A/N: Addressing everyone who wrote me a PM, a review or who faved my story: thank you! I'm serious, I wasn't really sure I wanted to focus on continuing this right now so it's only you and your words of encouragement that kept me going. I only hope I did not mess anything up in my excitement. Well, on to the chapter number two, then!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda

The Clouds of Yesterday, the Fog of Tomorrow

Another sigh left his mouth as he kept staring at the fallen tree, then his gaze turned to his right arm. The memories of the fight were forgotten for the moment as a look of pleasant surprise crossed his face at the realization that the layer of water still remained intact on his body.

I'm getting better at this, he thought to himself, forming another report in his mind that he'd write down in his room upon returning.

Day thirty two: the tree falls, the layer remains stable, the pain... he stopped to move his arms a little to try how much they ached. Still there. Looks like I'll hold on to that salve and bandages a little longer, he concluded, disappointment making his brow furrow a little.

Letting his arms fall by his sides, he closed his eyes and allowed the water fo fall, only to let out a startled cry at the cold shiver that ran down his spine after the water left his back. Gotta work a bit on that one, too.

Turning left, he bent down to pick up a robe that remained on the ground during the training. As he was putting the robe on, a smile made its way up to his face as he remembered the day he recieved it as a gift. Long sleeves, the colour of grass green adorned with blue rising waves of water. On the back was a large, curling dragon of the same azure hue, with emerald green claws. The only things that stood out in choice of colour were the dragon's eyes. They were of a bright yellow tinge, while the pupils were a blazing red. His friends had it made for him, based on a picture he painted when Crane was helping him with his skills with a brush. They gave it to him on his second anniversary of becoming the Dragon Warrior.

Po was extremely grateful for the garment, but hesitated to wear it anywhere else than on important occasions and meetings. Lately he found it invaluable as the long sleeves managed to cover the bandages he kept wearing on his arms as a result of the many failed attempts at his secret training. He was sure his friends were aware of what he was doing now, though. At least one was.

One that, as Po found out upon turning, was standing right behind him, with his beak wide open, the lower part hanging down.

Crane was used to seeing unusual things after all this time. He was also expecting to see something distressing upon finding Po, considering he was practicing techniques he was not supposed to. Somehow he came to the conclusion that he was still not prepared enough for the sight that met him.

The first thing that set him off balance, quite literally at that, was the unusual and unatural shift in the wind as he was nearing the place he remembered finding Po at the last time. Another one was the loud noise that sounded somewhere between a groan and a roar, as ridiculous as it seemed, as the only creature that was supposed to be in the forest was the panda and he was the last one Crane would expect to roar. What finally made his mind go blank, however, was the sight of Po standing in front of a fallen tree. A fallen ironwood tree. So shocked he was that it wasn't until Po spoke his name that the avian realized he was just standing there staring with his beak agape.

„Hey, Crane, what's up?" said the panda, sounding startled although his eyes radiated concern.

The feathered master fixed his eyes upon his friend and hesitated, uncertain of how to adress him.

„I see you've gotten better at... this," he finally said, gesturing towards the felled trunk with his head.

Po followed Crane's gaze to the tree and shrugged before adding sheepishly. „I guess. It's still not where I'd want it to be, though."

Hearing that made the avian wince. He brought down one of those trees and still isn't satisfied? His eyes then narrowed knowingly when he noticed the panda rubbing his right forepaw with his left hand. Of course. The backfire.

„So, why did you come here? Is something wrong?" Po asked, letting go of his arm.

Crane blinked twice before answering. „No, we were just concerned. It's getting late," he said, mentally cursing. While it was true, it came out as a very cheap excuse.

To his relief, Po seemed to buy it completely. He glanced at the sky. Due to the clouds, it was almost impossible to guess the time.

„I suppose you're right. I was done here for the day, anyway, we might as well head back to the palace."

Crane nodded, then watched as Po went to pick up his things he had with him: a case containing the scrolls and an action figure of Tigress.

The avian frowned, recalling Viper's assumption about the subject. He was still convinced that there was more to it than just Po's way of handling the feline's absence.

Realizing that Po, having his things already gathered up, was glancing at him expectantly, he snapped out of his thoughts and nodded, gesturing for them to head back.

„So..." Crane started. „It's going well then? The training, I mean."

„Quite. I believe I'm almost done with it. It's efficient and strong enough. And it's about time, too. With Tigress gone, I was seriously starting to worry about the lack of strenght on our part. Few of us are able to break through iron door," his face grimaced. „And the idea of using me as a battering ram did not strike me as a sufficient answer."

Crane refrained from chuckling at the memory of Mantis suggesting it and Monkey hastily agreeing. After he was certain there would be no laughter in his voice, he resumed talking.

