Chapter Three- The Allies Gather
The next morning, Lily and Ling set out to gather the army, sending messages to those farther off. Mantis journeyed to his home village to find Dosu and Sai So.
Lily returned that same afternoon with Fung and his bandits.
"They weren't easily persuaded." She admitted. "But they agreed since the Dragon Warrior helped them out."
"I can't believe you were that goat, Panda!" Fung grumbled. Po shrugged.
"We have tents set up in the courtyard where you can stay." Shifu said. "But if anything goes missing, you'll be drop kicked to the next dynasty. Got it?" Fung and his bandits nodded immediately; they were too afraid of Shifu to refuse.
Soon after Lily had left, Ling came with Jong and his best warriors.
"If it means my beautiful castle won't be destroyed and my son is safe, I will join." Jong told them. He walked off to his own tent, his warriors following. Shifu gave Ling a questioning look.
"I told him that if he didn't join his home would be destroyed and his son would be in danger." Ling explained. "That's all it took to get him in. He must really care for his son."
"True, he isn't all bad." Chao nodded. "Is anyone else coming?"
"Mantis should be back any time now." Shifu said. "His village isn't that far away."
Suddenly, Po cam running up to them. "Hey Master Shifu! Master Chao! I think I've found the perfect addition to our team!" He was jumping up and down excitedly.
"And who would that be?" Shifu asked. He noticed Po was hiding something behind his back. When Po pulled it hands around, Chao and Shifu's eyes widened and their jaws dropped.
"You released the Mongolian Fist Demon again?" Shifu shouted. The little blue creature was sitting contently in Po's paw.
"Don't worry about it!" Po shrugged. He pulled out a dumpling and held it out for the demon. The demon happily took it and started eating. "He likes dumplings. So I told him if he didn't attack us, I'd feed him."
"You trust a demon?" Chao asked.
"He'd be a great addition." Po protested. "You hit him and he gets bigger." Shifu and Chao shared a look. "Please?" Po gave his best puppy dog pout.
Shifu groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If that thing turns on us, it'll be your head, got it?" Po nodded happily and walked off, talking to the Mongolian Fist Demon as though it were a baby.
"Your Dragon Warrior is very…" Chao paused. "Unique."
"He's definitely not what you expect." Shifu agreed. "But he gets the job done."
It wasn't until later that evening that Mantis came home. Dosu and Sai So were with him.
"We are honored to be joining the fight!" Dosu bowed. "Anything for the great master of the Jade Palace." He and Sai So walked off, and Shifu gave Mantis a look.
"I told him he would impress Hao Ming if he came home a war hero." Mantis said. "It was the best I could do."
"That'll work." Shifu nodded. "But we're still waiting for Peng and the Ladies of the Shade."
"I'm sure they'll be here." Mantis assured. "Besides, I just passed Temutai and a band of his warriors; they're on their way."
"Good." Chao nodded. "Your allies are very trustworthy."
"When the needs arise, they will meet them." Shifu said. "But I think it was a good idea to keep them in separate groups; I'm not letting Fung anywhere near Jong."
"Wise decision." Mantis mused.
Temutai and his warriors didn't reach the palace until late. Had Lily not been awake, they wouldn't have gotten in. But no one else had shown up.
"Song should be here soon." Po assured the next morning. "If not today, then tomorrow; I know she wouldn't let me down."
"I trust she wouldn't." Shifu nodded. "But we have no idea where she is, nor are we sure where Peng had traveled off to. We may have to make do with who we have."
"Let's hope it's enough." Chao said. "Having the Ladies of the Shade would increase our numbers greatly."
"Numbers don't win a battle." Shifu told him. "They only help." He sighed. "We need to gather the army at noon today and explain the situation."
"You might want to do that sooner." Tigress advised. "I had to break up a fight yesterday between one of Jong's men and Fung. Something about their mothers being insulted." Shifu pinched the bridge of his nose in agitation.
"They can wait until this afternoon." Chao said. "Right now, I wish to speak to Shifu about something important."
Shifu nodded. "All of you, off to training. Double time!" The Five and Po bowed and quickly ran off. When they had left, Shifu turned to Chao. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Chao didn't answer right away. Instead, he slowly stood and walked out of the room, motioning for Shifu to follow. Shifu did so, walking side-by-side with the lizard master. Still, Chao said nothing. Shifu didn't push for a conversation. The two of them walked together until they reached the Hall of Warriors. Chao pushed open the doors, the two walked in, and he shut them once more. The two of them walked up to the Moon Pool and finally stopped. Chao took a breath, leaped up, and landed on his tail, folding himself into a lotus position. Shifu followed suit, sitting peacefully on the ground. The two masters sat in silent meditation, attempting to gain some peace of mind. Again, Shifu didn't press for Chao's reasoning for this. The red panda could practically feel a depressing aura radiating from Chao, and he didn't like it. But it felt like more than just depression; it felt like longing.
"Shifu…."
Shifu opened his eyes and looked up. Chao was no longer in a meditative position and stood at the edge of the Moon Pool, staring into its waters. Shifu stood by him.
