A Missing Part of the Family
"You didn't have problems up the steps this time," Crane mentioned as they got to the top of the mountain. Po huffed and puffed out some air but quickly recovered.
"I don't know. I think I'm getting used to it... I think," Po replied.
"Come on. We have to talk with Master Shifu," Tigress said urgently. Po stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Tigress quickly spun around, shaking his hand off. "Po, what?"
"Tigress. Calm down."
"I am calm."
"No, you're not."
"How would you know?" The tiger harshly remarked.
Po stood silent. Tigress's loud breathing finally reached her ears, and she could feel the scowl on her face. She took a slow breath. "Okay, you're right. I'm sorry."
"We'll find him. Trust me," Po said with a small smile. Tigress gave a brief smile of her own before racing over to Shifu's location. The panda sighed. "I'm worried about her, Crane. I've never seen her like this."
"I have," Crane replied. "Several times... recently."
"Why recently?"
"You joined the team," Crane smirked. Po's eyes widened. "You've made a big change around here, Po. I'm surprised you forget that so easily."
"Well... mostly because those changes involve me messing up a ton."
"But it still works out in the end," Crane replied, resting his feathers on his shoulders. "Come on, let's go find, Master Shifu." Po nodded and walked to the Hall of Heroes where Tigress stood like a statue.
"Tigress?" She stared in shock at something. Po looked and his mouth dropped. "Oh no."
"We... this is all that we have left of Zeng," Shifu said. He produced Zeng's yellow robe with his green belt and hat. Tigress gingerly took them in her hands, feeling the weight. Several cuts and stab-like tears were marked into the robe, but surprisingly no blood. "There was no body found, but it is possible that the Deadly Generals are starting to attack innocent ducks to try and search for Dead Shot Duck."
"The Deadly Generals must have taken him. We have to find them," Tigress said.
"We don't even know where to look. Between here and where he was going, he could've been kidnapped anywhere," Crane sighed.
"If he's still alive," Mantis murmured. Tigress snapped her head around and growled at the small bug. Only a tender hand from Po could calm her back down. She frowned at the clothes, wishing that she could've protected the person who wore them.
But she couldn't.
Po whispered, "I'm sorry, Tigress. We'll find him. I promise." Tigress didn't make a sound. She didn't utter a word. She simply gazed at the small robe and hat.
"We have to warn the village about this," Shifu said. "It's possible that other people are in danger. And with this being the first kidnapping, we have to prepare for a strike at any time. Warn the village to stay alert."
"What about Zeng?" Tigress asked.
"We'll have to look into where he was last heading. The Shang Depression in the east. We'll start our search there once we've warned the village. Especially any birds," Shifu said.
"I'll tell my dad," Po replied. "Hopefully he'll listen and won't think of making a sale for ducks fearing for their lives."
"Your father wouldn't do that," Viper protested.
"You never know."
"Crane, report to the nearby masters. We have to know everything we can about the Deadly Generals' next plan," Shifu replied. "There's been some movement by Lao Mountain Range. After we spread the word, we'll start our search there. Hopefully, we'll get to Zeng and-." He looked at his striped student who still gazed at the duck's clothing. "Actually, let's find Zeng first. We have to make sure that no one has any leverage on us. We'll go to the Shang Depression after we spread the word."
"Yes Master Shifu," Said his students. They darted their separate ways. Po saw Tigress still standing over Zeng's clothes. He rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Tigress?"
The tiger shook her head awake. Or maybe she tried to shake away the thoughts of what could happen to Zeng. Po couldn't tell. All that came out of the tiger's mouth was, "Yes, let's go." Po nodded and left to tell his dad the news. Tigress went for the door but stopped. She went back to the clothes, gently folded them, and placed them in a safe spot in the kitchen. "We'll find you, Zeng. I promise."
Word soon spread through the village, the valley, and the entire providence. The news of Zeng's capture put the masters on high alert, especially birds. Guards in the region were staged everywhere in small towns, trying to find any sign of the Deadly Generals' sympathizers or the long-lost Dead Shot Duck. "If we can find him," Shifu explained, "Then we can put an end to all of this madness." The team took all night and day to spread the word. Even then, Po kept a special eye on Tigress, whose laser-set determination to get Zeng back was only broken by her remorseful moments of worry and dread as she'd looked at the ground several times.
