A/N: Ah, yes, the obligatory "establishment of what the canon characters are doing" chapter. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own neither Kung Fu Panda nor any of the characters associated. This work is written for entertainment purposes only and I do not financially profit from it in any way.
While the universe is hardly a being of silence, it willingly falls quiet when the masters of the Jade Palace engage in battle. Nature itself becomes hushed in the daunting presence of its inhabitants; trees halt their swaying, winds stop their blowing, and water stops its trickling.
Such is the case as Master Tigress draws in a deep breath and lunges at her adversary.
Her opponent is enthusiastic and keen to impress, as always. He is a blur of black and white but she easily keeps pace, striking at any opening and dodging every attack. They are ideally matched in skill despite the ineffective nature of their indulgence in fighting.
Their spars have, over the years, become seamless with consummate grace. Every movement is with a purpose and without fail segues perfectly into the next, comparable to a dance in the way the spar smoothly flows. Kung fu is certainly an art at its core.
"Come on, Tigress, you almost had me!" the Dragon Warrior encourages as he narrowly avoids a kick to the chest. "Don't let me off that easily!"
Tigress clenches her teeth as she blocks a series of punches and kicks. She attempts a move from the side, but Po counters it—she inwardly chastises herself for the elementary nature of the attack.
The tiger performs her signature Tahlia Leap, using vertical leverage as a means by which to distance herself from her partner. She pounces at Po once she hits the ground, swiping at his shoulder as he hardly dodges the strike. He looks positively thrilled.
"Faster, faster!" Po instructs, growing giddy with genuine excitement. "Yeah, come on!"
She ultimately catches him off-guard with a creative combination of moves, sporting something between a classic palm strike and a roundhouse kick. Her initial attack is followed by a terrifyingly swift change in direction, conveniently placing her in the blind spot of her reeling combatant.
In the blink of an eye, Po is lying on his back and a foot is pressed into the junction of his shoulder. Tigress is breathing heavily but there is an air of confidence to her. Po appears to be quite content despite his loss, grinning up at the tiger as if he himself had won.
The Furious Five (sans Tigress) erupt in praise and Shifu smiles. Monkey and Mantis call out jabs at Po, earning a sideways glance from Viper.
The panda lifts himself from the ground in seconds and pumps his fists in the air, whooping in celebration. He points at Tigress with both hands, a wide and toothy smile still adorning his face, while she only crosses her arms in her signature stance.
"You did that!" Po shouts, "Way to go, Tigress, that's what I'm talking about!"
He holds up a hand for a high-five and she predictably leaves him hanging, offering a small smile in place of it. Po isn't fazed, however, and instead opts to briefly place his hand on her shoulder, playfully shaking her.
"You beat me," he says.
"She always beats you," Monkey points out.
"Yeah, but she did it faster that time," Po counters, "and she didn't mess up that new combo move, either! She was perfect!"
"I wouldn't go that far," the tiger remarks. She lifts an arm mid-sentence in an attempt to shield her face from the setting sun.
"You were!" Po insists as he moves to position himself between Tigress and the particularly offensive glare of sunlight.
He glances at the rest of the Furious Five with an exhilarated glint in his eye, eager to continue the sparring session. They are amused at his unbridled glee—he'll always be a fan at heart.
"Okay, who's next?" he inquires, clasping his hands together.
"That will be all for today," interjects Shifu as he flips his staff behind his back.
The red panda approaches the center of the training hall's courtyard, raising an eyebrow in Po's general direction. The larger of the two composes himself into a more dignified stance.
"We'll have to resume this lesson tomorrow, Dragon Warrior," Shifu says. "If you haven't forgotten, you have a speech to give."
The Valley of Peace, in the centuries following its legendary founding, has garnered a reputation throughout China for exhibiting impressive serenity and tranquility. Its peacefulness has even been described to match that of the Spirit Realm—what was imagined of it, rather—by those who visit its humble village.
Tonight, however, the valley roars with life.
The rebuilding of the Jade Palace had been a monstrous task for everyone who had offered their services, one as tedious and draining as anyone would assume. While many regarded the work as honorable and troubleless, hundreds breathed a unanimous sigh of relief upon the completion of the project.
