Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I neither own the rights to DreamWorks, Kung Fu Panda, the Kung Fu Panda cinematic universe nor any of its associated media, derivatives or products. I do not profit from this work.

A/N: Trigger warnings: death, racism, a racist mob beating the shit out of a main character, blood. Basically, fascists being fascists.


[Scene: Po's room. The panda tosses and turns restlessly, and then lays flat on his back. From the darkness and the low sliver of the moon outside the shutters, we can see that it's in those horrible hours of the morning where only the troubled are awake, and there is no chance of getting a good night's sleep before the next day's responsibilities begin.]

PO: (Stares up at the dark ceiling, miserable, and then flinches and squeezes his eyes shut.)

[Flashback: the rabbit at the Temple of Heaven.]

RABBIT: What, do you think they're your friends? You think they'll protect you when the time comes? You know that's not true!

[Flashback: Tigress, lecturing Po in the lamplight.]

TIGRESS: He has a chance to make things right. To train the true Dragon Warrior. And he's stuck with you.

(Flash-present. Po opens his eyes and sits up in bed, looking exhausted and desperate. His eyes flicker towards the door, and he hesitates, before his face scrunches up in a look of determination verging on anger.)

(Shot: Po's paw setting a pot of water on the stove and lighting the match.)

[Flashback:]

RABBIT: You knew it every time they pushed you around–

[Flashback:]

TIGRESS: (Unsheathing her claws) Oh, that is it!

(Shot: Po's paw dumping in a bundle of raw noodles.)

[Flashback:]

RABBIT: Every time they treated you as second-class–!

[Flashback:]

TIGRESS: A big, fat panda, who treats it like a joke.

(Shot: Po's paw stirring the pot.)

[Flashback:]

RABBIT: –Every time they told you you didn't belong here!

[Flashback: Tigress's door slamming shut.]

(Shot: Po's paw serving himself plain boiled noodles; the screen splits into two, then three, then four of similar, but not identical, shots.)

[Flashback: the temple.]

RABBIT: Don't fool yourself. They will never be friends with someone like you.

(Flash-present. Po sits down at the table with his fifth bowl, looking miserable, and then stops.)

(He stares down at the noodles. They wobble limply and almost seem to stare back up at him.)

PO: (Hesitates, and then sighs heavily and shoves the bowl ahead of him on the table.) Ugh. (He slumps, exhausted, and buries his head in his hands.)


[Scene: entrance to the Tiger neighborhood, on a winter dawn morning of that particular February kind where the sky looks more periwinkle than blue. Inside the tiger neighborhood, the street is much more crowded than usual for this time of day; all the shops are open, and there is a lot of chatter. From somewhere drifts the sound of a street-performer's peasant music, and even well-to-do tiger ladies, usually found only in the domestic spaces of wealthy households, are out in their silk dresses.]

[The tigers aren't the only ones out and about, either. For the first time since we've seen it, the Tiger Neighborhood is thronged with peoples of all sorts: rabbits, pheasants, leopards, geese, crocodiles, and even an elephant or two. Everyone has come out to see the glorious Son of Heaven. The ambience is a surprising mix of curious, nervous, and festive.]

[After all: an Emperor is coming to visit.]

SUN: (Finishes sweeping the snow out of the entrance to his shop courtyard and looks over the heads of the crowd, to where a dais has been set up in the center of the road, not far from his shop. His expression is anxious but also, cautiously, hopeful. He turns as someone comes up behind him.)

FENG: Looks pretty safe to me…

SUN: (Sighing) Feng, we've discussed this.

FENG: But father, it's the Emperor!

SUN: (Firmly) And you'll be able to hear his speech just fine from your room. (She rolls her eyes, and he nudges her with his elbow, softening a bit.) Besides, you'll have a better view than from the ground.

FENG: (Reluctantly admits:) …That's true…

SUN: (Pats her shoulder) Keep the stove hot; the lunch rush will be busy today. (He steps outside the courtyard. Feng grumpily shuts the gates and locks them from the inside, and he gives her a meaningful look.) And you'll keep the gates locked until I get back?

FENG: Yes, father, I promise.

SUN: That's my girl. (He joins the gathering crowd; Feng huffs, annoyed, and then goes to the kitchen and tosses a few more logs into the stove-fire, before heading up to her room.)

[The city gong tolls the hour; taking note, the people start to move closer to the dais. Sun joins them, deftly moving around people to get to the front of the crowd. As he reaches the front ring he notices a few older tiger ladies gossipping next to him.]

TIGER MATRON 1: (Grumpily) He's late. In our day, emperors were on time!

TIGER MATRON 2: (Teasing her friend) Oh please, Aida; in our day, emperors didn't come to visit!

TIGER MATRON 1: (Softening) I guess that's true.

(The second old lady looks about to respond, when a sudden blaring of horns down the street draws their attention.)

MATRON 2: (Craning) Is that them?

SUN: (Speaking up) I think so (Shields his eyes in the morning sunlight coming from the east—before his eyes widen.) Good gods...

[Out of the blazing dawn comes a procession that can only be described as "bodacious." The shot zooms down the street as the Masters of the Jade Palace lead the procession's security detail, sunlight gleaming off their yellow Imperial Jackets, slow-motion Power Walk in full force. Po gives a slow-mo "we're badass" nod to Shifu, who gives an equally slow-mo eyeroll.]

[In the center of the security detail, the Emperor is being carried on an elaborate sedan chair, complete with gold filigree dragons, scarlet canopy and multicolored thread tassels. The Emperor himself is dressed resplendently in a golden dragon robe and a gold mianguan headdress.]

EMPEROR: (His face is turned straight ahead and his expression is far more imperial and stoic than we're used to seeing from him, but his eyes do flicker briefly to Wu, who is marching in full armor directly beside the sedan.)

WU: (Gives him a brief nod, indicating he's prepared, and the Emperor looks a little more reassured.)

(Back down the street, the Matrons and Sun watch the procession enter the neighborhood.)

MATRON 1: So many guards.

MATRON 2: (Feisty) And some good-looking young men, too! (This is clearly implying Wu, who is passing right in front of them; Sun, who is himself middle-aged and several years Wu's junior, raises an eyebrow at the old biddies.)

MATRON 1: (Huffy) Oh, everyone looks young to you, Mei.

[The sedan stops in front of the dais, and the Emperor is helped out by a servant. Wu is greeted by Lt. Caxia and a small group of guards, who salute.]

LT. CAXIA: Perimeter secure, Captain.

WU: Good; fall in. (The guards join the entourage, and Wu turns to Po)

WU: (Low) Have your people patrol the area for threats. Keep an eye on the crowd.

PO: Sure, but don't we kinda stand out?

WU: "Standing out" is part of the purpose of a guard, Dragon Warrior.

PO: Right, right. Totally. (He nods enthusiastically at Wu, who maintains a stoic look, apparently still displeased with the panda. Po winces and turns.) Right. Guys! (The other masters, excepting Shifu, look at him and he nods to the crowd. They quickly disperse into it, the citizens around them taking immediate notice.)

NOISE: GONNNNGG-G-G! (Back on the dais, a duck servant strikes the gong, and the crowd more or less quiets, though there is still a lot of whispering.)

EMPEROR: (Removes the scroll from the inside of his sleeve, looking around at the expectant crowd, suddenly nervous. It's clear he's a scholar by trade, not a public speaker, but he bows his head and steadies his nerves. When he looks up, his vision is set.)

EMPEROR: (Speaking in a loud voice.) Light, and Darkness. Sun and rain. An Emperor, and his people. (Adjusts his spectacles; they gleam in the morning light, as he says fiercely:) In the first days of the world, the Heavens were separated from the Earth, and out of chaos, balance and harmony were formed. China's strength has always lain in her embrace of balance—in the cooperation of many different peoples, working together to create a unified whole.

EMPEROR: (Gestures around him) Right now, our city, our people, is experiencing chaos. (In the crowd, a few of the civilians glance back solemnly at the ruined tea shop behind them, whose windows have been boarded up and covered in cloth.) But it does not have to be this way. I come here today, as your Emperor, to implore you not to give in to those who sow the seeds of disharmony, but to hold fast to your beliefs in peace and balance…

(As the speech continues, the shot pulls back into an alleyway, looking over the shoulder of a cloaked, very short figure. A shot from the front shows the figure wearing pince-nez spectacles and having a long anteater-like nose.)

PANGOLIN: (Inches forward to the front of the alleyway nervously, and looks out at the crowd. To his surprise and relief, he sees many people—several of them tigers—beginning to nod.)

PANGOLIN: (Sighing in relief, he begins to move along the side of the street, keeping to shady areas just in case and making his way down the street towards his tea shop. The cloak limits his vision a bit so that he doesn't even realize he's bumped into someone until he bounces back a few steps, looking up to see a furry white belly in front of him.)

PO'S VOICE: Excuse me, sir, but if you could just go and remove your cloak for m– oh. (The pangolin looks up at him, and Po realizes who he is.) Hey, you're that pangolin Wu was talking about! You're still alive?

PANGOLIN: (Laughing a bit awkwardly and adjusting his glasses; as he does so we catch a glimpse of his arm where a patch of scales had been scratched off) Just barely, I'm afraid. Although if you could keep your voice down...

PO: Oh! (Lowers his voice) Yeah, for sure, sorry. Uh– here. (He ducks behind a stack of radish crates that doesn't quite hide his furry ears, but does the Pangolin. Po, in a whisper:) What are you doing here?

