Author's Note: Hey people! Great to see you again! I've returned with another chapter and this one is pretty big! And as you can see from the title, our heroes are now finally heading off! Apologies for the long wait, but don't worry, this chapter has got plenty of things to look forward to. Now, let's get on with it!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP! (Seriously, I don't)

Enjoy!

Off to The Forbidden City!

Pale white cascades across the river's gentle waters as the moon keeps its watchful eye on the modest sailboat gliding along. No stars litter the sky, a deep clean purple slate acting as the moon's canvas. Two amber orbs accompany the moon's protective eye, silently asking the reflection within the water questions that she simply cannot answer.

Tigress sits by the edge of the sailboat, her legs hovering just above the water. At first, she had come out here to meditate on yesterday's events. The emperor's chilling message, Li-Shan's request, Shifu's promise to her. But once her mind had dived into these thoughts, she had soon found herself drowning in the questions that followed. Has inner peace meant nothing? Why was her clan hidden from everyone? Why are they involved with Ke-Pa? How can Shifu see her as worthy of succeeding him? How does Li-Shan or Mr. Ping trust her with Lei-Lei?

By that point she pulled herself out and instead found herself staring down at the river. At her clear reflection. Aside from the jovial sounds of sailors dancing inside the boat, not a single sound breaks her focus on the mirror below. Each tiny ripple made by the boat's movements warp her reflection into something else. For a few seconds she sees a younger, different version of herself happily training with her tiger parents. Within a blink of an eye, this changes to a teenage Lei-Lei training with an older, wiser Tigress. This image tempts a smile out of her, the thought of raising the adorable panda cub as her own warming her conflicted soul in a way that she cannot explain yet knows is right. She blinks again, receiving an entirely different image in the waters below.

Peach blossoms float through the air as the sun's glorious rays break through the sky. A beautiful greeting for the joyous couple lying underneath the tree of heavenly wisdom.

Amber eyes smile at the sight, gently glowing like a candlelit flame. Both Po and her sit underneath the peach tree, snuggled up together with their eyes on the horizon. Wrinkles litter both of their faces, with Po dressed in Jade robes whilst Tigress is adorned in her master's green sash. Never before had she imagined even the idea of growing old with someone. In her line of work, it seemed like an impossibility yet now, her heart wishes it more than ever. Her eyes almost tear up as she keeps herself from blinking, certain that this fantasy would disappear before her eyes. Alas, her eyelids shut and then open.

Two obsidian eyes stare back at her.

Horror carves itself onto Tigress' face as she blinks in surprise, banishing her dark reflection before she can fully comprehend it. Opening her eyes again, the tiger master only sees herself again, only disturbing her further. In spite of opening up so much, in spite of finding inner peace, in spite of finding the love of her life; she still sees this monster. Why? Is it that doubting voice returning again? Or is it something else? Something worse? Why can't she control it? Why can't she escape it?

Before an answer can present itself, Tigress' ears twitch at the creak of the door opening. Cheerful chortles, bountiful banter, and simple sea shanties fly out into the air only to be muffled again as the door closes. She doesn't turn her head as she recognises the heavy footsteps approaching, "Thought you'd be out here." She can practically hear the gentle smile on Po's face as he plops down alongside her, his arm delicately wrapping around her shoulder. "You alright?"

She keeps staring down into the waters below, eyes fixated on the monster hiding within its depths. Yet there is only her face, veiling a creature born from the past yet strengthened by fears of the future. A palimpsest of sorrow and yearning that refuses to leave. Jade irises join amber in the river's reflection as Po takes Tigress' right paw in his, caressing it as if he is handling porcelain. To the distraught tiger however, it is a light pressure. Pressure that is warm regardless of her numb nerves. Though thankful for his company, her stare doesn't retract from the waters below as she holds her panda's paw. "There are too many things to think about." Her voice is barely above a whisper which only raises the concern in Po's countenance. However, it doesn't take too long for his goofy, cheerful grin to come back.

