Okay, super sorry for the long wait, but the first chapter is here! Sorry if I didn't get all the script right, it's been a while since I watched the movie... :P Hope you all find it satisfactory. Oh, and no, I don't own Kung Fu Panda.
Chapter One; Dreams and Visions
Legend tells of a legendary warrior, who's Kung Fu skills, were the stuff of legend!
A lone, lanky figure with a cloak flapping out behind it and a rice hat tipped over it's eyes walked in a dignified manner up an abandoned street, into a dilapidated town.
He traveled the land, in search of mighty foes.
The stranger entered a dank, dark inn, where crocodile, bear, leopard, and buffalo bandits were openly snatching away handbags and snapping angrily at timid passerby's. One croc had a bunny hanging upside down, gripping it's leg while coins dripped out, then he looked up in wary distaste when our stranger opened the door, his shadow stretched on the shaft of golden light spilling in.
The stranger made his way past the bandits, paws clasped behind his back, cape fanned out behind him, his narrowed eyes hidden behind his straw hat. He took an empty seat, completely ignoring the bandit's eyeing his expensive-looking silk pants, cape, and even his plain hat, as he began to eat a bowl full of dumplings. Suddenly, a couple of the rouges stomped up rapidly to the table, snorting in contempt and cracking their knuckles in anticipation for a fight. The leader, a burly gray ox with huge horns, glared at the spotted visitor, who was gnawing calmly on the balls of dough and vegetable.
"I see you like to chew," The ox began, "So why don't you chew, ON MY FIST!?" He pounded his curled bovine hoof on the table, nearly upsetting the bowl of dumplings from his impact.
The warrior did not answer, for he was eating. First he swallowed...then, he spoke.
"Enough talk," The warrior growls, "Let's fight! SHAKABOOEY!"
He jerked up from his chair and slammed his paw into the table, sending it flying into the ox and his buddies. They crashed into a wall, and the other criminals snarled angrily at this warrior, rushing in at him like one big opponent.
It didn't matter how many he faced; or how outnumbered he was.
The warrior shoved out both his paws and a burst of golden energy blasted into the bandits, sending them tumbling. He kept aiming stunning punches and kicks, making criminals sail through wooden walls.
The evil-doers were always the ones sorry in the end! It was said that he even blinded them with his sheer bodacity!
"My eyes!" A leopard bandit screeched, putting his paws in front of him to feel the way, his eyes seared white.
"He's too awesome!" Another blinded one declared in terror, slapping its paws to its spotted face.
"He's is so awesome," A duck echoed.
"And attractive," Added a she-bunny, batting her long black eyelashes.
"How can we repay you?" The bartender asked in awe.
"There is no price for awesomeness-or attractiveness!" The warrior answered nobly. The lady bunny inhaled in delight and fanned her face.
Our stranger jumped high into the air, feet ahead of him, kicking at any of those who opposed him. As the onslaught of foes grew heavier, like pouring rain, so his strikes were sent faster, stronger, defter. Soon, he was just a blur sending the enemy flying to the ground.
Then a massive, angry black cloud of leopards and wolves, blotting out the sun, came sailing down towards him, a whole army, a legion, an armada. It was impossible to defeat such a force! Simply un-do-able!
Yet the gallant warrior just stared up and winked a golden eye, and just with that simple flicker, a huge wave of blinding light boomed through the army and sent them dropping like raindrops into the river, as the stranger somberly walked down the wooden bridge.
Never had a leopard been so feared-
We zoom up to a giant palace in the sky, topping a frosty mountain, where five distinct figures stood.
Or so loved. Even China's greatest warriors, the Furious Five!...
The figures jumped up simultaneously from there places and rocketed through the sky, landing with such force the stone cracked beneath their feet, and they bowed respectfully to the warrior. Fire blazed awesomely behind their backs, just for extra effect.
Bowed before the mighty hero.
They formed a group behind his lead, striking poses, on one side of him a panda and on another a golden-furred monkey.
"We should hang out," The monkey suggested formerly.
"Agreed." The spotted hero said.
They came to a narrow cliff facing millions of armed enemies below them, the wolves, crocs, and cats snarling hungrily, waiting for battle.
