Author's Note:

Here's what you all been waiting for this chapter! To glimpse your favorite city you wish to occupy with peafowl nobles where your healthy heart streams by Po's return with the Company and Bear's army! Don't forget to review this part!


Episode Nine: Haidao (41 - 46)


Chapter XLIV

Gongmen City

I. Reunion

Two weeks have passed since the Yinxing Mountain's combustion, and the eternal smaragdine from the constellations of brothers and sisters unexpectedly arrived, featured the Jade Slayer's return. Exhausted villagers strolled within the boundary of high forests next to the mirror ripples that copied with the morning light: apotheosis pink and orange horizon with dark summer clouds of crepuscular rays as the star found its way soaring out of the east peacefully.

This journey was the longest path to General Bear wherever he began battling Huoju's bandits after Kong Bai Stadium's ambush, especially to villagers and three masters of Jade Palace ventured with the Nine's best warriors, and three wolves Huangdi accepted the pardon. Fourteen warriors, knowing as the Company of the Dragon Warrior, rode on three wooden boats (in every five people on one vessel) with the colossal brown bear, little chicken master positioning next to Bear's left shoulder, and the Dragon Warrior. All stood ahead of the lead boat's bow as if isolated mists caressed the bank river and trees him and three of the Furious Five remembered the path before. Each cat junk vessel carried boxes of fruits with radishes and vegetables on the central dais.

The next hour pushed forward. General Bear's army marched on the right bank and hills as if half stayed their camps with fire for resting, and the other sauntered through trees wherever they went into the hazy light and gray horizon. The panda sharply peered the mist tearing away through banks of the river, as the brilliant gray blessed at a natural bridge river canyon, engraved with green and colorful flowers perching above it and sides next to u-steep mountains. I remember this path ten years ago like yesterday! Po cracked his smile, reflecting this nostalgic venture he could not ever silence about the perilous quest with the Furious Five they achieved and eradicated Lord Shen's ambition, and near pandemonium destruction with Lord of Gongmen's dragon cannons.

The panda kept tapping his feet, exciting how Po loved to return Beijing's Sister City he always thought to learn more about peafowls, especially the Kung Fu Council how the Tower of Sacred Flame began its title change after peafowl nobles' demise during Shen's banishment. He felt his left paw brushing from someone's soft paw, grasped as if the panda's head turned and brought a smile toward female tiger's reflective amber eyes. Po returned his grasp; below him, Viper circulated her brother's belly to the neck, and Crane standing beside him and Tigress; all that grins pulled their cheeks they witnessed bright horizons while drifting out of the natural bridge. New lands forged: more villages and small business buildings and little roads that grew more population to this friendly city.

The song of cherishing echoed loudly.

The Tower (as now rebuilt) grew a little higher about two stories extended, formerly ten stories it once stood initially been with ruby, and yellow flames detailed with a blessing on the horizon. Same four guard towers, part of the compass of North, South, West, and East; each was divine with separation of eternal seasons. "Welcome to Gongmen City, Dragon Warrior," the bear smirked down beside the panda.

"I've been there before with my friends, Master Bear!" Po admitted. "It has been awhile since the Five and I were there bringing Lord Shen to justice!"

"So I see," the bear comprehended, clasping both claws behind his back. "Beautiful city, isn't it, Master Panda?"

"Yes, indeed!" he brightened his jade eyes.

Disembarking to the harbor as the settleable surface went gray and ghost-burbling, the Company, Masters Chicken, and Bear ascended to the black ladder on the side of the port bridges that connected on both lands. Some warriors including the panda felt the impact of an echo cannon, wrecked at the center of the bridge where junk ketches ripped and obliterated. Memories hammered where Po once recalled he stood in front of the War Ship, pointed by an enormous, dragon artillery as this Lord of Gongmen gave a nasty smirk, before grinding the match.

They reached through small hills and dirt roads after disembarked and sauntered through the river paths they went. An army of the Resistance walked in all different directions as if plenty held in line, waiting with gray sheep's noodles on the pasta bamboo stand, and the rest scouted above roofs and streets, wearing in war armors of gold, blue, and red. Above apartments, warriors glimpsed wolves bounding and standing on edges they peered the colossal bear walking on the road as if the Company followed him, swimming their heads in awe, and the young albino tugged feathers in his long sleeves.

The giant brown bear waved and hailed cheerily; the panda behind the General lightly gasped that brought his smile to his face after rising his heart. The water bull with a long beard in a long gold garment with black dragon cravings ambled with yak lieutenants beside and behind him. "General Bear!" the Emperor grinned; many heads including Bear bowed. "It's good to see you alive, and—you look terrible."

The bear chuckled. "Recess battles are well splendid, my Emperor," Master Bear joked him.

