Rescue
"Ok, five Yuan says this hits the soup and splashes in his face." Junjie proposed, holding up a small stone.
"No way!" Fenghuang shook her head. "Ten Yuan says you hit his head!"
"What do you think, Shifu?" Junjie asked.
"I think we should get back to patrolling the valley and not play pranks like children." Shifu said, leaning against the trunk of the tree they were in.
"Learn to have a little fun." Fenghuang said. "Besides, we're still technically kids."
"I say don't start growing up until you feel like it." Junjie added. He turned back to his target, the noodle shop below them. "Now watch me splash soup all over this guy!"
"You won't." Shifu said. "Fifteen Yuan says this happens: you throw the rock and it goes towards the goose's head. He bends down for something, the rock hits some bowls and breaks them, the goose sees us and yells, 'I'll get you crazy kids!', and then we run."
"Fifteen Yuan out of your pocket." Junjie shrugged. He threw the rock like a shuriken. It started flying towards the goose's head.
"Told you." Fenghuang said.
"Wait for it." Shifu said.
Then, the goose dropped his ladle and bent down to pick it up. The rock sailed over his head and the sound of crashing bowls rings out. The goose straightens and sees three figures in the tree. "I'll get you crazy kids!" he shouted. Junjie, Fenghuang, and Shifu scrambled down the tree and out of sight. When they stopped, Junjie and Fenghuang dug fifteen Yuan out of their pockets and handed the coins to Shifu, who tucked them away.
"I had good plans for that money." Junjie grumbled. "How do you do that?"
"Analyzing of the situation and those involved." Shifu shrugged. "I guess I'm good like that."
"Whatever." Junjie grumbled. "What now?"
"We go home." Fenghuang shrugged. "We're done patrolling anyhow." The three started home.
"It's too bad Chao couldn't make it." Junjie said. "He would've loved this."
"No, he would've loved scolding us for this." Shifu corrected.
"You guys see much of Chao nowadays?" Fenghuang asked.
"Nah." Junjie shook his head. "He's getting ready to present himself for the Hierarch Tournament. Hierarch Zhan Shi is retiring soon and has to choose someone new to lead the Sacred Onyx Council."
"How come you never went for that?" Shifu asked.
"I wasn't meant to be hierarch." Junjie shrugged. "Too much work."
"Yeah right." Shifu shook his head.
"What about you, Shifu?" Fenghuang asked. "Why didn't you go for the Sacred Onyx Council?"
"My place is here, at the Jade Palace." Shifu replied. "When Oogway passes, I will take over for him."
"What about me?" Fenghuang asked.
"You can be second in command." Junjie suggested.
"Oh, I don't think so!" Fenghuang protested.
"Oogway has already chosen." Shifu shrugged. "How about this: if we ever create another Furious Five, you can be leader. Deal?"
"Yes!" Fenghuang punched the air in excitement.
"You two are so weird." Junjie shook his head.
"Oh come off it." Fenghuang gave the fox a playful shove. The three of them laughed.
Suddenly, Shifu stopped. His ears perked up at a sound. He listened carefully. Junjie and Fenghuang stopped and looked back at him.
"Something wrong?" Junjie asked. Shifu raised a hand for silence. He strained his ears for a sound.
There! A scream, far on the other side of the village.
"You hear that, too?" Junjie asked.
"Let's go!" Shifu ordered. The three of them sprinted/flew off towards the scream. Fenghuang flew fast ahead as Junjie and Shifu leaped across buildings. Fenghuang reached the commotion before they did and was able to see the extent of the damage. Bandits, a couple dozen gorillas, were ransacking vendors and scaring defenseless villagers. Fenghuang swooped down and took out a few gorillas. Shifu and Junjie arrived seconds after her and began attacking. They knocked down as many as they could, but more kept taking their place.
"Where did these freaks come from?" Junjie snapped, taking down a few gorillas.
"No idea." Shifu shook his head as he gave a nearby ape a roundhouse kick to the face.
"We have to take them down, quickly!" Fenghuang said. She landed on the ground and launched her newest learned move: the Thundering Wind Hammer. Executed almost flawlessly as five or six gorillas were blown away. Shifu did a back flip to avoid a hammer and landed next to Junjie.
"Have you been practicing the Golden Lotus Clap?" he asked.
"That may do more harm than good." Junjie said. The gorillas surrounded the two of them.
"Hey you overgrown monkeys!"
The gorillas, Shifu, Junjie, and Fenghuang turned and saw a figure standing a ways away, wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a rice hat to cover their face.
"Catch me if you can!" the figure, a girl shouted. She turned and ran off. The dozen gorillas that weren't unconscious chased her.
"They're after a kid?" Fenghuang said incredulously.
"We have to help her!" Shifu shouted. "Come on!" He ran off after the apes, Junjie and Fenghuang right behind him. They found the gorillas cornering the girl in an alleyway. The girl had grabbed a broom and was desperately trying to beat back the gorillas. But one of the apes grabbed the broom and yanked it out of her grasp, tossing it over his shoulder.
"Nice try, kid." He laughed.
Junjie caught the broom and twirled it around like a staff. "My turn!" he announced. He ran forward and used the broom like a pole vault, driving his foot into the nearest gorilla's nose. Shifu and Fenghuang moved in to attack as well. But the gorillas must have anticipated it, because they managed to grab the three warriors and throw them into the corner with the girl. They stood in front of the girl, ready to fight, but the odds were against them. Then, a cloaked figure stepped through the wall of gorillas. Nothing could be seen about his except his tail and a red forked tongue that flickered in and out from the hood.
"What are your orders, Master?" one of the gorillas asked.
The figure seemed to regard them for a while. "I only need the girl." He turned and walked off. "Kill the others." The gorillas readied themselves.
"Fenghuang, get the kid out of here." Shifu ordered. "Junjie and I will hold them off."
"Are you insane?" Fenghuang said. "I'm not leaving you two to get crushed."
"Take Junjie with you, then." Shifu added.
"Not leaving." Junjie said.
The gorillas suddenly charged forward. The warriors prepared for a battle when the girl suddenly flipped over their heads. They reached out to stop her, but the girl jumped and did a flying side kick towards the gorillas.
Flames shot from her foot.
The gorillas reared back and the girl landed softly on the ground. She pounded her fist into the ground, shaking it. The gorillas fell to the ground. The girl stood tall and raised her hands to the sky, then lowered them behind her. The gorillas, once they had recovered from their shock, charged towards her. The girl pushed her hand forward, launching a powerful, white-colored chi attack. The gorillas went flying, over a couple houses and crash-landing out of sight.
Junjie, Shifu, and Fenghuang stared as the girl relaxed and turned to them. "What?"
"How did you do that?" Shifu asked.
"No idea." The girl shrugged. "It happens sometimes. I'm just glad you can see it, too."
"Ok, who are you and what are you doing here?" Junjie asked.
"I was just visiting here with my dad and we got separate." The girl explained. "Next thing I know, these apes are chasing me and wanting to kidnap me. I know some kung fu, but I'm still learning."
"We should get you back to your dad." Fenghuang said. "We'll take you to him."
"I can handle it." The girl assured. "I highly doubt those idiots are gonna try and kidnap me again."
"I really think we should…"
"Don't worry about it." The girl shook her head. "I can see him now. Later!" She ran off down the alleyway.
"Hey kid!" Junjie called. The girl turned to them. "Can we get a name?"
"The name's Siren." The girl said, tilting her hat to show her smile. "Siren Jin."