A celebration was in order, no doubt, and the residents of the Valley of Peace were particularly keen on hosting a festival to commemorate such a victory. The masters of the Jade Palace were anxious to convey their gratitude to those who had aided in the palace's renovation and were quick to organize and host a celebration on palace grounds.
The valley's walls almost tremble in anticipation as village residents, foreign masters, and pandas alike flock to the Jade Palace's courtyard in preparation for tonight's celebration. Never before has there been such a joyous occasion within the palace's walls, with even the enthusiasm of the Dragon Warrior tournament paling in comparison.
The Dragon Warrior in question is gazing from his spot beside the peach tree at the vast expanse of stairs that hug the palace's mountain; a sight of the gray stone below is scarce in light of the hundreds of attendees that are currently making the painful trek to the top.
The panda is accompanied by Shifu, who seems to be far less concerned by the unfathomably large turnout of the event.
"That's a lot of people," Po says.
"An astute observation, Dragon Warrior," Shifu jests.
"No, like, that's more people than I think I've ever seen in my life," Po insists, unable to tear his eyes away from the seemingly endless lines of attendees.
"You will be fine," Shifu assures the panda.
"I'm really bad at giving speeches," Po says. "The last time I tried, my dad had to close the noodle shop for two days because—!"
"Po," the red panda interjects, effectively halting Po's onslaught of excuses. "You have faced far greater adversaries than that of public speaking."
"You wouldn't know! You weren't there for, like, two of them!" the panda argues. "Shifu, all of China is here!"
"Po, that's absurd," Shifu retorts. "Surely someone stayed behind to keep an eye on the Emperor, wouldn't you agree?"
"That was mean," Po whines, prompting the red panda to chuckle darkly.
"It is how you perceive it."
"Maybe I should prepare something," Po muses, anxiously.
"As I've told you, there is no need," the red panda insists, "you are merely thanking our guests for attending and expressing your gratitude toward those who assisted in the renovation of the Jade Palace."
"Okay, I'll trust you," Po relents, eventually.
"Truly, Po, I wouldn't worry," Shifu tells the panda, "You've already made a fool of yourself in front of everyone attending at some point or another."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" Po inquires, flatly.
Shifu manages—just barely—to suppress his amusement as he and Po begin their descent from the peach tree.
The red panda is less delighted at bearing witness to Po's speech-induced stress when it fails to subside. As they stand beside the arena's platform, the Furious Five already assembled atop the podium, Po's nerves are still stirring.
"I can't do this," Po whisper-shouts to Shifu, bending down to the red panda's height.
"You can and you will," Shifu counters, predictably. "You are the Dragon Warrior, and you are the reason why we are all here today."
"I'm also kind of the reason it happened in the first place," Po retorts, straightening his posture and glancing up at the Jade Palace as if he were expecting it to be torn apart again. He adds, "It cancels out, I think."
He will never say so, but he's grateful that he hadn't witnessed the destruction occur. He may have never recovered from the grisly sight.
"True peace has never come easily, Po, regardless of who caused what and so forth," Shifu says. "If one were to twist the narrative enough, virtually anyone could be blamed for the desecration of the Jade Palace."
"Okay," Po drawls. "What's your point?"
"My point is that you were able to bring about peace," Shifu replies, "and you did so through dedication, passion, loyalty, and sacrifice—all good things, if not at times a bit overzealous."
Po chuckles half-heartedly at the jab. Tigress had undoubtedly informed Shifu of Po's suicidal method of reestablishing Kai's place in the Spirit Realm. Shifu, exhibiting a rare instance of mercy, has not yet broached the topic despite the many opportunities he has had to do so, and Po is hoping things stay that way.
The panda had already gotten an earful of criticism from Tigress on the eve of his return from the afterlife, and their (rather one-sided) discussion had consisted of an hour's worth of harsh lecturing that was colorfully seasoned with a plethora of choice words.
Shifu regards the panda, his eyes soft in a wise and knowing way that has become increasingly natural for him over the course of the past few years.
"He who preaches peace is sure to be met with the violent nature of those who disagree," the red panda ultimately continues, "but a true hero will always prevail. Po, you are the valley's savior and Oogway's successor and I could not be more proud."
