Chapter 6
*A/N: Regarding the mahjong tile Tigress has, the specific tile is the "white arrow" tile, which is usually blank with a border around the edges; I haven't been able to confirm this 100%, so if someone who actually plays mahjong can correct me on this please do, but the internet tells me that this tile is associated with the Confucian virtue of filial piety. The arrow tiles are relatively new, having been invented in the 1800s, but I liked the symbolism enough to let the anachronism slide.
[Shot: the window to Wu's office from the outside; through the red lattice-work we can see the outlines of Shifu, Wu and the Emperor. Po and the Four have gathered around/beneath it, Po pressed to the wall (now carrying a stack of empty soup bowls) as the others crouch under the windowsill. The five of them turn to each other, sharing stunned looks.]
PO: (Nodding his head down the path silently; the others follow as they slink away.)
(Shot shifts to them walking down the path back to their barracks; all five look morose, talking in quiet voices.)
PO: Jeez, poor Tigress…
CRANE: She is not going to take this well.
MONKEY: (Half-hearted suggestion) Maybe we do not have to tell her?
VIPER: (Worried) She'll find out eventually. We should just tell her now, before someone else does...
MANTIS: (Sarcastic) Yeah, I'm sure that would go really well. "Listen, Tigress, no big deal but Po is going to be in charge from now on, because it turns out the Emperor is a total Dragon Warrior fanboy!"
PO: (Arguing as he pulls open the door to the barracks kitchen.) I don't think he's– Oh.
(Tigress is standing in the doorway. Beat of silence.)
PO: Um… heyyy, Tigress, we were just, uh–
TIGRESS: So. You were all listening. (Po shuts up. The feline's face betrays no emotion. To the others:) We should all know better than to eavesdrop. It's better to wait for our orders to come from Master Shifu.
MONKEY: Tigress–
TIGRESS: (Stiffly) The Emperor was wise to choose the Dragon Warrior for this task. (To Po, but not meeting his eyes) You are a talented master and I'm sure you will lead the mission admirably. Now if you will all excuse me, I have some meditating to do before bed. (She pushes past them and leaves.)
(They turn and watch her go; she rounds the hallway corner and vanishes.)
MONKEY: Oof.
CRANE: Rough.
PO: Maybe I should–
VIPER: Don't. Just leave her be.
(They move back into the kitchen, sitting down. Shot is mostly focused on Po, who looks miserable, as the others talk over him:)
MONKEY: (Half off-screen) But Wu is not wrong; we should have made more progress by now...
MANTIS: We've never faced a threat like this before. Even Shen's army didn't come close.
CRANE: Mantis is right; we're Kung Fu masters, not soldiers or spies! What do they want us to do, work miracles?
MONKEY: There must be something we can do. Po? What do you think? (Po doesn't answer.) Po?
PO: I…
VIPER: (Gently) Po…do you even want to lead the mission?
(Po opens his mouth, but then hesitates, and doesn't answer.)
[Scene: a burning lantern flame flickers and then stabilizes.
Shot moves out to show Tigress's room in the palace barracks; it's similar to the student rooms back at the palace, but with a red-lattice window and solid walls instead of rice-paper screens. Tigress is sitting on the edge of her bed, looking down at something in the palm of her paw: a worn, wooden mahjong tile, golden-brown on the back and white-cream on the front, with a string looped through a hole bored in the top. The tile is blank except for a faint yellow-carved border.]*
(A quiet knock sounds on the door, startling her; Tigress quickly stands up, looping the string back over her head and tucking the tile into her vest, and goes to open the door. Shifu is standing on the other side of it.)
TIGRESS: (Flustered) Master. (She steps back, standing at attention.) It's late; can I help you?
SHIFU: (Steps into the room and closing the door behind him.) So. You overheard us.
TIGRESS: (Standing stiff-backed and not meeting his eyes) You should be speaking to the Dragon Warrior. He will need to know what his duties are, considering his new role in the mission.
SHIFU: Po will not be leading this mission. (Tigress's eyes widen marginally in surprise and she looks down. Shifu explains:) I convinced the Emperor against the idea.
