For a long time, Po wondered how he could have spent more than two months in the Valley of Peace without learning every corner by heart. This is why he did not fail to jump at the opportunity to deepen his knowledge the following weekend.
A stifling heat prevailed, especially in the open areas of the valley where there was no source of fresh water. It was at times like this that Po thanked Oogway; the rice hat he had given him provided perfect protection from the sun. However, he still had to carry a huge amount of water - nothing could be done about this.
"And to think that most animals don't even wanna be out by this time because it's 'too hot'," Po mumbled to himself, resting his head on his two paws. "I prefer enjoying the heat while it's there; when the temperature grows too cold, we have to wear three coats of clothes to go outside."
Po chuckled, waving his paw in the air. However, it didn't hit anything, his laughter slowly dying out. He let out a sigh. None of the Five could join him on his little walk. Monkey preferred going to one of the nearby villages to 'light up' everybody's life with his pranks. Naturally, Mantis wanted to join him and enjoy the show. Viper agreed to perform at a young boy's birthday party. For some reason, Shifu insisted on Crane flying around the valley even though it was a weekend day. As for Tigress... not even worth asking.
Ever since arriving at the Jade Palace, Po had felt something missing on his social level. Not that Shifu nor the Five ever did anything to make him feel like an outcast - no, no, no. However, the Furious Five had this special complicity, this unique connection that had been built between them throughout their many years working together as a team. Po did not share that bond with them because he barely arrived at their temple. Between him and them, it was more like the bond of a rookie with his seniors, and master in the case of Shifu. He did enjoy their company, but he missed the close friendship bonds he had with his buddies, back in Gongmen. It would be good if he could actually befriend some animals his age, whom he wouldn't have to act formally around most of the time.
"It'd be cool if I could have my own 'Furious Five' group; we could hang around and beat bad guys together," the panda mumbled, feeling his heartbeat accelerating by this mere thought. "We would call ourselves... the Panda Squad! And we would be so AMAZING!" Po started throwing punches and kicks at invisible enemies all around him until he accidentally hit a trunk. But it didn't bother him because his attacks had gotten strong by that point... Wait a minute, a trunk?
Coming back to reality, Po realized that the surrounding landscape had changed. The open space with grass and sun had been replaced by a spooky forest where the light could barely pierce through the wall of leaves. The trees were tall, their branches looking like hands reaching for the lonely panda. A cool breeze flew by, almost causing him to shiver, and creating a contrast to the burning atmosphere from mere seconds ago.
"For the sake of dumplings, I gotta stop getting lost in my bubble like this!" the panda mentally scolded himself. "Alright, no need to panic. I just have to go back the way I came from, exit this forest, and avoid thinking about monsters..."
Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. The forest was dark and silent. Po had hoped he would just need to follow the road to exit the forest, but came across a crossroads leading in two different directions. Which one was he supposed to take? Praying to the Jade Emperor, Po placed his bet on the left path. He advanced without doing any noise, his gaze fixed on the ground. From time to time, a sun ray would cross the foliage and illuminate the otherwise dark forest path ahead.
Only twenty minutes after roaming in the spooky forest did Po realize he had taken the wrong path. "Rice and berries! How can I be able to beat bad guys, but can't find my way around a stupid forest? I should've taken a map with me before leaving..."
At this moment, a cracking sound reached Po's ears from behind, freezing his entire body on the spot. His already violent heartbeat accelerated. He slowly turned on his heels, listening to the cracking sound getting closer. It came from behind bushes and beyond his sight.
"W-Who's there?" Po asked through his clacking teeth. "I-If you're a monster, then don't even think about eating me, alright? I'm a Kung Fu master, and I'm totally not afraid of monsters!"
The bushes shook, a figure came out, and Po rose his arms in defense. But no harm came to him. Lowering them down, he did not see a monster, but a figure covered in snow-white fur. A canine. With a red jacket open to expose his abdomen. A scabbard tied to his hip. Golden irises that glowed in the forest's darkness, reflecting a threatening expression...
"Shi Xin?!" Po exclaimed.
"Hey, I know you; you're that panda guy from the village," the wolf said, his firm features slightly twisted by surprise. "Wait... Po, right?"
"Yes, exactly! You remembered me!" Po beamed. "Wow, I wasn't expecting to run into you out here, man!"
"Speaking of which, what actually are you doing here?" Shi Xin asked with crossing his arms. "That's pretty far from your village, isn't it?"
"Oh, huh... I was just... Y'know, taking a little stroll to stay in good shape. With all this Kung Fu, it's important to do exercise... to recover... from all this exercise..."
As Po rubbed the back of his head, Shi Xin rose an eyebrow. "You do know I heard all that screaming you did moments ago, right?"
Po sighed and dropped his arms in defeat. "Okay, fine, I admit it. I went for a little walk around the valley and got lost. I tried to get out of this forest for half an hour now, but I can't find my way back."