But hanging out would have to wait.
Our hero drew out a blazing green sword with a golden handle, sharp enough to slice through metal.
Because when you're facing the 10, 000 demons of Demon Mountain,
The warrior let out a battle cry, and the others joined in. He jumped out after the villains, stepping over spears and slicing through wood with his sword, ready to take on anything.
There's only one thing that matters. And that's-
Suddenly, everything froze, and the epic narrator voice was cut off when the monkey at his side said in a very different voice from the one he had used earlier, "Tai! Get up!"
Then the panda added in the same voice, "You'll be late for work!"
Our dignified hero said something real intelligent like, "Huh?" And then let out a yell as he plunged wildly to the floor.
Blinking his golden-amber eyes open slowly, the snow leopard let out a groan as he realized his super-awesome Kung Fu dream had been interrupted for the fourth time that week, and this time, he'd actually fallen out of his bed in surprise. He stared around sleepily at his wooden walls, decorated with hastily sketched bandits on the wall embedded with ninja-stars, posters of Kung Fu warriors, and action figures on the window sill. Stacked against the wall and stuffed neatly against his bed were plates and bowls of all sorts, crowding the space greatly.
"Tai Lung Ping, what are you doing up there? Hurry up, costumers await!" Someone yelled downstairs.
"Comin' Dad!" Tai Lung called, quickly scrambling to his feet. He was kind of scrawny for a a 26 year old snow leopard, lean and sinewy, with well-groomed black-and-bronze-spotted metal-ish fur, white markings on his snout, over his eyes, and on his underbelly. He wore a pair of plain dark brown shorts, tan wraps around his legs, and a black belt, but nothing else. He leaped over to the window and grinned excitedly at the bear, primate, bird, snake, and insect action figures.
"Ki-ya! Monkey! Viper! Mantis! Crane! Panda! ROA-"
Tai Lung stopped mid-snarl as he caught a glance of a pig neighbor staring at him with an open jaw. He waved hastily and blushed in embarrassment before ducking down to the floor.
"C'mon!" The voice called again.
The leopard snatched up a ninja-star that had fallen from the wall and tossed it clumsily at the bandits drawn on the wall, but it clattered to the floor again.
"Hurry!"
"Alright! Ya!" Tai Lung said, throwing the weapon again, but it refused to stick, so he just pocketed it and stumbled down the narrow stairs, tripping over his feet and tumbling down. Amazingly, he landed on two paws-cat instinct, perhaps.
He looked at the floor, where the shadow of what looked like a possible feline stretched across the stone, and then up at the mound of plates, bowls, and pots supported by two grey wings. The person holding all the cooking supplies aloft set them aside with a huff then greeted Tai-Lung with a swift smile.
"Sorry Dad." Tai Lung said sheepishly.
"Sorry doesn't cook the noodles. Glad you finally made it. Lots of costumers this morning. What was all that noise upstairs you were making?" The goose asked. His tone was absent-minded and fatherly; he had on a noodle vendor's hat as well as a stained apron on top his normal clothes, and he kept waddling here and there in the cramped kitchen to tend to the costumers lined up in front of the house and busily making the soup as well. Tai Lung began helping out automatically, hunched over from the low wood-beamed ceiling.
"Uh...just a weird dream." He shrugged, answering his father's question.
"What was it about?" The middle-aged goose asked as he hurriedly sliced a turnip and scraped it into the bubbling pot of golden liquid.
"Huh?"
"What was your dream about?"
"Uhm..." Tai Lung looked around for a quick lie and found it as he served the soup to a waiting pig costumer. "I was dreaming about, uh...noodles?"
Mr. Ping, the goose, stopped mid-chop and studied the vegetable with a faraway look in his soft brown eyes. "Noodles? You were really dreaming about...noodles?"
Tai Lung nodded. Sure, why not? "Yeah, with what else would I dream-ooh!" He grimaced as an innocent costumer walked away with a hot bowl of noodle soup, and adorning it his shuriken which had somehow ended up there. "Be careful! Soup's...spiky." He winced.
