cub, I never had the chance to explore and was only sent out to protect the innocent. Whilst my responsibilities are forced, yours are conducted thanks to the purity of your own heart. I understand that you work for gold, I've seen your posters… I may have even seen you working at a noodle shop, although I think that was my mind playing tricks on me. You work for gold, yet you protect so many to the point where you've begun lowering your prices and doing our jobs for us… usually, I would berate someone like you for disrespecting the honour of the Jade Palace but I've noted the aftermath of each opponent you face. You don't take them to jail, you don't even injure them that severely… you just leave them on the ground for us to pick up and take to Chorh-Ghom. It's almost as if you're upholding our reputation as great masters whilst you carve out your own for the very few witnesses that see you fight in action. I know you may not be one who works for thanks or for praise, but I'd like you to know that you- you are the only one I look up to, someone I admire and wish to learn from someday. I'm training to become the Dragon Warrior, sure… but it wouldn't surprise me if you make it to that title first; that's if you're even interested in becoming a master. If this message ever makes it to you, then I'd like you to know that you're an inspiration, someone who has kept me going despite the strict training regiment Master Shifu has forced upon me… I wish more people like you existed, it would make our jobs as masters a lot easier. - Love from Signed by: Master Tigress, Leader of the Furious Five.'
"She-she likes me? Impossible! - Maybe she didn't want me to see that, I saw the way she used white-out to erase the 'Love from' part… maybe it's just a fan admiration- Holy Dragon Scroll! Master Tigress is a fan of my work…THE Master Tigress!" Po was becoming heavily flustered, but he soon gained his composure and stopped fanboying. "Po Ping, you must remember… you are not doing this for glory or for praise… you're doing this to assist the common folk. At least Master Tigress won't beat me down for it." The panda berated himself for allowing his mind to get ahead of itself.
'I understand your motives now, Master Oogway.' Po warmly thought before stumbling down the stairs with his hat on whilst being fully prepared to run his father's errands.
"Did you read the scroll?" His father excitedly asked before pointing towards his empty paw.
"Of course I did!" Po responded with enthusiasm.
"What did it say?"
"Oh… nothing of importance, it was just a note from her that Master Oogway delivered to me," Po lied, for once his tactics were effective as his father nodded.
"If you say so, son. Do you remember what route you're taking today?"
"I believe so. You'd like me to take the western route into the forest district as Mr. Wang recently moved his operations to allow for better farming conditions," Po confidently replied.
"That's my boy!" Mr. Ping cheered before opening the back door that led into the alleyway. "Good luck, son!" He waved before Po disappeared beyond the corner and into the unknown.
'This is an odd question for me to ponder but… I wonder what Master Tigress is thinking, admiring me..? A panda? - Heck, she may not know I'm a panda, but if she finds out… I wouldn't be surprised if she shuts me away for good.' Po pensively thought despite his optimistic attitude, which soon after kicked in. 'No, Po! You must think positively. Master Tigress is a student of honour… if she has an interest in your work, then she must have an interest in you… a friendly interest, of course.' Po's mind continued to race as he began to ponder the various events that lead him to that moment, unbeknownst to him; Tigress was silently thinking the same thing.
7 AM – The Jade Palace – Dining Hall.
'I wonder if I'll meet you today, Warrior of Black and White…' Tigress pensively pondered, staring into the abyss after finishing her tofu; an activity she had been frequently indulging in as of late.
"Tigress, sister… is everything okay?" Viper wearily chirped, her concern immediately snapping Tigress out of her dreamy thoughts, despite her neutral expression telling everybody else she was just annoyed.
"Yes, Viper. Everything is okay. I'm just thinking about training for today." Tigress flatly responded.
"Or she's thinking about that 'Warrior of Black and White'. - Just caught wind of the news last week, the stuff that guy does is crazy!" Mantis bellowed, his loud voice echoing throughout the entire eating area.
"He seems like a good fit for Tigress, too… honourable, caring… socially awkward," Crane listed off traits of this so-called warrior as the entire room erupted with laughter, excluding Tigress.
"Oh you boys, always lacking class and respect. Tigress may be a teenager, but that doesn't mean all teenagers must find love. From what I heard, it can be a real waste of time to possess crushes!" Viper stated, although the irony of her last statement was felt by everyone occupying the room.
"Says the one who tried to take me out on a date last week!" Crane exaggerated, causing Viper to hiss mildly.