"Yeah, I getcha. The whole emperor and forbidden city thing is freaking me out a bit too." Right… their mission. It seems she had been thinking so deeply that their quest had completely phased out of her mind. Although, she certainly can't say that doesn't at the very least intrigue her. That the forbidden city has been whittled down this much in the course of a few days. Yet…

"It's not just that." Tigress turns her head to her love, who immediately greets her gaze with his. She pauses for a mere moment, not wanting to burden him with her woes, only to see a welcoming look in his eyes, silently asking for her to go on. Reminding her that she could never be a burden to him. "My clan… I… I have too many questions that… have no answers."

Po's expression wilts at this, his tiger's despondent timbre reminiscent of his own when they had made it back from Gongmen city. "I can imagine…" He pulls her in close with his left arm, the tiger master gladly leaning into his side and laying her head on his shoulder. She closes her eyes, a light smile coating her face as she cherishes her panda's loving embrace. Though he smiles at this, Po's worry only deepens as he realises just what thoughts must have been passing through her head. Her parents… That night… Nuba… And after what happened when she had visited the village… "How are you holding up?" Certainly not well, but it is something that needs to be asked.

Immediately, Tigress' smile disappears at this question. She knows he means well, but part of her was simply hoping that they could cuddle and just… forget about all of this even if it is for a mere moment. When did I get so sappy? That thought is almost immediately banished out of her head. Only recently had she realised the very idea of strength is never so black and white. That there isn't just strength and weakness, but that it runs much deeper. After all, even the strongest of warriors need to let their guard down at some point. She squeezes his paw and snuggles deeper into his neck fur, almost feeling sleepy at his warmth.

Sorrow coats the panda master's face, "That bad, huh?" His voice softens, timbre now akin to a lullaby soothing his dear tiger to rest, cradling her soul with the assurance that everything will be okay. A quiet, affirmative hum seeps out of his tiger's lips. The moon's luminous rays lay a gentle kiss upon Tigress' head, only magnifying her beauty to her adoring panda. "I know how you feel." He takes his paw off of hers and tenderly strokes her head, gaining a few affectionate chuffs from his grateful tiger. "I know that its hard to believe this, but… I know that someday, after a long while, that pain won't mean anything anymore." With that, he gives her a loving kiss on top of her head before softly stroking her fur again, her signature tiny smile returning.

They stay like this for nearly a whole minute, huddled together in the cool, clear splendour of the night. In between his soft caresses, Po lays gentle kiss after gentle kiss on his darling tiger's head, only making her snuggle deeper into his warm embrace. Yet, even when trying to shut out all of her concerns, some questions still manage to pierce their way through her cuddly shield. However, these questions are far more inviting, far more welcomed. How would it feel to one day spend every moment like this? That when she will inevitably retire, she can do so with not just the love of her life, not just the dragon warrior, but her adoring husband? And maybe… an adoring father? Dare she even try to dream of that? With each day, these questions seem less like fantasy and more like something that could be possible. A reality that her heart only wishes could come sooner. "Po?" An unmistakable brightness shines in her voice, spreading into her panda's curious hum. Bliss inebriates her mind to the point that she doesn't even think about her next sentence, "Have you ever thought about being a father?" As soon as those words leave her mouth however, her eyes widen to the size of the very moon laughing at her thoughtless words. This embarrassment however, is soon thrown away by Po's immediate response.

"You kidding? Of course, I want to be a dad!" Tigress turns to face her panda only to see a gigantic smile on his face.

"Really?" Her voice softens at his admission, truly surprised at how confident he is about something so complicated.

A sincere, uncompromising joy brightens his expression further as he looks his darling tiger in the eye, "Yeah, like…" He pauses for a brief moment, trying to find the best words to describe it only for his mind to find itself stranded in a barren desert. Its not that he hasn't thought of it before, in fact, this question had come up plenty of times between him and his goose dad. But every time he tried to explain it, there weren't any words to really express his surety. Only a feeling deep in his heart, something far beyond words. "Well… I can't really explain it, I… I just… it feels right, Y'know? Like, being a dad kinda feels… natural? I guess?" Po takes another moment to think, his mind struggling to find a single oasis amongst the sands of useless words.

Tigress can't help but smile at her love's excitement. To think that he's so ready for something like this. Or is he? "And you're not worried about being a parent?"