"I—I appreciate that, Shifu, really, but I don't understand why you're telling me this," Po says.
"I am telling you this because you blame yourself for the desecration of the Jade Palace," Shifu replies. "In truth, you are not responsible and no one regards you as such. Everyone is simply grateful that you're still here and we are able to stand beside you."
Shifu's words marinate in the silence that follows, prompting in Po a deep-rooted sensation of something akin to pride—it's bittersweet and a bit off-center, as to be expected given the circumstances, but it's there and it sticks.
A familiar, black-feathered goose approaches Shifu and Po, descending several steps from the higher platform. He is clad in a yellow robe, identical to that of many other palace servants.
"We are prepared whenever you are, Dragon Warrior and Master Shifu," Zeng reports, bowing.
"Thank you, Zeng," Shifu says, "we'll be up momentarily."
"Of course," Zeng says. He bows again before returning to his previous position.
Shifu nods toward the platform, beckoning Po to follow. The two of them ascend the stairs, Shifu ahead of Po by five or six steps.
"Why'd you have to go on a whole spiel about inner peace, and stuff?" Po asks, referring to Shifu's earlier disquisition. "It would've been a lot easier to just say that I can take a load off, you know."
"I know," Shifu admits, and does not elaborate. Po only sighs.
"Oh, well, in that case," the panda says, a morsel of Tigress-like sardonicism leaking into his tone.
Shifu reaches the top of the stairs before Po does. The red panda turns and smiles at his former student, earning a grin from the larger panda in question.
"Would you like me to give you an introduction?" Shifu inquires.
"Nah, I don't need one," Po says, at which Shifu good-naturedly shakes his head.
"Are you certain?" Shifu asks as Po passes him.
"Yeah, totally," Po claims, now brimming with faux confidence as he ascends the stairs to the platform. "Like you said, I've already made a fool of myself in front of everyone here at some point."
With a single wave of his hand, the Dragon Warrior inadvertently sends the celebration's attendees into a dizzying fit of cheers. It occurs to him only now that it may be difficult to project his voice across the arena. He supposes these are the troubles of a lucky man.
He sends a nervous grin in the direction of the Furious Five. While Viper and Crane offer encouraging smiles, Tigress gives a telling nod. Monkey sports a thumbs-up and Mantis maneuvers his claw-things in an encouraging manner.
With his back to the Furious Five, Po can consider the sheer volume of the celebration's guests. He tries to dismiss the weight of Shifu's watch on his shoulder as the red panda situates himself near Tigress.
"Hey, everybody," the panda begins, rather informally, "what a turnout! Thanks for coming, it's—uh—it's great to have everyone. Really."
The crowd falls mute and eagerly awaits the Dragon Warrior's next words. A thick layering of awkwardness quickly asserts its dominance over the atmosphere and Po can only chuckle, hardly concealing his distressed expression.
"Hey, the Jade Palace, right?" Po enunciates, grinning widely at the gathering of villagers. "It looks great, especially considering its recent evisceration. I hate when that happens," he jests, glancing at a disgruntled-looking Shifu. "It's a bummer!"
The panda laughs to himself and clears his throat.
"You know, I—I was told about what happened to the Jade Palace when I was away," he continues, "and it was really hard to hear because—well, because I wasn't here.
I grew up being able to look out my window and see the palace, and it always seemed so untouchable, and so legendary. It was the physical representation of kung fu, built by the literal creator of kung fu, Master Oogway—it was awesome!"
Sparing another glance at a significantly less aggrieved Shifu, Po finally allows himself to breathe.
"Don't get me wrong, seeing it destroyed was pretty upsetting," he continues, "but it also opened my eyes to a bigger picture. I realized how much the palace meant but also how much it didn't mean anything. It's a life lesson of my dad's—and Master Oogway's, too, I guess—that there is no secret ingredient.
I realized that Master Oogway's legacy and the legacy of kung fu are so much bigger than anything we could ever build in anyone or anything's honor. The legacy is us, this valley, and what we do every day."
The celebration's attendees let out brief cheers of encouragement.
"I carry on that legacy through my role as Dragon Warrior," Po says, "and I am honored to fight for you—all of you—and your peace."
The crowd has long since fallen into silence, opting to wordlessly appreciate Po's sentiments.
