AN: Hello This chapter was made due to the fact of a review from WFeathers who pointed out that I had skipped a large chunk of timeline between chapter 3-4. I therefore decided to make a new chapter 4 and move the existing one to chapter 5. Also I need to inform the readers again (I think I said before.) that the next update won't be for a while as I am going on holiday for two weeks, sorry.
Thank you to WFeathers and Goddess of Imaginary/Fallen Angel for their revews on the old chapter 4, Cookie M 2012 for their review on chapter 3 and TheSupernova for Beta reading all my chapters before release.
On to the story:
"So what you are telling me is that you don't remember anything, nothing at all?" Constable Hau stated getting more irate at what the panda in front of him was saying, not believing a single word that was coming from its mouth.
"No, nothing at all come on please, please do not send me to die." Po begged scared for his life. "You can't punish me for a crime I don't know I committed… can you?" Po questioned trying to find any loophole or lifeline to bargain with.
"This is no longer a decision for me to make you will be transferred to Chor-Gom in the morning to be trialled." Constable Hau stated preparing to walk out of the door.
"Wait no don't you believe me, I'm innocent." Po screamed after the constable as he was about to close the door, causing the constable to hesitate. He just stared at the Panda deciding whether it was worth saying something else as the panda knelt holding onto the bars that caged him, pleading.
"Oh of course I believe you, in fact I'm going to send a message to Chor-Gom explaining the whole Ideal right know." Constable Hau told the panda sarcastically, growing angry at the charade the panda was so eager to hold in place, obviously believing his lies would somehow convince everyone and save his life. Fat chance at fooling this elephant the constable thought as he locked the door and walked away. Po however in fear and hope had missed the sarcastic tone of the Constable and therefore believed every word he had just heard.
"Finally something is going my way." Po spoke out loud relieved at this shred of light that had shone on these dark times. He proceeded to lift himself of the ground, where he was knelt leaning against the bars, pleading only seconds before. Lying down on the cot he took one last look at the dark starry night before falling into a calm relaxing sleep.
Tigress awoke a few minutes before the Gong was to sound throughout the valley. Her keen, trained mind taking only seconds to jump into action. She got up checking that all details were ready for when she went to rescue Po. Happy that all her needed items including food, water, clothes, a special mixture in a glass bottle and the letter to leave behind for her friends were all there and sorted she decided to put her plan into effect. She walked over to her bed before removing a vial that she hid under her pillow the night before. Unscrewing the lid she downed the pink contents, forced to stifle a cough at the vile taste of the liquid as to not wake the rest of the five, who were only on the other side of thin paper walls. She then went back to bed waiting for the contents of the vial to take effect. The potion that Tigress drank gave the drinker a high fever as well as raising her body temperature to give the impression of being ill.
"Good morning master." Was heard outside of her room, spoken by the very people she trusted the most and was about to abandon for the sake of one panda.
"Good morning stu…" Master Shifu said before cutting of one sentence to start another. "Where is Tigress? Tigress are you in there?" Shifu questioned not used to Tigress being the one to fail to wake up.
"Y-Yes Master, give me a second." Tigress spoke in the best sick voice she could as she slowly got out of bed. Hoping that the others would buy it and that the strength in her voice she wasn't good at hiding would be overlooked due to her 'Symptoms' of being ill. She had barely got out of bed before Shifu barged into her room obviously demanding to know the reason she had slept in, only to see a very ill looking Tigress.
"Tigress you are sick" Shifu stated not expecting Tigress to be sick, in his defence she never was excluding that bout of river fever of course. "Very well you shall have to spend the day in bed, no training.
"But master I…" Tigress started before being cut off by Shifu. She knew full well she would have to act as if she did want to train despite the fact she didn't otherwise she would start arousing suspicions.
"No buts Tigress you are ill and therefore will have to spend the day in bed. I shall have someone bring you some food and water later on but for now I will leave Viper to look after..."
"NO." Tigress interrupted Shifu not happy with the idea of viper being left to look after her as it would ruin her plan to help Po. Her sudden outburst however had confused Shifu and the rest of the five who had gather outside her door to check on her. "I mean no, I do not need someone to look after me I'm perfectly capable and that doesn't matter as I'm not sick so I can go and train with the others.
"No you can't." Shifu said his voice showing he was losing patience with the tiger's stubbornness. "You are sick and therefore staying in bed, fine if you want to be alone but you are to get back in bed and stay there." Shifu was now shouting to try and drive home his point, as Tigress stood in front of him looking as if she was about to say something. "Furthermore should you be found out of bed without a good reason you will not be training for a week, do I make myself clear." Tigress stared at him for a few second before giving in with a sigh.
"Yes master." Tigress said as she climbed back into bed
"Good now the rest of you off to train and someone bring Tigress some food at lunch." Shifu said pleased with getting Tigress to comply as he walked off to meditate. Tigress waited for a little while after everyone left; just to be sure she wouldn't be caught sneaking out. Climbing out of bed she slung her travel pack over her shoulder before heading off towards the village. From the top of the thousand stairs she could start to see life flooding the streets going about their own business as Tigress walked towards them. She could also see what she wanted which was Po just getting prepared for transport, as he was chained up and thrown into a carriage for the journey to Chor-Gom.
"Good I haven't missed him." Tigress said to herself as she walked down to the prison arriving a few minutes later to be welcomed by fifteen Rhino guards and a confused Constable Hau.
"Master Tigress" Constable Hau greeted her. "What would you be doing here at this time? And why are you here when you look like you're not very well." Tigress almost panicked when she realised she still hadn't got rid of the effects of the potion
"Take this potion and you can fool anybody you are sick, then all you need to do is take a drink of water and you'll look right as rain." The old goat that sold her the potion had told her.