"Good thing for you that I passed by; this forest is pretty huge, and it's easy to get lost." Shi Xin started walking the opposite way of the path Po had taken. "Follow me, I'm heading toward a village. When there, you can ask for directions and find how to return to your village."
"Oh, thank you SO MUCH! You're a lifesaver, dude!" the young panda beamed and ran up to the Yokai Hunter, following on his heels. "So, what are you still doing around here? Didn't you go back to your hometown in the far north of China after taking down that Yokai?"
"One of the disadvantages of being a Yokai Hunter is that there's no place you can really call 'home'," Shi Xin responded without turning his head to look at Po. "But to answer your question, I received another contract demand. The village I mentioned earlier also have a Yokai problem, so I'm gonna get there to help them."
"Really? Awesome! Well, not awesome for the village, because getting attacked by a Yokai totally sucks. But if it's anything like the other Yokai you took down, then I'm sure those poor villagers have nothing to worry about!"
Shi Xin let out a little noise that almost sounded like a chuckle. "And you? Doing well with your goal of becoming the best Kung Fu master in the world?"
"You bet! I did plenty of progress since the last time you saw me!" Po beamed with throwing a fist forward. "I saved a village from a possessed musician, another one from crocodiles, learned how to climb, and... Well, actually, that's pretty much it." He chuckled and once again rubbed the back of his head. "So... Is your village far? I'd like to get back home before nightfall. Wouldn't want Shifu and the others getting worried about me."
"Don't worry, it's not very far... As you can see for yourself."
As they talked, Po almost failed to see they, at last, came out of the spooky forest. Before them, the road strolled down a cliff all the way to a village at its feet. It almost looked like a rabbit's burrow, plunged at the depth of a canyon where a stream crossed through the middle of the zone.
"This is the place?"
"Yup. That's where I'm expected." Shi Xin started walking down the road. "Stay on your guards; there's a Yokai roaming around here."
Po made sure to stay close to his companion as they both made their way down the road. Barely did they arrive at the village's entrance that a welcome committee already received them. The villagers mostly consisted of bunnies - farmers, if Po was to assume, from the numerous fruit and vegetable fields around. One of the villagers, an elder bunny wearing glasses, stepped forward.
"Are you the Yokai Hunter we have called for, sir?" he asked.
"Yes," Shi Xin confirmed with a nod of his head. "I saw the call for help on the announcement board in the middle of the commercial road north from here. So you have a Yokai problem around here?"
"Yes, sir. This is horrible! We already lost six of our friends in so little time. This cannot go on!" the elder exclaimed, with some of the other villagers nodding in agreement. "From the studies I did on Yokai, I think this is what you call a 'Joker Yokai' or something like that. Think you can take care of it?"
"Sure; Joker Yokai are some of the weakest of the species. But they can cause trouble when they run in packs. This is why I'd like to make sure there's only one tricking around and not many ones. Can you take me to the last place one of your friends lost their lives?" Shi Xin requested.
"Of course, follow me," the elder nodded and turned on his heels, walking down the village. Po and Shi Xin followed behind him.
During the walk through the village, Po noticed many villagers giving staring in their direction. Some of these stares were filled with wonder and curiosity, while others displayed... fear and worry. A mother held her son close while other villagers just returned to their home. They whispered amongst themselves loud enough for Po and Shi Xin to hear them:
"This guy looks very scary!"
"I hope he won't attack us after this whole ordeal is done..."
"Why would the chief call help from guys like this rather than the Imperial Army?"
"Guess they're too busy. But still, I would've preferred if we received help from mercenaries or bounty hunters rather than a half-Yokai."
"Mercenaries must not be very good with Yokai. We need monsters to fight monsters..."
Po noticed that Shi Xin's ear twitched a bit after this comment. However, he did not turn to look at the village and just kept following the elder. After a stroll, they arrived at a little, modest house at the far back of the village. It was located near a pond. "This is the place?" Shi Xin asked.
"Yes. Poor Su Qiang and Huo Lim were the most charming people you can encounter," the elder confirmed. "They always worked hard to provide good food and loved each other. I don't understand how we can do something so cruel to such good folks..."
Shi Xin advanced toward the house. "Po, stay here with him. I'm gonna investigate this residence."
"Do you want me to help?" the panda offered.
"No. I work better alone."
Carefully pulling the door open, Shi Xin stepped inside the house. Not even two seconds in did the canine frown and almost covered his nose. Nobody took care of this place in a long time. Smell aside, this residence looked quite nice. Bookshelves decorated the living room, where the fireplace was filled with worn out wood. Through the window, he could see clothes hanging on a line and dancing in the breeze. They were all dry.
The Yokai Hunter soon arrived in the bedroom. Outside a messy-looking bed, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The picture of a happy bunny couple sat on a desk. However, the smell was different in this particular room. It was rotten, but not in the same way as the rest of the house. Sulfur. And... rotten meat...
"Looks like I found my first clue...," he quietly mumbled to himself.
