Author's Note: Hey guys... I know... it's been a month again. I genuinely don't mean to take this long, I've just been real busy with life stuff. I haven't forgotten about this story and believe me, I will not leave it unfinished. Not after I've planned this for so long. Anyways, this chapter has a decent amount going on, especially with some characters you may not be expecting. Anyways, you guys have waited long enough so I won't keep you waiting any longer. Let's get to it!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP!

Enjoy.

A Purpose in Darkness

As Tai Lung's regretful discussion occurred within the heavens, another one had taken place within the inn the emperor stays at. Three masters sit at a table within the lobby, scraps of food and drink present in front of them with the scent of baijiu and herbal tea mixing in the air around them. Masters Ox, Croc and Pangolin remain silent in their pale kung fu garb as they stoop themselves in the dreary atmosphere bathing the valley of peace. Ruminating on a truly tragic loss for the kung fu world.

Them, alongside many of the other masters, had spent hours after the ceremony to celebrate Shifu's long, honourable life. Though it did simmer that harrowing fact for a bit, it hasn't banished it. Or at least, not to the ones that didn't pass out drunk. Ox's eyes remain fixated on his baijiu mug, remembering the events of Shen's attempted invasion. Po's determination, the five's trust in him, Shifu's worry for his students. They were far more than a team, they were family. "They don't deserve this." Ox utters with contempt, cursing the pale wolf that did this.

Croc looks to his old friend with sympathetic eyes, remembering his outrage at the mere idea of Shifu's death and the pity that had taken hold soon after. "Heroes seldom do." Master Pangolin responds, taking a sip of his green tea whilst Ox keeps his glare fixed on his own mug. "Yet they are the ones who meet this fate the most."

"Ain't that the truth." A sombre admittance makes itself known through Croc's voice as his chin slumps onto his palm.

Air blares out of Ox's nostrils, "Doesn't make it fair." He grabs his drink and downs the last little drops of it before nearly slamming it down on the table. "They've done so much for all of us and they have to experience such tragedy, while there are Gods know how many threats still around."

"If everything were fair and just, we wouldn't be needed." Pangolin's voice resonates with a ruthless calm that both Gongmen masters have seldom seen him without. Even Tigress' reserved disposition pales in comparison with his unshakeable form. "Without the evil that causes these tragedies, we would be without a purpose. Akin to how the absence of kind-hearted souls would leave the sadistic and cruel without victims to enslave." Noting the glare Ox sends his way, Pangolin shifts his gaze and continues in a matter-of-fact tone. "There is balance in everything, even in death and tragedy. Everything serves a purpose, even if that purpose is simply to hurt us. We may hate it, but it is simply out of our control." As much as he wants to remain infuriated about all of this, he can't deny the younger master's wisdom. To think that it has been only three years since Pangolin had been granted the title of master and he has already proven his late master thundering Rhino proud.

Yet, in his reasoning, Croc finds a question. "So… what is the purpose of Shifu's death, then?"

Even Ox lends a curious eye as Pangolin sighs, "Perhaps Oogway could answer that were he here." A sympathetic expression forms on his features as memories of the feast flash through his mind, recalling the agony they had all experienced. What does the universe gain from their sorrow? A question asked everyday yet never answered. "Or maybe even he isn't meant to know. The Gods, the universe works in strange ways that we cannot comprehend. The only purpose that matters now, is what the dragon warrior and the five make of it." Agreeing hums are the only response given by the others as he sips his tea once more.

That answer, however, provides little solace for master Ox as his hoof clenches, "To think that none of this would've happened if the emperor's father didn't hide his failure."

"You don't know that." A quick rebuttal snaps from Croc's jaw, but bears no hostility. There's no use jumping to conclusions that may never be, but it doesn't stop Ox from imagining that other reality even if it is for a moment.

"At least things would be different."

"But would it be in a good way?" A new voice interjects, prompting the three masters to dart their heads to the side. Nothing… now that is- "Down here." They all lower their heads to the bunny stood near Croc's side, dressed in white robes with the intricate pattern of a rose embedded in black on its fabric. His green eyes remain half-lidded in scepticism, head angled upwards yet Ox and Croc know he would do that regardless of the height difference. Though Pangolin greets master Rabbit with a curious glance, Ox and Croc sigh inwardly at what will come out of his mouth. "His blunder might have been the best outcome and it was merely the dragon warrior that had failed to use it."

Indifference soon turns to irritation as Ox and Croc scowl at the pompous bunny. Even master Pangolin's stare gains an edge in hearing this, "That seems… specific." He points out, gaining a confident scoff from master Rabbit.

