Quick A/N before we begin:

Kung Fu Panda 4 is finally here, yippee! I've recently watched it and found it rekindling an interest within fanfiction that I held dear to me a few years back. Of course, it's been a while since I've written fanfiction and there will be some 'ring-rust' if you will. Yet, with the release of this movie and my creative juices flowing, I couldn't resist the opportunity to begin writing a story that instantly came to mind the moment I finished watching the movie.

Now, if you're someone from Europe or a place where Kung Fu Panda 4 has yet to release, I strongly advise you don't read this story. I have changed lines of dialogue in here as this is meant to represent an A.U of sorts, but some parts of this story directly references events that take place inside of Kung Fu Panda 4 and I wouldn't want that to be spoiled for you guys! Spelling mistakes are to be expected, as will be weird wording terms and other strange writing artifacts and they'll get better as time goes on and I become familiar with writing fanfiction once again.

Alright, I think that's my pre-story rambling out the way, it's time for you to get acquainted with:

Kung Fu Panda: The Spirit Rifts - Chapter 1 - Gateway

Ah, the Spirit Realm. A solemn yet peaceful reminder that life in the Mortal Realm will eventually come to a close, whether naturally or forcefully; destiny will always find a way to clear a spot for your soul within the Spirit Realm and a common consensus persists that no return to the Mortal Realm is in sight… Even so, why would you return when you've got everything you want now that you've ascended?

Amongst the trio of Po's rivals, sitting peacefully within a cafe in the Spirit Realm nicknamed the "Antagonist Paradise", this was a shared opinion between the three, despite them having their disagreements. As all three sipped on their tea, one sugary, another missing the milk whilst the third held a minty tea within their grasp; discussion surrounding the Dragon Warrior as well as their combat abilities soon gripped over their conversation, leading us to Tai Lung's inevitable ramble.

"Haha! You really think you could have beaten the Dragon Warrior? Shen, all due respect, but you couldn't even knock Po into that oversized cauldron of yours," Tai Lung arrogantly chuckled, all the while the peacock let off an irritated 'caw' in response.

"I'll have you know that this cauldron you speak of is actually a metal smithing station and my intention was to turn him into an ingredient that would've made up my finest cannonballs! So yes! I think I would've succeeded, and I almost did when I shot him through the chest… But that resilient and troublesome panda wouldn't die as quickly as I wanted him to," Out of all three villains Po had fought, Lord Shen was still the most bitter, even lamenting on the fact that Po never took his own life but that he did during a sacrifice when he was battling Po on his forsaken warship. "Unlike you two, I never died by his hands-"

"Oh, here we go again… 'I sacrificed myself by cutting those ropes and died an honourable death!' Chitty-chitty-chit-chat from Shen once again. We all know how you died, and if we were to sail to the mystical land of Japan in our lifetimes, you would be called a dishonourable pest that died in a cowardly fashion. At least I managed to pull him into the Spirit Realm!" Kai boasted, holding up his pieced together chain whilst the jade blades shimmered under the eternal golden light spilling in from the window beside them.

"Yikes, clearly you need some lessons of humility from Po's patched up pants. He dragged you into the Spirit Realm, Kai, remember? He brought you back and then made you explode with Chi?" Tai Lung attempted to jog the warlord's memory, considering it had been compromised due to initially exploding due to his Chi being overloaded.

"Seems like this bull is full of bullsh-"

"Easy, Shen. I respect the fact that Kai managed to piece himself together after all of that… But seriously? What are you? A bull? A yak? A water buffalo?"

"How about we just say all of the above, a water-bull-yak… We're getting off topic, aren't we?" Kai let off a sigh that echoed throughout the small coffee shop they were sitting inside. "Whichever way you two put it, I'm going to boastfully say that I'm the most threatening adversary that panda ever had to face. He experienced a form of death when he visited the Spirit Realm, I even had him wrapped up in my chains!"

"And then what happened, Kai?" Shen raised his eyebrow, taunting him with a smirk running across his beak. "Go on, enlighten us…"

"He… Broke out of my prison, split my chains in two, summoned a Chi dragon and then overwhelmed me to the point where I exploded into millions of spiritual fragments; I've only just pieced myself back together!"