PANGOLIN: (Earnestly) I heard the Emperor was going to give a speech; I wanted to hear it. (More firmly) And after all, this is my neighborhood.

(Their conversation is broken off briefly as the Emperor's voice swells; we catch a few words like "partnership" and "together.")

PO: Pretty great speech, huh? And the people seem to be liking it!

PANGOLIN: (Watching the Emperor from around the crate.) The people here are good people, most of them. They're just afraid of the Ten Thousand. I thought that maybe if today goes well, I could move back into my shop in a few weeks.

PO: You wanna come back after what happened? Aren't you scared?

PANGOLIN: When people tear us down, we rebuild—that's how we show them they haven't won. (Glancing up at him) My family's run that shop for nearly a hundred years, even during the occupation. Rebuilding is what we do.

PO: Really? How'd that work?

PANGOLIN: (Shrugging faintly) I made good tea. The neighborhood officials made sure I wasn't conscripted into the Tiger General's building projects, which was lucky; a lot of people who went died from overwork or never came back…

PO: Right! (This is said almost to himself, to the pangolin's confusion.) If people protected you back then, maybe they can change their minds again–

PANGOLIN: (Surprised) Protected me? Is that what you think happened? (Po blinks.) I made tea, Dragon Warrior. I served them. That is what the Ten Thousand want: (bitterly) people like us in our proper place. (Looking back at the crowd around the Emperor, softening.) But not everyone here is like that. People are scared, too scared to stand up for themselves…or their neighbors. But if someone like an Emperor can give them courage, then maybe there's still hope for this city after all. (There's a smattering of applause, breaking their conversation, and he bows.) Excuse me, Dragon Warrior, but I must go check on my shop.

PO: Yeah, for sure. Good luck, stay safe. (He watches the pangolin leave, and then turns back to the Emperor, listening to the speech again.)

(The shot follows the pangolin as he makes his way down the street, avoiding being noticed due to the spectacle. When he reaches the tea shop he pauses at the courtyard gate, gives a little sigh through his nose and pats the wall ruefully before stepping inside.)

NOISE: (Laughter—from inside the tea shop.)

PANGOLIN: (Freezes, and then looks around. The quiet laughter comes again. He crouches down and sneaks closer to one of the windows, and lifts the edge of the cloth nailed down around the broken shutters, peering through his spectacles. Horror dawns on his face)

[Inside the tea shop, the still-intact tables have been righted and are now occupied. Neighborhood boys in ordinary brown or olive tunics, mostly tigers and a few leopards, are sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Ten Thousand members in full armor and masks; the locals are wearing tied-on black armbands displaying red slash-marks, as if they had been clawed through, and outnumber the professionals by about four to one. A tiger girl is going around serving tea. FLAT-TOP, wearing an armband himself, shifts in his seat as he chuckles, and the Pangolin stifles a gasp.]

[General Zhong is sitting at the table.]


[Shot: Po, walking along the street again, a little further away from the action. As he does so, someone calls out to him:]

FEMALE VOICE: Dragon Warrior!

PO: (Turns and looks around for a moment, before spotting the figure leaning out of the upper shop window.) Oh. Heya, Feng, how's it going?

FENG: (Rolling her eyes) Dad won't let me join the crowd. Says it's not "safe."

PO: Ah, well… (Glances back and then gives her a wry grin.) Dads usually mean well. Besides, you've got a better view up there.

FENG: I guess.

PO: Here. (To a nearby street vendor selling fried dumplings) Gimme one of those. (The vendor does, and Po gives him a few coins before tossing the dumpling up to Feng. She catches it.) What's a show without snacks, amiright?

FENG: (Grinning) Thanks, Dragon Warrior.

PO: (Gives her a two-finger salute and heads off down the street again.)

FENG: (Sighs and sits back, looking out the window in annoyance, before she looks over at her writing desk and smiles despite herself. Sitting on the desk are seven figurines—one for each of the Masters of the Jade Palace and the Grandmaster.)

(As she picks up the Tigress figurine, we get a wide-shot of her bedroom: it looks remarkably like Po's childhood bedroom, but more tasteful, with paintings of the Five, Po and other masters on her walls. Tigress, a clear favorite, features prominently, as does Po, but the others are not neglected.)

FENG: (Turns back towards the window, scanning the crowd eagerly—and then frowns. She begins to count off:) Master Crane, Master Mantis, Master Viper…


[Shot: back at the tea-shop, the Pangolin looks on in horror as the General speaks to the new recruits; the waitress comes around, pouring them new cups of tea as they talk.]

FLAT-TOP: (Trying to play it cool, but coming off as a fanboy.) The boys and I are ready to help you with whatever you need, General, you say the word and we are there.

ZHONG: Your loyalty to the cause is appreciated. (Tries to lift his cup to the waitress, but Flat-Top's eagerly gesturing hands get in the way.)

FLAT-TOP: (Eagerly) So what strategy are you going with today? Personally I think the tactics you used in the battle of Lán Hé Pass would be amazing here.

ZHONG: I– (Stops trying to address the waitress and gives him a confused look) –the battle of Lán Hé Pass?

FLAT-TOP: One of your coolest victories, sir.

ZHONG: (Frowning) You want to use mountain guerilla warfare tactics in a city center?

FLAT-TOP: (Realizing he looks like an idiot) Uh…

TEN THOUSAND LIEUTENANT: (Cutting in) General. (Zhong glances up to a soldier watching one of the door-side windows.) The speech is almost over.

ZHONG: (Standing, with almost visible relief:) Good. (To Flat-Top:) Your men are ready?

FLAT-TOP: (Quickly, trying to make up for his mistake:) Yes, General.

ZHONG: (Turning to everyone) Men. (The conversation quiets.) I will be brief. You all know your mission, and I have confidence that we shall succeed. The bombs should go off just as the emperor finishes his speech; at that point we move out. Any resistance they put up, we will break down. Any numbers they have, we will match them with the spirit of our ten thousand brothers and sisters. (The new recruits look enthralled, and Zhong deigns to give them a small smile before continuing:) I can see your zeal. I know that you will obey your Emperor's wishes even from beyond the grave.

TEN THOUSAND: (Saluting en masse) Yes, General!

LOCAL BOYS: (A split-second behind on the uptake) Y-yes General!

ZHONG: And I know that you will bring honor to our Empress!

ALTOGETHER: Yes, General!

ZHONG: By the time this day is done, we will have the usurper's head on a stake. Oh, and one more thing: (he gives them all a small smile) get these vermin out of our neighborhood. (FLAT-TOP looks delighted.) Lieutenant, a word.

PANGOLIN: (Shrinks back as Zhong and the Lieutenant who gave the message move under the window while the Waitress brings around another round of tea.)

ZHONG: (In a low voice, watching the local boys celebrate the upcoming butchery) Your men are in position?

LIEUTENANT: Yes, General. The Luan family gave us some trouble, but a small bribe took care of the matter.

ZHONG: Good. Send them in as soon as the explosions cut off the gate; we want to make the Captain panic. (Surveying the local boys with an approving eye) They're out for blood, these ones. (The lieutenant nods.) That should give your men plenty to work with. Keep the chaos going as long as you can; once reinforcements arrive from the city garrison we'll pull out. From that point on, it's in the Commander's hands.

LIEUTENANT: (Glancing at the celebrating locals; in an even lower voice:) What about the new recruits, General?

ZHONG: (Shrugging) Initiate whoever gets out with us into the ranks; whoever doesn't will have a glorious death for their Empress. (Lieutenant inclines his head.) And who knows? We may actually get the Emperor's head out of this, if fate smiles on us.

LIEUTENANT: And the Grandmaster?

ZHONG: Leave him to me.

LIEUTENANT: Of course, General. (The Waitress brings around two cups of tea, and they clink them together, toasting the plan.)

PANGOLIN: (Pulls away from the window, looking terrified as he mumbles:) The Emperor… I have to warn the Guard! (He turns to look down the street—far, FAR down the street, where the Emperor and the masters are patrolling the crowd, and then a shadow falls over him.)

TIGER 2: Well, what do we have here. (The pangolin startles and tries to flee, but the tiger grabs him by the tail and lifts him, flailing, up to eye-level.) Hello, Mr. Lum. (The pangolin's glasses fall off in the struggle, and the tiger steps on them, crunching the spectacles underfoot as he leers:) Ever seen a bomb go off before, old-timer?


SUN: (Over in the crowd, Sun notices Po walking away from his shop, and then looks up at Feng, who still looks a little bored. He glances back towards the emperor, and then, as if relenting, gives a sigh and an eye-roll with a smile. He leaves the front of the crowd and begins to make his way through the gathered people, heading back towards his shop.)

(In the distance behind him, where the tea shop is and where Po is heading, there's a flash of light like a reflection off a mirror.)

TIGER 3: (From where he's been hiding behind the chimney flue and tile-slope on Sun's roof) Hey, that's the signal! (He drops down into the back-alley behind the restaurant and goes to open the door, which is locked. He picks it and sneaks into the kitchen, looking around as he walks. Not paying attention to his feet, he accidentally kicks a bucket, which rattles.)

FENG: (In the bedroom up above, looking down in surprise.) Hello?

TIGER 3: (Freezing and looking up towards the ceiling.)

FENG: (Frowning) Father? Are you down there?

[Back in the street, the Emperor is still talking. Down below, TIGER 3 stands stock-still, realizing the house isn't empty.]