Emperor caught his right eye to the black and white bear. "Dragon Warrior! You have returned with the Company they freed you! It is marvelous you are alive," the water buffalo palmed Po's shakeable right paw. The panda slightly smirked with a nod; Huangdi rose and found the Company warriors behind the People's Hero. "You have my respect for you all who have accomplished your quest to salvage the panda."

Both the tiger and peacock stepped forward next to Po's left shoulder. The yellow eyes of buffalo inhaled his awe mouth inaudibly. "Welcome to Gongmen City, Prince Dongji," he greeted and shook his hoof onto Lao's right feathers, gesturing the whole glimpse of hundreds of apartments, alleyways and the tower. "This is Beijing's Sister where your grandparents and ancestors occupied the largest, and elegant city where they forged fireworks. Soon, I will venture you across districts, including the new Tower of the Holy Flame to seek your family's monuments, including alleyways and the grandfather's throne room above the Holy Tower."

"My pleasure, my Emperor," Lao bent his head admirably.

"The Prosper Valley and the Valley of Peace townsfolk are occupying near Cooking, and Finest Garment districts," Huangdi announced the panda and the Company warriors he looked on every person's eyes. "Wolf lieutenant, Leo from Master Wolf's palace, will guide you all there. For a while, let me do the talking to General Bear and Master Chicken at the Kung Fu Council outside of the Holy Flame Tower."

Strolling away from the Company through the long and enormous hill roads, the gray wolf in a gold armor arrived from behind the yak guards. Ruby eyes, thick gray fur, black kilt armor and grayish gauntlets that wrapped with small dark yellow ropes. Leo, one of the last survivors of wolves after their terrible loss of the battle from the Harbor in ten years ago, widened his eyes and inclined his fluffy black ears he spread his arms widely. "My brothers!"

Three wolves Lee, Lin, and Wolf Boss hastened and embraced their old brother as if one crushed his spine, the other squeezed Leo's upper chest, and lastly, Zhong angled his arm behind Leo's neck, brushing black hair with his bare knuckles. "Where in Oogway's blessings have you been, Leo?!" Wolf Boss laughed gracefully, grinning his sharp teeth at him.

"Knocking the heck out of Huoju's bandits, that's how I went through, Commander!" Leo snickered, palming the commander's right arm. "Man, I've got a lot of stories to tell you, sir!"

"Aye, so have I, brother," admitted Wolf Boss, who stood aside to his right and gestured Leo to someone behind Zhong and twin wolves.

Leo breathed his throat he slightly trembled. His arms, legs, and chest went frozen as if Wolf Boss's second-in-commander merely opened his teeth, seeking the ocean eyes of an albino peacock prince with the blue robe, and cobalt train and crests. "Is that—?"

"It is a very long tale to share Lord Shen's son, brother," grinned Zhong as if the young albino bent his feathers and tugged in long sleeves before the commander introduced. "This is Prince Dongji, son of Lord Shen and Lady Xia."

"Greetings, my Prince," he reached his right paw onto Lao's feathers and shook together admirably. Lao nodded at once with a slight smirk he respected this second commander who obeyed Zhong and other wolves Leo knew. Deep down into Leo's forehead, he suppressed his cooly mind that he could have guessed the peacock is another Lord Shen, but not exquisitely the same Lord Shen, the color of death who once was. He's a child. Leo thought calmly. In a second thought, Leo gestured his wave toward the Company including the giant black and white panda who grinned his mouth and held on Tigress's right shoulder. "Follow me to the districts, everyone!"

Strolling took minutes by this large city have a scale of miles, almost as a ten-mile radius of this marvelous, gracious town where villagers sang, and told their family, children and many outsiders about lovely fireworks the peafowl nobles built their creation. Then the Sacred Flame (now Holy Tower) people could not ignore the ornate of red and yellow flames that crawled all over the tower that kissed by the heaven's phoenix sun.

Lao quietly stumbled his feathers within long sleeves. Swimming both eyes and his head all across the intersections and further distance of apartments, thousands of board signs in front of every building that named rentals, restaurants, clothing warehouses, and hundreds of stands whereas any villager could sell Moon Festival's fireworks, fruits, noodles, teas, and many more. He and the Company reached seven blocks away from the harbor they went; the clothing garment district was nearly about three blocks ahead. Lao had a blissful feeling of desire entering his grandparents' rebuilt Tower of the Holy Flame. Even as if this albino prince as many including for those who spotted him could be the next Lord of Gongmen, Lao merely knew he adored living in a village instead.

If Lao decided to become the next Lord of Gongmen, only the high lords or the Emperor of China could resolve to inherit him in a Sacred Flame tower. Instead of Lao's father who indeed became a vicious, snake-eye albino peacock who most villagers were frightened and he hated for those who whispered behind Shen's back. Even if the Lord of Gongmen was not around the whole city, including the villager streets nearby, and senators and ladies murmured within the meeting, Lord Feng's throne room, and outside of the Tower of the Sacred Flame.

