A/N: Greetings! I apologize for taking so long with this chapter, it certainly felt like a long time to me, but I was seriously distracted by some things. Some of those were actually important. Anyway, I'd like to once again thank to all of you who took your time to read and review. Keep it up! You're the best! It's your encouragement that keeps me going and your critique that helps me to improve, so extra thanks for both!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda

A New Day, A New Dawn

Song watched in awe as the rocky cliffs around slowly gave away to green plains, lush with vegetation. Farmers were working the fields, harvesting the fruit of their labour. Panda farmers. Peace was the word that instantly made its way to the leopardess' mind at the sight. The whole place carried an unmistakable sense of tranquility around itself. All seemed free of spite, of strife... of the troubles of the surrounding world.

Once close enough, Song started recieving curious glances from the villagers. Some seemed worried by her presence, others just plain confused. Few appeared to be upset, making her feel a little uneasy, although not more than the hostility radiating from her escort. Despite the fact that the leader of the village obviously found her words true, the sentry still treated her with disdain, his axe ready in his hand.

It did not take long before they reached a small shrine on top of a hill. Song took a moment to glance around, taking the opportunity to use the view provided by the spot. Most of the villagers were still looking at her and her sensitive ears could pick up a few joyful tones for a change, although she could not understand the words.

„We're here," Guo spoke in a grumpy tone. It took Song a few moments to realize that he was not talking to her, but to a large figure in the shrine. A figure that revealed itself to be another panda, taller and wider than any of those Song has seen so far.

„Good. Thank you, Guo," the great bear spoke. His voice was deep and somewhat rough, but it did not carry the sharp edge as Guo's voice did. His eyes shone with authority and wisdom, adding to his sage-like appearance.

The masked bear merely readjusted the grip on his axe in response, showing no intentions to leave, which made the elder panda frown.

„That is all. You may return to your post."

„Nice offer, but I'll pass."

At this point it was impossible not to notice the similarity between the two voices. As the larger panda's anger flared, the voices sounded almost identical, the sharpness present in both of them now. „What is it you're after, Guo? I said that it was all!"

„I really shouldn't have to say this, Heng," the younger sibling answered, his voice raising to match that of his brother. „You should be well aware that-"

„This is not supposed to be an interrogation! I wish to learn of my son and of what's happening outside this place and I intend to do so without intimidating our guest!"

Song's eyes widened as she looked at the large bear in a new light. The resemblance was clear to see all of a sudden. The eye colour, the facial features... Po...

„You're throwing all caution to the wind since that dream of yours!" Guo pressed on heatedly. „I am not the head of the sentries just for show. It's my duty to protect you when you're too-"

„Are you saying I need your protection against a single clouded leopard?" Heng interrupted his brother, his voice carrying through the fields below, getting a few raised glances from the farmers. „Do you think me unable to defend myself?" his voice lowered, his tone turning more gentle, yet still somehow threatening. „Don't make me prove you wrong again, brother."

Song's glance was switching nervously between the two brothers. She could almost feel the tension in the air as the two just glared at each other. After what seemed like eternity, Guo finally bowed his head and turned to leave. But not before he threw one last warning glance toward the leopardess.

Heng kept his stern gaze on his brother until he was out of sight, then promptly let out an exhausted sigh and slouched his shoulders. He looked suddenly much older than just a few moments before.

„I swear that for every grey fur on my body I owe to him," muttered the large bear under his breath before finally addressing his guest. „I apologize for the little... dispute you were forced to watch. My brother has good reasons for what he does, but he tends to take it too far."

A simple nod was the only answer Song could give at the moment. She maintained her calm exterior, but she was close to being overwhelmed by the whole situation. The urgency of Po's words in the letter, the situation the dancers were now in, the howling winds in the rocks, the sentry's hostility and now this elder panda's resemblance to...

„My name is Heng. I am the chief here," he paused to study her for a moment, expecting her to introduce herself. „I was told you're a... a friend of my son."

Finally regaining her composure, Song spoke as she bowed. „My name is Song and... it's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Heng. I indeed am a friend of the panda who recieved the message."

Heng gave a satisfied nod and gestured toward two cups of tea that were hidded behind his large body until that moment. Song gratefully accepted the hot beverage, feeling rather cold during the last few days.

„You refrained from calling him my son. He hasn't shared the contents of the message?" Heng asked as he took a sip from his tea, sitting on the ground opposite the feline. „Or is it because you doubt that I am his father?"

„He's... been cautious about the whole issue," Song said, recalling the scroll she recieved from Zeng. The fact that Po asked her to deliver the answer was more than enough of a confirmation.