FENG: (In her bedroom, Feng looks suspiciously at the floor, but when she hears nothing else she apparently decides it was just normal house-noises and goes back to listening to the speech. As she does so the Emperor's words seem to tune in again to us:)

EMPEROR: –Each of us, as citizens of this great Empire, has a duty, a duty of honor, to preserve peace and justice in the face of chaos and injustice—and I as your Emperor most of all. So I appeal to you today, not as a ruler on a distant throne, but as someone who loves China as much as each and every one of you...

TIGER 3: (Lets out a sigh and gets back to work. He takes off the pack he's carrying and pulls out several thunder-crash bombs—early Chinese hand grenades. Trying to hold all three in his left hand and pull out the sulphur-matches with his right, he accidentally drops them right into a waiting basin of soapy water.)

NOISE: Splash!

FENG: (Up above, standing abruptly and unsheathing her claws, frightened:) Who's there!

TIGER 3: (Panicking and scrambling to pull the bombs out of the water) Uh– uh–! (He stares down at the wet bombs in his hands, and then gets an idea that he thinks is very bright: he shoves the bombs into the firewood-hatch for the stove and books it.)

EMPEROR: (Down in the street, pleading with the crowd: ) Do not give into the lies. Do not destroy our harmony! Stand with those of us who want to see a better future, for all of us.

[The fuses burns on all sides: three, two–]

FENG: I-I'm warning you–!

NOISE: BOOMMM!

[The stove bursts into an explosion of red sparks and brick, and the bedroom above is blown open in a hail of splintered floorboards. People in the street scream and scramble back. The Emperor cowers under a shower of pebbles and looks behind him, shocked.]

SUN: (Lowering his hands from shielding his face) FENG!

WU: (Drawing his sword) FORMATION!

IMPERIAL SOLDIERS: Huah! (Draw and lock into a defense of three tiers around the Emperor.)

SUN: Feng! (Rushes forward, only to be blocked by the fleeing crowds) Let me through– my daughter's in there– let me through–! (He tries to shove through them, only to be knocked to the ground by a fleeing bull civilian on all-fours) AGH! (One of the bull's back-hooves hits his head, and the screen snaps to black.)

[Somewhere along a back-alley behind the courtyard houses, TIGER 2 hears the explosion and starts badly.]

TIGER 2: What the– (The pangolin takes this moment to claw him.) Ow! (He drops him on instinct, and Mr. Lum scrambles away; Tiger 2 snarls, and then, realizing he's short on time, abandons the pangolin, breaking into a run until he reaches the back door of another shop, where he kicks down.)

[The owner is already gone, having run out front to see what's happened across the street. TIGER 2 takes off the pack he has on his back and hastily removes several of the same bombs; clearly the more adept of the two, he strikes a match and sets the fuses ablaze next to the front wall, before running out of the shop.]

NOISE: BOOOM! (This explosion is significantly larger, likely due to not being waterlogged, blowing the whole building up into smithereens; the resultant rubble halfway blocks the street, bottle-necking the exit just as civilians are attempting to escape.)

[At the opposite end of the street near the tea shop, many smaller explosions go off—firework-like blasts that cause little damage but do scare people, stirring up more chaos and letting off a lot of smoke. People are running every which way, not sure where to go to escape the next attack. Halfway down the street beside the Emperor, Shifu is looking left and right, eyes narrowed and ears twitching as his students dart to his side; closer to the tea shop, Po is caught in the crowd, coughing on the smoke from the fireworks.]

PO: Where– (hacks) where are they– (he coughs again and turns as the crowd starts to flee past him in the opposite direction, and then stops dead.)

(Out of the smoke and dust emerges first one figure, then several, then a whole group. As the smoke clears we see Zhong in his armor. Behind him rank the lines of neighborhood boys, with cocky, bloodthirsty expressions, and their somewhat more professional Ten-Thousand leaders.)

SHIFU: (Down the street, peering through the smoke at his student—and the figures beyond him.) That's General Zhong…

WU: (Grimly) Assassination attempts are for subordinates. If he's here… (He and Shifu share tense looks.)

NOSIE: CLATTER-CLATTER-CLATTER. (Wu whirls around as the gates of several large courtyard houses lining the street fly open; professional Ten Thousand soldiers in armor and masks pour into the street; archers appear on the house walls. In a moment Wu and his guards are surrounded—cutting them off from the gate on one side and the Tea Shop-end exit on the other.)

WU: (Glancing left and right, then:) To the wall!

(In a fluid motion, the innermost ring of guards back themselves to a wall, forming a shield-wall—just in time for the soldiers to attack.)


[Down the street, Zhong surveys the terrified crowd of mixed species. His eyes land on Po, the nearest potential combatant, who looks stunned and alone as civilians run past him, screaming.]

PO: (Sees Zhong looking at him and quickly schools his face into a battle-ready expression, putting his fists up in a silent challenge as the general begins to walk forward out of the clouds of smoke. It's an obvious suicide mission—Zhong is the better fighter and Po is cut off from his allies—but the panda refuses to back down.)

ZHONG: (Draws his sword and walks forward in an easy warrior's stride. Po eyes him as the general approaches….and then watches, his face falling into shock, as Zhong gives a mild scoff and walks right past him, fixing his gaze down the street.)

PO: Wh– (turning to watch.) Wait! Where are you– [A hand abruptly catches his shoulder and turns him back around.]

NOISE: WHAM! (Po pays for his distraction as a fist collides with his face at short-range, sending him staggering backwards. As he recovers and gets his bearings, he sees who's hit him.)

FLAT-TOP: So, this is the Dragon Warrior. (He struts forward a few steps, flanked by nine others of his gang.) A big fat panda, what a joke. (As he talks the true Ten Thousand soldiers are streaming past them on all sides, following and moving ahead of Zhong as chaos erupts in the streets.)

PO: (Glances at the soldiers, at the civilians behind him, and then back at the gang. He subtly shifts into a more solid stance, planting himself like a tree as he goads:) If I'm such a joke, why do you need all your buddies to help you?

TIGER 3: (Flaring up) He doesn't need our help!

PO: Oh yeah? Then why doesn't he prove it? (Taunting Flat-Top) C'mon, man, you and me! Let's do this!

FLAT-TOP: (Snarls and steps forward, but TIGER 2 catches him by the arm:)

TIGER 2: Don't. He's baiting you.

FLAT-TOP: (Looks at him, and then back at Po. He gives a side-nod to his buddy and unsheathes his claws. The other nine do the same.)

PO: (Narrows his eyes.) Okay. (Louder) That's cool! I'll take on you and any other guys you got! Come on!

FLAT-TOP: (Roars and lunges, brandishing his claws.)

PO: (Hyping himself up and charging:) AHHHHH!

(His block meets Flat-Top's slashing blow in the middle of the street.)


[Back down the street, a concentrated battle has erupted around the tiers of guards; while Po has taken on a good portion of the local gang-members, the majority of them have focused their attack on the Emperor—each one wanting the glory of taking the Emperor's head.]

SHIFU: Hah! (Spins his staff, knocking an insurgent back.) There's too many of them; we can't fight our way out alone!

WU: (Stabs and glances behind him at the Emperor, who is cowering in sheer terror against the building wall; from the leopard's face we can see he, too, is on the verge of panicking.)

WU: (Turning back around and hiding his fear; speaking to a warhawk:) Guo, the western garrison; tell them to send us everyone they have!

HAWK: But Captain, that would leave the garrison–

WU: (Slashing his sword at an advancing attacker:) I know! (Dispatches the attacker) But the Emperor's life is more important; just do it! (The hawk nods and takes to the sky.) Masters! (The Four turn to him.) We can't fight with civilians in our way; try to clear a path to the gate! When we have the backup we'll pull the Emperor out that way!

VIPER: Yes, Captain! (She and the others spring into the fray—but through the sea of chaos ahead of the guards, a sole figure is still stalking forwards.)

WU: Grandmaster–

SHIFU: (Grimly) I know. I'll draw him off.

WU: How.

SHIFU: He believes I have something he wants. (Glances up at Wu, who reads him and nods.)

WU: Go.

SHIFU: (Nods and darts forward, flipping himself with his staff up onto the head of a Ten Thousand soldier, knocking him out and moving into the crowd towards Zhong. At this same moment the second wave of soldiers reaches the defensive circle, swords drawn.)

WU: (Spins his sword in his hand and attacks as three tigers jump him at once.) Hrah! (He elegantly cuts down one soldier and kicks back another, before lunging forward at the third, cutting his sword across the screen with a gleam of silver steel.) Hah!


[In the fray, Shifu leaps over the heads of the soldiers, knocking enemies unconscious where he can, his sights set on Zhong. The general cuts down a brave but stupid civilian who attempted to challenge him, and then glances over and sees the grandmaster advancing. He draws back and sets his sword as Shifu lunges at him with Oogway's staff. Zhong parries, sparks flying as the steel glances off the jade repair-joint, and Shifu spins the staff around, trying for an uppercut, which is blocked by the hilt of Zhong's sword.]

SHIFU: (Lands, looking up at Zhong. Zhong looks back and sets the blade again—a challenge. Shifu wheels the staff and flips up onto the nearest roof.)

ZHONG: (Eyes him, and then sheaths his sword, recognizing the ploy yet willingly falling into it.)

SHIFU: (With a slight grim smirk.) Hm. (He runs and leaps onto the next building. In a flash, the blur of orange-and-black is after him, following him along the rooftops.)

