Before Setting Sail
Storming The Castle
"Thanks for helping us out dad," Po told Mr. Ping.
"It's not a problem, son," Mr. Ping replied. "Your friends are my friends."
The gang was back at Mr. Ping's home in the mountains. Now, the only thing they could do was regroup and plan out their next move.
"Eat up," Forouzan gave noodle dishes to the other Dragon Knights.
"Thank you ma'am," Colin told her.
"There has to be some way we could contact the Furious Five," Po sat down, thinking deeply. "If they were here, we could have a bodacious teamup and stop Junjie cold!"
"Yes son," Mr. Ping told him. "Your mother and I actually made contact with Zeng beforehand. He should be on his way back here any moment with news about the Jade Palace."
"That's great!" Po turned to the other Dragon Knights. "Listen guys, you're gonna love teaming up with the Furious Five! Blade, I think you'll really like Tigress!"
"Tigress, I think you've mentioned her before," Luthera replied.
"And Rukhmini, you'll love Monkey!" Po promised.
"A monkey named Monkey, eh?" Rukhmini raised an eyebrow. "What a… unique name."
"Po, you've fought against Junjie and those other guys," Akna realized. "Do you think you could give us the rundown on all of them so we can be prepared to fight them?"
"Good idea," Po acknowledged. "First, everyone knows Junjie's the evil old master. He's good but not that good as to stand up to all of us, which is why he needs the other bad guys to help him with his plans."
"As a special note," Klaus told the group. "Watch out for that move he does where he can blind you. I speak from experience."
"Hundun is the rhino with the trick horns that have all kinds of weapons," Po told them. "Colin, that's where you come in. You can also take off your horns and use them as weapons. In a direct fight, you're the perfect counter to him."
"Understood," Colin agreed.
"Akna, you're the tech genius of the team," Po pointed out. "Going against Taotie will be your best best since he also uses machinery to fight. Be warned. He's got tricks up his sleeves."
"Fortunately, so do I," Akna smiled, looking at her bag.
"Let me take that small bug-eyed creature!" Luthera requested angrily. "I have a score to settle with him!"
"Tong Fo?" asked Po. "Well, I figured I'd save him for Klaus."
"I can take him if you want," Klaus nodded eagerly.
"Good," Po told him. "Tong Fo's a skilled fighter. But he lacks any powers of his own so Klaus, I'll need you to take him out with your wind powers where you have the edge."
Po turned around.
"Don't worry Blade, I'm getting to you," Po promised. "I want you to take Temutai. He's strong and has some skill but he's mostly a raging bull. And you're already familiar with fighting that kind of opponent."
"I'm happy as long as I get to hit one of them," Luthera grinned.
"Good," Po replied. "Temutai probably won't go down after one hit."
"The more the merrier," Luthera agreed.
"I get the easy opponent, right?" asked Rukhmini.
"The two crocs Fung and Gah-ri are yours," Po promised her. "Just promise me you won't hurt them too bad."
"Why not?" asked Rukhmini. "Aren't they just a couple of goons?"
"Well, Fung and I go back and we've saved each other a few times," Po told her. "Yeah, he's a villain but he's not that bad of a guy compared to the others. And neither is Gah-ri."
"You want me to hold back against crocodiles?" Rukhmini didn't look happy. "You ever check out the teeth on those creatures?"
"Look, they're my frenemies, okay?" Po insisted. "Just don't beat them into a coma, alright?"
"Okay fine," Rukhmini crossed her arms in frustration.
Soon, a knock was heard at the door.
"Oh, that must be Zeng," Mr. Ping went over to the door.
As Mr. Ping opened up the door, everyone saw a black goose who waved at them.
"Hey Po!" Zeng called out.
"Zeng, good to see you again, buddy!" Po exclaimed.
Zeng looked around the room, not expecting all the guests.
"So, uh, are these new friends of yours, Po?" asked Zeng.
"You bet," Po replied. "Think of them as the global version of the Furious Five."
"Sounds nice," Zeng told him before his eyes set on Forouzan. "Egads! Is that who I think it is?!"
