Chapter 19: Final Night of Peace


Emperor Hongwu looked down at Shifu. The little panda slouched. His heart was completely broken.

"Do you think I am pleased?" Emperor Hongwu whispered.

"No, your majesty." Shifu said, dejected.

"Correct." The emperor began to pace. His silence was worse than any yelling he could do, so it was a relief whenever he spoke. "I would do anything to see China and it's people safe."

"As would I." Shifu whispered back.

"I will return to the Imperial City tomorrow morning. To fix this mess we've found ourselves in, I will begin conscription of a new Imperial Army, but that will take time. New ships will need to be built, and new generals promoted. Later, I will speak with your Dragon Warrior in a more official setting so my generals and I can figure out the true extent of this threat that plagues my land. If we are able to take care of this threat that you and your students have failed to exterminate, perhaps there will be no reason to tear down this Jade Palace of yours."

"I understand, your majesty." Shifu spoke even softer. With each word Emperor Hongwu spoke, Shifu's heart sank lower. He was listening to the end of Oogway's legacy.

"Of course, you do."


Viper watched as Po ran up and down the hall. While the rest of the Furious Five were in the kitchen, eating and mulling over what they thought Shifu might be going through in his conversation with Emperor Hongwu, Po had snuck away. It didn't go unnoticed by Viper, however. She had followed him closely and was far more silent than Po was, though that was a very low bar to hit.

STOMP.

STOMP.

STOMP.

Po paced back down to the other end of the hall. All the while, he mumbled something under his breath. Viper figured it would be a good idea to get involved before whatever was bothering Po gave him a heart attack. She knew it would be hard to defeat an evil force like Lu Fang with heart problems. Viper silently slithered out into the hall and smiled, hoping she would catch the attention of the Dragon Warrior just by presenting herself.

She didn't, and was promptly run over by the pacing panda in the process.

As Po stomped around her, she flung her tail and pulled him by the leg. This stopped the Dragon Warrior dead in his tracks, and he was sent tumbling to the ground.

"Oh! Hey, Viper." Po grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet.

Viper sighed heavily but rounded her mouth to form a wonderful smile that lit up the hall. "What's wrong?"

Usually, Po would hide his feelings. Especially these particular ones. They weren't normal. They made him feel uncomfortable, but things were different this time. The words were on the tip of his tongue, and they had been for a while. At points, he was mere seconds away from spilling these particular words and wearing his heart on his sleeve, if he had sleeves. He looked down at Viper and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I want to know how you did it."

"Awfully vague." Viper said, narrowing her eyes. She hoped Po would've realized by now that hiding his feelings, or whatever troubled him, would only lead to more pain, confusion, and difficulty. "Would you care to elaborate?"

Po nodded. "You and Crane. Like, you're a snake and he's a bird. How did you two find out you…" He took a deep breath. "Love one another?"

Viper's eyes lit up. Before she had the chance to speak, another voice called out from around the hallway corner.

"Po's asking about love?"

Po leapt from his fur. "GAH! Crane?! What are you doing here?"

"I was curious." Crane responded with a genuine shrug.

"Me, too." Mantis popped from Crane's hat. Suddenly, Po began to feel ill. He stood there, silent. His face turning beet red and his two fists full of fingers constantly battled one another, hoping to alleviate some of the tension his body was suddenly feeling.

"Where's…?" Before Po could even finish, he knew the answer already. Slowly, he spun around. Sure enough, there was Monkey, hanging from the rafters using his tail. The two were face to face. Monkey's eyes widened as if he had just been caught snooping, which he had been. "So, the whole gang's here?"

"Actually, Tigress is out in the training hall." Monkey blurted.

Po felt the moment his heart began to settle. It was a relief he hadn't experienced before, but it was wonderful. "Whew." Po whipped his brow, but it was a mistake. He saw, one set at the time, the eyes of every one of his friends light up. Their smiles grew wider than he had ever seen before. Po knew he was backed into a corner. He swallowed the knot in his throat, then looked back at Viper, hoping he could ignore the rest.

