A Strange Night


"Are you sure you're okay, Master Shifu?" Tigress asked for the ninth time.

"I understand your concern, Master Tigress, but I am quite fine," Shifu replied.

"She did a real number on him, though," Viper said, looking at his arm again. She finished putting the last touches on his sling. "Just give your arm a little rest, okay?"

Shifu nodded as he looked at his arm. Rubbing it tenderly, he looked back at his students lined up in the Hall of Heroes. "This tiger is very dangerous. More dangerous than I thought."

"She must be stopped," Tigress said.

"We don't even know why she's here," Crane pointed out.

"It doesn't matter," Tigress growled. "She obviously means harm if she attacked Master Shifu."

"For a moment, it felt like I was fighting Tai Lung again," Shifu said. "Her strength is very impressive."

"Momoda?" Crane echoed absentmindedly. "Any ideas why she told you that, Po?"

"No!" Po quickly said. His eyes darted left and right as he stood as stiff as a plank. "The point is that she's strong and she's-"

"Causing real harm," Tigress finished.

"That's not what I was gonna-"

"We have to increase the patrols," Tigress went on, "We should try and rout out this... Momoda before she hurts someone else."

"Other than the bandits," Mantis added.

"And we need to train more," Tigress added. "If this tiger is as strong as Master Shifu said, then we'll have to be at our best to defeat her."

"I don't know if that's really necessary," Po spoke up. The whole room looked at him. The panda bolted his eyes around the jade pillars, looking for a way out of the tense silence. "What I mean is... uhhh... maybe we shouldn't act so hastily."

Tigress crossed her arms. "Why not?"

"It's just... until we figure out why she's here, we might cause more harm than good. Know your enemy, you know?" Po cheesily smiled. Tigress only rose an eyebrow, spying on the panda's awkward grin.

"I think Po's on to something," Monkey said. "Don't you think more training is over the top, Tigress?"

"What do you mean?"

Master Monkey shrugged his shoulders. "It's probably just a fluke that she got away this time. She just caught Master Shifu off guard, that's all."

"That doesn't happen often."

"But it's not impossible. I mean, Master Shifu is getting up there in age and Po is... Po."

The two pandas stared at the simian warrior with voiceless grumbles. "Monkey, she's right," Crane said. "Just because Tigress and Po are strong doesn't mean we should be slacking."

"Yeah, that's Po's job," Monkey laughed. The room glared, "I'm kidding!"

"Monkey, that's enough." Viper hissed.

"Besides," Mantis said on the simian's shoulders, "If Po and Master Shifu had problems with her, what makes you think you can take her on?"

"Simple, I don't let my pants fall down," Monkey laughed.

"Anymore you mean," Shifu commented, making everyone snicker. The primate simmered quietly. Who could forget the time Master Oogway had to humble the unpredictable monkey? "Nevertheless, training should be done. This tiger is very powerful. Possibly more powerful than Tai Lung."

"And a little training never hurt preparedness, Monkey," Said Viper as she looked at her serpentine body. "We could all use it." Monkey rolled his eyes and shrugged, silently agreeing to disagree.

"For now, please be on your highest guard. We still don't know what this Momoda wants from the Valley of Peace," Shifu warned.

"Yes Master Shifu," The others bowed.

"Are you sure-"

"Master Tigress," Shifu smiled. "I am okay." Tigress slowly nodded and left with Po and the others in tow.

"I think I'll start up that training again," Viper said. "Want to join, Crane?"

"Sure. If this tiger can best Po, I think I need to get stronger. But then again, my pants are securely on me."

"She. Caught. Me. Off guard. Can we please stop making jokes about it?" Po groaned. Tigress placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Po's right. Stop joking about it. If Master Shifu was hurt by this tiger, she could very easily defeat any of us. With or without pants."

Po sighed as the others snickered. "I don't think that helps me, Tigress."

"We're sorry, Po." Viper apologized.

"Yeah, we'll stop giving you such a hard time," Crane replied.

"I make no promises," Monkey whispered.

"Knowing you, the universe will pay you out soon enough. I'll go with the trainers over here." Mantis said, hopping from the primate's shoulder to Crane's shoulder. He flexed his arms. "Need to exercise these raptorial claws."

"That's what they're called?!" Po exclaimed in amazement. "I thought you just called them pincher things."

"...No. I don't."

"Right," Po chuckled nervously.

"Why do you think she would attack Master Shifu?" Tigress asked.

"She mentioned having daddy issues."

"Daddy... issues?" Tigress quirked up her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I guess she has some issues with her dad," Po shrugged, "Who doesn't?"

"I don't."

"Don't what?"

"Have... daddy issues."