"That was not a date, I merely wished to meditate with you!" The serpent retorted.
"That's the Jade Palace equivalent of a date," Monkey deadpanned, causing everyone to laugh as they chewed their tofu, internally cringing at the taste and texture of such a food. Tigress began losing herself within her thoughts before Master Oogway appeared in the hallway, followed closely by Master Shifu.
"Good morning, Master Oogway. Good morning, Master Shifu!" All of the students lifted themselves from their chairs and bowed to greet their masters, who bowed back before the students reseated themselves.
"Ah, good morning, students," Master Oogway calmly returned the gesture before taking a seat at the dining table. However, Shifu remained on his feet as he was preparing to announce something.
"Greetings students. Today will be a day of significance for you all. I have heard reports that the leader of the Lin Kuei plans on visiting the Valley of Peace. Your instructions are simple, you will intercept the leader of the Lin Kuei and bring him in for prosecution. With this simple act, crime in the southern side of the Valley of Peace should drop significantly; do you understand?" Master Shifu commanded, to which the Furious Five nodded.
"The leader of the Lin Kuei, aren't they the group that ends up getting whooped by that bounty hunter?" Mantis asked, Shifu's eyes grew wide before spite filled his face.
"You mean that hooligan- the one practising kung-fu combat without a permit nor mastery? Please do not tell me that you look up to him!" Shifu's last statement caught the attention of Master Tigress, but Oogway seemingly had his own way of words.
"Oh, Shifu. They choose to protect the innocent because they wish to do such a thing, they are calm, compassionate and maintain a disciplined etiquette. You are blinded by their lack of recognition as a legitimate kung-fu master… what if this individual chooses to avoid any affairs with the masters because he believes in the preservation of his privacy and identity?" Master Oogway asked, sitting up from his position on the dining table and leaning in towards Shifu.
"He's a coward… each time we've asked the Furious Five to go after him, he merely disappears before we can even get a precise location," Shifu retaliated, causing Tigress to flatten her ears slightly, hearing her father speak about the only kung-fu warrior she admires in such a distasteful light was soul-wrenching; but she had dealt with much worse things in the past.
"You may call it cowardice, my old friend… I call it strategy,"
"What sort of strategy requires running away from the masters of the Jade Palace?"
"Perhaps someone who wishes to do their work in silence. Someone who wishes to remain out of the spotlight and spread their goodwill whilst caring for the safety of others."
"I just hope we find him soon."
"Don't worry, you will," Oogway warmly smiled, confusing Shifu before the elderly tortoise abruptly left the room, causing Tigress to become mildly excited on the inside.
'Did he say- no, we're going to meet him soon? Oh come on, Tigress, you need to learn how to adequately handle your emotions. You were so good at it before this bounty hunter came along and began making your heart flutter, you're lucky your tough exterior is such a reinforced titan thanks to your years of kung-fu training!' Tigress's mind was screeching at her whilst the Furious Five surrounded her with their mindless chatter. Tigress decided she was done at the dinner table and went to the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom to meditate.
"Tigress? Where are you going?" Viper asked with her motherly tone, which drew the attention of Tigress.
"I'm going to meditate, if we're going to be intercepting the leader of the Lin Kuei, I wish to have a calm mind whilst doing so," Tigress replied, but her answer raised Viper's eyebrow.
"A calm mind? The last thing you've done before battle is meditate, what's with the change in routine?"
"Gosh. Sometimes I wish I had more privacy. I'm willing to welcome change once in a while."
"That's a lie and you know it!" Viper strained her voice but by the time she peered back into the hallway, Tigress was long gone.
"What was that about?" Crane asked, confused by the interaction in general.
"I wish I knew, she's been acting weird ever since we confirmed the existence of this bounty hunter… something tells me she likes the guy-" Mantis was slapped with Viper's tail.
"How could you judge Tigress like that? Sure, she's a woman and women have emotions… but the last person she would have a crush on would be some random teenager bringing havoc to those who stumble across him!" Viper scolded Mantis.
'The last person she would have a crush on would be some random teenager bringing havoc to those who stumble across him!' That quote from her feminine sister made Tigress tear up as she crept out of earshot from the warriors at the dining table.
'I wouldn't call it a crush… more like, casual admiration.' Tigress pondered whilst making her way to the peach tree. 'But what if it is a crush? Every single time someone mentions his name, my heart begins to flutter and my face becomes warm… I'd say I was blushing if my fur wasn't so good at concealing that nonsense!' Tigress further got lost in thought as she climbed the stairs that connected the Jade Palace to the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.
