A/N: Poppin is not really an OC or anything. I just borrowed/ based him from somewhere. You just need to be a little creative as to where I got his character, but if you guys want to know who he is or if you guys have a hard time imagining the character, I suggest you lay down and eat a box full of Pillsbury cookies. Just to tell you guys that when you do figure out, this is not in any way a cross-over or an advertisement. It just so happens that he was right for the job : ). Now let's continue...

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First Victim: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

The mantis slowly walked back to the room. Whatever he looked at, it was the most disturbing thing he had ever seen. He fell asleep once again, but woke up again at three o'clock in the morning. He heard footsteps and knew that it was Poppin coming back to his room. He tried not to budge. How long was he in there? He thought. Whatever about this mysterious man, it would have to wait as he has yet to discuss this with his fellow masters.

The next day, the masters greeted the red panda. Since Mr. Bury was just a guess, they would let him sleep longer. The red panda went to the meditation hall as the others walked toward the kitchen. The mantis decided it was time to share this information.

"It was him. I saw him with my two eyes. He was hugging Po's delicious noodles as if they were family or something." The mantis told.

"Mantis, are you high on Po's noodles again?" The viper asked.

"I'm serious." The mantis reiterated.

"Why would Poppin cry for my noodles?" The giant panda asked.

"Why wouldn't he?" The crane said. "Did you see how he shook our hands?"

"Or how he stared at our eyes? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was studying us carefully." The monkey added.

"Also, he's smaller than Shifu." The mantis said.

"But taller than you." The tiger said.

"I know he's somewhat of an oddball, but he's really a nice guy." The viper said.

"Well, I'm telling you, Poppin touched those noodles and I'll show it to y…" The mantis stopped.

They were surprised to see Poppin already awake, sitting on the place he sat the day before with those delicious noodles from yesterday gone. Poppin was just sitting there looking at them as if he had been expecting them.

"I see you finally changed your mind. So, how were the noodles?" The giant panda asked.

"Oh, it was delightful." Poppin replied.

"So mantis, you were saying." The giant panda said.

"But I swear. I saw him." The mantis kept his stand.

"Fine maybe I should tell him." The giant panda then approached Poppin.

"No! No! Wait! That's what he wants you to think." The mantis said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Poppin asked.

The giant panda approached Poppin. "Oh you know, my friend here has a crazy imagination. He thought he saw you sob to my delicious noodles at night when he was about to eat them. Can you imagine that?"

They waited for Poppin to react. The mantis thought he was about to admit. Finally, Poppin opened his mouth. "Yeah, I can hardly imagine."

"Maybe it was a dream." The mantis said.

"Yeah, think of it like that." The monkey said.

"But it felt so real."

"You should just forget about it Mantis." The tiger said.

"Yeah okay, I guess I haven't had Po's delicious noodles for quite a while." The mantis said.

"Now that's the Mantis we know." The crane said.

They once again finished eating breakfast. The giant panda did not bother giving Poppin breakfast knowing that he was full from the delicious noodles he ate just earlier. They finished eating and they once again resumed training. Poppin was watching the masters train once more, but when they took a break, he heard the most beautiful sound. Someone was playing a bamboo flute and every note was played to perfection.

"Who is that? Where is that coming from?" Poppin asked. The masters looked at him.

"That's Master Shifu." The tiger replied.

"He plays the bamboo flute every morning at the sacred peach tree." The viper added.

"It's beautiful." Poppin complemented.

"I know. It's so… relaxing." The monkey said.

"Heard that." The mantis added.

"It feels like it slowly takes all your problems away, don't it Poppin?" The giant panda asked but he did not get a response. "Poppin?"

He then looked up to see Poppin gone. "Where did he go?"

At the sacred peach tree, the red panda continued to play his bamboo flute when he realized that someone was clapping from behind him. "Bravo. That was amazing." Poppin said with his smile widening.

The red panda stopped playing and though, he was creeped by that eerie smile, he was flattered by the complement. "Why thank you Mr. Bury? I see you have been enjoying yourself."

Poppin continued smiling. "Yes... Yes I have."

An odd silence filled the air. The red panda was puzzled. His smile was growing ever wider. "Is there anything you want me to do?"

"No, it's just… would it be okay if I borrow some money? I will be gone for most of the day as I will be checking out the village. I promise to pay you back." Poppin asked.

"Yes. Of course." The red panda then got a small sack and let out ten pieces of silver coins. "Here. You don't need to pay me back by the way."

"Thank you Master Shifu. You're students are really lucky to have you as their master." Poppin said.