„But that isn't the only reason, is it?"

Po didn't answer, just turned his head in the opposite direction, which only gave Crane the answer he seeked. The bird was right and Po wasn't ready to reveal the truth just yet, it seemed.

Suddenly, without being able to fight it, Crane shuddered. Flying in the rain was not something he enjoyed. Nor the consequences of it.

„Are you alright?"

„Yeah, just a shiver. I'm not exactly fond of rain," the soaked bird replied in an annoyed tone.

„I still find it a little odd. I mean, it has to rain from time to time, but recently it's becoming a bit too often repeated occurrent-... occunc-UGH!"

Crane glanced at the frustrated panda, sympathy shining in his eyes.

„You've gotten much better in diction over the past few months."

„With me being the leader while Tigress is gone, I figured I should do what I could to better represent-"

„Po, you're doing fine. And there's just the two of us now, and even in the palace you should not have to struggle with yourself when there is no formal visit."

A sigh escaped him. „I know, I do it for practice. And it's not that much of a struggle," he defended, then continued more silently. „Just sometimes some words get a bit, y'know... stuck."

Crane nodded again, then readjusted his hat. This time he knew it was from nervosity as he considered his next words.

„You should not push yourself needlesly hard, though. I'd hate to see you slowly kill yourself off."

„Crane, you know I wasn't really punching those trees. Tigress was right when she said that hard style was not for me. You know this, you read those scrolls," a slight hint of accusation echoed in the panda's words. „And I'm being careful. I like life. And my hands."

Crane sighed, Po's misunderstanding his words forcing him to rephrase his statement.

„I didn't mean those trees. I meant as killing what makes you you," he corrected, recieving a smirk and a raised brow in a teasing manner from the panda.

„Sounds more like Viper talkin'," Po said, regaining some of his usual, more casual tone.

„We... discussed," Crane said, unable to deny the truth.

„I figured," much to Crane's relief, there was no anger in Po's reply. „It's okay. It's friends' duty to be concerned about each other, I'll be the last one to deny that."

Altough I'm not the last one to mess it up, he added in his mind, a guilt crossing his face.

They were getting close to the spot Crane left the others and the avian could only hope they were either gone or careful enough not to reveal themselves as he found himself brave enough to press on with the conversation, hoping to finally shed some light on the matter.

„Po, what exactly happened the night before she left?"

The panda stopped and Crane was afraid that the conversation was over.

„I suppose I owe you guys an explanation. I somehow thought Mantis would tell you what he knew by now, though."

„No, actually. He directed us towards you."

Po smirked, whether in amusement or bitterness at the fact that the bug left the work of explaining to him, Crane wasn't sure.

Po thought he should not reveal the truth about why she left. He figured that if she did want them to know, she wouldn't disappear without a word. He contemplated on the thought that she expected him to explain it, but since she left all alone, he supposed she didn't want them to pursue her. Later he learned that she did leave a note for Master Shifu, who apparently respected her wishes not to be followed, although he did so with obvious sadness.

But, as Po realized now, it was his fault. If it wasn't for his decision to break the ties with her, she could have asked him to come along. And Crane and the others did deserve to know.

„You remember the mission Mantis and I were on right before she left?" Po asked, as he slowly resumed walking.

„Dude, I swear, you either tell me why you keep scratching that arm or I'm rippin' that sleeve off!"

Po scowled at the bug, praying he would drop the subject. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of telling him the truth.

„It's nothing. Just a little sore from my last spar with Monkey, okay?"

„That was four days ago. Monkey doesn't hit that hard. Did you get in a fight with Tigress?"

„No, that's not it," Po replied, with sadness in his voice.

He denied Mantis's assumption, but at the same time did hint on the fact that what he said wasn't likely the truth either.

„Hey, I didn't intend to bring up any touchy subject, I'm just concerned about my friend, is all!" he pressed, still not ready to leave it be. „And besides, wellbeing of that arm is crucial to our survival. How would you cook for us without it?"

„Mind reminding me why I asked you to accompany me again?" Po asked with more teasing than annoyance in his voice.

„To make up for your lack of speed and stealth. Your own words, and rather truthful at that. You improved a lot since you became the Dragon Warrior but let's face it. That stunt with the dragon costume, while amusing, wasn't exactly the best show of a 'Stealth Mode'."

Po had to chuckle at that, but the happy mood didn't last when he dived deeper into the memory.

We were still friends back then, he thought while doing his best to keep his expression neutral.

