(The Emperor's Palace-Two Weeks Ago)

"Can we play again?! I wanna play again!"

"I dunno. You're really good at this game."

These two were members of the Royal Family. One was the grandson of the esteemed Emperor of China, though he didn't really have the aura of an esteemed member of the Royal Family. He gave off a much more humble aura thsn one would expect from the Royal Family. He was a water buffalo wearing brown pants with a green sash wrapped around it. His face didn't give off any vibe of royal maturity either. Only confusion and clusminess. Speaking of clumsy, that trait was the exact reason why he keeps losing at hide-and-seek. That, and he seriously can't tell what a good hiding place from a bad one. How bad was this tendency? There were PLENTY of great places to hide in the Royal Palace, and yet he keeps getting found within two minutes.

And by his second cousin. Who was four years old, a young goose, the daughter of the Emperor's sister, who was also a goose. No one dared to question this, if they truly wish to keep their heads on their shoulders. The close familiar bond between all members of the Royal Family, while tense at times, was absolutely unquestionable. While the Emperor was really living up tp his title of high authority, as well as being incredibly strict at times, he's very much a fair and respectable leader. His sister was much more laid back and easy to approach. She takes great love in her family, and takes much time in taking care of her beloved son. The Emperor's grandson didn't have much dignity at all, and was a total goofball. Ironically, he and his second cousin were the easiest to approach.

Lu Kang was rather easy to interact with, precisely because he was the kindest. Zan was easy to approach because he was four years old and still learning about the world. Despite one of them sometimes being unable to fit through certain doors, both of them had the capacity to be surprisingly adorable.

"Well...alright. But I keep telling you, you're too good at this game." Lu Kang sighed as he raised his hoof. "Alright then. As usual, I'll hide, and you seek me out!"

"Okay!~" Zan smiled as he turns around and covers his eyes. "One...two...three..."

Lu Kang looked around the large room, eagerly looking for a place to hide. He smiled s he believes he found somewhere to hide, and briefly sprints off to hide. Zan continues to count upwards, the both of them currently oblvious to the Emperor and his sister watching them both from a distance. Zu smiled warmly at the interactions between the boys, especially how her nephew was so eager and willing to play hide-and-seek with her son, despite how notoriously terrible he was at it.

"...Okay! Here I come!" Zan said as he uncovered his eyes and turned around quickly.

Lu Kang was hiding behind a pillar, giggling the entire time. I've got him this time! There's no way he'll guess where I am! He says this with the utmost confidence. Though he seemed to be completely unaware that the pillar was not large enough to hide his body, nor his horns. He may be unaware of this, but his cousin sure was. Zan walked up to the pillar and waved at him happily for a few moments. The water buffalo slowly turns towards him with a look of shock, utterly baffled by the geese's success. Though he sweatdropped and sighed, lowering his head.

"You win again...how the heck are you so good at this game?!"

"Hehe!"

The Emperor sighs as he slowly facepalms. "This is their one hundred and fifth game of hide and seek..."

"And my darling boy has won every single one! Zan is the best seeker in the family, isn't he brother?" Zu said sweetly, her wings clasped with a delighted and slightly mischievous smile. her brother groans in aggravation and simply stares at the ceiling, while the much smaller goose giggled at his embarassment. He soon turns away from the boys and walks down one of the many hallways that filled the Palace. Zu dropped her slightly joking demeanor as she walked by him with a more supportive gaze. "Brother...I know you are worried..."

"How can I not be, Zu? I worry about my grandson every day. It doesn't seem to me that he can properly understand the seriousness of his position." He replied while turning towards his younger and smaller sister. "His birthday is coming soon. And I think it might be as good a time as any to become the day that he will..."

"...Succeed you?"

"...Yes."

It was no secret to everyone who served the Emperor. He could not stay in power forever, nor did he really wish to. He would like nothing more than for his grandson Lu Kang to step up to take the throne in his place, and he himself could finally retire. Unfortunately, Lu Kang did not have the skill, nor the mindset, nor the maturity necessary when it comes to claiming the throne of Emperor. It was not a position to take lightly, as it is a position which allows the entirety of China to be placed upon the occupants rule. Zan was much too young to be placed in such a position, the boy needed to enjoy his age while he could. Lu Kang, however, was at the efficient age to take over as Emperor, but has never shown interest it so far. But that was likely due to a lack of confidence of being able to take up such a big and important responsibility. This possible, significant change in Lu Kang's life has greatly intimidated him, and he hasn't talked about it much when he brought it up a couple weeks ago.