"I don't know about that. I hope you have fun. There are a lot of things that you can shop down there." The red panda said.

"Thank you. I will." Poppin said walking away.

Master Shifu then returned to playing his flute. "What a strange little man." he said to himself.

Master Shifu then told about Mr. Bury leaving to go to the village. So with that, they all ate lunch without him. Then, once again, they went back to training. Oh boy, I don't see how we can keep going on and on like this for the rest of our lives. Anyway, it was time for the masters to go one on one with each other. So the first off was the giant panda and the crane. They were at the courtyard outside. The crane and the giant panda were facing off.

"So you wanna taste some of this?" The giant panda asked.

"Oh we'll see." The crane then charged up to the giant panda's head. The panda fell down backwards.

"So, how do you like Crane style?" He then charged back to the panda.

When the giant panda stood up, he noticed the crane heading for him. This time when the crane was near, he jumped up making sure that he hit his stomach. Crane went off bouncing away in the air. "How do you like Panda style?" The panda asked. The crane hit the ground like a projectile as he reached over the borders of the courtyard. "Wow, I can't believe I won." He then came to Crane to lend him a hand. Crane got it and got back to his feet.

"Not bad Po." The crane complimented as he tried to clean his feathers from the dust.

The giant panda then noticed something unusual. "Wow crane, I've never seen what was above your head before." The panda said.

Crane thought for a moment and felt his head with his wings. "Oh no, my hat!"

"Sorry dude, do you want me to go help you look for it?" The giant panda offered.

"No, it's okay. I can manage." The crane said.

He then went off in search of his hat. He thought he saw it fall on the forested area. He searched as hard as he could. He remembered the other time he lost his hat. He remembered how he panicked back then. It was just the same feeling as he had felt before. He swore it should have landed somewhere here... or there... maybe there. He had spent two hours looking for his hat with no success, but his determination to find it did not falter.

"Looking for this?"

The crane looked to the familiar face. "Thanks man." He then wore the hat. "How'd you fi…"

He was not able to finish his sentence when he was suddenly hit on the head. The force was so strong, he fell to the ground and was knocked out.

Dinner time had passed, and the crane had not yet come back. They thought something bad had happened to him. Just in time, Mr. Bury had just arrived for dinner.

"Hello friends." He greeted at the door.

"Ah Poppin, glad you are here. I hope you enjoyed your visit to the village." The red panda said.

"It was wonderful." Poppin replied.

"So what did you buy?" The giant panda asked.

The small man then showed to them two heavy bags of…

"Noodles? We have noodles here you know." The giant panda said.

Poppin only smiled, his head leaning toward the right noticing that one of the masters was missing. "Wait a minute, where is Master Crane?"

"He should've been here right now. He's been looking for his hat for the rest of the afternoon." The viper said.

"Really? Imagine that." Poppin said.

"I think he should get a new hat." Monkey suggested.

"But you know how he loves that hat of his." The viper said.

"That's it!" The red panda stood up. "If Crane doesn't come up here, tell him we'll buy…."

"I'm sorry I'm late master."

They looked at the door to which Poppin looked behind him. It was the master crane.

"There you are. We were worried for you." The red panda said.

"My apologies." He said blankly. "I found my hat." He said with an awkward smile.

"O…kay… let's eat." The giant panda just suggested as he put the bowls of those delicious noodle soup.

"No thank you, I just ate on the way home." Poppin said.

"It's okay. I know you're going to change your mind anyway."

They continued to eat without Poppin but the odd thing is, so was the crane. The panda noticed that the crane had not touched his bowl of delicious noodle soup.

"Crane, are you okay? You haven't touched your noodles." The panda said.

"Yeah, and you look a little pale. Are you alright?" The viper asked.

The crane looked at them still with that unusual smile and made a simple reply. "I'm just tired. I think I'll go to bed early." He said standing up and left.

They all continued to eat without the crane while Poppin was just watching them eat with a smile.

Moments later, it was time for bed and when midnight arrived, the mantis suddenly woke up. He thought of having a taste of delicious noodle soup after knowing that Poppin and the crane had not touched their fill. Double delight, he thought. He went to the kitchen and felt the same thing again. Someone was crying at the kitchen and this time, he had a hunch to who it was. Only this time, when he peeked through the kitchen door he was not surprised to see Poppin crying as he held those delicious noodles until he realized there was a second person. Apparently, the crane was also awake and what he was doing with those delicious noodles disturbed him. It appeared that he was marching on his delicious noodles soup squishing the oodles of delicious noodles with his feet until they became mushy. The mantis was shocked. This definitely is no dream.