(Shifu and Zhong leap from rooftop to rooftop with an almost flight-like grace, occasionally trading blows of Shifu's staff versus the tiger's claws, until at last Shifu jumps back into a courtyard and parries another flurry of strikes from Zhong's claws before flipping backwards, creating distance.)

[Wide-shot: they are standing in the Pangolin's restaurant, the smoke from the nearby explosions still drifting around them in gray threads.]

ZHONG: (Drawing his sword again and almost languidly advancing:) You were a fool to come here today without her. Or did you think the whole city wouldn't notice she's vanished? (Low half-chuckle:) You as good as did our job for us.

SHIFU: (Sidestepping, curtly:) Rumors are only rumors unless the Emperor confirms them.

ZHONG: Tell me, grandmaster, did you always know? Or was it a shock to realize you'd overlooked the greatness you held in your hands? (Shifu glares at him, brandishing his staff when Zhong gets too close as they circle each other.) Ah, the latter. Was that why the emperor sent her away? Typical hypocrisy. (Gestures to the chaos in the neighborhood behind them.) He comes preaching equality and balance, and thinks we won't notice how you only seek to put us under your feet.

SHIFU: You perceive us only through your own blighted vision. We are nothing like you.

ZHONG: (Half-amused) No. No you're not. (Turning cold:) Where is she?

SHIFU: There is nothing you could do that would ever make me tell you.

ZHONG: You call yourself her master, and yet you'd keep her from her destiny. (Shifu doesn't answer; Zhong doesn't need him to.) You know I read about her, once I knew she was the one I'd been searching for. About how she was your prized student after the loss of your beloved Tai Lung—until the Dragon Warrior came along, anyway. (Growling chuckle, without any humor:) Found yourself a new favorite.

SHIFU: (Hotly) That's not how it was! Tigress was not the Dragon Warrior; she was never meant to be!

ZHONG: You're right, she wasn't. Her destiny far exceeds the panda's. (He stops his circling; Shifu copies. Zhong, with genuine approval, adds:) Nevertheless, you've done a good job with her. We owe you our gratitude.

SHIFU: You dare mock me–

ZHONG: Mock you? Far from it. You raised a fine leader. (With an inclined head:) Her father would have been proud.

(Shifu's eyes flash as he loses his temper and lunges forward.)


[Just outside at the gate, MANTIS knocks out a soldier with a kick and lands; behind him cowers a group of civilians, mostly of small-prey species.]

MANTIS: Wohh! (Skywards:) Crane, how's it coming with the surveillance!

CRANE: (Swooping down and depositing two frightened civilians in the safe-bubble created by Monkey and Mantis.) The shop that blew up is on fire, but the rest of the houses are made of stone, they're safe!

MONKEY: That's rich-people houses for you. Hoh! (Pokes one in the eye with his staff, sending him yowling.) Where's Viper?!

VIPER'S VOICE: Kyah! (A group of Ten Thousand soldiers and local lackeys are knocked down in a ring, clearing space, and we see Viper slithering through the crowd with a rabbit-mother and her six children in tow.) This way!

RABBIT MOTHER: (Nearly sobbing) Thank you, thank you–! (Runs forward with her children into the safe-zone.)

MONKEY: We need to get these people out of here. (Hits a tiger with his staff.) I say we make a run for the gate!

VIPER: Alright. Everyone, follow me! (The terrified crowd sprints after Viper towards the exit. Other terrified civilians peel off from their hiding places and join the exodus; the Four form a defensive position around them, ensuring any fights between Wu's men and the Ten Thousand stay out of their way.)

FOUR AND EXODUS: (Burst out into the open street. People are screaming and running away towards safety; just outside the gate, caught in the crowd and unable to move without fear of stepping on someone is–)

MANTIS: Kanya!

KANYA: (On all-fours with her baskets; her head swivels and she gasps) Mantis!

CRANE: You know that girl?!

MANTIS: I– uh oh. (A small team of Ten Thousand soldiers have peeled off the group attacking Wu's men, apparently intent on getting to the civilians.) Incoming!

(He and the others manage to fight off the group, but more Ten Thousand soldiers have got the same idea; apparently getting killed by Imperial Guards is not as entertaining as terrorizing easy prey. Funnelling them through the gate is working at the moment, but the four of them are outnumbered.)

VIPER: (Knocking the last one out) Where's Shifu?

MANTIS: He's not with Wu?

NOISE: THUD! (A soldier drops right in front of them; a moment later, Crane swoops down.)

CRANE: He went to fight General Zhong!

VIPER: (Alarmed) Alone?! (Suddenly distracted:) Mantis!

MANTIS: (Looks around, just in time to see a Ten Thousand soldier run past him.) Aw c'mon! Uh– (tracks the tiger's trajectory, spots the elephant and gets an idea.) Kanya! (She turns her head.) SIT DOWN!

KANYA: (Does so abruptly—right in front of the exit. The tiger runs straight into her tough hide and falls back, knocked unconscious when his head smacks the ground.)

MANTIS: Yeah! Way t'go, kid!

KANYA: Oh! (Covers her mouth with her nose, startled.)

CRANE: (Landing atop the gate, breaking off the conversation) There's still civilians inside. I can't get them out alone.

VIPER: Mantis, Monkey, keep the gate clear. Crane, let's go! (She slithers around Kanya's tusks and vanishes inside with Crane.)

MONKEY: Koh! (Pole-vaults himself into a sidekick as another soldier rushes the gate.) There's too many; we can't hold this position forever.

MANTIS: We don't need to hold it forever, just 'til Wu's guys get here!

KANYA: (Speaking up as she stands) I-I want to help! Tell me what to do!

MONKEY: You're a civilian! (Knocks back a soldier with his staff.) Go, before you get hurt!

KANYA: But I can help! I don't care if I get hurt!

MANTIS: (Looking between her and Monkey; making a decision:) You know this is dangerous, right? (Kanya nods anxiously.) Alright. We need this gate clear, can you do that?! (Another nod.) Okay! Here we go!

[Shot zooms out to show them fighting insurgents; Kanya grabs chunks of debris with her nose and hurls them aside as Mantis and Monkey dodge in and out, guiding civilians through and keeping attackers away. The shot pans in bird's-eye view over Sun's burning house, the ongoing guard battles, and Po fighting in the street.]


PO: Ha! (Side-kicks one lackey back, spins and dragon-kicks another, knocking him out.) Hakah! What, this all you got?! (Wipes sweat off his brow and then punches again. His plan of "get all the rookies to focus on me" is working, but too well: Flat-Top's gang has grown to nearly fifteen people at this point, several of them not wearing armbands—other local boys who weren't initially part of the group but have come out to join the fun.) Wohh!

(He belly-bumps one back as he blocks the lunging claws of another; although he's the far superior fighter, there's too many of them attacking at once, forcing him to play constant defense instead of finishing his attackers off and whittling down their numbers.)

PO: (Wheezing and leaning on his knees as he backfists another tiger, breaking his nose and sending him yowling.) Okay, okay, time out. Five minute break.

TIGER 3: (About to punch him, stops abruptly and looks back at Flat-Top as if to ask whether he should honor this request.)

FLAT-TOP: (Angry) This isn't a playground; hit him!

TIGER 3: Right, right! (Goes to hit Po, who blocks and kicks him back.)

PO: (Complaining) Come on, man, I said time out!

TIGER 3: (Lunges, now with claws; Po blocks and spins, throwing another attacker over his shoulder before taking a slug from Flat-Top which knocks him back several paces.)

NOISE: THUD. (Po's back has hit a wall; he ducks as someone tries to punch him, breaking their hand against the bricks, and then uses their arm as a block as someone else tries to hit him, backing up sideways.) RATTLE. (He collides with the side of an abandoned stir-fry cart.)

PO: Whoa! (Flips backwards as someone tries to claw him, making a "Eeugh!" noise as he sucks his belly in going over two woks, one still filled with boiling oil. He lands on the back side and tries to shove the cart at them, only to hear it scrape, and he looks down) Ah man, no wheels– gyah! (Dodges out of the way as someone's fist slams down right where his head was; the blow catches the handle of the empty wok and sends it flipping into the air, and Po's eyes go wide as he suddenly gets an idea.)

[Slow-motion shot of a tiger lunging at him while the wok tumbles down in its arch, Po's paw reaching up to grab it–]

PO:Wachah! (In one fluid movement he grabs the falling wok by the handle and effectively bitch-slaps the assailant across the face. It makes a very satisfying CLANG! as it drops the tiger like a sack of bricks.)

PO: Ha! Take that!

FLAT-TOP: (Shocked:) Wh– how–

PO: (At the unconscious tiger at his feet.) Justice is served, buddy! Whoo!

FLAT-TOP: (Enraged) He's still just a panda! We can take him!

TIGER 2: He can't get us all at once!

(They again charge him en masse; in normal scenarios this might be a good decision, but unfortunately for them, Po has, as the saying goes, "just opened a can of butt-kicking.")

NOISE: Clang! (TIGER 3's fist slams down on the improvised wok-helmet, leaving a mild dent, but this is solid iron, and he howls, clutching at his broken hand-bones. With another CLANG! Po clubs him over the head, then on the other side snap-kicks another attacker in the face.)

PO: Take that! Kyah! (Uses the wok to block a swipe, and then catches the second swipe in the handle. He swings the caught tiger into his buddy.) Hah! (Breaks the captive's wrist and disengages the wok as the tiger howls in pain and drops to his knees.)