TIGRESS: Why?
SHIFU: (Simply) Because he was wrong.
TIGRESS: (Hissing, looking around to ensure they've not been overheard) Master!
SHIFU: The Emperor is… a little more unorthodox than I was expecting, it is true. And he certainly seems to have taken a liking to Po. But– (ironic chuckle) –he does not know the two of you as I do.
TIGRESS: (Unsettled) Th-the Emperor's judgement is not to be questioned! And Po is the Dragon Warrior; if the Emperor would feel more at ease with him leading this mission, then of course I will step aside.
SHIFU: (Pacing further into the room with a nod) Yes, Po is the Dragon Warrior. But you, Tigress, are the Leader of the Five. You have been since you were sixteen. (She looks away at this, unconvinced, and Shifu adds) And the finest warrior the Jade Palace has seen in a hundred years.
(Tigress looks back at him, surprised—she knows the weight this praise carries for her master. Shifu gives her a small smile and a nod.)
SHIFU: (Quietly) Po may be Oogway's heir, Tigress. But you are mine. I have full faith in you…and I always have.
(Tigress stares at him for a moment, and then returns the small smile. In the distance the city gong sounds, and Shifu stirs.)
SHIFU: Well, you should be getting your rest. (He bows, fist-in-paw.) Goodnight, Tigress.
TIGRESS: (Bowing) Goodnight, Master.
(Shifu leaves, closing the door behind him. Tigress rises from the bow, still smiling slightly. She blows out the lantern and then lays down on the bed to sleep, on her side with her tail curled up around her.)
(She appears to be almost asleep when there's another knock on the door, and her eyes open again.)
PO'S VOICE: (From the other side of the door, whispering) Tigress? Are you awake?
TIGRESS: (Hesitates as if she wants to say something, but doesn't answer.)
PO'S VOICE: Tigress? (He faintly knocks again, which has the accidental effect of pushing the door open with a soft creak. Tigress's eyes snap shut. Po, apologetically, peeks into the room and lets out a soft gasp.) Oh. You're asleep. Cool. Totally cool. Sorry. We'll, uh, we'll talk tomorrow… yeah. Cool. (He waits another moment, and then awkwardly closes the door again. Tigress opens her eyes again, looking back over her shoulder guiltily at the door.)
[Shot: autumn day in the city; business as usual. The Five and Po are standing outside the walls of the Forbidden City, as Tigress reviews the plan with them.]
TIGRESS: We'll work the same areas as yesterday; talk to people, try to get information. Anything even slightly suspicious, make a note of it, but don't act too interested. We'll meet back here at sunset.
MANTIS: (Rolling his eyes) We know, Tigress. We'll be careful.
TIGRESS: Po, you take the neighborhoods East of the palace; Viper, the North; Crane, the south; I'll take the West. Mantis, spy on the imperial neighborhoods around here, don't be seen. (Mantis salutes.) Monkey, are you alright taking the poor quarters again?
MONKEY: (Waving his hand) Sure. I grew up in a neighborhood like that; I blend right in.
TIGRESS: Good. All of you, be careful. Don't take on anything you can't handle alone, and don't get distracted by stopping petty crime; we have a job to do.
(The group agrees and then disperses; Monkey disappears down a street, looks around, and then swings himself over a wall, catapults with a flip into the air onto the roof and landing on a wall, which he runs/creeps along for several seconds before dropping into a quieter, narrow alley.)
(He skirts along this for a while before joining a new side-street, weaving in and out of shops or on rooftops along the way. We see from his view looking down into hutongs, back-alleys, courtyards and shops on several scenes: children buying sweets, old people playing mahjong, a vendor selling bananas. Monkey pauses at this one and lowers himself upside-down by the tail like a bandit while the vendor's back is turned. He holds a finger to his lips to the bunny child, who giggles as he steals a small bunch of bananas and drops several taels onto the counter; the owner jumps and turns around, but Monkey is gone before the coins even stop spinning.)
