Ohyaho Tokyo! Konnichi wa London! Konban wa New York! CJzilla here dishing out another chapter to you "Kung Fu Panda" loving motherhopers! In this chapter it's dinner time but no one's eating. Enjoy.

As I trash this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me, hate on me... You should know this by now...

Jigsaw Feeling

Evening came as did dinner time. The Furious Five were pulled from their various engagements by a smell that made their stomachs cramp with hunger. All warriors within the Jade Mountain were drawn to the kitchen. Tigress was the first to follow her stomach.

Tigress spent the last few hours training and clearing her mind of any anger lingering from Lady Layla's difficult behavior. She was ravenous. Dumplings of all flavors, stir fry, noodles, soup, egg roles, roasting vegetables and fried rice wafted through the air, teasing the hungry warrior as she walked toward the kitchen. Rounding the corner, the heavenly smells only got stronger. When the female tiger came to the kitchen's threshold, she was surprised but couldn't help a smile.

There was Po, cooking over a hot stove, making sure every dish was just right. Tigress shook her head. When it came to something he loved doing, the panda had all the energy in the world. Taking a second to soak in the precious sight, Tigress stood in the doorway with a smile plastered on her face. She didn't go unnoticed for very long.

Dropping a ladle onto the floor, Po bent over to retrieve it. When he did, he saw a pair of feet standing in the doorway. Following the feet upwards, the panda then recognized Tigress' lithe form.

"Oh hey, Tigress." Po grinned, bringing his body upwards. "Dinner's almost done!"

Tigress smile remained as she noticed the mighty Dragon Warrior wearing a humble cook's apron.

"It smells good, Po. What's on the menu tonight?" She walked over to the stove and eyed each of the dishes.

The panda beamed.

"I have veggie stir fry, shrimp and chicken egg roles, beef and fried rice, my famous noodles, wanton soup and lots of dumplings!" Po pointed at each of the various pots, steamers and woks.

"Wow." Tigress smiled at the panda. "It sounds delicious. That's quite a spread."

"Well yeah! It's gotta be! It's a special occasion!" Po smiled. "Lady Layla has returned to the Jade Temple. I want to giver her my best and show her my hospitality."

Tigress' smile just dropped from her face. Po saw this and his grin waned as he cocked his head at his friend.

"Oh…" Tigress paused, her amber eyes falling to the floor. "That's good… We want her to feel welcome. You're a good cook Po, and Lady Layla will be pleased."

"Here's hopin'!" The panda raised the ladle to his forehead. "I'm slamming out the works!"

Tigress managed a supportive grin. Po brightened at Tigress' grin and got back to his cooking. At seeing that the panda was ignoring her once again, she sat at the dinner table, thinking of something to say to him.

"Hey, Po?" She was nervous and that definitely showed in her voice.

"Hmm?" The panda was concentrating on his cooking, but heard his name.

Tigress took a breath, trying to clear her mind of her nervousness.

"I wanted to apologize about my awful behavior in the training yard earlier today." Her eyes were firmly on the table in front of her, not daring to look up at Po. "I disrespected you, Lady Layla and myself. I'm sorry."

There was silence in the kitchen, only the bubbling of food and hissing of the stir fry. Tigress feared that Po was giving her the silent treatment; she sighed. Then she saw a plate with a fresh egg roll slide onto the table in front of her. Tigress looked up. Po stood near her, easy grin on his face.

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged. "I know you're a girl who doesn't do stuff without a good reason. You had a reason… but I still don't know what it is… Anyway, I forgive you."

Tigress bowed her head to hide the heat she felt coming to her face. Po paused, bewildered expression on his face as he glanced off.

"Whoa." The panda raised his eyebrows. ""I forgive you"? I've never said that to you before. Usually it's me who's goofing up… Sick."

Po shook off the willies and got back to his cooking. Tigress watched him, words still burning in her throat. Viper's advice came to her mind.

"I had a reason for the way I acted." She heard herself say.

The panda tossed an unsure glance over his shoulder

"Okay." He acknowledged, giving Tigress the green light to continue.

"I don't trust Lady Layla. I think she has other intentions." Tigress leaned on the table. "Po, she could be very dangerous."

Po didn't know why he stiffened and why he grew irritated.

"You too, huh?" The panda's usually cheerful tone iced over.

Tigress' ears perked up, listening to what she was afraid to hear.

"Master Shifu said the same thing." Po turned around, back to his cooking. "He told me to keep my wits around Lady Layla. I really don't see what the problem is, Tigress."