This shakes the panda out of his mental search, resulting in a meek chuckle from him. "Well, I didn't say that… I mean, being a dad is a lot of responsibility and I'm probably gonna make a few mistakes, or maybe the whole dragon warrior thing might get in the way." His tiger love's smile wilts slightly as his list of worries mirrors her own, forcing her amber irises to look downward. Of course, she loves Lei-Lei from the core of her heart, but there is always a chance that something can go wrong. Not to mention that her status as one of China's strongest warriors is just begging for danger to come knocking on her door. What she doesn't notice however, is her panda's eyes shift their focus to the celestial spotlight in the sky. The moment he had started counting off his worries, the list had only grown larger in his mind with one surpassing the rest. As he stares at the moon, his conversation with Oogway flashes in his mind. "Maybe… I'll outlive them…" Dread drowns his voice into a pained, mournful whisper, making Tigress lift her head from his shoulder and look him straight in the eye.

Another worry that nags at both their minds, or so she thinks, "You don't know that, Po. Anything could happen with-

"That's not what I mean, Tigress."

Jade irises look to the floor of the ship as his tiger gazes at him with a silent question, only for said question to be answered by a single fact. He is Oogway's successor. "Po." She lovingly coos to him before placing her paw on his cheek with a softness reserved only for him. Though they have never spoken about this, Tigress could always feel the subtle yet thick tension in the air whenever his new title was mentioned. Sometimes she had noticed her panda looked as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, only for this weight to be shrugged off once he saw her. It usually isn't like him to hide something, nor is it like her to let it slide, but she had thought that perhaps Po preferred to ignore it, to spend his time with her unshackled by this indescribable responsibility. Only now can she really see how much this has affected him. As she caresses his cheek with her thumb, she places her other paw on his other cheek and gently turns his head over to her, "You don't have to go through this alone."

Humourlessly, Po scoffs at her caring words, yet even this is light and quiet. "Well, that's not what Oogway said."

A puzzled expression lines Tigress' face, "What do you mean?"

Jade eyes widen in realisation, "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you; Oogway visited me Two days ago." He meekly giggles in slight embarrassment whilst his tiger ponders on this new information.

If he did speak to Po so recently, then that means, "Did you ask him about the Zhanshi clan?" Hope shines through her timbre until her panda's light grin vanishes, his face shrinking in embarrassment. He purses his lips as Tigress' countenance wilts ever so slightly, her paws unconsciously sliding off his face. The perfect chance for answers, now gone. "Po." Though her voice only has a hint of disappointment in it, for Po it feels like a cannon punching into his chest.

"I know, I know… I… I'm... It just slipped my mind, y'know?" He drags his paws down his face, beyond frustrated at himself for forgetting something so important. Who knows when Oogway will visit again? "Oh crap, I'm so sorry…" He bows his head down, his apology coming straight from the heart.

Tigress' face softens at her panda's miserable pout. He has his own answers to seek, his own fears to face, it's only natural for him to seek them out. She places her paw on top of his hand and gives him a light, reassuring smile. "It's okay, Po. With so many things going on at once, its easy to be forgetful." He lifts his head back up, allowing his tiger love to place her other paw on his cheek once more. "So… What did he tell you?" Seriousness soon bathes her countenance, knowing full well that his concerns with his new title reach deep within.

A melancholic sigh escaping his lips, Po thinks back to his conversation with the late turtle as Tigress tenderly strokes his cheek with her thumb. He just about manages a tiny smile as he places his paw on top of hers, cherishing her warm, kind touch. "It's a burden that doesn't fade." That miniscule smile of his fades as jade gazes into amber, the fear of never seeing her beautiful eyes again forming a sinkhole in his heart. "That no matter how much I don't want to… I'll have to face it on my own." He recites, those words having swum around his head for nearly the whole day. Before Tigress can even try to comfort him, Po clarifies, "I know it's the truth. I know that one day… One day, it'll just be me…" He doesn't look her in the eyes. He can't. Otherwise, his heart will shatter right here and he'll probably be bawling his eyes out at the thought of losing her. Of not even seeing her in the spirit realm. Try as he might however, tears still brim within his eyes, blurring his sight with the despair of a lonesome, hollow future. "It still sucks." He practically chokes this out as amber eyes wilt in empathy.