„We were stopping by a small village, searching for the guy who supposedly had the information we were after. Mantis was as he always is. I kept wondering if I should try to patch it up with Tigress. I ended our friendship because it was resulting in getting us hurt. Getting me hurt. I was the weak one, but I really thought I couldn't keep it up anymore. I was used to insults, but from her it hurt the most..."

„Okay, he should be somewhere around here. I go that way, you go that way. Meet up in about an hour, you good with that?"

„Yeah, let's go," Po replied calmly in spite of his troubled mind as he took off.

Somehow he hoped this assignment would get his mind of the feline. He was wrong. He thought that with time, the pain from that day would fade away. Instead, with each passing day he was starting to doubt his decision more and more.

As he kept searching for the person their contact described, his mind kept wandering back to the subject of his frustrations.

Subject that suddenly appeared right in front of him.

„Argh! Ti- Master Tigress, what are you doing here?" he wasn't sure whether to be bewildered or angry. This wasn't supposed to be a difficult mission, there was no good reason for her to think that he needed her help. Then again, she didn't need a good reason to accuse him of incopetence before, and she certainly wasn't there to inform them of something urgent. It would be more efficent to send Crane in that case, unless something happened to the flying master...

„Is something wrong? Did something happen at the palace?"

„Excuse me?"

Po froze. While still similar, the voice was not that of Tigress. He took a closer look at the person. The hue of the eyes was slightly lighter as he noticed on closer inspection. The height seemed off as well, as did the placement of the white fur, if only just a little. The black stripes were way too close to those of his fellow master, though. Especially on the mark on her forehead there was practically no difference whatsoever.

He just stood there standing with his mouth slightly agape and would probably kept on doing so if it weren't for Mantis suddenly appearing on his shoulder.

„Hey, Po! I found him! He's just over- hey! Wow! The tiger looks almost like Tigress!"

This time it was Crane who froze in his tracks, his eyes widening.

„You don't mean she was her-"

„Yeah. There's no doubt. She confirmed leaving a cub at the orphanage after the pleague that broke after the War at the Stone Edge Mountains with the Gorilla Brothers. And I went to Bao Gu on the way back, too. The caretaker confirmed that Tigress was the only tiger there."

„So... she left to reunite with her family," Crane said, staring off into distance, digesting the thought.

„Yeah. I was seriously considering making amends. I thought giving her back her family, so to speak, was a good way. Now I think she might have took it as if I was showing her the door."

„Master Tigress?"

No voice came from behind the doors, but Po could hear her moving. Soon enough, she opened the doors to meet him, her expression devoid of any emotion.

„Is there something you need, Dragon Warrior?"

Po flinched inwardly. There was no spite in the reply, no anger, no harshness. In fact there was nothing in the tone. A big, cold nothing. The fact made the regret in Po's heart come back in full force.

He didn't let it discourage him, though. He wanted to fix it. He just had to make the first step. Just hand her the scroll he held in his hand. And tell her just how sorry he was.

But why is it so hard? he shouted in his mind, unsure of what kept him from doing what he knew he had to do.

„I... we just returned from our assignment, Mantis and I, and..." he trailed off, his mind going back to the breathing techniques Shifu taught him. Those that were supposed to help him keep his calm.

„Yes, I'm aware. I suppose everything went alright?"

„Yea-yes, it was successful. But that's not the point. While completing the task, we found... someone..." he sighed and lifted the hand with the scroll, gesturing her to take it. „And they wanted us to give you... this."

She eyed the scroll with narrowed eyes, then her gaze focused back on him, studying him for a moment, before she took the scroll and proceeded to unseal it.

„Wait, you... might want to sit down before reading it," he stopped her, only to recieve a glare.

„Do you believe me unable to remain standing while reading this, Dragon Warrior?"

He winced. This time there was anger in her voice.

„No, I j-just, y'know..." he decided not to continue, he was only making a fool of himself. „Sorry."

„Was there something else?"

He wanted to say it. He wanted to tell her that he should never have done it. That he wanted to be her friend again. That he was sorry. He really did.

He couldn't.

He didn't know why, but he just couldn't.

„No, that is all. Good night."

And after that, she closed her door. The next morning she was gone.

„I... I see."

„Just say it. I messed up. Big time."

They were almost at the palace door now. Crane turned his gaze skyward, noticing the clouds scattering.

„I wouldn't say that. The blame is on both sides. It always is. And the things she said back then..."

„I let Tong Fo escape and made Tigress's leg useless for days in the process."

„Well, yes, but that doesn't make up for a sufficient excuse. And it didn't happen just that one time."

„But why?" Po asked, all calm leaving his voice, hints of cracking appearing.

Crane closed the gate behind them and glanced at the panda again, not sure what he meant.

„Why what?"