"U-Um...I don't think I'm cut out for being an Emperor, Grandpa. Besides, I don't think that I can do any better than you can...maybe someone else can take my place...? I...I just don't feel up to it..."

His grandson lacks confidence. To the point of self-depreciation. That simply would not do at all. An Emperor does not have to be cruel in order to be a strong and powerful leader...but an Emperor also cannot be weak-willed and defenseless. He would like nothing more than for Lu Kang to take his place, but not the way he was now. If Lu Kang couldn't prove himself worthy of the throne...then he would have no coice but to banish him. That's the last thing he wanted to do, but he didn't have much time for many other options. He found these pooints to be repeatedly pointed out to him by his closest servants and advisors.

"Brother. Lu Kang does not believe he's ready to become Emperor. He certainly has his heart in the right place, but that's overshadowed by the dark cloud of low confidence that hangs over his head. It would appear that his cousin Zan is his only escape from that tension." Zu continued. "You're not going to force him onto the position without him being mentally prepared for it, are you?"

"Of course not. I don't want him to take up this position without all of the preparation he needs. And I made sure that he understands the duties of Emperor, and what comes with it. The only thing he lacks is the confidence, and Kung Fu..." He quietly shook his head. "Try as he might, he just cannot seem to pull it off on his own. It's imperative for him to learn it as soon as possible. Because if he does not...then..."

"Being his grandfather and being Emperor..." Zu said quietly, not finishing the statement.

"I don't want to undermine and jeopardize China's future just for his sake. But I also cannot forsake him and leave him to fade away. I truly wish to find a way to have him overcome this mental block, but I don't now how to do so. Not on my own." As much as Lu Kang loves his grandfather and vice versa, it was incredibly difficult to understand and connect with each other. Their personalities contrasted to the degree that it could be identified from even total strangers that don't directly serve the Emperor. This made communication between the two rather difficult, because there wasn't much they could truly and genuinely agree on that didn't involve their family bond.

Soon enough, the duo were interrupted by steps echoing through the hallway, and they turned around to identify the cause. It was their servants/advisors. Meng Tao and Fai Suan, an antelope and ibex respectively, bow before them both. The former wore a yellow robe and yellow hat. The latter wore a blue robe, black hat, purple garlic belt-which made the Royal Duo step back s couple feet since he eats them daily, and gold earrings.

"Perhaps we can be of some assistance." Fai Suan said while looking downward. "Your grandson lacks the discipline to take over as Emperor. And you say that he still does not know any kind of Kung Fu. Well...suppose we could find a way to remedy both of those cases...if you'd care to hear us out."

"...Explain." The Emperor's eyes were narrowed, but it was clear they had his attention.

Meng Tao raised his head and stepped forward. "You only wish the best for your son, don't you? And his birthday is coming very soon. A month away, in fact! If he doesn't take up Kung Fu soon, then you'll have little choice but to banish him. Even worse than that, you'll be disgraced by your own grandson! No one wants that!" Zu looked worriedly at her brother, noticing he wasn't pleased with these words, but acknowledging that they were true. "Which is why I'm considering an idea of mine, get a proper Kung Fu Master to teach him."

"I have been considering that...but how do we select one?"

"Ah. That's the tricky part of this suggestion. We can't just pick some random Kung Fu Master out of the blue, especially since there are so many. Which is why we'll have to use a more...interesting selection process in order to choose a Kung Fu Master worthy of mentoring the grandson of the Emperor in the art. It will be one of the biggest spectacles that China will ever bear witness to, one of the most large-scale events in it's history! And it will all take place in the Imperial City."

"What event are you speaking of?" Meng Tao briefly explained the simple terms of what he was suggesting the Emperor should do. Fai Suan was nibbling on his garlic, which didn't help in making anyone else in the room feel better. After he was finished recounting his idea, the Emperor's eyes were sharp and concerned. "Meng Tao...what you are suggsting...not only is it incredibly dangerous, but everything could be torn down if it isn't handled with the utmost caution. Why would you even suggest something like this?"

