[A/N]
Welcome to chapter 2 of Bounty Hunter! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of this series and I look forward to bringing you many more!
How are you liking the AU so far? I hope it's an interesting twist in your eyes!
As usual, if you enjoy this chapter, make sure to leave a review. Whether it be praise or criticism, all reviews are welcomed with open arms as they help me improve as a writer!
Time to see the aftermath of Po's fateful meeting within…
Chapter 2 – Proving Your Worth.
6 PM – Nearing Sunset – Nearby the Bamboo Forest – Valley of Peace.
"A lot of people most likely want your head if you're a panda hunting down crooks," Tigress pensively remarked, receiving a stray nod from Po.
"Tell me about it. There's this one guy in a province not too far from here, I think his name is Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow… a mouthful to remember, I know," Po sharply replied, his focus remaining in the direction housing a nearby healer. The panda had grown suspicious of the Furious Five's disappearance and wished to treat Tigress's headache by bringing her to someone he personally knows.
Tigress could almost swoon head-over-heels for this panda if it weren't for her strict discipline and the condescending attitude of her father. From a small child, she had been belittled beyond belief, first at the Bao Gu orphanage and then under the guidance of Master Shifu.
"What prompted you to become a bounty hunter?" Tigress asked whilst fiddling with her claws.
"The threat looming over my father and the Valley of Peace. I don't want to seem condescending but there are dark spots in which you and your warrior friends can't access. I just bring light to those dark spots and ensure the safety of the civilians."
"But how did you learn those nerve strikes?" To which Po simply shrugged.
"Just found out about it someday whilst I was training. I noticed the blue ripple and I attempted the move on someone who was wounded. It instantly brought them to their feet and they thanked me for it… I haven't heard from them since but I assume they surrendered their life of crime to something more honourable and… less criminal-y."
"Are you some kung-fu prodigy?"
"We'll answer that question later, you've arrived at your destination," Po gestured towards the sign of the local herbalist's station which read 'Healing by Haodu.'
"This isn't the Jade Palace…" Tigress commented confused by the situation.
"I know. I figured your friends aren't coming back for a while so I've decided to fix you up myself. Don't worry about costs, I've got that covered…" Po noticed how Tigress was beginning to flinch. "Oh, don't tell me you're a scaredy-cat when it comes to needles! - Trust me, Haodu is a gentle lady, I'll introduce you to her."
"I don't know about this… shouldn't the Furious Five be searching for me by now, why should I trust you?"
"Many of the questions you ask lack answers, Master Tigress, now come in!" Po encouraged Tigress, to which she nervously stepped foot within the store, her claw gliding across the wooden floorboards as it groaned thanks to her weight.
"And I thought I was heavy, haha!" Po joked as he waved towards Mrs. Haodu. "Hello Mrs. Haodu, I have an… acquaintance for you to treat," Po pointed a finger towards Master Tigress, to which the middle-aged bunny squealed.
"Greetings, Master Tigress! It is the honour of a million lifetimes to stand before you…" Mrs. Haodu bowed before turning her attention towards the fidgeting panda. "Usually you bring me your wounded opposition… is there any reason as to why you've brought this awe-inspiring lady into my humble healing facility?"
"I was finishing up a battle when Master Tigress tried to sneak up on me. I reacted and slammed her into the ground head-first… I felt guilty so I decided to bring her in, I'll send you the yuan once I get back home-" Po was interrupted by the cheery bunny.
"Oh, this treatment's on me! Always such a gentleman, Ping Jr. - Making sure the health of everyone is safe, whether they be innocent or guilty," Mrs. Haodu chirped, Master Tigress raised her eyebrow slightly.
"Ping Jr?"
"Yes, Po here is the same panda that works in that noodle shop I've heard wonders about! I'll have to get him to bring me some when he's done dealing with the miscreants on the streets!" Haodu replied.
"I thought you seemed familiar…" Tigress commented as she poked Po's straw hat, causing him to momentarily become flustered before he began to leave.
"Don't you want to be here once your friend here is all healed up?" Mrs. Haodu rang her small bell to catch the attention of the panda.
"My dad will become worried if I don't return home on time, plus I think Master Tigress will find her way back by herself-" Po was cut off by Tigress clearing her throat.
"I- I actually wouldn't mind an escort back home once Mrs… Haodu is finished with her treatment."
"If you say so… I'll be waiting!" Po enthusiastically responded, his fanboy attitude temporarily took hold over him.
'OH MY GOD, MASTER TIGRESS WANTS ME TO WALK HER BACK TO THE JADE PALACE! THE EXCITEMENT IS KILLING ME!' Po shrieked mentally before regaining his composure, his stoic face never changing its expression in reality.
"I do wonder where the Furious Five wandered off to…" Po mumbled, allowing his thoughts to flow freely within the empty waiting room.
6:30 PM – Hall of Heroes – Jade Palace.
"MASTER SHIFU!" Monkey shrieked from across the hall, bursting through the ominous gates that guarded the Jade Palace from the outside world.
"What is it?" Master Shifu turned around after his meditation with Master Oogway was interrupted, but his wise friend swiftly gave him an answer.