Before the floodgates can truly burst, Tigress pulls him into her embrace and places her head on his shoulder, chuffing as she rubs her cheek against his. Po can't help but to reciprocate her intimate gesture, wanting to cherish her loving touch for as long as he can. Not a single word is said as they rub their heads together. A celebration of their undying love all encapsulated within a single moment. A moment that they wish could last forever.

"Ahem." The warrior couple freeze immediately as the gruff voice of master Shifu floats through the air. They turn their head towards the red panda who stands by with a warm smile along his face and staff held behind him. "I'd hate to ruin the moment, but I need to have a word with you, Po."

Both warriors separate from their embrace, a light embarrassment lingering on their faces at being seen by their master. "Sure thing, Master." Po affirms with his signature grin back on his face, making Shifu hobble off towards the boat's starboard side. He stands up to follow the grandmaster until another memory of Oogway's visit jolts his mind. "Ooh, almost forgot." He kneels down towards Tigress, who watches on with a reserved yet curious glint in her eyes. "That wasn't the only thing Oogway and I talked about yesterday."

"Oh?" She raises her eyebrows, smiling at the sight of her panda back to his usual, cheerful self.

Po's smile only widens as he continues, "Y'know the white chi thing that I used against Nuba?"

Tigress nods.

"The inner peace energy I used for my dragon's strike?"

"Yes."

"The white fire that-

"Po." Tigress' smile grows at her dragon warrior letting himself get carried away.

"Right, right. Well, Oogway told me that apparently it wasn't even Chi at all." Curiosity turns to intrigue as Tigress gives Po a questioning glance, only for him to respond with a smile that holds so much excitable energy it could very well explode. "It was the energy of the universe." He slowly waves his paws in front of him for dramatic effect whilst Tigress' eyes widen in astonishment.

She ponders to herself for a few moments, remembering the many myths that had circulated around the kung fu community about the dragon warrior's power. It is said that the dragon warrior can survive for months at a time on nothing but the dew of a single gingko leaf and the energy of the universe. One of the more popular legends. One that she had used to indirectly insult him years ago… That can't be right. Can it? "You mean?" Tigress can barely finish asking her question as she is almost immediately answered by the dragon warrior rapidly nodding his head up and down. To think that this myth has now become a reality, that Po has now become everything China had expected the dragon warrior to be. It's unbelievable. It's nothing short of impressive. It's… "It's incredible." She breathes out as her eyes remain fixated on the love of her life, a warrior of legend. Her dragon warrior.

A sly look crosses Po's face as he puts his fists on his hips and jokingly looks off to the horizon, "You mean I'm incredible?" He asks in the most exaggerated 'hero' voice he can come up with… That was cheesy even for me.

Before he can get out of this 'hero pose', Tigress grabs him by his asymmetrical robes and pulls him towards her, their lips a few inches away from each other. With half-lidded eyes and sly grin on her lips, she whispers in a silky, seductive tone, "You bet you are." Before laying a passionate kiss on his lips, expressing the love, admiration and pride within her soul for her sweet, bodacious panda. It doesn't take long for him to reciprocate, the lovers losing themselves in each other once again.

"Po!"

They both separate at this, with Po quickly yelling out, "Sorry, master! On my way!" He lets out one more meek chuckle before taking a quick second to admire his tiger love's gorgeous smile, and kissing her on the forehead. "Love you." With that, he rushes off to the starboard of the boat, leaving Tigress to watch on with adoration beaming from her eyes. To think that she has someone so kind yet powerful as her love. She couldn't be more grateful that he landed in her life… literally.

With both her father and the dragon warrior gone, master Tigress stands up to head back to her cabin only to stop herself at the sound of her serpent sister slithering from the hull, her knowing smile shining as brightly as the moon beaming down on them. Tigress replies with an unamused expression, "And how long have you been eavesdropping?"

Sky-blue eyes gaze at the empty sky with a feigned innocence that even Po could see through, "Long enough to know that you two are the cutest couple in China." She looks back to see a tiny smile forming on her feline sister's face, a bashful glint evident in her eyes. Said tiger master folds her arms and turns to face the clear, purple sky, a road to the future unsullied by the clouds that would so often conceal it. Viper soon joins her, taking in the splendid calmness of the night as her curiosity pushes its way onto her face. "Long enough to wonder why you're so curious about parenthood."

