Chapter 36 : Paying Debt

Shifu was sitting in a lotus position in his cell, meditating. For now, meditating was the only activity he could do although he was actually able to do more than that, like, chastening the two soldiers that were watching over him through the cracks of the bars, for example. He purposely didn't do that since it might ruined his plan.

His ears twitched as he heard a slow footsteps approaching his cell. Could another soldier be coming over? His eyes still closed.

"Your Majesty." Shifu heard the two soldiers behind him greeted someone in respect.

"Leave us." A female voice commanded them. "This is an order."

"Certainly, Your Majesty." And those soldiers, without asking anymore question, left immediately after giving a bow to their leader.

Shifu was still in his lotus position even though he had stopped meditating since a few seconds ago. He had definitely known who the owner of that female voice was without looking back behind to find out. Cold and chilly, it must be her. But he had no idea why Tigress visited him tonight.

Tigress took a look at shifu's back through the bars, peering him. She said with a deep voice. "I know you're not meditating."

Slowly, the red panda opened his eyes, still not looking at the tigress. "Why are you here?" He asked in a flat voice. "Is there an order from your emperor to kill me?"

"Impressive. Who told you? Is it your late Master Oogway?"

"It's not important." The red panda answered coldly.

"You seems starting to be secretive towards me. Would it be too risky if I knew?"

"I ask you once again, why are you here?"

"Oh, a stupid question," Tigress responded. "Don't you know it already?"

Shifu smirked. "If you're intending to take my life," he slowly turned his face to Tigess, gazing at her with a challenging outlook. "I dare you to try."

Tigress turned her face away, not gazing back at Shifu. "Fool." She sighed quietly.

"I see you're motionless. Is it you who is not ready to assassinate me, hmph?"

"Never say that!" Tigress suddenly snapped. And with a sudden kick, she destroyed the bars and made it collapse into the ground. "What are you planning?!" She asked back, shouting out loud. "You're just locked up by bars made of ordinary iron. You could've been able to escape from here a few hours ago. But why? Why didn't you run away? What are you hiding, Shifu?!"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Answer!"

"I'm being caged in my own home. No reason to run away." He scanned his cell, pretending to admire the wall that that was surrounding him. "I like this place. Small but cozy."

"I am not stupid! That's not the answer!"

"Shh… don't yell like that," Shifu shushed her calmly. "Some soldiers may be coming."

"Stop playing on me!" She snarled, stomping her feet angrily. "What's your plan?!"

"Why do you want to know so badly? I will soon die by your arms, anyway."

Tigress put her paws on her head, feeling a bit frustrated. But at least, Shifu was right. It was actually not important for her to know his plan. She just did not know why she wanted to know.

"Why haven't you killed me?" Shifu asked again. He still pretended to not know anything. "Not ready yet?"

"Don't be silly! Have you lost your mind? Are you feeling so desperate so the death becomes your only choice left?"

"You can say so. But we both have lost our minds. And even worse, you have lost yourself, Tigress."

"I don't need your trashy advice."

"It's my duty to always advised my own pupil. What's wrong with that?"

"I'm not your student anymore."

"Eventhough you said so, I am still your master." He stood up, slowly approaching Tigress as he kept talking. "I am a master who has adopted you when you were a kid. A master who has given you family and home. A master who has taught you to control your strength and power. A master who has—"

"Enough!" Tigress covered her ears, out of anger. "Enough! Don't you ever think I will feel regret for have confined the one who has saved me from an orphanage. Wrong! I've hated you since you plotted with the villagers to banish me from this valley." There was a sob she tried to hold back.

"If you hated me so much, why didn't you kill me now, just like what you've schemed before."

Tigress glanced at Shifu with her amber eyes. "My objective of coming here is not to murder you."

Shifu raised an eyebrow. He didn't see a lie behind her eyes.

"I come to pay off my debt," she continued. "I can't kill the one who has raised me since I was a child."

Shifu smiled in understanding.

"Leave this place!" ordered Tigress in a lower tone. "And never return."

"There's still a goodness within your heart," Shifu commented. He did not seem interested in following the command.

"You're just misunderstanding." Tigress lied. "I set you free now. But if we happen to meet again one day, there's no more reason for me to let you go."

"So, you think by releasing me will make your debt paid off, correct?"

Tigress did not answer. There was a pause moment.

"Tigress," Shifu said gently. "Know it that I never ask you to give me any favor for everything I have given to you. I raised you for love. You owe me nothing."

A grin appeared upon Tigress' lip. "Well, that's too bad. You just refused my best offer to you."

