Chapter 33 : Emergency

As Tigress walked out of strategy room and was about heading to her own room, suddenly, a black striped arm grabbed her by the shoulder abruptly. Tigress just had two seconds for gasping before the arm's owner spun her and pinned her against wooden wall.

Tigress' eyes went widen, full of anger realizing that disrespectful attitude from the tiger that was pinning her.

"I suppose you're not entirely on our side." General Luo whispered with a tone of menace. His face was about a few centimetres away from Tigress'.

Tigress roared out of anger. "Take your hand off!" she flung the general's arm. "How dare you! Who do you think you are so you dare touch and talk to me that way!"

"I don't care how important you are for this armada!" The sound of the general explained that he was not afraid of that younger tigress. "You're plotting something!"

Tigress laughed bitterly. "You think so? You got any solid evidence?"

"I don't need any of it!" The male tiger snarled. "You're being hypocritical in front of our honorable emperor for your own advantage!"

"Well," Tigress said calmly, mocking the general. "looks like someone is jealous here. Why? Are you now starting to get worried that the emperor will not ever see you anymore as one of his men? Or … are you just distempered because the emperor will declare me as the greatest hero of all time instead of you."

General Luo felt his face flushed with anger. "Shut up you-!"

"No, you shut up!" Tigress snapped him back. She pointed her index finger right towards the general's face. "You may be the general but let me remind you these," she then pointed at herself with a thumb. "I am the reincarnation of Khan ; I am the leader for this armada ; You, general, are my subordinate. And officially, you have to do everything I say."

"My only leader is Emperor Tiger!"

"And your emperor has ordered you and all of soldiers here to obey me!"

"That won't happen. I will never give my respect to a scheming person like you!"

Quick as flash, Tigress drew her sword and placed it on the general's neck. "Should I remind you that sometimes, tongue is sharper than a dagger?" she asked, threatening. "No?"

General Luo gulped, sweat beads on his forehead, not able to hide his fear. Slowly and nervously, he nodded.

"Loser." Tigress addressed that word to the general. "See? Now you are under my mercy."

Actually, General Luo could've pulled out his own sword to do the same thing Tigress was doing to him. But with that sharp object pressing his neck, he panicked. He could feel the sword almost cut the blood circulation in his entire neck.

"Alright," he gave up. "You win."

Tigress smirked with satisfaction, not removing her sword. "Do I? We're not even fighting, you see?"

The general closed his mouth tightly, preventing himself from blurting any word. Tigress and the general stared at each other, their eyes locked for a few minutes.

No more sound to hear but heavy breathing sighs of the two.

Tigress finally removed her sword and put it back to its scabbard. The general rubbed his neck with his fingers and looked at them, only to realize that a blood stains on his tiger palm.

Bleeding … he was bleeding… and even more strange, he didn't feel anything when that sword was scratching his neck.

"That's a warning," Tigress said dangerously. "But next time, if this happens again, you'll find more than only a little scratch on your hairy neck. Don't you forget it."

General Luo didn't reply. He knew that that tigress was intimidating him. He watched her go towards her room.

"Oh," Tigress stopped and turned her head slightly to see the general. "I think you should look for another job for you, General. Because once the whole China is ours, I'm afraid the emperor would choose me to become the next general replacing your position. Even more, if you're still lucky enough working here as his general, I feel he would not need you anymore afterward."

Tigress gave a wink to the general after finishing his sarcastic sentences. Stepping her feet, she made a sinister smile on her lips.

Once again, she managed showing the general that she was still in power over him. Her heart beat fast.

Did that general knew already about her hiding plan? Her plan to save Shifu from this army.

TLoTDaTT

Night had fallen.

Master Shifu strolled across his village, alone. Both of his arms were behind his back and a serenity upon his wizened face. Surely, he wouldn't get any attention and people would not bow their heads to him whenever he walked past them if only he was not a very respected Kung Fu Master in their valley.

Actually, he didn't use to walk alone like this around his village. A honorable Kung Fu Master like him should have remained and stayed in his palace and would go down to the village only when a danger comes threatening his village, or that's what he thought.

But with his students gone, he started to feel lonely and bored. No students he could teach at the moment.

He needed someone to accompany him. Unfortunatelly, the servants at his palace weren't too good for him. They always seem nervous and tense as they speak to him, including Zeng, the messenger ; the only closest servant to him.

That's why he decided to see someone he knew today since that someone might be able to brush off his loneliness.

He stopped as he reached a noodle shop. The red panda smiled when he noticed a poster of Po holding up a bowl of noodle over his head placed on the entrance.

That shop always looked crowded. Mostly because the shop's owner, Mr. Ping, was a father of the dragon warrior. But that wouldn't be enough to get costumers' attention if he himself wasn't a great cook.

"Master Shifu!" someone just realized his arrival.

All at once, all of costumers stopped their talking and laughing or whatever they were doing. They noticed at him with a raised eyebrow, confused as to why a Kung Fu Master came to a noodle shop. They knew Po the dragon warrior sometimes visited this shop to help his dad. But this was Master Shifu they were seeing at the shop entrance. Everyone knew that that red panda master was always being perfectionist when it comes to everything, especially to dinner things.

Besides, did he come for dinner? Didn't the foods in The Jade Palace taste more delicious than a bowl of a noodle from a small restaurant?

Master Shifu smiled as he found someone he intended to meet with. "Hello, Mr. Ping."

Mr. Ping just served two bowls of noodle on a table, smiling back. "Master Shifu," he greeted. "Come inside and have a seat. I'll make the most delicious noodle for you, just wait in a minute."

"No, thanks, Mr. Ping." the red panda replied, taking a seat and sitting on it. "I don't come for dinner."

"I know. But I insist you."