The next detail to catch the canine's attention was on the floor. Kneeling down, he ran his gloved paw over the floor. When he brought it back, it was covered in a gray substance that looked like salt... But it wasn't...
"Hum, very interesting." A frown formed on Shi Xin's face. He stood back up, exited the bedroom, and returned to Po and the elder bunny.
"So? Have you found anything, mister Yokai Hunter?" the bunny inquired.
"I actually did," Shi Xin confirmed, his arms crossed. "And I got a few questions to ask you. First off, where did you found the corpses of this young couple?"
"In their bedroom, sir. They had not given any news for two entire days, so I went to check up on them. Knocked at the door, but they didn't respond. So I entered, ventured to their bedroom, and... By all the gods...," the elder explained, his body trembling at the memory.
"In what state did you find them?" Shi Xin continued his interrogation. "I did not find any trace of blood in the house."
"Lying together in the bed - in each other's embrace. Their bodies were... all soft and squishy." The elder once again had a shiver running down his spine. "It was horrible. I-It almost looked like they got all their insides sucked out of them. Their eyes... they were white as milk... But I could clearly see the looks of horror on their face..." Po gave a gentle pat of comfort on his shoulder.
Shi Xin's expression, however, remained firm. "There's only one problem. Joker Yokai do not attack their targets like this. They wait for their prey to be alone before jumping on them, and always leave a bloody mess behind. Plus...," he showed his gloved paw with the gray dust on it, "... I found this scattered around the bed. As far as I know, no Joker Yokai leave this." He narrowed his eyes. "This substance is from the skin of a Shinchū!"
Po blinked his eyes. A Shinchū? What was that supposed to be? And why did the village's elder started looking nervous as soon as that word was mentioned?
"Yes, it's true... It doesn't change anything to the situation, though. Right?"
"Actually, I'm afraid it does," Shi Xin stated, his arms still crossed. "Joker Yokai are small fries, but Shinchū are in an entirely different category. They are more powerful, more dangerous. A contract to take one down is a lot more elevated for a Yokai Hunter."
The village's elder let out a sigh of desperation, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "Yes, I am aware of it. I've read in the Yokai Hunters' culture how your prices differ from one type of Yokai to the other. Unfortunately, our village is very poor. We don't have the means to pay for a Shinchū contract. This is why we said on our call for help that we had trouble with a Joker Yokai. Wait for me, I'll be back..."
Po and Shi Xin watched the little bunny walk away. He returned a few moments later with a wallet and a few villagers closely following on his heels. "Here, this is all the money we could gather," the elder said, handing the item to Shi Xin.
As his canine friend opened it, Po looked over his shoulder to see the wallet's content. A few yuan - not much. If Po was to guess, he'd say that Shi Xin would be able to buy himself one or two modest meals with this reward. He looked at the white wolf staring at the package with a neutral, expressionless face. After a few seconds, he decided to talk.
"... This is far from being enough to cover for a Shinchū contract, I'm afraid." The villagers looked down. Po was about to take their defense and try to change the canine's mind, when he talked again. "That being said... It's the first time a village is willing to offer me everything they have..." Giving a nod, Shi Xin closed the wallet and pulled it down. "Very well, I accept the contract. I will take care of the Shinchū."
All the disappointed faces disappeared, replaced by surprised and happy ones. "Really? Y-You accept?! Oh, thank you so much, Yokai Hunter!" the elder thanked. "And they say that Yokai Hunters have no heart..."
"They also say that when royalty farts, it smells like roses," Shi Xin remarked with humor before pulling the wallet back in the little bunny's paws and turning around.
"Wait, you're not going to take the reward?"
"Only when my mission will be complete. If I can complete it, that is," the white wolf replied. "Should I fail, you won't owe me anything. I'm gonna start looking for it now."
"Good luck to you, sir Yokai Hunter! Is it going to take long?"
"Maybe..."
The cool nocturnal breeze caressed Shi Xin's fur. His eyes were closed so that all of his senses could work on locating his target. Being inside a canyon, the wind did not blow very hard... However, it was still hard enough to bring a sweet smell to his nose.
Opening one eye, he watched Po in the middle of his work. Having filled a pot with water, Po placed it over their campfire and tossed a lot of things in it. Shi Xin did not see what, but it smelled so good he felt tempted to drool. "What are you preparing?"
"Our dinner of course," Po replied, shaking the pot's content with a skimmer. He brought the utensil to his lips and tasted the broth. "Almost there! Just a little more spices, and it should be good to go." After adding a little of two spice containers, Po grabbed a bowl, filled with the soup, and then approached Shi Xin. "Good thing the villagers were kind enough to give me the equipment to cook. Here, I hope you enjoy it."
Shi Xin took the bowl and inspected its content. Noodles were bathing in a golden broth with spices and other ingredients in the mix. Taking a good sniff, he could affirm without a doubt that this smell was the complete opposite of the house's he inspected that day. "What is it?"
