5. The Invitation

"DAAAAAD!"

Mr. Ping almost dropped the knife. The gander was chopping a few radishes when Po had screamed through the window into the kitchen from nowhere.

"Po! Good gracious, what happened?!"

"I've got an invitation! I've got an invitation!"

Po jumped over the kitchen table, grabbed Mr. Ping's wings, and hopped around the kitchen with him. The gander didn't understand anything anymore.

"Po? What's going on?"

Finally, Po came to a standstill with his wild dance. "Like I said, I've got an invitation."

"An invitation?" With difficulty, Mr. Ping freed himself from the grip of his "son". "What kind of invitation?"

"For a birthday. - Well, half-birthday or almost-birthday."

"For whom?"

"I don't know the names yet. They haven't been able to choose one yet. At least not as long as they aren't hatched..."

"Okay, now, slowly, slowly, Po," Mr. Ping contained the Dragon Warrior's enthusiasm. "Now tell everything from the beginning..."

Po took a loud, deep breath. "Okay, so ... um." Now Po had to sort his thoughts first, too, before he could continue. "Well, it all started today when I had to catch General Sàshuǎng's helmet again. On the way, a black bird crossed my way that actually came from Japan, or more precisely, his family, but he grew up in China. His name is Takeo and he handed me an invitation by her."

"By whom?"

"By Yin-Yu. Do you still remember her?"

Mr. Ping smiled. "How could I forget all of this..."

At that moment, Po's enthusiasm came back. "Yes! She wrote me a letter! She wrote that I was invited to come to her children's upcoming birthday!"

Mr. Ping had to digest this sentence first. "Upcoming? Children?"

"Yes!" With this cheer, the panda grabbed the gander again and whirled around with him. "She laid the eggs last month. And they will hatch soon. And I should be there!"

Gradually, Mr. Ping understood. "Oh, Po! That's wonderful!"

The skipping continued until Mr. Ping thought of something else. "How did Shen react to that?"

Po stopped abruptly. "Uh, Shen?"

"Yes. The soon-to-be father," Mr. Ping instructed him and laughed. "As if he wasn't a father long ago. In that case, a soon-again-to-be father."

The panda let go of the gander and reread the letter. "Um, about Shen? She doesn't write anything about him. Only that she would be happy about my presence."

"Just her?" Mr. Ping raised his eyebrows. "Does that mean he wouldn't be happy about you?"

Po shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. She doesn't mention Shen with a single syllable."

He noticed Mr. Ping's worried expression and gave him an encouraging smile. "But don't worry. I'm sure he's happy about it, he just can't show it that way... you know. He just can't do that."

For once, Mr. Ping was satisfied with that and began to smile again. "Well, I hope they don't want to hire you as a babysitter."

"As a babysitter?" Po lifted his head in surprise. "Do you really mean it?"

"Well, Po, I could very well imagine you as a babysitter," Mr. Ping joked and handled with a few pots. "After all, you understand children very well. And who knows…" With a mischievous smile, the gander turned back to the kitchen counter and continued to chop the vegetables. "And who knows… maybe you will find someone who you like very much. And then you will have children, too, and this one might one day take over the restaurant."

Po was less enthusiastic. "But dad. Can you really imagine that? A kitchen full of hungry little pandas?"

Mr. Ping froze. "Uh, maybe we should postpone these plans," he said finally. "Let's take care of others first."

"Well, may I consider the invitation accepted?"

Panda and gander looked at the window where the crow Takeo was standing.

Po cleared his throat. "Of course. I'll be on my way immediately."

"Without us again?"

"Oh, guys." Remorseful, Po hid the letter behind his back when he met the reproachful looks of the Furious Five, who had appeared in the kitchen, too. "That… it won't take long. Maybe it's only for a few days."

"I think, they don't like that you're all alone with him again," Shifu said directly, who entered next to the five.

"With Lord Shen?" With a sigh, the panda stared at the letter. "But she invited only me. And by the way…" He continued the rest of the sentence, mumbled and quietly. "...I don't think that he would like to see my friends."

Inwardly, the panda slapped himself in the face. He didn't like talking about his best friends this way. But Shen didn't have good memories of the five.

"I'm really sorry, guys," Po apologized quickly. "I wish I could take you with me."

"That's okay, Po," Monkey said, although you could hear that he didn't like it either. "We can't do anything about that."

"In that case," Takeo raised his wing. "I will announce the imminent arrival of the Dragon Warrior in Yin Yan."

Po looked at him, still a little confused. "What... oh... uh... yes."

The crow bowed, then he fluttered away.

For a few seconds after that there was silence, until Mr. Ping's feet left the kitchen in a hurry. "I'll pack you something to eat, Po!"

No sooner anyone in the village had noticed that Po was going on a voyage, many residents as possible had gathered to wish him all the best. For this reason, it took almost an hour until Po was finally able to say goodbye to the last one and finally to get to the master and his friends.

As soon as he stood in front of them, he searched for words. "Well, well, I... I'll go then... well, all the best..."

"PO!" At that moment, Mr. Ping came running towards him with a backpack. "I've packed everything you need. And even this here."

Po looked at some panda figures in Mr. Ping's wings.

"Then these ones." Next the gander held up a whole box of tea. "Then this, a few fruits and a few sweets..."

"Dad!" Po interrupted. "Don't you think that it won't be a bit too much..."

"So what? On such an occasion you always have to take presents with you! And don't forget to give them my best congratulations..."

"Don't worry, I'll do," Po intervened and took the fully loaded rucksack.

"Po."

In surprise, Po turned to Tigress, who looked at him worried. "Take good care of yourself."

With an uncomfortable feeling, the panda shouldered the rucksack. "Hey, there's nothing to it. Just a little excursion, nothing more."

He hugged her. Then he did the same to the others.

Before Shifu, however, he left it at a bow. "Forgive me, master, that I have to leave you now..."

"Po, that's okay," the master reassured him.

Po nodded gratefully. "Thanks, master. Well then, all the best. See you."

Now Po was ready to leave. He made only a few meters, when Mr. Ping called out to him. "Oh, Po! Po! PO!"

The panda turned around in surprise. "Yes, dad?"

"In all the excitement I forgot to ask. How many eggs did she lay?"

"Four."

After that hand waves and farewell calls followed. Only Shifu looked pretty withdrawn. Hesitantly, the Furious Five stepped closer to him.

"Master?" Tigress began. "Do you think, it could be what you told us this morning..."

Master Shifu raised his hand. "I just said that I suspect something bad. But maybe it has nothing to do with that."

"See you soon!" They heard Po call from afar.

Shifu looked at him thoughtfully. He just couldn't explain why he had the feeling that Po would even be back very soon again.

Of course the five friends are disappointed, but don't worry. In this story they will get more to do later.