"Well, it's merely a suggestion. But who knows? Considering that panda's recklessness, it wouldn't surprise me if he did mess up that badly." A puff of air shoots out of Ox's nose as Croc rolls his eyes. Usual business with the arrogant rabbit. They had merely hoped he would put his ego aside now of all times. "Then again, the furious five aren't exactly exempt. I mean, have any of you heard about master Tigress?" Ox's scowl digs deeper trenches in his face as Pangolin's eyebrow raises with a tempered, cautious interest.

"What about Tigress?"

Master Rabbit can practically feel the menace dripping from Ox's timbre, but bats it aside. Grief makes people irrational after all. "Some of my family in the forbidden city have heard rumours. According to some of the guards, Tigress had lashed out at everyone like a wild beast." Pangolin and Croc's eyes widen at this whilst Ox's glare only deepens, something that master Rabbit ignores with crossed arms. "Hmph, I'm surprised they still lug around a monster like that." As fury boils in his blood, Ox grinds his teeth until they threaten to shatter, using all his will power to stop himself from wailing on the arrogant twerp.

"Excuse me?" Rabbit's eyes shrink at the sharp, cold edge in Pangolin's voice, his tone so ruthless that even the flames lining the inn's torches freeze in place. A shudder crawls up Croc's spine as he turns to the normally reserved master, the scowl on his face barely present yet pulsing with a building fury.

What surprises the reptile more however, is that the rude bunny seems unfazed. "What? Don't tell me you haven't heard of the stories. The monster of Bao Gu, that's what they called her. And rightfully so, she broke the arm of a poor orphan boy and nearly set the orphanage on fire." Shock soon fills the eyes of Ox and Croc whilst Pangolin's seeps even further into his ire. The audacity to spread such falsehoods, to even believe them. "Yet somehow, Shifu had deemed her fit to learn such a sacred art. A great teacher he was, but he was never a good judge of character." Even Croc now finds himself mimicking Ox's scowl as the foolish bunny digs his proverbial grave deeper, "After all, if people can never change then what good can a monster do?"

"You have the gall to speak of master Tigress this way!?" Shooting out of his chair, Pangolin's eyes stab into Rabbit's in a mosaic of disgust and loathing. His voice strikes not as a dagger, but as a sword willing to decapitate this disrespectful pest. Any other masters or guests lingering in the inn immediately shift their attention to the two, some cautious of a potential fight breaking out. "To show so little respect for a warrior that has risked her life over and over for the safety of not only the valley, but all of China. To belittle and mock her harsh past. To call her such vile things while she is grieving her own father!" A few gasps can be heard from the crowd watching, making Rabbit admittedly anxious. "Have you so little shame that you will happily speak ill of the dead at their own service!?" Ox and Croc watch on with eyes as massive as the chandelier hanging above them, partly terrified of the venom spewing out of him yet thankful for his ireful protest. "I may not have been there in the Forbidden city, but when I had the honour of facing her in the master's tournament, I saw no beast. I saw a warrior. Graceful, strong and kind. Devoted to the principles of kung fu and willing to protect her home, no matter the threat." Quivering at the vitriol evident in his timbre, master Rabbit glances around only to be met with disapproving and disgusted looks. Soon enough, Pangolin takes a deep breath before taking his cup of tea in paw, "You best pay master Tigress, Shifu and everyone from the Jade Palace the reverence they deserve. Keep your falsehoods and your vile insults to yourself… or I will teach you what respect truly means." He ends with a growl, finishing his tea as he sits back down, leaving the now shamed bunny to walk away with an army of revolted eyes following him out.

With master Rabbit now gone, both Ox and Croc turn to face their young comrade as he places his empty cup down, his calm demeanour returning. A wide, toothy grin fills Ox's face as he pats him on his armoured back, "Nice one, kid."

Pangolin gives a humble shrug, "Respect must be shown, no matter the rank, experience or supposed superiority. Especially at a time such as this." Nodding at his eloquent answer, Croc thinks to himself for a moment, remembering the funeral service. As he looked upon the dragon warrior and the five, he had seen six graves when they were meant to mourn one. Noticing his grateful expression now replaced by anxiety, Ox and Pangolin turn to Croc as he opens his mouth.

"Speaking of which, how do you think they're holding up?"

Mere minutes have passed since Mr. Ping and Li-Shan returned from the Jade Palace, the five following in tow. Since Po's fathers had shoved four tables together for them all to sit at. Since the couple up in Po's room finally came down. Minutes that soon drag on to what seems like an hour of awkward, anxious silence. Dragon warrior noodles and tofu seems to lose its humble shine, its homely warmth dampened by the ever-dark skies hanging overhead.