(Eventually Monkey reaches an area that looks significantly shadier and less prosperous than the rest; buildings here are made of brownish-gray wood instead of whitewashed plaster, and the wooden sign-boards creak slightly in the breeze, painted with peeling characters advertising bars or gambling dens. People either look suspiciously at each other or keep their heads down, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves.
Monkey swipes a hat, unseen, from a local vendor as a disguise, again leaving behind a few taels, and quickly takes to moving along rooftops again, peeking out from behind the tiled corners as he watches the people move below. A noise catches his ear, and he turns his head, looking down into the alleyway behind him. A pair of lynxes are talking in an undertone.)
LYNX 1: (Male, deep voice) So you go ahead with the baby…
LYNX 2: (Female, raspy voice) Ugh. Why do we always have to do the "starving family" gambit? Can't we just take it? Nobody's going to stop us!
LYNX 1: I told you, we gotta be subtle! Now c'mon, put on your pleading mama face! (Lynx 2 glares at him, and then gives him a half-sarcastic, half-pleading look.) What a show-stopper. (Hands her a baby-lynx-sized bundle, which the female lynx grabs in a way that shows it's clearly just a wad of blankets.) Get out there.
(Monkey's eyes narrow as he watches the pair go out into the road. A poor old woman is crossing the street and is immediately targeted by the pair.)
LYNX 2: (Approaching; in a pitiful voice:) Excuse me, Ma'am, but do you have anything to spare? My baby hasn't eaten in three days…
MONKEY: (To self, as the first lynx sneaks up behind them:) Let it go. Tigress is right; we can't focus on petty crime…(Tries looking the other way, but finds his eyes drawn back.)
OLD WOMAN: (A blind old rabbit) Oh, poor dear. Here… (pulls out her coin purse and hands the "mother" several taels) Get something to eat… (Putting the coin purse back on her belt.)
LYNX 2: Thank you, thank you so much… (Continues on with the "thanks" as the first lynx cuts the old woman's purse and drains the coins into his own. As soon as it's empty, she abruptly stops and hurries away with the "baby," swiftly joined by the other lynx. Monkey can see them celebrating in the alleyway across the street. Nobody else seems to be doing anything; possibly they hadn't noticed.)
MONKEY: (Relenting) Alright, one petty criminal. (Swings down into the shadows.)
(In the other alleyway, the Lynxes are celebrating.)
LYNX 1: See? I told ya, works every time!
LYNX 2: Did you see her face? "Poor dear; poor dear–!" (Breaks into snickers)
(Behidn them, Monkey lowers himself into the shot by his tail, the old woman's coin purse in hand.)
LYNX 1: I say we try by old Mr. Xu's mahjong parlor next; there's always a ton of old codgers around there…
(Monkey covers his mouth to hid his own snicker and undties the lynxes' stuffed-full pouch; clearly this isn't the first person they've robbed today.)
LYNX 2: Aw c'mon, that place always smells like old soup.
LYNX 1: Yeah but those old folks are blinder than bats in the daylight—'cept Mrs. Li, she actually is a bat… (Reaches back to scratch his butt. Monkey freezes and waits, and then resumes his task. He successfully switches out the purses, making sure there's no weight difference by tugging down lightly on the old woman's purse, and then abruptly letting go and swinging up into the air. Lynx 1 turns around, startled at the weight difference.) What the– hey! (He and his partner immediately slip on two banana peels.)
(But Monkey is already gone, looking back over his shoulder as he crosses the rooftops with a monkey-ish laugh.)
(At another fruit stand, the old woman is going to pay for an orange, only to find it missing.)
OLD WOMAN: Oh my!
VENDOR: What?
OLD WOMAN: My purse! It's gone missing! It– (Suddenly a full coin-purse lands in front of her, spilling out coins. She looks up just in time to see the shadow of a flying tail flash across the sunlight and vanish over the next rooftop.)
MONKEY: (Chuckling to himself and hanging from one hand off a roof as he eats his final banana with satisfaction) Too easy! (Takes a final bite of the banana.)