"He comes with important news, allow him to speak." Shifu merely nodded in response to his master's mysterious words.
"We found the bounty hunter! He forced the leader of the Lin Kuei into surrendering!" Monkey replied, Shifu's eyebrows rose.
"You're telling me… you met him, yet you refused to bring him in for prosecution?"
"He injured Tigress. I'm not sure where they are now but we came back to inform you as soon as we could!" Viper cried from beyond the staircase.
"AND ONE OF YOU DIDN'T STAY THERE?"
"He would've been too much for one of us to handle alone, this is why we seek your assistance," Mantis spoke as he witnessed Master Shifu nod towards Master Oogway before gripping his wind flute.
"I guess it's time to teach this hooligan a lesson-"
"Be gentle with this man, Shifu… he holds great potential," Master Oogway cut off his greatest student, whose mouth lay agape in confusion before the calling of Crane caught his attention.
"Come, Shifu, we must leave!"
"Very well… it's time for this miscreant to learn how the food inside of Chorh-Ghom prison tastes!" Shifu's comment was met with a gasp of horror.
"Don't you think… that's a little too far?" Monkey commented.
"He laid his hands on my daughter, of course he's going to pay."
"You know what, that's actually the first time I've heard you refer to her as your daughter…" Mantis chimed in, causing Shifu's eyelids to twitch.
"You dare question the relationship I have with Tigress?" Shifu spat in response.
"Nah, I just find it odd how you're suddenly protective over her," Mantis casually responded.
"Because some criminal laid his hands on her and harmed her… a warrior of the Jade Palace, that's why!"
"You wouldn't be this defensive if one of us were in this situation," Crane remarked as Shifu delivered a short jab to his wing as a reminder, which silenced the avian.
"You are my students, Tigress is my daughter as well as the future Dragon Warrior!" Shifu boasted as he charged forward in anger, leaving the Furious Five to exchange shrugs and confused looks as they witnessed their master fade into the distance.
7 PM – Mrs. Haodu's Healing – Waiting Room.
'Come on, Tigress! I know you're totally awesome and are a master of kung-fu but it's time for us to get going!' Po thought as he paced around the room, his patience weakening by the second.
Po chose to cease his panicking and sat down on a small wooden stool, noticing the sunset fade completely as it was replaced with the lashing of rain and the roaring of the thunder above.
"Great, a thunderstorm…" He mumbled as Mrs. Haodu emerged from beyond her treatment room, a dazed feline soon followed her.
"All done! Master Tigress has undergone heavy treatment and the use of anaesthetic was required so I could soothe her mind… you'll have to be a gentleman and walk her back with you, Po," Mrs. Haodu informed the panda as the groggy Tigress fell into Po's arms, playing with his straw hat in the process.
"You-you know what you look like… Po?" Tigress amusingly said as she ripped the straw hat off the head of the panda, temporarily making him panic, "You- you remind me of the- what's that thing called? - Oh, the yin-yang symbol!" Tigress groggily smiled as she positioned herself upright.
"Apologies, Po. A lot of anaesthetic was required for someone of her size, she's probably going to be groggy for a few hours, good luck explaining her state to her father!" Mrs. Haodu's sarcastic words of wisdom caused Po to sigh as he thanked her before exiting into the darkened and liquid-filled streets.
"Aw man! Since when did it get all wet out here- us feline's don't like rainy weather~" Tigress complained as she stumbled outside, having to take Po's arm in order to avoid completely collapsing onto the floor. Tigress's surprisingly relaxed attitude caused Po to breathe a sigh of relief as he chuckled in response to her words.
"I have an umbrella, would you like to use it?" Po's more cheery attitude came as a surprise to Tigress as she limply nodded, retracting the umbrella before almost stumbling off her feet. "Woah, it feels like I've drunk too much… and I've never even drunk anything of that nature."
"Is Mantis the heavy drinker?"
"Ye-yeah… sometimes he comes back to the Jade Palace like- completely wasted and he's punished heavily by Shifu."
"But isn't it illegal to drink at such a young age?"
"Shifu be-believes it's better for discipline instead of turning him into the… funny rhino guards… funny rhino guards?" Tigress could feel herself regaining her bearings as she realised she was gripping the arm of the panda. She softly released her grip before continuing her walk.
"Did I- Did I say anything… dishonourable?" Tigress nervously asked as her vision began to align itself and she could feel herself begin to walk independently again.
"Does hugging me and asking to kiss count as dishonourable?" Po's laughter was almost infectious as it spread to Tigress before her face turned pale as she realised what the panda said.
"I tried to… hug you and kiss you?"
"You hugged me when you got out, but you didn't try to kiss me. Apologies for the lewd joke."
Tigress could feel herself gag as she had realised what she did… she hugged someone- a male, without even thinking about it.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… just the fact I hugged some random panda man when I'm supposed to uphold my modesty!" Tigress began to feel her blood boil… but that feeling swiftly dissipated as she realised how truly calming the panda was.
"It can be our little secret!" Po joked. "You know… you're the only member of the Jade Palace that I respect. You stand out among the crowd, disciplined but you're aware of your limits."
