Major Change

"Now Po, what is it that you wanted us to meet in total secrecy?" Master Shifu asked as the six of them met. Viper, Vince, and Leng were still in bed.

"I don't trust it," Po said openly.

"Trust what?" Monkey asked.

"The whole thing. I don't trust Vince, Leng, the potion, all of it. I just have this funny feeling that something bad is going to come out of this," Po answered. The others were confused.

"What's the matter Po? Distrust is usually Tigress's thing," Mantis said.

"I know but I don't trust it," Po repeated, "I don't think Viper should do this."

"I agree," Said a voice from the front. The all looked to see Leng and Vince coming in. "I don't think I'll give her the potion. Not just because the pan- I mean Po doesn't trust me," Vince said not the least insulted.

"It's not you really. It's just that I don't trust the potion. I mean, how do we know that it will work? Sure it worked on Leng and Vince, but how can we make sure? I just...I would feel a lot safer if it were me doing it, but it's not," Po explained.

"I understand your concerns. That's mainly why I didn't want her to do it. Maybe we can give fake potion that doesn't actually work. It won't affect her," Vince said.

"Okay, but I don't like it that we're going behind Viper's back," Tigress mentioned.

"It's for her own safety," Po replied.

"I'll worry about my own safety," Said a familiar voice. The group turned to see Viper slithering up to the group with a very upset face, especially towards Po.

"You guys are not very good at keeping a secret," Po said looking at the others. Viper's eyes were still fixed on Po, "Viper I-"

"Po, of all the people I was expecting to go behind my back, you were the last one," Viper said choking up a little.

"Viper, Po's just trying to look after you," Tigress said trying to defend the panda, "He didn't mean to hurt you." Viper slithered over to Po and Tigress.

"Tigress, if you had the chance to make people stop calling you a monster, wouldn't you take it?" Viper asked making Tigress look away, "And Po, if you had the chance to make people stop calling you a fat lazy panda, wouldn't you take it!?" Po sighed, "I just want to do the same thing that you guys have been doing all your lives. And now you're trying stop me?"

"Viper," Po said sitting down on the floor, eye level with her, "More than anyone, I understand what you want. I know what it's like to hate your own self. In fact, the first time I came here, I didn't believe I was going to be the Dragon Warrior. But I stayed because I thought that I could be changed from being something that was ridiculed. So I understand what you want. I'm just so scared that it will hurt you. I would be a lot happier if I was doing it and you did it after me." Viper's eyes lit up.

"Then why don't you?" Viper suggested.

"What?" Po said confused.

"Why don't you do it and I do it after you. If it works for you it will work for me! You'll be forever changed!" Viper said excitedly. Po thought about it as he looked to the side.

"Viper, you're asking Po to risk his life," Tigress said wondering why she would ever consider something like that. Viper didn't realize that. Her head slumped until Po said.

"No, I'll do it," Everyone was shocked.

"You two are both crazy!" Crane cried out.

"Are you sure about this Po?" Vince asked.

"Yeah, I mean, what's the worst that can happen? You said it only worked for good people. What better good can one do than to risk his life for a friend?" Po reasoned. Vince nodded.

"Po, you don't need to do this," Tigress said worried resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah Po. My case isn't that deep," Viper said trying to get Po not to do it. But Po could see in her eyes that she really wanted him to do it.

"It's okay, I'm ready," Po said patting Tigress's hand. The sun slowly came up.

"Morning. Let's get this underway," Leng said rushed.

The Furious Five and Shifu were outside worriedly waiting. Viper could feel the guilt in the middle her stomach. "This is crazy! I shouldn't be so selfish. Let's get Po out of there!" She said rushing to the door, but Shifu stopped her.

"Master Viper, Po wanted to do this on his own free will. Let's let him," Shifu said. Viper went back to her pacing. Meanwhile in the room, Leng, Vince, and Po were preparing for the procedure.

"So, how is this going to go?" Po asked.

"Well, you and I will go behind this curtain, I'll pour out the bottle and you step in the puddle," Leng explained.

"Why don't you just let me drink it?" Po wondered.

"Because I never trusted the way the potion got on Vince, so I try to recreate the way it was done," Leng explained. Po took a deep breath and let it out. Vince placed his hand on Po.

"Remember, you don't have to do this," he said. Po nodded.

"Let's do this," Po said. The bear and the duck went behind the curtain. Leng poured out the bottle and Po stepped in it. Suddenly, Po's stomach hurt. Not the hunger hurt, but the "what was in THAT!" hurt. Leng laid him to rest on the ground. Po's head swirled around, and he went to sleep. When he woke up, he could see Leng and Vince over him.

"Po? How do you feel?" Vince asked. Po shook off the dizziness.

"A little dizzy," Po moaned. Then he felt something weird with his pants, "My pants feel loose." Vince and Leng smiled.

"Well, you're pants aren't loose. You're just a bit smaller," Vince replied. They helped him up to see the rest of his body. Po saw something that he thought he would never see. His toes! He had lost all his fat. Not even excess skin was left. It was as if he was never chubby. His abdominal showed and he saw that his arms were muscular but lean. Vince brought Po and mirror to look at. For some odd reason, the little stub of white fur that he had was much bigger and fuller. Plus, it was black and his hair was now spiky. He ran his hand through it. It flowed interestingly. And his face wasn't pudgy.

"Whoa," Po said amazement. Then he looked at his pants. "Um...do you have any smaller sizes?" He asked Vince embarrassed.

The doors opened. The team all crowded around to see if Po was okay. With a swipe of the hand, Leng presented Po leaning on Vince with a pair of black pants on. The team was confused for a moment.

"Where's Po?" They asked. Po and Vince laughed.

"Right here," Po said standing up on his own. The Furious Five and Shifu were...speechless. They stuttered and stammered as they patted the panda down to see this new figure. Po laughed, "Guys it's really me, Po."

"PO?!" They said amazed.

"I know I look talker don't I?" Po said proudly.

"You do," Tigress said about to touch his pecs but withdrew, "You do you look talker."

"And slimmer and stronger and better. I didn't think that the potion would be this good!" Mantis marveled, "Do you have more of that stuff?"

"No, we're not giving it to you," Leng muttered.

"So Po, is it safe?" Viper asked smiling. Po stepped out of the way to let Viper through.

"It's your choice Viper," Po said smiling. Viper nodded and slithered behind the doors where they were shut up one more time.

To be continued.

Trivia

1. What does Po exactly not trust?

2. Why didn't Leng just let Po drink the potion?

3. What was weird about Po's head?

Answer chapter 2

1. A potion by the wizard.

2. Leng remade the potion without telling Vince.

3. They grow weak and old and eventually die.