"A special recipe from my mother's restaurant. It's a watermelon and corn noodle soup!" Po answered while filling his own bowl. "I'm sure you're gonna enjoy it! Come on, dig in!"
Unable to resist the panda's urging, Shi Xin used his chopsticks to grab some noodles from the soup and slipped it into his mouth. His golden eyes widened and seemed to shine in the evening's darkness. "... De-li-CIOUS! The spices in the broth are giving a cohesive taste, and the noodles go down my throat like worms! I can practically feel my energy coming back - like the power of the sun! What about the corn and watermelons?" He plucked the little ingredients out of the soup, biting them with an unusual enthusiasm. "So crispy! It's almost like eating wontons, but more juicy! The flavors are practically taking over my entire mouth!"
Po was about to start eating too, but stopped upon seeing his friend's reaction. For the first time, the wolf's firm and serious expression melted away, revealing a beautiful smile. His cheeks turned a bit red. "Wow, so you enjoy it?"
"Po, having traveled across two different countries, I can tell you that I did eat a lot of things... But none of it can compare to this!" Shi Xin quickly swallowed another bite before looking back at Po. "Where did you learn to cook like this? Is cooking also a discipline at your Kung Fu temple?"
"Not exactly." Po rubbed the back of his head. "Before coming here, I lived in Gongmen City with my mother. She was a cook, so I learned a lot from her."
"She must be a great cook to make meals like this," Shi Xin remarked before taking another sip of his bowl. "So you're from Gongmen City? Actually, I remember that you mentioned it when I came to your village."
The two friends ate in silence for the rest of the meal. To Po's surprise, Shi Xin actually asked for two more bowls of soup before finally being satisfied. The white wolf licked his lips and patted his stomach before a strong burp escaped his mouth.
"Excuse me," he quickly apologized. "The meal was fantastic. It's just too bad I didn't bring any baijiu; this would have made it just perfect! You have my thanks, Po."
"Glad you liked it!" Po replied, his mouth open into a big grin. His eyes then caught sight of something interesting: the black symbol on the left part of Shi Xin's chest. Now that he remembered, Po did get to see a glimpse of that symbol the first time he met Shi Xin, but couldn't grasp its entire form. With the way Shi Xin laid back, the symbol was now visible in the fire's light. But it wasn't Chinese; it was Japanese. "Say, Shi Xin," Po said, pointing at his torso, "what's that tattoo on your chest?"
The Yokai Hunter stopped smiling and gazed down at his chest. "Oh, this? It's a Japanese kanji. It reads: 'sanjuuni'."
"Which means?"
"32."
"32? Why d'you have that tattooed on you?" Po wondered, crossing his arms.
Shi Xin remained silent at that question for a few seconds before looking up at the sky. "It's a pretty long story. To understand it, you need to know how the Yokai Hunters' organization works."
"I wanna hear it!" Po insisted, approaching the white wolf with a goofy smile, like a kid begging his mother to tell him a bedtime story.
Shi Xin blinked his eyes a few times before smirking and letting out a chuckle. "You're a strange guy, you know that? Fine, the Shinchū probably won't show its face for a while; guess I can tell you a little story." He leaned toward Po. "Do you know how many Yokai Hunters like me there are in the world right now?" Po shook his head, just as Shi Xin had expected. He rose his paw and lifted all five fingers. "Fifty. At this very moment, there are fifty Yokai Hunters roaming the world, me included."
"Fifty Yokai Hunters? That's so cooool!" Po beamed. "But wait, what does this have to do with your tattoo?"
"I was coming to that point. See, a special requirement of our organization is that every member needs to be ranked from weakest to strongest. In order to do that, we are given those special tattoos that show our place in this ranking system. We receive them immediately once we become a Yokai Hunter." Shi Xin tapped the symbol on his chest with the tip of a finger. "In this ranking, the number 1 is the strongest, while the number 50 is the weakest. According to my tattoo, I am currently the 32nd strongest Yokai Hunter in the world."
"Really?! That's awesome!" Po beamed, throwing a fist in the air. "Does that mean you're gonna keep this number for the rest of your life?"
"No." Shi Xin shook his head. "These tattoos are magic and designed to change when one member becomes stronger than another one. For example, if I was to become stronger than the current number 31, then my tattoo would turn to 31 while the other would get the number 32. The same goes for all the other members."
"Wow, wish I had a tattoo like that!" Po exclaimed. "Hey, can you do other things with it? Can it turn into the figure of a cute character and run everywhere on your body?"
Taken aback by this question, Shi Xin simply gave an odd look to the panda. "Hum... No, it's not a Polynesian tattoo; it can only change numbers."
"Oh, too bad. Hey, I also have a cool power. Wanna see it?"
"Sure."
"Invitation, Shi Xin!"
The white wolf slightly jumped when the invitation window popped in front of him. "W-What's this thing?"
