Chapter 25

"What!?"

Jian could feel every fibre of his being internally screaming. Shifu only vocalised what he- and possibly the others- were thinking at that moment. "Blank? What do you mean blank?!" He too spoke, a little too calm, a little too collected.

"Here! Look!" Po seemingly ignored him but held the scroll open in front of Shifu, tugging at the sides so forcefully that the parchment was straight and wrinkle-free. As if he committed some heinous crime, Shifu closed his eyes, and turned his head away, with an open palm open to stop the panda from coming any closer.

"No! I am forbidden to look upon..." But of course, he couldn't help himself. First, it was a quick peak, before he snatched the scroll from Po's paws. He checked the front and back, opening and closing it, turning it upside down. "Blank?" Finally, he let it drop back into Po's hold. He added, with a paled expression. "I... I don't understand." Shifu looked at Azure, as did Jian. Azure didn't look so well herself; in fact, she looked astonished. He didn't wait for an answer and just kept scrutinizing the scroll.

What did this mean? Was it a prank? Did someone manage to pluck it from the jaws of the dragon and swap it out for a blank page?

"Now even I couldn't foresee that," Azure whispered to Viper, who just shook her head in disbelief. Tigress stood by Jian, watching his nose scrunch up in disgust. Mantis, Monkey and Crane mumbled amongst each other. "There's no way someone could get it." At least one thing of ruled out.

"That's really helpful," Jian muttered, before watching Shifu turn away, contemplative. Tigress narrowed her eyes at him, before glancing at Azure, who heard what he said, and showed both her annoyance... and maybe some shame when her ears flattened across her head. There was no possible way that she knew what the scroll concealed, so it was unfair for him, or anyone to blame it on her. Azure met her gaze, taking it in as a sympathetic look.

Meanwhile, Po... just stood there, looking mostly disappointed. "Okay. So like, Oogway... was just a crazy old turtle after all?"

Azure soon glared at his words, but no one noticed. "No. Oogway was wiser than us all." Shifu spoke for her, as he walked closer to the reflection pool, the scroll still in his paws.

"Oh, come on! Face it. He picked me by accident, we all know that. Of course, I'm not the Dragon Warrior" Dejected, Po sat behind him, heavily. "Who am I kidding?"

While he spoke, glaring at the floor towards the end, Shifu had long met his gaze in the reflection pool. The water rippled, distorting his image constantly. "But who will stop Tai Lung?" Tigress' voice echoed behind him.

"He'll destroy everything... and everyone," Crane spoke next, sounding hopeless.

Shifu didn't speak. "We'll figure something out." Jian tried to sound optimistic. "We always figure out something..."

Without moving, Shifu noticed the Golden Dragon high above him. Peeling one paw away from the scroll, and reaching down to the water, the tips of his fingers barely touched the surface, before the water calmed. Oogway's voice echoed in his head, something he said the day he and Azure, told him and Jian about their visions of Tai Lung's escape.

"Your mind is like this water, my friends. When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see any solutions. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear..."

He was right.

Again.

Released from his thoughts, he put the scroll back into the container, sealing it. "No." He said, handing Po back the scroll. Po glanced down at it for a moment, before realising the others closed in around him and Shifu.

"Master?" Azure sounded concerned. Jian could understand why; he was oddly calm, and so suddenly too.

"We need to evacuate the Valley. You must protect the villagers from Tai Lung's rage."

"What about you, Master?" Tigress said.

"I will fight him."

Jian's heart skipped a beat, while Po just stared at the red panda. "What?" They both said.

"I can hold him off long enough for everyone to escape." Shifu continued.

"But, Shifu, he'll kill you-" Po tried to help him see sense, but Shifu turned to him sharply.

"Then I will finally have paid for my mistake." The Five looked at one another, devastated, while Po looked completely lost. His paws held his head, looking at Jian to say something, anything...

"You can't do this alone," Jian spoke finally. "He's too powerful. Let me help you."

