A Worrying Development


Po ducked from Crane's wing before pushing the bird's chest. Crane backed away. He looked up and took to the air before circling and diving from above. Po rolled from the bird's diving attack. Crane landed in his ready stance. Po ran up and tried to grab Crane. With a flap of his wings, Crane soared into the air, hovering over Po in a circle. "Come on, Crane. That's not fair. Why are you always flying away?"

"Ever since we fought Kai, I want to make sure that I can get out of the line of danger."

"Hmm, good point," Po said, rolling his shoulders back. The bird gently fluttered to the courtyard ground right outside of the Training Hall. "But that's not gonna win the fight, you know."

"I can't win the fight if I'm possessed."

"Another good point. Wow, you're on fire today."

Crane smiled. Po stretched his back and gave a loud grunt of relief. "I think we're good for today. You keep dodging everything I throw at you."

"And that's a good thing."

"But you have to go on the offense sometime, you know," Po argued.

"Not if I can-"

"I'm pretty sure someone like Kai isn't gonna be around for a while." (A/N: Right Dreamworks?)

"You never know," Crane replied. Suddenly, they heard a loud clang. They whipped their heads and ran over to the left side of the Training hall where they cleared a small bush from their sight. They saw a certain snake trapped under heavy weights.

"Viper!" Po and Crane rushed to her side and took the weights off of her.

"Are you okay?" Po asked.

"Ack! Ack! I think so," Viper coughed. Her body looked mangled and misaligned. She stretched out, and Po and Crane winced as several pops and cracks echoed from the serpent's body. "I... think I'm going to rest for a bit."

"Viper, why are you hiding here?"

"I'm not hiding," she answered Crane.

"But you're in the bushes practicing with... actually what were you doing with the weights?" Po asked.

Viper glanced at the two warriors and sighed. She slithered out of hiding and into the courtyard, still frowning. Po and Crane glanced at each other in silence and stillness. "I was just... trying to get better."

"At what?" Crane asked.

"I was trying to get stronger."

"Why?" Po asked.

"Because I... I feel like I've been falling behind. Like my training has stalled. I know that you're the Dragon Warrior Po, but I can't help but feel like I've gotten... weaker."

"What? What makes you say that?" Po asked.

"It's just... you've mastered Chi, inner peace, and almost every Kung Fu imaginable."

"I have not."

"You might as well have. It's just... I feel like I'm... weak."

"Viper," Crane spoke up. "You're not weak. And besides, strength and power can only get you so far, and you know that."

"Yeah, I may be the Dragon Warrior and the best at Kung Fu, but not strength."

"What about Tai Lung?" Viper pointed out.

"Tai Lung was still strong, but what's strength when you're fighting me? I'm as unpredictable as they come, but I'm not as muscle-bound as he was. I can't fight Tigress in a simple game of wrestling. Not again anyway," The panda murmured, rubbing his forearm.

"By the way, how does it feel?" Crane asked with a small smirk.

"Oh, you mean my arm after she nearly snapped it in half? Good!" Po sarcastically replied. "Just twitches with the weather."

Crane stifled a laugh as Viper faintly smiled. "Thank you, guys. I appreciate it," the snake said with a masking smile. Po could see right through it, but suddenly A loud crash shuddered the timbers of the Training Hall.

"What the heck was that?!" Po exclaimed.

"That's probably Tigress, though I've never heard her train that hard," Crane said.

"Come on, she might need our help," Po said. The three ran inside to see the tiger training with large weights strapped to her arms and legs. She jumped high into the air and landed straight into a split, hard enough to make Po and Crane wince. She rolled into a ball and jumped out feet first, landing both feet on the face of her target dummy. She leaped off and stuck the landing, poised in a fighting stance much like Monkey's. Then she stood on one foot, like Crane, and kicked the target across its head before punching it straight across the hall. "Wow, she's going hard."

Suddenly, she blew on the dummy, and it collapsed into a pile of wood and metal.

"Very hard," Viper commented.

"She's gotten much stronger in the last month," Crane added. "She's been training almost day and night, but she has been taking breaks."

"Really?" Viper asked. "Why?"

"Po wouldn't let up on her," Crane smiled.