Zeng fell down in fear.
"Pirate Queen Forouzan!" Zeng cried.
"Looks like my reputation precedes me," Forouzan scratched her head. "Finding an honest job is going to be hard if I keep getting this reaction everywhere I go."
"Hey, not to worry!" Po reassured the black goose. "She's on our side now!"
"She is?" Zeng glanced at Po. "How'd that happen?"
"Let's just say I found someone to lead me away from the path of piracy," Forouzan told him.
"Huh, that's nice to hear," Zeng smiled.
"My wife and I decided to go on the straight and narrow path," Mr. Ping told Zeng.
"Wait, your wife?!" Zeng gasped again. "Hold on. Po, that would make her your…"
"Mother," Po replied. "Stepmom… whichever you wanna call her. Believe me, I'm still getting used to calling the former pirate queen my mom as well."
"This is too much to take in," Zeng nearly fainted, falling back.
Quickly, Klaus caught the falling Zeng before his head could hit the floor.
"I don't know this guy Po," Klaus pointed out. "But you may give him a heart attack if you keep surprising him like this."
"Oh right," Po got back down to business. "So Zeng, what's the word on Shifu and the Furious Five?"
"Unfortunately, they're not available," Zeng informed Po and the gang. "Shifu and the Five are currently in China's Southwest region, negotiating a peace treaty with the neighboring kingdom in that area. Before the current regime change, they were doing it under an edict of the previous Emperor. Truth be told, I never liked that guy much myself. I always preferred Lu Kang."
"I'm charmed."
Zeng turned his head to the side to see the hamster ex-monarch sitting at the table eating a rice cake. At once, another wave of shock and disbelief hit him as Zeng almost fell back again.
Again, Klaus had to catch Zeng before he could faint.
"Heh heh… nice seeing you again your majesty," Zeng stammered.
"I'll overlook your disrespect," the hamster shrugged idly. "I'm not Emperor anymore. So I'll pretend I didn't hear you."
"How long will it take the Furious Five to return?" asked Po.
"Oh gosh," Zeng realized. "It doesn't look good. They're deep in talks right now and the balance of peace could easily be disrupted. Bare minimum, it might take them two weeks before they can get back."
"That's not good," Po frowned.
"I'm sorry I couldn't bring back better news, Po," said Zeng. "But they really are occupied right now."
"That's alright Zeng," Po sighed. "Well Dragon Knights, it looks like we're going to have to complete this mission without the help of the Jade Palace."
"Everybody knows their roles and who they're most compatible with fighting," Luthera told the team. "I think the next thing we need to do is figure out is how to enter the palace and get past the guards."
"You know, I think I could help with that," the hamster ex-monarch told the group. "Since I'm familiar with the imperial schedule, tomorrow night there will be a troupe of entertainers who had originally been scheduled to perform for me personally. They may be your best chance of getting into the palace and dealing with Junjie."
"Dad, mom, Zeng, Blade's mom, and your former majesty," Po said to them. "You're the support team in case something goes wrong. The Dragon Knights and I should be able to take care of Junjie and my rogues gallery but just in case Junjie throws another fastball our way, we'll be depending on you."
"I've made plenty of smoke bombs for you guys just in case," Akna took out some of her inventions for Po's adoptive parents, Zeng, and the hamster monarch who looked at it with interest.
"So," Po turned to the hamster. "Do you know the location of these entertainers who are supposed to perform for you?"
"Yes in fact," the hamster nodded. "I know exactly which hotel they're staying at."
oooo
Next day.
"Hello?"
A rabbit opened up the door and saw Po and the Dragon Knights standing there.
"Hi," Po waved. "Are you guys part of the Blue Lotus Circus?"
"That we are," the rabbit replied. "Can we help you? If you need to schedule something, it'll have to be some other time than tonight where we go to the royal palace."
"Yeah, that's the thing," Po told him. "Do you think you could let me and all my friends on board with your traveling circus for tonight's show for Emperor Junjie?"
"Hmm, I don't know if we can do that for you," the rabbit frowned.
