Secrets of the Past

Po noisily ate his food alone in the kitchen. Then Tigress came in. "It's good to see you have your appetite back," She muttered.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Po replied.

"It is. It means we have to start hiding our food again," Tigress said.

"You hide the food! Now wonder it's only half full when Zeng restocks," Po realized. Tigress sat next to Po. "Hey Tigress, I'm sorry for making you so worried over these past days."

"It's alright. I've gotten used to it with your...nature," Tigress smirked. Po nervously chuckled.

"Right, but I am sorry. I know that what I go through worries you a lot. It's the same thing with me for you. That's why I try to hang out with you a lot." Tigress was surprised a bit.

"Why do you worry about me?" Tigress asked.

"I know you like being alone sometimes, but I worry that you might get lonely. That's why I'm actually happy, kind of, that Lillia's here. You and she get along very well. She can at least give you some company where I couldn't."

"She's a good fighter and she and I do have some similarities," Tigress said as she held Po's hand, "But I miss our times together, with you and the others. I may like my solitude, but I like being with you." Po smiled.

"Thanks, Tigress," He said. Tigress released Po's hand and stood up to get something from the cabin.

"What do you mean, kind of?" Tigress suddenly asked with a laughing smirk. Po gave a childish pout, crossing his arms.

"Tigress, she said I wasn't dangerous. That's why she was so comfortable around me. I can be dangerous, right?" Po asked, feeling a bit offended. Tigress smiled.

"Po, the only time you're dangerous is when we fight major villains and bandits, when you're being clumsy, or when you're hungry and someone's in your way," Tigress explained. Po still looked childishly upset. "But that's not a bad thing. Let's face it, if you were dangerous, kids wouldn't like being around you. And-" She gave Po a hug from behind him with her arm around his upper chest, "You do have to admit you're...cuddly." Po huffed, making Tigress shake her head and smile.

"I'm not cuddly. I'm just...mildly softening," Po said. Tigress hugged Po tighter, showing how "cuddly" he really was.

"You're cuddly," Tigress stated.

"Well, looks like you two are getting to know each other better," Said Lillia in the doorway of the kitchen. Po and Tigress looked at their position. Tigress had her arms around Po's chest and Po absentmindedly was rubbing her arms. They jumped away from each other, blushing embarrassed. "Aw, did I interrupt a moment you were having," Lillia said, pretending to be apologetic. Tigress growled at the lamb.

"What is it, Lillia?" Tigress asked.

"I need to talk to Po. It's obvious that he's going to figure out my full past, so I'll save him the trouble of dreaming it," Lillia said, sitting down across from the two. Po could see that she was still sore from yesterday when Po had the dream about the Bei-Lang lions. "General Gong-Go was part of the emperor's army. He was the lead general. He took me from my land, saved me from the lions, and then hid me. The duck servant was to take care of me when Gong-Go was gone. Gong-Go trained me in the way of the warrior. After that, Gong-Go, me, and a few masters and warriors from outside the region, came with us to overthrow the emperor. We freed the peasant and slave lions, then we took the palace. But-" Lillia paused. Neither Po nor Tigress could tell if she was struggling to not cry. "General Gong-Go took an arrow for me. And he died. We made sure that the emperor was...defeated, for lack of a better word."

"You killed him," Tigress simply stated.

"I'd like to say...alleviated him of his...physical state," Lillia smirked. "After that, the lions celebrated, but I wouldn't allow myself to stay. I won't forgive them for what they did to my parents, to my village, to me."

"Lions aren't all the same, Lillia," Po protested.

"They are," Lillia shot back.

"Gong-Go wasn't."

"Gong-Go," Lillia paused, "Gong-Go was different. He wasn't a part of the lions. He was the only one who understood the evil that the emperor was telling those brutes!" Po sighed.

"I know they hurt you and a lot of people. But how many years did the lions spend in captivity?" Po asked.

"I don't know, that wasn't my problem," Lillia said harshly.

"Twenty years," Tigress said. Po and Lillia looked at Tigress. "I learned that it was twenty years that the lions were in slavery. They actually made slaves gradually so that no one could rise against them. When the emperor finally decided all of them to become slaves, it was only a small fraction left that weren't slaves."

"Regardless, they are a bunch of menaces," Lillia muttered.

"So why haven't you gone back with some of your people?" Po asked. Lillia couldn't answer that right away.

"I... wouldn't belong with people like me. Because-"

"You were taught by a lion," Po finished. "That's the point I'm talking about. You're not like other lambs and there are lions who aren't like the ones who killed your parents. You never know. You may end up even liking a lion," Po said. Lillia's glare at the panda was enough to shut him up. "I'm just saying."

"There is nothing you can say that can convince me that the lions are good," Lillia said, giving her final word. Then she left the kitchen. Po sighed.

"I tried," he said. Tigress patted him on the shoulder.

"Maybe things will be different for her," Tigress said. "In the meantime, you need to go to Master Shifu. That's the main reason why I came here." So Po went to Master Shifu who was waiting for him. Po bowed.

"Sorry, Master Shifu. I was talking with the Gong-Go Warrior," Po replied.

"Nevermind that," Shifu brushed it away, "We have a more pressing issue. An important shipment has been lost and found in the Mung Hills. I need you to get it."

"Ooh, what's in it?" Po asked excitedly.

"It doesn't matter what's in it," Shifu sternly said. "What matters is that you bring it back here. And I want you to do it alone." That was weird for Po.

"Why do you want me to do it alone?" Po asked. Shifu looked around.

"Because I don't want others to hear of this. It is a mission of ultimate secrecy."

"Oh, so it's a super secret kind of spy-action mission," Po said punching in the air. Shifu shook his head.

"No, this is a matter that will be needed. Please, this mission requires the most focus," Shifu said.

"If that's true, then I can't do it alone," Po replied. Shifu stroked his beard. He was right.

"Fine, Tigress will accompany you. You will leave immediately." Shifu said. Before Po could say anything, Shifu went to tell Tigress. Po moaned. This didn't seem good.

So Po and Tigress were on their way to the Mung Hills. The Mung Hills are very plain and barren. That is to say, they don't have any trees. The hills were covered with rolling grass with towns built on top of them. They weren't really the most hidden places. Even as Po and Tigress entered one of the towns, they were wondering how a shipment could get lost here. And the weird thing was that it was easy enough to find. The town folk elders came to the duo and presented a large chest to them. "Where did you find it?" Tigress asked them.

"We found it laying there in the forest. We tried to open it but the lock was too cumbersome," One of the elders said. With that, the two left the town with the large chest in hand. It was heavy and made a certain noise everytime they moved. Po had had enough of the secrecy.

"Tigress, we need to know what's in this chest," Po said.

"But Master Shifu-"

"Master Shifu isn't carrying the chest. We need to know what's inside if we're going to properly protect it," Po reasoned. That wasn't necessarily true, but Tigress's curiosity was peaked as well. Plus, it didn't make any sense for people to just lose something and then find it immediately. What happen to the original escorts? "Will you kindly do the honors?" Po asked politely, bowing to her. Tigress smirked at the panda's attempt of being over gentlemanly. Tigress kicked the lock off. Po gently opened the lid to see what was inside. What was inside, shocked both Tigress and Po.

"Money? Lots of it" Po said in a questioning voice.

"Why would a shipment of money be going to the Jade Palace?" Tigress asked. Po thought about it.

"When we get back, don't tell anyone, not even Shifu about this. I'll explain it to Master Shifu," Po said.

Continued...