PO: Oh yeah! FEET OF FURY! (Reaches up and hooks the wok's handle over a hook on the wall and lifts himself up briefly, knocking down two separate queues of challengers in one move, including Flat-Top.) Take that and– whoops! (The handle breaks and drops him, but he lands on his feet, using the downward trajectory of the pan to club the last attacker in line over the head.) Whoo!

(He looks up at the sound of a growl. Flat-Top has gotten to his feet again, and Po grins.)

PO: (Taunting him) C'mon, buddy, where's all those natural advantages of yours! (Flat-Top snarls at him.) Look, I'm wide open! You want it? Come and get–

(Flat-Top's claws slams into Po's chest—or at least, where his chest would have been if Po hadn't expertly stepped aside. In a slow-motion moment of pure awesomeness, Flat-Top's head turns just in time to see Po's arm wind up like a pitcher about to throw a strike.)

NOISE: CLANNNGGGGG! (Time snaps to normal as Po's wok clocks Flat-Top in the side of the face, combining with the tiger's momentum to send him flying, then rolling, then scraping down the street.)

FLAT-TOP: (Comes to a stop in a heap of striped limbs. Down the street, Po twirls the wok into a backhanded grip, just daring this punk to get up and try him again.)

TIGER 3: (Still clutching at his broken paw) Boss!

PO: (Turns. Behind him, Flat-Top's boys have gotten to their feet during the reprieve; even with the few Po managed to knock unconscious, there are still at least twelve of them, and only one of him.)

PO: (Hefts the wok and is just about to charge them when a door suddenly bursts open to the right, and a certain pangolin comes scrambling into the street, pursued by two of Flat-Top's gang.)

TIGERS 2 &3: (Seeing the Pangolin, enraged and shocked respectively:) You!

PANGOLIN: (Stops short in a skitter as he sees them, and then tries to turn and run the other way, only to run headlong into his pursuers.)

NOISE: TSING! (Claws are brandished against the sunlight and come slashing down.)

PANGOLIN: (Gasps and cowers, expecting this moment to be his last, when a shadow suddenly blocks out the sun.)

NOISE: CLANGGG! (Po hits the guy with his wok and sends him sprawling backwards.)

PO: (Bellowing) Get away from him! (In response, the two pursuers attack him at once. Claws flash, and four bloody slashes open across his shoulder a split second before he can throw them back.) Ach! (In the distraction of pain he almost misses his next block.)

PANGOLIN: (Stares up in shock, trembling, his glasses long gone.)

PO: (Struggling, still bleeding from the shoulder as he shouts:) Go! I got them, go!

PANGOLIN: (Nods and scrambles out down the street, running for his life. Behind him, Flat-Top's gang swarms the panda.)

PO: Hrah! (Throws one tiger off only to be glommed by two more. One of them punches him in the stomach, then a second time.) Oof! (As he struggles with the three attackers, one literally on his back, he looks up—just in time to see a fist flying his way.)

NOISE: (A slow-motion "WHUMMPH" as Flat-Top's fist again makes contact, this time knocking out spittle, blood and a tooth. This is followed by a distant, rattling clatter-rollll as the fallen wok goes rolling down the street. Po's vision reels; when it stabilizes, we hear a panicked heartbeat over the other sounds, and colors are suddenly hyper-saturated even as lines turn blurry.)

FLAT-TOP: (Stops in front of Po as the others form a line around him.) Still want that time out? (Around them on the street, some of the guys Po managed to injure but not incapacitate are also getting to their feet, ready for revenge, and others are peeling off from different fights to join Flat-Top's gang, attracted to the spectacle of beating up the Dragon Warrior now that most of the small-prey civilians have escaped. TIGER 3 snickers behind him, and Flat-Top cracks his knuckles p.) Shoulda stayed in the mountains munching bamboo, fatso.

PO: (Struggling against the paws holding him.) Look, buddy, you really don't know who you're messing–

NOISE: WHAM-CRACK. (Flat-Top hits him again. This time, something breaks. When Po looks up again blearily there is blood dripping from his mouth. Around him echoes a ring of laughter; the rookies have finally overwhelmed him by sheer numbers.)

(This, of course, was exactly Po's plan—and now he is going to pay for it.)

FLAT-TOP: No, you don't know who you're messing with. (Pulls back his fist in a sloppy punch that the encumbered Po has no chance of stopping.)

NOISE: CRUNCH.


NOISE: CRUNCH-SCREECH-CRACK.

NOISE: THUD-FWOOOM!

[A roof-beam falls, crashing first to the upper floor of the house and then tumbling through a hole in the floor. Its collapse reveals behind it the scene of a teenage girl's bedroom—or half of one, rather. The noise startles FENG into consciousness.]

FENG: Wh– I– (the words choke off in her mouth as she coughs abruptly, scrubbing at her eyes as they water, and then looks around in shock.)

(The half of her bedroom opposite her, where the stairs used to be, has been blown away; black smoke is billowing through the crater, obscuring her vision of anything beyond it, and an ominous orange-red light is flickering from the floor below.)

FENG: (Gasps and tries to scramble back, but then lets out a sharp cry:) Agh! (She looks down and sees that her leg has been pinned under another fallen beam from the roof. Feng grits her teeth and scrubs her streaming eyes again, trying to futilely lift the heavy beam and pull herself out, only further injuring her broken leg.) Nng! Ah! (She looks around desperately, and then jumps when more boards of wood fall into the hole. A flare of sparks goes up from the fire below, and start to catch on the ragged edges of the floorboards.)

FENG: (With dawning horror) Oh no. Hel–! (She coughs in the smoke and rasps as loud as she can:) Help! Father! Someone, help me!


SHIFU'S VOICE: Hah! (Sparks fly as Zhong's sword glances off the jade jointure, once, twice. Shifu parries with the staff a third time and thrusts forward, hitting him in the solar plexus.)

ZHONG: Agh! (There's a golden burst of light as the chi-blow knocks him back, and he hits the wall of the courtyard hard enough to leave cracks.)

(Shifu rights his staff, prepared for the next bout. Zhong gets to his feet, growling. They are equally matched; Shifu has the advantage in speed and in weapon-choice, but Zhong is stronger and more durable.)

ZHONG: (Twirls his sword and lunges, slashing down. Shifu parries.) I searched for her for thirty years, Grandmaster; I'll find her again, and this time, I will bring her home. You will not get in my way!

SHIFU: Tigress already has a home, and a purpose! She follows the honorable way of Kung Fu—something you could never understand!

ZHONG: A home and a purpose? Is that what you think you gave her? (Attacks) You gave her nothing more than a gilded chain, and the lie that the only purpose for her power is to defend the same people who would fear her for using it!

SHIFU: (Enraged, defends) That's not true!

ZHONG: But I will give her something more. (Slashes with his blade; Shifu jumps over it and parries the backslash.) A place to belong, with her own kind. (Twirls the sword and knocks Shifu's staff aside, leaving his chest open; the master flips backwards.) A place where her destiny will be respected. (He raises his sword.) A place where her power is wanted as much as feared.

SHIFU: (Freezes suddenly as he is yanked abruptly into the past:)

SHIFU'S VOICE: (Echoing) I am Shifu. I am–

TIGRESS: (Growling) Afraid?

SHIFU'S VOICE: No.

TIGRESS: Well you should be! I am Tigress! Tigress the Monster! ...The monster no one wants.

SHIFU: (Snaps to the present and lunges, but he is a split second too slow; as his staff comes crashing down, Zhong's blade sings through the air, and blood flies.)

SHIFU: (Jumps backwards and hits the ground, breathing hard. He looks up as Zhong advances, resheathing his sword.)

ZHONG: Now tell me where she is. (There's a "tsing!" as he unsheathes his claws.) Or I promise you, you will never see your students again.

SHIFU: (Tries to stand and then lets out a pained gasp. He touches a hand to his chest and pulls it away to find it covered in blood. Zhong looks down at him, cold. After a pause, the grandmaster lets out a low chuckle, looking up.)

SHIFU: I don't know where Tigress is. (With great effort, he pulls himself to his feet with his master's staff, leaning on it heavily.) And even if I did, I would never tell you.

ZHONG: (Eyes narrowing as he growls:) So. This has all been a waste of time.

SHIFU: If the last thing I do is keep my st– (cuts himself off, realizing the finality of the moment:) my…daughter from the likes of you, (he abruptly takes a weak, but accurate, battle-stance behind his staff:) it will not have been a waste of my time.

ZHONG: (With a tick in his jaw, he steps forward, and nods.)

(Then his claws slash downwards, and crimson floods the screen.)


[Shot: Wu pulls back his bloodied claws and turns, twirling his blade in the other paw with a glimmer of steel.]

WU: (In a brief moment of pause looks towards the gate, panting; his eyes dart from Viper, who has just deposited a group of civilians, to Mantis, Monkey and an elephant civilian, who are trying to keep the gate clear. His gaze suddenly flashes forwards again as he swings his blade.) Hah! (He kicks back an attacker just as Viper reappears, slithering between the attackers' legs unnoticed.)

VIPER: (Shouting) We need to get the Emperor out of here! Hyah! (Lunges and knocks the assailant unconscious.) Please, let me or Crane take him!

WU: No! It's too dangerous, we'd spread out the defense! Krah!

[He drops another enemy. Just as he does so, a white shadow flies over his head, depositing two duckling civilians at the end of the street and then flying back, dodging archers.]

WU: Master Crane!