Lao's right shoulder had flattened from warm, soft grasp. "Hey, Lao," the young peacock turned behind his shoulder toward the panda with jade eyes who called him gracefully. "Seems a bit strange to look around and never been here before?"

"Definitely," Lao serenely concurred, sensing the breeze of the harbor and the Pacific Ocean from the East. "I have never seen this place so sensational in all of China."

"So, this is your first time and hardcore to look at this humongous city," Po understood him. "You'll get used to this place, since I only been here, at least once? Right, Tigress?"

Po revolved toward the feminine tiger with amber eyes next to the panda, clasping their paws. "Once," Tigress answered in a pleasant tone and a small smirk.

Arriving near the clothing garment district, villagers of the Valley of Peace, the Prosper Valley, Musicians' Village, and Tanhuang hailed happily, storming across the sides of the streets and alleyways; children crouching underneath their parents' legs and scanned at the Company and Dragon Warrior. A crowd of people thundered their applause, whistling and cheering with their paws reaching to the sky. Every villager reflected many warriors they have known for years, especially a sow with light green garment wrapped around her belly she ran ahead of the Dragon Warrior. "PO! OH, GOOD GRACIOUS! YOU ARE ALIVE!" Mrs. Chow tackled Po's giant belly, embracing him as if the sow villager could not reach her hooves behind the panda's back.

"Mrs. Chow!" he laughed and accepted hugging the sow villager. A squeak antenna sound stormed in front of Po's nose.

"PO! COME HERE YOU!" A smaragdine insect bug splattered on Po's nose. Next warrior whirled above the orange roof, landing behind Po's back. "PO, YOU CAME BACK!" Monkey cheered, squeezing and pressing his cheek behind the panda's back; three of the Furious Five chuckled.

"Mantis! Monkey! You guys are here!" Po smiled thunderously; the bug leaped on Crane's upper chest.

"STRIPEY!" a tender cry boomed in front of throng pandas many surprised and brought a smile bending on their ears. A teenage panda with a pink vest and a red rose attached to her left ear that hanged by greenish thorns dashed toward Tigress.

"Lei Lei!" Tigress beamed, hunkered her knees and clutched Lei Lei around her. Both quivered their mouths and eyes silkened with red colliding on their cheeks.

"GIVE ME SOME BELLY GONGS!" twin pandas Dim and Sum separated their arms widely, embracing the tallest, giant panda after three of their fat bellies banged with a low gong that bounced like a basketball.

"LOTUS! PO!" elders of goose and smiley panda sprinted and tackled their loving son to the ground.

"DADS!" their son blessed and clenching the goose and Li without letting themselves go forever. Their hearts rose and pumped their veins across whole bodies as if the magnificent miracle have prevailed by Oogway's blessings to both Mr. Ping and Li Shan. You love your son more than a family that you attend the most. The greatest creation in the world, is him, your loving son, whether you are a father or a mother who you contemplate your son's innocent voice. "I MISS YOU ALL!"

"Oh, Lao!" a rapid, female voice intercepted in Lao's upper left corner. The bunny in a sapphire robe with midnight edges of sleeves and neck, came out of nowhere, bounded straight into the peacock's chest and long neck. "My peacock boyfriend!"

"Oh! Hong! You surprised me here!" Lao stunned in loud, astonishing chuckle he flipped both feathers behind Hong's back. "It's great you see you alright, Hong!"

"HEY, YOU GUYS!" a rough, delightful cheer summoned. The cobra sprung with a lightning wing onto Xing, then Lao, and she-wolf Lotus he revolved around and brushed their cheeks to the cobra's cheeks.

Moments went on by the sounds of grace, and delight cheer that echoes all around the city, especially to hundreds of pandas, warriors, and villagers gathered around the Dragon Warrior. "Master Xing! Master Lao!" the goose ran from the opened entrance of noodles and silk shop behind as if the sign indicated "Pasta and Silk/Rental Apartment." The apartment held fifteen orange lanterns attached to strings in three black lines across the wall by wall. Carved with emblems of school invitation, scroll news report of the Dragon Warrior's missing, flowers of jasmine, rose, and sunflowers were perching over corners of the shop.

"Kong!" three young warriors of the Nine hailed beamingly. Xing, Lao, and Lotus grasped behind the Nine's messenger. Lao proceeded. "I'm glad to see you are here with my people."

"You all fought well and brought me a grin I shall never forget your return!" Kong smirked. "Your three had fun busting many bandits?"

"Precisely, Kong!" nodded Lao.

Xing felt his heart thumping frequently and filling his pride he could achieve this dangerous task he succeeded with the Company. As seeking the crowd of all people palming and singing with the Dragon Warrior around him, the tiger made for those who proud him. Both Li and Mr. Ping kept clutching their son's belly as if they fulfilled love and watched Po's return with the Company alive. Xing's vow had accomplished, even when the Nine's Leader offered his aunt Tigress to claim this pledge and did for the goose and elder panda.

