Disclaimer- Kung Fu Panda is not mine, okay? I do not own the giant company of Dreamworks. I don't even own a top hat. I want a top hat.
Shifu stretched his thin arms and yawned. The dawn's early sunlight filtered through paper screens. An empty teacup, save for a few remains of jasmine leaf, sat on a simple nightstand next to his bed. He grabbed his staff, formerly Master Oogway's, and put on a fleece coat. The song of birds and and a lone rooster announced that dawn was here.
Something felt a bit off today, but that was probably his resentment toward Tigress' unusual actions. Shifu walked down the hallway, his light footsteps echoing throughout the airy spacing. He was going to investigate Han's death. Just the sheer thought of his friend dead with lifeless eyes that stared at nothingness made salty tears sprout up in his eyes. He wiped them off and headed toward the pantry. The pantry was nice and tidy, unlike how it looked after Monkey and Po visited it. He packed some rice crackers and cold dumplings. Shifu was about to get some herbs that helped with long travels when he noticed that the cupboard was nearly empty. Only a leaf of dry basil, a stem of marigold, and a random dead beetle resided in behind the cupboard door.
Then he realized what was wrong. It was quiet. Too quiet. Tigress and the others should have been training by now, and the sound of breaking planks and clashing of metal should have been heard. He shouldn't have heard the birds singing this morning. They must of gone out! he thought urgently. That's why there's no herbs! Those cheeky little- he didn't finish the sentence. Shifu dashed down the hall toward the bedrooms where they slept. The red panda tiptoed quietly; the floorboards here were notorious for creaking very loudly.
He opened Crane's door. Nothing. Well, nothing except for a mat and some calligraphy supplies. As he neared Viper, Po and Tigress' dorms he heard voices. He saw that Tigress' room, the largest one, was lit up with flickering candles. He seethed at how they had disobeyed orders, they could of gotten hurt. They could of died, and left him with nothing! Using the peach wood staff, he forced the door opened to a bewildered group of his students.
"Anyway, I think I know who-" Tigress stopped in mid-sentence. She looked surprised. Shifu looked equally as shocked. Tigress had her right arm in a sling and there was tile residue on her shoulder. Monkey was wrapping his charred hand with wet bandages. His golden fur was slightly blackened by what looked like leftover gunpowder. Mantis looked majorly injured. The mantis laid on a small blanket and his eyes were closed. To Shifu, Mantis looked like his whole body was covered in a third-degree burn. Viper had some acupuncture down her limbless body and had a pile of familiar herbs in front of her. Crane's straw hat was partially burned and his wingtips looked slightly blacker and his tail had lost some feathers.
They all stared in an awkward silence at their master. Shifu regained his train of thought and asked angrily, "And where have you been?"
"Out. We decided that loyalty to the valley overrides loyalty to you." Tigress remarked. Even though that's what they all unanimously agreed on, Viper still looked ashamed of herself and Crane shifted his gaze downwards.
"And who told you that?" Master Shifu snapped.
"Master Oogway." Tigress said with a smile. "Not even you would question Master Oogway. Would you?" Shifu gritted his teeth and found that Tigress was right: he really had nothing else to say.
"No, but you're all grounded. You cannot leave the premises for two weeks. Now fix yourselves and don't do it again." He didn't care if this was unfair or not, they had disobeyed him and they would pay the price.
"But, Shifu! What about my dad? I can't just not visit him for two weeks!" Po exclaimed unhappily.
"Yes, you can. You made a choice, now suffer the consequences. I will lock the main doors and the gate. You will only be let outside for training." Shifu left without another word and shut the door.
"Oh, what have we done?! Now Shifu hates us!" Viper wailed after Shifu left.
"No, he doesn't. He's just upset." Monkey comforted her. Viper sniffled and gathered up more herbs.
"Even if we are defending the valley like we're supposed too, we shouldn't get on Shifu's bad side. He's still our teacher." Po suggested.
"Yeah, Po's right. We still haven't finished training, so we have to listen to him." Crane agreed.
"We have to listen to him most of the time." Tigress corrected. Crane shrugged. He wiped off some of the particles off his former unblemished wings.
"So, what were you saying Tigress?" Viper asked.
"What?" Tigress looked up. She hadn't heard what Viper said. She had been feeding Mantis some herbs and giving him a little water to drink.
"What were you saying about the assassin?"
"Oh yes, I think I know who he is."
"Really?" Monkey asked incredulously.
"Yes, I remember his description from several scrolls in the archive. There's even some Wanted posters with his image." Tigress recalled.
"Who is he?" Crane's eyes widened with interest.
"Well, I know he's from the Middle East, but he was raised here. I'm sure of that."
"And?" Viper inquired.
"Well, this is top secret information." Tigress warned.
"Tell us!" Po demanded. "We need to know!"
Tigress took a deep breath. Her amber eyes surveyed her comrades.
"His name is Shan, and he is one of the most dangerous assassins China has ever seen."