Hey everybody! Pandafan91 here and it's great to be back! For those of you who are wondering as to where I went, I updated my profile with a brief description as to where I have been. Lots of new fics and writers here in the KFP archive since Christmas. That's Awesome! Anyway, happy to be back with the next chapter to "Curse of the Shadow Stone" so without firther ado...

Enjoy the Read!

Chapter 4

Tigress's Mission

It didn't take the warriors too long to make their way back to the Jade Palace grounds and once they did, Po immediately offered to make everyone some lunch before they had to go and meet up with Master Shifu. "At least our last meal on this world is going to be one to remember." Mantis sighed sadly, as Po stood over a boiling pot of his famous noodle soup, stirring it ever so slowly before setting the wooden spoon to the side and started chopping up a few carrots.

Monkey then said to the insect, "Ah, quit your whining. It's not going to be THAT bad." Crane then looked up from his conversation with Viper saying, "I don't know…Master Shifu seemed pretty mad that we showed up like that…and then tried to hide." Viper nodded as she concluded, "All we can do is apologize to the Master and accept our punishment, whatever it may be."

At this point, Po interrupted the group by declaring, "Order Up! Four helpings of the Dragon Warrior's Super-Secret ingredient Soup, WITH…a side of my totally awesome Sticky Dumplings. Eat up!" as the Panda served each of his friends a bowl of noodles, a proud smile on his face, while he placed a slightly larger bowl of dumplings in the center of the table for them all to share and then turned around to pour himself a bowl. While he did this, the Masters all thanked him for the meal, as well as complimented on the dish, causing the Dragon Warrior to smile to himself.

When he sat down with his own noodles, Po looked just to his right at the empty seat beside him as he asked nobody in particular, "You guys think Tigress will be back any time soon?" At this, everyone around the table stopped eating long enough to look at one another before Crane spoke up and said, "Hard to say, Po. Those Political missions can take quite a while." Mantis then added, "Yeah, it's not like finding some bandit hideout, trashing the place, and hauling the bad guys off to prison. Some things just take time."

Viper then said, "And it doesn't help that the two clans she is trying to unite have been fighting with one another for over a 100 years. That's at least 3 generations of hatred for each other that she has to somehow get the leaders to look past. Not exactly an easy feat and certainly not something that can happen overnight."

Monkey then added, "That's right. Tigress is probably the most level headed person for the Job. Nothing is more important than the mission and she'll stick around until she's accomplished it. That's why Master Shifu chose her, because even though she can come across as strict around…some of us-" at this Monkey motioned at Po respectfully before concluding, "-when it comes to the mission, Tigress is all business, all the time."

Po nodded as he looked back at his friends and said, "Yeah, I know, I know. Still…it's been kinda quiet around here without her, know what I mean?" At this the other Masters looked at each other again before looking back at Po again but said nothing. "What?" Po asked, genuinely confused as he lifted his bowl up to his face and began to slurp the noodles down before Mantis started, "Heh heh, What's the Matter Po? Missing you hugging bud-*SMACK*-YEOW!?"

Hearing Mantis cry out in pain, Po lowered his bowl and looked down the table at where Mantis used to be sitting. Viper had literally struck the insect so hard thanks to his comment, that he was flown backwards, stopping flat up against the kitchen wall for a few seconds before falling forward. Po then stood up and leaned forward and over the table to look down at Mantis before he asked, "What was that Mantis?" Po was genuinely confused as to what happened, having just missed most of what the insect was trying to say because he was in the middle of slurping his own noodles at the time.

The insect then coughed once before wheezing out, "N-Nothing Po. Just…nothing." Po however was clearly lost, as he looked over to Viper for an explanation, while the snake was now innocently taking a sip of her soup, before she looked up at the Panda and said sweetly, "Don't worry about it, Po. I'm sure we'll hear from Tigress in a few days or so. She does have to send Shifu regular reports on her progress after all."

Po nodded at the snake, a smile returning to his face as he agreed, "You're right Viper. Guess I just gotta be patient." And with that, Po returned to his noodles as he lifted the bowl back up to his face and began slurping its contents once again. All the while, Viper opened her eyes briefly and looked across the table at Monkey and Crane seriously, who both exchanged nervous glances at each other, before quietly returning to their own meals in silence. Viper smirked darkly at herself for managing to instil the necessary amount of fear into the other Males as she thought to herself, "Tigress isn't the only girl around here who can scare the pants off these boys."

Viper then returned to enjoying her meal, while Mantis slowly made his way back up and onto the table. As he collapsed in front of his own bowl he quietly mumbled to himself, "Can't even enjoy my last meal without taking a beating…*Sigh*…women." And with that, the insect stood up and returned to his meal.