A delicate hum let Xing's black ears towering. He discerned the honey throat before for many times in his life since the birth. His ocean eyes glinted and swam to the left where the tone created his attention, and his whole chest and spine froze, weighing his grin down by his reflective right eye pouring to his right fluffy cheek. A female, elder, pale and black stripes tiger stood forward with cobalt silk garment and black pants, sleeves carved to white lines of water and clouds. She spread her arms, spilling her rain eyes and a brilliant smile quivered ahead of her fortune, bravery grandson.

"Nana," he cried to Master Ming, folding his arms around her back. Xing could not repel his endurable tears of marvelous, as weeks he thought his grandmother in other times including nights at while he went meditating and listened to echoes of his master, his grandmother. Her paws comforted Xing's upper back and cheek that flattened toward his, sharing their adorable eyes and smiles they could not separate their huddle.

"Mother!" Xing opened and heard his brother's joyous voice rang around the apartment. His head turned right after Xing and Ming dispersed their arms. The tiger's vision was not as the dream, nor the imagination as he felt strange movements and changed lands including his adoptive mother who sang with beautiful melody hum and rhythm. He froze his body about an inch, freezing his dimples that his ocean eyes met his brother hugging to someone who clutched him.

An elder peahen. Feathers met pale blue and blossom she ravished the colors of pure affection and remedy thoughts of healing. Her long elegant robe matched Xia's gown she wore light blue as main shade, and the other pink lines carved with blossom flowers on her sleeve edges and neck. She was no longer ill, neither a white during her sickness days, months and couple of years. Her cobalt eyes met the tiger's who shrunk his heart and as veins pumped through bloodstreams Xing lightly gasped, smiling. "Mom!"

He reached out and squeezed his arms around Lady Xia. "Xing!" she wept naturally. "Oh, my sweet child. You have come back to me with my precious son."

"You feel better now, mom," Xing sniffed from his happy tears. "My Lady, you look healthy and same as you and your son met my grandmother and me while back."

"MOMMY!" Lotus whimpered, racing next to Xing's right side, folding and bounding her arms together on their peahen mother's back. She-wolf made a soft pitch cry underneath her fluffy throat, licking Xia's cheek as if panting as the canine's mouth opened with a tongue and sharp teeth grin.

"Oh, my sweet Lotus!" Xia delighted.

This day was the most pleasant and filled with apotheosis horizon of gray and blue with hazy white clouds. Many hugs and smiles were encouraging to let Company warriors return with the Dragon Warrior after Yinxing battle. Plenty villagers including the Seventh Righteous Xing sighted all six hugging and shaking their brown hawk companion on one blue apartment down to the block at the south. Many felt loss and shared condolences to Tai Chi students' sheep master who Temutai murdered her in Jade Palace.

Three Furious Five masters hunkered to their red panda master as if Shifu's smirk sunk her daughter's affection smile, and dazzled her amber eyes she met his. Tigress held her paw behind Shifu's back; the red panda's hands brushed and caressed his adoptive daughter's cheek.


II. Concerns

The night went on faster with millions of constellations of pale stars dancing across the midnight horizon, perching elsewhere over the rim. Summer had mixed a soft breeze of warm and light cold as if the wind silently pushed from the southeast. This season merely hot of course, that around daylight could intersect anyone's feeling of sweat by the sun it blessed you, even when you walk across the pavements, working on your apartment, and many.

The summer's cool breeze was flawless on each night in Gongmen City, needless to say as plenty for those adore the warm and cold summer days instead of a hot surrounding without the breeze. In a Noodle and Clothing apartment, the tiger chopped some golden onions, slices of garlic, and radishes on the chopping board. Once slicing into a fraction of vegetables, Xing held the board and swept the food with a chef knife, pouring into the boiling water that filled with small foams and delicate white rice.

Of course, the tiger had helped beside him. His grandmother gathered a wooden box of carrots and golden onions, perching it on the kitchen counter. Booming laughs vibrated on all surroundings including the whole pavement, thronged with five long mahogany tables as the Five and the Nine (five) sat and communed the Dragon Warrior along with two fathers and pandas on the center table. Rest were villagers at two counters to the right, and plenty of Emperor's best guards and the Company's wolves at two stands to the left.

"Any word for Bao, Xing?" the cobra's nonchalant ask caught Xing's right ear flicked.

"Not yet, Fanshe," the tiger said, shaking his head a little without a tight throat, neither a small eyes. "We both know he is part of our family, and like a brother to you. Bao can face bold bandits while taken or been missing. I am sure he'll find a way to survive when you reminded me about lumber he can find fire and woods within the bamboo forests, and great listener your brother will contemplate where bandits or us lead."

Xing earlier shared the news to the Nine about Bao's last seen where gorilla bandits took him into custody, witnessed by one of General Bear's expert spies. Not knowing how this Great Gorilla clan returned after their defeat caused by the Dragon Warrior preventing many apes destroying ancient temples and monuments of jade Oogway on high mountains about thirty miles away from north of Jade Palace.

