Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I neither own the rights to DreamWorks, Kung Fu Panda, the Kung Fu Panda cinematic universe nor any of its associated media, derivatives or products. I do not profit from this work.
[Scene: midday, the main city street leading up to the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. Chattering and celebrating crowds have gathered along the streets as festive music plays. Shot lingers over them and then zooms ahead, over the Meridian Gate, the courtyards, the palaces and into the soldier's barracks.
Po is standing in front of a mirror, fastening a yellow Imperial Jacket. The jacket is in a tunic-cut with a sash, similar to the one he wore in the Spirit Realm, and embroidered with gold-and-scarlet four-clawed dragons. As he finishes doing the fastenings he smooths the front down, looking nervous.]
VOICE: (From behind) Yellow suits you.
(Po turns. Tigress is standing leaned up against the doorframe, regarding him with an approving smirk. Over her usual red vest she's donned her yellow imperial jacket with the white lotuses, though she hasn't fastened it yet.)
PO: I dunno. (Lifts the heavy sleeve with a quirked eyebrow and smile.) Feels kinda stuffy. Not really my style.
TIGRESS: (Walking into the room.) It's an honor to be allowed to wear yellow. Only the Emperor can grant that permission; we should be proud.
PO: Yeah. (They look at themselves a moment in the mirror, heads held high; then he turns to her.) Just– me, in a parade thrown by the emperor! I mean, wo-ow! (Spins around on one foot and throws his hands up with a laugh; Tigress chuckles.) If you'd told me ten years ago I'd end up here…
TIGRESS: The Emperor is a wise ruler. (Fastening her jacket in front of the mirror, but looking over her shoulder at Po.) When the war ended many people wanted to drive my kind out of China permanently, but he refused. He believed that for China to heal, the people had to see that what we had in common– (finishes the last fastener) –was as important as what made us different. (Looking back at the mirror proudly.) Things aren't perfect, but it is because of that decision that I can stand here today.
(She looks over as the panda sets a paw on her shoulder.)
PO: (Sincerely) And now's your chance to prove him right. (They share a smile, before a distant gong rings out, drawing their attention.)
TIGRESS: (Seriously) That's the signal. It's time. Are you ready?
PO: To tell the most feared group of villains in China that we've arrived to destroy them? Sure, why wouldn't I be? (Tigress chuckles, and both turn as they hear noises in the doorway of Po's room. The other Four have gathered, and Po grins.) Let's do this.
[Scene shift: the outer courtyard, before the Meridian Gate. Po, Shifu and the Five are near the back, while ahead of them stretch performers and musicians. The rest of the Five are also dressed in yellow: Monkey has donned a yellow Imperial jacket with geometric shapes; Crane, a jacket with falling-feather patterns; Viper, a gold-and-amber fengguan headdress (without feathers); and Mantis has yellow-painted designs on his thorax.]
[The Emperor is not with the parade, but instead standing on the upper level of the Meridian Gate, looking north/inwards at the people in the palace courtyard. There's silence in the courtyard for the moment, before the Emperor lifts a paw. He gives a little wave, and the side-archways of the Meridian Gate are opened.]
[The musicians start their fanfare. The parade pours out into the street, and as they pass through the gates Po looks around in awe and amazement. People on all sides are cheering and applauding. The drummers, cymbalists and flute players are making an almighty ruckus; dragon-dance performers rear the heads of their scarlet and gold puppets up against the blue sky, and the wind tosses yellow leaves into the air like confetti.]
(Po and the five look around in awe; people cheer louder as they pass, throwing flowers or handfuls of confetti paper, and one rabbit lady actually faints.)
CITIZEN 1: It's the Dragon Warrior!
CITIZEN 2: The leader of the Furious Five! He's come to save the Emperor!
(Po looks delighted at the praise, and then notices his companion beside him. He gives Tigress a sheepish look.)
PO: Eheh…
TIGRESS: (Looking annoyed, but brushing it off) It's fine. Considering your position, it's a natural assumption…
PO: I guess…
(In front of them, Shifu takes note of the crowd and then hurries ahead and hops up onto a large platform being carried palanquin-style by teams of pigs.)