Mr. Ping suddenly grinned wildly and began hopping about, waving a wooden spoon in the air. "I can't believe it! My son...finally had the noodle dream!" He gave him a hat like his, only bigger, and a tied an apron around his waist happily. "Oh, I've waited so long for this day!"
Bewildered, Tai Lung mumbled, "What?"
"It's a sign, Tai!"
"Uh, a sign...of what?"
"You're finally ready to learn the secret ingredient to my Secret Ingredient Noodle Soup!" Mr. Ping said giddily, wringing his wings in excited apprehension. Tai Lung raised an eyebrow in confusion "And so you can fulfill your destiny and inherit the resturant! Like I inherited it from my father, who inherited it from his father, who won it from a friend in a game of Mahjong." He tapped his spoon against a picture of first an old goose, then an older goose, and finally a grumpy-looking pig.
Tai Lung tried to backpedal. "Dad, Dad, Dad, it was only a dream!" He said, flustered.
"No," Mr. Ping pushed a bowl of soup to a waiting bunny with one webbed foot, "It was the dream." He said as he sprinkled some garlic powder into another bowl and served it to a pig, who smiled. "We are noodle-folk...broth runs through our veins!"
"But, Dad," Tai Lung frowned, pushing aside a hanging lantern, "Haven't you ever dreamed of doing...I don't know, something other than noodles?"
"Actually," The goose held up one finger, hopped down, and continued talking as he chopped more green onions. "When I was young and childish, I dreamed of running away to learn and make tofu."
"And why didn't you?" The feline asked in surprise.
"Because it was a stupid dream." He gave a short, ridiculing laugh. "Ha! Can you imagine me, making tofu?" He ran his wing gently down his knife and looked at it almost wistfully, his laughter growing faint, "Me, tofu...No!" Striking down with finality at the cutting board and leaving the knife jutting up, he went on.
"We all have our role in this world. Mine is here, and yours is-"
"I know, I know, here." Tai Lung sighed, smiling softly.
"Nope. It's in tables 2, 5, 12, and 3." Mr. Ping said as he piled plates onto Tai Lung's arms and hopped up to put the noodle hat on his spotted head. The goose stretched his son's mouth into a toothy, fake-looking grin. "Service with a smile!"
And still smiling, Tai Lung looked up with wishful eyes at a misty mountain, far, far above, where the faint, sweet sound of a flute being played was being carried down by the wind...
Under a pink-blossoming tree sat a robed red panda, a wooden flute to his mouth, ears erect and eyes closed in a peaceful manner, in a meditative position.
One flattened behind a slab of upright-standing stone and another behind a bush, a (surprisingly fit) giant panda and golden langur with a green praying mantis perched on his shoulder locked eye contact, coming do a quick decision and dashed away swiftly as shadows. The red panda stayed innocently unaware of their presence, still slowly playing the low tune.
A green tree viper appeared uncoiling herself from a red column with a silent hiss and sprang towards him; behind the mural surrounding the courtyard the panda and monkey leaped up from their hiding places stealthily, barely making a sound as the leaped on the tiled mural and towards the victim; a black-necked crane sporting a rice hat soared up from behind the walk and dove with a quiet flap of his wings towards the red panda as well, and finally, the mantis hopped out from nowhere and flew at him too.
The red panda was surrounded and outnumbered, but he only acknowledged them at first with a flick of one of his oversized ears. Then he slid open one narrowed piercing sky-blue eye just as the five others attacked.
Flute whistling as he sliced it through the air like a weapon, he quickly defended himself from the onslaught by dodging, blocking and slipping out of the range of their punches, kicks, and blows. Finally he landed in a defensive stance, flute still grasped tight in one hand, eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed studiously. The others had all struck poses as well, but they were waiting, not doing anything.
The red panda dropped his stance and folded his hands behind his back while still clutching his instrument. "Well done, students." He said.
The panda, viper, monkey, crane and mantis all bowed, but their Master added a bit frostily, "If you were trying to disappoint me." They all looked up in surprise, but weary recognition flashed through their eyes, already having expected an answer like that.
Pointing at each animal in turn with his flute, he said, "Panda, you need more ferocity, Monkey, velocity, Crane, height, Viper, subtlety, Mantis-"
"Master Shifu," A black duck with a yellow outfit interrupted.