The tiger spiraled a wooden spoon on the boiling water; his eyes caught the attention in front of the center table nearby. The Nine's Remedy, Hong, towered her left arm she palmed her soft cheek. "How is Hong?" Xing innocently asked Fanshe when glimpsing the beautiful, attractive bunny looking down on her rice food as if the tiger felt his stomach reaching out of Xing's belly.

"Hong has a deep heart when faced one of the pandas who surrendered her life she protected children in the Student Barrack," the Cobra perceived.

"Lei Lei's mother," he figured.

"Yeah," Fanshe nodded stubbornly to his tender voice.

The bunny's expression went priceless as if in her reflection, Hong encouraged the clumsy black and white bears they became the people's diversity. Helping out villagers in the Valley of Peace, heaving the rest for those who could not lift more massive things at their homes and farms across the beautiful village; and tolerating what pandas support the people to rid franticness from the past. Palming her left cheek and sensing the noodle and white rice into sinus chambers, Hong's eyes looked on the teenage panda with blossom flower crown who sat with Tigress at Lei Lei's right side. The feminine tiger with dawn eyes stroke Lei's back; echoes of woeful Hong captured the glimpse of stiff she-panda in blossom vest, and conical hat lied in between the middle of Po and Tigress's rooms at the heart of the corridor.

Shortly after cooking, the tiger perched on the long pavement chair with the Nine and Jade Palace masters he placed the plate and sides, the butter and lovely vegetables entering his nose and gave a sip to Po's noodles and white rice. A dull sound from Xing's right interfered. The elder red panda with a tan robe and blue shaw that wrapped around his left shoulder and belly stood beside Xing. "Master Shifu," the tiger greeted happily.

"Good evening, Xing," Master Shifu strolled with a good smirk. "How is your head?"

"Still bruising a little. My skull behind me has an iron plate to prevent candies pouring off my head," he jeered.

"That's true. Xing could have been the next Bao if he said, 'Xing, make me.'" Lao sneered.

A couple of warriors held their pie holes closed as if they drank tea and nearly spat humorously. Ha! Funny, Lao. The tiger admitted, chuckling. "You could be the next Bao and say, 'Lao, blow me.'"

Monkey guffawed along with Mantis he sat next to the peacock prince, hammering his flat palm to the table; Crane giggled next to Viper he towered with the Dragon Warrior and Tigress at Xing's left side. "What a thrilling comeback, Xing," Lao nodded his defeat he bent left side of his iron beak while Monkey palmed the young albino's back.

"You love my rice, Master Shifu?" Xing graciously asked him when turning to the red panda master who suppressed his hearty chuckle.

"It's delicious, Xing," Shifu balanced his smooth tone, taking a little credit as the sense of rice and noodle flavor he watered the combination taste of hot spice and butter. "As your rice becomes rich ingredient tastes, you are truly the next Master Ming's cooker."

Absolutely. Xing agreed. The elder tigress in sapphire robe and black pants with pale silk waist sat ahead of Master Shifu. Ming's grandson was the perfect gift as she carefully taught Xing in his youth age to cook rice properly without a sign of raw, nor a hard taste to chew. Boiling the water, you pour rice that takes minutes is the most accessible level; ingredients and a mix of any spice and vegetables are the next levels of the chef, although, could take years if assembling your exact time and recommended elements.

Eating and sipping while contemplating guffaws, and echoes of communicating all around the noodle shop and the tables thronged with pandas and warriors for minutes, Xing rose his left ear as if the Dragon Warrior shared his perspective to the Furious Five masters about Shen's return. Talking to the albino including the struggle of eternal darkness the Five were concerned that Lord Shen would have intimidated and killed Po wickedly. Regarding this insanity, but soothed by Po, who clarified with the Masters of Jade Palace, the panda had the Lord of Gongmen practice inner peace and helped him during the People Hero's absence.

Slight awe and perplex to Po's story, plenty would not agree as if Shen could quickly turn back to the panda and seek vengeance, however. Tigress being hectic and understanding a little, and she disliked to admit that this peacock who burned the panda village nearly murdered her closest friend in the Fireworks Factory, but have to stand aside with the panda when facing against Shen at once again.

"China heard this shocking news about General Kai's return," Xing heard the elder red panda interceded to the tiger. Awakening in reality from himself became stony; the tiger felt the strike of light in Shifu's throat — Xing rose his head and turned to the Jade Palace master who continued. "The return of Jade Slayer can be the next threat. What caused Kai's arrival after he destroyed himself in the Spirit Realm?"

