Chapter 8 : Provocateur

"Master Shifu. I think we have a little problem. Er, actually, it's not a little. Mmhhh, a big little problem?"

"What are you trying to say, Panda?" Shifu asked calmly.

"Master. The villagers — They know that Tigress is the reincarnation of Khan."

"What?" Shifu exclaimed. He aimed his staff at Po's face. "How dare you tell them about our secret."

"No...No...No... I didn't tell them."

"Then?"

"The prince did."

Shifu lowered his staff from Po's face. "The prince? Didn't you say he had already left?"

"Apparently not. He's still somewhere in the valley, spreading rumours about us."

"And their reactions?"

"Not good. They're worried that one day, the prophecy will come true."

"Master Po!" Zeng, the messenger flew in in panic. In his haste, he bumped into one of pillars and fell off. "AK..."

"Zeng. What happened?" Shifu asked.

"Master. I brought you letters from the villagers," Zeng answered without getting up from the ground. He handed the scrolls over with his talon.

Shifu unrolled the first scroll. As he reading it, his eyes started to widen. He dropped the first scroll and reached for another, expression never changing as he read through all the scrolls. Two minutes later, he threw it all aside angrily.

"What did they say?" Po asked.

"What ungrateful citizens."

"Master?"

"I can't believe they wanted it."

"What? What did they want?"

"To banish Tigress from this valley!" he snarled.

"You sure?" Po picked one of the scrolls and his jaw dropped as he read it. "Oh my, this is really—"

"Unexpected."

"I was about to say crazy, but I guess you could say unexpected too."

"I wonder what's on their mind. They want to exile one of their best protector?"

"I can't believe it too. This doesn't seem like them."

"Zeng. Where did you get this?" Shifu asked to the palace messenger.

"I was flying back from the marketplace when a pig and his friends called out to me. They requested me to pass these to you. "

Shifu placed his hands on his head anxiously. "This is... this is terrible."

"What is terrible?" someone interrupted. Tigress walked into the hall. "Master, was it you who said it?"

"It wasn't me." Shifu and Po quickly picked up all the scrolls and hid it behind their backs.

"Oh. So, I misheard. Is my hearing starting to get impaired?"

"Well, it is true that I said that, but it's nothing that concerns you."

Tigress was surprised. "What is it about?"

"Uh, nothing serious?" Po replied. "It's just me. I ate too many dumplings this morning."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well. Shifu told me that too much dumplings could slow me down. Being slow would mean that I'll be slow in fighting, and if I'm slow in fighting, I won't be able to kick the bandit's butts, which will mean that I won't be able to save the valley if anything happens. "

"It's not a big problem,"

"See? I told you that it wasn't a serious problem."

Tigress sighed. "Okay…okay… maybe I'm just overreacting."

"You're not, I think."

"I keep feeling that there's something you're hiding from me, like I'm not a part of you guys anymore."

"That's not true. You're one of us, no matter who you are."

"Huh. How can you be sure that you won't change your mind."

"Why? You don't believe me?"

"No, unless you can prove that you—hey, what's that?" Tigress had noticed the scrolls that Po was trying to hide pathetically behind him.

"What?"

"That. The thing behind your back."

"Oh. This? Nah, it's just letters from my fans. You know, sometimes I get like ten letters or so in a day. Can you imagine it?"

"And does Master Shifu have the same fans?" Tigress asked as she walked behind Shifu. Without warning, she grabbed the scrolls from him.

"Tigress! Don't!" Master Shifu stopped her from reading it by snatching it back

"Now I really feel like you're hiding something.

"This is none of your business," the red panda turned to Po. "You, come with me now."

"To?" asked Po.

"The village."

He turned to the goose. "Zeng, tell the villagers to gather at the bridge. Po and I will be meeting them."

Zeng nodded and then flew out.

"Can I come?" Tigress requested.

"No."

Before Tigress could say anything, Shifu explained more.

"Listen. For the next few days, I want you to stay at the palace. Yes, you are right. We do have a problem, but I don't want you to feel burdened, so let me and Po handle this."

"You can't do this to me Master," she protested.

"I can and I will. I'm ordering you to stay here till we return."

"But—"

"No more buts. Just obey your master."