"Took you long enough, it felt empty here with just the two of us able to relate to our experiences with the Dragon Warrior… You still smell of dumplings, by the way," Tai Lung bluntly commented as Kai looked down to give himself a sniff. The snow leopard was right, his essence may have been reclaimed but his scent would forever be ruled by one of Po's favourite foods; sweet, sticky and sublime dumplings.

"I'll take it over smelling like ashes or failure," Kai leaned back against the chair he was sitting in a little too hard, almost falling over before repositioning himself, his eyes darting side to side as he pretended the previous two seconds didn't happen.

"I'd rather smell like the battlefield than something that's going to make me constantly hungry… I'm surprised that Master Elephant hasn't tried to eat you yet-"

"Hah! Let's be real, Shen, Kai's too big of a meal for him to even consider that option, even if he does smell like dumplings!" Both the peacock and the feline burst out laughing all the while Kai let off a bullish bellow.

"Make that joke one more time and I'll send you to oblivion by personally turning you both into delicious meals… Especially you, Shen, you'd probably taste good…"

"Why are you concerned with how I taste, weirdo?"

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Weesh, I knew you had something going on with Oogway but I never knew you'd want to take it to the next level with Shen as well-"

"SILENCE! BOTH OF YOU! It's a miracle how you two are able to turn jokes against me with ease, it's almost like five hundred years of ruling the Spirit Realm and even trapping you two inside of Chi medallions wasn't enough experience for me… Am I going to have to do it again?" Kai threatened the two, this time, Shen and Tai had no dirty jokes to offer as a rebuttal.

"Easy, collector. You may have had our souls in your grip but it's a shame Oogway's heart fell out of yours-" Shen attempted to continue his saga of winding up Kai, but his adversary's patience wouldn't allow it.

"FOR THE LAST TIME! MYSELF AND OOGWAY WERE BROTHERS IN ARMS, NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS!"

"It's impressive how a conversation about the Dragon Warrior and who would beat him escalated into such an entertaining show as opposed to it always going in circles with us arguing at this very table. I'd say this is a massive improvement over last week's meeting, wouldn't you think? Especially because this time, we've seen Kai's more sensitive side," Tai Lung playfully sneered as he witnessed steam blow out of Kai's ears. "Easy, big guy, we're just joking; that's what we do around here! Sometimes it does get a bit… Competitive, though," The snow leopard gave Shen a stare full of dismay whilst the peacock preferred to sass Tai Lung by sticking his tongue out of his beak and blowing a raspberry.

"I'd still like to plead my case that I knocked him out of combat and managed to chain up his Furious Five as well as his tiger lover- I'm still trying to understand how a feline could have such feelings for a panda but from what I heard, the two are spending less time together as that group is out spending time on solo missions as opposed to spending it together. Tai Lung, care to offer any insight about feline relationships?" Shen offered, the tension in the room finally easing off as opposed to snapping.

"Is that… Really necessary? Listen, I was locked up in a prison for ten years, never really had anyone special in my life, do I really look like the type to know about relationships?" Both Kai and Shen peered towards one another before nodding in agreement. "Whatever my adoptive sister has in mind for the panda isn't really any of my business, but if anything; I'd rather her be happy than, you know, turning out like me."

"A failure?" Kai interjected.

"A disappointment?" Shen added.

"Having daddy and mommy issues?" Kai jested.

"Dying before you could leave your mark-" Shen's particular remark left a sting within the soul of the once ambitious snow leopard.

"Okay, okay, I get the point; I'm a miserable middle-aged disappointment who constantly lusted for something that wasn't his to begin with, your point would be what?"

"That as much as we enjoy joking around with one another, you're probably the most insightful one here out of all of us, as much as that pains my soul to admit," Shen confessed, showing off a rare and genuine smile. "And that I'm also a middle-aged failure that failed to leave his mark on the world and only traumatised the very panda that beat me. Now that I think about it, Kai is probably the only one out of all of us that actually has a substantial role in the history books."

"You'd think so, but you'd be surprised how much of me was erased from history after Oogway sent me here for my first imprisonment. Nowadays, now that I'm here a second time, I don't see it as prison, I more or less see it as peace-" Kai's random pause as well as him peering over Tai Lung's shoulder, raising his eyebrow and even covering part of his face thanks to the brightness of the golden aura that expanded behind Tai Lung as Shen took notice to, his beak opening wide out of unadulterated shock.

"What? Did I forget to pull up my pants or something?"