This query let Xing's silent breath inhaling, reflecting the eyes of evocative Supreme Warlord he would not ignore a surprising bull who froze in front of him, Lotus, and Viper. "To tell you the truth, Huoju brought him back from the Spirit Realm," Xing told the red panda master, mixing the hot spice into the bowl with rice and motioned the wooden spoon around the plate. He towered his back and glimpsed at two elder masters including his adoptive peahen mother who perched in front of the table in concern. "The crocodile bandit Fung informed me first before the Company, and I witnessed the Collector's arrival and as the bull battled the Prince of Darkness."

"How has Kai returned before Huoju brought him?" his elder nana Ming concerned. All three heard a soft thunk near Ming's left side, arriving a gentle, sagacious goat with large horns, colorful robes, wrinkled cheeks and long beard below her jaw, and glasses near the tip of Soothsayer's nose.

"Fung only heard rumors about Huoju captured the last jade amulet in the Spirit Realm," Xing pointed, carefully concentrating his reflect before conversing with wise masters, Lady Xia and Madam Soothsayer. "And what I concerned strongly is that someone prevented Kai's obliteration and transformed his body into an amulet."

"How is that possible?" Shifu demanded flatly.

"Difficult to explain. The Swan of Goddess who the Company and I met at the rim of the abandoned village near Yinxing Mountain, shared her account," Xing added, reflecting the black swan's voice that echoed within his mind. "Whoever captured Kai into a jade amulet could mysterious to seek the answer."

Laying the chopsticks to the side of the edge of the plate, the tiger felt his heart flowing his bloodstream slowly as if visioning the smaragdine eyes of China's warlord. His palms were flattening onto his front legs, nearly tightened his throat but softened to allow him speaking ahead of the two masters and two sagacious villagers. "I encountered Kai once with Viper and Lotus inside the mountain," Xing began. "It was not a long discussion if he would talk menacingly, neither a fight he could have risen and toss his blades at me. He swept the bats before Kai saw us hiding behind the stone. I could not bear to move an inch that I collapsed my mouth opened for the first time when staring directly at him. The tallest bull in all of China than my pirate student looked so realistic. Kai directly stared and spoke a name at me once."

"Your name?" Shifu questioned curiously.

"Master Wing," the tiger named one of Ming's ancestors.

A crackling antenna spawned next to Xing's rice and noodle bowl; plenty of the Five listened to Xing's story as if Monkey nearly brightened his ocean eyes. "Geesh. If that big guy comes near you and my friends, I'll grasp his fist and slam him like a ragdoll," the green insect gestured his thingies and quietly hammered to the table. "Then tell Kai to keep his big mouth shut and learn his lesson."

"Hey. You know that Kai can make you a blow out, right?" the bird pondered, grasping his white bow he sipped noodles with chopsticks Crane held from his left feather.

"I'm tiny! He can't see me! Besides, remember the time when we almost have beaten the heck out of Po and saw me slamming him to the ground like million times?" he pointed—most of the Five thought for a second and nodded. "Yeah, I can do the same thing, and you know I am the number one hide and seek champion!"

A sudden movement winded behind Xing's left arm. "Tag, you're it!" Monkey poked his finger above Mantis's antennas.

"What?! Oh, no you don't! Get back here!" the bug leaped on the tiger's head, chasing hyperactive golden-snub out of the restaurant.

Chuckling as warriors suppressed their snort thunderously, Xing sighed in untroubled as if the Nine including the tiger often seeing friends they could mess and playful in other times after hard work or finished their quests. "Have you recalled the Mightiest Warriors scroll we read together inside the Library, Xing?" Shifu reminded the tiger; Xing nodded before the red panda master continued. "Remember he was Wing Chen's student we discovered by Oogway's revelation. I have no doubts he could remember his old master. The Five, Po and I thought Oogway trained him during the Great War."

"Kai has been immortal for more than five hundred years," Ming anticipated in consternation. She thought to glimpse her food before looking at her old companion's blue eyes Ming asked. "Can he somehow reflect memories including my grandmother's ancestor?"

The red panda brushed his pale Fu Manchu under his jaw. "Mysterious answer to reveal," he said with reasonable voice. "In reality, an old age affects memories, which is only a natural existence we all live on forever, even in a next life, and the other. Depending on Kai's life during banishment years in the Spirit Realm, what he affects and knows more, is his brother."


III. Black Dragon Alley

Three days have passed. The horizon of pale silver-cobalt ocean perched among the Earth along with white ash clouds billowing across the apotheosis heaven. The sun sneaked onto the right side behind the wavy white pillows that blessed with orange and yellow star stroking naturally. The tiger towered himself on the red-orange roof he scanned the whole district with the Resistance archers standing and glimpsing the entire streets and alleyways that villagers and soldiers strolled.

Xing had glimpsed the pavements, many streets and other terrains he desired to watch over and listen to the war drums from the rim of the city in the north through the west of five gold towers. Slow rhythms of "da-da-boom-boom," friendlies summoned. Pace melodies of "ka-boom-boom, ka-boom-boom" and different war songs, the enemies spawned. Xing held the red bow and a black quiver with crimson arrows the one-eyed Commander gave him a gift, perceiving this tiger was the potential in a precise mark, the Nine's Leader could not miss the target on opponent's legs and arms. Vowing not to execute the bandit, the tiger had to pull the rope and release the arrow wherever the bandit could lead and hurt.