Meng Tao lowered his head with his eyes closed. "That depends on how desparate you are for your grandson to succeed you. And if you believe a Kung Fu Master, or possibly any martial artist capable of teaching him is the way to go...then by all means, why not take a huge leap of faith and use this process to decide who is worthy enough to mentor your grandson. And if none of them are successful...well...you know what that means for him, don't you?" He could see his Emperor looking quite conflicted by this ordeal, and Zu was looking towards him worriedly.

"...Even if I were to agree to this idea of yours...how can I possibly get them to agree?" As the highest authority in China, he could simply be forceful with his intentions...btu that's not how he wanted to do things. He's taken a lesson of kindness from his grandson through watching him, so he wanted to at least present this as an option instead of a direct order.

Fai Suan smiled. "Believe it or not, that's actually quite easy. After all, you have what a majority of them might want. And I'm sure with slight persuasion, they'll want to come and claim it, alongside having a chance to train the grandson of the Emperor, which might prove to be the highest of honors for them, should they accept. Of course who could turn down the chance of improving the Royal Family overall?"

"There's no need to decide right here and now. You can think about it."

The Emperor sighed as he sent the two of them on their way. Zu looked towards her brother and placed a wing on his leg. "Brother...you're not really going to do this, are you? You cannot possibly be considering this idea of theirs, are you? You're not really that desparate to have Lu Kang succeed you, are you?" She saw the conflicted look on his face as he gazed back at Lu Kang and Zan playing with one another. Zu sighed as she closed her eyes and stepped back a couple feet, silently clasping her wings. "I will respect your decision...I just sincerely hope that none of us come to regret it..."

Meng Tao and Fai Suan moved onto the lower levels of the Palace, their faces suddenly becoming emotionless. The guards they passed by didn't seem to mind their looks, though they did seem a bit confused. They didn't give it further thought, and just let them be. Fai Suan was carrying a bowl of cookies in his hooves. He kept his mouth closed so his foul breath didn't spread to them. After all, the one who'll receive them won't be too happy if they smelled foul. They soon reached the bottom and saw a hooded figure staring at them from afar. Fai Suan soon handed the bowl over, and it began levitating towards them, they then grabbed it with their paws and began eating the cookies.

"Ah...the Royal cook sure know his stuff. These cookies are delicious!~"

"I still don't see why I have to keep sneaking these to you..." Fai Suan groaned.

"I also don't get why you insist on eating that rancid purple garlic. Your breath suffers the grave consequences of doing so." Fai Suan jawdropped, at the insult, and was about to reprimand the stranger. Though she swiftly silenced him by slapping him in the face with her tail. "Don't open your mouth so close to me. Back off."

"You didn't have to slap me..."

"Knock it off, you two." Meng Tao grumbled. "...Anyway, we've done what you've asked. We've put the thoughts into the Emperor's head. He's considering the idea."

"Consideration is more than enough. He's too desparate to find other options, espeially in the short time span that he has. He'll take the idea, because he just wants his precious Lu Kang to be come a worthy successor...even if it results in the suffering of others. And in this case...well...we'll just have to see if it actually gets off the ground, first. And if it actually gets genuine recognition, then things might progress quite nicely, won't you agree?"

"Patience is a virtue." Meng Tao said professionally.

The siamese cat under the hood smirked as her eyes flashed with bright blue energy. "When you live as long as I have...you tend to learn a thing or two about patience~"

(Gongmen City-One Week Ago)

"Panda. I need you to come with me for a moment. I have something to show you." Shen came to Po, while he was still packing. The panda turned around with a confused expression, which looked a bit silly. The Peacock rolled his eyes at this and cleared his throat. "We have decided to delay our departure for a little while. Something a bit more important."

Po blinked, setting down his satchel. "Something...more important? Whatever could that be?"

"The matters of your right arm."

Po looked at his stump for a little bit, once again blinking in confusion. "Eh? What about my arm? It's kind of...well...not there."

"I understand that, you dimwit." Shen groaned. "You cannot be an efficient warrior without both of your arms. So I have decided to do something about it. We don't need your lack of a limb holding your friends back and putting them in danger."

"That's his way of saying that he feels bad about being responsible for your lost arms. He wishes to make it right." Taotie said as he was standing in a doorway.