"If you really want to offer something to me, I will just ask you one thing ; stop this madness. Please, Tigress. Wake up." He grabbed her wrist, but quickly Tigress threw it. "You're just being controlled. Don't you realize it? That emperor is using you. And what do you think he will do to you next when China is finally yours, huh?"

Tigress glared sharply at the red panda. "How dare you! I already knew what The Emperor planned, but I don't care anymore. He can use me anytime he wants. He and his family are the only one who have taken me in after I ran away from this cursed village. And you," she aimed her index finger to Shifu. "do you think you're better than him? No. You're a coward. You're just afraid of me so that you betrayed my trust in you. I needed you but you left me!"

"You should've known that I'm not afraid of you … never."

"Liar."

There was an another pause moment.

Shifu sighed. "I am sorry." He said slowly, almost unable to be heard." "It all started from my fault. I should've been in your side, proctecting and defending you when you were in complicacy back then. But I … I …" he trailed off, trying to hold Tigress' left wrist again softly. "I was wrong."

Tigress closed her eyes, curling her lips. She could feel pain her master was feeling. And it hurted her. Part of her hated Shifu, but another part of her didn't. "Apologise is not necessary. And stop being soft-hearted. You cannot fool me."

"You're fooling yourself."

That young tigress growled in annoyance. This red panda started to remind her of Fang Zi ; the seer of Darknest Land, who always made her upset and annoyed. "Such a stubborn." She turned her back on Shifu. "You know, I had wanted to help you, but it seems you don't want to be helped. But I completely understand, you're just too unwise to realize the situation you're into now."

"It's Po who will help me, not you," Shifu replied. "And it's him who will help you as well."

Tigress looked behind over her shoulder, taking a glance at Shifu. "It won't happen."

"You'll see it will."

"I don't want to bet anything with you," she placed her arms on hips. "My offer still stands for two hours more. I leave this cell open so you may go. But if I return and find you stubbornly still staying here, I have no choice but actualizing the emperor's order."

"Tigress."

"If you want to blame something, blame your stupidity."

That young tigress walked away, leaving Shifu alone in the cell with its door open. Nevertheless, without herself knowing it, she was fully hoping that Shifu would accept her offer since she was seriously trying to not let him dead. It's a difficult choice for her because he had to obey emperor Tiger's wish too.

Unwitting by Tigress, General Luo, who had already been hiding near Shifu's cell, heard everything Tigress said to Shifu. Including about her offer to that red panda.

"Traitor."

TLoTDaTT

In the same night,

The four followed Po sprinting until they arrived at Mr. Ping noodle shop.

It hadn't been a week passed since Po left his home yet the shop had changed a lot. Some tables, chairs, broken plates and glasses were seen scattered in here and there. The front door nearly off its hinges. A poster of Po, that was supposed to be placed on the entrance gate, gone. The shop had completely looked messy as if a bunch of thugs just used it as a place where they fought each other and left it just like that without any cleaning up afterwards.

"Dad!" Po called out anxiously as he walked passing some tables. His friends following him. "Dad!"

He reached the front door. When he just pushed it open, he suddenly felt something solid made of stainless steel hitting the back of his head hardly.

"Take that!"

"Ouch!" the panda groaned, wincing in pain as he held his head. "Hey, it hurts."

The one who just hit Po was surprised as he heard Po's voice. "Po?" Immediately, he dropped the frying pan he was holding aside and rushed towards the panda happily and hugged him. "Po!"

Po frowned. "Dad?" his eyes widened, excited as he realized it. "Dad!" he hugged back the goose tightly.

"Po, my boy! I knew it! I knew it! You're still alive! Oh, Po," he nearly cried, sobbing in happiness. "I am so happy you're back."

"So am I, Dad."

"You … you have lost weigh. Did you eat much?"

Po patted his fat belly, causing an abdominal sounds of starving panda from his stomach. "Yeah… actually, I am a bit hungry."

"Oh, poor you. My son can't be malnourished." Mr. Ping broke the hug and grasped Po's right paw, smiling. "Come on. Let me cook you something."

"Can I have noodle?"

"Noodle, of course."

"And soup? With a glass of tea?"

"Sure. Sure. Anything for my beloved boy. You got to eat every food I'll cook for you until you feel satiated."

Po gasped. "Every food?"

"Every food. Except my bamboo furnitures. They're not foods."

"Uhm… Po?" Someone addressed Po politely.

The panda and the goose turned their head. The four had already been standing at the entrance as they giggled watching their friend be spoiled by his father.