"She was going to hurt herself and I couldn't let that happen," Po huffed. "Besides, we're her friends. Aren't we supposed to make sure she doesn't hurt herself?"

"Friends, yes. But-"

"Let's just make sure she's okay," Po grumbled. Viper and Crane chuckled as the tiger got out of the sand pit and unlatched her heavy weights. They loudly clung to the ground, nearly breaking the wood. "Hey, Tigress. You're really working hard on that... uhh... what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm training with different styles of Kung Fu. If I can learn to be unpredictable, then I'm better equipped in the line of battle," She answered.

"But why are you worried about being unpredictable?" Crane asked.

"It's... personal," Tigress said, looking away. Po rested his hand on her shoulder, offering a small smile.

"Tigress, if something's wrong, you can tell me... I mean, uhh... us," Po recovered. The tiger looked at him for a second and sighed.

"I'm stalling. I can feel it. I need to be stronger."

"Not you too. Tigress, you're already the strongest person I know," Po argued. "Anyone who's stronger than you has to have the strength of a demon or a god."

"Po, I'm not that strong. I couldn't fight any of the enemies you've faced."

"I mean, sure... but you managed to survive them and that's a lot. I mean, you pushed me out of the way of Shen's cannon and managed to get away from Kai."

"Running away isn't a sign of strength," Tigress grunted, gazing at her hand. Po gently took her hand and smiled warmly.

"You're a sign of strength. And you can't be a sign of strength when you're hurt. That's good enough for anyone."

"Careful, Po," Viper smiled, "It almost sounds like you like her."

"What!?" Po exclaimed. He jumped from Tigress and stood as straight as a stiff board. "No, no, no! I mean, I didn't mean it like that, Tigress."

Tigress rose an eyebrow and stared at the smiling snake. "Viper, don't tease Po."

"But if the shoe fits."

"Crane, you're the last person to talk, you know that?" Po snapped.

"Ouch. True but ouch."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Viper asked.

"Nothing, he's just referring to the fact that I've been having a little-"

"A lot," Po added.

"Trouble with the ladies lately."

Tigress rose her eyebrow. "What ladies?"

"Tigress!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Po chortled while Crane reddened in the cheeks.

Tigress glanced at Viper. The snake gave a small scowl, signaling she did something wrong. The tiger shut her eyes and took a deep sigh, "I'm... sorry, Crane. I didn't mean to upset you. But... how did I... upset you?"

"You basically said what we're all thinking," Po chuckled. "It's just the way you said it was funny."

"It's not funny to tease Crane," Viper argued.

"He started it."

"You two are being childish," Viper sighed.

"He started it," Crane grumbled.

"Okay, okay, okay," Po said. "Viper's right. Look, I'm sorry for what I said and so is Tigress."

"I don't know what I did wrong," Tigress commented.

"It's alright, you don't need to know," Po smiled in a goofy manner. Tigress shook her head with a hard-to-read sigh. "How about we take a break? I think we all need a little R&R. Why don't we go to my dad's shop?"

"I think I'll stay up here for food," Viper replied. "I want to focus on training a bit more."

"I'll stay around to make sure she doesn't hurt herself," Crane said. The snake side-glanced the bird. "Hey, I don't want you getting squished by something heavy again."

"I'm not that weak... am I?"

"What?! No, no I was-"

"Crane will stay here and be your sparring buddy," Po clarified, smirking a bit. "I think that's what he's trying to say. Right, buddy?"

"Uhhh, right," Crane sighed a bit in defeat. Po smiled. The bird had trouble talking with girls, even when he knew them for a while. In fact, it would take Crane a minute to find the normal way just to talk with Viper and Tigress.

Whatever that normal way looked like for Crane.

"I'll go with you," Tigress spoke up. Po snapped his head at her and widened his eyes. "I need the rest."

"You do?"

"You do?"

"You do?" Viper, Crane, and Po said.

Tigress blinked at their confusion. "I can rest, can't I?"

"Of course! Of course," Crane hastily said. "It's just..."

"You never do," Viper finished. Tigress's face hardened.

"But!" Po quickly shot up, "There's a first for everything. Hehe. We'll be back before sundown. Don't wait up for us." Po and Tigress walked out of the Training Hall and started down the stairs.