"So, by the power vested in me," Po begins, momentarily shooting Shifu a look that questions whether or not the phrase is either applicable or appropriate.
The red panda nods once, to Po's relief.
"I hereby declare the Jade Palace returned to its former glory!"
The event's attendees, so densely packed into the courtyard that it's likely a safety hazard, erupt into deafening cheers and celebratory shouts. A band emerges from somewhere, a jovial and victorious tune sprouting from the strings of their instruments.
Po smiles at the congregation of people below him, his chest overflowing with pride. He has successfully protected every last one of them, and part of him still can't believe that he's able to be in this position, accompanied by his friends and family while fighting for justice and peace.
His moment of reflection is short-lived, almost immediately interrupted by the appendages of his friends (sans Shifu) enveloping him in a bone-crushing group hug. They all but tackle him, the force of the five of them nearly throwing him onto his back. He joins their chorus of laughter and praise, wrapping them into an embrace of his own.
The group reluctantly disbands after several moments, still standing at arm's length of one another.
"What did we tell you?" Crane says. "You did great!"
"Yeah, totally!" Mantis agrees. "A little preachy, but great!"
"Don't listen to him, Po, I thought it was very sweet!" Viper says.
"Come on, guys, I knew I'd be fine!" Po boasts, placing his hands on his hips. "Easy peasy."
"Po, you almost cried this morning," Tigress counters.
"Yes," the panda says, "of joy. Stop antagonizing me."
Tigress smirks, crossing her arms. Monkey leaps onto Po's shoulders, resting an elbow atop his friend's head.
"I, too, lay in a fetal position in the training hall when I'm feeling joyful," Monkey jests.
"Don't we all?" Crane says, earning a bout of laughter from the group.
"Regardless," Shifu's gruff voice interjects, "I believe the speech was a success."
Shifu approaches the Furious Five and Po, Oogway's wooden staff in hand, and the red panda's presence pacifies the friends' antics. Crane and Tigress move aside, allowing Shifu to occupy the space in front of Po.
"Thank you, Master Shifu," Po says, bowing.
Shifu, to Po's surprise, presses the head of his staff into the panda's chest, guiding him into a standing position.
"I should be thanking you, Dragon Warrior—besides," Shifu reasons, "you're the master now. Speaking of which, where is your gift from the Spirit Realm? I had assumed that you'd have it with you at all times."
"Oh, right," Po says, earning six inquisitive looks. "It's in the barracks."
"That's a bit risky, don't you think?" Shifu asks, his eyebrows drawing together.
"Nah, not really," the panda says, shrugging. "I'm not worried about it. I was going to get it later, though, for when it gets darker. The kid loves it, you know."
"The kid?" Shifu repeats.
"Yeah, Lei Lei," Po tells him, in such a way that makes the answer seem obvious. "I mean, the staff kinda glows in the dark, which is awesome. Kids like stuff like that."
He looks at Tigress, mirroring her signature arms-crossed stance. His confident expression falters.
"That's cool, right?" he asks her, to which she shrugs. He turns to Monkey. "It is cool, right?"
"Yeah, man, totally," the simian replies.
"Lei Lei thinks the world of you, Po," Viper says, sweetly. "You're second only to Tigress."
"You guys might as well be her parents, at this point," Mantis comments from his spot on Crane's hat.
"It's only a matter of time before we have to start installing baby gates," Crane jokes.
"I would prefer, Po," Shifu loudly enunciates, regaining everyone's attention, "that you retrieve Oogway's staff sooner than later. We can never be too cautious, after all."
Monkey leaps from Po's shoulder to Tigress's when Po nods at Shifu's request.
"Yeah, Shifu, no problem," Po tells the red panda, to which the older master smiles in satisfaction. "I'll be right back!"
The panda descends the steps to the main courtyard and his friends watch as he makes his way through the crowd. They chuckle when he narrowly avoids Mei Mei and break into laughter when he scrambles in the opposite direction.
Mei Mei's gaze, as if on cue, lands on the Furious Five and Shifu as they descend the same stairs from which Po had previously entered the courtyard. She approaches the masters, twirling her ribbons to perform dances of their own as she sways in sync with them.
