Disclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda. Kapiche?

Author's Note- (Yoda mode on) A bit dark, this chapter is...

It was early morning, not past nine, and Officer Fu, an antelope, rose from his bed. He pushed away the woolen blankets and put on a pair of sandals. Officer Fu carefully and meticulously made his bed, making sure everything was in its proper place. Now, you may think that silly, but as a border patrol officer, Fu knew that details mattered and so he applied that to almost every aspect of his life. He lived in a typical valley cottage with his wife, close to the border gates so he could report for duty at a moment's notice. Officer Fu was usually a confident being, but today, he felt sick to his stomach and it wasn't the dumplings from yesterday.

He trudged down the stairs slowly, not wanting to face the day. Even the aroma of jasmine tea couldn't coax him down the stairs any faster. He fiddled with the buttons and cuffs on his uniform so much, that his wife noticed it when he finally arrived in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" she asked, pouring out steaming tea into porcelain cups.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He accepted the tea given to him, but really wasn't paying attention. He almost spilled scalding tea all over, but somehow, managed to stop himself. Officer Fu wondered if his spouse knew what was bothering him. He would rather her not to know.

His wife passed him a bowl of rice porridge. "You don't look like it. I can cancel my family coming over if it helps."

So that's what she thought it was. Relatives. In a way, it would slightly worry him, but it seemed insignificant to what he had ahead. "It's fine. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. Your brother's bringing moon cake, and I can't wait."

She gave a nervous laugh. "Alright. Tell me if you need anything. I'll be at Chu-hua's for some tea."

She collected the empty bowls, cups, and chopsticks to clean them. Officer Fu grabbed his hat and put it snugly on his head. He beckoned his wife a quiet goodbye and stepped out of the door. Officer Fu put his hands in his pockets and slowly made his way down the street. There were puddles of rain water everywhere and they would splash whenever someone stepped in them. Even though it was morning, the valley was alive with activity. Like a bustling hive, the calls of merchants and shouts of neighbors melded into a loud buzz of white noise.

A young white, but muddy, rabbit ran up to him. "Officer Fu! Officer Fu! Wanna play mud balls with us?"

He smiled wryly. "Sorry. I have work."

"Aw, why do grownups always have to work?"

"I don't know. It's a rule." Fu shrugged.

"Another rule?! Ugh!"

As the rabbit turned to leave, Officer Fu called out to him. "Hey Dao, Tell Chun if I catch him pickpocketing I'll tell his mother!"

"Okay!"Dao leaped away with unfathomable energy.

Officer Fu smiled, but then the smile faded, as if was wiped off. He hoped this decision he had made was the right one, because if it wasn't, a lot of lives were going to be lost. Finally, after what seemed eternity, he reached the gates, where he recognized several of his friends. They waved at him, and he tiredly waved back.

"Hey, somebody looks half dead." Officer Shou teased. His words were a bit slurred.

Officer Fu rolled his eyes. "What have you been doing all day, drinking?"

Shou was taken aback. "You know I can't resist the rice wine!" At this, the other laughed, but Fu didn't.

"I can report you to the head chief. You better get your act together or your act is finished."

Shou scowled and the others started murmuring behind Fu's back. Fu turned back to them and ordered, "Yin and Bing, you take the outside of the gates. Heng and Jing, you take the inside. Shou and I will take the document check." Heng and Jing would examine the travelers before they passed the gates, and Yin and Bing would do an examination after the travelers passed the gate. That was if the travelers left from the Valley of Peace. Fu and Shou would be right where the gate was and check all travel documents for any signs of forgery.

Everyone moved into their allotted places and waited. It was still early in the morning, but some travelers rose at the break of dawn to come and go. A family of pigs came to leave; pulling a wooden wagon with all sorts of bundled supplies. The mother was holding a squealing piglet who screamed at a very high pitch. The father handed the passports to Shou, and Shou quickly looked over them. Officer Fu carefully used the corner of his eye to check that Shou performed the right procedure. Security was tighter ever since Master Han was found murdered and the pagoda was bombed. Everyone was tense and knew someone who they suspected of these dastardly crimes.

"You're free to go." Shou announced and handed the pigs their passports.

After the pigs had left, Fu looked at Shou. "You're slipping. You nearly missed several aspects completely."

"Shut up. I'm tired. Leave me alone."

"Admit it, you're drunk."

"No, I'm not."

Fu sighed and said nothing. This conversation was pointless. Soon after, six figures came to leave. Officer Fu raised an eyebrow as the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior, all with solemn faces, handed their passports and documents over. Shou was about to say something, but a sharp glare from Fu silenced him. Officer Fu noticed they were carrying heavy winter clothes and deduced they were going up north. He also realized they carried weapons and he knew they were going to deal with the mystery criminal who was definitely going down in history.

"Thank you," Viper said, almost choking on her own words, as Officer Fu handed her documents back. Viper was the only one to say anything. Everyone else looked on with a startling grim expression.

The rest of the shift was ultimately boring. Rarely anyone traveled after the rumor spread of a skilled criminal with demonic powers. It was starting to get chilly and Officer Fu shivered, then wrapped his coat around himself a bit tighter. He was heading home, where his wife would probably be waiting for him with some dinner on he table. As much as that appealed to him, he had to make a quick detour first. At the very end of the lane he was walking down, there was an empty warehouse that hadn't been used very recently. It was empty and only served as a shelter for the homeless. But today, it served a different purpose.

Officer Fu gave a quick glance around, and satisfied no one was around, he ducked inside. There, inside the leaky roof of the ware house, a giant curtain had been drawn. There was a candle sitting on the floor right next to a wooden chair. Fu sat down and cringed as the chair gave a loud creak.

"You're early." A voice behind the curtain, as smooth as silk yet as cold as jade, remarked. "Perhaps to catch me off my guard and find out my identity?"

"No. Of course not." Fu licked his lips nervously.

"You left quite early off work. A few of my, ah, intel reported this."

"Just give me my money, and I'll leave. I won't tell anybody."

"I'm sorry. Information first, or you won't be leaving here alive."

Sweat beaded on Fu's forehead. "Okay, okay. Whatever you say." he gulped. "They're leaving…...I checked their passports this morning."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Fu suddenly burst out. "They're leaving to the north! They're carrying weapons and mountain gear."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the curtain. "Chorn-Gom prison." the voice muttered.

"What?"

"Nevermind. Your money is under your chair. Extinguish the candle when you leave." the voice instructed. Fu could hear the being on the other side could barely contain their excitement.

Fu reached under his chair and pulled out a leather bag. It seemed surprisingly heavy, but it might of been paper money. Fu didn't trust this guy, so he opened it right where he was. He recoiled in shock as he saw what was inside.

"Is this some kind of prank?" he asked angrily, staring down at the bleached skull of an antelope.

The voice laughed on the other side, but then was silent. Fu shivered, but not of the cold. He was about to stand and make a break for the door, but he felt an excruciating pain in his left ribcage. He doubled over and clutched at his side, only to see crimson blood pour out where he had been stabbed in the stomach. He could feel the acid burn and it was harder to breathe.

"They say getting stabbed in the stomach is the most painful death of all. You die of blood loss and maybe infection. You'll die in, let's say, about fifteen minutes. That's enough time to write a teary cliche note to your wife." the voice sneered.

"You won't get away with this!" Fu struggled to talk.

Even though a curtain and darkness separated them, Fu swore his killer smiled.

It was silent for a moment, but the voice spoke again. "Oh, I already have."