Shouts have heard from the first downslope pavement as if Xing knelt his right knee toward the edge of the gray brick, and grinned to whoever educated the Prosper Valley and the Valley of Peace villagers. Po formed his kung fu stance of a panda style, flowing the water you balance your right foot after darting your left foot forward; thrusting right fist, you hail. Next, his partner arrived who grasped paws behind her back beside the panda. Tigress sauntered and kept her amber eyes toward the villagers she had to peer any and train for those who were having trouble to defend themselves. Remarkably, Xing's aunt countered Lei Lei's big arms quickly, to let her claws not blowing but indicating where weak spots to dispose enemy's body points.

Peering the whole practice platform, the tiger caught a dense of jade spark among the horizon from his left eye. Odd. Most of ace hawks, eagles, cranes, and swans positioned their flights on elsewhere randomly as if locals kept their eyes at the sky, steep mountains and many sceneries. He thought someone had to catch his attention. Xing sharpened his view toward the grayish pillow it floated higher and caressed by the sun's light. Something small and large wings of light green form entered in the clouds he lastly saw in seconds after disappeared.

I must have seen imaginary things. Xing thought with delicate eyes stretching his left eye and bent his right orb.

Sensing the ocean from the southeast, the tiger pulled his left jaw down toward the noodle shop's dining yard. The one-eyed wolf clasped the peahen lady's long feathers as if their eyes met with sparkle eyes; Xing hardly contemplate their reunion voices as Wolf Boss, and Lady Xia did meet from Lao's homeland from northeast mountain village where the Commander and Lord Shen occupied during their exile times. Both bent arms and crushed their backs and stroke against their cheeks—Xing's smile bent back, knowing for Wolf Boss and Lady Xia were the only closest companions he determined.

Zhong cherished Lao's mother. Xing thought serenely.

A loud whistle let Xing turning his crown where he glimpsed the paved road. The Dragon Warrior gestured the tiger as the enormous water bull with long, elegant pale silk and ruby sash stood behind Po. Shortly, the panda waited for Xing's arrival; the tiger bounded with the b-twist, landing in front of the People's Hero before bowing admirably and gently. "My Emperor," Xing greeted Huangdi. "Good morning."

The Emperor nodded and shut his eyes at the same time. "Good morning, Master Xing," the water bull introduced with a fruity tone. "You must come with me to the Black Dragon Alley with your peafowl brother —" Huangdi met his eyes toward Po's emerald eyes. "— The Jade Palace masters can follow. We have something to show you."

"What's going on, Po?" the white peacock prince in cobalt silk robe and red trim asked, pondering before proceeding through the hill roads toward the northeast.

"I don't know. It looks like one of Huoju's prisoners desire to talk, maybe?" the panda guessed tightly.

"Oh, my, is that your grandfather's robe, my Prince?" Viper slithered next to the albino peacock prince.

Lao bent his feathers within large sleeves. "A retired antelope guard from the Tower noticed my presence. This man came in Noodle and Garment store yesterday who cherished my mother and me, and answered Oogway's prayer he informed about the peafowls' return to Gongmen City," Lao clarified. "He and the rest of antelope guards including Gongmen Masters swept into the collateral Flame tower and searched plenty of ancient scripts, books, monuments, and garments."

"This city realized your arrival and brooded what you are. Some say you might be the next you-know-who creating tyranny and vengeance," Huangdi said. "Other rumors across the city noticed you are Shen's father who brought heavy heart and great care he watched over districts properly."

"Tyranny is no such way for me to manipulate people and let them be afraid of my power, my Emperor," the Nine's Clever minded. "I am not my father."

"Sadly, you are not, my child." Huangdi sagaciously said.

Moments when strolling across two districts from left, right, and straight on many directions to seek a board sign "Black Dragon Alley" near the river north, few fighters and Resistance guards arrived on small courtyards with gray pavements. Red lanterns hanged on over twenty black strings lined on all apartments down the path through a sidewalk of short stairs. "So, that was the idea about one of the prisoners who likes to share his plan, and gives him witness protection?" Mantis perturbed.

"Snitching any of the plans to the Resistance, then that guy could get killed by one of the bandits," Xing noticed. "If lucky from him to be alive, we'll see how Huoju's gangs will listen to their informer."

"These guards don't look happy," Crane behind Xing pointed.

More than forty archers positioned above apartment roofs. Giant throng guards of gold, blue and red armors propped onto sidewalks and pavements as if glimpsing the dark alleyway. On the side of it, the brown board of crimson painting with four chains of handcuffs titled: Gongmen Jail. "That small arena inside used to be a kung fu class and tonight's brawl for a couple of years before Shen's arrival. It used to be a tea house that once became the city's jailhouse, but prohibited for the council's reasons." The Emperor explained.