Master Shifu laughed. Mr. Ping entered into his kitchen and began making some noodle again.

The red panda glanced at his surroundings, feeling awkward with the customers looking at him in exciment.

A few minutes later later, Mr. Ping came out from his kitchen with a bowl of noodle on a tray. He put the bowl on a table where Shifu was sitting on.

"Enjoy," he said.

Master Shifu took a sip his noodle. "Mmm … this is really good, Mr. Ping."

"Why, Thank you." The goose smiled. "It's a family recipes."

Shifu sipped his noodle again. "You made this by yourself?"

"Well, not always. There's Po to help me sometimes."

Upon hearing Po's name, Shifu's bright face slowly started fading.

He missed his students.

"I am sorry." The red panda said.

"What for?"

"By sending Po away on a mission, I seem to have made you busy and lonely in your restaurant."

Mr. Ping waved a wing. "Nah, that's just fine, Master Shifu. It's his duty as the dragon warrior. And the dragon warrior is not supposed to stay at my kitchen and cook for my customers. Probably I should not let Po work here anymore."

"Why?"

"Why, you're asking?" the goose laughed. "He got much more important job to do than being a servant here. Besides, I know he loves Kung Fu more than noodle."

"But, wouldn't it make you feel lonely?"

"It would," Mr. Ping replied. "but I love Po more than anything else I ever got. I'm always happy for him."

"Po must be lucky for having a father like you."

"No, no, no. I am the lucky one for having a son like Po. He's the best son any dad could ask for."

Shifu smiled wryly, wondering. How could this goose successfully raise a child that is not from his own.

He himself, the greatest Kung Fu teacher of all China, never managed to raise any child. Not sure what the mistake was.

He once gave much love to his first adopted child. Well, all fathers must love their children, right? Only, without he knowing it, giving too much love and being too much proud of his son had blinded him until unknowingly, he had created a monster inside his son.

Then he got his second adopted child and decided to not repeat the mistake he had ever made. Apparently, giving less love and being harsh were absolutely wrong. And as the result ; he might had lost his second child.

Unless if Po returns and brings Tigress back with him.

He admitted Po was his only hope. That panda would never let him down.

"I'm such a fool," Master Shifu stated. Mr. Ping raised an eyebrow but kept listening to him. "I failed to raise my children … twice. And Po has to get involved in a problem I caused."

"Master Tigress running away is not because of you."

"It's my fault," he started. "She believed I would always there for her. And when she was really needing me, I planned to send her away from here. I lied to her and—" he trailed off, looking at both of his palms. "and even worse, I slapped her the day she ran away."

A tone of sadness and regret could be heard from that red panda.

"You … hit master Tigress?"

"Literally. That was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made."

"I understand," Mr. Ping said softly. "sometimes being a parent is so much more difficult than being a Kung Fu master. Not all parents know what they exactly should do to raise their children."

"You did it well with Po."

"I just did what all fathers should do to their sons, that's it." The goose began counting with his wing. "Like teaching him everything, spending our time together, giving him love and food, of course, and telling him all the things he should and shouldn't do. But above of all, I always make him sure that he would never be alone cause I'm always there for him."

Master Shifu was silent for a while. Silently, he acknowledged that what Mr. Ping had said was truly right.

If only he had defended Tigress rather than giving up and granting the villagers' wish. He's her dad, after all.

And all of a sudden, he could not wait to see Po and the four to come back with Tigress.

His decision to visit Mr. Ping was not wrong. He should've visited him more often.

Master Shifu finished his noodle. "Thanks for the food, Mr. Ping." He reached for his pocked and put some coins on the table.

"No, Master Shifu," the goose refused the money. "I feel honored to have you come to my restaurant."

Master Shifu chuckled. "Very well." but he didn't take back his money."If you need anything, you can come to Jade Palace anytime."

"I will."

The master stood up from his seat. "And I guess you may take one or two servants of mine in The Jade Palace, in case if you need someone to assist you."

"I'll consider it."

Master Shifu placed his fist into palm and bowed. Mr. Ping did the same when suddenly someone struck a bell tower.

Mr. Ping, Master Shifu and all of the customers frowned. The bell tower used to be rung only when the morning comes to awaken people from their sleep, however it even hadn't been midnight yet.

"Emergency ! emergency ! " someone yelled from above.

Master Shifu looked up to sky. Zeng was seen flying as he kept continuously exclaiming in panick.

"Emergency ! emergency !"

Some servants of The Jade Palace were running across the village as they brought some bells with them, tolling it without stopping and warning everyone about a danger.

Danger … Shifu thought.

"Master Shifu …" a pig approached him with a gasping breath. "Eee…emergency … danger …"

"What 's happening?!" Shifu asked, shouting out loud.

"We … we saw tigers. Our valley is being attacked! They took over The Jade Palace."

Shifu gasped. His eyes turned to the biggest building that was placed at the top of the highest hill in that valley. There, he saw a bunch of tiger in armor were destroying The Jade Palace.

Where are they from? How could they reach his palace without he even knowing it? The Jade Palace was placed atop the highest hill. It was impossible for someone to reach its top through the thousands of stairs in a short time.

Shifu could not answer those questions. But if they were intending to attack his valley, then why would they start it from The Jade Palace? What exactly are they seeking?

With his spiritual power, Shifu was able to see those tigers one by one although they were hundreds of yards apart.

He did not recognize any of them. But…

His glance caught a tiger in an armor with a sword hanging on the belt. That tiger was standing calmly, watching the rest of tigers destroy everything in The Jade Palace. Looks like that tiger was the leader of those soldiers.

Shifu could recognize that leader very clearly even though that leader was wearing a different outfit. It was a female tiger.

In surprise, he whispered that leader's name.

"Tigress."