Po had been right about today being one of those days. The battle against Fung's croc gang had taken only five minutes, and with the exception of a bruise of Po's head from when Fung had accidentally (seriously, it had been an accident) flung his helmet at the panda's head, the warriors had emerged completely unscathed. Once the crocodilian fiends had been tied up and sent to the nearest prison, Po and the Furious Five began the half-hour journey back to the Jade Palace. The ten centimeter thick snow crunched softly beneath their feet, while Mantis's tiny weightless legs made no sound or imprint in the white blanket, and Viper's long thin body made silent lines.
After a few minute's walking, Po lifted a paw to loosen the striped scarf that kept his neck warm and glanced at Monkey, who was still looking as sullen as when they had been sitting on the edge of the cliff. He leant down, tapped Mantis on his back (his shoulder was too small to tap), and indicated that he wanted to talk in private. The insect nodded in understanding, and together they slowly fell back, away from the group. Once they were roughly ten steps behind, Po began to speak.
"So what's up with Monkey?" Po asked quietly. "I've never seen him like this."
Mantis hesitated, but then decided that now was the time to explain.
"Don't blab this out, but tomorrow is going to be the fifteenth anniversary of his dad's death."
Po's mouth fell open slightly.
"Oh man…" He whispered. "What happened?"
"Aw, Po…" Mantis groaned. "Do I really need to go through this? I've already risked my thingies just by opening my mouth!"
"Mantis, please." Po urged. "I'm worried about Monkey."
"Po…"
"I'm worried about him as a friend!" Po raised his voice a little, but not enough to draw the others' attention. "I've never seen him this moody since the time I discovered the stuffed doll he keeps under his pillow! Mantis, I want to know what's going on."
The insect sighed deeply. He knew the panda wasn't going to let up.
"I don't know much about it." Mantis replied, glancing up ahead to make sure the primate hadn't heard them. "Monkey's never told us the whole story. Me and Shifu are really the only ones who know."
"What do you know?"
"All I know is that when he was a kid his dad was killed while on a mission in the Himalayas. Monkey has never said what killed him. The only other thing I know is that he keeps his dad's sword in his room."
"Dang, I never knew… and that's saying something, 'cause I'm his biggest fan!" Po said. He thought of his own two fathers, the noodle loving Mr. Ping and the stir fry loving Qiang, both alive and well, and his heart ached for his parentless friend. "Poor Monkey…"
"Yeah, I felt the same way when I found out."
"How did you get Monkey to tell you?" Po asked. "If something bad had happened to my dad, I wouldn't want to talk about it either."
"Monkey didn't tell me, Master Oogway did." Mantis said quietly. "A few weeks after I made friends with Monkey, Oogway took me aside and told me about his dad. A while after that, Monkey found out that I knew. Fortunately he didn't get mad."
"You said that his dad had died on a mission." Said Po. "Was he a kung fu warrior or something?"
"Nope, he was a commander in the imperial army." Mantis replied. "He was the best of the best, according to Monkey."
"What was his name?"
"Shan."
"Shan… nah, he's not in my mental encyclopedia of awesomeness."
"Huh?" Mantis raised an eyebrow.
"I've never heard of him."
"Don't tell Monkey I told you, okay?" Mantis asked. "I sort of promised him that I would keep it to myself."
"It's okay. My lips are sealed." Po said. "Thanks for telling me."
"Don't mention it. Now can we please drop this and get back to the group?"
Po nodded, and Mantis hopped on his shoulder as the panda jogged to catch up to the others.
"Hey, guys." Crane said as they reached them. "What kept you?"
"We both needed to pee." Mantis said quickly.
"In the snow?" Tigress smirked.
"When you gotta go, you gotta go." Po replied.
"I'm surprised the cold didn't freeze your tenders solid."
"It wouldn't have been the first time…"
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Let's keep walking, I'm freezing my butt off!"
Tigress rolled her eyes.
"Oh Crane…" Viper suddenly spoke up, her dark lips oddly curled into a smile. "I forgot to ask… who's this lady you've been admiring lately?"