"Sorry for ruining the reunion." Crane apologised. "But we got a more important and more serious problem to deal with rather than cooking."

"You meant about the tigers?" Mr. Ping asked.

"Yes, Dad," Po put his paws on his father's shoulder, setting aside his desire to eat. "Do you know how Shifu is? Did they arrest him?"

Mr. Ping nodded slowly. "Master Shifu has gotten crazy. More exactly, he gave up himself to become a hostage."

"Where's he now?!"

"I don't know, Po. Maybe he's still in Jade Palace with that savages. Or maybe he has been killed." He started to sob. "Poor him."

"Is Tigress with them?" Viper asked impatiently.

Mr. Ping's sad face turned into upset after hearing that question. "Of course. It's her who arrested Shifu. She's such an ungrateful student."

Po and the four felt their hearts beating fast, holding back their breaths for a second, feeling some variety of feelings mixed into one ; pleased, upset, frantic, fidgety and fitful.

Tigress is here. She's in The Valley of Peace.

She's finally back … as they expected.

She brought thousands of soldiers and attacked their valley … not as they expected.

She has Shifu in her grasp … that's not good.

"What're we going to do next?" Monkey broke the silence.

The four plus Mr. Ping turned their eyes glancing at Po, as if they were asking him for his next action.

"I got to save Shifu, right?" Po said, as if he just answered an ordinary question. "And together we're going to kick those tigers' butts who have been messing with our village."

"And?" Monkey asked again.

"And what?"

"And what are we going to do with Tigress?"

Po was silent for a few seconds. "I'll save her too. Why? She's one of us."

"Do you truly understand what situation we're facing, Po?" Mantis went to ask. "It's not as easy as you think. Tigress has gone too far."

"There must be a way to cope up with this problem."

"Problem?" The bug was upset. "This is a disaster, Man. And the antagonist character we're facing is not like Tai Lung and neither is like Lord Shen. We're confronting with our own comrade-turned-evil who is destined to destroy China."

"I am destined to save it," Po murmured. "I can bring this war to an end without having to kill Tigress as has been foreseen. Anyway, Long said to me that fate can be changed if I try to."

"Long?" Mr. Ping squinted.

"It's the dragon from the legend, Dad."

His father gasped. "You can talk with the dead?"

"The question is," Mantis started again, ignoring Po's father. "Does Tigress have an intend to change her fate? I don't think so."

The panda sighed. "I am not sure." He looked out at the jade palace from the distance through the opened window in that kitchen. "But I got to see her first to find out."

"Po!"

"You guys just wait here with my dad." The panda stepped towards the door. "I'm going to the Jade Palace."

The four were taken by surprised. "WHAT?!"

Mr. Ping startled "Are... are you crazy, Son?!"

"What are you thinking, buddy?" Monkey asked with a shocked face. "You're going alone by yourself? You'll be killed."

Viper looked worried. "Why can't we go with you?"

"Because I'm the only one they want. It's my responsibility and has nothing to do with you."

"Po. We are a team!" explained Viper firmly. "You'll go and so will us. No matter how strong you are, you cannot fight them alone. You'll need our help."

"Just trust me." Po insisted. "Seriously, guys. I'll be alright."

"But it's too dangerous."

"Son—" Mr. Ping peered at Po for a few seconds. Their eyes met. He knew it would be useless to stop him. "Are you sure about it."

Po set a smile. "Very sure."

"You'll be right back, right?"

The panda looked in doubt to answer it.

"Son?"

Po just set a smile again. "Don't worry, Dad. This is not a good bye, anyway." He pushed the door open again.

"I'm still thinking it's not a good idea." Viper said.

Po stopped.

"You're no match to them," the snake went on. "By letting you go alone, it sounds like we let you to commit suicide."

"Hey, I'm the unbeatable awesome dragon warrior." The panda tried to assure his friend proudly. "They can't defeat me so easily. I'll be safe, okay. Oh, come on, guys. Stop trying to stop me."

"But, Po-"

"Please, Viper. Just stop."

Viper attempted to say more but when he saw Po's eyes showing a strong determination, she gave up. "Fine. But if you haven't returned until dawn, we'll go and look for you there. Deal?"

"It won't be long." Po opened the door. "Wish me luck." and then he exited the kitchen. He must go hurriedly before one of his friend try to stop him again.

His friends watched Po go until that panda disappeared from their sight.

"I hope he'll be okay." Wished Viper.

"He forgot that he's hungry." Mantis murmured without any expression on his face.

Mr. Ping kept looking at the door way worriedly. He had a bad feeling about Po's goings somehow. "Good luck, Son." He whispered.