Maz Meets Lillia

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! NO! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES! NO!" Lillia shouted. The Master's Council had arrived the next day. Po managed to keep the thing a secret from Lillia, but when the Council came, it didn't weaken her outrage. "How can you ask me to do such a thing? I will NOT be a bodyguard for a lion, especially the son of the royal family of BEI-LANG!" Shifu sighed.

"We understand your... feelings towards this ordeal, but we need someone to look after him during this transition from the Master's Council back to the monarchy. Can't you reconsider?"

"NO!" Lillia answered the Ox.

"Told you she would be angry," Po whispered to Tigress.

"There isn't enough money in the world for you to convince me otherwise," Lillia said. Then Tigress's and Po's eyes lit up as they remembered the chest.

"Hold on to that thought," Po said to Lillia. He went in the back and retrieved the chest of money. "I'm guessing this is who it was for?" Po asked Shifu. Shifu, embarrassed that Po had seen through him so easily, nodded. Po opened the chest and let Lillia see the load of money. Lillia's eyes widened.

"Okay, that is a lot of money," Lillia confessed, but she shook her head and remained stubborn. "But you can't change my mind."

"I told you she wouldn't do it," Po whispered to Shifu and the others. "Now watch me do it." Po then spoke out loud. "You're right, Lillia."

"She is?" The Furious Five asked.

"I am," Lillia asked.

"Yeah, you can't do this. It wouldn't be right. Besides, why get you since I'm the better bodyguard and we are going to teach Prince Maz. You wouldn't be a good person for the job. Lots of stress," Po said. Lillia seemed offended.

"I'm more than qualified for the job. I just won't." Lillia argued.

"I know. But the simple fact is you can't. Besides, you couldn't protect the guy from a pair of bunny bandits. You're more of the assassin type," Po smirked. Lillia snarled at Po.

"I'll do it. And I'll do it better than you ever could," Lillia said, pushing her finger assertively at Po's chest for emphasis. Po grabbed her hand and shook it.

"Great! Then you'll do it. We'll get Prince Maz and you'll start protecting him tomorrow. I'll talk to him now," Po said, going out of the room and down to where Maz was staying. Lillia just stood there with her mouth gaping. As Shifu and the Master's Council left, Lillia was still in shock.

"The panda tricked me," Lillia said. Tigress placed her hand on her shoulder with a smirk on her face.

"He may not be dangerous but he can be very clever when he wants to be, Tigress said. Lillia growled.

"I'm going to kill that panda."

"Go ahead, I've tried. It just doesn't work," Tigress replied. "And if you're so against it, I'll be with you so you can... release some tension," Tigress smirked.

"I'm going to need that because I'm going to murder two people. The lion and the panda," Lillia muttered. "I hope you won't mind me hurting your 'close friend'." Tigress groaned at her smug smile.

Meanwhile, the panda had gone down to the village, found Maz staying at the inn, and brought him back up the steps. "Wow! I'm so excited to start!" Maz said excitedly. "I can't believe that the Gong-Go Warrior is going to be my bodyguard, AND I'm going to be taught by the Dragon Warrior and Furious Five."

"Yeah," Po said nervously rubbing the back of his head. "Exactly why are you going to be training and needing a bodyguard?" Maz seemed a bit anxious about that.

"Well, my dear friend, General Gong-Go was his name, wanted me to learn how to defend myself. He told my mother and the people watching over me that at a certain age I was to be protected by the warrior who would free my people. Since I'm of age now, the council has told me to uphold that wish from Gong-Go. That and things have gotten a little rocky in my kingdom," Maz replied.

"How so?"

"Well, ever since my brother took the throne, he decided to govern the people a different way. He decided to have a council of the people to decide what to do and he would execute those ideas."

"Interesting," Po said as they approached the top of the steps. "And how is your brother Zander?" Maz looked at Po with a shocked face.

"How did you know my brother's name?"

"I'm the Dragon Warrior. I have a weird knack for these things," Po shrugged. Still shocked, Maz answered.

"He's okay." When they made their way to the Training Hall, there was Lillia waiting for them.

"Prince Maz, this is Lillia, the Gong-Go Warrior. Lillia," He said to her in a warning tone, "This is Prince Maz." Oblivious to the fact that the lamb's scorn was boring through him, Maz bowed with a smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Maz happily said. Lillia stayed quiet. Po knew leaving him here would be a big mistake, but for the moment, he wasn't going to get in between Maz and the dagger probably aimed at him.

"Well, I'll be getting Master Tigress then," He quickly said. Then he left Lillia and Maz alone. Lillia was tall for a lamb but was still shorter than Maz by a foot. And since Maz was the same height as Po, it wasn't a question that he was much bigger than Lillia. But Maz was nervous.

"So, you're the-"

"Let's get something straight here," Lillia interrupted him, slowly backing him up to a wall. She grabbed her dagger and pinned Maz's decoratively tan robe to the wall. "First off, I don't like lions. Which means I don't like you. But in the present circumstances, I have to protect you." She grabbed another dagger and pinned the other side of his robe.

"Yikes," Maz said in a high pitch tone.

"Second, if you try anything with me, it will be the last thing you do. Thirdly," Thankfully she didn't have another dagger, "Don't get in my way."

"Do you mean literally or figuratively," Maz innocently asked. Lillia only glared at him. "Both, got it," He nervously smiled.

"Good," Lillia said, taking the daggers out of his robe. "Tigress should be here shortly." With that, she was gone. Just then, Po and Tigress came in.

"Hello Prince Maz," Tigress bowed.

"Please just Maz is fine," The lion replied still dry in the mouth. "And Po, unless the Gong-Go Warrior leaves the room, can you never leave me alone with her again?" Tigress glared at Po's nervous grin.

"You left him alone with her? What were you thinking?" Tigress questioned.

"I didn't want to get in between that dagger. Besides, she was going to do it eventually," Po reasoned. Tigress sighed.

"Prin- Maz, you'll have to be patient with Lillia. She's had a...difficult past with lions," Tigress said.

"I can see," Maz sighed, steadying his heart.

"Well, other than that, why don't we show you to your room?" Po said with a smile. Maz smiled excitedly. Tigress shook her head. He looked almost like a child in complete wonder. As the two left, Tigress thought about Lillia. How were they going to get along? Tigress sighed.

"I hope Po can figure out a dream for this one," She muttered to herself.

Continued...