Shifu was about to speak, but Azure beat him to it. "No, Jian. You don't know what he's capable of." Jian glared at his sister as she gripped his forearm tightly. "I know what I'm talking about. I've seen him fight... I know what he's capable of, and its ten times worse than what he did to the five." Pain etched across her eyes, which worried Jian slightly- did she know something he didn't?

"Your sister's right," Shifu added. His eyes bore into the young snow leopard when he turned back to him. "You need to get out of here, and take your mother somewhere safe." He looked at Azure too. "I need you two to protect one another. He'll only want to come after you three next." Azure felt her paw clinging to her chest, while the other grabbed hold of Jian's shoulder. Whether it was done to comfort him or to stop herself from fainting, he wasn't sure. "Promise me you'll look after one another."

They both nodded slowly as Jian's lips pierced together tightly. "Yes, Master." They both said.

"Shifu nodded towards them gratefully, before he addressed the others. "Listen to me, all of you." He waited until all eyes met his. Po got to his feet. "It is time for you to continue your journey without me. I am very proud to have been your master." He bowed to them, and they soon returned the gesture, before Shifu turned away. Po could feel his heart breaking before Crane moved forward to kindly settle a wing around Po's shoulder, and pull him along. For a single moment, the panda resisted, before he moved along, following Azure and the Five. The only ones that didn't move were Jian and Tigress, who kept watching Shifu.

"Master..." she said quietly.

"Hm?" His head twisted a little to the left, his arms behind his back.

"Are you sure this is what you want? To fight him on your own?" Jian had his paws balled into fists against his sides, waiting for his response.

"I'm sure... Jian, your mother needs you alive. You need to find her somewhere safe to live." Jian wanted to fight him on it more but then bowed his head in defeat.

Shifu heard shuffling behind him and rotated his whole body to find Jian kneeling before him, paw to palm. Tigress watched on curiously. "Thank you. For everything." Shifu's brows knitted together softly before he smiled at Jian... which was probably the first time he ever did without any malicious intent.

"It was an honour to teach you, Master Jian," he said. "You lead with a golden example that evil doesn't always run in the family. Always remember that you're ten times the man you're father ever was." Jian's ears picked up, surprised, but before he could say anything in response, Shifu turned to Tigress. "You've done everything Sying had asked you in the duration of your guardianship. I'm sure she'll be forever grateful when you return both her children safely to her... and as proud of you as I am. Thank you, Tigress."

Jian waited for her to say something back, but she didn't. She bowed to him again, before she motioned Jian to follow, and quickly.


Nighttime soon loomed over the Valley.

Typically this was a time was relaxation after a long strenuous day of working, learning and playing. However, with the threat of Tai Lung, the villagers were already scrambling to get out. There was a lot of shouting, pushing, and hundreds of lanterns lit the way.

Jian, Azure, and the Furious Five stood at the base of the stairs, watching everything unfold... and waiting for instruction.

Before Tigress told them what to do, Monkey found a small child, crying for their mother. He scooped her up into his arms and hushed her while gently assuring her it was alright.

"What do you need us to do?" Azure said to Tigress. "We've got to get them out safely."

"Come, little one. Let's find your mama." Monkey assigned himself a job, and leapt off on his scavenger hunt.

"You two help some of the villagers with their belongings. Viper, gather the southern farmers. Mantis, the north. Crane, light the way." She passed Crane the lantern after Viper and Mantis disappeared. Azure watched him fly away, while Jian moved forwards, following Tigress as she offered to help a rabbit mother move a cart that contained her kits, and some food supplies. As she watched the scene unfold before her, there was someone walking down the steps behind her; she turned to find Po by his lonesome, looking around worriedly. "Po? Are you alright?"

"I... I don't know," he glanced up at the Palace. "Are we doing the right thing? Letting him do this on his own?"

Azure smiled sadly, and extended a paw out to him, waiting for him to take it. "It's what he wanted." It didn't make it right, but she wasn't wrong. Once he did, she guided him through the bustling town.


Master Jian!" It took him a second to realise that it was the children he saw in the restaurant the morning Po was picked by Oogway. He smiled down at them. "We haven't seen any danger yet."

