Chapter 22: Epilogue
The sound echoed with each step.
Creak.
Creak.
Creak.
CREAK!
Po was officially in sneak mode.
Creak.
He winced with each step. Why are these floors so noisy? He thought as he took another, much softer step.
Creak.
Po froze and looked around. The building was silent. The only noise that could be heard, aside from Po, was the gusts of wind that rattled the outside boards of the palace. The night itself was eerie, and the near silence only made it worse. Still, it didn't stop Po. It couldn't. When the panda had something on his mind, he would see it through to the end. He started to move again. This time, he was faster, tip toeing his way passed the rooms of the Furious Five. He sucked in his belly as if it would make him lighter. Once he reached the end, he stopped and took a deep breath.
Po turned the corner and was immediately met with a sharp chill down his spine.
"Hello, Dragon Warrior." Po almost cried out, but managed to keep his booming scream within. There was Shifu, standing in the middle of the hallway. The little, elderly panda looked up at the much larger Dragon Warrior with eyes that burned like the moon. His lips cracked into a slight, knowing smile. "Where are you going at such a late hour?"
"Nowhere." Po's voice cracked.
Shifu chuckled. "Everywhere is somewhere, Po. There is no nowhere."
Po licked his lips, unsure of how to respond. "Well, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be out checking the garden. Or… sleeping. Do you ever sleep anymore?"
"I get my rest when I need it. Tonight, however, I was just over inspecting the new museum."
"You saw it?!" Po let his enthusiasm slip.
"I did." Shifu said with a slight nod. "We managed to fit everything I had found from my visit to Fujian inside. The Emperor was more than accomodating in providing the manpower. It is stuffed with mystical items, ancient scrolls, history of the Furious Five and their many battles, the lost secrets of Oogway, and of course… you."
Po was oozing with enthusiasm. He was about to burst. "That is… so cool." He swore he was about to faint.
"It is, and you and the Furious Five will be the first to see it… next week, when it opens."
"But that's so far away! Are you sure I can't just take a quick peek? Please!"
"No." His words were brief. Suddenly, a new thought clicked into the mind of the little panda. Shifu pulled out a scroll from his wasteband and held it up for Po. "I was meaning to share this with you and the Furious Five tomorrow, but since you are out so late, I figured I might as well tell you now."
"What is it?" Po squinted, trying to read the small notes that took up the entire scroll.
"It is a letter from Liang."
"Liang? The rabbit?"
Shifu nodded. "He is doing quite well. "I hope to get the full story of your exploits tomorrow when the Five are available, but from what he brings up in his note, it appears your adventure was a bit more hectic than most. He's been giving frequent updates on the people of Lu Fang's island. With her one, the citizens have taken things into their own hands, or feathers. Apparently there were lots of birds. One of the smaller ones, a bird named Chek, I believe, has taken a leading role in repairing the damage done under the rule of Lu Fang. According to him, things got a little out of hand when you were forced to escape. Luckily, most of the villages that were damage were repaired."
"Oh, good!"
"And Lu Fang's tower is being worked into a magnificent town center. Even Emperor Hongwu has been helping where he can. A good chunk of Lu Fang's army of vultures have even decided to help. Apparently, they are working their way back into the good graces of the people."
"I guess I'll have to visit one day."
"I'm sure they would love that." Shifu said as he placed the scroll back into his waistband. Then, he let out a titanic yawn. "Well, I suppose I should be off to bed. We still have a long way to go with the museum, and I wish to start tomorrow at the crack of dawn."
"And… I can't help?"
"No. You cannot." Shifu smirked.
Po feigned a yawn. "Yeah. I'm probably about to head back to bed in a bit. I just want to take a little walk before then. To… clear my head. It helps me sleep."
"Well, I wish you well, Dragon Warrior." The two panda's bowed and went their seperate ways. As soon as Shifu was around the corner and out of sight, Po picked up the pace and shuffled his way out the door. He was nearly in a full sprint by the time he reached the courtyard.
Creak.
Creak.
Creak.
Again, Po winced with each step. With each creak, he became more and more aware of how the danger had escalated. Before, he was only in danger of a little discipline from Master Shifu or… shudder… Tigress. Now, that same threat remained, only this time he was atop a roof. The new museum's room, and it was much higher than it had seemed from ground level.
"Are you sure there isn't a better way?" Crane asked, hovering above the roof with no threat of falling.
"Yeah." Viper added, slithering along, well behind Po. "This seems…" She looked around, dwelling on her words so she wouldn't make the mistake of insulting the Dragon Warrior. "…like a less than decent idea?"
Po stopped and spun around. They were fifty feet above ground level, but none of that really mattered to Po. He was about to sneak into potentially the greatest museum in all of China. Perhaps even the world. "Guys! You won't be disappointed!" Po's entheusiasm shined through. "Shifu took a thousand years of history and put it all in one museum! We have our own exhibits! Do you know what that means?!"
