The Panda and the Turtle (Book 2)

Chapter 12: Free the Five

A red torch suddenly loomed, that illuminated an unconscious Furious Five wrapped together in chains. The bright light revived them. Tigress blinked, then glared furiously at someone. It was Lord Shen and Boss Wolf, who held the torch. They were also on a large boat somewhere in the city.

"Such sad, sad faces. But now is a time only for joy." Shen said., as he approached the Five and leaned in closely to Tigress' ear. "You are going to be part of something beautiful." Tigress snarled at the wicked peacock. Shen leaned back and gazed at Tigress- she snarled menacingly. "Once we reach the harbor, in front of all the world, you and your precious kung fu will die." He turned away from them. "Then China will know to bow before me. Set sail!"

The Five were hoisted up high above the ship. At an interior room, where some young children enjoyed a puppet show. Suddenly the paper screen was tinted red, and a large black shape slid above the little puppets. The children cowered in fear, and on the other side, the pig who held the puppets looked behind him and was equally terrified. In another room, some rabbits played when they spotted a large dragon head figure that moved past their window. Elsewhere, a sheep was distracted from watering her plant pit by a mast that bumped into the sign outside her window. The citizens all looked outside to see...

A huge armada of ships that slid slowly down the canal, filled with wolf soldiers and cannons. In a ship twice as large as the others, Lord Shen stood on a podium above his largest cannon. Farther up the line of ships, The Five hung suspended above the wolves, silent and depressed as they awaited death.

"Honestly, guys, I never thought I'd die like this. I always thought I'd meet a nice girl, and settle down... and then she'd eat my head." Mantis commented in a small cage. "So sad."

"We cannot give up hope!" Monkey said. "Po and Vee would want us to remain strong. Hard-core. Right, Tigress?"

He looks up at her... and saw her grief-stricken expression. Some distance in front of the armada, several citizens watched the scene from a small bridge that stretched across the canal. Boss Wolf turned to Shen.

"Lord Shen, what about the bridge?" Boss Wolf asked.

"Nothing stands in my way." Shen replied.

A cannon at the front of the line was aimed toward the bridge. The citizens realized what was about to happen and fled for their lives.

"Fire!" Shen ordered.

The cannon was fired. The citizens barely managed to clear the bridge before it was completely obliterated. They dodged falling debris as they ran. The Five were horrified by this act.

"YOU COWARD!" Tigress yelled.

Shen ignored her. Tigress stared at the scene, glanced up... and spotted two shapes that stood on a high roof, illuminated by the moonlight. A familiar, round, black and white shape who wore a cone shaped hat and a familiar skinny green shape who stood by her best friend...Tigress couldn't believe it...

"Po? Vee?" Tigress questioned.

A very alive Po and Vee looked down at the armada as it traveled through the canal. Tigress' face lifted as her friends also spotted Po and Vee.

"Po? Vee?" The Five questioned.

The citizens came out of hiding as Po and Vee's return became known to everyone present, soldiers included. Shen glared up at the duo, astounded and furious.

"How many times do I have to kill the same stinking panda and witch?!" Shen asked, annoyingly.

Up on the roof, Po nervously looked down at the massive army below. Then he saw his friends, trussed up and stared at him in pure amazement, and anger filled him.