Crane stopped so suddenly that the momentum caused his hat to fall over his saucer-sized eyes.
"Wh-what l-l-lady?" He stammered as he readjusted his hat.
"You know, the 'lucky gal' Monkey and Mantis have been talking about. Who is it? Bai Li?"
Crane shot a murderous glare at the pair, who gulped simultaneously.
"Well?" Viper asked.
Crane couldn't bring himself to look at her.
"Ugh… ahhh…" Odd sounds emanated from his beak.
Po chuckled at Crane's display, then glanced at Tigress, who looked like she couldn't care less, then looked at Viper. His small amused smiled flickered when he realized something very odd in her expression.
While her lips were smiling… her eyes weren't.
"Uhhhhh…." Crane swallowed. "Yeah."
"Yeah what?" Viper asked.
"Yeah, it's Bai Li." Crane said. "I'm not still crushing on her, FYI." He shot another glare at Monkey and Mantis. "It's just that ever since it went awry, those two have taken to teasing me about it."
"Really?" Before Po's green eyes, the smile returned to Viper's blue ones. He could have sworn that for a moment she looked relieved. "Well, I'm sure you'll find that special someone soon enough."
Crane turned away so she wouldn't see the redness in his cheeks.
"Speaking of special someones… Mantis, how's it going with Anming?"
"Still going great!" Mantis was suddenly beaming. "Even greater now that Shifu's decided to break the tradition of no guests allowed at the winter feast. Once I've had my lunch, I'm heading straight to her house to invite her."
"That's awesome, Mantis." Po said. "It's great that she'll be able to see the Jade Palace when it's not trashed beyond all reason."
"Oh for the love of…" Mantis groaned. "Will you ever let that go?"
"Never." Po replied.
"Ever." Crane added.
"Are you talking about the Po-disappearing-after-a-night-out incident?" Tigress asked. "You know, I never got to hear the full story."
"And you never will!" Mantis snapped. "We guys made a pact that we would never disclose the events of the incident… ever!"
"Whatever…" Tigress turned her attention back to the road ahead. They were now nearing the front gate to the village that sat at the foot of the thousand stairs.
"What about you, Po?" Viper asked. "Do you have a certain crush?"
"Huh? Oh, no. No I don't." Po replied after a double take. "I'm the Dragon Warrior, I don't have time for romance!"
"Oh for heavens sakes, Po." Tigress suddenly spoke, her voice laced with irritation. "If Master Flying Rhino had that attitude, Thundering Rhino wouldn't have been around to slay the Ten Thousand Serpents of the Valley of Woe."
"She's right, Po." Viper said. "If there's someone you like, you should go for it."
They didn't say any more after that. As they walked through the village street, their words swirled around in Po's head. After a few moments, Po's eyes flickered in Tigress's direction.
It was a cold winter. One of the coldest winters ever experienced. It was for this reason that Tigress had given in and swapped her sleeveless red vest for the long sleeved green one Po had given her for her birthday a couple of years ago. The mere fact that Tigress was wearing it warmed the panda's heart. The dark green silken fabric complimented her orange striped fur and made her seem less sullen, less hard. Po's cheeks warmed as he looked at her, took in her golden eyes, which looked brighter as they reflected the afternoon sun.
If there's someone you like, you should go for it.
Yes, Viper was right. He had to go for it, before he lost his chance.
The only problem was doing it and getting out in one piece…
They were just passing Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu when they heard a cry from within.
"Po!"
Po stopped in his tracks.
"Dad?"
"There you are, son!" Mr. Ping came rushing out of his restaurant and leapt onto Po's belly. "I've been waiting for you for hours!"
"Hey, dad." Po hugged his father back before letting him down. He frowned when he saw that the goose's beak was quivering in fear. "What's the emergency?"
"Oh Po…" Mr. Ping adjusted his noodle bowl shaped hat, which had been knocked askew in the goose's panic, before continuing. "Some suspicious person has been flying above the village since noon!"
"What?" Tigress turned her head upwards, suddenly stern and alert. The sky was currently empty. "Has he been circling?"