"Oh, really? And what does respect mean when it comes from a bounty hunter?"
"You know… just a bunch of action figures and posters of you hanging on my walls and sat on my desks, that's all."
"Sounds like you're planning on killing me instead of planning to praise me."
"I wouldn't kill someone I look up to. Despite practising kung-fu at an early age… you were a real inspiration for me and still are."
"I'm inspiring?"
"Of course. You're a strong woman who can beat down bad guys whilst remaining humble about it, what more can you ask for in an idol, hmm?"
"Wow…" Po's kind words blew Tigress away for a moment, she soon realised that Po didn't call her a monster or belittle her flaws/appearance… he was just being himself whilst speaking his own mind. "You've heard of my backstory… yet you don't call me a monster?"
"Why would I? Your beginning doesn't shape who you are…" Po paused, remembering the wise words from the soothsayer that had visited his father's noodle shop mere days prior. "It is the rest of your journey… who you chose to be. That, my friend, shapes who you are and who you want to be. I'm Po, you're Tigress… unless you have a non-kung-fu name."
"It's just Tigress… wait, you're telling me they just don't call you Master Panda?"
"Away from kung-fu, I'm still a person… we have names."
"I don't… Shifu never named me, I've been known as Tigress and always will be- WOAH" Tigress was knocked back as a stray arrow whizzed past her whiskers. Po immediately acted upon instinct and grabbed Tigress by the paw before rushing into a nearby tavern.
"Po? It's a little odd to see you in here this late, are you here for your father's medicine?" A kind canine named Qiwuei asked; one of the few wolves in the area that had yet to turn to crime.
"Not today, Qiwuei! We're under attack!" Po shot back, grabbing a nearby stool and smashing it to the floor to form a makeshift kendo stick.
"Wow- okay, this is serious! I see you've brought Master Tigress with you!"
"That's a story for when I actually plan on visiting!" Po shot back as Qiwuei's bodyguards rushed outside of the building.
"He has bodyguards? Who are your friends, Po?" Tigress asked with shock as she prepared herself from combat, noticing how her ability to focus was still hazy thanks to the anaesthesia.
"Qiwuei, part-time bartender, full-time mercenary-for-hire. A conflict of interest brought us into meeting. He supplies me with remedies for my dad's headache-healing soup each week."
"Interesting…" Tigress grunted as she made a charge before she was held back by Po.
"Usually I'd say ladies first but you literally just had a correctional procedure performed a mere half-hour ago."
"I'll be fine!" Tigress tried to break free from the grip of Po, squirming desperately as his warming presence encompassed her body, immediately calming her.
"What sort of sorcery is this?" Tigress mumbled as she fell into a deep sleep.
"This is called a bear hug, sweetheart," Po whispered as he laid the unconscious Tigress onto a nearby bench, taking her out of action whilst he rushed outside into the lashing rain to confront his opponents.
"Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow," Po sneered as he noticed the takin clapping his hooves together in a sarcastic gesture.
"Looks like you've done quite the damage to my men and my property. I'll be dealing with you… personally, from now on," Jong cackled as he snapped his hooves together as four bulls emerged from the shadows. Po observed the unique fighting methods the wolves were using to combat their much larger bull targets as he prepared for combat.
Po awaited the charge of the first bull, patiently standing in a defensive pose until they made contact with his paws. He managed to grab them as if they were rag dolls and toss them into a nearby abandoned building. The bounty hunter prepared himself for the other two bulls to rush him, but they appeared to hesitate.
Without warning, Po immediately jumped into the skies, disappearing out of sight from both bulls as well as Jong. He revealed himself with a lantern in his hands as the glow from the light lit up his collapsing henchmen, which is when Tigress emerged from the tavern with eyes burning like embers locked at Po.
"PO! BEAR-HUGGING ME WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF YOUR LIFE!" Tigress roared before noticing the fighting panda, who was beginning to engage with Jong and his experimental weaponry.
Without thinking, Tigress immediately buried her armour and surrounded Jong from the other side, causing him to enter a state of panic.
"We-we can talk about this… right?" Jong shook in his boots as he noticed Tigress's growl.
"Negotiations are at a deadlock," Po spat back, expecting Jong to reply with a note of surrender, but he instead smirked as a nearby archer successfully hit Tigress's ankle, causing her to mew in pain as she dropped to the floor. Despite the previous berating, Po was filled with rage thanks to Jong's actions and soon after dealt with him in an… unpleasant manner.
"Tigress! Are you okay?" Po rushed over to his downed idol as her face continued to quiver thanks to the pain.
"I'll- I'll be fine, we need to get out of here!" Tigress said as she attempted to stand up, but her arrow-infested ankle wasn't going to allow her to stand.
"Do you need some assist-"
"NO!" Tigress snapped back as she tried to put weight onto her leg but ended up almost slipping into a nearby puddle.
"Prepare for the most humiliating night of your life, Master Tigress!" Po beamed as he scooped up Tigress bridal style, causing her to growl as well as mew as a mix of anger and pain began coursing through her veins.
"YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS!" Tigress tried to escape the arms of Po by fidgeting to her best abilities but the shooting pain, as well as the panda's warm arms and surprising agility soon, allowed for relaxation to fall upon her distressed mind.
"Who knew I'd be taking out the leader of the Lin Kuei, meeting the Furious Five as well as carrying THE MASTER TIGRESS in my arms!" Po gawked, receiving a sigh from Tigress.
"Most of your bounty hunting days aren't that exciting, are they?"
"Eh, sometimes. I mainly take out people who are a significant threat to a group of individuals, I usually take my yuan or whatever they have to trade and leave without thinking much of it… but today is going to be a day I remember," Po warmly smiled as his eyes temporarily collided with the fire burning within Tigress, he was forced to look up to avoid his blush becoming visible.
"Sometimes I wonder how a panda ended up all the way out here… I quite honestly thought your kind was dead."
"That's an interesting question, one that oddly enough… I have no answer for. I sort of just remember growing up in a noodle shop and having a fascination with kung-fu legend as soon as I learned how to read."
"And your father being a goose doesn't bother you?"
"I thought it was normal… you know, I'm convinced I came from an egg!"
"Someone didn't teach you how the birds and the bees sing their melody," Tigress sighed as a jolt of lightning lit up the brave panda's face, giving her a jolt of shock as well as comfort.
"Yeah… now that I think about it… your father isn't a goose, your father's opposite kind cannot lay eggs. There's a chance I came from somewhere else," Po began to ponder intensely.
"I don't even know who my real father is, it doesn't help that Shifu assists the blurring of that line."
"You don't see him as your father, Tigress?"
"As mentioned earlier, he only sees me as a warrior, one that must work herself to the bone to become the Dragon Warrior… but as I've been getting out more, I've realised that this scroll most likely doesn't live up to the status it has."
"Yet Tai Lung tried to take it by force. Whatever is inscribed on it must be important."
"He lost sight of what being a kung-fu master was!" Tigress wriggled as she expressed her spite for her illegitimate brother.
"You're close too, don't think those grazes and bruises around your paws are simply going to remain unnoticed. It's a sign of you attempting to compensate for your emotional flaws in a physical manner."
"How do you know so much about philosophy? Have you personally spoken to Master Oogway before?" Master Tigress looked into the eyes of the panda, only to have it met with concern.
"I only spoke to him once- hey look, I think that's your father!" Po happily pointed into the distance, only to witness Tigress's face turn to one of pure horror.
"LET GO OF ME BEFORE THINGS GET UGLY!" Tigress scrambled to get free but was unable to as Po merely stared ahead.
"Come on, I'm sure he's not that bad!" Po ate his words as the face of Master Shifu returned a stare of shock and horror. "...Or maybe he is," Po wrapped Tigress around his shoulders as he prepared for combat. Knowing how trained Shifu was, he would have to be careful if this battle were to become physical.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!" Shifu shouted into the night as he charged towards Po, aiming straight for his heart in order to strike him down… but time appeared to momentarily freeze as Po lifted his paw forward and poked Shifu's abdomen with a staff that Tigress had never seen before. Shifu's momentum completely died as he fell backwards before groggily recovering.
"What the hell was that?" Shifu's vision was heavily blurred as he looked around and noticed the panda hoisting Tigress onto his shoulders, who appeared to be in a mix of shock and amusement.
"How did you bring down my father so fast? He's the prodigy of the Jade Palace!" Tigress exclaimed in excitement and at how Po refused to hurt her aggressive father.
"You. You're the miscreant causing chaos across the Valley of Peace!" Shifu weakly pointed at Po, who merely shrugged and even attempted to sidestep the master, who tried to block him but Po merely continued to walk before Shifu leapt into the air and landed in front of him.
"I'm no criminal, Master Shifu. If anything, I'm erasing any potential threats… without killing them, of course," Po explained as he gently sat down Tigress, noticing the Furious Five catch up to their master whilst out of breath. "Someone needs to get her treatment, she was wounded by an arrow!" Po instructed Viper, who instantly began conducting her healers magic despite the 'enemy' standing before her.
"Helping the public or not… you do not have a masters permit, nor a license to practice or perform kung-fu!" Shifu retorted.
"There's a reason I don't have a masters permit, 'Master' Shifu."
"And what would that be?"
"I perform my duties to help the innocent, praise comes later, whilst praise comes first for you. I've seen your commands, often skipping smaller fights to confront opponents of larger sizes… this is why I've built up a legacy whilst people are growing distasteful of you, not the Jade Palace; but you," Po coldly responded, filling Shifu's face with shock and anger as he attempted to strike the bounty hunter, but his blows were merely blocked.
"All of this anger and all of this rage… no wonder why Oogway is concerned for the health of Tigress," Po shrugged off Shifu's blows as he pulled a scroll from Tigress's pocket, revealing her semi-romantic love note composed in honour of Po.
"Is this real… Tigress?" But Shifu received no response, just a scowl from his feline daughter as Viper continued to work her magic. "TIGRESS! ANSWER ME IMMEDI-"
"If you treated me more like a daughter instead of a student, then maybe I would!"