SHIFU: (Loud announcing voice) Citizens of the Northern Capital! The Jade Palace is proud to present to you an exhibition of our finest students: the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five!
(This is their cue; Po and the Five run ahead to the dias and board it in showy manners—Tigress landing in a pounce; Viper spring-shooting herself a board; Crane swooping down, etc.—before coming to a halt in the center. Po comes up from his roll aboard in the center of the team, fists at the ready and a grin on his face. A louder swell of cheers goes up from the crowd as the demonstration begins.)
SHIFU: Students! (The six snap to attention and bow; he returns it.) The first match: the Dragon Warrior versus Master Tigress!
(The other four slither/scramble to the sides of the dais as Po and Tigress take their stances near the center of the mat. They size each other up, Po lifting his fists, Tigress adopting a tiger-style stance with paws open and tensed.)
(Shifu gives a nod to a duck waiting on the side of the dais with a gong.)
NOISE: GONG!
(Tigress lunges first; Po reacts by moving out of the way, forcing her to circle, and the match is on. They trade blows; Tigress's style is swift, brutal and direct, attacks timed with precision and power, while Po's is more circular, blocking her blows aside and forcing her to reconfigure her strategy while he reserves his strength. They're quite evenly matched, frequently switching places and revolving circularly around the center of the mat. As another cheer goes up, Po turns his head slightly.)
PO: I think they're liking it– whoa! (He steps aside as Tigress's fist shoots past where his eyes would have been.)
TIGRESS: (Taking advantage to pin his arm behind his back; Amused:) Don't lose your focus.
PO: Yeah, yeah. (Stamps, aiming at her foot, forcing her to step back and giving him the opening to break free.)
(They back up, circling each other and readopting their stances. As they do so, however, Tigress's gaze shifts past Po, and her expression changes; she frowns, peering closer.)
(The one-eyed WOLF, a cloak drawn over his head, is watching her from the edge of the crowd. As Tigress tilts her head at him, he gives a slight indicative nod to the rest of the crowd, and then slips away into the throng. Tigress frowns deeper, confused.)
(Po, noticing that Tigress isn't paying attention as they circle, grows suspicious and glances around the crowd. As he does so, certain figures seem to stand out: a tiger watching them steely-eyed from a vegetable cart, buying nothing, a sword at his waist; another near the front of the crowd, a hilt only half-hidden under his cloak; a leopardess eyeing them as she "idly" meanders along the sidewalk behind the rest of the people, visible from his position on the dais—also carrying a sword. Each of their lower faces are covered by a scarf or kerchief. A fourth– a fifth–
Po's face grows nervous; he looks to the rest of the Five and Shifu, who haven't noticed, then to Tigress. She's still staring at the same spot as before, more intensely now. Out of the corner of his eye he sees the tiger with the sword lean over and say something to a newly-arrived companion. He needs a plan, and fast.)
(Tigress, distracted, doesn't react in time as Po lunges at her, pinning her to the ground.)
TIGRESS: Wh–
PO: (Whispering frantically) Stay down!
TIGRESS: (Sharply) What?
SHIFU: One!
PO: (Hissing) We're surrounded. Something's going on!
TIGRESS: (Glances around and sees what he's talking about.)
PO: This place is packed with civilians. What do we do?
SHIFU: Two!
TIGRESS: (Looking around again, then taking charge.) You try to take one captive to interrogate later. We'll protect the townspeople. Ready? (Po nods.)
SHIFU: Three!
(As the gong rings out Po jerks back; Tigress shoots off into the crowd. The suspects react half a second later, drawing their swords and converging on her while Po follows one in sharp pursuit.)
TIGRESS: Kyah! (Scissor-kicking one in the face, grabbing the other tiger as he drops his sword and throwing him into two oncoming opponents.) Crane! Get the civilians out of here!
CRANE: On it! (Swoops away, leading groups of terrified townspeople down a side-street.)