CRANE: (Panting) They're coming.

WU: Who– (But his question is answered before he finishes it:)

NOISE: KahhhhH! (Like a speeding arrow a blur plunges down and claws at the eyes of the Ten Thousand soldier closest to Wu, and the leopard looks back. Through the gate of the neighborhood and over the gate-wall pour in imperial guards like a flood.)

WU: (Watches dazedly for a moment, sword hanging loose in his paw, as the relief forces flood through the gate, taking the end of the street and pushing the Ten Thousand and their local lackeys back; guard war-hawks take out the archers, clearing the sky.)

WU: (Snapping to attention; to Crane:) Get him out of here. (Crane nods and swoops down, picking up the quivering Emperor in his talons, who cries out in fear as he's lifted into the air. Wu, to Viper:) Find the Grandmaster. I need to lead my men. (She darts into the fray without waiting to nod.) Guards! FORWARD!

GUARDS: (Charge towards the gate to encircle the insurgents and help their brethren; Wu leads the charge with a battle-cry.)


[Shot: red, like the space behind one's eyelids. Noises are dazed and distant—muffled screaming, shouting, blades clashing—but one cuts through the haze:]

FENG'S VOICE: (Echoing, as if from a far way off) Help!

SUN'S VOICE: (Groggily) Feng? [The red flickers open, and the first thing we see are floating tangerine sparks, vanishing against the blue sky.] What…

(Sun sits up, staring at the chaos around him: as if in slow-motion, and with a surrealist haze, he sees Wu's guards fighting, bodies lying in the street, and the fire…)

SUN: (Lets out a choked gasp and stares, gape-mouthed and frozen at sight of the flames blazing on the roof of his crumbling shop.)

[Flashback: flames, beating against the night. Sun, now a ten-year-old child, cowers inside a crate, peering through the slats as across the road, houses and shops are ablaze, their flames licking the black smoke-filled sky. Too terrified to cry, he chokes as he sees tiger boys his same age dragged through the street and forced into a waiting war-wagon painted with the character for "recruits." A shadow passes in front of the box and he freezes.]

[Flashpresent: Sun sits, frozen and wide-eyed, watching smoke billow from his shop. He's shaking, unable to move, until suddenly a cry splits the air:]

FENG'S VOICE: (Screaming hoarsely from inside the house) Help! Someone, help me!

SUN: (Eyes snap wide: in a strangled voice:) Feng! (He scrambles to his feet and rushes back inside the building.)

[Inside the burning shop, Sun staggers through the flames, coughing and holding a sleeve over his mouth.]

SUN: Feng! Feng, where are you!

FENG'S VOICE: (From above) Father!

SUN: Feng! I'm coming! (When he reaches the top floor he's nearly blinded by smoke, but through the clouds, eyes watering, he sees Feng trapped under the fallen beam, choking and hacking on smoke.) Hold on, Feng, I've got you–

(He runs to the beam and with an adrenaline-fueled effort pushes it off of her. Behind him, something crashes, and he turns to see that a third roof timber has fallen through. The building is collapsing.)

(Sun looks around for escape and sees the window. He hefts the nearly-suffocated Feng into his arms and rushes to it. It isn't a short distance to the ground, but the alternatives prompt him to prepare to jump, Feng still in his arms.)

CRANE'S VOICE: Hold on! (A shape appears in the window and hovers, flapping its wings. Crane extends his talons, but Sun, panicking, draws back. Crane sees the burning wreckage and the blinding terror in the man's eyes and takes a far softer tone than the desperate situation would usually warrant:) Hey. I'm not going to hurt her, okay? Just let me get her to the ground.

SUN: (Hesitates, and then surrenders Feng into his talons.)

(Crane swoops away with her in-claw. Just as he does so, another timber falls behind the tiger, and Sun jumps out the window. Thankfully the maxim of cats always landing on their feet applies in this case, and he lands crouched in his courtyard before fleeing back into the street, where Crane is just setting Feng down. He gasps and pulls her into his arms.) Feng. Feng, say something…

FENG: (Dazedly, coughing) Father?

NOISE: Cr-r-r-AACCKK. (The screeching, grinding sound of snapping timbers pulls their attention, and Sun watches in horror as his shop—his life—collapses into flames before his eyes.)


NOISE: WHAM!

(Shot: Vision reeling sideways; heavy breathing and a panicked heartbeat in our ears. Everything is again saturated in heightened colors, and the orange-and-black stripes on limbs and feet seem to stand out the most.)

PO: (Bloodied-snout and eyes unfocused, is sagging in the arms of his captors but still taunting them:) Is that… all ya got? (He staggers a little, punchdrunk:) It's gonna… take a lot more than that to...

NOISE: WHAM!

(This hit knocks him swaying; ugly laughter echoes through the crowd. Some of the local boys have dispersed, and fighting continues around them, but Flat Top and many of his friends are taking the opportunity to enjoy themselves.)

FLAT-TOP: (Snickering) Dragon Warrior, huh? More like Dragon Wuss.

TIGER 2: (Complaining as he struggles to hold the panda up) C'mon, man, this is getting boring.

FLAT-TOP: (Snapping at him) Stop being such a buzzkill. (But as he does so, his gaze happens to drift sideways—to the streetfood cart beside Po, and the second wok still steaming with oil.) You're really getting bored? Fine. Let's kill him. (Stalks over and grabs the wok.)

TIGER 2: (Suddenly disturbed as he realizes his leader's plan) Whoa, wait a minute–

FLAT-TOP: (Ignoring him as he steps in front of Po.) You don't belong here, chubster. (Po's eyes snap wide and he starts to struggle as he sees the boiling oil; Flat-Top, with a sadistic half-snarl, half-grin:) It's about time someone taught you your pl–

NOISE: CLASH! (In a blur of gold and spots, something collides bodily with the tiger, sending the wok rolling on the ground. Po barely has time to register what's happened before Wu is fighting with Flat-Top while Imperial Guards flood the street around them. The leopard slashes at the tiger with his claws, kicks him back and draws his sword.)

FLAT-TOP: (Snarls and lunges with his claws) You trait–!

NOISE: SCHLURK.

(Blurrily—the shot is focused on the horrified Po in the background—Wu's sword pierces out the other side of Flat-Top's body, blood dripping off the blade.)

FLAT-TOP: (Stares, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. His scream is choked, cut off into a soundless gasp.)

WU: (Looks coldly back, yellow eyes pitiless.)

(Blurrily again, shot focused on the shocked Po, Wu steps backwards and yanks his blade out, twirling it to shake off the blood. There's a thud as the body hits the ground and doesn't move again.)

WU: (Turns to the guys holding Po, among whom are Tiger 2 and Tiger 3. They drop the panda and try to flee—straight into the wall of advancing imperial imperial guards. He turns to Po.) Go find your Grandmaster. Hurry.

PO: (Nods, looking shaken, and turns and hurries down the smoke-filled street.)

[Shot: over at the gate, as their enemies flee, Mantis and Monkey stop fighting. Kanya, whose tough gray skin is lacerated with shallow sword-cuts, heaves a sigh of relief. They look up as Crane approaches and says something to them, and horror fills their faces. Crane flies off with Mantis on his back.]

[Shot: someone comes up to a bloody-pawed Zhong in the street, relating something to him, and he nods.]

[Shot: the blue sky, and the hazy waving of bare ginkgo branches overhead as a heartbeat slows in our ears.]

PO: (Stumbles away down the street. His vision is still hazy, as the people on either side of him are fleeing, tending to the injured, crying over motionless bodies. Ahead of him, Wu's guards are still battling the Ten Thousand soldiers, pushing them back towards the tea shop. Just as Po is running up to help them, an explosion splits the air:)

NOISE: BOOM. (The third and fourth bombs go off right next to the battle-line, exploding stone and wood everywhere and indiscriminately taking out Imperial Guards and local insurgents. Po stumbles back, shielding his face and coughing as smoke fills the air. As people run past him—some away from, some towards the explosion—, he peers through the smoke, clenching his fists. Through the haze, he spies feline figures in armor vanishing over the debris.)

PO: (Gritting his teeth, he runs forward and clambers over the rubble, only to come to a standstill on the other side of the smoke, where the street is cleared of people aside from several bodies lying motionless on the ground.)

(These aren't what catches his eye, however, but instead the large stone wall of a courtyard-house which lines the street. Across the wall are splashed the characters "皇后活著" in pitch-black paint. The drips are still running. A bucket stands below them, still half-full.)

PO: (Reading aloud to himself) "The empress lives…" (He stares for a long, horrible second, eyes slowly widening as something clicks into place in his mind.)

(A sudden noise draws his attention, and he looks over. It's WU clambering over the rubble; the hilt of his resheathed sword is bloody, as are his paws and sleeves—bloody, up to the elbows.)

WU: That explosion was an escape diversion; where's Zh– (He stops, seeing the writing on the wall behind the panda. Po is too stunned to say anything. For a moment Wu is speechless, and then his face turns grim and he strides forward, picking up the bucket of paint.)

NOISE: Splash! (Pitch-black paint slops across the shot and begins to drip.)

WU: (Turning to Po) You saw nothing. You will say nothing.

PO: (Says, in fact, nothing. Wu watches him for another moment, and then turns on his heel and starts helping his fellow guards over the pile of rubble. As he does so, Monkey vaults over the stones.)

MONKEY: Po!