It wasn't long after that, that the Master eventually finished their Lunch and thanked the Panda for his cooking before they had to leave their friend behind to go and meet Shifu in the training hall, leaving Po to clean up the kitchen alone. Not that he minded. After all, it gave him the opportunity to figure out where Monkey was now hiding his almond cookies these days.

As the Four Masters were making their way over to the training hall, they were quickly intercepted by Zeng, who landed in their path and bowed respectfully before saying, "What luck! Everyone is here." Viper then asked right away, "Is something wrong Zeng?" while Monkey asked, "Are there Bandits in the village again?" but Zeng shook his head quickly as he explained, "No, no, nothing like that. Master Shifu merely requests your presence in the Hall of Heroes at this time."

Mantis cocked his head to the side and asked, "But I thought Master Shifu wanted us at the Training hall?" Zeng merely shook his head while Monkey looked to his comrades before saying, "You guys go on ahead, I'll go grab Po and tell him Shifu wants to see us." But before Monkey could so much as turn around, Zeng stopped him by saying, "Forgive me Master Monkey, But Master Shifu specifically requested the four of you to go and see him."

Viper then asked curiously, "You mean, Master Shifu doesn't want the Dragon Warrior to come with us?" Zeng nodded in confirmation as he stated, "That's correct Master Viper." Crane then looked over towards the Palace as he said, "Now I'm officially curious. We better go and see what Shifu wants." And with that, the four Masters left Zeng and quickly began heading towards the Hall of Heroes.

All the while Zeng released a small sigh as he said, "Phew, and I thought I was going to have to tip toe around the Dragon Warrior. What luck! Now…time to get back to work!" and with that, Zeng began to fly over towards the servants quarters to find his broom to start sweeping up the training hall courtyard.

Meanwhile, Po had just finished up cleaning the kitchen and was now in the middle of raiding it's cupboards in search of Monkey's cookies. "Seriously Monkey….where the heck did you put them this time!? All I want is one lousy cookie…maybe two." As the Panda closed the latest cupboard he had opened and turned around to survey the kitchen once more. "Hmm…if I was Monkey…where would I hide those cookies?" as Po looked around the kitchen, his eyes fell on one of the sacks of half empty rice in the corner as he cocked his head saying, "Huh? I didn't think we had that much rice left after last night."

As Po walked over and looked inside the sack and instantly his eyes widened as he shouted, "Awesome! I found them! Take that, Monkey!" as Po reached in and grabbed the cookie jar and popped the lid off while saying, "And he thought he could hide these things from…huh?" as Po was in the middle of reaching inside for a cookie, he realized all he was feeling was the insides of the jar itself. Removing his paw, Po held the jar up to his right eye and peered inside and gasped at the horror he saw, "EMPTY!?" Po shouted when he noticed something stuck to the bottom of the lid in his paw.

As he looked down at it he noticed there was a tiny piece of parchment stuck to the lid that read,

-Sorry Po, but you ate the last of my cookies last time. Gonna have to make some yourself if you want any. –Monkey

Placing the lid back on top of the Jar, Po sighed heavily as he grumbled "Awe, noodles." When suddenly he had an idea, "Hey, since Shifu never said anything about ME having to train, maybe I can go and visit Dad!" and with that, Po placed the cookie jar down on the table and began to leave the barracks with a smile back on his face.

As he was approaching the Palace gates, unbeknownst to him, the rest of the Five had already entered the Hall of Warriors. But just as Po was about to open one of the gate doors, a thought did occur to him as he said aloud, "Maybe I should tell Shifu I'm heading down into the village, just to be safe." Not wanting to head all the way back to the training hall, Po looked up at the Hall of Heroes and thought, "Maybe he hasn't made it over to the training hall just yet?" And with that, Po turned and began to head up the steps leading up to the Hall of Heroes.

As Po reached the top of the steps, he noticed that one of the Hall doors was already opened and so walked inside. he was just about to call out to Shifu when the small Master's voice echoed throughout the Hall, "Thank you all for coming." drawing Po's attention to the back of the Hall where he was surprised to see not only Master Shifu standing before the Sacred Moon Pool with his back to him, but the rest of his friends standing at attention, as they patiently waited for Shifu to continue speaking.

Po then wondered as he stood there in the doorway, "What's going on? I thought everyone was supposed to be at the Training hall waiting for Shifu. Why is everybody here?" Po was about to make his presence known when Shifu spoke up once more and said, "I understand that I originally wanted you all in the Training Hall, but that was before I decided it may be best to inform you all of a potential…situation."

Viper then asked as she slithered forward, "Master, if there is a situation, shouldn't we go and bring Po here?" But what Shifu said next surprised everyone in the room, but mostly Po, who had just ducked behind a nearby pillar, when Shifu slowly turned around to face his students to say, "Not at this time, Master Viper. As I have said, this is about a POTENTIAL situation; therefore, I see no reason to make this known to the Dragon Warrior…as of yet."