Was he okay? Would he be okay?
"You know, I really mean it, Tigress," Po said, "I'm really surprised that you care so much about him."
"I care about everyone close to me, Po," Tigress answered harshly, and then sighed, "Sorry, I didn't mean-"
"No, no, I get it. It's fine. You're worried. It's just... I never thought that someone who told you stories was so... close to you," Po said.
Tigress smiled a bit, "He'd tell me and the other servants stories more than stories. You should hear him when we rescue him." She frowned at the mention.
"When we rescue him. Not if, when." Po placed his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get him. I promise."
"I'll hold you to it."
"You know I try my best to keep promises," Po smirked.
Tigress smirked back, "I also know how much you mess up in the process."
"Hey!"
Tigress allowed herself to laugh, just a bit.
Just for a moment.
Meanwhile, messengers littered the skies alerting all in the providence about the newest updates. Posters with the missing duck's name fell out of their full satchels. The villages were on high alert, and the air grew cold. One of these posters fluttered in the wind right over a certain mound. Wu Nang caught the poster and swooped back into the hole in the mound, locking the hatch behind her. She flew down the dark corridor and burst right into the hideout. She landed on the table, spitting the poster out in front of Hu, but the goat didn't bat an eye. He simply looked at the map. "Hu, we have a problem. A big problem," Wu Nang said.
"Does it have anything to do with finding Dead Shot Duck?" Hu murmured disinterestedly. Cheng Long picked up the poster.
"It could affect our searches," The fox said, making Hu perk up his head. "They're blaming us for the missing duck."
"But it wasn't us!" Wu Nang cawked.
"They're just trying to pin the blame on someone," Cheng Long muttered. He scratched the back of his ear for a bit, thinking. "It doesn't matter in the end. This might work out for us."
"How?" Wu Nang exclaimed. "First, we're mutinous spies and now we're abductors?!"
"Cheng Long's right," Hu finally spoke, "Because of this, Dead Shot may think we're willing to take innocents to get to him. That means he'll be looking for us." Hu took out his father's dagger. He tossed the poster up in the air, threw the dagger, and stuck it right to the earthen wall. "And we'll finally get our revenge."
"Finally!" Shang Lu, the yak shouted from the opposite end of the room. "It's time that bastard pay for what he did."
"This better be worth it, Hu," Wu Nang groaned. "Otherwise no one will back up kidnappers and spies."
"Oh, but they'd believe an outlaw that ruined the lives of four people?" Hu grunted. "This wrong has to be righted, Wu Nang. For our fathers' sake."
"And we end him, then what? We still have an army to convince that we are doing the right thing," Wu Nang replied. "And since you rely on me so much to stir up their 'morals'. I need to know we're doing the right thing."
Hu turned away and sighed, "Doing the right thing hasn't gotten us that duck's head on the end of our blades."
"An eye for an eye," Cheng Long muttered.
"Don't act so high and mighty, Cheng," Shang Lu groused, "You're not always the wisest like your father."
"And you are?"
"Enough!" Hu shouted. "We have work to do. Tell the others to make sure that they watch their backs. Things are getting... serious." Shang Lu and Cheng Long both nodded and headed out the door. Wu Nang stared at the goat's back before sighing and joining the fox and yak.
Hu looked at the dagger inserted in the poster. He squinted his eyes. "Why... Why would they blame us? What would a duck servant do for us? Hm." Hu figured since the duck was a servant of the Jade Palace, he might have information that no one else knew about. But servants weren't typically trusted with that kind of knowledge.
He remembered his encounter with the duck. While hostages, Shifu remained calm and collected, but the duck was surprised and shocked, trembling the whole time. So much so that Shang Lu had a hard time getting the two tied because the duck was shaking so much.
"But... when we took off our masks," Hu mused. The duck was strange. Nervous, shaky, but all of that disappeared when they removed their masks. "He was... sad? Why would-"
Hu shook his head. "This is just another servant from another Kung fu palace. Even if he's Dead Shot Duck, we'll thank the bandits who give us his body. Vengeance either way."
