A duck squawks. Zeng, the messenger is anxiously fiddling his feathers. "What are you doing? Don't get him mad!" He says nervously.

"What's he gonna do?" Asks the arrogant guard, Vachir. The large rhino stomps on the imprisoned Tai Lung's tail, an audible crunch making Zeng honk fearfully.

Tai Lung makes no movement. "Awww, did I step on the wittle kitty's tail?" Asks the rhino mockingly, "Awww.." He drawls out.

"Okay! I'm good! I've seen enough!" Says Zeng quickly. He and the head guard continue to talk as they exit the scene.

A single feather from Zeng flutters to the ground. Quickly, Tai Lung's eyes snap open and his tail snatches it from in front of him.

◇

Meanwhile, Zeng and Vachir pass a mystic door glowing a brilliant gold. Every once in a while, sections of it light up; as if something was slamming against it. At a particularly large and loud THUNK against the door, Zeng is spooked.

"They also asked you to check up on the last macaque monkey, right?" Asks Vachir nonchalantly, as if they weren't standing in front of one of the most secure cells in the prison.

"This is it. They don't care what you call them, as long as it's not 'it'. Frankly, nobody gives a--" Before Vachir could finish, there's a loud screech and a slam against the door.

Zeng yelps, hiding behind the rhino. "...She's been fighting since the beginning. Honestly, it's a wonder how they're not worn out." He says, walking off.

"Go on, say hi!" Vachir teases the nervous goose, shoving them near the sealed door. Vachir laughs at how the messenger scrambles away. The thumps and loud screeches pick up as Zeng is shoved forward, but stop once he scrambles away. "Is... are they still there?"

Zeng is answered by another, angry shriek.

Meanwhile, Tai Lung is glaring intently ahead as he uses Zeng's feather to pick the lock from the armor. There's a small click as the needles retract from his fur-covered skin and he regains feeling in his nerves from the acupuncture needles. Tai Lung bursts free from his armor.

The Commander runs to the ledge, the goose right behind him. "Oh, no!" Shouts the rhino. "What!? What's happening!?" Asks the frightened messenger.

Tai Lung is at the bottom of the pit, struggling angrily with his shackles. "Fire crossbows!" Demands Vachir. Skillfully, the leopard dodges each and every arrow and spear thrown at him. He breaks free one of his paws, using the freed one to shatter the other.

◇

Tai Lung, after defeating the multiple soldiers in the 'mighty' army, sends off a petrified Zeng with a message. The real Dragon Warrior was coming home.

He looks towards the previously sealed door with narrowed eyes, seeing as it was destroyed with one of the many powerful explosives the army used. Dark smoke emitted from it, a low laugh echoing around him.

Tai Lung looks around skeptically. The Six-Eared Macaque is free. The Protector of the Dragon Warrior is free.

He growls lowly. Even if that Y/n still has the title of protecting whoever the Dragon Warrior may be, it does not remove the past so easily..

Tai Lung turns around, running away on all fours.

◇

A dark figure crouches on the edge of a roof, inhaling deeply. They grin, e/c eyes narrowing. Six multicolored ears fan out at the sides of their head, their left eye scarred. There's a phase of shadows that fwooshes gracefully over their figure and hides the ears and scar, rendering them... rather normal-looking.

The demon stands up, h/c fur ruffling in the breeze. They take a step off of the roof, quickly merging with the shadows.

Shifu~ You're old pal wants to say 'hello'.

◇

"I've been taking it too easy on you, panda." Says a little red panda, irritated at the larger panda. "But no more! Your next opponent... will be me." He announces sharply.

A cold breeze washes by the Jade Palace, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. Tigress's ears twitch as she looks around. She gasps, seeing a purple grin on Po's shadow. However, as soon as she spotted it, it dissapeared.

She shook her head. ..Must be nothing anyways.

◇

Finally at his breaking point, Shifu slams his tiny foot into Po's stomach, sending him flying down a barrage of stairs.

After.. a long while of falling, there's a laugh. Po gasps, standing up and striking a pose he believed to be threatening. "Wha-- who's there!?" He calls, turning in a full circle.

"So this is the Dragon Warrior?" Asks a [masculine/feminine/androgynous] and echoey voice. In the sunset, Po's shadow extends against a tree. He turns around and yelps at the sillouhette, a skeptic face glowing where his head would be.

On the trunk, the shadow's upper half turns into a literal upper half. The macaque monkey stares at the panda. He yelps, scrambling backwards. "Looks like I got my work cut out for me on this one, huh?" Asks the monkey.

"Wha-- It's-- It's you! WOAAAaaaah!" Gasps Po, standing up. He strikes a few poses, pantomiming a staff. "The Six-Eared Macaque! The great General Liu'Er Mihou! Thee Y/n!!" He gasps.

"The one who took out an entire village of criminals but was put in prison for it! The Shadow Warrior! Protector of the Dragon Warrior! You're-- You're here! You're free!!" He gasps in realization, "Does this mean that you protect me?"

Po rambles. He cuts himself off with his own gasp as Y/n steps out of the shadows, linking their fingers together and grinning up at the large panda.

"Yup. It's me, yhe one and only." They say cheekily. He looks Po up and down with a raised brow as they place one hand on their hip. "Looks like I really got my work cut out for me on this one. Do me a favor; keep us a little secret, yeah?" Asks the Macaque, sinking into Po's shadow again.

"WOAh, coOL!" He whispers rather loudly. Y/n shushes him harshly, her voice echoey. "Shut it and go on. I'll be here, waiting for... well. Waiting to protect you or whatever."

"Really?" He asks excitedly. Y/n growls. "What do you expect me to do, dance around showing myself off? I'm wanted my three different villages because I got rid of criminals ways they didn't want me to."

"Oh, yeah, right! Right, right, right. ..Knew that.'

Po could never deny it-- this was so, unbelievably awesome.