SHIFU: (Spinning his staff and blocking a blow) Where is Po?
TIGRESS: He went to take a captive! (Catches the leopardess in a lock; the assassin snarls at her and tries to claw her face; Tigress twists her wrist, forcing her to let go of the sword; kicks her away and throws the sword up into the air. Monkey flips himself up into the air and kicks the sword away from the group. It pins another assassin by the cloak to a wall, the blade quivering.)
VIPER: (Slithering up an assassin's legs and choking him out) Master, there are still civilians around!
SHIFU: (Shot zooms in on his eyes and goes slow-motion for a moment as he disarms a wolf assailant of their sword, swings himself up by the staff and kicks him in the forehead. Normal speed as the wolf flies across the street, over the cowering parade performers; some of whom are being taken hostage by the assassins.) Free the citizens and then box the enemy in!
(They rush the assassins and hostages; overhead, Crane's shadow suddenly swoops down from over the sun, picking up a performer's pair of dropped cymbals and clapping them over the head of one of the assassins.)
NOISE: CRASH!
(The loud noise startles the assassins, giving the others an opening; they free the hostages and then surround the assassins, who form a defensive ring, eyeing them.)
(Smashcut. The shot zooms along the top of the house and shop roofs. Shot turns to show a fearful-eyed tiger racing over the rooftops on all-fours.)
(Shot from below in an alleyway shows the fleeing assassin's silhouette leaping across the sun, followed soon after by Po's.)
(Shot back up. Po is gaining on him. The assassin makes the mistake of glancing back; a loose roof tile breaks off under his feet and he goes tumbling down the side of the roof. He hits the ground below in a heap. Po follows a moment later, landing in a roll and turning around to face the enemy.)
PO: (Wheezing) Aghah… you'd better be worth the trouble, buddy. (The heap is struggling to get up; Po lifts his fists.) Don't suppose there's any chance you'll come quietly?
ASSASSIN: (Draws his sword and lunges at him.)
(Po dodges; dodges again; dodges a third time and knocks aside his arm. He disarms the tiger, rolls around him and grabs his defenseless hand in a Wuxi Finger Hold.)
PO: Listen, buddy, I don't wanna do this anymore than you do. (The assassin stares at him with hard amber eyes.) Okay, I mean, maybe a little less than you want me to–
ASSASSIN: Do it.
PO: –I mean, it's your l– huh?
ASSASSIN: Do it. You think I care about my own life?
PO: Uh– I mean, I kinda assumed… yes?
ASSASSIN: (Chuckling) I am a servant of the true Emperor and his thousand-year dynasty, like my father and uncles before me. (Claps his free paw over Po's wrist, holding the panda's paw in place.) There are thousands of us, Dragon Warrior. So go ahead. End my life. You will only be giving me a glorious death for my emperor.
PO: (Staring at the assassin) …You're crazy.
(A sudden noise breaks both their attention: a feminine cry of pain in the distance.)
PO: Viper!
(The assassin takes advantage of his distraction and sweeps the panda's leg; Po hits the ground with an "oof!" as the assassin breaks free, swings himself up over the wall and vanishes.)
(Shot shifts to Po hurrying down the now-deserted street; there are bodies of a few of the assassins lying around, but no live captives. The other Four and Shifu are gathered around a spot on the road.)
PO: (Running up) I heard Viper's scream; what happened?! (Suddenly hushed:) –Oh no.
(Viper is being carried in Tigress's paws; four deep, bleeding gashes have been torn through her green scales.)
PO: Viper…
TIGRESS: (Snarling) One drew his claws on her—that coward!
MANTIS: (Hopping up to Po with a clean rag from a local shop) Put pressure on the wound; we gotta stop the bleeding.
PO: (Pressing down on the wound; Viper lets out a pathetic hiss of pain.) Tigress, I've never seen you use your claws in a fight before.
TIGRESS: (Fuming with anger as she cradles Viper in her paws) Mauling an enemy is almost always fatal; you see what a few scratches did to Viper. It should only be used as a last resort!