"They stuffed cotton into a doll that looks like us?" Crane said, far less entheusiastically than the panda.
"Yeah! Come on! It'll be so cool." Po felt like he could fly with all the butterlies in his stomach.
"But… why the roof?" Viper asked. "Did you even try the front door?"
"Duh! It was locked."
"How about a window?" Crane added.
"Pssht! Of course."
"Back door?" Viper piled on.
"Side door?" This was Crane.
"Guys… let's not get distracted."
Po took one more step.
SNAP.
"Oh, cra-"
The roof gave way, sending the giant panda tumbling fifty feet. Viper slithered as fast as she could to catch her friend, but Po was halfway to the bottom by the time she arrived. She looked down as Po hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Is he okay?" Crane wondered half-heartedly.
"Are you okay?" Viper shouted down at Po.
After a second, Po responded. "Fine as wine." He groaned and picked himself up.
Crane had flown Viper down into the heart of the museum. It would've been too dark to see if it weren't for a few lit torches strewn about. Po looked around. His eyes were wide with wonder and amazement. The place was even bigger on the inside than it had appeared on the outside. Figurines and mannequins laced the floor. Dozens of exhibits showing in detail the greatest battles in all of China littered each and every corner. Po raced from exhibit to exhibit, taking in all the sights.
Everything is here! Po thought with childlike amusement. The Battle of Banquan to the Legend of the Whispering Pines!
Viper and Crane could only watch, completely baffled at how the great Dragon Warrior was acting. Still, they got some amusement out of it.
Then, there came a noise at the front door. It opened, swiftly and suddenly. In stepped Zeng.
Po froze in place. "Duck!" Po whispered a little too loud.
Viper slithered beneath the exhibit depicting the Great War of the Yellow River. Crane used his wings to carry him high into the rafters, disappearing into the darkness above. Po, thinking quick on his feet, stood still. He hoped to pass off as his own exhibit. The only movement he allowed were his eyes as he watched Zeng waddle in, pick up a set of keys that sat atop a corner table, and leave. As soon as the doors shut, both Crane and Viper returned from their hiding spots.
"The door was unlocked…" Crane said with a hint of disgruntlement seeping through.
Po didn't know what to say. What could he say? He rubbed his neck and shrugged. "I pushed as hard as I could."
"You have to pull it, sweetie." Viper noted.
Po managed a false chuckle. "I'll have to keep that in mind when I help open this place next we… WOAH!" Po's eyes lit up like a million stars. He had spotted it. The very exhibit he had been longing to see for the longest of times, which in reality was when he heard about it three days ago. "Guys, LOOK!" Po dashed across the museum and stood before this particular exhibit. Viper and Crane had to race to catch up.
It was a life-size, and all too life-like, exhibit of himself. The great and awesome Dragon Warrior.
"It has an uncanny resemblance to you." Viper said as she slithered to his side.
"He looks cross eyed." Crane noted.
"Yeah…" Po couldn't disagree, and now that he noticed it, it was all he could see. "That'll get fixed before the museum opens." The panda stood in amazement at his own exhibit which stood in one of the greatest museums in China. It was truly him, standing on a pedestal, hat dipped barely above his eyes and a magnificent cape flowing with the wind. A staff of jade sitting firmly in his paws, crouched into a pose of utter awesomeness! What others might see as inspirational or a keepsake of knowledge, Po saw his dream. Truly, he had lived it and he couldn't be happier. "I did it." He whispered to himself.
The next exhibit down was just as cool, and it nearly brought him to tears.
"And guys!" Po scooted over to the other exhibit. There they stood. All five of them. A golden plaque engraved with their title. 'The Furious Five'. "You guys look so lifelike!" Po was nearly drooling as he stared at each one of the Five. "Mantis! Viper! Tigress! Monkey! Crane!" Each of them struck a pose he had seen a million times, but it never got any less cool.
"Am I really that short?" Viper asked.
"I'm sure that'll get fixed before opening as well." Crane chuckled.
"Guys! This is going to be the best museum ever! Look! They even wrote a list of all your accomplishments!" Po picked up a little booklet that was posted beside the exibit. "It details everything! From your legendary battle with Boar all the way up to our war against Lu Fang!"
Po placed the booklet back and continued to marvel at the Furious Five exhibit, once again making note of his greatest heroes. Mantis. Viper. Tigress. Monkey. Crane. Tigress. Po went cross eyed for a second.
"Why are there two Tigress figures?" He asked openly. He raced up towards the two, standing side by side. Both looked nearly identical. Eyes of amber staring into his eyes of jade. A firm scowl crossed both their lips. Their fur looked almost real. "So cool. So weird."
