Chapter 20 : Rescuers

Tigress was frustrated, almost.

The day was getting hot and the activity had been increasingly crowded yet she hadn't completed her mission.

She had promised the emperor that these prisoners would have been back to their cell before sunset. Well, at least she still had plenty of time to search through the whole village. These prisoners could have been clandestinely escaped back to their own valley.

Or… as the emperor said ; they were still hiding among them, setting another plan to murder the empress.

Tigress hadn't given up yet. She jumped up to one roof to another through the bustle of the citizen in that marketplace. She wouldn't be left up of to the palace before finding these prisoners.

After passing some buildings, Tigress halted for a moment to take a notice the situation around ; noticing the citizens one by one carefully.

No. Not one of them that wasn't tiger.

She growled in annoyance. It usually only takes one hours to search for prisoners to her. But this time, it had been almost seven hours and still the result was nothing, thinking that her targets were expert at hiding.

But she was certainly sure, no matter how smart they were, she was still smarter than them. She would never let them free or they would have another chance to threat the empress' safety again.

If only she had comrades who could be relied on to help her, she would finish this mission only within minutes.

But the only comrades she once had before had disappointed her.

Tigress snorted, dejected. She didn't need any comrade anymore. She worked on her own way.

When she was about to jump up to another roof, a voice called her.

"Master Tigress."

Tigress turned to her below, right to five soldiers with a villager behind them.

She jumped down and landed safety.

"Any report?" she asked.

"Yes, Master Tigress," one of the soldiers replied, pointing at the villager. "This man, the biggest fireworks shop owner in this land, just reported that his shop was just robbed."

Tigress sighed weakly. Her first mission hadn't been completed yet and another problem began. Were they asking her to search for robbers now?

"They did it," said the villager quickly, panicked.

"Who?"

"The prisoners you're searching, Your Majesty. They did it. They... they took everything away from me; money, fireworks, gunpowder, firecrackers… everything. They…they…"

Tigress put her arms on the villager's shoulder. "Calm down," she said gently. "now, did they hurt you too?"

The villager shook his head. "No. Though they almost slashed my throat last night, but I'm still afraid. Please, Your Majesty," he kneeled down, begging. "Please find and arrest them. Don't let them come to rob me again."

"You don't have to worry," Tigress pacified. "Now tell me, where were these robbers escaping to?"

"I guess to the north," he pointed at Khan Palace. "Yes, they took away all my property there."

Tigress narrowed her eyes to where the villager was directing at. "To the palace?"

"Probably. I'm not too sure. It was too dark last night."

Tigress pondered for a second. Could they be setting another bigger and more cruel plan to the empress in the palace?

"We must get back to the palace!" She ordered to the soldiers as she realized that something bad would happen. "And report this to the emperor."

"Yes, Your Majesty.

"And listen," she added. "As soldiers, you have a duty to keep everything and everyone safe."

They nodded.

TLoTDaTT

Yuan Sheng glared at Po and the four, shocked as he didn't expect to meet them again.

He rushed toward the cell. The soldiers and guards watched him.

"You!" he snarled.

"You!" Po and the four snarled back in unison.

"You again?! What are you doing in my palace?"

"Hey you!" Po shouted at Yuan Sheng, hitting the bars angrily. "You kidnapped Tigress. Where is she?!"

For a minute, Yuan Sheng was speechless. But quickly he realized what was happening. Very clearly that this dragon warrior along with his comrades were looking for their lost friend. And they probably were also suspected as assassins, which caused them to end up in this cell.

He chuckled, talking gently. "So, you're looking for her?"

"Of course!" Po replied. "That's what we're coming for."

"Oh my." The prince mumbled as he laughed.

"Well, what is so funny?"

"Hahaha. Don't tell me that you're planning to take her home too."

"What do you mean?" Monkey asked.

"Oh, yeah. You haven't known yet, huh?"

"Know? Know what?" Po asked, confused.

"The one you're trying to find," Yuan Sheng answered. "does not want to see you again. She has changed."

Po's eyes widened as he did not believe it. "You lie!"

"I don't care if you believe it or not," the prince continued, shrugging. "But she does not want to have a deal with you anymore."

"That's impossible?!" Po exclaimed, seeming to talk to himself. "She is the same Tigress we know. She will never change and will always be part of us."

"Hahahaha…" Yuan Sheng laughed again. "You think so? What a pity. But I tell you this ; you are not her friend anymore. Anyway, have you forgotten that someday she will be your enemy?"

"She will not and I surely believe it that Tigress will be back to us no matter how."

"Ah, that's sweet words. You know what she said to me? She did not want and would never return to The Valley of… uh…what's the name? The Valley of Peace?"

"The Valley of Peace is her home."

"No, no it was. This is where she was born and this is where she belongs to."

"She knows that we're her family."

"After treating her like a criminal? Oh, come on. If you were really her family, why would you try to send her away when her true identity was revealed?"

Po and the four were silent, admitting that that fact was right. They didn't support Tigress and see her as a criminal instead after knowing the truth about her.

But they were just confused that time. And shocked too. They did not know on what to act toward someone who was destined to destroy China.

Po was running out of words. He believed that this prince was saying something that absolutely wasn't right.

But there was no any reason for him to lie.

What if he told them the truth? What if Tigress definitely didn't want to see them again? And what if she had really changed?

"You must have done something to her," said Po. "Washed her brain. Yes. You all, the sly tigers have done it."

"You really like imagining things, don't you?"

Po was indignant. Suddenly, he grabbed Yuan Sheng by the robe through the bars. But quickly the guards composed them, keeping their prince away from Po's reach.

Yuan Sheng dusted off his robe.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" he murmured. "I admit I'm impressed by your effort. No, seriously. Travelling a very long journey only to rescue someone who even doesn't want to be rescued or even to see you. But you know ; you just made a big mistake by coming over here. A very big mistake."

"Oh yeah?" Po challenged him. "It's you who have made a big mistake by capturing us."

"Oh, really?" Yuan Sheng leaned to Po, mocking him. "Are you and your friend threating us? How? You're in the cell."

"There's no cell that can keep us. And I'm warning you that this awesome panda is going to find a way out to get free of here."

"Oh, I'm afraid now," Yuan Sheng still mocked him. "See? I'm shuddering."

"I am not kidding."

"Oh, you're not? So it's me who is kidding, right?" The prince folded his arms. "Well, let me see how you and your friends get out of here before tomorrow."

"Uh, why tomorrow?" Crane asked.

The prince smirked. "Because it's the day where you and your friends will be beheaded."

Po and The Four gasped, aghasted. "What?!"

"Why? Surprise?" Yuan Sheng winked. "Remember, I'm the prince. And I can do everything I want." He rubbed his chin, smilling evily. "I think my father wouldn't mind if I excecute one...no... five prisoners like you."

The four stared at Yuan Sheng, giving him the sharpest look while Po showed his shocked face.

Die. Are they going to die?

No. They came through a very long road not for dying useless.

"Well, good luck." The prince waved before turning his body, attempting to leave the room. But before he reached the door, he came to a guard near the door, whispering. "Has Master Tigress known about them?"

The guard shook his head. "No, she hasn't Your Majesty. She hasn't returned yet."

"Good. Don't let her know. Understand?!"

"I do, Your Majesty."

Po and the four watched the prince go. After he was gone, the four turned their heads to the only panda in that cell.

"Er, Po. You really have figured out how to get us out of here, right?" asked Monkey unsurely.

Po gulped. "Hopefully."