Grief drapes itself over the large makeshift table, making fur, feathers and scales turn far paler than before. As if the colour and life had been ripped right out of them all. Both Ping and Li-Shan try to lighten the mood with inviting smiles and attempts at conversation, but the most they could get were one-worded answers or a smile that is clearly put-on. This was meant to be a time for some sort of levity, but neither the goose nor elder panda could blame them.

Once Po and Tigress had emerged from his room, whatever mood had been building up died on the spot. Remnants of tears had remained in her eyes, her stoic mask deformed with guilt, battered by pain. Po's expression wasn't encouraging either; his eyes soaked in worry, anxiety puppeteering the frown woven onto his face. When was the last time the once jovial panda smiled? None of them could say. What had amounted to a week within the forbidden city had been enough to change a lifetime. Even Lei-Lei couldn't help to brighten up the dinner, her violet irises filled with an innocent concern. Still too young to understand a lot of things, but still staying with her 'stripey baby' the moment they all sat by the makeshift dinner table.

Mr. Ping and Li-Shan look between each other, their confidence beginning to deteriorate at the sight of their son, at their kung fu family. They weren't expecting them all to get over it in an instant, but they were at least hoping it would ease their pain a bit. Luckily for them, Monkey notices the defeat etching itself along their faces before shifting his gaze around the table. Melancholy drowns the countenances of his kung fu family, those same pained eyes making his own pang in guilt. He may not have had a hand in their master's demise, but Zhongcheng still used him to fight them. If he had been more careful, if him and Crane had managed to escape the wolf's clutches… No, he shouldn't be thinking like that. It has already happened; they can't change that. Only the present remains… and they're wasting it with their sorrow.

Sorrow isn't Shifu's legacy.

It is with this thought that a lantern flashes in the langur's eyes. If they're going to root themselves in the past, then they may as well focus on the good memories Shifu left them with. "You guys remember our first summer in the Jade Palace?"

Confused glances come his way, with Lei-Lei's violet eyes expanding in curiosity. She always wanted to hear a story about 'grumbles'. "You know, after we beat boar and the weather got crazy hot?" It takes the five a few moments to clue in on what he is referring to, but soon enough, Crane and Mantis exchange small, knowing smiles.

"And we swapped out one of the scrolls with a fake one?" Monkey's smile widens as Mantis recounts the tale with Viper joining in on their reverie. Even Tigress' expression brightens up, yet her stone mask keeps her from smiling.

"I still remember when Shifu read that out in the training hall." Stifling a chuckle, Crane adds before attempting an impression of their late master. "As a kung fu master it is important to master the art of… the secrets of wooing female red pandas!?" This forces a hysteric guffaw out of both Monkey and Mantis, with Viper chuckling along. Lei-Lei joins in on the laughter despite not really understanding the joke. "Who wrote this!?" As their mirth begins to thaw the table out of its once icy despair, Po gives a questioning glance to Tigress who merely nods, vividly remembering the moment her father nearly turned into a proper red panda.

Enjoying the moment of mirth that has finally cut through the dreary day, Li-Shan inquires with a cheeky snicker. "Did he find out?"

"Pfft, with mister 'I can't keep a straight face' here, even a blind guy could figure it out." Mantis points at his best buddy who only laughs harder.

"Hey, I tried."

His brows raising with a humorous doubt, his insect friend answers back with, "What? You mean like this?" He proceeds to put his claws over his mouth and 'tries' not to laugh, rolling on the table and kicking his feet up in the air until Crane and Viper burst out in laughter too.

"Oh, c'mon man." Facepalming himself, Monkey spares a chuckle at his own spectacular failure. A perfect prank ruined in the dumbest way possible.

"Wait, seriously?" Po finally butts in, looking between the two with his own quivering grin.

"Yep. Had to do 2000 steps cuz he let it slip."

Monkey lets out a deep sigh, "Don't remind me."

Chuckling at his simian friend's embarrassment, Po shuffles through his own memories of their former master. Stern acknowledgements, plenty of irritated rants… a few mah-jong games that went south. After glossing past many of the smaller moments, one particularly awesome memory stands out. "Ooh! I got one." Now gleeful eyes shift to the dragon warrior, his fathers and the furious five thankful that part of his jovial demeanour has returned. "It was the quarter finals for the masters tournament, and the first match was Viper against-

"Duye*." Viper finishes with a slight yet noticeable grimace, "What a jerk." This disgust doesn't last long however as she understands jut what her panda brother is getting at, smiling as she continues his story. "To think that cheater nearly got the best of us." Crane and Monkey glower at this, remembering their embarrassing losses at the tournament thanks to that lizard's conniving scheme. Even Tigress finds herself grimacing at the memory only to stop as she feels Lei-Lei shift in her arms, the panda cub's eyes glued onto Viper's. Amber and sky-blue irises share a glance before both kung fu sisters smile at the adorable panda's intrigue, "As I fought that dastardly lizard, I realised why he had beaten Crane and Monkey…" She trails off, allowing Lei-Lei to lean her head in a bit. "He had a blade in his sleeve, laced with poison."

