As Po and the others rush down the hall, readying battle position, the strangers are nicely enjoying some tea.

"Hiyah!" Cried Po, set on his battle stance joined by his friends.

The strangers look at them with wonderous eyes, What the... thought the newcomers in unison.

"Po?" said Z, as he now stood, fully examining his best friend from long ago, before the attack on the neighboring Panda village.

Po now begun to look at the newcomers carefully, specifically the one standing and staring at him. Po had begun to question the strangers presence and sudden unknown familiarity. Why does he look familiar?

"Um... I'm sorry buddy, but do we know each other? I feel like I've seen you before. Were you by chance, oh I don't know, at an eating competition? I'm unbeaten, just so you know!" Po informed the stranger, looking proudly at the stranger, who had now sat down to take a sip of his tea and sighed at the question and chuckled at the Panda's exclaim.

Monkey then jumps in saying, "But Po, weren't you beaten by your father before you officially met him last time?"

"Yeah! right?" Mantis adds, now looking at Po.

"...oh yeah," Po mumbles. "Thanks for reminding me Monkey, Mantis! Talk about salt on the womb..."

This caused a silence before snickering was heard from group of hooded individuals joined by Monkey and Mantis. Crane's serious attitude faltering in addition to this. Viper had froze on the spot. And Tigress maintened her composure, although not without so mindful discomfort.

A hand sets onto his shoulder making him look into Tigress' amber eyes. "It's salt to the wound, Po." She says making Po slightly pout.

"Why, what did I say?" He asked.

"Ack-keh! Nevermind Po, we'll talk about it later," said Tigress making a mental note to teach him the difference between a female's center core and wounds.

He receives a hug from Tigress. But Z speaks up grabbing their attention as he stands up. The action makes Po and the Five flinch into battle positions.

"Po, we've been friends longer than you've been the Dragon Warrior, or so I hear," said Z. Z was somewhat annoyed at the panda. I walked a thousand plus miles in search of my best friend, and he doesn't bother to remember me... Now I look like a fool in front of my comrades...poor me, he sighed in defeat.

Z seeing as the result is not as bad as it could've been, he reintroduces himself.

"I am Zero," Z introduces himself as. "I came seeking my friend of cubhood. I used to visit the Panda village before I left for my training regarding my upcoming role! Po, You were still a cub as was I, but when my father heard of your new chapter, he infromed me about our bonds as cubs. I too forgot."

"Yikes, I wish I could remember you, sorry buddy..." apologized Po. If you want, you could stay at the Jade Palace!"

This offer resulted in a facepalm from Tigress, eyeroll from Monkey, shameful headbow from Viper and Crane, followed by a comment from Mantis.

"Way to go 'Dragon Warrior,'" hand-quoted Mantis.

"Po, we can't just invite strangers into the Jade palace! What about Master Shifu?! Explained Monkey.

Shadow snikered in response, "I don't care about Master Cheese food!"

"It's Shifu." Corrected Viper.

"She foo, you foo, I eat food!" Growled Shadow.

Z stepped in while Shadow stood there bearing his fangs.

"If you'd allow us to, we'd love to stay for a while within palace grounds," said Z.

Great! Follow me, oh-you'll love it. Have you seen the awesome artifacts they have here!? I almost peed when I saw–––" fanboyed Po.

—

Sorry for not updating. I've been hooked on some Naruto and will be following uo with such, until then, no more chapters for Untold, UberNet, and Eternal Drift. Naruto will be my main focus, I really need to get in out of my head and onto my library!

Update: GaaTema/Sandcest

$andhills Holløw