"Silence, you insolent pig!" Shen shouted, though Taotie was unmoved.

"Anyway, we've both been working on something when it comes to your arm. I've come up with the design, and we've both been working on it for quite a while." Taotie saw the confusion on Po's face, and secretly grinned. This was going to be great. He was going to give him such a surprise, and Po was going to be so thrilled about it, too. "We-"

"They've been working on a prosthetic arm." Bian Zao said while sipping a cup of tea.

Taotie slumped over, arms hanging. He sighed in depression and whimpered towards his son. "Why must you always strive to bring me down when I've been trying to building myself back up. It's really mean how you insist on doing that." Taotie shook his head and sighed. "Anyway...yes, Po. We've been constructing a prosthetic for your arm. I worked on it, Shen's worked on it, and Master Yao did a bit of work on it as well. We made sure to do whatever we could to have it fit you, AND make it efficient enough for you to use."

Po tilted his head curiously. "...Um...prosthetic...? What does that mean...?"

"It means having a replacement limb for your lost one. An artificial limb that can function just like your original one. Or any part of your body, for that matter." Shen said as he held out his metal talons. "Like these."

Po looked towards Shen's talons, his eyes wide wih surprise. "Woooah...you replaced your original talons with metal ones...? That's...that's awesome!" He beamed brightly, eyes sparkling in amazement. Though he then blinked again as he wondered what could have caused him to require such an operation. Probably something incredibly serious. He then turned towards Taotie with a curious head tilt. "Wait...so...you've been working on giving me something like that? Something to replace my lost arm. Like a...replacement arm?"

"That's right, Po. You're quite lucky that you recruited my son, and I was required to join him. For as you know, I am a genius!" Taotie declared confidently. "Coming up with the design, measurements, and everything else needed to have it operate as precisely as your old arm!"

"Really? That's...That's awesome! I can kinda get an arm back!" Po declared with cheer. "I'll be able to eat with two paws again!"

Shen rolled his eyes. Simple panda. He's going to have a second chance of having an arm, and he can only think about how much he'll be able to eat with it. I don't see what his compatriots see in him. And what makes him so worthy to be Fenghuang's precious student...? I really am curious. Even though I probably shouldn't be...and I also felt obligated to help him with this arm...hmph. If I'm going to be traveling with him, I cannot afford to have him holding me down with that handicap. That would only further my humiliation and I won't stand for it.

At least that's what Shen thinks to himself.

Taotie folded his arms. "Alright, Po. We might take a chance of safely attaching the prosthetic to you, but it might take a while to get used to. Luckily for you, I know how you tend to adapt and heal awfully quickly. Still, it'd be best not to push your luck too much, alright?" Po nodded readily, and Taotie nodded back. "Well then, let's not dawdle. The sooner we get this started, the sooner you can adapt to it. Follow me and Shen into the other room."

"Alright! Let's do this!"

(Present)

Peng, Lian, and Bian Zao were sitting on top of one of the roofs, gazing out towards the afternoon sun. Bian Zao in particular was just sitting back and relaxing, while Peng and Lian were sitting next to one another while holding paws. Bian Zao sighed as he lied on his back, staring at the sky with an even more relaxed expression than either of them.

"...Ha. The sky's always so blue. Blue is a pretty chill color, if you ask me." Bian Zao said peacefully. "Clouds are always so shifty and so fluffy looking...kinda like a sheep. Sheep are pretty fluffy, aren't they?"

"You tend to talk about the sky a lot, don't you?" Lian noted.

Bian Zao shrugged. "Well, sure. The sky, when it's like this, is one of the most peaceful things I've ever seen. Clouds are cool to look at, and the ones that fly through it don't have anythin' botherin' them. They just...fly up there and chill out." He closed his eyes. "Don't laugh...but I legit wih I could fly around like that, if only to enjoy the wind passing by and the view of the clouds really interest me. It doesn't even have to be an everyday thing. Just...every once in a while."

Peng turned towards him and smiled. "Why would we laugh at you for something like that? There's nothing wrong with it."

"Always the nice one, aren't you?" Bian Zao chuckled as he reopened his eyes. "Yeah, you're Mr. Nice guy, while Lian is the cool girl. Guess it kinda makes sense that you two had to fall head over heels for each other. Peng also has his muscles, which are pretty incredible for someone his age, way to make guys jealous once in a while just like your uncle. And Lian...not only does she act tough, she has the actual toughness to back up. Guess I can see how Peng could be into someone like you."

