2. Outbraked

1-2 months later

"Are you serious, guys?" Po stood in the courtyard of the Jade Palace and stared at his five friends, the Furious Five, with wide eyes. "You're going on a mission again?"

Tigress nodded. "Indeed. There is a gang war in the Shuigou plain. We have to try to protect the residents there…"

"And if possible, to end the war," Monkey added to her sentence.

Po's eyes went to the rest of the gang, Viper, Crane and Mantis. "Do you really think you can do that?" he asked cautiously.

The others nodded.

"We'll make it, Po," Viper assured with a smile.

"Exactly," Crane confirmed. "It wouldn't be our first mission in such combat."

Mantis vibrated with his antennae. "Not even our tenth mission. As long as no woman rips my head off…"

"Okay, guys," Tigress finished the conversation. "Let's go, we have to be there before there is more destruction in the Shuigou Valley."

Po looked dreamily at the sky. "Hm... Destruction... Missions... Gang wars..." His gaze went back to his friends. "Could you imagine that I … come with you?"

Tigress tilted her head with a mischievous grin. "I thought you already has a job."

Po dropped his shoulders in disappointment. "I can do that later…"

"What later?" a girl's voice behind him made him jump. Shortly afterwards, a gray fox appeared next to him and cheerfully punched him in the side. "Are you planning on denying me your training?" She grinned at him and winked at Tigress. In the last few weeks since Zhen became a new member of the Jade Palace, they had become good friends. But then she became serious again. "Or did I something wrong? Don't you want to train with me anymore?"

Po hung his ears. "No, no, I... I like training you, it's just..." He leaned down to her. "I just want to get a taste of crime again... feel the dust on my face from the battle, let the wind blow through my fur as soon as I make a great run..."

"Po! Tigress is right," Po's dream journey was interrupted by Master Shifu. "The five go to Shuigou Valley while you and Zhen stay here and you continue training." Shifu twirled the staff in his hand. "And besides, I need your presence here anyway."

Po looked at him in surprise. "Our presence? Mine and Zhen's?"

Shifu nodded. "However. Come with me, Po. And you…" He turned to the Furious Five. "It's time for you to go."

Tigress nodded obediently. "Yes, Master." She turned to her friends. "Let's go."

"Hey, guys," Po stopped them, "how long will you stay away?"

Monkey shrugged. "No idea. Days, weeks..."

"You can never tell in a gang war," Viper added.

Apparently wanting to make it short and painless, Tigress turned to leave again. "Here we go!"

With those words, she and the others stormed off.

"Good luck, guys!" Po called after them. "And drop me a line, maybe sometime." Po watched sadly as the Furious Five disappeared through the gate outside. "Have fun."

Zhen looked at him with pity. "Hey, I'm still here, too. We'll have a good time."

"That's right," Po mumbled dejectedly. "But it's not the same without my five friends."

Shifu, on the other hand, pretended not to notice Po's onset of depression and walked past them. "Po, would you please come with me?"

With slumped shoulders, Po trotted after the old master. Zhen waved after him. "See you later!"

Po waved back sadly. "Yes, you always see each other in this little corner of the world."

Together, Shifu and the former dragon warrior walked up the steps to the Jade Palace.

"Po, I think it's time for me to go," Shifu said as he climbed up.

Po stopped. "Going, where?"

"Where you can't follow me."

Po's eyes widened in horror. "You don't mean…"

Shifu nodded. "Oh yes."

"But… but Master! You can't leave us!"

Shifu sighed. "It's a little difficult for me to leave this place too, but I think the time has come for every master to do so."

Po looked at him in horror. "No, master! Please! Don't go! Is it because of me? You can't do that to me!" Po threw himself on the ground and clutched Shifu's leg. "Please, don't go!"

In vain, Shifu tried to free his leg. "PO! Now don't act like that. I'll be back in a few weeks."

Po raised his head in surprise. "In a few weeks?"

Finally, Shifu had his leg free again. "Yes, I think, I can allow myself a few weeks of vacation, can't I?" He looked up at the Jade Palace. "I live and work in the Jade Palace day in and day out, but I've never been able to afford a long vacation until now."

Po was still stunned. "So on vacation? And I thought,…"

Shifu narrowed his eyes and looked at him. "What were you thinking again, panda?"

"Well," Po stood up. "I thought, because you said 'go away', I thought..." Po pointed upwards and flapped his paws up and down like a bird.

Shifu waved his hand. "Nonsense. I still feel healthy and fit enough to stay in this world."

"Really?" Po wiped his forehead in relief. "What a relief. Wow, I really thought…"

"And while I'm gone," Shifu interrupted, raising his staff threateningly. "You and Zhen will pay attention to the Jade Palace. So I expect that you will not move from this place."

Po frowned. "But what if an emergency occurs? Maybe someone will attack a…"

"Only when it concerns the Valley of Peace," Shifu added. "Until then, you won't go on secret missions. You will stay here and continue your training of the new Dragon Warrior."

The corners of Po's mouth sank.

Shifu looked at him searchingly. "And? Can I rely on that?"

Po rubbed his chin, then he nodded. "Yes, okay…"

"Then we'll have a great time," Zhen appeared out of nowhere and jumped up and down excitedly.

Shifu looked at her seriously. "Zhen, you make sure that he adheres to this and does not leave the Jade Palace under any circumstances or sneak away secretly. If something does happen, it is primarily your job. Po will only teach you, but he should realize that he is no longer the lone fighter."

Zhen nodded with a wide grin. "I'll take care of it. You can count on it."

Once again, Po's enthusiasm sank to its lowest level. "But...but, Master..."

"I wish you a nice holiday," Zhen's voice silenced him.

Shifu nodded in satisfaction. "Then I'll pack my bags now."

With these words, he turned his back on them and walked away. Po was still looking crestfallen, his eyes only slowly wandered to the grinning Zhen, who winked encouragingly at him. "Oh, come on. This will definitely be fun."

Po let out a deep sigh. "Nice. I can already feel myself bursting with so much fun." And imagined the coming boredom for the next few weeks.

I really don't know how Tigress would get along with Zhen. This is another negative point that I give to the fourth film. There was never a detailed getting-to-know-you phase between her and the Furious Five and it leaves a gap in the movie, which is extremely unfortunate.