„W-why was it happening? I mean, we were all cool at the time Shen appeared with those weapons. And after that I thought we'd be even, y'know, cooler. But then she starts to g-get all mad on regular basis up to the point when it became even worse than the day I came here, I mean, it j-just doesn't make any sense..." his voice trailed off, emotion taking its toll on his ability so speak.

The avian put his wing on the panda's back in a comforting manner.

„I don't know, Po. I don't know..."

Po exhaled through his mouth, then nodded to Crane, letting him know that he was alright. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Upon reaching the barracks, they were greeted by the sight of Shifu, Mantis, Monkey and Viper awaiting them expectantly.

„Master? Guys? Is something wrong?" Po asked, regaining his serious attitude of a leader.

„You tell us, Dragon Warrior. Did everything turn out to be alright with your father?"

Crane had to give Po the credit for not getting confused by Shifu's question. Obviously the rest of the Five convinced Shifu that Po was checking up on his father and, Crane supposed, they also told him that the avian went to check up on the Dragon Warrior.

„Yes, master. All is well," the panda said, sounding convincing enough to once again make his friends wonder how he managed to 'grow up' lately.

„Good, I'm glad to hear that. Unfortunately, I might have some news that are not so positive," as he said that, he brought his left arm from behind his back, revealing three scrolls held in his hand. He picked one up, holding it horizontally. Then, glancing at each of his studens for a second, he spoke again: „I've recieved a message from the Masters' Council. They voiced their concern about reports of unrest from Misty Peaks Forest where most of the gorillas in china reside. We have been unable to contact the authorities there for some time now and the unfriendly landscape along with the gorillas' uninviting behaviour, as of late, has made it a difficult obstacle to get past to."

„The Misty Peaks Forest. That's just East from Stone Edge Mountains, right?"

Crane's eyes widened a bit at the familiarity of the region's name due to his recent conversation with Po.

„Indeed it is, Mantis. As of now, we have no direct orders to take any kind of action, as the Council is still trying to resolve the matter using non-violent means and find out what is the reason behind the unrest in the region. However, they still ask us to stay on alert as the situation could change quickly, or so I've been told."

„Understood, master," Po said, thrusting his fist into his palm, bowing. His fellow fighters following right after.

„Good, now then..." the red panda continued, putting the mentioned scroll into his robe, then handing the other two to Po. „These are adressed to you, Po."

The Dragon Warrior took the scrolls from his master's hand, having recognized the seal on the first he put it into his pocket and proceeded to open the second one, this time the seal being unfamiliar.

Upon quickly reading the contents and getting a few twitches in his ear, he rolled the scroll back up and placed it in the same pocket as the first one. He only hoped no one noticed the shock that crossed his eyes for a second.

„So? Who was it from?" asked Mantis as he jumped onto Monkey's head.

„The first one is from Song. And the other one is... from Mei Li," he answered.

„Did something bad happen? You seemed to go pale for a second while reading it," Shifu remarked, eyeing the panda carefully while still managing to sound casual.

„No, well... it's been a while since I wrote her and even longer since I took the time to visit so... she threatened in the letter to have me beheaded if I didn't do anything about that," he shrugged. „That's just like her, typical royalty children, no?"

Shifu seemed to ponder it for a moment, before smiling with a nod.

„Alright then. Now, I suppose it's time for all of you to go to bed. We have a training to do tomorrow."

„Yes, master," they chorused before taking off.

Everyone, including Po, headed towards their sleeping dorms. Crane's gaze, however, remained locked on the panda. The Dragon Warrior truly did improve in a lot of things... lying being one of them. It was still not good enough to convince the bird, but he still managed not to give himself out. They finally succeded in shedding light on one mystery, only to have another one appear, covered in fog.

„Crane?"

Viper's voice snapped him from his thoughts. He turned to face her as she stopped to stand in front of him.

„Did you manage to talk to him?"

Crane nodded, gesturing for her to follow him into the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Po made his way into his room. Closing the door behind him, he quickly sat on the sleeping mat and unrolled the already unsealed scroll again, reading it repeatedly with ever widening eyes, his intention on writing a report about his training completely forgotten.

This is either some cruel joke or the universe has one sick, twisted sense of humor, he thought, certain he would get very little sleep that night.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Once again, I'd appreciate you pointing out any mistakes you find so I can make sure not to repeat them. A mistake made is turned from harmful to benefical if turned into an experience, right? Right, I should also warn you that chapter three may not arrive as soon as this one, as I'll be kept rather busy the next few days. It's not all bad, though, as it will give me the time needed to carefully plan my 'next move'. I'd also like to present you with another one-shot along with the next chapter, but only time will tell. Until then, see ya!