Lian blinked a bit, then smiled kindly. "Why, thank you Bian Zao~"

The warthog yawned as he clasped his hooves behind his neck, smirking mischievously. "Though I guess the nice ass might have something to do with it-" Bian Zao suddenly found a foot crashing into his nose.

"Why does this not surprise me?" Lian said with a tick mark on her head, growling in annoyance. Peng just nervously laughs at the exchange. Lian kicked at Bian Zao again, flipping him on his face, he landed with a pained grunt. Lian folded her arms and puffed her cheeks. "Geez! You really are a handful despite how much of a Lazy Ass you are!"

She's one to talk about being a handful. I admit I had that one coming...doesn't make it any less of a drag...or any less true.

"Hehehe! Youth! Even the lazy ones can have a bit of mischievous fun!" The trio blinked as Master Yao suddenly popped up a few feet away, properly balanced on the edge of the roof. Though given the way he was walking along it, they might have guessed that he was trying to fall off. "Ah yes! Just becsuse I've missed my youthful days locked in a box, doesn't mean I can't watch other youths progress. And I must say...you're such an amusing bunch! Young quarrels! Represents you three as such close friends!"

"Lian sees Bian Zao as her best friend. Though she has quite a few strange ways to show it. Heh..." Peng rubbed his neck sheepishly. "They have an...interesting friendship. I think it's pretty cool, in a way."

"Peng..." Lian growled lowly. Peng flinched a bit and looked away sheepishly.

Bian Zao picked himself up from the ground and rubbed his mohawk. "Geez. Hey, Master Yao. What are you even doing here anyway? Didja need something from us?"

"Hm? Did I need something from you? No, not me. But are you needed? Yes." Master Yao said as he raised an arm. "I've been sensing a great change in the wind today. And I'd like to believe that it represents something significant." The trio was briefly confused by Master Yao's words. He chuckled as he raised his other arm. "Ah yes. A change of the wind. I believe there's a familiar phrase surrounding those words being put together...meh. I don't think I remember. Oh well!"

Like hell he doesn't. The old man may be crazy, but he's also much smarter than he makes himself look...and I guess he figured out that the latter is something we have in common. Bian Zao mentally sighed. "So what's going on, Master Yao?"

"Hmmm...I think you should regroup with your other friends, youngin's. You might discover something important~" Master Yao teased slightly. He then stepped off the roof and fell backwards. Peng gasped and was about to go after him, but wws swiftly stopped by Bian Zao.

"Give it a moment."

"...Ooh wow! These are some fresh smelling apples, madam! I'll help myself to a few!"

"Told ya. The guy is definitely not lame...but he can be such a drag..."

After the rather unexpected display from Master Yao, the young trio made their way to the others, wondering what exactly he was implying.

Surprisingly, Po and Taotie were not currently present. But everyone else was present, and they were all surrounding Shifu. He looked extremely troubled, and so did Fenghuang. Mei Ling the Rogue were also staring at the letter, her paws covering her muzzle. Masters Rhino, Ox, and Croc had solemn expressions as well, while the younger ones were slightly confused.

Bian Zao blinked. "Woah...why does everyone look so freaked out...?" The warthog walked up and and began examining the scroll for himself.

This is a request from his Imperial Majesty:

If you are not aware of this, you will know it now. Our Emperor is expecting his grandson to exceed him soon, but he is currently lacking the potential. And in order for him to reach that potential, he'll need some help. But who is possibly worthy of tutoring the grandson of our Imperial Majesty? That is something that should be decided quickly, since his date of birth is vast approaching. We will not sugarcoat it, he is desparate. Which is why he took a certain suggestion, and it is a very risky decision he made. He's cautious about this decision, but he's made it regardless.

We're calling out to all Kung Fu Masters, and/or simply those with the experience to mentor him about China and it's inhabitants. It doesn't matter what morality you follow, or anything of the sort. You could be an honorable warrior, a criminal, you could even be...a rogue. Any of you will do, so long as you're willing to mentor Lu Kang. As long as you don't turn against the Royal Family, we will turn our heads and excuse the victor's crimes, should they be a criminal. Any victorious Kung Fu Master will succeed the highest honor, and will have their names etched in history as the ones who assisted the Royal Family in it's progression.

