A/N: I'm HEEERRRRREEEEE! And after one of the best days of my life, it seems only right that I would oblige with a chapter.

It's a little shorter than the rest. Sorry about that.

"HIYAAAAAAAAAH" He threw his fist out with as much force as possible, which she caught, but used her block to jab his paw into her mid-section. It sent her back a few steps. However, she moved on instinct and kicked her leg up into his arm. Her foot connected with his forearm and he jerked his fist back. She went to throw a punch, which he dodged by ducking to the right. He spun on his left foot, and used his momentum to perform a roundhouse kick, which should have taken her down. However, he hesitated, and all she did was skitter back a few steps. The courtyard was quiet for a moment.

"You hesitated." She said, putting her paws on her hips. "Why?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Didn't want to hurt you, I guess."

"Po." He looked up. Wrong move. She sent him a punch to the gut that knocked him on his butt. "Do not hesitate. There is more power in learning to control the strength you have than there is trying to suppress it." She offered him a hand. "Let's go again."

"Wait." He grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Po, what-"

"They're here." He stood quickly and suddenly took off towards the training hall. "Master!"

"I know." Shifu was running towards them. "Evacuate the villagers. We will do what we can to hold them off."

"We managed to get them all out before the wolves could get into town." Shifu's voice had grown soft. "I lost track of them after that. There were so many of them. It wasn't long before we were overrun." His grip tightened on his cane. "I was injured. I managed to make it to the Dragon Grotto somehow. I thought it was odd that they never came after me. I assumed they just went after Tigress and Po."

"Did you try and find them?"

"Yes. By the time I finally regained consciousness, they had left." He sighed. "As soon as I was healthy, I began searching. For three years, I looked everywhere. I watched all five camps, but there were so many people in them. Even if I had found them, I would never have been able to rescue them myself. I found Viper and Monkey. They managed to escape. When I asked about the others, they said they would do what they could, and we would meet back here in the Valley."

"They never came." She finished. He nodded. "You never went back to look for them?"

"No." He replied. "I'm getting old, young one. Making the journey to those camps was hard the first time. I don't think I could make it a second." He used his cane to help him stand. She followed suit.

"Come here girl." He gestured for her to stand with him. She climbed the steps and stood by his side, gazing down into the crystalline water. "What is your name?"

"Yù."

"Yù? It means Jade, right?" He turned to look at her from the corner of his eye. She nodded in reply. "Fitting that a woman named Jade would end up in the Jade palace. Almost like destiny." Something mischievous sparkled in his eyes.

"What-" Before she could finish, he banged his staff against the ground. The peach petals that had been lying dormant suddenly begin to fly about, as though given instructions for a new dance. They swirled towards that massive dragon hanging from the ceiling, and seemed to float for a moment, before she realized that there was something in the dragon's mouth. Time seemed to stop as it teetered on the edge of the dragon's maw, before it fell into the old panda's waiting paw. "Woah." She finished.

"Before my predecessor passed on, he gave me this." Shifu held up the scroll for her to take. "But I don't think it was meant for me."

She took it rather reluctantly, and opened it slowly, as though expecting it to explode. Instead, she found a small note:

In fire and foe, come a dragon and peace.

Divided by struggle, united by death.

A warrior of Jade and a heart of stone.

A tree with roots deep underground, cannot simply be cut.

"What does that even mean?" She exclaimed, flipping the scroll over to see if anything was written on the back.

"I do not know." Shifu stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Oogway was never one to make things clear."

"So what am I supposed to do?" She found her voice was raising slightly in panic. "All I came here for was food and water, not some mumbo jumbo from a crazy old turtle!"

"Interesting." Shifu was watching her intently, a frown on his face. "I never mentioned that Oogway was a tortoise."

It was suddenly quiet in that old hall.

"How did you know who I was?" He was watching her expectantly. "Judging by how young you look, you were but a child when this place fell." He gestured around him to the palace. "So, how is it you know so much?" His voice was calm, but she noticed that his gaze was caught between suspicion and curiosity.

"I-It's a long story." She stuttered, caught off guard. "If you don't mind, it's not one I'm ready to tell."

He continued watching her for a moment, before shrugging. "We all have our demons." He replied. "I would not judge you for wanting to keep them private." He thought for a moment. "Come with me. There is a spare room above the training hall where you can stay for the night, if you wish."

"But-" She hesitated. "Thank you."

And when he turned back to look at her, there was something akin to kindness in his eyes.

A/N: Next chapter, we see some new peeps. Boomie out