Hu looked at the picture again, remembering the duck's face. He shook his head. "No. Probably some bandits, or something. But still. The timing of this is just... strange." With that, he left the meeting room.
Night slowly came upon the Valley of Peace. As every citizen in the village carefully locked up their doors, Tigress sat in a gloomy kitchen with a single lantern lighting the room. She stared at Zeng's clothes. Her hand brushed over the tears in the golden fabric. No blood reassured her, but the cuts only made her frown. Just then, another light entered the room. "Tigress," Po quietly spoke. The tiger didn't answer. "Tigress, it's late. You have to sleep. You can't help with the search if you're tired. We need you in your best shape if we're gonna fight these guys." She said nothing. Po sighed, "Tigress, I know it's hard, but I-"
"It doesn't make sense, Po," Her voice came in a choked sadness. "Why would someone attack him? No ransom notes, no blood on his clothes, just rips and tears. It doesn't make sense."
Po sat down next to her, setting his lantern down on the wooden table. "That's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?" Tigress said nothing for a moment. "Why is he so important to you? I know you care about people close to you, but... this doesn't seem like a normal... you know, caring about someone."
Tigress sat quietly before lifting her head up a bit, breathing in a steady breath. "Because he's... a part of the Jade Palace. We have a... responsibility to protect those who work for us."
Po's face fell. "Alright, in a non-brick-wall way, please tell me why you care so much about him. I mean, I'm your friend, yeah, but you've never really shown anything to Zeng. What gives?"
Tigress looked at Po and shut her eyes. Sighing, she finally said, "When Master Shifu and Master Oogway weren't around, Zeng would tell me and the other servants stories. But... for me, he was there when Shifu and Oogway weren't. It was difficult growing up, and though he didn't really know how to help me, his stories helped a lot. While I was younger, I'd listen to him telling the other servants stories while I hid behind the corner." She chuckled just a bit. It wasn't long before the heavy weight of reality settled in again. "It's just... He's a part of my life, even if it doesn't seem like it. We're closer than you think, Po."
"Wow, I had no idea."
"There was... even a time he'd call me Stripes."
"R-Really?" Po asked. "He... He gave you a nickname? I can barely get him to stop calling me Dragon Warrior!" That seemed very out of place for the nervous respectful duck.
"He insisted it was a mistake and I was just a kid," Tigress chuckled a bit, wiping her moistened eyes. Po placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, most of his stories were about Dead Shot Duck, but he'd tell me great mystery stories like..."
She paused. Po watched as the sadness in her eyes slowly changed to a pensive furrowing of the eyebrows. "T-Tigress? Are you okay?"
"Wait a minute." She suddenly got up. "Grab Zeng's robes."
"What?"
"Grab Zeng's robes and stretch them out flat."
"Uhhh, okay?" Po grabbed one end and Tigress grabbed the other. She took Po's lantern and hovered the light over the fabric. "Tigress, what are we supposed to-"
"Look." She pointed to the table. The light cast a shadow. The cuts in Zeng's robes actually spelled out something.
Keep away
Po could barely keep up with what happened next. Tigress's growl suddenly echoed throughout the entire kitchen as she grabbed Zeng's clothing and chucked it to the ground in a blur of rage. "I can't believe this!"
"Tigress what is-"
"All this time. All this time listening to those stories and he never once said anything!" She punched the wall, leaving a hole in the wood. "Has he been lying this entire TIME?!"
"Tigress, you're gonna have to slow down and tell me-"
"Get Master Shifu and the others. We're going to Zeng's last known location."
"What? Why? Tigress, what's going on?"
"Don't you get it!" Tigress nearly growled at him but stopped herself. "The network of tunnels under his house, the privacy, sending his wife away, the vast knowledge of Dead Shot Duck, the weapons rack, the escape hatch, and now suddenly he's kidnapped?"
"What are you saying? That Zeng was the one protecting Dead Shot Duck?"
"No! Zeng IS Dead Shot Duck!"
Continued...
A/N: I know some of you are going, "Finally, they put two and two together!" Like I said, I'm trying to experiment with suspense.