Hello everyone, I have returned! I'm really sorry about my absence, but I've been in the process of moving and didn't have internet for weeks. Anyway, I hope whoever has read the first chapter will forgive me for uploading such a bad chapter after so long a wait. Well, here it is finally, the second chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! except the plotline of this story and my two characters and the other stuff I thought up.

Chapter 2

Back to training

The arc lamp of the sky sprayed forth rays of light upon the land, spreading slowly across the valley as it rose from it's resting place amongst the stars. Inside the palace, A small red panda was walking down the hall to his students sleeping quarters. The gong sounded and within seconds, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Tigress were standing at attention outside the doors to their respective rooms. "Good morning master!" They said, greeting him in unison. "Good morning, students" He replied, looking at each of them individually untill his eyes landed on the empty space where Po should have been. Shifu's eyebrows lowered slightly in annoyance. That panda was never up with the rest of them.

"Po!" He yelled, successfully keeping the frustration out of his voice, but leaving a stern tone in its place. A crash sounded from inside Po's room, signifying that he had been startled awake and jumped up, likely knocking something over in the process. The door flew open and he came stumbling out, hastily standing at attention. "G-good morning, Master" He stuttered, embarrassment causing a slight red tint to appear on his cheeks. Tigress sneered and rolled her eyes at his ineptitude to get up at the sound of the gong. It still frustrated her that he got accepted into the dojo, not to mention was chosen as the Dragon Warrior, granted she tolerated him more then when he first arrived, it still irked her when she saw how clumsy and overweight he was. Although Tigress wouldn't admit it, she was flattered by his fanboyism, though it also made her want to use him as a scratching post sometimes.

Shifu shook his head at the large panda, Will he ever wake up at the gong? He wondered before remembering their visitors. Shifu decided to leave them be for a while longer. Everyone was seated in the kitchen awaiting breakfast, though food was the last thing on their minds. "So..." Viper began, trailing off as she tried to find something to break the awkward silence that hung in the air. "What do you think of our guests?" That question exposed the elephant in the room, who then apologized and went back home. (Sorry, I had to) Mantis was the first to give his opinion "Zhi seemed nice, but Xander gives me the creeps" "Yeah, whats with that guy anyway?" Po said, joining in as he emerged with the steaming bowls of noodles "I mean, he didn't say a word last night." Viper, being the kind hearted soul that she was, spoke up in his defense "Maybe he was just tired?" everyone nodded in agreement. That was most likely it. "He did thank us after we showed them to their room." Monkey said before taking a bite of his noodles.

Just then, Zhi entered the kitchen with Xander following close behind. "Good morning everyone!" Zhi exclaimed cheerfully, a smile plastered across his face. It was as if he woke up and the world made sense. Xander had shed his cloak and was now wearing a sleeveless black Chinese gi with white trim. Vipers eyes widened, as did the others, when she saw the scar that ran diagonally between his silver eyes. Viper was burning with curiosity, but knew better then to ask. Tigress's cold eyes were directed toward Xander. She recognized that scar, something about it made her uncomfortable, as if causing a ripple in the forgotten waters of her mind.

Viper had just opened her mouth to welcome them to the dojo when she heard a voice that signified her curiosity might soon be sated, "Whoa..what happened to your face?" Asked the large panda not only awe-struck, but also struck by Monkey's hand as he whacked him on the back of the head. Viper slapped her forehead with her tail, as did Zhi, knowing how big of a mistake he had just made, then looked sidelong at Xander to see his reaction. Po rubbed his head and was about to inquire as to the reason for his pain when he saw the look in the tall wolfs eyes. Po felt like he was paralyzed as he looked into Xanders narrowed eyes. Mantis looked at Po, who's eyes were rather large, then Xander, who was staring menacingly at the panda, then back at Po "I think he broke him" Mantis stated, waving a foreleg in front of his face. Zhi cleared his throat and nudged Xander in a subtle signal to let it go.

"You see," He began, his smile fading as Xander turned and walked to the table they had set up for them "It is best if you don't ask my companion about anything concerning his past." His gaze met with each person at the table as he spoke. Shifu noticed the look in his eyes, it seemed as though he were searching for something but had yet to find it. "He made it very clear to me that he has no desire to speak of it." Po just nodded. He was still a little stunned by the stare down he was just in. "On a lighter note, if you will show us to the kitchen, Xander and I would like to make our breakfast." He said as his ever present smile returned. Upon hearing the word kitchen, Po suddenly looked up, remembering the noodles he had set aside for them, and jumped up. "Oh, you don't have to do that, I made you some noodles." He said, hurrying into the kitchen. Zhi wasn't surprised that the portly panda did the cooking.