"What?!" Snapped Shifu, turning to point his dangerous musical instrument at him.
The duck gave a frightened yelp and jumped at Master Shifu's cold, stern gaze. "It's Master Oogway," The duck gulped, and red panda's expression changed to one of surprise and mild anxiety. "He wishes to see you."
Master Shifu ran hurriedly from the arena and across to the Jade Palace, a magnificent structure of, well, jade. He opened the doors and sprinted in, skidding to a stop on the polished marble floor that almost glowed with different hues of blue. Looking around at the intricate pillars and pedestals showing artifacts and weapons, he took a deep, calm breath and closed his eyes.
Not looking up, he bowed respectfully fist-to palm style and said softly, "Master Oogway. You wished to see me...is something wrong?"
Finally he looked up at a turtle's shell balanced on a brown staff, behind it an almost fluorescent azure pool. Slowly, the reptile's craggy, wrinkled face poked out of the shell, revealing he'd been balancing backwards on the staff. He crawled down, not making a sound, smiling kindly said, "Why would something have to be wrong for me to want to see you, my old friend?"
"So...nothing's wrong?" Shifu concluded hopefully.
"Well, I did not say that." The turtle said as he plodded down the corridor beside hundreds of lit candles. Master Shifu blinked in confusion and glanced at the candles, then back at him, impatient for an answer.
Oogway leaned over slowly and started blowing the candles' yellow flames out one by one. Shifu watched, growing more and more impatient, the blowing getting more and more unbearable. Two... (blow)...three... (blow)
Shifu looked at the candles again, then back at his Master, who blew out another candle, looking as if he had all the time in the world. Oogway gazed at Shifu with a smile that was almost a smirk, turned, inhaled loudly, and blew out a fifth candle.
By now, Shifu's eye was twitching, his ears were dropping, and his mouth hung agape. He shook his head, blinked, and drew back his arms, making an open 'alligator' with his hands and thrusting them forward. A fierce draft of wind from this move made the candles surrounding the faintly glowing pool blow out as the wind swept out the flames like a rushing wave.
"You were saying...?" Shifu gestured for the sage reptile to go on.
Oogway turned away sadly from the smoking candles. "I have had a vision. Lingdao will return."
Master Shifu's eyes widened. For a moment, he couldn't breathe, and flashes of teeth, claws, and murderous red eyes made him shake in fear. No...it was impossible...He ended up panting, fur bristling, feeling battle wounds ache from so many years ago. Jerking out of his drowning terror, he shook his head violently and stared in horror at Master Oogway.
"That's impossible!" He nearly shouted. "Lingdao is in prison!"
"Nothing is impossible," Was Oogway's reassuring riddle of an answer.
Master Shifu's eyes got huge again, and his jaw dropped. Then he turned rapidly and called, "Zeng!"
The duck from earlier waddled up hurriedly. "Fly to Chor-Ghom prison," Shifu demanded in almost angry tone to shield his fear as he jabbed his finger at Zeng, "And tell them to double the guards. To double the weapons. Double...double everything! Lingdao cannot escape that prison!"
Zeng gulped and nodded, eyes bulging. "Yes, Master Shifu!" He gasped, before turning, flying square into a column with a strangled quack, and then flapping off.
"One tends to meet his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it," Oogway said remorsefully to himself, turning to the pool. Shifu walked stiffly up to him, gesturing wildly with his hands like he did when he was frantic and agitated.
"We have to stop him! He'll turn his hatred and hunger for revenge towards us! He'll destroy the valley and everything in his way! Under his Master's orders, he'll..He'll..."
"Your mind is like water, my friend. When it's agitated, the answer is hard to see." Oogway looked down at the rippling pool, peach blossoms floating on it's surface. "But when it's calm, the answer is clear." He tapped the tip of his weathered staff against the water and it settled, completely still at the touch.
And both saw the reflection on it's serene surface, a golden dragon carved into the ceiling, in it's mouth a red, green, and yellow scroll.
"The Dragon Scroll..." Shifu muttered, looking up at the sculpture.
