A Better World?
Chapter 7- Soup and Stories
The Present - Five minutes ago
There was a content silence surrounding the table as Po served the Secret Ingredient Soup to everyone except Tigress.
"Tigress are you sure you don't want any of my Dad's world famous Secret Ingredient Soup" he asked while trying to look as cute as possible to try and sway her.
"That's the 657th time he's asked me...and the answers still no" Tigress thought.
"Sorry Po but I think I'll just stick with the tofu, nice try by acting cute though" she said, Tigress smiled sweetly at him to cheer him up...it worked.
Po over exuberantly sat down next to Tigress and started to greedily eat his soup and the dumplings that he'd brought over for himself.
The others just watched in bemusement, "So your tables manners are improving then Po?" asked Master Shifu with one eyebrow raised.
Po bashfully looked up from his food, his mouth was close to bursting point full of food.
Monkey answered for him "Yeah, this time he's actually managing to eat without putting anyone else off".
Everyone laughed at his comment even Shifu and Tigress.
Po just rolled his eyes and carried on eating.
"So what training did you all choose to do today?" asked Shifu.
Crane started "Well me and Viper did some Tai Chi and meditated for a couple of hours".
Shifu just looked blankly at them before saying "And I hope that's all you did".
Crane blushed heavily while Viper just giggled.
"Me and Monkey just sparred for a few hours" said Mantis, in reality they had only done that for about an hour before spending the rest of the day just messing around.
"I see" said Shifu who remained unconvinced.
Shifu looked at Po and Tigress "And you two?" he asked.
Po nearly choked on his food "What am I supposed to say that me and Tigress just...well... hung out".
Luckily Tigress saved him from explaining anything.
Her face remained emotionless "We worked on Po's speed".
Monkey and Mantis started to snicker.
Po and Tigress started to blush heavily although it was more noticeable on Po.
Tigress surprisingly lost her composure "N-no not like that".
Viper rolled her eyes "Real mature guys".
After some more jokes at Tigress and Po's expense a lighter topic of conversation started between everyone except Shifu who was content to just eat silently, after a while he heard a small commotion in the courtyard thanks to his large eye.
Shifu raised his hand to indicate that everyone should be quiet, his action was respected.
"Everyone listen to me closely" he muttered, "There is someone in the courtyard I cannot tell if it an enemy or not, Tigress and Crane go and check it out if we hear a fight we will come and back you up".
Tigress nodded and gestured to Crane to follow her, before she left Po looked at her with worry in his eye "Be careful Tigress".
While both she and Po knew that she was more than capable of defending herself (and often needed to defend Po more than the other way around), she still had to admit that she found his concern for her well being…rather sweet.
"Thanks Po" she said, before leaving she smiled to herself.
The others could only sit and wait.
xxxxx
Tigress and Crane moved as quietly as they could outside.
When they could hear the intruder moving about Tigress nodded to Crane signaling that they should split up.
Tigress got on all fours and sprinted out to meet the visitor to try and take them by surprise.
She leaped out and got into a fighting stance, she stopped when she got a good look at her opponent.
Looking at her was a much older, weary looking Crane who looked poised to attack her until he saw her.
"Tigress?" he said, he dropped his stance and just gawped at her.
Tigress looked at him for a moment shocked then she realized she should probably call Shifu.
"MASTER SHIFU, YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!".
The older Crane gasped "Shifus here too?. Does that mean I really am dead?".
Shifu and the others quickly gathered towards Tigress's yell, they all gasped when they saw Crane.
Shifu quickly leapt at Crane and started to hit random spots on his body.
When he was finished Shifu threw Crane to the ground and made sure that he wouldn't get up.
Shifu looked at Po and the Five, "He is not using a shift stone, my attack would have disabled the enchantment, whoever he is must be something to do with Crane...our Crane I mean".
The younger Crane panicked "I've never seen him before, honestly".
The older Crane tried to get up but was thwarted by Shifu, "You have to listen to me" he said.
"I need to get them to listen to me, if I am back in the past then I need to make sure I don't reveal too much".
Master Shifu spoke to him "Who are you and what do you want?".
Crane sighed "You wouldn't believe me, even I'm having a hard time believing it".
Shifu smirked "Try me".
Crane stood up "I'm from the future", he paused and pointed his wing at his younger self "I'm him from the future, roughly eleven years.
Monkey and Mantis started laughing.
Tigress walked up to Shifu "Master you can't honestly believe this, it's ludicrous".
Shifu didn't say anything "Continue...Crane, how did you get here?".
Crane sighed "I might as well tell them, it might make things better in the future".
He pointed his wing at Po calmly , "I was sent here by him" .
Po went into fan boy mode "This is so cool, I sent you back to save the world or to tell me something, the possibilities are endless".
Crane scowled at him "Let me narrow them down for you, I was sent here because you tried to kill me".
Monkey and Mantis stopped laughing and Po stopped talking to himself about how "Awesome this was".
Tigress started to get ready to attack him "I knew it you are evil and you're a liar, why else would Po do that?".
Crane looked sadly at her "Because you're dead".
A stunned silence befell everyone, Crane walked into the palace "Come on I'll tell you everything when we're inside".