"Uh… Po?" Crane called out. Po, however, was far too focused.
Po touched the noses of both Tigress figures, but neither moved. Then, he ruffled the tops of their heads, leaving a tuft of hair upright.
"Po? Sweetie?" This time, it was Viper.
"Guys? Do you think-"
"Po?" It was the Tigress standing before him.
"Cool. This one can talk." Po went to touch her nose once again, but her paws were like lightning. She pulled the panda's fingers low, dropping the Dragon Warrior to the floor. "Oh…. Hey, Tigress! What are you doing here?" Po groaned.
"I could ask you the same thing." Tigress scowled, releasing the panda's fingers and allowing him to stand upright.
"I…" Po, for the first time in a long time, took time to think of the right words to say. "I thought I heard a noise. Like, a thief, y'know?"
"A thief?" Tigress feigned interest. "Really?"
Po nodded. "Yep."
"Then I suppose the right course of action would be to go inform Shifu."
"No!" Po roared. "No, it's fine. It's really fine. I scared him off, I'm sure. You know? Like… he was scared! Or… she? I could smell the fear. He knew to fear my Dragon Warrior… um… skills.
"Dragon Warrior skills?" Tigress asked, unimpressed. "Right…" SHe turned towards Viper and Crane. "And what about you two lovebirds? You see this thief?"
Viper shook her head. "Nope. They must've been scared off by… something." She forced a warm smile.
"Yeah."Crane said, nodding furiously. "Something big and fluffy and black and white."
Tigress would be mocked by the world if she believed this rouse. She looked at Po dead in the eye. "You just wanted to see the museum, didn't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"The hole in the roof."
"I found it like that."
Crane swallowed the knot in his throat as he turned towards Viper. "I think it's time for us to take our exit."
"Agreed." Viper said as she began to slither away. Crane followed closely. "Let's let those lovebirds have their little spat."
"Po…" Tigress pressed her paws to her face. "Let's just get out of here. I don't want to have a repeat of last time."
"Can't we just stay a little longer?" Po pouted. "We're already inside! Just a few more minutes?
"No." Tigress scowled.
"Please?"
"If Shifu catches us here, he'll make us clean this mess. I won't do it… again!"
"But did you even see the figure of yourself? I mean, look at you!" Po spun Tigress around so she faced the exibit of the Furious Five. "It looks just like you!"
"I don't want an exibit. I want to leave so I don't have to clean."
Po bounced around, hoping to find something that would strike the tiger's interest and liven her up a little bit. He eventually found himself beside a table ofbooks, scrolls, and an assortment of weapons that hadn't been set up quite yet. One of these has got to interest Tigress, right?!
"Just look at these! The Sword of Master Gioux! Isn't it awesome?"
Tigress frowned and shook her head.
"Not a fan? A sword made of pure jade? Okay… how about these?" Po held out a set of weapons. "The Flying Claw Sword of the Mighty Bu and his shield! C'mon, grumpy stripes! These have to peak your interest, right? Still no? All right, how about knowledge! They say it's a different form of power, or something…" He pulled a scroll from the table and unrolled it. "How to cook-" Po stopped. "Oh, sorry. Wrong scroll." He pulled another one and unrolled it, tossing the cooking scroll aside. "The Ten Tactics of Tian Tu!"
"Po…you're such a goofball, and it's going to get you in trouble." Tigress groaned.
"No?"
"It's late, and I'm tired. I'll be meditating beside the peach tree if you want to join me." The tiger turned and began to walk towards the open doors. "Then I'm going to bed. Wake me if you need me." Even though she faced the opposite direction, Po saw Tigress' smirk.
"Tigress! Look! Wait a second!" Po began to scramble. His paws raced across the table, hoping to find something. Maybe the cooking scroll was the key! Maybe it would unlock the secret of cooking the perfect tofu. YES! Po rummaged through, hoping for something. "A-ha! What about…" Po held out an old, poorly stitched book and froze. His eyes were quick to read the words stamped to the front. Po grumbled them softly to himself. His frantic nature suddenly became calm. Focused. "The Legend of the Mystic Tiger."
Po looked up, hoping to find Tigress had slowed down, stopped, or better yet, had turned around. The tiger, however, was long gone. Po was left alone in a museum all by himself. His paws caressed the old book. His mind began to race. "Mystic Tiger." He whispered back, then took a deep breath and ran from the museum with the book firmly gripped between his paws.
A/N: I said something about an epilogue then I run on a hiatus for a few months... whoops! My bad! Anyhoo, just wanted to thank you all for reading and I truly hoped you enjoyed. This was my first longfic, and only my... third(?) fanfiction in total, but I have more planned! It was a blast to write and hopefully it was a fun one to read!
Once again, I can't thank y'all enough! 'Till next time!