"So, Viper..." Po began, swallowing the knot in his throat. "That super private thing I was asking about?" Po nudged Viper, hoping to hint to the others to leave them alone. "You know? The secret thing?" None of the spectators left.

"Po…" Viper began. "It just happens. Sometimes all you need is a little push."

Mantis laughed. "I think the Dragon Warrior is going to need more than a little push, Viper. Like, maybe a-"

With a fierce strike, Viper wrapped her tail around the bug's mouth, silencing him for the rest of the talk.

"She's right." Crane spoke softly. "Sometimes, it happens when you least expect it, but from there, that feeling will grow. Sometimes it happens slowly, and sometimes it's quick and instant. Just ease into it and everything will flow naturally. Tell her, and-"

"I can't tell her!" Po began to shake. "She's like… my idol! What if she says no? What if she makes fun of me? What if it completely ruins our totally awesome friendship?!"

"Mhmmmhmmmhhhmm." Mantis grumbled through the scales of Viper's tail.

"Huh?" Po asked.

Monkey was quick to step up for his friend. "He said you shouldn't worry about the what ifs." For the first time in a long time, Monkey seemed serious. He spoke calmly. Tame, for his usual outspoken, chaotic, and easygoing way of life.

Po stopped fidgeting and took a deep breath. "You guys are right. But I can't tell it to her face, right? I'll be a bumbling mess. Could one of you tell her for me?"

"No, Po." Viper responded.

"You're going to have to do this yourself." Crane added. "Just take your time. Think about what you're going to say, but don't read it like a script. Just, talk. And for the love of kung fu, do not panic."

"Right." Po nodded, suddenly determined. Do not panic. Do not panic. He repeated this to himself. Do not panic. Do not panic. Soon, the panic set in. He pushed through the feeling and smiled. "Thanks, guys." Po turned and began to walk down the hall and out of view. The whole time, he began practicing. "I love Tigress." He whispered. "I love Tigress. I love Tigress. I love Tigress." Each time, it got easier and easier. Then, another thought came to mind. Shifu. Perhaps, Po thought, it would be right to tell him first.

Little did he know, back down the hallway, Viper, Monkey, Crane, and Mantis remained still.

"He isn't as hopeless as we thought!" Monkey spouted.

Mantis laughed. "Maybe not."

The two goofballs left down the opposite end of the hallway, laughing and cracking jokes with each step. Viper and Crane looked at one another and smiled. "Were we just like Po?" Crane asked.

"You were." Viper smiled. "I tried to hint how I felt more than a couple of times." With nothing more than enchanting eyes and a return smile, Crane left the hallway. Viper sighed, knowing how oblivious Crane had been, and realizing that he was nothing compared to Po. That poor panda, she thought. Poor, poor panda.

Then, before Viper slithered away to her room, she looked up into the rafters and saw two amber eyes beaming from the darkness. She had been there a while. That much was clear. Viper smiled, and Tigress emerged from the shadows. She stood tall and firm, but her mind seemed boggled. Her eyes darted around, checking both ends of the hallway.

"So…" Viper began, a cheeky smile ran across her lips. "Now you know for sure!"

Tigress frowned. "I heard."

"And…?" Viper said, cheekily.

Tigress could hardly look her friend in the eye. Tigress knew how Po felt. She'd could only guess for a long time, but finally she knew for a fact. But she wasn't ready for it. Not now. Not after everything had happened. Her mind twisted and turned with all the events that've piled up on her and weighed her down. The tigers. Tsang. Lu Fang. The torture. The sudden healing of her paws. Every win and loss had bent her mind. She wasn't ready for love. Po obviously was, but she wasn't sure. Tigress had to admit it gave her immense joy seeing Po trot off down the hall with a smile, but that feeling was fleeting.

"There's been a lot that's happened, and I don't know if I'm ready."

Viper groaned. "Po will come to you eventually and talk. When he does, just listen. I know a lot has happened, but I just don't want you to close yourself off again." Viper tapped Tigress on the arm and gave her a cheeky smile. "Besides, we all know what you're attracted to."

