Hey, guys. Special announcement: I have started creating a stockpile of chapters so that I can update on a more regular basis. How regular you ask? Why, weekly. That's right. You'll be seeing a new chapter every week from now on. I intend to do my best to stick by the schedule. Plus, this month is special. Since it's October, there will be updates every week and another on the 29th! For more details on my update schedule, check my profile ;) For now, on with the chapter!
Chapter 17: Visiting Family
A day after Qiang's visit, Dai found out about the local orphanage and how a few of the children were sick. She decided to volunteer there to lift the children's spirits. She also helped nurse them back to health as she had some experience with medicine. Unfortunately, soon after all the children were feeling better and Dai came back to the Jade Palace, she got sick.
"I don't know why you're so concerned, Po. I've shaken sickness before. I will again," said Dai.
"I'm concerned because I love you," said Po, stroking some of her fur back. She leaned into his paw, nuzzling it.
"You probably shouldn't be near me. I wouldn't want you to get sick too," she said, leaning back into bed.
"There's gotta be something I can do." He looked thoughtful. "I got just the thing. Stay right there. I'll be right back." He quickly left.
"I'll be here." Quieter, after he left, she said, "Not like I have much choice." She sniffed. Her eyes felt heavy and sore. She didn't feel like doing much of anything. "Sleep will help." She snuggled more into the bed and soon dozed off.
Meanwhile, Po and the Five, who had heard his plan on helping Dai, epically left the Palace and flew down into the village below the mountain. With a few dramatic poses, they landed in Ping's Noodle Shop. For, Po concluded, hot soup was always good medicine for when you were sick. It was already lunch time, so Po and the Five ate there. Po also got his dad's recipe for hot soup that he had made for Po when he was sick.
When they came back, Shifu told Po that the next phase of his training involved him becoming a teacher to the Furious Five. Needless to say, Po was shocked. Training young ones was one thing, but training the Five?! They already knew kung fu.
When Po returned to his room that night, he gave Dai a bowl of soup and told her about his day. She laughed herself into a coughing fit. Po gave her a pouting look. "Oh, Po, I'm sorry it didn't go well, but nobody's good at something right away. Master Shifu's teaching you how to be a leader. I think it's admirable and you should keep pursuing it," she said.
"Wow, thanks, Dai," said Po. "I won't let you down."
"You haven't yet and I doubt you will." She grasped his paw with hers and they shared a tender smile. "This is some great soup, by the way. Would your dad happen to have a spicy dumpling recipe?"
"Oh, now you want dumplings?" asked Po, teasing.
"Isn't that what's supposed to happen when you're sick? You get what you want when you ask for it?"
"I guess you got me there, but I won't do it because of that."
"No?"
"No, I'll do it because of this," he said, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you, Po. Thank you."
"I love you, Daiyu. For now, let's get some sleep. Then, tomorrow, I'll make you some dumplings."
"Sounds good," Dai replied, her voice already sounding drowsy.
The next day, Po talked to his dad about a dumpling recipe for Dai. There was also talk of Po's dumpling eating record, one that no one else in the village was anywhere close to beating. However, many records are made just to be broken as a rabbit announced to Po and Mr. Ping that someone was about to beat Po's record.
Everyone was gathered in the dining area cheering on the patron who ate 100 dumplings. Everyone was amazed and, when the patron jumped up and down in victory, his mouth still full of dumplings, it was clear why the record was beaten. It was another panda. Not just that, it was a panda who looked much like Po.
"Who are you?" asked Po, amazed. The other panda spoke, but his mouth was full. "Wha?"
The other panda swallowed his food and replied, "I am Li Shan. I have come looking for my son."
"You lost your son?" asked Po. Li Shan nodded. "I lost my father."
"Well, I hope you find your father."
"Thank you. Good luck finding your son." They turned away from each other for a moment before they understood what the other patrons already saw: Li Shan was Po's dad. They spent some time bonding before Po brought Li to the Jade Palace to show him what he was. More bonding happened as a consequence. A consequence, of course, for the artifacts as they played with them like toys. The Five and Shifu were not impressed. Not long after the Five and Shifu were introduced to Po's dad, however, they were told an attack was taking place in the village and they went back down the steps.
Meanwhile, Dai was having a strange and disturbing dream. She dreamed a large dark foe with green eyes and blades was coming to take everyone away from her. Po went to go face the foe, but he fell. Dai was too late to help him and felt devastated.
When Dai awoke, her fur stood on end. The dream felt so real. "It… it can't be real though. Po's the Dragon Warrior. Since when does the Dragon Warrior fall in battle? If that were to happen, it would have been prophesized… right?" She felt less and less sure and, scared for Po's safety, she bolted out of bed. She barely made it down the hall before she fell against a wall, lightheaded from the sudden activity. She recovered as quickly as she could before she got to her goal: the records room. Among these scrolls, all kung fu knowledge was kept, preserved. If Po was to reach an end and there was a prophecy about it, it would be here.
Dai stopped short of fully entering the room, however, when she smelled someone new. She hid in the shadows and heard the conversation taking place. It sounded like Po was on a mission to face off against Kai and that he had to go with his dad to learn chi. This journey would take them far and into the mountains. Dai knew the journey would not do her well since she was still ill. She heard them exiting the room and she quickly jumped into the rafters to avoid being seen. She caught a glimpse of the scroll they were reading, however, and one of the images matched the figure she had seen in her dream. She knew then what she had to do. She had to get healed fast so that she could be at her best. She had just found happiness in Po and she was not about to lose him to some long dead guy. Kai had made Dai's list.
I realized that I started writing this before Kung Fu Panda 3 and I really wanted to incorporate it into the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next few. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)