"That's a relief!" He tried to sound optimistic, patting the top of the closest kit's head. "The most important thing right now is to keep you guys safe. Thank you for always being on the lookout!" He then turned to their mother, who pulled a face at him. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

"My children shouldn't be doing your job for you." She said rather sharply. Jian blinked in surprise, while Tigress paused mid-step, and watched the exchange.

"I'm sorry?" Jian started, but she didn't give him a chance to talk further.

"You'll need to say a lot more than 'sorry'. It's you two he's coming for after all." Jian's eyelids fell slightly, to express his confusion... before he quickly glared at her as she told Tigress that she and her husband would haul the cart themselves. Tigress said nothing in retaliation, but put it down, and peeled her paw away from the handle. She waited until they moved away from them, to look at Jian's crestfallen face.

"It's okay..." she said.

"No, it isn't." He growled, marching ahead. Tigress closed her eyes as her body sank into a sigh; she was still stiff from the attack but channelled through it. Jian stayed close by, once he remembered, but as she began instructing the villagers where to go (i.e telling them to follow Crane's light), he ordered two of the palace messengers were soon roped into doing the same task to keep everyone on the right track. Jian didn't help; he wasn't even offering his assistance to anyone. What was the point?

All this time, fighting tooth and nail to prove to everyone that he was nothing like Tai Lung; that he could be someone totally different. For the longest time, Shifu was the only one who didn't believe he could do it. Now that he believes him, everyone else seemed to have lost that faith. What could he do now?

"Master Jian?" He glanced down to his left; a little old sheep woman looked up at him pleadingly as she limped along, dragging a heavy satchel.

"Here," he didn't have the heart to ignore her. So he leaned over and took the bag from her shoulder. "How's that?"

"Much better my dear... but that's not what I called you for." Jian's head tilted to the left, while Tigress stopped behind them, observing silently. "I just want you to know that...that everyone who tells you that this is all happening because of you and your sister, are very wrong, and complete imbeciles; all of them. You are a good boy..."

"So was Tai Lung, before everything happened." He said bluntly.

"Yes... but you're twenty years old," he actually wasn't. His birthday wasn't for another few months, but he didn't correct her. "Tai Lung changed seemingly overnight- I conversed with your mother once before you two were born. She sat before me, cradling her belly, telling me how all that mattered to him was that scroll... and well, your mother. She knew how she meant everything to him." So was it all her fault? "And she blamed herself a lot, but... as time went on, she soon realised she held no responsibility for his actions. Coming to realise that made it easier for her to go on with her life, and you should to. Everyone has seemed to forget that you have protected them for so long... you are not at fault for any of this. I just wish that things were different... if he got to see you two grow up, you would have meant more to him than the scroll. I just know it."

Jian nodded and whispered his thanks; he wasn't sure if what she said made him feel any better, or any worse, but he appreciated it. I just wish things were different...

"Things will be different," he said. His eyes hardened as he turned to Tigress. "Master Tigress," she raised her head a little "I just remembered I promised Po and his father that I would help them move their belongings." Tigress observed him briefly, before letting him go, taking the bag from him.


"Look, it's the Dragon Warrior."

Po glanced at the pigs who were talking about him skeptically while trying to manoeuvre a dragon stone; he wasn't sure exactly why they wanted to take it with them, but he didn't stop to investigate or help. He looked down at the scroll in his paws briefly, before looking to his left to find Azure, still by his side- she seemed a little distracted by something, but he tried not to dwell on it. He figured she was probably thinking about Shifu- that or she knew how it would all end.

He wanted to ease her mind and say it would all be okay, but how would he know for sure?

As they approached the Noodle Shop, he saw his father inside, preparing to leave. "You go ahead and catch up with Tigress and the others if you want." He said to her quietly. "I'm gonna..."

Azure nodded understandably. "Of course," she turned to go.

"And Azure."

She turned to him. "Yes?"

"Don't listen to what anyone says. You and Jian are nothing like Tai Lung. Like, at all."

Azure laughed stiffly. "You haven't met him... physical traits are quite uncanny." Azure swallowed uneasily. "Jian is the image of him. It's... quite scary."