"It's so nice to finally get to talk to all of you!" she exclaims. "Oh, my God, this is so funny! Did you know that Po and I were supposed to be married?"
It was only when Viper had finally persuaded Mei Mei to join her in a ribbon dance had Tigress managed to escape the panda's incessant conversation. The tiger, while being no stranger to talkative pandas, often found herself at a loss when it came to speaking with Mei Mei. Perhaps it was due to Mei Mei's jarring lack of self-preservation in social situations.
Tigress had opted to distance herself from her friends when Monkey and Mantis had devolved into hysterics regarding Po's supposed arranged marriage, and she ultimately found solace in a largely unoccupied corner of the courtyard. It is a place from which she is granted a serviceable view of the party. She is aware that she does not appear to be indulging in the festivities, but she is more than content in her quiet position.
She takes note of Po's panda father—it's amusing that she has to make a mental distinction via species—as soon as she sees him. The thought crosses her mind that he is looking for someone, and as if on the basis of some message from the universe, he glances in her direction.
Tigress's confusion increases as Li approaches her with a timid grin, waving an uncertain hand in greeting. She returns the gesture despite her initial reluctance to do so.
"Master Tigress," Li starts once he is within speaking distance. "Pardon me, but may I speak with you for a moment? I promise it won't be long."
The thought briefly crosses her mind that she's speaking to an older version of Po, which awakens a feeling of uneasiness within her. At the same time, however, she also finds a sense of comfort in the idea of knowing Po in his old age; knowing him after everything they've been through and everything that's to come.
The shadow of a smile glides over her lips, and she nods.
"I just wanted to thank you," is what the older panda eventually says.
Out of everything he could've wanted to speak with her about, this is potentially the last thing that Tigress would've considered as a possibility. She feels herself freeze, her thought process grinding to a sudden stop.
"Li, that's not necessary," she deflects.
"No, no, it is," he insists.
His eyes fall to the floor before jumping back up to hers. It's a mannerism that she immediately clocks as one that Po also exhibits, down to the deep green shade of the aforementioned eyes.
"Look, I haven't known Lotus—you know, as a full person—for very long, but I can tell how he feels about you," Li says. "He respects you, and he cares about you, and you're very important to him."
"Li."
The older panda reaches out and gingerly takes Tigress's hand, holding it between his.
"You get him. You get him in a way that I don't, and in a way that I don't know that I'll ever be able to understand, but I'm going to try," he continues, "so, thank you. Thank you for keeping my son safe."
Tigress is no stranger to immense gratitude. She has been met with feverish thankings from citizens residing in liberated cities and farmlands alike for almost as long as she can recall. Perhaps it's that all of those people in the past had been nameless and personally irrelevant, but she's never felt as stunned as she does now.
"You're giving me too much credit, Li, really."
Li only sighs good-naturedly and pats Tigress's hand before letting go, a mischievous and cheeky smile growing on his lips.
"Lotus has told me enough about you for me to know that you'll be stubborn about this," he says, fondly. "I won't push. I'll let you get back to the festivities."
He is about to turn around to leave when Mr. Ping theatrically enters the scene, flapping his wings and ruffling his ever-graying feathers.
"Li!" the goose exclaims. "I have been looking everywhere for you! Where is Po?"
"Oh, ah, I can't say I've seen him," Li admits. "He's pretty elusive for a panda, isn't he?"
"Mr. Ping," Tigress interjects. "Pardon me, I believe Po went to the barracks per Master Shifu's request."
"Oh, thank you, Tigress," Mr. Ping says, lightly patting her hand with his wing. "You'll have to come by the shop sometime soon, it's always a pleasure." The goose, unknowingly interrupting Tigress's gracious reply, turns his attention to Li and states in a sharper tone, "Li, come with me, I need your help at the noodle cart."
"Alright," Li easily agrees.
With a final nod in the tiger's direction, the older panda leaves with the gander in tow. Tigress wordlessly watches them weave back and forth between party guests until they're out of sight.
She lets out a sigh of something akin to relief once she's alone. Li is a fine conversationalist but Tigress has a feeling that he had been aiming to further discuss her relationship with his son—a topic with specifics to which she herself isn't quite privy.