VOICE: (From below) Uh, 'scuse me.
MONKEY: (Muffled) Whoa! (Nearly drops the banana as he squeezes it out of its peel; he drops the peel and snags the banana out of its mid-air fall, before looking down.)
(A teenaged wolf cub is looking up at him.)
THE KID: (Bluntly) You're Master Monkey, right?
MONKEY: (Swallowing banana) Um… no? (The young wolf looks unimpressed. Monkey sighs and drops, flipping over and landing in a crouch in the alleyway before straightening up.) What tipped you off?
THE KID: People around here don't usually stop crimes, especially not with banana peels. (A beat; grudgingly:) Plus I've seen your action figures.
MONKEY: Ah. Touché.
THE KID: Look. (Lowering his voice, glancing back to the main street) I saw you hanging around here yesterday; this place isn't safe for outsiders. You should leave.
MONKEY: Ehh, not safe is kind of my job. (Offers a smile. The kid doesn't return it.) So, you came looking for me?
THE KID: (Vaguely) Maybe.
MONKEY: (Joking) Ah, to sign your action figure? (Kid's eyes narrow.) Man, tough crowd. Listen, kid, thanks for the warning, but I'll be o-kay. (Gives him two thumbs up and a smile, and then clamber/swings his way up onto the drainage spout of the nearest house.)
THE KID: (Suddenly) Wait.
(Monkey turns back. The kid hesitates, and then sighs.)
THE KID: You guys are looking for the Ten Thousand, right?
MONKEY: (Dropping down again) Do you… know something?
THE KID: ...My uncle owns a bar around here. He used to be a member. (Monkey's eyes widen, and the kid quickly protests:) He's not anymore! But those guys came around to the bar a few times trying to convince him to join up again before he really sent them packing. They invited him to some place called the Den of Claws; from the way they were talking I think it's this warehouse down by the Canal.
MONKEY: (Bowing) You just made my life a lot easier. Thank you.
THE KID: My uncle's not going to get in trouble, is he? (Looking embarrassed for admitting something so sappy:) Since my ma died, I mean… he's all I've got left. I don't want to get him mixed up in anything.
MONKEY: ("Locks" his lips and throws away the "key," before giving the kid a silent thumbs up and a smile. The teenager grins back.)
[Scene: city street. Tigress is walking along; people pass by her, occasionally giving the master a recognizing look, as she moves around the carts and vendor stalls.]
[Shot moves slightly behind, between two black fuzzy years peering around a shop wall.]
(Ahead, Tigress seems to notice something, her ears perking up and eyes flicking back briefly before she gets a mildly annoyed look, continuing to walk. Po's face peeks out from behind the wall, and then he "stealth-rolls" behind a rubbish bin, sneaks along behind a rolling cart, and then ineffectually "hides" behind a post.)
TIGRESS: (Sighing and stopping, turning around) Po, I can see you.
(Beat of silence. Then, slowly, Po pokes his head out from behind the post. Tigress raises her brow, unimpressed.)
PO: (Sheepishly) Uh… hey, Tigress. (Pointing around in a half-hearted gesture) Is this not the eastern neighborhoods?
TIGRESS: (Planting paws on her hips as he approaches, annoyed:) Why are you following me? I told you to go do reconnaissance.
PO: C'mon, you've been avoiding me all morning! I just wanna talk.
TIGRESS: (Coolly, walking again) Just because you're the Dragon Warrior it doesn't mean you don't have to follow orders.
PO: (Following alongside her) Oh. So, uh, so you're still mad about that, huh. (Tigress, affecting stoicism, doesn't answer nor look at him. Po sighs.) Look, you know that wasn't my fault.
TIGRESS: (Hesitates, and then relents) I know. And you are the Dragon Warrior; I should be used by now to you being… preferred. (Po opens his mouth to speak, but Tigress cuts him off, stopping in front of a break in the road): We're here.