"Well then, good thing I can't fight him. It would be like fighting Jian... he's the last person I'd want to hurt..." He was getting a little side-tracked. "Anyways, before I lose focus, I just wanted to thank you... for letting me meet Jian." Po smiled softly. "He's a really good friend."

Azure smiled back at him. "Don't thank me for something that was meant to be Po..."

"Po? Is that you?!" They heard a voice from inside.

"I'll see you soon." She whispered to him with a little wave before he walked inside.

"Hey, Dad." Po would usually be surprised to see the restaurant so empty. But he was too upset.

"Po!" The goose hurried towards him, hugging him tightly. Po tried to smile as he bent down to reciprocate the hug, but he felt something fasten around his waist, and it wasn't until Mr Ping pulled away from him that he found his old apron. "Good to have you back, son!" He said joyfully, before waddling back to the cart to pack more things up.

"Yeah..." Po muttered listlessly. "Good to be back."

"Let's go, Po." The goose struggled to pull the cart, so Po took over the burden, smuggling the scroll in among the bags; he didn't really want to take it with him, but Azure had explained to him on the way to the shop that even though it concealed nothing, he had to keep it away from Tai Lung. He followed his father out of the shop, for probably the final time.

Po glanced up at the palace again- this was really it. He was running away like a coward.

"So for our next shop, it's time to face it... the future of noodles is dice-cut vegetables, no longer slices." His father walked on, while Po slowed down. "Also, I was thinking, maybe this time we'll have a kitchen you can actually stand up in. Hmm? Would you like that?" He finally checked behind him when he noticed Po was a little too quiet- in fact, he stopped walking altogether. Mr Ping felt his heart twisting at the sight of his son so upset. "Er, Po... I'm sorry things didn't work out. It just... wasn't meant to be." That certainly didn't make him feel any better, so he slumped against the cart. "Po, forget everything else. Your destiny still awaits. We are noodle folk... broth runs deep through our veins!"

"I don't know, Dad. Honestly, sometimes I can't believe I'm actually your son." Po failed to see the shocked look on the goose's face. Ogling at their surroundings, Mr Ping composed himself. "Po, I think it's time I told you something I should have told you a long time ago..." He took a moment while Po looked up, who was waiting for this dramatic pause to end. "The secret ingredient of my secret ingredient soup!"

It was practically the last thing of Po list of things to stress about... so he managed to feign his excitement. "Oh...?"

Mr Ping motioned him to move closer. "C'mere! The secret ingredient is... nothing!"

Now Po didn't have to act shocked. "Huh?"

"You heard me. Nothing. There is no secret ingredient!"

Po couldn't believe it- he refused to believe it. "Wait wait wait...it's just plain old noodle soup? You don't add some kind of special sauce or something? Anything?"

The goose just shook his head. "Don't have to. To make something special, you just have to believe it's special."

It didn't take long for Po to register what his father just said before something dawned on him. Pulling the scroll out of the depths of their belongings, he took it out of its container and looked down at the surface. It was still empty... but he could see his reflection.

Po felt his heart leap, eyes widening. "There is no secret ingredient..." Mr Ping leaned away slightly in confusion, but before he could say anything, they both heard someone coming toward them. He twisted his neck, while Po looked up to see Tigress standing in front of them. Mr Ping immediately bowed to her, but she seemingly ignored him.

"You need to get moving. You're falling behind." She said, looking around.

"We're going, don't worry," Po said slowly, closing the scroll again. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he followed her gaze; there was no one else behind him. "What is it?" He asked.

"Where's Jian?"

Po merely shrugged, "I thought he was with you?" He replied.

Tigress shook her head. "He said he needed to help you and your father."

Mr Ping took himself out of the bow. "He's not here. Never came up to us."

Po watched her shoulders stiffening- it made him feel a little nervous. "Where's Azure?"

"She's gone ahead of us. I told her to catch up with you." There was a long, sickening silence. "Master Tigress? Is everything..." The words trailed off his tongue, as he felt his body automatically turn towards the road left behind them. Tigress rushed past him, letting out a sharp inhale while both he and his father cast their gaze towards the Palace as a clap of thunder roared above the darkened building.