Po came out of the kitchen holding two plates of steaming noodles. "This is greatly appreciated, Panda." Zhi said, picking up the chopsticks with his tail. "Thank you." Xander said, picking up his chopsticks as well. Po was a little taken aback when Xander spoke to him. "Wow, this is exquisite!" Zhi said after tasting the noodles. "Thanks! And call me Po." He said, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks at the compliment. He had forgotten that the others were used to his cooking. Zhi nodded his head in greeting and said "Well it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Po." Po smiled at him and then returned to his seat.

(Time warp, go!)

It was now time to start training, but Shifu had the matter of their guests to attend to. He directed his students to their normal routine, then went to speak with Zhi, seeing as how he seemed to handle the negotiations. As he approached them, for they were observing how the others trained, Xander turned to him and bowed in respect. "Forgive me for making assumptions," began Shifu as he looked between the two "But I do not think that you walked all the way up here just to get out of the rain?" Zhi looked at Xander as if to say 'your turn' "You are right, Master Shifu, we have come so I may request to train under you" Shifu studied the wolf in front of him, stroking his goatee in thought. After a moment he looked Xander in the eye and said "Very well, I will train you." A slight smile creased Xanders muzzle as he put his fist in his paw and bowed in respect "Thank you, Master Shifu" he said, before standing straight.

A mischievous grin spread across Shifu's face "Don't thank me yet," He said, earning a look of confusion from Xander, as well as Zhi "We must see how well you fare against one of my pupils first" A look of understanding replaced the confusion present on Xanders face and he bowed again "Yes, Master Shifu" He replied, accepting the challenge. Shifu called his students over and, once they had arrived announced "Students, Xander here would like to train with us, but he must spar with one of you first" "Yes, Master" They replied in unison. Po was a little nervous that he would get picked, he didn't want to face the scary wolf in a fight. After a moments thought, Shifu turned to his best pupil, " Tigress, you will be his opponent." He said, his grin widening ever so slightly. "Yes, Master" she replied, bowing toward him. Po sighed inwardly as relief washed over him.

(Fasten your seatbelts readers, we've got another time warp incoming!)

Everyone was standing by the sparing area, observing the two fighters in front of them, as they walked to either side of the sparing ring. Tigress took up her stance and fixed Xander with her signature stare of death, but, to her annoyance, he didn't cringe nor was there fear in his eyes, in fact a slight smile hung on his muzzle. "W-Wait, wait, what?" Po asked of no one in particular, turning to the others "Why is he smiling?" The others were just as surprised as him. Just then they heard something that made them question their hearing, "I think I'm going to enjoy this" Xander said as he mimicked Tigress's stance.

That statement caught everyone off guard. No one had ever looked forward to fighting the hostile feline. "Well, either he's got guts, or he doesn't know what he's in for." Monkey said, noticing Po's jaw had almost hit the floor. "Or he's full of himself." Mantis said, giving his two cents worth. Overhearing the conversation, Zhi decided to speak up "I can assure you he knows quite well what he's getting into," Zhi said, turning to face the four warriors "and he most certainly is not 'full of himself' as you say" Zhi stated, lifting his tail and bending it twice at the tip in an attempt to make quotation marks.

"But, he has protected me on numerous occasions and I can vouch for his skill." After hearing this, Po's fanboyism kicked in and, once he successfully picked his jaw up off the floor, said "Maybe he is good, but there is no way he can stand up to the pure awesomeness of Master Tigress" Po was getting excited to see the match. Master Shifu gave the signal to start and thus the battle between the master of the Tiger style and an unknown wanderer began.

Tigress charged at Xander and attacked with a back hand to the left side of his face, who blocked and countered with a palm strike to the chest. Tigress ducked into a sweeping kick, avoiding his attack and knocking him off his feet, then quickly transitioned to a full circle roundhouse aimed at the upper torso. Xander, seeing the leg coming toward him out of the corner of his eye, twisted his upper body and crossed his arms in an 'x' just in time to block the kick, but was still sent flying toward the dojo by the sheer force behind it. "He's gonna hit the dojo!" Po announced, his expression a mixture of excitement and worry. fortunately, right before impact Xander recovered and turned his feet to the wall, pushing off after he made contact and sailed through the air, twisting in a corkscrew fashion before ending in a front flip to land behind Tigress.