The bear and tiger stepped down the stone steps and into the village where the town's waning and slowing energy could be felt in Po's yawn. "Man, that was a long day of training."

"It was," Tigress said softly. She rolled her shoulders back a bit, making a wincing face that Po couldn't help but notice.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You look uncomfortable."

"Just... a little stiff."

"You should really rest more, Tigress," Po said tenderly. "You can't be the awesome warrior that you are if you keep breaking yourself. You've gotta rest."

Tigress gave a small smile. "I'll try and keep that in mind." They walked into the goose's shop. The evening rush was winding down and a few customers were left.

"Ah! Master Tigress, Po! it's so good to see you two," Mr. Ping smiled widely.

"Hey, dad. Where's dad?" Po asked.

"Ah! Li Shan. That oaf went off to the panda village to get ingredients for his 'Special Bamboo Soup'. I told him that I can get bamboo much closer for much cheaper, but he wants the 'quality stuff'. Like I don't know anything about quality," Mr. Ping honked, flinging his wooden spoon around.

"Right," the ursine warrior chuckled, a bit embarrassed at the cook's actions. Po and Tigress sat down while Mr. Ping readied their usual meals. The goose stirred and tossed the pan with ease as Po looked around the increasingly vacant shop. The remaining customers yawned and slowly walked out of Mr. Ping's shop while the goose shouted 'Come again.' Po yawned again. "How is everything in the village, Dad?"

"Good, good. Well, maybe good," Mr. Ping said.

"What do you mean?"

The goose looked both ways before whispering to the two warriors. "There's word of a newcomer to the village. A real piece of work from what people have been saying."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Po asked.

"Word is that a woman came into the village a week or two ago and started making a mess over at the Huai Difang tavern. Ironic if you ask me."

"Yeah," Po chuckled. Huai Difang literally means 'bad place'. "But what makes this lady so special?"

"Real rough type. She beat up several thugs and bandits that regularly go there. Made a real mess of the place."

"Is she a bandit?"

"No, not really. Doesn't seem like it anyway. Saved a bunch of people getting mugged and robbed," Mr. Ping explained, "But she only goes to the worst parts of the valley it seems."

"So the south side," Po said. Mr. Ping nodded. "Huh, so she's beating up the bandits but making a mess? Is she helping or hurting?"

"Hard to say. But she sounds like a real piece of work. Eh, maybe she's single, Po," Mr. Ping smirked.

"Dad," Po muttered under his breath.

"Mr. Ping," Tigress spoke up. "How do you know so much about this?"

"Ah, what? I can't dabble in some harmless gossip? A bird has to stay informed you know," Mr. Ping huffed. Tigress and Po's faces fell with a deadpanned glint in their eye.

"Right," Po sighed.

"Ah! And Master Tigress. Is Po treating you well?" The goose asked.

"Daaaaddd," Po grumbled in a blush.

Tigress smiled warmly, "He's doing fine. Would be a little better if he wasn't as clumsy."

"So I have low coordination. Sue me."

"You're the Dragon Warrior, Po. You're supposed to have good coordination."

"Not all the time," Po grumbled.

Tigress sighed with a small smile. "Thank you for asking, Mr. Ping."

"Any time, dearest," Mr. Ping replied.

Po coughed out his nervousness, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, thank you, Dad. It was nice seeing you but we should really get going. Bye!" They got their food and hustled out of the place with Po shoving Tigress out.

"Why does Mr. Ping call me dearest?"

"Whaa? I don't know. Uhhh he's... nice?" Po nervously grinned. Tigress smirked and hummed to herself as they walked back under the orange and pink sky. Her smile turned to a frown as they reached the steps.

"This... gossip that Mr. Ping was talking about. Do you think that there is someone like this in the village somewhere?"

"I mean, does it matter?" Po asked.

"She sounds like a problem."

"Tigress, anyone that much of a problem would've raised Shifu's danger flags waaaay up," Po pointed out. "Besides, it's dad's gossip. You can't take it seriously. This is the same goose that thought that silver coins were laced with little luck charms that made businesses go under."

"That's why he only accepts gold yuan?" Tigress asked.