A big gasp leaves Lei-Lei's lips, making everyone around the table smile, "What did you do?"

Unable to keep her smile from growing wider, the serpent master continues. "With lightning speed, I managed to dodge all his attacks."

"Wow."

"Then, when he left himself open, Bam! Boom! Pow! I knocked him out of the ring with ease."

"Yay! Smiles wins!" Lei-Lei's cheer brings an adoring chuckle from Po and Tigress, both of them thankful for her innocent, beaming joy.

Lucky for the panda cub, they weren't finished with their story. "But Duye didn't think so." Po jumps back in, eliciting a surprised gasp from her that makes Tigress' small smile beam brighter. "He jumped back into the ring and leaped out at Viper while her back was turned, his blade at the ready!"

"Oh no!"

"Until Shifu jumped in and stopped him in his tracks!" A shining smile fills Lei-Lei's face, prompting all the grown ups around the table with an irresistible urge to mirror her expression. "Your cowardice will not be tolerated here! He yelled before snapping his blade in half and throwing him up in the air. He then jumped up and got rid of Duye with a powerful kick, shouting begone! As he flew out of the arena."

"Grumbles saves the day! Grumbles saves the day!"

As the panda child hollers, Tigress gazes at Po. I'm pretty sure Po would be the best father in the world, so you have nothing to worry about. Her smile only grows as Viper's words ring in her head. She never had any doubt about it, but seeing him make her happy so effortlessly inspires an inkling of hope in her. This hope makes her look between her comrades at the table. No, her family. For the first time in weeks, they all smile, united by happiness rather than grief. Recounting unforgettable memories of her father. The monster flashes in her mind for a second, but she keeps it at bay. She can't bury herself in that horrible day, not when they are finally pushing their way out of the darkness. With a thankful smile all her own, she ruffles the fur atop Lei-Lei's head, her heart melting as the little panda giggles at the ticklish sensation.

As she looks at her however, Tigress' eyes trail off, violet irises morphing into amber as present shifts into past. "There was a time when Shifu first took me in." Her memory beckons her to speak, catching the attention of her kung fu family. Yet she pays little mind.

"Before Tai Lung's betrayal. Before his heart was wounded by grief." Tigress looks on at her younger self, tucked in her futon with her room still stood as a blank canvas. A single candle lit up the darkness of the night, shielding the shaking cub from the teeth and tendrils of the room's shadows. From the iron walls that threatened to close in on her beyond the shadows. Yet, this was not the only beacon that shined upon her. Two steely irises did so too. "When he had burst into my room one night after hearing me scream in my sleep." Tenderness pours over Tigress' voice as Shifu caressed her forehead with his thumb, offering her one of the warmest smiles she had ever seen from him. "He stayed with me for nearly two hours… I thought if I closed my eyes, the nightmare would come back…" Her lip wobbles for a moment as she eyes the scroll held in his other paw, amber eyes beginning to glisten as he kissed her younger self on the forehead once she had finally gone back to sleep. "He even read me a bedtime story. As I was going to sleep, he stayed a while longer… making sure I was okay." It was that moment that she knew he truly cared. It was that moment that she knew she would always love her baba… no matter what.

Lei-Lei and the noodle restaurant come back into the picture as she finally boots herself out of her memory, her eyes widening as she glances back up at her kung fu family. Whilst Viper and Po offer warm smiles, everyone else looks at her with sympathy brimming in their eyes. "It may not have been much. But it's a memory I will never forget." Tigress finishes, her expression growing despondent at the sordid fact making itself known to her once more.

She'll never hear him comfort her ever again. That through all of these years, his grief had stopped him from being the loving father he could've been. This despondence soon spreads around the table, the levity they had experienced flickering away like a candle's flames within a suffocating darkness. Rumbling thunder makes its presence known, making Crane look upwards to the blank and lifeless clouds above. Monkey takes another bite of his food, yet its taste grows sour as he too looks upwards, his deflated blue eyes shifting to the downcast Jade Palace. Though their sorrow shouldn't bury them alive, they can't delude themselves. Not when the future can't wait to become the present.