"Not quite. He keeps flying over every two hours! In fact, he appeared again just before you turned up! I had no idea who he was, so I stayed inside until you came home! Fortunately the shop was closed today so I could put up the decorations, so no noodles were harmed!"
"Which direction did he go in?" Tigress asked.
"In the direction of the Jade Palace."
All six warriors stiffened.
"Let's go check it out." Tigress said.
"I'll come with you." Mr. Ping said.
"No, dad. It could be dangerous."
"It's six against one, son, I'll be okay." The goose replied. "Besides, the chances are that he's not an intruder. And I promised little Su that I would come up after training time to teach her to cook tofu stir fry."
Po sighed.
"Alright… but if anything happens I want you to get the heck outta there." Po said. The goose nodded.
"Okay everyone, let's get up there and find out what's going on." Tigress said.
There was a hint of urgency as the six warriors and one chef quickly ascended the steps. As they went up, they kept their eyes trained on the skies for any sign of the mysterious flier. Half way up the stairs, a sudden distant cry above them stopped them in their tracks.
"What was that?" Mr. Ping asked fearfully.
"I don't know." Tigress said, her black-rimmed eyes staring up at the palace above them. "But it sounds like trouble."
"Okay, dad." Po turned to his father. "I think it's time you went back to the-"
He was interrupted by a screech from above.
"Oh my goodness, it's him!" Mr. Ping cried.
Indeed, a dark bird-like shape was soaring through the blue sky above their heads, backlit by the bright sun.
"Crane, fly up there and find out who he is!" Tigress said. "The rest of you, into the palace!"
As Crane lifted off and flapped upwards towards the shape in the sky, the rest rushed up the latter half of the steps and to their immense surprise found a dozen pigs, antelopes and geese dressed in bright colored clothing standing in a group in the palace arena.
"Who are you?" Tigress demanded, taking an intimidating step towards them. "What are you doing here?"
"In the barracks." One of the geese said.
"What?"
"The person who can answer your queries is waiting in the student barracks."
"Monkey, you stay here and keep an eye on these people." Tigress said.
The kung fu warriors barged past them minus Monkey, Mr. Ping close behind.
"Do you think Shifu knows what's going on?" Po asked.
"We haven't seen him since we arrived, so I don't think so." Tigress replied without so much as a glance, her face hardened with anger and worry. "He should be in the training hall with Su and Pong. Viper, you and Mantis go and inform him that there are intruders in the palace."
Viper and Mantis took off at once.
Within seconds, Po, Tigress and Mr. Ping were barging through the barrack doors. The kitchen door was open, so in they went.
In the far corner of the room was a small figure hunched over, searching through one of the lower cupboards. He was wearing a silken khaki colored robe and a dark green belt, and a wide rice hat sat on his head, made visible when he straightened and turned towards the warriors and chef. He was a goose, looking much older than Mr. Ping as evidenced by his pure white feathers and long mustache that greatly resembled Shifu's. In his wings was a large jar.
"What in god's name do you think you're doing?!" Tigress snarled.
The elderly goose merely opened the jar, and scooped out some almonds to inspect them.
"Hey, I asked you a question!" Tigress made to approach the goose, but Po quickly put out an arm to stop her.
"Hmmm…" The goose murmured as he held a single almond up to his eyeball. "These almonds are cracked."
Mr. Ping tensed, having had supplied those almonds himself. He stepped forward before Po could stop him.
"Who in the name of the golden dragon of unity do you think you are?" He said in a low, furious voice, lifting a feathered finger to poke the elder goose in the chest. "Well? Who are you?"
"My name is Di Tan." The goose said politely, his beak raising his own wing to shake the goose's outstretched finger. "You must be Mr. Ping. I hear that your noodles are as famous as mine these days."
Mr. Ping's eyes bulged as his brain registered the name. Black shock loosened the hinges of his beak and his jaw dropped. His pointing finger began to quiver.
"Di Tan…" He whispered, frozen in disbelief. "Di Tan…"
The elder goose merely chuckled and bent down to put the almond jar back in the cupboard.