"Then would you do it for me?" the hamster ex-monarch stepped forward.
"Your majesty!" the rabbit cried. "I didn't expect to see you here!"
"You don't need to call me that," the hamster replied. "Right now I'm no longer the Emperor. But I am looking to re-take the throne from that usurper Junjie. And if you could help out me and my companions, I'd be eternally grateful."
"Well, you did always pay us well," the rabbit agreed. "Alright then. Tell me what you need."
oooo
That night at the royal palace, Junjie and his companions had a feast of epic proportions being prepared for them.
"It's good to be Emperor, isn't it?" asked Fung.
"Indeed," Junjie stroked his whiskers. "And I have all of you to thank for my efforts."
"Except now your throne is still at risk, my friend," Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow reminded him. "Or did you forget the guards reported that Po and his band of foreign mercenaries escaped prison?"
"Yeah, and you're throwing a party?" asked Tong Fo. "The Dragon Warrior is still out there. And we haven't gotten paid yet."
"I assure you, everyone, that Po's escape is of no serious concern to us," Junjie reassured the Brotherhood of Malfeasance and the other past rogues Po faced before. "For I have plans within plans and I've gained additional allies who are more than a match for Po and his Knockoff Five."
"And who would they be?" demanded Temutai impatiently.
"One of them is just joining us," Junjie informed him, pointing to a door to the right, through which Master Pai Mei entered.
"Master Pai Mei!" Mugan looked out through her goldfish bowl. "What a surprise!"
Hundun scratched his head. "Wasn't this guy responsible for attempted regicide? Why on earth would you allow this regicidal maniac with his regicidal tendencies free to attempt further regicide on your throne in all his regicidal rage?"
"Because Master Pai Mei is a skilled warrior who showed himself to be more than a match for Po and the Furious Five years ago," Junjie explained. "With all due respect, he's capable of doing things none of you are capable of."
"Oh yeah, like what?!" demanded Temutai.
"Like this," Pai Mei casually walked up to a large statue of the former hamster emperor and activated his Five Finger Blast Punch, patting it casually.
In seconds, the statue swelled up with energy and exploded as the other villains stared on in awe.
"Point taken," Dosu noted, whistling.
"Impressive," Fu-xi acknowledged.
"You!" Pai Mei pointed to Temutai. "I don't think I like your disrespectful tone of voice! From here on out, you will address me with the proper respect!"
Temutai looked at Pai Mei angrily and gritted his teeth.
"In fact, I am most disappointed in this lackadaisical band of outlaws you gathered together, Junjie," Pai Mei stroked his beard. "From here on out, I believe order and discipline will have to be enforced! And enforce it I shall!"
"Hey, who said we needed a drill sergeant?" Tong Fo protested.
"Yeah, we just wanna get paid," Fung agreed. "Nobody said anything about Pai Mei being our master."
"About that," Junjie told the crew. "You see, now that you're in the Emperor's service, a little more professionalism is to be expected of you. And who better than Pai Mei to enforce discipline among the rank and file?"
"Isn't this guy one of China's most abusive kung fu masters?" Taotie looked at Pai Mei nervously. "I've heard stories of how bad he is."
"Yeah, he's worse than Mugan," Dosu pointed out. "No offense."
"Of course I take offense to that, you dolt!" Mugan glared at him.
"Pathetic worms," Pai Mei told the villains. "You are like earthworms questioning the hawk who soars through the skies. What business does a gaggle of lower life forms have questioning he who soars through the heavens?"
"You know," Tong Fo leaped off his chair. "I think I've had just about enough of your attitude, Pai Mei!"
"I wouldn't recommend doing that, Tong Fo," Junjie cautioned.
"I think the loris has a point," Jong Sung Jai Kai Chow glared at Junjie. "We were your partners in crime in securing the throne. We're supposed to be your equals. And even as Emperor, you're starting to cross lines that shouldn't be crossed with the people who helped you, my friend."
"And we still haven't gotten Po yet!" Scorpion raised an important point.
