Notes From The Underground
From Days To Knights
Zeng looked on helplessly as Po and the escaped jackal criminal continued their fight.
"I'm gonna need you to hand over that messenger goose to me," Wuti, the jackal, told Po.
"Sorry bud," Po replied. "But Zeng and I go way back. No way I'm just gonna let you have him as a hostage to make demands."
"Then it looks like I'm gonna have to gut me a big fat panda!" Wuti charged with his twin hook swords.
Wuti slashed at Po multiple times who dodged all the swings. The jackal then leaped up to bring both swords down but Po grabbed a bench, as Wuti's swords sank into the wood. Po then flipped the table over him, disarming Wuti of both his weapons.
With a powerful belly thrust, Po knocked Wuti to the ground.
"Ugh," Wuti cried, getting the wind knocked out of him.
Po grabbed a pair of rope and tied the jackal bandit up with it. He then turned his attention back to Zeng who happened to show up at the nearby village. It had been a while since he'd last talked to Zeng.
"You okay, Zeng?" asked Po.
"I am now," Zeng finally got up, still a little shaken from the jackal's previous kidnapping attempts. "Thanks Po!"
"So what important messages you got for this place?" asked Po as the authorities dragged the jackal convict off.
"Well, I had some letters I needed to send to the magistrate of this town," Zeng told Po. "But it's a good thing you showed up when you did, because I also have something for you!"
"Whoa, you do?" Po's eyes widened.
"Of course!" Zeng told him, pulling out a scroll. "Shifu managed to pull some strings to arrange this for you."
"Sweet, what is it?" Po asked.
Zeng handed the scroll over to Po.
"It's your official map and ticket to a special food tour of China!" Zeng informed him. "Located on this map are all the spots you can hit for discounts. Heck, some places might even let you eat for free."
"You're joking!" Po said excitedly.
"All you can eat!" Zeng promised.
"Zeng, buddy!" Po smiled. "You're the best!"
"Think you want to get started soon?" inquired Zeng.
"I will shortly," Po promised. "I gotta show this to my dad first!"
"This is also a reward for your years of service in ridding this country of criminals, warlords, and other malcontents," explained Zeng. "You've earned this, Po."
"Thanks Zeng," Po gripped the scroll tightly. "Food tour, here I come!"
oooo
At the waterfall, Shifu sat cross-legged on his staff, meditating to the sound of the flowing water.
The Furious Five were off on another adventure and things were relatively peaceful. So far, villains like Hundun, Temutai, Junjie, and the others hadn't tried anything.
Before long, Shifu felt a presence.
He opened up his eyes and slid down his staff.
Before him stood an armored figure with a helmet and a body that resembled a bear.
"I wasn't expecting company today," Shifu casually strolled towards the stranger.
Whoever it was, he didn't feel any hint of malevolence coming from the stranger.
"I can also tell you're not from around here," Shifu told her.
Finally, the figure spoke.
"That is correct."
The knight took off her helmet to reveal a brown female bear.
"I see," Shifu nodded, looking at her with interest. "May I inquire who you are?"
"I am Luthera of Landreth," the bear told Shifu. "Daughter of the Saxon Guard and Knight of England, otherwise known as Wandering Blade."
"Hmm," Shifu said thoughtfully. "That must be quite a ways from here. I've had encounters with people from foreign countries but this England isn't generally at the tip of my tongue. So tell me, what can I help you with today?"
"I am here on urgent business," Luthera told Shifu. "I am seeking the Dragon Master for help with regards to two dangerous criminals and I was told this was where he came from."
"He may have indeed trained under me," admitted Shifu. "But Po is now a master and is on his own."
"I see," Wandering Blade sounded disappointed. "Sorry to have taken up your time."
"You know," Shifu told her. "If you are seeking Po for help, I happen to know the general area where he lives. I can't spare some of my current students to help you since they're on their own mission but Po may be available yet if you can reach him."
At once, Luthera's face brightened.
"That would be spectacular," she told the red panda.
"Come with me," Shifu beckoned her to the Jade Palace. "I can show you a map."
oooo
Several days later.
Po sat at his dad's restaurant drowning out his sorrow with food.
Everything had fallen apart for Po in only a short while. His food tour of China had fallen apart. Two weasels had stolen the Wugao gauntlet, seemingly accompanied by a masked, armored stranger. And worse yet, the village he was trying to help accidentally got destroyed in the process.
Even worse, the Emperor had taken away his title of being Dragon Master, as Mr. Ping had revealed to Po. And now he was a pariah to a country that had once adored him.
After Po laid his head down after finding out about how his Dragon Master toys had been returned and subsequently spilling his noodles everywhere, Mr. Ping looked into the distance. Far behind Po was a foreboding warrior in a helmet.
"Uh, Po," Mr. Ping asked nervously. "Uh, are you expecting company?"
Po looked up.
"It's that bear!" he cried. "That's one of the bandits who stole the Wugao gauntlet! Why are they coming here? What do I do? What do I do? I gotta do something!"
The mysterious warrior walked forth but Po threw both chopsticks near her feet. Subsequently, Po leaped through the air with a battle cry and landed in front of her.
"You got a lot of nerve and whatnot coming here," he told her.
In response, Luthera took out her sword and pointed it at Po.
"Whoa, that's a lot of whatnot," admitted Po. "Let's do this!"
Po tipped the sword aside with his hand and attacked.
The Beginning.
Author's Note: And thus begins The Dragon Knight. Hope you enjoyed the story, because this series has reached its conclusion. Have a good one, folks.
