Remnants of the Past

"Is this really necessary?!"

"You've bareback for the longest."

"The panda doesn't have to endure this torture."

"Because he actually wears something other than pants on occasion," the serpentine warrior hissed. "Now stop squirming and let me finish." Tai Lung grumbled under his breath as Viper wrapped her tape measure around his core. He gasped for air. "Oops! Sorry, didn't mean to pull so tightly."

Grumbling more, Tai Lung saw a devilishly smirking feline standing at the room's entrance with a stiff-looking bird. "If you've come to witness my torment, I'm afraid it won't be much of a show." He muttered.

"Viper takes good measurements, though it can be a little uncomfortable," Tigress replied.

"Hey! I fixed the hole in your pants, didn't I?" Viper whined.

"Yes, but you didn't have to fix them while I had them on!"

Tai Lung smirked, "Now that's something I could ACKK! Viper!"

"Hey, you moved that time!"

"Ugh!" Tai Lung groaned helplessly. He struggled to stay perfectly still with a slithering snake around him.

"And done! You're free to go," Viper smiled. "I'll have Mei Mei make the clothes."

"You don't make the clothing?" Tai Lung asked. Viper gave an unimpressed hiss. The snow leopard slapped his head, hearing the chuckles from Tigress and Crane. "Never mind."

"Don't feel bad," Crane spoke up. "Po asked the same thing when he was first fitted."

"Comparing me to the panda doesn't help me feel better," Tai Lung growled lowly.

"Well, you're not nearly as bad as Po," The striped warrior asked.

"When he was fitted? What was that like?"

"Oooofff," Viper groaned. "I love Po, but the guy can be very clumsy. Especially since he's ticklish."

"He stepped on you?" Tai Lung asked.

"Stepped on me, fell on me, nearly squished me in between his arms, necks, thighs, and butt. The only reason why I didn't suffocate is because his fur is so soft," she groaned, rubbing the back of her body with her tail tip.

"Anyways, why are you two here?" Tai Lung asked.

"Oh, I told Tigress you were getting fitted for one of the ceremonies, and she 'needed' to see the suffering," Crane chuckled.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't need to, kitten," Tai Lung grumbled at the smirking tiger. "Why should I go to this ceremony? I'm still considered a criminal."

"Not officially by the Masters' council," Viper protested.

The spotted feline sighed with a small appreciative smile. "That's small comfort."

"It's something. Small steps. You didn't learn Kung Fu scrolls," Tigress replied. Tai Lung nodded.

Suddenly, a loud crash rang in the warriors' ears.

"What was that?"

"It came from the Hall of Heroes." The four ran over to the hall. The room had majorly changed when they got there. A big hole that led to a dark tunnel stood right at the center of the Kung Fu Scrolls in the back. Po and Shifu stood in front of it. "What happened?" Tigress asked.

The red panda immediately threw a stern look at Po. "Well, I... I was just looking over the scrolls with Master Shifu and then I pulled something and then POW! Secret tunnel!"

"But you caused this?" Tigress asked. Po slowly nodded. "I'm getting richer."

"Don't be smug about it," Tai Lung grumbled, giving the smirking tiger a coin.

"Wait, are you two betting on how much trouble I get into?" Po asked, a little hurt.

"No. Just how many times you're responsible for... trouble happening. Every time trouble finds you, Tai Lung gets a coin. Every time you cause trouble, I get one."

"That's... an interesting bet," Shifu murmured.

Po huffed, "Hey guys. Can we stop throwing me under the carriage and talk about the massive gaping hole of secrecy standing right before us?! Where do you think this goes?"

"Who knows? Even though some of the Jade Palace was destroyed during Kai's attack, a lot of its secrets remain unknown," Shifu said. Tai Lung and Crane grabbed lanterns and the six of them ventured deep into the tunnel. Smooth rock lined the walls and floor. The dry cave swirled down deeper and deeper until they came to an open chamber. The sides had two pedestals to place the lanterns. When they did, fire ran around in a circle and illuminated the hall. In the center was a tall hexagonal bookshelf towering five feet above them.

"So... Oogway went through all this trouble just to hide... more Kung fu scrolls?" Po asked. Shifu carefully took a scroll out and read it.

"These aren't Kung fu scrolls. These are historical scrolls... of the Dragon Warrior before Master Oogway," Shifu said.

"I thought Master Oogway was the founder of Kung Fu?" Po asked.

"Yes, but just because they didn't have a name for Kung Fu doesn't mean they weren't practicing it," Shifu replied. "There's much that was done that wasn't written."

"So this is the life of the previous Dragon Warrior," Crane said, "Do you think Oogway put this stuff away because he thought history would repeat itself?"

"That doesn't seem to be the case," Shifu spoke, "These are recorded interactions. They almost read like lessons. Words of encouragement, bravery, help in dark times." The red panda stared at one scroll that made his head shoot back. "Very... dark times."

"What's the matter?" Po asked.

Shifu shook his head and placed the scroll into his robe. "Nothing. It's nothing. I think you would benefit from this, Po. Maybe you can see yourself in these stories."

"Ha! There's one time when the warrior's underwear gets pulled down in front of five of his friends! HA HA HA HA!" Tai Lung laughed.

"Hey! Stop looking at my... Uh... their... ugh! Just stop!" Po shouted as he tried to pull the snow leopard's scroll away. Viper and Crane laughed while Tigress shook her head with a smile. Shifu would've smiled too if he hadn't looked at the scroll in his robe. He shuffled upstairs, telling the others to make sure that nothing got damaged. He ambled past the Hall of Heroes and to his room.

Shutting the door behind him, he looked at the scroll again. It talked about a dark time in the Dragon Warrior's life. One that greatly worried Shifu. Some of the scrolls were eerily similar to Po's life. Was it possible that history would repeat itself with this same darkness?

Shifu shook his head. He couldn't waste energy on speculations. If it was in the past, then it was up to Po to tell them. If it was in the future, the only thing that he could do was pay more attention to Po's present struggles.

CRASH!

Shifu ran back to the Hall of Heroes only to see the fragments of the Urn of Whispering warriors standing in shards with an annoyed set of felines and a bird covering his face with his wing. Viper sighed, covering her face with her tail. "Sorry, I got excited and then... bumped into it," Po chuckled nervously.

Rubbing his temple, Shifu gave a long sigh. "Tai Lung."

"Uh... Yes?"

"Give Tigress her coin."

"Hey!" Po cried out while the room erupted with laughter.

Continued...