Of course, for those who aren't easily moved by simple titles, we have a second prize. That prize includes the legendary treasures that belonged to the once great Jade Palace and Grand Master Oogway. Both have perished, but we've recovered those treasures. The victor who wants them...they can have them all, and do whatever they'd like with them. Use them, sell them, destory them, it matters not. We're more than prepared to deal with any potential consequences to this gamble, for as long as the Royal Family succeeds in progressing.

As this scroll states, anyone is allowed to join, background does not matter, pasts do not matter. Earn your honor, earn your prizes, and/or earn their freedom from authorities glare. Prices for these actions may be steep, but no price is too steep for the Royal Family's continued success. That includes the safety of China itself. It isn't anything that can't be fixed with time. It's a short-term price that will reward itself in the long-term. Only one is worthy, or perhaps even a select few. However it might go, however it might end...I'm sure everyone will agree that all can agree that when we reach the conclusion, China will never be the same again. The choice is yours to make. Though we do hope there are some brave enough to make the right one.

On his Imperial Majesty's behalf, Duke Zhihui.

"WHAT. THE. HELL!" Lian shouted in outrage/disbelief. "They're seriously gonna do this in order to get the Emperor's grandson a mentor worthy enough?! What is he trying to do with this kind of action?!"

"Lu Kang...the Emperor's grandson. How desparate must he be if he's willing to bring Kung Fu Masters and other martial artists to become a tutor for his grandson...and not care if they're good or bad? And also be willing to let less than pleasant martial artists or anyone of the sort scot-free from their deeds?" Peng said quietly.

"I also don't like how they're pawning off the Jade Palace's treasures..." Fenghuang narrowed her eyes. "Midget...besides tryin' to find a mentor for his grandson...I think they're tryin' to draw you out. I've been a rogue for an awfully long time. But you...you actually dropping your official title for the public to know about it...I'm guessin' he doesn't like that very much. And I'm also guessing that the treasures that survived the Jade Palace's destruction...I dunno how they ended up in the Emperor's possession, but I'm certain you're gonna make an attempt at taking them back, right? You don't want Oogway's remaining stuff to end up in the wrong hands."

"..."

"...You're gonna go to the Imperial City, aren't you?"

"..."

"...Fufie?" Mei Ling said nervously.

"..."

Tigress watched Shifu continue to hold the scroll in his arms, sensing that he was pondering what to do next. Crane, Mei Ling, Mantis, Viper, and Monkey were thinking the same thing, wondering what Shifu might decide. Fenghuang examined her friend closely, her eyes narrowed to a critical degree. She already knew what he was going to decide, though they both knew she wanted to hear him say it aloud, so they could hear it. After a couple minutes of silence, Shifu slowly closed his eyes and also closed up the scroll.

"...Hm. Fenghuang knows me well, despite how much we bicker."

"Hmph~"

Shifu placed his arms behind his back and turned towards everyone present. "...I will not lie to you all. This is tempting. I wish to reclaim the lost treasures that survived the Valley of Peace's destruction. If some of those artifacts survived the destruction...I must retreive them at all costs. Some of Oogway's legacies, and the artifacts that have been left behind in the Jade Palace that still survived...I must make sure that none of them end up in the wrong that's not the only reason why I'm doing this." Shifu narrowed his eyes. "The Emperor is desparate in having Lu Kang become his successor, if this is his way of choosing someone worthy enough to tutor him, regardless of their moral scale. If they teach Kung Fu, it does not matter...which is why we must make sure that Lu Kang does not become corrupted by any negative influences. It also helps to make sure that the Imperial City does not become overrun by by those negative influences. We must be victorious in order to reclaim those lost Artifacts, as well as keeping the Emperor's grandson away from the path of corruption."

"So to sum up, we're gonna have others getting in our way. Others trying to claim what rightfully belongs to the Jade palace, and we can't take the chance of them falling into the wrong hands or the Royal Family not acting so Royal. We'll be clashing against other Kung Fu Masters...I'm in." Tai Lung grinned. "We could use a bit of a rise in difficulty in order to improve ourselves ever further. This is great chance."