The sunset's orange glare has dulled since the beginning of the celebration, the passage of the more vibrant colors clearing the way for the blue hour to establish itself over the Valley of Peace. The post-sunset shade clings to the air and architecture, dripping away as quickly as molasses.
Tigress idly wonders if anyone else is paying as much attention to it as she is.
She doesn't have much time to mull things over, however, as a sudden hand on her shoulder effectively shocks her back into reality.
"Tigress, hey!" Po greets, prompting a subtle smirk from the tiger. "Look who I found."
The joyous giggling of Lei Lei fills the air and Po nods to the floor. Tigress's smile grows as she looks down to see a panda cub gleefully bouncing at her feet, Po's action figure clutched in hand.
Po dutifully transfers his newly acquired Spirit Realm staff from one hand to the other and scoops Lei Lei into his unoccupied arm. She laughs and wriggles in his grip, opting to use his build as her own personal playground as she animatedly crawls over Po's shoulder and chest.
"Your fathers are searching for you, you just missed them," Tigress informs, reaching out to meet Lei Lei's grasping hands.
"Oh, yeah, I know," Po admits as he works to keep Lei Lei upright. "I'll catch up with them later. Dad—goose dad—probably just wants to solidify his plans for selling noodles in the Jade Palace, anyway."
"Excuse me?" Tigress inquires, her occupation with Lei Lei briefly faltering.
"It's nothing, he won't actually do it," Po assures her. He adjusts his hold on the panda cub in his arms when she finds it appropriate to attempt a rolling escape. "You did well during training today, I think Shifu was really impressed."
An expression of something akin to uncertainty dashes across Tigress's face. It is gone as quickly as it had appeared, but as brief as it was, Po is able to clock it as a tell-tale sign of discomfort.
The effects of the dysfunctional nature of Shifu and Tigress's relationship still weigh heavily, despite the constant presence of the peace-wielding Dragon Warrior; perhaps the only true remedy for such faults, if such a thing exists, is time.
"I imagine he would be very pleased with your progress," Tigress eventually says. "The five certainly are. I don't think they were quite expecting your sudden expertise in teaching after bearing witness to your first attempt."
Lei Lei avidly glances between Po and Tigress, subsequently adopting the notion that she is practically unsupervised.
"I sense an insult hidden amongst your flattery," Po jokes. "I'll have you know that I will not be swayed by such deception."
Lei Lei shifts herself from one of Po's arms to the other, her objective being the dimly glowing yin-yang staff in his hand.
"I have no idea what you're implying," says Tigress, coyly.
"Oh, how convenient."
A comfortable silence befalls them, but the peace does not last for long, thanks to Tigress's apparent hankering for drama.
"I finally had the chance to meet the acquaintance of your beloved," Tigress jests, not bothering to conceal her amusement.
The panda looks utterly horrified, much to Tigress's delight. Po, ever the smooth operator, only manages to stammer a series of sounds in response to the implication, and the tiger is almost certain that the rose-red tint—one that she might dare admit to herself is endearing—on the panda's cheeks hadn't been there before.
"Tigress, come on," Po whines, "not you, too."
"I apologize," Tigress says, and she means it.
"I actually think there might somehow be some confusion about it. Guests from farther villages were bringing wedding gifts," he tells her, "I now own five sets of hand-sewn cotton towels—what am I supposed to do with that?"
"Towels are practical," Tigress says, "I'm sure they'll prove useful at some point."
"I guess," Po considers. He brightens in the way he always does, declaring, "Well, I'm sure this lack of clarification won't have any unfavorable repercussions in the future."
Tigress only narrows her eyes in confusion, to which Po shrugs good-naturedly.
Lei Lei emits a grunt of effort as she grasps the luminous artifact and attaches herself to it as if it were a stalk of bamboo. The panda cub idly taps the suspended dot that peculiarly floats without explanation, but becomes less enthralled when it doesn't react. With another grunt, she manages to slide halfway down the length of the staff before her shenanigans are halted.
"What're you doing, little lady?" Po inquires, earning a giggle from Lei Lei.
"Shiny," eloquently observes the panda cub.
"It gets even shinier, watch this!" Po tells her.
Lei Lei releases the yin-yang staff and watches with wide eyes as a familiar golden glow starts to materialize. She bounces excitedly as yellow, sun-bright particles drift past her face, twirling whimsically about the air.