„I understand. Hopefully he can't be any more prudent than Guo is. Gods, that would be my end," he spoke in an amused tone, before his eyes widened in realization and his free hand raised up defensively as he hastily corrected himself. „I-I mean, not that I wouldn't want to see him! I sure would! I do! I just ment-"

Song couldn't help but chuckle at the nervous display of a panda before her. She looked sympathetically at the father of her friend and gave him a reassuring smile. „Don't worry. He's closer to you than to your brother, from what I've seen."

Heng was visibly calmed down by those words. He took another sip as he got his composure back. „So... what is he like, then?"

The leopard stopped herself in her reply as a thought crossed her mind. She gently put the cup on the mat and reached for something in her vest. „I actually brought a picture of him. It's just a few months old, I thought you might want to see it."

The panda stared blankly for a moment, taken aback. He carefully put down his own cup and reached for the small painting. It was a simple black and white illustration made by an artist on a festival that took place at the Valley of Peace at that time, and yet it was so much more for the large bear. He saw what his son looked like after not seeing him for decades.

Song watched quietly as the panda's expression slowly changed from blank to sad, and then a small smile crossed his lips. He kept on staring fondly at the painting of his son, noticing the fire of youth shining from him, the happy, carefree smile, the robe with the water design he wore, one arm waving toward the viewer of the picture, the other fondly hugging the awkwardly smiling leopardess that was pressed to the panda's body by his large limb...

„You... you two, you and my son... are..."

Song stared for a moment, not understanding his words, before her eyes widened alarmingly at the realization. „Oh! No, no... we're just friends," she defended in a rather embarrassed tone. „And besides, I don't really think he's taken interest in such matters yet."

„What? But he's over-"

„I know. I suppose it has to do with the fact that he's the only panda back where he lives," the feline interrupted him in his shock, hoping to get away from the subject quickly.

„I- of course. I see," the panda chief stuttered, as if he just realized the awkwardness he created with his question. Before he could leave the subject behind, however, another thought occured to him. „I hope I did not offend you in any way. I mean, I wasn't trying to say that you wouldn't be, er, that you couldn't-"

Song sighed, slightly annoyed that the topic of the discussion still remained unchanged. „None offense taken. But truly, we are just friends, and it's something I value highly. Your son is a wonderful person, caring and kind, and has a golden heart and-" a blush made its way to her face when she realized what she was doing. Looking up at Heng after stopping herself in her rant, she blushed even more as she noticed the smirk on his face. The smirk was not directed towards her at all, however.

„His mother would be proud," he spoke softly, gazing lovingly at the painting he still held in his hands. „Seems like he's taken after her."

Song suppressed the urge to sigh in relief, then refocused on the panda in front of her with a gentle smile on her face. „He has your eyes, though."

„That's partially her work as well, actually," he paused, his expression turning sad again. „Why didn't he come?"

The leopardess picked up her cup again and took another sip before replying, considering her answer. „I'm sure he would have come himself if he could... and I'm certain he will when he knows your message was true."

„He doubts, then," a long sigh followed, his tone turning heavy with regret. „Can't say I blame him."

„It's a... difficult situation. For both of you, I'm sure," she said, trying to come up with a way to comfort the now sorrowful bear. „But you have to understand that he has great responsobilities to take care of. I suppose he just can't afford to leave the valley like that..."

„So... what does he do, anyway?" Heng suddenly asked, all sadness replaced with genuine curiousity.

Song stared in silence for a while, surprised by the question. „Y-you don't know? But you sent the message to him, so surely you must have known where he lives and what he does..."

„I sent out the messanger without knowing anything aside from the fact that my son lives," Heng replied, looking into his half empty cup. „I certainly did not expect to get an answer so soon. The messanger overheard some rumors about some panda warrior and then found someone who claimed to live near him, promising to deliver the scroll," he turned to look at the feline, shrugging. „I don't really know anything."

„I... I see," Song said, thinking the situation over. „I find it rather surprising, though, that you would learn about his whereabouts but not about who he actually is." Heng leaned in slightly in anticipation, awaiting her next words. „After all, your son has been the talk of China, especially so after his recent victory over Lord Shen in Gongmen City."

„Shen? The peacock?"

Song backed away a little, surprised by how rapidly has the bear's voice risen in his shock. For a moment none of them moved. He stared at her with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open.

„Yes," she finally said with a slow nod, her voice quiet and timid. „Your son is the Dragon Warrior, and just a few months ago he saved the whole of China."

