Okay Here we go With Mantis's tale. Thanks again to all the reviews guys. I really appreciate it! Keep em coming!

Chapter 3

Mantis's Tale

Two months after Po came to the Palace

Mantis was sitting on the kitchen table all depressed staring at a drawing of his recent girlfriend when Po walked in. "Hey ya Mantis! How's it going?" Mantis just sighed, barely paying the panda any mind, only saying "Hey Po…fine I guess." Po gave Mantis a you seriously think I'm gonna believe that?Look, as he took a seat in front of Mantis across from the table "Come on Mantis what's up? You've been all moody for like two days now. You can tell me!" Mantis avoided Po's gaze as he continued to stare at the picture. "I don't want to talk about it." "Come on!" Po pleaded; Mantis looked up at him "No." Po countered "Please…" Mantis raised his voice "NO!" Po thought for a moment then he grew a grin. "I'll make you some dumplings!" as he stretched out the last word. Mantis considered Po's offer for a moment then sighed in defeat. "Make the spicy ones…" he mumbled. With his classic grin Po got to work and made Mantis some spicy dumplings.

In a few minutes Po placed a bowl in front of them and took one of the dumplings for himself. "So what's got ya down buddy?" as Mantis finished his first dumpling, Po was trying to figure out where he put it when Mantis answered him. "It's about Ming…" Mantis said as Po interjected "Oh! You mean that girl you've been dating? How's that going?" Mantis looked up at the panda saying "Terrible Po! She dumped me!" Po's face went sad as he said "No! Awe Mantis, I'm sorry buddy. But I thought things were going great between you two." Mantis replied, "So did I! But man was I a fool…She said that I didn't quite REACH her expectations." Po was confused "But you're the great Master Mantis! Kung Fu Master, member of the Furious Five! The only guy with an action figure as big as he is! How do you not meet any expectations?" Mantis then raised his voice "BECAUSE I'M SHORT PO! SHE DUMPED ME BECAUSE I'M SHORT!"

Po was confused "I don't get it…if she dumped you because you're a bit short, why'd she go out with you to begin with?" Mantis just returned his gaze to the picture "I guess she just couldn't get past my size…I'll never find a girl who likes me for me." Po frowned as he said "I know what that's like…" Mantis looked up saying "Really?" Po nodded his head saying "Not exactly a lot of girls interested in fat pandas…you know?" Mantis immediately felt bad for the big guy as he said "Po…" But Po shook his head "No, it's okay Mantis, I'm cool with it. I'm sure I'll find somebody special someday." he said with a grin as Mantis looked up at him. Then Po got an idea. "Say I think I know what might help cheer you up!" Po said when Mantis gave him a confused look "And what's that, exactly?" Po smiled wide as he got up from the table and headed for the door. "Just promise to come to my dad's restaurant tonight for dinner okay?" "Why?" asked Mantis, then Po said as he left "Just come! I promise it will be worth it!" as he left Mantis in the kitchen Po stuck his head around the corner and asked "You gonna finish those dumplings?" Mantis just gave him a look as Po said "Right…sorry…remember, Dad's restaurant, tonight!" and with that Po was gone, leaving an incredibly confused Mantis in the kitchen as he devoured a second dumpling.

Soon, evening came and the sun had set as Mantis made his way to the noodle shop just like Po insisted. Mantis hadn't seen Po since lunch that day and was wondering what the Panda was up to when he entered the restaurant. Mantis gasped as Po was finishing hanging up one last lantern over a table. Po noticed Mantis standing in the doorway and a smile formed across his face. "Mantis, you made it!" Mantis looked up at Po as he hopped onto a table. "Po, what is all this?" Mantis asked as he looked around the shop. There were Lanterns hanging off the walls, and even a candle was lit on the center table. Po smiled at him "Oh you know, just finished up making the shop nice for your Date!" Mantis's eyes shot open as he shouted, "MY WHAT!?"Po brought his hands up in a calm down, fashion. "Now hang on Mantis, this girl's pretty special, plus she's single, and I know for a fact that she's not at all shallow." Mantis just looked at Po "Po, I'm just not ready to start dating yet." Po sat down and faced Mantis "Then don't think of it as a date. Think of it as two people just getting to know one another over dinner, which I'm making so you won't even have to pay! You don't have to marry her or nothing." Mantis looked away "I don't know Po I…Wait did you say I won't have to pay?" Po nodded his head. "As long as you don't go overboard like the last time you ate here. I mean six orders of dumplings? Seriously, where do you put it all?" As Po gestured at Mantis with both his hands. Mantis just looked up saying "I have a high metabolism…" "…Lucky…" Was all Po could say. Then he walked over to the door to look down the street, and his smile grew. "Okay she's almost here, you ready?" he asked as he turned to the Mantis.