"Well," He said, standing to face her "I guess I've underestimated you" This earned a growl from Tigress, not so much in anger, but more that his statement dealt a blow to her pride as a warrior, for they implied that he had not considered her a suitable challenge and thus went easy on her. She certainly did not spend the majority of her life training just to have some wanderer come in and downgrade her skill, not to mention fail to show her the respect she had earned. Just as he returned to his stance, she snarled and charged at him, thrusting her right palm straight at his muzzle, but he swiftly dodged and crouched into a sweeping leg kick, which Tigress dodged by jumping at an angle and aiming her right leg at his head as she spun.

Xander then raised his left arm and winced as it connected. In this manner the battle wore on, blows were exchanged, as well as countered. Neither combatant had a clear advantage as they danced around the sparing ring, "Whoa, look at the pure awesomeness of their moves!" Po exclaimed as he watched like a child seeing fireworks explode across the sky. "Yeah, thats some Waltz." Monkey added, stroking his chin. "No," Mantis objected, shaking his head "see how their moving , thats a Fox Trot." "Quiet, guys, you'll distract them." Viper snapped, glaring at them. "Besides," she added as a grin stretched across her mouth "look how he's holding her, it's obviously a Tango." (Sorry, again. I had to.)

The longer Xander lasted, the more frustrated Tigress became and a slight growl escaped her throat. Aside from Master Shifu, it had been a long time since she'd had an opponent that seemed to be on par with her. There was a pause in the fight and she glared at him, he glared back. Tigress seethed with hostility as she looked for a weakness in the annoying wolf's defense. After a couple of seconds, her ears perked up and a small triumphant smile spread across her muzzle. She had found an opening and planned to take full advantage of it.

Tigress charged forward and leapt into the air, falling toward him poised to strike the finishing blow, but just as she landed, she quickly transitioned to a leg sweep, followed by a rising kick to send him in the air before jumping and finishing the attack with a powerful back flip kick that sent him crashing to the ground. Master Shifu raised his hand to signify that the match was over and Tigress looked at Xander over her shoulder as she stood and let out a contemptuous "Hmph" as she walked away. "Ha!" Po exclaimed, raising his fist in the air "Told you he was no match for Tigress." The others walked over to the wolf laying on the ground to see if he was ok.

Just as they reached him, he groaned and stood up, holding one paw to his head as he did. "Are you alright?" Viper and Zhi asked simultaneously, then looked at each other in surprise, "Umm..Sorry." Zhi muttered and a red tint began to show on his face as he looked into Vipers big green eyes. 'Wow,' he thought, barely noticing the fangless smile she was giving him, 'Her eyes are beautiful.' "Thats alright." Viper said, though she was unperturbed as she turned back to Xander. "I'm fine." He stated coolly, "Shes stronger then I thought" Viper thought she noticed something in his voice, whether it was admiration, surprise, or something else entirely, she couldn't tell. "Of course she is!" Po said enthusiastically "It's called being awesome!" Xander took a step backward, seeing as how Po had invaded his personal when he said this. Master Shifu stepped forward to congratulate him. "Xander, you did very well, quite past my expectations." "Thank you, Master Shifu" Xander said, turning to him and bowing. Master Shifu grinned as he looked up at the tall lupine fighter.

"I would be pleased to have you as one of my students." A brief smile showed itself when he heard this and he bowed once more, "Thank you Master Shifu, I am honored to study your teachings." "Welcome to the Dojo" Monkey said, patting him on the shoulder. "Yeah, I can't wait to unleash my kung fu moves of awesome!" Po said, leaping into a pose and performing a few punches. Viper turned to Zhi and said "We're glad to have you here" A wide, friendly smile was gracing her features as she looked at him. "U-uhh..T-thank you, t-the pleasures all m-mine" was the only response the flustered snake could manage "Oh, hehe, you're welcome" She giggled.

"I don't meant to interrupt the welcome," Mantis said, looking around "but, where's Tigress." This alerted the other to the fact that the cold feline was no where to be seen. Unbeknownst to them, she had excused herself and was now walking to her favorite spot to meditate.

So, what did you think? Does it help get me off the hook? I'll try to have the next chapter up within a week so, read and review, please. any constructive crit. is very welcome. Oh and I know I am probably in no position to ask for a favor, but could you kind readers give me some advice and/or suggestions on what you think Xander should wear in later chapters? I'd really appreciate it, Thank you.

TheWulfWriter signing off.