His mind was a mess. The images were all blending into one another, resulting in making him confused and upset. He heard voices that did not belong to the mouths he saw moving, speaking, screaming...

„You don't belong here."

„NO!"

„...your parents didn't love you."

Fire was replaced by rain, rain was replaced by snow, snow was replaced by fog... a never-ending chaos of ever-changing scenery. If he was supposed to make sense of it, to see a message the dream was trying to send him, he did not believe himself able to. It was too quick, too disorganized, he could barely tell apart the things that did happen from those that did not. Memories being twisted and mixed with scenes he could not recognize, events he knew happened differently or not at all...

„...who you choose to be..."

„I simply can't but think that we would all be better off without you."

„Master..."

...a dream he wished he could get rid off...

„I've waited a long time for this!"

„You're just a big, fat..."

„Panda!"

Already all too familiar fear filled his core as he saw the scene in front of him change once again. It wasn't until the flames surrounding him came to face him in a form of a figure prepared to attack him that the dam broke and he awoke with a half groan, half scream in his bead, wet with cold sweat.

I should really get a vacation, this can't be healthy, Po thought to himself, wiping the drops of sweat from his brow as he sat up on his bed, waiting for his breathing to steady. One would think that achieving inner peace would make me immune to this kind of stuff, a grim smile crossed his lips. So not awesome...

He let his legs hang down from his sleeping mat, avoiding touching the ground as he stretched them out to release some of the stress his dreams had put him under. I'm seriously doing it wrong. For all the improvements I seem to show during day, I am still a scared little child at night... especially since her return, a long sigh escaped his lips as he hid his face in his paws. My inner peace must be faulty or something, 'cause if this is how it's supposed to be... wonder if the universe does reclamations...

„Dragon Warrior? May I come in?"

„Sure," he replied without even thinking, failing to realize who the voice belonged to, his face still covered by his hands.

Tigress did not know what to expect when entering his room. Having heard the unsettling noises, she decided she should try and check up on him, especially considering that morning's events. She seriously hoped she would not have to fight him again. Granted, she'd be more concerned about him getting hurt, not her, but the way he fought them in the hallway, as if he was fighting for his very life...

The feline shook her head to clear her mind, bringing up more likely options. It could have been just a groan of pain, a consequence of their sparring or perhaps some older wound acting up...

She opened the door and entered, waiting for him to raise his head to look at her. When he did, however, he let out a scream that certainly wasn't caused by pain. Shifting away from her on his bed until his back was pressed against the wall, he stared at her with his eyes wide in horror.

It lasted only few seconds before he got a hold of himself, hastily apologizing for the reaction. Tigress heard only about half of it, however, taken aback by the look of pure fear in his eyes. Unpleasant memories started to resurface, bringing back old pains, before she quickly pushed them back.

Dang. Now this will be tough to explain, the bear thought, scolding himself for losing himself like that. I really need to calm down... but when she entered, I could swear I saw...

„It's alright. What happened, though?" the feline finally asked, having regained her composure.

„I, uh... I was just surprised, I mean-"

„But you heard me ask for permission to enter. You answered."

„Yeah, well...," his hands raised a little, than went back to rest on his legs as he supressed the urge to twiddle with his fingers. „I thought that... you were someone else, is all."

She narrowed her eyes, boring them into his inquisitively. He shied away from her gaze, cursing himself mentally for not being able to come up with a better excuse.

„You had another nightmare, didn't you?" she asked after a moment, putting the pieces together. The morning incident, the way he was getting distracted during their fight, and now this reaction to seeing her after waking up...

„I... why would-"

„I heard you screaming from your room. I assume it wasn't from pain."

„I, well...," his voice trailed off. She had him there, and by the look on her face, she knew it. There was no point in denying that. „Yea-yes, I had a nightmare."

Tigress nodded, more to herself than to his reply. „The same as this morning?"

„I don't- wait," he paused, looking puzzled. „This morning? Isn't it morning now?"

„It's... still the same day."

„What? But why was I... what happened?" Po asked, looking genuinely confused. Up until that moment he believed he woke up in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, before the morning gong. Now he was starting to realize that he couldn't remember anything after lunch.

„You... lost in our spar, remember?" she asked, almost hesitantly, as her eyes widened in realization of why he could not remember anything. Po just stared at her blankly, his mind racing in order to remember.

„Oh! Right!" he exclaimed loudly when it came back to him. „You knocked me out after I... er..."