Mantis took a deep breath saying "As ready as I'll ever be I guess." Po smiled and said "You'll be fine." as Po turned to greet the approaching visitor. "Mai, it's great to see you again!" Mantis watched as a lady bug flew up and landed on Po's shoulder hugging the pandas cheek "Oh Po it's so good to see you! How's your father doing?" Po smiled "Oh you know him, always noodles, noodles, noodles." Mai giggled "He sounds as good as ever. So Po, has your friend arrived yet?" Po smiled "Yup, he's inside waiting, let me introduce you." As Po walked in with the Lady bug on his shoulder, Mantis stared at the bug, she was absolutely stunning. Realizing he was staring, Mantis straightened himself up. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea…at least she probably wouldn't make fun of his size like most women did.

As the two approached the table Po spoke up. "Mantis, this is Mai, she's an old friend, our parents know each other. Mai this is Master Mantis." As Po place Mai onto the table, she stepped forward and bowed "It's an honor to meet you Master Mantis." As Mantis stepped forward and grabbed Mai's hand saying "Mam, the honor is indeed mine." As he kissed the lady bug's hand as she began to blush. "And please, call me Mantis." Seeing things were going okay, Po decided to step into the kitchen to make the dinner, but not before whispering to Mantis "Good luck buddy." Mantis smiled at Po as he began to tell Mai about himself. He told her how he was raised in a small town about two days east of the valley and how he came to live at the Jade Palace. Leaving out of course the part where he was left at the altar by his ex-girlfriend, who also happened to be a mantis.

Mai listened with great interest until he asked about her. "So what about you? How do you know Po?" Just then Po arrived with two bowls of dumplings and some tea saying "Dinner, is served!" as he placed the food down on the table he asked "So, everything going alright?" Mai looked up to Po saying "Oh everything is just wonderful Po, Mantis has been just a gentleman." Po smiled and winked at his buddy saying "Well if you guys need anything else I'll be in the back." "Thanks Po." Mantis said as the Panda left for the kitchen. Mai then began as she started to eat a dumpling "Anyway to answer your question, our parents met first when we were younger, my mother once couldn't afford to pay for a meal one time so Mr. Ping gave it to us on the house, even made us enough soup to get us through the week. So to repay him for his kindness my mother made Po a pair of pants. Because Po was growing so fast, Mr. Ping couldn't afford to keep him in clothes, and ever since then, My mother has made Po his pants, since no one else in the valley can make them in his size and she never charges Po for them. And every winter feast Mr. Ping would make us our own Pot of his Secret ingredient soup free of charge. Eventually my mother made enough clothes to open up a tailor cart and I help her make and sell them to the citizens of the valley."

Mantis was in awe, here sitting before him sat an incredible girl with a kind heart. How he wished he only met her sooner. The two sat and talked for a long time until it started to get late. Finally Mai said "Well it's getting late and I really must be going home, I had a lovely time tonight Mantis." Mantis kissed her hand again "Mai, I couldn't agree more. Can I see you again?" Mai smiled as she placed a kiss on Mantis's cheek "I'd like that very much Mantis." And with that she turned to Po and said "It was great to see you again Po, and thank you for setting this all up." Po just smiled as Mantis hopped up onto his shoulder "You're welcome, take care Mai." And with that the lady bug flew off down the street.

Mantis watched her leave saying "She's absolutely amazing Po." Po smiled as he turned to his head to his buddy. "Yup, she may be small but like someone else I know, she has a really big heart." Mantis looked at Po saying "Not as big as yours my friend, Thanks for doing all this Po…you're a great friend." Po just smiled saying "Anytime buddy. Come on lets close up and get back to the palace. I have a feeling I might have trouble waking up tomorrow…" Mantis said as they were beginning to leave "Don't worry Po, I got your back!"

End of memory…

Back with the Furious Five. Present day…

"So you see, if it wasn't for Po, I probably never would have met Mai. And now, over a year later and we're still together, happy as the night I met her." He then turned to the panda behind him. "And I owe it all to the big guy who's got a heart of gold. Now he's like this, and I can't do anything." Viper slithered forward and placed her tail over Mantis as she said. "We all want to help Po Mantis, and I'm sure he appreciates your words." Mantis sighed as he hopped down from the bed and onto the nightstand. Crane spoke up then.
"I had no idea Po was the one who introduced you to Mai." Mantis said looking at Crane "Yeah, I was in a pretty dark place at the time and Po really came through for me." Crane nodded his head saying "Yeah he does that. You guys remember the last Summer Ball?" Monkey answered "Yeah Shifu picked you for the opening dance. You did amazing! I never knew you could waltz like that." Crane then continued as he walked over to Po's bedside "The thing is, before that day I couldn't dance at all." Everyone looked at each other as Viper asked "Really? But you were so graceful!" Crane looked at Po saying "That's because of Po, if it weren't for him, I would have brought great shame to the Jade Palace for sure. Let me tell you about that day…"

So? How'd you like it? Let me know with a review.