"So… what now?"

His question once again has the five completely stumped. Even Po doesn't find himself able to answer. How could any of them ever replace Shifu? Now that's a notion none of them had ever hoped to entertain, but it can't be helped. "Someone has to look after the Jade Palace and talk with the other masters."

Though everyone around the table loses themselves in a maze of possible yet unlikely answers, Tigress' face grows pale, her fur patterns and markings losing their vibrant colour. The despondence in her good eye warps into petrification. Her heart bleeds at one of her final memories with her father. When my time comes, and I pass on into the spirit realm. I want you to be the grandmaster of the Jade Palace. No. She can't. It may have been his final wish, but she can't. Not after what she did. She doesn't deserve to even walk the palace's grounds let alone be its grandmaster. I have always been proud of you. Even from the very start. How could she disgrace him like this? After everything he had done. So many years she had longed to hear those words only for them to stab into her soul with the bitter, undeniable truth.

She killed her own father.

No amount of monsters or mind-control could ever change that. "Are you okay, mama?" Lei-Lei's sweet voice chirps out, the tiger master's heart still reeling at that word. It is in her concern however, that Tigress finally feels her eyes burning as streams of tears form along her cheeks.

"I-I'm fine, Lei-Lei." She knows that none of her comrades believe her, but she puts on a brave face regardless. Wiping her tears off her face with a sniffle, she gazes at the rest of her family, grateful for the concern and care prevalent around the table. If only I deserved it. No, she can't think that now. They have to focus. "Monkey's right. Someone has to keep the Jade Palace standing."

Kaboom!

A deafening explosion forces the very ground beneath the valley of peace to tremble, silencing the calamitous thunder that had struck mere moments ago. Everyone within the restaurant turns their heads to the source of the explosion, horror filling the eyes of the dragon warrior and furious five as they see a torrent of fire lighting the valley's mountain like a volcano erupting. Engulfing the Jade Palace in flames. "What's going on!?" Mantis screams out in shock, mirroring the expressions of all except Tigress, her terror contorting into a vengeful rage.

"Let's move." This command is uttered with complete unrelenting coldness as she shoots out of her seat. Her family follows suit, all six of them pacing out the restaurant with Tigress handing Lei-Lei to Ping and Li-Shan for safety. Worry creeps into the three of them within an instant, certain that whatever is transpiring at the Palace could not be good.

As the dragon warrior and furious five speed down the valley's streets, soon accompanied by the likes of master Ox, Chicken and even master Cheetah. Before long, all of the kung fu masters that remained within the valley join them. All of them seeking to punish the fool who'd have the audacity to do this.

A cacophony of explosions rips through the air as Zhonglei manages to join with his niece at the front. A veritable army of over 50 kung fu masters all skid to a halt at the bottom of the steps as the fire blazing at the ancient temple grows wild, uncontrollable. Whatever majesty the Palace had once had is replaced by a prison of fire, torturing its captive until it is reduced to ash and scorched debris. Suffocating smoke plumes siphon the clouds of whatever sunlight they had, rendering the skies to a black and grey miasma of death. Some of the masters can already feel themselves grimacing at the carbon monoxide taking residence in their nostrils, whilst others feel their ears ring at the deafening blaze high above. None of the five can bear to believe the sight. Their home, Oogway's legacy, their master's resting place smothered in an unforgiving blaze. Po finds himself scowling and clenching his fist at this hellscape, his eyes mirroring that roaring fire with his wrath. There is no way this was an accident, but who could be so cowardly? Who could be so heartless?

Unfortunately for them all, he gets his answer in the form of a figure moving within the flames, something Po and Tigress notice in an instant. Two pale, white eyes pierce through the crackling walls of fire, sending unexplainable shivers down their spine. A feeling shared by the rest of the masters as they take notice of the culprit, their form emerging from the flames.

Ke-pa's shadows dance with the fire raging around him but maintains their shape, the demon relishing in the cautious confusion present on every single master far below. Relishing in how he has tarnished Oogway's legacy in front of them all, in his own likeness no less. Breaking his wall of shadows, a putrid, sadistic smile forms upon his face with an eerie wideness. All of his prey, gathered in one place. "Such terror! Such sadness! Such despair! Such a wonderous occasion!"

1* Duye = Venom in Chinese

... Oh dear. Yeah, things are ramping up pretty damn early. And believe me, things only get crazier from here! So sit tight, and be ready for the craziness that will be coming in the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take a month to do, but I can't promise that unfortunately. Let me know what you think of the story so far, I hope you lot are enjoying it! Have a great morning/afternoon/evening and until next time! :)