"Stop." Tigress pouted.

"Those who take charge. That tends to get your tail twisted, doesn't it?"

"Viper…"

"Those who are firm and headstrong. Always a fur-rustler."

"I'm warning you."

Viper didn't relent. "Determined. Maybe a little foolhardy. Relentless. Steadfast. Strong-willed. Stubborn?"

"VIPER!" Tigress roared. Then, silence.

Viper laughed. "Sorry." Another batch of silence. "But I'm right, aren't I?" Both Viper and Tigress knew she was.


From back down the hall, Po heard the tiger's roar. He spun as it echoed but thought little of it. Mantis must've pushed her buttons again. Scary thought. Nonetheless, Po turned and entered Master Shifu's room, nearly bumping into a vase of healthy carnation flowers on the way in.

"Hello, Dragon Warrior." Shifu softly spoke. "It is about time we spoke about your latest mission."

"Uh…" Po hadn't even thought about it. He had come in for a completely different reason, but some things were more urgent than others. So, Po bowed and nodded. "What do you want to hear?" Po asked.

"This… Lu Fang. You said she was another panda?"

"Yeah, but evil. She wasn't from the secret village, I don't think. Something else must've happened to her."

"And... she beat you? She beat all of you?"

"She did."

Shifu rubbed his temples. "Po, Emperor Hongwu was most displeased by this information. I will not lie, but his disappointment in part my fault. While I was speaking to him on other matters, I filled his head with confidence. I spoke highly of you, and the Furious Five. I assured him that you and your team were more than capable of handling this matter." Po felt his heart sink at every word Shifu said. "Now, you come here and tell me you've failed to defeat this evil? How has that come to pass? From our brief talk earlier, I am to believe it was a lack of direction during this mission. Am I correct? And no lies!"

Po opened his mouth. The pressure was on. "Everything just fell apart. When we took off, I was prepared to fight her. I knew I could beat her, right? I beat Kai and Tai Lung and Shen! I was ready. Then, we met, and she seemed hurt. Lost. Master Shifu, I thought I could help her. I thought I could make her see right from wrong, but I failed." Po took a deep breath.

"And she proceeded to kick your butt."

"Yeah."

"Badly."

"Mostly. Yeah."

"Smashed into a giant panda puddle."

"Okay… Easy. She had an army and a fortress, and she was on an island so it isn't like getting there or off was necessarily easy. Yeah, I failed, but it won't happen again. If Emperor Hongwu wants to send me back to fight her alone, I'll do it."

"Calm down, panda." Master Shifu said. He stood up from his meditation pose and looked up at the giant panda before him. "I will not let you face her alone in such an instance. What I just want to know is how you lost?"

"How?" Po asked. "She… beat me up, and…" Po froze, deciding he had said enough. That was the truth, anyways. He had gotten beat, badly. Shifu, however, noted something off. Though the giant panda didn't lie, as Shifu instructed him not to, he wasn't ready to tell the whole truth.

"And what, Dragon Warrior?"

"And… and I lost my chi."

Shifu stroked his chin and listened intently. "Interesting. Go on."

Po didn't know what else to say, but he knew he had to say something. In fact, there was an ocean of words bubbling their way to the surface. He didn't know what they were or where they would take the conversation, but they were in desperate need to be spoken aloud. So, Po braced himself for what was to come.

"Master, I messed everything up. I am the reason we failed to defeat Lu Fang. I made Tigress play nice, and it ended poorly. Mantis was nearly killed and they locked Tigress up. She was kept prisoner and tortured. I didn't know at the time, but…" Po clenched his fist as the thoughts and images came flooding back. "They hurt her. Lu Fang and her gang hurt Tigress, and I just couldn't take it. Seeing that was something I'll never live down. Knowing I was trying to get close to a monster while my friend, my best friend, was being tortured makes me sick. When we ran away from that fortress, Master, it made me realize one thing." Po held his breath. "I love Tigress, and I would rather rot in the darkest pit than see that happen to her again."