PO: But– she's gonna be okay, right?
VIPER: M-Master Shifu– I'm sorry– (hissing breaths in and out) I failed you–
SHIFU: You didn't fail anyone, Viper, and you won't. Mantis!
MANTIS: I'm doing everything I can, but she needs a real doctor.
CRANE: I could fly her back to the palace–
MANTIS: No; that could hurt her worse.
MONKEY: We don't have a lot of options here–
(As the debate continues, Po takes several paces back, drawing deep breaths. He looks down at his paws and then closes his eyes.)
TIGRESS: She's hurt; doing something is better than doing nothing! (She looks up as a shadow falls over her.) Po?
PO: (Eyes still closed; taking a deep, slow breath, he kneels down next to her and hovers his paw over Viper's wound. The snake is curling on herself, shuddering.)
(The other Four and Shifu look at each other, startled. Po takes a deep breath, and then presses his paw gently against the wound.)
(Faintly at first, then brighter, a golden light begins to glow around his paw and the wound. Viper's lidded eyes flutter open, and then open wider, looking back at her scales in surprise. The light glows brilliantly for a moment and then fades away, and Po opens his eyes.)
SHIFU: Panda… what did you…?
PO: (Removes his paw uncertainly, looking down at his fallen comrade, and then his face lights up.) No way. (The wound is mostly healed; only scarring patches in her scales remain.)
VIPER: (Shocked) Po… (she tries to move, and then hisses and winces.) Ooh. Still hurts.
PO: (Urgently to Mantis) It's not perfect.
MANTIS: It'll work for now. But we need to get her back to the palace, quick.
TIGRESS: (Scooping Viper up like a bundle to carry her) Po, did you get your captive?
PO: No, he got away.
SHIFU: We'll worry about that later. For now, we must get Viper someplace safe.
[Scene: inside the palace infirmary, sunset. Viper is curled up on a snake-sized cot in a spot of tangerine sunlight, resting. Outside, the palace physician, a fennec fox, shuts the door, talking to the others.]
PO: Is she going to be okay?
PHYSICIAN: Yes—thanks to you, Dragon Warrior.
PO: Well I mean, Mantis–
PHYSICIAN: I'm afraid I have to close the infirmary to guests for the evening; rest assured she will be well cared for.
SHIFU: Thank you. We are in your debt.
(They wander away from the building into the falling sunlight. Shifu nods to the soldier barracks.)
SHIFU: We've all had a long day. I understand there is some plan in the works?
TIGRESS: Yes, Master.
SHIFU: Then take some time to recuperate your strength and peace of mind. I will see you in the morning.
(He bows and leaves. The others begin to disperse, but Tigress catches Po by the arm.)
TIGRESS: There's a garden near the barracks. Join me for a walk?
PO: Sure.
[Back inside the infirmary, the physician lights a paper lantern near Viper's cot, providing warmth and light for the reptile as the sunlight fades away. The snake stirs sleepily and cracks an eye open as the physician moves away, closing the door behind him. The room is fairly empty, but as she looks around she notices she's not alone. A small fennec fox is sitting on the edge of the bed, staring sightlessly at the opposite wall. Viper raises her head; the girl has a guqin lain before her on the bed, and she starts to pluck it idly as Viper watches, tuning it and adjusting the pegs.]
VIPER: (Speaking kindly) You must be the physician's daughter. (the girl's large ears flicker her way, but she doesn't turn her head) I love music; I used to be a ribbon dancer.
GIRL: (Shyly) You're Master Viper, aren't you? I heard them bringing you in.
VIPER: Mm-hm. What's your name?
GIRL: Jingyi.
VIPER: Nice to meet you, Jingyi. (The girl ducks her head with a smile, looking proud.) What are you doing in the infirmary? Are you hurt?
GIRL: (Shaking her head.) No; papa thought the Dragon Warrior might be able to help me, after how he healed you. (She plucks a few more strings on the guqin, and then gives it a strum, releasing a lovely harmonious sound.)