"Ha! No. Look behind you, there's this weird door that's opening up and… It's leading to this weird villainous chamber? I'd like you to note that my throne room was much more glamorous than thi-"

"Bring me Tai Lung," A velvety and silky voice exploded from the glowing door as a scaly frame began to form around it as Tai Lung was lifted out of his chair, himself trying to cling onto it before it was launched away from him; both Shen and Kai now witnessing him floating as a reptilian creature began transporting him between the Spirit Realm and the Mortal Realm. "Tai Lung… Big fan!"

"And what am I doing here? Who are you?" Tai Lung spoke with spite in his voice as the door began to close inside of the Spirit Realm.

"Well, let's keep this introduction brief. I am the Chameleon and I'm here for your Kung Fu," The spiritual door briefly slammed shut on Kai and Shen as Tai Lung floated within the Chameleon's staging quarters.

"Wait… You want my Kung Fu? Didn't train yourself, did we?"

"Har-har, very funny," The Chameleon then finished pulling Tai Lung out of the Spirit Realm as he was confronted by a reptilian army. With the raising of her arm, the Chameleon launched her army towards him as Tai Lung began to fight them off. Yet, this plan of the Chameleon was devious as she sought to wear down the snow leopard, observing every single move and absorbing that information as he glowed with a golden aura.

As he began pushing back her army, a moment of brief panic washed over her as she experienced a brief flashback to the tale of him being imprisoned inside of Chorh-Ghom prison. With his Kung Fu, Tai Lung was unstoppable. An army of one thousand wouldn't be enough to contain the might of this fierce feline as she sought to bring the battle to a close by using her tongue to absorb Tai Lung's essence, forcing him into an enchanted cage in which he couldn't escape.

"What just happened? Why do I suddenly feel limp, weak and powerless?" Tai Lung was disoriented, the entire room spinning as the Chameleon morphed into himself, albeit with scales as well as those slit eyes that had become synonymous with her mystical ability to possess those in which she fought.

"I now own your Kung Fu. You'll retain the basics but, consider me renting your abilities without any intention of returning them-"

"How did you get a hold of that staff?"

"Oh, this? My apprentice, Zhen, was gifted it by the Dragon Warrior. I thank her for her deceptive service," Tai Lung caught sight of a corsac fox looking shamefully down at her feet, almost as if she was regretting her actions regarding her betrayal of the Dragon Warrior as the Chameleon sickened the snow leopard by seamlessly transforming back to herself, opening up the door to the Spirit Realm once again. "Bring me every adversary the Dragon Warrior has confronted in the past, from Lord Shen and General Kai, all the way to Master Boar and Master Elephant. No adversary shall escape my grip as I seek to dismantle the Dragon Warrior and become China's greatest villain whilst destroying China's greatest hero," Tai Lung watched in horror as Lord Shen and Kai were pulled in from their peaceful coffee table, their abilities stripped from them as they were forced into cages by a distorted form of their own self as Tai Lung caught sight of the Dragon Warrior creeping around the cages.

"You… Come here," Tai Lung snarled, summoning the panda that had once defeated him.

"You're back? Awesome! But that's bad, very bad! She's bringing all my nemesis-ees so she can beat me!" Po's attitude was eerily upbeat considering the fact he had been trapped in an enchanted cage before smashing through the floor of the Chameleon's great hideout.

"How in the name of the Spirit Realm did she get a hold of your staff?" Tai Lung was on the verge of reaching out of his cage and grabbing the Dragon Warrior so he could interrogate him personally as he was that irate.

"Oh, you know; I was looking for a successor to the Dragon Warrior title as I'm meant to become this 'Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace', she tried to steal stuff from the Hall of Heroes, I stopped her; gave her a chance as she told me about the Chameleon… Long story short, I did a big whoopsy and handed Zhen, the fox, my spiritual staff thinking it was her time to defeat the Chameleon when I was trapped… Then she betrayed me and handed the staff over to her anyway. As I said, not an awesome situation to be in right now but I'm making it work!" Tai Lung felt a massive wave of second hand embarrassment wash over him.

"To this day, you give me a reason to disagree with Oogway's decision to make you the Dragon Warrior… But you've got a plan, right?"

"I'm still workshopping it-"

"Po! I still think you're a bumbling idiot, but you managed to defeat me. If you don't defeat this 'Chameleon', do you know what's going to happen?" Tai Lung waited as Po began to think. "The Valley of Peace will be destroyed!"