"I mean, everyone knows that you and Master Shifu have a foster father-daughter relationship. That counts, right?" Po asked. Tigress slowly nodded. "But why take it out on someone completely unrelated?"

"Maybe she's trying to be malicious."

"I don't think so."

"And what do you think her aim is, Po?" Tigress smirked, "Since you seem to defend this woman."

The panda narrowed his eyes, huffing as he placed his fists on his hips. "What are you trying to say?"

"I think she's saying that your eyes might have more hearts in them than actual sight," Viper smirked.

"I'm not in love with her or anything, okay! She just... took me off guard."

"And took off your pants," Monkey laughed.

Po groaned, "I'm not gonna hear the end of this for a month."

Crane came up to Po and rested his wing around his black-furred shoulders. "How about this? Monkey and I will do the patrol for this week. Just to make sure that this Momoda's actions aren't... selective towards you. Who knows, maybe she's just that way with everyone."

Po's eyes narrowed into slits, glancing up and down the bird's frame. "Uh... huh. And you want to figure this out because..."

"It helps to have a bird's eye view of things," Crane grinned widely. Po couldn't help but think about the way he described Momoda. He wondered if having a bird's eye view was all the single crane wanted from Momoda.

"Well, I wish you luck," Po muttered. "And whatever you do-"

"We know. Don't let your pants down," Monkey sniggered. "OWW!" He cried as Viper slapped the back of his head with her tail.

"I was going to say no matter what you do, make sure that you don't allow her to catch you off guard. She... has a very good knack for that."

"For you?"

"Not helping, Tigress," Po sighed.

Soon, the nights fell over the village like a crisp blanket tucking the villagers to sleep. For the first three nights, Crane and Monkey couldn't find any trace of the tiger. Though Crane seemed more intrigued and on guard, Monkey constantly threw jokes about Po's pants. "I get it," The bird would snap. He quickly grew tired of the simian's comedy skit about Po's innocent mistake. On the fourth night, when the primate made another joke, Crane finally stopped in the middle of the dark street and stormed, "You know, you should stop. Isn't Po your friend, Monkey?"

"Yeah, but can't I make some innocent jokes about my friend?"

"Do you joke about us like that?"

"Well-"

"Ooooooh! So you make jokes behind our backs?"

"I didn't say that!" Monkey exclaimed. "Geez, Crane. I was just kidding. You don't think I'm that mean to Po, right? It's just funny." The monkey examined his friend. "You should really get a girlfriend, you know. I think the late nights are starting to get to you."

"Why would getting a girlfriend help with that?"

Monkey wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe to relieve some... pressure."

Crane shook his head and grumbled under his beak. "Whatever, let's just-"

CRASH!

BANG!

ROAR!

"What was that!" Crane snapped. Monkey and Crane ran to the sound. Turning a corner on the dark lantern-lit path, they skidded to a stop in a dim alleyway. "Whoa." A piled throne of groaning men lay underneath a bored-looking tiger, cleaning out her teeth with her claw.

"Hmmm, I never understood why clawed villains do the cleaning the teeth thing," Momoda murmured, wiping her hand against her white vest. "It's so... unsanitary." The warriors looked at each other and readied themselves as they slowly approached her. "You two are late," Momoda muttered.

"Are... are you Momoda?" Crane asked.

"What's the matter, bird?" She smirked with an easy silvery voice. "Kitten got your tongue?"

Crane gulped, "I can see why Po warned us about you."

"Mmm," Momoda hummed lightly, though it changed when she asked, "And how are the pandas? Is the red one okay? I did mean it when I said sorry."

"I don't think-"

"Quiet you," Momoda growled at Monkey, "I'm speaking to the bird."

"Ouch," Monkey mumbled in hurt pride.

"He's... okay," Crane shook his head. "We're taking you in for disorderly conduct."

"HA!" Momoda laughed, "This village and the entire valley are disorderly. Valley of Peace my foot." Monkey and Crane tried to approach her. Momoda held up her hand. "Stop," She grunted, standing up from her seat of animals. "Look, I'm looking for a real challenge. These guys were nothing. What makes you think that you two are any different?"

"We're Kung Fu Masters," Monkey said.

"So were the pandas," Momoda remarked. "The monkey will be easy to deal with, but you, bird. I'll just have to pluck your feathers from you."

Crane gulped and his knees started to quiver under him. To his and everyone's surprise, Momoda looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"You... you didn't?" Crane asked.

"No, but get a backbone, though. Maybe you'll actually find yourself a girlfriend if you were more forward."

"Like you were with Po?" Monkey quietly snickered.