'Hopefully, meditation gives me some type of closure, or at least a vague indication as to what's going on… I won't lie to myself, after 14 years of training under Shifu… it's beginning to test my patience. I wouldn't blame myself if I were to realise my feelings were simply developed as a way to cope, but with this bounty hunter existing on the market for 2 years; something tells me it's more than admiration and some fake feelings. It almost feels like I'm hoping for the day I meet him… perhaps my life will change for the better' Tigress's mind became consumed by thoughts as she entered her Lotus position and began meditating.
2 hours passed before she noticed the presence of someone familiar. A person who had guided her through the thick and thin, someone who gave her hope; even when her own father refused to give her encouragement. Master Oogway cautiously sat down next to Tigress before uttering his wise words.
"Your mind is far from at ease. I can sense that meditation refuses to bring you the answer you need," Oogway's statement caused Tigress's eyes to shoot wide open.
"How did you know?" Tigress replied, honestly awestruck.
"Young Tigress. You are an 18-year-old girl, you're maturing from your teenage years and beginning to enter adulthood… yet one thing rests on your mind. Your emotions."
"Uh- what do you mean by that, Master?" Tigress asked, her eyes telling the Grandmaster that she was genuinely unsure.
"I spoke with someone important today… I told him that you two will meet when the time is ripe. The universe is telling me that time is approaching, Young one."
"Would you mind sharing the name of this particular individual?"
"They call him 'The Warrior of Black and White" Master Oogway quoted the legends that many citizens of the Valley of Peace had referenced throughout the past two years. Tigress happened to be looking away and once she heard that name, she snapped her head around only to see the spot that Oogway once resided in was now empty. Master Oogway had vanished.
"Thanks for the tip, Master Oogway," Tigress sarcastically remarked as she looked up into the blue sky, taking in the beauty of its colour as well as the golden glow of the sun; which was neatly reflecting off and against her black, orange and white fur. "Today is going to be a day filled with positivity… at least I hope," Tigress uttered into the spring air, the wind blowing across her ears as she entered her meditation stance yet again, choosing to remain there for an unknown amount of hours until she next moved a muscle.
4 PM – Outskirts of the Bamboo Forest – Valley of Peace.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Wang. Your services mean so much to my father!" Po thanked the yak as he began to haul the final wheelbarrow's worth of ingredients to his father's noodle shop, each haul taking roughly 1 hour per trip; excluding breaks and such.
"You are very welcome, young Po! Tell Mr. Ping that I sincerely thank him for last months tip, it's indirectly responsible for my move to this part of town!" Mr. Wang replied, enthusiastically waving as Po was beginning to depart. To his dismay, Po began to pick up on rustling leaves within the bushes surrounding Mr. Wang's farm.
"Are you sure living here is a good idea? This part of town is notorious for criminal activity…" Po voiced his concerns, but Mr. Wang merely cackled.
"It's a risk I've had to take, young pa- Po. A risk that you'll inevitably have to take if you inherit Mr. Ping's restaurant. Business is business, boy!" Mr. Wang remarked, but even his ears could pick up on the stray rustling of the leaves.
"This business might be bad business, hide inside of your barn, now! I'll draw them away!" Po pointed towards the bushes before rushing Mr. Wang inside of his barn, of which he locked the doors and slammed the windows shut.
The young panda began to take off with his wheelbarrow following closely behind. He decided to handle it in this manner to avoid any complications from pushing it forward. Po was able to make a significant amount of distance until a wolf caught up to him and he was forced to bring his wheelbarrow to a stop in order to defend himself.
"HEEE-YAAH!" Po cried as he parked the wheelbarrow and then slammed his foot into the chest of a nearby wolf, of whom he noticed the articulate craftsmanship of the weapon. "Mercenaries… mercenaries belonging to the Lin Kuei, aw man!" Po loudly exclaimed as he began engaging the two other wolves that were closely following him. He slammed his fist into the jaw of one wolf whilst he used the momentum of the other wolf against him, redirecting him into a nearby tree and causing him to slam into the tree with a bone-crunching thud.
"Ow, that's gonna hurt like hell!" The wolf yelped before passing out, causing Po to flinch as he realised these wolves were most likely packing a lot of power.