"What's wrong, Master Chao?" Shifu calmly asked.
"No need for formalities." Chao said. "I want this to come by as a request from a friend, not a demand from a master." Shifu only nodded. "Shifu, I've kept a secret for a long time. I fear that it may be revealed very soon. I want you to be the first to figure it out."
"I don't understand." Shifu said. "What secret?"
Chao didn't answer right away. Instead, he took out the golden locket from around his neck and held it out for Shifu to see. "This locket is all I have left of someone very dear to me. I believe you will meet her long before I do. My requests are simple."
"And they are…?"
"Do not open the locket until the time is right. Find the owner of the locket and return it to her. And lastly," Chao leaned in close. "Bring her home, safe and sound." He placed the locket in Shifu's hand. To Shifu, it felt heavy with forgotten memories…or forgotten feelings.
"How will I know who the owner is?" Shifu asked.
"Her picture is in the locket." Chao answered.
"How will I know when to open it?"
"You'll know." Chao nodded. "You're smart."
Shifu sighed and put the locket around his neck, tucking it into his collar. "I'll do the best I can." Chao nodded in acceptance. Shifu knew all too well who Chao was referring to. But she had disappeared a year ago; she could be dead.
Suddenly, Viper burst into the room. She slithered up hurriedly to the masters. She looked frazzled. "Masters! I hate to interrupt, but the Ladies of the Shade and Peng arrived. You must come quickly!"
"Is something wrong?" Shifu demanded.
"They've been attacked!" Viper informed. Shifu and Chao shared a quick look before following Viper to the courtyard. There, the Ladies of the Shade were waiting. Many of them were wounded and be treated. Chao and Shifu weaved through the crowd as they followed Viper. The snake master led them straight to Po, who was talking to two familiar cats.
"Peng!" Shifu called out. The young snow leopard turned and his eyes brightened.
"Master Shifu!" Peng cried. Shifu and Chao ran up to Po, who had been talking to Song. The leader of the Ladies of the Shade was currently brushing out her fur, which was messy and covered in dirt.
"What happened?" Chao asked.
"We were attacked." Song said. "We were just travelling and ran into a strange man. He said his name was Jiao-long." Song was surprised to see Chao's horrified face. "You know him?"
"Unfortunately." Chao growled. "What did he do?"
"Nothing at first." Song said. "He simply asked to speak with our leader. Since it was me, I decided we should speak in private. Jiao-long wanted the Ladies of the Shade to join his army. When I asked what he was fighting for, he wouldn't tell. So I told him, 'If you can't tell me the first time I ask, then your fight must be for a dishonorable cause, and I must refuse.' He tried to persuade me further, but I refused. I told him if he would explain his cause, I may reconsider. Again, he wouldn't tell me. So I flat-out told him to get lost. He shouted at me, said I would regret turning him down, and left.
"The next day, he returned, with a small army of gorillas and elephants. We fought hard, but were almost defeated. I had to order a retreat before he could crush us. We met Peng along the way, and he helped us find shelter and treat our wounds. Then we received your message about gathering an army." Song sighed. "I just wish we had come when we weren't so beat up."
"You don't have to fight." Shifu said. "You should rest."
"Nonsense!" Song snapped. "Everyone here wants a chance to kick Jiao-long's butt. We're right behind you, no matter what."
"Perhaps now would be a good time to talk to our army." Chao suggested. "Explain the situation."
Shifu nodded. "Po, Viper, gather everyone in the courtyard immediately." The two students bowed and rushed to do their master's bidding. "Song, you will join me and Chao. Everyone needs to hear your side of the story, since you and your warriors were attacked."
"Very well." Song stood a little shakily. "When were you planning to move out?"
"Not entirely sure." Shifu admitted. "Didn't get that far into the plan."
"First, we need to find out where Jiao-long is setting his base." Chao said. "His factory was destroyed in the little fireworks incident, so I highly doubt he would set up base there."
"Perhaps we should move out tomorrow." Song said. "Jiao-long was able to attack us only a day after we talked, so his army had to have been close to where we were camped. It took us a day to travel here as fast as we could."
"That's not good." Shifu sighed. "Let's go talk with everyone." The three of them journeyed off. When they arrived at the courtyard, the warriors of their army were divided in their respective groups. Fung and his bandits kept glaring at Jong's men. Tigress was arguing with Po about the Mongolian Fist Demon. The Ladies of the Shade hid their faces under their parasols; scowls flashed when they were seen.
"Suddenly I'm not too excited about this." Chao said.
Shifu shook his head. "If what you say is true, then we'll need all the help we can get. I'm sure once we explain the situation; everyone will learn to get along a bit better. At least, long enough to vanquish this threat." He cleared his throat for attention. Everyone immediately turned to face the master of the Jade Palace.
"As you all know, you were summoned here to form and army." Shifu announced. "An army to fight for the Jade Palace and defend China. It is an honor to have you all here. You all may be wondering why we are forming an army. The enemy we are about to face is a komodo dragon named Jiao-long. He has a huge and powerful army and plans to take China for himself. We don't know the full extent of his plans, but we intend to stop him before he can progress and further."