PO: Monkey! (He hurries to his friend just as Crane swoops down overhead.) You're alr–

MONKEY: (Cutting him off) Master Shifu's hurt; he needs help!

PO: (Eyes snapping wide) What?!

CRANE: Viper and Mantis are already there; come on! (Takes off again; Po and Monkey follow him down the street towards the Pangolin's shop, sprinting.)

[Transition: shot switches back to blurriness, looking up at the blue sky; as the vision criss-crosses into focus, we see Po dropping to his knees above us.]

SHIFU'S VOICE: (Weakly) Panda?

PO: Hold on, Master, you're gonna be okay! Oh no… (The shot drifts from the panda's face to his paws, which are covered in blood, and then back up again. Po's blurry expression looks panicked.) It's fine! It's fine! You're gonna be fine!

SHIFU'S VOICE: (Rasping) P-Panda, I… have to t-tell…

PO: Hold on...

(He lifts his bloodied paws. His palms glow, and then the scene vanishes in a golden haze…)


[Scene: outside the infirmary. Po is sitting on the steps, head and shoulder in bandages, while Mantis pokes him with acupuncture needles as Monkey hands them to him. Viper is slithering back and forth, anxious, while Crane stands morosely beside the door.]

MANTIS: (Edgily) You couldn't take care of this yourself?

PO: (Mumbling) Healing Shifu took a lot out of me. (His face, aside from being black-and-blue and split-lipped, also looks full of guilt, thousand-mile-staring down at the stones.)

VIPER: (Insistent) He's alive. He has to be.

CRANE: (Weakly) Maybe stop talking about it?

(Viper looks ready to retort, but is cut off when the door opens, and the PHYSICIAN steps out. The five of them quickly stand and turn.)

PHYSICIAN: He's alive. (Sighs of relief.) And thanks to the Dragon Warrior's quick intervention, I believe he'll stay that way.

MANTIS: You "believe?" (The physician shrugs helplessly.)

VIPER Can we see him?

PHYSICIAN: Yes, briefly, but he's unconscious. I'm not sure when or if he'll wake up.

[With this grim diagnosis, the five warriors troop into the room after the doctor. The lamps are somber and dim, and soft guqin music is playing from within the shadows. Wu and the Emperor are already there; the rabbit looks up as they enter, wearing the exact same expression as Po: traumatized and guilt-ridden. He's sitting on the cot adjacent to Shifu's, while Wu is standing near the door, quietly receiving a report from a rhino guard.]

LT. CAIXIA: –heavy guard casualties; some civilians too. All the businesses that were attacked belonged to known dissidents in the neighborhood. We think it was retaliation.

WU: And the garrison?

LT. CAIXIA: Almost a complete loss, sir. They raided everything that wasn't nailed down.

WU: Were your men able to take any of the insurgents alive? (She shakes her head.) Alright. Thank you, Lieutenant, you're dismissed.

(The rhino salutes and leaves; as she goes, Po and the Four hurry past her, stopping short at Shifu's bedside. The shot pans to the Emperor, who looks back down at the bed, and then follows his gaze to the unconscious grandmaster.)

(Shifu is lying unconscious on the bed, curled up on his side and looking very small and fragile on the large cot. What of him isn't covered in a blanket is wrapped in bandages, and his fur is stained reddish-brown in places it shouldn't be. At least one line of stitches is visible on his cheek, forming an angry red scar poking out from the bandages.)

MANTIS: (Shaken) B-But Po was there, and I tried–

VIPER: Mantis, it's not your fault–

MANTIS: Did I say it was my fault?!

MONKEY: (Hollowly) I don't understand; it wasn't like this when he fought Tai Lung…

CRANE: Yeah, because Po stopped them in time. (Beside him, Po sits down heavily on the bed opposite the Emperor's.)

VIPER: (In a tiny voice) Tigress doesn't even know. He could have– a-and she wouldn't have even been here…

MONKEY: She's going to kill Zhong when she finds out.

CRANE: (Savagely) Good. I'll hold him and she can punch.

PHYSICIAN: (Anxiously) Please settle down, you'll disturb my patient. Dragon Warrior. (Po looks up, ashamed.) I've done everything I can, but this exceeds my capabilities. Is there nothing else you can do?

PO: No, I-I gave it everything I had, I swear. (Guiltily) Guys, I'm sorry, this is–

EMPEROR: This is all my fault. (They turn to him, startled; the rabbit is still staring down at the grandmaster, looking stunned and lost) I-I thought they would listen… they listened last time…

WU: (Interjecting:) That was after fifteen years of war! (The Emperor looks up, cowed, as the leopard stalks over, finally losing his temper:) People were exhausted and looking for answers; they were ready to listen!

EMPEROR:Wu–

WU: I told you all this was a bad idea, and so did the Grandmaster. Now people are dead, the Grandmaster of Kung Fu is between this life and the next, and worst of all, the Empire itself was nearly plunged into chaos! (Points to the door) We spent fifteen years at war with these people, Cangjie, or did you forget that?!

(The Physician gasps and covers his large ears; the five masters look horrified. This is the only time we've heard the Emperor referred to by his birth name—a high crime and an offense punishable by death. Wu seems to realize what he's just done and grimaces, flexing a hand nervously.)

WU: (In a low voice) Y-Your Majesty, I– forgive me, I–

EMPEROR: (Cutting across, softly) Of course I haven't forgotten, Wu. I just… (He looks back at the unconscious red panda, and sighs, realizing the foolishness of his words:) I just…wanted to end this peacefully.

WU: (Realizing he's not about to be executed, he sighs, lowering his hand.) Your Majesty…(the rabbit looks at him, morose, as Wu drops to a knee to be at eye-level, insistent:) …please understand, you are the only person standing between China and war.I have been your guard since we were children playing at your father's knee; I know you believe in the good in people, and that belief is what helped you preserve the middle kingdom. But faith is fleeting. (He sets a paw on the rabbit's arm.) The people need to know that they have an emperor who not only believes but can enforce harmony between the species. Without you…

(He suddenly seems to remember that Po and the Four are in the room, turning his head to look at them for a moment and then back to his emperor.)

WU: (Quietly) Without you, they will look for leadership elsewhere.

(There's a long silence. At last, the Emperor sighs and nods.)

EMPEROR: You're right. Talking—reasoning with these people hasn't worked. It's time for action. (He hops off the bed and walks a few paces away, before he straightens up and turns, adjusting his glasses.) Wu. (The captain stands at attention; the Emperor's voice has grown firmer:) I give you complete authorization, do whatever you need to put an end to this insurrection.

WU: (Inclining his head) Thank you, your Majesty. I will implement a citywide curfew immediately and increase the guard and spy presence, especially in the western quarter.

EMPEROR: Of course. And Wu—(the leopard raises his brows) the lieutenant said you couldn't take any of the Ten Thousand alive. What about the civilian attackers who worked with them? (Behind him, Po raises his head.)

WU: We did arrest some of them, your Majesty, but they didn't have much information to give us.

EMPEROR: Even if they are civilians, they wore the armband. I want them tried for high treason. (With a miserable expression, he adds:) Publicly tried. (Wu, recognizing what this means, quickly conceals his look of surprise and gives a solemn nod. The Emperor leaves, looking very tired and alone.)

PHYSICIAN: (Hesitantly approaching, in a low voice:) I'm sorry, but I must ask you to leave. The Grandmaster needs his rest.

(Wu and the warriors go to the door, in sombre moods. As it closes at their backs, the leopard turns to them.)

WU: (Exhausted) Go. Get some rest. Tomorrow we'll discuss our options. (As the others start to file out he adds:) Dragon Warrior. (Po looks back at him.) Come see me in the morning. We need to talk.

PO: (Doesn't answer. Wu gives them a bow and follows his emperor away into the dark.)

(For a long moment the warriors stand alone, watching the snow begin to fall over the dark courtyard as the lights of the infirmary extinguish one by one behind them. At last, one of them breaks the silence:)

CRANE: Gods, I feel sick. (To the others) What are we going to do?

VIPER: I don't know what Wu was thinking, I can't sleep. I'm too worried about Master Shifu…

MANTIS: Honestly, screw our diet; right now all I want is a big plate of fried food–

PO: (Yelping) No! (The others turn to him, startled, and he realizes what he's just said.) I– uh– th-there's no time to eat!

CRANE: "No time to eat?"

PO: (Still rambling) We gotta figure out what to do, I mean, Master Shifu's hurt and–

VIPER: (Sympathetically) Po, we're all worried about Master Shifu. (Gently and knowingly:) But this wasn't your fault.

MONKEY: Yah, the Emperor made the choice.

PO: (Sitting on the steps and burying his face in his hands) Yeah, because I told him we could protect him.

VIPER: Po…

PO: Mantis was right. (Guiltily) I should have known they weren't gonna listen; I just thought if anyone could do it, it would be an Emp– Emperor… (He trails off, pulling his head out of his hands as an idea dawns on him.)

CRANE: (Frowning) Po?

PO: (To himself) That's it. (Standing abruptly) That's it. That's how we stop them.

MANTIS: What are you talking about? (Po has begun to pace.)

PO: (Gesturing wildly) O-okay, so like, the Ten Thousand—they won't listen to the Emperor, right?

MANTIS: (Confused) Right.

PO:But what if there was someone they would listen to! Someone on our side!

CRANE: Um, that– doesn't make any sense?

VIPER: Po, you're worrying us; what are you talking about?

PO: I– (huffs) I can't tell you.