Thinking quickly Tigress responded to the Constable. "Oh this" she said gesturing to her face. "I haven't had anything to drink for a couple of days, would you mind getting me a glass of water before we talk, please." The Constable responded with a grunt before walking away and returning with a full glass of water a few moments later, which Tigress downed quickly before handing the glass back to the Constable. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Right and now for why I am here Master Shifu has requested me to accompany the guards in escorting Po to Chor-Gom." Tigress told Hau keeping a business like attitude towards the Constable.
"I'm sorry but as I have already told Master Shifu you and the other masters are no longer deemed fit to detain this Panda." Constable Hau said annoyed that Shifu was getting involved, despite his warning not to.
"Yes Master Shifu told me you would say that, he also told me to say that Po is too dangerous to be controlled by so few untrained men, when he has been trained to tackle many." Tigress stated pleased when she saw the Constable stiffen up thinking she won.
"Y-yes but still." Constable Hau stuttered unable to think of good reason to counter her argument. "You are close to the panda and therefore cannot be involved in his sentence; in any way even detaining and transporting.
"And I respect that, however I am not transporting him the guards are I'm just going to protect the guards and even if you still don't want me to go, the path they have to take consists completely of free land and therefore I could follow them without breaking any laws." Tigress stated smiling as she saw Constable Hau frown in disappointment at being beaten as she spoke the truth. Even if he found a way to say she could not go, she could follow the carriage and as long as she didn't interfere.
"Fine you may go with the guards." The constable told Tigress before proceeding to address the guards. "You are free to go when ready and by the way Master Tigress will be accompanying you in case the prisoner causes any complications."
"Yes sir we shall head out right away." The superior of the guards who was identified by a more show-off uniform replied to the elephant as he walked away before turning to talk to Tigress. "This way master we leave immediately." He said pointing towards the carriage.
"After you sir." Tigress responded before following the Guard after the now mobile carriage.
The Guards had made a convoy while following the carriage. Two pulled the heavy carriage that was led by another the leader of the guards while another two pushed. The other guards were all stationed around the carriage; four bringing up the rear and three on either side while Tigress followed behind the two pushing, in front of the four that made up the rear guard.
They had been on the road for a couple of hours before they decided to set up camp for lunch all the guards except two who stayed to watch the prisoner sat down. That was until Tigress dismissed them saying she would keep an eye on him and take him some food and water. They proceeded to sit down with the others after explaining to the leader of the tiger's generous offer, as Tigress stepped into the carriage. She was greeted differently to what she expected; she expected to be greeted by a happy "Tigress." Instead all she received was a sideways glance with a grunted "hi."
"I thought you would be happy to see me Po, after all we have known each other for years now. We even started dating a couple of weeks ago." Tigress said hurt by Po's actions towards her
"Wait what you know who I am?" Po said suddenly interested in what the tiger stood in front of him had to say. "Who are you?"
"Of course I know who you are Po, It's me Tigress. Don't you remember?" Tigress said upset that the person who she liked as more than a friend. The first person she had liked as more than a friend in fact had no idea who she was. That was until she gazed upon the bruise that still stained his temple and realisation hit her. "Of course the hit to the head, you have amnesia. Don't worry your memories will return in time. I'm going to get you out of here, just take this food and water." She told him handing him a jug of water and piece of bread. "And about half an hour after we start moving again cause a commotion, you got it?" She said eyeing him carefully to make sure he understood.
"Yes but I don't understand what's going on." He said confusion written all over his face.
"You don't have to just follow my instructions and everything will be fine Ok." Tigress said as she laid her hand on the pandas shoulder trying to comfort him.
"Ok."
"Good see you later." Tigress said before finally leaving the carriage to eat her own food. Time passed by slowly as nothing interesting happened. They had finished their lunch and had started walking again. "He should have done something by now." Tigress muttered to herself as she followed the carriage, before a loud ringing of chains being thrown around clashed from inside the carriage. Better late than never Tigress though to herself as she watched all the guards gather around the carriage weapons drawn.
"Master Tigress would you mind taking care of this." The lead guard asked her
"Of course." She replied stepping into the carriage to find Po struggling against the chains holding him down. She placed a finger over her muzzle signalling him to be quite before drawing out to pieces of cloth, placing one over her face to cover her mouth and handing the other to Po who quickly did the same. She then went digging back in her bag, pulling out the mysterious glass bottle before smashing it on the ground. The bottle exploded in a mixture of sharp glass and a white gas, which quickly started consuming the surrounding air causing Po and Tigress to start feeling light headed. Outside however where the guards hadn't covered their faces in time, the sound of bodies hitting the floor was heard.
"What was that?" Po asked still holding the cloth to his face.
"Knock out gas." She replied before going back to the entrance before turning back to Po. "I'm going to go and get the key for your chains, whatever you do don't remove that piece of cloth from in front of your face. You do and you'll be unconscious instantly and that will ruin the plan." She told him as she disappeared returning a minute later with the key. She unchained the panda before leading him away from the carriage and unconscious guards. When she felt that they were far enough away she took away her cloth face mask as well as taking Po's away from him and stuffing them back in her bag.
"Alright, so what now?" Po asked Tigress overjoyed at the fact he was finally out of the chains and in fresh air.
"We run."
AN. Thanks for reading. Please review all of them are looked at, thanked and even taken into consideration if they have something for me to improve on.
MentalDoughnut out and leaving on holiday.