"The time has come." Oogway certified.
"But who? Who is worthy to receive such unlimited power? Who could become...the Dragon Warrior?"
Oogway blinked slowly and responded simply, "I don't know."
Tai Lung tried unsuccessfully to serve the costumers while not bumping into tables. Sucking in his stomach, even though he was skinny, he managed to jumble his way through the maze, trying in vain to not get his long tail into bowls of soup.
"Watch it." A goat said, tapping him lightly with one hoof.
"Sorry," The snow leopard grimaced, then turned as his tail wound around a table leg and brushed against a young bunny's noodle soup. The bunny began to cry. His brothers made faces. The mother whacked poor Tai Lung on his side and glowered at him.
Tai Lung winced then set down the rest of the soup bowls at table three. He wished he was still dreaming.
Suddenly, two ducks, with sunny yellow attire walked inside and tacked up a poster painted with a panda, viper, mantis, crane and monkey striking different poses. Tai Lung's heart began to beat faster and faster. He probably would of dropped any bowls he he been holding any. Golden eyes huge and a genuine grin plastering itself on his snout, the spotted pantherine jumped up with unceremonious quickness and began shouting happily, getting closer to the poster so that his maw almost touched the wall.
"No way!" He exclaimed. "They're holding the Dragon Warrior Tournament! They've waited centuries for this!" He turned, blood rushing in his ears from excitement. "Go, everyone! Take your food with you!"
He began pushing costumers out, shoving half-full bowls into their hands, grinning like a madman. "Forget the change," He exclaimed at an elderly bunny who was carefully counting out every yen. Tai Lung dumped the coins back in his coin bag and shoved him gently of his seat, ushering everyone out of the restaurant. "Go, go, go! They're going to choose the Dragon Warrior!"
"Tai!"
The leopard's huge smile disappeared and turned into a cringing grimace. He swiveled around on one foot and muttered, "Yeah, Dad?"
"Where are you going?"
"To..the Jade Palace..."
"But you're forgetting the noodle cart!" Mr. Ping, ever the businessman, said as he dragged a cart on wheels stacked with bowls of noodles. Tai Lung's eyes widened.
"But-"
"All the valley will be there, and so will you, to sell noodles to everyone!" His goose father ignored him and wheeled the cart up to him.
"But, Dad, I was thinking that maybe-" Tai Lung began to protest.
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking that maybe..." Tai-Lung faltered.
"Uh-huh?" Mr. Ping motioned for him to go on. There was something in his eyes and proud, hopeful smile that made Tai Lung sigh.
"I was thinking that maybe...I should sell the bean buns too." He lied halfheartedly. "They're about to go bad."
"That's my son!" Mr. Ping said, waddling back into the house. "I told you that dream was a sign!"
Tai Lung's eyelids drooped. He rested his paw on the top of the cart heavily and scowled. "Yeah. Great thing that I...dreamed it."
The noodle cart was much heavier than it looked.
Tai Lung groaned and strained to pull it up the millions of stairs leading up to the Palace, his determination suffering just as he was suffering from the heat. The sun blazed overhead, and his forehead was beaded with sweat. Panting he dragged the cart up one more step and plain collapsed. It had been an hour and a half, and the feline was pretty sure he was almost to the top.
He looked down and gawked to see he'd only made it up seven steps. "No!" He moaned dramatically, pounding his fist on the stone. "No, no, no!" He was wailing like a two year-old. He REALLY wanted to see that tournament.
Two slightly late pigs began hopping up the steps. One patted his shoulder awkwardly. "Sorry, Tai. We'll...bring you back a souvenir. "
As the two jogged upwards, Tai Lung furrowed his brow thoughtfully, stubbornness making his eyes harden. "No." He decided, looking up at the never-ending flight of stone steps. He snatched off his hat and pulled the apron away, smirking slightly. "I'll bring me back a souvenir."
There ya go, and by the way, Lingdao ISN'T an OC. He's one of the characters from the second movie who was never named...I'll leave you to guess who, and what he did to make Shifu so frightened...Oh, and by the way, if you were expecting Po to become evil, you'll just have to be patient for that.
Until the next chapter,
-DOTS