The Five's alpha piled plenty of thoughtful questions when entering the dark alleyway and turned left near the entrance of Gongmen Jail. "How many Huoju's gangs are in there you and the Resistance captured, my Emperor?" Tigress determined next to the elder buffalo.

"Thirty, Master Tigress," he numbered the bandits. "Many decide to submit and face assault charges after the assault of the Valley of Peace and Jade Palace."

Hmm. Tigress buzzed under the feminine fluffy throat.

Two wolf guards with wraps and gold and black armors around their bodies they held long iron flame spears, proceeded the entrance opened as if the Emperor bent his body forward. Despite his height, mainly giant and could nearly fit in the corridor as his horns barely touched the red constellations ceiling with woods that support on all sides. As soon as him, the Five and the Nine (Lao and Xing) reached inside the dimmed interior of Gongmen Jail; many stopped strolling once Huangdi gestured his left hoof.

Rough yells boomed ahead of the jail. And the midnight boar with curvy yellow teeth in between the bandit's snout in a silver chest armor roared after bounding on the second floor and over the wooden rail. Intercepting in front of the Emperor, the tiger propelled in all fours with a loud growl, tackling the boar straight down the pavement yin-yang floor with a local of Huangdi's yak guards defending their positions against the bandits.

Crane and Mantis soared and booted three bandits on the right side of the jail; the green insect aggressively tapped his pointies around the whole circular pavement to the left and darted black yak and hyena bandits back inside their cell. The prince, Dragon Warrior, and the Five's alpha held the Emperor behind them defensively as if any enemy's attempt could get a severe problem: striking the Emperor is high treason, worst can execute if the highest rank in all of China would decide the bandit's fate.

Xing sprung his legs and countered the boar's knee strike. After booting, the boar screamed and revolved his fists toward the tiger. Xing blocked with chi-gon onto the boar's bridge on each arm; knife-palming his throat twice. A second attempt after perplexing from the bandit who gave a stunning look of brown eyes, he lifted his knee and blew his left foot forward. Snatching his hoof quickly, Xing swept his left foot behind the boar's right ankle, spinning the bandit after the tiger raised his foot and balanced on the other.

The boar impacted and dizzied after a hard impact behind his skull, awakening from the tiger's rapid grasp on his chest armor below the neck—

"NO! PLEASE! I yield!" the boar yelped and covered his panicky eyes.

You should be. Xing darkly thought. Lifting the panicking boar, the tiger spun to his back and shoved both paws on the bandit, hurling him where the cell he was and the yak in blue and gold armor slammed the bar's door. Each cell could hold five bandits: fifteen on the first floor, and fifteen on three large cages that black chains sustained by the subterranean rock. "Anyone else?" Xing demanded flatly and suppressed his burnt ahead, swimming his head around the cells.

The cells grew silent as the ghost whispered it's deathly tone and the tiger sensed murmurs around them. A black paw stroke on Xing's left shoulder, knowing the tiger felt the Dragon Warrior's arrival. Tigress, Viper, Monkey, and Lao stood on the second floor with Emperor Huangdi— and Master Bear who arrived the scene along with Masters Chicken and Eagle. Crane and Mantis guarded their positions on the balance of kung fu forms, eying against the awe bandits on both sides.

"There's more, pretty boy," a sweet, sourly feminine voice answered from the cool bar the panda and tiger looked to their left. Po could not stop his horrifying gasp he dazzled his jade eyes in front of the she-warrior who stood ahead of the door bar. Yellow eyes. A clouded leopard with simple gray sleeveless robes, and head, ears and leg wrappings. "You discuss with a man, who is deep in his heart, loves his child."

"Wing Wu?" Po revealed in shocking tone after freezing his breath underneath his throat. "How on Earth did you—?"

Pointed by Wing's gesture head where Masters Ox and Croc were in captive years ago, Xing and Po shrunk their pupils they sharpened their perspectives. Many voices went silent as the jail could murmur its deathly tone. Inside the bar, thump steps approached and the other scraped metals clang and approached from the left of both heads. The whispery clanks echoed after it guided closer than what you could hear a terrifying sound you never expected nearby. I know that sound… Po quivered his throat cheeks and green eyes he illuminated the whole jail in his frantic vision in a sudden gasp. The figure was not a dream, neither a phantasm to glimpse a ghost who folded its form underneath some long-length cloth.

The panda's student revealed its grayish form with intimidating—innocent ruby eyes, and the other rose the dawn eyes from the West horizon who crossed arms together and flat backend its back onto the gray bricks.

"Greetings, panda."


How do you like this shocking part and catch something strange in this part? So far, we will be getting closer to the battle in future chapters around mid-2018, especially the climax and conclusion I have been waiting to write like forever!

GZ

4/30/2018