Chapter 4 A Tough Day Of Training And Growing
At the same time, a gong can be heard in the distance. The Furious Five was wide awake and open their doors.
"Good Morning Master." they all said at the same time, including Leo.
"Hmm." Shifu said, walking down the hall and looking up at Leo. Then he hits Leo's foot hard.
"Gah." Leo growled in annoyance, looking down at Shifu. "What was that for?"
"For hiding underneath the floor in the training room." Shifu chuckled. "Tigress told me last night."
Leo glares at Tigress as Shifu proceeded to check on Po. Leo swallows hard, wanting to say something at her, but he held back. Leo back away from her a couple steps behind her and Viper, Monkey, Mantis and Crane took notice when he backed away from Tigress. Shifu turns around and announce that the panda quit. Everyone followed Shifu and went up the stone steps.
Leo made sure he stayed behind the Furious Five from a few feet. Monkey and Crane turns around and see's Leo walking behind them.
"How come you're walking behind us instead of walking with us?" Crane asked.
"I have my reason." Leo said.
"What's the reason?" Monkey asked.
"Nothing…" Leo sighed.
"I see." Crane said.
"You have to show Crane a few moves." Monkey said to Leo.
"Ok." Leo said as the three of them stop. "Which one you did you want to know?"
"Monkey told me it was a spinning kick sweep of some sort." Crane answered.
"You mean Spinning Demon." Leo said.
Monkey and Crane took a couple steps back so Leo had enough room on the steps. Leo took a breath and began his demonstration of Spinning Demon. He spins, bringing his body half way down as he extends his leg with his toe pointed in the air. Crane smiled as Leo was finished.
"Nice." Crane said amazed. "Monkey was right. That is amazing."
"What's amazing?" Mantis asked, landing on Monkey's shoulder.
"Leo was just showing us a move called Spinning Demon." Monkey said.
"Interesting." Mantis said. "You got to teach us."
"I'll see what I can do." Leo said.
Shifu, Viper and Tigress was waiting for them at the top of the steps. "All we can do now is resume our training and trust that in time, the true Dragon Warrior is revealed." He opens the doors and found Po trying to do a full split on two bamboo sticks. The teen couldn't help but hid a small chuckle as they walk through the doors. It was funny for Leo seeing Po do a full split. Leo watches Crane walks over to Po and pulls him over to the side.
"You actually thought you could learn a full split in one night?" Shifu asked with an angry look. "It takes years to develop one's flexibility!" Shifu threw two tiles high in the air as Po looks up before looking back at Shifu. Tigress walks up to Shifu's side and bends down on all fours. "And years longer to apply it in combat!" Tigress jumps into the air as her master snaps his fingers. She the two tiles into a full split, breaking them into shards. Tigress lands on all fours in front of Po.
"Hmm." Tigress snarled, looking back at Po before she walks away.
One of the shards landed on Po's head and the other shard hits Leo in the shoulder. "Gah!" Leo grunted, rubbing his left shoulder before starring at Tigress. "Watch it!" Leo shouted at her.
"Maybe you should've took a couple steps back." Tigress snarls at Leo, turning around with both her arms behind her back.
"Put that down!" Shifu ordered, walking up to Po with a piece of the shard Tigress destroyed. "The only souvenirs we collect is bloody knuckles and broken bones."
"Excellent." Po smiled, putting his hands together.
"Let's get started." Shifu smiles evilly.
Shifu snaps his fingers and they all went behind the stone line. Leo leans on the weapons with his arms cross. Viper was the last one to enter the stone square with Po, who is standing right across from her.
"Are you ready?" Viper asked.
"I was born ready-" Po was going to say, but Viper sweeps him off his feet with her tail, jabs him in the stomach, jumps into the air and sends Po flying to the ground, upside down. Viper lands in front of him.
"I'm sorry, brother." Viper apologized, staring at Po. "I thought you said you were ready."
"That was awesome!" Po exclaims. "Let's go again!" He brought his hands together.
Viper looks startled and looks at Shifu. Shifu snaps his fingers and Monkey enters the stone square. The panda gets up and caught a bamboo staff from Leo. Monkey got his own bamboo staff and attacks Po. It was Crane's turn next as he and Po were on the tortoise shell. The panda lost his balance and fell in the shell, getting hit by all sides. Shifu snaps his fingers and they were all back outside. Mantis made quick work of Po because his small body. Mantis threw Po on his back against the ground and hops over to Monkey's shoulder. They were training all day and went into the late afternoon.
"Hm hm." Shifu chuckled, believing the panda was finished. But Po puts his hands together. "I've been taking it easy on you, panda." Shifu growled. "But no more. You're next opponent will be me."
"Yeah, let's go!" Po cheered, getting up.
The four members look at each other before looking back at Shifu and Po.
Shifu stops in front of the panda. "Step forth." he ordered the panda.
Po did as he was told and Shifu picks him up like a feather and threw the panda on his stomach. "The true path to victory is to find your opponent's weakness and make him suffer for it." Shifu said, cracking Po's wrist and pinching his ear.
"Oh yeah!" Po cheered.