"I know, but all the villains say they're going to 'conquer every city from here to the Valley of Peace' but they never do. Relax, I've got this!" Po then rolled out of Tai Lung's field of view, leaving him stranded with Shen and Kai by his side. "Do you two think Oogway was right picking Po?"

"As you said, he's an idiot, but he defeated you, I and Kai. So, I think he's got this. I am mildly concerned about something, though," Shen lamented as he continued to watch the warriors of Po's past flow through the spiritual door before having their abilities stolen and essence absorbed by the Chameleon.

"Shen being concerned about something? Well, isn't that rare," Kai let off a chuckle before both Tai Lung and Shen burned a hole through his soul. "Right, this is serious, and very bad. What are you concerned about, Shen?"

"If this 'Chameleon' character has the ability to open up doors in the Spirit Realm and summon them by will, isn't there a small chance she could leave remnants of these portals behind and other troublemakers could jump in? I've never seen someone bring people from the Spirit Realm here and surely there's a caveat to her just pulling people from one realm to another like she's some form of goddess, right?"

"Well, I don't really see any souls coming in that she hasn't asked for, so I don't think that's going to be a problem-"

"But still, it's on my mind because I was someone who expected everything out of my precision engineering, yet things would always go wrong and unexpected outcomes would occur… Things would happen, burn out, even appear in the wrong places as we tried to keep such an operation together. I can sense the Chameleon doesn't have her own Chi, she's using the Chi of others to summon warriors; one slip up and the house of cards comes cascading down," Shen raised a good point for both of his warrior friends, yet the pair of them brushed it off as something that was seemingly impossible.

"As the staff belongs to Po and also belongs to Oogway, I don't think there's going to be any errors. You do raise a point with her though, she's inexperienced, using this as a tool. All it takes is one slip up…"

"And the world is set on fire… Nice remark, Tai Lung. As for you, Shen, it's a shame that your dying hours have bestowed upon you a vast surplus of wisdom. It seems once my operation is ready, you will be my first target as you're too wise to be left in the Spirit Realm for long," A female raccoon decorated in a black and blue Qipao peered through a purple orb into the mortal realm from her throne in the Spirit Realm. "If everyone's getting second chances, then the Mieshi Dynasty deserves to be birthed again too. That corrupt emperor will finally make their way here, except this time; instead of weaselling their way out of defeat through a treaty with my finest generals, they will find whatever 'peace' remains inside of the Spirit Realm once my army breaks free," This raccoon was unhinged beyond belief, giggling maniacally in her chair as her manservant handed her a golden goblet topped up with jasmine tea.

"What is our next move, Qianzhi?" Her manservant naturally inquired as she leaned her head against her hand before releasing a pouty sigh. "Would you like me to summon the army?"

"Yay! Congratulations!" She sarcastically clapped before eclipsing her bovine manservant. "OF COURSE I WANT THE ARMY SUMMONED, YOU FOOLISH COW! Well done for using your brain for once."

"A-are you sure that's a good idea? What if the enforcers notice what we're about to do?"

"When I say do something you go ahead and do it! We've kept this under wraps for thirty years… This is going to open up Pandora's box and the Chameleon will be absolutely clueless! She thinks she's the queen of thieves! Well, she's about to witness the goddess of banditry! That and the emperor, the old excuse for existence, is going to be in for a real shock once he sees me again thirty years later, back from the dead with a new army by my side!" Qianzhi dramatically stood up on top of her throne as her manservant began summoning her army. "Because the Chameleon has opened that door to see the rivals of before, she can't foresee that she holds the tool to her fall! Because thirty years today, I gifted the emperor with dismay, and if you run from Qianzhi, you end up bowing before me! These villains are all the same, conquering a city is their game; has ambition really run dry for the sake of fame? NO! China will be mine and my rule shall be divineeeee-AH!" Qianzhi's tear-filled poetry ended up with her arriving army applauding for her as she watched several doors close up on her oracle orb; yet one remained open… The very one that had pulled in Master Elephant as the Chi required to summon him resulted in the Chameleon's Chi draining too far for her to close it.

"Wow! That was beautiful!"