"Alright… teenage rebelliousness, I see how it'll be. You'll be running up and down the thousand steps tomor-"
"No, she won't," Po interjected, slamming his fist into a nearby lantern post in an act of impatience mixed with disappointment for the kung-fu master standing before him. "She has been severely wounded, first with her head injury, now with the arrow… she is in no shape to fight-"
"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU INFLICTED THE HEAD INJURY, YOU APE!" Shifu's insult caused Monkey to cringe as Po just sympathetically nodded in his direction.
"Listen, when you're a bounty hunter and people want your head served on a silver platter… and you get jumped like that; they're bound to get hurt because I'm trained to react in defence, even if I only hear or sense someone's presence."
"You should consider opening your eyes!"
"I've had my eyes sealed for several years, the universe has guided me this far and I doubt it will cease its kind guiding now."
"Wow, it's like staring at a much younger and more burly Oogway!" Mantis remarked as he bowed in respect to Po. "Master Mantis, sir… your name must be..?"
"You'll only refer to me as Po."
"Understood… Po."
"Wait, I swear you're the one at the noodle shop, do you cook?" Viper asked as she finished bandaging the ankle of Tigress, encouraging her to crawl into a nearby wheelbarrow.
"I can cook, although I'm not as good as my dad…" Po admitted and swiftly covered his mouth, realising he had revealed a little too much about himself than he originally would've wanted.
"Oh my god! It's him! It's that panda you talk about in the noodle sho-"
"Would you mind not embarrassing me, Viper?" Tigress clamped Viper's mouth shut as she scolded the serpent.
"She can't cover my mouth, heheh. I've seen her notes, she's quite the fan, Po!" Monkey cheered on the panda as Tigress shot his soul with daggers as she sat there, redder than a ripe tomato.
"Well, isn't that convenient…" Po mumbled nervously as he remembered how he has various action figures as well as posters laying around in his room dedicated to Master Tigress.
"Something's up, isn't it?" Crane neutrally asked as Po began to flush.
"Uh-uhm… no… everything is totally normal in my bedroom, there totally aren't posters and action figurines of Master Tigress lying around- no-no, just a regular teenage boys bedroom!" Po attempted to cover his tracks but only revealed more about himself as the Furious Five began to snicker, causing Tigress to redden to a shade that had previously never existed up until that point.
"What sorta posters?" Mantis shot a creepy wink towards Po, that singular move caused him to cringe intensely as he retreated further behind his straw hat. "I was joking, Po… at least I know we have a different sense of humour."
"Wait, didn't you say this guy worked at a… noodle shop?" Shifu asked, humiliated by the entire ordeal.
"...Yup," Tigress gulped after answering her master.
"You're not suggesting-" Po nervously coughed, although Shifu snapped back at him with a sinister stare.
"We've been in need of a cook at the Jade Palace for some time now… how would you like to try out for the position, noodle boy?" Shifu's light-hearted joke caused Po to crack up on the spot before he regained his focus.
"I don't want to abandon my dad like that…"
"You'll work part-time, 9 to 5… I sure hope to Oogway's legacy that you don't become a full-time occupant of the Jade Palace, the floorboards wouldn't handle that much weight!" Shifu's jokes evolved into insults as he poked Po's belly with his wind flute, noting the density of the fur as well as the underlying fat. "What on earth are you built out of?"
"Wouldn't you like to know… so what do I have to do to qualify for this 'cook' job?"
"Pace yourself, Po, or should I say… panda?" Shifu said as he snatched the straw hat from above Po's head, revealing his true identity under the glowing light of the nearby lanterns. "How did one of the last panda's on earth get here?"
"I get asked that question each time someone finds out I'm a panda, get in line for an answer, Shifu," Po's childish attitude struck a nerve for Shifu and he began to boil in rage.
"You know what? You asked for qualifications… I can outline those qualifications, but I doubt you would pass…" Shifu trailed off as he began to pace in a circle, his smirk growing wider by the second as his feet scraped across the dirt trail. "You'll face a warrior from the Jade Palace."
Time froze temporarily as everyone's mouth lay agape, including the mouth of Master Tigress. She knew first-hand from witnessing the panda's abilities that no warrior from the Jade Palace could compete with his level of skill.
"Oh! So who am I facing?" Po innocently inquired as he began warming himself up for battle.
"Poor panda… you won't be facing a warrior belonging to the Furious Five…" Shifu's statement caused everyone to exhale a sigh of relief.
"Your opponent… will be me."
Po nodded as he readied himself by equipping a defensive stance, which caused Shifu to internally sigh as he realised there wasn't any weakness within his form.
The air fell silent as the nightly breeze brushed the faces of all of the warriors within the vicinity. The remainder of the Furious Five had taken up residence on the wheelbarrow Tigress was resting on so she could witness the ordeal. Some of them were expecting Po to be rattled by Shifu's experience whilst others were hoping for Po to come out on top… their answer was soon revealed once the battle commenced.
Shifu immediately attempted to strike at the panda's form with a knife-edge chop, which was promptly blocked and redirected into the face of Master Shifu himself; greatly humiliating him in the process. Po remained still as Master Shifu attempted to kick the panda in the chest, his foot merely bounced off his chest as he bounced back several feet.