The Chi morphs into an image of a small dragon, one no larger than her beloved figurine, and she only laughs louder as the silhouette of the little dragon reflects in her eyes.
Po leans against the yin-yang staff, watching as the panda cub marvels at the little Chi dragon. He turns his head to see a smiling Tigress, the latter gazing fondly at Lei Lei. When the tiger meets his gaze, he shrugs in a show of nonchalance.
"You know, I have a bigger one," he says.
The evening's chill seeps into the valley's vast expanse of foliage, weaving flowers back into themselves and prompting the tall grasses to undulate sleepily in the dusk's breezes. Cotton-white clouds circle the mountain atop which the Jade Palace proudly sits, wafting around its broad girth like waves around an island.
A large portion of the celebration's guests, while much fewer in number than earlier, have taken to dancing to languid music. Smaller factions of attendees chatter in the courtyard, and even Shifu can be seen conversing with an enthusiastic Li and an eccentric Mr. Ping, an interaction that Po will certainly inquire about later.
The Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five perch upon the very top of the Jade Palace's steps. While their intent is to take a break before rejoining the festivities, they find themselves immersed in the valley's beauty. The Valley of Peace has never been underwhelming in any sense, but its visuals are especially breathtaking tonight, as a certain panda sees fit to point out.
"Can you guys believe that we live here?" Po inquires, "Can you believe that we get to wake up every day and see that?" he waves a hand toward the horizon.
The sun is no longer visible, having long since disappeared below the summits of the valley's mountains. It leaves in its wake only a tinge of unearthly gold in a sea of deep blue.
"We get to protect that," Po continues as he gestures to the valley's bowl, the village alive with alight red-roofed homes and dusty-brown streets. "That's awesome. Isn't that awesome?"
"How much have you had to drink?" Monkey playfully inquires.
"I didn't drink anything," Po replies. "I'm on duty—Dragon Warrior duty."
Tigress, taking advantage of the opportunity with which Po's head being turned presents her, shakes her head in Monkey's direction. The simian withholds his snickering but is unable to fight the amused grin that takes form on his face.
"Po, sweetie, do you need some water?" Viper inquires, ever the caretaker of the group.
"Probably," Po admits, his tone slightly less enthused than before.
No one responds because no one must. The friends sit in a comfortable quiet, each smiling to themselves about whatever they might. The sun is long gone and the sky's shade is deepening to an almost-black. The lanterns in the arena below are especially vibrant and the music is somehow louder.
"It's quite the view," Tigress muses as a new song begins.
"It doesn't get old," Po agrees. He turns to Tigress, a peculiar confidence bubbling behind his sternum—perhaps with the aid of age-old friend liquid courage—and says, "Do you want to dance?"
Monkey's head swivels owlishly. Crane pretends that nothing is out of the ordinary, while Mantis nearly falls from his spot atop the avian's hat. Viper grins.
When Tigress's brow furrows, he elaborates, "I mean, I don't want to let my remarkable dancing skills go unnoticed—it would be a crime and a disservice to all of you."
"I'm sure," Crane jests.
"It's true! My dad—panda dad—can vouch, he's seen me in action," the panda recounts.
The Furious Five only nod along as their friend launches into a spiel regarding his extensive experience and knowledge in the realm of dance, followed by a detailed explanation of some of the pandas's folk dances.
As Po leads his friends to the arena, talking all the while, they gaze at the vast expanse of gorgeous view below the palace and easily find it within themselves to smile.
A/N:
These characters are very comforting to write about, and I dread writing the chapters that don't include them. Luckily for all of us, they should appear in (almost) every chapter from here until the end of the story!
Chapter 2 is a much stronger chapter than its predecessor, in my opinion, and I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as I did writing it. I must say that I'm very confident with this addition to the story and I'm very glad that I was able to release it within weeks of the first chapter.
Please do not hesitate to leave a review/comment if you have any thoughts that you'd like to share. I love to see readers' opinions regarding my work and I'm fully open to criticism.
The release date of Chapter 3 is up in the air at the moment, but please know that I will be posting it as soon as I deem it worthy. Only the best for my readers! Until then, thank you for reading!