A/N: Ahh, introductionary chapters - whaddya gonna do? I tried to make it interesting, but I dunno if I succedded. But not to worry! The interesting stuff will happen soon enough. :)

Thanks for the reviews - and don't forget to review for this chapter! :P

Disclaimer: IF I OWN KFP, I WOULD MAKE A KFP3 AS AWESOME AS THIS FIC. XD

Scene I

The Dragon Warrior Life and an Unexpected Message

Po attempted to do one more push-up, only to fall to the dirt. He looked straight ahead, seeing a pair of striped feet. He looked up at a smirking Tigress.

"I bet you're enjoying this."

"Just a little," She shrugged. He rolled his eyes, trying to do another push up, only to fall once again. He panted, "Can we be done now? I did twelve successful push-ups!"

"Yes, but the goal is to do a hundred and fifty."

"It's close enough!" He stood up and dusted himself up. His stomach suddenly rumbled. "And it's lunch time!"

She rolled her eyes, but smirked as she put her hands on her hips. "I'll tell you what. We can break for lunch if we run all the way there."

He beamed a smile. "Awesome! A race!" The two readied themselves, bending down low beside one another as they waited to run.

"You know what, Tigress?"

"What?"

"Today is the day! I can feel it!"

She snorted. "In your dreams, panda! Your chances of beating me in a race are like finding gold between your toes."

He laughed, but when she looked away from him, he looked down at his toes. "It's possible."

She simply rolled her eyes. He said, "On three. Ready? THREE!"

He took of running as fast as he could, laughing all the way. Tigress glared, but then laughed as well as she ran to catch up with him. The two ran quickly, and for awhile Po had the lead. However, he grew tired, and she passed him.

She ran into the barrack's kitchen, startling the other Furious Five members as they sat at the table.

Monkey chuckled. "Po challenge you to another race?"

She nodded, her arms crossed against her chest in victory. "And the outcome was...unsurprising."

From the kitchen, they suddenly heard a wheeze, and then Po crawled into the room. "I…got close…this time." He panted.

She stuck out her hands, to which he accepted, and she helped him stand. "Very close, Dragon Warrior." She nudged him with her elbow. "But not close enough."

He smirked at her, and she did so back. Until, that is, Mantis called, "If you two are done flirting yet, can you make us lunch?"

"We're not flirting!" Po and Tigress shouted at the same time, causing everyone to stare.

After a moment of awkward silence, Po started cooking noodles as Tigress sat down at the table and the idle chitchat began.

"So, Po, how was your training with Tigress?" Viper asked the panda.

"Awesome!"

Tigress continued on. "Po's endurance has increased considerably."

Po blushed at the compliment and changed the subject. "Monkey, we still on for our training tomorrow morning?"

Monkey nodded to the panda. "Yup." He turned to the masters at the table and continued, "We'll be working on Po's balance."

"And tomorrow afternoon," Crane said to both Po and those at the table. "we work on your movement."

"And the next day, we work on your flexibility." Viper said.

Po paused, six bowls of soup resting in his hand and arm. "Yikes. I wouldn't be surprised if I die at the end of the week."

He passed out the bowls, then sat down at the end of the table. "Dig in!" He called, then picked up his own chopsticks. Right before he could take a bite, Grandmaster Shifu stood at the door, yelling his name.

Po jumped up in shock, spilling his noodle soup on the floor. "Man."

"You are late for your lesson." Grandmaster Shifu said sternly. He gave a nod, then turned to leave. "Come."

Po looked dejectedly at his spilled lunch, then ran out the door to follow Shifu. Moments later, however, he ran back in, grabbed a bowl of dumplings from off the table, and ran back out.

Inside the Hall of Warriors, Po and Shifu sat beside the Sacred Moon Pool in meditation. Their legs were crossed in the lotus position as they faced each other. Suddenly, though, Po's stomach growled. He opened his eyes and felt his stomach.