"I'll explain everything to you. First off, click on the 'accept' tab!" Po urged him.
Shi Xin did as requested and found himself with the set of tabs before him. Then began Po's long explanation about his Experience System Chi, how he obtained it, and all of its functions. The white wolf remained silent and attentive throughout the entire explanation, giving the occasional nod to his friend.
"That's very interesting indeed," Shi Xin confirmed once Po finished talking. "I've never seen anyone with a power like this. I'm sure you'll be able to accomplish lots of things with it."
"Thanks." Po grinned and chuckled a bit. Then, out of nowhere, his eyes widened, and he slammed a fist in his palm. "Jeez! I completely forgot! Say, Shi Xin, what would you say about becoming my comrade?"
"Comrade?" Shi Xin repeated, rising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'm currently looking for animals to form my own group! A gang of guys I can call my friends and with whom I can go on adventures! It'd be cool to have someone like you in it, so whatta you say?"
Shi Xin seriously stared Po for a few seconds, as if contemplating the offer. He then lowered his head without a smile. "This isn't a good idea, Po. Believe me, you don't wanna have a Yokai Hunter in your group, it would only cause you trouble."
"Why's that?" Po asked, tilting his head to the side.
Shi Xin once again looked at Po. "Because we are half-Yokai hybrids, meaning that problems are destined to follow us wherever we go. And I'm not talking only about Yokai; all of China's society does not take kindly to our kind. Having one in your team would cause others to think ill of you. Do you really want to live in the constant fear of being attacked by Yokai and with people looking down upon you?"
Po did not say anything and just stared at Shi Xin with an innocent expression. The Yokai Hunter had expected the innocent panda to look down and go back on his offer... but instead, he just gave another goofy grin. "It's okay, I can live with that!"
"Are you completely numb or what?!" Shi Xin asked in a somewhat comical way.
"Not at all." Po took a cool allure while holding his rice hat. "My goal is to become the greatest Kung Fu master in all of China, not to comfort to society nor to do what others believe I should do. In order to do that, I'm gonna have to become strong, but also have a strong group following me. Animals like you! I'm already supposed to face bad guys and criminals, I'm okay with also having to fight demons if necessary!"
Shi Xin blinked his golden eyes multiple times. He looked at Po like he had just announced he was his secret brother and had grown three heads. Him, joining a group? After being on his own for so long? Under normal circumstance, he would refuse without hesitation... but this panda was special. He could tell that all of his words were sincere. There was this friendly but also chaotically serious aura surrounding him. Should he actually consider his offer?
Before being able to answer, the white wolf's head suddenly turned in a direction. "The Yokai! He's here!"
Po wasted no time kicking to his feet. "Alright! Let's go!" He started running away from the camp when Shi Xin called for him.
"Po!" The panda stopped in his tracks and turned around to see his wolf friend pointing in the opposite direction. "The Yokai's that way..."
"... Oh, my bad!" Po chuckled and started running in the right direction this time.
As he got up and ran alongside him, Shi Xin stormed a lot of thoughts to himself about his companion. "A special power, willing to be ill-seen by society, and no fear of facing demons... Who are you exactly, Po?"
After a while, Po and Shi Xin came to a clearing outside the village. Shi Xin signaled for Po to stop behind him. "Something's moving," he whispered.
They approached cautiously. Something was lying in the middle of the clearing and near the stream running through the village. He was a rabbit villager. Dead. His body looked like a pillow that had been emptied of its foam, his white eyes still reflecting an expression of terror.
"Oh no, we're too late!" Po sadly remarked, his face twisted in disgust at the sight before them. "Where's the Yokai now?"
"I don't know; its presence disappeared." Shi Xin frowned and kept his sight locked on the towel-like corpse. "I don't understand; we arrived here fast enou-"
Shi Xin's thoughts were interrupted when a rustle reached his ears. He froze in place. Something had moved in the stream. Then a figure emerged from the water, approaching the corpse like a tiger pouncing on its prey. A very tall figure reaching higher than any other animal living around. The two companions stopped moving and widened their eyes.
"W-W-What's that thing?!" Po asked, struggling not to tremble.
The thing in question probably heard him as it stopped interacting with the corpse and turned towards them, finally revealing its identity. An insect presence whose appearance could as accurately possible be described as a silkworm moth, taller and larger than an elephant. Eight arms were coming out of its sides, all of them ending with three clawed fingers. Its dirty skin was covered in gray fur, some of which formed a mustache similar to that of a seal underneath its nose. Its saucer-like eyes faintly glowed in the moonlight, revealing nothing but cruelty and hunger. The creature opened its jaw, revealing a set of teeth as sharp as swords, a flow of saliva dripping down on the ground.
"... Shi Xin? Is that...?"
"Yes... It's the Shinchū!"
"What must we do?"
"Kill it, of course!"