"Shut up, Hun, you may be my manservant but that means you're not seeing under the qipao by being a suckup. Ladies and gentlemen of all species, cultures and provinces of China! Today we embark on a mission that we thought would never be possible. At first, our ambition was to conquer the Spirit Realm; and we partially did, well done to us! However, today, our ambitions have grown to new heights as this sorceress known as the Chameleon has foolishly opened up Pandora's box and left a door to the Mortal Realm open-"

"Hey! My wife was called Pandora!" One of the bulls making up Qianzhi's army shouted boastfully.

"Did anyone ask? Anyways! This Dragon Warrior character, this fat panda that seemingly holds this staff to the Spirit Realm, has fallen victim to the common rule of the streets as he chose to trust a tricky fox who then handed his staff to the very sorceress that has graciously opened up these doors! I shall use this door to direct us to their underground hideout. We shall take advantage of its vacated state as his panda draws these bandits out of their home, set up shop, ensure everyone is transported there and then launch our assault against Juniper City. What are your objectives, everyone?" Qianzhi's powerful voice serenaded her army as they eagerly began to march out of her hideout and towards the door to the Mortal Realm that remained open.

"Assault Juniper City! Repel the Dragon Warrior! Seize the city! Depose the Emperor! Claim China as our own!"

"Repeat that, one more time as we march to the door of salvation!"

"Assault Juniper City! Repel the Dragon Warrior! Seize the City! Depose the Emperor! Claim China as our own! Assault Juniper City! Repel the Dragon Warrior! Seize the City! Depose the Emperor! Claim China as our own!" Their reverberating voices made a grandiose choir as Qianzhi grabbed her great obsidian sword, sliding it on a hilt mounted on her back as she dashed out into the golden rays of the Spirit Realm, moving through her army at lightning speed as she arrived at the door situated in the Ironwood Forest making up the exterior of her hideout.

"This door of salvation shall turn purple to represent our change of location and I shall keep it open for as long as possible. Are we ready, my grand army?" Qianzhi quizzed her grand army as she reached into the portal, her paws prompting the golden ripples to turn purple as it spread across the door like a plague before a rift opened up, leading to the underbelly of Juniper City and where the finest crooks and criminals used to hide out.

"YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" Her army chanted as she beamed a proud yet sadistic smile.

"THEN TO THE MORTAL REALM WE SHALL RETURN!" Qianzhi kicked her very own bovine manservant through the portal as he showed up on the other side, waving at her army to come in as the generals entered first, then their battalions as the door of salvation began to destabilise. "Seems like the Mortal Realm isn't taking too kindly to us invading from the Spirit Realm. Faster! Faster! Go! Go! Go!" Her previously apprehensive army was now sprinting inside of the portal, jumping head first to land in a heap on the other side as purple lightning began sparking off the portal and its shape started to distort. "Hurry up! I can't hold the rift open for much longer!" She watched on with awe as her army began rushing forth, pushing one another into the rift as their spears, swords as well as crossbows collided right up until her roughly 400-man army had managed to break through the rift, herself narrowly leaping through as it abruptly shattered behind her as she landed atop the heap that was her disorganised army.

"Ah, it feels good to be home. Well, 'home' is a stretch, it smells here and this place needs a bit of a redo, it feels like I'm underneath an outhouse!"

"That's because half of this place is located underneath outhouses! And these bandits just live here? Gross! Think of the diseases!" Qianzhi's canine advisor, simply named Frank, remarked as his nose went into the air and he gagged from the smell. "This place needs a serious clean-up before we do anything, and how's the battle with the Dragon Warrior going?" Qianzhi pulled out her glowing purple orb, throwing it into the air as it cast an image of the Dragon Warrior finally getting the upper hand on what appeared to be a monstrosity of merged opponents that the Chameleon had transformed into.

"He's winning. We shall wait until the Blood Moon sets, the incoming thunderstorm passes and dawn is upon us. That's when we'll strike. As for now, please, clean up this mess, all of you! I can't stand the smell and neither can you!" Qianzhi placed her oracle orb back in the pocket of her Qipao with a sinister smirk staining her face. "And just when you think it's over, when you've found your successor within this crafty fox… A new threat will explode from the underbelly of this city, that threat will be me. Except this time, I'm not claiming to be some villain that can relate to you; oh, no… My end goal here is to rid China of corruption and classes. Honour has defined this society for too long and soon everyone's voices shall be heard, from the lowly peasant to the highest standing aristocrat; their voices will always be the same volume and mine- heh~ Mine will echo louder than the rest. Hah-hahah- AHAHAHAHAHA!"