"But—"

"Tigress, please," he said desperately. "Just listen to me, only for this time."

His student stared at him for a moment. "Okay. But believe me, Master. You can't hide anything. Sooner or later, I'll find out what's going on."

Shifu gave her a last look before grabbing Po's paw and dragging him out. The panda said a soft 'bye' to the tiger when he walked past her.

At the bridge,

Most villagers had already gathered around the bridge when Shifu arrived.

Shifu began speaking to them. "I'm sure you all know why we're here. This is about those letters you sent me. Now tell me, who wrote it?"

A bunny raised his hand. "I did. But I'm representing all of our opinions. We object to let Master Tigress stay here anymore. We're worried about the dangers of having the future destroyer of China around us. We just can't live with her in the same valley."

"But banishing her wouldn't be the right choice," Master Shifu argued. "Broaden your minds. It's just impossible for someone who has been protecting you to become your enemy."

"It is possible," said a goose. "what about Feng Huang and Tai Lung. They were our heroes until they turned evil. If we had given them a chance earlier, they would've killed us long ago."

Po decided to speak up. "I understand how you guys feel. But you know, what we're facing is not a really serious problem. Even if it's true that Tigress will destroy China, you don't have to worry as you have me, The Dragon Warrior, to protect you."

Shifu whispered, "What are you talking about?!"

"Just trying to keep them calm," he turned back to villagers. "As you know, I have defeated Tai Lung and Lord Shen, the two most evil persons that I've met in my entire life. Everything will just be okay with you while I'm here..."

Meanwhile in Jade Palace,

Tigress was walking around the palace listlessly, a frown never leaving her face. She had never felt so bored and lonely in her life. Even the remaining of The Furious Five seems to be avoiding her. She had no one to talk to, and totally to mood to train. Now, she couldn't even leave as Shifu had basically grounded her to the palace grounds.

Being so preoccupied with her own thoughts, she didn't notice a figure blocking her route till she bumped into it.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she apologised. "I didn't notice —"

She stopped in mid sentence when she saw the person she had bumped into, expression morphing into a mask of rage. "You again?!"

Prince Yuan Sheng gave a bored smile. "Surprised to see me?"

Tigress grabbed him by the neck and unsheathed a claw near the tiger's eye. "How dare you show your face here again! My last punch wasn't enough for you?!"

Yuan Sheng didn't move. He just kept an eye on the claw. One careless move and he would find himself stabbed in the eye. "I just want to talk to you."

"Get away from here!" she snarled. "I don't want to hear anything from you!"

"I'm very sure you do."

Tigress tightened her grip on his neck, making the prince gasp for breath. "Remember this stranglehold? It didn't kill you last time, but let me tell you, this time, it will."

"I...I just want...to tell you... about something... This... about your... master and... and your fat friend."

Upon hearing that, Tigress loosened her grip. This tiger knew something about Shifu and Po she didn't.

"You have one minute. Any more than that then and you won't walk out alive!" she threatened.

"Okay...okay... to the point. I know you've felt the changes in attitude from people around you. You friends are starting to doubt you and now, your master is looking for a way to banish you from here."

"You're lying!"

"I'm not. I can prove it."

"You're lying. In fact, I should break your neck right now!"

"No! Please don't!" Yuan Sheng was worried. He could feel his throat being constricted again. "You know why your master didn't take you along with him this morning? Go to the bridge and you'll see that I'm telling the truth."

Tigress threw him aside. "Why are you telling me about this?!"

"So you'll realize that the people in this valley no longer wants you anymore ever since they found out who you really are."

"Hold a second. You said they knew? How?"

"Your master did that. He told the people about you," Yuan Sheng lied. "He and your friends are afraid of you. Sooner or later, they will find a way to remove you from their lives."

The tiger master stepped back slowly. Should she trust this tiger's word or not?

"Well. I know you are confused," Yuan Sheng said as he got back on his feet. "Tell you what. Why don't you go down to the village and see it for yourself?"

No. Shifu told her to stay.

But she was curious about what Po and Shifu were doing down there.

The next thing she knew, she was sprinting down the stairs. She knew she was disobeying her master. But what's the big deal?

'You wouldn't do that,' she hoped. 'Would you, Master?'