Shi Xin reached both of his gloved paws into his vest instead of going for his sword, as Po had expected him to do. When they came out, his wrists were now attached to two weapons that looked like wooden crossbows with large cartridges on the upper part and handles connected to the main mechanism in the palm of his paws. He rose those two weapons toward the Shinchū and pressed the handles.
A storm of arrows flew up to the Yokai, piercing its skin and flesh. Po had to cover his ears as the beast let out a roar of rage and pain that boomed like thunder. Shi Xin failed to do the same and, having a sharper hearing due to being a canine, felt briefly disoriented by the scream. "I think you made it mad!" Po remarked while still pressing his paws against the sides of his head.
Howling in fury, the Shinchū moved in a funny way before two enormous bug wings came out of its back. They started flapping, creating a violent gust of wind that briefly made the two warriors lose their balance, and took to the skies. Shi Xin once again rose his paws and shot a volley of arrows that failed to connect with the flying beast.
"Dang it! It's moving too fast!" he exclaimed, stopping his attack when his crossbows ran out of arrows. He quickly removed the cartridges and replaced them by other ones hiding in his jacket. Unfortunately, this gave the Shinchū a chance to get on the attack.
Flying down at full speed, the Yokai revealed a giant sting similar to that of a bee at the bottom tip of its body. "DODGE!" Po rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the sting that went to plant itself in the ground, sending dirt flying in the air. The Shinchū seemed to have developed a greater interest in Po, as it flew in his direction rather than Shi Xin's. The young panda found himself backpedaling to avoid the sting flying over and over again at him. He had to think of a plan as he approached a big tree and would soon run out of space to dodge.
Fortunately, before this could happen, Shi Xin attacked the Shinchū in the back with another arrow volley, turning it into a porcupine. After emptying his cartridges, he charged at full speed and finally unsheathed his sword. He jumped high into the air with his powerful canine legs, rising his sword above his head. The silver blade glowed under the moonlight, ready to claim the Yokai's life.
This was not to be, however, as two of the beast's hands grabbed the canine by the shoulders, stopping him dead in his tracks. Mumbling a swear, Shi Xin attempted to break free, but in vain. The Shinchū growled and tightened its grip on its enemy, digging its claws in his shoulders, and making him groan in pain.
"Shi Xin!" Po exclaimed and ran forward to his friend's help. The Yokai was not about to let that happen, however, and simply swung the white wolf like a bat, slamming him into the panda, and sending the two of them flying to the other side of the clearing.
"Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark!" Po groaned after skidding to a stop and clutched his ribs. His attention then turned to his comrade, whose snow-white fur was now tainted in red. "Oh my gosh, Shi Xin! You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll survive," he responded, reaching a gloved paw to rub the side of his aching head. His eyes then glared toward the monster on the other end of the battle zone. "That guy's not going to go down as easily as the Joker Yokai from the other day..."
"I figured that out," Po replied as he re-adjusted his rice hat on his head. "I feel safe with you, though; you did beat plenty of guys like him before, right?"
A grin formed on the wolf's lips. "Nope. It's the first time I'm up against a Shinchū. Honestly, I'm not sure the two of us are enough to take it down."
"Eh, eh, eh... You're kidding, right?" Po asked with a nervous smile.
Shi Xin wiped some blood off his fur before rising his sword again. "Listen, Po, we need to find a way to hurt it before it turns us into a skewer. I'm going to engage it in close combat, and I want you to run while it is distracted. Find a way to land a powerful blow when you can, okay?"
Po did not like the idea of leaving his partner's side in such a dangerous situation, but he also knew that arguing with him at this point would not bring anything good, so he just nodded and went to hide behind a tree. Shi Xin bared his fangs and went to meet the Shinchū in the middle of the clearing. Sparks flew across the air every time his sword collided with the beast's sting. In spite of the difference in sizes, Shi Xin managed to hold his grounds thanks to his swordsmanship, knowing exactly when to attack and when to dodge.
Whilst all of this happened, Po snuck his way around until he reached a tree facing the Shinchū's back. Trying to be as sneaky as possible, he climbed the trunk without too much trouble. Once at the very top, he looked down to see the battle unfolding. Despite managing to stand his ground pretty well against such a monster, Po could see that fatigue was starting to settle in as Shi Xin's moves were getting slower. He needed to act quick!
"Come on, come on, get closer!" Po mumbled, waiting for the Shinchū to get close enough for him to jump. Lucky for him, Shi Xin noticed his position and started rolling around in a way to drag the monster closer to the tree. Po grinned, took position, waited, and...
"PANDA QUAKE!"
The Shinchū looked up to see Po grinning and jumping down at him, his limbs spread, and his stomach pulled forward. However, before he could connect, the panda got smacked away by the Shinchū's arm as if he was but a mere fly. Shi Xin's eye twitched.
"YOU MORON! DON'T ANNOUNCE YOUR ATTACK BEFORE DOING IT!"