„Grabbed on my tail," she finished for him, her features showing anger. „I admit that it did succeed in catching me off guard and making me unable to properly use my legs, but you should know what the consequences of such an action would be like."

„Well, I didn't exactly intend on doing it," he replied shyly, wincing inwardly at how she made it sound like knocking him unconscious for it was completely normal. Then again, this is Tigress...

„What do you mean?" the feline asked, her eyes narrowing again. „Are you saying that you did it to prevent yourself from losing balance?"

„Er, no, I... I panicked, kinda," he spoke silently, sounding embarrassed. The formal facade was completely gone for the moment as he brought his right palm up to rub the back of his neck. „I lost my inner peace back there and I couldn't keep up with you... and, well, y'know... it was instinct! I wasn't thinking..."

Her lips twitched at the urge to smile as she found herself more amused by his embarrassment rather than angered, but she kept her seriousness when she focused on one thing he mentioned.

„Lost your inner peace?"

„Yeah. I don't mean permanently, it just seems that when I get too distracted or unsettled for some reason, it just... I dunno... falters, or fades... and I have to get into it again."

Tigress stood silently, letting his words sink in as she ran the fight through her mind again, recalling the startled look on his face, his apparent lack of concentration...

„What was it that had you so distracted?" she asked, not missing how he winced in reaction. „It was the dream, wasn't it? It had something to do with me, am I right?"

Po immediately tried to recall the breathing techniques he's learnt, doing his best to keep his heartbeat steady. He knew all too well how difficult it was to successfully lie to the master of the tiger style.

„I can't really say. I mean, I don't remember much from the dream I had this morning," he carefully answered, dancing around the direct answer. „I just remember that I was fighting."

Her eyes were piercing right through him, her brow furrowed in a frown as she studied him. Po didn't doubt she was searching for something that would give him away.

„And you don't remember who was your adversary in the dream?" she asked, obviously suspicious. Po only shook his head in reply.

„And the dream you had now?"

He seemed to remain mostly unfazed, but the feline took notice of the twitch of his left ear.

„Pretty much the sa-"

„Po," she interrupted sternly. „Consider your next words carefully. I could see well how scared you were of me when I entered and you were already awake then," she took a few steps toward him, her eyes never leaving his. „The truth. What, and who, was the dream about?"

He turned his gaze away with a frown on his face. A long silence followed before he exhaled lenghtily and found the courage to speak.

„Tai Lung. I was... fighting Tai Lung."

„Tai Lung?" Tigress asked, confused by the answer. „But why would-"

„Your eyes, they kinda glow in the dark. I guess it's a feline thing," he interrupted, looking at her again. „I'm not saying you look like him, but it's rather dusky and I just woke up, so for a moment I tought I saw... him."

Tigress did not answer, she merely continued to stare at him, listening intently to his heartbeat, looking for signs of lying. She couldn't find any, which made her wonder whether she was more bothered by him possibly lying to her or by the chance that he got better at hiding it.

Deciding that she would have to dig deeper to find out, she allowed herself to ponder on his answer for a moment. She thought about what dreaming about Tai Lung could signify, what the leopard could symbolize to the bear...

Defeating him was how he proved himself. It was then when we acknoledged him as the Dragon Warrior, she concluded. Is he doubting himself? Does he think himself undeserving of the title now? Her frow deepened as another question came to her mind. Is it my fault?

„Er, so, what time is it anyway?"

She refocused her gaze on him as he interrupted her, noticing the nervous glance he was giving her. She must have dozed off for longer than she thought.

„The afternoon training is already over. Everyone's in the kitchen, having dinner, except for Shifu, who's in the hall of heroes preparing things for tomorrow's training."

„He's got something special in mind?" Po asked, seeming rather eager for a moment, until he noticed the amused glint in her eyes. Uh-oh...

„Zeng brought the answer from the Council, regarding the gorillas issue, and it was decided that we would take steps to do our best to prepare for possible confrontation," she replied in a controlled voice, although there was a small smirk forming.

„So... what? He's about to bring in some gorilla or something?"

Tigress shook her head amusedly. „No, but we'll adjust our training a little, focusing on things that could give us the upper hand against the large apes."

„Oh, I see," Po said with a quick nod. „So, what is it we'll be doing, exactly?"

„Shifu will help me to master the scroll eight hundred seventy five so I can start on the next one."

„Aaaand what's on the next one?"

The feline let her face become emotionless again, pausing for a moment for effect. „Do you remember the nerve attack Tai Lung used on me and the others?"