"Di Tan?" Po was also surprised. "You're the legendary noodle chef dad always talked about?"
"I wouldn't say 'legendary'." Di Tan said with a humble smile. "You on the other hand… judging by your species and presence in the Jade Palace, you must be the Dragon Warrior."
"Yeah, I am. You can call me Po if you want."
"It is an honor to meet you, Master Po." Po felt a little sheepish as the goose bowed to him.
"Enough introductions!" Tigress suddenly snapped. Her hardened expression had not changed once during their exchange. "For the last time, what are you doing here?"
"You must be Master Tigress." Said Di Tan, not intimidated in the least. "I apologize for the unexpected visit. However, if you-"
BAM!
"Alright, who is this intruder?!" Shifu said angrily as he barged through the kitchen doors, Viper and Mantis close behind.
"Er, Shifu, this is Di Tan." Po said, slightly startled by the red panda's sudden appearance. "Di Tan, this is Master Shifu."
"It is an honor to meet you, Grandmaster."
"What are you doing here?" Shifu asked, a little less angrily as he realized that this goose posed no threat.
"To properly answer your question, you will have to speak to- oh speak of the devil! Here he comes!"
Po, Tigress and Shifu spun around (Mr. Ping was still in shock) just in time to see Crane and a black eagle in bright red clothing enter the kitchen. This eagle's curved beak looked twice as deadly as his large talons, and his eyes were dark and sharp. With a jolt, the warriors in the room realized that he had been the mysterious figure in the sky.
"Who is this?" Shifu demanded.
"He says he's Master Eagle, and he's here on behalf of the emperor." Crane said.
"Master Eagle Junior, to be precise." The eagle said briskly, just as Po opened his mouth to freak out over Master Eagle's defeat of the hyenas of Han Dan. "I was merely scouting the area to ensure that no spies were in the village. Master Crane tells me that my presence alarmed the villagers. I apologize."
"It's alright." Shifu said, waving off the apology. "You say you're here on behalf of Emperor Xian. What does he want?"
"Does his grandson Lu Kang need training?" Po spoke up. "'Cause that was the last thing he wanted us for."
"Not quite." Master Eagle Jr. said. "May we proceed to the Hall of Warriors?"
"Fine. You can explain on the way." Shifu said.
At that moment, Monkey entered the room.
"That group of people in the arena says they're imperial palace servants." He said. "I'm pretty sure they're telling the truth."
"They are." Shifu said. "Master Eagle Jr. here says that they are here on behalf of the emperor."
"The emperor?" Monkey's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What does he want?"
"Walk with me and I'll explain." Master Eagle Jr. said.
It wasn't until they all exited the barracks, leaving the near-catatonic Mr. Ping in the kitchen, and began up the path to the Hall of Warriors that Master Eagle Jr. began to speak.
"The emperor sends his most sincere apologies for this intrusion." He said as they walked. "But he wishes to meet with you to discuss a very important matter."
"When?" Shifu asked. While Po and the Furious Five were astonished that the emperor himself had requested to meet them, Shifu barely pricked his ears.
"Tomorrow night." The black eagle replied. They reached the Hall of Warriors and stopped just outside the front doors.
Shifu sighed.
"I'm sorry, but tomorrow is going to be a problem." He said. "It would take us five days to travel to the imperial city."
"Yes, I told Emperor Xian that…" Master Eagle Jr. said.
That was when the front doors opened, and a tall figure stepped out.
He was a tiger, probably sixty years old at the most, obviously of regal bearing. Flowing robes of gold and red covered his body, with intricate dark green patterns stretching across the shimmering fabric. A dark colored crown sat atop his head. Despite his assumed age, he had the face of a forty year old man, and a good looking one at that. His fur was short and neatly trimmed, his black stripes were perfectly symmetrical, and his eyes were a warm orangey-brown, the color of tea. As he stood before the thunderstruck Jade Palace warriors, he smiled and spoke in a calm, velvety voice.
"The fact is… I don't want to wait a week."