The tiger warrior felt a little anger rise in her.

"Po, Lady Layla insinuated the fight in the training yard, not me." Tigress clarified.

Po pursed his lips.

"I was standing right there and I didn't see anything." The panda returned folding his arms.

Tigress gave a tiny growl.

"Of course you didn't; you're a guy." She voiced, making a fist.

The panda looked at her funny.

"What does that have to do with anything?!" Po asked, hands in the air.

She put some thought of how much to tell Po, but now that she was getting angry, things were just spilling out.

"Layla was using you as a weapon." Tigress retorted, making a fist with her other hand, her anger refreshed.

Now Po was very confused.

"What? How? She didn't even touch me!" He narrowed his eyes.

"She didn't have to touch you. That fox used you to get to me!" She returned.

Po slapped his forehead.

"How?! I don't understand how she could use me to get to you! And I still don't see why… I didn't see…- what Lady Layla did… because I'm a guy!" The panda was trying to figure out what was going on.

Of course to Tigress, everything made sense.

"You see?" She voiced. "Lady Layla has been causing trouble. She's dangerous!"

Po ran his hand over his face.

"No she's not." He argued. "Lady Layla's been very kind to me. She even taught me a few new battle techniques that Master Oogway taught her! I don't know why you and Master Shifu are acting all weird all of a sudden, but I can tell you I don't like it. It's not… proper warrior behavior."

Tigress stood from her seat and looked Po right in the eye. The panda felt like he shrunk to the floor, having the tiger's amber eyes drill into his own.

"I've never tricked or lied to you, Po." She said, her voice steady and unyielding. "You said yourself that you trust my judgment. Why is this any different?"

She left Po speechless as she continued to stare into his eyes before she moved to the door.

"Where you going? Dinner's almost done." Po said to her.

"I'm not hungry anymore." Tigress's voice was low, sad.

Po watched her leave, still puzzled. He'd never felt such a mix of guilt, uncertainty and hunger. The panda bit his lip as he glanced at the egg roll on the table, wondering what was in the water.

Then he heard six legs thundering on the wooden floor. It sounded like a stampede. Po stood there, frozen and bewildered by the noise. And then Mantis jumped into the doorway.

"FOOOOOOD!" The insect cheered.

Without a word Mantis jumped on the table and glared at Po.

"Food NOW!" He demanded.

The panda stared at Mantis. Then the bug growled.

"Food! I want food now! Right now! Right now! Right now!" Mantis hopped up and down on the table.

Po held out his ladle in defense.

"Relax Mantis." Monkey sprung into the room, flipping over the table and landing in a seat. "You need to chill out."

"Dinner's five minuets away." Po voiced, still holding his ladle like a sword. "You act like you haven't eaten all day."

"For lunch I had just a little bit of tofu. Tofu! That cannot hold a warrior over six hours! GIMME FOOD NOW!"

Crane then walked into the kitchen.

"Mantis! Go to your happy place." The red crowned crane snapped at the bug.

"My happy place is inside that pot of noodles!" Mantis pointed to the stove. "I know dinner's done and Po's just trying to trick me."

Crane rolled his eyes and shook his head, his grass hat rattling a little.

"You've survived this long without food; five more minuets won't kill you." The bird expressed.

Mantis growled, then flopped on his back having a less that mature warrior's meltdown.

"I haven't eaten since lunch! Lunch! I'M GONNA DIE!!" The insect warbled.

He started to cry like a baby. Monkey started to laugh hysterically as Crane gave Po an apologetic look.

"This is what happens every time we are sent to Chorh-Gom Prison." He voiced to the panda. "Mantis doesn't do so well without food. Wow! That's a lot of food for a regular Tuesday night."

Mantis whimpered on the table but Monkey looked at Crane with wide eyes. The panda heard the bird mention the Chorh-Gom Prison.

"Whoa!" Po awed as Crane took a spoonful of his wanton soup and tasted it. "You and Mantis went to Chorh-Gom Prison! Why wasn't I told?!"

Crane gave an uneasy half smile at the panda after he glanced at Monkey.

"Master Shifu sent Mantis and I because we are the fastest." He answered. "That and because Tai Lung still wants your pelt."

Po gulped.

"Don't worry about it, Po." Crane voiced, walking around the table and sitting. "It was actually pretty boring. We just got a status report from Commander Vachir. We didn't see tail or whiskers of Tai Lung."