"Love?" Shifu was taken aback. The rest of Po's promise fell on deaf ears.

"If it wasn't because of me, she would've been okay. If it wasn't because of me, she wouldn't have gotten hurt or chained or tortured." Po slumped to the ground.

"And tell me, Dragon Warrior, do you still think it's a mystery as to how or why you lost your chi?"

"No. No, it isn't, Master Shifu. I know why." Po groaned and laid down. As he looked up at the gold and jade ceiling, it felt as if everything was piling up. "Unfocused, as always. Or too focused on the wrong thing. It's usually a toss-up."

Shifu shook his head and walked around the belly of the Dragon Warrior, turning downward to face him eye to eye. "No, Po. You said you love my daughter?"

Po nodded. "I did, didn't I?" He winced, realizing it was far too late to turn back now. He was committed. From here on out, his relationship with everyone around him would change. For better or worse.

Shifu's brows lowered, and he gave Po that of an all too caring father. Po was unsure how to react, so he merely laid on the polished wooden floor and waited for whatever was to come. "Every warrior has their time to shine, Po. They have their path to greatness. You have had your journey, and it has been a spectacular one. One of overcoming the odds as the weight of China and the world is tossed upon your back. I have learned that mine is to uncover the secrets of Great Master Oogway and bring his knowledge to the world. Now, it is Tigress' turn. She holds a destiny I do not yet understand. But I fear just like both of us, when we faced our destiny, she will be vulnerable. More vulnerable than ever before."

Po felt his heart race. Where was this going? He asked himself. What was Tigress' destiny? Truly, what was it?!

Shifu prattled on. His gaze getting more and more intense. His words became crisp. His voice became fierce. "This bond between you two is special, and as I have mentioned many times before, you two are to help one another reach their limits, and continue through them. However, Po, you must promise me that she will come to no more harm."

Oh, no! I'm getting the talk! Po began to sweat.

"You will be her support. You will be there when she needs to vent, or when she needs to cry, or when she needs to punch something. Am I clear!?"

Po nodded. "Mhmm."

As Po attempted to sit himself upright, Shifu began to pace. "You will open the doors for her. You will walk on the side of the road NEAREST the moving carts. Understand? It's a safety thing. You will…"

Po's mind began to wander as the little red panda began to prattle on and on. Po had seen Shifu as a master, an ally, and a compatriot. Never had he seen him take on the role of a father. While Po was sure it happened more often than not, it was the first time Po had experienced it. Finally, Shifu came to the end of his fatherly rant.

"Am I clear?!" Shifu stood firm and pointed his staff at Po while still giving him a stern stare.

Po managed to make it to his feet. "Of course!"

Shifu smiled. "Good." The little master calmed down and took a deep breath. "Now, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. You two need each other, but there are more important obstacles to clear first. Whatever steps you take, Master Panda, I urge you to tred carefully around my daughter. As long as you do that and allow her time to grow, we will have no problems."

Po hardly heard a word. He spun around with a smile, taking a handful of carnations from the vase as he tore out of the room. "Sounds like I have your blessing!" He laughed like a giddy child. "Thank you!"

"Blessing? Wait!" Shifu roared. "What blessing!?" Shifu was left stunned. "Hopefully I got through to him." Shifu grumbled.

Po raced up and down the halls, this time with a vigor he couldn't control. Then, he found her. She was at the main gate of the Jade Palace, outside and sitting in the grass. Tigress had her eyes closed and seemed to be at peace. Po knew better. He stood idle and watched for a moment or two. He noted her tail twitch, then her ear flick. A little wince in her eyes made Po painfully aware that Tigress was, in fact, not at peace.

He looked down at the handful of carnations in his paws. Will this help or hinder? He held his breath, unsure of what it would do. His heart began to settle as he thought this over. He looked around and upon seeing nobody around, finally went to make his move. He walked out, carrying the carnations out in front of him. Their vibrant violet, orange, and golden flowers would be impossible to resist, or so he hoped.