There it is. Tigress' grin widens, already imagining just how many excited questions her sister must have for her. So where to start? Probably at the very first. "I'm not expecting, if that's what you're asking." She sits down on the floor, with Viper following suit.

"Well, if you are planning on getting frisky anytime soon, then maybe you should wait until after our mission is finished, hm?" Viper's light joke forces a chuckle out of the tiger, which only makes the snake laugh along with her.

"It isn't like that, Viper." Though that certainly isn't out of the question, she brushes aside that cheeky thought for now, her smile slowly fading as the questions and worries that had plagued her mind bubble back up to the surface. Turning to face her sister, Tigress clarifies in a voice so soft, so gentle that Viper could easily mistake it as her own. "Lei-Lei's grandmother died recently, and aside from Li-Shan, I'm the only one she is particularly close to. But Li-Shan himself is busy all the time, so…"

"He asked you to adopt her." Viper finishes her sister's sentence, her countenance wilting in pity for the panda cub as Tigress nods. "That poor girl." Amber eyes look to the floor as brief, yet heart-wrenching memories of her birth parents flash through her mind for a moment. "So, what did you tell him?" Worry encapsulates her voice, making the tiger master's ears twitch.

"I didn't have time, we needed to go." She doesn't look at the serpent master as she answers, her heart wishing that she could've said yes right then and there. But it never is that simple.

Noticing Tigress' stoic yet conflicted expression, Viper wraps her tail around her paw and gives her a reassuring smile as she looks up. "Do you want to adopt her? Do you want to become a mother?"

A comforting, serene silence spreads out amongst the river, with even the sailors inside seeming to quiet down. Amber irises gaze into sky-blue, grateful that whatever her answer may be, there will be no judgements and no demands. Just a person willing to listen and help. This silence persists for a few moments as Tigress thinks long and hard about her answer. In spite of all her worries and the many logical conclusions telling her that this could be a bad idea, her heart leads her to a single answer, one that she knows is the truth. "Yes." She wills out, her voice just above a whisper, as if what she had just said weighs more than the world itself whilst feeling so natural to say. Viper's smile widens at her tiger sister's admission, her heart-warming at the genuine, undeniable happiness in her timbre. "But," Tigress sighs, her ears folding onto her head, "What if I won't have enough time to properly raise her? What if I am more of a master to her than a mother? What if I put her in danger?"

To Tigress' surprise, her snake sister's smile doesn't falter. "Oh sweetie, sounds to me, like you might want to speak to someone else about this. Someone far more experienced in being a kung fu parent." Amber irises widen as the tiger master avoids the temptation of facepalming herself. Master Shifu, of course. She could ask him. Granted, his track record isn't… perfect… but whatever mistakes he had made with both her and Tai Lung are in the past, he's learned from it. Viper giggles at her sister's obviously dumbfounded face, but steadies herself quickly. She gives Tigress' paw a light squeeze before telling her in as sweet a voice as she possibly can, "If it's any consolation, I think you'd make a great mother." Warmth fills Tigress' soul as she smiles wide at her serpent sister, silently thanking her for being so kind. "And I'm pretty sure Po would be the best father in the world, so you have nothing to worry about." Both sisters laugh at this, absolutely aware of Po's natural ability with looking after children. It seems she won't need to be alone in this after all.

Whilst the two sisters gaze at the luminous horizon ahead, their hope for the future as clear as the night sky, Po awkwardly shuffles his way towards the boat's starboard side. With his staff leaning on the railing, Shifu turns his head to the sheepish dragon warrior, his embarrassment forcing a light smile from the stern red panda. "Um, hey master. Sorry for taking so long." He scratches the back of his head as his sheepish expression shifts to one of mild intrigue, "So, what's going on?"

The soft smile on Shifu's lips evaporates at the panda's question as he turns his head back to the horizon, only beckoning his curiosity further. He looks over the railing with Po following suit, jade irises see his master's steely blue eyes reflected in the water, matted in some kind of melancholic understanding. As if something's off. It isn't like Shifu to be this serious… Okay, it is, but this time seems different in a way that Po simply can't describe. They stay like this for several, agonising moments, the suspense weighing down on the dragon warrior's body so much that it threatens to plummet through the boat itself. After what seems like an eternity, the grandmaster tears his eyes away from the water and shifts his attention back to his student, a weight seemingly lifted from his shoulders. "My time has come." Curiosity turns to shock, shock turns to fear, fear turns to panic.