VIPER: What do you mean?
GIRL: Can't you tell? (The shot shows us the fox's face head-on; her eyes are a pale color and unfocused.)
VIPER: (Realizing) Oh—you can't see. (The girl nods.) I'm sorry. The Dragon Warrior is powerful, but I don't think that's something even he can do.
GIRL: That's alright. Papa's been trying for a while now, so I didn't get my hopes up. (Her ears flicker softly.) He's leaving down the walkway now, but he'll be back in a while.
VIPER: (Giggling softly) You remind me of my master. He can hear almost as well as you. (As the girl starts to play a lilting tune on the guqin, Viper adds:) You play very well; your father must be proud.
GIRL: (Smiles ruefully) I think he more worries about me than anything. He barely lets me out of his sight; I spend most of my time here in the infirmary. (Awkward, self-effacing laugh.) I guess I'm pretty helpless.
VIPER: (Hesitates, and then slithers off her cot to the floor and up onto the fox's cot. The girl's ears flicker and follow her movements until she coils up again.) You know, Jingyi, my father used to worry about me, too, when I was your age.
GIRL: Really?
VIPER: Mm-hm. You see, I didn't have any fangs like the other snakes. Everyone treated me like I was helpless, too. But you know what? (Leans forward and hisses:) They were all wrong. (The girl giggles and hides it behind her paw. Viper, proudly:) I didn't have any fangs, it's true. But I had my strength, my agility. I developed a new style of Kung Fu, based on what I was good at. And now, I am one of the most feared masters in all of China! (Encouraging:) Your day will come—and when it does, nobody will call you helpless.
GIRL: (Smiling) Thank you, Master Viper.
VIPER: My pleasure.
[Scene: a Chinese garden. The branches of trees gently sway in the evening breeze, and autumn flowers are blooming. There is a small river with a white stone bridge crossing it, and a red-pillared and tile-roof pavilion.]
(Shot moves in; we see Tigress and Po crossing the bridge, talking in low voices.)
PO: So that's why they've been having trouble interrogating captives for information?
TIGRESS: I imagine so. The Ten Thousand don't care about their own lives, only about their cause.
PO: Still, my Wuxi Finger Hold didn't even scare him. I mean how crazy is that!
TIGRESS: It's not unheard of. I imagine if you hadn't killed him, he would have taken care of the matter himself.
PO: (Eyes going widen) You mean… (He draws a finger across his throat, looking sick. Tigress nods. He gets a heeby-jeebies look) Eesh. (Sobering again) And then with Viper today… I mean, sure, we've faced down death before but… I dunno. I've just never seen one of you guys come that close.
TIGRESS: I understand. When Shen shot you with his cannon in Gongmen City, I didn't know what to do, how to lead the Five. (Firmly, as much to herself as to him.) But Viper is safe, and we have to put our fears behind us to move forward with our mission.
PO: I guess… (brightens, playfully punching her shoulder) And man, what about that prophecy, huh? You're gonna save the Emperor's life, how cool is that!
TIGRESS: I am honored to have been chosen by the Heavens for such a task.
PO: And I mean all that weird symbolism—"the dragon will stand to the side," I mean obviously that's me, but I wonder what it all means, how you're going to–
TIGRESS: (Turning and stopping him with a paw on his shoulder) Po. (He stops. Mildly amused, but reassuring:) Our concern should be with the present, not with the future. Prophecies are tricky things, and it's not always clear what they mean until they've already come to pass.
PO: But come on, you have to be curious!
TIGRESS: (Walking again; Po follows.) Master Oogway used to say that we often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it. (Stopping beside a particular flowering tree with interest.) I study kung fu, not the movements of the planets and stars; I'm not going to speculate about the future.
PO: But why no-ot.
TIGRESS: (Picking a flower with a satisfied nod) Because the last time I thought I knew what the future would hold– (Turns to him and tucks the plum blossom behind his ear before Po can object; wryly:) –a panda fell out of the sky and was named the Dragon Warrior.