Meanwhile – At the Jade Palace – Training Hall…
"Alright, students! The time has come, it's time for you to ambush the leader of the Lin Kuei. You will do this with stealth and efficiency… and for the love of the Dragon Scroll, don't let that bounty hunting hooligan get to them first!" Master Shifu commanded, using his wind flute to point towards the exit.
"Yes, Master!" The Furious Five nodded and bowed in respect before making a beeline for the large exit doors.
"Looks like it's time for US to do some butt whipping for once! This guy is approaching town from the southern flank, there's no way that bounty hunter is going to be there if he mainly takes out enemies in the north!" Mantis enthusiastically stated as they began their descent down the thousand steps.
"You never know, I've heard stories of him subduing a group of crocodile bandits in the eastern provinces!" Crane enthusiastically said, causing Monkey to raise his eyebrow.
"You sure know a lot about this guy, is someone a fan?" Monkey teased the avian, Crane scowled in response before taking flight and diving down to the bottom of the stairs.
"I'll take that as a maybe," Monkey sarcastically chuckled before almost slipping down the steps.
"I don't get why we're competing to beat this bounty hunter guy. We sometimes wage war against opponents without his intervention, but he's really done a good job of keeping crime down!" Viper exclaimed before reaching the bottom of the steps.
"I guess you could say having a morally correct bounty hunter humiliating all of the bad guys can be handy once in a while, eh?" Mantis jested as he hopped onto Crane's straw hat, who happened to be waiting at the bottom of the steps.
"Alright. Let's move, we'll take the main trail and split off into the forest to cover all ground once we get there. Then we'll converge and hopefully ambush the leader of the Lin Kuei," Tigress coldly commanded as everyone nodded and set out on their grand sprint.
Back with Po – Southern Province – Valley of Peace.
"Great! I'll have to abandon this wheelbarrow if I want to survive!" Po grunted as he lifted the wheelbarrow into a nearby mill, when he turned around, he saw an exhausting but intimidating wolf; he appeared to be the leader of the Lin Kuei.
"HAHAHAHA, I THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING!" The leader burst out laughing, Po just stood there with confusion plastered on his face as wolves began to growl and attempted to encircle him. "THERE'S AN ACTUAL PANDA HERE! OH, SHEN'S GOING TO BE EXCITED TO HEAR THIS!" The leader cackled maniacally as he closed his eyes to let out a massive wheeze, by the time he closed them, he noticed half of his forces were suddenly groaning on the floor.
"Come again?" Po teased the wolf by lifting his straw hat slightly, revealing his jade eyes alongside his black and white face.
"You're the one wreaking havoc on my armies, aren't you?" The face of the leader turned sour and bitter as he began snarling and growling.
"You finally figured that out? Took you long enough!" Po let off a cackle before entering a defensive stance.
"I'm going to make you pay for that, boy!" Heilang (Leader of the Lin Kuei) clapped his paws together and a barrage of wolves began to move in towards Po's position, undeterred by the immense amount of speed the panda held. Within 5 seconds, Po was able to disarm all of the wolves, leaving them to fight with their paws as they had been sent back to square one.
"How did you do that so fast?" Heilang asked, confused by his opponent's strategy.
"It's called impromptu training. Are we going to fight or are you going to surrender?" Po boasted, although he didn't expect Heilang to surrender so easily.
"Hell no we aren't surrendering! It's going to take a lot more than some fancy moves to bring us down!" Heilang proudly cheered back, but his wolf mercenaries just sighed in a mix of pain and disappointment.
"Suit yourself!" Po chirped enthusiastically as he went to unload on the rest of the wolves surrounding him… little did he know, the Furious Five had just arrived on a nearby rooftop and were watching his every move.
"Woah, watching him in action… I can really see where the legends come from now! He moves at the speed of an overcharged firework and his combat takes the wind out of you!" Monkey gawked at Po's fighting style as he launched a wolf into the air and then kicked him into another group of wolves, laying them out on the ground as Heilang began to panic.
Po eventually subdued all of the wolves and turned to Heilang. "It's just you and me, old man!" Po yelled at the leader of the Lin Kuei, who was quite honestly terrified at this point.
"I'm still not surrendering!" Heilang growled as he let out a war cry and locked into combat with the panda. Po merely sighed as he disarmed Heilang in the blink of an eye and caused him to flip onto the floor. Po crawled onto his back and placed his knee on the centre of his spine.
"Alright. I surrender," Heilang admitted in defeat.