"What?" Po squeaks out, his ability to speak having been punched right out of him by this harrowing message. Shifu doesn't respond, instead he only gazes at the dragon warrior with an unflinching seriousness. Paws now shaking, the panda manages to wrench his legs forward. There's no way. Not now. Before the panda can do anything more, his master stops him in place with his staff.

"Gotcha."

As a sly smirk crosses Shifu's face, Po's lungs finally release their grip on the air he's held in. Shifu's quiet chuckle flows through the air as the panda manages to calm himself. Okay, maybe he's lightened up a bit too much. There's no chance in hell the old Shifu would ever joke about something like that. But he has to admit, "Okay, you got me. Heh, you got me good with that one." Po laughs along, somewhat impressed that his master would even try this. Both master and student laugh with each other, enjoying their brief moment of brevity amidst a mission that only promises tough times ahead.

Alas, even this barely lasts. "As funny as that is," A content sigh escapes the grandmaster's lips, only for his expression to return to its serious state once more. "We never know when our final days will come… and I'd prefer to say what I need to say now rather than let it fester and rot until it is buried with me." Though the melancholic tint has disappeared from his eyes, a new emotion takes its place. One that Po can't decipher.

"W-what do you mean?" Befuddled, the panda master can only wonder just what has spurred on this talk of… well, dying.

Shifu's lips quirk up at the clear concern blossoming in his jade eyes, "I've watched as you and my daughter have blossomed into warriors far more capable than any other, and help each other bloom into much more. I've seen how happy you two are together… I can only imagine what beauty your future will hold… And unfortunately, that could possibly be a future I'll never see." Po's eyebrows fall in pity, though he can't say he is wrong. "Now, I'm not rushing you. Love is not something that can be forced or made demands of. No, instead, I only want you to know that from the depths of my soul, from the bottom of my heart… I can't imagine my daughter being with anyone else." Sincerity bathes the grandmaster's gruff timbre, making Po smile wide. "I've never seen her smile as much as she has with you. I've never seen two warriors seem so perfect for the other. And with this… I give you my blessing, to marry Tigress."

There is no more space for Po's eyes to fit in his head, they've just grown too wide. Shifu has given him the go ahead to marry Tigress. Let's repeat that. Shifu has given him his blessing to marry the love of his life. If his mind before was a barren desert, then now it is an empty void, not a single word can come to mind. Somehow, amidst this vast nothingness, he manages to stutter out, "I… I don't… I don't know what to say… I-I… it's an honour, master." He gives his master a fist in palm salute, his smile so wide that it hurts his cheeks and his soul lit up to the point where it could catch fire.

With his future son-in-law ecstatic beyond belief, Shifu can't help but to smile with him. After everything they have done to protect the people of China, a happy life is the least they deserve. Unfortunately, they can't keep their sights set on the future, for there are far more worrying concerns that cannot be ignored. After letting Po take a moment to collect himself, Shifu decides to burst the optimistic bubble, "Now, I wish that were the main reason I needed to speak with you."

"Oh?" Smile still on his face, Po leans his head forward with the curiosity reminiscent of a child.

"The main reason is bad."

"Oh." His face falls, yet the curiosity still remains. "Is this about the forbidden city?"

An exhausted sigh exits the grandmaster's nostrils, "Though the circumstances are worrying, Tigress, Crane and I have already discussed potential plans of action at length. No, what has me anxious is something far more mysterious… and potentially dangerous." Shifu's voice takes on a darker tone at the end, mortifying the dragon warrior slightly.

"What? What could be more dangerous than what's going on in the forbidden city?" Po resists the urge to scoff at his master's suggestion both out of respect and out of fear that he'll smack him with his staff.

"Ke-Pa." The grandmaster answers without hesitation, the sombre timbre in his voice remaining. "More specifically, whatever he has to do with the Zhanshi clan."

An all too loud gulp emanates from Po, having eaten his words with a side order of embarrassment. But then, Shifu's worries bring a new question to mind. "So, what do you think the connection is?"