(They're standing in front of the entrance to a hutong—an alley or street formed by the rows of traditional courtyard-style Chinese houses. Neighborhoods are made by joining these hutong-alleys together, and they often have their own specific character. This one is no exception: the entrance to the street is overshadowed by a yellow gingko tree, which releases its fluttering yellow leaves against the blue autumn sky, and as they slip inside Po notices that nearly all of the citizens around him are tigers.)
(This particular neighborhood is clearly old but once well-to-do; the courtyard residences and shops are large and their gates are made of stone or brick rather than wood, with signboards above bearing family surnames or shop names. Two tiger cubs are playing in the street ahead of them, chasing each other around the base of another ginkgo tree. As Po watches, the sister tackles her younger brother, prompting a chuckle from him.)
(Still, all is not well. The signboards' paint is peeling off; more than a few of the fine courtyard houses are boarded up and abandoned. Moreover, Po is an outsider here, and the locals are giving him odd looks as the only black-and-white spot in a sea of orange-and-black stripes.)
TIGRESS: (Noting their looks; muttering quietly to Po:) This way. (She takes him by the arm and quickly leads him into the courtyard of a shop.)
PO: (Sniffing the air and nearly melting) Ohhhh, that smells so good! (Tigress is not paying him any attention, quickly scanning the shop courtyard; there are two old tigers playing mahjong in the corner, and a young teenage tiger girl sweeping the courtyard near the shop's interior doors, but otherwise they're alone—the lunch rush has passed.) What is that? Spicy tofu? I could to-otally go for an afternoon snack about now.
TIGRESS: (Distractedly) Fine.
PO: Aw man, just this onc– oh (realizing she hasn't objected) uh, yeah, great! (Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, he quickly takes a seat, and then blinks when Tigress shoves a menu in his hands.) Geez, didn't realize you were so hungry.
TIGRESS: I'm not; hide your face. (Mildly annoyed) This is why I didn't want you to come; you stand out like a sore thumb here.
PO: So? I mean, no offense, Tigress, but sheesh, the area could use a little diversity. (She gives him a flat look.) What?
TIGRESS: Reconnaissance means not standing out, Po, have you forgotten? (She glances over when the two old men stand up—hopefully having finished their mahjong game—pay their tab, and leave.) Just stay in here and try to keep a low profile; I'll be back in half an hour. (She makes to stand.)
(Just as she does so, however, the restaurant proprietor comes over. He's a tiger in about his middle-forties, wearing a tunic and an apron like Po does around his waist.)
SUN: (Mildly drawling and bored; by rote:) Welcome to Sun's; can I start you off with anything?
PO: Spicy tofu with garlic and an order of rice!
TIGRESS:I won't be staying.
SUN: Stay. (Glancing to the gateway.) It's not safe for you out there right now. (This is such an immediate and pointed warning that Po and Tigress share a suspicious look.)
TIGRESS: (Warily sitting back down) Spicy tofu, then.
SUN: (Drily) Excellent. (Glancing at Po.) Two famous kung fu masters in my restaurant. I do hope I can live up to your illustrious standards.
(Shot moves ahead; Sun is setting down their plates of lightly steaming spicy tofu in front of them.)
SUN: I don't mean you any offense, but shouldn't have come back here, Master Tigress.
TIGRESS: You saw me yesterday? (He nods.) How did you know who I was?
SUN: Your stripes. (Points to his own.) They give you away. Around here we never forget a face. (At Tigress's mildly surprised look, he returns to setting down their utensils.) You're with the Emperor, and that means you're trouble.
TIGRESS: So, people around here don't like the Emperor.
SUN: We like him just fine—as much as you can like an emperor, anyway. (Finishes with his table setting and straightens up, paws on his waist.) But the Ten Thousand have a different view, and they don't take kindly to those they see as traitors.
TIGRESS: (Quietly) Then they already have a foothold in the community?
SUN: (Glances at her, and then over to the corner where the girl is still sweeping under the tables.) Feng. (The girl looks up.) Shut the gates; we're going on break.
(The girl catches his tone and does so, still looking in mild awe at Tigress. As she returns Sun puts his hand on her shoulder.)