"It's like I'm fighting a fortress… what are you made out of?"
"I'm a panda… I've always been naturally resilient and well adapted to sharp blows…"
"Panda's are meant to be fat, I only see a slight amount around your cheeks followed by a lean figure!"
'You could say that again…' Tigress thought as she observed the panda unhinge himself slightly, exposing an intentional weakness that Shifu would believe to be real.
As predicted, Shifu aimed to knock the panda off his feet by taking advantage of his altered form that exposed a weakness in his left flank. Po was expecting this manoeuvre and grabbed a hold of the Master's sleeves, redirecting him around his body and causing him to skid across the dirt floor.
Utterly humiliated, Shifu decided he was done with testing the waters and decided to launch a full-blown attack. His quick strikes were able to temporarily stun the panda but after a while Po kept absorbing him before suddenly blasting him back with some unknown energy, causing him as well as the Furious Five to stare at him in awe.
"That's the Hero's Chi! That's impossible!" Shifu planted his fist on the ground as he went to rush the panda again… Po merely countered by slamming his belly into the face of Shifu whilst yelling "BELLY-GONG!" - Igniting laughter amongst the Furious Five.
"Impossible- Impossible… nothing is impossible… - There's a meaning for this, isn't there?" Shifu commented as he tried to rush the panda yet again, his fists were caught as Po flipped him around, pinning him to the floor via his spinal cord, just like he did with Tigress.
"This battle is over. You can either choose to wage war against the past or accept the consequences of the future… in other words, the Jade Palace now has a part-time cook!" Po cheered, easing the pain of his oddly ominous comment as he lifted his knee up from Shifu's spine.
"You may have won this battle, panda… but you will not win this war!" Shifu warned as he began heading in the other direction.
"I got the job, right?"
"Of course you did...if anything, you should follow us back to the Jade Palace, we could do with a late-night feast," Shifu grunted as he began leading the Furious Five, completely forgetting that he left Tigress behind in the wheelbarrow.
"Don't worry, I gotcha!" Po reassured Tigress as he hoisted the wheelbarrow in front of him and began pushing.
"You really stuck it to my father… that's pretty hardcore," Tigress said, her steel personality being further removed as she continued conversing with the panda. "Where did you learn moves like that?"
"I just read books, lots of books. It was books of kung-fu or cooking, and I chose to practice both equally. I was able to pick up the moves by studying legends and their instructions, although there are some moves that I've never used kung-fu masters use before…"
"What would those be… soon-to-be Master Panda?" Tigress's comment caused Po to heavily blush as they caught up with Master Shifu and the remainder of the Furious Five.
"There's this one move that I call the 'Weeping Wail of the Wind-filled Valley' which literally deafens my opponents if I can focus hard enough…"
"You're out here inventing your own moves whilst we're training using moves that have existed for generations!" Tigress's childish amazement caused Shifu to sigh as he realised that bringing this panda back to the palace would surely have implications, especially for him and his typically traditional method of thinking.
"My body style isn't suited for most styles of kung-fu…" Po said whilst he spun the wheelbarrow in a circle. "So I had to improvise!"
"Either way, what you've achieved is genius. No wonder criminals of the valley have been scared into hiding."
"Crime will always exist but the best we can do is embrace the rays of sunshine that shine upon these lands and within the people…"
"There you go with those weird petals of wisdom again!"
"That's a beautiful way of describing it…"
"Hm, I guess you could say that!"
Po and Tigress marched ahead as they left Shifu and the Furious Five behind, allowing them to open up their own conversation.
"Are you really sure that letting this guy into the Jade Palace is a good idea? He may end up stealing something!" Mantis pessimistically said as he jumped from Crane's straw hat onto the shoulder of Master Shifu.
"We shall see. If he even dares to steal one item, he will be imprisoned for the rest of his mortal days."
"Isn't that a little harsh?" Crane suggested, stepping aside to avoid tripping in a nearby mud puddle.
"He's taken down over 200 crooks without a permit in the past 2 years… he'd be lucky if the Kung Fu Council decided to give him jail time as an option instead of executing him."
"But they wouldn't execute one of his kind…"
"I guess prison it would be… the panda is too endangered to stand trial, something about this warrior is off to me though."
"And what would that be?" Monkey lifted his eyebrow as they caught sight of the Jade Palace.
"The way he gets along with Tigress… it makes me think that this isn't their first time meeting, or he may be manipulating her."
"I think she sees this bounty hunter as an idol- hear me out…" Monkey raised his hands as he saw Shifu's face crumple under the moonlight. "The Valley of Peace has been infested with crime ever since Tai Lung laid waste to the valley. This bounty hunter put himself on the market two years ago and more than half of his targets have been taken down merely because he chose to help the public instead of these crooks having a hit put out on them… Shifu, I look at him and see the Dragon Warrior-" Monkey's mouth was clammed shut by Shifu.
"SILENCE! You know that's nonsense and yet you've still made the unwise choice of opening your mouth to utter those words… Tigress is the Dragon Warrior and you all know that!" Shifu snapped, his voice echoing alongside the brisk wind.
