Before Setting Sail

Letting Go

"We're lucky to get out of there alive," Peng noted.

Both snow leopard and weasel looked back at the Valley of Peace where they still saw smoke from the area Pai Mei had destroyed.

"Our mission was a failure," Klaus lowered his head. "How will we help Po now? When I needed it most, he was able to help me and now I can't do the same."

"Maybe Oogway's staff holds the key," Peng said, looking at the bright side. "It's responded to you in a positive way."

"You sure it wouldn't empower just anyone?" Klaus looked at the staff.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure," admitted Peng.

"Here, have a try," Klaus handed the staff over to Peng.

Peng took the staff but felt no rush of power or chi going into his body.

"Hmm, don't feel anything so far," Peng frowned. "Let me give it a whirl."

Focusing intently on his own inner chi, Peng swung the staff into the air to see if he personally was able to unleash any display of power.

"Okay, no," Peng confirmed. "This staff responded to you, Klaus."

Peng handed the staff back to Klaus who took it and felt its power once again.

"So this wasn't just some happy accident," Klaus realized.

oooo

"In all my travels I have never truly settled down," Kim the Invincible sat down before Junjie in his private dinner.

"Oh, it's very nice, isn't it?" asked Junjie. "To be able to call a place your home and to feel safe in it?"

"It is a nice feeling," Kim admitted. "In all these years, all I've ever known was vanquishing one opponent after another and endless travel."

"And now you have finally vanquished the Dragon Warrior you sought to defeat," Junjie told him. "And that should make you the greatest warrior in the world."

"I would have thought doing so and completing my tattoo would make me feel a sense of closure," Kim told Junjie. "However, I have to admit it hasn't given me the full sense of happiness I desire."

"Hmm, perhaps the pursuit of being the greatest warrior was more entertaining than achieving the actual end goal?" asked Junjie. "Sometimes people feel the journey is more worthwhile than the destination."

"Now that you put it like that… I suppose you are correct," Kim replied.

"Well, allow me to put your mind at ease," promised Junjie. "You see, you were once a hunter and a warrior who fought foes in single combat. But now… under my kingdom, you will see combat with entire armies by your side. Does that sound enticing?"

"Hmm, it does," Kim acknowledged. "Consider me intrigued by such a proposal."

oooo

"Po has taught you meditation already?" asked Peng.

"Some," Klaus admitted. "But I doubt I'm a master at it."

"Well, maybe some meditation could help you unlock whatever secrets to Oogway's staff that we need," Peng pointed out. "It's worth a try."

"Alright, why not?" Klaus sat down cross-legged.

"Relax and breathe," Peng sat down with Klaus in the forest floor.

Klaus did his best to clear his thoughts as he meditated.

Soon, the staff responded as it began glowing and shaking.

Peng heard it as he opened up his eyes.

"It's… it's working!" Klaus realized.

Both Peng and Klaus saw a blinding flash from the staff. By the time they opened up their eyes again, they saw the spiritual figure of Oogway standing before them.

"It's him!" Peng realized. "It's really him!"

"Are you… Po's former master?" asked Klaus.

"No, that would be Shifu," Oogway smiled. "I am his master's master."

"Master Oogway," Peng bowed. "We've summoned you during a very difficult time. Po is injured, possibly beyond repair and we need your help."

Oogway frowned. "That is not good indeed. Peng, I would first ask you to rise up."

Peng did as he was told.

"Before I get to the matter of Po, I wish to say that I am sorry for what happened to your uncle, Peng," Oogway told the young snow leopard. "I wish it could have gone down differently."

"It's fine," Peng sighed. "I know now that you chose Po to be the Dragon Warrior for a reason. I'm now at peace with everything that's happened."

"So, how do we save Po?" asked Klaus, not understanding kung fu formality nearly as well as Peng. "There was supposed to be one item we were supposed to retrieve but now it's been destroyed!"

"I assure you it has not," Oogway smiled at the weasel.

"It isn't?" asked Klaus as Peng looked on in surprise.

"No, the cure for Po lies in you," Oogway pointed at Klaus.

"Me?" asked Klaus. "But what can I do? I'm just some bandit turned amateur wind mage!"

"Precisely!" Oogway agreed. "And it is your wind magic that will bring Po the healing he needs."

"It can?" asked Klaus who looked confused.

"I have lived for a long time," Oogway explained. "And I've seen many strange abilities, including the ability to control the winds. The winds can be either gentle or tempestuous… but with the right, gentle touch, it can bring healing and rest to others like a light breeze in the afternoon."