MANTIS: Why not? (Po gestures frustratedly, forbidden to explain even this.)

MONKEY: (Realizing) You mean, you're not allowed to tell us? (Po nods rapidly, pointing at Monkey.)

VIPER: (Gasping) Because the Emperor told you not to! (Po gives a "close enough" wave with his hands.) Okay, um– does it have something to do with the Emperor? (Po winces in a "sort-of?" way.) With Captain Wu? (He shakes his head and holds up a finger.)

CRANE: Okay, one word– (Po makes a "scratching" motion with his hand.) General Zhong!

PO: (Shakes his head, gestures frustratedly, and then gets an idea. He begins to "march" around, waving his finger like he's giving orders.)

MANTIS: Master Shifu! (Po shakes his head but gives him an affirming gesture.) Right, so that's closer–

[Shot from inside the infirmary as the guqin music stops and the blind fennec-fox, JINGYI, raises her head.]

[Back to the Four: Po is rapidly "drawing" invisible stripes on his arms.]

CRANE: Tiger. Angry tiger! Ten Thousand! (Po emphatically shakes his head.)

VIPER: That's further away!

CRANE: Fine then, you guess. (Po begins to mime overly-dramatic chops and kicks.)

MONKEY: Kung fu! Kung-fu tiger!

VOICE: Excuse me.

(They turn. JINGYI is standing in the doorway.)

JINGYI: (Shyly) Are you talking about Master Tigress?

PO: (Points at her and nods eagerly, making muffled noises behind his tightly-closed lips)

CRANE: (Confused) Tigress? (Turning to Po) Why would they listen to Tigress? (Po winces and hesitates, gesturing uncomfortably with his hands.)

VIPER: (Slithering over to the door; kindly:) Jingyi? Do you know what Po's talking about?

JINGYI: Not really. B-But I know where Master Tigress went, if you're trying to find her.

PO: (Breaking his silence) What?! You do?! (The others hastily gather around the girl, who startles a little at the sudden noises.)

VIPER: (Gently) It's okay, Jingyi, just tell us what you know.

MANTIS: And how you know. (Viper hisses at him to shut him up.)

JINGYI: I-I heard her leave, she walked right past mine and papa's window. She said something about going to see a wolf? (The Four and Po look at each other, comprehension suddenly dawning on their faces. Jingyi, frightened by the sudden silence:) Did I say something wrong?

VIPER: (Reassuring) No, sweetie, you did everything just right. Monkey? (The simian turns to her.) Can you get us there?

MONKEY: No, but I can get us pretty close.

MANTIS: That's better than nothing, let's go. (Hops away.)

VIPER: Thanks, Jingyi. You've been a big help; we can take it from here. (The girl smiles nervously at her.)

CRANE: (As the others follow) I still don't understand; how is finding Tigress going to help?

PO: (Insistent) You'll see. (As he and the others break into a run.) The wolves must have been the ones who told her, they'll explain. (Crane looks bewildered but flaps his wings and takes flight anyway, following Monkey. Po, to himself:) Don't worry, Tigress. We're gonna find you—(ahead of him, the others are running towards the palace gates as snowfall grows heavier)—and then everything will be okay.


[Scene: a dusky village tea house, somewhere deep in the Western Mountains. This far west it's still daylight; a low but warm fire burns in the hearth, keeping out the deadly winter chill, and little light gets through the windows—it is cloudy outside, and bitter-cold. Vividly-colored flags, their hues diminished only by the dim light, hang from the ceiling, and the low chairs and tables are likewise colorfully painted with flowers and patterns. A young antelope woman serves tea to customers, while an older antelope man sits at the till.]

[The bells over the door jingle as it opens, a gust of winter wind fluttering the flags. A figure in a heavy brown cloak enters and shuts the door behind them. The antelope looks up as the figure approaches to see a young tiger woman, wearing wrap-boots and a green tunic under the cloak.]

ANTELOPE OWNER: (Eyes her warily and says something in an unknown language)

TIGRESS: I'm sorry, I don't understand.

ANTELOPE OWNER: (Switching to heavily-accented Mandarin): Can I help you, foreigner?

TIGRESS: (Voice low) I'm looking for the Monastery of the Sacred Mountain. I've come a long way.

ANTELOPE OWNER: (Suspiciously) Why?

TIGRESS: I've heard there's someone there who can help me.

ANTELOPE GIRL: (Drawing their attention, also in accented Mandarin, though more fluently:) You mean the hermit.

TIGRESS: The hermit?

ANTELOPE GIRL: (Picking up a tray of empty tea cups from a nearby table and ignoring the warning look the shop-owner is giving her) Well, he's kind of like a hermit, anyway. He's the only one who lives up there now; the monastery hasn't had any real monks in it for ages.

ANTELOPE OWNER: Tenzee. (The girl gives him an annoyed look and falls quiet. The owner turns to Tigress again:) The hermit on the mountain doesn't take visitors. Back when his wife was alive she would visit the village, but now he only comes down once a month for supplies. You've probably come here for nothing.

TIGRESS: Nevertheless, I want to see him. How do I find the monastery?

ANTELOPE OWNER: (Regards her reluctantly for a moment, and then sighs and pulls a piece of paper out from under the bar and hands it to her.) The mountain is dangerous to ascend in winter; you'll need a guide. These are the people in the village who know the way. (Grunts and accepts payment of the leaving customers whose table was cleared, and then adds:) Who knows, maybe the hermit will speak with you. He's one of your kind, anyway.

TIGRESS: A tiger?

ANTELOPE OWNER: (Coolly) A Chinese.


[Scene shift: Tigress is following a yak guide up a snowy mountain slope; the air up here is clearer above the cloud-line, but the sun is getting near to setting, turning the mountain slopes a cold violet color.]

YAK GUIDE: (Pointing up the mountain; in accented Mandarin:) There. (Tigress steps forward and shields her eyes.) The Monastery of the Sacred Mountain.

[On the peak above them, atop a series of sheer cliffs, stands a fortress-like monastery with white walls, multiple pagodas and red-and-gold roofs; unlike Chinese roofs, these are flat rather than sloped. A stand of pine trees surrounds it, but the peak is cut off from the rest of the mountain by a gorge. As her gaze travels down we see that there used to be a large stone bridge crossing the canyon, wide enough for carts or several people to walk abreast, but that has long since fallen through or been destroyed; all that remains of it now are the crumbling ends, between which spans a rickety rope bridge, swaying in the mountain wind.]

TIGRESS: (To the yak guide) Thank you. (She gives him several yuan in payment, and he inclines his head and starts his way back down the mountain.)

[Shot cuts ahead briefly to her reaching the monastery. Beside the gates hangs a bell, which she reaches up and pulls.]

NOISE: Tsannnggggg. (The bell has a clear but hollow sound to it, and its echoes fade off in the cooling wind. She's about to ring it a second time when we hear the sound of a bolt being thrown on the inside, and the gates open with a Crreeaakk.)

(Behind them stands a grizzled snow leopard in his early sixties, about a head taller than Tigress and with scars on his paws and face. Despite his age he was clearly a strong fighter in his youth, and the fur on his jaw is longer, forming a white beard.)

SNOW LEOPARD: (Stares at the hooded figure with a look of mistrust bordering on disapproval.) Yes?

TIGRESS: I'm looking for Sergeant Kuang Lan, of the fourth division. I was told I could find him here.

SNOW LEOPARD: Whoever told you that is wrong. Sergeant Kuang has been dead for many years. You can find his body out there—(he nods to the snowfield behind the bridge)—under the snow. (He turns to shut the gate only for a paw to catch the door.)

TIGRESS: Wait. (Pulls down her hood. The snow leopard stares at her, surprise and recognition crossing his face.) My name is Master Tigress, of the Jade Palace. Do you know who I am?

SNOW LEOPARD: …Yes. (A pause, and then:) But when we knew you, it wasn't by that name…Little One.

TIGRESS: (Her eyes widen slightly, for just a moment. Then she closes her mouth and nods.)

SNOW LEOPARD: I go by Lan. (Glances up at the gathering clouds.) Dusk is coming. You should come in. (He turns and heads back inside. Tigress wordlessly follows after him.)

(The gate doors swing shut behind them as violet sunset melts into shadow.)


A/N: Well that was a bitch and a half to write. This was like so many hours worth of work you guys; fight scenes are really not my forte lol. (Much thanks to my husband Arthur who helped me figure out the street-fight tactics.) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review (they give me life) and I'll see you all again soon.


Cultural notes: (Preliminary disclaimer: I am neither Chinese nor Chinese-American, hence all of this information is coming secondhand.)

-Mianguan headdress: one of the more familiar types of Chinese imperial headdresses to western audiences, this crown features a flat rectangular top with strings of beads which hang down on either end. The beads were meant to screen the face from the view of commoners. It's actually unlikely that an Emperor would wear the mianguan crown in this scenario since its use became restricted to more and more formal occasions over time, especially in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and afterwards, but the look is so distinctively royal that I decided to use it here.

-Thunder crash bomb: an early type of Chinese hand grenade developed in the 12-13th centuries.

-Paro Taktsang Monastery: Also known as the "Tiger's Nest," the Paro Taktsang Monastery in Bhutan (formerly part of Tibet) was built in 1692 around a cave wherein an important Buddhist guru is said to have meditated and taken on eight incarnated forms, after being carried to the cave by a tiger. It was partially damaged by a fire in 1998. It is the model for the Sacred Mountain Monastery in this story, but they are not exactly alike.