"No, like I will be once I find a stick to smack your head," Momoda barked. "For a monkey that's supposed to be funny, you're more dreary than a monotone bunny."

"Ooo! And it rhymes... sorta," Crane said. Monkey grunted and launched himself at the tiger, aiming for a punch. Momoda quickly and easily blocked the simian's attack with her hand. Monkey jumped over her, but she grabbed him by the tail and threw him down to the ground. Her foot pushed him back into the air like a hackysack, and she punched his stomach with an uppercut before grabbing his tail again and slamming him into the alleyway wall. Sliding to the ground, Monkey wheezed out his defeat. "Monkey!"

"He's alright. He just got on my nerves," Momoda complained. She dodged a kick from Crane and then a wing. She jumped out into the open street, cracking her stiff neck. "Hmmm, seems like little birdie has some energy in him." Crane swooped in and kicked the tiger back. Momoda blocked it and threw her fist at the bird. Crane ducked, grabbing the tiger's arm and throwing her onto the ground. "Ooo, harder birdie."

"Oohohohoookay you're that kind of fighter," Crane nervously groaned. Momoda rolled up, jumped, and kicked Crane back. The bird skidded along the ground but took to the air.

"You're doing a lot better than your monkey friend," Momoda commented. "Maybe a nervous bird like you does have the balls to get laid."

"WHAT?!" Crane exclaimed with a blush. He shook his head and flew out of the way of the tiger's high leap. "Whoa! Po really wasn't kidding." He dove in, striking her shoulder as hard as he could. The tiger rolled it off and tried to strike his back with her elbow as he flew. The bird barreled nimbly away, but she clipped part of his wing. He crashed straight into something soft and awkward.

"Ouch," The something spoke.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I was trying to-to-to-to," Crane stuttered to a stop when he realized he bumped into a lovely female crane. "Aahhh hi."

"Oh! Master Crane. It is such an honor to meet you," the female crane said. She wore a dark purple plain vest that somewhat blended into the night. A black line of feathers rode down the back of her neck with softer gray matching feathers that complemented the rest of her body. She bowed respectfully, "I'm Min. It is so nice to meet you."

"It's... uh... you... uh..." Crane stood up a little straighter and cleared his throat. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Min."

"Oh, just Ms. I'm not married yet," She said looking away with a blushing smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry for assuming."

"That's okay."

"I don't think I've ever seen you in the village before."

"Oh, I'm just passing through on business," Min sighed. Was that sadness in her voice? Crane didn't know, but he plucked up all the courage feathers on his chest and said,

"Well, after I'm done with this, maybe I could come to your house to make sure that you're alright?"

Min's eyes widened. "Oh. Oh! That's um... mighty forward."

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"No, no it's okay," Min smiled shyly. "I would... like that. But, what do you mean by when you're done with this?"

"Huh?" Crane suddenly remembered the tiger. He darted his eyes over to Momoda, who, watching the whole thing, leaned on a wall with a long smile.

"Do you need a moment or are we still fighting?" Momoda smirked.

"Uhhh excuse me for a moment," Crane grinned sheepishly. He flew at blazing speeds at the tattooed tiger and struck his wing against her forearm. The force actually pushed the tiger back.

"Mmm, seems like love gives you power after all."

"I'm just getting my second wind," Crane smirked back. The tiger's wild grin unnerved the bird, but only slightly. Crane swung his foot across her face. Momoda jerked back and ducked the next kick. She tried slamming her fist into his chest, but the bird quickly jumped just above her arm and smacked her backward with his wing. The tiger's wild grin grew as she threw a punch, but Crane ducked left and went for her gut. Crossing her arms, Momoda stumbled back before rushing up to the bird and slamming her body into him, making the bird of balance tumble. Momoda jumped back and leaped onto the rooftop.

"Ooof, did someone get that kitten's house address?" Monkey moaned from an alley.

"Are you okay?" Crane asked.

"I'll be peeing differently. But I should be fine."

"Sorry boys. But I have some other stuff to do." She turned to leave but stopped, looking over her shoulder. "Hey, birdie. This was fun. We should do this again."

"Uhhh sure," Crane said. With that, the tiger jumped off the rooftop and darted out of sight. The bird flew up but found the tiger nowhere. He flew higher and higher but the only thing he could find was a lone bunny running toward a group of other bunnies. Probably his friends. Crane flew back to Monkey who held his aching side.

"Now what do we do," Monkey groaned.

"Well, you go back to the Jade Palace, get better, and tell Master Shifu what happened," Crane said, heading down the street.

"What about you?"

"Uhhhh I have some stuff to do. I mean... finish up," Crane quickly recovered and flew away.

It was definitely a strange night.

Continued...