"What are we supposed to do if Tigress is deemed worthy of the Dragon Warrior title? Do we bow down to her and accept our place as sidekicks?" Mantis remarked, further angering Master Shifu.
"We'll come to a resolution once the time comes…"
"I wonder what all that commotion was about back there…" Po pointed towards the enraged Master Shifu as Monkey bowed his head in shame.
"Most likely my father going on about how I'm going to become the Dragon Warrior. I've been training for it my whole life but ever since you made a debut in the Valley of Peace, I've wondered if there's more to kung-fu than this title," Tigress replied, the rumbling of the wheelbarrow below her acting as a source of peace as she tried her best to block out the pain induced by her ankle injury.
"Well, Master Tigress… if there's anyone out there that can give you that answer, it will be you. However, I can say that helping the innocent population is… awesome! - It's nice to do the right thing, y'know."
"Who knew a bounty hunter had such high standing morales… maybe my father is wrong about you."
"Your father talks about me?"
"It's almost like your legacy is an outlet of anger for him, every time something goes wrong in the valley or when we reach a scene with the criminals battered… the first person he blames is you."
"Looks like I've got a hard crowd to impress," Po joked as he and Tigress reached the first of many steps leading up to the Jade Palace. Po looked up and instantly gulped, he had taken on worthy opponents that tested his endurance but he had never trekked up all one thousand steps leading up to the Jade Palace.
"What's wrong? Is someone a little scared of heights?" Tigress smirked, Po returned the favour.
"No… I'm afraid of the stairs!" Po's joke caused them to burst out laughing as the rain began to dissipate, revealing a clear-skied night above both warriors.
"Tigress is laughing?" Monkey's stray voice caused the duo to instantly swallow their laughs and turn back towards Master Shifu alongside the rest of the Furious Five.
"As I was saying to Tigress… I think my biggest opponent of today will be these stairs!" Po's joke amused the Furious Five but further dishonoured Shifu as he broke away from the group and quietly began plodding up the stairs.
"Hmm, what about my father? He's expecting me to return home tonight!" Po remembered as he tapped Shifu on the shoulder.
"I'll send a messenger from the Jade Palace to inform him where you'll be staying tonight and when you'll return home tomorrow," The red panda sighed as he continued his ascent up the stairs. Po turned around and noticed Tigress was struggling to crawl up the thousand steps.
"Would you like a hand?" He kindly offered, to which Tigress shook her head in hesitation before slipping down 5 steps, essentially sending her back to the beginning.
"Okay, fine. Ugh… I can't believe I'm about to do this," Tigress cringed as she boarded the panda's back, if she was in a brighter mood, she would comment about how fluffy it was… but she just chose to take a nap instead. Tigress's purrs were soothing to Po, but he also considered it as normal behaviour for her species… he couldn't be more incorrect if he tried.
Po gracefully made it up the thousand steps a few seconds after Master Viper. He was trying his best to hide his exhaustion but his laboured breathing was an obvious sign that the journey had worn him out. Once his breathing returned to a normal and quieter state, Master Shifu's ears perked up as he noticed the sleeping tiger on Po's back as well as her purring.
"Is she purring..?" Shifu sheepishly asked as his stern expression melted into one of unadulterated awe. "I've never heard her do that before…"
"Do what?" Tigress yawned as she opened her eyes, gently descending from the panda's back.
"Purr. You were purring, Tigress," Shifu deadpanned.
"I was?" Tigress's face beamed a bright red as the group of warriors made their way to the Hall of Heroes.
"Panda, you are expected to respect the rules of the Jade Palace… as a guest, you will not disturb the staff, you will not touch the artefacts and most importantly… you will NOT be sleeping inside of the students quarters…"
"But the staff quarters are unable to house someone of his size? Perhaps having him sleep in the guest bedroom is a better idea?" Tigress suggested, causing Shifu to shrink in size as he realised the guest bedroom was the same room belonging to his imprisoned son… and hadn't been used since the incident.
"Very well. You'll be sleeping in there tonight but there won't be a need for you using that room again, as you'll be exiting the Jade Palace before tomorrow's sunset," Shifu informed the panda, who respectfully nodded as he gazed around the room, taking in the various amount of artefacts as well as Master Oogway meditating nearby the Moon Pool.
"I assume that's Master Oogway," Po lifted his paw and pointed his claw in the direction of the peacefully meditating master, who seemed to sense the young panda's presence and immediately began descending from his staff.
"I see you have returned!" Oogway acknowledged the obvious, mildly amusing Po as he bowed in respect alongside the other masters. "Po Ping… there is no need for such formality. I am not your master but merely your friend!" Oogway pointed his shaky claw at Po whilst he adjusted his straw hat.
"You know this madman?" Master Shifu looked up at Master Oogway with an expression filled with horror.
"Ah, Shifu… there's no need to be so pessimistic. Po here is my friend from the noodle shop, the universe told me that you would encounter him today and here we all are!" Master Oogway's neck shook as he looked into the jade eyes of the innocent panda, sensing a power that he hadn't recognised since he first wrote the Dragon Scroll. "Our meeting will make sense once time passes, young Po. - As for everyone else, you are all dismissed to the kitchen. We will be allowing this panda to cook our meals for tonight!" Master Oogway commanded.