"Sorry about this, buddy. I sort of have to do this for the people that pick you up and prosecute you," Po commented as he performed a set of nerve point manoeuvre's which rendered the wolf unconscious.
"What do we do? Do we confront him or do we just allow him to leave?" Monkey commented whilst perched atop a rooftop.
"I say we leave him-" Crane was interrupted by Tigress, who confidently boasted.
"I'm going in!" She yelled as she leapt off the rooftop, causing the remainder of the Furious Five to facepalm as she landed in front of the panda, although by the time she had landed… he was gone, or so she thought.
Po picked up a nearby stick and tossed her into the ground with force, holding it to her neck.
"Who goes there!?" Po bellowed until he looked down at the person he had taken down and realised it was Master Tigress, but she appeared to have something else on her mind; as she wasn't reacting to the fact that Po had slammed her into the ground. The Furious Five just sat on the rooftops in awe, refusing to intervene.
"Oh, a thousand pardons, Master Tigress! I didn't realise it was you," Po sheepishly commented as he discarded the stick and made Tigress stand by treading on her paw. (Sort of like you would with a rake)
"Master Tigress..? Hello?" Po waved his paw in front of the awestruck feline but received no reaction. "Oh no, what have I done? I may have injured a master belonging to the Jade Palace!" Po exclaimed in horror as he attempted to perform his nerve-point moves on Tigress, but it seemed as if she had come to.
"Where am I?" Tigress commented before catching sight of the warrior of black and white who was standing before her. "No way…"
"I'm sort of a local celebrity to you Jade Palace folks, aren't I? I can see your friends watching me!" Po pointed towards the rooftops, where Tigress caught a glimpse of Crane's straw hat as they seemingly broke for cover.
"I feel… fuzzy," Tigress commented.
"Sorry about that. I didn't know who it was so I sort of… reacted."
"Oh, that's fine-" Tigress began to blush as Po helped her regain her balance, thankfully he didn't notice it.
Po lifted up his straw hat slightly to reveal his identity as a panda, it was his way of subtly showing his trust for someone else. He was expecting Master Tigress to be disgusted… on the contrary, Tigress was actually awestruck.
"I-I thought your kind died," Tigress solemnly commented as she remembered the past of the panda race.
"I've heard that before… I don't know what happened to my ancestors, but from a young age, I have been told that I am the last remaining panda within China," Po replied, noting the awkwardness of Tigress as she was shaking slightly. "You don't get out much, do you?" Po commented.
"I only go out on missions, most days we're stuck inside… training and doing what we can to pass the time when we're not."
"That must suck."
"You learn to tolerate it…" Tigress pointed towards the various bruises and cuts lining her knuckles.
"You tolerate it via physical anger, I tolerate the world via mental enlightenment… I have a message, Oogway told me to deliver it to you," Po informed Tigress as he reached into his robe and pulled out the scroll that Oogway had handed him… if tigers were capable of turning white on the spot, that would've been Tigress at that exact moment.
"I thought it would never reach you- so I just left it next to a trash heap in the hopes it would get discarded!" Tigress began shaking as she realised what sort of 'fluff' she had written within the scroll, as well as her attempt to rewrite 'Love from'.
"There's no need to be nervous, I sometimes get thank you letters from the people I help… it's just a surprise to meet someone who 'admires' me from the Jade Palace." Po used his paws to make an air quote signal when he emphasised the word admires, causing Tigress to further lock up and then look down.
"Wh-where did you get this?" Tigress asked, but the air around her returned nothing but. "Uh… what can I call you?"
"Po, Po Ping. I help my father run the noodle shop whenever I'm not running errands or conducting the usual duties of a bounty hunter," Po replied. Tigress was surprised to find him on the same rooftop he pointed at instead of right next to her.
"We should get you home, your friends left long ago. I have a feeling I know what they're up to as well…" Po trailed off as he back-flipped off the top of the rooftop to land alongside Tigress.
"And that would be?"
"Either to get you medical care or to report me to the authorities, either way… we better get you back to the Jade Palace."
To be continued…
[A/N]
Thank you for reading through this chapter of "Bounty Hunter" – This is my first attempt at writing anything to do with an AU and I hope I created a suitable first chapter… as one would say, it's the first of many!
So… Po meets a younger Tigress and the Furious Five mysteriously disappear. What do you think is going to happen next?
That question and more will be answered within the next chapter of this fanfiction, which will hopefully be updated on a weekly basis!