His students, although clearly confused simply nodded, while Po was wondering, "Why wouldn't Shifu want me to know about what's going on!? Doesn't he trust me?" Feeling a bit hurt, Po carefully peered around the corner to stare at Shifu. He really thought that he and his Master had grown closer over the past few months since they had been working so much on Po's Inner Peace training together. Was he wrong?

Shifu then turned around with his back facing his students once more as he began, "Although I cannot say for certain, I do feel it is quite possible that something terrible may have happened." At once Viper asked, "What is it Master Shifu?" while Monkey added, "Yeah, what's going on?" But what Shifu said next silenced everyone in the entire room, especially the Panda who was remaining hidden behind the pillar, as the Red Panda spoke rather grimly and revealed, "I'm afraid, that Master Tigress…is missing."

The entire hall was silent as the four warriors stared at their Master in disbelief while Po was leaning up against his pillar, his breath caught in his chest as he thought, "Tigress…is missing?" Viper then asked carefully, "Master…what's going on?" Shifu then turned to face his students once more as he began, "As you four are well aware, Tigress has been away on a special mission for the past 3 months." At this, Crane nodded his head as he said, "Yeah, of course we are Master. You sent Tigress across China to negotiate some peace treaties with some neighboring war lords." Shifu paused as he slowly turned around to face the moon Pool once more and admitted, "I'm afraid that…was a lie."

All four Masters looked at each other completely baffled. Their own Master had lied, and not just to one of them, but to all of his students. Shifu then turned to face them once more, his face completely serious despite the hurt faces that were staring back at him while he said, "For the Past 3 months Tigress has been on an undercover mission, infiltrating a highly guarded fortress run by a madman. It is said that this individual has acquired a means to break the very minds of those who dare to challenge him and is amassing an army to take over China itself! It was Tigress's mission to quietly infiltrate his ranks and acquire whatever this means of his is, at any cost."

After allowing his students a moment to process what he had told them, Shifu then continued, "It has been weeks since her last report and I fear she may have finally been discovered." At this all four of the Masters quietly gasped, while Po was already beginning to fear the worst for his friend. Shifu then revealed, "He calls himself Master Wu Xiang, and I can assure you that he is no Master of Kung Fu…but rather, it is said that he is a Master…of torture."

Immediately Mantis then hopped forward and nearly shouted, "Well then what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Monkey nodded as he added, "If Tigress is in trouble then we need to go and help her!" But Shifu held his paw up to silence his students as he said abruptly, "No…not yet."

His students all exchanged surprised looks and then looked back to their Master as if he had completely lost his mind, but before anyone else could question him, Shifu stated, "As I have said, Tigress is currently on an undercover mission. It is quite possible that she has simply been unable to send word back to me as of yet and I do not wish to blow her cover by sending you all on a premature rescue mission. But…In a few days if I have still not received word from Tigress then yes, you will be dispatched, but for now, you must all keep this to yourselves. You must not tell anyone of Tigress's true mission or her potential situation…especially the Dragon Warrior."

Crane then cleared his throat nervously as he asked, "*Ahem*…Um…Master… not that I'm trying to question your orders or anything-" at this, Shifu turned and faced the bird with a serious expression as he waited for Crane to finish, "-but… well it's just…why don't you want us to tell Po, exactly?" Shifu closed his eyes and sighed briefly. It wasn't an unfair question by any means and so Shifu told them.

"Because, telling the Dragon Warrior anything about Master Tigress's potential danger without any real evidence would only serve to worry that Panda. Unlike any other warrior I have ever seen, the Dragon Warrior tends to wear his heart on his sleeve, as they say, and telling him any of this could potentially rattle him. You all know how he cares for his friends and would do anything to help them. But telling him that one of those friends could be in potential life threatening danger could have devastating consequences."

It was then that Viper spoke up and suggested, "You're talking about Po accidentally losing his Inner Peace…aren't you Master?" At this Shifu nodded seriously as he confirmed, "Indeed, which is precisely why none of you are to say a word of what has been said this day regarding Tigress's mission until I deem it necessary. If, and I do mean IF the time comes…I shall inform the Dragon Warrior of the situation myself. Am I understood?" At this each of his students saluted the Red Panda and declared in unison, "Yes, Master!" while Shifu nodded to each of them and responded, "Good."

Unbeknownst to the Masters, Po had been hiding behind the Pillar the entire time listening in on their conversation. He could barely make out Shifu starting to talk about the Four's upcoming training as he continued to stare forward in utter disbelief with his back up against the Pillar, as he tried to digest what he had learned. All the while a single name was running through the Panda's mind over and over again, as his eyes were now wide with worry.

"Tigress."

And there you have chapter 4! Hope you guys enjoyed it and remember...

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