"Pai Mei isn't the only warrior I freed from prison," Junjie informed everyone. "I suggest all of you settle down and enjoy tonight's festivities. We're going to have a very busy day tomorrow."
Tong Fo and the other villains looked like they were already having second thoughts.
"Did somebody say festivities?" a strange voice said outside the royal door.
"Ah, that must be the entertainment," Junjie smiled. "Let them in."
The rhino guards opened up the door as multiple entertainers from the Blue Lotus Circus waltzed into the door.
"Hmm," Junjie looked down at the poster he held in his hand. "Some of you look a little different than what was advertised on this poster."
All of the Dragon Knights wore Chinese opera uniforms from head to toe, disguising who they were to some degree.
"And what would make you say that?" asked Po in a dress.
By this point, Po almost looked like Mei Mei with the dress and lipstick he was wearing. He covered his face with a fan to prevent Junjie from seeing him.
"Just who are these clowns?" demanded Mugan.
"Well, the poster says they're supposed to be the Blue Lotus Circus," Scorpion answered.
"Junjie, these entertainers better not do anything which makes me want to use my special punch," Pai Mei warned.
"What is your name, my dear?" asked Junjie.
"It's, uh, Ling Ling!" Po said in as effeminate of a voice as he could manage.
"I see, and what happened to the other entertainers who were supposed to be here?" asked Junjie.
"They had to call in sick and we were their backups," Po put his fan in front of his mouth. "But they had a special gift they wanted to give you."
At once, Po lifted his fan and handed a jade dragon carving to the Emperor.
"A gift for you, your highness," Po bowed.
"Why thank you," Junjie smiled, pleased with the gesture.
"Say, haven't I encountered you from somewhere?" asked Dosu, looking at Rukhmini.
"You must be imagining things," Rukhmini told him.
Fu-xi narrowed his eyes at the small quetzal bird who was part of the troupe. There was no other bird comparable to her in China and he instantly recognized her as the one who broke his fangs.
"Junjie!" Fu-xi shouted. "We've been infiltrated! They're here!"
"Wait, what?" Junjie grabbed the fan in Po's hand and ripped it away, exposing Po's face.
Po smiled at Junjie now that his full panda face had been exposed.
"Hey Junjie!" Po waved. "Love what you've done with this place."
"You!" Junjie snarled. "What are the rest of you waiting for! Destroy the panda and his new friends!"
"Alright everyone!" Po cried as he blocked a kick from Junjie. "Let's do this!"
The Dragon Knights threw off their costumes and entered the fight against the Brotherhood and the other villains.
Junjie kicked at Po again who slipped past the blow. Out of the corner of his eye, Po saw Pai Mei coming at him and back flipped out of the way as the monkey kung fu master punched at him with the Five Finger Blast Punch, destroying a portion of the floor near where he was standing.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Pai Mei," Po noted. "This day is turning into a real blast from the past."
"It's a shame you never became my student," Pai Mei told him. "Oh, how I wish I could've broken you like how one breaks the shell off a peanut!"
From behind, Tong Fo leaped onto the panda's head, grabbing Po, yanking at his whiskers, and kicking him on the head repeatedly.
"Ow ow ow!" Po cried, taking his focus off of Pai Mei and focusing on Tong Fo.
"Who does that loris think he is, taking my prey?" Pai Mei snarled.
Po finally got a hold of Tong Fo and yanked him off. Po tossed Tong Fo into the air and struck him with a spin kick, sending the loris crashing through several dishes of food on the royal table.
"If you don't mind, Master Pai Mei," Junjie told him as he observed the Dragon Knights fighting the villains from the Valley of Peace. "I'd like for you to sit out of this fight for now and observe. I would prefer to keep you in reserve as one of my two most elite warriors."
"Hmm, I always did want to see how much the panda improved in all these years," Pai Mei conceded, realizing he could gain valuable intel from watching how Po fought. "Very well, let us enjoy this spectacle."
"A toast," Junjie raised one of his wineglasses and handed Pai Mei another. "To the final stand of the Dragon Warrior!"
To be continued.