PO: (Deflating) Okay, fine, you have a point.
TIGRESS: (Faux-idly) Besides, we'll probably save China by being awesome, like usual.
PO: Yeah, I gu– he-e-y, wait a minute! (The tiger chuckles under her breath; he nudges her with his elbow.) I'm rubbing off on you!
TIGRESS: Slightly.
PO: I am, I totally am!
(Pulled-away shot of them bantering in the garden, clearly enjoying each other's company.)
[Scene: late at night, in a dark private room in the guard barracks. Moonlight falls through a crack in the unlocked window, falling on the stripes of a sleeping Tigress. For a moment, all is quiet… until there's the sound of the window shutters creaking open, and the chink of moonlight widens.]
[A soft flutter of wings sounds; a shadow enters through the window, cutting off the moonlight. Shot shows little duck feet creeping along the floor until they reach the foot of the bed, and a wing gently sets down a scroll on the floor beside the bed's feet.]
(On the bed, Tigress's amber eyes suddenly snap open.)
LOI: (Gasps and leaps back just as Tigress's paws close over where his neck had been. He takes flight as the feline snarls, heading for the window, but she leaps ahead of him and slams the shutters shut, prompting him to fly wildly in the other direction. She chases him around the room for several moments before finally pouncing on him, pinning him to the carpet.)
TIGRESS: Got you!
LOI: P-Please, don't hurt me!
TIGRESS: (Stands, carrying the captured duck, and stalks over to the room's lantern. As the light flares golden over the walls, she holds the bird to eye-level, studying him in a way that is uncomfortably reminiscent of Tai Lung.) Interesting. (The duck quakes; she regards it with mild amusement, one brow quirked.) You are not who I would have sent as an assassin.
LOI: (Squawking) I'm not an assassin! I'm just a messenger!
TIGRESS: (Startled) A messenger?
LOI: Yes! (Looking around nervously and lowering his voice.) I've been sent to invite you to a meeting with my master.
TIGRESS: And who is your master?
LOI: Isn't it obvious? (When Tigress looks confused, he gestures to the scroll he left at the foot of her bed.) General Zhong.
TIGRESS: Zhong… (She picks up the scroll with her other paw, unfurling it.) I know that name. He was the Tiger Emperor's most loyal follower… (Studying the letter and then looking up in shock.) General Zhong is the leader of the Ten Thousand?
LOI: Of course. Who else would be? (Tigress doesn't answer, and the duck insists:) I-It's no trick! He just wants to talk to you.
TIGERSS: I'm sure.
LOI: It's true!
TIGRESS: (Dryly) And what would your master want from me? Is he trying to recruit me?
LOI: Yes! Yes, exactly!
TIGRESS: (Eyes flicker ever-so-briefly to the door behind her.) Is that so. (Leaning closer; in a low growl:) Then you can tell your master that I'm not interested in joining his little pity-party. Am I clear?
LOI: (Gulping) Clear. Very clear.
TIGRESS: Good. (Goes to the window and drops him out. The bird squawks as he drops a few feet, and then flies off again. She steps back and glances to the door.) Crane, after him. Don't be seen.
(The door opens, revealing the others, sans Viper, lying in wait—Tigress hadn't been sleeping at all, but rather setting the trap.)
CRANE: On it. (Bird-runs to the window and then takes off, vanishing into the night.)
PO: Why'd you let him go? I thought the plan was to interrogate him.
TIGRESS: An assassin is one thing, but they might have gotten suspicious if their messenger didn't come back and abandoned their hideout. Now we can ambush them any time we choose.
MANTIS: Kind of weird that they, you know…tried to recruit you…
TIGRESS: (Brushing it off and sitting down on her bed again) It's less hassle for them if they can avoid a fight; if I were them I'd do the same thing. For now, we wait until Crane gets back with his information.
[Shot of her window from the outside, as a shadow swoops across the shot, which pans up. A few moments later, a crane silhouette flies across the moon.]
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please like and review to tell me what you thought!