"W-W-W-W-Wait a minute guys! I-I mean...going to the Imperial City? We've done some pretty bold stuff before, but this...this is where I can officially say that's a crazy idea." Crane stuttered. "I mean, we're dealing with Emperor-like business here! Are we sure we gonna get involved in something like that? I mean, it's not that I don't wanna help, because I do. But...are we sure we're gonna do this?"

Mantis looked upwards. "From Gongmen City to Imperial City...man, we keep heading to big places, huh?"

"I guess that's what adventurers do." Viper smiled.

Monkey placed his paws behind his neck. "Eh. We've had a two-month vacation. It's about time we get moving again, anyway."

Song tilted her head. "Treasure...and it's my friends treasure...hmph. Now I have two reasons to go to Imperial City!" Fung and Gahri looked at one another due to her attitude, and they both sighed. Her inner thief has gotten her excited, though they doubted Tigress will allow it to completely manifest.

Tigress folded her arms. "So I guess that settles that. Our next destination is the Imperial City, the home of the Emperor and the Royal Family."

Crane sighed, laughing uneasily. "I dunno why I even asked...of course's she's gonna say yes. Which means Po is going to..."

"I heard!" They could hear his voice approaching quickly. "Bottom line is that we have some treasures to reclaim so they don't end up in the wrong hands, and we have an Emperor's grandson to keep on the right path. And if other masters, friendly or non-friendly, are gonna be there...that means in order to earn any of those things, we gotta beat the others first. Which means we've got ourselves a Kung-Fu competition in order to make both of those things happen. A tournament of sorts that kinda decides that grandson's future...?

Po came through the door, Taotie and Shen walking alongside him on both sides, with Mr. Ping entering first. Tigress immediately noticed his slight change in wardrobe. He still had his patched burlap pants, though now he wore a short-sleeved green robe with black trimmings. His precious red scarf still hung around his neck, and he carried his hat in his left paw. His right arm was completely covered in bandages, which signified that they attached a prosthetic to him. judging by how he moved it, he wasn't entirely used to what was underneath said bandages. They were counting on his quick adaptability to take care of that specific problem in time. He slowly placed his hat on his head, and sported a cheeky grin.

"Welp. Guess we're just gonna have to win, right?~"

Shifu Arc...or Emperor Arc...I dunno. Both are gonna have a lot of focus, while everyone deals with what the two of them are experiencing. This is very important to Shifu, as this is his opportunity to save at least a few objects that survived the Jade Palace's destruction. He's doing it for Oogway...or is he?

While Po seemed intent on meeting the Emperor's grandson and becoming his friend in order to help keep him off ta dark path, which he realizes he'll be tempted to take just to make his grandpa happy. Though what actions will he take in order to make sure he stays off that dark path? Certainly not something that will be good for Crane's heart.

Until next time!

Oogway opened his eyes as he gazed upon the glowing pool. Soothsayer was right by his side, also gazing into the pool, her wound completely gone, and her expression much calmer. Though she was still very much concerned about what was to come, and so was he. She turned towards Oogway with a tired sigh.

"This is very troublesome...they're still recovering from one war...adnd now they're about to head right into another one. They just don't know it yet...and this worries me as greatly as it worries you. Especially when the Emperor is this desparate for something. And we both know what this something is. The treasures are one thing, and he really does want to help his granedson. But there's a third purpose, one that rivals them both in importance.

Oogway continued to gaze into the pool, watching the reflection of Po's adventurous smile. His thoughts go back to the Emperor, and what he might be planning...or what his servants might be planning. Either way, something huge was coming, and they weren't fully prepared for it because they don't know the danger that was hiding underneath the gathering of Kung Fu Masters and other fighters. He closed his eyes and sighed sadly.

"It approaches...the War of the Masters..." Oogway said quietly. "It saddens me how much they must endure for the sake of others...the world has gotten darker without me...the Emperor doesn't like this. He's completely tired of waiting, so he's willing to risk it all. Will the short-term decisions be worth the possible long-term consequences? Only time will tell." When Soothsayer looked at him in question, even though she knew exactly what he meant, he smiled sadly.

So...the time has finally come. When this newest venture is over and done...China will know the true identity of the Dragon Warrior...and everthing will be forever changed.