"Why are we eating so late, Master?" Tigress asked before she made a sprint for the kitchen.
"So you can all get to know our new guest, of course!" Oogway warmly smiled as he and Master Shifu walked to the Grandmaster's quarters to play a game of checkers whilst Po slaved away in the kitchen.
The Furious Five whispered about the bounty hunter as they entered the room, surprised to see that Po had already begun to make a significant amount of progress on his food. Crane was in awe of his organization whilst Mantis and Monkey praised the smell. Viper was mindful of how Po delicately stirred the steaming pot of noodles as Tigress secretly admired how the panda incorporated kung-fu into cooking.
"Whatever you're making, big guy… it smells darn good!" Mantis finally spoke up, which caused an uproar of voices to follow suit.
"I've never seen a cook organise their ingredients so well!" Crane gawked, whilst Viper chimed in.
"The way you gently stir the pot… it's like you're giving the food a massage!" And following her sister's words, it was finally Tigress's turn to voice her opinion as she leaned back in her wooden chair.
"Using kung-fu whilst cooking, how innovative…" Tigress had to maintain a neutral tone in order to arouse suspicion, but her words alone were enough.
"Since when did you talk at the table?" Monkey's comment caused Tigress to growl in irritation.
"You were all admiring the bounty hunter… why is my adding of a comment so odd to you?"
"Tigress. You've eaten in silence for these past… 8 years? You've only talked to us during gatherings or fights… now you're being very talkative!" Viper pointed out, Tigress coldly stared into the eyes of the serpent as a small blush formed on her face, thankfully too faint for anyone to see… but Viper could sense the warmth, she chose not to comment on it as the time had come for dinner.
Po gently emptied the broth into 7 noodle soup bowls before scooping the noodles into the broth-filled bowls, being wary of how much seasoning he added. Po caught sight of Tigress attempting to eat a chunk of tofu and swapped out her chopsticks for ones that held Po's noodle soup. She mindlessly shoved the 'tofu' into her mouth before realising it wasn't tofu and her eyes grew to the size of saucers.
"Oh my- wow!" Tigress exclaimed as the variety of flavours rushed into her mouth, almost overloading her senses with joy and pleasure. Po had seen reactions to noodle soup as well but Tigress's easily topped them all.
"Your taste buds can thank me later… order up!" Po patted Tigress's shoulder as he threw the bowls in front of the Jade Palace masters in rapid succession, even choosing to place a bowl of noodle soup in front of Master Shifu.
"You expect me to eat this? This isn't in our diet regiment!" Shifu scoffed whilst peering around to see if anyone was disgusted by the soup, the faces of the warriors around him were in stark contrast to what he was truly expecting. "How can you eat this whilst on your mandated diets, this is shameful!" Shifu bellowed whilst Po took a seat next to Tigress, burying his face in his bowl and unleashing unpleasant slurping noises from his mouth; of which his actions temporarily took everyone back.
"You're somehow a kung-fu prodigy but nobody taught you table manners…" Tigress grumbled as Po released a rancid burp, he merely shrugged in response.
"Everyone has their own ways of eating food, Master Tigress-"
"Just call me Tigress… you've made it clear that you're one of us now."
With his daughter's/best student's blessing, Shifu nervously took his chopsticks and plucked at the noodles before bringing one to his mouth, the steam followed by the smell captured his senses like a storm as he immediately shoved the noodles in his mouth.
Po was right, his taste buds would thank him later. As for now, Shifu merely wished to live in the moment as he watched his students and his new guest chatter and joke away whilst they enjoyed their food. For a moment, peace had graced his soul… it was soon interrupted once he realised the time and had to disband the students for the night.
"This soup has truly been an enlightening experience to behold, Po Ping… but unfortunately, it is time for the Jade Palace warriors to rest, yourself included. You may not have your masters permit but I believe you have earned yourself that spot inside of the guest bedroom for tonight. Students, I wish you well and I expect to see you in the morning," Shifu's humble attitude caught all of the students off guard. It was unknown to them if Po had infused some strange ingredient that loosened up Shifu or if he merely enjoyed the night.
Po and the Furious Five made their way to their sleeping quarters. Po was unsure of which room was his until Master Tigress opened the door leading into her room and the door opposite, holding out her paw in a gesture to guide Po into his own room.
"Goodnight, Master Tigress."
"Goodnight, Master Panda."
And with that, both warriors peacefully drifted to sleep, the outside world no longer infecting their lives with bothers as they entered a state of blissful rest.
To be continued…
[A/N]
Thank you all for reading through the second chapter of Bounty Hunter!
I hope you didn't mind the pacing of this chapter! I wanted to take a slower road to build up the characters of the Furious Five and Po (as they're younger here) as well as to ease in the idea of Shifu and Po sharing a subtle tension between one another.
I won't make any false promises, but the next chapter should hopefully have more focus on events occurring instead of it mostly consisting of dialogue.
Take care and we will meet again soon!