The panda then held his throat. Po got a concerned look on his face, a rarity because the panda was so easy going.

"A-a-and?" The panda quivered. "H-how's Tai Lung? Comfortable, I hope. So comfortable that he never wants to get out and wreak horrible vengeance on me…! I hope?"

Crane looked at him funny before he understood the fear in Po's question.

"Well, from what that psycho Vachir tells us, he's been getting treatment a little better than a cockroach." The bird stated. "I guess Vachir took the escape pretty personal so now he's making sure Tai Lung knows he can never escape again."

The panda took in a shaky breath.

"Can he? I mean, what do you think, Crane? Can Tai Lung break out again?" Po questioned, death grip on his ladle.

Monkey gave Crane a slap to the shoulder.

"Look at what you did! Now Po won't be able to sleep tonight!" The golden languor scolded.

Crane swatted Monkey's hand away.

"No." The red crowned crane voiced readily to Po. "There's no way he'd be able to pull off an escape. Vachir has Chorh-Gom locked up tight."

Po gave a breath of relief.

"Whew!" He wiped his brow. "I wouldn't want a repeat of what happened a couple weeks ago."

"Yeah; NONE of us would." Crane gave an uneasy chuckle. "Because of Tai Lung's anger toward you, Master Shifu sends us on routine inspections to make sure that snow leopard will stay in his icy prison. Here's hoping Vachir can keep him inside Chorh-Gom his time."

Just then Viper slithered in.

"Mmm!" She said, letting her tongue smell the air. "It smells good, Po!"

"Oh, hey, Viper." The panda gave a small wave.

The snake heard the concern in Po's voice and she looked at him.

"Gee, Po." She voiced. "You've look like you've seen-…"

"Tai Lung?" Po finished for her. "No, but I am hearing all about Crane and Mantis' run to Chorh-Gom Prison."

Viper whirled around. Monkey balanced on his tail, pointing his feet and fingers at Crane.

"Crane!" The female snake snapped. "Master Shifu instructed not to mention our scouting runs to Chorh-Gom in front of Po!"

Crane held an easy look on his face.

"I thought Po ought to know." He answered. "I believe it's only fair."

Viper gave Crane a cross look as she slithered over to the table and coiled up next to him.

"Why? Why did Master Shifu say not to talk about that in front of me?" Po asked, stirring his rice.

The female viper looked up at the panda with big, concerned eyes.

"Because he didn't want something like that weighing on your shoulders, Po." Viper answered. "You've just became the Dragon Warrior. Master Shifu probably foresaw a lot a stress for you."

"Yeah, well, I'd totally stress out if I didn't see it coming and Tai Lung suddenly appeared on our doorstep!" Po gestured.

"Oh, it won't come to that, Po." Monkey voiced. "Tai Lung will not get out of Chorh-Gom. We've seen it with our own eyes."

Mantis sat up on the table.

"I'll tell you anything you want to hear! Just let me eat!" The Kung Fu insect gave a weak gasp.

Po laughed.

"All right." He poured three bowls of noodles. "Dinner's ser-"

"Greetings warriors." Master Shifu then walked into the door, interrupting Po.

Everyone bowed their head.

"Hey Master Shifu!" Po said cheerily. "You want some noodles?"

The red panda held out his hand.

"Dinner will have to wait. Crane, Monkey, Viper, Mantis; I need to talk to all of you before you eat." Shifu stated.

Crane and Viper nodded but Mantis began crying again.

"And where is Tigress? She must accompany us." The red panda glanced over the room.

The panda twiddled his fingers, a sign that he was involved somehow.

"She uh-…" Po began, "left. She and I got into an argument, she said she wasn't hungry and then she left."

Viper, Monkey, Crane and Shifu looked at Po like he'd just lit on fire.

"An argument?" Viper repeated. "You and Tigress never argue."

Po shrugged.

"She told me that Lady Layla started the fight in the training yard and that I wouldn't understand it because I'm a guy." The panda answered. "Or something like that."

To his surprise, Viper narrowed her eyes at him and softly hissed. Master Shifu tapped his staff on the floor.

"Then it is imperative that I speak with all five of you." The red panda moved to leave. "Now."

"Okay!" Po cheered, tossing off his apron. "I'm coming!"

The red panda tapped Po on the nose, stopping the panda in his tracks.

"No. I need to speak with the Furious Five only, Po." Shifu stated. "You stay here. Keep dinner warm; we won't be too long."