"He had captured a soothsayer named Jien." Chao informed them. "Jien gave Jiao-long a prophecy that would either end his life or bring him forth victorious. The prophecy spoke of something called the Siren's Gem."
"And what exactly is the Siren's Gem?" one of the Ladies of the Shade asked.
"We're not sure." Chao said. "It could be a creature, it could be a rare stone; all we know is that it holds a large amount of power and Jiao-long will use it to power his conquest."
"What's the plan?" Po shouted.
"That's where it gets a little tricky." Shifu said. "We're moving out tomorrow morning. I've already sent Ling and Lily to find out where Jiao-long is setting up his base. We will decide where we will camp out when they return with the information. Right now, our plan is to sneak into Jiao-long's camp and catch him off-guard. If possible, we will find the Siren's Gem and retrieve and/or destroy it."
"Shifu and I will create other battle strategies tonight." Chao promised. "We are your generals for this army, and any concerns will be relayed to us."
"Are there any questions?" Shifu asked.
"I've got one!" a Ladies of the Shade member called. "Why are we teamed up with those dimwit crocodiles? They're bandits!"
"Who are you calling dimwit?" Fung retorted. "And you guys are thieves, too!"
"Former thieves!" another Lady of the Shade shouted. "Even an idiot like you should know that!"
"Hey!" Gahri yelled.
"I agree with the ladies." Jong shouted. "Why are there thieves in this army? My warriors are by far the only ones trustworthy and strong enough."
"You think my warriors are not strong?" Temutai shouted. "Even the Dragon Warrior could not beat my warriors!"
"I've beaten them lots of times!" Po shouted. "And they weren't hard to beat up!"
"My warriors would beat you to a pulp!" Temutai shouted.
"And my little demon friend will beat you to a pulpier pulp!" Po retorted. The Mongolian Fist Demon growled at the Temutai's warriors.
"Now, come on!" Song shouted. "Let's all calm down!"
"Why should we listen to you?" Jong snapped. "You weren't meant to be a leader!" His warriors shouted in agreement.
"You dare insult our leader?" a Lady of the Shade growled. "We'll slice you to ribbons!"
Suddenly, voices rose. The individual parties of the army started shouting and threatening each other. Temutai's and Jong's warriors were holding their weapons ready, looking like they were about to break out in a fight. Song desperately tried to calm the crowd, but her voice disappeared.
"Great." Song sighed. "Now what?"
Shifu frowned. "Chao, Song, cover your ears." Chao obeyed immediately.
"Why?" Song asked.
"Just do it!" Chao warned. Song covered her ears just as Shifu raised two fingers to his lips. He let out a sharp, loud, and shrill whistle. Every single person who hadn't covered their ears now writhed in pain from the intense sound. When Shifu had stopped, everyone stared.
"If you are all done acting like immature children," Shifu called out. "I would like you all to know something very important." At this, everyone listened closely. "Jiao-long's army is powerful. I haven't seen it personally, but Chao's and Song's stories aren't lies; we'll be going up against a huge army of well-trained gorillas and elephants." Everyone had a worried look on their faces. "If we want to defeat Jiao-long and keep peace in China, we all need to work together. This isn't just some battle; it could come out a full-out war. People's lives are at stake. If we waste our time arguing with each other, then we've already lost!" Shifu's eyes scanned the crowd. "Now, are we all in this together or not? Because if you aren't going to fight with us, then you might as well go home now and hide."
Silence.
Everyone waited with baited breath, to see if anyone dared to step down.
Po stood a bit taller. "As Dragon Warrior, I am honored to fight for the Jade Palace!" The Five nodded and joined his side.
The Ladies of the Shade stood with parasols ready. "We won't run!" one shouted. "We will follow our leader fearlessly into battle!"
"Count us in!" Fung gave a thumbs-up. "This Jiao-long guy is going down!"
"My men are ready to follow your orders!" Jong agreed.
"I will personally lead my warriors into battle!" Temutai shouted.
Peng stood up tall. "None of us will back down! We're gonna show Jiao-long that you don't mess with us!"
Song glowed with pride for her sisters-in-arms and went to stand amongst them. Chao smiled.
Shifu gave a smirk of confidence. "That's better."
STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR
Jiao-long leaned on the table in front of him, looking over his maps. Everything was going according to plan. Half of their resources were destroyed in the explosion at the workshop, but a lot of the important stuff had been saved. Jien ("stupid old cat") had been saved, his wounds treated, and punished. The army was prepared for battle.
Most importantly, Jiao-long had the Siren's Gem.
The Komodo dragon chuckled darkly. China would soon be his. The warriors of the Jade Palace would come to stop him, but they would fall; every single one of them. Jiao-long imagined running his sword through Chao's heart, watching the light leave the foolish old master's eyes. He would pay for his interference. Jiao-long laughed out loud, unaware that no one was there.
Meanwhile, up in a lone tower within the base, a girl sat next to the window. She stared up at the sky with a deep longing. She gazed at each star, as though she were pinning the same wish onto each one.
"Baba." She whispered. "Please let me see you again."