SUN: This is my daughter, Feng. (The girl looks up at her father and then at the two masters.) My pride and joy. I do my best to give her a good life.
TIGRESS: (Understanding) We don't want to put your family at risk. Forgive us; we will eat and leave.
PO: Uh, to-go box?
(Sun gives him a side-eye and then returns to the kitchen to get a to-go parcel. Feng sidles up and tugs on her father's sleeve. Sun ignores her)
FENG: (Insistently, in an undertone:) Father.
SUN: (In the same undertone) Feng, it's not safe.
(His daughter says nothing more, but merely looks at him. After a moment, Sun sighs.)
SUN: Feng, go upstairs.
FENG: But father–!
SUN: (In a no-nonsense tone) Now, Feng. (Reluctantly, the girl does so. Sun returns to the masters with the to-go parcel, sighs, and then sets it down on the table and sits down in the chair opposite Tigress, much to their surprise.)
(Scene cuts to Sun, Po, and Tigress drinking tea and talking, their food now gone.)
SUN: To tell you the truth, the Ten Thousand have more of a foothold in this neighborhood than most of us would like to admit. In the past we could ignore the radicals, but these days it's hard to know who can and can't be trusted.
PO: It seems pretty peaceful to me…
SUN: The further in you go, the less it is. This used to be a prosperous neighborhood, but it's fallen on hard times since the war.
PO: But that was decades ago, right? I mean, you must've rebuilt since then.
SUN: (Shrugging as he pours himself another cup of tea from the pot) It wasn't a matter of rebuilding. When you've lost as many people as we have, it's hard to bounce back.
PO: (With ironic sympathy) Yeah I uh, I get that.
SUN: (Glancing up with a wry smile) Don't pity us, Dragon Warrior. Our people did this to themselves. (He looks to Tigress, who appears to be suppressing discomfort.) You clearly haven't been around your own kind in a long time, if you thought your stripes would help you blend in. The Ten Thousand have eyes and ears all over this neighborhood; they knew you were here the moment you set foot on this street.
TIGRESS: They have a lot of support in the community, then?
SUN: The Ten Thousand want war. Most of us just want peace. But, (with a considering nod) they've been gaining more followers recently, especially among the younger generation. These kids don't remember the war like we do, they don't know what it was like—they just know they feel humiliated. Of course, then there's the old folks who just want revenge...
PO: (Wondering aloud) Why would anyone sign up for that?
SUN: (Grim chuckle) Oh, they can be very persuasive. (At Po's bewildered look, he explains:) Before the war, there were thousands of us here in the capitol. Some people say we've been here longer than anyone. Not sure I believe it myself. (Almost wistful) But legends tell of an ancient time when our kind ruled the northeast plains, stronger than anyone else. Every one of us lived as a king, taking from the land, living in perfect freedom. (Returns to earth.) That's the story anyway. But then, so say the legends, in came the rabbits and the geese and the ducks and the pigs—and the pandas (with a nod to Po)—and everyone else who founded the Empire, and suddenly we were deprived of what was rightfully ours. (Lifting his teacup to the panda.) It's complete nonsense, but you can see why it's appealing.
TIGRESS: (Ironically) Who wouldn't want to be descended from a line of kings? (Sun gives her a grim smile and drinks his tea.) But lately the Ten Thousand has been growing stronger. I don't understand it; the Tiger Emperor has been dead for thirty years. Why now?
SUN: So, you haven't heard. (Tigress and Po look bewildered, so he shrugs and sets down his teacup) Rumor has it his heir has returned to the Northern Capitol.
PO: Wait, wait. He has an heir? (Looking to Tigress) I thought you said all his kids died in the war?
SUN: (Drawing his attention back) They did. I'm not saying the rumors make any sense; I'm just saying what I've heard. (Darkly) Something doesn't have to be true for people to believe in it—even die for it.
TIGRESS: (Pondering) Zhong must have found someone to use as a puppet, claiming he's the Tiger Emperor's long-lost son. That, or maybe Zhong is trying to claim successorship himself.