"To take his strength and use it against him until he finally falls or quits!" Shifu shouted. He threw the panda on his back before he threw him on his feet and kicks Po in the jaw several times. Shifu threw him to the side and quickly grabs his foot and throws Po flat on his stomach in front of the Furious Five. Shifu ran on the panda's back and grabs his nostrils, pulling him back.
"But a real warrior never quits!" Po said. "I will never quit!"
Leo watches the panda toss in the air and was sent flying through the doors. The Furious Five exits the courtyard and watches Po bounce on the steps.
"If he's smart, he won't come back up those steps." Tigress said.
"But he will." Monkey said.
Tigress said nothing as she walks back in the courtyard.
"He's not going to quit, is he?" Viper asked.
"He's not going to quit bouncing, I'll tell you that." Mantis chuckled.
Viper hissed angrily at Mantis. Leo sighed as he was watching Po getting his ass kick. He notices Shifu walking up to him with Tigress, Crane and Monkey.
"Would you like to try?" Shifu asks Leo, chuckling.
Leo thought about it for moment before he answered the question. "Hmm." Leo said. "Fine." The teen moved past Shifu, Crane, Monkey and Tigress to enter the stone square.
The master snaps his fingers and Monkey entered the stone square with a bamboo staff in hand.
"Ready?" Monkey asked readying himself.
"Showtime." Leo smirked.
Monkey jumps into the air and swung his bamboo staff forward. The teen moves to side quickly and punches Monkey in the head down near the ground before delivering a knee kick to the face.
"Gah." Monkey grunted, shaking off the attack. Monkey jumps over and stabs him in the back with a kick.
Leo ran into him with a tackle, knocking the bamboo staff out of Monkey's hands. He delivered a kick to Monkey's chest before a right side step punch, followed by a jump back kick with a flip as he landed. Monkey did a kick to the teen's head before he swept Leo off his feet.
"Sorry about that." Monkey apologized, helping him up.
"Don't mention it." Leo said, rubbing his head. "I think I'm done."
"Who says you're done for today?" Shifu asked.
"I do." Leo said. He proceeded to leave the stone square before looking back at Tigress, Monkey and Crane. Leo was wondering where Shifu went as he turns around and sees Shifu standing in front of him.
"It is only fair that you do one more sparring since you watch us all day." Shifu said.
"Step aside." Leo growled at him.
"You will do one more sparring." Shifu said.
"No!" Leo yelled.
"One more!"
"NO!"
Leo runs pasts him but Shifu grabs him behind the ear. "Do not yell at your master." Shifu said.
The teen smacks him away and watches Shifu hit the ground. "You should've thought about that." Leo snarls at him. "I already have a master. There is no way in hell I would call you master. Unlike Tigress, she should be on a leash."
Leo walks away from Shifu. An angry roar can be heard behind him. Turning around, the teen can Tigress running with anger in her eyes. Tigress pounce on him flat on his back. The teen wanted to run but fear has frozen him in his tracks. Leo could feel her claws on his skin. It was…
"No!" Leo thought, panicking in his mind. "This is…!"
"Respect Master Shifu or it will end your life." Tigress growled angrily, their noses barely touch each other.
Leo was trying his best to stop his own body shaking. "Tch." Leo said, trembling. "No way. I'm not even a student here. So get off me."
Tigress growled before jumps off of him and landed next to Crane and Monkey. The teen got off and shook the dirt off his shirt.
"Next time I might let Tigress do what she wants with you." Shifu said, walking away from Leo.
Leo watches him before he turns around. "Then maybe it was best I should've died a long time ago by that tiger."
The red panda stops and turns around with Leo's back to him. Tigress walks up to her master a watches Leo ran out of the courtyard. She can hear the voices of Viper and Mantis calling out to Leo. Tigress reckons they were listening.
"What does he mean?" Tigress asked Shifu.
"I don't know…" Shifu said. "It is best we all cool off for a while."
"Yes Master Shifu." Tigress nodded. She stares at the door where Leo has been. Tigress thought of the teen's words. "Then maybe it was best I should've died a long time ago by that tiger." What did Leo mean by that?
The teen started running down the steps. With every step he took, more and more his body began to tremble. In his mind, he was angry at Tigress and afraid at the same time. Leo couldn't help but remember back then. He didn't see where he was going. Leo thought he lost his footing and grabs the edge a cliff. He pulls himself up and crawls to the Peach Tree. As Leo was panting, he can still hear the screams of a child, an angry roar and screams of the past within his mind. The teen slaps himself across the face.
"Hah...hah…" Leo began to calm down with the gentle breeze of the wind against his face. The gentle breeze of the wind is relaxing as the sun was setting. He can hear nothing but the gentle breeze of the wind. A thought has crossed his mind. "Is it the right the thing to do?" Leo thought. "Should I let go of the past and put it behind me, or do I don't let it go?"
"Letting go of the past is good for you." a voice said. Leo turns his head to the left and notices Oogway. "People are reminded by their fears of the past and learn how to overcome. Some events are unavoidable as well. You can't judge your fear. If you learn to understand your fear, it will be better. This place will be a good home for you and a place to call family. It will be good for you to stay."