Unfortunately, the Shinchū did not stop to pay attention to the ridiculousness of the situation as his opponent did, and the white wolf received a violent hit from the side that snapped his arm like a twig. His body falling on the floor, he opened his mouth as far as possible and let out a scream that pierced the air of the entire canyon. Somehow managing to stay awake, he reached for his broken limb with his good paw. It was burning like fire and a puddle started forming underneath him.
Injured, tired, and out of options, Shi Xin started having doubts. Could he really win this one? The sensation of the ground shaking underneath him reminded the wolf of the monster that slowly approached him. He looked up. The Shinchū towered over him, its saucer eyes locked onto his immobile figure. With a faint growl, it opened its jaw, revealing a set of blades ready to tear him to shreds.
"Is this it? Am I going to die here and now?" the wolf asked himself. It felt... weird. All of his life, he had thought that he would welcome the moment of his death with grace and simply accept it without regret. Yet, here he was, trembling in fear, sweat mixing with his blood, and a burning rage in his heart. Was it because of this voice in the back of his mind?
"Shi Xin... You have the potential to bring so much good to this world... I know it is dark, crappy - even disgusting at times... But it's also beautiful... And you can do so much... More than just money and renown..."
Shi Xin tightened his fangs so hard they threatened to break. No. He couldn't die! Not yet! Otherwise... she wouldn't look at him with her brightest smile... Pushing a growl, Shi Xin crawled toward his sword he dropped after taking the hit. There was no way he would reach it before getting eaten by the Shinchū... but he had to try! A warm, disgusting breath reached his back. He closed his eyes, expecting to feel the sweet kiss of death. When it did not come, Shi Xin heard a groan of pain and turned around.
His golden eyes widened in complete shock. Po was standing between the Shinchū and he, blocking the monster's jaw with both of his arms. Somehow, he managed to pull his paws in the right places without getting pierced by the fangs. The Shinchū groaned, trying to close its jaw, but the panda not allowing it to.
"... Po?" Shi Xin mumbled, clearly in a state of shock.
"Quick... I won't hold it back for long...!" Po groaned, his face getting red from the tremendous physical effort he was furnishing.
His survival instincts kicking in, Shi Xin grabbed his sword and jumped as high as he could, landing on the Shinchū's head. With a fierce growl, he lodged his sword in the very middle of the beast's forehead. It did not go deep enough due to him using only one arm, so Shi Xin placed his good paw on top of the handle and sunk his trusty weapon as deep as it could go.
Everything remained still for a moment, nobody on the scene moving. Po stared into the abyss that was the Shinchū's mouth, frightened at the thought it would start moving again and swallow him with one bite. Then, after an eternity, a soft growl emanated from its throat before it staggered and collapsed on the ground. It twitched in agony for a few seconds before getting still.
Po stumbled back and fell on his rear end. For a time, he couldn't do anything but stare at the immobile figure before him. It took a lot of time, but reality finally settled in his mind. "It's... dead?" Excitation kicking up, Po got to his feet and started jumping around in joy. "YES! WE DID IT! WE SLAYED THIS EVIL BEAST! THAT WAS SO AWESOME, SHI XIN!" His joy faded away in seconds, replaced instantly by worry. "... Holy dumplings, Shi Xin!"
He started looking for his comrade when something happened to the Shinchū's body. It slowly turned into ash that looked like snow, floating away in the wind. All trace of the monster disappeared after a few seconds, allowing Po to see Shi Xin clutching to his blood-stained sword. The canine could not stand higher than a sitting position.
"SHI XIN!" Po rushed at his friend's side, doing his best not to panic. "My gosh! You're covered in blood! And your arm! It's broken!"
In spite of his tedious state, the white wolf managed to twist his lips into a smile. "... Thank you... Po..."
"What?"
Shi Xin pulled his head up, looking at the panda with a weak, tired smile. "Thank you, Po... For everything..." Unable to remain conscious any longer, he let his sword fall and collapsed on the ground, his golden eyes closing up.
"SHI XIN!"
A soft light brushed against his face. He tried to block it with his paw, but his arms were too heavy. Forgetting the idea of blocking the light, Shi Xin blinked his eyes until he could distinguish the goofy face of Po leaning over him.
"Awesome! You're finally awake!" he beamed. "I was getting worried, y'know."
Shi Xin blinked his eyes a few more times before widening them as everything returned to him. "The Shinchū!" he exclaimed, pulling himself up to a sitting position. A decision he regretted because of the pain that shot through his body.
"Stay calm, dude, it's all over. We won," Po calmed his friend, preventing him from doing any other sudden move.
Shi Xin looked around and realized that he was in an infirmary, lying on a bed with comfy sheets. His broken arm was wrapped in a cast and bandages covered every part that was damaged during the fight. Po had a few plasters and bandages on his paws, but nothing too bad. The elder of the village was present too.
"How long have I been there?" the wolf asked.
"An entire day. The villagers are gonna be happy to learn that their saviors are fine; they were terribly worried about you," the elder explained. He had pearls in his eyes and struggled to keep his composure. "Thank you so much for saving our precious village, sir! Here is the reward we promised you."