Crane, Monkey, Crane, Master Shifu and Mantis, but not without grabbing a dumpling, exited the kitchen and left Po alone. The panda stood there, feeling left out and a little betrayed. Why had all of his friends and Master suddenly gone loco? Pouring himself a bowl of soup, noodles, and a plate of dumplings, fried rice, veggies, beef and egg rolls, the panda sat down alone in a quiet kitchen.

Master Shifu led four of the Furious Five out toward the Hall of Heroes. No one spoke until they were sure Po could not hear them.

"What is it Master Shifu?" Crane asked, walking fast along side the rushing Kung Fu master.

The red panda looked focused and concerned.

"I had a premonition of wicked events about to unfold." Shifu answered. "But speaking here is not safe. Viper, Monkey; find Tigress and meet the rest of us in the Hall of Heroes."

The viper and golden languor nodded and bolted off into the night to find Tigress. Shifu, Mantis and Crane walked on through the pavilion.

"An unfolding?" Mantis repeated gobbling on his dumpling.

"Yes." The red panda returned. "An unfolding that will affect all of us."

"If it affects all of us, why didn't you allow Po to join us?" Crane asked, concerned.

Shifu didn't have a solid answer for the red crowned crane.

"My feelings tell me that Po should be informed a little later on." He answered. "The boy has a lot on his plate right now; his argument with Tigress proves it. He shall be told after we talk about it."

Tigress sat alone under the withered the Peach Tree of Infinite Wisdom. Her tail lazily flicked back and forth as she sat on her haunches, over looking the misty mountain nightscape. She was gloomy since her argument with Po.

The panda didn't want to listen to her. Tigress assumed that if Lady Layla wasn't the issue involved, Po would have listened to her. She knew Po was attracted to the vixen but she didn't realize that Lady Layla's charm ran this deep. It was like the fox could do no wrong! Tigress knew that vixen was dangerous and even though the panda turned down her warning tonight, she wasn't going to give up that easily. He was her friend, even if he was blinded and stubborn. Tigress could be stubborn too.

"Tigress! There you are!" She heard Monkey zip up the steps.

She turned to see the golden languor out of breath. That was a bad sign.

"What? What's wrong?" Tigress was immediately on her feet.

Monkey gasped.

"Emergency meeting… (pant) in the (wheeze) Hall of Heroes. C'mon." He motioned toward the temple. "Quickly!"

Tigress and Monkey flew toward the temple, afraid of what they might hear.

Busting through the doors Viper, Tigress and Monkey saw Shifu seated under the Dragon's Scroll with Crane and Mantis sitting before him. Running to their Master, Tigress, Monkey and Viper sat.

"Apologies, Master Shifu." Tigress immediately voiced bowing her head. "I didn't know-"

"But you're here now and we must be quick about this." Shifu cut her off. "Earlier today I had a premonition of wicked events about to happen."

The Furious Five leaned in, eager to hear what their Master was going to say.

"In my vision Lady Layla and Tai Lung storm the temple." The red panda voiced. "They shattered the Dragon's Scroll."

There were gasps.

"Master Oogway was more skilled at understanding visions than I, so I don't know if the destruction of the Dragon's Scroll will be literal or symbolical." Shifu added. "But the fact that Lady Layla's involved leads me to distrust her even more. Tigress, I was not aware of the fight in the training yard. Please, explain yourself."

Tigress' eyes went wide and her face heated a little.

"I… uh…" She stammered before Shifu cut her off again.

"I must know what happened." The red panda Kung Fu master pointed his staff at the tiger.

Tigress bit down her blush.

"I witnessed Lady Layla and Po sparring together." She began, the words feeling like acid leaving her mouth. "She, uh… challenged Po's honor and I grew angry. I attacked and we fought."

Shifu held his eyes to hers for a long moment, clearly thinking.

"I do not like this turn of events, my students." The red panda voiced. "Lady Layla was Oogway's last student and therefore a friend. But her behavior isn't unlike an enemy. She is grieving, I understand that."

"No one grieves by picking friends apart, Master Shifu." Crane voiced.

Shifu hummed in acknowledgement.

"True." He returned. "But what if this is all coincidence? What if Lady Layla's simply trying to fit into her forgotten lifestyle? I'm not one to doubt visions, but what if it was just brought on by stress? There is no way Tai Lung could escape again."

The red panda master shook his head again. What Crane said was true, but was that all to it? Was Layla really as evil as they thought? Shifu called the Five here to talk out the matter, since he alone couldn't come to an answer.

R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!