"Can… can you teach it to me?" pleaded Klaus.

"I can," promised Oogway.

"Normally, there would be more formal ceremonies for a master like Oogway to take you on and teach you," Peng explained. "But since Master Oogway has left the mortal plane and we don't have much time…"

"Peng is right," Oogway nodded. "Time is a luxury we do not have and so, I will teach you the technique in which you can harness your latent power to help Po."

"Please teach me, Master Oogway," Klaus finally bowed his head.

Oogway smiled.

"Then let us begin," Oogway told him. "Now, place both hands at your side and let us begin with the horse stance…"

Peng helped Klaus get into the position that Oogway was recommending.

oooo

By morning, a knock was heard at the martial arts temple door.

Lian opened up as she and Luthera went out for the greeting.

"Klaus, you're back!" exclaimed Luthera. "And… what's that on you?"

Peng and his wife hugged as Klaus showed Luthera the staff of Oogway.

"I found it in the Valley of Peace," Klaus told her. "This is what we need to bring Po back."

"Wait, you mean you didn't find the lotus?" asked Luthera.

"It's a long story," Peng said to her, scratching his head. "I think it's best we get everyone here to hear about it."

"You didn't get the Shenzu Lotus?!" Mr. Ping flew in immediately.

"Well no," Peng informed him. "It, uh, got destroyed by Pai Mei in an ambush we weren't expecting."

Mr. Ping looked like he was about to faint but Forouzan quickly steadied his back to prevent him from doing so.

"I found something else that will help make Po better," Klaus said decisively.

"What is it?" asked Luthera.

"This," Klaus held up Oogway's staff. "I'll need to see Po now."

oooo

Inside his medical room, Po tilted his head to see Klaus and the others come in.

"Oh man, Klaus says he found the cure!" Akna said excitedly.

"Really?" Po looked surprised. "That's great!"

Immediately, Po saw the staff of Oogway that he had in his hand.

"And you brought Oogway's staff!" Po exclaimed. "That's just as great!"

"Pai Mei almost destroyed us along the way," Peng told his old friend.

"Really?" asked Po. "Man, those guys are always onto us like a pack of wolves! But at least you got the lotus, right?"

"Actually, that was destroyed too," Peng shook his head.

"Wait," Po got a look of horror in his eyes. "How will I get healed then?"

"I will heal you," Klaus finally spoke up.

"Say what?" Po looked at Klaus curiously, still not being able to move a muscle.

"When I found Oogway's staff, I was able to use it to help me and Peng escape from Pai Mei," Klaus told him. "After we got away, the spirit of Oogway appeared to me and talked to me."

"Whoa, that's sweet!" Po smiled.

"He taught me the kind of healing technique I need to heal you," Klaus explained. "And since I perform wind magic, Oogway also taught me that I can use wind magic for more than just attacks."

"You gotta show me!" Po said eagerly.

"Alright," Klaus's eyes glowed green. "It's now or never."

Klaus's hands began to glow. The weasel got into a horse stance, a form Po was familiar with. For an entire night, Klaus had been practicing the form that Oogway had taught him.

"Whoa!"

In a fluid motion, Klaus began to slowly spin Oogway's staff in a manner more reminiscent of Tai Chi. Soon Klaus was glowing in a green energy.

"Now that… is awesome!" Po smiled.

Soon, the form that Klaus performed neared its end. The energy Klaus had gathered coalesced onto the palm of his right hand. Gently, Klaus stretched forth his hand, touching Po on the side. At once, all the healing wind energy in Klaus entered into Po, enveloping him in a soothing touch that spread throughout his whole body.

"I'm… I'm getting better!" Po realized.

"Is it working, son?" asked Mr. Ping.

"My arm!" Po began moving his arm around again as it was no longer broken.

"This is a miracle!" Akna flew around Po as the panda managed to get up.

"Klaus buddy!" Po smiled. "I couldn't have done it without you!"

"Son, you're well again!" Mr. Ping hugged his son.

"Good as ever, dad!" Po hugged his goose father in return lovingly.

"In all my years I've never seen a healing as miraculous as this," Colin rubbed his eyes.

Po leaped into the air to do a spinning kick and landed back down perfectly.

"Back in action!" Po declared.

"This is great, Po!" Luthera told him. "Now we have a fighting chance again!"

"Po, back when I dedicated my life to my sister, I neglected my own wind magic that I had all along and it wasn't until very recently that I found out about my own powers," Klaus told the panda. "And it was also very recently I found out my wind magic can be used for things other than fighting."