Po began running different scenarios through his mind. Tigress? Despite everything that has happened recently, I want you to know that… Before he could finish, he was standing before her.

"Tigress?" Po whispered, hoping to ease her back to reality. Before she could open her eyes, the panda pulled the carnation flowers behind his back. Suddenly, he wasn't sure. Just as his friends had warned, he tried not to panic. His heart began to pick up speed again. Why do I have to be so emotionally vulnerable! He cursed himself.

Tigress looked up at Po, confused. "What are you doing?" She asked, standing up to face him.

"I just want to check up on you." Po continued to speak softly. "Emperor Hongwu didn't seem very happy."

"He has a lot on his plate." Tigress responded. "I'm just worried about Shifu. Hopefully the emperor wasn't too harsh on him."

"Oh, he's fine!" Po spat. "I just got done talking with him. He actually told me a few very interesting things."

Tigress took a moment. She noted how the panda looked off. She stepped back and studied the panda. Everything went noticed. From his red face to his unfocused eyes. Even how he had his paws wrapped behind his back. "Like what?" She asked.

Po managed a smile. "Well, like how every great warrior goes through a… trial before they truly come into their own. I was actually hoping… well…" Po's face turned even more red. "I was hoping I could help."

"Help?" Tigress asked.

Po nodded and pulled the carnations up to Tigress. "This is going to come out of the blue, but I lo-" Po froze.

They were dead. The carnations were dead. What once had been a mix of vibrant colors was now nothing but pitch black and wilted beyond survival. Po stood, horrified.

"What are those?" Tigress asked.

Before Po could answer, the doors to the courtyard swung open. In hopped none other than Liang. Both Po and Tigress were immediately caught off guard. The little rabbit hopped until he dropped in the middle. He gasped for breath.

"What is going on? PO!?" Tigress roared, now as confused as ever.

"I don't know!"

Liang gasped for breath. He looked around, attempting to focus his eyes, but they merely drew to whatever moved. He couldn't focus, and he failed to find his breath.

As if on cue, out came Master Shifu. Behind him, Emperor Hongwu. They had seen the commotion from the entry to the Jade Palace and immediately began their dash towards the gate. Before either of them got halfway, Liang managed to get his wind back. He looked up at Po.

"Lu Fang." He said, then proceeded to gasp for more air.

"What about her?" Po picked Liang up and attempted to help him to his feet, but the rabbit merely fell back into the grass.

"She's on her way. She's… here. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. She took... she took the map."

His words sent a chill down Po's back. Master Shifu and Emperor Hongwu circled the little rabbit. "What is going on?" Master Shifu asked. "Who is this?"

"He needs to be taken in. He needs help." Po said. "He's our friend."

"What happened?" Emperor Hongwu asked. "What does he want?"

Po looked up at the emperor with cold eyes. "Lu Fang is here."

Quickly, a Zeng and a few other helpers pulled Liang from the ground and pulled him inside the Jade Palace for medical attention. Po stood up, silently. His eyes were wide with pure terror. He was taken aback when Shifu looked up at him and asked. "What are we going to do?"

Po looked down at Shifu. "We can't beat her." He spoke softly.

Shifu nodded and turned towards Emperor Hongwu. "I'll prepare the evacuation. Your word would go a long way in making sure things go as smoothly as possible."

Emperor Hongwu nodded. "My word is law, and this village shall be evacuated."

Shifu then turned towards Po. "Po? You and Tigress round up the Furious Five. I want the village evacuated by nightfall."


A/N: Hello! Another chapter down! We still have one more obstacle before Po and Tigress are truly ready to admit their feelings. They will have to be put on the backburner until Lu Fang is dealt with. I'm still wrapping up these plot threads and all. Po will need to watch his step, otherwise he could screw up Tigress emotionally, and that would dash any hope of her reaching her true potential and living up to her own destiny, which I promise to go into a bit further detail in one of the final chapters. (We're almost there!)

So, I hope you enjoyed! This has been so fun to write.

Not done yet, though!