The little bunny pulled out the same wallet that had been presented at the moment of the contract and placed it on Shi Xin's bed. The white wolf stared at it for a few seconds before reaching his good paw toward it... and pulling it back in the elder's paws. "Keep it," he said. "It wouldn't make sense for me to save your village from a Yokai just to let it fall in ruins. Besides, I have no monetary problems, so I should be fine."
This time, the elder could not contain himself anymore and allowed the tears to come out. "You really are a great man, sir Yokai Hunter! And to think that everyone claims Yokai Hunters to be nothing but mindless beasts seeking blood... I know today that these are nothing but stupid nonsense... This village will never forget you, sir Yokai Hunter. You'll always be welcome."
Po couldn't resist the urge to smile. For a so-called half-demon, Shi Xin certainly had the kindness that was usually associated with monks and Kung Fu masters. It was then that an important detail popped in his mind. "Sir, would you mind leaving me alone with Shi Xin? I wish to talk with him about something important."
"Yes, off course, Master Po, take all the time you need," the little bunny politely accepted and excused himself from the room, leaving the panda alone with his wolf companion.
"What did you want to talk about, Po?" Shi Xin inquired, sitting up in a proper position.
Po rubbed the back of his head. "Well... You remember the conversation we had at dinner, just before the fight against the Yokai? When I asked you to join my team of friends? It's that... you didn't really have time to give me your answer. So... I was wondering if you had made up your mind about that."
Shi Xin once again took on his serious expression. He lowered his head to look down at the bedsheets without talking for an eternity. Then, at last, he opened his mouth and talked.
"There's something important you need to know about me before hearing my response, Po..." His voice was low, but sharp enough to cut wood. "I also have my own ambitions." He lifted his good arm and touched the tattoo on his chest with one finger. "To turn this tattoo into number one! I've been seeking this goal for many years, and am still planning on making it happen. I will not let ANYTHING nor ANYONE get in the way of my ambitions..."
"Really? That's awesome-"
"I'm not joking!" Shi Xin once again rose his head, giving possibly the sharpest, most aggressive glare Po had ever seen. "Having me as a partner is not something to be taken lightly! If you do anything that could prevent me from reaching my goal, I will treat you as my enemy and grant you a fate worse than that reserved for the Yokai I usually hunt and kill!" He narrowed his golden eyes, practically piercing a hole through the panda's head. "Do I make myself clear?"
This speech seen a powerful shiver down Po's spine. Shi Xin was definitely not messing around. However, Po managed to simply cross his arms and give his most sincere grin. "Really? So you wanna become the best Yokai Hunter in the world? That's cool! I'm gonna be the greatest Kung Fu master, so it's pretty sure that I'm gonna have to go up against tough guys. I'd be very happy to have someone like you in my team!" He reached a fist forward. "So? It's official? We're on the same team now?"
Shi Xin's aggressive expression softened a bit. His lips twisted into a grin, allowing his sharp teeth to be seen. He rose his good arms and met Po's fist with his own. "Yes, we are... partner!"
Author's note: Yoopie! Shi Xin is back in the story and now the first member of Po's team. Aren't you happy?
I suppose most of you must be wondering why I want to give Po his own team rather than simply having him team up with the Furious Five all the time, as he does in every KFP fanfic. Well, to be honest with you, I've never had any problem accepting the friendly bond between Po and the Five... but to me, it has always been more inclined on the side of a student with his seniors since the Five had been practicing Kung Fu for many years already when Po just started. That's why I'd like him to have companions he could be closer to. Now, you might argue here that Shi Xin is a more experienced warrior too, but practicing Kung Fu and hunting demons aren't exactly the same thing. Plus, every Luffy needs his Zoro.
You might have gotten Witcher vibes from this chapter due to the entire concept of Yokai Hunters, but believe or not, this was not my source of inspiration for the concept... Well, maybe a little. However, what truly gave me the idea was an old anime called 'Claymore'. It's the first anime about monster hunting I have ever seen, so it has a special place in my heart. I definitely recommend it if you like anime and monster hunting.
Fun fact: the Shinchū is based on a real Yokai from Japanese folklore. However, unlike my depiction in this chapter, they do not attack humans (animals, in this case) and simply feed on demons and evil spirits. Since I was already half-way through the chapter when I learned this piece of information, it was too late to change the plot, so I had to stick to my guns.
Second fun fact: when creating Shi Xin, I had originally intended him to use two gauntlets that could shoot bullets as to give him a fighting style similar to that of Dante from Devil May Cry. the problem was that I couldn't find a way to incorporate such a concept without breaking the 'mystical ancient China atmosphere'. That's when I remembered that repeating crossbow used by Guts in 'Berserk'; it worked kinda like a gun and would actually fit in a world like Kung Fu Panda, so that's what I gave our white wolf.
Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again for the next chapter!