„Yes, but-oh," the bear went silent for a while before continuing, failing to notice the mischief that shone from the stipped master's eyes as he refrained from shouting 'awesome'. „And what about me?"

„This will involve you, actually."

„But... I have over three hundred scrolls to go before I reach that point. I thought Shifu was all against skipping..."

His voice trailed off as he noticed that her usual deadpan expression was suddenly gone, replaced by a rather large smirk.

„You will be helping me to master the technique. According to Mantis, the gorillas you fought were skilled in Kung Fu and had a rather tough skin, making it harder to utilize techniques of this kind on them," she paused, watching as Po nodded his understanding. Partial understanding, at least. „Earlier you said that when Tai Lung tried to use the nerve attacks on you, it merely tickled, so... if I can incapacitate you with it, I should be able to do so with the gorillas as well."

Po watched her with a blank expression on his face, not moving an inch. Then he blinked; once, twice, and...

„HUH?"

His outburst seemed to make no effect on her, although inwardly she was smiling, partially from amusement at his reaction, and partially at how this confirmed Crane's words.

He really is the same Po I knew...

„I get knocked out for a few hours and then wake up to learn that I've been turned into a training dummy without having a say in it?"

„Oh, please," she said mockingly. „According to what you said about your first experience with the technique I'm sure you'll spend the first few training rounds laughing."

„Oh, har har, very funny," Po answered sarcastically. „Why can't the gods just throw a mountain on me or something..."

„Don't be so melodramatic," the feline said, turning to leave. „You'd better get some rest, I'm sure Shifu will have something extra for you tomorrow since you barely trained at all today."

„Wait! I..." the anxiety in his voice made her turn around, her brow rising, urging him to continue. For some reason, he seemed hesitant, as if trying to figure out why he stopped her from leaving in the first place.

„How... how has he taken it?" he asked timidly.

„Who do you mean?"

„Shifu. How has he taken it?" Po repeated, concern filling his features. „I remember how nervous my dad was when I learned about my parents and I figured..."

„He's... gone through it as well, but he handled it with grace of a Kung Fu master," the feline said in a noticeably softer tone. „We had a sort of a family talk upon my return and we... clarified the things between us. There are no hard feelings."

Tigress allowed herself to smile, both due to how glad she was about resolving the issues with her family and due to how touched she was by the bear's still present concern. No matter how much he tried to change, the best of him was still present and she was thankful for that.

Her smile slowly disappeared, however, when she realized that he wasn't as much concerned, but rather stalling in bringing up another subject. He kept on talking about other things, obviously unable to find the courage to get to the point, but it was easy for the tiger to figure out what it was all about. She was considering bringing it up herself, but refrained from doing so.

When Po brought the delaying so far that he started talking about weather, however, the feline's patience started to wear thin.

„Dragon Warrior-"

„I know it's autumn, but the raining is just-"

„Panda."

He ceased in his rant, turning his head to look at her, awaiting her next words.

„Po," she spoke gently. „If you have something you wish to talk about, I'd appreciate if you got to the point, without beating about the bush or... talking about weather."

He bowed his head, looking ashamed and almost hurt by her words.

„But it has been raining a lot lately," he muttered grumpily.

Tigress huffed in annoyance. Fine then, if he won't...

„Po, look at me," she half pleaded, half ordered. Once he obeyed, she continued. „I realize that this is all in a large part my fault and... I remember what you said back then in Wu Dan Mountains, but..." his gaze turned back downward, but she continued nevertheless. „I don't think that either of our reactions was right. Nor yours, nor mine. But I believe we've had enough time since then to be able to... put it behind us."

He rubbed his hands together in frustration, his deepening frown being the only indication that he even listened to her.

„I tried, but you never really gave me the chance to apologize... so I'll say it again," she paused, taking a deep breath. „Po, I'm so-"

„Don't."

Her eyes widened as he interrupted her, sounding exactly the same as back then. She wasn't going to let him take over this time, though.

„Po, I-"

„I don't want to hear it," he cut in again, still facing the ground. The tiger's eyes narrowed in anger, her fist clenching. Is he really that stupid? Can he not see how he's-

Her thoughts stopped when he raised his head to look her into eyes, meeting her furious glare with a firm, yet surrowful look. His emerald green eyes radiated determination, as did his tone.

„If there's someone who should apologize, it's me."

A/N: Well, that's it for now! Thank you for reading! Once again (or still?) I'd appreciate if you voiced your opinion. I was rather frustrated when writing this chapter, mostly due to the distractions that kept me from working on it, so please let me know what you think. See you next chapter! What do you think, can I make it till Sunday this time?