Once again, an exhausted sigh exits the grandmaster's lips, "All I can say for certain is that Oogway and the Zhanshi clan are hiding something. But that's just it… Why? Why would they hide something as important as this from us, from the whole world? Why would they go so far as to hide themselves from the face of China? And why, after all these years of defending Xiwang valley, did we only find out about this now?"

Po nods along, those exact questions having passed through his mind when Tigress had first told them about her discovery, yet this time an idea rears its head. An idea he's sure that his master is already thinking. "We were meant to." He whispers out, certain that their destiny must be tied with this discovery, it just makes too much sense.

"That's what worries me." A deadly seriousness coats Shifu's stare, his eyes sharp yet burdened like rusty daggers. "Why are we meant to find this now? What does the future hold for us where this information is important? The implications are too horrifying to imagine."

Now it's the dragon warrior's turn to sigh. Though his master's worries are well founded, there is still the chance that it is all for naught. "Well, yeah, but we could just be looking too much into it. And um, even if we aren't and Ke-Pa… Y'know, returns… He's been defeated before; we can defeat him again."

"But you're forgetting one crucial thing, Po." The grandmaster pokes his staff towards him, a warning glare burning into his now regretful face. "Oogway's battle with Ke-pa's forces lasted for hours. Over the course of an entire day, they had fought each other, with the world threatening to split in half at the sheer power on display. Oogway was bloodied and beaten by the end of it. He was on the verge of death and by some miracle, he had managed to vanquish Ke-Pa and his minions to the darkest depths of the spirit realm. It was no easy feat, dragon warrior, not even for him." Venom corrodes his voice yet the panic is still prevalent within. Panic so prevalent in fact, that the grandmaster doesn't notice something not adding up.

"But we don't even know if that's true, master." Steel blue eyes give the panda a questioning glance until they realise just what he means. If Oogway had hidden the involvement of the Zhanshi clan, then how much of the story is true? That is even assuming it isn't all a lie.

Shifu calmly retracts his staff and looks to nowhere in particular, his trust in his late master's words being challenged for the first time in years. "You're right." His defeated whisper brings an icy chill to the already cold breeze, bringing a shiver of dread up Po's spine. For once he doesn't want to be right.

He keeps his mouth shut as he grits his teeth, feeling another painful ache in his head, as if a needle is stabbing right in the centre of his brain and then expanding in size. This has been persisting for the past few days and he doesn't know why. Perhaps its anxiety? Maybe lack of food? No, that's definitely not it. Great, another worry to add to the list.

Meanwhile, within the boat's surprisingly vast interior lies the mess hall, cramped yet surprisingly cosy for the crew inside. By the main table, four sailors sit around clapping their paws in rhythm as two of their comrades stand on top of the table, dancing the night away whilst drunkenly singing a classic sea shanty. Inevitably, one of the sailors falls off the table, earning a choir of laughs from his other inebriated crewmates.

Three smaller tables litter the left side of the room with all of them empty aside from the table closest to the door. Mantis and the captain's first mate, a stout warthog, watch on in awe as the Tibetan mastiff captain and Monkey sit face to face, both of them downing a long mug of baijiu. "C'mon man! You've got this!" Mantis cheers as both contestants continue gulping down the alcoholic beverage, a noticeable strain appearing on the captain's face.

"Don't listen to him, Hai*! This is child's play!" Though he hears his first mate's whoop of support, Hai's face only creases further as his mug of baijiu doesn't seem to end. He snatches a quick glance at his langur opponent only to see him raising his mug higher up, his face completely calm. A look of surprise litters his face until a sudden need takes over him. The need to breathe. And he isn't even halfway. Against his own wishes, the captain pulls away from his glass and coughs out into the air while Monkey keeps chugging on.

"Yeah! That's my guy! Ha ha!" Mantis bellows out before hopping onto his best friend's shoulder. A smile crawling onto his face, Monkey raises his fist up in celebration just as he finishes his last bit of baijiu.

Bam!

He slams the wooden mug down onto the table and takes a deep breath in before releasing a belch that threatens to shake the boat's very foundation. "What did I tell you, buddy. No one bests the drunken master!" He bumps his fist with his insect friend's claw, letting out a victorious chortle whilst the captain recovers from his coughing fit.