"I feel you, Klaus," Po told him. "Years ago, I didn't think a chubby panda could learn kung fu either but my perception of reality got changed thanks to Oogway. If he could do the same for me, he'd do the same for you."

"I realized there's still a lot more I need to learn to master my abilities," Klaus told Po. "Which brings me to now… Po, will you take me as your student?"

At once, Klaus bent down on a knee.

"I'm going to go get the tea ready," Peng smiled, opening the door. "Hold that pose, Klaus. I'll be right back."

"Klaus, I'd be honored to take you as my student," Po told him.

oooo

"Where is Temutai?" asked Junjie as Pai Mei came back with his contingent of rhinos.

"He couldn't make it back," Pai Mei admitted. "He got a little insubordinate with me and I decided a lesson needed to be taught."

"I see," Junjie looked at the rest of the rogues, making sure they got the message loud and clear. "It is indeed unfortunate that Temutai of the Qidan Clan could not bring himself to show humility before our esteemed Master Pai Mei."

Pai Mei scanned the other villains, looking for any signs of mutiny.

"Does anyone have any objections to Pai Mei's methods?" asked Junjie. "Speak now or hold your peace, comrades."

Everyone stayed quiet, whether it was Tong Fo, Fung, or Scorpion. For none of them dared to challenge Pai Mei as long as he was around.

Through the window flew a messenger goose.

"News?" asked Junjie.

"Yes your highness," the messenger goose told him, taking out a letter and handing it to the Emperor.

"Let us see," Junjie read it. "Oh… this is indeed good news!"

"What is it?" asked Fung.

"I now have an exact date for when the Furious Five and Shifu will return to the Jade Palace!" Junjie said gleefully. "Everyone, in a few weeks time we will depart back to the Valley of Peace with an army and end Shifu and his Five once and for all!"

"Hmm," Pai Mei smiled. "As long as I get Shifu, that's all I care about."

"Shifu and the Five will no doubt be tired from their journey and hoping for rest," Junjie told his minions. "But we have other ideas for them, don't we?"

oooo

Two days later.

"Keep it up, Klaus!" Po encouraged.

Klaus leaped into the air, twirling the staff and unleashed a gust of wind that beheaded the training dummy Po was having him practice on.

"He's getting the hang of it," Rukhmini noted.

"Way to go, Klaus!" Akna cheered.

To finish his form, Klaus leaped into the air, aided by a whirlwind and leaped back down, holding Oogway's staff in a fighting stance.

"Hold that pose for a second, Klaus," Po told him. "We're making progress here."

From the skies, a familiar avian figure landed in the middle of Peng's martial arts temple.

"Oh hey Zeng!" Po waved.

"Hey Po!" Zeng greeted. "I got some news and since I know all the gossip among the other messenger geese, I thought I'd drop by to let you know some important news."

"Give it to me straight," Po agreed.

"Well, Shifu and the Furious Five will be making it back home in a few weeks," Zeng told him. "But they're not out of the woods yet."

"Alright," Po said cautiously. "What then?"

"Junjie is going to take his entire army over to the Valley of Peace to wait for them a few days in advance," Zeng explained. "He'll lay an ambush for Shifu and the Five. After that, he plans on having all of them executed."

"Oh no," Po frowned. "Junjie's making his big play and we need to as well."

"We'll be there for you, son," promised Mr. Ping.

"Alright guys," Po told the Dragon Knights. "In several days, Junjie is going to attack my hometown and the friends I've made in my kung fu journey. Fighting him won't be easy. He's got an Emperor's army with him, along with evil kung fu master Pai Mei and Kim the Invincible. But we don't have a choice. We need to stop him cold!"

"We're with you every step of the way, Po," Luthera agreed.

"Everyone, this martial arts temple is open for your use," Peng promised. "Do whatever it takes to bring him down. Training. Strategizing. Whatever you need."

"Hey Akna," Po went over to the colorful bird.

"Need me to whip up some gear?" she offered.

"We will but not right now," Po told her. "Back at the palace, Kim the Invincible seemed to recognize who you were. What's the backstory between you guys?"

"Well, better grab a seat," Akna sighed. "It's quite a story. And it involves Alfie too since this took place years ago when he was still in Tikal with me."

"Alfie?" Luthera went over next to Po and Akna. "How was he involved?"

Both Luthera and Po sat down, eagerly awaiting what Akna had to say for different reasons. In Po's case, he needed to hear about how his physically strongest opponent Kim was involved in Tikal and with Wandering Blade, she was eager to hear how her brother was involved in the situation back then.

"So the story goes like this," Akna began.

To be continued.