"Focus, Po," Shifu said, his eyes still closed.

"Right, right, right," Po said quickly, closing his eyes and began his meditation again. However, moments later, his stomach growled again and he groaned.

"Focus," Shifu repeated, and so did the cycle.

"Aww, Shifu, you know I can't concentrate when I'm hungry!" Po complained, causing Shifu to open his eyes and sigh.

"You're right. We will end our meditation today and go onto history instead."

Shifu led Po over to a painting on the wall, and began. "After the Battle of the Desert's Sun, Master Jun Guang – "

"Know it."

"went on to – " Shifu continued on, then paused as his mind registered what Po said. "How do you know it if we never talked about?"

"'Cause I know it." Po answered. "Master Jun Guang went on to created the Stone Fortress, where he taught the next generation kung fu."

Shifu sighed. "You're right, panda." Before Po could respond, however, he walked to the next painting. "This is a painting of – "

"Master Devilish Boar, creator of the Bow of Deadly Arrows and responsible for the end of the Evil Fai Chung's dictatorship!" Po exclaimed with excitement, then smirked down at the red panda, crossing his arms over his chest in victory." If there's one thing I know, it's my history."

Shifu smirked back, then turned and began walking towards the door of the Hall.

"But seriously, Master," Po continued on as he followed. "Why don't we learn some new history? You know, some obscure facts about things I don't know."

"Like what?" Shifu asked, thinking the panda probably new every obscure detail of every little known battle and unknown master.

"Well, come to think of it," Po said as he scratched his chin. "I don't know much history about you."

Shifu spun around with wide eyes. "Me?"

"Well, yeah!" Po said, as if it was obvious. "I probably know more about Tigress than I do about you!"

At this moment, Tigress walked up to the Jade Palace's entrance. She opened the door a little, but stopped when she heard her name. Suddenly filled with curiosity, she listened.

"That's because you and Tigress are friends," He explained slowly, as if he was talking to a young child. "You and I, on the other hand, are not."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Po responded. Shifu turned and continued on his path. Po threw his hands in the air, "But I mean Tigress!"

Po jogged up to Shifu's pace. The red panda chuckled. "I bet there are plenty of things you don't know about Tigress."

Po crossed his arms against his chest defensively. "I know plenty of things! Like how – "

"Like how she's right outside the door."

Po looked over to the door with wide eyes as Tigress stepped in and bowed low.

"How…" Po said with a dropped jaw. "How did you do that?"

"Big ears." Shifu said as he twitched them. Before Po could comment, Shifu turned to Tigress. "Tigress?"

"Grandmaster Shifu, Zeng has an important message." Tigress answered.

Shifu nodded. "Send him in." Tigress turned to leave, and Po gaped at Shifu.

"How did you know it was her?"

"You mean besides the fact she's one of the only ones who has paws?" He stated, although somewhat sarcastically (to which Po took seriously). "She has a slight limp in her left leg after she twisted it while fighting against Wu Fang when she was thirteen."

"Wow, I didn't know that!"

Shifu smirked. "I told you."

Zeng then flew in, landing in front of Shifu. He bowed low. "Grandmaster Shifu, I bring you a message."

"You are dismissed, Dragon Warrior," Shifu nodded to Po, who then left. When he was gone, Shifu took the scroll from Zeng. "Who from?"

Zeng shook his head. "I don't know, but I believe the message is signed."

Zeng was quiet as he watched the grandmaster of kung fu unroll the scroll and read. Suddenly, the red panda's eyes went as wide as woks as he grabbed his heart. His expression was that of fear and disbelief. "But how?"

"Grandmaster...?" Zeng said, unsure of what to do.

"Go and get the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior and bring them here. Tell them it is that of up most importance!"

Zeng bowed, "Yes, Grandmaster!" He flew out quickly, leaving feathers in his haste. Shifu turned to the Sacred Moon Pool, looking down at his pained expression in the water.