"Drunken master?" The first mate asks with an incredulous look on his face, "Nah, you're lying. There's no way you know drunken style. No way." Both Monkey and Mantis exchange a knowing glance before smirking at the warthog.

"Know it? Hah, I'm the best at it, baby!" The langur master gloats as he lays back in his chair, both his thumbs pointed towards himself as if saying 'Yeah, I'm the man.'

Hai laughs to himself as he drinks from his mug again, this time actually enjoying its taste. "No wonder I lost to you. So, how'd you learn it? Did master Shifu take you to a bar one day?"

Somewhat inebriated blue eyes look up to the ceiling, remembering the harsh training that Shifu put him through to learn this ancient yet rare form of kung fu. "To be honest… Yeah…" Monkey chuckles, remembering one day when him and the five were at a bar after a successful mission. "I had a bit too much to drink, then a bunch of guys attacked us and so, I defended myself. I can't remember much, but apparently, I kicked their ass and Shifu said that drunken style would be perfect for me." He shrugs before grabbing the captain's special bottle of Baijiu and pouring some more in his mug. It's not often Hai would allow his crew to drink, but the very honour of aiding China's most powerful warriors certainly calls for a celebratory drink… Or several.

"Yeah, I tried to do it once… Then I woke up in someone's trash can the next day." Mantis recalls before all four members of the table burst out laughing, with Monkey in particular slamming his paw on the table at remembering how furious Shifu was. As they all laugh hysterically with mugs of baijiu waiting to be drunk once more, Crane enters the room, holding in his laughter at the sight of the six sailors in the middle flailing their limbs around in some imitation of a dance. It doesn't take him long to find his comrades though it takes them a brief second to calm down from their howling laughter, "Oh, hey Crane! Want a drink? There's still plenty of Baijiu left."

The avian master shakes his head at his insect comrade's offer, "I'm good." He shifts his attention to Hai, a slight anxiousness clear in his yellow irises. "Captain Hai, I just wanted to check if we're still set to make port tomorrow morning." His tone almost feels absent, like his mind is in another place whilst still paying close attention.

Hai nods, now just about finished with his drink, "Yep, we should reach land by sunrise." He takes the bottle in his hand and raises his eyebrows at what remains of it, "By the Gods, this is the first time I've brought this out and you guys finish it in less than an hour." Mantis and Monkey chuckle at his disbelief whilst clinking their mugs together.

Crane bows in thanks, beyond grateful that they were able to accommodate them at such short notice. If it weren't for them, it would take them nearly five days to reach the emperor. Now if only they could stay on this boat for more than a day. If only they didn't have to walk the rest of the way. Well, that would only be a problem for Po in all honesty, but these sailors certainly have made their journey a lot less stress-ridden. "You guys are heading to the forbidden city, right?" He nods at the first mate who looks down in his mug, swirling the liquid around. "Damn, that's pretty ballsy considering what's going around."

All three kung fu masters look to each other in confusion, "Really? What have you heard?" Mantis inquires, hopping off his langur friend's shoulder and onto the table.

"Well," The warthog's hooves tap at his mug, a clear discomfort eating away at his countenance. "My sister lives there with her husband, and a few days ago she sent me a letter saying that he caught some crazy disease. Apparently, it's been spreading throughout the whole city." The masters' eyes widen at this, immediately knowing what he is referring to, yet a question still lingers in Crane's mind.

"What are the symptoms?" He asks, making Mantis and Monkey aware of what he is trying to gauge.

They notice the first mate's expression wilt in sorrow, practically becoming mournful. Regardless, he pushes through, "she said that he's having horrible delusions, that he's trying to attack them out of fear. He's crying and screaming constantly, to the point where his voice is breaking. She told me he hasn't slept in days. It's… It's horrible." Horror consumes the faces of the three warriors. Any of their preconceived notions now bulldozed right in front of them. Only one thought fills their minds aside from their pity for those poor citizens.

What kind of sick maniac would do this?

1* Hai = Sea in Chinese

Whoo! More furious five! In all seriousness though, I wanted a few tender moments here as well as some levity before the brutal and heart-wrenching parts rear their ugly head. There's not too much to say to be honest, I'll just let the chapter speak for itself! Feel free to leave reviews and say how you feel the story is going. Don't be afraid to rip the whole thing apart, I can take it. Until next time :)