"Like I said, you can't take him that seriously," Po chuckled. Tigress smiled. "I think it's just some rumors. Nothing more," the panda yawned.

"Hmm. I hope so," Tigress muttered to herself, patting the side of her pants. The two warriors made it to the top of the mountain.

Po yawned again. "Wow, I'm bushed. I think I'm gonna hit the sack. Goodnight, Tigress."

"Goodnight, Po. Let's hope that you're right about Mr. Ping's gossip."

"Tigress, please," Po smiled assuredly as he headed for his room. "This is my dad we're talking about. It's nothing to worry about."

"I'll hold you to that," Tigress smirked. The warriors slipped into their rooms and quickly went to sleep.

The night soon came, blanketing the slumbering village. Two large figures strolled down the southern edge of the village. The ox looked to his oxen counterpart on his right. "Do you think we should be out here? Someone might see us?"

"Relax, the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior haven't done anything major around here in a while," The ox on the right smiled, carrying a battle hammer across his shoulders. "You worry too much Mao. You're so tense for no reason.

"It's not that. Some villagers have been saying that something is prowling around here."

"And you believe those sissies?"

Mao nodded, "They live here."

"Look, the most terrifying thing about this village are the easy pickings. Now get your tail out from between your legs and help me find a corner to hide behind."

"What about this one?" Called a voice from a dark alley the two were passing. They saw a figure in a hooded cloak, blending into the darkness. "This alley is good for hiding a lot of things. Carts, bags, two oxen muggers that are about to eat fist and dirt."

"Oh, a smart guy huh?"

"I don't think this is a good idea, man," Mao said, but the other ox marched up to the cloaked figure and grabbed their fabric.

"Listen, punk. We don't bow down to-" Before he could finish, the cloaked figure grabbed his neck, kicked his knees out from under him, and floored him to the ground. The ox choked for breath before reaching for his battle hammer. The cloaked figure stopped it with one hand and broke the handle in half like an actual twig. Growling loudly, the hooded figure pulled the ox up and kicked him right into the darkness of the alley where he groaned into unconsciousness.

Then the cloaked figure looked at Mao. Mao gulped. "I-I-I-Is it possible to avoid that?"

"Depends." The person walked up to the ox, standing two feet away from him. "Are you thinking of stealing tonight?"

"Nope."

"Ever?"

"Nope."

"Pinky promise?" The cloaked figure held out their hand with their pinky. Mao immediately noticed claws with colorful fur, but it was too dark under the cloudy night to tell what color they were.

"Uhhh, well," Mao rose his hand up and showed his hooves. "You have an alternative?" He chuckled anxiously.

The hooded figure crossed their arms. She sounded female, though the ox couldn't tell by the darkness and the hood. He could see their eyes burning red with the intensity of a raging rhino. One false move and Mao was done for.

"Tell me a joke."

"What?"

"Tell me a joke," The hooded figure repeated.

"Uhhhh, ookay. Ummm... A crane is flying carrying 500 bricks, one drops. How many are left?"

"499?"

"Good. Now-"

"Wait, that's your joke?"

"No, there's more."

"Okay."

"How do you fit an elephant into an oven?" Mao asked.

The hooded figure paused. "You break the neck, cut them up, and-"

"No, you put them into the oven. Now, how do you put a giraffe into the oven?"

"You put them into the oven?"

"No, you take the elephant out and put the giraffe into the oven. Now, a lion has a birthday and invites every animal. Who is the animal who doesn't show up?"

"The... hyena?"

"No, the giraffe because he's in the oven."

The hooded figure began to chuckle. Mao was sure that they were a female. "Okay."

"A bunny has to cross a river full of crocodiles, what does he do?" Mao asked.

"He... jumps on them?"

"No, there's no crocodiles in the river because they're at the lion's party. But the bunny dies anyway, how come?"

"Because he... drowned?"

"No, because the brick the crane dropped fell onto his head."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The hooded woman laughed. "That's a good joke. Better than what I've heard."

"Sooo I'm good?"

The hooded figure nodded. "I hope you learned from your friend over there, ox. Make sure that I don't have to break off your horns. I'm rusty with my instrument skills."

Mao gulped, "Duly noted." With that, Mao ran away. He looked back and found the figure gone.

Continued...