"Heh." Leo chuckled with a smile. He stood up and bowed respectfully to the old master. The teen walks up to the barracks. As he walks down the hall, one of the rooms has a lantern on with the Furious Five and Po.
"And now, he has a chance to make things right." Tigress spoke.
Leo walks quietly and listen right outside the hall.
"To train the true Dragon Warrior." Tigress said, looking at Po. "And he's stuck with you. A big fat panda who treats it like a joke."
"Doy!" Po shouted, making a face with his eyes cross, a stupid grin with his tongue sticking out.
"Oh that is it!" Tigress yelled angrily, unsheathing her claws to strike Po with every intention.
"Wait!" Mantis yelled, landing on Po's face. "My fault! I accidentally tweaked his facial nerve." Po fell on his stomach as Tigress backed away and Mantis hops onto the floor. There were so many acupuncture needles on the panda's back. "And may have also stopped his heart." Mantis said. He pokes Po's head and his left eye twitch.
Leo took the opportunity to slip by them and went inside Tigress and his room. He sat down in his corner and held the sword in his hands. The door opens and Tigress enters the room. Their eyes met as they look at each other.
"The others were looking for you." Tigress said as Leo puts down the diamond sword. "We were waiting for you to join us for supper."
"Is that right?" Leo asked.
"Yes." Tigress said, sitting down in front of him. The look on her face tells she's serious about something. Tigress took out something from behind her and gave it to Leo. It was Leo's Iphone. "You must've dropped it during your fight." Tigress said.
"Thanks." Leo said. "Is Po doing ok?"
"He's okay." Tigress said.
"Let's go see him." Leo said.
"Fine."
The two of them entered Po's room and Leo sat down on the floor with Tigress. "You doing ok, Leo?" Monkey asked.
"I'm fine." Leo answered.
"Are you sure?" Viper asked, setting down the box and slithering right up to him. "You looked trouble and upset when you left the courtyard."
"It just brought up some memories from the past." Leo said. "Since I'm staying here, you should all know what happen to me in the past."
"So what happen?" Tigress asked.
All eyes were on Leo and he stared in the light of the candle. "It all started with Zhao Chan." Leo said. As he stare in the light of the candle, he can hear the roaring fire of the past. "He was my master's first student. Master Lee found him as a baby in the mountains. He took the boy in and raised him as his own son. Zhao took interested of kung fu and Lee trained him. It was Zhao's dream to become a Kung Fu Master. He participated in Kung Fu Tournaments over the years. But it was never enough for Zhao because he wanted the crystal."
"What crystal?" Mantis asked.
"The Eye of The Tiger." Leo answered. "Zhao killed Master Ben after being discovered for stealing the crystal. Zhao's wife and their unborn child died in a cave in. Having to know what happen, Lee and Zen refused to give Zhao since the death of Master Ben and stealing the crystal. Devastated and betrayed, Zhao and his gang laid waste to the town and its people. During the siege, a tiger and other animals escaped the zoo as Zhao's gang let them loose. The tiger saw me and and pounced on me. I was staring into the jaws of death. Before the tiger can finish me off, Master Xeno rescued me before I was killed. Zhao tried to take the crystal by force. Zen tries to stop him but Zhao killed him in front of Lee. Lee and Zhao battle fiercely and Leo defeated him. Lee has loved Zhao liked a son."
Monkey opens the doors all the way.
"After the battle, Zhao has been sentenced to life in prison and a funeral has been taken place for Master Zen. Lee hasn't loved anyone for now or since." Leo finished.
"Oh man." Viper said.
"Ever since then, I've been haunted by the past and I have a fear of tigers." Leo said, looking up at them.
"That's rough for you." Crane said, walking up to him.
"You'll get over it one day, Leo." Monkey said.
"Thanks." Leo said.
"I don't know about you guys, I'm starving." Po said.
They all agreed and left the room one by one until it was just Leo and Tigress. There was silence between the two until Tigress spoke up.
"I'm sorry about last night and today." Tigress said, staring at Leo.
"Same here." Leo said as he stood up. As Leo got, he lost his balance and fell flat on his back with Tigress on top of him.
"Are you alright?" Leo asked.
"Yes." Tigress said, placing her claws on the floor. "You stepped on one of the needles and lost your balance."
She notices Leo was underneath him again when she pounced on him. Leo was beginning to tremble and Tigress got off him. Leo moved past her and exit the room.
"Why do I feel so calm and relaxed when I'm with her?" Leo thought.
Master Shifu mediated at the end of of the training hall. "Inner peace." Shifu said. It was a long day for him. As he was mediating, a flapping sound can be heard. "Would whoever is making that flapping sound quiet down?" Shifu asked with eyes closed. The flapping sound stops an Shifu proceeded to mediate once again."Inner…" Shifu began to say until he heard a body hitting the floor and a quacking sound. He stands up and turns around to see Zeng.
"Oh, Zeng." Shifu said, relieved. "Excellent. I can use some good news right now."
"Uh…" Zeng said, trying to find the right words.
Now the Furious Five and Po know a bit of Leo's past and his fear of tigers. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review!