SUN: (Snorting) You don't know much about General Zhong. From what I've heard about the old war-mongerer, he'd never dream of claiming to be his emperor's heir. No, whoever this kid is, the Ten Thousand think he's legit—but then, there's always been rumors that one of his sons escaped. Who knows? Maybe they're true.
PO:Is there anything else you can tell us?
SUN: I'm afraid not. People around here know I don't hold with that sort of stupidity, especially not around Feng. (Seriously) I've taken a big risk today, and I can't afford to do so again. I respect what you're trying to do, but you need to leave me and my family alone from here on out.
TIGRESS: You have our word.
SUN: I'll make sure the coast is clear for you.
(He goes to check outside the gate; seeing that the way to the main street is clear, he waves Po and Tigress through. As they leave, both look back at the shop to see Feng waving at them from the upper-floor window, obviously having been eavesdropping. Po grins and gives her a big farewell, but Tigress offers a small smile and raises her hand in farewell. The girl looks delighted.)
(As they get back onto the main street, Po elbows Tigress.)
PO: I'd call that a reconnai-success!
TIGRESS: (Looking satisfied.) We still don't know where the Ten Thousand's headquarters are. But you're right, this is valuable information. If there really is someone claiming to be the Tiger Emperor's heir, that's good news for us.
PO: It is?
TIGRESS: Yes. (Reaching into her trouser pockets and pulling out a scroll, which she hands to Po. He unfurls it to reveal a tourist's map of the city, with several areas already X-d off.) It means we have a target.
[Transition scene: Tigress's handheld map fades into the large city map in the guard's office. Monkey has delivered his tip and the Five, Po, Shifu and Wu are all peering over the city map, with warehouses down by the Grand Canal marked.]
WU: But we checked those warehouses weeks ago; they're all legitimately operated.
MONKEY: That's everything my informant heard.
MANTIS: And you're sure you can't tell us who this "informant" was?
MONKEY: If I did that, we'd stop getting informants.
SHIFU: (Pacing) The Den of Claws, the Den of Claws…I'm sure I've heard that name somewhere before...
WU:It was a story to scare civilians in the early days of the war. People said there was a hideout used by the Ten Thousand that had access to an underground labyrinth that stretched across the city; it's not true, of course.
MANTIS: (Mildly annoyed) If it was true, at least we'd know how they keep giving us the runaround.
MONKEY: (Teasing) It's enough to give anyone the "runs." (He and Mantis fist/mandible-bump, ignoring Viper's disgusted "ugh.")
PO: Heh, "The runs." (He snickers a moment, and then his face changes.) Wait a minute… (With dawning comprehension.) That's it!
MANTIS: (Confused) Bowel problems?
PO: Yeah! I mean, no, but– (Everyone is giving him a bewildered or flat look and he rushes to justify himself:) Look, this is a big city! All those people, following nature's call—it's all gotta go somewhere, right?
TIGRESS: (Realizing) You think they're using the sewers. (Urgently, to Wu) Where do the sewer tunnels run under the city?
WU: (Is already on it, unfurling a second map from a smaller stack and laying string and pins down over the major roadways. As he does so the picture becomes clear: within a few blocks of each marked terror attack runs a line of string.)
MANTIS: (Hopping onto the map and looking up) This has gotta be it. It was right under our frass the whole time.
MONKEY: Po, you're a genius.
WU: The storm drains flow into the moats and channels on the south side of the city; if the Den of Claws is on the shipping canal then it might be near any of the places the sewers let out there. (He marks several on the map.) We'd need to re-investigate all of them just to narrow them down.
VIPER: Leave that to me; I have an idea.
WU: As you wish, Master Viper.
TIGRESS: If these rumors about the Tiger Emperor's heir are true, then that's probably where they're keeping him. If we can infiltrate the Den of Claws, we might be able to destroy it and capture him alive.
SHIFU: Then your mission is clear. (His students turn to face him.) You've done good work, my students. Cut off the roots and the plant will wither; with a little luck, we might just be able to bring an end to the Ten Thousand once and for all.